Categories
Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment can kill

On Friday, a hyperbaric oxygen chamber exploded, killing a five-year-old child being treated at an “integrative” clinic. Quackery kills.

Categories
Cancer Clinical trials Medicine

Is it safe to watch DCIS rather than remove it?

Ductal carcinoma in situ is a precursor of breast cancer that is usually treated with surgery, radiation therapy, and estrogen blockade. A new study (COMET) suggests that watchful waiting might be safe for low risk DCIS.

Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Politics Pseudoscience

Amusing factionalism in the MAHA universe

Even as Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. prepares to face confirmation hearings today, there has been amusing trouble in “make America healthy” paradise. Will it derail RFK Jr.’s bid to become HHS Secretary?

Categories
History Medicine Science

The frequent crank fallacy of the appeal to Semmelweis

A proponent of the Great Barrington Declaration is comparing rejection of its “natural herd immunity” approach to the pandemic to the rejection of Ignaz Semmelweis and his findings (and Galileo, too). It’s a deceptive comparison beloved of all manner of scientific cranks.

Categories
Medicine Politics Science

Why do RFK Jr. apologists think eliminating NIH study sections is a good idea?

Since the nomination of Dr. Jay Bhattacharya for NIH Director, I’ve been seeing a suggestion from certain contrarian doctors for a “randomized trial” of study sections vs. a “modified lottery” to determine which grant applications are funded by the NIH. Why do RFK Jr. apologists think this is a good idea?