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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

The anti-vaccine war on science: An epidemic of fear

Many have been the times over the last five years that I’ve called out bad journalism about medicine in general and vaccines in particular, especially the coverage of the discredited notion that vaccines or mercury in vaccines somehow was responsible for the “autism epidemic.” That’s why I feel a special responsibility to highlight good reporting […]

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Antivaccine nonsense Entertainment/culture Medicine Politics Popular culture Quackery Television

The 2009 recipient of the Richard Dawkins Award (a.k.a Bill Maher): Antivaccine lunatic and quackery supporter

Here we go again. The 2009 recipient of the Richard Dawkins Award, anti-vaccine wingnut and lover of cancer quackery Bill Maher, decided to use the occasion of the season finale of Real Time with Bill Maher to answer some of the criticisms that have been leveled against him. All I can say is this: I’m […]

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Skepticism/critical thinking

When you dismiss every scientific study, you open the door to believing anything

I’m back. If there’s one thing I’ve noticed in the nearly five years that I’ve been doing this blog thing, it’s that getting started again after taking even a few days off is hard. There’s a bit of paralysis that sets in. I get used to not having to think about what I want to […]

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Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

Homeopathy deconstructed in the FASEB Journal

As I mentioned on Friday, over the last few days I was in Chicago attending the American College of Surgeons annual meeting. At least, that’s where I was until last evening. Unfortunately, I got back home too late and was thus too tired to lay down some fresh Insolence, Respectful or otherwise, for your edification […]

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Biology Evolution Intelligent design/creationism Medicine Science Skepticism/critical thinking

The Trouble with Deepak Chopra, Part 3: More Choprawoo

As I mentioned on Friday, I’m in Chicago right now attending the American College of Surgeons annual meeting, where I’ll be until Wednesday afternoon, and may not be able to post anything new before Thursday afternoon or Friday. If there are any of my readers who happen to be surgeons attending the meeting, drop me […]