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Autism Bioethics Medicine Quackery

Arthur Allen on conflicts of interest in the mercury militia movement

Those arguing the “conventional” view that sound science and epidemiological studies have failed to find a link between vaccines and autism are often tarred with the “pharma shill” brush. Meanwhile, researchers who have ever taken drug company money (particularly if it’s from a drug company that makes vaccines) are castigated for having a serious conflict […]

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Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

A most disturbing video

Earlier this month, a “mercury mom” named Christine Heeren posted a most disturbing video to YouTube. Not long after, Kevin Leitch became aware of it and wrote about it, shortly after which the video was made a “private video” that only those given permission could view. Fortunately, Kevin had also downloaded the video and has […]

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Medicine Politics Science

Fear of the frame, part II: A cultural divide

I remain confused. Yes, I know that people who don’t like me very much or at least don’t like the message that I lay down here day in, day out, week in, week out probably aren’t surprised at this startling admission, but I don’t mean it in a general fashion (although no doubt those aforementioned […]

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Science Skepticism/critical thinking

The age of unreason?

Prometheus makes the case that our current age of unreason can be largely attributed to the Baby Boomers. As someone who can be viewed either as a very young Baby Boomer or a very old GenX-er, I nonetheless heartily agree with his clarion call near the end of his analysis: Our society is growing more […]

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Clinical trials Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Skepticism/critical thinking

Your tax dollars at work: Tai Chi as an immune booster?

If you ever want to wonder why I’m sometimes of the mind that the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine should be disbanded and its functions distributed among the other Institutes of the NIH, you just have to consider the sorts of woo-filled studies (like the Gonzalez protocol) funded by NCCAM mixed in among […]