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Clinical trials Medicine Popular culture

Didier Raoult in the NYT: The “brave maverick” narrative and bypassing science-based medicine

Didier Raoult is back, with a huge profile in the New York Times. Unfortunately, much is left out out of the profile of this “brave maverick,” even as evidence mounts against hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin for COVID-19.

Categories
Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery Television

Jennifer Block and Elisa Albert in the NYT: “Misogyny and the patriarchy are why skeptics attack Goop!”

Jennifer Block and Elisa Albert defend the quackery and pseudoscience and quackery sold by Goop by accusing its critics of misogyny and engaging in whataboutism. It does not go well.

Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Autism Bad science Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery

Dr. David Brownstein versus the New York Times on vaccines

Dr. David Brownstein is a local “holistic medicine” doctor. Unhappy at a pro-vaccine New York Times editorial, he tried to refute it. It didn’t go well—for Dr. Brownstein. His self-own was epic.

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Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Homeopathy Medicine Naturopathy Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

The New York Times publishes fake news false hope in the form of a credulous account of dubious alternative medicine testimonials

It’s been a bad week for the Gray Lady in the science department. Hot off the heels of hiring a climate science denier for its op-ed section, it’s published a credulous article that uncritically touts a book full of dubious alternative medicine testimonials.

Categories
Medicine Politics Popular culture Science Skepticism/critical thinking

“Transparency” should not equal a license to harass scientists

Kevin Folta was subject to an abusive FOIA request for his emails by US Right To Know, an anti-GMO group seeking to harass him for his advocacy for GMOs. Paul Thacker, a journalist, used those emails without pointing out the true nature of the source of the FOIA request, and has argued for an expansive view of FOIA that is basically a license for groups like USTRK to harass scientists.