Health
News, commentary, critique, reviews, research from medicine, pseudomedicine and health.
Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil’s superspreader of disinformation during the pandemic
During the height of the pandemic, Brazil's then-president Jair Bolsonaro was a prolific promoter of pseudoscience - as a new study documents
Turning a Blind Eye to Better Evidence: Dr Aseem Malhotra’s viral COVID-19 scaremongering
Citing poor data from a dubious journal, Dr Aseem Malhotra proves that vaccine scaremongering is dependent on stoking gut-level hunches, and ignoring better quality research.
More wishful thinking than medical reality: “Placebos” by Kathryn T. Hall
The 'powerful placebo' is a seductive myth that Kathryn T. Hall's "Placebos" can't resist, even though her grand claims clearly misinterpret what the best available evidence says
Turn off The Light: taking community action against misinformation and hate speech
When the free, conspiracy-laden antivax newspaper The Light began to circulate around Stroud, Gloucestershire, one group of concerned locals decided enough was enough
The true cost of veterinary care: breaking down those big bills
Veterinary bills can be hugely expensive, but it isn't that vets are ripping people off - it's that healthcare costs far more than we always realise
Eat the Sun: an ophthalmologist’s review of a documentary on sun-gazing
"Eat the Sun" puts forward the notion that humans can survive without food, as long as we stare at the sun - unsurprisingly, this is terrible advice
Despite its “class clown” reputation, ADHD can be much more serious than people realise
Kat Ford -
ADHD is treatable and manageable, but only if we take it seriously and treat ADHD folk with the acceptance, compassion, and support they need.
The ‘Experimental Invisibles’: tracking the roots of the anti-vaxx movement in Brazil
As the anti-vaxx movement grew in Brazil, the team from investigative podcast Ciência Suja follows the key figures involved in spreading vaccine misinformation