All posts by Harriet Hall

Harriet Hall, MD also known as The SkepDoc, is a retired family physician who writes about pseudoscience and questionable medical practices. She received her BA and MD from the University of Washington, did her internship in the Air Force (the second female ever to do so),  and was the first female graduate of the Air Force family practice residency at Eglin Air Force Base. During a long career as an Air Force physician, she held various positions from flight surgeon to DBMS (Director of Base Medical Services) and did everything from delivering babies to taking the controls of a B-52. She retired with the rank of Colonel.  In 2008 she published her memoirs, Women Aren't Supposed to Fly.

Book Review: Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, by Abigail Shrier

This article has been retracted. See editors' notice and link to a more detailed explanation. Comments have been closed. If you wish to continue to comment, go to the more recent article linked to at the beginning of this post.

/ June 15, 2021

InstaHard: Hard to Believe, Easy to Laugh At

InstaHard is advertised in a stupid video as a cure for erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems. The claims are unbelievable, but they are good entertainment; they made me laugh.

/ June 8, 2021

The Natural Medicine Handbook

Dr. Walt Larimore has written a very mixed bag of a book, combining useful general advice about supplements and "natural medicine" with some questionable specifics about individual products.

/ June 1, 2021

Okinawan Flat Belly Tonic

Okinawa Flat Belly Tonic is yet another scam weight loss product made up of a random grab-bag of vitamins, minerals, and powders.

/ May 25, 2021

Craniosacral Therapy Is Bogus but DOs Are Required to Learn It

The standard textbook used in many schools of osteopathic medicine includes a lamentable chapter on cranial manipulation. It is clearly biased and fails to meet the minimal standards of science-based medicine. Craniosacral manipulation therapy is bogus, and it should no longer be taught to DOs or feature on their exams.

/ May 18, 2021

A Blood Test for Fibromyalgia?

The FM/a test is advertised as a definitive test to diagnose fibromyalgia. It isn't definitive. It is expensive. It has not been shown to change patient outcomes.

/ May 11, 2021

Eye Drops for Dry Eyes

I could have chosen a prescription eye drop for my dry eyes. I decided not to. Here's why.

/ May 4, 2021

Another In a Pattern of Really Stupid Marketing Videos, This One Claiming Tinnitus Has Nothing to Do with the Ear and Is 100% Curable.

This really stupid video was an insult to my intelligence. Nothing in it can be believed. They claim tinnitus has nothing to do with the ears and they sell a 100% effective dietary supplement mixture supposedly developed by MENSA with government funding. It has never been clinically tested. No, there is no cure for tinnitus.

/ April 27, 2021

Update on Energy Medicine Pain Patches: Jovi and Its Targeted Marketing Strategy

For many women, cramps are a regular feature of their menstrual periods. Jovi is being marketed as a cure. It isn't. It's just more energy medicine pain patch nonsense.

/ April 20, 2021

Lose Weight without Diet or Exercise? Where’s the Proof?

Can an obese person lose 52 pounds in 28 days without diet or exercise, by simply taking this pill? Yeah, sure! Pull the other one!

/ April 13, 2021