Tag: pseudoscience

The Scientific Attitude, Not the Scientific Method, Is the Key

A philosopher of science argues that science is not characterized by a specific scientific method but by the scientific attitude. Scientists value empirical evidence and follow the evidence wherever it leads. They are open to changing their mind rather than stubbornly clinging to an ideological belief system.

/ May 7, 2019

Pseudoscience in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy

This new book addresses the neglected field of research on child and adolescent psychotherapy and does an excellent job of distinguishing treatments that have been proven to work from treatments that are based on pseudoscience.

/ April 30, 2019

JAMA on Medical Misinformation

A JAMA article addresses the issue of confronting medical misinformation. They make good recommendations - but do not go nearly far enough.

/ April 24, 2019
Quackery duck

The Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians publishes Principles of Care Guidelines. Not surprisingly, they aren’t science-based.

Last week, the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians (OncANP) published "principles of care" guidelines. Try as they might, naturopathic oncologists tried to represent their specialty as evidence-based. Unsurprisingly, they failed.

/ March 18, 2019

Naturopaths try (and fail yet again) to argue that they are science-based

That booster of all things "integrative," John Weeks has devoted the entire most recent issue of The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, which he edits, to trying to demonstrate that naturopathy is science-based. It does not go well. Same as it ever was.

/ March 11, 2019

Frequency Specific Microcurrent

Frequency Specific Microcurrents is a dubious energy medicine treatment in the tradition of Albert Abrams.

/ January 16, 2019

A Culture of Standards Matters

Perhaps the most dangerous effect of the alternative medicine movement has been an erosion of the culture of dedication to science and standards within medicine. This has to change.

/ September 12, 2018

Halotherapy – The Latest Spa Pseudoscience

Halotherapy, sitting in a salt room, is the latest spa trend, just as full of pseudoscience and false claims as we have come to expect from wellness spas.

/ June 13, 2018

Pseudoscience: The Conspiracy Against Science

An excellent new book examines pseudoscience in 22 essays by prominent scientists from various fields.

/ April 3, 2018

Facilitated Communication Rears Its Ugly Head Again

Facilitated communication is pure pseudoscience that was debunked almost 30 years ago, but it keeps coming back, creating new victims.

/ March 14, 2018