Category Archives: Alternative Medicine

The Promise of Stem Cells Sells

I recently binged the Wondery podcast Bad Batch from reporter Laura Beil. Like her previous podcast Dr. Death, Beil leads us through another fascinating medical mystery. This time, a handful of patients in Texas, Florida, and Arizona develop life-threatening infections after receiving an injection of stem cells.

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Tom Brady–poster child for pseudoscience?

tombradyI have to admit, it hurts me a little–ok A LOT–to write this piece.  I’ve probably done a bit more research than was needed because I was hesitant to come to the realization that I’ve lost respect for one of my favorite athletes.  This feeling doesn’t take away 4 championships from a franchise with arguably the best NFL coach of all time, but it does still hurt.

Because Tom Brady may just be the newest poster child for pseudoscience.  What an idiot.

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Bad Science review

Upon initiating the design of my YalBad Sciencee College Residential seminar class, Biomedical Science in the Media, I scoured the interwebs for good and bad science reporting.  One of the notable sites I came across, which later served as an inspiration for this blog, was Ben Goldacre’s Bad Science website.  In his blog, Dr. Goldacre discusses and discredits science that is inappropriately reported and often misconstrued in the news.  Along the way he presents the facts, if they are known, and highly educated conjecture if they aren’t.  Goldacre is also an active broadcaster, campaigner, medical doctor, and academic that still manages to find the time to update his blog and write books.  His first book, Bad Science, has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide and just happened to be on my personal summer reading list.

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