American Loon #2201: Kamal Saleem

A.k.a. Khodor Shami (real name) That evangelical fundies aren’t always deeply concerned with honesty should come as a shock to nobody. Kamal Saleem, for instance, is one of several “ex-terrorists” (Walid Shoebat is another) who claims to have been involved in islamist terror activities but saw...

Read the full lunacy: #2201: Kamal Saleem Encyclopedia of American Loons

Universal Medicine follower's daughter hopes jury verdict stops 'dangerous cult' recruitment - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

A neuroscientist who tried in vain to claw back part of her mother's dying gift of $1.4 million to an unproven spiritual healer says she has been vindicated by a jury verdict that the breast cancer victim was exploited by a "socially dangerous cult"... Universal Medicine follower's daughter hopes jury verdict stops 'dangerous cult' recruitment - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

American Loon #2038: Mike Murdock (?)

One of the central proponents of the prosperity gospel, Michael Dean “Mike” Murdock is a singer-songwriter, televangelist and pastor of the Texas-based so-called Wisdom Center ministry, where he also hosts the School of Wisdom with Mike Murdock television program. He is famous for various...

Read the full lunacy: #2038: Mike Murdock (?) Encyclopedia of American Loons

Dr Bob Sears medical license on probation resulting from his anti-vaccine views

On 27 June 2018, Dr Robert (Bob) Sears, an anti-vaccine pediatrician, agreed to a stipulation with the California Medical Board that put his license to practice on probation and subjected him to a set of non-trivial conditions. The revocation of the medical license of Dr Bob Sears was stayed by the Medical Board – it will not become operative unless he violates the conditions – but given the specific allegations in the complaint and the fact that this was his first disciplinary action, an immediate full revocation was not likely. The sanction is non-trivial, and a clear warning against future misconduct >> Dr Bob Sears medical license on probation resulting from his anti-vaccine views

American Loon #2030: Connie Morris

Connie Morris is a former member of the Kansas Board of Education and a vocal supporter of the anti-science horde back during the Kansas evolution brouhaha in 2005. (She didn’t like immigrants either.) So in 2005, prompted by the Kansas Intelligent Design Network and the Discovery Institute,...

Read the full lunacy: #2030: Connie Morris Encyclopedia of American Loons

American Loon #1995: Eric Metaxas

Eric Metaxas is a fundie apologist, pseudo-philosopher, author, radio host (The Eric Metaxas Show) and a regular on various TV shows, such as Glenn Beck’s, Mike Huckabee’s and Laura Ingraham’s shows. He has also received various honorary doctorates from places like Liberty...

Read the full lunacy: #1995: Eric Metaxas Encyclopedia of American Loons

Exaggerations and untruths in the promotion of homeopathy

There seem to be plenty of myths and misunderstandings about homeopathy in India.

Homeopathy was first introduced to India by a German doctor from Siebenbuergen, Martin Honigberger (1795 – 1869). He first came to India in 1829 as a conventionally trained physician and treated amongst other personalities the Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab. In 1834, he returned to Europe, met Hahnemann, and became a convert of homeopathy. Subsequently he returned to India, in 1839, and brought homeopathy to this country. Initially, homeopathy was practised mainly by lay practitioners. Mahendra Lal Sircar is said to have been the first Indian who became a homeopathic physician, and he is often called the ‘Hering of India’... Exaggerations and untruths in the promotion of homeopathy

Fraud and greed can cause enormous harm

We have repeatedly discussed the journal ‘Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine’ (see for instance here and here). The journal has recently done something remarkable and seemingly laudable: it retracted an article titled “Psorinum Therapy in Treating Stomach, Gall Bladder, Pancreatic, and Liver Cancers: A Prospective Clinical Study” due to concerns about the ethics, authorship, quality […]

Read the rest here: Fraud and greed can cause enormous harm

American Loon #1881: Dennis Lee (I)

A legend in pseudoscience circles, Dennis Lee is the head of Better World Technologies and United Community Services of America, a company that markets pretty much every piece of ridiculous nonsense technology or “technology” you can imagine, from healing devices that use zero-point energy to...

Read the full lunacy: #1881: Dennis Lee (I) Encyclopedia of American Loons

Defense of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop offers case study on how to sell snake oil | Ars Technica

This week, Gwyneth Paltrow’s high-profile lifestyle and e-commerce site, Goop, gave birth to a beautiful gift to the Internet—and it wasn’t a moon-powered vagina egg that invigorates our mystical “life force.” No, it was a perfectly crafted reference guide for how to sell snake oil.

It’s really quite impressive.

In case you’re unfamiliar—or just need an empowering refresher—Goop is a site directed mostly toward affluent women that peddles pricy products and overuses the word “empower” while dabbling in many forms of pseudoscience and quackery...

Read on: Defense of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop offers case study on how to sell snake oil | Ars Technica

How to protect yourself from bogus claims about so-called alternative medicine

Currently, over 50 000 000 websites promote alternative medicine, and consumers are bombarded with information not just via the Internet, but also via newspapers, magazines and other sources. This has the potential of needlessly separating them from their cash or even seriously harming their health. As there is little that protects us from greedy entrepreneurs and over-enthusiastic therapists, we should think about protecting ourselves. Here I will provide five simple tips that may fortify you against fake news in the realm of alternative medicine […]

Read the rest here: How to protect yourself from bogus claims about so-called alternative medicine>

UniMed Cult Cartel – Naming Names | Universal Medicine SCAM Exposed

Universal Medicine Affiliated Medical Professionals, Allied Health Professionals, Complementary Health Practitioners, Unqualified ‘Healers’, Meditation groups & businesses referring to UM practitioners

Practitioners and groups listed are recruiters for the Universal Medicine Cult. Unqualified ‘healers’ listed believe themselves to be accredited ‘Esoteric Healing’ practitioners through Universal Medicine’s bogus accreditation body, the Esoteric Practitioners’ Association...

Read on: UniMed Cult Cartel – Naming Names | Universal Medicine SCAM Exposed

Burzynski ruling is in (Update: Pathetic punitive actions imposed) | Doubtful News

As regular readers know, we have chronicled the operations of Stanislaw Burzynski, a medical doctor who runs his own cancer treatment clinic using some alternative methods unsupported by evidence, who was the subject of propaganda movies and campaigns and who has violated research standards according to FDA inspectors while running a never-ending trial without solid results. He was accused of charging patients exorbitant case management fees and selling them drugs at high costs from his own pharmacy.

Read full post -> Burzynski ruling is in (Update: Pathetic punitive actions imposed) | Doubtful News

This must be the most sickening cancer scam I have seen for a while

Tomorrow is WORLD CANCER DAY. To mark this important occasion, I intend to publish not just one but two posts. Today’s post discloses one of the more sickening alternative cancer scams I have seen for a long time (tomorrow’s post will be a lot more encouraging): baking soda as a cancer cure. Here is what some charlatans tell the most vulnerable of our patients.

START OF QUOTE

Even the most aggressive cancers which have metastasized have been reversed with baking soda cancer treatments… Doctors and pharmaceutical companies make money from it. That’s the only reason chemotherapy is still used. Not because it’s effective, decreases morbidity, mortality or diminishes any specific cancer rates. In fact, it does the opposite. Chemotherapy boosts cancer growth and long-term mortality rates and oncologists know it…

Read on: This must be the most sickening cancer scam I have seen for a while

(Canadian) quacks advertise lies

Yes, to a large extend, quacks make a living by advertising lies. A paper just published confirms our worst fears.

This survey was aimed at identifying the frequency and qualitative characteristics of marketing claims made by Canadian chiropractors, naturopaths, homeopaths and acupuncturists relating to the diagnosis and treatment of allergy and asthma.

A total of 392 chiropractic, naturopathic, homeopathic and acupuncture clinic...

Read on: (Canadian) quacks advertise lies

Encyclopedia of American Loons: #1705: Vani Hari

A.k.a. The Food Babe
A.k.a. The Jenny McCarthy of Food

Food Babe is the blog of Vani Hari, an internet troll and “consumer advocate” who specializes in advice on nutrition and health-related matters, topics on which she has no background, education (she has a degree in computer science and background as a management consultant) or even minimal understanding – trusting the Food Babe on food or health is much like trusting Donald Trump on vaccines or the random Deepak Chopra quote generator on life wisdom. She is, in other words, full of shit...

More shit here: Encyclopedia of American Loons: #1705: Vani Hari

The shocking confessions of a naturopathic doctor | KevinMD

I was a licensed naturopathic doctor in two states. I quit practicing naturopathic medicine after discovering my former boss, also a licensed ND, had been importing and administering an illegal cancer drug. I trusted my boss, as did his patients, because he was well respected in the naturopathic community and his credentials included “FABNO” (Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology). This FABNO treated any kind of cancer, even in patients who had been discharged by their medical oncologists...

Read the rest of The shocking confessions of a naturopathic doctor by Britt Marie Hermes.

You can also read MS Hermes's own blog, Naturopathic Diaries, here.

You are a killer because of your false information | Edzard Ernst

If you ever receive an email from ‘edzardernst@yahoo.com’, please be aware that it is not from me. It comes from some clown who seems to want to pretend to be me.

How do I know? I received a short email from that very person. Here is its full text in all its beauty:

“You are the most bullshit person i know who claim to be a good doctor […]

Read on: You are a killer because of your false information

Homeopathic chain opens 1st clinic in London … by publishing bogus claims | Edzard Ernst

An Indian chain of homeopathic clinics, Dr Batra’s, has just opened its first branch in London. The new website is impressive. It claims homeopathy is effective for the following conditions:

• Hair Loss 
• Acne (Pimples) 
• Hay Fever (Flu) 
• Eczema 
• Psoriasis 
• Vitiligo 
• Depression 

Hair loss? Are they serious? Have they not seen pictures of Samuel Hahnemann? I decided to look into the psoriasis claim […]

Read on: Homeopathic chain opens 1st clinic in London … by publishing bogus claims

Burzynski Patient Chelsea S.’s Story | The OTHER Burzynski Patient Group

In May 2012, 3 months after she gave birth to her second set of twins, 35-year old dancer Chelsea S. lost vision and experienced numbness in one half of her body. She was diagnosed with a brain cancer almost never seen in adults, a pilomyxoid astrocytoma (PMA). It was near the brain stem and could not be removed, though she received a diagnosis after a biopsy. It appears that she also had radiation. In August, after the radiation, she was told that palliative care was her best option...

Full story here: Burzynski Patient Chelsea S.’s Story | The OTHER Burzynski Patient Group