Skepticism has experienced unprecedented growth in size and influence in recent times due in large part to the Internet bringing together a geographically disparate group of like-minded people. Standout blogs, podcasts, forums, and wikis have helped equalize access to the skeptical community, promote our positions, and inform about/organize against pseudoscientists, charlatans, ideologues, and those who are just plain incorrect.
News, scams, and herbal supplements
Article by: shadeydave @ 8:14 pm |
Filed under: Critical Thinking,Skepticism
Article by: shadeydave @ 8:14 pm |
Filed under: Critical Thinking,Skepticism
Recently some vitamin supplement scams have been passed off as legitimate news articles from reputable-looking sites. Here are two examples:

Most skeptics will be familiar with the unfortunately popular notion that there is a link between vaccinations and autism. For the most part we see it as a manufactured controversy that has had only negative effects, such as decreased confidence in science-based medicine, increased and misplaced confidence in alternative medicine, and the suffering and death of children who have not received vaccinations or have not been protected by herd immunity.
As a rational Canadian watching the completely irrational American ‘debate’ on health care these past few months, I find that it would almost be funny if it weren’t so infuriating. As a skeptic, I can’t understand why other skeptical organizations/blogs/podcasts are not debunking the outright lies being promoted by anti-reformers, especially given the number of doctors in the skeptical movement.