/oss/taxonomy/term/170/all en /oss/article/pseudoscience/dr-ozs-sad-trip-down-rabbit-hole <p>It seems that Dr. Mehmet Oz’s transformation from respected surgeon to deplorable pseudoscience advocate is complete. He recently slandered Dr. Fauci as a “petty tyrant” and then called him “cowardly” for not taking the bait to get into a “doctor-to-doctor debate” with the surgeon-turned TV snake oil salesman-turned politician. Oz may once have been a very competent physician, but he is way, way out of his depth when it comes to immunology, virology and epidemiology. He is just not in Dr. Fauci’s league.  </p> Fri, 18 Feb 2022 22:01:11 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9030 at /oss /oss/article/health-and-nutrition-you-asked/there-any-point-drinking-oxygenated-water <p>Oxygen is critical for life and that also makes is susceptible to chicanery. If oxygen is so essential that the brain is permanently injured after just four minutes of deprivation, then surely more must be better! That’s the argument used by sellers of “oxygenated water” who often target athletes with claims that their product can improve athletic performance. Well, all water is actually oxygenated water because oxygen from the air dissolves in water, although not to a great extent since its solubility is only about 25 mL per liter.</p> Thu, 23 Dec 2021 23:55:21 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8963 at /oss /oss/article/pseudoscience/claptrap <p>Back in the 18<sup>th</sup> century, a theatrical line that was delivered to shamelessly elicit or “trap” applause from the audience was referred to as “claptrap.”  The line usually didn’t have much meaning and claptrap became synonymous with nonsense.  Unfortunately, because of necessity, it has become a very popular word in my vocabulary. Rapper Nicki Minaj tweets about a cousin’s friend’s testicles swelling after a COVID vaccine. What can I say? Claptrap!</p> Fri, 24 Sep 2021 20:47:12 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8865 at /oss /oss/article/pseudoscience/popular-health-guru-sayer-ji-curates-scientific-literature-his-bachelors-degree-philosophy <p>There is a tool on Sayer Ji’s website<a href="http://greenmedinfo.com"> GreenMedInfo.com</a> that I wish I could recommend. I am sometimes asked by members of the public for a place to go to find scientific papers in order to figure out what is “science” and what isn’t, and the<a href="https://www.greenmedinfo.com/research-dashboard"> Research Dashboard</a> on Ji’s website appears to be up to that task.</p> Fri, 12 Jul 2019 00:35:33 +0000 Jonathan Jarry, MSc 7828 at /oss /oss/article/health-quackery/just-when-you-think-you-have-heard-everything-along-comes-jing-orb <p>Desperation can drive people to do desperate things. Such as investing in the “JING ORB” to try to resolve a health problem. You can’t blame anyone afflicted with a serious condition, one that defies conventional medical care, to consider “alternatives.” But you can take issue with those who prey upon the desperate and extract money from their wallets with promises of benefits from pseudoscientific treatments. And just when you think you have heard the most outrageous promotional mumbo jumbo, a new scam comes along to surpass it.</p> Thu, 03 Jan 2019 21:02:39 +0000 joe Schwarcz PhD 7517 at /oss /oss/article/health-nutrition-quackery/cracked-science-05-who-created-cancer-good-thing-montrealhealthygirl <p></p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-1"></div> Thu, 10 May 2018 18:21:39 +0000 Jonathan Jarry, MSc 7078 at /oss /oss/article/quackery/cracked-science-01uc-irvine-and-integrative-medicine <p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-2"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" id="media-youtube-pormuylhtxu" width="640" height="390" title="UC Irvine and Integrative Medicine (CS03)" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/PoRmUYlHTXU?wmode=opaque&controls=&enablejsapi=1&modestbranding=1&playerapiid=media-youtube-pormuylhtxu&origin=https%3A//www.mcgill.ca&rel=0" name="UC Irvine and Integrative Medicine (CS03)" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Video of UC Irvine and Integrative Medicine (CS03)</iframe> </div> </p> Wed, 09 May 2018 21:54:24 +0000 Jonathan Jarry, MSc 7060 at /oss /oss/article/quackery/cancer-good-thing-says-montreals-own-food-babe <p>“CANCER IS ACTUALLY A GOOD THING!!!”</p> <p>It’s not every day that I encounter a statement that physically deforms my face. I believe the right word is “aghast”.</p> <p>I have become immune to the commonplace claims of naturopaths, homeopaths, and other merchants of quackery. I have heard of the diluted substances that allegedly cure, of the homunculus found on the sole of our feet which can apparently serve as proxy for our liver and lungs, of the magical power of positive thinking.</p> <p>But cancer depicted as a hero, complete with all caps and exclamation marks?</p> Wed, 28 Feb 2018 19:09:52 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 6940 at /oss /oss/article/quackery/naturopath-sues-whistleblower-denouncing-quack-treatments <p>It pays to be a quack; it doesn’t pay to denounce one.</p> <p><span>There’s a running gag among skeptics that goes something like this: we could make millions of dollars selling bioquantum hooha to the masses… if only we didn’t have these pesky morals.</span></p> <p><span>The recipe to convince desperate people to give money away is fairly simple. One cup of appealing to nature, another cup filled to the brim with testimonials, a teaspoon of scientific-sounding mumbo jumbo, and a dash of conspiracy thinking (adjust for taste).</span></p> Wed, 24 Jan 2018 14:08:05 +0000 Jonathan Jarry, MSc 6901 at /oss /oss/article/quackery/oprah-president <p><span>The U.S. is abuzz with chatter about Oprah for President. She makes a thoughtful, rousing, captivating speech at the Golden Globe Awards and people are ready to usher her into the Oval Office. But let’s not fling that door open quite yet, not before taking a look at the candidate’s ability to exercise sound judgement. Although there are several instances I could point out where Oprah’s judgement was suspect, her having devoted a program to the antics of “John of God” is particularly troublesome.</span></p> Thu, 11 Jan 2018 18:48:08 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 6880 at /oss /oss/article/quackery/webbed-foot-award-2017 <p>Every year as the year comes to an end we bestow our “Webbed Foot Award” on a worthy candidate. This year we are looking to do this by popular vote. Please send three candidates in order of merit with the first one being your prime choice to <span class="spamspan"><span class="u">Joe.Schwarcz</span> [at] <span class="d">���ϲ�����.ca</span></span></p> Tue, 26 Dec 2017 16:12:14 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 6856 at /oss /oss/article/technology-history-quackery/ideas-reanimate-dead-are-dead-wrong <p><span>Reviving the dead using stem cells and electrical impulses sounds more like a plot for a Hollywood sci-fi movie than a process grounded in reality.</span><span> And yet, that is exactly what a Philadelphia bio-tech company is suggesting with “ReAnima”, a proposed neuro-regenerative treatment where clinically declared brain-dead patients could be “brought back to life” by growing and stimulating new neurons. How are they suggesting this be done?</span></p> Tue, 20 Jun 2017 13:28:25 +0000 Cassandra Lee – OSS Intern 2553 at /oss /oss/article/technology/business-heritage-whats-deal-genetic-sequencing <p>If you’ve ever spent any time in Ireland, you’ll know that heritage is highly marketable; from the-over-the-top Carroll’s gift shops, to the bright green tour buses transiting loads of tourists around the countryside, people seem to be obsessed with all things Irish. As a result of the mass emigration out of Ireland since the 15th century, it’s not surprising that many people feel a great connection to the country and the culture, claiming their own Irish heritage somewhere along their family line.</p> Wed, 14 Jun 2017 14:47:01 +0000 Cassandra Lee, OSS Intern 2546 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-quackery/therapeutic-touch <p>Dolores Krieger, a nurse, is the mother of Therapeutic Touch. She claims that humans are surrounded by energy fields which become disturbed when they are ill and can be massaged back into place by a skilled therapeutic touch practitioner. “Krieger claims that a skilled therapist can store energy in a cotton ball between her hands. The cotton will retain the energy for several hours to be used by “healees” to “unruffle” their maladjusted energy fields.” Attempts to show scientifically that humans have energy fields have failed.</p> Wed, 10 May 2017 18:26:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 2428 at /oss /oss/article/controversial-science-food-health-news-quackery/instant-noodles <p style="text-align:justify">At the turn of the millennium a Japanese poll asked about the best Japanese invention of the previous century. Instant noodles was the answer. Japan as well as China have a long history of eating noodles, mostly wheat although rice noodles are also popular. In 1958 along came Momofuko Ando with an idea. If noodles were hot air dried or quickly fried after they were steamed, they would last a long time and could be readily cooked by dumping into boiling water. The instant noodles could be mixed with various flavor additives to yield a quick soup.</p> Mon, 11 Aug 2014 23:05:05 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 2178 at /oss