Here is a recap of the stories that appeared last week at Science-Based Medicine, a multi-author skeptical blog that separates the science from the woo-woo in medicine.

Selective pressures on alternative medicine (David Gorski)  Alternative medicine has evolved, developing in stages from folk medicine into integrative medicine, and producing new species. Selective pressures favor ineffective treatments over harmful ones; homeopathy is ideal because there’s nothing in it. Evolutionary principles are only part of the explanation. Other factors are responsible for CAM’s recent popularity and its spread into academia.  

Product B: Here We Go Again (Harriet Hall)  A notorious multilevel marketing (MLM) company has introduced Product B, a diet supplement mixture to “support telomeres.”  The science of telomeres and their role in aging is fascinating, but the rationale for Product B is purely speculative and there is no evidence that it slows aging or improves health in any way. 

Announcement: The Society for Science-Based Medicine is co-sponsoring NECSS (David Gorski)   The Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism, April 9-12, 2015 in New York City, will feature a full day of science-based medicine programming by the SfSBM team.

In the Spirit of Choosing Wisely (Mark Crislip)  The Choosing Wisely initiative of the American Board of Internal Medicine asked various medical societies to identify 5 or more do’s and don’ts to implement evidence-based medicine in their respective fields. The American College of Medical Toxicology and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology came up with appropriate  “don’ts” for homeopathy, supplements, chelation, heavy metal screening tests, and dental mercury amalgams. Unfortunately, their “do’s” for low back pain and choosing a pain reliever recommend CAM modalities like acupuncture and chiropractic, treatments that don’t meet the criteria of their own organization.

Some shocking and some obviously nonsense claims in this week’s stories from Doubtful News.

Lawyer accused of sexually inappropriate behavior and attempted hypnosis
A lawyer dispensing legal advice has been accused of “hypnotizing” some of his female clients and became sexually explicit with them. This is not the only such story but as with usual media reporting,much left unclarified and questionable.

Anti-vaccination sentiment continues to kill workers in Pakistan
Four more polio workers were killed in Balochistan, Pakistan where religious extremist and deep distrust, along with anti-science sentiment, has resulted in scores of acts of violence against in health care workers trying to save lives.

Psychic hand waving taken seriously by airline
Brazilian psychic caused trouble for TAM airlines when he reportedly had a vision that on of their aircraft was going to crash. The airline changed the flight number in order to shake the omen. But self-proclaimed psychic, Jucelino Nobrega da Luz, isn’t taken so seriously by many others. 

Nessie: It’s big, it’s heavy, it’s wood
Poor Nessie, she is missing in action once again. A local nature conservancy group has proposed that runoff into the Loch Ness during the fall may spark reports of the mythical monster because people mistake logs for the creature. Does this explain some reported sighting? Probably many but not all.

Vanuatu lawmaker supports capital punishment for ‘sorcery’
Vanuatu MP and former finance minister Willie Jimmy is calling for witchcraft to be made a crime punishable by death. But his reasoning is simply not reasonable. He firmly believes black magic is real and is trying to stem the vigilante justice practiced by the traditional people of Melanesia.

Miracle showdown!
Celebrity “healer” John of God is visiting Australia. Local faith healer, John Mellor has challenged John of God to healing showdown.Mellor says he gets John of God’s former paid patients to heal after he failed them. 

Alternative advice leads to death in Norway
A 70-year-old self-confessed alternative medicine man has been jailed in Norway after he gave misleading and illegal advice to a terminally cancer patient. He advised a seriously ill cancer patient to stop chemotherapy for alternative treatment instead. She agreed but died.

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