Edzard Ernst

The lucrative lie: SCAM and disease prevention

Edzard — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 06:35:49 +0000

So-called alternative medicine (SCAM) likes to present itself as a champion of disease prevention. Its advocates routinely claim to promote health before disease develops, to strengthen the body’s defences, and to address root causes rather than symptoms. This rhetoric is highly attractive, because prevention sounds proactive, humane, and economical. Crucially, it is also good for […]

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Acupuncture for illicit drug use disorders? No, I don’t think so!

Edzard — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 05:44:15 +0000

Needle-based acupuncture is used in some detoxification settings. However, its efficacy for illicit drug use disorders remains uncertain because prior reviews often mixed comparator types, co-interventions, or non-needle modalities. This review aimed to evaluate needle-based acupuncture monotherapy using comparator-stratified meta-analysis. The authors searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, CBM/SinoMed, trial registries, and […]

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While Trump Screws Us All, the Screwworm Thrives

Edzard — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 07:19:47 +0000

The health-related news comimg out of the US get more worrying by the day. In June 2026, a New World screwworm was detected in Texas cattle for the first time since 1966, a catastrophic failure traceable to the Trump administration’s systematic dismantling of animal disease prevention programs. The flesh-eating parasite, whose larvae consume living tissue […]

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Which diet is best for heart health?

Edzard — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 07:23:19 +0000

For several decades, eggs were commonly portrayed as a major cause of raised cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. That position has been substantially revised: current evidence suggests that dietary cholesterol has a relatively modest effect on blood cholesterol in most people, whereas saturated and trans fats are more important determinants of LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular risk. […]

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Measles in the US – RFK Jr., his stupid rhetoric and irresponsible actions erode immunity

Edzard — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:37:55 +0000

The US resurgence of measles in 2026 serves as a stark, data-driven refutation of the anti-vaccine rhetoric championed by quacks like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. For years, vaccine antagonists have framed immunisations as a matter of personal autonomy, minimizing the societal dangers of declining rates. Yet, public health is not governed by ideology, but by […]

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Research integrity and transparency in SCAM journals

Edzard — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:49:19 +0000

So-called alternative medicine (SCAM) remains widely used worldwide, yet longstanding concerns persist regarding the balance and reliability of the evidence presented in SCAM journals. This investigation examined long-term trends in publication practices within leading SCAM journals, with particular attention to changes in publication types and the prevalence of positive versus negative study outcomes as indirect […]

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Systemic problems affecting the US natural health industry?

Edzard — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 07:35:42 +0000

On May 27, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced they are investigating a 3rd multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to moringa powder supplements in 2026. Moringa oleifera supplements (including green powders and capsules) are heavily marketed as a “superfood” and a natural multivitamin powerhouse. They […]

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Retirement?

Edzard — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 09:04:29 +0000

When – about 14 years ago – it was my turn, I looked forward to retirement: endless sleep-ins, zero airport security lines for lectures at distant places, no more struggling to keep awake at boring meeting, and a calendar so beautifully blank it belongs in a modern art museum. I looked forward to the complete […]

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Dr. Toby Rogers … and “one of the greatest crimes in human history”

Edzard — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 08:35:50 +0000

Dr. Toby Rogers, a political economist and fellow at the libertarian Brownstone Institute, ignited a firestorm in March 2026 when he declared the current childhood vaccination program “one of the greatest crimes in human history” (“libertarian” refers to someone who advocates for extreme individual liberty—particularly freedom from government mandates and regulations—believing that the state should […]

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Alternatives to Smoking: What Users Ought to Know About Vaping and Nicotine Pouches

Edzard — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 06:47:57 +0000

Smoking kills! Since most people now know about this fact, they have been looking for alternatives that are safe. Here I will discuss two of them: vaping and nicotine pouches. VAPING Vaping devices are electronic nicotine delivery systems that heat liquid into an inhalable aerosol. They have surged in popularity. Despite marketing claims to the […]

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