FSM News and Articles
The Dawning of Friends of Science in Medicine (FSM): As FSM is coming up on our 10th anniversary, here is a look back at our story. Prof John Dwyer writes on how FSM got started, our early battles, issues that have been addressed with Chiropractors, Acupuncture, Osteopaths, AHPRA, and the TGA, and the problems that persist to this day. “As foundation President of FSM, I am proud of what our organisation has achieved. I have no doubt that the current committed and talented executives will continue to work with our membership to tackle many of the continuing issues which deny so many Australians the benefit of the best that scientific medicine has to offer. If you have taken the time to read this FSM story, I encourage you to join, at no cost, and support our important, continuing struggle.”
Friends of Science in Medicine, Australia – the 10th Anniversary: “The peddling of unproven and sometimes dangerous remedies has existed throughout human history. There will always be companies (and individuals) who put the pursuit of profit before ethical behaviour. There will always be advocates for de-regulation and regulators captured by industry. To protect consumers there must be opposing forces. That is the role that FSM is proud to play, along with colleagues from the sceptical community and consumer movements.”
Books for Xmas: Looking for Christmas gifts (or presents for any other time of the year) for science-minded or inquisitive friends? Take a look at FSMs reading recommendations for books on evidence-based medicine, tackling pseudoscience and popular science issues.
Patient beware – many a medical practitioner is naught but a dodgy doctor: “We can all be grateful to the ABC’s Four Corners program for detailing the harmful, indeed quite horrific malpractice of a ‘cosmetic surgeon’ who caused so much harm and distress to many patients. The expose resulted in the ‘surgeon’ withdrawing from medical practice. But how can it be that for 30 years he was allowed to perform procedures for which he lacked the requisite skills?”
FSM Friends’ News and Articles
Researcher Timothy Caulfield debunks COVID-19 misinformation: “We’ve started studying the misinformation from the context of COVID-19 right from the start of the pandemic,” Caulfield says. He focuses on studying the nature of misinformation and what evidence says about how to counter it. Caulfield says that most of this misinformation derives from social media posts on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
General
Who is actually eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine exemption? Anti-vaxxer groups have been encouraging people wishing to be exempt from COVID-19 vaccine to claim ‘severe acute anxiety’ to avoid the jab. While medical practitioners take anxiety very seriously, this is not a condition listed as a contraindication.
I’m an ER doctor in Michigan, where unvaccinated people are filling hospital beds: “A young patient sick with Covid-19 was admitted with dangerously low blood oxygen levels. His spouse and infant child came in to say goodbye just before he was sedated and intubated. ‘I don’t think I’ll see you again,’ he said. He died before the end of the week. He was unvaccinated.”
Great Moments in Health and Science
The man who saved a billion lives: Advancements in vital resource supply such as food can be just as essential (or more so) to human health than medical advancements.