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Science, logic and the burden of proof

Anyone who has read my blog or Facebook page for any length of time knows that I rarely censor comments. I am happy to argue with anyone, no matter how outrageous their claims, because there’s always a possibility I can convince readers, if not the commentor herself. Like anyone trained in science, I argue using […]

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For lack of a vaccine …

For lack of a vaccine life as we know it has ground to a halt. For lack of a vaccine Americans are being sickened in the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions. For lack of a vaccine Americans are dying in the thousands, soon to be tens of thousands, ultimately hundreds of thousands and hopefully not […]

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Melissa Bartick drops her extravagant claims on the benefits of breastfeeding

Dr. Melissa Bartick has probably done more than any other individual to grossly exaggerate the benefits of breastfeeding. That’s why her latest piece, promoting breastfeeding in the age of COVID-19, is remarkable: the spurious claims are gone. Enumerating the benefits of breastfeeding, Bartick offers this: breastfeeding reduces the risk of ear infections and diarrhea What […]

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Newborn early onset COVID-19

Lack of data is one of the things that is hampering us most in providing effective guidance and care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps nowhere is that more obvious than in the care of pregnant women who are ill with coronavirus at the time of delivery. Fortunately, medical journals are rushing data online as fast […]

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Ending social distancing soon would be an economic and social disaster. Here’s why:

Your money or your life! Many Republican politicians believe that is the choice we face. They are arguing to end social distancing restrictions in order to bolster the faltering economy. I understand the sentiment. All along I have been more worried about the economic impact of COVID-19 than the medical impact. Yes, I fear the […]

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The pros and cons of homebirth in the age of coronavirus

I’ve received quite a few private messages asking whether homebirth is a better option than hospital birth in the age of coronavirus. Let me start by acknowledging that I don’t know. No one knows; our lack of testing means that we don’t know how prevalent the virus is in the population or how likely a […]

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Watch breastfeeding professionals lie about coronavirus and babies

Lactation professionals lie and babies die! Now they’re lying about coronavirus and babies, providing reassurance that may not merely be false; it may be deadly. NO ONE KNOWS whether it is safe for an infected mother to breastfeed her baby! Why do lactation professionals lie? Because they’ve forgotten about their ethical responsibilities. They are so […]

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Does coronavirus mean breastfeeding mothers should switch to formula? A satire.

We live in the age of coronavirus and it’s time to ask a critical, but uncomfortable question: should breastfeeding mothers switch their babies to exclusive formula feeding? It should be up to individual mothers, but here are some important factors to keep in mind. 1. Without a diversity of sources, babies are excruciatingly vulnerable when […]

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We’re in a crisis that only doctors, scientists and Big Pharma can end

I spend a lot of time writing to, for and about people who are profoundly cynical regarding medicine, science and pharmaceutical companies. Some are sure that doctors are useless, if not harmful. They feel free to ignore expert scientific advice (e.g. climate change) and they are absolutely certain that Big Pharma provides nothing that has […]

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Breastfeeding and the ideology of gut “virginity”

There is no such thing as virginity. It is not a physiological concept. It is a social construct that reflects an obsession with female purity, virtue and honor. It is deeply misogynist. There is no such thing as gut virginity, either. It is not a physiological concept but a social construct that reflects lactivists’ obsession […]

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