Monthly Archives: October 2009

Anti-Vaccine Activists and Conservative Christians vs HPV Vaccination

Posted on October 29, 2009 by skeptvet

I’ve written before about the link between religion and CAM, both the philosophical link and the political alliance. However, I could not have imagined a clearer and more fascinating example of this than the article recently sent to me by … Continue reading →

Posted in Vaccines | 8 Comments

Protest Government Protection of Unproven and Ineffective Medicine

Posted on October 29, 2009 by skeptvet

The Center for Inquiry, a pro-science and secularism think tank and lobby,  which previously issued a white paper about the attempts of Tom Harkin and others to insert protection for non evidence-based CAM in healthcare reform legislation, has continued to … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Regulation, and Politics | Leave a comment

Animal Hospice — We Need It, and We Need to Do It Right

Posted on October 21, 2009 by skeptvet

Over the last several decades, attitudes towards pets and their role in our households have change dramatically, and in my opinion for the better. Many pet owners see their animal companions as family members rather than objects of utility and … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 11 Comments

From SBM — Updated on CAM Protection in Health Care Reform

Posted on October 18, 2009 by skeptvet

Science-Based Medicine has posted a look at some of the language that has survived into current Senate and House versions of health care reform legislation. The woo protection elements are alive and well. Here are some examples:  “insurance coverage shall … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Regulation, and Politics | 4 Comments

Parvovirus Outbreak in Idaho

Posted on October 14, 2009 by skeptvet

A news report from The Olympian newspaper reports a localized outbreak of parvoviral enteritis, or “Parvo” in Southwest Idaho. According to the article, “Veterinary clinics and hospitals in Boise, Nampa and Caldwell are all reporting a spike in canines with … Continue reading →

Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine, Vaccines | 5 Comments

Board Certified Woo — Or Should I Say Meow?

Posted on October 12, 2009 by skeptvet

CAM proponents generally struggle against government regulation of their industry, though they will also often cite state licensure, when it is required, as evidence that their approaches are legitimate. However, in the absence of such a government imprimatur of legitimacy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor | Leave a comment

Doctor Indicted for Selling Bogus “Cure” to Cancer Patients

Posted on October 11, 2009 by skeptvet

I’ve discussed previously why it is both understandable that desperately ill people turn to unproven or bogus therapies and why it is immoral to take advantage of this desperation and sell them such therapies. It is comforting, then, to find … Continue reading →

Posted in Herbs and Supplements, Law, Regulation, and Politics | 4 Comments

Cognitive Dissonance and Evidence-Based Medicine

Posted on October 8, 2009 by skeptvet

Cognitive dissonance is the emotional reaction to becoming aware that one holds two contradictory ideas or feelings simultaneously. It is a term from a rich area of cognitive psychology looking at how people derive and maintain beliefs. One of the … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 7 Comments

Veterinary Stem Cell “Research” — Is This the Best We Can Do?

Posted on October 4, 2009 by skeptvet

As I discussed in a previous post, the call for a reliance on sound evidence in veterinary medicine resonates less strongly that we might hope because of the paucity of such evidence. Financial resources are the main limiting factor in … Continue reading →

Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine | 27 Comments

PEMF Device for Pets

Posted on October 1, 2009 by skeptvet

Bioelectronics corporation has announced its intent to market a new device for treatment of osteoarthritis in pets. The device, the HealFast®Therapy PetPatch™, is a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) device that attaches over a swollen or painful joint ad is intended … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous CAVM | 17 Comments