If you have ever bought a natural health product approved by Health Canada, you must watch this 22-minute episode of CBC’s Marketplace. Do you have any idea how easy it is to get approval from Health Canada to manufacture and sell a natural health product? You will hear from me on this topic in a couple … Continue reading
Tag Archives: dilution
Homeopathy Is Not Scientific
The Prince Arthur Herald, a McGill University student publication, has just published a short piece I wrote on homeopathy. Here is an excerpt: “In the mid-2000s, semi-isolated acts of “suicide by homeopathy” were performed as demonstrations of the lack of efficacy of this antiquated belief system, culminating in the Liverpudlian 10:23 challenge which extended this act … Continue reading
Cracked Science Video 3: Homeopathy
It’s October 23rd or 10-23, which has been suggested as Homeopathy Awareness Day, in homage to Avogradro’s number. Today is as good a day as any to investigate the claims made by homeopathy. Reading about homeopathy is one thing; seeing the dilutions is another. I hope this is graphic enough for you. I have also … Continue reading
Interview with Dr. Joe Schwarcz on Within Reason
Readers of this blog probably know that I also have a monthly podcast entitled Within Reason, which explores contentious issues from a rational perspective. While the topics are not always science-related, our latest episode features Dr. Joe Schwarcz, director of the Office for Science and Society at McGill University, on the subject of chemophobia. We talked … Continue reading
CRTKL: The Critical Reasoning Tool Kit Lecture (McGill, April 9, *ROOM CHANGE*)
I have been graciously invited by the brand-spankin’-new Freethought Association at McGill to give a talk in the evening of April 9 on critical thinking skills. Why me? I used to head the Montreal chapter of the Centre for Inquiry; I have a background in biochemistry, molecular biology, and human genetics; and as one of the … Continue reading
Jargon: Oscillococcinum (a homeopathic dilution of duck offals alleged to shorten flu symptoms)
Oscillococcinum: a homeopathic product claimed to reduce the duration of flu-like symptoms. Its preparation begins with duck liver and heart which is diluted 1 in a 100 two hundred times. The final preparation cannot scientifically contain a single molecule derived from the duck liver and heart. All it is is the dilution solvent packed in … Continue reading
1023: The Limit of Credulity
I have already published a fairly detailed dismissal of the absurd claims of homeopathy on this site. If you are still indulging in homeopathic remedies after reading it, I would urge you to reread it and really concentrate. There’s a fantastic campaign started three years ago by the Merseyside Skeptics Society in the United Kingdom, … Continue reading
