Viral BS : medical myths and why we fall for them

Viral BS Medical myths and why we fall for them

Seema Yasmin, 1982-

Book - 2021

"This book dissects medical myths and pseudoscience and explores how misinformation can spread faster than microbes. Yasmin debunks public health myths ranging from the spurious link between vaccines and autism to the truth about so-called chemtrails left behind by airplanes. In short chapters covering popular myths, Yasmin parses the science behind fearful rumors and models how to be a more informed consumer of health news"--

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Subjects
Medical misconceptions > Miscellanea.
Health risk assessment.
Medicine, Popular.
Published
Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press 2021.
Language
English
Main Author
Seema Yasmin, 1982- (author)
Item Description
Includes index.
Physical Description
263 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
ISBN
9781421440408
  • 0. Introduction
  • 1. Do the flat tummy detox teas touted by Instagram celebrities actually work?
  • 2. Should you eat your placenta?
  • 3. Do vaccines cause autism?
  • 4. Can autism be cured?
  • 5. Are children being paralyzed by the common cold virus?
  • 6. Do we inherit trauma from our parents?
  • 7. Are genetically modified foods safe?
  • 8. How long can you eat leftovers?
  • 9. Is MSG addictive?
  • 10. Is drinking diet soda linked to Alzheimer's disease and stroke?
  • 11. Do mammograms cause more problems than they detect?
  • 12. Is it dangerous to be pregnant in America?
  • 13. The\raging statin debate
  • 14. Does aspirin prevent cancer?
  • 15. Did the maker of aspirin test medicines in Nazi concentration camps?
  • 16. Does the birth control pill cause depression?
  • 17. Do vitamin D supplements protect against obesity, cancer and pneumonia?
  • 18. Will fish oil supplements prevent heart disease or give you cancer?
  • 19. Are heartburn medicines linked to a serious gut infection?
  • 20. Were dietary supplements linked to a deadly outbreak of hepatitis?
  • 21. Can gay and bisexual men donate blood?
  • 22. Are e-cigarettes helpful or harmful?
  • 23. Is marijuana a performance-enhancing drug for athletes?
  • 24. Did a morning sickness pill for pregnant women cause birth defects in thousands of babies?
  • 25. Is there lead in your lipstick?
  • 26. Why do immigrants in America live longer than American-born people?
  • 27. Has the United States government banned research about gun violence?
  • 28. The\Frackademia Scandal
  • 29. Does playing American football give players brain damage?
  • 30. Did the United States government infect people with syphilis and gonorrhea?
  • 31. Does talcum powder cause ovarian cancer?
  • 32. Does infection with Ebola cause lifelong symptoms?
  • 33. Are older adults at higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections?
  • 34. Did genetically-modified mosquitoes spread Zika and does the virus cause birth defects?
  • 35. Can your cat's poop make you better at business?
  • 36. Is suicide contagious?
  • 37. Are suicide rates linked to the economy?
  • 38. Are there more suicides during the holiday season?
  • 39. Are you more likely to die from a medical mistake than from a car crash?
  • 40. Is it dangerous to go to the hospital in July?
  • 41. Do patients cared for by female doctors live longer?
  • 42. Can a pill make racists less racist?
  • 43. Are airplane condensation trails a.k.a chemtrails bad for your health?
  • 44. Do bad teeth cause heart disease?
  • 45. Can your zip code predict when you will die?
  • 46. Does debunking a myth help it spread?
  • 0. Dr. Yasmin's Bullshit Detection Kit ()
  • 0. Acknowledgments
  • 0. About the Author
  • 0. Index
Review by Booklist Review

Aunt Agnes is convinced her daily use of baby powder has caused her ovarian cancer, while Uncle Albert takes baby aspirin to lower his risk of colon cancer. Spurred by four-exclamation-point headlines on checkout-aisle tabloids or social media, many Americans adopt self-help practices that are anything but helpful. A physician and professor of science journalism, Yasmin quashes the most oft-repeated of these dubious healthcare claims, from theories linking vaccines and autism to celebrity detox cleanses. With her straightforward, accessible approach, Yasmin is often able to provide clear-cut answers. In many cases, however, the studies supporting such hyperbolic claims are themselves not cut-and-dried; in others, the science is still evolving. Still, it's nice to know what to pay attention to and what to discount, and to this end, Yasmin concludes with a handy list of criteria to help readers make informed decisions. With the pandemic accelerating the speed with which dubious data is rocketing around the world, Yasmin does a great service in debunking myths, deflating conspiracies, and disseminating wisdom.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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