The Body of Evidence

Latest Episodes:

Personality Disorders: Fact vs Fiction (with Carla Sharp) Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

Chris and Jonathan speak to Professor Carla Sharp, the director of both the Developmental Psychopathology Lab and the Adolescent Diagnosis Assessment Prevention and Treatment Center at the University of Houston.

Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock. Batman’s rogues gallery. Hollywood loves to both glamourize and stigmatize psychopathology, including personality disorders. But what do we really know about personality disorders? Does histrionic personality disorder even exist? Why is one such disorder called “borderline?” Is psychopathy a real diagnosis? And can we really put people and all their complexities into such clear boxes as the ten official personality disorders?

(2:03) How Hollywood exploits mental illness and how the diagnosing of personality disorders is shifting

(11:00) Psychopaths and the 10 personality disorders

(14:14) What even is a personality disorder?

(19:19) The origin of histrionic personality disorder

(21:00) The difference between schizophrenia and schizoid/schizotypal personality disorders

(23:39) When a personality disorder emerges and the differences between men and women

(27:38) Personality disorders run in families and parents can make a real difference

(35:47) Personality disorders are sometimes misdiagnosed as autism

(37:26) Are people with antisocial personality disorder drawn to surgery?

(41:03) Why is it called “borderline personality disorder?”

(44:29) Does multiple personality disorder exist?

(47:00) Do personality disorders improve over time?

* Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!

Links:

1) Carla Sharp’s review of personality disorders in the New England Journal of Medicine: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmra2120164

2) The National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder: https://www.borderlinepersonalitydisorder.org/

3) The Sashbear Foundation: https://sashbear.org/

4) Emotions Matter: https://emotionsmatterbpd.org/

090 - Violent Video Games / Slate's Long COVID Piece / Prostate Biopsies Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

What does the body of evidence say on whether violent video games cause violence in real life? Plus: a Slate article argues that long COVID just isn’t that bad, and can you biopsy the prostate without going up the bum?

Block 1:

(2:18) Violent video games: what the AAP and APA say about violent video games; court case; the review at the heart of the debate; what is violence; the evolution of video games

Block 2:

(8:25) Violent video games: the Bobo doll experiments; measuring aggressive behaviour and attitudes; little data on children; what we don’t know; what Chris would do

Block 3:

(24:20) Long COVID Comes Into the Light

Block 4:

(43:53) A new way of getting a prostate biopsy / The Last of Us’ bad science

* Jingle by Jillian Correia of Roctavio Canada

* Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!

References:

1) The American Academy of Paediatrics statement on video games: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/108/5/1222/63763/Media-Violence?redirectedFrom=fulltext?autologincheck=redirected

2) The American Psychological Association’s 2015 Task Force report: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-07146-003

3) Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Entertainment_Merchants_Association#cite_note-49 & http://mediacoalition.org/mediaimages/Schwarzenegger%20v.%20EMA_Social%20Science%20Brief_09.17.10.pdf

4) The Bobo doll experiments: https://simplypsychology.org/bobo-doll.html

5) Long COVID Comes Into the Light: https://slate.com/technology/2023/03/long-covid-symptoms-studies-research-variant.html

6) Reaction to Jeff Wise’s previous article on long COVID: https://www.meaction.net/2022/11/10/elementor-59066/

7) Request for the retraction of the Slate article: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QqVjAIvklDhp7BgCKsaz3ftiful9utUKNBDeBGxwxg4/edit

8) Transperineal prostate biopsies: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/989696?ecd=WNL_confwrap_230322_MSCPEDIT&uac=207389HY&impID=5267564#vp_2

It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do:

1) Jonathan interviewed for The Skeptic Zone: https://youtu.be/iHZ8z9eigK8

2) Jonathan’s article on 911 call analysis: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking/caller-killer-911-call-analysis-cant-give-you-right-answer

3) Chris on CBC’s morning show about Candida auris: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2187559491808

Interview - Justin Sanders on Medical Assistance in Dying Mar 21, 2023

Show notes

Jonathan and Chris speak to Dr. Justin Sanders, the director of palliative care at McGill, on the topic of medical assistance in dying (MAiD). What are the arguments for and against MAiD? And what do we make of the thornier aspects of euthanasia, like its intersection with disability rights and the conflict of interest at the heart of a government that funds both assisted suicide and palliative care?

(2:30) What is palliative care?

(10:21) The history of MAiD in Canada

(15:34) Sedation vs. MAiD

(19:30) The need for control at the end of life

(21:15) The arguments for MAiD

(23:34) Feeling like a burden

(27:33) MAiD vs. disability rights

(36:20) The social safety net and the government’s conflict of interest

(41:55) Most people don’t want to die

(44:22) MAiD for mental illness

(49:25) Tenfold increase in Canadians receiving MAiD

* Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!

Links:

1) Carter v. Canada: https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/14637/index.do

2) Information on medical assistance in dying in Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/medical-assistance-dying.html

3) CTV’s coverage of the expansion into mental illness: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/the-issue-of-expanding-assisted-dying-eligibility-has-already-been-decided-senator-1.6313740

4) The 2021 report on MAiD services in Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/medical-assistance-dying/annual-report-2021.html

089 - Erectile Dysfunction / Unvaxxed Transplant / Mpox+HIV Combo Mar 07, 2023

Show notes

What does the body of evidence say on erectile dysfunction? Plus: why was a woman in need of a heart transplant was denied the procedure, and what happens when you have advanced HIV and you catch mpox?

Block 1:

(2:06) Erectile dysfunction: definitions, how common it is, causes

Block 2:

(9:13) Erectile dysfunction: the psychological angle, figuring out what’s causing it, treatments, the blue haze effect, cardiac risk, prevention, all-natural sexual enhancers

Block 3:

(25:38) Transplant denial because of refusal to get vaccinated

Block 4:

(35:31) Mpox + advanced HIV = bad

* Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!

References:

1) The Massachusetts Male Aging Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10647654/

2) Efficacy and side effects of sildenafil: https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.162.12.1349

3) Safety of sildenafil (Viagra) after heart attack: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjcard.2003.09.030

4) Addition of testosterone for erectile dysfunction: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-157-10-201211200-00004

5) Natural health products contaminated with Viagra: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/196675

6) Mother denied transplant due to vaccination status: https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/no-jab-no-heart-mother-denied-transplant-due-to-vaccination-status/news-story/5580aca526744d15fe1a25e595ef7d76

7) Mpox in people with advanced HIV infection: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00273-8

8) CBC coverage of the mpox study: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/15-per-cent-death-rate-severe-lesions-reported-in-patients-with-mpox-alongside-advanced-hiv-study-1.6756429

It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do:

1) Jonathan interviewed for Fast Company on the Liver King: https://www.fastcompany.com/90839190/liver-kings-fall-ancestral-living-need-a-new-dad

2) Jonathan writing about digital amnesia: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-technology/digital-amnesia-has-been-exaggerated

3) Jack Lawrence’s Skeptics in the Pub talk on ivermectin: https://youtu.be/1Nvp-zyLfaQ

4) Chris’ article on biotin: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-take-biotin-for-most-better-to-save-your-money

Interview - Vincent Denault on Lie Detection Pseudoscience Feb 21, 2023

Show notes

Chris and Jonathan talk to Vincent Denault, who researches nonverbal communication. Are there human lie detectors? Is someone lying when their eyes are shifty? And more importantly, do people in positions of power believe the pseudoscience of lie detection?

(2:54) What is nonverbal communication?

(7:09) Vincent thought he could become a human lie detector

(9:45) Is there a clear way to know when someone is lying?

(18:30) Lie to Me and The Mentalist

(22:53) Hollywood’s love affair with body language

(30:14) Is there a dictionary for nonverbal communication?

(31:26) Reading politicians’ body language

(34:57) How good are we at detecting lies?

(36:00) The polygraph

(44:08) Are judges, lawyers and cops aware of this BS?

(49:31) Nonverbal communication in healthcare

(52:51) Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater

* Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!

Links:

1) Vincent’s website: http://vincentdenault.ca/

2) Vincent on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/vincedenault/

Special - "Cochrane Review Says Masks Don't Work" Feb 12, 2023

Show notes

Chris and Jonathan look at the already-infamous 2023 Cochrane review on masks, which many people are claiming shows that “masks don’t work.”

References:

1) The Cochrane review: https://www.cochrane.org/CD006207/ARI_do-physical-measures-such-hand-washing-or-wearing-masks-stop-or-slow-down-spread-respiratory-viruses

2) Tom Jefferson’s interview by Maryanne Demasi: https://maryannedemasi.substack.com/p/exclusive-lead-author-of-new-cochrane

3) Tom Jefferson’s own Substack blog post about the review: https://trusttheevidence.substack.com/p/escaping-from-social-and-other-media?r=208v9e&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

088 - Hospital-Acquired Infections / CBD for Cancer / #DavosStandard Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of healthcare-acquired infections? Plus: CBD is put on trial to see how well it does against the symptoms of advanced cancer, and the world’s elites reveal their most damning secret: they don’t think COVID is just a bad cold.

Block 1:

(2:02) Nosocomial infections: what they are, difference from iatrogenic infections, what the US did to reduce them, types of infections

Block 2:

(9:51) Nosocomial infections: hand hygiene, disposable equipment, single-patient rooms, bed cleaning, ventilation, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (MRSA, VRE), decolonization protocols, C. difficile, #DeathToAllSinks, UV light, copper

Block 3:

(32:13) Clinical trial of cannabidiol against placebo for the symptoms of advanced cancer [We briefly mention the Hawthorne effect. It turns out to be a phrase we probably shouldn’t use. See here.]

Block 4:

(42:13) Davos’ COVID measures

* Jingle by Joseph Hackl

* Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!

References:

1) Chris’ proof that you can, in fact, live a perfectly normal life after donating a kidney: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa0804883

2) Nosocomial infections are particularly prevalent in ICUs: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/184963

3) Medicare no longer pays for hospital-acquired infections: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/184963

4) Hospital-wide hand hygiene programs do work to reduce hospital infections: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(00)02814-2/fulltext

5) Washing hands properly for 30 seconds is necessary to kill bacteria like VRE: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/infection-control-and-hospital-epidemiology/article/abs/recovery-of-vancomycinresistant-enterococci-on-fingertips-and-environmental-surfaces/FBFBC3EABFA22A7A28420AFB2CCACC51

6) The REACH study found that hospitals implementing a new cleaning bundle reduced VRE but not C. difficile infections: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(18)30714-X/fulltext

7) MRSA decolonization with chlorhexidine baths does reduce infections in the ICU: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1207290 & https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30850112/

8) Basic infection control measures do work for C. difficile as well, even if regular alcohol disinfectants do not: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/central/doi/10.1002/central/CN-01604607/full

9) Ultraviolet light can also be used as an adjunctive disinfection agent: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5935446/

10) UV-C light can also be caused to clean the air as a COVID mitigation strategy: https://ghdcenter.hms.harvard.edu/keeping-public-spaces-safe

11) Sinks as a source of outbreaks: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34438134/

12) Scott Gavura’s Science-Based Medicine article: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/cbd-oil-fails-to-improve-symptom-control-in-advanced-cancer/

13) The clinical trial on CBD for advanced cancer symptoms: https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.22.01632

14) World Economic Forum’s Guidance on Health Measures: https://www3.weforum.org/docs/AM23_Health_and_Safety_Measures.pdf

15) “Billionaires at Davos Don’t Think COVID Is a Cold:” https://slate.com/technology/2023/01/davos-covid-precaution-uv-lights-air-filters.html

16) “The Last Holdouts:” https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/26/us/covid-masks-risk.html

17) What Bonnie Henry said about masking: https://twitter.com/frozen/status/1614053203800383489

18) Gregg Gonsalves’ article in The Nation: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/orwellian-white-house-covid-policy/

It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do:

1) Jonathan talking about so-called complementary and alternative medicine on the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast: https://www.jennirawlings.com/podcast/whats-the-deal-with-complementary-alternative-medicine

2) Jonathan’s article on the low-oxalate diet: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/demonization-dietary-oxalate-has-begun

3) Death Panel podcast, “COVID Year Three:” https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-death-panel/episode/covid-year-three-unlocked-210210266

4) Chris’ Gazette article about Canada’s new alcohol guidelines: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-new-guidelines-reflect-fact-that-alcohol-isnt-good-for-you

5) Chris on CTV talking about alcohol: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2591451

Time Machine:

1) Our episode on fibromyalgia: https://bodyofevidence.ca/073-fibromyalgia-mixing-vaccines-myocarditis-risk

2) Our interview on CPR: https://bodyofevidence.ca/interview-trysha-gellis-and-jacqueline-joza-on-cpr-and-sudden-cardiac-arrest

Interview - Tom Thumb on Talking Science with Hippies Jan 24, 2023

Show notes

Jonathan and Chris talk to Tom Thumb, the author of the book Science for Hippies. How do you have productive conversations with people who believe that we can never truly know anything and that everything happens for a reason? Tom shares his experience being a rational hippie trying to get his friends to think more scientifically, especially in the middle of a pandemic!

(1:41) Why a science book for hippies?

(7:11) Natural immunity and germ denialism

(10:55) What science communicators get wrong

(17:21) Trust and meeting experts in person

(22:02) “We can never truly know anything”

(24:38) “Everything happens for a reason”

(31:48) The squishy middle

(33:11) Quantum woo and science envy

(39:27) Tom’s most embarrassing story

(47:57) Tips on being more humble

(50:31) Science and magic

* Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!

Links:

1) Tom’s book, Science for Hippies: https://scienceforhippies.com/

2) Tom’s personal website: https://tomthumb.org/

087 - Osteoporosis / Melanoma Breakthrough / Travel Insurance Jan 10, 2023

Show notes

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of osteoporosis? Plus: we look at a genuinely breakthrough therapy for metastatic melanoma, and Chris lets you in on a troubling “secret” when it comes to travel health insurance! You will also learn what a “dowager’s hump” is and hear Chris sing, and for that we formally apologize.

Block 1:

(2:01) Osteoporosis: what it is; bone cells and how they are assessed

Block 2:

(9:02) Osteoporosis: bone mineral density, T-score and Z-score; can doctors see signs of osteoporosis in the clinic; causes of osteoporosis; treating it: lifestyle changes, supplements, bisphosphonates, and Prolia; screening guidelines

Block 3:

(32:04) Breakthrough therapy for metastatic melanoma: TILs (vs. ipilimumab)

Block 4:

(47:53) Travel insurance caveat

* Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl.

* Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!

References:

1) Estrogen does reduce the risk of hip fracture from osteoporosis: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.288.3.321

2) Exercise increases bone mineral density in post-menopausal women: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-108-6-824 & https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.288.18.2300

3) Calcium and vitamin D supplementation and the risk of fractures: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2017.19344

4) Medications can reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2685995

5) Screening guidelines from the US Preventive Services Task Force: https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/osteoporosis-screening

6) Results from the phase III clinical trial comparing TILs to ipilumumab in advanced melanoma: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2210233

It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do:

1) Jonathan on the Martial Culture Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-martial-culture-podcast/episode/combating-pseudoscience-unscientific-thinkings-in-martial-arts-w-jonathan-jarry-209989826

2) Jonathan’s article on the Healy: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-pseudoscience/healy-old-woo-new-clothes

3) The Hard Fork Podcast: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/04/podcasts/hard-fork-technology.html

4) The CTV Montreal News website: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?binId=1.1332485

5) The CBC Player: https://www.cbc.ca/player/news

6) The CJAD website: https://www.iheartradio.ca/cjad

7) Odyssey TV: http://odysseytv.ca/

8) Chris on the CBC, interviewed about mpox: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mpox-outbreak-canada-plateau-1.6696842

Time Machine:

1) Our episode on childbirth: https://bodyofevidence.ca/042-childbirth-and-crowdfunding-quackery

2) Our interview on conspirituality: https://bodyofevidence.ca/interview-matthew-remski-on-conspirituality

Music Credits:

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: 3am Glowsticks by Tim Kulig

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9166-3am-glowsticks

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Interview - Jonathan Howard on Contrarian Doctors Dec 20, 2022

Show notes

Chris and Jonathan welcome back Dr. Jonathan Howard to talk about the doctors who repeatedly said the pandemic was ending and who became anti-vaccine in the process. When doctors become brands, narcissism can easily lead them and their fans astray, as these media figures chase an ever elusive limelight. Dr. Howard has been tracking their claims and predictions and brings the receipts.

(2:38) Dr. Vinay Prasad, pre-pandemic

(8:41) ZDoggMD, Marty Makary, and Vinay Prasad on vaccine boosters

(12:01) Paediatric COVID vaccines

(15:00) An appeal to civility on the one hand, mockery on the other

(16:56) Dr. John Ioannidis and basic math

(27:22) “You have to accept it”

(32:27) Classic anti-vaccine talking points

(36:10) “Where’s the RCT?”

(39:37) Jonathan Howard’s connection to the anti-vaccine movement

(41:53) Audience capture

(44:49) Charisma and credibility

(49:33) New York City denialism

(51:36) Ron DeSantis’ Vaccine Accountability Roundtable

(55:41) Self-reflection

A quick note on sound quality: the clicking sound on Dr. Howard’s end very quickly disappears. The rest of the audio is not up to our usual standards, and for this we apologize. Audio engineering is closer to magic than science, it seems.

* Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!

Links:

1) The ZDoggMD Show episode you hear at the beginning: https://youtu.be/cNcVCFLhbAs?t=42

2) Dr. Jonathan Howard’s articles on Science-Based Medicine: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/author/jonathanhoward/

3) Dr. Jonathan Howard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/19joho