The Body of Evidence

Latest Episodes:

055 - Prostate Cancer and Artificial Lights Nov 10, 2019

Show notes

Prostate cancer: how common, how to detect it, how to treat it (should we?) // Artificial lights and sleep with Morgan Sweeney // Should we really be eating more meat now?

* Vox pop by David Lonstein

* Jingle by Joseph Hackl of Voodoo Jazz

* Additional music by Seth Donnelly and Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com (including "House of Leaves").

* Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra.

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!

References:

1) ERSPC randomized trial of prostate cancer screening: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=10.1016%2Fj.eururo.2012.05.068

2) ERSPC randomized trial of prostate cancer screening: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30824296

3) Quality of Life study: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1201637

4) Chemoprevention study 1, PCPT: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1215932

5) Chemoprevention study 2, REDUCE: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0908127

6) Surgery vs. radiation vs. active surveillance: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1606220

Interview - Campaign Against Phony Autism Cures Oct 21, 2019

Show notes

Chris and Jonathan speak to Anne Borden, Amanda Seigler, and Melissa Eaton who are campaigning against phony autism cures.

0:55 Alternative treatments for autism and why they exist

3:28 Going undercover on Facebook

5:00 MMS or the bleach cure

11:00 The pushback against activism

12:31 How social media companies have responded

14:10 Chelation therapy

23:45 Pro-science celebrities

26:00 Special diets

27:40 The medical community and applied behaviour analysis (ABA)

34:24 Humane interventions for autism

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

The petition against toxic “cures” in the US:

https://www.change.org/p/united-states-congress-bring-legislation-against-toxic-cures-in-the-united-states-eaa2029c-36c3-4d4d-97ca-08f0a06e1f84

Links:

1) Autistic Self Advocacy Network: https://autisticadvocacy.org

2) Foundations for Divergent Minds: https://www.divergentminds.org

3) Autistic Inclusive on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticinclusivemeets/?eid=ARCCGmkCnb1ATBL515bePaUSQV_8izJNK01wQ1Ku9NXFjiD2a6Cs60-92t8dG3_WXfB1pUWkF23ArXuA&timeline_context_item_type=intro_card_work&timeline_context_item_source=100008073797054&fref=tag

Social:

1) Melissa Eaton on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissa.eaton.98

2) Amanda Seigler on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amanda.seigler.3517

3) Anne Borden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AgainstCures

4) Anne’s podcast: http://noncompliantpodcast.com

054 - Breast Cancer Screening and Generic Drugs Oct 06, 2019

Show notes

Breast cancer screening: self-exams, mammograms, ductal carcinoma in situ, Angelina Jolie // The book “Bottle of Lies” and the safety of generic drugs // When cancer research misses its target

* Vox pop by Morgan Sweeney

* Jingle by Joseph Hackl of Voodoo Jazz

* Additional music by Seth Donnelly and Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com.

* Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra.

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!

References:

1) The Malmö Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3142562

2) The Canadian National Breast Screening Study: https://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g366

3) The 2012 Lancet Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23117178

4) The Cochrane Collaboration Review: https://www.cochrane.org/CD001877/BREASTCA_screening-for-breast-cancer-with-mammography

053 - Smart Drugs and Fluoride Sep 08, 2019

Show notes

A questionable plate of spaghetti produces something unexpected: Chris' teddy bear can now speak! Once the acid trip wears off, Jonathan and Chris discuss study aid drugs or "nootropics", like Ritalin being used by 12-year-olds to get better grades. Do these stimulants work and are there side effects? They also discuss Adderall, racetams, omega-3s, ginseng, gingko biloba, and the cocaine of Silicon Valley bros, modafinil. Also: a comprehensive look at the fluoride-and-IQ study that came out and should certain populations all get a combo pill regardless of whether individuals need it?

Vox pop by Ada McVean of the McGill Office for Science and Society.

Jingle by Jillian Correia of Roctavio Canada.

Additional music by Seth Donnelly, Epidemic Sound, and Kevin MacLeod.

Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra.

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: The Body of Evidence video on ear candles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GfunNxHHkw

Fluoride and IQ study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2748634

REFERENCES: FDA warning letter against nootropics: https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-inve...

Ritalin and academic performance: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29353323

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/06/study-ritalin-doesnt-...

Health Canada warning on modafinil https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2019/70201... Cochrane reviews on omega-3s, gingko, and ginseng:https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD007986.pub2/...https://www.cochrane.org/CD003120/DEMENTIA_there-is-no-convincing-eviden...https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD007769.pub2/...

Special - The Healthcare System Aug 18, 2019

Show notes

Chris and Jonathan discuss “the” healthcare system and how medicine is being practiced, with all its flaws and needs for improvement. Chris quickly starts going into too many details, but fear not: Jonathan pulls him back. This conversation will be of particular interest to Canadians, but we welcome anyone with open hearts (especially if you bring food).

01:29 There is no Canadian healthcare system

04:24 How do doctors get paid

08:16 Who decides how many patients a doctor sees in a day

12:54 Wait times and the US healthcare system

20:24 Our partially centralized medical record system

22:35 The quest to find a family doctor

27:43 US vs. Canada: FIGHT!

31:26 Pharmacare

34:48 Does the US have more cutting-edge medical treatments

39:19 “You’ve NEVER SEEN SPARTACUS?!”

41:30 Malpractice lawsuits

44:28 Access to healthcare

47:34 Publicly-funded, privately-delivered solutions

51:58 Chris’ #1 frustration

Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra.

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

052 - Baldness and Vaping Aug 04, 2019

Show notes

Chris tries to shave Jonathan’s head as a poorly thought-out prophylactic measure against baldness. Meanwhile, comedian Jacob Meza interviews the cast of his comedy show: do baseball caps cause baldness… or treat it? Back in the studio, the boys talk about the many reasons why people lose their hair; Rogaine and Propecia; whether or not women can go bald; and the fact that it’s not technically testosterone that’s to blame for baldness. Also: peacocks; vaping may help you quit cigarettes but it many not help you quit nicotine; sunscreen chemicals in the blood; and the return of Dr. Bob Bobinovitz.

Vox pop by Jacob Meza, host of Comedy Crowd Off, the Heckling Game Show.

Jingle by Joseph Hackl.

Additional music by Seth Donnelly and Kevin MacLeod.

Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra.

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!

Cartoon #3: Reproducibility Is a Rare Bird Jul 30, 2019

Show notes

Interview - Ryan Armstrong on Regulating Pseudoscience Jul 21, 2019

Show notes

Jonathan and Chris interview Ryan Armstrong, the executive director of Bad Science Watch, a consumer protection watchdog and science advocacy organization. They discuss what Bad Science Watch does; the lobbying forces surrounding Health Canada; homeopathy; the antagonist in Braveheart; the Stop Nosodes campaign; vaccine misinformation on social media; chiropractic complaints not taken seriously; innate intelligence; predatory practice building; how to lodge a complaint, the Ryan way; internecine squabbles between vitalists and evidence-based chiropractors; osteopaths and podiatrists; chiropractors and physical therapists; should pseudomedical practitioners have an order; Ryan’s dream of a national science agency; and Chris’ controversial question.

LINKS:

Bad Science Watch’s website: https://badsciencewatch.ca

Ryan Armstrong on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryarmst

Ryan changes his mind regarding the self-regulation of the chiropractic profession: https://posttruthhealth.ca/index.php/2019/05/17/the-failure-of-self-regulation-of-the-chiropractic-profession-is-an-urgent-public-health-crisis/

Stop Nosodes: http://www.stopnosodes.org

Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra.

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

051 - Diet Pills and Hot Yoga Jul 07, 2019

Show notes

A discussion around ice cream reveals that Jonathan may have fallen into the Twilight Zone. Comedian Jacob Meza goes to ComicCon to talk diet pills and accidentally meets “a good swallower” he knows. Back in the studio, the boys discuss the green coffee bean marketing apocalypse; how to spot fake diet pills; and genuine pharmaceuticals that may kill you, give you hallucinations, or make you leak. The biggest question is: will losing 10 pounds make a difference to your health? Also: hot yoga (not to be confused with goat yoga) and an injectable drug for women who want… to want to have sex.

Vox pop by Jacob Meza, host of Comedy Crowd Off, the Heckling Game Show.

Jingle by Jillian Correia of Roctavio Canada.

Additional music by Seth Donnelly and Kevin MacLeod.

Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra.

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!

References:

Retracted Green Coffee Bean paper: http://www.dovepress.com/retraction-randomized-double-blind-placebo-controlled-linear-dose-peer-reviewed-article-DMSO

FTC complaint against green coffee bean makers: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/09/green-coffee-bean-manufacturer-settles-ftc-charges-pushing-its

Dr. Oz statement: https://www.doctoroz.com/page/recent-developments-regarding-green-coffee-extract

Cochrane review on GLP agonists: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=21975753

Special - Talking Science in the Age of Fake News Jun 26, 2019

Show notes

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the McGill Office for Science and Society, a university-backed office dedicated to separating sense from nonsense, Jonathan moderated a panel discussion entitled “Talking Science in the Age of Fake News”. The panelists were Prof. Joe Schwarcz, the director of the Office; Timothy Caulfield, host of a User’s Guide to Cheating Death on Netflix; Carly Weeks, health reporter for The Globe & Mail newspaper; and Ryan Armstrong, director of Bad Science Watch.

They discussed trends in pseudoscience; how men and women are differently targeted by bunk; stem cells; newspapers running ads for quackery; false balance in the media; native advertising; the opioid crisis; deplatforming an antivaxxer; social media momentum; academic apathy; when scientists talk to journalists; mandatory childhood immunizations; chiropractors self-regulating; hate mail; Deepak Chopra; and whom should the public trust?

To watch the video for the entire event (which included a look back at the history of the McGill OSS and flash talks from each of the panelists): https://youtu.be/aztSt-hnS9I

Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra.

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

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