The Body of Evidence – Details, episodes & analysis

We wrap up the year with a new case challenge. A 38-year-old radiology technician has a strange rash just above… his buttocks! Who’s to blame?

Was it the dog? Was it his job? Or is it the special person in his life?

Also: Chris learns about socks!

Yet also: we say the phrase “ass crack.” We had to!

And also also: an important announcement.

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Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

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

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris’ book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

Pain. Sometimes it’s acute, sometimes it’s chronic. It may come from an injury or just from wear and tear. Chris and Jonathan sit down to speak to Dr. Leon Tourian, who specializes in pain psychiatry at McGill University.

Can we objectively measure pain? Is there such a thing as normal pain? And what happens when chronic pain in our extremities is left untreated and our brain takes over?

Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you!

http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/

https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.

Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

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

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris’ book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

What does the body of evidence say about rabies? Well, for one, it is the human disease with the worst case-fatality rate. Once you develop the symptoms, your outlook isn’t good. But its long incubation period makes it easy to do something that may not be intuitive: to give the infected person a vaccine… after they’ve been bit.

Special guest star: Tobi.

Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you!

http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/

https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.

Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

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

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris’ book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

References:

1) Information on the rabies vaccine: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/canadian-immunization-guide-part-4-active-vaccines/page-18-rabies-vaccine.html

2) WHO expert consultation on rabies: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/272364/9789241210218-eng.pdf?sequence=1

Chris and Jonathan discuss expertise and intellectual humility with Alan Levinovitz, a professor of religion, frequent guest on A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, and the author of the book Natural. As facts, arguments, and content flood our attention, how can we know whom to trust when our health is at stake? This month’s drinking game revolves around the word “adjudicate.” Drink responsibly!

1:11 The Anthony Fauci lie

2:14 A theologian on expertise

9:12 Tribalism

16:04 John Ioannidis and COVID-19

21:34 ScientificConsensus.com

26:09 The onslaught of contrarian content

32:30 People should be suspicious of sexiness in their epidemiology

35:25 When your job is to uncover hidden truths….

39:30 A looming epistemic crisis and how to avoid it

49:16 On intellectual humility

57:33 Twitter hiatus

* 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) Alan Levinovitz on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlanLevinovitz

2) Alan Levinovitz’s book, Natural: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/50128614

3) Thorpe’s Science editorial on the value of debating science in the public arena: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/371/6526/213/tab-pdf

Jonathan and Chris take the time to go over the data on COVID-19 vaccines and to answer the many, many questions they have received about them.

* Cover of “Ooh Child” by Joseph Hackl

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

* Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris

* Special guest star: Morgan Sweeney of the Magic of the Mind podcast

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!

Index:

Vaccine Development

04:20 Types of COVID-19 vaccines

09:55 RNA vaccine technology

14:45 Rushed vaccines

20:18 COVID vaccine but no HIV vaccine?

23:44 Vaccine ingredients

27:31 COVID vaccines linked to HIV?

36:21 Manufacturing only Pfizer’s vaccine

Efficacy

40:20 Efficacy at preventing COVID-19

47:07 Vaccines and asymptomatic transmission

48:37 Duration of protection

50:23 Virus mutations and vaccines

Safety

54:06 Claim about RNA vaccines altering the genome

55:11 Claim about infertility

56:13 Side effects from the vaccines

58:50 Bell’s palsy and fainting

1:01:58 Long-term safety

1:05:06 Conspiracy theory about Big Pharma and liability

Practical Considerations

1:12:25 Cold storage

1:13:58 Two doses

1:15:17 Choosing your favourite vaccine

1:16:28 Who gets vaccinated first?

1:18:50 Masks and physical distancing after vaccination

1:19:27 What if if you have had COVID?

1:20:30 What if you are pregnant?

1:21:37 What if you are immunocompromised?

1:22:56 What if I have a history of severe allergies?

1:24:50 What if I am young and healthy?

1:25:46 What if I am a child?

1:26:29 When will things go back to normal?

References:

1) COVID19 Vaccine Tracker: https://covid19.trackvaccines.org/how-do-vaccines-work/

2) Previous segment on RNA vaccines: https://bodyofevidence.ca/062-infertility-and-rna-vaccines

3) Episode of Sawbones on COVID-19 vaccines: https://maximumfun.org/episodes/sawbones/covid-vaccine-questions-and-answers/

4) Previous episode on HIV: https://bodyofevidence.ca/061-hiv-and-covid-19-therapies

5) AntiAntiVax: https://antiantivax.flurf.net/

6) Ingredients in Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine: https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/12/09/1013538/what-are-the-ingredients-of-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine

7) Ingredients in Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/covid19-industry/drugs-vaccines-treatments/vaccines/moderna.html#a11

8) The University of Queensland’s COVID vaccine and false positive HIV tests: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australian-covid-vaccine-terminated-due-to-hiv-false-positives-20201210-p56mju.html

9) The Lancet letter about the use of adenovirus type 5 used in vaccines: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32156-5/fulltext

10) FDA briefing document on Pfizer’s vaccine: https://www.fda.gov/media/144245/download

11) FDA briefing document on Moderna’s vaccine: https://www.fda.gov/media/144434/download

12) Data on duration of protection from vaccine in phase I trial participants: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2032195?query=RP

13) An in-depth, very scientific explanation for why RNA vaccines can’t alter your genome: https://www.deplatformdisease.com/blog/no-really-mrna-vaccines-are-not-going-to-affect-your-dna

14) The nurse who fainted during vaccination did not die: https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-nurse-covid-vaccine-dead-idUSKBN29629G

15) Canadian no-fault vaccine injury program announcement: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2020/12/government-of-canada-announces-pan-canadian-vaccine-injury-support-program.html

16) A look at vaccine safety in the past 20 years: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-2726

Breast implants: reasons why, the (not so) good old days of regulatory freedom, benefits, risks, silicone vs. saline; the fear of statin side effects; a very special kind of cat video.

* 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/.

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

References:

1) The number of breast implants per year: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/press-releases/new-statistics-reveal-the-shape-of-plastic-surgery & https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/News/Statistics/2018/plastic-surgery-statistics-report-2018.pdf

2) A report of a study by the Institute of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44775/

3) Survey of breast augmentation surgery satisfaction: https://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/Abstract/1994/12000/The_Efficacy_of_Breast_Augmentation__Breast_Size.9.aspx & https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5682175/

4) FDA recommendations on breast implant complications and screening post-implantation: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/breast-implants/risks-and-complications-breast-implants

5) Study linking textured implants to anaplastic large cell lymphoma: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2667737

6) Health Canada recall of textured breast implants: https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2019/69520a-eng.php

7) Silicone gel implants taken off the market in 1992: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199206183262525

8) Silicone gel implants reinstated in 2006: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/17/washington/17cnd-breast.html

9) New England Journal of Medicine review of implant safety: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK68334/

10) Annals of Internal Medicine review: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M15-1169?doi=10.7326%2FM15-1169

11) Institute of Medicine report on implants: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44775/

12) Re-operation rates: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26202563/

13) Trailer for the TV show NURSES (for no reason): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm_cWMDtD28

14) Chris’ Gazette article on people reporting side effects from statins: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-statins-have-a-proven-track-record

15) Catspiracy: https://vimeo.com/482278265

Music Credits:

Summer Swing 2018 by Sascha Ende

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3160-summer-swing-2018

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Loving Modern Technology by MusicLFiles

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7056-loving-modern-technology

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Blockbuster Atmosphere 9 (Sadness) by Sascha Ende

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/304-blockbuster-atmosphere-9-sadness-

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Inspiring Advertising  by Rafael Krux

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5515-inspiring-advertising-

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Lights  by Rafael Krux

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5309-lights-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jingle Bells by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3942-jingle-bells

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jonathan talks with Matthew Remski, the co-host of the Conspirituality podcast, on the merger between the worlds of spirituality and of grand conspiracy theories. The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by a rise in people who believe that nothing is as it seems, that everything is connected, and that the world is on the verge of a major awakening. Matthew himself once trusted his intuitive knowledge of his body until it landed him in the hospital.

2:22 What is conspirituality

6:41 The yearning for an awakening

11:00 Intuition as a guide to knowledge

16:50 The red pill… and the black pill

23:45 The X-Files

29:19 JP Sears and COVID-19

38:11 The self vs. the common good

42:00 The false medical claims of yoga

47:20 Manipulative fraud or self-deluded?

52:36 How Matthew talks to conspiritualists

1:00:35 Conspirituality in 2021

* 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) Matthew Remski’s Conspirituality podcast: https://conspirituality.net/

2) Matthew Remski’s website: https://matthewremski.com/wordpress/

3) Matthew Remski on Twitter: https://twitter.com/matthewremski

4) The 2011 paper that defined “conspirituality”: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13537903.2011.539846

5) Jonathan’s article on JP Sears: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-critical-thinking-pseudoscience/clown-prince-wellness

6) Conspirituality podcast episode on BKS Iyengar: https://conspirituality.net/wellness/bonus-yoga-teachers-are-not-doctors-doctors-are-not-priests/

7) Jonathan’s article on Sayer Ji: https://mcgill.ca/oss/article/pseudoscience/popular-health-guru-sayer-ji-curates-scientific-literature-his-bachelors-degree-philosophy

8) Matthew’s article on QAnon in Canada: https://thewalrus.ca/when-qanon-came-to-canada/

Chris and Jonathan interview Dr. Ivan Oransky, the co-founder of Retraction Watch which tracks retractions of scientific papers. They discuss how papers get published, how they get retracted, and what a better system might look like.

1:29 How scientific papers get published

3:44 Journals are businesses with a bizarre business model

13:52 No more COVID-related retractions than expected

17:10 Science by press release in part to prevent insider trading

20:04 Jade amulets against COVID-19

26:33 Zombie papers

30:43 A dramatic increase in retractions but they are still rare

36:50 Why are mistakes caught after publication?

42:20 Going to science heaven

* 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 Retraction Watch website: https://retractionwatch.com/

2) Retraction Watch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RetractionWatch

3) Ivan Oransky on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanoransky

4) The Retraction Watch newsletter: https://us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4f35c1f2e9acc58eee0811e78&id=a15d7de264

5) Jonathan’s article on the jade amulet: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-critical-thinking-pseudoscience/paper-argues-amulet-may-protect-covid-should-it-have-been-published

6) Retraction Watch’s original article on the jade amulet: https://retractionwatch.com/2020/10/29/amulets-may-prevent-covid-19-says-a-paper-in-elsevier-journal-they-dont/

7) The jade amulet paper’s retraction notice: https://retractionwatch.com/2020/11/16/co-authors-of-paper-on-covid-19-and-jade-amulets-blames-the-online-press-and-social-media-for-misinterpretation-in-retraction-letter/

8) The Surgisphere retractions: https://retractionwatch.com/2020/06/04/lancet-retracts-controversial-hydroxychloroquine-study/

Diabetes: different types and what to do about them // Mask misinformation // To bank or not to bank your newborn’s cord blood

* 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/

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

References:

1) The DiRECT Study: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)33102-1/fulltext

2) The DiRECT Study, Two-Year Follow-Up: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(19)30068-3/fulltext

3) 2017 JAMA study on lifestyle interventions: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2648632

4) LABS study on bariatric surgery: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/2664662

Music Credits:

Cinema Blockbuster Trailer 14 by Sascha Ende

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4662-cinema-blockbuster-trailer-14

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Jonathan and Chris interview Dr. Brennen McKenzie, an evidence-based veterinarian who runs the “SkeptVet” blog. They separate what we know, what we don’t know, and what we think we know when it comes to pet care and address the pseudosciences of the animal world.

2:24 Evidence-based veterinary medicine

4:49 Extrapolating from human clinical trials

7:31 Do vets change their mind?

10:07 Acupuncture, homeopathy and chiropractic in the animal world

14:34 Pets and vaccines

17:25 A very special guest appearance

18:00 How to talk to vaccine hesitant pet owners

20:45 The cost of veterinary care

23:11 Placebos

27:52 Raw food diets

32:04 The word “zoopharmacognosy”

32:52 What should dogs and cats eat

37:57 What should dogs and cats NOT eat

40:28 CBD supplements

42:51 Declawing cats

44:17 Inside cat or outside cat

46:02 Supplements to change urine pH

46:40 Feline injection-site sarcomas

48:28 Omega-3s

48:49 Glucosamine

49:23 Cranberry supplements

50:35 New pet parents, take it all with a grain of salt

52:22 The shocking truth about pure breeds

* 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) Brennen’s website: https://skeptvet.com/Blog/

2) Brennen on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkeptVet

3) Brennen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkeptVet

4) Brennen’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvb8ihBYdSXq_DML1Y6CfbQ

5) Brennen’s book, Placebos for Pets: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51866692-placebos-for-pets