Germ Theory Denialism

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I was careless with my wording on Osteopathic Physicians. In the US, they are evidence-based physicians. Outside the US, there is considerable heterogeneity in who can be called an "osteopath".

How can people actually deny the Germ Theory of Disease? How about by coming up with a loony counter-theory thoroughly discredited over 200 years ago? Sound familiar to anyone?

Don't focus on this one small group. Look at the similar patterns that you can notice in many different denialist positions. Attack the founder, deny the evidence, use faulty 'common sense' logic, make it political, and baffle them with bull.

Simple rationalwiki discussion of GTD
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Germ_theory_denialism

Orac of Respectful Insolence does a good job of taking on Maher.
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2007/10/is_bill_maher_really_that_ignorant_...

Center for Unhindered Living
http://www.unhinderedliving.com/germtheory.html

*shudder* whale.to, the Most Wretched Hive of Scum and Villany
http://www.whale.to/vaccine/shea1.html

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Germ
• Theory
• Denialism
• Pasteur
• Bechamp
• Beauchamp
• infectious
• disease
• bacteria
• somatid
• silkworm
• raw
• food
• c0nc0rdance
• pleomorphic
• microzymas

[wjestick]

@PTurchan1

I'll take a look there are several areas that will need examination.

1. Vitamin D status of the group (big confounding factor)

2. Size of cohort

3. variance in expected mortality rate

4. Composition of the vaccines administered (Thing like fortified vaccine, with added vitamin D)

5. I am also interested in infection rates, just death rates. The vaccines protects against infection, not mortality.

Is there a link to the study, if not no biggie, I will hunt around.

[PTurchan1]

@wjestick

Chan et al. (2011) " Efficacy of dual vaccination of pandemic H1N1 influenza and seasonal influenza on institutionalized elderly: A one-year prospective cohort study"

Participants that received dual vaccines had a lower mortality rate (10.6%) in comparison to participants in the single vaccine (19.8%) and no vaccine (29%) condition.

[wjestick]

@PTurchan1

Pick one. But a true test would work like this.

1. Take two groups, one vaccinated, one not

2. Track the two groups for say five years after vaccination.

3. Observe infections from the pathogen in question

4. Check for confounding factors (if they are a single population and the sample is fairly large, this should be possible)

Include vaccine reactions and overall mortality.

That would be a good test, any studies like that around.

[PTurchan1]

@wjestick

Do you have a particular type in mind?

[wjestick]

@PTurchan1

You first start with a vaccine that is proven to work. Begin with a citation of the study and we'll go from there.

[PTurchan1]

@wjestick

Citations, as usual, are needed.

[BillKiernan]

@parasitesarefunny You=Troll.

[BillKiernan]

Bill Maher, weird mix of completely awesome, and a complete douchebag.

[parasitesarefunny]

AIDS = Lifestyle

Disease = Lifestyle

Cholera = Lifestyle

[wjestick]

@Bleumange

Without a healthy immune system, vaccines can't be used. With a healthy immune system, they are often not necessary.

Even when the disease occurs, the effects are usually minor. Cumulative build-up of aluminium and mercury from numerous vaccines is now linked to elevated risk of Alzheimer's, in younger and younger people.

Vaccines biggest triumphs, polio and Smallpox are both myths. Thousands of Philipino's dies from the smallpox vaccines.