350 years ago marked the beginning of the Enlightenment - Royal Society, Isaac Newton, et al - when rational thought and science displaced superstition and mysticism. On this foundation was built the entirety of the modern world that we all take for granted, conspiracy nuts included. It seems all too many people now yearn for a return to mysticism and magic, blissfully unaware of the implications of what they wish for. These are often the same people who belligerently deny humanity's impact on our own life-supporting environment, which does make me despair for the long-term survival of our species.
It's interesting that we pride ourselves on the Royal Society and our rationality over superstition etc etc. However, it may interest you to know that the smallpox vaccine was introduced without any evidence of its efficacy. It was just accepted by the medical profession. Alfred Wallace, Darwin's friend, was absolutely gobsmacked that this occurred and spoke to parliament in 1898 about how it was the improvements in sanitation, housing and child labour laws that had in fact been shown to eradicate smallpox.
I actually have an interesting point about how pharma is hiding evidence of harm amongst other deliberately created conspiracy theories but I can see that your mind is closed. Mmmm.
Unfortunately, Big Pharma does a great disservice to the healing professions whilst at the same time giving us the tools to save and extend millions of lives.
Fentanyl being a prime example.
However without them we would be dancing round a wishing well in the full moon.
5yrs med school
19yrs general practice
Masters Degree in Prescribing
Public Health Diploma inc Statistics
9 years as Primary Care medical Advisor.
Member of 3 different Local Ethics Committees.
I think I qualify to comment on Evidence Based Medicine.
However, the same people who pick holes in Evolution and Climate Science will demean what I say.
The most important public health interventions in history are
Clean Water
Immunizations.
Modern surgery is entirely reliant on the use of antibiotics.
Discovering new medicines is horrendously expensive.
Many new drugs will be given to less than a 1000 subjects before marketing. I've got an hour talk on that alone.
The maths can be woefully inadequate.
There are enough issues in getting good data. Unfortunately, the deniers cherry pick their issue and run with it. They don't look at all the data, they don't check the maths and they make serious errors in their conclusions.
However, there is a great deal of good work going on behind the chaff.
The Statistics is spot on, shame so few understand Statistics other than bookies and statisticians.
Doctors haven't fûçķèd up the world's diet.
They really are trying to make lives better and they continue Evidence Based learning throughout their careers.
We know a hell of a lot more now that when I qualified in 1973, and we all are better for it.
Very thoughtful and informative. This is a “forever war” in the name of public health and the lives of countless millions - thank you for publicising it. All the best, John.
Time for the EU and UK to pressure X into removing anti science points of view. The first amendment has been weaponised by the conspiracy theorists and is destroying the US. The same must not be allowed to happen here.
Great piece Bear, the money these charlatans rake in and then live off, truly immoral earnings at others expense, advertised on platforms that encourage it for clicks🤬
“ Public health is supposed to be boring. Invisible. It's meant to keep you alive quietly while you get on with your life. But in the age of engagement, boring truth gets drowned out by weaponised nonsense.”
Agreed, but in addition, there also needs to be legal consequences for anyone pushing this stuff. Paloma's mother should be in jail for murder. RFK should be held personally responsible for the measles related deaths, the British former GP should be serving a hefty sentence for stalking, and that Australian POS who pretended to have cancer should be sent down for fraud and non-payment for the fine.
Until there are personal consequences, this won't stop.
Oh Bear, tell it how it is. It truly scares me, that people seem so willing to believe these ‘influencers’, sometimes against just plain old common sense. A brilliant piece of writing, thank you.
Thank you for trawling through the cesspit that is X (or as I prefer to call it Tw@tter). I left it a couple of months ago for the sake of my mental wellbeing and I admire anyone who can deal with the rubbish churned out and also address the issues with truth. You truly are the Great Bear!
Thank you for this piece, Bear. Some of the medical misinformation out there, like the ‘connection’ between vaccines and autism has been debunked for so long it seems insane that it’s still even discussed by people. Or more likely, ranted about online, or with your long suffering family at weddings or funerals. I just wish the lies didn’t gain traction the way they always seem to.
You can dismiss, without reading, anything and everything, however well researched and evidenced, if any part of it appears to agree with any part of what's said by deliberately promoted charlatans and conspiracy nutters?
It's so easy to dismiss important issues like vaccines and autism when they're sitting amongst crazy conspiracy theories. Perhaps that's why pharma and friends targeted those who dissented from the 'covid' narrative with so much nonsense about 5G, climate change and depopulation by a NWO cabal.
And you mention vaccine efficacy- you know it's different to vaccine effectiveness right?
For the Pfizer vaccine the absolute efficacy of preventing symptoms said to be 'covid' was 0.85%. That means about 99% of the vaccine arm didn't get symptoms but about 98% of the 'placebo' (not inert saline- for the AZ jab the meningitis jab was used as a 'control') arm didn't get symptoms either. Hardly seems worth it to me.
I see you’ve brought links, percentages, and a familiar narrative - unfortunately none of which change the facts, or the overwhelming weight of evidence on vaccine safety and efficacy.
I have no desire to click through to a Substack rabbit hole dressed up as inquiry, especially when the premise leans on long-debunked claims and recycled contrarianism.
But do take care. It’s always best to follow the science - not just the money, or the vibes.
I would ask you to show me the overwhelming weight of evidence on vaccine safety and efficacy please? Where are the papers? Please don’t link me to wikipedias list of years, deaths and dates when vaccines were introduced, it’s meaningless.
Yes, I have brought percentages- it’s called science. Did you yourself read the Pfizer paper before you made up your mind?
You have no wish to have your dogma challenged so decline to look at the evidence.
I’m not here to engage in sealioning theatre. You’re not looking for information - you’re looking for a sparring partner, and I’ve already told you I’m not playing.
The evidence exists, extensively and accessibly. If you refuse to look at it unless it arrives gift-wrapped in your preferred ideology, that’s on you.
This isn’t an open question. It’s a public health fact. Now I’ll repeat, have a nice day.
The mother of one of the children who died from measles in Texas, apparently said that knowing what she now knows, had no regrets about not vaccinating them. Her own child. Dead because of a totally debunked conspiracy theory. And she would do it again. RFK jr is a danger to health and, just like the rest of trumps administration, totally unqualified for his position.
350 years ago marked the beginning of the Enlightenment - Royal Society, Isaac Newton, et al - when rational thought and science displaced superstition and mysticism. On this foundation was built the entirety of the modern world that we all take for granted, conspiracy nuts included. It seems all too many people now yearn for a return to mysticism and magic, blissfully unaware of the implications of what they wish for. These are often the same people who belligerently deny humanity's impact on our own life-supporting environment, which does make me despair for the long-term survival of our species.
It's interesting that we pride ourselves on the Royal Society and our rationality over superstition etc etc. However, it may interest you to know that the smallpox vaccine was introduced without any evidence of its efficacy. It was just accepted by the medical profession. Alfred Wallace, Darwin's friend, was absolutely gobsmacked that this occurred and spoke to parliament in 1898 about how it was the improvements in sanitation, housing and child labour laws that had in fact been shown to eradicate smallpox.
https://jowaller.substack.com/p/lets-hope-the-monkey-pox-nonsense
Hmm, a conspiracy theorist replying to an essay on conspiracy theorists?
I actually have an interesting point about how pharma is hiding evidence of harm amongst other deliberately created conspiracy theories but I can see that your mind is closed. Mmmm.
Hi Bear,
Great article.
Unfortunately, Big Pharma does a great disservice to the healing professions whilst at the same time giving us the tools to save and extend millions of lives.
Fentanyl being a prime example.
However without them we would be dancing round a wishing well in the full moon.
5yrs med school
19yrs general practice
Masters Degree in Prescribing
Public Health Diploma inc Statistics
9 years as Primary Care medical Advisor.
Member of 3 different Local Ethics Committees.
I think I qualify to comment on Evidence Based Medicine.
However, the same people who pick holes in Evolution and Climate Science will demean what I say.
The most important public health interventions in history are
Clean Water
Immunizations.
Modern surgery is entirely reliant on the use of antibiotics.
Discovering new medicines is horrendously expensive.
Many new drugs will be given to less than a 1000 subjects before marketing. I've got an hour talk on that alone.
The maths can be woefully inadequate.
There are enough issues in getting good data. Unfortunately, the deniers cherry pick their issue and run with it. They don't look at all the data, they don't check the maths and they make serious errors in their conclusions.
However, there is a great deal of good work going on behind the chaff.
The Statistics is spot on, shame so few understand Statistics other than bookies and statisticians.
Doctors haven't fûçķèd up the world's diet.
They really are trying to make lives better and they continue Evidence Based learning throughout their careers.
We know a hell of a lot more now that when I qualified in 1973, and we all are better for it.
Very thoughtful and informative. This is a “forever war” in the name of public health and the lives of countless millions - thank you for publicising it. All the best, John.
Time for the EU and UK to pressure X into removing anti science points of view. The first amendment has been weaponised by the conspiracy theorists and is destroying the US. The same must not be allowed to happen here.
Great piece Bear, the money these charlatans rake in and then live off, truly immoral earnings at others expense, advertised on platforms that encourage it for clicks🤬
“ Public health is supposed to be boring. Invisible. It's meant to keep you alive quietly while you get on with your life. But in the age of engagement, boring truth gets drowned out by weaponised nonsense.”
👏👏👏👏👏👏
Public health is supposed to make people better, not conspire with pharma to keep them fat, sick and on drugs.
Yes there are many charlatans that have been weoponised both to make money and to drown out legitimate concerns about policy, safety and efficacy.
The revolving door between big pharma and government regulation doesn't help.
https://jowaller.substack.com/p/how-power-couple-pharma-regulation?utm_source=publication-search
Agreed, but in addition, there also needs to be legal consequences for anyone pushing this stuff. Paloma's mother should be in jail for murder. RFK should be held personally responsible for the measles related deaths, the British former GP should be serving a hefty sentence for stalking, and that Australian POS who pretended to have cancer should be sent down for fraud and non-payment for the fine.
Until there are personal consequences, this won't stop.
Oh Bear, tell it how it is. It truly scares me, that people seem so willing to believe these ‘influencers’, sometimes against just plain old common sense. A brilliant piece of writing, thank you.
Thank you for trawling through the cesspit that is X (or as I prefer to call it Tw@tter). I left it a couple of months ago for the sake of my mental wellbeing and I admire anyone who can deal with the rubbish churned out and also address the issues with truth. You truly are the Great Bear!
Thank you for this piece, Bear. Some of the medical misinformation out there, like the ‘connection’ between vaccines and autism has been debunked for so long it seems insane that it’s still even discussed by people. Or more likely, ranted about online, or with your long suffering family at weddings or funerals. I just wish the lies didn’t gain traction the way they always seem to.
You can dismiss, without reading, anything and everything, however well researched and evidenced, if any part of it appears to agree with any part of what's said by deliberately promoted charlatans and conspiracy nutters?
And about Gates and GAVI, there're as corrupt as they come. https://jowaller.substack.com/p/piss-off-out-of-africa-bill-gates?utm_source=publication-search
It's so easy to dismiss important issues like vaccines and autism when they're sitting amongst crazy conspiracy theories. Perhaps that's why pharma and friends targeted those who dissented from the 'covid' narrative with so much nonsense about 5G, climate change and depopulation by a NWO cabal.
This doesn't alter the fact that there are still many questions to be answered about the safety of vaccines particularly the MMR. https://jowaller.substack.com/p/mmr-and-autism?utm_source=publication-search
And you mention vaccine efficacy- you know it's different to vaccine effectiveness right?
For the Pfizer vaccine the absolute efficacy of preventing symptoms said to be 'covid' was 0.85%. That means about 99% of the vaccine arm didn't get symptoms but about 98% of the 'placebo' (not inert saline- for the AZ jab the meningitis jab was used as a 'control') arm didn't get symptoms either. Hardly seems worth it to me.
https://jowaller.substack.com/p/vaccine-efficacy?utm_source=publication-search
The faces of 'misinformation' can come with various masks and guises.
Always best to follow the money.
Thanks for your comment, Jo.
I see you’ve brought links, percentages, and a familiar narrative - unfortunately none of which change the facts, or the overwhelming weight of evidence on vaccine safety and efficacy.
I have no desire to click through to a Substack rabbit hole dressed up as inquiry, especially when the premise leans on long-debunked claims and recycled contrarianism.
But do take care. It’s always best to follow the science - not just the money, or the vibes.
I would ask you to show me the overwhelming weight of evidence on vaccine safety and efficacy please? Where are the papers? Please don’t link me to wikipedias list of years, deaths and dates when vaccines were introduced, it’s meaningless.
Yes, I have brought percentages- it’s called science. Did you yourself read the Pfizer paper before you made up your mind?
You have no wish to have your dogma challenged so decline to look at the evidence.
Hopeless and patronising.
I think you misunderstand what’s happening here.
I’m not here to engage in sealioning theatre. You’re not looking for information - you’re looking for a sparring partner, and I’ve already told you I’m not playing.
The evidence exists, extensively and accessibly. If you refuse to look at it unless it arrives gift-wrapped in your preferred ideology, that’s on you.
This isn’t an open question. It’s a public health fact. Now I’ll repeat, have a nice day.
The mother of one of the children who died from measles in Texas, apparently said that knowing what she now knows, had no regrets about not vaccinating them. Her own child. Dead because of a totally debunked conspiracy theory. And she would do it again. RFK jr is a danger to health and, just like the rest of trumps administration, totally unqualified for his position.