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4
Big Pharma and the Media are at it again - Pushing faulty tests and harmful drugs
Have a reality check from science It's healthy to be sceptical. It's essential to hold institutions accountable. But it’s also crucial that scepticism doesn’t slide into pseudoscience. The post above makes sweeping claims about PCR tests, antiviral treatments, and COVID-19 response, while invoking classic tropes of the "Big Pharma" conspiracy. So let’s take a breath, bring some scientific rigour to the table, and unpick the core claims with the help of actual evidence—not viral Substack posts or random X threads. PCR Tests Are Not “Discredited” Let’s start with the PCR test. Contrary to what's claimed here, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) remains one of the most accurate and sensitive methods for detecting viral RNA. Yes, it’s true that cycle threshold (Ct) values matter—and labs have refined protocols over time to improve accuracy—but the idea that “95–99% are false positives” is simply false. That statistic doesn’t exist in any credible epidemiological literature. PCR’s sensitivity means it can detect low viral loads—important for early detection, especially in vulnerable populations. Are there limitations? Of course. But that’s true of every medical test. That’s why PCR is often combined with clinical symptoms, contact tracing, and other data in public health decision-making. Ben Goldacre—whose work Bad Science and Bad Pharma rightly criticises data manipulation—would call out misuse of statistics. But he would also call out cherry-picking and the spread of scientifically illiterate paranoia masquerading as critical thinking. Ramdev Sivir and the “Toxic Antiviral” Myth Next, remdesivir. It’s no silver bullet. But neither is it a cartoon villain. Clinical trials like the ACTT-1 trial (published in NEJM) found that it reduced recovery time in hospitalized patients. Other studies found mixed or modest benefits—but calling it "toxic" based on misapplied data from Ebola trials is disingenuous. Drugs are authorised under emergency use when risks of inaction are higher than risks of use. That’s how medicine works in real time during a pandemic. If better treatments emerge, protocols change. That’s not conspiracy—that’s adaptive evidence-based practice. Hydroxychloroquine, Ivermectin and the “Suppressed Cure” Fallacy This narrative has been debunked countless times. Large-scale randomised controlled trials—including the WHO’s Solidarity Trial and the UK’s RECOVERY Trial—found that hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin offer no meaningful benefit for COVID-19 patients and can carry risks, especially in unsupervised use. If vitamin D and zinc were enough to treat severe viral respiratory illness, we’d have a very different medical history. Supplementing deficiencies is helpful—but replacing antivirals with multivitamins in ICU patients is not medicine. It’s magical thinking. Why the “Big Pharma = Evil” Argument Fails Here’s where Goldacre comes in. In Bad Pharma, he exposes real problems: lack of data transparency, ghost-writing, and selective reporting. But even he warned that if critics abandon evidence and run on emotion, they become as untrustworthy as the worst industry offenders. Criticising pharmaceutical practices is necessary. Replacing that criticism with online rage, false statistics, and science denial is worse—it undermines trust in medicine, harms public health, and fuels dangerous movements that cost real lives. Science Is Messy, But It’s Not a Conspiracy COVID-19 was a global emergency. Mistakes were made. But they weren’t the product of some evil cabal—they were often the result of uncertainty, time pressure, and an evolving evidence base. Science learns. Conspiracy theories don't. If we care about truth, let’s do better than posts like this. Let’s demand transparency, yes—but also uphold scientific literacy, humility, and responsibility in the way we talk about health. -
54
Community Greek Man Stricken by Mysterious Illness Left Without Treatment as Funds Run Dry in Rayong
Indeed, a worthy cause I think. But I would not want to send him to the same place that came up empty. Surely they did a load of blood work already as a first step and must have some idea of what's wrong with him? -
25
The US dollar is sinking like a rock
All fine and good, how has an alpine republic, (founded in 1291),consisting of less than 9 million habitants has reached a monetary status that has become a international monetary "measuring-stick"? I know why. Do you? To lose 12% within 2 months is "normal" to you as a currency loss?. Explain this to the rest of the world. -
13
New help measures for elderly people
If I fly from Perth to BKK, I book a wheelchair in Perth on the way back. I book it when I check in, but every Airline is different -
0
How are these “tropical villas” sold to foreigners if land ownership isn’t allowed?
Hi all, I saw some Facebook pages from my country promoting tropical villas in Koh Phangan, aimed at foreigners.. here is a video demo: https://imgur.com/a/opV4MQ0 They show fully furnished villas with private pools and promise up to 20% annual returns. In the comments, the admin said each villa is selling for about €150,000. This made me wonder, how are they selling villas to foreigners if foreigners can't legally own land in Thailand? These aren't condos. So is it a 30-year lease, or is there some company structure involved? I found the listing here: https://lazudi.com/th-en/surat-thani/project/greeny-moon-villas-14851 But there's no info about leasehold, company setup, or legal ownership, just lifestyle and investment talk. Is this common? Are they just selling lease contracts without saying it? Thanks in advance for any info or experience.- 1
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Donald Trump calls for Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial to be cancelled
Why are you replying to yourself.
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