There are a lot of tips for differentiating peddlers of pseudoscience from real scientists. I’ve written about some of them myself (Six red flags you need to recognize to quack proof yourself).
But there’s a simple question you can ask that serves as a highly reliable shortcut. Does the website (or Facebook page) airbrush the owner’s mistruths and mistakes?
You can determine the answer to that question not by what you see, but by what you don’t see. Just like pictures of fashion models are airbrushed to remove any flaws and project an image of perfection, the websites of quacks are airbrushed to removed the author’s mistakes and to remove (and ban) anyone who questions the author’s claims.
Consider the recent incident with Aviva Romm, MD. In an episode of monumental hypocrisy, Romm issued a caution against shaming women who have C-sections in the midst of a 30 day Facebook rant on preventing unnecessary C-sections that only the day before had advised women to avoid associating with anyone who thought her C-section was acceptable. Romm piously declared:
Today I am making a departure from cesarean prevention to talk about SHAME prevention… Let’s talk about birth and shame. The fears of “failing” because of the pressures to go “au naturale” whether around birth, breastfeeding, or how we raise our kids. How we can better support each other to have the healthiest, safest, most empowering experiences possible?
She promptly got her head handed to her on a platter with a scathingly brilliant comment.
You’re taking a break from shaming women to talk about how we shouldn’t shame women. Wonderful! You want to prevent women from feeling like “failures”? How about stop vilifying a necessary and life-saving medical procedure. The easiest way to support women is to provide complete and accurate information without bias and allow them to make their own decisions about their health.
Your recent posts about not hearing “fearful things” about birth and trying to prevent cesareans with “traditional” birth practices not only encourages women to ignore valuable medical advice that can be vital in making a truly informed choice but also doesn’t disclose any actual information about these supposed traditional birthing means. In your anthropological study of “native” (how delightfully paternalistic) births did you not come across any statistics of maternal or perinatal mortality? Did you just not look for this information to avoid any uncomfortable cognitive dissonance? Or did you simply not want to disclose it?
You can prevent unnecessary medical procedures by education people at to their rights as a patient, the fact that the majority of healthcare workers come to work every day to do their absolute best, and that in the end there is no single correct way to birth or parent. Offer both sides and allow people to choose for themselves and leave it at that.
Romm should have offered an apology for her hypocrisy and henceforth vowed to scrutinize her own writing for subtle and not so subtle shaming strategies. Instead of acknowledging her mistake (and her insensitivity), however, Romm simply airbrushed it out of existence, erasing not merely the hypocritical post that counseled against shaming, but the entire 7 posts of the series thus far, and erasing any evidence that the series ever existed.
Just like Jan Tritten erased evidence of her involvement in the death of Gavin Michael.
Just like Jen Kamel erased the fact that she had boasted about the VBAC outcomes of her followers without realizing they were hideous.
Just like Hermine Hayes-Klein of Human Rights in Childbirth erased evidence questioning the organization’s response to their “forced episiotomy” video.
Quacks can never tolerate being shown to be wrong. That’s entirely different from tolerating being wrong. No sooner did she delete her post on shaming women who have C-sections, then Aviva Romm created a post suggesting that C-sections may raise autism risk, without bothering to include the authors’ caveat that their paper did NOT show that C-sections cause autism. I cannot believe that she is so innumerate that she did not recognize that the paper proved nothing, yet she posted it anyway. She is so not shaming you for having a C-section even if it did cause your child’s autism. Despicable!
Real scientists and doctors make mistakes and should acknowledge them and correct them when it is pointed out to them. Real scientists and doctors can and must tolerate public dissent, must allow their claims to be questioned and must respond to those questions. Natural childbirth and homebirth advocates, like quacks of all kinds, cannot tolerate dissent and create airbrushed websites and Facebook pages that make them seem omniscient and infallible. Quackery means never having to say your sorry.
When you encounter a natural childbirth or homebirth website gleaming with airbrushed perfection, all signs of dissent removed and anyone who could challenge the author banned, you can be certain that you are in the presence of quackery … and you should protect yourself accordingly.
It is no longer news that the Acquired immune deficiency syndrome /Human Immune Virus (HIV/AIDS) is increasing by the day. The fear is that many people living with the sickness are scared of saying it because of the stigma that comes along with it. I’m bold enough among many others to state that there is now a potent cure to this sickness but many are unaware of it because of the rate of scammers on the internet . I discovered that i was infected with the virus 11 months ago, after a medical check-up. and i was shocked, confused and felt like my world has has come to an end, i was dying slowly due the announcement of my medical practitioner but he assured me that i could live a normal life if i take my medications (as there was no medically known cure to HIV). I did everything to get this disease cured but all prove abortive until i found Dr. Iyayi Waziri, a professor of infectious diseases at TSRI’s Florida campus, said he expects his new drug candidate could cure the 35 million people living with HIV worldwide within the next few years, so i got in touch with Dr. Iyayi Waziri who gave me his drugs that cured my HIV. Reach out to him via email {iyayispiritualherbalcenter.ng@gmail.com}… ..
hello
My Name is BULLY JANE, From USA I wish to share my testimonies
with the World about what Dr Keke has just done for me ,This great man
brought my lost Ex husband to me with his great spell within 24 hours. I
was married to my husband JACK BULLY, we were together for a long time
and we loved our self’s but when I was unable to give him a child for 2
years he left me and told me he can’t continue anymore then I was now
looking for ways to get him back until a friend of mine told me about
this man and gave his contact email (greatkekespelltemple@gmail.com) then
you won’t believe this when I contacted this man on my problems he
prepared and cast a very strong spell for me and bring my lost husband back
within 24hrs, and after a month I missed my monthly period and went for a
test and the result showed that i was pregnant. i am happy today am a
mother of a baby girl, thank you once again the great Dr Keke for what
you have done for me.Contact him on his private email greatkekespelltemple@gmail.com if you are out there passing through any
of this problems or predicaments in your life. his private website is http://greatkekespelltemple01.webs.com
1) If you want your ex back.
(2) if you always have bad dreams.
(3) You want to be promoted in your office.
(4) You want women/men to run after you.
(5) If you want a child.
(6) You want to be rich.
(7) You want to tie your husband/wife to be
yours forever.
(8) If you need financial assistance.
(9) How you been scammed and you want to recover you lost money.
(10)if you want to stop your divorce.
(11)if you want to divorce your husband.
(12)if you want your wishes to be granted.
(13) Pregnancy spell to conceive baby
(14)Guarantee you win the troubling court cases & divorce no matter how what stage
(15)Stop your marriage or relationship from breaking apart.
(16) CURE OR HIV AND OTHER VIRAL DISEASES
once again the email address is greatkekespelltemple@gmail.com contact him immediately or contact through his website at http://greatkekespelltemple01.webs.com
Hi everyone act there.. my name is MULLAR SHARRON i am from germany. i will never forget the help DR.TRUST render to me in my marital life. i have been married for 5 years now and my husband and i love each other very dearly and deeply. after 3 years of our marriage my husband suddenly change he was having an affair with a lady outside,i praying for divine intervention the thing became more serious.my husband just came home one day he pick up his things and left me and the kids to his mistress outside. i was confuse and i did not no what to do at first. i was searching for help in the internet, i saw so many people sharing testimony on how dr.trust help them with their relationship problem. i email him and tell him how my husband left me. And he assure me that my husband will be back home within the next 48 hours .To my greatest surprise my husband came home on his knees that i should find a place in my heart to forgive him,i was truly astonished and shocked when my husband knelt down begging for forgiveness and for me to accept him back.. I am really short of expressions, and i don’t know how much to convey my appreciation to you dr. trust you are a God sent to restore broken relationship. And now i am a joyful woman.Email: (ULTIMATESPELLCAST@GMAIL.COM OR ULTIMATESPELLCAST@YAHOO.COM) tel +2348156885231
Hi everyone act there.. my name is MULLAR SHARRON i am from germany. i will never forget the help DR.TRUST render to me in my marital life. i have been ma…rried for 5 years now and my husband and i love each other very dearly and deeply. after 3 years of our marriage my husband suddenly change he was having an affair with a lady outside,i praying for divine intervention the thing became more serious.my husband just came home one day he pick up his things and left me and the kids to his mistress outside. i was confuse and i did not no what to do at first. i was searching for help in the internet, i saw so many people sharing testimony on how dr.trust help them with their relationship problem. i email him and tell him how my husband left me. And he assure me that my husband will be back home within the next 48 hours .To my greatest surprise my husband came home on his knees that i should find a place in my heart to forgive him,i was truly astonished and shocked when my husband knelt down begging for forgiveness and for me to accept him back.. I am really short of expressions, and i don’t know how much to convey my appreciation to you dr. trust you are a God sent to restore broken relationship. And now i am a joyful woman.Email: (ULTIMATESPELLCAST@GMAIL.COM OR ULTIMATESPELLCAST@YAHOO.COM) tel +2348156885231
I want to use this golden opportunity to appreciate the great spell caster called Dr.ogboni, for helping me get back my relationship with my ex lover when he ended and turned his back on me for quite a long period of time. email: Dr ogboni,i performed a spell for me and within 48 hours after the spell had been casted i receive a call from my ex saying that he is sorry for hurting me and that he will not do such thing to me in his life again, I was surprised but later accepted him back. Anyone that is in the same line of problem or having difficulties in there marriages should contact Dr.ogboni on his email address: ogbonispelltemple@gmail.com
My name is Lorna Harron, and I base in USA…My life is back!!! After 2 years of Broken marriage, my husband left me with two kids . I felt like my life was about to end i almost committed suicide, i was emotionally down for a very long time. Thanks to a spell caster called Dr momodo, which i met online. On one faithful day, as I was browsing through the internet,I came across allot of testimonies about this particular spell caster. Some people testified that he brought their Ex lover back, some testified that he restores womb,cure cancer,and other sickness, some testified that he can cast a spell to stop divorce and so on. i also come across one particular testimony,it was about a woman called Sonia,she testified about how he brought back her Ex lover in less than 2 days, and at the end of her testimony she dropped Dr momodo’s e-mail address. After reading all these,I decided to give it a try. I contacted him via email and explained my problem to him. In just 48hours, my husband came back to me. We solved our issues, and we are even happier than before Dr momodo, is really a gifted man and i will not stop publishing him because he is a wonderful man… If you have a problem and you are looking for a real and genuine spell caster to solve all your problems for you. Try High momodospelltemple@gmail.com anytime, he might be the answer to your problems. Here’s his contact: momodospelltemple@gmail.com
My name is Lorna Harron, and I base in USA…My life is back!!! After 2 years of Broken marriage, my husband left me with two kids . I felt like my life was about to end i almost committed suicide, i was emotionally down for a very long time. Thanks to a spell caster called Dr momodo, which i met online. On one faithful day, as I was browsing through the internet,I came across allot of testimonies about this particular spell caster. Some people testified that he brought their Ex lover back, some testified that he restores womb,cure cancer,and other sickness, some testified that he can cast a spell to stop divorce and so on. i also come across one particular testimony,it was about a woman called Sonia,she testified about how he brought back her Ex lover in less than 2 days, and at the end of her testimony she dropped Dr momodo’s e-mail address. After reading all these,I decided to give it a try. I contacted him via email and explained my problem to him. In just 48hours, my husband came back to me. We solved our issues, and we are even happier than before Dr momodo, is really a gifted man and i will not stop publishing him because he is a wonderful man… If you have a problem and you are looking for a real and genuine spell caster to solve all your problems for you. Try High momodospelltemple@gmail.com anytime, he might be the answer to your problems. Here’s his contact: momodospelltemple@gmail.com
My name is Lorna Harron, and I base in USA…My life is back!!! After 2 years of Broken marriage, my husband left me with two kids . I felt like my life was about to end i almost committed suicide, i was emotionally down for a very long time. Thanks to a spell caster called Dr momodo, which i met online. On one faithful day, as I was browsing through the internet,I came across allot of testimonies about this particular spell caster. Some people testified that he brought their Ex lover back, some testified that he restores womb,cure cancer,and other sickness, some testified that he can cast a spell to stop divorce and so on. i also come across one particular testimony,it was about a woman called Sonia,she testified about how he brought back her Ex lover in less than 2 days, and at the end of her testimony she dropped Dr momodo’s e-mail address. After reading all these,I decided to give it a try. I contacted him via email and explained my problem to him. In just 48hours, my husband came back to me. We solved our issues, and we are even happier than before Dr momodo, is really a gifted man and i will not stop publishing him because he is a wonderful man… If you have a problem and you are looking for a real and genuine spell caster to solve all your problems for you. Try High momodospelltemple@gmail.com anytime, he might be the answer to your problems. Here’s his contact: momodospelltemple@gmail.com
I want to use this golden opportunity to appreciate the great spell caster called Dr.ogboni, for helping me get back my relationship with my ex lover when he ended and turned his back on me for quite a long period of time. email: Dr ogboni,i performed a spell for me and within 48 hours after the spell had been casted i receive a call from my ex saying that he is sorry for hurting me and that he will not do such thing to me in his life again, I was surprised but later accepted him back. Anyone that is in the same line of problem or having difficulties in there marriages should contact Dr.ogboni on his email address: ogbonispelltemple@gmail.com
An amazing testimony on a spell caster who brought my wife back to me.. My name is Edwin Wallace,i live in United Kngdom,and I’m happily married to a lovely and caring wife,with two kids.A very big problem occurred in my family seven months ago,between me and my wife.so terrible that she took the case to court for a divorce.she said that she never wanted to stay with me again,and that she didn’t love me anymore.So she packed out of my house and made me and my children passed through severe pain. I tried all my possible means to get her back,after much begging,but all to no avail.and she confirmed it that she has made her decision,and she never wanted to see me again. So on one evening,as i was coming back from work,i met an old friend of mine who asked of my wife.So i explained every thing to her,so she told me that the only way i can get my wife back,is to visit a spell caster,because it has really worked for her too.So i never believed in spell,but i had no other choice,than to follow her advice. Then she gave me the email address of the spell caster whom she visited.{supremetemple@hotmail.com}. So the next morning,i sent a mail to the address she gave to me,and the spell caster assured me that i will get my wife back the next day.What an amazing statement!! I never believed,so he spoke with me,and told me everything that i need to do. Then the next morning, So surprisingly, my wife who didn’t call me for the past seven {7}months,gave me a call to inform me that she was coming back.So Amazing!! So that was how she came back that same day,with lots of love and joy,and she apologized for her mistake,and for the pain she caused me and my children. Then from that day,our relationship was now stronger than how it were before,by the help of a spell caster. So, i will advice you out there to kindly visit the same website {supremetemple@hotmail.com},if”>{supremetemple@hotmail.comm},if you are in any condition like this,or you have any problem related to “bringing your ex back. So thanks to the Dr PAPAr for bringing back my wife,and brought great joy to my family once again. {supremetemple@hotmail.com}, Thanks..
How to Get your Lover Back after a Divorce or Breakup
Hello to every one out here, am here to share the unexpected miracle that happened to me three days ago, My name is Jeffrey Dowling,i live in Texas,USA.and I`m happily married to a lovely and caring wife,with two kids A very big problem occurred in my family seven months ago,between me and my wife so terrible that she took the case to court for a divorce she said that she never wanted to stay with me again,and that she did not love me anymore So she packed out of my house and made me and my children passed through severe pain. I tried all my possible means to get her back,after much begging,but all to no avail and she confirmed it that she has made her decision,and she never wanted to see me again. So on one evening,as i was coming back from work,i met an old friend of mine who asked of my wife So i explained every thing to her,so she told me that the only way i can get my wife back,is to visit a spell caster,because it has really worked for her too So i never believed in spell,but i had no other choice,than to follow her advice. Then she gave me the email address of the spell caster whom she visited.(bravespellcaster@gmail.com}, So the next morning,i sent a mail to the address she gave to me,and the spell caster assured me that i will get my wife back the next day what an amazing statement!! I never believed,so he spoke with me,and told me everything that i need to do. Then the next morning, So surprisingly, my wife who did not call me for the past seven {7}months,gave me a call to inform me that she was coming back So Amazing!! So that was how she came back that same day,with lots of love and joy,and she apologized for her mistake,and for the pain she caused me and my children. Then from that day,our relationship was now stronger than how it were before,by the help of a spell caster . So, was now stronger than how it were before,by the help of a spell caster . So, i will advice you out there to kindly visit the same Website: http://enchantedscents.tripod.com/lovespell/,if you are in any condition like this,or you have any problem related to “bringing your ex back. So thanks to Dr Brave for bringing back my wife,and brought great joy to my family once again.{bravespellcaster@gmail.com} Thanks for reading.
DO YOU NEED HELP TO GET PREGNANT OR SOLVE INFERTILITY PROBLEM…
I am Sandra Jeffrey from Los Angeles, California, I have been trying for 5years to get pregnant and needed help! i have Been going to the doctors but still nothing. The doctor said that me and my husband are fine and I don’t know where else to turn. Until one day my friend introduce me to this great spell caster who helped her to get back her lost husband back with love spell and also made her pregnant, So I decided to contact this spell caster Dr Brave on his EMAIL:bravespellcaster@gmail.com after interaction with him he instructed me on what to do, after then i should have sex with the my husband or any man I love in this world, And i did so, within the next one months i went for a check up and my doctor confirmed that i am 2weeks pregnant of two babies. I am so happy!! if you also need help to get pregnant or need your ex back please contact his email address: EMAIL:bravespellcaster@gmail.com or through His web address http://enchantedscents.tripod.com/lovespell/ As HE did it for me, I am now a mother of twins. He will also do it for you. THANKS.
How to Get your wife, husband, girlfriend, or boyfriend, Back after A Divorce or A Breakup
Hello to every one out here, am here to share the unexpected miracle that happened to me three days ago, My name is Jeffrey Dowling,i live in Texas,USA.and I`m happily married to a lovely and caring wife,with two kids A very big problem occurred in my family seven months ago,between me and my wife so terrible that she took the case to court for a divorce she said that she never wanted to stay with me again,and that she did not love me anymore So she packed out of my house and made me and my children passed through severe pain. I tried all my possible means to get her back,after much begging,but all to no avail and she confirmed it that she has made her decision,and she never wanted to see me again. So on one evening,as i was coming back from work,i met an old friend of mine who asked of my wife So i explained every thing to her,so she told me that the only way i can get my wife back,is to visit a spell caster,because it has really worked for her too So i never believed in spell,but i had no other choice,than to follow her advice. Then she gave me the email address of the spell caster whom she visited.(bravespellcaster@gmail.com}, So the next morning,i sent a mail to the address she gave to me,and the spell caster assured me that i will get my wife back the next day what an amazing statement!! I never believed,so he spoke with me,and told me everything that i need to do. Then the next morning, So surprisingly, my wife who did not call me for the past seven {7}months,gave me a call to inform me that she was coming back So Amazing!! So that was how she came back that same day,with lots of love and joy,and she apologized for her mistake,and for the pain she caused me and my children. Then from that day,our relationship was now stronger than how it were before,by the help of a spell caster . So, was now stronger than how it were before,by the help of a spell caster . So, i will advice you out there to kindly visit the same Website: http://enchantedscents.tripod.com/lovespell/,if you are in any condition like this,or you have any problem related to “bringing your ex back. So thanks to Dr Brave for bringing back my wife,and brought great joy to my family once again.{bravespellcaster@gmail.com} HE IS SPECIALIZE IN THE THE FOLLOWING SPELL.
1) If you want your ex back.
(2) if you always have bad dreams.
(3) You want to be promoted in your office.
(4) You want women/men to run after you.
(5) If you want a child.
(6) You want to be rich.
(7) You want to tie your husband/wife to be yours forever.
(8) If you need financial assistance.
(9) if you want your wishes to be granted.
(10)if you want to stop your divorce.
(11)if you want to divorce your husband.
once again the Email address : bravespellcaster@gmail.com contact him immediately. Thanks for reading.
!!! I Sarah Post This Testimony Coz My Husband Is Back Thanks To Dr.Ukaka
My name is Sarah am from Texas, am a woman who love and cherish my husband more than any other thing you can imagine on earth continent. My husband was so lovely and caring after 3years of marriage he was seriously ill and the doctor confirm and said he has a kidney infection that he needed a kidney donor, that was how I start searching for a good Samaritan who can help,doctor has given me a periodic hour that he will live just 26hours left, that was how I ask the doctor if I can be of help to my husband that was how he carried out the text,the confirming was successful, I was now having this taught that since 3 years now we got married I have not be able to get pregnant can I be able to get bring again? That was the question I ask the doctor, he never answer his response was did you want to lost your husband? I immediately reply no I can’t afford to loose him. After the operation my husband came back to live and was healthy I was also ok with the instruction given to me by the doctor, after 3months my husband came home with another lady telling me, that is our new wife that will give us kids and take care of us, that was how I was confused and started crying all day, that was how my husband ran away with his new wife cluaralle. Since then I was confuse don’t no what to do that was how I went back to the doctor and tell him everything, he told me that, this is not just an ordinary it must be a spiritual problem that was how he gave me this email (freedomlovespell@hotmail.com) that I should tell her all my problem that she can help that was how i contacted her and I do as instructed. After 3days and I have done what she ask me to do, my husband start searching for me and went back to the doctor, that was how we well settle she also told me not to worry that I will get pregnant, this month making it the fifth Month I contacted her am now 3months pregnant. These great spell cater is a great man, if you are any kind of problem you can contact him here on his email (freedomlovespell@hotmail.com) website address: freedomlovespelltemple.yolasite.com,,..
DO YOU NEED HELP TO GET PREGNANT OR SOLVE INFERTILITY PROBLEM
I am Sandra Gaul from USA, I have been trying for 5years to get pregnant and needed help! i have Been going to the doctors but still nothing. The doctor said that me and my husband are fine and I don’t know where else to turn. Until one day my friend introduce me to this great spell caster who helped her to get back her lost husband back with love spell and also made her pregnant, So I decided to contact this spell caster Dr Brave on his EMAIL:bravespellcaster@gmail.com after interaction with him he instructed me on what to do, after then i should have sex with the my husband or any man I love in this world, And i did so, within the next one months i went for a check up and my doctor confirmed that i am 2weeks pregnant of two babies. I am so happy!! if you also need help to get pregnant or need your ex back please contact his email address: EMAIL:bravespellcaster@gmail.com or through His web address http://enchantedscents.tripod.com As HE did it for me, I am now a mother of twins. He will also do it for you. THANKS.
DO YOU NEED HELP TO GET PREGNANT OR SOLVE INFERTILITY PROBLEM
I am Wright Eva from USA, I have been trying for 5years to get pregnant and needed help! i have Been going to the doctors but still nothing. The doctor said that me and my husband are fine and I don’t know where else to turn. Until one day my friend introduce me to this great spell caster who helped her to get back her lost husband back with love spell and also made her pregnant, So I decided to contact this spell caster Dr Brave on his EMAIL:bravespellcaster@gmail.com after interaction with him he instructed me on what to do, after then i should have sex with the my husband or any man I love in this world, And i did so, within the next one months i went for a check up and my doctor confirmed that i am 2weeks pregnant of two babies. I am so happy!! if you also need help to get pregnant or need your ex back please contact his email address: EMAIL:bravespellcaster@gmail.com or through His web address http://enchantedscents.tripod.com As HE did it for me, I am now a mother of twins. He will also do it for you. THANKS.,,,
DO YOU NEED HELP TO GET PREGNANT OR SOLVE INFERTILITY PROBLEM
I am Wright Eva from USA, I have been trying for 5years to get pregnant and needed help! i have Been going to the doctors but still nothing. The doctor said that me and my husband are fine and I don’t know where else to turn. Until one day my friend introduce me to this great spell caster who helped her to get back her lost husband back with love spell and also made her pregnant, So I decided to contact this spell caster Dr Brave on his EMAIL:bravespellcaster@gmail.com after interaction with him he instructed me on what to do, after then i should have sex with the my husband or any man I love in this world, And i did so, within the next one months i went for a check up and my doctor confirmed that i am 2weeks pregnant of two babies. I am so happy!! if you also need help to get pregnant or need your ex back please contact his email address: EMAIL:bravespellcaster@gmail.com or through His web address http://enchantedscents.tripod.com As HE did it for me, I am now a mother of twins. He will also do it for you. THANKS.
Oh wow. Now this is some irony. Have you ever been wrong? Have you ever sincerely admitted you were wrong? Because you’ve been wrong a lot and never admitted it. This article is a dead ringer for – you.
Dr. Teuter …”can never tolerate being shown to be wrong.”
“Real scientists and doctors make mistakes and should acknowledge them and correct them when it is pointed out to them.” Has Dr. Teuter ever acknowleged a mistake, let alone corrected it? No.
Dr. Teutur and her religiosy loyal supporters “cannot tolerate dissent and create airbrushed websites and Facebook pages that make them seem omniscient and infallible. Quackery means never having to say your sorry.”
Your blog and fb page seem dedicated to this idea that you’re never wrong and therefore never have to say or have said you’re sorry.
That’s some great accusations. Got any examples to back them up?
Ah, Bofa, a true believer if ever there was one. Demanding proof that she is blind to anyway. lol
Keep on keepin on, Bofa, believing that Tuteur has never been wrong or made a mistake. My example? Her entire blog here.
So provide us proof. Come on, if it’s the ENTIRE BLOG, it should be VERY easy for you to give one teeny tiny little example with countering peer-reviewed published journal evidence. Come on, just one?
Really! I mean, this is a blog she has been doing for years. Surely itry should come up with SOMETHING!
She has us on a roll, guys. Let her read for herself. It’s not worth the energy to respond to those sorts of posts.
I know one place where Amy admitted being wrong. Remember that original Netherlands study that suggested that Netherlands midwives might be as good as doctors in some circumstances? She believed that for a while. Until the next study (by the same group) showed up and found that it wasn’t actually true, and if you look at things right, Dutch midwives suck.
Dr Amy certainly changed her tune after that, finding out that her old opinion was wrong.
Good point. Methinks itry won’t trip over his prejudice to acknowledge that.
There have been one or two times where she made a math error (during the MANA study thing?) and someone pointed it out to her and she fixed it right away and apologized.
One. Woooooooooow! lol
And actually since she is already “skeptical” of midwives, changing her tune put her back in line with always being right in the first place. Fail.
She is flat out wrong on circumcision. She’s wrong on obesity in pregnancy. Those two things alone are a trainwreck of failure which dwarfs ncb/hb. She’s going down the science denial hole on epigenetics too.
Documentation, please? See, we’re free thinking skeptics here and prefer peer-reviewed papers and other scholarly publications to opinion. Anytime you care to provide something of the sort would be just wonderful.
Really? I thought you agreed that obesity in pregnancy is a risk factor for certain complications.
Oh, that’s right. You think that obese pregnant women are bad people and bad mothers, actual medical professionals just think that they are at increased risk of certain complications and might benefit from nutritional counseling.
No, just some real example of how she “can’t tolerate being shown wrong”
and the other things YOU claimed.
Bofa is not demanding the proof for Dr. Amy; Bofa is demanding the proof for himself.
One reason why I like this site is because she doesn’t seem to be obsessed with being perfect. She seems to be obsessed with saving babies an educating women about birth choices. She is obsessed with undoing some of the harm that comes with the fearmongering surrounding c-sections. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion(s).
Really?
Dr Tuteur posted about hallucinating during surgery due to lack of sleep.
She also posted about a baby that died following an ECV she presided over, because of a knot in the cord.
I don’t think you’ve read the entire blog.
A knot in the cord is not her fault. As far as hallucinating during surgery goes, provide a link so I can make up my own mind. I want to see her apologize and take full blame.
Dude, there’s a search bar to your right.
You said you were taking this blog as your proof, so maybe you should read the blog.
Not my job to do your homework for you.
A link to that story and see the comments where people disagree with her and there they are plain as day for you to read. Now you can’t claim no one ever gave it to ya!
http://www.skepticalob.com/2009/06/i-hallucinated-during-surgery-and-i-was.html
Read the article and comments, not a hint of apology or admission of wrongdoing. If anything, she is making an argument that she is better because of the long hours and nearly falling asleep.
The article cements my point that she never thinks she is wrong and can never admit to being wrong. She is an arogant jerk about it too.
Nice try though.
Nice side step. Her entire blog? Really? And you think you will be taken seriously?
Yes, Dr. Amy has admitted mistakes. Often she asks for clarification and/or information from the other side, but no one ever shows up in the comments to give any differing research.
Most are like you, resorting to ad hominem attacks instead.
As Bofa said: “That’s some great accusations. Got any examples to back them up?”
Nice try. You made the first claim. Burden of proof is yours first.
Funny. I’ve seen plenty of dissenting opinions in the comments here, all of them going unbanned and uncensored. If you were correct, then it should appear as if no one disagrees with her, right?
I’m betting your absurd and untrue criticisms will be here for quite awhile, demonstrating exactly why you’re wrong.
“I’ve seen plenty of dissenting opinions in the comments here…”
Prove it. Define “plenty”. I said nothing about dissenting opinions being deleted. That didn’t stop you from making an untrue criticism of me.
Thank you for proving my point, actually: That the people who blindly support Tuteur clearly cannot take it when she is criticized. 🙂
Jennifer Goodall: http://www.skepticalob.com/2014/07/what-would-vbac-activists-have-done-for-jennifer-goodall-if-her-baby-had-died-not-a-damn-thing.html
Gmamidwife – telling us about her “huge education” and asserting that only 2% of women ever need C-sections
Sarah on a recent formula rampage: http://www.skepticalob.com/2014/09/microbirth-an-object-lesson-in-the-ignorance-gullibility-and-desperation-of-natural-childbirth-advocates.html
Matt on microbirth: http://www.skepticalob.com/2014/01/microbirth.html
Vanessa on microbirth: http://www.skepticalob.com/2014/09/microbirth-doctors-present-at-medical-conferences-natural-childbirth-advocates-make-a-movie.html
And those are just in the last 2-4 weeks.
And Joanne, from Yonifest,.
Provide us evidence that she is wrong then.
If you’re just going to criticize without backing up your assertions, why SHOULD we pay any attention to what you say?
Dr. Amy’s comment about airbrushing, which you turned around on her, is a reference to nonstop banning, deleting and overall censorship on various NCB sites– especially the ones run by the birth “professionals” themselves.
Come in here with a criticism and there are plenty of people who will hash it out with you and it won’t get deleted in the end because you said something contrary to Dr. Amy.
!!! I Sarah Post This Testimony Coz My Husband Is Back Thanks To Dr.Ukaka
My name is Sarah am from Texas, am a woman who love and cherish my husband more than any other thing you can imagine on earth continent. My husband was so lovely and caring after 3years of marriage he was seriously ill and the doctor confirm and said he has a kidney infection that he needed a kidney donor, that was how I start searching for a good Samaritan who can help,doctor has given me a periodic hour that he will live just 26hours left, that was how I ask the doctor if I can be of help to my husband that was how he carried out the text,the confirming was successful, I was now having this taught that since 3 years now we got married I have not be able to get pregnant can I be able to get bring again? That was the question I ask the doctor, he never answer his response was did you want to lost your husband? I immediately reply no I can’t afford to loose him. After the operation my husband came back to live and was healthy I was also ok with the instruction given to me by the doctor, after 3months my husband came home with another lady telling me, that is our new wife that will give us kids and take care of us, that was how I was confused and started crying all day, that was how my husband ran away with his new wife cluaralle. Since then I was confuse don’t no what to do that was how I went back to the doctor and tell him everything, he told me that, this is not just an ordinary it must be a spiritual problem that was how he gave me this email (freedomlovespell@hotmail.com) that I should tell her all my problem that she can help that was how i contacted her and I do as instructed. After 3days and I have done what she ask me to do, my husband start searching for me and went back to the doctor, that was how we well settle she also told me not to worry that I will get pregnant, this month making it the fifth Month I contacted her am now 3months pregnant. These great spell cater is a great man, if you are any kind of problem you can contact him here on his email (freedomlovespell@hotmail.com) website address: freedomlovespelltemple.yolasite.com
itry – you are wasting your time. And ours.
I don’t see ”blind” support of anything here, but much more savvy and intelligent thought than you’ll find almost anywhere. Except for the undeleted aggressive comments like yours, that never gain their writers any credibility.
Consider this:
Do you know what it’s like to feel like an utter failure for
accepting an epidural after 20 hours of back labor?
How about what it’s like to feel ashamed for having your son
delivered by forceps (and having felt it all, too)?
What Dr. Amy has done for women who have been through childbirth
hell and its aftermath is give us the intellectual tools to change the
wrong-reasoned self-condemning thinking that we have been trapped by (that is, the
way that Dr. Amy writes helps us to stop feeling bad about ourselves for the
wrong reasons and helps us to start understanding that medical interventions—especially
as it relates to childbirth—are, in fact, necessary—nay, moral—for the health and well-being of our babies and ourselves).
This may explain why we may be quick to defend her writing
(She doesn’t need us! She’s tough enough
on her own!) when someone seeks to discount/discredit what she says.
Well hey there, itry! Why’d you drop by this time: things slow on Return of Kings? Just one thing: could you try spelling her name correctly? It’ll make you look a wee bit less idiotic.
Oh hey, attitude! Thanks for the spelling mistake correction, its sure to alter everything I said. 🙂 Thanks for noticing my one single comment on Return of Kings, that’s sure to change everything too! At least in the mind of a true believer.
BTW, if missing spelling mistakes refutes everything a person says, you missed where I misspelled “acknowledged” and “religiously” as well. Oops! Don’t miss my spelling mistakes next time, so you look less idiotic. :/
You misspelled the NAME of the very person you were addressing! REPEATEDLY!
THAT’s idiotic.
Never mind that you didn’t bother to provide a SINGLE example of an instance where Dr. TUTEUR is wrong, as you assert.
I point out Dr. Tuteur’s typos to her on a regular basis, and she always simply replies “Thanks, I’ll fix it”. In contrast, you get all defensive. Looks like you could learn something from Dr. Tuteur about graciously acknowledging and fixing your mistakes.
Oh yeah? Did you point out her spelling mistakes to try to dismiss what she wrote?
I don’t give a shit about her many spelling and grammatical errors, that’s not the least bit important when it comes to women and babies lives but you’re sure all wasting a lot of time on being loyal to dear leader.
Congrats on finding the spelling errors!
While you’re here, itry, what do you think about the content of this post? Do you agree that Romm’s attitude creates the very shaming she is now criticising? Do you think it was reasonable for her to delete the comment that pointed this out?
Deleting and banning are rare on this blog. That’s one of its many distinguishing features.
If this were true-which in my experience it is not-so what?
There are dissenters on every post-I’m assuming someone will come along and say something unkind about the happy birthday gorgeous daughter post at some stage: probably accusing Dr T of brainwashing or similar, since they apparently can’t ‘accuse’ her of the two most terrible parenting sins in their silly little world-having a c-section or not breastfeeding.
They come, they challenge, they are disagreed with then they get rude, make ad hominem arguments, talk all about their research, post a whole lot of Dr Oz or equivalent and get reamed, post a bunch of more respectable stuff they haven’t read, have it interpreted for them which amounts to another reaming, and flounce off. Seriously you could set your watch by them.
If rational is your goal you need to try a little harder.
There’s a sometimes commenter here whose screen name is a reference to defecating on the author of this blog. They haven’t been banned yet, so far as I know. If she didn’t tolerate dissent, PODBA would be pretty high up on the list for banning, I’d think.
This makes no sense at all. Dr. T doesn’t delete comments, or ban. This blog is not airbrushed in any way. Loads of people disagree with her in the comments section. I’ve even seen some of her regular readers disagree with her. The thread in the comments about having children within marriage comes to mind. She isn’t always right about everything, no one is. But she does have the science and the facts on her side. Also, she is very interested in women having good quality information on which to base decisions. That’s a hell of a lot more than can be said about the natural childbirth blogs. Delete and ban anyone who disagrees is the norm there. I think she is brave and we need more voices like hers. You have nothing to substantiate your comment with, or , at least, if you do, you are choosing not to share. Most likely that is because you are just blowing wind. Meaningless, empty, useless wind…
I meant to add this earlier. I’m obsessed with TedTalks, and this is one that has always made me think, and brought me pride to be in this industry. Thought I’d share….since I’m not at the game this time….watching from home….GO ROYALS!!!!!
http://www.ted.com/talks/brian_goldman_doctors_make_mistakes_can_we_talk_about_that?language=en
Great post. I haven’t been on in a couple days (Go Royals!), so I didn’t realize Aviva Romm deleted her anti-shaming post and went back to shaming. That boils my blood a little.
In nursing school I was introduced to the idea of emotional intelligence, and how medicine is as much an art at it is a science. I remember professors reiterating over and over that we must understood that doctors, nurses, and the entire disciplinary team, are human beings, and human beings aren’t perfect. And when it was time to enter the real world, we must understand the importance of saying, I don’t know, I need to research that, let’s try this, we think this, and I’m sorry. I’ve been lucky enough to grow-up as a nurse under the wings of amazing, amazing neonatologists who exemplify these qualities. They aren’t afraid to say I don’t know, they aren’t afraid to say they need to ponder situations before making decisions, they regularly ask our opinions about babies, and they aren’t afraid to say I’m sorry. Their intelligence is overshadowed only by their compassion.
I love working with neonatologists. I worked in a step-down NICU for three years and I was fortunate to work with some of the most awesome docs I’ve ever encountered in healthcare. Many of our babies were long-termers, some for upwards of a year or more. They would cry with parents, pray with them and basically treated them like family. I loved those docs, and I will always have the greatest respect for them.
Ever notice how the most educated and trained are always the first to defer to someone they feel is more qualified to handle the task at hand? I was just thinking this in regard to the Aviva Romm post.
And yes-go KC-my husband and nine month old son are watching the game together (my husband’s first World Series with his son!)
I knew I liked you Bombshellrisa! ; ) It’s loooud here in KC!
Dunning Kruger in action. Those who know the least DON”T KNOW that they know the least. The more you know, the more you understand your limitations.
Ignorance is a dangerous thing..
Dunning Kruger indeed! Ever notice how home birth midwives are “experts” in pregnancy, birth, newborn care, lactation, parenting and “medicine” (what they call herbs)? My OB is well educated and trained and has lots of experience (9,000 babies a year welcomed into the world at this hospital) but she never hesitated to error on the side of caution and always referred me to the person who could best meet my care needs. She could have given me a glucose monitor and a list of what to avoid, instead she sent me to an ARNP who specializes in treating women with GD to work with me.
Sorry about last night. 😀 (If it makes you feel better, we genetically engineered MadBum. We’re very pleased about that.)
Bahahahahahah! Yes, that makes me feel better! Hilarious. And congrats, that was a great series!
Epic! It went all 7!
(Also – f me on the timing of it going to Game 7. I have had an appointment for some time now to go right through the heart of what will now be the parade area tomorrow! To a fertility clinic – I’m trying to get a good friend pregnant. That phrasing tickles me to no end.)
Hilarious!
And yes, totally epic. Amazing baseball from both teams! Couldn’t have asked for a better series…well, except maybe winning game 7. ; ) Congrats to an excellent team and city! Have fun navigating through the parade. You can always yell, “Move, move, I need to get my good friend pregnant!!!”
Years ago I read an article about how Native American shamans explain their failures. Human nature is universal in attempts to avoid admitting failure. “You came to me too late.” “You must have done something you haven’t told me about that violated a taboo.” “The person who put the curse on you is a stronger magician than I am.”These are a few of the responses I recall. Okay, the natural birth crowd doesn’t use the last one. 🙂
Yeah, that last one sounds like actually accepting some of the blame–not something I’ve seen the NBC types doing much of.
“how Native American shamans explain their failures”
Lately it’s … “Why aren’t you taking the medication for your iron deficiency anemia? I’m a shaman not an obstetrician!”
I know several (Apache, Navajo, Yaqui, and Zuni) healers and they have a good working relationship with most of the medical facilities. They take care of the emotional/social/cultural stuff and the medical things are out of their scope of practice. If a tribal member is in the high tech metro hospital for open heart surgery, there’s no issue with brief ceremonies for emotional support. Then the long version happens later on the rez.
It’s interesting to occasionally see one of the powerful old healers come in and have a conference with the IHS docs about what can be done about things. When Hantavirus first was spotted, they had some long sessions with the old ones and realized it was a known disease that had a pattern … clue in hand they figured out quickly that it was probably rodents … we still have Hanta but there’s a protocol now for mouse poop disposal.
Can you post a link? I can’t find it but would be interested in reading this.
The healers – it’s personal conversations with them. Their role is as much community stabilizing as curing in a medical sense, and the ceremonies are for cultural cohesion and changes of roles. The community participation in something like the night chants is as much a part of the ceremony as what’s going on inside the hogan. Nothing says “we care” like standing in a howling wind for several nights, huddled around a fire and catching up on all the tribal gossip, making sure everyone gets fed, making endless pots of coffee, making sure the patient’s family has what they need. It’s awesome even as a guest.
One of the Apache EMTs is also studying with his grandfather because his grandfather is a noted healer. No conflict in his mind between the two.
They do NOT do healings for people outside their tradition – unless you are a long-time friend. I can count on the thumb of my left hand the people I know who qualify, and it’s not me. I’m in the “she won’t steal our culture and sell it in weekend seminars about ancient wisdom” class, so we can compare notes on techniques (I learned Nez Perce and Salish practical medicine).
The Hanta virus stuff came out in newspapers at the time (1993) of the outbreak. Because I was working in an Arizona hospital at the time, we were tracking it closely.
On a small scale – before the insatiable Internet News sites were there – it was the OMG NEW PLAGUE reaction you see with Ebola, H1N1, MERS, SARS, etc. School children had a trip cancelled, the tribal police shut down the roads in to keep the media from harassing the tribe. I don’t remember if they actually arrested people for trespassing, but they threatened it.
This article might help:
http://articles.latimes.com/1993-06-22/news/vw-5805_1_navajo-reservation
http://jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/173/6/1297.long might be helpful as a starting place.
This is wonderful stuff, thanks for sharing!
Lately it’s … “Why aren’t you taking the medication for your iron deficiency anemia? I’m a shaman not an obstetrician!”
🙂
I do like a practitioner who knows his or her limits.
!!! I Sarah Post This Testimony Coz My Husband Is Back Thanks To Dr.Ukaka
My name is Sarah am from Texas, am a woman who love and cherish my husband more than any other thing you can imagine on earth continent. My husband was so lovely and caring after 3years of marriage he was seriously ill and the doctor confirm and said he has a kidney infection that he needed a kidney donor, that was how I start searching for a good Samaritan who can help,doctor has given me a periodic hour that he will live just 26hours left, that was how I ask the doctor if I can be of help to my husband that was how he carried out the text,the confirming was successful, I was now having this taught that since 3 years now we got married I have not be able to get pregnant can I be able to get bring again? That was the question I ask the doctor, he never answer his response was did you want to lost your husband? I immediately reply no I can’t afford to loose him. After the operation my husband came back to live and was healthy I was also ok with the instruction given to me by the doctor, after 3months my husband came home with another lady telling me, that is our new wife that will give us kids and take care of us, that was how I was confused and started crying all day, that was how my husband ran away with his new wife cluaralle. Since then I was confuse don’t no what to do that was how I went back to the doctor and tell him everything, he told me that, this is not just an ordinary it must be a spiritual problem that was how he gave me this email (freedomlovespell@hotmail.com) that I should tell her all my problem that she can help that was how i contacted her and I do as instructed. After 3days and I have done what she ask me to do, my husband start searching for me and went back to the doctor, that was how we well settle she also told me not to worry that I will get pregnant, this month making it the fifth Month I contacted her am now 3months pregnant. These great spell cater is a great man, if you are any kind of problem you can contact him here on his email (freedomlovespell@hotmail.com) website address: freedomlovespelltemple.yolasite.com,,
In my area the tribal elders including healers are the best gestational and type II DM educators around. They care deeply about their community and they embrace what works.
Same with the homeopaths:
– If you get worse before you get better, it means it’s working
– if it’s still not working, the symptoms must have changed, we need to sell you another ”remedy” *
(* chemically indistinguishable from the previous one, but with a different label on the bottle)
Quacks also never say they’re sorry when treatment doesn’t work out. It’s always the patient’s fault somehow, either you didn’t follow instructions perfectly (when given nearly impossible instructions), or you ate the wrong food, or your mother fed you the wrong food as a child, or you had antibiotics three years ago, or you didn’t think positive enough.
Actual practitioners get that, while some treatment failures may be related to noncompliance, quite a few are just bad luck.
And in the cases of noncompliance, actual sciency people care to work on how to increase compliance without blaming the user. I went to a whole seminar on causes of noncompliance at a recent conference. Some things are easy in theory while more difficult in practice (oral is higher compliance than any other route, smaller and fewer pills less frequently is easier for people to stay compliant with), and some are just tough to crack no matter what (males are less compliant overall, and the worst one, IMO – for chronic conditions, remission or symptom easing reduces compliance).
Point being, if someone isn’t being compliant, you have to look at what you’re doing to make compliance easier or harder. Unless you’re a quack, in which case impossible compliance is a feature, not a bug.
I remember hearing, recently, about a treatment for HepC that is supposed to be very effective. But it’s expensive, and its mode of administration is injections so compliance rate is very low. (I may have this wrong, but I think it was a pharmacist friend telling me) Coming up with a better way to get the drug to the patients was high priority for the drug manufacturer for sure.
I have some passing familiarity with the HepC drug controversy. :p Sovaldi has a very high (>90%) cure rate, but has to be taken in parallel with other treatments. Just-launched Harvoni is a single-pill, 12-week regimen treatment with comparable cure rates (and some patients able to complete the regimen at 8 weeks). It’s definitely up there when it comes to ease-of-use and outcomes – and it costs. If you do the math, it costs a lot less over time than conventional (and not very effective) HepC treatments and all of the morbidities that go with chronic HepC, but just looking at the bill makes people angry.
Yup. When an elderly diabetic is suffering complications due to not following her diet, actual medical professionals might ask whether she needs help cooking, shopping, or figuring out what she’s supposed to eat. If she isn’t taking her medicine, does it cost too much? Is it causing side effects? Or does she just have trouble remembering?
To a scam-artist flavored quack, difficult compliance is a feature because it provides an excuse for the inevitable treatment failure. To the ones who believe their own nonsense, patients who can’t follow difficult regimens reinforce the pratitioner’s own virtue. “Well, I haven’t touched meat or sugar in ten years! It’s not so hard! If you just ate like me, you’d be as healthy as me.”
True, this is a big reason why doctors started prescribing zythromax for simple bacterial infections. They thought people would finish them and lessen the risk for resistant bacteria, but azithromycin is not a first line antibiotic.
Zithro does diddly squat for me. I’m prone to strep throat and if I take it I just continue to get sicker.
I used to get strep and tonsillitis all the time before I got my tonsils taken out. This was before Zithromax. It would often not clear with any oral antibiotics. They just started giving me penicillin injections.
Interesting!
I usually tell patients that I will prescribe the best medicine that we have for their condition, but it isn’t perfect and if they don’t like it because of side effects or it doesn’t work we’ll go back to the drawing board and consider other options, including (if appropriate) whether we have the correct diagnosis.
I don’t blame them if it doesn’t work, because I know not all treatments work for all people, and sometimes I just don’t have the correct diagnosis in the first place.
It amazes me how much quacks and alt-med Practictioners claim that their treatment is perfect, the diagnosis cannot be wrong and it must be the patient’s fault if their quackery isn’t working.
If I did that I’d be called out, rightly, for my unprofessionalism.
My local quack claims that bad analogies lead to treatment failures.
Essentially the same as not thinking positive enough: if your “self-talk” about your immune system (or whatever) is aggressive and confrontational, then you will cause destruction. No war analogies for “fighting” pathogens, etc. Analogies have to be positive and accepting of all pathogens and disease processes.
Only then can the treatment work. Pandemics can actually be prevented this way.