Here is a recap of the stories that appeared last week at Science-Based Medicine, a multi-author skeptical blog that separates the science from the woo in medicine.  

Dr. Gorski pontificates about the Gerson Therapy on Uprising Radio (David Gorski) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/dr-gorski-pontificates-about-the-gerson-therapy-on-uprising-radio/ Announcement providing a link to a radio interview.  

Related by coincidence only? University and medical journal press releases versus journal articles (David Gorski) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/related-by-coincidence-only-journal-press-releases-versus-journal-articles/ Why are scientific studies reported so badly in the press? Press releases from universities and journals are partly to blame. They are often biased, distorted, and omit critically important information. They hype preliminary research, fail to provide context, and offer over-enthusiastic quotes from the researchers.  

Prostate Cancer Dilemmas: To Test or Not to Test, To Cut or Not to Cut (Harriet Hall) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/prostate-cancer-dilemmas-to-test-or-not-to-test-to-cut-or-not-to-cut/ Screening for prostate cancer with the PSA test is no longer recommended by the USPSTF because it does more harm than good: it detects small cancers that would never have harmed the patient. Surgical treatment for localized cancers often causes impotence and incontinence, and it doesn’t reduce mortality.  

Homeopathy’s Recent Woes (Steven Novella) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/homeopathys-recent-woes/ Manufacturers of homeopathic remedies in Britain may re-label their products as “confectionery” to avoid violating regulations. The FDA discovered broken glass in homeopathic products. 6 manufacturers of homeopathic products have been paying a blogger 43,000 Euros a year to write personal attacks on Edzard Ernst simply because he has reported the evidence from homeopathy studies.  

Acupuncture practice acts: legalized quackery (Jann Bellamy) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/acupuncture-practice-acts-legalized-quackery/ In several states, acupuncturists enjoy a broad and unsupervised scope of practice. They are licensed to act as primary care providers and to offer everything from bloodletting to Kirlian photography. In short, the government has legalized quackery.  

Low Level Lasers: N-Rays in action (Mark Crislip) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/lower-level-lasers-n-rays-in-action/ Preposterous claims are being made for health benefits of low level lasers. The light does not penetrate deeply enough to be biologically plausible, and studies of efficacy are a confused mess. Low level lasers are almost certainly useless except for possible superficial benefits like wound healing.  

Brief Announcement: Video of Panel on Alternative Medicine (Harriet Hall) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/brief-announcement-video-of-panel-on-alternative-medicine/ You can now watch “The Truth about Alternative Medicine” panel from TAM 10, featuring Steven Novella, David Gorski, Harriet Hall, and Rachael Dunlop.