The Truth about RFK Jr

[johnny karate]

He actually seems to believe in a particular version of not germ theory. I think it's a common mistake for folks to make that their opposition is just dumb or ignorant. Often, intelligence and knowledge make the cranks better able to deny. If we come at them like they are just dumb, we will not convince anyone of anything.

ETA: Worth while for skeptics to keep in mind. Being smart and or well educated, can just make you better able to justify your pre-existing beliefs and if we knew what we were wrong about, we'd have already changed our minds. So, what are you wrong about?

I hate to break it to you, but we passed the “convincing” stage somewhere around November 5th 2024.

We’re in the “children are dying” phase now and whether or not we’re offending the delicate sensibilities of the people killing those children doesn’t seem like it should be a major concern.

 

[Mojo]

Who needs medical ethics when you can move fast and break things kill people? Maybe we can look forward to his having another brainwave about how he's going to test all new medicines to find out what their lethal dose is.

Maybe we can look forward to his having another brainworm that eats the rest.

 

[pgwenthold]

Bunch of people are cheering because (apparently) Pepsi is going to stop using "artificial flavorings."

Because, you know, the problem with Pepsi from a health standpoint is the artificial flavorings.

These people are morons.

 

[pgwenthold]

Not sure whether this is best posted here, but the US 2024/25 flu season has had an unusually high rate of child deaths

The figures are likely an underestimate.

Influenza vaccination rates in child population was low, 49% compared with 64% pre-pandemic.

I am aware that this is probably Biden's fault as decisions around promoting flu vaccination for 24/25 would have been made pre Trump's election. Almost certainly regression to the norm will mean the 25/26 season will have a lower mortality rate which Trump ? RFK will be able to claim as a success for their policies!

Weekly US Influenza Surveillance Report: Key Updates for Week 17, ending April 26, 2025

Seasonal influenza activity continues to decline.

www.cdc.gov

I think the interesting tell will be what the insurance companies do. They are looking at it from a cost perspective. What is going to be cheaper? Cover the costs of the vaccine? Or cover the costs of the treatment?

If insurance companies continue to cover the costs of vaccination, then that will tell us a lot.

 

[Mojo]

As I said, a cheap, simple and effective way of preventing disease. And these bozos are against it.

 

[bruto]

Maybe we can look forward to his having another brainworm that eats the rest.

What rest? The worm ran out of meat and died.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

I think it depends on the chiropractors. I have heard some chiropractors who said sensible things about vaccines, and it turns out that they also don't believe in the use of adjustments. In which case, I wonder what it means for them to even be chiropractors.

Even naturopaths consider themselves homeopaths, (they aren't). The fact chiropractors ignore the basic premise of their practice doesn't change the fact their practice is based on the unsupported claim all disease is based on compression of nerves in the spinal column.

They frighten me given neck manipulation can cut off the blood supply through the vertebral artery resulting in quadriplegia.

If they don't come near adjusting one's neck there is an argument they do better or just as good treating back pain compared to Western medicine that relies on surgery and pain meds.

As for being anti-vaxxers, some licensed MDs are also anti-vaxxers. It's not relevant unless there is some exception in the underlying premise of chiropractic medicine. I don't believe there is.

 

[bruto]

I'm reminded of an old Ogden Nash ditty (not necessarily verbatim remembered):

"To the one who botches that delicate neck trick
I hope there awaits the fauteuil electric."

I suppose a rogue chiropracter can be better than a doctrinaire one, but I can see little reason for becoming one unless one has a fairly considerable commitment to the theory. If you want to become a physical therapist, you can do that instead. I suppose if you have academic issues and can't manage to get into medical school, that's one way to get into the game (I think that used to be one issue for osteopaths, and may still be), but it still ends you up a chiropracter. I've never been to one, but it seems the ones others go to are usually not that close to the medical mainstream, and more likely to deviate in the other direction, toward essential oils and acupuncture and stuff like that.

 

[arthwollipot]

"What's unique to chiropractic doesn't work, and what works is not unique to chiropractic."

- Dr. Steven Novella

 

[Tero]

acedurrani
medicine
Doctor hereRFK Jr. will direct federal health agencies to explore potential new treatments for measles.If only we had something that would prevent 97% of infections. Oh wait we do, they are called vaccines.
(link to NY Times)

Owais Durrani (@acedurrani) on Threads

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/health/measles-treatments-vaccines-kennedy.html?smid=threads-nytimes

www.threads.com

But did they look for homeopathic cures?

 

[TragicMonkey]

I think we all know that the best treatment for measles is enormous tax cuts for those making more than fifty million a year in capital gains. It's pretty obvious when you think about it, unless you're a communist.

 

[bruto]

I think we all know that the best treatment for measles is enormous tax cuts for those making more than fifty million a year in capital gains. It's pretty obvious when you think about it, unless you're a communist.

Well, it's true that one of the most reliable ways to avoid a pandemic is to flee it in your private jet.

 

[johnny karate]

acedurrani
medicine
Doctor hereRFK Jr. will direct federal health agencies to explore potential new treatments for measles.If only we had something that would prevent 97% of infections. Oh wait we do, they are called vaccines.
(link to NY Times)

Owais Durrani (@acedurrani) on Threads

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/health/measles-treatments-vaccines-kennedy.html?smid=threads-nytimes

www.threads.com

But did they look for homeopathic cures?

It takes a special kind of stupid to look for solutions to a problem that’s been solved already.

 

[The Don]

It takes a special kind of stupid to look for solutions to a problem that’s been solved already.

Except that from his perspective the problem hasn't been solved. He erroneously believes that vaccines are at least as dangerous as the diseases they prevent.

 

[shemp]

Except that from his perspective the problem hasn't been solved. He erroneously believes that vaccines are at least as dangerous as the diseases they prevent.

He's more dangerous than the diseases. But there's no vaccine for him.

 

[johnny karate]

Except that from his perspective the problem hasn't been solved. He erroneously believes that vaccines are at least as dangerous as the diseases they prevent.

Yes, that’s the “stupid” part I was referring to.

 

[grunion]

Just listened to an episode of Revisionist History Podcast in which Malcolm Gladwell looks at the package insert of the Rotovirus vaccine with its inventor, Dr Paul Offit (he of Quackwatch) to try to work out how RFK got it so wrong. (Spoiler alert: partly a misguided belief in terrain theory, partly bald face ignoring /misstating the clinical trial data). He spends some time looking at Joe Rogan’s interview techniques (or lack thereof.) Interesting! And horrifying.

 

[ahhell]

I hate to break it to you, but we passed the “convincing” stage somewhere around November 5th 2024.

We’re in the “children are dying” phase now and whether or not we’re offending the delicate sensibilities of the people killing those children doesn’t seem like it should be a major conce

So, I'm not wrong and you want to keep calling people names, got it. How is calling people stupid who aren't stupid going save anyone's life. The folks how don't already deny germ theory and aren't really paying attention to what RFK actually believes, how are they going to respond to the opposition blatantly mischaracterizing his positions? It will just convince them that folks who disagree with RFK are either liars or even stupider than RFK.

 

[Resume]

t will just convince them that folks who disagree with RFK are either liars or even stupider than RFK.

I can attest that among the anti-vaxxers of my experience, they are already convinced of this. "Do your own research and you'll see!" said the person who gets her information from Joseph Mercola's website.

 

[johnny karate]

So, I'm not wrong and you want to keep calling people names, got it. How is calling people stupid who aren't stupid going save anyone's life. The folks how don't already deny germ theory and aren't really paying attention to what RFK actually believes, how are they going to respond to the opposition blatantly mischaracterizing his positions? It will just convince them that folks who disagree with RFK are either liars or even stupider than RFK.

I lack the persuasive capabilities to convince people dedicated to denying facts and reality that facts and reality exist, so I’m not sure how it became my responsibility to save the lives of the people they are killing with their stupidity.

And to reiterate - and I really can’t stress this enough - I don’t give a single flying ◊◊◊◊ about the hurt feelings or bruised egos of dangerously stupid people.