Mark Hoofnagle has a MD and PhD in physiology from the University of Virginia, and is now a general surgery resident. His interest in denialism concerns the use of denialist tactics to confuse public understanding of scientific knowledge.
As discussed yesterday, former NIH director Dr. Bernadine Healy has been saying some very strange things lately. Since crank-ism doesn't usually pop up out of nowhere, I decided to poke around a little. In an amazing co-incidence, some of Healy's forays into the world of crankery neatly parallel the hot-button issues of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons.
For example:
1) As discussed yesterday, Healy thinks thimerosal is toxic. So does AAPS.
2) Healy tried to interfere inappropriately in the Terry Schiavo case. So did AAPS.
3) Healy isn't so fond of science and evidence guiding medical practice. Neither is the AAPS.
On the other hand, she has come out against the Bush administration in supporting condom use, and helped fight the battle to make the morning-after pill available.
So, perhaps Dr. Healy isn't a simple crank, but a complex and developing crank. Perhaps there is still hope. Unfortunately, folks who walk the crank path rarely look back.
Come back, Bernadine, come back!
Medicine & Health
Comments
"...folks who walk the crank path rarely look back."
Shouldn't that be "folks who walk the crank plank"?
:)
Posted by: New Reader | May 19, 2008 8:09 PM
"Those who turn crank rarely turn back."
Posted by: Hank Robers | May 19, 2008 9:32 PM