Month: March 2012

Mayo Clinic Mysticism

March 30, 2012

I used to believe that the Mayo Clinic was a venerable institution adhering to the scientific principles and practices that resulted in superior patient care and above average clinical outcomes.  I’m not sure I had any real basis for that perception and recently I’ve come to recognize that such a perception is ill founded. What … More Mayo Clinic Mysticism

The power of the anecdote vis-à-vis VAX-D

March 13, 2012

Unfortunately there seems to be nothing more powerful than the personal anecdote. “Let me tell you, I had back pain for years and it worked for me.” Substituting any condition for “back pain” and any intervention for “it” will create a compelling endorsement for “it” that is often more powerful than reason or compelling scientific … More The power of the anecdote vis-à-vis VAX-D