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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009
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 OPINION 
10

Huffington Post: A Hotbed of Junk Medicine

Unpaid bloggers push enemas for swine flu, vaccine hokum

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(Newser) – During the height of swine flu panic, a Huffington Post blogger advised dumping the Tamiflu and sticking with "deep-cleansing enemas," which will supposedly keep you influenza-free and help you lose weight, too. HuffPo is a hotbed of junk medicine, Dr. Rahul K. Parikh writes in Salon, with pseudoscientific columns on everything from thyroid disease to something called "distance healing." Their link: Arianna Huffington's own taste for alternative medicine.

HuffPo has given space to meaningless treatments like detox diets and energy scans, but it's most notorious for pushing the debunked theory that childhood vaccines can cause autism—as advocated by such experts as Jim Carrey. Huffington herself has tried all sorts of alternative medicine, but there's another reason for her site's slant: Contributors aren't paid, leaving serious reporters to look elsewhere and cede the platform to "sensationalism and self-promotion."

Arianna Huffington testifies during a hearing on the future of journalism before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Wednesday, May 6, 2009.
Arianna Huffington testifies during a hearing on the future of journalism before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Wednesday, May 6, 2009.   (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
Arianna Huffington is a long-time advocate of alternative medicines.
Arianna Huffington is a long-time advocate of alternative medicines.   (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
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10 comments
VIEWING:
 
ClingingToHope
Jul 30, 09 8:17 AM CDT
But Obama makes it a point to have their ilk ask questions at his press conferences... Reply
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-8
IN RESPONSE:
Fondue
Jul 30, 09 9:16 AM CDT
What are your thoughts on this article specifically?
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0
IN RESPONSE:
godawgs
Jul 30, 09 10:18 AM CDT
i think his thought was that Obama went out of his way to call on a reporter from the Huffington Post with a planted question at a press conference.
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IN RESPONSE:
youngblood
Jul 30, 09 11:31 AM CDT
The Republicans LOST...Hahahahahhahaha!!
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IN RESPONSE:
PaleRider
Jul 30, 09 11:54 PM CDT
You wont be laughing a few years from now.
Vote up! Vote down!
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