It is time for another Skeptics Guide to Emergency Medicine Book Club update. I read a number of books this summer but there were a couple amazing ones.
The first one was called The half-life of facts: Why everything we know has an expiration date. It was written by Samuel Arbesman. Really interesting look at how facts change over time. Shows how the scientific method is self correcting as it moves closer and closer to the truth. It reminds us that we need to stay vigilant life long learners.
The other great read from this summer was Do you believe in Magic?: The sense and nonsense of alternative medicine by Dr. Paul Offit. He explains how this big industry is unregulated and dangerous. Dr. Offit does a great job explaining how many of the popular alt meds can be ineffective and even dangerous. It reminds me of the Tim Minchen quote “you know what they call alternative medicine that works…MEDICINE”.
So if you are looking for a break from your randomized controlled trials or systematic reviews pick up one of these books. They are wonderful skeptical reads that encourage critical thinking about facts and medicine.
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