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Healthy Life Star

Any topic related to science can be discussed here.
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lewist
Posts: 4402
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 8:53 pm

Healthy Life Star

#1 Post by lewist » September 25th, 2016, 10:45 am

Does anyone know anything about this website? It looks to be anti vax but I'm not sure. Someone local has asked on Facebook if its advice on the flu jab has any basis, and I thought I should consult the experts.

Any comment, folks? Reading the page, it strikes me as being very light on evidence.
Carpe diem. Savour every moment.

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: Healthy Life Star

#2 Post by Alan H » September 25th, 2016, 11:45 am

It's basically a load on the usual anti-vax nonsense - the old tropes that have been debunked many times.

These debunk most of the nonsense:

Antivax 101: Tactics and Tropes of the Antivaccine Movement

15 Common Anti-Vaccine Arguments and Why They are a Load of Crap

The mercury one is one of the most prevalent pieces of nonsense. The flu vaccine doesn't now contain ethyl mercury (aka thimerosal in the US and thiomersal in the UK) but even if it did, this is not elemental mercury that the site talks about as causing brain damage. The difference between elemental mercury and ethyl mercury is easy to explain by comparing how water contains the highly explosive hydrogen and the highly corrosive oxygen, but when combined in a water molecule, they are not only harmless (except drowning!), they are essential to life.

A good tactic would be to refer them to the NHS website: The flu jab. If they say it's wrong, ask them why they prefer information from their anonymous website as opposed to the trusted NHS one.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

lewist
Posts: 4402
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 8:53 pm

Re: Healthy Life Star

#3 Post by lewist » September 25th, 2016, 12:30 pm

Many thanks, Alan. I was aware of the mercury nonsense but I thought a better informed view might help. The Fb query was from someone who had the sense to smell a rat and asked for information.
Carpe diem. Savour every moment.

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