Book Report: Viral BS: Medical Myths and Why We Fall for Them

 

General Overview

Viral BS: Medical Myths and Why We Fall for Them by Dr. Seema Yasmin takes a look into a wide range of medical myths that have (and continue to) mislead and confuse the public. Yasmin began her career as a physician where she would experience firsthand the amount of medical misinformation that plagues the general public when multiple patients would deny her treatment plan due to myths and conspiracies. Her career would take a turn when she moved to the states and became a journalist and went on to cover many of the health crises that spanned the world including the Ebola outbreak in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Yasmin does a fantastic job breaking down misconceptions about health and medicine by debunking topics such as is suicide contagious? Do we inherit trauma from our parents? Can your cat’s poop make you better at business (yes you read that correct). Her use of entertaining stories and in-depth scientific analysis make it a very fun and informative read. The book emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and evidence-based medicine in combating these widespread myths and she asks us “Why do we believe what we believe, why don’t facts extinguish falsehoods, and what is a fact, anyway.”.

Favorite Part

My favorite part of the book is the chapter on vaccines and whether they can cause autism. This chapter stands out because it not only debunks a widely circulated falsehood but how the myth came to be is even more fascinating. Essentially, a British doctor by the name of Andrew Wakefield conducted a very small study on the effects of the MMR vaccine on twelve children with signs of autism. He went on to falsify data and lie on his study that would remain published for twelve years. The parents claimed they had signs of autism prior to the MMR vaccination. So why would he make false claims in his study? Well, he was hired by a lawyer who wanted to sue the company that made the MMR vaccine and was paid $700,000 to conduct the bogus study. Years later the study was retracted but the damage was already done, leading to a massive antivax movement that still continues today. This chapter is particularly relevant to our class, especially lesson 10 and mass paranoia. For example, we just saw a wave of new antivax movements with the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people saw that a few people had side effects from the vaccine and went so far as to claim the vaccines were “clot” shots in their paranoia with no sound medical research backing relying on getting information from Facebook groups and other social media influencers.

Related

Dr. Seema Yasmin’s entire book is linked to the very first lecture of the class with the importance of slow thinking (critical thinking) to fight medical myths. She demonstrates time and time again how fast thinking can lead to the acceptance of false health information due to biases like confirmation bias and the availability heuristic. For example, myths about vaccines or dietary supplements like the detox teas often spread because people rely on spontaneous judgments or anecdotal evidence rather than taking the time to actually perform their own research using credible sources, not your girlfriend’s uncle who knows a guy, who knows a guy. Dr. Yasmin advocates for slow thinking by carefully analyzing and using evidence-based evaluations to make informed health decisions. This approach aligns closely with our class's focus on cognitive heuristics, biases, and critical thinking. We can use the principles we’ve learned throughout the course, such as recognizing cognitive biases and engaging in thorough, evidence-based analysis, we can better evaluate health claims and avoid falling to the abundance of misinformation going around these days. Dr. Yasmin’s book reinforces the necessity of incorporating slow thinking into our decision-making processes, which directly aligns with our class lectures and the pseudoscience realm overall.

Creative

I was able to find a video where Dr. Yasmin herself discusses medical myths, some of which are taken directly from the book and some that are brand new. Give it a watch because if you find it interesting the book covers things way more in-depth with many more medical myths to read about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-x7M-anEA0

In addition to this video, with the number of social media influencers trying to peddle all sorts of supplements that supposedly are life changing, I want to introduce you guys to https://www.consumerlab.com/ . This website is independently operated, has write ups on a ton of different supplements and wellness products, and has links to studies and sources to back up all their claims. I use this to determine if a supplement actually has any peer reviewed studies to back up the claims and I highly recommend you check this out next time you have somebody trying to push a product down your throat. Dr. Yasmin will be proud of your due diligence in researching what you’re putting in your body.

Extension

Viral BS provides a close look into current health myths and shows their real-world implications. Individuals who read this book can develop their ability to critically evaluate health information and recognize what is “false” which can greatly reduce the spread of misinformation and improve public health outcomes. The book’s assessment of how misinformation takes hold and persists highlights its relevance beyond the classroom, stressing the importance of critical thinking in everyday life. This practical application of Dr. Yasmin’s findings highlights the book’s benefit in helping individuals become more observing consumers of health information, contributing to a more informed and healthier society.