Timothy Caulfield

New research dispels myth of conspiracy theorists as isolated outsiders A five-year study dispels the stereotype of conspiracy theorists as angry loners or keyboard warriors. Rather, social and emotional connections provided by conspiracy theorists are recruiting diverse ...

Community key driver! 👇

New research dispels myth of conspiracy theorists as isolated outsiders www.eurekalert.org/news-release...

“Conspiracy theories provide reassuringly simple answers, but more than just solving problems, they create shared emotions, belonging and community."

Landmark study sheds light on the psychological roots of incel beliefs and behaviors The most comprehensive study of incels to date finds that loneliness, depression, and belief in misogynistic ideologies play a stronger role in fostering harmful attitudes than online activity or far-...

Landmark study sheds light on the psychological roots of incel beliefs www.psypost.org/landmark-stu... @psypost.bsky.social

"...research reveals a more complex & diverse population."

"Incels frequently viewed feminists, women, the political left, and broader society as hostile toward them..."

Man died in Cambridgeshire after fake deworming drug cancer claim Lee Redpath bought the drug - not licensed for humans - from a supplier in Ukraine, an inquest hears.

Man died after fake deworming drug cancer claims bbc.com/news/article...

"...no proven benefit for taking fenbendazole for treating cancer in humans".

This BS pushed by online influencers & popular (very) manosphere podcasters.

We can't let the bunk win!

Factors influencing seeking unproven stem cell therapies: sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

"...high seekers tended to be unaware or dismissive of risks...."

"Stress, abandonment, and hopelessness were the emotions expressed by patients who were desperate for an unproven SCI."

You’re Not Imagining It. Health Misinformation Is Everywhere | The Walrus And yes, some of it has probably gotten to you

Looking forward to presenting the keynote "The Health Misinformation Crisis!" at #WTC2025!

Warm up with my (current) Top 10 misinformation concerns: thewalrus.ca/before-you-s... via @thewalrus.ca

#GoScience!

Oh, for sure!

I'll take the inter alia (editors not keen).

But (I think) I only use reifying in this context, yes? And it is the term fits! I stand by it!

Better Tim Bingo squares: "indeed" & starting a sentence with "And". And "––s"! I love love my ––! Let's make those sentences long and confusing!

With all the noise about the Sydney Sweeney ads (sigh), worth noting:

1) Genes ≠ you
2) Some studies have found reifying biological diff can > racist attitudes
3) "Race" = social construct

My take (2018): Why your DNA test won’t reveal the real you www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

For RFK Jr, "bias" means anyone who disagrees with him, especially if that person is a science-informed expert with relevant experience.

"Free of influence" means a person agrees with RFK Jr's anti-science & antivaxx BS.

Dark Age 2.0

Meet the New Rogan. Same as the Old Rogan. It looks as if masculinity itself has exploded into the room. The walls, floor, and ceiling are covered in dark tones that suck up the light. Next to a framed American flag is a bar lit from below, wh...

Are manosphere podcasts slowly killing us? Kinda.

Meet the New Rogan. Same as the Old Rogan. www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/... by @jonathanjarry.bsky.social

"Many of his guests spread misinformation on health-related topics, such as electromagnetic frequencies, food dyes, and vaccines."

Representatives of expert groups to be barred from work supporting CDC’s vaccine advisers The reshaping of the CDC's vaccine advisory panel has continued, with the apparent barring of reps of medical associations from ACIP work groups.

Unbelievable (but believable).

Representatives of expert groups to be barred from work supporting CDC’s vaccine advisers www.statnews.com/2025/08/01/c...

“To remove our deep medical expertise from this vital and once transparent process is irresponsible, dangerous to our nation’s health..."

He works in a variety of media... but these are woodcuts. Really impressive up close!

🔥

Hey, #YEG!

Check out the new exhibit, "fire's burning", at the @yourAGA: www.youraga.ca/whats-on/cur...

Includes work by my incredible bro, Sean Caulfield...👇

U.S. childhood vaccination rates fall again as exemptions set another record NEW YORK — U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according

U.S. childhood vaccination rates fall again as exemptions set another record www.statnews.com/2025/07/31/c... via @statnews.com

"New figures are posted as the country experiences its worst year for measles spread in more than three decades"

And then there is Alberta...

Dark Age 2.0.

Jay Bhattacharya once studied health disparities. As NIH director, he’s allowed such research to wither Jay Bhattacharya’s tenure as NIH director has seen health disparities research swept up in the Trump administration’s attack on DEI

Bhattacharya once studied health disparities. He’s allowed such research to wither www.statnews.com/2025/08/01/n... via @statnews.com

With each passing day it become more obvious Bhattacharya is just enabling an anti-science autocrat.

His legacy will be darkness. How does he rationalize?

Heartbreaking & maddening.

Incredible that we live in a world where the idea of "coffee enemas" STILL needs to be debunked.

This is what happens when you normalize pseudoscience & farm distrust.

Medical Myths Debunked: Chocolate Isn’t Heart-Healthy Dr Christopher Labos discusses the lack of health benefits of chocolate, established by the COSMOS study.

Medical Myths Debunked: Chocolate Isn’t Heart-Healthy www.medscape.com/viewarticle/... www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...

"No cardiovascular benefits,no cognitive benefits, completely without merit or justification."

My friend @drlabos.bsky.social such a downer! Chocolate rules! #TeamChocolate!

The CDC just released their latest data on kindergarten vaccination rates. Fortunately, most parents vaccinate their children. Every parent, policymaker, and public health leader in the country should be coming together to increase access to vaccines.
www.aap.org/en/news-room...

Impact of Health Misinformation on Belief in Health Misinformation www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

"...exposure to health misinformation increased thebelief in health misinformation."

"...was more persuasive when participants received longer, more detailed health misinformation."

Analysis | The Fact Checker rose in an era of false claims. Falsehoods are now winning. Longtime Fact Checker Glenn Kessler takes stock as he departs The Washington Post.

Reality: sharing truth ≠ censorship.

The Fact Checker rose in an era of false claims. Falsehoods are now winning. wapo.st/41kFq2G

"Zuckerberg falsely claimed that fact-checkers censored free speech by being 'too politically biased'..."

Thx @glennkessler.bsky.social 🙏

‘Sleeping’ cancer cells in the lungs can be roused by COVID and flu Inflammation from the respiratory infections seems to be the culprit, study in mice finds.

‘Sleeping’ cancer cells in the lungs can be roused by COVID and flu www.nature.com/articles/d41...

"...cancer survivors are recommended to take extra precautions to avoid respiratory infections and consider vaccination against pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 and flu virus..."

This 👇

Needed: "...consistent, evidence-based messaging from the world’s most influential actors."

"...confronting uncomfortable truths about the role of the USA in fuelling mistrust, and the political choices that have allowed it."

See: www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

#GoScience 💪

A crisis of credibility: the global cost of US vaccine misinformation The global health community faces a deepening challenge—not only from infectious diseases but also from a pandemic of misinformation.1 The USA, long a cornerstone of global health leadership, has beco...

🚨"The world cannot afford another crisis in which lives are lost not for lack of vaccines, but for lack of truth."🚨

Misinformation mongers have created a distrust disaster.

A crisis of credibility: the global cost of US vaccine misinformation www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Conspiracy theories driven by community & emotion 👇

New research dispels myth of conspiracy theorists as isolated outsiders www.tcd.ie/news_events/...

“Conspiracy theories provide reassuringly simple answers, but more than just solving problems, they create shared emotions, belonging & community."

Can't wait! 🙏!

🍂We're excited to announce this year's IRPP Fall Lecture featuring @caulfieldtim.bsky.social, acclaimed Canadian author, scholar & a leading voice on health & science misinformation.

Join us in Ottawa on Nov. 18 for an evening of ideas with Canada’s policy community!

🔗https://shorturl.at/DRiOi

Global analysis finds 14.8 million life-years added by COVID-19 vaccinations A Stanford University-led investigation into the COVID-19 vaccination effort reports that it averted an estimated 2.533 million deaths and 14.8 million life-years worldwide between 2020 and 2024.

🚨 #VaccinesWork! 💪

Global analysis finds 14.8 million life-years added by COVID-19 vaccinations medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07...

"COVID vaccination effort reports that it averted an estimated 2.533 million deaths ... btw 2020 & 2024."

"...7 million people died as a direct result of the virus."

The Protein Madness Is Just Getting Started Americans are taking their obsession with supplements to new extremes.

Seriously, protein crazy mostly (manosphere driven) hype!

Just another deceptive "health halo".

The Protein Madness Is Just Getting Started www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...

"For food companies, adding protein to virtually everything is an easy way to make their products more alluring."

Well, vaccine lies continue to be top of list... Ugh. But urine has had a few big years!