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Andrew Moulden
From RationalWiki
Andrew Moulden is a Canadian quack who pushes an extreme form of anti-vax woo, claiming that vaccines are the causes of most illnesses and diseases, including autism. In addition to his anti-vax ideology, (too extreme for even other anti-vaxers) Andrew Moulden is a denialist of the germ theory of disease, a conspiracy crank, a 9/11 truther, a failed politician, and a snake oil salesman offering an Internet-based magical procedure that will uncover the true causes of everything from shaken baby syndrome and SIDS to dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Moulden has several academic degrees that he loves to flaunt, including a medical degree, but he is not licensed to practice medicine anywhere. In fact, there are apparently restraining orders to keep him out of major medical conferences [1].
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[edit] Moulden: voice in the wilderness or crackpot?
Moulden is a denier of the germ theory of disease, and in its place has concocted his own theory for the causes of all illness that only he has discovered. Moulden claims that his "marathon academic efforts have culminated in discoveries that, upon my disclosures, will change our knowledge of neurophysiology, medicine, and brain and behavioral disorders, in profound ways that will immediately end much human pain and suffering globally."[2] The great secret? Apparently, all disease is caused by white blood cells "clumping" and vaccines cause white blood cells to clump. Therefore, vaccines cause all illness.[3] Counter to his claim to be the sole source of this finding, Moulden says that the "truth" has been known for a long time and was discovered by Rudolf Virchow in the mid 19th century. Virchow was the first person to propose that pulmonary thromboembolism was caused by a blood clot. Moulden merely takes the singular case proposed by Virchow and makes the logical leap that if it is true of one disease then all disease must be based on blood clots. At this point it should be obvious why Andrew Moulden is not licensed to practice medicine.
Moulden blames all disease on blood clots, and then claims all blood clots are caused by white cells reacting to the injection of vaccines. How disease existed prior to the use of vaccines, or how disease emerges in people who have not received vaccines is never really elucidated in Moulden's all-encompassing, earth-shattering theories. Most likely the answer is some form of ingestion of toxins from somewhere, at sometime.
[edit] Science, peer review, and a persecution complex
Andrew Moulden has very little use for science or the scientific method, he says that "science can never replace common sense and your own powers of direct observation."[2] Moulden has also rejected peer review, or substantial clinical trials of his ideas or inventions, discounting the whole thing as an exercise in futility and claiming limited resources make it not worth bothering with. [4] This complete reliance on anecdotal data, and refusal to submit his ideas to any sort of scrutiny makes them an ideal example of pseudoscience.
Moulden has instead taken his ideas straight to the public, and the courts. For several years after announcing his discovery of the true cause of disease Moulden promised to release all the studies, all the information, all the mechanisms at an anti-vax conference in China which took place in late 2008. Apparently it fizzled, because now the only way to get this information is to buy his 4 DVD box set and comic books.[5] Moulden has also attempted to file various briefs in the vaccine courts and to file criminal complaints against drug companies in Canada.
As with all quacks Moulden has a highly developed persecution complex. He makes all the classic cliche comparisons of himself to Galileo and Christopher Columbus who according to Moulden proved the world was round. Moulden claims to have submitted several screeds as manuscripts to university publishers and had them denied. He also claims that he managed to use lawsuit threats to force the universities to at least receive his manuscript, but that it is merely "collecting dust." [1] He has also apparently turned dangerous against the medical community. Moulden says with great pride that he has been physically removed from medical facilities, and has a restraining order that prevents him from getting anywhere near major medical conferences. [1]
[edit] Save your baby from SIDS, over the internet!
As with all quacks, Andrew Moulden has to support himself somehow, and once you start making stuff up, why stop with mere causes, why not create a cure-all system and sell that? Moulden claims to have a cutting edge "medical imaging" system that can detect the early stages of just about every disease imaginable. Playing on people's fears and vulnerability, Moulden has pushed the idea that it can diagnose Sudden Infant Death Syndrome before it happens.[4] The truly miraculous part of Moulden's system is that this can all be done using only photographs or video. He has applied it to the faces of celebrities and their children to make various diagnoses,[5] and now offers it over the internet to the public at large. Simply upload your videos or pictures, and a crack team will use this amazing machine to provide quick and easy diagnoses. In the event that something bad is found, you can have a live consultation![4]
In addition to his internet diagnostic system, Moulden pushes more standard fare, such as DVDs that contain all his "secrets", and even glossy pamphlets which look like anti-vax Chick tracts. He also has a system to help people to "legally" avoid any vaccine requirements for their children.
[edit] Building credibility one letter at a time
Since Andrew Moulden has no medical experience, and is not licensed to practice medicine, his credibility takes a pretty big hit. In order to counter this Moulden loves to pile up as many letters after his name as possible. It appears that he has been a perpetual student of sorts, getting a degree, and then moving onto another university to get another degree. Even after completing his MD he didn't go into practice, but instead ran off to get his PhD. Moulden even includes his BA after his name in his signature and on his websites. When he talks about his credentials and why people should take him seriously he emphasizes such things as his GPA and the amount of funding he got in his program of study. [2] This "alphabet soup" style of credibility is an odd way to promote oneself to people who think the medical industry and all doctors are out to get them.
[edit] Failed political career
With a list of conspiracy theories a mile long Andrew Moulden attempted to become Canada's Ron Paul[6] by taking over the Canadian Action Party and running for a parliamentary seat out of Ontario in 2008. The Canadian Action Party is Canada's answer to the crazy wing of the US Libertarian party. They believe 9/11 was a government conspiracy, that the North American Union is intended to dissolve all sovereignty, and that Big Brother is out to get us all.[7] Out of about 42,000 votes Moulden managed an impressive 201.[8]
In November of 2009 Andrew Moulden resigned from his position as the head of CAP and aligned his support with the even smaller "Christian Heritage Party."[9]. With such a bright political career ahead of him Moulden might be able to abandon the quack medicine shtick he is living off now.
[edit] References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 *9/11 March on Ottawa 2008: Andrew Moulden talks about vaccines
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ch 2 - Vaccine Errors, from MASS by Andrew Moulden
- ↑ Tolerance Lost by Dr. Andrew Moulden Part 2 of 3
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Ch 4.2 - Mass IMAM-12, from MASS by Andrew Moulden
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Answers to Autism and Vaccine Damage: Part 2
- ↑ Canadian Anti-NWO Political Party Leader Dr. Andrew J. Moulden
- ↑ Canadian Action Party Campaigns
- ↑ 2008 Nipissing - Timiskaming results
- ↑ CAP Leader Resigns & Joins the CHP!
