Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science

From Junk Science (Largely Non-Political) to Junk Medical Treatments (Mostly Associated with the Far-Right): A Financial Connection

Paul Krugman highlights a growing financial link between the multi‑billion‑dollar wellness industry and right‑wing extremist movements. He notes that U.S. spending on wellness reaches roughly $500 billion annually, with nutritional supplements alone accounting for about $70 billion, while regulators like the FDA refuse to review mRNA flu vaccines. The article traces a historical pattern where quack medicine has funded extremist causes, and argues that modern academic junk science has become professionalized, further eroding public trust. This convergence of money, misinformation, and politics intensifies anti‑vaccine sentiment and threatens public‑health policy.