The Semmelweis gambit: A red flag for defending bad science and quackery
By David Gorski
A supporter of the Great Barrington Declaration is drawing a parallel between the rejection of its “natural herd immunity” strategy during the pandemic and the dismissal of Ignaz Semmelweis’s groundbreaking findings on hand hygiene. This comparison is misleading and often used by those promoting questionable science. Semmelweis faced resistance because his ideas challenged the status quo, but the current rejection of the Great Barrington Declaration is based on sound scientific evidence and public health principles. Misusing historical examples to defend flawed theories only distracts from the real issues at hand.