INTRODUCTION
I began my Cal State LA career in the 2006-2007 academic year as coordinator of the Health Science Program. In Fall 2007, I began my appointment as a professor in the Health Science Program (which later became the Department of Health Science and is now the Department of Public Health with both a B.S. in Public Health Program and an M.P.H. Program). I'm currently an emeritus professor in the Faculty Early Retirement Program teaching public health courses.
My previous faculty appointments were at Kent State University, College of Saint Elizabeth (Morristown, NJ), Walden University, Touro University International (now Trident University International), Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, and California State University, Long Beach. I've also had administrative positions at RAP Inc. (telephone crisis hotline and telephone reassurance program for homebound elderly in Genesee County, NY), the American Council on Science and Health, and Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. I have served as the founding president of the Ohio Council Against Health Fraud, Inc., the president of the National Council Against Health Fraud, a contributing editor to the Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine and Aberrant Health Practices, and North American senior editor of the journal Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies (FACT).
I am currently editor of the weekly e-newsletter Consumer Health Digest (after serving as associate editor from 2002 to 2017), a content curator for the Center for Inquiry's Coronavirus Resource Center page, developer of the Center for Inquiry's Dubious COVID-19 Treatments and Preventives page, co-host of the Credential Watch website (since 2005), a review board member of the journal Health Behavior and Policy Review, a member of the peer review board of the Journal of Health Education Teaching, a section editor (complementary and alternative medicine) for the California Journal of Health Promotion, a reviewer for the journal Pedagogy in Health Promotion, online Consumer Health columnist for Skeptical Inquirer, and a fellow of the Committee on Skeptical Inquiry.
TEACHING INTERESTS
Major areas of emphasis in my teaching include the importance of: information literacy, numeracy (numerical literacy), healthy skepticism, science & ethics-based practice, and consumer advocacy regarding public health issues. I like to teach about addiction, risk perception, priority setting in public health, and human vulnerability to deception and misperception related to health. I have taught more than fifty different undergraduate and graduate courses during my career.
I've taught these undergraduate courses at Cal State L.A.:
- Community Health Care Programs
- Consumer Health (formerly Selecting Medical Products and Services)
- Data Analysis in Public Health
- Directed Study
- Drugs and Health
- Health Promotion
- Health and Wellness
- Health Care Delivery System
- Healthy Skepticism
- Introduction to Epidemiology
- Introduction to Higher Education
- Introduction to Research Analysis and Technical Writing
- Internship
- Proseminar: Current Issues in Health
- Psychophysiology of Substance Abuse and Violence
- Public Health Administration
- Statistics in Health and Human Services
- Theory and Principles of Public Health
- Transition to California State University, Los Angeles for Health and Human Services Majors
I've taught these graduate courses at Cal State LA:
- Culminating Project
- Principles of Epidemiology
RESEARCH
I study a wide range of consumer health issues. I'm especially interested in studying the promotion of health-related misinformation, sensationalism, superstition, pseudoscience, and quackery through mass media and interpersonal communication and the vulnerability of consumers to deception, cognitive biases, and errors in perception.
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Publications and Presentations |
Dates |
|
London W. (editor). Consumer Health Digest weekly e-newsletter. Also see Index to COVID-19 News Briefs. |
ongoing since January 2018 |
| London W. Quackery as a public health problem. In McQueen, DV (editor). Oxford Bibliographies in Public Health. New York: Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199756797-0219 | 2024, August 20 |
| London W. Numerical hygiene mini-workshop. SkeptiCamp LA, North Hollywood, CA. | 2024, March 24 |
| London W. Healthy skepticism about wellness culture [review of The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurua, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Care by Rina Raphael, 2022]. Skeptical Inquirer 48(2):62-63. | 2024, March/April |
| London W. A CSICon-like Nobel Prize Summit. Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health online column). | 2024, February 20 |
| London W. Promoting rational skepticism in an online undergraduate consumer health course. Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health online column). | 2024, January 11 |
| London W. Guidance offered to counter marketing of unproven cell and gene therapies. Skeptical Inquirer 48(1):11. | 2024, January/February |
| London W. How the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) misleads consumers about choosing “complementary health practitioners.” Credential Watch. | 2023, September 12 |
|
London W. Ads for nonprofit and government organizations found on misinformation-promoting websites. Skeptical Inquirer 47(5):10. |
2023, September/October |
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London W. Merit in science defended. Skeptical Inquirer 47(5):8-9. |
2023, September/October |
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Barrett S. in conversation with London W. My 50+ years of antiquackery activity. Skeptical Inquirer Presents webinar. |
2023, June 22 |
|
London W. Study: prevention counters conspiracy belief. Skeptical Inquirer 47(4):10. |
2023, July/August |
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London W. The rises and falls of one-true-cure oddballs [review of If It Sounds Like a Quack...A Journey to the Fringes of American Medicine by Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling, 2023]. Skeptical Inquirer 47(4):61-62. |
2023, July/August |
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London W. On being called a debunker. Skeptical Inquirer 47(4):58-59. |
2023, July/August |
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London, W. Harriet ‘SkepDoc’ Hall (1945–2023). Skeptical Inquirer 47(3):5-6. |
2023, May/June |
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London, W. Predictors of susceptibility to health misinformation. Skeptical Inquirer 47(3):10. |
2023, May/June |
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London, W. Harriet ‘SkepDoc’ Hall (1945–2023). Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health online column). |
2023, January 23 |
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London, W. A history of discoveries, deceptions, credulity, and skeptical inquiries [review of Magic and Secrets Revealed: From Oracles at Delphi to Spiritualism in America by Loren Pankratz, 2021]. Skeptical Inquirer, 47(1).61-62 |
2023, January/February |
|
London, W. Health street smarts fairs created by university students to promote critical thinking on campus, part 2. Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health online column). |
2022, September 2 |
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London W. Health street smarts fairs created by university students to promote critical thinking on campus, part 1. Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health online column). |
2022, July 27 |
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London, W. Numerical hygiene: promoting health numeracy in professional preparation of health educators. Poster presented at the Society for Public Health Education Digital Annual Conference. |
2022, March 25 |
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London, W. Combatting COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation online. Poster presented at the Society for Public Health Education Digital Annual Conference. |
2022, March 25 |
|
London WM. Superstitionology for people in a hurry [review of Superstition: A Very Short Introduction by Stuart Vyse, 2020]. Skeptical Inquirer, 45(4):57-58 |
2021, July/August |
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London WM. Quackery: a neglected population health and societal menace. Presented via Zoom to Capital District Humanist Society, Loudonville, New York. |
2021, April 11 |
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Alvarez E. Amado Vu Y. London WM. The precautionary principle. In McQueen, DV (editor). Oxford Bibliographies in Public Health. New York: Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/OBO/9780199756797-0046. |
updated 2021, September; major update 2018, January; originally published 2013. |
|
London WM. CFI inoculates against COVID-19 misinformation. Skeptical Inquirer, 45(1):9-10. |
2021, January/February |
|
London WM. Health-related quackery. Presented via Zoom to Houston Oasis, Houston Texas. |
2020, December 20 |
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London WM. Trust, truth, and Trump in the time of "COVID, COVID, COVID". Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health column). |
2020, December 14 |
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London WM. When you think science is on your side but it isn't. Presented via Zoom to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown (New York). |
2020, October 4 |
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London WM. Trump and COVID-19: population health neglect, hydroxychloroquine hype, and a gambler’s fallacy. Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health online column). |
2020, August 13 |
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London WM. Dubious COVID-19 treatments and preventives. Center for Inquiry. |
2020, May 27 with ongoing updates |
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London WM. COVID-19 schemes, scams, and misinformation. Quackwatch. |
2020, April 2 with ongoing updates |
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London WM. Can naturopathic doctors combat COVID-19? Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health online column). Also published by Center for Inquiry, March 31, 2020. |
2020, April 2 |
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London WM. Health textbook is outdated and wrong (letter). Acorn Thousand Oaks, 8. |
2019, September 19 |
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London WM. D. Gary Young (1949-2018), diploma mill naturopath and promoter of essential oils. Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health column). |
2019, January 9 |
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London WM. Numerical hygiene: a health numeracy workshop. CSICON 2018, Las Vegas, NV |
2018, October 18 |
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London WM. Essential considerations about aromatherapy. [Translated to Spanish here.] Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health online column). |
2018, August 9 |
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London WM. Assessment as instructional activity: How I apply principles of criterion-referenced mastery learning in my teaching. Presented at the Third Annual Assessment Faire, California State University, Los Angeles. |
2018, April 6 |
|
London WM. Some success against City of Hope's cancer miracle mongering? Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health online column). |
2018, February 2 |
|
London WM. (associate editor). Consumer Health Digest e-newsletter. |
weekly issues 2002 (February) - 2017 |
|
London WM. Chiropractors and diabetes gimmickry. Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health column). |
2017, November 13 |
|
Chouhan P. London WM. Aberrant treatments promoted on websites of licensed naturopathic doctors in Los Angeles County. Paper presention at CSICON 2017 (Committee for Skeptical Inquiry conference), Las Vegas, NV. |
2017, October 29 |
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London WM. Butter: Bad or Good. Los Angeles Times, A12. Published online as: Sorry you butter, steak, and fat lovers: It really IS about what you eat. |
2017, August 1 |
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London WM. The "health freedom" movement versus consumer protection. "Talking Public Health" series webinar presentation sponsored by the Southern California Public Health Association, California Baptist University's Department of Health Science, and CBU Online. |
2017, May 12 |
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London WM. Schaefer D. Exploring the influence of health information on individual behavior change. In Moghissi AA. Ross G. (eds.). Standing With Giants: A Collection of Public Health Essays in Memoriam to Dr. Elizabeth M. Whelan. American Council on Science and Health. |
2016 |
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London WM. The "health freedom" movement versus consumer protection. Presentations at the Center for Inquiry--Los Angeles, Hollywood, CA and Neighborhood Community Center, Costa Mesa, CA (sponsored by Center for Inquiry, Los Angeles). |
2016, August 21 |
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London WM. Cancer miracle mongering by City of Hope. Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health column). Republished at Healthnewsreview.org. |
2016, August 2 2016, September 8 |
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London WM. Quack Busters' leader William Jarvis dies at 80. Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health column). Skeptical Inquirer (print edition). 40(4):8-9. |
2016, March 22 2016, July/August |
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London WM. The Cancer Control Society. Presented at SkeptiCamp LA 2016, Skeptics by the Sea, Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, CA. |
2016, May 7 |
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London WM. Value of armchair providing mechanical massage and mental relaxation programmes is not established for workplace health promotion. Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies. 21(1):44-45. DOI: 10.1111/fct.12222 |
2016, March |
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London WM. A chiropractor's dinner seminar promoting laser treatment of arthritis. Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health online column). |
2016, February 10 |
|
London WM. A non-rigorous investigation of aroma-acupressure and aromatherapy treatment of dementia-associated agitation. [summary and commentary] Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies. 20(3-4):146-147. DOI: 10.1111/fct.12206. Article first published online November 24, 2015. |
2015, December |
|
London WM. Continuing education in the toxin haunted world of the Cancer Control Society. Skeptical Inquirer (Consumer Health online column). |
2015, November 9 |
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London WM. Skeptical activism of the Investigation Network. Skeptical Briefs, 25(3):3-4. |
2015, Fall |
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London WM. The year 2525 ain't what it used to be. [review of the Skeptics Society conference on the future of science and humanity]. eSkeptic. |
2015, June 17 |
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London WM. Charlotte Gerson: Promoter of cancer “therapy” that failed the “Wellness Warrior”. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2015, March 26 |
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London WM. Student-developed Health “Street Smarts” Fairs to promote critical thinking on campus. Poster presented at the CSU Symposium on University Teaching: “GRIT: Exploring perseverance, mindset and character in the classroom.” California State University, Los Angeles, CA |
2015, March 14 |
|
London WM. Calling out the vaccine-fear-mongering "chiroquactic" establishment. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2015, March 12 |
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London WM. A group stance on vaccination. Los Angeles Times, p. A12. Published online as: Chiropractors have no businesses giving advice on vaccines. Los Angeles Times. |
2015, March 9/10 |
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London WM. New memoir from the iconoclastic Edzard Ernst. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2015, March 9 |
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London WM. [Review] CG Brown. The Healing Gods: Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Christian America]. Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies. 20(1):e1-e3. DOI: 10.1111/fct.12168. |
2015, March |
|
London WM. The Straw Protocol: A Chiropractor’s Aggressively Promoted Neuropathy Treatment. Science-Based Medicine. See mention of article in this NBC4 I-Team report: Johnson C, Roher C. Some patients say SoCal chiropractic business has drained their bank accounts and their hope. NBC Los Angeles. August 14, 2019. |
2015, February 27 |
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London WM. ‘Brain Porn’ in NBC Nightly News ‘Power of Prayer’ Follow-up. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2015, January 21 |
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London WM. NBC Nightly News Wields the Power of Pandering in ‘Power of Prayer’ Report. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). Reprinted by Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. |
2015, January 12 |
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London WM. Untruths About Cancer in the Failed “Quest for Cures” [Part 6]. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2014, December 30 |
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London WM. Untruths About Cancer in the Failed “Quest for Cures” [Part 5: the Cancer Holocaust Ploy]. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2014, December 24 |
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London WM. Untruths About Cancer in the Failed “Quest for Cures” [Part 4]. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2014, December 16 |
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London WM. Untruths About Cancer in the Failed “Quest for Cures” [Part 3]. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2014, November 28 |
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London WM. Untruths About Cancer in the Failed “Quest for Cures” [Part 2]. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2014, November 19 |
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London WM. Untruths About Cancer in the Failed “Quest for Cures” [Part 1]. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2014, November 12 |
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London WM. No Healing Miracles Found in ‘John of God’ Follow-Up Investigation. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). Reprinted by Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. |
2014, November 3 |
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London WM. Another Brain Cancer Patient Suffers and Dies Following Burzynski Treatment. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2014, October 27 |
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London WM. Health “street smarts” fairs. Presented at the Skepticamp event, Center for Inquiry—Los Angeles, Hollywood, CA. |
2014, October 25 |
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London WM. Disgraceful revelations about “faith healer” Ernest Angley. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2014, October 17 |
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London WM. Why I oppose quackery. Swift (James Randi Educational Foundation). |
2014, September 30 |
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London WM. Medical Renegade Paul M. Fleiss, M.D. Dead at 80. Skeptic Ink. |
2014, August 12 |
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London WM. Some recent stories of tainted supplements. Skeptic Ink. |
2014, July 21 |
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London WM. Weak evidence of effects of yoga on sexual function in women with metabolic syndrome. [summary and commentary] Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies. 19(2):107-108. DOI: 10.1111/fct.12103/ |
2014 |
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London WM. The predictive value of screening tests and phone calls from guys you want to love you, part 3. Skeptic Ink. |
2014, January 19 |
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London WM. Kevin Trudeau tops the list of the dirtiest dozen ducktors of 2013. Skeptic Ink. |
2014, January 10 |
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London WM. Winter Solstice 2113. Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. |
2013, December 25 |
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London WM. Education content areas: consumer health. p. 190-192. In A. C. Cory & D. C. Wiley (eds.), Encyclopedia of School Health. Los Angeles: Sage Reference. ISBN: 9781412996006 |
2013 |
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Barrett S. London WM. Acupuncture’s elephant in the room. JAMA Intern Med, 173(8):712-713. |
2013 |
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Barrett S. London WM. Kroger M. Hall H. Baratz R. Consumer Health: A Guide to Intelligent Decisions, Ninth Edition. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. (Also co-authored earlier editions in 1997, 2002, and 2007.) |
2013 |
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London WM. The predictive value of screening tests and phone calls from guys you want to love you, part 2. Skeptic Ink. |
2013, December 31 |
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London WM. The predictive value of screening tests and phone calls from guys you want to love you, part 1. Skeptic Ink. |
2013, December 21 |
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London WM. A communication autopsy of a feel-good television news health story. Skeptic Ink. |
2013, December 9 |
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London WM. Justification for chiropractic care to prevent recurrence of neck pain remains elusive. [summary and commentary] Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies. 18(1):37-38. DOI: 10.1111/fct.12009_2. Article first published online Feb. 2013. |
2013 |
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London WM. 2012 Annual Slim Chance Awards announced. healthgadfly. |
2013 January 2 |
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London WM. [Review] Clinical Research in Complementary Therapies: Principles, Problems, and Solutions, 2nd Edition. Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 17(1)e3-e8. DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-7166.2011.01107.x Article first published online: 19 Oct 2011. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2042-7166.2011.01107.x/full |
2012 |
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London WM. Please don’t define “complementary and alternative medicine practices!” Science-Based Medicine. |
2011, October 28 |
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London WM. Clinical effects of chiropractic on infantile colic. [summary and commentary] Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 16(3), 241-242. DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-7166.2011.01106_14.x |
2011 |
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London WM. The promotion of non-science-based healthcare by chiropractors in the city of Los Angeles. Presented at TAM9 (The Amazing Meeting 9) of the James Randi Educational Foundation, Las Vegas, NV. |
2011, July 17 |
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London WM. It worked for me! The healthy skeptic’s guide to testimonials. Webinar presentation via HPCareer.Net’s Health Promotion Live. |
2011, April 1 |
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London WM. [Review] Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine [4th Edition]. Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 15(4), 334-338. Article first published online: 25 Nov 2010. DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-7166.2010.01054_1.x. |
2010 |
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London WM. Fallacies and falsehoods at the 2009 Cancer Control Society Convention. Presented at TAM8 (The Amazing Meeting 8) of the James Randi Educational Foundation, Las Vegas, NV. |
2010, July 11 |
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London WM. Sugarcoating taxes. Los Angeles Times, A.32. |
2009, October 10 |
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
M.P.H. health administration 1995
- Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, CA
Ed.D. health education 1986
- University at Buffalo (SUNY)
Buffalo, NY
Ed.M. health education 1984
- University at Buffalo (SUNY)
Buffalo, NY
Ed.M. educational psychology 1984
- University at Buffalo (SUNY)
Buffalo, NY
B.A. biological science 1980 & B.A. geography 1980, magna cum laude
- University at Buffalo (SUNY)
Buffalo, NY
I also completed all coursework except the thesis toward an M.S. in clinical research at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA.