Announcement: The Society for Science-Based Medicine is co-sponsoring NECSS

If you hang out in the world of scientific skepticism, you eventually hear three acronyms that keep popping up:
SBM, SfSBM, and NECSS. Put them together and you get a collaboration
that’s a big deal for anyone who cares about rigorous, science-based health information:
the Society for Science-Based Medicine co-sponsoring the
Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism (NECSS).

This announcement isn’t just another “we’re partnering on a conference” press note. It signals a deeper integration
of medical expertise into one of the most recognizable skeptical events in the United States. For clinicians,
students, skeptics, and curious laypeople, it means more medicine, more critical thinking, and more tools for
pushing back against health misinformation.

What Is NECSS, and Why Does It Matter?

NECSSpronounced like “nexus”stands for the Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism.
It’s a multi-day conference held in New York City that brings together hundreds of people from around the world
to celebrate science, critical thinking, and good old-fashioned curiosity.

Founded in 2009 as a regional skeptical gathering, NECSS has grown into a four-day event featuring talks,
live podcasts, workshops, performances, and social events. Past programs have included everything from
astronomy and psychology to science communication, ethics, and even skeptical comedy. Scientists, physicians,
philosophers, educators, and entertainers share the stage, giving attendees a wide-angle view of how critical
thinking works in the real world.

Who Organizes NECSS?

NECSS is organized by a coalition of skeptical and science-education groups:

• New York City Skeptics, a nonprofit devoted to promoting critical thinking and science education locally.
• The New England Skeptical Society (NESS), founded in the 1990s to promote science and reason in the region.
• The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe (SGU), the long-running skepticism podcast hosted by neurologist Steven Novella and the SGU team.
• The Society for Science-Based Medicine (SfSBM), which focuses specifically on medicine and health claims.

With SfSBM stepping in as co-sponsor, NECSS isn’t just a generic “science is cool” event. It becomes a powerful
hub for tackling questionable medical claims, alternative medicine marketing, and pseudoscience in healthcare.

Meet the Society for Science-Based Medicine

The Society for Science-Based Medicine was created to address a specific problem:
health information is often shaped more by marketing, anecdotes, and wishful thinking than by solid evidence.
From “miracle” supplements to energy healing and unproven cancer cures, the public is flooded with health
claims that sound scientific but aren’t actually grounded in rigorous research.

SfSBM’s mission is straightforward but ambitious: provide accurate, science-based information about medical
treatmentsespecially those that live on the fringe, like many forms of so-called complementary and alternative
medicineand advocate for laws, regulations, and professional standards that keep patient care firmly rooted
in reality, not hype.

Science-Based Medicine vs. Evidence-Based Medicine

If you’re familiar with evidence-based medicine (EBM), you might wonder what’s different about
science-based medicine (SBM). In many ways they overlap, but SBM emphasizes something that’s often
glossed over: the importance of prior probability and basic scientific plausibility.

Evidence-based medicine tends to focus on clinical trial data and systematic reviews, which are crucialbut not
enough by themselves. Science-based medicine goes a step further: it asks whether a claim is consistent with
established biology, chemistry, and physics. If a treatment requires rewriting the laws of nature, no number of
small, poorly controlled studies should make us consider it “promising.”

That’s why the broader Science-Based Medicine blog and the Society for Science-Based Medicine focus
on critically evaluating health claims from both directions: what the clinical evidence says, and whether the claim
makes sense given what we already know about how the body works.

Why Co-Sponsoring NECSS Is a Big Deal

When the Society for Science-Based Medicine joins NECSS as a co-sponsor, several important things happen at once:

1. Medicine Takes Center Stage at a Skeptical Conference

Skeptical conferences have always covered health topics, but co-sponsorship means medical content isn’t just a
side dishit becomes a main course. With SfSBM at the table, NECSS can offer:

• Panels dissecting alternative medicine claims, from homeopathy and naturopathy to “integrative” oncology.
• Talks on how to read medical research without getting fooled by bad statistics or cherry-picked data.
• Workshops that help clinicians and science communicators explain complicated health topics in clear, honest language.

For attendees, it means a rare chance to hear practicing clinicians, researchers, and health-law experts talk
openly about the real-world consequences of pseudoscience in medicine.

2. Building a Stronger Bridge Between Clinicians and Skeptics

Many skeptics are science fans, not physicians. Many physicians are scientifically trained, but not deeply involved
in the skeptical movement. Bringing the Society for Science-Based Medicine into NECSS helps bridge that gap.

Clinicians get to see how skeptical toolslike recognizing logical fallacies, understanding cognitive biases, and
demanding high-quality evidenceapply directly to clinical practice. Skeptics, in turn, get a more nuanced look at
how complex, messy, and ethically challenging real-world healthcare can be.

3. Giving the Public Better Tools Against Health Misinformation

Health misinformation spreads fast, especially on social media. A “detox” cleanse, an essential oil, or a
celebrity-endorsed “immune booster” can go viral overnight. By co-sponsoring NECSS, SfSBM helps equip attendees
with practical skills:

• How to spot red flags in health claims and scientific press releases.
• How to respond when friends or family share dubious medical advice.
• How to talk about science-based medicine without sounding dismissive or condescending.

In other words, the collaboration doesn’t just make the conference stronger; it sends better communicators back
into the world.

What You Can Expect from NECSS with SfSBM on Board

So what does this look like in practice? When the Society for Science-Based Medicine co-sponsors NECSS, you can
expect a rich menu of medically focused content woven throughout the event.

Live Science-Based Medicine Sessions

NECSS has featured live panels and special sessions devoted entirely to science-based medicine. These might include:

• Roundtable discussions with SBM bloggers and SfSBM members on the latest health fads and policy battles.
• Case studies of real-world medical controversies, from vaccine myths to questionable cancer therapies.
• Audience Q&A about specific claims, where experts walk through how they think about the evidence.

These sessions combine the practical grounding of medical practice with the skeptical movement’s love of
myth-busting and clear reasoning.

Workshops on Critical Appraisal of Medical Evidence

One of the most valuable things SfSBM brings to NECSS is a focus on skills, not just information.
Expect workshops that walk attendees through:

• How to read a scientific paper without being intimidated by jargon.
• The difference between correlation and causation in medical research.
• How to recognize biased trials, weak endpoints, and creative but misleading statistics.

These skills are useful whether you’re a healthcare professional trying to keep up with the literature or a
non-scientist who simply wants to know whether the latest “breakthrough” headline is worth believing.

Networking with Like-Minded Professionals and Skeptics

Conferences aren’t just about talks; they’re about hallway conversations, shared meals, and late-night debates.
With the Society for Science-Based Medicine co-sponsoring, NECSS becomes an even better place to:

• Meet physicians and researchers who care deeply about skeptical inquiry.
• Connect with science communicators, podcasters, and writers who fight misinformation every day.
• Find collaborators for local projects, advocacy efforts, or educational initiatives.

If you’ve ever wanted to be part of a community that cares about both good science and compassionate patient care,
this is the kind of environment where that community naturally forms.

How Different Audiences Benefit from the Partnership

Clinicians and Health Professionals

For doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other health professionals, NECSS plus SfSBM offers:

• Deeper context about how pseudoscience affects patient expectations and behavior.
• Communication tools for talking to patients who are already invested in alternative therapies.
• Policy insight into how laws and regulations can either protect or undermine science-based care.

It’s a rare chance to step outside the clinic or hospital and engage with the bigger cultural forces shaping
the exam room conversation.

Students and Early-Career Professionals

Medical and health sciences students are entering a world where patients are armed with search engines and
social media feeds. NECSS gives them:

• Real-world examples of how medical misinformation spreads and why it sticks.
• Role models in clinicians who’ve made skepticism and science communication part of their careers.
• A network of mentors and peers who value evidence, nuance, and integrity.

For many, a conference like this can be a turning point: the moment they realize medicine isn’t just about
memorizing guidelines, but about defending reality in the face of persuasive but false narratives.

Curious Non-Professionals

You don’t need an MD, PhD, or alphabet soup after your name to get value from NECSS. In fact, one of the
strengths of the conference is its accessibility. If you’re an informed skeptic, a science fan, or just
someone who’s tired of being told to “detox” with celery juice, you’ll find:

• Clear, jargon-free explanations of medical topics.
• Honest discussions of uncertainty, trade-offs, and risk in healthcare.
• Plenty of humor and humanitybecause science can be serious without being dull.

The SfSBM–NECSS collaboration helps ensure that medical content is both accurate and approachable.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Science-Based Medicine at NECSS

Co-sponsorship is more than a logo on a banner. It’s an ongoing commitment to keep medicine at the center of
skeptical outreach. As the science and skepticism landscapes evolve, so will the topics:

• New health fads and wellness trends that demand critical examination.
• Policy battles over licensing, scope of practice, and insurance coverage for unproven therapies.
• Ethical questions about how to respond when pseudoscience is deeply intertwined with someone’s identity or community.

By standing shoulder to shoulder, NECSS and the Society for Science-Based Medicine send a clear message:
patients deserve care that respects their values and the best available evidence, not treatments that
owe more to branding than biology.

Experiences from the Conference Floor: What It Feels Like When SfSBM Co-Sponsors NECSS

So what is it actually like to be at NECSS with science-based medicine front and center? Imagine walking into
a packed auditorium in New York City on a spring morning. On stage, there’s a panel of physicians, pharmacists,
and science communicators. They’re not reading dry position statements; they’re trading stories.

One clinician talks about a patient who nearly delayed cancer treatment because a friend swore by a “natural”
regimen they found online. Another describes a long, honest conversation with a parent who was frightened by
anti-vaccine rumors but ultimately chose to vaccinate after getting clear, respectful answers. The audience
doesn’t just hear the factsthey see the emotional, ethical, and human side of science-based medicine.

Later in the day, you might duck into a workshop led by a member of SfSBM. The room is smaller, and the
atmosphere is almost like a graduate seminar. Attendees have printouts or tablets open to a study everyone
is reviewing together. The facilitator walks through the abstract, methods, and results:

• Is the sample size big enough to support the conclusions?
• Did the authors pre-register their outcomes or move the goalposts after the fact?
• Does the proposed mechanism make sense given what we already know about the body?

By the end of the hour, people who thought clinical research was impenetrable realize they can, in fact,
ask sharp, informed questions about the evidence behind a claim. That confidence is one of the most valuable
souvenirs NECSS has to offer.

The evenings often feel like a completely different conference, in the best way. Skeptical musicians,
entertainers, and podcasters take the stage. A live show might pit two teams of skeptics against each other
in a playful debate about which science-fiction starship would actually function betteror whether metric
units truly deserve global dominance. It’s funny and light, but the underlying message is still about
clear thinking, good reasoning, and respect for evidence.

In that setting, science-based medicine doesn’t feel like a lecture from a stern authority figure. It feels
like a natural extension of the same mindset that asks, “What evidence would change my mind?” Whether the
topic is UFO sightings, psychic readings, or miracle diets, the basic tools are the same: look for good data,
understand how we can fool ourselves, and remain willing to revise our beliefs when better evidence appears.

Attendees often describe leaving NECSS with two simultaneous feelings: humility and empowerment. Humility,
because the world is more complex than any single study, headline, or anecdote can capture. Empowerment,
because they’ve seen how communities like SfSBM, NECSS, and the broader skeptical movement support one another
in the ongoing work of separating reality from wishful thinking.

That’s what makes the Society for Science-Based Medicine’s role as NECSS co-sponsor so important. It anchors
the conference in the understanding that medicine is not just about data; it’s about people whose lives are
shaped by the quality of the information they receive. When those people have access to science-based medicine,
skeptical inquiry, and honest communication, the chances of good decisionsand better outcomesgo up.

In the end, this announcement can be summed up simply: more science, more skepticism, and more compassion in
the way we think and talk about health. That’s a partnership worth celebrating.