I call anti-vax arguments as junk science with a body count. Homeopathy does as well, too a lesser degree. Another field of bad science that ruins lives is the current forensics science.

A few techniques, such as DNA analysis were developed by traditional scientific processes and stand up to rigorous testing. There are many more – such as hair analysis, bite analysis, and fiber analysis – that were developed by crime labs for crime labs. They have not had the rigorous double-blind studies that would affirm their effectiveness. In all too-predictable manner, people are being wrongly accused and convicted.

From a recent Reason article on the issue:

“If you think that maybe even 1 percent of convicted defendants may be innocent,” replied Fabricant, “we have 2.6 million people in prison today, (so) we are talking about tens of thousands of (innocent) people!”

Fabricant works with the Innocence Project, a group that works to get innocent people freed from prison. Through DNA evidence, the project’s lawyers have helped free 191 people.

IMHO, many of the forensics people really think that they are doing good work to the rigors of science. Of course, so do many naturopaths and chiropractors. Further, I believe that many cops and prosecutors are relying on these