As a relative newbie to the world of science writing to the public, I want to thank ACSH for letting me write about my favorite subject – science and health. Two articles from the last year have special meaning to me.
The first, Pulling Back the Curtain on EPA’s Health Advisories, is on a subject that I have been more or less obsessed with over the past year; the EPA’s misapplication of the science in its treatment of the “Forever Chemicals,” PFAS. Because of this article, I reconnected with a former colleague at EPA from over 40 years ago, and with a fantastic network of scientists; we are collaborating on bringing this issue to more people's attention in the coming year. Look for updates in 2023!
The second, Behind the Slap Heard Around the World, was written after the infamous slap by Will Smith at the Oscars in March. This was a personal story because I suffer from alopecia areata, and I wanted to explain the science behind this autoimmune condition. As a follow-up, in June, the FDA approved the first treatment for alopecia areata, Oluminant (baricitinib), showing that real science can make a difference.
