Advertising of worthless nostrums to prevent or cure illnesses is common. Often, it consists solely of anecdotes, but sometimes it is bolstered by statistical sleight of hand. Don't be fooled, because your health and your money may be in jeopardy.

In 1983 the US Public Health Service recommended that “Sexually active homosexual and bisexual men with multiple partners” refrain from donating blood. In 1986, all gay men were banned from donating blood. In 2013, the AMA stated the ban was “discriminatory and not based on sound science.” Have the bans been completely eliminated? Is the blood supply safe?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its recommendations on stockpiling medications to be used in the aftermath of a radiological or nuclear attack or a nuclear power plant emergency. It seems like an excellent opportunity to review some of the different types of “anti-radiation” meds and what they do.

When I was young, my dad used to tell me, “The more you know, the more you are capable of knowing.” I think it was his way of encouraging me to read. And it worked. But what does that have to do with science?

The Texas Two-Step is a law allowing for the creation of a corporation that subsequently files for bankruptcy, thereby allowing product liability claims to move into bankruptcy court. J&J was the latest corporate filer until a federal judge said, not so fast.

Since the second quarter of 2021, pharmacists have administered over 90% of all adult vaccines. Therefore, we need to ensure that laws allowing them to provide all ACIP-recommended, and/or FDA-approved, vaccines are adopted and maintained in every state. This is critical to address the healthcare equity issue, since low-income communities which are over-represented by racial and ethnic minorities have far better access to pharmacies than physician offices.

Gold is a noble element, one so chemically stable that it’s found untarnished in the ground. But under some conditions, it can be converted to gold salts, which were the standard of care for rheumatoid arthritis. However, gold salts – which are quite toxic –have been replaced with a number of superior immunosuppressive drugs over the past two decades. The Golden Age of gold salts is over.

Suicide - with or without medical assistance - is now available not only for those with terminal illness but for those suffering chronic conditions, mental illness (to be allowed in Canada beginning in March), or otherwise feel life is just not worth living. Some are against the practice - not just for fear of its overuse, but for its reflections on society. The libertarians are in an uproar. So, who’s right?

Lessons from the immune system
The silent Award Season is upon us
How music touches us
For Thom, saving coffee from warming, global warming

Editors at the journal Nature Medicine recently asked researchers and public health experts from around the world to identify clinical trials that will shape medicine in 2023.  They came up with a varied list of candidates, from cervical and prostate cancer screening protocols to gene therapy for muscular dystrophy and new drugs for Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.  The selections are arbitrary and idiosyncratic, but they are interesting, nevertheless.