During COVID-19’s heyday, many states imposed legally-acceptable masking mandates. Some experts opposed this as inviting discrimination. Now, some states are trying to ban masking entirely. Some claim this will invite discrimination. The considerations are multiple and nuanced and go beyond the obvious freedom of choice and public health prevention.

Vaccination remains one of the most effective tools in protecting public health, and maintaining high immunization rates is essential to preventing the resurgence of preventable diseases. However, rampant anti-vaccine disinformation largely driven by politicians, grifters, and “influencers” on television and social media undermines public confidence in vaccination.

Why does it take 43 years to build a nuclear power plant and 32 years for a fish to see a swimming pool? Blame regulators, activists, and trial lawyers.

Nutritional epidemiology is notorious for producing sensational, conflicting results that confuse us all. We’re stuck with observational studies that can be twisted in countless ways to get different outcomes. Enter a new tool aiming to cut through this mess by testing all possible analytical choices and showing how flexible and unreliable these studies can be.

Coral bleaching is a serious global problem that is getting worse with increasing ocean temperatures. While there is some bleaching in the reefs surrounding Bermuda, there is also plenty of healthy coral; the water does not get as warm as in more traditional snorkeling/diving sites. The beaches are gorgeous, and much of the sand consists of parrotfish poop. That and more.

Two cases now before the Supreme Court threaten to narrow or even eviscerate traditional judicial deference to agency expertise. Soon, we may see this deference afforded under the decades-old Chevron doctrine dismantled entirely - even regarding technical or scientific determinations. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, for one, isn’t pleased.

Noise is the second most common complaint among restaurant-goers. From the clinking of cutlery to the relentless chatter, restaurants have become veritable sound factories, making it challenging for patrons to hold a conversation, turning dining out into a shouting match. Striking the right balance in the soundscape is critical for a restaurant's success.

The guidelines on what we should eat - science speaks but politics reign,
Procedural tricks, the lobbyist's way.
New York's subways crime, AI scan not so intelligent
A Roman pandemic teaches in hindsight.

Lars Larson and I discussed the recent ban on an important and widely used class of insecticides in New York and the potential for Vermont to follow suit, despite historical evidence from places like Sri Lanka showing that such bans can harm farmers and devastate food production.
(Since this segment aired, Phil Scott, the Republican Governor of Vermont, vetoed the bill that would have banned neonicotinoid pesticides in the state.)

Remember when doctors looked you in the eye, to build a connection beyond mere transactions? With the rise of ever-present screens, physicians are more engaged with pixels than patients. For those struggling with the digital shift, medical scribes have stepped in. But has this tech-driven change improved healthcare?