I wrote several weeks ago about the possibility that the UK variant, B.1.1.7, in addition to being more infectious, may be more deadly. The data provided to the UK’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has now been updated. Here is what we know now.

For those who want to short version: the more things change, the more they stay the same – especially the percentages. Here are some quick details.

The new infrastructure bill provides the perfect opportunity to create an incentive-based approach to improve drinking water.

New data from the CDC shows a 57% increase in drug overdose deaths between 2013-19, the time during which the war on prescription opioids was arguably at its apex. A colossal failure by any measure.

The only thing that most environmental groups like the NRDC and Sierra Club do is complain, file lawsuits, and block things. They're never part of any solution.

What would happen if we approached antibiotic resistance with the same fervor that we have for covid? Is there a reason why we should not?

We’ve all heard the “heartbreaking” stories – the passing of a loved one is met with the passing of their spouse soon thereafter.  Are these sudden, paired deaths only coincidences – or is there a medical basis such that one can literally die from a broken heart?

If a standard treatment exists for a medical condition, is it unethical to give patients who are enrolled in a clinical trial a placebo? Most would argue yes, but the ethics become unclear when the standard treatment has its own risks.

As the COVID-19 vaccines roll out, the anti-vaxxers have been increasingly more militant in their misinformation campaigns, actively and effectively dissuading vaccine uptake. The question becomes what can we do about this activity which harms us all? 

Two stories designed to explain COVID-19’s variants and a short history of vaccines, with all the influencers and entrepreneurs with have come to love or hate.