Many of our readers have asked about the status of Dr. Friedman's trivalent sub-unit herpes vaccine. That's especially so after the failure of Genocea's GEN-003 vaccine candidate. Dr. Friedman, from the University of Pennsylvania, kindly agreed to an interview and his answers should address many of our reader's questions.

Believe it or not, researchers have shown that lethal levels of morphine and codeine could be extracted using poppy seeds purchased online, where recipes for home-brewed poppy seed tea could also be found.

When an issue arises over a scientific paper, there's a somewhat standard course of action that's used to handle disputes. However, when controversy recently erupted over a paper in the journal Nature, it was handled a different way – and some are wondering why. 

Researchers at Harvard's Belfer Center scoured the globe for whatever was publicly available on North Korea's biological weapons program. Referencing news articles, journal papers, expert interviews and government reports, the team assembled a comprehensive study of the knowns and unknowns. Here are the main findings.

Ophthalmologists claim they use few opioids, especially compared to other physicians. No surprise there, since they don't treat conditions requiring those types of pain medicines. This "we are not to blame" mantra is gaining traction in medical journals. Apparently, no one wants to wear the scarlet "O."

Some bad apples are apparently ruining it for the bunch for some Northeasterners. A New York State town unanimously passed a law that recently went into effect, holding parents accountable for their minor child’s violations. And some of the penalties could include prison time.

If you ask yourself: "What segment of the population is most increasing its drug intake?" then the best-sellers come into better focus. From there, think ... cholesterol ... heart ... thyroid.

It is hardly news that doctors and patients are battling insurance companies over money. In particular, patients may be forced to try and fail an older cheaper drug before being allowed access to a newer one. American Council friend Robert Popovian, Pfizer's VP of US Government Relations, discussed this issue in his latest editorial in Morning Consult. 

The sheer number of baby products on the market can overwhelm any new parent. But the Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on one in particular: the sleep positioner. Officials consider it dangerous to the infant, as its use has been connected to 12 fatalities to date. 

Can it be? What your mother ate when she was pregnant with you is the cause of your binge drinking? According to this study, yes, but she had to be a vegetarian or at least eat "healthy." Alright, consider us officially confused.