The confluence of events that have engulfed the discovery, clinical development, and the market for antibiotics over the last two decades is evolving. And not for the better.
Cilantro. Whether you love it or hate it can be partly determined by a difference in a single gene in your nasal passage. Roughly 10-20% of us think it tastes like soap. The chemistry of odor concentration can explain some of this. Or you can just hate it for no good reason.
America's prohibitionist assault on prescription opioids has left an untold number of chronically ill patients without access to adequate pain control, encouraging them to use illicit substances like heroin – or even take their own lives, to end their suffering. Some drug policy reformers say the solution to this tragic situation is outright legalization of all drugs. How well would that policy actually work? Let's take a look.
As social creatures, humans often synchronize with each other while watching movies, dancing in groups, and mirroring the behavior of our romantic partners. Could this synchronicity actually influence whom we find attractive? A new study says ... maybe.
Ozempic, the blockbuster weight-loss drug, has ignited a ferocious debate over the ethics and efficacy of treating obesity with medication. Oddly, this intense ideological battle has glossed over perhaps the most important question we should answer: How does the drug impact individual patients? Dr. Chuck Dinerstein, ACSH's Director of Medicine, is working to correct that oversight by documenting his own experience with Ozempic.
Most health scares in the headlines are generated by low-grade epidemiology research that correlates food or chemical exposures with negative health outcomes. A recent review employing a new analytical tool highlighted some of the critical problems in this research – by looking at studies reporting health risks linked to red meat consumption. Let's take a look at the findings.
Higher education has strayed from its mission of teaching critical reasoning and open discourse. Many universities now shelter students from uncomfortable ideas, leading to a suppression of individuality and non-conforming thought, and they practice discrimination in admissions, hiring, and promotions. Prospective donors should withhold philanthropy until these trends are reversed.
Lars Larson and I discuss the future of American biotechnology.
Discussions about eating disorders and dietary supplements have been gaining traction, both on the internet and among policymakers. Last year, a review published in a peer-reviewed journal made the rounds among supplement makers and lobbyists. Since the article is being touted as evidence that supplements don’t contribute to eating disorders, a dive into the article is warranted.
We should discontinue all the useless subsidies for renewables and EVs, redirect a small portion toward accelerating small-scale nuclear plants, and allocate the substantial remainder to “guns” to cope with an increasingly dangerous world.
