Search

Most cases against Roundup are pending in state courts that do not adopt the Daubert (reliability) standard and Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence. These cases are decided under the older Frye standard, which simply requires a consensus in the scientific community to lay the groundwork for expert testimony establishing a causal connection between the product and the claimed harm. This is amply provided by the unfortunate and suspect IARC classification of glyphosate as a Category 2A (probable carcinogen), notwithstanding significant opinion to the contrary. [1]

Based on these parameters, the plaintiffs are finding it easier to establish the first part of the causation question, general causation, i.e., does the product cause harm in the general...

“The key question is whether waste is produced more or less efficiently as systems scale up, and how big a recycling burden there is as a consequence.”

- Santa Fe Institute Professor Chris Kempes.

Our species is rapidly growing and urbanizing. While much discussion focuses on producing greater resources to “feed and house” a growing population, less interest is concentrated on our waste. But waste management is central to our  health directly and through its impact on our environment. An ability to model urban waste production would benefit how we plan and grow...

Marijuana is currently a Schedule I drug – with "high abuse potential with no accepted medical use,” like heroin or LSD. The FDA recommends that it be a Schedule III drug – one with a recognized medical use and “intermediate abuse potential,” less than an opioid, more than diazepam (Valium). These recommendations and those of other agencies are provided to the Drug Enforcement Agency, which makes the final decision. The entire 250-page report of the findings of the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services can be found here. [1]

Alcohol is not controlled under the CSA, which typically precludes its use as a “comparator...

Some websites declare everyone has used or been exposed to glyphosate at some point, providing a treasure trove of potential plaintiffs. One plaintiff’s lawyer claimed,

“It is ubiquitous….[Indeed] it is difficult to conduct a study comparing those who had been exposed and those who had not because it was difficult to find people who had not been exposed, because ‘[i]t’s pervasive.’”

For such a pervasive chemical, [1] Roundup’s supposed carcinogenic impact appears relatively low, with...

Non-profit hospitals have very small margins and often report losses in their day-to-day operations when feeding at the federal trough. But they paint a very different financial picture when they turn to investment firms to sell bonds used for construction and other functions. Did you know that

“Intermountain, a 33-hospital system based in Salt Lake City, has almost $16 billion in cash and investments, about half of which could be available within a week’s notice, CFO Clay Ashdown said during his presentation. He did not say that the system’s latest operating margin hovered around 1%.”

 

From Stat,...

The new booster, available since September, is effective against the currently dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant in the U.S., JN.1. John expressed concern, which I share, about low COVID vaccination rates: Only 19% of eligible Americans have received the new booster. I attribute the high daily cases -- around 2 million -- to people not adequately protecting themselves, which emphasizes the importance of staying updated on vaccines, wearing a mask in high-risk situations, and practicing social distancing. The virus continues to mutate, and there's no guarantee that current or future boosters will protect against all variants.  Inevitably, we end up "chasing" new variants, hoping that our vaccines are effective.

Omicron variant JN.1 is significantly different from previous strains, and ...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that in the 12‐​month period ending last August, about 74,000 people died from fentanyl‐​related overdoses.

While politicians and policymakers amp up calls for more brutal crackdowns on fentanyl smuggling, a “new” class of synthetic opioids has been showing up in overdose victims with the potential to make America look back on the fentanyl crisis as “the good old days.” 

Chemists refer loosely to this category of drugs as “...

“We have very clear evidence that, though not risk free, nicotine e-cigarettes are substantially less harmful than smoking.”  

- Hartmann-Boyce Ph.D. Lead Author and Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management University of Massachusetts Amherst

Perfection is the Enemy of Good

In a perfect world, no one would smoke tobacco, which has enormous costs to individuals, their families, and public health funding. But our world is far from perfect, and any means to reduce harm by helping smokers quit should be considered. Vaping, the verb for electronic cigarette’s noun, is often portrayed in a bad light when conflated with the vaping of substances other...

Earlier, I wrote about the newly proposed regulation for lead in drinking water and other lead sources, including paint and air. I received several excellent comments, which enabled me to dig deeper into this issue. I hope this follow-up article provides helpful information.

What is the safe level of lead in the bloodstream?

Almost every publication about lead includes the following statement, “There is no safe threshold for lead exposure.” Although there is some truth to this statement, it would be more accurate to say:

The safe threshold for lead exposure is unknown, but it is very low, and to be safe, limit lead exposure to as low a level as possible.

I...

Texas’ political leaders recently have made some inconceivably irresponsible policy decisions. One will cause real public health damage to Texans, while the other simply reflects ignorance and will waste the state’s resources on a frivolous lawsuit.

In November, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed legislation that imposes a sweeping ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates for all private businesses. It provides no exceptions for doctors' offices, clinics, or other health facilities and has been described as "the latest blow to medically vulnerable Texans who rely on others' immunization to shield...