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The latest CDC and FDA data shows that youth e-cigarette use (vaping) continues to decline. Oddly, leading anti-nicotine groups like The Truth Initiative are doing all they can to minimize the decline in youth use while ignoring adults who are trading their cigarettes for low-risk vapes by the millions.

As RFK Jr. gears up to lead the Department of Holistic Hoopla (formerly known as Health and Human Services), it’s clear that the wellness-industrial complex is no longer lurking on the fringes — it’s seated at the head table. Let’s untangle this mess of vibes, pseudoscience, and misplaced outrage before we all trade antibiotics for turmeric shots.

It's an unholy alliance of pseudoscience and selfie sticks. Nothing screams "trust me" like someone with a ring light and a promo code claiming their detox tea will change your life – along with your credit card balance. And let’s not forget: the only thing “natural” here is how naturally gullible their audience can be.

This week, despite the holiday cheer, I have been drawn to true crime – perhaps to avoid navigating the politics of family dinner. Between debates about the systemic costs of bullets, DIY ghost guns that make Ikea furniture look complicated, and the sorry state of crime clearance rates, I’m wondering if crime is the coal in our stockings. For emotional relief, I turn to eating, replacing the concerns about crime with Caputo 00 flour – a pizza offers a slice of optimism in a world that often feels half-baked.

We cannot intelligently discuss community water fluoridation without understanding fluorides mechanism of action. The science will help us to decide whether fluoride is the belittled hero of dental hygiene, or a chemical predator lurking in our taps.

What does it mean to be an expert in a world where credentials and experience are no longer enough to inspire confidence? The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the limits of traditional expertise, where even seasoned institutions like the CDC struggled to navigate novel and uncertain terrain. As the Great Barrington Declaration’s advocates step into leadership roles, we’re left questioning whether we’ve learned anything — or are simply swapping one set of flawed approaches for another.

As a dedicated AI user, I'm slowly learning about its capabilities. Then it became a literary critic, comic, and marital counselor. On its own. Insane.

This week we dive into a world where health insurers are more than just insurers, where nutrition labels aren’t simply about informing shoppers, and where “simple truths” are anything but obvious. These readings challenge the neat narratives we often accept at face value. So, strap in for a December 19th reading list that spans big medicine, big questions, and a bit of tongue-in-cheek Disney princess health hazards.

Should individuals with schizophrenia or other severe mental disabilities be trusted to direct air traffic? How the FAA’s blind allegiance to DEI initiatives puts ideology over common sense. (It is only one example of DEI running amok.)

The science community is in an uproar over the probability that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., will head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the second Trump Administration. How worried should we be about his nomination? Is the public health truly in jeopardy? Let's take a closer look.

While rare, babies have been switched at birth. Typically, discovery happens when the children are adults, with little room to accommodate the error. But given the “wild west” of an unregulated fertility industry and the prevalence of switched gametes, it should come as no surprise to find that embryos, too, have been switched. Those discoveries happen when the child is an infant, with biological and birth mothers both claiming the child is “theirs.” Splitting the baby is, obviously, not an option.

It's equal parts wardrobe malfunction and psychological assault, and it somehow manages to make even the healthiest among us feel fragile and exposed. But guess what? Researchers have dug deeper into the gown's flaws, suggesting these backless wonders mess with our heads.

There have been some mighty strange choices to lead the U.S. healthcare system starting in 2025. Instead of complaining, let's sing about them!

Jay Bhattacharya's recent history is a cautionary tale of how ideology and misinformation can undermine public health. His flawed views led to unnecessary suffering and eroded trust in science, making him a wholly unacceptable choice to head the nation's premier research institution.

Voluntary COVID vaccination mandates for staff in nursing homes during the pandemic were important. There was no evidence that the marginally increased staff turnover at vaccine-mandated facilities compromised patient care while there were positive effects of employer-imposed vaccination mandates. Nursing home residents experienced a significant reduction in both COVID infections and mortality.

Imagine unelected bureaucrats wielding unchecked power to interpret laws with minimal oversight. Now, picture courts reclaiming authority to ensure Congress's intent prevails. Though controversial, the Supreme Court's Loper Bright decision is a vital reaffirmation of constitutional balance between the executive and legislative branches.

As global life expectancy rises, so too does the number of years people spend burdened by chronic disease. Modern medicine has turned death sentences into "manageable conditions," but manage is the key word here. Should we measure population health solely on how long people live, or shift our attention to the years they are healthy and active?

Just when you thought the opioid crisis may have peaked, Dr. Andrew Kolodny, arguably the world’s foremost anti-opioid zealot, has found a shiny new way to inflate the numbers. In the HHS’s redefining of opioid use disorder (OUD) to include patients responsibly taking their prescribed meds, he’s managed to conjure millions of “new” cases out of thin air. But don’t worry, it’s all in the name of “progress.” That's because nothing says compassionate care like labeling chronic pain patients as addicts and patting yourself on the back for the chaos you helped create.

Does fructose, one of today's boogeymen, cause cancer? According to a fascinating
paper in Nature, it does so in cultured cells, zebrafish, and mice by creating a specific
class of lipids that are convincingly shown to promote tumor growth. Should we worry?

Milk has long been hailed as a cornerstone of a healthy diet, yet modern debates paint a muddled picture of its actual value. Critics point to raw milk outbreaks, saturated fat concerns, and A1 vs. A2 protein controversies, leaving consumers wondering where science truly stands. Let’s explore what the research says about milk’s risks, benefits, and place in a balanced diet.

Medicare Advantage, where insurance companies promise lower costs, better benefits, and — record-breaking profits. The secret sauce lies in upcoding, algorithmic denial of care, with a sprinkle of vertical integration.

In nursing homes that voluntarily imposed vaccination mandates on their staff, residents experienced a significant reduction in both COVID infections and mortality, while employee turnover was minimal.

Not long ago, people thought computers couldn’t communicate in English! Dr. Grace Hopper put that notion to rest. She also wrote the first computer manual. Trained in mathematics and mathematical physics, she was a computer scientist long before the profession existed, changing the paradigm of programming and setting the stage for large-language AI models. On the way, she became a Rear Admiral, widely recognized for her leadership abilities, wit, and wisdom.

Dive into tales of secretive stargazing, animal factories that save lives, and the immunological sleight-of-hand in pregnancy. Is Joe Rogan “mainstream media?”

Cows don’t typically get the flu. The recent H5N1 flu outbreak in U.S. dairy herds is a wake-up call, not just about the virus but about a federal system failing to protect our food supply.