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Testing performs both diagnostic and treatment roles, and testing for COVID-19 is no exception. Unlike other forms of testing, knowing your COVID-19 status will not alter your disease course or modify specific therapy. But it will determine where you spend the next few weeks, either at home or the hospital.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. But these kinds of measures can't last forever. The public is willing to tolerate massive disruptions to daily life only when it believes the disruptions will end. Therefore, mitigation is a more viable option.

"Journalists" Sharon Kelly of DeSmogBlog and Lee Fang of The Intercept are spreading disinformation about ACSH and COVID-19.

Dr. David Shlaes' primary expertise is in bacterial infections and antibiotics. So it's not surprising that our ACSH advisor is wondering about secondary bacterial infections from coronavirus infections. Will there be antibiotics to combat the infections this time? How about next time?

Consuming a huge meal to start the day, in order to lose weight, is an old adage. Does this belief stand up to science? Angela Dowden, our expert nutritionist, takes a closer look.

Dr. David Shlaes, an infectious disease expert and ACSH advisor, is incensed over the nation's lack of preparedness for the coronavirus epidemic. A scenario like this has been discussed for three decades, yet we are still in the middle of a disaster. Here are his thoughts.

Balance is an intricate “dance” of multiple sensory inputs. But what happens when one of them stops working as well as it should? As it turns out, hearing loss has unanticipated consequences.

There are two false narratives emerging on social media that need to be addressed. The first is that the virus is a hoax. The second is that the U.S. is "the next Italy." Both are wrong.

A blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% while driving is considered impaired, and it's associated with an increase in motor vehicle accidents. But what about a “quick pop”? You know, being buzzed? How does that figure into the thinking? A new study sifts through the data.

I'm returning to my surgical roots to talk about what’s on our minds: uncertainty, disease, and death. Here are some lessons from 30 years of talking to patients and families about situations that are now very real for us all.

We've been quite busy answering questions about coronavirus, UV light, and hand sanitizer.

As the Wuhan coronavirus relentlessly engulfs the world, scientists are relentlessly looking for a way to treat the infection. A vaccine is more than a year away, but an antiviral drug called remdesivir is being evaluated in clinical trials by Gilead Science, the world's premier antiviral drug company. Keep your fingers crossed.

Here's this week's offerings: Why we emotionally attach to Alexa and Siri ... the Pontiff joins the debate on AI ... India can go to Mars (but bathrooms still seem to be a challenge) ... and how do those restaurant buffets turn a profit?

For epidemiologists, the most important unanswered question about the Wuhan coronavirus, or COVID-19, is the case-fatality rate. But for the general public, the question is much more personal: "Might I – or anyone I love – get sick and die?"

The job of a pharmacist is as tough as ever, and the term "pharmacist burnout" is now become common. ACSH advisor Dr. Jeff Singer has an intriguing solution: Using vending machines to dispense certain prescription drugs. What do you think? Check this out.

All told, there are probably a couple of hundred different causes of the common cold. Amazon's attempt to create a common cold vaccine is, therefore, a foolish waste of money. Instead, the asset-rich company should spend it on antiviral research.

All chemicals are toxic at some level. Some can cause harm at very small concentrations, while others need a large amount before there's a danger to human health. Even water can be deadly if consumed in large enough amounts. Let's take a closer look at various levels of safety and harm.

Historically, microbiologists named new diseases after locations, animals or people. To this day, flu strains are named after the city in which they were first isolated. Obviously, that's because microbiologists are racist. Right?

The answer to that question: They both purport to improve health outcomes by harnessing the state’s regulatory authority for taxation or prescribing behavior. However, neither has shown to produce any health benefit. A new study shows that Florida physicians follow the rules, but not whether the rules help patients.

Womens' differences from men are often seen in the ultimate health outcome: aging and death. While women on average live longer, is it because they choose healthier lifestyles? Or do their genes give them an advantage? Let's explore.

At one point, nuclear power provided 25% of Germany's electricity. But the fallout from Chernobyl, both political and real, led to a moratorium on construction and an initial planned phaseout of all nuclear reactors by 2022. That deadline subsequently was extended to 2032, but after the events at Fukushima in Japan, the phaseout policy deadline reverted back to two years from now. Today, Germany gets 11% of its electricity from nuclear sources. A study from the National Bureau of Economic Research measures the fallout.

Much of the discussion around immigration has to do with the impact on the countries receiving the newcomers. But when speaking of coveted "workers," like physicians for instance, perhaps we should consider the effects on the countries they're leaving.

How do you measure the number of lives lost from air pollutants? As is often the case, it depends. In the United States, by and large, these studies have been designed to support regulatory interests under the Clean Air Act rather than scientific inquiry. The EPA selects the pollutants of concern, the outdoor locations to be monitored and the timeframes of interest. But what, if anything, is really being measured?

Men, is your prostate the size of a baked yam? Do you dribble like the Harlem Globetrotters? Have you gotten a rent bill for spending so long at a urinal? Difficulty urinating is very common in men older than 60, but there are some pretty good treatments available. Manhattan urologist Dr. David Kaufman discusses these options with emphasis on a new, minimally invasive procedure that he offers: steam to remove parts of the prostate. Rezum is done quickly in-office, and it's relatively painless. Good bathroom reading.

The New York City subway system, which is a rather gruesome venue on a good day, would seem to be a good place to avoid during these coronavirus times. Nonetheless, yours truly ventured down there recently. In the mood for a trip report? All aboard!