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An infection with Clostridioides difficile (or C. diff in the trade) that occurs 72 hours after admission to the hospital is considered hospital-acquired. Medicare penalizes hospitals financially if they have more hospital-acquired C. diff. infections than the national average. A new study suggests that C. diff is not so much hospital-acquired, but that patients bring the bacterium with them, in their gut microbiome, into the hospital. That makes it more transported than acquired.

Everyone should have a primary care provider (PCP), but not everyone does. There are myriad reasons why: some choose not to go to the doctor (hello, young people); some can’t afford care; others may live in provider “deserts” such as rural areas. Whatever the reason, a growing movement exists to expand who can act as a PCP. Chiropractors have been a part of this expansion, but is that wise?

To handshake or not to handshake, that is the question. As COVID-19 has moved from a pandemic to an endemic disease, should we greet each other with a shake of hands, fist bump, or just eye contact and walk quickly away?  Handshaking has devolved into a cultural debate rather than the scientific issue of disease transmission. Is handshaking, a form of surface transmission, something to fear?

Several pro-science NGOs are trying to expand Africa's access to modern farming technologies, including biotech crops and pesticides. The Marxist busybodies at Jacobin would rather poor people across the continent go hungry.

Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) conferences are routinely held by hospitals to evaluate individual patient care, discuss/dissect interesting cases, and analyze adverse outcomes. It aims to teach, learn, and modify medical/nursing behaviors where appropriate so as to improve patient care. Meetings are confidential to facilitate frank discussion. But a recent case portends evisceration of the confidentiality rule. Plaintiffs are cheering. Defendant-doctors, not. Who’s right?

Let’s play Unintended consequences
Reassessing the Luddites
Aging and Martin Scorsese
Lie, mistruth, or editing?

We are all aware of the environmental impact of the livestock consumed globally. And many suggest that a plant-based diet is more healthful for humans. But what are the environmental “paw prints” on society’s freeloaders, the dogs and cats? A new study considers the advantages of making them pursue a vegan diet.

Contrary to a poorly researched Wall Street Journal commentary, the new COVID vaccines have been tested appropriately and, like their predecessors, will likely prevent serious illness, death, and undue stress on the U.S. healthcare system.

The BS that has been put out by the anti-opioid zealots has been more than bad enough. Then Senator Joe Manchin joined the fray, taking it to a new level. Disgusting.

Are you aware of the concept of the three gates? Most simply, before you speak or – in my case, write – let your words pass through three gates. Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

You all complain about drug commercials, and with good reason. They are equal parts cloying and annoying. Let's make fun of them, OK?

The New York Times devoted nearly a full page in the business section to “emissions.” Emissions of what? Presumably, CO2, which was not explicitly mentioned, nor were methane, black carbon, or other greenhouse agents. The U.S. has focused – even obsessed – on CO2, and we act as if the nation was the chief player on the planet. That makes us feel good and even self-satisfied in assuming that our diligence is helping to save the planet. But is it?

Hospitals and health systems are not immune from concerns about their environmental impact. Most studies surround the discharge of anesthetic gases or single-use plastics. A new study provides different concerns.

The British broadcaster has become part of a cynical anti-science collaboration.

Local surveillance of COVID-19 in wastewater (WW) is widespread and reported by the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS). We previously used NWSS data to examine national trends and relationships in attempts at wastewater epidemiology (WWE). Now, we consider the consistency of geographic trends at scales ranging from local treatment plants in the five boroughs of New York City to statewide coverage.

Spy vs. Spy
The real Uncle Tom
Education
File this under unintended consequences of regulations

A new study suggests that the antiviral Molnupiravir may “paradoxically” be driving COVID-19 mutations, creating variants of concern. What is going on? It is all about molnupiravir’s mode of action and evolution.

The EU is about to ban the sale of body fluids, including breast milk, sperm, blood, and other “substances of human origin” (SoHO). Some argue this will decrease supply. Others claim the regulation protects human dignity. Who’s right? And how do we decide?

If it were April 1st, you'd probably treat the concept of "Vegan Tylenol" as a practical joke. But it's September, and a company is actually selling the stuff.

Science skepticism – my how it has changed over the past few decades.

On May 25, 2023, merely six weeks before the Wuhan Biosafety lab lost its NIH funding amid the controversy of possible lab leaks and connection with COVID-19, the U.S. proudly opened the doors of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), the 14th biosafety level-4 lab in the nation. It was also the first here capable of handling large animals. What is going on?

Evidence suggests that Tylenol isn't an effective pain reliever in many cases, so why do doctors rely on it post-surgery? When it comes to treating and discussing COVID-19, do doctors have the right to speak freely, even when they dissent from accepted medical wisdom?

A new JAMA Open Network paper concludes that Paxlovid is effective in reducing hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk patients who have been vaccinated or have acquired immunity from previous infections. And a look back at how the drug works its "magic."

Exactly 10 years ago -December 2, 2013 - my first-ever published opinion piece about the erosion of pain control appeared in The New York Post. It was titled "New painful casualties of the drug war" and was written three years before the CDC's formal declaration of war on pain patients. It is frightening to look back a decade and see how much of this has come true. Plus much worse. Here is the article from the Post opinion page.

The media reports that colchicine, a very old drug, has now been discovered to reduce the risk of recurrent heart disease and has a new FDA indication. Of course, the “discovery” has taken 10 years, and the data for the FDA approval is from 2020. Just how helpful will colchicine be to you and me?