One of the many responses to the opioid crisis has been the development of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs. These are databases containing the drug utilization of patients based upon physician prescriptions. The question is: Do they help?
Search
Tans look healthy — even though they're not. A tan means sun exposure, which means an increased risk of skin cancer. But new research is pointing the way to getting the benefits of melanin, the tan-producing pigment, without exposure to UV radiation. The new technique works in mice, so maybe it will be the answer for humans, too.
When statins and angioplasty aren't enough to prevent a heart attack, it may be possible to minimize damage to the heart by using a photosynthetic cyanobacterium. While still in the preliminary stages, research indicates that the oxygen produced by these non-pathogenic bugs could help keep the heart going.
Caring for patients as they approach their deaths is sensitive, emotionally fraught territory. It is also an important discussion. A new study sheds some light on the difficulties in those talks for patients and physicians.
The number of teenage smokers has declined from last year, and e-cigarettes are declining also, indicating they are not a gateway to smoking.
WHO and International Diabetes Federation refuse to consider "prediabetes" a legitimate term. So why does the CDC want to convince 80 million Americans they have it?
Initially developed in 1971 by Archie Cochrane, systematic review and meta-analysis attempt to examine the literature to find clinical answers. Initially a tool for clinicians, these summaries are now a source of media hype and fodder for policymakers. How do they work – and how can you tell if you're being hoodwinked?
In less than two months, the entire continental U.S. will witness a total eclipse of the sun for the first time in nearly a century. On Aug. 21 those living in a 70-mile-wide band stretching between Oregon and South Carolina will be able to watch the moon completely block out the sun while they are treated with a rare, naked-eye glimpse of the burning star's solar corona.
Manganese metal looks like, uh, nothing special. A shiny metal. But some of the chemical compounds that contain the element are very special. One, potassium permanganate may have been the inspiration for the name rock group Deep Purple.
Does being the fastest man on Earth mean the Jamaican sprinter also has the best body mechanics? We might believe so, but actually it might not be true. Using a model they engineered, researchers at Southern Methodist University say the multiple Olympic gold medalist may have "an asymmetrical running gait." The findings raise some intriguing questions.
A drug used to treat depression appears to work by blocking the detrimental effects of stress on brain structure.
Adherence to medical treatment involving multiple medications is not easy. Can electronic reminders and financial incentives help?
Junkscience.com has informed the New England Journal of Medicine that it may have been the victim of scientific misconduct regarding a paper recently published on air pollution and mortality. The contention was that material information was omitted from the work.
Compared to warm winters, cold winters are likelier to land more people in the hospital, particularly the emergency room.
Can we prevent global warming by substituting beans, which, as compared to beef, produce less greenhouse gases? Here's the underlying hypothesis.
Though chlorine has been attacked as being "dangerous" to one's health, it's got a health-supporting side, too. In pools it combines with nitrogen-containing compounds to take them out of circulation. How do they get there in the first place? A recent study showed that (like it or not) people pee in pools — and the presence of artificial sweeteners proves it.
New research indicates that extra-virgin olive oil may not be the pure, wholesome maiden you've been anticipating for your dinner night.
Versed, in the same drug class as Valium (but better), may be the only pleasant thing you'll experience in the hospital. Once it takes effect, you won't care what happens. Even if you're helicoptered into Damascus with a yarmulke on your head. It's that good but it doesn't completely knock you out. Its chemistry is pretty cool, too.
Corporations aren’t all evil, and universities are not all saints. Most products are coming from industry work. Meanwhile, plenty of junk science comes from universities – and sometimes even from Boston's most prestigious academic institution.
A new report by the Dutch government states something we've known all along: Genetically modified mosquitoes are safe to use to combat the spread of viral infections. Although critics may still think that the modification process is scary, they have nothing to worry about. Besides, the Zika virus is much, much scarier.
The national media is alive with the report; coffee intake is good for you! And evidently, the more the better. The data, of course, is a bit more – shall we say – nuanced.
Can we trust Bloomberg on science when their journalists are copying and pasting industry talking points from Organic Consumers Association?
Two major league teams recently raised sun-protection awareness with their fans, many of whom often sit for hours exposed to the strong summer sun. The Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves are spreading the word (and the sunblock), having installed free sunscreen dispensers at the ballpark, all part of MLB's Play Sun Smart campaign.
The recent Alzheimers Association’s International Conference might explain an uptick in mainstream media reports about the disease. And they have a common thread: the reports are based on clinical abstracts rather than the actual papers or datasets. So do these media reports serve to clarify – or confuse?
David Everette was simply walking to a store when making the absolute wrong decision during a fierce thunderstorm cost him his life. Instead of racing for shelter, the North Carolina resident took shelter under a tree. The tragic incident underscores the importance of knowing what to do – and what not to – when lightning is even remotely nearby.
Pagination
ACSH relies on donors like you. If you enjoy our work, please contribute.
Make your tax-deductible gift today!