The Trump Administration now requires drug advertising to provide a medication's list price. Manufacturers that were initially resistant have reconsidered and have agreed. The only group losing here are patients, who are no closer to lower drug prices or better information than before.
Search
Since the focus of pharmaceutical research has shifted from oral, small molecule medications (pills) to biologics (injectables derived from living sources) the price of new drugs has soared. Biologicals are more difficult to manufacture and purify than traditional medications. Biosimilars are analogous to (but different generic versions of traditional drugs). But the difference creates a unique set of issues. ACSH friend Dr. Robert Popovian and colleagues recently wrote about some of the complexities of biosimilars.
Penetrating traumas take on a unique trajectory. They can be erratic, asymmetrical and variable in depth and extent. So real estate in the body, and good fortune, matter most.
Fuzzy math rears its head in a new report on smoking and healthcare costs. Smoking is a big health risk, and we don't need fuzzy math to see that greatly reducing this health hazard will reduce tobacco-related costs.
Extinction Rebellion, formed in 2018, is a group dedicated to fighting against humanity's imminent risk of extinction. It believes the best way to accomplish that is for activists to block traffic, spray graffiti, smash glass doors, protest naked and glue themselves to street furniture. If that doesn't save the world, what will?
As banning plastic -- especially bags -- becomes "a thing," biodegradable or cloth bags are taking their place. But how degradable are they?
Who better to tell us what drives our choice in foods than marketers? We pay more attention to those front-of-the-package claims than to the nutritional information hidden on the back. What a surprise.
Should we turn our nose up at using a dog's keen sense of smell as a cancer screening tool? Or to help identify relevant biomarkers that scientists should be isolating for diagnostic purposes?
A new study that says oral sex can prevent miscarriage predictably has gone viral, thanks mostly to the rather excitable British tabloids. But is it true? If it is, the study doesn't even come close to confirming the hypothesis.
A new study tries to show that not eating breakfast increases your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The study has significant limitations, and so it remains unanswered whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Chances are, on the back of many an ice cream tub, you will see something that reads “modified milk ingredients” in addition to any "cream" or "milk" you expect to see. So what are these?
We use all our senses while eating. We notice the taste, the crunchy feel, the snap, and the crackle and pop. As it turns out, whether we stand or sit may affect our perception of foods taste and are subsequent consumption.
Summer is just about here. But we're not going on vacation. There's far too much junk science out there for us to take a break. Here's where we were cited in recent days.
It's been a good month for us at ACSH. Cox Media correctly defined us in a story about glyphosate in cereal. And a media fact-checking group decided that we deserved a 'High' rating for a "clean fact check record." And the month's not even half over.
Roaming through your body is a group of specialized immune cells which act stealthily and authoritatively. They "ask" other body cells to show them identification ("papers please!"). If they fail to provide adequate ID those cells are killed on the spot. No questions asked. Scientists are now recruiting these cells to help in the fight against cancer.
A Pew Research Center article, "Rapid Opioid Cutoff Is Risky Too, Feds Warn" takes an honest look at the suffering created by the radical, misguided anti-opioid jihad. It's a shame that its author, Christine Vestal, also included quotes from Andrew Kolodny, who denies the mess that he and his friends made while claiming that very few patients were "inappropriately tapered." Like herpes infection, Kolodny never goes away.
Years after his TV show, Bill Nye experienced a resurgence in popularity. But instead of the old, nerdy-but-lovable Bill Nye, we got Bill Nye 2.0, a somewhat cantankerous scold who clearly knows less about science than he leads on.
A story that's gone viral (again) claims that McDonald's touchscreen menus are fecally tainted. Is it true? No. The global headlines saying otherwise are total lies. So, on what basis are these folks making that ridiculous claim?
WebMD, the medically and scientifically dubious website, regularly puts out some pretty ridiculous advice, hence the moniker "WebDUMB." Those folks are back at it, this time with an absurd article about "non-drug" sleep aids -- all of which just happen to be drugs. Perhaps, whoever wrote this thing took a real sleep aid and slept through chemistry class.
Uh oh, we're in trouble. The "Mexican Blood Flu" is upon us. We've never heard of it, but it sure sounds nasty.
Rumors of a superbug virus that kills 70% of the seniors over 55 who become infected are flying around the internet via emails and a Facebook Page, which is hosted a group called Wake Up America and Stand United. Is this something you should worry about? Better read this.
This phrase sound so lyrical, but it refers to the subsequent care and actions of patients and physicians after some initial test. For low-value testing, it results in unwarranted worry and costs.
The FDA recently issued a statement warning of the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women who take the supplement containing vinpocetine. Vinpocetine is a member of the indole alkaloid family - a huge class of (mostly toxic) chemicals made by plants as a defense mechanism. Why is vinpocetine a dietary supplement? That's a good question with a bad answer.
Two million dollars is a lot of money. It’s enough to buy a fleet of Tesla Model S cars, a large lake’s worth of Swedish Fish or even a private island. One thing this hefty sum won’t get you, however, is a new drug called Zolgensma. But what it does - gene therapy - is astounding.
Nomenclature -- the "art" of naming organic chemicals -- is crazy making. Some chemical names are simple. Some are complex. What's more, saying the names of some chemicals makes you sound like a fourth grader. (And if that's not enough of a pull to get you to read this, there's a contest, too!)
Our reaction time slows as we age, a study suggests that increasingly autonomous cars can make driving safer for older drivers and the people surrounding them. Yogi Berra sums it up, "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is."
Pagination
ACSH relies on donors like you. If you enjoy our work, please contribute.
Make your tax-deductible gift today!