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There's crazy, and then there is crazy. This is both. Researchers in China are exploring herbs and acupuncture to treat pain and perhaps mitigate the carnage of the opioid fentanyl crisis. Where does the fentanyl come from? China. Go figure. 

Throughout its history, ebola has caused humanity to hunker down and hope for the best. But in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the battle has turned. Instead of containment, quarantine and waiting it out, science is attacking.

Only 10 finalists remain in a science competition that began in 2016, one which promises a huge payday for the best solution to America's ever-worsening algae crisis. Massive green, choking blankets of algae are formed by excessive phosphorus runoff. The best idea that separates the mineral from water has the potential to revitalize waterways from Florida to the Great Lakes, and beyond.  

In high school, I took organic chemistry, microbiology, genetics, and anatomy & physiology. Without a doubt, I received a world-class science education, despite growing up in a largely rural area that wasn't wealthy. So for Teacher Appreciation Week, I'd like to thank the middle school and high school leaders who greatly shaped my life.

Saunas, for the most part and for legions of adults, enjoy a warm reputation as being good for you. And a recent study of Finnish men and women seems to add more credence to sauna's health benefits, in defending against stroke. But were these favorable results skewed because this activity baked into Finland's culture?

A 26-year-old man attempted suicide by taking 29 capsules of an experimental drug obtained from a clinical trial. His vital were alarming, but treatment improved his condition. Later, a doctor told him the pills weren't antidepressants, as the man believed. That's because he'd been randomized into the control arm of the trial. Yes, that's right: He overdosed on placebos.

As part of a new Youth Tobacco Prevention Plan, earlier this month agency officials launched a large-scale, nationwide, undercover blitz to crack down on the sale of e-cigarettes to minors at both brick-and-mortar and online retailers.

Given widely-varying belief systems about medicine and health, it shouldn't be surprising that these also exist when it comes to what causes cancer. But surprisingly, cancer belief systems don't significantly impact lifestyle behavior. 

Want to know what the American Council on Science and Health does and why we do it? If you have a minute, that's all you'll need to learn about our mission as pro-science consumer advocates who separate health scares from health threats.
We've been making it safe to go into the refrigerator again, and outside, since 1978. And thanks to your support, we'll be able to do it for the next 40 years also.

Over nearly a century, vaccines for genital herpes have come and gone. Make that gone and gone, because there's not a single vaccine that can treat or prevent either oral or genital herpes. But some good news might be coming from Vical, when phase II results of its VCL-HB01 vaccine is released, hopefully in mid-2018.

New research concludes that the poorest people in the world will be affected the most by higher CO2 levels, which may decrease the nutritional quality of rice. This conclusion, however, is based on at least two flawed assumptions.

This very dangerous plant is in the news because it's being increasingly spotted across the United States. But what you probably don't know is that one of the chemicals that makes the plant so dangerous is also a drug that treats psoriasis. 

With a constant surge of competing profit centers fragmenting healthcare, more layers than ever are conspiring to erode the doctor-patient relationship. Here is a guide to being your own advocate. It will help reduce your anxiety, eliminate unnecessary suffering and improve outcome and recovery.

The online news arm of this journal s a solid source of information. However, it reprinted an article from E&E News that stated green energy is the way to go and the environment is full of scary chemicals. Associating itself with this outlet was a dubious decision, and one that may prove damaging to its reputation. 

Because Medicare Advantage programs are paid in part, by the value their care-partners provide, they choose their partners carefully. And when incentives are aligned, patient outcomes seem to improve. 

The negative impact of (1) "at-all-costs" breastfeeding campaigns, (2) the political zeal of "lactivism" and (3) societal pressures have done a proven disservice to women and families. So much so that formal health policy had to be changed.

When first hearing about Abilify MyCite, the controversial new digital drug, one might likely recall the famous movie scene from "The Matix" when Neo ingests a red pill that also delivers computer code. It also might make one wonder about the kinds of people being remade through this new biotechnology.

Groups like the EPA have used "secret science" to legislate without being accountable to the public the way Congress and the President are. It's time for that to end.

Using a novel source of information – obituaries – researchers looked at whether religious affiliation could extend your physical existence on this planet. The short answer is yes. But is there more to it than simply faith?

Trichloroethylene is a colorless, volatile liquid that is nonflammable and has a sweet odor. It evaporates quickly into the air, but can also be found in water and soil. It also has a variety of uses, which we explain here.

Vaping is substance agnostic, although the controversy and debate about vaping only involve tobacco or nicotine. The harms of vaporizing depend on what is being vaped. To clear away the smoke we need to be more specific about our concerns.

This agonizing situation is a powerful reminder that nature will always be our greatest adversary. That said, current day understanding, innovation and progress is a formidable opponent.

A well-publicized paper on suicide rates by occupation might have produced faulty data. A re-analysis is underway, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention taking action.

A team of researchers wants patients to shorten their antibiotic course. This suggestion is problematic, and possibly dangerous, both to individuals and the larger battle against antibiotic resistance. And it goes against the recommendations of many organizations.  

A new study says that the overdose-reversing drug increases opioid use, and doesn't reduce opioid-related mortality, overall, because it provides users with a “safety net” and thus encourages riskier drug use. But a public health researcher argues that it's a vital tool in fighting the overdose epidemic and too often it's hard to get when it's needed the most.