A recent Supreme Court case presents the question of whether it's ethical to execute an inmate suffering from dementia, one who can no longer recall the crime.
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The research has been going on for years. The hypothesis is that cannabidiol, derived from the marijuana plants, combined with an anesthetic, can reduce brain inflammation after a concussive event, as well as relieve the pain and headaches associated with brain injuries. Studies with mice may soon lead to human trials.
After its latest ad campaign, we forced the British distillery to admit it did not believe GMOs were a health concern, nor that non-GMO vodka is suddenly a healthy product.
A group of academics, bureaucrats and self-appointed addiction experts put their collective heads together and their collective noses where they didn't belong. They produced the 2016 Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, an abysmal failure. Here are what's wrong with it and some ways to undo the damage.
In discussions about pollution and lives saved, it's hard to get straight answers. But one thing is clear: exempting the biggest polluters as "developing nations" is a mistake. And focusing on PM2.5 instead of real smog is worse.
Loss of bone density can be a significant issue for adults later in life. A new study found that those who regularly played sports as children and teens had stronger bones as an adult, as compared to those who gave up sports or never played them to begin with.
The EPA is evaluating 10 chemicals under the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act. To guide its decision-making, we've created explanations for each, with recommendations when the science is clear. Here is the science story on perchloroethylene.
For the three large pharmaceutical companies that still maintain antibiotic R&D, what do the next 12 months have in store? This year a new biotech, Prokaryotics, licensed a number of preclinical antibiotic assets from Merck. What antibiotic discovery activity still remains at Merck? Our expert expects there will be minimal effort.
The Oregon Democrat recently wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, claiming that his Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force, formed in 2016, was corrupted by big pharma money. The task force was charged with reforming the CDC's disastrous 2016 opioid guidelines. Sen. Wyden claims that two respected physicians in the group had conflicts of interest. Instead, perhaps it's time for the lawmaker to look in the mirror.
Defrauding the federal government has a long and colorful history. The practice dates as far back as the Civil War, when companies tried to foist lame horses, sick mules and even sawdust in place of gunpowder on our troops. So it's time to cue the theme music ... for this roundup (pun absolutely intended) of this past year's notable healthcare frauds.
With so much disinformation on the Internet, debunking junk science and bogus health claims could be a full-time job. Indeed, "debunkery" is one of the main reasons why ACSH exists. Narrowing down a full year's worth of nonsense into the 10 worst bogus health stories is quite a challenge. But we never shy down from a challenge. Here are the stinkiest stories from the past 12 months.
Branding normal phases of development and transitions have become a thing, mainly to sell books more than identify any new discovery. That said, the first three months of a baby’s life after birth and mom’s postpartum period is a rather unique time for many reasons.
Antibiotics expert Dr. David Shlaes has been fighting two very tough fights for more than three decades. One is against increasingly dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria; the other, against complacency. This American Council advisor is deeply concerned that antibiotic research and development is not even remotely adequate for keeping up with the bugs.
You probably haven't spent a lot of time lately thinking about the element, nickel. Talk about boring. Well, guess what? It is very far from boring, especially when you learn some cool stuff. Here is some cool stuff.
Yelp is a very popular source of recommendations for food, activity, physicians and now the people weigh in on Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centers. Patients have different expectations for these facilities and it influences their "satisfaction."
We don't know if probiotics are a good idea during antibiotic therapy. So eat plenty of fiber -- such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains -- instead.
Food labels serve one purpose, and one purpose only: To provide nutritional information to consumers. The process by which a food is produced is not relevant to its nutritional content or safety profile. Therefore, products made using animal cell culture techniques absolutely should not require special labeling.
We asked three straightforward questions about the integrity of the organic certification process. Program officials refused to answer them. It seems clear that this agency is less of a regulatory body and more of a taxpayer-funded cheerleading squad. It should be eliminated.
There aren't many things today that unite both sides of the political aisle, but leave it to some environmental activists to achieve the impossible. There's bipartisan opposition to a proposed Colorado law that would severely curtail fracking in the state.
After years, countless hours and dollars spent you'd think doctors could readily share a patient's records. However, you would be wrong. The latest excuse: sharing patient data may be an anti-trust violation, since after all, patient data is valuable. But when did we lose ownership of our most personal of information?
How can we move scientific research in directions that are felt to be "socially optimal"? While there is no stick to get science redirected, government funding can supply the carrot. How big a carrot is needed? That depends. Let's take a look.
Bundled care, paying and calculating costs for an episode of care rather than fee-for-service, was thought in theory to be able to bring substantial cost savings. But as Yogi Berra said, "In theory, there is no difference in theory and practice. In practice there is."
The superfood phenomenon is likely the result of (1) Our cultural obsession with quick fixes and easy answers to complex questions; and (2) Marketing gimmicks that take advantage of widespread scientific illiteracy.
Instead of paying taxes, non-profit health systems give back to the community. But how much, to which community and who actually benefits is increasingly a divisive issue. Here, the spotlight finds Sutter Health, the seventh largest health system in the United States.
When bundled with enforcement, reducing the legal limit on a driver's blood alcohol level is considered a best practice. However, on its own, the tactic doesn't seem to have much of an impact.
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