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.
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It is very tempting to purposefully mislabel a product if you can make extra money and get away with it. But, using isotope analysis, chemists have devised a way to discriminate conventional and organic milk.
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.
We have been writing regularly about the escalating crisis of antibiotic resistance (for the latest developments in this area, see the blog by ACSH advisor Dr.
A May 7, 2006 article on the website of the Pakistan News Service quotes ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross countering fears about smokers gaining weight when they quit:
Smokers who want to quit should not be deterred by this, said Dr. Gilbert L. Ross, medical director of the American Council on Science and Health in New York.
Coffee is touted as a prevention remedy or for countless (and unrelated) diseases and conditions. One that isn't on that list is asthma. So, is coffee useful for asthmatics? Scientifically it should be. But you would need to drink a ghastly amount of it. (And at no extra charge we include the always-popular "Chemistry Lesson From Hell.")
We've been recently reminded of one of the most significant false-positives in U.S. history, the erroneous notification to Hawaii's citizens about the "imminent attack" of ballistic missiles. When it comes to medical care, while false positives also have harmful effects on patients and practitioners, the advances in artificial intelligence may be worsening the practice of patient care.
With brutal temperatures now plaguing millions of Americans, especially in the midwest and northeast, it's as good a time as any to debunk myths connected to cold-related injuries.
New research suggests that Americans may see scientists’ choice to accuse conservatives of waging a “war on science” as relatively aggressive. That's as compared to potential alternative ways of describing the current situation. This perceived aggressiveness may harm the credibility of scientists in conservative audiences that already have doubts about them.
Imagine if Dr. Oz -- who peddles all sorts of pseudoscientific, nonsensical miracle cures on his daytime TV show -- proposed an environmental policy. That's the Green New Deal.
A new paper shares a different -- and perhaps, a better way -- of describing the outcome of care. It's more than alive or dead; it's about how much better patients are living their lives.
It's now possible for your doctor to make house calls, with little more than you using a smartphone and some inexpensive devices. Telemedicine is not just for rural America.
It's a new era for winemaking. Long the domain of craftsmen and connoisseurs, scientists worldwide are utilizing new technologies and combining forces to create better vino. In fact, Washington State University has an entire program dedicated to the science of wine.
While we await a more comprehensive report, the preliminary findings imply nothing of consequence was discovered during the examination that would impede the president doing his job now, or in the foreseeable future.
A recent study, purporting to show that “toxic” chemicals from some types of dental floss are ending up in the flossers' bloodstream, does not actually provide evidence for the claim. So don’t give up flossing!
The editorial board of the New York Times came out in favor of revising FDA regulations of cosmetic products. This is a reasonable suggestion since such a review has not taken place since 1938. But sound science, especially toxicology, is essential for any change in regulations to be meaningful. Unfortunately, on the science itself, the newspaper's proposal misses the mark.
One wonders how the anti-GMO movement could oppose something like this. But given its hostility to Golden Rice, which has been genetically modified to contain a vitamin A precursor to prevent blindness, it usually finds a way.
From hospital inpatient “wealth screenings” for potential donors, to digital "geofencing" cell phones in emergency rooms, the erosion of patient privacy is real. Guess who's the latest to have access to your intimate data (e.g. pregnancy status, ovulation cycle, blood pressure) without your consent?
That we could live forever is a theoretical possibility. At the same time advances in care extend our lives about three "good" years per generation. What are we to make of this? Let's find out.
Johnson & Johnson, the makers of Tylenol, have some 'splaining to do. It would seem as if the company is using some unsavory marketing tactics to boost sales of its product. How so? For starters, the company has informed us that Tylenol is not an opioid. Who knew? What's the reason behind this odd claim? Better keep reading.
Kolodny, the self-appointed (but thoroughly unqualified) opioid czar, repeatedly uses the made-up phrase "heroin pills." It's an apparent attempt to demonize opioids like oxycodone. In a way, he's succeeded. To fill the void left by the oxycodone shortage, the Southwestern U.S. is being flooded by "real" heroin pills called "Mexican Oxy." But the pills aren't actually heroin; they're fentanyl copies of oxycodone, which kill when consumed. Nice going, once again.
This type of rough math reveals some problems, or at least several concerns that we as a nation should be aware of. So before relying on sound bites and quick news hits, we all need to have a better understanding of the concept of Medicare for All, and its varying proposals.
The new behavioralists are trying to figure out how to best reward physicians for good outcomes. We may call it "pay for performance," but it seems an awful lot like all those studies of rats pressing levers to get a reward or avoid being shocked.
Do artificially-sweetened beverages increase your risk of having a stroke? Maybe, be you have to be African-American, overweight, under-exercised and on a diet termed by the government to be unhealthy. It also helps if you have high blood pressure.
Scientists from Mexico have discovered a very clever way of getting rid of HPV, the most common of all sexually transmitted infections. It's done using a simple chemical and a laser -- and there's no harm to normal cells. This method could represent a big advance in eradicating the virus and reducing HPV-related cancers, especially cervical cancer.
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