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While much ink has been spilled, and effort expended, discussing the downstream impacts of the Dobbs decision, little is known about its upstreaming impacts. Contraception, amidst the legal hullabaloo, a JAMA Health Forum report sheds a bit of light on the issue.

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, casts a shadow over the lives of millions worldwide, its complexities challenging both patients and researchers. Stemming from autoimmune assaults on the nervous system, recent strides in research have illuminated a potential diagnostic signature years before a clinical presentation. 

Instead of punishing U.S. oil producers, policymakers should seek scientific, evidence-based solutions to climate change that don't sacrifice U.S. economic growth and prosperity.

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) were once hailed as the solution to streamlining healthcare processes, but their implementation has brought forth a host of challenges. From increased work burden and clinician burnout to facilitated medical errors, the journey of EHRs has been tumultuous. With billions of dollars invested and a staggering increase in adoption rates, we find ourselves retrofitting the system. But this isn't just about optimizing technology; it's about preserving the heart of healthcare.

"Fool's gold" (pyrite) is nice to look at, but not especially useful. That could change if the findings of a small study hold up. Unexpectedly higher levels of lithium – an element that's in enormous demand – were found in pyrite. This could be both beneficial environmentally and economically. Plus, a gratuitous shot at crystal healers, just for yuks.

Two extensive longitudinal studies are heralded as unveiling the common “truth” that ultra-processed foods hasten our mortality. However, before embracing that kale smoothie, ultra-processed foods may not be the villains portrayed in the media we've been led to believe. Here's why.

"Jumping genes" are not a new type of leisure wear. They are integral components of the genetic-epigenetic continuum and the “genetic” expression of traits, biological or temperamental. The critical discovery that these chromosomal parts can move – impacting their expression - owes to the mystically inspired work of Nobel Laureate Barbara McClintock.

Although nutrition has made significant advances in recent years — such as recognizing the harm caused by trans fats — it’s surprising that, even within the academic field, there’s still ongoing debate about the most efficient diet. (Spoiler alert: any of them can work as long as a diet aligns with your preferences and allows for greater consistency.)

Mental health medications are a blessing to many people. But they sometimes come with undesirable side effects, including significant weight gain. A recent study suggests that a high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet could help some patients manage their weight while taking psychiatric drugs. Let's take a closer look at the results.

"Forever chemicals" is a hot news item. The public is paying attention to them because they stick around for very long periods of time – including in your body – where they bioaccumulate. This has caused concern that they may cause cancer, although this has not been proven. Why does this group of chemicals stay around for so long? Chemistry explains.

In the battle against Alzheimer's Disease (AD), the FDA's latest therapies are desperately trying to separate the forgetful from the truly befuddled. While spinal taps and PET scans remain the diagnostic standard, blood biomarkers are increasingly stepping up as the “heroes” of early detection.

Most health scares in the headlines are generated by low-grade epidemiology research that correlates food or chemical exposures with negative health outcomes. A recent review employing a new analytical tool highlighted some of the critical problems in this research – by looking at studies reporting health risks linked to red meat consumption. Let's take a look at the findings.

World War II's Manhattan Project – which developed the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in August 1945 – was one of the greatest scientific, technological, and logistical achievements in history. The bombs ended the war and saved millions of lives of combatants and civilians.

Some people look at you as if you have a cancer death wish when they see a Diet Coke can in your hand. But their glass of wine is a far greater risk. Here's why.

Recent headlines claiming a “cure” for autism, and a complete reversal of symptoms, were inspired by a case report published in June 2024. However, with dubious methodology and potential serious conflicts of interest, there's good reason to doubt these conclusions.

Cilantro. Whether you love it or hate it can be partly determined by a difference in a single gene in your nasal passage. Roughly 10-20% of us think it tastes like soap. The chemistry of odor concentration can explain some of this. Or you can just hate it for no good reason.

Glyphosate is perpetually in the news. However, last month was especially busy because various agencies concluded that it either did – or did not – cause cancer or kill butterflies. The herbicide has even been implicated as a cause of autism, but the science is terrible. Perhaps the worst science came out of MIT in 2014 — confusing correlation with causation. A big no-no.

Anyone who poo-poed the risk to the Olympic open-water swimmers from the disgusting Seine River is s### out of luck. Plenty of swimmers got sick, just like I predicted last month, from swallowing river water during the 10 km event. And a little toilet humor thrown in. No extra charge.

A recent study claimed that excessive sitting – all too common in our modern, hyper-connected world – is more deadly than smoking and HIV. The solution, the researchers claimed, is a novel creation known as the treadmill desk, which allows people to exercise during their work days. How truthful is all this? Not very.

Reciprocity of approvals between FDA and its A-list foreign counterparts would ease the shortages.

An old wives tale makes a comeback: Cranberry juice

Ever wonder what it's like to participate in a medical study? When I signed up for a research study, I thought I’d learn something new about diet and health. It turns out that the real learning came from navigating blood tests, stool samples, and questionable food diaries — all while pretending that this was somehow a fun way to spend my time. At least I got a front-row seat to the unglamorous world of clinical research, where the hurdles are real, and the “patients” get a crash course in patience.

Despite a decade of people eyeing their phones like potential death traps, recent studies have put the final nail in the cell-phones-cause-cancer coffin. So, feel free to call, text, or scroll — your brain’s not going anywhere.

The U.S. has been adept at inventing The Next Big Thing, but sometimes stumbles when it comes to exploiting it. From cars to electronics, solar panels, and semiconductors, this pattern has been repeated. Biotechnology could be next unless we invest aggressively and regulate wisely.

It’s another of my (Henry Miller's) weekly appearances on Lars Larson’s radio show. In it, we discussed the resurgence of measles due to declining vaccination rates and touch on the potential role of vitamin D in mitigating COVID-19 severity.