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Of late, we’ve seen some astronomical medical malpractice verdicts. In 2023, 57 medical malpractice verdicts reached $10 million or more, the worst year on record. More than half topped $25 million. In August 2023, a jury awarded $183 million to a family in a brain–damaged baby case – the highest med mal verdict in Philadelphia history. 2024 isn’t auguring better news. Is this a blip or a trend?

In a recent conversation with John Batchelor (CBS "Eye on the World"), we explored the resurgence of measles amidst a wave of vaccine hesitancy sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As social media platforms unleash a torrent of content, the battle against inaccuracies becomes increasingly daunting. Algorithms, touted as gatekeepers, have not worked. Can crowdsourced corrections stem the tide of misinformation?

Despite their diminutive size, tardigrades possess an extraordinary ability to withstand high levels of ionizing radiation, making them subjects of scientific research in exploring their incredible approach to DNA repair.

In the ongoing battle against obesity, whether size matters takes on a new dimension regarding snacks. While discussions often center around nutritional content and dietary habits, the impact of portion and unit size tends to be overlooked. Yet, these seemingly insignificant factors can significantly influence our daily caloric intake.

Between COVID, HIV, Dengue, Ebola, and emerging flu variants, the last thing the world needs is another type of pathogen, let alone with no treatment or cure. But, although rare, prion diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are both infectious and fatal. Although they may sound mysterious, much of the pathology of prions can be explained with simple organic chemistry. (Which may or may not be worse than the disease itself.) Enjoy.

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. 

“Should you pack Lunchables for Your Kid’s School Lunch?” asks a piece in the April 9th edition of Consumer Reports. The article claims that these lunch kits contain lead and other contaminants, and may harm children’s health. Do parents need to worry?

Ever felt like you're just waiting for the other shoe to drop, especially regarding medical test results? Francis Collins, the former NIH director, found himself in that situation, dancing the delicate tango of active surveillance for prostate cancer. Imagine a urine test that could cut down on those nerve-wracking biopsies, while boasting a 99% accuracy rate for spotting the serious stuff.

Reflections on measles making a comeback, plastic containers sparking revolutions, words capturing indescribable emotions, and the hardship in acquiring elite handbags.

Among the most creative and original mathematical thinkers – explanations of her work are virtually incomprehensible to us mortals, who communicate in words rather than symbols – Amalie “Emmy” Noether’s name is associated with countless theorems, mathematical constructs, and key advances in abstract algebra, many of which are essential to modern physics.

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.

Batches of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer were recently recalled due to contamination by methanol, which is too toxic to be used for this purpose. How did the methanol get into batches of alcohol? A look at moonshining can answer this question.

An alternative healthcare provider with a massive social media following, Will Cole sells wellness and scary-sounding pseudo-diseases. His empire, like other functional medicine hucksters, sells supplements and aligns with celebrities for promotion and legitimacy. Let’s tease apart the hype from the hyperbole.

The concept of a “leaky” brain is an enigma, the fortress of our brain, seemingly protected by the blood-brain barrier now disrupted. However, to understand whether a breach has altered our cognitive function we need to better understand our protector.

Over millennia, there has been a seamless continuum of technologies for genetic modification of plants, animals, and microorganisms, with progressive improvements in precision and predictability – a fact that seems to have escaped the notice of EU politicians and regulators.

Americans seem to have quite a positive view of dietary supplements. According to a 2023 survey, 74% of U.S. adults take vitamins, prebiotics and the like.
The business of supplements is booming, and with all the hype around them, it’s easy to forget what they actually are: substances that can powerfully affect the body and your health, yet aren’t regulated like drugs are. They’re regulated more like food.

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.

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

The spectrum of information that can be obtained by prenatal testing is wide and rapidly increasing. Many mutations, or "abnormalities," are inconsequential, while others are significant. Genetic counseling combined with noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) can be helpful.

There is a significant unmet medical need for an effective, non-antibiotic prophylactic intervention for recurrent urinary tract infections. The sublingual vaccine provides an effective treatment option for women who have been suffering and addresses the problem of antibiotic overuse.  

The fragmented U.S. water infrastructure remains highly vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The EPA, lacking the tools under the Safe Drinking Water Act to proactively attack the problem comprehensively, has shifted to a reactive enforcement approach. However, much more is needed to counter such a fundamental threat to our nation’s infrastructure.

During COVID-19’s heyday, many states imposed legally-acceptable masking mandates. Some experts opposed this as inviting discrimination. Now, some states are trying to ban masking entirely. Some claim this will invite discrimination. The considerations are multiple and nuanced and go beyond the obvious freedom of choice and public health prevention.

Vaccination remains one of the most effective tools in protecting public health, and maintaining high immunization rates is essential to preventing the resurgence of preventable diseases. However, rampant anti-vaccine disinformation largely driven by politicians, grifters, and “influencers” on television and social media undermines public confidence in vaccination.

Why does it take 43 years to build a nuclear power plant and 32 years for a fish to see a swimming pool? Blame regulators, activists, and trial lawyers.