The people at the FDA probably never thought that they would have to officially state that DIY gene editing should not be done. But, they were wrong. People have not only started making HIV gene therapies in their living rooms, but, when they start injecting themselves on FB live, the FDA had to step in.
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Organic chemists are mostly deranged – and that's on a good day. Because simply learning how to name the chemicals they work with is tough stuff. But every so often we'll see a name – or two – that has little to do with chemistry. This pair seems descriptive and ghoulish, so welcome to the crazy world of organic nomenclature.
Following one of its doctor's pseudoscientific ramblings last year, as well as him promoting anti-vaccine propaganda, the Cleveland Clinic now has this bombshell to deal with. USA Today discovered that a surgeon was accused of "anally raping" two patients, then covered it up.
A recent study published in Nature Genetics, describes a genetic link to obesity in humans discovered by studying obese children in Pakistan.
Eugenics has been science’s toxic brand since the end of World War II. The point was driven home yet again recently when Toby Young, appointee to the UK’s newly established Office of Students, was denounced in the House of Commons for having written favorably of “progressive eugenics”. Young resigned from the post the following day amid complaints about a series of other tweets and comments made in the past.
It's another vaccine success story, this time about rotavirus vaccines. Not only do the vaccines prevent the sometimes dangerous dehydration that accompanies this infection, they are also associated with a decreased occurrence of non-febrile seizures in infants and young children.
Bariatric surgery is the most effective means of dealing with severe obesity. But there are several types of surgery which involve more, or less, alterations of the gastrointestinal tract. Choosing among them depends on a variety of factors relating to GERD, or gastro-esophageal reflux symptoms.
Actress Zooey Deschanel has a new startup — The Farm Project. In her latest video episode she urges consumers to stop buying produce from the grocery store — unless it's organic.
Now with more than 35 million participants nationwide, yoga's popularity surge has prompted researchers to study whether "hot" yoga, conducted in a 100-degree studio, is more beneficial for healthy, middle-aged adults than sessions held at room temperature. The study, the first of its kind say its authors, produced intriguing results.
Treatment advances are not easy to come by, especially in some hard-to-treat cancers like brain and triple negative breast cancer. New research, however, shows that infection with a virus could be key in making a promising treatment applicable to some cancers that were previously resistant.
We would think a physician could use guidelines to advise a patient about screening. But what if the guidelines are good for society, but not necessarily as good for the patient? Three separate articles in the Annals of Internal Medicine clarify the dilemma, without providing a solution.
According to the CDC, the percentage of children who have ever had chickenpox has fallen dramatically since a vaccine was licensed for use in the U.S. in 1995. But because fewer kids have chickenpox, there is less virus circulating among the public. It's thought that exposure to the virus helps keep shingles in check, which is normally associated with older folks.
In April, American scientists will begin testing a new contraceptive gel — for men. A combination of two synthetic hormones, it's been found to be effective in shutting down sperm production in preliminary testing. So perhaps soon men will have another option besides condoms and vasectomies. Guys, welcome to the world of modern contraception!
In response to this especially nasty circulating flu strain, called H3N2, the CDC has recommended the use of antiviral influenza drugs, mainly Tamiflu. Neither the vaccine nor the drugs are great. What should you do?
ACSH is in the business of promoting evidence-based science and debunking junk science. That rubs some people the wrong way.
With 32 G.O.P lawmakers retiring it can be said that the media narrative about a "wave" of Republicans leaving Congress is wrong. Here are the stats behind that assessment.
Society has been blind to the secret suffering of many children. What appears to the rest of us as a cute albeit slightly annoying phase is actually a serious mental illness: Dinosaur Obsession Disorder.
Over the last decade, the gene-editing technology CRISPR – Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palidromic Repeats – has nearly become a household word. Now, there's a new publication dedicated to the process. It's a peer-reviewed journal and its inaugural issue just came out.
Yet another food-cancer story is in the news. But folks, there's little "there" there. It's a correlational study, and the risks for several types of cancer don't increase much at all. This is a finding that should not keep you up at night.
Like a series of bad sequels, the media is back with yet another terribly botched story. This time, the claim is that using household cleaning sprays is like smoking 20 cigarettes per day. Wrong again.
For those with a mild or severe head injury, the examination when arriving at the Emergency Department is the same – a series of questions and followed by a CT scan. But a new blood test may change all that, in that it could separate those who need a scan from others who simply should just go home and rest.
When bitter custody battles hit the front page (e.g. the mom recently jailed for secretly baptizing her daughter), it is mostly the child who suffers.
Regarding the negative effects of antibiotics, an Australian research group sought to understand the effect that non-antibiotic, antimicrobial (NAAM) chemicals have on increasing antibiotic resistance. One of the more infamous of these is Triclosan, which was present in many over-the-counter antimicrobial products before its use in hand soaps was banned.
Cosmetics and cleaners are not the great Satan of atmospheric pollution that the media suggests. But why let facts get in the way of a good story?
The Winter 2018 issue of Priorities magazine is now available from the American Council on Science and Health, since 1978 America's premier pro-science consumer advocacy non-profit,. You can't subscribe and you can't buy it on newsstands.
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