On November 30, 2023, the EPA announced its new rule on lead in drinking water, calling for the complete removal of lead pipes within 10 years. Although the new drinking water rule represents a step forward, childhood lead exposure remains, primarily from lead in existing paint in older houses.
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The climate is changing while concerns about air pollution linger on.
A small, but well-conducted, study of the effect of CBD oil on bad toothaches neither proves nor disproves whether the drug works. However, some intriguing data could be confirmed in a larger clinical trial. Let's call this mildly encouraging. At best.
Environmental activists rely on several go-to tactics when fomenting fear of pesticides. One of their favorite methods is recruiting fake whistleblowers – often retired government scientists – who will spread conspiratorial nonsense about regulatory agencies and other researchers. Here's a real-world example of the "phony whistleblower gambit."
The pandemic has been with us for nearly four years, and while it is down, it is not yet out. Reactions to it varied across the nation, and looking back now to see how we have dealt with it seems appropriate.
My favorites of 2023, poor taste included.
The blockbuster weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic have helped many patients rapidly slim down. But these powerful pharmaceuticals could have unintended consequences we may not be ready for. Meanwhile, what motivates people to wear masks? Post COVID, researchers are finally beginning to find some answers.
The New York Times recently summarized an article from the prestigious journal Science, claiming that 460,000 fewer Medicare deaths since 1999 could be attributed to reduced emissions from 138 coal-fired power plants.
In a move that will significantly expand the restrictions on per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – more commonly known as the “forever chemicals” – the International Agency for Research on Cancer has reclassified perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as “carcinogenic to humans.” It did so even though no valid studies show it increases the risk of causing cancer in people. How will this reclassification increase pressure in Europe and the U.S. for more action? Here's a look.
A host of societal problems are associated with social media (SM): Amongst other ills are the dissemination of anti-vax disinformation; being purveyors of anti-Semitic tropes; and fostering narratives resulting in teenage suicide, anxiety, and depression. Until now, host platforms have enjoyed broad protection from legal action –even when dangerous ramifications surface. That may be about to change.
Winter is here, which means a barrage of pathogens is patiently waiting to make our lives miserable. Influenza, colds, and the "stomach bug" are the top three nasties likely to get you, but can you prevent this by washing your hands or using an alcohol-based disinfectant? Or maybe neither?
In last week’s “Red State/Blue State” square-off between the governors of Florida and California, CA's Gavin Newsom touted his state’s lower per-capita overdose death rate. It might have to do with how the different states compare on harm reduction.
Anyone who has spent time in a traffic jam waiting to “get somewhere” can easily accept the premise that traffic can raise your blood pressure. If you don’t believe me, spend 30 minutes going 4 miles in Los Angeles or trying to go over the George Washington Bridge in New York at rush hour. A new study suggests that the creeping elevation of your blood pressure is not so much due to your fellow drivers but to pollutants in the air. Obviously, they haven’t driven in Jersey. What could they be thinking?
Bioaerosols generated by infected patients constitute a significant source of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious agents. COVID-19 epidemiology has been limited to large populations in which varying behavior, living conditions, and life views may influence exposures. As a result, it's difficult to distinguish personal characteristics from concomitant levels of viral exposure.
The recent meeting between President Biden and China's President Xi Jinping delved into the U.S. fentanyl crisis, centering on the export of fentanyl chemical precursors from China to Mexico, where they are converted into fentanyl. However, there is an inherent challenge in restricting precursor chemicals. A minimally trained organic chemist can either make them or simply use a different, unrestricted chemical. Thus, any international agreement designed to minimize fentanyl by restricting precursors is likely to fail, defeated by organic chemistry.
This is a bit of a rhetorical question. It's based on the simple fact that the percentage of the population wearing a mask in public in July 2022 was; 86% in Japan; 43% in the U.S.; 21% in the U.K., and 5% in Denmark. Japan was not alone among the Asian nations, all wearing masks in the 80% or greater range. Why might that be?
The "wellness" industry has birthed yet another scam: health coaching. Usually lacking any medical or scientific training, these coaches will charge you a king's ransom for useless – and arguably harmful – advice. Buyer beware. Meanwhile, the CDC says everyone six months and older needs COVID boosters. Here's what the data show.
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The Legacy of Neutron Jack Welch
Once we became aware of our mortality, we wanted to know when death was upon us. While we have forsaken predictions by chicken bones or auguries, today we attempt the same predictive magic. That's at least at the population level, using new chicken bones like our co-morbidities or a frailty index. It should be no surprise that we have enlisted our latest oracle: A.I.
Doctors use “diagnostic” labels to describe a condition or constellation of symptoms and signs before determining treatment or rendering a prognosis. Diagnostic criteria generally remain static and serve as a collective reference point for the medical world. Not so for the diagnosis of “excited delirium.” Not only has the meaning of “excited delirium” morphed over time, but the legal community has conscripted it for non-medical purposes, like defending claims of excessive force by police officers. Recently, the medical community rejected this use and “revoked” the diagnosis. Who benefits?
We know the beat of our heart varies over time, increasing with exertion and slowing with rest or meditation. But, stable as those variations may appear, they vary even within those intervals. Dr. George Lundberg, former long-time editor of JAMA, muses about those variations – termed heart rate variability – and what they might tell us.
Ten thousand steps for exercise and health, much like ten thousand hours to become an “expert,” are magic quantifications passed down without clear origins. Some researchers sought some scientific clarity.
On November 11th, America honors and celebrates our veterans. November 11th was originally Armistice Day to commemorate the cease-fire of the Great War, World War I, that took place at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
I know many veterans personally. Lots of family and friends served. Most honorably left their military service unharmed. Some left the service with deep wounds and scars. And some did not make it back alive. On Veterans Day, we thank them all for their service.
The uptake of the current COVID vaccine is running at about 7% of the U.S. population. Pfizer is taking a significant write-off. After the pandemic, our trust in vaccinations has reached a nadir. It's a far cry from our behavior concerning smallpox in 1947 when, over eight days, over 4 million New Yorkers were vaccinated. Or compared to 1961, when 90% of the at-risk population got vaccinated against polio.
At the beginning of the year, the CDC and FDA noted “a preliminary safety signal for ischemic stroke among persons aged ≥65 years” who had received the COVID bi-valent vaccine, as well as a similar but "higher" signal in individuals receiving the influenza vaccine at the same time. Now, a study has confirmed that safety signal.
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