Two pills and an injection are FDA-approved to prevent HIV infection. Not enough patients and providers know about them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes guidelines and updates for preventing HIV infection. They call it Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or PrEP. People at risk for HIV infection can be “PrEP-ared” to… read more "PreP for HIV/AIDS"
¿La fluoración del agua corriente hace que los niños sean menos inteligentes?
[This article is also available in English. Thanks to Pensar for the Spanish translation.] Los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades nombraron a la fluoración del agua comunitaria como uno de los diez mayores logros de la salud pública del siglo XX. En una declaración reciente, la… read more "¿La fluoración del agua corriente hace que los niños sean menos inteligentes?"
Does Public Water Fluoridation Make Children Less Intelligent?
[Este artículo está disponible en español. La traducción al español apareció por primera vez en la revista Pensar.] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named community water fluoridation one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. In a recent statement, the American Dental Association (ADA) stressed that it is… read more "Does Public Water Fluoridation Make Children Less Intelligent?"
Restricting Freedom, from Typhoid Mary to Covid-19
We are seeing a lot of pushback on government restrictions imposed to limit the spread of COVID-19. Many people refuse to wear masks or practice social distancing. Some claim that the disease has been conquered, pointing to improvement in survival rates, and manage to ignore the increasing number of new… read more "Restricting Freedom, from Typhoid Mary to Covid-19"
Covid-19 in Children: A New Study Out of China
Children may be less likely to develop COVID-19, but they can get it too; and it may be more severe for infants. Reports on the new coronavirus disease COVID-19 have reassured us that children are less likely to be infected and are likely to have milder symptoms. An information page… read more "Covid-19 in Children: A New Study Out of China"
Water Fluoridation: Public Health, Not Poison
I think we can all agree that “Look, Mom – no cavities!” is good news. But we continue to disagree about the best way to achieve that. Fluoridation of public water sources remains controversial as a public health measure despite the strong evidence that fluoride prevents tooth decay. Public debates… read more "Water Fluoridation: Public Health, Not Poison"
There’s No Vaccine for HIV/AIDS, But There’s Truvada
Science has made great strides in understanding, treating, and preventing HIV/AIDS. We can hope for an AIDS vaccine, but meanwhile there is a pill that can markedly reduce the risk of becoming infected. Truvada: a good alternative while we wait for an AIDS vaccine. Image taken from the NIAID flickr page with… read more "There’s No Vaccine for HIV/AIDS, But There’s Truvada"
Opioids: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Opium, a dried latex collected from the opium poppy, was the original “wonder drug.” It effectively relieved pain and had other medicinal effects – and incidentally produced euphoria and addiction. There is archaeological evidence that it was used as early as 5700 BC. It was the active ingredient in laudanum… read more "Opioids: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"
Ebola: Science Is Making Progress
Good news! Research on Ebola has identified a 100% effective vaccine and medications that produce a 90% survival rate. The Ebola virus There have been 24 outbreaks of Ebola virus disease (also known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever) in Africa since 1976. It spreads through contact with infected body fluids. Case… read more "Ebola: Science Is Making Progress"
Science’s Triumph Over Infectious Disease Has a Downside
Book review: Plagues and the Paradox of Progress: Why the World Is Getting Healthier in Worrisome Ways, by Thomas J. Bollyky. MIT Press, Cambridge, 2018. ISBN 978-0-262-03844-4. 272 pages. $27.95 This book explains the history of infectious diseases and plagues and shows how science has worked to overcome them; the author, Thomas… read more "Science’s Triumph Over Infectious Disease Has a Downside"