I subscribe to The Medical Letter to learn about new drugs. I am frequently appalled by their cost. For example, a year’s treatment with Ozanimod, a drug recently approved for multiple sclerosis, costs $84,800. And some new drugs cost much, much more than that. A gene therapy drug from Novartis currently holds the record: 2.1 million… read more "New Contraceptive Drug Makes No Sense"
Are You Dehydrated?
Do you worry that you are or might become dehydrated? Do you feel guilty if you don’t drink 8-10 glasses of water a day? Are you tethered to a water bottle? Have you been frightened by warnings on the Internet? “Eau” dear! “Water” you thinking? You may have been “flooded”… read more "Are You Dehydrated?"
Deuterium Depleted Water
I recently learned there was a thing called deuterium depleted water (DDW). First, I asked “Whaat?” and then I asked “Why?” The atoms of the most common isotope (99.99%) of hydrogen contain only one proton, one electron, and no neutrons. Deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen with one neutron and… read more "Deuterium Depleted Water"
One Less Thing to Worry About: Undercooked Pork
We have plenty of things to worry about: the pandemic, global warming, the economy, racial tensions, and much, much more. But here is some good news to ease the worry burden: you can stop worrying about eating undercooked pork. Most people agree that undercooked pork is bad, but not everyone… read more "One Less Thing to Worry About: Undercooked Pork"
Pandemic Stories in the News: Something to Laugh About
Steven Novella said it best: “Pandemics breed more than a contagious disease. They spread fear, misinformation, pseudoscience, and exploitation.” I would add, “and humor.” I have written about Covid-19 before, first on the 4th of February in an article on Science-Based Medicine about how alternative medicine had jumped on the bandwagon, then… read more "Pandemic Stories in the News: Something to Laugh About"
Covid-19: A Field Day for Scams and Misinformation
Our world has been disrupted due to legitimate fears about COVID-19. People are afraid, and unscrupulous and/or misinformed people have been quick to exploit those fears. The FTC has offered advice for consumers to help them avoid coronavirus scammers. On March 19 they published Part 2, and the FTC and FDA have… read more "Covid-19: A Field Day for Scams and Misinformation"
A Test For Earlier Diagnosis Of Autism? Not Convincing
[Este artículo está disponible en español. La traducción al español apareció por primera vez en la revista Pensar.] Autism is diagnosed on clinical grounds by observing the child’s behavior. There is no blood test or any other objective test to diagnose it. But that hasn’t stopped people from claiming to… read more "A Test For Earlier Diagnosis Of Autism? Not Convincing"
¿Test para un diagnóstico temprano de autismo? No es convincente
[This article is also available in English. Thanks to Pensar for the Spanish translation.] El autismo se diagnostica por motivos clínicos al observar el comportamiento del niño. No existe un análisis de sangre ni ninguna otra prueba objetiva para diagnosticarlo. Pero eso no ha impedido que la gente afirme haber… read more "¿Test para un diagnóstico temprano de autismo? No es convincente"
Bigfoot Reconsidered
I recently came across an advertisement for a “One-Of-A-Kind Adventure,” a Bigfoot Adventures Tour Company endeavor that offers single-day, multi-day, and even Bigfoot-by-bike experiences. Their website promises to take you to sites where Bigfoot has been spotted numerous times and tracks have been found. They utilize “proven methods to call one in”… read more "Bigfoot Reconsidered"
Why ‘Trying It For Yourself’ Is A Bad Idea
When I write about a treatment that has been inadequately tested (or that has never been tested or has been tested and shown not to work), someone always asks if I have tried it myself. Apparently, they believe it really works, and if only I would try it for myself, I would… read more "Why ‘Trying It For Yourself’ Is A Bad Idea"