Tag: Scientific American-Health & Medicine

Scientific American

“Health & Medicine:  What if more meds were over the counter?”

Views expressed in this science, health, and medicine update are those of the reporters and correspondents.

Accessed on 23 February 2026, 2034 UTC.

Content and Source:  “Scientific American:  Health & Medicine.”

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQfBsvRZCKBCggFfSnJWSwXQvCL

URL–https://www.scientificamerican.com.

Please check email link, URL, or scroll down to read your selections.  Thanks for joining us today.

Russ Roberts (https://hawaiisciencejournal.com).

February 23—It’s Lauren here, stepping in for Tanya today. FDA commissioner Martin Makary said that the agency is considering allowing more prescription drugs to be sold over the counter, but some pharmacy experts express concerns over safety risks. Plus, the promises and shortcomings of Alzheimer’s blood tests, how compounded GLP-1 drugs might soon face greater FDA scrutiny and what VO₂ max means for health.

Thoughts? You can reach me at @laurenjyoung.bsky.social or lauren.young@sciam.com. We hope you stay warm!

—Lauren Young, Associate Editor, Health & Medicine
 
Top Stories
What if most medications were sold over the counter?

The FDA is reportedly considering broadening the types of drugs that can be sold without a prescription, a move some pharmacy experts say could raise safety risks

Lauren J. Young
Alzheimer’s blood tests predict what age people will be when the disease may cause symptoms, study finds

Tests that could reveal when Alzheimer’s disease will emerge, while promising, are not ready for use in otherwise healthy people, scientists say

Tanya Lewis
Support our work this year with a subscription to Scientific American. Thank you for amplifying independent science journalism!
FDA agrees to review Moderna mRNA flu vaccine in dramatic reversal

After initially rejecting Moderna’s application for review, the FDA will now consider the company’s mRNA flu shot

Claire Cameron
Compound weight-loss drugs are everywhere. The FDA is cracking down

The recent withdrawal of Hims & Hers’ GLP-1 pill raises questions about the safety and effectiveness of compounded medications

Lauren J. Young
This key fitness metric is crucial for Olympic ski mountaineering—and regular health, too

VO₂ max is an important measure of aerobic conditioning, whether you’re an Olympian or just a person hoping to stay healthy

Matt Fuchs
‘An AlphaFold 4’—scientists marvel at DeepMind drug spin-off’s exclusive new AI

Isomorphic Lab’s proprietary drug-discovery model is a major advance, but scientists developing open-source tools are left guessing how to achieve similar results

Ewen Callaway, Nature magazine
A pair of gut bacteria may cause constipation

A new study pinpoints two species of bacteria that work together to dry out the lining of the gut and cause constipation

Jackie Flynn Mogensen
Cats’ cancer genes show striking similarity to humans’

Researchers sequenced the genomes of tumors from almost 500 domestic cats and found remarkable parallels with human and dog cancers

K. R. Callaway
How does type 1 diabetes actually work?

What happens when your body suddenly stops making the one hormone that keeps your blood sugar in check?

Fonda Mwangi, Deboki Chakravarti, Mary Budwick
Key NIH research institute told to remove references to ‘pandemic preparedness’

Staff members have been instructed to scrub this topic and ‘biodefense’ from the agency’s website, a Nature investigation finds

Max Kozlov, Nature magazine
Your daily steps may depend on your zip code more than your willpower

Researchers found that walkable city design—not personal motivation—was the key factor behind people taking 1,100 more steps per day

Eve Lu
 
What We’re Reading
  • We tested the government’s official new AI nutrition tool: Grok | STAT
  • After blasting WHO costs, Trump officials propose more expensive alternative | The Washington Post
  • How South Carolina Doctors and Schools Are Fighting Measles | Think Global Health
 
From The Archive
Temperature Drops Put the Squeeze on Heart Attack Risk

A slight daily mean temperature decline can increase the number of heart attacks for up to a month, new research shows

Katherine Harmon
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Scientific American

“U.S. plan to drop some childhood vaccines to align with Denmark will endanger children.”

Views expressed in this science, technology, and health update are those of the reporters and correspondents.

Accessed on 22 December 2025, 2044 UTC.

Content and Source:  “Scientific American-Health & Medicine.”

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQdzvvvWXsGMqLcxvDtkSshPvjs

URL–https://www.scientificamerican.com.

Please check email link, URL, or scroll down to read your selections.  Thanks for joining us today.

Russ Roberts (https://hawaiisciencejournal.com).

December 22—This week, a nasty new flu variant making the rounds, the U.S. plans to potentially drop some childhood vaccines next year, and a look at whether probiotic supplements live up to the hype. I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season, and I’ll be back in your inboxes in 2026.

—Tanya Lewis, Senior Desk Editor, Health & Medicine
 
Top Stories
U.S. Plan to Drop Some Childhood Vaccines to Align with Denmark Will Endanger Children, Experts Say

The U.S. reportedly plans to overhaul the country’s childhood vaccine schedule. The move could set public health back decades, experts say

Lauren J. Young, Tanya Lewis
New Flu Variant May Be Triggering Spike in Severe Disease

A novel influenza variant called subclade K appears to be driving an uptick in cases and hospitalizations throughout the U.S. and other countries

Tanya Lewis
Support our work this holiday season with a subscription to Scientific American. Thank you for amplifying independent science journalism!
Trump Administration Moves to Severely Curtail Access to Gender-Affirming Care for Minors

Health officials on Thursday announced a slew of measures that seek to restrict access to gender-affirming health care for young transgender people in the U.S.

Lauren J. Young, Dan Vergano
From Agency Chaos to Dark Energy Shocks: How Politics, Health, Climate Policy and Space Science Defined 2025

A look back at 2025’s biggest science stories—from federal upheaval and public health setbacks to climate policy reversals and groundbreaking discoveries in space.

Dan Vergano, Tanya Lewis, Andrea Thompson, Lee Billings, Fonda Mwangi, Alex Sugiura, Kendra Pierre-Louis, Jeffery DelViscio
The Hype behind Probiotics

Popular supplements with billions of “good” microbes really help only a few illnesses, research shows

Lydia Denworth
RFK, Jr.–Backed Lyme Disease Conspiracy Theory May Be Probed under New Bill

President Donald Trump is expected to sign a defense bill this week that orders an investigation into whether the U.S. military bioengineered Lyme disease

Claire Cameron
Heart and Kidney Diseases and Type 2 Diabetes May Be One Ailment

These three disorders could really be “CKM syndrome,” which can be treated with drugs like Ozempic

Jyoti Madhusoodanan
Science Carries On. Here Are Our Top Topics for 2026

Whether space, health, technology or environment, here are the issues in science that the editors of Scientific American are focusing on for 2026

The Editors
 
What We’re Reading
  • First-of-its-kind study of transgender kids shows that very few socially detransition. | Popular Science
  • RFK, Jr.’s proposed changes to vaccine schedule pushed back over legal concerns. | Politico
  • Federal cuts leave the U.S. vulnerable to food-borne illness. | STAT
 
From The Archive
It’s Actually Healthier to Enjoy Holiday Foods without the Anxiety

Food anxiety can peak during the holidays. Here’s how to manage it and enjoy yourself

Allison Parshall
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Scientific American

“Health & Medicine:  Epstein-Barr virus may cause Lupus.”

Views expressed in this science, health, and technology update are those of the reporters and correspondents.

Accessed on 17 November 2025, 2218 UTC.

Content and Source:  “Scientific American:  Health & Medicine.”

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQcqtXwMznzDBvHLSkjmdWLBLrN

URL–https://www.scientificamerican.com.

November 17—Nearly two million U.S. turkeys have died from bird flu in recent months. As Thanksgiving approaches, how vulnerable are turkeys to ongoing H5N1 outbreaks? Senior reporter Meghan Bartels has the answers. Plus, new research suggests that Epstein-Barr virus, which causes “mono,” might also cause lupus. And a man with the tick-borne meat allergy, alpha-gal syndrome, died after eating a burger. More news below.

—Lauren J. Young, Associate Health Editor
 
TOP STORIES
Are Turkeys at Risk of Bird Flu This Thanksgiving?

Nearly two million U.S. turkeys have died from bird flu in recent months. An agricultural economist explains what ongoing outbreaks could mean for Thanksgiving meals
‘Mono’ Virus May Also Cause Lupus

Early findings indicate that Epstein-Barr Virus may also cause the autoimmune disease lupus
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Man With Tick-Borne Meat Allergy Dies after Eating Burger

Lone star tick bites are the most common cause of alpha-gal syndrome, which causes severe allergic reactions to red meat
How mRNA Vaccines Could Transform Cancer Treatment

From COVID shots to cancer therapy, mRNA is changing medicine.
FDA Strips Health Risk Warnings from Menopause Hormone Therapy

In a reversal, the Food and Drug Administration has removed black box warnings on hormone replacement therapies for menopause
Canada Just Lost Its Measles-Free Status. The U.S. Could Soon Follow

Canada lost its official measles elimination status after a year of continuous transmission
Global Study Reveals Best Cities for Walking and Cycling

Data from 11,587 cities show that, rain or shine, some places are just better for bikes and pedestrians
The Global Burden of Type 1 Diabetes Is Not Shared Equally

People with this autoimmune disease face much shorter life expectancies in lower-income nations.
 
WHAT WE’RE READING
  • A new antimalarial drug could help fight rising drug resistance. | Reuters
  • COVID vaccination cuts risk of long COVID in teens by over a third, according to a new data analysis. | Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy
  • A new study finds that eating ultraprocessed foods may raise the odds of developing early-age colorectal cancer. | CNN
 
FROM THE ARCHIVE
Red Meat Allergy Caused by Tick Bite Is Spreading—And Nearly Half of Doctors Don’t Know about It

The bite of the lone star tick can cause an allergy to red meat, as well as to dairy and some medications
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Scientific American

“Health & Medicine:  What drugs are safe during pregnancy?  Studies are lacking.”

Views expressed in this science, health, and technology update are those of the reporters and correspondents.

Content and Source:  “Scientific American-Health & Medicine.”

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQcqbThxRljMQPJzDlMktFbLjNw

URL–https://www.scientificamerican.com.

Please check email link, URL, or scroll down to read your selections.  Thanks for joining us today.

Russ Roberts (https://hawaiisciencejournal.com).

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October 27—This week, why weight loss drugs like Wegovy don’t work for everyone. After a summer lull, bird flu is back in force—my colleague Meghan Bartels has more about what that means. Speaking of birds, there’s another salmonella-related egg recall, so toss any affected eggs. All that and more, below.

—Tanya Lewis, Senior Desk Editor, Health & Medicine

Less than 1 percent of clinical trials include pregnant or breastfeeding people. Experts say that needs to change
The Gaping Lack of Drug Studies in Pregnancy

The recent brouhaha over whether acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) causes autism misses a key point about our knowledge of drugs that are safe to take while pregnant. While the evidence on acetaminophen does not show a convincing link to autism, we know far less about other medications in pregnant people because they simply aren’t included in most clinical trials or post-approval studies.

As many as 90 percent of people take at least one medication while pregnant, yet fewer than 1 percent of clinical trials include pregnant people. I talked to Alyssa Bilinski, an assistant professor of health policy at the Brown University School of Public Health, who has studied this gap. “There’s a growing consensus that we should be thinking less about protecting pregnant women from research and instead think about the benefits of protecting people through research,” Bilinski says.

Bilinski and others say this has to change. If we had done clinical trials of thalidomide, we might’ve prevented tens of thousands of birth defects in children, because the dangers would have become clear in a much smaller population. And many drugs are essential during pregnancy, including drugs for hypertension, HIV and mental health. There are ways to study the effects of drugs in these individuals ethically, and it’s essential to gain the knowledge needed to inform people who are pregnant, experts say. Read more in my story, above.

Follow me on Bluesky: @tanyalewis.bsky.social

—Tanya
 
Top Stories
Is There a Fundamental Limit to Human Metabolism? New Research Suggests Yes

A new study finds that even elite endurance athletes run up against a hard metabolic ceiling
Why Pregnant People Are Left Out of Drug Safety Studies

Despite the widespread use of medication during pregnancy, a lack of clinical research leaves patients and doctors navigating treatment with dangerously few data.
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John Green, acclaimed author and passionate advocate for global healthcare reform, tells a deeply human story illuminating the fight against the world’s deadliest infectious disease.
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People Who Don’t Lose Weight on Wegovy May Have Genetic Differences

Scientists look to genetics to explain why GLP-1 drugs work for some people but not for others
Bird Flu Is Back. Here’s What to Know

After a quiet summer, bird flu cases are rising again. Scientists expected the development, but what happens next is still uncertain
Supporting our work means amplifying science. With a subscription to Scientific American you’ll be backing independent science journalism.
FDA Warns People Not to Eat Recalled Eggs Contaminated with Salmonella

This is the third Salmonella-related egg recall of 2025. Here’s what to do if you have recalled eggs
This Is What Actually Helps When Sick with a Cold or Flu

Should you take vitamin C or zinc when you are sick with a common cold or influenza? Immunologist Zachary Rubin explains which at-home remedies actually help.
Which Anti-Inflammatory Supplements Actually Work?

Experts say the strongest scientific studies identify three compounds that fight disease and inflammation
Napoleon’s Defeat in Russia Was Aided by Two Surprising Deadly Diseases

Disease-causing bacteria that have been recently discovered in the teeth of Napoleonic soldiers may have spurred the massive infantry’s demise during its retreat from Russia
Retinal Implant Allows People with Blindness to Read Again in Small Trial

An electronic retinal implant has improved vision in people with age-related macular degeneration—but it isn’t a full restoration, and it didn’t improve participants’ quality of life
 
What We’re Reading
  • Doctors are afraid to speak out against Florida’s plans to remove mandates for vaccines that protect millions of children. | KFF Health News
  • A different strain of bird flu, H9N2, could pose a pandemic threat if it spreads among people. | Nature News
  • Scientists are investigating the mysterious rise of cancer among young people in Iowa. | The Washington Post
 
From The Archive
The Thalidomide Syndrome

A mild and supposedly safe sedative taken by pregnant women has deformed the limbs and other organs of several thousand infants in West Germany, England, Canada and other countries
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Scientific American

“Health & Medicine:  COVID vaccines are as powerful as ever, reducing risk of disease and death.”

Views expressed in this science, health, and technology update are those of the reporters and correspondents.  Accessed on 13 October 2025, 2028 UTC.

Content and Source:  “Scientific American-Health & Medicine.”

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQcqHZXTJQPgZcrvGMfwwtsbCZB

URL–https://www.scientificamerican.com.

Please check email link, URL, or scroll down to read your selections.  Thanks for joining us today.

Russ Roberts (https://hawaiisciencejournal.com).

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Norton

October 13—A new study found that people of all age groups who received an updated COVID vaccine had reduced risk of severe disease and death, regardless of immunity from prior infection or vaccination. And a pig liver surgery in a patient with an incurable cancerous tumor brings us closer to transplants from other species.

Plus, I sit down for a conversation with a former physician to the president for a recent episode of Science Quickly. Find that and more news below!

—Lauren Young, Associate Health Editor

A former White House physician reveals the medical realities of caring for the president of the U.S.

The health of President Trump and former President Biden has recently come under the spotlight, causing the public and medical experts to discuss how age-related health issues—from cognition to cancer to cardiovascular conditions—should be evaluated among our top elected officials. To get some insight on what White House medicine looks like, I interviewed former physician to the president, Jeffrey Kuhlman, in a recent episode of Science Quickly. In an edited excerpt of our conversation below, Kuhlman addresses age and politics.

Young: You brought up age. How much of the public’s concern around a political figure’s age is actually warranted from a medical perspective?

Kuhlman: I would state the obvious: age is the number-one risk factor for heart disease, it’s the number-one risk factor for cancer, and it’s the number-one risk factor for neurodegenerative conditions or cognitive decline.

I think that age is important. We have a gerontocracy. We have the oldest person ever elected to be president as the current president, and he’ll be 82 when he completes his second term. We have a senator who’s 91. New York Times invited me to write an essay about neurocognitive assessment. It is a fact of science, it’s not a political attack, that humans past the age of 60, [nearly] every single human starts to have cognitive decline.

The current president, who’s 79, he would benefit from a neurocognitive assessment. And that’s testing that does memory, reasoning, speed of processing, spatial visualization. So it just needs to be [a] more comprehensive assessment for these senior citizens that are in elected positions of great decision-making in the world.

Listen to the full interview with Jeffrey Kuhlman on Science Quickly, and wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Connect with me via email (lauren.young@sciam.com) or on Bluesky @laurenjyoung.bsky.social‬.

—Lauren Young
 
Top Stories
Annual COVID Vaccines Protect People against Severe Disease, Even with Prior Immunity

A new study shows that receiving an updated COVID vaccine reduced people’s risk of severe disease and death in all age groups, regardless of immunity from prior infection or vaccination
RFK, Jr., Says Tylenol Use for Circumcision Causes Autism. Here’s Why That Claim Is Flawed

Studies suggesting circumcision rates are linked with autism are “riddled with flaws”
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Pig Liver Surgery Moves Us Closer to Transplants from Other Species

Surgeons in China transplanted part of pig liver into a patient with an incurable cancerous tumor, and it functioned for more than a month
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Nobel Prizes, COVID Vaccine Updates and Malnutrition in Gaza

The CDC updates COVID vaccine guidance and stirs controversy over childhood immunizations. And global health experts warn of rising child malnutrition in Gaza.
Supreme Court Weighs Ban on Scientifically Discredited ‘Conversion Therapy’

The U.S. Supreme Court will determine whether Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy, an ineffective and often harmful practice targeting LGBTQ+ youth, violates a therapist’s right to free speech
AI Reads Your Tongue Color to Reveal Hidden Diseases

Inspired by principles from traditional Chinese medicine, researchers used AI to analyze tongue color as a diagnostic tool—with more than 96 percent accuracy
Babies Are Born with High Levels of Alzheimer’s-Linked Proteins in Their Brains

Researchers hope the finding could point to new therapeutic approaches for the disease
Bacteria Use Viral Naps to Build Immunity

New research shows how microbes use napping viruses to vaccinate themselves
Scientists Perform First-of-Its-Kind Transplant Using Kidney with a Converted Blood Type

A man diagnosed with brain death received a kidney that was modified to be type O, which is compatible with all blood types
 
What We’re Reading
  • The Trump Administration lays off dozens of CDC officials, including high-ranking scientists. | The New York Times
  • Former President Biden undergoes radiation therapy as his prostate cancer care enters new phase. | NBC News
  • U.S. measles cases continue to climb, with outbreaks in multiple states across the country. | NPR
 
From The Archive
Biden Is Out—And the Discussion of Aging in Politics Is In

The current presidential race has ensured that age will be a key and likely fraught consideration in future elections. Can science help determine how old is too old for a candidate before politics does?
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