RFK, Jr.’s Delusion: Anti-Depressants Are Not Harder to Quit than Heroin—But that Does Not Mean Tapering Off Is Easy
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched a federal push to help Americans stop antidepressants, citing a clinical gap in deprescribing. Recent meta‑analyses show that discontinuation symptoms affect about 15% of patients, with severe reactions in roughly 3%, far lower than Kennedy’s claim that SSRIs are harder to quit than heroin. Experts stress that safe tapering requires gradual dose reduction, psychological support, and risk assessment, which the initiative currently lacks. The controversy highlights the need for evidence‑based guidelines and reimbursement for deprescribing.
Viewpoint: Scientists Recently Revised Downward the Likelihood of Catastrophic Global Warming. Reassured? You Shouldn’t Be.
A new study in *Nature* led by Jana Sillmann of CICERO re‑examines climate risk at the 2 °C warming threshold. The researchers modeled flooding, drought in key agricultural zones, and forest fires, finding that individual simulations can predict more severe outcomes...
Psychological Inoculation: With a Vaccine to Prevent HIV on the Horizon, Misinformation Is Soaring. What Can Be Done.
A new study examined psychological inoculation—pre‑bunking videos—to combat emerging HIV vaccine misinformation. Researchers produced 2.5‑minute TikTok‑style clips that presented false claims alongside factual rebuttals. In a trial of more than 2,000 South African women aged 18‑29, participants who viewed the...
‘It’s Not Super Useful’: As Wariness About AI Grows, Trump Proposes Rollback of Healthcare Safeguards
The Trump administration is proposing to roll back federal safeguards that require user‑centered testing and transparency for AI‑driven healthcare tools, including electronic health record (EHR) scribe software. Clinicians like Kaiser Permanente therapist Paul Boyer find current AI scribes, such as...
31 States Have Passed a Confusing Collection of Regulations for Cell-Based Meat and Plant and Insect Alternative Proteins
Over the past few years, 31 U.S. states have enacted a patchwork of regulations targeting cell‑cultured, plant‑based, and insect‑derived proteins. The measures range from labeling mandates that require qualifying terms such as “vegan” or “fake,” to outright bans on the...
MAGA’s Latest ‘Health Obsession’? Nicotine Patches Promoted by ‘Zynfluencers’—Including some in the Trump Administration
Nicotine pouches, marketed under brands like Zyn, have exploded from a niche product to a mainstream stimulant, capturing 44% of the oral tobacco market by 2024. Their discreet, tobacco‑free design appeals to influencers, gamers, and middle‑aged men seeking alertness without...
Colossal Bio Grows Chicks in 3D-Printed Artificial Eggs. Breakthrough or Copycat Technology?
Colossal Biosciences unveiled a 3D‑printed, silicone‑lined “artificial egg” that allowed baby chicks to develop inside transparent plastic cups at its Dallas lab. The company touts the invention as a step toward resurrecting extinct birds such as the dodo and giant...
Seed Oil Panic: RFK Jr. And Influencers Made Linoleic Acid a Dietary Villain and Heart Risk. Evidence Points the Other...
The recent "seed oil panic"—driven by RFK Jr. and social‑media influencers—portrays linoleic‑rich vegetable oils as a major heart‑disease risk. The article counters that claim, noting the January 2026 U.S. dietary guidelines now list butter, beef tallow and olive oil as acceptable cooking...
Is Surrogacy Modern-Day Slavery? What to Know About Florida Republican Effort to Pass Severe Restrictions.
Attorney General James Uthmeier is arguing before Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal that surrogacy violates the state constitution, calling the practice modern‑day slavery. Governor Ron DeSantis has backed legislation that bans surrogacy contracts with citizens or residents of designated...
‘Implausible’: Top Climate Scientists Reject Worst-Case Scenario—Soaring Temperatures and Fast-Rising Sea Levels
Top climate scientists have urged the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to retire its most extreme emissions scenario, RCP 8.5, labeling it implausible based on recent fossil‑fuel consumption trends. The move reflects updated modeling that shows the world is unlikely...
UK Gene-Editing Milestone: Livestock Barley that Increases Ruminant Value and Reduces Methane Emissions Is First-Approved CRISPR Crop
The United Kingdom has issued its first regulatory approval for a gene‑edited crop, marking a milestone under its new precision‑breeding framework. Rothamsted Research’s CRISPR‑edited barley contains significantly higher lipid levels, which can boost the energy value of feed for ruminants....
Viewpoint: NAD Is the Wellness Grifters Latest Evidence-Lite Longevity Fad. At Least the Mice Are Impressed.
NAD has surged into mainstream wellness, propelled by celebrity endorsements and a market of oral capsules, skin patches, and costly IV infusions. While precursors such as nicotinamide riboside and NMN can raise blood NAD levels, human studies have yet to...
Sharp Rise in Number of Parents Refusing Newborn Vitamin K Shots, Putting Babies at 81-Fold Higher Risk of Severe Bleeding
A new JAMA study shows 5.2% of U.S. newborns in 2024 did not receive the recommended vitamin K injection, up from 2.9% in 2017 – a 77% increase. Infants who miss the shot face an 81‑fold higher risk of vitamin...
Social Media’s Health Advice Red Flags
A study of 6,828 health and wellness influencers with over 100,000 followers found that only about 40% have formal health‑professional credentials. The majority present themselves as coaches, entrepreneurs, or rely on personal experience, yet they monetize their content. Experts warn...
Viewpoint—‘Technology Is Pulling Us Apart’: Environmental, Political, and Economic
The Guardian editor‑in‑chief argues that the digital revolution is amplifying three interlinked crises—environmental, political and economic—by fragmenting attention and destabilising discourse. He cites a February scientific warning that the planet is nearer a climate “point of no return” and notes...