Public Health Advocates Turn to Influencers to Fight Online Misinformation
Public health experts are teaming with social‑media influencers to curb health misinformation online. Harvard’s Creator Program, launched three years ago, equips TikTok and Instagram creators with evidence‑based toolkits and virtual training, reaching audiences of millions. Early studies show modest but measurable gains: creators who received training referenced evidence‑based themes 5 percentage points more often, and youth viewers rated post‑training videos as more informative, with confidence in peer support rising from 60 % to 80 %. The approach aims to deliver “booster‑shot” messages to diverse, hard‑to‑reach populations.
Swim Club: Expensive Male Fertility Supplements Are All the Rage
SwimClub, a startup co‑founded by Osman Khan, is selling a $300, 90‑day male fertility supplement developed with Stanford urologist Michael Eisenberg. Khan’s personal IVF success story inspired the product, which the company markets to both men and women. Venture capital...
Viewpoint: CRISPR and mRNA — Under Attack by Technology Skeptics — Poised to Save Millions of Children with Rare Diseases
Rare genetic diseases affect roughly 25 million Americans and generate about $400 billion in annual medical costs, yet fewer than five percent have FDA‑approved therapies. The scarcity of treatments stems from the economics of drug development for tiny patient pools. Recent breakthroughs...
GLP Podcast: Miracle Drug? Tech Bros Inflate Depression-Fighting Effects of Psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT
In this episode of the Facts and Fallacies podcast, hosts Cameron English and Dr. Liza Lockwood dissect a recent JAMA Psychiatry trial of the synthetic psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT (GH001) for treatment‑resistant depression. They explain the drug’s biochemical roots, its historical link...
Debunking 5 Myths About Renewable Energy
The article dismantles five common renewable‑energy myths, citing recent data on cost, reliability, wildlife impact, electric‑vehicle range, and investment trends. It notes solar panel prices have dropped from $35 per watt in 1980 to just $0.26 per watt in 2024,...
Health Misinformation Is Exploding Online — and Government and Health Groups Shoulder some of the Blame
A JAMA Network Open study examined advertising revenue on 11 websites flagged for health misinformation from 2021 to 2024. The sites earned more than $336 million, with roughly 10 % of that money coming from health‑related advertisers such as the CDC, Pfizer,...
Trump Claims Windmills Kill Birds. Here Are the Facts.
President Trump asserted that wind turbines are a major cause of bird deaths. Fact‑checking shows turbines do kill birds and bats, but mortality rates are modest compared with buildings, vehicles, and cats. A 2023 peer‑reviewed study found no statistically significant...
Shilajit Ayurvedic Sex Drive-Boosting Myth: Tar-Like Ooze Extracted From Himalayan Rocks Doesn’t Work
Shilajit, a tar‑like resin harvested from Himalayan rock, is being promoted online as a natural testosterone booster. The only human data consist of two small, manufacturer‑funded trials involving 28‑38 men that reported modest increases in total and free testosterone after...
Will the MAHA Movement Save the GOP This Fall — or Help Bury It? This Man May Be Key
Tony Lyons, chief strategist of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, has urged Republican leaders to adopt popular health‑focused policies—such as banning soda from SNAP benefits and eliminating artificial food dyes—to win the 2026 midterm elections. In a February...
Viewpoint — Influential Sports Scientists: ‘No Evidence that Organic Food Is Healthier’
Sports scientist Dr. Mike Israetel told The Rubin Report that organic produce offers no consistent nutritional advantage over conventional foods and that pesticide residues in U.S. diets are far below harmful levels. He linked the preference for organic to the...
Viewpoint: Challenging Anti-Fracking ‘Scare Tactics’ and Disinformation
A recent opinion piece in the Canton Repository accuses Ohio environmental groups of using misinformation to fuel anti‑fracking sentiment. The author argues that the industry operates under stringent state, federal and EPA regulations, with wells drilled thousands of feet below...
Trump Demands Access to Africa’s Rare Minerals as Price to Fund Efforts to Battle AIDs
The Trump administration’s new "America First Global Health Strategy" ties U.S. HIV aid to access for Africa’s rare minerals. Under the revised PEPFAR model, countries must sign memoranda of understanding granting U.S. firms mineral rights in exchange for funding. Zimbabwe...
Red-Light Therapy: Breakthrough or Junk Science?
Red‑light therapy is attracting both scientific interest and commercial hype. Recent clinical studies have documented measurable improvements in peripheral neuropathy, retinal degeneration, and certain neurological disorders, leading some professional societies to endorse specific treatment protocols. At the same time, researchers...
STOMP—Scientists Skeptical of RFK, Jr.’s Dubious Crusade on Microplastics
The U.S. Health and Human Services Department and the EPA announced a $144 million Systematic Targeting of Microplastics (STOMP) initiative, led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and EPA head Lee Zeldin. The program will develop standardized detection methods, map microplastic presence...
Google and Search Engines Opened the Door to Online Misinformation. AI Could Help Address That.
Google’s search engine architecture unintentionally amplified online misinformation by prioritizing engagement‑driven content. The piece argues that while generative AI is feared to worsen the problem, it also offers tools to elevate credentialed experts and improve factual consensus. By automating fact‑checking...
