GLP Podcast: Epoch Times’ glyphosate hysteria debunked; Paxlovid rebound; Melatonin isn’t for kids?

Right-wing newspaper the Epoch Times recently published an anti-glyphosate story you might expect to see from a progressive activist group. Why have the fringes of both political parties endorsed the same techno-phobic claims about modern agriculture? Paxlovid is the best COVID-19 therapy we have. So why are some patients displaying symptoms after treatment with this anti-viral drug? Melatonin is widely consumed as a safe, “natural” sleep aid. But it may carry more risks than we thought—especially for children.

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Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 175 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

• Viewpoint: Rightwing The Epoch Times circulates anti-GMO hysteria and disinformation usually found on the ‘natural’ left

Activists on opposite sides of the political spectrum disagree about almost everything. One of the few exceptions appears to be their mutual willingness to deny the safety and efficacy of modern pesticides, most notably the weedkiller glyphosate. Why do people with such drastically different worldviews agree on this particular issue?

• Should COVID sufferers avoid Paxlovid because of symptoms?

Of the few treatments we have for COVID-19, the anti-viral Paxlovid is currently the most effective. Experts were briefly puzzled when they began to see patients recover from infection after using the drug then quickly develop new symptoms. We’re they reinfected shortly after treatment, or is there another explanation for so-called “Paxlovid rebound”?

• Is melatonin a safe and risk-free sleep aid — as many doctors contend? Think twice

Many people routinely use the hormone melatonin as a natural sleep aid. Taken in the right dose and on the advice of a physician, it appears to be safe and effective. But problems can arise when consumers take too much of it for too long; the side effects, though usually not severe, seem to be worse in younger populations. In the last decade, 27,795 cases of melatonin poisoning required medical treatment and two children died, the CDC recently reported. How did this happen, and what can we do to prevent these unfortunate outcomes in the future?

Kevin M. Folta is a professor, keynote speaker and podcast host. Follow Professor Folta on Twitter @kevinfolta

Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health. Visit his website and follow ACSH on Twitter @ACSHorg