GLP podcast: Trump pardons ‘drug kingpin’; Downside of ‘do your own research’; IVF clinic swaps embryos

Ross Ulbricht was poised to spend the rest of his life in prison for running an illicit online drug market. Now he’s free thanks to a pardon from president Trump. Critics fear the pardon system has been abused for political purposes in this case. Are they correct? Should you do your own research when it comes to science and health topics or trust experts? Maybe the answer is “both.” An in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic recently swapped embryos on two unsuspecting families. The accident inadvertently triggered a slew of awkward questions about the ethics of IVF.

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Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 301 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

• Political opportunism and campaign donations: Trump pardons Silk Road drug kingpin convicted of selling heroin and meth on the Dark Web

Ross Ulbricht was given two life sentences plus 40 years in 2015 for running the Silk Road, a website commonly used to anonymously sell illicit drugs. After more than nine years in prison, Ulbricht is free courtesy of a pardon from the new Trump Administration. Critics say the decision is merely a case of vote hustling, a political candidate rewarding his supporters. But is there a more important lesson to learn from the story?

• Why ‘Do your own research’ and ‘Believe in Science” encourage science illiteracy

A growing coalition of science skeptics rejects expert consensus in favor of their own research on important health topics, everything from food and nutrition to chemical and vaccine safety. Are these iconoclasts justified in rejecting the insight of specialists, or are they just leaning into their own ignorance and refusing to acknowledge the risks?

• IVF mixup: What’s to be done if your child gets switched with another at birth—and you don’t find out till years later

What happens when an IFV clinic mixes up embryos and children are born to the wrong parents? Two couples recently lived through that distressing experience, only spotting the mistake months later and making the painful decision to swap daughters. What can we learn about the safety and ethics of IVF from this bizarre situation?

Dr. Liza Dunn is a medical toxicologist and the medical affairs lead at Bayer Crop Science. Follow her on X @DrLizaMD

Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health. Visit his website and follow him on X @camjenglish