placebo

Viewpoint — Alternative medicine and the placebo effect: Selling a reassuring illusion of health

Hannah Kerman |
For many people who can afford it, it is not their doctor, but an acupuncturist or massage therapist who will ...
Viewpoint: 'Crisis of public trust': Autism support community shocked RFK continues to peddle false claims about the danger of vaccines

Viewpoint: ‘Crisis of public trust’: Autism support community shocked RFK continues to peddle false claims about the danger of vaccines

Melody Schreiber |
Misinformation from top health officials in the Trump administration has created a “crisis of public trust” – and Congress should ...
Viewpoint: Why the retracted Monsanto glyphosate study doesn’t change the science—the world’s most popular herbicide is safe 

Viewpoint: Why the retracted Monsanto glyphosate study doesn’t change the science—the world’s most popular herbicide is safe 

Michael Schulson |
In 2000, three researchers published a peer-reviewed paper concluding that, “under present and expected conditions of use,” Roundup, a formulation of ...
The FDA couldn’t find a vaccine safety crisis, so it buried its own research

The FDA couldn’t find a vaccine safety crisis, so it buried its own research

Henry Miller |
Corrupt and Unethical Leadership at the FDA There is a particular kind of government betrayal that arrives not with a ...
Defying death: The immortality movement goes mainstream

Defying death: The immortality movement goes mainstream

Hannah Kuchler, Michael Peel |
Michael Peel ... [I]n this series, we’re exploring the origins of the longevity movement and how it’s migrating from the ...
the magic of mRNA

Viewpoint: Anti-vax fake ‘turbo cancer’ claims threaten cancer treatment breakthroughs

Dannell Boatman |
Since the early 2000s, there have been over 120 promising clinical trials testing the use of mRNA vaccines to treat multiple cancer ...
Viewpoint: The state of U.S. vaccine policy? Dismal nationally, but some states are stepping up.

Viewpoint: The state of U.S. vaccine policy? Dismal nationally, but some states are stepping up.

[T]he chasm between what gets said on Capitol Hill and what actually ends up playing out in policy has never ...
Viewpoint: Will AI democratize personalized cancer treatment or fuel medical misinformation?

Viewpoint: Will AI democratize personalized cancer treatment or fuel medical misinformation?

The Scientist Staff |
Artificial intelligence (AI) has made major advances in biomedical research. It has powered tools such as AlphaFold and systems that ...
As U.S. officials spread medical misinformation, scientists fact check online

As U.S. officials spread medical misinformation, scientists fact check online

Lisa Marshall |
[Asma] Khalil is part of a growing movement of physician-scientists leveraging their resources and expertise to push back against what ...
Viewpoint: ‘Safer for children?’ Stonyfield yogurt under fire for deceptive organic marketing

Viewpoint: ‘Safer for children?’ Stonyfield yogurt under fire for deceptive organic marketing

Caroline Cunnane |
In the competitive food marketplace, fear-based marketing continues to be a go-to strategy for some food companies trying to differentiate ...
Facebook swamped by hundreds of thousands of scam ads for illegal or dangerous medical products

Facebook swamped by hundreds of thousands of scam ads for illegal or dangerous medical products

Teddy Rosenbluth |
Two months ago, a sponsored post for a supplement popped up on Facebook with a miraculous claim: “The doctors have ...
How big health brands are funding online medical misinformation 

How big health brands are funding online medical misinformation 

Sofia Rubinson |
A study published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open, which is published by the American Medical Association, found that health care-related ...
Longevity: Is cellular rejuvenation even possible?

Longevity: Is cellular rejuvenation even possible?

Susan Dominus |
Many scientists now believe that mastering cellular rejuvenation may be the key to transforming how long and how well we ...
Viewpoint: Can this California pediatrician and Congressional hopeful quell anti-vaccine extremists?

Viewpoint: Can this California pediatrician and Congressional hopeful quell anti-vaccine extremists?

Anna Rogers |
Dr. Richard Pan is no stranger to blood. As a pediatrician, he was trained for its inevitability. But unlike your average medical ...
Millions take omega-3 fish oil for brain health. New research suggests it may do the opposite.

Millions take omega-3 fish oil for brain health. New research suggests it may do the opposite.

While omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is widely used for cognitive protection, its efficacy remains controversial, and its impact on core ...
Viewpoint: ‘Measles is a canary in the healthcare coal mine’: Challenging RFK, Jr.’s scare campaign

Viewpoint: ‘Measles is a canary in the healthcare coal mine’: Challenging RFK, Jr.’s scare campaign

Editorial Board |
The rise of measles may also be a harbinger of something even worse, public officials say. “Measles is basically a ...
After slashing global health aid by $19 Billion, Trump moves to tap $2.1 billion more—to cover shutdown costs

After slashing global health aid by $19 Billion, Trump moves to tap $2.1 billion more—to cover shutdown costs

Lauren Kent |
The Trump administration plans to redirect $2 billion in funding intended for global health programs to cover the cost of ...
Viewers of right-wing news sites are double as likely to view MMR vaccines suspiciously

Viewers of right-wing news sites are double as likely to view MMR vaccines suspiciously

Laine Bergeson |
Where Americans get their news may play a significant role in shaping their attitudes toward the measles, mumps, and rubella ...
Viewpoint: Are cancer rates ‘skyrocketing’ as RFK, Jr. and MAHA claim? The evidence says mostly the opposite

Viewpoint: Are cancer rates ‘skyrocketing’ as RFK, Jr. and MAHA claim? The evidence says mostly the opposite

Andrea Love |
Clickbait headlines often obscure this reality and reinforce misunderstandings. For example, cancer is not a single disease; it’s a catchall ...
Viewpoint: How to counter science disinformation? Science journalist offers 12 practical tips

Viewpoint: How to counter science disinformation? Science journalist offers 12 practical tips

David Zaruk |
Science communications is not an easy task. You have to be comprehensive and concise, simplifying the message while not dumbing ...
'He seems fine': Marty Makary out as FDA commissioner

‘He seems fine’: Marty Makary out as FDA commissioner

Melody Schreiber |
Marty Makary resigned from his position as commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on [May 12, 2026], ...
GLP podcast: Big Pharma, Big Ag, Big Food—health harming industries or life-saving innovators?

GLP podcast: Big Pharma, Big Ag, Big Food—health harming industries or life-saving innovators?

Fossil fuels, pesticides and food processing have dramatically improved living standards around the globe. This may be a controversial claim, ...
Regulators' dilemma: Thalidomide, Metformin, and the cost of getting drug approvals wrong

Regulators’ dilemma: Thalidomide, Metformin, and the cost of getting drug approvals wrong

Umpiring in sport is a strange profession. A cricket umpire stands for hours under the sun, matching the stamina of ...
Viewpoint: RFK Jr. recommends replacing ‘poisonous’ seed oils with beef tallow. The American Heart Association says that could eventually kill you.

Viewpoint: RFK Jr. recommends replacing ‘poisonous’ seed oils with beef tallow. The American Heart Association says that could eventually kill you.

Vijay Kumar Malesu |
Beef tallow is a high-fat food that contains very limited micronutrients when consumed in typical dietary amounts.  ... The high ...
Pro-vaccine “hero” vs. an anti-vax “villain”: ‘Bad Vaxx’ video stirs MAHA backlash

Pro-vaccine “hero” vs. an anti-vax “villain”: ‘Bad Vaxx’ video stirs MAHA backlash

Michael Nevradakis |
A video game billed as a “‘vaccine’ against disinformation” is drawing criticism for the “inoculation” strategies it employs — and ...
Hantavirus outbreak research: Trump administration shut down study last year on rodent-to-human transmission

Hantavirus outbreak research: Trump administration shut down study last year on rodent-to-human transmission

Adam Kovac |
In 2025 the Trump administration eliminated funding for a group that had been running a pilot project aimed at studying the type ...
“Evidence for puberty suppression and gender affirming hormones limited’: British doctors group questions early transitions but also opposes blocker ban

“Evidence for puberty suppression and gender affirming hormones limited’: British doctors group questions early transitions but also opposes blocker ban

Rebecca Coombes |
The BMA’s long awaited critique of the Cass review has largely vindicated the findings of the original landmark review into ...