Food Insecurity In 2020
An estimated 35 million people were food insecure last year, and the dislocations due to Covid-19 have made it much worse now.
The Looming “Hothouse Earth”
Climate scientists fear we may soon reach the point of no return, resulting in a hothouse with large portions of the planet uninhabitable.
Planning for the Next Pandemic
The next pandemic is only a matter of “When and what,” according to health security experts, who here discuss what’s needed to be ready for a variety of possible pandemics and infectious threats, both natural and terror.
Who Gets a Vaccine?
Development of a coronavirus vaccine is proceeding at a breakneck pace. What needs to happen to make sure it’s safe and effective? And if a vaccine is successfully made, who should get it first?
The Economy After the Pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a quicker economic crash than we’ve ever seen. Opening the nation too fast will likely trigger a “W” shaped recovery with wide swings of growth then decline. Either way, the effects will last for years. Experts discuss likely scenarios.
Will Covid-19 Bankrupt the Healthcare System?
Hospitals are scrambling to get extra equipment and outfit more beds and ICU units for Covid-19 patients. Their treatment is time-consuming and expensive. At the same time, hospitals’ lucrative elective procedure business has largely been eliminated. Will the combination bankrupt hospitals? Two experts who have studied the crisis discuss.
The Effect of Public Policies on the Coronavirus Fight
The effectiveness of efforts to contain coronavirus often depend on governmental policies determined years or even decades ago that, at the time, had nothing to do with public health. A health policy expert discusses some of these policies and what they mean for coronavirus testing and treatment.
The Risks of Egg Donation
Some agencies estimate that 50,000 children have been born in the US using donor eggs. But egg donation (or sale, as some insist) is not regulated, and while short term risks are known, few donors have been followed for years. Long term risks are not well understood. Experts discuss what we know… and what we don’t.
“Mind Control,” and Psychedelics, and the CIA
An author discusses his investigation into CIA mind control efforts in the 1950’s and 60’s through the use of psychedelic drugs, which unwittingly led to an explosion of the drugs’ use.
Heat and Violence
Violence increases as temperatures rise in the summer, but are higher temperatures a cause of aggression? New research shows that the answer is yes, especially in family conflict, and that poor neighborhoods bear the brunt of the relationship. Researchers discuss the synergy between poverty, heat, and aggression, and speculate that a warmer world in the …
Importing Canadian Drugs
The Trump Administration has proposed wholesale import of drugs from Canada to ease high US prescription drug prices. But since Canada is 1/10th the size of the US, could it supply enough drugs to make a difference?
Medical Notes: Week of September 15, 2019
Nodding off very often during the day may be an early warning sign of Alzheimer’s disease. Then, surveys show that about a tenth of Americans over age 18 either use illicit drugs or don’t use their medications the way they’re supposed to. And finally, If you’re really stressed, a nice glass of red wine really could be just the ticket.
