AAAS, August 2014. The media frenzy surrounding the Ebola crisis in West Africa shows that many journalists don’t understand that an experimental drug is just that – a scientific experiment. It is not a “breakthrough” drug or a “cutting-edge treatment” or a prize to be envied, unless or until it is proven to be safer and more effective than nothing.
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Health Care Advice That Can Save Your Life
Huffington Post, July 17, 2014. My friend Barry just got out of the hospital, four months after having an almost deadly reaction to a prescription medication. Talking to him about his experience has made me realize how overwhelming it is for most people to figure out what medical treatments are best for them, which doctors to trust, and how to recover from a serious illness.
Read More »Shooting Stars, Hot Flashes, and Feeling Sexy
The Huffington Post, June 3, 2014. Pink viagra and shooting stars are both subject to a very strong placebo effect, and in both cases that can make people very happy. But one is more dangerous than the other.
Read More »Letter to the Editor: “FDA’s Compassionate-Use Program Offers Early Access Without Compromising Drug Trials”
Washington Post, April 24, 2014. If the pharmaceutical company is willing, parents who are understandably desperate to help their children can utilize the FDA’s compassionate-use program, which allows a patient with a life-threatening disease to receive an unapproved drug from the company.
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