Category Archives: drugs

Pharmaceutical ads in the U.S.: Top questions answered

Posted on September 10, 2025 by Jim deMaine

Aaron S. Kesselheim is a primary care physician, lawyer, and professor of medicine at Harvard with expertise in pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacoeconomics. Pharmaceutical ads in the United States are annoying. Absurd. And almost uniquely American. In fact, only one other high-income … Continue reading →

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Is There a Least Bad Alcohol?

Posted on July 3, 2025 by Jim deMaine

By Caroline Hopkins Legaspi in the NYT If you’ve heard that red wine is better for you than beer or liquor, or that clear liquor like vodka or gin is less harmful than dark liquor like rum or whiskey, we have bad news. … Continue reading →

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The Irony of RFK Jr.’s Conflicts of Interest Gambit

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Jim deMaine

RFK Jr. purged the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee claiming they were in the pocket of the pharmaceutical industry. But who is really conflicted? PAUL OFFIT JUN 24 (thanks to Ed M.) On June 9, 2025, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the … Continue reading →

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Problems with the FDA and exempted generic drugs

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Jim deMaine

From ProPublica (thanks to Sylvia P.) There have been significant concerns about the FDA’s abilities and willingness to adequately supervise the production of many of the generics we daily use (often from India and China). For the article please click … Continue reading →

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The healing power of the mind

Posted on July 17, 2024 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Ed M. Ed Note: I’ve always been fascinated with the placebo effect, the poorly understood but real connection between mind and body. Click here for my story concerning the placebo effect on one of my own patients. by … Continue reading →

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My Father Didn’t Want to Live if He Had Dementia. But Then He Had It.

Posted on October 28, 2023 by Jim deMaine

By Sandeep Jauhar Dr. Jauhar is a cardiologist who writes frequently about medical care and public health. He is the author of “My Father’s Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer’s.” From the editor: Please see my comments at the end … Continue reading →

Posted in Dementia, drugs, end of life | 1 Comment

Helen Cox Richardson’s update – fentanyl

Posted on April 15, 2023 by Jim deMaine

The Biden administration today announced a series of actions it has taken and will continue to take to disrupt the production and distribution of illegal street fentanyl around the world. The efforts involve the Department of Justice, including the Drug … Continue reading →

Posted in drugs, Economics, Guns | 2 Comments