Category: Epidemiology

Handwashing to Prevent Pandemic

A new study finds that handwashing at airports is probably the single most effective method for preventing pandemics.

/ February 12, 2020

A new study reinforces the conclusion that autism is primarily genetic

Last week, the largest epidemiological study of its kind was published and concluded, once again, that autism is primarily due to genes and that the environmental component of autism risk is much smaller. Not surprisingly, once again antivaxers didn't want to hear that message.

/ July 22, 2019

Pee Values: Tapping into large databases to answer an awkward situation in veterinary medicine

A handy research tool has just helped answer some long standing questions about the spaying of female dogs and urinary incontinence.

/ May 24, 2019

Update on Glyphosate

A legal decision against the makers of glyphosate is not supported by the science.

/ April 3, 2019

Lessons in confounding epidemiology: Household cleaning products, the microbiome and childhood obesity

Do eco-friendly cleaning products prevent obesity? Probably not, and you shouldn't be eating them anyway.

/ March 14, 2019

Are Smart Meters a Health Risk?

Don't worry. There is no plausible health risk from the miniscule EMF from smart meters.

/ February 27, 2019

The benefits of the measles vaccine go beyond just protecting against measles, 2019 edition

It's indisputable that vaccines protect against specific infectious diseases. What's less well known is how a vaccine like the measles vaccine protects against more than just measles.

/ February 11, 2019

Your gout, your fault?

Is gout a consequence of lifestyle choices? Or is it mainly genetics?

/ December 13, 2018

Cancer disparities: It’s money that matters (along with a lot of other things)

Cancer is a complex set of diseases. I commonly discuss complexities in its biology and treatment. However, there's another layer of complexity that leads to marked disparities in cancer incidence and death rates. One major factor associated with such disparities is socioeconomic status.

/ October 8, 2018

The Science Behind the Roundup Lawsuit

A jury has awarded a man $289 million for allegedly contracting cancer from exposure to Roundup, but the science is not on their side.

/ August 15, 2018