Recent breakthroughs in stem-cell research have raised the prospect of one day "breeding" humans and growing organs in a lab. How realistic are these scenarios? Netflix just released an embarrassing miniseries about the opioid epidemic. Let's take a closer look at the show's claims.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer's (IARC) conclusion that the sweetener aspartame "possibly" causes cancer is definitely stupid. You can eat a diet consisting of 91 percent 'ultra-processed' food and be healthy, according to a new study. Let's take a closer look.

The American Medical Association claims the body mass index (BMI) is "white supremacist" medicine, and the CDC says men can breastfeed babies. The public health establishment seems to have lost its grip on reality. How did this happen?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in health care. It could lower costs and streamline patient interactions—but the technology has a dark side, too. Critics of "ultra-processed" food often claim that certain snacks aren't even food. Let's debunk this myth, with a special focus on Pop-Tarts.

A new health scare is brewing as reporters speculate about the cancer risk of consuming the sweetener sucralose. Is there any evidence behind the panic? No. A team of scientists recently argued that it's time for developed nations to pay reparations for causing climate change. Let's take a critical look at their claims.

A recent study linking marijuana use to schizophrenia attracted widespread attention. Now that the excitement has died down, let's take a closer look at the science. How does Pfizer's weight-loss pill compare to Ozempic, the obesity treatment beloved celebrities the world over?

Join host Cameron English as he sits down with Dr. Chuck Dinerstein to break down these stories on Episode 43 of the Science Dispatch podcast:

Within the timeframe of the legalization of recreational cannabis, there's been a rise in cannabis “use disorder” and the diagnosis of schizophrenia. It's become a chicken or egg which-came-first problem. A new study suggests cannabis is the gateway, creating 15% of new cases of schizophrenia annually.

If you're one of the 100% of viewers who want to put a brick through your TV when one of the ceaseless, nauseating Ozempic ads comes on there's hope on the horizon. Pfizer has a pill that seems to work as well as the O-O-O-Ozempic injections. Perhaps this will shut up those wretched ads. A look at Pfizer's clinical trial data.

Cutting the dose of Tylenol in opioids makes the drugs safer. Why? Pharma company J&J is developing a drug that could reduce liver damage caused by Tylenol—which J&J also sells. Join host Cameron English as he sits down with Dr. Josh Bloom to break down these stories on Episode 42 of the Science Dispatch podcast:

Lost in the discussion of the alleged danger of opioid medications is that most of them also contain acetaminophen (Tylenol). Although acetaminophen is generally seen as benign, it is not. Here is what happened when the FDA cut the maximum acetaminophen dose to 325 mg. You may be surprised.

Johnson & Johnson is working on a drug to repair liver damage caused by Tylenol, which has made the company billions since it was launched in 1955. Isn't this a bit like having a dentist's office in the back of a candy store?

Dr. Tony Fauci, former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, recently acknowledged that the COVID shots didn't perform as well as public health experts hoped they would. What can policymakers learn from this controversial analysis? California is poised to ban five commonly used chemicals under the guise of protecting children. There's no science to justify the legislation.

Join host Cameron English as he sits down with Dr. Chuck Dinerstein to break down these stories on Episode 41 of the Science Dispatch podcast:

Dr. Fauci, speaking on vaccinations: “Past unsuccessful attempts to elicit solid protection against mucosal respiratory viruses [COVID-19] and to control the deadly outbreaks and pandemics they cause," he said, "have been a scientific and public health failure that must be urgently addressed.” That's a lot to unpack.

A bill recently introduced in the California State Assembly would prohibit five chemicals: brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, polyparaben, red dye #3, and titanium dioxide – all banned in Europe – from food products in California. Let’s dig past the headline.

A concerning shortage of Adderall, one of the drugs commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is putting patients at risk. What caused it, and how can we fix it? The EPA has set new guidelines to keep PFAS out of drinking water. There's a problem, however: the agency's standards are absurd.

Join host Cameron English as he sits down with Dr. Chuck Dinerstein to break down these stories on Episode 40 of the Science Dispatch podcast:

The shortage of Adderall, an important medication used to treat ADHD – attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder – is a story of supply, demand, the invisible hand of market forces. It’s also about a bureaucracy focused on regulation rather than outcome. It has all the hallmarks of the opioid crisis. We have learned nothing.

With much fanfare, the EPA announced the proposed drinking water regulations for two “forever chemicals,” PFOA and PFOS. EPA Administrator Michael Regan said, “Communities across the country have suffered far too long from the ever-present threat of PFAS pollution. That is why President Biden launched a whole-of-government approach to aggressively confront these harmful chemicals, and EPA is leading the way forward.”

Does masking reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2? The Cochrane Collaboration tried to analyze the messy evidence around that question and re-ignited an incendiary political debate. What conclusion should we draw from their findings? There's lots of misinformation out there; there's also rampant misinformation about that misinformation. Don't be fooled by either of them.

Join host Cameron English as he sits down with Dr. Chuck Dinerstein to break down these stories on Episode 39 of the Science Dispatch podcast:

The ability of masks, especially high-quality ones, to prevent the transmission of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, is incontrovertible, but some commentators have come unglued on the subject.

The misinformation about the 2016 and 2020 elections and the misinformation about COVID’s origins and treatments are responsible for our disarray. That, at least, is what many of us believe, even though what is “disarrayed” differs quite a bit between MSNBC and FOX. Is misinformation so powerful that it overcomes the truth? Or is there something about human behavior that makes misinformation seem more powerful than truth? A new study suggests the fault lies more within us than “in our stars.”