Free Associations

Matt, Chris, and Jess may be freaked out by clowns but apparently they help kids with pain, they discuss the ethics of paying people to get vaccinated, and Chris goes out of this world.

Journal club article:

Clown study

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looks at whether smaller doses of yellow fever vaccine do just as well, they discuss whether one of the COVID vaccines is related to allergic reactions, and Chris gives us his best take on vaccines.

Journal club article:

Fractional dosing of yellow fever vaccine study

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that looks at whether spicy foods prevent gastrointestinal cancers in China, they debate the role of social media in public health messaging, and Matt repeats himself, yet again.

Journal club article:

Spicy food and GI cancer study

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study that looks at whether cannabis reduces the ability to drive well, they discuss whether COVID is affecting just the elderly, and Jess shows us she’s an animal lover.

Journal club article:

Cannabis and driving study

Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study that looks at whether babies born by C-section are more likely to have infectious illnesses after birth, they debate who should be allowed to critique public health (and who even is public health?), and Chris quizzes us on traffic.

Journal club article:

Mode of birth and infections study

Please enjoy this compilation of the best of Amazing and Amusing. Regular episodes will return in two weeks.

Matt, Chris, and Don are joined by Dean Sandro Galea for a live episode where we discuss a study that looks at whether decreases in COVID mortality are due to improvements in treatment, take audience questions, and Don measures our ears.

Journal club article:

Trends in COVID-19 mortality study

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that looks at whether survival after bariatric surgery is increasing, they lament patterns of prescribing hydroxychloroquine, and Matt gets prideful.

Journal club article:

Bariatric surgery study

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looks at whether social media micro-influencers can increase flu vaccine uptake, they discuss an alliance of western states to review COVID vaccine safety data, and Chris gets batty.

*Editor’s note: Horseshoe bats are insectivores, not fruit bats.

Journal club article:

Micro-influencers study