Science Facts & Fallacies

The recently released Cass report has intensified an already ferocious debate over gender-affirming care for children. What are the key takeaways from the controversial review? An emerging field of medicine known as fetal genome surgery could allow doctors to prevent serious genetic disorders before children are born.  Our health and ancestry data is increasingly tracked and shared today. Could governments and corporations use this sensitive information against us?

Podcast:

 

Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 265 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Viewpoint: Once greatly critical of those using unregulated medications, liberals now endorse unregulated puberty blocking drugs for kids as young as 10. Should we end this dangerous ‘experiment’?

The recently released Cass report has raised some critical questions about so-called gender-affirming care for minors. Among its many findings, the 388-page review concluded that some of the effects of puberty blockers are not reversible; that gender incongruence among children is normal and doesn't necessitate transitioning; and that sex reassignment does not reduce the risk of suicide in transgender children. How will the incendiary review impact the ongoing cultural debate over transgenderism?

* Saving human lives: Using gene therapy and fetal surgery to cure diseases in the womb

Gene editing has already yielded groundbreaking therapies for conditions ranging from sickle cell disease to cancer. In the coming years, the same technology may allow physicians to prevent genetic disorders during pregnancy, long before they can cause harm later in life. Known as "fetal genome surgery," this nascent field has generated lots of excitement among scientists. Can it live up to all the hype?

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* Viewpoint: ‘Body-tracking data is so much a part of our daily lives that we sometimes forget it can be used against us’
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A court in the Philippines has blocked the release of vitamin-A fortified Golden Rice in the country. What happens next? Could the weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy reshape America's eating habits? The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) misleads the public about cancer risk; let's correct some of the critical misconceptions the agency has encouraged in recent years.

Podcast:

Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 264 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Rollout of Vitamin A enhanced GMO Golden Rice in the Philippines blocked by surprise court ruling

After roughly two decades of research and regulatory review, the Philippines finally approved genetically engineered Golden Rice for public consumption. An appeals court unexpectedly blocked the approval last week, however, finding that the government didn't appropriately assess the risk that Golden Rice posed to the environment. The government is expected to appeal the decision, and some experts anticipate that Golden Rice will eventually be approved. But for the time being, millions of children's afflicted by vitamin A deficiency will be denied access to a biofortified food that could save their lives.

* How Wegovy and Ozempic could transform our food systems

The blockbuster weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic may do much more than help Americans rapidly shed their unwanted fat. Because the medicines help regulate blood sugar and reduce appetite, it's possible that consumer demand for calorie-dense snack foods could decline in the US, incentivizing food companies to offer more nutritious options in grocery stores and restaurants. Have we finally developed effective treatments that can help us rein in the obesity epidemic?

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* How IARC and other ‘independent’ global cancer assessment agencies can distort the public’s understanding of the risks of cancer

The public is deeply confused about the cancer risk associated with many foods and consumer products. This is due in large part to the work of IARC and other public health agencies that issue confusing, and sometimes outright deceptive, hazard assessments that mislead people about generally harmless substances, including aloe vera and even coffee. Let's clear up the confusion and address some of the most common m...

RFK, Jr. has resurrected the long-debunked speculation that atrazine, a low-toxicity weedkiller, causes sexual dysphoria in frogs—and humans. The oft-reported GMO vs. organic agriculture debate is a marketing myth; one farmer says we should quit taking sides in this meaningless dispute. The Chinese scientist who illegally edited the DNA of human embryos in 2018 is out of jail and back in his lab. What sort of experiments is he up to?

Podcast:

Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 261 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Video viewpoint: Humans as frogs? Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. claims that unsubstantiated but perceived rise in male sexual dysphoria is driven by atrazine in our water supply

More than 20 years ago, a one-off study roiled the world of agriculture by concluding that exposure to low doses of atrazine caused sexual abnormalities in frogs, and may have similar effects in humans. Follow-up research conducted by the EPA and independent experts over the next decade demonstrated that the hormone-disrupting effects of the weedkiller were non-existent, bringing the scandal to an unceremonious end. RFK, Jr. wasn't convinced, however. "If it’s doing that to frogs, there’s a lot of other evidence that it’s doing it to human beings as well," he claimed during an interview in late March. Has Kennedy uncovered new evidence, or has he been seduced by anti-chemical campaigners?

* Viewpoint: There’s enough common ground for organic, regenerative, and conventional agriculture to live in harmony

Reporters and environmental activists regularly portray organic and conventional agriculture as warring factions in a pitched battle for control of global food production. The truth is much less pugnacious. In reality, many farmers grow conventional and organic crops; there is also significant overlap between the practices employed in conventional and organic farming. For these reasons, at least one farmer says it's high time we abandon the adversarial framing that has polluted the public's understanding of food and farming for so long.

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* Challenging bioethical taboos: Chinese scientist He Jiankui who modified the genes of human embryo...

So-called "diet weed" is slowly gaining popularity across the US. Is this newfangled drug safe to consume? Scientists have successfully bred a cow that produces insulin in its milk, potentially opening the door to a new method of drug production that could lower prices for patients. Some conservatives argue that genetic enhancement is not only good but necessary to protect public health. How compelling is their argument?

Podcast:

Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 260 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* ‘Diet weed’: More than 10% of high school seniors take ‘loophole’ legal drug delta-8 THC. What are the consequences?

Thanks to a loophole in federal drug regulations, consumers in states where marijuana is still illegal are experimenting with Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive chemical remarkably similar to delta-9 THC, the compound in cannabis that gets users "high." Because recreational use of delta-8 THC is a relatively new phenomenon, there is little research into its health effects. This has some public health  experts worried because a very small group of high-school students has reported using this "diet weed" in the last year. Can scientists and regulators catch up to the latest drug fad before delta-8 THC becomes more popular?

* Coming era of cattle farming: Genetically engineered dairy cow produces human insulin in milk

Scientists have successfully engineered a dairy cow that produces human insulin in its milk. Though it was only a proof-of-concept study, the ultimate goal of this research is to develop a more affordable way to mass produce drugs humans depend on to treat and prevent disease. Insulin was an appealing test case because it is still exorbitantly expensive, even though pharmaceutical companies can produce large quantities of the hormone with existing technology. If more drug makers produce medicines using a variety of methods, they may be able to lower consumer prices and thereby expand access to life-saving drugs. Of course, it remains to be seen if genetically engineered cows are a viable solution to ballooning drug costs.

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*  The radical conservative case for genetic enhancement Jonathan Anomaly

Going back decades, prominent conservative thinkers have objected to human genetic engineering on ethical ...

Genetically engineered crops are nearly three decades olds at this point. What impacts have they had on agriculture over those nearly 30 years? Hint: they're mostly positive. Scientists may be able to derive stem cells from amniotic fluid during a pregnancy and use them to treat birth defects before a child is born. Right-wing parental rights activists are leading a campaign to restrict school vaccine requirements. How do we convince these hyper-skeptical moms and dads that their kids should be vaccinated against preventable (and often deadly) diseases?

Podcast:

Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 259 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Viewpoint: Despite a sea of environmental activist disinformation, GMO plants have more than lived up to the hype

The first generation of genetically engineered crops were commercialized roughly 30 years ago. Since then, critics of the technology have predicted it would lead to serious public health and environmental harms, but none of those ever came to fruition. Nobody suffered so much as a stomach ache from consuming food derived from GE crops; however, studies have documented significant yield increases and notable decreases in prices at the grocery store. Let's take a look back at the "frankenfood" controversy and examine why it came to an unceremonious end.

* With just a sample of fluid surrounding a baby in the womb, researchers can make mini organs to test out potential medical treatments

Doctors routinely collect amniotic stem cells during tests administered throughout pregnancy. Researchers have recently discovered that these cells can be used to monitor and maybe prevent potential health conditions that could materialize later in the pregnancy. They could also be grown into mini organs that regulators could use to improve the safety testing of drugs and other chemicals before they are commercialized. Importantly, these procedures are unlikely to provoke opposition from conservatives who oppose the use of embryonic stem cells, which has often been a major hurdle to advances in scientific research.

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* Parents’ Bill of Rights: Vaccine wars heat up in states allowing exemptions for schoolchildren

On the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, several states have proposed or enacted laws that require birth parents to...

Groundbreaking gene therapies for deafness are coming online, but they're opposed by a surprising group of people—a subset of the deaf community. Embryo screening could spare future generations debilitating diseases, but this revolutionary technology may also have some serious downsides if we're not careful. Several US states are trying to outlaw lab-grown meat. Is this move justified, or just another example of one industry using the law against another?

Podcast:

Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 258 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Gene therapy has restored hearing for a second child. Here’s why some deaf people adamantly oppose treatment

Advances in gene therapy are now enabling physicians to treat, and maybe even cure, lifelong disabilities like deafness. But as these novel therapies enter the market, they're making enemies in the very communities they're designed to help. For example, some deaf people oppose a gene-editing procedure that could restore hearing in young children who would otherwise go through life in complete silence. Deafness isn't a medical condition in need of treatment, they argue, but an identity that should be preserved and respected. How do we walk the fine ethical line between treating patients we can help and protecting the autonomy of people who say they don't need medicine?

* Genetic embryo screening for health issues and IQ inch closer to reality. Here’s a primer on what you can expect

As our knowledge of genetics improves, scientists are beginning to screen embryos before they're implanted in hopes of identifying the ones who may be susceptible to serious diseases later in life. The upside is unmistakable: parents could significantly increase their child's odds of leading a healthy life before they're even born. But embryo screening may carry serious ethical risks we're not yet prepared to address. For instance, what do we do when parents want to use embryo screening to increase the chances that they will have a deaf child? Who's to say such a desire is wrong? These questions illustrate the complex issues we have to tackle before this technology is fully deployed.

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* As a bill to ban cell-grown meat makes its way through the Florida legislature,

An heirloom seed company that prides itself on selling GMO-free products mistakenly put a genetically engineered tomato on the cover of its 2024 catalog. The anti-GMO movement appears to be in permanent retreat. Is the end of the "frakenfood" scare close? Bill Gates and other billionaire philanthropists do a lot of good around the world, but their critics say this generosity has a dark side.

Podcast:

Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 257 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Viewpoint: Non-GMO seed company mistakenly listed a seed in its catalogue that had a similar name to a genetically-modified tomato — prompting a bizarre tirade against “Big Ag”

Heirloom seed company Baker Creek put a purple-fleshed tomato on the cover of its 2024 catalog—only to later discover that it is almost certainly genetically engineered. That's according to Norfolk Healthy Produce, which recently commercialized its bioengineered, high-antioxidant Purple Tomato.  Norfolk says the "remarkable similarity" between the two plant varieties spurred laboratory testing which "supports the fact that the only reported way to produce a purple-fleshed tomato rich in anthocyanin antioxidants is with Norfolk's  patented technology." The discovery provoked an angry Facebook post from Baker Creek and raised some awkward questions about marketing GMO-free seeds.

* Five reasons why the anti-biotech movement is in retreat

The anti-GMO movement was a cultural force to be reckoned with a decade ago, launching dozens of GMO labeling campaigns across the US and drawing thousands of people to "march against Monsanto" protests in major cities. Today, though, the one-powerful anti-biotech campaign appears to be in retreat as it loses critical regulatory battles in Europe and public interest in its cause wanes. What led to this development? Let's examine five possible explanations for why anti-GMO activism fell by the wayside.

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* Viewpoint: Causing more harm than good?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a spurious attack on GM crops and pesticides, then reneged on its commitment to print a rebuttal. What happened? The Environmental Working group (EWG) is collaborating with tort lawyers to attack yet another pesticide.  A prominent nutrition researcher has grown skeptical of some of his earlier conclusions about "ultra-processed" food. Let's examine the evidence that led him to change his mind.

Podcast:

Join host  GLP contributor Cameron English and guest host Dr. Kevin Folta on episode 256 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Viewpoint: Journal Pediatrics reneges on its commitment to print response to botched article claiming GMOs are harmful to children. Here’s what they censored

The AAP's flagship journal Pediatrics came under fire early this year for publishing a guidance document questioning the safety of biotech crops and pesticides. After several scientists contacted the journal to offer constructive criticism, AAP agreed to print a rebuttal to the original article. Inexplicably, AAP abruptly changed course, refusing to publish a response or even interact with the experts who criticized its analysis of GM crops.

* Viewpoint: Money grab — How the Environmental Working Group works hand-in-hand with tort lawyers to generate billion-dollar junk suits

Just two business days after EWG published a study attacking the herbicide chlormequat, tort lawyers in New York used the paper to justify filing a class-action lawsuit in California. They're suing Quaker Oats, which is owned by Pepsi, alleging that trace amounts of chlormequat in the breakfast cereal could cause fertility issues and harm developing babies. The study itself provides no evidence to support these allegations, so what are the lawyers thinking? It appears we have a pending billion-dollar junk lawsuit on our hands.

* Hyper-palatable food: Scientist who published the seminal study showing the dangers of all ultra-processed food backs away from his theory

It has become fashionable in recent years to blame America's growing obesity problem on "ultra-processed" food: highly palatable snacks and other packaged options that contain sugar, salt and fat. But this hypothesis might lose some of its prominence now that a prominent researcher in the field has backed away from his 2019 study linking processed food to weight gain. Dr. Kevin Hall, a scientist at the National Institutes of Health, now says there is little evidence that processing explains our rapid weight gain; the real problem may be that these foods are so flavorful that many people choose to eat more of them than they should, which promotes weight gain. Hall has plans to conduct a new clinical study to test this hypothesis.

Kevin M. Folta is a professor, keynote speaker and podcast host. Follow Professor Folta on X