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PODCAST

ACSH Science Dispatch

Health scares seem to lurk around every corner these days. From "toxic" pesticides to "ultra-processed" foods and BPA, the list of things that can supposedly kill us is endless. How do you spot genuine threats amid all the clickbait? Join the American Council on Science and Health each week as we separate science fact from science fiction.

health & fitness medicine

All Episodes

00:36:15

Debate: Should We End Government Science Funding?

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2025/04/28

Nobody denies that science is plagued by an epidemic of fraudulent and politicized research, nor that it wastes billions of taxpayer dollars. But is the problem severe enough to justify completely eliminating public funding for scientific research? Let's take a look.

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00:25:58

Craving a Scapegoat—Is Sugar Really 'Addictive'?

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2025/04/24

"Sugar is addictive." It's a widespread, well-researched claim—and it's probably false. The assertion oversimplifies complex eating behaviors driven by an even more complicated cluster of influences. While sugar intake can stimulate reward pathways in the brain similar to drugs, it lacks several key characteristics of true addiction, leading to a less satisfying but more accurate conclusion: we've picked a convenient scapegoat instead of solving our real nutritional

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00:14:19

Healthy Eating, Healthy Aging? What Science Says...

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2025/04/21

Can eating well pave the way to healthier, more vibrant golden years? The answer is "maybe," based on a recent study surveying how diet affects disease risk as we age. Let's break down the paper's results.

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00:18:18

Organic Food—A Costly (and Sometimes Dangerous) Hoax

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2025/04/15

Organic food is a $52 billion enterprise, fueled by wealthy consumers convinced they're avoiding the alleged harms endemic in "industrial agriculture." Is there any science behind that belief, or is it just high-priced marketing hype? Let's take a closer look.

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00:17:01

s A Heroin Resurgence Cutting Overdose Deaths?

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2025/04/10

A resurgence of heroin in the black market might be contributing to a significant drop in fentanyl-related overdose deaths, with provisional CDC data showing a 24% decline in overall U.S. overdose deaths by September 2024. Could this shift, alongside harm reduction efforts like increased naloxone distribution, be reducing fatalities? Let's take a look.

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00:20:19

Vitamin A for Me, Not for Thee—RFK Jr's Ironic Stance...

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2025/04/07

Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has controversially promoted vitamin A as a treatment for measles, despite research showing it can be toxic in high doses and is no substitute for vaccination. Kennedy's view is particularly ironic given his criticism of genetically engineered Golden Rice, a crop designed to boost...vitamin A levels in developing countries.

en

00:23:19

Online Gambling Surge—An Overlooked Public health Crisis

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2025/03/31

The rapid expansion of legalized sports betting in the US has fueled a significant increase in gambling addiction, with calls to helplines surging and treatment providers overwhelmed by demand. While the industry generates substantial revenue, it also imposes hidden costs on society, including financial ruin, mental health problems and strained public resources. Now the question is, can we bring this emerging public health crisis to heel?

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00:13:46

Pouring Money Down the Drain—Gatorade’s Alkaline Water

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2025/03/18

Gatorade claims its alkaline water will hydrate you into peak performance, but it's just pricey H2O bolstered by clever marketing. Save yourself a few bucks and drink the stuff from the tap instead.

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00:16:32

Why Everybody Is Wrong About Food Dyes

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2025/03/11

During the recent battle over FDA's decision ban the use of Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs, few commentators answered a fundamental question: why do food makers use dyes in the first place? The press framed the answer as a corporate ploy to sell more candy, but the story's a bit more complicated than that. Let's take a closer look.

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00:16:39

Chronic Pain Patients Are Addicts? Anti-opioid...

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2025/02/10

With prescription opioid overdoses plummeting and no more pharma companies to sue, America's drug warriors are running out of bogeymen to justify their crusade against pain killers. The solution? Redefine responsible opioid use as a disorder and turn millions of chronic pain patients into addicts—at least on paper.

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00:31:39

Is Obesity A Disease? It's complicated

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2025/01/27

The medical journal The Lancet recently published a detailed consensus statement classifying obesity as a disease. The statement has engendered both widespread support and criticism. Did the expert panel make the right call? Let's take a closer look.

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00:12:33

Cookie-Cutter Nutrition—The Problem With USDA's...

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2025/01/13

USDA's Thrifty Food Plan aims to help low-income Americans eat well without breaking their modest budgets. It's an altruistic attempt to promote public health. But this bureaucratic project to promote nutrition lacks what so many other government programs do: the ability to incentivize healthy living at scale.

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00:19:45

Mayo Clinic's Nonsense Anti-opioid Study

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2024/12/05

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic recently published a study perpetuating the myth that opioid prescriptions launched the ongoing drug overdose epidemic. Two ACSH experts took the clinic to task for sloppy data analysis designed to justify a predetermined conclusion about the risks of painkillers. Let's take a closer look. Article discussed: Opioid Bogeymen: ACSH Advisor Takes Mayo Clinic to Task, for Its Pain Management Fairytale Subscribe to the ACSH Dispatch newsletter to get our stories in your

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00:15:12

Everything You Wanted To Know About NSAIDs

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2024/12/03

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used to control pain. They are typically quite effective and safe to use as directed. But many people can't rely on them owing to their sometimes serious side effects—including an increased risk of heart attack. In short, NSAIDs are essential drugs with real limitations. Let's take a look at the most popular of these medicines. Article discussed: NSAIDs: Pick Your Poison Sign up for the ACSH Dispatch newsletter to get our stories in your

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00:18:10

Have We Lost The Battle Against Cardiovascular Disease?

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2024/11/25

Despite significant decreases in cholesterol numbers, cardiovascular disease rates in the US have hit a standstill. Can we restart the decline, or have we reached the limits of our ability to combat this persistent condition?Story discussed: Chasing Cholesterol

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00:17:23

Prohibition Unhinged—How Rigid Drug Laws Cost A...

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2024/11/18

A trucker who took CBD oil for pain control was abruptly fired after failing a drug test that found THC, the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana, in his system. Although the product was marketed as THC free–a claim the man verified with the manufacturer–it was not and federal law mandated his termination. It's yet another case of awful drug laws and even worse science harming good people. Story discussed: Supreme Court THC Case Highlights Our Flawed Drug Laws Follow us on X: @ACSHorg,

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00:25:15

Should Scientists Deliberately Give People COVID?

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2024/10/31

As part of a challenge study conducted during the pandemic, 34 healthy volunteers were deliberately infected with SARS-CoV-2 to assess the potential cognitive impacts of COVID-19. Everything about the experiment, from its timing to its design, was suspect and almost certainly unethical.

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00:12:57

Artificial Sweeteners Causing Heart Attacks? Nope.

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2024/10/21

Recent headlines declared that the artificial sweeteners Xylitol and Erythritol could increase your risk of stroke and heart attack. Now that the media excitement has died down, let's take a closer look at the study behind the headlines. Does it really implicate these sugar substitutes as a threat to heart health? Not exactly.

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00:26:17

FDA Finally Listening To Reason On Opioids?

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2024/10/15

Pain patient advocates recently made their case to the FDA during an agency listening sessions, arguing that the federal government has launched an unjustified crusade against prescription opioids. Rather than reduce overdose deaths or drug abuse, the nationwide crackdown on painkillers has only left millions of patients to suffer without recourse. Are regulators finally waking up to this reality?

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00:22:07

Is Science Too Political? If So, What Do We Do About It?

ACSH Science Dispatch ·

2024/10/08

Scientific American's endorsement of Kamala Harris for president ignited a ferocious debate in the science community. Is she the best choice for advancing science, as her supporters contend, or is it unwise for researchers and scientific institutions to back political candidates?

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153 results

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