In Defense of Angelina Jolie
Rebecca Tang In May 2013, Angelina Jolie shocked the public with an opinion piece explaining why she chose to surgically remove both her breasts. “I have a ‘faulty’ gene, BRCA1,” she wrote, “which...
Man’s Best Friend is Now Man’s Best Drug, Too
Beyond their friendly eyes, sloppy kisses and ever-wagging tails, dogs have much to offer us in the form of public service. From guide dogs to rescue dogs, these furry beasts perform daily acts of heroism that...
Defensive Medicine
Too Much of a Good Thing A middle-aged woman goes into her doctor’s office, complaining of chest pains. Her doctor does a routine checkup and diagnoses her with heartburn. He prescribes some antacids, makes...
Some Sunny-Side-Up News for Omelet Lovers
If you’ve ever read the nutrition facts on a carton of eggs, you’ve probably noticed the seemingly outrageous cholesterol level. Reading that each egg contains more than 60% of your daily recommended...
A Look at End-of-Life Care in the United States
Moving Beyond Death Panels Back in 2009, in the midst of the health care debate, Sarah Palin was famously quoted for saying the proposed reform created figurative “death panels” that would judge whether...
Gone Viral
Animal Origins of the Ebola Epidemic Ebola seemed to come out of nowhere. On March 25, 2014, the World Health Organization first confirmed an outbreak in four districts of Guinea. There was a total of 86...
Some Weighty News
Your chances of becoming obese may be determined before birth From health food markets to athletic wear stores to calorie-counting iPhone apps, the modern world is pushing us — or at least those of us who...
Are Clinical Research Studies Always Valid?
Before starting to work in science labs, many researchers are required to take ethics training courses. They are taught about the types of fraud that occur in scientific research, the ways to avoid it, and how...
Something Old, Something New
What Diabetes Teaches Us About Tuberculosis Diabetes and tuberculosis (TB) are two diseases associated with two very different spheres: the former with wealthier nations where diets are more likely to be high...
The Truth about the “Gay Gene”
Are people born to be gay, or do they choose to be gay? Humanity has struggled with this question throughout history, and the issue of homosexuality in its very essence has engendered enthusiastic debate....