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Californians Now Have Right to ‘Aid In Dying’: How Did We Get Here?

David Orentlicher The Conversation
Just as usual end-of-life laws allow patients to bring an end to the dying process by declining chemotherapy, dialysis, and feeding tubes, so aid-in-dying laws allow patients to bring an end to the dying process by taking a lethal dose of drugs. But aid-in-dying laws do not extend their rights to people who might want to end their lives because of psychological distress.

The Death Gap

Sam Pizzigati OtherWords.org
The richest Americans now live 10-15 years longer than the poorest.

Public Statement on Zika Virus in Puerto Rico

Drs. Garriga-López, Lerman, Mulligan, Dietrich, et al Savage Minds - Notes and Queries in Anthropology
Call to action was written by Adriana Garriga-López, Ph.D. (Kalamazoo College), and Shir Lerman, M.A., M.P.H., PhD Candidate (University of Connecticut), with Jessica Mulligan, Ph.D. (Providence College), Alexa Dietrich, Ph.D., M.P.H. (Wagner College), Carlos E. Rodríguez-Díaz, PhD, MPHE, MCHES (University of Puerto Rico), and Ricardo Vargas-Molina, M.A. (University of Puerto Rico). The authors are members of the Society for Medical Anthropology's Zika Interest Group.

Obesity Breakthrough: Genetic Alchemy Can Turn Bad Fat Cells to Good

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Obesity is one of the biggest public health challenges of the 21st century, affecting more than 500 million people worldwide and costing at least $200 billion each year in the United States alone. It contributes to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Scientists have now uncovered a genetic circuit that controls whether our bodies burn or store fat. Manipulating that genetic circuit may offer a new approach for obesity treatments.

A Tribute to Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey: A Woman Who Made a Difference

Orac Respectful Insolence
Many Americans do not to know that thalidomide was never approved for use in the US, and that was almost entirely due to the vigilance and, yes, outright stubbornness of one brave woman, who could sniff out spin and misinformation in a drug company application and would not be swayed by unrelenting pressure.

Much-touted Deep-Brain-Stimulation Treatment for Depression Fails Another Trial

John Horgan Scientific American
A highly invasive procedure, which involves drilling holes in the skull and inserting electrodes deep inside the brain allowing a pacemaker-style device to deliver pulses of electricity to specific neural regions has failed to show any effectiveness in treating depression despite claims by the media and some prominent scientists.

Stop Killing the Elderly With Kindness

Travis Saunders Public Library of Science
If you take a healthy 20 year-old, force them to sit all day, and refuse to let them do any physical labor out of fear they might hurt themself, it would cause them to “age” extremely rapidly. We need to promote more, not less physical activity for our elders. The next time you consider telling your grandmother to sit down, think about whether that’s really in her best interest.
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