Viewpoints: Performance-Enhancing Drugs May Be Placebos; End Rumors Of Secondhand Fentanyl Overdoses
Editorial writers tackle these issues and others.
Stat:
Are Many Performance-Enhancing Drugs Actually Placebos?
With Chinese swimmers getting 200 drug tests over 10 days ahead of the Paris Olympics, all eyes are on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Anti-doping is being politicized and some important questions are being asked with this Chinese fiasco. We believe an important question is this: Do performance-enhancing drugs actually work, or are they just placebos? (Jo Morrison and Eric Moore, 8/4)
The New York Times:
The Nonsense Over Secondhand Fentanyl Overdoses Must End
For the past few years, over 70,000 overdose deaths in the United States have involved synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl and its analogues. Most families grieving these deaths won’t have a doctor in the family to dispute misconceptions perpetuated by law enforcement, funeral homes and others. How many American families are being unnecessarily deprived of a somber, sacred moment based on stigma and rumors? (John Woller, 8/4)
Stat:
The Case Against DEI Considerations In STEMM Grant Funding
Federally funded research in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) is a crown jewel of American higher education that confers enormous benefits upon the U.S. and the world. The integrity of the processes by which funding decisions are made is critically important to the success of the enterprise and its support by the public who pay for this research. (Jeffrey S. Flier, 8/5)
Stat:
It's Time To Phase Out 'Dementia' From The Alzheimer's Lexicon
As I roamed the meeting rooms and halls of the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia last week, I kept hearing a word — dementia — I’ve come to loathe as someone with early Alzheimer’s. (Mike Zuendel, 8/5)
