Three separate covid vaccine trials have now had their results published in peer-reviewed journals (Astra-Zeneca, Pfizer, and Moderna), and the vaccines have already been approved for use in multiple countries. In light of that, I think it’s time to look in to how effective and safe the vaccines are, especially considering that many of us are about to be given the option to take them … Read more
Category: Medications
Is curcumin effective for knee pain?
Two randomized controlled trials have been published in the recent past, one last year, and the other just a few months back, that look at the effectiveness of curcumin as a treatment for knee pain, and more specifically for knee pain induced by osteoarthritis.
A systematic review published in Canadian Family Physician in March found that the medications most commonly prescribed at present are often … Read more
How much do statins prolong life?
One problem with all the trials of statins is that they look at the probability of still being alive after x years. But that’s not really the question patients want answered. Patients want to know how much longer they can expect to live if they take a statin every day for the rest of their lives. Is it weeks? months? years? decades?
Considering that statins … Read more
Deprescribing: the most important health intervention you’ve never heard of?
Last year I spent a couple of months working as a physician in a geriatric hospital, i.e. a hospital that specializes in taking care of elderly people. One thing that struck me particularly was the large number of medications each patient was on. I don’t think it would be much of an exaggeration to say that the average patient had ten or more medications that … Read more
Is the cholesterol hypothesis dead?
Is there any life left in the cholesterol hypothesis (a.k.a. the lipid hypothesis)? Is there anything left for serious scientists to cling to or is time for its mouldering corpse to end up on the trash heap of medical history, alongside lobotomy, bloodletting and the theory of the four humors? I was asked this question by a reader of this blog recently, and as it … Read more
Does hydroxychloroquine have a role in treating covid-19?
Several people have contacted me over the last few weeks asking for my opinions on hydroxychloroquine. I’ve invariably answered that I don’t know, since I haven’t looked at the data myself. I felt that it was time to rectify that situation.
As many people know, hydroxychloroquine is an old drug that has existed since the 1950s and that is primarily used to treat malaria and … Read more