In October 2017, President Trump declared the opioid crisis a national public-health emergency. Now his fight over the border wall, which he has in part justified on stopping drugs, is a harmful distraction from that very real problem facing the country. According to statistics released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there were 72,306… Read More »
Stem cells (so-called “master cells”) are unique and important in the body because they can do almost anything, and scientists have only begun to discover their potential. That’s why researchers’ use of them has created controversy, attracting the attention of scientists, policymakers, and bioethicists across the globe. Stem cells can transform into any of the… Read More »
Many modern drugs are derived from purified and concentrated plant compounds (although compared to 20 years ago, few drug companies expend time and money looking at medicinal plant chemistry these days). Rosy periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), for example, a perennial plant native to Madagascar, is the basis for a number of commonly used cancer drugs that… Read More »
Paramedics are concerned that a month-long trial closure of the emergency department to ambulances at Blayney District Hospital could put lives at risk. The closure, initiated before Christmas, means ambulances are being diverted to either Orange or Bathurst hospitals, approximately 35 kilometres and 37 kilometres away respectively. Health Services Union NSW secretary Gerard Hayes claimed the additional… Read More »