FSM Friends’ News and Articles
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections – Lots of hype, no convincing evidence: Despite the enthusiasm and aggressive marketing, there are few well-controlled and rigorous clinical trials of platelet-rich plasma. These highest quality trials are consistently negative. It could be that the variety of manufacturing practices and administration techniques are confounding clinical trials, and that there is something actually worth still pursuing. No research has yet shown that to be the case. But it’s far more likely that what we see with PRP are simply placebo effects – the non-specific positive expectations initiated by health practitioners who are charging you a large sum of money for an injection (of cells!), backed by their personal assurances, patient testimonials, and glossy advertising. Until there is convincing evidence to demonstrate otherwise, there is little reason to accept the risk of PRP, regardless of your injury.
General
Work of renowned UK psychologist Hans Eysenck ruled ‘unsafe’: “There has been criticism of Eysenck’s work for decades by scientists, but his papers have continued to be cited and his ideas adopted.”
Is this study legit? 5 questions to ask when reading news stories of medical research: Not all research is equal, and not every research finding should be interpreted in the same way. Nor do all media headlines reflect what was actually studied or found.
Artificial pancreas system better controls blood glucose levels than current technology: Treatment just got easier for people with Type I diabetes. “The artificial pancreas, also known as closed-loop control, is an ‘all-in-one’ diabetes management system that tracks blood glucose levels using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and automatically delivers the hormone insulin when needed using an insulin pump. The system replaces reliance on testing by fingerstick or CGM with separate delivery of insulin by multiple daily injections or a pump.”
Great Moments in Health and Science
Who invented the Petri Dish? To study bacteria and their properties first required the ability to grow them.
Today’s abused Health Concept
Human DNA in vaccines – another anti-vaxxer trope debunked: Your body is filled with trillions of non-human DNA fragments. Humans (and nearly every single multicellular species on the planet) are protected from these fragments because they are irrelevant. DNA only matters when it can code for something to the body, and free-floating DNA fragments cannot do anything. Well, they are broken down into constituent components that can be used by cells for their own DNA.