Friends of TVD,
It has been an interesting week in the world of research. Groundbreaking studies into how well beards soften punches to the face, the benefits of transporting rhinoceroses upside down, and orgasms as a nasal decongestant were honoured on Thursday night with one of the most coveted awards in science: the Ig Nobel prize. Really.
But more importantly, Dr. Edward Mills recently presented the interval results of his Together Trial, which has been looking at how well half a dozen different drugs treat Covid-19—not for the people so sick they’re in the emergency room or the hospital, but in people whose symptoms aren’t yet so severe. The data is interesting, and hopeful. A relatively safe, familiar, cheap drug reduced the relative risk of mild Covid getting worse by nearly 30 percent. The drug is fluvoxamine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor—an antidepressant. (It’s also an anti-inflammatory, and inflammation and an overreacting immune system are hallmarks of serious Covid infection, so that might be why it seems to help).
Of note, this very same trial showed that the (politically) popular drug, ivermectin, didn’t help at all.
#scienceup, people.
Lastly, on September 10th, the CDC published its study, “Monitoring Incidence of COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations, and Deaths, by Vaccination Status — 13 U.S. Jurisdictions, April 4–July 17, 2021” which revealed that, even after Delta became the most common SARS-CoV-2 variant, vaccinated persons had a 5 times lower risk of COVID-19 infection, a greater than 10 times lower risk of hospitalization, and a greater than 10 times lower risk of death. 10 times lower!
At the risk of being a broken record (although playing to the choir): #science up, #vaccine up, people!
Eric Weiss, MD, September 11, 2021
NOTE: Our TVD Newsletter is a labor of love. If you enjoy reading this, please share widely! Was this forwarded to you by a friend? Please subscribe here.
GUEST AUTHORSHIP: WHAT’S THE LATEST ON THE USE OF PSA FOR PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING?
September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in North America so it’s a good time to review the most up to date recommendations for PSA screening for prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer continues to remain the most common cancer in men, except for skin cancer. According to the most recent data 13 out of 100 men in the US will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their life time and 2-3 men will die of prostate cancer. In fact it is the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. It is estimated that 34,130 deaths from this disease will occur in 2021. The incidence increases with age and nearly 60% of men over the age of 65 are diagnosed. The number of new cases diagnosed in Black men is nearly 80% higher than the number of new cases diagnosed in white men. (American Cancer Society publication Cancer Facts and Figures 2021)… Read more
SOUL Food Salon
is excited to partner with
Fresh Approach in launching the Mobile Farmers’ Market in North Fair Oaks in Redwood City, CA
Again, our TVD Newsletter is a labor of love. If you enjoy reading this, please share widely! Was this forwarded to you by a friend? Please subscribe here.
*****
Yours, in health and resilience,
Eric and the TVD MD team…
