What does the body of evidence say on malaria? Your favourite travel destination may be a malaria hot zone: we discuss how to prepare. Plus: a strange FDA application to use MDMA to treat PTSD, and have statins been overprescribed?

A Block: Malaria

(0:58) History; the parasite’s life cycle; how many people are affected by malaria; symptoms; how to diagnose it; how to treat it; prevention.

B Block: Ecstasy for PTSD

(35:46) An advisory committee for the FDA has raised many concerns about a company’s application to use MDMA (ecstasy, molly) as part of psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.

C Block: Statin Overprescription

(46:08) A new risk calculator is classifying fewer people as needing statins.

* Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

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References:

1) WHO fact sheet on malaria: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria

History of malaria:

2) https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph7020675

3) https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-004-6354-6

4) DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2008.07085.x

5) https://doi.org/10.1179/135100003225002952

6) https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.2011.16

7) doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-19554-0 

8) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK215638/ 

9) Plasmodium parasite life cycle: https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/malaria/index.html 

Malaria epidemiology:

10) https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/catmat/canadian-recommendations-prevention-treatment-malaria/chapter-1-introduction.html 

11) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria 

12) https://apps.who.int/malaria/maps/threats/#

13) https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240086173 

14) DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7236a1  

15) https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2023/han00496.asp 

16) https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/catmat/appendix-1-malaria-risk-recommended-chemoprophylaxis-geographic-area.html 

How to diagnose malaria:

17) https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/resources/pdf/benchAids/malaria/Pfalciparum_benchaidV2.pdf 

18) https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/resources/pdf/benchAids/malaria/Pvivax_benchaidV2.pdf 

19) https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/resources/pdf/benchAids/malaria/Povale_benchaidV2.pdf 

20) https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/resources/pdf/benchAids/malaria/Pmalariae_benchaidV2.pdf 

How to prevent malaria:

21) https://www.who.int/groups/vector-control-advisory-group/summary-of-new-interventions-for-vector-control/lethal-house-lures 

22) DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00004-7

23) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68037008

24) DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2026330

25) DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00368-7

26) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00442-X

27) Dr. Andrea Love’s article about DEET and insect repellents for Immunologic: https://immunologic.substack.com/p/essential-oils-are-not-chemical-free?publication_id=2109759&post_id=145493032&isFreemail=true&r=5o22t

28) Ada McVean’s article about insect repellents for the McGill OSS: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-technology/why-mosquitos-bite-you-and-how-make-them-stop

29) FDA advisers vote against medical use of ecstasy: https://www.science.org/content/article/fda-advisory-panel-rejects-mdma-ptsd-treatment

30) Elizabeth Conney’s STAT article on new cardiovascular risk calculator for statin prescriptions: https://www.statnews.com/2024/06/10/cardiovascular-disease-statins-aha-guidelines/

It’s Not Twitter But It’ll Do:

1) Jonathan’s interview on the Rethinking Wellness podcast: https://rethinkingwellness.substack.com/p/why-you-probably-dont-have-a-leaky