The People's Pharmacy

Dr. Peter Hotez has been working on vaccine development and the treatment of neglected tropical diseases for decades. Now that vaccines are the key to returning to something like normal life, his expertise is greatly sought after. A History of Vaccines: Dr. Hotez describes the first vaccines that were useful in Western society. In fact, […]

In the middle of a pandemic, it’s important to know how to stay healthy. Sleep, stress management, handwashing, exercise and a healthful diet (cutting back on refined flour and sugar) are all crucial. In addition, supplements and herbs might help maintain a robust immune response. The Value of Vitamin D: There is significant evidence that […]

The experience of COVID is highly variable, as we have all learned by now. For some people, the infection is so mild they may not even notice the symptoms, while for others the virus wreaks devastating havoc. The post-COVID syndrome may afflict even those who had mild infections initially, and it can make life very […]

Over the past year, the world has faced a global pandemic due to a previously unknown virus. People wanted and needed to know how the virus spread from person to person. At first, the focus was on fomites. Consequently, people spent a lot of time wiping down groceries and sanitizing surfaces. Gradually, it became clear […]

Have you ever had horrible heartburn or a really bad bellyache? Most of us have experienced digestive distress at one time or another. When do you need to seek medical attention for your problem? What Causes Digestive Distress? When the gastrointestinal tract is working as it should, you chew your food and swallow it. Then […]

Over the last year, hospitals and their intensive care units have been stretched to the breaking point caring for the huge number of people desperately ill with the coronavirus. What is the impact of COVID-19 on American health care? Will the changes we have seen to date continue? Who Pays for COVID Care? Days and […]

Hand sanitizers have become ubiquitous in homes, doctors’ offices, supermarkets, banks and dozens of other establishments. There have been problems with some products that were contaminated with methanol, also known as wood alcohol. Read about this known problem here. Now a new impurity has surfaced. A surprising number of hand sanitizers are contaminated with the […]

Sperm counts have been falling for decades. In fact, they’re down 50 percent over the last four decades. Should we worry about young men’s health and fertility? How can we explain this trend? Threats to Health and Fertility: Sperm counts are not alone in their decline. Men’s levels of testosterone have also been dropping steadily, […]

COVID-19 restrictions have interfered with the way many of us exercise. Yet the benefits of moving, for both our physical and mental health, are more important than ever. How can we keep moving to feel better, despite the pandemic? Moving at Home to Feel Better: You may not have a home gym, but there are […]

After a year of COVID-19, the country (and the world) is in a race to get people vaccinated before the new, more transmissible variants of the coronavirus can gain the upper hand. We talk with two experts on these COVID-19 vaccines and variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to get you the information you need. New […]