A New Prescription for Patient Information This is a bottle of the prescription cholesterol-lowering drug rosuvastatin (generic Crestor) as delivered by a pharmacy, highlighting the Prescribing Information and Patient Information sheet glued to the lid. When detached and unfolded (see Image 2. below), that sheet is 28" x 19.5" or…

Fact: Viruses have no color. Common Misconception: The Coronavirus is red. The COVID virus (SARS-CoV-2) has no color. Nor for that matter do any other viruses. Here’s why: First, color is not an inherent quality of any object, like its mass or its shape. In other words, no object actually has color, it’s just that humans perceive color. If a human…

Until recently, the U. S.’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was only allowed to respond to disasters by replacing damaged infrastructure with nearly-identical pre-disaster equipment. So when Hurricane Maria crippled Puerto Rico’s fragile and outdated electrical grid in 2011, that vital service could only be replaced by newly-made fragile and…

After receiving my first COVID shot here in Washington, DC, I was given a small slip of paper containing a URL to sign up for my second shot and the sticker pictured above. Let’s talk about that sticker. But why? After all, it was just a small and insignificant handout…

12.10.20 — During the pandemic and under the Trump administration, the CDC’s reputation has been stained and its scientific and medical authority has been undermined. While it remains, as it is frequently referred to, “a national treasure” and “the gold standard” worldwide for epidemiology and disease control, it’s effectiveness has…

As the number of deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic exceeds 186,000 in the US and tops 868,000 worldwide [ 1 ], here is a profoundly disturbing fact: Researchers estimate that birds and mammals harbor anywhere from 631,000 to 827,000 unknown viruses that could potentially leap into humans. [ 2 ] …

Communication is an essential part of almost every health professional’s work. Researchers share results with peers, clinicians guide patients through illness and toward healthier lifestyles, public health officials educate and advocate for best community practices, and so on. Clear communication is at the heart of all of these activities. But…

And Their Consequences for Public Health in the Trump Era Here are three essential truths about trust and some thoughts on what they mean for public health. Communication is the most important component of trust. The erosion of trust hampers all communication. Trust is easily broken, but difficult to build…