Author: Erin Elizabeth

In 2012, drug maker Insys Therapeutics received approval to sell an “ultra-powerful” opioid (a sprayable form of fentanyl called Subsys) for cancer patients with acute pain but quickly realized that the market for their drug was thin. So, according to a federal indictment and ongoing congressional investigation by Senator Claire McCaskill (D- Missouri), they simply created patients who needed their drug. They did so by “falsifying medical records, misleading insurance companies, and providing kickbacks to doctors in league with the company.” 1 “Because of the high cost associated with Subsys, most insurers wouldn’t pay for it unless it was approved in...

Tattooing is a long-standing human ritual that transcends historical and sociocultural boundaries, but more regulatory oversight is needed to ensure inks are not contaminated with dangerous chemical byproducts. Debunking Tattoo Mythology: A Short History of The Tattooing Ritual Tattoos represent a cultural rite of passage, a mode of self-expression, and a means of cultivating one’s unique identity (1). British captain, explorer, and navigator James Cook introduced the word tattoo into the European vernacular, as an amalgamation of the Polynesian word ‘ta’ to ‘strike something’ and the Tahitian word ‘tatau’ meaning ‘to mark something’ (2). The historical use of tattoos...

An ethanol-based gel has demonstrated a 100% cure rate when injected into squamous cell tumors. What’s more, the treatment is relatively inexpensive and simple to administer. RELATED ARTICLE: Cancer can be killed Ethanol-Based Treatments Duke University researchers accomplished a 100% rate of curing squamous cell carcinoma in hamsters as a result of the aforementioned injections. The study was published in Nature Scientific Reports, and the study itself was conceived with the already existing therapy of ethanol ablation in mind. However, this new procedure can be utilized on a much wider array of tumors. In the past, ethanol ablation has displayed the ability...