What's New Friday September 11, 2009

WHAT’S NEW   Robert L. Park   Friday, 11 Sep 09   Washington, DC

1. PLACEBOS: WOULD THEY WORK BETTER IF THEY HAD SIDE EFFECTS?
Every doctor seeks to evoke the placebo effect.  They might wear a white 
smock with a stethoscope around the neck for a start.  A diploma and 
license mounted on the wall further enhances the effect.  The doctor may 
say that your condition has been studied, and effective treatment is 
available.  "You should feel better in a few days," the doctor says while 
writing a prescription.  You feel better before you fill it.  That’s why 
the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study is the most 
important invention in modern medicine.  It tells us what works, and what 
doesn't.  But according to Steve Silberman in Wired magazine, placebos have 
become a big problem for big-Pharma: They’ve started working even better, 
which is making one promising drug after another seem little better than 
the placebo.  So what’s happening?  I suspect that the people who design 
the trials have gotten more sophisticated at double-blinding.  That’s good; 
it prompted industry to launch new studies aimed at better understanding 
the placebo effect, to the eventual benefit of medical science.  

2. ASTRONAUTS: PRELIMINARY AUGUSTINE COMMISSION REPORT. 
The Coalition for Space Exploration issued a statement on Wednesday 
praising the Augustine Commission. That's a very bad sign. The Coalition is 
a space-industry lobby; it pushes for space exploration by humans, ruling 
out the universe beyond Mars. That is totally inappropriate for the modern 
space age, but it costs a lot more, and spending more is what the Coalition 
for Space Exploration is about.  Columbus, if he could have, would have 
sent a drone to find the New World. The only plan that makes any sense is 
to give everyone involved in human spaceflight a medal, and send them home 
with the thanks of a grateful nation.  The final report is expected to be 
released next Tuesday.  

3. NIST: PATRICK GALLAGHER IS PICKED TO BE THE NEW DIRECTOR.
Three months ago WN commented on the long delay in filling the position of 
director of NIH, http://bobpark.physics.umd.edu/WN09/wn060509.html , with 
Francis Collins. It was pointed out to me at the time that the position of 
director of NIST had still not been filled.  Today, President Obama 
nominated Patrick Gallaghe to fill that position.  Dr. Gallagher joined the 
NIST Center for Neutron Research in 1993, and became NIST deputy director 
in 2008. 

4. CONTRACEPTION: THE CHEAPEST WAY TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS. 
While the United States is focusing on reduction of greenhouse emissions by 
technological means, the Optimum Population Trust in the UK issued a press 
release this week comparing the cost of reducing CO2 emissions by 
technological means to the cost of an equivalent CO2 reduction by investing 
in family planning.  It concluded that family planning is five times more 
effective. 

5. VAMPIRE SCIENCE: MYTHOLOGIES THAT ARE THE UNDEAD OF SCIENCE.
The link between cellphone radiation and cancer, for example, seems to have 
once again gotten out of its coffin.  The only defense is exposure to 
sunlight.
	

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
Opinions are the author's and not necessarily shared by the
University of Maryland, but they should be.
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