Richard Virenque’s performance during stage 12 of the 1997 Tour de France is a striking example of placebos’ effects on our physical performance. He asked his physiotherapist, Willy Voet, to inject him with a miracle drug that could give him an edge over his rival, Jan Ullrich. Indeed, Virenque went toe-to-toe with Ullrich, coming behind him by only 3 minutes. But unbeknownst to him, Voet swapped out the miracle drug with a glucose solution at the last minute; there was nothing but sugar in it. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
