Book trailer: Kate Ledger's Remedies

THE weight-loss solution of the century

Dr. Steve Brule from Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! on Comedy Central proposes an amazingly American weight-loss solution in this short clip. To see the clip, click here.

What have gastroenterologists been doing all these years? Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?!

Calling All Shoppers...

Your cash register receipts might be toxic to more than just your bank account. Check it out at The Patch.

Body Worlds returns

But without the sex.  Read more in The Vancouver Sun.

Driven from discovering

Alice Dreger writes about the suicide of Dan Markingson in a clinical trial at the U in the Bioethics Forum.  Read it here,

Never let me go

Lawyers, drugs and money

Mischke on the death of Dan Markingson. Read it here.

The Minnesota Daily on the death of Dan Markingson

"Mary Weiss says she wasn’t surprised when her lawyer called notifying her that the University of Minnesota was seeking about $57,000 in legal fees. It had already put her through enough after her son, Dan Markingson, 26, stabbed himself to death while enrolled in a clinical trial for an anti-psychotic medication here in 2004, a trial she didn’t want him in."  Read more on the Daily editorial page.

$272 Can Only Go So Far

A recent article in Salon.com talks about "Pink Kisses," a website for women who seek post-breakup "counseling." According to the article, "For $272, you can receive a 'super goddess action plan,' a bouquet of flowers, two life coaching sessions, 'better than sex' truffles and two weeks of 'you-go-girl' text messages (e.g.,"You're a lady deserving of an enchanted existence" and "Supergirl, you can move mountains"). You also have the option of uploading a photo of your ex's face and watching "his picture burn with our awesome virtual flames" and creating your very own inspirational poster. These clichés also come in smaller, more affordable packages." Check out the article here. Also the (very pink) Pink Kisses site.

White Coat, Black Hat

The unauthorized website is here.  Don't visit it; you'll just encourage him.

The Mild Torture Economy

Scott McLemee reviews Roberto Abadie's new book, The Professional Guinea Pig, in Inside Higher Ed.

Stunning news (yawn) on Meridia

News flash: a diet pill is linked to strokes and heart disease.  (Again.)  Should Meridia be recalled?  Read about it here.

Medicating Children with Antipsychotics

JAMA editor is leaving

Remember when the editor of JAMA called Jonathan Leo "a nothing and a nobody" for criticizing the JAMA conflict-of-interest policy?  Dr. Catherine DeAngelis is leaving her post as JAMA editor-in-chief.  Read about it in Pharmalot or the WSJ Health Blog.