Ask Doctor Dawn
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An hour of medical questions, answers, debate, dialogue, discussion, & health in the news.
Hospital Monopolies Driving Prices, Drop in Prescription Drug Prices, Dormant Tumor Cells and Recurrence Triggers, and Prompting AI for Symptom Self-Diagnosis
Yesterday at 8:00 PM
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 8-13-2026:
Dr. Dawn opens by reading an anatomy student's elegy to a body donor, reflecting on how modern medical education has moved away from full cadaver dissection toward pre-dissected specimens and models—and what she believes has been lost in that transition. Dr. Dawn dissects how hospital consolidation has become the primary driver of runaway U.S. healthcare costs. She contrasts a $16,000 knee replacement at Catawba Valley Medical Center with a $40,000 procedure for the same Blue Cross Blue Shield plan an hour away at Asheville's Mission Hospital—a facility formed by the...Peptides for Nerve Regeneration After Surgical Injury, Infrared Sauna Safety Selection, Estrogen-Raising Medications in Men, and mRNA Flu Vaccine Approval
08/08/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 8-06-2026:
>ul> An emailer with persistent nine-month nerve damage in her right leg after a hysterectomy asks whether peptides could help. Dr. Dawn attributes the injury to lithotomy positioning during surgery, then reviews the main nerve-regeneration candidates in the FDA peptide review pipeline: BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound, strong rat data on sciatic nerve recovery with thicker myelin sheaths), intracellular sigma peptide (targets glial scar CSPGs blocking CNS regrowth), C3 peptide 156-181, GHK-Cu (copper peptide, upregulates nerve growth factor and neurotrophin-3), self-assembling hydrogel scaffolds for bridging nerve gaps, ARA-290/cibinetide (an erythropoietin...Peptide FDA Review and Gray-Market Contamination, CRISPR enzyme as a Cancer Kill Switch, and Testosterone's Paradoxical Role in Advanced Prostate Cancer
08/01/2026
>p>Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 7-30-2026:
A type of coffee brewed from beans that have been altered by passage through the digestive track of civet cats is a delicacy in Southeast Asia. A Scientific Reports paper using gas chromatography analyzed Kopi Luwak (civet-processed coffee beans) versus fresh-picked beans, finding elevated caprylic and capric acids that carry the characteristic flavor notes found in dairy products. Dr. Manuel Esteller sampled and tested the blood, saliva, urine, and stool of the oldest human Maria Branyas Morera, who died last year at 117. Despite exceptionally short telomeres, she carried anti-inflammatory genetic...Statistical Flaws in JAMA Vaccine-Cardiac Study, Chain Psilocybin Case Report in Alzheimer's, and Gut Microbiome Effects on Female Fertility
07/19/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 7-16-2026:
Dr. Dawn dissects a June 2026 JAMA Internal Medicine paper that claimed simultaneous flu and COVID vaccination in veterans reduced cardiac events, arguing the retrospective natural-experiment design cannot support causal conclusions. The 20% versus 2% dropout rates between groups signal fundamentally non-comparable populations, and the divergence in cardiac events starting within a month of vaccination is clinically implausible—suggesting an X-factor other than vaccine effect is driving the numbers. Dr. Dawn delivers a pointed critique of a major chain pharmacy—part of a vertical healthcare monopoly—for creating deliberate friction around controlled-substance prescriptions throug...Yamanaka Skin Cell Rejuvenation, Vaping Cancer Mechanisms, Lp(a) Gene-Silencing Therapies, and Vitamin K2 for Liver Cancer Prevention
07/11/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 7-09-2026:
Researchers refined a technique to reverse skin cell aging by about 30 years while preserving cellular identity. Exposing adult fibroblasts to Yamanaka factors—stopping before full reversion to pluripotent stem cells,reset the epigenetic clock and gene expression patterns to resemble much younger cells. The rejuvenated fibroblasts produced significantly more collagen, migrated faster to close artificial wounds, and showed reversal of gene expression patterns associated with Alzheimer's and cataracts. Since long-term epidemiologic data doesn't yet exist, Dr. Dawn follows up on last week's vaping question by exploring cancer mechanisms. Vaping aerosols im...GLP-1 Medications Reconsidered, Cyborg Cockroach Rescue Robots, and a Universal Flu Drug Alternative
07/04/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 7-02-2026:
Dr. Dawn devotes the first half of the show to a nuanced defense of GLP-1 receptor agonists, arguing the polarized debate treats obesity as a moral failure rather than a physiological one. She recounts the "Marilyn Monroe dress" moment that transformed semaglutide from diabetes drug into elite cosmetic tool, and pushes back on the puritanical framing that behavior change must be earned rather than pharmacologically enabled—noting we don't apply this logic to antihypertensives or statins. Dr. Dawn catalogs visceral fat as a genuine endocrine organ producing over 17 hormones, most of...Ivermectin Evidence and Critical Thinking, CBC-Based Inflammation Formulas, and Transperineal Prostate Biopsy
06/28/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 6-25-2026:
Dr. Dawn devotes the show's opening to ivermectin for COVID. She walks through critical thinking principles—considering the source, cross-verification, and recognizing self-interested claims—before reviewing the evidence. The most-cited 2021 Bulgarian study of 300 people showing 77% reduction lacked accessible methods, and larger trials capable of detecting even small benefits failed to confirm efficacy. On safety, the standard 12mg parasitic dose every few weeks is well-tolerated due to the blood-brain barrier and efflux pumps that keep ivermectin out of the brain, but daily long-term dosing has caused encephalopathy, liver and kidney damage, and...Mosquitoes Learning to Like DEET, Liver as Pigeon Compass, Counterclockwise Walking Preference, and Neuropathy Treatment After Chemotherapy
06/19/2026
Broadcast on KSQD, Santa Cruz on 6-18-2026:>/p> Dr. Dawn opens with Virginia Tech research showing yellow fever mosquitoes can learn to associate DEET with blood meals after just four pairings, with over 60% of trained mosquitoes lunging at DEET alone. She emphasizes using DEET at sufficient concentration since under-application could teach mosquitoes a "life lesson" that compromises one of our best protections against malaria, dengue, and Zika. A controversial new theory from the University of Bonn proposes that iron-rich macrophages in the pigeon liver serve as the long-elusive magnetic compass. Pigeons given drugs that wiped out their liver...
bone breakdown, and intact PTH to rule out parathyroid pathology if osteoporosis is identified by DEXA scan.
06/13/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 6-11-2026:
Dr. Dawn discusses fascia — the gelatinous network of sugary proteins, salts, and collagen bundles that has been known to acupuncturists and osteopaths for millennia but ignored in conventional medical training. New confocal laser endomicroscopy technology has finally visualized this "interstitium" as a fluid-filled space draining to lymph nodes, present throughout the GI tract, urinary bladder, dermis, and peribronchial tissues. The structure may play roles in cancer metastasis, edema, fibrosis, and mechanical tissue function. An emailer asks about elevated organic arsenic levels (from sardines) and ultra-filtered dairy. Dr. Dawn explains that ar...Low Platelet Workup, Pancreatic Cancer Breakthrough, Intermittent Fasting, and San Francisco TB Outbreak
06/05/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 6-04-2026:
A caller with previously normal platelets now bouncing between 40-60 asks whether to accept her doctor's recommendation of high-dose dexamethasone. Dr. Dawn suggests checking homocysteine and methylmalonic acid for hidden B12 issues, getting an ultrasound to rule out splenic sequestration, and confirming actual autoimmune antibody testing before committing to steroids. Researchers invented a fake disease called "Bixonimania" (periorbital hyperpigmentation supposedly caused by blue light) with obvious tells including a fictional Asteria Horizon University and Starfleet Academy acknowledgment. By 2026, AI chatbots were routinely describing it as real, and three Indian researchers...AI Outperforms Doctors at ER Triage, Shingrix and Immune Reconstitution Syndrome, ADHD Subtypes and Hookworms for Asthma Treatment
05/23/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 5-21-2026:
This is the second show featuring Mira Achilles, a UCSC graduate working on her masters in epidemiology. Dr. Dawn and Mira open with a Harvard study showing OpenAI's o1 reasoning model reached correct diagnoses 67% of the time versus 50-55% for physicians, and scored 89% versus 34% on treatment plans. The AI advantage shrinks when doctors get more data and time, suggesting its greatest value is in fast-moving triage. Dr. Dawn cautions that over-reliance on AI during residency could undermine the clinical reasoning neurologic pathways doctors must develop, and emphasizes the "zebra paradox"— ra...Andes Hantavirus Cruise Ship Outbreak, Brain Health Supplements Evaluated, Testosterone for Older Men, and PCOS Renamed to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome
05/16/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 5-14-2026:
An emailer from Switzerland follows up on the case of neurological symptoms, warning about the fox tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis from unwashed garden vegetables and tick-borne encephalitis requiring the FSME vaccine available in Europe. Dr. Dawn adds that cysticercosis from undercooked pork leaves calcified brain lesions detectable on CT scans. Dr. Dawn covers the Andes hantavirus outbreak that sickened at least eleven people on a cruise ship, with the virus spreading person-to-person unlike other hantaviruses. She explains that Andes virus grows to unusually high levels in blood and resists antimicrobial compounds...Pancreatic Cancer mRNA Vaccine Success, Lyme Disease Vaccine Progress, Peptide Gray Market Risks and Stress-Eczema Neural Pathway
05/09/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 5-07-2026:
Dr. Dawn debunks the 1971 "220 minus age" maximum heart rate formula, noting a 2025 study found individual predictions were off by up to 20 beats per minute. She recommends the Tanaka equation (208 minus age) times 0.7, but emphasizes tracking improvement trends rather than absolute numbers. ConsumerLab testing found Safe Catch Wild Elite Pure Tuna and Wild Ahi Yellowfin Tuna had no detectable mercury, prompting Dr. Dawn to reconsider eating tuna after years of avoidance due to concerns about mercury bioaccumulation and its effects on nerve microtubules. A meta-analysis of 115 studies involving 55,000 men found limiting...Microplastics Research Contamination Discovery, Skin Barrier Science, Music and Brain Development, Shingles Vaccine Cuts Dementia Risk, and Autism Subtypes Identified
05/02/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 4-30-2026:>/p> Dr. Dawn opens with a bike safety public service message, noting a 34% increase in bicycle use in Santa Cruz alongside rising e-bike accidents. She urges drivers to stay vigilant and calls for education and enforcement of helmet laws, particularly for riders under 18. A University of Michigan researcher discovered that standard nitrile, latex, and vinyl gloves shed stearate particles indistinguishable from polyethylene under spectroscopy, contaminating microplastics research with approximately 2,000 false positives per square millimeter. Only clean-room gloves avoided this problem, throwing years of microplastics studies into question. Dr. Dawn explains skin's...
ARPA-H Regenerative Knee Research, Microbiome and Exercise Motivation, Red Light Therapy Science, and Unsupervised Play for Child Mental Health
04/24/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 4-23-2026:
Dr. Dawn highlights ARPA-H-funded breakthroughs: Duke researchers created injections enabling cartilage cells to divide and remodel bone, UC Boulder developed intermittent-burst delivery of a repurposed drug that reversed rabbit arthritis in 4-8 weeks, and Columbia printed a living 3D knee using stem cells on biodegradable scaffolding. She notes the agency's budget was cut by $945 million despite requiring human trials within 18 months of funding. A cord blood study across 200 countries links phthalates—found in food packaging, vinyl flooring, shampoos, and toys—to placental disruption and premature birth. Dr. Dawn warns that remo...Medications to Stop After 60, ADHD Management Strategies, Ice Bath Risks, and Vasovagal Syncope Prevention
04/18/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 4-16-2026:
Dr. Dawn opens with a follow-up from an email from Maryland about a friend in Switzerland, who has ongoing neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms. She reviews the earlier effort to connect him with functional-medicine resources in Switzerland, then focuses on a new observation that the patient may have had multiple parasitic infections during travel in Europe. Dawn agrees that this may have left a major gap in the workup and says that, in puzzling neurologic cases, a sleep-deprived EEG can sometimes reveal a “fingerprint” of brain-based dysfunction even if the patient is n...Breaking Up Healthcare Monopolies, Retinal Implants for Macular Degeneration, Heat Wave Physiology, and Exercise Snacks
04/10/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 4-09-2026:
Dr. Dawn shares a follow-up from an emailer in Switzerland providing seven functional medicine practitioner addresses near Zurich and Aargau, noting that Switzerland uses different terminology but is actually an "epicenter of functional medicine." Dr. Dawn calls for support of the bipartisan Break Up Big Medicine Act, modeled on Glass-Steagall, which would prohibit common ownership of medical providers with insurers, pharmacy benefit managers, or drug wholesalers. She explains how vertical integration by companies like UnitedHealth, CVS/Aetna, and Cigna allows them to game medical loss ratio requirements through self-dealing while...Osteoporosis and Vitamin D Optimization, Vestibular Dizziness vs. Postural Hypotension, Perimenopause as Natural Transition
04/04/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 4-02-2026:
Dr. Dawn briefly responds to an emailer in Aptos, advising that her numbers don't require rushing into therapy but recommending a more thorough workup. An emailer asks about her sister's osteoporosis treatment, including Reclast side effects and vitamin D levels of 28. Dr. Dawn recommends raising vitamin D to around 50, adding vitamin K2 (MK7-9) and calcium, and suggests weekly oral Fosamax as an alternative to annual Reclast infusions that cause week-long flu-like symptoms. A caller reports dizziness when sitting up in bed and recent fainting episodes during hot weather. Dr...Binaural Beats for Anxiety, Noise Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease, Crohn's Disease Seizure Risks, and Scurvy Returns with GLP-1 Drugs
03/28/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 3-26-2026:
li> Dr. Dawn announces a UCSF study recruiting participants for psilocybin therapy to help patients cope with chronic low back pain, requiring ages 25-70 with failed prior treatments. A caller preparing for bladder stone surgery asks about avoiding a repeat of severe post-anesthesia disorientation. Dr. Dawn recommends pharmacogenomic testing through 3x4 Genetics to identify slow acetylator status and other detoxification enzyme variants that can guide anesthesiologists toward better drug choices. A clinical trial found that 24 minutes of music with binaural beats—where slightly offset audio in each ear generates synchronized br...Gummy Supplement Warnings, Psilocybin Drug Development, Ketamine's Brain Mechanism, Root Canals and Cholesterol, and the Gut-Brain Axis
03/21/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 3-19-2026:
Dr. Dawn warns that stacking multiple gummy supplements can cause GI distress from sugar alcohols like xylitol, sorbitol, and mannitol, with symptoms persisting up to three days after stopping. She recommends limiting sugar alcohol intake to 6mg daily and switching to non-gummy formulations if experiencing bloating, cramping, or diarrhea. An emailer asks about finding treatment for abdominophrenic dyssynergia, a condition causing progressive abdominal distension after meals. Dr. Dawn recommends using AI search to locate physical therapy centers offering EMG-guided biofeedback, and suggests ruling out SIBO and low stomach acid. Researchers...Surgeon General Concerns, Histamine Intolerance Management, Pediatricians' RSV Antibodies, Microplastics Critique, Mammogram Heart Disease Screening, and Dancing for Dementia Prevention
03/13/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 3-12-2026:
Dr. Dawn discusses Michael Pollan's critique of MAHA dietary recommendations, agreeing that ultra-processed foods should be avoided but noting the lack of science supporting high saturated fat intake. She acknowledges extra virgin coconut oil as an exception that doesn't raise LDL, and pushes back on the social Darwinism embedded in anti-vaccine, anti-welfare MAHA thinking. Dr. Dawn expresses serious concern about Surgeon General nominee Casey Means, a Stanford-trained physician who dropped out of residency to become a wellness influencer. She objects to Means hawking supplements and glucose monitors for personal profit—co...Deconstructing Cannabis-Psychosis Research, Aquaculture Antibiotic Resistance, FDA Rejection of mRNA Flu Vaccine, and Online Health Misinformation
03/06/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 3-05-2026:
Dr. Dawn demonstrates how to critically read a science paper using a widely-publicized study claiming adolescent cannabis use causes psychotic, bipolar, and anxiety disorders. She identifies multiple methodological problems: only 5.7% of Kaiser adolescents admitted cannabis use versus 11.2% in anonymous national surveys, suggesting massive underreporting; the study conflates any use with heavy use; and with 463,000 participants, trivially small differences become statistically significant but clinically meaningless. She proposes reverse causation—that prodromal schizophrenia symptoms may drive teens to self-medicate with cannabis rather than cannabis causing psychosis. The study also included "disruptive behavior di...Measles Outbreak Warning, Quest Lab Cholesterol Flagging Problems, EKG Interpretation, Full-Body MRI Scans, and Seed Oil Controversies
02/27/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 2-26-2026:
Dr. Dawn opens with an urgent measles advisory, noting the virus has an R-value of 15 compared to COVID's peak of 5, with South Carolina reporting over 1,000 cases. She recommends those who received only one MMR shot—particularly people now in their 60s—get an immune titer blood test, as protection declines after 40-50 years. Measles can cause "immune amnesia" destroying immunity to other pathogens, and rarely leads to fatal subacute sclerosing panencephalitis years later. Dr. Dawn criticizes Quest Labs' cholesterol reporting, which flags average levels as "moderate risk" with alarming red H ma...The immune system, the brain and mental health, plus autoimmune disease research and treatments are thoroughly explored
02/12/2026
Broadcast from KSQD on 5-30-2024 and replayed on 2-12-2026:
Cognitive errors in medicine dismissing unusual presentations as psychological. A case of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS). Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis causing psychiatric symptoms. Failures of genetic research to identify causes. The Need for integrating neurology and psychiatry; Importance of testing for antibodies and using MRI scans. Detailed explanation of immune tolerance, peripheral tolerance, and the phenomenon of molecular mimicry in diseases like multiple sclerosis and celiac disease. Importance of addressing root causes rather than just symptoms. Historical context and current advancements in treating...A Guided Tour of the Upper GI Tract, Pancreatic Cancer's Protective Microenvironment, and Herman Ponzer's Energy Expenditure Research
02/05/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 3-05-2026:
>ul> Dr. Dawn presents a whimsical "theme park tour" of the upper gastrointestinal tract, from saliva production triggered by sight and smell of food, through the esophageal sphincter's iris-like opening, into the stomach's pH-1 acid bath where parietal cells produce 3,000 mg of hydrochloric acid per meal. She explains protective mechanisms including the bicarbonate layer beneath stomach mucus, H. pylori's role in ulcers, and how H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors work—cautioning about long-term PPI effects on B12 and calcium absorption. The tour continues through the pylorus into the duodenum wh...Hemorrhoids and Constipation Management, Breath Analysis Diagnostics, Detoxification Science, and Heart Disease Lifestyle Strategies
01/30/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 1-29-2026:
An emailer asks about hemorrhoids affecting 2 relatives,a 60-year-old man and his 20-year-old daughter, with the daughter also experiencing constipation worsened by fiber supplements. Dr. Dawn explains hemorrhoids are essentially varicose veins of the anus, with 102 genetic regions identified affecting blood vessel and smooth muscle strength. She emphasizes that fiber supplements without adequate water create "cement in the pipe"—recommending 16-24 ounces of water with supplements and 2 liters of clear water daily. Miralax also requires sufficient hydration to work. Key strategies include exercise to stimulate gut motility, staying off the to...Nitrous Oxide B12 Toxicity Case Study, Ulcerative Colitis Remission Strategies, Lipoprotein(a) Testing and Treatment, and 3D Printing for Vocal Cord Repair
01/23/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 1-22-2026:
An emailer from Canada asks about long-term Remicade (infliximab) use for her 16-year-old daughter's ulcerative colitis. Dr. Dawn explains the drug blocks tumor necrosis factor, which stops autoimmune attacks but also weakens infection defense—increasing risk of fungal infections, tuberculosis, and after about 10 years, slightly elevated blood cancer risk. She recommends the daughter practice good hygiene and mask in high-risk settings. For achieving full remission, she suggests vitamin D levels around 75-80, DHEA supplementation, strict gluten avoidance due to its pro-inflammatory effects, and working with a certified functional medicine practitioner to...Organoids and Assembloids Revolutionizing Pain Research, Mitochondrial Transfer for Peripheral Neuropathy, and Parkinson's Disease Iron Misconceptions
01/17/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 1-15-2026:
An emailer from Switzerland asks about fluorescein angiography requested before her first retina appointment. Dr. Dawn suspects protocol-based medicine screening for macular degeneration and suggests negotiating to see the doctor first given her different reason for seeing a retinal specialist. She encourages patients to maintain agency in medical settings. An emailer asks about creatine supplements. Dr. Dawn notes it helps muscle development in people doing weight training at 3-5 grams daily, but does nothing for aerobic-only exercisers. Claims about cognition and mood lack solid research. She advises against high-dose "loading,"...2025 Medical Breakthroughs Wrap-Up: First Bladder Transplants, Gene Therapy for Skin Disease, Statin Alternatives, and Tattoo Safety Concerns
01/10/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 1-08-2026:
Dr. Dawn concludes her 2025 medical advances recap, noting that while GLP-1 weight loss drugs showed unexpected benefits for addiction, schizophrenia, and dementia risk, Novo Nordisk recently reported semaglutide had no effect on cognition in people with existing dementia or mild cognitive impairment. She describes the first successful human bladder transplant performed on May 4th. The 41-year-old recipient received both kidney and bladder due to the bladder's complex blood vessel network. Surgeons practiced on cadavers with active circulation before achieving success, opening pathways for future bladder-only transplants for the 84,000 Americans diagnosed...2025 Medical Breakthroughs: Gene Therapy for Baby KJ, Huntington's Disease Treatment, CAR-T Myeloma Success, and mRNA Vaccines Boosting Cancer Immunotherapy
01/09/2026
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 1-01-2025:
An emailer asks about omega-3 supplementation for memory at age 72. Dr. Dawn advises checking that fish oil capsules contain adequate DHA—at least 1,000 mg—since many omega-3 products have low DHA levels. She notes Medicare covers the same testing at standard labs as proprietary labs like OmegaQuant that charge patients directly. Beyond omega-3s, she emphasizes glucose control (hemoglobin A1c below 5.6) since the enzyme that breaks down insulin also clears beta-amyloid, and weight training to raise brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which promotes new synapse formation essential for memory. Dr. Dawn...Weight Loss Drug Wars, Chromothripsis Cancer Discovery, Steroid Blood Clot Risks, Creatine for Elders, Mammogram Study Flaws, Red Meat Myths, and Dr. Oz's Report Card
12/20/2025
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 12-18-2025:
Dr. Dawn opens by examining how market competition is actually working in the weight loss drug sector. Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy compete against Eli Lilly's Monjaro and ZepBound, with prices dropping nearly 50% as companies launch direct-to-consumer websites. The main barriers remain needles and refrigeration, driving development of oral versions. Novo's Wegovy pill awaits FDA approval for early 2026 launch at $150 monthly. Next-generation drugs show remarkable results: Eli's retatrutide causes 24% weight loss in 48 weeks, while Novo's Cagrisema combines semaglutide with amylin to reduce muscle loss. Pfizer paid $10 billion for Metsera's once-monthly...Healthcare Market Failures and Private Equity, Hepatitis B Vaccine Politics, Research Proving Insurance Saves Lives, and Holiday Microbiome Tips
12/13/2025
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 12-11-2025:
Dr. Dawn presents colleague Dr. Paul Godin's essay on why US healthcare fails as a market system . She explains that healthcare violates every assumption of functional markets: patients can't compare options during emergencies, information asymmetry prevents informed decisions, demand is inelastic when one has an urgent medical issue, and trust is essential to medicine and in direct conflict with profit incentives. Since 1988's Knox-Keen Act allowed for-profit healthcare, private equity has acquired and stripped hospitals, while administrative costs consume enormous resources fighting over payments rather than providing care. She contrasts...Vaccine Science: Anaphylaxis Prevention, Adjuvant Controversies, Fentanyl Immunization, Exercise Fighting Cancer, and Sunlight's Hidden Benefits
12/06/2025
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 12-04-2025:
Dr. Dawn opens with an experimental vaccine that prevents severe allergic reactions by targeting IgE antibodies. The vaccine could eventually replace current monoclonal antibody treatments like omalizumab that require injections every two weeks. She explains how adjuvants work in vaccines as additives that irritate the immune system enough to notice the vaccine target. Aluminum hydroxide is s common adjuvant. Modern vaccines use small pathogen fragments rather than whole organisms, requiring adjuvants to trigger adequate immune response. Dr. Dawn expresses concern about the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices reviewing aluminum...GLP-1 Drugs for Addiction Treatment, Ecosystem Health Connections, and Xenotransplantation Advances
11/21/2025
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 11-20-2025:
Dr. Dawn discusses GLP-1 inhibitors like Zepbound and semaglutide showing unexpected benefits for addiction treatment beyond diabetes and weight loss. Patients in rehab report these drugs mute cravings for alcohol, cocaine, and cigarettes. Multiple studies show reduced substance abuse rates in users, with VA and NIH conducting trials examining brain activity and responses to triggers. With 80,000 annual drug overdose deaths and 48 million Americans having substance abuse disorders, these medications may revolutionize addiction treatment by dampening brain reward circuitry, though costs threaten healthcare budgets. A Stanford twin study found those twins...Pediatric CT Scan Cancer Risks, CRISPR Gene Editing Advances, and Keto Diet Cholesterol Paradox
11/15/2025
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 11-13-2025:
Dr. Dawn discusses a New England Journal of Medicine study examining radiation exposure from medical imaging in over 4 million children showing increased hematological cancer risk. Head and brain CTs deliver highest bone marrow doses, with under-1-year-olds receiving 20 milligrays compared to background radiation of 1 milligray yearly. The study found 3,000 cancers in 4 million children over roughly 10 years, with relative risk increasing 1.6-fold per CT scan. However, methodological flaws include combining US and Canadian cohorts with different data quality, potential reverse causation where imaging detected pre-existing cancers, and arbitrary 6-month latency assumptions...Pancreatic Cancer Fundraiser, Colon Cancer Screening Guidelines, and Midwest Cancer Cluster Investigation
11/07/2025
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 11-06-2025:>/p> Dr. Dawn interviews Cindy Jackonette and Dr. Michael Alexander about a fundraiser for pancreatic cancer awareness on November 15th at Bargetto Winery from 2-5pm, supporting the Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group. Dr. Alexander explains pancreatic cancer has only 10-15% five-year survival rates and is difficult to screen for. Screening involves complex endoscopy procedures examining pancreatic ducts, CT scans and biomarker scans. The disease represents 3% of cancer cases but 8% of deaths. Immune checkpoint inhibitors show limited success except in Lynch syndrome patients with DNA repair defects. The Santa Cruz Cancer...
Halloween Special: Food Toxins, Private Equity Hospital Scandals, and Huntington's Disease Breakthrough
11/01/2025
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 10-30-2025:
Dr. Dawn opens with Halloween-themed scary medical stories, beginning with food toxins lurking in refrigerators and pantries. She explains how molds on grains and nuts, particularly Aspergillus species, produce aflatoxins that bind to DNA and cause liver cancer, making peanuts especially risky. Fusarium on wheat produces trichothecenes and fumonisins damaging cell membranes. Penicillium molds on fruits like apples produce patulin creating reactive oxygen species that harm organs. She advises discarding soft moldy foods entirely since fungal hyphae penetrate deeply, while hard cheeses can have moldy portions cut away. Meat spoilage...Dr. Dawn discusses E-bike safety, hydroxyapatite toothpaste, brain illusions, chronic lumbar pain management, brain plasticity, and more
10/24/2025
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 10-23-2025:
Dr. Dawn opens with a passionate plea about E-bike safety after observing riders ignoring stop signs and wearing inadequate helmets in Santa Cruz. She explains the physics of collisions, noting that force equals mass times acceleration, and a car hitting an E-bike rider at 20 mph delivers impact equivalent to falling from a two-story building. She emphasizes that 97% of bike fatalities in New York involved helmetless riders, and brain injuries result from the brain striking the skull twice during impact - once on the impact side and again on the opposite...Nobel Prize for T Regulatory Cell Discovery, Chronic Pain Psychology, and Vaccine Dementia Protection
10/17/2025
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 10-16-2025:
Dr. Dawn explains the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology awarded to Shimon Sakaguchi, Mary Brunkow, and Fred Ramsdell for discovering T regulatory cells. Previously, medical teaching held that the thymus only eliminated self-attacking T cells, but Sakaguchi found that removing the thymus from newborn mice caused autoimmune disease, suggesting protective regulatory cells existed. He identified CD4+CD25+ cells that suppress inflammation and can convert other T cells. Brunkow and Ramsdell discovered the FOXP3 gene that controls these cells, linking mutations to severe autoimmune diseases like IPEX syndrome. Tissue-specific Tregs regulate metabolism...Low-Dose Lithium Safety, Methotrexate Alternatives, and Making Exercise Convenient
10/10/2025
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 10-09-2025:
Dr. Dawn opens by addressing an emailer's question about safety of low-dose lithium for dementia prevention. She reports finding a two-year double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 61 patients with mild cognitive impairment that showed no kidney damage from therapeutic lithium doses. While low-dose lithium at 2-3 milligrams daily appears safe compared to therapeutic doses of 50-100 milligrams, she notes its calming effects may improve cognition. She discusses over-the-counter hearing aids now available without prescription, ranging from $98 to $999, representing significant savings compared to prescription models costing four times as much. An emailer asks...