Viruses Must Die

Viruses Must Die is a Substack exploring the interplay between science, health, and personal choice through the lens of the COVID-19 pandemic. It critiques public health measures, explores natural remedies, stresses the importance of scientific innovation and informed consent, and advocates for personal freedom in medical decisions.

Public Health and COVID-19 Scientific Innovation and Methodology Natural Remedies and Herbal Medicine Personal Freedom and Medical Choice Informed Consent and Ethical Considerations Critique of Healthcare Policies

The hottest Substack posts of Viruses Must Die

And their main takeaways

Dear Shambolic Oligarchs: Here’s What I Did This Week

96 implied HN points • 25 Feb 25
🔬 Science Virology Molecular Biology Bioinformatics Vaccines Health Research
  1. There's a plan to create a vaccine for chickens using yeast to help them fight bird flu. This involves some complex science but aims to protect poultry.
  2. Efforts are underway to upload massive amounts of viral data to a federal cloud, making it easier for scientists to access crucial information. However, workplace issues are causing worries about delays.
  3. A colleague discovered a cancer treatment but was let go during a staff change, which highlights the challenges faced by dedicated scientists and the impact of workplace stress on their work.

The Lost Lesson of Tuskegee (guest post)

26 implied HN points • 19 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Medical Ethics Public Health Vaccination Healthcare access Racial Justice
  1. Many people misunderstand the Tuskegee Study. They think the men were injected with syphilis, but the real issue was that they were denied treatment even when it became available.
  2. Withholding medical care is a huge problem in today’s healthcare system. It happens not just in historical cases like Tuskegee but also in modern practices where insurance companies delay or deny necessary treatments.
  3. The lessons from the Tuskegee Study are still relevant today. We need to acknowledge and address the issues of informed consent and access to healthcare to build trust in medical research.

Viruses are Supervillains, Herbs are Superheroes

17 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
  1. Mint-family herbs can help fight viral infections and may prevent Covid.
  2. Combination therapy with herbs that have antiviral properties can be more effective than using mint alone.
  3. Anti-inflammatory agents like melatonin and famotidine can help with Covid symptoms and potentially tackle the underlying viral infection.

Cloth Masks Suck

26 implied HN points • 16 Aug 23
  1. Cloth masks offer no protection against Covid infection.
  2. Public health officials failed to consider evidence on aerosol transmission.
  3. Using the scientific method could have prevented the cloth mask disaster.

Mint vs Covid: A Culinary Perspective

26 implied HN points • 15 May 23
  1. Drinking mint tea may help fight Covid
  2. Experiment with different mint-family herbs in your diet
  3. Consider incorporating mint tea into your daily routine
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Thanks for the Covid Cocktails, Reviewer #1

26 implied HN points • 11 May 23
  1. Peer reviewers can offer valuable feedback to enhance scientific work
  2. Exploring new ingredients and creating cocktails can be an interesting and fun scientific experiment
  3. Acknowledging and appreciating the contributions of anonymous peer reviewers is important

Product Review: Lucira Covid Test

17 implied HN points • 16 Jul 23
  1. Consider using newer, more sensitive molecular Covid tests like Lucira instead of less accurate rapid antigen tests
  2. Rapid molecular tests like Lucira can detect infections earlier and help prevent the spread of Covid
  3. Government should prioritize recommending and distributing superior molecular tests over outdated rapid antigen tests

Consumer Reports for Medicines

8 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
  1. Legislation proposed to give people the right to choose non-addictive medicines.
  2. A Consumer Product Testing Act suggested to promote independent testing of medical products for fair competition.
  3. Reforms proposed for FDA to address barriers in the American healthcare system.

Let’s Look for DNA on Mars

8 implied HN points • 25 Sep 23
  1. The author suggests looking for DNA on Mars through a simple experiment.
  2. There's a possibility of life on Mars possessing DNA chemistry like Earth's.
  3. Advanced DNA sequencing technology has revealed hidden microbes, but wasn't used directly on the lander.

TV Review: Live to 100 - Secrets of the Blue Zones

8 implied HN points • 24 Sep 23
  1. The TV series about the Blue Zones falls into abstract analysis and lacks scientific depth.
  2. The hypothesis suggests that common infections could be the primary cause of poor health in old age.
  3. Drinking tea made from mint-family herbs might help fight viral infections, as per the speculation discussed.

Why Is Paul Offit Flirting with the Ghosts of Tuskegee

8 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
  1. Questioning authority can be a sign of true respect.
  2. Humility is important in making decisions that affect others.
  3. Increasing conclusive evidence should guide decisions, not skepticism.

The Freedom to Choose Medicine Is a Civil Right

5 HN points • 31 Dec 23
  1. Empowering citizens by ending restrictive medical policies is important for civil rights.
  2. There is a need to balance scientific evidence with the freedom of individuals to choose their medicines.
  3. Regulations should acknowledge and respect individual freedom of choice when it comes to medical decisions.

Consenting to Known Risks

8 implied HN points • 12 Jul 23
  1. The focus of informed consent is to ensure understanding of known risks before agreeing to them.
  2. Informed consent should not include signing away unknown risks or harmless circumstances.
  3. Maintaining the importance of known risks in consent processes is crucial for effective decision-making.

Speculation is not a Dirty Word

8 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
  1. Speculation is essential for the scientific process.
  2. Imagination and creativity play a crucial role in forming scientific questions and hypotheses.
  3. Embracing a more open-minded approach to science, like Einstein's philosophy, can lead to faster progress.

We Tuskegeed My Dad

8 implied HN points • 06 Jun 23
  1. Key lessons from the Tuskegee Study are important and should not be forgotten.
  2. Choosing medicine is a basic human right that should not be denied.
  3. Bet on better-safe-than-sorry vaccination and consider potential risks of viruses.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Health Experiments

2 HN points • 13 Jan 24
  1. The FDA needs better ways to address scientific uncertainty in approving medicines
  2. Legislation proposal to extend the MUMS law for humans to expedite medicine approval
  3. Acknowledging scientific uncertainty and allowing hedged health claims on labels through proposed ASUM measure

Extraordinary Evidence Requires Extraordinary Hypotheses

4 HN points • 13 Apr 23
  1. Extraordinary evidence does not always require extraordinary hypotheses; it's important to also consider ordinary claims and require evidence for them.
  2. Replication and extension of key findings by independent investigators is crucial in error-correction, more so than relying solely on peer review.
  3. Using repetitively arrayed vaccines, like the HPV vaccine, could potentially offer strong and long-lasting immunity against diseases like Covid, but there are challenges in gaining widespread acceptance and regulatory approval.

*Everybody* Should Be Allowed to Choose the HPV Vaccine

0 implied HN points • 23 Dec 23
  1. Everyone should have the freedom to choose the HPV vaccine for themselves.
  2. Medicine choices should be recognized as an individual civil liberty.
  3. HPV vaccination could have prevented future HPV-induced cancers and should be more widely accessible.