In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Loretta Mayer discuss the growing problem of urban rat populations, exacerbated by climate change and the ineffectiveness of traditional poisoning methods. Dr. Mayer discusses the non-lethal contraceptive method for rats and mice, developed from her research on reproductive physiology, and successful field tests that have shown significant reduction in rodent populations around the world. Finally, they discuss the non-profit Wisdom Good Works as well as Wisdom Good Bites and their aim to improve public health and environmental conditions by reducing rodent-borne diseases and improving rodent health.

Key Takeaways:

• Rats are the most successful reproductive mammal on earth, with the ability of a single female to generate over 15,000 prodigy over her lifetime.

• The rat contraceptive has a half-life of less than 15 minutes, meaning there is no possibility of transferring the contraceptive to a predator like a cat or a raptor.

• Rats are smart, and they learn. If you’re trying to feed them poison, they will learn, and they will avoid it.

"The literature is quite deep on these rodents. They love to be tickled. They have compassion for other rodents. They are very closely connected to their conspecifics." — Dr. Loretta Mayer

Episode References:

• Another unwelcome consequence of climate change: An explosion of urban rats by Karen Kaplan - https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-01-31/climate-change-could-cause-an-explosion-of-urban-rats

Connect with Dr. Loretta Mayer:

Professional Bio: https://wisdomgoodworks.org/about-us/

Website: https://wisdomgoodworks.org/ & https://wisdomgoodbites.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loretta-mayer-b4025914/

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Threads: @critically_speaking

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Charles Piller discuss the slow progress of Alzheimer’s treatments. Based on his research and findings as an investigative journalist, as well as his newest book, Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer’s, they discuss the complexity of the disease, msiconduct in the research, and the other problems the research is facing despite the funding for it being at an all time high. Charles comments on the FDA's reliance on industry-affiliated advisors, the revolving door phenomenon, and why the new anti-amyloid drugs are not as practical as they might seem on the surface with limited effectiveness, high costs, and high liability. Finally, Charles emphasizes the need for diverse research strategies and better regulation to protect patients and families traversing this complex disease.

Key Takeaways:

• There are more than 7 million people with Alzheimer’s in the US. In addition, there are 11 million family caregivers or loved ones taking care of these patients, which is an enormous issue and burden, both financial and emotional.

• The Amyloid Mafia idea is behind the concerns that the competitive pressure has reduced the extent of the types of ideas that are being fully examined in the treatments for Alzheimer’s.

• While science is often self-correcting, it can take time. It is important for forensic image sleuths and journalists to expose misconduct and other scientific errors or wrongdoings to speed up that process of science, acknowledging and correcting the errors.

"In the marketplace of scientific ideas, competition is almost always valuable to test and press the progenitors of these ideas into being able to think flexibly and to try to prove out the ones that are the ones that are the most effective." — Charles Piller

Connect with Charles Piller:

Professional Bio: https://www.science.org/content/author/charles-piller

Book: Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer’s - https://www.amazon.com/Doctored-Fraud-Arrogance-Tragedy-Alzheimers/dp/1668031248

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Threads: @critically_speaking

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Paul Offit discuss the MMR vaccine, the history of it, and the current decay of measles herd immunity today. Many parents are refusing to vaccinate their children, referencing politicians, actors, and social activists who lack correct information regarding the vaccine. Even if an unvaccinated child recovers from measles, they may, years later, develop a fatal encephalitis from the measles virus that has hidden in their brains. Dr. Offit thus discusses not only the serious potential complications of measles during the illness but the risks of later and seemingly unrelated fatalities in the unvaccinated.

Key Takeaways:

• School vaccine mandates were born in the mid-1970s, especially in big cities, as outbreaks were often spread in schools.

• In a portion of children who recover from measles, the measles virus still remains hidden in the brain and can result in encephalitis.

• You have the right to make decisions about your own health, but you don’t have the right to make your child a martyr for your cause.

• Many of those activating against vaccinations are still referencing an invalidated and retracted paper from 1998.

"Medicine’s hard enough – there is so much we can’t do - but this we can do! We can prevent this disease, so watching parents, knowingly, put their children in harm’s way, and putting those their children come in contact with in harm’s way, has been very hard to watch." — Dr. Paul Offit

Connect with Dr. Paul Offit:

Professional Bio: https://www.chop.edu/doctors/offit-paul-a

Book: Bad Advice: Or Why Celebrities, Politicians, and Activists Aren’t Your Best Source of Health Information and More!

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Threads: @critically_speaking

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.