Category Archives: Science

Teach to Protect from Fentanyl

Rep. Ronny Johns, R-Ada, is renewing a call for action on Rain’s Law, House Bill 1484, legislation that would require age-appropriate fentanyl abuse prevention and drug poisoning awareness education in Oklahoma schools. Approved by the full House and a Senate Committee, leadership in the Senate is apparently not interested in bringing it to a floor vote. How many must die to move the bill?

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USDA: Screwworm Grand Challenge

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced Tuesday the launch of the New World Screwworm (NWS) Grand Challenge. This funding opportunity marks a pivotal step in USDA’s comprehensive strategy to combat NWS and prevent its northward spread.

“This is a strategic investment in America’s farmers and ranchers and is an important action to ensure the safety and future success of our food supply, which is essential to our national security,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “These are the kinds of innovations that will help us stay ahead of this pest and protect our food supply and our economy, protecting the way of life of our ranchers and go towards rebuilding our cattle herd to lower consumer prices on grocery store shelves.”

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Fertility Preservation for Boys

OU Health, the University of Oklahoma’s academic health system, is the first health system in Oklahoma to offer testicular tissue preservation for prepubescent boys facing cancer treatments that could affect their future fertility. This procedure provides a potential path to biological parenthood when conventional methods, such as sperm banking, are not feasible.

The advancement offers new hope to families whose children face cancer treatments that could compromise future fertility. By introducing testicular tissue cryopreservation, OU Health is expanding access to leading-edge preservation techniques previously unavailable in Oklahoma.

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The Ethics of Gender Affirmation

The ongoing conversation around gender dysphoria and “gender-affirming care” is deeply concerning, to say the least. Gender dysphoria is defined as a perceived misalignment between one’s biological sex and how they identify. Gender dysphoria has been linked to delusion and psychosis.

Affirming a delusion or false belief is ethically questionable. Those who have a diagnosis of gender dysphoria are encouraged to socially transition and medicalize with cross-sex hormones and irreversible surgeries. Some might argue that they are engaging in self-harm.

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