It was an era in which we became accustomed to daily death tolls broadcast on TV; work, school, and play shifted to virtual space; and masks served as both a life-saving accessory and confounding controversy. On many fronts, the era was marked by despair, not only from the virus proper, but also from the isolation […]

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, critiquing the World Health Organization (WHO) has become somewhat fashionable. Perhaps spotting an appetite for this vein of commentary, António Abrunhosa recently penned an article condemning the WHO’s spending on tobacco control efforts. Through a series of  deceptive claims, Abrunhosa attempts to diminish the importance of such efforts—and, ultimately, […]

In response to COVID-19, the global medical community has devoted unprecedented resources to the development of new vaccines and treatments. These initiatives are necessary and laudable; yet, as researchers and public health officials divert attention to the pandemic, they risk overlooking other pressing health challenges, such as diabetes, depression or the tobacco epidemic. While these […]

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a challenge for the scientific community to publish results quickly, and publication often occurs at the price of quality and reproducibility, which in turn undermines the public’s trust of science. A recent paper by Gaiha et al evaluated the relation between youth smoking and coronavirus and […]

An effective COVID-19 vaccine could help us emerge from isolation and end the social distancing required during this pandemic; but it will only work if people are willing to be vaccinated.1 We conducted a survey in June of 2020 that addressed whether people’s willingness to use a COVID-19 vaccine and adopt other preventive healthcare measures […]