Editorial - The HighWire

The UN’s “Non-Binding” Pandemic Declaration: Sequence In, Shot Out

Updated 2:36 PM EDT, Wed October 21, 2026

On October 12, with little to no media coverage, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Political Declaration on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response. The vote was 153 in favor and 3 against. The United States, Israel, and Argentina voted no, and New Zealand and Paraguay abstained. The scant headlines moved on within a day,…Continue reading The UN’s “Non-Binding” Pandemic Declaration: Sequence In, Shot Out

The Kind of People Who Build Bridges for Animals

Updated 6:14 AM EDT, Tue October 20, 2026

Three mule deer wandered up to a brand-new bridge near Grass Lake, in the far north of California, and walked across it. The bridge was built just for them, and other animals, and a trail camera caught them taking advantage of it. Remarkably, the bridge was not even finished being built when they used it.…Continue reading The Kind of People Who Build Bridges for Animals

From Lockdowns to Large Language Models: How AI Became the Post-COVID Companion We Never Asked For

Updated 5:54 AM EDT, Mon October 19, 2026

The Trillion-Dollar AI Boom Built on a Generation Already Isolated by COVID The date was May 11, 2023, and the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency officially ended in the United States. An entire generation of children and adolescents had been artificially masked and forced onto devices for their education and socialization. Already struggling with mental…Continue reading From Lockdowns to Large Language Models: How AI Became the Post-COVID Companion We Never Asked For

Vaccine mandates: a new form of ‘institutional segregation’

By PETER DOSHI and ADITI BHARGAVA Increasingly, vaccination is no longer a matter of choice. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of workplaces and schools are instituting COVID-19 vaccine mandates, with more expected following formal FDA licensure of the vaccines. But mandating people and their children who have consciously chosen not to get vaccinated — a group that tends to be younger, less educated, Republican,…Continue reading Vaccine mandates: a new form of ‘institutional segregation’

Updated 8:50 AM EDT, Fri September 24, 2021

Stabilizing the Code: mRNA, the immune system and cancer

In life and in science, changes have consequences. With hindsight, the bad ones are easy to see, some may argue. But when we examine the natural consequences of changes in the arena of Covid vaccine science, one might be forgiven for asking: surely someone must have cautioned against doing that? Of course it behoves us to state here,…Continue reading Stabilizing the Code: mRNA, the immune system and cancer

Updated 6:47 AM EDT, Tue September 14, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccinations in US Military: An Unlawful Order

By Travis Reinold Is it ethical to sacrifice one innocent person for the greater good? Or, to borrow a line from A Few Good Men, is it ethical to order the “code red?” The philosophies of “Do No Harm” and “The Greatest Good for the Greatest Number” predate Hippocrates and other Greek philosophers. In fact,…Continue reading COVID-19 Vaccinations in US Military: An Unlawful Order

Updated 10:00 AM EDT, Wed August 25, 2021

Are We Jumping the Gun on COVID Boosters?

— Efficacy, safety, and ethical questions linger Over the last week, the topic of COVID-19 booster shots — a third dose of mRNA vaccine for healthy Americans — has been thrust into the spotlight. The surgeon general, CDC director, Anthony Fauci, MD, and President Biden have announced that they wish for boosters to be available…Continue reading Are We Jumping the Gun on COVID Boosters?

Updated 9:59 AM EDT, Wed August 25, 2021

Does the FDA think these data justify the first full approval of a covid-19 vaccine?

The FDA should demand adequate, controlled studies with long term follow up, and make data publicly available, before granting full approval to covid-19 vaccines, says Peter Doshi On 28 July 2021, Pfizer and BioNTech posted updated results for their ongoing phase 3 covid-19 vaccine trial. The preprint came almost a year to the day after the historical…Continue reading Does the FDA think these data justify the first full approval of a covid-19 vaccine?

Updated 1:23 PM EDT, Tue August 24, 2021

AP: White House Vaccine Mandates Polarizing Country

By Jefferey Jaxen Language to manufacture a narrative by the media is occurring concurrently along with behind the scenes feints by the Biden Administration to see what the people are willing to put up with – and how far the law can be stretched. Within just the title and subtitle of their reporting, The Associated…Continue reading AP: White House Vaccine Mandates Polarizing Country

Updated 6:02 AM EDT, Sat August 14, 2021