Park County Wyoming Health Officer

03/25/2026

THE ONLY EVIDENCE WORSE THAN EXPERT OPINION IS NO EVIDENCE

Click below for a review of the different types of scientific studies.

https://libguides.olympic.edu/BehavioralHealth/EBP

03/25/2026

115 children have died of influenza in the US this respiratory season, including 1 in Wyoming.

03/25/2026

THE STATE OF MEDICAL EVIDENCE

History has shown us that the medical community has been wrong at times. Examples:

1. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) - In 2002 the results of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study caused many in the medical community to perceive that the harms outweighed the benefits when it came to HRT for most women. More recent evidence shows that the medical community's 2002 reversal on HRT was heavily flawed (we were wrong about being wrong). HRT is now considered safe and effective, particularly when started within 10 years of menopause or before age 60.

2. Stomach Ulcers - It was thought for many years that stomach ulcers were caused by stress and spicy foods. Research in the 1980s revealed that the bacteria Helicobacter pylori is a significant cause of stomach ulcers. This has revolutionized the understanding and treatment of this condition.

The ability to recognize and correct mistakes is a fundamental aspect of scientific progress. This leads to improved practices and better health outcomes over time.

The evaluation of the medical evidence is not a popularity contest. We don't count up the studies for and against a particular intervention. Looking at the quality of the studies and expert analysis on the preponderance of the evidence is crucial. Usually, this expert analysis is published as guidelines by large medical organizations or societies. Thus, throwing up a poor-quality study that backs up one's predetermined ideology means little.

Remember that studies may show what is best for the "average" patient in the population studied. The "normal distribution" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_distribution) of results from a scientific study takes the form of a bell-shaped curve. The larger the population, the more people who are "outliers". It is the job of your licensed medical professional (physician, dentist, podiatrist, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, etc.) to help interpret when the potential benefits outweigh the potential harms in your particular situation.

03/25/2026

CANNABINOIDS FOR MENTAL HEALTH or SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

Recently, the largest-ever meta-analysis of the safety and efficacy of medicinal cannabinoids for mental health conditions reviewed 54 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from 1980 to 2025 and found that cannabinoids were ineffective in treating anxiety, anorexia nervosa, psychotic disorders, PTSD, and op**te use disorder.

There was not sufficient data for a meta-analysis on ADHD, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or to***co use disorder. No RCTs were identified for the use of cannabinoids in depression.

Cannabinoids led to an increase in co***ne craving when used for co***ne use disorder.

There was low-quality evidence that cannabinoids can reduce symptoms in cannabis use disorder, insomnia, Tourette's syndrome, and autism spectrum disorder (this doesn't mean that cannabinoids are effective for these disorders).

Cannabinoid use was associated with an increased risk of adverse effects (odds ratio 1.75).

BOTTOM LINE: This meta-analysis found NO high-quality evidence of the effectiveness of cannabinoids in the treatment of ANY mental health or substance use disorder.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(26)00015-5/fulltext

03/22/2026

https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/with-jump-in-su***des-wyoming-officials-and-advocates-push-prevention/article_ffa073e1-f57c-489e-9ac5-d84b2649c1da.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawQs4JtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF0YktCQWpsRzdjRUJmNEt4c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHi0_Cf-xaYHYCMoOZhSIoRZSiDNmgEdysrpqS1QdNpkEUrBo_CbTqiu3NABG_aem_XYFGbQqq7KwvHmrGhKA_hg

This story discusses su***de. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, you can call or text the Su***de and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

03/17/2026

03/16/2026

DENTAL ANTIBIOTIC STEWARDSHIP

Most are aware of the concept of antibiotic stewardship in medicine, which seeks to decrease the inappropriate use of antibiotics. The inappropriate use of antibiotics:

1. Exposes patients to unnecessary side effects (all medicines have side effects) and potential allergies to antibiotics. Both side effects and allergies can be life-threatening.
2. Increases bacterial resistance to antibiotics. This is why the pharmaceutical industry must constantly develop new antibiotics, because the old ones no longer work as well.
3. Increases the cost of medicine, which is shared by all through rising insurance premiums and taxes.

Last year, dentists wrote more than 27 million prescriptions for antibiotics, 80% of them were to prevent infections before or after a dental procedure, “just in case” an infection developed (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2734798). Research has shown that antibiotic prophylaxis for tooth extractions and dental implants is frequently unnecessary (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11908-023-00802-y). 2.3 million of these antibiotic prescriptions were for clindamycin (commonly prescribed when patients report an allergy to “cillins”), second only to amoxicillin. For more than 4 decades, the clindamycin label has carried a black box warning (https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2024/050162s105lbl.pdf) because of its association with life-threatening Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (C-diff). This doesn’t mean that clindamycin should never be prescribed, but only when the potential benefits outweigh the potential harms.

This is what you, as a dental patient, can do to help with this problem:

1. Ask if antibiotics are truly needed.
2. Ask about side effects and warning signs.
3. Share your medical history with your dentist.
4. Ask about taking a shorter course.
5. Ask about delaying the antibiotic.
6. Discuss allergies. Although 10% of people report an allergy to penicillin, the true rate of penicillin allergy is less than 1% according to the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/hcp/clinical-signs/index.html #:~:text=Key%20points,26).

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/antimicrobial-stewardship/dentists-still-write-millions-prescriptions-year-antibiotic-life

This is part 1 in a three-part series on potential harms from taking antibiotics for dental procedures. Parts 2 and 3 will publish tomorrow and Thursday. All will be available here.

03/12/2026

PERTUSSIS (WHOOPING COUGH) IN WYOMING

Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) officials are concerned about the ongoing, active spread of pertussis (whooping cough) across the state. Kaylyn Friesen, vaccine-preventable disease epidemiologist with WDH, said there have been 26 confirmed pertussis cases in Wyoming so far this year. “While rou...

03/09/2026

PREPRINT SERVERS

A preprint is a version of a scientific paper that has not been through peer review nor been published in a scientific journal. Basically, it is a study that has not been vetted by peer review or the publishing processes. Preprints have been around since the 1960's and have been shared on the internet since 1991 through preprint servers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preprint).

During the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for timely research (peer review and acceptance for publication in a scholarly journal can take months to a year) led to the proliferation of preprint servers and to the largest-ever single-year increase in scholarly articles (https://www.science.org/content/article/no-revolution-covid-19-boosted-open-access-preprints-are-only-fraction-pandemic-papers). While this led to the widespread dissemination of important information about COVID-19, it also increased the number of questionable and fraudulent studies, as the bar for listing studies on preprint servers is low.

Such unvetted studies are often cited by those opposed to public health and vaccines. Recently, the preprint server Preprint.org removed a paper that claimed that infants vaccinated in the 2nd month of life had increased mortality when compared to unvaccinated infants - because it did not meet their standards. Loren Mell, a physician-scientist from the University of California San Diego, was asked by RetractionWatch.com to review the paper and said, "I think that the paper seemed to be more about advancing a predetermined position as opposed to a good faith scientific inquiry." Both authors of the paper are affiliated with the Children's Defense Network (known for its antivaccine activism), and one has had 2 other vaccination studies retracted.

Bottom Line: The existence of a study found on the internet does not constitute a definitive answer to any research question. Important questions include: Who authored this study? Did the authors have a conflict of interest? Who paid for this study? Was the study peer-reviewed? Has the study been published in a respected scholarly journal? Have the results of the study been reproduced by other researchers? Has the study been retracted?

https://retractionwatch.com/2026/03/02/preprint-server-removes-study-attributing-increased-infant-mortality-to-vaccines/

Alachua County/Flickr A preprint server has withdrawn a study that suggested children vaccinated in the second month of life are more likely to die soon after when compared to those who did not rec…

03/09/2026

LONG COVID

According to a recently published study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 21.3 million US adults (8.3%) reported in 2024 ever having long COVID. While about 60% reported recovery, those 35 years or older are at risk for long-term symptoms.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2845675?utm_source=fbpage&utm_medium=social_jamajno&utm_term=19733140739&utm_campaign=article_alert&linkId=914597156&fbclid=IwY2xjawQbqfhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0NjhrV0VRZ2Rzc01QZ0JFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHtpLZviP4-nrZXYQKG_4WcaHnAdZcXKdTTQdVWk6f6C3W8O2Nkx92ZFaPjy1_aem_CNxJYFKBatY50e2md0lnjA

This cross-sectional study examines the prevalence and recovery patterns of long COVID among US adults using data from the National Health Interview Survey.

03/09/2026

DO YOU NEED AN MMR BOOSTER?

The following is the CDC's algorithm for determining the need for MMR boosters in non-pregnant individuals 19 or older.

https://www.cdc.gov/measles/downloads/adult-mmr-algorithm-508.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawQbq2lleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0NjhrV0VRZ2Rzc01QZ0JFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHpAR1MkT7LpNYIumchLYzapOT9QGGXKZcR_XycgHHlIf-VAJ9dxJu7WnAACo_aem_zNYBxrGXE4sszdGhJukuDg

03/08/2026

This spring break, measles is not just a distant headline. It’s a growing national concern, with cases continuing to be reported across the country.

Spring break should bring home souvenirs and stories, not preventable illnesses.

Vaccination is safe, effective, and the best way for Michigan families to protect not only their own children but also students across our state.

Get the facts ➡️ IVaccinate.org