This collaboration examines mandatory vaccination policies and potential vaccine harms, concluding mandates are likely unnecessary and vaccines remain important for public health despite some ongoing safety concerns. Longer summary

This adversarial collaboration examines two questions regarding childhood vaccination policies in economically developed nations: whether vaccination should be mandatory, and whether health authorities should normalize parental decisions not to vaccinate. The authors conclude that mandatory vaccination is likely not necessary to achieve public health objectives, and that while vaccines are an important element of disease control, there is not sufficient evidence that they cause significant harm to justify discouraging vaccination as a matter of public policy. They suggest studying alternative approaches to increasing vaccination rates without mandates. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines various anti-wheat claims and pro-wheat evidence, concluding that while some concerns exist, current evidence generally supports wheat consumption for most people. Longer summary

Scott Alexander investigates the claims against wheat consumption, examining various arguments such as gluten sensitivity, intestinal permeability, wheat-derived opiates, connections to autism and schizophrenia, genetic modifications, and leptin resistance. He analyzes scientific studies and expert opinions, finding some claims to be partially true but often exaggerated or of uncertain significance. He also explores pro-wheat arguments, noting strong evidence for whole grain benefits but acknowledging potential confounders. The post concludes that while there are some concerns about wheat, the best evidence currently supports its inclusion in most people's diets. Shorter summary