TEC: Evidence Based Therapeutics
Therapeutics Education Collaboration
Medication Mythbusters – Home of the Best Science (BS) Medicine Podcast

The BS Medicine Podcast episodes are presented by James McCormack and Michael Allan. We try to promote healthy skepticism and critical thinking and most of the podcasts are presented in a case-based approach. We also try to inject some humour into the whole process to make the learning more interesting. Occasionally we have great guests like Mike Kolber, Tina Korownyk and Bruce Arroll help us out.

Most podcast episodes are available for free until they become archived after about 1-2 months. Every 4th episode or so is a “New Studies You Need to Know About” podcast and these will only be available to our Premium Podcast members. Premium members will also be able to listen to all archived episodes since episode #1.

Episode 255: We can measure lipoproteins but is there really any point?

In episode 255, Mike and James discuss the evidence around the measurement of lipoproteins and find out that while they are interesting from a research perspective, they are of little if any value in clinical practice. At the end of the podcast Mike gets not only irked but flummoxed and just this is worth the price of admission.

Show notes

1) Tools For Practice

Lipoproteins: The risk of (over)interpreting these risk factors?

2) Patient Waiting Room Education Slide Show

Episode 254: Food and You – the evidence conundrum – PART III

In episode 254, James and Mike finish of their dietary podcast buffet. We tackle weight loss and then look at all the best available evidence around overall nutrition and it comes up looking pretty good for the Mediterranean diet – or something similar. We hope at the end of this trilogy on nutrition all our listeners enjoyed each course and that you will stay tuned for more BS Medicine podcasts – or as we refer to them – dessert with a cherry and whipped cream on the top.

Show notes

1) Weight loss

N Engl J Med 2008;359:229-41

Food & Nutrition Research 2012,56:19103

PLOS ONE 2014;9:e100652

Ann Intern Med 2014;161:309-318

JAMA 2014;312:923-33

N Engl J Med 2009;360:859-73

2) RCT of dietary impacts on cardiovascular disease

Lancet 1994;343:1454-9

JAMA 2006;295:629-642, 643-54, 655-66

Lancet 2002;360:1455-61

N Engl J Med 2013; 368:1279-90

CD002137

3) Saturated fats

Am J Clin Nutr 2010;91:535–46

Ann Intern Med 2014;160:398-406

BMJ Open 2014;4:e004487 doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004487

BMJ 2013 Feb 4;346:e8707. doi: 10.1136/bmj.e8707.  

4) Red meat

Circulation 2010;121:2271-83

American Journal of Epidemiology 2013DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwt261

5) Sugar

BMJ 2012;345:e7492 doi: 10.1136/bmj.e7492

Circulation 2012;125:1735-41

JAMA Intern Med 2014;174:516-24

6) Overall

Annu Rev Public Health 2014;35:83–103

Episode 253: Food and You – the evidence conundrum – PART II

In episode 253, James and Mike continue biting off the evidence around nutrition. We discuss salt, breakfast, eggs, fiber, coffee, fruit and vegetable servings, and alcohol. At the end, we get terribly confused and go out and have a smorgasbord.

Show notes

1) Salt

N Engl J Med 2014;371:601-11

BMJ 2013;346:f1325 doi: 10.1136/bmj.f1325

Institute of Medicine – May 2013

N Engl J Med 2014;371:612-23

N Engl J Med 2014;371:677-9

2) Breakfast

Am J Clin Nutr 2013;98:1298-308

Am J Clin Nutr 2014;100:539–47

Am J Clin Nutr 2014;100:626–56

3) Eggs

Atherosclerosis 2012;224:469-73

BMJ 2013;346:e8539 doi: 10.1136/bmj.e8539

4) Fiber

Arch Intern Med 2004;164:370-6

BMJ 2013;347:f6879

BMJ 2011;343:d6617 doi: 10.1136/bmj.d6617

5) Coffee

Circulation 2014;129:643–59 

Eur J Epidemiol 2013;28:527–39

6) Servings

J Epidemiol Community Health – March 2014

BMJ 2014; 349 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g4490

7) Alcohol

Addiction 2012;107:1246–60

Episode 252: Food and You – the evidence conundrum

In episode 252, James and Mike start off on a food/nutrition diatribe. We start off by speaking in general about nutrition issues and how we should figure out if a particular food is healthy or unhealthy. We chew up the advantages and disadvantages of RCTs and cohorts and set the plate on what evidence we need to make decisions about nutrition.

Show notes

1) Food Tribes: Making up the rules as we go

Randy Shore Vancouver Sun

2) Implausible results in human nutrition research

BMJ 2013;347:f6698

Episode 251: PREMIUM – a new heart failure study and much, much more

In episode 251, PREMIUM Mike and James look at the most recent update of the ACCORD trial and find not a lot. We then look at a relatively new class of medication (neprilysin inhibitor) and actually find something but realise it all needs to be put into context.

1) Effects of intensive glycaemic control on ischaemic heart disease: analysis of data from the randomised, controlled ACCORD trial.

Lancet 2014 Jul 31. pii: S0140-6736(14)60611-5

2) PARADIGM-HF – Angiotensin–Neprilysin Inhibition versus Enalapril in Heart Failure

DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1409077

Episode 250: New Studies – two podcasts for the price of one

In episode 250, Mike and James double up on the value by giving you close to 60 minutes of pure gold – fools gold actually. We discuss a number of new studies that help answer questions about dual antiplatelets, niacin, OST, the number of fruit and vegetable servings, and acetaminophen for acute low back pain. At the end we realize 250 podcasts is a lot and we so much thank all the people who have chosen to listen over the years.

Show notes

1) How long for dual antiplatelets?

Circulation 2014;129:304-12

2) The end of niacin

N Engl J Med 2014;371:203-12

3) OST versus FRAX

J Am Geriatr Soc 2014 62:442–6

OST and fracture risk tables

See under #12 rheumatology

4) Fruit and vegetable consumption meta-analysis 

BMJ 2014;349:g4490 doi: 10.1136/bmj.g4490

Fruit and vegetable consumption and all-cause, cancer and CVD mortality: analysis of Health Survey for England data

J Epidemiol Community Health 2014;0:1–7. doi:10.1136/jech-2013-203500

5) Efficacy of paracetamol for acute low-back pain: a double-blind, randomised controlled trial

Lancet 2014 Jul 23

NSAIDs and low back pain

CD000396

Muscle relaxants and low back pain

CD004252

6) PEIP conference in Edmonton

Episode 249: Is glucosamine inert or does it help if you are inert from osteoarthritis?

In episode 249, Mike and James dive into all the latest data on glucosamine for osteoarthritis. Early on, the research showed it might have some benefit but the most recent meta-analyses indicate glucosamine does not reliably improve pain or function in osteoarthritis.

Show notes

1) Tools For Practice

Does glucosamine improve pain and function in osteoarthritis?

2) Glucosamine withdrawal makes no difference 

Arthritis Rheuma 2004;51:738–45 

Episode 247: How the new anticoagulants compare to warfarin in DVTs and PEs

In episode 247, Mike and James and Mike look at the evidence for the new anticoagulants compared to warfarin in the treatment of DVTs and PEs. At the end we realise the decision between these agents is a personal one guided by the best available evidence, which hopefully we have done an OK job in providing.

Show notes

 1) Tools For Practice

Are novel anti-coagulants as effective as warfarin in treating acute venous thromboembolism (VTE)?

2) Choosing Wisely Video

See List of All Podcast Episodes

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BS Medicine Podcast

The 2026 MEME Conference – May 8-9, 2026

REGISTRATION IN JANUARY 2026

Making Evidence Matter For Everyone | May 8-9, 2026
From the clinicians who brought you the Best Science Medicine Course and the Meds Conference, as well as the BS Medicine Podcast and Tools for Practice

hectalks.com

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BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

THE NUTRITION PROPOSITION BOOK

Check it out at nutritionproposition.com and think about picking up a copy on Amazon. All the evidence you ever wanted about nutrition and the only nutrition book that won’t tell you what to eat.

 

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