Free Republic

Held: Colorado’s law banning conversion therapy, as applied to Ms. Chiles’s talk therapy, regulates speech based on viewpoint, and the lower courts erred by failing to apply sufficiently rigorous First Amendment scrutiny.

WASHINGTON — In a blow to LGBTQ rights, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that Colorado's ban on conversion therapy aimed at youths struggling with their sexual orientation or gender identity violates the free speech rights of a conservative Christian therapist. The 8-1 decision in favor of therapist Kaley Chiles on her claim brought under the Constitution's First Amendment is likely to have national implications — more than 20 states have similar laws. It could also have an impact on other forms of medical treatment that involve speech. Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch said that "the First Amendment...

Far-left “Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) violated federal election and House ethics rules by misusing nearly $19,000 in campaign cash last year on a shrink who specializes in controversial ketamine therapy, a bombshell new complaint claims. DC-based National Legal and Policy Center filed a joint complaint Friday with the Federal Elections Commission and the Office of Congressional Conduct, demanding both enforcement agencies probe Ocasio-Cortez, her congressional campaign committee and its treasurer, Frank Llewellyn. The government watchdog group want authorities to determine whether the money paid to Boston-based Dr. Brian Boyle was fraudulently documented in official filings as “leadership training and...

Patients with early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma had impressive response rates when treated with a novel combination of therapies—brentuximab vedotin and nivolumab combined with chemotherapy drugs doxorubicin and dacarbazine—according to a study. "By pairing modern targeted therapies with a shorter course of chemotherapy, we're seeing strong outcomes that improve historical standards and reduce treatment intensity," said senior author Hun Ju Lee, M.D., associate professor of lymphoma. A total of 154 patients were treated with the novel combination on this trial. Some 96% of patients had some level of response to treatment, and 92% had a complete response with no signs of cancer...

The Supreme Court is leaning toward upholding the right of therapists to advise clients that changing their sexual orientation is viable Kaley Chiles is a Christian therapist who places the Bible at the center of her practice. To many of her patients, religious faith is often more important than Freud. They see Bible readings, prayer and a focus on spirituality along with traditional principles of psychotherapy as essential elements of any treatment plan. While outside the mainstream of psychoanalytic practice, Chiles’ technique combining traditional psychotherapy with Biblical precepts for years had been deemed non-controversial, if confined to more conservative regions...

[Catholic Caucus] LGBT activists praise Spanish bishops for rejecting ‘conversion therapy’Cardinal Cobo and Bishop Satué were praised for advancing pro-LGBT language that omits the Catholic Church’s call for chastity.A Christian activist group has praised two Spanish bishops for their pro-LGBT stance and for rejecting so-called “conversion therapy.”The Madrid-based Christian Homosexual Organization (CHRISMHOM) praised Cardinal José Cobo of Madrid and Bishop José Antonio Satué of Málaga for their pro-LGBT remarks and apparent deviation from Catholic teaching on the matter of homosexuality.CHRISMHOM cited recent statements by the two bishops as evidence of their support for the LGBT agenda.As LifeSiteNews reported in August,...

Stephen Colbert’s Late Show overwhelmingly catered to left-wing audiences, functioning more as a partisan “therapy” outlet than a comedy program, according to a new study from media watchdog NewsBusters. Since 2022, Colbert hosted 176 left-leaning guests and just one Republican — former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), a vocal critic of President Donald Trump. In 2025 alone, The Late Show featured 43 left-leaning guests and zero conservatives, according to the analysis. “Colbert’s show has been late-night group therapy for liberals,” NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck told New York Post. “Americans have continually shown they no longer have the time or patience...

Radiation therapy can promote the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand amphiregulin, which increases growth of existing metastases in patients with advanced solid tumors, according to a study. András Piffkó, M.D. and colleagues explored the potentially deleterious effect of radiation in promoting metastasis in patients with advanced solid tumors who received stereotactic body radiotherapy to multiple metastatic sites. Gene expression was examined in 22 matched preradiotherapy and postradiotherapy biopsies for irradiated metastases. The researchers found that the EGFR ligand amphiregulin was induced by radiotherapy in tumor cells; amphiregulin reprograms EGFR-expressing myeloid cells toward an immunosuppressive phenotype and can reduce phagocytosis....

A new four-drug combination is highly effective and safe in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, according to dats. The randomized, multi-center trial tests the effects of adding the targeted drug daratumumab to the standard three-part therapy regimen, called KRd (carfilzomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone). The new clinical trial has its roots in the MANHATTAN trial. In that, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients were also treated with daratumumab added to KRd, a combination called DKRd. The results of the MANHATTAN trial were "spectacular," said Landgren. Sensitive methods to assess for minimal residual disease (MRD) showed that 71% of patients had no...

Michelle Obama says she’s back in therapy as she begins her “transition” to the “next phase” of her life. I’m not kidding; that’s exactly what People magazine is reporting. According to the article, during a recent appearance on Jay Shetty’s "On Purpose" podcast, Obama opened up about her current focus on mental health. She revealed that after years in spotlight — including eight in the White House as first lady — she’s now turning to therapy to help guide her through this personal transition. “At this phase of my life, I’m in therapy right now because I’m transitioning, you know?”...

Investigators have validated a test that can accurately predict which patients with prostate cancer are at higher risk of developing long-lasting urinary side effects after receiving radiation therapy. The test, called PROSTOX, is the first of its kind to use microRNAs to predict toxicity from cancer therapy. It could help prevent the burden of long-term complications by identifying patients most at risk before treatment even begins. The team validated PROSTOX's ability to predict long-term urinary side effects. "What makes PROSTOX different is that it looks at a patient's unique genetics to estimate their personal risk of developing side effects from...

An international team has found genomic testing and targeted therapies for patients with advanced cancer could improve survival rates by up to 40%. The team conducted a review of 37 trials. It found next-generation sequencing could help guide matched targeted therapies (MTT) for people with relapsed or metastatic cancer, delaying the progression of their cancer compared to standard treatments. "Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of cancer identifies specific mutations in the DNA of a person's cancer cells," said Dr. Shrestha. "These mutations can give clinicians clues about why the cancer is growing and which treatments might work best. "Targeted therapies designed to...

Opinion Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with millions of new cases reported each year. In 2022 alone, approximately 20 million new cancer cases were diagnosed globally, and 9.7 million lives were lost to the disease. In India, the numbers are equally alarming, with around 100 out of every one lakh people diagnosed with cancer. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), more than 14 lakh cancer cases were estimated in 2023. [1 lakh = 0.1 million] Despite advancements in early detection and treatment, many myths surrounding cancer testing prevent people from undergoing timely...

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is noninferior to conventional or moderately fractionated radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer (PC), according to a study. Nicholas van As and colleagues assessed whether SBRT is noninferior to conventionally or moderately hypofractionated regimens in patients with localized PC. The analysis included patients randomly assigned to SBRT (36.25 Gy in five fractions over one or two weeks) or control radiotherapy (78 Gy in 39 fractions over 7.5 weeks or 62 Gy in 20 fractions over four weeks). The researchers found that at a median follow-up of 74.0 months, the five-year incidence of freedom from biochemical or clinical...

Researchers have identified a protein that may prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a new study published in the Developmental Cell on Oct. 2.AMD is the leading cause of vision loss among older adults, affecting nearly 20 million Americans. As the population ages, this number is expected to rise significantly. Currently, there are no treatments that can stop AMD’s progression.MR.PRAWET THADTHIAM/Shutterstock“I think we identified something that can target early-stage disease. ... That’s a big deal,” the study’s lead author Ruchira Singh, an associate professor of ophthalmology at the University of Rochester in New York, told The Epoch Times.The study...

A substantial number of patients with brain metastases who experience cognitive side effects following radiation therapy may fully regain cognitive function, according to a pooled analysis of three large, Phase III clinical trials. Recovery was more likely for people treated with conformal, or highly targeted, radiation techniques, compared to standard whole-brain treatment. The two most common types of conformal radiation are stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), which delivers fewer, but higher doses of radiation per treatment to the tumor site, and hippocampal avoidance WBRT, which limits radiation exposure to the parts of the brain known to contribute to neurocognitive side effects that...

Researchers have identified a promising new combination therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer that enhances the effectiveness of existing treatment while reducing harmful side effects. The study focused on regorafenib, a drug that modestly improves survival in mCRC patients but often leads to severe toxicities. By pairing regorafenib with a dual JAK/HDAC inhibitor at low doses, the researchers were able to significantly boost the drug's anticancer activity. For patients with metastatic disease, treatment options are limited and the prognosis is often poor. Regorafenib, a multiple-kinase inhibitor, is one of the few drugs available for these patients; but its use is hampered...

A Minnesota man driving to couple’s therapy with his now-arrested ex-girlfriend told police that after a rocky morning spent arguing at home and then announcing he wanted to break up with her while they were in the car, things really took a turn for the worst when she allegedly forced him out of the vehicle and then “floored it” in order to run him over. Veronica Roleen Gast, 30, faces second-degree assault charges, according to a police affidavit obtained by Law&Crime on Wednesday. She is also charged with criminal vehicular operation – bodily harm, gross negligence, and domestic assault. The...

Checkpoint inhibitor therapies can be thought of as the molecular "brake release" for the immune system. These drugs eliminate the protein barriers that impede the immune system from recognizing and targeting cancer cells in the body. While there are multiple checkpoint inhibitors approved to treat different types of cancer, many patients don't respond or develop resistance to available regiments. A team has now found that ruxolitinib, an approved immunosuppressive drug, supercharged T-cell responses when used alongside checkpoint inhibitors—boosting their effectiveness in fighting cancer. These findings are supported by a Phase I clinical trial of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, as well...

Patients with pancreatic cancer who received chemotherapy both before and after surgery experienced longer survival rates than would be expected from surgery followed by chemotherapy, according to a new study. The study included patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which accounts for 90% of pancreatic cancers. An aggressive cancer with a high mortality rate, PDAC is predicted to become the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. by 2030. The findings are encouraging for the 15 to 20% of pancreatic cancer patients whose tumors are operable. The single-arm (only one treatment type or regimen) Phase II trial evaluated...