photo of Patrick J. Skerrett

Patrick J. Skerrett

Former Executive Editor, Harvard Health Publishing

Pat Skerrett is the editor of STAT's First Opinion and host of the First Opinion podcast. He is the former editor of the Harvard Health Blog and former Executive Editor of Harvard Health Publishing. Before that, he was editor of the Harvard Heart Letter for 10 years. He is the coauthor of Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Guide to Healthy Eating; The Fertility Diet; and several other books on health and science. His work has appeared in Newsweek, Popular Science magazine, Science magazine, The Boston Globe, and elsewhere. He earned a BA in biology from Northwestern University and an MA in biology from Washington University in St. Louis.

Posts by Patrick J. Skerrett

Personalized medicine experiment details diabetes development featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

Personalized medicine experiment details diabetes development

Study urges moderation in red meat intake featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

Study urges moderation in red meat intake

Spring forward, fall asleep featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

Spring forward, fall asleep

Snoring in kids linked to behavioral problems featured image

Child & Teen Health

Snoring in kids linked to behavioral problems

Virtual reality, exergames may improve mental and physical health featured image

Exercise & Fitness

Virtual reality, exergames may improve mental and physical health

The science behind “broken heart syndrome” featured image

Heart Health

The science behind “broken heart syndrome”

New anti-lice lotion is good news for nitpickers featured image

Child & Teen Health

New anti-lice lotion is good news for nitpickers

The 11 most expensive medications featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

The 11 most expensive medications

Everyday foods are top 10 sources of sodium featured image

Heart Health

Everyday foods are top 10 sources of sodium

Overnight treatment for chronic insomnia featured image

Staying Healthy

Overnight treatment for chronic insomnia

Resveratrol—the hype continues featured image

Staying Healthy

Resveratrol—the hype continues

FDA needs stronger rules to ensure the safety of dietary supplements featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

FDA needs stronger rules to ensure the safety of dietary supplements

Different blood pressure in right and left arms could signal trouble featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

Different blood pressure in right and left arms could signal trouble

Doctors debate use of email for communicating with their patients featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

Doctors debate use of email for communicating with their patients

Health care largely ignored in State of the Union address featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

Health care largely ignored in State of the Union address

Smokers with cancer benefit from quitting, but need extra help featured image

Cancer

Smokers with cancer benefit from quitting, but need extra help

National plan aims to bolster fight against Alzheimer’s featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

National plan aims to bolster fight against Alzheimer’s

Chefs, nutrition experts give the low-fat muffin a makeover featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

Chefs, nutrition experts give the low-fat muffin a makeover

Multitasking—a medical and mental hazard featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

Multitasking—a medical and mental hazard

Studies hint at limits when reducing salt featured image

Heart Health

Studies hint at limits when reducing salt

Long-term survivors are helping unlock the mysteries of type 1 diabetes featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

Long-term survivors are helping unlock the mysteries of type 1 diabetes

Consumers could save as generic Lipitor hits the market featured image

Heart Health

Consumers could save as generic Lipitor hits the market

Implants, tattoos, and tears could measure blood sugar without pain featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

Implants, tattoos, and tears could measure blood sugar without pain

Avastin loses FDA approval for breast cancer featured image

Patrick J. Skerrett

Avastin loses FDA approval for breast cancer

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift.

The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness, is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School

Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health, plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise, pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School

Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss...from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts.

BONUS! Sign up now and
get a FREE copy of the
Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

Plus, get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness.

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

Plus, get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness.