Two new studies from Pfizer and Amgen cast doubt on the healing effects of resveratrol, a constituent of red wine that is believed to counter the negative effects of aging. Resveratrol is supposed to activate certain genes in people that neutralize the negative effects of a diet rich in calories and a high intake of saturated fatty acids. But a study by Amgen in that was published last October in Chemical Biology and Drug Design found no evidence for such effects. A new study by Pfizer published in the January issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry comes to similar conclusions. The results of both studies contradict a previous study by David Sinclair from Harvard University published in Nature. The scientific debate remains open. It remains possible that resveratrol uses other mechanisms to counter the effect of aging in people.