Recently, we received a very nice note from a reader, who happens to be an organic chemist:
"A quick note to thank you for making the world of complex science accessible and easy to understand for the guy in the street. As an organic chemist... I understand, first hand, that it is a gift to be able to convey science and convert it into action for people whose live are made safer with practical knowledge. Awesome job."
That's why we fight the good fight. Here's where we appeared in the past several weeks:
(1) Dr. Josh Bloom was interviewed by the Washington Post for an article on how activists exploit public fear to make safe chemicals sound scary. The article rightly eviscerates the Environmental Working Group (EWG), describing it as an organization funded by the organic food industry that tries to scare people about "chemicals." It also noted, "Many of its reports and claims have been heavily criticized by members of the scientific community." That's because, as Dr. Bloom told the reporter, EWG purposefully ignores important concepts such as risk and dose that are vital to any scientific assessments about safety.
It seems that other media outlets are catching on that EWG is a group of unscientific cranks. CBS News cited our criticism of the organization's unscientific, unethical approach to, well, everything it does.
(2) Dr. Alex Berezow appeared on the April 11th episode of Evening Edit with Liz MacDonald on Fox Business. The interview focused on energy policy, and Dr. Berezow endorsed the usage of nuclear power.
(3) The popular health news website Healthline quoted us twice. First, Healthline interviewed Dr. Alex Berezow on the safety of glyphosate. He told them, "The people who are exposed to the highest doses are farmers. But studies show that farmers don’t have increasing rates of cancer despite the fact that more and more glyphosate has been used over the years." Second, Healthline quoted Dr. Chuck Dinerstein on a study about health effects from a food additive (and substance that occurs naturally in our intestines) called propionate. About the study, Dr. Dinerstein warned, "It's such a small sample size that you can’t really draw any meaningful conclusions."
(4) Dr. Alex Berezow was cited by Newsweek for an article about a man who suffered a stroke after cracking his neck. In the United Kingdom, a young woman suffered a stroke after popping her neck, and Dr. Berezow explained why joints pop (hint: air bubbles) and how this was a freak accident. Sometimes, lightning strikes twice. An identical freak accident happened to a young man shortly thereafter in the U.S.
(5) Dr. Chuck Dinerstein went on a media rampage! His article on California's fog and air pollution was cited by Mother Nature Network; and his article on humanity's sometimes uneasy relationship with technology was cited by Mind Matters in a piece on why artificial intelligence won't replace your doctor.
(6) Dr. Josh Bloom, who has become a nationally recognized expert on opioids and other drugs, was cited and interviewed yet again. This time, he was quoted by Breitbart in an article on the potential of fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. He was also featured in a YouTube video and podcast called "Chronically Human" about the opioid crisis.
(7) Dr. Alex Berezow penned an op-ed for the Puget Sound Business Journal about the legal assault on science. From glyphosate to baby powder, lawyers are blaming innocuous substances for causing cancer and winning jackpot, multi-million-dollar verdicts in the process. As Dr. Berezow writes, "When greedy, unscrupulous lawyers take on science, the lawyers usually win."
(8) Dr. Josh Bloom and ACSH friend Dr. Henry Miller co-authored an article for Issues & Insights about the ridiculously unregulated dietary supplements industry. They lambaste the industry for "hype and outright fraud" and peddling junk remedies "that don't work and are sometimes dangerous."
(9) Even ACSH advisors were making media appearances! Dr. Stan Young's article debunking a terrible study on meat was cited by the popular website Patheos. Dr. Jerry Cutler was cited in an article in the Casper (Wyoming) Star Tribune about the exaggerated danger posed by radon. And Dr. Jack Fisher's article on how disgraced reporter Connie Chung stirred up a silicone breast implant scare was cited by Insider.
