Given the evident mental impairment and startling ignorance of certain politicians, maybe the nation's law- and policy-making would benefit from politicians undergoing voluntary periodic testing of mental status and intelligence.
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The Supreme Court is poised to decide a case that may seriously restrict the authority of federal regulatory agencies. Some legal observers say the decision could put power-hungry bureaucrats in their place, though others maintain the ruling could force judges and legislators to make scientific determinations they aren't qualified to make. Legal scholar Dr. Barbara Billauer joins us to help make sense of the "Chevron deference."
Nearly three decades ago, in response to America's growing fear of a most elusive and deadly foe, Richard Nixon declared a "war on cancer." Behind this charge was the notion that personifying cancer as a battlefield enemy would lead to its "defeat." Politicians, keen on the potency of this issue, have followed his lead, picking up votes along the way. This "war" may contribute more to a congressman's longevity in the house than to a constituent's longevity.
Information Tobacco Companies Don't Want Teens to Know About the Dangers of Smoking
Prepared by the American Council on Science and Health
Foreword by Justin Guarini
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), the self-appointed "food police," is distressed that Congress has voted to repeal the warning label that has appeared on saccharin since 1977. Why is the scary little warning label soon to be a thing of the past? Because saccharin was voted off the federal "carcinogen list" because it does not cause cancer in people.
To the Editor:
Thomas J. Moore of George Washington University and Larry D. Sasich of Public Citizen's Health Research Group blame the fast track drug approval process for premature approvals and subsequent adverse drug reactions (front page, June 23). In fact the painkiller Duract, now withdrawn, would have been approved even under the old guidelines.
January 2, 2007: Less Smoke in France, Less Sperm Everywhere, More Fat in Memphis
- Quote to Note: "There's no stopping now. Soon they'll ban alcohol and you'll need to bring in your latest blood tests to eat in a restaurant," said Francis Attrazic, vice president of the hospitality industry association UMIH, about the new smoking ban in France.
The study reported by Simonsen et al1 in the February 14, 2005, issue of the ARCHIVES is counterintuitive to those of us with clinical experience and will surprise many of our public health decision makers. In keeping with best practice guidelines, clinicians have aspired to ever-higher coverage rates for influenza immunization for our older patients. Now it appears that immunizing older patients...makes little or no impression on the commonly encountered flu viruses of the past thirty-plus years, as best as can be discerned from mortality patterns among the elderly.
An October 2, 2006 article by Michael Precker about complaints against corn syrup notes a contrary opinion from ACSH's Todd Seavey:
New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof recently wrote that Americans need to cut down on sugary drinks and fired this broadside: "Our government needs to do much more to control potentially deadly substances -- plutonium, anthrax, and high fructose corn syrup."
Insomnia affects roughly 10% of the population. Those who suffer from this sleep disorder constitute a wide variety of personalities and family histories. The inconsistent pattern among these patients makes the condition difficult to classify, which in turn makes it difficult to understand. Now, new research has identified five insomnia subtypes based on non-sleep characteristics.
Fiber is an oft-ignored member of the carbohydrate family. But it provides significant health benefits and with careful selections it tastes good, too.
As befits any birthday, Americans will celebrate this Fourth of July with food, pageantry, and, of course: fireworks!
Who cannot remember the thrill of their first fireworks display, the childish wonder that is rekindled each July 4th? Fireworks are a big part of this holiday.
If you're seeking sloppy reporting and sensationalist headlines, recently CNN did not disappoint. "Odds of dying from accidental opioid overdose in the US surpass those of dying in car accident," it stated. Well, maybe so, that is -- unless you take a deeper look and then a very different story emerges. No need. We at ACSH do it for you. Free of charge!
A large study has shown that patients who develop a common arrhythmia post-operatively have a four-fold increased risk of ischemic stroke, the type caused by an arterial blockage. In these cases, the likely cause is a blood clot known as an embolus, which forms in the heart and moves to a cerebral artery.
By Elizabeth Whelan, Sc.D., M.P.H.
Quit or die.
That's the message cigarette smokers get from the public health community.
But in fact, smokers who have trouble quitting have some rarely mentioned alternatives to total abstinence from tobacco: it s a method of intervention called tobacco harm reduction.
Some 450,000 Americans die prematurely each year because they smoke. Yet if cigarette smokers would just switch to safer products, we could cut the yearly number of tobacco-related deaths to 10,000 or less.
Given Seattle's solid reputation for rain, it must be one of the wettest cities in America, right? Actually, it's not even close. As it turns out, among the nation's 50 largest cities in terms of precipitation Seattle doesn't even rank in the top half. However, it is tied with Buffalo for the nation's dreariest.
While New Yorkers occupied themselves with digging out from a foot and a half of freshly fallen snow, City Council Member Peter Vallone, Jr. found time yesterday to hold a press conference to denounce the perils of water fluoridation. The Councilman, son of the late Council Speaker Peter Vallone, Sr., says that he will put forward legislation to end the city s practice of fluoridating its tap water.
A class of brominated flame retardants known as polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) are under assault from environmental activists and regulators both in the United States and overseas. Flame retardants give people more time to escape a fire by delaying flashover, the explosive-like eruption of flames responsible for most of the fatalities and property damage in residential fires. PBDEs are particularly effective flame retardants and have long been widely used in the manufacture of televisions and other electrical equipment, furniture, and mattresses.
Our top stories for Monday, April 29, 2013: The shocking truth about American teens and driving under the influence, and why some asymptomatic men still opt for regular PSA testing.
The Lancet continues its year-long series on non-communicable diseases, turning now to the pandemic caused by Big Food, climate change, transportation and energy systems. But there's just something not quite right about its proffered solutions, which include the governmental nudges of taxes and banishing Big Food -- and it's cronies -- from policy discussions.
The price of insulin continues to rise. But before jumping on du jour soundbites, knowing its history may help explain why our first wonder drug is now a chimeric poster child for the best and worse in the pharmaceutical industry.
Oxytocin-deficient animals point to deep links between social behavior and the need to keep warm.
In the rush to show the ill effects of Brexit, the British Medical Journal published a piece saying that reduced consumption of fruits and vegetables will be responsible for thousands of UK citizens dying unnecessarily. If it were true -- and it is not -- perhaps mentioning it before the vote would have been helpful.
Twelve patients who tried stem cell injections were hospitalized with infections, according to a published report, one that should cause patients concern. More important is that they should investigate stem cell treatments, for conditions such as cartilage injuries to their joints, before committing to one of these procedures.
Though Hollywood features can be quite dramatic, the real thing can provide much more entertainment.
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