We have seen some remarkable medical breakthroughs in the past two decades. In terms of sheer impact, it could be argued that transforming HIV infection from a certain death sentence into a manageable chronic disease, and a cure for hepatitis C, which is four times more prevalent than HIV worldwide, are at or near the top of this list.
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Is chemophobia the fear of chemicals promoted by the forces of ignorance among the majority of Americans who are scientifically-naive on the threshold of winning the war? The past week gives disturbing indications that science is on the retreat.
Placing infants in carrying devices such as car seats, baby slings/swings, bouncers, and strollers for naps may put them at risk of death or injury, warns the American Academy of Pediatrics. Sleep-related deaths are the most common cause of death for infants up to one year old.
The Wrap uses the term "embattled" about Dr. Mehmet Oz ever since current and former members of the American Council on Science and Health spearheaded an effort to get Columbia University to reconsider his faculty status due to his promotion of "miracle" vegetables, homeopathy and more suspect treatment.
It's a fair term, he is embattled, much as the evidence-based science and health community has been embattled trying to undo the damage he does five days a week.
In the debate between public health and personal choice, the Vermont House came down on the side of science and voted to repeal an earlier bill that allowed parents to avoid vaccinating their children based on philosophical beliefs
In what is being hailed by some as a historic decision, the FDA has decided to change its recommendations for blood donations from gay and bisexual men. In 1983, during the height of the AIDS crisis, the FDA
A new study in Circulation has resurrected the controversy on whether, and when, to screen young athletes for potentially lethal heart conditions. While a tough call, too much screening will do no one any good, especially athletes.
In order to avoid easily preventable spoilers of summer leisure time fun and travel, we at ACSH encourage you to take seriously the tips given below. It is our hope that they will help you to have a happy, healthy summer vacation!
n April, the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) published a special supplement to their monthly journal that covered the global pandemic of falsified medicine. The supplement included 17 articles that covered a range of topics related to falsified medicine including pieces on
Hardly a week goes by without a surprise popping up in the world of cancer research. The understanding of how genetic mutations cause certain cancers continues to evolve, and this is radically changing how we view cancer, which could lead to a revolution in its treatment.
In April, we brought you the story of Mark Lynas, a former anti-GMO activist who converted to supporting the technology when he observed the power of GMOs to revolutionize the third world. One
We are really starchemotherapyting to get creative in the way we treat cancer. In April we brought you the story of researchers who used the polio virus to treat brain cancer. Earlier this month we discussed some big advances in personalized medicine drugs and last week we discus
A new Reuters survey confirms what those interested and involved in smoking and tobacco-related issues have observed: more and more Americans are using e-cigarettes and vapor products (vaping), to quit or reduce their consumption of deadly cigarettes.
Dr. Josh Bloom in Science 2.0
If men have a low libido drug, isn t it only fair that women have one too? Unfortunately, that s not the way drug development works. While some argue that sexism is what s keeping female Viagra from getting approved
Yet another prominent anti-GMO advocate has come forward to publicly announce that he has reassessed his opinion on GMOs. Earlier this year, the co-founder of Greenpeace, Dr. Patrick Moore, did likewise, calling the campaign against genetic science baseless. Following shortly thereafter was Mark Lynas, who penned a New York Times op-ed titled How I Got Converted to GMO food this past
The US government s most comprehensive examination of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and drinking water, which spanned four years, concluded that fracking, as it is being carried out and regulated, is not a threat to drinking water.
We wish we could say that an advanced academic degree leads one to respect scientific truth, but it ain t necessarily so. In a hard-hitting opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune, Ms. Erin Gallagher counters every point made by an anti-GMO professor (St. Xavier University assistant professor Tatiana C. Tatum Parker) in an earlier commentary. The Trib describes Ms. Gallagher as a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown and a work-from-home mom with a small garden business. She is an active member of the Will County Farm Bureau and is on a volunteer advisory committee for the
It s well known that breastfeeding is beneficial for both mother and child in a variety of ways in addition to the transfer of natural antibodies, it is associated with lower risks of allergic diseases, lower respiratory infections and middle ear infections.
Instead of the WHO s World No Tobacco Day, we d be better off with a new event: World No Tobacco Control Day
Why are there so many scary stories about common foods and products causing cancer? An excellent blog-essay explains quite a lot about how science (or science-y) journalism works. It may confuse or scare you, but not as much as the so-called research does.
When it comes to which foods are healthy and which foods are not, everyone has an opinion and whether you re right or wrong there s probably science to back you up. This makes it difficult for you, the consumer, to make the right choices.
The 2009 law which gave the FDA oversight over tobacco products the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA, the TCA) is one of the worst laws ever enacted. In the guise of reining in the health risks of tobacco products, promulgated to a great extent by the fraudulent, deceptive manipulations of the Big Tobacco companies last century, the law instead does close to nothing of the sort while erecting substantial obstacle
The field of personalized medicine continues to explode. We have discussed the nascent approach of tailoring cancer treatments to specific gene mutations rather than the type of cancer. Although results have been mixed, many researchers believe that this is the future of cancer therapy, replacing the traditional scattershot approach.
Since 2006, there has been a slow and steady drumbeat against trans fats in foods. Decades ago, when Natural Resources Defense Council and various other food fallacy groups latched onto saturated fats, we cautioned that the studies were epidemiological correlation, not science, and that the alternative might be worse.
Everyone wants transparency about their food, at least on surveys, but few people actually read the labels.
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