We exercise reasonable precaution with new products and technology, right? Sure we do! But the Precautionary Principle, as it's most often invoked, would bring scientific and industrial progress to a grinding halt.
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For some, "gluten free" has become a mantra, as well as a trendy diet. But this food subset has always been a necessity those allergic to the gluten protein. However, there's now hope of a bread breakthrough as advances in genetically engineered wheat are moving towards human trials.
Another expose of the phony dietary supplement industry scam by Dr. Pieter Cohen reminds us to warn all consumers about the dangers these useless and potentially toxic products pose to the unwary. Thanks to Dr. Cohen's work to keep this travesty in the news.
If recent headlines are to be believed, the plague is making a comeback as cases have popped up in Colorado and Michigan. However, these sensationalized reports are obscuring the truth, as the plague is actually more common in the U.S. than you may think. So everyone, relax.
Does showering hurt your health? A Cambridge, MA company believes that taking a shower harms your microbiome, so it's developed a new probiotic spray to use in lieu of regular washing. One executive embraces this idea so strongly that he hasn't showered in over a decade.
HIV drugs have performed in ways that are nothing short of miraculous. Of the 673 HIV-negative gay men in San Francisco who participated in a study of the prophylactic efficacy of Gilead's Truvada, all 673 remained uninfected two years later, despite lower condom use by gay men. Amazing. Gilead also came up with the first cure for hepatitis C. Yet, the company is routinely demonized.
The ongoing debate over whether an antibacterial ingredient triclosan should be in soaps seems to have become an issue that's finally settled. It should not be in there and here are three reasons why.
Camel Crush Bold, Pall Mall Deep Set Recessed Filter, Pall Mall Deep Set Recessed Filter Menthol and Vantage Tech 13 cigarettes can no longer be sold.
Dr. Tu Youyou was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her discovery of artemisinin, a very important anti-malarial drug. While this is being touted as a triumph of ancient Chinese medicine over modern western, it's nothing of the sort. Dr. Tu used the same methods that chemists have been using for many years.
A new study suggests that certain plant-based (organic) pesticides that are used in organic farming kill bees something that they're not supposed to do. But the study is flawed. Although these botanical pesticides do kill bees, the conditions under which they were tested render the entire study meaningless.
The stoic farmer farmer of today is much like the stoic scientist: neither likes the idea of self-promotion. But because neither group likes that task, the discourse about their work is instead framed by well-funded detractors.
What would happen to drug prices in the U.S. if Medicare, Medicaid and the Veterans Administration, plus all other federally-funded health care facilities, could negotiate a single price for every drug they buy? We all know the answer: they would come down.
The politicization of science was on display during the last Republican presidential debate, and former network news anchor Dan Rather took to the internet to criticize the candidates on their science positions. But surprisingly, Rather had equal scorn for targets on both ends of the political spectrum.
According to a new study, not all breast cancer patients need to undergo chemotherapy. Researchers reached this conclusion through a large study that analyzed the specific genes in each women's tumor. It's a big step forward for personalized medicine and high-value care.
It's a rare event when even the fervently anti-chemical journal Environmental Health Perspectives publishes a study exonerating phthalates from contributing to childhood obesity. So how rare is it when it publishes two such studies? Must be a blue moon, again.
While the U.S. Court of Appeals for the NY region threw out a lawsuit by parents seeking to allow religious exemptions for their kids, the matter remained unsettled. Until now. The U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to review the decision, which now puts an end to this debate -- with a welcome outcome.
A.D.H.D., once thought of as a disorder that affects only children and young adults, may not fade nor disappear in adulthood, which is why a doctor at Johns Hopkins believes it may affect the elderly as well.
If your goal is to lose weight, a team of California researchers recommends that you get to bed earlier. We all know that you should cut down on calories and exercise more to keep off unwanted pounds, but their new study says that late bedtimes may be a contributing factor to weight gain.
Instead of being ruined by nature, you can buy a papaya for $.25. Science did that. What went right?
A study of elephants finds these massive animals get cancer at a far lower rate than humans. Researchers also found the reason: they have an astronomical number of copies of a vital gene. The news is interesting, but is unlikely to do more for improving human health.
We've written repeatedly about the problems with dietary supplements which contain ingredients that range from ineffective to dangerous. But now Oregon has noticed, and the state is suing General Nutrition Centers for selling supplements containing ingredients that haven't been approved for sale in the U.S.
The European Medicines Agency has recommended a novel drug therapy for patients with metastatic melanoma. What's interesting is that this drug has been derived from the herpes simplex virus. The FDA is scheduled to give its evaluation of the drug this week.
Regarding alcohol, the standard advice to pregnant women is: Just Say No. But is that the best medical science can offer? We think not, because an infrequent tipple is not a significant causative factor for any serious condition for the fetus or newborn. Evidence of such an effect is not to be found.
A CDC report card shows that doctors are prescribing antibiotics for flu patients at an alarmingly high rate, a trend that contributes to the spread of antibiotic resistance. However, physicians shouldn't shoulder all the blame, as pushy patients need to be held accountable, too.
Released documents from a FOIA request of Charles Benbrook which show tight relationships between the Organic Food Industry and sympathetic journalists. Implicated are four advocates including Michael Pollan and Tom Philpott as part of the "A Team" of ideologically aligned writers who defend the industry by request.
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