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The Massachusetts lawmaker wants to end "traffic violence." What? The word violence implies purposeful, often malicious, intent. That word in no way describes how most people die in car crashes, which are accidents. As a Democratic candidate for President, she's trying to scrounge-up votes from people who see themselves as victims.

Dr. Singh, ACSH friend and former Chief Medical Officer for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for HHS, published a paper on the adulterants found in street drugs. What was in there? A lot of junk.

One of the chemicals that's commonly added to foods is the preservative sodium benzoate. Just how much food would you have to eat before that chemical killed you? It's tough to say exactly, but it's safe to conclude that the only real threat is if you get hit by a truck hauling sodium benzoate.

As you know, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and you're probably salivating at the thought of all the yummy traditional dishes. That is, unless you're a member of the Environmental Working Group, a bunch of anti-chemical alarmists backed by a grand tradition of ghastly science. What might they be eating for Thanksgiving? Let's find out.

Prince Andrew, who currently occupies the hot seat for at least two dubious associations, sheds some light on a relatively unknown disease: anhidrosis, the inability to sweat. Let's take a look at that physical condition. (Whether you believe him is another story.)

When we need a physician or a specialist we increasingly turn to our family, friends and even the Internet. But cost and convenience -- not medical competence -- are usually the most important factors in the decision-making process.

The cost of pharmaceuticals is high for a number of reasons. A new study considers our out-of-pocket spending and increased use of medications, rather than more expensive surgery or hospitalization as a driver we can control.

While Facebook has drawn massive criticism over manipulative political ads, the social media giant also runs advertisements around vaccinations, which is another divisive policy topic. A new study gives us a glimpse of the ads' content, targets and purchasers.

A healthy lifestyle and a few inexpensive medications are as good as expensive surgery or stents in treating chronic heart disease. Translating this study to the real world is going to be tough because many patients prefer not to alter their lifestyle. No one minds the pills, but stents just seem simpler than changing how one lives.

Healthcare consolidation involves economies of scale and standardization. Neither is a guarantee of better outcomes. For patients on dialysis, in fact, consolidation has made their care worse.

Here's what's on the reading list this time 'round: Perhaps the rats were not the cause of the plague ... More on software that fails us, as the NTSB prepares its final report on Uber's fatal crash ... There is much to be grateful for in our world ... And cutting corners to get your child in college is not limited to ethically-challenged Americans.

Microsoft Japan decided to try an experiment: Three-day weekends, every weekend. It might be reasonable to assume that productivity would fall in proportion to the number of hours lost, i.e. a 20% drop, right? But that's not what happened. Microsoft observed a 40% increase in productivity.

Loneliness, as compared to solitude, resulted in a 2-to-3 fold increase in one-year mortality. For social creatures like us, loneliness can detrimentally affect our health.

In a press release, the American Heart Association sensationalized research presented at its meeting, then included a disclaimer that the research may not be accurate. And the association doesn't necessarily endorse it. And then the Surgeon General posted it on Twitter.

CVS's HealthHubs seek to replace the neighborhood physician with their supersized drug store. Is it about the Benjamins ($) or improving health outcomes? Their latest earnings call suggests it is about revenue.

The Lancet has decided that being culturally "woke" is more important than presenting evidence-based reports and opinions.

A revised proposal, regarding scientific transparency in the EPA's regulatory decisions, has raised concerns about casting more shade than light. What exactly is being proposed, and why the concern?

Responding to the urgent, ongoing need for essential and accurate information to counter the harm caused by years of medically and scientifically flawed opioid policies, ACSH is adding two world-class experts in this field – Jeffrey A. Singer, MD, and Danial Laird, MD, JD – to its Board of Scientific Advisors. In addition, Henry Miller, MS, MD, a staunch and influential supporter of patient rights, is returning to the advisory board.

How's education in the U.S. right now? According to ACSH advisor Dr. Henry Miller and co-author Andrew I. Fillat, not so great. They explain why, in this excerpt of an article they wrote for the website, American Greatness.

It's quite easy to make any drug look bad. Even those with limited intellects, such as the leaders of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, have done a splendid job in making prescription analgesics look like the personification of death. Let's apply PROP's standards (such as they are) to some other drugs and see what that looks like.

The mainstream media would have us believe that vaping, especially among our children, is the gateway to smoking tobacco. A new study suggests otherwise.

The tragic accident, when a restaurant manager in Massachusetts died, was the result of a simple chemical reaction called neutralization. That's when an acid and a base are combined. Unfortunately in this case, the base was sodium hypochlorite, or bleach. When bleach is acidified, deadly chlorine is released. It's a terrible shame this young manager wasn't aware of this fatal combination. So you can stay safe, here's what to look out for.

Here's what we have for you: When does skepticism become denial? In a world seemingly driven by fleeting moments, can humans truly understand Earth's time? ... Was Jules Verne right? Are there rivers miles beneath our feet? ... And finally, a new form of fasting: avoiding stimuli to lower your dopamine levels.

Regardless of what time the clock says, our team at ACSH has been tirelessly advocating for science. Here's where we appeared in recent weeks.

Mercaptans (aka, thiols) are some of the vilest smelling chemicals in the galaxy. Yet, they save many lives? If you want to know why you'll have to get through this stinky article.