A Virginia news report states that two people died and 18 are hospitalized following an outbreak of an unknown respiratory infection at a retirement community. It's probably not influenza, but answers as to the cause are elusive.
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This is what the CDC is proposing because binge drinkers tend to abuse opioids. But that makes no sense. It would be like adding a special tax to automobiles because some people drive them at 100 mph.
Good public health is our passion at ACSH. We want to promote it while simultaneously preserving individual liberty. That's been the goal since our founding in 1978. On rare occasions, however, a heavy-handed approach may be necessary. We believe that's the case for vaccines -- which should be mandatory -- because the right of anti-vaxxers to be sick ends where the public's right to health begins.
The state of Oklahoma is smelling blood in the water -- and it's going after blood money. State Attorney General Mike Hunter has a very big "blood donor" in his sights: Johnson & Johnson. The expert witness for the state is (of course) Andrew Kolodny. Is Kolodny qualified? These 8 questions should be posed to him.
The Guardian axed its science blog in August 2018. Then, apparently, it found a new moneymaker in spreading chemophobia and more with a new series titled "Toxic America."
The opioid crisis has its villains, physicians, Big Pharma and illicit fentanyl. But an economic lens points to another driving force: Trade policy?
The FDA has issued an advisory to physicians following two deaths from fecal microbiota transplants. Not a transplant you are familiar with? Read on.
"Words can be powerful," a phrase often heard when words are hurtful or convey a misunderstood meaning. A transcultural study shows that language is indeed powerful. And is not virtually, but truly, an evolutionary force.
Colors have history, ultramarine blue hints at blue's origins, royal blue at its cost. Blue is easily created today using "chemicals" that detrimentally impact the environment; a new study identifies a greener means of production.
Should we think of obesity as a disease or lifestyle choice? While it seems it's a matter of splitting hairs, it really is another skirmish in an age-old debate: fate versus free will.
It's mildly amusing that ACSH is referred to as "industry-friendly." That term, which is applied to us by friend and foe alike, is based on a half-truth. And half-truths are the worst kind of "truths" because they're actually lies. Just ask the organic, dietary supplement, and alternative medicine industries if they think we're friendly.
The protection of intellectual property is one of the biggest challenges facing the technology industry. Somewhat hostile foreign powers, like China, are actively stealing it. What can the United States do to protect its own IP? ACSH interviewed Patrick Kilbride, Senior VP of the Global Innovation Policy Center, seeking answers.
Much of the country is experiencing a nasty summer heat wave. So, be sure to stay cool and hydrated -- and take comfort in the fact that Americans are more likely to die in winter than in summer. From the relative safety of our air-conditioned offices, we have been toiling away, ensuring that evidence-based science gets into the hands of the media. Here's where we appeared in recent days.
During the opioid epidemic, any form of medical care involving "addictive medications" has sought alternative therapies. So we ask: Can music soothe our nerves prior to undergoing medical procedures?
Humans are natural-born storytellers. But with science, connecting the dots is storytelling, too, and that causes plenty of confusion. Also, the Malthusians report dwindling food and rising population. Can seaweed be an answer? Finally, a story connecting these dots: the Cold War, supermarkets, market distortions, Walmart and Amazon.
Amazing, recent progress in prostate cancer research has encouraged many experts (including this writer) to expect that this type of cancer will be cured -- or at least adequately controlled -- within their lifetimes. "I’m glad I had this cancer," states Dr. Paul Lange, "for it made me a more empathetic physician."
Just as the Roman roads helped the Visigoths run roughshod over Southern Europe, cancer’s invasion of distant organs exploits literal veins and arteries. This has implications for treatments and cures.
Patients with diabetes frequently have damaged nerves, resulting in neuropathy and a muted immune response. Scientists have found linkage of the two.
Consolidation in healthcare is not limited to hospitals or pharmacies. Medical practices are consolidating, too. But more worrisome is the arrival of private equity. They are predators hollowing out companies (like Toys R Us, leaving the shell to be cleaned up by others). Is that what we want for medical practices?
Florida recently declared a statewide emergency because of outbreaks of hepatitis A. The viral infection has hit many other states as well. Here's a little info about the virus, and perhaps some clarification of its name. There are five different hepatitis viruses (A to E) that affect humans. How does one keep track? Maybe this will help.
Not all worrisome infectious diseases target humans. Some target animals and the consequences can be devastating, not just for local ecosystems but for the economy. Such diseases should be monitored as potential agents of bioterrorism.
Can we sufficiently alter our diet to eat our way out of a changing climate? Probably not. And even if we did it would require massive changes in what the world consumes. Changing diets would be good news for cows and sheep, less good for chickens and pigs, and tough on plants.
The press reports global estimates of 7 million premature deaths associated with air pollution. That's despite dramatic improvements in air quality. How clean is clean enough?
Mass homicides are horrific tragedies. Society must do whatever's possible to understand them fully, so as to prevent them. But people also need to separate the data from the myths and the social, political and moral narratives that often form around crime.
A story making headlines claims that this fast-food chain is using chemicals that could give you cancer. Ignore them. If you need something to worry about, then focus on possibly getting food poisoning from one of its burritos.
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