Polio peaks in the summer, measles during the school year, and chickenpox in the spring.
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One of our core missions is to spread the good news about science as far and wide as possible. Obviously, we do plenty of that on the ACSH website, but we also regularly appear in various media outlets across the country. Here's where we appeared recently.
In an ill-advised Twitter ad, the candidate offers a teachable moment on the importance of not driving while distracted.
The DEA, an arm of the Department of Justice, released a 184-page report claiming that prescription opioid analgesics is the drug class that's killing the most Americans. Huh? This sure seems strange. But a closer look suggests that the only thing strange is the manner in which that data is used in the report. The DEA spins and wins. Pain patients lose.
The Environmental Protection Agency has extended registration for Dicamba – an herbicide commonly used to remove growing weeds, as well as Dicamba-tolerant crops – out to the end of 2020. Here's what that means.
Trump officials made a big splash with proposals to curb drug costs. But the benefits may not match the rhetoric from either the administration or Big Pharma. As is often the case, it's a bit more complicated than what we're getting as a first impression.
What if malaria, which affects hundreds of millions worldwide annually, could be sniffed out before it began delivering its debilitating, flu-like effects? Well, that is what's literally happening, with researchers utilizing dogs' keen sense of smell in a recent study to determine malaria's presence in humans.
Substitute the word "Halloween" for any celebratory event and pervasive worry-lists abound. Fun also matters.
Now, Disney Princesses and films are under attack. We are straying further and further from what most impacts child development, as a source of adult challenges.
Researchers in New Hampshire, citing a trend of warmer winters over the last decade, found that 70 percent of moose calves that were monitored between 2014-16 had died. For nearly all of them, the cause of death was attributed to the dramatic rise in winter ticks, which feast on the calves' blood.
As if hospitals aren't bad enough, a really dangerous bug called Clostridium difficile is all over the place. And this bug, more commonly known as (C. diff), is not so easy to kill. Researchers looked at what happens when you wash contaminated sheets. The expression "it call comes out in the wash" does not apply.
For those who have trouble seeing, are gradually losing their eyesight or are already blind, this technological innovation can help dramatically improve lives daily. It can tell you what's right in front of you – by whispering in your ear – even when you cannot read or see it. Amazing.
Your mouth is a repository of bacteria. And if you don't clean it out on a regular basis, that bacteria can enter the bloodstream. A host of health problems are associated with gum neglect, heart disease and high blood pressure among them.
The U.S. will soon have to change its clock again. It's a useless junk-science, government policy that has lasted 52 years too long. Here are the admittedly minor health effect risks. It's still annoying.
If you are concerned that we aren't wasting enough time in court with stupid lawsuits fear not. There's another one in the works about the label of what is little more than fizzy water with a little flavoring. The case was written up by Popular Science, but to a chemist, Unpopular Science would be more accurate.
Without question, it was a fluke. A single-cell organism, only found in warm freshwater, entered a young man's nose and eventually ate at his brain tissue, leading to his death. While this is rare, is it smart – or simply alarmist – for others in similar situations to take preventative measures?
In the first federal study focusing on fast-food consumption, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 37 percent of American adults reported eating fast food within 24 hours of being asked. Nationwide, that translates to roughly 85 million adults visiting these establishments daily.
When we talk about cost and price transparency, medical devices are rarely mentioned. It represents about 5% of our healthcare spending, or roughly $120 billion in 2017. That's less than the $500 billion we spend on pharmaceuticals. But then as the old saying goes, "a billion here, a billion there, after a while you are talking about real money."
Clinical trial registries are supposed to hold researchers accountable for publishing all results. But who is responsible when they ignore the rules?
What physical risks do you run during a race of this length? Since high-mileage training can drain the body of vital nutrients, the short answer is: quite a few. Here's some insight into this punishing endeavor.
If you're inviting gramps over for a steak dinner, don't give him the rare part. French researchers found that protein from beef is best assimilated by older folks when it's well-done.
If your TV doesn't work, it's annoying. If your AC goes on the fritz during a heat wave, that's annoying and possibly dangerous. But when a fire extinguisher fails, that's a disaster. There are 40 million potential disasters in North America right now.
A long-awaited report on strategies to combat the national opioid crisis has been issued by the White House. Will it make things better or worse? Some of the recommendations are no-brainers, while others are controversial with some being good and others being just terrible. Here's how we scored 'em.
When "journalism" goes too far in tragedy.
The kettlebell is one of the least known, most mysterious pieces of exercise equipment there is. Yet it's excellent at toning muscles all over, and it burns calories quickly and efficiently while simultaneously producing cardio and strength benefits. In fact, many people swear that this odd, dopey object has fortified their exercise mentality.
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