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We ve recently discussed new diagnostic technologies that allow for noninvasive testing for genetic disorders within the first trimester of a pregnancy.

It appears that women who begin their pregnancies overweight or gain too much during pregnancy put themselves and their newborns at greater risk for adverse health effects, according to a newly published study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Getting the necessary shots is not just a concern for parents of young children; adults, too, need to keep up with their immunizations. But according to a recent survey by Walgreens, almost half of U.S. adults don t know what shots the government recommends for people in their age group.

Two therapies that appear to be effective in promoting weight loss for obese individuals may also help them control their blood pressure, according to two new studies. Presented at the American Society of Hypertension 2012 Scientific Sessions, these studies found that treatment with the extended-release weight-loss pill Qnexa (phentermine/topiramate, slated for an FDA vote in July) or with laproscopic adjustable gastric banding helps to both reduce weight and lower blood pressure.

Things are not looking good for the genetically-engineered salmon developed by AquaBounty Technologies. Granted, the FDA concluded in September of 2010 that the fish is safe to eat and poses no threat to the environment. And in October of 2011, the agency submitted its support of the fast-growing salmon s commercial production.

Syngenta, maker of the herbicide atrazine, just announced a settlement with litigants in a case based on allegations that the widely used chemical caused water contamination despite the fact that it s beensafely used by farmers for over fifty years.
Some may wonder, if atrazine is so safe and important to American agriculture, why did Syngenta decide to pay off the plaintiffs?

Postmenopausal women have long been told that in order to prevent fractures and protect against osteoporosis, they should include plenty of calcium in their diets. Because women often find it difficult to obtain all of the recommended calcium from their food intake alone, however, many rely on supplements to make up the difference. However, a new study, published in the journal Heart, warns that taking calcium supplements may actually increase one s risk of heart attack.

In Dispatch, we frequently cover the latest findings on screenings for a variety of health conditions. Annual EKG's, Pap smears, and prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests have all come under scrutiny within the past year, with the latest research advising far fewer of them. More often than not, that research shows that screening too often is not only unnecessary, but also costly and potentially even harmful.

One of the most lamentable aspects of science reporting in the popular press is, no doubt, the headlines. As we often have occasion to note, the value or complexity of new scientific research is frequently reduced to an attention-grabbing but inaccurate headline by the time it goes to press.

To: Center for Tobacco Products, Food and Drug Administration
From: The American Council on Science and Health Elizabeth M. Whelan, President Gilbert Ross, Executive Director and Medical Director
Re: Electronic cigarettes

And because, you know, it's getting sunny out there, we'd like to give a shout-out to former Cincinnati Reds great, Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench. It s possible that during his 17-year career with the Reds, he may not have applied sunscreen as recommended. Well, he s now very aware of the consequences.
Bench, now 64, recently received treatment for basal cell carcinoma and is now a spokesman for the Play Sun Smart program, a skin cancer awareness initiative launched by The Major League Baseball Players Association, and the American Academy of Dermatology.

And speaking of tobacco harm reduction, we've just learned that a proposal to ban e-cigarettes in New York was introduced in the State Senate. While no one thinks that the bill will become law in the near future, Long Island Republican Kemp Hannon, the Senate Health Committee chair who proposed it, says that he did it "to get some discussion going." Hannon says that, by gauging the reactions of people for and against a total ban, as well as gathering information "that would provide a rational basis for action or inaction," the Health Committee can decide where to go from there.

A surprising one in five drug recalls of the most serious type (Class I) were never formally announced or communicated to doctors by the FDA, according to the results of a report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The agency has two systems in place the Recall Alert System and Medwatch that it uses to send out notifications to doctors and patients about drug recalls and, while recalls may vary in their degree of danger, Class I recalls are reserved for those drugs that, if taken, have the potential to cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

In yet another controversial announcement, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is recommending that healthy postmenopausal women put away their vitamin D and calcium supplements, stating there s not enough evidence to demonstrate that either prevents bone fractures.

For many years now, ACSH has been reminding folks of the importance of vaccines. And though we constantly come across blogs and celebrities (e.g. Jenny McCarthy) who warn parents about the alleged dangers of getting their kids immunized, we were pleased to read Courtney Wheeler s piece on the 7 Real-Life Consequences of Refusing Vaccines.

Diesel exhaust is linked to an increased risk of lung and bladder cancer, according to a report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The latest assessment reclassifies diesel exhaust from probably carcinogenic a categorization the group made in 1988 to level I, carcinogenic" to humans.

Hormone replacement: yes or no? That seems to be the evergreen question when it comes to this therapy, and the answer is not as straightforward as one would hope. In its latest draft guidelines, the U.S.

Last week, Dr. John Howard, director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, announced that 50 cancers would be added to a list of health conditions covered by a $4.3 billion fund for those who were exposed to carcinogenic dust following the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Thanks to a new algorithm that uses readings from a highly sensitive blood test, doctors may soon be able to diagnose acute heart attack within just one hour of emergency room arrival.

Though it s widely known that smoking cigarettes accelerates the thickening of fatty deposits that clog arteries, a new study has found that the same might also be true of eggs at least for those aged 40 and older who eat them on a regular basis. These dubious results were not only published in the journal Atherosclerosis but, sadly, they were also widely reported by the news media.

Is there a safe, effective vaccine that not only protects young people from the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in America, but also protects them from a wide variety of cancers later on? If I were to tell you that such a vaccine exists, but only a small minority of teens receives this protection, would you be shocked, surprised?

According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure (hypertension) affects nearly one in three U.S. adults. And while a study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that half of Americans had their blood pressure under control in 2008, many doctors are still coming up short when it comes to finding treatment for patients whose hypertension has not been adequately controlled on their current regimen.

Instead of actually trying to combat excess calorie consumption the real root of obesity health officials seem to be focusing their efforts on fighting the soda industry. Thus while carbonated sodas are increasingly being banned in schools, other high-calorie drinks seem to be immune to such proscriptions. For instance, a new study finds that half as many U.S. adolescents can now buy soda in school as compared to 2006.

After Mayor Bloomberg s latest proposal a program called Latch on NYC that would ban free formula samples in participating hospitals and promote exclusive breast-feeding new mothers are under even more pressure to breast-feed. But as critics point out, such public health campaigns take a very simplistic approach to the issue, which may fuel some unintended consequences.

A recent study published in the Archives of Dermatology is giving smokers another reason to quit: cigarette smoking has been associated with an increased risk of a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma.
Researchers from the University of Nottingham in England conducted a meta-analysis that included 25 observational studies and found that current smokers had a 50 percent increased risk of squamous cell skin cancer. Among those who had already kicked the habit, the increased risk of the disease was still present, but at a reduced rate of about 20 percent.