In this Kids Edition of Dispatch, we discuss childhood obesity, vaccines, and high blood pressure among teens!
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There are many ailments that a physician can easily diagnose and health officials can track. For example, the cause of an infection can usually be determined by the presence of an infectious pathogen. The diagnosis of type 1 diabetes is easy to establish. The same can be said for asthma, strep throat, or
Today s New York Times features a story on a topic we have discussed frequently very expensive cancer drugs that provide only a modest benefit to most patients, but maybe a large benefit to some.
A new report from the CDC s FoodNet surveillance system presents data about the frequency of foodborne illnesses in 2014, and compares it to those frequencies it found in 2006-2008.
The American Medical Association (AMA) the largest association of physicians in the United States has called for an end to non-medical exemptions for vaccinations. They argued that there is no scientific basis for non-medical (philosophical or religious) exemptions and these exemptions put the public s health at risk. AMA doctors
We have to wonder if Environmental Working Group is having a really bad fiscal quarter because their website has become littered with even more anti-science, scary chemical verbiage than usual. It's clear they know what their donors think about actual science and evidence, since now they are going after the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for its "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) classification, which applies to food additives that can't harm anyone.
ACSH friend, Dr. Robert Popovian, the Senior Director of Healthcare, Science and Economic Advocacy and U.S. Government Relations at Pfizer, is arguably one of the world s premier experts in all aspects of the industry, from early stage discovery to development, as well as innovation, economics, and government policy.
After six years on the air, Dr. Oz says he s making some changes to his popular TV show, viewed daily by millions. Following the media firestorm from that letter from physicians across the country, Oz has now admitted publicly he was wrong to endorse so many miracle weight loss pills. Most recently, he announced the addition of Dr. Michael Crupain to his staff. His duties would include (according to the press release) being
Anyone who has been paying attention recognizes that governmental dietary advice seems to change pretty often.
The bees are ok-- that s the message Terence Corcoran hammers home in his latest article for the Financial Post. The piece comes on the heels of Canada s Minister of the Environment, Glen Murray, announcing that the country will start doing more for the declining bee populations. However, as Corcoran explains exhaustively with data, this policy is not only unnecessary but may be harmful to the country s economy.
Yet another study shows that the HPV vaccine is safe and effective in generating protection against cancer-causing strains of the virus. Since it's one of the very few vaccines against cancer, protecting against cancer of the cervix and other areas, why isn't it being utilized more often?
There are good drugs and not-so-good drugs. Much of this is determined by the underlying disease or infection. Even in 2015, there are many diseases for which there is no good treatment. Medicine is not fair, and all the research in the world will never change this.
Consumers really want to eat more algae, says an advocate at the Solazyme corporation, which makes, you guessed it, products from algae, like cooking oil and...meat.
A new study published in International Journal of Food Contamination shows that pesticide levels in food are far below levels that would warrant health concern.
Each year since 2005, The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) has awarded the Balles Prize in Critical Thinking, a prize that recognizes excellence in the promotion of science and reason, to individuals (sometimes more than one) who have taken on any number of controversial topics.
In an opinion column in today s New York Times, Drs. Dariush Mozaffarian of Tufts University and David S. Ludwig of Boston Children s Hospital describe the historical trajectory of official nutrition advice that has led to the demonization of dietary fat. Beginning with the 1980 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, an official goal has been to get Am
While a field trial of genetically-modified wheat failed to reach its goal (of repelling destructive aphids), the progress made in incorporating relevant genetic traits into the wheat genome will yield more information for better outcomes later.
Vaccine preventable diseases have made a recent comeback thanks to the anti-vax movement. However, recent data show that views among parents are changing and one new study points out the best way to convince them of the safety and efficacy of vaccines.
There is a wealth of data that shows an increase in prevalence of autism over the past few decades. There is also a wealth of activities, such as pesticide use and vaccines, that have been blamed for this increase. However, a new study from researchers at Penn State might finally have the answer to the cause of this increase.
A recent article published online in JAMA Oncology focuses on the increased recent attention in medicine, the media, and by the general public that has generated the perception that rates of breast cancer among young women have been increasing. (An
Today, July 20th, 2015 marks the 46th anniversary of the first manned mission to the moon. For most, today commemorates an amazing achievement that blended innovation, American ingenuity and most importantly science.
Researchers from MIT and the University of California are arguing over who owns the patent for the genome editing technique CRISPR-Cas9. Both teams make interesting cases and whoever is awarded the patent stands to make billions from the techniques limitless potential.
Today, July 28th, 2015 is World Hepatitis Day. Every year 1.4 million people die from viral hepatitis and yet all of these deaths could be prevented with better awareness and understanding.
There are five hepatitis viruses, A, B, C, D and E, though most people are only familiar with the first three.
Hepatitis A is spread mainly through eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated by the feces of an infected person. It can clear itself up naturally after a few weeks and there is a vaccination that can prevent infection.
Are you like me? Are you constantly worried about all the invisible chemicals you are exposed to in your every day? Well now there s a bracelet that will let you know what Part Per Billion you are being exposed to. It s called myexposome and you can donate to make sure this technology a reality over at kickstarter.
Here s a hard truth: We don t know enough about human nutrition. With all the discrepancies that have been reported lately in collecting data for nutrition studies we should probably throw out everything we ve learned about nutrition over the past century.
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