From the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel (http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/8841087.htm):
June 4, 2004
A Super Size Distortion
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Last Thursday, there was wide coverage of the fact that cancer rates have fallen according to a new report. There was extensive coverage in many news and TV broadcasts but not in America's newspaper of record.
There were actually two stories about cancer death and incidence rates, and perceptions about these important items, contained in the New York Times' coverage: one about health statistics and one about how little some in the press care about stories that can't be spun as scary.
Near the end of 2005, we (David W. Kuneman, a retired pharmaceutical chemist, and Michael J. McFadden, author of Dissecting Antismokers' Brains) and the SmokersClubInc. Newsletter issued a press release and published the outline and results of a study (1) that should have made media headlines around the world while bringing the juggernaut of smoking bans, if not to a crashing halt, at least to a stumble.
Bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1,2-trichloroethane (DDT) has been shown, over the past sixty years, to be one of the few affordable and effective tools against malarial vector mosquitoes, which account for over 300 million cases of disease and more than 1 million deaths every year. However, the Review by Walter Rogan and Aimin Chen (Aug. 27, p. 763), which aims to balance the risks and benefits of DDT, consists mainly of hypothetical concerns while the reality of human suffering gets short shrift.
A January 4, 2006 column by Audrey Silk, head of NYC CLASH (Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment), not someone with whom ACSH usually sees eye to eye on smoking issues, quotes ACSH president Dr. Elizabeth Whelan and late ACSH Advisor Sir Richard Doll:
California may once again target innocuous beverages -- caffeine-containing sodas and energy drinks -- for labeling with the dreaded Proposition 65 warning label. According to an Associated Press article, a California advisory board is calling for a study to determine if such beverages pose a risk to pregnant women.
Some activist "watchdogs" are again attempting to manipulate parents' natural concerns about their babies, without medical or scientific evidence. A few days ago, the uproar was over baby powder and lotions alleged to be delivering toxic phthalates; today, it's baby bottles and plastic water bottles leaching supposedly-toxic bisphenol-A (BPA). Both of these attacks are false.
ACSH applauds the animated sitcom King of the Hill, which last night depicted the town of Arlen, Texas, fighting back against a trans fat ban, which was quickly followed by numerous other food bans. Hank Hill and the other "freedom fighters" in the story (who decide to run a black market food van) explicitly chastised the town's fashionable but unscientific new rules by pointing out they'd do nothing to solve problems like childhood obesity. Eventually the bans were overturned -- and we only wish New York City were as wise as Arlen.
New York, NY -- May 1, 2006. Five low-calorie sugar substitutes currently available in the United States -- acesulfame-K, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, and sucralose -- are safe for consumer use. That is the conclusion -- described in a new publication, Sugar Substitutes and Your Health -- of a panel of scientists affiliated with the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH).
A July 24, 2006 Jimmy Moore column reprints comments from the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog critical of ACSH's Julianne Chickering:
"Just eat in moderation and you'll lose all the weight you want."
ACSH was mentioned in a household tips column from December:
Q. I bought a wool baby sweater at an antiques store as a gift, and I'm not sure how to wash it. Is dry cleaning a bad idea for baby clothes?
A. Check to see if the sweater has a label with care instructions. If not, you will need to decide between dry cleaning and hand-washing. Both of these methods are generally fine for wool, even delicate items. However, if the item has stains, seek the help of a trusted professional to determine which would be most effective.
ACSH was saddened by the passing of ACSH Advisor Dr. Roger P. Maickel, whose December 28, 2006 obituary in the Journal and Courier noted some of his many accomplishments:
Yesterday's style section of the New York Times splashed an unappealing picture on its cover: two models backstage at the Prada fashion show in Milan, one on her Blackberry, both smoking cigarettes.
The recent addition of trans fat information to the Nutrition Facts labels on food products, combined with news media reports and activists warnings, have brought these fats to the forefront of public concern.
In a national survey conducted in November 2005, 81 percent of a representative sample of U.S. consumers reported being aware of trans fats, and 54 percent indicated that they were trying to decrease their trans fat consumption (IFIC Foundation, 2006).
A March 2, 2007 piece by Denise Mann describes the unfortunate rise to prominence of Rhonda Byrne, author of The Secret, a book pushing a vague misinterpretation of quantum physics as not only a key to career success but to improved health, as touted by Oprah Winfrey and others -- but not by ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross or ACSH Advisor Dr. Stephen Barrett:
A March 7 article by Sameh Fahmy notes the mixed opinions on the value of antioxidants, and ACSH's Dr. Ruth Kava weighs in:
Ruth Kava, director of nutrition at the nonprofit American Council on Science and Health, agrees that large doses of antioxidant-rich foods aren't likely to be harmful. But benefits are unclear as well.
Asthma is a chronic condition in which a person s airways occasionally become inflamed, which causes swelling that obstructs airflow to the lungs.
MORNING DISPATCH 10/10/08: Tobacco, Infections, HIV, and Rights for Plants
New York, NY -- August 27, 2008. Nuclear energy is the cleanest source of electrical power available today, according to an analysis by scientists associated with the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH). Their main points are summarized in the brochure Nuclear Energy and Health: What's the Story?
MORNING DISPATCH 11/19/08: Dour Docs, Cancer Causes, Dire Diabetes, Smoke Scams, and Dementia Dissension
MORNING DISPATCH 7/25/08: Rep. Barton, Dr. Miller, Tomatoes, HIV, Meat, and Candy
Killer hot dogs, the air conditioning in your car, cellphones, you will never leave the house if fear merchants like Natural Resources Defense Council have their way with your science education - and your wallet.
Fortunately, John Tierney at the New York Times is here to help and he asked American Council on Science and Health for help in itemizing the things that $200 million behemoths like NRDC want you to be worried about - but needn't be.
Aiming to combat the obesity epidemic in New York, Gov. David Paterson has recommended an 18% tax on sugar-sweetened soft drinks and a few other sweetened beverages. Unfortunately, the proposed tax is inconsistent with the facts about what causes obesity. It also sets an alarming precedent for taxing foods deemed "bad" by government officials -- further increasing the cost of living in the state -- particularly for the least affluent citizens.
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