Some junk science studies can be difficult to detect. Some, however, require no effort at all. Here we have one shining example of the latter not that you could tell from all the media hype surrounding this nonsense.
The new Nature article, claiming that artificial sweeteners might contribute to obesity, seemed to be so chemically naive, that ACSH s Dr. Josh Bloom, after a brief perusal of the authors and their affiliations, saw that the answer was obvious.
Search results
A new, large cohort analysis from the prospective Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial, indicates that
According to a report in the New York Times, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has released its latest masterpiece of misdirection an 80,000 item database of foods that purports to help consumers decide which foods are most healthful.
Atrial fibrillation (A-fib), a common irregularity of the heartbeat (arrhythmia), has been shown to be a major cause of strokes. Now even silent strokes are linked to this condition. Blood thinning is a necessity to prevent them.
An op-ed by family medicine practitioner Victoria Dooley, MD, in today s New York Times discusses the problems engendered when people who say they are allergic to certain antibiotics actually aren t and why this is a deadly problem.
In yesterday s New York Times Well Column, Jane E. Brody discusses memory and cognitive aging solutions and the science (or lack thereof) behind them. There are a variety of these remedies and devices currently on the
Sandra Lee, well-known TV chef and Gov. Cuomo s domestic partner, has decided to deal with her DCIS with bilateral mastectomies. She is of course entitled to make her own decision, but her example and statements may lead other women astray.
Well before its media talking points were released, it was assumed the World Health Organisation's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) would name the herbicide glyphosate a probable human carcinogen - in sharp contrast to findings by the EPA, the American Council on Science and Health and every legitimate science body.
How could that be? The short answer is that IARC does no original research, they review studies and their metric for inclusion, along with their metric for picking the panels that meet in secret to make their conclusions, are unknown.
When it comes to using microwave ovens, all the usual suspects line up to attack the appliance. The fountain of misinformation, Joe Mercola warns it kills more people than cigarettes and asbestos. Natural news, which is run by Mike Adams (who makes Mercola seem like Louis Pasteur) claims that everything from obesity to erectile dysfunction is
An op-ed in Forbes.com by James Conca notes the benefits of nuclear power in helping to ameliorate, to some extent, the disastrous drought now gripping California (and to a lesser extent, Oregon and Washington). Specifically, he notes the nuclear reactor at Diablo
If there is a better example of what happens when junk science meets reality, good luck finding it. Look no further than today s New York Times article about how a misguided attempt to solve a non-problem turned into a real problem.
A family in rural Pennsylvania bore the sad fruits of believing in products that could not possibly help when illness struck. We hope this tragedy can be a lesson for others possibly vulnerable to the siren call of phony health remedies: this time it s homeopathy.
Eighteen-month old toddler Ho
Pope Francis can claim many firsts; he is the first non-European Pope since 741 AD, the first from the Americas and the first from the Southern Hemisphere. Given his nuanced positions on science issues like climate change and agriculture, some might also consider him the first scientific Pope. That isn't correct, but he may be the most scientific in history.
Francis is not scientific due to credentialism, he does not have any advanced degree in chemistry. Instead, he is scientific by behavior.
Well-known vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attended the Sacramento screening of anti-vaccine documentary Trace Amounts on Tuesday and gave a speech to the audience, and as expected, it was filled with dangerous and unscientific misinformation. In light of the upcoming hearing for California Senate Bill
Unless you re living under a rock, you must be aware that overweight and obesity are rampant among the American population, and that these conditions (especially obesity) are linked to a myriad of chronic ills such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Despite an increase in awareness and public health efforts, the diabetes epidemic in America persists. The CDC estimates 21 million Americans were living with diabetes as of 2010 with 1.5 million new cases being diagnosed each year
The New York Times tag-teams e-cigarettes, part of the media crusade orchestrated by the top levels of America s public health and abetted by willing lackeys such as The Times, Matt Myers and ex-FDA head David Kessler.
The Secret Science emanating from the EPA is being reflected in the apparent epidemic of phony published studies in respected journals. While the latter is bad enough, the Agency s agenda-driven and opaque rulings strangle our nation s economy.
It s understandable that parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are eager to find a way to help their kids overcome the problems associated with their conditions
John LaMattina, the former head of R&D at Pfizer, tackles a timely and important topic in his Forbes piece today: What is the best way to do oncology research? And, can it save money as well as lives?
In her latest column in the New York Times, Jane Brody waxes enthusiastic about the nutritional benefits of peanut and tree nut consumption.
Everyone knows that vegetables are healthy, right? And water is necessary for life. So what could make more sense than to combine the two, and thus provide a reason for charging a pretty penny for hydration?
The official public health mantra for smokers trying to quit is, Stick with the FDA-approved products; stay away from e-cigarettes. This, despite their terrible track record. Now, yet another study shows that NRT patches do not help smokers quit.
There is a perception out there that the technology and social media booms of the last decade have been detrimental to public health. In particular hookup apps are being blamed by many for having contributed to the increases in sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STD/STIs). This belief is not entirely unwarranted; earlier this year the state
It s Monday morning. No one is in a particularly good mood. This didn't help.
We have been discussing BPA a component of polycarbonate and polyether plastics forever. This should be #1000 on your list of things to worry about (#999 is being hit by a giraffe that fell off a skyscraper.)
Pagination
ACSH relies on donors like you. If you enjoy our work, please contribute.
Make your tax-deductible gift today!