The American Association for the Advancement of Science is one of the foremost pro-science organizations in the world. Not only does it advocate for good science and science policy, it publishes Science, the prestigious journal read globally by millions. Unfortunately, AAAS has gotten a bit weird in recent months.
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Saturated fats are not one monolithic group. Understanding this makes us reconsider nutritional guidelines. So, consumed in moderation, ice cream is back on the menu.
Hearts don’t open and minds don’t change when you yell at people. Or berate them. Or chastise them. Not with vaccination, or any other medical intervention.
Step therapy generally refers to trying one medicine after another, in order to get the best response for your patient. Most insurance companies believe that the lowest cost is the "best" approach. But an often-overlooked issue for both physicians and their patients is stepping down treatments, or eliminating unnecessary meds that are no longer necessary or "align with patient interests."
Can an algorithm prescribe a healthier diet? The short answer: Just a little better than the flip of a coin, or that
printed diet you found on the Internet.
Perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, is a chemical commonly found in household products. Its purpose is to resist stains, grease, and other assaults. And it's been in the news for several years. In many workplaces and communities, PFOA has become a household name while triggering fears of adverse health effects and expensive, never-ending environmental cleanups. What’s going on? Let's take a look.
The CDC says "tobacco use by youth is rising." If that were to be true, it'd be horrible -- but it's not. Cigarette use is down. The only reason the CDC can make this claim is because the agency considers e-cigarettes and vaping devices -- which only contain nicotine -- to be tobacco products. This is misleading and undermines public health.
A Japanese official blamed the country's shrinking population on people who don't have children. The comment was a classic Kinsley gaffe, something that was obviously true but taboo to say, possibly because it's a touchy subject in Japan.
From Seattle to New Haven, we here at the American Council have crisscrossed America spreading good science news while debunking junk science. We even made a couple of international appearances! Take a look.
There's currently no way to tell whether frozen food has stayed frozen during the journey from its original source to your local supermarket freezer. But a group of chemists from India has used chemistry and nanotechnology to come up with an environmentally friendly biosensor. The device may be useful in determining the integrity of frozen food by a simple color change.
Conventional wisdom tells us that there are too many humans on this planet. But the data disagree. In a new book titled "Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline," Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson argue that the world is about to face radical change due to depopulation.
Rent doesn't just refer to apartments and land. Also, rent is not profit, it requires no activity in adding value and it entails little risk. The rising cost of healthcare includes the rising cost of healthcare's rents.
Due to rampant false claims, could moratoriums on medical searches by social media companies actually free up time in an office visit. And also, lessen health care burdens?
One of the most beautiful aspects of science is that it transcends culture and language. Facts are facts, no matter if you speak English or German. That's why we are so happy to see that our work is being cited, not just across America, but all over the globe. Here's where the Council's impact has been felt in recent days.
These smaller population “Orphan Diseases,” defined as those that affect less than 200,000 people across the U.S., collectively impact 25 million Americans. This substantial public health issue warrants Lancet's call-to-action.
With fountain-of-youth and cancer-cure promises galore, what's actually transformative -- and happening now -- might surprise you. The key is where to look.
We've issued patents for enzymes, seeds, and mice -- which are all forms of life. But can nature have rights? And further, what do Cliven Bundy, a Nevada cattle rancher who engaged in a tense standoff with the federal government, and a group of Chippewa have in common?
Many hospitals have been consolidated and merged into networks. They are frequently anchored by a "Big-Name Hospital" found on U.S. News and World Report's "Honor Roll," touted as the best of the best. But does going to a network-affiliated hospital provide the same care?
The CDC has reported on the horrifying near-death of a 6-year-old boy in Oregon. As is the case with so many stories these days, he was unvaccinated. He was outside playing -- which is, quite frankly, dangerous if you're not vaccinated -- when he scratched his forehead. Then a horror story ensued.
Do you want grandma to keep baking cookies? Well, she won't anymore if she dies from the flu. So go get your shot when the next flu season rolls around in October.
Using a 5G network, Chinese surgeons performed "surgery" at a distance of 3,000 kilometers. Let's separate the hype from our current reality.
While there's no formula to determine the "correct answer" for public health policy, there are guidelines that can at least point policymakers in the right direction. Ultimately, what separates good public health policy from bad public health policy is a satisfactory response to three essential questions.
Whether occupationally, recreationally, or induced by a run-of-the-mill activity, ocular issues involving objects is not rare. And the summer is a prime time for things, propelled by the wind, to land in the eye.
The New York Times recently swallowed whole a study which concluded that those who eat meat die 23% more quickly than those who don't. But the meat study sounded fishy. And it was. ACSH advisor and expert biostatistician Dr. Stan Young turns the meat study into hamburger.
How do we decide which species to favor and which to spurn? The law protects dwindling populations of snail darters, but does it apply to nature's creatures that we consider pests, like weeds, or flesh-eating bacteria.
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