American Council on Science and Health, 2011: Week Ten

Posted by Rich Kozlovich


This week's news has been totally dominated by the nuclear accident in Japan. It is clear that the Japanese build amazingly safe plants; after all....it withstood a category 9 earthquake without fault. They just didn't plan on a tidal wave hitting at the same time. The backup power system was the cause of the failure because the tidal wave destroyed the generators that would have supplied power to the cooling system.   I hardly paid any attention to it!  Why?

Now let's take this reality to heart. Those who say there is no safe level of radiation are lying. Let me say this once again. Those who say that there is no such thing as a safe level of radiation are lying. We have already known this for years and in point of fact people working in nuclear plants don't have unusual health problems, they actually have less and, if I remember this correctly, live longer. What happened after Chernobyl clearly demonstrates that all the hype, irrational claims of massive health problems and early death in surrounding communities and countries was nothing more that environmental scare tactics?

Ann Coulter wrote about “a $10 million Department of Energy study from 1991 examined 10 years of epidemiological research by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health on 700,000 shipyard workers, some of whom had been exposed to 10 times more radiation than the others from their work on the ships' nuclear reactors. The workers exposed to excess radiation had a 24 percent lower death rate and a 25 percent lower cancer mortality than the non-irradiated workers.” She found this to be absolutely incredible! She went on to say; “Isn't that just incredible? I mean, that the Department of Energy spent $10 million doing something useful? Amazing, right?”

She went on to point out that Mother Nature has been the biggest killer in this whole affair….something that we all should start remembering. Nature will kill anyone or anything that isn’t prepared to defend itself against it. In order to survive mankind must alter our environment or cease to exist.  And that is what "going green" really means.  This horsepucky about returning to nature is a death wish, and if that is someone else's goal in life for themselves.....I say that its none of my business. 

However, I really dislike it when they attempt to impose it on me.  Then again, the greenies have stated over and over again that they believe mankind is the planet's worst virus and needs to be wiped out.  They also embrace politicies that would at the very least cause terrible harm to humanity.  So when they tell us to adopt their policies because it’s for the children; why should we believe them?

Enjoy this week's offerings!


Anti-chemical zealot cites evidence that pesticides don’t cause cancer in his own report
As chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition and Emeritus professor of Environmental and Occupational Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, Dr. Samuel S. Epstein is also known as an environmental radical, who in his most recent report titled "More Interested in Accumulating Wealth Than Saving Lives," accuses the American Cancer Society (ACS) of conflicts of interest and indifference to cancer prevention.

Get with The Times: People in U.S. are living longer
New estimates from the CDC yesterday report that life expectancy in the U.S. has hit another all-time high, up to approximately 78 years and two months.

Japan nuclear reactor coverage is a sound science meltdown

In the wake of a back-to-back 9.0 earthquake and tsunami, Japan is working tirelessly to rescue thousands of missing and injured residents and repair its ravaged neighborhoods. Now, many are also worrying over the potential for radiation emission from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant reactors that experienced cooling and pressure problems as a result of the natural disaster.

Japan’s road to recovery
Following the devastation of Japan's magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami, the nation is fighting to maintain a semblance of stability and order as ominous newspaper headlines warn of a potential meltdown at the Fukushima plants.

Surgeon General Benjamin gives toxic advice
While we still don't know the true extent of the radiation threat from the Japanese nuclear reactors damaged during the historically unprecedented earthquake and tsunami, there is one thing we do know - U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin needs a refresher course in medicine.

Low-radiation heart scan hopefully not a scam
A meta-analysis of 16 studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine finds that low-radiation heart CT scans, known as gated CT's, are equally effective in diagnosing heart problems as a coronary angiography, the current gold standard.

Chinese Take “a grain of salt” too seriously, Regina Benjamin removes foot
Chinese residents must have heard U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin's statement earlier this week supporting the precautionary use of potassium iodide (KI) pills by Californians.

Flawed consumer products database launched
On Friday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) officially launched its database for consumer complaints but has already been met with industry concerns.

Vicodin at low doses safe during breastfeeding
A new study may allow breastfeeding mothers who need a stronger pain medication after giving birth to heave a sigh of relief.

A defense against anti-DDT bloggers
Last month, we reported on a study by Drs. Donald Roberts and Richard Tren of Africa Fighting Malaria on the life-saving anti-malaria benefits of DDT spraying. Predictably, the study received harsh but misguided criticism from frequent anti-DDT blogger Tim Lambert.

Letter to ACSH regarding Brockovich’s attempted comeback
Following our coverage last week of glorified paralegal and environmental activist Erin Brockovich's attempts to revive the hexavalent chromium/cancer link in Hinkley, California - despite strong evidence to the contrary, ACSH ally Marjorie Peters sent us a letter of praise.

One less shot, please: Heavy liquor intake linked to pancreatic cancer
Aristotle's famous philosophy of always seeking moderation seems to ring true in a new study linking heavy alcohol intake and pancreatic cancer.

Can FDA keep kool? TPSAC draft report may indicate otherwise
In a partial draft report released yesterday, the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) says menthol cigarette use is on the rise among minority teenagers.

Bupropion not likely to help folks kick the habit
In a new study on smoking cessation published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers sought to assess the safety and efficacy of bupropion, the active ingredient in the antidepressant Wellbutrin and the smoking cessation aid Zyban.

Correction to yesterday’s Dispatch on teens’ mentholated cigarette smoking
ACSH would like to issue a correction to yesterday's Dispatch item regarding the FDA's Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) draft report, which noted the incidence of mentholated cigarette smoking among American teens.

Leave Heigl alone, vaping never hurt anyone
Haters of the e-cigarette are quick to chastise actress Kathryn Heigl for continuing to vape nine months after switching from traditional cigarettes.

High-intensity smokers taking it easy
Though the rate of smoking among U.S. adults has remained relatively stagnant over the past few years - hovering around 20 percent as reported by the CDC in September - there is still some good news to be had.

Rango smokes up the box office
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is fuming over the latest animation flick Rango, featuring the voice of Johnny Depp as a desert town chameleon, stating that the depiction of smoking in the PG-rated movie will encourage younger audiences to think the habit is appealing.

FDA advisory committee report: Menthol cigarettes should be banned
The Tobacco Product Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) issued a draft report earlier today advocating a ban on menthol cigarettes.

Don’t sing the mythical pregnancy blues
It is often observed that upon becoming pregnant, women radiate a certain glow. Well, that extra shine may actually be a sign of stress-induced perspiration that moms-to-be suffer after getting bombarded with a litany of pregnancy do's and don'ts.

FDA unfit to handle problem it helped create: Tainted drugs from overseas
Still reeling over the public health threat posed by tainted Heparin imported from China in 2008, in which 140 people died, the FDA's acting Principal Deputy Commissioner Dr. John Taylor announced Monday that the agency is unprepared to handle similar threats from imported food and drugs.

FDA says its drug approval rate is unchanged — But what’s entering the market?Perhaps responding to ACSH's Director of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Dr. Josh Bloom's op-ed on the effect of the FDA's overly-precautionary regulations on the pharmaceutical industry, the FDA is countering claims that it is not approving enough drugs.

Injecting a bit of hope into Parkinson’s disease treatment
Cutting-edge gene therapy may be one step closer to reaching Parkinson's patients.


Study says keeping heart patients’ lipid levels low enough clogged with difficultiesA new study sheds light on the difficulties physicians experience when trying to control the lipid levels in patients with coronary artery disease.

Another light at the end of the tunnel: Stem cells for congestive heart failureYesterday, ACSH reported on an early-stage, small trial of a new gene therapy for Parkinson's disease that could eventually lead to better cutting-edge therapies. Now we bring you news of another promising innovation - the use of bone marrow stem cells for repairing damaged hearts in patients with congestive heart failure.

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If there is a health scare today, the American Council on Science and Health will most likely have the answer by tomorrow; and for members it will appear in your e-mail. No effort on your part, except to read the answer. All that the ACSH is interested in are the facts and they are prepared to follow them wherever they lead. Who can ask for more?  Please Donate Now!


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