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De Omnibus Dubitandum - Lux Veritas

Saturday, April 16, 2011

American Council on Science and Health, 2011; Week 14

Posted By Rich Kozlovich

I have highlighted what I think are "must read" articles with three asterisks. RK


*** Spotlight on Dr. Bloom is food for thought in Boston Why so many drug companies are failing is the question ACSH's Dr. Josh Bloom examines in his op-ed published yesterday by Medical Progress Today.

Psoriasis linked to metabolic syndrome and abdominal obesity A headline in yesterday's Los Angeles Times titled "Psoriasis linked to heart disease, diabetes, other cardiovascular conditions" had ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross grumbling.

Stem Cells for Japanese plant workers — who could argue? As Japan struggles to recover from the crippling effects of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, workers at the Fukushima Nuclear Facility are still working around the clock to minimize the spread of radiation from the leaky reactors.

Preliminary study links brain shrinkage to Alzheimer’s Alzheimer's disease is a condition afflicting about 26 million people worldwide, a number that is estimated to markedly increase as a greater proportion of the population ages.

*** Glowing book review for ACSH & Scared to Death Yesterday Forbes.com featured a side-by-side comparison of two recently published books dealing with chemical risks, in which Hoover Institution Fellow and ACSH friend Dr. Henry Miller discusses ACSH's latest publication Scared to Death: How Chemophobia Threatens Public Health.

Sugar is [the d]evil in sour article Given the current trends in health media, it seems that anyone can say anything is toxic these days. Such is the case with the lengthy piece in yesterday's The New York Times by Gary Taubes that describes the anti-sugar lecture, "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" by Robert Lustig, professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco.

GM crops to be fortified with Omega-3’s and new European regulations Monsanto is one step away from receiving FDA approval for their genetically modified soybeans that will produce omega-3 fatty acids.

*** Need Vitamins? Not really The CDC reports that the rate of supplement use - including multivitamins - hovered around 40 percent of the U.S. adult population between 2003 and 2008.

*** Vaccine deniers to infect Infant Immunization Awareness Week with CBS JumboTron ad Anti-vaccine hysteria is coming to Times Square.

*** EPA formalde-hides the truth In his article for The New York Times Greenwire, Jeremy P. Jacobs makes our job a little bit easier by pointing out what ACSH has known all along…… In the real world, the risk of cancer due to formaldehyde exposure is minuscule to say the least, observes ACSH’s Dr. Gilbert Ross. “The NAS skewers the EPA in their analysis of the agency’s draft assessment, demonstrating that even though formaldehyde may technically be considered a human carcinogen, its actual effects are minimal.”

*** ACSH gets an A (for Apples!) for unveiling NRDC-inspired Alar scare  Rewind to the year 1984 when the EPA first announced that Alar, a plant growth regulator (NOT a pesticide), caused cancer in animals.

Safety of slim cigarettes and hookah: Just smoke and mirrors The results of two recent surveys conclude the same thing: people have many misconceptions about the risks associated with smoking.

Dr. Ross on the Cleveland airwaves Appearing on Cleveland's NPR radio show The Sound of Ideas yesterday, ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross spoke to listeners about the Healthy Cleveland Initiative.

Boston’s nonsensical sugary drink restrictions In a desperate attempt to "solve" Boston's obesity problem, Mayor Thomas Menino has officially banned the sale of sodas and other sugary drinks deemed "unhealthy" from city-owned property.

Latest trial of obesity drug Qnexa may finally lead to FDA approval More than five months after an FDA advisory panel voted to reject Vivus' newly developed weight-loss drug Qnexa - the third weight-loss drug application to be rejected last year - the published results of a Phase III trial may give the drug another shot at FDA approval.

Real, simple solutions to a simple problem: Home safety products for child protection A recent, important study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine was largely ignored by the popular press.

Plastic chemicals harm girls and boys? Fat chance! USA Today has begun a series this week pedalling the supposed link between trace level chemical exposure in consumer products and children's health.

Less treatment may be the best course of action for elderly UTI patients When it comes to treating elderly patients in hospitals and nursing homes, Dr. David Dosa, a geriatrician at Brown University, believes doctors should adhere to the mantra "less is more."

Cheers to you, Kate Hudson Recognized for her roles in such popular movies as Almost Famous and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, actress Kate Hudson is now better known around the mommy blogosphere for committing what is perceived to be the cardinal sin of pregnancy: imbibing a glass of wine.

For breast cancer survivors, one less worry Foods rich in soy naturally contain isoflavones, a compound with estrogen-like properties, which is why some doctors have advised their patients who are breast-cancer survivors to minimize the ingredient in their diet, hoping to decrease their risk of relapsing.

New mixology: 2-3 beers (daily) with a shot of stomach cancer risk For individuals who consume two to three beers (or more) daily over the course of many years, a new study suggests that they may have a 75 percent increased risk of gastric (stomach) cancer.

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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