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De Omnibus Dubitandum - Lux Veritas

Sunday, May 22, 2011

American Council on Science and Health, 2011: Week 19

The presence of linked articles here are merely a way of showing what is going on, whether I agree or disagree with the positions presented. I have highlighted what I think are "must read" articles with asterisks. Rich Kozlovich

ACSH attends Swank-y event promoting women’s health Last night, ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross and Lana Spivak attended the American Cancer Society's one-year anniversary celebration of Choose You, co-hosted by executive producer and Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank (photo below).

FDA panel urges baby-friendly dosage instructions on acetaminophen (Tylenol) labels In a unanimous 21-to-0 vote, an FDA advisory panel recommended that the FDA require labels for acetaminophen-containing pain relievers to include weight-based infant dosage instructions to help prevent overdoses.

Listen up, boys and girls: HPV news for everyone For women over 30, a human papillomavirus (HPV) screening test may out-perform a Pap smear in predicting cervical cancer risk, according to a study by the National Cancer Institute.

Unwanted results on unplanned pregnancies We were shocked and disappointed to read that an average 40 percent of pregnancies in our country are unwanted or unexpected.

Another coffee perk: lower risk of high-grade prostate cancer A large study from the Harvard School of Public Health indicates that regularly drinking even one cup of coffee daily may reduce a man's risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer.

***Predicting longevity and curing cancer — quackery, or mere exaggeration?  Two new recent stories are, according to ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross, both eligible to receive honorary status in the false claims department for their misrepresentation of facts and science.

My Take - I highlighted this because it is a perfect example of how media types can distort reality.  There may be some validity to the curative properties of a chemical known as dichloroacetate (DCA), however just because the pharmaceuticals refuse to fund it doesn’t make this a conspiracy and this article shows why.  I resent these kinds of accusations.  The truthful facts on this issue will never catch up to the lie because so many will repeat the lie....and if it is some idiot Hollywood celebrity she would have ended up on Oprah spewing out nonsense, and Oprah would have been totally impressed.  Then again...she did start Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz on their journey....mores the pity!

***Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Agricultural livelihood or malaria eradication in Uganda  African farmers face great hardship as they must choose between protecting their agrarian livelihood or protecting themselves and their children against malaria, according to an article in yesterday's The New York Times.

No one immune from effects of closing ERs The number of urban and suburban emergency room shut-downs has increased by 27 percent between 1990 and 2009, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The weight of defensive medicine in South Florida Ob-gyn doctors in South Florida are engaging in some ethically questionable defensive medicine practices by refusing to see pregnant women who are obese.

Kudos to Butterworth’s “Fear In A Can” ACSH would like to tip its hat to Trevor Butterworth for his insightful op-ed, "Fear In A Can," in The Daily.

Dr. Ross talks to Dr. Joe  In case you missed it, listen to ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross talk chemophobia, radiation scares, and the promotion of sound science with beloved chemistry professor and radio show host Dr. Joe Schwarcz on The Dr. Joe Show.

More chemical hysteria: All smoke and no fire, thankfully A study published today in the journal Environmental Science and Technology has been pounced on by breathless media eager to help chemophobic activists fan the flames of hysteria about chemical flame retardants in baby products made with polyurethane foam.

***Big Government takes on Mr. Potato Head Why has the potato been made a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) "10 Least Wanted List" for school menus?

My Take - This isn’t the job of the federal government….but that is what happens when you take government money and give bureaucrats so much authority.  The fact of the matter is this; when you dance with the devil you won’t call the tune, you won’t pick the dance, you won’t lead and you may not be allowed to leave the dance on your own.

Fight activist food nonsense: Save Ronald McDonald! A misguided but bombastic effort ostensibly about the fight against childhood obesity comes in the form of a letter to McDonald's Corp that asks the franchise to stop marketing "junk food" to kids, and, specifically, to retire Ronald McDonald.

Better than milk and cookies? The most recent trend in sleep aids comes not in capsule form but in the crumbs of a baked good.

Smallpox: W.H.O. and HHS agree to keep it in reserve U.S. health secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced the World Health Organization (WHO) assembly decision not to recommend the destruction of the last known smallpox virus stockpiles - located in Russia and the U.S. CDC in Atlanta - for at least another five years.

New, desperately needed drug against hepatitis C approved As expected, the FDA has just approved Merck and Co.'s highly anticipated anti-hepatitis C drug, Victrelis (generic name, boceprevir).

Indiana bill on tobacco taxes: Less harm, less tax Indiana's Republican governor (and potential presidential candidate) Mitch Daniels is expected to sign an omnibus bill that includes tobacco harm reduction language specifically stipulating that tobacco taxes reflect the potential for adverse health effects posed by the product.

*** Food for thought: Functional foods all hype? ***Whether you're in an all-natural foods store or the ubiquitous big-chain grocery store, you'll find health claims on all kinds of foods. Are they really true, or are they all hype?

Commonsense health tips in the news, with more coming soon Though today's New York weather may not look it, spring is in the air and summer is fast approaching. For many, this means that it's time for spring cleaning.

Smallpox: W.H.O. and HHS agree to keep it in reserve U.S. health secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced the World Health Organization (WHO) assembly decision not to recommend the destruction of the last known smallpox virus stockpiles - located in Russia and the U.S. CDC in Atlanta - for at least another five years.

Sensible revisions proposed to Consumer Product Safety ActThe Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 is currently being reconsidered after a House sub-committee last week approved a proposal that would lessen the stringent requirements for expensive testing for lead and phthalates in products that might be used by children.

Sickle cell drug for babies, too A new study published in The Lancet finds that hydroxyurea, a cancer drug which has been used used to treat sickle cell disease in adults and adolescents since 1995, is also safe and effective for infants.

The New York (Not-With-The) Times skips the good news: infant deaths down, life expectancy up  The "paper of record" may not yet have broken the news, but it's terrific news indeed: infant deaths across the world have fallen as life expectancy has increased, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Friday.

My Take - Everything we are told should bear some resemblance to what we see going on in reality.  Those countries that are the most advanced, use the most synthetic chemicals, vaccinate their populations, have extensive use of personal transportation, have chlorine and fluoride in their water, have extensive use of energy live the best, longest and healthiest lives.  Does anyone wonder why so many believe all the lies of the green movement, the EPA and all of their acolytes?  To quote the King of Siam……It is a puzzle!

Diabetics may be at increased risk for cancer A study just published in the journal Diabetes Care found that diabetic men and women were 10 percent more likely to have had a cancer diagnosis of any kind.

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? 
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