From the American Council on Science and Health

OId garbage from the "Food Babbler" resurfaces, just in time for Halloween - It's almost Halloween, and perhaps the scariest thing you'll see this year is the resurfacing of a 2012 piece by Vani Hari, aka "The Food Babe." At the time, she attacked "toxic" chocolate. Maybe she should get her facts straight. Read more.

Vaccine approved in the US protecting against Meningitis B - Meningococcal disease is a bacterial infection that can lead to serious complications. A new vaccine created by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc. protecting against Meningitis B, has just been approved in the US. Read more.

Shoutout to ACSH friend Jack Dini for an informative column on chemophobia - ACSH friend and author Jack Dini published a column in the Canada Free Press countering fears regarding common substances found in plastic. A quick, informative read for anyone interested in what recent literature has to say about these substances. Read more.

Ebola quackery should come as no surprise, says Jon Entine - Jon Entine of the Genetic Literacy Project writes about the supreme idiocy of the organic movement with regard to the Ebola outbreak. Especially appalling is that they are arguing against the use of an Ebola vaccine that does not even exist. Unbelievable. Read more.

Indian government sees the light on GMO crops - Indian government gives green light to testing some GMO crops. This decision reverses a moratorium set in 2009 by the previous government on testing such crops. But Greenpeace, as usual, objects with no scientific rationale. Read more.

Is ibuprofen as effective as morphine for children with fractures? - A recent study suggesting that ibuprofen and morphine are equally effective for pain reduction in children with fractures has been gaining a lot of media attention in the last couple of days. But we say not so fast. Read more.

EWG rates foods for "healthfulness" - by their definition of course - Fear-mongering activist group is at it again - EWG is promoting their ratings of 80,000 food items, based on their own, "unique" parameters (are GMOs really dangerous?). If there's an ingredient that can be dissed, leave it to EWG to do so. Read more.

A colonoscopy alternative? It would seem so - Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US. It is also preventable. A new home test developed by the Mayo Clinic, Cologuard, may present an alternative to those who cannot or will not tolerate the "prep" for a colonoscopy. Read more.

Swedish studies find evidence of a link between Herpes simplex and Alzheimer's - Studies find link between exposure to Herpes virus and Alzheimer's disease. Will there prove to be a cause-and-effect relationship? There is no evidence of that now, but more research is needed. Read more.

Remembering Dr. Jonas Salk, creator of the polio vaccine - Today marks the 100th birthday of Jonas Salk, creator of the polio vaccine. In honor of Dr. Salk, we urge the public to stop listening to ideas being promoted by the anti-vaccine movement and do what's best for you and your family's health - get vaccinated. Read more.

 

Ebola in New York City - should Americans be worried? - As New York City sees its first Ebola case, Dr. Craig Spencer, fear continues to circulate of an Ebola outbreak in America. Two New York Times articles argue that despite the new Ebola case, Americans should still not be worried. Read more.

LA City Council pushes a 'symbolic' GMO ban - We've heard of useless laws before, but this one may take the cake. LA City Council is considering banning GMO crops from LA county - even though there is no agriculture going on there. So what gives? Consider political expediency. Read more.

VT Sen. Bernie Sanders should stick to maple syrup - he's all sticky about the cost and value of drugs for hepatitis C - Sen. Bernie Sanders plans to hold a hearing on the high cost of drugs, especially hep C drugs which have revolutionized treatment of the infection. If Sanders is looking to make a point, he is picking the wrong area. Read more.

"If this paper were about science," says Geoffrey Kabat: Purported link between BPA from cash receipts and health effects - Frederick vom Saal, anti-BPA activist, tries to link "high" levels of BPA from handling receipts to increased risk of serious diseases. ACSH advisor, Dr. Geoffrey Kabat, calls out the study as an attempt to alarm consumers and get media attention. Read more.