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De Omnibus Dubitandum - Lux Veritas

Friday, January 7, 2011

The American Council on Science and Health, 2011: Week One

By Rich Kozlovich

Some time back I attempted to do a weekly update on the wonderful information published every week from the American Council on Science and Health. I wasn’t able to keep up with it because I went about it the wrong way.  I attempted to make an article out of these posts, and quite frankly, it was too time consuming.  My problem is that I have a j0b that interferes with my life.

It was also not real bright because as a member I already get a Daily Dispatch with the links already there, which makes posting very easy.   Therefore I am going to attempt to do a weekly update once again because I really do feel that this information needs to be disseminated as far as possible.

These aren’t the only issues they outlined this week; they are the ones that interested me. Let’s start with:

Autism and vaccines: The supposed link was faked
Yesterday the world learned that Dr. Andrew Wakefield is a fraud British Medical Journal released the results of its documenting the premeditation of Wakefield and his lawyer as co-conspirators who were attempting to extort compensation from vaccine makers.

Vaccines to the rescue for chickenpox and pertussis
Since routine chickenpox vaccinations were implemented in 1995, yearly rates of chickenpox infections in the U.S. decreased by 80 to 90 percent while the proportion of Americans hospitalized due to the infection has fallen by over two-thirds, a new study by the CDC finds.

Environmental Working Group report on water is (typically) all wet
Yesterday also saw the release of another "study" by the influential radical advocacy organization Environmental Working Group (EWG). EWG studied the origins, precise chemical contents and the labels of 173 brands of bottled water and then rated them. But what was the purpose of this? All of the water bottles contained...well, water.

Fish oil and coronary disease: A possible treatment
A report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology provides further evidence that some patients with weakened hearts may benefit from eating a diet high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). These fatty acids are typically found in fish oil.

FDA sets guidelines on its regulation of tobacco products
Following up on a 2009 law which gave it the power to regulate tobacco products, the FDA announced yesterday that manufacturers must report to the agency by March 22 on whether their products are in any way more dangerous or more addictive than items which were on the market by February 15, 2007.

So thirty years ago!: CSPI pushes for synthetic food dye ban due to alleged hyperactivity link
As the FDA prepares for a March hearing to assess whether synthetic food dyes cause hyperactivity in children, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is asking that they altogether.

The flu season is among us, but there’s still time to vaccinate!
Late last week, the CDC reported that the flu season is up steam.

New drug approvals still down
Only 21 drugs were approved by the FDA in 2010. In 2009 and 2008, there were 25 and 24 drugs approved respectively, while 2007 marked an all-time low with only 18 new drugs approved.

Potential of new cancer blood test: benefits may take years despite headlines
Various news media outlets have trumpeted a new blood test that detects cancer cells, even though the diagnostic tool still remains in the infant stages of clinical application.

Increased stroke risk from consumption of red meat just a bunch of baloney
ACSH would like to induct a recent study seeking to link increased red meat consumption to a higher risk of stroke in women into our very own Data Dredging Hall of Fame/Shame.

ACSH Presents: Celebrities Vs. Science
December 30, 2010. We value movie stars and musicians for their entertainment value, not their scientific expertise. But when they weigh in on important issues pertaining to human health and get things wrong, it is important to set the record straight. Scientists affiliated with the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) do just that. In the second edition of Celebrities Vs. Science they respond to one celebrity of a comment at a time.

Top health scares of 2010
In an published in The Daily Caller late last week ACSH's Dr. Elizabeth Whelan reminds us of the worst - and most unreasonable - health scares of last year.

PCBs and schools: A new health scare
As Dr. Whelan was exposing the health hoaxes of last year, the EPA chose to end the year by initiating a calling for schools across the country to replace old light fixtures containing PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Might this be another health scare based on faulty science?

Breast cancer risks: Not just about family patterns
A study of 6,322 post-menopausal women undertaken by the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) Allegheny Center, in Pittsburgh, shows that while family history is a strong indicator of breast cancer risk, other factors taken together may be equally strong predictors.

A transplant obit is cause to commemorate as we also mourn
Last week brought through the Associated Press of the death of Ronald Lee Herrick, the first man ever to successfully provide an organ to another patient in a transplant operation. Herrick's death is a reminder both of the miraculous advances in surgical procedure which have taken place in recent decades and of the development of pharmaceuticals to ward off or treat transplant rejection, such as cyclosporin and rapamycin.

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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