ACSH s trip to Capitol Hill in D.C. was a big success, report Executive Director Dr. Gilbert Ross and Director of Development and Media Jody Manley. Through meetings with representatives from the USDA and Congress, Dr. Ross and Ms. Manley were able to advance the ACSH message of sound science. Along with Dr. Allan Felsot, Professor of Entomology and Environmental Toxicology at Washington State University, they promoted the recent ACSH publication, authored by Dr.

There may be tests beyond a blood pressure reading beyond even considering standard risk factors such as LDL and HDL cholesterol that could help assess a patient s risk of cardiovascular disease, suggests a new study. By measuring the burden of calcium in the coronary arteries, say German researchers, it is possible to distinguish between people who have different cardiovascular risk levels even among those who have similar blood pressure readings.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, lower levels of good cholesterol may not actually increase a person s risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Many studies have shown that people with low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), often called good cholesterol, are more likely to have a cardiovascular event, such as heart attack, unstable angina, or stroke. Yet a new study suggests that it may not actually be the low levels of HDL that are causing the higher risk.

Intentionally or not, Delta Airlines has put itself in league with anti-vaccine activists, airing an in-flight video segment that encourages viewers to avoid the flu vaccine. The rabidly anti-vaccine National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) created the video to push people to consider ways to avoid coming down with the flu while avoiding a vaccination.

A research team led by ACSH advisor Dr. Geoffrey Kabat, of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, has found that high blood sugar in post-menopausal women is associated with a roughly two-fold increased risk of colorectal cancer. While diabetes has already been linked with colorectal cancer, it hasn t been established whether that association is the result of circulating insulin or glucose.

New York City s health commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley is pushing for a change in city health policy on HIV: He recommends that doctors start patients on treatment as soon as they are diagnosed. By making early treatment a standard policy, Dr.

The prevalence of conditions such as cardiac arrythmia, blood clots, and artificial heart valves means that about 3 million people in the U.S. are eligible for blood-thinning therapy. This treatment, known as oral anticoagulation therapy, requires frequent blood monitoring and regulation of dosage in order to prevent excessive or inadequate blood thinning. Typically, such monitoring means that patients must make frequent visits to the clinic.

A new report published by the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) counters claims by an environmental activist group that chemical exposures have led to numerous disease clusters throughout the country.

Pfizer s exclusive right to sell the blockbuster drug Lipitor (atorvastatin) ended yesterday. With the expiration of Pfizer s patent, the door is now open for generics to enter the market. Given that Lipitor earned $13 billion at its peak, and that 3 million Americans currently take the cholesterol-lowering drug, that market is enormous.

In a small but concerning study, researchers report that doctors may not always make MRI recommendations with their patient s best interests in mind. According to the study, presented at the Radiological Society of North America meeting in Chicago, doctors who own an MRI scanner may be more likely to recommend an unnecessary back scan than if they had no financial interest in the procedure.