After this August trial period, you can receive these dispatches as e-mails every morning only by becoming an ACSH Donor at: http://www.acsh.org/support/ or send a tax deductible donation to:
American Council on Science and Health1995 Broadway, 2nd floorNew York, NY 10023
For questions, please call Jeff Stier at 212-362-7044 x225 or e-mail Tara McTeague at McTeagueT[at]acsh.org.

This column originally appeared in the New York Post.
Perhaps the disturbing allegation last week that a surgeon in California killed a patient to harvest an organ shouldn't be such a surprise, given the absurdly long waits for donated organs.

Some anti-vaccine zealots have stubbornly clung to the discredited theory that children's vaccines are somehow responsible for the increased rate of autism over the past decade or so. However, the latest article on the subject of girls with autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) gives data that further undercuts the vaccine-autism "theory."

This series of dispatches gives readers a seat at the ACSH table every morning. In September, this opportunity to listen in on staffers' conversations and insight will be available only to donors.
You can become a donor at http://www.acsh.org/support/ or send a tax deductible donation to:
American Council on Science and Health1995 Broadway, 2nd floor New York, NY 10023
For questions, please call Jeff Stier at 212-362-7044 x225 or e-mail Tara McTeague at McTeagueT[at]acsh.org.

An interstate outbreak of botulism has occurred, comprising two cases in Indiana and two in Texas, with others under investigation in California, Hawaii, and Ohio. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report has a posting dated July 30, 2007 describing the outbreak. It says that the illnesses are due to botulinum toxin type A associated with Castleberry's hot dog chili, and that this is the first outbreak involving a commercially canned product since 1974.

A July 31, 2007 piece by Steve Cornett on country-of-origin labeling notes the opinion of ACSH's Jeff Stier that it's not a very good way to protect health:
Here are a couple of things I didn't write but wish I had. From Jeff Stier in, of all places, the HuffingtonPost, is an accurate assessment of the rush to COOL.
As stated previously, I'm cool with COOL, but only because it will help us segregate offensive product.

As they consider the new bill that would give the FDA the power to regulate cigarettes, Congress needs to take into account new information on nicotine dependence. According to a recent study published in the July edition of The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, nicotine dependence can occur in young cigarette smokers long before they begin to smoke daily.

A July 27, 2007 piece by Katherine Mangu-Ward cites ACSH on breast cancer [UPDATE: and here's hoping former _Reason_ editor Virginia Postrel's own breast cancer treatment goes well]:
The American Council on Science and Health (professional home of reason contributor Todd Seavey), offers a pair of well-rounded reports on developments in cancer prevention:

A July 24, 2007 piece by Jeff Poor on the website of the Business & Media Institute notes ACSH's skepticism about attacks on soda: