Introduction

The onset of menopause presents a complex set of questions to many women. One of those questions may be whether or not to begin hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

To the Editor:
A recent study reports that the ads created by Philip Morris to discourage teenage smoking are not only ineffective, but they may actually encourage the habit. (Marketplace, April 7, 1999). This does not come as a big surprise. A cigarette company is hardly the ideal candidate to convince teenagers not to smoke. The viability of the Industry depends on new, young recruits.

If movie stars and supermodels are our gauge of beauty, teeth should be straight, big, and ultra-white. Community water fluoridation and advances in oral hygiene have led to a major decrease in the incidence of tooth decay and, therefore, in the need for fillings¬historically the mainstay of the dental profession. Dentists have responded to the economic impact of this decrease with an explosion of new procedures and marketing plans. An increase in the profitability of dental practice has resulted.

To the Editor:
When Dr. Samuel Epstein (letter, March 15) refers to "the cancer epidemic," he apparently believes that if he and his activist cohorts repeat a falsehood often enough, the American public will come to believe it. The facts, however, prove that the opposite is true: according to statistics published by the National Cancer Institute, and endorsed by the American Cancer Society, cancer incidence and mortality rates have been declining over the past five years.

To the Editor:
While scanning my wife's copy of April 1999 Elle I was dismayed to see poor health advice dispensed because of inappropriate risk comparisons.
On page 275 the "Health News" column states that oral contraceptive pills have dangers that include "a 50% greater risk of circulatory disease and a 20% increased risk of breast cancer," which belies the next statement that the risk is "very remote."

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Alar apple scare, in which many American consumers were driven into a panic following the release of a report by an environmental organization claiming that apples containing the chemical Alar posed a serious health threat to preschoolers. The report was disseminated through a PR campaign and bypassed any legitimate form of scientific peer review.

* The Top Diets How Do They Rate?
* Nutritional Supplements Help or Hype?
* The Food Pyramid Why It's The Healthiest and Easiest Way to Eat

Overview