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Using insurance claims data, Blue Cross claims that millennials are less healthy than Gen X-ers at the same age, and that they are less healthy by double digits. The reality is not nearly as scary as they make it out to be.

Thanksgiving Week is one of the craziest but funnest of the year. It's the perfect American holiday: Tons of tasty food on Thursday, insane shopping on Friday, and lots of football to watch in between naps. The ACSH team will also be celebrating. Indeed, we have much to be thankful for, such as these recent media appearances.

This week's offerings: An economic lesson from a trout ... a consideration of what a good home may mean ... a series of connections from the B-17 bomber, to the 737 Max, to Steve Jobs ... and the apps on your phone. And lastly, a shout-out for Bill Bryson's new book.

In the age of "Facebook science," the weight of evidence must compete with powerful popular narratives. Can common sense help? Let's take a look.

While the Germans' no-nonsense approach to life can be irritating to some, it also has some very notable benefits. They will no longer tolerate parents who refuse to give the measles vaccine to their children.

It's only early December, but already there's been some nasty norovirus outbreaks in the U.S. One was bad enough to close an entire school. Another hit 400 people at the U.S. Air Force Academy. In response, some bits of wisdom (and humor) about this dreaded stomach bug.

The US Centers for Disease Control recently released its new report, Antibiotic Resistant Threats in the United States, 2019. ACSH Advisor Dr. David Shlaes discusses its pros and cons.

It's unclear whether Big Agriculture, or small local farms, can save humanity from itself. Yet both groups sit on the sidelines yelling at each other without clear long-term strategies, suggesting that humanity is doomed unless the deniers are right.

Two Arkansas professors were recently charged with making methamphetamine. But the chemical that police found was a simple reagent called benzyl chloride. Are these guys guilty? It all depends on the chemistry.

The Massachusetts lawmaker wants to end "traffic violence." What? The word violence implies purposeful, often malicious, intent. That word in no way describes how most people die in car crashes, which are accidents. As a Democratic candidate for President, she's trying to scrounge-up votes from people who see themselves as victims.

Dr. Singh, ACSH friend and former Chief Medical Officer for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for HHS, published a paper on the adulterants found in street drugs. What was in there? A lot of junk.

One of the chemicals that's commonly added to foods is the preservative sodium benzoate. Just how much food would you have to eat before that chemical killed you? It's tough to say exactly, but it's safe to conclude that the only real threat is if you get hit by a truck hauling sodium benzoate.

As you know, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and you're probably salivating at the thought of all the yummy traditional dishes. That is, unless you're a member of the Environmental Working Group, a bunch of anti-chemical alarmists backed by a grand tradition of ghastly science. What might they be eating for Thanksgiving? Let's find out.

Prince Andrew, who currently occupies the hot seat for at least two dubious associations, sheds some light on a relatively unknown disease: anhidrosis, the inability to sweat. Let's take a look at that physical condition. (Whether you believe him is another story.)

When we need a physician or a specialist we increasingly turn to our family, friends and even the Internet. But cost and convenience -- not medical competence -- are usually the most important factors in the decision-making process.

The cost of pharmaceuticals is high for a number of reasons. A new study considers our out-of-pocket spending and increased use of medications, rather than more expensive surgery or hospitalization as a driver we can control.

While Facebook has drawn massive criticism over manipulative political ads, the social media giant also runs advertisements around vaccinations, which is another divisive policy topic. A new study gives us a glimpse of the ads' content, targets and purchasers.

A healthy lifestyle and a few inexpensive medications are as good as expensive surgery or stents in treating chronic heart disease. Translating this study to the real world is going to be tough because many patients prefer not to alter their lifestyle. No one minds the pills, but stents just seem simpler than changing how one lives.

Healthcare consolidation involves economies of scale and standardization. Neither is a guarantee of better outcomes. For patients on dialysis, in fact, consolidation has made their care worse.

Here's what's on the reading list this time 'round: Perhaps the rats were not the cause of the plague ... More on software that fails us, as the NTSB prepares its final report on Uber's fatal crash ... There is much to be grateful for in our world ... And cutting corners to get your child in college is not limited to ethically-challenged Americans.

Microsoft Japan decided to try an experiment: Three-day weekends, every weekend. It might be reasonable to assume that productivity would fall in proportion to the number of hours lost, i.e. a 20% drop, right? But that's not what happened. Microsoft observed a 40% increase in productivity.

Loneliness, as compared to solitude, resulted in a 2-to-3 fold increase in one-year mortality. For social creatures like us, loneliness can detrimentally affect our health.

In a press release, the American Heart Association sensationalized research presented at its meeting, then included a disclaimer that the research may not be accurate. And the association doesn't necessarily endorse it. And then the Surgeon General posted it on Twitter.

CVS's HealthHubs seek to replace the neighborhood physician with their supersized drug store. Is it about the Benjamins ($) or improving health outcomes? Their latest earnings call suggests it is about revenue.

The Lancet has decided that being culturally "woke" is more important than presenting evidence-based reports and opinions.