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CDC Follies, part two. No, part three. Well, whatever: our nation s chief repository of biological threats (i.e. bioterror weapons, potentially) resembles the gang that couldn t shoot straight. They keep spreading lethal organisms around.

Previous studies have suggested that pregnant women taking a commonly-prescribed class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) late in pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). PPHN (also known as persistent fetal circulation) is a

this commercial made for Citi that makes the following claim: "For the first time American kids are slated to live a shorter lifespan than their parents." This has to be false. Please investigate.

It s well known that breastfeeding is beneficial for both mother and child in a variety of ways in addition to the transfer of natural antibodies, it is associated with lower risks of allergic diseases, lower respiratory infections and middle ear infections.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is the presence of abnormal cells inside a milk duct in the breast. DCIS is considered the earliest form of breast cancer, and is the most common type of non-invasive breast cancer. DCIS

Instead of the WHO s World No Tobacco Day, we d be better off with a new event: World No Tobacco Control Day

Today s New York Times features a story on a topic we have discussed frequently very expensive cancer drugs that provide only a modest benefit to most patients, but maybe a large benefit to some.

The Secret Science emanating from the EPA is being reflected in the apparent epidemic of phony published studies in respected journals. While the latter is bad enough, the Agency s agenda-driven and opaque rulings strangle our nation s economy.

The European Society of Anesthesiologists is meeting this week in Berlin, and one study of note that will be presented describes the effects of administering cardiovascular medications to patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).
CABG, known more commonly as bypass surgery, is performed when a patient experiences a blockage or narrowing of the vessels that supply the heart with blood. T

Dr. Josh Bloom in Science 2.0
If men have a low libido drug, isn t it only fair that women have one too? Unfortunately, that s not the way drug development works. While some argue that sexism is what s keeping female Viagra from getting approved

Have you heard the one about the bees collapsing? Bees and other pollinators are of crucial importance to agriculture. Over the past few years, the media has been replete with scary stories about bee colony collapse. Science 2.0 s Hank Campbell lends perspective.

Here s a question for our Dispatch readers: When is a GMO not a GMO? A proper science answer would go something like this: all agriculture (and really all life) has been genetically modified at some point either by humans or another species (e.g. bacteria or virus) so therefore everything is a GMO.

About 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year. Melanoma, the most dangerous and potentially deadly type of skin cancer, will account for over 70,000 cases in 2015. Most skin cancers are caused by exposure to the sun and this exposure can be lessened by sunscreen use.

A new study in Circulation has resurrected the controversy on whether, and when, to screen young athletes for potentially lethal heart conditions. While a tough call, too much screening will do no one any good, especially athletes.

When it comes to using microwave ovens, all the usual suspects line up to attack the appliance. The fountain of misinformation, Joe Mercola warns it kills more people than cigarettes and asbestos. Natural news, which is run by Mike Adams (who makes Mercola seem like Louis Pasteur) claims that everything from obesity to erectile dysfunction is

A recent study shows that early treatment for HIV results in a significant decrease in early illness and death. "It's just more scientific evidence to back what we've been saying for a time now," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health which funded the

Every year when summer is right around the corner, ACSH typically provides health and safety tips that are practical and useful.
We also occasionally debunk junk science and medicine.
Today, you get two for the price of one.

Newsweek s recent cover story puts it bluntly: YOU ARE TOTALLY WRONG ABOUT GENETICALLY ALTERED FOOD. And author Tom Parrett eloquently explains why in his article: GMO Scientists Could Save the World From Hunger, If We Let Them.

We are really starchemotherapyting to get creative in the way we treat cancer. In April we brought you the story of researchers who used the polio virus to treat brain cancer. Earlier this month we discussed some big advances in personalized medicine drugs and last week we discus

So you wear seatbelts almost every time you get in a moving vehicle? But not when you re in a cab, or in the back seat? Neither did Dr. and Mrs. Nash, RIP. The Nobel prizewinner didn t think it important to buckle up. We hope you do, now.

We at ACSH operate on a tight budget, but somehow managed to scrape up enough money to buy our good friends over at the Environmental Working Group an oversized beach umbrella. It would seem that they have been out in the sun too long, and are not thinking especially clearly about a summertime issue: How to protect yourself from getting too much sun.

A common treatment for low-back pain that doesn t dissipate within a few days oral steroids has been shown (again) to be ineffective, especially for the nerve-root pain of sciatica. Will docs change their approach, at last?

Browse any news publication and you will surely come across a catchy health-themed headline that s meant to grab your attention, for example: Living at High Altitudes is Linked to Higher SIDS risk. If you re a parent living in mile-high Denver, this headline will stop you in your tracks. How can you not read that? The article does even more harm as it makes no

In order to avoid easily preventable spoilers of summer leisure time fun and travel, we at ACSH encourage you to take seriously the tips given below. It is our hope that they will help you to have a happy, healthy summer vacation!

Hardly a week goes by without a surprise popping up in the world of cancer research. The understanding of how genetic mutations cause certain cancers continues to evolve, and this is radically changing how we view cancer, which could lead to a revolution in its treatment.