 PFCs—chemicals used in nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, fast-food packaging, furniture, stain-resistant carpeting, and microwave popcorn bags—may reduce children’s ability to mount proper immune responses after vaccination. Many recommend cast iron pans for their health benefits. PFCs have been positively linked to immune suppression in rodent studies. “The negative impact on childhood vaccinations from PFCs should be viewed as a potential threat to public health.”  harvardmagazine.com A Harvard study reports that children exposed to chemicals in food packaging and textile products may have compromised immune systems. ....................................................................................Women may reduce their risk of breast cancer if they avoid unnecessary ionizing radiation (CT scans), combination hormone replacement therapy, and smoking. Current use of oral contraceptives, estrogen-progesterone hormone replacement therapy, and obesity have also been clearly linked with an increased risk. There is also a possible increased risk from exposure to benzene, 1.3-butadiene, and ethylene oxide - chemicals found in the workplace, gasoline fumes, car exhaust, and cigarette smoke. Leading a healthy lifestyle - eating right and getting enough exercise - as well as lowering alcohol intake can also diminish risks.  www.medpagetoday.com SAN ANTONIO -- Women may be able to reduce their risk of breast cancer if they avoid a host of environmental exposures, including unnecessary ionizing radiation, combination hormone replacement therap .......................................................................... All drugs have side effects. Nearly 1/3 of middle-aged Americans regularly take aspirin. But the risks of serious internal bleeding may outweigh the benefits. “In people without a previous heart attack or stroke, regular use of aspirin may be more harmful than it is beneficial.” Also, aspirin does not prevent cancer. For those who already have had a heart attack, aspirin therapy reduces the risk of a second heart event by 20 to 30%. But the improvements are offset by bleeding events. Routine use of aspirin for heart and/or brain attack prevention is not justified and treatment decisions need to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Arch Intern Med -- Abstract: Effect of Aspirin on Vascular and Nonvascular Outcomes: Meta-analysis o archinte.ama-assn.orgArchives of Internal Medicine, a bi-monthly professional medical journal published by the American Medical Association, publishes original peer-reviewed research articles on internal medicine topics .......................................................................... More good reasons to eat organic. Antibiotics are used in food animals to promote animal health, and to make animals grow faster. The USDA, FDA, CDC, WHO, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and many others all say that the use of antibiotics in food animals leads to infections with drug resistant bacteria to humans. Improvements in our laws could benefit everyone.  www.webmd.com Food animals get 80% of the antibiotics used in the U.S. -- mostly in ways that can lead to the growth of drug-resistant superbugs. ........................................................................... More reasons to eat organic. The FDA is concerned that overuse of antibiotics in agriculture is endangering human health. Farmers and ranchers now must restrict their use of cephalosporins in cattle, pigs, chickens and turkeys because such practices may contribute to the growing threat of drug resistant bacterial infections in people. Cephalosporins are not used as widely among livestock as penicillin. But the drugs are routinely injected into fertilized eggs and are also used in large doses to treat various infections.  www.nytimes.com The agency said the widespread administration of a common class of antibiotics known as cephalosporins may have contributed to the development of drug-resistant bacteria that infect humans. .......................................................................... Bariatric surgery (surgical reduction of stomach size) reduces the long-term risk of heart attack and stroke. But death rates only dropped by 1.3%. Diabetes and other complications of obesity may be more critical to life span than obesity alone. And surgery always adds other risks. "Because the expected health benefits do not necessarily exceed the risks of weight loss operations, obese patients without other weight-related complications generally should not undergo bariatric surgery." www.medpagetoday.com Bariatric surgery reduces the long-term risk of heart attack and stroke as well as the risk of dying from them, a prospective nonrandomized study showed. .......................................................................... Surgical centers have been warned to stop "misleading" ads for laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) that fail to inform patients about the risks of the weight-loss procedure. Risks after the Lap-Band procedure include death, nausea and vomiting, difficulty swallowing, gastroesophageal reflux disease, stretching of the stomach pouch, and the need for further surgery when the band shifts position or erodes into the stomach. www.medscape.com : The ads feature trim, smiling men and women who say they have lost as much as 130 pounds, but the ads neglect to communicate the risks of the weight-loss procedure, according to the agency. ............................................................................... All drugs have side effects. Bayer’s Yasmin is the No. 4 oral contraceptive. The FDA has warned that women taking the pills are 74 percent more likely to suffer blood clots. "A Bayer AG unit withheld from U.S. regulators findings by company researchers of increased reports of blood clots in users of its Yasmin birth-control pills," the former head of the Food and Drug Administration said. "The company also promoted the oral contraceptive for unapproved uses, particularly for treatment of premenstrual syndrome." Bayer doesn’t comment on ongoing lawsuits. A Bayer AG unit’s researchers found increased reports of blood clots in users of its Yasmin birth- control pills and the company withheld the information from U.S. regulators, the former head of the Food and Drug Administration said. .................................................................................. People with an excessive blood level of vitamin D from overdosing with supplements had a 2.5-fold increased incidence of atrial fibrillation. Vitamin D overdose can cause hypercalcemia which may harm the heart. But another group with vitamin D deficiency showed significantly elevated rates of diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and depression.  www.familypracticenews.com ORLANDO People with an excessive blood level of vitamin D from overdosing with supplements had a 2.5-fold increased incidence of atrial fibrillation, based on a study of 132,000 residents of Utah and southeastern Idaho. The finding "suggests the need for caution with vitamin D supplementation and… ................................................................................. More reasons to eat organic. Antimicrobial drugs are used as feed additives to boost animal growth. The U.S. uses an estimated 24.6 million pounds of antimicrobials for nontherapeutic purposes every year. Adding antibiotics to swine feed causes microorganisms in the guts of these animals to start sharing genes that could spread antibiotic resistance. If bacteria in humans acquire resistance genes from animals, there can be serious health consequences.  mbioblog.asm.org Antibiotics: they’re not just for curing the sick. Livestock farms in the U.S. regularly use antibiotic drugs as feed additives to boost animal growth, but a study in mBio this week reveals new evidence that adding antibiotics to pig feed stimulates gene exchange in the guts of these animals, a deve... .................................................................................. More reasons to eat organic. Atrazine is the second-most widely used herbicide and the most commonly detected pesticide contaminant of ground water, surface water, and precipitation. Atrazine is also an endocrine disruptor that, among other effects, alters male reproductive tissues. Atrazine demasculinizes male gonads producing testicular lesions associated with reduced germ cell numbers in teleost fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, and induces partial and/or complete feminization in fish, amphibians, and reptiles.  ScienceDirect - The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology : Demasculinization and fe www.sciencedirect.comTyrone B. Hayesa, , , Lloyd L. Andersonb, Val R. Beasleyc, Shane R. de Sollad, Taisen Iguchie, Holly Ingrahamf, Patrick Kestemontg, Jasna Kniewaldh, Zlatko Kniewaldh, Valerie S. Langloisi, Enrique H. Luquej, Krista A. McCoyk, Mónica Muñoz-de-Toroj, Tomohiro Okal, Cleida A. Oliveiram, Frances Ortonn,... ..................................................................................... All drugs have side effects. Acetaminophen (Tylenol and others) overdose is the leading cause of severe acute liver toxicity in Europe and North America. Taking even slightly too much Tylenol over a period of several days can lead to an overdose with deadly consequences. Overdoses of acetaminophen were more likely to be fatal if patients consumed a series of high doses spread over the course of a day rather than downing, say, a bottle of pills at one time. www.medpagetoday.com Acetaminophen overdoses were more likely to be fatal if patients consumed a series of high doses spread over the course of a day rather than downing, say, a bottle of pills at one time, outcomes among ......................................................................... People who ate one serving of canned food daily for five days had elevated levels of bisphenol-A, or BPA, a substance that lines most food and drink cans. BPA is also found in polycarbonate bottles, (identified by recycling number seven), as well as dentistry sealants and composites. BPA, a endocrine disruptor that can mimic the body’s hormones, has been linked to a higher risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. The FDA is concerned regarding exposure of BPA to fetuses, infants and young children. Canadian authorities have declared BPA a toxic substance. “Sodas are concerning, because some people have a habit of consuming a lot of them.” “We don’t know what health effects these transient increases in BPA may have.”  www.medicalnewstoday.com Volunteers who had one can of soup per day for five days had urine BPA (bisphenol A) levels rise by over 1,221% compared to the same people who had consumed freshly made soup daily for five days, ......................................................................... Oral antibiotics given to clear up acne may bring on sore throats, researchers affirmed, although why that happens remains unclear. Pharyngitis was 4.34 times more likely among college students taking oral antibiotics for acne. Other studies have also linked oral antibiotics given for acne to sore throats, and researchers have postulated it was because the antibiotics kill off beneficial bacteria that inhibit the growth of bad bugs. www.medpagetoday.com Oral antibiotics given to clear up acne may bring on sore throats, researchers affirmed, although why that happens remains unclear. ....................................................................... Women ages 40 to 49 do not need routine breast cancer screening with mammography, according to a Canadian task force. Breast cancer screening for women of average risk in that age group results in a "relatively small" mortality benefit, which may be countered by an increased risk of overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment. "If screening had been a drug, it would have been withdrawn from the market." "The best method we have to reduce the risk of breast cancer is to stop the screening program," "This could reduce the risk by one-third, as the level of overdiagnosis is about 50%." The recommendations apply only to women with an average risk of breast cancer. www.medpagetoday.com Women ages 40 to 49 do not need routine breast cancer screening with mammography, according to a Canadian preventive care task force. ........................................................................... Passing through doorways may be a cause of memory lapses. “Entering or exiting through a doorway serves as an ‘event boundary’ in the mind, which separates episodes of activity and files them away,” “Recalling the decision or activity that was made in a different room is difficult because it has been compartmentalized.” Environmental factors affect memory and information learned in one environment is retrieved better when the retrieval occurs in the same context.  medicalxpress.com (Medical Xpress) -- Weve all experienced it: The frustration of entering a room and forgetting what we were going to do. Or get. Or find. ....................................................................................... All drugs have side effects. Erectile dysfunction (ED) rises in likelihood and severity as the number of medications a man takes increases. Decreases or changes in the amount of or type of medication may significantly improve a man's quality of life because his ED may improve from moderate to mild. "These men would benefit from lifestyle changes such as changes in their diet, regular exercise, and not smoking, which would help control their hypertension, diabetes, and stress and reduce erectile dysfunction risk."  www.medscape.com : Taking multiple medications is associated with an increased risk for erectile dysfunction as well as worsened severity, according to a large survey of men aged 45-69 years. ................................................................................. More than half of people over 60 experience hand osteoarthritis (OA). Chondroitin treatment led to significant improvements in pain and function. The advantage of anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is quick relief, with the drawback of long-term safety concerns. "In contrast, the benefits of [chondroitin] appear to take several months to develop, but with hardly any side effects." Chondroitin also reduced the duration of morning stiffness. Medical News: Chondroitin Eases Pain, Boosts Function in Arthritic Hands - in Rheumatology, Arthriti www.medpagetoday.comSix months of treatment with chondroitin led to significant improvements in pain and function among patients with osteoarthritis in their hands, a single-center randomized trial found. ......................................................................... Exposure to BPA, found in everything from the liners of food cans to store receipts and dental sealants, is virtually universal in industrialized countries. The compound's endocrine-disrupting properties have been demonstrated in animals. Mothers with higher BPA levels in their urine during pregnancy tend to have 3-year-old girls with more anxious and depressed behavior, and poorer emotional control and inhibition. "BPA exposure can be reduced by avoiding canned and packaged foods, receipts, and polycarbonate bottles with the recycling symbol 7." Medical News: Mom's BPA Exposure Linked to Behavior Problems in Tots - in Public Health & Policy, En www.medpagetoday.comIn utero exposure to the organic compound bisphenol A -- widely used in the manufacture of plastics, including food containers -- was associated with behavior disruptions at age 3, particularly among .................................................................................. It is a biological ‘mystery’ why taking vitamin E should result in an extra risk of prostate cancer. "For men, a simple dietary supplement to protect against prostate cancer remains elusive." "Consumers need to be skeptical of health claims of unregulated over-the-counter products in the absence of strong evidence of benefit demonstrated in clinical trials."  www.medicalnewstoday.com Men who regularly take vitamin E supplements eventually have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer, compared to other men of the same age and overall health who don't, researchers from the C ........................................................................ Most cases of type 2 diabetes can be avoided or even reversed by exercise and nutrition. But while the "link between diabetes and increased cognitive impairment and dementia is unquestionable, what intervention to take to try to reduce this is really still in question." "At present it is still unclear whether dysglycemia is a key factor in accelerated cognitive decline and dementia in type 2 diabetes." Medical News: Tight Control No Help for Cognitive Loss in Diabetes - in Clinical Context, Type 2 Dia www.medpagetoday.comTight glucose control won't mitigate the cognitive effects of type 2 diabetes, an ACCORD subanalysis found. .......................................................................... Many physicians in the U.S. believe they are being forced to provide excessive care to their patients, particularly in terms of testing and referrals. "Physicians believe they are paid to do more and exposed to legal punishment if they do less." Medical News: Primary Care Docs Feel Pressure to Do More Tests - in Practice Management, Practice Ma www.medpagetoday.comPrimary care physicians in the U.S. believe they are being forced to provide excessive care to their patients, particularly in terms of testing and referrals, a national survey found. ................................................................... Atypical antipsychotics (aripiprazole, asenapine, iloperidone, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine, risperidone, and ziprasidone) are effective in only a few of the many off-label conditions for which they are currently used. There is no evidence to support their use for substance abuse disorder, eating disorders, or insomnia. Evidence for using them for posttraumatic stress disorder and personality disorders is "mixed".  www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com Atypical antipsychotics are effective in only a few of the many off-label conditions for which they are currently used, according to a meta-analysis in the Sept. 28 issue of JAMA. In particular, there is no good evidence to support the use of atypical antipsychotics for substance abuse disorder, e... ....................................................................... Triclosan is now in soaps, kitchen cutting boards and even a best-selling toothpaste, Colgate Total. The F.D.A. says there are "valid concerns about the effect of repetitive daily human exposure to these antiseptic ingredients.” The chemical is present in the urine of 75 percent of Americans over the age of 5. www.nytimes.com Regulators, consumer advocates and soap manufacturers are locked in a battle over triclosan, the active ingredient in antibacterial soaps like Dial Complete.
"AcneApp" and "Acne Pwner" both claimed to be able to treat acne with colored lights that come out of the phone when the app is activated. But the FTC is having none of it. "Smartphones make our lives easier in countless ways, but unfortunately when it comes to curing acne, there's no app for that," said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz.  www.skinandallergynews.com The Federal Trade Commissions says no, definitely not. On Sept. 8, the agency announced that it had reached settlements with two companies that were claiming their apps could cure acne. It is the first time the FTC has pursued any company making a health claim for an app. "AcneApp" and "Acne P... ........................................................................... Use of Xanax and its generic version, alprazolam, is being questioned. The combination of opiate painkillers and benzodiazepines, especially Xanax, is common in fatal overdoses. "People with severe anxiety should ideally take an antidepressant as well as a benzodiazepine and learn coping mechanisms with cognitive behavioral therapy," Dr. Hedges said.  www.nytimes.com Citing concern over overdoses, doctors at Seven Counties Services in Louisville have stopped writing prescriptions for the anti-anxiety drug Xanax.
 www.nytimes.com A report found that dementia patients in nursing homes were often given prescriptions improperly. .......................................................................... All drugs have side effects. Bisphosphonates (Fosamax, Reclast, Boniva, Altevia, Actonel, and Aclasta) prevent bone mass loss. The FDA has received reports of bone death - osteonecrosis - of the jaw, as well as unusual thigh bone fractures in females who had been on bisphosphonates for several years. Studies “suggest no significant advantage of continuing drug therapy beyond five years.”  www.medicalnewstoday.com Bisphosphonates, medications for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis and other bone conditions, should have additional data on their labels on treatment duration, an FDA Advisory Committe .............................................................................. This works. All drugs have side effects. Women who take NSAIDs in early pregnancy may up their risk of miscarriage. Highest risk drugs were diclofenac, with 3-times the risk, naproxen (Aleve), with a 2.64-times increased risk and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), with double the risk. "Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a good and safe alternative early in pregnancy." "Surprisingly, women with rheumatic diseases improve during pregnancy naturally."  www.doctorslounge.com TUESDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Women who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen during the first stage of their pregnancy may be upping their risk of miscarriage, new research suggests. ....................................................................................... This works. Strokes are on the rise among teens and young people. Diabetes, cholesterol and tobacco use "has also increased in adolescents and young adults experiencing stroke." "Stroke is largely preventable and eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, (and) avoiding tobacco and alcohol abuse can go a long way to prevent stroke." www.medicalnewstoday.com A large study has revealed that the rate of stroke among children, adolescents and young adults in the USA has been increasing at an alarming rate. The rate at which ischemic stroke patients are b ......................................................................................... Strenuous exercise, whether performed by elite athletes or competitive weekend warriors, comes with a risk of developing cardiac disorders. But exercise does more good than harm. While there are some dangers to strenuous activity, "Exercise by far has more benefits to health than risks."  Medical News: ESC: Intense Exercise Can Take a Toll on the Heart - in Meeting Coverage, ESC from Med www.medpagetoday.comPARIS -- Strenuous exercise, whether performed by elite athletes or competitive weekend warriors, comes with a risk of cardiac disorders, including atrial fibrillation, researchers cautioned. ...................................................................................
This works. All drugs have side effects. "Non-selective NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors should continue to be used very cautiously in older patients with a history of hypertension or heart failure, who are already at high risk for adverse effects of these drugs." The most prominent members of this group of drugs are Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), and Naproxen (Aleve). Atrial fibrillation and flutter risk increased with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, though this case-control study finding drew skepticism. .......................................................................... This works. Chantix, used for smoking cessation, is linked to heart attack and stroke. “We have known for many years that Chantix is one of the most harmful drugs,” Dr. Furberg said. “It causes loss of consciousness, visual disturbances, suicides, violence, depression and worsening of diabetes. To this list we now can add serious cardiovascular events. Background: There have been postmarketing reports of adverse cardiovascular events associated with the use of varenicline, a widely used smoking cessation drug. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to ascertain the ........................................................................... This works! These "studies" are unethical because the patients are not told of the marketing purposes. Researches found harm because of a 38% increase in prescriptions with a 10% increase in the average prescribed dose. A postmarketing study of the epilepsy drug gabapentin (Neurontin) sponsored by its manufacturer was intended mainly to turn its hundreds of clinician-investigators into enthusiasts for the product, sa ................................................................... This works! Pesticide exposure is harmful. If paraquat exposure is combined with exposure to two other pesticides, the risk of Parkinson’s disease triples. These compounds may be able to act together to increase the damage to brain cells that causes Parkinson’s disease. PubMed is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine that includes over 19 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for biomedical articles back to the 1950s. PubMed includes links to full text articles and other related resources. ............................................................. This works! BPA is found in many plastics, including baby bottles, cups, plastic packaging and canned foods. The American Medical Association has recognized BPA as an endocrine-disrupting agent. BPA may be linked to male sexual dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and liver abnormalities. CHICAGO -- The American Medical Association has adopted a number of new policies, including one that recognizes that bisphenol A (BPA) interferes with human hormones; one that blasts the practice of c ................................................................................... This works! FDA warns about implants. "The key point is that breast implants are not lifetime devices," said Jeff Shuren, director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "The longer you have the implant, the more likely you are to have complications." WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women who get silicone breast implants are likely to need additional surgery within eight to 10 years to address complications such as rupture of the device, U.S. health regulators ........................................................................ This works! U.S. Senate begins investigation of Infuse. Doctors may have received hundreds of millions in payments. "Reports that doctors conducting medical trials while on Medtronic's payroll may have hidden serious side effects for patients are deeply troubling," Senator Baucus said. Spurred in part by a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MedPage Today investigation, a U.S. Senate committee has launched an inquiry into reports that doctors with financial ties to the medical devic ........................................................................ This works! Every 20 seconds, a child dies of a vaccine-preventable disease. If we protect enough children, all are benefited because of the process of "herd immunity". www.reuters.com LONDON (Reuters) - Britain and billionaire Bill Gates pledged $2.3 billion at an international donor conference on Monday to fund vaccination programs to protect children in poor countries against diseases ........................................................................ This works! Severely obese older men who undergo bariatric surgery do not have a lower risk of death. There are two main types of bariatric surgery - gastric bypass or gastric banding. Obesity is difficult to treat. Severely obese older men who undergo bariatric surgery do not have a lower risk of death, researchers from Durham VA Medical Center, N.C. reported in the Journal of the American Medical Associa ........................................................................... This works! Formaldehyde, and styrene, found in food containers and coffee cups, are among eight agents added to a list of known and suspected carcinogens. “This report underscores the critical connection between our nation’s health and what’s in our environment,” John Bucher, PhD, associate director of the National Toxicology Program, said in a news release. The Report on Carcinogens (RoC) is a congressionally mandated, science-based, public health document that is prepared for the HHS Secretary by the National Toxicology Program. ................................................................................ This works! Drug regulators in Germany and France have ordered doctors to stop prescribing the type 2 diabetes drug pioglitazone (Actos). In addition, a product called Competact that combines pioglitazone with metformin was included in the suspensions. There also appeared to be a cumulative dose effect leading to higher risk. Drug regulators in Germany and France have ordered doctors to stop prescribing the type 2 diabetes drug pioglitazone (Actos), following a French study suggesting a heightened risk of bladder cancer. ............................................................................ Other warnings include: Do not take any amount of Simvastatin or Vytorin if you also take: Certain antifungal medicines, including itraconazole, ketoconazole, or posaconazole: HIV protease inhibitors (indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, tipranavir, or atazanavir): Certain antibiotics, including erythromycin, clarithromycin, or telithromycin: Nefazodone: Gemfibrozil: Cyclosporine: Danazol Further warnings include drug interactions with: Fibric acid derivatives (such as fenofibrate): Amiodarone: Verapamil: diltiazem: amlodipine: or ranolazine: Large quantities of grapefruit juice: Colchicine: Voriconazole: Niacin or Nicotinic acid: Coumarin anticoagulants (such as Warfarin). : In the SEARCH trial--the basis for the FDA review--52 patients taking the 80-mg dose developed myopathy compared with one patient treated with the 20-mg dose. In addition, 22 patients treated with the high dose of simvastatin developed rhabdomyolysis compared with none treated with the 20-mg dose. ................................................................................. Hensley has pleaded not guilty In 2005 the bird or avian flu was no joke. Charles Hensley, however, has been arrested for pushing medications in 2005 and marketing the illegal drug Vira 38, not approved by the FDA or in Hong K .............................................................................. Matrixx has received more than 800 reports of Zicam users losing their sense of smell. In 2006, Matrixx paid $12 million to settle 340 lawsuits from Zicam users who claimed that the product destroyed their sense of smell, a condition known as anosmia. Hundreds more such suits have since been filed. In 2006, the maker of Zicam paid $12 million to settle 340 lawsuits from the product's users who claimed that it destroyed their sense of smell. ..............................................................................
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