Category: Politics and Regulation
You can’t breathe through your stomach
Some bottle water is claimed to have extra oxygen which is claimed to give a performance benefit. Are these claims valid?
Report: Health Care Sharing Ministries pose risks to consumers and insurance markets
Health care sharing ministries are exempt from virtually all regulation, do not guarantee payment, and offer extremely limited coverage. Because their features closely resemble traditional insurance products, they can confuse consumers into thinking they are buying conventional health insurance.
The Science Behind the Roundup Lawsuit
A jury has awarded a man $289 million for allegedly contracting cancer from exposure to Roundup, but the science is not on their side.
FDA blacklists cesium chloride, ineffective and dangerous naturopathic cancer treatment
The FDA recently issued an alert warning of significant safety risks associated with cesium chloride. It is a mineral salt promoted by naturopathic “doctors” and “integrative” medicine practitioners as an alternative treatment for cancer, despite the lack of evidence of safety and efficacy in treating cancer or any other disease.
CVS sued for deceiving consumers in sale of homeopathic remedies
A lawsuit claiming pharmacy giant CVS fraudulently deceives consumers in the sale of worthless homeopathic remedies has been filed by the Center for Inquiry (CFI), acting on behalf of the general public. CFI says co-mingling ineffective homeopathic products with science-based treatments on CVS's retail shelves and online confuses consumers.
Prevagen goes P-hacking
Can post-hoc data-dredging produce competent and reliable scientific evidence for Prevagen's claims of memory improvement? The FTC and consumer groups say "no."
Anti-Vaccine Hotspots are Getting Hotter
More parents are seeking to avoid childhood vaccinations in states that allow nonmedical exemptions. These "hotspots" of decreasing vaccination rates, some of which include large urban cities, are likely locations for future outbreaks of preventable disease.
Chiropractic Pediatrics: “delayed referral, misdiagnosis, adverse events and ineffective treatments”
A study finds "delayed referral, misdiagnosis, adverse events and ineffective treatments" in chiropractic management of pediatric orthopedic conditions. States should act to prevent this harm to children.
Right-to-try is now law. Let patients beware!
Last week, President Trump signed the worst federal right-to-try bill under consideration by Congress into law. Its purpose was never to help terminally ill patients, and now that it's law there will be nothing the FDA can do to protect vulnerable terminally ill patients who choose it. That's a feature, not a bug. That's because right-to-try is the result of a collaboration...
Are generic drugs equivalent to brand-name drugs?
Generic drugs cost a fraction of brand-name drugs. What gives us confidence they are equivalent? Science.