Category: Politics and Regulation

FDA issues warning letter to “holistic” practitioner offering thermography for breast cancer detection
Thermography for breast cancer detection is one of more than 65 products the FDA just announced it is going after for fraudulently claiming to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure cancer.

California SB 277: New evidence that restricting nonmedical exemptions to school vaccine requirements works
The 2016-2017 kindergarten numbers are in. SB 277, the new California law banning personal belief exemptions to school vaccine requirements, works as intended. Early numbers show that vaccine uptake has increased, and personal belief exemptions are down dramatically.

Legislative Alchemy 2017: Naturopaths push licensing and practice expansion while in damage control over IV turmeric death
Naturopaths are in damage control mode over the death of a naturopathic patient due to turmeric infusion, even as they lobby state legislatures for licensing and practice expansion.

Medical science policy in the U.S. under Donald Trump eighty days in
A week after Donald Trump was elected, I speculated about how he would affect medical science policy. Now, 80 days into the Trump administration, we have some observations.

Corrigendum. The Week in Review for 04/09/2017
The NECSS is coming. Acupuncturists mimic chiropractic. Flu vaccine prevents death. In the UK they care more for cats than people. The problem is my middle burner, not too many burgers. And more.

Ignorance is Strength?
Findings from a recent consultation suggest that consumers don't want health claims to be supported by evidence. Do consumers really prefer ignorance over evidence? Or is this the product of a industry campaign to derail new, science-based regulations?

Cracking Down on Chiropractic Pseudoscience
A recent CBC News investigation reveals the common pseudoscientific claims and quackery of Manitoba chiropractors.

Health Savings Accounts and Quackery Revisited
Health savings accounts don't require medical treatments to be safe or effective for consumers. This leads to taxpayer-supported quackery.

Melatonin: What’s on the label isn’t in the bottle
Melatonin is taken by millions each year. But does it work? Is it safe? And can you trust the label?