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.

/ April 27, 2017

The cruel sham that is right-to-try raises its ugly head at the federal level again

Ill-advised right-to-try bills are spreading like kudzu through state legislatures. Now federal legislators want to insert right-to-try language into the bill that funds FDA drug approval. Given the support of powerful Republicans like Vice President Mike Pence for right-to-try, is it too late to stop this juggernaut and protect patients?

/ April 17, 2017

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.

/ April 16, 2017

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.

/ April 13, 2017

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.

/ April 10, 2017

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.

/ April 9, 2017

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?

/ April 6, 2017

Cracking Down on Chiropractic Pseudoscience

A recent CBC News investigation reveals the common pseudoscientific claims and quackery of Manitoba chiropractors.

/ March 22, 2017

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?

/ March 9, 2017