The Project on Government Oversight, an independent watchdog group that exposes problems in government, has learned that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has quietly reduced their enforcement of federal quality regulations at laboratories that develop medical devices. The FDA’s inspections of “good laboratory practices” dropped dramatically in the past few years: from 33 in… Continue reading FDA “Scales Back Enforcement” of Quality Controls on Medical Devices
Tag: Pulse of Natural Health
Many Americans Suffer Food Poisoning Without Realizing It; FDA a Failure at Food Safety
The next time you have a case of diarrhea that lasts a day or more, chances are very good that you have food poisoning. Nearly 25% of Americans suffer a foodborne illness each year. Scientists have counted more than 250 food-related types of illness, which can range from viruses to bacteria to parasites.
This Is Not Science
The headlines were uniformly negative—“Vitamins Are Useless!” An “observational” study at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle looked at over 161,000 post-menopausal women, ages 50-79. Of the multivitamin supplements taken, none were counted if they were above tiny “recommended daily allowances,” and all reporting was done anecdotally. After eight years, researchers concluded there was… Continue reading This Is Not Science
The First Step Toward Rationed Care?
Columnist George Will first sounded the alarm on January 28. As he reported, the stimulus legislation now approved by Congress and signed into law by President Obama “create(s) a council for Comparative Effectiveness Research. This is about medicine but not about healing the economy. The CER would identify (this is language from the draft report… Continue reading The First Step Toward Rationed Care?
New Health Revolution Petition Calls for Radical, Systemic Changes to US Healthcare System
A new petition, endorsed by AAHF as well the Organic Consumers Association (http://www.organicconsumers.org/), the Life Extension Foundation (http://www.lef.org/), Citizens for Health (http://www.citizens.org/), and the Consumer Wellness Center (http://www.consumerwellness.org/), and created by Mike Adams and Natural News (http://www.naturalnews.com/) will be delivered to every member of the House and Senate as well as the office of President… Continue reading New Health Revolution Petition Calls for Radical, Systemic Changes to US Healthcare System
Scientific Freedom of Speech in Medical Journals—What Role Does Pharmaceutical Advertising Play Regarding Vitamin Supplements?
In a recently published peer-reviewed study, researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the University of Florida found that in major medical journals, more pharmaceutical advertising is associated with publishing fewer articles about dietary supplements. The research also noted that more pharmaceutical company advertising resulted in the journal having more articles with “negative… Continue reading Scientific Freedom of Speech in Medical Journals—What Role Does Pharmaceutical Advertising Play Regarding Vitamin Supplements?
Genetically Altered Animals and Foods—AAHF Looks at the Issues
On February 6, the FDA made history by approving the first drug made with materials from genetically engineered (GE) goats. Last month the Agency issued guidelines covering how it will regulate products from genetically altered animals, despite controversy about this technology. The bottom line is that this stamp of approval comes with little knowledge of… Continue reading Genetically Altered Animals and Foods—AAHF Looks at the Issues
Medicare Action Concerning the Overuse and Promotion of Dubious Drug Combinations for Cancer
Ralph Moss, PhD, author of the CancerDecision newsletter, has brought attention to a proposed change in Medicare rules regarding payment of anticancer drugs.
Chemicals in Our Children
In 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, which unveiled the first available benchmarks for a few of the thousands of chemicals to which we are all exposed. The report is based on blood/urine samples taken in twelve US locations from about 3,800… Continue reading Chemicals in Our Children
When is a Vitamin Not a Vitamin? When the FDA Says So!
In September of 2005, Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) senior vice president of scientific and international affairs, John Hathcock, PhD, wrote a letter to the FDA stating that “Pyridoxamine is unequivocally a dietary ingredient because it is one of the three primary natural forms of vitamin B6, and it is one of the two predominant… Continue reading When is a Vitamin Not a Vitamin? When the FDA Says So!