More Air Pollution Data: The Tiny Particles
Just a quick post and link to yet another article on air pollution. Please click on the title to read the whole article. Is it really time to defund public transportation and stop investment in high speed rail?? Really?? More on my practice here. Scientists Find New Dangers in Tiny but Pervasive Particles in Air…
Read MoreThe Heavy Health Toll of Air Pollution: Recent studies
Not that we needed any more evidence of the negative effects of pollution, but three studies this week found that higher levels of air pollution not only increased risk of stroke, but of heart attacks and cognitive decline. A previous post on pollution here . There is a very disturbing trend on the conservative side…
Read MoreFocus on the Cause AND the Cure
The latest dust up with the Komen foundation exposed the rank partisanship in the organization. But I hope that it will also expose the bias towards finding the “cure” the magic bullet that will take away the horror that is cancer. The Komen foundation partners with business to sell products and raise money. But somehow…
Read MoreErectile Dysfunction and Anti-inflammatories
To be filed in the “I Did Not Know That” file. From last year, but unknown to me. Men taking Anti-Inflammatory Drugs more likely to develop Erectile Dysfunction PASADENA, Calif. March 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Men who take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs three times a day for more than three months are 2.4 times more likely…
Read MoreProstrate Screening Update: First, Do No Harm
On Jan 6th there was an update to the prostate cancer screening study showing that even with a longer follow up time, the screening is of extremely limited benefit. Given the nasty side effects of treatment, (outined below) the recommendation is not to screen with PSA. I’ve discussed this topic previously here, here, here …
Read MoreNew Joint Implants no Better Than Older Ones
Filed under “Follow the Money”December 22, 2011New Models of Implants Not Better, Study FindsBy BARRY MEIER A new study suggests that the recent technology for artificial hips and knees did not perform any better than older, less expensive designs. The study, which draws on data from Australia’s orthopedic registry, covered implants introduced from 2003 to…
Read MoreGetting Rid of Mercury, Good News for Once
Tremendous health news. EPA will regulate mercury from coal plants. This is to be filed in the “First Do No Harm” file, but is a tremendous victory for regulation and standing up to moneyed interests. I will link you to Paul Krugmans’ blog post on the subject. But I especially like that he says “This…
Read MoreAcetaminophen and Asthma
To be filed in the “I did not know that” file. I have my Pediatric Boards, but apparently have not kept up in a meaningful way. I certainly remember the shunning of aspirin because of Reye’s syndrome. So odd that we might have caused a problem of a different sort. There are so many interesting…
Read MoreOunce of prevention: Junk Food
One more story ripped from the headlines, another chapter in “an ounce of prevention.s’ Article in the SF Chron Food giants fight proposed nutrition guidelines An effort by four federal agencies to limit marketing of junk food to children has provoked a fight between the packaged food industry and public health groups as intense as…
Read MorePrecautionary Principle and Genetically Modified Food
Over the last few days, I’ve been discussing Munger’s model of avoiding that which is bad for healthier or more successful outcomes. I’ve made the point that in Medicine, also, that is part of the way to be healthy, to avoid the unhealthy. Simplistic, but in a way profound. When it comes to cancer, the…
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