First They Came for the Anti-Vaxxers
Earlier this year I spent a few days at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center with my daughter who was having an EEG done. On our way home, I learned that there had been an outbreak of an antibiotic-resistant bacteria while we were there, that it had infected seven people and killed two of them. […]
Modern Life Depletes Your Gut Microbes
Your intestinal microflora—aka your microbiome—is an integral part of your immune system, and over the past several years, research has revealed that microbes of all kinds—bacteria, fungi, and even viruses—play instrumental roles in the functioning of your body. For example, beneficial bacteria, also known as probiotics, have been shown to: Counteract inflammation…
The Myth of Measles Eradication
There’s a popular refrain that goes like this: “Measles was declared eradicated in the United States in 2000, but it has recently made a comeback because of declining vaccination rates.” Now, just how do we know that measles was eradicated in 2000? Well, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says so, of course. Here’s exactly what the CDC says on its website, in response to the question…
Direct-to-Consumer Ads Prompt Patients to ‘Ask Their Doctor’ for Drugs
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements are a dime and dozen on American television, Internet and radio these days. The United States and New Zealand are the only countries that allow DTC drug ads and it wasn’t until 1997 that the Food and Drug Administration offered guidance on such advertising. Since then, spending in this area quadrupled. In fact, of the $27 billion…
FDA Overstepped Authority on Whistleblower Surveillance
After several Food and Drug Administration employees exposed alleged flaws in the agency’s approval process for medical devices to Congress and the press in 2009, the FDA retaliated with a controversial email-monitoring program, sparking a lawsuit against the federal agency and ongoing questions about the legality and ethics of the surveillance. In January 2009, FDA…
Blackmail and the Medical Vaccine Exemption | Barbara Loe Fisher
