Health

"Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation" [1]

SEJ Publication Types:

BookShelf [2]

Topics on the Beat:

Chemicals [3]

Health [4]

Pollution [5]

Region:

Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [6]

Visibility:

Public [7]

Read more about "Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation" [1]

UK Measles Outbreaks Flourish After Discredited Autism Research [8]

"LONDON — More than a decade ago, British parents refused to give measles shots to at least a million children because of now discredited research that linked the vaccine to autism. Now, health officials are scrambling to catch up and stop a growing epidemic of the contagious disease."

Environmental Politics [9]

Health [4]

Journalism & Media [10]

Science [11]

Public [7]

Europe [12]

Source: AP [13], 05/21/2013

Read more about UK Measles Outbreaks Flourish After Discredited Autism Research [8]

Voluntary Fracking Disclosure Database Gets 'F' from Harvard Study [14]

We told you so. But now a Harvard study also says it: the FracFocus registry designed and operated by the drilling industry (and its close friends) fails to meet the public's right to accountability and complete disclosure of chemicals pumped into underground formations that may impact people's drinking-water wells.

SEJ Publication Types:

WatchDog TipSheet [15]

Topics on the Beat:

Water & Oceans [16]

Health [4]

Environmental Health [17]

Energy & Fuel [18]

Chemicals [3]

Visibility:

Public [7]

Read more about Voluntary Fracking Disclosure Database Gets 'F' from Harvard Study [14]

"U.S. Infant Mortality Rate Declines" [19]

"The rate dropped 12% from 2005 to 2011, with improvements among all major racial and ethnic groups, a government report says."

Health [4]

Public [7]

National (U.S.) [20]

Source: LA Times [21], 04/18/2013

Read more about "U.S. Infant Mortality Rate Declines" [19]

White House OMB Secretly Weakened Food Safety Rule [22]

It may come as little surprise that an unknown number of Americans could die as a result of White House weakening of food safety rules mandated by Congress. The Office of Management and Budget has been secretly weakening environmental health and safety at industry request for years. The surprise is that we found out.

SEJ Publication Types:

WatchDog TipSheet [15]

Topics on the Beat:

People & Population [23]

Laws & Regulations [24]

Health [4]

Government [25]

Food [26]

Environmental Politics [9]

Visibility:

Public [7]

Read more about White House OMB Secretly Weakened Food Safety Rule [22]

Exxon "Unified Command" Locks Down Ark. Spill Site; Threatens Reporter [27]

The March 29, 2013, spill from ExxonMobil's Pegasus Pipeline near Mayflower, Arkansas is a big deal for several reasons. But the most important thing about the Mayflower spill may be that ExxonMobil and the federal agencies involved seem to be trying to keep news media from getting close enough to see what is going on. Read SEJ's letter protesting the media treatment, and EPA's response.

SEJ Publication Types:

WatchDog TipSheet [15]

Topics on the Beat:

Disasters [28]

Energy & Fuel [18]

Environmental Health [17]

Environmental Politics [9]

Government [25]

Health [4]

People & Population [23]

Region:

SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [29]

Visibility:

Public [7]

Read more about Exxon "Unified Command" Locks Down Ark. Spill Site; Threatens Reporter [27]

"Scientists: China Bird Virus Likely Silent Threat" [30]

"Scientists taking a first look at the genetics of the bird flu strain that recently killed two men in China said Wednesday that the virus could be harder to track than its better-known cousin H5N1 because it might be able to spread silently among poultry without notice."

Agriculture [31]

Environmental Health [17]

Health [4]

Public [7]

International [32]

Source: AP [33], 04/03/2013

Read more about "Scientists: China Bird Virus Likely Silent Threat" [30]

"Coronavirus: Sars-Like Virus Death Reported in UK" [34]

"A patient infected with a new respiratory illness similar to the deadly Sars virus has died in the UK."

Health [4]

Public [7]

International [32]

Source: BBC [35], 02/20/2013

Read more about "Coronavirus: Sars-Like Virus Death Reported in UK" [34]

"Mind & Body" -- Scientists Probe Growing Incidence of Autism [36]

"Autism certainly involves the brain, but researchers increasingly believe it is actually a collection of problems that affects the whole body, the accumulation of seemingly minor events that start in the womb. PAULINE TAM unravels the complexity of factors that combine to cause the disorder."

Health [4]

Public [7]

Canada [37]

Source: Ottawa Citizen [38], 02/15/2013