6+ min ago (1375+ words) RFK Jr. added misleading CDC claims on vaccines and autism. Right-wing media misreported CDC updates as vaccine-autism link. The statement "unicorns do not exist" is not "evidence-based". Neither is the statement "broccoli does not cause cancer". Let's get sciency, RFK-style! When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was grilled by the US Senate before being confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services, he made several promises. RFK Jr. is an experienced tort attorney, however, adept in the weaselly ways of lawyering and finding loopholes. He knows every sleazy trick to get around inconvenient promises. Instead of'removing'the statement,'he ordered the CDC'to add an asterisk, saying that the only reason the statement "Vaccines do not cause autism" has not been removed is because he promised Cassidy not to remove it. The'entire page has been revamped, and the text now begins with this statement:…...

7+ min ago (505+ words) Part 1 " Health and Welfare Plans "To Do" List Consider Plan Design Changes Allowed Under OBBBA:On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed into law OBBBA, which among other things, gives employers discretion to implement certain changes to their health and welfare benefits including the following: Generally, individuals cannot use HSAs to purchase health insurance coverage. Pursuant to OBBBA, effective January 1, 2026, individuals may use their HSAs to pay for DPCS Arrangement fees. Confirm that the plan treats eating disorders, autism spectrum disorder, and gender dysphoria as mental health conditions and that any limitations on such conditions comply with MHPAEA. Review definitions of M/S benefits, mental health benefits, and SUD benefits. Confirm that these terms are "consistent with generally recognized independent standards of current medical practice," which means that they should be consistent with the most current version of the International Classification of…...

1+ hour, 3+ min ago (922+ words) Recent research has emerged shedding light on the intricate relationship between trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors in the context of childhood obesity. In a pivotal study authored by Li, Wang, Chen, and colleagues, the findings underscore the potential implications of TMAO in understanding and tackling obesity in younger populations. This investigation, published in BMC [] Recent research has emerged shedding light on the intricate relationship between trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors in the context of childhood obesity. In a pivotal study authored by Li, Wang, Chen, and colleagues, the findings underscore the potential implications of TMAO in understanding and tackling obesity in younger populations. This investigation, published in BMC Endocrine Disorders, points to a pressing public health concern that has implications not only for individual health but for societal well-being as a whole. The study presents a detailed examination…...

1+ hour, 10+ min ago (1652+ words) We had to do painful procedures on these kids to keep them alive," Dr. Robinson told the Florida Trident, adding he would not want to relive the experience. Hib-positive children were automatically hospitalized, often in intensive care, and treated with antibiotics. Before Hib vaccination, about 20,000 children younger than five developed severe Hib disease each year in the United States, and about 1,000 died, according to History of Vaccines, run by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and Mutter Museum Historical Medical Library. In 1985, the first vaccines against Hib were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. More Hib vaccines would follow. For Robinson and other pediatricians, a new day had dawned. It is one of the most successful vaccines I've seen in my lifetime," said pediatrician Dr. Nectar Aintablian, who practices in Tallahassee. I have seen only two cases of Hib…...

1+ hour, 17+ min ago (346+ words) ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 781 A one-year-old infant who was not vaccinated against measles and had no underlying conditions died on Tuesday due to complications of the disease, the Health Ministry said. The death marks the 11th fatality in Israel due to the measles outbreak since it began in May. Most of them were healthy children with no underlying illnesses, who were not vaccinated against measles. The infant in question succumbed to the disease at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, the Health Ministry said. The hospital said that the baby had been brought there 10 days earlier in serious condition with a blocked airway. On Sunday, an unvaccinated 18-month old baby in Tiberias who was otherwise healthy also died of measles. In a message to the public, the Health Ministry stressed that measles is preventable through an effective, safe and free vaccine available…...

1+ hour, 21+ min ago (268+ words) Diesel exhaust particles can disturb the function of human brain immune cells, known as microglia, according to a recent study led by the University of Eastern Finland. The findings, published in Environment International, shed light on how traffic-related air pollution could contribute to brain inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. Microglia play a vital role in clearing cellular waste and maintaining brain homeostasis. Disruption of these processes can lead to chronic neuroinflammation and increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Microglia are the brain's first line of defense. We observed that particles from diesel engines with older emission technology significantly impaired microglial functions, including waste clearance and inflammation control. Although modern filtration systems reduce these harmful effects, traffic-related pollution remains a serious health concern." Dr. Sohvi Ohtonen, first author of the study Diesel particles rich in black carbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)…...

1+ hour, 21+ min ago (1030+ words) By Asuka Koda, CNN (CNN) " Until last week, parents who looked at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website on autism and vaccines would see a few key points: Studies have not found links between vaccines and autism, nor have links been identified between any vaccine ingredients and autism. At the direction of US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist, the CDC page now has a different message: "Scientific studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines contribute to the development of autism." HHS said the change was made to "reflect gold standard, evidence-based science." But it drew a swift and sharp rebuke from doctors, scientists and advocates for people with autism, who say the website now includes misinformation and outdated and disproven ideas. "Medical researchers across the globe have…...

1+ hour, 22+ min ago (287+ words) Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its webpage on autism and vaccines on Wednesday. It now states, "The claim "vaccines do not cause autism" is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism." The updated page also claims studies supporting a link "have been ignored by health authorities" and that Health and Human Services is conducting a "comprehensive assessment of the causes of autism." CONSERVATIVES EMBARK ON FOOD STAMP REFORM SOUGHT FOR 15 YEARS The update is part of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr."s promised overhaul of the agencies, and his focus on finding the root causes of autism comes with a significant amount of controversy." But if we want to understand what"s really happening, if we want an explanation rooted in evidence rather than sensationalism,…...

1+ hour, 31+ min ago (395+ words) Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has written to the Union Health Minister and the Minister for Food Processing, raising concern over what she described as "extremely distressing" evidence of a toxic industrial dye being added to food products consumed daily across India. In a post on X, Chaturvedi said recent findings show that Auramine O, a bright yellow dye commonly used in textiles, leather, and paper industries, is being illegally mixed into roasted chana (chickpeas) and possibly other food items to enhance colour. "This is not merely a violation of food safety norms " it is a threat to the health, safety, and trust of millions of Indian citizens, and a failure of regulatory oversight by the FSSAI," she wrote. She also drew parallels to past tragedies, including deaths linked to contaminated cough syrups, asking authorities to prioritise public health....

1+ hour, 36+ min ago (929+ words) For followers of medical disinformation, the claim that autism is linked to childhood vaccinations is the reddest of red flags. The issue is among the most intensively studied in the scientific literature, and the results among the most conclusive: There's no connection. That's why the revision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of its advisory on vaccines and autism struck like a thunderbolt, and not in a good way. The original statement was this: "Studies have shown that there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing autism spectrum disorder " No links have been found between any vaccine ingredients and ASD." As of last week, the statement says: "The claim "vaccines do not cause autism' is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism." One can't say that the…...