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Consumer Health Digest #10-01
January 7, 2010
Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by
Stephen Barrett, M.D., with help from William M. London, Ed.D. It
summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement
actions; news reports; Web site evaluations; recommended and
nonrecommended books; and other information relevant to consumer
protection and consumer decision-making.
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Quackwatch and Dr. Barrett need your help in maintaining and
expanding their activities. If you haven't already done so, please
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http://www.ncahf.org/digest09/09-45.html and send a contribution.
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Autism myths debunked.
An expert panel has found no evidence that digestive problems are
more common among children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs) or
that special diets are effective for these children, as claimed by
Dr. Andrew Wakefield. [Buie G and others. Evaluation, diagnosis, and
treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in individuals with ASDs:
A consensus report. Pediatrics 125: S1-S18, 2010]
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/125/Supplement_1/S1 Its report states:
"The existence of a gastrointestinal disturbance specific to persons
with ASDs has not been established.
"An immune or inflammation-mediated mechanism specific to ASDs,
possibly vaccine-triggered in the setting of abnormal immune function
or increased gut permeability ("leaky gut"), has been hypothesized...
mainly on the basis of a finding of ileal nodular lymphoid
hyperplasia and/or chronic colitis seen on colonoscopy.
"In 1998, Wakefield and others reported an association between
ileocolitis and developmental regression in 12 children and coined
the term "autistic enterocolitis." From the same uncontrolled study
they reported NLH of the ileum and colon as an abnormal finding in
most children with ASDs. However, similar findings are known to be
present in children with typical development, as well as children
with food allergies and immunodeficiencies. The significance of these
findings, therefore, is unclear. Wakefield and others also proposed a
causal relation between measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination
and autism, a suggestion that was later retracted by many of the
original authors.
"Other study-design limitations in these reports included flawed
control groups, lack of validated and standardized definitions, and
speculative interpretation of results."
The report also notes that "available research data do not support
the use of a casein-free diet, a gluten-free diet, or combined
gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet as a primary treatment for
individuals with ASDs." The British Medical Council has held hearings
and is considering whether Wakefield should be disciplined for
unprofessional conduct.
###
Ginkgo found ineffective in preventing cognitive decline.
A randomized, double-blind clinical trial has found that ginkgo
biloba extract did no better than a placebo in preventing mental
decline among adults ages 72 to 96 with normal cognition or mild
cognitive impairment. The study involved more than 3,000 people who,
for about six years, were tested twice a year for memory, attention,
language and several other abilities. [Snitz BE and others. Ginkgo
biloba for preventing cognitive decline in older adults.
JAMA 302:2663-2670, 2009]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20040554 A previous study found that taking ginko extract did not prevent
Alzheimer's disease. This one looked for subtle effects such as a
change in the rate of mental deterioration.
###
Carnegie Foundation recommends nursing education expansion.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has issued a
report-Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation-which
calls for major changes in how nurses are educated.
http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/elibrary/educating-nurses-highlightsIn addition to noting the current nursing shortage, the authors
expressed concern that many nurses nurses are "ill-prepared for the
profound changes in science, technology and the nature and settings
of nursing practice." Their recommendations include:
**Teaching capacity needs to be expanded.
**A baccalaureate degree in nursing should be the minimal educational
level for entry into practice.
**Within ten years after graduation, all nurses should complete a
master's degree in nursing.
**Coursework should be tied to what actually happens in patient care,
including work outside of a hospital in addition to hospital work.
###
Extortionists are posing as FDA officials.
The FDA is warning the public that criminals are posing as law
enforcement personnel as part of an international extortion scam. The
criminals call the victims-most of whom had purchased drugs over the
Internet or via "telepharmacies"-and identify themselves as special
agents for the FDA, DEA, FBI, U.S. Secret Service, or U.S. Customs
Service, as well as for U.S. and Dominican prosecutors and judges..
They tell the victims that purchasing drugs over the Internet or the
telephone is illegal, and that law enforcement action will be pursued
unless a fine or fee ranging from $100 to $250,000 is paid. The
criminals request that the money be sent by wire transfer to a
designated location, usually in the Dominican Republic. Victims who
refuse are often threatened with a search of their property, arrest,
deportation, physical harm, and or incarceration. Recipients of such
calls should refuse the demand and call the FDA's Office of Criminal
Investigations Metro Washington Field Office at (800) 521-5783 to
report the crime. The FDA warns consumers to use caution when
purchasing prescription drugs over the telephone or the Internet. In
addition to the increased risk of purchasing unsafe and ineffective
drugs from Web sites operating outside the law, there is the danger
that personal data can be compromised. Victims have also had
fraudulent transactions placed against their credit cards. [FDA warns
public of continued extortion scam by FDA impersonators. FDA news
release, December 29, 2009]
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm195814.htm Despite these potential problems, however, drugs can be safely
purchased at discount prices from sites vetted by
PharmacyChecker.com.
http://www.pharmwatch.org/p###
Anti-tobacco news.
**Americans for Nonsmoker's Rights
http://anr.no-smoke.org/site/DocServer/Winter_UPDATE.pdf?docID=161has reported on several noteworthy events related to tobacco control:
**An international panel of experts has concluded that smoke-free
policies benefit public health and do not have a negative economic
impact on restaurant and bar businesses. [Evaluating the
Effectiveness of Smoke-free Policies. International Agency for
Research on Cancer, September 2009]
http://www.iarc.fr/en/publications/pdfs-online/prev/handbook13/handbook13.pdf**The Institute of Medicine has concluded that smokefree laws reduce
heart attacks. Its report examined a long line of studies reporting
dramatic reductions of 6% to 47%) in heart attacks once smoke-free
laws are adopted. [Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular
Effects: Making Sense of the Evidence. National Academies Press, 2009]
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12649**About 360 cities and 19 states cities have enacted laws to make all
workplaces and public places 100% smokefree.
**About half of U.S. hospitals now have smoke-free campus policies.
[Williams SC and others. The adoption of smoke-free hospital campuses
in the United States. Tobacco Control August 20, 2009]
http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2009/08/20/tc.2009.030494.abstract**The first action under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco
Control Act, which gives the FDA regulatory authority over tobacco
products, went into effect on September 22. 2009. The sale of candy
and fruit-flavored cigarettes, wrapping papers, and filters-such as
grape, clove, and vanilla-is now prohibited. However,
menthol-flavored cigarettes, which are favored by many new and
younger smokers and by most African-American smokers, are still
permitted. The FDA has said it will examine the options for
regulating both menthol cigarettes and flavored tobacco products
other than cigarettes.
###
Other issues of the Digest are accessible through
http://www.ncahf.org/digest09/index.htmlIf you enjoy this newsletter, please recommend it to your friends.
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Stephen Barrett, M.D.
Consumer Advocate
Chatham Crossing, Suite 107/208
11312 U.S. 15 501 North
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
Telephone: (919) 533-6009
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