Health and Science

"It is alarming to think my ruby red nail polish could come with a side of toxic ingredients that could ultimately end up in my body. We cannot control far too many exposures to harmful chemicals in our world today, but each of us can become informed and spread the word, support legislation that protects our health, and make smarter choices whenever possible. By voting with our dollars we can shift the marketplace towards safer, healthier products ... beginning with my own bottle of bright, glossy nail polish." more »

"Since we last wrote a breast cancer screening guideline, there have been the publication of quite a number of new studies that inform us about the benefits and drawbacks of screening with mammography, so the American Cancer Society commissioned a detailed evidence review by an external expert group to review all of this new data which was then presented to our American Cancer Society guideline committee," said Dr. Richard Wender, Society's Chief Cancer Control Officer. "That committee then considered all of this evidence over a period of months, did the very difficult job of balancing the benefits and harms, and that's what led to the change in the guidelines that we're publishing now." more »

One case: New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced [in August] that his office has secured settlement agreements with five defendants in a False Claims Act case that will return more than $8 million to the Medicaid and Medicare programs. The agreements resolve claims that SpecialCare Hospital Management Corporation defrauded Medicaid and Medicare by illegally referring patients to unlicensed drug and alcohol treatment programs at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson, and St. Joseph's Medical Center in Yonkers, in exchange for kickbacks. more »

Sponsored by Rep. Diane Black (R-TN), H.R. 3134 would place a one-year moratorium on federal funding for Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) unless PPFA and its affiliates certify that they will not perform any abortions or provide funds to entities that perform abortions during that period, except in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the life of the mother. The Pope hails coming to Philadelphia on his US tour and address to Congress. more »