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Poison at the Tea Party

Oct 27, 2010
The tea partyers issue dire warnings of the threat posed by government, but their movement ignores the threat from corporate America: pollution, dangerous products and banking practices that brought us the worst economic crash since the Great Depression.In their zeal to live free from outside interference, the tea parties are shooting at the wrong target.

Food Safety Bill Stalls

Sep 18, 2010
If you need yet another example of how Washington just doesn't quite work, a bill that aims to curb food contamination has stalled despite having broad bipartisan support, plus backing from President Obama and industry and consumer groups, and the fact that the House passed its version of the legislation more than a year ago.

Fishermen Test Troubled Gulf Waters

Aug 17, 2010
Americans get half of their shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico, but that was before it was contaminated by 190 million gallons of oil and 2 million gallons of chemical dispersant. Shrimp season officially started Monday, but it will be some time before we know whether the ravaged Gulf waters -- and American appetites -- are up to it.
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The Five-Morning-After Pill?

Jun 11, 2010
A European contraceptive that works as a five-day alternative to the "morning-after" pill may be coming to American shores, but a thorny debate surrounding the drug's chemical similarity to the RU-486 abortion pill raises some politically charged questions for the FDA.

Prostate Cancer Vaccine Wins OK

Apr 30, 2010
A new vaccine called Provenge has just been accepted by the FDA, making it the first to be approved by the agency for men fighting advanced prostate cancer. While Provenge is not a cure, it has shown promise in extending the lives of patients.

Salt Kills, FDA Stalls

Apr 21, 2010
It’s bad enough that Americans eat about twice as much salt as they need -- and much more than is healthful -- but most don’t even realize it. Reducing sodium in processed foods like cereal and soup and in restaurant meals could save more than 100,000 lives a year, and medical groups are urging the government to take action. (continued)

FDA Goes After Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages

Nov 14, 2009
News flash: Adding caffeine to alcoholic drinks may lead consumers to underestimate how drunk they are. The Food and Drug Administration is getting to the bottom of this potential health issue by ordering close to 30 manufacturers of caffeinated adult beverages to prove that their drinks are safe -- or else.

‘Hillbilly Heroin’ Gets a Makeover

Sep 23, 2009
So many people grind up and inject or snort the powerful painkiller OxyContin that the drug's maker has had to snap a plastic-like coating around the pill. The FDA says the improvement is marginal at best in reducing abuse of the drug, but better than nothing.

Behind the Label

Aug 29, 2009
An industry group of organic and natural food producers is attempting to develop a standard for non-genetically modified and organic food. Existing labels declaring food "organic" are based as marketing devices, not on an actual standard of rigorous testing.