National Center for Health Research

Barron's article from AFP News describes the promise of new wearable medical devices for improving health and includes criticisms by NCHR’s Diana Zuckerman and other experts regarding the lack of certainty about their accuracy due to low regulatory standards by FDA. This makes it difficult to know which products are accurate and which ones aren't.

Find out more here:

Beyond Step Counting: Wearable Tech Promises Medical-grade Data Wearable devices have come a long way from counting steps or heartbeats, with new tech offering the ability to track blood oxygenation, glucose levels and blood pressure, though its reliability remains a matter of debate.

Toxic forever chemicals, like PFAS, are entering our wastewater and municipal wastewater treatment plants can’t remove all of them. They can get into our drinking water and therefore can harm people and animals! A study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that treatment plants can only remove 25% of the compounds, and therefore could possibly affect 23 million people. The researchers determined that many of the chemicals found in the wastewater could be traced back to commonly prescribed fluorinated medicines such as antidepressants, statins, and medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes and HIV. Shouldn't the EPA regulate PFAS in wastewater?

Read more here:

These common medications could be releasing ‘forever chemicals’ into the environment Researchers found that chemicals, including PFAS, from pharmaceuticals are entering into wastewater — which can be used as drinking water during times of drought.

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy calls for a cancer warning on alcoholic beverages, due to evidence of increased risk of several types of cancer. He points out research indicating that more than one drink/day is risky for men and women's health. This will only become law if Congress passes legislation to turn this recommendation into a requirement.

Read this article by New York Times reporter Roni Rabin:

Surgeon General Calls for Cancer Warnings on Alcohol Dr. Vivek Murthy’s report cites studies linking alcoholic beverages to at least seven malignancies, including breast cancer. But to add warning labels, Congress would have to act.

Why are Americans told that moderate drinking is healthy? Most researchers say that moderate drinking has risks for cancer, dementia, and other serious health issues -- except for those who receive funding from the alcohol industry. This New York Times article by reporter Roni Rabin explains the role of the Alcohol industry in influencing what we're told, and what we're not told, including in reports from the National Academy of Sciences and Medicine. Read more here:

Evidence Against Drinking Has Grown. Will Federal Advice Change? Officials in other countries are warning about the health hazards of alcohol in any amount. Americans are still told that moderate drinking is safe. What gives?

2024 saw a tragic increase in the number of infants abandoned in dumpsters in Texas. Is that because Texas has one of the nation’s most restrictive abortion bans and is ranked next to last for women’s health and reproductive care? Lives will be saved if Texas at least lets ALL Texas women know that unwanted babies can be abandoned safely with no questions asked!
Read more here:

‘Baby in a dumpster.’ A spate of abandoned newborns unsettles Texas. Critics say these cases are no coincidence in a state with one of the nation’s most restrictive abortion bans and near-bottom rankings on women’s health care.

In honor of our 25th anniversary, the National Center for Health Research is extending our 2024 double match through December 31!!! We are the only charity dedicated to making sure all medical treatments are safe and effective, and to protecting everyone from products that contain chemicals that cause cancer and other serious diseases. And, we're the only charity that provides free one-on-one help in finding out the risks and benefits of different medical treatments! Double your impact by donating today at https://www.center4research.org/get-involved/contribute/

Everyone knows that football players’ head injuries can cause dementia. The NFL promised to compensate players for legitimate dementia diagnoses, but as the number of harmed players resulted in more money than expected the NFL’s firm BrownGreer focused on delay and deny tactics. Now players whose social media include their participation in positive family events are being denied claims despite experts diagnosing obvious dementia. Will NFL and BrownGreer get away with this as they rake in the profits?
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Scouring social media, a firm fights NFL settlement payouts Despite vowing to act fast, the firm that oversees the NFL settlement still delays and denies claims, The Post found, including because of players’ online activity.

As we all reflect on this year, we invite you to read about our Greatest Hits of 2024 to learn more about our work. Let's support each other and work together in 2025!

Our Greatest Hits of 2024! Email from National Center for Health Research   Greatest Hits It has been a memorable year with many challenges and several important accomplishments. Many of our accomplishments have been under the

Thank you to Forbes for this excellent article on the importance of the natural grass industry and for quoting NCHR on the benefits of natural grass compared to plastic grass. Read the article here:

Inside The U.S. Effort To Boost The Natural Grass Industry The USDA and natural grass producers are concerned incorrect social perceptions are devaluing benefits of grass, leading to its removal and replacement with plastic turf.

In honor of our 25th anniversary, the National Center for Health Research is extending our 2024 double match through December 31!!! We are the only charity dedicated to making sure cancer treatments are safe and effective, and to protecting everyone from products that contain chemicals that cause cancer. And, we're the only charity that provides free one-on-one help in finding out the risks and benefits of different cancer treatments! Double your impact by donating today at https://www.center4research.org/get-involved/contribute/

We wish you joy, peace, and good health now and in the year ahead!

I was honored to represent NCHR at the ceremony for former Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney yesterday. She was the first woman to chair the House Oversight Committee, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries were among the many former colleagues there to praise her impressive accomplishments. Her successful fights for women’s rights, for r**e victims, for first responders injured by 9-11, and to save Americans money by lowering credit card fees and other unfair policies show that she was there for all of us. Here I am in front of her new portrait where she is wearing a fireman’s uniform. With me are Jan Erickson from NOW and Sue Klein from Feminist Majority Foundation.

FDA and Boston Scientific have issued an urgent alert because they are recalling 200,000 pacemakers following 2 deaths and a very clear risk of serious harm.
Find out more on the FDA website at:

Accolade Pacemaker Devices by Boston Scientific: Early Replacement Read the FDA’s recommendations related to Accolade pacemaker devices by Boston Scientific and a potential need for early device replacement.

In honor of our 25th anniversary, we are extending our 2024 double match through December 25!!! We are the only charity dedicated exclusively to making sure medical treatments and consumer products are proven to be safe and effective. Double your impact by donating today to the National Center for Health Research here: https://www.center4research.org/get-involved/contribute/

The Environmental Protection Agency finally banned two cancer-causing chemicals, TCE and Perc, that were found in everyday products. For decades, communities near factories, airports, and dry cleaners have been exposed to these chemicals that are known to cause numerous types of cancer. Perc will still be allowed for some industrial uses but not for dry cleaning and consumer uses. Will the bans be reversed in January? Will RFK Jr. make sure the bans are implemented? Read more:

E.P.A. Bans Perc and T.C.E., Two Chemicals Used In Dry Cleaning The two solvents, known as Perc and TCE, cause kidney cancer and other ailments, and have been the subject of years of controversy.

Worried about getting sick this winter? Masking and testing help to prevent the spread of respiratory illness. A recent study in hospitals found that cases of respiratory illnesses like flu and RSV increased when Covid-19 era masking and testing ended. The study also reported that when masking and testing started again for healthcare workers, the number of patients getting respiratory illness in the hospital decreased. This is important information for medical settings and other settings as well!
Read more here:

Want to Limit Respiratory Virus Infections? Mask and Test in Hospitals Healthcare workers masking makes a difference, study found

We are the only charity dedicated to making sure medical treatments and consumer products are proven to be safe and effective. Double your impact on by donating today to the National Center for Health Research here: https://www.center4research.org/get-involved/contribute/

Dr. Marty Makary has been named by Donald Trump to lead the FDA. The Johns Hopkins surgeon has been an outspoken critic of FDA’s relationships with industry and his appointment could shake up the status quo. NCHR and other experts are optimistic that Dr. Makary will encourage the agency to reduce conflicts of interest and hold industry to a higher standard for FDA approval of medical products and food safety.

Read more here:

Trump's Pick for FDA to Test 'Due Diligence' of Agency's Science Marty Makary, an outspoken critic of the nation’s food and drug regulator, stands to shake up the FDA’s standards in science and decision-making under President-elect Donald Trump.