Here is a recap of the stories that appeared last week at Science-Based Medicine, a multi-author skeptical blog that separates the science from the woo-woo in medicine.
No, carrying your cell phone in your bra will not cause breast cancer, no matter what Dr. Oz says (David Gorski) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/no-carrying-your-cell-phone-in-your-bra-will-not-cause-breast-cancer-no-matter-what-dr-oz-says/ Dr. Oz has been fear-mongering about the risks of carrying a cell phone in a bra, based only on one patient’s testimonial and 3 other anecdotal reports of breast cancer in young women. There is no evidence from controlled studies and no plausible mechanism whereby the non-ionizing radiation from cell phones could cause cancer. It is irresponsible to spread fears about cell phones without credible evidence.
And Now for Something Completely Different (Harriet Hall) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/and-now-for-something-completely-different/ In a departure from the usual single-topic posts, this post comments on several recent news items that are examples of science-based medicine in action. A baby may have been cured of AIDS, 2 people believed to be cured of AIDS relapsed, eating nuts may prolong your life, African Americans process vitamin D differently and may be falsely diagnosed as deficient, and a polio outbreak in China reminds us that no country is safe from polio.
An Apple A Day (Steven Novella) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/an-apple-a-day/ A new study shows that eating an apple a day can reduce cardiovascular mortality as much as taking statin drugs. Science-based doctors are often accused of being shills for Big Pharma, but we are not. Rather than relying on drugs, we recommend improving health outcomes with evidence-based lifestyle changes.
More evidence that routine multivitamin use should be avoided (Scott Gavura) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/more-evidence-that-routine-multivitamin-use-should-be-avoided/ Three new multivitamin studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine confirm what we already knew: there is no compelling reason for most people to take regular vitamin supplements, and in some cases they can cause harm. An accompanying editorial admonishes patients to stop taking vitamins unless there is a specific medical indication for an individual supplement.
You can’t beat the common cold, and that’s a fact (John Snyder) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/you-cant-beat-the-common-cold-and-thats-a-fact/ There is no cure for the common cold. Commonly used cough and cold remedies are ineffective and frequently cause harm, especially in children. The evidence for various over-the-counter and home remedies is reviewed. The best medicine is prevention.