Vaccines: Still Good Medicine

I read an interesting review of a book by pediatrician Paul Offit that seeks to give the history of the anti-vaccine movement and reassure parents that vaccines are good medicine. In the opening anecdote we learn the doctor has been terrorized by anti-vaccine quacks, including one who announced he knew Offit's children and where they went to school. Chilling. Another thing that comes up in the article is the tendency I think we all have to want the quick fix, the easy answer. Science doesn't work that way, which is hard when you're looking for hope. But that rigor is what makes scientific research so valuable.
Also on this topic: After a number of measles outbreaks and reports of parents saying no to immunizations, twenty-two medical groups have banded together to bolster public confidence in vaccines.

BPA Update

Today an advisory panel convened on behalf of the Food and Drug Administration held a public meeting on bisphenol A (BPA). An FDA official furthered the message that American exposure levels are too low to pose a health risk, though she also acknowledged that "concerning questions" have been raised by some scientific studies. One such study came out today; it involved a health survey of nearly 1500 adults, and it found that people exposed to higher levels of BPA were more likely to have heart disease and diabetes. That is far from a smoking gun, but it does beg for some follow-up. If further studies continue to find links between BPA exposure and health problems, the FDA can ban BPA in food containers and medical devices.

All the News That's Fit to Bullet

WELL. It's been way too long since I've posted. I've quickly become the slacker blogger. Okay, not really--I've actually been working my tail off on another project, which all five of you loyal readers will soon hear about! But for now, on to the news...

• Another study has disavowed any link between autism and vaccines, the measles/mumps/rubella vaccine in particular.
• The government's National Toxicology Program has finalized its draft report saying that bisphenol A poses some concern for the development of fetuses, infants and children.
• Mice can get postpartum depression too, especially when they're missing a protein that helps the body adapt to hormone fluctuations.
• Yet another reason not to binge drink, especially while pregnant: Cleft lips and cleft palates.
• Toddlers are getting fatter.