Yuka and other apps are influencing shoppers’ purchasing habits; ‘There are a lot of opinions out there’ “Some in the food industry see the future of food labeling in Yuka and similar mobile apps. As consumers increasingly scroll their phones to decide what to eat, such apps are one way to render immediate judgment on a product. Often, they suggest what they deem to be healthier alternatives. [..] Adoption of the apps has been fueled by the same skepticism toward food ingredients, companies and regulators that animates the “Make America Healthy Again” movement spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary. [..] Yuka … Read More
“To help put alcohol taxes in perspective: the federal tax on a pack of cigarettes is now approximately $1, and states and localities can layer on additional taxes. Customers in New York City, for instance, pay a $5.35 state tax and an additional $1.50 city tax for a combined total of $6.85 per pack — far beyond the average state tax of $1.93 nationally. Meanwhile, since the mid-20th century, relative alcohol tax rates have receded by roughly three quarters and have fallen well below those in other high-income countries, in contradistinction to trends in taxation of nicotine products. It has … Read More
The Bee, Limitless and Plaud wearables record everything you say and use AI to provide summaries, to-do’s—and a slightly terrifying glimpse of the future “I willingly wore a $50 Bee Pioneer bracelet that records everything I say and uses AI to summarize my life—and send me helpful reminders. I also tested two similar gadgets: the $199 Limitless Pendant and the $159 Plaud NotePin. These assistants can recall every dumb, private and cringeworthy thing that came out of my mouth. Is this the dawn of the AI surveillance state? Absolutely. Is it also the dream of hyper-personal, all-knowing AI assistants coming to life? Also absolutely. [..] … Read More
“There were 26.4 deaths per 100,000 people from diabetes, according to early death certificate data for the third quarter of 2024 published this month by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. Death rates from diabetes peaked in 2021, according to CDC figures, at 31.1 deaths per 100,000 people for that year. Diabetes was the eighth leading cause of death in 2021. The CDC says the link between COVID-19 and diabetes may be to blame for that increase. “Data show an increase in mortality rates for all people during the COVID-19 pandemic, and research shows that people with underlying conditions, … Read More
The author overcame his dependence on pills and alcohol. Now he wants to beat back misconceptions about the science of addiction. Excerpt – Introduced in 1997 by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the notion that addicts’ brains are “hijacked” by drugs implies that they are condemned to uncontrolled and chronic use. Mr. [former vodka and Klonopin addict, emeritus professor of philosophy and neurobiology at Duke University, author of “What Is It Like to Be an Addict?” Owen] Flanagan makes clear that brain changes are very real, but he also makes clear that they do not render addicts unresponsive to … Read More
“The theoretical case for routine cancer surveillance is strong. Tumor burden is expected to be lower before signs and symptoms of a recurrence develop; treatment is therefore expected to be more effective when a recurrence is identified by means of routine surveillance. [..] The empirical case for routine cancer surveillance is weak. None of the 12 RCTs assessing imaging-based surveillance that were included in a 2021 systematic review revealed a statistically significant reduction in mortality associated with surveillance. [..] These findings suggest that detection and treatment of asymptomatic cancer recurrences offers no advantage over initiation of treatment only after symptoms … Read More
“We identified all DHTs [digital health technologies] prescribable for a hypothetical patient with 5 chronic conditions (type 2 diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis), and assessed the number of DHTs this patient should be prescribed to receive benefits from functions health professionals considered important. We chose to evaluate devices involving hardware and standalone apps together to reflect patients’ perspective, as patients would have to cope with tasks from all DHTs, regardless their nature. [..] We defined DHTs as all software as a medical device (SaMD); implanted, wearable, external, or environmental medical devices driven by software; and … Read More
“[Introduction] Despite spending more than any country in the world on health care, life expectancy in the US is comparably worse than that of most other high-income countries and declining both in absolute value and relative rank. However, life expectancy across US states varies just as markedly as it does across high-income countries, from 81.8 years in Hawaiʻi to 74.7 years in Mississippi in 2019—a divergence that has been increasing over time. US states vary considerably on policy decisions related to the spending, regulation, and provision of health care; reproductive health; tax policy; social welfare programs; and in relation to … Read More
“Surveillance has always been a part of the human experience, because it’s one of the mechanisms that enables power to be exercised and enforced in society. “No creature is hidden from His sight,” the Bible says, “but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” The Quran warns, “God is all-knowing.” Omniscience is not confined to the realm of religious belief. Authoritarian systems share in the idea that, even if you’re hidden behind the walls of your own home, someone might find out that you said the wrong thing or read the … Read More
“Adam Kucharski, mathematical modeller and Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in London, UK, was one of the most reliable expert sources for many reporters wrestling with the scientific debates and dilemmas [around COVID-19]. He has now distilled his experience from working on both the pandemic and the epidemiology of other disease outbreaks, such as Zika virus disease and Ebola virus disease, into Proof: The Uncertain Science of Certainty, an exceptionally clear and engaging account of how scientists demonstrate truth and falsity. By showing that the matter often requires us to accept uncertainty … Read More