Somehow in the din of CPSC recall and safety warnings last week, I missed a formal Friday Freakout. But don't worry, here's some news from the worlds of preliminary studies you can freak out over this weekend:
The connection between autism and MMR vaccinations has always been grounded more firmly in concern for potential risks than in widely recognized medical research findings. And the new case-control study published this week that finds no connection between autism and MMR won't change that. The high likelihood that your unvaccinated child will get measles if she's exposed to the virus, though, is not really in dispute. [article: washpost; the study itself: plosone.org]
You know how the FDA has said cold medicines are all ineffective and evil for kids under two now? Well, now they're moving on to revise OTC cold and flu medicine recommendations for kids 2-6. It's gonna be nothing but honey and Vick's vaporizers by Christmas, I tell ya. [washpost]
Speaking of the FDA, over the last year, the FDA has published reports that the plastic additive and food can liner Bisphenol A, or BPA, is safe. And that actually, there's concern that it's not. And then a couple of weeks ago, they "reaffirmed" their earlier findings that, no, it's just fine. Or wait, did that report actually reaffirm that there's "some concern"? And now Yale scientists say monkeys show negative effects when exposed to "safe" levels of BPA? I have glass and/or dirty-looking plastic bottles now, can't you just leave me alone, FDA? [monkey article: washpost; monkey study abstract: proceedings of the national academy of sciences]
I'm sure I'll have a few more to add later, but it's the first day of pre-school; as soon as k2 wakes up, I'm heading off to lunch with the wife. See ya.
OK, one more quickie: Upstate NY mom went off her meds, packed the kid into the stroller, along with her sawed-off shotgun, knives, and her box cutter. Which she then brandished in an argument about money somewhere. She copped a plea and may do a rather harsh-sounding 1.5-3 years. Seriously? Also, what kind of stroller? Not clear. [uticaod via dt crime beat reporter ponch]
You mean you haven't heard about Vick's?