I Am Not Now, Nor Have I Ever Been, A Medical Professional. I come from a family with several health care professionals, at least one in every generation. Add in being a science librarian for the biological sciences, chemistry, and biochemistry, and it’s no surprise that I pay attention to biomedical news and research a bit more than most.
Here’s some things I am concerned about, you should be too!
1. Iron-deficiency is not something you get just for being a lady
Context and variations by Dr. Kathryn Clancy
Kathyrn Clancy, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Illinois, relates her research which proves that most women do not become iron deficient because they have periods. Kathryn Clancy backs up her claims with solid research data and a list of references. Key statement: “If you have iron-deficiency anemia and your doctor is insisting it’s because you slough off your endometrium from time to time without doing a single test to confirm it, you may want to insist on an endoscopy. It could save your life.” Want to know more about Kathryn Clancy’s research? Check out: An activist scientist for women’s health. For those interested in women’s health issues also check out: I don’t have a 28-day menstrual cycle, and neither should you. I really like how she makes the distinction between natural variation and serious health issues, understanding the difference is key to making an informed decision (Yes, I like this phrase, it’s very important!).
2. Proposed Cuts to @NIOSH ERC Program
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Andrew Maynard, Director of the University of Michigan Risk Science Center summed it up well as ?It’s the cutting of all occupational health training grants that is really worrying!? Want a carefully considered opinion piece? ?Read Andrew Maynard’s post Obama’s 2012 budget does not bode well for safe & productive workplaces. The post also links to further additional rebuttals of the justifications for the cuts.
3. Alcohol ‘more harmful than heroin or crack’
Guardian UK
The study says that if drugs were classified on the basis of the harm they do, alcohol would be class A, alongside heroin and crack cocaine. This study was led by former UK government drugs advisor David Nutt who was controversially dismissed (giant balls of molten gas raining down from above controversial) for disagreeing publicly with the governments policy on canabis. Many in the science community took the stance: Why ask the scientists if you don’t want to know the answer? ?Just to be clear David Nutt is NOT advising banning alcohol, but people should be made more aware of the adverse effects of over indulging, and what exactly overindulging means. More Guardian Pieces about David Nutt. And an interesting piece about the current state of affairs in the UK on Nature’s science blog The Great Beyond.
Image courtesy of Ddcfnc under Creative Commons Attribution – Share Alike 3.0 Unported.