Latest news with #RFKJr
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
US government report cited non-existent sources, academics say
A US government report on children's health cited "totally fabricated" studies to back up its findings, academics wrongly listed as the authors of those studies have said. First released on 22 May, the report detailed causes of a "chronic disease crisis" among children in the US. An amended version was issued on 29 May after digital outlet NOTUS found it had used seven non-existent sources. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said there were "formatting issues" and the report would be updated, but it did "not negate the substance of the report". US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who has promoted debunked claims that vaccines cause autism, leads the department behind the report. It comes on the back of one of US President Donald Trump's sweeping executive orders earlier this year, specifically to "study the scope of the childhood chronic disease crisis and any potential contributing causes". Issued by the Make America Healthy Again Commission, the report concluded that poor diet, environmental toxins, stress, insufficient physical activity and "overmedicalisation" may contribute to chronic illness among American children. But the authors of several studies cited in the report told news outlets they did not write them, and that the studies never existed. Guohua Li, a Columbia University professor who was named as an author of a report on the mental health of children in the pandemic, told Agence France-Presse that the reference was "totally fabricated" and that he does not even know the listed co-author. He was listed as an author alongside Noah Kreski, a researcher at Columbia University, who also denied writing it, telling AFP it "doesn't appear to be a study that exists at all." Katherine Keyes, an epidemiology professor who told news agency Reuters she was also wrongly named as an author, said: "It does make me concerned given that citation practices are an important part of conducting and reporting rigorous science." Another study cited about the advertising of psychotropic medications for youth was not written by the listed author, the university that employs him told AFP and Reuters. The Democratic National Committee accused RFK Jr.'s Department of Health and Human Services of "justifying its policy priorities with sources that do not exist" and using citations that "are rife with errors, from broken links to misstated conclusions". RFK Jr was sworn in as US Health Secretary in February. Since taking office he has cut thousands of jobs in the health department and made plans to introduce placebo trials for all new vaccines. Fact-checking RFK Jr's views on health policy
Fox News
2 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Judges Block Trump from Imposing Steepest Tariffs, Creating Global Uncertainty
Howie Kurtz on Elon Musk wrapping up his term as head of DOGE, Qatar gifting plane to Trump not finalized yet and RFK Jr. ending COVID shot recommendation for children. Follow Howie on Twitter: @HowardKurtz For more #MediaBuzz click here
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Skittles removes titanium dioxide from their products in US shortly after RFK Jr targeted the additive. What to know
Skittles will no longer be made with titanium dioxide, it has been revealed. A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley, which owns Skittles, confirmed to Fox News Digital that titanium dioxide has been removed from the company's Skittles portfolio in the United States. According to Healthline, 'titanium dioxide is a whitening ingredient in foods, cosmetics, and other products. The FDA considers it safe, but high intake could be harmful.' The change in Skittles comes shortly after the controversial additive was targeted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The Make America Healthy Again Commission, chaired by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr, released a report last week that assessed chronic diseases, particularly those that affected children. It stated that the additive is "widely used in a range of candies and sauces [and] may cause cellular and DNA damage." "Our commitment to quality is what has enabled Mars to be enjoyed by consumers for over a century, and nothing is more important than the safety of our products," the Mars Wrigley spokesperson said. "All our products are safe to enjoy and meet the high standards and applicable regulations set by food safety authorities around the world, and that's something we will never compromise on." Following a search of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) FoodData Central website, it was found that 4,362 candies contain titanium dioxide. Back in 2022, the additive was banned by the European Union after a report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) pointed to genotoxicity. "Genotoxicity refers to the ability of a chemical substance to damage DNA, the genetic material of cells," the EFSA report said. In fact, experimental animal inhalation studies carried out by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health using the additive found that the substance was a "possible carcinogenic to humans."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. Floats Ban On Federal Scientists Publishing In Medical Journals
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Wednesday he's planning to ban government scientists from publishing in established medical journals, which are some of the most important ways doctors spread knowledge and advance patient care. Kennedy made the comments on the Ultimate Human podcast to host Gary Brecka, a fellow vaccine skeptic and anti-fluoride conspiracy theorist. 'We're probably going to stop publishing in The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA and those other journals because they're all corrupt,' Kennedy said, listing off some of the biggest medical journals and claiming they're controlled by the pharmaceutical industry. 'Unless these journals change dramatically, we are going to stop [National Institutes of Health] scientists from publishing there, and we're going to create our own journals in house,' he continued, claiming that those will 'become the preeminent journals.' The Lancet, the New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA were all established in the 1800s and say they're viewed by tens of millions of people annually. Kennedy also claimed that the 'medical cartel' has 'transformed' the NIH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services into 'sock puppets' for the pharmaceutical industry. His remarks come a week after the White House released a Kennedy-spearheaded report saying prescribed pharmaceuticals could be to blame for chronic disease in children. Kennedy's podcast appearance also comes a day after he announced the CDC would no longer advise regular COVID-19 boosters for children and pregnant women. RFK Jr. Says COVID Shot Will No Longer Be Advised For Healthy Kids, Pregnant Women RFK Jr.'s MAHA Report Goes After Vaccines, Prescription Meds, Food Supply RFK Jr. Says He's Exploring A Crackdown On This Perfectly Safe Medication
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Popular candy is forced into major recipe change after bombshell RFK Jr report linked ingredient to DNA-altering chemicals
One of the most popular candies in the country has quietly had its recipe reformulated after a blistering new health report chaired by US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. linked one of its ingredients to DNA damage and possible cancer risks. Mars Wrigley, the global confectionery giant behind Skittles has confirmed that it has removed titanium dioxide from its rainbow-colored candies in the United States. The move follows growing international scrutiny of the additive's potential health effects. 'Our commitment to quality is what has enabled Mars to be enjoyed by consumers for over a century, and nothing is more important than the safety of our products,' the Mars Wrigley said in a statement. 'All our products are safe to enjoy and meet the high standards and applicable regulations set by food safety authorities around the world, and that's something we will never compromise on.' Titanium dioxide is widely used in processed foods to give a bright, opaque appearance but it has increasingly come under fire for what experts warn may be genotoxic and carcinogenic properties. The change comes in the wake of a bombshell report from the Make America Healthy Again Commission, led by RFK Jr. The report, released last Thursday, warned that titanium dioxide, among other food additives, 'may cause cellular and DNA damage' - particularly in children, who are exposed to such chemicals at higher rates through snack foods, candies, and sauces. For decades, titanium dioxide has been considered a 'safe' additive by US regulators but in 2022, the European Union banned its use entirely, citing concerns over its genotoxic effects after extensive European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviews. Now, under renewed pressure from Kennedy's commission and mounting consumer concern, it appears Mars Wrigley is taking no chances. While the company stressed that all its products 'are safe to enjoy' critics note how Mars' decision speaks volumes as the company did not announce the change publicly. There was no press release or social media campaign and instead just a quiet recipe tweak for one of the world's most recognizable candies. According to the FDA's FoodData Central, there are more than 4,300 food products currently sold in the US that contain titanium dioxide ranging from salad dressings to cookies, but candies make up a particularly high percentage. Since his appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made no secret of his intent to challenge entrenched interests in Big Food and Big Pharma. The titanium dioxide revelation appears to be one of the first major salvos in what he describes as a broader campaign to reduce exposure to environmental toxins and endocrine disruptors. The inclusion of titanium dioxide in the report sparked immediate concern due to its widespread use and prior warnings from NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), which has classified it as a 'possible carcinogen to humans' based on inhalation studies in animals. The compound, which is also used in paints, sunscreens, and cosmetics, has been the subject of dozens of peer-reviewed studies indicating potential harm to internal organs, immune response, and DNA repair mechanisms when consumed regularly in nano-sized particles. While Mars Wrigley has now altered its US Skittles recipe, thousands of other products still contain titanium dioxide, and pressure is now mounting on manufacturers and regulators to act. Some advocacy groups are calling for immediate FDA reevaluation of the additive, while others are pushing for federal labeling laws to disclose potentially genotoxic ingredients on packaging. Several food companies have already begun reformulating products in international markets to comply with the EU ban, but the US food industry has been slower to respond, citing outdated GRAS ('Generally Recognized as Safe') designations that critics say no longer reflect the latest scientific consensus. For now, American consumers may still be ingesting titanium dioxide in other sweets, sauces, and baked goods unless they read the fine print. Last month Kennedy was looking to have food petroleum based food dyes removed from sweets, cakes and other treats sold in the US - including Blue 1, Red 40, and Yellow 6. The dyes are known as petroleum based because they are often made by combining a product from petrol with another substance to create the brilliant color. Natural alternatives are available, and are already used in multiple products in Europe - including in Skittles. The dyes have been linked to multiple health problems in animal studies, including cancer and a higher risk of developing tumors. There are also concerns that the bright colors could encourage people to eat more sweet treats, leading to weight gain which is linked to a whole host of chronic diseases. It follows moves from the states, with both California and West Virginia passing laws to ban some artificial food colorings. There are at least 30 others, mostly Democrat, considering similar legislation. The FDA recently ordered that Red 3 must be removed from foods sold in the US by 2027 and medications by 2028, over concerns it can cause cancer. This dye is responsible for the bright red colors found in candies and lollipops, although there are now natural alternatives. Many states are also seeking a ban on Red 40, or Allura red - found in several popular snacks including Doritos, Skittle and Pepsi. Yellow 5 is also on the chopping block, which has been linked to potentially triggering hyperactivity in children and damage to DNA. It is also used in Doritos, juices and cookies. Similarly, Yellow 6 - found in sugary breakfast cereals like Lucky Charms - and Blue 1 - found in sweets like gummy bears - have both also been linked to hyperactivity. Studies in animals have also suggested that Blue 2 - found in sports drinks - and Green 3 - often found in salad dressings - raised the risk of tumors developing, particularly in the bladder and testes.
