PR2 Fetches a Sandwich
I thought this vid was pretty amusing: According to IEEE Spectrum, what seems to be an overly high-tech, time-consuming way to snag some lunch, is an example of “semantic search.” “Semantic search” is simply the ability to make inferences about an object based on what is known about similar objects and the environment. It sounds complicated, but it’s really just a computerized version of what we humans...
FTC Goes After Acne App Marketers
LOL – this was a new one on me: using phone apps to commit health fraud. The cases involving mobile apps “AcneApp” and “Acne Pwner” are the first the FTC has brought targeting health claims in the mobile application marketplace. The FTC alleged that the mobile apps were advertised to work in the same way: both claimed to be able to treat acne with colored lights emitted from smartphones or mobile devices. Consumers were advised...
Thoughts on a Detox Death
When I read this CBC report, my first thought was “stupidity carries the death penalty.” But after thinking about it, I realized there was more to it than that. But first, the facts: A Quebec woman rushed to hospital after undergoing an overnight detoxification spa treatment involving intense sweating has died. The woman, 35, died late Friday afternoon in a Drummondville hospital, said Quebec provincial police. She and...
FDA/FTC Crack Down on OTC STD Treatments
The LA Times has it covered… In a joint effort, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission said they had ordered 11 companies…to stop the sale of these bogus STD cures or face criminal action. Most of the STD drugs are being sold online, though some are also in retail outlets. …The companies in the FDA’s crosshairs claim their products treat and prevent the spread of a range of STDs,...
FDA Orders Dr. Mercola to Stop Making Unsupported Claims for Thermography
I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that his clinic offers thermographic scans… On Dr. Joseph Mercola’s popular website, women are warned against getting mammograms to screen for breast cancer. Instead, the Chicago-area physician touts thermograms — digital images of skin surface temperatures — as an early detection tool for a wide range of conditions from cancer to back pain, from lupus to arthritis. Now Mercola...
“I’ve Got Nothing to Lose by Trying It”
The British trust, “Sense About Science,” has an extremely useful (and readable) guide available for people considering new and/or unproven treatments for specific health conditions. “I’ve Got Nothing to Lose by Trying It” was written to help readers learn how to “separate the beneficial from the bogus.” Online adverts and chat-room conversations testify to the ‘incredible’ benefits of new...
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