The Well News, October 28, 2025: This oped by Dr. Diana Zuckerman explains why PIP and other rubber playground and play surfaces for young children can cause obesity, early puberty, asthma, learning problems, and eventually cancer because they contain PFAS, other hormone-disrupting chemicals, and lead. She explains why claims that these materials are proven safe are inaccurate, and that most of the chemicals in these products are not publicly reported or tested. Children can be exposed day after day and year after year, and very young children get the residue on their hands and may put pieces of the recycled rubber tire crumb in their mouths, ears, and noses. Engineered wood fiber is the safe, ADA compliant alternative.
Read More »Author: Caroline Bradford
NCHR Comments on Coverage of Colorectal Cancer Non-Invasive Biomarker Screening Tests
NCHR public comment tells CMS that the ColoSense multi-target mRNA stool-based colorectal cancer screening test needs better evidence to qualify for Medicare NCD coverage. The study sample included 3x the average number of smokers in the U.S. and since smoking increases the chances of colon cancer, that may have biased the results to make the test seem more accurate than it really is. Too many false positives or false negatives would make the test much less useful for patients.
Read More »NCHR Letter to Kensington MD About the Dangers of Rubber Playground Surfaces
October 8, 2025: NCHR was asked to send information to the Mayor and other officials of Kensington, Maryland for their town meeting to consider whether to install new playgrounds made from PIP, a type of artificial rubber surface that has a layer of recycled tire waste underneath. Our letter explains that the tire waste contains lead and all of the rubber used has chemicals that disrupt a child’s hormones. These playground surfaces are also dangerously hot, which is harmful to children and adults supervising them, and to the environment.
Read More »NCHR Comments on Risks and Benefits of Menopause Hormone Therapy
In response to a request for public comments, NCHR tells FDA that hormones for menopause have cancer risks and benefits, depending on when women take them and what type of hormones. Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) doesn’t decrease dementia or heart disease. Vaginal hormone creams have short-term benefits but any long-term risks are unknown.
Read More »Kennedy’s Ties to Ally Leading Vaccine Lawsuits Raise Ethical Concerns
New York Times, Oct. 3, 2025: This NYT investigation shows how RFK Jr’s lawyer and long-time colleague Aaron Siri benefits financially from his influence over RFK and HHS, resulting in vaccine policies and other decisions that harm U.S. patients. NCHR president Diana Zuckerman’s experience is included as an example.
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