November 1, 2017: The National Center for Health Research (NCHR) strongly opposes the FDA’s proposed delay in implementing updated Nutrition Facts and Serving Size labels. They emphasized that postponing these changes hinders Americans’ ability to make informed dietary choices, particularly concerning added sugars and realistic serving sizes, which are crucial for managing health conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Read More »We’re Speaking Out on Health Issues
NCHR scientists and health policy experts provide written and oral statements on a wide range of topics.
Here are many of the ways we have been Speaking Out on Health Policy Issues for the last few years. Whether the topic is legislation intended to cure diseases, proposed bans on BPA or other chemicals that disrupt your hormones, the importance of including women, people of color, and patients over 65 in clinical trials, or many other topics, you’ll gain a better understanding of our evidence-based analyses by reading these letters, statements, and testimony.
Here are the ways we have been Speaking out on Medical Treatments and Products, such as prescription drugs and medical devices that the FDA is considering approving, or is considering taking off the market because of serious risks. Whether the topic is Chantix, Addyi, Yaz, Essure, or medical products you’ve never heard of, you can find out more about what is known and not known about the safety and effectiveness of a wide range of products by looking through this section of our website.
NCHR Comments on HHS Draft Strategic Plan FY2018-2022
October 26, 2017. The HHS has drafted a strategic plan for implementation over the next several years. We object to language that is non-scientific and themes which weight political rhetoric and ideology over sound scientific principles. Read more of our comments here.
Read More »NCHR Letter to the DC City Council on Artificial Turf
October 26, 2017. It is clear that city officials have assumed artificial turf products are safe because the salespeople told them they were safe. Unfortunately, there is clear scientific evidence that these materials are potentially harmful, and the only question is how harmful are they and how much exposure is likely to be harmful? Our children deserve better.
Read More »NCHR Comments on the USPSTF’s Draft Recommendation Statement for Falls Prevention in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
October 23, 2017. We support the USPSTF’s draft recommendations for exercise and multifactorial interventions, and against vitamin D supplements, given the available evidence. We recommend that the Task Force provide a caveat that these recommendations are not intended for older adults who are already known to have a vitamin D insufficiency; conduct subgroup analyses to determine the benefits and risks for sex, race/ethnicity, and two age groups; and integrate results of the NIH/PCORI study when they become available, as noted above. As more information becomes available about the effectiveness of particular components and intensities of exercise as well as other interventions, we encourage USPSTF to develop more specific recommendations for patients and providers.
Read More »NCHR Comments on the USPSTF’s Draft Recommendation Statement and Evidence Review on Vitamin D, Calcium, or Combined Supplementation for the Primary Prevention of Fractures in Adults
October 23, 2017. After reviewing the available evidence, the USPSTF proposed new recommendations on the use of Vitamin D, Calcium, or combined supplementation for the primary prevention of fractures. The USPSTF proposes that evidence is insufficient to determine the balance of harms and benefits; however, a thorough review of the evidence shows surprising associated harms. Read on to learn more about this most important issue.
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