September 11, 2017. There are serious risks and no clear benefits for cough medicine with codeine for children of any age. And while we can’t say for certain whether giving opioids to children has long-term negative effects contributing to opioid abuse by teenagers, that logically makes sense. Why not prevent opioid use in children when we can?
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 Comment on the USPSTF’s Draft Research Plan for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening
September 6, 2017. We support the efforts of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to carefully draft a research plan to guide the systematic review of available evidence for primary care screening to identify and treat AAA. We have two recommendations that would strengthen the USPSTF draft research plan.
Read More »Letter from NCHR about Dangerous Playgrounds and Athletic Fields to the Mayor and City Council of Washington, DC
August 28 2017: The National Center for Health Research (NCHR) is calling on D.C. leaders to halt the use of artificial turf and rubber playground surfaces. They highlight dangers such as lead exposure, excessive heat, and increased injury risks, emphasizing the need for safer, natural alternatives to protect children’s health.
Read More »NCHR Comment on the USPSTF’s Draft Recommendations for Hepatitis B Virus Infection Screening in Pregnant Women
August 9, 2017. We support the USPSTF’s draft recommendation for Hepatitis B screening in pregnant women. Universal screening and prevention programs for pregnant women with Hepatitis B can help to identify pregnant women who are at risk for passing the virus to their children. Preventing vertical transmission protects children from a potentially serious disease and other diseases that may develop as a result, such as cancer; protects others who may be infected; and allows children to participate in school and play activities important to their healthy development. Therefore, screening is highly beneficial for these children.
Read More »NCHR Comment on the USPSTF’s Draft Recommendations for Ovarian Cancer Screening
August 10, 2017. We strongly support the USPSTF’s draft recommendation to maintain the “D” grade for ovarian cancer screening, as well as their broader efforts to improve the health of all Americans by making evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services. As more high-quality research becomes available, we encourage the provision of additional recommendations about the benefits and harms of using new screening strategies in asymptomatic women who are not known to be at increased risk for ovarian cancer.
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