Asthma Inhalers Are ‘Substantial’ Contributors To Climate Change: Study
Researchers found that the propellants that push the medication out of the inhaler, called hydrofluoroalkanes, are contributing to planet-warming pollution. Also: the link between exposure to sulfur dioxide and ALS; the stubborn problem of lead water pipes; and more.
CNN:
Climate Pollution From Inhalers Has The Impact Of Half A Million Cars Per Year, Study Finds
The people who are most vulnerable to the hard-to-breathe air that comes with climate change may inadvertently be adding to the problem, new research finds. About 34 million Americans have a chronic lung disease, including 28 million who have asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America – and the number is expected to grow as higher temperatures bring more weather phenomena that trigger breathing issues like droughts, floods and wildfires. (Christensen, 10/6)
In other environmental health news —
ABC News:
Exposure To Mining Fossil Fuel Linked To ALS, New Research Finds
A major pollutant from mining fossil fuels has been linked to an increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to new research. Longterm exposure to sulfur dioxide, a component produced by the combustion of oil-based fuel and coal, is associated with the development of the neurodegenerative disease, a paper published in Environmental Research found. (Jacobo, 10/7)
Undark:
Fresh Insights Into The Stubborn Problem Of Lead Water Pipes
Ashburn is a largely middle-class, predominately African American, Hispanic, and Latino community on Chicago’s far Southwest Side. The community borders two neighboring suburbs and is known for its high rate of home ownership and its many Cape Cod, ranch, and bungalow houses. Chakena Sims owns and resides in one of these homes in Ashburn with her family. She was raised in Chicago and recalled one key lesson she learned at a young age: Don’t trust the tap water. (McCullom, 10/6)
Wired:
As EPA Ends Emissions Data Program, Who Will Step Up?
The Clean Air Act requires states to collect data on local pollution levels, which states then turn over to the federal government. For the past 15 years, the EPA has also collected data on carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases from sources around the country that emit over a certain threshold of emissions. This program is known as the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, or GHGRP. ... Like a myriad of other data-collection processes that have been stalled or halted since the start of this year, the Trump administration has put this program in the crosshairs. (Taft, 10/7)
More health and wellness news —
The New York Times:
A Debate Over ‘Conversion Therapy,’ Once Widely Condemned, Is Back
Since at least a decade ago, a rare consensus has prevailed on a provocative issue for L.G.B.T.Q. people. Professional counseling aimed at changing the sexual orientations of gay teenagers, sometimes known as conversion therapy, was viewed as harmful and widely rejected. The American Medical Association dropped support for programs offering gay patients “the possibility of sex preference reversal” in 1994. In 2009, the American Psychological Association concluded that “sexual orientation change efforts” could be harmful, inducing “depression, suicidal ideation, self-blame, guilt and loss of hope” in some people. A few years later, Exodus International, the largest Christian ministry promising to “cure” homosexuality through prayer and psychotherapy, closed after its leader apologized to gay men and lesbians and said he no longer believed people could rid themselves of those desires. (Harmon, 10/7)
Newsweek:
Scientists Achieve ‘Striking Reversal Of Alzheimer’s’ In Mice
Scientists have achieved a “striking” reversal of Alzheimer’s disease in mice by restoring the normal function of the brain's vasculature—the network of blood vessels that supplies it with oxygen and nutrients. Researchers at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and West China Hospital of Sichuan University (WCHSU), working with partners in the UK, showed this was possible using nanotechnology. (Millington, 10/6)
MedPage Today:
Parkinson's Risk May Rise With Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) appeared to be associated with a subsequent Parkinson's disease diagnosis, data from a Korean retrospective cohort study suggested. In a case-control analysis, the incidence of Parkinson's disease was 1.0% in the control group and 1.6% among people with RLS, said Jong Hun Kim, MD, PhD, of Korea University Ansan Hospital in South Korea, and co-authors. (George, 10/6)
NBC News:
IV Hydration Spas Are Largely Unregulated Despite Growing Popularity, Study Finds
The booming IV hydration spa industry operates with virtually no oversight or data backing up its claims, according to the first comprehensive national analysis of hydration clinics. At clinics nationwide, people pay hundreds of dollars to have vitamins and minerals dripped directly into their veins as a detox, to ease headaches or boost immunity, “almost completely without evidence,” said Dr. Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest and co-author of the study, published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine. (Edwards, 10/6)
AP:
Federal Health Officials Warn Against Hello Fresh Meal Kits Over Listeria Risk
Federal health officials late Monday warned people not to eat certain Hello Fresh subscription meal kits containing spinach that may be contaminated with listeria. The U.S. Agriculture Department issued a public health alert for the meals, which were produced by FreshRealm, the San Clemente, California-based company linked to an expanding listeria outbreak tied to heat-and-eat pasta meals. (Aleccia, 10/7)
