Consumer Reports released this week a survey of consumers understanding of "natural" on food labels. The report found that almost two-thirds of consumers are misled by foods labeled as “natural.” Of 1,005 adults polled in December, more than half incorrectly believed that natural claims on labels had been independently verified, and nearly two-thirds thought the […]
by Paul Alan Levy Dr. Rosalind Griffin, a Michigan psychiatrist who apparently derives a significant part of her income by testifying as a medical expert for parties defending against tort claims, but also serves as a member of the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board — the adjudicatory arm of the Attorney Grievance Commission — has initiated […]
The Feb. 8 issue of Forbes alerts readers to a strange and troubling new phenomenon: litigation investing. Companies like Mighty provide "investors" (more accurately: gamblers? loan sharks?) the opportunity to make loans to plaintiffs to help them while their lawsuit is pending, with repayment contingent on success. Some problems: First, interest rates are predatory — […]
Stanford researchers are trying to test whether the use of algorithms on health data could improve the way we screen for certain genetic diseases. The implications are concerning for privacy but exciting for disease prevention. And the current test has some privacy protections built in, as FiveThirtyEight explains: The researchers plan "to flag doctors who […]
The Federal Trade Commission announced today: The [FTC] has filed suit against the operators of DeVry University, alleging that DeVry’s advertisements deceived consumers about the likelihood that students would find jobs in their fields of study, and would earn more than those graduating with bachelor's degrees from other colleges or universities. In its complaint against […]
This bipartisan bill to bar the use of "gag clauses" (or "non-disparagement clauses") in consumer contracts passed the Senate last month and awaits action in the House. Read today's Thune/Issa op-ed in the Huffington Post. Read prior coverage on our blog here and here.
…is the subtitle of a damning report issued last week by the Center for Effective Government. The report (full title: "Living in the Shadow of Danger: Poverty, Race, and Unequal Chemical Facility Hazards") finds "compelling evidence that increasing social inequality is linked to environmental degradation and that the health of people of color and those living in […]
His column is headed Why is the food industry dead set against warning labels? And he has another interesting piece on cell phone scams.
As NPR reports, insurance decisions about which drugs to cover present patients and doctors with an unfair choice: pay exorbitant prices or settle for a medication that may not work right. Dropping drugs leaves patients in a bind and ignores the fact that different drugs work better for different patients. Why drop some drugs? Insurers say they are trying to […]