By Josh Bloom — June 12, 2019 We at ACSH don’t like to brag (1).
But I’ll make an exception this time. Here’s why.
You need a fairly thick skin to work here. Some people just don’t like us because we tell the truth. Because the truth hurts, especially when it costs a person, company, or organization money because we expose dishonest and tricky marketing based on flawed science or tricky interpretations of real science.
Then there are the crazies, like Carey Gilliam and the rest of the inmates over at US Right to Know (Nothing) and Michael “Mad Dog” Balter over at… who knows? The guy seems to have trouble keeping a job. And the lawyers and history majors over at NRDC and the Environmental Working Group are not especially fond of us either, with good reason – we constantly call them out for bad (or invisible) science, especially when they make up phony chemical scares (without the benefit of a chemist) as well as promotion of “everything organic.” (2)
But, perhaps our message is starting to get through. When the Atlanta Journal Constitution wrote up the latest non-story from EWG about traces of the weed killer glyphosate being found in cereal (3) we fully expected to be called “industry front group” or a similarly inaccurate (not to mention appallingly unoriginal). Much to our surprise, we read the following.
Imagine that! Instead of calling us shills the Journal Constitution (4) called us exactly what we are – a nonprofit (5) consumer advocacy organization founded by scientists.
The link the paper cited just happened to be a hole-in-one by Dr. Alex Berezow entitled “Dear EWG, This Is Why Real Scientists Think Poorly Of You.” It’s great. I suggest you read it.
What are the chances of someone finally getting us right?
How about twice in the same month?
Only last week the site Media Bias/Fact Check went against the tide and rated us very highly for scientific accuracy. Here are some of its findings:
“They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes) to favor conservative causes.”
[We use loaded words because we are perennially pissed off at all the liars and frauds out there. We do not pull punches. And I’m not sure what getting the science right has to do with either liberal or conservative causes, but I can live with it.]
“Overall, we rate ACSH Right-Center Biased based on pro-business support and High for factual reporting due to adhering to the consensus of science on most issues and a clean fact check record.”
[Thank you!]
“A factual search reveals that the American Council on Science and Health has not failed a fact check.”
[41 years and we haven’t failed a fact check. No wonder our critics call us names. They can’t argue the science.]
“Overall, we rate ACSH Right-Center Biased based on pro-business support and High for factual reporting due to adhering to the consensus of science on most issues and a clean fact check record. (8/14/2016) Updated (D[ave] Van Zandt 5/30/2019)”
All things considered, this is already a pretty good June and it’s not even half over.
NOTES:
(1) OK, maybe that’s a lie.
(2) It is more than a little ironic that we are called industry shills when groups like NRDC are 100-times larger (and wealthier) and supported by the organic food industry so they can scare people.
(3) The chemical scare industry uses the same tactic over and over and over – ignoring the dose or exposure. They want you to believe that the presence of a chemical is indicative of its risk. This is pure nonsense.
(4) Originally written Cox Media
(5) We are a little too non-profit for my taste.
By Josh Bloom
Dr. Josh Bloom, the Director of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science, comes from the world of drug discovery, where he did research for more than 20 years. The field of drug discovery involves chemistry, biochemistry, toxicology, and pharmacology – skills that he has used to write on a wide variety of topics since he joined ACSH in 2010. One of the topics he has tackled is the so-called “opioid crisis.” He is now recognized as an expert in this area and was the first journalist to write a nationally published opinion piece about the unintended consequences of a governmental crackdown on prescription pain medications (New York Post, 2013). Since that time he has published more than 20 op-eds in regional and national newspapers on different aspects of the crisis. In that same year, he testified at an FDA hearing, where he noted that fentanyl was the real danger, something that would be proven years later. At that time almost no one had heard of the drug.
He was also the first writer (2016) to study, dissect and ultimately debunk the manipulated statistics used by the CDC to justify its recommendations for opioid prescribing, which have resulted in Draconian requirements for prescribing pain medications as well as government-mandated, involuntary tapering of patients receiving opioid treatment, both of which have caused great harm and needless suffering to chronic pain patients. His 2016 article, “Six Charts Designed to Confuse You,” is the seminal work on CDC deception and has been adopted by patient advocacy groups and individuals and has been sent to governors and state legislatures.
Dr. Bloom earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Virginia, followed by postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania. His career in drug discovery research began at Lederle Laboratories, which was acquired by Wyeth in 1994, which itself was acquired by Pfizer in 2009. During this time he participated in research in a number of therapeutic areas, including diabetes and obesity, antibiotics, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and oncology. His group discovered the novel antibiotic Tygacil®, which was approved by the FDA for use against resistant bacterial infections in 2005. He is the author of 25 patents, and 35 academic papers, including a chapter on new therapies for hepatitis C in Burger’s Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Discovery and Development, 7th Edition (Wiley, 2010), and has given numerous invited lectures about how the pharmaceutical industry really works.
Dr. Bloom joined the American Council on Science and Health in 2010 as ACSH’s Director of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and has since published more than 60 op-eds in numerous periodicals, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, New Scientist, The New York Post, National Review Online, The Boston Herald, and The Chicago Tribune, and given numerous radio and television interview on topics related to drugs and chemicals. In 2014, Dr. Bloom was invited to become a featured writer for the site Science 2.0, where he wrote more 75 pieces on a broad range of topics.