The problem of overdiagnosis and overtreatment of diseases
Studies show people are receiving treatment for ailments which may never have serious implications on their health
Stream of ash
State-run thermal power plant pollutes rivulet; disturbs livelihood and health of people in 27 Andhra Pradesh villages
Children of a lesser god
Children don't have a voice. They can't lobby or fight governments. The initiative lies with India's medical establishment and the civil society
Soft Target
Children are bearing the brunt of environmental degradation. Across the class divide, they are eating, drinking and breathing poison. And their …
Lateral Thoughts: Waiting for bad news
Adverse reactions are part and parcel of vaccination. We can know about safety of COVID-19 vaccines being used in India only after people receive …
Berries boost effectiveness of cancer treatment
Extract of chokeberries found to hasten death of pancreatic cancer cells when added to chemotherapy drug, says study
Hirakud, 7 other Odisha wetlands show high levels of toxic heavy metals
High carcinogenic risk at Hirakud for adults and children; Heavy metals can enter crops through soil, get consumed by humans, warns study
World No Tobacco Day: Tobacco farming adding to global food crisis, says WHO
Growing sustainable crops can help address acute global food insecurity, governments urged to stop tobacco farming subsidies
As told to Parliament (February 10, 2023): Smriti Irani says her ministry ‘unaware’ of CSE report on malnutrition deaths
The report by Centre for Science & Environment and DTE shows over 1.7 million Indians die every year due to poor diet
Bread makers’ body withdraws potassium bromate; CSE welcomes move
A CSE study found 84 per cent of bread samples in Delhi to contain potassium bromate and/or potassium iodate, two food that may have adverse …
Testing cervical cancer made easy
New device called AV Magnivisualizer will assist initial screening; can operate on battery in remote areas
Faceless Figures
The status of cancer data in India is as scary as the killer itself. The most recent data on cancer by the Indian Council of Medical Research is …
Wooing the judges, openly
There is conflict of interest as US patent owners schedule meetings with Indian judiciary and patent regulators
Why we need a new lens to clear the air
Science may have become our only crutch against bad air, but it is time we invented a new politics of space that privileges the walker and the cyclist
Researchers assess Iceland’s DNA
The study would go a long way in finding women at risk of developing breast cancer, according to the team
Novartis loses patent appeal in landmark suit
Supreme Court upholds amended law that bars patents for insignificant improvements to an existing drug—in this case anti-cancer drug …
The US takes on a drug giant
The US government's patent lawsuit against Gilead Sciences indicates it is tired of being milked by pharma companies
Lifestyle diseases are the biggest killers in India
Down To Earth’s recently launched biennial publication shows crucial links between environment and health, some of them yet unexplored
Pollution control boards should set their own deadline
An effective regulatory framework for pollution control boards can enable authorities to monitor air pollution better
A bite of cancer?
A CSE study has found residues of potassium bromate and/or iodate in many types of bread. The additives have been banned by many countries for …
A myriad gene worries
Angelina Jolie’s dramatic disclosure has focused attention on gene patenting which has become a problematic legal question
Living with smokers is as bad as living in polluted cities
Passive smoking can expose non-smokers to three times the officially recommended levels of fine particulate matter
Medical waste incineration plant in Bihar’s Sone river bed faces public flak
The waste generated from 98 industrial units across Bihar will be transported to the proposed unit for burning, posing health risks to …
Don't ignore the deadly sign
Government buckles under pressure from tobacco industry and halts order on large pictorial warnings on tobacco products. Will profit prevail over …
Centre bans gutkha
Activists, health experts are sceptical; pin hope on Supreme Court’s verdict on smokeless tobacco