Tag: safety

FDA Warns About Potentially Radioactive Frozen Shrimp Sold at Walmart Stores

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday issued a public warning against potentially radioactive frozen shrimp products sold at Walmart stores in several states.

The FDA alert urged the public not to consume, sell, or serve certain Great Value raw frozen shrimp due to possible contamination with Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope.

Impacted Shrimp Products

Walmart also shared the FDA’s warning on its website.

The impacted raw frozen shrimp products were sold under the Great Value brand at stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.

The impacted products have been stamped with lot codes 8005540-1, 8005538-1, and 8005539-1.

They also have Best by Dates of 3/15/2027.

What is Cesium-137?

Cesium-137, also referred to as Cs-137, is a radioactive isotope of cesium that is man-made through nuclear reactions, according to the FDA. The agency says because Cs-137 is “widespread worldwide,” trace amounts of the radioisotope can be found in soil, food, and the air.

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UK discloses ‘serious nuclear incident’ at Navy base

A “serious nuclear incident” occurred at a Navy base in Scotland earlier this year, the UK Ministry of Defence has admitted, prompting concerns over poor maintenance of Britain’s nuclear weapons and a lack of transparency.

The Category A event – the most serious classification for nuclear site incidents – took place between January and April at HMNB Clyde in Faslane, which houses all Royal Navy submarines, including Vanguard-class vessels armed with Trident nuclear missiles. Such events carry “actual or high potential for radioactive release to the environment.” The ministry has refused to provide details, leaving it unclear whether radioactive material actually escaped.

The disclosure was made by procurement minister Maria Eagle in response to a parliamentary question about Nuclear Site Event Reports (NSERs) at Faslane and the nearby Coulport naval base. Eagle said Faslane recorded one Category A event in that period, along with two Category B, seven Category C and four Category D incidents, according to media reports on Thursday. Coulport, which stores nuclear missiles and warheads, reported four Category C and nine Category D events.

Category B incidents involve a contained release or unplanned radiation exposure, Category C entails moderate release potential, while a category D incident is unlikely to cause a release but may show negative trends.

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HHS Reboots ‘Task Force On Safer Childhood Vaccines’

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Thursday announced the reinstatement of the Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines, a federal panel “created by Congress to improve the safety, quality, and oversight of vaccines administered to American children.”

“[T]oday’s action reaffirms the Department’s commitment towards continuous improvement in childhood vaccine safety oversight,” the HHS press release reads.

“HHS will transmit its first formal report to Congress within two years, with updates every two years thereafter.”

The original Task Force had been disbanded in 1998.

“By reinstating this Task Force, we are reaffirming our commitment to rigorous science, continuous improvement, and the trust of American families,” said National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya. “NIH is proud to lead this effort to advance vaccine safety and support innovation that protects children without compromise.”

The Task Force is made up of senior leadership from NIH, FDA, and CDC.

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MAHA Advocates Urge Trump To Block Immunity For Pesticide And Chemical Manufacturers

As anticipation builds about the upcoming Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission Report’s release, 241 MAHA advocates sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to prevent the House of Representatives from limiting regulation for pesticides and “forever chemicals” in its environmental appropriations bill.

“We ask you to take action to make sure any protections for pesticides are stricken from this Appropriations bill,” the letter says, or risk losing Republican backing.

The letter also expressed opposition to liability shields for pesticide companies.

Every year, more than 1.1 billion pounds of pesticides are used on U.S. farmland, including dozens of chemicals banned in other developed nations, the letter states.

“These toxic substances are present in our food, air, soil, and water, and are increasingly in our children’s bodies, negatively impacting normal brain development and hormonal function,” the letter explains.

“Extensive peer-reviewed research has linked glyphosate to infertility, increased reproductive risks, and 6 of the top 10 most common cancers in the [United States]. At the same time, atrazine is a known endocrine disruptor affecting sexual development, and paraquat has been linked to Parkinson’s and neurological and respiratory diseases.”

Signers of the letter highlighted provisions in the Fiscal Year 2026 House Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill—Sections 453 and 507 —which they claim create broad product-liability protections for domestic and foreign pesticide and chemical manufacturers “by refusing to fund the critical, legally required scientific safety assessments needed to update labels across more than 57,000 synthetic chemicals.”

“Numerous pesticides that fall under Section 453 are chemicals that are already banned in multiple other developed nations. Despite a massive outcry from citizens, the House Appropriations committee passed the spending bill last month with Section 453 and Section 507 intact,” the letter states.

MAHA advocates also expressed concern about Section 507 because “it prohibits the EPA from finalizing risk assessments for PFOA and PFOS forever chemicals found in biosolids spread on farmer’s fields and eliminates funding for community health monitoring, new research, and the cleanup of more than 70 million acres of U.S. 2 farmland contaminated with PFAS from the application of biosolids.”

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RFK Cracks Down on mRNA Vaccines

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been actively working to protect the health of the nation by reviewing what constitutes a “safe and effective” vaccine. He has banned a mercury preservative that held no health benefits. Now, Kennedy has ordered the discontinuation of 22 mRNA vaccines that post more risks than benefits.

These 22 contracts were worth $500 million—plain and simple, that is why they have not been banned or reviewed. HHS “supports safe and effective vaccines for every American who wants them,” Kennedy reiterated, as his opponents want the public to believe he is anti-vax when he is working to invest in better solutions that are actually beneficial to the people rather than big pharma.

“Most of these shots are for flu or COVID, but as the pandemic showed us, mRNA vaccines don’t perform well against viruses that affect the upper respiratory tract,” Kennedy explained, adding that these mRNA vaccinations “only codes for a small part of the viral proteins.”

“This dynamic drives a phenomenon called ‘antigenic shift,’ meaning that the vaccine paradoxically encourages new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine,” he explained.

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North Carolina DMV Hits All DEI Targets, Misses Road Safety Goals

North Carolina’s Division of Motor Vehicles achieved 100 percent of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) benchmarks in 2024 but failed to meet several core performance goals related to safety, infrastructure, and fiscal responsibility, according to the Department of Transportation’s most recent annual report.

The report from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) reveals that the state’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reached its DEI target for 2024 while falling short on several other key performance metrics, including road safety, infrastructure maintenance, and fiscal management.

According to the 2024 Annual Performance Report (page 65), the DMV fulfilled its DEI goal entirely. However, it did not achieve full success in four other categories:

  • “Maintain fiscal responsibility”
  • “Make transportation safer”
  • “Improve the reliability and connectivity of the transportation system”
  • “Deliver and maintain our infrastructure efficiently and effectively”

The report comes as former Gov. Roy Cooper (D), who appointed DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin in 2022, has launched a campaign for U.S. Senate in the 2026 race.

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Why the Pesticide Liability Protection Act Threatens Our Food Supply and the Health of a Nation

As stewards of the land and providers of our nation’s food supply, farmers and ranchers carry a profound moral obligation—to produce the safest, healthiest, and most nutritious food on the planet. It is not just our livelihood; it is our responsibility to future generations.

That is why I am writing today with deep concern regarding the Pesticide Liability Protection Act currently under consideration in Congress. If enacted, this legislation could cause irreparable harm—not just to the health of farmers and ranchers who work directly with these chemicals, but to the broader public who unknowingly consume their residues.

The Dangerous Path of Corporate Immunity

This bill threatens to open the floodgates for a new wave of pesticides and herbicides engineered by agrochemical giants—products that may be even more toxic than those currently on the market. By shielding these corporations from legal accountability, it removes their last remaining incentive to ensure their chemicals are safe.

We have seen this story before. In 1986, Congress passed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, granting pharmaceutical companies immunity from liability for vaccine-related injuries. The consequences were swift and staggering: a surge in new products, rushed to market without proper safeguards, and a dramatic rise in chronic health conditions in children and adults alike. It was a public health turning point, and not for the better.

The parallels to our current situation are striking. Consider the case of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup. Bayer (which acquired Monsanto in 2018) has faced more than 177,000 lawsuits involving the weedkiller and set aside $16 billion to settle cases. Over $11 billion has been paid out in Roundup lawsuit settlements, with individual jury awards reaching as high as $2.1 billion in recent cases.

These staggering financial settlements reflect the real human cost of inadequate chemical safety oversight. Even more alarming is the widespread exposure we’re seeing in our most vulnerable population: children. About 87 percent of 650 children tested had detectable levels of glyphosate in their urine, according to CDC analysis. Research shows that children exhibit higher levels of glyphosate in biofluids than adults, and recent studies indicate that higher levels of glyphosate residue in urine in childhood and adolescence were associated with higher risk of liver inflammation and metabolic disorders in young adulthood.

To repeat that same mistake with our nation’s food supply would be unconscionable.

Why the Pesticide Liability Protection Act Is Unconstitutional

The Pesticide Liability Protection Act fundamentally violates several core Constitutional principles that form the bedrock of American jurisprudence:

Due Process Violations (5th and 14th Amendments): The Act deprives citizens of their fundamental right to seek redress in courts for injuries caused by defective or dangerous products. This violates substantive due process by eliminating a basic property right—the right to compensation for harm—without adequate justification or alternative remedies.

Equal Protection Concerns: The legislation creates an arbitrary distinction between victims of chemical company negligence and all other tort victims. There is no rational basis for why those harmed by pesticides should have fewer legal rights than those harmed by other dangerous products.

Separation of Powers: By preemptively shielding an entire industry from judicial review, Congress unconstitutionally interferes with the judiciary’s role in adjudicating disputes and determining liability. This represents legislative overreach into the judicial branch’s constitutional domain.

Takings Clause Violations: The Act effectively takes private property—the right to legal recourse—without just compensation, violating the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause.

The Supreme Court has consistently held that access to courts is a fundamental right, and any legislation that bars entire categories of claims must meet strict constitutional scrutiny. The Pesticide Liability Protection Act fails this test.

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THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH

The Department of Health and Human Services just admitted that mRNA injections are not safe and they do not work.

Yet, these biological weapons remain on the market and are still being injected into people.

“As the pandemic showed us, mRNA vaccines don’t perform well against viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract.”

“The vaccine paradoxically encourages new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine.”

“After reviewing the science and consulting top experts at NIH and FDA, HHS has determined that mRNA technology poses more risks than benefits for these respiratory viruses.

“Going forward, BARDA will focus on platforms with stronger safety records and transparent clinical and manufacturing data practices.”

“BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu.”

“Some final-stage contracts (e.g., Arcturus and Amplitude) will be allowed to run their course to preserve prior taxpayer investment.”

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50 Bizarre Side Effects of Common Medicines

Medicine saves lives every day, combating everything from infections to chronic pain. But the little-discussed reality is that adverse drug reactions are the third leading cause of death in the US, claiming over 250,000 lives annually.

Even more insidious, side effects can emerge months or years after starting—or stopping—a medication, long after you’ve forgotten about it, as seen with delayed tendon damage from antibiotics or bone issues from osteoporosis drugs.

These delayed reactions highlight how drugs can ripple through the body in unexpected ways, affecting organs and systems far beyond their intended target.

From hormonal havoc to bizarre behavioral shifts, here are 50 peculiar side effects that remind us: while medicine helps, it can also unleash chaos we never saw coming.

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Research Increasingly Links Pesticides To Neurological Disorders

Are neurological diseases increasing around the world? Yes and no, according to a report published by The Lancet in 2024 on the global burden of nervous system diseases between 1990 and 2021.

About 3 billion — a third of the world’s people — suffer from some nervous system condition. These diseases cause 11 million deaths and 443 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which are a measure of the years lost to illness, disability or early death. Neurological disorders are now the world’s largest source of disability.

The Lancet report does not include an analysis of the role of pesticides in the burden of neurological disease worldwide, although environmental health research continues to expand the evidence that pesticide exposure is a major contributor to that burden.

The Lancet report indicates that DALYs from Parkinson’s disease have increased by 10%, and autism spectrum disorder and dementia by 2% each.

Multiple sclerosis has declined by 1%, according to the report. Importantly, most of the improvement has come from medical interventions, not prevention — in other words, people are living longer with the diseases rather than avoiding them altogether.

But this is not true globally: The burden of disease, and particularly premature death, rests most heavily on the developing world, where medical interventions are much more scarce.

A focus on prevention would be a more equitable approach to the problem. See Beyond Pesticides’ deep archive of the evidence on pesticides and neurological diseases in “Pesticide-Induced Diseases: Brain and Nervous System Disorders” section. Our Gateway on Pesticide Hazards is also invaluable for information about specific pesticides and their adverse health effects.

The Lancet’s big picture does not demonstrate that the burden of pesticide-induced neurological disease is declining.

Such a decline seems a logical impossibility, given that more and more people are chronically exposed to more and more pesticides, and more and more research is establishing both population-level and mechanistic evidence of pesticides’ influence on disease induction and outcome, including neurological disorders.

A recent review by Chinese researchers demonstrates that there is no category of pesticide — not herbicides, not fungicides and not insecticides — that does not contribute to neurological dysfunction. The authors recite numerous examples: the herbicide glyphosate affects both cognitive and motor functions.

The fungicides tebuconazole and azoxystrobin are associated with neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Organophosphate insecticides lead to sensory disruption, emotional disturbances and neurodevelopmental problems.

Several “natural” chemicals, including rotenone and the plant growth regulators gibberellic acid and indole-3-butyric acid, affect the expression of some neurologically relevant enzymes. One research group found that the insect repellent DEET applied to rats’ skin killed their neurons.

The review examines studies showing pesticides’ neurological damage relevant to long-term exposures, rather than the usual acute exposures that form the outdated regulatory toxicological approach to pesticide hazards and risks.

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