Podcast: Time to quit ‘baby’ aspirin? Tobacco-industry science denial; Dutch farmer protests

Is it time to give up low-dose aspirin as a heart-attack prevention tool? New evidence suggests that the risks may outweigh the benefits for many people. The tobacco industry followed a science-denial playbook that helped it stave off regulation of cigarettes. Are activist groups using the same strategy today in their campaign against pesticides? Dutch farmers have pushed back on their government’s proposal to restrict animal agriculture. Will this dispute over “green” farm policies spread to other nations?

Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 184 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

Many adults have been told for years that low-dose aspirin can reduce their heart attack risk. Taking 325 milligrams during a heart attack can reduce complications, experts still believe. But evidence gathered in the last six years indicates that using the pain reliever as a preventative measure isn’t always worth the risks it carries—gastrointestinal irritation and bleeding. While changing guidelines can be frustrating, they underscore the value of following the data wherever they lead.

The tobacco industry perfected science denial; using cherry-picked statistics and clever but misleading arguments, the major cigarette companies kept the political debate over their products going for years, even after the evidence clearly showed that smoking was deadly. With so many activist groups lobbying for bans on low-risk pesticides, we face an intriguing question: are these contrarians in the environmental movement aping the tobacco industry’s tactics?

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The Dutch government says it wants to take practical steps to mitigate the dangers of climate change, which include restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions from animal agriculture. The country’s farmers are having none of it. They say they’ve already significantly reduced their emissions, and can cut them even further as new technologies enable more sustainable production. The government’s proposed regulations will radically cut food production and exports, the farmers warn, at a time when prices are already sky high thanks to war in Ukraine and inflation.

It appears that other countries are modeling emissions-reductions proposals on the Dutch government’s plan, making the dispute between farmers and politicians in the Netherlands a bellwether of what we may see unfold around the world.

Kevin M. Folta is a professor, keynote speaker and podcast host. Follow Professor Folta on Twitter @kevinfolta

Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health. Visit his website and follow ACSH on Twitter @ACSHorg

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