List of health scares

A health scare is a widely reported story about the danger of something, usually a consumer good or medical product. Such scares have been promoted for decades but have become more popular with the advent of the Internet. They may be based on a misinterpretation of scientific studies, or, as has happened more recently, complete fabrication. This page lists widely reported media stories about how some good or product may have a certain adverse health effect, regardless of whether subsequent research confirmed the proposed link, debunked it, or has been inconclusive.

In 1998, a paper, of which Andrew Wakefield was the lead author, was published in The Lancet suggesting that the MMR vaccine might cause autism. Since then, many epidemiological studies have refuted this hypothesis, and Wakefield has been found guilty of scientific fraud. The vaccine-autism link, since it has led to declining vaccination rates and, in turn, epidemics and deaths of vaccine-preventable diseases, has been called the "most damaging medical hoax of the last 100 years."

In 1998 an email began circulating claiming that aspartame, an artificial sweetener, caused many chronic diseases, including multiple sclerosis and lupus. The email was attributed to "Nancy Markle" and cited sources such as the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation and the World Environmental Conference. However, although it appears credible, the claims made in the email are a complete fabrication, and statements about the toxicity of methanol produced by aspartame metabolism rely on ignoring the small amounts produced by this process.

Some types of shampoo contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) as a foaming agent. Also in the late 1990s, many websites claimed that this ingredient could, at the doses found in shampoo, cause cancer. However, according to the American Cancer Society, SLS is an irritant, not a carcinogen, and according to David Emery of About.com, this claim is promoted primarily by makers of all-natural personal care products.

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