Synopsis
Howard G. Smith, M.D. is a former radio medical editor and talk show host in the Boston Metro area. He was heard on WBZ-AM, WRKO-AM, and WMRE-AM presenting his "Medical Minute" of health and wellness news and commentary. His popular two-way talk show, Dr. Howard Smith OnCall, was regularly heard Sunday morning and middays on WBZ. He also was a fill-in host during evenings on the same station.More recently, he has adopted the 21st century technology of audio and video podcasting as conduits for the short health and wellness reports, HEALTH NEWS YOU SHOULD USE, and the timely how-to recommendations, HEALTH TIPS YOU CAN'T SKIP. Many of these have video versions, and they may be found on his YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPOSWu-b4GjEK_iOCsp4MATrained at Harvard Medical School and a long-time faculty member at Boston Childrens Hospital, he practiced Pediatric Otolaryngology for 40 years in Boston, Southern California, and in central Connecticut. Now that his clinical responsibilities have diminished, he will be filing news reports and creating commentaries regularly. Then several times a month, the aggregated the reports will appear as DR. SMITH'S HEALTH NEWS ROUNDUPS on his YouTube and podcast feeds. If you have questions or suggestions about this content, please email the doctor at drhowardsmith.reports@gmail.com or leave him a message at 516-778-8864. His website is: www.drhowardsmith.com.Please note that the news, views, commentary, and opinions that Dr. Smith provides are for informational purposes only. Any changes that you or members of your family contemplate making to lifestyle, diet, medications, or medical therapy should always be discussed beforehand with personal physicians who have been supervising your care.
Episodes
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Party Favors Lite-Up Torches and Mini Laser Pointers Contain Dangerous Button Batteries
08/09/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOWnSwaD-9r/These products contain easily accessible button cell batteries that, if swallowed by babies and young children, cause internal chemical burns, serious injuries, or death. Affected are models PF-1082, PF-1227, PF-1153, and PF-1084.About 10,100 of these products were sold in the US at All Star Toys in Brooklyn, New York; Home Bargain and One Dollar Only in San Francisco, California; Dollar Mart in Houston, Texas; and Almacenes Colon in Carolina, Puerto Rico from June 2024 through May 2025.Stop using these Lite-Up Torches and Mini Laser Pointers, keep them out of children’s reach, and contact MTC Trading at 1-650-866-4800 or by email at mtcmans@gmail.com for a full refund. To obtain the refund, you must email a photo confirming disposal of the recalled products. Then, dispose of these button batteries at your local hazardous waste disposal center.https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Party-Favors-Lite-Up-Torches-and-Laser-Pointers-Recalled-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Inju
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Air Vent Electric Motors For Attic Fans Short-Circuit
08/09/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOWmdz0jZrc/These motors have a defective safety cutoff switch allows overheating and electrical fires. Affected are gable- and roof-mounted model numbers DOW-136-0-34-XIN, DOW-136-0-26-XIN, DOW-136-0-40-XIN, DOW-136-0-40-XIN-3/4”, and D-RE-PSC-127/20-4P1SP.About 2.9 million units were sold in the US at retailers and wholesalers including ABC Supply, Lowe’s, and Beacon both in-store and online from August 2003 through December 2013.Immediately stop running these recalled motors and contact Air Vent at 1-877-247-4878 or by email at info@powermaxmotorrecall.expertinquiry.com for a refund. You must complete the online registration and verification form and submit photos of the attic fan motor to the email.https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Electric-Motors-for-Gable-and-Roof-Mounted-Attic-Fans-Recalled-Due-to-Fire-Hazard-Distributed-by-Air-Vent#airvent #attic #fans #shortcircuit #fires #burns #recall
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RYOBI Electric Pressure Washers Fire Projectiles At You
08/09/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOWln1VjF6X/Capacitors inside these units burst, eject parts at high speed, and create a serious projectile hazard that leads to user or bystander injuries. Affected are models RY142300 and RY142711VNM.About 764,000 pressure washers were sold in the US and about 16,000 were sold in Canada at Home Depot and Direct Tools Factory Outlet stores nationwide as well as online at homedepot.com and directtoolsoutlet.com from July 2017 through June 2024.Stop using these recalled pressure washers and go to ryobitools.com/recall to check if your unit is affected. If so, you will receive a free repair kit which includes a replacement capacitor, shipping, and installation instructions. Proof of purchase is not required. For more information, contact TTI Outdoor Power Equipment at 1-800-597-9624 or by email at Recall@ryobitools.com.https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/TTI-Outdoor-Power-Equipment-Recalls-RYOBI-Pressure-Washers-Due-to-Projectile-Hazard-Risk-of-Serious-Injury#ryobi #pressure
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C.A.M.P. Nimbus Lock Carabiners Make You Fall
08/09/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOWknWtjnEx/Their automatic closing mechanisms are dangerously defective and prevent the gate from closing with risks of falls, serious injuries, and death. These carabiners were sold individually and in packs including the Nimbus Lock 3 Pack, Locker Draw KS, Energy CR3 Pack, and Energy Nova Pack. About 12,600 carabiners were sold in the US and about 2,100 were sold in Canada at REI, Portland Mountain Shop, How Not 2, and other stores nationwide, as well as online through Camp-usa.com, Backcountry.com, Amazon.com, REI.com, Mountainshop.net, and Hownot2.com from January 2024 through July 2025.Stop using these recalled Nimbus Lock Carabiners and contact C.A.M.P. at 1-877-421-2267 or by email at warranties@camp-usa.com to participate in the recall. You will need to complete the recall form at camp-usa.com/nimbus-lock-safety-recall-registration-form, print a prepaid return shipping label, and send back the product. C.A.M.P. will inspect the returned carabiners and either shi
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DT Swiss Carbon Fiber Road Wheels Shatter
08/09/2025 Duration: 01minDT Swiss Carbon Fiber Road Wheels ShatterVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOWjwKij5GQ/Defects in these wheels compromise their structural integrity and create crash and injury hazards. Affected are lot numbers with DT Swiss ID code 2740000 or higher.About 6,000 wheels were sold in the US, and about 150 were sold in Canada at independent bicycle dealers nationwide and also sold as original equipment on various bicycle brands from September 2024 through July 2025.Stop using these recalled wheels immediately and contact DT Swiss at 1-800-000-1994 or by email at Recall@dtswiss.com to coordinate a replacement. You must register your affected wheels with DT Swiss at www.dtswiss.com/recall in order to receive a remedy.https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/DT-Swiss-Recalls-Carbon-Wheels-Due-to-Crash-Hazard#dtswiss #carbonwheels #fracture #crashes #injuries #recall
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Lulive 12-Drawer Dressers Crush Children
08/09/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOWi1yMDXea/These dressers are unstable if not anchored to the wall and pose a serious tip-over and entrapment hazard that can result in injury or death to children. Affected is lot number KF-X9Y.About 3,500 of these dressers were sold on Amazon between March 2025 and June 2025.Stop filling these recalled dressers immediately if they are not anchored to the wall.Place them in an area children cannot access. Contact Lulive at 1-866-610-4348 or by email at lulive12recall@sina.com for instructions on how to dispose of the dressers to receive a full refund once a photo of the disposal is submitted to the email.https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Lulive-Recalls-Dressers-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Injury-or-Death-from-Tip-Over-and-Entrapment-Violates-Mandatory-Standard-for-Clothing-Storage-Units-Sold-on-Amazon-by-Lulive#lulive #dresser #tipover #entrap #crush #children #death #recall
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Makita Professional Cordless Grease Guns and Makita Grease Gun Hoses Unexpectedly Shoot Grease
08/09/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOWiCrCiY1x/The recall is due to a laceration hazard, as the flexible grease gun hose can develop a hole and eject grease during use leading to laceration hazards. Affected are models XPG01S1, XPG01SR1, XPG01Z and hose models 191A79-9, 191A80-4, 191W58-9, and 191W59-7.About 62,927 of these products have been sold at hardware and home improvement stores and on various websites from June 2020 through January 2025.Stop using these recalled grease guns and hoses and contact Makita at 1-800-462-5482 or by email at greasegunrecall@makitausa.com for a free replacement hose.https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Makita-USA-Inc-Recalls-Cordless-Grease-Guns-and-Grease-Gun-Hoses-Due-to-Laceration-Hazard#makita #greasegun #hoses #laceration #recall
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URMYWO Baby Loungers Could Suffocate Your Baby
08/09/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOWgRVpDxZ8/These loungers violate mandatory standards for infant sleep products. The sides are shorter than required, the sleeping pads are too thick, and an infant can fall out or become entrapped. Affected is model UMCZC01AE.About 23,000 of these dangerous baby loungers have been sold on Amazon from January 2024 through April 2025Immediately stop using these baby loungers and contact Pomona by email at urmyworecall@yundnetwork.com or urmyworecall@outlook.com for a full refund. To receive a refund, remove the sleeping pad, cut up the sides and the sleeping pad, and email a photo of the destroyed lounger to urmyworecall@outlook.com.https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/URMYWO-Baby-Loungers-Recalled-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Injury-or-Death-from-Suffocation-and-Fall-Hazard-Violates-Mandatory-Standard-for-Infant-Sleep-Products-Sold-on-Amazon-by-Pomona#urmywo #pomona #baby #loungers #suffocation #death #recall
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Are You Suffering From Dietary Nightmares?
26/08/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DN0_LWeXrmH/The answer is yes if you can’t tolerate certain foods such as those containing lactose. Canadian sleep researchers at the University of Montreal and MacEwan University surveyed 1082 college students and found an impressive link between nightmares and diet.Data gathered included dietary information, food intolerances, allergies, personality type, measures of sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and dreams using the Nightmare Disorder Index. The results. About a third of participants reported frequent nightmares, and women were more likely than men to experience poor sleep, remember dreams, and report food sensitivities. Forty percent of all surveyed reported that their diet affected their sleep quality. Sweet desserts were blamed by 31% while 22% blamed dairy. Healthy food intake avoiding late night ingestion was associated with better dream recall. The opposite: a diet of fatty, greasy, spicy foods and including late night gorging led to
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A Vaccine Against Pancreatic Cancer
26/08/2025 Duration: 02minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DN0-HNvXPcP/An already FDA-approved cancer vaccine was spectacularly effective in controlling pancreatic cancers that carry the KRAS markers. A multi-center phase 1 study, helmed by oncologists at New York’s Sloan Kettering and Texas’ MD Anderson, studied the vaccine labeled ELI-002 developed by Boston’s Elicio Therapeutics. The results demonstrated that the vaccine can trigger a vigorous killer T cell response to this KRAS marker carried by 88% of pancreatic cancers. They also showed that 65% of patients who mounted this T cell response to the vaccine enjoyed no radiographic progression of their cancers. Even more exciting, five of the sewpatients were free of tumor relapse without any subsequent therapy following the vaccine. When the study ended after nearly 20 months, these excellent responders were all alive without evidence of cancer recurrence. In contrast, the untreated controls developed cancer relapses in an average of 3 months and only survived an average
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Laughing Gas Fun Is Deadly
26/08/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DN09U9v2nzK/I recently reported the troubling surge in laughing gas recreational use highlighting the damage that this nitrous oxide gas can do to your mouth and throat as it cools. This rising use of the drug is also killing more of us each year. I am sad to report that 1240 Americans lost their live sto nitrous oxide poisoning between the years 2010 and 2023.This widely-used medicinal gas safely helps to smooth the induction of general anesthesia in the operation room. In the party room, though, its careless inhalation from pressurized canisters that serve as whipped cream chargers leads to oxygen deprivation, neurological damage, and death.Don’t let that happen to your or your children. Educate, educate, educate.https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2836925#laughinggas #nitrousoxide #whippets #hypoxia #death
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Halting Knee Osteoarthritis Without Medications Or Surgery
26/08/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DN08cgWau2f/What’s the trick? A small modification in your walking gait could delay any need for knee replacement surgery for years. So say University of Utah bioengineers and musculoskeletal researchers after studying a select group of 68 patients with knee arthritis in a year-long placebo-controlled trial.Their Lancet Rheumotology study revealed that a slight change in the foot angle while walking reduced both the pain and destructive changes of osteoarthritis as effectively as pain and anti-inflammatory medications. The necessary change in foot angle varied for each individual: for some, turning the toes slightly inward did the trick, while for others, turning outward worked better.The study participants trained with motion-capture and biofeedback. They then practiced at home until their slightly modified gait felt natural. Remarkably, they stuck with the adjustment for the duration of the study.The most exciting findings: At the study’s conclusion, the MRI scans o
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Ultra-Sensitive Rapid Disease Detection
26/08/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DN07cQI3q01/Gold nanoparticles, coated with specific antibodies to viruses, bacteria, or virtually any disease-causing agent, now form the basis of a diagnostic system 100,000 times more sensitive than current technologies and capable of delivering a result in about 15 minutes. Molecular bioengineers at Arizona State University have developed the reagents and the detection device they’ve named the NasRED, which stands for Nanoparticle-Supported Rapid Electronic Detection.For example, when exposed to say antigens from CoVid viruses, the CoVid-antibody coated gold nanoparticles clump together and capably reflect light in the NasRed detector. This one-drop blood test can rapidly and precisely detect COVID-19, influenza, HIV, Ebola, and/or Lyme with unprecedented precision. Each test costs about two dollars, a fraction of the price of current lab methods. The detection device is small and portable permitting its use in rural hospital and clinics. Work is already underway t
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Novel Approach To Transplant Immunosuppression
26/08/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DN06krQ2q-f/Immunologists at the Medical University of South Carolina have found a way to direct the body’s immune system to censor itself permitting transplanted human organs to flourish with medicinal immunosuppression. Their study appeared recently in Frontiers in Immunology.The investigators genetically engineered so-called regulatory T cells, Treg lymphocytes, to selectively destroy those B lymphocytes programmed to produce the antibodies that attack transplanted organs. This self-immunosuppression could extend the life of transplanted organs and permit so-called presensitized patients with pre-existing B lymphocytes ready to churn out anti-organ antibodies an opportunity for successful transplantation. Let’s hope clinical trials demonstrate the utility of this approach.https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250817/Genetically-engineered-immune-cells-show-promise-for-preventing-organ-rejection.aspxhttps://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2
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Bacteria As Trojan Horses To Kill Tumor Cells
26/08/2025 Duration: 02minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DN05tuXXix_/In the search for ever more effective and selective ways to fight cancer, researchers at Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science in collaboration with those at Rockefeller University have bioengineered a bacterium that selectively ferries a cell-killing virus into cancer cells. They call this system CAPPSID which stands for Coordinated Activity of Prokaryote and Picornavirus for Safe Intracellular Delivery.The prokaryote in question is a salmonella species and the picornavirus is the Senecavirus. This salmonella selectively invades tumor cells and delivers not only the virus but also an enzyme necessary to activate the virus once inside the tumor cell. This permits the virus to slip past the immune system, sneak into cancers, and attack tumor cells from the inside.Using a preclinical mouse model, the bacteria successfully homed in on their tumors, delivered the virus, and then self-destructed to release it. To prevent the virus from
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Are you aware Of The Ticking Time Bomb That Is High Blood Pressure?
26/08/2025 Duration: 03minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DN04xTN2nvK/Blah, blah blah you’re thinking. Yea, yea, yea Dr. Smith I’ve heard this all before. PLEASE don’t click off and give me a couple minutes to help you save your own life or the lives of those you love.An astounding 77% of Americans do not know that blood pressures greater than 130/80 are a significant risk for heart attack and stroke as well as dementia, kidney failure, and blindness. One in 4 still think the numbers are the old cutoffs 140/90. So discovered University of Pennsylvania public health researchers after they they surveyed 1653 of our friends and neighbors this past April.Among their key findings:-24% don’t know the blood pressure levels that are considered high. The cutoff is now 130/80, not 140/90.-37% assume incorrectly that high blood pressure always has noticeable symptoms like dizziness and shortness of breath; they don’t know that high blood pressure is a silent illness.-39% think that your blood pressure is fine if you are calm and relax
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CoVid Infections Age Your Blood Vessels
26/08/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DN038nZ3AWE/Even a mild case of CoVid will age your vital arteries 5 years. This from a study by French cardiologists recently published in the European Heart Journal. The cardiovascular researchers studied data from 2090 individuals in 16 countries from late 2020 through early 2022. Arterial aging was estimated by measuring the degree of vessel stiffness using pulse wave propagation measurements. The negative effects of a CoVid infection were more significant in women and in those reporting lingering, long CoVid symptoms.On the positive side, those vaccinated against CoVid suffered less arterial stiffening following a CoVid infection. Add this to the other benefits of vaccination including a less severe infection with a significantly lower risk of death.It’s important to note that vascular aging, when “natural” or prodded along by CoVid, can be reduced by exercise, blood pressure control, healthy eating, and cholesterol-lowering medications. Just to repeat, If unche
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Clear-type E-Cigarettes Rot Your Heart Faster
26/08/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DN023UfWjJq/So-called “clear e-cigarettes that contain synthetic cooling agents trigger greater blood pressure and heart rate increases than menthol flavored e-cigarettes. Yale and Boston University researchers issue this warning following their study of 200 young adult vapers and non-vapers. They analyzed 3 groups: 23 clear-ecig vapers; 111 non-clear vapers; and 73 non-vapers. Their paper appears in the Journal of the American Heart Association.These “clear” vapes contain WS-23 or WS-3, both synthetic coolants that mimic menthol’s cooling effects but impart no flavor to the vapor. The data revealed that these agents were associated with greater heart strains than e-cigs containing menthol itself. The investigators suggest that these synthetic cooling agents have been introduced to circumvent bans against flavorings in vaping products, such as the ones in Massachusetts, California, New York State, Delaware, and elect cities around the country,.While this study only look
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Fromi USA Brie Royal Faucon Cheese Is Listeria Contaminated
23/08/2025 Duration: 59sVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DNrzfRnaKSG/This bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Affected is Lot Number 615.About 12 cases of this cheese was sold at Cheese Plate Brooklyn – Park Slope and Cheese Plate Brooklyn – Carroll Gardens between July 24 and August 13, 2025.Return this cheese to the place of purchase for a full refund. For questions, contact Fromi USA at 1-212-583-4920 or via the email info@fromiusa.com.https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/fromi-usa-recalls-brie-royal-faucon-1kg-because-possible-health-risk#fromi #brie #cheese #listeria #infection #recall
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Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op’s Products Have Listeria Contamination
23/08/2025 Duration: 01minVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DNrymjdWsfn/This bacterium causes a severe and sometimes fatal systemic infection in the very young, older frail individuals, and those with weakened immune systems. Listeria can also trigger miscarriages and stillbirths. The affected items include 100% Grass-Fed Pepper Jack Cheese with Lot Code 251661; Copia Collective 100% Grass-Fed Pepper Jack Cheese with Lot Code 251661; Horseradish Flavored Cheese with Lot Code 2524061; Monterey Jack Cheese with Lot Code 251672 and s dated 7-16-25B; and Farmers Cheese in the same sizes and codes.About 5,433 pounds of cheese were sold in Ohio between July 14 and August 7, 2025. The products were shipped to manufacturers, distributors, and sold in retail stores across the state.Do not not eat these cheeses. Return them to the place of purchase for a refund. For questions, contact Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op at 1-440-632-5567 or via the email nevinbyler@middlefieldcheese.com.https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-