Gary Ruskin

The Lancet Countdown on health and plastics Plastics are a grave, growing, and under-recognised danger to human and planetary health. Plastics cause disease and death from infancy to old age and are responsible for health-related economic losse...

"Plastics cause disease and death from infancy to old age and are responsible for health-related economic losses exceeding US$1·5 trillion annually."
Via @thelancet.com
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Today, we filed a FOIA lawsuit against the CIA, seeking cables with France’s Directorate General for External Security on Covid origins. France helped build the maximum security lab at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and the French Institut Pasteur had close ties with it.
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WHO Foundation’s growing ‘dark money’ problem raises conflict of interest concerns The transparency of donations to the WHO Foundation -- which raises funds and gives grants to the WHO -- has sunk over its first 3 years of operations.

World Health Organization Foundation’s growing ‘dark money’ problem raises conflict of interest concerns
Via @byng.bsky.social @usrighttoknow.bsky.social
usrtk.org/healthwire/w...

Ultra-processed food leads to obesity: The science explained Why people who eat a lot of ultra-processed food tend to be at risk of gaining weight or becoming obese.

Ultra-processed food leads to obesity: The science explained. An interview with nutritional epidemiologist Filippa Juul.
Via @byng.bsky.social @usrighttoknow.bsky.social
usrtk.org/healthwire/u...

Microplastics Wreaking Havoc on Human Hormones, Fertility, a New Review Says The chemicals in microplastics cause a plethora of health impacts including harming people’s hormonal systems leading to infertility, and neurological and behavior disorders among other issues, a new ...

Microplastics Wreaking Havoc on Human Hormones, Fertility, a New Review Says
Via @byng.bsky.social @usrighttoknow.bsky.social
usrtk.org/healthwire/m...

Courts banned this herbicide twice. The EPA wants to bring it back. The EPA announced Wednesday its plan to re-register dicamba, a herbicide widely used on soybean and cotton farms that has been banned twice by federal courts.

Latest Trump administration big favor to the pesticide industry: EPA re-registers #dicamba, an herbicide that has twice been banned by federal courts.
washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
Our fact sheet on dicamba:
usrtk.org/pesticides/d...

Study links 'forever chemicals' to increased risk of type 2 diabetes Exposure to a class of synthetic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—often called "forever chemicals"—may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new ...

Study links 'forever chemicals' to increased risk of type 2 diabetes
medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07...

"we showed that exposure to the #PFAS mixture may be associated with higher odds for T2D [type 2 diabetes] over a ∼6-year follow-up period."
www.thelancet.com/journals/EBI...

Merkley, Bynum, Scott, Steube Highlight Dangers of Microplastics with New Bipartisan Bill - Merkley Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) partnered with Florida’s U.S. Senator Rick Scott and U.S. Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17) to i...

A small but worthy bipartisan step forward on microplastics: the Microplastics Safety Act, to require the FDA to produce a report for Congress on the health effects of exposure to microplastics.
www.merkley.senate.gov/merkley-bynu...

How the revolving door spins: Venus Welch-White has left EPA as acting director of the Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs to join CropLife America, the pesticide industry trade association. No surprise that federal regulation of pesticides is so weak.
croplifeamerica.org/news-release...

Dietary Emulsifiers and Their Role in IBD A low-emulsifier-containing diet led to a threefold increased likelihood of improvement in symptoms of Crohn’s disease compared to an emulsifier-containing diet in a randomized double-blind trial.

Yet another reason to shun the emulsifiers in ultra-processed food:
"A low-emulsifier-containing diet led to a threefold increased likelihood of improvement in symptoms of Crohn’s disease compared with an emulsifier-containing diet"
medscape.com/viewarticle/...

Today, we filed #FOIA lawsuits against the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Department of Energy (DOE). These are our 35th and 36th public records lawsuits for documents related to the origin of COVID-19, gain-of-function research and related matters.
usrtk.org/covid-19-ori...

POLITICO Pro: White House says MAHA won't restrict pesticide use Several farm lobbyists remain skeptical the Trump administration will defend their interests as HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. looks to overhaul the nation's food supply.

"Trump administration officials say the White House has no plans to crack down on pesticides in farming, despite a report led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that called crop protection chemicals a danger to people’s health."
Via @politico.com
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

Today, we filed a FOIA lawsuit against the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) for their latest assessment of the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic.
usrtk.org/wp-content/u...

This is our 34th public records lawsuit for documents related to the origin of COVID-19.
usrtk.org/covid-19-ori...

YouTube video by Zembla Glyphosate controversy: inside the pesticide industry’s PR game | Zembla International

Here's an award-winning documentary on glyphosate and pesticide industry public relations: Glyphosate controversy: inside the pesticide industry’s PR game.
Via @zembla-bnnvara.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOkW...

Trump Wants to Kill a Chemical Safety Board. Chemical Makers Object.

Trump Wants to Kill a Chemical Safety Board. "not investigating chemical disasters would be akin to failing to investigate airplane accidents and losing the opportunity to learn from them."
Via @hirokotabuchi.bsky.social @nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/08/c...

EXCLUSIVE: USAID Quietly Sent Thousands Of Viruses To Chinese Military-Linked Biolab The U.S. Agency for International Development shipped viral samples to a lab in Wuhan over the course of a 10-year program without a formal agreement in place.

USAID Quietly Sent Thousands Of Viruses To Chinese Military-Linked Biolab, via Emily Kopp of the @dailycaller.bsky.social, with documents from @usrighttoknow.bsky.social
dailycaller.com/2025/07/08/e...

We have now filed #FOIA lawsuits against the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for their most recent assessments or intelligence reports about the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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E&E News: Farm industry lobbyist, MAHA critic to head EPA pesticides office Kyle Kunkler departs from the American Soybean Association to take the helm of the agency's program regulating farm chemicals.

Hiring swamp creatures is not the way to make America healthy again:
"EPA announced that a farm industry lobbyist will take over as the agency's top pesticides officer, deepening the number of appointees at the agency poached from industry groups."
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eene...

Nitrate in drinking water linked to preterm birth rates Even low levels of nitrate—a common agricultural runoff and drinking water contaminant—are associated with increased risks of preterm birth and low birthweight babies, according to a study published i...

"Even low levels of nitrate—a common agricultural runoff and drinking water contaminant—are associated with increased risks of preterm birth and low birthweight babies..."
medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06...

Study, via PLOS Water:

Unhealthy food makers target youth with pervasive ads that fuel long-term health risks, decades of research shows The more unhealthy food ads young people see, the more of those products they consume—and the higher the risk of disease, a new study shows.

Unhealthy food makers target youth with pervasive ads that fuel long-term health risks, decades of research shows.
Via @pamelawrites.bsky.social @usrighttoknow.bsky.social
usrtk.org/healthwire/u...

Gov Ops requests records about UNC-Chapel Hill coronavirus researcher Baric Gov Ops requests records about UNC-Chapel Hill coronavirus researcher Baric As North Carolina House chairman of the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations, House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, has requested records from UNC-Chapel Hill regarding Dr. Ralph B...

North Carolina Gov Ops requests records about UNC-Chapel Hill coronavirus researcher Baric
“The sooner all information is made public, the quicker important questions will be answered."
www.carolinajournal.com/gov-ops-requ...

Uncovered risks — no oversight of UNC’s extreme virology Uncovered risks — no oversight of UNC's extreme virology UNC-Chapel Hill’s virology program faces scrutiny for risky coronavirus research tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. UNC-Chapel Hill’s virology program faces scrutiny for risky coronavirus research tied to...

The North Carolina press, state legislature, and the university system’s executive office must take a proactive role in shedding light on extreme virology in NC. Transparency is the first step toward accountability."
www.carolinajournal.com/opinion/unco...

NC lawmakers launch ‘fact-finding mission’ into UNC coronavirus researcher Ralph Baric Exclusive: Interest in what caused the coronavirus pandemic has many political dimensions today, with President Trump saying genetic engineering and a lab accident were likely cause.

NC lawmakers launch ‘fact-finding mission’ into UNC coronavirus researcher Ralph Baric
"The requests include all records sought by U.S. Right to Know for a series of dates from 2020 to 2024..."
Via @newsobserver.com
www.newsobserver.com/news/politic...

Carcinogenic effects of long-term exposure from prenatal life to glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides in Sprague–Dawley rats - Environmental Health Background Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are the world’s most widely used weed control agents. Public health concerns have increased since the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) c...

Glyphosate & tumors: "Glyphosate and GBHs [glyphosate-based herbicides] at exposure levels corresponding to the EU ADI [acceptable daily intake]...caused dose-related increases in incidence of multiple benign and malignant tumors in SD rats of both sexes."
ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

Endocrine disruptors impair women's fertility, may lead to PCOS, major review finds Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) damage female reproductive health, contributing to infertility, PCOS and early puberty, a large review shows.

Endocrine disruptors impair women’s fertility, may lead to PCOS, major review finds
Via @pamelawrites.bsky.social @usrighttoknow.bsky.social
usrtk.org/healthwire/e...

Nonprofit sues University for withholding records on UNC professor accused of starting COVID-19 U.S. Right to Know first requested public records on professor Ralph Baric’s coronavirus research from the University in July 2020. However, UNC only released a portion of Baric’s research records.

Nonprofit sues University for withholding records on UNC professor accused of starting COVID-19
Via the Daily Tar Heel
www.dailytarheel.com/article/2025...

Diquat herbicide poisons the gut, may severely damage other organs, research shows Diquat, an herbicide banned in Europe but still widely used in the U.S., damages the intestines and the liver, kidney, and lungs, according to a new review of more than 100 studies.

Diquat herbicide poisons the gut, may severely damage other organs, research shows
Via @pamelawrites.bsky.social @usrighttoknow.bsky.social
usrtk.org/healthwire/d...

Mariah Blake on Life and Death In the Age of Forever Chemicals - Corporate Crime Reporter Mariah Blake’s new book – They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals (Crown, 2025) – is the result of a ten year investigation of the chemical industry’s campaign to hide ...

Mariah Blake on Life and Death In the Age of Forever Chemicals. “We are in the midst of the gravest contamination crisis in human history”
www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/mar...

NC Appeals Court to hear case involving UNC’s possible role in COVID’s origin North Carolina’s second-highest court will consider a public records lawsuit involving the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s possible role in the origin of COVID-19. A group seeking access...

NC Appeals Court to hear case involving UNC’s possible role in COVID’s origin
Via @carolinajournal.bsky.social
www.carolinajournal.com/nc-appeals-c...

Yesterday, we filed an appellate brief with the North Carolina Court of Appeals in our NC Public Records Act case against the University of North Carolina for roughly 50,000 pages of documents, mostly of Ralph Baric, possibly containing clues about the origins of COVID-19.
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