Skip to content

Top Navigation

Health.com Health.com
  • Health Conditions A-Z
  • News
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition
  • Fitness
  • Beauty
  • Mind & Body
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Health.com

Health.com Health.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You? Here's What to Do

      How to handle a physician who doubts or dismisses your symptoms. Read More Next
    • 9 Signs It's More Serious Than the Common Cold

      Doctors explain how to tell if you have a head cold or something more serious that requires medical attention, such as the flu, strep throat, meningitis, or mono. Read More Next
    • How Your Period Changes During Your 20s, 30s, and 40s

      From easier cramps to a heavier flow, here's a guide on what to expect decade by decade. Read More Next
  • Health Conditions A-Z

    Health Conditions A-Z

    See all Health Conditions A-Z

    12 Anxiety Symptoms That Might Point to a Disorder

    The symptoms of anxiety can be hard to detect. Here are the ones you need to pay attention to, and how to know if you may have an anxiety disorder.
    • Allergies
    • Anxiety
    • Birth Control
    • Breast Cancer
    • Coronavirus
    • Chronic Pain
    • Cold, Flu, and Sinus
    • Depression
    • Digestive Health
    • Diabetes (Type 2)
    • Eczema
    • Eye Health
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Heart Disease
    • Headaches and Migraines
    • Oral Health
    • Pregnancy
    • Psoriasis
    • Sexual Health
    • Skin Conditions
    • Sleep
    • Thyroid
  • News

    News

    See all News

    Shannen Doherty Reveals Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Here's What It Means

    "I'm petrified," the actress said when she shared the news that her breast cancer came back. Here's why a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis can be so frightening.
    • Celebrities
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    The Best (and Worst) Diets of 2020, According to Experts

    FYI: The keto diet is not number one.
    • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Vitamins and Supplements
    • Groceries
    • Restaurants
    • Diets
    • Keto Diet
    • Mediterranean Diet
    • Whole30
    • Recipes
  • Fitness

    Fitness

    See all Fitness

    10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required

    Stay in your living room and still spike your heart rate.
    • Cardio Workouts
    • Strength Training
    • Yoga
    • Ab Workouts
    • Arm Workouts
    • Leg Workouts
    • Butt Workouts
    • Fitness Gear
  • Beauty

    Beauty

    See all Beauty

    These 13 Women Prove Every Body Is a Bikini Body

    We're loving their inspirational, body-positive messages.
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Nails
  • Mind & Body

    Mind & Body

    See all Mind & Body

    Why Do People Lie? We Asked an Expert

    Here's the truth about lying.
    • Body Positivity
    • Self-Care
    • Misdiagnosed
    • Invisible Illness
    • LGBTQ+ Health
    • Health Diversity and Inclusion
    • Resolution Reboot
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    20 Things You Should Throw Away for Better Health

    Clean out expired products and clutter to make way for a healthier you.
    • Healthy Home
    • Pets
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Style
    • Holidays
    • Sex
    • Gifts
    • Money
    • Tech
    • Medicare
    • Best Life Now
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow us

  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. Celebrities Chevron Right
  3. The Most Controversial Health Stories of 2011

The Most Controversial Health Stories of 2011

By Amanda MacMillan
December 05, 2011
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin

1 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Biggest health stories

Credit: Getty Images

If there's one thing you can say about 2011 from a health point of view, it's that it wasn't boring!

From killer vitamins to Charlie Sheen's excesses to scientists flip-flopping on the dangers of cell phones and salt, our heads are spinning as we sort through the headlines.

Here are our picks for the year's most buzz-worthy stories—share yours on facebook.com/healthmag.

1 of 27

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Are PSA screenings for prostate cancer actually hurting men?

Credit: Getty Images

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force made waves in October when it recommended that the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test for prostate cancer be given a “D” rating and no longer used. The screening has saved few, if any, lives over the years, the task force said, and treatments for slow-growing cancers sometimes uncovered by the tests can result in debilitating side effects. The Prostate Cancer Foundation, however, called the decision a “tremendous mistake.”

2 of 27

3 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Are mammograms and breast self-exams worth it?

Credit: Getty Images

In 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said most women don’t need mammograms until age 50. But a pair of studies released in April supported the idea that women in their 40s, especially minority women, should get annual mammograms. The tables turned again in July, when it was revealed that mammograms analyzed with a technology called computer-aided detection aren’t helpful in detecting cancers—only in producing false positives and causing unnecessary biopsies. But in September, researchers announced that both mammograms and breast self-exams are indeed useful for detecting breast cancer, including in younger women. The bottom line? Talk to your doctor.

3 of 27

Advertisement

4 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Is your multivitamin killing you?

Credit: Getty Images

Mom may have told you to take your vitamins, but a study published in October found that older women who took multivitamins and other dietary supplements—such as iron, folic acid, vitamin B, and zinc—actually had a higher risk of dying earlier. The study showed only an association—not cause and effect—and it didn’t ask the women about underlying health conditions for which they may have been taking the supplements.

4 of 27

5 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

K2 synthetic marijuana is sending kids to the ER

Credit: Getty Images

Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s safe. That’s the message doctors hope to send to teenagers smoking K2, a synthetic form of marijuana. In November, the American Association of Poison Control Centers revealed that, since the beginning of 2010, it had received nearly 2,000 reports of people becoming ill (sometimes with life-threatening symptoms) after smoking the herb, which also goes by the names Spice, Yucatan Fire, Genie, and Fire and Ice. Many users are sent to the emergency room with racing hearts, extreme anxiety, and hallucinations.

5 of 27

6 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Individual mandate in Obama’s health-care plan defeated

Credit: Getty Images

Every American should have health insurance, President Barack Obama said during his campaign for the Oval Office—but making that happen is proving easier said than done. In August, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the “individual mandate” rule in Obama’s health-care reform package after 26 states had sued to block its implementation. The rule would have required people to obtain health-care coverage or pay a fine—an action that went beyond Congress’s constitutional powers, the Court said.

6 of 27

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Free birth control and morning-after pill on the way

Credit: Getty Images

In a big advance for women’s reproductive rights, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced this year that beginning in August 2012, birth control would be covered by insurance companies, free of copays. The decision was one of eight new measures aimed at providing preventive health services to women. Some conservative groups protested the decision, claiming that it undermined individual rights and forced a program on people who may have religious or moral opposition.

7 of 27

8 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Pregnant woman runs marathon, gives birth hours later

Credit: AP Images

Race-day spectators watched in awe as Amber Miller crossed the finish line at the Chicago Marathon in October—and proceeded to go into labor. When she gave birth to a healthy baby hours later, the question on everyone’s mind was, “Was that safe!?” Experts have long recommended exercise during pregnancy, but this takes it to an extreme. (And here’s perhaps the biggest news of all: She still finished before her husband!)

8 of 27

9 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Michele Bachmann claims vaccine causes mental retardation

Credit: Getty Images

The Republican presidential candidate says Gardasil, a vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer is “a very dangerous drug.” In September she attacked Texas governor and fellow Republican candidate Rick Perry for making the vaccine mandatory for young girls in Texas and suggested to Matt Lauer on “Today” that it may cause mental retardation. But in October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention not only said the vaccine is safe but also recommended young males be vaccinated as well as females.

9 of 27

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Turn brown eyes blue with new laser

Credit: Getty Images

For when colored contacts just aren’t permanent enough, a California company claims its new laser technology can change brown eyes blue. The technology won’t be available in the United States for at least three years, but it’s already sparking questions about genetic identity and family ties. (Eye color is one of the inevitable traits passed down from parents to children.) In November, “Time”’s Healthland blog published a story on why the idea feels “off-color."

10 of 27

11 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Reality-TV mom Michelle Duggar pregnant with 20th child

Credit: AP Images

Even after their 19th daughter was born prematurely—and mom Michelle suffered life-threatening preeclampsia—the Duggar family announced in November that they are expecting another child. The reality stars, who live in Arkansas and have a show on TLC, have faced mounting criticism over their ever-expanding family.

11 of 27

12 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Barefoot running shoes are hot, may cause injury

Credit: Getty Images

They’ve been hailed as the “real” way to run, to prevent injury and to reverse the harm that regular running shoes with lots of padding under the heel cause to our natural gait. But as more people have jumped on the barefoot-running wagon, researchers have begun to caution about potential injuries caused by switching shoe styles too quickly. These minimalist shoes, which contain little if any padding and encourage runners to land on their mid-foot or forefoot, lack the support and cushioning many runners need, especially if they continue to land on their heels in their new shoes.

12 of 27

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Chaz Bono brings transsexuality to prime time

Credit: Getty Images

Dancing With the Stars

has dealt with its share of controversy over the years, but when it invited Chaz (formerly Chastity) Bono to be a contestant this season, the show faced a completely new kind of criticism. Parent and religious organizations complained how difficult it would be to explain transsexuality to children watching the primetime program, while supporters praised the show’s open-mindedness and inclusiveness.

13 of 27

14 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

No TV before age 2, say pediatricians

Credit: Getty Images

The recommendation has been around for a few years, but in October the American Academy of Pediatrics made it official: No television is the best television for children under the 2. Kids instead should be encouraged to think creatively during periods of unstructured “free play,” they said. The announcement was a blow to companies that market educational videos for babies—as well as any parents enjoying a rare moment of peace and quiet!

14 of 27

15 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Mississippi almost bans abortion, birth control

Voters in Mississippi came close to redefining what, by law, would be considered a human life with a proposed amendment to their state constitution that was rejected in October. The “Personhood” amendment, if passed, would have defined life as starting at conception, therefore making abortion and several forms of birth control illegal. The proposal sparked a controversy in the state and across the nation over faith, family values, and whether abortion should be considered murder.

15 of 27

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

High-salt diets might kill you—but low-salt diets might too

Credit: Getty Images

We’ve always been told that too much sodium raises your blood pressure, but a report published in May found that death from cardiovascular problems was 56% higher for men who ate the least amount of sodium. Although some people with hypertension should lower their salt intake, experts say, reducing sodium isn’t necessarily good for everyone. To make matters more confusing, a large, 15-year study published in July found that people who eat more sodium and less potassium die sooner of heart problems than those who consume the opposite.

16 of 27

17 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Scary pictures on cigarettes not fair

Credit: FDA

In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration unveiled nine graphic images it planned to add to cigarette packs in September 2012. The labels, which show pictures of the harmful effects of smoking—a man with a tracheotomy, a woman holding a baby as smoke swirls around them, a mouth with smoke-stained teeth and open sores—also include warning language about addiction and health problems, along with a quit-line phone number. Just a month later, however, the FDA’s plans were derailed when a judge ruled that the packaging violated the tobacco industry’s freedom of speech.

17 of 27

18 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

No-tears baby shampoo may be toxic

Credit: Getty Images

It’s known as the no-tears formula, but Johnson & Johnson’s baby shampoo should perhaps be recognized for something else: toxic chemicals that are still lurking in some formulas, says the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. In November, the watchdog group sent the company a letter urging it to stop using formaldehyde-releasing substances in its popular shampoo brand. Johnson & Johnson responded by saying that it is gradually phasing out such harmful chemicals, but did not comment on this specific product.

18 of 27

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Cell phones may or may not cause cancer

Credit: Getty Images

The world breathed a collective sigh of relief in February when a British study found no link between cell phones and brain tumors. But before you can say “OMG”, cancer experts told the World Health Organization in May that cell phones may actually still cause brain cancer. The most recent study on the topic, released in July, found that cell phones don’t seem to pose a cancer risk to kids who use them regularly—but the researchers cautioned that more research is needed.

19 of 27

20 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Sitting makes you fat, might kill you

Credit: Getty Images

You exercise, you eat right, you manage your stress—you’re the picture of health, right? Not if you have a desk job (or a comfy couch) and spend most of each day sitting on your rear, according to an American Cancer Society study published in June. Both women and men who sat for more than six hours a day were significantly more likely to die during the course of the study than those who sat fewer than three hours. Desk jockeys may feel that there’s nothing they can do about how much time they spend sitting, but some experts have suggested creative solutions, such as standing workstations or treadmills in the office.

20 of 27

21 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Sex, drugs, and Charlie Sheen

Credit: Getty Images

The former Two and a Half Menstar’s very public breakdown in early 2011 divided the public into two camps: those on Team Charlie ("Winning!") and those who just wanted the ranting and raving to stop. "I heal—and unravel—really quickly," Sheen said on The Dan Patrick Show in February, speaking about his monthlong rehab stint following a trip to the hospital for abdominal pains. Sheen, who has suffered from drug and alcohol addiction in the past, eventually lost his starring sitcom role due to his erratic behavior and concern over his health, and has since embarked on a stand-up comedy tour.

21 of 27

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Speech-Slurring Emmy Anchor: Stroke, Drunk, or Migraine?

Credit: AP Images

Reporter Serene Branson’s bizarre telecast live from the Emmys in February made headlines for what she didn’t say: Fumbling her words and uttering nonsensical syllables, she caused news outlets to wonder whether she’d had a stroke on air. Some even questioned whether she was drunk or on drugs. Medical professionals examined Branson after the incident, and doctors revealed in the following days that she had actually suffered a short-term complex migraine.

22 of 27

23 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

How did Aretha Franklin get so slim?

Credit: Getty Images

After undergoing a mystery medical procedure in December 2010, the Queen of Soul’s surprising slim down became a hot topic in 2011—but in March, Franklin shot down rumors that she’d had bariatric surgery (also known as gastric bypass) or that she had pancreatic cancer. She did admit that her weight-loss did have something to do with the surgery she had, but declined to give more details, crediting her new figure to a healthier diet.

23 of 27

24 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Dr. Conrad Murray found guilty in Michael Jackson’s death

Credit: Getty Images

The King of Pop’s personal physician was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in November for his role in the King of Pop’s 2009 death. A jury found that Murray disregarded the Hippocratic oath and recklessly treated Jackson’s insomnia with benzodiazepines and propofol, a potentially fatal anesthetic typically used for surgical procedures.

24 of 27

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Steve Jobs’s death causes questions about safety of alternative cancer treatments

Credit: Getty Images

Apple cofounder Steve Jobs died in October after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. His death—and subsequent news about the treatment decisions he made, revealed by his biographer, Walter Isaacson—brought into question the roles of traditional and alternative medicine. Isaacson said that at the end of his life, Jobs regretted his earlier choices to reject potentially life-saving surgery and opt instead for alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, a vegan diet, herbal remedies, and even consulting a psychic. In a column for CNN.com, however, Dr. Andrew Weil points out that there’s no way of knowing how long Jobs would have survived had he gone the traditional route.

25 of 27

26 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Released from jail, Casey Anthony sees a psychiatrist

Credit: AP Images

Perhaps the most controversial news story of the year was the Casey Anthony trial and its surprising not-guilty outcome. After Anthony was released from jail, People reported that she had been seeing a grief counselor and would soon begin seeing a female psychiatrist. “She needs serious help,” a source told “People”. Anthony’s mental stability was a topic of much speculation during the trial; her attorney said she needed treatment for the trauma of losing her child and being charged with the crime.

26 of 27

27 of 27

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Did IVF cause Giuliana Rancic’s breast cancer?

Credit: Getty Images

E! News

anchor and reality-TV star Giuliana Rancic announced in October that she has breast cancer, which had been discovered during a mammogram ordered by her fertility specialist. (Rancic and her husband had been trying to get pregnant via in-vitro fertilization.) Experts say there is no clear link between the procedure and Rancic’s diagnosis, but because women undergoing IVF are exposed to high levels of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, speculation arose that it could possibly contribute to breast cancer.

27 of 27

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Amanda MacMillan

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 27 Biggest health stories
2 of 27 Are PSA screenings for prostate cancer actually hurting men?
3 of 27 Are mammograms and breast self-exams worth it?
4 of 27 Is your multivitamin killing you?
5 of 27 K2 synthetic marijuana is sending kids to the ER
6 of 27 Individual mandate in Obama’s health-care plan defeated
7 of 27 Free birth control and morning-after pill on the way
8 of 27 Pregnant woman runs marathon, gives birth hours later
9 of 27 Michele Bachmann claims vaccine causes mental retardation
10 of 27 Turn brown eyes blue with new laser
11 of 27 Reality-TV mom Michelle Duggar pregnant with 20th child
12 of 27 Barefoot running shoes are hot, may cause injury
13 of 27 Chaz Bono brings transsexuality to prime time
14 of 27 No TV before age 2, say pediatricians
15 of 27 Mississippi almost bans abortion, birth control
16 of 27 High-salt diets might kill you—but low-salt diets might too
17 of 27 Scary pictures on cigarettes not fair
18 of 27 No-tears baby shampoo may be toxic
19 of 27 Cell phones may or may not cause cancer
20 of 27 Sitting makes you fat, might kill you
21 of 27 Sex, drugs, and Charlie Sheen
22 of 27 Speech-Slurring Emmy Anchor: Stroke, Drunk, or Migraine?
23 of 27 How did Aretha Franklin get so slim?
24 of 27 Dr. Conrad Murray found guilty in Michael Jackson’s death
25 of 27 Steve Jobs’s death causes questions about safety of alternative cancer treatments
26 of 27 Released from jail, Casey Anthony sees a psychiatrist
27 of 27 Did IVF cause Giuliana Rancic’s breast cancer?

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

Health.com

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact us
  • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Health.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments. All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Health.com may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.health.com

View image

The Most Controversial Health Stories of 2011
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.