Podcast
Dr. Howard Smith Reports
Hosted by Howard G. Smith MD, AM · EN
Howard G. Smith MD, AM has been reporting health and wellness news for more than 40 years on radio and via podcasts. Harvard Medical School, MD; Harvard University, AM, Immunology; former Medical Editor, WBZ-AM, Boston. Website: http://www.drhowardsmith.com Email: drhowardsmith.reports@gmail.com
87episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Honda Dirt Bike Crash Risks
6d ago00:01:11Tap to summarizeVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYVgOnJPz6E/These off-road motorcycles have handlebar clamps that unexpectedly rotate and create a crash hazard that can lead to serious injury or death. Affected: model years 2025–2026 CRF250R, CRF250RX, CRF250RWE, CRF450R, CRF450RX, CRF450RWE.About 12,600 dirt bikes were sold in the US and an additional 6 in Canada at authorized Honda Powersports dealers nationwide from June 2024 through March 2026.Stop riding these motorcycles and contact an authorized Honda Powersports dealer to schedule a free inspection and repair, including replacement of the handlebar clamp if needed. For more information, call 1-866-784-1870.References on my website#recallalert #motorsafety #productrecall #powersports #honda
Transcribe →Segmart 4-Drawer Tip-Over Death Risk
6d ago00:01:11Tap to summarizeVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYVfupTukcN/These dressers are unstable if not anchored to a wall, posing tip-over and entrapment hazards that can result in serious injury or death particularly for children. Affected: models FFLWM002BK and FFLWM002WE.About 16,440 dressers were sold online at Walmart from January 2025 through March 2026.Stop using these dressers if they are not anchored to the wall and place them in an area children cannot access. Contact SOFT via the email segmartdresserecall@outlook.com for instructions to identify and dispose of the dresser to receive a full refund. You will have to submit a photo showing disposal as directed.References on my website#recallalert #furnituresafety #productrecall #childsafety #homesafety
Transcribe →1-K Kerosene Heater Fluid Portable Fuel Containers Are A Fire Risk
6d ago00:01:00Tap to summarizeVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYVfNZOvDPF/They lack required flame mitigation and child-resistant features, creating risks of flash fire, burns, and child poisoning.About 30,155 were sold online at Amazon and Alliance Chemical from January 2023 through March 2026.Stop using these containers, place them out of reach of children, and contact Alliance Chemical via email at sales@alliancechemical.com or call 1-512-365-6838 for a full refund. Email a dated photo and dispose of the fuel following local hazardous waste procedures. References on my website#recallalert #firesafety #productrecall #childsafety #hazardousmaterials
Transcribe →Boo Bunnie and Friends Toy Cubes Create Choking Risks
6d ago00:01:16Tap to summarizeVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYVeqSosMPk/The plastic cube can break into small parts with sharp edges creating choking and laceration hazards.About 227,500 cubes were sold in the US and an additional 1,400 in Canada at independent stores and online at Stephan Baby, Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other websites from August 2017 through January 2026.Stop using this plastic cube and take it away from children. Contact Stephan Baby at email boobunnie@stephanbaby.com or call 1-877-725-5591 to request a refund or store credit. With proof of purchase, receive a full refund; without proof, receive a $10 check or $20 store credit. Write “Recalled” on the cube, email a photo, and follow instructions to return it using a prepaid shipping label.References on my website#recallalert #toysafety #productrecall #childsafety #parentalert
Transcribe →Thermos Stainless King Food Jars and Sportsman Food & Beverage Bottles Are Dangerous
6d ago00:01:22Tap to summarizeVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYVeIz6PFBz/These jars have stoppers that can violently eject when opened if pressure builds inside creating serious impact and laceration hazards. Affected: models SK3000, SK3020, and SK3010.About 5.8 million food jars and 2.3 million bottles were sold in the US at Target, Walmart, and other stores, as well as online at Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Thermos websites between March 2008 and July 2024.Stop using these containers. Contact Thermos at 1-662-563-6822 to receive a free replacement pressure-relief stopper or replacement bottle. For SK3000 and SK3020, throw away the stopper and submit a photo on the website support.thermos.com. For SK3010, return the bottle using a prepaid label. References on my website.#recallalert #kitchensafety #productrecall #consumerprotection #thermos
Transcribe →Multiple Battery-Powered Toys Have Dangerous Button Batteries
6d ago00:01:23Tap to summarizeVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYVdm8FPbat/If swallowed, these batteries can cause severe internal burns and other life-threatening injuries.Affected: 19.4” Light Up Stick, Halloween Wands, Halo Flower Headband, Devil Horns Headband, Polka Dot Bow Headband, Flying Disc, Lite-Up Maraca, Light Up Yo-Yo, and Flashing Whistle Necklace.About 124,560 of these toys were sold in the US at discount stores from May 2023 through April 2026.Stop using these toys, take them away from children. Contact ZMC Group at 888-407-3225 or using the email recallzmctoy@gmail.com for a full refund. To receive the refund, remove the batteries, destroy the toy or clearly mark it with “RECALLED” or a large “X,” and email the photos of the destroyed pieces. Then dispose of them following your local hazardous waste guidelines.References on my website#ToyRecall #BatteryWarning #ChildSafety #RecallAlert #ParentWarning
Transcribe →EEMB Lithium Coin Batteries Endanger Children
6d ago00:01:26Tap to summarizeVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYVdI-qvEzB/These small button batteries are sold in non-childsafe packaging. If swallowed, that cause cause severe internal burns..Affected:CR2025, CR2032, CR2450, CR2477, CR2016, CR1220, CR1225, CR1616, CR1620, CR1632 and CR2025-10 lithium batteries sold in 5, 10, or 20 packs.About 312,100 of these battery packs were sold on Amazon.com from August 2023 through April 2026.Stop using these recalled batteries, store them where children cannot access them, and contact EEMB USA via the email info@a2batt.com or visit the recall page at www.eemb.com to arrange a full refund. Then, the batteries should be disposed of or recycled following your local hazardous waste guidelines.References on my website. #RecallAlert #BatteryRecall #ChildSafety #AmazonFinds #SafetyFirst
Transcribe →For Kids’ Fracture Pain, Ibuprofen Suffices
6d ago00:01:30Tap to summarizeVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYVPjP4uV-c/Giving children extra pain medicine after a broken bone or sprain didn’t improve pain relief compared with giving ibuprofen, Advil or Motrin, alone. The extra pain killer could trigger unpleasant side effects. This from Canada’s University of Alberta pediatricians publishing in JAMA.Their study included nearly 699 children ages 6 through 17 with painful arm or leg injuries. They were divided into 3 groups: ibuprofen alone; ibuprofen plus acetaminophen, Tylenol; and ibuprofen plus hydromorphone, an opioid. Reported pain was assessed at one hour following medication administration.The tabulated data revealed statistically similar pain relief for all 3 groups. However, the children who received the added narcotic suffered a 4-fold higher incidence of side effects including nausea, dizziness, and unwanted sedation.So….when it comes to treating at least this type of pediatric pain, more is not better.References on my website. #ChildHealth #ParentingTips #PainRelief #MedicalResearch #Pediatrics
Transcribe →Coffee Affects Our Minds By Modifying Our Gut Bacteria
6d ago00:01:21Tap to summarizeVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYVO2sIPdjM/Coffee, both caffeinated and de-caffeinated, modifies our brain functions by triggering changes to the bacteria in our gastrointestinal system. Microbiome researchers at Ireland’s University College Cork intensely analyzed 62 coffee and non-coffee drinkers looking at their cognition, gastrointestinal, and general physical functions. Their study appears in the journal Nature Communications.Coffee drinking significantly modifies gut bacteria and the biochemical reactions they influence. In so doing, caffeinated coffee lowers stress and anxiety levels, improves attention and alertness, but also increases impulsivity. On the other hand, decaf coffee improves memory and learning.The bottom line: a cup of joe turns out to be a complex elixir that impacts your gut and, by so doing, your mental and emotional functioning in so many ways.The references for this report are available on my website.#CoffeeScience #GutHealth #BrainHealth #DecafCoffee #MentalHealth
Transcribe →When you get a gut feeling you are sad, it’s because the two are linked.
6d ago00:01:16Tap to summarizeVidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYVOQoVs-UH/How so. Molecular biochemists at the Harvard Medical School now report in the Journal of the American Chemical Society that, when a common gut bacterium called Morganella morganii interacts with a contaminant found in everyday products, they spark inflammation that leads to depression.A sugar molecule produced by the bacterium combines with a pollutant called DEA, diethanolamine, found in some shampoos and cosmetics as well as in agricultural and industrial products, to create a new molecule that activates the immune system. This activation increases inflammatory proteins like IL-6 which is associated with major depressive events.While this discovery could trigger new tests and treatments for depression, it definitely opens the door to studying the complex ways in which gut microbes affect our brains and immune systems.The references for this report are available on my website.#GutHealth #DepressionResearch #BrainHealth #Harvard #MentalHealthScience
Transcribe →