Cancer is scary. Chemo and radiation are scary. Herbal medicines and special diets seem friendly and comforting by comparison, but we now have clear evidence that people who use alternative treatments for cancer are more likely to die.

Within a year, soaps containing antibacterial ingredients like triclosan will be gone from store shelves in the US. The US Food and Drug Administration announced a rule today that it's no longer considering these ingredients safe and effective in soaps sold to consumers.