Whistleblower News from the Inside - August 6, 2013

FBI investigating company that approved Snowden security clearance – The FBI opened a criminal probe on charges that US Investigations Services (USIS), the firm that conducted the background check on NSA leaker, Edward Snowden, improperly rushed cases without proper review.  WSJ    

Warning labels on football helmets provide protection against injury and potential liability – As concerns and the threat of major lawsuits mount over the long-term effects of repeated head trauma in football, the leading helmet makers Schutt, Riddell and Rawlings are putting blunt warnings on their helmets highlighting the serious risks from playing football that even helmets cannot protect against.  NYT

New study finds facelifts do little to add beauty or youth – A new study out of New York City’s Lenox Hill Hospital and just published in the journal JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery found that face-lift surgery does not result in any meaningful difference in how young or attractive you look.  Chicago Tribune

FBI discovers holes in government system for protecting sensitive economic data – Law enforcement officials found numerous vulnerabilities raising concerns of illicit insider trading on key economic indicators before they become publicly available.  WSJ

New Study finds back pain is overtreated – A study just published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that while most instances of back pain are best treated with physical therapy and a simple dose of aspirin or Tylenol, many doctors are prescribing more powerful opiates, ordering expensive imaging scans and referring their patients to specialists for more invasive, yet often ineffective treatment.  NYT