Does this really close the doughnut hole?

AARP was really pulling for this crazy health insurance bill to pass because they have a vested interest in United Health Care's Medicare supplement insurance.  And in case you were not aware, United is in part owned by one of the Big PhRMA firm poised to make big bucks on the recently passed bill,

What the real facts are that the doughnut hole is not closed, it is only reduced in diameter.

Prescription Drugs:

Proponents of the health care bill have been touting how it aims to close the "doughnut hole" in prescription drug coverage. What that means is that older Americans who hit the cap on their Medicare prescription drug benefits will be given a rebate, starting this year. Once they spend $2,830, older Americans will receive a $250 rebate. Starting in 2011, older Americans who go past the allotted amount will be given a 50 percent discount on prescription drugs. The bill aims to close the "doughnut hole" completely by 2020, but older Americans will still have to pay for 25 percent of their drugs.

SOURCE

More from Kiplinger -

Health Care Reform: What It Means for Retirees

Changes to Medicare and to the individual insurance market will affect retirees. Here are key details that you need to know.
By Susan B. Garland, March 24, 2010

President Obama has signed the landmark health-care overhaul legislation into law, and the Senate is taking up a bill with proposed changes. Here are key provisions that could affect you.
Medicare. The Part D prescription-drug doughnut hole will be gradually reduced by 2020. Seniors who reach the doughnut hole in 2010 will receive a $250 rebate. Starting in 2011, drug companies will be required to provide a 50% discount on brand-name drugs bought in the coverage gap. The federal subsidy for Part D premiums will be reduced for higher-income beneficiaries. Cost sharing for preventive-care services is eliminated.
A new advisory board would submit recommendations to Congress to reduce the rate of growth in Medicare spending. The board is not allowed to submit proposals that would ration care or change benefits.
More Medicare beneficiaries could be snared by the Part B premium surcharge for high-income seniors. The law freezes the income thresholds for income-related Part B premiums from 2011 to 2019.
Medicare Advantage plans. Studies have found that Advantage plans cost the government 14% more on average than traditional Medicare. To get costs more in line with traditional Medicare, the new law freezes federal payments to private Medicare Advantage plans at 2010 levels. These plans will be required to spend at least 85% of their revenues on patient care. Plans that prove they provide high-quality efficient care will get rebates from the government.
New taxes. The law would raise the Medicare payroll tax by an additional 0.9% (to 2.35%, from the current 1.45%) on earned income above $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for joint filers. It would also impose a Medicare tax of 3.8% on investment income, such as dividends and interest, for individuals with adjusted gross income above $200,000 and joint filers with AGI above $250,000. These taxes will go into effect in 2013. Distributions from pensions, IRAs, 401(k)s and other qualified retirement plans will be exempt. Self-employed people will have to pay the additional tax.
Medical tax deductions. Beginning in the 2013 tax year, the threshold for the itemized medical deduction rises to 10% of AGI, from the current 7.5%. Individuals age 65 and older, and their spouses, would be exempt for the tax years 2013 through 2016.
Early retirees and self-employed. For most workers who receive employer-sponsored coverage, the new law is not likely to have much impact. But the law provides a number of protections for those who need to buy insurance in the individual market. Six months after enactment, health insurers cannot place lifetime limits on the value of coverage or revoke existing coverage. Starting in 2014, insurers must accept all applicants, including anyone with preexisting medical conditions.
Until then, individuals with preexisting conditions who have been uninsured for more than six months will be eligible to enroll in a national high-risk pool and receive subsidized premiums. Cost sharing will be capped at $5,950 for individuals and $11,900 for families. This could be especially helpful to early retirees in Arizona and Nevada, which do not have state high-risk pools. It could also help Floridians, because Florida's is not open to new enrollees.
Exchanges and coverage subsidies. Nearly everyone would be required to buy coverage, or pay a penalty. Early retirees, the self-employed and others without insurance would be able to purchase coverage through state-based exchanges. Tax credits would be available to individuals and families with income between 133% and 400% of the poverty level (that's $19,378 to $58,280 for a couple).
Private insurance companies could sell policies through the exchanges. Buyers would choose among four benefit categories.
Retiree health plans. If you are 55 or older and receive retiree health benefits from your employer, you could benefit from a government reinsurance program. The program will reimburse employers or insurers for 80% of retiree claims between $15,000 and $90,000. Payments from the reinsurance program will be used to lower the costs for enrollees in the employer plan. The program will end on January 1, 2014. It will not reimburse costs for retirees who are eligible for Medicare.
Long-term care. In 2011, workers can enroll in a national insurance program to cover non-medical services in case of disability. After a five-year vesting period, the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program will provide individuals who become disabled with a benefit of about $50 a day. The program will be financed with voluntary payroll deductions.
For more authoritative guidance on retirement investing, slashing taxes and getting the best health care, click here for a FREE sample issue of Kiplinger’s Retirement Report.

---

http://www.kiplinger.com/features/archives/krr-health-care-reform-what-it-means-for-retirees.html

The Medicare donut hole: Now you're covered, now you're not

ScienceDaily (2010-03-25) -- If you're older, a woman, and suffering from either dementia or diabetes, you are the most likely to be exposed to unsubsidized medication costs in the US. This is known as the coverage gap for enrollees of Medicare Part D. According to a new study, these clinically vulnerable groups should be counseled on how to best manage costs through either drug substitution or discontinuation of specific, non-essential medications. ... > read full article

The HALO Breast Test

More than 200,000 are diagnosed annually with breast cancer and nearly 40,000 die. While most attention has been focused on the incidence of breast cancer in post-menopausal women, statistically, 23 percent of all breast cancers occur in women under 49 years of age. In fact, one in every 229 women between the ages of 30 and 39 will be diagnosed with breast cancer within the next 10 years.

The HALO Test is a simple,  5-minute, non-invasive breast screening and risk assessment exam recommended for women 25 years of age and older. The test can detect early cellular changes within the breast ducts, the area where more than 90% of breast cancer begins.

Complete article 

Consider Thermography and please read this as well (one of about 30+ related articles found at Natural Health News)

Freezing Cancer to Death

"ICE-COLD GAS 'KILLS' CANCER"
D. Express 17.3.10
Breast & prostate cancer can be killed by being frozen with streams of super-cold gas. In a major breakthrough the 'ice-ball' created around a tumour by the injections with very fine needles, kills the tumour & ensures it does not return. In a trial, all the people were still free of cancer after 5 years. It is called cryotherapy & the patient does not need invasive surgery & suffers no major discomfort or scarring. Study led by Dr. Peter Littrup, interventional radiologist at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit. He said findings suggest freezing tumours is safe & effective. Study presented at Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting in Florida on 16.3.10. Cryotherapy as been used for years to treat warts, moles & skin cancer. It has been shown to work on the lung, liver & cervix.

Turning People into Patients

This quote from an article written by Dr. Gilbert Welch of the Dartmouth Institute of Health Policy & Clinical Practice.

Medicalization is the process of turning more people into patients. It encourages more of us to be anxious about our health and undermines our confidence in our own bodies. It leads people to have too much treatment -- and some of them are harmed by it.

And it's big part of the reason why medical care costs so much.

I have to stand in support of this comment and Dr. Welch's complete article, as it is one of the reasons why I devote time to Natural Health News.

It is refreshing to see that not all doctors are suffering from the herd mentality created by PhRMA and Big Insurance.

I guess we'll see how the health insurance bill turns out if we can wait the many years it will take for implementing it. In this several years just how many will be harmed or lost?

Hangovers: CNN Has It All Wrong

It always amazes me when mainstream media interviews only selected health care people on topics they cover for their limited perspective on news.

Hangover is just one such topic that covered around St. Patrick's Day, and told you, according to the doctor's interviewed, that there is no real cure for hangover.
Complete article
To make it worse, the title of the article is just as misleading as the writing by Elizabeth Landau and Madison Park, both of CNN.

Sorry to disappoint you but at CHI, our hangover natural remedy has worked really well for thousands of people for many decades.

We even give a copy of our morning after drink with donations to our non profit organization.

And if you're so inclined, check out the several other articles here at Natural Health News on this subject.
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/02/alcohol-abuse-continues-to-be-in-news.html

Rejuvenation Three Day Cleanse Updated

In 1986 I began using a good detoxification and nourishing protocol with many of NorthCreek Herbal's clients. This protocol is one I developed over many years of trial and error, and found it had some good anti-aging benefits.

Now that plan has been updated as part of our publication service through CHI's Oake Centre for natural health education.

We offer it now to any one making a donation to CHI

Health Bill Vote

UPDATE: 24 March - Here is a very interesting discussion about the bill.  I wonder how this bill allows for no establishment of classes of recipients because so far there are several classes, and this is specifically a violation of equal protection.  I also wonder why we have to have the IRS involved.  How much will there new insurance police patrol of some 16,000 cost the taxpayers. Don't you think single payer is really a better option, even though Medicare now rarely goes after fraud.  They would save billions is they cleaned up the frau you know, but then the White House and Congress relied on industry hacks to write this bill for you.

The CBO stated: “A mandate requiring all individuals to purchase health insurance would be an unprecedented form of federal action. The government has never required people to buy any good or service as a condition of lawful residence in the United States. An individual mandate would have two features that, in combination, would make it unique. First, it would impose a duty on individuals as members of society. Second, it would require people to purchase a specific service that would be heavily regulated by the federal government.”  Complete article

And another Constitutional Law faculty (retired) says -

I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009.

I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard or expected.  Complete article

And taking a trip back to the days of Hillary Care -

"Memorandum for Walter Zellman from Sallyanne Payton, clearly marked: Preliminary Draft for Official Use Only. Do Not Quote or Release For Any Purpose, page 4, Health Care Task Reform under Hillary Clinton. Note these sections:

"(b) may the federal government use other actors in the governmental system and the private sector as its agents and give them orders as though they were parts of a prefectorial system? The short answer is "no." State governments are independent, although subordinated, sovereignties, not subdivisions of the federal government.

"Although the federal government may regulate many of their functions directly [as well, for example, it subjects state water districts to the Clean Water Act], it may not require them to exercise their own governmental powers in a manner dictated by federal law. The states may be encouraged, bribed or threatened into entering into joint federal state programs of various sorts, from unemployment insurance to Medicaid; but they may not be commanded directly to use their own governmental apparatus in the service of federal policy. There is a modest jurisprudence of the Tenth Amendment that seems to have settled on this proposition. See the DOJ [Dept. of Justice] memorandum for a fuller elaboration."

21 March - Just remember that Nancy Pelosi referred to the people (this means anyone not a Member of Congress (MOC) or a Federal government lackey) as "them" in her talking head spot aired on NPR this morning.

Not taking too kindly to Pelosi's condescending attitude toward citizens I am just as offended by another one of Obama's deal creating more of a divide against women and the poor with his abortion deal.

I heard Barry taught Constitutional law and if so he obviously needs remediation.  It is prohibited to create classes of recipients in any bill passed by Congress and signed by POTUS. If poor women cannot get abortion help and are unable to purchase insurance to cover it like those that have Cadillac plans, then we have a platform for litigation.

While I am for universal coverage, I am not for the handouts given to PhRMA and Big Insurance so far by Obama, nor am I for MOCs getting a better treatment and access to better insurance that any other citizen of this country.   It's just a another class divide.

If elected representatives are elected how is it that they become employees and get all their perks?

Something to think about.

Another Statin Warning

UPDATE: 22 March -  "...demonstrated mitochondrial mechanisms for muscle AEs have implications to other nonmuscle AEs in patients treated with statins. In meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), muscle AEs are more frequent with statins than with placebo. A number of manifestations of muscle AEs have been reported, with rhabdomyolysis the most feared. AEs are dose dependent, and risk is amplified by drug interactions that functionally increase statin potency, often through inhibition of the cytochrome P450 3A4 system. An array of additional risk factors for statin AEs are those that amplify (or reflect) mitochondrial or metabolic vulnerability, such as metabolic syndrome factors, thyroid disease, and genetic mutations linked to mitochondrial dysfunction. Converging evidence supports a mitochondrial foundation for muscle AEs associated with statins, and both theoretical and empirical considerations suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction may also underlie many nonmuscle statin AEs. Evidence from RCTs and studies of other designs indicates existence of additional statin-associated AEs, such as cognitive loss, neuropathy, pancreatic and hepatic dysfunction, and sexual dysfunction. Physician awareness of statin AEs is reportedly low even for the AEs most widely reported by patients. Awareness and vigilance for AEs should be maintained to enable informed treatment decisions, treatment modification if appropriate, improved quality of patient care, and reduced patient morbidity." Copyright 2008 Adis Data Information BV

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For those who do not understand, the health warnings on statin drugs were well known before they were marketed.

Statins do cause risk of heart attack, statins do cause risk of kidney failure, statins do deplete several key heart and health nutrients, muscle cell wasting is a known problem related to kidney failure, many other issues have been identified.

Diagnosis should be more targeted before you take these drugs, especially a proper evaluation of thyroid function (which is much more than a TSH).

Our Health Detective program can help you if you are concerned about this drug and its many problems. We also have many options for safe and natural lowering of triglycerides and increasing HDL.

Here's a new report -

A statin taken by millions of Britons may increase risk of a condition which can lead to fatal kidney failure at high doses, a drug watchdog has warned.

By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor, 20 Mar 2010

Simvastatin is taken by around three million people in order to lower their cholesterol and reduce the risk of having a heart attack.
However an analysis of clinical trial data in America has found that high doses can cause muscle damage and a rare condition which induces kidney problems and may be fatal.
Patients were told not to stop taking simvastatin but advised to talk to their doctor if they have concerns.
The American medicines regulator, the Food and Drug Administration, has issued a warning to patients to be alert to signs of problems when taking the 80mg daily dose of simvastatin. It has also listed drugs that should not be prescribed to those on high doses of statins.
Muscle aches and damage are a known side effect of all statins but the risks are generally considered to be outweighed by the benefit in reducing the risk of a heart attack.
The FDA found that patients on the 80mg dose were more likely to develop a severe form of muscle damage called myopathy, compared with those on the lower 20mg dose.
Over six years, 52 of the 6,031 patients taking 80 mg doses developed myopathy compared with one person out of the 6,033 taking 20mg.
And 11 patients taking the 80 mg dose developed rhabdomyolysis, the most serious form of myopathy which can lead to kidney failure and death, where as none of those on the 20mg dose developed the condition.
The majority of patients in Britain taking simvastatin are on the 20mg and 40mg dose.
The FDA said patients experiencing muscle pain, tenderness or weakness, urine that is dark or red-coloured, or unexplained tiredness, should contact their doctor.
The UK drugs regulator said the side effects are known about and included in patient information with the medication.
A spokesman for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said: "The 80 mg per day dose is only recommended in patients with severe hypercholesterolaemia and at high risk for cardiovascular complications.
"Myalgia (complaints of muscle aches) is a common side effect of statins, including simvastatin. It is recognised that very rarely statins can cause more serious muscle damage (myopathy) which in some cases may be life-threatening.
"There are comprehensive warnings in the product information for prescribers and in the Patient Information Leaflet.
"These warnings advise that the risk of muscle injury is greater: at higher doses of simvastatin; when used in combination with certain other medicines including amiodarone (a medicine used for an irregular heart beat) and other medicines that are recognised to increase the risk of myopathy; and in certain patient groups including those who are more than 70 years old, those with kidney or thyroid problems, those who consume large amounts of alcohol, and those with a history of previous muscle problems during treatment with statins or other lipid lowering drugs.
"As with all marketed medicines the safety of simvastatin is kept under continuous review by the MHRA."
Ellen Mason, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said: “Simvastatin remains a widely used and well researched drug, which has been around for many years and serious muscle damage is rare.
"It is considered a safe drug for many people in the UK to take. The benefits of statins in lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of a heart attack are clear.
“Only a small number of people with very high levels of cholesterol would need to take the maximum dose of simvastatin. Any concerned patients who are taking the highest prescribed dose and experience muscle weakness or pain should speak to their GP.”

C. difficile Once Again in the News

Certainly C. diff has been in the news for more than this article seems to infer. The issue of these infections also seem to be more problematic because mainstream medicine is still scratching its head trying to try the same old approach to a well known problem.

Once again, get your brain out of the "box" if you want to solve the existing problem and prevent it from recurring.
From 2006

Lesser-known bug a bigger hospital threat
By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer, Mar 20, 2010
ATLANTA – As one superbug seems to be fading as a threat in hospitals, another is on the rise, a new study suggests.

A dangerous, drug-resistant staph infection called MRSA is often seen as the biggest germ threat to patients in hospitals and other health care facilities. But infections from Clostridium difficile — known as C-diff — are surpassing MRSA infections, the study of 28 hospitals in the Southeast found.

"I think MRSA is almost a household name. Everybody thinks of MRSA as a serious threat," said Dr. Becky Miller, an infectious diseases specialist at Duke University Medical Center. She presented the research Saturday in Atlanta, at a medical conference on infection in health care facilities.

"But C. difficile deserves more attention," she added.

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, are bacteria that can't be treated with common antibiotics. They are often harmless as they ride on the skin, but become deadly once they get in the bloodstream. They enter through wounds, intravenous lines and other paths.

C-diff, also resistant to some antibiotics, is found in the colon and can cause diarrhea and a more serious intestinal condition known as colitis. It is spread by spores in feces. The spores are difficult to kill with most conventional household cleaners or alcohol-based hand sanitizers, so some of the disinfection measures against MRSA don't work on C-diff.

Deaths from C-diff traditionally have been rare, but a more dangerous form has emerged in the last ten years. Still, MRSA is generally considered a more lethal threat, causing an estimated 18,000 U.S. deaths annually.

The new study looked at infection rates from community hospitals in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia in 2008 and 2009. It found the rate of hospital-acquired C-diff infections was 25 percent higher than MRSA infections.

Here are the numbers: The hospitals counted 847 infections of hospital-acquired C-diff, and 680 cases of MRSA.

Miller also reported that C-diff was increasing at the hospitals since 2007, while MRSA has been declining since 2005.

Last year, a government report noted a decline in MRSA infections in a study of 600 hospital intensive-care units. MRSA bloodstream infections connected with intravenous tubes fell almost 50 percent from 1997 to 2007, according to data reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

C-diff has seemed to be increasing in recent years, but the trend is not uniform — some hospitals report falling rates. The prevalence of different infections can vary in different parts of the country, said Dr. L. Clifford McDonald, a CDC expert who was not part of the Duke study.

Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections: http://www.decennial2010.com/

READ RELATED POSTS:
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/09/heads-are-still-in-sand-on-this-one.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2006/10/theres-not-lot-of-evidence.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2005/03/protecting-bottom-line-at-your-expense.html

Nutritional training for doctors too long overdue

LONDON, March 19 (UPI) -- Nutritional training is important to every area of clinical practice but has been long neglected, researchers in Britain said.

Dr. Penny Neild of St. George's Hospital in London and colleagues said the profession must take advantage of changes in medical education to ensure that all health professionals, but especially gut specialists, are given adequate training in nutrition.

The evidence shows healthcare professionals in general know little about how to assess and manage poor nutrition and gastroenterologists in particular need to be able to provide advice and expertise in general nutrition, artificial nutrition support, and intestinal failure, the researchers said.

"It is to be hoped that the requirement for more standardized and structured core nutrition training will be recognized and included in the revised curriculum for gastroenterology to be published in 2010," the researchers concluded.

The article is published in Frontline Gastroenterology, a new quarterly companion journal to Gut.

READ MORE

Health Bill Still Too Cozy with Big PhRMA

Obama has already given away a big pHat prize to PhRMA on the very disguised and very limited cut in the "doughnut hole" of the Medicare D plan. I'd like to know just when all these crooks in DC are going to do something for the people.

I also think it is rather strange that representatives are 'elected' yet are treated as employees rather than as independent contractors. This about this one because as elected independent contractors there are NO benefits.

Dems tap drug maker millions for PhRMA-friendly bill
Read complete article

Dr. Oz Still Too Medical for Me

Thanks to Fred Bloem, MD for sharing this expose -

Fluoride: Learn how it harms your kidneys

Fluoride & the Kidneys: Kidney disease markedly increases an individual's susceptibility to fluoride toxicity.

The kidneys are responsible for ridding the body of ingested fluoride, and thereby preventing the buildup of toxic levels of fluoride in the body.

In healthy adults, the kidneys are able to excrete approximately 50% of an ingested dose of fluoride.

However, in adults with kidney disease the kidneys may excrete as little as 10 to 20% of an ingested dose - thus increasing the body burden of fluoride and increasing an individual's susceptibility to fluoride poisoning (e.g. renal osteodystrophy).

The bone changes commonly found among patients with advanced kidney disease closely resemble the bone changes found among individuals with the osteomalacic-type of skeletal fluorosis. This raises the possibility that some individuals with kidney disease are suffering from undiagnosed skeletal fluorosis.

As noted by Dr. Edward Groth, a veteran Senior Scientist at Consumers Union:

"It seems probable that some people with severe or long-term renal disease, which might not be advanced enough to require hemodialysis, can still experience reduced fluoride excretion to an extent that can lead to fluorosis, or aggravate skeletal complications associated with kidney disease... It has been estimated that one in every 25 Americans may have some form of kidney disease; it would seem imperative that the magnitude of risk to such a large sub-segment of the population be determined through extensive and careful study. To date, however, no studies of this sort have been carried out, and none is planned" (Groth 1973; Doctoral Thesis; Stanford University).

Because the kidney accumulates more fluoride than all other soft tissues (with the exception of the pineal gland), there is concern that excess fluoride exposure may contribute to kidney disease - thus initiating a "vicious cycle" where the damaged kidneys increase the accumulation of fluoride, causing in turn further damage to the kidney, bone, and other organs.

The possibility that fluoride exposure can cause direct damage to kidney tissue is supported by a long line of animal and human studies.

In studies on fluoride-exposed animals, kidney damage has been reported at levels as low as 1 ppm if the animals consume the water for long periods of time.

In humans, elevated rates of kidney damage are frequently encountered among populations with skeletal fluorosis. In addition, several case reports suggest that some individuals with kidney disease can experience significant recovery in their clinical signs and symptoms following the provision of fluoride-free water.
SOURCE:http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/kidney/

Diet Soda for Kids Brings More Obesity

Some very definitive studies have been done showing the increase in obesity when diet soda is used in place of this with high fructose corn syrup.

This obviously is being ignored by Bill Clinton, the American Heart Association, Pekka Puska from the World Heart Federation, and PepsiCo in school sales schemes.

In primary schools, PepsiCo will sell only water, fat-free or low-fat milk, and juice with no added sugar. In secondary schools, it will sell those drinks along with low-calorie soft drinks, such as Diet Pepsi. Sports drinks are permissible when they're sold to students participating in sports or other physical activities.

Complete article

NB: Cutting down on drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup may help, put selling artificially sweetened drinks is a direct path to obesity and diabetes plus more than 100 known health issues.

March 17 - In a related discussion, one "...prominent cardiologist accused leading heart organizations of being too cozy with industry and allowing those ties to influence its policies and education programs for doctors."
Complete article

As long as the money flows around the Beltway moat, good luck in getting any REAL and SUBSTANTIAL health insurance reform that makes a difference for the people!

Another Death and Gardasil

In the typical Big PhRMA response to any negative press about their vaccines, this time the company suggests the young girl died because the person who gave her the shot did it improperly.

British girl dies after cervical cancer vaccination
AFP: A nurse administers a vaccination. British drug giant GlaxoSmithKline said it was working with health authorities who are probing the death of a schoolgirl following a cervical cancer vaccination.

LONDON - British drug giant GlaxoSmithKline said on Tuesday it was working with health authorities who are probing the death of a schoolgirl following a cervical cancer vaccination.

The 14-year-old died on Monday after an adverse reaction to the Cervarix vaccine at her school in Coventry, central England, as part of a national vaccination to protect women against the disease.

Health authorities have isolated the batch of vaccine used in the school involved against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually-transmitted virus which is the primary cause of cervical cancer.

"The incident happened shortly after the girl had received her HPV vaccine in the school," said Dr. Caron Grainger, joint head of public health for the National Health Service (NHS) in Coventry and Coventry City Council.

"No link can be made between the death and the vaccine until all the facts are known and a post-mortem takes place."

She added: "We are conducting an urgent and full investigation into the events surrounding this tragedy."

In a statement GSK, which produces Cervarix, said it was working with health authorities "to better understand this case, as at this stage the exact cause of this tragic death is unknown.

"As a precautionary measure, the batch of vaccine involved has been quarantined until the situation is fully understood," it said, noting that over 1.4 million doses of Cervarix have been given in Britain.

And it added: "To date the vast majority of suspected adverse reactions (to Cervarix) have related either to the signs and symptoms of recognised side effects listed in the product information or were due to the injection process and not the vaccine itself."

Awareness of cervical cancer was raised earlier this year by the death of British reality television star, Jade Goody, who flagged the importance of women having regular cervical smear tests as she herself was dying of the disease.

© Copyright(c)AFP

NB: Cervarix is a trade name for an HPV vaccine similar to Gardasil (better known is US markets).

It is our belief that HPV is a self-limiting virus. Limited use vaccine is not appropriate when good nutrition and natural treatment may be more beneficial and have less risk of damage.

Key Figure in CDC Vaccine Cover-Up Takes $2Million, Disappears

Central Figure in CDC Vaccine Cover-Up Absconds With $2M
by Robert F. Kennedy Jr

A central figure behind the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) claims disputing the link between vaccines and autism and other neurological disorders has disappeared after officials discovered massive fraud involving the theft of millions in taxpayer dollars. Danish police are investigating Dr. Poul Thorsen, who has vanished along with almost $2 million that he had supposedly spent on research.

Thorsen was a leading member of a Danish research group that wrote several key studies supporting CDC's claims that the MMR vaccine and mercury-laden vaccines were safe for children. Thorsen's 2003 Danish study reported a 20-fold increase in autism in Denmark after that country banned mercury based preservatives in its vaccines. His study concluded that mercury could therefore not be the culprit behind the autism epidemic.

His study has long been criticized as fraudulent since it failed to disclose that the increase was an artifact of new mandates requiring, for the first time, that autism cases be reported on the national registry. This new law and the opening of a clinic dedicated to autism treatment in Copenhagen accounted for the sudden rise in reported cases rather than, as Thorsen seemed to suggest, the removal of mercury from vaccines. Despite this obvious chicanery, CDC has long touted the study as the principal proof that mercury-laced vaccines are safe for infants and young children. Mainstream media, particularly the New York Times, has relied on this study as the basis for its public assurances that it is safe to inject young children with mercury -- a potent neurotoxin -- at concentrations hundreds of times over the U.S. safety limits.

Thorsen, who was a psychiatrist and not a research scientist or toxicologist, parlayed that study into a long-term relationship with CDC. He built a research empire called the North Atlantic Epidemiology Alliances (NANEA) that advertised its close association with the CDC autism team, a relationship that had the agency paying Thorsen and his research staff millions of dollars to churn out research papers, many of them assuring the public on the issue of vaccine safety.

The discovery of Thorsen's fraud came as the result of an investigation by Aarhus University and CDC which discovered that Thorsen had falsified documents and, in violation of university rules, was accepting salaries from both the Danish university and Emory University in Atlanta -- near CDC headquarters -- where he led research efforts to defend the role of vaccines in causing autism and other brain disorders. Thorsen's center has received $14.6 million from CDC since 2002.

Thorsen's partner Kreesten Madsen recently came under fierce criticism after damning e-mails surfaced showing Madsen in cahoots with CDC officials intent on fraudulently cherry picking facts to prove vaccine safety.

Leading independent scientists have accused CDC of concealing the clear link between the dramatic increases in mercury-laced child vaccinations beginning in 1989 and the epidemic of autism, neurological disorders and other illnesses affecting every generation of American children since. Questions about Thorsens's scientific integrity may finally force CDC to rethink the vaccine protocols since most of the other key pro vaccine studies cited by CDC rely on the findings of Thorsen's research group. These include oft referenced research articles published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the New England Journal of Medicine and others. The validity of all these studies is now in question.

Citations
1. http://www.cphpost.dk/news/international/89-international/48229-researcher-accused-of-cheating-uni-out-of-millions.html
2. http://www.safeminds.org/news/pressroom/press_releases/20040518_AutismAuthorsNetwork.pdf
3. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/06/opinion/06sat3.html
4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr/time-for-cdc-to-come-clea_b_16550.html
5. http://www.ageofautism.com/2010/03/poul-thorsens-mutating-resume.html
6. http://www.rescuepost.com/files/thorsen-aarhus.pdf
7. http://www.cphpost.dk/news/international/89-international/48229-researcher-accused-of-cheating-uni-out-of-millions.html

Yummy Pie oh my, its perfectly pi

UPDATE: 28 June, 2011

A new trend seems to have come along form the mathematically minded, Tau.

The music of Tau

'Tau day' marked by opponents of maths constant pi

Tau Day revellers suggest a constant called tau should take its place: twice as large as pi, or about 6.28 - hence the 28 June celebration.  Read complete article

ORIGINAL POST 2009

I am one of those probably odd people who likes math. I really loved geometry, so I'm willing to celebrate!

and see this too

Pie and pi: Happy 3/14, also known as pi day

By John Matson in 60-Second Science Blog

Hot on the heels of square root day, a loosely conceived mathematical celebration that fell on March 3 (3/3/09), comes today's pi day. The present "holiday" celebrates the yearly agreement between the calendar (3/14) and the first three digits of pi (3.14...), the ratio of circumference to diameter for a circle. (Europeans, we're terribly sorry: your preference for day/month notation precludes the celebration of pi day, as there is no 31/4—April has just 30 days.)

A follower of SciAm on Twitter, firesignth, clued us in to pi day and its culmination, pi second, which arrives at 1:59:26 today. At that moment, one numerical representation of the date and time, 3.1415926, aligns with pi out to seven decimal places.

Whereas square root day enthusiasts were encouraged to eat radishes and other roots cut into squares (or, three-dimensionally speaking, cubes, as one astute commenter pointed out), pi day enthusiasts should indulge in pie, of course, which brings the double benefit of being both a homophone of the word pi and a circle. (Just how closely your pie's circumference/diameter ratio comes to pi depends on the precision of your baking.)

While celebrations such as square root day and pi day may seem contrived, one could argue that any way to generate excitement around math is a good thing. In a survey of 11- to 13-year-olds spearheaded by the Raytheon Company, 84 percent of children reported a preference for cleaning their rooms, eating their vegetables or going to the dentist when the alternative was doing math homework. And just this week, in a lecture at Columbia University, 1979 physics Nobelist Sheldon Glashow lamented the mathematical illiteracy of American youth. "If you have not taught a course in physics for poets"—as Glashow has—"you cannot believe the level of mathematical incompetence of the average college graduate," he said.

But if general mathematical cheerleading or feting the famous ratio isn't enough to get you in a celebratory mood, feel free to observe Talk Like a Physicist day instead, an amalgamation of pi day and Albert Einstein's birthday—the great physicist was born 130 years ago today.

http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=happy-314-also-known-as-pi-day-2009-03-14

European Parliament concerned over approaches to cancer

If only this same attitude prospered in the US!

The ANH is pleased to be working with the office of Mr Skylakakis, who has himself expressed concern over society’s approach to cancer, and particularly the lack of emphasis of prevention and the use of nutrition. Such views are of course natural for those originating from southern Europe where some of the most convincing studies on the benefits of nutrition on cancer and heart disease have been undertaken.
Read complete article

U.S. Congress Fails Maternal Health Crisis

WASHINGTON, March 12 (UPI) -- Amnesty International says healthcare reform proposals in the U.S. Congress fail to address the crisis of maternal health in the United States.

In a report released Friday, the organization said its analysis indicates the legislation won't fix the problems.

"Reform is primarily focused on healthcare coverage and reducing healthcare costs, and even optimistic estimates predict that any proposal on the table will leave millions without access to affordable care," said Rachel Ward, one of the authors of the report.

Ward says the proposed legislation doesn't address discrimination, systemic failures and the lack of government accountability documented in Amnesty International's latest report on maternal healthcare.

The report, entitled "Deadly Delivery: The Maternal Health Care Crisis in the USA," says the lifetime risk of maternal death in the United States is greater than in 40 other countries.

Obstacles to care are widespread in the United States, especially for minorities, the report says.

SOURCE:http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2010/03/12/Amnesty-Maternal-health-not-addressed/UPI-29221268399136/

Fluorine is Deadly Ingredient

Sarin gas is a commonly used warfare agent responsible for killing and maiming many of our military as well as many innocent victims of war.

TOKYO, March 11 (UPI) -- The number of victims of the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system is higher than originally reported, a police survey indicates.

The National Police Agency said Thursday a nationwide survey indicated 6,300 people were affected in the attack by the Aum Shinrikyo cult, not 5,000 as once estimated, the Kyodo news agency reported.

The tally as of the end of February indicated 6,252 people sustained injuries of varying degrees while the death toll rose from 12 to 13, officials said.

The original 5,000-plus estimate was based on the Tokyo Fire Department's records of taking those affected by the gas to hospitals. The original 12 deaths were cited in court cases and charging documents against Aum Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara and cult members, the news agency said.

Source: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/International/2010/03/11/Report-Sarin-gas-attack-victims-higher/UPI-84651268322340/

Something Important to Remember

History has taught us that looking for cures for disease is not always medically nor economically effective. President Nixon's "War on Cancer" is a great example of the unproductive nature of this approach. In 1971, he signed the National Cancer Act legislating $1.6 billion expenditure to find a cure for cancer. That year, 335,000 Americans died of cancer. In 2008, 37 years later, this number has increased to 565,650 people — up by 69%!

Since 1971, the Federal Government, private foundations and companies have spent around $200 billion in a quest to cure cancer. This $200 billion generated 1.5 million scientific papers about the basic biology of cancer. For 37 years, the War on Cancer (the majority of the funding for cancer) has gone into research to eradicate malignant cells rather than to keep normal cells from becoming malignant in the first place.

The best way for prevention is to adopt a healthier way of eating and enjoying nutrient-rich foods, which have been found to contain many potent disease-fighting compounds that help prevent disease. Americans need to learn that the drugs used to treat today's chronic preventable diseases not only do not cure them, but would be rendered largely unnecessary.

Diane Sawyer, ABC News and FDA very late in reporting on bone drug problems

Regarding soda, see this post

UPDATE: MARCH 28 - HEALTH EFFECTS: Fluoride & Osteoblasts

Fosamax Induced Fractures, More Bad News 
As if Fosamax didn't have enough problems, another nail was hammered into the coffin at the 2010 AAOS Meeting. Two more studies came out showing Fosamax disturbs bone formation, and implicates Fosamax in spontaneous mid-femur fractures (without trauma). These reports came from the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and Columbia University Medical Center. 

Fosamax Study Denies Link with Femur Fractures - A recent NEJM article by Dennis Black MD denying a link between Fosamax and spontaneous mid-femur fractures has many doctors raising their eyebrows.  Firstly, there is the problem of conflict of interest.  The study was funded by Fosamax maker, Merck, and the authors are all on Merck's payroll.

UPDATE: 27 March 2010 -

Pharma and New York Times are “Puzzled” by Bone Drug Fractures–But Patients Aren’t

ORIGINAL POST:  Dating back to 2006 and earlier you will find many articles here on the risks on bone health issues when using the Big PhRMA osteoporosis drugs.

It is very critical that you understand that the bisphosphonate drugs are associated with killing off specific cells that have to do with the complete cycle of bone construction and destruction in the body's natural physiology.

Another critical issue is the fluoride base in the majority of these drugs, known to cause the creation of brittle bones or what is called "swiss cheese" or weak bones that cannot stand up to stress. Many other drug classifications, such as antibiotics and antidepressants, that contain fluoride compounds will also promote negative bone health issues.

You can locate our prior articles on this topic using the search box at the top of the right column.

Please feel free to contact us for your consultation about what you can do naturally to have strong, healthy bones. It isn't by using Fosamax or any of the other osteoporosis Rx drugs.

This article identifies many of the problems caused by fluoride.

Should you have legal concerns, perhaps our legal colleagues at Chaffin Luhana LLP may be able to assist you if you have suffered fracture from using these drugs.

Bone Drugs Risky

Fluoride in Fosamax, Reclast

Halogens

And in this new report learn about visual problems with the use of anti-depressants (SSRI fluoride based compounds) -

Anti-depressants bring higher risk of developing cataracts

ScienceDaily (2010-03-08) -- Some anti-depressant drugs are associated with an increased chance of developing cataracts, according to a new statistical study. ... > read full article

Seems there must be something prescribers are not telling those to whom they give these drugs!

FLUORIDE ALERT: Please drop everything you are doing and watch the TV news story, "Dangerous Fluoride," from the CBS affiliate in Atlanta, Georgia at http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/22781769/

Remember Atlanta is the home of the CDC: the biggest promoter of fluoridation in the US and the world. Dan Stockin has struck at the heart of the beast of fluoridation in its home town. Neither the ADA nor the CDC could provide answers to the CBS news team. Source:FLUORIDE ACTION NETWORK http://www.FluorideAlert.Org

Clinton's Soda Deal Reinforces Obesity

In depth research has proven that diet soda is also an obesity increasing substance so why is Bill Clinton promoting it as a way to cut down on sugar use by school age children?
Read More
And consider The Plastic Connection

A chemical called bisphenol A (BPA) is used to make plastics hard, and in 2008, Health Canada banned it from baby products. News reports prompted many people to trade in their polycarbonate #7 water bottles for glass, stainless steel, or "BPA-free" plastics. However, maximum exposure to BPA is thought to come from the linings of canned food, especially acidic foods like soda pop and tomato sauce.

Both Coca-Cola and Pepsi officials confirmed that BPA is used in the linings of their beverage containers.

Evidence is accumulating that ongoing exposure to BPA might be contributing to a boatload of medical maladies. Effects at even low BPA exposure appear to include: prostate cancer, breast cancer, early puberty onset, alterations in gender-specific behavior, decreased sperm count, affects on fertility, affects on obesity and insulin resistance, behavioral effects including hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, impaired learning and other changes in behavior. BPA mimics naturally occurring estrogen, a hormone that is part of the endocrine system, the body's finely tuned messaging service.

Ninety-five percent of Americans were found to have BPA in their urine in a 2004 biomonitoring study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

School drink deal cuts sugar By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A deal to sell healthier drinks in U.S. schools has slashed the amount of fattening beverages offered to students, former President Bill Clinton said on Monday as New York leaders pushed for a soda tax to tackle obesity and budget shortfalls.

Many health experts say non-diet soft drinks are a key source of excess calories in the U.S. diet and likely helping to fuel the obesity epidemic. Two-thirds of Americans, including one in three children, are overweight or obese.

An initiative by The American Beverage Association --including The Coca-Cola Co, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and PepsiCo -- the Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association has helped cut shipments of full-sugar soft drinks to schools by 95 percent compared with 2004, Clinton said.

"There's been a dramatic shift toward lower calorie and more nutritious beverages in schools," Clinton told a news conference. "It could lay the foundation for broader changes in our society."

Although the American Beverage Association said school drink sales make up less than one percent of the total market, Clinton said companies were not asked to forgo revenue, instead "we asked them to make money in a different way."

The guidelines allow 100 percent juice drinks, low-fat milk and bottled water in elementary and middle schools, and diet beverages and calorie-capped sports drinks, flavored waters and teas in high schools.

A report prepared by Keybridge Research LLC said that while the agreement had only been in place since 2006, its progress had been measured against figures from 2004 because that was the most recent data available for comparison.

Keybridge Research president Dr. Robert Wescott said in a statement: "The reduction of calories in schools is real and meaningful. The data truly speaks for itself."

OBESITY PLAGUE

To tackle broader consumption of soft drinks, California and Philadelphia have introduced legislation to tax soda and now New York Governor David Paterson and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg are urging state lawmakers to do the same.

Referring to the large numbers of obese and overweight Americans, Paterson told reporters on Monday: "It's not going to be on my conscience, I think we need a sugar tax."

Bloomberg said in a radio address on Sunday that taxing soda would raise nearly $1 billion to help plug the state's shortfalls in health care and education funding.

"And, at the same time, it would help us fight a major problem plaguing our children: obesity," he said.

The U.S. Institute of Medicine says local governments should consider zoning laws to limit access to junk food near schools, and CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden supports taxes on soft drinks, as does the American Heart Association.

Speaking at Clinton's news conference on Monday, Susan Neely, American Beverage Association chief executive, said a soda tax would not solve "a complex problem like obesity."

Clinton declined to comment, saying: "It's dumb for me to get involved in (the tax) debate when I can save God knows how many kids lives by making other agreements."

The report on the initiative to cut the amount of sugary drinks sold in schools was unable to show if the changes meant children actually consumed fewer calories from the drinks available to them. But it suggested they bought fewer drinks.

And it echoes findings from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which reported in October that a median of 63 percent of schools limited carbonated soft drinks in 2008, compared to 38 percent in 2006.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Center for Science in the Public Interest both praised the results of the initiative, which is part of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, but said more needed to be done.

"Children drink and eat an estimated 35 percent to 50 percent of their daily calories during school hours," said the foundation's chief executive Risa Lavizzo-Mourey. "Given the central role school plays in our children's lives, we must strive to make every school in the country a healthy school."

(Additional reporting by Maggie Fox, Phil Wahba and Basil Katz; editing by Todd Eastham)

HVP Recalled

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, used in thousands of foods, has been recalled. Most of this is manufactured and processed from soy, which may have been from genetically modified (GMO) sources.

Recall: Products Containing Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Information current as of noon April 1, 2010

More from RENSE.com

HVP is a protein obtained from various foods (like soybeans, corn or wheat), then broken down into amino acids by a chemical process called acid hydrolysis. Hydrolyzed plant or vegetable protein is used as a flavor enhancer in numerous processed foods like soups, chili, sauces, stews and some meat products like frankfurters.

Acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or HVP, is produced by boiling cereals or legumes, such as soy, corn, or wheat, in hydrochloric acid and then neutralizing the solution with sodium hydroxide. The acid hydrolyzes, or breaks down, the protein in vegetables into their component amino acids. The resulting dark coloured liquid contains, among other amino acids, glutamic acid, which consumers are more familiar with in the form of its sodium salt, monosodium glutamate, or MSG. It is used as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods.

A similar product, from dairy origin, is hydrolyzed whey protein.

Other sources of glutamate, sometimes used in conjunction with HVP, include autolyzed yeast extract and hydrolyzed yeast extract.

Because of the high levels of MSG in hydrolyzed vegetable protein, people sensitive to MSG should avoid hydrolyzed vegetable protein.

In the case of soy sauce, a residual of the soy protein hydrolyzation process creates the carcinogen 3-MCPD.

Please make sure you read ALL food ingredient labels to be sure you are not purchasing items containg this substance.

March is National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month.

Consider taking some time this month to re-evaluate your diet using our Metabolic Self-Test, order for $40 (via PayPal for Creating Health Institute).

If food allergy and intolerances are holding you back from eating a healthier diet you might want to order our food allergy testing kit. Contact us for more information.

Our e-publication about food cleansing has been very popular since we released the updated and expanded second edition.

And we also offer nutritional counseling, in case you weren't aware of our services in this area.

Spring clean your body by replacing what is unhealthy with what your body needs. The start of Spring later this month is the seasonally perfect time to do liver cleansing.

Vitamin D is Critical

UPDATE: 9 March

Vitamin D lifts mood during cold weather months, researchers say

ScienceDaily (2010-03-08) -- A daily dose of vitamin D may just be what people in northern climates need to get through the long winter, according to researchers. This nutrient lifts mood during cold weather months when days are short and more time is spent indoors. ... > read full article

Remember that vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin which means you need to have adequate, healthy fats in your daily diet.

Order your Vitamin D test from us*, and your vitamin D and help us continue our important work.

* Send $100 via PayPal to Creating Health Institute, indicate vit D test.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, March 8 (UPI) -- University of Copenhagen researchers report vitamin D is crucial to activating immune defenses to fight off serious infections in the body.

Carsten Geisler said when specialized immune cells -- T cells -- are exposed to a foreign pathogen, it extends a signaling device or "antenna" known as a vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D.

"T cell must have vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease," Geisler said in a statement. "If the T cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they won't even begin to mobilize."

Identifying the role of vitamin D in the activation of T cells has been a major breakthrough, the research team said.

"Scientists have known for a long time that vitamin D is important for calcium absorption and the vitamin has also been implicated in diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis, but what we didn't realize is how crucial vitamin D is for actually activating the immune system -- which we know now," Geisler said.

Vitamin D is produced as a natural byproduct of the skin's exposure to sunlight and is also found in fish liver oil, eggs and fatty fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel or a dietary supplement.

The findings are published in Nature Immunology.

Sunshine for health - A spot of sunshine doesn't just lift your spirits, it also boosts your immune system.

Research shows that vitamin D, made when our skin is exposed to sunlight, plays a key role in activating white blood cells that protect the body from flu, food poisoning and even cancer.

Without the 'sunshine vitamin', the cells do not join the fight against disease.
Source

Cancer expert tells how treatment can be problematic

Another physician speaks out on toxic effect of today's standard cancer treatments offered in mainstream medicine.
Read more here:http://www.leaflady.org/cancer.htm

Cancer expert tells how treatment can be problem
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
By Mark Roth, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Max Wicha: Hopes cancer treatments can avoid general chemo altogether and just use targeted therapies against the stem cells.

Max Wicha is coming to Pittsburgh today to deliver a startling message.

Standard cancer treatments not only often fail to eradicate cancer, but can make it worse.

That argument isn't coming from a fringe proponent of alternative medicine, but from the founder of the University of Michigan's Comprehensive Cancer Center and a pioneer in research on why cancers recur and spread to other parts of the body.

The reason breast cancer and other malignancies often return aggressively after treatment is that when tumor cells die under assault from chemotherapy and radiation, they give off substances that can reactivate a special set of master cells known as cancer stem cells, Dr. Wicha said in an interview Tuesday.

Dr. Wicha's lab has found that inflammatory molecules secreted by dying tumor cells can hook up with the stem cells and cause them in effect to come out of hibernation.

He is scheduled to deliver the 2010 Bernard Fisher Lecture at 3:30 p.m. today in Auditorium 6 of Scaife Hall on the University of Pittsburgh campus. The talk, which is free and open to the public, honors Dr. Fisher, a Pitt researcher who pioneered the idea that lumpectomies are just as effective in treating breast cancer as mastectomies.

The existence of cancer stem cells is still controversial in some quarters, Dr. Wicha acknowledged, but is gaining traction.

In the last two months alone, researchers around the nation have published studies on cancer stem cells in breast, ovarian, prostate and brain cancer.

Adult stem cells exist in most tissues, and go into action to repair damage from wounds or infections.

In cancer, they can mutate and no longer obey normal bodily signals to stop growing, Dr. Wicha said.

He and other researchers say that even when chemotherapy and radiation cause tumors to shrink dramatically, these stem cells can stay alive, living under the radar until they are once again spurred into action.

They also believe stem cells are probably the ones that break away from an original tumor and cause cancer to spread elsewhere in the body.

Chemo and radiation kill off the fastest-growing cells in the body, which applies to most cancer cells, but the cancer stem cells that create those rapidly dividing tumor cells actually grow much more slowly themselves, and are less susceptible to those therapies, he said.

One tactic to address this problem is to kill off both types of cancer cells at once, Dr. Wicha said.

A recent experimental trial with advanced breast cancer patients at the University of Michigan, Baylor University in Texas and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard University used standard chemotherapy along with a substance designed to block one of the biochemical pathways of stem cells.

The approach killed off more than 90 percent of the cancer stem cells, Dr. Wicha said, and researchers now hope to expand the treatment to a much larger group of patients.

Ultimately, he hopes cancer treatments can avoid general chemo altogether, with its debilitating side effects, and just use targeted therapies against the stem cells.

There is still a long road ahead, he said, and "my feeling is, to really knock these stem cells out, we're probably going to have to use multiple inhibitors."

Mark Roth: mroth@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1130.
SOURCE: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10055/1038056-114.stm#ixzz0hHCsKwAT

New fluoride-lead study cause for ending fluoridation

A very important new study has just been published, ahead of print, by the journal Toxicology, in February 2010:

Fluoride increases lead concentrations in whole blood and in calcified tissues from lead-exposed rats

By Sawana RMM (a), Leite GAS (a), Saraiva MCP (a), Barbosa Jr. F (b), Tanus-Santos JE (c), Gerlach RF (a)

(a) School of Dentistry of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo
(b) School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo
(c) Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo

The authors note that, "Higher blood lead levels have been reported in children living in communities that receive fluoride-treated water." They cite the two papers on Masters and Coplan (1999, 2000).

The authors designed an animal experiment to see whether fluoride co-administered with lead increases lead concentrations in blood and calcified tissues. It is important to note that the fluoride compound that they used was hexafluorosilicic acid, one of the silicon fluorides used as fluoridating agents in over 90% of the water supplies fluoridated in the US. Hitherto, nearly all animal experiments have used sodium fluoride.

METHOD: Four groups (i.e. a control group; a fluoride group; a lead group; a fluoride plus lead group) of female (Wistar) rats and their offspring were exposed to different drinking water preparations from 1 week prior to mating until offspring were 81 days old. The drinking water preparations used in the four groups were:
1) The Control Group received water containing maximally 0.1mg/L of fluoride and 0.5 µg/L of lead.

2) The Fluoride group (the F group) received water containing 100mg/L of fluoride (administered as hexafluorosilicic acid)

3) The Lead group (the Pb group) given 30mg/L of lead (administered as lead acetate)

4) The Combined Lead and Fluoride group (the F + Pb group) given 100mg/L of fluoride as hexafluorosilicic acid and 30mg/L of lead as lead acetate

Blood and calcified tissues (enamel, dentine, and bone) were harvested at day 81 for lead and fluoride analyses.

RESULTS: Higher blood lead concentrations (over three times) were found in the fluoride plus lead group compared with the lead group (76.7+/-11.0mug/dL versus 22.6+/-8.5mug/dL, respectively; p<0.001)." Two- to 3-fold higher lead concentrations were found in the calcified tissues in the fluoride plus lead group compared with the lead group (all p<0.001). Lead concentrations were found to be 2.5 times higher in the superficial enamel, 3 times higher in surface bone, 2 times higher in whole bone, and 1.7 times higher in the dentine when the animals were co-exposed to fluoride, thus indicating a consistent rise in the amounts of lead found in whole blood and calcified tissues in the F+Pb Group. CONCLUSIONS: The authors concluded: "These findings show that fluoride consistently increases blood lead and calcified tissues lead concentrations in animals exposed to low levels of lead and suggest that a biological effect not yet recognized may underlie the epidemiological association between increased blood lead levels in children living in water-fluoridated communities." Probably anticipating the usual criticism leveled against animal studies of this type by pro-fluoridation zealots, the authors of this study carefully address the issue of the concentrations of both lead and fluoride used in this experiment. They write:

The concentration of lead in drinking water used in the present study is considered a low concentration for rodents (Leasure et al., 2008). However, while the fluoride concentration used in the present study could be considered relatively high for rodents (100mg/L or ppm), this concentration was chosen because it produces plasma fluoride levels that are comparable with those commonly found in humans chronically exposed to 8mg/L of fluoride in the drinking water, which is a concentration known to cause severe fluorosis.

Since this study was based on a hypothesis derived from epidemiological evidence from thousands of children (that fluoride from the water might increase BPblevels), we felt that we had to maximize fluoride concentrations to observe its influence on lead levels in this proof-of-concept animal study. Although children are not chronically exposed to high concentrations of fluoride (100ppm) by means of drinking/cooking water, children are frequently exposed to high levels of fluoride during their first years because of the many sources of fluoride available to them. Since fluoride is not considered a toxic agent, it is widely available through mouth rinses, toothpastes, tablets, besides the fluoride present in drinking water, beverages, and food. Indeed, the widespread presence of fluoride increased the prevalence of fluorosis in the USA (Pendrys, 2000) and in other countries (Leverett, 1986; Jackson et al., 1999; Tabari et al.,2000; Tsutsui et al.,2000; Pereira et al.,2000). Therefore, it is likely that young children may experience episodes of exposure to high levels of fluoride, which may cause their BPb (blood lead) levels to increase and produce more lead toxicity.

A reason for major concern is the fact that exposure to increased amounts of lead and fluoride occurs at about the same age (1-3 years). Some studies of fluorosis prevalence point to a higher degree of fluorosis in front teeth and first molars (Ismail et al., 1990), which is an indirect measure of dose that indicates that the children receive the highest fluoride doses when their front teeth and first molars mineralize(at ages 1-5 years). This is about the same time when BPb levels are the highest in children. Infact, the exposure of children to lead apparently peaks at 12-36 months of age, which is the time when toddlers experience prominent hand-to-mouth behavior (Binns et al., 2007). Therefore, this is a critical time when systemic exposure to fluoride should be minimized, since fluoride may increase lead accumulation, and any preventable exposure to lead should be avoided (Binns et al., 2007).

FAN's comment: In essence these authors have provided a well-designed animal study supporting the epidemiological findings of Masters and Coplan.

No one can deny that even very low levels of lead exposure can compromise the intellectual development and behavior of young children. If, as this experiment shows in animals, and Masters and Coplan may have found in epidemiological studies, that lead exposure (from any source) is increased by the presence of fluoride in the water, in any rational world this should force the end of fluoridation immediately. What parent in their right mind would knowingly allow the possibility that their child's mental development be impaired in exchange for some slight and questionable benefit to their teeth. However, without the mainstream media and the majority of environmental organizations involved in this issue it is hard to get this information to parents. Thus the chances are that this study will be ignored, like the landmark NRC (2006) review, by those governments determined to continue fluoridation whatever the costs to public health.

As each new scientific study makes the practice of water fluoridation more and more unjustified one feels as if one is caught up in some Kafka novel. We are trapped by a text that was written in 1950 when the US Public Health Service endorsed fluoridation with practically no science on the table. This endorsement set off such a cascade of endorsement dominoes from "professional" bodies that no one seems to have the guts to say was a terrible mistake. All one's efforts to point out - like the little boy in Hans Christian Anderson's famous tale - that the emperor has no clothes are met by derision by the modern day courtiers at the CDC and the ADA. Science has been subordinated to authority and public policy has become the plaything of the arrogant.

Meanwhile, for those who care for their common man this study is another critically important piece of ammunition in the battle to end this sordid practice worldwide.

The abstract of the paper can be accessed at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20188782?itool=Email.EmailReport.Pubmed_ReportSelector.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=6

More Problems for Weight Loss Drug

UK NEWS: WARNING OVER SLIMMING PILL
Saturday March 6,2010
By Victoria Fletcher

A MAJOR health alert has been issued over an anti-obesity pill that hundreds of thousands of us are buying over the counter with no prescription.

Drug safety watchdogs fear the slimming tablet Alli could trigger a raft of issues, including pancreatitis, kidney stones, liver problems or severe fits in people with epilepsy.

New figures show there have been 31 reported cases of adverse reactions since it went on sale at high street pharmacies in January 2009.

The pills were an overnight success. The overweight could get hold of them for just £50 a month, without the humiliation of having a full consultation with their GP.

But now the evidence against Alli – generic name orlistat – appears to be growing.

The 31 adverse reactions include palpitations, tummy problems and swollen tongues.

Patients taking a common drug to treat thyroid problems are also being told to seek advice from a doctor because the medicines could interact badly.

Since diarrhoea is a common ­side-effect, women are warned it could lessen the effectiveness of the contraceptive Pill.

US health watchdogs are investigating links to liver disease, though European researchers disagree.

The UK’s drugs safety watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare ­Regulatory Authority, is now insisting that new warnings are added to packets of Alli following a review by the EU Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.

Alli works by stopping the body from absorbing fat.

For every 2lb patients lose through diet and ­exercise, it can increase weight loss by another 1lb.

For over a decade the slimming “wonder pill” could only be ­prescribed to the seriously obese by GPs. But then the dosage was halved from 120mg to 60mg, allowing pharmacists to sell it.

They are required to question patients before they sell them the pills. Those already on medication for diabetes, high cholesterol and abnormal heart rhythm are told to seek advice from a GP.

But Tam Fry, from the National Obesity Forum, said there was ­concern that although most ­pharmacists would check that patients were fit to take Alli, junior staff might not.

She urged anyone taking it to consult their pharmacist or GP.

Last night the manufacturers, GlaxoSmithKline, said: “The update to the label for Alli expands the information available to consumers and healthcare professionals to help facilitate product use.

“Consumers can be reassured that orlistat, the active ingredient in Alli, is the most studied weight-loss medicine, with a safety profile established through 100 clinical studies with over 30,000 patients.”

In January, European regulators said another anti-obesity drug, Reductil, should be withdrawn over fears it could increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

SOURCE:http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/161906/Warning-over-slimming-pill

Other articles regarding Alli can be found on Natural Health News.

Doctor offices do not honor privacy

Yesterday I was having a conversation with a woman at my local plumbing company. She was complaining about the lack of privacy at the area doctor groups and how there is no effort to protect patient data and financial information in front of other staff and patients.

To have any public credibility doctors have to honor their medical oath and be reasonably in tune with medical truth. This is exceedingly hard to do if your health care provider has bought the Big PhRMA/Big Insurance paradigm.

I explained to her that HIPPA is set up to collect and share your information and that the failure to provide private areas to discuss your information is a legal requirement.

Where one gets their information is telling and for doctors crucial. Pharmaceutical muscle is evident not only in medical schools but in medical organizations, local medical boards and in the governmental institutions that oversee medicine and public health. All of these medical organizations are in the business of strong arming doctors, creating fearful and highly conditioned environments that continue outrageous but profitable practices for the industry. http://imva.info/index.php/vaccines/a-rebellion-in-healthcare.

Dear OPRAH, NO MICROWAVE COOKING PLEASE!

I am saddened by Oprah's promotion of microwave exposure on food. I just hope she makes an effort to stop telling people that microwaving food is just fine and dandy.

And please don't use a microwave to get the last spoonful of almond butter from the bottom of the jar! The fat in almond butter is specifically damaged by microwaves.

Read More...

A Real Life Experience, Damaged by Gardasil

http://no2vaccines4mylittlepooker.blogspot.com/

Insurance Rates Soar 15 Percent and More

Certainly this report makes a strong case for single payer to cover all citizens in the US, including members of congress.

And please make a point to understand that it is the insurance companies that drive up the costs, as they control all the licensed providers engaged in third party billing.

Individual insurance rates soar in 4 states
By LINDA A. JOHNSON, AP Business Writer
Fri Feb 12, 2010

TRENTON, N.J. – Consumers in at least four states who buy their own health insurance are getting hit with premium increases of 15 percent or more — and people in other states could see the same thing.

Anthem Blue Cross, a subsidiary of WellPoint Inc., has been under fire for a week from regulators and politicians for notifying some of its 800,000 individual policyholders in California that it plans to raise rates by up to 39 percent March 1.

The Anthem Blue Cross plan in Maine is asking for increases of about 23 percent this year for some individual policyholders. Last year, they raised rates up to 32 percent.

Kansas had one recent case where one insurer wanting to raise most individual rates 20 percent to 30 percent was persuaded by state insurance officials to reduce the increases to 10 percent to 20 percent. The insurance department would not identify the company but said it was not Anthem.

And in Oregon, multiple insurers were granted rate hikes of 15 percent or more this year after increases of around 25 percent last year for customers who purchase individual health insurance, rather than getting it through their employer.

Premiums are far more volatile for individual policies than for those bought by employers and other large groups, which have bargaining clout and a sizable pool of people among which to spread risk. As more people have lost jobs, many who are healthy have decided to go without health insurance or get a bare-bones, high-deductible policy, reducing the amount of premiums insurers receive.

Steep rate hikes in this sliver of the insurance market — about 13 million Americans, as of 2008 — have popped up sporadically for years. Experts see them becoming increasingly common.

"You're going to see rate increases of 20, 25, 30 percent" for individual health policies in the near term, Sandy Praeger, chairwoman of the health insurance and managed care committee for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, predicted Friday.

Most states don't have the legal authority to block or reduce health insurance rate increases, Praeger noted.

"When you see stories like (Anthem's), you can almost guarantee there's going to be increased consumer protection activity" in state legislatures, she said.

Her group doesn't track rates state by state, but Praeger said it likely will start doing so, "if we don't get any kind of meaningful reform at the federal level."

Politicians and even some health insurers, including Anthem, are urging a revival of the stalled effort in Congress to overhaul the health care system, arguing everyone needs to be covered by health insurance in order to prevent such premium spikes.

In Maine, where Anthem dominates the market, its proposal has several consumer groups planning big rallies at two public hearings on the rates, on Feb. 22 and 24.

Under Anthem's proposal, a family of four could be charged up to $1,876 per month if the proposed rates are allowed to take effect in July.

"The rate request should be denied on its face. It's outrageous," said Greg Howard, spokesman for Maine Change That Works. "We are in the middle of ... this record-breaking type of recession, and they're doing what they need to guarantee profit margin."

On Friday, Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree and Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell wrote to two congressmen who have scheduled a Feb. 24 hearing on Anthem's pending rate hikes in California, asking them to also look into the proposed hike in Maine.

"We frankly have been very frustrated by the size of these increases," Pingree told The Associated Press. "Obviously, they are attempting to price certain people out of the market."

Last year, Maine's Superintendent of Insurance Mila Kofman rejected Anthem's initial requests, which would have increased individual rates an average of 18.5 percent. She allowed an average increase of 10.9 percent, with the highest increase at 32.4 percent.

Anthem sued the state. Oral arguments in the case are to be scheduled before the Maine Superior Court for mid-March.

Anthem spokesman Chris Dugan said Friday evening the company wants the court to review Kofman's decision because it didn't allow the company an operating profit. He said the rates requested for 2010 are needed "to make sure that we have adequate resources to cover the remaining members" in the insurance plans.

WellPoint, based in Indianapolis, has said it needs to raise rates so much because the weak economy has resulted in fewer people remaining in the individual market in California, and many who do have serious health problems. It says costs of caring for them have been rising due to higher provider prices and more use of diagnostic tests.

In Oregon, state insurance officials have concluded that rising costs justify the higher individual premiums, particularly because most insurers cut rates too much in 2006 and then got hit with significant losses. So double-digit increases, some 25 percent or higher, have been approved, or reduced a bit from 2007 to 2010.

Insurance Division spokeswoman Cheryl Martinis said the agency has started posting details of all proposed increases on its Webspace site and e-mailing customers want a proposal comes in so they can comment.

"People are extraordinarily upset in Oregon, as they are nationwide, about health care costs," she said.

Natural Cures for Clinton's Maladies

Now that we have been bombarded with Bill Clinton's health status for the last two days, I wonder just how many people won't get the kind of health care he has had during this time. It is something to think about as AP's Marilynn Marchione, AP Medical Writer, writes that he "...has a new lease on life, but there's no cure for the heart disease that has twice forced the former president to get blocked arteries fixed."

Clinton's taking anti-clotting medication which has long term problems of its own and he was admonished for stopping cholesterol medication. Of course it wasn't considered that cholesterol medication doesn't do too much for atherosclerosis, and nutritional depletion from the drugs was not even mentioned.

There may be no medical cure, but certainly we know that nature cures.

In case Bill reads this while he's recovering in Chappaqua, he'd do well to research the benefits of garlic, cayenne, vitamins B-C-E, and lecithin and how these natural supplements would actually lead to better prevention and cure.

We'd like his doctors to do the same.

FMI:Low micronutrient intake may accelerate the degenerative diseases of aging through allocation of scarce micronutrients by triage.

Lecithin from HEALTH MATTERS

Bruce Ames

Vascular cognitive impairment linked to B vitamin deficiency

In the August 26, 2008 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at Tufts University's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) report that a deficiency of three B vitamins is associated with cognitive dysfunction in mice, as well as adverse effects on the brain's capillaries.

Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy assistant professor Aron Troen, PhD and colleagues fed mice one of two diets designed to result in high homocysteine levels over a ten week period. Elevated plasma homocysteine has been linked with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. The first diet contained a high amount of the amino acid methionine, which metabolizes to homocysteine, and the second diet was deficient in folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, which help convert homocysteine back to methionine. A third group received normal diets.

"Mice fed a diet deficient in folate and vitamins B12 and B6 demonstrated significant deficits in spatial learning and memory compared with normal mice." Dr Troen reported. "The B vitamin-deficient mice also developed plasma homocysteine concentrations that were seven-fold higher than the concentrations observed in mice fed a normal diet."

Dr Troen's team additionally observed reductions in capillary length and density in the brains of mice that received B vitamin deficient diets. Mice that were given high methionine diets experienced similar effects, but to a lesser degree.

"The elevated levels of homocysteine that were associated with vascular cognitive impairment in the mice in our study are comparable to the levels that are associated in older adults with an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease and cerebrovascular disease, the latter of which manifests with conditions such as stroke and atherosclerosis," stated Irwin Rosenberg, MD, who is the director of the Nutrition and Neurocognition Laboratory at the HNRCA. "These findings may indicate that microvascular changes mediate the association between high homocysteine levels and human age-related cognitive decline."
Reported 9/08 LEF.ORG

A Best Breast Cancer Site

Taking a prevention perspective allows group to point out the problems with the current model in the breast cancer industry

A cancer-industry view of its future
Authors of a report predicting a continuing rise in cancer rates expect cancer will increasingly be managed with lifelong drug treatment and lifelong monitoring, as in diabetes and asthma. The direct cost for managing the medical care of one cancer patient was approximately £20,000 in 2004. If we are heading into a 'positive chemotherapy future' then, 'by 2025 this figure could easily rise to £100,000 per patient per year – a total of perhaps £1 million over a lifetime. We are starting to spend vast amounts of UK tax on the National Health Service (NHS) taking the total healthcare budget up to £80 billion per year. We could consume a lot more than this in the future just on treating cancer. The explosion of new therapies in cancer care is going to continue and pricing of these drugs will remain high. If effective drugs emerge from the research and development pipeline, the cancer drug market will be worth US$300 billion globally by 2025.'
(Sikora 'Cancer 2025: the future of cancer care' 2004)

A thriving enterprise with a guaranteed future, 'cancer' is a growth industry in every sense of the word. It would be extremely unlikely that this particular industry would champion a case which has the potential to undermine its very existence.