Taurine Enhances the Function of Insulin

Taurine Enhances the Function of Insulin
January 29, 2010 – Byron Richards, CCN

Science now shows that the amino acid taurine is a helpful tool in supporting the production of insulin and insulin sensitivity – two major issues for any person seeking solutions for blood sugar issues. Generally taurine is thought of as a relaxing nutrient due to its function within your nervous system. It is also a general tonic to your heart.

In an animal model that allows for detailed analysis of the effects of taurine supplementation it was shown that tuarine helped the pancreas produce insulin, improved the expression of genes needed for the metabolism of ingested glucose, and helped insulin receptors in muscles and the liver work better. This is a profound array of support for improved blood sugar metabolism.

Add taurine to the list of nutrients capable of helping individuals with healthier blood sugar metabolism.

Beta Glucan Cure for Fungus

Beta Glucan Cure for Fungus

Fungal infections occur when your body’s resistance is weakened. With a compromised immune system, fungal infections may be difficult to get rid of and may recur. The best way to deal with fungus is to boost the body’s natural defense against invaders. Beta glucan can do just that. It is natural cure and arguably the best immune system activator ever discovered.

Beta Glucan: An Overview
Beta glucans are naturally occurring long chains of polysaccharides that consist of glucose molecules linked by beta-type glycosidic bonds. They are commonly found in foods like oats, barley, wheat and yeasts, and certain types of mushrooms, including shiitake, reish, and maitake.

Beta Glucan: Immune Booster
Oriental herbalists have known for thousand of years that yeasts and mushrooms have the ability to boost the immune system. In the 1960’s, Dr. Nicholas DiLuzio discovered this immune-activating compound as the long chains of polysaccharides called beta glucan. He discovered it while conducting a follow-up study on the immune activating capability of zymosan, a drug that consists of yeast cell wall materials.

Research in the 1980’s by Dr. Joyce Czop at Harvard University revealed how beta glucan works to enhance the immune system. According to Dr. Czop, beta glucan works by attaching itself to macrophages and stimulates them to produce free radicals. The stimulation signals the immune cells to overcome and destroy foreign substances, including those that cause viral and bacterial infections. The end result is that of an amplified immune response against the “invaders” until they are defeated.

The immune system-enhancing capability of beta glucan is supported by studies conducted at many prestigious universities, including Harvard, Tulane, and the Baylor College of Medicine. In particular, researchers at the Alpha-Beta Technology in Worcester, Massachusetts, tried to examine the effects of beta glucan on the human blood. They discovered that beta glucan enhanced the growth of immune cells and triggered the production of free radicals in white blood cells, which in turn enhances the cells’ immune response to foreign bodies. They’ve also established that the cells’ antibacterial and anti-infection capabilities increased with an increase in the beta glucan dose.

Aside from stimulating the immune system, beta glucan is also found to be effective in treating cancers, radiation exposure, ulcers, trauma and infections.

Cure for Fungus
The immune system is the body’s best defense against foreign bodies. Fungi are essentially foreign bodies that live in and outside the body. Those that are found inside the body usually don’t cause harm as the immune system keeps their growth in check. Hence, the best way to protect ourselves from fungus and fungal infection is by keeping a healthy immune system.

A weakened immune system allows fungi to grow unchecked and cause infection. Beta glucan can help the body fight off these infections simply by stimulating the immune cells’ foreign-body-killing capabilities and helping prevent the infection from coming back.

Research conducted at the State University of São Paulo in Brazil provides evidence of the effectiveness of beta glucan in resisting and treating fungal infections. The study tested the response of nine patients with serious fungal infections to a weekly intravenous dosage of beta glucan for one month; then it was given once a month for a period of 11 months. After a year, the researchers found lower residual traces of the infection in the test subjects’ blood.

Beta Glucan Sources
The foremost sources of beta glucan are yeast, mushrooms, barley and oats. Beta glucan derived from yeasts and mushrooms show greater support for immune system functions, while beta glucan derived from barley and oats are excellent sources of dietary fiber that help in lowering levels of cholesterol.

Corn Gluten Damages Celiac Patients

Corn Gluten Damages Celiac Patients
http://www.glutenfreesociety.org/corn-gluten-damages-celiac-patients/

A Study published in the journal Gut identified that corn gluten caused an inflammatory reaction in patients with celiac disease.

“The observation that corn gluten challenge induced an abnormal NO reaction in some of our patients with CD is intriguing as maize is considered safe and is recommended as the substitute cereal in a gluten free diet.”
Source:

Gut. 2005; 54:769-774.

Gluten Free Society’s Stance
Corn is a grain. Corn has gluten. Many believe that corn gluten does not induce damage the same way that wheat, barley, and rye do. The fact of the matter is, gluten has not been studied adequately. Most of what we know about celiac disease and gluten have to do with gliadin (the gluten found in wheat only). As a physician with 10 years of experience treating gluten sensitivity, I have seen corn be a severe problem for the majority of gluten intolerant patients. Many claim that they don’t react to corn and feel fine after eating it. The same can be said of those with silent celiac disease. Remember that a lack of symptoms does not mean that internal damage is not occurring. All of that being said, we should not make assumptions. Common sense and intelligent thought should be used as a basis for our dietary decisions. Gluten aside, consider the following about corn:

1.It is the second most commonly genetically modified food on the planet (soy is #1)
2.Genetic modification of foods continues to kill animals in scientific studies.
3.It is an incomplete protein.
4.It is difficult for humans to digest (ever see corn in your stool?)
5.It is high in calories and low in nutrient value
6.It is a new food to the human genome.
7.It is being used as a staple food for our cattle, fish, chicken, and cars.
8.Cows and fish are not designed to eat grain. (Have you ever seen a fish jump out of a lake into a corn field for supper?)
9.When animals eat corn as a staple they have shorter life spans.
10.Corn fed beef is linked to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. Grass fed beef is not.
11.Fructose derived from corn is toxic to the liver and contributes to severe health issues.
12.Corn syrup has mercury in it.
13.The list can go on and on and on…
Many consumers bow to the alter of “Gluten Free” packaged foods as if the label is a safety net. ”Gluten Free” on the package does not mean that the food is healthy. Do not deny yourself the God given right to be healthy.

Remember, corn has gluten. The gluten in corn has not been adequately studied. Many studies to date have shown that corn induces inflammatory damage in those with gluten sensitivity. Almost half of all celiac patients don’t get better on a wheat, rye, and barley free diet. Is their a link between corn and refractory celiac disease? At this point in time we do not know for sure, but 10 years of clinical experience with gluten intolerant patients reacting to corn is enough data for me.

Much more to come on corn…Stay tuned!

Study clearly demonstrates that aluminum found in vaccines can cause neurologic damage

Study clearly demonstrates that aluminum found in vaccines can cause neurologic damage
Monday, 21 September 2009 22:17

Randi Allaire was an Information Management Specialist in the military for almost four years. Three and one-half years were spent with the Air National Guard as Information Management, the previous five and half was with the Army Guard as a Flight Operations Specialist.

As part of the military’s program to protect their troops from chemical and biological weapons, Randi was required to take the anthrax vaccine. On March 14, 1999 she was given her fourth anthrax vaccine. It was after that shot that she has suffered chronic fatigue, memory lapses, migraines, pain in the forearms, and other aches and pains. She received no help with her condition and only denials that the anthrax vaccine could cause any of these problems and that the cause of her problems was likely the “flu” or too much “stress”. She was eventually thrown out of the military because she refused to take the fifth anthrax vaccine shot in fear for her own personal health.

Aluminum is the most commonly licensed adjuvant that is added to a large number of vaccines. An adjuvant is a substance added to a vaccine to amplify the immune response. Aluminum compounds, which were identified over 90 years ago as adjuvants, are considered by the pharmaceutical industry and various government agencies as safe. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has continued to approve the use of aluminum as an additive to vaccines for many years.

Despite these assurances that aluminum and all vaccine ingredients are safe, large numbers of military veterans who suffer from Gulf War Syndrome as well as parents of children who suffer from various neurologic conditions including Autism strongly believe that the vaccines were often at least in part a cause of their health problems.

A recent study in the Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry examined the possible neurotoxicity of aluminum. This new work builds on a previous study where the researchers had injected mice with a combination of aluminum and squalene, another vaccine adjuvant which is not licensed in North America.
In that study the investigators injected mice with adjuvants that mimicked the anthrax vaccine schedule set by the Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program. The investigators concluded in that study”our data suggest that the aluminum hydroxide adjuvant induces both behavioral and motor deficits and the loss of motor neurons and increased presence of astrocytes [astrocytes are cells that express inflammatory markers] in spinal cord and neuronal apoptosis [cell death] in the primary motor cortex.” When Professor Shaw was asked in an article by Pieta Wooley about this research Professor Shaw replied “No one in my lab wants to get vaccinated. This totally creeped us out. We weren’t out there to poke holes in vaccines. But all of a sudden, oh my God-we’ve got neuron death!”

In this new study (also termed experiment 2), mice received 6 aluminum hydroxide injections over a 2 week period. These mice along with control mice were subjected to a more rigorous behavioral testing regime than the original experiment.

The investigators found “the multiple aluminum hydroxide injections of experiment 2 showed profound effects on motor and other behaviours… Multiple aluminum injections produced significant behavioural outcomes including changes in locomotion behavior, and induced memory deficits on water maze tasks.”

I asked Professor Shaw “To your knowledge have there been any autopsies performed on service men and women that had GWS [Gulf War Syndrome] and have died to examine if they have a similar pattern of aluminum contamination that you discovered in your research?” He responded “that it has not been done to my knowledge.” I also asked “Has there been an examination of people with autism to examine the obvious likely link between aluminum and mercury contamination and that condition?” Again he responded “Not to my knowledge.”

It is important to note that while this and their previous study showed “significant behavioural and neuropathological outcomes with aluminum hydroxide” that these results were achieved under minimal conditions and that the effect of multiple other factors in real situation such as “stress, multiple vaccinations, and exposure to other toxins” would more than likely make the outcomes worse. “A recent study examining some of these factors in combination showed that stress, vaccination, and pyridostigmine bromide (Pyridostigmine bromide has been FDA approved for military use during combat situations as an agent to be given prior to exposure to the nerve agent Soman in order to increase survival), may synergistically act on multiple stress-activated kinases in the brain to induce neurologic impairment in GWS.”

I asked Professor Shaw, “In your opinion why do various governmental agencies continue to insist that vaccines are safe when you clearly state in your research paper that ‘it also seems that there have been no rigorous animal studies of potential aluminum adjuvant toxicity. The absence of such studies is peculiar given the well known observation that aluminum in general can be neurotoxic under a number of conditions and adjuvants in particular have previously been implicated in neurological disease’?” Professor Shaw replied “A less charitable person than I would likely look at links between pharma and the regulatory agencies. I don’t know of any safe adjuvants. Aluminum is the one considered ‘safe’.”

The authors conclude, “Overall, the results reported here mirror previous work that has clearly demonstrated that aluminum, in both oral and injected forms, can be neurotoxic.” I followed up with Professor Shaw “knowing what you know about aluminum from your research would you personally use a vaccine that contains aluminum?” He responded “No, and I don’t.”

The following vaccines (vaccine name/trade name, manufacturer, and information from the product insert) contain aluminum adjuvant:

Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed/Biothrax, Emergent BioDefense Operations Lansing, Inc., “The final product is formulated to contain 1.2 mg/mL aluminum, added as aluminum hydroxide in 0.85% sodium chloride.”

Diphtheria & Tetanus Toxoids Adsorbed, Sanofi Pasteur Inc, “Each 0.5 mL dose is formulated to contain 6.7 Lf of diphtheria toxoid, 5 Lf of tetanus toxoid, and not more than 0.17 mg of aluminum.”

Diphtheria & Tetanus Toxoids & Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Adsorbed/Tripedia, Sanofi Pasteur, Inc., “Each 0.5 mL dose also contains, by assay, not more than 0.170 mg of aluminum and not more than 100 ?g (0.02%) of residual formaldehyde.”

Diphtheria & Tetanus Toxoids & Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Adsorbed/Infanrix, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, “Each 0.5-mL dose contains 4.5 mg of NaCl and aluminum adjuvant (not more than 0.625 mg aluminum by assay). Each dose also contains ?100 mcg of residual formaldehyde and ?100 mcg of polysorbate 80 (Tween 80).”

Diphtheria & Tetanus Toxoids & Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Adsorbed/DAPTACEL, Sanofi Pasteur, Ltd., “Other ingredients per 0.5 mL dose include 1.5 mg aluminum phosphate (0.33 mg of aluminum) as the adjuvant, ?5 ?g residual formaldehyde, <50 ng residual glutaraldehyde and 3.3 mg (0.6% v/v) 2-phenoxyethanol (not as a preservative).”

Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids and Acellular Pertussis Adsorbed, Hepatitis B (Recombinant) and Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine Combined/Pediarix, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, “Each 0.5-mL dose also contains 4.5 mg of NaCl and aluminum adjuvant (not more than 0.85 mg aluminum by assay). Each dose also contains ?100 mcg of residual formaldehyde and ?100 mcg of polysorbate 80 (Tween 80).”

Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids and Acellular Pertussis Adsorbed and Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine/Kinrix, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, “Each 0.5-mL dose contains 4.5 mg of NaCl and aluminum adjuvant (not more than 210 0.6 mg aluminum by assay). Each dose also contains ?100 mcg of residual formaldehyde and 211 ?100 mcg of polysorbate 80 (Tween 80).”

Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids and Acellular Pertussis Adsorbed, Inactivated Poliovirus and Haemophilus b Conjugate (Tetanus Toxoid Conjugate) Vaccine/Pentacel, Sanofi Pasteur, Ltd, “Other ingredients per 0.5 mL dose include 1.5 mg aluminum phosphate (0.33 mg aluminum) as the adjuvant, polysorbate 80 (approximately 10 ppm by calculation), ?5 ?g residual formaldehyde, <50 ng residual glutaraldehyde, ?50 ng residual bovine serum albumin, 3.3 mg (0.6% v/v) 2-phenoxyethanol (not as a preservative) and <4 pg of neomycin and <4 pg polymyxin B sulfate. ”

Haemophilus b Conjugate (Meningococcal Protein Conjugate) and Hepatitis B (Recombinant) Vaccine/Comvax, Merck & Co, Inc, “The individual PRP-OMPC and HBsAg adjuvanted bulks are combined to produce COMVAX. Each 0.5 mL dose of COMVAX is formulated to contain 7.5 mcg PRP conjugated to approximately 125 mcg OMPC, 5 mcg HBsAg, approximately 225 mcg aluminum as amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate, and 35 mcg sodium borate (decahydrate) as a pH stabilizer, in 0.9% sodium chloride. The vaccine contains not more than 0.0004% (w/v) residual formaldehyde.”

Hepatitis A Vaccine, Inactivated/Havrix, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, “Each 1-mL adult dose of vaccine consists of 1440 EL.U. of viral antigen, adsorbed on 0.5 mg of aluminum as aluminum hydroxide. Each 0.5-mL pediatric dose of vaccine consists of 720 EL.U. of viral antigen, adsorbed onto 0.25 mg of aluminum as aluminum hydroxide.”

Hepatitis A Vaccine, Inactivated/VAQTA, Merck & Co, Inc, “Pediatric/Adolescent Formulation (12 Months Through 18 Years of Age): each 0.5 mL dose contains approximately 25U of hepatitis A virus antigen adsorbed onto approximately 0.225 mg of aluminum provided as amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate, and 35 mcg of sodium borate as a pH stabilizer, in 0.9% sodium chloride. Adult Formulation (19 Years of Age and Older): each 1 mL dose contains approximately 50U of hepatitis A virus antigen adsorbed onto approximately 0.45 mg of aluminum provided as amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate, and 70 mcg of sodium borate as a pH stabilizer, in 0.9% sodium chloride.”

Hepatitis A Inactivated & Hepatitis B (Recombinant) Vaccine/Twinrix, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, “A 1.0-mL dose of vaccine contains 720 ELISA Units of inactivated hepatitis A virus and 20 mcg of recombinant HBsAg protein. One dose of vaccine also contains 0.45 mg of aluminum in the form of aluminum phosphate and aluminum hydroxide as adjuvants, amino acids, 5.0 mg 2-phenoxyethanol as a preservative, sodium chloride, phosphate buffer, polysorbate 20, Water for Injection, traces of formalin (not more than 0.1 mg), a trace amount of thimerosal (<1 mcg mercury) from the manufacturing process, and residual MRC-5 cellular proteins (not more than 2.5 mcg).”

Hepatitis B Vaccine (Recombinant)/Engerix-B, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, “Pediatric/Adolescent: Each 0.5-mL dose contains 10 mcg of hepatitis B surface antigen adsorbed on 0.25 mg aluminum as aluminum hydroxide. The pediatric formulation contains sodium chloride (9 mg/mL) and phosphate buffers (disodium phosphate dihydrate, 0.98 mg/mL; sodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate, 0.71 mg/mL). Adult: Each 1-mL adult dose contains 20 mcg of hepatitis B surface antigen adsorbed on 0.5 mg aluminum as aluminum hydroxide. The adult formulation contains sodium chloride (9 mg/mL) and phosphate buffers (disodium phosphate dihydrate, 0.98 mg/mL; sodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate, 0.71 mg/mL).”

Hepatitis B Vaccine (Recombinant)/Recombivax HB, Merck & Co, Inc, “All formulations contain approximately 0.5 mg of aluminum (provided as amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate, previously referred to as aluminum hydroxide) per mL of vaccine. In each formulation, hepatitis B surface antigen is adsorbed onto approximately 0.5 mg of aluminum (provided as amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate) per mL of vaccine.”

Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, 18) Vaccine, Recombinant/Gardasil, Merck & Co, Inc, “Each 0.5-mL dose of the vaccine contains approximately 225 mcg of aluminum (as Amorphous Aluminum Hydroxyphosphate Sulfate adjuvant), 9.56 mg of sodium chloride, 0.78 mg of L-histidine, 50 mcg of polysorbate 80, 35 mcg of sodium borate, < 7 mcg yeast protein/dose, and water for injection. The product does not contain a preservative or antibiotics." Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine, Inactivated, Adsorbed (Military & Commercial)/Ixiaro, Merck & Co, Inc, "Each dose of vaccine contains approximately 6 mcg of purified, inactivated JEV proteins and 250 mcg of aluminum hydroxide." Pneumococcal 7-valent Conjugate Vaccine (Diphtheria CRM197 Protein)/Prevnar, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Inc, "Each 0.5 mL dose is formulated to contain: 2 ?g of each saccharide for serotypes 4, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F, and 4 ?g of serotype 6B per dose (16 ?g total saccharide); approximately 20 ?g of CRM197 carrier protein; and 0.125 mg of aluminum per 0.5 mL dose as aluminum phosphate adjuvant." Tetanus & Diphtheria Toxoids, Adsorbed for Adult Use, Massachusetts Public Health Biologic Lab, "Each 0.5 ml dose contains by calculation not more than 0.45 mg aluminum and less than 100 ?g (0.02%) of residual formaldehyde. The aluminum phosphate functions as an adjuvant to increase the immunogenicity of the toxoids in primary immunization." Tetanus & Diphtheria Toxoids Adsorbed for Adult Use/DECAVAC, Sanofi Pasteur, Inc, "Each 0.5 mL dose also contains a trace amount of thimerosal [mercury derivative, (?0.3 ?g mercury/dose) not as a preservative] from the manufacturing process, aluminum adjuvant (not more than 0.28 mg aluminum by assay), and not more than 100 ?g (0.02%) of residual formaldehyde." Tetanus Toxoid Adsorbed, Sanofi Pasteur, Inc, "Each 0.5 mL dose is formulated to contain 5 Lf (flocculation units) of tetanus toxoid and not more than 0.25 mg of aluminum. The residual formaldehyde content, by assay, is less than 0.02%." Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine, Adsorbed/Adacel, Sanofi Pasteur, Ltd, "Other ingredients per dose include 1.5 mg aluminum phosphate (0.33 mg aluminum) as the 15 adjuvant, ?5 ?g residual formaldehyde, <50 ng residual glutaraldehyde and 3.3 mg (0.6% v/v) 16 2-phenoxyethanol (not as a preservative)." Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine, Adsorbed/ Boostrix, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, "Each 0.5-mL dose also contains 4.5 mg of NaCl, aluminum adjuvant (not more than 0.39 mg aluminum by assay), ?100 mcg of residual formaldehyde, and ?100 mcg of polysorbate 80 (Tween 80)." Read the rest here: Study clearly demonstrates that aluminum found in vaccines can cause neurologic damage

Gluten Intolerance Leads to Cancer, Heart Disease and Death, Research Shows

Gluten Intolerance Leads to Cancer, Heart Disease and Death, Research Shows
Friday, February 12, 2010

(NaturalNews) New research shows that people with wheat allergies and gluten intolerance have a higher risk of heart disease, cancer and death. Gluten is a protein contained in many grains, including wheat, barley, rye, and oats. It is even found in more unusual grains, such as spelt and kamut. Gluten is also found in beer. Wheat or gluten intolerance plague many people and cause gastric disturbances, but research now shows chronic health conditions are triggered by gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity, and the extreme form of wheat allergy called celiac disease.

Gluten sensitivity creates inflammation in the entire body, beginning in the gut. It is a form of autoimmune disease. Celiac disease, the chronic and most severe type of gluten intolerance, affects one in a hundred people. This is close to over three million in America alone. Less severe symptoms of gluten allergy or gluten sensitivity may affect as much as one third of the US population. Celiac disease is also called coeliac, nontropical sprue, celiac sprue, gluten intolerant enteropathy, or gluten sensitive enteropathy.

An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a study with over 30,000 patients. The data was collected from 1969 until 2008. Divided into three groups, the patients either had celiac, had intestinal inflammation but not full-blown celiac disease or had gluten sensitivity. Those individuals with full blown celiac disease had a 39% higher risk of death. The risk was 72% for those with intestinal inflammation, and 35% for those with gluten sensitivity.

Another study looked at the blood tests of ten thousand people from fifty years ago and compared them to tests on 10,000 people today. The study discovered a 400% increase in full-blown celiac disease. The results were measured by elevated antibodies in the blood, called TTG antibodies, which increase when there is a reaction to gluten.

Many people suffer from gluten intolerance and are not aware that this is the cause of their symptoms. Symptoms can include irritable bowel disease, canker sores, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, osteoporosis, anemia, cancer, autoimmune disease, MS, and neurological problems such as depression, anxiety, dementia, schizophrenia, nerve damage, migraines, epilepsy, and autism.

The first step in eliminating gluten intolerance is to avoid all foods that contain gluten and see if symptoms go away. In addition to grains, gluten can be hidden in products such as soup, salad dressings, and even vitamins, stamps, and cosmetics. Gluten intolerance tests are available at doctor’s offices as well. Alternative treatments involve liver cleansing, and digestive aids, such as probiotics.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/conten…
http://www.celiac.com/
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddis…
http://www.gluten.net/
http://www.naturalnews.com/027574_p…

HBO Films: Temple Grandin

In case you have not already heard, HBO released a movie about Temple Grandin recently. If you haven’t already seen it, it really is a must see.

http://www.hbo.com/#/movies/temple-grandin

When you’re done watching Temple Grandin on HBO, make sure you watch this as well..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wt1IY3ffoU

Pepsi’s Refresh Everything Contest – Please vote for The Tommy Foundation

Refresh how you look at the world of autism…

http://www.refresheverything.com/usofautism

http://www.tommyland.org/newsletter/pepsi.html

A MUST READ: Anatomy of a Witch Hunt

Anatomy of a Witch Hunt
February 12, 2010

Much has happened in the last few weeks surrounding Andrew Wakefield, and I have not been available to write about it. It has been truly frustrating to see this story reported as if the GMC hearing was legit and The Lancet as if it was a respectable and unbiased publication, rather than the dog fight between corporate interests and safety advocates that it actually is. Was the fact that 21 autism organizations in the US and UK filed perjury charges against the head of the Lancet for lying about Wakefield’s disclosures of his conflicts in the GMC hearing not relevant to the fact that the Lancet retracted Wakefield’s article the following week? Apparently the press didn’t think so.

Also fascinating that they have tried to portray Wakefield as the guy that invented the autism/vaccine connection, despite the fact that Leo Kanner reported that one of his first 11 cases in the 1940’s was a regression following a smallpox vaccine, the VCIP has been paying autism cases for 25 years, and I first heard about the connection in my undergrad psych program in 1988 at George Mason University, so that they can use this GMC hearing to declare the vaccine controversy over. (I have forty or so studies on my “no evidence of any link” page supporting the vaccine/autism connection and I have never even had Wakefield’s MMR paper up there.

Keep reading here…. this is a must read…
Anatomy of a Witch Hunt
February 12, 2010

UK General Medical Council Told Docs “Commit Fraud for MMR Vaccine Bonuses”

UK General Medical Council Told Docs “Commit Fraud for MMR Vaccine Bonuses”
February 13, 2010

The UK’s General Medical Council issued formal written advice to UK medical doctors to commit fraud on the UK’s National Health Service for personal financial gain.

If UK doctors met target levels for vaccinations they qualified for bonus payments. One way of claiming was to make a false return. The GMC’s advice was for doctors to file false returns of the numbers of patients who had received the MMR vaccine. Doctors were advised to take unvaccinated child patients off the patient list temporarily to claim the bonuses but also to ensure the parent agreed, [thereby implicating parents in the fraud].

The GMC is the UK statutory body established to protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine by medical doctors. Dishonesty, financial impropriety and fraud fall within its purview [in more ways than one it would seem].

This is the same organisation which recently found Professors Walker-Smith, Simon Murch and Dr Andrew Wakefield guilty of numerous charges filed by Sunday Times’ journalist Brian Deer. No parent complained and the doctors enjoy wide support amongst parents of many autistic children they did their best to help. Other doctors who have refused to toe the UK’s Department of Health line on medical practice have found themselves facing or threatened with proceedings by the GMC including amongst many others these four cases: UK’s GMC, Dr Jayne Donegan’s Story, Vaccines & MMR – – Dr Sarah Myhill – – Dr Peter Mansfield – – Dr. Barry Durrant-Peatfield.

So if it concerns getting MMR vaccine uptake up to help the drug industry, fraud is fine. But make sure you implicate the parents and what better way to do that than to pressure them into agreeing their children become temporary patients possibly for emergency treatment only or else be dumped from the patient roster completely. But if you raise valid concerns about the safety of vaccinations watch out.

The GMC is independent (allegedly) of the NHS and of Government but in practice is run and controlled by the UK medical heirarchy. Where the GMC finds that a doctor is not fit to practise, it has legal power to erase that doctor’s name from the medical register, to suspend the doctor from the register or to place conditions on the doctor’s practice. These restrictions apply to practice in any sector of employment in any part of the UK.

The GMC has a great notoriety in the UK with frequent calls for it to be abolished.

The GMC Formal Advice to Doctors to Commit Fraud
The GMC posed the question “Can GPs remove some children from their lists, temporarily, for the purpose of calculating the MMR target payment?” in an article entitled “Target Payments for Preventive Health Measures” first published in GMC News in June 2003.

And the GMC’s answer was effectively “it’s OK provided you have patient consent“. It seems it also happens to be OK if it helps to increase the MMR uptake figures. The advice was not offered for other vaccinations.

The GMC also failed to make mention of the financial and moral impropriety of doing so in their answer to the question they themselves posed:-

This must not be done without the parents’ agreement. Parents must be given a full explanation of what was proposed and why, their child’s rights as an NHS patient, and the implications for their child’s future care. Doctors working within the NHS must treat all patients entitled to NHS services on an equal footing. So temporarily removing a child from a GPs list must not adversely affect their care, for example in accessing secondary care and out-of-hours services, or in providing relevant information to ensure continuity of care and allow effective working with other agencies. Doctors must act honestly in their financial dealings. So GPs must ensure that any arrangement to remove a child from their list and re-register them for ‘immediately necessary treatment’, or on some other basis, would be in line with their contractual obligations to the NHS.“

So provided the doctor does what the GMC advises and ensures “that any arrangement … would be in line with their contractual obligations to the NHS” it is fine as “Doctors must act honestly in their financial dealings“.

All this is of course barking mad.

The GMC also advised that if the evidence is available this is not contrary to GMC guidance on good medical practice:-

“Are temporary removals from a GPs list acceptable to the GMC? In the absence of evidence that ‘temporary removals’ satisfy the concerns outlined at Q5, we cannot give any reassurance that such arrangements would be seen as consistent with our guidance on good practice.“

The conflict with the GMC’s other advice is clear. The GMC advised UK doctors “must not ask for or accept any inducement, gift or hospitality which may affect or be seen to affect the way you prescribe for, treat or refer patients.“: Conflicts of interest – guidance for doctors

But it seems the GMC do not mind when it comes to MMR, even where the inducement is so strong it encourages fraud on the NHS. But then, the GMC did not seem to mind about that either.

Ironically “GMC Today” newsletter carried a story titled “Is the NHS immune to fraud?” [Oct 2005] about reducing and reporting fraud in the National Health Service, stating:-

Most people who work in and use the NHS are honest, but there is a minority that tries to defraud it of its valuable resources. By working to reduce fraud and corruption to an absolute minimum and hold it there permanently, the NHS CFSMS can release these resources for better patient care. In the largest organisation in Europe, even a small proportion of fraudulent staff and patients has a huge impact. Fraud is committed by a range of NHS professionals, who might claim for work not undertaken, alter prescriptions, create ghost patients or make fraudulent claims for out of hours visits, advice not given or treatment not provided. In some areas, claims by NHS professionals fell by between 43% and 54% after processes were fraud-proofed.

It is now accepted that even the NHS is not immune to fraud.

The GMC has an agreement on cooperating and coordinating with the NHS Counter Fraud service. The story gave a number to call the confidential NHS Fraud and Corruption Reporting Line and an email address too. It reports:-

“If you have a concern about a fraud taking place within the NHS, please call the confidential NHS Fraud and Corruption Reporting Line on 0800 028 40 60. All calls will be dealt with by trained staff and professionally investigated. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8 am–6 pm. You can also email us at nhsfraud@cfsms.nhs.uk at any time.” Memorandum of Understanding between the General Medical Council (GMC) and the National Health Service Counter Fraud Service (NHS CFS)

We had not got the heart to tell ‘em. Would you?

When Was This?
When this news was published by The OneClickGroup in October 2007 the GMC’s response was to claim the advice was withdrawn in 2006. But the fact the advice was published at all is damning. Not only that, the advice continued to be published on the GMC website as late as 7th October 2007 with no indication to doctors it had been withdrawn.

After The OneClickGroup’s exposée the GMC removed the page containing the advice from its website and republished the advice but with a banner across it claiming “Withdrawn November 2006?: Target Payments for Preventive Health Measures.

Additionally, the advice was published for over 4 years from June 2003 until October 2007 [just about the time the GMC was ready to attack Wakefield, Walker-Smith and Murch].

Who Ran The GMC Then?
The President when the advice was first published until 2009 was Sir Graeme Catto – also incumbent when the GMC started the proceedings against Walker-Smith, Murch and Wakefield.

So it just goes to show, you cannot trust anyone in “authority” these days.

Anyone wanting to make a complaint to the GMC? Here is where you do it:-

Making a complaint
But don’t hold your breath waiting.

Sir Graeme’s email address and contact details at The University of Aberdeen are found here:-

http://vcs.abdn.ac.uk/medicine_therapeutics/staff/SirGraemeCatto.shtml

[But probably not for much longer!]

77% of Mumps Cases in NY/NJ WERE VACCINATED

More than 1,000 get mumps in New York, New Jersey since August
February 8, 2010 10:00 p.m. EST

New York (CNN) — More than 1,000 people in New Jersey and New York, many of them adolescent Orthodox Jews, have been sickened with mumps since August, health authorities said Monday.

Orange County, New York, has confirmed 494 cases since early November, county spokesman Richard Mayfield told CNN. Almost all of those infected with the virus are of the Orthodox or Hasidic Jewish population, and their average age is 14, he said.

Neighboring Rockland County has confirmed 317 cases since August, with all of the sick from the Orthodox Jewish community, said Kathleen Henry, county Deputy Commissioner of Health. Their average is 14 to 18, she said.

Just south of the two counties, in New York City, Brooklyn had 79 confirmed cases of mumps as of October 30, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in November. Any confirmation of other infections in the city are expected to be announced Tuesday.

The mumps outbreak began at a summer camp for Orthodox Jewish boys in Sullivan County, New York, according to the CDC. Health officials have linked the outbreak to an 11-year-old boy at the camp. He had recently returned from the United Kingdom, where a mumps outbreak had spread to 4,000 people.

The mumps outbreak also spread to Ocean County, New Jersey, where 159 confirmed cases have been diagnosed since September, county spokeswoman Leslie Terjesen told CNN. An additional 70 others are suspected of having mumps, she said.

Only seven of the infected are not Orthodox Jewish, but they all had exposure to the community, Terjesen said. The average age of the sick is 21, she said.

Lakewood, New Jersey, Rabbi Yehunda Pirutinsky was surprised when his 14-year-old son was diagnosed with mumps a week ago. Lakewood is in Ocean County.

“He was completely vaccinated,” Pirutinsky said. “So it was a surprise to us he came down with mumps.”

Anyone fully vaccinated from mumps receives two doses of the vaccine, according to the CDC. Of the New Jersey cases, 77 percent were vaccinated, Terjesen said.

But the vaccine is not 100 percent effective, according to the CDC. At two doses, the vaccine is 76 to 95 percent effective, the CDC says on its Web site.

In November, the CDC called the spike in mumps cases, “the largest U.S. mumps outbreak since 2006, when the United States experienced a resurgence of mumps with 6,584 reported cases.” Then, only 179 people were sickened in New York and New Jersey.

Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus, according to the CDC. Initial symptoms appear 12 to 25 days after infection and include fever, headache, muscle aches and loss of appetite. Mumps can cause the jaw and cheeks to swell, with further complications including the inflammation of the brain, testicles or ovaries, and deafness, according to the CDC.

Pirutinsky’s son has fully recovered from his bout with mumps, which Pirutinsky assumes he contracted while at his Jewish high school. A doctor advised the teenager to not attend school for a week and limit time with his siblings, Pirutinsky said.

The outbreak has disproportionately affected Orthodox Jewish communities, but Pirutinsky said he wasn’t overly worried.

“I wouldn’t say the community is alarmed, but it’s something we’re aware of,” he said.

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