Fwd: RFD'S INSIDE HEALTH, MARCH 14, 2003

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Fri, 14 Mar 2003 12:05:28 -0800

RFD'S INSIDE HEALTH, MARCH 14, 2003

 

MARCH 14, 2003

 

REDFLAGSDAILY.COM

http://www.redflagsdaily.com

 

 

RFD'S INSIDE HEALTH

 

*BREAST IMPLANTS

The FDA's upcoming review of silicone breast implants may face some strong

opposition. There is a big battle brewing behind the scenes. Five members

of Congress, (including Sens. Edward Kennedy, Barbara Boxer and Hillary

Rodham Clinton), have already made it clear to the FDA that the oversight

of breast implants is going to be taken seriously. These members have

written to the FDA, questioning the agency's approval of saline implants

and raising concerns about the gaps in knowledge about silicone implants.

Expect more members of Congress to get involved.

 

The move already has investors rattled. Shares in Inamed Corp. and Mentor

Corp on the Nasdaq have been feeling the heat. Obviously, there is growing

concern that the agency may not approve the silicone implants.

 

(RFD has consistently argued that saline implants should not have been

approved by the FDA and that silicone implants should stay banned. Safety

data is inadequate. RFD editor, Nicholas Regush, played a significant role

back in the 80s and 90s in calling attention to the safety issues

surrounding silicone breast implants.)

 

*AIDS

For many years now, anyone in the scientific community who has questioned

the link between HIV and AIDS has usually discovered that there is very

little tolerance for such thinking. This is not surprising since the

medical/scientific Establishment has built a huge edifice for its views on

AIDS and has made every effort to discourage open debate.

 

What we find compelling is that South Africa, under fire for its tolerance

for open debate, continues to resist powerful international and internal

efforts to clamp down on dissident views. Consider the recent hiring of

Roberto Giraldo as a consultant on nutrition and AIDS. This, of course,

resulted in strong opposition from AIDS activists and they are about to

engage in " civil disobedience " against the government's hiring of a

so-called " HIV denialist " who appears to think that nutrition counts in

AIDS. This is obviously not the only thing that counts, but that's an

issue for another day. Apparently Giraldo will make an effort to update

nutritional guidelines for people living with AIDS in line with World

Health Organization guidelines. What's wrong with that?

 

What continues to be very intriguing about South Africa's stance to allow

alternative thinking about how AIDS develops and might be treated is that

it keeps the issue of AIDS causation and treatment in focus worldwide. The

more the HIV activists threaten to commit acts of civil disobedience or

challenge the right of individuals to speak their mind about AIDS, the

more they keep this issue in the news.

 

(RFD believes it is very important to keep raising questions about the

HIV/AIDS theory and its associated treatments. To not do so is simply a

coward's approach to science. Open scientific debate is crucial to the

advancement of ideas and the resolution of complex medical matters.)

 

*CO-ENZYME Q10

Co-enzyme Q10 is used by cells to produce energy. Cells need energy to

maintain their functions and grow. Q10 is also known for its antioxidant

properties. So, besides helping to fuel cells, it also protects them

against damage (including their DNA) from reactive chemicals called " free

radicals. "

 

At a time when cholesterol-lowering drugs (known as " statins " ) are being

associated with serious side-effects in some patients, as well as the

depletion of Q10, it seems that this association has not gone unnoticed by

the drug industry. Merck, for example, was granted two patents back in

1989 (#4,933,165 and #4,929,437) which describe a method of counteracting

statin-associated side-effects, including possible nerve damage and heart

failure. It involves adding Q10 to its lovastatin drug formula. Will Merck

soon announce a new drug combination: lovastatin and Q10? And why perhaps

only now and not a decade ago? RFD will stay on top of this important

story.

 

*SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME

This is an emerging major story that bears further investigation. Is it

likely that parents who have been accused (and convicted) of causing brain

injuries (and death) to their babies are innocent? That the injuries these

children sustain are caused by a variety of factors that have nothing to

do with parental violence? In one recent study in the U.K., researchers

examined the brains of 50 children and found that most had suffered from

reduced oxygen in the blood. Disease or infection can cause this. Also,

children with large heads who flop back their heads may be vulnerable to

brain damage.

 

(RFD has linked to the Alan Yurko drama and the investigation of the case

by a savvy toxicologist. See: http://www.redflagsweekly.com/legal.html )

 

*HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY

This is another health topic that is likely to make big waves in the

foreseeable future. For years, hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been

particularly focused on wound healing. There has also been an upsurge of

interest in the potential of this therapy for stroke. In case you missed

RFD's medical review of hyperbaric oxygen, you can access the following

article at: http://www.redflagsweekly.com/medical_review.html Simply

scroll down the page to find it.

 

One of the problems with this therapy is that it has long been associated

with quackery. And, to some extent, rightly so. There is a history of

promises being made for almost every kind of cure imaginable, including

cancer. It is therefore taking a long time for this heavy baggage to be

dropped. Meanwhile, there is now even some official medical interest in

the use of this therapy for the treatment of cerebral palsy. We've found

an article that is well-balanced in its presentation of what is going on

in this particular area:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/03/09/MN1\

33738.DTL

 

 

 

*BIG PHARMA

One of the dirty drug industry secrets is that once you get a drug

approved under " accelerated approval, " you don't need to bother moving too

fast on doing the research that is required by the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration. The FDA has been notorious in its non-enforcement of

required post-approval studies.

 

Nowhere has this been more evident than in the rapid approval of cancer

drugs. Big Pharma has been extremely lax in following through on its

commitments.

 

So much so that even the FDA is concerned and will now conduct public

reviews to determine whether the drug companies are following through on

their cancer drug commitments. In theory, the FDA could pull an approved

drug from the market if proper studies have not been completed. But herein

lies the problem; the FDA has been chicken to pull anything off the market

for this type of noncompliance. So where is the incentive for Big Pharma?

Don't hold your breath that this latest FDA initiative will lead to a

sound drug review policy.

 

-rfd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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