Health & Wellness
We are a group of scientists at CDC that are very concerned about the current state of ethics at our agency. It appears that our mission is being influenced and shaped by outside parties and rogue interests. It seems that our mission and Congressional intent for our agency is being circumvented by some of our leaders. What concerns us most, is that it is becoming the norm and not the rare exception. Some senior management officials at CDC are clearly aware and even condone these behaviors. Others see it and turn the other way. Some staff are intimidated and pressed to do things they know are not right. We have representatives from across the agency that witness this unacceptable behavior. It occurs at all levels and in all of our respective units. These questionable and unethical practices threaten to undermine our credibility and reputation as a trusted leader in public health. (source)There are literally so many examples it's ridiculous that agencies like the CDC and FDA are even allowed to operate the way they are currently operating. They control the entire medical industry, and everything in health, including medical education, is made and designed by these rogue interests.
The United States is now the 19th happiest country on Earth, its ranking falling for the third consecutive year.
This is according to the most recent World Happiness Report, released on Wednesday (March 20) or the United Nations' International Day of Happiness.
The Washington Post reports that the seventh annual report surveyed 156 different countries and took into account six factors: GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, the freedom to make life choices, social support, generosity and perceptions of corruption.
The top 10 countries in the report were Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, New Zealand, Canada and Austria.
Comment: America: A deeply unhappy and drugged up nation
If Americans are so happy, then why do we consume 80 percent of the entire global supply of prescription painkillers? Less than 5 percent of the world's population lives in this country, and yet we buy four-fifths of these highly addictive drugs. In the United States today, approximately 4.7 million Americans are addicted to prescription pain relievers, and that represents about a 300 percent increase since 1999. If you personally know someone that is suffering from this addiction, then you probably already know how immensely destructive these drugs can be. Someone that was formally living a very healthy and normal life can be reduced to a total basket case within a matter of weeks.
And of course many don't make it back at all. According to the CDC, more than 28,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses in 2014. Incredibly, those deaths represented 60 percent of all drug overdose deaths in the United States for that year...
© Ewa Parylak/shutterstock.com
These are viruses called bacteriophages that infect only bacterial cells.
These are viruses called bacteriophages that infect only bacterial cells.
You probably know that antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as superbugs, have hampered physicians' ability to treat infections. You may also be aware that there has been a steep decline in the number of new antibiotics coming to market. Some headlines suggest humanity is doomed by antimicrobial resistance; even politicians and governments have weighed in, comparing rising antimicrobial resistance to other popular crises such as climate change. Although I believe these assertions are exaggerated, antimicrobial resistance is a serious problem.
I am a physician scientist with a specialty in infectious diseases. I have been fascinated by the role that bacteria play in human health, and the potential for using viruses to treat bacterial infections.
Comment: Virus might be the cure for deadly honeybee disease
"Phages are the most abundant life form on the planet and each phage has a unique bacteria that it will attack," explained Burnett in a release. "This makes phage an ideal treatment for bacterial disease because it can target specific bacteria while leaving all other cells alone."
"Phage is a great alternative to antibiotics, and it's a natural alternative because phages exist in nature on their own," said Burnett. "It multiplies itself so there are more of them to hunt down the bacteria. Then as soon as the host is gone, the phage just disappears."
In a flurry of research on one of the most efficacious natural extracts known to exist (see: 80 diseases that benefit from pycnogenol on the GMI database), three recent clinical studies have shown that the French maritime pine bark extract, Pycnogenol, can treat psoriasis and hemorrhoids, and reduce hypertension.
The link between these three? They are all associated with the need for healthy blood flow.
© Ted S Warren/Shutterstock
People hold signs at a rally held in opposition to a proposed bill that would remove parents' ability to claim a philosophical exemption to opt their school-age children out of the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash., Feb. 2019.
People hold signs at a rally held in opposition to a proposed bill that would remove parents' ability to claim a philosophical exemption to opt their school-age children out of the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash., Feb. 2019.
For the past few months, Big Tech has been waging a public, if not highly effective, battle against the scourge of Fake News, with platforms like Facebook and YouTube taking aim at content promoting conspiracy theories, from the silly (Flat Earth) to the more menacing (QAnon).
Now, following a handful of measles outbreaks across the country and pressure from national lawmakers, tech platforms are taking aim at another fringe group: anti-vaxxers, or people who refuse to or delay vaccinating their children. A relatively small yet vocal community, anti-vaxxers promote a wide range of views, from the theory that vaccines contain dangerously high levels of toxins to the belief that vaccines can cause autism. Such theories have been debunked time and again by most researchers, and the overwhelming scientific consensus is that vaccines save lives and potential side effects are both rare and minimal. But that hasn't stopped some skeptical parents from delaying vaccinating their children or opting out of doing so altogether, and from taking to social media to propagate conspiracy theories about Big Pharma and the government.
Comment: Contrary to the author's obvious pro-vaccine stance in the article above, there is an ongoing debate about vaccine safety and efficacy and it is far from settled. Read more about how Knowledge is the antidote for vaccine orthodoxy and Why parents are choosing not to vaccinate their kids:
More and more parents around the globe are choosing to opt out of vaccinating themselves and their children. As a result of this trend that's been gaining more and more momentum, a harsh response has come from the "pro-vaccine" community -criticizing parents for their decision to not vaccinate. At the end of the day it's not really about "pro-vaccination" or "anti-vaccination," it's not one "against" the other or about pointing fingers and judgement, it's simply about looking at all of the information from a neutral standpoint. It's about asking questions and communicating so people can make the best possible decisions for themselves and their children. Parents love their kids and the vaccine "controversy" has made it difficult for many parents to know what to do.Also read Marco Caceres' excellent article about the ongoing vaccine debate: Current vaccine paradigm: Media struggles to pin stupid label on well-educated vaccine dissenters
© Spoon & Tamago
If you answered "yes" to that question, you are likely mistaken. Most sushi eaters-even in Japan-are actually being served a mixture of ground horseradish and green food coloring, splashed with a hint of Chinese mustard. Worldwide, experts believe that this imposter combination masquerades as wasabi about 99 percent of the time.
The reason boils down to supply and demand. Authentic wasabi, known as Wasabia japonica, is the most expensive crop in the world to grow. The temperamental semiaquatic herb, native to the mountain streams of central Japan, is notoriously difficult to cultivate. Once planted, it takes several years to harvest; even then, it doesn't germinate unless conditions are perfect. Grated wasabi root loses its flavor within 15 minutes.
© Lucas Jackson / Reuters
Ricardo Rimondi, 58, said he was exposed to asbestos from Johnson & Johnson's baby powder and that had caused his mesothelioma cancer.
But the six-person jury in Middlesex County Superior Court decided in favor of New Brunswick-based Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ).
Company officials released the following statement after the verdict: "Today's jury unanimously ruled that Johnson's Baby Powder does not contain asbestos and was not the cause of the plaintiff's disease. It's important to emphasize the track record in these cases. This is the third verdict in favor of Johnson & Johnson in recent months, and of the last 9 mesothelioma cases, three ruled in favor of J&J, and five resulted in mistrials. It remains true that of all the talc-related verdicts against Johnson & Johnson that have been through the appeals process, every one has been overturned. This trial track records underscores the decades of clinical evidence and scientific studies by medical experts around the world support the safety of Johnson's Baby Powder."
"One of the most consistent findings over the past few decades has been a link between cities and psychosis," Joanne Newbury, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher at King's College London, said Tuesday. "Children who are born and raised in urban versus rural settings are almost twice as likely to develop psychosis in adulthood."
Comment: See also:
- The 'new tobacco': WHO says air pollution is killing 7 million people a year
- Recent study finds air pollution takes a 'huge toll' on intelligence
- Researchers find a 'strong link' between air pollution and diabetes
- Researchers find that air pollution can cloud your morality, increase anxiety and lead to unethical behavior
- WHO report 95% of world's population resides in regions contaminated by life-threatening air pollution
- Air pollution is a bigger risk for people with A, B, or AB blood types, study finds
© Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
Edwin Hardeman of Santa Rosa was the first person to challenge Monsanto's Roundup in a federal trial and alleged that his exposure to Roundup caused him to develop non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), a cancer that affects the immune system.
In the next phase of the case, the jury will weigh liability and damages, and Hardeman's lawyers will present arguments about Monsanto's influence on government regulators and cancer research.
During the trial, the 70-year-old Santa Rosa man testified that he had sprayed the herbicide for nearly three decades and at one time got it on his skin before he was diagnosed with cancer. He used the chemical to control weeds and poison oak on his properties, starting in 1986.
Comment: In the wake of this ruling Bayer's stock tumbled more than 12%, wiping out more almost $8 billion from its market value.
Update (Mar 28): The jury has found Monsanto liable for plaintiff Edwin Hardeman's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and awarded him $5 million in compensatory damages and $75 million in punitive damages after finding that Roundup was defectively designed, that Monsanto failed to warn of the herbicide's cancer risk and that the company acted negligently.
Comment: The EAT-Lancet commission is a ideologically possessed propaganda pushing outfit and what they publish should not be confused with science. Anything they have their fingers in should be viewed as highly suspect.
See also: