Fort Worth, Texas - When Angela Witkamp heard that a local research company would soon be testing a swine flu vaccine, she had no reservations about signing up her two young daughters for a clinical trial.
"Any vaccination you get, there are side effects," Witkamp said. "But the benefits of getting the vaccination definitely outweigh them. There are people dying from the swine flu.
"Some of my friends call us guinea pigs, but they are not fully informed. The vaccination that they will be studying will be the same that anyone can get at the health department [when it is approved]."
Health & Wellness
Alan G. Philips is an attorney with the following credentials:
-- he's one of the few American lawyers whose practice includes vaccine exemption and waiver issues;
-- he advises other attorneys seeking help for their own clients on vaccine exemptions;
-- he co-founded Citizens for Healthcare Freedom (CHF) as "a grassroots, nonprofit organization supporting an exciting new Consumer Health Freedom Act in North Carolina" where he lives and practices law;
-- he "may be the only attorney in the US with a website dedicated to vaccine exemptions" - vaccinerights.com;
-- he authored "The Authoritative Guide to Vaccine Legal Exemptions;" and
-- he's written numerous articles and publications on vaccinations and immunizations, including "Dispelling Vaccination Myths: An Introduction to the Contradictions Between Medical Science and Immunization Policy," published in 1996 and most recently updated in 2007.
Given the possibility of universally mandated untested, experimental, toxic, and extremely dangerous Swine Flu vaccinations this fall, Philips' work is especially relevant and vital.
In its entirety, it can be accessed at www.vaccinerights.com. A brief account follows below, focusing on 10 myths and truths, which he explains plus some additional information. More than ever, information is vital for protection against vaccines that can cause annoying to life-threatening autoimmune diseases, even the illnesses they're designed to prevent.
-- he's one of the few American lawyers whose practice includes vaccine exemption and waiver issues;
-- he advises other attorneys seeking help for their own clients on vaccine exemptions;
-- he co-founded Citizens for Healthcare Freedom (CHF) as "a grassroots, nonprofit organization supporting an exciting new Consumer Health Freedom Act in North Carolina" where he lives and practices law;
-- he "may be the only attorney in the US with a website dedicated to vaccine exemptions" - vaccinerights.com;
-- he authored "The Authoritative Guide to Vaccine Legal Exemptions;" and
-- he's written numerous articles and publications on vaccinations and immunizations, including "Dispelling Vaccination Myths: An Introduction to the Contradictions Between Medical Science and Immunization Policy," published in 1996 and most recently updated in 2007.
Given the possibility of universally mandated untested, experimental, toxic, and extremely dangerous Swine Flu vaccinations this fall, Philips' work is especially relevant and vital.
In its entirety, it can be accessed at www.vaccinerights.com. A brief account follows below, focusing on 10 myths and truths, which he explains plus some additional information. More than ever, information is vital for protection against vaccines that can cause annoying to life-threatening autoimmune diseases, even the illnesses they're designed to prevent.
Part 5 in the 14 Studies Series
I apologize. Originally this was going to be another nice, calmly written post like the others in this series, but given the recent H1N1 vaccine hysteria and imminent use of Thimerosal both there and in the seasonal flu shot (a total of 5 flu shots recommended for pregnant women and children), coupled with the US News and World Report article (HERE) with the AAP stating once again (yawn...) that there is no link between vaccines and Autism, that the science is qualitatively and quantitatively complete, and that it has been the most studied item regarding the cause of Autism, blah, blah, blah... I just had to write this angrily.
I apologize. Originally this was going to be another nice, calmly written post like the others in this series, but given the recent H1N1 vaccine hysteria and imminent use of Thimerosal both there and in the seasonal flu shot (a total of 5 flu shots recommended for pregnant women and children), coupled with the US News and World Report article (HERE) with the AAP stating once again (yawn...) that there is no link between vaccines and Autism, that the science is qualitatively and quantitatively complete, and that it has been the most studied item regarding the cause of Autism, blah, blah, blah... I just had to write this angrily.
According to Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, your children should be the first target for mass swine flu vaccinations when school starts this fall.[i]
This is a ridiculous assumption for many reasons, not to mention extremely high risk.
In Australia, where the winter season has begun, Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon is reassuring parents the swine flu is no more dangerous than regular seasonal flu. "Most people, including children, will experience very mild symptoms and recover without any medical intervention," she said.[ii]
Sydney-based immunization specialist Robert Booy predicts swine flu might be fatal to about twice as many children in the coming year as regular influenza. Booy estimates 10-12 children could die from the H1N1 virus, compared with the five or six regular flu deaths seen among children in an average year in Australia.[iii]
This is a ridiculous assumption for many reasons, not to mention extremely high risk.
In Australia, where the winter season has begun, Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon is reassuring parents the swine flu is no more dangerous than regular seasonal flu. "Most people, including children, will experience very mild symptoms and recover without any medical intervention," she said.[ii]
Sydney-based immunization specialist Robert Booy predicts swine flu might be fatal to about twice as many children in the coming year as regular influenza. Booy estimates 10-12 children could die from the H1N1 virus, compared with the five or six regular flu deaths seen among children in an average year in Australia.[iii]
The number of Americans using antidepressants doubled in only a decade, while the number seeing psychiatrists continued to fall, a study shows.
About 10% of Americans - or 27 million people - were taking antidepressants in 2005, the last year for which data were available at the time the study was written. That's about twice the number in 1996, according to the study of nearly 50,000 children and adults in today's Archives of General Psychiatry. Yet the majority weren't being treated for depression. Half of those taking antidepressants used them for back pain, nerve pain, fatigue, sleep difficulties or other problems, the study says.
About 10% of Americans - or 27 million people - were taking antidepressants in 2005, the last year for which data were available at the time the study was written. That's about twice the number in 1996, according to the study of nearly 50,000 children and adults in today's Archives of General Psychiatry. Yet the majority weren't being treated for depression. Half of those taking antidepressants used them for back pain, nerve pain, fatigue, sleep difficulties or other problems, the study says.
Body building supplements, including those sold by American Cellular Laboratories under the names "TREN-Xtreme," "MASS Xtreme," "ESTRO Xtreme," "AH-89-Xtreme," "HMG Xtreme," "MMA-3 Xtreme," "VNS-9 Xtreme," and "TT-40-Xtreme" have been linked to serious liver damage and other health problems, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warned yesterday. Consumers should not use these, or any body building supplements that claim to contain steroid-like ingredients.
The FDA has received five adverse event reports, including serious liver injury, in men taking products marketed as dietary supplements by American Cellular Laboratories including TREN-Xtreme and MASS Xtreme. Acute liver injury is generally known to be a possible side effect of using products that contain anabolic steroids. Some of the cases resulted in hospitalization, but there were no reports of death or acute liver failure.
The FDA has received five adverse event reports, including serious liver injury, in men taking products marketed as dietary supplements by American Cellular Laboratories including TREN-Xtreme and MASS Xtreme. Acute liver injury is generally known to be a possible side effect of using products that contain anabolic steroids. Some of the cases resulted in hospitalization, but there were no reports of death or acute liver failure.
Gastroesophageal reflux diseases , or GERD, affects about 10 million people in the United States, yet the cause and an unexpected increase in its prevalence over the last three decades remains unexplainable. Now, researchers have discovered that GERD is associated with global alteration of the microbiome in the esophagus. The findings, reported in the August 1, 2009 issue of Gastroenterology, may provide for the foundation for further study of the condition as a microecological disease with new treatment possibilities.
The findings of an altered microbiome may have profound implications for treating diseases of the esophagus, among the most common disorders affecting Western populations. In fact, about 40% of adults experience heartburn symptoms at least once a month. Chronic inflammation associated with GERD can lead to the development of Barrett's esophagus, precancerous condition. The incidence of cancer of the esophagus has increased six-fold since the 1970s--the fastest increasing cancer in the Western world.
The findings of an altered microbiome may have profound implications for treating diseases of the esophagus, among the most common disorders affecting Western populations. In fact, about 40% of adults experience heartburn symptoms at least once a month. Chronic inflammation associated with GERD can lead to the development of Barrett's esophagus, precancerous condition. The incidence of cancer of the esophagus has increased six-fold since the 1970s--the fastest increasing cancer in the Western world.
Today, factory farms add thousands of tons of pesticides and herbicides to our food. Even if we wash our fruits and vegetables thoroughly, we run the risk of slowly poisoning ourselves.
This modern dilemma means that our ancestors received a benefit from their food that we don't. I think of that benefit as "living foods" - the good bacteria that inhabit our guts.
The pain of childbirth may have benefits on which women who opt for painkilling epidurals miss out, a senior male midwife has said.
Dr Denis Walsh, associate professor in midwifery at Nottingham University, said pain was a "rite of passage" which often helped regulate childbirth. He said it helped strengthen a mother's bond with her baby, and prepared her for the responsibility of motherhood.
But the obstetrician said epidurals were an important option for some women. Dr Walsh, who wrote on the subject in a piece submitted to the journal Evidence Based Midwifery, agreed that in some cases epidurals were very useful.
Dr Denis Walsh, associate professor in midwifery at Nottingham University, said pain was a "rite of passage" which often helped regulate childbirth. He said it helped strengthen a mother's bond with her baby, and prepared her for the responsibility of motherhood.
But the obstetrician said epidurals were an important option for some women. Dr Walsh, who wrote on the subject in a piece submitted to the journal Evidence Based Midwifery, agreed that in some cases epidurals were very useful.
© Molecular Psychiatry
A L Glenn, A Raine and R A Schug, “The neural correlates of moral decision-making in psychopathy,” Molecular Psychiatry 14: 5–6 (2009)
A L Glenn, A Raine and R A Schug, “The neural correlates of moral decision-making in psychopathy,” Molecular Psychiatry 14: 5–6 (2009)
Psychopaths have long fascinated scientists. They seem doubly burdened - both nature (bad genes) and nurture (poor parenting) have conspired to make them social outcasts. Governments, including this one, have long sought to reduce antisocial behaviour by tackling the nurture bit and encouraging more responsible parenting. Now a study by the Institute of Psychiatry suggests that, broadly speaking, they are backing a loser.
Comment: Picking up a few extra bucks risking your childrens lives by testing vaccines is pretty much like playing Russian roulette with them.