Homoeopathic Preparations in Cell Culture (16.06.09)
A new study has recently been published in a journal, called eCAM (published by Oxford University Press), a respected peer-review publication in the field of alternative and complementary medicine. Of special interest is the fact that this study has repeated shown that homeopathically potentized doses have dramatic effects on various kinds of cancer cells, not just in the short-term but the long-term. This research also shows that various homeopathic medicines have dramatic effects on gene expression...More
The following abstract is taken from the study:Although reports on the efficacy of homeopathic medicines in animal models are limited, there are even fewer reports on the in vitro action of these dynamized preparations. We have evaluated the cytotoxic activity of 30C and 200C potencies of ten dynamized medicines against Dalton's Lymphoma Ascites, Ehrlich's Ascites Carcinoma, lung fibroblast (L929) and Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines and compared activity with their mother tinctures during short-term and long-term cell culture. The effect of dynamized medicines to induce apoptosis was also evaluated and we studied how dynamized medicines affected genes expressed during apoptosis. Mother tinctures as well as some dynamized medicines showed significant cytotoxicity to cells during short and long-term incubation. Potentiated alcohol control did not produce any cytotoxicity at concentrations studied. The dynamized medicines were found to inhibit CHO cell colony formation and thymidine uptake in L929 cells and those of Thuja, Hydrastis and Carcinosinum were found to induce apoptosis in DLA cells. Moreover, dynamized Carcinosinum was found to induce the expression of p53 while dynamized Thuja produced characteristic laddering pattern in agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA. These results indicate that dynamized medicines possess cytotoxic as well as apoptosis-inducing properties.
Sunila ES, Kuttan R, Preethi KC, Kuttan G. Dynamized Preparations in Cell Culture. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. eCAM 2009;6(2)257-263 doi:10.1093/ecam/nem082. ECAM Oxford Journals.
Major parties unite in call for an end to the use of animals in testing household products (03.06.09)
The BUAV, the UK’s leading organisation campaigning to end animal experiments, welcomes the announcements made by the Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green parties to pledge to include a ban on the testing of household products on animals in their manifestos for the next election. The announcements were made at a BUAV Parliamentary Reception in Westminster on Tuesday 2 June...More
The announcements follow a high profile political and public campaign by the BUAV as part of its Clean up Cruelty campaign. The campaign aims to eliminate the cruel and unnecessary use of animals in the testing of the ingredients for household products such as washing-up liquid, bathroom cleaner, floor polish and air fresheners.
Major high street retailers are increasingly responding to public concern about this issue and signing up to the BUAV’s Humane Household Product Standard (HHPS) – the only internationally recognised scheme that enables consumers to easily identify and purchase household products whose ingredients have not been tested on animals. Already, all household products made by the Co-operative and Marks and Spencer have been approved under the HHPS. This clearly illustrates that it is unnecessary to test on animals to manufacture and sell safe and effective household products.
In 1997 the UK government made a small amendment to policy which instantly saved thousands of animals from suffering in needless cosmetics testing. The Clean up Cruelty campaign aims to do the same for household products.
Ian Cawsey, MP said: “I have been asked by Gordon Brown to look at all aspects of animal welfare policy and I am convinced that the ban we introduced on testing cosmetics on animals can be extended to cover household products. It will be central to my report to the Prime Minister and will be widely supported in the Labour Party to be in our manifesto for the next election.”
Andrew Rosindell, MP said: “Animal testing is one of the most significant and controversial areas of the animal welfare debate. It is crucial that, step by step, we make concerted efforts to reduce the numbers of animals used and the number of procedures undertaken.
Following the successful ban on testing for cosmetic products, we must now look to see where we can extend this further. We are pleased to support the BUAV's Clean up Cruelty campaign and it is the Conservative Party’s view that we are now in a realistic position to ban the use of animals in testing on household products. This is the first step in the Conservative approach to continually reducing animal experimentation, there is still much ground to cover, and we will continue to press the case for greater emphasis on development into alternative methods of testing.”
Roger Williams, MP said: “The Liberal Democrats have had a long held belief that it is totally unnecessary to use animals for the testing of household goods and I am happy to support the BUAV’s campaign to ban their use. The British are a nation of animal lovers and the Government should reflect that by implementing steps that will lead to the eventual ban of unnecessary testing on animals. This has already happened with cosmetics and I see no reason why similar moves should not be made in the case of household goods.”
Caroline Lucas, MEP said: “The Green Party has pledged to continue campaigning to end the cruelty inflicted upon animals in the name of ‘safety’ and it is certainly timely for the progress that has been made with regard to cosmetics testing to be mirrored, and improved upon, with regard to household products. The Green Party fully supports BUAV’s campaign for a total ban on all testing of household products and I will be doing my utmost to press for a ban across Europe, as well as in this country.”
Michelle Thew, Chief Executive of the BUAV said: “After many years of campaigning on this important issue, the BUAV is delighted to be working in collaboration with the four main political parties to bring an end to the use of animals in the cruel and unnecessary testing of household products.”
The reception was hosted by Liberal Democrat, Annette Brooke MP (Mid Dorset and Poole)
Migraine Reduction with Food Supplements (03.06.09)
Reducing levels of a reactive amino acid in the brain with vitamins can relieve severe chronic migraine headache, a recent study has shown...More
High levels of homocysteine, a reactive amino acid, are thought to play a role in the development of migraines and to test this hypothesis a research group from Australia gave a blend of nutrients known to lower homocysteine (2 mg of folic acid, 25 mg vitamin B6, and 400 µg of vitamin B12) to 51 migraine sufferers, with aura, for 6 months. Vitamin supplementation reduced homocysteine by 39% compared to placebo and reduced the prevalence of migraine disability from 60% at baseline to 30% after 6 months. Supplementation also significantly reduced headache frequency and pain. There was no reduction observed in any parameters for the placebo group. Interestingly patients with genetic differences in their ability to metabolise homocysteine (MTHFRC677T genotype) had a slower response rate.
Source: Lea R, Colson N, Quinlan S, Macmillan J, Griffiths L. The effects of vitamin supplementation and MTHFR (C677T) genotype on homocysteine-lowering and migraine disability. Pharmacogenet Genomics. 2009 Apr 20.
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Vitamin D and brain performance in later life (20.05.09)
In response to a paper published recently in BMJ specialist journal showing that vitamin D may have a key role in helping the brain work well in later life, Dr Carrie Ruxton, independent advisor to the Health Supplements Information Service (HSIS) makes the following comments: ”This paper showed that higher blood levels of vitamin D were associated with better mental agility scores in older men and highlights the importance of considering vitamin D supplementation"...More
The current findings are based on research involving just over 3,000 European men between the ages of 40 and 79, who all participated in the international European Male Ageing Study, drawn from eight different cities across Europe.
High blood levels of vitamin D were associated with better scores on memory and information processing tests. In contrast, low vitamin D levels were associated with poor scores, with blood levels of 35 nmol/litre or under marking the threshold for poor performance. The authors say that a possible explanation for this link between low vitamin D and poor mental agility could include vitamin D’s role in increasing hormonal activity or the protection of neurons and chemical signaling pathways.
Many people in older age have inadequate vitamin D levels and the use of vitamin D supplements, such as a daily multivitamin containing vitamin D, could significantly benefit this age group and other groups in the population. The possibility that vitamin D supplementation could delay the effects of ageing on the brain is yet another potential health benefit among several recognized to date. Low vitamin D levels have been linked with various health risks such as poor heart health and low bone mineral density.
Dr Ruxton goes on to point out: “Low vitamin D levels are common in the UK population, particularly in older people. Plasma levels of vitamin D below 25nmol/litre, a figure used by the Department of Health to indicate poor vitamin D status, were found in 37 per cent of older people living in institutions according to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS).”
The main source of vitamin D is through the action of sunlight on the skin but in northern climates like Britain, exposure to sunlight is minimal, particularly for those who spend much of their day indoors or who cover up when outside. Overall, a quarter of the blood samples collected during the winter months in the NDNS showed blood vitamin D levels below 25nmol/litre.
The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) in people over 65 years also found that 97 per cent of older people had a vitamin D intake below the Reference Nutrient Intake of 10 micrograms/day.
In summary, Dr Ruxton notes: “This latest research, together with other evidence, again highlights the fact that many people, especially those of older age have inadequate vitamin D levels. As a result, the use of a multivitamin containing vitamin D, plus consumption of foods rich in vitamin D such as oily fish, milk, breakfast cereals and fortified spreads, could have significant benefits for public health.”
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New Bach Flower Essence research (15.05.09)
Very exciting work is being done in Cuba with Bach flower remedies. A UK charity, The 12 Healers Trust (funded by Healing Herbs Ltd) is supporting research into the effects of Bach flower essences on psychological and physical health and will soon be publishing their results...More
In Cuba flower essences are a recognised part of the health care system and the Trust has recently sent essences, books and monitoring equipment to help. Cuba has much to offer us in terms of experience in the field of economical alternatives in medicine. If you are interested in the work of the Trust and its publications please write for information to info@twelvehealers.com.
Gender-bending chemicals put baby boys at risk of cancer and infertility (13.05.09)
Unborn baby boys are at greater risk of developing cancer and infertility later in life due to gender-bending chemicals found in food, cosmetics and cleaning products, according to a government adviser's report...More
Professor Richard Sharpe, one of Britain's leading reproductive biologists, said that the chemicals block the action of the male sex hormone testosterone, or mimic the female sex hormone oestrogen. His report looked at studies into birth defects of boy's genitals, low sperm counts and testicular cancer. Such problems are collectively referred to as Testicular Dysgenesis Syndrome (TDS). Testosterone-disrupting chemicals found in pesticides, drugs, plastics and household products created symptoms of TDS in laboratory animals, experiments showed. Prof Sharpe said, "You can't do anything about chemicals in the environment but you can control what you expose a baby to through your lifestyle choices." Daily Telegraph.
A new report shows that, “Significant numbers of people report suffering digestive discomfort after taking antibiotics”. The figure revealed by the Digestive Matters report was one third of those surveyed (37%). ....More
Since over 74 million prescriptions for antibiotics are dispensed each year in the UK, particularly to older people, this is a cause for concern. However, according to a recent review, probiotics may be helpful for antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. This means that people prescribed antibiotics could find it beneficial to use a reputable probiotic product such as Acidophilus alongside their medication to ward off gut problems. There is also evidence that probiotics reduce the risk of women developing thrush through antibiotic use.
“In fact, the body needs both good and bad bacteria to stay healthy,” explains Dr Carrie Ruxton, an independent scientific advisor. “Scientists suggest that the ideal proportion of good to other bacteria is 6:1, which is sometimes called ‘eubiosis’. Taking a probiotic works by loading the large intestine with ‘good bacteria’ which then crowd out bacteria that are potentially harmful. Research shows that maintaining an optimal balance of gut flora is important for health, particularly for repelling harmful bacteria that contribute to digestive problems such as diarrhoea, bloating or constipation.
Parents Take Baby Personal Care Manufacturers to Court (24.03.09)
Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble and Kimberley Clark are among a number of leading baby personal care manufacturers being taken to court over allegedly cancer-causing ingredients. The class-action law-suit was filed by Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro (HBSS) on March 19 in the District Court of Chicago on behalf of ‘parents or other consumers who purchased any of an extensive list of products’, on the provision the court certifies the action....More
The action is being filed as a result of a study conducted by the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics (CSC), which tested a series of baby personal care products for the carcinogens formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane. According to the study 82 percent of products contained at least 54 parts per million of formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane – a level the body describes as ‘high’.
“Parents are frightened by these findings, and rightly so," said Steve Berman, attorney representing the plaintiffs and managing partner of Seattle-based HBSS. "I can't imagine any parent covering their infant with a baby lotion that lists 'formaldehyde' on the label along with 'natural fragrance.'
However, key figures in the industry believe that the study findings are misleading and have been misinterpreted. Two weeks ago the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) described the study findings and the resulting publicity as a cynical attempt to prey upon concerned parents. It argues that CSC has falsely attempted to position the report as ‘scientifically noteworthy’ and new. It counters the study findings by pointing out that 1,4 dioxane is not an ingredient in cosmetics products but a by-product created from the manufacture of certain detergent and solvent ingredients. PCPC also quoted the FDA as stating that 1,4 dioxane levels found in their monitoring of personal care products and cosmetics ‘do not present a hazard to consumers.'
On the subject of formaldehyde, the PCPC says it is not added to cosmetics but rather released in very small doses by the formaldehyde-releasing preservatives that are used. On top of that, the US FDA and the Cosmetic Ingredients Review Expert Panel concluded that formaldehyde in cosmetics and personal care products is safe and should not exceed 2,000ppm when measured as free formaldehyde, which matches the European legislation on the chemical.
CSC’s test of 28 products, which were chosen to be likely candidates for containing the chemical, showed 23 to contain between 54 and 610 ppm of formaldehyde.
The HBSS suit calls for medical monitoring of children and any one exposed to the products in question in an effort to ascertain the risks of exposures to the mentioned carcinogens.
On the response of the ACNFP - the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes - regarding recent research into the adverse effects on animals of GM feedstock....More
It is quite extraordinary how the complacency within the regulatory / advisory committees in the UK about the safety of GM crops and foods has been transformed into something more akin to a state of denial. First we had the nonsense about "effects which are statistically significant not necessarily being biologically significant"; and now we have the so-called experts looking at a group of papers which all show cell damage / changes to vital organs and saying this:
ACNFP: " ........... although some differences were reported between laboratory animals given diets that contained a genetically modified (GM) crop variety and those given a non-GM variety, no conclusions can be drawn from these reports about the safety of GM crops."
We await with interest the minutes of the latest ACNFP meeting.
In the meantime, one wonders what laboratory animals are expected to do in order to demonstrate that they have been harmed by GM food? Maybe it would help if they were to change colour, shrink to half their previous size, and run around their cages shouting "I hate GM chow!" prior to going into convulsions and dying violently in front of the TV cameras?
A recent study has found that a common culinary spice was just as effective as conventional pain killers for dysmenorrhoea....More
In a double-blind comparative clinical trial 150 women (18 years old and over) with primary dysmenorrhoea were alternately divided into three equal groups receiving either 250 mg capsules of ginger (four times daily), 250 mg mefenamic acid or 400 mg ibuprofen capsules from the start of their menstrual period.
The researchers found that all treatments were effective and that there were no significant differences between groups in severity of dysmenorrhoea, pain relief or satisfaction with the treatment. The study authors concluded that “ginger was as effective as mefenamic acid and ibuprofen in relieving pain in women with primary dysmenorrhoea.”
Comment Primary dysmenorrhoea is defined as menstrual pain in the absence of pelvic disease and affects up to 50% of post-pubescent females. Current evidence suggests that the prostaglandin PGF2-alpha mediates the pain of primary dysmenorrhoea, interestingly recent experimental research demonstrated that ginger is a potent inhibitor of PGF2-alpha in uterine tissue (Planta Med. 2008 Mar;74(4):385-91). As a safe, low cost treatment the acute use of ginger to control period pain at the onset of menstruation deserves consideration.
How to Take Ginger Powdered ginger root can be taken as a capsule, or ginger tincture can be added to water.
Sources: Ozgoli G et al. Comparison of Effects of Ginger, Mefenamic Acid, and Ibuprofen on Pain in Women with Primary Dysmenorrhea. J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Feb 13. Close article
Use of Children’s Cough and Cold Medicines (02.03.09)
MHRA has recommended that medicines sold mainly in pharmacies containing certain ingredients specifically intended to relieve cough and cold symptoms and relieve congestion should no longer be used in children under 6 years of age and in future they will not be marketed for them.......More
The change is happening mainly because the clinical data which would be required for new products these days is not available for the children’s cough and cold remedies which have been on the market for decades.
For a safe alternative to relieve the symptoms of coughs and colds why not try homoeopathy? Or a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil in a bowl of hot water placed next to your child will help to relieve congestion.
Complementary Medicine DOES Help Patients (03.02.09)
Professor Karol Sikora, Professor of Cancer Medicine at the Imperial College School of Medicine based at Hammersmith Hospital, spoke out in the Sunday Times (3rd Feb, 2009) in no uncertain terms in response to a letter from Professor Colquhoun et al......More
As usual, Colquhoun and his chums were crowing about the removal of complementary medicine courses at the University of Salford. In his scathing letter, Professor Sikora said: "Complementary medicine does help patients. Those of us who are faced daily by real human suffering use the best evidence available to help our patients. At the same time, patients do their best to help themselves. The ill-thought-through arguments of those who are not doctors - and so have no experience of the practice of medicine - are ridiculous. According to the Department of Health, about one in five adults uses complementary therapies. That means we need more education for practitioners, not less. And we certainly need better research, not the Stalinist repression that Professor Colquhoun and his colleagues demand. Armchair physicians are welcome to their views, but clearly patients know better".
Patients call for NHS complementary therapy (10.02.09)
A year-long pilot scheme in Northern Ireland has found that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can offer significant health improvements to NHS patients.....More
After receiving CAM treatments on referral from their GP, 81% of patients reported an improvement in their physical health and 79% in their mental health. The majority of patients, 84%, directly linked improvements in their health and wellbeing to the CAM treatment they had received and 94% said they would recommend it to others with a similar condition.
The 713 patients, with a range of ages and demographic backgrounds and either musculoskeletal or mental health conditions, were referred to relevant CAM therapies via nine GP practices in Belfast and Londonderry. The therapies included acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy, homeopathy, reflexology and aromatherapy administered by local practitioners. The scheme was implemented by social enterprise Get Well UK, which aims to improve access to complementary therapy on the public health service.
Patients assessed their own health and wellbeing pre and post therapy and GPs and CAM practitioners also rated patients responses to treatment and the overall effectiveness of the scheme.
Independent analysis of the findings showed:
• Patients receiving acupuncture treatment reported an average 33% improvement in their health and wellbeing
• Patients receiving chiropractic and osteopathy treatment reported an average 38% improvement in their health and wellbeing
• Patients receiving homeopathic treatment reported an average 54% improvement in their health and wellbeing
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety: Complementary and Alternative Medicines Pilot Project Evaluation
Omega-3 fatty acids may ease psychological distress in middle aged women (09.02.09)
Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a new study found that Omega-3 fatty acids may alleviate psychological distress (PD) and depression commonly experienced in the transition to menopause.....More
The study recruited 120 women with moderate to severe PD aged between 40 and 55 years of age. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups, receiving either an Omega-3 supplement or a placebo of sunflower oil.
After 8 weeks the results showed that for a significant group of women the omega-3 fatty acids reduced the level of psychological distress over the course of the study. For women who experienced major depressive episodes however there was no significant reduction.
In the past Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) was prescribed for symptoms of menopause such as mood disturbance. However since the implication of HRT with increased risk of breast cancer women have turned to Complementary and Alternative Medicine to alleviate such symptoms.
Ref: Lucas M et al. 2009, ‘Ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid for the treatment of psychological distress and depressive symptoms in middle-aged women: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial,’ Am J Clin Nutr Vol. 89 p.641-651.
Cancer Risk After Exposure to Treatments for Ovulation Induction (04/02/09)
Latest research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology reports that women who take fertility drugs are more prone to uterine cancer.....More
The Scientists from Hadassah-Hebrew University in Israel found that women who received ovulation induction treatment had a 3-fold increased risk of uterine cancer compared with unexposed women. The risk increased further in those treated with the drug Clomiphene, which has been in use since the 1960s and is still considered the best initial treatment for women with anovulatory infertility and couples with unexplained infertility. The study’s results also suggest increased risk of breast cancer, malignant melanoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma following ovulation induction treatment.
In the UK today 1 in 6 couples are infertile according to Foresight, an association promoting preconception care in the form of good health and nutrition. With their preconception care program they report that 78.4% of infertile couples go on to have healthy babies. Many Complementary Therapies have proven very effective in helping couples to conceive without the use of drugs. To speak with someone regarding natural fertility options please contact one of our clinics or visit the Foresight website for further reading.
Ref: Calderon-Margalit Y. et al, 2009, Cancer Risk After Exposure to Treatments for Ovulation Induction, American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 169, No.3, pp: 365-375.
"The credit crunch doesn't necessarily have to result in a morality coma." (01.02.09)
Observer columnist Barbara Ellen derides Asda chief exec's attack on celebrity chefs ....More
Barbara Ellen of the Observer hits back at Asda Chief Exec Andy Bond's critisism of TV chefs published in Grocer magazine in which he accuses them of patronising poor people who can't afford better quality, more ethical food. In a TV program shown last week, Jamie Oliver expressed his support for the beleaguered British pork industry whose farming livelihoods are at risk from cheap imported meat reared under poor welfare standards and widely sold in our supermarkets.
In relation to cost, the same program explained the cheaper cuts of meat available from butchers and showed how to cook them in order to eat well on a budget. "Isn't it Asda who is doing the patronising?" Barbara asks, "Is it saying that the very concept of good food should be kept from the hard-up masses, like some best-kept secret of the wealthy: the food equivalent of the Sandy Bay hotel?"
New research shows a possible link between reduced fertility in women and exposure to everyday manmade chemicals.....More
Chemicals found in pesticides, food packaging, and household items may be linked to lower fertility among women. A study of 1,240 women has found that those with higher levels of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in their bloodstreams tend to take longer to become pregnant than those with lower levels.
The findings, from scientists at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), raise the prospect that exposure to the chemicals could be contributing to infertility. The study is published in the Journal of Human Reproduction. Results at this time are preliminary, but have further highlighted the urgent need for research into common chemical contamination.
Success In Europe As Irish Petition On Food Supplements Is Kept Open (26/01/08)
The Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) together with the Irish Association of Health (IAH) petitioned against the European Commissions directive to set maximum limits for dosage of vitamins and minerals in food supplements....More
They challenged the directive arguing that this approach was not based on the best science but was rather an avenue to ban supplements that are used for therapeutic purposes. The directive also appeared to support the one a day ‘placebo type’ products found in supermarkets and not the high quality products found in health stores and those used by practitioners. The IAH argued that it is the high dose supplements that separates health stores from supermarkets and pharmacies and that if they were forced to carry ‘dumbed-down’ products, that around 50% of Irish Health Stores would probably close within a year as people would have less reason to use them.
Last week they had a win in that they presented their petition to the European Parliaments Committee in Brussels, and it was kept open for further review and the European Commission has been asked to provide a written response to the Petitions Committee on the challenges raised.
Water pollution linked to declining male fertility (20.01.09)
A study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives by Brunel University, the Universities of Exeter and Reading and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology says there is a stronger link between water pollution and rising male fertility problems....More
The study identified a new group of chemicals that act as anti-androgens. This means that they inhibit the function of the male hormone, testosterone, reducing male fertility. Some of these chemicals are contained in medicines, including cancer treatments, pharmaceutical treatments, and pesticides used in agriculture. The research suggests that these chemicals are finding their way into UK rivers and may play a pivotal role in causing feminising effects in male fish.
Other studies have also suggested that there may be a link between this phenomenon and the increase in human male fertility problems caused by testicular dysgenesis syndrome. Until now this link lacked credibility because the known causes of feminising effects in fish were limited to oestrogenic chemicals - whilst testicular dysgenesis is known to be caused by exposure to a range of anti-androgens.
The researchers concluded that there are likely to be many reasons behind the rise in male fertility problems in humans, but these findings could reveal one, previously unknown, factor. The research team is now focusing on identifying the source of anti-androgenic chemicals, as well as continuing to study their impact on reproductive health in wildlife and humans.
Homoeopathy Prevents Epidemic Disease in 2.5 Million People
(13.01.09)
A very recent example of the success of homoeopathic prophylaxis on a large scale comes from Cuba....More
In 2009 news was reported of a significant reduction in the seasonal epidemics of Leptospirosis (Weil's disease). Rather than spend millions on vaccine, as in previous years, they switched to the distribution of appropriate homoeopathic remedies. Two doses were given to a population of 2.5m, the second dose being 7-9 days after the first, bringing the incidence of infection to just under 10 people with no fatalities. Previously, conventional treatment of the population with a vaccine still resulted in thousands of infections and a number of fatalities and at a cost of US $2m. The homeopathic solution cost just 10% of that, at US $200,000.
Reported in Irish Journal of Homeopathy, December 2008
A recent observational study† reports that homoeopathy patients with long-term (chronic) conditions may experience beneficial effects that last several years....More
A total of 3,709 adults and children who were attending homoeopathic primary care facilities were included in the study. The most common diagnoses were allergic rhinitis and headaches in adults and skin disorders and frequent infections in children.
The authors found that disease severity significantly decreased after two and eight years in adults and children. Physical and mental quality of life scores also increased.
†Witt CM, Ludtke R, Mengler N, et al. How healthy are chronically ill patients after eight years of homeopathic treatment? - Results from a long term observational study. BMC Public Health. 2008 Dec 17;8(1):413.
New study shows Vitamin C could reduce diseases associated with obesity
(17.12.08)
Scientists at the University of California investigated whether vitamin C or E could reduce C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory biomarker that predicts cardiovascular disease. The effects were found to be similar to those of the drug class statins which lower CRP and minimise the incidence of cardiovascular disease by reducing cholesterol.....More
In the trial, healthy nonsmokers were randomized to three groups receiving 1000 mg/day vitamin C, 800 IU/day vitamin E, or placebo, for 2 months. No treatment effect was seen when all participants were included in the analysis of results. However, vitamin C was found to have an effect among participants with CRP levels indicative of elevated cardiovascular risk. Vitamin C reduced CRP by 25.3%. The vitamin E effect was not significant.
The researchers concluded that treatment with vitamin C but not vitamin E significantly reduced CRP among individuals with higher than normal levels. Among the obese, 75% had elevated CRP. The scientists said that further research is needed to determine whether reducing this inflammatory biomarker with vitamin C could reduce diseases associated with obesity.
Ref: Block, Jensen et al. Vitamin C reduces elevated C-reactive protein. Free Radic Biol Med 2008 Oct 10
Herbal Medicine is of "proven utility" says WHO
(16.12.08)
The World Health Organisation has called on governments to integrate traditional herbal medicine into their national health care systems, according to a report in the China Daily....More
The declaration was issued during WHO's first-ever congress on traditional medicine, staged over two days in Beijing last month, said the newspaper.
"Governments should establish systems for the qualification, accreditation or licensing of traditional medicine practitioners," said WHO in the declaration. "Traditional medicine practitioners should upgrade their knowledge and skills based on national requirements."
"For millions of people, often living in rural areas of developing countries, herbal medicines, traditional treatments and traditional practitioners are the main — sometimes the only — source of healthcare," Margaret Chan, WHO's director-general, told the China Daily. "The two systems of traditional and Western medicine need not clash. Within the context of primary healthcare, they can blend together in harmony, using the best features of each system.
"She added: "Many countries have brought the two systems together. Here in China, herbal therapy of proven utility in many disorders is provided in state hospitals throughout the country, alongside conventional medicine."
Chemicals in some cosmetics linked to birth defects
(02.12.08)
Women who are exposed to hairspray in the workplace during the first trimester of pregnancy have more than double the risk of having a son with the genital birth defect hypospadias, according to the new study from Imperial College London. Hypospadias is a condition in which the urinary tract grows on the underside of the penis....More
The results of this study published in the Journal Environmental Health Perspectives suggest that chemicals in hairspray and some other cosmetics known as phthalates disrupt the hormonal system in the body and effect reproductive development. This supports earlier research linking phthalates to disruption of hormonal systems. The research also reveals that taking folic acid supplements in the first three months of pregnancy is associated with a 36 percent reduced risk of bearing a child with the condition.
This new research has prompted calls for a new EU-wide cosmetics labelling system which would identify some products as off-limits to mothers-to-be.
Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "Women who are planning to conceive or who are in the first three months of pregnancy should look at what they are using.”
“The cosmetics industry needs to look at this and clearly label their products."
Neal’s Yard Remedies has never used phthalates in their cosmetic range.
Other potentially harmful ingredients that we avoid include:
No Parabens - which have been indicated as having estrogenic activity
No Triclosan - This is an antimicrobial agent that has been found in breast milk
No Nanoparticles - the size of which means there is a potential for them to travel into the blood stream with unknown effects
Limits to recent mouse model study on the effects of Black Cohosh on breast cancer (18.11.08)
A recent mouse model study on the effects of Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) on breast cancer is “limited and needs to be critically evaluated” say Herbal experts.....More
A recent study on Black Cohosh (1) used in a transgenic mouse experiment, where the authors reported an increase in the spread of breast cancer to the lungs in the mouse model, is of limited value, and needs to be critically evaluated, a spokesperson for the National Institute of Medical Herbalists commented today.
The problem with using mouse models is that, as the authors themselves admit “no animal models exactly replicate human breast cancer..” (1) The mouse model used also has a high tendency to induce metastatic spread of the cancer.
Conversely, Black Cohosh has been shown in a recent study on over 1000 women to have “a significant breast cancer protective effect” (2).
More importantly, in relation to cancer spread, a recent large retrospective study, on over 18,000 women (3) showed that taking Black Cohosh long term was not only associated with no risk in the recurrence of breast cancer, but was also associated with prolonged disease-free survival3.
Black Cohosh has been increasingly recommended for flushes and other symptoms experienced by women who have had breast cancer and are unable to take HRT due to its increased risk of inducing breast cancer.
A recent NIMH members survey on the use of Black Cohosh showed that the use of Black Cohosh is widespread amongst Medical Herbalists with very few side-effects. Most importantly, no liver problems or toxicity were reported (4).
Karyn Mackay (Director of Research NIMH) says " The importance of good quality research into herbal medicine cannot be overstated. Unfortunately this trial does little to further our knowledge of the mode of action of Black Cohosh or to assess its safety in humans. It is impossible to draw any clear conclusions from the trial and I urge any women who have concerns over taking Black Cohosh to consult their local NIMH herbalist." NIMH registered herbalists can be found on www.nimh.org.uk.
References
1. Davis VL, Jayo MJ, Ho A, Kotlarczyk MP, Hardy ML, Foster WG, Hughes CL. (2008 Oct 15). Black cohosh increases metastatic mammary cancer in transgenic mice expressing c-erbB2 Cancer Res.;68(20):8377-83.
2 Rebbeck TR, Troxel AB, Norman S, Bunin GR, DeMichele A, Baumgarten M, Berlin (2007 Apr 1). A retrospective case-control study of the use of hormone-related supplements and association with breast cancer. Int J Cancer. 120(7):1523-8.
3. Zepelin HH, Meden H, Kostev K, Schröder-Bernhardi D, Stammwitz U, Becher H. (2007 Mar) Isopropanolic black cohosh extract and recurrence-free survival after breast cancer. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2007;45(3):143-54.
4. Owen, N. (2008). CIMICIFUGA RACEMOSA. A Members Survey on its posology, indications, side effects and therapeutics. Poster. National Institute of Medical Herbalists Conference.
Pesticides campaign victory for Georgina Downs (14.11.08)
Environmental campaigner Georgina Downs, who runs the UK Pesticides Campaign, has won a landmark legal victory in her long-running battle with the government over the use of pesticides....More
Throughout her 7 year campaign Ms. Downs has presented substantial evidence to the Government, its regulators and advisors regarding its failure to protect residents from exposure to toxic pesticides sprayed near homes, schools, children’s playgrounds and other premises. In 2003, Ms. Downs produced a DVD that featured individuals and families from all over the country reporting acute and chronic long-term illnesses and diseases in rural communities surrounded by sprayed fields.
On Friday the high court ruled that Georgina Downs, had produced "solid evidence" that people exposed to chemicals used to spray crops had suffered harm and that the government had failed to protect people, particularly rural residents, from exposure to pesticides and granted her application for judicial review of the policy of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Neal’s Yard Remedies is a supporter and sponsor of Georgina Downs in her campaign against pesticide use.
NANO PARTICLES - Scientists concern over safety - Royal Commission report released (12.11.08)
A report out today from the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution highlights concerns that not enough research has been done to understand their long-term effects. The 2 year study warns that the lack of understanding of how these particles behave, combined with the current proliferation of their use, could lead to a serious threat to human and environmental health. ....More
Professor Sir John Lawton, chairman of the commission, states: ‘Would we know if nano material’s were causing harm? No we wouldn’t. There’s no evidence of harm, but a lot of that is because of a lack of evidence”.
Hundreds of items containing nanomaterials are already on the market. They appear in applications as varied as suncreens, medicines, sports clothing, food packaging, window coatings and beer. Citing the example of asbestos to demonstrate the potential hazards when innovative materials are released with poor understanding, Lawton says “the rate of innovation in this sector far outweighs our capacity to respond to the risks”. Whilst the technology may have the potential for great benefits, the committee urges for the government to back immediate tests into toxicity and environmental impact.
Note: we never use nano particles in our sun screens nor in any other products because we believe that there is no evidence to convince us that they are safe. This report serves to strengthen our belief in the precautionary principle.
Lavender oil improves cardiovascular health in men
This new study from Japan examined the effects of lavender on stress - which is known to be a risk factor in cardiovascular health, as it can impair circulation of blood to the heart....More
The trial enrolled 30 healthy young men with an average age of 34. They measured blood flow in the heart at rest and after artificially increasing blood flow. This was followed by 30 minutes of aromatherapy inhalation (4 drops of lavender essential oil diluted in 20 ml of hot water). The blood flow was measured again after aromatherapy and the stress hormone cortisol was measured throughout. These same measurements were also recorded in the volunteers without the aromatherapy as a control study.
The scientists found that the levels of the stress hormone cortisol decreased after the aromatherapy use and blood flow to the heart improved, suggesting that the relaxation effects of Lavender essential oil can be beneficial in coronary circulation.
Ref: Shiina Y et al., 2008, “Relaxation effects of lavender aromatherapy improve coronary flow velocity reserve in healthy men evaluated by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography”, Int J Cardiol Sep 26;129(2):193-7
Raspberry, Rubus idaeus L. [Fam. Rosaceae], is indigenous to Europe, North America, and Asia. Raspberry leaf is most often recommended for pregnant women suffering from morning sickness and nausea, but is also recommended for respiratory conditions and for heart health maintenance....More
Raspberry leaf products are also recommended to shorten labor, and a recent double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial did show a significant shortening of the second stage of labor (mean difference = 9.59 minutes) and a lower rate of forceps deliveries between the treatment group and the control group (19.3% vs. 30.4%). A 1998 retrospective observational study on the safety and efficacy of raspberry leaf products during pregnancy also found significant results. The sample consisted of 108 mothers; 57 (52.8%) consumed raspberry leaf products while 51 (47.2%) were in the control group. The study showed that raspberry leaf products are safe to take by women during their pregnancy for the purpose for which they are taken, that is, to shorten labor and treat nausea and morning sickness. There were no identified side effects for the women or their babies. The study also showed that raspberry leaf consumption during pregnancy might also decrease the likelihood of pre and post-term gestation. An unexpected finding in this study was that women who ingest raspberry leaf might be less likely to receive an artificial rupture of their membranes, or require caesarean section, forceps or vacuum birth than the women in the control group. Raspberry leaf tea also has potent antioxidant activity. Raspberry leaf tea is also given for inflammation of the mouth and throat, skin disorders, flu, fever, water retention, menstrual pain, vitamin deficiency, blood sugar irregularities, and as a blood and skin purification agent. Many First Nation peoples made a beverage tea from raspberry leaves and/or stems and ate the young shoots in spring.
References:
Parsons M, Simpson M, Ponton T. 1999. Raspberry leaf and its effect on labour: safety and efficacy. Aust Coll Midwives Inc J 1999 Sep; 12(3): 20-5.
Simpson M, Parsons M, Greenwood J, Wade K. 2001. Raspberry leaf in pregnancy: its safety and efficacy in labor. J Midwifery Womens Health 2001 Mar-Apr; 46(2): 51-9.
Turner N, and Kuhnlein H. 1991. Traditional plant foods of Canadian indigenous peoples. Nutrition, botany and use. In Food and Nutrition in History and Anthropology Vol. 8. Gordon & Breach Science Publishers, Philadelphia, PA, p. 254-255.
Wang SY and Lin HS. 2000. Antioxidant activity in fruits and leaves of blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry varies with cultivar and developmental stage. J Agric Food Chem 2000 Feb; 48(2): 140-6.
Wichtl M and NG Bisset (eds). 1994. Raspberry leaf. In Herbal Drugs and Phyto-pharmaceuticals. (English translation by Norman Grainger Bisset). CRC Press, Stuttgart, pp. 434-436.
MY HOTTEST MASSAGE SECRET by Helen Brown
(Sunday Times 13th July 2008)
To those who say the beauty industry is only skin deep, my response is always the same, that they are missing the therapeutic benefits of luxuriating in a tub laced with an oil that lifts your spirits, or the brain-chemical high that comes with ritualistically applying a luxurious face cream. Even more than that, once you’ve had a treatment at the hands of a great therapist - albeit often with a holistic bias - you will know what a profound effect it can have on how you feel....More
I stumbled across the latest miracle worker to make it into my black book while undergoing Neal’s Yard Remedies’ new Vitality programme. Essentially an intro to the brand, it consists of a diet and lifestyle consultation with a nutritionist, and a subsequent prescription of the supplements, oils, skin salves and treatments most suited to your needs. While the zesty facial spritz is divine, and the energy-boosting remedies are pepping me up, the most magical part was my Thai massage with Michael Wong (from £55, at Fouberts Place Therapy Rooms; 020 7494 9862). Like most Thai massage therapists, he offers a dynamic, physical treatment, bending your body into yogic contortions to get the deepest stretch possible. But it is his firm touch and personal blend of techniques (he adds sports massage into the mix) that make it such a transformative experience.
He’s had some impressive results on bad backs caused by car accidents, and even claims to have ironed out curved spines. For me, he purged my shoulders of every last gristly knot - something that can rarely, if ever, be done. For more than a week, there was no shoulder twitching or furtive self-massaging of the afflicted zone at my desk, and feeling so corporeally light was, without a doubt, a true mood-enhancer.
Neal's Yard Remedies products recommended by the Green Beauty Bible We’re delighted to have been featured in the new Green Beauty Bible by Sarah Stacey and Josephine Fairley....
This new book follows the success of The Beauty Bible where independent testers are sent products from across the beauty industry to compare and review. The Green Beauty Bible is packed with useful tips on what to look out for when choosing a natural or organic product, recipes for making simple products at home, and which chemicals to really look out for on those ingredients listings.
Sarah and Josephine also devised a simple ‘Daisy’ rating to help you understand how natural and/or organic all of the products are. At Neal’s Yard Remedies we are updating our labels to help make it even clearer for you when identifying organic ingredients. We will continue to *asterisk all of our organic ingredients on our labels but we have now also added an organic % to show you just how much all of these ingredients add up to in any of our products.
To view our products recommended by the Green Beauty Bible Click here
The Green Beauty Bible is published by Kyle Cathie and is currently available from all good book stores.
For more information please visit www.beautybible.com
It seemed the MMR controversy had been resolved, but does new research point to another possible connection between autism and vaccinations? Cassandra Jardine reports....More
Four years ago, it seemed as if the agonising over autism and the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) triple vaccine had finally been consigned to history. Several large-scale epidemiological studies concluded there was no evidence of a link between the two.
By the age of three, 90 per cent of children have had the MMR vaccine
Taking just one of these studies - involving 4,500 children in Denmark - Sir David King, chief scientific adviser to the Government until the end of 2007, said: "If anything, there was more autism found among the children who weren't vaccinated."
Parents who had claimed that their children had regressed mentally and physically following the MMR vaccination were told it was probably a coincidence. Meanwhile, Dr Andrew Wakefield, the gastroenterologist whose research had triggered the scare, with a study in 1998 of 12 such cases, is currently defending himself in front of the General Medical Council against charges of gross professional misconduct.
So how is it now that the debate has been reignited in the US, with growing concern that an apparent increase in the number of children with autism may have an environmental cause (including MMR and other childhood vaccinations)?
All three presidential candidates have referred to what Republican Senator John McCain calls the "autism epidemic", pledging substantial sums of money for research.
Then, earlier this month, Dr Bernardine Healy, former head of the National Institutes of Health, America's medical research agency, told CBS News: "I think that the public health officials have been too quick to dismiss the [autism link to vaccination] hypothesis as irrational." She called for detailed studies of children whose parents believe they have been affected. "I have not seen major studies that focus on 300 kids who got autistic symptoms within a period of a few weeks of the vaccines," she said.
Healy's comments are significant because she's the first figure from the mainstream medical establishment not to dismiss the link.
Next month David Kirby, author of the award-winning book Evidence of Harm, will be in London giving a public lecture and addressing the House of Lords about the causes of regressive autism (as opposed to classic autism, which does not involve a sudden loss of speech and other functions).
The focus of his attention is not MMR but thiomersal, a preservative containing mercury (a known neurotoxin) that is used in some vaccines, including those for flu. (The Department of Health is keen to stress that no children's vaccine in this country has contained thiomersal for the past four years, and when it was formerly used in childhood vaccines it was at levels that were lower than those in the US.)
"A convergence of events," Kirby says, "has highlighted the importance of research, treatment and identifying the minority of children who may be susceptible to vaccine damage."
Chief among these convergent events is the case of Hannah Poling, the nine-year-old daughter of neurologist Jon Poling, from Georgia. In July 2000, aged 19 months, she received five different vaccinations, against a total of nine diseases, in one day. Her mother Terry says that when she entered the surgery, she was a bright - even precocious - child. Within 48 hours, she had stopped eating, ceased to respond to speech and become prone to episodes of screaming and fever.
Hannah Poling's case is part of the Omnibus Autism Proceeding - 5,000 cases of regressive autism being looked at by the US Vaccines Court, a body funded by a 75 cent levy on every vaccine given in the US. In February, the US government agreed compensation for her disabilities, having conceded, out of court, that her condition had been "significantly aggravated" by vaccination.
Initially, her case didn't appear to be of widespread significance because she was found to have a dysfunction of the mitochondria, the "batteries" in our cells that produce energy essential for normal functioning. This abnormality made her an unsuitable test case in any legal proceedings.
But then the next child under consideration as a test case was found to have a similar weakness, raising the possibility that a small minority of children may, because of a genetic predisposition, be more susceptible to the damaging side-effects of vaccination.
"It now looks as if 20 per cent of children with regressive autism may have this weakness; some are saying 65 per cent," says Kirby. "The cause of this weakness could be genetic or environmental."
The last point is crucial. Jon Poling, Hannah's father, believes two triggers are needed before a child becomes severely ill: possibly, an early vaccination which might compromise a child's metabolic system, then a later one which results in symptoms. There are various theories why this might be so. According to David Kirby, even trace elements of mercury and aluminium (also used in vaccines) might damage the mitochondria and could be passed from mother to foetus.
The actor Jim Carrey and his wife Jenny McCarthy believe that McCarthy's son, Evan, was "vaccine-damaged" four years ago, aged two. "In the Eighties. children received only 10 vaccines by age five, whereas today they are given 36 immunisations, most of them by age two," says McCarthy. "With billions of pharmaceutical dollars, could it be possible that the vaccine programme is becoming more of a profit engine then a means of prevention?" On June 4 they will be leading a march in Washington DC, waving banners saying "Too many. Too soon."
To date there has been no successful legal challenge to MMR in the UK. There is a Vaccine Damage Payments Unit which was set up in 1979, following concerns that the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine could cause brain damage (the vaccine has since been changed).
However, compensation is capped at £120,000 (including legal costs) and disability thresholds are high. Only two out of 53 claims were successful in the year to April 2008 - neither of them for autism.
"Under the US system, a person may receive an award if they can prove the vaccine caused an existing condition to get worse," explains a spokesperson for the Department of Work and Pensions. "This provision doesn't exist in the UK system, where… payments are made when it can be shown that it was more probable than not that someone became severely disabled as a result of vaccination."
In the civil courts, more than 1,000 cases were being prepared for a group MMR action until, in September 2003, legal aid was withdrawn. Following the success of the Poling case in the US, Peter Todd of London solicitors Hodge, Jones & Allen, has 200 clients who want to reapply for legal aid. He believes vaccines could be linked to a whole range of neurological and auto-immune disorders - epilepsy, childhood diabetes, arthritis, and even attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
"Vaccines are designed not to infect but to stimulate the immune system into making a response, so it would not be surprising if they were implicated in auto-immune disorders," Todd says. "Even if the condition was underlying, vaccines may have materially affected its onset."
The vaccine hypothesis was bolstered recently by a five-year study in monkeys who were given the same vaccinations that American children are routinely given. Last week, Dr Laura Hewitson, a specialist in obstetrics, gynaecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, told the International Meeting for Autism Research in London that in the double-blind placebo-controlled study, 13 vaccinated animals showed increased aggression, impaired cognitive skills and developmental delay. The three unvaccinated animals in the study developed normally.
"There was a significant difference between the two groups," said Hewitson. "The vaccinated group had trouble developing reflexes?… They also became more insular and more aggressive. There was an increase in aggressive behaviour after they had their MMR vaccines, and they stopped exploring their surroundings as much."
Abnormal brain activity was found in the monkeys, and higher sensitivity to a naturally occurring brain chemical linked to sleeplessness, hallucinations, lack of social skills and a high pain threshold - all symptoms found in children on the autistic spectrum. The monkeys also exhibited abnormalities of the amygdala, the part of the brain which regulates emotions.
"We can't conclude that vaccines cause autism from this study," said Hewitson, "What we can conclude is that the vaccinated monkeys showed significant negative behavioural differences before and after the MMR."
Certainly autism appears to have increased dramatically. In the early Nineties prevalence in the UK was put at four or five per 10,000. In 2006, The Lancet put it at one in 86 and, last year, Cambridge University's Autism Research Centre estimated that some 210,000 children - one in 58 - suffer from an autistic spectrum disorder.
Few people believe that vaccination programmes should cease. The vast majority of children benefit from being protected against a range of diseases, but there are concerns that some may be paying a high price for immunity. Already there is a sense of panic coming from Government circles about the future of the immunisation programme.
Earlier this month Labour MP, Mary Creagh, proposed that children should not be allowed to attend school if they haven't had all their jabs; last week it emerged that doctors in the south-east of England were giving children two doses of MMR in a three-month interval (the usual regime is at 13 months and then aged 3) to prevent a measles outbreak spreading beyond the capital.
Of course further research is needed into the early identification of autism and its causes. However the new evidence from the US suggests that screening children for mitochondrial dysfunction (there are "markers" in the blood of affected children) may also be beneficial.
Delays in vaccinating children who display asthma, eczema, food allergies and other signs of a compromised immune system should also be considered, as well as a ban on "catching up" - children who have missed immunisation being given vaccines in a shorter time period - which could overload a young system.
Many parents believe that provision of single vaccines on the NHS would allay concern further and that some vaccinations should be scheduled for later in childhood when immune systems are stronger. The alternative may be another panic.
Additional reporting by Sally Beck
David Kirby is giving a free public lecture on Wednesday 4th June, 6.30-10pm at Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street, London W1.
Organic milk is healthier than conventional milk, according to new research. The study, which was funded by the Dutch Government and was released earlier this week, proves that organic milk has much greater nutritional value and is better for human health....More
According to the study, organic milk contains more fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants. And organic milk has 60 per cent more conjugated linoleic acid, which is linked to lower risks of cancer and heart disease.
The research also showed that mothers who drink organic milk produce more nutritious breast milk and children are 36 per cent less likely to have eczema than children from mothers who drink traditionally-farmed milk.
The Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative said: "We are extremely pleased that another piece of independent research has been published highlighting the benefits of organic milk. Our farmers follow stringent guidelines and pay higher prices for non-solvent based and GM-free feed. As a result of the more natural forage-based diet that organic cows enjoy, the milk they produce is of a superior quality with a raft of health benefits compared to non-organic milk. We hope that this latest research will open the eyes of organic sceptics and encourage more consumers to switch to enjoy the benefits of organic milk."
BESTSELLING AMERICAN AUTHOR DAVID KIRBY TO VISIT UK IN JUNE
Journalist Who Covers the Autism-Vaccine Debate to Speak About Political and Scientific Developments in the US and Updates to His Book “Evidence of Harm”—
David Kirby, the New York based investigative journalist and author of the NY Times Bestseller, “Evidence of Harm, Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic – A Medical Controversy,” will visit the United Kingdom on the 4th - 6th of June to discuss recent developments in the vaccine-autism debate in the United States....More
Mr. Kirby, a former contributor to The New York Times and a regular writer for the popular international online blog, The Huffington Post, will give a free public lecture on Wednesday 4th June, 6:30-10PM at Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street, London. He will also attend a book signing and speak with members of the UK media, among other activities, while in the country.
Among the subjects to be addressed by Mr. Kirby are:
A recent case in the US Vaccine Court in which the federal government conceded that vaccines induced autism in one little girl – and updates on other cases in the court.
Growing evidence of a link between mitochondrial dysfunction and autistic regression, and case studies of several ASD children with mitochondrial issues.
State-of-the-art research underway at top universities on the connection between environmental toxins, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, glutathione depletion, neuro-inflammation and autistic encephalopathy.
Declarations by all 3 US Presidential candidates that autism is epidemic and calling for more research into vaccines and mercury as possible causes.
Recent studies linking ASD risk with heavy metals and other contaminants in air pollution.
The visit is sponsored by several US autism organizations: Generation Rescue, Autism Research Institute, National Autism Association, Coalition for SAFE MINDS, and Talk About Curing Autism.
“Evidence of Harm” debuted on The New York Times bestseller list in 2005, and is still widely read today. It won the Investigative Reporters and Editors Award in 2005 for Best Book. Kirby has appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press, CNN’s Larry King Live, NBC’s The Today Show, MSNBC’s Imus in the Morning, CNN Headline News, Air America, and hundreds of other radio and television stations around the world. He has been invited to speak at the US Federal Claims Court’s Judicial Conference, this November in Washington, DC.
David Kirby is available for media interviews before and during his visit. - Please contact him directly at dkirby@nyc.rr.com.
