FSM Friends News and Articles
How do you like your coffee? Rectally?: “In modern society, and with today’s alternative medicine providers, detoxification is wrapped with a scientific banner, in an attempt to give the treatments (and their purveyors) a veneer of credibility. Autointoxication beliefs are not only wrong, but they are demonstrably dangerous. Practices like coffee enemas have no plausible benefit and a real risk of harm. More broadly, and perhaps most importantly, the continued promotion of these practices distracts from science-based advice that can support better health decision-making.”
Marijuana Cures Cancer? Scientific Research Says Probably Not: Olivia Newton John is back in the news again with a plea to improve access to medicinal cannabis. And this has brought out people who want access to cannabis because it cures cancer. And it is only a short hop from there to “Big Pharma knows cannabis cures cancer and is suppressing access”.
Does cannabis cure cancer? There is no solid evidence to say it does. A lot more research needs to be done to find out if it has any efficacy in cancer patients. And since it is unethical to withhold treatment from a cancer patient, cannabis will need to be trialled in combination with chemotherapy. This will not sit well with people who advocate natural therapies but that is the way new cancer drugs are trialled. Treating cancer with cannabis alone when there is no compelling proof it works is reckless and should never be attempted.
General
A Pediatrician Goes In-depth Into MTHFR: Correcting misunderstanding in genetics: The MTHFR gene. Here is an informative article.
Anti-Vax Facebook Group Threatens to Overthrow U.S. Government: It has been said on many occasions that anti-vax movements can show a remarkable lack of regard for other peoples lives, so long as they can selfishly maintain their position of resistance to injections.
This has been demonstrated by their callous disregard for the victims of preventable disease, for survivors, and for grieving families. It has also been demonstrated by their willingness to resist and interfere with efforts to control epidemics and outbreaks. They blindly resist, and do not take responsibility for their actions..
Now anti-vax groups in the US are starting to take it even further, talking about stockpiling weapons and organising violent armed resistance to start a ‘Civil War’.
While this may seem extreme, it isn’t that surprising for a belief based ideology or for conspiracy theory group with a victim complex. This is why the conspiracy mind set can be such a dangerous thought pattern.
Vaccines Are Critical To Public Health, And Are Cost-Effective, Too:
“Although the U.S. federal government deploys cost-benefit analysis for transportation and environmental projects, curiously it has for the most part avoided explicit use of cost-effectiveness measures in public health or in the various government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.”
Have you gone vegan? Keep an eye on these 4 nutrients: Iron, Iodine, Calcium and B12.
Today’s Abused Health Concept
IVF Add-ons: Calls for overhaul as desperate parents spend thousands on unproven IVF treatments: Trying to conceive can be stressful, both emotionally and financially. There can be a strong pressure to offer or request additional treatments in an effort to maximise the chances a successful pregnancy. Add-ons include ICSI direct sperm to egg injections, endometrial scratching, natural killer-cell testing, and genetic abnormality screening among others.
Doctors feel pressured to offer any service that may help, while patients can be quite demanding for procedures that they have heard of anecdotally.
“But according to some experts… there is little to no evidence that many of these “add-on” procedures actually work. In some cases, having an add-on procedures can mean women are less likely to conceive. “
In the UK IVF add-ons have been clamped down on, with none of the add-ons found to be both safe,effective and well evidenced. Currently Victoria is the only state requiring IVF clinics to provide their patients with the evidence — or lack of it — behind add-on treatments.
Deputy President of the Fertility Society of Australia Dr Luk Rombauts said he doesn’t have a problem with add-on treatments, as long as patients are informed of the evidence behind them.”That’s what informed consent is all about. You provide patients with all the evidence,… and they can make an informed decision,” he said.
But Professor
Norman said couples should be cautious of [things offered] for which there is
very little evidence.
“And they should question their doctor — ‘Why should I go through it? Is
it safe? How much is it going to cost me? Could you give me some evidence that
it actually works?’,”
Great moments in Health and Science
The Discovery of Insulin: Who discovered insulin?: For such an important and dangerous illness as diabetes, it’s amazing to think that the hormone involved and how it worked was not known until less than a century ago.