FSM News and Articles
JOHN DWYER on Trump, Xi and the WHO: “WHO’s crucial work is being crippled. Chronically cash strapped, WHO is currently owed some $200 million dollars by the US! The thought that Trump’s withholding funding [of another $400 million], in the middle of the worst epidemic in a century, could financially cripple a zillion crucial projects is truly obscene.”
FSM Friends’ News and Articles
Stroke in COVID-19 Patients: If this is a true cluster, and there is a confirmed correlation with COVID-19, what is the exact mechanism? Hypercoagulability is likely, and not uncommon in inflammatory illnesses, so a cause is plausible. If so, are there any treatments that can mitigate this increased risk? At the very least patients with COVID-19 should be on the lookout for any symptoms of early stroke, and present immediately to medical attention if they have any. Some of the patients in the case series delayed presentation to the ER because of the pandemic. This is all one tiny facet of this new and complex disease, and will require extensive clinical research and time to fully understand. Others less common but significant features may also emerge as the pandemic unfolds.
General
‘I won’t be bullied’ – Bryce Cartwright refuses NRL flu shot but denies ‘anti-vaxxer’ label: At a time when scientists around the world are working incredibly hard to produce a vaccine to COVID-19, we still have anti-vaxxers trying to grab some media time. But by pulling apart this guy’s statements, this can be a learning opportunity to recognise some of the illegitimate arguments in the vaccine forum.
• ‘It would be coercion’. This taps straight into the Israel Folau philosophy of being able to do what you want, when you want, simply because of your beliefs. Employers place conditions on employment all the time without being accused of coercion. If you want to play, time to get that shot.
• ‘I am not the only NRL player to refuse vaccination’. So that legitimises your stance?
• ‘I won’t be bullied into making decisions that could impact my health and the health of my family’. How could a flu shot affect your health or, more unbelievably, that of your family? Anyone can make assertions without evidence to back them up.
• His kids aren’t vaccinated: ‘The proof is in the pudding, our kids are a picture of health’. And you can thank all the vaccinated people around you for that. It’s called herd immunity.
• ‘I know people in my industry with vaccine-injured children’. And where did you get your medical degree? Making off-the-cuff diagnoses without the necessary expertise does not make you a health expert. Pete Evans. Enough said.
• ‘I stand for the freedom to choose who goes into our bodies … so to label me an ‘anti-vaxxer’ is spreading misinformation’. This is the classic. They’re not anti-vax, but pro-choice. Funny that these ‘pro-choice’ people always choose to not vaccinate. Just another smokescreen.
Coronavirus: is nature ‘sending us a message’? “The urgency of living in harmony with nature has never been more acute. But we should not make the mistake of believing that living in harmony with nature requires living naturally. After all, the technology required for renewable energy is far less natural than simply burning wood. Refrigeration and freezing prevent spoilage and food waste. Humans are, as the author HG Wells put it, unnatural animals. Our success in saving infants and the elderly contradicts nature’s intentions, and few would deny the morality of our unnatural efforts.”
Do I need to floss my teeth? Most probably. “A review of the research on this topic found flossing, combined with regular brushing, reduced the chance of bleeding gums. But the review could not provide evidence flossing prevented holes (tooth cavities) from forming. This is likely because all of the included studies were conducted within one to three month periods. A few months is long enough to detect bleeding gums, but not for cavities to grow substantially.”
Great Moments in Health and Science
The Invention of the Gram Stain: Hans Christian Gram, the biologist who helped investigate bacteria. A simple method to distinguish between broad categories of bacteria, the Gram stain remains in use to diagnose infectious organisms and influence treatments even today.
Today’s Abused Health Concept
Hydroxychloroquine Stock Piling. JOHN DWYER on Palmer’s Pills, all 32 million of them! “The unjustified enthusiasm for the use of this drug represents a distressing reality. At a time when a very serious problem should be addressed by disciplined, evidence based science, ill-informed ‘hearsay’ can actually compromise the search for all important data needed to manage that problem. We saw that during the early years of the HIV epidemic when patients were lured to Mexico to have their blood heated, the Philippines to be treated by a ‘faith-healer’ or to Melbourne where massive doses of Vitamin C were being hailed as curative.”