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Higher US drug spending has not improved health

Higher US drug spending has not improved health

This should be no surprise. ConMed drugs actually cause illness and disease, so the more spent on them, the unhealthier a nation is likely to become. It is the same in the UK. Drugs are the cause of the epidemic of chronic disease in the last 60 years, or so, during which time ConMed drug consumption has increased rapidly.


US healthcare spending is higher than that of most other developed nations - totaling roughly $7,290 per person according to Natural News.

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z030324_drug_spending_health.html


But this has not translated into better health, according to two new studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which found that higher spending on drugs can actually spur doctors to over-prescribe drugs to patients who do not need them.


The question is, perhaps, who does need them!
Yuting Zhang and her colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health did not observe a connection between higher spending on drugs and improved care. As she said, 

"Higher spending can be justified if it's for drugs that are necessary and appropriate and improve patients' health." But much of the time, higher spending actually causes more problems.

I would only disagree with the first sentence, not the second. I put forward this idea, quite tentatively in my ebook, The Failure of Conventional Medicine. 

But there is now so much evidence that being 'tentative' is no longer necessary. Big Pharma drugs cause illness and disease. So spending money to increase consumption is bound to make us less healthy.
Posted by Mr. Boy at 08.34, Add Comment
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Get Bent? Nope, I'm Impressed!

Infusion Set - Left Thigh

Infusion Set Right Thigh

So part of being a person with diabetes who wears an insulin pump is that your infusion sets and infusion sites have their own issues and idiosyncrasies. Sometimes infusion sets get kinked or the tubing gets knotted or ripped out during "vigorous" activity or doorknobs.

Other times, Infusion Set Nirvana sets in and you don't want change your site because your infusion is working so perfectly - which ironically, was the case with the two infusion sets above.

Both sets delivered the insulin just fine (more than just fine - my were numbers were fabulous,) both sets had no problems with absorption, and both sets stayed on for three days each.

And both cannula's look like they had the sh*t kicked out of them!

I thought the first set was just a one a million super hero cannula that could take a licking on keep on ticking. I figured the tubing had been pulled because of my insulin pump clip on my pants and caused the cannula to look a bit funky.

When I saw the second one a few weeks laterI started laughing again, because once again- as funky as the cannula looked, it rocked the insulin delivery.

I've come to the conclusion that it's not about how something looks. Because in the end, it's really about how that something works for you.

And those infusion sets worked performed delivering insulin on my thigh sites like rockstars - so there's no need for me to "get bent!"

On the contrary I'm pretty damn impressed!

Posted by Mr. Boy at 08.05, Add Comment
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The threat of homeopathy to the Conventional Medical Establishment

The threat of homeopathy to the Conventional Medical Establishment
I have long since argued that homeopathy was under attack because it was effective, and therefore constituted a threat to ConMed, and Big Pharma companies in particular. What is being demonstrated day-after-day is that ConMed drugs are in crisis. They are not only useless, in most cases, they are positively dangerous. And as people realise this, they look for safer, and more effective medical therapies. Homeopathy is the most prominent of these therapies.

I have argued this in my e-book, and should you want to see the whole argument, this is available (free of charge) at The Failure of Conventional Medicine.

For a shorter, but equally powerful version of the argument, do look at John Benneth's blog, which can be found at http://johnbenneth.wordpress.com/2010/11/07/the-threat-of-homeopathy/
Posted by Mr. Boy at 08.02, Add Comment
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Preventing Colds and Flu's this winter

Preventing Colds and Flu's this winter
The winter is approaching, and the season for colds and flu is upon us. This blog has often outlined why conventional flu vaccines are ineffective, and harmful to health. So what should you do you as an alternative.

On the "Why Homeopathy?" website, treatment by conventional medicine, and by homeopathy, are compared on a variety of illnesses and diseases. This blog reproduces what is said about the prevention and treatment of 'flu.

"The 'flu’ can be an unpleasant disease, although for most people who are in good general health, it is not usually a dangerous one. 

The choose of medical therapy for both prevention and treatment is important, as there are serious doubts about both the effectiveness and safety of conventional medical treatment.

Conventional Medical Treatment
For the prevention of 'flu, the 'flu vaccination is recommended (NHS Choices).

However, like most vaccines, the frequently reported adverse reactions to the ‘flu vaccine are often played down, but they certainly include headaches, fever, itching, fatigue; but can cause seizures, and Guillain-Barre Syndrome. But there are many other known dangers attributed to the flu vaccine.
However, the main concern about the 'flu vaccination is whether they are effective. 

For the treatment of 'flu itself, NHS Choices recommends two anti-viral drugs.
  • Tamiflu. NHS Choices mentions that the side-effects of this drug include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhoea. However, the FDA (USA) are aware of far more serious consequences of taking this drug. They have received reports of unusual neurological or psychiatric events such as delirium, hallucinations, confusion, abnormal behaviour, convulsions, and encephalitis. The reports, mainly from Japan, identified 12 deaths in children. I cannot explain why patients are not given this information on NHS Choices.
  • Relenza. NHS Choices says that this drug (a similar drug but inhaled rather than taken in tablet form) has few side-effects. However, it is associated with similar neuralgic and psychiatric events. This article, reporting on 7 trials, published by the BMJ, suggests that this drug should not be given to children under 12 years of age. One researcher is reported as saying that "the downside of the harms outweighs the one-day reduction in symptomatic benefits". I am not aware why NHS Choices does not give this information to patients.
The Homeopathic Materia Medica (HMM) 
Many people ask homeopaths for advice about both avoiding and treating influenza, and the following remedies are often used either to prevent, or to treat 'flu.
  • Oscillococcinum: a proprietary (Boiron) brand name for a remedy which is generically known as Anas Barb.
  • Influenzinum-Bacillinum: a combination remedy used by some Homeopaths for the prevention and treatment of colds and 'flu.
Simply by taking a single remedy on a monthly basis, more regularly perhaps for those people most at risk, is something I have done with my family and friends (and with many patients) for many years now - and we have been almost entirely flu-free.

These homeopathic remedies are readily available from Homeopathic Pharmacies, they are safe, and can be used by anyone who wishes to do so.

Randomised Controlled Tests (RCTs) on Homeopathy
Homeopathy has been widely used in the treatment of influenza throughout the world. And its use has been supported by a considerable number of Randomised Controlled Trials. 

The Swiss Government has recently published an extensive and comprehensive report which found homeopathy to be an effective, safe and cost-effective medical therapy. But in particular, the report highlighted a particularly strong body of evidence to support the effectiveness of homeopathy in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections (and respiratory allergies). The report cited 29 studies, of which 24 found a positive result in favour of homeopathy. Furthermore, 6 out of 7 controlled studies that compared homeopathy with conventional medicine showed that homeopathy was more effective than conventional medicine.

Three studies in particular were large, multi-centred placebo-controlled, and double blind; and each one provided 'statistically relevant results'. They are as follows:
  • Casanova, P; Gerard, R (1992). Bilan de 3 annees d'estudes randomises multicentriques Oscillococcinum / placebo. Oscillococcinum-rassegna della letterature internationale. Milan: Laboratoires Boiron; 11-16
  • Ferley, JP; Zmirou, D; D'Admehar, D; et al (1989). A controlled evaluation of a homeopathic preparation in the treatment of influenza-like syndrome. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 27, 329-335.
  • Papp, R; Schuback G; Beck, E; et al (1998). Oscillococcinum in patients with influenza-like symptoms: a placebo controlled double blind evaluation. British Homeopathic Journal 87; 69-76.


Posted by Mr. Boy at 02.40, Add Comment
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