Category Archives: Alternative Medicine

Mary Nnah

Chief Executive Officer of Santis by Paelon, Dr. Patrick Chukwumah, has said Concierge Healthcare is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to traditional healthcare among both patients and their physicians.

Santis by Paelon is a luxury membership-based medical concierge service that seamlessly prioritises the health needs of clients, to ensure their quick, comfortable, and discreet attendance inside and indeed outside Nigeria.

Speaking recently with THISDAY, its CEO expressed that medical services are rapidly evolving both locally and internationally especially with Covid-related demands on the medical community while new models on how to properly deliver 21st-century medicine to patients who seek treatment outside of their hometowns or home countries are extensively being explored.

Chukwumah who claimed that the emergence of concierge medicine is no surprise, added, many people feel alienated by the current system, bouncing between doctors and struggling to make appointments.

Even once they make it to the clinic; they feel overlooked in favour of ushering in the next patient on the list. Now, recent events have further increased the demand for at-home services.

He revealed therefore that patients and providers were increasingly turning to concierge medicine a direct relationship between a patient and a provider- as an alternative care delivery model.

Describing this recent development as a game-changer for patients and providers, the medical practitioner held that the concept seems simple, adding, that patients spend more time with their physician in exchange for an annual fee or retainer.

According to recent studies, personalised care and close relationships with physicians are what patients are looking for.

Those in favour of a concierge model said the potential benefits for both patients and physicians are many, which can range from benefits such as 24/7 patient care, convenient contact through telemedicine, access to physicians by phone or email, preventative care and wellness plans, same-day or next-day appointments to physicians and referred specialists.

Chukwumah revealed further that the trend is already on the rise in Africa, with the emergence of companies like Santis Medical Concierge, which boasts of a high-level structure and network, offering patients personalised medicine, patient-centered medicine, and preventive care.

Some medical schools and hospital networks are also currently embracing concierge medicine for their patients.

Santis Medical Concierge offers a range of services that focuses on preventative care while also addressing episodic care and disease management. Being proactive can potentially save the patient future health care costs.

The Santis Medical Concierge boss said that since most chronic diseases are curable if caught early or in some cases preventable altogether, preventative measures can save the patient not just money, but the heartache of chronic disease, adding, even if a patient doesnt have any major health concerns, research shows that those who stay abreast of their health live longer.

Typically, concierge medicine provides a level of access to a physician that is unachievable in a traditional doctor-patient arrangement. It allows your physician to significantly limit the number of patients they accept into their practice, to those with relevant diseases in line with their specialisation.

The Concierge medicine programme filters patients complaints and refers them appropriately to the relevant specialist physician.

According to Chukwumah, the goal of the concierge physician is to develop a relationship with the patient so that they can offer a level of service that is missing in the traditional model.

These physicians are often focused on solving the patients problem by determining the root cause. At its core, the concierge model is designed to help people live longer and healthier lives.

For Chukwumah, Concierge Medicine is no doubt solving a big problem in the medical field today in the sense that access to quality health care has been increasingly hard to find. The pandemic has only amplified this deficit. Since the availability of a primary care physician has a direct correlation to the overall lifespan of a patient, this is a problem that must be addressed.

He believes that the system, which for far too long has hindered the patient/doctor relationship, is not going to be fixed any time soon if at all, adding that concierge medicine offers patients a workaround to the system and puts them back in the drivers seat.

Patients in a concierge practice appreciate the immediate access to their physician by cell phone, e-mail, and same-day appointments, and minimal waiting time in private, pleasant waiting rooms. Visits are 30 minutes or longer and allow patients to present all their concerns. The physician coordinates care with other providers, with follow-up calls after specialist visits or hospitalisations, Chukwumah pointed out.

Speaking further, he said that the concierge medicine model is more about the patient experience and thus companies like Santis have curated a range of service offers to best suit the different needs of their patients. With offerings such as the Everest packages which provide patients with access to preventive care procedures for Cardiac Health, Pancreas Health, Liver Health, Gastro-Intestinal Health, Respiratory Health, Renal Health, Prostate Health, and much more.

The package also offers travel Medicine consult (International Travel), Home Visit (Primary Health Care), Local evacuation (within Lagos), Corporate Health Talks (Where necessary), Physiotherapy sessions, and also some lifestyle services, such as access to discounted Dietician/Nutritionist Consult, Access to discounted GYM membership, Access to discounted TRU Check Cancer Screening. These offerings are scaled in the Everest plus package to include access to Solice Health- a bespoke medical concierge in the UK, USA, and Europe.

Chukwumah expressed that generally; concierge provides access and personalisation that restores the bond necessary for an individual, proactive approach, adding Given the obvious advantages of concierge medicine to physicians and their patients, concierge medicine will continue to grow. If you havent yet explored the concierge model of medicine, now is a good time to do so as establishments such as Santis By Paelon present an array of concierge care options.

Concierge medicine is the solution for a growing number of specialist physicians to be able to practice the highest quality medical care. This trend is only likely to intensify going forwards, he noted further.

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Concierge Medicine, Alternative Experience to Health Care Management, Says, Expert - THISDAY Newspapers

A group of leading doctors has launched the Beyond Pills campaign, calling on the government to tackle overprescribing in the UK health system by advocating represcribing and social prescribing.

Launched by the College of Medicine, the campaign echoes the recommendations made in the National Overprescribing Review published in September 2021 by the UK government.

Led by a group of healthcare leaders and senior politicians including Dr Michael Dixon (chair of the College of Medicine), Lord Crisp (chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health) and Stephen Dorrell (former secretary of state for Health & Social Care) the campaign aims to reduce drug prescription, expand the number of social prescribing link workers, save crucial funds, and provide support to individuals and local communities hampered by health inequalities.

Social prescribing is a way for local agencies to refer people to a link worker, who encourages patients to participate actively in their own health or, in some cases, take a holistic approach to their health and well-being. Link workers work with patients to co-design a social, non-medical, community-based intervention in order to address specific issues and long-term health conditions.

Commenting on the launch of the campaign, Dr Michael Dixon, chair of the College of Medicine, said: Medicine, as we know it, is no longer affordable or sustainable. Nor is it able to curb the increase in obesity, mental health problems and most long-term diseases... An adjustment to the system now will provide a long-term, sustainable solution for the NHS to meet the ever-increasing demand for funding and healthcare professionals.

As part of the Review, former chief pharmaceutical officer for England, Dr Keith Ridge, found that 10% of prescription items dispensed through primary care are either inappropriate for patients needs or that they could be better served with alternative treatments.

The Review also found that 15% of the population take more than five separate medicines daily, and 1 in 5 hospital admissions for those over 65 is due to an adverse drug reaction.

Dr Bogdan Chiva Giurca, College of Medicine Council member and founder of NHS Social Prescribing Champion Scheme, said: As a young doctor, social prescribing link workers provide hope to me and my colleagues who are unable to support the ever-growing psychological, social, emotional and practical needs of our dear patients.

"A truly biopsychosocial approach is needed more than ever and our aim is that by 2030, young healthcare students and newly qualified healthcare professionals will have access to education and guidelines not only regarding deprescribing, but also providing knowledge of new tools that they can readily use, such as social prescribing.

Read the rest here:

College of Medicine launches Beyond Pills campaign to tackle overprescribing in UK health system - PMLiVE

Ommm. Come June 21 and the collective cosmic hum will resonate through the nation once again. Like it did last year, when 200 million Indians twisted, turned and upended themselves into incredible postures, setting two Guinness World Records on the first International Day of Yoga. Leading 37,000 enthusiasts under the arching shadow of India Gate on Rajpath in Delhi was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dressed in pristine white with a tricolour scarf. "Yoga is not for contorting your body. Then, circus people would be called yogis," his words floated in the warm June air. "Yoga is a part of everyday life."

Is it? Yoga has been with India for at least 5,000 years: Mohenjodaro stone seals depict figures in yoga poses, Krishna uses the word yoga over a hundred times in the Bhagvad Gita, Buddha asks his monks to control hunger, thirst and desire by pressing the tongue against the palate, the Svetasvatara Upanishad talks about the death-defying 'fire of yoga', Patanjali weaves together meditation, practical asanas and spirituality in his Yoga Sutra, while medieval traditions of yogi Gorakhnath focus on bodily disciplines of hatha yoga. But in the 21st century, India seems unsure about the scope of its enormous ancient legacy. Yoga has become a cherished icon of Indian civilisation and cultural glory, but what is its purpose in modern life: sublime transcendence, magical power or plain good health? Statistics tell the story: just about 14.3 million Indians do yoga, a puny 10 per cent of the population, records a 2015 Assocham report.

What has changed in the 123 years since Swami Vivekananda introduced yoga at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893 is the dramatic popularity of yoga in the West. The newly released 2016 'Yoga in America' study by the Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance shows that the number of yoga practitioners in the US has zoomed by almost 50 per cent from 20.4 million in 2012 to over 36 million. The annual spend on yoga classes, clothing, equipment and accessories has gone up from $10 billion to $16 billion in the past four years.

Beyond yoga's global popularity is a new landscape of health. Wellness revolution is the new metaphor for life in balance. Scratch beneath the surface and you have an unsettling world of long work-hours, strict deadlines, sleep debt, a precipitous drop in physical activity, an unholy reliance on fat-laden convenience foods, vicious stress loop at home and work-all spiralling down into an abyss of chronic lifestyle disorders. No wonder global corporate biggies are getting into wellness reward systems: if IBM does so for healthy eating, exercise and curbing smoking, PepsiCo does the same for losing flab. In the midst of this gloomy picture, yoga has emerged as the new prescription: stretches, twists and bends moored to a philosophy of life that can prevent disease and promote well-being.

The changing form and significance of yoga echo the fascinating story of modern science. As Princeton University medical anthropology scholar Joseph S. Alter argues in his 2004 book Yoga in Modern India, "Yoga's transformation into a popular activity idolised for its health value is based on modern ideas about science and medicine." The current interpretations of yoga and practitioners of yogic medicine and fitness, he points out, combine the ideas of biology, physiology and anatomy with those of metaphysics. As Dr Andrew Weil, physician, bestselling author and a messiah of wellness in America told India Today, "I've become known as one of the few physicians who teaches doctors to use breathing as a primary therapy. But I learnt none of this in medical school. I learnt about this from several sources, the first being yoga, where one division, pranayam, is about breathing."

Ask Dr Dean Ornish, pioneer of the wellness revolution whose journey began when as a medical student in the '70s, he trained with yogi Swami Satchidananda. Ornish was the first to prove through evidence-based study that a plant-based diet, combined with mind-body stimulations like yoga, can stop or even reverse the progression of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and even early stages of some cancers. "From the data of thousands of patients, we have found it improves blood flow, reduces inflammation, turns on about 500 genes that protect against diseases in just three months and lengthens the life-enhancing telomerase in chromosomes," he told INDIA TODAY.

Modern western medicine tends to reject alternative ways of healing as 'pseudo-science', with 'no valid scientific evidence'. Yet, with diabetes, heart disease and cancer rates rising across the world, researchers are turning to other systems of medicine. And an explosion of scientific studies points towards yoga as a possible way to quality life in the future. From back pain to asthma, heart attacks to blood pressure, depression to anti-ageing, sexual dysfunction to hypertension-yoga seems to hold a key that may open up a new scientific paradigm. But without a lot more evidence, randomised controlled clinical trials, it will remain, at best, an exercise in navel-gazing.

Here is our selection of ideas, practices and new rules of yoga to help you navigate your way through an ancient bequest that we need to take seriously.

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Doc, I have switched to yoga to shed weight and boost my blood sugar profile. And, yes, I've stopped that 45-minute aerobic activity I was doing every day. It's ok, no?" Sorry, that's a mistake. It's relinquishing a scientifically proven physical activity regime and replacing it with a yet unproven entity-though the latter has an 'Indian' tag to it and hence is emotionally close and culturally appropriate for all of us.

The problem with our ancient practices and therapies-be it yoga or ayurvedic medicines-is that we take what is written in our ancient treatises as gospel truth. Once, while conversing with an Ayurveda specialist, I was shocked to hear his view that modern and 'gold standard' methods of clinical trials should not be applied to ayurvedic drugs/ancient yogic practices, since they are already "proven" beyond doubt-in our ancient treatises.

According to Panini, yoga meant "yujsamadhau" or to concentrate-spiritually, physically, or for attaining a particular goal. It ultimately translates to a 'disciplined and purer' way of life-by way of balanced diet, meditation and stretching and static exercises. Isn't that what is required to prevent and manage obesity and diabetes? Maybe we could add aerobic exercise to it, which many 'modern' yoga techniques, say, 'power yoga', incorporate. Current practices (popular in the 21st century) of physical activity in yoga, which might have influence on body weight, are derived from Hatha ('force') yoga, believed to be founded by Lord Shiva himself.

The increasing popularity of yoga worldwide has raised scientific curiosity. Despite that, scientific studies on the links between yoga and obesity remain dismal. Putting key words like "yoga and obesity" in the Pubmed search engine (National Library of Medicine, USA) yields only 14 references. A meta-analysis of 25 trials carried out on patients with diabetes showed some benefits on body weight and waist circumference with yoga, comparable to moderate intensity physical activity regime in a few trials, while other trials did not show any benefit. One suitable place for yoga could be with elderly individuals who have a handicap that prevents them from doing aerobic physical activity. Careful asanas could maintain or improve stability of lower limbs and improve dwindling muscle tone.

By Dr Anoop Misra, executive chairman, Fortis C-DOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences, New Delhi

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The practice of yoga has been known in the Indian subcontinent for several millennia now. The declaration of International Yoga Day on June 21, after an impassioned call for it at the United Nations General Assembly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given it second wind in many ways.

The role of yoga in promoting well-being and disease prevention has long been considered intuitively obvious. This is especially true since modern-age 'lifestyle' diseases are an epidemic the world over. In a developing country like ours, we face the wrath of these diseases at a much younger age due to our susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases.

However, for the modern scientific medical world to accept yoga as a preventive and therapeutic tool for cardiovascular diseases requires robust physiological mechanistic studies and clinical trials to prove its benefits. An amalgam of 10 studies suggested yoga led to better exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with chronic disease. Another review of asana-based yoga, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, found yoga better than no exercise at all and similar in benefit to traditional exercises like cycling and brisk walking.

Asanas led to significant reductions in BMI, blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol and improvement in HDL (good) cholesterol. The benefits were hypothesised to be due to improved neuro-endocrine, metabolic and cardio-vagal functioning. The advantage of yoga over other forms of exercise is its greater acceptability and accessibility. Yogic asanas need no expensive equipment and can be done by even those with limited mobility or with no outdoor activity.

However, credible studies are limited, as is evident from the fact that the cited review was based on 37 small studies of just 2,768 subjects. The scientific community would demand larger multi-centric, randomised clinical trials. The ongoing Yoga-CaRe trial, through Indo-UK collaboration, is looking at both the physiological effects and the clinical outcomes of yoga as a cardiac rehabilitation tool.

As we move on, we need many such clinical trials in several diseases, where yoga intuitively seems to be of potential benefit, such as in high BP, heart failure or heart rhythm abnormalities for us to be on firmer ground in promoting it to the scientific world. This research obviously would best come from India and government agencies need to proactively promote and fund such research. This would also enable India to take a lead through 'Made in India' research and increase India's soft power on the world stage!

By Dr Ambuj Roy, additional professor of cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi

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India is on track to become the world's most populous nation in less than a decade, according to the UN. Yet, the elephant in the bedroom is that infertility cuts across all sections of our society. The issues might be different in different geographical areas, but for about 10-12 per cent Indians, childlessness and infertility are no longer private sorrows, they are a blatant and obvious anomaly and rising dramatically in the cities.

A variety of healing approaches and therapies from around the world-that have historically not been included in conventional western medicine-are being used in infertility treatment now, largely under the rubric of complementary and alternative medical therapies (CAM). They may not provide an answer to everything, but they can play a role in enhancing the success of infertility treatments. And yoga is one such.

Many women undergoing infertility treatment feel a sense of control while doing yoga. It is believed to control negative thought, which might arise out of hormonal imbalance. Yoga practitioners feel that certain asanas help with infertility by opening up the pelvis and hip joints, increasing blood flow to the pelvis, and rebalancing hormones.

Urban India suffers from what I call voluntary infertility. Both partners work these days, come back exhausted, perhaps eat takeaway food and sleep right after dinner. Educated women also defer marriage or childbearing till they can afford a maid, a car, a driver and a three-bedroom apartment. By which time the biological clock slows down.

The Shirshasana or head stand, Sarvangasana or shoulder stand, Chakrasana or the wheel pose and Titliasana or the butterfly pose-are the recommended asanas for fertility enhancement. The Kapalbhati and Anulom-Vilom breathing techniques improve the immune system.

I practise yoga myself and have recommended it to several patients. We looked at eight women who performed immunity strengthening asanas, such as Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, Bhujangasana and Dhanurasana for 8-9 months and took no other immunity modifying medication. We observed a small decrease in the antibody levels of three women. But it's too small a sample, large multi-centric trials are needed to authenticate yoga's benefits on fertility management.

By Dr Firuza R. Parikh is director, Department of Assisted Reproduction, Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai

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MENTAL AGILITY: Boosts brain function.

CARDIAC FITNESS: Significantly lowers risk of heart disease.

BLOOD FLOW: Improves circulation, blood sugar, blood pressure.

FLEXIBILITY: Strengthens bones, muscles, improves flexibility, balance, spine elasticity, and prevents back pain.

WEIGHT: Helps reduce and maintain healthy weight.

HAPPINESS: Helps battle depression by raising serotonin hormone levels that regulates sleep, appetite and mood.

BREATHING: Brings down respiratory rate, lungs work better, keeps asthma, bronchitis at bay.

ANTI-AGEING: Head, hand and shoulder stands help retain youthfulness.

STRESS RELIEF: Alters gene expression, protects against stress, hypertension and stress-related cancers.

SEXUALITY: Improves sexual function.

FITNESS: Reduces side-effects of menopause.

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Five cure-all asanas that help combat a whole gamut of ailments

1. Balasana (CHILD POSE)Eases headaches and lower back pain.

2. Uttamasana (STANDING FORWARD BEND)Helps relieve stress, depression, indigestion and sleeplessness.

3. Bhujangasana (COBRA POSE)Useful for lower back pain, weight loss, boosting sex life

4. Trikonasana (TRIANGLE POSE)Helps burn fat, battles back pain, stress, boosts sex life

5. Virbhadrasana (WARRIOR POSE)Builds stamina, balance, relieves backache, sciatica and indigestion

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Good for brain gain: Yoga and meditation are more effective than crosswords and memory games for combating the mental decline that often precedes Alzheimers, reports the April 2016 issue of Journal of Alzheimers Disease.

Not just a stretch: The latest Harvard Heart Letter reports a study in which people who did yoga regularly lost about five pounds in weight, five points off blood pressure and harmful LDL cholesterol by 12 points.

Fight MS fatigue: Swiss scientists from the University of Basel report that yoga has a positive impact on those suffering from the auto-immune disorder multiple sclerosis (MS): less fatigue, depression, pins and needles, itchiness and numbness.

For cancer patients: Yoga works the best at improving quality of life for breast cancer patients suffering from sleep disorders arising out of drug side-effects or anxiety, report researchers from the University of Rochester in New York.

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From the archives (2016): Its time for a little bit of Yoga in our lives - India Today

A few weeks ago my house had a septic-tank emergency, which is as awful as it sounds. As unspeakable things began to burble up from my shower drain, I did what any smartphone-dependent person would: I frantically Googled something along the lines of poop coming from shower drain bad what to do. I was met with a slew of cookie-cutter websites, most of which appeared hastily generated and were choked with enough repetitive buzzwords as to be barely readable. Virtually everything I found was unhelpful, so we did the old-fashioned thing and called a professional. The emergency came and went, but I kept thinking about those middling search resultshow they typified a zombified internet wasteland.

Like many, I use Google to answer most of the mundane questions that pop up in my day-to-day life. And yet that first page of search results feels like its been surfacing fewer satisfying answers lately. Im not alone; the frustration has become a persistent meme: that Google Search, what many consider an indispensable tool of modern life, is dead or dying. For the past few years, across various forums and social-media platforms, people have been claiming in viral posts that Googles flagship product is broken. Search google dying on Twitter or Reddit and you can see people grousing about it going back to the mid 2010s. Lately, though, the criticisms have grown louder.

In February, an engineer named Dmitri Brereton wrote a blog post about Googles search-engine decay, rounding up leading theories for why the products results have gone to shit. The post quickly shot to the top of tech forums such as Hacker News and was widely shared on Twitter and even prompted a PR response from Googles Search liaison, Danny Sullivan, refuting one of Breretons claims. You said in the post that quotes dont give exact matches. They really do. Honest, Sullivan wrote in a series of tweets.

Read: Be careful what you Google

Breretons most intriguing argument for the demise of Google Search was that savvy users of the platform no longer type instinctive keywords into the search bar and hit Enter. The best Googlersthe ones looking for actionable or niche information, product reviews, and interesting discussionsknow a cheat code to bypass the sea of corporate search results clogging the top third of the screen. Most of the web has become too inauthentic to trust, Brereton argued, therefore we resort to using Google, and appending the word reddit to the end of our queries. Brereton cited Google Trends data that show that people are searching the word reddit on Google more than ever before.

Instead of scrolling through long posts littered with pop-up ads and paragraphs of barely coherent SEO chum to get to a review or a recipe, clever searchers got lively threads with testimonials from real people debating and interacting with one another. Most who use the Reddit hack are doing so for practical reasons, but its also a small act of protesta way to stick it to the Search Engine Optimization and Online Ad Industrial Complex and to attempt to access a part of the internet that feels freer and more human.

Google has built wildly successful mobile operating systems, mapped the world, changed how we email and store photos, and tried, with varying success, to build cars that drive themselves. This story, for example, was researched, in part, through countless Google Search queries and some Google Chrome browsing, written in a Google Doc, and filed to my editor via Gmail. Along the way, the company has collected an unfathomable amount of data on billions of people (frequently unbeknownst to them)but Googles parent company, Alphabet, is still primarily an advertising business. In 2020, the company made $147 billion in revenue off ads alone, which is roughly 80 percent of its total revenue. Most of the tech companys productsMaps, Gmailare Trojan horses for a gargantuan personalized-advertising business, and Search is the one that started it all. It is the modern template for what the technology critic Shoshana Zuboff termed surveillance capitalism.

The internet has grown exponentially and Google has expanded with it, helping usher in some of the webs greediest, most extractive tendencies. But scale is not always a blessing for technology products. Are we wringing our hands over nothing, or is Google a victim of its own success, rendering its flagship productSearchless useful?

One cant really overstate the way that Google Search, when it rolled out in 1997, changed how people used the internet. Before Google came out with its goal to crawl the entire web and organize the worlds information, search engines were moderately useful at best. And yet, in the early days, there was much more search competition than there is now; Yahoo, Altavista, and Lycos were popular online destinations. But Googles PageRank ranking algorithm helped crack the problem. The algorithm counted and indexed the number and quality of links that pointed to a given website. Rather than use a simple keyword match, PageRank figured that the best results would be websites that were linked to by many other high-quality websites. The algorithm worked, and the Google of the late 1990s seemed almost magical: You typed in what you were looking for, and what you got back felt not just relevant but intuitive. The machine understood.

Most people dont need a history lesson to know that Google has changed; they feel it. Try searching for a product on your smartphone and youll see that what was once a small teal bar featuring one sponsored link is now a hard-to-decipher, multi-scroll slog, filled with paid-product carousels; multiple paid-link ads; the dreaded, algorithmically generated People also ask box; another paid carousel; a sponsored buying guide; and a Maps widget showing stores selling products near your location. Once youve scrolled through that, multiple screen lengths below, youll find the unpaid search results. Like much of the internet in 2022, it feels monetized to death, soulless, and exhausting.

There are all kinds of theories for those ever-intrusive ads. One is that the cost-per-click rates that Google charges advertisers are down, because of competition from Facebook and Amazon (Google is rolling out larger commerce-search ad widgets in response this year) as well as a slowdown in paid-search-result spending. Another issue may stem from cookie-tracking changes that Google is implementing in response to privacy laws such as Europes General Data Protection Regulation and the California Consumer Privacy Act. For the past two years, Google has been planning to remove third-party cookies from its Chrome browser. And though Google Search wont be affected by the cookie ban, the glut of search ads might be an attempt to recoup some of the money that Google stands to lose in the changes to Chrome. If so, this is an example of fixing one problem while creating another. But when I suggested this to Google, the company was unequivocal, arguing that there is no connection between Chromes plans to phase out support for third-party cookies and Search ads. The company also said that the number of ads it shows in search results has been capped for several years, and we have not made any changes. Google claims that, on average over the past four years, 80 percent of searches on Google havent had any ads at the top of search results.

Any hunt for answers about Googles Search algorithms will lead you into the world of SEO experts like Marie Haynes. Haynes is a consultant who has been studying Googles algorithms obsessively since 2008. Part of her job is to keep up with every small change made by the companys engineers and public communication by Googles Search-team blog. Companies that can divine the whims of Googles constantly updated algorithms are rewarded with coveted page real estate. Ranking high means more attention, which theoretically means more money. When Google announced in October 2020 that it would begin rolling out passage indexinga new way for the company to pull out and rank discrete passages from websitesHaynes tried to figure out how it would change what people ultimately see when they query. Rather than reverse engineer posts to sound like bot-written babble, she and her team attempt to balance maintaining a pages integrity while also appealing to the algorithm. And though Google provides SEO insiders with frequent updates, the companys Search algorithms are a black box (a trade secret that it doesnt want to give to competitors or to spammers who will use it to manipulate the product), which means that knowing what kind of information Google will privilege takes a lot of educated guesswork and trial and error.

Haynes agrees that ads presence on Search is worse than ever and the companys decision to prioritize its own products and features over organic results is frustrating. But she argues that Googles flagship product has actually gotten better and much more complex over time. That complexity, she suggests, might be why searching feels different right now. Were in this transition phase, she told me, noting that the company has made significant advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning to decipher user queries. Those technical changes have caused it to move away from the PageRank paradigm. But those efforts, she suggested, are in their infancy and perhaps still working out their kinks. In May 2021, Google announced MUM (short for Multitask Unified Model), a natural-language-processing technology for Search that is 1,000 times more powerful than its predecessor.

The AI attempts to understand not just what the searcher is typing, but what the searcher is trying to get at, Haynes told me. Its trying to understand the content inside pages and inside queries, and that will change the type of result people get. Googles focus on searcher intent could mean that when people type in keywords, theyre not getting as many direct word matches. Instead, Google is trying to scan the query, make meaning from it, and surface pages that it thinks match that meaning. Despite being a bit sci-fi and creepy, the shift might feel like a loss of agency for searchers. Search used to feel like a tool that you controlled, but Google may start to behave more like, well, a persona concierge that has its own ideas and processes. The problematic effects of increased AI inference over time are easy to imagine (while I was writing this article, a Google researcher went viral claiming hed been placed on administrative leave after notifying the company that one of its AI chatbotspowered by different technologyhad become sentient, though the company disagrees). Google could use such technology to continue to lead people away from their intended searches and toward its own products and paid ads with greater frequency. Or, less deviously, it could simply gently algorithmically nudge people in unexpected directions. Imagine all the life decisions that you make in a given year based on information you process after Googling. This means that the stakes of Googles AI interpreting a searchers intent are high.

Read: Googles sentient chatbot is our self-deceiving future

But some of Googles lifeless results are made by humans. Zach Verbit knows what its like to serve at the pleasure of Googles Search algorithms. After college, Verbit took a freelance-writing gig with the HOTH, a marketing company that specializes in search-engine optimization. Verbits soul crushing job at the HOTH was to write blog posts that would help clients sites rank highly. He spent hours composing listicles with titles like 10 Things to Do When Your Air-Conditioning Stopped Working. Verbit wrote posts that sounded robotic or like they were written by somebody whod just discovered language. He had to write up to 10 posts a day on subjects he knew nothing about. Quickly, he started repurposing old posts for other clients blogs. Those posts that sound like an AI wrote them? Sometimes theyre from real people trying to jam in as many keywords as possible, Verbit told me.

That his hastily researched posts appeared high in search results left him dispirited. He quit the job after a year, describing the industry of search-gaming as a house of cards. His time in the SEO mines signaled to him the decline of Google Search, arguably the simplest, most effective, and most revolutionary product of the modern internet. The more I did the job, the more I realized that Google Search is completely useless now, he said. HOTHs CEO, Marc Hardgrove disputed the notion that its client blog posts were over-optimized for SEO purposes and that the company discourages jargony posts as they dont rank as high. Overusing keywords and creating un-compelling content would be detrimental to our success as an SEO company, he wrote in an email. Thats why The HOTH does not require, or even encourage, the writers we work with to overuse keywords into their blog posts to help with optimization.

Google is still useful for many, but the harder question is why its results feel more sterile than they did five years ago. Hayness theory is that this is the result of Google trying to crack down on misinformation and low-quality contentespecially around consequential search topics. In 2017, the company started talking publicly about a Search initiative called EAT, which stands for expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. The company has rolled out numerous quality rater guidelines, which help judge content to determine authenticity. One such effort, titled Your Money or Your Life, applies rigorous standards to any pages that show up when users search for medical or financial information.

Take crypto, Haynes explained. Its an area with a lot of fraud, so unless a site has a big presence around the web and Google gets the sense theyre known for expertise on that topic, itll be difficult to get them to rank. What this means, though, is that Googles results on any topic deemed sensitive enough will likely be from established sources. Medical queries are far more likely to return WebMD or Mayo Clinic pages, instead of personal testimonials. This, Haynes said, is especially challenging for people looking for homeopathic or alternative-medicine remedies.

Theres a strange irony to all of this. For years, researchers, technologists, politicians, and journalists have agonized and cautioned against the wildness of the internet and its penchant for amplifying conspiracy theories, divisive subject matter, and flat-out false information. Many people, myself included, have argued for platforms to surface quality, authoritative information above all else, even at the expense of profit. And its possible that Google has, in some sense, listened (albeit after far too much inaction) and, maybe, partly succeeded in showing higher-quality results in a number of contentious categories. But instead of ushering in an era of perfect information, the changes might be behind the complainers sense that Google Search has stopped delivering interesting results. In theory, we crave authoritative information, but authoritative information can be dry and boring. It reads more like a government form or a textbook than a novel. The internet that many people know and love is the oppositeit is messy, chaotic, unpredictable. It is exhausting, unending, and always a little bit dangerous. It is profoundly human.

But its worth remembering what that humanity looked like inside search results. Rand Fishkin, the founder of the software company SparkToro, who has been writing and thinking about search since 2004, believes that Google has gotten better at not amplifying conspiracy theories and hate speech, but that it took the company far too long. I dont know if you searched for holocaust information between 2000 and 2008, but deniers routinely showed up in the top results, he told me. The same was true for Sandy Hook hoaxersin fact, campaigns from the Sandy Hook families to fight the conspiracy theories led to some of the search engines changes. Whenever somebody says, Hey, Google doesnt feel as human anymore, all I can say is that I bet they dont want a return to that, Fishkin said.

Google Search might be worse now because, like much of the internet, it has matured and has been ruthlessly commercialized. In an attempt to avoid regulation and be corporate-friendly, parts of it might be less wild. But some of what feels dead or dying about Google might be our own nostalgia for a smaller, less mature internet. Sullivan, the Search liaison, understands this longing for the past, but told me that what feels like a Google change is also the search engine responding to the evolution of the web. Some of that blog-style content has migrated over time to closed forums or social media. Sometimes the blog post were hoping to find isnt there. Sullivan believes that some of the recent frustrations with Google Search actually reflect just how good its become. We search for things today we didnt imagine we could search for 15 years ago and we believe well find exactly what we want, he said. Our expectations have continued to grow. So we demand more of the tool. Its an interesting, albeit convenient, response.

From the July/August 2008 issue: Is Google making us stupid?

Google has rewired us, transforming the way that we evaluate, process, access, and even conceive of information. I cant live without that stuff as my brain is now conditioned to remember only snippets for Google to fill in, one Reddit user wrote while discussing Breretons Google Is Dying post. Similarly, Google users shape Search. The younger generation searches really differently than I do, Haynes told me. They basically speak to Google like its a person, whereas I do keyword searching, which is old-school. But these quirks, tics, and varying behaviors are just data for the search giant. When younger generations intuitively start talking to Google like its a person, the tool starts to anticipate that and begins to behave like one (this is part of the reason behind the rise of humanized AI voice assistants).

Fishkin argues that Google Searchand many of Googles other productswould be better with some competition and that Searchs quality improved the most from 1998 to 2007, which he attributes to the companys need to compete for market share. Since then, he said, Googles biggest search innovation has been to put more Google products up front in results. He argues that this strategy has actually led to a slew of underwhelming Google products. Are Google Flights or Google Weather or Googles stocks widget better than competitors? No, but nobody can really compete, thanks to the Search monopoly.

Is Google Search dying? is a frivolous question. We care about Searchs fate on a practical levelit is still a primary way to tap into the internets promise of unlimited information on demand. But I think we also care on an existential levelbecause Googles first product is a placeholder to explore our hopes and fears about technologys place in our life. We yearn for more convenience, more innovation, more possibility. But when we get it, often we can only see what weve lost in the process. That loss is real and deeply felt. Its like losing a piece of our humanity. Search, because of its utility, is even more fraught.

Most people dont want their information mediated by bloated, monopolistic, surveilling tech companies, but they also dont want to go all the way back to a time before them. What we really want is something in between. The evolution of Google Search is unsettling because it seems to suggest that, on the internet weve built, theres very little room for equilibrium or compromise.

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Is Google Dying? Or Did the Web Grow Up? - The Atlantic

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2022 / 1933 Industries Inc. (the "Company" or "1933 Industries") (CSE:TGIF)(OTCQB: TGIFF), a Nevada-focused cannabis consumer packaged goods company, reports that the Company did not reach quorum requirements today during both its Annual General Meeting as well as its Extraordinary Meeting of holders of 10% Senior Unsecured Convertible Debentures Due September 14, 2021 ("Debentureholders"). Both meetings have been reconvened to June 16th, 2022.

Extraordinary Meeting of Debentureholders

The voting period has been extended. Voting Proxies must be received by 8:00 am, PST, on June 14, 2022. The Extraordinary Meeting will be held virtually via Zoom on June 16, 2022.

The proposed Debenture Amendments are as follows:

The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that Debentureholders vote in favour of each of the Amendments.

A Management Information Circular ("Circular") containing a detailed description of the Debenture Amendments has been mailed to the Company's Debentureholders of record. The Circular has been filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com and is also posted on the Company's website at http://www.1933industries.com/investors/eom-materials

Annual General Meeting

The voting period has been extended. Voting Proxies must be received by 9:00 am, PST, on June 14, 2022. The Annual General Meeting will be held virtually via Zoom on June 16, 2022.

Shareholders will be asked to approve each of the following matters:

1. To receive the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021 (with comparative statements relating to the preceding fiscal period) together with the report of the auditor thereon.

2. To determine the number of directors to be elected to the board at five (5).

3. To elect each of the following directors:

4. To Appoint MNP, Chartered Professional Accountants as Auditors of the Company for the ensuing year and authorizing the Directors to fix their remuneration.

5. To transact such further or other business as may properly come before the Meeting or any adjournment or adjournments thereof.

The details of all matters proposed to be put before the shareholders at the Meeting are set forth in the management information circular mailed to all shareholders of record as of April 25, 2022.

On behalf of its Board of Directors, the Company wishes to thank shareholders who have already voted for their ongoing support.

For more information, please refer to the Company's Management Proxy Circular that is available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or on the Company's website at https://1933industries.com/investors/agm-materials.

About 1933 Industries Inc.

1933 Industries is a Nevada-based, growth-orientated company, focusing on the cultivation and manufacturing of a large portfolio of cannabis consumer-packaged goods in a variety of formats for both the wholesale and retail markets. Its product offerings include: THC flower, pre-rolls, and extracted products under the AMA and Level X brands for the Nevada market; Canna Hemp", national cannabidiol (CBD) brand of infused wellness products including CBD tinctures, gummies, topicals and sport recovery products. The Company owns 91% of Alternative Medicine Association, LC (AMA) and 100% of Infused MFG LLC (Infused).www.1933industries.com

About Alternative Medicine Association

AMA is a licensed medical and adult-use cannabis cultivation and extraction subsidiary that produces its own branded line of unique cannabis products. AMA's extensive menu of cannabis products include: craft cannabis flower, pre-rolls, full spectrum oils, high quality distillates, proprietary blends of terpenes, vaporizer products and boutique concentrates such as shatter, crumble, batter, sugar wax, diamonds, and live resin. Ultra-craft brand Level X is an exclusive collection of exotic strains, selected specifically for their distinctive terpene profiles, high THC levels, and flavonoids. With state-of-the-art cultivation and extraction facilities based in Las Vegas, Nevada, AMA seeks to offer medical patients and recreational users alike a cannabis experience that's exceptional, potent, and consistent in quality. http://www.amanev.com

AMA is also licensed in Nevada as an adult-use cannabis distributor.

About Canna Hemp"

With an extensive product line that includes CBD topicals, CBD creams, CBD gummies, CBD vaporizers, CBD tinctures, CBD capsules, CBD pre and post workout recovery sports products, and CBG and CBN tinctures, 1933 Industries' proprietary Canna Hemp" brand utilizes the power of hemp-extracted cannabinoids to bring natural wellness.

For further information please contact:Alexia Helgason, VP, IR, Marketing, Media604-728-4407[emailprotected]

Paul Rosen, CEO[emailprotected]

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the settlement of transactions between the Company and Day One. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents, which can be found under the Company's profile on http://www.sedar.com. 1933 Industries undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE: 1933 Industries Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/704612/1933-Industries-Annual-General-Meeting-and-Extraordinary-Meeting-of-Debentureholders-to-Reconvene-June-16-2022-and-Recommends-Debentureholders-to-Vote-in-Favor-of-the-Proposed-Amendments

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1933 Industries' Annual General Meeting and Extraordinary Meeting of Debentureholders to Reconvene June 16, 2022 and Recommends Debentureholders to...

Testimonial Jerry I want to thank you for your medical advice and consultation since I began ozone treatments with you for my non-Hodgkins (marginal zone) lymphoma cancer. Your MAH ozone has worked very well for me and I would like to share two areas of improvement. One concerns my bone marrow cellularity. Before I started seeing you, my bone marrow cellularity (as measured by an Oncologist prior to seeing you) was at 90% very, very high! However, after 23 weekly MAH ozone sessions you sent me to another Oncologist. He did a bone marrow biopsy and to his amazement my cellularity had dropped to 40%! This was a great indication that the ozone was working to decrease my non-Hodgkins lymphoma cancer. The other measure identifying the status of my cancer is Immunoglobulin M, or IgM. Before I began seeing you an Oncologist had my IgM measured and it was at 5520 mg/dL again, very, very, very high! (I believe the allowable maximum is around 150 to 200 mg/dL.) He wanted to start me on chemo immediately, but I refused because my extensive research revealed that chemo would poison my immune system and I did not want to go down that road. Although my IgM had gradually dropped to 3880 mg/dL, with many additional monthly MAH ozone sessions, my IgM increased to 4599 mg/dL as measured last fall and winter. During this period of time I had a seriously infected tooth and it took several months to resolve. Fortunately I eventually found the right dentist to successfully remove the tooth. Subsequently, however, you and I decided to use the combination of weekly MAH ozone plus inter-venous vitamin C. This has been a wonderful combination for me, because in less than two months my IgM dropped to 2444 mg/dL! I am totally delighted with this result and I look forward to continued weekly sessions using this combination. Although I have a ways to go, and still have this cancer, I am optimistic and sincerely believe that this combination will eventually be the solution to my problem.I would also like to add that through my experience, I believe that alternative medicine is a very safe approach in addressing cancer and should be an acknowledged and available alternative.Again, I want to thank you for working with me to work toward improving my situation. Thank you for what you do in working with people to help improve their lives!Jerry

Continued here:

Dr. Bartiss Institute For Complementary & Alternative Medicine ICAM NJ

DUBLIN, June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --The "Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global complementary and alternative medicine market reached a value of US$ 100.04 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach US$ 315.5 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 20.8% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) refers to medical products and practices that are not considered a part of conventional or standard medical treatment. It comprises a combination of self-administered products and activities, such as herbal medicines, homeopathic remedies, dietary supplements, and yoga, with chiropractic care, massage therapy, and acupuncture. It also includes manipulative and body-based practices, biofield therapy, and whole medical systems. At present, CAM is widely used to treat individuals with cancer and alleviate common side effects like nausea, pain, and fatigue.

The rising consumer preferences for natural products and gentle therapies represent one of the key factors catalyzing the demand for CAM worldwide. Moreover, as it provides comfort and reduces the stress of patients, CAM is gaining widespread adoption in the diagnosis and prevention of various medical ailments. The growing prevalence of chronic diseases, along with the rising geriatric population, is positively influencing the market.

Furthermore, due to its increasing popularity, several health insurance companies are offering CAM coverage in their medical plans, which is contributing to market growth. Apart from this, governing agencies of numerous countries are focusing on promoting medical tourism, which is fueling the demand for CAM around the world. Additionally, there is a significant rise in the need for natural or alternative medicines to treat coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients. This, in turn, is anticipated to promote the usage of CAM and offer lucrative opportunities to market players for expanding their consumer reach.

Competitive Landscape

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Ayush Ayurvedic Pte Ltd., Columbia Nutritional LLC, Helio USA Inc., Herb Pharm LLC, Herbal Hills, Nature's Bounty, Nordic Naturals, Pure Encapsulations LLC (Nestle S.A.), Quantum-Touch, The Healing Company Ltd. and Unity Woods Yoga Center.

Key Questions Answered in This Report

Key Topics Covered:

1 Preface

2 Scope and Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Introduction4.1 Overview4.2 Key Industry Trends

5 Global Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market5.1 Market Overview5.2 Market Performance5.3 Impact of COVID-195.4 Market Forecast

6 Market Breakup by Type6.1 Traditional Alternative Medicine Therapy6.1.1 Market Trends6.1.2 Market Forecast6.2 Body Therapy6.2.1 Market Trends6.2.2 Market Forecast6.3 Diet and Herbs Based Therapy6.3.1 Market Trends6.3.2 Market Forecast6.4 Energy Healing Therapy6.4.1 Market Trends6.4.2 Market Forecast6.5 Mind Therapy6.5.1 Market Trends6.5.2 Market Forecast6.6 Others6.6.1 Market Trends6.6.2 Market Forecast

7 Market Breakup by Disease Indications7.1 Arthritis7.1.1 Market Trends7.1.2 Market Forecast7.2 Cancer7.2.1 Market Trends7.2.2 Market Forecast7.3 Asthma7.3.1 Market Trends7.3.2 Market Forecast7.4 Diabetes7.4.1 Market Trends7.4.2 Market Forecast7.5 Cardiology7.5.1 Market Trends7.5.2 Market Forecast7.6 Neurology7.6.1 Market Trends7.6.2 Market Forecast7.7 Others7.7.1 Market Trends7.7.2 Market Forecast

8 Market Breakup by Distribution Channel8.1 Special Clinics/Centres8.1.1 Market Trends8.1.2 Market Forecast8.2 Distance Correspondence8.2.1 Market Trends8.2.2 Market Forecast8.3 Direct Sales8.3.1 Market Trends8.3.2 Market Forecast8.4 Online Sales8.4.1 Market Trends8.4.2 Market Forecast8.5 Others8.5.1 Market Trends8.5.2 Market Forecast

9 Market Breakup by Region

10 SWOT Analysis

11 Value Chain Analysis

12 Porters Five Forces Analysis

13 Price Analysis

14 Competitive Landscape14.1 Market Structure14.2 Key Players14.3 Profiles of Key Players14.3.1 Ayush Ayurvedic Pte Ltd.14.3.1.1 Company Overview14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio14.3.2 Columbia Nutritional LLC14.3.2.1 Company Overview14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio14.3.3 Helio USA Inc.14.3.3.1 Company Overview14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio14.3.4 Herb Pharm LLC14.3.4.1 Company Overview14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio14.3.5 Herbal Hills14.3.5.1 Company Overview14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio14.3.6 Nature's Bounty14.3.6.1 Company Overview14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio14.3.7 Nordic Naturals14.3.7.1 Company Overview14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio14.3.8 Pure Encapsulations LLC (Nestle S.A.)14.3.8.1 Company Overview14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio14.3.9 Quantum-Touch14.3.9.1 Company Overview14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio14.3.10 The Healing Company Ltd.14.3.10.1 Company Overview14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio14.3.11 Unity Woods Yoga Center14.3.11.1 Company Overview14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pnau26

Media Contact:

Research and MarketsLaura Wood, Senior Manager[emailprotected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

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Insights on the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Global Market to 2027 - by Type, Disease Indications, Distribution Channel and Region - PR...

New York City (Precision Vaccinations)

The cure rate for nonmetastatic rectal cancer has been improving for decades but often includes unpleasant treatments, wrote Hanna K. Sanoff, M.D., M.P.H. in an Editorial published by The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) on June 5, 2022.

Recent phase 3 trial findings have increased treatment intensity to include multiagent chemotherapy in addition to radiation therapy before proctectomy is performed.

Such treatment has resulted in a 3-year disease-free survival rate of up to 77%.

Unfortunately, this treatment approach is grueling and can cause significant long-term sequelae, including neuropathy, infertility, and bowel and sexual dysfunction.

However, a recent, limited phase 2 clinical studys results offer a promising treatment alternative.

In this study, colorectal cancer vanished in the participating patients.

This study found mismatch repairdeficient, locally advanced rectal cancer was highly sensitive to single-agent PD-1 blockade.

A total of twelve patients completed treatment with dostarlimab and underwent at least six months of follow-up.

All patients (100%; 95% confidence interval, 74 to 100) had a complete clinical response, with no evidence of tumor on magnetic resonance imaging, 18F fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography, endoscopic evaluation, digital rectal examination, or biopsy.

At the time of this report, no patients had received chemoradiotherapy or undergone surgery, and no cases of progression or recurrence had been reported during follow-up (range, 6 to 25 months).

And no adverse events of grade 3 or higher have been reported.

Dr. Luis A. Diaz Jr. of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the papers author, published in the NEJM describing the results, said he knew of no other study in which a treatment completely obliterated a cancer in every patient.

I believe this is the first time this has happened in the history of cancer, Dr. Diaz said, reported The New York Times on June 7, 2022.

The authors commented that although the results of this study are promising, it is a small study and represents the experience of a single institution. These findings must be reproduced in a larger prospective cohort that balances academic and community practices and ensures the participation of patients from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Very little is known about the duration of time needed to determine whether a complete clinical response to dostarlimab equates to cure, Dr. Sanoff wrote in the NEJM editorial.

Dostarlimab, sold under the brand name Jemperli, is a monoclonal antibody used as a medication for the treatment of endometrial cancer.

On August 17, 2021, the U.S. FDA granted accelerated approval to GlaxoSmithKline LLC using dostarlimab-gxly for adult patients with mismatch repair-deficient recurrent or advanced solid tumors, as determined by an FDA-approved test that has progressed on or following prior treatment and who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options.

The study was supported by the Simon and Eve Colin Foundation, GlaxoSmithKline, Stand Up to Cancer, Swim Across America, and the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. No industry conflicts of interest were disclosed.

PrecisionVaccinations publishes fact-checked, research-based news curated for mobile readers.

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Rectal Cancer Study Produced Very Promising Treatment Results - Precision Vaccinations

PSYCHIATRIC COMMUNITIES

Opiate usage and resulting overdoses continue to grow.1,2 Although, medications can help curb cravings and prevent the misuse of narcotics,3 treatment adherence is limited by the incentives for diversion and the lack of motivation to change.4,5 Individuals inaccurate and unhelpful thoughts about themselves and about substances often interfere with positive change.6 Research shows that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is helpful when used together with medication-assisted treatment (MAT).7-9

One of the problems individuals experience when misusing substances is the powerful immediate reinforcement they receive from taking the substance. Indeed, a primary reason individuals use substances is the immediate reinforcement that, in the moment, is much more compelling than the long-term negative consequences of continued use. By the time most individuals voluntarily talk to an addiction specialist, they have likely experienced negative consequences, including diminished pleasure, negative adverse effects, and negative social consequences.

Key Techniques in CBT for Substance Use

Individuals who come to treatment are often conflicted. On one hand, they have experienced negative consequences; on the other hand, they are unable to imagine that their lives could be different or better. In CBT, we work with individuals to help them change the trajectory of their lives by placing a renewed focus on the things they value. We help them imagine how their own lives could improve if they were to pursue aspirations that are aligned with their personal values. When individuals place a renewed focus on their values and personal aspirations, they can connect the short-term and long-term consequences of their actions. Individuals find motivation to change their old habits and participate in healthier activities.

With a newfound desire to make changes in their lives, individuals must make what are often difficult decisions. In CBT, we support individuals in making decisions by doing a cost-benefit analysis. The cost/benefit analysis helps elucidate the relative positive and negative elements of engaging and not engaging in a particular action. By conducting a cost-benefit analysis, individuals gain clarity about the things they value. Accordingly, individuals may make decisions about people with whom it is in their interests to associate, which places to frequent to further their goals, and what things they can do to help them move in a positive direction.

In the throes of addiction, individuals often lose their ability to manage their schedules. In CBT, we help individuals develop schedules with a focus on 2 types of activities. One type of activity increases their level of mastery of things they either need to do or want to do. These activities could include everything from basic hygiene to developing expertise in a profession. The second type of activity increases a persons experience of pleasure, without engaging in substance use. Individuals who suffer from addiction have often lost their ability to experience pleasure when not using drugs. A CBT therapist will help individuals select activities that match their interests and include them on a master schedule designed to include all the different activities they need to do. Having scheduled activities allows less time for the individual to seek out and use substances. The feelings of mastery and pleasure serve as positive reinforcement for engaging in the various activities.

When individuals are caught up in the dynamics of addiction, they often develop negative beliefs about themselves and their abilities. This can lead them to have negative expectations that become self-fulfilling prophesies when situations play out as they predicted. After a person engages in activities that increase their level of competence and pleasure, they gather evidence that contradicts their formerly held beliefs about themselves and about substances. The newly acquired evidence starts a cycle of reinforcement based upon positive assessment, statements, and feelings about themselves. Repeatedly engaging in activities that give them a sense of competence and/or pleasure, combined with positive experiences, lays the foundation for creating new beliefs about their capabilities and capacity for positive feelings.

The continuous use of substances over an extended period can cause a person to become numb to lifes events. Once an individual gives up using substances, the renewed experience of having feelings can be unnerving. Managing emotions can become an important target for therapy. Developing a routine sleep schedule, engaging in healthier eating, and moderating physical elements of emotions may all help an individual learn to better control their feelings. Relaxation techniques, mindfulness exercises, or other activities such as yoga, prayer, and meditation can be very effective ways of helping individuals tolerate and manage their experience of feeling emotions that they have not felt for a long time. These techniques can be used with individuals from all walks of life and with varying histories related to substance misuse.

An Illustrative Case Example

Maria was a 22-year-old college student when she was referred for treatment following her arrest for drug possession and distribution. Maria had excelled academically and in multiple sports during high school. She went to college on a softball scholarship and planned to become a physical therapist. Following her freshman year, Maria tore her rotator cuff. Initially, she thought it was a minor injury and continued to play and work out. The tear got worse and, despite surgery, ended her ability to play softball at the college level. The injury was devastating to Maria because not only could she no longer play sports, but she lost her scholarship, had continuous pain and disrupted sleep, and became depressed as a result. She struggled to keep up with her studies. Her greatest relief from the physical pain and emotional upset was the oxycodone she was given following surgery. Her depression made it difficult for her to fully engage in treatment, and although her doctor recommended ibuprofen and alternative treatments, she continued to request the medication. After several months, her doctors discontinued the opiate medication.

Maria, in the meantime, had connected with others who were able to provide street drugs to fill her increasingly greater need for relief. When she was cut off by her doctors, she turned immediately to her friends. Eventually, she expanded her network of people from whom she could acquire and with whom she would share drugs. This eventually led to her arrest. Marias relationship with her parents and her old friends suffered along the way, and her parents became very concerned about her. They expressed a desire to help her find solutions. Marias attorney referred her for CBT treatment after her arrest and before any court appearances.

Initially, Maria was friendly and expressed a desire to participate in treatment. However, she was quite clear that she did not know how to get along in life without opioids. Maria felt responsible for getting herself into her current predicament and felt helpless; she thought her future was hopeless and that she had lost any measure of worth. Rather than reminding Maria of what she had lost or lecturing her about the consequences of her continued drug use, we started therapy by focusing on the things that were important to her before the injury. Sports, academics, family, and friends were always important to Maria. They all seemed intricately linked to one another, and her injury seemed to take away everything she cared about.

Acknowledging the losses and the difficulties she had experienced, we talked about what her life could be like if she was able to reclaim the things she valued. Her family and academics were still important to her, and although she could not play softball, she was still capable of exercising. In session, we had her imagine that she finished school, renewed her relationship with her parents, and engaged in tolerable levels of exercise. She did not believe that she could be a physical therapist and switched her major to occupational therapy. Her vision of her aspiration served as a strong motivator to get her life back on track.

Still, Maria could not consistently resist her cravings for drugs. We taught her relaxation exercises that she found helpful for her emotional state and calming her urges, but they were not universally effective. We talked about the possibility of medication to help with her cravings. Both Maria and her parents had concerns about relying on medications to resolve medication issues, but after doing a cost-benefit analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of trying the medication versus the advantages and disadvantages of not trying the medication, Maria decided to give it a try. The medication had both agonist and antagonistic properties that worked well for controlling her urges and, to some extent, helped with her lingering pain. With those benefits, we then discussed other alternative treatments for pain that included ibuprofen and physical therapy. When Maria gained control of her urges with medication, she felt stronger.

After receiving relief from physical pain and urges to use, Maria was better able to concentrate on achieving her desired life. Initially, she found it challenging to manage her time. We worked together on an activity schedule to make time for her classes and homework. For Maria, it was important that she have a schedule that made time for her parents and other supportive friends, exercise, a routine sleep schedule, and healthy eating. As she followed her schedule and became more active, she felt more confident and competent. She changed the way she thought about herself. Rather than thinking of herself as being helpless and worthless, she recognized the power she had to do many good things with her life and felt increasing more worthwhile as a person.

It had been 3 to 4 years after Marias rotator cuff injury when she was referred for CBT treatment. Simply stated, for a variety of reasons, she had deviated from her previously successful path in life. With about 12 months of CBT and medication, she was able to get her life back on course. At that point, she had been accepted into an accelerated rehabilitation disposition program of the court, had completed her bachelors degree, and was accepted into a masters program in occupational therapy. She was still taking her medication, but did not want to have to take it forever. She exercised, but did not get the same level of pleasure as she did from playing high-level competitive sports and was working toward accepting that she could not do what she did before. She was making new, supportive friends whom she liked, although when she saw her old teammates, she experienced sadness that she could not be one of them. Maria maintained her values in life and took major steps toward achieving her aspirations. One thing she recognized was the need for her to continue using the tools she learned to stay on her path of recovery.

Concluding Thoughts

Cognitive and behavioral strategies can be useful in treating opioid use disorder, either on their own or in conjunction with medication. Alone, or with medication, CBT can improve motivation, aid in important decision-making, jumpstart behavioral activation, and facilitate the development of new beliefs about drugs, oneself, and the future. Medication can help patients control their urges so they can better focus on the work of therapy.

Dr Miller is an experienced clinician, trainer, and administrator who provides oversight to the training and clinical services at Beck Institute as the CBT program director. For more than 25 years, he held leadership positions in a large integrated health system, including roles as director of behavioral health at WellSpan Behavioral Health, as chair of psychology for a 580-bed acute care hospital, and as chief psychologist for an APA-approved internship in clinical psychology that he founded. As a clinician, Dr Miller has used CBT to help individuals of all ages with a myriad of presenting problems coming from forensic, community, educational, and medical settings. He has conducted workshops, written professional articles, and published several resource books for lay readers about personality, depression, anxiety, and stress.

References

1. Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. top 100,000 annually. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Press release. November 17, 2021. Accessed March 24, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2021/20211117.htm

2. Substance abuse and addiction statistics. National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. February 19, 2022. Accessed March 24, 2022. https://drugabusestatistics.org/

3. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Board on Health Sciences Policy; Committee on Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. The effectiveness of medication-based treatment for opioid use disorder. In: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Save Lives. Mancher M, Leshner AI, eds. National Academies Press; 2019.

4. Alfonsson S, Johansson K, Uddling J, Hursti T. Differences in motivation and adherence to a prescribed assignment after face-to-face and online psychoeducation: an experimental study. BMC Psychol. 2017;5(1):3.

5. Brown MT, Bussell JK. Medication adherence: WHO cares?Mayo Clin Proc. 2011;86(4):304-314.

6. Rezaeisharif A, Karimi A, Naeim M. Effectiveness of the cognitive restructuring approach on irrational beliefs and hopelessness in individuals with a substance abuse disorder: a randomized controlled trial. Addict Disord Their Treat. 2021;20(4):326-335.

7. Ray LA, Meredith LR, Kiluk BD, et al. Combined pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy for adults with alcohol or substance use disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(6):e208279.

8. Moore BA, Fiellin DA, Cutter CJ, et al. Cognitive behavioral therapy improves treatment outcomes for prescription opioid users in primary care buprenorphine treatment.J Subst Abuse Treat. 2016;71:54-57.

9. McHugh RK, Hearon BA, Otto MW. Cognitive behavioral therapy for substance use disorders.Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2010;33(3):511-525.

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Alleviating Opioid Use Disorder With Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Medication-Assisted Treatment - Psychiatric Times

Cancer patients taking dietary supplements during treatment could be at risk of worse outcomes, experts have warned.

Britons spent 500 million a year on vitamins and supplements in 2020, according to market research.

A new study, carried out by Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, found the majority - 91 per cent - of cancer patients take some form of supplement. Vitamin D, probiotics and multivitamins are the most popular.

Experts collected data from 100 cancer patients and cross-referenced the supplements with the latest data on natural medicine, to determine if they could be putting the patients at risk.

The experts recommended some 35 per cent of patients who were taking some form of supplement should stop.

They warned taking such pills, or other natural therapies including extreme diets or IV drips, raised the risk of toxicity - having excess vitamins in the body.

Supplements also increased the risk of interacting with and decreasing the effectiveness of the cancer treatment.

All patients in the study were on active cancer treatment at the time, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Previous research, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, suggested patients who take antioxidant supplements before and during chemotherapy may have worse outcomes.

Some 1,134 people took part in the study and filled in questionnaires about their supplement use.

Researchers compared supplement use to relapse rates and death. They found people who took antioxidants before and after chemotherapy were 41 per cent more likely to have recurrence of breast cancer and 40 per cent more likely to die.

Dr Stacy DAndre, an oncologist and lead author of this latest research, said: I was surprised at how many patients take supplements and have used alternative therapies.

These can be dangerous in several ways they can be directly toxic, can interact with other medications and lead to increased side effects, they may decrease the effectiveness of cancer treatments, they are expensive and supplements are not regulated.

It is essential that care teams know what patients take to ensure safety. We need to do a better job of educating the public that supplements or natural therapies are not always safe.

She added the results are likely to be replicated in the UK. Literature from other countries shows that many cancer patients are taking supplements, she added.

Dr DAndre said patients may take supplements because they want to have more control over their situation and treatment. They may also take them after hearing stories of other patients doing well on alternative medicine, or because they have a preference for natural therapies instead of pharmaceuticals.

Cancer Research UK has warned patients to check with a doctor before taking any supplements, to ensure they will not interfere with their treatment.

Martin Ledwick, head information nurse at Cancer Research UK, said: "We would always recommend that patients check with their doctor first before taking any supplements or complementary therapies.

Some may have known interactions with cancer medicines which might make them less effective or even increase side effects.

But, in many cases, interactions with conventional treatments might not be known, so it is always sensible to be cautious about taking anything that has not been prescribed by your doctor when undergoing cancer treatment.

The findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago.

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Taking vitamin pills while fighting cancer could make you more ill - The Telegraph