Category Archives: Alternative Medicine

Youre never too young to start a business. Take it from Condoleezza Semien, a 16-year-old entrepreneur who started her own business, Beluga Bliss, when she was in the eighth grade.

Semiens mother battles lupus and struggles with aches from the chronic condition. At the age of 13, determined to soothe her mothers pain, Semien started researching which essential oils and herbs had the scientific components to treat her moms symptoms.

Soon, she was blending her own essential oils, naming them based on the blends intentions and sharing them with her family. She now sells her products under the brand name Beluga Bliss on her website and at Zen-Jus, a wellness shop in Zachary.

Since using the brands oils, her mother has been able to take less pain medicine.

My mother introduced me to essential oils, Semien says. I wanted to make certified organic oils with no fragrance or harmful ingredients. My mom needed an alternative medicine that didnt include opioids, so I created three different oil blends.

Semiens brand includes specific blends of aromatic oils designed to have different effects for the user. The oil blend aimed at improving sleep, for example, includes lavender and lemongrass. The oils are sold as roll-ons to apply to the skin or in droppers to add to diffusers, baths or pillows.

Since launching her business, the Baton Rouge native has been recognized around the nation. She pitched her business at the Young Entrepreneurs Academy Investor Panel Presentation in 2019, where she won the Saunders Semifinalist award. She then advanced to the Young Entrepreneur Academys Saunders Scholarship Competition in New York, where she won the Peoples Choice Award.

As the multitalented high school student makes plans for her future, she wants to continue expanding her business, hold pop-up events and eventually open her own storefront. Her next step is to become a certified aromatherapist and licensed herbaliston top of balancing school, dance, theater and community service work as the president of the Outstanding Mature Girlz organization.

My advice to the youth who want to start a business is to start a business with a purpose in mind that is not money, Semien says. Money will come, but the purpose behind your business will bring out ambitions and will remind you why you started (it).

This article was originally published in the April 2022 issue of 225 magazine.

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Meet the teen behind Beluga Bliss, a Baton Rouge aromatherapy brand - Greater Baton Rouge Business Report

With just over a month until we host the2022 Maryland State of Reform Health Policy Conference, our team is hard at work bringing together the speakers, topics, and conversations that were sure stakeholders from all siloes will find valuable.

Were excited to announce that Chuck Milligan, chief operating officer at Health Management Associates, will join us as the host of our conference this year! Chuck previously served as Deputy Secretary of Health Care Financing (Medicaid Director) at the Maryland Department of Health after the passage of the ACA, and as Executive Director of the Hilltop Institute at UMBC between 2004-2011.You can find more information on our upcoming conference below!

Emily BoergerState of Reform

Ben Steffen is the executive director of the Maryland Health Care Commission, which designatesthe states health information exchangetheChesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients(CRISP). Inthis Q&A, Steffen reflects on the role CRISP played in mapping the COVID-19 pandemic and shares his thoughts on the future utilization of HIEs to strengthen Marylands public health infrastructure.

The value of health information exchanges took on a new dimension with the onset of COVID, says Steffen, as CRISP was able to provide accessible portals for public health and clinical leaders to access outbreak and testing information. CRISPs ability to gather information across the entire clinical landscape and assemble it in ways that could help decision makers more broadly, was really recognized. Looking forward, Steffen says the state will need to think about if, how, and to what extent it utilizes CRISP in its public health infrastructure.

In case you missed it, we recently released the Topical Agendafor the2022 Maryland State of Reform Health Policy Conferencecoming up on May 4. Its a set of topics pulled together from scores of hours of conversations with ourConvening Panel, key stakeholders, and sponsors. During the conference, well take up issues related to behavioral health, health equity, workforce challenges, and COVIDs impact on the population health financing model.

Be sure to also be on the lookout for our Detailed Agenda, which well release next week. This agenda will include the full list of over 60 confirmed and invited speakers who will join us at the event. If you havent already registered,wed be honored to have you join us!

Less than two weeks remain until the end of session, and lawmakers are hard at work pushing health-related legislation forward. Facing last weeks chamber crossover deadline, several billsincluding legislation related toadult Medicaid dental servicesand the988 Trust Fund passed out of their chamber of origin.

Two health workforce billssponsored by Del. Ariana Kelly also recently crossed over to the opposite chamber.House Bill 625, which would establish the Commission to Study the Health Care Workforce Crisis in Maryland, is currently in the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee.HB 1208, which has a committee hearing scheduled for this afternoon, focuses more on policies that would specifically address the statesnursing workforce shortage.

The legislature is nearing final discussions on the $58.2 billion operating budgetfor FY 2023. Afterunanimously passing in the Senate, Republicans attempted to pass several amendments last Thursday in the House, including funding for alternative medicine within the Department of Veteran Affairs and an amendment requiring the collection of abortion-related information. The amendments failed and the budget ultimately passed the House on a 113-15 vote.

However, the Senate refused to concur with other changes from the House, including a$46.5 million appropriation to support the legalization of cannabis in the state. A conference committee is set to work out final negotiations between the two chambers.

Del. Kirill Reznik is currently pursuinga bill that aims toimprove the continuum of care for foster children housed in emergency departments or other acute-care settings. Reznik says the lack of post-acute placements for this population has resulted in children getting stuck in EDs for weeks or months after receiving care.House Bill 406 would put in place new restrictions and procedures related to these placements, and would establish a task force to study current ED overstays among foster children.

According to the bills analysis, DHS estimates it incurs expenditures of approximately $36.5 million annually for costs associated with youth overstay expenditures. HB 406 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee tomorrow afternoon.

See more here:

5 Things Maryland: Health in the budget, Detailed Agenda, Workforce legislation - State of Reform - State of Reform

Healing from physical ailments, stress and mental illness can take many forms, and Liz Price offersa uniqueoption to her customersthrough the use of crystal singing bowls.

Price is the owner of Everything Zen, a metaphysical and herb shop that offers healing through crystal singing bowls and reiki. The store opened in November201 whenPrice focused primarily on reiki.

I was exposed to reiki through my sister, a reiki master herself. I worked with her for a long time before becoming a reiki master, said Price.

Reiki has its origins in Japan and uses the power of Ki, which is the Japanese word for life force energy. It is a more personal form of meditation than the singing bowls, as it is a one-on-one session between the healer and the client.

Singing bowl sessions at Everything Zen can be done in groups and is a popular couples therapy option, Price said.

In June 2020, Everything Zenmoved to a larger location where Pricecould expand her shop and investincrystal singing bowls as an alternative meditation and healing option.

I have 13 years of experience providing private piano lessons, so I was drawn to the crystal bowls, said Price. Because I already was healing with reiki and understood chakras, I had a clear understanding of how the bowls were supposed to be played.

Crystal singing bowls are constructed from nearly 100% crushed crystal quartz, heated under high temperatures to form different bowl shapes. Each bowl has a different pitch and produces adeep, resonating soundwith therapeutic and meditative attributes.

Everything Zen has seven crystal bowls. Theyare played using a rubber mallet or a suede-covered tube. Each bowl is pitched to target one of the bodys seven chakras: crown, third eye, throat, heart, solar plexus, sacral and root.

The concept of chakra derives from ancient Hinduism, but has had a place in Western culture since the early 1880s.

There are also different types of singing bowls, including brass Tibetan bowls. Price explained that metal singing bowls have rich, full overtones, but she believes that the quartz bowls produce a clearer, smoother and steadier frequency.

The healing propertiesof reiki and crystal singing bowls are sometimes viewed with skepticism. But for Rebecca Wheeler,her visits to Everything Zen have helped her heal from thetremendous pain and stress ofher divorce.

Having sessions with Liz and getting her feedback on what she experiences with my energy, I have been able to unlock some deep things about myself that needed a lot of attention, Wheeler said. I realized that I wasnt fully healed, and she helped me acknowledge that and move forward with healing. It opens the door for magical things.

Studies have shown that the sound and vibrations of the singing bowls provide some therapeutic qualities. The Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary Alternative Medicine claims that the healing properties of crystal singing bowls are seen in participants aged 40 to 59 withreduced physical pain and tension. People20 to 39 reported a reduction in stress after a session.

Sound therapy canalso lower blood pressure and reduce hypertension. It is a meditation tool that doesnt require the individual to be schooled in the discipline of meditation.

Before opening Everything Zen, Price was working as an addiction counselor. She said her experience inidentifying emotional disruptions and mental illness in her clients has assisted her in healing with reiki and the crystal singing bowls.

But despite the therapeutic abilities of thenon-conventional techniques, Price acknowledges they are not a cure-all.

Its a great companion with whatever medical therapy youre receiving, but is never meant to be a replacement, she said. It helps take the layers off so that the client can see what needs to be dealt with and healed to cope better. When they go to their mental health counselors, they shed those layers verbally. In here, they are getting that through energy by letting go of it.

See the article here:

Crystal singing bowls are alternative healing option at Everything Zen in Watertown - Watertown Public Opinion

These students are constantly approaching SA medical schools for support and integration.

Furthermore, the war in Ukraine has created untold human suffering. For SA students studying in that country, the burdens of suddenly being without a place to study cannot be estimated. This has added the need for a more urgent response to their situation.

Medical student Vutlhari Mtonga was among the SA citizens who fled Ukraine when bombs rained down. She recently escaped from the death and destruction with 10 other SA students.

These are peoples lives. People are dying on the other side of the world. The message I want to put across is that South Africans must realise this is genocide happening in Ukraine, she said in an interview with Sunday Times Daily.

In the context of the colliding crises of the pandemic and war in Ukraine, SACOMD proposed establishing an urgent forum to discuss and create plans for processes managing all students studying medicine abroad.

This would include convening a group to urgently consider the placement of these Ukraine-based medical students in alternative European sites with reciprocal medical qualifications. This group should include SACOMD, Universities SA and government departments dealing with higher education and training, health, and international relations and co-operation.

It would also include ongoing discussions among medical deans to create suitable responses to the urgent needs for supporting student clinical development.

SACOMD comprises the leadership of faculties of health sciences which include medical schools in SA.

TimesLIVE

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Continued here:

Urgent proposal to help SA medical students whose studies abroad were torpedoed by war in Ukraine - TimesLIVE

Berner, famed rapper, co-founderand CEO of the extremely successful cannabis and clothing brand, Cookies, will be speaking about cannabis and psychedelics during Benzinga's upcoming Cannabis Capital Conference and Psychedelics Capital Conference, which will take place fromApril 19-21at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel.In 2021, Berner also launched an innovative new product line that combines mushrooms medicinal but not psychedelic, terpenes, CBD, CBG, and CBN for a non-psychoactive, uplifting experience.

Dubbed Caps by Cookies, the line debuted with two iterations: Clarity, meant for daytime consumptionand Bed Head, intended for nighttime. Our products are not psychotropic or psychedelic yet, Berner told Forbes. We're going to ease into the market. Mushrooms are important to us because any kind of alternative medicine is important to us. That's what we focus on. A THC version will follow, and eventually maybe one with psychedelic mushrooms."

Benzinga Conference

"I like to be a part of cool things and am humbled to be included in this conference. Cannabis is setting the table for Psychedelics and I'm excited to talk about two important topics that I feel extremely passionate about," said Berner.

"I'm looking forward to a nuanced discussion about building a successful, multi-million-dollar cannabis business with Berner. His insights are priceless for investors and entrepreneurs alike," said Javier Hasse, managing director of Benzinga Cannabis.

"It's an honor to count on the presence of a speaker of the level of Berner at our Miami event," addedChief Zinger Jason Raznick. "The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Miami will bring more than 1,000 of the top movers and shakers in the cannabis industry to your backyard. This conference will be the best place to raise money, create partnerships, and expand media visibility for all involved."

Tickets are still available HERE

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Berner Of Cookies To Speak At Benzinga's April Cannabis And Psychedelics Conference In Miami - Benzinga - Benzinga

The new report by Expert Market Research titled, Global Personalised Medicine Market Size, Share, Price, Trends, Growth, Report and Forecast 2021-2026, gives an in-depth analysis of the globalpersonalized medicine market, assessing the market based on its segments like technology, application, product, and major regions. The report tracks the latest trends in the industry and studies their impact on the overall market. It also assesses the market dynamics, covering the key demand and price indicators, along with analysing the market based on the SWOT and Porters Five Forces models.

Get a Free Sample Report with Table of Contents https://www.expertmarketresearch.com/reports/personalized-medicine-market/requestsample

The key highlights of the report include:

Market Overview (2016-2026)

Historical Market Size (2020): USD 1.8 Trillion Forecast CAGR (2021-2026): 11.2%

With the help of electronic health records, genetic testing, big data analytics, and supercomputing, modern physicians and scientists are engaging in truly precise and personalised medicine. Conditions such as cancer, neurodegenerativediseases, and rare genetic conditions can be treated well using the approach ofpersonalised medicine. North America is likely to hold the largest market share for this market owing to increased integration ofhealthcareIT systems and developed DNA Sequencing technologies in the region. The growing incidence of cancer in the region is increasing the research and development of the impact of personalised medicines for cancer patients. In 2018, the FDAs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) authorized 59 novel molecular entities (NMEs), which include new medicines, agents, and therapeutic biologics. The Tailored Medicine Coalition (PMC) designated 25 of the 59 as personalized medications.

Industry Definition and Major Segments

Personalised medicine, also known as precision medicine, refers to the tailoring of medical treatment to the individual characteristics of the patient. This approach is based on each patients unique genetic makeup with an aim to overcome the limitations of traditional medicines. Personalised medicine segment involves decisions including, but not limited to, who should get certain kinds of therapies or specific doses of a given therapy.

Read Full Report with Table of Contents https://www.expertmarketresearch.com/reports/personalized-medicine-market

On the basis of technology, the market is segmented into:

Big Data Analytics Bioinformatics Gene Sequencing Drug Discovery Companion Diagnostics Others

Based on application, the market is divided into:

Oncology CNS Immunology Respiratory Others

The market is divided into the following, basis product:

PM Diagnostics

o Genetic Testingo Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Diagnosticso Esoteric Lab Serviceso Esoteric Lab Tests

PM Therapeutics

o Pharmaceuticalso Genomic Medicineo Medical Devices

Personalised Medical Care

o Telemedicineo Health Information Technologyo Disease Management

Personalised Nutrition & Wellness

o Retail Nutritiono Complementary Medicineo Alternative Medicine

The major regional markets include:

North America Europe Asia-Pacific Latin America Middle East and Africa

Market Trends

Rapid increase in the number of sequencing methodologies, especially, NGS, which stands for Next Generation Sequencing, driven by the increasing sequencing costs and growing projects in the field of genomics are expected to fuel the surge of personalised medicine market. In addition, increasing incidence of diseases like cancer also demand personalised diagnosis and therapy solutions. This helps in improved outcomes through targeted treatments and reduced side-effects. Progress in research and clinical care combined with favourable government policies possesses great potential for the growth of personalised medicine market and will help improve the quality of treatment and contain health care costs.

Key Market Players

The major players in the market are Illumina Inc., GE Healthcare, Pfizer Inc., Asuragen Incorporated, Novartis AG, Abbott Laboratories, Dako A/S, Exact Science Corporation, among others. The report covers the market shares, capacities, plant turnarounds, expansions, investments and mergers and acquisitions, among other latest developments of these market players.

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Global Personalised Medicine Market to be Driven by Genomics and Big Data Analytics in the Forecast Period of 2021-2026 Business Merseyside -...

March 29, 2022 Cardiac computed tomography (CCT) is an accurate, noninvasive diagnostic test for obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) according to an analysis recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), and poses less risk than the current standard diagnostic test for intermediate-risk patients of invasive coronary angiography (ICA), or cardiac catheterization. CT patients experienced significantly less major procedure-related complications over 3.5 years of follow-up.

The DISCHARGE randomized trial made up of a 31-institution consortium and led by Prof. Dr. Marc Dewey, head of the Department of Radiology on Campus Charit Mitte compared the effectiveness of CCT versus ICA as the initial diagnostic imaging strategy for evaluating stable patients with chest pain.

Eric Williamson, MD, MSCCT, president of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) states: This study reaffirms that coronary CT angiography should be the first-line test for patients presenting with chest pain. It is safe, effective and quick. A CT first strategy allows physicians to provide relevant findings without the need for an invasive procedure. This is especially important for people who do not have obstructive CAD.

The more than 3,500 patients enrolled in the trial were randomly assigned CT or ICA as a diagnostic imaging technique after reporting chest pain. Clinical outcomes were similar for both test groups in the study, with 2.1% of patients assigned to CCT and 3% in the ICA group experiencing primary outcomes in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction and nonfatal stroke over 3.5 years. Key secondary outcomes were major procedure-related complications and self-reported angina. Although MACE risks were similar in both groups, the frequency for major procedure-related complications was lower for patients in the CT group (.5%) than for patients who underwent ICA (1.9%).

CAD is associated with a reduced blood flow in the coronary arteries that supply the heart with oxygen, which can lead to symptoms of chest pain and shortness of breath. Because nearly 60% of patients who are referred for ICA do not have obstructive CAD, this trial proves CT is a viable low-risk alternative to the invasive procedure.

Read the original post:

CCT Offers a Safer Alternative to Cardiac Catheterization in CAD Diagnosis - Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

Tennis legend Chris Evert known for her 18-time grand slam success in the sport has made recent headlines after revealing an early-stage ovarian cancer diagnosis and speaking out to help others by sharing her personal experience.

According to the American Cancer Society ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer in women, accounting for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. Impacting as many as 250,000 women each year, ovarian cancer is referred to as a silent disease because most women do not experience symptoms until its later stages. But when caught early and before the disease spreads, 90 percent of women can be cured. Late stage ovarian cancer, where the disease has spread beyond the ovaries, is more difficult to treat, and survival rates are low for patients.

Early detection of breast cancer is possible due in large part to screening methods including mammograms, self-breast exams, and annual visits with a doctor. The same holds true for colonoscopies for the prevention of colon cancer. While ovarian cancer is not as common as other womens cancers, a lack of early detection or prevention strategies is a major cause of poor outcomes for patients. For some, knowing family history and seeking out genetic testing to identify mutations in genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 is one way to detect risk for this cancer early. But most people with ovarian cancer do not have a family history or inherited genetic risk, so there is a pressing need for the development of earlier detection methods.

Catching cancer early often allows for more treatment options and provides patients the best chance for good outcomes. Some cancers have early signs and symptoms, but ovarian cancer does not. While patients undergo regular pelvic exams they may also get transvaginal ultrasounds and a specific blood test (which, while not accurate enough alone, measures the amount of the cancer antigen 125 protein in the blood).

However, there is no formal screening method for ovarian cancer that is equivalent to the pap smear for cervical cancer, which can detect early-stage cancer or even precancerous cells.

Those who know they have an elevated genetic risk due to family history are a step ahead, and can take action to learn about possible mutations or gene errors they may have, along with getting regular screenings. This knowledge can help inform a game plan towards earlier detection that offers an alternative to invasive and disruptive prevention surgery, or waiting for possible symptoms of late-stage disease.

Additional screening methods can help, and ongoing research here at Penn Medicine is looking to catch this cancer early by looking beyond the ovaries.

Penn Medicines Ovarian Cancer Research Center (OCRC) serves as a catalyst to promote comprehensive and interdisciplinary research on ovarian cancer. The center is focused on understanding how ovarian cancers begin, and translating those insights into potential approaches for early detection and ovarian cancer therapies. Whats more, the OCRC recently received a new $2.8 million grant from the Department of Defense (DoD) to further these efforts.

In the past, most doctors and scientists naturally assumed that ovarian cancer develops in the ovaries. However, about fifteen years ago, Penn researchers helped make an exciting discovery and found that the most common and deadly form of ovarian cancer, called high grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), actually often begins as tiny groups of abnormal cells in the fallopian tube. These precursor lesions, called serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas (STICs), are so tiny that they can only be found by careful, microscopic examination of the fallopian tubes. Ever since this discovery, Penn has been dedicated to studying STICs and how these cells eventually spread to the ovaries where they can quickly form tumors that further spread to the rest of the body.

Learning about STICs lesions themselves is the beginning. Now, with support from the DoD grant, Penn experts are studying how STICs interact with surrounding tissues, and why they form in the first place. This includes building a shared, centralized bank of high-quality STIC specimens to perform studies of STICs and their surrounding tissues; leveraging tissue characterization technologies to examine DNA, RNA, and proteins of all cells located within and surrounding the STIC lesions; and identifying specific chemical changes (biomarkers) that occur that might be used to detect the lesions before they have a chance to progress. Collectively, this will help inform the creation of a test or tests to detect STICs using blood or Pap specimens from patients with lesions as a tool for physicians to help with early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

For a long time experts studied the ovaries in the hopes of finding answers to assist with earlier diagnosis and detection of ovarian cancer, so knowing that these tumors start in the fallopian tubes opens up so many possibilities for prevention and detection, which can have a tremendous impact on standard of care for these patients, said Ronny Drapkin, MD, PhD, director of the OCRC, an associate professor of Pathology in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a gynecologic cancer researcher with the Basser Center at Penn. Were even seeing this in the news today, with Chris Everts early ovarian cancer diagnosis, which was found in the fallopian tube after she was tested for a BRCA mutation.

Evert has shared that her family history of ovarian cancer is what led her to seek out genetic testing. Through the testing process, she was confirmed to have a BRCA genetic mutation, which led her to her preventive surgery where the cancer was found in her fallopian tube.

Both men and women have BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which play a role in controlling and preventing cancer. When there is an error, or mutation, in a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, an individual has increased risks for breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. They can also pass the mutation on to their children who will then have increased cancer risks in adulthood.

Its important for individuals with a family history of cancer to get tested. While those who have mutations are considered high risk for developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer, not everyone who inherits these genes will get cancer. Furthermore, once they have this knowledge, patients can make plans to help lower their risk, saidSusan Domchek, MD, executive director the Basser Center for BRCA at Penn. Knowing that there is risk means you can choose different types of surveillance or prevention options to decrease your chances of developing and dying of cancer.

While these genetic mutations can increase risk, anyone with ovaries is at risk of ovarian cancer. However, some factors, such as afamily history, genetic predisposition, increasing age and use of hormone replacement therapycan put one at a higher risk. If you are concerned, learn more about your symptoms and talk to your doctor aboutovarian cancer prevention and screening.

And for those with a family history, like in Everts scenario, you can reach out to a genetic counselor who can help assess your history and criteria for testing.

No one can exactly predict whether or not a person will develop cancer. But, knowing the factors that increase risk may create an opportunity for prevention or more effective treatment.

For questions and assistance in finding a genetic counselor in your area, or general information about BRCA and risk assessment, contact the Basser Center at 215-662-2748 or visit basser.org.

Read the rest here:

Key to Detecting Ovarian Cancer Early May Be in the Fallopian Tubes - Penn Medicine

Long Covid symptoms, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive difficulties, erratic heart rate, headache and dizziness, can be debilitating and wide-ranging. There is uncertainty about what ultimately causes long Covid and how to adequately respond to it.

In conventional medicine, illnesses without definitive markers of disease are often described as medically unexplained. As a medical anthropologist who has studied the controversy over whether treated Lyme disease can become chronic, Ive been struck by the similarities between long Covid and other contested illnesses like chronic Lyme disease and myalgic encephalomyelitis, more familiarly known as chronic fatigue syndrome.

Patients with contested illnesses can often feel unseen and unheard, and their providers often feel frustrated that they cant do more. As patient advocacy movements have emerged, so has scientific disagreement about what causes these illnesses and how to address them. Contested illnesses pull back the curtain on medicine itself: how it understands the human body, what counts as evidence and how medicine draws on that evidence to produce medical truths.

Long Covid has a bigger spotlight than other contested illnesses and was recognized much faster. Post-Covid clinics have been established in nearly every state, the National Institutes of Health have invested $1.15 billion to study it, and its now included in the Americans With Disabilities Act. Long Covid has brought increased attention to other marginalized illnesses, along with hope that the needle might finally be moved on overdue research and funding.

At the heart of conventional medicine is a foundational distinction between symptoms and signs. Symptoms like fatigue and joint pain are subjective markers of disease, while signs like fever and arthritis are considered objective markers. Unlike symptoms, signs can be observed and measured by a practitioner, often with the aid of technologies such as blood tests and radiologic imaging.

When it comes to making a diagnosis, signs trump symptoms. This enduring hierarchy can be traced to the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the United States and Europe, when physicians who had relied on external symptoms for diagnosis shifted to a focus on internal anatomy and pathology by using technologies like microscopes. The French philosopher Michel Foucault observed that during that time, medicine transitioned from a practice in which the physician asked, Whats the matter with you? to a practice in which the physician asked, Where does it hurt? The first question invites a patients description of symptoms; the second question leads to a location on the patients body that can be observed and measured by the physician.

The diagnostic importance of signs over symptoms was further cemented in the late 1980s and early 1990s with the establishment of evidence-based medicine. It aims to standardize clinical care through guidelines and a pecking order of scientific evidence, with objective evidence of randomized controlled trials at the top and subjective evidence of expert opinion at the bottom. The shift to evidence-based medicine solidified objective evidence as the strongest and most legitimate basis for the diagnosis of disease and reinforced contested illnesses as medically unexplained, a term that has often been used to describe physical distress caused by mental illness.

In the same way that conventional medicine prioritizes signs over symptoms, it often prioritizes mortality (risk of death) over morbidity (a diminished quality of life). During interviews, mainstream Lyme disease physicians and scientists often told me that no one dies from Lyme. Because Lyme disease is rarely fatal, the thinking goes, there are doubts about the extent to which it compromises the quality of life of those who suffer from it.

The death toll from Covid-19 has been staggering and disproportionate. But medicines emphasis on mortality over morbidity has consequences for how suffering is measured as well as the efforts undertaken to prevent disease transmission and the thresholds used for determining when the pandemic is over. If we expand sufferings metric to include long Covid morbidity, then individual and collective decision making would not only take into account the risk of hospitalization and death but would also include the risk of long Covid.

When patients with contested illnesses dont find answers in conventional medicine, they often seek out the symptom-centered practices of complementary and alternative medicine. One mainstream Lyme physician I interviewed surmised that although he did not believe in alternative medicine, patients gravitation toward it was a result of conventional medicines failure to treat the symptoms that they have. Validating patients symptomatic experience, even if the cause is unknown, is one possible remedy.

Patients with contested and chronic illnesses also tend to have long medical histories. These patients need longer than 15 minutes to tell their story, and providers need more than 15 minutes to listen to them. A broad-scale investment in primary care that would allow providers to offer longer appointments that are fully covered by insurance would help to address this need. Additionally, medical schools should introduce a social science-informed understanding of contested illnesses. Despite seeming marginal, medically unexplained illnesses are actually some of the most frequently seen conditions in primary care. The more familiar physicians are with these illnesses, the fewer opportunities there will be for misunderstanding.

Acknowledging uncertainty what long Covid patients have called for is a fitting refrain for our times. As much as they wanted answers, the Lyme patients I interviewed also wanted physicians who could admit what they didnt know. Starting with what we dont know and leading with humility and empathy seems like a good place to begin.

Abigail A. Dumes (@AbigailADumes) is a medical and cultural anthropologist and an assistant professor of Womens and Gender Studies at the University of Michigan. She is the author of Divided Bodies: Lyme Disease, Contested Illness, and Evidence-Based Medicine.

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Opinion | What Long Covid Shows Us About the Limits of Medicine - The New York Times

The acquisition nearly doubles Fullscripts annual revenue and users.

Healthtech firm Fullscript has acquired New Hampshire, United States (US)-based Emerson Ecologics, a distributor of vitamins, supplements, and natural health products.

With the transaction, Fullscript nearly doubles its annual revenue and the number of people its platform supports. The company claims it now serves more than 70,000 healthcare professionals and over five million patients. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

This acquisition is a giant step toward bringing integrative medicine into the mainstream.-Kyle Braatz, Fullscripts CEO

Emerson, which has been in the wellness industry since it was founded in 1980, has a customer base made up of naturopathic, chiropractic and medical doctors, licensed acupuncturists, nutritionists, and integrative practitioners.

This acquisition is a giant step toward bringing integrative medicine into the mainstream, said Fullscript CEO Kyle Braatz. It provides Fullscript with the scale and technology to arm practitioners with the tools they need to practice health promoting medicine.

Braatz was appointed as Fullscripts CEO last June, replacing Fran Towey who moved into the position of executive chair.

Launched in 2011, Fullscript offers supplement delivery and virtual care tools for integrative medicine practitioners and their patients. Integrative medicine is the integration of conventional medical care with complementary and alternative therapies like nutritional supplements.

Fullscripts software enables medicine practitioners to create virtual treatment plans, dispense supplements, and provide adherence tools and evidence-based resources to their patients.

RELATED: US private equity firms make $300 million CAD strategic investment in Fullscript

Fullscripts acquisition is fueled by a $300 million CAD strategic growth investment from American private equity firms HGGC and Snapdragon Capital Partners. When the deal was announced in November, Braatz said the financing would allow the company to make significant investments in people, technology, partnerships and acquisitions.

In 2018, Fullscript merged with Scottsdale, Arizona-based Natural Partners to become Natural Partners Fullscript. This consolidated Natural Partners nutritional supplement wholesale and fulfillment network with Fullscripts dispensing platform.

By completing its acquisition of Emerson, Fullscripts platform now provides access to additional key professional grade supplements and wellness brands, diagnostic testing, and an expanded distribution network.

Feature image from Sharon McCutcheon via Unsplash

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Ottawa's Fullscript acquires Emerson Ecologics to bring integrative medicine to the mainstream - BetaKit - Canadian Startup News