Category Archives: Alternative Medicine

Pharmac has funded upadacitinib tablets as an alternative treatment for New Zealanders with severe rheumatoid arthritis, who are impacted by the tocilizumab stock shortage.

In New Zealand, about 400 people currently use Pharmac-funded tocilizumab for a number of conditions such as rheumatoid and juvenile idiopathic arthritis, explains Pharmacs director of operations Lisa Williams.

The time between Roche NZ, the supplier of tocilizumab, telling us that there would be an outage and the projected end of supplies was only a matter of weeks. We had to act quickly to find an alternative treatment. The reality is that between this October and January 2022 there wont be enough tocilizumab to continue treating all who currently use it.

To preserve remaining tocilizumab stock for priority patients, Pharmac will be funding a new JAK inhibitor[1] called upadacitinib, for use by people with rheumatoid arthritis, from 1 October 2021.

Upadacitinib is an oral tablet, unlike tocilizumab, meaning patients will not have to go into hospital for monthly treatment. Securing an alternative treatment option means that demand for tocilizumab will be significantly reduced, which will help ensure that the remaining stock should be enough to treat priority patients until more is due to arrive.

Upadacitinib is Medsafe approved for use in rheumatoid arthritis and has had a positive funding recommendation from Pharmacs Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC) for use in rheumatoid arthritis. People who would like to remain using upadacitinib once supply of tocilizumab resumes, will be able to do so.

AbbVie, the supplier of upadacitinib, has stock immediately available in the country and has indicated they will make product available on direct supply in advance of the planned 1 October funding date.

Due to the emergency situation that we are responding to, funding upadacitinib for rheumatoid arthritis has not been prioritised against Pharmacs other options for investment and we have not publicly consulted on funding it (as would be our normal process prior to funding a new medicine). We have, however, consulted with our Rheumatology Subcommittee of PTAC and the Rheumatology Association of New Zealand.

This has been an unusual situation and we havent been able to follow our usual practices, says Lisa. We have applied common sense to the situation, and I am proud we have been able to ensure that New Zealanders who need treatment will be able to access it.

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Pharmac funds new treatment for rheumatoid arthritis to support people impacted by tocilizumab stock shortage - New Zealand Doctor Online

Over the last decade, craft beer has become wildly popular. Since 2015, the number of breweries in the United States has nearly doubled, according to the Brewers Association. While many people think of locally brewed beverages as being on par with other small-batch, farm-to-table products, like produce and meat, with a similar reputation as fresh, organic or sustainable, and better for you overall, that isnt necessarily true. In fact, many craft beers have a hidden risk their mass-produced counterparts dont, and it could be causing you to drink more than you realize.

Beer is considered "craft" if it is produced by a small, independent brewer. The Brewers Association defines small as an annual production of six million barrels of beer or less, and "independent" as a business in which less than 25 percent of the brewery is owned or controlled by an alcohol-beverage industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. Craft brewers, like all commercial beer makers, must be registered with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

In terms of ingredients, craft beer is generally made with malted barley, although some brewers add unconventional ingredients for flavor or to make their product stand out.

RELATED: 6 Tips for Drinking Responsibly During the COVID-19 Pandemic

There are a few health benefits to drinking beer, saysJackie Newgent, RDN, a plant-forward culinary nutritionist and the author of The Clean & Simple Diabetes Cookbook, but she emphasizes that they are associated with moderate intake not weekend binges. The 20202025Dietary Guidelines for Americans defines moderationas two drinks or less a day for men and one drink or less a day for women, on days when alcohol is consumed.

Because beer is derived from plants, especiallyfermented cereal grains, it contains some health-promoting polyphenols (plant compounds), and has potential anti-inflammatory properties, according to a study published in November 2016 in the journal Age and Aging. Additionally, a meta-analysis published in PLoS One inJune 2020 found that beer may offer protection against cardiovascular disease by improving the elasticity of blood vessels and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels. In March 2021 the journal Nutrients publishedastudy that found moderate amounts of beer may boost bone mineral density, which means that drinking beer in moderation may be helpful for the prevention of osteoporosis.

Previous studies found that moderate beer intake was associated with a lower overall mortality risk and also linked to a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes in men. There is evidence that beer is a source of prebiotics, a nondigestible ingredient that helps feed beneficial probiotics (good bacteria) in the gut, according to astudy published June 2017 in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing. These bacteria, collectively known as the microbiome, are being researched for their role in a variety of health processes, from digestion to immunity.

Newgent adds that craft beers may have slight added benefits, as some are not pasteurized or filtered, which she says means they can be richer in naturally occurring plant-based compounds and antioxidant activity. A study in the April 2020 issue ofFood Chemistry found significantly higher values for several health-related compounds in small-scale beers.

Other things to take into consideration? Color and calories. Newgent notes that dark beer may actually be healthier than light beer because it may have higher antioxidant content. This observation is in line with findings from astudy published in the journal Biomolecules inMarch 2020.

RELATED: Expert Hacks for Preventing a Hangover

Whatever benefits it may have, craft beer is still alcohol. Like the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults limit alcohol consumption to one drink per day for women or two drinks per day for men, and defines a drink as one 12-ounce serving of beer with 5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).

While every craft brew is unique, the majority of them boast higher alcohol by volume than the average beer made by a larger producer. Per the National Consumers League, beer contains between 4 and 7 percent alcohol by volume, with the average being 5 percent ABV. But craft beer can contain four times that. For example, according to Dogfish Heads website, their 120 Minute IPA contains 15 to 20 percent ABV.

Additionally, craft beers are often packaged in larger bottles and cans. In 2013,The New York Times dubbed the increasing size of craft beers the wine-ification of beer, claiming that more people wanted to drink beer with dinner as if it werewine; and noted that it is more cost effective to package a beverage in one rather than several bottles.

Because of both size and alcohol content, a bottle of craft beer can easily exceed the recommended daily amount of alcohol, explains Stephen Holt, MD, an addiction medicine physician at Yale Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. A traditional microbrew, with an ABV of 5 percent in a 12-ounce can, provides about 14 grams of pure alcohol, he says. A lot of craft beers come in 16-ounce cans, with a 6 to 7 percent ABV, which is going to translate to nearly 26 grams of pure alcohol.

If, for example, you drink two of those cans, youre consuming the equivalent of nearly four beers worth of alcohol, which undeniably has the potential to negatively impact your health, especially if youre doing this on a regular basis, Dr. Holt says.

All that alcohol also contains calories that add up. Per Newgent, one gram of alcohol translates to 7 calories. In Holts example above, thats a difference of 98 calories per can compared with 182 calories.

The psychotherapist Paul Hokemeyer, PhD, author of Fragile Power, says that if an individual prone to addiction believes that craft beer is a healthier alternative to other beers, he or she is more likely to abuse it. The notion of a healthy alternative has great appeal to people who are in denial about their substance abuse, he says. These individuals are under the pernicious grip of the disease of addiction, which tells them they dont have a problem and comes up with all sorts of clever ways to rationalize and justify their alcohol consumption.

Newgent also notes that toxic compounds called mycotoxins are found in a small percentage of craft beers. This contamination can be caused by improperly stored barley. Astudy published October 2017 in PLoS One found that 27 craft beers tested at or above the Tolerable Daily Intake for two major mycotoxins, with popular imperial-stout-style beers having the highest percentage of samples suspected positive. Per the World Health Organization, adverse health effects of mycotoxins range from acute poisoning to long-term problems such as immune deficiency and cancer.

RELATED: The Best and Worst Types of Alcohol for Weight Loss

While craft beers do carry some risks, simply being aware of those risks can help. A beers ABV is typically very prominently displayed not only on the can or bottle, but also on beer lists, menus, and on boards listing selections above a bar, Holt points out.

I find that when it comes to craft beer, people tend to reach for it due to taste and unique style or characteristics, adds Newgent. When craft beers are selected because of their uniqueness, people may sip them more slowly to enjoy their special characteristics and ultimately drink less.

It is important to remember that like any alcoholic beverage, beer does carry certain risks. It doesnt matter whether you're drinking a pint of cheap vodka out of a paper bag, or three pints of delectable, artisanal IPAs from your favorite brewery, Holt says. Consuming too much can acutely and chronically wreak havoc on nearly every organ system in the body.

Holt offers the following recommendations if you'd like to drink craft beer responsibly.

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You May Be Drinking More Alcohol Than You Realize - Everyday Health

Martha Hanna-Smith is an educator who grew up on the 92 square-mile island of Acklins in the Bahamas.

As an artisan and educator, Hanna-Smith has been teaching local residents how to turn their crafts into entrepreneurship for over 40 years.

She works with the natural materials of her homeland, including straw, shells, and sand, to make culturally relevant art. Other specialties include her herbal teas, jams, and jellies.

I drank bush teas all my life, so thats all I know. I knew nothing about cocoa or Ovaltine, so I had to resort to what we had in the backyard, Hanna-Smith says. All of the plants, like the soursop and all of the others, were there.

She learned about herbs by observing her elders. If she saw a plant she didnt recognize, she asked to learn more.

I learned a lot from elderly people, just by asking questions and also seeing what they used, she says.

Eventually, Hanna-Smiths work with plants gained attention, and she received a distinction for her study on bush medicine. In 2006, she published a book called Bush Medicine in Bahamian Folk Tradition.

Hanna-Smith has been instrumental in teaching about the health benefits of bush medicine, establishing local craft associations, and embodying and preserving Bahamian culture.

The practice of bush medicine was one of the many contributions of the Africans to this part of the world, Hanna-Smith says. Its regarded in the Bahamas as an African survival [necessity].

She notes that bush medicine is connected to the transatlantic slave trade, and the plants used when slavery was in effect are among those still used today.

We believe that Africans, when they were transported here, brought seeds and plants with them, and they passed on their knowledge of these plants, Hanna-Smith says.

Bush medicine is most often used to make tea, but it can also be used for salves, poultices, and rubs. Some commonly used plants include:

Fever grass is one of the most well-known bush medicines and easily identified by its fragrance.

Known as lemongrass in other parts of the world, its used to relieve fevers and promote relaxation. The flavor is similar to lemon peel, and the plant helps support the immune system.

Fever grass is one that you must wash carefully because dogs love to pee on it and that can make you very sick, Hanna-Smith warns. Once washed, you can boil it, but some people also crush it. And I find that method gives it more strength.

Cerasee has a reputation as a versatile herb in the Bahamas. Its used for common ailments, from stomach pains to colds, and its also beneficial for diabetes.

Many Bahamian adults have memories of being forced to drink the bitter tea as sick children.

Kamalame, also called gumbo limbo, is known as the healing tree. Its sap can be used to treat skin reactions to other plants.

In her study of bush medicine across islands, Hanna-Smith often discovered different names for the same plants.

For instance, sapodilla, or dilly in the Bahamas, is known as neeseberry in Jamaica. A plant known as blue vervain in Jamaica is called blue flowers in the Bahamas.

Our parents used to use blue flowers every Sunday morning to clean out their systems. Hanna-Smith says.

In most cases, the uses of the plants are the same across islands, but there were some instances in which plants were used for purposes different from those known to Hanna-Smith.

Hanna-Smith notes that much of this knowledge was kept by Obeah practitioners and witch doctors, who were among the enslaved people living in the Bahamas.

These were, and still are in many cases, people familiar with the medicinal properties of plants believed to have connections with the spiritual world.

While these medicine people were usually important to their communities, the term witch doctor has fairly negative connotations in modern parlance.

We have a really rich history. In that period, 1600 to 1800, the Europeans and the Africans were here, and the Europeans did not agree with the use of this bush medicine, Hanna-Smith says.

The oral traditions of Obeah, Vodou, Santeria, and Shango are still commonly practiced in the Caribbean, despite the colonial legacy that labels them as nefarious and even demonic.

These stereotypes can still be seen in popular culture.

For instance, the 2009 Disney film The Princess and the Frog features a character named Dr. Facilier, an example of the distortion and villanization of Haitian Vodou common in white culture.

Why such negative treatment?

Aside from the religious clash of the colonizers religion, these traditions, and the plant medicine that went with them, was a power that African people had and retained while they were enslaved.

Their knowledge and, in many cases, mastery of herbalism gave them the ability, to a certain extent, to control and heal their own bodies.

This is a right Black people have often been denied.

Practitioners knew which plants would heal wounds, ease stomach aches, induce vomiting, and even affect the reproductive system.

This allowed Bahamians to take care of themselves and each other, even if they didnt have access to the same medical care and treatment as white colonizers.

While some indigenous knowledge of bush medicine has been lost, Hanna-Smith believes its important for the tradition to be passed on and continued through generations.

We have some plants that are poisonous, and everyone needs to know to avoid them, she says. We need to know how to use the plants that are good. People should not die with this information.

This conviction is part of what fuels Hanna-Smiths work.

Bush medicine isnt a relic of the past.

Its a possible avenue to a brighter, more empowered future for the Bahamian people and a potential gateway to a specialized industry that Bahamians can develop using ancestral knowledge.

This would not only lead to improved physical health, but also to economic well-being.

Both are undeniably interlinked.

Previously, others capitalized on the expertise of elders in the African diaspora. Its essential for this information to be protected and used for the good of African people.

For Hanna-Smith, the future of bush medicine looks positive.

Bahamian students are engaging in research projects on bush medicine. And some teachers are giving assignments that require students to identify plants and their medicinal uses.

Including bush medicine in formal education helps ensure the tradition will be understood and practiced for years to come.

I want to see my book in all Bahamian schools and sold in grocery stores, Hanna-Smith says. I want to see wellness centers where people can get the teas they need.

She adds that shes working on a second book with more plants and kitchen remedies.

Hanna-Smith notes that people often visit the Bahamas and collect information on bush medicine. In many cases, information is given too freely.

Then, they return to their countries and capitalize on the knowledge of African descendants.

For instance, soursop has grown in popularity because of claims that it helps fight cancer though theres a lack of human studies to confirm this.

This kind of reactionary consumption distorts the true uses of the plant, turning it into a commodity thats removed from its biological and cultural context.

This makes it easier to manipulate public perception.

Soursop products are increasingly marketed as cancer killing, though this claim isnt supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Soursop is a food and medicine staple in the Caribbean, and its increasing popularity puts it at risk of being overharvested and becoming endangered.

Hanna-Smith emphasizes the importance of getting to know plants and herbs in your local ecosystem. She shares some ideas, like:

These practices can help you become more aware of the medicinal plants around you.

You can begin to explore native plants by:

At the same time, exercise extreme caution.

In learning about plant medicine, its important to pay attention to the details. Proper identification can be the difference between life and death.

For instance, Hanna-Smith shares that kamalame often grows near poisonwood, a plant that lives up to its name.

She recalls a time that someone died after using poisonwood, thinking it was kamalame.

If you use the wrong plant, I will sing for you, she says, implying that a funeral will soon follow.

Never consume plants youve identified based on an app, online discussion, or book. These methods are for education and exploration only. Truly learning to identify plants takes time, in-depth study, training, and lots of practice.

Always verify a plants identity with an herbalist, botanist, or other qualified professional before using it for any reason.

Bahamians love bush medicine, because it connects them to their land, their heritage, and their ancestry. Its a tradition they trust.

The tradition of bush medicine helped many Bahamians maintain autonomy over their bodies and their health during the era of the transatlantic slave trade.

It continues to be a way to honor the past while empowering the future for the Bahamian people.

Alicia A. Wallace is a queer Black feminist, womens human rights defender, and writer. Shes passionate about social justice and community building. She enjoys cooking, baking, gardening, traveling, and talking to everyone and no one at the same time on Twitter.

Original post:

Decolonizing Alternative Medicine: The Bahamian Bush Medicine Legacy - Healthline

With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many to stay home, a lot of normal life went online. From work to fitness to social life, much of the world now relies on online platforms to stay connected.

Its no surprise that theres been a rise in virtual well-being services, too.

While online therapy or counseling is nothing new, more alternative practices have also made their offerings video-friendly. Take, for example, remote energy healing, something I had the opportunity to try earlier this year.

Im a big fan of alternative medicine and have had a lot of success with this type of healing in the past. But that was in person.

I was certainly skeptical about how much it could really do through a screen. However, I was pleasantly surprised.

Read on to find out more about my experience, how remote energy healing works, and what you need to know before giving it a try.

The term energy medicine was coined in the 1980s to describe a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Its also known as:

Its based on the belief that the body is permeated by an energy field that can affect our health and well-being, also called subtle energy, vibrational energy, or simply life force.

Known as qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine or prana in Ayurveda, its believed that we can work with this energy to find balance and healing.

According to most CAM philosophies, both physical and mental health conditions can come about when this energy is stuck or not flowing properly.

The goal of energy healing is to restore the balance of energy to support physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Energy healing practices can involve physically touching the body or working non-physically with the bodys energy.

The latter type of practice can, in theory, be done remotely.

Several modalities may include energy healing, including:

Some of these practices are supported by scientific evidence, while others arent. In addition, only some can be done via distance.

For example, Reiki, chakra healing, and aura cleansing are three types of practices that can be done remotely, while acupuncture, which uses needles to stimulate energy flow in the body, cant.

Reiki is an increasingly well-known type of energy healing.

The Japanese technique was created in the early 20th century and involves a practitioner placing their hands near the body to stimulate energy flow and promote healing.

Chakra healing is an ancient Indian healing modality. Its believed that we have seven main chakras, or energy centers, in the body, as well as potentially hundreds of lesser-known chakras.

When the chakras are all in balance, the theory goes, we feel optimum health and well-being.

In a chakra healing session, a practitioner may use a mix of different techniques, like crystals and breathing, to realign the chakras and heal the body and mind.

Aura cleansing is also believed to be rooted in ancient Indian medicine. The aura is said to be the energy that surrounds the body, creating an external field. Different people may have different colors showing up in their auras at any given time.

In an aura cleansing session, a practitioner uses items to cleanse the aura, including:

Many forms of alternative healing, especially those based on working with energy, are difficult to prove with scientific evidence.

However, some research has shown interesting results.

A 2014 review of randomized trials suggested that Reiki therapy may help reduce pain and anxiety, though more research is needed.

According to results from a 2011 study, in which participants had six 30-minute sessions over a period of 2 to 8 weeks, people who had Reiki felt greater mood benefits compared with people who didnt have the treatment.

A 2013 review noted that research into energy therapies, like healing touch, therapeutic touch, and Reiki continues to demonstrate efficacy for symptoms commonly associated with cancer, including:

Although theres less research when it comes to remote energy healing, some shows promise.

A pilot 2015 study found that people being treated for cancer who received 30-minute sessions of distant Reiki for 5 days, in addition to regular medical care, had lower levels of pain, anxiety, and fatigue.

While energy healing typically takes place in a physical space, many practitioners are offering services online. This is known as remote healing, distance healing, or distant healing.

Practitioners run their sessions in exactly the same way, except theyre over video.

Typically, youll lie down at home and set up a video camera on your phone or laptop, so your healer can see and hear you and vice versa.

Most energy healers believe that energy can be transported through space and time, which means that energy healing can take place even over a geographical distance.

I tried a remote healing session from a practitioner trained in Reiki.

My session took place over Zoom and lasted around 40 minutes. It kicked off with a little introduction from the practitioner about what energy healing is and how the session would work.

Next, we spoke about how I was feeling and my expectations for the session. At that moment in time, I was feeling a little overwhelmed and stressed with the amount of work on my plate.

During the midst of the pandemic, I was also having a hard time with the constant uncertainty and what ifs of life.

We started by doing a few minutes of breathing exercises together to help me feel calm, relaxed, and ready to receive the healing.

After that, I lay down on my bed under a blanket with an eye mask on. I positioned my laptop to face me, so the practitioner could see me through the camera.

As the healing began, the only sound I could hear was her breathing. Her deep breaths continued throughout the session.

Not long after I lay down, I started to feel deeply relaxed. As the healer inhaled and exhaled deeply, it was almost as if the sound was passing through me, relaxing me as it went.

It was similar to experiencing a sound bath or maybe even a massage. At some points, I felt areas of my body tingle.

As the session drew to a close and the healer brought me back to the room with her voice, it was like waking from a restorative nap. I felt a sense of calm and peace, and my mind felt a lot clearer.

It was like someone had created additional space in my brain.

After the session, I took some time to just be still and do nothing. I didnt want to rush back into my normal day-to-day life.

Energy healing can be used as a complementary practice alongside other types of therapy and medical treatment.

Theres no evidence that energy healing can cure specific physical or mental health conditions.

If youre experiencing any physical or mental health conditions, be sure to always consult a qualified medical professional.

If you can, having a team of practitioners from different fields and areas of expertise in your corner is the best way to support your overall health and well-being.

The best place to start when looking for a practitioner is with personal recommendations. Reach out to your circle and find out if you know anyone who has had success with a remote healer.

You can ask:

You can also use online platforms, like the Energy Medicine Directory. Its important to note that directories like this are typically not regulated and practitioners are able to list themselves.

One benefit of remote healing: You can work with a healer in any part of the world. This means you arent limited by geography.

I came away from my remote energy healing session with a feeling of deep relaxation and mental clarity. Id definitely do it again if I was feeling frazzled or stressed.

While the scientific evidence is limited, theres some research that suggests remote energy healing may be beneficial for your health.

Although it should never replace medical care, energy healing is a great option to have in your self-care toolbox.

Elizabeth Bennett is a British journalist covering beauty, health, and wellness. Her work has appeared in ELLE, Refinery 29, Marie Claire, and Womens Health. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

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Remote Energy Healing: How It Works and What the Science Says - Healthline

Berrent suggested that COVID might come to be regarded not as a respiratory disease but as a neurological one. I fear that there is a higher viral load involved with the Delta variant and it congregates in the nose and mouth, she said. What happens? Just using common sense, it goes up the nose, it knocks out the olfactory system, and whats right next to it? The vagus nerve, which controls all of our automatic functioning.... We know that this virus crosses the blood-brain barriera critical layer of immune defense that prevents microorganisms from infecting the central nervous systemand we are seeing evidence of direct brain damage.

The interviewer spoke up: Now, I thought there was pretty clear evidence that we dont know yet whether its crossing the blood-brain barrier. (In fact, many infections begin in the mouth and nose without affecting the nervous system, and, although research has suggested that the spike protein may breach the protective barrier in mice, there is no conclusive evidence that the coronavirus infects the brain in humans.)

We know, Berrent responded.

Elsewhere in the program, Berrent took issue with the C.D.C.s decision not to investigate breakthrough COVID cases that didnt require hospitalization. There is no such thing as a mild case of COVID, she said, as she often does. Let me explain what they mean by mild. They mean encephalitis. They mean COVID pneumonia. They mean end-stage organ failure.

The interviewer paused, a quizzical look on her face. So youre saying that end-stage organ failure is counted as mild? she asked.

For a moment, Berrent hesitated. It sure is, she said.

Berrents advocacy is informed in part by a group of COVID survivors that the public, and even many medical professionals, never see. She hears from people who say that they are struggling with unusual, nonrespiratory symptoms, such as erectile dysfunction and chronic diarrhea. One Survivor Corps member is a young mother with a feeding tube and eleven rotten teeth.

Through Berrent, I met Nick Gthe, who became a close adviser to Survivor Corps earlier this summer. Gthe, an independent filmmaker in his early fifties, told me his wifes story. In its tragic ambiguity, it is typical of many stories in the long-COVID movement.

In April, 2020, Heidi Ferrer, Gthes wife and a former writer for Dawsons Creek, felt shooting pains in her toes. Then she developed stomach pains and diarrhea. Ferrer and Gthe got rapid COVID tests at a drive-through site, and they came back negative. (Rapid tests are less reliable than P.C.R. tests.) In the weeks that followed, Ferrer experienced palpitations, muscle pains, and a fatigue so profound that she had difficulty walking up stairs.

By the fall, Ferrer was convinced that she had long COVID. She searched for doctors specializing in the condition, but couldnt find any. She visited acupuncturists and alternative-medicine practitioners, and started taking ivermectinthe horse dewormer that has since been shown not to help with COVID-19. By the spring, shed developed dramatic, involuntary jerking movements. She felt an internal buzzing, and told Gthe that it was like her veins had champagne bubbles fizzing in them. Unable to sleep, Ferrer started taking enormous doses of Ambien, sometimes a pill every two hours. Because shed never tested positive for the coronavirus, her doctor hesitated to refer her to a newly opened long-COVID clinic. She consulted a neurologist, who, Gthe told me, tried to imply it was all in her head. Ferrer had no documented history of mental illness, but she did have a strong family history of depression: both her father and her grandmother had died by suicide. She had struggled with alcoholism, but had been sober since 2017.

On May 22nd, Gthe went to pick up their thirteen-year-old son, who was at a friends house. On the way back, Gthe said, I have to talk to you about your mom. I want to believe shes going to get better. But I have to be honest: I dont know how this is going to turn out.

Back home, he and his son went upstairs, where they found Ferrer in the master bedroom, hanging by a drape from the four-poster bed. Gthe told his son to go to his room. He tried to ease Ferrer down, but couldnt. He raced downstairs for scissors, and finally cut the drape.

When they reached the hospital, Ferrers heart was still beating, but it was clear that she wouldnt recover. A doctor asked Gthe how long his wife had been depressed. Shes not depressed, Gthe said. This is from her body breaking down from long-haul COVID. The doctor asked Gthe what that was. Just Google it, he replied.

In June, Gthe submitted an obituary to Deadline, which went viral. Heidi always said, If something happens, let the world know what long-haul COVID has done to me, he said. Through Twitter, Gthe connected with Berrent, and learned that Ferrer had been a member of Survivor Corps. In recent months, he has joined Berrent at about a dozen events. He now fields Facebook messages from people around the world, who relate their struggles with long COVID and ask for help. Not infrequently, someone shares suicidal thoughts. I walk someone off the ledge every week, Gthe said. I tell them, Things are moving much faster than you realize. Hope is coming. Help is on the way. People are paying attention now.

Others, pointing out that Ferrer never tested positive for the virus, have questioned whether COVID is to blame for her death. Such uncertainty characterizes many cases of long COVID less extreme than Ferrers. Doctors rightly say that some of the symptoms attributed to long COVID can result from any number of conditions. Yet many patientsboth with and without documented coronavirus infectionsare convinced that their problems are enduring aftereffects of the virus.

Defining a new disease is a complex task, full of hazards. Some physicians believe that the conditions severity and scope have been overblown. In a recent column for the health-news site STAT, Adam Gaffney, a critical-care physician, wrote that we need to start thinking more criticallyand speaking more cautiouslyabout long COVID, arguing that the narrative being spun about the long-term effects of infection is getting ahead of the evidence. A recent op-ed in the Wall Street Journal by the psychiatrist Jeremy Devine suggested that many long-COVID symptoms may be psychologically generated or caused by a physical illness unrelated to the prior infection. Devine proposed that long COVID is largely an invention of vocal patient activist groups.

Continue reading here:

The Struggle to Define Long COVID - The New Yorker

Media Credit: Grace Hromin | Senior Photo Editor

Nearly 255,000 cases of breast cancer are found in women annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A professor in the School of Medicine and Health Sciences received a $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health last month to create alternative treatments for breast cancer patients.

Mei-Yi Wu, an associate research professor of medicine, received a five-year grant to perform experiments on interferons which are proteins in the immune system that help cancer cells become drug-resistant and their role in tumor growth. Wu said her goal is to develop a breast cancer therapy that directly targets interferons to prevent drug resistance and alleviate side effects patients would normally face from more invasive treatments, like chemotherapy, that target all cells in the body.

Pro-tumor effects of interferons protect damaged tumor cells from dying, she said in an email. Our study tries to find a therapeutic approach that can block the pro-tumor effects.

Wu said cancer cells develop resistance to common treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which patients undergo to kill any cancer cells that remain in the body after surgery. She said her team will identify the factors that enable interferons, or IFNs, to make cancer cells drug-resistant and then inhibit them to make breast cancer therapy more effective.

Drug resistance is the source of 90 percent of chemotherapy failures, according to a 2017study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

In addition, our study is expected to identify new therapeutic targets, which will pave the way toward new medical interventions to treat breast cancer, Wu said.

She said she will use the grant to hire a postdoctoral researcher who will conduct experiments, buy lab materials and supplies like reagents and pipette tips and cover publication costs. She said the grant will end in July 2026, and her team will send annual progress reports to the NIH throughout the grant period.

Wu said her research is critical because breast cancer is currently the most commonly diagnosed cancer for women in the United States. Nearly 255,000 cases of breast cancer are found in women yearly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Experts in surgery and medicine said Wus research can help eliminate drug resistance in breast cancer cells through specific treatments like targeted immunotherapy trials.

Susan Dent, a professor of medicine and the co-director of the cardio-oncology program at Duke University, said 70 percent of women who have breast cancer have no risk factors, like family historyor a genetic mutation. She said research like Wus is critical for understanding plausible causes responsible for the progression of cancer like the role of IFNs.

A lot of what were doing now is looking at how can we look at whats happening within the body itself and use whats already happening in the body to assist us in either preventing or trying to cure a cancer, Dent said.

Dent said cancer cells might find other methods of replicating even if Wus team discovers how to target IFNs and their pro-tumor effects. She said more than one drug that specifically targets IFNs may be required to stop tumors from forming.

We know that cancers can be very adaptive and tumors, and so when were thinking about pathways and ways to try and prevent cancers from growing, its important that we always keep in mind that they may have other pathways in which to grow, Dent said.

Jean Bao, an assistant professor of surgery at Stanford University, said IFNs and other regulators in the human immune system can also have positive effects like preventing tumor growth, in addition to the negative effects like increasing drug resistance in cancer cells. She said Wus research team will have to study how to get rid of the pro-tumor effects of regulators while still preserving their anti-tumor effects.

She said Wus research will further ongoing studies of immunotherapy trials that personalize breast cancer treatments in the clinical world. She said Wus therapy will be more targeted than other therapies like chemotherapy, which kill cells in the body non-discriminatorily and cause many side effects.

Common side effects of chemotherapy treatment include fatigue, hair loss and nausea, according to the American Cancer Society.

In the long run, once they identify a target that passes through the different phases of studies, then eventually it could be something that could be tested in human subjects, Bao said. Thats really where the medication or the therapy becomes clinically meaningful and useful.

This article appeared in the September 20, 2021 issue of the Hatchet.

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Professor receives grant to develop breast cancer therapy - GW Hatchet

The latest study and research done by Gartner Inc suggests that worldwide, end-user spending on wearable devices has increased by 18.1 percent in 2021. The rise in remote work and increased interest in health monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic was a significant factor driving the market growth. But if we ask, whether there was a similar growth in people buying health insurance? The answer is no. So, what is this data really indicating?

People investing more in gadgets that measure everything from blood oxygen saturation and heart rate to blood pressure and sleep patterns is nothing but a sign of increasing managed care and a proactive approach to health. Unprecedented events have compelled us to rethink and reassess the way health is looked at.

Till recently, maximum emphasis has been given to curative science and a lot is been invested in this field. However, the pandemic has proven that health is no more about just medicines.

One biggest lesson taught by COVID-19 was that once the damage is done, it is irreversible. Treatments can help to a certain extent, but it eventually makes one dependent on some of the medicines for lifelong and side effects come as a complimentary package.

Another interesting study published by Grands View Research suggests that the global complementary and alternative medicine market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 22.03 percent from 2021 to 2028. Globally, the right to health definition is constantly evolving and the overall regulatory scenario is also changing in favor of alternative and complementary healthcare.

Preventive and primary healthcare services are the first line of defence that supports the secondary and tertiary healthcare services of every country. Most of the developing and underdeveloped nations tertiary infrastructure is not just limited but its access is also confined only to the metros. Strengthening primary facilities and focusing on preventive healthcare models is thus a necessity.

Building immunity and developing preventive care is highly critical. The transition today is such that everything is getting redefined. Scientists are increasingly looking to food products to help prevent the illness, slow disease progression, and treat symptoms. This has resulted in double-digit growth of the nutraceutical industry as well. To extend the disease-free life span by preventing and limiting disease complications, nature-based remedies are acting as complementary to the mainstream treatments.

The trend suggests that by the time patients resort to and receive conventional medicine and treatment for the ailment, in a majority of the cases, the severity is already multiplied. With pandemic or no pandemic, the shift towards preventive healthcare is here to stay and it will offer tremendous opportunities for the nutraceutical industry.

Since April 2020, we have seen a surge in demand for dietary supplements, and preventive wellness products. Looming uncertainties around the third wave, threat of new strains of the virus, all have further boosted the sales of various immunity-boosting products in the market. In fact, with people taking overall health seriously, other categories are also exhibiting consistent double-digit growth quarter on quarter.

Eye health products, stress-relieving supplements, sleep disorders, anxiety all these have seen good traction in the last year. Pandemic has impacted consumers in many ways and it has completely transformed the way nutraceuticals in specific and healthcare, in general, is perceived today.

The importance of traditional medicines gained its due recognition, with sustainable cure methodologies of Ayurveda at the helm. The shifting patterns from sick care to preventive care and complete wellness is pertinent to imbibe, resulting in longevity and gratification. Hence, what is come into being now is an extension of informed lifestyle choices influencing the dynamics of a changing healthcare model.

(Sanjaya Mariwala is Executive Chairman and Managing Director, Omniactive Health Technologies Ltd and Founder President of the Association of Herbal and Nutraceuticals Manufacturers of India (AHNMI))

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COVID-19 impact: Building immunity and developing preventive care is highly critical - Free Press Journal

New York, Sept. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "mRNA: Therapeutics and Global Markets" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06151448/?utm_source=GNW g., cancer, heart diseases) and several other rare diseases.

The report considers only Western or modern drugs and excludes any other type of drugs such as alternative therapies. This report covers technologies used for the development and delivery of mRNA therapeutics.

This study aims to analyze the dynamics and forecasts of the mRNA therapeutics market worldwide and provides key market propositions over a five-year forecast period. The report covers developed and emerging markets, and it provides - - Detailed description, including demographics and cost burden, of various diseases including types of cancer (e.g., breast cancer and others), cardiovascular diseases (MI, IHD, etc.), infectious diseases (COVID-19, Zika, influenza, rabies, etc.), respiratory disorders, diabetes and rare disorders such as cystic fibrosis, OTC disorder, propionic acidemia, TTR amyloidosis and melanoma, among others.- Detailed description and analysis of current mRNA therapeutics (mRNA vaccines, drugs and therapies).- Market characterization, unmet need, and market size and segmentation (by region, segment, diseases).- The current state of the market and the key markets for its future development.- Major regional trends.- Market drivers and restraints.- Detailed market projections through 2026.- Global competitive thrust in terms of competition and market shares.- Key marketed and pipeline (research and development) products along with information about their regulatory status.- Strategic landscape (mergers and acquisitions).- Regulatory structure: new regulations that will influence the development of the mRNA therapeutics market.- Pricing and reimbursement.- Observations and conclusions on the future of mRNA therapeutics. - Profiles of market participants and associations.

Report Includes:- 32 data tables and 32 additional tables- An overview of the global market for mRNA therapeutics- Analyses of global market trends with data from 2020, estimates for 2021 and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2026- Highlights of the major developments, pandemic threats, therapeutic developments, and technological developments of the mRNA therapeutics market- Discussion on significant advantages of mRNA over protein or DNA-based delivery systems and description of demographic and economic trends, and outlook of the mRNA therapeutics market- Evaluation of current market size and forecast and information on prophylactic vaccines, vaccine discovery and development, and R&D activities- Analysis of the various innovative therapeutics as well as new promising vaccines intended for the prevention and treatment of various chronic and infectious diseases- Assessment of regulatory structure, pricing and reimbursement scenario, and pipeline analysis of the new molecules & therapeutics- Market share analysis of the key companies of the industry and coverage of events like mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, collaborations or partnerships, and other key market strategies- Comprehensive company profiles of major players of the industry, including Amgen Inc., Eli Lilly and Co., GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Johnson & Johnson and Novartis

Summary:mRNA therapeutics have emerged as a rapidly growing field with multibillion-dollar business potential within the biotherapeutics market. The therapeutic use of mRNA is unique and powerful since it plays a very critical role in human biology and instruct cells to make proteins to circulate throughout the body.

Recent commercial success has shown its potential to transform the biopharma industry, the same way that the first-generation biotech companies (such as Amgen, Biogen and Genentech) did in the 1980s when they began developing recombinant protein therapies called biologics.The COVID-19 pandemic became the first pandemic of the current generation.

It created lots of mRNA buzz in the market in terms of appreciating the bigger picture of the mRNA segment and its wider potential of developing precise and individualized therapies targeting diseases beyond viral infections.

The global market for mRNA therapeutics (e.g., mRNA vaccines, drugs and therapies) was worth REDACTED in 2020. The market is expected to reach REDACTED in 2021 and REDACTED by 2026, increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of REDACTED from 2021 through 2026. Revenue from 2021 is an estimate based on sales of first two quarters (Q1 & Q2) along with projections of dose orders for 2021 by leading companies. mRNA therapeutics typically include vaccines, drugs and therapies developed through mRNA technology. This market growth is fueled by the increasing incidence of infectious diseases (e.g., COVID-19, Zika, influenza, Ebola, etc.); increasing prevalence of chronic diseases(e.g., cancer, heart diseases, respiratory, CKD, etc.), rare diseases (e.g., methylmalonic acidemia, propionic acidemia, phenylketonuria, glycogen disease, etc.), and metabolic and immune disorders; commercialization of mRNA vaccines; development of personalized therapeutics for cancer; strong pipeline of therapeutics addressing unmet need for rare diseases; and growing global acceptance for mRNA therapeutics (e.g., COVID-19, Ebola, influenza, HIV) over traditional drugs and vaccines.

In 2020, the U.S. accounted for REDACTED (REDACTED) of the global mRNA therapeutics market. The U.S. market should reach nearly REDACTED (REDACTED) in 2021 and REDACTED (REDACTED) by 2026, increasing at a CAGR of REDACTED over the five-year forecast period. The market for 2020 is relatively lower since BioNTech and Moderna received emergency approvals for their vaccines in December 2020. Additionally, 2021 revenue is also an estimate based on sales of first two quarters (Q1 and Q2) along with projections of doses ordered to be delivered by 2021, by leading companies. The U.S. is expected to maintain dominance in the mRNA therapeutics market. This growth is due to the growing geriatricpopulation, rise of COVID-19 pandemic, increasing incidence of infectious diseases, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, growing demand for transformative therapeutics, increasing acceptance of mRNA vaccines, preventive care, continuous technological advancements, increasing investment, incentives for new product development, unmet need for rare disease treatment, favorable regulatory environment, acceptance of personalized medicine and increasing adoption of treatment adherence technologies and software applications.

In 2020, Europe had a REDACTED share of the global market worth REDACTED.The European market should reach REDACTED (REDACTED) by 2021, growing to REDACTED by 2026 at a CAGR of REDACTED.

The Asia-Pacificmarket should reach REDACTED (REDACTED) by 2021, growing to REDACTED by 2026 at a CAGR of REDACTED. The ROW market should reach REDACTED (REDACTED) by 2021, growing to REDACTED by 2026 at a CAGR of REDACTED.Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06151448/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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mRNA: Therapeutics and Global Markets - GlobeNewswire

At certain times, hypervigilance staying highly alert is useful. But when it happens all too often, you may start to feel depleted. Heres why and how to cope.

Tense muscles. Room scan. A feeling that something bad is about to happen and youre unable to relax in your environment. Sound familiar?

Living with hypervigilance can not only make it difficult to enjoy the present moment, but it can also take away from your relationships, work, school, and overall quality of life.

The good news is that support and treatment options are available, once you identify the causes of this symptom. Professional resources and self-care may help you cope.

Put simply, hypervigilance is a biological adaptation to stress. Its your brains method of trying to keep you out of harms way by being highly alert and aware of your surroundings.

According to a 2016 review, researchers have found that it generally shows up in two scenarios.

The first is a looming threat, common with anxiety disorders. The second is a reminder of a previous threat, common with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma manifestations.

Hypervigilance is not a diagnosis on its own. Its a symptom. This means that its part of a set of other symptoms.

Some common diagnoses associated with hypervigilance include:

Hypervigilance looks different for everyone, but there are some signs that many people share. These include:

Trauma can rewire the brain to put you on high alert.

Research from 2019 suggests that those with trauma experience increased activity in their amygdala, the part of your brain that sends out the code red signal.

This means that your brain will alert the other systems in your body to get ready for an incoming threat even if theres no direct danger present.

Some cues may include:

Researchers are still trying to pin down why anxiety disorders manifest with hypervigilance.

Research from 2014 suggests that anxiety spurs selective attention in your brain. Then, it creates a feedback loop: You look for a specific threat and you get more anxious, which causes you to look for more threats. On and on it goes.

Research from 2015 suggests hypervigilance may result from miscommunication between two parts of the brain, the amygdala and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST).

Some triggers may include:

Sometimes. It all depends on where its coming from.

If youve experienced a recent event that shook you up, like a near-miss car accident, your hypervigilance may go away on its own within a few hours or a couple of days if you didnt develop PTSD.

But for many, hypervigilance sticks around. If this is your case, its highly advisable to reach out for support and determine the underlying cause.

Hypervigilance is a natural feature of your limbic system, which manages your fight-or-flight response. It comes in handy in several scenarios, including:

Because it protects you in precarious situations, a small dose of hypervigilance is actually a good thing from time to time.

Your treatment for hypervigilance will depend on the underlying condition. In other words, you would treat the cause of your symptom, instead of just the symptom itself.

A mental health professional may recommend several types of therapy to treat mental health conditions that have hypervigilance as a symptom.

These include:

A doctor may recommend medication as part of your treatment for anxiety or PTSD. These medications will depend on your other symptoms and your specific needs.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is gaining traction in the Western medicine model.

Some supplements and herbs may help reduce symptoms associated with anxiety, including hypervigilance. More research is still needed, though.

Ask your doctor about:

If your hypervigilance is the result of stress, some self-care strategies may help. These include:

Hypervigilance is a natural biological process. In small doses, its useful.

However, for those who live with trauma, anxiety, or other mental health conditions, ongoing hypervigilance may take away from your relationships, work, and more.

In this case, a professional will be able to provide you with an accurate diagnosis and work with you on a treatment plan. Self-care strategies for relaxation may also help.

Remember, the overactive guard dog in your mind doesnt run the household you do. Its possible to take your power back. Youve got this.

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What Is Hypervigilance and What Causes It? - PsychCentral.com

Test tubes are seen in front of a displayed Pfizer logo in this illustration taken, May 21, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

(Reuters) - Pfizer Inc said on Thursday it was recalling all lots of its anti-smoking treatment, Chantix, due to high levels of cancer-causing agents called nitrosamines in the pills.

The drugmaker paused distribution of the drug in June, and has already recalled a number of lots of the medicine so far.

Pfizer asked wholesalers and distributors on Thursday to stop the use and distribution of the tablets immediately.

The company said there was no immediate risk to patients

taking Chantix, but advised them to consult with their health care provider to check the availability of alternative treatments.

Chantix was approved by the FDA in May 2006 as a prescription medication to help adults aged 18 and over quit smoking and is typically used for 12 to 24 weeks.

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Pfizer recalls all lots of anti-smoking drug over carcinogen presence - Reuters