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25.01.2022 Lesser Known Health Professions: Genetic Counselling. Genetic councillors work closely with people affected by genetic conditions and their families, providing support and facilitating access to resources.

24.01.2022 Lesser-known Health Professionals: Radiation Oncologists. Radiation Oncologists are specialist doctors who oversee radiation therapy particularly for cancer patients, both for curing cancer or slowing the cancer growth in incurable cases.

24.01.2022 Lesser-known Health Professionals: Hospital Pharmacists. Hospital pharmacists perform a critical role in evaluating the safety of patients' medication regimens as well as providing access to said medications.

23.01.2022 I apologise to all our loyal readers. I missed putting up a post on #maythefourth. But to make it up to you, here is a #StarWars themed explanation of #mRNAvaccines. May the 4th be with you. ... https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/mrna_vaccine.png

23.01.2022 Lesser-known Health Professions: Occupational Therapy. Occupational therapists help people inside hospitals and in the community to function independently and to live their lives, including in cases of stroke and injury.

22.01.2022 Today's Abused Health Concept is CLAIM THAT MASKS CAN'T FILTER VIRAL PARTICLES. "The Flinders University study, published in Pathogens, found even the poorest performing [cloth] mask filtered at least 50% of viruses." "While a 50% reduction might not seem particularly effective, the Flinders environmental health experts say US modelling studies have shown that if 80% of the population was wearing a 50% effective mask in areas of high transmission like New York, the number of ...COVID-19 deaths could fall between 17% and 45%." https://news.flinders.edu.au//virus-tests-support-masks-/

22.01.2022 Great Moments in Health and Science: The Discovery of Neurotransmitters. The knowledge of how nerves send signals has been essential in understanding and treating numerous diseases that are affected by the nervous system, including epilepsy and heart arrhythmias.

22.01.2022 This is not the first time we have mentioned black salve on this page - a corrosive paste marketed as a natural cancer treatment, which 'works' by corroding tissue. The use of corrosives for skin cancers is akin to surgical removal - with added risk, and without the expertise and oversight of a medical professional. Black Salve can corrode skin, cartilage and muscle, and leave large open sores that heal poorly and carry a high risk of infection. While the majority of our followers are unlikely to fall for the black salve marketing, this might be a useful resource to provide friends or family who are considering using Black Salve.

21.01.2022 Today’s Abused Heath Concept is CELEBRITRY PROMOTION OF QUACKERY For some time celebrity chef Pete Evans has maintained a reputation as a controversial figure, thanks to his promotion and support of various pseudo-scientific health modalities, diets, conspiracies and devices, often with little to no regard for evidence or safety. Evans has now become the first ever two time recipient of the ‘Bent Spoon’ award from the Australian Skeptics. The Bent Spoon, one of the least soug...ht-after awards, is given to the proponent of the most preposterous piece of pseudoscientific or paranormal piffle of the year. His promotion of the pseudoscientific non-medical BioCharger for treating COVID-19 would have been enough in its own right, said Tim Mendham But add on top his promotion of the anti-vaccination cause, through interviewing defrocked medico Andrew Wakefield to discuss his debunked suggestion of a link between vaccines and autism, and his support of the alarmist, conspiratorial and mis-named Medical Options Party in the Queensland election, meant that there really was no other choice. Evans first won the Spoon in 2015 for his dangerous diet promotions (bone broth for babies!) and his campaigns against fluoridation and vaccination. Over the years, Evans has added to his portfolio of weirdness. Each new fetish just puts further strange ideas out there, some silly, some dangerous. He is a deserving winner. https://www.skeptics.com.au//paleo-pete-evans-wins-bent-s/

20.01.2022 "In the end, what we have here from Dr. Mercola is nothing more than a Gish gallop of cherry picked studies and observations without context designed to spread fear, uncertainty, and doubt about the flu vaccine."

19.01.2022 Lesser-known Health Professions: Forensic Pathology. Forensic pathologists are medical doctors specialised in determining cause death. In doing so, they provide essential information for families of the deceased, the public health system and the legal system.

19.01.2022 Today’s Abused health concept is POLITICISATION OF SCIENCE AND HEALTHCARE (aka Promoting Hydroxychloroquine Use) "Early in the pandemic, many patients were severely ill, with fever, cough, and respiratory distress, and no specific treatment was available. Patients’ fear of not knowing what was coming next was harrowingBoth patients and clinicians were desperate." "On March 16, 2020, a study on use of hydroxychloroquine in patients with SARS-CoV-2 was published (online via ...YouTube) by Gautret et al. The preliminary data from this small study was heard round the world." On April 4, the US president, speaking on gut instinct, promoted the drug as a potential treatment and authorized the US government to purchase and stockpile 29 million pills of hydroxychloroquine for use by patients with COVID-19.... no health official in the US government endorsed [this] owing to the absence of robust data and concern about adverse effects. Nonetheless, use of hydroxychloroquine increased substantially, and the US Food and Drug Administration had issued an Early Use Authorization [later revoked]..." These events sparked an avalanche of studies, many of which are now completed and are being reported in the scientific literature. These well-conducted trials, including the study reported in this issue of JAMA, demonstrate the lack of efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in patients with COVID-19. In a twist of irony, the US president did not receive hydroxychloroquine, with or without azithromycin, when he contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in early October." Several lessons are gleaned from the experience with hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19. "First, a single report based on a small, nonrandomized study must be considered preliminary and hypothesis generating, not clinically actionable. Likewise, anecdotal case reports and case series that include several cases likewise must be considered anecdotal and preliminary. " "Second, US health officials, such as members of the Coronavirus Task Force, leaders from the National Institutes of Health, and officers of physician organizations and societies, who resisted being forced to promote the politically motivated use of hydroxychloroquine were correct and should be recognized for their steadfast commitment to science. " "Third, patients who have a potentially life-threatening disease are desperate and will accept any treatment that appears to be effective, especially when such treatment is promoted by individuals who ordinarily should be trusted, such as the US president." "The clear, unambiguous, and compelling lesson from the hydroxychloroquine story for the medical community and the public is that science and politics do not mix. Science, by definition, requires diligence and an honest assessment of findings; politics not so much. " https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2772921 "

19.01.2022 Informed consent is one of the staple requirements of legitimate health care. It is incredibly important that the patients autonomy is protected so that they can make informed choices about their care. Informed consent requires that the patient understands what their treatment is, what the level of evidence for the treatment is, and what the risks and benefits are compared standard care or no care. So how can this possibly work with modalities like Chiro? Modalities that ... -are not based in science -are unable to reliably demonstrate a significant benefit -come with significant risks compared to standard care -come at a much higher average cost for what benefit they do provide. What IS it that they tell their patients when they seek consent? https://edzardernst.com//informed-consent-why-chiropracto/

18.01.2022 Lesser Known Health Professions: Immunologists. As specialised medical doctors, immunologists manage many aspects of immune-system disorders, from allergies to severe auto-immune conditions.

18.01.2022 Allergic rhinitis ( hay fever) or Covid-19? With COVID-19 circulating it is even more important to have your allergic rhinitis symptoms under control. It is bes...t to avoid the dilemma of having to consider whether your runny nose is COVID-19 related. Wearing a face mask with allergic rhinitis is near impossible. See your GP to discuss which antihistamines, nasal sprays or eye drops (if your eyes are affected) would be best suited to you. Visit our website for more information about allergic rhinitis: http://ow.ly/lw7k50B5bYK

16.01.2022 Today's Abused Health Concept is POLITICAL CONTROL OF HEALTH AGENCIES The FDA and the CDC are agencies that have made massive contributions to the safety and efficacy of of healthcare. Through their histories that success has largely correlated to their ability to resist political pressure and to adhere to decisions and information based on good science. In the current climate however, political control is being exerted in unprecedented ways. ... "The health department’s politically appointed communications aides have demanded the right to review and seek changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s weekly scientific reports charting the progress of the coronavirus pandemic, in what officials characterized as an attempt to intimidate the reports’ authors and water down their communications to health professionals." It would seem that science is being leaned on to force statements that align with political goals, with far too much success. When one also considers that the FDA has began to make emergency use authorisations in line with political demands, such as for the use of hydroxychloroquine, the picture becomes quite disturbing in terms of the public trust. To be able to provide reliable answers, any health agency needs to be able to adhere to science completely independent of any politics. This is how public institutions earn the public trust. Short sighted politics are eroding that trust, and may do untold damage in the near future. https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/can-we-trust-the-cdc-and-/

16.01.2022 FSM's John Dwyer explains blood clots and the AZ vaccine - and the best way forward for Australia.

15.01.2022 While it is easy focus entirely on evidence based care for humans, should not care for animals be based on similar ethical standards. And should not the medical science of veterinary treatment be subject to similar rigour? https://edzardernst.com//traditional-chinese-veterinary-m/

15.01.2022 Great Moments in Health and Science: The Development of the Frozen Section. Frozen sections allow masses and cancers removed by surgeons to be examined and diagnosed rapidly by a pathologist under the microscope whilst the operation is still taking place. In this way, surgeons can be sure the whole mass has been removed, as well as initiate different post-operative treatments depending on the diagnosis.

14.01.2022 Todays abused health concept is the THEARAPUTIC GOODS ADMINISTRATION. FSM president Ken Harvey has resigned in frustration from the TGA’s advertising committee due to the notable lack of enforcement action for non-compliant complementary medicine advertising. The Therapeutic Goods Administration received 1468 complaints in 2018-19 about advertisements for drugs and devices, many of them alleging herbal supplements, fat burners and hangover cures were being sold with wild and... unsupported claims about their effectiveness. Despite most complaints being upheld, in most cases the TGA only sent an ‘advisory letter’, and many products remain for sale despite an upheld complaint, Dr Harvey said. Very high numbers of "non compliant" products an average of 77 per cent of those reviewed between 2014 and 2018 are revealed every year by the TGA's own surveillance. Most make misleading claims or lack evidence showing they work. This has included everything from supplements and weight loss pills, through to fake facemasks being sold to hospitals. (602 facemasks brands eventually lost their licences, but only after ‘The Age’ raised concerns) Imagine if instead of products being sold, this conversation was about drink drivers. Imagine being on a committee aiming to protect victims. And imagine how frustrating it would be to always see more warnings being sent out while the perpetrators continue their abusive behaviour unabated. "I have come to the conclusion I have been wasting my and Choice's time," Dr Harvey said. "The TGA is not going to fix the problem of advertising until there is changes, either at the top of the TGA or at government level." https://www.theage.com.au//top-doctor-resigns-tga-role-ove

13.01.2022 THANKS TO SCIENCE we can use new technologies to develop more effective, cheaper and safer vaccines. Australia has joined the international COVAX initiative, which supports the development of multiple SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Among these are vaccines made from live, attenuated viruses, subunit vaccines consisting of protein with an immune stimulating adjuvant, and vaccines comprised of genetic material (DNA or RNA). These technologies would not be as far developed if it were not for basic research conducted across the world, including Australia.

13.01.2022 Great Moments in Health and Science: The Development of Endovascular Thrombectomy. Through a small tube inserted into a blood vessel, blood clots such as those causing a stroke can be safely and quickly removed and normal blood flow restored.

13.01.2022 In response to the politically manipulative "Great Barrington Declaration" which called for 'herd immunity' approach to the Covid19 Pandemic, scientists and healthcare professionals have produced the "John Snow Memorandum". The JSM points out the problems with ineffective pandemic management include social inequities, lost trust, demoralisation, as well as the dangers of a 'herd immunity' approach. It call for effective pandemic management strategies, and points out that the ...time in lock downs must be used effectively to prevent future lock downs. The JSM vets it's signatories, unlike that GBD which had signatories from "Signature McPersonFace" and similar. It is interesting to compare the two documents for rigour and bias. Once again, we face rapidly accelerating increase in COVID-19 cases across much of Europe, the USA, and many other countries across the world. It is critical to act decisively and urgently. Effective measures that suppress and control transmission need to be implemented widely, and they must be supported by financial and social programmes that encourage community responses and address the inequities that have been amplified by the pandemic. Continuing restrictions will probably be required in the short term, to reduce transmission and fix ineffective pandemic response systems, in order to prevent future lockdowns. https://www.johnsnowmemo.com/

12.01.2022 "It’s unlikely that an obscure website shared on Facebook will have access to secret information that cannot be validated somewhere else. Ask yourself, what type of evidence is being used? Is this a testimonial? Who is writing this information, and what stakes do they have in what they are selling? Are they influencers? Do they profit from whatever they may be selling?"

12.01.2022 Today's Abused Health Concept is THE INFODEMIC "An infodemic designates an uncontrollable proliferation of information, such that it is difficult to identify real facts and solutions. In our current infodemic, myths, conspiracy theories, scams, armchair epidemiologists, and Twitter scientists abound online and in the media. " The WHO has gone so far as to create an "Infodemic Management Group". Ironically, the very idea that someone would try to correct misinformation has spa...rked many conspiracy theorists to cry foul. In the mean time "The team contributes to informational content across platforms by collaborating on projects that include short animations and videos, Q&As, myth busters, social media tiles, and live interviews on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn. The WHO liaises with search and media companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter, Tencent, TikTok, and Youtube in an effort to filter out misinformation on the platforms and provide accurate information through innovative tools such as chatbots and quizzes. The infodemic managers also offer training and support to countries and civil society at the grass roots level and through partnerships with other UN agencies and non-government organizations." You need to reassure the public by saying ‘here’s what we know right now, here’s what we can do based on what we know, and here’s what we don’t yet know,’ Lewis explained. And then people feel that you’re communicating in a transparent and honest manner. The important ingredient is trust. Failing to disclose the unknowns surrounding the current pandemic can break the trust that the Infodemic Management group so carefully cultivates and encourages and ultimately harms efforts to curb the spread and uptake of misinformation. When you appear to backtrack or change your mind that generates a loss of trust, she said. And when you lose the trust of the public it’s hard to regain. But it also creates fertile ground for people to come up with their own explanations. Lewis sees this behaviour in a number of world leaders, even those who may be well-intentioned in wanting to reassure their population that everything will be all right. Leaders who speak with clarity, empathy, and compassion can help to regulate expectations and hopefully even provide solace to those in pain. https://www.forbes.com//clarity-and-honesty-are-key-to-fi/

12.01.2022 "Acupuncture is a theatrical placebo based on pre-scientific notions of anatomy and physiology. It proposes a system of meridians throughout the body carrying qi, or energy, which, when blocked, causes disease and other maladies. Unblocking the flow of this energy by sticking needles in acupoints located all over the body (although there is no agreement on where they are) is the putative point of acupuncture."

11.01.2022 Now that we are in the midst of a pandemic, multilevel marketing schemes have been quick to take advantage of public fears and are offering bogus products alleged to prevent or treat COVID-19.

10.01.2022 THANKS TO SCIENCE the world is being rid of wild polio. Africa has been declared free of the last circulating strain of polio - a feat attributed to a massive vaccine effort in the region. Now, wild polio is thought only to be circulating in Afghanistan and Pakistan. There are still some cases of vaccine-derived polio in parts of Africa - where the attenuated viral strain becomes transmitted in populations with low vaccine coverage. These events are rare (there have been under 30 vaccine-derived polio outbreaks recorded, while over 10 billion people have received oral polio vaccination and an estimated 13 million polio cases prevented), and can be managed with vaccination campaigns which control spread of transmissible polio (either wild or vaccine-derived).

10.01.2022 DORIT RUBINSTEIN REISS REPORTS ON THE ACIP COVID-19 vaccines meeting: Presentations were made on promising vaccine candidates.: What this presentation showed is that in addition to the large trials before licensing, Covid-19 vaccines will be subject to extremely extensive safety monitoring. This will draw on a combination of the existing and extensive safety monitoring mechanisms and new approaches New programs will look more specifically at healthcare workers assumed by... all to be among the first groups to get the vaccines and will include active questioning Basically, a lot of effort is already going into safety, and aggressive oversight is planned. Other important issues included an overview of epidemiology in the US, and modelling for the best strategies for vaccine allocations, such as vaccinating Aged care workers vs vaccinating residents first. Unfortunately, anti vaccine groups used the public comments for anti-vax posturing. But on the other hand Fraternal Order of Real Bearded Santas called for harnessing the power of Santas to fight diseases. One can’t make this up. https://www.skepticalraptor.com//acip-covid-19-vaccines-m/

10.01.2022 THANKS TO SCIENCE for SCIENCE COMMUNICATION If you have expertise in medicine, biology or science in general, you can use your skills to promote evidence and combat misinformation. Science communication is an important skill, and the events of this year make it clear how important dedicated science communicators are. However, even if you don't work in science communication, your knowledge can be important to those around you who respect you and your training. Your skills as a... scientist are important and useful, no matter the field. All scientists are science communicators, and effective science communication is more important than ever. "Although I don’t work in drug development, I understand enough of the chemistry to know how nucleoside analogs such as the drug remdesivir function. I excitedly explained how viruses are sloppier than normal human cells when replicating their genomes and how researchers can capitalize on this to make drugs. A few days later, I found myself having a similar conversation with my mom. I wasn’t in a place to predict the efficacy of any drug, but I could at least explain why antivirals like remdesivir had a shot at working, while hydroxychloroquine was less promising.:

09.01.2022 Today's abused health concept is NATURAL HERD IMMUNITY. The strategy of natural herd immunity for Covid19 have been analysed and rejected as we learned more about the nature of the virus. The only way it would be possible to acquire natural herd immunity would be for an infection rate 8-9 times that of the US, in order to achieve a minimum herd immunity of just 50%, which is not likely to be effective for an infectious disease like Covid. This would come with the horrific num...bers of additional deaths, and the increased death-rate due to overwhelming the health care system. Could the US sustain an additional 1-2 million deaths? How about the rest of the world? EVEN then the immunity may only last a year. Despite this, natural herd immunity is STILL being promoted by alternative voices as preferable to government controls and vaccines. This may be in part due to increased politicisation of healthcare, and corresponding reduced trust in public institutions. But overwhelmingly, this view is based in misinformation and conspiracy thinking. We need to oppose misinformation and politicisation with a strong commitment to scientific evidence based health care. "The bottom line is that there is no path to natural herd immunity that is not horrific." https://theness.com//ind/covid-not-close-to-herd-immunity/

09.01.2022 There is absolutely not a jot of evidence to support it and plenty of evidence to support the thinking that it’s an incredible waste of money and just essentially expensive water, she said. I will not allow my professional credibility to be undermined by keeping this kind of product in the pharmacy.

09.01.2022 "The Chinese government promotes TCM (which is big business in China, both domestically and as an export business) by passing laws to promote TCM by requiring it in state hospitals and lowering the bar for its approval, all while also passing laws to protect it against criticism, or what it calls slandering or libeling TCM."

09.01.2022 THANKS TO SCIENCE for vaccines. I probably do not need to elaborate on the importance of vaccines to preventing unnecessary illness and deaths, especially in this time. This pandemic might see the fastest development and implementation of a vaccine in human history, which some argue can increase the risk of adverse events. However, the risk of adverse events relies on good quality trials prior to implementation, in addition to comprehensive vaccine surveillance. There is inhe...rent risk in any medical procedure - be it therapeutic or preventative - so a vaccine is only rolled out if the risk of adverse events is less than the risk posed by the infection. The Australian government appear to be investing in a broader vaccine surveillance program in anticipation of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in a effort to efficiently capture adverse events. Do you think this will influence people's decision to take up the vaccine?

08.01.2022 Full-body health screening is becoming more widely available - but there are some unexpected risks of the 'worried well' undergoing a battery of tests. Undergoing the tests right cause you mental stress. You may also uncover an asymptomatic condition which requires treatment - this might sound like a good thing, but our best reviews show these kinds of screens do not increase life expectancy, and it is likely you may get treatment for something that was never going to cause a... problem. One health screen service reported "so far the doctors have found hidden problems in every patient. (It is important to note that this kind of screening is different to targeted screening - bowel cancer over a certain age, cancer screening in those with a strong familial history, or anyone who had noticed symptoms or unusual changes in their body. These scenarios all necessitate follow up.)

07.01.2022 Great Moments in Health and Science: The Development of the Modern Needle and Syringe. Safer, cleaner and more effective than alternatives like sharpened goose quills, modern needles and syringes are used to save lives from insulin-injections for diabetics, through to cannulation in the emergency department and operating theatre.

07.01.2022 Great Moments in Health and Science: The Development of Hip Replacement Surgery. For those with severe arthritis, or fractures, hip replacement surgery can improve function, pain and independence.

07.01.2022 Today's ABUSED HEALTH CONCEPT is sCAM medicine to reduce Opioid use. A favourite line of alt med proponents is to point to the opioid crisis.... Yet sCAM medicine performance in reducing opioid use is not well supported in evidence. " I have said several times before, the way to avoid over-prescribing opioid is not through using more therapies of doubtful effectiveness but through prescribing less opioids. And to achieve that, doctors should just do what they learnt in medical school " https://edzardernst.com//does-integrative-medicine-reduce/

06.01.2022 "So I still find myself wondering, if a science-based chiropractor is equivalent to a good physical therapist, why not just go to a physical therapist instead of rolling the dice in a rigged game? But the question of just how generous to be when evaluating the chiropractic profession is entirely moot when we double back to the issue of pediatric chiropractic, particularly the nauseating concept of newborn/infant care. Any claim of chiropractic involving the evaluation and management of infants is indefensible nonsense based on magical thinking and pseudomedical garbage. All of it."

06.01.2022 "What these influencers are doing is exploiting the pandemic to sell unproven products"

05.01.2022 Today’s Abused Health Concept is CHIROPRACTIC A review on Edzard Ernst’s book ‘Not All That It’s Cracked Up to Be’. Ernst reviews the evidence and history of Chiropractic, and more importantly, reviews the studies that Chiropractors rely on. He addresses what he sees as a scandalous amount of misinformation, and tries to set the record straight. Rather than advising against chiropractic, he asks readers to make up their own minds and make reasonable decisions based on the... evidence. [spinal manipulation therapy] SMT itself is suspect. Ernst describes the studies chiropractors have relied on to demonstrate the effectiveness of SMT and shows how they are all flawed in various ways. None of the studies controlled for placebo effects. For acute low back pain, the average patient can expect a 50/50 chance of up to a 20% improvement in pain and function, but more than 50% will report harms such as increased pain and muscle stiffness One analysis showed that 31-66% of patients using chiropractic for back or neck pain also took opioids, a sad commentary on the effectiveness of chiropractic. Chiropractic is said to be hugely popular, but the evidence shows that its popularity is variable and usually modest (he cites the numbers), and it is illegal in 12 countries (Argentina, Austria, Colombia, Egypt, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Lebanon, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, and Ukraine). This book is an excellent, comprehensive reference for all things chiropractic. It provides solid facts to correct widespread misinformation. It provides evidence that should answer any question a reader might come up with. It doesn’t tell readers what to think, but it provides the tools to help them think clearly for themselves. https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/edzard-ernst-tackles-chi/

04.01.2022 "I can't do real magic," said Randi in the 1987 Fresh Air interview. "I think there's more magic in the opening of a morning glory than anything I or any charlatans in history has ever done, is doing, or will ever do." An amazing skeptic, performer and person, James Randi taught that everyone is capable of being fooled, shown most notably in the many believers who would keep on believing even after he showed them exactly how a "psychic's" trick had worked.

03.01.2022 "This fetishization of nutrition and food above all permeates not just the antivaccine movement but all of alternative medicine... there is considerable victim blaming among the 'nutrition cures everything' crowd."

02.01.2022 Great Moments in Health and Science: The Discovery of Cells. As the building blocks of all living things, from bacteria to whales, it is the knowledge of cell existence and behaviour that is the foundation of understanding many disease processes, from ageing to cancer.

01.01.2022 "It is fairly clear that one of the most effective methods for minimizing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic is to limit large gatherings. This one step can prevent superspreader events, which can reduce the spread of the virus by as much as 80%."

01.01.2022 "In 1918 the flu pandemic killed at least 50 million people worldwide that is 50 times the current death toll for COVID. I don’t think anyone wants to see that before achieving some level of herd immunity."