Flu shot does not reduce risk of death - NewsGrabs 31 August 2008

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Flu shot does not reduce risk of death
"Over the last two decades in the United Sates, even while vaccination rates among the elderly have increased from 15 to 65 percent, there has been no commensurate decrease in hospital admissions or all-cause mortality. Further, only about 10 percent of winter-time deaths in the United States are attributable to influenza, thus to suggest that the vaccine can reduce 50 percent of deaths from all causes is implausible in our opinion."

BLACK RASPBERRIES SLOW CANCER BY ALTERING HUNDREDS OF GENES
The carcinogen affected the activity of some 2,200 genes in the animals’ esophagus in only one week, but 460 of those genes were restored to normal activity in animals that consumed freeze-dried black raspberry powder as part of their diet during the exposure.

“We have clearly shown that berries, which contain a variety of anticancer compounds, have a genome-wide effect on the expression of genes involved in cancer development,” says principal investigator Gary D. Stoner, a professor of pathology, human nutrition and medicine who studies dietary agents for the prevention of esophageal cancer.

Feds crack down on reports of natural remedy healings
"If the FTC is successful in silencing Daniel Chapter One, individual consumers seeking to improve their health and the health of American society as a whole will suffer important losses," said Attorney James S. Turner, lead counsel for the organization, which has set up a separate website to track its battle with the federal government over the issue of vitamins, herbs and other natural supplements.

USDA Gift to Monsanto
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, which operates under the USDA, the US Department of Agriculture, has just approved a Monsanto genetically modified corn that has Bt genes against corn borer and root worm stacked with a gene for tolerance to Round-up herbicide, to qualify for a substantial rebate on crop insurance rates. The companies benefiting from the largesse of the USDA give-away insurance include besides Monsanto, Dow, Syngenta and Pioneer Hi-Bred.

US Appeals Court: Government can prohibit mad cow testing
The Bush administration can prohibit meat packers from testing their animals for mad cow disease, a federal appeals court said Friday. The dispute pits the Agriculture Department, which tests about 1 percent of cows for the potentially deadly disease, against a Kansas meat packer that wants to test all its animals.

It seems like the US government has won a dubious distinction: The ability to prohibit tests for mad cow disease that go beyond its token (one per cent) testing of slaughtered animals. As far as I remember, no one was so shy about testing in Europe, when the mad cow disaster developed here...

Scientists examine bird flu infections to monitor for 'pandemic' mutations
Scientists funded by the Wellcome Trust are to examine what is preventing the H5N1 avian influenza virus from causing a human pandemic and what mutations are required to realise its deadly potential.

Since its reappearance in 1997, the H5N1 influenza virus has caused disease and death in millions of birds around the globe. The number of infections in humans is still relatively small, however: from 2003 to the end of June 2008 there had been 385 known cases in humans, 243 of them fatal(1). So far, there appear to have been very few cases of human-to-human transmission.

Doesn't it make you very safe and cosy to know that Wellcome Trust (sprung from the brow of AZT maker Wellcome) scientists are looking out for us? Checking what is still needed to make all the ingredients for a pandemic? Which of course incidentally will make a fortune for the pharmaceutical companies.

... and by the way, "millions of birds around the globe" were killed by humans, not by the bird flu. They were exterminated because one or more of their flock mates had been found sick with bird flu or suspected bird flu.

Is this perhaps all a Pandemic of Propaganda?

Reform the FDA! Health freedom group heats up campaign
To persuade Congress to address the comprehensive failure of the FDA, a Petition to Reform the FDA has been drafted. Your signature is vital. We must collect such a large number of names on the Petition that it compels Congressional Action. We will hand deliver the petition to Congressional leaders and urge them to enact comprehensive FDA reform. Congress already knows that the FDA represents a serious problem. This petition will help move them to take the urgent action required.

Low cholesterol associated with cancer in diabetics
Increasing data suggests an association between type 2 diabetes and an elevated risk of cancer, including breast, colorectal, pancreatic and liver cancers. An elevated risk of cancer in patients with low LDL was linked to cancers of digestive organs and peritoneum, genital and urinary organs, lymphatic and blood tissues as well as other areas. Patients with an LDL cholesterol level above 3.80 mmol/L had heightened risks of oral, digestive, bone, skin, connective tissue, breast and other cancers.

Human bodies run on (correct amounts of) cholesterol. Scientists are now finding out that too low is as bad or worse as too high. More studies needed and yet, we continue to aggressively dose millions with cholesterol lowering medications.

Class of diabetes drugs carries significant cardiovascular risks
In contrast, "we reported [in the journal Diabetes Care] in June 2007 that thiazolidinediones doubled the risk of congestive heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes," is says. "The increased heart failure appears to be a class effect."

Singh and Furberg reported in The Journal of the American Medical Association in 2007 after an analysis of four long-term trials that use of rosiglitazone was associated both with increased heart attacks and a doubling of heart failure.

Scientists discover leptin can also aid type 1 diabetics
Leptin is a hormone produced by the body's fat cells.

"The fact that these animals don't die and are restored to normal health despite a total lack of insulin is hard for many researchers and clinicians to believe," said Dr. Roger Unger, professor of internal medicine and senior author of the study. "Many scientists, including us, thought it would be a waste of time to give leptin in the absence of insulin. We've been brainwashed into thinking that insulin is the only substance that can correct the consequences of insulin deficiency."

Antipsychotic drug 'stroke risk'
More people than previously thought could be at higher risk of having a stroke caused by their antipsychotic drugs, say UK scientists. A study published in the British Medical Journal says all forms of antipsychotics boost the risk, in all patients.

Glaxo Loses Preemption Ruling In Paxil Suicide
Glaxo cited preemption as a reason for the suit to be dismissed. Preemption is the legal notion that FDA approval of a drug supercedes state law claims challenging safety, efficacy, or labeling. Drugmakers and the FDA argue that preemption exists by maintaining the agency’s actions are the final word on safety and effectiveness.

In this case, the drugmaker maintained that a direct conflict existed between failure-to-warn claims under New Jersey state law and the federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act. New Jersey law stipulates that a drugmaker must warn of all known adverse effects of a drug as soon as reasonably feasible after learning of any danger.

Scientists Question Health / Economic Value of HPV Vaccine
So what is the basis for the sudden panic about cervical cancer in the US, Britain, and France, and the urgency for getting pre-teenage girls vaccinated??? Answer: aggressive lobbying / marketing campaigns by Merck and GSK.

Key physicians, professional medical associations, legislators and public health policy makers were enticed with cash: "Merck lobbied every opinion leader, women's group, medical society, politicians, and went directly to the people - it created a sense of panic that says you have to have this vaccine now," said Dr. Diane Harper, a professor of medicine at Dartmouth Medical School. Dr. Harper was a principal investigator on the clinical trials of both Gardasil and Cervarix, and she spent 2006-7 on sabbatical at the World Health Organization developing plans for cervical cancer vaccine programs around the world.

There Will Be No Heterosexual AIDS Epidemic, Experts Admit
It is official: AIDS is not explicable by sexual transmission, at least not outside of Sub-Saharan Africans, gay men, intravenous drug users and prostitutes. For the rest of us, there is no heterosexual AIDS pandemic, and further, there will be no heterosexual AIDS pandemic.

"A 25-year health campaign was misplaced outside the continent of Africa," the article concedes, daring you hang them all. And so they’re quick to add a massive fiction: "But the disease still kills more than all wars and conflicts."

The authorities explain that they misled the entire world, for decades, because admitting the grandeur of their farce would have