by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Every year as flu season approaches, health authorities begin their chorus of warnings about the dangers of getting the flu. As part of their campaign to drum up support for the annual flu vaccine, it is common to hear about the 36,000 people who die every year from flu-related illness. But is this statistic even accurate? According to a recent announcement from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), no.
According to the CDC, there is no average number of people who die from the flu because the actual count varies significantly from year to year. Published in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the CDC announcement explains that the actual death count from flu-related illness has been as low as 3,300 in some years, which is far lower than the statistics used in media talking points.
The vast majority of flu-related deaths occur in people over the age of 65. Typically it is not even the flu that kills them, but other illnesses that result at some point after having the flu. But this fact has not stopped the CDC from now recommending that every person over the age of six months get a flu vaccine.
But do flu vaccines even work in the first place? According to two reviews recently published by the Cochrane Foundation, flu vaccinations are not effective at preventing the flu. In fact, they do virtually nothing to prevent the flu-related illnesses that are actually responsible for causing death primarily in the elderly.
According to Dr. Tom Jefferson from the Cochrane Vaccines Field, flu vaccines "show only modest or no effect against influenza and hospitalization from pneumonia." He goes on to say in a podcast that "we have no reliable evidence on the effects of influenza vaccines on the elderly and health care workers who work with the elderly. What we do have evidence of is widespread manipulation of conclusions and spurious notoriety of the studies."
So in summary, all the hoopla over flu deaths and the need for a flu vaccine are grounded in junk science and faulty statistics.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Spinal Sugery Complications Severely Underestimated
Retrospective reviews significantly underestimate the overall incidence of complications in spine surgery. This analysis is the first to critically assess differing complication incidences reported in prospective and retrospective cervical and thoracolumbar spine surgery studies.
J Neurosurg Spine. 2010 Aug;13(2):144-57.
Complications in spine surgery.
Nasser R, Yadla S, Maltenfort MG, Harrop JS, Anderson DG, Vaccaro AR, Sharan AD, Ratliff JK.
Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Abstract
OBJECT: The overall incidence of complications or adverse events in spinal surgery is unknown. Both prospective and retrospective analyses have been performed, but the results have not been critically assessed. Procedures for different regions of the spine (cervical and thoracolumbar) and the incidence of complications for each have been reported but not compared. Authors of previous reports have concentrated on complications in terms of their incidence relevant to healthcare providers: medical versus surgical etiology and the relevance of perioperative complications to perioperative events. Few authors have assessed complication incidence from the patient's perspective. In this report the authors summarize the spine surgery complications literature and address the effect of study design on reported complication incidence.
METHODS: A systematic evidence-based review was completed to identify within the published literature complication rates in spinal surgery. The MEDLINE database was queried using the key words "spine surgery" and "complications." This initial search revealed more than 700 articles, which were further limited through an exclusion process. Each abstract was reviewed and papers were obtained. The authors gathered 105 relevant articles detailing 80 thoracolumbar and 25 cervical studies. Among the 105 articles were 84 retrospective studies and 21 prospective studies. The authors evaluated the study designs and compared cervical, thoracolumbar, prospective, and retrospective studies as well as the durations of follow-up for each study.
RESULTS: In the 105 articles reviewed, there were 79,471 patients with 13,067 reported complications for an overall complication incidence of 16.4% per patient. Complications were more common in thoracolumbar (17.8%) than cervical procedures
CONCLUSIONS:Retrospective reviews significantly underestimate the overall incidence of complications in spine surgery. This analysis is the first to critically assess differing complication incidences reported in prospective and retrospective cervical and thoracolumbar spine surgery studies.
J Neurosurg Spine. 2010 Aug;13(2):141-2; discussion 142-3.
J Neurosurg Spine. 2010 Aug;13(2):144-57.
Complications in spine surgery.
Nasser R, Yadla S, Maltenfort MG, Harrop JS, Anderson DG, Vaccaro AR, Sharan AD, Ratliff JK.
Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Abstract
OBJECT: The overall incidence of complications or adverse events in spinal surgery is unknown. Both prospective and retrospective analyses have been performed, but the results have not been critically assessed. Procedures for different regions of the spine (cervical and thoracolumbar) and the incidence of complications for each have been reported but not compared. Authors of previous reports have concentrated on complications in terms of their incidence relevant to healthcare providers: medical versus surgical etiology and the relevance of perioperative complications to perioperative events. Few authors have assessed complication incidence from the patient's perspective. In this report the authors summarize the spine surgery complications literature and address the effect of study design on reported complication incidence.
METHODS: A systematic evidence-based review was completed to identify within the published literature complication rates in spinal surgery. The MEDLINE database was queried using the key words "spine surgery" and "complications." This initial search revealed more than 700 articles, which were further limited through an exclusion process. Each abstract was reviewed and papers were obtained. The authors gathered 105 relevant articles detailing 80 thoracolumbar and 25 cervical studies. Among the 105 articles were 84 retrospective studies and 21 prospective studies. The authors evaluated the study designs and compared cervical, thoracolumbar, prospective, and retrospective studies as well as the durations of follow-up for each study.
RESULTS: In the 105 articles reviewed, there were 79,471 patients with 13,067 reported complications for an overall complication incidence of 16.4% per patient. Complications were more common in thoracolumbar (17.8%) than cervical procedures
CONCLUSIONS:Retrospective reviews significantly underestimate the overall incidence of complications in spine surgery. This analysis is the first to critically assess differing complication incidences reported in prospective and retrospective cervical and thoracolumbar spine surgery studies.
J Neurosurg Spine. 2010 Aug;13(2):141-2; discussion 142-3.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
CDC-Gate Exposes A Trail of Fraud Behind Vaccine-Autism Studies
The US Center For Disease Control suddenly finds itself at the center of a huge media storm, rocked by a recent scandal implicating Dr. Paul Thorsen, chief co-author of a 2003 Danish Study financed by the CDC (which is now recognized as THE flagship model ostensibly disproving the vaccine-mercury-autism link). It seems Thorsen has illegally confiscated $2 million of CDC supplied grant money intended for research on the study.
The incident also raises red flags now calling into question the legitimacy of any & all CDC sponsored studies of this kind; most of which fall under management of Thorsen’s own Danish Research group.
CDC-GATE? ‘A Danish scientist involved in two major studies that debunked any linkage of vaccines to autism is suspected of misappropriating $2 million in U.S. grants at his university in Denmark.’“Questions about Thorsen’s scientific integrity may finally force CDC to rethink the vaccine protocols since most of the other key pro-vaccine studies cited by CDC rely on the findings of Thorsen’s research group,” Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
http://vaccinenewsdaily.com/news/212354-autism-st
The 2003 Danish Study in question was sqeuwed with manipulated data to such an extent that its legitimacy in the overall autism/vaccine debate can no longer be considered valid. Essentially what Thorsen did was to double Autism levels by covertly adding Outclinic Registries – where 93% of autism cases are reported. Denmark removed Thimerosal from vaccines in 1992; therefore by suddenly opening the floodgates on reported cases of autism the actual numbers tracked within the framework of the study increased considerably based on this unique method of census taking.
The entire Industry fueled justification for vaccine uptake depends 100% on this data to verify its conclusions as the penultimate truth; discounting any ‘autism-mercury in vaccines’ relationship (limiting claims for compensation from vaccine related trauma/resulting autism in vaccine court) while further justifying the use of Thimerosal in vaccines. This year, in fact, Australia, the United States & Canada are introducing a flu vaccine laced with 50 micrograms of Mercury – by EPA standards a safe level for a 1100 pound adult. Australia has been hit hard with hundreds of flu vaccine triggered cases of febrile convulsions, 1 death, 1 coma & a suspension of the entire program for children under 5. The US will be distributing the same toxic formula in the weeks & months to come.
Why this is such an important issue? The Danish study represents the primary rule-stick being flaunted routinely by the APP, CDC, WHO, CNN, Frontline, Fox News, Health Canada, Britain’s NHS, the entire vaccine lobby & major gov’ts around the world to sell the lie that mercury in vaccines & autism are somehow not related whatsoever. Systematically cherry picking data, applying statistics out of context while magnifying their importance they trumped up an otherwise irrelevant thesis and set to task applying it as scientific fact within a broader worldwide context.
The pro vaccine movement, a juggernaut of financial worth, is clearly trying to cover up its tracks by silencing the anti-vaccine researchers such as Dr. Andrew Wakefield & others; while sending us down a myriad of never-ending rabbit holes, citing genetic & environmental factors etc. for autism whilst continually adding to the branches of the Autism Spectrum Disorder tree. They have unwisely determined the public will never catch on to the cover-up, that we’ll never identify the real culprit since the evidence has thus been removed. This boils down to huge profits for cutthroat Big Pharma companies, increased reliance on the booming Medical System & skyrocketing stock shares for GSK, Merck & other giants of the Vaccine Industry; their underlying purpose to destroy all competition, …meaning us.
‘As a SafeMinds critique of the study noted, “Therefore, their purported increase after 1994 can be explained entirely by the registration of an existing autism population that did not require hospitalization.” To compound the problem, Denmark also changed the diagnostic code they used, to the more universal ICD10 code, beginning in 1993, which would have further raised the rates. Danish children receive 75% less Thimerosal than American children, they receive immunizations when they are older, and the U.S. autism rate is TEN TIMES the rate of Denmark (Denmark is 1 in 1,600, U.S. is 1 in 166).
It is the equivalent of doing a study on “Divorce Rates in North America” and counting Mexico and Canada only for the first few years, then adding in the United States, and noting that divorce rates went up.’
http://www.whale.to/vaccine/first_fraud.html
Ongoing criminal investigations in Denmark of Dr. Poul Thorsen, co-author of a pivotal study dismissing the link between mercury in vaccines and autism, suggest that he may have, in conjunction with staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), embezzled multi-millions of dollars. Further investigations also raise the specter that CDC staff inappropriately influenced the design, conclusions, and publication of that study and others.
Parents, researchers, and advocates from more than 10 countries, today, bombarded the Office of the Inspector General (IG) for Health and Human Services (HHS) with a unified call for congressional investigations into this matter.
Citing the known dangers of mercury, Rev. Lisa K. Sykes, President of CoMeD, Inc. stated:
“Injecting mercury into pregnant women and children is absurd. Examine studies which suggest otherwise, and you will find the funding for the study came from those who directly or indirectly profit from, or fear liability from, the use of mercury-containing vaccines.” CoMed on ongoing criminal investigations of Dr. Poul Thorsen, co-author of 2003 Danish study dismissing link between mercury in vaccines & autism.
“Key studies purporting to show no evidence of harm for Thimerosal, the mercury-based compound still used as a “preservative” in flu shots, are characterized by fraud and manipulation, according to vaccine safety advocates.”‘
http://mercury-freedrugs.org/docs/100915_CoMeD_PR_OnOIG_HHS_fnldb.pdf
‘Police in Denmark investigating a case of fraud involving the scientist Poul Thorsen, a key author of a controversial study that appears to show mercury in vaccines are safe, have been denied documents by US police authorities. Danish police were told that they would have to make a request to the US Justice Department through the Danish Ministry of Justice before they could access documents on Thorsen, who was the recipient of research grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and who is believed to have defrauded the University of Aarhaus of 10 million Danish crowns.
The police of Eastern Jutland have been criticised for failing to question Thorsen about the case even though more than half a year has elapsed since Aarhaus university publicised the fraud. Thorsen is believed to be currently living in the USA.
The fraud came to public attention after the University of Aarhus issued an official warning at the beginning of 2010 to scientists working with Thorsen. In a statement, the university distanced itself from a former main investigator, Poul Thorsen, who was the leader of the research center, the North Atlantic Neuro-Epidemiology Alliances (NANEA).
The incident also raises red flags now calling into question the legitimacy of any & all CDC sponsored studies of this kind; most of which fall under management of Thorsen’s own Danish Research group.
CDC-GATE? ‘A Danish scientist involved in two major studies that debunked any linkage of vaccines to autism is suspected of misappropriating $2 million in U.S. grants at his university in Denmark.’“Questions about Thorsen’s scientific integrity may finally force CDC to rethink the vaccine protocols since most of the other key pro-vaccine studies cited by CDC rely on the findings of Thorsen’s research group,” Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
http://vaccinenewsdaily.com/news/212354-autism-st
The 2003 Danish Study in question was sqeuwed with manipulated data to such an extent that its legitimacy in the overall autism/vaccine debate can no longer be considered valid. Essentially what Thorsen did was to double Autism levels by covertly adding Outclinic Registries – where 93% of autism cases are reported. Denmark removed Thimerosal from vaccines in 1992; therefore by suddenly opening the floodgates on reported cases of autism the actual numbers tracked within the framework of the study increased considerably based on this unique method of census taking.
The entire Industry fueled justification for vaccine uptake depends 100% on this data to verify its conclusions as the penultimate truth; discounting any ‘autism-mercury in vaccines’ relationship (limiting claims for compensation from vaccine related trauma/resulting autism in vaccine court) while further justifying the use of Thimerosal in vaccines. This year, in fact, Australia, the United States & Canada are introducing a flu vaccine laced with 50 micrograms of Mercury – by EPA standards a safe level for a 1100 pound adult. Australia has been hit hard with hundreds of flu vaccine triggered cases of febrile convulsions, 1 death, 1 coma & a suspension of the entire program for children under 5. The US will be distributing the same toxic formula in the weeks & months to come.
Why this is such an important issue? The Danish study represents the primary rule-stick being flaunted routinely by the APP, CDC, WHO, CNN, Frontline, Fox News, Health Canada, Britain’s NHS, the entire vaccine lobby & major gov’ts around the world to sell the lie that mercury in vaccines & autism are somehow not related whatsoever. Systematically cherry picking data, applying statistics out of context while magnifying their importance they trumped up an otherwise irrelevant thesis and set to task applying it as scientific fact within a broader worldwide context.
The pro vaccine movement, a juggernaut of financial worth, is clearly trying to cover up its tracks by silencing the anti-vaccine researchers such as Dr. Andrew Wakefield & others; while sending us down a myriad of never-ending rabbit holes, citing genetic & environmental factors etc. for autism whilst continually adding to the branches of the Autism Spectrum Disorder tree. They have unwisely determined the public will never catch on to the cover-up, that we’ll never identify the real culprit since the evidence has thus been removed. This boils down to huge profits for cutthroat Big Pharma companies, increased reliance on the booming Medical System & skyrocketing stock shares for GSK, Merck & other giants of the Vaccine Industry; their underlying purpose to destroy all competition, …meaning us.
‘As a SafeMinds critique of the study noted, “Therefore, their purported increase after 1994 can be explained entirely by the registration of an existing autism population that did not require hospitalization.” To compound the problem, Denmark also changed the diagnostic code they used, to the more universal ICD10 code, beginning in 1993, which would have further raised the rates. Danish children receive 75% less Thimerosal than American children, they receive immunizations when they are older, and the U.S. autism rate is TEN TIMES the rate of Denmark (Denmark is 1 in 1,600, U.S. is 1 in 166).
It is the equivalent of doing a study on “Divorce Rates in North America” and counting Mexico and Canada only for the first few years, then adding in the United States, and noting that divorce rates went up.’
http://www.whale.to/vaccine/first_fraud.html
Ongoing criminal investigations in Denmark of Dr. Poul Thorsen, co-author of a pivotal study dismissing the link between mercury in vaccines and autism, suggest that he may have, in conjunction with staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), embezzled multi-millions of dollars. Further investigations also raise the specter that CDC staff inappropriately influenced the design, conclusions, and publication of that study and others.
Parents, researchers, and advocates from more than 10 countries, today, bombarded the Office of the Inspector General (IG) for Health and Human Services (HHS) with a unified call for congressional investigations into this matter.
Citing the known dangers of mercury, Rev. Lisa K. Sykes, President of CoMeD, Inc. stated:
“Injecting mercury into pregnant women and children is absurd. Examine studies which suggest otherwise, and you will find the funding for the study came from those who directly or indirectly profit from, or fear liability from, the use of mercury-containing vaccines.” CoMed on ongoing criminal investigations of Dr. Poul Thorsen, co-author of 2003 Danish study dismissing link between mercury in vaccines & autism.
“Key studies purporting to show no evidence of harm for Thimerosal, the mercury-based compound still used as a “preservative” in flu shots, are characterized by fraud and manipulation, according to vaccine safety advocates.”‘
http://mercury-freedrugs.org/docs/100915_CoMeD_PR_OnOIG_HHS_fnldb.pdf
‘Police in Denmark investigating a case of fraud involving the scientist Poul Thorsen, a key author of a controversial study that appears to show mercury in vaccines are safe, have been denied documents by US police authorities. Danish police were told that they would have to make a request to the US Justice Department through the Danish Ministry of Justice before they could access documents on Thorsen, who was the recipient of research grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and who is believed to have defrauded the University of Aarhaus of 10 million Danish crowns.
The police of Eastern Jutland have been criticised for failing to question Thorsen about the case even though more than half a year has elapsed since Aarhaus university publicised the fraud. Thorsen is believed to be currently living in the USA.
The fraud came to public attention after the University of Aarhus issued an official warning at the beginning of 2010 to scientists working with Thorsen. In a statement, the university distanced itself from a former main investigator, Poul Thorsen, who was the leader of the research center, the North Atlantic Neuro-Epidemiology Alliances (NANEA).
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Walgreens announces flu shot gift card; give the "gift" of a vaccine
(NaturalNews) Summer isn't even over yet and the big push for the mass vaccination of the entire population is already under way. The CDC started the push by recently urging vaccine shots for everyone -- including infants, pregnant women and immune-compromised people. Adding to the vaccination hoopla, Walgreens has announced something quite bizarre: A flu shot gift card.Available for $29.99 at your nearest Walgreens retailer, this gift card is, as Walgreens explains on their website, "a way to help more Americans stay well throughout the upcoming flu season by giving the gift of a flu shot
Of course, if you gave your friends the gift of vitamin D supplements, they wouldn't need a flu shot or a jab in the arm with a sharp needle. Vitamin D has been proven again and again to work better than vaccines at preventing influenza yet it remains all but ignored by the conventional medical establishment which just happens to be dominated by the financial interests of vaccine manufacturers (pharma companies).
Swine flu again?
As Walgreens admits on its own website this year's seasonal flu shot only protects against last year's viruses. In particular, this year's flu shot contains DNA fragments from H1N1 swine flu -- yep, the very same virus that fizzled out last year after the WHO hilariously declared a stage six global pandemic. This whole charade turned out to be engineered by WHO advisors who had financial ties to the vaccine companies (http://www.naturalnews.com/029441_vaccine_manufacturers_advisors.html).
Now they're trying to jab you again with the same viral fragments. But this year they're playing mind games with the public by packaging these flu shots as "gifts." Walgreens must think this is clever, but it's actually a bit of a farce.Usually a gift is something you actually want; something that's uplifting or health enhancing in some way. Vaccines, on the other hand, have been widely linked to convulsions and neurological disorders.
Just recently, Australia actually banned its seasonal flu vaccine for children after dozens of children went into convulsions from receiving the flu shot.Why do flu shots cause convulsions? Because flu shots contain neurological inflammation agents designed to elicit an immune response for building antibodies. The problem is that these chemicals can also cause neurological damage leading to symptoms you just can't ignore... such as convulsions. Some teens have even been paralyzed by flu shots.
Western doctors routinely ignore this evidence and simply declare vaccines to be "safe for everyone!" even when they clearly aren't.So anyone who buys a flu shot gift card and hands it to a child or teenager might actually be giving the gift of convulsions. Happy Birthday, Bobby! Here, have some convulsions and go get yourself jabbed in the arm with a sharp needle...
Sending the wrong messageIn my opinion, buying a Walgreens flu shot gift card sends a powerful, two-part message. First, it announces that you're a complete idiot when it comes to health, and you're a total sucker for the corporate-controlled interventionist health care system that excels at convincing you to buy dangerous drugs you don't even need.
Secondly, it says that you probably hate the person you're giving it to. What kind of person buys a vaccine shot as a gift anyway? Does it include a Hallmark card that says "Every time I think of you, I wince in pain and can't stop convulsing. Enjoy this vaccine so that you can have the same experience."Or another card, "I couldn't decide what to get you for Christmas, so I thought I'd get you vaccinated instead. Merry Christmas!"Can you imagine some little kid receiving this gift from his parents? He was hoping for an X-Box or a dirt bike, but instead he gets an envelope with a red card in it. "What's this?" he asks his parents. "Oh, Bobby, it's a VACCINE gift card! To protect your health!" Bobby replies, "How does it work?" And his parents answer, "Well, using this vaccine gift card, you can get jabbed in the arm with chemicals and live viruses, and it won't even cost you a penny!""I feel really loved," answers Bobby. "No one has ever given me the gift of a vaccine shot! When can we go to Walgreens and cash in?"
Of course, if you gave your friends the gift of vitamin D supplements, they wouldn't need a flu shot or a jab in the arm with a sharp needle. Vitamin D has been proven again and again to work better than vaccines at preventing influenza yet it remains all but ignored by the conventional medical establishment which just happens to be dominated by the financial interests of vaccine manufacturers (pharma companies).
Swine flu again?
As Walgreens admits on its own website this year's seasonal flu shot only protects against last year's viruses. In particular, this year's flu shot contains DNA fragments from H1N1 swine flu -- yep, the very same virus that fizzled out last year after the WHO hilariously declared a stage six global pandemic. This whole charade turned out to be engineered by WHO advisors who had financial ties to the vaccine companies (http://www.naturalnews.com/029441_vaccine_manufacturers_advisors.html).
Now they're trying to jab you again with the same viral fragments. But this year they're playing mind games with the public by packaging these flu shots as "gifts." Walgreens must think this is clever, but it's actually a bit of a farce.Usually a gift is something you actually want; something that's uplifting or health enhancing in some way. Vaccines, on the other hand, have been widely linked to convulsions and neurological disorders.
Just recently, Australia actually banned its seasonal flu vaccine for children after dozens of children went into convulsions from receiving the flu shot.Why do flu shots cause convulsions? Because flu shots contain neurological inflammation agents designed to elicit an immune response for building antibodies. The problem is that these chemicals can also cause neurological damage leading to symptoms you just can't ignore... such as convulsions. Some teens have even been paralyzed by flu shots.
Western doctors routinely ignore this evidence and simply declare vaccines to be "safe for everyone!" even when they clearly aren't.So anyone who buys a flu shot gift card and hands it to a child or teenager might actually be giving the gift of convulsions. Happy Birthday, Bobby! Here, have some convulsions and go get yourself jabbed in the arm with a sharp needle...
Sending the wrong messageIn my opinion, buying a Walgreens flu shot gift card sends a powerful, two-part message. First, it announces that you're a complete idiot when it comes to health, and you're a total sucker for the corporate-controlled interventionist health care system that excels at convincing you to buy dangerous drugs you don't even need.
Secondly, it says that you probably hate the person you're giving it to. What kind of person buys a vaccine shot as a gift anyway? Does it include a Hallmark card that says "Every time I think of you, I wince in pain and can't stop convulsing. Enjoy this vaccine so that you can have the same experience."Or another card, "I couldn't decide what to get you for Christmas, so I thought I'd get you vaccinated instead. Merry Christmas!"Can you imagine some little kid receiving this gift from his parents? He was hoping for an X-Box or a dirt bike, but instead he gets an envelope with a red card in it. "What's this?" he asks his parents. "Oh, Bobby, it's a VACCINE gift card! To protect your health!" Bobby replies, "How does it work?" And his parents answer, "Well, using this vaccine gift card, you can get jabbed in the arm with chemicals and live viruses, and it won't even cost you a penny!""I feel really loved," answers Bobby. "No one has ever given me the gift of a vaccine shot! When can we go to Walgreens and cash in?"
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Sharp Increase in Spinal Surgery Among Medicare Patients Shows Decreased Benefits
Procedures: Sharp Rise in Complex Back Surgery Among Older Adults
The percentage of older adults undergoing a complicated fusion procedure for the painful lower-back condition called spinal stenosis has increased steeply, rising fifteenfold from 2002 to 2007, a new study reports.
Researchers said the increase was leading to higher Medicare costs and more life-threatening complications. They noted that although the overall rate of all types of surgery for spinal stenosis fell slightly during the five-year period, the proportion undergoing complex fusion increased to 19.9 per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries, up from 1.3.
In the complex surgery, more than three vertebrae are fused and both the back and the front of the vertebrae are involved. Alternative procedures are decompression — removal of part of the bone pressing on the nerve — and simple fusion, in which two or three vertebrae are fused and only the front or the back of the vertebrae is involved.
The complex procedure costs almost four times as much as decompression and is associated with three times the rate of life-threatening complications, according to the study.
Earlier studies have not found that the complex surgery leads to better results or greater pain relief, said Dr. Richard A. Deyo, a professor of family and internal medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland and the lead author of the study, published April 7 in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
To read the entire study, go to JAMA---->
Trends, Major Medical Complications, and Charges Associated With Surgery for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis in Older Adults
Richard A. Deyo, MD, MPH; Sohail K. Mirza, MD, MPH; Brook I. Martin, MPH; William Kreuter, MPA; David C. Goodman, MD, MS; Jeffrey G. Jarvik, MD, MPH
JAMA. 2010;303(13):1259-1265.
The percentage of older adults undergoing a complicated fusion procedure for the painful lower-back condition called spinal stenosis has increased steeply, rising fifteenfold from 2002 to 2007, a new study reports.
Researchers said the increase was leading to higher Medicare costs and more life-threatening complications. They noted that although the overall rate of all types of surgery for spinal stenosis fell slightly during the five-year period, the proportion undergoing complex fusion increased to 19.9 per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries, up from 1.3.
In the complex surgery, more than three vertebrae are fused and both the back and the front of the vertebrae are involved. Alternative procedures are decompression — removal of part of the bone pressing on the nerve — and simple fusion, in which two or three vertebrae are fused and only the front or the back of the vertebrae is involved.
The complex procedure costs almost four times as much as decompression and is associated with three times the rate of life-threatening complications, according to the study.
Earlier studies have not found that the complex surgery leads to better results or greater pain relief, said Dr. Richard A. Deyo, a professor of family and internal medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland and the lead author of the study, published April 7 in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
To read the entire study, go to JAMA---->
Trends, Major Medical Complications, and Charges Associated With Surgery for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis in Older Adults
Richard A. Deyo, MD, MPH; Sohail K. Mirza, MD, MPH; Brook I. Martin, MPH; William Kreuter, MPA; David C. Goodman, MD, MS; Jeffrey G. Jarvik, MD, MPH
JAMA. 2010;303(13):1259-1265.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Many Sunscreens May Be Accelerating Cancer
WASHINGTON (May 24) -- Almost half of the 500 most popular sunscreen products may actually increase the speed at which malignant cells develop and spread skin cancer because they contain vitamin A or its derivatives, according to an evaluation of those products released today.
AOL News also has learned through documents and interviews that the Food and Drug Administration has known of the potential danger for as long as a decade without alerting the public, which the FDA denies.
The study was released with Memorial Day weekend approaching. Store shelves throughout the country are already crammed with tubes, jars, bottles and spray cans of sunscreen.
The white goop, creams and ointments might prevent sunburn. But don't count on them to keep the ultraviolet light from destroying your skin cells and causing tumors and lesions, according to researchers at Environmental Working Group.
In their annual report to consumers on sunscreen, they say that only 39 of the 500 products they examined were considered safe and effective to use.
The report cites these problems with bogus sun protection factor (SPF) numbers:
-The use of the hormone-disrupting chemical oxybenzone, which penetrates the skin and enters the bloodstream.
-Overstated claims about performance.
-The lack of needed regulations and oversight by the Food and Drug Administration.
But the most alarming disclosure in this year's report is the finding that vitamin A and its derivatives, retinol and retinyl palmitate, may speed up the cancer that sunscreen is used to prevent.
A dangerous additive
The industry includes vitamin A in its sunscreen formulations because it is an anti-oxidant that slows skin aging.
But the EWG researchers found the initial findings of an FDA study of vitamin A's photocarcinogenic properties, meaning the possibility that it results in cancerous tumors when used on skin exposed to sunlight.
"In that yearlong study, tumors and lesions developed up to 21 percent faster in lab animals coated in a vitamin A-laced cream than animals treated with a vitamin-free cream," the report said.
The conclusion came from EWG's analysis of initial findings released last fall by the FDA and the National Toxicology Program, the federal government's principle evaluator of substances that raise public health concerns.
EWG's conclusions were subsequently scrutinized by outside toxicologists.
Based on the strength of the findings by FDA's own scientists, many in the public health community say they can't believe nor understand why the agency hasn't already notified the public of the possible danger.
"There was enough evidence 10 years ago for FDA to caution consumers against the use of vitamin A in sunscreens," Jane Houlihan, EWG's senior vice president for research, told AOL News.
"FDA launched this one-year study, completed their research and now 10 years later, they say nothing about it, just silence."
On Friday, the FDA said the allegations are not true.
"We have thoroughly checked and are not aware of any studies," an FDA spokesperson told AOL News. She said she checked with bosses throughout the agency and found no one who knew of the vitamin A sunscreen research being done by or on behalf of the agency.
But documents from the FDA and the National Toxicology Program showed that the agency had done the research.
"Retinyl palmitate was selected by (FDA's) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition for photo-toxicity and photocarcinogenicity testing based on the increasingly widespread use of this compound in cosmetic retail products for use on sun-exposed skin," said an October 2000 report by the National Toxicology Program.
FDA's own website said the animal studies were done at its National Center for Toxicological Research in Jefferson, Ark. And it was scientists from the FDA center and National Toxicology Program who posted the study data last fall.
AOL News also has learned through documents and interviews that the Food and Drug Administration has known of the potential danger for as long as a decade without alerting the public, which the FDA denies.
The study was released with Memorial Day weekend approaching. Store shelves throughout the country are already crammed with tubes, jars, bottles and spray cans of sunscreen.
The white goop, creams and ointments might prevent sunburn. But don't count on them to keep the ultraviolet light from destroying your skin cells and causing tumors and lesions, according to researchers at Environmental Working Group.
In their annual report to consumers on sunscreen, they say that only 39 of the 500 products they examined were considered safe and effective to use.
The report cites these problems with bogus sun protection factor (SPF) numbers:
-The use of the hormone-disrupting chemical oxybenzone, which penetrates the skin and enters the bloodstream.
-Overstated claims about performance.
-The lack of needed regulations and oversight by the Food and Drug Administration.
But the most alarming disclosure in this year's report is the finding that vitamin A and its derivatives, retinol and retinyl palmitate, may speed up the cancer that sunscreen is used to prevent.
A dangerous additive
The industry includes vitamin A in its sunscreen formulations because it is an anti-oxidant that slows skin aging.
But the EWG researchers found the initial findings of an FDA study of vitamin A's photocarcinogenic properties, meaning the possibility that it results in cancerous tumors when used on skin exposed to sunlight.
"In that yearlong study, tumors and lesions developed up to 21 percent faster in lab animals coated in a vitamin A-laced cream than animals treated with a vitamin-free cream," the report said.
The conclusion came from EWG's analysis of initial findings released last fall by the FDA and the National Toxicology Program, the federal government's principle evaluator of substances that raise public health concerns.
EWG's conclusions were subsequently scrutinized by outside toxicologists.
Based on the strength of the findings by FDA's own scientists, many in the public health community say they can't believe nor understand why the agency hasn't already notified the public of the possible danger.
"There was enough evidence 10 years ago for FDA to caution consumers against the use of vitamin A in sunscreens," Jane Houlihan, EWG's senior vice president for research, told AOL News.
"FDA launched this one-year study, completed their research and now 10 years later, they say nothing about it, just silence."
On Friday, the FDA said the allegations are not true.
"We have thoroughly checked and are not aware of any studies," an FDA spokesperson told AOL News. She said she checked with bosses throughout the agency and found no one who knew of the vitamin A sunscreen research being done by or on behalf of the agency.
But documents from the FDA and the National Toxicology Program showed that the agency had done the research.
"Retinyl palmitate was selected by (FDA's) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition for photo-toxicity and photocarcinogenicity testing based on the increasingly widespread use of this compound in cosmetic retail products for use on sun-exposed skin," said an October 2000 report by the National Toxicology Program.
FDA's own website said the animal studies were done at its National Center for Toxicological Research in Jefferson, Ark. And it was scientists from the FDA center and National Toxicology Program who posted the study data last fall.
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