Cannabis And Pain Management: Is Alternative Plant Medicine Becoming The New Norm? – The Fresh Toast

Did you know that in 2019, chronic pain impacted one-third of the U.S. population? This number continues to rise, and so does the consumption of various substances to help manage and/or combat pain.

Currently, different NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), acetaminophen, and opioids are used the most often for the treatment of pain. However, theres no guarantee that these drugs will be fully effective in eliminating pain nor is there a guarantee that these drugs wont cause any adverse side effects.

Nowadays, cannabis and its many cannabinoids are being pursued more because of their medicinal and therapeutic properties.Overall, though, alternative plant medicine is becoming a part of thousands of peoples routines and lifestyles for numerous reasons. Here are a few main reasons why.

Oftentimes, when someone experiences pain, their primary mission is to eliminate it and use or consume a product to achieve relief. Before treating pain though, its important to understand the characteristics of the pain itself, the severity of it, and the nature of it. For example, is the pain acute or chronic? Is it neuropathic or inflammatory pain? Is the pain caused by an injury, illness, ailment, or a new medication? After understanding the type of pain, finding an appropriate treatment method is the next step.

RELATED: What We Can Learn About Cannabis From Chinese Medicine

When evaluating numerous treatment methods, its essential to understand the efficacies of different treatment options and potential adverse effects/reactions. From here, an individual should be able to find a suitable treatment method that aligns with the type of pain theyre experiencing.

Although opioids, NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and various OTC (over-the-counter) drugs tend to be the norm for pain management and/or relief, cannabis and its array of beneficial cannabinoids are growing in demand and usage.

Specifically, to avoid potential adverse side effects and/or the risk of drug addiction or dependency, for many, opioids are taking a back seat, and cannabinoids are being pursued instead. Despite traditional medicines demonstrating their efficacy in many different situations and among different people, issues can still arise post-consumption.

RELATED: More Women Switch Out Pharmaceuticals For Medical Marijuana

For example, NSAIDs can be beneficial, but theyve also been associated with severe complications involving the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal systems. Next are opioids, which have proven their effectiveness in different situations, but theyve also demonstrated their ability to cause cognitive deficiencies, motor impairment, and respiratory depression. Opioids also unfortunately represent a substantial addiction and dependency risk among specific groups of individuals.

As time goes on, alternative plant medicine, such as cannabis, numerous cannabinoids, and terpenes, are slowly changing the way pain management is viewed and/or executed.

Photo by Esther Kelleter/EyeEm/Getty Images

The cannabis plant contains over 100 cannabinoids, but some of them are more well-known such as Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Numerous cannabinoids are medically and therapeutically beneficial in multiple ways, but CBD, THC, Cannabichromene (CBC), and Cannabigerols (CBG) analgesic properties stand out. So far, it has been found that CBC contains both anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Whereas, CBG has proven its stronger analgesic activity than THC.

Aside from different cannabinoids analgesic properties, various terpenes found on the cannabis plant are analgesics as well, especially myrcene. One 2008 study expanded on this and stated that: Myrcene is analgesic, and such activity, in contrast to cannabinoids, is blocked by naloxone suggesting an opioid-like mechanism. Another terpene that contains analgesic and anti-inflammatory attributes is -caryophyllene.

RELATED: Why Cannabis Is Better Than Opioids

In addition, cannabinoid analgesics have generally been well-tolerated within clinical trials. The World Health Organization (WHO) also reported that CBD is non-psychoactive, non-toxic, non-addictive, and has a good safety profile.

Although theres more to learn about cannabinoids and pain management, various surveys of cannabis users have shed light on the substitution of cannabis products for opioids. Specifically, one 2017 survey focused on American and Canadian cannabis users, and the following was reported: Our findings are consistent with prior surveys of American and Canadian marijuana users in which substitution of marijuana for opioids was prevalent due to better symptom management and fewer adverse and withdrawal effects.

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Cannabis And Pain Management: Is Alternative Plant Medicine Becoming The New Norm? - The Fresh Toast

The year QAnon went global – Coda Story

Along with a lethal global pandemic and an all-encompassing sense of existential dread, 2020 will be remembered as the year when an unhinged online conspiracy theory about a powerful global child abuse ring broke out into the real world, then went truly mainstream.

While coronavirus death tolls and a polarized U.S. presidential election race dominated the headlines, QAnon supporters took to the streets around the world, spreading disinformation during Black Lives Matter marches, agitating at anti-lockdown protests and egging on the anti-vaccine movement.

From Australia to the Balkans and even further afield, QAnon emerged from the bowels of the internet, morphing into a big tent conspiracy theory that offered an ideological home for a wide range of supporters. Right wing and populist politics have dominated, of course, but the theorys alternate universe has also been embraced by wellness influencers, musicians and even celebrity chefs. Nowhere has been safe.

Dave Stelfox

Over the past three years, QAnon has proved so sprawling and deranged a conspiracy theory that no idea is too outlandish and no location too far flung to be folded into it. After all, when a movement breaks into the global mainstream by proposing that a cabal of Satan-worshipping VIP pedophiles is using the non-existent basement of a Washington D.C. pizza joint to harvest a fictitious, eternal-life-giving enzyme from the blood of pre-schoolers, all bets are off.

Still, Australia and New Zealands adaptations of the Q doctrine are notably berserk. The region has lately established itself as an epicenter of the theory that grave threats are being posed to national sovereignty and personal liberty by Agenda 21 a perfectly normal, 23-year-old non-binding U.N. resolution that aims to help governments and NGOs promote sustainable development. As wrongheaded as it may be, its a position that has been successfully mapped onto Qs paranoid blueprint by numerous influencers, including celebrity chef turned one-man troll factory Paleo Pete Evans.

As with everywhere else it has gained a foothold, QAnon has been quick to take advantage of Oceanias coronavirus denial movement. In September, protesters at an Auckland anti-lockdown rally were seen carrying placards that advanced its narratives, alongside images of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as Adolf Hitler and calls to Ban 1080, a reference to a government rodent extermination program.

Meanwhile, latching onto QAnon has rocketed Billy TK, a Maori blues guitarist who has played with Carlos Santana and supported Black Sabbath, to a level of fame he never quite achieved in music. Now, he is the countrys best-known conspiracist thinker and leader of the populist party Advance New Zealand.

Predictably, rumors of ritual child abuse have also abounded some of them so inventive that they give the U.S. a run for its money. Claims have been made that numerous politicians, including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, have spent months under house arrest for such crimes. (Apparently, the proof could be clearly seen in the fit of their trousers.) However, most impressive was the idea that regional Covid-19 restrictions were, in fact, an elaborate ruse to facilitate the use of hundreds of miles of storm drains beneath the city of Melbourne to traffic underage sex slaves. Talk about going down the rabbit hole.

Oleksandr Ignatenko

As we reported earlier in 2020, QAnon has found a welcoming home in Germany, spreading its bizarre theories within Covid-19-denialist and rightwing anti-government circles. A recent study of coronavirus-skeptic activity on the messaging platform Telegram identified 12 key channels, half of which have amplified QAnon narratives. The most prominent among them is that of Attila Hildmann, one of the nations best-known and strangest conspiracists.

As a far-right German nationalist of Turkish heritage, Putin fanboy and celebrity vegan chef, Hildmann is a baffling and troubling figure. He has also embraced many aspects of the QAnon belief system particularly the notion of Satanic ritual child abuse carried out by a nefarious deep state elite.

As noted by Paul Thomas, chair of religious studies at Radford University in Virginia, such narratives of evil have the potential to spark acts of extremist violence by casting believers as warriors of absolute good. That point has already been proven in the U.S. by the likes of Edgar Maddison Welch, a father of two from North Carolina, who stormed Comet Ping Pong, the family restaurant in Washington D.C that found itself at the heart of the Pizzagate hoax, armed with an assault rifle.

Back in June, Hildmann used the public space in front of Altes Museum in Berlin as a rallying point for his followers. In July, the institution banned him for making a string of antisemitic remarks. He retaliated by telling his 100,000-plus Telegram audience that the Pergamon altar an ancient Greek monument housed in the museum was being used for rituals by powerful global Satanists. To back up his allegations, he added that Chancellor Angela Merkel lives nearby and takes part in the ceremonies. In October, an unknown assailant carried out what has been described as the biggest attack on art and antiquities in post-war German history, spraying 70 of the museums exhibits with an oily liquid.

Lately, Hildmann has taken an adversarial stance to QAnon. Echoing the theories of the sovereign citizen Reichsbrger movement, he has proclaimed that the U.S. has occupied Germany since 1945 and that Q is a CIA plot to cover preparations being made by NATO for nuclear war against Russia and Turkey. An unexpected turn, but one that does nothing to lessen the influence the theory has had on this self-proclaimed conspiracy preacher and his devotees.

Mariam Kiparoidze

QAnon has spread far beyond its base of die-hard Trump supporters and now its making serious inroads to the world of wellness, spirituality and alternative medicine.

In September Marc-Andr Argentino, a PhD researcher of right-wing movements at Concordia University in Montreal, coined the term pastel QAnon. He was referring to online posts that peddle outlandish conspiracy theories, couched in the delicate-colored aesthetics and ethereal language typical of the wellness industry. This branding is the polar opposite of raw QAnon, he tweeted.

As QAnon has moved from the political fringes to mainstream, some high-profile wellness figures have jumped on board. For instance, the well-known U.S. obstetrician and alternative medicine practitioner Christiane Northrup has posted QAnon-related content on social media, using phrases such as The Great Awakening the belief that there will come a moment when all of the movements pronouncements will be revealed to the world as true and promoted the coronavirus conspiracy Plandemic video.

Qs proliferation has created a schism within the wellness community. In September, more than 100 prominent accounts in the U.S., including the yoga teachers Seane Corn and Hala Khouri, shared a joint statement on Instagram.

We are aware that QAnon originated on the dark web of hate and white supremacy, and have repackaged their message to appeal to spiritual communities, it read. Dont be fooled. The true intent of QAnon is to spread misinformation, blame, conflict, and sow racial division in our country.

Influencers and practitioners trying to counter disinformation have been met with a vicious backlash from online commenters.

Researchers and members of the wellness community are not surprised by QAnons advance within it. The lifestyle particularly appeals to women and young mothers seeking self-improvement. QAnon portrays itself both as privy to vital secret information and bravely battling child sex abuse. Many of the soft-hued social media posts feature hashtags such as #savethechildren, #endsextrafficking and #dotheresearch.

The wellness community is also often skeptical about Big Pharma and conventional medicine, instead advocating that its members find their own personal paths towards healing. QAnons extreme anti-coronavirus-vaccine stance knits into that position seamlessly.

Traditionally, the wellness industry has been quite inclusive for alternative worldviews and belief systems, said the Finnish yoga teacher and wellness practitioner Mia Jokiniva. I think its the same language that QAnon is using and sounds familiar to many people who are in this industry, because it has always been a part of what we do.

Katia Patin

Across the Balkans, QAnon offshoots are latching on to a number of already popular anti-vaccination and coronavirus denialist narratives. In Serbia, one-third of people polled in October by the Belgrade Center for Security Policy said that they do not believe in or have serious doubts about the existence of the coronavirus. A broader Western Balkans survey taking in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia showed that more than 75% of people believe in at least one of several prominent Covid-19 conspiracy theories.

The results are alarming, according to Marija Ignijatijevic, a researcher at the organization. It speaks to how much people are confused right now during this pandemic.

Such thinking has given QAnon a foothold in the region, albeit modest compared to other parts of Europe. Followers of BalkAnon Facebook groups have only ever numbered in the tens of thousands and nearly all such pages were successfully shut down in the platforms recent purge.

However, supporters have attempted to co-opt activism surrounding a chilling story closely linked to one of QAnons signature obsessions. Since the 1960s, thousands of newborns have disappeared from maternity wards in Serbia and the wider region. Just this year, the nations government passed a bill to finally investigate claims by parents who believe their children were victims of a criminal group collaborating with doctors to sell babies to adoptive parents. Pressure groups have organized protests in Belgrade to draw further attention to the issue, with QAnon supporters joining under the slogan For our children. In this rare instance, the movements fixation on child trafficking is backed up by overwhelming evidence and a government inquiry that has the support of the Council of Europe.

Overlapping with mainstream right-wing organizations, Q adherents are also busy whipping up long-standing animosities toward the regions migrant and refugee population. In October, one of the most popular Balkan QAnon Facebook pages posted a code of ethics, referring to its followers as patriots and promising to clean our countries of scum.

Burhan Wazir

For a once marginalized genre like rap music, niche interests and wild theories are often the key to success. The hip-hop group Public Enemy once endorsed the teachings of the black separatist group the Nation of Islam. Jay Electronica is a follower of the Five Percent Nation, a group which believes the world is run by that one tenth of the worlds population.

Unsurprisingly, a shapeshifting conspiracy theory in which President Donald Trump is portrayed as a lone warrior fighting a shadowy network of powerful individuals engaged in Satanic pedophilia, has attracted no shortage of commentary. Earlier this summer, rapper Ice Cube shared a photograph showing a banner on a bridge above a highway. It read, MEDIA IS COMPLICIT #TREASON Q.

In fairness, Cube, who has previously used his influence to highlight a range of issues, including police brutality and racism, may not have noticed the Q when he shared the image. The same cant be said of Dutch rapper Lange Frans, a Trump supporter, who released the QAnon-referencing track Lockdown earlier this year. While the song doesnt mention the movement by name, its lyrics dont require sophisticated code breaking skills to decipher: Welcome to the most fun festival/ You dont need a ticket because youre already there/ This is the fall of the cabal.

An equally paranoid view of the world can be heard in Fuck System by Polish rappers Kali x Major, released earlier this month. In one verse, which compiles a rogues gallery of bad actors, the rappers take aim at all our corporate and religious overlords: One thing is certain, we serve the Freemasons/ Big Pharma, Monsanto, the Vatican, the QAnon elite, the luminaries, Valhalla, Trump.

With the defeat of President Donald Trump in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, it is difficult to predict what happens to the QAnon conspiracy its followers could see the victory of President-elect Joe Biden as confirmation of their ideas, or they could stratify into new and separate groups. As attention has diverted to the beginning of the end of the pandemic and the mass rollout of vaccines across the world, some musicians seem to have already found new causes to rail against.

Earlier this month, Pete Rock, a widely respected DJ and producer, came out as one of hip-hops leading vaccine skeptics. Vaccine shit is real stupid. How you giving vaccine to people who arent sick??? he asked, in a now deleted tweet. Rock later doubled down, Where is the vaccine for A.I.D.S./HIV? Where is the vaccine for cancer? Diabetes?? Smh.

One social media user came up with a well-aimed response. Seat belt shit is real stupid. How you giving seat belt to people who arent in a car crash?

Gautama Mehta

At first glance, Jair Bolsonaros Brazil is a perfect fit for QAnon. The president, a staunch Trump ally, came to power on the back of a right-wing movement with a longtime fixation with pedophilia, childhood sexuality, and conspiracies. During his campaign, Bolsonaro supporters accused the opposition of spreading gay kits in schools and distributing penis-shaped baby bottles in order to advance a homosexual agenda.

So analysts of far-right politics werent really surprised when Q flags and slogans were seen at rallies in the run-up to municipal elections in November. A few candidates were open QAnon adherents; none of them won elections.

QAnons arrival in Brazil has been greeted with debate as to how much attention the movement should be given.

My worry is the very few activists who are trying to promote QAnon in Brazil, who are really small, they become middle-size or maybe big because of Brazilian press coverage, said Pablo Ortellada, who runs a lab at the University of So Paulo analyzing online political discourse.

Were in that dilemma. Do we make a bigger deal of this and make exposure, or is this really a threat? said David Nemer, a Brazilian researcher on fake news at the University of Virginia. Nemer added that, despite the risk, he believes there is a public-interest case for exposing the sometimes subtle QAnon messages embedded in the rhetoric of Brazilian politicians.

Perhaps the biggest threat to actual public safety is the Bolsonaro-promoted misinformation regarding Covid-19 vaccines. Possibly still traumatized by his encounter with a mob of emus, the president recently mused that the Pfizer vaccine could turn people into alligators. Some saw in his bizarre remarks an echo of a QAnon-linked theory that vaccines cause genetic mutations.

Isobel Cockerell

Long before the pandemic and the rise of QAnon, elements of the reactionary right and anti-establishment movements were busy preparing the ground with vaccine skepticism, climate crisis denial and all manner of other conspiracy theories. Now, while support for political populists is apparently declining, belief in shadowy plots and clandestine schemes is becoming ever more widespread. Accordingly, demagogues around the world are embracing an array of bizarre ideas in the hope of electoral gain.

In the run-up to the U.S. presidential election, QAnon followers became an important part of Donald Trumps base. As a result, his campaign was filled with dog-whistles and nods to them, from sharing delusional conspiracies that Barack Obamas administration killed Navy SEALs to retweeting 14 QAnon social media accounts in a single day.

Now, Trumps European counterparts are following his lead. In the U.K., Brexit figurehead Nigel Farage has founded a new party focused on fighting coronavirus restrictions, albeit in a slightly milder way than some hardline conspiracist thinkers might like.

Activists who cut their teeth in Italys Five Star Movement, such as senator Bartolomeo Pepe and congresswoman Sara Cunial, are also crossing over into QAnon territory. In the spring, Cunial made a speech to parliament calling Bill Gates a vaccine criminal. Pepe has been sharing Q drops on his Facebook page since 2018, and former communications director Claudio Messora now runs a blog that is one of the main sources of Italian QAnon content.

Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, the upstart Forum for Democracy party has collapsed amid allegations of antisemitism and far-right extremism, prompting its flamboyant leader Thierry Baudet to parrot a list of Q-related talking points including the idea that George Soros created the coronavirus to steal our freedom.

The movements growth is easy to explain. QAnon is even more seductive than populism, offering its followers secret knowledge and a feeling of belonging to an exclusive club. Its very empowering, especially right now, for people who have been out of work for a long time or who are locked down because of the pandemic, said Mike Rothschild, who is writing a book about QAnon. Theyre very isolated, theyre disconnected, and heres Q, and its giving them this sense of self-importance.

As we enter the post-Trump era, some believe that populisms days are numbered. But it may just be giving way to murkier political currents, in which delusion reigns supreme.

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The year QAnon went global - Coda Story

Study uncovers neural predictors of cognitive behavioral therapy outcome for patients with anxiety and dep … – PsyPost

Individuals who exhibit greater brain activity in response to angry facial expressions may be more likely to benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), according to new neuroimaging research. The findings, published in Psychological Medicine, could help mental health professionals choose the most effective treatments for patients with anxiety disorders and depression.

As a licensed psychologist, I am continuously reminded of the pervasiveness of depression and anxiety disorders, which commonly co-occur and are frequently associated with interpersonal difficulties that substantively reduce quality of life. Fortunately, CBT for anxiety and depression can help, said study author Heide Klumpp, an associate professor and director of the Clinical Cognitive Affective Neuroscience Lab at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

However, people differ in the extent to which they benefit from CBT which focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors to better manage negative emotions. Symptoms and demographic information are not good predictors of response to CBT.

Yet, accumulating data from neuroimaging studies suggests brain regions that underlie facial expressions, an important interpersonal signal, may predict individual differences in CBT outcome, Klumpp said. Developing brain-based profiles to help determine who is and who is not likely to benefit from CBT could aid in guiding which treatments a person should receive from an assortment of treatments with different mechanisms of action.

In the study, 90 individuals with depression and/or anxiety completed an emotion recognition task as the researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to record their brain activity. The procedure was conducted twice: Once before and once after 12 weeks of CBT.

The researchers found that patients who had shown a greater activity in a particular brain region during the emotion recognition task tended to experience the greatest improvement after treatment.

Following CBT, about half of the participants with depression and/or an anxiety were considered to be responders as they experienced more than a 50% reduction in symptom severity,Klumpp told PsyPost.

A data-driven classification approach identified two brain-based subtypes.The subtype characterized by more brain activity to angry faces in a visual area (i.e., superior occipital gyrus)before CBTconsisted of more responders than the subtype representing less brain activity in the region, despite subtypes having similar levels of depression and anxietybeforetreatment. After completing CBT, the difference in brain activity between subtypes remained and the one with less brain response to angry faces had more anxiety and depression symptoms, Klumpp explained.

Angry faces can signal interpersonal aggression that may be encountered relatively frequently.Findings suggest it is possible to identify distinct brain-based subgroups that have clinical implications; here, individuals with more reactivity to angry facial expressions in a visual processing region are more likely to benefit from the skills learned in CBT.

The findings are a step toward improving the ability to choose the most effective treatments for psychiatric disorders. Klumpp was also involved in research indicating that activity in other brain regions, such as the insula and amygdala, can help predict treatment outcomes as well.

But as with any study, the new research includes some caveats.

The number of participants in the study was relatively small so it will be necessary to replicate findings in a larger sample, Klumpp said. Since CBT was not compared to an alternative treatment such as medication and there was no waitlist (i.e., no treatment) group, we cannot conclude findings are unique to CBT.

Also, the processing of emotional facial expressions involves an array of brain regions that are part of large networks, thus, it would be important for future studies to examine the clinical utility of neural network-based approaches.

Lastly, it cannot be assumed that the patient subtypes represent abnormal brain activity, Klumpp noted. Indeed, anxiety and depression symptoms range from nonexistent to severe as opposed to all-or-none. Therefore, it could be useful to identify brain-based groups that capture meaningful divisions along a mental health continuum before treatment and then evaluate their response to a treatment or combination of interventions to tailor treatments to the individual to increase therapeutic gains.

The study, Brain response to emotional faces in anxiety and depression: neural predictors of cognitive behavioral therapy outcome and predictor-based subgroups following therapy, was authored by Heide Klumpp, Jagan Jimmy, Katie L. Burkhouse, Runa Bhaumik, Jennifer Francis, Michelle G. Craske, K. Luan Phan and Olusola Ajilore.

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Study uncovers neural predictors of cognitive behavioral therapy outcome for patients with anxiety and dep ... - PsyPost

Naturopathy – How Not to be a Doctor and Harm the Public Good – News Intervention

Naturopathicmedicine is a distinct primary health care system that blends modern scientificknowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. It is based on thehealing power of nature and it supports and stimulates the bodys ability toheal itself. Naturopathic medicine is the art and science of disease diagnosis,treatment and prevention using natural therapies including: botanical medicine,clinical nutrition, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, naturopathic manipulation,traditional Chinese medicine/acupuncture, lifestyle counselling and healthpromotion and disease prevention. Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors

Naturopathyis a cornucopia of almost every quackery you can think of. Be it homeopathy,traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, applied kinesiology,anthroposophical medicine, reflexology, craniosacral therapy, Bowen Technique,and pretty much any other form of unscientific or prescientific medicine thatyou can imagine, its hard to think of a single form of pseudoscientificmedicine and quackery that naturopathy doesnt embrace or at least tolerate. Dr. DavidGorski

Naturopaths claim that they practice based on scientificprinciples. Yet examinations of naturopathic literature, practices andstatements suggest a more ambivalent attitude. NDhealthfacts.org neatlyillustrates the problem with naturopathy itself: Open antagonism toscience-based medicine, and the risk of harm from integrating these practicesinto the practice of medicine. Unfortunately, the trend towards integratingnaturopathy into medicine is both real and frightening. Because good medicineisnt based on invented facts and pre-scientific beliefs it must be groundedin science. And naturopathy, despite the claims, is anything but scientific. Scott Gavura (Science-Based Medicine)

Naturopathic training does not prepare them to be primary care physicians.Their profession is not science-based, does not have a science-based standardof care, and is largely a collection of pseudoscience and dangerous nonsenseloosely held together by a vague nature is always best philosophy.

This is one of those situations where most people will not believe that thesituation can be as bad as it really is. This is similar to when I describe topeople, who are hearing it for the first time, what homeopathy actually is.They usually dont believe it, because they cannot accept that something sononsensical can be so widespread and apparently accepted in our society. Thesame is true when I tell people about the core chiropractic philosophy of lifeenergy (at least for those chiropractors who have not rejected their roots), orabout what Scientologists actually believe.

One common reaction is the no true Scotsman logical fallacy. Defenderswill insist that what we are describing is the exception, and that a realnaturopath is not like that. Obviously there will be a range of practice(especially since there is no standard), but the pseudoscientific treatmentsthat make up naturopathy are not the exception. They are at the core of theireducation and their philosophy. Dr. Steven Novella

Naturopathic medicine is an eclectic assortment ofpseudoscientific, fanciful, and unethical practices. Implausible naturopathicclaims are still prevalent and are no more valid now than they were in 1968. Kimball C. Atwood

Naturopathic medical school is not a medical school inanything but the appropriation of the word medical. Naturopathy is not a branchof medicine. It is a combination of nutritional advice, home remedies anddiscredited treatments Naturopathic practices are unchanged by research andremain a large assortment of erroneous and potentially dangerous claims mixedwith a sprinkling of non-controversial dietary and lifestyle advice. The Massachusetts Medical Society

Naturopathy[1]is, and always has been, a declaration of pseudoscience and pseudomedicinemixed together with truism dressed-up in cheap makeup to appear legitimate,respectable, even advanced and modern, and real, as per the first statement atthe top in contrast to reliable and respected voices following it. Ignorance ina tutu is still ignorance.

Its notan alternative way of knowing, a different form of medicine, or a novel line ofthought. Its not cheaper than medicine because real medicine works on thecases needing it and, therefore, utilize the finances of patients properly,i.e., effectively.

Naturopathsare not doctors, medical doctors, or real MDs. By peddling nonsense assensible, they harm the public good and, thus, become a negative force insociety, as purveyors of illegitimate practice. Why deal a light critique toindividuals harming public in the most important areas of life, for example,medical care or health?

In turn,as self-proposed practitioners for the betterment of the health of the public,they detract attention and legitimacy away from real medical doctors, realmedicine, in addition to the finances of the public. If alternative medicinebecame effective, then it would become non-alternative medicine, also known asmedicine. So, whats the point of it, in the first place?

As notedin Freethought for the Small Towns: Case Study,Canadians and Others Convictions to DivineInterventionism in the Matters of the Origins and Evolution, Making a Buck as a Mountebank Astrologers, Mediums,and Psychics, The Message of William Marrion Branham: ResponsesCommentary, The Fantastic Capacity for Believing the Incredible,religious fundamentalism, pseudoscience, and pseudomedicine, play off oneanother, as gullibility in the pulpit informs gullibility in the wellnessmarketplace, and vice versa.

Oneignorance feeds into another. Whether in the local Township of Langley or inthe wider province of British Columbia, even in small towns including FortLangley, this is the nature of the pseudoscience and pseudomedicine landscape.Bad people, even thinking themselves good, bilk the public earning good money,even bad money or minimum wage income.

Theseindividuals and, more fundamentally, fraudulent practices, should be combatteddirectly, even at the legislative level as they have been enforced in countrieslike the United States largely through legislative efforts. Why such a directedeffort at legislation rather than randomized double-blind trials? Let me knowhow those homeopathic studies turn out.

InBritish Columbia, widely, when you do a search, you can find more than 100places, so associations, colleges, clinics, centres, integrative clinics, medicalcentres, practitioners, and so on. All devoted to a pseudoscientific practice withinone province. All either harming the bank accounts through fraudulentpractices, or, potentially, harming the public.

Personally,they should not be able to operate in British Columbia generally, or in theTownship of Langley in particular. Its easily viewable as a wide range ofpseudomedicine postulated as real medicine while without proper medical credentials,only fake qualifications, as in real to the fake medicine while faketo the real medicine.

Theresa large number of practitioners and clinics of naturopathy, includingassociations, colleges, and institutes, such as the College Of NaturopathicPhysicians Of British Columbia and the BC Naturopathic Association/BCNA.

Its a literal zoo with the number of them. In a general search of the Canadianprovince of British Columbia, one set includes Dr. Janine Mackenzie ND, AbbyNaturopathic Clinic: Dr. Cristina Coloma ND, Horizons Holistic Health Clinic,Edgemont Naturopathic Clinic, Boucher Naturopathic Medical Clinic, Dr. AggieMatusik, Integrative Naturopatic Medical Centre, Dr. Marisa Marciano, ND, Dr.Melanie DesChatelets ND, Vitalia Naturopathic Doctors Vancouver, Dr. Grodski White Rock Naturopathic, Dr. Lindsey Jesswein, ND, Noble Naturopathic, LocalHealth Integrative Clinic, Dr. Carlson-Rink C., Dr. Andrea Gansner NaturopathicPhysician, Dr. Lorne Swetlikoff, BSc.,, ND, Polo Health + Longevity Centre, ANew Leaf Naturopathic Clinic, Dr. E. DSouza-Carey, ND Family Health Clinic.

Another,second set includes Family Health Clinic: Naturopathic Medicine and MidwiferyCare, Integrated Health Clinic, Dr. Jiwani, Naturopathic Physician SurreyClinic (Not Vancouver) Autoimmune Weight Loss, Dr Andrew Eberding NaturopathicDoctor, Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine, Meditrine NaturopathicClinic, Vancouver Naturopathic Clinic, Selkirk Naturopathic Clinic, Cross RoadsNaturopathic clinic, OZONE THERAPY BC: Dr. Walter Fernyhough, Dr. Allana PoloN.D Polo Health + Longevity Centre, Pangaea Clinic of Naturopathic MedicineInc, Dr Eric Chan, Dr Tawnya Ward, Dr. Rory Gibbons, Naturopathic Physician,Dr. Caroline Coombs Naturopathci Doctor, Dr. Brian Gluvic, KitsilanoNaturpathic Clinic, Agency Health, and Richmond Alternative Medical Clinic.

There theres the third set with Arc Integrated Medicine Delta & Surrey Naturopathic Doctors, Dr. Kali MacIsaac, Naturopathic Doctor, Aspire Naturopathic Health Centre Naturopath North Vancouver Dr. Emily Habert, ND, Dr. Hal Brown, Red Cedar Health Ray Clinic, Lonsdale Naturopathic Clinic, Metrotown Naturopathic and Acupuncture, Yaletown Naturopathic Clinic, Flourish Naturopathic, Northshore Naturopathic Clinic, and Dr. Jonathon F. Berghamer.

Thefourth set includes Dr. Scarlet Cooper, ND., Dr. Terrie Van Alystyne,Naturopathic Physician Whistler, Butterfly Naturopathic, Dr. Jason Marr, ND:Naturopathic Doctor, Peninsula Naturopathic Clinic, Dr. Karen Fraser, YaletownIntegrative Clinic, Serenity Aberdour ND Horizon Naturopathic Inc, Dr.Tasneem Pirani-Sheriff, ND, Avisio Naturopathic Clinic & VitaminDispensary, Dr. Robyn Land, Naturopathic Physician, Springs Eternal NaturalHealth, Dr. Alaina Overton, Cornerstone Health Centre: Maryam Ferdosian, ND,Dr. Kim McQueen, BSc, ND, Dr. Safia Kassam, and Restorative Health.

Thefifth set of them include Dr. Esha Singh, ND, Dr. Bobby Parmar NaturopathicDoctor, Lansdowne Naturopathic Centre, West Kelowna Integrative Health Centre,Dr. Shalini Hitkari, ND, Dr. Jolene Kennett, Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. KarinaWickland, ND, Dr. Phoebe Chow Lumicel Health Clinic, Dr. Maltais Lise,Vitality Wellness Centre, Dr. Lisa Good, ND, Dr. Heidi Lescanec, ND, Dr. RodSantos, ND, Inc., West Vancouver Wellness Centre, Dr. Kully Sraw, NaturopathicPhysician, Juniper Family Health, Dr. Peter Liu, ND, Garibaldi Health Clinic,Dr. Kayla Springer, ND, and Dr. Donna Ogden, ND, MSc, Naturopathic Doctor.

Thesixth yes, theres more set includes Dr. Cortney Boer, ND, Burnaby HeightsIntegrative HealthCare Inc., Dr. Amelia Patillo, ND, Jamie Sculley, Dr. EwingRobert J., Central Park Naturopathic Clinic, Dr. Kira Frketich, Living WellnessCentre, Dr. Jennifer Brown, ND, Dr. Randi Brown Naturopathic Doctor, WestShore Family Naturopathic Ltd., Rejuv-Innate Naturopathic Clinic-Dr. JamieGallant, Dr. Tonia Winchester, Nanaimo Naturopathic Doctor TonicNaturopathic, NaturopathicVictoria.net, Fourth and Alma Naturopathic MedicalCentre, Cheam Wellness Group, Maureen Williams, Dr. Meghan Dougan, ND, Dr.Brittany Schamerhorn, ND, and Dr. Jenna Waddy.

Theseventh almost there set includes Inner Garden Health, Dr. Brit Watters,ND, Dr. Laruen Tomkins, ND, The Natural Path Clinic Inc., Elizabeth Miller, Dr.Jennifer Moss Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Penny Seth-Smith, Seeded Nutrition,Northern Centre for Integrative Medicine, Aqua Terra Health, Dr. Kelsea Parker,ND, Maple Ridge Naturopathic Clinic, Newleaf Total Wellness Centre, VitalityIntegrative Health, Dr. Orissa Forest, BSc, ND, Acacia Health Dockside, Dr.Megan Kimberley, Naturopath, Dr. Landon McLean Healthcare, Back to Our RootsIndigenous Medicine, and N.A. Hemorrhoids Centre.

Theeighth set is Legacies Health Centre, Kelowna Naturopathic Clinic, MarseillesRemedy Traditional Oil Blend, Lani NYkilchuk, ND, Dr. Heather van der Geest,ND, Hummingbird Naturopathic Clinic, Dr. Elli Reilander, ND, BodaHealth, TheNatural Family Health Clinic, Dr. Chelsea Gronick, Naturopathic Doctor, Dr.Carla Cashin, ND, Dr. Karen McGree, Saffron Pixie Yoga & Naturopathy, WildHeart Therapies and Farmacy, Dr. Andrea Whelan, Well+Able Integrated HealthLTD., Dr. Kim Hine, ND, Dr. Graham Kathy, Dr. Emily Freistatter, NaturopathicDoctor, Inner Garden Health.

The ninth set is Dr. Emily Pratt, BSc, ND, Inc., Life Integrative, Dr. Michael Tassone, ND, Harbour Health: Massage Therapy, Physiotherapy, Chiropractor, Naturopath, Broadway Wellness, Spokes Clinical Naturopathy, Dr. Fulton Lynne, Electra Health, Dr. Macdonald Deidre, Ray Lendvai Naturopathic Physicians, Dr. Maryam Ferdosian, ND, Yinstill Reproductive Wellness, Prajna Wellness, Fountain Wellness & Physiotherapy, Qi Integrated Health, Paradigm Naturopathic Medicine, Apex Chiropractic Coquitlam, Kamloops Naturopathic Clinic, Dr. Carmen Anne Luterbach, and Dr. Mar Christopher.

The final and tenth set is Dr. Lawrence Brkich, The Phoenix Centre, Cave Cure & Therapies, Twisted Oak Holistic Health, Coast Therapy Maple Ridge, Balance Natural Health Clinic, Dr. Theresa Camozzi, ND, BC Pulse Therapy, Naramata Lifestyle Wellness-Best Naturopathy, Meditation, Weight Management Centre Okanagan, Acubalance Wellness Centre, Ltd., Dr. Milanovich David, Catalyst Kinetics Group, and Dr. Kimberly Ostero, BSc., ND, and Kontinuum Naturopathic Medicine, Inc.

Theobvious benefit in these titles compared to the astrologers, mediums, andpsychics, is the appearance of professionalism, while, in a mysterious manner,acquiring an entire reputation based on a fallacious premise, pseudomedicine,in addition to a false title.

Itsless turtles, turtles, turtles, all the way down, and more falsehoods all theway down, and to the top. People with all the accoutrement of theprofessional and medical world while, in fact, lacking the substance, thecontent, and so mimicking, or parroting, the forms and stylings of them.

A shame, a scandal in the province, a waste of the publics dime, a tax on the wellbeing of the province as a whole because real medicine exists, and ignorance without proper medical bases, while idiotic in its proposition and imbibing by the general public. Everyones to blame here; while, some are more culpable than others.

Thisshows both a failure in critical thinking on the part of the public, individualsentering into the schools for training, and a firm action on the part of theproper authorities to regulate public health in such a manner as todelegitimize failed philosophies from the 1800s proposed as modern medicine.

Asstipulated, succinctly, by the skeptic Wiki, RationalWiki, the titles of ND inBritish Columbia naturopaths and naturopathic physicians, self-proclaimed, asin Naturopathic Doctor, does not mean a doctor, a physician, or a medicaldoctor.

Thesetitles, ND, remain false proclamations of credentials and qualifications, byand large, rejected by both mainstream medicine and mainstream science. Theseare a manner in which to attempt to co-opt the earned legitimate legacy ofmodern medical science and modern science, as per credentials, e.g., MD, withillegitimate pseudoscience and pseudomedicine.

In fact,the issue in North America is widespread, as stated by RationalWiki, in Alternative Medicine Education, thereare actually 7accreditedinstitutionsin North America that award this degree (as of 2012), 5 in theUnited States(Bastyr University, National College ofNatural Medicine, National University of Health Sciences,SouthwestCollege of Naturopathic Medicineand University of BridgeportCollege of Naturopathic Medicine) and 2 inCanada(Boucher Institute ofNaturopathic Medicine, and Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine).Forthose who want a shorter route, it is also widely available fromdiploma mills.

Theseindividuals will use the title of Dr. If you dont believe me, then I wouldpropose looking at the ten sets above. How often does the use of the term Dr.get used in the public face of the institutions?

Next, wecan ask about the private face. How many? How often? It is probably more, andmore forcefully, because Dr., rightfully, earned the title because theeducation is more difficult and the positive effects on society far more great.

That which was known as health fraud in prior generations through consistent efforts continues to be regarded more as medicine rather than medicine.

It should be halted, deconstructed, and shown for its farcical foundations and direct, and indirect, harms on the public.

[1] Even Wikipedia, as a minor resource, itstates:

Naturopathyornaturopathicmedicineis a form ofalternativemedicinethat employs an array ofpseudoscientificpractices branded asnatural, non-invasive, or promotingself-healing. The ideology and methods of naturopathy are basedonvitalismandfolk medicine, rather thanevidence-basedmedicine(EBM).Naturopathic practitioners generallyrecommend against followingmodern medical practices, including but notlimited tomedical testing,drugs,vaccinations, andsurgery.Instead, naturopathic practicerelies on unscientific notions, often leading naturopaths to diagnoses andtreatments that have no factual merit.

Naturopathy is considered by themedical professionto be ineffective and harmful, raisingethicalissues about its practice.In addition to condemnations and criticism from the medical community, such as theAmerican Cancer Society,naturopaths have repeatedly been denounced as and accused of beingcharlatansand practicingquackery.

Assistant Editor, News Intervention,Human Rights Activist.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen is the Founder of In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal and In-Sight Publishing. He focuses on North America for News Intervention. Jacobsen works for science and human rights, especially womens and childrens rights. He considers the modern scientific and technological world the foundation for the provision of the basics of human life throughout the world and advancement of human rights as the universal movement among peoples everywhere. You can contact Scott via email.

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Naturopathy - How Not to be a Doctor and Harm the Public Good - News Intervention

Commentary: Mainers benefit most from medical cannabis time to leave it alone – Press Herald

Cannabis is now Maines most valuable cash crop. The industry is thriving, providing tremendous revenue to the state without assistance from the federal government such as Paycheck Protection Program relief, earned income credit or FDIC banking privileges.

Crucially, it is Maines medical cannabis industry that is the states largest cash crop, with industry sales on track to hit $266 million for 2020. Thats more than potatoes, at $184 million, and more than twice milk, at $124 million.

This has been accomplished through the hard work and commitment of small independent growers working through Maines 21-year-old Medical Marijuana Program, not the new adult-use marijuana industry.

The growth has occurred despite an extended state of emergency that has devastated or destroyed many Maine businesses and put thousands out of work. Maine needs our local growers to offset the loss of revenue from businesses affected by the pandemic.

The Maine Medical Marijuana Program has improved quality of life for Mainers, generated huge income and sales tax revenues for the state, created more than 7,000 direct jobs and supports thousands of other Mainers through ancillary jobs such as contractors, accountants, electricians, attorneys and more, again all during a devastating pandemic.

The medical marijuana program is a uniquely statewide industry. It is vibrant in rural as well as urban communities.

Despite the persisting negative stereotypes of people who work in the marijuana industry, the level of voluntary compliance with laws and regulations (including tax and fee payments) by Maines registered medical providers is exemplary, contributing $12 million this year to the state in the form of sales taxes alone. Maines medical marijuana program is known throughout the country as a model for privacy, access, quality and variety.

Importantly, the value of these Maine jobs and tax revenues is in addition to the most important purpose of Maines Medical Marijuana Program to safely and affordably provide access to high-quality medicine for patients suffering from a variety of mental and physical illnesses and conditions. On that front, the the program is also a success. Medical cannabis gives patients, working with doctors and caregivers, an alternative treatment to pharmaceuticals and improves the lives of nearly 65,000 Mainers.

Yet with new rules being developed by the Governors Office of Marijuana Policy and the next legislative session upon us, we must fight to prevent the imposition of extreme processes, out-of-state interests and regulations that would undermine the programs success.

The imposition of broad, mandatory product testing is an example of one potential new policy. There is no data to conclude that this costly and burdensome process leads to improved health outcomes or that it provides reliable information about adulterants, potency or quality.

And it would certainly disadvantage small Maine growers while benefiting large, out-of-state corporations with deep pockets.

Caregivers are not opposed to reasonable oversight including testing measures, such as spot and voluntary testing, which is the agricultural norm and would be both more affordable and effective.

Further, Maine medical cannabis providers already offer information by recording and reporting sales to the state, and the sheer amount of declared, taxed sales demonstrates compliance.

Maine is known for native and cultivated products: lobster, blueberries, maple products and, yes, marijuana. Maines marijuana caregivers are an essential part of the states public health infrastructure and small-business industry and should be seen and supported as such. If we are to continue to drive the states economy, we need to stay the course and support the Mainers behind our most valuable cash crop. This revenue was created in Maine, for and by Mainers, and by Mainers. We should be allowed to keep it that way.

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Commentary: Mainers benefit most from medical cannabis time to leave it alone - Press Herald

If women are hesitant about the vaccine, it’s because the health industry hasn’t earned their trust – The Guardian

Sign up for the Week in Patriarchy, a newsletter on feminism and sexism sent every Saturday.Why are women hesitant about getting the coronavirus vaccine?

Mike Pence took his sweet time when it came to routinely wearing a mask in public. The vice-president was a lot less hesitant about embracing the coronavirus vaccine, however. On Friday, just a couple of days after the US reported the highest number of new coronavirus cases and the most deaths since the pandemic began, Pence received the vaccine live on television. It must be nice to be protected from your deadly policy failures.

Pence is not the only man to have been skeptical of masks: plenty of studies have shown men worry masks are not masculine. However, it seems there arent the same fears about vaccinations. Men are more likely than women to say they planned on getting a coronavirus vaccine, according to three recent US surveys. A National Geographic survey found 69% of men surveyed said they were somewhat likely or very likely to take the vaccine, compared to 51% of women. A Pew Survey found that 45% of women would probably not or definitely not take a vaccine, as compared to 33% of men. A Gallup poll found 60% of women would take the vaccine compared to 66% of men.

This data is somewhat surprising: conventional wisdom, backed by lots of global research, is that women are more likely than men to take the pandemic seriously and comply with public-health regulations. So why the hesitancy about getting vaccinated?

One theory is that the anti-vaxxer movement, which is dominated by women, has infiltrated more mainstream female spaces. Recent research from researchers at George Washington University found members of online communities previously undecided on vaccines groups for pet lovers or yoga enthusiasts for example are increasingly connecting with anti-vaxxers. Its like a tumour growth, one researcher said.

Online misinformation, which Big Tech has done far too little to control, is an incredibly serious problem. Nevertheless, we should be wary about blaming hesitancy around vaccines entirely on Facebook et al. One reason women are disproportionately attracted to alternative medicine is because traditional medicine hasnt exactly done a brilliant job of earning their trust. Womens health concerns are often dismissed: one study found women with severe stomach pain had to wait 33% longer to be seen by a doctor than men with the same symptoms. Womens health problems are also massively under-researched: there is five times more research into erectile dysfunction than premenstrual syndrome, for example, despite the former affecting 19% of men and the latter affecting 90% of women. In the US, medical research trials werent required to include women until 1993 because womens bodies were considered too complex and hormonal.

Its not just women who have good reason to be wary of the health industry, of course. Considering the history of anti-Black medical racism in America, its not exactly surprising that the Pew Survey found that fewer than half of Black American adults say they intend to get a coronavirus vaccine, compared to 61% of white people. Black Americans have been experimented on (one word: Tuskegee) and forcibly sterilized. Black pain hasnt been taken seriously by the medical establishment because of enduring racist notions that Black people have thicker skin than white people. Minorities are also underrepresented in clinical trials, which can result in technology and treatments that dont meet their needs. Pulse oximeters, for example, which measure the oxygen levels in your blood and have been increasingly in use due to the pandemic, can give misleading readings in people with dark skin. A new study has found that misleading results happen three times more often for Black people. Probably because the colour of light used in the pulse oximeter can be absorbed by skin pigment. Which would have been something researchers would have caught straight away if they took diversity seriously.

There is often a lot of sneering when it comes to distrust of medicine and science. People who dont enthusiastically embrace vaccines are cast as uneducated and irrational. However, if history is anything to go by, it is perfectly rational for women and minorities to be wary of the medical establishment. To be clear: Im not saying there is any reason to be hesitant about the coronavirus vaccine, which has been shown to be safe. Im saying that you dont change peoples minds by sneering at them or calling them stupid, you do it by earning their trust. And the health industry still has a long way to go when it comes to doing that.

Rigid gender stereotyping limits childrens potential and is fueling Britains mental health crisis, according to the findings of a new report commissioned by gender equality charity, the Fawcett Society. Stereotypes significantly limit career choices, the report says, and are at the root of girls problems with body image issues as well as higher male suicide rates.

you can blow up Trump Plaza. Atlantic City is auctioning off the chance to virtually push the button that starts the long-anticipated implosion of the former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino building.

A survey by Women Who Tech found that 48% of female tech employees today have experienced harassment at work; 42% saying the harassment was perpetuated by a supervisor. Of those harassed, 43% said the harassment was sexual.

11 women and only five men were named to management positions in city hall in 2018, breaking rules that stipulate one sex shouldnt account for more than 60% of nominations to management positions.

However, women still only represent 28% of all S&P 500 board directors.

Read this and weep I certainly did.

Incredibly, Denmark has become only the 12th country in Europe to recognize sex without consent as rape, although momentum for change is building, an Amnesty International Womens Rights Researcher said.

This year weve had owls in Christmas trees. Weve had koalas in Christmas trees. Now we have a racoon in a Christmas tree: please watch this hilarious video of a woman attempting to evict a sneaky raccoon from his festive hideaway. This is also the last newsletter before Christmas so, if you celebrate the holiday, enjoy! And make sure you check your tree for stowaways.

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If women are hesitant about the vaccine, it's because the health industry hasn't earned their trust - The Guardian

Plants Used For The Treatment Of Diabetes – Technology Times Pakistan

By Zarfe Ayesha, Athar Mahmood, Safura Bibi, Mah Rukh

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is known to be the most common metabolic disorder worldwide. Based on WHO reports (2004), the occurrence of type II diabetes affects more than 170 million individuals worldwide.

It is estimated that the total number of people suffering from diabetes will reach 239 million by the year 2010. If diabetes is neglected over long periods of time, the metabolic abnormalities are capable of contributing towards the development of complications such as nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, and cardiovascular. In short, diabetes causes and will continue to cause morbidity, mortality, and long-term complications thus deserving every attention to solve, or at least minimize, disease-related problems.

The ever increasing reports on traditional medicine from different parts of the world support this trend. In countries where traditional medicine plays a dominant role in imparting the primary health care, vegetables, culinary herbs, and medicinal plants are one of the main choices in the management of diabetes. Contrary to insulin dependent DM (IDDM), non-insulin dependent DM (NIDDM) could be partially managed by using herbal products already widely practiced throughout the world. In this aspect, plants can be considered as an effective dietary adjunct in the management of DM and a potential source for the discovery of orally active antidiabetic agents. Fraction of about 250,000 higher plants has been screened in depth for their hypoglycemic activity, and an even smaller number has been researched to identify the active ingredients.

F.religiosahas been shown to possess a wide spectrum ofin vitroandin vivopharmacological activities: antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, antitumor, antiulcer, antianxiety, anthelmintic, antiasthmatic, immunomodulatory, estrogenic, endothelin receptor antagonist, apoptosis inducer, cognitive enhancer, and antihypertensive.

Decoction prepared from the bark is used in treatment of diabetes. The plant is believed to contain several bioactive principles including tannins, saponins, polyphenolic compounds, flavonoids, and sterols.

Jamun has been reported to be used in numerous complementary and alternative medicine systems of India and, before the discovery of insulin, was a frontline antidiabetic medication even in Europe.

Eugenia jambolanais one of the widely used medicinal plants in the treatment of diabetes and several other diseases. The plant is rich in compounds containing anthocyanins, glucoside, ellagic acid, isoquercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, and hydrolysable tannins (1-0-galloyl castalagin and casuarinin).

Momordica charantiais a popular fruit used for the treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It is often used as a vegetable in diet. Bitter gourd contains bioactive substances with antidiabetic potential such as vicine, charantin, and triterpenoids along with some antioxidants. Several preclinical studies have documented the antidiabetic and hypoglycaemic effects ofMomordica charantiathrough various hypothesised mechanisms.

Several studies have demonstrated antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer, and antidiabetic activities, inMomordica charantiahowever, the antidiabetic activity has been widely reviewed.

Antidiabetic properties of tulsi were appreciated in Ayurveda. A significant reduction in blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and urea along with a simultaneous increase in glycogen, hemoglobin, and protein in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats has been observed when rats were supplemented with ethanolic extract ofO. sanctum. Leaf extract ofO. sanctumL has been reported to stimulate the physiological pathways of insulin secretion.O. sanctumL. showed serum glucose-lowering effect when the extract was given to normal rats for 30 days.O. sanctumL. is reported to reduce the serum level of cortisol and glucose in male mice showing its antiperoxidative effect.

Pterocarpus marsupiumis reported to have not only hypoglycemic property but also-cell protective and regenerative properties, effects which have been attributed to the flavonoid content in the plant.

Several studies have demonstrated that fenugreek seed extract, mucilage of seeds, and leaves can decrease blood glucose and cholesterol levels in humans and experimental diabetic animals. The therapeutic potential of fenugreek is primarily due to the presence of saponins, 4-hydroxyisoleucine and trigonelline, an alkaloid and high-fiber content.

The antihyperglycemic effect has been correlated with decline in somatostatin and high plasma glucagon levels.

Aqueous extract ofG. sylvestrehas been reported to cause reversible increases in intracellular calcium and insulin secretion in mouse and humancells with type 2 diabetes. Regeneration of the cells in the pancreas might raise the insulin levels.G. sylvestrecan also help prevent adrenal hormones from stimulating the liver to produce glucose in mice, thereby reducing blood sugar levels. A group of triterpene saponins, known as gymnemic acids and gymnemasaponins are found to be present inG. sylvestrewhich are responsible for the reported pharmacological properties.

Biological and therapeutic functions of garlic are basically due to the organosulphur compounds they possess. These chemical components are thought to exhibit numerous biological effects including lowering of cholesterol and glucose, cancer prevention, and antimicrobial propertie. Studies have proved that the consumption of garlic significantly decreased fasting blood sugar levels. Diallyl trisulfide has been proved to improve glycemic control in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Incorporation of garlic juice resulted in better utilization of glucose in glucose tolerance tests performed in rabbits, while allicin at a dose of 250mg/kg was 60% as effective as tolbutamide in alloxan-induced diabetic patients.

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Plants Used For The Treatment Of Diabetes - Technology Times Pakistan

2020: The Protests That Didnt Make It – Outlook India

This year, the Indian subcontinent will be reviewed as a researchers delight. Repressive state, an agitated civil society, countrywide protests, and an international surfeit of support ---- we have a major case study brewing for all the scholars of democracy around the world.

Look, here it crumbles! True. But to what extent are these pointers effective in mapping such a breakdown? Instead, as we see the country erupt in protests with the students, workers and veterans gather up as comrades-in-arms with the farmers in these wee hours of the blessed year that 2020 has been, the BJP- led central government has managed to move ahead with several bills that did not make enough noise but worked just as subtly to bring up a massive set of changes to the basic fibre of minimalist protection meted out to the most underprivileged. It is at this intersectional concept that of what construes the underprivileged that the rights of the economically deprived, the religious minorities, the linguistically challenged and the regionally peripheral fire-play.

While taking off from the anti-Citizenship Act protests earlier this year, that the civil society uproar, bereft of significant consolidation and sustenance, has basically aided and abetted, albeit unintentionally, the governments long time ploy to change the socio-legal provisions that have kept this global south unit of a developing- underdeveloped fabric running. This has, however, resulted into doing away with the very residues of the welfare state that was once referred to as the Nehruvian model.

Continuing to debate how the modern political formations in India conceptualize the social and political restructuring, the Centre has, since last one year, passed on several legislations which directly and indirectly give effect to this phenomenon. These transformations thus warrant a comprehensive breakdown to understand how structural democracy abets crises when there is no actual transformation, for which they are established in the first place. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019 not only bifurcated the state into two Union Territories but empowered and emboldened the Centre tremendously to legislate on matters not under its legal jurisdiction earlier. This has set an undemocratic precedent, truncating upon the power sharing mechanisms and federal asymmetries forever. This should, however, be read with the growing fetishisation of Kashmiris and an inflated sense of Hindu dominance against Muslim Kashmir, which continues to be exhibited till date.

Second in line, The New Education Policy 2020 was vastly criticized for being exclusionary and impervious. However, it is important to note that the policy is designed to further consolidate the long drawn ideological project which the ruling government cherishes. The current glorification and eventual revival of a largely constructed ancient Indian Hindu culture, envisaged by the policy, not only solidifies the Hindutva project further but also embeds it deeper, impacting the social fabric of the society as perceived in mainland India.

One instance could be the recent amendments to the Medicine Bill 2020 that include consolidating and setting up a national commission to control the education and practice of the Indian systems of Medicine that now has a huge diversion of funds towards the study of Yoga and Ayurveda while the country still reels under underpayment of doctors and amenities crunch at public medical facilities. It is not to hold any prejudices towards alternative medicine, but what stands alarming is that the Bill aimed at ensuring ease of access for the public and curbing corruption in medical practices does not have anything concrete except the continuous mention of a centralised board to look after further encouraging alternative medicine amidst a pandemic that has got the whole world engrossed into improvising clinical healthcare.

History bears witness to the fact that any totalitarian regime harbour on the construction of suspect communities. The application of extraordinary laws has always found minorities at the receiving end. While in India, history hangs high on Muslim community and it has been the first to be brought under the purview of such laws. The changes in UAPA, which gives a state-wide authority to arrest anyone deemed as a suspect by the state. The numerical analysis of all the arrests under such laws refer to a worrying trend that it has always been a tool of repression to be unleashed against the minorities. The Citizenship Act should thus be understood in this broader framework to understand how it would become another exclusionary instrument to perpetuate violence against what have been construed as the suspect community.

In the similar vein, while the Essential Commodities Amendment Bill 2020 envisions vesting more powers to the Centre to regulate the production in certain sectors and empowering to decide upon what would constitute the essential commodities, an attempt that had been in motion since late January 2020, the pandemic only paving a smoother way for the same. Similarly, All of the recent changes in existing laws like the Companies (Amendment) Bill- which relieves privileged defaulters from punitive action brought about by the state and additionally dilutes the existing Corporate Social Responsibility provisions towards aiding the corporates, The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill that imposes the burden of huge reductions to defaulters on loans on public sector banks.

The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill, the Industrial Relations Code and the Major Port Authorities Bill reflect a centralizing trend: empowering Centre more than actually bringing in any transformational mechanism. Apart from setting up boards at local levels with Centre- nominated representatives to make decisions on port properties, it also conveniently renamed the Calcutta port (one of the denoted Major Ports) after Sangh ideologue Shyamaprasad Mukherjee. The board, according to the 2020 amendments, is also the adjudicating body in public-private partnership (PPP) disputes, leaving to imagination whose interests it will seek to protect in case of contentions.

The slow injection of absolute centralising tentacles of the state under the Narendra Modi government will now set the national and diplomatic behaviour of India at an antagonistic parallel against the course and crux of global solidarities against inequality and oppression. While gauging the implicit, these bills passed over this period of 1 year did not make it to the angst of the protesting mass, however, have been equally deteriorating to those three ancient words we hold so dear: liberty, equality, fraternity.

Under the garb of pandemic and protests, the current government passed several other laws, like the anti-conversion law, which couldnt gain much attention yet hold significance as far as the state-society relations are concerned-potentially changing the democratic discourse in India forever. All of the recent changes in existing laws, and several newly added ones, reflect a centralizing trend: empowering the Centre more than actually bringing in any transformational mechanism.

While the Opposition boycotted the parliamentary proceedings protesting against the new farm rules, the government passed the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill 2020 in the month of September. Although, the Act added Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi to the official languages list, however, the inclusion of Hindi and the promotion of Devanagari script created apprehensions in the civil society bodies who perceived it as threatening and detrimental to further introduce centralizing tendencies to the vernacular practices.

An amendment aimed at further amending the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010, prohibits the transfer of any foreign contribution to another person. It aims at centralizing the administration of foreign contributions while establishing a strict control over the voluntary organisations and political associations that receive such contributions. The move has also resulted in the merger of three nationalized banks which has received a huge backlash. The government in order to hide its incapability to recover loans from corporate houses has proposed to merge banks and consolidate their governance. This would however squash the banks functional aspects and hamper the employment in the banking sector.

The Industrial Relations Code 2020 sought to combine the provisions of three erstwhile laws. These are the Trade Unions Act 1926, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946, and the Industrial Disputes Act 1947. The code not only undermines the purpose of unions by reframing the constitution of representation but also the culture of strikes at such spaces. It does this by asking for a sixty-day advance notice prior to starting a strike and expanding the definition of strike to include a concerted leave by 50 per cent of workers or more on a given day. The number of workers to be employed in order to be answerable to the government during lay-offs and retrenchment has been raised from 100 to 300, in the pretext of encouraging employment whereas, this raises the number of workers who are now set vulnerable to unconditional lay- offs from 99 to 299 without any public monitoring.

These are only a few instances of the governments thought-out and perpetual attempt at ridiculing any notion of bettering the publics standards of living, feeding incessantly into the privileged pockets. As the year ends, it stands to be reviewed as to what extent the mass will interpret these legislative adventures in these extraordinary times.

(Views are personal, and do not necessarily reflect those of Outlook Magazine.)

(Muzammil Yaqoob is a postgraduate from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and currently works freelance with the Centre for Studies in Developing Societies, New Delhi andAishwarya Bhattacharyya is currently pursuing her PhD at the Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi)

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2020: The Protests That Didnt Make It - Outlook India

Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market Report 2020: Players, Countries, Type and Application, Regional Forecast To 2028 – BIZNEWS

Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market offers an in-depth analysis and technical study, with useful facts and figures, of the current and potential market role of Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market. Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market offers information on potential market opportunities and industry drivers, innovations and emerging technologies that will drive these growth trends.

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Key Offerings of the Study

Executive : The report provides a detailed overview, including Comparison of Definitions, Range, Usage, Output and CAGR (percentage), Type Segmentation, Share, Revenue Status and Outlook, Capability, Demand , Market Drivers, Production Status, Import , Export, Opportunities, Growth Rate for Emerging Markets / Country Countries. The report offers a 360-degree analysis of the competitive environment of the industry.

In-depth Market Analysis: Market size estimation and forecasts were given based on a detailed research methodology tailored to the conditions of the demand for Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market. The Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market report points out national and global business prospects and competitive conditions for Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market. The market research report on Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market was gathered through extensive primary research through interviews , surveys and findings from professional analysts and secondary research. The research also offers a complete qualitative and quantitative evaluation by evaluating data collected from industry analysts and market participants from Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market around key points in the industrys value chain.

Complementary And Alternative Medicine

Market Segmentation : The Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market has been segmented by type (silicon based, fluorine based), by application (automotive, aerospace, photovoltaics, electronic, industrial). Major regions covered in the study include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America.

Useful discoveries of this research are-

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Statistical analysis, figures and prime data included in the report contains-

Understanding Competition: A lot of companies are key players in the Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market which are studied extensively in this report. To strengthen their product portfolio and increase their market share the key manufacturers/ companies are constantly improvising their goods and services. With an emphasis on strategies there have been several primary developments done by major companies such as Nordic Nutraceuticals, Columbia Nutritional, Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, Herb Pharm, John Schumacher Unity Woods Yoga Centre, Pure Encapsulations, LLC., The Healing Company Ltd, AYUSH Ayurvedic Pte Ltd, and Sheng Chang Pharmaceutical Company. etc.

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Conclusion:The objective of the study is to define the market sizes of the different segments & countries in recent years and to forecast the values. The goal of the market study is to integrate both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the market within each of the regions and countries involved in the report. In addition, the report also offers detailed information on key aspects, such as challenges, driving factors, which will shape future industry development.

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Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market Report 2020: Players, Countries, Type and Application, Regional Forecast To 2028 - BIZNEWS

KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) Plus LENVIMA (lenvatinib) Combination Demonstrated Statistically Significant Improvement in Overall Survival,…

KENILWORTH, N.J. & WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) Plus LENVIMA (lenvatinib) Combination Demonstrated Statistically Significant Improvement in Overall Survival, Progression-Free Survival and Objective Response Rate Versus Chemotherapy in Patients With Advanced Endometrial Cancer Following Prior Systemic Therapy in Phase 3 Study

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and Eisai today announced that the pivotal Phase 3 KEYNOTE-775/Study 309 trial evaluating the investigational use of KEYTRUDA, Mercks anti-PD-1 therapy, plus LENVIMA, the orally available multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor discovered by Eisai, met its dual primary endpoints of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) and its secondary efficacy endpoint of objective response rate (ORR) in patients with advanced endometrial cancer following at least one prior platinum-based regimen. These positive results were observed in the mismatch repair proficient (pMMR) subgroup and the intention-to-treat (ITT) study population, which includes both patients with endometrial carcinoma that is pMMR as well as patients whose disease is microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H)/mismatch repair deficient (dMMR). Based on an analysis conducted by an independent Data Monitoring Committee, KEYTRUDA plus LENVIMA demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in OS, PFS and ORR versus chemotherapy (treatment of physicians choice [TPC] of doxorubicin or paclitaxel). The safety profile of the KEYTRUDA plus LENVIMA combination was consistent with previously reported studies. Merck and Eisai will discuss these data with regulatory authorities worldwide, with the intent to submit marketing authorization applications based on these results, and plan to present these results at an upcoming medical meeting.

Women with advanced endometrial cancer are faced with high mortality rates and limited treatment options following initial systemic therapy, said Dr. Gregory Lubiniecki, Associate Vice President, Oncology Clinical Research, Merck Research Laboratories. These are the first results from a Phase 3 trial of a combination regimen including immunotherapy in advanced endometrial carcinoma that have shown a statistically significant improvement in overall survival, progression-free survival and objective response rate versus chemotherapy. Merck and Eisai are dedicated to continuing to research the KEYTRUDA plus LENVIMA combination and discover new approaches to address unmet needs for devastating diseases such as endometrial carcinoma.

We are encouraged by the data observed in KEYNOTE-775/Study 309, which represent a possible step forward for patients impacted by advanced endometrial carcinoma and support the results seen in the advanced endometrial cancer cohort of KEYNOTE-146/Study 111, said Dr. Takashi Owa, Vice President, Chief Medicine Creation Officer and Chief Discovery Officer, Oncology Business Group at Eisai. As more clinical data from the LEAP (LEnvatinib And Pembrolizumab) program are revealed, we cannot help but be energized by the trajectory of our collaboration with Merck and the benefits we hope to provide to patients together. Most importantly, we are grateful for the trust that the patients and healthcare professionals who participated in this trial have shown us.

KEYNOTE-775/Study 309 is the confirmatory trial for KEYNOTE-146/Study 111, which supported the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) 2019 accelerated approval of the KEYTRUDA plus LENVIMA combination for the treatment of patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma that is not MSI-H or dMMR, who have disease progression following prior systemic therapy and are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation. This accelerated approval was based on tumor response rate and durability of response and was the first approval granted under Project Orbis, an initiative of the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence that provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology drugs among its international partners. Under Project Orbis, Health Canada and Australias Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) granted conditional and provisional approvals, respectively, for this indication.

Merck and Eisai are studying the KEYTRUDA plus LENVIMA combination through the LEAP (LEnvatinib And Pembrolizumab) clinical program in 13 different tumor types across 20 clinical trials, including a Phase 3 trial evaluating the combination in the first-line setting for patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma (LEAP-001).

About KEYNOTE-775/Study 309

KEYNOTE-775/Study 309 is a multicenter, randomized, open-label, Phase 3 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03517449) evaluating KEYTRUDA in combination with LENVIMA in patients with advanced endometrial cancer following at least one prior platinum-based regimen. The dual primary endpoints are OS and PFS, as assessed by Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors Version (RECIST) v1.1. Select secondary endpoints include objective response rate (ORR) by BICR per RECIST v1.1 and safety/tolerability. Of the 827 patients enrolled, 697 patients had tumors that were non-MSI-H or pMMR, and 130 patients had tumors that were MSI-H or dMMR. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive:

About Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer begins in the inner lining of the uterus, which is known as the endometrium and is the most common type of cancer in the uterus. In 2018, it was estimated there were more than 382,000 new cases and nearly 90,000 deaths from uterine body cancers worldwide (these estimates include both endometrial cancers and uterine sarcomas; more than 90% of uterine body cancers occur in the endometrium, so the actual numbers for endometrial cancer cases and deaths are slightly lower than these estimates). In the U.S., it is estimated there will be almost 66,000 new cases of uterine body cancer and nearly 13,000 deaths from the disease in 2020. The five-year survival rate for advanced or metastatic endometrial cancer (stage IV) is estimated to be approximately 17%.

About KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) Injection, 100 mg

KEYTRUDA is an anti-PD-1 therapy that works by increasing the ability of the bodys immune system to help detect and fight tumor cells. KEYTRUDA is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction between PD-1 and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, thereby activating T lymphocytes which may affect both tumor cells and healthy cells.

Merck has the industrys largest immuno-oncology clinical research program. There are currently more than 1,300 trials studying KEYTRUDA across a wide variety of cancers and treatment settings. The KEYTRUDA clinical program seeks to understand the role of KEYTRUDA across cancers and the factors that may predict a patient's likelihood of benefitting from treatment with KEYTRUDA, including exploring several different biomarkers.

Selected KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) Indications in the U.S.

Melanoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of patients with melanoma with involvement of lymph node(s) following complete resection.

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

KEYTRUDA, in combination with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy, is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.

KEYTRUDA, in combination with carboplatin and either paclitaxel or paclitaxel protein-bound, is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic squamous NSCLC.

KEYTRUDA, as a single agent, is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with NSCLC expressing PD-L1 [tumor proportion score (TPS) 1%] as determined by an FDA-approved test, with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations, and is stage III where patients are not candidates for surgical resection or definitive chemoradiation, or metastatic.

KEYTRUDA, as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic NSCLC whose tumors express PD-L1 (TPS 1%) as determined by an FDA-approved test, with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy. Patients with EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations should have disease progression on FDA-approved therapy for these aberrations prior to receiving KEYTRUDA.

Small Cell Lung Cancer

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy and at least 1 other prior line of therapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer

KEYTRUDA, in combination with platinum and fluorouracil (FU), is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic or with unresectable, recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

KEYTRUDA, as a single agent, is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic or with unresectable, recurrent HNSCC whose tumors express PD-L1 [combined positive score (CPS) 1] as determined by an FDA-approved test.

KEYTRUDA, as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy.

Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL).

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of pediatric patients with refractory cHL, or cHL that has relapsed after 2 or more lines of therapy.

Primary Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with refractory primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), or who have relapsed after 2 or more prior lines of therapy. KEYTRUDA is not recommended for treatment of patients with PMBCL who require urgent cytoreductive therapy.

Urothelial Carcinoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) who are not eligible for cisplatin-containing chemotherapy and whose tumors express PD-L1 (CPS 10), as determined by an FDA-approved test, or in patients who are not eligible for any platinum-containing chemotherapy regardless of PD-L1 status. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy.

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-unresponsive, high-risk, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) with carcinoma in situ (CIS) with or without papillary tumors who are ineligible for or have elected not to undergo cystectomy.

Microsatellite Instability-High or Mismatch Repair Deficient Cancer

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR)

This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials. The safety and effectiveness of KEYTRUDA in pediatric patients with MSI-H central nervous system cancers have not been established.

Microsatellite Instability-High or Mismatch Repair Deficient Colorectal Cancer

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic MSI-H or dMMR colorectal cancer (CRC).

Gastric Cancer

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma whose tumors express PD-L1 (CPS 1) as determined by an FDA-approved test, with disease progression on or after two or more prior lines of therapy including fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy and if appropriate, HER2/neu-targeted therapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

Esophageal Cancer

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent locally advanced or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus whose tumors express PD-L1 (CPS 10) as determined by an FDA-approved test, with disease progression after one or more prior lines of systemic therapy.

Cervical Cancer

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer with disease progression on or after chemotherapy whose tumors express PD-L1 (CPS 1) as determined by an FDA-approved test. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

Merkel Cell Carcinoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with recurrent locally advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

Renal Cell Carcinoma

KEYTRUDA, in combination with axitinib, is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Endometrial Carcinoma

KEYTRUDA, in combination with LENVIMA, is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma that is not MSI-H or dMMR, who have disease progression following prior systemic therapy and are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trial.

Tumor Mutational Burden-High

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with unresectable or metastatic tumor mutational burden-high (TMB-H) [10 mutations/megabase] solid tumors, as determined by an FDA-approved test, that have progressed following prior treatment and who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials. The safety and effectiveness of KEYTRUDA in pediatric patients with TMB-H central nervous system cancers have not been established.

Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) that is not curable by surgery or radiation.

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

KEYTRUDA, in combination with chemotherapy, is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally recurrent unresectable or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) whose tumors express PD-L1 (CPS 10) as determined by an FDA-approved test. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on progression-free survival. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

Selected Important Safety Information for KEYTRUDA

Severe and Fatal Immune-Mediated Adverse Reactions

KEYTRUDA is a monoclonal antibody that belongs to a class of drugs that bind to either the programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) or the programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway, thereby removing inhibition of the immune response, potentially breaking peripheral tolerance and inducing immune-mediated adverse reactions. Immune-mediated adverse reactions, which may be severe or fatal, can occur in any organ system or tissue, can affect more than one body system simultaneously, and can occur at any time after starting treatment or after discontinuation of treatment.

Monitor patients closely for symptoms and signs that may be clinical manifestations of underlying immune-mediated adverse reactions. Early identification and management are essential to ensure safe use of antiPD-1/PD-L1 treatments. Evaluate liver enzymes, creatinine, and thyroid function at baseline and periodically during treatment. In cases of suspected immune-mediated adverse reactions, initiate appropriate workup to exclude alternative etiologies, including infection. Institute medical management promptly, including specialty consultation as appropriate.

Withhold or permanently discontinue KEYTRUDA depending on severity of the immune-mediated adverse reaction. In general, if KEYTRUDA requires interruption or discontinuation, administer systemic corticosteroid therapy (1 to 2 mg/kg/day prednisone or equivalent) until improvement to Grade 1 or less. Upon improvement to Grade 1 or less, initiate corticosteroid taper and continue to taper over at least 1 month. Consider administration of other systemic immunosuppressants in patients whose adverse reactions are not controlled with corticosteroid therapy.

Immune-Mediated Pneumonitis

KEYTRUDA can cause immune-mediated pneumonitis. The incidence is higher in patients who have received prior thoracic radiation. Immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 3.4% (94/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including fatal (0.1%), Grade 4 (0.3%), Grade 3 (0.9%), and Grade 2 (1.3%) reactions. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 67% (63/94) of patients. Pneumonitis led to permanent discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in 1.3% (36) and withholding in 0.9% (26) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement; of these, 23% had recurrence. Pneumonitis resolved in 59% of the 94 patients.

Pneumonitis occurred in 8% (31/389) of adult patients with cHL receiving KEYTRUDA as a single agent, including Grades 3-4 in 2.3% of patients. Patients received high-dose corticosteroids for a median duration of 10 days (range: 2 days to 53 months). Pneumonitis rates were similar in patients with and without prior thoracic radiation. Pneumonitis led to discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in 5.4% (21) of patients, 42% of these patients interrupted KEYTRUDA, 68% discontinued KEYTRUDA, and 77% had resolution.

Immune-Mediated Colitis

KEYTRUDA can cause immune-mediated colitis, which may present with diarrhea. Cytomegalovirus infection/reactivation has been reported in patients with corticosteroid-refractory immune-mediated colitis. In cases of corticosteroid-refractory colitis, consider repeating infectious workup to exclude alternative etiologies. Immune-mediated colitis occurred in 1.7% (48/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including Grade 4 (<0.1%), Grade 3 (1.1%), and Grade 2 (0.4%) reactions. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 69% (33/48); additional immunosuppressant therapy was required in 4.2% of patients. Colitis led to permanent discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in 0.5% (15) and withholding in 0.5% (13) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement; of these, 23% had recurrence. Colitis resolved in 85% of the 48 patients.

Hepatotoxicity and Immune-Mediated Hepatitis

KEYTRUDA as a Single Agent

KEYTRUDA can cause immune-mediated hepatitis. Immune-mediated hepatitis occurred in 0.7% (19/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including Grade 4 (<0.1%), Grade 3 (0.4%), and Grade 2 (0.1%) reactions. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 68% (13/19) of patients; additional immunosuppressant therapy was required in 11% of patients. Hepatitis led to permanent discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in 0.2% (6) and withholding in 0.3% (9) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement; of these, none had recurrence. Hepatitis resolved in 79% of the 19 patients.

KEYTRUDA with Axitinib

KEYTRUDA in combination with axitinib can cause hepatic toxicity. Monitor liver enzymes before initiation of and periodically throughout treatment. Consider monitoring more frequently as compared to when the drugs are administered as single agents. For elevated liver enzymes, interrupt KEYTRUDA and axitinib, and consider administering corticosteroids as needed. With the combination of KEYTRUDA and axitinib, Grades 3 and 4 increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (20%) and increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (13%) were seen, which was at a higher frequency compared to KEYTRUDA alone. Fifty-nine percent of the patients with increased ALT received systemic corticosteroids. In patients with ALT 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (Grades 2-4, n=116), ALT resolved to Grades 0-1 in 94%. Among the 92 patients who were rechallenged with either KEYTRUDA (n=3) or axitinib (n=34) administered as a single agent or with both (n=55), recurrence of ALT 3 times ULN was observed in 1 patient receiving KEYTRUDA, 16 patients receiving axitinib, and 24 patients receiving both. All patients with a recurrence of ALT 3 ULN subsequently recovered from the event.

Immune-Mediated Endocrinopathies

Adrenal Insufficiency

KEYTRUDA can cause primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency. For Grade 2 or higher, initiate symptomatic treatment, including hormone replacement as clinically indicated. Withhold KEYTRUDA depending on severity. Adrenal insufficiency occurred in 0.8% (22/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including Grade 4 (<0.1%), Grade 3 (0.3%), and Grade 2 (0.3%) reactions. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 77% (17/22) of patients; of these, the majority remained on systemic corticosteroids. Adrenal insufficiency led to permanent discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in <0.1% (1) and withholding in 0.3% (8) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement.

Hypophysitis

KEYTRUDA can cause immune-mediated hypophysitis. Hypophysitis can present with acute symptoms associated with mass effect such as headache, photophobia, or visual field defects. Hypophysitis can cause hypopituitarism. Initiate hormone replacement as indicated. Withhold or permanently discontinue KEYTRUDA depending on severity. Hypophysitis occurred in 0.6% (17/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including Grade 4 (<0.1%), Grade 3 (0.3%), and Grade 2 (0.2%) reactions. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 94% (16/17) of patients; of these, the majority remained on systemic corticosteroids. Hypophysitis led to permanent discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in 0.1% (4) and withholding in 0.3% (7) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement.

Thyroid Disorders

KEYTRUDA can cause immune-mediated thyroid disorders. Thyroiditis can present with or without endocrinopathy. Hypothyroidism can follow hyperthyroidism. Initiate hormone replacement for hypothyroidism or institute medical management of hyperthyroidism as clinically indicated. Withhold or permanently discontinue KEYTRUDA depending on severity. Thyroiditis occurred in 0.6% (16/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including Grade 2 (0.3%). None discontinued, but KEYTRUDA was withheld in <0.1% (1) of patients.

Hyperthyroidism occurred in 3.4% (96/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including Grade 3 (0.1%) and Grade 2 (0.8%). It led to permanent discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in <0.1% (2) and withholding in 0.3% (7) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement. Hypothyroidism occurred in 8% (237/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including Grade 3 (0.1%) and Grade 2 (6.2%). It led to permanent discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in <0.1% (1) and withholding in 0.5% (14) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement. The majority of patients with hypothyroidism required long-term thyroid hormone replacement. The incidence of new or worsening hypothyroidism was higher in 1185 patients with HNSCC, occurring in 16% of patients receiving KEYTRUDA as a single agent or in combination with platinum and FU, including Grade 3 (0.3%) hypothyroidism. The incidence of new or worsening hypothyroidism was higher in 389 adult patients with cHL (17%) receiving KEYTRUDA as a single agent, including Grade 1 (6.2%) and Grade 2 (10.8%) hypothyroidism.

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (DM), Which Can Present With Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Monitor patients for hyperglycemia or other signs and symptoms of diabetes. Initiate treatment with insulin as clinically indicated. Withhold KEYTRUDA depending on severity. Type 1 DM occurred in 0.2% (6/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA. It led to permanent discontinuation in <0.1% (1) and withholding of KEYTRUDA in <0.1% (1). All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement.

Immune-Mediated Nephritis With Renal Dysfunction

KEYTRUDA can cause immune-mediated nephritis. Immune-mediated nephritis occurred in 0.3% (9/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including Grade 4 (<0.1%), Grade 3 (0.1%), and Grade 2 (0.1%) reactions. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 89% (8/9) of patients. Nephritis led to permanent discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in 0.1% (3) and withholding in 0.1% (3) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement; of these, none had recurrence. Nephritis resolved in 56% of the 9 patients.

Immune-Mediated Dermatologic Adverse Reactions

KEYTRUDA can cause immune-mediated rash or dermatitis. Exfoliative dermatitis, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, and toxic epidermal necrolysis, has occurred with antiPD-1/PD-L1 treatments. Topical emollients and/or topical corticosteroids may be adequate to treat mild to moderate nonexfoliative rashes. Withhold or permanently discontinue KEYTRUDA depending on severity. Immune-mediated dermatologic adverse reactions occurred in 1.4% (38/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including Grade 3 (1%) and Grade 2 (0.1%) reactions. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 40% (15/38) of patients. These reactions led to permanent discontinuation in 0.1% (2) and withholding of KEYTRUDA in 0.6% (16) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement; of these, 6% had recurrence. The reactions resolved in 79% of the 38 patients.

Other Immune-Mediated Adverse Reactions

The following clinically significant immune-mediated adverse reactions occurred at an incidence of <1% (unless otherwise noted) in patients who received KEYTRUDA or were reported with the use of other antiPD-1/PD-L1 treatments. Severe or fatal cases have been reported for some of these adverse reactions. Cardiac/Vascular: Myocarditis, pericarditis, vasculitis; Nervous System: Meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis and demyelination, myasthenic syndrome/myasthenia gravis (including exacerbation), Guillain-Barr syndrome, nerve paresis, autoimmune neuropathy; Ocular: Uveitis, iritis and other ocular inflammatory toxicities can occur. Some cases can be associated with retinal detachment. Various grades of visual impairment, including blindness, can occur. If uveitis occurs in combination with other immune-mediated adverse reactions, consider a Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada-like syndrome, as this may require treatment with systemic steroids to reduce the risk of permanent vision loss; Gastrointestinal: Pancreatitis, to include increases in serum amylase and lipase levels, gastritis, duodenitis; Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue: Myositis/polymyositis, rhabdomyolysis (and associated sequelae, including renal failure), arthritis (1.5%), polymyalgia rheumatica; Endocrine: Hypoparathyroidism; Hematologic/Immune: Hemolytic anemia, aplastic anemia, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi lymphadenitis), sarcoidosis, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, solid organ transplant rejection.

Infusion-Related Reactions

KEYTRUDA can cause severe or life-threatening infusion-related reactions, including hypersensitivity and anaphylaxis, which have been reported in 0.2% of 2799 patients receiving KEYTRUDA. Monitor for signs and symptoms of infusion-related reactions. Interrupt or slow the rate of infusion for Grade 1 or Grade 2 reactions. For Grade 3 or Grade 4 reactions, stop infusion and permanently discontinue KEYTRUDA.

Complications of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)

Fatal and other serious complications can occur in patients who receive allogeneic HSCT before or after antiPD-1/PD-L1 treatment. Transplant-related complications include hyperacute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), acute and chronic GVHD, hepatic veno-occlusive disease after reduced intensity conditioning, and steroid-requiring febrile syndrome (without an identified infectious cause). These complications may occur despite intervening therapy between antiPD-1/PD-L1 treatment and allogeneic HSCT. Follow patients closely for evidence of these complications and intervene promptly. Consider the benefit vs risks of using antiPD-1/PD-L1 treatments prior to or after an allogeneic HSCT.

Increased Mortality in Patients With Multiple Myeloma

In trials in patients with multiple myeloma, the addition of KEYTRUDA to a thalidomide analogue plus dexamethasone resulted in increased mortality. Treatment of these patients with an antiPD-1/PD-L1 treatment in this combination is not recommended outside of controlled trials.

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KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) Plus LENVIMA (lenvatinib) Combination Demonstrated Statistically Significant Improvement in Overall Survival,...

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market 2020 | Covid-19 Impact Analysis | Business Outlook, Growth, Share, Trends and Forecasts 2025 -…

The research report on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market gives thorough insights regarding various key trends that shape the industry expansion with regards to regional perspective and competitive spectrum. Furthermore, the document mentions the challenges and potential restrains along with latent opportunities which may positively impact the market outlook in existing and untapped business spaces. Moreover, it presents the case studies, including the ones related to COVID-19 pandemic, to convey better understanding of the industry to all the interested parties.

The recent market trend of increasingly using Complementary and Alternative Medicine for understanding the development of a disease extensively fuel the growth of this market in the coming years. Another trend that will aid the growth of the global Complementary and Alternative Medicine market is the escalating demand for personalized medicine. Extensive investments are being made by various organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and governments for the research and development of drugs, and this is another trend that is benefiting the growth of the global Complementary and Alternative Medicine market. This is because Complementary and Alternative Medicine techniques enable researchers to compare Complementary and Alternative Medicine changes between disease samples and normal samples. Public health can thus be analyzed as the changes in Complementary and Alternative Medicine are influenced by internal biological system and environment directly.

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The report covers extensive analysis of the key market players in the market, along with their business overview, expansion plans, and strategies. The key players studied in the report include: Iyengar Yoga Institute, John Schumachers Unity Woods Yoga Center, Yoga Tree, Nordic Naturals, Quantum Touch, Deepure Plus, Pure Encapsulations, Inc, The Healing Company, Columbia Nutritional, Helio USA, Herbal Hills, Herb Pharm.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market Segmentation:

In market segmentation by types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the report covers-

BotanicalsAcupunctureMindBodyand YogaMagnetic Intervention

In market segmentation by applications of the Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the report covers the following uses-

E-SalesDirect Sales

Regional Analysis for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market-:

1) North America- (United States, Canada)

2) Europe- (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium)

3) Asia Pacific- (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam)

4) Middle East & Africa- (Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Israel, Egypt, Nigeria)

5) Latin America- (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru)

The report provides insights on the following pointers :

Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on the product portfolios of the top players in the Supply Chain Analytics market.

Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on the upcoming technologies, R&D activities, and product launches in the market

Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of the market strategies, geographic and business segments of the leading players in the market

Market Development: Comprehensive information about emerging markets. This report analyzes the market for various segments across geographies

Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the Supply Chain Analytics market

NOTE: Our analysis involves the study of the market taking into consideration the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please get in touch with us to get your hands on an exhaustive coverage of the impact of the current situation on the market. Our expert team of analysts will provide as per report customized to your requirement.

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Table of Content

Chapter 1 Complementary and Alternative Medicine Introduction and Market Overview

Chapter 2 Executive Summary

Chapter 3 Industry Chain Analysis

Chapter 4 Global Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market, by Type

Chapter 5 Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market, by Application

Chapter 6 Global Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market Analysis by Regions

Chapter 7 North America Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market Analysis by Countries

Chapter 8 Europe Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market Analysis by Countries

Chapter 9 Asia Pacific Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market Analysis by Countries

Chapter 10 Middle East and Africa Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market Analysis by Countries

Chapter 11 South America Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market Analysis by Countries

Chapter 12 Competitive Landscape

Chapter 13 Industry Outlook

Chapter 14 Global Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market Forecast

Chapter 15 New Project Feasibility Analysis

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Health: The growth of marijuana as medicine in NH – Concord Monitor

In 2016, New Hampshire established a Therapeutic Cannabis Program, that allows Granite Staters with a variety of conditions, including chronic pain, PTSD, and epilepsy, to buy medicinal marijuana. Caregivers and physicians can also qualify for the program, with appropriate documentation. Those who qualify are required to buy the drug through one of the states four Alternative Treatment Centers.

Growth of New Hampshires therapeutic cannabis program has doubled, or more, in every qualifying demographic since the program began.

Qualifying Patients: 2,089 used the program in 2016, 8,566 participated in 2019

Designated Caregivers: 129 used the program in 2016, 488 participated in 2019

Certifying Providers: 560 used the program in 2016, 1,101 in 2019

Marijuana legislation in N.H.

2013: Maggie Hassan, the then Governor of New Hampshire, signed a bill that allowed seriously ill Granite Staters to use cannabis for medical reasons.

2015: Linda Horan, a stage four lung cancer patient, sues the state and wins the right to have a medical marijuana card.

2016: The first New Hampshire dispensary opens its doors to patients.

2017: Gov. Chris Sununu signed a marijuana decriminalization bill that reduces penalties for possessing small amounts of the substance. Adults could no longer be arrested for having less than 0.75 of an ounce of weed. Instead of jail time, those found in possession of the drug are fined, the proceeds of which go to statewide substance abuse prevention programs

2019: A bill was signed that allowed those who received convictions for possession of cannabis to have their records annulled.

2019: The Senate and House approved a bill that would allow patients and caregivers to grow their own cannabis. Gov. Sununu vetoed the bill.

2020: The State House passed a bill that would have legalized possession of marijuana. The Senate shelved the bill.

Commonly asked questions

Marijuana is fully legalized in 15 states in the U.S, including Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts. Legalization advocates have called New Hampshire an island of prohibition because of its strict marijuana restrictions compared to its closest neighbors.

New Hampshire: Marijuana is somewhat legal, medical use is allowed.

Maine: Marijuana is fully legal, medical use is allowed

Vermont: Marijuana is fully legal, medical use is allowed

Massachusetts: Marijuana is fully legal, medical use is allowed

In New Hampshire, a variety of conditions can qualify you for the therapeutic use of cannabis. Some of these conditions include cancer, PTSD, chronic pain, Alzheimers disease and epilepsy.

According to the Mayo Clinic, more research needs to be done on the safety and efficacy of medical marijuana. However, there are some documented side effects of the drug including increased risk of heart attack, hallucinations or mental illness, dizziness and increased heart rate.

The U.S Food and Drug Administration has approved a couple of THC- and CBD-based medications for a variety of conditions, such as a lack of appetite, childhood epilepsy and naturopathic pain. More research needs to be done into the efficacy of marijuana based medicines to determine the extent of the benefits.

Dispensaries

Prime Alternative Treatment Centers: 380 Daniel Webster Hwy, Merrimack

Sanctuary ATC: 568 Tenney Mountain Hwy, Plymouth

Temescal Wellness (two locations): 26 Crosby Rd #11-12, Dover, and 367 NH-120 Unit E, Lebanon

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Health: The growth of marijuana as medicine in NH - Concord Monitor

New Ayurveda centre for alternative treatment opens in Abu Dhabi’s Al Reem Island – Gulf News

Dr. Shyam Vishwanathan explaining about the traditional curative therapies offered at Vaidyashala to Sandeep Kumar Bayyapu after the inauguration. Image Credit: Supplied

Abu Dhabi: A registered Ayurveda clinic that will provide alternative and complementary treatment for chronic conditions has opened its doors at the Burjeel Day Surgery Centre in Abu Dhabis Al Reem Island.

Staffed by a ten-member team, including registered Ayurvedic doctors, Vaidhyashala aims to integrate conventional medicine with Ayurvedic sciences that originated in India. The centre was officially inaugurated this week by Kumar Bayyapu, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Dr Shyam Vishwanathan, head of Vaidhyashala, said the Ayurvedic treatments offered will supplement treatment through traditional medicine for complaints like back pain, arthritis, autoimmune conditions like psoriasis, allergies and gynaecological concerns.

We expect that 50 per cent of our patients will come to us with neuromuscular complaints and another big group of patients will present themselves with allergic conditions such as asthma. Ayurveda, which has been recognised as a curative treatment in the UAE since 2002, is effective at treating a number of such concerns and we are happy to partner with a registered clinic, he said.

In fact, awareness about the benefits of Ayurveda is on the rise and we expect to open five more centres affiliated with medical networks in the UAE over the next year, Dr Vishwanathan added. Fitted with six therapy rooms and a number of consultation chambers, patients will be able to opt for treatment packages with multiple sessions, following consultations with the centres doctors.

Immunity enhancement

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for immunity enhancement. Ayurveda [complements] the positive role of traditional medicines and practises in enhancing immunity. India can play a major role in meeting the requirements of world markets through the promotion of Ayurveda and other traditional systems of treatment, Bayappu said following a tour of the facility.

No single system of medicine has a complete set of answer [for the health concerns that plague mankind today]. Integrated medicines, which combine traditional medication with alternative treatments like Ayurveda, are the way forward, especially for the treatment of the growing number of chronic illnesses, he said.

The Ayurveda clinic at Burjeel Day Surgery Centre will offer abhyangam (traditional Ayurvedic body massage), thala pothichil (head massage), tharpanam (treatment for the eyes), ayurvedic facial and other packages. It will also provide programmes for weight loss, post-natal care, detox therapies and lifestyle modification.

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New Ayurveda centre for alternative treatment opens in Abu Dhabi's Al Reem Island - Gulf News

Does Medicare cover massage therapy? Information and costs – Medical News Today

Original Medicare does not cover massage therapy, but an increasing number of Medicare Advantage plans known as Part C offer coverage, depending on certain conditions.

A person enrolled in an Advantage plan that includes massage therapy will get treatment coverage under certain conditions. To qualify, a doctor must order the massage therapy to treat a specific health condition, while a state-licensed therapist must administer the treatment.

This article explores the technique of massage therapy. Next, it provides an overview of Medicare, examining what parts of the program cover the treatment. Then, it looks at other therapies Medicare covers, as well as the associated costs. Lastly, it describes programs that may help with alternative therapy costs.

Massage therapy is the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body. It aims to help manage certain health conditions or foster wellness. The technique is an alternative treatment used by various cultures for centuries.

Therapists use many different massage techniques, with Swedish or classical massage being the most common in Western countries, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).

There are few scientific studies investigating the possible benefits of massage therapy. However, the NCCIH note that preliminary research suggests the treatment may promote:

The NCCIH also state that massage therapy has few risks, noting that there are rare reports of serious side effects, such as bone fractures or nerve injuries.

Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people aged 65 years and older, along with younger individuals with certain disabilities.

There are four parts to the program:

Original Medicare comprises Part A, which covers hospitalization insurance, and Part B, which deals with medical insurance. Part A includes coverage for hospital and nursing home stays, hospice, and some home healthcare, while Part B includes outpatient care, such as doctor visits, lab tests, and medical equipment.

Learn more about original Medicare here.

Medicare Advantage, or Part C, is the alternative to original Medicare and provides the same coverage as Parts A and B, with additional benefits. Most Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage with other additions, such as dental, vision, and hearing care.

Learn more about Medicare Advantage plans here.

Part D is prescription drug coverage available with original Medicare. Each plan supplies a list of covered drugs and generally provides at least two medications in each commonly prescribed class.

Learn more about Part D here.

Private insurance companies offer Medicare supplemental insurance, which pays 50100% of Parts A and B out-of-pocket costs, such as coinsurance, copays, and deductibles.

If a person has Medicare Advantage, they cannot also have a Medigap plan.

Learn more about Medigap here.

Coverage for massage therapy differs between original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, as detailed below.

Original Medicare does not cover massage therapy, so a person must pay 100% of treatment costs. Because massage therapy falls under the category of alternative medicine, Medicare does not consider it medically necessary.

Some Medicare Advantage plans may cover alternative medicine treatments, including massage therapy, if they are considered primarily health-related, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

To qualify, the massage treatment must meet these two conditions:

Costs for massage therapy sessions for Advantage plan enrollees may involve copays, coinsurance, or deductibles. These costs vary among the different plans.

Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage cover therapies other than massage, although Advantage plans provide broader coverage of alternative treatments. Below is a description of the differences between the two programs regarding therapy treatment and coverage.

Original Medicare covers physical, occupational, and speech therapy. In addition, under certain circumstances, it covers acupuncture and chiropractic treatment, both of which are alternative treatments.

Medicare Part B covers acupuncture for chronic low back pain only. To receive this diagnosis, a person must meet the following requirements:

A person with chronic low back pain may obtain coverage of up to 12 acupuncture visits within 90 days. If a person shows improvement with this treatment, Medicare covers an additional eight appointments, for a maximum of 20 treatments per year.

Medicare Part B covers chiropractic care to help a person manage active back pain, as opposed to coverage for preventive or maintenance treatment. This means Medicare will only fund chiropractic care to correct an existing problem.

A person who has this treatment pays 20% of the cost after meeting the Part B deductible of $203.

Advantage plans offer all the benefits of original Medicare, providing coverage of physical, occupational, and speech therapy. The program also includes acupuncture and chiropractic services as described above.

However, Advantage plans with acupuncture or chiropractic benefits offer more extensive coverage than original Medicare. The costs vary among plans.

People with a low income and limited resources may get help with alternative therapy costs from the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Extra Help, or Medicaid.

The QMB program is one of four state-run programs designed to help a person with limited income meet their Medicare costs. People who enroll with QMB are also enrolled with Medicaid.

The QMB program pays for:

The QMB program also helps with prescription costs by limiting how much a drugstore can charge for a prescription. In 2021, the limit is $3.90 for a prescription medication covered under Medicare Part D.

A person who qualifies for enrollment in the QMB program has automatic enrollment in Extra Help, which also covers some costs of a Medicare Part D plan. However, it does not help with therapy treatment costs.

Medicaid helps pay many out-of-pocket healthcare costs for either original Medicare or Medicare Advantage. Since it can work with Medicare Advantage, it may help pay a plans massage therapy costs, in addition to other alternative treatment costs.

However, not all providers accept Medicaid. In these cases, a person can check with a federally qualified health center to enquire about further help with costs.

Learn more about Medicaid here.

Massage therapy is an alternative treatment that may offer health benefits. Studies suggest it may reduce certain types of pain, relieve fibromyalgia symptoms, and lower anxiety in people with AIDS.

Some Advantage plans offer massage therapy as a plan benefit, although out-of-pocket costs, such as copays or coinsurance, vary among plans. A person who needs help in paying the costs may qualify for Medicaid.

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Does Medicare cover massage therapy? Information and costs - Medical News Today

Alternative Medicine Market Value Chain Analysis and Forecast | Deepure Plus, Pure encapsulations, Herb Pharma and Others – Cheshire Media

Global Alternative Medicine market report offers a precise outline of the market that includes many aspects of market product definition, market segmentation, analysis, key developments, and existing vendors state of the business. These Alternative Medicine industry documents include key players and geographical markets that have adopted vital methodologies for business developments and growth. The consumer trust in precise and proper Alternative Medicine information structures that is employed for analysis of the business Report 2020 has the aim to deliver a complete analysis of the Alternative Medicine market. The report could assist you in coming up with worthy growth methods and additionally aware and indurate challenges.

Perpetually increasing in the market, often rise in customers demands are the notable factors of growing and developing the business. Taking thought of each segments Alternative Medicine market report is deliberate by creating each analysis of the market conditions worldwide. Examine the restraining Alternative Medicine segments affecting the business in the coming future has been into consideration.

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Impact of COVID-19 on Alternative Medicine Market

The report also contains the effect of the ongoing worldwide pandemic, i.e., COVID-19, on the Alternative Medicine Market and what the future holds for it. It offers an analysis of the impacts of the epidemic on the international market. The epidemic has immediately interrupted the requirement and supply series. The report also assesses the economic effect on firms and monetary markets. Futuristic Reports has accumulated advice from several delegates of this business and has engaged from the secondary and primary research to extend the customers with strategies and data to combat industry struggles throughout and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Global Alternative Medicine Market: Competitive Landscape

(Deepure Plus, Pure encapsulations, Herb Pharma, Herbal Hills, Thorne Research, Medigenics, Nordic Naturals, Helio USA, Pacific Nutritional)

Segment by Type, the Alternative Medicine market is segmented into

Herbal supplements Nutraceuticals Supplements Others

Segment by Application, the Alternative Medicine market is segmented into

Men Women

To Understand How Covid-19 Impact Is Covered in This Report With additional Discount: https://www.futuristicreports.com/check-discount/59571

This report also splits the market by leading region:

Key Questions Answered in The Report:

Market Report includes major TOC points1 Study Coverage1.1 Alternative Medicine Product Introduction1.2 Market Segments1.3 Key Alternative Medicine Manufacturers Covered: Ranking by Revenue1.4 Market by Type1.4.1 Global Alternative Medicine Market Size Growth Rate by Type1.4.2 Measuring Smart Plug1.4.3 Regular Smart Plug1.4.4 Remote Control Smart Plug1.4.5 Other1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Alternative Medicine Market Size Growth Rate by Application1.5.2 Home1.5.3 Commercial1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered

2 Executive Summary2.1 Global Alternative Medicine Market Size, Estimates and Forecasts2.1.1 Global Alternative Medicine Revenue 2016-20262.1.2 Global Alternative Medicine Sales 2016-20262.2 Global Alternative Medicine, Market Size by Producing Regions: 2016 VS 2020 VS 20262.3 Alternative Medicine Historical Market Size by Region (2016-2020)2.3.1 Global Alternative Medicine Retrospective Market Scenario in Sales by Region: 2016-20202.3.2 Global Alternative Medicine Retrospective Market Scenario in Revenue by Region: 2016-20202.4 Alternative Medicine Market Estimates and Projections by Region (2021-2026)2.4.1 Global Alternative Medicine Sales Forecast by Region (2021-2026)2.4.2 Global Alternative Medicine Revenue Forecast by Region (2021-2026)

3 Global Alternative Medicine Competitor Landscape by Players3.1 Global Top Alternative Medicine Sales by Manufacturers3.1.1 Global Alternative Medicine Sales by Manufacturers (2016-2020)3.1.2 Global Alternative Medicine Sales Market Share by Manufacturers (2016-2020)3.2 Global Alternative Medicine Manufacturers by Revenue3.2.1 Global Alternative Medicine Revenue by Manufacturers (2016-2020)3.2.2 Global Alternative Medicine Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2016-2020)3.2.3 Global Alternative Medicine Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI) (2016-2020)3.2.4 Global Top 10 and Top 5 Companies by Alternative Medicine Revenue in 20193.2.5 Global Alternative Medicine Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3)3.3 Global Alternative Medicine Price by Manufacturers3.4 Global Alternative Medicine Manufacturing Base Distribution, Product Types3.4.1 Alternative Medicine Manufacturers Manufacturing Base Distribution, Headquarters3.4.2 Manufacturers Alternative Medicine Product Type3.4.3 Date of International Manufacturers Enter into Alternative Medicine Market3.5 Manufacturers Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans

4 Market Size by Type (2016-2026)4.1 Global Alternative Medicine Market Size by Type (2016-2020)4.1.1 Global Alternative Medicine Sales by Type (2016-2020)4.1.2 Global Alternative Medicine Revenue by Type (2016-2020)4.1.3 Alternative Medicine Average Selling Price (ASP) by Type (2016-2026)4.2 Global Alternative Medicine Market Size Forecast by Type (2021-2026)4.2.1 Global Alternative Medicine Sales Forecast by Type (2021-2026)4.2.2 Global Alternative Medicine Revenue Forecast by Type (2021-2026)4.2.3 Alternative Medicine Average Selling Price (ASP) Forecast by Type (2021-2026)4.3 Global Alternative Medicine Market Share by Price Tier (2016-2020): Low-End, Mid-Range, and High-End

5 Market Size by Application (2016-2026)5.1 Global Alternative Medicine Market Size by Application (2016-2020)5.1.1 Global Alternative Medicine Sales by Application (2016-2020)5.1.2 Global Alternative Medicine Revenue by Application (2016-2020)5.1.3 Alternative Medicine Price by Application (2016-2020)5.2 Alternative Medicine Market Size Forecast by Application (2021-2026)5.2.1 Global Alternative Medicine Sales Forecast by Application (2021-2026)5.2.2 Global Alternative Medicine Revenue Forecast by Application (2021-2026)5.2.3 Global Alternative Medicine Price Forecast by Application (2021-2026)

..Continued

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Name: Mark RiveraTel: +1-408-520-9037Email: [emailprotected]

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Alternative Medicine Market Value Chain Analysis and Forecast | Deepure Plus, Pure encapsulations, Herb Pharma and Others - Cheshire Media

Know the limitations of health insurance for Ayush treatment – Mint

It told all insurers to mandatorily offer, from 1 April 2020, Arogya Sanjeevani, a standard health insurance product that will cover Ayush treatments up to the sum insured. Some health insurance policies covered Ayush treatments earlier too, but with a sub-limit on the sum insured. Irdai first asked insurers to provide alternative treatment coverage in 2013, but the uptake of these treatments has picked up in recent years. In the last three years, we have seen a huge increase in the demand for alternative treatments and medicines," said Adarsh Agarwal, appointed actuary at Digit General Insurance Ltd.

Also read: The pandemic push to the silver economy

The Ayush system is based on natural ingredients, but it can also include drug therapies to cure specific diseases. We tell you how Ayush benefits work under a health insurance policy, the key inclusions and exclusions, and what to keep in mind when taking a cover for Ayush treatments.

What do you get?

Arogya Sanjeevani as well as some other health insurance policies cover Ayush treatment. If your policy has in-patient benefits for Ayush, then any treatment, which is an alternate procedure, is also covered under that plan. So, if you get admitted to, lets say, an ayurveda hospital that may also be covered in the exact same way that normal treatments are covered," said Amit Chhabra, business head, health, Policybazaar.com, an online marketplace for insurance.

Coverage: Arogya Sanjeevani covers Ayush treatments up to the sum insured, which has to be a minimum of 50,000; theres no upper limit.

This is the first step towards recognition of Ayush treatment. In Arogya Sanjeevani, the product features are uniform across the industry and the companies are mandated that they should cover Ayush," said Dr S. Prakash, managing director, Star Health and Allied Insurance Co. Ltd. Further, pre-hospitalization (30 days prior to admission) and post-hospitalization expenses (60 days from discharge) are also included in this plan.

Other health insurance policies usually cover Ayush treatment up to a maximum limit of 50,000. Different policies have different limits. Some policies cover it till the sum insured. In some cases, there are caps on coverage. For example, Ayush coverage may be around 10% of the sum insured," said Chhabra.

Cost: Overall, such treatments for certain ailments are said to be a lot more cost-effective than modern medicine. There are some neurological, psychosomatic and chronic dermatological diseases where Ayush has been able to address issues at a lesser cost, particularity in semi-urban and rural areas," said Prakash, who has a masters in surgery.

Where can you get it? According to recent guidelines, Irdai classifies Ayush hospital as a healthcare facility wherein medical or surgical treatment procedures are carried out by Ayush medical practitioners having at least five in-patient beds and a qualified medical practitioner in charge. Citing National Health Portal data, Agarwal said that there are around 98 Ayush hospitals till July 2020 that have been set up in the country.

Further, hospitals in Ayush sectors do not necessarily need the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare (NABH) certification to be able to tie up with health insurers.

The limitations

The Ayush benefits come with certain limitations currently, both for the insurers as well as the policyholders.

For insurers: Distinguishing the right practitioner is a challenge insurers are facing. Ayush has its benefits, gives a remedy for some of the medical challenges in allopathy, but the biggest limitation is how to distinguish the right Ayush practitioner," Prakash said.

The fear of misuse and abuse in terms of alternative treatments has also driven insurers to offer Ayush cover with some limited benefits. We respect the system and acknowledge the benefits in select areas out of Ayush, but the biggest challenge is to identify the right connect and the right place where an evidence-based treatment is given," he said.

Lack of clarity and quality control is another issue for insurers. Ayush treatment is acceptable in certain cases, but overall there is a big question mark on the studies to determine the efficacy and the quality control of its medicines. Unless these issues are addressed, there is a big risk of having such treatments covered under insurance. People will tend to misuse it, as there are no indicators that can be monitored and there is lack of a standard line of treatment," said Dr Bharat Gadhavi, president of Ahmedabad Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (AHNA).

For policyholders: Alternative treatments such as homeopathy, unani or ayurveda in most scenarios are out-patient, and health insurance mostly covers in-patient treatment. This means that consultation or evaluation expenses for Ayush treatment may not get covered. To claim for the expenses, one needs to be hospitalized for at least for 24 hours. Also, any preventive and rejuvenation treatments that are not medically necessary wont be covered under Ayush benefits," said Agarwal.

Further, treatment at a health care facility that is not approved and not a hospital is excluded, so choose the practitioner carefully.

While general health insurance offering Ayush benefits caps the claim amount, the Arogya Sanjeevani has a 5% co-pay (fixed out-of-pocket amount paid by the insured) and 2% sub-limit on room rent (the insurer will pay only up to 2% of the sum insured as room rent). The cost of other procedures are usually calculated based on the room rent.

To get the Ayush benefit, you might have to pay extra premium in case of a general health insurance plan.

Further, only a few insurance companies offer cashless treatment, and the majority of the claims are reimbursed later on the basis of bills.

Consider all aspect before opting for this plan.

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Know the limitations of health insurance for Ayush treatment - Mint

Israel set to approve NIS 500 fine for those visiting other people’s homes on Hanukkah – Ynetnews

Israeli government on Thursday is expected to approve a partial nighttime lockdown for the duration of holiday of Hanukkah, including a fine of NIS 500 for those visiting other people's homes during the festival.

The government failed to reach an agreement during a meeting on Wednesday reconvened in the morning hours to approve tightening of coronavirus restrictions across Jewish municipalities on Hanukkah, and across Christian localities for the holiday of Christmas.

Police officers enforce lockdown in Bnei Brak

(Photo: AFP)

According to the outline tabled for the ministers all movement between cities as well as almost all trade will halt operations from 5:30pm. While some restrictions on movement are set to take effect on Thursday evening, curbs on trade and congregation are scheduled to take effect starting Friday to give businesses time to prepare.

Finance Minister Israel Katz, however, at the start of the meeting demanded for the hour to be moved to 6:30pm or 7pm. "The proposals would cause severe damage to tens of thousands of business owners in the trade sector who have just returned to full activity and to hundreds of thousands of people who will return to the cycle of unemployment," said Katz at the meeting.

Finance Minister Israel Katz tours a market in Jerusalem

(Photo: Rafi Kotz)

Business designated as "essential" will be allowed to operate as usual and so will restaurants and cafes providing takeaway services only.

Israelis will also not be allowed to visit other people's homes during the holiday, with celebrations limited to nuclear family members. Those violating the order by visiting other people's homes will be fines NIS 500.

The exceptions to that rule include instances of provision of essential products or services, medical care, essential social care or alternative medicine, assisting a person in distress, handing over a child between two parents who do not live together or to a carer, providing care for an animal.

Police officers enforce lockdown in Bnei Brak

(Photo: AFP)

People will be allowed to congregate outside with up to 10 people. Congregation in confined spaces will be banned, once again with the exception of the nuclear family, from 5:30pm.

Synagogues, however, are exempt from the rule with up to 10 people allowed inside confined places of worship and up to 20 in open areas.

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Israel set to approve NIS 500 fine for those visiting other people's homes on Hanukkah - Ynetnews

Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores mourns loss of sand tiger shark Jolene – The Coastland Times – The Coastland Times

The veterinary team at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize a sand tiger shark December 8. The decision came after two years of treatment and monitoring, according to a release from the aquarium.

This was not a decision we made easily. You could see it on the faces of each person and hear the enormity of the situation in the questions and statements each person made when we gathered to discuss her situation, said Liz Baird, director of the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. At the end of the day, it was important for us to look at her overall health and quality of life.

Animal care staff had been caring for Jolene, as she is affectionately called by staff, since 2010 when the now roughly 12-year-old shark came to the aquarium after she was collected from pound nets in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Caring for more than 4,000 animals is an enormous responsibility, stated the press release. Caring for sick animals can be even more challenging. Make that animal a 400-pound female sand tiger shark, and it becomes an even more intricate and difficult task.

About two years ago we started noticing bumps and lesions on Jolenes flanks, said Emily Christiansen, North Carolina Aquariums Division veterinarian. We decided we needed to get a closer look at what was going on.

In December 2018, the team used an Aquarium Vet Shark Bag, a device used to bring large aquatic animals into the acclimation pool of the Living Shipwreck. This device is made of a see-through material which is barely visible to the shark. When the animal is safely inside the bag, divers then swim the device to the surface where the shark is treated by the animal care team inside an acclimation pool attached to the larger habitat.

Historically, staff members would use safety sticks to try to convince sharks to swim into the pool. This was extremely slow and often times not effective, according to the aquarium. The new method was faster, safer and proved to be less stressful on the large shark.

Our first time in with the shark bag was interesting, and we missed getting Jolene to swim into the bag. We had to go back to the acclimation pool to create a better plan, said Clint Taylor, North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores husbandry curator. The second and subsequent attempts proved to be much more successful, and we were able to safely get Jolene in for an exam.

While in the smaller acclimation pool, Jolene is rolled upside down. This is known as tonic immobility and puts the shark into a sleep-like state, stated the aquarium.

There she was provided oxygen by continuously delivering moving water over her gills, stated the release. She was also closely monitored by several staff while the veterinarian team worked diligently to collect samples, administer medication and conduct an ultrasound exam of her internal organs.

We were hopeful to find some clue as to what was causing the dermatitis on her skin, but really found nothing conclusive, said Christiansen. We started her on antibiotics, additional vitamins and steroids to treat the symptoms.

This method seemed to work for a while. However, each time the team began stepping down the amount of medicine Jolene was receiving, the sharks rash came back, leaving the team looking at different options to better care for the shark.

We have been adjusting her medications over the past two years and looked at a variety of scientific research to identify alternative treatment options for Jolene. Unfortunately, many of the tools we have for identifying disease in other animals arent very well defined for sick sharks, said Christiansen.

The aquarium stated that while dermatitis might not sound like something serious, in sharks it is often an indicator of underlying health issues affecting other body systems.

The sharks are conditioned to eat at specific locations inside the Living Shipwreck habitat and are individually fed using a long pole known as a shark fork, allowing staff to monitor food intake and ensuring each animal is getting proper nutrition.

Although she seemed to be responding, in the last few weeks Jolene has refused to eat more often than not, stated the aquarium. The aquarist charged with feeding Jolene had been trying throughout each day.

I have provided numerous opportunities for her to feed as well as provided a variety of fish for her daily, said Jeff Mcbane, an aquarist at Pine Knoll Shores. Eating is extremely important to the overall health and welfare of an animal.

Even with opportunistic feeding, Jolenes health continued to decline. After an extensive meeting with the husbandry care staff, veterinary team and aquarium leadership, the difficult decision was made to euthanize, stated the release.

Jolene is now at N.C. States Center for Marine Sciences and Technology where she will undergo a necropsy by the NC Aquariums veterinary team to hopefully provide more answers on her condition that will help animal care teams across the country better care for their large sharks.

The results from these tests could take weeks or even months.

The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is five miles west of Atlantic Beach at 1 Roosevelt Blvd. in Pine Knoll Shores. The aquarium is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information, visitwww.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shoresor call 252-247-4003.

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The plastic pandemic: could the environmental impact of the NHS response to covid-19 be reduced? – The BMJ – The BMJ

The NHS disposes of around 133,000 tonnes of plastic each year, but only about 5% of it is recovered. The recently published Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service document reports that the NHS is responsible for 4% of Englands total carbon footprint. The NHS Long Term Plan recognises the health services huge carbon footprintabout 60% of which is from the procurement of goods and services. Although there have been improvements, there is a long way to go and time is running out.

As covid-19 spread, so did panic. Guidelines were implemented quickly. Measures such as hand hygiene, face coverings, and social distancing were promoted to protect individuals and the public. To maintain public trust, every organisation had to be seen to be doing something that makes people feel safer. Was there enough evidence to back these policies?

Many safety measures came with a pricedisposable plastic. It seems to have come to the rescue. But while feeling safe is important, any measure must improve safety, not just create an illusion of it, particularly if that measure causes long-lasting harm to the environment.

Understandably, some targets set in the NHS Long Term Plan may be put on hold while the pandemic is dealt with. But the pandemic should not eclipse the climate emergency.

Personal protective equipment (PPE), has been a hot topic since the beginning of the covid-19 crisis, and policies regarding PPE have been updated multiple times. In the updated Infection Prevention and Control guidance, published by Public Health England, patients are categorised into low, medium, and high risk groups. The majority of attendees at outpatient services are medium risk where an asymptomatic individual with unknown covid-19 status is accessing care. The PPE advice includes single-use plastic aprons, single-use gloves, plus surgical face masks and visors/goggles.

A single clinic, with about 50 patients daily, disposes of approximately 500 plastic aprons and 1000 gloves every week. Multiplied by the number of outpatient clinics running in all trusts, the waste produced becomes immense.

Two questions need answers. Does wearing gloves and an apron when treating an asymptomatic patient offer any meaningful protection? And is there a more pragmatic alternative which reduces the amount of plastic waste without endangering healthcare workers?

The National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM), which provides the evidence published in the infection prevention and control guidance, refers to literature reviews on single-use aprons and gowns and single-use gloves. But these documents provide no evidence for using aprons and gloves to prevent transmission of an airborne infection from an asymptomatic individual wearing a face covering.

The NICE guidance states wear (aprons) if there is a risk that clothing may be exposed to blood, body fluids, secretions or excretions. A WHO scientific brief (June 2020), states despite consistent evidence as to SARS-CoV-2 contamination of surfaces and the survival of the virus on certain surfaces, there are no specific reports which have directly demonstrated fomite transmission. And although the WHO report emphasises the role of asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission of covid-19, it states that according to a few studies, 0% to 2.2% of people with asymptomatic infection infected anyone else. Hand hygiene mitigates most of that risk.

According to the Department of Health environment and sustainability manual, if aprons and gloves are not mixed with other waste (often the case in clinical practice), they should be disposed of in orange waste bags to be incinerated or undergo alternative treatment (chemical or heat disinfection). Incinerators release an average of 1 tonne of CO2 for every tonne of waste.

As healthcare workers we should avoid measures aimed at mitigating the pandemic which are of no significant benefit and which increase the environmental damage caused by single-use plastics. The environmental damage caused by dealing with the pandemic has already been recognised. The NHS could continue to be at the forefront of efforts to contain covid-19 in a more environmentally friendly manner. Work has begun to reduce the environmental impact of NHS PPE, such as trialling reusable face masks.

By incorporating evidence-based medicine and common sense, we could reduce our plastic waste while continuing to work in a safe environment and help to make the NHS ambition of achieving net zero emissions by 2040 a reality. It is one we must achieve if we are to address the global climate change and ecological emergencies.

FareedShiva is a consultant in genitourinary medicine and HIV. He is currently working at St Marys Hospital, London.

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The plastic pandemic: could the environmental impact of the NHS response to covid-19 be reduced? - The BMJ - The BMJ

AYUSH and Alternative Medicine Market Size & Share Set to Witness an Uptick During 2020 to 2026 – re:Jerusalem

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AYUSH and Alternative Medicine Market Size & Share Set to Witness an Uptick During 2020 to 2026 - re:Jerusalem