A Natural Environmental Health Facts Ezine

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"A NATURAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FACTS Ezine" Here to Inform and Help You Become Healthier and Happier while Achieving Quality Longevity!

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Friday March 18, 2005
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==> Editors' Ranting & or Warnings
==> Something To Think About
==> Health Thought for the day!
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As the clouds move in preceding more storms heading our way, today's ezine is just as cloudy and stormy. Maybe its the weather that has all the negativity coming up but there really isn't any good things lurking on the horizon to report today. Nobody is more sorry about that than me! We need better people who can put money aside and care about people, but I don't see that happening for a very long time, if ever!

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Something To Think About
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The U.S. Government estimates over 56,000 people are treated in the emergency room and over a hundred people die each year from misuse of OTC drugs. Consumers often combine medications containing the same active ingredient resulting in severe allergic reaction, illness, and even death.

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False Advertising of OxyContin™

By Shane Ellison, M.Sc.
Copyright © 2005, All Rights Reserved
www.healthmyths.net

False marketing of overtly addictive drugs is performed daily without consequence. Purdue Pharma, L.P., makers of the highly addictive OxyContin (oxycodone HCl controlled-release), has made this clear.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Purdue Pharma L.P. circulated false Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) advertising through their endorsements of OxyContin in the world's most prestigious medical journal, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and Communications of the FDA sent a letter to Purdue Pharma stating that they were in clear violation of FDA regulations. Their violation: making unsubstantiated claims of effectiveness and grossly overstating the safety profile of OxyContin while promoting it for obtaining a "Life with Relief." Despite Purdue Pharma's non-compliance with the law, the FDA did not press charges. As a result, their false marketing continues.

Putting wealth before health, Purdue Pharma L.P. distributed 15,000 copies of an OxyContin video to physicians without submitting it to the FDA for review. Entitled "I Got My Life Back: Patients in Pain Tell Their Story," the video presented pain relief experiences of various patients and the pain medications, including OxyContin, they had been prescribed. FDA regulations require pharmaceutical manufacturers to submit all promotional materials for approved prescription drug products to the FDA at the time of their initial use. Purdue Pharma L.P. did not comply with this regulation. Thus, the FDA did not have an opportunity to review the video to ensure that the information it contained was truthful, balanced, and accurately communicated. Purdue and the FDA acknowledged the oversight of not submitting the video to FDA for approval. No action was taken.

Releasing a second version of the video, Purdue Pharma L.P. followed legal procedure by submitting it to the FDA for review. Though, in its report to Congress, the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) stated that the FDA failed to review the video. Later, it was discovered that it, like the first video, made unsubstantiated claims and minimized the risks associated with taking OxyContin. Most astounding, Purdue Pharma L.P. claimed that OxyContin had been shown to cause addiction in less than 1 percent of patients - a damned lie.

Pushing for approval by the FDA in 1995, Purdue Pharma L.P. insisted that OxyContin be used only for cancer pain. Purdue Pharma sold $1 billion worth of OxyContin in less than five years from the time of its approval thanks to false DTC advertising. In addition to profits, false marketing has led to devastating effects on those people who were prescribed Oxycontin under the wrong conditions. Consider that the number of people who used OxyContin for illicit purposes at least once increased from 399,000 to 957,000 in a single year.[1]

Recognizing the dangers of OxyContin, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has listed OxyContin as a Schedule II controlled substance in the USA. According to the DEA, since its release on the market, the annual number of prescriptions for the "synthetic morphine" has risen from around 300,000 to nearly 6 million. During that same period, the number of oxycodone-related deaths has skyrocketed by 400%. Currently, OxyContin is the number one prescribed Schedule II narcotic in the United States.

Exactly how OxyContin works in the body is not understood. But its dangers are well documented. OxyContin is an opiod agonist (narcotic), which possesses powerful addictive properties. These addictive properties are akin to heroin and morphine and know no boundaries of destruction. Its addictive nature can smother even the strongest of wills. OxyContin produces respiratory depression. Additionally, Oxycodone causes a reduction in motility associated with an increase in smooth muscle tone in the antrum of the stomach and duodenum. As a result, digestion of food in the small intestine is delayed or nonexistent, and propulsive contractions are decreased, culminating in constipation and the back up of fecal matter.

False advertising is the number one tool used by drug companies to turn perfectly healthy people into patients. While the FDA has acknowledged Purdue Parma's indiscretions by acting as a paper tiger, it has done nothing to ameliorate it. They have failed as the self-proclaimed custodians of national health.

About the Author
Shane holds a Master's degree in organic chemistry and has first-hand industry experience with drug research, design and synthesis. He understands that Americans want and deserve education rather than prescriptions. His shocking eBook surrounding cholesterol-lowering drugs can be downloaded for FREE as a pdf file at www.health-fx.net/eBook.pdf . His book Health Myths Exposed is available at www.healthmyths.net or Amazon.

Since spring is a time to clean your home and your body, this week's vegetable is one that anyone can have from the poorest to the richest pocketbook that not only fills a nutrition detoxing program but contributes to good health and costs nothing to put on your table!

This wild vegetation drives gardeners crazy when trying to keep lawns nice and green. Right now it's head is popping up all over the place and I can almost hear the gardeners screaming! Over the centuries our ground has become deplete of minerals in the soil and Mother Nature says we have to take care of that problem… Hence Dandelions grow rampant all over this earth trying to repair the depletion!

Much more than a repairer weed the dandelion is an edible plant with uncommon nutritional and medicinal value and grows wild in almost every yard I've ever been in making it a free food! There are many varieties of Dandelion leaves; some are deeply cut into segments, in others the segments or lobes form a much less conspicuous jagged leaf feature.

The dandelion's name comes from the French term "dent-de-lion," meaning "lion's tooth" - so named for its dark-green leaves with pointy, toothlike edges - a staple in French country kitchens. Russia, calls it "life-elixir," and its leaves are traditionally steamed and served with sour cream and thinly sliced red onion. Italians like the leaves chopped and sauteed with garlic and olive oil. The English boil them and then toss them with vinegar and salt. Almost every part of the dandelion can be consumed, including the blossoms and roots. Only the dried-out puffball of seeds is inedible; that part seems to have been created purely to make man mad and for procreation of the plant.

The dandelion leaves are shiny and without hairs, the margin of each leaf cut into great jagged teeth, either upright or pointing somewhat backwards, and these teeth are themselves cut here and there into lesser teeth. It is this somewhat fanciful resemblance to the canine teeth said to resemble the angular jaw of a lion fully supplied with teeth.

The shining, purplish flower-stalks rise straight from the root, are leafless, smooth and hollow and bear single heads of flowers. On picking the flowers, a bitter, milky juice exudes from the broken edges of the stem, which is present throughout the plant, and when it comes into contact with the hand, turns to a brown stain that is rather difficult to remove.

The dandelion is a veritable feast for at least ninety-three different kinds of insects who are in the habit of feasting on it. Smart insects!

The plant prefers to take root in poorly mineralized soil, where it sends its thick brown taproot deep to pull minerals from below, restoring health to overused topsoil. Wherever you see dandelions turning a green meadow gold, the earth is being replenished. When you see them growing in abundance in your garden or yard, know that area is deplete of minerals big time and signals the need to supplement with minerals as much as possible to that area

Dandelions bloom in spring and fall. For this reason, they are beloved by beekeepers: They can depend on the nectar from these blossoms for making honey well into autumn, long after other flowers have gone. The plants are also useful in fruit orchards, since their leaves emit a gas that makes fruit ripen early and evenly.

Tenth-century Arab physicians called it taraxacon, meaning "a remedy for disorders." It has an especially potent effect on the liver resides in solar plexis area of the body, and one of the dandelion's main constituents, choline, is essential to liver function. The stomach and gall bladder can also be strengthened by regular consumption of dandelion. Bitter greens, such as dandelion and chicory, release hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which helps with digestion. They also contain generous amounts of vitamins C and A and the mineral calcium.

Dandelion greens can often be found among the colorful medley of greens known as mesclun (A mixture of young salad greens), sold at farmers' markets, natural-food stores and the specialty-produce sections of most grocery stores. The blossoms and roots, however, are rarely available commercially; you'll probably need to harvest your own. Pick blossoms in a field that you know hasn't been treated with chemicals; dig roots - also chemical-free area - with a garden fork on a day when a recent rainfall has softened the ground.

It is great as a salad green loaded with antioxidants, and potassium. Is a great milk producer in cows - most cows will not eat it but when they do it increases the milk production by about 1/3 - and in lactating women. The leaves are more nutritious than anything you can buy with more beta-carotene than carrots. More iron and phenomenal calcium than spinach. High in vitamins B-1, B-2, B-5, B-6, B-12, C, E, P, and D, biotin, inositol, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc. A tasty, free vegetable that grows in virtually every yard.

The young leaves of the Dandelion make an agreeable and wholesome addition to spring salads. The full-grown leaves should not be taken, being too bitter, but the young leaves, especially if blanched or sautéed, make an excellent salad, either alone or in combination with other greens, onion, lemon juice, shallot tops and/or chives. Dandelion is only pleasantly bitter, and if eaten while the leaves are quite young, the center rib of the leaf is not at all unpleasant to the taste. But older the rib is tough and not so tasty to eat.

The young leaves may also be boiled as a vegetable, spinach fashion, thoroughly washed and drained, sprinkled with lemon or lime juice, pepper and salt, moistened with soup or butter and served very hot. If considered a little too bitter, use half spinach, but the Dandelion must be partly cooked first then add the spinach to finish cooking, as it takes
longer to cook than spinach. Another variation, some grated nutmeg or garlic, a teaspoonful of chopped onion or grated lemon peel can be added to the greens when they are cooked. A simple vegetable soup may also be made with Dandelions.

The dried Dandelion leaves are also employed as an ingredient in many digestive or diet drinks and herb beers. Dandelion Beer is a rustic fermented drink common in many parts of the country and made also in Canada. Workmen in the furnaces and potteries of the industrial towns of the Midlands have frequent resource to many of the tonic Herb Beers, finding them cheaper and less intoxicating than ordinary beer, and Dandelion stout ranks as a favorite with many. An unusual but agreeable and wholesome fermented drink is made from Dandelions, Nettles and Yellow Dock.

The roasted roots are largely used to form Dandelion Coffee, being first thoroughly cleaned, then dried by artificial heat, and slightly roasted till they are the tint of coffee, when they are ground ready for use. The roots are pulled up in the autumn, which is the best time for this purpose. The prepared powder is said to be almost indistinguishable from real coffee, and is said to be an improvement to inferior coffee.

The dandelion is known for it's diuretic properties as well as used for blood cleansing tonic and slightly aperient (laxative). It is a general stimulant to the system and especially to the urinary organs, and is chiefly used medicinally in kidney and liver disorders.

Dandelions are also good tonic for the bladder, spleen, pancreas, stomach and intestines. It’s recommended for stressed-out, internally sluggish, and sedentary people. Anyone who's a victim of excessive fat, white flour, and concentrated sweeteners could benefit from a daily cup of dandelion tea.

Have gallstones try this;
1 OZ. Dandelion root,
1 OZ. Parsley root,
1 OZ. Balm herb,
1/2 OZ. Ginger root,
1/2 OZ. Liquorice root.

Place in 2 quarts of water and gently simmer down to 1 quart, strain and take a wineglassful every two hours.

A Healthier jelly alternative if you are a jelly lover! (Jelly isn't really healthy but this is a close as you are going to get to healthy jelly)

4 cups yellow parts of dandelion blossoms
3 cups boiling water
4 1/2 cups sugar (I prefer the equivalent in Stevia)
2 Tbsp Freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pkg powdered pectin

Pull the yellow blossoms apart from the green parts. Get lots and lots of blossoms.. While you are collecting them, you can freeze what you already have. Make sure there are no green parts since the green parts have a bitter flavor. I pack the blossoms into a 4 cup measure. More blossoms mean more flavor for the jelly. Bring the water to a boil and fill the water with dandelion blossom shreds. Simmer over very gentle heat about 10 minutes. Pour the water and blossoms through a strainer. Press the blossoms as dry as possible to extract the maximum amount of water. Add more blossoms to the strained water and simmer for about 10 minutes. Continue simmering and straining until all the blossoms are used up. Add more water to make up 3 cups. You lose some water because it is caught in the blossoms. Strain the water very well. I use a coffee filter. Combine water with lemon juice, sugar and pectin. Bring to roiling boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Boil hard for one minute. Skim. Pour into hot jars and seal. I haven't used food coloring but I have seen this jelly lightly tinted pink with pure cherry juice and it looks prettier as well as adding more healthy properties.

Enjoy your free food while cleaning the comfort food goo from your system preparing for the summer heat!

It appears there is no shame in our U.S. health care industry. These panels are stacked for the drug companies so high that we need to wear boots to get through their jargon findings. Why waste the time and energy when it's going for the pharmaceutical companies interest and not the patients? I'm totally fed up with it but frustrated that the few trying to change it are met with leadership's political storm troopers stopping them...

Panelists Tied to Study They're Probing
Mar 17, 10:43 AM (ET)
By JOHN SOLOMON

WASHINGTON (AP) - Six of the nine scientists serving on an expert medical panel investigating a U.S.-funded AIDS study are receiving grant money from the agency at the center of the probe, according to documents and interviews.

The Institute of Medicine said it was aware of the financial ties but approved the members' participation because they have special expertise, receive only a minority of their overall dollars from the National Institutes of Health and won their grants competitively.

The six panel members are receiving from $120,000 to nearly $2 million a year from the NIH, according to agency records and interviews by The Associated Press.

The Institute of Medicine, the nation's health adviser, believes the panel's ultimate conclusions about the NIH's AIDS study in Africa will not affect the members' NIH money, and thus there is no conflict of interest, spokeswoman Christine Stencel said.

"When you get into some of these fields or areas, you are not talking about a really huge pool of experts who can be candidates or experts," Stencel said.

"In this case a lot of the great candidates potentially would have had funding from NIH. ... Do you keep off of your committee every great expert out there because they can't have a single penny from NIH or do you strive for a balance, keeping any possible connection like that to an absolute best possible minimum?" she said.

Stencel said the IOM rejected two other potential members because they got a majority of their money from the NIH or drug companies tied to AIDS research.

The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee said he is concerned the researchers' financial ties to the NIH create a conflict of interest that sullies any conclusions they make.

"If there's financial interest, there's a conflict, and that's a factor to consider when sizing up objectivity," said Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

Frequently the government has appointed experts to scientific panels even though those experts had connections to the issues, companies or agencies they were investigating. For instance, federal drug regulators recently acknowledged that some advisory panel members who recommended pain killers stay on the market had ties to the makers of the drug.

Legal and medical ethicists said the IOM probably did not violate any laws but should have done more to alert the public to the financial conflicts in the NIH case, especially because the panel members have a continuing financial relationship with the agency.

"Essentially, what the public will want to know about this report is is this a whitewash or is it actually independent," said Kathleen Clark, a government ethics expert at Washington University in St. Louis.

"It is interesting that they (IOM) revealed this only in response to an inquiry from Senator Grassley and from the media. That's problematic," she said.

The IOM's review of the NIH study in Uganda of the AIDS drug nevirapine has international implications.

The study was relied on by the Bush administration to back its decision in 2002 to send hundreds of millions of dollars worth of nevirapine to Africa to help stop the spread of AIDS from mothers to babies. The AP reported in December the study violated federal patient protection rules and had widespread problems with paperwork and compliance.

NIH officials acknowledge the problems, but say they remain confident in the study's overall conclusion - that nevirapine can be taken safely in single doses. The NIH asked the IOM last fall to independently investigate its conduct in that study.

South Africa is deciding whether to end nevirapine's use for pregnant mothers.

At least four IOM panel members get their money directly from the NIH's infectious disease institute, whose conduct is at the center of the IOM investigation. Two other members get their money from the NIH's Fogarty International Center, which helps fund research worldwide on issues from AIDS to mental health.

Dr. Mark Kline, an IOM panel member and pediatric AIDS expert at Baylor College, said he receives between $250,000 and $300,000 a year from the NIH. He said he went into the study "as objectively as possible and in an open-minded manner and tried to judge on the basis of the evidence."

Kline said the NIH money accounts for 5 percent or less of his overall program. "It had never crossed my mind that there would be implications for my funding," he said.

Other IOM panel members with the NIH money are:

_Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, an AIDS expert at Columbia University, received just over $2 million from NIH's infectious disease division last year, the NIH said.

_Stephen W. Lagakos, director of Harvard University's Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research, which received $242,700 from NIH in the past year, the NIH said.

_J. Richard Landis, a University of Pennsylvania biostatistics expert who received $136,229 in funding from NIH's infectious disease division last year, the NIH said.

_Dr. Charles van der Horst of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, who helped oversee a multimillion-dollar NIH study on the side effects of AIDS medicines. Last year, his project got more than $120,000 in NIH money, the agency said.

_George W. Rutherford of the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, who receives money through the NIH's Fogarty Center. The NIH and the IOM confirmed that Rutherford was awarded a five-year grant in 2001 for AIDS training and research. Rutherford said he received $243,308 in the past year.

Institute of Medicine: Institute of Medicine
National Institutes of Health

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