XTEND-YOUR-LIFE Newsletter
10 December 2003
Amazing admission by Pharmaceutical executive!
This is interesting valuable information. But, before I start on this I must first refer to an article I just read in the Thirdage newsletter. I couldn't let this one pass because if you had read it you would think that it contains a healthy recommendation when it is not. The people who wrote the article were Sheldon Margen MD who is a professor of public health at the University of California at Berkeley and Dale A Olar who is managing editor of the University of California at Berkeley "Wellness Letter".
Now, you would think that with these credentials that their advice would be sound and it will make you healthier! But, the reality... in my opinion is that the advice in their article will do exactly the opposite... it will contribute to future disease! It is this type of advice which contributes to so many health problems and I just can't understand why people do it!
So, what was the article about?
It was entitled Eggs: Whites Vs Yolks. I'm not going to debate the merits of this part of the article in which the authors take the 'official' line that yolks are bad for you. They suggest giving them to your cat or dog! Ironically they admit that it will do 'wonders' for their coats. I agree with them on this aspect, but why deprive yourself of such valuable nutrients? (Perhaps the authors really care more about their 'moggies' and 'pooches' than humans!!)
Anyway, the point that got me going was the recipe which they made up for Cocoa-Mint Kisses that according to them will 'make you popular' with your friends! Here it is...
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
½ cup of sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
½ teaspoon of peppermint extract
Can you spot what got me going on this? Of course you can... it's the ½ cup of SUGAR! But, they say this recipe is good because it only has low calories, no fat, and no cholesterol! They ignore the fact that the sugar will convert to glycogen and then be converted to triglycerides which is fat. The scientific evidence supporting the dangers of sugar is overwhelming and yet otherwise responsible people continue to ignore sugar when they should be referring to it as 'white death!' Remember it is sugar that makes you fat... this fact is now indisputable.
OK... back to our friendly drug companies!
The following will come as a real surprise to most of our readers. This is what has happened.
Dr Alan Roses, worldwide vice-president of genetics at GlaxoSmithKine (GSK) which is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world was speaking at a recent scientific meeting in London. He cited figures on how well drugs work in real patients.
He said, and I quote, "The vast majority of drugs - more than 90 per cent - ONLY WORK IN 30 - 50 PER CENT OF THE PEOPLE".
You may think that as a drug company executive that he would have to be a little 'soft' in the head to make a statement like this given that he was no doubt hauled over the 'coals' by the Company board based on following PR 'damage control' by GSK. But, Dr Roses seems to be far from 'soft in the head' but rather is a committed competent scientist trying to make a point. The point... in simplistic terms... the current system of drug prescribing is wrong... because most drugs only work on a minority of people.
For the majority of patients the best case scenario is the drugs simply don't work, and at worse they will create serious side effects and in some cases death.
Because of the 'hit and miss' results of drugs the current prescribing 'culture' is really one of experimentation in which a physician will give a drug to treat a specific symptom and when it doesn't work prescribe another and so on. In the meantime the poor patient is enduring potentially serious side effects and in some cases they even experience a new ailment from the lowered immunity which leads on to yet more experimentation.
Dr Roses objective in revealing the facts that he did at this meeting (for which he should be commended) was to bring attention to this problem. As he pointed out, not only is the price of this 'experimenting' very high in human health terms but also it is crippling in financial terms. The government drug bills in western countries are getting out of control (criminal in my view) and it is well known that the greatest percentage of this money is wasted because the drugs simply don't work on most people.
Dr Roses solution...
Was to advise that there are quite simple genetic tests using a patients DNA that can be carried out which can determine in advance of a drug being administered whether or not it is likely to be effective. But, for a system such as this to be put into place a major cultural shift in mainstream medicine would have to take place... and there is no sign of that on the horizon.
Further to that, such a shift would no doubt be resisted by most pharmaceutical companies as it would directly impact on their current policy of marketing drugs on the basis that 'one size fits all'. If the administration of drugs were limited to those who could benefit by it then revenues for that specific drug would tumble enormously. So... don't expect any changes in the foreseeable future... pity, because it could save a lot of needless suffering not to mention an easing of the burdens on taxpayer's pockets.
Something else you should know...
Whilst I am on a roll about the drug companies let me share with you another snippet of interesting news that you should be aware of.
According to an investigative report in the Los Angeles Times a week ago, some of the top officials of the National Institute of Health have been for many years receiving lucrative 'consultancy' payments from pharmaceutical companies. These payments have been made by companies whose drugs were being 'tested' by the National Institute of Health. These payments were even being made when the drugs being tested had been responsible for the deaths of patients participating in the studies.
Some of the 'consulting' payments are not insignificant with payments to some officials averaging $50 - $60,000pa. It is not clear what the officials have to do to 'earn' this fee! Dr. Ruth L. Kirschstein the deputy director of the agency does not feel that these arrangements compromise the ethics of the officials receiving the payments. Nonetheless, since the LA Times have made this public, the director of NIH Elias A. Zerhouni has announced that they will be forming a committee to review this matter.
Mm'm, well there you are, food for thought eh?
All this just reinforces the importance of disease prevention and how you must at all costs keep out of hospitals and avoid drugs if at all possible. Hospitals are dangerous places and taking drugs is like playing Russian Roulette!
Until the next issue.
In good health,
Info about the editor.
P.S. If you have a weight problem you may be interested to know that we are getting more and more reports from customers using Total Balance about losing weight over an extended period. This is normal as it helps eliminate 'cravings' and naturally reduces urges to eat as much.
P.P.S. Please pass this newsletter on to a friend. Thank you.
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Now to my question! I have a friend... (question removed by us)
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Fort Worth, Texas
Important notice: All material provided within the newsletter XTEND-YOUR-LIFE is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken solely on the contents of this publication. Consult your physician or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health and wellbeing or on any opinions expressed within this newsletter. The information provided in this newsletter is believed to be accurate based on the best judgment of the editor but the reader is responsible for consulting with their own health professional on any matters raised within.
