Please click on the 'atmedzine ISSUE X' link to view the whole issue, or on [More on this Story] just to see that particular story:
altmedzine ISSUE 5 31st October 2006
On 1st September 2006, new regulations came into force that permit homeopathic products to make medical claims but exempt them from providing any scientific evidence that they are effective. Sense About Science says that ‘this is the first time in its history that the regulation of medicines has moved away from science.
Medics and scientists have weighed into the homeopathy debate, warning that changes to the regulation of homeopathic medicines could put patients at risk. The BBC reports that hundreds of doctors and scientists have signed a statement opposing rules that allow homeopathic medicines to make medical claims.
Tactics used by drug companies to boost profits over the needs of NHS patients have been exposed by a Which? publication. Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB) - a 'doctors' bible' on drugs and treatments - reveals how the pharmaceutical industry drains NHS money by undermining efforts to control the massive £10 billion annual NHS drugs bill.
Following calls from doctors to make it easier to report faulty medical devices, a new campaign is being launched to improve reporting rates of adverse safety incidents involving hospital equipment in the UK.
Does
Bonfire Night Frighten your Pet and Send him into Hiding?
If
so, Bioforce says that its Animal Emergency Essence could
be just what he requires. Here are a few tips from Bioforce
on helping your pet through this traumatic time:
[More
on this Story]
Superdrug
Stores in Breach of Medicines Advertising Regulations
The
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
has upheld two complaints from Boots the Chemist against
Superdrug stores for disregarding Medicines Advertising
Regulations.
[More
on this Story]
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in Denver upheld the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) final rule declaring all dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids adulterated, and therefore illegal for marketing in the United States, reversing a decision by the District Court of Utah.
Bo
Derek and State Claudia McMurray Address Wildlife Trafficking
According
to researchers, only a hundred years ago there were eight
different kinds of tigers, with over 100,000 wild tigers
in the world. Today, there are only five tiger subspecies
left and there are fewer than 5,000 wild tigers in the
world.
[More
on this Story]
A leading London gentleman's barber was fined £10,000 after 24 grooming accessories made from ivory were found on its premises during a raid by police.
Recently the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) carried out a nationwide operation against a number of premises believed to be connected with internet sites illegally selling and supplying unlicensed or prescription-only medicines.
Trans
Fats to be Reduced in Hundreds of Brands
Which?
has had success in calling on the food industry to axe trans
fats following scientific warnings which linked them to
increased cholesterol levels and a greater risk of heart
disease.
[More
on this Story]
'Their overwhelming health and vitality benefits can no longer be ignored, due to peer reviewed articles published in every respected scientific journal in the world,' says Natren.
Some over-the-counter teeth whitening kits can cause chemical burns and painful mouth ulcers, dentists have warned. Increasing numbers of consumers are turning to cosmetic dental treatments to give their teeth a new lease of life.
ConsumerLab
Retests Coenzyme Q10
No
government agency is responsible for routinely testing CoQ10 supplements
or other dietary supplements for their contents or quality. Research
by ConsumerLab.com in 2000 and 2004 found that not all CoQ10 supplements
contained their claimed amounts.
[More
on this Story]
A complaint objecting to a magazine ad for a cosmetic cream by Clinique Laboratories Ltd, London was upheld according to information published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
A complaint objecting to a magazine ad and a TV ad for ‘Fruit2day’ drink by Hero UK LLP, Leeds, was upheld according to information published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Two complaints objecting to a direct mailing for Subsidad capsules by Phyto Nature Source, Willesden, London were upheld according to information published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
National Commute Smart Day which takes place on Wednesday November 1st 2006 has received the support of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
Sunday 1st October 2006 marked the 26th anniversary of the BUPA Great North Run with around 50,000 runners lined up at the start, confirming the race as the world's biggest half-marathon.
EU
Bans UK Dairy in Hygiene Row
A
Lancashire dairy has been banned from selling its cheese in Europe
after EC officials found evidence of antibiotics, dyes and detergents
in its products.
[More
on this Story]
The Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers to avoid eating raw oysters harvested in the Pacific Northwest as a result of increased reports of illnesses associated with the naturally occurring bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
The risks associated with fish consumption outweigh potential benefits, say dietitians and doctors with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).
Mythology is about human experience and it offers valuable life lessons to the person who understands the history and nature of myth. Mythogenic says that here are some interesting points that will help you with this understanding.
November
Offers from HealthySoul
This
month's competition on www.healthysoul.co.uk
offers a year's supply of Viridian's High Five Multivitamins and
Minerals and three runners' up prizes of the book Food is Better
Medicine than Drugs by Patrick Holford and Jerome Burne.
[More
on this Story]
altmedzine ISSUE 4 12th October 2006
Birmingham
Woman Fined £10,000 for Illegal Supply of Shubao
A
woman from Birmingham was fined £4,000 and £6,000 costs on
04 October 2006 at Coventry Crown Court for the illegal sale and supply
of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Shubao, a product used for slimming.
[More
on this Story]
London College of Traditional Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (LCTA) has been awarded the prestigious Pearl Award for Media Excellence for its magazine, Dragons Tale.
National Commute Smart Day will be on Wednesday 1 November 2006. With the clocks having gone back the previous Sunday, many commuters will be faced with travelling both to and from work in the dark.
In response to a fourth case of botulism being linked to Bolthouse Farms, Bakersfield, California brand carrot juice, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to drink Bolthouse Farms Carrot Juice.
The contaminated spinach disaster in western USA is worsening. To date, 199 cases of illness due to E. coli O157:H7 infection have been reported, including 31 cases of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), 102 hospitalizations and three deaths.
Complaints
about Bionetics Press Advert Upheld
Two
complaints about a a national press advert by Bionetics Ltd were
upheld after an investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority
(ASA). The advert, for a food intolerance test, claimed 'The bionetics
team have developed an innovative new diagnostic test
[More
on this Story]
www.healthysoul.co.uk is a web site packed with information on women's, children's and men's health, nutrition, complementary therapies and much more. Every month there's a competition and in October the first prize is a year's supply of Viridian Nutrition's High Five Multivitamins/Minerals.
altmedzine ISSUE 3 5th October 2006
A recent analysis of national survey data reveals that over 1.6 million American adults use some form of complementary and alternative medicine to treat insomnia or trouble sleeping according to scientists at the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM),
U.S.
Marshalls Seize Supplements Promoted as Drugs
The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized quantities
of Ellagimax capsules, Coral Max capsules, Coral Max without
Iron capsules, and Advanced Arthritis Support capsules valued
at approximately $55,000.00.
[More
on this Story]
Dragons
Tale wins Pearl Award
LCTA's
magazine, Dragons Tale has been awarded the prestigious Pearl
Award for Media Excellence for its contribution to the promotion
of Chinese medicine and responsible best practice in the UK.
[More
on this Story]
The
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned three firms,
RoTech Healthcare, Inc., CCS Medical, and Reliant Pharmacy
Services, to stop manufacturing and distributing thousands
of doses of compounded, unapproved inhalation drugs nation-wide.
[More
on this Story]
Following
an investigation by the MHRA, Richard Underhill (48) of Church
Cookham, Hampshire, pleaded guilty on 28 September 2006 at
Guildford Magistrates Court to one offence relating to the
possession of Kamagra gel.
[More
on this Story]
Two
men and a woman from south London pleaded guilty to offences
relating to the illegal sale and supply of steroid creams
following an investigation by the Medicines and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency.
[More
on this Story]
Two
scientific papers have been released that demonstrate both
the effectiveness and safety of red clover for the treatment
of menopausal symptoms, particularly hot flushes.
[More
on this Story]
The
antioxidant content of tea could mean that drinking three
or more cups a day could reduce the risk of a wide range of
health problems, ranging from cancer to heart disease, and
may even be healthier than water, says a review from the BBC.
[More
on this Story]
Tupelo, clover, buckwheat and cotton honeys have virtually identical glycemic indexes, Dr. Mark Kern and Jennifer Ilana Ischayek report in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, August 2006.
Mandarins 'May Cut Liver Cancer Risk'
Eating mandarins may cut the risk of developing liver cancer and other diseases, research suggests. Almost 2,800 new cases of liver cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year.
Seaweed Anti-Obesity Tablet Hope
Scientists have found that rats given fucoxanthin - a pigment in brown kelp - lost up to 10% of their body weight, mainly from around the gut. They hope fucoxanthin can be developed into a slimming supplement.
Breda Gajsek, Principal of BCNH gives her views: 'I prefer to call it complementary medicine as its role is to complement orthodox medicine, not to substitute it. Millions of us have turned to complementary medicine when orthodox medicine failed to deliver or help to resolve chronic conditions such as IBS or eczema.
The
World Health Organisation (WHO) welcomes the announcement
that Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City, will contribute
US$125 million to a new Worldwide Stop Smoking Initiative.
This contribution will help to end the tobacco epidemic, and
translate the principles of the WHO Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control into real action and implementation on the
ground.
[More
on this Story]
Looking
at your shadow (the shorter it is, the more dangerous UV radiation
is), and covering up with hats, sunglasses and sunscreen, are
among the practical tips for children contained in a new guide
on the ozone layer for primary school teachers
[More
on this Story]