Columbian court says no to mandatory HPV Vaccine

The Constitutional Court of Colombia has ruled the HPV vaccine should no longer be considered mandatory. The ruling comes following a class action in Colombia against Merck Sharp & Dohme for alleged vaccine damage. The Constitutional Court said that no State can make decisions about the bodies of its citizens because, in doing so, it violates human dignity. They also warned the Ministry of Health that, "There is a need to obtain informed consent as a precondition for administering the vaccine", as it must be in a patient’s power to accept or reject the treatment. As far back as March 2016 the National Health Academy told the Ministry of Health that protocols for the vaccine should be modified as national and international information showed, "…the onset and aggravation of various autoimmune diseases." This is great news for children in Colombia and a ruling that hopefully can be used to help victims of this vaccine in other countries in future. If you’re concerned about the potential side-effects of the HPV vaccine you can get more information on what you can do from Rob Verkerk PhD’s recent article. If you believe that health authorities should be stopped from claiming vaccines are ‘safe’ please consider signing our petition.

EU probe into Bayer/Monsanto merger

Following ongoing pressure from EU citizens, the EU Commission has initiated proceedings in relation to the proposed Bayer/Monsanto merger. The review has been initiated after finding that the stated post-merger economic activities raises serious doubts as to compatibility with the internal market. Although the EU Commission could block the deal, historically it has approved other such mergers such as Dow/DuPont and ChemChina’s takeover of Syngenta. Although Bayer has already said it will sell off assets, the most likely candidates to buy those assets are other giants, such as ChemChina. Whilst the review will delay the merger, it is unlikely to stop it completely. How this will affect world food markets remains to be seen. (LINK TO THIS WEEKS STORY]

Inflammation not cholesterol driving CVD Disease

Inflammation, not cholesterol, is the underlying cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). That’s the conclusion of researchers investigating the actions of a new anti-inflammatory drug. The outcome of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital trial reported a significant reduction in risk of recurrent heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular death in people who received the drug despite its lack of effect on cholesterol. This study puts the use of statins — the current go-to drug for CVD disease and prevention — under yet more pressure. Statins have been receiving significant bad press over recent years as increasing evidence of adverse effects continues to emerge. This research is further evidence that cholesterol is not the ‘guilty party’ in CVD, but merely part of the body’s repair mechanism. Making dietary and lifestyle changes as recommended in our Food4Health guidelines is a powerful way to address internal inflammation and reduce your risk of developing chronic disease.