Canadian nurses take a stand!

Following the lead of the Canadian Physicians for Science and Truth, brave nurses in Ontario Canada have published a Declaration against a dictat from their governing body, the Ontario College of Nurses (CNO), threatening nurses with “…punishment – investigations and disciplinary action” should they dare to speak out against measures imposed in response to covid-19. The Declaration notes the gagging order prevents nurses from effectively advocating for their patients individual care needs and removing medical freedoms. You can show your support for the stance of the Ontario nurses by signing the Declaration.

Is news of a new Alzheimer’s drug too good to be true?

News of the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to approve a new drug for Alzheimer’s disease, known as Aduhelm (aducanumab) in the US, has reverberated around the media raising the hopes of many that there is at long last a treatment for this debilitating condition. The drug is poised to be a cash cow for its maker, Biogen, despite the fact that here is little evidence of its effectiveness as outlined in the Geriatrics Healthcare Professionals letter calling for non-approval of the drug. There has been surprise that the FDA has made the decision to approve the drug for the treatment of all Alzheimer's sufferers rather than just those with mild cognitive impairment. Clinical trials of the drug were stopped in 2019 because they weren't showing any gain with the drug. However, following reanalysis Biogen announced the second trial had shown a benefit after new data was added. Even more shocking is that despite 10 out of the 11 members of an advisory committee voting against approval (the 11th member was uncertain) for Aduhelm, the FDA have overruled them to approve the drug regardless. Yet more revolving doors in the echelons of power? It seems that this decision has been more political than based on scientific rigour, robust trial results and ultimately citizen health. The approval of the drug is likely to further reduce the willingness of individuals to adopt strategies to deal with the causes of the disease naturally instead placing their faith in another 'saviour drug' with suspect effectiveness.

Covid vaccine News

• Fifty scientists from around the globe have raised serious concerns over the rush to vaccinate the entire world population against covid-19 in a preprint study. Citing the risk of antibody dependent enhancement, development of autoimmune disease, vaccine evasion along with vaccine associated death and serious adverse events they call for the immediate cessation of the vaccination programme while further investigations take place.
• Dr Tess Lawrie has written to the Director of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) calling for an urgent review of covid vaccines in the UK after a detailed analysis of Yellow Card reports revealed a litany of harms that should be raising a major red flag in relation to the safety of covid vaccines. In her letter, Dr Lawrie states that the MHRA has "more than enough evidence" to "declare the COVID-19 vaccines unsafe for use in humans".
• Data released by the Israeli Ministry of Health has found a probable link between cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) in young men following vaccination and the Pfizer vaccine.
• A total of 10,262 covid-19 ‘breakthrough’ infections (infection following vaccination) have been reported in the US according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Mandating covid-19 vaccinations increases people’s distrust of governments and reduces people’s desire to be vaccinated. Researchers publishing in PNAS caution such moves could result in increased opposition to vaccination
• Natural immunity following covid-19 infection lasts for at least 10 months according to a new study published in eClinical Medicine. According to a different, new preprint study, individuals who have had covid-19 will derive no benefit from vaccination given the natural protection afforded by their own antibodies.
• The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons is sending letters to universities and colleges across America urging them to allow students to return to camps without being required to be vaccinated against covid-19.
• Dr Jessica Rose PhD MSc BSc, has published a report using data from the US Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERs) in relation to covid-19 vaccines, which finds a clustering of deaths and serious adverse events following vaccination. She also predicts a rise in autoimmune-related reports going forward.
• A group of 27 clinicians, researchers and advocates have filed an urgent Citizens Petition with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calling on the agency not to grant full approval to any covid vaccine until more substantial data is available to demonstrate the benefits of the vaccines outweigh the risks. For more information and to find out how to add your comments to the petition click here.
• A new study published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice has found a disproportionate number of Japanese women have died due to intracranial haemorrhage following vaccination with the Pfizer vaccine. The researchers have raised a red flag calling for further analysis.
• The efficacy claims for the Pfizer vaccine published in The Lancet recently have been brought into question. Professors Fenton and Neil from Queen Mary University of London have raised significant issues over the analysis of the data and subsequent conclusions. The Professors have published their response independently as they are still waiting for it to be published by The Lancet.

Gut health and diet

A profusion of studies have been published recently looking at the links between gut health, the food we eat and chronic disease. The first, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reiterates the link between diets high in plant-based foods and highly diverse gut microbiota. Published in Cell Host & Microbe the second study, albeit in a mouse model, demonstrates the link between eating a Western diet and an increase in gut inflammation. Additionally, those who eat higher levels of vegetables and fruit have lower stress levels according to new research published in Clinical Nutrition. The final gut offering this week is a study published in Nature, in which researchers analysed the gut microbiomes of modern day humans and compared them to ancient North American peoples. They found evidence of microbes never seen in modern day microbiota in the ancient microbiome samples. The modern day microbiomes were found to have a far higher inflammatory load thought to be driving modern day disease such as type 2 diabetes. All of these new studies add to the plethora of science supporting the use of our Food4Health Guidelines to create and regenerate health.

Ivermectin news

The Indian health authorities issued recommendations for the treatment of mild covid-19, including the use of ivermectin, at the end of April contributing to a dramatic drop in cases. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHA) has now made a complete about turn and removed its recommendations for almost all of the repurposed drugs previously approved stating there is no need for the use of drugs for mild cases. The DGHA's 180 degree turn unsurprisingly appears to be focusing now on high value/high profit Big Pharma drugs such as Remdesivir, which are used later in the disease process as against very cheap ivermectin, which is used to nip the disease in the bud early on. A new preprint study from the Dominican Republic supports the use of ivermectin as a preventative. Studying healthcare workers, researchers found the drug significantly reduced infection rates. For more on ivermectin and its role in treating covid-19 illness, listen to Rob Verkerk's recent interview with Dr Tess Lawrie as part of our Speaking Naturally series.

Other news relevant to our mission…

• Brazil has approved the sale of Aquabounty’s genetically modified salmon. This is the first genetically engineered animal approved for human consumption. The fish are a homologous blend of salmon species and other fish genes to make them grow quickly. In the US they will be labelled as bioengineered (to disguise the fact they’ve been genetically modified), however there has been widespread opposition to the introduction of the Aquabounty frankenfish, given there is no way to know how such organisms will interact with the human genome
• In India the Pink Bollworm has made an unwelcome return as it becomes resistant to the genetically modified Bt cotton plants developed to combat the pest proving yet again that nature will always outwit and circumvent whatever attempts we make to counter pests. The news strengthens the case for the widespread use of regenerative farming techniques, particularly in developing countries
• In a ramping up of blatant and ever-increasing, oppressive, censorship it’s reported that Danish National Police Cyber Crime Center has blocked access to Bitchute by its citizens on the grounds that it contains “dangerous information” and “misinformation” about covid-19
• Nestlé has been forced to update its nutrition and health strategy after key nutrition and health documents were leaked to the Financial Times. The documents reveal Nestlé acknowledge the majority of its food and drink portfolio does not meet a recognised definition of health and that some categories will never be healthy.