Radiation is Already Killing Babies

Newborn babies are the most vulnerable of all beings. Vulnerability says it all when it comes to a newborn infant. Children deserve the best medical treatment from the best form of medicine human intelligence can implement but what they get is governmental interference and neglect. Below we see the first information coming in that the radiation that the government is saying is safe and harmless and of very low concentration is already killing babies on the west coast of the United States wheredeathrates are spiking.

Who cares about the babies that die? Ourgovernmentcertainly doesn't! It is outrageous and tragic that our government and many of our doctors don't care. Certainly we will never see medical officials caring about the deaths ofinfantscaused by vaccines on a regular basis. The government's identity has grown to such beastly proportions these days that everyone who is not "them" is an enemy, even thebabies.

What do medical officials really care when a baby dies fromvaccinecomplications? What do FDA officials do to block out the guilt andpainof knowing that they caused a lifetime of suffering for a youngchildwhen they allow dentalmercuryamalgam (toxic waste dumps) to be put right in their mouths? Do they care about peoples'iodinedeficiencies that leave them more vulnerable to the radioactive iodine fromFukushima? Do they care about the wreck and ruin in millions of peoples' lives suffering from thetoxicityof fluoride deliberately put in the public's drinking water supplies?

And do you honestly think they are going to care about babies dying and fetuses being underweight from the radiationexposurecoming over the Pacific to the west coast of theUnited Statesand Canada? We know the radiation is there for it has been detected and reported on the inside pages of newspapers in small print that one would need a magnifying glass to read.

There now exists a new rule-of-thumb regarding the media: the less the media says about something the more dangerous it is. The thing that tells us we are in seriousdangeris the almost complete absence of anything in the papers about thedangerscoming from Fukushima. The news is so bad that they cannot and will not print anything about it.

But now we have very disturbing reports abouta35% spike in infant mortality in Northwest cities since the meltdown in Fukushima.Dr. Janette ShermanandJoseph Manganowrote:

"U.S. babies are dying at an increased rate. The recent CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicates that eight cities in the northwest U.S. (Boise ID,SeattleWA, Portland OR plus the northern California cities of Santa Cruz, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose and Berkeley) reported the following data ondeathsamong those younger than one year of age:

"4 weeks ending March 19,2011: 37 deaths (avg. 9.25 per week)
10 weeks ending May 28, 2011: 125 deaths (avg. 12.50 per week)"

"This amounts to an increase of 35% (the total for the entire U.S. rose about 2.3%), and is statistically significant. Offurther significanceis that those dates include the four weeks before and the ten weeks after the Fukushimanuclearpower plant disaster. In 2001 the infant mortality was 6.834 per 1000 live births, increasing to 6.845 in 2007. All years from 2002 to 2007 were higher than the 2001 rate."

The Most Vulnerable


Infants andpregnant womenare most at risk.

Doctors Alexey V. Yablokov, Vassily B. Nesterenko, and Alexey V. Nesterenko say, "Whenchildrenhave the same menu asadults, they get up to five times higher (radiation) dose burdens from locally produced foodstuffs because of their lower weight and more active processes of metabolism."

"It is well known thatwomenare more susceptible -- approximately twice as susceptible, or worse -- to radiation's harmful effects than men who get the same dose. Youngpeopleare more susceptible than old. Young children are perhaps ten times as susceptible to radiation's dangers as adults are, because their cells are dividing and establishing themselves. The cells of some organs will continue to divide; but cells such as neurons and heart muscle cells stop dividing at adulthood. Cancer can also get established at this early stage. Cancer usually requires a long sequence of cellchangesto occur -- often 10 or 12 or more changes in the cell DNA's structure will have to occur, which can take many years," writes Ace Hoffman.

Hoffman continues saying, "Infants are even more susceptible than young children. Newborns, preemies... immune-challenged... even more so. Since Fukushima, our babies are dying at a significantly increased rate on the west coast of the United States (seearticlebelow). Across the country deaths are up as well, though not as much (ibid). Fetuses vary from "infinitely" more susceptible to radiation's dangers, to thousands of times more when they are very small, to "merely" hundreds of times more as they grow, to whatever they are atbirth-- no one knows precisely."

You just imagine the masses wondering how any of this can be true. How can babies die from nuclear radiation that is supposedly thesafelow-level stuff that the government and media say could notharma fly. Well for those who are wondering, watch this most currentvideofrom Arnie Gundersen who said, "In April, the average person in Seattle breathed in 10 hot particles a day."

Video:CNN's John King interviews Arnie Gundersen about the Hot Particles discovered in Japan and the US.

Dr. Sherman was probably not surprised about the increased birth deaths because she knows what happened atChernobyl, having been the chief editor of the bookChernobyl: Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and Nature, written by Drs. A. V. Yablokov, V. B., Nesterenko and A. V. Nesterenko, published by the New York Academy of Sciences in 2009. "Data fromChernobyl, which exploded 25 years ago, clearly shows increased numbers of sick and weaknewbornsand increased numbers of deaths in the unborn and newborns, especially soon after the meltdown. These occurred in Europe as well as the former Soviet Union. Similar findings are also seen in wildlife living in areas with increased radioactive fallout levels."

Protect the Children, What Are You Waiting For?


Should the public discover the true health costs of nuclear
pollution, a cry would rise from all parts of the world and people
would refuse to cooperate passively with their own death.
Dr. Rosalie Bertell


There are many alarming trends in pediatric care, not the least of which is increasing radiation exposure. It is now estimated that that the average child will get more than seven radiation scans by age 18 and this does not includedentalX-rays. Most alarming is the increasing use of CT scans, which entail far more radiation and can raise the risk forcancerin children. X-rays of the chest, hands and feet are the most common. Forty-two percent of children had at least one radiation procedure and 25 percent had two or more during the three-year study period. Eight percent of the children got at least one CT scan, and more than three percent of children got two or more.

What we can do to save our children after they have been exposed to radiation is the most important thing a parent can learn at this point in time. We must acquire this knowledgebeforewe or our children have been exposed, but now it's already too late for that for a great number of people in the northern hemisphere.

Heavy Metal and Particle Vulnerability

Children are more vulnerable to the dangers oftoxic chemicalsthan are adults, according to Herbert L. Needleman, M.D. and Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., authors ofRaising Children Toxic Free. According to a study released in October 2004, conducted by the University of North Carolina, 21 percent of women of childbearing age have mercury levels in their hair that exceeds federal health standards. That is up from eight percent in just four years using a recent CDC study as a reference point. Under United States guidelines, 79 percent of Inuvik women of childbearing age have unsafe levels of mercury. Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a directive warning women of childbearing age to eat no more than two meals or 12 ounces of seafood, including canned tuna, weekly.

The life period with the highest adaptability and vulnerability
toenvironmentalfactors: the period inside the womb.


Dr. Sandra Steingraber describes theparticular vulnerability of childrenwhen it comes to mercury poisoning:

"The placenta, which works well to bar pathogens from entering the womb, does a terrible job of keeping methylmercury out. In fact, the placenta actively pumps mercury into the fetal capillaries as though it were a precious molecule of calcium or iodine. This is why levels of mercury in thebloodof a newborn typically exceed those of its mother by 70 percent. When confronted with methylmercury, the placenta functions more like a magnifying glass than a barrier. Once inside the fetal blood supply, mercury is carried to the fetalbrainwhere it interferes with brain cell migration. Just as a spider can lower itself from the ceiling by reeling out a single strand of silk, a fetal brain cell moves from the center ofthe brainto the surface by rappelling along its own fiber. This process of brain cell migration begins in earnest during month four of pregnancy and continues after birth at least through the age of two. Methylmercury paralyzes migrating brain cells and thus interferes with their movement from center to surface. Methylmercury also halts cell division in the fetal brain by binding directly to neural chromosomes. The cerebellum -- center of balance and coordination -- is a special target of methylmercury. Prenatal exposures to methylmercury have also been linked to deficits in memory, learning, and attention span that persist into adolescence and appear irreversible. In short, human fetuses are more vulnerable than adults to the brain-addling powers of mercury for two immutable reasons: They receive a comparatively bigger exposure (because of the placenta's concentrating powers), and their brain cells need to move and multiply."

A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency biochemist, Kathryn Mahaffey, estimates thatone in six pregnant women in the United States had high enough blood mercury to damage her child, for a total of 630,000 U.S. newborns atrisk. This was the first study to calculate the numbers based on children's blood levels, not the mother's blood. The new formula showed that one in six pregnant women had mercury levels in their blood of at least 3.5 parts per billion, sufficient for levels in thefetusto reach or surpass theEPAsafety threshold of 5.8 parts per billion. In 1999-2000, the last year for which government data is available, this meant that 630,000 children were at risk instead of the original estimate of 320,000.

According to Dr. Sandra Steingraber, "The EPA has taken pains not to adopt the 630,000 figure as its official position. Calculated by EPA scientist Kathryn Mahaffey, these new estimates were published inEnvironmental Health Perspectives, April 2004.

Children are more vulnerable than adults to
oxidative stress due to their naturally low
glutathione levels from conception through infancy.
Erden-Inal 2003


More than 100 years ago Dr. Abraham Jacobi, the father of Americanpediatrics, recognized the importance of and need for age-appropriate pharmaceutical therapy when he wrote, "Pediatrics does not deal with miniature men and women with reduced doses and the same class of disease in smaller bodies, but... has its own independent range and horizon." Modern pediatrics has abandoned this wisdom as demonstrated by the fact that vaccines are not adjusted down to the bodyweight of infants.

For all the references, sources and more articles onradiationandchemical toxicityplease visitDr. Mark Sircus blog.

About the author:
About the author:
Mark A. Sircus, Ac., OMD, is director of the International Medical Veritas Association (IMVA)http://www.imva.info/.

Dr. Sircus was trained in acupuncture and oriental medicine at the Institute of Traditional Medicine in Sante Fe, N.M., and at the School of Traditional Medicine of New England in Boston. He served at the Central Public Hospital of Pochutla in Mexico, and was awarded the title of doctor of oriental medicine for his work. He was one of the first nationally certified acupuncturists in theUnited States. Dr. Sircus's IMVA is dedicated to unifying the various disciplines inmedicinewith the goal of creating a new dawn in healthcare.

He is particularly concerned about the effect vaccinations have on vulnerableinfantsand is identifying the common thread of manytoxicagents that are dramatically threatening present and future generations ofchildren. His book, The Terror of Pediatric Medicine, is a free e-book offered on his web site. Humane Pediatrics will be an e-book available early in2011and then quickly as possible put into print.

Dr. Sircus is a most prolific and courageous writer and one can read through hundreds of pages on his various web sites.

He has recently released a number of e-books including Winning the War Against Cancer, Survival Medicine for the 21st Century, Sodium Bicarbonate, Rich Man’s Poor Man’s Cancer Treatment, New Paradigms in Diabetic Care and Bringing Back the Universal Medicine: IODINE.

Dr. Sircus is a pioneer in the area of natural detoxification and chelation of toxic chemicals and heavy metals. He is also a champion of the medicinal value of minerals and seawater.

Transdermal Magnesium Therapy, his first published work, offers a stunning breakthrough in medicine, an entirely new way to supplementmagnesiumthat naturally increases DHEA levels, brings cellular magnesium levels up quickly, relieves pain, brings downbloodpressure and pushes cell physiology in a positive direction. Magnesium chloride delivered transdermally brings a quick release from a broad range of conditions. His second edition of Transdermal Magnesium Therapy will be out shortly. In addition he writes critically about the political and financial crises occurring around us.

source http://www.naturalnews.com/

Health experts announce 5 ways to protect children from toxic chemicals

 Imagine parents who would put their children in danger, placing them in situations that could cause serious health problems and distress such as difficulty breathing or a disruption of their male and female hormones -- or even shorten their kids' lives. We must be talking about psychopaths, right? After all, most moms and dads would do anything to protect their offspring.

Unfortunately, without realizing it, countless parents who wouldn't consciously do anything to hurt their youngsters are unwittingly exposing their children to dangerous,toxic chemicalsin the home. The result could behealth problemsnow and when the youngsters are grown, too.

As NaturalNews has extensively reported, you can't rely on the government to make sure theproductsyou use in your home aresafefor you or yourkids, either. In the U.S., for example, the FDA has done little except finally express "concern" over the powerful hormone disrupter bisphenol A (BPA), which is found in a host of household goods, toys andfoodcontainers (http://www.naturalnews.com/028567_B...).

Instead of feeling helpless in the face of so many householdtoxinsthat can threaten the health ofchildren, the Canadian Partnership for Children's Health and Environment (CPCHE), a coalition of Canadian environmental andhealth experts, has announced it's time forparentsto get serious about the potentially dangerouschemicalsfound in too many homes. And the good news is you can take five simple actions to avoid a chemical-ladenhomeand safeguard yourchildren's health-- by keeping dust levels down, avoiding plastics, saying no to mercury containing fish, using onlygreencleaners, and keepingpregnant womenand youngsters away from home renovation areas.

"If parents take simple actions in these five areas, they can significantly reduce their children's exposures to toxins -- and even savemoney," Erica Phipps, CPCHE Partnership Director, said in a media statement.

Dust from lead paint and chemicals including pesticide residue can be brought inside the home on shoes and clothes, get into the air and into the lungs. But frequent wet mopping, vacuuming and dusting with a dampclothcan go a long way to keeptoxicsubstances out of the home.

"House dust is a major source of children's exposures to toxic substances including lead which, even at very low levels, is known to be harmful to the developingbrain,"Prof. Bruce Lanphear of Simon Fraser University, a world-leading expert on children'senvironmentalhealth who serves as an advisor to CPCHE, said in the media statement.

The CPCHEexpertsalso urge parents to go green when you clean. You'll save money, too, by getting rid of toxic chemical cleaners and switching to simple, non-toxic cleaners including baking soda and vinegar. Also important: avoid the use of air "fresheners" and use fragrance-free laundry detergents. Chemical "scents" used in these products have been linked to the disruption of normal hormone function in youngsters. In addition, the CPCHE panel also advises against the use of antibacterial soaps.

Renovating your house? The CPCHE says it is crucial to keep pregnantwomenand children away from areas being renovated to avoidexposureto contaminant-laden renovation dust and toxic fumes from products like paints, caulking and glues.

Another important way to protect health: avoidplasticproducts, especially when it comes to serving and storing food.In fact, the CPCHE warns against using plastic containers or wrap in themicrowave, even though the label reads "microwave safe", because chemicals in the plastic can migrate into the food or beverage.

The group also calls for eating fresh and frozen foods whenever possible. this will reduce exposure to BPA which is used in the lining of most food and drink cans. BPA is associated with a wide range ofhealthproblems, including harming the developing brain and disruption of endocrine function.

PVC, commonly called just plain vinyl, contains a class of chemical plasticizers known as phthalates that should also be avoided, especially by kids. Even though phthalates are now banned from some children's toys, many other vinyl products are still on the market in some bibs, shower curtains and children's raincoats. The safest solution? Throw away older toys and teething rings made of soft plastic.

If you serve your youngsters a lot offish, you may also be serving them mercury, which is toxic to the brain. The CPCHE urges parents to do their homework and only serve varieties of fish that are low in mercury -- such as Atlantic mackerel, herring, rainbow trout and wild salmon.

source http://www.naturalnews.com

Avoiding premature death on the next NaturalNews Talk Hour

(NaturalNews) Don't let your life end too quickly. The NaturalNews Talk Hour presentsPremature Death - The Cause and Solutionswith our special guest Dr. Steven A. Brody. Discover the four leading causes of death and disease, the cholesterol myth plus much more.

"Thank you for this wonderful opportunity on Thursday nights. You are a great host!" - Cheryl

3 Ways to Slow the Aging Process

Many health experts agree that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables (loaded with antioxidants) can help you look and feel younger. They neutralize those nasty "free radicals". Free radicals can kill cells, tear holes into cellular membranes, and even mutate DNA - the mastermind of cell activity.

Walking is a great form of aerobic exercise that reduces your risk for cardiovasculardisease, cancer and diabetes. And, finally, clean up your dental act. Avoiding plaque build up, removing mercury-based fillings and preventing root canals can go a long way to improving the quality of yourlife.

Want to live a longer, healthier, happier life? Our next guest on theNaturalNewsTalk Hour is one of the finestanti-aging(medical) experts in the world. Join us for a special night.

The NaturalNews Talk Hour begins this Thursday evening at 6pm Pacific / 9pm Eastern, and registration is FREE. Simply enter youremailaddress in the registration form on the right column of this page and you'll receive call-in details for the show.

Stress and Premature Death

Chronicstresscan cause the arteries in yourheartto squeeze and cause your blood to clot too intensely, leading to a heart attack or stroke. The good news is there are plenty of things you can do to regain control over your life. For example, try taking a deep breath when you're feeling stressed to help break up the stress cycle and rebalance your entire nervous system. For more tips and medical advice - join us for a great show!

This week's guest: Dr. Steven Brody - Premature Death - The Cause and Solutions

Dr. Steven Brody - "Premature Death - The Cause and Solutions" - Thu. Jun. 9

Steven A. Brody, M.D., Ph.D. received his Bachelor's degree from Brown University in Providence, RI and his medical degree from Washington U. School of Medicine in St. Louis. He is the only physician in the U.S. board-certified in the following four specialties: Internal Medicine, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility.

Dr. Brody was chosen San Diego's "Doctor of the Year" in 1995, and has authored two medical textbooks, including "Principles & Practice of Assisted Human Reproduction." His medical training was at Yale-New Haven Hospital, N.I.H., Stanford University School of Medicine and Baylor College of Medicine, respectively.

Learn from the best.Dr. Brody will talk about cancer, anti-agingmedicineplus much more. Register now using the email form in the right column, and you will be emailed show details. Register Today!

source http://www.naturalnews.com/

The history of medicine in Ukraine


The history of medicine in Ukraine begins with the history of folk medicine.
The first medical hospitals in Kyiv Rus were founded in the 11 th century and were mostly in the form of alms = houses attached to churches.
In the 14th and 15th centuries new hospitals were built and many physicians gave the first aid to the inhabitants of Ukraine and the sol­diers of Bogdan Khmelnytsky's troops.
As the number of physicians was inadequate some medical schools which trailed specialists were opened. Kyiv Academy was founded in 1632. It played a prominent role in the development of the Ukrainian medicine. Many graduates of the Academy continued to enrich their knowledge abroad and received their doctors' de­grees there. Many former students of this Academy have become the well-known scientists. They are the epidemiologist D. S. Samoilovych, the obstetrician N, M. Ambodyk-Maximovych, the podiatrist S. F. Chotovytsky, the anatomist 0. M. Shumlyansky and many .others.
At the end of the I8th and during the 19th centuries the medical departments were formed at the Universities of Kharkiv, Kyiv, Lviv and Odesa. The total number of physicians has increased m Ukraine. The medicine of Zemstvo was widely used at that time.
During the Crimean War (1854-1856), upon Pirogov's initiative the first detachment of nurses was trained and sent to Sevastopol to help its defenders. It gave the beginning of the organization "Red Cross".
In 1686 the first bacteriological station was organized in Odesa which was of great importance in the development of microbiology and epidemiology. The famous scientists I. I. Mechnikov and M. F. Gamaliya worked at this station and succeeded much in their investigations. Inspite of favourable conditions for the successful development of natural sciences in Russia many outstanding scientists worked in Ukraine. It is known that the brilliant scientist M. I. Pirogov and his followers, as V. O. Karavayev, O. F. Shimanovsky, M. V. Sklifosovsky and others made valuable contribution in the Ukrainian medicine.
The famous scientists V. P. Obraztsov and M. D. Strazhesko were founders of Kyiv therapeutist’ school. They made a huge progress in the field of cardiology Winch was done in the treatment of many eye diseases by the prominent scientist, academician V. P. Filatov who founded the Institute of Eye diseases in Odesa. Many other outstand­ing scientists worked in Ukraine whose names are well known m the world.


Chinese Medicine


ATMS has released updated information and recommendations to assist ATMS members understand and comply with their Privacy obligations. As well as containing an overview of the applicable Legislation, this document provides answers to 14 Frequently Asked Questions. This document also sets outs the expectations ATMS has of its accredited members in respect of some specific Privacy issues.


NSW Commission for Children and Young People requires a Certificate for Self Employed People 
in child-related employment commencing 01 May 2010


NABS, a Commonwealth funded organisation, provides language interpreters between 
the deaf patient and healthcare practitioner
10 August 2009


Chinese medicine included in the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (May 2009)


Chinese Medicine Registration Board of Victoria releases 
Infection Prevention and Control for Acupuncturists (May 2009)


Queensland Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian 
require practitioners to have a blue card before treating children (December 2007)


HICAPS is now available to ATMS acupuncturists


NSW Premier announces funding for Joint Chair in Traditional Chinese Medicine at 
University of Western Sydney and University of Sydney (November 2007)


ACT Health Infection Control Guidelines for Office Practices 
and Other Community Based Services. 2006.
source http://www.atms.com.au/

What is traditional medicine?


Traditional medicine refers to health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being.
Countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America use traditional medicine (TM) to help meet some of their primary health care needs. In Africa, up to 80% of the population uses traditional medicine for primary health care. In industralized countries, adaptations of traditional medicine are termed “Complementary“ or “Alternative” (CAM).

Increasing use and popularity

TM has maintained its popularity in all regions of the developing world and its use is rapidly spreading in industrialized countries.
  • In China, traditional herbal preparations account for 30%-50% of the total medicinal consumption.
  • In Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Zambia, the first line of treatment for 60% of children with high fever resulting from malaria is the use of herbal medicines at home.
  • WHO estimates that in several African countries traditional birth attendants assist in the majority of births.
  • In Europe, North America and other industrialized regions, over 50% of the population have used complementary or alternative medicine at least once.
  • In San Francisco, London and South Africa, 75% of people living with HIV/AIDS use TM/CAM.
  • 70% of the population in Canada have used complementary medicine at least once.
  • In Germany, 90% of the population have used a natural remedy at some point in their life. Between 1995 and 2000, the number of doctors who had undergone special training in natural remedy medicine had almost doubled to 10 800.
  • In the United States, 158 million of the adult population use complementary medicines and according to the USA Commission for Alternative and Complementary medicines, US $17 billion was spent on traditional remedies in 2000.
  • In the United Kingdom, annual expenditure on alternative medicine is US$ 230 million.

  • The global market for herbal medicines currently stands at over US $ 60 billion annually and is growing steadily.

Safety and efficacy issues

Scientific evidence from randomized clinical trials is only strong for many uses of acupuncture, some herbal medicines and for some of the manual therapies. Further research is needed to ascertain the efficacy and safety of several other practices and medicinal plants.
Unregulated or inappropriate use of traditional medicines and practices can have negative or dangerous effects.
For instance, the herb “Ma Huang” (Ephedra) is traditionally used in China to treat respiratory congestion. In the United States, the herb was marketed as a dietary aid, whose over dosage led to at least a dozen deaths, heart attacks and strokes.
In Belgium, at least 70 people required renal transplant or dialysis for interstitial fibrosis of the kidney after taking a herbal preparation made from the wrong species of plant as slimming treatment.

Biodiversity and sustainability

In addition to patient safety issues, there is the risk that a growing herbal market and its great commercial benefit might pose a threat to biodiversity through the over harvesting of the raw material for herbal medicines and other natural health care products. These practices, if not controlled, may lead to the extinction of endangered species and the destruction of natural habitats and resources.
Another related issue is that at present, the requirements for protection provided under international standards for patent law and by most national conventional patent laws are inadequate to protect traditional knowledge and biodiversity.

Tried and tested methods and products

  • 25% of modern medicines are made from plants first used traditionally.
  • Acupuncture has been proven effective in relieving postoperative pain, nausea during pregnancy, nausea and vomiting resulting from chemotherapy, and dental pain with extremely low side effects. It can also alleviate anxiety, panic disorders and insomnia.
  • Yoga can reduce asthma attacks while Tai Ji techniques can help the elderly reduce their fear of falls.
  • TM can also have impact on infectious diseases. For example, the Chinese herbal remedy Artemisia annua, used in China for almost 2000 years has been found to be effective against resistant malaria and could create a breakthrough in preventing almost one million deaths annually, most of them children, from severe malaria.
  • In South Africa, the Medical Research Council is conducting studies on the efficacy of the plant Sutherlandia Microphylla in treating AIDS patients. Traditionally used as a tonic, this plant may increase energy, appetite and body mass in people living with HIV.

WHO efforts in promoting safe, effective and affordable traditional medicine

The World Health Organization launched its first ever comprehensive traditional medicine strategy in 2002. The strategy is designed to assist countries to:
  • Develop national policies on the evaluation and regulation of TM/CAM practices;
  • Create a stronger evidence base on the safety, efficacy and quality of the TAM/CAM products and practices;
  • Ensure availability and affordability of TM/CAM including essential herbal medicines;
  • Promote therapeutically sound use of TM/CAM by providers and consumers;
  • Document traditional medicines and remedies.
At present, WHO is supporting clinical studies on antimalarials in three African countries; the studies are revealing good potential for herbal antimalarials.
Other collaboration is taking place with Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe in the research and evaluation of herbal treatments for HIV/ AIDS, malaria, sickle cell anaemia and Diabetes Mellitus.
In Tanzania, WHO, in collaboration with China, is providing technical support to the government for the production of antimalarials derived from the Chinese herb Artemisia annua. Local production of the medicine will bring the price of one dose down from US $6 or $7 to a more affordable $2.
In 2003, WHO support has so far facilitated the development and introduction of traditional and alternative health care curricula in seven tertiary education institutions in the Philippines.
Training workshops on the use of traditional medicines for selected diseases and disorders have also been organized in China, Mongolia and Vietnam.

Priorities for promoting the use of traditional medicines

Over one-third of the population in developing countries lack access to essential medicines. The provision of safe and effective TM/CAM therapies could become a critical tool to increase access to health care.
While China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea and Vietnam have fully integrated traditional medicine into their health care systems, many countries are yet to collect and integrate standardized evidence on this type of health care.
70 countries have a national regulation on herbal medicines but the legislative control of medicinal plants has not evolved around a structured model. This is because medicinal products or herbs are defined differently in different countries and diverse approaches have been adopted with regard to licensing, dispensing, manufacturing and trading.
The limited scientific evidence about TM/CAM’s safety and efficacy as well as other considerations make it important for governments to:
  • Formulate national policy and regulation for the proper use of TM/CAM and its integration into national health care systems in line with the provisions of the WHO strategies on Traditional Medicines;
  • Establish regulatory mechanisms to control the safety and quality of products and of TM/CAM practice;
  • Create awareness about safe and effective TM/CAM therapies among the public and consumers;
  • Cultivate and conserve medicinal plants to ensure their sustainable use.

Sources: US Department of Health; The World Health Organization