Patient Advocate Offers New Hope for Those with Autoimmune Disorders
Chicago, IL, September 16, 2020 — People shouldn’t have to choose between buying groceries and paying for their medications, when effective, less expensive alternatives may be available.
Ever since her husband’s death from a brain tumor in 2005, Julia Schopick has dedicated her life to patient advocacy and to sharing information about potentially lifesaving alternative and off-label medical treatments. She broke new ground with her first book, Honest Medicine, in which she offered valuable insights supported by patient testimonials regarding the use of four underutilized lifesaving treatments: Silverlon, for non-healing wounds; intravenous alpha lipoic acid, for liver disease; the Ketogenic Diet, for epilepsy; and Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN), for autoimmune diseases.
Julia’s passion for patient advocacy continues in her follow-up book, The Power of Honest Medicine (with Don Schwartz), which focuses solely on LDN—a safe, inexpensive, often dramatically effective alternative to the costly, often-toxic treatments that doctors routinely prescribe for autoimmune and other diseases.
“There is lots of evidence that LDN is a groundbreaking treatment for autoimmune diseases, helping many patients with these conditions to achieve remission,” Julia writes. “In some cases, it can slow or stop the progression of their diseases. In many cases, patients experience a life-changing relief of symptoms.”
In spite of its documented benefits, the use of LDN to treat autoimmune conditions remains largely unknown among the medical community and the public. Julia is committed to changing that.
The Power of Honest Medicine contains contributions from 18 people from around the world (the U.S., the U.K. and Europe), all of whom are eager to spread the word about how LDN helped alleviate their symptoms of serious conditions—such as chronic fatigue syndrome, Crohn’s, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and fibromyalgia—when the higher priced, often-toxic medications they had been taking didn’t work. Also, with many of these conditions, the drugs doctors prescribe can cost thousands of dollars a month, compared with LDN, which costs around a dollar a day.
Additionally, The Power of Honest Medicine contains a section dedicated to helping readers understand LDN and why it has the potential to positively impact those suffering from autoimmune disorders. Plus, the book includes a chapter with strategies for helping readers convince their doctors to prescribe LDN—information Julia has been asked for again and again by her readers and by those who have heard her speak.
Julia’s husband survived 12 years beyond any doctor’s prognosis, and she attributes this to the innovative treatments she uncovered for him. It’s been her passion since then to prevent others from suffering unnecessarily and having to juggle the side effects of toxic medications with the debilitating symptoms of their health conditions.
“I believe that LDN would be the standard of care for autoimmune diseasesif Big
Pharma didn’t rule doctors’ prescribing decisions,” she adds.
Julia Schopick is the bestselling author of Honest Medicine and her follow-up book, The Power of Honest Medicine. She is a seasoned radio talk show guest who has appearedon over 200 shows and is often invited back. Julia’s goal is to empower patients to make the best health choicesfor themselves and their loved ones by teaching them about little-known but promisingtreatments their doctors may not know about. Julia’s articles have been featured in numerous publications, including American Medical News (AMA), Alternative & Complementary Therapies, the British Medical Journal and the Chicago Sun-Times.
Searchlight Pharma expands its Women's Health Portfolio and initiates Addyi® commercial activities
Searchlight Pharma is pleased to confirm the commercial availability in Canada of Addyi® (flibanserin) for the treatment of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD).
Addyi® (flibanserin) is the first and only treatment for acquired, generalized HSDD in premenopausal women.
Searchlight Pharma acquired the Canadian rights to Addyi® (flibanserin) via its recently executed licensing transaction with Sprout Pharmaceuticals.
Addyi® (flibanserin) becomes the newest product in Searchlight's industry-leading portfolio focused on women's health, and further builds out the company's commitment to improving female sexual health, alongside its Mona Lisa® IUD portfolio and its combined oral contraceptive (COC) candidate Nextstellis®, which is under review at Health Canada.
MONTREAL, Sept. 16, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Searchlight Pharma is pleased to announce the initiation of commercial activities and the product availability of Addyi® (flibanserin) in Canada for the treatment of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women. Addyi is the first and only oral treatment for acquired, generalized HSDD in premenopausal women, sometimes referred to as low libido, and associated distress. Following just weeks after its recently executed long term licensing agreement with Sprout Pharmaceuticals, Searchlight Pharma will now integrate Addyi into its industry-leading women's health and female sexual health portfolio deploying its national salesforce to promote this novel brand.
It is estimated that HSDD affects approximately 10% of adult women, with symptoms that include lack or loss of motivation to participate in sexual activity, lack or loss of sexual desire, or the lack or loss of ability to maintain desire or interest through sexual activity for at least 6 months, with accompanying distress1. "HSDD and the multi-factorial issues that impact women's sexual health are well-established. HSDD's impact is both real and significant, and therefore deserves to be acknowledged, addressed and discussed by women and their healthcare provider," said Dr. Vivien Brown MDCM, CCFP, FCFP, NCMP, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and VP North America, Medical Women's International Association. "The availability of Addyi empowers women to take control of the discussion about HSDD and their overall sexual health, to consider an evidence-based option that is finally available for HSDD, and to make a decision as to what is the appropriate approach to improve each woman's sexual health and quality of life."
"We are excited to further grow our women's health portfolio with this first-in-class medication for the treatment of HSDD in Canada," said Mark Nawacki, President and CEO of Searchlight Pharma. "Since our inception, we have focused our commercial energies on women's health, and have built one of the leading Canadian commercial platforms addressing a broad spectrum of conditions impacting Canadian women. Addyi represents the newest addition to our deep and synergistic therapeutic portfolio that includes market-leading brands such as Mona Lisa® IUDs for contraception, Estragyn™ Vaginal Cream for the treatment of VVA, Divigel® for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, and our combined oral contraceptive candidate Nextstellis®, which is based on the unique, native estrogen Estetrol (E4) and which is currently undergoing regulatory review at Health Canada."
"Today, with Addyi, Canadian women have access to the first ever treatment for their most common sexual dysfunction after decades of men having access to a myriad of options for their own," said Cindy Eckert, CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals. "Considering the magnitude of premenopausal women affected by Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, we see significant commercial potential for this breakthrough pill approved by Health Canada. We couldn't think of a better partner than Searchlight considering their impressive track record and steadfast commitment to women's health."
About Addyi®
Addyi is the first and only Health Canada and FDA-approved treatment for acquired, generalized hypoactive (low) sexual desire disorder (HSDD) for premenopausal women. Addyi is a nonhormonal pill for HSDD that has successfully demonstrated that it adds more satisfying sexual events, adds more desire for sex and reduces distress from the loss of sexual desire in clinical trials. More information about Addyi can be found at www.addyi.ca.
About Searchlight Pharma
Searchlight Pharma Inc., headquartered in Montreal, aspires to become a leading Canadian-based specialty healthcare company through best-in class execution of the search, acquisition, commercialization, and focused development of innovative and unique specialty healthcare products that improve life-long human health and wellness. With a core focus on women's health, urogynecology and urology, our team is committed to improving people's lives by bringing the right products to market. Follow us, learn more about what we do, and get to know our product portfolio at http://searchlightpharma.com/.
About Sprout Pharmaceuticals
Sprout Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is passionate about women's sexual health. Based in Raleigh, N.C., the company is focused solely on the delivery of a treatment option for women with HSDD. For more information call 1-844-PINK-PILL (1-844-746-5745).
1 Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH) Expert Consensus Panel Review, Mayo Clin Proc., January 2017:92(1):114-128
SOURCE Searchlight Pharma Inc.
Study Documents Benefits of SAFE Unit
OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 16, 2020 /CNW/ - A peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (JAMDA) documents the benefits of an innovative pilot project underway at the Perley and Rideau Veterans' Health Centre. The study evaluates the performance of SAFE – Sub-Acute Care for Frail Elderly – a 20-bed unit established in partnership with The Ottawa Hospital in 2018.
SAFE provides a new level of care to frail seniors recovering from surgery or short-term illnesses. Eligible patients are transferred from local acute-care hospitals to the SAFE unit, where they can access the medical and restorative care needed to recover and return home. In addition, SAFE patients undergo cognitive screening and an overall frailty assessment to identify any other issues, such as undiagnosed dementia. The study compared two groups of older adults admitted to acute-care hospitals in Ottawa: the 153 patients who transferred to SAFE during its first year of operation and a control group of approximately 1,700 similar patients who remained in hospital. A significant difference between the two groups is that the SAFE patients had more complex disease profiles – more of them suffered from ailments such as coronary heart disease or cancer, for instance. Despite this difference, though, SAFE patients spent less time in hospital, were more likely to return home, and were less likely to require home care or be transferred to long-term care. They were also no more likely to visit a hospital emergency room during the first month after discharge.
"Ultimately, everyone wants patients to get well enough to return home as soon as possible, and that's exactly what SAFE helps to achieve," says Dr. Benoît Robert, Perley Rideau's Medical Director. "It's clearly good for patients and for the healthcare system."
The study was led by the Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care, in partnership with Bruyère Research Institute and ICES (formerly known as the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences).
Quotes "The study demonstrates that transitional care focussed on rehabilitation and restoration improves outcomes and quality of life, and reduces costs to the healthcare system. With the number of Canadians aged 85 and older expected to triple over the next few decades, we need better models of care. The evaluation of the SAFE unit offers valuable lessons to inform the development of future models of care." Dr. Amy Hsu, Ph. D. Program Evaluation Specialist, The Perley and Rideau Veterans' Health Centre
Quick facts
Read the Journal Article: A Case-Control Study of the Sub-Acute Care for Frail Elderly (SAFE) Unit on Hospital Readmission, Emergency Department Visits and Continuity of Post-Discharge Care: https://www.jamda.com/article/S1525-8610(20)30631-9/fulltext
The Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care (CoE), established at the Perley Rideau in 2019, conducts applied research, and identifies, develops and shares best practices in the care of older adults living with frailty. The CoE has begun a follow-up project to further evaluate particular aspects of SAFE, such as cost savings and reduced requirements for follow-up care.
Established in 2002, The Bruyère Research Institute is a partnership between Bruyère, a multi-site academic healthcare organization, and the University of Ottawa. The Institute supports research that contributes to a better, more responsive healthcare system that delivers the best care to patients, residents and families.
ICES is an independent, non-profit research institute that uses population-based health information to produce knowledge about a broad range of healthcare issues. ICES research on the performance of healthcare systems and the evolving care needs of Ontarians often informs the policies and priorities of governments, hospitals, planners and practitioners.
At The Ottawa Hospital (TOH), excellent care is inspired by research and driven by compassion. Affiliated with the University of Ottawa, TOH attracts some of the most influential scientific minds from around the world. A focus on learning and research leads to new techniques and discoveries that are adopted globally to improve patient care.
SOURCE The Perley And Rideau Veteran's Health Centre
Report: Politics, Not Science, Drives Double Standard on Cannabis, Nicotine Policies
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 – As the House votes on a bill this month to end the federal prohibition on cannabis – once unthinkable – a new Competitive Enterprise Institute report looks at how a different low-risk, recreational substance – vapor nicotine – is politically demonized.
“Legalizing recreational cannabis is now a cause célèbre, yet a prohibition on nicotine vapor products—electronic cigarettes— has become fashionable, often among the same people who actively fight to legalize cannabis,” said Michelle Minton, CEI senior fellow and author the report, The Double Standards of Cannabis and Nicotine.
In terms of public opinion, people seem to have concluded the costs of cannabis prohibition outweigh potential risks of legalization. Sixty-six percent of Americans support legalizing cannabis, according to a 2019 Gallup poll. Yet 52 percent favor banning all but tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes, and nearly half (49 percent) favor a total ban on nicotine vaping products, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll from the same year.
In terms of health risk, as with recreational cannabis, clinical evidence indicates nicotine vaping risks are minimal. Moreover, there is ample evidence that smokers use e-cigarettes to kick their far more deadly habit - smoking - that contributes to 480,000 deaths per year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
With all the evidence piling up in favor of e-cigarettes as a tobacco alternative, why the disparity in public opinion and politics? “Anti-tobacco activists have waged a relentless messaging campaign against e-cigarettes,” Minton explained. “They have consistently worked to suppress any investigation into the possibility that nicotine is not all that bad, blame nicotine products for harms caused by other substances, and shut down any challenge to their narrative.”
Since government health policies and restrictions directly impact people’s lives, freedom, and well-being, the report urges policymakers to take an evidence-driven approach to setting those policies.
Precision Biomonitoring Progresses to Semi-Finals in XPRIZE's Rapid COVID-19 Testing Competition
Canadian Company moves forward in competition after submitting its COVID-19 Digital Antigen Saliva Test to XPRIZE's Global Competition Searching for Innovative Testing Solutions
GUELPH, ON, Sept. 16, 2020 /CNW/ - Precision Biomonitoring, founded in Guelph, Ontario, is delighted to be moving forward as one of 200 semi-finalists in the XPRIZE global rapid testing competition. XPRIZE is a prestigious nonprofit foundation that designs and executes competitions that inspire innovators and entrepreneurs to share their tools and technologies in the areas of space, oceans, health, energy, learning, environment, transportation, safety and robotics. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, XPRIZE put out a call to innovators worldwide to help find faster and easier to use COVID-19 testing solutions, which will support the safe reopening of schools, institutions and businesses. The program received over 900 submissions as part of this global competition and selected teams are now required to check their solutions against a blind proficiency panel to ensure the test is effective with results against pre-established criteria.
Precision Biomonitoring's submission is a COVID-19 digital antigen rapid saliva test for use in the home and at point-of-need. With very high sensitivity, the novel rapid testing solution uses a unique multi-spectral micro sensor to detect trace amounts of antigen in saliva by digitally capturing fluorescent signals in the UV spectrum. Using fluorescence significantly increases diagnostic sensitivity in comparison to conventional particles. Compatible with smart devices via Bluetooth, results are shared digitally through an app in less than 15 minutes.
"We are honoured to be a Canadian company recognized on the global stage in this semi-final round of XPRIZE, selected from over 900 applications," says Dr. Mario Thomas, CEO, Precision Biomonitoring. "Precision Biomonitoring is already an industry leader in environmental DNA tools that have been used reliably for years as best in class to detect waterborne organisms and animal pathogens. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic we quickly pivoted to offer tests to analyze samples from Canadians who may have the COVID-19 virus."
Currently undergoing the final stages of development and testing, Precision Biomonitoring's digital rapid saliva test is non-invasive, disposable, cost-efficient and self-administered and operated. Similar to Precision Biomonitoring's SARS-CoV-2 TRIPLELOCKTM Test Strips technology which is currently under review by Health Canada, the rapid saliva test is ultra-portable, enabling Precision Biomonitoring to continue its focus on delivering innovative tools and resources to all Canadians, including those in rural and remote communities who need it most.
As a next step, for the final round, the top 20 best teams will have the opportunity to gain clinical validation from two world-class laboratories based in the United States, helping to accelerate the FDA approval process. Five top teams will each be awarded $1 million from XPRIZE and will be selected to trial their solutions on real individuals at sites around the USA. A playbook will be developed and used to aid testing sites around the world in the effort to end the pandemic.
About Precision Biomonitoring Founded in 2016 by a team of scientists from the University of Guelph's Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, Precision Biomonitoring provides TripleLock™ onsite eDNA surveillance platform solutions that give customers earlier detection of organisms for a more rapid response. Customers are any organizations that need onsite surveillance and rapid identification of any organism in any environment. The Precision Biomonitoring team is at the forefront of technological innovations in the genomics industry. Our vision is a world where we can identify any organism on the spot, in an instant, anywhere on the planet. Learn more about Precision Biomonitoring at: https://precisionbiomonitoring.com/about-us
SOURCE Precision Biomonitoring
The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the top five cancer research centers in the world, uses ENPICOM’s software to gain insights from the immune system and predict treatment responses in cancer patients
‘s-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands), September 16, 2020 – ENPICOM, an innovative bioinformatics software engineering company specialized in decoding the immune system, announced that the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre of the University Health Network (UHN) has purchased a subscription to ENPICOM’s data analysis platform. The Princess Margaret will use its ImmunoGenomiX (IGX) Platform to streamline the analysis and management of the vast amounts of immune repertoire sequencing data generated in their research and clinical studies.
Immune repertoire sequencing focuses on the most important players of the adaptive immune system and determines the genetic code of T and B cell receptors. This specific type of DNA/RNA analysis provides an in-depth view of the adaptive immune system and is the most informative way to research it. However, repertoire sequencing experiments typically generate millions of sequencing reads per sample, and the amount of publicly available data is growing exponentially. To enable researchers to manage and make sense of all the available data, ENPICOM developed a scalable, versatile tool – the IGX Platform. With powerful data handling features, an intuitive user interface, and several analysis apps, the platform enables scientists in academic research centers and biopharmaceutical companies to accurately interpret large-scale repertoire data, reduce the time needed to extract biologically and clinically relevant insights, and, most importantly, unlock insights that otherwise would have stayed hidden.
Dr. Trevor Pugh, Senior Scientist at the Princess Margaret, is focused on enabling comprehensive genome analysis as a routine clinical test to guide the treatment of cancer patients. His research lab is currently working to understand clinical implications of clonal shifts in cancer and non-cancerous cell populations during treatment, most recently using cell-free DNA, immune repertoire, and single cell RNA-seq sequencing. Immune repertoire sequencing is one of the technologies adopted to make progress in this field.
The Pugh lab set strict selection criteria when reviewing data analysis solutions available in the market to support his immune repertoire sequencing work:
● Equipped with a user-friendly interface and flexible data management component to link the laboratory with the data analysis department
● Facilitate secure and easy data sharing among the scientists in the lab and external scientific collaborators
● Enable (clinical) metadata integration to gain novel insights
● Capable of easily comparing immune repertoire data generated with different public repositories
Dr. Trevor Pugh explains: “ENPICOM’s IGX platform is unique in its kind. It is the only analysis and data management platform specifically designed for this type of sequencing data. IGX offers us flexibility, ease-of-use, data integration, and data sharing possibilities – all criteria that we consider extremely important to properly support our scientific work. Additionally, the ENPICOM team has been very helpful in the pilot phase and showed full commitment to make our first experience a smooth one.”
Dr. Nicola Bonzanni, Chief Scientific Officer, was involved in the discussions from the first moment onwards when the contact with Dr. Pugh and his team was established. He mentions: “We are extremely happy to welcome UHN as a new customer. They are a perfect example of why we developed this platform. Dr. Pugh’s lab developed its own wet-lab protocols and thus needed flexibility at the front-end. They also function as a central hub in grant-related scientific consortia and required data sharing capabilities. Most importantly, they aimed high and were looking for a solution to help them bridge the gap between the technology and deriving insights to make patients benefit from the detailed analysis of the adaptive immune system enabled by repertoire sequencing.”
About University Health Network
University Health Network consists of Toronto General, recently voted one of the Top 10 Hospitals in the World according to Newsweek Magazine, and Toronto Western Hospital, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, and the Michener Institute of Education at UHN. The scope of research and complexity of cases at University Health Network has made it a national and international source of discovery, education and patient care. It has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in cardiology, transplantation, neurosciences, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. University Health Network is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto.
Biometric Data, Algorithms To Unlock Key Information About Circadian Clock
NSF grant will support development of wearable devices and reliable algorithms to provide critical data
TROY, N.Y. — Anyone who has experienced a midafternoon energy slump or suffered from jetlag has felt the effects of their body’s circadian rhythm. This internal clock helps regulate many of our physiological processes, including sleep, metabolism, and even how the brain functions.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute anticipate a future in which a combination of smart wearables and algorithms assess each person’s circadian rhythm and provide personalized feedback as to what light, sleep, and work schedule would be ideal for their particular internal clock.
In a foundational step toward that goal, a team of engineers aims to develop reliable mathematical models that can estimate individuals’ circadian rhythms. With the support of a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the team will also develop wearable hardware and software that incorporate various sensors capable of capturing useful biometric information. That data will be used to help build and test the team’s mathematical models.
“Circadian health is very important,” said Agung Julius, an associate professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering at Rensselaer who is leading this research effort. “In order to regulate the circadian rhythm effectively, the missing ingredient is the ability to extract data from the subject in a form that is useable.”
As the boundaries between personal time and work time have become increasingly blurred during remote work and school brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to better understand circadian rhythm has become even more strongly felt. An improved understanding of individual circadian clocks could improve people’s health, energy levels, and alertness.
Julius will work closely with Mona Hella, a professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering at Rensselaer. Hella will develop a set of lightweight, self-powered wearable sensor devices that will collect bio-signals from different parts of the body, including EEG brain signals, ECG heart signals, and EMG muscle signals, as well as blood pressure signals from the wrist and arm. This novel approach will provide a non-invasive method of estimating circadian phase shift. You can watch Julius and Hella discuss this research here.
“In this approach, you’re looking at multiple things. You’re not just looking at the brain signals, you’re correlating that with other biometrics, such as the heart rate, blood pressure, and movement,” Hella said. “Every single one of those is not going to be an ideal signal, but we are capturing different sensing information to complete the puzzle and fill the gaps.”
To understand the information they gather, Hella and her team will develop a circuit interface that can process electrical signals from multiple sensors at different frequency ranges and convert them into data that Julius can use to build and test a set of algorithms.
“The algorithms will make sense of the information you gather from the sensors in a form that can be used to compute what would be, for example, the best lighting to maintain alertness at a certain time,” Julius said.
Hella’s team will also develop a light sensor that can specifically filter out and measure blue light in the environment.
“We have worked on light sensors for other applications, but just doing this filtering within a very narrow bandwidth, and providing enough resolution to really look at each wavelength and correlate that to information that you get from the sensor, is what’s novel here,” Hella said.
“This new award from the NSF recognizes the foundational work on circadian control and sleep models that LESA engineers and scientists have been developing for the past decade,” said Bob Karlicek, the director of LESA. “This new program will bring us closer to biometric control of the built environment for improving human health and wellbeing.”
Working with researchers from Thomas Jefferson University, the Rensselaer team will collect biometric data from subjects who will wear the sensor devices over a span of two weeks. That critical data will help ensure the Rensselaer models are reliable.
“Ideally you’d like to be able to regulate your circadian rhythm using your smart, built environment,” Julius said. “This work will explore how collecting and using the biometric data in a feedback loop can lead to improved human health, performance, and well-being.”
About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is America’s first technological research university. Rensselaer encompasses five schools, 32 research centers, more than 145 academic programs, and a dynamic community made up of more than 7,900 students and over 100,000 living alumni. Rensselaer faculty and alumni include more than 145 National Academy members, six members of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, six National Medal of Technology winners, five National Medal of Science winners, and a Nobel Prize winner in Physics. With nearly 200 years of experience advancing scientific and technological knowledge, Rensselaer remains focused on addressing global challenges with a spirit of ingenuity and collaboration. To learn more, please visit www.rpi.edu.
America is in the Midst of an Epidemic of Overdoses
Nationwide & Nevada Overdose Numbers Are Up Startlingly; Pointing to a Real Epidemic within the Pandemic
By Dave Marlon
September 11, 2020
According to the Hazelden-Betty Ford clinic, there has been a steady rise in drug overdoses since the pandemic began in early March. “We saw an 18 percent increase nationwide in overdoses in March, a 29 percent increase in April and a 42 percent increase in May,” said John Engebreth, who runs Minnesota Outpatient Services at Hazelden-Betty Ford.
In Utah as well, even more recent data has suggested that overdoses are on the rise, likely fueled by the increase in availability of the powerful drug Fentanyl – this is something being attributed to the disruption of the traditional opiate drug supply lines during the pandemic and the fact that 90% of Fentanyl is made right here in America.
Data from Utah Naloxone, has documented a rising number of overdoses. In August, they saw 175 overdose reversals, an increase from 125 they saw in July and 99 in June.
Again, a steady rise.
Even more alarming, US News & World Report recently reported that nearly 41% of adults surveyed this past summer “reported an adverse mental or behavioral health condition,” as a result of the stress from the pandemic and economic fallout.
Why is this happening?
It’s the well-known secret that America has been suffering through an opioid epidemic for decades, since the late 90’s, but it’s the fact that the pandemic has super charged stress and anxiety in American society, that is making these overdose numbers rise so drastically. Sadly, it’s not surprising. Whether it’s COVID or financial woes or just the yearn for normal human contact, which COVID has made incredibly complicated – there are a lot of stressors on people right now.
Relapsing or turning to drugs in a time of great stress – looking for that escape essentially, is something that is certainly relatable and very human.
The other component to the rise in overdoses is the increase of the availability of Fentanyl nationwide, and the fact that many police departments are reporting finding that Fentanyl has been laced into non-opioid drugs, such as Xanax or even marijuana, MOLLY, ecstasy, and more. Usually you only find Fentanyl on its own or mixed with Heroin or other opioids such as Percocet or Vicodin – an often-deadly cocktail.
What can be done to help?
TREATMENT TREATMENT and more TREATMENT. And education.
Detoxing from drugs is just the first step. Typically to treat an addiction, you have to treat the underlying mental illness that is driving the addiction. That means a comprehensive program that lasts much longer than 30 days.
Here at CrossRoads, and throughout my career in addiction services, I’ve seen time and time again that the real hope, the real healing, is done through proper treatment of patients, including the correct mix of medication and counseling, lifestyle services, including diet, exercise, job, and this extends for months and months after detox.
At the moment, the government is doing nearly nothing to help with the treatment of patients. One of the biggest obstacles to treatment is often that an addict can’t afford it, or it’s not covered by insurance. In this instance, a government program similar to Medicaid, or a state financed program, would be most helpful in terms of actually getting patients into rehab and into a bed. I can’t tell you the number of times we’ve had a willing patient, who desperately was seeking treatment, but by the time they managed to get the funds together, or got approved for Medicaid, they had either relapsed or their bed was gone. In instances like that, we are truly failing our fellow humans.
Narcan & Education
Narcan is very helpful in combating overdoses, and the more first responders, doctors, parents, etc… who are trained in how to successfully administer Narcan, will save lives.
Narcan can stop an overdose as it’s happening by counter acting the opioid in the patient’s system.
Just as important, if not more important, is educating families on proper addiction treatment techniques. One of the simplest things often overlooked when it comes to how families treat someone suffering through an active addiction – that there is a stigma or mental failing attached to it. Addiction is a disease, just like cancer or congestive heart failure – it is not a mental failing or moral problem.
Educating families in proper ways to treat, care for, and seek treatment for others going through addiction is crucial. Because of that, in the coming weeks, CrossRoads will be announcing a series of education seminars for families on addiction.
Where does this leave us?
There is no solving it unfortunately, there is only making it less harmful, unless we find our way into a Star Trek style utopian society. There will always be stress and anxiety and trauma and mental illness, and there will likely always be drugs available in one way or another, whether it’s drugs or alcohol.
Add in the pandemic and economic stress, and we aren’t in a good place. It’s no wonder that we’ve seen an uptick in overdoses in NV, and we’ve seen an uptick in beds filled at CrossRoads since March when the pandemic began.
But, as I write this on September 11th, 2020, I’m reminded of the hope that followed that dark day on September 11, 2001. I’m reminded that hope always follows darkness, and that the hope of entering recovery, getting a patient back on their feet and turning their life around, is why I got into this business. I’m constantly reminded of the hope there is in recovery every day, and I hope, as we move into the fall of 2020, we continue to provide that hope to our patients here at CrossRoads and around the country.
America is in the Midst of an Epidemic of Overdoses
Nationwide & Nevada Overdose Numbers Are Up Startlingly; Pointing to a Real Epidemic within the Pandemic
By Dave Marlon
September 11, 2020
According to the Hazelden-Betty Ford clinic, there has been a steady rise in drug overdoses since the pandemic began in early March. “We saw an 18 percent increase nationwide in overdoses in March, a 29 percent increase in April and a 42 percent increase in May,” said John Engebreth, who runs Minnesota Outpatient Services at Hazelden-Betty Ford.
In Utah as well, even more recent data has suggested that overdoses are on the rise, likely fueled by the increase in availability of the powerful drug Fentanyl – this is something being attributed to the disruption of the traditional opiate drug supply lines during the pandemic and the fact that 90% of Fentanyl is made right here in America.
Data from Utah Naloxone, has documented a rising number of overdoses. In August, they saw 175 overdose reversals, an increase from 125 they saw in July and 99 in June.
Again, a steady rise.
Even more alarming, US News & World Report recently reported that nearly 41% of adults surveyed this past summer “reported an adverse mental or behavioral health condition,” as a result of the stress from the pandemic and economic fallout.
Why is this happening?
It’s the well-known secret that America has been suffering through an opioid epidemic for decades, since the late 90’s, but it’s the fact that the pandemic has super charged stress and anxiety in American society, that is making these overdose numbers rise so drastically. Sadly, it’s not surprising. Whether it’s COVID or financial woes or just the yearn for normal human contact, which COVID has made incredibly complicated – there are a lot of stressors on people right now.
Relapsing or turning to drugs in a time of great stress – looking for that escape essentially, is something that is certainly relatable and very human.
The other component to the rise in overdoses is the increase of the availability of Fentanyl nationwide, and the fact that many police departments are reporting finding that Fentanyl has been laced into non-opioid drugs, such as Xanax or even marijuana, MOLLY, ecstasy, and more. Usually you only find Fentanyl on its own or mixed with Heroin or other opioids such as Percocet or Vicodin – an often-deadly cocktail.
What can be done to help?
TREATMENT TREATMENT and more TREATMENT. And education.
Detoxing from drugs is just the first step. Typically to treat an addiction, you have to treat the underlying mental illness that is driving the addiction. That means a comprehensive program that lasts much longer than 30 days.
Here at CrossRoads, and throughout my career in addiction services, I’ve seen time and time again that the real hope, the real healing, is done through proper treatment of patients, including the correct mix of medication and counseling, lifestyle services, including diet, exercise, job, and this extends for months and months after detox.
At the moment, the government is doing nearly nothing to help with the treatment of patients. One of the biggest obstacles to treatment is often that an addict can’t afford it, or it’s not covered by insurance. In this instance, a government program similar to Medicaid, or a state financed program, would be most helpful in terms of actually getting patients into rehab and into a bed. I can’t tell you the number of times we’ve had a willing patient, who desperately was seeking treatment, but by the time they managed to get the funds together, or got approved for Medicaid, they had either relapsed or their bed was gone. In instances like that, we are truly failing our fellow humans.
Narcan & Education
Narcan is very helpful in combating overdoses, and the more first responders, doctors, parents, etc… who are trained in how to successfully administer Narcan, will save lives.
Narcan can stop an overdose as it’s happening by counter acting the opioid in the patient’s system.
Just as important, if not more important, is educating families on proper addiction treatment techniques. One of the simplest things often overlooked when it comes to how families treat someone suffering through an active addiction – that there is a stigma or mental failing attached to it. Addiction is a disease, just like cancer or congestive heart failure – it is not a mental failing or moral problem.
Educating families in proper ways to treat, care for, and seek treatment for others going through addiction is crucial. Because of that, in the coming weeks, CrossRoads will be announcing a series of education seminars for families on addiction.
Where does this leave us?
There is no solving it unfortunately, there is only making it less harmful, unless we find our way into a Star Trek style utopian society. There will always be stress and anxiety and trauma and mental illness, and there will likely always be drugs available in one way or another, whether it’s drugs or alcohol.
Add in the pandemic and economic stress, and we aren’t in a good place. It’s no wonder that we’ve seen an uptick in overdoses in NV, and we’ve seen an uptick in beds filled at CrossRoads since March when the pandemic began.
But, as I write this on September 11th, 2020, I’m reminded of the hope that followed that dark day on September 11, 2001. I’m reminded that hope always follows darkness, and that the hope of entering recovery, getting a patient back on their feet and turning their life around, is why I got into this business. I’m constantly reminded of the hope there is in recovery every day, and I hope, as we move into the fall of 2020, we continue to provide that hope to our patients here at CrossRoads and around the country.
4 Pieces of Equipment That Can Help Your Home Workouts
Working out home has many benefits. It can help you save time, money and is more convenient than working out at a gym. However, one of the keys to working out at home is to have the right equipment. You should consider purchasing the following types of equipment for your home gym.
Weighted Arm Bands
Resistance training is an important part of your training regimen. It helps you build muscles and burn fat. Even though you can use your own body weight as a form of resistance, you should consider investing in weighted arm bands. Weighted arm bands typically weigh between 0.5 and 1 pounds. The weights can make your workouts more challenging.
Non-slip Foam Exercise Balance Pad
If you do a lot of floor exercises, then it is a good idea for you to invest in a non-slip foam exercise balance pad. A balance pad can reduce the back pain that you can experience if you do exercises on the floor. The balance pad will provide you with the extra support that you need. A balance pad can also improve your motor skills. This will make it easier for you to complete your daily activities.
Weighted Jump Rope
Jumping rope is one of the most effective home exercises that you can do. In fact, jumping rope for 10 minutes is equivalent to jogging for 30 minutes. You can increase the intensity of your workout by using a weighted jump rope. The extra weight will also allow you to get a great resistance workout.
Treadmill
If you love to go for walks or jogs, then you should buy a treadmill. One of the many great things about a treadmill is that almost anyone can use it. Both athletes and people who exercise occasionally can use a treadmill. You can adjust the speed and incline based on your fitness needs and goals. Running on a treadmill will allow you to burn hundreds of calories in an hour. There are also treadmills that have extra features, such as heart rate monitors and pre-set fitness programs.
It is important to select high-quality equipment if you like to work out at home. You can use weighted arm bands if you like to do resistance training. You can also use a non-slip foam exercise balance pad and a treadmill. Additionally, you can use a weighted jump rope.
TRAIN IT RIGHT NEWSLETTER
Sign Up and get a free 7 day Train it Right HIIT Program!
