dras knowledge

Wednesday, April 28, 2004

A conspiracy theory stops vaccines in Nigeria

An article in this weeks JAMA led me to find this on a Google search:
"...the tests he conducted ... found...Estradoil and 17 other contaminants and adulterant that were not supposed to be in the vaccine. He said they also had anti-fertility substances... a Pentagon MSSN 2000 1975 report declassified only two years ago stated categorically that the west was concerned about the growth of population in Third World Countries and specifically mentioned Nigeria as one of the countries that deliberate efforts have to be made to slow down the growth."
http://allafrica.com/stories/200404260734.html
Kano Maintains Stand On Polio Vaccine
Daily Trust (Abuja)
Posted to the web April 26, 2004
Sani Babadoko And Yushau Adamu
Kano
Kano State Governor, Malam Ibrhaim Shekarau has re-affirmed the stand of the state on polio vaccine saying that it will not participate in the on-going polio vaccination exercise just as a Catholic organization called for the withdrawal of the vaccine from circulation.
Speaking to newsmen at a launch organised for the state correspondents chapel at he weekend, Shekarau said it was clear that the state government has explained why it disregarded the vaccination.
Governor, Shekarau said further that "we made it in writing to the federal government, the United Nations, UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO) and we will not change our decision until the problems surrounding the issue have been resolve.
On the threat to ban the state from participating in the Hajj operations, Governor Shekarau said polio vaccine is for children under 5 years not adults and, therefore whoever attempt to stop muslims of Kano state from performing their religious act he/she will be reported to Almighty God."
He urged the people of the state to exercise patience as the state government is fully committed to bring the controversial issue to an end.
Three Catholic pro-life organizations have joined Dr. Haruna Kaita and others in calling for the withdrawal of polio vaccines laced with sterilization contaminants.
The organizations Dothan Pro-life Project Wusasa, Zaria, Human life Protection League (HLPL), Ijebu-Ode and the Human Life International in Front Royal Virginia USA which organized a two-day Pro-Life training workshops at the Catholic Social Centre, Kaduna at the weekend and resolved to make the call after listening to Dr. Kaita's presentation.
Dr. Kaita, Dean of Pharmacology at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria had conducted a Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI) oral polio vaccine verification in India and told his audience that the samples he tested were unfit for human consumption as they do not have the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) certification.
He said in the tests he conducted in India he found that the samples from, Kano, Zamfara and Jigawa states were laced with Estradoil and 17 other contaminants and adulterant that were not supposed to be in the vaccine. He said they also had anti-fertility substances.
Kaita said through a Pentagon MSSN 2000 1975 report declassified only two years ago stated categorically that the west was concerned about the growth of population in Third World Countries and specifically mentioned Nigeria as one of the countries that deliberate efforts have to be made to slow down the growth.

Thursday, April 01, 2004

Dangers of Alternative Medicine on one's Religious convictions

A dialogue follows this original post. These are some of my earlier dictates of Science vs. Religion

I do not see that a conservative religious majority will get feathers ruffled over hearing and realizing that much of sCAM is based on metaphysics and vitalism that requires a religious faith-based acceptance. The bigger task is in coming to an understanding that "selling" the sCAM metaphysics and vitalism is in fact selling religion. Most people do not want religion forced upon them. We need to point out that allowing state and community sponsored vitalism based healing practices is much more threatening to our religious freedom than allowing classroom sponsored prayer in public school. That it is in obvious discord with the ideal of separation of church and state.
Of greater peril than the threat to our religious freedom is the threat that "energy" medicine presents to the faithful. Promoters of any kind of "energy" medicine are taught and will argue that the metaphysical concepts in theory or practice will fit into anyone's personal religious beliefs, or any structured religious doctrine. That because the practice is in complete harmony with personal beliefs it is actually promoting and strengthening the personal faith in whatever one's idea of religion is. This is subversive religious indoctrination that stands to threaten or change idealistic truths carried alike in a fundamental or modern approach to religious doctrine. We need to point out that we have a right to choose our sources from which we develop our concepts about God, and His interaction with man's spirit and his soul. We should point out that the faithful should be offended when their healthcare practitioner usurps personal faith and convictions to promote their practice.-dras

I think that you are assigning religiosity to energy medicine and this association should not be made. I do energy healing on my dog all the time for her arthritis and I don't think of it as a religious experience. Maybe you should join the Unity Church. They seem to have no problem living with . R. Forbes, D.M.D

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I see your point. I guess it depends on how someone normally conceptualizes what "Religion" is. I realize comparing "energy" medicine therapy protocols with Mass on Sunday can even sound a little ludicrous. My take is that basically because a faith or belief in the metaphysical is required, and it is not supported by empiric observation in nature (cannot be measured or described objectively,) it can be identified as religious. I realize this may be taken as putting the entire universe into black and white, but I think it is a valid concept. Until we find George Lucas' "midichlorians," and can predict their interaction with nature, "energy" medicine is not science. A friendly BTW, I am LDS and don't suspect we'd be seen as having a problem with religion and metaphysics either. -dras

My view here is perhaps somewhere between being narrow minded and suggesting that "energy" medicine researchers are looking for the horse behind their cart?

In my experience, I often find myself exploring health technologies and modalities that are in that wide gray area around fringe science and pseudoscience. Practitioners submit long scientific discussions, published papers, and even scientific experiments substantiating the basis of their unique practice. Fortunately, I don't often have to make a distinction because most of our standards of care in medical practice will depend on neither. (There are exceptions.)

Regardless of the catalyst or any discussion as to why, it must be ultimately argued that any "energy" medicine modality works because it works. Studies showing positive outcomes from "energy" medicine modalities have rarely done little more than demonstrate that doing something works, or that doing something is better than doing doing nothing. If I put myself on the scales, all I can demonstrate is that I weigh. Only when I start putting other than myself on the scales does my weight have any meaning.

Many UFO enthusiasts won't call what they do a religion, neither will many astrologists, but others may. -dras