Drug maker GlaxoSmithKline has been found guilty of fraud in the way it reported research on, or marketed, on 3 of its medications in the largest settlement against a drug company in US history–$3 billion. The issues involved 10 drugs, and included marketing “off-label” use of the antidepressants Paxil and Wellbitrin and the asthma drug Advair, and not reporting all the safety data for the diabetes drug Avandia.
GlaxoSmithKline pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $3b total in both criminal fines and civil settlements with the federal and state governments. The fines will be paid next year.
In a press conference, Deputy US Attorney General James Cole said the settlement was “unprecedented in both size and scope.”
Want to reduce your risk of glaucoma? Stay physically active. A study in the Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science Journal showed that higher levels of activity seems to have a beneficial impact on ocular perfusion pressure (OPP). OPP is a crucial risk factor for developing glaucoma.
The study was done on 5,650 adults aged 48-90 in the U.K. It measured the relationship between current OPP and physical activity over time. The subjects filled out lifestyle and health questionnaires. The surveys recorded how much physical activity the subjects got during both work hours and leisure time. They were given tests to measure eye pressure (intraocular pressure — IOP) and blood pressure.
This study showed a 25% reduced risk of low OPP in study participants who had moderate physical exercise approximately 15 years before.
A pilot study published in Phytotherapy Research compared curcumin – derived from natural turmeric – with the drug diclofenac for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Natural curcumin actually reduced RA symptoms even better than the RA drug diclofenac: a 44% reduction in symptoms on the Disease Activity Score and the American College of Rheumatology criteria for reduction of swelling and tenderness of joins. Patients receiving diclofenac had a 42% reduction.
This is good news because curcumin has no known side-effects. Using anti-inflammatory medications over the long term sometimes has side effects that can result in stomach ulcers and damage to the kidneys. The extremely popular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication Vioxx (Rofecoxib – $2.5 billion in sales in 2003) was removed from the market in 2004 due to increased risk of heart attacks and stroke.
A research study published in Archives of Ophthalmology showed that ingesting omega-3 fatty acids and fish affects the incidence of AMD (age-related macular degeneration, or ARMD) in women. This large study (nearly 40,000 participants) over 10 years found that women who had the highest of intake of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid) had the lowest risk of AMD versus subjects with the lowest intake. Women who ate at least one serving of fish per week had a relative risk of AMD of 0.58 compared with women who ate less than one serving per month.
This was a retrospective study that involved 39,876 female health care workers completing food frequency questionnaires. At the beginning of the study, none of them had ARMD. 265 developed age-related macular degeneration by the end of the ten-year study. Few regular fish eaters developed the disease, but the ladies who skimped on fish were significantly more likely to get AMD.
A recent UK research study shows that 40% of all cancers are caused by avoidable lifestyle considerations, such as diet, excess weight, smoking, and/or alcohol consumption. Tobacco use was shown to cause the most cancers.
“Many people believe cancer is down to fate or ‘in the genes’ and that it is the luck of the draw whether they get it,” study author Professor Max Parkin, a Cancer Research UK epidemiologist based at Queen Mary, University of London. The reality is, based on the study, that many cancers can be avoided through lifestyle changes.
The research showed that in Britain:
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Can electromagnetic (EMF) pollution represent any harm to the human body? These three research studies may indicate ill effects of EMF pollution on the brain and body. The first studied cell phones’ impact on brain chemistry; the second looked at the impact on the brain of radiation from wireless devices; and the third revealed that the brain may be very sensitive to even very weak electromagnetic fields.
A study published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that during a 50-minute cell phone call, the area of the brain near the antenna had increased brain glucose metabolism. Glucose metabolism is an indicator of brain activity. The problem is that if cell phone radiation effects the levels of glucose in the brain, it might also be changing neurotransmitters and neurochemical activities. The researchers, including the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health, have preliminary indications of long-term effects. More research is needed to understand the impact of this finding on human health.
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Do your eyes spend more than 4 hours a day looking at the screen of an electronic device? If so, you are at risk for computer vision syndrome. Computer vision syndrome symptoms include eye strain, fatigue, dry eyes and headaches from staring at a screen too long.
Increase in the delivery of a treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) has resulted in a significant 50% reduction of new cases of blindness in Denmark, according to a study published in the American Journal of Opthamology. Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of blindness in the West. Specifically, AMD patients lose reading vision and their ability to drive, resulting in revocation of their drivers’ license.
Wet AMD is the most serious type of macular degeneration. Abnormal blood vessels start to grow in the eye, toward the yellow spot in the middle of the retina called the macular. The macular provides the most visual acuity, as well as perception of color. Wet AMD results in quick and severe loss of vision.
Patients taking statin drugs to lower cholesterol might be more likely to get muscle injuries, especially elderly patients.(1) Side effects and adverse reactions, according to other research, may include increased stroke risk, higher risk of Type II Diabetes, low iron, pancreatic dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, suppressed immune system, muscle pain, and more.
Be aware that increased incidence of cataracts may also be linked with statin drugs. A study(2) suggests that statin drugs are associated with an increased risk of cataracts in both men and women. In the study, cataracts risk went up within 12 months of starting statin drugs, continued while taking the drug, and dropped back to normal
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When you are in your 30’s, your skeletal muscle mass will peak. After that, they will reduce slightly in number and size every year. By the time you are in your 50’s, 15% of muscle mass may be lost, and by your 80’s, as much as 30% of muscle mass may be lost.
Obviously, strength training is crucial to strengthen your muscles and increase their size. Being strong and fit helps maintain good health and energy, reduces osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, burns calories for weight management, improves sleep, cuts cancer risk, and much more!
Everyone should make exercise a priority throughout their lives. However, up to 75% of older Americans do not get enough exercise.(1)
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Natural Eye Care, Inc.
3 Paradies Lane
New Paltz, New York 12561
Phone: 845.475.4158
NaturalEyeCare™ started in 1999 to help the public and professionals learn about complementary care in eye disease treatment.
The information and recommendations we offer are based on over 30 years of peer review research and personal clinical experience which guides us in providing a valuable resource to our readers, customers and patients regarding maintaining healthy vision naturally.
We believe that vision health is intimately connected to overall mental, physical and spiritual health. Therefore we encourage people to look at their overall lifestyle and diet as part of keeping healthy vision and reducing the risk of eye disease onset. This includes diet, regular exercise, and management of daily stress. If one has health issues such as high blood pressure, a thyroid imbalance, any autoimmune disease and/or are on medication(s), these possible contributions to eye disease should considered when working with your health care professional.
Please do not hesitate to call us at 845.475.4158 with any questions and concerns.
