Dec 99 news (Lynda Roth, Sat Feb 22 10:10:53 2003)
COALITION OF SILICONE SURVIVORS
P. O. Box 129 Broomfield, CO 80038-0129
Lynda Roth - (970) 506-9288 Fax (970) 506-9288 (call first)
e-mail: coss1@uswest.net
Website: http://www2.privatei.com/~coss/coss
December 1, 1999
Dear Silicone Survivors and Friends:
This will be our last regular newsletter. We will continue to publish
periodic updates for all of you who have subscribed beyond the end of the
year. Renew now to receive updates. For those whose subscription ends
between Jan. and April, you will receive one update. For those whose
subscription expires between May and August, you will receive two
updates. For the remainder, you will receive three updates. In this way
we hope we can keep you informed of legal and medical information that is
forthcoming. The Coalition is $3000 in debt, so donations will help us to
survive. I am paying these debts from my own pocket, as I have always
done!! You can help!!
Special thanks to all those women who helped me to be educated about
implants (Command Trust Network, AS-IS, Silicone Scene, Marie Walsh,
etc. These were the early pioneers. Also a special thanks to all those
women who helped put on conferences, from Shreveport to Chicago, to San
Francisco, to Irvine, to Boise, to Reno, to Tacoma (Seattle), to
Philadelphia, to Little Rock, and any others that they helped me or I
helped them. It was a joint effort and we did a great job. We need to
keep working together to fight our common adversaries. There is strength
in numbers.
For those who need other newsletters, if you are on line, contact:
ilena@san.rr.com for updated info. Also, contact: myrlj@jps.net fpr
updated info. If you are not on line, contact Toxic Discovery Network for
their newsletter, which is published periodically. It comes out about
every three months. Their address is: 1906 Grant Lane, Columbia, MO
65203. Phone: (573) 445-0861, Fax (573) 445-8539. And, as I stated, I
will be publishing extensive updates (expanded versions of the newsletter,
3-4 times in 2000 to keep those who continue to subscribe up to date on the
latest information.
LEGAL INFORMATION: Bay City, MI, CNN, Ed Garsten: A federal bankruptcy
judge approved a plan Tuesday which could provide payments to 170,000 women
who sued Dow Corning Corp. because of health problems related to silicone
breast implants. The settlement provides $3.2 billion to settle the claims
by those women. It also provides another $1.3 billion to settle claims by
creditors and health care organizations. Under the plan approved by Judge
Arthur Spector, women with severe autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, could
receive up to $250,000. However, most of the payments will range from
$12,000 to $60,000.
The plan also calls for Dow Corning to pay $5,000 to women who wished to
have their implants removed, and up to $25,000 to women whose implants have
ruptured. In his decision, Judge Spector also severed Dow Chemical Corp.
and the Corning Corp. from the lawsuits, making it impossible for the
owners of Dow Corning to be sued. And Spector denied a claim by a group of
50 women from Nevada which said the plan was unfair because it denied them
the right to sue Dow Corning's parent companies.
Of the $3.2 billion, $400 million can be used to
litigate the lawsuits pursued by those women who decide not to accept the
settlement. Those opting to litigate will not be allowed to sue Dow
Corning's corporate parents, Dow Chemical Corp. or Corning, nor will they
be able to receive punitive damages if they win their cases. "In general,
I support the plan," said Steven Sheller, an attorney for implant
recipients. (Most attorneys for women with Dow Corning implants seem to
support this settlement. A few, however, like Geoffrey White of Reno,
Nevada, are likely to appeal the decision of Judge Pointer.)
Barbara Howser, Dow Corning attorney., said the company was "pleased" with
Spector's decision and felt the company would emerge in "viable
shape." The lead attorney for the plaintiffs, Kenneth Eckstein, told CNN
that he, too, was pleased with the judge's decision. He said the
overwhelming support of the plan by plaintiffs gave him hope that the
litigation could end soon. Eckstein said he hoped payments could begin
sometime in the year 2000. The plan must still be signed by a federal
district judge before a date can be set for it to go into effect. The
judge's signing could be delayed by appeals.
November 30, 1999, Judge Arthur J. Spector of the United States Bankruptcy
Court for the Eastern District of Michigan announced that he would sign an
order later today confirming the Dow Corning Joint Plan of Reorganization.
Separate opinions regarding various plan components and objections to the
plan will be issued today and next week. The next step in the legal
process will be to determine whether any appeals of the Confirmation Order
or Requests for a Stay have been filed with the United States District
Court, Eastern District of Michigan (before the Honorable Denise Page
Hood). While any appeals are pending no claims can be paid. It is not known
how long it will take to resolve appeals if any are filed.
The Claims Office for the Dow Corning Settlement Facility is not yet
operational, but it has established a website at www.DCSettlement.com where
you will find information on the status of the bankruptcy case. You can
also call (888) 875-5949 for a pre-recorded message with information about
the Dow Settlement Facility Claims Office status/activities.
On November 18, 1999, the bankruptcy court authorized the use of funds for
the Claims Administrator to be employed and begin start-up operations for
the Dow Corning Claims Office. On November 19, 1999, Judge Sam Pointer (the
judge supervising both the MDL and Dow Corning Claims Offices) appointed
Judge Mary Katherine Kennedy as Claims Administrator for the Dow Corning
Settlement Facility effective December 6, The appointment of Judge Frank
Andrews, former judge of the 116th District Court in Dallas, Texas, was
also approved by Judge Pointer. Judge Andrews will serve as the Appeals
Judge and member of the Finance Committee for the Dow Corning Settlement
Facility. Judge Andrews has served as the Appeals Judge for the MDL 926
Claims Office. Francis McGovern, the MDL 926 Special Master and the Dow
Corning Special Master, is the third member of the Finance Committee for
the Dow Corning Settlement Facility.
Court Rules on Commercial Creditors' Motion:
On July 13, 1999, the bankruptcy court entered an opinion (which was
amended on July 30, 1999) ruling that section 726(a)(5) of the bankruptcy
code means that the interest at the legal rate is the federal judgment rate
as set forth in 28 U.S.C. section 1961. The ruling affected the Official
Committee of Unsecured Creditors which had filed an objection to the Joint
Plan on the grounds that
the contract rate of interest (or alternatively the state statutory rate)
should be used. The opinion overruled the Commercial Creditors' objection
to confirmation.
Birmingham, AL: Private health care payors seeking to intervene in the
national breast implant litigation class action pending in a Birmingham
federal court have settled their claims against Baxter Healthcare Corp.,
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., McGhan Medical Corp., 3M Company and Union
Carbide Corporation. The private health care payors, who represent over
two-thirds of the U.S. private health benefit providers and insurers,
settled their claims for $50 million. They will continue to press their
claims against Dow Corning Corporation in the bankruptcy action currently
pending in Michigan.
Private health care payors have incurred substantial expenses treating
women with breast implants. In March 1994, Susman Godfrey L.L.P.,
representing a number of health care payors across the country, filed the
first intervention in the national class action to assert subrogation
rights against breast implant manufacturers. Subsequently, numerous other
health care payors filed identical claims. Susman Godfrey partner Neal S.
Manne said: "This is the first time in history that private health care
payors brought an action to intervene in a mass-tort class action. This
settlement clearly demonstrates the viability of this ground-breaking
action, and shows that health care payors can act collectively to recover
fair compensation."
Pursuant to the settlement, the health care payors will receive $50
million, after confirming that pending appeals are moot and agreeing to let
a newly-proposed settlement of the national breast implant class action go
forward. The health care payors are still entitled to press their claims
against Dow Corning in bankruptcy.
MEDICAL INFORMATION: No way breast implants should be considered safe, by
Dr. Jonathan Walker. The public controversy over silicone-gel breast
implants simply won't go away. And neither, apparently, will the implants
themselves. Recent data suggest that growing numbers of women are once
again choosing breast implants of all types, lulled, perhaps, by a spate of
recent news articles implying that the safety of these devices has finally
been established. As a physician who treats many women suffering serious
medical consequences associated with silicone-gel implants, I find this new
trend very disturbing. Much has been made in the news media of a recent
report issued by a National Science Panel at the direction of U.S. District
Court Judge Sam C.Pointer. However, this report does not exonerate
silicone-gel breast implants. Indeed, a vast literature of medical studies
of "in vitro" immunoassays, human cell cultures and experimental animal
research published in leading medical journals all document a host of
complex immune system effects linked with silicone exposure.
But perhaps more important, what's being lost in this highly charged public
debate is the human suffering that doctors like myself confront on a daily
basis. Dozens of women have come to my office seeking help. By now the
similarities in their medical histories are familiar. They were told the
devices involved little or no risk. Later their bodies began to exhibit
alarming symptoms, extreme pain centered in the joints and muscles,
debilitating fatigue, scary and unsettling memory lapses, dry eyes, night
sweats, chronic inflammations and other ailments signaling that something
clearly is wrong. The consistent appearance of these diverse health
problems in implanted women suggests an underlying problem. Dr. Louise
Brinton, the National Cancer Institute's chief environmental
epidemiologist, along with other top researchers, has suggested that women
with implants may be suffering from a "silicone-related" disease. Based on
my own examinations, and on those of my colleagues, women with implants do
appear to have a higher than average likelihood of being afflicted by this
unusual set of symptoms. Very little of the research (epidemiology in
particular) has focused on the "atypical" symptoms of women with implants,
an inadequacy that a panel convened by the National Institutes of Health
said needs to be addressed. Dr. Brinton herself is conducting a large
epidemiological study with some clinical review. With the results due out
later this year, it is hoped her data will shed much-needed light on the
subject.
On one point, however, there is no doubt, the implants themselves fall
apart in the body. A number of safety studies, including one by researchers
at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, report that the envelope encasing
the silicone gel, itself made of silicone, deteriorates as the devices age.
After 10 years, more than half of implants begin to break apart; after 20
years, nearly all have fallen apart. Furthermore, there is no doubt that
implants cause painful and debilitating complications. A Mayo Clinic study
shows one in four women require additional surgery within five years due to
medical complications with their implants. These include deformity, burning
rashes, rotting breast tissue and migration of the implant away from the
breast area. Hardly a safe product.
Studies have shown that silicone leaking from implants may travel
throughout a woman's body. Using animal models, researchers have found that
the silicone leaking from implants collects at the highest concentrations
in the brain, uterus, ovaries and lungs. What happens when silicone
invades these vital organs? There is evidence of a systemic autoimmune
response to silicone in some women. Recently, researchers at Baylor College
of Medicine reported that an injection of silicone compounds like those
used in implants induced, in some cases, fatal liver and lung damage in
mice. They write, "Our findings indicate that these compounds (silicones)
are highly toxic and produce extensive tissue injury and death in
these mice." As a treating physician, my job is to alleviate the suffering
of my patients and protect the health of others. On behalf of my patients
suffering debilitating complications from silicone-gel breast implants, and
on behalf of those still contemplating implants, I anxiously await complete
and independent scientific research that gets to the truth behind these
illnesses and these faulty products. We still do not have the results of
such research available. In the meantime, I appeal to the public, and
especially the news media, to defer judgment and to view the safety of
these devices with suspicion. (Walker, a neurologist, practices in Dallas.
He has a long-standing interest in autoimmune diseases and the management
of chronic pain.)
11-10-99, NY (Reuters): In hospitals and clinics around the United States,
biopsy needles, catheters and other internal medical devices frequently are
being reused despite labeling that stipulates "single-use only," the New
York Times reported Wednesday. The practice of reusing such devices is not
necessarily dangerous, experts told the Times, but it generally violates
federal regulations. So far, the federal government has not asked the
companies that reprocess the devices to show evidence that they are safe
and effective, but under pressure from device makers it is now
reconsidering its approach, the Times said.
"We have used what we call enforcement discretion not to go after them,"
Larry Kessler, director of the office of surveillance and biometrics at the
Food and Drug Administration, told the Times. One reason is that the agency
has little evidence of a safety problem, Kessler said, although it is
believed that research is urgently needed. Some doctors and federal
officials say the issue is more about economics than safety, as device
makers make less money when single-use devices are cleaned, sterilized and
reused, the Times said. Doctors say the devices cost so much that they
often cannot afford to use devices just once, but device makers contend
that hospitals are putting patients at risk to save money, the Times said.
The FDA is considering requiring the device-reprocessing companies to show
safety and effectiveness of the resold products, and requiring that device
makers label their products with the risks from reprocessing. The agency is
posting the proposal on its Web site, and will hold a satellite
teleconference Wednesday in which the device makers, reprocessing
companies, doctors, hospitals and ethicists can comment, the paper said.
LONDON (AP): Symptoms of Gulf War syndrome could be triggered by smells,
tastes and sounds, including fire and smoke, that recall the conflict for
those who fought in it, two British psychologists said in a new
report. The body's immune system can react to stress and infectious agents
in a way that produces symptoms similar to Gulf War syndrome, the illness
reported by some U.S. and British veterans of the 1991 conflict, said
Eamonn Ferguson and Helen Cassaday. The report by the two researchers at
Nottingham University, in central England, was published in the latest
edition of the British Journal of Psychology. Symptoms of Gulf War
syndrome include fatigue, headaches, depression, joint and muscle pain, and
rashes, sleep disturbances and poor memory and concentration. The
researchers said that during the Gulf War a combination of environmental
stresses and the cocktail of drugs given to soldiers triggered this
response. Subsequent exposure, even at home, to diesel fumes, oil, fire or
smoke, and the experience of flashbacks to traumatic events, continued to
set off the adverse reactions. The researchers said the response of the
immune system depended on the action of a chemical signal produced by white
blood cells called interleukin-1, and this could provide a
treatment. "Gulf War syndrome may be treatable with counter-conditioning,"
said Ferguson. "Also, treatment with drugs which specifically target the
physiological aspects of the syndrome, targeting the chemical known as
interleukin-1, may be a safe therapy."
Last month, the Pentagon raised the possibility for the first time of a
connection between Gulf War syndrome and the drug pyridostigmine bromide,
or PB, which is administered to an estimated 250,000 soldiers. It said that
more scientific study is needed before it can either confirm a connection
or rule it out. Rand Corp., a Pentagon-financed research group, examined
about 1,000 published studies on PB and concluded that a possible
connection "cannot be dismissed." In the Gulf War, the drug was given to
troops as protection against potential attack by the nerve agent soman,
even though there was no evidence to suggest that Iraq had soman. Last
week, Britain's National Gulf Veterans and Families Association severed all
links with the Ministry of Defense, accusing the ministry of conducting
inaccurate clinical studies into whether troops were poisoned by chemical
or biological agents during the war. The Defense Ministry denied charges
of a cover-up and said it is still trying to find out why some veterans are
ill.
Last St. Patrick's Day, Sandpoint: Chiropractor Blaze Welch gave a lecture
on how to get off of the disease scary-go-round at the Gardenia Center
here. The purpose of the talk, which was sponsored by the North Idaho
chapter of Vaccination Liberation, was to teach people that they are
responsible for their own health. Dr. Welch also discussed figures from
right out of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) which
prove, through accurate interpretations of their own words, that in the
last century we chose the wrong fork in the road with regard to our health
care paradigm.
Most people have been conditioned to believe in what is called the germ
theory of disease, that germs cause disease. The truth is that germs
(bacteria) are everywhere and they are attracted to and proliferate in
dis-eased tissues. Bacteria decompose dead matter. That is their job. For
instance, when a tree dies, bacteria come in and eat the tree and it
eventually becomes soil. Bacteria does not eat a live, healthy tree. The
same thing is true in people, bacteria are attracted to dead matter.
Therefore, if you have dead matter in your body, bacteria will come in and
get to work decomposing the dead tissue so that it may eventually become soil.
In the mid 1800s, western medical science had the choice of going one of
two ways. Bechamp's theory of disease maintained that every living thing
has arisen from the microzyma (the fundamental unit of the corporate
organism ) and every living thing is reducible to the microzyma. Bechamp
believed that microzymas secrete fermentative substances that aid in
digestion in a healthy body and evolve into bacteria when they encounter
dead or damaged cells. Pasteur's germ theory of disease maintained that
diseases come into our bodies and make germs that we must fight so that we
may be rid of them. J.I. Rodale explained Pasteur's germ theory of disease
by stating that, germs live in the air, every once in awhile get into a
human body, multiply and cause illness. Nothing to it at all. All you have
to do is kill germs and disease is licked.
Bechamp's theory placed all of the responsibility of disease prevention on
the individual and his lifestyle. In a practical sense, there was no money
in that and people would be empowered with the ability to resist dis-ease
by taking care of themselves. Western medical science went with
Pasteur's theory because it opened the door, which created the world's
medical and pharmaceutical industries. Since the 1850s, we have been
developing new drugs to attack and kill the disease invaders and the result
has been epidemics of cancers and sicknesses and diseases, and a very rich
and powerful pharmaceutical industry.
Last year, commented Dr. Welch, the pharmaceutical industry did $182
billion in drug sales worldwide. In contrast to that figure, it cost
approximately $183 billion to treat adverse reactions from all of those
drugs, said Dr. Welch. Dr. Welch read off some statistics which should
cause concern to anybody who sees an allopathic doctor, has medical
insurance or may end up in the hospital someday. Again, the following
admissions were taken from JAMA: The top five causes of death in the United
States, in order, are: Tobacco, alcohol, medical malpractice, traffic and
firearms.
According to JAMA, doctors kill more people than auto accidents and guns.
With that in mind, one has to wonder why gun control is such a hot
legislative issue when, perhaps, we should be more concerned about doctor
control. The number of people that doctors kill per day from medical
malpractice is roughly equal to the amount of people that would die if
every day, three jumbo jets crashed and killed everybody on board,
commented Dr. Welch who added, in defense of his own profession, just
imagine what headlines would result if a chiropractor or a naturopath
accidentally killed just one patient?
Another JAMA statistic stated that 1/5 (20%) of all people who see an
allopath will suffer an iatrogenic (doctor-induced) injury. Again,
according to JAMA, 16% of all people who die in the hospital are determined
by autopsy to have died of something other than their admission diagnosis.
In other words, the doctor had no idea what was really wrong with the
patient and, therefore, the patient may have died for want of appropriate
care that would have been subsequent to an accurate diagnosis.
Another trade publication, American Medical News, stated that 28% of people
admitted to hospitals are there because they have suffered an adverse
reaction to prescribed drugs. We are miserably losing the battle against
viruses and bacteria. Antibiotics do not work. We need to take a different
tack because this is obviously not working, said Dr. Welch. Dr. Welch made
numerous practical and logical observations throughout his lecture. One of
them is so obvious that it deserves mention here. When there is an epidemic
of, say, pertussis in a school and 14 of 200 kids get sick, who gets
studied? he asked. The answer, of course, is that the sick kids get
studied. They get studied by the county health district and the health
district accumulates its data and then tells the newspapers about the
epidemic of sickness and everybody then flocks down to the health district
or goes to see their doctor to get vaccinated.
Would it not be more appropriate to study the 186 kids that did not get
sick? asked Dr. Welch. Dr. Welch also read a quote from the British
Medical Journal, which states that only 1% of all scientific research
papers which explore medicine are scientifically sound. So, if that is
true, then not only are allopathic doctors incorrect in their understanding
of the basic nature of disease, they are basing 99% of their conclusions,
and therefore their diagnosis and treatment of people, on flawed
science. By Don Harkins.
Anal Chem 1997 Dec 1;69(23):4912-6: Release of low molecular weight
silicones and platinum from silicone breast implants. Lykissa ED, Kala SV,
Hurley JB, Lebovitz RM
Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030,
USA. Abstract of a new study: We have conducted a series of studies
addressing the chemical composition of silicone gels from breast implants
as well as the diffusion of low molecular weight silicones (LM-silicones)
and heavy metals from intact implants into various surrounding media,
namely, lipid-rich medium (soy oil), aqueous tissue culture medium
(modified Dulbecco's medium, DMEM), or an emulsion consisting of DMEM plus
10% soy oil. LM-silicones in both implants and surrounding media were
detected and quantitated using gas chromatography (GC) coupled with atomic
emission (GC-AED) as well as mass spectrometric (GC/MS) detectors, which
can detect silicones in the nanogram range. Platinum, a catalyst used in
the preparation of silicone gels, was detected and quantitated using
inductive argon-coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), which can detect
platinum in the parts per trillion range. Our results indicate that
GC-detectable low molecular weight silicones contribute approximately 1-2%
to the total gel mass and consist predominantly of cyclic and linear
poly-(dimethylsiloxanes) ranging from 3 to 20 siloxane [(CH3)2-Si-O] units
(molecular weight 200-1500).
Platinum can be detected in implant gels at levels of approximately 700
micrograms/kg by ICP-MS. The major component of implant gels appears to be
high molecular weight silicone polymers (HM-silicones) too large to be
detected by GC. However, these HM-silicones can be converted almost
quantitatively (80% by mass) to LM-silicones by heating implant gels at
150-180 degrees C for several hours. We also studied the rates at which
LM-silicones and platinum leak through the intact implant outer shell into
the surrounding media under a variety of conditions.
Leakage of silicones was greatest when the surrounding medium was
lipid-rich, and up to 10 mg/day LM-silicones was observed to diffuse into a
lipid-rich medium per 250 g of implant at 37 degrees C. This rate of
leakage was maintained over a 7-day experimental period. Similarly,
platinum was also observed to leak through intact implants into
lipid-containing media at rates of approximately 20-25 micrograms/day/250 g
of implant at 37 degrees C. The rates at which both LM-silicones and
platinum have been observed to leak from intact implants could lead to
significant accumulation within lipid-rich tissues and should be
investigated more fully in vivo.
Washington 10/29/99 Reuters: US environmental officials say one of the
nation's most popular pesticides may be unsafe for Americans who use it in
their gardens, fields and homes. Blurred vision, muscle weakness, headaches
and problems with memory, depression and irritability have been linked to
large amounts of exposure to Dow Chemical's Dursban, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) said in a preliminary scientific assessment posted
on its web site late Wednesday. The EPA analysis found that exposure to
Dursban on the skin, in food, or by inhaling it could be harmful to human
health. The EPA said that it had a "particular concern" with cases of
Dursban poisonings reported to federal officials. About one-fourth of 325
illnesses reported from 1993 through 1996 were serious enough to require
hospitalization, the agency said. "Data from the two human studies suggest
that humans are as sensitive and possibly even more sensitive than
animals," the EPA said in the detailed report. One of the studies was
conducted with inmate volunteers at a prison.
Dursban is used to kill insects that attack everything from homegrown
tomatoes to cornfields. It is also a powerful weapon against termites and
cockroaches, and is frequently used in homes, schools, hospitals, and in
pet collars. More than 20 million pounds of Dursban are used annually in
the United States, according to the EPA. The report did not indicate
whether the agency planned to tighten use of Dursban, require new labels
alerting consumers to the risk, or phase it out. The agency will not make
any final decision until summer. "This preliminary risk assessment
indicates that risks from the use of chlorpyrifos in residential settings,
as well as its risks to applicators, are of concern," the EPA said in a
brief statement released to the press. Homeowners who use a hand spreader
to apply Dursban granules on gardens and lawns are exposed to 100 times the
safe level of the chemical, the report said. Exposure from flea collars on
dogs is about 30-fold above the safe level. Two years ago Dow voluntarily
stopped selling the pesticide for use in pet shampoos and dips and
household foggers. Dow Chemical, in a letter to the EPA that was included
in the report, said that the EPA's analysis was misleading and based on
"fundamental errors" of science. "Three decades of use have shown that
unless seriously misused, chlorpyrifos products have wide margins of safety
that protect users and consumers, including infants and children," the
letter also read. (Protestations sound familiar???)
Dursban is one of Dow's best-selling pesticide products. EPA's scientific
analysis of Dursban is part of a mammoth project to check for harmful
residue in food, drinking water and households from some 9,000 US
pesticides. Under a controversial 1996 food safety law passed by Congress,
the EPA must require chemical makers to build in an extra margin of safety
to protect children, whose developing bodies can be more vulnerable to
chemicals. The law has been sharply criticized by farm groups for failing
to take into account the cost to growers of using more expensive and less
effective alternative pesticides. Farm, chemical and consumer groups will
have 2 months to submit their suggestions to the EPA about the risks posed
by Dursban. Environmental groups pointed to the new study as evidence that
the EPA should halt the use of Dursban.
Douglas R. Shanklin, David L. Smalley: A large surgical wound is required
for implantation of silicone mammary devices. Formation of capsules around
silicone devices follows wound healing processes except that the healing is
conformed and significantly delayed by the physical presence of the
implant. Multilayered capsules are thicker and lymphocytic and
plasmalymphocytic vasculitis, markers for delayed hypersensitivity, also
correlates with thicker capsules. Polyurethane-coated devices induce very
thick capsules that remain so for over 20 years. By contrast, gel and
saline content devices show maximum thickness at 6.5 years. Active TH
lymphocyte memory does not differ by implant type for individuals with
devices in place and that for gel content devices peaks at 10.5 years.
There was a significant decrease in T cell indexes only after the removal
of saline content devices. Comparison of the rate of formation of the
periprosthetic capsule with the healing time of large wounds of similar
size indicates that silicone devices interfere with the healing process,
requiring substantially more time. This extended period has the potential
for enhancing autoimmune conversion as a consequence of persistent delayed
hypersensitivity. Experimental and Molecular Pathology, v 67, n 1,
September 1999, p26-39 (ID exmp.1999.2269) Copyright © 1999 Academic Press
Breast Cancer Study Raises Questions On Pesticide, Chemical Use: Boston,
10/21/99 (AP): Seeking clues about the high rate of breast cancer among
wealthy women, researchers have come up with some possible leads involving
chemical exposure. Focusing on the Boston suburb of Newton, the
researchers found women in areas hit hardest by the disease used
professional lawn and dry cleaning services more often than those in
less-affected neighborhoods. "Obviously, neither money nor schooling cause
breast cancer," said Dr. Nancy Maxwell, the lead researcher. "With the
Newton study we tried to see if there might be environmental
factors." Maxwell cautioned there is no definitive evidence that chemicals
or pesticides cause cancer. But she said the research points to the need
for further investigation of possible connections.
The rate of breast cancer in Newton was 13% higher than the statewide rate
between 1982 and 1992, state health officials said. The study "has taken
us one step further in trying to understand why socioeconomic status is a
factor," said Suzanne Condon, director of environmental health assessment
at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The department funded the
study. The researchers from Silent Spring Institute, a nonprofit research
organization, randomly questioned 1,350 women, not necessarily cancer
patients, ages 35 to 75. The study showed that women in neighborhoods with
higher rates of breast cancer typically had higher incomes and education
levels than women in areas with lower breast cancer rates. Known risk
factors for breast cancer, such as delayed childbearing and family history
of the disease, accounted for only a small part of the difference between
areas with high and low rates of breast cancer. But the survey did suggest
possible environmental factors.
For example, 65% of the women in the area with higher breast-cancer rates
had used a professional lawn service, compared with 36% of the women in the
low-incidence neighborhood. In addition, 30% of those in the
high-incidence area reported routine use of pesticides, compared with 23%
in the low-incidence sector. And 45% of those in the high-incidence area
used dry cleaning at least
once a month, compared with 32% in the less-affected neighborhood. A
spokesman for a national association of pesticide manufacturers stressed
that studies have shown no conclusive links between breast cancer and
environmental chemicals. A call seeking comment to the International
Fabricare Institute, a trade association for dry cleaners, was not
immediately returned.
Washington 10/10/99: The over-prescription and misuse of antibiotics is
creating an alarming spread of drug-resistant bacteria, according to
medical experts. Once considered miracle drugs, antibiotics are losing
their ability to fight disease as resistant strains of bacteria
emerge. In agriculture, antibiotics are favored because they make hens,
pigs and cattle fatter. However, strains of bacteria resistant to current
treatments can develop in animals living in crowded conditions. Abigail
Slayers, professor of microbiology, at University of Illinois, pointed to
evidence that resistant bacteria can be transferred from animals to
humans. "There is evidence that resistance genes in bacteria from both
cows and humans have the same gene sequence, suggesting they can exchange
these genes," she said. "Resistant bacteria are now entering our food
supply and might donate their resistant genes to human bacteria," she warned.
Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Health Insider: Rebooting the Immune System,
9/1/99, by Robert A. Brodsky, M.D.: Researchers say treatment has shown
great promise thus far. For years, researchers have searched in vain for a
cure for autoimmune diseases. These illnesses affect some 8 million people
in the U.S., primarily women, and while most of them are treatable, a
significant number have organ- or life-threatening disease for which
medical science has had little to offer. Now, in a breakthrough, Hopkins
researchers have devised a way to "reboot" the immune system that has
cured some patients, dramatically improved others and holds great promise
for people who have not yet been tested with the new technique. To
comprehend this breakthrough, it's important to understand autoimmunity,
which is the cause of some five dozen diseases including diabetes,
rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, aplastic anemia and multiple sclerosis (MS).
Autoimmunity occurs when the immune system, specifically the blood's
lymphocytes, which normally help defend the body against infections and
foreign agents, attacks one or more of the body's organs. Most research has
focused on finding a way to get rid of the disease-causing lymphocytes and
replace them with normal ones. Until now that problem has been insoluble. A
method that has caused much excitement in the past 2 or 3 years, bone
marrow transplantation, is now being used by many medical institutions
around the world. High doses of cyclophosphamide, a chemotherapeutic drug
are given to patients to wipe out the "bad" lymphocytes. Because
cyclophosphamide in high doses has been erroneously believed to destroy the
bone marrow's ability to make new blood cells, the method also calls for a
blood stem-cell transplant to prevent this disaster.
Stem cells, which are present in both the bone marrow and the blood, are
undifferentiated cells that develop as needed into any of the blood's
specialized cells. They also regenerate marrow and blood after
chemotherapy, which is why they must be preserved. So, in stem-cell
transplants, stem cells are harvested before chemotherapy begins by drawing
some of the patient's own blood or bone marrow. After the chemotherapy, the
blood or marrow stem cells are returned to the patient's body. Those who
do go into remission after the procedure usually relapse after a time. This
is thought to be a result of the harvested blood, or marrow, returning to
the patient after chemotherapy; the "bad" lymphocytes go back into the
patient along with the stem cells. Until now, no one has been able to
isolate pure stem cells from other blood cells. Hopkins researchers have
found a way around this problem. They have discovered that stem cells
contain an enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase, which detoxifies
cyclophosphamide. Like most blood cells, lymphocytes have very low levels
of this enzyme, so cyclophosphamide destroys them but not the stem cells.
That means it is not necessary to do a transplant to preserve the stem
cells. Studies have shown that after chemotherapy, as the stem cells turn
into the specialized blood cells that have been destroyed, those that
become lymphocytes are normal and do not attack the body. The immune system
has been repaired.
Not only is this procedure comparatively simple, but it costs about
one-third the amount of stem cell or autologous (one's own) bone-marrow
transplants. Better still, 7 of the first 10 patients treated by this
method, all of whom had aplastic anemia, a usually lethal autoimmune
condition in which the lymphocytes attack the bone marrow, have remained
disease-free for more than 10 years and, in some cases, more than 20 years.
So we feel comfortable saying the method can cure at least one autoimmune
disease and, at the very least, holds great promise for others. After the
success with aplastic anemia, Hopkins scientists tried the technique on
patients with a variety of other autoimmune illnesses, all of which were
organ-or life threatening and had been unresponsive to all other
treatments. They included lupus, where the immune system attacks multiple
organs; rheumatoid arthritis, which affects the cartilage in the joints;
various blood diseases; and a neurologic disease. The majority of patients
with these conditions went into complete remission and remain disease-free.
To date, we've treated 31 patients with aplastic anemia as well as 27
patients with other autoimmune illnesses, the biggest group being lupus
sufferers.
Most are still in remission, and some are off medications 2 and 3 years
later. Indeed, almost all types of autoimmune disorders we have tested
respond to this approach. All the patients we've studied have, at the very
worst, remained stable: Virtually all have had major reductions in their
immunosuppression medications, and many have been able to completely stop
taking them. We think we've established proof of principle, but before we
can call this a cure, the patients we have treated must remain disease-free
for 10 or 15 years.
While this technique may turn out to be a cure for autoimmunity, it may
not return all patients to their pre-disease state. For example, with
diabetes, which affects the pancreas, often by the time the disease is
diagnosed, the pancreas is a dead organ so patients remain
insulin-dependent. When we have more information about the long-term
effects of this treatment and as more physicians and patients learn about
it, the technique could well become standard protocol for autoimmune
conditions soon after they are diagnosed and well before the diseases
progress or become debilitating. (Robert A. Brodsky, M.D., is an Assistant
Professor in Oncology and Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School
of Medicine.)
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: For people who are serious about detoxing (and I mean
that you will do whatever it takes), I think you should check out the
Optimum Health Institute in Lemon Grove, CA, address: 6970 Central Ave.
Zip: 91945-2198 Phone: (619) 464-3346. It is a serious detox place where
you learn to eat, exercise and cleanse your body. Many of our women have
gotten better by going there. This is for people who are truly serious
about getting better and are into wellness and holistic health. The cost
is about $400 per week for a double room and $550 for a single room. I
recommend that you go with a friend or get a single. (Lynda)
Lipoic Acid and Linoleic Acid. It appears that the two together are better
than either one alone. You can read about it in a booklet at health food
stores called "Lipoic Acid: The Metabolic Antioxidant by Richard
Passwater, A Keats Good Health Guide. The special thing about lipoic acid
is it is permeable in both water and fat, which means it can reach just
about all body cells.
Mullein: The Velvety Respiratory Soother: Fast facts: relieves coughs,
reduces congestion, eases indigestion, soothes stings and scrapes. Mullein
(rhymes with sullen) is generally considered a minor medicinal herb. But
James A. Duke, Ph.D., a botanist retired from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and author of The CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, laments this
status: "I'm a real believer in mullein," he explains. "Once my wife and I
returned from a trip to China, and we both had bronchitis. She went to the
doctor and did what he said. I took mullein tea. My bronchitis cleared up
before hers did."
Mullein grows almost everywhere, and its velvety leaves, rodlike stem and
striking yellow flowers are hard to miss. Mullein has a long history in
herbal medicine. Its botanical family name, Scrophulariaceae, is derived
from scrofula, an old term for chronically swollen lymph glands, later
identified as a form of tuberculosis. Early on, this herb gained a
reputation as a respiratory remedy. And physicians from India to England
touted it as a remedy for coughs and chest congestion.
Tarragon: Anti-cancer Activist: Fast facts: prevents certain cancers, heals
herpes outbreaks, fights flu. Although tarragon has a long and venerable
history as a healing plant, you probably know it as a kitchen herb, the
pretty green, spiky-looking plant that's used in expensive bottles of
tarragon vinegar. You can still enjoy it just for its flavor, of course,
but there's plenty of reason to think of it as a therapeutic agent as well.
Tarragon contains 72 potential cancer preventives, according to James A.
Duke, PhD, a botanist retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and
author of The CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. The herb's main
cancer-blocking punch comes from a chemical called caffeic acid, which has
the ability to cleanse the body of naturally occurring harmful substances
known as free radicals. Caffeic acid also has some ability to kill viruses.
"Caffeic acid is one ingredient in tarragon I would seek if I were looking
to prevent cancer, flu or herpes," says Dr. Duke.
Help for Herpes: If I had herpes, I would be drinking lemon balm tea with
tarragon in it, and I would be applying the tea bag to the blisters," says
Dr. Duke. "Both have antiviral activity, and I'm a great believer in
synergy." Besides, tarragon will add a pleasant flavor to the tea, he
says. For relief from either oral or genital herpes, try a cup of tea
with a lemon balm tea bag and one teaspoon of dried tarragon. (You can
purchase lemon balm tea in many health food stores.) Let the brew steep for
10 to 15 minutes before drinking. Drink up to three cups a day.
COMMENTARY: Silicone Survivors: Women's Experiences with Breast
Implants, By Susan M. Zimmerman is reviewed. Copyright Sage Publications,
Inc. Oct 1999 Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press. 1998, 225 pp.,
$59.95 (cloth); $19.95 (paper). The decision to receive breast implants
has often been regarded as a personal decision between a woman and her
doctor. Susan Zimmerman, in her thought-provoking new book, suggests that
the implant decision is not solely a personal one. The decision to receive
breast implants is entwined in a nexus of cultural expectations of
femininity and the masculine control of medicine. Zimmerman's aim is to
explain the experiences of women who choose to receive breast implants and
show how women are engaged in the medicalization process of repairing
"inadequate" breasts. She is primarily interested in "how predominating
beliefs about medicine (as well as cultural assumptions about femininity)
shape the decision to receive breast implants, and how these beliefs and
assumptions affect the ways in which women experience the outcomes of their
surgeries".
Zimmerman conducted 40 interviews of women she located in Boston and
California through breast implant support groups, information networks,
plastic surgeons' referrals, newspaper ads, attorneys' offices, and
personal contacts. Of the 40 women she interviewed, 25 received implants
for cosmetic reasons, and 13 women received implants for reconstructive
surgery (usually after a mastectomy). Thirty-five of her respondents
reported some physical difficulties or complications related to their
implants, and 20 of her respondents have had their implants removed. Many
of the women in her sample initially felt empowered by their decision to
undergo breast implant surgery. Yet, over time, many of these same women
began to suffer from strange ailments that left them feeling frustrated,
ill, and disillusioned with the medical establishment.
Zimmerman skillfully illustrates the interaction of medicine with cultural
ideals of feminine beauty as she describes the impetus for surgery for the
women in her study. Many women expressed that they sought breast implants
to feel more feminine. Some women received breast implants at the urging of
husbands or boyfriends who believed that the implants would improve their
partners' appearance. Others, especially the women who received implants
after mastectomies, expressed the wish to become whole women again. Some of
the women who received breast implants for cosmetic reasons related
feelings of inadequacy with their small breasts. The "breasted" experience
that the women desired contained strong cultural overtones regarding
expectations of ideal breasts and femininity. This is well-covered feminist
ground. We already know the impact of breasts on the construction of
femininity. Yet to hear the women relate their personal decisions to
receive breast implants and have no awareness as to the impact of cultural
expectations of breasts and femininity on what they see as simply personal
choices is haunting.
Zimmerman charts two transformations that many of the women in her sample
underwent: the physical transformation as a result of the surgery and the
emotional transformation and creation of self as the result of receiving
implants. It is this second transformation that is particularly poignant.
Frustrated with the misinformation and disinterest of the medical
establishment, many of the women in Zimmerman's study began to educate
themselves regarding the risks of silicone breast implants, rather than
rely on advice from their doctors. It was during this process of education
that some of the women became aware of the impact that cultural
expectations of femininity had on what they previously perceived to be
personal decisions to receive implants. When the women viewed their implant
decisions within the larger cultural framework of constructed femininity,
many decided to remove the implants that they felt were making them sick.
As a result of their decision to face their worst fears of losing their
implants and their femininity but perhaps regaining their health, many
women in Zimmerman's study began the emotional transformation of shaping
their own feminine identity. It was when the women decided to remove their
implants and take control of their medical treatment that they felt most
empowered. Zimmerman's book is an excellent view into the meaning that
breasts and breast implants has for recipients and femininity as a whole.
Constance L. Chapple University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Approval of the Trilucent Breast Implant varies by country: Each country
has it own regulations regarding approval of both drugs and medical
devices. The idea and development of the soy oil containing breast implant
was conducted in the United States at Washington University, St. Louis MO
(see implant attachment). The device was marketed by a Swiss company in
Europe and United Kingdom. For information about its safety, contact
Pauline Brook in England at Phone 44-1844-261161 extension 309. (UK
residents). An American company offers the soy oil breast implants done in
England. The package they offer involves travel to England. However, this
does not guarantee its safety by American standards. For info., contact:
Surgical Advisory Services, Concord Medical Center II, 2999 N E 191 Street,
Penthouse # 2, Aventura, FL 33180. Phone 888-933-9957, FAX
305-933-9493. Or visit their web-site at
http://www.londonadvisoryteam.com/ This info.provided by Karl E.
Weingartner, PhD.
IMPORTANT: 1/18/99: The Orange County Register by Carol Masciola: O.C.
surgeon dies when his plane crashes in Everglades: A Newport Beach plastic
surgeon has died after crashing a home-built plane into the Florida
Everglades. William Graham Wood, 57, who lived part-time in Newport Beach
and part-time in Florida, was flying with friend Michael Fridley, 57, of
North Carolina. Fridley survived. The wreckage was found in about three
feet of water and mud, about four miles west of the Sawgrass Expressway in
western Broward. The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reported Wednesday that
Wood was a certified commercial pilot qualified to operate single-engine
and multiengine airplanes and helicopters.
Contact for persons with for persons with illnesses associated with
silicone chin, cheek, nose, calf, tmj, testicular, pectoral, penile and
other silastic implants: Helene Schroeder, 7702 Elba Road, Alexandria,
Virginia 22306; (703) 660-6791. (chinbydow@hotmail.com
(equity4all@onelist.com):.
Resch Engineering, Inc. announces that it will continue to honor the fixed
fee price of $300 for Individual Client Account contracts for
identification of manufacturer negotiated prior to 1/1/00. Individuals
interested may contact Dr. Resch at: ImplantID@resch.com In order to
receive a contract for your perusal, the communication should
include: 1)full name, 2)mailing address, 3)telephone number, 4) fax number
(if possible). Or mail your information to: Dr. M.T. Resch, President,
Resch Engineering, Inc., 941 "O" Street, Suite 1012A, Lincoln, NE 68508.
Prospective clients may also visit us on the web: http://www.resch.com
after 12/2/99.
Dr. Michael Middleton can identify implants. He is located at University
of Cal., San Diego, 410 W. Disckenson St., San Diego, CA 92103 (619) 543-3913.
Dr. Saul Puszkin can also identify your implants. Contact him for
information about this. Drs. Britta Ostermeyer and Saul Puszkin can be
reached at: (914) 779 1974, Fax (914) 771-8698. Their home address is: 130
Garth Road, Suite 135, Scarsdale, NY 10583.
saulp2000@aol.com: brittao2000@aol.com
website: http://members.aol.com/Brittaandsaul/
The American Psychiatric Association has nominated Dr. Britta Ostermeyer
and three others as candidates for the office of Member-in-Training Trustee
trustee-Elect. This is a position on the board of trustees of the APA in
Washington. 45,000 psychiatrists nation-wide are members. Please send a
brief note to any psychiatrists you know (and any in your town you do not
know) as urge them to vote for Britta Ostermeyer, MD, in the upcoming APA
elections. You may copy the statement on the last page of this newsletter
to send to all psychiatrists in your telephone book. Her past experience
in advocating for the women highly qualifies her for this position. Britta
sends her love to all the women. She has been doing an internship in
Connecticut and is now in Scarsdale, NY.
THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS NEWSLETTER ARE THOSE OF THE EDITOR AND ANY
CONTRIBUTORS AND ARE NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. ANY
ARTICLES OR INFORMATION SUBMITTED MAY BE EDITED BECAUSE OF SPACE, CONTENT
OR GRAMMATICAL ERRORS.
LYNDA ROTH, EDITOR
PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER INFORMATION: Previous issues of newsletters available:
$2 each U.S., $3 Foreign. 1/93 is the first available issue. Please
indicate months' desired and enclose proper sums. Some covered subjects:
Autoimmune 1/93; Fibromyalgia 2/93; Medical Testing 3/93; Sjogren's 4/93;
Vasculitis 4/93; Arthritis 5/93; Chronic Fatigue 6/93; Lupus 7/93;
Irritable Bowel Syndrome & Inflammatory Bowel Disease 8/93; Insurance 8/93,
9/93; Misc. Med. Info. 9/93; Multiple Sclerosis 10/93; Spasmodic
Torticollis 10/93; Hypoglycemia 11/93; Antibodies 12/93; Reflex Sympathetic
Dystrophy 1/94; Misc. Med. Info. II 2/94; Scleroderma 3/94; Costochondritis
4/94; Peripheral Neuropathy 4/94; Class Action 5/94; Fungal Infections
6/94; Hypercalcemia (low calcium) 7/94; Raynaud's Phenomenon 8/94;
Fibromyalgia Update
9/94; Sarcoidosis 10/94; Free Radicals 11/94; Porphyria 12/94;
Interstitial Cystitis 1/95; Mixed Connective Tissue Disease 2/95; Flap
Procedures 3/95; Misc. Med. 4/95; Thyroid Disease 5/95; Stress 6/95;
Natural Healing 7/95; Adrenal Malfunctions 8/95; Multiple Myeloma 9/95;
DHEA 10/95; Chelation Therapy 11/95; Sleep Disorders12/95; Meniere's
Disease 1/96; 33 Tips to Improve Your Health 2/96; Amino Acids 3/96;
Enzymes 4/96; Minerals 5/96; Aluminum Toxicity, DHEA Update 6/96;
Addictions & Food Sensitivities 7/96; Misc. Med. Info. IV 8/96; Misc. Med.
Info. V 9/96; Misc. Med. Info. VI 10/96; Misc. Med. Info. VII 11/96;
Transcient Ischemic Attacks 12/96; Symptoms of Breast Implant Problems
1/97; Pap Tests 2/97; Parasitic Infections 3/97; B-Complex Deficiency
Syndrome 4/97; Myofascial Pain Syndrome 5/97; Inositol 6/97; Misc. Med.
Info. VIII 7/97; High Blood Pressure 8/97; Plaquenil 9/97; Misc. Med. Info.
IX 10/97; Misc. Med. Info. X 11/97; Gastroesophageal or acid reflux 12/97;
Smoking Dangers 1/98; Misc. Med. XI 2/98; Multiple Chemical Sensitivities
3/98; Misc. Med. XII 4/98; Misc. Med. XIII 5/98; Baylor Studies 6/98;
Hyperbaric Oxygen 7/98; IOM Summaries 8/98; CFS 9/98; Trace Metal
Toxicology 10/98; Restless Leg Syndrome, Tamoxifen 11/98; Letting Go With
Love 12/98; Tumor Markers 1/99; Drug Safety 2/99; Finding Proof of
Manufacturer; 3/99; Prophylactic mastectomy 4/99; Low level chemical
exposures 5/99; Breast Cancer 6/99; Retained Scar Capsules 7/99;
Neurological Testing 8/99; Misc. Med XIV 9/99; Fibromyalgia, fungus updates
10/99; CNS Basis for Fibromyalgia 11/99; Legal info. and info.
on Alternative Medicine Info. contained in most issues.
DONATIONS TO COSS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE!! WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEND OUT
PACKETS OF INFORMATION TO WOMEN AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS
CAUSE. WE WILL SEND PERIODIC UPDATES TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS. PLEASE CONTINUE
SUPPORTING US SO WE CAN INFORM OTHERS OF THE DANGERS OF THESE SILICONE
IMPLANTABLE DEVICES.
The Coalition of Silicone Survivors is a non-profit
organization. Donations are tax-deductible in the US and are greatly
appreciated.
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