NORMIE
ROWE Saturday 23rd November 2002
Health information -
what's truth and what's fiction ?
Are you overloaded with health information ? Unable to tell whats fact and whats fiction ? Do you take notice of health warnings any more ? Where can you find the truth?
This week two significant health stories hit the media -
One was a study released in the British Journal of Cancer claiming a link between excessive alcohol consumption and breast cancer in women - and possibly no link with cigarette smoking and breast cancer
- click HERE to read the original press release.
When I saw this article I cringed - here we go again .Jjust when you thought it was safe to go back into ...... Wasn't it only yesterday we were told that 2 glasses of alcohol per day is good for your cholesterol ????? So now we have a choice ???? heart attack or breast cancer - ....and does this mean that a combo of alcohol AND cigarettes might get you both ????
It wouldn't surprise me if most people tossed in the towel and stopped taking notice of health messages .....and another thing .......why do scientific journals need press releases anyway ? ( I am thinking back to earlier this year and the HRT head lines .......) Confused ? I am not surprised .
The other media headliner this week was a clinical trial of a new vaccine which might hopefully protect women from Cervical Cancer - click HERE to visit the trial's website -
When I received the information from the researchers last week seeking media coverage it was not portrayed to me as anything other than a potentially exciting vaccine. The researchers told me that they needed to recruit people into a trial to check if it worked, and wanted to cast the net as widely as possible to get people and were asking media to help them recruit. I wonder if somewhere along the line the hype went a little further than that ?
Headlines read like this
"Vaccine set to guard against cervical cancer" and "Cervical cancer blocked by vaccine "
.........some articles claimed
"A vaccine developed by Australian researchers to prevent cervical cancer has proved to be 100 per cent successful in a US trial – and is being hailed as an enormous breakthrough in the fight against cancer "
You might like to read examples of the how this was portrayed in the newspapers by clicking HERE and HERE .
The journalists do say early in both articles that if this trial is successful it MIGHT be available in FIVE years. This is most appropriate and responsible .
I just hope people read and remember the article NOT just head line .Otherwise my waiting room will be full on Monday with people wanting the jab !
Please dont misunderstand me. I am all in favour of this trial and it IS a potentially wonderful vaccine - but again don't lose sight of the fact that it is in TRIAL phase.
In their release to medical practitioners The Australian Rresearch group state :-
·
The study is testing an experimental HPV vaccine against 4 common HPV
types (HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18).
·
HPV 16 and 18 together are responsible for ~70% of all cervical cancers
and high grade cervical abnormalities (immediate pre-cancerous lesions).
·
HPV 6 and 11 together are responsible for >90% of all genital wart
cases.
·
HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 together are responsible for ~50% of low grade
cervical abnormalities.
· The study is being sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme.
Some newpaper articles refer to a US study . This came out of a paper published in the respected New England Journal of Medicine . It was also about a vaccine trial hopeful of preventing cervical cancer. The study is reputable but the report is only an interim one. ( click HERE to read it ).
This study is large but only 17.5 months into the trial . Its results are promising . Remember they are only PART way into the trial AND remember if you read everything on context - their vaccine is only looking at ONE of the human papilloma viruses associated with cancer of the cervix - type 16 - It is a DIFFERENT vaccine being trialed here.
We'll be talking to a health journalist and former editor of a medical "trade" magazine about the process of getting an article ready for publication and how they check their facts and may be there'll be a few take home tips on how YOU can discern good health info from not so good.
I hear a lot of people say after reading al the health warnings pertaining to foods and drink - "aah well I'm here for a good time not a long time" or " yeah well I'll be right ". Now I believe that if we are informed properly then we all have the right to make our lifestyle and health decisions ( as long as no one else is getting hurt). However - I wonder how it feels if you go against all the advice and then develop cancer ? How do you feel then ? Do you still feel the oh well I had a good time getting here ? I'd be interested in your thoughts.
WONDER DRUG - WONDER DRUG Where are you WONDER DRUG !
I received an email last week from a listener who has cancer. He believed that there was a drug that could cure his problem but he had been told he wasnt eligible to receive government subsidy to go on it . He wrote that he couldnt understand why ,when he was a clean living tax paying member of the community, he couldnt have access to a drug that could save his life.
We'll be talking to a cancer expert about the ethics and processes medications go through to get subsidy -basically it is all about evidence . There is a process all applications go through to get government subsidy and it is a transparent one - its all up on the federal government health site - www.health.gov.au . You'll find it under Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and in particular there are special committees that assess the applications.
Certainly the criteria are -Is the drug proven to do what it claims? Is it proven to be safe?And is it cost effective? These questions take time to answer and so a drug must be subject to proper testing. The problem as I see it is sometimes the word gets out that there is a promising study or its in use in some other country and BINGO - wonder drug wonder drug -read all about it !
The drug that our listener wrote about is GLIVEC and my understanding is that it is looking promising in the treatment of certain types of leukaemia .However the evidence is still being collected about whether it is actually better than some of the less expensive ones. Initially this drug was not subsidised at all and if you wanted it it would cost you around $50,000 per patient per year . Then it was approved for subsidy but only in certain circumstances.
About a month or two ago a slight easing of the restrictions was approved. In a nutshell it meant that someone with the appropriate leukemia could access this drug with the PBS subsidy if their treatment had failed after a trial on certain other proven medications.
The problem remains that there is a finite amount of money available in the health budget and the health financial pie needs to be divided responsibly. Evidence needs to be collected before decisions are made and I think everyone would agree it is not appropriate for something to be approved if it isnt proven but people have lobbied on emotional grounds.
All politics aside -
So here is the moral dilemma - here is a man who doesn't smoke, drink or do drugs, he is employed and he pays his taxes. Should he be allowed access subsidy to a drug which is looking promising in studies to date and might allow him to see his family grow up. Or risk his demise while they do the studies to concretely prove its worth ? And if so - what part of the health sector should be take this money from ? ummmm you might say safe Injecting rooms .........Others may argue that public health is where the money should be spent rather than on expensive drugs like this .
What do you think ?
to read more about Glivec and its status with the PBS click on the links below
http://www.health.gov.au/pbs/listing/pbacrec/imatinib.htm
http://www.health.gov.au/pbs/listing/pbacrec/pbacrecsept.htm
http://www.health.gov.au/mediarel/yr2002/kp/kp02097.htm
LOVE YOUR WORK
I think it might be every Australian man's dream job - the head of a brewery Well, today we'll meet Bill Taylor', the chief brewer at Lion Nathan - home of Hahn and Tooheys, to name a few beers.
Bill has just released his wonderful book - Beer and Food - A Celebration of Flavours. Now, this is no guide to popping tinnies its a gourmet and historical tour of the art of making beer !
And, with National BBQ day being tomorrow what better topic !
PROCEDURE OF THE WEEK
LASER REFRACTIVE EYE SURGERY
You may hear or see advertising that implies you can throw away your glasses if you have laser eye surgery. But is it suitable for everyone who wears glasses ? Is it safe? how much does it cost - We'll find out when we speak to an ophthalmologist about this procedure . He'll be taking your calls
Cheap and Cheerful Christmas Party
Christmas is JUST around the Corner and we'll be joined by the fabulous Chyka from The Big Group You'll know her from Good Morning Australia where she is always full of fabulous ideas for entertaining and decorating. She'll be giving us her ideas on how to throw a dazzler of a Christmas party for mnimal outlay YEY !
THE SALVOs and CHRISTMAS
This time of year is meant to be when family and friends get together and share gifts, food and good times. But not for everyone .many people on their own it only serves to remind them of their situation.
People just surviving financially see ads on TV for gifts they cant afford. their kids don't understand
End of year is a traditional time when , as doctors, we seem to see more people with depression.
What WOULD we do without the SALVOS. The Salvation Army is a fabulous groups of dedicated peopel who care when no one else does. They work tirelessly to help people in need and Christmas time is probably their busiest time . Well be speaking to the Salvos about their work.
SUMMER READING
Summer means holidays for many peopel and finally you can get the time to read a book ! We'll be talking to Mark Roobo from Readings Bookstore about their "summer reading guide" which was a free lift out in many newspapers this week .
We'll find out what's hot ,besides the weather, in reading material !
DISEASE OF THE WEEK
( watch out there are 2 this week)
POST- POLIO SYNDROME
Prior to 1960 there was no vaccine against this devastating viral infection. The disease causes varying degrees of muscle weakness and paralysis. Epidemics in the early and middle part of the 20th Century caused fear, attracted stigma and ruined lives. The vaccine has rid Australia of the condition but it still exists in other countries. With booster doses we can all stay immune. The vaccine is in an oral form and is routinely given to babies. Boosters are recommended when you travel overseas and at some other times.
However this is NOT the topic ! There is NO epidemic .
We will be talking about people who have HAD the infection years ago and might be finding a few problems now all these years on . They may not even know of this.
The polio virus gets in through the gut. It causes nerves that supply muscles to die. Some people who contracted the disease many decades go before the vaccine was available may have made a partial or full recovery after initially having muscle weakness or paralysis. This is thought to be due to remaining nerves sprouting branches which grew to cover the gaps in muscle caused by teh death of affected nerves. The problem is that these NEW nerves arent as hardy as the original ones and they may start to die off themselves after a period of time. Hence some people who have had polio as a youngster might find many decades later that they develop weakness and tiredness again. The virus HASNOT returned IT DOES NOT mean they are infectious again - it is simply that the replacement nerves are reaching their use by date.
So what can be done ? Firstly to recognise the condition and stop trying to pushing though the tiredness. It is important to preserve the remaining nerve fibres. Exercise programs and support servies are available in special post poli clinics around the country.
We'll be speaking to Dr Stephen de Graaff - a Rehabilitation specialist with a particular interest in Post POlio syndrome, and Joan a woman who had Polio as a young person, recovered and now has noticed weakness returning.
Click HERE to go to the Post Polio Support Page
Click HERE to read more about their FACT sheet
CELEBRITY CHECK UP
NORMIE
ROWE
An Icon of Australian Pop Music Normie Rowe will join us in the studio and go under the stethoscope as this week's Celebrity Check up. Normie was a teen idol in the 1960's
He was the first Australian
King of Pop and he first Australian music artist to achieve a Gold record -
being
quickly followed by 4 more !
Normie's stellar career was interrupted by the Vietnam war.Normie was conscripted into the Australian Army and was sent to Vietnam as a combat soldier. During this time he rose to the rank of Corporal/ Crew-Commander of his own Armoured Personnel Carrier. His military record was exemplary.
He
Was one of the "Vietnam Veteran's Welcome Home" organisers.
the
Normie continues to be an icon in the music industry and has recently completed the fabulous Long Way to the Top tour with other Australian Music Legends.
Normie Rowe will join us in the studio and be taking your calls
Click HERE to visit Normies website
Click HERE to visit the Australian Centre for Post traumatic MentalHealth