Dr. S. Foster Easley Do PC

08/31/2021

I wrote this in response to someone who was having difficulty making a choice to get the Covid-19 vaccination and voicing his fear about all the responses from other people regarding his fear to get it. This of course stems from the generation of disinformation and lack of knowledge which I hope to end.

I am in the medical field, and I would personally like to understand what your fears are? I would like to educate you and anyone else who has similar concerns that the vaccination propaganda has done more to hurt us, and it is unfathomable to me how people who know nothing about medicine or even science continue to spread this misinformation. This to me, is very unfortunate, especially since much of it was created as a political stand instead of a true health concern. Now it is important to present the facts rather than to attack someone’s fear and hopefully what I am presenting will help you make up your own mind.
Conventional vaccines usually contain inactivated disease-causing organisms or proteins made by the pathogen (antigens), which work by mimicking the infectious agent. They stimulate the body’s immune response, so it is primed to respond more rapidly and effectively if exposed to the infectious agent in the future. You inherit an immune system from your mother but that is only temporary. During the last 3 months of pregnancy, antibodies from mothers are passed to their unborn babies through the placenta.
This type of immunity is called passive immunity because the baby has been given antibodies rather than making them itself.
Antibodies are special proteins the immune system produces to help protect the body against bacteria and viruses.
The amount and type of antibodies passed to the baby depends on the mother's immunity.
Immunity in newborn babies is only temporary and starts to decrease after the first few weeks or months.
Breast milk also contains antibodies, which means that babies who are breastfed have passive immunity for longer.
Premature babies are at higher risk of developing an illness because their immune systems are not as strong, and they haven't had as many antibodies passed to them.
As newborn immunity is only temporary, children are vaccinated when a baby is 2 months old. This applies to babies who are either premature or full-term.
These vaccines stimulate your own bodies immune system to fight infection should you be exposed a pathogen. The standard of care is most children will have received all of their vaccinations before they turn two years of age. This includes vaccinations against Hepatitis B, Chickenpox, Diphtheria, Hemophilus Influenza type B, Hepatitis A, Measles, Mumps, Pertussis, Pneumococcal, Polio, Rotavirus, Rubella and Tetanus. And the influenza vaccine is given yearly. This has prevented and even eliminated diseases in civilized Countries. Vaccination is one of the major success stories of modern medicine, greatly reducing the incidence of infectious diseases such as measles, and eradicating others, such as smallpox.

Conventional vaccine approaches have not been as effective against rapidly evolving pathogens like influenza or emerging disease threats such as the Ebola or Zika viruses. RNA based vaccines could have an impact in these areas due to their shorter manufacturing times and greater effectiveness. Beyond infectious diseases, RNA vaccines have potential as novel therapeutic options for major diseases such as cancer.

It is important to recognize two of the vaccines against Covid-19 are based on a well-studied yet often unknown methodology which utilizes Messenger RNA, or mRNA, which is genetic material that tells your body how to make proteins. You inherit this from your parents. However, your innate, or inherited immune system does not prepare your body to defend itself against certain diseases. This is the premise behind vaccinations and the RNA vaccines have many benefits and even an exciting future in potentially treating disease and even cancer.
Summary
o Unlike a normal vaccine, RNA vaccines work by introducing an mRNA sequence (the molecule which tells cells what to build) which is coded for a disease specific antigen, once produced within the body, the antigen is recognized by the immune system, preparing it to fight the real thing
o RNA vaccines are faster and cheaper to produce than traditional vaccines, and a RNA based vaccine is also safer for the patient, as they are not produced using infectious elements
o Production of RNA vaccines is laboratory based, and the process could be standardized and scaled, allowing quick responses to large outbreaks and epidemics
o Most current research is into RNA vaccines for infectious diseases and cancer, for which there are several early-stage clinical trials, there is also some early research into the potential of RNA vaccines for allergies
What are RNA vaccines and how do they work?
RNA vaccines use a different approach that takes advantage of the process that cells use to make proteins: cells use DNA as the template to make messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules, which are then translated to build proteins. An RNA vaccine consists of an mRNA strand that codes for a disease-specific antigen. Once the mRNA strand in the vaccine is inside the body’s cells, the cells use the genetic information to produce the antigen. This antigen is then displayed on the cell surface, where it is recognized by the immune system.
How are RNA vaccines produced and administered?
A major advantage of RNA vaccines is that RNA can be produced in the laboratory from a DNA template using readily available materials, less expensively and faster than conventional vaccine production, which can require the use of chicken eggs or other mammalian cells.
RNA vaccines can be delivered using a number of methods: via needle-syringe injections or needle-free into the skin; via injection into the blood, muscle, lymph node or directly into organs; or via a nasal spray. The optimal route for vaccine delivery is not yet known. The exact manufacturing and delivery process of RNA vaccines can vary depending on the type.
Types of RNA vaccine
Non-replicating mRNA
The simplest type of RNA vaccine, an mRNA strand is packaged and delivered to the body, where it is taken up by the body’s cells to make the antigen.
In vivo self-replicating mRNA
The pathogen-mRNA strand is packaged with additional RNA strands that ensure it will be copied once the vaccine is inside a cell. This means that greater quantities of the antigen are made from a smaller amount of vaccine, helping to ensure a more robust immune response.
In vitro dendritic cell non-replicating mRNA vaccine
Dendritic cells are immune cells that can present antigens on their cell surface to other types of immune cells to help stimulate an immune response. These cells are extracted from the patient’s blood, transfected with the RNA vaccine, then given back to the patient to stimulate an immune reaction.
Benefits
Benefits of mRNA vaccines over conventional approaches are1:
o Safety: RNA vaccines are not made with pathogen particles or inactivated pathogen, so are non-infectious. RNA does not integrate itself into the host genome and the RNA strand in the vaccine is degraded once the protein is made.
o Efficacy: early clinical trial results indicate that these vaccines generate a reliable immune response and are well-tolerated by healthy individuals, with few side effects.
o Production: vaccines can be produced more rapidly in the laboratory in a process that can be standardized, which improves responsiveness to emerging outbreaks.
Important challenges
The methods to make mRNA vaccines can be very effective. However, there are technical challenges to overcome to ensure these vaccines work appropriately:
o Unintended effects: the mRNA strand in the vaccine may elicit an unintended immune reaction. To minimize this the mRNA vaccine sequences are designed to mimic those produced by mammalian cells.
o Delivery: delivering the vaccine effectively to cells is challenging since free RNA in the body is quickly broken down. To help achieve delivery, the RNA strand is incorporated into a larger molecule to help stabilize it and/or packaged into particles or liposomes.
o Storage: many RNA vaccines, like conventional vaccines, need to be frozen or refrigerated. Work is ongoing to reliably produce vaccines that can be stored outside the cold chain, since these will be much more suitable for use in countries with limited or no refrigeration facilities.
Cancer vaccines
Cancer vaccines are a form of immunotherapy, where the vaccine triggers the immune system into targeting the cancer. Both dendritic cell vaccines and personalized cancer vaccines, where the RNA sequence in the vaccine is designed to code for cancer-specific antigens, are being explored. Over 50 clinical trials are listed on clinicaltrials.gov for RNA vaccines in several cancers, including blood cancers, melanoma, glioblastoma (brain cancer) and prostate cancer.

04/04/2020

Trump Admits He ‘Didn’t Know Anything About’ The FDA Easing Restrictions On Gay Blood Donors

A day after the Food and Drug Administration revised its blood donor guidelines on Thursday, significantly easing the restrictions on men who have s*x with men, President Trump admitted he “didn’t know anything about” the policy change. The new FDA guidelines reduce the donation deferral period for s*xually active gay and bis*xual men from 12 months to three, meaning these otherwise healthy men will now have to abstain from same-s*x s*xual activity for 90 days before they are eligible to donate blood. The three-month deferral will also apply to those who recently got tattoos or piercings, as well as former s*x workers or injection drug users, who were previously indefinitely banned from donating. The new guidelines will remain in place throughout the duration of the coronavirus pandemic which has caused “unprecedented challenges” to the national blood supply and will be updated to incorporate public comment within 60 days of the national emergency being lifted. Asked about the updated guidelines on Friday, President Trump told White House reporters: “No, I didn’t know anything about that. That was done by the FDA – very capable people – at the FDA,” he said before moving on to another question. The FDA has faced mounting pressure from Democratic lawmakers and activist groups to change its donation policy. Donor centers have experienced a sharp drop in blood donations due to social distancing rules and the cancellation of blood drives. The American Red Cross announced last month it had to cancel 2,700 blood drives – where the organization collects more than 80 percent of its blood donations – due to the pandemic. The FDA attributed the change in policy to experience in other countries like the United Kingdom and Canada with a three-month deferral and improved testing. “Progress!” said AIDS activist Peter Staley. “But they still need to include a no-window exception for these plasma studies, using HIV viral load tests to assure safety.” The policy change came after weeks of pressure from GLAAD and LGBTQ advocacy groups to end the “antiquated ban” for donating blood. “The FDA cannot let an outdated and discriminatory ban on blood donations from gay and bi men get in the way of potentially life-saving treatment for the country’s painful current health crisis,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis before the FDA’s policy change. “Continuing to enforce this antiquated policy is dangerous, irresponsible, and flies in the face of recommendations from medical experts.”

Read more at:

A day after the Food and Drug Administration revised its blood donor guidelines on Thursday, significantly easing the restrictions on men who have s*x

12/08/2019

California Makes PrEP And PEP Available Without Prescription

California has become the first state in the United States to make PrEP and PEP available without prescription in a move that will benefit minority groups and those in rural counties.

From 1 January 2020 pharmacists will be able to dispense the HIV prevention drugs without a prescription under a bill signed into law by Californian Governor Gavin Newsom.

Backers of Senate Bill 159 (SB 159) say it will encourage those who had been reluctant to access prevention drugs and who had been previously reluctant to get a prescription.

The Bill authorises pharmacists to supply at least a 30-day supply and up to a 60-day supply of drugs used for pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, without a prescription. It also allows them to provide a full course of drugs used for post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP.

The Bill also prohibits insurance companies from subjecting anti-HIV medication, including those used for PrEP and PEP, to prior authorization or “step therapy,” which requires a patient to take cheaper alternatives to the drugs prescribed. An exception would be made if an equivalent drug is available. And insurers would be required to cover the drugs, with some specified exceptions.

Pharmacists who dispense PrEP and PEP drugs without a prescription must first complete a training program approved by the California State Board of Pharmacy. When providing the drugs, they must determine that the patient meets the clinical criteria for use, as established by federal government guidelines.

The California Health Benefits Review Program estimates the new law will increase the use of PrEP and PEP by 2 percent in its first year in effect, preventing 25 new cases of HIV.

LGBTIQ rights group and co-sponsor of the Bill, Equality California said it will improve access to PrEP and PEP in rural parts of the state and among minority populations.

“The HIV epidemic is still a pressing issue today — especially for LGBTQ people of colour and folks in rural communities. By increasing access to lifesaving HIV prevention medication, California – unlike the White House – is leading the country in the race to eliminate HIV. We owe a debt of gratitude to Senator Wiener and Assembly member Gloria for their leadership and tireless advocacy,” Executive Director Rick Zbur said.

The Bill was also co-sponsored by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, APLA Health, the Los Angeles LGBT Centre, and the California Pharmacists Association. In addition to Wiener and Gloria, it was authored by Senators Steven Glazer and Jeffrey Stone, and Assembly members Mike Gipson and David Chiu. It passed both chambers of the legislature with bipartisan, nearly unanimous support.

Craig E. Thompson CEO of APLA Health released a statement after the Bill had passed to recognise the impact and benefits it would have for Californians.

“Use of PrEP and PEP in California remain far too low, particularly in communities most affected by HIV. SB 159, which passed the California Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support, will increase the places where people can access these medications, increase the number of healthcare professionals who can provide them and remove onerous and unnecessary insurance barriers. We applaud Governor Newsom for signing SB 159 into law,” Thompson said.

10/17/2019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/teen-suicides-increasing-at-alarming-pace-outstripping-all-other-age-groups/2019/10/16/e24194c6-f04a-11e9-8693-f487e46784aa_story.html

The disturbing trend worries researchers who have struggled to understand its causes.

03/05/2019

RIP Luke Perry

02/26/2019

Clark Gable III, grandson of Clark Gable dies at 30, RIP

08/29/2018

2.3 million
The number of cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia diagnosed last year in the US. That's a record, and some doctors think the numbers are enough for STDs to be declared a public health crisis.

08/20/2018

06/24/2017

02/23/2017

Third Person to Acquire HIV on PrEP , this third man also was diagnosed twice with Gonorrhea in his Re**um and Chlamydia. Even though you are on PrEP you should use condoms, it's not a 100% effective in preventing HIV transmission and certainly doesn't prevent STD's.

02/23/2017

Comprehensive new study finds that yoga can be helpful for low back pain
University of Maryland School of Medicine News
Over the course of their lives, about 80 percent of Americans will suffer from back pain at one time or another. A recent study found that more than a third of adults say that low back pain has affected their ability to perform the tasks of daily living, exercise, or sleep. Treating this pain remains a difficult problem, and for millions of people the pain is chronic.

Now, a new study by scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) has concluded that yoga may be helpful for low back pain. The study appeared in the journal Cochrane Library.

“We found that the practice of yoga was linked to pain relief and improvement in function,” said the study’s lead author, L. Susan Wieland, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Family & Community Medicine at UM SOM, and Coordinator of the Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field at the Center for Integrative Medicine at UM SOM – an NIH grant–funded project that performs systematic reviews of various integrative medicine topics. “For some patients suffering from chronic non–specific low back pain, yoga may be worth considering as a form of treatment.”

Wieland and her co–authors reviewed 12 separate studies looking at yoga for low back pain. The trials, which included more than 1,000 participants, compared yoga to a non–exercise intervention, such as educational material given to a patient, or to an exercise intervention such as physical therapy. The researchers found that there was low to moderate certainty evidence that at three and six months, patients using yoga had small to moderate improvements in back–related function, as well as small improvements in pain.

Yoga performed about the same as non–yoga exercise in terms of improving back function at three and six months, although the researchers found few studies comparing yoga to other exercise and therefore considered the evidence to be very low certainty.

Yoga is a physical and spiritual practice that originated more than 2,000 years ago in India. Over the past several decades, it has become increasingly popular in the U.S. and other western countries. It typically involves a combination of physical movements, controlled breathing, and relaxation or meditation.

Most of the trials used Iyengar, Hatha, or Viniyoga forms of the practice. Because all study participants knew whether or not they were practicing yoga, and their reporting of changes in pain and functioning could have been affected by this knowledge, the study outcomes could only be graded with “moderate” certainty at best. The study also found that patients using yoga had more adverse effects than patients who did not use exercise, but had similar rates of adverse effects as patients who used non–yoga exercise. The adverse effects were mostly increases in back pain. Yoga was not associated with serious side effects.

The research team also included scientists from the University of Portsmouth in the UK and the University Hospital of Cologne in Germany.

“This study is an important piece of the puzzle, a way to validate a technique that could have wide use,” said UM SOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, who is also the vice president for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. “Low back pain is a major source of disability for millions, and it appears that integrative medicine can play a role in helping to relieve this and other sources of chronic pain.”