Musa's Blogs

New Drug for MS...dangerous

2008-10-23T13:42:00.000-07:00

There is a new drug called "alemtuzumab" being tested that has the potential to treat early sympptoms of multiple sclerosis. In multiple sclerosis, or MS, the immune system attacks myelin, the sheath that enables nerve cells to conduct impulses between the brain and other parts of the body. What this new drug will do is deplete the white blood cells that attack myelin, and replenish them with normal white blood cells.

The headline in USA Today reads "Cancer drug shows promise against MS, but with some risks". The article talks about what the drug can do and its great potential, but makes it a major point to warn people that the drug needs a lot of mending before it is released. According to USA Today, "Even though the drug is remarkable, toxic effects ??? considerably dampen any enthusiasm for its routine use in patients with multiple sclerosis until more is known about its long-term safety and sustained efficacy." One person in a 334 person test study actually died from the side effects of the drug.

CNN's headline reads "Leukemia drug gives hope to MS sufferers". The main difference between the two stories is that CNN's is completely otimistic and fails to acknowledge that the side effects can be extremely serious, even fatal. "Symptoms of the disease can include loss of sight and mobility, depression, fatigue and cognitive problems. There is no cure, and few effective treatments." According to CNN, "In trials among sufferers, alemtuzumab cut the number of attacks and helped them recover lost functions. It even apparently helped repair damaged brain tissue so individuals were less disabled than at the start of the study." There is no mention of the person who died testing the treatment. The final sentence of the story reveals that further research must be carried out before the product is released.

Both stories are optimistic about the possibilities of this new drug. USA Today seems more realistic in their approach to giving people real information about the product, where as CNN talks it up like it could be the best thing in world, almost as if they are trying to sell it before it even hits the market. The possibilities seem promising, but if anyone is dying from the side effects than that information should surely be included in the story, so that people are aware.

Final Presidential Debate

2008-10-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

I know that my topics have been on health, but for this weeks blog I really wanted to discuss the final presidential debate.

Last night marked the third and final presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain. The event was held at Hofstra University. For John McCain, the debate was his last chance to curb the momentum that Obama has accumulated from the past two debates. Obama hoped that his consistent poise and coolness would continue to keep the majority of the American people on his side.

According to USA Today, in a story titled, "Analysis: McCain more cutting; Obama low-key", McCain kept Obama on the defensive side of the argument for most of the 90 minute debate, attacking him from every angle. "I don't mind being attacked for the next three weeks," the Illinois Democrat said, calling McCain's attacks a diversion from most voters' central concerns and choosing simply not to respond to several of them. "What the American people can't afford is four more years of failed economic policies."

According to Fox NEWS, in a story titled, "Candidates hit hard at final debate", which was surprisingly a bi-partisan story, John McCain tried to "recharge his campaign with a volley of allegations directed at Obama's honesty, judgment and empathy for tax-burdened Americans." Fox NEWS reports that "the debate was far more combative than the previous two -- likely a reflection of the fact it was a key opportunity for McCain to halt Obama's growing momentum in the polls."

Both stories had similar comments. I thought that Fox would be bias towards McCain, as they usually are, but the story was very bi-partisan, revealing fair analysis on both sides. Both stories had the same quote from John McCain when he said, "Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you want to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago." USA Today reveals that they believe Obama won the debate, where as Fox NEWS does not comment. According to both articles, Obama believes that McCain is proposing eight more years of the same thing. I was happy to see that a more correct viewpoint of the debate was promoted by Fox, and that USA Today, was a bit more straight forward with their opinions.

Just Give 'Em A Pill

2008-10-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

An ongoing problem in our culture seems to be the debate over whether or not to treat "depressed"children with anti-depressant drugs like Prozac or Xanax. I think it is an economic stunt to rape people of their money, however doctors agree that therapy along with the medicine is the best way to treat a depressed individual. The problem is that over half of the population being prescribed the medicine are not receiving treatment.

According to Sheila Marcus, quoted by USA Today in the story "Most depressed kids get anti-depressants but no therapy", "Therapy with anti-depressants is the standard of care. Is that what is going on in the real world? No." USA Today stated that the Food and Drug Administration have placed the strongest safety warnings on the labels of anti-depressants. The labels warn that the drug could lead to an increase in suicidal behavior in people 24 or younger. For this reason, it is clear that something needs to be done about the percentages of pill takers who do not engage psychological therapy.

In a similar story titled "Most kids get no therapy with antidepressants", by the Tuscon Citizen, a reason for the shortage of therapy in depressed kids could be because of a shortage in psychiatrists. Perhaps the ratio between therapists and children who are depressed is lopsided. This is plausible, because apparently there are lots of "depressed" children these days. Another reason presented by the story suggests that many parents are embarrassed to take their children to therapy. I guess this becomes a battle between the ego of the American parent and the safety of their children.

Both publications have similar views on what the problem is and how the problem has arrived. People taking a a medicine that their body is not accustomed to, which changes their chemical balance, need to seek therapy for full recovery. "Depression" is such a vague term. Do these pills really cure the diagnosis. Is it all a scam by the government to secure more money from the people in order to pay for costs that were lost the past eight years? Who knows? Therapy seems like best solution to help a depressed person and yet people are being given pills without it. If anything, therapy should come first.

Big Man Gettin' Married

2008-10-02T11:56:00.000-07:00

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Manuel Uribe was the heaviest man in the world two years ago at 1,230 pounds. He has lost 550 pounds since then, bringing him down to merely 670 pounds. He plans to marry his girlfriend, Claudia Solis, on October 26th.

USA Today reveals the story with a little hint of humor, but nothing offensive or demeaning. Their story reveals to the world that there is a very heavy man scheduled to be married. Additionally, they make sure to add that when he leaves his home he must be "towed through the streets on his specially made bed." Overall, USA Today's take is rather insignificant, as it should be.

On the other hand, Fox New's headline reads, "World's Fattest Man to Marry After Massive Diet". While USA Today brings some light to a rather humorous situation, Fox attracts readers by completely defacing and degrading the man. The article contains most of the same information as USA Today's, except for a few obvious differences in the words they use. For example, when describing how Uribe leaves his home, Fox News says, "Any outing involves hoisting it (his bed) onto the back of a truck."

There is a difference between making fun of someone in a degrading way, and trying to catch someone's attention with a bit of sarcastic humor. The man is extremely fat and he knows it and so does everyone else. Guinness Book of World Records clarifies that for us. If you ask me, both stories were pointless and made fun of the man, whether they meant to or not. What do you think?

Big Man Gettin' Married

2008-10-02T11:31:00.000-07:00

Whatever

2008-09-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

Whatever is an annoying word.

Nothing is as frustrating as a person who replies to a serious question with "whatever". This word symbolizes sloth and pride. If you say this word in this situation, you probably do not care and your proud of it. Therefore, you are annoying.

Avoid the word whatever in serious situations at all costs.