It looks like the FDA is preparing to take away another treatment tool/option from integrative health care practitioners; they are looking to restrict access to compounded hormone therapy! The Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding (APC) has prepared a letter to the FDA Commissioner Robert Califf with copies to congressional leaders, asking them to reconsider any action that may impede patient access to compounded hormones. If you’d like to join this campaign, please go to the following website for more information and add your name to the letter: https://a4pc.org/advocacy/federal/cbht/physician-letter-on-behalf-of-cbht/
Looks like we may be one step closer to being able to heal existing dental cavities and prevent new ones in the near future. Scientists in Hong Kong have synthesized an improved bioactive peptide that may prevent dental caries and induce re-mineralization of the tooth when applied topically, at least in vitro1. So, it is possible that we may no longer require the dreaded dental drills and fillings in order to really treat dental caries, hopefully within our lifetime.
There have been more and more talks and research about Long COVID or Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), which has been shown to be a quite complex clinical condition with multiple facets. One of the facets is the presence of co-infection or re-activation of prior viral, bacterial, or fungal infections. I came across a research paper that was published just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic being declared/realized. A team of UK scientists found that cryptococcal vomocytosis from macrophages is strongly enhanced by viral coinfection2. Knowing what we know now, this may be one of the contributing mechanisms that lead to co-infections in acute COVID-19 and Long COVID patients.
Finally, some good news. Congratulations to Massachusetts for finally issuing its first Naturopathic Doctor license in May of 2022!
Martin Kwok, ND. DrTCM
Editor-in-Chief
- Zhou L, et al. Constructing an Antibiofouling and Mineralizing Bioactive Tooth Surface to Protect against Decay and Promote Self-Healing. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2019; 12 (2): 3021 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b19745
- Seoane P, et al. Viral infection triggers interferon-induced expulsion of live Cryptococcus neoformans by macrophages. PLoS Pathog. 2020 Feb 27;16(2):e1008240. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008240. eCollection 2020 Feb.