It appears that FDA is posed to potentially restrict access to homeopathic medicine with a new Draft Guidance document. If this concerns you, please write to your congressman in support of protecting access to homeopathic medicine. For learn more about this, please visit the Americans for Homeopathy Choice website: https://homeopathychoice.org/
In spite of the high vaccination rate in BC (and the rest of Canada), COVID-19 continues to create a more restrictive environment in our world. In British Columbia, anyone who works at a healthcare facility receiving funding from the government will have to be fully vaccinated or have started the series of vaccination by October 26th, otherwise they could risk losing their jobs. So far, this public health order does not include people in private practice, but the government has made it clear that this order will likely apply to healthcare workers in private practice in the near future.
On another front, Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is likely to receive approval from Health Canada in the coming month for children between the ages of 5-12. Survey shows that over 50% of parents will likely vaccinate their children, even though their risk of developing severe illness or dying is very low if they contract COVID-19. Still, we have to respect an individual’s decision to use all means to minimize the potential risks associated with contracting the disease. By the same token, we should also respect another individual’s decision not to vaccinate because they want to minimize the potential risks associated with vaccination. One question that has not been raised enough nor debated much is: “Should anyone be forced to get vaccinated in order to protect others or the society as a whole?” That is as much a moral question and as a humanity question.
Will the pandemic be over in the near future? I think probably not. Otherwise, why would so many pharmaceutical companies still try to get more COVID-19 vaccines approved? The vaccines would be worthless if the pandemic is over. So, what is the likely future scenario? My guess is that COVID-19 vaccines will likely be approved for children six months and older eventually, and that the vaccines will be combined with flu vaccines to be administered on an annual basis eventually. Like everything else, some people may herald the arrival of such a day, and some may lament such a day. Where do you stand?
Martin Kwok, ND. DrTCM
Editor-in-Chief
