Welcome to the current edition of i2P (Information to Pharmacists) dated Monday 20 February 2017.
Since our last edition we have seen the new US president, Donald Trump, moving fairly swiftly on his campaign promises, particularly the announcement by Robert F Kennedy, the Trump appointee delegated to investigate vaccine safety and the role of the CDC not dealing at “arms-length” to the clients it is supposed to regulate.
US investigative journalist, Jon Rappoport sent i2P an early “heads-up” on this breaking news:
“DEVELOPING… I’ve just received word that, in a few minutes, at the National Press Club, in Washington DC, Robert De Niro and Robert F Kennedy Jr. are issuing a challenge to all media and all scientists…
They will give $100,000 to anyone who can show one published study that proves mercury in flu vaccines—at the levels it is injected—is safe.
The press conference will begin at 9:15am EST.
This is named THE WORLD MERCURY PROJECT CHALLENGE.
Will the press conference be broadcast?
That’s up to the media attending.
Will they have the guts?
I’m told that CNN backed out of attending the press conference, and now they’re in again…
Del Bigtree, producer of the film Vaxxed, will also speak at the press conference.
Kennedy states that Trump contacted him to head up a commission investigating vaccine safety.
According to Kennedy, Trump said he knew he was going up against Big Pharma, but he was ready for the battle.
At this moment, De Niro and Kennedy are sitting in a small broadcast room at the Press Club, waiting to start. No one knows how many press outlets are going to show up….
Stay tuned.”
This is very heartening news to all those people in the US who live under laws for mandatory vaccination of their children, enacted in a number of states.
And as we all know, we have a coercive equivalent here in Australia.
I don’t see that anyone will claim the $100,000 because there is simply no evidence for the safety of mercury use in vaccines, and those people that continue to make public claims about vaccine science being “settled” will have “egg on their face” as the facts are eventually published.
Organisations that have been extremist pro-vax will now have to change tune.
One such organisation seems to have stepped up its attack on pharmacy by tying industry deficiencies in a mixed bag that included pharmacy.
This was broadcast on the ABC and it was interesting to note that nearly all the “talking heads” had Skeptic or FSM affiliation (including CHOICE) the aspect of journalistic balance was skewed to the Skeptic viewpoint.
Viewers of this type of report need to ask two simple questions:
* who benefits from this type of propaganda;
* who pays for the time and out of pocket expenses of this motley group of people.
As Jon Rappoport says: “Stay tuned”.
Our lead article for this edition gives more detail on the Amazon global retailing initiative that is set to disrupt many existing models of retailing and turn them on their heads.
While there will be an eventual counter to the Amazon initiative, they have given themselves a good head start through their unique system patents.
Many will fall before the balance is corrected.
And their offering is planned to include a pharmacy.
Read: The Amazon Supermarket (and Pharmacy) Coming to a Place Near to You
Gerald Quigley has a comment on the 4-Corners report on complementary medicines and its inclusion of supposed community pharmacy deficiencies.
We do not propose to give the people behind this deceptive reporting any level of oxygen and suggest that these people desperately need a life of some sort to offset the need for “serial stalking”.
Read: 4 Corners or 4 Circles?
Barry Urquhart is back with his Marketing Focus column and delivers insights for management and marketing issues that can be adapted to pharmacy.
His theme for this article is maintaining a momentum for 2017.
Read: Marketing Focus: Essays on Management & Marketing February 2017
Because vaccination as a topic has become such a diverse activity, we have combined a range of researchers and commentators under the title of Safe Vaccination.
Whatever your perspective you ought to find something of interest pertaining to this subject.
Read: Safe Vaccination Debate 1. Open Letter to UOW 2. Defending University Integrity 3. Judy Wilyman Newsletter #146
And we are giving medical cannabis a similar page. I2P was the first publication to identify this market potential for pharmacists, and to assist its market development we are regularly publishing large volumes of useful reference material (archived on site) for pharmacists to adapt to their own purpose.
Pharmacy leadership organisations are starting to engage politically, but there needs to be an active lobby for the natural plant CBD components to be moved to Schedule 3 of the Poison’s Schedule, and similarly for THC (under a 3 percent concentration).
Otherwise the broad economic benefits involving health, primary industry and manufacturing industry activities will be lost for the wider Australian economy.
Read: Understanding Medical Cannabis – 1. Cancer Treatment 2. Recreational Use 3. Pharmacist Appointment to Cannabis Advisory Body
I2P has often provided information on the need for Australian pharmacy to change its culture as a means of securing a confident future.
Culture change can be initiated through a personal change in perspectives.
Harvey Mackay writes on this issue and gives direction for this process.
Read: Change your perspective, change your life
Dr Andrew Byrne has long been an interested practitioner and researcher for the concept of harm minimisation for people with addiction problems.
He comments on an interesting paper involving the use of benzodiazepines as part of treatment.
Read: Benzodiazepines For Patients on Opiate Maintenance Treatment
And we complete our offering for this edition with a range of media releases from pharmacy leadership organisations.
We hope you enjoy the content provided and please add your comments in the panel at the foot of each article as your participation in a debate on any issue.
Neil Johnston
Editor i2P E-Magazine
Monday 20 February 2017