Welcome to the current edition of i2P (Information to Pharmacists) E-Magazine dated Monday 17 April 2017.
In our last editorial we commented on the floods within the Northern Rivers Region, centred on Lismore after receiving numerous calls from concerned business associates, friends and family.
The events that played out had little personal impact on me, but the same could not be said for any business located within Lismore’s CBD, including its pharmacies.
In discussion with some of the business owners it was discovered that many were uninsured, and this was because of the high insurance premiums that had been levied by insurance companies, following flood disasters dating back to 1954.
Any Lismore local will tell you that flooding is a fact of life in the Northern Rivers.
In the floods of 1954 and 1974, the Wilsons River rose to a record 12.17 metres.
This time around, the river peaked at 11.59 metres, breaching the flood levee built in 2005, for the first time.
Because of the almost complete destruction of inventories and damage to buildings and their internal fittings, it is thought that up to 50 percent of businesses will not re-open – and this will create tremendous problems for the local community and its flow-on effect through unemployment issues.
Like the current 2017 flood, cyclonic rains also caused the 1954 and 1974 events. But unlike those past events, both of which were preceded by prolonged wet weather, almost all of the extreme rainfall from ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie fell within 24 hours.
More interesting still is the fact that we are not currently experiencing La Nina conditions, which have historically formed the backdrop to severe flooding in eastern Australia.
In other words we have experienced climate change that was earlier predicted by scientists, where we should expect prolonged conditions of drought and high temperatures followed by heavy rainfall associated with cyclonic systems causing flooding and wind damage.
This is exactly what happened here in the Northern Rivers, so those people who do not believe that climate change is real, may need to review their position on that stance.
It also follows that carbon increased production through coal-fired electricity generators should not be on Australia’s future energy plans.
Malcolm Turnbull (a supporter of coal fired generation) turned up at Lismore supposedly to offer comfort to those who were flood-affected.
As a PR exercise his performance was dismal, refusing a food offering from a local volunteer who had set up a free canteen for flood victims and emergency workers.
He also refused to consider extra financial assistance to affected businesses that will need substantial grants (not loans) to get back on their feet.
His lack of input and concern has angered Lismore people of all political persuasion and his political calibre seemed incapable of balancing a grant to fully restore Lismore’s local economy to avoid other government payouts in the form of dole payments for the unemployed who are likely to be long-term recipients because businesses will not re-open and new entrants are not likely to fill the gap.
Tax revenue depletion is also a consideration with a lower level economy.
Health issues (including mental health) are likely to arise from these extreme climate change events and i2P will be taking note to ensure pharmacists are able to recognise these issues and provide adequate future patient support.
In our last edition we published a story titled A4M Proposes a $1 trillion health cost save for US – why not Australia?
The content included a 10 point plant to reduce US health costs by $1 trillion and we direct readers to two specific points:
Point Five:
Ageing Intervention Drugs.
Six major diseases are having an enormous impact on the 65+ population: chronic lung disease, ischemic heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, pneumonia, and gastrointestinal illness.
Point Six:
Stem Cells and Nanotechnology Access.
These biomedical technologies offer exciting potential for significant improvement and/or cures for previously incurable conditions, such as stroke, cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, paraplegia, and other crippling neuromuscular disorders.
In point six i2P also added medical cannabis access.
Australian companies involved in research in these technologies are suddenly attracting investor interest and substantial capital gains are being experienced by “early bird” investors.
With a bit of homework Australian pharmacists could become “small cap” investors in these companies, while at the same time learn what specific areas of these technologies community pharmacists can adapt to their specialist clinical offering.
Profits from the sale of these currently high gain shares could be reinvested over time to fund your own research into the adaptability of these technologies into a service offering from a community pharmacy.
I2P urges pharmacists to begin their own investigations and develop a share portfolio with a spread across these newer technologies while opportunity exists.
Understand and learn about these markets and be alert and active in supporting their use within community pharmacy environments.
In particular, lobbying to have as many of the above substances as practicable to be components of Schedule 3 – the specific legislation that allows for pharmacist management and sale of certain substance categories.
Big Pharma is currently swallowing up as many of these technology companies as they can, and there are some valued Australian biotechnology companies being targeted.
i2P will be directing its own investigative resources into all areas in the A4M 10-point health plan, but in particular Points 5 and 6.
Development is becoming too rapid for i2P alone – so be prepared, do your own homework and invest where there are good returns.
The lead article for this edition is about how organisations, including pharmacies, construct “guardrails” to direct physical, intellectual and informational pathways.
If these processes are not audited they may become dated and less effective.
They are also targeted by other organisations that may wish to influence a guardrail for their own profit or benefit.
For example, the manufacturer who designs a physical unit that carries a product range that does not marry in with the formal pharmacy layout and becomes disruptive to customer flow.
Read: Guardrails – Why they Need Continual Analysis and exist with a Balanced Direction
I often marvel at the attempts by critics of complementary medicine to denigrate the substances used and the practitioners who are involved. Even clinical nutrition, a formal medical science, seems to get a similar serve.
Is it a coincidence that the same critics also seem to be rabid pro-vaccination in the extreme?
The same people also claim lack of evidence yet much of their claims seem frivolous because of the lack of evidence to support their own claims.
Active practitioners using complementary medicine or clinical nutrition in a supportive or integrated fashion know intimately the benefits that can be derived for a patient.
Gerald Quigley asks a simple question.
Read: Complementary Medicine – Are You In or Are you Out?
Pharmacy has only been slowly engaging with robotics, but the pace has started to pick up in the wider arena of business activity as Artificial Intelligence has been added to the mix.
This looms as a future social problem as people become displaced from their vocation, with the real risk of becoming permanently unemployed or facing lower income levels, through having to compete against these artificial employees.
The problem needs to be addressed now before the trend becomes firm.
Read: Robots + AI = Rx Replacement?
i2P has now introduced a column devoted to chemicals and other problems (such as genetically modified foods) and how they affect human health. Contamination of the food chain has become a major health hazard and is implicated in much of the chronic illness that is now being described as being an epidemic.
Read: Food Production is now a Serious Health Hazard – The war against small farms
We continue our column on safe vaccination and remain appalled at the extreme attitudes of pro and anti factions, also the government regulating agencies that seem ignorant of the lack of evidence to support their illegal coercive policies.
We will continue to highlight the various stupidities until more rational policies emerge.
Read: SAFE VACCINATION DEBATE – 1. Judy Wilyman Report 2. CDC Conspiracy 3. Vaccine Court is a Health Hazard
The market yet to emerge for pharmacy – the medical cannabis market – is obviously being delayed in favour of political manipulation and Big Pharma manipulation.
i2P will continue to report the various issues involved so that pharmacists can prepare their own strategies to engage with this market. Also, there is money to be made through shareholdings in emerging growers, manufacturers and distributors.
In this current article we report 100 links to provide a basic evidence base and advise that this reference article should be bookmarked in your own system.
Read: Understanding Medical Cannabis – 1. A Life of its own – Dan’s Story 2. Cannabis: 100 Reference Studies
And we finish this edition with media releases from leadership organisations.
We hope you enjoy our current offering and please do not hesitate to add your comment at the foot of each article to express your own view.
Neil Johnston
Editor i2P E-Magazine
Monday 17 April 2017