DEA’s Cannabis Catch-22: Expand Research, Maintain Criminality

Late last summer, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) adopted a new policy designed to foster an increase in medicinal cannabis research. The Administration’s decision opens doors to a larger number of marijuana suppliers qualified to produce cannabis for scientific study, a shift that will arguably lead to broader and more comprehensive study of a drug which, despite widespread medical use throughout the country, remains highly controversial. 

Sublingual Immunotherapy Proves Effective for Dust Mite Allergy

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) can reduce exacerbations of asthma associated with dust mite allergens, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. House dust mites are a common trigger of allergy-associated asthma, and up to 30% of all patients who are allergic to dust mites are non-responsive to inhaled corticosteroids, […]

New Testing Array Fine-Tunes Dx of “Leaky Gut”

Intestinal permeability, or “leaky gut,” which used to be dismissed as a bogus diagnosis, has become the focus of much attention in recent years, as researchers identify the mechanisms by which chronic exposure to toxins and food allergens damages the integrity of the endothelial lining. In clinical practice, however, the diagnosis and treatment of this […]

Don’t Call Breastfeeding “Natural” says Peds Journal

A recent article in the American Academy of Pediatrics‘ journal is urging physicians to nix the word “natural” when talking to new mothers about breastfeeding. Authors Jessica Martucci and Anne Barnhill, of the Department of Medical Ethics & Health Policy, University of Pennsylvania, are not disputing the fact that breastfeeding is natural. Nor are they […]

Former FDA Chief Faces Racketeering Lawsuit

Former FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg, and her husband, investment banker Peter Brown, have been named in a federal-level anti-racketeering lawsuit alleging that the two conspired with executives from Johnson & Johnson and Ortho-McNeil-Jansen Pharmaceuticals to supress data about side-effects associated with Levaquin. The suit, filed on April 11, in the US District Court for the […]

States Challenge Requirements for Physician Certification

Earlier this Spring, two states–Oklahoma and Kentucky–passed legislation freeing physicians from requirements to maintain specialty board certifications in order to keep their licenses and hospital privileges. The fight over “MOC” has been heating up across the country in recent years. In many states, specialists are mandated to renew their certifications periodically in order to maintain […]

Vaxxed gets Axxed: Tough-Guy De Niro Caves on Controversial Vaccine Film

When it comes to making a stand for a controversial documentary on vaccines, it seems that actor/director Robert De Niro is not nearly as tough as some of his onscreen characters. Last week, the film luminary, who made his cinematic bones with heavy-hitting roles in Mean Streets, Goodfellas, and Raging Bull, was all-in for including […]

Can Young Blood Reverse Aging?

The notion that “young blood” contains substances that might rejuvenate older adults has been around for centuries. Current research indicates that there may be something to this idea after all.

Acupuncture: From NICU to Battlefield and Beyond

Three recent articles highlight the successful use of acupuncture in very unique areas of practice: neonatal intensive care, management of cardiovascular risk, and reduction of PTSD in military veterans. 

HPC Spring 2015