Pulse Beat

Prof Dr BM Hegde 03 February 2015

Pentavalent Vaccine

Dr Jacob Puliyal, a noted child specialist at St Stephen’s Hospital in Delhi, is a vaccine specialist. His estimate of the new pentavalent vaccine which piggybacks one on the triple vaccine is not only dangerous but could kill a significant number of children. This vaccine has already been withdrawn in many countries, although the company and their thought leaders are selling an idea that these are sudden cot deaths and not due to vaccines, a claim only they believe. I hope, and pray, that our government in its wisdom does not allow this useless and dangerous vaccine from coming into this country.

Beta-blockade Fraud

It was hypothesised some time ago that if we blocked, on a short-term basis, people undergoing risky surgery, mortality will fall. I had vehemently opposed it then. Since 2009, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines have recommended the initiation of beta-blockade for patients with ischemic heart disease, or positive pre-operative stress test results, who are going in for high-risk surgery. This involves giving a short course of oral beta-blockers shortly before surgery until a few days or weeks after surgery to prevent heart attacks.

The principal support for the recommendation came from two of the DECREASE (Dutch Echocardiographic Cardiac Risk Evaluation Applying Stress Echocardiography) family of trials, which were discredited in 2011 because of misconduct. Our 2013 meta-analysis of the remaining 11 credible randomised controlled trials indicates that initiation of beta-blockade increases mortality by 27%. No prizes for guessing who was pushing such ideas that kill more: drug companies.

Animal Farm

“At a remote research centre on the Nebraska plains, scientists are using surgery and breeding techniques to re-engineer the farm animal to fit the needs of the 21st-century meat industry. The potential benefits are huge: animals that produce more offspring, yield more meat and cost less to raise. There are, however, some complications.

Pigs are having many more piglets—up to 14, instead of the usual eight. But hundreds of those newborns, too frail or crowded to move, are being crushed each year when their mothers roll over. Cows, which normally bear one calf at a time, have been re-tooled to have twins and triplets which often emerge weakened or deformed, dying in such numbers that even meat producers have been repulsed. All for making more money. Products of such engineering could have long-term deleterious effects on meat-eaters. Who bothers? As for animal lovers, they say we love our money much more than your love for animals.

“They pay tons of attention to increasing animal production, and just a pebble-sized concern to animal welfare,” said James Keen, a scientist and veterinarian who worked at the centre for 24 years, quoted in New York Times. “And it probably looks fine to them because they’re not thinking about it, and they’re not being held accountable. But most Americans and even livestock producers would be hard pressed to support some of the things that the centre has done.”

International Yoga Day

The 21st day of June is declared as the International Yoga Day by the World Health Organization and the UN. A great tribute to India through the efforts of our dynamic prime minister! People all over the globe, who know the benefits of Yoga, are gearing up to celebrate. I have an invite from Portugal that has a large organisation of Yoga practitioners which has been very active popularising Yoga there. You know about the benefits of Yoga. Do practise it. If not, start today.

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