Children as young as 12 are being given contraceptive implants making them 'vulnerable to abuse and sexual exploitation'

Five Scottish health boards given long-term birth control to young girls

Schoolgirls among 3,500 minors to have the slow-release devices fitted

Drug has never been tested on children and is known to have side effects 

In adults, they include nausea, depression, acne and headaches

Expert warns the implant will make young girls 'more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation by older sexual predators'

Children as young as 12 are being given contraceptive implants.

At least five Scottish health boards have given long-term birth control to girls who are barely out of primary school.

The schoolgirls are among almost 3,500 minors to have had the slow-release devices inserted in their arms – many without their parents’ knowledge, even though they are under the age of consent – since 2010.

The drug has never been tested on children and is known to have side effects in some adults including nausea, depression, acne and headaches.

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Children as young as 12 are being given contraceptive implants. The schoolgirls are among 3,500 minors in Scotland to have the long-term birth control devices inserted in their arms

According to the manufacturer, the drug’s ‘safety and efficacy in adolescents under the age of 18 has not been established’.

Norman Wells of the Family Education Trust said: ‘To provide schoolgirls with long-acting reversible contraception is to play with fire.

‘It is effectively giving them a licence to engage in illegal sexual activity and denies them the protection that the law on the age of consent is intended to give. 

'Not only does prescribing the drugs to underage girls make it more difficult for them to resist sexual pressure from their peers, but it also makes them more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation by older sexual predators.’

 

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Mr Wells added: ‘The fact that the safety of these implants has not been established for girls under the age of 18 means health professionals are taking a massive risk with the immediate and long-term health of these youngsters.

‘It is deeply disturbing that parents are frequently left in the dark and know nothing about the high-stakes gamble being taken on the physical and emotional well-being of their daughters.’

Patricia McKeever, editor of the Catholic Truth newsletter, condemned the practise, saying: ‘This is child abuse. I am not a medical person but it cannot possibly be helpful. Parents need to be more vigilant – you cannot trust the state with your children.

‘It is hypocritical of the Government to say they want to protect children from abuse in the home and then at the same time they are setting them up to be abused.’

The plastic implants – brand name Nexplanon – are fitted under the skin of the arm and last for three years, releasing progesterone to prevent pregnancy.

In Scotland, contraceptive implants are available from hospitals or sexual health clinics and can be inserted by a nurse or a doctor.

But the implants’ ‘safety and efficacy in adolescents under the age of 18 have not been established’, according to the manufacturer, healthcare giant MSD.

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The drug has never been tested on children and is known to have side effects in some adults including nausea, depression, acne and headaches

Health boards across Scotland have prescribed 3,562 of the implants to under-16s since 2010, figures released under Freedom of Information laws show.

Greater Glasgow andClyde has fitted 1,523, Grampian 397, Ayrshire & Arran 382, Lanarkshire 291 and Borders 131. Between them, they admitted having given prescriptions to at least 20 12-year-olds.

The figures are likely to be higher, though, as five boards – including NHS Lothian – refused to provide full details.

The statistics also caused concern because – at the company’s own admission – the treatment’s safety in under-16s has not been established. In adults, side-effects are known to be common.

 Prescribing the drugs... makes them more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation by older sexual predators

Tory health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said: ‘When we offer medication such as this to children, we have to be sure it is safe.

‘If these concerns prove to be legitimate, I hope the Scottish Government will look at this as a matter of urgency.’

Asked if the firm recommended its product for under-16s, an MSD spokesman said: ‘The choice and suitability of a contraceptive method for any individual should always be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘NHS boards and local authorities prioritise sexual health for young people and, as a result, teenage pregnancy rates have fallen for the last four years.

‘Whilst we would encourage any young person considering contraception to discuss this with their parent, there is no legal requirement to do so.

‘Decisions on prescribing of medicines are matters for clinicians in discussion with their patients. Clinicians will have access to all available information about the product.’

Nexplanon became available on the NHS in 2010. Its forerunner, Implanon, attracted controversy when it was disclosed that hundreds of women in England became pregnant while using it.

NHS chiefs there paid £200,000 to those who had children or were hurt during the implants process.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2736517/Children-young-12-given-contraceptive-implants-making-vulnerable-abuse-sexual-exploitation.html#ixzz3Bzso53HX 
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'Remarkable' new heart drug will cut deaths by a fifth - and could be available as early as next year

LCZ696 described as a 'major advance' in the treatment of heart failure 

Research compared the drug with existing treatment Enalapril

Reduced deaths from cardiovascular causes and from all other causes 

Also reduced hospitalisation for heart failure by more than 20 per cent 

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Wonder drug: A new heart drug has shown to cut deaths by a fifth and reduce hospital admissions

A new heart drug which tests have shown to save 20 per cent more lives than existing treatments could be reeled out to patients as early as next year.

Research carried out on 8,442 patients with heart failure has achieved 'remarkable' results - proving that the drug not only helps people live longer, but also means they feel better and spend less time in hospital.

Experts at the European Cardiology Society congress in Barcelona called the new compound, known as LCZ696, a 'major advance' in the treatment of heart failure, as it not only stops hormones which damage the heart, but also increases production of helpful ones.

In the study, which saw people with heart failure given either the new drug or existing treatment - 'gold standard' Enalapril - 21.8 per cent of people given LCZ696 died from heart-related issues, compared with 26.5 per cent for the Enalapril.

A further 17 per cent of patients receiving LCZ696 and 19.8 per cent of those receiving Enalapril died from any cause.

Co-leader of the trial, Professor John McMurray of the University of Glasgow, said: 'We have what we believe is a much more effective replacement for one of the gold standard drugs for the treatment of heart failure. This is a major advance in the treatment of this terrible problem.' 

The new compound, which is produced by Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis, also reduced hospitalisation for heart failure by 21 per cent, experts said.

The 'emphatic' results prompted researchers to bring the trial to an early close after 27 months.

 

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Co-author of the study, Professor Milton Packer of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre, described the 'magnitude of the advantages' of LCZ696 as 'highly statistically significant and clinically important'.

Professor McMurray added: 'Compared with our current gold-standard treatment Enalapril, LCZ696 made patients live longer, stay out of hospital and feel better, fulfilling all our goals of treatment.

Current heart treatment Enalapril

'This is a remarkable finding and strongly supports using this new approach instead of an ACE inhibitor or ARB in the treatment of chronic heart failure.'

He explained: 'What this new drug LCZ696 does is simultaneously inhibit the bad hormones - like Enalapril - but in addition boosts the production of beneficial hormones.

'Several of these beneficial substances stimulate the kidneys to produce more urine, to excrete sodium and water, and act to relax blood vessels. All of these actions unload the failing heart.

'By having this dual effect LCZ696 had extra beneficial actions compared with Enalapril and in this way improved patient outcomes.'

Heart failure occurs when it has been damaged, perhaps by a heart attack, and cannot pump blood around the body as effectively as it used to.

The body responds to the low flow of blood by producing hormones such as angiotensin II and noradrenaline. But these hormones constrict blood vessels and actually make it harder for the failing heart to squeeze blood into them.

Over time, the constant production of these hormones further damages the heart, blood vessels and kidneys.

Enalapril works by blocking or inhibiting these hormones and therefore slows down or even reverses the progressive worsening of the condition, experts said. 

Patients on the experimental drug did have slightly more hypotension (low blood pressure) and non-serious angiodema, but less kidney impairment, cough, and hyperkalemia (abnormally high levels of potassium in the blood) than the Enalapril group.

The new wonder drug will now be subject to regulatory review, but could be licensed for use next year, when the NHS could then authorise it to be used widely.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2738993/Remarkable-new-heart-drug-cut-deaths-fifth-available-early-year.html#ixzz3BzntdlJe 
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Is there ANYTHING that Botox can't treat? How anti-wrinkle jab is used for TWELVE conditions - and tests are underway to see if it can treat stomach cancer

Over half of UK Botox sales in 2013 were for non-cosmetic uses

Botulinum toxins are being investigated for more than 20 medical uses

This month, it was revealed that Botox may combat stomach cancer

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Cure-for-all: Botox has been officially approved as a treatment for 12 medical conditions

Botox is 25 this year – that’s how many years since it was  first approved for medical use. 

And although it’s best  known as an anti-wrinkle jab, last year just over half of its sales were for non-cosmetic uses.

Its first use was as a treatment for eye spasms – the active ingredient, botulinum toxin, works by blocking the nerve signals that tell muscles to contract, temporarily paralysing them. 

Today, it’s widely used in children suffering from the limb stiffness of cerebral palsy, and this year it gained approval from the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for treating ankle-movement problems after a stroke.

Botox has been officially approved for 12 conditions, and it – or other botulinum toxins – are being investigated for more than 20 medical uses. 

Just this month, it was revealed that Botox may combat stomach cancer and trials are under way.

‘It really is a phenomenal drug,’ says Dr Mervyn Patterson, a cosmetic doctor who has been using Botox for more than 15 years.

So, from top to toe, here are just a few of the more everyday  ailments Botox can treat.

SWEATING

Hyperhidrosis, or extreme sweating, often can’t be controlled by antiperspirants. But multiple, superficial injections of Botox have been shown  in studies to reduce perspiration by more than  50 per cent in eight in ten patients. In half of patients, the effects last more than seven months.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Botox temporarily blocks the secretion of the chemical responsible for switching on sweat glands. About 12 to 20 jabs are given in affected areas, such as the armpits, hands, feet or face.

JAB ME!

Botox for hyperhidrosis has been approved and your GP can refer you for NHS treatment. It is also widely available privately from about £600.

JOINT PAIN

Botox has been found to help knee, shoulder and hip pain caused by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. In a study of patients with arthritis of the shoulder, a single Botox treatment improved pain in 38 per cent, compared with nine per cent who had a placebo injection. In separate studies, Professor Bazbek Davletov at Sheffield University has created a fusion of botulinum toxin with elements of the tetanus bug to create a new painkilling injection.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Botox can block nerve signals that transmit pain messages to the brain. It can also ease muscle spasms and tightness around joints. The tetanus hybrid toxin appears to stop pain signals being sent from the spinal cord to the brain.

JAB ME!

The health company Allergan is conducting trials with the aim of seeking approval for arthritis treatment with Botox injections. The new hybrid drug is in preliminary studies. While research continues, proven treatment options – such as exercise, weight loss and medication – remain the focus of most arthritis treatment.

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Less of a sting: Although botox is best known as an anti-wrinkle jab, last year just over half of its sales were for non-cosmetic uses

INCONTINENCE

Many woman suffer incontinence, particularly after having children or the menopause. Women with a specific type called urge incontinence have trouble reaching the loo in time when they feel the need to urinate. Botox can improve symptoms in more than 90 per cent for up to a year

HOW DOES IT WORK?

It’s thought that urge incontinence is due to spasming of the smooth bladder muscle –  Botox injected into the bladder wall reduces this activity without completely paralysing it, and increases its storage capacity.

JAB ME!

Botox for urinary incontinence is approved and available on the NHS for those for whom other drugs do not work. It is also available privately.

FOOT PAIN

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation on the sole of the foot that leaves sufferers unable to walk for months without pain. But a Mexican study found toxin jabs offered a speedy recovery.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Six months after having injections, patients showed faster and better recovery than those who had steroid injections.

JAB ME! 

More studies are needed before it becomes widely available.

SCARRING

After a wound from surgery such as a caesarean or an injury, some skin types develop thick,  rope-like, keloid scarring. Dr Patterson says:

‘Those prone to keloid scarring generally know about it. Evidence has been around for some time that if Botox is injected in and around a scar as it is healing, the appearance is reduced.’

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Helping hands: Different types of botox - botulinum toxins - are being investigated for more than 20 medical uses

HOW DOES IT WORK?

‘Reducing tensile force across a wound means less tension at the suture line, which translates into less scar tissue,’ explains Dr Patterson. 

‘Tests on cells extracted from keloid wounds treated with Botox show less production of growth factors which stimulate scarring.’

JAB ME!

Some cosmetic doctors are offering this treatment now. Cost varies greatly depending on size of wound but starts from £300.

BACK PAIN

Back pain tops the league table of years lost to disability and costs the UK millions of work  days every year. 

According to Mr Robert Lee, consultant spinal surgeon at Spire Bushey Hospital (spirebushey.com) most back pain is caused by a muscular stiffness or spasms. 

Botox has been found in several small trials to relieve pain for up to four months in about 60 per cent of patients.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Botox blocks communication between nerves and muscles so the muscle is not told to contract. Spasms stop or are greatly reduced.

JAB ME!

The studies so far have been small, and the treatment is not FDA or MHRA-approved, but it  is available at some BUPA hospitals on GP referral. Price on application.

MIGRAINE

Patients who suffered an average of 20 days of migraine a month had injections into specific areas of the head and neck. After a year, 70 per cent had more than 50 per cent fewer attacks.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

No one knows quite how Botox works for migraine but it may reduce the release of neurotransmitters, chemicals in the brain that generate migraines.

JAB ME!

In 2010 both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – often considered a  gold standard – and the MHRA approved Botox for chronic migraine. Patients with chronic migraine with at least 15 days of headache of which eight are migraine, who don’t respond  to drug treatment, are eligible for NHS treatment. Patients should speak to their GP for referral. Private treatments are available and cost £500 to £600.

TEETH GRINDING

Also known as bruxism – stress is thought to lead to involuntary clenching of the jaw muscles, typically in sleep. It can permanently damage teeth as well as causing headaches and jaw pain. Botox reduces grinding better than a placebo.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Dr Patterson says: ‘Botox is placed in the masseter, the main chewing muscle. Relief is within days and works in the majority of people. Another injection is usually required three months later but the effect after this is often prolonged.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2738477/Is-ANYTHING-Botox-treat.html#ixzz3BwKnF0YE 
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You don't have to be stick thin to be anorexic, warn experts: Fivefold increase in 'normal weight' teens being admitted to hospital with the eating disorder

Australian experts note fivefold rise in teenagers being admitted to hospital showing every criteria, except being underweight, from 2005 to 2010

Experts warned a drastic drop in weight should be cause for concern

Despite not being deemed 'underweight' adolescents were suffering acute, life-threatening medical complications of weight loss

Researcher said we must be more aware of eating disorders developing in adolescents who are overweight or obese

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A new Australian study has warned teenagers who are deemed a 'healthy weight' can still be suffering anorexia nervosa

Teenagers do not need to be severely underweight to be suffering from a life-threatening eating disorder, experts have warned.

A dramatic drop in weight should be a cause for serious concern, suggesting an adolescent could be at risk of severe medical problems.

A new study carried out at Australia's Murdoch Children's Research Institute noted a fivefold increase in the number of teenagers being admitted to hospital fulfilling all the criteria for anorexia nervosa - apart from being underweight.

The researchers examined a six-year period from 2005 to 2010, discovering more adolescents thought to be of 'normal weight' were suffering the illness.

Despite not meeting the low weight criteria of the eating disorder, the teenagers were found to be suffering from acute, life-threatening medical complications of weight loss.

Professor Susan Sawyer, director of The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Adolescent Health, said the research highlights that higher-weight adolescents who have lost a large amount of weight require careful medical assessment. 

'Eating disorders can emerge at any weight,' she said.

'Clinicians need to have a high level of suspicion about a possible restrictive eating disorder in all patients who have rapidly lost weight or lost a significant amount of weight—even if the young person is not underweight at the time they present. 

'There is poor understanding by health professionals, teachers and families of the risks of rapid, severe weight loss - at all weights. 

'Most health professionals think "underweight" when they think of anorexia. 

'It is therefore not surprising that many of these adolescents were very unwell by the time they were eventually admitted to hospital.'

 

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Lead researcher Melissa Whitelaw said the dramatic increase in the proportion of adolescents admitted to hospital who were not yet underweight reflects increasing rates of obesity in adolescents.

'Obesity and eating disorders used to be considered as distinct health concerns with little overlap in patient populations,' she said.

'This data suggests that we need to be much more aware of the risks of eating disorders emerging in adolescents who are overweight.'

The research showed that while some of the patients had been advised by a health professional to lose weight, none were being professionally supported to lose weight at the time they presented with an eating disorder. 

Researchers said this highlights the need for supervision of appropriate weight loss efforts in overweight adolescents. 

Professor Sawyer, said: 'Regardless of their actual weight, clinicians consulting with adolescents who have lost a large amount of weight should, among other tasks, review the patient’s weight loss strategies to ensure they are sustainable and safe. 

'They should also carefully assess the patient’s cardiovascular health.

What is anorexia? Howcast describes diagnostic criteria

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Researchers noted a fivefold increase in the number of teenagers being admitted to hospital fulfilling all the criteria for anorexia nervosa - apart from being underweight - from 2005 to 2010

'For those adolescents who have rapidly lost a large amount of weight, anorexia nervosa should be considered.'

Researchers said that due to a combination of factors including the nature of eating disorders, lack of parental awareness, lack of training in health professionals, and delays in accessing specialist services, there are often significant delays in making the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, even in adolescents who are very underweight. 

Both researchers are part of The Royal Children’s Hospital Specialist Eating Disorder program. 

The research was carried out by Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, The Royal Children’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne.

Eating disorder charity, Beat’s chief executive, Susan Ringwood, told MailOnline: 'Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses that have serious effects on physical health too. It’s very helpful to make people aware that eating disorders are not just about being very underweight. 

'We know you can’t tell if someone is ill just from the shape and size of their body.  

'We also know that sometimes a strict measure of BMI is used to decide if someone is eligible for specialist treatment. 

'This study shows how potentially dangerous that could be.'

Visit the charity's website here, for more information.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2735559/You-dont-stick-anorexic-warn-experts-Fivefold-increase-normal-weight-teens-admitted-hospital-eating-disorder.html#ixzz3BdHCv24a 
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