It's refreshing to see top health officials in government recognize some (but not all of) the multi-factorial drivers and determinants of children's health and recognize the value of issues that ANH has been working on for years: the importance of real, whole foods, better Dietary Guidelines, regenerative agriculture, reducing chemical and environmental exposures (pesticides, electromagnetic field radiation, etc.), and healthcare that focuses on prevention, to name a few. Getting these issues on the agenda, and in the minds of the public, is itself a victory.
"It's a horrible mess. With these new restricted eligibility criteria from the [FDA], getting a COVID vaccine has now become a chaotic, constantly shifting scavenger hunt that depends on what state you're in," Dr. Oni Blackstock, a primary care physician and executive director of Health Justice, a racial and health equity consultancy, told HuffPost via email. Some states, like New York, have granted residents permission to get their shot, no matter if they meet the FDA's eligibility requirements or not.
The number of dentists employed by the HSE at the end of last year was just 249, illustrating the severe shortage of dental professionals available to provide care.
Only two children in need of urgent spinal surgeries have received treatment abroad this year, even after a legal directive mandated the HSE to provide options for all children with scoliosis.
Let's cut straight to the chase - I'm here today to call out the blatant Assessments of Needs law-breaking by the Taoiseach and the Government.
The report cited numerous fake publications, claiming chronic diseases in children stem from various factors; some cited researchers denied authorship of the papers attributed to them.
Art Caplan, a professor of bioethics at New York University's Grossman School of Medicine, commented on the report, stating that it presents 'interesting ideas about health and children's health and crackpot fringe tin-hat-wearing nonsense; it's got it all.' This highlights the mixed reception of the findings.
"Clinicians treating very obese children in Sweden found that liraglutide injections combined with lifestyle changes resulted in a significant weight loss success rate, avoiding mealtime conflicts."