https://childrenshealthdefense.org/news/new-docs-nih-owns-half-of-moderna-vaccine/?

JULY 07, 2020

New Docs: NIH Owns Half of Moderna Vaccine

By Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Chairman, Children’s Health Defense

New documents obtained by Axios and Public Citizen suggest that the National Institute of Health (NIH) owns half the key patent for Moderna’s controversial COVID vaccine and could collect half the royalties. In addition, four NIH scientists have filed their own provisional patent application as co-inventors. Little known NIH regulations let agency scientists collect up to $150,000.00 annually in royalties from vaccines upon which they worked. These rules are recipes for regulatory corruption.

NIH’s stake in the jab may explain why Anthony Fauci moved Moderna’s vaccine to the front of the line and to let Moderna skip animal trials despite the experimental technology and the inherent dangers of Coronavirus vaccines. Every prior coronavirus vaccine has proven problematic and can be lethal to animals due to COVID’s unique penchant for “pathogenic priming.” Death occurs only after a vaccinated animal encounters the wild virus.

Public health advocates and scientists criticized Fauci’s decision to skip animal trials as reckless. It may also explain why Anthony Fauci arranged a $483 million grant to Moderna from a sister NIH agency, BARDA, despite the fact that Moderna has never brought a product to market or gotten approval.

… Fauci publicly announced he was ‘encouraged’ by Moderna’s catastrophic Phase 1 clinical trials despite the fact that groups of super healthy volunteers had Grade 3 ‘severe or medically significant’ reactions following vaccination.
Fauci’s infusion made Moderna CEO Steve Bancel a billionaire and further enriched Fauci’s mentor and co-investor Bill Gates. It may also explain why Fauci publicly announced he was “encouraged” by Moderna’s catastrophic Phase 1 clinical trials despite the fact that 20% of the high dose and 6% of the low dose groups of super healthy volunteers had Grade 3 “severe or medically significant” reactions following vaccination.
Those results would have spelled DOA for any other medical product. After getting the abysmal news, Bancel and four other Moderna executives immediately dumped more than $89 million in stock and Fauci was forced to make his optimistic public assessment to save Moderna’s plummeting shares from death spiral.
Fauci knows from experience that no matter how dangerous a vaccine, the easy part is convincing people to take it. Pharma, after all, controls the media.
Fauci painted lipstick on that lame donkey and now he’s trying to convince everyone it’s a thoroughbred. Moderna and NIH began manufacturing the first of 1 billion doses of the deadly vaccine this month.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/coronavirus/article244011582.htm News Video & Audio Here

COVID-19 could lead to increase in tick-borne illness, experts say. Here’s why

As if you needed anything else to worry about in 2020, summer is here — which means tick season is, too.

While experts say ticks are expected to be about average this year, they say the U.S. may see an uptick in Lyme disease cases due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Why? Because people stuck at home are spending more time outside, Today reported. (See link for article)

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**Comment**

Important quote:

“If they get a case of Lyme disease, it’s not going away on its own and if it goes untreated it can develop into a difficult to treat chronic illness that can be debilitating,” Ostfeld told the outlet.

Unfortunately, “experts” have long contended exactly the opposite, setting patients up for a life-time of debilitating symptoms.  So thankful more accurate information is being given, but the controlled narrative is still alive and well, confusing many.

 

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200706/245-million-gift-aims-to-propel-Lyme-disease-research-and-education.aspx

$5 million gift aims to propel Lyme disease research and education

To the Fairbairns, the symptoms–debilitating fatigue, joint pain, cognitive problems–were as worrisome as they were mystifying. All four members of the family had them.

Eventually, all four tested positive for the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. After months of hitting diagnostic brick walls, the family had a unifying explanation for their symptoms, yet getting them under control took a year. Their conditions are now chronic, with recurrent flare-ups that require ongoing medical management.

The family’s experience is not uncommon. In an effort to help spare others with the disease a similar odyssey of pain, worry and confusion, the Fairbairns have made a $5 million donation to Harvard Medical School.

The gift, which will fund three tracks, is aimed at propelling research into Lyme disease and improving public understanding of the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Even though official reports put the annual number of Lyme disease cases at around 300,000 people per year, that number likely underestimates the true magnitude of infections and the spread of the disease. The National Institutes of Health estimates that the actual number of Lyme disease cases occurring every year is much higher.

The gift will fund the following areas:

  • The neuroimmunology track ($2 million) will attempt to elucidate how the bacterial pathogen behind Lyme disease may influence the interplay between immunity, inflammation and the nervous system during infection.
  • The mechanisms of Lyme disease track ($2 million) will study the fundamental processes that underlie the development of disease following infection with disease-causing bacteria (most commonly, Borrelia burgdorferi, and more rarely other organisms).
  • The education track ($1 million) will support efforts to empower the lay public through improved public understanding and prevention of the disease.

“There is growing evidence that in the setting of infection, the immune system and the nervous system engage in a complex interaction,” said Isaac Chiu, who will lead the neuroimmunology research arm with colleague Jun Huh, both assistant professors of immunology in the Blavatnik Institute at HMS.

The disease-mechanisms research track will investigate more broadly how the bacteria that cause Lyme disease interact with cells, tissues, and organs and can result in acute and chronic disease--knowledge that can inform new and more effective diagnostics and therapies and could help propel vaccine research. Over the next five years, this funding will support grants awarded to researchers looking at different aspects of Lyme disease at Harvard Medical School and its affiliated hospitals.

“These grants will facilitate cutting-edge, adventurous science and the ability to ask questions that are going to move the field forward in jumps instead of incremental steps,” said Mark Namchuk, executive director of therapeutics translation at HMS, who will administer the disease-mechanism fund.

The education track will support efforts to inform the public about ways to prevent Lyme disease and about the latest research on the pathophysiology of the condition.

Most of the funding in the education arm will be used to develop new content for Harvard Health Publishing, which provides health information to people around the world, drawing upon the expertise of more than 11,000 Harvard Medical School faculty physicians.

“One of Harvard Medical School’s core tenets is generating knowledge and disseminating it to the public,” said David Roberts, dean for External Education at HMS, who will administer the education fund. “Using this far-reaching educational platform, we hope to improve the understanding of this disease and offer information that can help improve the lives of those affected.”

Lyme disease is a confounding disorder. Its presentation can vary from person to person, and a diagnosis is rarely straightforward. A single tick bite can transmit multiple disease-causing organisms. Infections with more than one organism can result in widely ranging disease presentation and may alter how the immune system responds to the infection. Exactly how these coinfections affect disease presentation, symptoms and the short-term and long-term course of the disease remains largely unknown.

There are no consistently accurate tests, and most diagnoses require complex clinical assessment and astute clinical judgment in addition to testing for the causative organisms. A negative test for bacterial infection does not necessarily rule out the presence of disease. The accuracy and speed of diagnosis are further complicated by the varying range and presentation of symptoms. For people who develop lingering symptoms and chronic forms of this disease, there is no established cure and the most common treatment–several classes of oral or intravenous antibiotics–do not work reliably for everyone.

These are all areas of research that require unwavering scientific attention and sustained research efforts enabled by a steady stream of funding, the Fairbairns said.

“Historically, Lyme disease research has been woefully underfunded, and much more needs to be done to better understand this complex disease and its devastating consequences,” said Emily Fairbairn, whose husband Malcolm and daughter, Nina, are both Harvard University alumni. The youngest family member, Grant, is expected to graduate from Harvard College in 2021.

“Per-patient NIH funding for Lyme disease research amounts to less than $90 per newly diagnosed patient per year, and this is precisely why private philanthropy is crucial,” Emily Fairbairn added. “This disease needs billions of dollars, not millions. We are hoping that this investment will make strides that will attract even more funding to better understand, prevent and treat this important disease.”

The Fairbairn family previously donated $1 million to the laboratory of geneticist George Church to support research into the genomics of Lyme disease.

Source:

Harvard Medical School

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**Comment**

And this, right here, is how Lyme/MSIDS research makes any progress at all – by private donations and often research done by people who are infected themselves.  Sad but true. Our government and major institutions have by and large tossed tick-borne illness off to the side OR they follow an extremely myopic narrative which completely denies chronic/persistent infection.

Let’s pray this newly funded work yields some badly needed answers.

https://www.abc4.com/coronavirus/experts-fear-bad-tick-season-amid-coronavirus-pandemic/

Experts fear bad tick season amid coronavirus pandemic

FILE – This March 2002 file photo shows a deer tick under a microscope in the entomology lab at the University of Rhode Island in South Kingstown, R.I. On Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a record number of tick-borne diseases _ more than 59,000 _ were reported in 2017. It’s a 22 percent increase from the number reported the year before. (AP Photo/Victoria Arocho, File)

DALLAS (NEXSTAR) — As if there wasn’t enough to worry about in 2020, experts are warning about a potentially bad tick season.

The Lyme Disease Research Group reports a mild winter could mean an especially rough time for ticks.

Medical experts fear that many people who’ve been stuck inside due to coronavirus may “let their guard down” once they’re able to venture outdoors and not pay attention to tick bite prevention.

Some symptoms of Lyme disease are very similar to the symptoms of COVID-19, according to medical professionals. Ticks can carry Lyme and other dangerous diseases that can be severe if not treated properly.  (See link for story)

____________________

**Comment**

Again, ticks virtually laugh at the weather.  They are impervious to it. They find leaf litter and snow to hide under if the weather becomes harsh:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/11/07/ticks-on-the-move-due-to-migrating-birds-and-photoperiod-not-climate-change/

The article states that Pennsylvania has seen an increase in ER visits related to tick bites. I pray they are immediately treating these people prophylactically.  Everyone admits that early diagnosis and treatment is essential, yet so many still take a “wait and see” approach.

Trust me when I say you don’t want this to develop into a chronic condition.  The risks of using antibiotics for a short time are nothing compared to a potential life-time of pain and expense.

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/category/lyme-disease-treatment/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/06/26/new-treatments-for-lyme-disease-on-the-horizon/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/05/23/chronic-lyme-disease-does-it-exist/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/12/17/chronic-lyme-disease-an-evidence-based-definition-by-the-ilads-working-group/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/peer-reviewed-evidence-of-persistence-of-lymemsids-copy.docx

Tick prevention:

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/12/tick-prevention-2019/

 

 

 

 

http://vitalplan.com/blog/why-you-may-need-more-vitamin-d-especially-now?

Why You May Need More Vitamin D — Especially Now

Why You May Need More Vitamin D — Especially Now

By Dr. Bill Rawls Posted 06-30-2020

Vitamin D has gotten a lot of attention in the past several years. Maybe you’ve heard how common it is to have low levels. Or perhaps you’ve heard the reports linking a D deficiency to various health risks and conditions. Now it’s in the news again as researchers work to figure out if vitamin D may play a role in COVID-19 outcomes.

So does that mean you should be getting more? Here’s what to know about this important nutrient and ways it can help keep you healthy.

Why You Need Vitamin D

While we humans easily get many of the vitamins and nutrients we need from healthy, whole foods, vitamin D is the exception. It’s often called “the sunshine vitamin,” because the main way we get it (outside of supplementation) is by making it when our skin is exposed to UV light. Otherwise, D is similar to other nutrients and vitamins in that it plays an essential role in ensuring cells can function properly.

Ayurvedic pills as healthy lifestyle symbol. Vitamin capsule background

Let me explain. Vitamins are generally known as cofactors: They act as a key piece or component of the complex biological machinery that allows each cell in the body to perform its specific function the way it’s supposed to. Vitamin D also acts as a chemical messenger that relays crucial signals to cells and various systems.

While vitamin D is important for many types of cells and functions throughout the body, there are two main areas where it’s especially vital:

1. Vitamin D Allows the Body to Absorb Calcium.

We all need calcium for strong bones as well as for our nervous system, and it’s pretty easy to get the calcium your body requires by eating a healthy diet and/or taking supplements. But without adequate vitamin D, it wouldn’t matter how much calcium you consume — your body could not take in the mineral from your gut nor maintain steady calcium levels in your blood.

Doctor in office holding x-rays of a hand and wrist

When you aren’t absorbing or getting enough calcium, the body ends up stealing the calcium that’s stored in your bones. That leaves your bones weak — and you vulnerable to fractures.

Studies have long shown that low levels of vitamin D in the blood increases the risk of fractures in older adults. What’s more, additional research suggests that taking vitamin D supplements along with calcium may help reduce fractures in people over age 65, especially women.

2. Vitamin D Helps Regulate Immune Function.

Virtually all types of immune cells have vitamin D receptors, and the vitamin is known to help control the immune response in ways that may both enhance immunityand potentially guard against autoimmune diseases. For example, vitamin D helps regulate the activity of various types of immune system cells — white blood cells, B cells, T cells, monocytes — in ways that decrease the production of inflammatory cytokines (proteins secreted by the immune system) while increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines.

white blood cells attacking microbe in blood stream

In other words, healthy vitamin D levels help promote a proper inflammatory and immune response. In that way, it helps mitigate or prevent some of the potential damage that might otherwise be caused by inflammation or an improper immune response (as is the case with autoimmune disorders).

This regulatory role is one potential factor in why low vitamin D levels are linked to autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and type-1 diabetes, as well as improved immunity against viruses, including respiratory pathogens and the flu. For example, research suggests that low levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of developing MS by around 40%. Conversely, other research finds that higher levels of the vitamin is linked to lower disease activity and progression.

As far as general immunity is concerned, one study found that adults with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to have reported recently having a cold, cough, or upper respiratory infection. It’s also been suggested that increased sun exposure during warmer months may be one reason colds and the flu are less common in summer than in the winter.

The Vitamin D and COVID-19 Connection

The new coronavirus infects the upper respiratory system and causes much of its damage by triggering an immune system overreaction — it can unleash what’s called a “cytokine storm” that kills healthy cells and damages healthy tissue. So it would make sense that vitamin D’s regulatory powers might be helpful. However, as of now, the research is mixed and there’s still a lot we don’t know about the virus, its effects, and the potential role of vitamin D.

For example, one rapid review published in early May concluded there was no evidence suggesting a vitamin D deficiency left people more prone to infection or severe illness, or that vitamin D might help treat COVID-19. Other studies have come to similar conclusions.

Horizontal close up portrait of young male laboratory scientist working on vaccine effective against new virus

That said, research released around the same time by researchers in Indonesia found that vitamin D deficiency was linked to an increased risk of death due to COVID-19. Other preliminary studies likewise suggest that low vitamin D levels could be a factor in COVID-19 severity, including hospitalization.

So, while it’s still too early to say whether vitamin D is important in your body’s natural defenses against COVID-19, there are a lot of other good reasons to make sure you’re getting adequate vitamin D right now.

Other Ways Vitamin D Keeps You Healthy

In addition to supporting healthy bones and proper immune function, vitamin D also helps deliver these health benefits:

Promotes Heart Health

Inflammation — which is part of your body’s immune response and so is partly regulated by vitamin D — plays a big role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. Vitamin D is also key for keeping arteries flexible and functioning properly, which helps maintain healthy blood pressure.

Stabilizes Mood

Vitamin D is needed for normal brain function, and research has linked low levels with depression. Although it’s not entirely clear how exactly vitamin D may influence mood disorders, a 2008 study found that vitamin D supplements reduced symptoms.

Reduces the Risk of Diabetes

Studies report that low vitamin D translates to a higher risk of type-2 diabetes, potentially because the vitamin may influence insulin sensitivity. (Diabetes develops when your body becomes less sensitive or resistant to the hormone, and so can’t properly regulate blood glucose.) For that reason, vitamin D may also help maintain a healthy weight.

Promotes Longevity

Low serum levels of vitamin D were associated with higher all-cause mortality than normal levels (above 30 ng/mL), according to a report in the American Journal of Public Health.

Are you Vitamin D Deficient?

There’s a good chance you might be. Unlike with other common vitamins and nutrients, for which deficiency is relatively rare, having low vitamin D levels is incredibly common.

A study of more than 26,000 U.S. adults found that 29% were vitamin D deficient, and 41% were vitamin D insufficient according to thresholds outlined by the Endocrine Society. Those thresholds:

  • Vitamin D deficiency: Less than 20 ng/mL (or less than 50 nmol/l — serum level of vitamin D is measured in two different units of measurements)
  • Vitamin D insufficiency: Between 20 nmol/l and 30 ng/mL (or between 50 nmol/l and 75 nmol/l).

The risk for deficiency is even higher for those with darker skin. Their higher levels of melanin — natural pigments that make skin darker — naturally blocks UV light, hampering the body’s ability to readily make vitamin D with relatively modest sun exposure. One study, for example, found that a full 93% of African-American men living in Chicago had vitamin D levels below 30 ng/mL — the average was just 17.2 ng/mL — compared to 70% of Caucasian men who had insufficient vitamin D levels.

What’s more, your vitamin D stores may fluctuate with the season and can depend a lot on where you live and how much time you spend outside. For example, if you live in colder climates and spend long winters indoors, your levels during, say, December, are likely to be lower than they are in July.

Cottage against the night sky with the Milky Way and the arctic Northern lights Aurora Borealis in snow winter Finland, Lapland

So, it’s worth asking your doctor about getting tested at least once a year, if not twice, and about supplementing. Likewise, if you suffer from a chronic illness, which stresses cells and can deplete vitamin stores more readily, consider having your vitamin D levels tested a few times a year.

Guidelines on what vitamin D levels ideally should be vary a bit. For example, while the Endocrine Society recommends a target between 30 and 50 ng/mL, the National Institutes of Health considers between 20 and 50 ng/mL to be adequate for adults. In my former medical practice, I found that healthy people generally had levels between about 30 to 40 ng/mL.

And, although you’ll find some experts who suggest either you don’t need that much or need much more, be cautious — especially of overdoing it. Artificially boosting your levels higher than 50 ng/mL could cause neurological and other toxicity issues.

3 Ways to Get Vitamin D

Spend Time in the Sun.

This is not a free pass to skip SPF, however. Everyone’s skin is different and requires different exposure to fill their vitamin D coffers. However, the lighter your skin, the higher your risk of skin cancer and skin damage from unprotected UV exposure.

back view of woman canoeing on a sunny lake

So, find a balance of UV exposure and skin protection that works for you — and err on the side of caution. Maybe that means spending a few minutes in the sun first before reaching for your bottle of sunscreen. Or, perhaps you always protect the sensitive skin of your face, neck, and chest before leaving home, but keep your arms or legs exposed slightly longer.

One study in the U.K., for example, found that just 13 minutes of midday summer sun three times a week (exposed to only 35% of skin surface) yielded levels between 20 and 32 ng/mL for most Caucasians. African Americans, meanwhile, may need many times that amount, according to researchers.

When considering what might work for you, take into account factors such as:

  • Your tendency to burn
  • Your personal skin cancer risk, including your family history
  • Which areas on your body might need more protection
  • Whether you take supplements or consume fortified foods to fill any potential D gap

Eating plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables can also help provide some internal protection from small doses of sun exposure.

Eat Fatty Fish and Other Foods with Vitamin D.

Salmon and tuna are top food sources of D, while egg yolks and some cheeses also contain it in small amounts. And some foods, most notably milk, are fortified with vitamin D, so check labels.

Take a Vitamin D Supplement.

Supplements are an effective way to ensure you’re getting enough D no matter how much or little time outdoors you spend. The government’s recommended dietary allowance is 600 IU (or 15 mcg) per day for adults, but talk to your doctor about what might be best for you and how often to monitor levels.

Pile of fish oil omega 3 gel capsules on wooden board

For example, if you have darker skin you may need more than 600 IU — potentially up to 2,500 IU, suggests the researchers of the Chicago study. Those with chronic illnesses may want to consider taking more, as well. On the other hand, people with lighter skin who spend a lot of time outdoors during summer months may not need to supplement as much.

However you mix and match your lifestyle and dietary tactics to get enough vitamin D, now’s a good time to start paying attention if you aren’t already — for your immunity, bones, mood, heart and metabolic health, and overall wellness and longevity.

References
1. T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University. March 2020. “Vitamin D.” The Nutrition Source. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/
2. Aranow, Cynthia. “Vitamin D and the Immune System.” Journal of Investigative Medicine. 2011 Aug; 59(6): 881-886.
3. Ascherio, Alberto et al. “Vitamin D as an Early Predictor of Multiple Sclerosis Activity and Progression.” JAMA Neurol. 2014;71(3):306-314.
4. Ginde, Adit A. et al. “Association Between Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Level and Upper Respiratory Tract Infection in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.” Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(4):384-390.
5. Lee, Joseph, Oliver van Hecke and Nia Roberts. “Vitamin D: A rapid review of the evidence for treatment or prevention in COVID-19.” The Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. May 1, 2020. https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/vitamin-d-a-rapid-review-of-the-evidence-for-treatment-or-prevention-in-covid-19/
6. Raharusun, Prabowo et al. “Patterns of COVID-19 Mortality and Vitamin D: An Indonesian Study.” April 26, 2020. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3585561
7. Jorde, R. et al. “Effects of vitamin D supplementation on symptoms of depression in overweight and obese subjects: randomized double blind trial.” Journal of Internal Medicine. 2009. 264(6): 599-609.
8. Lips, Paul et al. “Vitamin D and Type 2 Diabetes.” J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2017 Oct;173:280-285.
9. Garland, Cedric F. et al. “Meta-analysis of All-Cause Mortality According to Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D.” Am J Public Health. 2014 August; 104(8): e43–e50.
10. Liu, Xuefeng, Ana Baylin and Phillip D. Levy. “Vitamin D Deficiency and Insufficiency Among US Adults: Prevalence, Predictors and Clinical Implications.” Br J Nutr 2018 Apr;119(8):928-936.
11. Northwestern University. “One size doesn’t fit all for vitamin D and men: African-American men in northern regions especially need high doses of supplements.” ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110920100100.htm.
12. National Institutes of Health. “Vitamin D: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.” https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
13. Rhodes, Lesley E. et al. “Recommended Summer Sunlight Exposure Levels Can Produce Sufficient (> or =20 Ng ml(-1)) but Not the Proposed Optimal (> or =32 Ng ml(-1)) 25(OH)D Levels at UK Latitudes.” J Invest Dermatol 2010 May;130(5):1411-8.

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For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/07/02/experts-criticize-government-review-of-vitamin-d-for-covid-19/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/01/10/vitamin-d-increases-protection-against-infection-new-model-suggests/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/03/12/the-importance-of-vitamin-d-k-and-magnesium-for-lyme-msids-patients/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/06/15/the-functional-medicine-approach-to-covid-19-virus-specific-nutraceutical-botanical-agents/