Doctors For Life April 2018 Newsletter

From the CEO’s desk Friends are at the heart of everything that’s done at Doctors for Life. There is an African proverb which says that one person’s arms cannot encompass a Baobab tree. We at DFL know it so well. It is impossible for us to accomplish everything by ourselves. We want to use this opportunity to thank everybody who contributed to our legal costs concerning the ‘Dagga’ case. Everything has been paid. We value our friends who make this ministry possible. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. May the Lord “meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).

Dr Albu van Eeden

Our Legal Corner

When reading newspaper articles pertaining to the use of dagga in South Africa, it is often difficult to understand the equality and discrimination debate in terms of the constitution as it relates to the dagga trial. To add to this difficulty, the daily proceedings during the trial in the High Court was streamed on the internet and many who watched them found it difficult to understand what was really happening in Court. Chapter Two of the Constitution contains the so-called Bill of Rights. In terms of its provisions, the State must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights in the Bill of Rights which include issues such as equality, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and others. The Plaintiffs in the so-called “dagga trial” are claiming, inter alia, for an order declaring that the legislative prohibition against the possession and use of Cannabis (Dagga) by adults is inconsistent with the Constitution and therefore invalid. The South African Constitution is the supreme law of the Republic and any law or conduct inconsistent with it is invalid and the obligations imposed by it must be fulfilled. Allow me to deal with only one of the issues referred to by the Plaintiffs in their claim. In terms of Section 9 of the Bill of Rights everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law, including the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms. In terms of section 9, the state or any person may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or any unspecified grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth. The equality clause distinguishes between two forms of unfair discrimination: discrimination on the specified grounds, for example, race, gender, disability and religion; and discrimination on those grounds which are not specified. In relation to the former, section 9 provides that prima facie proof of discrimination will create a rebuttable presumption that such discrimination is unfair. An applicant who alleges that he or she is discriminated against on an unspecified ground is not assisted by such a presumption. It is also of great importance to take note of the provisions of section 9(5): “Discrimination on one or more of the grounds listed in subsection (3) is unfair unless it is established that the discrimination is fair”. What then will be required of a Plaintiff who is of the opinion that the provisions of a particular law impose burdens, obligations and disadvantages on him beyond those applicable to other persons? What if he feels that he is unfairly discriminated against, notwithstanding the provisions of section 9 of the Constitution, and finds himself to be not equally protected before the law? To give an answer, one has to enquire as to the following: (1) Does the provision differentiate between people or categories of people? If so, does the differentiation bear a rational connection to a legitimate governmental purpose? If it does not, then there is a violation of section 9. Even if it does bear a rational connection, it might nevertheless amount to discrimination. (2) Does the differentiation amount to unfair discrimination? To answer the last question, does the differentiation amount to unfair discrimination, a two-staged analysis is required:
  1. Firstly, does the differentiation amount to “discrimination”? If it is on a specified ground, then discrimination will have been established. If it is not on a specified ground, then whether or not there was discrimination would depend upon whether, objectively, the ground was based on attributes and characteristics which have the potential to impair the fundamental human dignity of persons as human beings or to affect them adversely in a comparably serious manner.
  2. If the differentiation amounts to “discrimination”, did it amount to “unfair discrimination”? If it had been found to have been on a specified ground, unfairness would be presumed. If on an unspecified ground, unfairness would have to be established by the complainant. The test of unfairness focuses primarily on the impact of the discrimination on the complainant and others in his or her situation. If the differentiation was found not to be unfair, there would be no violation of section 9.
  3. If the discrimination is found to be unfair then a determination would have to be made as to whether the provision could be justified under the limitations clause, section 36 of the constitution.
Where does it leave us in the dagga issue? Now it is for Doctor’s for Life, the 8th Defendant in the case, to provide the Court with expert medical evidence which will outweigh any findings of unfair discrimination or unequal treatment. Through presenting scientific evidence, DFL hopes to convince the court that cannabis is a “gateway drug” with all its negative consequences. That cannabis in itself is harmful enough to justify keeping it an illegal substance.

Addiction – there is hope

Drug addiction is a reality that we can no longer ignore. It affects the parts of the brain that are involved in learning and memory, rewards and motivation and has control over behaviour. The DSM-5 classifies addiction as a Substance Use Disorder and is thus seen as a disease that affects both brain and behaviour. Because it is a disease it can be treated but it is not that simple. The main aim of treatment must be to assist the addict to not only stop using drugs, but to remain drug-free and become a productive community and family member. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) the following principles must be adhered to when treating drug addicts:
  1. One must bear in mind that drug abuse affects the brain and for that reason drug abusers are at risk for relapse even after long periods of abstinence.
  2. People are different and no single treatment is appropriate for everyone.
  3. Treatment must be readily available because potential patients can be lost if they are emotionally ready to receive treatment but it is not immediately available.
  4. Treatment must tend to the multiple needs of the individual and not just the drug abuse.
  5. The patient must ideally remain in treatment for an adequate period of time.
  6. Behaviour therapies – including individual, family and group counselling are common forms of treatment for addiction.
  7. Treatment plans must be assessed regularly and modified to accommodate the patients changing needs.
  8. Many drug-addicted individuals also have other mental disorders and must be assessed for that as well. They must also be tested for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C and tuberculosis. All the diagnosed disorders and diseases must be treated.
  9. Detoxification is only the first stage of addiction treatment but does not change the long-term abuse.
  10. Drug use should really be monitored throughout the treatment as lapses may occur during treatment. In South Africa there are relatively few government facilities for the treatment of addiction. The bulk of the burden at this stage is carried by the private sector which includes many faith based facilities.
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/principles-effective-treatment

LifeChild

The first week of January was a great start to this new year! A volunteer from England was eager to spend some time with our children. We visited centres and played different fun games with the children which really put a smile on their faces! It was a special time even for us to be around the children just showing them love and being interactive with them. Our volunteer taught the children some sewing skills after fixing the broken machine and they made little skirts together for the three year-old twin girls going to crèche this year. We were very grateful to have had a donation to purchase new school uniforms for our older teens along with new shoes, new school bags and stationary! We are very excited to see the garden at our centre growing so well and yielding some of the biggest eggplants and cabbages we have ever seen! The garden also has tomatoes, beetroot and butternut that are growing very well. This is great news for us because it means we will spend less on food for the centre and be able to concentrate on some other needs at the centre. For example, one of the buildings where we feed the children has been damaged by heavy rains and has since been put together using mud and wood. It is our desire to build a more stable unit to continue feeding the orphans in the Esifuleni area.

Prostitution

Feedback from the Prostitution Exit Program

We would like to thank you for praying for our project. God provided new cupboards for the bedroom we accommodate our ladies in. Thank God for sending donors from Switzerland to carry the costs of these cupboards. We are also very blessed with donations of clothes that come from time to time. We still need small sizes skirts (32, 34, 36) or material that we can make skirts from. The donors from Switzerland also bought us an over-locker machine and we have also have a standard sewing machine available to do sewing. The one ex-prostitute lady who stayed at our safe house passed her matric exams last year. Please continue to pray for the project. Ever since it started in the early 2000’s the project never stopped and we still do outreaches on Fridays to Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

Soli Deo Gloria

Abortion

In the USA we are so grateful for our new president Donald Trump. Yes, he is brash and sometimes talks like a ruffian but he is truly defending Christianity and the unborn. We often joke that he has the personality of a junkyard dog but a very brave and smart one. This year, at our annual March for life in January, Trump addressed the crowd. This is extremely rare. He also just launched a new Human Health Services (HHS) branch dedicated to protecting medical doctors and nurses who are opposed to abortion and are being coerced to perform them. We also have a petition running by Personhood Alliance that has already gained thousands of signatures asking Trump to make an executive order that directs all federal agencies to recognize the personhood of all children in the womb. When the petition was first posted it gained 700 signatures within the first half an hour. It is now in the thousands. During the election we had the slogan “Time to Drain the Swamp.” This refers to the corruption that has been so prevalent in our federal government and we often refer to Washington D.C. as the swamp. It takes a brave and determined man to “Drain the Swamp!”

By Professor Pat McEwen – DFL Volunteer USA

Aid to Africa

Personal Testimonies

Taxi accident near DFL’s Zavora/Sihane Clinic

“One Saturday someone came running to tell us that there had been a taxi accident and that the people were at the clinic door, waiting for help. Onlookers who were also standing by shouted, ‘there are more coming’! Cars brought more wounded people and family members as well as other people from the village who simply wanted to see what was going on. The taxi’s that pass by the hospital easily transport up to 20-30 people sitting on a back of an open pickup truck (bakkie) and so when an accident happens, there are often many people involved. It was difficult trying to keep focus because everyone was speaking, everyone wanted to be helped first and children were crying. Two of our co-workers who had heard what happened came to the hospital to help their friend Ester who was there for a visit and Elke Epp. Elke is a nurse from Germany who feels a calling to work at the new DFL clinic in Chikuluma in Malawi which is in the process of registration. She currently lives there with her husband. Mario Rocha, the manager of our Sihane clinic and Joy Smith were called as well. We commenced triage to identify those who were most badly wounded to take them to hospital first. Many of the patients needed advanced help that we could not supply at the clinic. “In the beginning I didn’t really think it was so serious” said Esther. “I had never seen anything like it, except on TV or in the news. I had never seen people up close that were so badly wounded. It was chaotic and the many onlookers made things so much more difficult “she explained. The people in general were all frightened because wherever one looked you saw blood and wounds. Even our visitor helped to take care of the wounded and we split up to take better care of the patients. We checked for vital signs and monitored the children. There was nobody free to help with the driving but after a lot of searching and persuading we found someone willing to take the last patients to Inharrime, 25 km away. One of the drivers, whose name we don’t have, was asked to help transport the patients to the nearest hospital and had this to say about the incident; “My sister-in-law was also in the vehicle involved in the accident and my brother called me to come to the hospital. She was the one with the broken collar bone. When I came to the clinic I felt compassion for the people. When I was asked if I could help to transport some people to the hospital at Inharrime, I hesitated because I was afraid of getting into trouble with the authorities, but then I decided to help them anyway.” All together we had 17 wounded people of which 3 were severely wounded, 8 of them were taken to the nearest hospital of which 3 were transferred to another hospital. We thank God that everybody survived.

By Alex Andrade – DFL Volunteer Germany

Outreaches to remote Mozambique villages

“I am so thankful to the Lord that I can still go on some Aid to Africa outreaches even though I have cancer. Although I cannot go as often as I originally did, each one that I am able to be a part of is a blessing. On a field outreach to some needy villages in Mozambique, Benerio Mazivilla, (who works in the DFL Sihane Clinic) helped me, both as an aid and an interpreter. I serve in testing and distributing glasses to those who are in need. Two doctors were also present to examine and treat patients with general and dental care. The areas are pretty remote and people cannot just go to an optometrist in a city to get testing and glasses. Later I spotted a lady who was an albino, in the cue. I asked Benerio to bring her in for a pair of sunglasses because the African sun often blinds the albino. After giving her the glasses I examined her and found that she already had severe vision loss. She could only count fingers at about 4 feet, even with a –10 lens, the strongest we can test for. I could not help her and was feeling so sorry that we had nothing to help her severe problem. She was almost blind. Prayerfully I looked through our glasses just in case. By God’s grace I found a –15 pair that also were very dark sunglass. When I took away the original sunglasses her face fell but when I placed the new pair on her face she burst into laughter as she could see. Our motto is “so the blind might see” and it means both physical and spiritual sight. She, like most of our patients, listened intently to the Gospel message and left with a tract in her native language clutched tightly to her chest. There is no joy like seeing someone’s eyes open to the Gospel.” Professor Pat McEwen has been going on medical outreaches with DFL since 2009.

By Professor Pat McEwen – DFL Volunteer USA

Devotion

Luke Chapter 9 Verse 57 -62

Luke 9:v57. As they were going along the road someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go”. Luke 9:v58. And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head”. Luke 9:v59. To another he said, “Follow me” but he said “Lord let me first go and bury my father”. Luke 9:v60. And Jesus said to him “Leave the dead to bury their own dead but as for you go and proclaim the Kingdom of God”. Luke 9:v61. Yet another said, “I will follow you Lord but let me first say farewell to those at home”. Luke 9:v62. Jesus said to him “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of god”. Here we find three different ways that people get to follow Christ. The first person was not invited but felt urged to follow the Lord. Some people may decide to follow Christ because they have a romantic notion about how it’s going to be. Here’s this man with His disciples moving around the country and it’s all so wonderful. But the Lord immediately brought him down to reality by telling him how harsh it would be to follow Him. The second man was actually called by Jesus. Such a person may feel the calling of the Lord. But he felt a moral obligation to bury his father, a basic duty of decency. But the Lord said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead but as for you go and proclaim the Kingdom of God”. There may be some things we consider to be moral, the right thing to do, the decent thing to do. But when Christ comes he changes that. And sometimes it sets us free because we may be carrying all kinds of moral burdens around God doesn’t expect of us. The third man said, “I will follow you but let me first say farewell to those at home”. This man was like the first; he took his own initiative to tell Jesus he would follow him. But he had preconditions – “Lord I will follow you but….” Jesus said to him “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of god”. People who constantly look back become a burden in God’s work because even after being encouraged, they can’t stop looking back. What a challenge! What a judgement if Jesus says we are not fit for the Kingdom of God if we put our hand to the plough and then look back. These verses tell us that if we decide to follow Christ that it must be with total surrender. It must be without any preconditions and we must be willing to experience discomfort and humiliation.

By Dr. Albu van Eeden


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LIFEalerts: 06 April 2018

Abortion

USA – You won’t support abortion if you see what it looks like USA – Legal abortion is not safe for the mother or the baby

Alternative Medicine

Spain – Woman dies after ‘bee sting’ alternative therapy France – Doctors condemn ‘alternative medicines’ India – Medical Association Opposes National Medical Commission Bill

Euthanasia

USA – Bioethicists in favor of pediatric euthanasia

IVF and Surrogacy

[No news today]

Medical Ethics

India – Landmark ruling on advanced directives and withdrawal of treatment USA – Artificial Intelligence Is Infiltrating Medicine — But Is It Ethical?

Pedophilia

[No news today]

Pornography

USA – Shocking illegal content found in the Bitcoin Blockchain UK – Tough new laws will block X-rated videos online USA – Porn’s ‘devastating effects on children, family and society’

Same Sex Attraction

UK – The problem with having 63 different genders UK – Have we gone too far?

Sexual Exploitation

South Africa – MP caucus takes submissions on prostitution USA – ‘A Victory for Survivors’: Congress Passes Anti-Sex Tracking Bill

Substance Abuse

UK – One in 10 Sober People Have Cocaine or Heroin on Their Fingertips

Abortion

USA – You won’t support abortion if you see what it looks like

A pro-life group called Live Action posted a three and a half minute video of a social experiment on abortion supporters. In the video they asked abortion supporters to watch a clip on the medical procedure which resulted in all of them changing their minds. Watching the abortion procedure video by former abortionist, Anthony Levatino, was enough to change their stance on abortion for good. This also tells us that many abortion supporters do not fully understand the implications of abortion on the mother or what is happening to the child in the womb. Abortion companies confuse the public by using deceptive language like ‘clump of tissue’ or ‘product of conception’ in order to distort and deny the baby’s personhood. https://youtu.be/0xWQHhqOAcg [back to top]

USA – Legal abortion is not safe for the mother or the baby

Tyler Sheppard lost his sister Cree, a 24-year-old mother to a botched abortion done by Planned Parenthood (PP). Before Cree died after she went to the emergency room where an ultrasound was done that showed a clot and baby parts of an incomplete abortion. Cree was only discharged and told to follow-up with her doctor at PP. A short video posted by pro-life group called Live Action names and lists the many women who have died as a result of having an abortion. Abortion is a gamble with more than one life, making it legal does not make it safer. https://youtu.be/x4m2tpNCxpE [back to top]

Alternative Medicine

Spain – Woman dies after ‘bee sting’ alternative therapy

A 55-year-old was undergoing a session of apitherapy, an acupuncture treatment which uses the sting of live bees instead of needles to treat stiff muscles and stress, when she died from an anaphylactic shock. “To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of death by bee venom apitherapy due to complications of severe anaphylaxis in a confirmed sensitized patient who was previously tolerant,” wrote the report’s co-authors, Paula Vazquez-Revuelta and Ricardo Madrigal-Burgaleta of the Ramon Cajal University Hospital in Spain. https://www.thelocal.es/20180322/woman-dies-in-spain-after-bee-string-alternative-therapy [back to top]

France – Doctors condemn ‘alternative medicines’

A total 124 doctors signed an open letter criticizing alternative medicines such as homeopathy as having ‘no scientific basis’. The letter published in Le Figaro with 124 signatories says such ‘esoteric disciplines’ are ‘fed by charlatans’ and ‘have no scientific basis’ but are ‘based on beliefs promising miraculous healing’. “We wish to dissociate ourselves completely from practices that are neither scientific nor ethical, but rather irrational and dangerous,” the letter reads. They said that alternative medicines promote a ‘mistrust’ of conventional treatment and can ‘delay diagnosis’. The writers demand that the Conseil de l’ordre des médecins et[des] pouvoirs publics stops recognizing alternative treatments as medical, stops teaching them in medical training and call for a halt to covering the costs of such treatments. https://www.connexionfrance.com/index.php/French-news/Doctors-condemn-alternative-medicines [back to top]

India – Medical Association Opposes National Medical Commission Bill

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), the largest body of private doctors in India has opposed a National Medical Commission bill (NMC) which proposes to allow doctors of alternative medicines to practice modern medicine after completing a “bridge course”. Protesting against the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee, the IMA has called for an indefinite strike. The NMC bill allows practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homeopathy and ayurveda to practice modern medicine. The Bill also proposes that the National Licentiate Examination (NLE) should be made compulsory for any doctor, including a foreign graduate, to make them eligible to practice medicine in India. The parliamentary panel has suggested integrating the NLE with the final year MBBS exam. http://ehealth.eletsonline.com/2018/03/ima-opposes-national-medical-commission-bill/ [back to top]

Euthanasia

USA – Bioethicists in favor of pediatric euthanasia

The Pediatrics medical journal asked Dutch and American bioethicists whether they would support repealing all age limits for euthanasia in the Netherlands as Belgium has. Euthanasia in the Netherlands is legal, starting at age 12. Indeed, the infanticide-allowing Groningen Protocol isn’t technically legal but is virtually never punished and specifically does not require that the baby killed be otherwise dying. Under the Groningen Protocol, serious disabilities justify infanticide. In the Netherlands research has shown that medical practice has changed dramatically since the legalization of Euthanasia. Since 2017 euthanasia deaths have increased to 8{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4}from 2016 with 6091 reported deaths, a 10{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} increase. Use of potentially life-shortening medication and continuous deep sedation to relieve end-of-life suffering is common practice in the Netherlands. The frequency of physician assistance in dying is similar to the rate that was recently reported in Belgium, one of the few countries in which physician assistance in dying are also allowed. About half of all requests for physician assistance in dying were granted in 2015. It’s a very big deal that a respected Dutch medical journal such as Pediatrics hosted a debate on the ethical propriety of child euthanasia without international criticism. This means that among the medical intelligentsia, child euthanasia has become a respectable proposition. http://alexschadenberg.blogspot.co.za/ [back to top]

IVF and Surrogacy

[No news today]

Medical Ethics

India – Landmark ruling on advanced directives and withdrawal of treatment

India’s Supreme Court has handed down a landmark ruling authorizing the use of “living wills” and streamlining the process for the withdrawal of treatment from dying patients. The ruling allows adults to write an advance directive indicating that they do not wish to receive life support if in a comatose or permanent vegetative state. The five-judge panel also outlined a process by which doctors and family members could apply through the courts to have life support withdrawn from a terminally ill and incapacitated patient. The ruling comes three years after the death of Aruna Shanbaug, an Indian nurse who had been in hospital in a persistent vegetative state for over four decades, after being raped and strangled in 1973. Shanbaug was at the centre of a nationwide debate over the ethics and legality of the withdrawal of treatment. “This is an important, historic decision, which clears the air,” said Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan. “Everybody will breathe a sigh of relief, because people were earlier apprehensive that if they withdrew life support, they could be prosecuted for culpable homicide,” he added. https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/landmark-indian-court-decision-on-acds-and-withdrawal-of-treatment/12626 [back to top]

USA – Artificial Intelligence Is Infiltrating Medicine — But Is It Ethical?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being embraced by hospitals and other healthcare organizations that use the technology to do everything from interpreting CT scans to predicting which patients are most likely to suffer debilitating falls while being treated. Electronic medical records are scoured and run through algorithms designed to help doctors pick the best cancer treatments based on the mutations in patients’ tumors, or predict their likelihood to respond well to a treatment regimen based on past experiences of similar patients. But a group of Stanford University physicians contend that AI raises ethical challenges that healthcare leaders must anticipate and deal with before they embrace this technology. “Remaining ignorant about the construction of machine-learning systems or allowing them to be constructed as black boxes could lead to ethically problematic outcomes,” they wrote in an editorial published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine. One reason that AI concerns the physicians is that biases could inadvertently be introduced into algorithms. “What if the algorithm is designed around the goal of saving money?” asks senior author David Magnus, director of the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics, in a statement. “What if different treatment decisions about patients are made depending on insurance status or their ability to pay?” They urge other healthcare leaders to adopt a similar system of checks and balances when designing and implementing AI. If they don’t “…the electronic collective memory may take on an authority that was perhaps never intended. Clinicians may turn to machine learning for diagnosis and advice about treatments—not simply as a support tool,” they warned in the NEJM article. “If that happens, machine-learning tools will become important actors in the therapeutic relationship and will need to be bound by the core ethical principles, such as beneficence and respect for patients that have guided clinicians.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/arleneweintraub/2018/03/16/artificial-intelligence-is-infiltrating-medicine-but-is-it-ethical/#fba63863a24b [back to top]

Pedophilia

[No news today]

Pornography

USA – Shocking illegal content found in the Bitcoin Blockchain

The Bitcoin world is shocked by a revelation that could threaten the existence of the world’s foremost crypto currency. An analysis of the Bitcoin blockchain, the publicly accessible ledger of transactions which the system is built on, has revealed the data is irrevocably tainted with irremovable links to illegal child pornography, which are inevitably distributed among and by all users of the currency. The discovery of this, in addition to other questionable and possibly outlawed content stored within the blockchain, hypothetically makes Bitcoin ownership illegal in almost every country that has laws against pornography. A group of researchers from Germany’s RWTH Aachen University uncovered more than 1,600 inserted files on the blockchain, over 99 percent of which are texts or images, including links to child pornography. https://www.sciencealert.com/bitcoin-illegal-almost-everywhere-after-shocking-blockchain-discovery-child-pornography [back to top]

UK – Tough new laws will block X-rated videos online

The Government is planning on forcing people who watch porn to give over personal details if they want to carry on viewing. The age-check scheme is being rolled-out that will automatically stop people being able to access explicit material on their computers. This default setting can only be side-stepped by signing up to an age-verification program that means you’ll have to hand over info to identify yourself, such as passport details. The British Board of Film Classification which gives ratings to movies on the UK will be tasked with deciding which sites count as X-rated. https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/691283/porn-online-pornhub-redtube-uk-block-websites [back to top]

USA – Porn’s ‘devastating effects on children, family and society’

The first End Exploitation summit in 2018 features interviews with experts on the issue of pornography and how it hurts those who view it. Pornography viewers, says the documentary, often turn their now-distorted views on life, love, and sex towards secondary victims of porn. According to Family Watch International president Sharon Slater, the documentary (The Porn Pandemic: The Devastating Effects on Children, Family and Society) presents scientific evidence, expert commentary and personal testimonies showing the addictive nature of pornography. Slater continues by saying that “porn addictions can lead to violence against women, prostitution, trafficking in persons, and sexual crimes against women and children,” which are highlighted in the video. “The Porn Pandemic” link is below and is approximately 28 minutes long. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/the-porn-pandemic-documentary-shows-porns-devastating-effects-on-children-f [back to top]

Same Sex Attraction

UK – The problem with having 63 different genders

The BBC show ‘Daily Politics interviewed Melanie Phillips, a British Journalist, author, public commentator and LGBT rights activist on the issue of transgenderism. Phillips raised concerns on the 2020 proposal for the census whereby a third gender called ‘other’ offends transgender people. She said if any more gender options are added the census will no longer be a reliable principal source of statistics on the men and women in the country and this will hinder planning for services. Phillips explains that the transphobic label is being used as a weapon with an intolerant set of attitudes masquerading as compassion. https://youtu.be/tQlAhwwuG0E [back to top]

UK – Have we gone too far?

A new ‘trend’ called ‘trans-species’ has people believing they can live as animals and ‘trans-aging’ has people believing it is normal for a 52-year-old man to live as a six-year-old girl. We are also witnessing a push by paedophiles to normalise their sexual attraction to young children. All these ‘trends’ are considered, in psychology, to be atypical and extreme conditions that are harmful. This is a classic example of how progressively worse things can get with no end in sight when we decide to move the goal posts of what is healthy and normal. As health care workers we should have compassion on such people but by no means encourage this behaviour. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/transaging-father-leaves-wife-7-children-to-live-as-6-year-old-girl [back to top]

Sexual Exploitation

South Africa – MP caucus takes submissions on prostitution

Submissions have been heard on the SA Law Reform Commission’s report on prostitution. Just some of the participants were the Women’s Legal Centre (WLC) and the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), Embrace Dignity, Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation SA, Sex Workers Education & Advocacy Taskforce, Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation SA, trade union federation Cosatu and Doctors For Life International. Errol Naidoo of the Family Policy Institute said in a statement through the Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation SA, which represents 31 organisations, that a decriminalised sex industry was the worst possible policy for SA. Chairperson, Masefele Morutoa said: “The SALRC report recommended either continued criminalisation or partial criminalisation, but no position was taken by Cabinet as yet.” https://citizen.co.za/news/1845663/mp-summit-takes-a-peak-at-sex-work/#.Wp5FWnjBFAc.facebook [back to top]

USA – ‘A Victory for Survivors’: Congress Passes Anti-Sex Tracking Bill

At long last Congress has passed a bill to combat online sex trafficking now that the Senate has approved the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA), 97 to 2. It’s been a wide-open secret for years: pimps and traffickers use websites like BackPage to advertise women and children for sale. Law enforcement has turned to these sites to find criminals and victims but the prosecution of the internet companies has been largely out of the question. “Hopefully it will send a signal to people that sex exploitation isn’t the business to get in now,” said Lisa Thompson, vice president of research and education for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation. https://endsexualexploitation.org/articles/cbn-victory-survivors-congress-passes-anti-sex-tracking-bill-targets-backpage-bad-actors/ [back to top]

Substance Abuse

UK – One in 10 Sober People Have Cocaine or Heroin on Their Fingertips

There’s a lot of cocaine and heroin in the world and there’s a good chance you have some on your hands right now. A new paper published in the journal of Clinical Chemistry found that 13{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of drug-free study participants had traces of drugs on their fingertips. The participants were tested at the University of Surrey and had enough drugs on their hands to trip instruments and it did not go away when participants washed their hands. This study was confirmed by chemists who already knew that trace amounts of drugs are everywhere, said Rolf Halden, director of the Bio-design Center for Environmental Health Engineering at Arizona State University USA. ”Think of drugs on paper money,” used in conjunction with drugs said Halden. https://www.livescience.com/62099-cocaine-heroine-drug-finger-fingerprints.html [back to top] Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for Life International]]>

LIFEalerts 14 March 2018

Abortion

Ireland – Abortion is not Ireland’s standardUSA – Five states join 22 others to oppose abortion

Alternative Medicine

New Zealand – Pharmacy Councils’ position on alternative medicines disappointingUSA – FDA warns of fraudulent and unapproved flu products USA – Herbalist who replaced insulin with oils charged with teen’s death

Euthanasia

Sweden – Mechanisms propelling euthanasia/assisted suicide movementJapan – Is the WMA going to change on euthanasia? USA – Rejection of proposed New Hampshire assisted suicide Bill USA – Discussion of possible Hawaiian assisted suicide

IVF and Surrogacy

[No news today]

Medical Ethics

USA – Former NFL players turn to stem-cell therapies for helpNetherlands – Parliament passes opt-out organ donation law USA – Biohacking: the future of the biosciences? USA – Potential organ donors fear inadequate treatment

Pedophilia

[No news today]

Pornography

South Africa- Award-winning film is classified as hard-core pornographyUSA – Porn makes men prefer sex with robots over real women

Same Sex Attraction

UK – LGBT group linked to paedophilia ringUSA – Challenging the transgender narrative

Sexual Exploitation

South Africa – What the price of prostitutes teaches about SA economyIreland – ‘It’s not normal’ ex prostitute calls for crackdown on escort agency websites

Substance Abuse

USA – Vaping debate: do e-cigarettes cause cancer?USA – Study: “Medical marijuana” outlets don’t only sell to the sick South Africa – Durban calls for halt on supply of free syringes to addicts USA – Judge tosses lawsuit challenging federal marijuana laws

Abortion

Ireland – Abortion is not Ireland’s standard

Abortion group Amnesty International is seeking to repeal Irelands’ abortion ban with money donated by billionaire George Soros. Amnesty was ordered by the Irish Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) to take back the $160,964 donation. The money was intended to fund the “My Body, My Rights” campaign but Ireland’s finance laws prohibits foreign donors from giving to groups that seek to sway elections or public policy. https://www.onenewsnow.com/pro-life/2017/12/24/ireland-to-soros-take-back-your-abortion-money [back to top]

USA – Five states join 22 others to oppose abortion

In the USA, five more states have raised the standards to oppose the killing of the unborn. Pro-lifers have managed to raise awareness and win the hearts of 27 states in an incredible display of effort and persistence to protect the babies in the womb. South Carolina, Florida, West Virginia, Mississippi and Iowa – all voted on restricting or banning abortions. The most impressive of the recent five states is Iowa that voted to ban all types of abortions and doctors who perform abortions after a foetal heartbeat is detected could be facing felony charges and five years in prison. https://www.liveaction.org/news/south-carolina-state-senate-will-vote-on-personhood-bill/ https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-mississippi-senate-votes-to-ban-abortions-after-15-weeks https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/west-virginia/articles/2018-03-05/west-virginia-house-opposes-constitutional-abortion-rights https://rewire.news/article/2018/03/02/iowa-state-senate-passes-unconstitutional-total-abortion-ban/ https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/florida-passes-bill-banning-dismemberment-abortions [back to top]

Alternative Medicine

New Zealand – Pharmacy Councils’ position on alternative medicines disappointing

The New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) is disappointed that the Pharmacy Council has weakened its stand on selling non-evidence based products. “The latest version of the Pharmacy Code of Ethics, permits pharmacists to supply complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) that have no current evidence of proven efficacy,” says NZMA Chair Dr Kate Baddock. “This is particularly serious given the lack of regulation in this area, now that the Natural Products Bill has been dropped from the Parliamentary agenda.”The proposed Bill was a ‘backstop’, which meant that pharmacists could rely on the regulator to consider evidence and quality. “Evidence-based medicine is a key tenet of the medical profession’s Code of Ethics, maintained by the NZMA. It is most disappointing that our colleagues in the pharmacy profession do not share this.” http://www.voxy.co.nz/health/5/305263 [back to top]

USA – FDA warns of fraudulent and unapproved flu products

“This year the flu has been widespread, impacting millions of patients across the country, and leading to a new record number of flu-related hospitalizations,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. “We understand the toll this year’s flu season has taken on peoples’ lives. As the flu continues to make people sick and even cause deaths, unscrupulous actors may also be taking advantage of unsuspecting consumers by promoting their fraudulent products that have not been reviewed by the FDA to be safe and effective. The FDA is warning consumers to be alert and to try and steer clear of fraudulent flu products, which may be found online or in retail stores. We’re advising consumers on some of the telltale signs to look for when trying to spot flu products that may be fraudulent. https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm599223.htm [back to top]

USA – Herbalist who replaced insulin with oils charged with teen’s death

An herbalist who claimed he used alternative medicine to cure his own cancer has been charged with the death of a 13-year-old boy after he allegedly replaced his insulin with herbal oils. Timothy Morrow, 83, was charged with child abuse, causing death and practicing medicine without a license, Los Angeles city attorney Mike Feuer said in a statement. When the boy became semi-comatose in August 2014 due to complications from his diabetes, Morrow told his parents to treat their son with the herbal oils he sold rather than insulin which was prescribed by qualified medical doctors. Type 1 Diabetes is caused by an autoimmune response which stops the body from making insulin. According to the Centers for Disease Control people with Type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day in order to survive. http://www.newsweek.com/herbalist-who-cured-cancer-herbs-charged-death-after-treating-boys-diabetes-836132 [back to top]

Euthanasia

Sweden – Mechanisms propelling euthanasia/assisted suicide movement

An article by Swedish researcher Fabian Stahle, in the Journal of Medical Ethics in Mental Health explains the mechanism of the euthanasia lobby to change the concept of killing through the mechanism known as Moral Disengagement. By examining Albert Bandura’s theory of Moral Disengagement based on social cognitive theory to justify acts that are otherwise considered inhumane to become acceptable, the pro-euthanasia movement uses highly potent psychological mechanisms to propel its agenda and coerce well-socialized persons into participating and accepting the killing of fellow human-beings. Operating at the behavior locus are three separate disengagement mechanisms that convert the construal of injurious conduct into righteous conduct. Moral justification is used to vindicate injurious means. Second, by the use of sanitizing euphemistic language, injurious conduct is rendered benign. Exonerative comparison with even more flagrant inhumanities is a third mechanism for cloaking injurious behavior in an aura of benevolence. http://www.jemh.ca/issues/v9/documents/JEMH{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4}20article{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4}20Stahle{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4}20final{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4}20proof{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4}20-{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4}20copy-edited.pdf [back to top]

Japan – Is the WMA going to change on euthanasia?

Even though the legalisation of euthanasia has been gathering momentum around the world, the World Medical Association (WMA) has refused to support it. Dr John Lee, the president of Fédération Internationale des Associations de Médecins Catholiques (FIAMC) has issued a stark warning about impending changes in WMA policy. The WMA has plans to introduce two policy measures to facilitate worldwide abortion and euthanasia by curtailing doctors’ conscientious objection. By saying that the WMA does not condemn physicians who perform euthanasia where it is legal, the WMA is saying that euthanasia can be ethical if it is legal. https://www.mercatornet.com/careful/view/is-the-world-medical-association-going-to-change-on-euthanasia/21078 [back to top]

USA – Rejection of proposed New Hampshire assisted suicide Bill

Bill SB 490 was defeated by 12 votes to 10 which would have opened a “gateway” for legalizing physician assisted suicide. Assisted suicide has become a cost cutting measure that puts a dollar sign between the patient and caregiver. Palliative, rehabilitative and psychological care will always be more expensive than a lethal dose of a drug. Neutrality on assisted suicide is never acceptable policy. Honest discussion of end-of-life issues in New Hampshire has to begin with calling assisted suicide by its right name. The New Hampshire Senate, by a narrow margin, refused to be neutral. https://www.nhcornerstone.org/latest-news/senate-rejects-assisted-suicide/ [back to top]

USA – Discussion of possible Hawaiian assisted suicide

A joint committee hearing scheduled for February 2018 will discuss the legislation of physician assisted suicide in the state of Hawaii. House Bill 2739 which is modeled after California’s law entitled ‘Our Care, Our Choice’ would institute a process where adult residents in Hawaii with a medically confirmed terminal illness, and less than six months to live, could request a prescription for medication that would end their life. https://patientsrightsaction.org/hearing-set-for-a-bill-that-would-legalize-assisted-suicide-in-hawaii/ [back to top]

IVF and Surrogacy

[No news today]

Medical Ethics

USA – Former NFL players turn to stem-cell therapies for help

Several former members of the Dallas Cowboys had received experimental stem-cell therapy in Mexico to deal with pain and injuries. Bob Lilly, once a top defensive lineman, said he had received two separate treatments offered by Texas stem cell company Celltex. “I have no pain,” Lilly said. “And that’s pretty unusual when you’ve played 24 years of football”. Several of Celltex’s treatments are yet to be approved by the FDA, and in many cases the company flies clients to Mexico to receive stem cell injections. Bur neurologist Michael De Georgia of Cleveland Medical Centre cautions: “we need to be very cautious about claims and promises to patients who may be under the assumption or the belief that this therapy has been shown to be effective, and it hasn’t”. https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/former-nfl-players-turn-to-stem-cell-therapies-for-help/12606 [back to top]

Netherlands – Parliament passes opt-out organ donation law

The Dutch parliament has narrowly passed a bill that requires every person over 18 to notify government officials if they do not want to be an organ donor. The law is intended to reduce pressure on next-of-kin, who are often required to make decisions about organ donation on behalf of the deceased. Critics have complained that it puts too much authority in the hands of the government over what happens to a citizen after their death. Bioethicist Wesley J Smith suggested that in some cases euthanasia “without request or consent” could be combined with presumed consent for organ donation: “a patient could very conceivably be both killed and harvested without having requested it”. https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/netherlands-passes-opt-out-organ-donation-law/12605 [back to top]

USA – Biohacking: the future of the biosciences?

Biohacking, or do-it-yourself biology, attempts to take what have traditionally been university or institute-based scientific disciplines – molecular biology, genetics, bioengineering, and so forth – and make them more available to the general public. Several grass-roots biohacking organisations have surfaced in recent years, including biophysicist Josiah Zayner’s company The Odin. Zayner aims to make experimental biotechnologies available to the public – particularly equipment for genetic engineering. “One of my big problems with academic and medical science is [that] lots of stuff…won’t be available to the general public for 10, 20, 30, 40 years…How do you expect this technology go forward if they aren’t testing, playing around it? What is too early and what is too late? I don’t know if there’s an answer. The US Food and Drug Administration recently issued a harshly worded statement cautioning consumers against DIY gene-therapy kits and calling their sale illegal. https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/biohacking-the-future-of-the-biosciences/12612 [back to top]

USA – Potential organ donors fear inadequate treatment

According to an article published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons medical researchers from Emory University found the main deterrent for organ donation is a misperception that one will receive inadequate medical care if registered as an organ donor. The results of the survey also indicated other factors deterring people from donating such an increased cost for the donor family when donating organs. “Educating the public regarding these and other misperceptions is desperately needed,” says Dr Marty T. Sellers of Emory University School of Medicine, the lead author of the paper. “With education, we believe this would convert more eligible donors into actual donors, which would shorten waiting times and allow transplantation earlier in a disease process. https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/potential-organ-donors-fear-inadequate-treatment/12610 [back to top]

Pedophilia

[No news today]

Pornography

South Africa- Award-winning film is classified as hard-core pornography

South Africa’s award-winning film Inxeba (The Wound), has been classified as X18 by the Film and Publication Board Appeal Tribunal after protest from interests groups CONTRALESA Gauteng and The Men and Boy Foundation because of elements of sex, language, nudity, violence and Prejudice”. The film can only be distributed from designated adult premises. The reclassification of Inxeba also follows multiple protests against the film’s screening. This included a protest at a Nu Metro cinema in Port Elizabeth at the start of February. Protesters called for a boycotting of the film and the mall which hosted the cinema. https://mybroadband.co.za/news/broadcasting/248737-south-africas-latest-award-winning-film-has-been-classified-as-hard-core-pornography-by-the-fpb.html [back to top]

USA – Porn makes men prefer sex with robots over real women

Internet pornography has caused men to prefer robotic sex dolls rather than women, according to a man profiting by this booming new sex doll industry. The overuse of pornography has perpetuated unrealistic expectations about women that cause men to turn to robotic dolls. The creator of the “Samantha” robot, Arran Wright, claimed that his robot responds when you tell her you love her. He also boasted that his robot can go into “family” mode and interact with his children. Critics of sex doll robots say that the child-like ones that have been created will increase, rather than reduce, sex abuse by paedophiles. There are also robots that can be programmed to respond as if they are being raped. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/sex-robot-manufacturer-porn-makes-men-prefer-sex-with-robots-over-real-wome [back to top]

Same Sex Attraction

UK – LGBT group linked to paedophilia ring

An LGBT group in the UK has been urged to investigate allegations of connections to a paedophile ring after Matthew Sephton, 42, the former chairman of the group, was jailed and convicted at Manchester Crown Court for sharing the most horrendous child abuse images. Apparently the group was warned three years ago of suspicious activity within the gay rights group linking them to a wider paedophile scandal. It is alarming to see so many reports surfacing on the LGBT groups and the link to paedophile activity. http://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/01/28/mail-sunday-tory-party-lgbt-group-linked-paedophile-ring/ [back to top]

USA – Challenging the transgender narrative

In a short video clip Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson challenges Zac Petkanas, a Democratic National Committee Senior Advisor on the issue of ‘gender-neutral’ bathrooms. Petkanas was adamant that you don’t need any other way to define you’re gender other than what you say it is. Carlson asked whether a scientific foundation exists for concluding that a man becomes a woman by saying he is now a woman and does he then get to play women’s sports because he says he is a woman. The thought that you can be ‘gender-neutral’ or one of 50 other gender options has never been attempted in human history and has confused and concerned many American people. https://youtu.be/jWJ8WCNjpME [back to top]

Sexual Exploitation

South Africa – What the price of prostitutes teaches about SA economy

High unemployment rates, a symptom of an ailing economy, have meant that many young people find their only source of income in selling their bodies. What’s more, it’s a case of small change in the sex trade in small towns across the country. Marius Oosthuizen, a leadership, strategy and ethics expert at the Gordon Institute of Business Science says he pays close attention to the price of prostitutes in his field work because it helps provide a nuanced sense of the micro-economy. In the rural areas it costs just R50. What he sees is tragic and underscores a major block in kick starting economic growth. South Africa has a largely consolidated economic sector that is unlikely to create jobs on a massive scale without significant policy change. https://www.biznews.com/thought-leaders/2018/02/23/prostitutes-sa-micro-economy/ [back to top]

Ireland – ‘It’s not normal’ ex prostitute calls for crackdown on escort agency websites

Rachel Moran was forced to work in prostitution at just 15-years-old after she became homeless. Now 42, she is urging the government to shut down escort agency websites and put pimps out of business to try and end Ireland’s prostitution problem. The business of having your body used is relentlessly traumatic for any woman who has any type of sense of herself. “It’s not normal to use a human being like a sex doll”. Research has found that one in 12 Irish men pay for sex and that there are around 1,000 people working as prostitutes. “There is no such thing as sex work, because prostitution is neither sex, nor work, its sexual abuse and monetized molestations. The Government needs to shut down the online escort agencies. “It’s a really ridiculous situation when you have a law that criminalizes a behavior, but you have a website that facilitates the same behavior. https://www.thesun.ie/news/2223457/ex-prostitute-rachel-moran-calls-for-crackdown-on-escort-agency-websites-as-she-relives-relentlessly-traumatic-life-as-an-escort/ [back to top]

Substance Abuse

USA – Vaping debate: do e-cigarettes cause cancer?

Latest research on health impacts of the growing trend in E-cigarette devices are promoted as a safer alternative to tobacco .New US research shows that vaping is “far from harmless” and could pose a serious health risk. A US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine review examined the effects of e-cigarette smoke on mice and lab-grown human cells by exposing them to a 10mg/ml e-cigarette solution for three hours a day, five days a week, for four months. This dose would be equivalent to light vaping for ten years, say the researchers, from the New York University School of Medicine. The mice exposed to e-cigarette smoke had “higher levels of DNA damage” in the heart, lungs, and bladder, compared with a control group exposed to filtered air, according to the team. Scientists also recorded damage to the human cells that in turn inhibits the process whereby the body repairs them and increases the possibility of cancer. http://www.theweek.co.uk/checked-out/91552/vaping-debate-do-e-cigarettes-cause-cancer [back to top]

USA – Study: “Medical marijuana” outlets don’t only sell to the sick

A study of four medical marijuana outlets in California showed that dispensaries attracted many customers outside of their immediate area and appeared to target specific ethnic, gender and/or age groups. “If you need a prescription, you’re not going to go across town to fill it — you’re going to go to the pharmacy closest to where you live. That’s what we should be seeing with medical marijuana dispensaries.” said Bridget Freisthler, co-author of the study and professor of social work at Ohio State University. Instead, these dispensaries are acting more like bars, which develop niche markets she said. “While there has been speculation that medical dispensaries target recreational users, now we are starting to collect evidence that suggests this is true,” she said. The results appear online in the journal Substance Use & Misuse. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180212085851.htm [back to top]

South Africa – Durban calls for halt on supply of free syringes to addicts

Mayor Zandile Gumede tasked City officials to urgently address the issue and said while the matter was being investigated that the distribution of syringes to drug addicts must stop. The city’s Legal Compliance Unit has also been approached to provide an opinion on the legality of supplying the syringes with needles to communities without ensuring a proper, restricted disposal process by the project owner. Officials were finding a number of discarded, used syringes on the beachfront which had to be cordoned off for safety reasons. “An investigation was launched and it was discovered that a company operating in Durban has been supplying syringes to the public who requested it, as a way to stop the sharing of syringes. However, there are no control measures in place regarding disposal,” deputy mayor Fawzia peer added. “They are using the syringes and leaving it on the ground. However, this company has a memorandum of agreement with the national and provincial departments of health to supply syringes. She added that it was a serious concern and a societal problem with youngsters being given leeway to do drugs. https://bereamail.co.za/128615/city-calls-halt-supply-free-syringes-addicts/ [back to top]

USA – Judge tosses lawsuit challenging federal marijuana laws

A judge dismissed a lawsuit challenging federal laws criminalizing marijuana as unconstitutional, saying the five plaintiffs had failed to pursue changes in the drug’s legal status by first going through the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein did not address the plaintiffs claim that marijuana has medical benefits, but said the DEA has the authority to make that decision and not the courts. Michael Hiller, lead attorney for the plaintiffs said they would appeal the decision. The suit originally was filed as a growing number of states broke with the federal government and declared marijuana to be legal. Thirty have now legalized it in some fashion, including six for recreational use. The lawsuit challenged the listing of marijuana as a Schedule I drug, a category that includes heroin and LSD. The federal government says drugs under that classification have no accepted medical use and cannot legally be prescribed. www.pressherald.com/2018/02/27/judge-tosses-lawsuit-challenging-federal-marijuana-laws/ [back to top] Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for Life International  ]]>

Special Life Alert: USA – Yale data: Cancer patients relying on unproven alternative treatments likely to die two and a half times sooner

a July article by several Yale physicians is the most-discussed paper ever published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI). The title of this blockbuster: “Use of Alternative Medicine for Cancer and Its Impact on Survival.” “It struck a chord,” said senior author James Yu, MD, MHS, Associate Professor of Therapeutic Radiology. The Yale researchers used the U.S. National Cancer Database to collect information on patients with breast, lung, colon, and prostate cancer from 2004 to 2013. They looked for people who reported using only unproven alternative treatments instead of conventional medical therapies such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. The researchers found 280 such people and then compared their outcomes after 5½ years to 560 people with the same cancer, diagnosis, age, and race who had received conventional treatment. The results were clear. Patients who initially relied on unproven alternatives were, on average, 250{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} times more likely to die within the 5½ year window. Within particular cancers, the risk associated with alternative medicine was often much worse—almost 600{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} higher for patients with breast cancer, 400{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} for colon cancer and 200{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} for lung cancer. The researchers have some theories about this seeming conundrum. Dr. Johnson mentions the Dunning-Kruger effect, in which people overestimate their knowledge, in part by relying on the Internet. Could this be true? Skyler Johnson, MD, Resident in Therapeutic Radiology and the paper’s lead author thinks the discrepancy in survival rates would be even more alarming if the patients had been followed for longer than five years to take into account slow-growing cancers such as prostate cancer. He also calls the 280 people identified as using only alternative medicine “a huge underestimate” because the researchers excluded a large group of patients who had been coded as having refused treatment, with no reason given. Dr. Johnson suspects that many of them chose an alternative therapy first but did not report it to their physicians. Another interesting finding from the paper was that people who preferred alternative treatments tended to have had more formal education, and higher incomes. Dr. Yu speculates that people with higher incomes can afford more types of healthcare and know how to seek them out, such as clinical trials. “But in this case it’s wishful thinking,” he said. “These alternatives don’t necessarily cause harm, but they’re placebos, and placebos don’t cure cancer, but they can delay real cancer care.” Co-author Cary P. Gross, MD, Professor of Medicine and of Epidemiology, wasn’t that surprised by the demographic finding, citing increased scepticism about science and conventional medicine that has driven things such as the anti-vaccination movement. “And just as the Internet and social media have fuelled discord in the political process,” he added, “they also have enabled conspiracy theories about medicine and health to spread rapidly and wildly.” The researchers also believe, based on their own patients that the number of people choosing alternative treatments over conventional ones is increasing. “I understand the human impulse to think there’s got to be something else,” said Dr. Yu. “And when the answer is ‘no, there isn’t’, then there’s the opportunity for someone to say, ‘Just rub these crystals or sit in a salt bath or eat special food.’” All of the researchers noted that the problem should not be pinned only on patients and providers of alternative medicine. “Physicians need to shoulder some of the blame as well,” said Dr. Johnson. “We need to take the time to really listen to patients’ concerns and explain things more clearly. That builds a relation of trust, and makes them more willing to believe the data.” Dr. Yu agrees. “We need to bring these conversations about alternative therapies to the forefront,” he said, “and because of this study we now have the data to help us.” The researchers also noted that their work focused on alternative medicine, when patients choose not to receive conventional medical therapies, rather than “complementary medicine,” in which patients undergo conventional cancer treatment as well as additional therapies from disciplines that are not part of traditional Western medicine. The researchers know that facts and data won’t be enough to persuade everyone, a common symptom of our time, but their paper is a start. They hope it convinces a few people to reconsider relying on alternative treatments, or prompts someone to insist that a loved one see an oncologist. “That’s why we do research,” said Dr. Johnson. “We try to help people one at a time, and hopefully our research can help patients and families to make more informed decisions.” http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/688151 Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for Life International]]>

LIFEalerts: 23 February 2018

Abortion

USA – New Study observes emotional suffering after abortionTasmania – more states join to oppose abortion

Alternative Medicine

[No news today]

Euthanasia

South Africa – African Medical Doctors Reject EuthanasiaBelgium – Death on Demand

IVF and Surrogacy

USA – Scientists grow human eggs to maturity in vitro

Medical Ethics

USA – Enthusiasm for gene therapy cools after animal testsUK – Politician calls for quicker access to experimental cancer treatments

Pedophilia

UK – Killer of Jamie Bulger Admits possession of pedophilia material AGAIN

Pornography

[No news today]

Same Sex Attraction

USA – Normalising the LGBT agenda is child abuseZimbabwe – New President joins Ghana’s stance on homosexuality

Sexual Exploitation

Australia – Former prostitute calls for its endNetherlands – Aspiring prostitutes Can Now Get a Certified Diploma Netherlands – Prostitutes School Means Trouble for Cannabis Store

Substance Abuse

UK – Government not about to legalize medicinal Marijuana for pain medication

Abortion

USA – New Study observes emotional suffering after abortion

A new study was published in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons last year December, the main Author is Dr. Priscilla K. Coleman, a Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Bowling Green State University USA. The online survey of 987 women with a history of abortion, revealed how they suffered a variety of psychological effects such as shame, anger, regret, depression and suicide attempts all which they attribute to their abortion. Some woman suffered damaged relationships with their husbands and children because of the anger and regret. Many other women said their abortion stimulated changes in their life that inclined them to become part of the pro-life movement. http://www.jpands.org/vol22no4/coleman.pdf [back to top]

Tasmania – more states join to oppose abortion

n 2013 Tasmania passed a Reproductive Health Bill that permits the killing of unborn babies. Health Minister Michael Ferguson has been vocal in opposing abortion since then and has joined church leaders to protest and oppose the bill. Their ongoing effort has lead to the closing of the last abortion clinic in the state after 17 years. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-13/tasmanias-only-abortion-clinic-closes/9325194 [back to top]

Alternative Medicine

[No news today]

Euthanasia

South Africa – African Medical Doctors Reject Euthanasia

In early 2002 Wesley Smith was invited to offer an opening keynote speech against euthanasia at a South African bioethics conference. All of these years later, I am pleased to report that, The World Medical Association (WMA) African region has called for strengthening of palliative care for patients with terminally ill ailments across Africa. The president said the African region rejected physicians assisted suicide and euthanasia, describing them as contrary to the physician’s oath. It is good to know that African doctors have not forgotten the profession’s venerable stand against the active killing of patients. Contemporary doctors in the West could learn from their African colleagues. http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/456110/african-mds-reject-euthanasia [back to top]

Belgium – Death on Demand

Dr Ludo Vanopdenbosch, a neurologist, resigned as a member in of the Federal Commission for Euthanasia Control and Evaluation due to gross negligence in Belgium’s euthanasia regulatory body. Legislation regarding physician assisted suicide in Belgium provides euthanasia “rights” for patients regardless of mental capabilities. Recently, a patient who suffered dementia was euthanized at the request of her family in spite of the fact that the patient did not reveal any request for euthanasia. Divisions within the medical establishment regarding euthanasia for psychiatric reasons and issues of transparency in health care systems even one as liberal as Belgium, has been brought to the surface despite efforts to make more information available. https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/belgiums-euthanasia-commission-is-under-fire/12604 [back to top]

IVF and Surrogacy

USA – Scientists grow human eggs to maturity in vitro

A group of scientists based in Edinburgh and New York have grown several human oocytes to maturity in vitro, raising hopes of a solution for women at risk of premature fertility loss. Writing in the journal Molecular Human Reproduction, the researcher team – led by Edinburgh University biologist Evelyn Telfer – describe a method for growing and maturing human oocytes (eggs) within primordial follicles (obtained from biopsies of ovaries) all the way through to oocytes that might be capable of being fertilized. “The novel aspect of this current work is to have joined [several steps of development] into one continuous process”, said Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, Group Leader at The Francis Crick Institute. Essentially, the suggestion is that scientists may be able to grow eggs from ovarian tissue, all the way from early stages to later development stages, ready for fertilization by sperm; and that this process could be achieved outside of the human body. Experts say the research opens the door to a new approach to fertility preservation for women at risk of premature fertility loss – such as those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The paper comes in the wake of research into gestation bags for premature neonates and a renewed interest in the development of embryos in vitro. https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/scientists-grow-human-eggs-to-maturity-in-vitro/12594 [back to top]

Medical Ethics

USA – Enthusiasm for gene therapy cools after animal tests

A new gene therapy technique that uses high doses of viruses to carry healthy genes to cells recently brought relief to 15 babies suffering from a lethal neuromuscular condition. As the first human trial with high-doses of the AAV9 virus, its success gave a huge boost to the gene-therapy field. “People are going to look back and see this as a milestone in a new type of medicine that’s going to have broad implications for lots and lots of diseases,” one researcher told Science last year. However, those hopes were chilled this week when a leading gene-therapy researcher who was involved in the successful trial also published a study in which high-dose AAV9 infusions severely affected animals. Three young rhesus macaque monkeys developed liver failure and three piglets had motor neurone damage. Some of them had to be euthanized. The cause was not immediately apparent. R. Jude Samulski, of the University of North Carolina, told MIT Technology Review that the combination of scientific ambition, technological advances, desperate patients, and potential financial windfalls could lead again to disaster. “It would be very naïve for our community to assume we won’t have toxic effects,” he says. https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/enthusiasm-for-gene-therapy-cools-after-animal-tests/12591 [back to top]

UK – Politician calls for quicker access to experimental cancer treatments

Baroness Jowell, who is suffering from a malignant brain tumour known as glioblastoma, addressed the House of Lords arguing that the approval process for cancer treatments needs to be quicker, and advocates the use of what are called “adaptive clinical trials” to test cancer drugs. They do this by taking a more flexible approach, allowing multiple drugs to be tested within the same trial. As a result, drugs that hold promise can be rapidly identified and tested, while other less effective drugs can be discarded. Writing in The Conversation, neuropathologist Silvia Marino and oncologist Peter Hall of Queen Mary University described the use of adaptive trials as a “more flexible approach for a new era”: “For patients with rapidly progressing, life-threatening conditions, such as glioblastoma, [adaptive trials] can make the difference between having access to a new drug or not”. But many are skeptical of the proposal. But Indiana University clinician Scott Saxman warned of significant ethical concerns including “loss of equipoise, lack of processes for adequate informed consent, and inequalities inherent in the research design which could lead to perceptions of injustice that may have negative implications for patients and the research enterprise”. https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/uk-politician-calls-for-quicker-access-to-experimental-cancer-treatments/12582 [back to top]

Pedophilia

UK – Killer of Jamie Bulger Admits possession of pedophilia material AGAIN

Jon Venables, one of James Bulger’s killers, pleaded guilty to having more than 1,000 child abuse images and a “pedophile manual “.Venables was sentenced to 40 months in jail. Mr. Justice Edis said, “This case is unique because when you were 10 years old you took part in the murder and torture of James Bulger.” He served eight years for the murder before being released on license in 2001 with a new identity and granted lifelong anonymity. It’s the second time that Venables has been caught with child abuse images. In 2010, he was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to distributing child pornography. A report found that Venables has a “high risk of real harm to children in the future” and a “long-term and profound interest in children,”139 http://mb.ntd.tv/2018/02/07/james-bulger-killer-admits-to-having-indecent-images-of-children/ [back to top]

Pornography

[No news today]

Same Sex Attraction

USA – Normalising the LGBT agenda is child abuse

A Family Association group called ‘One Million Moms’ is protesting and driving a wide-spread awareness campaign, calling on families to resist the publication of pro-homosexual and pro-transgender books for children. The American College of Paediatricians warns “Conditioning children into believing that a lifetime of chemical and surgical impersonation of the opposite sex is normal and healthy is child abuse”. Numerous studies, research and therapists confirm that the lifestyle is harmful on many levels and even more research exists that change is possible. https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/01/15/one-million-moms-calls-for-scholastic-protest-over-pro-homosexual-pro-transgender-books [back to top]

Zimbabwe – New President joins Ghana’s stance on homosexuality

The new President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, said he would focus on repaying debts, embracing the international economy and modernizing infrastructure. However, the President shares Ghana’s views on homosexuality and said in an interview with CNN that it is not his duty to campaign for LGBT rights and that “In our constitution it is banned and it is my duty to obey my constitution.” http://www.towleroad.com/2018/01/emmerson-mnangagwa/ [back to top]

Sexual Exploitation

Australia – Former prostitute calls for its end

A former prostitute says the more money that you charge the more you are expected to do. Gwyneth Montenegro a former prostitute had slept with over 10,000 men. She has revealed that she had the problem of physical violence. The glamorization of the industry leads women to believe becoming a prostitute will afford them a life of luxury, when that reality is far from the truth. The biggest problem with the portrayal of prostitution and escorting in the media is polarizing. She also said: “I will never forget that sickening feeling, deep in the pit of my stomach, as I waited the results from a series of STD tests. What had I done with my life? Why had I been so foolish?” http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/sex-worker-prostitution-escorting-escort-services-gwyneth-montenegro-glamour-media-tv-films-secret-a8184791.html [back to top]

Netherlands – Aspiring prostitutes Can Now Get a Certified Diploma

A new Dutch organization by and for sex workers in collaboration with the city of Amsterdam has officially opened The School for Amsterdam Prostitutes. The new institution will provide a 4-month course for aspiring prostitutes from all over the world. The course offers “sexual knowledge” for its participants. The cost for enrolment will be 400 Euros. This is in large part due to subsidies by the city of Amsterdam and volunteer teachers. http://www.amsterdamredlightdistricttour.com/news/school-for-amsterdam-prostitutes-opens-its-doors/ [back to top]

Netherlands – Prostitutes School Means Trouble for Cannabis Store

Not everybody is happy with the arrival of a new school. Due to current Dutch laws there is a big chance that the world famous cannabis/coffee shop, ‘The Bull Dog’, will eventually have to close its doors. The so called “distance rules” ordains that coffee shops within a 250 meter range of a school should be closed. The School Of Amsterdam Prostitutes will be located 249 meters from cannabis store. http://www.amsterdamredlightdistricttour.com/news/school-for-amsterdam-prostitutes-opens-its-doors/ [back to top]

Substance Abuse

UK – Government not about to legalize medicinal Marijuana for pain medication

Rhian Cowen a Multiple Sclerosis patient said she had experienced “frightening” symptoms from the disease before using products which contain cannabis to ease pain. Cannabis should be made available on prescription to stop people who use it to ease pain being criminalised. Assembly Members argued in a Senate debate that they want the UK to change the law. They were concerned that some living with conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) that are using cannabis are putting them at risk of prosecution by purchasing illegal marijuana. But the UK government said it had no plans to legalise the Class B drug and that the Home Office said there is clear scientific and medical evidence that it is harmful. Cannabis is currently banned for sale in the UK and that for the foreseeable future it will remain that way. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-42709244 [back to top] Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for Life International Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for Life International]]>

LIFEalerts 09 February 2018

Abortion

USA – Trump protects doctors’ conscience rights on abortionUSA – Abortion giant seeks revenue in gender-confused minors USA – More abortion workers change their minds USA – New Bill protects babies born alive after botched abortions

Alternative Medicine

[No news today]

Euthanasia

India – Elderly couple seek euthanasiaSwitzerland – Lobsters are above humans Netherlands – Dutch euthanasia regulator quits her post Netherlands – Where will it end?

IVF and Surrogacy

[No news today]

Medical Ethics

Italy – Parliament passes controversial end-of-life billUSA – Trump administration moves to defend conscience rights UK – Parliament to debate conscientious objection Japan – First compensation claim for compulsory sterilisation

Pedophilia

UK – Paedophiles on twitter trying to normalise attraction to childrenRussia – Government clamps down on paedophile offenses USA – LGBT lingerie shop uses 9 year-old boy as a model

Pornography

USA – Legislation to lock internet for porn unless users pay feeUK – Is it legal to swap someone’s face into porn without consent? UK – Citizens may soon use their passports to access pornography

Same Sex Attraction

USA – Teen threatened to commit suicide for being called a boy nameItaly – Doctor who was accused for defamation found not guilty Bermuda – Island seeks to ban same-sex marriage USA – Ban on change therapy faces legal challenge

Sexual Exploitation

Canada – Who are we talking about when we talk about prostitution?India – Measures for the government to outwit prostitution in India

Substance Abuse

USA – Cannabis: Brain alterations may explain feelings of alienationUSA – Volunteer to Cuddle Drug Addicted Babies

Abortion

USA – Trump protects doctors’ conscience rights on abortion

Pro-Life groups are applauding President Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for creating a division of the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) that will enforce, “laws and regulations that protect conscience and prohibit coercion on issues such as abortion and assisted suicide.” According to the OCR website healthcare workers can now file complaints when they experience coercion or discrimination of any sort. President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement, “This Administration realizes that abortion is a highly controversial, brutal act against unborn children and their mothers and affirms the right of all Americans not to be forced to participate in abortion.” https://www.hhs.gov/conscience/conscience-protections/index.html [back to top]

USA – Abortion giant seeks revenue in gender-confused minors

Pro-life group activities have managed to shrink abortion rates in the U.S. and tighten regulations. For this reason Planned Parenthood (PP) is looking towards a new source of revenue – hormone ‘sex-change’ drugs for minors – despite the warnings and regrets shared by former transgender persons and many mental health professionals. PP insists on their website that feeling confused about your gender is not a sign of mental illness or stress and no letter from a therapist is needed before starting treatment. Evidently PP is not concerned about the regrets young people would face after mutilating healthy body parts. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/planned-parenthood-taps-into-sex-change-therapy-for-minors-as-new-revenue-s [back to top]

USA – More abortion workers change their minds

For many pro-lifers it is encouraging to hear how Myra Neyer quit working at an abortion clinic in Baltimore. It took one moment to make her realize how horrible abortion is. Myra and a co-worker cried as they cleaned up the body parts of four baby boys that a girl came to abort. The girl didn’t want to abort but her boyfriend forced her because he didn’t want children. Myra said she couldn’t handle seeing how lost and blank the girl looked after the abortion and then decided she was done with being part of the work. Myra now inspires women to choose life and shares how she is raising five children since she became a widow. http://dailysignal.com/2018/01/18/crying-one-woman-shares-left-planned-parenthood/ [back to top]

USA – New Bill protects babies born alive after botched abortions

The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 4712) was passed this year by the U.S. House. This bill protects babies born alive after a failed abortion attempt and states that such babies ought to be transported to the hospital for care. Penalties are also in place should health professionals not adhere and allows for the mother to sue if her baby is killed by intent or neglect. Former abortion clinic workers have been witnesses to the horrible killing of babies born alive such as the case in 2013 of Dr Kermit Gosnell, who slit the spinal cords of at least ten babies. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-u.s.-congress-votes-to-protect-babies-who-survive-botched-abortion [back to top]

Alternative Medicine

[No news today]

Euthanasia

India – Elderly couple seek euthanasia

A healthy elderly couple has asked the Indian President, Ram Nath Kovind, to grant them joint euthanasia because their lives are of no use. Narayan Lavate 88 and his wife Iravati 78, have no children or siblings. The couple view themselves as having “no use for society.” They argue that keeping them alive against their wishes is nothing less than imprisonment and a waste of the country’s scarce resources as well as theirs. The influence of humanist philosophy prevails in the couple’s utilitarian appeal to society. If their desire is granted the couple would consent to donating their bodies after death and whatever wealth they have to the state treasury. http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/455346/elderly-indian-couple-ask-joint-active-euthanasia [back to top]

Switzerland – Lobsters are above humans

The Swiss Supreme Court has declared a constitutional right to assisted suicide for the mentally ill. However, Switzerland’s enshrining of “plant dignity” into law, its outlawing the boiling of lobsters and the flushing of goldfish, but abandoning the despaired, disabled and mentally ill to go into extinction in suicide clinics, are symptomatic of our fast-eroding ability in the West to think critically, and to distinguish serious from lesser ethical concerns. https://evolutionnews.org/2018/01/swiss-follies/ [back to top]

Netherlands – Dutch euthanasia regulator quits her post

Berna van Baarsen, a medical ethicist has said she could not support “a major shift” in the interpretation of her country’s euthanasia law to endorse lethal injections for increasing numbers of dementia patients. Miss van Baarsen is the second regulator to quit in just three years following Professor Theo Boer who stepped down in 2014. The latest case of euthanasia involving a healthy 29- year old Dutch woman (Aurelia) who was granted euthanasia on the grounds of suffering from psychiatric reasons revealed the “slippery slope” pitfall that exist in euthanasia safeguard models. Miss van Baarsen said it was very difficult to assess if patients with dementia were suffering unbearably – one of the criteria that has to be met before an act of euthanasia is legally permissible. Professor Theo Boer also stated in an article that euthanasia in the context of psychiatry raises complex ethical and legal problems. http://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2018/01/23/dutch-euthanasia-regulator-quits-over-dementia-killings/ [back to top]

Netherlands – Where will it end?

Aurelia Brouwers died at home after her request for assisted suicide for “unbearable and hopeless psychological suffering”. She wrote on her blog: “I am Aurelia, 29 years and I have Borderline Personality Disorder, chronic and complex PTSD, addiction, anxiety disorders and many more mental issues. I also spend my time fighting for euthanasia for mentally ill patients and euthanasia around the world. This state sanctioned killing of a physically healthy young woman will likely raise more concerns about the expansion of euthanasia in the Netherlands – where a woman with dementia is held down and lethally injected, alcoholics meet the criteria for assisted suicide, and there are plans to introduce it for those who have “completed life.” https://www.spuc.org.uk/news/news-stories/2018/january/29-year-old-mentally-ill-woman-euthanised [back to top]

IVF and Surrogacy

[No news today]

Medical Ethics

Italy – Parliament passes controversial end-of-life bill

After 30 years and 3000 attempts to propose amendments, an end-of-life bill was passed by the Italian Parliament this week which allows patients to end their lives by refusing to eat and drink. It also allows patients to express binding end-of-life care wishes through a text or a video. The new legislation does not permit assisted suicide or euthanasia. However, it is clearly a momentous step in that direction. In November Pope Francis clarified the position of the Catholic Church by stressing that only “ordinary” care need be provided to the dying, not “extraordinary” care that extends life at all costs. Therefore the Catholic position maintains that eating and drinking are ordinary care, as much as hygiene. However, under the new law artificial nutrition and hydration are to be regarded as medical interventions because they are administered through health devices and, consequently, can be rejected or suspended. https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/italy-passes-controversial-end-of-life-bill/ [back to top]

USA – Trump administration moves to defend conscience rights

The Conscience and Religious Freedom Division of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights will handle complaints related to participation in controversial medical practices such as abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide, and gender reassignment. Federal officials said the division will allow HHS to “more vigorously and effectively” enforce laws related to conscience and religious freedom. “Laws protecting religious freedom and conscience rights are just empty words on paper if they aren’t enforced”, said Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights. “No one should be forced to choose between helping sick people and living by one’s deepest moral or religious convictions, and the new division will help guarantee that victims of unlawful discrimination find justice. In addition, the HHS’ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is issuing new guidance to state Medicaid directors restoring state flexibility to decide program standards. A letter rescinded 2016 guidance that specifically restricted states’ ability to take certain actions against family-planning providers that offer abortion services. The announcement was met with mixed reactions. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins praised the new measures, calling it “another moment in which President Trump’s promises are becoming realities.” https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/trump-administration-moves-to-defend-conscience-rights/ [back to top]

UK – Parliament to debate conscientious objection

Northern Ireland peer Baroness Nuala O’Loan has introduced her Conscientious Objection (Medical Activities) Bill into the House of Lords. “Reasonable accommodation of conscientious objection is a matter both of liberty and equality: of individual freedom and social inclusion. No one should be coerced by the risk to their careers into violating their conscience, and it is plainly inconsistent with the principles of equality legislation to exclude whole sections of society from areas of medical employment simply because of their moral beliefs. I hope this excites support from across the country that allows us to fix this deficit of legal rights and protections”. A parliamentary inquiry in 2016 found that some doctors and nurses face difficulties due to their conscientious objection to practices that they believe end a human life. https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/uk-parliament-to-debate-conscientious-objection/12576 [back to top]

Japan – First compensation claim for compulsory sterilisation

A Japanese woman in her 60s is planning to sue the government over her forced sterilization under a 1948 law. This will be the first time that state compensation has been sought for sterilisation. The mentally disabled woman in Miyagi Prefecture was a teenager when she was forced to undergo the procedure. Like some Western countries, Japan has a dark eugenic past. A 1948 Eugenic Protection Law (EPL) was intended to prevent the births of “inferior descendants” and to foster the health of mothers and pregnant women. It provided for both voluntary and involuntary sterilisation. Doctors could apply for permission for sterilisation to a regional board if a patient suffered from a range of conditions which were believed to be hereditary. According to government statistics, between 1949 and 1994 – 16,520 involuntary sterilizations were performed. Compulsory sterilisation lapsed in 1996 with the passage of the Mother’s Body Protection Law. However, the Japanese government has refused to apologize to the victims or offer them compensation. https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/first-compensation-claim-for-compulsory-sterilisation-in-japan/12578 [back to top]

Pedophilia

UK – Paedophiles on twitter trying to normalise attraction to children

An investigation by the Sun found a disturbing number of accounts on Twitter that openly discuss their sexual attraction to children. They are trying to raise awareness for what they refer to as minor-attracted persons (MAPs) who do not abuse children physically but admit an attraction. They also compare paedophilia to being gay or bisexual because it is a sexual orientation that they claim they did not choose but were born with. The accounts are said to have been shown to the National Crime Agency who requested they do not block any of them so they can continue to monitor the posts. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/paedophiles-twitter-are-trying-reduce-stigma-being-sexually-attracted-children-1651107 [back to top]

Russia – Government clamps down on paedophile offenses

Russia has joined Australia in a bid to protect children from paedophiles. With one accord Russia supported a bill authored by the Deputy Speaker of Russia’s Lower House that proposes life imprisonment for any sexual assault against children under 14 years of age. Covering up such crime is also punishable. https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/russia-backs-bill-to-protect-kids-from-paedophiles/1217241 [back to top]

USA – LGBT lingerie shop uses 9 year-old boy as a model

House of Mann is an online shop that sells clothing and lingerie for drag queens and gay men. Brandon Hilton, who runs the shop sparked an outrage when he decided to use a 9 year-old boy to be the ‘cover-girl’ to advertise his range. The public is suspicious of Hilton having paedophilic tendencies for thinking it’s okay to model a child in clothing that invokes sexual desires. Many pro-LGBT websites have praised Brandon and see nothing wrong with this attempt to sexualize children. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/lgbt-fetish-underwear-designer-defends-making-9-year-old-drag-queen-its-cov [back to top]

Pornography

USA – Legislation to lock internet for porn unless users pay fee

Some legislators in Virginia claim that online porn leads to human trafficking and the state’s assembly is considering legislation that would lock all pornographic websites on internet devices, unless the user pays a $20 fee. The bill is known as the “Human Trafficking Prevention Act.” Those who request having their devices unlocked must acknowledge “the potential danger of disabling the capability,” the bill states. The $20 fee would then go into a state fund titled the “Human Trafficking Victim Fund.” https://www.abc15.com/news/national/virginia-considering-legislation-to-lock-internet-devices-from-viewing-porn-unless-users-pay-a-fee [back to top]

UK – Is it legal to swap someone’s face into porn without consent?

For several weeks, a sub-reddit thread called “Deepfakes” has been saturated with doctored images that depict famous figures, mostly women, engaging in sexual acts, where their faces are believably mapped onto pornographic pictures, or videos. As Deepfakes become more refined and easier to create, they also highlight the inadequacy of the law to protect would-be victims of this new technology. The best way to get a pornographic face-swapped photo or video taken down is for the victim to claim either defamation or copyright. It’s almost impossible to erase a video once it’s been published to the internet. https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/30/16945494/deepfakes-porn-face-swap-legal [back to top]

UK – Citizens may soon use their passports to access pornography

Porn viewers have been warned that in a few months time they will be required to prove their age to watch x-rated videos, for example by showing their passports or driver’s licenses. The age verification process means that no one under the age of 18 will be able to view porn online. The strict law is coming into place after stats compiled by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), found that more than half of children and teenagers that had watched online adult videos had “stumbled upon it” accidentally. This is just one of many of the UK’s incoming pornography laws. https://www.buzz.ie/news/uk-citizens-soon-use-passport-access-porn-270762 [back to top]

Same Sex Attraction

USA – Teen threatened to commit suicide for being called a boy name

In November 2015 the state of Alberta passed Bill 24 which prohibits teachers from informing parents when their children have joined Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA) at school and allows children to impersonate the opposite sex. Instead, this bill shuts parents out of their children’s life and has caused 14 year-old Jane to nearly commit suicide. Jane is happy to be what she was born to be – a girl. But peers insisted on calling her a boy’s name even after she said she was fine with being a girl. This confusion and stress lead to Jane’s parents to take her out of school for the sake of her progress and they are pleading with the state to quit driving a wedge between parents and their children. http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/corbella-couple-warns-their-daughter-may-have-died-under-new-gsa-law [back to top]

Italy – Doctor who was accused for defamation found not guilty

Dr. Silvana De Mari is a specialist in psychotherapy, medicine and surgery and has taken care of homosexual persons for 40 years. Dr. De Mari declared that homosexuality is a health hazard and that sexually transmitted infections are skyrocketing among homosexuals. LGBT activists said Dr. De Mari defamed homosexuals by making these statements and demanded action against her but she was cleared of all accusations on the grounds that it is impossible to determine who would have suffered injury because of her broad statement. Dr. Silvana added “If the American Psychiatric Association can establish that homosexuality isn’t a disorder of nature, they can very well establish that neither is pedophilia.” http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/12/03/italian-doctor-accused-of-defamation-for-saying-homosexuality-is-a-disease-found-not-guilty/ [back to top]

Bermuda – Island seeks to ban same-sex marriage

Bermuda wants to be the first country to re-ban same-sex ‘marriages’ after its House Assembly passed a bill to overrule an earlier court ruling that permitted the practice. A new proposed bill wants to give same-sex couples the same legal benefits heterosexual couples have but there is opposition and the bill has yet to be decided on by the Senate. https://www.salon.com/2017/12/11/bermuda-plans-to-ban-same-sex-marriage-mere-months-after-supreme-court-approval/ [back to top]

USA – Ban on change therapy faces legal challenge

Ordinance 2017-47 is a new law aiming to ban change therapy for anyone seeking help with unwanted homosexual attractions. Liberty Counsel is a non-profit that will be challenging this ban together with Robert Vazzo and David Pickup, both licensed and marriage family therapists (LMFT) and their clients, on the basis that the ban violates the First Amendment and is unconstitutional since no person should not have to be forced to struggle with unwanted homosexual desires, if they want to change. Liberty Counsel filed suit in federal court against the city of Tampa, Florida in December last year. https://www.lc.org/newsroom/details/120417-tampa-change-counseling-ban-faces-legal-challenge [back to top]

Sexual Exploitation

Canada – Who are we talking about when we talk about prostitution?

Prostitution is now illegal in Canada and a criminal offence occurs every time sexual services are exchanged for compensation. Canada’s new prostitution laws which came into force in 2014 are consistent with laws now in place in Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Northern Ireland, France and the Republic of Ireland. In Canada, four new criminal offences target prostitution and the development of economic interests in prostitution. Those who exchange their own sexual services for compensation cannot be prosecuted for their participation in the commission of the new offences.Is prostitution itself harmful and exploitative? Or is sex work a legitimate form of labor that people should be permitted to safely engage in as a matter of personal choice? This is the polarized debate playing out worldwide as countries struggle over how to legislate the commercial exchange of sex. The arguments are largely ideological, but they lead to social discourse and influence what is researched, what problems are identified and what solutions are proposed. Those who support the Nordic model see that activity as harmful and seek to end its practice. In the debate over prostitution and enacting the new prostitution laws Parliament identified prostitution itself as a problem and expressed concerns about the exploitation inherent in it and the risks of violence posed to those who engage in it. Those supporting the legislation expressed the belief that prostitution could not be made safe. Parliament also expressed the view that prostitution causes social harms, including the objectification of the human body and commodification of sexual activity. To protect the human dignity and equality of all Canadians, they enacted laws focused on discouraging the activity of prostitution. They describe the activity of prostitution itself as a form of violence against women and as a cause and consequence of gender inequality. Researcher Meagan Tyler identifies three distinct types of harm to women who engage in prostitution: The increased likelihood of experiencing physical and sexual violence; the psychological harm including post-traumatic stress and dissociation; and the harm associated with the sex of prostitution itself which, she argues, dehumanizes and objectifies women. https://theconversation.com/who-are-we-talking-about-when-we-talk-about-prostitution-and-sex-work-88123 [back to top]

India – Measures for the government to outwit prostitution in India

Prostitution is an illegal act where a woman consents to sexual favors in return for commercial gains. They use themselves for monetary gain without realizing the damage they are doing to themselves. Prostitutes in India usually come from the downtrodden sections of society and when they are offered large sums of money for this commercial trade many of them just give in. Whatever the cause, the whole act is totally demoralizing and strict measures have to be taken by the government to curb this ugly menace from its roots and end it once and for all. Here are some possible measures that the government can do to bring in steps to revolutionize society and remove such practices: Government should work towards bringing in strict enforcements of law to see that no one should dare enter into such activities. Creating awareness about the bad effects of prostitution through effective social media campaigns can lead to a change in thinking and perspective. Creating mass employment opportunities for youth and the unemployed will help people drift away from such immoral acts. Along with employment opportunities, these people can be provided parallel education in the evenings. Banks that are owned by the government can allocate special funds on a temporary basis to help women in this field to fund their children’s education. A woman who is entirely into prostitution finds it difficult to come back to terms with normal living. The government should also provide a few hours of counseling sessions by experts in the field about the ill effects of being in prostitution, what effects it would have on themselves, health vulnerabilities, adverse effects on the family and reputation in society. Government can offer many such remedies by working on their needs and helping them by allocating funds and monetary support systems. They should be made to think about coming out of their ugly worlds, inspired to live life in the mainstream by educating themselves, and leading a life full of dignity. http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Life-Style/2018-01-23/7-Suggestive-Measures-To-The-Government-To-Outwit-Prostitution-In-India-/353851 [back to top]

Substance Abuse

USA – Cannabis: Brain alterations may explain feelings of alienation

New research has revealed altered brain activity in young adults with cannabis addiction. The study was carried out by Dr. Peter Manza, Dr. Dardo Tomasi, and Dr. Nora Volkow of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in Bethesda. The findings have been published in the journal of Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. Dr.Manza and his colleagues explain in their paper that heavy cannabis use has been linked with a higher risk of psychosis, depression and schizophrenia, disorder, hyper connectivity and feelings of alienation. The researchers focused on feelings of alienation, that is, the feeling that friends betray you and others reject you or wish to harm you. Their previous research had shown that people who abused cannabis reported very high levels of this feeling. The researchers used functional MRI’s to examine the “resting-state brain function” of the sub cortical brain regions of 441 adults, aged 22 and 35 as laid out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320657.php [back to top]

USA – Volunteer to Cuddle Drug Addicted Babies

Cuddling really helps babies fighting for their lives in hospitals across the country. These special babies are addicted to drugs and snuggles from some very loving volunteers just might be the ticket to their healing. As drug addiction rates skyrocket across the country, more and more infants are suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).These infants, exposed to opioids and drugs in the womb, require a special amount of care to survive the excruciating withdrawal process. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the incidence of NAS has increased 383 percent in the United States since 2000. A Pennsylvania nurse, Jane Cavanaugh, started a volunteer program at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital to help, “They need human touch” she said. Maribeth McLaughlin, chief nursing officer and vice president of Patient Care Services at Magee-Women’s Hospital of UPMC in Pittsburgh, strongly agrees. It seems to be working. According to McLaughlin, babies in withdrawal who are held regularly need less medication and go home sooner, on average, than those who are not. https://www.simplemost.com/volunteer-opportunities-cuddle-addicted-newborn-babies/?utm_campaign=getcrafty&utm_medium=partner&utm_source=facebook&partner=getcraf [back to top] Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for Life International Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for Life International]]>

Daring South Africa to give hope instead of abortion as a death sentence!

Embargo: Immediate release Enquiries: Doctors For Life Int. Date: 30 January 2018 Telephone: 032 481 5550 Doctors for Life International (DFL) commends the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) division of Health and Human Services (HHS) of the USA for setting the ultimate example for countries to follow! According to the OCR website health care workers can now file complaints when they experience coercion or discrimination of any sort, for refusing to participate in any procedure related to abortion, euthanasia or gender reassignment. Even though DFL agrees that there are indeed complicated situations that could cause a pregnant woman to consider having an abortion, and that these circumstances could be extremely difficult, the morality of abortion being seen as the solution to these problems is not straight forward and is evidently wrong. We simply cannot take the lives of human beings to solve social problems, no matter how serious they may seem to be. Everyone in this day and age is morally obliged to understand that alternative options and solutions are readily available without needlessly having to abort a child. Women who have had abortions are not the only ones who eventually regret their decisions. Doctors and nurses who have performed abortions have also had a change of heart.

  • Dr. Kathi Aultman a board certified obstetrician and gynaecologist used to perform abortions but after she saw how it affected her patients – she realized that she could no longer continue performing abortions.
  • Dr. Anthony Levatino is another gynecologist who changed his mind about abortion. He is renowned for highlighting the horrific abortion procedures and negative health implications on the women who have had abortions globally.
  • Ally Bowlin struggled for six years, trying to suppress emotions of grief and suicidal tendencies after having had an abortion which did not alleviate her social problems. She also now testifies from experience as to how abortion did not empower or help her as per the abortion clinics spurious claims. Indeed, she experienced quite the opposite of these pro choice organizations advertised claims.
Many references can be quoted from which demonstrate the brutal horror of abortion on the babies who get poisoned or ripped from the womb. Notwithstanding that the impact on the mothers who decide to end the life of their baby can result in psychological problems such as Post Abortion Syndrome. We should not forget to include the doctors who have had to take the lives of these babies. South Africa can still turn things around and provide hope instead of willingly handing out death sentences to our littlest and most innocent of South Africans! https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/trump-administration-moves-to-defend-conscience-rights/12567 https://www.hhs.gov/conscience/conscience-protections/index.html Doctors for Life International represents more than 1500 medical doctors and specialists, three-quarters of whom practice in South Africa. Since 1991 DFL has been actively promoting sound science in the medical profession and health care that is safe and efficient for all South Africans. For more information visit: https://doctorsforlife.co.za]]>

LIFEalerts 18 January 2018

Abortion

USA – Another woman shares her abortion regret

Peru – Rape victim’s who love their babies

UK – 466 reported abortion complications raise concerns

Alternative Medicine

No news today

Euthanasia

Canada – Some doctors are refusing to treat attempted suicides

Canada – Doctor to face disciplinary hearing for euthanasia

UK – United Kingdom court to rule on food and fluids

USA – Illusions of safeguards in Oregon

IVF& Surrogacy

No news today

Medical Ethics

USA – ‘Uber for birth control’ creates new ethical challenges

USA – Should doctors comply with all patient requests?

Pedophilia

South Africa – UK man wanted for paedophilia USA – New film normalises pedastry Australia – New laws to crackdown on child sexual abuse

Pornography

No news today

Same Sex Attraction

USA – Health issues associated with MSM USA – Social discrimination and the facts

USA – Paediatrician exposes the dangers of transgender ideology

Sexual Exploitation

USA – The ‘chatbot’ taking on Seattle’s sex trade

South Africa – 70{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of SA sex workers don’t protect themselves

North Africa – Is Facebook Enabling The African Exodus To Europe?

Substance Abuse

USA – ‘Juuling’ a very dangerous smoking game for children

USA – Trump administration toughens stance on recreational marijuana

USA/South Africa – Kratom, an addict’s alternative, is found addictive itself

 

Abortion

USA – Another woman shares her abortion regret

Ally Bowlin struggled for six years trying to suppress emotions of grief after having an abortion. This led her to experience anxiety, anger and depression (symptoms associated with post-abortion stress syndrome in women). She became quick-tempered and couldn’t handle being alone because it would remind her of the abortion and heartache. She points out that a life for a life never empowered her as the abortion industries so often promote, and she eventually sought counselling to deal with the regrets she had been suppressing for years. Ally is now a national programs coordinator for Students for Life America.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/abortion-is-not-empowering-i-know-because-i-had-one/article/2641451

Peru – Rape victim’s who love their babies

Rebecca Kiessling, founder and president of ‘Save the 1’ addressed a pro-life conference in Peru with her personal story. Rebecca’s mother was a victim of rape and sought an abortion twice; at the time (48 years ago) the law protected the unborn child and the mother from the horror of abortion. Today, Rebecca and her mother are both thankful for the law that was in place at that time. Rebecca says women who were raped suffer more because people don’t believe they were raped if they don’t go through with an abortion. Women actually love their unborn despite what happened to them and should not be forced into thinking that abortion is the only solution.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/think-abortion-is-ok-in-the-case-of-rape-this-argument-utterly-destroys-tha

UK – 466 reported abortion complications raise concerns

Legalizing abortion was supposedly meant to make abortion “safe” for the mother at least, while the baby undergoes horrific procedures that poisons or rips the child a part. But ambulances were called to abortion clinics in London a total of 466 times over the last year. ‘Life’s’ Director of Education Anne Scanlan said, “Abortion clinics nationally have been guilty of health and safety breaches over the last few years and there is a need for immediate intervention to protect women from them instead of loosening the laws, as is being demanded by the abortion lobby. Women need greater support to continue with their pregnancy, not the exploitation of their crisis pregnancy by the abortion industry.”

http://www.lifenews.com/2017/12/22/london-abortion-clinics-botch-so-many-abortions-ambulances-have-been-called-almostr-500-times/

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Alternative Medicine

No news today

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Euthanasia

Canada – Some doctors are refusing to treat attempted suicides

Quebec’s College of Physicians has issued an ethics bulletin which says that last year, “in some Quebec hospitals, some people who had attempted to end their lives through poisoning were not resuscitated when, in the opinion of certain experts, a treatment spread out over a few days could have saved them with no, or almost no, after-effects.” Bernard Mathieu, president of Association of Quebec Emergency Physicians said, “It’s possible it has confused doctors a little bit,” he said. Wesley J. Smith commented, “How many of those people would have been glad their lives were saved, as sometimes happens when suicides fail? We’ll never know because they are dead.”

https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/some-canadian-doctors-are-refusing-to-treat-attempted-suicides/12538?utm_source=BioEdge&utm_campaign=03be00696b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_12_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_76ab23e62c-03be00696b-124733715

Canada – Doctor to face disciplinary hearing for euthanasia

Dr Ellen Wiebe has been reported to the College of Physicians and Surgeons in British Columbia, Canada, by CEO David Kesselman, director of the Louis Brier Nursing Home, Vancouver, for euthanizing a patient residing in the home at the time, without consulting his nursing staff. Dr Wiebe snuck into the old age home after hours to perform the procedure. Dr Wiebe will face a disciplinary hearing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons which regulates the practice of medicine in British Columbia. David Kesselman states that Dr Wiebe’s action was totally unethical as she was made aware of the nursing home’s policy regarding Medical Assistance in Dying.

http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/jewish-care-home-accuses-doctor-of-sneaking-in-and-killing-someone

UK – United Kingdom court to rule on food and fluids

The UK Supreme court will be ruling on the 29 January 2018 on whether doctors can remove food and fluids from brain-damaged patients without going to court.

http://www.cmfblog.org.uk/2018/01/09/supreme-court-to-rule-on-whether-doctors-can-remove-food-and-fluids-from-brain-damaged-patients-without-going-to-court/

USA – Illusions of safeguards in Oregon

Articles by Wesley J. Smith expose weaknesses in safeguarding measures in the USA Oregon Death with Dignity Act Model. The Oregon Health Authority revealed that its own interpretation of the law is permissive. The law does not compel patients to have exhausted all treatment options first, or to continue with their current treatment.

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/455264/oregons-permissive-assisted-suicide-regime

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IVF&Surrogacy

No news today

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Medical Ethics

USA – ‘Uber for birth control’ creates new ethical challenges

A new smartphone app, Nurx prescribes and delivers all kinds of contraception plus the morning-after pill. Since there are no consultation or delivery fees, for women with health insurance their contraception will effectively be free. For those who don’t, the service costs US$15 a month. A woman selects a prescription, answers a few health and demographic questions, and a doctor will write a prescription. The medication arrives within 3 to 5 days. Nurx automatically refills the prescription, as well. More disturbingly it accepts applications from girls as young as 12 and anyone who might be ordering the Pill for the first time – without seeing a doctor face-to-face – although Nurx does offer the option of a video chat over the phone. Since Nurx has to comply with state laws, it is available in only 15 states plus Washington DC but is pushing to roll out its coverage across the US.

https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/uber-for-birth-control-creates-new-ethical-challenges/12526

USA – Should doctors comply with all patient requests?

According to a report in Forbes, 2{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of primary care physicians’ pay is now based on “patient satisfaction metrics”. Does this mean that doctors should agree with every request from a patient? The authors of an article in JAMA Internal Medicine respond with a qualified No. They found that 68{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of requests included an explicit request by the patient but that doctors complied with only 85{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of these. When doctors did refuse, their satisfaction ratings could be 10 to 20 percentiles lower. “The sizes of the associations suggest that clinicians who are less likely than their colleagues to fulfil patient requests for these services could face a penalty in satisfaction ratings, potentially affecting clinician career satisfaction, compensation, and handling of subsequent requests for these services.” What doctors need, they suggest is, “Training … to provide clinicians with communication approaches that foster a positive patient experience without simply acquiescing to requests for low-value care, thereby avoiding the harms of unnecessary evaluation and treatment, maintaining good stewardship of resources and potentially enhancing clinician career satisfaction.”

https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/should-doctors-comply-with-all-patient-requests/12537

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Pedophilia

South Africa – UK man wanted for paedophilia

Lee Tucker, a commercial pilot had been living in Cape Town for 15 years before he was arrested in March 2016. He is wanted in the UK for 42 paedophilia-related charges and believes he is being targeted because he is homosexual. The charges he faces in the UK include assaulting underage boys, living from the earnings of male prostitution and being part of a paedophile ring in Bristol in 1998. Tucker remains in Pollsmoor prison until his next hearing.

https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/i-am-being-targeted-because-i-am-gay-uk-child-sex-fugitive-20171127

USA – New film normalises pedastry

Call me by your name” is a new movie about an older man’s affair with a 17-year-old boy whose relationship sparks homoeroticism and flirtation, which then turns romantic and carnal. Summed up, the movie is about pedastry. This movie seeks to mainstream sexual activity between a man and a boy in a warm and fuzzy way. This message will find its way into homes on the television, laptop computers and Smartphone’s of adolescent children. It is not pornography, but overtly an attempt to normalize pedastry.

http://ew.com/movies/2017/11/21/call-me-by-your-name-review/

Australia – New laws to crackdown on child sexual abuse

Last year, 800 registered paedophiles travelled overseas, often to developing countries in Asia, and about 40{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} did so without notifying police. “This will now stop,” said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. The new law stops paedophiles convicted in Australia from travelling elsewhere to offend. Paedophiles can have their passports cancelled at the request of authorities and it is now an offence to travel without approval from law enforcement agencies. The Government is proposing new offences and tougher penalties targeting live-streamed child abuse and online grooming. They also plan tougher fines on internet service providers if they do not report abusive material to police since there is a growing concern for the role that technology plays.

http://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/27388/

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Pornography

No news today

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Same Sex Attraction

USA – Health issues associated with MSM

The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association updated their publication this year in August called: “Ten things gay men should discuss with their health care provider”, that men who have sex with men (MSM) not only have an increased risk of HIV infection but also abuse substances at a higher rate, have higher rates of depression and anxiety, increased risk of hepatitis, STDs occur at a higher rate and includes STD infections for which no cure is available. MSM are more at risk for prostate, testicular and colon cancer. The Human Papilloma virus puts MSM at high risk for anal cancers and the rates of spreading this infection between partners are also very high.

https://www.rainbowhealthontario.ca/resources/ten-things-gay-men-should-discuss-with-their-healthcare-providers/

USA – Social discrimination and the facts

A new report by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called ‘HIV among Gay and Bisexual Men’, reveals that men who have sex with men (MSM) make up only 4{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of the entire U.S. population, but account for more than two-thirds of all new HIV infections which is more than 44 times that of other men. Many MSM are unaware of their status and unknowingly transmit the virus while other MSM give false information about their HIV status to their partner. The CDC also claims that social discrimination is a factor that contributes to the risky sexual behaviour of MSM. However, the Netherlands legalized homosexuality since 2001 and despite their liberal recognition for homosexuality, a 2015 report from the Netherlands shows that the health implications of MSM did not decrease but that some infections increased.

https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/factsheets/cdc-msm-508.pdf

http://www.rivm.nl/en/Documents_and_publications/Scientific/Reports/2016/juni/Sexually_transmitted_infections_in_the_Netherlands_in_2015

USA – Paediatrician exposes the dangers of transgender ideology

Dr. Michelle Cretella M.D. has been a paediatrician for over 20 years and in this video posted by the Daily Signal, she likens the transgender ideology to child abuse and explains that our sex is determined at conception by our DNA, stamped into every cell in our bodies. There are over 6,500 genetic differences between men and women, hormones and surgery cannot, and do not change this. Thoughts and feelings are not biologically hardwired; our thinking may be factually right or factually wrong. According to most mainstream medical organisations, if you want to cut off a healthy leg or an arm, you’re mentally ill, and therefore the same would be true if you want to cut off healthy breasts or a penis. Dr. Cretella had one boy patient who was between 3-5 years old when she referred his parents to a therapist because the boy would play with stereotypical girls’ toys and would call himself a girl. The therapist learned that when the boy was three, his sister with special needs was born and she required more care and attention from his parents. The child misperceived this as his parents love girls and if he wants them to love him, he must be a girl. With family therapy, the boy got better. Sometimes mental illness of the parent or abuse of the child are also factors that cause a child to feel confused, but Dr. Cretella feels very strongly that telling children the lie that they could be trapped in the wrong body is psychological abuse that leads to chemical castration and surgical mutilation of a healthy body, and this ultimately tells the child not to trust in the reality of their physical body.

https://youtu.be/9-NQhDfloaM

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Sexual Exploitation

USA – The ‘chatbot’ taking on Seattle’s sex trade

You can find “her” number within fake messages placed alongside real ads on websites popular with those looking to buy sex. Naive and innocent, the chatbot will tell you she is nervous and check that her age is “cool with you”. If you say yes, that’s when it’s revealed: you’ve been talking to a chatbot, and buying sex is a crime that harms women the world over. The tool is part of groundbreaking efforts in Seattle to fight sex trafficking, an industry that like many others has moved online, and in doing so has become acutely difficult to prevent. Using chatbots, and machine learning, specialists here believe they can simultaneously achieve two huge goals –deterring men and helping women.

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-42120800

South Africa – 70{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of SA sex workers don’t protect themselves

Despite being offered a daily pill to protect them from HIV almost three-quarters of women sex workers stopped taking the pills after a year. This is according to a study published in the PLoS journal (Public Library of Science) conducted by the TAPS Demonstration Study (Treatment and Prevention for Female Sex workers in South Africa). The study tested almost 700 women, and says that the average woman was “married or had a steady partner, worked in brothels, and were born in Zimbabwe”. Almost half of the women tested were HIV positive (341). Of these, 139 decided to go on ARVs. Around 60{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of them were still on the medication after a year. The sex workers who tested HIV negative (351) were offered one pill, Truvada, to take every day to protect them from the virus and 219 women accepted the offer. But a year later only 49 women were still taking Truvada – although none of those still on the pills had contracted HIV. “The final retention rate was lower than we would like. However, there were no seroconversions among those women who stayed on the PrEP arm,” said Robyn Eakle, a senior researcher from the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (WRHI), which was part of the study. Last year the SA Law Commission recommended that sex work remain illegal. “The issue of sex workers is not just for the Minister of Health but involves other Ministers,” said Motsoaledi. “India has not decriminalised sex workers, but health workers in Bangalore are working very openly with sex workers and police are not arresting them.”

http://www.health24.com/Medical/HIV-AIDS/News/shocking-70-of-sa-sex-workers-dont-protect-themselves-against-hiv-20171201-2

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Substance Abuse

USA – ‘Juuling’ a very dangerous smoking game for children

JUULing is not a new dance but instead a dangerous form of vaping that is tearing through schools across the country. John Ross, an M.D. at Brigham Hospital who contributes to the Harvard Health Blog said long-term safety data on e-cigarettes do not yet exist, and research from a group called Truth Initiative shows that 25{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} see no danger. “Electronic cigarettes are devices that heat a liquid into vapor, which is then inhaled; the liquid is anything from a flavored water or oil-type mixture to liquid nicotine to marijuana THC.” The True Initiative web panel survey of 5,018 15- to 24-year-olds in the U.S. revealed that 37{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of teens don’t know they inhale nicotine, although on the JUUL website each pod is equal to 200 cigarette puffs, That’s like smoking a pack a day in one sitting. Like other forms of vaping, the JUULpods are offered in enticing flavors such as créme bruleé and mango and perky peach which is appealing to kids. And rather than smelling like an ashtray, JUUL smells pleasant. The JUUL device is sleek, and resembles a car key holder or flash drive or a pen that’s easily hidden.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/11/15/where-teenagers-are-high-school-bathrooms-vaping/IJ6xYWWlOTKqsUGTTlw4UO/story.html

USA – Trump administration toughens stance on recreational marijuana

The US Justice Department announced a “return to the rule of law”. Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded five key memos issued by the administration of President Barack Obama that discouraged enforcement of federal laws which still classify marijuana as a dangerous narcotic like heroin. This will clash with the six US states that have already moved ahead to legalize pot sales. Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Alaska and California have legalized sales.”It is the mission of the Department of Justice to enforce the laws of the United States, and the previous issuance of guidance undermines the rule of law and the ability of our local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to carry out this mission. “He directed federal attorneys “to use previously established prosecutorial principles that provide them all the necessary tools to disrupt criminal organizations and tackle the growing drug crisis.” Nevertheless, the move was seen as a signal that the government is likely to resist more legalization and decriminalization of cannabis.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Trump_administration_toughens_stance_on_recreational_marijuana?profile=13738

USA/South Africa – Kratom, an addict’s alternative, is found addictive itself

It’s a fascinating drug, but we need to learn a lot more about it, said Dr. Edward W. Boyer, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and a co-author of several scientific articles on Kratom. “Recreationally or to self-medicate opioid dependence, beware – potentially you’re at just as much risk” as with an opiate. Kratom is derived from Mitragyna speciosa, a tropical deciduous and evergreen tree in the coffee tree family native to Southeast Asia in Indochina. Its leaves are used for traditional medicinal properties. It is psychoactive and the leaves are used to uplift mood and treat health problems. A recent article in the New York Times argues that it is just as addictive as heroin, for which it was used as a recovery tool from heroin addiction. Kratom’s narcotic effects have been known for centuries in its native Thailand which banned the substance decades ago. The FDA did ban the import of Kratom into the United States in 2014; however, Kratom now exists in a kind of legal purgatory. Because it is categorized as a botanical dietary supplement the Food and Drug Administration cannot restrict its sale unless it is proved unsafe or producers claim that it treats a medical condition. (Some packages are coyly labeled “not for human consumption” to avoid tripping FDA alarms.) This plant is currently 100{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} legally available to purchase in South Africa, at shops or online.

http://www.camcheck.co.za/kratom-addicts-alternative-found-addictive/

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Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for Life International

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Pornography – The Sad Facts

Pornography has been declared a public health crisis in many states and countries. We cannot close our eyes to the devastating consequences it has on individuals and societies. The statistics are overwhelming. The Proven Men Porn Survey, conducted by the Barna Group in 2014, found that 64 percent of U.S. men view pornography monthly, with that figure increasing to 79 percent for men between the ages of 18-30. Also, 34 percent of women age 18-30 view pornography monthly. 55 percent of men of 18-30 said they first encountered pornography before the age of 12, while 25 percent of women did. One pornography website found that it had 64 million global visitors per day, and that nearly 92 billion videos had been viewed in the past year. The industry feeding these habits is correspondingly large. In 2006, the whole sex industry was estimated to be about $13 billion. (1) Lawmakers in the USA in the states of South Dakota, Virginia and Tennessee have affirmed the public harm of pornography. (1) It’s hard to deny that it is wrecking marriages and that people are enslaved to it. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in a 2003 survey found that in 56 percent of divorce cases, one spouse had an obsessive interest in online pornography. A study published in 2016 found that divorce rates nearly doubled for men and nearly tripled for women who began watching pornography during their marriage. (1) It is especially our children who are the most vulnerable. They need to be protected from this harmful practice. The sad fact however, is that some people who are supposed to protect the children are wolves in sheep’s clothing. If you follow the news you will find that the many people standing trail for pornography are often teachers, fathers, grandfathers, pastors, cabinet ministers, social workers, bishops, law enforcement officers, nursery school caretakers and the like. Something is drastically wrong in our societies and we must to take a good look at ourselves. Are we part of the problem or are we part of the solution? https://www.osv.com/OSVNewsweekly/Story/TabId/2672/ArtMID/13567/ArticleID/21868/Pornography-a-growing-public-health-crisis.aspx]]>

Doctors For Life November/December 2017 Newsletter

Our Legal Corner

Dagga – To be or not to be

On Tuesday the 7th of November ten Constitutional Court judges heard argument by various parties on whether or not to confirm the Western Cape High Court judgement delivered earlier this year, which declared the legislation prohibiting dagga possession, use, cultivation and dealing to be unconstitutional to the extent that it does not allow for the possession, cultivation and use of dagga within the privacy of one’s private dwelling. The Western Cape High Court had found that the privacy rights of dagga smokers and users were infringed by the prohibiting legislation and gave parliament 24 months to enact new legislation. That order is of no effect until the constitutional court confirms it as is or varies it. The opposing Minister of Justice and Constitutional development and other government departments appealed the judgement. This case had been brought by the well-known Rastafarian Mr Gareth Prince (and others) who last unsuccessfully challenged the prohibition of dagga in the constitutional Court in 2002, on the ground of religious freedom. The hearing on Tuesday the 7th of November before the Constitutional Court followed closely on the heels of the now infamous “trial of the plant” dagga legalisation case by the so-called dagga couple in the Pretoria High Court which was postponed on 18th August 2017 after three weeks of evidence. Doctors for Life which is the eighth defendant in the trial of the plant, was admitted as First Amicus Curiae (friend of the court) before the Constitutional Court. Doctors for Life supported the appeal of the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and various other government departments, against the judgement and its confirmation, and argued that the Western Cape High Court had erred in significant respects in coming to its decision. It is common knowledge that the use of dagga is harmful, but the pro-dagga users argue that it is not for the State nor society to dictate what is good or bad for them. Mr Prince and the parties supporting confirmation of the Western Cape High Court order left court feeling rather confident, notwithstanding the criticisms levelled by the State and Doctors for Life against the High Court judgment. A central theme of this criticism was that the Western Cape High Court had come to its decision without properly considering scientific, medical and social evidence regarding the extent of the harms of dagga use and justifying the prohibition of dagga. Further criticism was the High Court’s failure to properly consider children in a private setting. While much of the arguments advanced and submissions made centred around legal technical issues there were lighter moments when justices asked questions about what would be considered to be legitimate quantities of dagga to use and be in possession of, and how privacy was to be understood in rural environments where one does not find boundary fences and the like. The courtroom was packed with colourful Rastafarians and other culture groups who complain that the prohibition of dagga infringes on their human rights. Apart from the representatives of Doctors for Life, their legal team, and the legal team for the government departments, support for the position that dagga is a social ill deserving of prohibition, was conspicuous by its absence. Notwithstanding the confidence exhibited by the pro-dagga lobby of persons present at the hearing, the Constitutional Court will be calling for further written submissions from the parties on whether it should stay these proceedings pending the outcome of the Pretoria trial, where at least 16 expert witnesses will testify and be cross examined on the extent of the harmfulness and justification for the prohibition of dagga. In the three weeks that this trial ran in Pretoria the evidence of only two expert witnesses was led and cross-examined. The facts underlying the “trial of the plant” are that the first two plaintiffs, the so-called dagga couple, were arrested for possession of 1.87 kg of dagga. The third plaintiff was arrested in consequence of not only possession of dagga but cultivating dagga on a scale beyond what he alleges, namely for personal medicinal purposes. According to the standards of almost all countries and American states (which remain a minority in the world) where dagga possession and use has been legalised or decriminalised, possession of this quantity of dagga would still render them liable to prosecution and possible incarceration in most of those countries/states. The plaintiffs in the Pretoria trial have thus far evaded the factual basis for their constitutional challenge to the legislation prohibiting dagga by leading the evidence of their experts first. This approach is not only evasive but also complicates the work of the legal teams for the State and Doctors for Life in testing the evidence of the expert witnesses because they are not giving their evidence pursuant to a factual basis. This is Doctors for Life’s biggest case to date and will cost an estimated R2 million for which a major fundraising effort is ongoing. The advocates for Doctors for Life and the State departments have been unfairly and maliciously vilified by the pro dagga media. Doctors for Life believes that the legalisation of dagga and its resistance is another case of social importance to come before the South African courts. Dates for the resumption of the Pretoria trial will be set soon.

DFL’s Legal Team

Advocate Reg Willis. Senior Advocate for DFL

Pornography – The Sad Facts

Pornography has been declared a public health crisis in many states and countries. We cannot close our eyes to the devastating consequences it has on individuals and societies. The statistics are overwhelming. The Proven Men Porn Survey, conducted by the Barna Group in 2014, found that 64 percent of U.S. men view pornography monthly, with that figure increasing to 79 percent for men between the ages of 18-30. Also, 34 percent of women age 18-30 view pornography monthly. 55 percent of men of 18-30 said they first encountered pornography before the age of 12, while 25 percent of women did. One pornography website found that it had 64 million global visitors per day, and that nearly 92 billion videos had been viewed in the past year. The industry feeding these habits is correspondingly large. In 2006, the whole sex industry was estimated to be about $13 billion. (1) Lawmakers in the USA in the states of South Dakota, Virginia and Tennessee have affirmed the public harm of pornography. (1) It’s hard to deny that it is wrecking marriages and that people are enslaved to it. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in a 2003 survey found that in 56 percent of divorce cases, one spouse had an obsessive interest in online pornography. A study published in 2016 found that divorce rates nearly doubled for men and nearly tripled for women who began watching pornography during their marriage. (1) It is especially our children who are the most vulnerable. They need to be protected from this harmful practice. The sad fact however, is that some people who are supposed to protect the children are wolves in sheep’s clothing. If you follow the news you will find that the many people standing trail for pornography are often teachers, fathers, grandfathers, pastors, cabinet ministers, social workers, bishops, law enforcement officers, nursery school caretakers and the like. Something is drastically wrong in our societies and we must to take a good look at ourselves. Are we part of the problem or are we part of the solution? https://www.osv.com/OSVNewsweekly/Story/TabId/2672/ArtMID/13567/ArticleID/21868/Pornography-a-growing-public-health-crisis.aspx

LifeChild

First and foremost we thank God for providing in the way that He does. This project is very special and important to every one involved. So much has happened this year but we would like to mention a few special moments… Our orphan project really appreciated the donation of venison we received! This provides for the children for a good couple of months! Our team was so excited to process and package the meat and even more enthusiastic to present it to our centers during the food delivery. Meat is expensive these days and we were thankful to receive such a large quantity of healthy protein! One of our centers has been struggling with vehicle problems for a while. Imagine the relief and excitement on their faces the day a brand new vehicle arrived! Not only that, but the children received gift bags full of treats! The team that made this day possible also cooked sausages and chicken for everyone to enjoy and played soccer with the children. It warmed our hearts to see the caregivers and children sing, dance and rejoice over the happenings on this day. We recently received new cupboards, wall paint and curtains for our Malelane center after the building was seriously damaged during a storm. The building is still in the process of being restored and we are grateful for every bit of aid that comes our way! Two of our centers are struggling because water resources are scarce and the caregivers often have to walk long distances to fetch water to prepare meals for the children. These centers may have to close down because of the water shortages and our desire is to drill boreholes to prevent that happening. Please keep us in mind and in prayer.

Aid to Africa

Inhambane, Mozambique, June 2017

Mrs Angelika Böhmer This was our third outreach at Inhambane hospital over the past four years and we have built good relationships with the local staff during this period. On our first outreach we were met with a degree of mistrust but this time we experienced a hearty welcome and excellent cooperation from our old friends there. Unfortunately, since our last outreach the local surgeon has left. This makes our intervention even more urgent because no cataract surgeries are done on a regular basis at the hospital anymore and the backlog becomes increasingly larger over time. Our team consisted of surgeon Dr. J. Pons from the Good Shepherd Hospital in Swaziland assisted by two of his ophthalmic nurses and an administrative lady, four helpers from our clinic at Zavora and two of us from South Africa. We spent long hours in theatre and were able to do 130 surgeries in five days. The team from Swaziland was very well organized for this mammoth task and it worked like a well-oiled machine! We thank them for their hard work and commitment and financial and other contributions! I’d like to mention a few highlights: Teresa* (age 34) had become blind due to cataracts some time ago. As a result, her husband left her even though she was pregnant. Her 9 year old son had to do many of the chores and even tried to do some jobs to earn a little bit of money. Life was very difficult for them. After her daughter was born she had to take care of her without being able to see and so a community worker brought her to the hospital. The morning after the surgery there was quite a commotion among the patients and spectators when for the first time this young mother was able to see her little baby who was then already about four months old. It’s easy to imagine what a difference the outreach made in the life of this little family. One of the patients who came for screening was Paolo*, a boy of 10 years old who had a cataract in his left eye. The hospital made an anaesthetist available so that Dr Pons could operate. Children of this age cannot have surgery under local anaesthetic and on other outreaches we have to send them away. We were very happy that we could help him and the next morning he was overjoyed when he could see. Another highlight for the team was our accommodation and we want to express our heartfelt thanks to the people who made it available to us. Much more could be said but space is limited. We thank God that we could do the work and that the gospel was preached. We pray His blessing on both. * Names changed for privacy reasons.

Aid to Africa, Personal Testimony

by Miss Mirjam Rüttimann During the weekend of the 28th to the 30th of July 2017 I was on duty at the maternity ward of the DFL clinic in Zavora and was called to the ward for a delivery. During this time Dr. Deborah and a friend of hers, Rebecca from Germany, were visiting us. They had told me to call them if there were labour cases and so I called them that evening. While we were busy preparing for the delivery another lady arrived. We only have one bed for deliveries so I put her into the maternity ward. When I checked how far she was with the labour I realized that the baby was laying feet first and this by full cervical dilatation! That’s a fearful diagnosis if one is out in the bush because it means that the lady needs a caesarean immediately. The chances that the baby would survive labour with feet first was not very high. I decided to immediately transfer her to the hospital in Inharrime but as we were preparing the transfer she started to push and the next moment the baby’s legs were out. So we had no chance to transfer her to the hospital and I could just pray that the child would survive the labour. I took the child by the legs and the next moment the child was born. The baby was crying and everything was fine. Then as we were waiting for the placenta we noticed that something was wrong. I checked again and found that there was another baby coming. It was twins!! I have never had a twin labour in my life, only through a caesarean. Everything went so well that we only can thank God! He is the best doctor and with Him everything is possible.

Devotion

Acts 4:12 (NIV) “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” A policeman once found a little boy crying heartbreakingly on a street corner. When he enquired about the reason for his sorrow, the little boy explained that he couldn’t find his way home and that he was lost. The policeman asked the little boy if he could remember his address or his dad’s phone number but he couldn’t. The policeman thought for a while and then asked the little boy if there was anything near his house that he could describe which might help him get the little boy home. The little boy thought for a while and then he answered: “Mister, next to my house there’s this big church, and it’s got a big cross on the top. And if you can lead me to that cross, I can find my way home.” Finding our way home means finding the cross first. Next month we will be celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. May the Christ Child truly be born in our hearts to make this festive season a real blessing to us.
About Doctors For life Non-Profit making Organisation (NPO) Phone: +27 (32) 4815550 or 1/2/3 Fax: +27 (32) 4815554 Email: [email protected] web: www.doctorsforlife.co.za PO Box 6613 4418 Zimbali South Africa
Prayer Requests God’s blessing on the work Labourers to send into the field Medical volunteers for Zavora clinic (Mozambique)
To sign up or donate Visit our website www.doctorsforlife.co.za
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