Hilary's Desk

Making vaccines compulsory, isn't something you hear much about in New Zealand media, BUT... if we aren't careful, mandatory vaccination will become law in this country. While those who tweak the strings around the wrists of politicians have kept very quiet in public, in private, there have been, and are, far more intense discussions going on about making vaccines mandatory, than ever before. How do I know? Read Full Blog

Everywhere we look, we see nothing but pictures of coloured surgical masks as if these have some paranormal ability to “protect” the wearer. These, we presume, work. Right? After all, they are part of the “national plan” to stop the spread of flu viruses right? We’ve been told that the two main means of infection are contact: as in shake someone’s hand, put hand in mouth; picking up droplets from furniture (fomites), or being directly coughed or sneezed over. Right? Masks supposedly are to contain what the infectious people cough out, to protect others, so wearers also assume that masks protect them from the “environment” around them. Why else would people on the streets of Mexico, and doctors, be wearing them? Right? Wrong, actually, on both counts.  Read Full Blog

Two weeks ago, when CDC, po-faced told us, that this “new” virus, never seen before in pigs…, was a combo of Eurasian/America swine flu/avian/human viruses, you believed them, right? Now, they are back tracking, saying, “No no,no.. only pig. Not human or bird.” Shhh…..  Read Full Blog

The Sunday Star Times has a magazine called Escape in which their regular medical columnist, Dr Paul Trotman, pontificates on a diverse range of medical issues. He is known for his vigorous denouncement of anything thought to originate from, or be, “anti-vaccine”. His latest contribution however, is remarkable for the utter stupidity of opening the mouth prior to opening the brain. Apparently, comments about overcrowding being the biggest “cause” of meningitis are dismissed as some “attitude” of anti-vaccination people. The column reads:  Read Full Blog

We are told that Gardasil will result in a 70% reduction of cervical cancer smears, because HPV 16 and 18 make up 70% of all abnormal smears. Right? Bollocks! Where is the proof? I’ve spent the day looking everywhere for the as usual unreferenced study detailed at IMAC (scroll down quite a way) which apparently, is the only study which has been done on oncogenic HPV smears in this country. It’s pathetically small, but it appears to be all New Zealand has. Remember, that IMAC is the site of the very people who PROMISE that Gardasil will do this cervical cancer miracle 70% reduction.  Read Full Blog

In the Escape section of Sunday Star Times, March 1, 2009, journalist Karen Tay, who admits to viewing beauty and skincare products as sacred miracle potions, was researching their true cost to her body, and the environment. “While researching this story, I learnt many unpleasant truths about my beauty products…” Read Full Blog

As the UK medical gestapo proclaim 1,000 measles cases a national disaster, and go after parents who have refused to vaccinate their children against measles, there is an interesting "discussion" at the BMJ website. Peter Flegg, an infectious disease specialist has made some extraordinary claims. That's nothing new. He's done that at the BMJ for years. For those who want are keenly following the UK situation, here is the debate. Read Full Blog

Dr Robert Wachter runs a blog which is well worth adding to your regular reading list. His Bio shows that he’s well qualified to talk about many things, and does so with a degree of candidness you don’t see in this country. A recent blog which interested me was the possibility of putting cameras into hospitals to try to raise the inadequate hand washing amongst staff. It would appear that since many nurses and doctors don’t appear to be motivated to wash their hands, some consider the answer is “Big Brother”. Anyone trained by the medical profession 170 years after hand washing debates started, who doesn’t think washing their hands is important needs their heads looking at. Read Full Blog

Have you ever been told by a medical professional looking at your five week old baby, that you can’t take you baby out into that big bad world until the first shots have been given, because otherwise your child might die? Read Full Blog

"Ah yes. Strange title. In fact, Hilary, you have altered it somewhat...." That I have.  This stunner of an article in the Herald from Reuters had me shaking my head. We shouldn't be talking about mice: lets talk about mothers! Read Full Blog