All Posts Tagged With: "Vietnam War"

Linda’s comment:  When I worked in Cancer Research, the feds gave us marijuana to give to the patients for pain and vomiting….it amazes me that the Feds are making such a big deal out of this.  This was distributed through VA hospital….I know the family they pay in Tipton, Indiana to grow the Feds pot….

Dr. Gordon’s Comments: It appears that marijuana is going mainstream! This NY Times article shows that the Federal government is beginning to go with the flow. If the state permits the use of medical marijuana the VA system will no longer refuse to continue to treat the patient.

Garry F. Gordon MD,DO,MD(H)
President, Gordon Research Institute
www.gordonresearch.com

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/24/health/policy/24veterans.html?_r=1&pagewant

Excerpt:

DENVER — The Department of Veterans Affairs will formally allow patients treated at its hospitals and clinics to use medical marijuana in states where it is legal, a policy clarification that veterans have sought for several years. 

A department directive, expected to take effect next week, resolves the conflict in veterans facilities between federal law, which outlaws marijuana, and the 14 states that allow medicinal use of the drug, effectively deferring to the states. 

The policy will not permit department doctors to prescribe marijuana. But it will address the concern of many patients who use the drug that they could lose access to their prescription pain medication if caught. 

Under department rules, veterans can be denied pain medications if they are found to be using illegal drugs. Until now, the department had no written exception for medical marijuana. 

This has led many patients to distrust their doctors, veterans say. With doctors and patients pressing the veterans department for formal guidance, agency officials began drafting a policy last fall. 

Full article: Psychological Disorders Associated with Cerebral Malaria

Excerpt:

As a part of traveling to a developing nation, we are often required to take medical precautions. This generally includes a line-up of shots for various diseases, a few other tests, and various regimens of prophylaxis for possible diseases. I have often left these doctors appointments with a line of band-aids on my arm, a handful of prescriptions and a little weakness in my knees. However, I will readily admit that my malaria prophylaxis is often pushed to the back burner; in fact the last time I went to a developing nation, I didn’t even get the malaria prophylaxis until I was in the country and I didn’t even bother taking it for the prescribed amount of time. However, as I readily admit my shortsightedness in the past, I have become more aware of the chronic conditions that can be caused by a single malaria infection, anemia, enlargement of the spleen, emaciation, mental depression, sallow complexion, edema of ankles, feeble digestion, muscular weakness,

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite, and there are four different species of parasites that cause malaria, Plasmodium falciparum (which is the most fatal), P. vivax, P. malariae, and P. ovale. When initially infected, parasites first enter the liver, then multiply quickly and enter the bloodstream, where they continue to multiply and rupture blood cells2. While P. falciparum causes the most severe symptoms, P. vivax and P. ovale can cause chronic malaria which is characterized by profound anemia, enlargement of the spleen, emaciation, mental depression, sallow complexion, edema of ankles, feeble digestion, and muscular weakness.