(2020-10-27). Protests Rise in Philly After Police Murder Black Man Amid Mental Health Crisis. truthout.org Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—West Philly saw a quickly escalating situation develop on 4 p.m. Monday afternoon and dragging into the evening and overnight. In a graphic and disturbing video circulating on social media, two white Philadelphia Police (PPD) officers are seen repeatedly shooting a Black man in front of his mother from several feet away as he walked while holding a knife. Neither of the two officers in the video seemed to attempt to use their taser, and they appeared to hav…
(2020-10-27). Purdue Pharma guilty in opioid deaths. workers.org 
A contributing cause to the opioid epidemic — overprescription of painkillers like OxyContin — has been identified by both individuals and the state. Since the start of the opioid crisis, overdoses have continued to rise, with COVID-19-based isolation pushing even more people toward the abuse of prescription and illicit opioids. . . . |
(2020-10-27). Iran reports record 6,968 new coronavirus cases. yenisafak.com Iran on Tuesday reported 6,968 new coronavirus cases and 346 deaths in the past 24 hours, its highest daily tally, pushing the death toll in the hardest-hit Middle Eastern country to 33,299.Health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told state media that the new cases brought the country's total number of identified cases to 581,824.
(2020-10-27). Polysocial Risk Scores for Assessing Social Determinants of Health. jamanetwork.com To the Editor Dr Figueroa and colleagues recognized the importance of social determinants in shaping health outcomes. Echoing a recommendation to study marginalized populations, they recommended multisectoral data linkage as a promising means of examining these complex relationships. We agree with this recommendation but urge caution in pursuing development of a polysocial risk score for 4 reasons.
(2020-10-27). The Physician's Responsibility. jamanetwork.com The recent decision of the Supreme Court of Nebraska, abstracted in the Medicolegal department of The Journal last week, is of importance and interest to practicing physicians, and especially to health officers…. The plaintiff, while stopping at a small hotel, consulted a local physician, the defendant, regarding some sores that had appeared on his body. After an examination, the physician told the plaintiff—his patient—that he believed the disease to be syphilis, but that it was impossible to make a positive diagnosis without a Wassermann test, for which he had no equipment. The defendant physician…
(2020-10-27). Rising Rates of ED Visits for Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Attempt. jamanetwork.com From 2008 to 2017, the rate of emergency department (ED) visits related to suicidal ideation or suicide attempt increased among all age groups 5 years or older, according to a recent report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
(2020-10-27). 20 things the government must do to tackle structural racism and protect BAME communities from coronavirus. thecanary.co 
Baroness Doreen Lawrence has set out 20 recommendations for the government to protect those most at risk from coronavirus and tackle inequality in the longer term.Here are her recommendations from her review into the impact of coronavirus (Covid-19) on Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities: | Set out an urgent plan for tackling the disproportionate impact of Covid on BAME people this winter | 2. Implement a national strategy to tackle health inequalities.3. Suspend the "no recourse to public funds" rule during the pandemic and review its impact on public health and health inequalities.4. Ensure Covi…
(2020-10-27). Barrett Confirmed, Post-Election Chaos Will Ensue. counterpunch.org Yesterday Mitch McConnell's Republican Senate confirmed its third ultra conservative Supreme Court nominee, Amy Barrett, as Supreme Court Justice. Coming in the midst of America's current dual crisis—economic and Covid health—both now worsening, the Barrett appointment ensures the emergence of historic political instability in the USA. The dual crisis is about to become a triple
(2020-10-27). "Mask Mouth": Wearing Facemasks Causes Decaying Teeth, Gum Disease, Skin Blemishes, Pimples, Acne. globalresearch.ca Facemasks are causing many problems, but the medical establishment and governments around the world who impose mandates to wear facemasks in public seem to be oblivious to the damage they are causing in order to protect us. In this case, …
(2020-10-27). Polysocial Risk Scores for Assessing Social Determinants of Health—Reply. jamanetwork.com In Reply Drs Kinner and Borschmann raise important concerns around the development and deployment of polysocial risk scores into real-world practice, a topic we described in a Viewpoint. Issues they highlight include problems related to the dynamic nature of social risk, the difficulty of capturing social complexity in a single score, the fact that there is not an optimal score to capture risk across multiple health outcomes, and the potential danger of interpreting the relationship between risk scores and health outcomes as causal. These are all important issues, and we largely agree, although we offer some poin…
(2020-10-27). Financial Stability as a Goal of Payment Reform—A Lesson From COVID-19. jamanetwork.com Over the last decade, the US health care system embarked on a journey toward value-based care. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) designed and implemented a range of value-based payments through the rollout of alternative payment models, such as accountable care organizations (ACOs). The goal of these efforts was to increase value by improving quality and reducing costs. To date, however, alternative payment models have had modest effects on health outcomes or spending.
(2020-10-27). Continuing Prednisone Offers Stable Rheumatoid Arthritis Control. jamanetwork.com For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, continuing low-dose glucocorticoids is safer and controls disease better than tapering them off, a trial in The Lancet concluded.
(2020-10-27). Colchicine Reduces Cardiovascular Events in Chronic Coronary Disease. jamanetwork.com The anti-inflammatory drug colchicine has been shown to reduce cardiovascular events after recent myocardial infarction. Now, a trial in the New England Journal of Medicine reports that daily low-dose colchicine also significantly reduces the cardiovascular event risk among patients with chronic coronary disease.
(2020-10-27). No Mortality Differences Among Localized Prostate Cancer Treatments. jamanetwork.com Compared with active monitoring, radical treatment of localized prostate cancer does not improve disease-specific or overall survival at 10 years, a multicenter UK trial in Health Technology Assessment found.
(2020-10-27). US Drug Use Survey Uncovers Both Promising and Concerning Trends. jamanetwork.com Among people aged 12 years or older in 2019, 60.1% reported having used a substance during the past month, according to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health, compiled by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
(2020-10-27). Deprescribing Antihypertensive Medication in Elderly Adults. jamanetwork.com To the Editor Deprescribing medications in frail older adults may result in improvements in overall health status. However, deprescribing should be based on a full consideration of scientific evidence. A clinical trial of antihypertensive medication reduction in persons aged 80 years or older with a systolic blood pressure of less than 150 mm Hg (mean, 130 mm Hg) reported that after 12 weeks of follow-up, the intervention group, which underwent removal of 1 medication, was noninferior with regard to systolic blood pressure control compared with the control group, in which there was no change.
(2020-10-27). IAM Local 1855 wins a better contract after strike in Appleton, WI. fightbacknews.org Appleton, WI – On the morning of October 24, the following message was posted on the social media accounts of IAM Local 1855: "After a week-long strike IAMAW Members employed at AstenJohnson in Appleton overwhelmingly accepted a greatly improved contract offer this morning. This offer included locking in insurance plan design and premiums for the next two years among other positive changes. Their solidarity and persistence paid off big. Congratulations to the members of Local 1855 and a special thank you to the Teamsters Local 662 for honoring our picket line." | The machinists at AstenJohnson were on strike to d…
(2020-10-27). Shifting Hydroxychloroquine Patterns Raise Concern. jamanetwork.com The number of hydroxychloroquine prescriptions by specialists who don't typically prescribe the drug skyrocketed after preliminary reports in March suggested potential benefits for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
(2020-10-27). Health Care Worker SARS-CoV-2 Infection Is Flying Under the Radar. jamanetwork.com A high percentage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections among health care workers appear to go undetected, often because they have mild or no symptoms and workplace testing isn't sufficient, investigators from a multistate hospital network reported.
(2020-10-27). US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) Study Refutes Official Covid-Sars-2 Narrative. globalresearch.ca CDC (Center for Disease Control) scientists made some COVID admissions that totally destroy the official COVID narrative in a study published in June 2020 entitled
(2020-10-27). Child malnutrition reaches new highs in parts of Yemen: UN survey. middleeasteye.net 
Child malnutrition reaches new highs in parts of Yemen: UN survey | Programmes keeping millions from starvation and disease are gradually closing amid an acute funding shortage | Tue, 10/27/2020 – 07: 54 | The UN said it needs $50m urgently to boost nutrition programmes (AFP) | Parts of Yemen are seeing their highest levels of acute malnutrition in children, heightening warnings that the c…
(2020-10-27). Headlines for October 27, 2020. democracynow.org Amy Coney Barrett Sworn In, Giving SCOTUS Heavy Conservative Majority Ahead of Pivotal Cases, SCOTUS Rules Wisconsin Cannot Count Ballots Received After Election Day, Surging COVID-19 Cases Trigger Curfews; Doctors Say 800,000 Children Have Been Infected, China Testing 5 Million People After One Asymptomatic Case in Xinjiang, New Lockdowns in Germany, Mask Orders in Russia as COVID-19 Cases Surge, Oxford Vaccine Shows Promising Results as New Data Suggests Antibodies in Recovered Cases Don't Last, U.S. Imposes Harsh New Sanctions on Iranian Oil, Airstrikes Kill Dozens at Training Camp in Idlib, Syria, Explosion a…
(2020-10-26). Brazil: Bolsonaro, COVID-19 and the murder of Marielle Franco. greenleft.org.au This month marked two and a half years since the assassination of Brazilian socialist councillor and LGBTI activist Marielle Franco. Green Left spoke to Andre Mozor about the campaign for justice for Marielle and Brazil's worsening political and health crisis.
(2020-10-26). Nuking Itself… How Russophobia Led the U.S. to Bomb its Own Citizens. strategic-culture.org Generations of countless Americans have been contaminated and sickened by the first-ever atomic bomb test. The Trinity explosion on July 16, 1945, was carried out in the New Mexico desert. Three weeks later, two A-bombs were dropped on Japan, killing up to 200,000 people. | But the number of American victims caused by radiation fallout from the Trinity test is reckoned to be also imponderably high. The American government conducted the explosion in secret, unbeknownst to the population of New Mexico. That was in spite of warnings from Manhattan Project scientists of a high risk to public health from the extreme r…
(2020-10-26). Headlines for October 26, 2020. 18.224.45.15 Pence Remains on Campaign Trail Despite COVID Outbreak in Inner Circle as U.S. Cases Surge, Trump Administration Pressures CDC to Sign Off on Locking Up Migrant Children, Citing Pandemic, Illinois Public Health Official Breaks Down in Tears While Reporting Coronavirus Toll, New Wave of Restrictions in Europe as COVID-19 Cases Explode in Spain, Italy, France, GOP-Ruled Senate Set to Confirm Amy Coney Barrett, Trump's Third SCOTUS Justice, Early Voting Brings Huge Turnout as New York Voters Face Hours-Long Lines, TX Court Reinstates Limit on Drop Box Sites; PA Court Allows Ballots with Mismatched Signatures, Sudane…
(2020-10-26). Sesame Street Offers "New Normal" Brainwashing for the Very Young and Vulnerable. globalresearch.ca "Hello everybody! It's your old pal Grover with some health tips…" begins the spindly blue monster in a After teaching kids to wash their hands Grover transitions into some new normal brainwashing: "Another way for everyone …
(2020-10-26). One death every FIVE minutes: Iran gets tougher on Covid as country's death rate could double in 2 weeks. rt.com 
Tehran has extended Iran's coronavirus restrictions after the country recorded a coronavirus death every five minutes over the past 24 hours, with its national coronavirus task force warning hospital beds are running out. | Iranian health authorities urged the public on Monday to respect coronavirus restrictions after the country reported 337 new deaths and 5,960 new cases over the past 24 hours, averaging out at one death from the virus every five minutes. | Alireza Zali, who is running Tehran's Coronavirus Combat Headquarters, reaffirmed this message and urged "everyone to respect the protocols," stating tha…
(2020-10-26). Elect Biden, Then Give Him Power. progressive.org Despite Biden's surprisingly progressive platform, he will need pressure to level the economic playing field, and guarantee basic services like health care and education.
(2020-10-26). Communities rally to feed hungry children as ministers leave them high and dry. thecanary.co 
After a shocking 320 Tory MPs voted to prevent children living in poverty from receiving free school meals during the holidays, local businesses, authorities and community groups are stepping in to plug the gap in duty-of-care. Meanwhile, ministers face a damaging grassroots Tory revolt over the issue. | Dozens of people from a range of organisations have stepped in to help their local communities. Health secretary Matt Hancock, who voted against the motion to feed hungry children, has leapt at the chance to praise their "absolutely wonderful" efforts. Meanwhile, he insists that the government has already provide…
(2020-10-26). In 'Partisan Power Grab,' Republican Senators Confirm Third Trump Nominee Amy Coney Barrett to Supreme Court. commondreams.org Critics warn that she "will only embolden the court's most conservative judges to further gut protections for Americans' healthcare, free speech, and the environment, and unleash a new wave of corporate greed." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-26). New COVID-19 Security Measures Will Make Health a Prerequisite for Travel. mintpressnews.com 
As the multi-sector, global response to the coronavirus tightens the noose around civil liberties, CommonPass stands out as one of the most appalling and dangerous attacks on basic human rights in the name of public health.
(2020-10-26). Despite CDC Moratorium—and With Help From White House—Corporate Landlords Have Gone on Eviction Spree. commondreams.org Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a moratorium on evictions during the coronavirus last month wealthy corporate landlords have blatantly ignored the order, issuing eviction notices to thousands of tenants across five states, according to a watchdog report. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-26). Trump surrenders to coronavirus, says it can't be controlled. peoplesworld.org 
Eight days before the election, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Sunday told CNN, "We're not going to control the virus because it is an infectious disease like the flu." He said the Trump administration would focus instead on therapeutics and a vaccine. Meadows admitted what the nation already knew: Trump has no …
(2020-10-26). Bolivia promises to buy Russian Covid-19 vaccine as new leader pledges to restore relations that 'deteriorated' after 2019 coup. rt.com 
The newly-elected President of Bolivia Luis Arce has pledged to improve ties with Russia, and plans to order its Covid-19 vaccine once it's ready for sale, saying relations with Moscow 'deteriorated' under the previous government. | In an interview with Moscow's Sputnik news agency, Arce outlined the numerous avenues for partnership with Russia that he wants to open up, including the exchange of technology, gas imports and construction of a new nuclear facility together with state energy corporation Rosatom. | Arce blamed the outgoing interim government for tainting the relationship between the two countries.
(2020-10-26). As Congress Drags Feet on Covid-19 Relief, 120+ Groups Urge CDC Director to Issue National Water Shutoff Moratorium. commondreams.org "Water is essential for disinfecting and controlling the spread of Covid-19. This is a basic matter of public health." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-26). Amid Staff COVID Outbreak, Democrats Call on Pence to Stop Presiding Over Senate. truthout.org With multiple members of Vice President Mike Pence's senior staff now confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus — and Senate Republicans scheduled to ram through the final confirmation vote for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett as early as Monday afternoon or evening — Democratic leaders in the Senate are calling on Pence to forgo his plans to preside over the chamber in the name of public health and out of concern for all who work there. | With at least five members…
(2020-10-26). Catch-up, 'get ahead and stay ahead' of coronavirus, urges UN health agency chief. news.un.org Global COVID-19 cases spiked to their highest level yet during last week, with many northern hemisphere countries seeing "a concerning rise in cases and hospitalizations", the UN health agency chief said on Monday, urging countries to "get ahead and stay ahead" of the virus.
(2020-10-26). Netanyahu's office secretary tests COVID-19 positive. yenisafak.com A secretary of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has tested positive for coronavirus, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said on Monday. | No information was disclosed regarding the secretary or other details of her health condition. | "It is being examined whether the prime minister and his staff should go into quarantine," the corporation added. | Netanyahu has previously undergone several tests for coronavirus, and has been quarantined at least twice. | *Writing by Mahmoud Barakat…
(2020-10-26). "I'm Gonna Die in Here": Investigation Shows How Jails' Privatized Healthcare Places Profit Over Prisoners, With Deadly Results. commondreams.org A Reuters report found that inmates in jails with contracted medical services were more likely to die and suffer substandard care than those in facilities with publicly managed care. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-26). FDA Lets Pfizer Test Experimental COVID-19 Vaccine on U.S. Children. globalresearch.ca Americans have been following COVID-19 vaccine trial developments for weeks, watching companies jockey for frontrunner status like contestants in a reality TV show. And though participants in some of the studies (by
(2020-10-26). Recep Erdogan: Turkey's Meddlesome and Mischievious Neo-Ottoman Sultan. globalresearch.ca Turkish President Recep Erdogan's recent comments regarding his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron's mental state has led to the recall of the French ambassador from Ankara. His assertion that Macron was "in need of mental health treatment" was not his first …
(2020-10-26). Mossad reportedly brought Chinese coronavirus vaccine to Israel for 'study'. rt.com 
Israel's secret service organization, Mossad, has obtained China's Covid-19 vaccine, taking the medicine for "study," local media reported. Israel has already developed a vaccine of its own, which is undergoing human trials. | Mossad brought the vaccine to Israel in recent weeks, Israel's Channel 12 reported on Monday. It was not immediately clear how exactly the agency obtained the medicine. | Multiple government sources have "indirectly" confirmed the report to local media. The goal of the procurement is said to be study of the Chinese compound and further exploring vaccination options. Apart from that, a se…
(2020-10-26). 120+ Organizations Call on CDC to Issue Nationwide Water Shutoff Moratorium During Pandemic. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-10-25). Thousands Expected to Gather at 'Worship Protest' Against COVID-19 Restrictions. sputniknews.com The development comes a day after the United States reported a record high number of new daily coronavirus infections. According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 83,000 cases were reported on 23 October. Overall, the US has 8.5 million cases and almost 225,000 people have died from the disease.
(2020-10-25). Pence's chief of staff tests positive for Covid-19, VP not infected — spokesman. rt.com 
Marc Short, known as Mike Pence's closest aide, has been infected with coronavirus, the vice president's spokesman has confirmed, adding that Pence himself tested negative and is not planning to halt his campaign. | "Vice President Pence and Mrs. Pence both tested negative for Covid-19 today, and remain in good health," spokesman Devin O'Malley reported on Saturday evening as he confirmed that the VP's right-hand man, Short, had contracted the virus. | Pence is not expected to cancel any of his scheduled events in light of his top aide's illness, O'Malley noted, adding that his boss "will maintain his schedule…
(2020-10-25). Trump's Body Count: Could Be Over a Million. indybay.org The combined death toll from all of Trump's many crimes is not "just" the over 222,000 COVID deaths. It includes at least 40,000 Venezuelans, Syrian Christian and Yazidi refugees, Karen Christians, Rohingya, refugees from Latin America, Afghans, Iraqis, Somalis, Yemenis, and tens of thousands of Americans who died by Trump sabotaging their healthcare.
(2020-10-25). Vice President Pence Criticised For Violating Coronavirus Guidelines After His Aides Test Positive. sputniknews.com Pence, who is 61 years old, has a higher risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19. However, his office noted that the politician doesn't plan to quarantine himself after at least five of his aides tested positive for the disease.
(2020-10-25). Pence Denounced for 'Grossly Negligent' Decision to Keep Campaigning Despite Exposure to Top Aide With Covid-19. commondreams.org "It's just an insult to everybody who has been working in public health and public health response." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-25). Third time's the charm? Armenia & Azerbaijan pledge to resume ceasefire on Monday after weekend talks in Washington. rt.com 
Yerevan and Baku have renewed their commitments under a ceasefire deal agreed on earlier this month in Moscow, but which was plagued with violations from both sides, after separate meetings with US officials in Washington. | Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, representing the two regional rivals locked in a decades-old conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh, "reaffirmed their countries' commitment to implement and abide by the humanitarian ceasefire agreed in Moscow on October 10," the US, Armenia, and Azerbaijan said in a joint statement released by the US Department of State on Saturday. | The…
(2020-10-25). Majority of doctors believe the tier system will have little to no impact on coronavirus spread. thecanary.co More than a third of doctors in England feel the government's tier system will have no impact on efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19), while almost half (46%) said they thought the system would only work to a slight extent. This is according to a wide-ranging survey from the British Medical Association (BMA). | The research also raises concerns about the confidence of healthcare staff for the autumn/winter period. More than half said they're "quite anxious" about it. | "Enormous scale" of challenges: | The findings show the "enormous scale of the challenges" facing the NHS into winter,…