By Dr. Gifford Jones Sunday, July 3, 2011
How did this country, and the U.S., become such drug-addicted societies? A recent report states that the pain killer, Oxycontin is now the number one drug used by addicts in North America. But whether it’s this drug, crack cocaine, crystal meth, or others, the result is always the same, wasted lives, needless deaths, crime, and tons of taxpayers’ money that should be used for productive purposes. It’s a cop-out when Ministers of Health claim there’s no easy answer.
Will Some Doctor Write This Prescription?By Dr. Gifford Jones Sunday, April 10, 2011
Were the judges right or wrong? A man suffered spinal injuries in a car accident leaving him with chronic pain only relieved by marijuana. His insurance company refused to pay for this medication. But Quebec judges believed that “personal experience” must be considered when deciding if a patient is helped by medication. They ruled his company must pay $5,000 so he could grow his own marijuana. When I wrote about this I asked for your opinion.
DJ from Sherbrooke, Quebec, responded, “Congratulations for bringing this matter to the public’s attention. My Father is dying of cancer and this is the one remedy that helps to control his pain and nausea. It’s ludicrous he has to obtain this illegally, but there is so much red tape to get it legally. It seems that the government and drug companies would sooner have him addicted to painkillers such as oxycodone.”
Quebec Judges Make Right Decision About MarijuanaBy Dr. Gifford Jones Sunday, March 20, 2011
What would you do if you were the judge? A man in his 40s (his name is protected under provincial law) is involved in a severe car crash. His spine is badly damaged resulting in painful spasms. A variety of painkillers are prescribed to alleviate the pain, but none are effective. Would you agree to the medical use of marijuana?
Patient X requested insurance coverage for marijuana, but it was refused. Not an unexpected decision as the use of this drug has sparked controversy for many years. But an unusual event occurred in this case.
Sierra Leoneans Welcome Mercy Ships into Port of FreetownBy Guest Column Monday, February 28, 2011
Freetown, Sierra Leone— This week marks the fifth time in 18 years that Freetown has welcomed a Mercy Ship; this time it is the Africa Mercy – the world’s largest non-governmental hospital ship. For the next ten months, Mercy Ships is offering its state-of-the-art hospital ship – with six operating theaters, lab, pharmacy, 78 beds, and an outpatient clinic – to partner alongside the Sierra Leonean government. The ship will provide free health care to the people of Sierra Leone and training for health care workers until November 2011.
In response to an invitation from the President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, Mercy Ships program strategy has been carefully aligned with the country’s current five-year health care plan.
Dying in Pain Is the Number One FearBy Dr. Gifford Jones Sunday, February 27, 2011
Woody Allen once joked, “I’m not afraid of death. I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” A world-wide survey by the Lien Foundation in Singapore recently reported the primary worry of the elderly is dying in pain. It listed England as the best place to die. Canada and the U.S tied for 9th place.
As a physician I’ve always known that pain is the overwhelming fear, particularly for cancer patients. I’ve also known that heroin has been available in Britain for 90 years to ease the final agony of death. This knowledge triggered a visit to England to witness its use and to question why it wasn’t used for this purpose in Canada. I didn’t realize my probe would engender so much controversy.
The Case Of The Dilated Pupil
By Dr. Gifford Jones Monday, May 3, 2010
What causes the most problems for patients? Ask Dr.Jerome Groopman, Chief of Experimental Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He’s author of the book “How Doctors Think”, which describes a study of 100 incorrect diagnoses.
Rx- Suffer A Little BitBy Dr. Gifford Jones Monday, April 20, 2009
Why would I want people to suffer pain when in the past I’ve criticized doctors for inadequate pain control? For years I’ve argued it’s inhuman to allow terminal cancer patients to die in agony. How some get insufficient amounts of painkillers. Others are denied medication for fear of addiction even though they have only days or weeks to live. But suffering a little bit is the right prescription for millions of other people.
Don’t Fire Until You See The Whites of Their EyesBy Dr. Gifford Jones Monday, December 1, 2008
What do people fear the most? It’s often said that giving a speech tops the list. But a recent survey shows it’s losing one’s sight. Today, with an aging population, an increasing number of people face the ultimate fear, a condition called Age–related Macular Degeneration (AMD) that destroys vision and can even lead to blindness. For the first time a new medication, Lucentis, is available that stops, and can even reverse, vision loss caused by the most serious form of this debilitating disease.
ZICAM® – a leading cold remedy brand in the United StatesBy Guest Column Saturday, November 1, 2008
As winter approaches, these scenarios will become all too familiar…
You feel a tickle in the throat – the first sign of a cold… and you’ve got a presentation to the company president, or an overseas flight to finalize the deal of a lifetime, or a make-it-or-break-it meeting. You can’t afford to be sick for long! Relax. Take charge. Get over your cold faster™. ZICAM®,a leading cold remedy brand in the United States, has just arrived in Canada.
By Dr. Gifford Jones Sunday, October 19, 2008
What would you think of somebody who poured himself a vodka martini for breakfast every day? No doubt you would believe he was on a rocky road to medical hell. But how many readers are aware that a large glass of grapefruit juice in the morning is also a health hazard? Studies show that downing a glass of fruit juice can have a powerful effect on medication.
Religious People: Shame, Shame, Shame
By Dr. Gifford Jones Sunday, April 20, 2008
Why would I rather deal with the Mafia than some religious people? Because I hate hypocrisy above all other things. I know the mob has a code it follows strictly, such as it is, and it’s crystal clear to everyone what it’s all about. But religious people talk constantly about brotherly love and yet condemn fellow humans to death. It’s hypocrisy at its worst.
The March of the SuperbugBy Guest Column Monday, March 31, 2008
New infectious diseases are popping up everywhere and becoming more and more resistant to our attempts to fight them. Superbug is one of them. It seems that the number of people infected is growing, and recently there was an outbreak in an Ontario jail.
How do we prevent them? Can we control infectious diseases?
We’ve identified some CIHR-funded health research experts to answer some of your queries about Superbug and other issues such as the importance of infection control.
Dr. Allison McGeer, CIHR-finded researcher, Director, Infection Control, Mount Sinai HospitalProfessor, University of Toronto.
Dr. Donald E. Low, CIHR-funded researcher, Microbiologist-in-Chief, Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai Hospital.
By Dr. Gifford Jones Sunday, November 11, 2007
A patient of mine recently asked, “Why can’t you prescribe thyroid hormone to help me lose weight?” It wasn’t the first time I’d heard this question. In the past I always asked these patients whether they thought it was safer to drive at the normal 100 kilometers an hour (60 miles an hour) or faster. But now I’m going to ask them, “Why don’t you ask Muhammad Ali whether it’s a good idea?”
New Support Group For Psoriasis PatientsBy Dr. Gifford Jones Sunday, September 23, 2007
Sir William Osler, one of this country’s greatest physicians, remarked that no doctor thoroughly understands a disease until he suffers from it. He could have added that this also applies to patients.
Should You Buy Organic Food?By Dr. Gifford Jones Sunday, September 16, 2007
“Do you ever buy organic food?” I asked my wife. She quickly answered, “No”. Then I asked, “Why do some people buy it?” She replied what most people say, “Because it’s free of pesticides”. But is this true? And with increasing food prices is it prudent to spend hard-earned dollars on organic farm products?
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