Teens Use The Pill For Cramps and Acne?

Posted by Cathy on

The results of a study by the Guttmacher Institute were just released.  It tells an interesting story about why American teenage girls are choosing birth control pills for noncontraceptive reasons. 

 

The study points out that little data has been gathered previously on the use of oral contraception for purposes beyond that of preventing pregnancy.   The federally funded survey done from 2006-2008 titled the "National Survey of Family Growth" examined the reasons why women and teens are  using the pill for noncontraceptive reasons.

 

The Guttmacher Institute estimated from this survey that 1.5 million women in the U.S. are using oral contraception for noncontraceptive purposes.  This includes reasons such as acne, primary dysmenorrhea, prevention of migraines, fibroids, excessive pelvic pain, bleeding and other "side effects" of menstruation.  The Guttmacher institute says "The reliance on birth control pills for noncontraceptive reasons is highest among pill users who are teenagers. In fact, teens are more likely to report using the pill for noncontraceptive purposes than for birth control: Some 82% of 15-19 year-olds who use OCPs say they do so for non-contraceptive reasons".6  The three most common reasons are: menstrual pain, menstrual regulation and acne.   The survey did not ask about other hormonal methods of contraception ie. the ring, patch, implant or IUD.  The data was gathered using in-person interviews with 7356 women aged 15-44.

 

Oral contraception is artificial hormone regulation of the endocrine system and the risks of these drugs can be serious.  A friend of mine, healthy at age 30 suffered a stroke from birth control pills and four years later still has no use of her left arm and walks with an extreme limp. She started the "Pill" at age 15 to alleviate her painful periods.  I do not want to scare you, so I will refrain from further stories from patients or friends, about the use of birth control pills.   But, do the 82% of teenagers using the pill for noncontraception reasons understand the risks of these drugs?  Do they know all the possible ramifications of their choices? My friend has said many times,

 

"I wish I had known, I never would have taken the pill if I knew this could happen." 

 

Dr. Larry Norton is a well known breast cancer doctor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York City and when interviewed on Oprah.com  had this to say about birth control pills.  "Birth control pills are an estrogen-progesterone combination, so they bring up the same fears as HRT. Some disagree with me, but I just don't see a reason to take the Pill–even for younger women. The fact is, breast cancer cells, at least in the formative stages, like estrogen. So the more continuously you feed them the estrogen, the greater the likelihood you'll have a malignancy. With the sexually transmitted diseases that we have to worry about nowadays, I think barrier methods make a lot more sense." 1

 

Do our teenagers have this information?  Do they know that in 2005 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that "combined estrogen-progestogen oral contraception is carcinogenic to humans."2

 

Do these teenagers know about  BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes?  Are teens getting checked to see whether they carry this gene mutation?  This mutation gives a woman "a 36-52 percent risk of  developing breast cancer by age 70"3.   Personally, I would want this information to make my choice about oral contraception an informed one.  I want to know about any drug that can possibly cause cancer cell growth, especially if I have a gene that puts me at a higher risk for cancer.

 

The Breast Cancer Fund has a book called "State of The Evidence"4   (this book is free and online) in which they sum up a number of studies on birth control pills with the following statements: "Numerous studies have shown an increase risk of breast cancer in women using oral contraceptives …. especially those who start taking birth control pills earlier in life and take them for a longer period of time."5

 

What do you think?  Do the teenagers possess this information and are they making informed choices about their health?  Is all the information available to them and are  the facts presented  properly?  Drugs have serious ramifications and not all are immediately evident.  Teens choosing oral contraception for menstrual cramps and acne is a personal choice that requires some serious study.

 

Women have more choices today than ever before.  Choices have ramifications and choices about our health and drug use are no exception.  Freedom of choice is a wonderful thing and I support it 100%.  I believe choices should be made after carefully weighing benefits and risks.  Due diligence is especially important when the choice could involve serious health consequences.

 

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References:

1.  http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/Breaking-News-on-Breast-Cancer/2#ixzz1dzBMRJKk

2. http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2005/pr167.html

3. Dr. Susan Love  http://blog.dslrf.org/?p=24

4. & 5.  Breast Cancer Fund  http://www.breastcancerfund.org/assets/pdfs/publications/state-of-the-evidence-2008.pdf

6.  Guttmacher Institute study   http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/Beyond-Birth-Control.pdf

Do Chinese Herbs Grown in a Hostile Environment Make Better Medicine?

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Today’s blog I’m looking for some feedback, because, people on all continents, for thousands of years have used the power of herbal remedies.  After all these years of use, and thanks to modern chemistry, we know which plants produce what compounds that makes it effective as an herbal sleep aid, an herb for energy, an antimicrobial or for whatever therapeutic results is intended. Today we farm these herbs all around the world, including in California as my last post described the growing of Da Zao, the Chinese herb well known for digestion. 

But, is there a difference between an herb (Chinese herb or Western herb) which is farm raised compared to one which grows naturally in the wild?   Wild crafted herbs were historically the only ones used for healing benefits.  Agriculture is a fairly recent event in the 60,000 years since Neanderthal man.   Plants growing today in nature obviously live in a more hostile environment than those living on a farm.  Farm raised herbs are protected by the farmer because the farmers depend on the crop for their livelihood. Greenhouses are constructed, watering systems, fertilizers etc. etc.  

On the contrary, herbs growing in the wild are exposed to their world 24/7.   It is exactly this exposure of temperature extremes, water deprivation or flooding, wind, rain and even predators trampling them or eating them that give an herb its strength.  A weak plant will not survive harsh elements of nature and dies without reproducing.  A strong plant will produce the chemical compounds it needs to survive and often, these are exactly the compounds we know have the healing benefits.  Does farm grown valerian produce the same active chemical constituents as valerian that was once harvested only in wild fields?  Ginseng, for example is one of the highest priced herbs when found in the wild and is officially recognized as wild grown with a government certificate declaring the exact location of origin.  Farm raised ginseng, on the other hand, fetches nominal prices in comparison.

Darwin’s theory, “survival of the fittest” makes sense in the plant kingdom just as it does in the animal kingdom. 

Where do YOUR herbs come from?  Are they wild grown or wild crafted herbs or are they grown in a comfortable farm where they are fed, watered and looked after.   Are wild crafted herbs better?  What do you think? Is your herbal sleep aid more efficacious when it is produced from herbs grown in their native environments or is farm raised just as good or better?

 

Jujube Fruit Is A Chinese Herb Now Growing in California

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A slightly unusual yet inspiring story appeared on the front page of the LA Times today.   It is about a farmer in California's Central Valley near Fresno who has been growing some unusual produce.  He is growing one very common Chinese herb called Jujube fruit.   This fruit is fetching higher than average produce market prices partly because the Asian community nearby understand the value of this Chinese date.  It's the kind of success story I love reading about,  so unusual for the front page of the LA Times.

Used in many traditional Chinese herbal formulas, Da Zao as it's referred to in Mandarin, has several uses and  is commonly added to improve the digestability of other herbs in formulas.  Jujube is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to improve digestion, improve energy and to nourish the blood.  This is one reason you can find it in our Energy Booster Herb Pack.   

It can be eaten right off the tree or dried and used in a tea, congee, (hot cereal) or used to sweeten rice or other foods.   Jujube like many Chinese herbs doubles as both a food staple and a medicinal herb.  In a higher dose this dried fruit is used for stress, nervousness and helps calm the spirit which is one of the reasons we included it in iSleep Herb Pack.

Most American's have never seen Jujube fruit but I have seen it popping up in Farmers Markets this time of year. This particular California farmer started growing it when he learned it was a popular item which could sell for a premium.  Asian cultures have understood for centuries the value of this little date. In fact, the LA Times reported "his biggest-selling, most established crop is the super sweet jujubes."  It seems Americans are starting to catch the wave, learning both the health benefits and tasty goodness available in botanicals we often use as herbal medicine.

It is truly great to see we are beginning to grow Chinese herbs here in California.  Traditional Chinese herbs, whether they are being used for food or medicine have brought millions "Wellness for Centuries" and can continue to do so.   Hopefully, one day soon more American's will understand these benefits.

 

Connect here to see our products containing jujube fruit: iSleep Herb Pack and our Energy Booster Herb Pack

 

See story here:    http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hmong-farmer-20111114,0,5801613.story?page=2

Goji Berries – Health Benefits of Chinese Herbs

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The health benefits of Lycium fruit, otherwise known as Goji berries are nearly unmatched by any other berry.  While Western countries are just recently discovering these incredible antioxidants, Chinese medicine has been using them for centuries.   Many foods and herbs overlap in Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM) and goji berries is one of these, a  food used in herbal remedies.   Today we are finding goji in energy drinks, energy bars and as a stand alone dried fruit in many health food stores.

A recent study at the University of Basel in Switzerland showed lycium to have " antioxidative properties and some interesting pharmacological activities in the context of age related diseases such as atherosclerosis and diabetes."1

Lycium berries have a long history of use in Chinese medicine.  They are commonly seen in cooking recipes from soups to congee (hot cereal) to stews.   Goji berries are known as a tonic herb for the blood, considered a liver protector and especially beneficial for the eyes.

In  Sydney Australia a study of mice drinking goji berry juice was conducted.  What the researchers found was the goji juice protected the mice against UV radiation induced skin damage because of its antioxidant activity. 2

Goji berries probably have more therapeutic value than we yet grasp.  If you would like to read more studies you can always check out pubmed.com.   Yet, before the age of the computer Chinese medicine understood the value in these little red berries and herbal formulas go back over a thousand years that have included lycium in herbal prescriptions for health.  We've included it in our Energy Booster Herb Pack which is bases on an ancient Chinese herbal formula that has been used for "Wellness for Centuries". 

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References:

1.  Nutr Res. 2009 Jan;29(1):19-25.   Lycium barbarum (goji) juice improves in vivo antioxidant biomarkers in serum of healthy adults.      Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2010 Apr;9(4):601-7.

 

2,  Mice drinking goji berry juice (Lycium barbarum) are protected from UV radiation-induced skin damage via antioxidant pathways.  Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.     PMID:    2035465

 

 

Peanut Allergies Suppresed With Chinese Herbs

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Would it not be incredible if there was a way to prevent peanut allergies in children or to reduce asthma in children?  I think everyone would agree this would be a worthwhile medical development, certainly news worthy.   Researchers have been studying Chinese herbs for years and are now able to prove that two specific herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can reduce the inflammation response that occurs with allergies. This is  especially important since food allergies and peanut allergies have been on the rise in children.

If I child goes into a anaphylaxtic shock as a result of a peanut allergy it is always a serious event.  A study recently done on two Chinese herbs; Rubia cordifolia (Qiancao) and Dianthus superbus (Qumai) has the potential to save lives.  Researchers at Mount Sinai Medical Center have studied how these herbal extracts can suppress IgE production and prevent peanut-induced anaphylaxis.

Study Results

"Rubia cordifolia and Dianthus superbus inhibited the in vitro IgE production by a human B-cell line in a dose-dependent manner and the in vivo IgE production in a murine model of peanut allergy without affecting peanut-specific-IgG1 levels. After challenge, all mice in the sham groups developed anaphylactic reactions and increased plasma histamine levels. The extract-treated mice demonstrated significantly reduced peanut-triggered anaphylactic reactions and plasma histamine levels."

"The extracts of Rubia cordifolia and Dianthus superbus inhibited the IgE production in vivo and in vitro as well as reduced anaphylactic reactions in peanut-allergic mice, suggesting potentials for allergy treatments."

 

Iván López-Expósito1,2, Alexandra Castillo1, Nan Yang1, Banghao Liang1 and Xiu-Min Li1*    Chinese Medicine 2011, 6:35 doi:10.1186/1749-8546-6-35    Published: 30 September 2011

 

 

5 Reason To Learn About Chinese Herbs

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1. Chinese Herbal Medicine is Used by One Third of Earth’s Population

Chinese herbs help you sleep, are a menopause treatment and make a great energy drink

Are you part of the 33%?  If you use Chinese herbs to help you sleep, give you energy or just provide you with relief from menopause hot flashes and night sweats, you should know you  are part of the growing world wide explosion of use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).   As populations increase more and more people worldwide are looking to the medicine they know their grandparents trusted and depended upon.

2. Herbs Are Synergistic; They Work With Our Immune System.

Some herbs, like ginseng are adaptogens others are immune-stimulant, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic and anti-oxidant.  Herbs used in combinations or formulas can improve our total immune system.  There is not a single prescription drug can do that.  

3. Herbal Formulas Have Been Studied and Tested

Imagine how much more enjoyable life would be if you simply had more energy, a clearer head and a relaxed body. Look at the thousands of studies on pubmed.com  that have been done on plant based medicine to prove time tested results are more than coincidence for insomnia, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, menstrual irregularities, migraines, the list is endless.

4. Traditional Chinese Herbal Formulas Have Been Used Continuously For Over 1000 Years.

Herbal Medicine is currently the main medicine for over 33% of the world’s population and has a long established record of effectiveness.  Chinese herbal medicine has written documentation going back to 200 AD. Asian cultures have used this plant-based medicine or medicinal herbs for thousands of years and have an inherent understanding of their healing qualities. In fact, many Chinese dishes are made with herbs for medicinal value because food is also medicine.

5. Herbs Match Our Biochemistry

Our biochemistry has evolved over millions of years with plants as our main source of food, so we are naturally compatible with medicinal herbs. Herbal medicines  inherently have the same chemical structures that built your body in the first place.  Allkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, saponins and more are all found in natural plants. These are the chemical structures your body needs to repair itself.

Bonus Reason:  Compared to Prescriptions, Herbs are a bargain

Herbal supplements are the best investment you can make in yourself. They are far less expensive than prescription medication and their greatest savings comes from the prevention of long term illness. The western standard for disease- if you’re not sick, you’re healthy – should not be the measurement of one’s health.

 

Breast Cancer Prevention Could Be In Green Tea

Posted by Cathy on

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

 

Can green tea help reduce the risk factors for breast cancer?  A study recently published in Molecular Food & Nutrition Research examined the relationship between the consumption of green tea and breast cancer.  Green tea has been associated with lowering circulating estrogen levels and may be one of the many mechanisms to reduce cancer risks. Green tea is just one of hundreds of herbal remedies used in Chinese medicine and as part of a healthy lifestyle through out Asia.  Interestingly, Asian women have the lowest incident of breast cancer in the world.

 

Green tea has been evaluated for it's protective factors in connection with cancer in many studies. Tea polyphenols have been shown to prevent the binding of estrogen to its receptors in breast cancer cells. Green tea is rich in tea catechins―epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin (EC), and epicatechin gallate (ECG)―which possess cancer chemoprotective attributes. EGCG also has exhibited steroid hormone activities, which may influence breast cancer risk through hormonally mediated pathways. 

 

In addition, two Japanese studies suggested that  women with stage I and stage II breast cancer who  drank 4 oz of green tea daily had lower risk of recurrence of breast cancer.

 

Even though the evidence is inconclusive for many women who are at high risk for breast cancer drinking a cup of green tea each day is one simple, inexpensive option.   Changing life styles to prevent breast cancer is clearly one answers all of us should consider. Green tea has so many other benefits, why not add it to your diet?

 

Another option.. Check into DIM!

 

Wu AH, Butler LM. Green tea and breast cancer. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2011 Jun;55(6):921-930.

Affordable Medicine, Ginger Root Is A Must Know Chinese Herb

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Did you hear the news? A new study on ginger root found this Chinese herbs helps reduce colon inflammation and may reduce colon cancer risk.

The interest in Chinese herbs is growing all the time.  New studies on the cancer prevention properties on herbal remedies which have been used for centuries are multiplying.  Westerners are learning some of the age old practices well known in Asia for centuries.  Ginger is used both as a food and as a medicine in Asia cultures.

“Interest in this is only going to increase as people look for ways to prevent cancer that are nontoxic and improve their quality of life in a cost-effective way,” said lead author Suzanna Zick in a news release. Zick is a naturopathic doctor and a research assistant professor at the University of Michigan Medical School.

This latest study on ginger root supplements found that evidence of ginger’s benefits (2 grams daily) after just 28 days of use.  The participants were at normal risk for cancer of the colon, they had no family history of the disease and no evidence of the disease.  The participants underwent sigmoidoscopies at the beginning and end of the study.  Researchers examined colon inflammation levels and found that those taking the supplements had a drop in colon inflammation markers as well as a tendency toward substantial decreases in other markers.

Ginger is often used for indigestion, nausea, upset stomach and digestive difficulties  in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  It is very common to find a small amount of  ginger root  (2-3 grams ) in many Traditional Chinese herbal formulas to help balance and harmonize a formula of many herbs.  I always keep some frozen ginger root tucked away in the freezer, just in case.  

 

More articles on Ginger here:

Use Ginger Root after exercise for less pain

Chemo Nausea Treated with Ginger

Chinese Herb Breakthrough Wins Prestigious Award

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The award known as American Nobel Prize was presented last Saturday to an 81 year old researcher for her work on a Chinese herb called Artemisia.  Tu Youyou is the first Chinese citizen to receive the prestigious Lasker Medical Research Award.  Her work, along with her research team, has studied the Chinese herb Artemisia (qing hao) which is used to cure malaria.  Today the artemisia based drug created by Tu and her colleagues  is now a standard treatment for malaria and statistics show it's success rate is 97 percent.  

"I think the honor not only belongs to me, but also to all Chinese scientists," Tu said at the award ceremony held in New York. "The discovery of artemisinin is a gift to mankind from traditional Chinese medicine," Tu was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

"Not often in the history of clinical medicine can we celebrate a discovery that has eased the pain and distress of hundreds of millions of people and saved the lives of countless numbers of people, particularly children, in over 100 countries," Lucy Shapiro, a member of the award jury and professor of Stanford University, said while describing Tu's discovery.

This is very exciting news for Traditional Chinese Medicine. If we learn as a society to embrace the longstanding traditions and wisdom which botanical or herbal medicine hold, we will have the answers to many of the diseases of the 21st century.  We can improve the quality of our life and our lifespan using the knowledge of herbal medicine pasted down for centuries.   More research like that being done by Tu and her team could mean less lines for the unsustainable ER services and huge savings.  As a society we need to learn about Chinese herbs and how we can use them to create American traditions of "Wellness for Centuries".

For more information on Malaria and Artemisia read this post.   http://www.pacherbs.com/2009/04/

End The Flu Faster With Chinese Herbs

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Fox News, Reuters Health and other large news organizations recently ran a story about a clinical trail on traditional Chinese herbs relieving fever and flu symptoms better than the flu shot and NSAID, over-the-counter pain relievers.  The story was breaking news at the Beijing Institute of Respiratory Medicine about a week ago.

This is great news, but the product, Ma xing shi gan tang combined with Yin qiao san is not readily available in U.S. stores.  Hopefully this will change soon.  In the meantime, practitioners of Chinese medicine such as licensed Acupuncturists in the U.S.  do have access to this herbal formula.  This formula works because of the combination of the herbs, if you take just one herb alone it does not work.

The researchers reported these Chinese herbs helped reduce fever faster than Tamiflu the flu shot.

The researchers studied 410 Chinese adults with H1N1 flu (also known as the swine flu). The patients who drank the Chinese herb tea typically saw their fevers resolve after 16 hours, versus 26 hours in patients in a "control group" whose only flu treatment was acetaminophen   (Tylenol) if their fever passed 102 degrees F.

Patients in a third group received the prescription antiviral drug Tamiflu, known generically as oseltamivir. With Tamiflu, fevers typically resolved after 20 hours, or six hours sooner than in the control group.

The studies findings  have been published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Chinese herbs have a long history of use in other parts of the world.  Japan, Korea, and Germany all have these herbal remedies widely available and at a very low cost.  China and Taiwan use Traditional Chinese medicine in their national health care system and herbal remedies are covered by insurance.

Hopefully some day soon, American's will understand and appreciate this botanical form of medicine has many proven benefits.

Read more:    http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/08/16/chinese-herb-mix-may-shorten-flu-fever/#ixzz1VJmKA8HQ

http://www.annals.org/content/155/4/217.abstract?sid=36fbeeca-172e-4698-94e8-b07210ac0003

Cheap Chinese Herbs Are Not Worth It

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Best Chinese herbs for sleep If you are looking for cheap Chinese herbs you won’t find them here.  Sorry, but I refuse to buy cheap quality raw materials for my products.  Why?  Well like just about anything, you get what you pay for.  So if you don’t mind having heavy metals and bacteria in your Chinese herb products then go ahead… buy those cheap ones.

If you want to know your herbs are tested for contaminants they keep reading.  You are in the right place.

But how do you know what’s good and what’s not.   First, find out who is the manufacturer or processor of the herbs.  When you buy drugs you are told who makes it.  When you purchase fruits and vegetables labels tell you the processor and country of origin.  When you buy herbs, a product you plan on ingesting, the rule should be the same.  If  a seller is not telling you where the herbs are processed and by whom, don’t buy them from these companies. Don’t be fooled, if the information is missing from the website, it’s missing for a reason.

I offer a free report titled “What you need to know before purchasing Chinese herbs”. It’s available on our home page and it’s FREE!  Get educated, Chinese herbal remedies are offered all over the internet cheap for a reason.  Because cheap Chinese herbs are cheap quality and not worth the money you are paying for shipping.

We are completely transparent about our manufacturer our testing and our finished products.  Watch our 3 minute factory tour and see how our herbs for sleep, PMS Relief, and Menopause  are processed in our pharmaceutical factory.

Look for lot numbers and expiration dates on every product.   Lot numbers can be traced to batches of herbs and with our products correspond to “COA’s or Certificates of Analysis which detail all the testing and list quality assurance numerical standards of each test performed.   Many herbal companies do not have the high tech equipment or resources to perform COA’s. Check with the manufacturer and ask at the retail store where you purchase herbs if they are requiring COA’s from their suppliers.

We guarantee everything we sell and we guarantee our herbs are pure, unadulterated botanicals with no fillers and nothing artificial.  Ask the other guys who sell herbs cheap if they will make that guarantee.

 

 

Breast Cancer Linked to HRT Menopause Treatment

Posted by Cathy on with 1 Comment

Chinese herbs for menopause treatmentThe climb in breast cancer rates over the last two decades in the U.S. has been unprecedented.

Now Premarin and Preplus, artificial hormones used for menopause treatment are being blamed by thousands of women in both the U.S. and Canada.   A  Canadian Supreme Court has taken the first stem and certified a class-action lawsuit on behalf of women who contracted breast cancer after taking hormone replacement therapy also known as HRT.

The drugs in question, Premarin and Premplus were used by women to control hot flashes, night sweats and other symptoms of menopause.  The lawsuit alleges the makers of these drugs, Pfizer Pharmeceutical, failed to inform patients about research that demonstrates a link between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and breast cancer, and even went so far as to hire ghostwriters to downplay those risks in medical journals.

Dianna Stanway of Sechelt, B.C., is the main plaintiff. She took Premarin for seven years, but stopped when she read news reports warning it could cause cancer. Two months after quitting, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I never would have taken Premarin if I had been told of the risks. Fortunately, I won my battle with breast cancer. Not everyone is so lucky. I want my lawsuit to help all Canadian women, and their families, who have been harmed by this drug,” Stanway said in a news release issued by her law firm, Klein Lyons.

But the defendant in the lawsuit, pharmaceutical company Wyeth, which has since been purchased by Pfizer, says there’s no way to prove HRT gave Stanway cancer.

“It is widely accepted that science cannot determine what caused or contributed to any individual woman’s breast cancer except in rare circumstances where genetics play a role. Wyeth acted responsibly by conducting or supporting more than 180 studies on hormone therapy’s benefits and risks, and including science-based information in Premarin and Premplus’ labels that accurately communicate these benefits and risks to doctors and patients alike,” Pfizer said in a statement.

Pfizer has already used that argument successfully. A jury in Charleston, West Virginia, recently ruled in favour of the pharmaceutical giant, saying there wasn’t enough evidence to show HRT caused Leah Royce Hines’s breast cancer.

But Pfizer has also lost battles in the many lawsuits it has faced, and still faces, over HRT.

In 2009, Donna Scroggin of Arkansas, who developed breast cancer after taking HRT, won $29.5 million in a lawsuit against Wyeth.

The state of Nevada is currently involved in a lawsuit against Pfizer, alleging the company gave Nevada doctors deceptive information about the benefits of HRT.

“We look forward to bringing this case to trial. Many similar lawsuits have already been successfully tried to conclusion in the United States, resulting in repeated verdicts against the defendants,” said David Klein, Stanway’s lawyer.

Stanway’s lawsuit alleges the company tried to cover up the risks associated with HRT by hiring people to write positive articles for scientific journals, a practice also alleged in a 2010 investigation published in the Public Library of Science’s medical journal.

Adriane Fugh-Berman of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., who was an expert witness in a U.S. lawsuit against Pfizer, told QMI Agency at the time that the company hired ghostwriters to pen articles to spin the benefits of HRT, and published them under the names of actual doctors.

Wyeth hired a company called DesignWrite to co-ordinate its communications strategy, said Fugh-Berman. DesignWrite recruited doctors to appear as authors, chose journals, and set about to “position the product appropriately to influence prescribers,” she said.

Wyeth dismissed the allegations.”This article completely — and conveniently — ignores the fact that the published manuscripts were subjected to rigorous peer review by outside experts on behalf of the medical journals that published them,” the company said at the time.

Internal Pfizer documents made public during litigation revealed DesignWrite created over 50 peer-reviewed articles and over 50 scientific abstracts and posters, journal supplements, internal white papers and slide kits between 1997 and 2003, Fugh-Berman said.

In 2002, the Women’s Health Initiative published a five-year study of 16,608 women ages 50 to 79, and concluded that HRT actually increases the risks of most of the things it claims to prevent, including heart disease, and greatly increases a woman’s chances of developing breast cancer.

Compared to women who received placebo treatment, women who used HRT saw a 41% increase in strokes, a 22% increase in cardiovascular disease, a 29% increase in heart attacks, a 26% increase in breast cancer, and double the likelihood of blood clots.

We hope more women will learn about herbal options for menopause treatment of hot flashes and night sweats.

Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to reduce menopause symptoms.