Author: Sandy Zimm

We think our medicines are safe because they were approved by the FDA but Dr. Mary Ann Block, DO, the Medical Director of the Block Center in Texas, gave an insider’s view of the situation in the United States for my interview. Dr. Block, “I have a big concern about the safety of medicines today as long as the present processes are in place I have doubts whether we can say any drug is safe.” What are the steps in the process for gaining FDA approval for drugs? Dr. Block, “There are many steps in the process of bringing new drugs to the market yet every step from the research, the drug trials, and the drug approval down to the reps bringing the medicines to the doctors seems to have been compromised. During the approval process the pharmaceutical companies present data to the FDA and they have special committees that are supposed to be unbiased. If it is a drug for high blood pressure, the committee usually consists of doctors and authorities who are specialists in blood pressure. The problem is that the FDA allows financial conflict of interest in their committee members. It is not supposed to occur but they provide wavers to this conflict of interest, say, even though you might be making money from this drug company, or you have an investment in this drug company, or they paid you to do research for them, we are going to let you sit on this committee and let you say yea or nay about this drug being approved. (1)(2) (1) (The FDA website states, “FDA advisory committee members can get waivers for conflict of interest.” “They can have stocks, other investments, primary employment, be a consultant, have grants or contracts, patent trademarks, royalties, be expert witnesses and teach, speak or write” for a pharmaceutical company and get a waiver. “26% received at least one waiver, 25% received multiple waivers and 32 members received 46 waivers.”) (2) (Propublica reported that 400 advisors received $100,000 or more since 2009 and that the FDA did not check for conflict of interest 31% of the time.) These procedures have been going on for years. Recently the drug companies are allowed to pay more money to actively have their drugs approved faster.”

The DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) sets manufacturing quotas for controlled substances like Ritalin, Adderall and Focalin and are concerned about the abuse of these ADHD drugs by teens and college students.

This limits how many drugs from a certain class that drug companies can make and sell. So they may try to maximize profits by marketing and selling the newer patented drugs rather than generic ones that cost less.

This has created a smaller supply of the generic ADHD drugs that so many children are taking.

Because these ADHD drugs are class II controlled and addictive, withdrawal from them must be done gradually and under a doctor’s supervision and Dr. Mary Ann Block says they should not be used in children at all.

Dr. Block has successfully treated thousands of children and adults labeled ADHD, without using drugs and is the author of No More ADHD and No More Ritalin

With a short supply available, perhaps this is a good time to consider coming off the drugs and finding the real cause of the ADHD symptoms, which can be low blood sugar, nutritional deficiencies and even allergies.

Watch this amazing video to see the effect of allergies on concentration and behavior at:

http://www.blockcenter.com/Allergy-Testing-and-Behavior.html

Dr. Mary Ann Block went to medical school at age 39 to save her daughter. What she learned taught her to think “outside the box” and she later cured her mother from terminal lung cancer. She has appeared on The Doctors, CBS’ 48 Hours, CNN, Montel and many other national and local television and radio shows.

She has authored articles or been interviewed for Better Homes and Garden, Ladies’ Home Journal, Medical Economics, American Journal of Natural Medicine, Nature’s Impact, Dr. Andrew Weil’s Self Healing Newsletter, Energy Times, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Dallas Morning News, Healthy Answers, Fort Worth Business Press, Money Magazine and Living Without.

In addition to No More ADHD and No More Ritalin, she is the author of Just Because You’re Depressed, Doesn’t Mean You Have Depression, No More Antibiotics, The ABC’s of Raising Great Kids and Today I Will Not Die, the story of her mother’s recovery from terminal, metastatic lung cancer.

Family Practice News 7/2011: My first comment to this headline is, “DUH!” I don’t really understand why a study was necessary to come to this conclusion. It is a well-known fact that all Type II Diabetes (adult onset) can be completely eliminated with diet and exercise. What always amazes me is that doctors do not talk to their diabetic patients about this. I have seen so many people who have been diagnosed with diabetes, prescribed a drug and never had a discussion with their doctor about diet and exercise. Some doctors have even told me that their patients won’t follow a diet and exercise routine so they don’t bother giving them the option.

I think every patient should be told that Type II diabetes can be reversed with diet and exercise. Even though some people will take the “easy way out”, others will want to follow the proper diet and exercise plan. It is not up to the doctor to decide which patient will choose a drug. Informed consent means every patient is told every option. The “easy way out” may not be so easy. According to this study, better glucose control was found with the diet, not with the pills or insulin. If there is better control there will be fewer if any, side effects from poor control, such as blindness, loss of limbs and other neurological damage. In this study, initially diet alone was used. However, the group who had less diet intervention was more likely to be prescribed medication for better control.

If the cause of Type II diabetes is poor diet and exercise then the treatment should be diet and exercise. At The Block Center the goal is always to Find the Cause and Fix the Problem, Not Just Cover Symptoms with Drugs. www.blockcenter.com

JAMA 11 23/30, 2011

According to an article in Family Practice News 10/15/2011, “When treating Bipolar depression ‘we are in the land of uncertain where physicians must improvise and do their best with what’s available’.” The article goes on to say, “The published evidence base for treating bipolar depression should not be viewed as synonymous with the best practice.” Even though the literature “provides insufficient evidence to document a beneficial role for antidepressants in the treatment of bipolar depression, along with some evidence against any efficacy”, many psychiatrists prescribe antidepressants as first line therapy or combined with other drugs.

It appears to me that what is needed here, is a look at the actual underlying cause of what is called bipolar depression. Bipolar refers to symptoms that range from feeling depressed to being very manic.

Mania symptoms may include excessive happiness, excitement, irritability, restlessness, increased energy, less need for sleep, racing thoughts, high sex drive, and a tendency to make grand and unattainable plans.

Depression symptoms may include sadness, anxiety, irritability, loss of energy, uncontrollable crying, change in appetite causing weight loss or gain, increased need for sleep, difficulty making decisions, and thoughts of death or suicide. (from WebMD)

The Block Center has found that bipolar symptoms often occur from experiencing Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. A one-week diet diary listing everything eaten or drank and the time of day can often lead to a diagnosis of Hypoglycemia. In fact, before even considering a diagnosis of Bipolar, diet changes are recommended and most of the time the “bipolar” symptoms resolve without a psychiatric label being applied.

Diet changes include protein only for breakfast, protein snacks mid-morning, mid-afternoon and evening and small amounts of protein at lunch and dinner. All sugars and artificial sweeteners must be removed.

At The Block Center the goal is always to Find the Cause and Fix the Problem, Not Just Cover Symptoms with Drugs. www.blockcenter.com