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Happy American Heart Month
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ACPeds joins coalition to support Conscience Protection Act
On December 3, 2016 Dr. Cretella had the privilege of participating with a coalition of pro-life healthcare leaders in Chicago, IL to promote passage of the Conscience Protection Act. The joint letter that resulted from this meeting will be presented to the new administration. Click here to view a copy of the letter.
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Scientists combine human, pig cells; ACPeds pres. highlights moral concerns
In a recent
study
, researchers have created chimeric early embryos that combine human cells with pig or cattle cells, taking the first steps toward growing human organs in species more like us than rodents. If the technology can mature, researchers hope it will provide a platform to test drugs and eventually address the human organ shortage.
Ethicists plan to keep a close watch on the four-year project out of
concern that half-human beings or human-animal hybrids could result. In an interview with LifeSite News,
ACPeds president Dr. Michelle Cretella had the following to say regarding the ethical implications of the research:
"The gravest ethical concern I have is failure to prevent human stem cells from integrating into the developing embryonic animal's brain. We would then have a human-animal hybrid with some amount of human intellect, awareness and personhood who would not only be used as a means to an end but also killed in the process of organ harvesting."
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Empathy, Happiness and the Enjoyment of Life...as related to medicine
Physician Empathy Training After an occult adenoma in her liver ruptured, triggering the loss of the entire volume of blood into her abdomen and later causing a stroke and hemodynamic collapse, Dr. Rana L.A. Awdish was forced to experience life as patient, during which she noticed a lack of empathy in her care. Upon realizing that
physicians are rarely taught how to listen and empathize with patients in medical school or during training, she has since devoted herself to educating physicans on the importance of empathy. Her near-death experience lead to the development of Physician Empathy Training which
centers on teaching physicians how to recognize patient emotional cues and respond to them appropriately using empathy.
The Science of Being Happy Studies show that
happiness is something people can cultivate with practice. One way to cultivate happiness is to
focus on the good things in life. Research shows that taking time each day to write down three things that went well and how they made us feel can help us feel happier and less depressed. In addition, turning outward and
connecting to the people around us has also been found to increase happiness as research shows
performing acts of kindness for others can make people happier.
Enjoying Life Boosts Life Expectancy
Recent research shows that
people who continue to enjoy life as they age may live longer than their peers who do not
. The researchers found that the more occasions on which people reported enjoying their lives, the lower their mortality over the next 6 to 7 years. Findings suggest that
having valued things to do and strong social relationships are both critical
for maintaining positive physical and mental health, especially as people age.
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**
New employment opportunity, ACPeds Bulletin Board**
A well established, private pediatric practice in Columbus, GA is seeking a full time BC/ BE pediatrician.
Click here for more details and contact information.
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Journal: Issues in Law & Medicine - available at discount
Barry Bostrom, Editor-in-Chief for the journal, Issues in Law & Medicine has again extended a discount to members of ACPeds for a print version of the journal. To subscribe for the discounted print version, you must send your $30 check payable to "Issues in Law & Medicine," directly to:
Barry A. Bostrom, M.Div., J.D.
Editor-in-Chief Issues in Law & Medicine 7700 N. 37th Street Terre Haute, IN 47805-1147
Any questions, call Barry at: 812-917-2897 (office); 812-249-4770 (cell)
or email him at: [email protected]
An online version of the journal is available for subscription but without the discount at $49/year for individuals: http://issuesinlawandmedicine.com/
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February at a glance...
The month of February commemorates
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The rise of the Abortion Pill Reversal program and the fall of Planned Parenthood
to the
Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) program
for recently celebrating the birth of its 200th child!
The abortion pill procedure, which accounts for about 20% of all US abortions (approximately 200,000 annually) involves
2 sets of pills taken 24 hours apart - mifepristone to weaken the fetus, and misoprostol to expel the child from the uterus. During this 24 hour period, many women have a change of heart and regret taking the first pill. Currently
supported by 351 doctors and 41 pregnancy medical centers worldwide,
the APR program offers women the chance to reverse their decision.
Click here to learn more about the Abortion Pill Reversal program
.
**ACPeds joins FWI & MISH to call for UN investigation of International PP**
In conjunction with Family Watch International (FWI) and the Medical Institute for Sexual Health (MISH), the American College of Pediatricians is calling on the United Nations to investigate Planned Parenthood which also operates abortion facilities in Latin America and Africa. Please
click here to see a draft copy of the ACPeds, FWI and MISH letter to leaders of the United Nations.
What Can You Do? Petition to End all Federal Funding of Abortion
While the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade allows for the murder of unborn babies in the form of abortion,
there is no Constitutional mandate that American tax dollars be used to fund such an act. Federal funding should be removed from any and all programs and organizations designed to propagate this act using any method and for any reason. If you agree,
click here to
sign this petition.
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Obesity on the rise in Western nations; could 'Western diet' be to blame?
A
study of just under 1,000 French adults (42% with asthma) found evidence that
eating cured meats like sausage, ham or dried sausage four times weekly may worsen asthma symptoms. Finding a
76% increased risk of worsened asthma symptoms, researchers think compounds called
nitrites, which are used to preserve meat, might be the culprits, as they have been
linked to inflammation in the airways.
Obesity now affects 1 in 6 children and adolescents in the United States and more than two in three US adults are now considered overweight or obese. New
research with substantial biomedical and clinical evidence suggests that
chronic overconsumption of a "western diet" - foods consisting high levels of sugars and fats - is a major cause of this epidemic.
Ultimately, a balanced, healthy diet with plenty of fresh food, vegetables, whole grains, pulses and fruits, without a lot of saturated fat, salt or sugar, is the best option for promoting optimal health.
Information for Parents & Health Professionals on instilling healthy eating habits in kids
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"
Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation."
-
C. Everett Koop, an American pediatric surgeon and public health administrator
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**Featured resources of the month + Adolescent sex-health update
Teen Virgins Healthier than Sexually Active Peers
A recent
study
found that teens who did not have sex exhibited more healthy behaviors than those who had; and sexually active teens who had contact with both sexes or the same sex reported the least healthy behaviors among the teens in the study. More specifically, CDC researchers found that
virgin teens were more likely than sexually active teens to avoid dating violence, refrain from substance abuse
, regularly get 8 hours of sleep, wear a seatbelt, and eat breakfast daily than sexually active teens.
Sexually active teens were more likely to have felt sad or helpless
than virgin teens; while same sex attracted and bisexual teens were more likely than heterosexual teens to report the same feelings.
As opposed to abstinence education which helps teens wait for sex,
Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE) programs not only
promote the acceptance of diverse sexual identities
; but also
instruct youth on how to derive sexual pleasure
in different ways and
tells teens as young as 10 that sexual experimentation is okay
, as long as consent and contraception are involved. M
ost American parents prefer that their children receive an abstinence-based sexual education, research shows. According to the study,
American parents prefer a sexual education program that encourages teens to avoid sex, gives teens practical skills to wait for sex, and teaches teens that the use of contraception does not make sex "safe."
The following ACPeds resources offer helpful information on sexual risk avoidance education and the importance of teaching abstinence to adolescents
STD Rates Reach Record High
Cases of
chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, the three most commonly reported conditions in the nation
, reached an all time high in 2015 according to the CDC's annual
STD Surveillance Report
. Americans aged 15-24 account for half of the estimated 20 million new STDs in the U.S. each year. While young people and gay and bisexual men continue to face the greatest risk of becoming infected with an STD, there continues to be
troubling increases in syphilis cases even among newborns
.
Americans ages 15 to 24 years old accounted for nearly two-thirds of chlamydia diagnoses and half of gonorrhea diagnoses.
Even with these high reported numbers, most STD cases continue to go undiagnosed and untreated which puts many of America's youth at risk for severe and often irreversible health consequences, including infertility, chronic pain and increased risk for HIV.
F
or information on preventing adolescent sexual behavior and keeping teens safe from STDS,
view the following ACPeds resources below
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Special Interest News, Articles and Studies
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2017 National Meeting of the American College of Pediatricians
The American College of Pediatricians and the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG) have partnered again for the second annual conference.
September 30 and October 1, 2017
The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity, Trinity International University
Deerfield, Illinois (
15 minutes north of O'Hare airport in Chicago)
Come and experience a great weekend with like-minded colleagues.
There will be terrific speakers, CME, and good camaraderie.
Registration is now open: Click here for details and to register. Contact Lisa at ACPeds with any questions: 352-376-1877
Outstanding speakers, great fellow conference participants, and exceptional teaching are the commendable features of this conference.
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Study shows CHT harmful to Trans youth while Nat Geo celebrates Gender Dysphoria
Last month,
National Geographic featured a nine year old boy who wants to be perceived as a girl. He is pictured below on the cover over the magazine, dressed as girl. In response, an ACPeds member and long-time subscriber to the magazine mailed a letter to National Geographic, expressing disappointment in the company's choice to
use a young child in such an abusive manner. The overwhelming majority of doctors and psychiatrists label what this child is going through as "gender dysphoria" and according to the DSM-V, as many as
98% of gender confused boys and 88% of gender confused girls eventually accept their biological sex after naturally passing through puberty.
Cross-sex hormone therapy (CHT) is associated with dangerous health risks including but not limited to high
blood pressure, blood clots, stroke and cancer. According to one recent
study, hormone therapy is even associated with
adverse changes in bone turnover markers and bone mineral density in transgender adolescents. Even in Sweden, which is among the most LGBTQ - affirming countries,
rates of suicide are 20X greater among adults who use cross-sex hormones and undergo sex reassignment surgery.
Conditioning children into believing that a lifetime of chemical and surgical impersonation of the opposite sex is normal and healthful is child abuse.
If you'd like to send a letter to National Geographic expressing your disapproval of its choice to place political ideology above science (or
see a copy of the original letter),
click here.
For more information on gender dysphoria,
click here.
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"If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others."
- Haim Ginott, a child psychologist, psychotherapist and parent educator
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Mental Health Update: Facebook, poverty and more...
The Facebook Experiment After one week without facebook, participants reported a significantly higher level of life satisfaction, increased happiness and a decrease in feelings of loneliness. Participants who went without Facebook also experienced an increase in social activity and an increase in satisfaction with their social lives. They were also more likely to feel present and less likely to feel stressed.
Child Poverty Harms Psychological Health Poor kids grow up to have a host of physical and psychological problems as adults, according to a large and growing body of research. In the study, impoverished children had more antisocial conduct such as aggression and bullying, and
increased feeling of helplessness. They also had
more chronic physiological stress and more deficits in short-term spatial memory.
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Euthanasia: Physician support continues to grow
In a recent
study
of over 7500 US physicians, 57% of respondents believed physician-assisted death should be available to terminally ill patients, up from 54% in 2014 and 46% in 2010. In addition, a 2015 Gallup Poll found that 68% of Americans favor legalizing physician-assisted death.
The American College of Pediatricians does not endorse the killing of infants and children. The role of the physician is to promote health, cure when possible, and relieve pain and suffering as part of the care they provide.
Physician-assisted death is already legal in Colorado, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and California; and now the Dutch are even considering a special form of physician-assisted suicide for those "
over 70 and tired of life" who believe they have a "completed life." Clearly, the legalization of physician-assisted suicide is
a slippery slope.
The i
ntentional neglect for, or taking of, a human life is never acceptable, regardless of health system mandates.
For more information, please view the ACPeds position statement,
Neonatal Euthanasia: The Groningen Protocol.
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Patient handouts are available for download free of charge
on the
Handouts
page of the
Health Professionals
(and
Parents
) section of the ACPeds website. Available In t
he members' section of the website are
patient handouts
shared by other ACPeds practitioners
, some of which may be helpful to your own patients and practice. Contact the office to get the username and password for access to the
Member Hub
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Stay Connected
Like ACPeds on Facebook and follow on Twitter to interact with members and to stay up to date with the College's latest news. Every week the College publishes a new blog on its website and a link to the blog is posted on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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Start Saving at Our Online Store Now
ACPeds has contracted with a manufacturer to create on demand logo merchandise, high in quality without sacrificing affordability. These items are great for personal use as well as for gifts. Shop around on the ACPeds website at
ACPeds.org/health-professionals
/the-college-
store
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The Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Welcomes Submissions
The Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons is the official peer-reviewed journal of the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS). Dr. Jane Orient, Executive Director of the AAPS, is pleased to consider original papers, commentaries and book reviews by members of the College. For manuscript requirements and author instructions, visit
http://jpands.org/.
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