WHERE WE ARE COMING FROM!
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The General Public: our highest intention
Our highest intention in our Avian Flu Initiative is to contribute to the safety and well-being of the general public in a meaningful and scientifically valid way. |
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We are quite certain of the complexity of what is involved in respect of the development of safe, valid and potentially effective approaches in respect of Avian Flu. |
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Our intention is to help media professionals navigate their way through the many claims that circulate about what may be of realistic benefit to individuals in the event of a pandemic. |
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We understand that this is not the profile that is expected of an HPAI pandemic instigated by H5N1 in the event that it becomes capable of human-to-human transmission, especially given the potential for rapid dissemination on account of modern methods of transport.
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Professionals...
Further, we seek to safeguard the trust that is placed by the general public in the sorts of professionals (especially doctors, scientists and CAM practitioners) involved in mounting a Strategic 'Bird Flu' Response at the person to person level. |
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Unfortunately for the bigger pool of professionals, the claims made by a few in respect of Avian Flu can affect the advancement of the many professional bodies on whose services we depend. |
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This is as much the case when individuals make false claims of actual benefits, as it is when the general public are exposed to poorly qualified claims about lack of potential benefit. |
...and progress
Inappropriate professional activity occurring now can thwart the huge progress that has been achieved in recent years in Integrated Medicine.
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It is very possible that we may shortly start to create significant approaches which effectively integrate the research and expertise of doctors, scientists and CAM professionals. |
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These stand most of all to benefit the General Public. They also stand to benefit doctors and all related health professionals, the CAM industry and the pharmaceutical industry (For more insights please see 'Integrated Medicine at the Highest Level' and 'Precision Complementary Medicine'). |
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So again we consider the General Public. We are critically aware that the activity of professionals during the 'pandemic challenge' could really help to rapidly advance our opportunities to generate meaningful new health propositions - in a variety of complex clinical challenges. |
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Or stand to put progress back by several decades. |
Cautions
We are certain that Avian Flu poses an extremely serious threat to humans - a threat probably unparalleled in living history.
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We all hope, of course, that it will all transpire to be 'a great storm in a tea cup'. Unfortunately that does not currently appear likely. |
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Meanwhile we fully understand that the media has a professional need and obligation to produce content that informs, enlightens and guides the General Public. |
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We are aware that the public often looks to the media for hope and, indeed, guidance. And many would confess to remaining ever hopeful that there will be some new development, some 'magic bullet' that will 'save the day'. |
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At The Concorde Initiative, we do not believe that this will happen. But we do believe there is another way forward ('A New Way Forward'). |
Our own beliefs
We believe that, at this time, the emergence of a new 'magic bullet', from any quarter, is extremely unlikely.
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There are many reasons for this, one of which is the fact that the focus of research may have been somewhat misplaced in seeking to find 'fixed' solutions to halting ever-mutating viruses in their tracks ('A New Way Forward'). |
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We are though not privy to details of the particular research projects currently being conducted by pharmaceutical companies. |
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However we do totally believe that complementary medicines (CAM) and natural products may have a pivotal role in a potential pandemic (please see the report available at www.anhcampaign.org). |
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But we absolutely do not believe that there are easy solutions.
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We have thought a lot about how and why these approaches work, and we do believe that there is significant individual-by-individual variability as to what will work and what won't.
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This is why we have been working to find a way in which we can generate individual-by-individual proposals ('A New Way Forward' and 'A Whole New Approach').
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We also believe that this person by person variability is probably the reason it has not been easier to demonstrate the categorical value of singular and combined natural approaches using the clinical trial model that exists for pharmaceutical agents.
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Respectful Guidance to the Media
We are absolutely committed to helping support the media to ensure that the General Public gets appropriate advice in respect of possible natural products that may be of value in view of the potential pandemic that we face.
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Given our understanding of the complexity of H5N1 infection we seek to clarify what sorts of professionals, in our opinion, are most likely to provide such advice.
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WE BELIEVE THAT SUCH ADVICE IS MOST LIKELY TO EMANATE FROM THE FEW SPECIALISTS WITHIN THE FIELD:
Who know about:
- complementary medicine and/or
- natural approaches
And who are also appropriately qualified:
- medically and
- scientifically,
either:
to provide recommendations and guidance in a disease situation:
- of the potential severity of Avian Flu and
- a disease with as complex a profile as Avian Flu
and who understand the implications of an H5N1 infection in respect of at least:
- immunology (the immune system) and
- virology (virus-related issues) and
- pathology (how disease comes about in an individual).
We believe that any professional who provides commentary in respect of the above should also be able to discuss, and draw the public's attention to, the possibility of individual by individual variations which could affect the:
- value,
- safety and
- potential efficacy
of the CAM approaches and natural products highlighted, in any given personal situation.
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We believe that there are many professionals who are extremely highly qualified to offer guidance but do not fit all of the above criteria. We feel that they should offer guidance only with strict attention to a number of considerations (please see below).
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Responsibility
Of course it is the responsibility of the media, who fully appreciate the gravity of this situation, to check the credentials and suitability of professionals providing interviews for radio shows, TV, journals and newspapers.
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We can only request your participation in our endeavour to guide the careful selection of the information that the Public is receiving. Needless to say, however, the consequences of failing to conduct the appropriate due diligence are potentially very serious.
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To help you in your task we are creating a Register of Specialist Professionals on whose expertise it is likely that you will safely be able to draw during your media enquiries.
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REGISTER OF SPECIALIST PROFESSIONALS
(INTEGRATED MEDICINE AND CAM APPROACHES)
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Professionals fulfilling the above criteria
We very much want to hear from you if you are one of the professionals who does fit the criteria that we have mentioned above if you wish to be involved in working with the media to help guide the public on Avian Flu.
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You may also be invited to help us provide 'professional dissemination' seminars to medical doctors, other health professionals and the General Public.
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Please register here if you would like to contribute!
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Professionals only partially fitting the above criteria
There is of course scope for individual professionals who have expertise in a particular arena at a very high level and on a strictly scientific basis to offer clear guidance about their particular area of expertise.
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Professionals with such a level of specialist expertise within a particular field should join the debate providing:
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EACH PROFESSIONAL MAKES IT CLEAR:
- how far their expertise stretches and
- potential limitations of their assertions and
- individual by individual differences and
- how their specialist input fits within an overall approach that truly provides the potential to make an impact in the face of an avian flu infection.
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For example there are some specialists with expertise and scientifically well-founded views on the use of Beta-Glucans and others with views on lipids.
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These are well established, scientifically-robust, extremely highly qualified individuals who will clearly demarcate in seminars and interviews the boundaries of their expertise and the potential value (and potential limitations) of their contribution in a given situation (eg Avian Flu).
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Please register here if you would like to contribute!
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It is our intention through our own Avian Flu Initiative to provide value to the general public.
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We seek your support for this endeavour and our highest intentions during these Avian Flu challenges.
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Immune System, PNI), Psycho-neuroendocrinology (Mind