Gardasil Vaccine Now FDA Approved to Prevent Throat Cancer

On June 12, 2020, the FDA has (finally) approved an expanded indication for the Gardasil-9 vaccine for the prevention of throat and other head and neck cancers caused by the HPV virus. This vaccine was originally designed to prevent cervical cancer, but is now indicated to also prevent vulvar, vaginal, and anal cancers [ link ]. This FDA approval is long overdue given throat cancer due to the HPV virus is THE most common cause of throat cancer for young adults under 50 years of age... eve…

6/13/2020 0

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Zytaze Dietary Supplementation Enhances Botox Injections?

A patient with spasmodic dysphonia recently asked me whether Zytaze dietary supplement would help enhance the effectiveness of the botox injections I perform to treat spasmodic dysphonia. This dietary supplement contains Zinc Citrate 25mg and Phytase 500mg. Phytase is an enzyme that effectively breaks down phytates commonly found in whole grain products and cereals. Phytase basically enhances zinc absorption in the gut. So what's so special about zinc as it relates to botox ? Theor…

10/18/2019 0

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Supplement Octanoic Acid May Help with Vocal Tremor

A fascinating study came out August 2019 that treated patients with vocal tremor with an over-the-counter supplement called octanoic acid , more commonly known as caprylic acid . The theory behind using octanoic acid (OA) comes from the observation that OA works similarly to alcohol (but without the side effects); alcohol often helps reduce limb and hand tremor and is thought to act centrally within the olivocerebellar region of the brain. Given that OA is thought to work the same way a…

8/27/2019 0

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Allergy Shot Given to CATS to Help People with Cat Allergy

A company has reversed the traditional allergy shot given to people with bad allergies and created an allergy vaccine which is given to cats to make them less allergic for people. Essentially, this new vaccine makes cats become hypoallergenic! Published in July 2019, the study outlined the use of a novel protein containing Fel-d1, the saliva protein that makes cats so allergic to people, along with a particle derived from the cucumber mosaic virus and a tetanus toxin–derived universal T-c…

8/15/2019 0

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If a LEGO is Swallowed, How Long Does it Take to be Pooped Out?

This is one of those published research papers I had to wonder if it was for real or not... but it appears to be genuine in spite of the jocular tone of the article. Published in the Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health , researchers swallowed small LEGO pieces and then monitored bowel movements to determine how long it took before it got pooped out. The general point of the study being that children often swallow toy objects and as long as it doesn't get stuck in the throat (and lack…

11/28/2018 0

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Potential Increased Long-Term Risk of Diseases with Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy

The New York Times published a story on June 7, 2018 publicizing a Danish 2018 study that suggested that children under 9 years old undergoing tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy  are at increased long-term risk of respiratory, infectious, and allergic diseases. (Adults undergoing this surgery were not investigated.) All prior studies  evaluating for any adverse affects from surgical intervention looked more at any unusual immunological changes after surgery; these studies did not show a…

6/09/2018 0

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