UPFRONT | Roundup CLINICaL Chiropractic group lauds campaign on opioid overdose prevention Th e Fou n dat ion for Chiropr actic Progress (F4CP), a not-for-profit or-ganization dedicated to raising awareness about the value of chiropractic care, calls attention to information published online by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), highlighting the lethal epi-demic of opioid painkiller prescribing and the impor-tance of appropriate preven-tive action by federal and state bodies. Included in the CDC online information are sev-eral methods to prevent overprescribing and increase patients’ accessibility to ef-fective, drug-free treatment options, such as chiropractic care, for pain relief. “Higher rates of prescrib-ing mean more drug-related fatalities,” said Dr. Gerard Clum, spokesperson for F4CP. “In 2012, U.S. medical providers approved 259 mil-lion painkiller prescriptions, translating into 46 deaths per day. As alarming as these numbers are, they will con-tinue to climb until our na-tion stops turning to pre-scription painkillers as the first choice for pain relief.” Municipalities across the U.S. are taking notice of the latest risk reports related to prescription drugs and posi-tioning themselves on the opposite side of the epi-demic, the F4CP said in a statement. Recently, two counties in California sued five of the world’s largest narcotics manufacturers with accusa-tions of creating the nation’s drug crisis through a RESEaRCH Human body microbes produce antibiotics, study finds New research, recently published in the journal Cell , suggests some of the bacteria that share the hu-man body manufacture antibiotics and these substances may be ca-pable of fighting infection . The human microbiome con-sists of beneficial and harmful microbes that include bacteria, viruses, fungi and others. In this study, researchers purified and solved the structure of a thiopep-tide antibiotic (lactocillin) pro-duced by Lactobacillus bacteria that make up part of the vaginal microbial community. The re-searchers also determined that lactocillin had an activity profile similar to that of other thiopep-tides (which are active against Gram-positive, but not Gram-negative, bacteria), with activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and Corynebacterium aurimucosum, all of which can cause illness, but not against Escherichia coli. Lactocillin was inactive against other Lactobacillus species, sug-gesting that over time these bac-teria had become resistant to the compound. Using the al g or ithm ClusterFinder, researchers identi-fied 3,118 distinct bacterial gene clusters from various parts of the body. These represent the DNA blueprint for producing microbial natural products and provide a template for future experiments to discover biologically active small molecules from the microbiome. These molecules are a starting point for studying microbe-host interactions at the level of molec-ular mechanisms and a potentially rich source of therapeutics. “campaign of deception” aimed at boosting sales of potent painkillers, such as OxyContin. “The pro-active actions of California counties and the CDC symbolize a step in the right direction,” said Clum. “However, to spark real change, more influencers need to take similar meas-ures toward ending this toxic epidemic and igniting uni-versal acceptance of conserv-ative methods, such as chiro-practic, as a first choice for pain relief.” Chiropractic care is an evidence-based, drug-free approach for common health concerns and pain relief. Evidence confirms that the care provided by a doctor of chiropractic is often linked with better clinical outcomes, greater patient satisfaction and noteworthy cost savings, said the F4CP. A plethora of reports, in-cluding, “Never Only Opi-oids: The Imperative for E a r ly I n t eg r a t io n o f Non-Pharmacological Approaches and Practition-ers in the Treatment of Pa-tients with Pain,” support the early use of drug-free care for pain relief. “Protecting ourselves against this ill-fated epidemic needs to be a primary focus,” said Clum. “The first step is increased awareness about treatment risks and better, drug-free options, and the second step is action: using drug-free options, such as chiropractic care, first. I ex-pect the transition away from prescription drugs will be tough, but the lives saved along the way will make it worthwhile.” According to the CDC, deaths from drug overdose have been rising steadily in the U.S. over the last two decades. In 2012 alone, more than 16,000 drug overdose related deaths involved pre-scription painkillers. Based on the CDC’s 2012 drug overdose data, men were 59 per cent more likely than women to die of drug overdose. 10 Canadian Chiropractor December 2014 www.canadianchiropractor.ca Photo: Fotolia
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor December 2014: Page 10
