World Health Organization Developing Traditional Medicine Classification

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced a project to classify traditional medicine. Having a reference of terminologies and classifications for diagnosis and interventions will "assist in creating an evidence base for traditional medicine"[1] and an international "platform" for "the harmonization of data for clinical, epidemiological and statistical use."

The project will begin with the traditional medicine practices and customs of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea that have spread worldwide and will utilize an interactive online platform. Traditional medicine practitioners will use the platform to document the terminology and the concepts they use.

The International Classification of Traditional Medicine (ICTM) "further illustrates WHO’s dedication to aiding traditional medicine’s globalization and integration into worldwide healthcare."[2] WHO's expected outcomes from the ICTM project include objective data on the benefits of traditional data, safety and use, and spending and trends; the ability to study the use of traditional medicine with disease prevention and treatment; and a universal classification system which would allow countries worldwide to base their research on the same data.

References
[1] WHO to define information standards for traditional medicine. Accessed 1/13/11 at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2010/trad_medicine_20101207/en/
[2] Stafford, L. (2011). WHO Developing New Traditional Medicine Classification. HerbalEGram 8(1). Web. Accessed 1/13/11 at http://cms.herbalgram.org/heg/volume8/01January/WHOClassifiesTM.html?t=1294841964

Relief Efforts in Haiti: How to Help

A brief report posted to the World Health Organization website today says that "quickly delivering and coordinating life-saving care" to Haiti is "an immediate priority." Several major healthcare facilities have been damaged or destroyed, many people have yet to be recovered from the rubble, and several survivors have incurred serious injuries.

Here is a list of organizations supplied by The Washington Post where you can donate to specific relief efforts:

United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
Mercy Corps
Save the Children
International Red Cross
World Vision
Catholic Relief Services
UNICEF
International Medical Corps
Network for Good
CARE
Operation USA
Operation Blessing International
Convoy of Hope
The Global Syndicate
GlobalGiving
Beyond Borders
Community Coalition for Haiti
International Orthodox Christian Charities
Baptist World Aid
Doctors Without Borders
Habitat for Humanity
Action Against Hunger
Direct Relief International
B'nai B'rith International
Bright Hope
Hope for Haiti
American Jewish World Service
World Relief
TractorShare
American Friends Service Committee
Food for the Poor
CHF International
The Lambi Fund of Haiti
Islamic Relief USA
United Way Worldwide
International Organization for Migration
Food for the Hungry

In addition, there are several organizations accepting donations via text message. They include:

• Text the word "Yele" to 501501 to donate $5 on behalf of the Yele Haiti Foundation, founded by Haitian musician Wyclef Jean.
• Text the word "Haiti" to 85944 to donate $5 on behalf of the Rescue Union Mission and MedCorp International.
• Text the word "Haiti" to 25383 to donate $5 on behalf of the Internal Rescue Committee.
• Text the word "Haiti" to 864833 to donate $5 to United Way Worldwide's disaster fund.
• Text the word "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10 on behalf of the American Red Cross.
• Text the word "Haiti" to 45678 (in Canada only) on behalf of the Salvation Army in Canada.

Homeopathy Action Alert--Raise Your Voice for Homeopathy

Homeopathy has suffered a very serious attack. A UK based group (VoYS) from Sense About Science, dedicated to eliminating homeopathy, recently sent a letter to the World Health Organization asking WHO to condemn homeopathy in developing countries, especially in the areas of influenza, childhood diarrhoea, malaria and AIDS. WHO replied last week with statements from various Departmental Heads saying that they do not have any indication of effectiveness of homeopathy in any of these areas. BUT it did not say that the medicines are ineffective in these conditions. Above all there was NO official circular from WHO.

VoYS has twisted this response and circulated the response of WHO to the media and have amplified the letter as if it is a public announcement from WHO, which it is not. Additionally, VoYS has stated on its website that it will be contacting the Health Ministries of all countries in the world to let them know about the WHO response and press them to condemn homeopathy in their country.

The BBC online then spread this item as "WHO Warns Against Homeopathy Use". They have since revised their article to include additional perspectives on homeopathy. Read the BBC article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8211925.stm

The original article, however, has already been printed by several publications, including USA Today. To combat the spread of this information, HOMEOPATHY LIVES! is asking for action by:

1. Please send emails or letters to the BBC complaint department AND to other newspapers publishing the statement. Tell them that this headline is false and BBC has since changed the article. Here is a link to the letter HOMEOPATHY LIVES! sent to WHO, which can be adapted: http://www.hpathy.com/uploads/Response-to-WHO-for-adaptation.doc

2. Forward this information to all of your homeopathy contacts and ask them to spread the word.

H1N1 influenza pandemic updates from the World Health Organization

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a series of updates about what they are calling the H1N1 influenza pandemic.

WHO updates included information about steps that schools can take to minimize the spread of H1N1, as well as general information about preparing for a second wave of outbreak.

According to the WHO website, “Experience to date has demonstrated the role of schools in amplifying transmission of the pandemic virus, both within schools and into the wider community. While outbreaks in schools are clearly an important dimension of the current pandemic, no single measure can stop or limit transmission in schools, which provide multiple opportunities for spread of the virus.”

Instead of a single solution, WHO recommends that in addition to measures taken by national and local authorities, all students, teachers, and staff who feel unwell should stay home. And, in case there is incidence of illness at school, there should be plans in place to isolate the illness.

The primary health benefit of proactive measures like these is “slowing down the spread of an outbreak within a given area and thus flattening the peak of infections. This benefit becomes especially important when the number of people requiring medical care at the peak of the pandemic threatens to saturate or overwhelm health care capacity. By slowing the speed of spread, school closure can also buy some time as countries intensify preparedness measures or build up supplies of vaccines, antiviral drugs, and other interventions.”

For more information about school measures and the H1N1 influenza pandemic, read more on the WHO website here: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/