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capsule moments

TALC:

The evidence against the use of products containing talc is pretty strong.  However, Health Canada’s warnings about the product are restricted to “Keep out of the reach of children” and “Keep out of the way of a child’s face to avoid inhalation, which can cause breathing problems”.

The Canadian Pediadtric Society has advised against using talcum powder on infants to prevent diaper rash.  Talc is an ingredient in many cosmetic products used by adults.  These can be avoided by simply reading the list of ingredients on the label to see if talc is on the list.

MARIJUANA AND SENIORS:

Many people are trying medical marijuana for a myriad of reasons.  In many minds, it is a panacea.  Research is ramping up on the uses of particularly CBD oils.  People seem more accepting of this form of the drug and have the feeling that it won’t hurt them but might really help them.  Studies are going on in Ontario to look at the use of medical cannabis in seniors in longterm care homes.  Having served as a pharmacist in longterm care facilities here in Kelowna, I am very interested in this study.  If medical marijuana can replace the opioid use in some residents, that’s a good thing.  Since deprescribing is the goal of those who care for seniors, medical marijuana may help to reach this goal. 

MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE IN MS:

Researchers, reporting in JAMA Network Open (Oct. 12/18) did a meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials which looked at the effects of oral or oromucosal medicinal cannabinoids involving 3161 patients with MS.  They found no significant effect on spasticity in these patients and mild effect on pain and bladder dysfunction compared to placebo.  This was done last year and I’m sure there are many more studies being done on medical marijuana and MS and other diseases as well. 

There was one study that was reported in the Curr.Neurol.Neurosci Rep in 2018 that was a bit more positive of cannabinoid use in MS and found it to be beneficial in treating the spasticity symptoms of MS. As mentioned in the comment, a lot more research is needed before definitive statements can be made about treating various diseases.  One has to proceed with caution because even though there is a perception that cannabinoids are safe, they still have been associated with psychoses and schizophrenia in at-risk patients and there is growing evidence that cannabis can increase the risk of stroke.

PETS AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM:

This works particularly well if the pet lives indoors.  The fur of dogs and cats traps all sorts of microbes as well as bits of bacterial membrane called endotoxins.  Interestingly, the Swedish researchers found the effect to be dose-dependent….the more pets in the house, the lower the allergy levels.  They think that this early exposure to pets help train the immune system so that medical challenges later in life won’t be as serious.