Late Movement on Prostate Cancer
The following news release from the Labour government minister of health inspired me to make the following points:
1. It is good to see the government take some notice of men’s health needs. Without MENZ and the political action of many of those who contribute here, that almost certainly would not have happened. Well done one and all.
2. I believe that the presence of the Republic of NZ Party on the political scene has contributed significantly to forcing this feminist dominated government to realize that it is fast becoming politically unsafe to continue to take men for granted.
3. The current minister’s gesture of recognition of men’s needs now occurs about a month before the election. His government has shown appalling contempt for men until now. The gesture seems little more than another election bribe as are the cynical tax cuts that give some of us a bit more money just over a month before the election. In the unlikely event that Labour is re-elected, you can bet they will return to their normal policies of disempowering and disenfranchising men whilst enslaving them to feed the nation’s economic needs and in particular to fund the further ascendency of women.
4. Some pamphlets to help men decide if they will pay the full cost of tests for prostate cancer seems a rather humble gesture. A $3 million package for men’s health initiatives will amount to perhaps a few percent of the cost of the various health packages provided specifically for women’s health needs, many of which will require no expenditure at all by the female recipients. We should be grateful for the few crumbs, but remember, this will be as good as it gets under either of the two major deadbeat parties likely to make us their servants for the next few years.
29 September 2008 Media Statement
Prostate cancer resources will help men make choices
New resources going out to GPs and medical practices will provide better information to help men decide if they want to be tested for prostate cancer, said Associate Minister of Health Damien O’Connor.
Mr O’Connor said the resources — an information pamphlet for men and their families and resource cards for doctors to show their patients, will allow men to make informed decisions about their health.
“Prostate cancer is an important, complex health issue for men. Men and their families deserve to get the best possible advice to make choices about whether to be tested for prostate cancer. These resources will help men do just that.
“Men need to be able to have access to clear, concise and relevant information to be able to make decisions on testing,” said Mr O’Connor.
The resource card for health professionals highlights those potentially at risk, provides information on the benefits and harms of prostate testing and facts on the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test.
The pamphlet for men and their families includes similar information as well as providing contact numbers and links to useful websites if men want to find out more or speak to someone about prostate testing.
Mr O’Connor said the Labour-led government is committed to men’s health and the new prostate cancer guidelines were part of a $3 million package over the next year for men’s health initiatives.
“We have also announced that we are fast-tracking a bowel cancer screening programme, in an effort to better diagnose and treat New Zealand’s second-biggest cancer killer. This is important for men as they have a substantially higher mortality rate for colorectal cancer than women,” said Mr O’Connor.
To view the resources go to http://www.moh.govt.nz/cancercontrol
Contact: Kelly Gunn (Press Secretary), Phone (04) 471 9878 or 021 227 9878
Luvly, just waiting for someone in the Labour Party to pull the pin on the Family Court soon, ash’s to ash’s, dust to dust…
Comment by Colin of Nazareth — Tue 30th September 2008 @ 1:09 pm
From Labour actions, it sounds more of desparation than any thought.
As one treated with Prostate cancer this year, at no time was it even suggested I pay for my treatment. At the time I was treated Wellington had no specialists, hence was no treating patients, Palmerston North was so overloaded I would still be waiting, but arrangements were made fo me to go to Waikato Hospital.
No costs were involved.
Comment by Alastair — Tue 30th September 2008 @ 1:23 pm
It’s good that you didn’t have to pay for treatment Alastair; I realise that public health services are still provided more or less freely. But you would have paid for the assessment sessions at the GP and for tests undertaken in diagnosis. That’s where the women’s illnesses tend to be provided for better, and more is spent encouraging them to use the special screening and diagnostic services provided. For example, in the same place I came across O’Connor’s release, there was notification that an additional screening test for HIV is to be made available free to pregnant women at the time their blood is taken for other current tests. I’m certainly not suggesting that’s not a good idea, but I would prefer some equitable level of concern and provision to be shown for male-specific health needs. A bunch of information pamphlets is better than nothing I guess.
Comment by Hans Laven — Tue 30th September 2008 @ 2:53 pm
Capsicums Anyone…capsaicin – (found in capsicums)
The American Association for Cancer Research reports studies suggesting capsaicin is able to kill prostate cancer cells by causing them to undergo apoptosis.[12][13] The studies were performed on tumors formed by human prostate cancer cell cultures grown in mouse models, and showed tumors treated with capsaicin were about one-fifth the size of the untreated tumors. It has long been noted that in Thailand, where much spicy food is consumed, there is very low incidence of gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal and stomach cancers, compared to the rest of Asia, including Japan and China.[14] Mexico also has low rates of the same cancers compared to the USA.[citation needed] Several recent studies have shown that capsaicin may actually prevent the growth of certain types of cancer.[citation needed] In particular, there have been several clinical studies conducted in Japan and China that showed natural capsaicin directly inhibits the growth of leukemic cells.[15] Although these studies used pure capsaicin directly injected into isolated diseased cells in a laboratory setting, scientists have also concluded that daily consumption of hot peppers (thus capsaicin) may actually prevent certain types of cancer.
DOES LABOUR TELL YOU THIS IN THEIR INFORMATION PAMPHLET ?
Comment by Colin of Nazareth — Tue 30th September 2008 @ 5:01 pm
wrong thread
Comment by Colin of Nazareth — Wed 1st October 2008 @ 10:32 am