Comments on: Pakistan- Blog II

By: Michael McBride

Michael McBride — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000

That's a chilling account, Mr. Secretary. Thank you for sharing it. I love my country and when I read of life in nations like Pakistan I appreciate it even more. You're correct that healthcare can reach the hearts and minds of the underprivileged all over the world; however, there are so many in need of it in America too, shouldn't our focus be here?

By subsidizing mini-clinics, increasing federal funds to safety net hospitals and promoting telehealth technologies, our country's poor would have greater access to healthcare and pressure could be relieved on our overcrowded emergency departments.

It's important to help other nations, but we must also help our own.

Michael McBride
Editor-in-Chief
Health Management Technology Magazine
www.healthmgttech.com

By: Jennifer Lo

Jennifer Lo — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000

September 29, 2008

Dear Mr. Secretary:

In reference to your Pakistan-Blog II (September 24, 2008), I agree with you that often "people just learn to live with the risks" because "for the most part, don't have a choice". This is a political risk that citizens of any country in danger of violence due to political turmoil are aware of "and they just live with it". But back home in the US, many of us may be unknowingly living with a serious health risk even health officials are unaware of.

It has come to my attention that our new finding raises a concern that there may be a potential link between type A influenza virus and cancer which warrants further investigations in a timely manner. It appears that the polymerase (PB2) of type A influenza virus (including H1N1, H3N2, and H5N1) and reverse transcriptase subunit of telomerase (an abnormal protein observed in about 90% of all human tumors) have many amino acid sequence motifs in common throughout their protein sequences including regions where cap binding of the host cell pre-mRNAs by PB2 is concerned. Cap binding is the first step to initiate flu viral RNA transcription for virus replication inside the host cells. Under this premise, can influenza virus replication inadvertently trigger the synthesis of telomerase needed for tumor development over time? Likewise, is it possible that less similarities (as indicated in our research data on their sequence motifs) between PB2 of type B influenza virus and reverse transcriptase subunit of telomerase caused the host cells (HeLa cells, a type of cancerous cell commonly used in experiments) to favor transcription of the viral protein over telomerase during an in vitro chronic infection as seen in one previous study? Until now, there is a lack of study to explore their relationship.

Every year about 30-50 million Americans would get sick with the seasonal influenza viruses (H1N1 and H3N2 of type A, and type B) and about 1.4 million Americans would be diagnosed with cancer, but only about 36,000 people may die of flu related complications while over 500,000 people may die of cancer (the second leading cause of death and the second most expensive medical condition in the US) in 2008. It is mostly unknown what factor(s) millions of people have in common that may have triggered the activation of telomerase to cause the immortality of cancerous cells. Our new finding may shed some light on these two big human health issues facing Americans today. Although this is not about pandemic influenza which may cause thousands of deaths in a short time, given the enormous pain and suffering of so many cancer patients, even a slight suggestion that a common flu virus capable of infecting millions of people every year may unknowingly play a critical role in human cancer development deserves further investigation.

As you know, millions of Americans will get the flu shots including the live attenuated flu vaccine this year ahead of the flu season (typically from November to March). To err on the safe side, would it be important to investigate the presence or the lack of a potential cause-effect relationship between replication of influenza virus and cancer before millions of Americans may be at risk taking the live flu vaccine which contains live attenuated flu virus intended for limited replication in the host cells? In the short term, I believe that there are few experiments which may provide significant preliminary data quickly to help address this concern: Does replication of influenza virus (type A and/or B) directly or indirectly activate/increase (if any) the production of telomerase in human cells and for how long?

With your leadership to push for more studies on this potential health danger, this may be one risk that we can have a choice not to live with.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Lo
BioJENC, LLC
www.biojenc.com

By: Virginia Lanier

Virginia Lanier — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000

Dear Mr. Secretary,
I just thought it would e nice for you to read a posting from an ordinary, every day citizen of our great nation. I wonder if the commentors thus far realize how momentous a time in history this is for the Pakistani people...funny how people can work their agendas into any conversation.
I have met (online) several Pakistanis. I know the horrible problems that people in the villages have accessing good health care. I know the death rate from common, treatable diseases is terribly high. The NGO's work hard to educate the villagers about health issues but there is no good source of funds to help recruit volunteers/activists. And, you are right...normal is different for all of us in one way or another. These people seem to be in some kind of denial that they live in a violent society but, it is their norm.
What a remarkable time in the history of Pakistan for you to be visiting. It is so important that we, as a nation, keep our friends close...especially in that particular part of the world.
Thank you for your service to our country.