Questionable Epidemics in the United States

From an outbreak of a disease to sudden drugs in a community, out of the blue someone or a group brings awareness that many may have long suffered from, but because now it is affecting some one or group of importance it becomes big news.

My early experience observing an epidemic unfold was along the streets of several black communities in Pittsburgh back in the 1990s and then again as a leasing consultant at a large apartment complex with three high rises in a community where drug use was on the rise again in a suburb in Ohio in 2000. The epidemic nationwide was repeated in many other communities: illegal drugs and all that came with using them including the spread of HIV/Aids and the robberies and murder from users to feed their addictions. It was as if overnight, I heard and saw more and more people out of their minds walking down hallways, streets, parking lots, and elsewhere on drugs. The black male teens through the middle-aged black males kept showing up strung out here and there. Some were so out of it that they were on stretchers or worse dead usually from bullet wounds due to drug deals gone bad!

Back in the 1990s and mid 2000, the numbers were steadily climbing, according to news reports. A family shared that in the one apartment community where I worked, things began to change, then there were more complaints from other residents. Unbeknownst to me, a drug dealer had started visiting the community more often at night. There were many others like him, a ring of sorts infecting the area. With the help of residents and the local police, the numbers declined and less people became high and those sick were being cared for in the community and surrounding areas. However, those that didn't feel ill, would later learn if they had been infected with a disease due to intravenous drug use and risky sex.

When I think back on what I learned in school and read in alternative media over the years, I recognize that the mainstream reporting when a pattern of situations, that later become labeled "epidemics" tend to be exaggerated, inaccurate, and lacking in many details by the time the public finds out more. Yet, the gullible will believe almost anything they hear and make things sound worse than what they really are. They will rush to buy into whatever experts advise. Before long, people are standing in line awaiting shots, others are purchasing emergency kits, and many have an arsenal of supplies to combat illnesses, or guns to see to it that no one robs them.

Of course, advertisements will begin to spring forth displaying just what the doctor recommended on his show as well as banners making the public aware of one issue or another. Whatever the latest product/cause/concern that is backed by this celebrity and that one is bought. Then there is the sob story of how it significantly helped someone. Followed by a professional expert on the subject matter (writer, counselor, scientist, attorney, doctor, etc.) Everyone is relieved there is a way to combat the epidemic while businesses profit margins sore!

History has shown us, that is if you have been on this planet long enough to watch patterns, that what goes up, comes down when it comes to epidemics. Numbers are inflated to draw more attention to the widespread problem. Elizabeth Pisani, a former epidemiologist for UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS), the WHO, and other agencies said in her book, The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels, and the Business of AIDS, “We did it consciously. I think all of us at that time thought that the beat-ups (statistical data inflation) were more than justified, they were necessary” to get donors and governments to care." Words are carefully used to stimulate just enough worry and fear. Prices on all things related to the pandemic is raised, more illnesses are reported, and someone or group has to die so that people will recognize just how serious the issues is despite other health problems causing far more deaths than the one or group in the limelight.

Like trending stars, epidemics trend too. There could be many people dying from a certain illness, but if it isn't time to shed light on those other diseases, they will not be the focus of the morning and evening news. If they aren't money-makers, they aren't that important to some groups. So let us take a look at some of the questionable epidemics that have been boldly displayed on the front pages of printed media, highlighted on television programs, talked about by the watercooler at work, and mentioned by leaders of local civic groups.

Everyone has an agenda, but not everyone is buying.

Established on April 7th, 1948 in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Health Organization (WHO) played a leading role in the eradication of smallpox, according to Wikipedia. The group works on communicable diseases: HIV/AIDS, Ebola, malaria and tuberculosis; studies the effects of non-communicable diseases; sexual and reproductive health, development, and aging; nutrition, food security and healthy eating; occupational health; substance abuse; and drive the development of reporting, publications, and networking. Back in 1949 WHO's budget was 47 million dollars and in 2012, the budget was around $4 billion. Most of the cash is donated.

WHO and the Center for Disease Control are known for predicting future cases of an outbreak even when the evidence is not there to prove what might be. In an article, An Outbreak of Epidemiological Hysteria written by Michael Fumento that appeared on Inference: International Review of Science 2015, he states, "During all major recent epidemics, from HIV to the current Ebola epidemic, individual observers and organizations have warned that a mutation might make the pathogen more contagious." Fumento continues, "But this has never been observed. Nor does either agency’s estimate rest upon the assumption of increased contagiousness. It is also somewhat remarkable that these estimates showing sudden, huge spurts in growth were published after the WHO announced that Ebola had, in fact, been eliminated from one of the countries suffering internal transmission, Nigeria."

For over 60 years, Center for Disease Control (CDC) provides information on prevention and control of disease, injury, and disability. They have programs that inform people of health and economic consequences that might cause death and disability.

The CDC has come under fire over the years by victims of disasters, discerning researchers and others for how they deal with matters. They have been accused of causing harm through vaccinations side effects, cover-ups, lies, and slow response to certain pandemics. The definition of a pandemic is "a global disease outbreak. HIV/AIDS is an example of one of the most destructive global pandemics in history. Spanish influenza killed 40-50 million people in 1918. Asian influenza killed 2 million people in 1957," according to Webmd.

For questions, the CDC contact information is 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) TTY: 1-888-232-6348 or email cdcinfo@cdc.gov to reach English or Spanish-speaking representatives. Any comments received will be subjected to PRA & may be archived http://go.usa.gov/8Ea, according to their web page. To review the CDC Comment Policy visit http://go.usa.gov/EOT.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, or UNAIDS, coordinates global action on the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The organization provides care and support to those already living with the virus. UNAIDS seeks to prevent the HIV/AIDS epidemic from becoming a severe pandemic, as reported on Wikipedia.

There has been controversial debates over the years about how sexual education is taught in American schools. In addition, there has also been concern about what is fact and fiction when it comes to the number of HIV cases reported. There is also more legislation related to the virus since it became a political issue years ago.

You will find that there are foundations, much research, walks, programs, artwork, and more related to the following health issues. However, what we don't see is an eradication of any of these issues. Some victims have pointed the finger at foods they have eaten, drugs they have taken, and other things that have caused their health challenges.

Ebola - Some critics and victims of the illness have claimed that Ebola is a man-made disease used to reduce the African population. They also claimed Aids was used to do the same.

ALS - There was much awareness surrounding this progressive neurodegenerative disease (leads to muscle weakness, loss of the use of arms and legs and difficulty speaking, breathing and swallowing.) With Ice bucket challenges, much money was raised but according to this article, Ice Bucket Fraud: ALS Foundation Admits that 73% of donations are not used for ALS research. It turns out that much of the money went to management who got six figure salaries as much as 300,000 plus! Less than 30% of the donations actually went to the cause.

Measles - "A lack of vaccinations has led to 121 measles cases across 17 US states since it began in December at Disneyland in California, according to the latest data from the Centres for Disease Control. Measles was eliminated from the US in 2000 - elimination meaning that the country went without continuous transmission for 12 months." --The Independent Why the lack of vaccinations in the first place?

Breast, Prostrate and Ovarian Cancers - There are many drugs that warn of side effects resulting in these cancers and more. Add brain cancer to the list for birth control users. This was reported in Time back in January 2015.

Obesity - "Proponents contend that obesity is a disease because it meets the definition of disease; it decreases life expectancy and impairs the normal functioning of the body; and it can be caused by genetic factors."-- ProCon.org But there's just one problem, what kind of chemicals are in our foods that are causing us all to become overweight?

Diabetes - You love your sweet edibles? Well there is a sugar connection to getting diabetes. "Researchers examined data on sugar availability and diabetes rates from 175 countries over the past decade. They found that increased sugar in a population’s food supply was linked to higher diabetes rates, independent of obesity rates." -- Stanford Medicine Also, see more information here.

Autism - There is much controversy surrounding this disease including the issues that blame vaccinations for children become autistic. Check out this information that lists some of the debates, see here.

Alzheimer - To date, I must add I saw many death certificates of men and women in their 70s, 80s and 90s deceased due to Dementia and Alzheimer. A nurse shared with me that in her experience the disease was directly tied to the many prescription drugs the elderly had taken over the years. For starters, check out anxiety medicines linked to the disease.

Time magazine shared 10 outbreaks that raised major public concern. Those epidemics are as follows:

• The Black Death - It was a bubonic plague (bacterial infection) that spread throughout Europe killing 25 million. An article on Geek.com titled, The Black Death may have been caused by giant Asian gerbils, not black rats ( February 25, 2015) changes the face of history with new research.
• The Plague of Justinian - "The Justinian plague struck in the sixth century and is estimated to have killed between 30 and 50 million people—about half the world's population at that time—as it spread across Asia, North Africa, Arabia, and Europe," according to National Geographic.
• The 1918-19 Influenza Pandemic - More people died of influenza in a single year than in four-years of the Black Death Bubonic Plague from 1347 to 1351. Known as "Spanish Flu" or "La Grippe" the influenza of 1918-1919 was a global disaster, reports writer Molly Billings.
• The Third Plague Pandemic - The third pandemic, the Modern Plague, began in China in the 1860s and appeared in Hong Kong by 1894. It was spread by infectious flea bites.
• The 1916 Polio Epidemic - this paralyzing disease struck thousands.
• The First Cholera Pandemic - The first cholera pandemic (1817–24), also known as the first Asiatic cholera pandemic or Asiatic cholera, killed hundreds of thousands.
• The Plague of Athens - "In 430 BC, a plague struck the city of Athens, which was then under siege by Sparta during the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC). In the next 3 years, most of the population was infected, and perhaps as many as 75,000 to 100,000 people, 25% of the city's population, died." according to PublMed.gov.
• India's Smallpox Epidemic - "At least 15,000 people died of smallpox between January to May 1974, mainly in the Indian states of Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal", reports Wikipedia.
• Memphis Yellow Fever - "An 1873 epidemic claimed 2,000 in Memphis, a number which constituted at the time the most yellow fever victims in an inland city. In 1878 a mild winter, a long spring, and a torrid summer produced favorable conditions for the breeding of Aedes aegypti and thus the spread of the fever." (Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture)
• SARS - Reported in Asia in February 2003, the illness spread to more than two dozen countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia before the SARS global outbreak of 2003 was contained, according to the CDC.

1940s - Smallpox, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis

1950s - Polio vaccine was added

1960s - Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines were added.

1963 - Simian Virus 40 contaminated vaccines were also injected into children up until 1963. In addition, it has been alleged that there have been SV40-contaminated batches of oral polio vaccine administered to some children until the end of the 1990s.

1970s - Smallpox vaccine was no longer needed.

1980s - Haemophilus influenzae type b

1990s - Hepatitis B was distributed to high risk groups. Infants of hepatitis B, antigen-positive mothers, healthcare workers, intravenous drug users, homosexual men and people with multiple sexual partners.

Other vaccines include: Varicella (chickenpox - 1996), rotavirus (1998-1999; 2006, 2008); hepatitis A (2000); pneumococcal vaccine (2001)

Vaccines that were extended to children: influenza (2002); hepatitis A (2006)

New versions of existing vaccines: acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP - 1997); intranasal influenza (2004)

NOTE: Oral polio vaccine (2000); rotavirus (1999) discontinued.

Plagues have been known to be used as weapons of war. On the Center for Disease Control website, it states under the header: Plague as a Weapon of War

"As a highly contagious disease with an extremely high mortality rate if left untreated, Yersinia pestis has been used as a weapon of biological warfare for centuries. Some warfare strategies have included catapulting corpses over city walls, dropping infected fleas from airplanes, and aerosolizing the bacteria during the Cold War (Stenseth, 2008). More recently, plague raised concern as an important national security threat because of its potential for use by terrorists." Do you really think these measures aren't used today? Check out chemical warfare here.