8th December 2011
Stents and Metal Allergy
A new report is published on the expanding worldwide market for stents(1), with a chapter entitled: Restenosis - the Real Growth Driver. Replacing failed stents is one of the biggest "drivers" of growth in coronary intervention. Research reports cite that "allergic reactions to nickel and molybdenum released from stents may be one of the triggering mechanisms for in-stent restenosis" (2).
The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning that patients who are having stents fitted should discuss metal allergy with their surgeon prior to having a stent net fitted (3). Unfortunately many patients are unaware of their metal allergies. While nickel allergy may present as a rash or localised contact dermatitis it may also have a systemic effects including chronic fatigue and muscle pain (4) and widespread skin conditions (5).
The patient may not know that they have a problem MELISA testing can be used to establish such an allergy.
References
1. Global coronary Stent Industry http://www.sys-con.com/node/2093008
2. Koster R, Vieluf D, et al. Nickel and molybdenum contact allergies in patients with coronary in-stent restenosis. Lancet 2000; 356:1895-7.
3.http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/TipsandArticlesonDeviceSafety/ucm070171.htm 4. Nickel Allergy Is Found in a Majority of Women with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Muscle Pain. Regland B et al. Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 2001, 8: 57-65
5. Chronic allergic-like dermatopathies in nickel-sensitive patients. Antico A, et al. Allergy Asthma Proc. 1999, 20:235-42
4 April 2011
U.S. government calls for the phase-out of amalgam
In an extraordinary development that will change the global debate about amalgam, the United States government has announced that it supports a "phase down, with the goal of eventual phase out by all Parties, of mercury amalgam." This statement – a radical reversal of its former position that "any change toward the use of dental amalgam is likely to result in positive public health outcomes" – is part of the U.S. government's submission for the upcoming third round of negotiations for the world mercury treaty.
The above is an excerpt from an article by Charles G. Brown, National Counsel, Consumers for Dental Choice and President, World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry
For the full article, please see: www.directlyfromnature.com/blog/2011/04/u-s-government-calls-for-the-phase-out-of-dental-mercury-amalgam
The text of the U.S. submission referred to above is available at www.unep.org/hazardoussubstances/Portals/9/Mercury/Documents/INC3/United%20States.pdf
Here is the excerpt on amalgam:
"We are aware that several delegations at INC-2 suggested mercury amalgam should not be included in Annex C, noting a number of difficulties and complexities related to this issue. The United States supports further consideration of dental amalgam by the INC such that the agreement is able to achieve the phase down, with the goal of eventual phase out by all Parties, of mercury amalgam upon the development and availability of affordable, viable alternatives. To the extent that Annex C is not structured to accomplish such a goal, the United States believes that a number of obligations could be considered within an appropriate operative paragraph of the agreement itself. Such a paragraph could commit Parties to phase down the use of mercury amalgam or address mercury releases through conducting and promoting further research on alternatives, mandating the use of separators in dental offices, promoting and incentivizing prevention strategies, educating patients and parents in order to protect children and fetuses, and training of dental professionals on the environmental impacts of mercury in dental amalgams, and to report on their progress in doing so to inform the Conference of the Parties on the progress being made to phase down amalgam use."
11 June 2010
UN Mercury Conference in Stockholm closes with a “positive stance” toward Global limits on the use of mercury.
The Nordic countries have initiated the idea of a “global mercury treaty” to control the worldwide use and emission of one of the world’s most dangerous environmental toxins.
This week in Stockholm, the UN Mercury conference was the first step towards turning these plans into a global legal agreement which will limit or phase out the use of mercury. The Stockholm meeting was the first of five, the second will be held in Chiba, Japan, early next year.
All the participating nations which included EU countries and the USA and China, have all adopted a “positive stance to the target of a binding global agreement on mercury by 2013”.
http://www.norden.org/en/nordic-council-of-ministers/council-of-ministers/council-of-ministers-for-the-environment-mr-m/events/uns-mercury-conference-in-stockholm-preparation-for-a-global-agreement-on-mercury
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZVP4n7eAdA Andreas Carlgren from Nordic Council of Ministers talks of his hopes for conference
10 June 2010
US Food and Drugs Administration to examine dental amalgam risk in vulnerable populations
The FDA has received petitions raising various issues relating to the use of dental amalgams and will be holding an advisory panel looking into the regulation of dental amalgam later this year.
The meeting will focus mainly on the potential risk to pregnant women and foetuses and to young children. In addition it will examine the effect cumulative exposure to mercury and the adequacy of previous clinical studies on dental amalgam.
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm215061.htm
28 July 2009
The US Food and Drugs Administration issues a warning against dental amalgam in people with mercury allergy
A landmark ruling by the US Food & Drugs Administration (FDA) has highlighted the dangers of metal allergy. It found that the levels of mercury used in dental amalgam was “not high enough to cause harm in patients” but made a clear exception for those who are hypersensitive mercury used in amalgam. Further, it said: “If you are allergic to any of the metals in dental amalgam, you should not get amalgam fillings”. Amalgam is a mixture between mercury, copper, silver and tin. The FDAs advice underlines that anyone who suspects they may have an adverse reaction to their fillings would benefit from taking the MELISA test.
www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm173992.htm
17 February 2009
Chief Executive of the BDA struggles to defend policy statement on dental amalgam on the Tonight Programme
Mr Peter Ward , Chief Executive of the British Dental Association struggled to control his temper whilst defending the Association’s position that the use of dental amalgam containing mercury does not pose a significant health risk to patients.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq8E84PgP3g
3 February 2009
First ceramic on ceramic hip replacement performed due to metal allergy.
Mr Derek McMinn performed the first ceramic on ceramic hip replacement this week. The patients had a history of localized allergic reactions to cheap metal and had a MELISA metal allergy test following her initial consultation. The results showed that she was positive to Nickel and as a result she was recommended a ceramic on ceramic hip resurfacing.
http://www.hipresurfacingnews.com/categories/21-Metal-Allergies
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