No one can live a long and healthy life without the will to go on; sometimes mood swings can make us feel that life is too much for us.
A bad mood not only gives you a gloomy outlook, it also lowers your immune function, leading the way to illness. Here are some suggestions to lift your mood, your spirit, and your health.
1. A Laughing Matter:
"Laugh Therapy," pioneered by Norman Cousins, has turned out to have real substance. Research has discovered that laughter and joy boost immune functions, especially the production of the natural killer cells that help defend the body from illness and cancer.
Laughter also increases the release of endorphins - compounds that give you a sense of well-being - in your brain. Without a doubt, joyful people liver longer and healthier lives. So read your favorite comics, watch your favorite comedies, and laugh it up!
2. Amino Acid for Restored Mindset:
When an imbalance or deficiency is creating a bad mood, the Europeans use supplements of a natural compound found in human cells to regulate mood and restore a healthy mindset. SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) is produced from methionine, an amino acid that plays a role in the production of uplifting neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
One study indicated that SAMe worked on patients who had unsuccessful results with conventional antidepressants. To get a boost from SAMe, take a supplement combining it with vitamins B6 and B12.
3. Hands-On Healing:
Human touch increases the production of endorphins, growth hormone, and DHEA, all of which lengthen your life span and lower the negative impact of stress. Studies have found that patients who are regularly touched recover faster than those who are not touched. So give someone a hug and feel both of your moods improve.
4. Boost Your "Youth Hormones"
You don't need pills to flood your body with a rejuvenating flood of growth hormones. Research has found that doing squats and leg presses will greatly increase your natural production of the "youth hormone". Increased growth hormone translates to an elevated mood, among other physical benefits. Keep it up with weight training, knee bends, push-ups, and rowing.
5. Take a Bracing Breath:
Breathing correctly is important for dispelling the toxins and wastes from your body; in fact, it is estimated that we expel only about 30 percent of toxins in our bodies through the bowels and bladder-the rest is all respiratory. Breathing is also a great way to clear your mind, boost your energy, and improve your mood. Practice deep, slow, rhythmic, breathing daily with mind-body disciplines such as tai chi, yoga, qigong, and meditation.
6. Smell the Joy:
Research has shown that smell has a definite impact on our bodies and minds. When you stimulate the olfactory nerves inside your nose, you activate the limbic system of your brain, which is associated with moods and memory. This concept is instrumental to aromatherapy, a natural health tradition that makes use of the healing powers of plants with strong scents.
Aromatherapy recommends treating depression with jasmine, eucalyptus for exhilaration, and grapefruit to increase alertness and joy. Just put a dab of the essential oils from these plants on your temples, back of your neck, or acupressure points. Another option? Boil the herb in water and inhale the steam through your nose.
7. Feel Fine with Flowers:
There is a reason that flowers are the traditional get-well gesture. Colorful flowers have a powerful influence on moods; they can uplift a patient's mood and even combat stress. One study found that during a five-minute typing assignment, people sitting next to a flowering bouquet were more relaxed than those who sat near foliage-only plants.
I hope these tips help the good feelings flow! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Cancer-Proof Your Life
We're all grown-ups here—nightmares aren't a big problem anymore. We're calm, we're cool, we're mostly collected...until it comes to the C-word. For adults, cancer is the thing that goes bump in the night; that bump gets louder when family or friends are diagnosed. Whether your risk is monumental or blessedly average, we know you want to protect yourself. So we've combed through research, interrogated experts, and found cutting-edge strategies to help keep you safe.
Worship a wee bit of sun.
People who get the most vitamin D, which lies dormant in skin until ultraviolet rays activate it, may protect themselves from a variety of cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, breast, and colon. Ironically, it even improves survival rates of melanoma, the most serious skin cancer. But 10 to 15 minutes a few days a week is all it takes to benefit. (Or you could try a supplement—aim for 400 IU a day.) If you're out any longer than that, slather on the sunscreen.
Eat an orange every day.
It just may zap a strain of the H. pylori bacteria that causes peptic ulcers and can lead to stomach cancer. Researchers in San Francisco found that infected people with high levels of vitamin C in their blood were less likely to test positive for the cancer-causing strain.
Listen to Katie Couric.
Though colonoscopies are about as popular as root canals, if you're 50 or older, get one. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Don't think you're off the hook because you got a digital fecal occult blood test at your last checkup: Research by the Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study last year found that the test missed 95% of the cases. (Schedule your first colonoscopy before your 50th if you have a family history of colon cancer.)
Steam a little green.
Piles of studies have shown that piles of broccoli help stave off ovarian, stomach, lung, bladder, and colorectal cancers. And steaming it for 3 to 4 minutes enhances the power of the cancer-fighting compound sulforaphane, which has been shown to halt the growth of breast cancer cells. (Sorry, microwaving doesn't do the trick; it strips out most antioxidants.) Get more protection by sprinkling a handful of selenium-rich sunflower seeds, nuts, or mushrooms on your greens. Researchers are discovering that sulforaphane is about 13 times more potent when combined with the mineral selenium.
Pick a doc with a past.
Experience—lots of it—is critical when it comes to accurately reading mammograms. A study from the University of California, San Francisco, found that doctors with at least 25 years' experience were more accurate at interpreting images and less likely to give false positives. Ask about your radiologist's track record. If she is freshly minted or doesn't check a high volume of mammograms, get a second read from someone with more mileage.
Drink joltless java.
Downing 2 or more cups of decaf a day may lower the incidence of rectal cancer by 52%, finds a study from two large and long-term research projects—the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study from Harvard University. One theory is that coffee increases bowel movements, which helps to reduce the risk. Why decaf reigns supreme, however, remains a mystery.
Drop 10 pounds.
Being overweight or obese accounts for 20% of all cancer deaths among women and 14% among men, notes the American Cancer Society. (You're overweight if your body mass index is between 25 and 29.9; you're obese if it's 30 or more.) Plus, losing excess pounds reduces the body's production of female hormones, which may protect against breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. Even if you're not technically overweight, gaining just 10 pounds after the age of 30 increases your risk of developing breast, pancreatic, and cervical, among other cancers.
Make like a monkey.
Or a bunny. Women who ate four to six antioxidant-laden bananas a week cut their risk of kidney cancer by 54%, compared with those who didn't eat them at all, found an analysis of 61,000 women at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. Gnawing on root vegetables such as carrots did the same.
Get naked with a friend.
You'll need help examining every inch of your body—including your back, scalp, and other hard-to-see places—for possible changes in the size or color of moles, blemishes, and freckles. These marks could spell skin cancer. Women, take special note of your legs: Melanoma mainly occurs there. For the guys, the trunk, head, and neck are the most diagnosed spots. While you're at it, check your fingernails and toenails, too. Gray-black discoloration or a distorted or elevated nail may indicate the disease. And whether you see changes or not, after age 40, everyone should see a dermatologist yearly.
See into the future.
Go to Yourdiseaserisk.harvard.edu to assess your chance of developing 12 types of cancer, including ovarian, breast, and colon. After the interactive tool estimates your risk, you'll get personalized tips for prevention.
Pay attention to pain.
If you're experiencing a bloated belly, pelvic pain, and an urgent need to urinate, see your doc. These symptoms may signal ovarian cancer, particularly if they're severe and frequent. Women and physicians often ignore these symptoms, and that's the very reason that this disease can be deadly. When caught early, before cancer has spread outside the ovary, the relative 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is a jaw-dropping 90 to 95%.
Get calcium daily.
Milk's main claim to fame may also help protect your colon. Those who took calcium faithfully for 4 years had a 36% reduction in the development of new precancerous colon polyps 5 years after the study had ended, revealed Dartmouth Medical School researchers. (They tracked 822 people who took either 1,200 mg of calcium every day or a placebo.) Though the study was not on milk itself, you can get the same amount of calcium in three 8-ounce glasses of fat-free milk, along with an 8-ounce serving of yogurt or a 2- to 3-ounce serving of low-fat cheese daily.
Sweat 30 minutes a day.
One of the best anticancer potions is a half hour of motion at least 5 days a week. Any kind of physical activity modulates levels of androgens and estrogen, two things that can protect women against estrogen-driven cancers such as ovarian and endometrial, as well as some types of breast cancer. The latest proof comes by way of a recent Canadian study that found that women who get regular, moderate exercise may lower their risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 30%. Bonus: All that moving might speed everything through your colon, which may help stave off colon cancer.
Stamp out smoking—all around you.
Lung cancer is well known as one of the main hazards of smoking. But everything the smoke passes on its way to the lungs can also turn cancerous: mouth, larynx, and esophagus. The fun doesn't stop there. Smokers are encouraging stomach, liver, prostate, colorectal, cervical, and breast cancers as well. The good news: If you give up the cigs today, within 15 years, your lung cancer risk will drop to almost presmoking lows. Share that news with the people who puff around you, because exposure to someone else's smoke can cause lung cancer, and it may boost your chances of cervical cancer by 40%.
Step away from the white bread.
If you eat a lot of things with a high glycemic load—a measurement of how quickly food raises your blood sugar—you may run a higher risk of colorectal cancer than women who eat low-glycemic-load foods, finds a Harvard Medical School study involving 38,000 women. The problem eats are mostly white: white bread, pasta, potatoes, and sugary pastries. The low-glycemic-load stuff comes with fiber.
Have your genes screened.
Do you have a strong family history of any kind of cancer or multiple cancers? Talk with your doctor about genetic counseling. For instance, nearly everyone born with familial adenomatous polyposis (the genetic predisposition to colon cancer) develops the disease by age 40 if preventive surgery isn't done. Knowing this early can aid in prevention and early detection.
Request a better breast scan.
If you're at high risk of breast cancer—you have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation, for example—ask your doctor to pair your routine mammogram with an MRI. A recent study found that together, the two picked up 94% of tumors; mammography alone detected just 40% and MRI, 77%.
Grill smarter.
Cooking your food over an open flame is a great way to cut calories. Unfortunately, it can also raise your cancer risk: The grill's high temps can trigger substances in muscle proteins to form cancer-causing compounds called hetero-cyclic amines, or HCAs. But avoiding this potential hazard is easy; simply keep gas jets low or wait until the charcoal turns into glowing embers before you start cooking. Protect yourself even more by lacing your burgers with rosemary (and perhaps other antioxidant-rich herbs such as basil, oregano, or thyme). This helps reduce the amount of some HCAs in meat, a Kansas State University study found. Also helpful: Microwaving meat ahead of time helps disable HCA formation and cuts down on grilling time.
Keep your house clean.
Yet another reason to love your Swiffer: Active postmenopausal women who got most of their exercise from housework cut their risk of breast cancer by 30%, Canadian researchers say.
Let garlic lie.
Thanks to this bulbed wonder, you can ward off vampires and stave off cancer. To preserve the potential cancer-fighting power of garlic, chop it up and let it sit a bit. Research suggests that heating garlic can block 90% of the activity of alliinase, the enzyme that helps to form a cancer-fighting compound. Alliinase is activated when the cloves are crushed or cut, but if cut garlic cools its heels for 5 to 10 minutes before heating, enough compounds are formed to survive cooking.
Check for radon.
Exposure to this odorless, radioactive gas that's produced by the natural decay of uranium is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, according to the EPA. Test your home to see if you're safe. The National Safety Council's National Radon Hotline (800-767-7236) offers low-cost test kits; they're also available at hardware stores.
Play hot tomato.
Red fruits (watermelon, tomato, pink grapefruit) are loaded with lycopene, a substance that has been proven time and time again to be a potent cancer fighter. It seems that heating said fruits makes the lycopene easier for the body to use, which explains why men who eat a lot of ketchup, pizza (it's in the sauce), and spaghetti (ditto) are far less likely to get prostate cancer.
Ditch the wieners.
You can smother 'em in all the ketchup you want, but you can't negate a hot dog's, well, negatives. A new study of 190,545 people finds that eating a wiener daily may boost your risk of pancreatic cancer, which is nearly always fatal, by 67%. Same goes for sausage and other processed meats.
The Perfect Cancer- fighting Salad
Quick. Can you spot the cancer fighters at the salad bar? Build yourself some powerful protection with these ingredients.
Start with leafy greens.
They contain a hefty amount of the B vitamin folate, which has been shown to reduce one's chances of getting colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers. In the latest study, researchers at Vanderbilt University found that women who ate the most dark greens were among the least likely to get breast cancer. Apparently, folate can halt changes in DNA that trigger runaway cell growth, the main characteristic of cancer.
Add shredded carrot.
In a study from Brigham and Women?s Hospital in Boston, women who ate just five servings of four raw carrot sticks a week had a 54% decrease in their risk of getting ovarian cancer, compared with women who ate them less than once a month. Carrots may also reduce your risk of kidney cancer.
Serve yourself some tomatoes.
If you don't feel like turning up the heat on your tomatoes, you can still get some of their cancer-shielding benefits. German research on 165 colonoscopy patients found that those who had the lowest blood level of lycopene, one of the chemicals that give tomatoes their color, had the highest rate of colorectal adenomas, a precursor to colo-rectal cancer. Toss a few into your guy's salad: They also reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Heap on beans.
Women who ate beans at least twice a week were 24% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who ate them less often, report Harvard School of Public Health researchers, who analyzed data from 90,630 people. Legumes may lessen risk of breast cancer, thanks to their ability to suppress the production of enzymes that encourage tumor growth.
Add a little fish.
Want to add something hardy to your lunchtime salad? Go wild with salmon. When B6-rich foods (like salmon) are eaten with folate-filled foods (dark leafy greens), they can help reduce the recurrence of colorectal adenomas, a precursor to colorectal cancer, by 39%, a University of Arizona study found. Salmon may also help shield regular eaters from skin cancer, British research found.
Splash on some vinaigrette.
Mixing your favorite vinegar with olive oil can also help prevent breast cancer. Scientists from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine found that oleic acid in olive oil dramatically cuts the levels of the cancer gene Her-2/neu, associated with highly aggressive breast tumors with poor prognosis.
Garnish with citrus peel.
They're like eating sunscreen—but they taste better. Limonene—a compound that gives oranges, lemons, and limes their scent—is linked to a 34% reduction in skin cancer, finds a University of Arizona study of 400 people.
Worship a wee bit of sun.
People who get the most vitamin D, which lies dormant in skin until ultraviolet rays activate it, may protect themselves from a variety of cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, breast, and colon. Ironically, it even improves survival rates of melanoma, the most serious skin cancer. But 10 to 15 minutes a few days a week is all it takes to benefit. (Or you could try a supplement—aim for 400 IU a day.) If you're out any longer than that, slather on the sunscreen.
Eat an orange every day.
It just may zap a strain of the H. pylori bacteria that causes peptic ulcers and can lead to stomach cancer. Researchers in San Francisco found that infected people with high levels of vitamin C in their blood were less likely to test positive for the cancer-causing strain.
Listen to Katie Couric.
Though colonoscopies are about as popular as root canals, if you're 50 or older, get one. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Don't think you're off the hook because you got a digital fecal occult blood test at your last checkup: Research by the Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study last year found that the test missed 95% of the cases. (Schedule your first colonoscopy before your 50th if you have a family history of colon cancer.)
Steam a little green.
Piles of studies have shown that piles of broccoli help stave off ovarian, stomach, lung, bladder, and colorectal cancers. And steaming it for 3 to 4 minutes enhances the power of the cancer-fighting compound sulforaphane, which has been shown to halt the growth of breast cancer cells. (Sorry, microwaving doesn't do the trick; it strips out most antioxidants.) Get more protection by sprinkling a handful of selenium-rich sunflower seeds, nuts, or mushrooms on your greens. Researchers are discovering that sulforaphane is about 13 times more potent when combined with the mineral selenium.
Pick a doc with a past.
Experience—lots of it—is critical when it comes to accurately reading mammograms. A study from the University of California, San Francisco, found that doctors with at least 25 years' experience were more accurate at interpreting images and less likely to give false positives. Ask about your radiologist's track record. If she is freshly minted or doesn't check a high volume of mammograms, get a second read from someone with more mileage.
Drink joltless java.
Downing 2 or more cups of decaf a day may lower the incidence of rectal cancer by 52%, finds a study from two large and long-term research projects—the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study from Harvard University. One theory is that coffee increases bowel movements, which helps to reduce the risk. Why decaf reigns supreme, however, remains a mystery.
Drop 10 pounds.
Being overweight or obese accounts for 20% of all cancer deaths among women and 14% among men, notes the American Cancer Society. (You're overweight if your body mass index is between 25 and 29.9; you're obese if it's 30 or more.) Plus, losing excess pounds reduces the body's production of female hormones, which may protect against breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. Even if you're not technically overweight, gaining just 10 pounds after the age of 30 increases your risk of developing breast, pancreatic, and cervical, among other cancers.
Make like a monkey.
Or a bunny. Women who ate four to six antioxidant-laden bananas a week cut their risk of kidney cancer by 54%, compared with those who didn't eat them at all, found an analysis of 61,000 women at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. Gnawing on root vegetables such as carrots did the same.
Get naked with a friend.
You'll need help examining every inch of your body—including your back, scalp, and other hard-to-see places—for possible changes in the size or color of moles, blemishes, and freckles. These marks could spell skin cancer. Women, take special note of your legs: Melanoma mainly occurs there. For the guys, the trunk, head, and neck are the most diagnosed spots. While you're at it, check your fingernails and toenails, too. Gray-black discoloration or a distorted or elevated nail may indicate the disease. And whether you see changes or not, after age 40, everyone should see a dermatologist yearly.
See into the future.
Go to Yourdiseaserisk.harvard.edu to assess your chance of developing 12 types of cancer, including ovarian, breast, and colon. After the interactive tool estimates your risk, you'll get personalized tips for prevention.
Pay attention to pain.
If you're experiencing a bloated belly, pelvic pain, and an urgent need to urinate, see your doc. These symptoms may signal ovarian cancer, particularly if they're severe and frequent. Women and physicians often ignore these symptoms, and that's the very reason that this disease can be deadly. When caught early, before cancer has spread outside the ovary, the relative 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is a jaw-dropping 90 to 95%.
Get calcium daily.
Milk's main claim to fame may also help protect your colon. Those who took calcium faithfully for 4 years had a 36% reduction in the development of new precancerous colon polyps 5 years after the study had ended, revealed Dartmouth Medical School researchers. (They tracked 822 people who took either 1,200 mg of calcium every day or a placebo.) Though the study was not on milk itself, you can get the same amount of calcium in three 8-ounce glasses of fat-free milk, along with an 8-ounce serving of yogurt or a 2- to 3-ounce serving of low-fat cheese daily.
Sweat 30 minutes a day.
One of the best anticancer potions is a half hour of motion at least 5 days a week. Any kind of physical activity modulates levels of androgens and estrogen, two things that can protect women against estrogen-driven cancers such as ovarian and endometrial, as well as some types of breast cancer. The latest proof comes by way of a recent Canadian study that found that women who get regular, moderate exercise may lower their risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 30%. Bonus: All that moving might speed everything through your colon, which may help stave off colon cancer.
Stamp out smoking—all around you.
Lung cancer is well known as one of the main hazards of smoking. But everything the smoke passes on its way to the lungs can also turn cancerous: mouth, larynx, and esophagus. The fun doesn't stop there. Smokers are encouraging stomach, liver, prostate, colorectal, cervical, and breast cancers as well. The good news: If you give up the cigs today, within 15 years, your lung cancer risk will drop to almost presmoking lows. Share that news with the people who puff around you, because exposure to someone else's smoke can cause lung cancer, and it may boost your chances of cervical cancer by 40%.
Step away from the white bread.
If you eat a lot of things with a high glycemic load—a measurement of how quickly food raises your blood sugar—you may run a higher risk of colorectal cancer than women who eat low-glycemic-load foods, finds a Harvard Medical School study involving 38,000 women. The problem eats are mostly white: white bread, pasta, potatoes, and sugary pastries. The low-glycemic-load stuff comes with fiber.
Have your genes screened.
Do you have a strong family history of any kind of cancer or multiple cancers? Talk with your doctor about genetic counseling. For instance, nearly everyone born with familial adenomatous polyposis (the genetic predisposition to colon cancer) develops the disease by age 40 if preventive surgery isn't done. Knowing this early can aid in prevention and early detection.
Request a better breast scan.
If you're at high risk of breast cancer—you have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation, for example—ask your doctor to pair your routine mammogram with an MRI. A recent study found that together, the two picked up 94% of tumors; mammography alone detected just 40% and MRI, 77%.
Grill smarter.
Cooking your food over an open flame is a great way to cut calories. Unfortunately, it can also raise your cancer risk: The grill's high temps can trigger substances in muscle proteins to form cancer-causing compounds called hetero-cyclic amines, or HCAs. But avoiding this potential hazard is easy; simply keep gas jets low or wait until the charcoal turns into glowing embers before you start cooking. Protect yourself even more by lacing your burgers with rosemary (and perhaps other antioxidant-rich herbs such as basil, oregano, or thyme). This helps reduce the amount of some HCAs in meat, a Kansas State University study found. Also helpful: Microwaving meat ahead of time helps disable HCA formation and cuts down on grilling time.
Keep your house clean.
Yet another reason to love your Swiffer: Active postmenopausal women who got most of their exercise from housework cut their risk of breast cancer by 30%, Canadian researchers say.
Let garlic lie.
Thanks to this bulbed wonder, you can ward off vampires and stave off cancer. To preserve the potential cancer-fighting power of garlic, chop it up and let it sit a bit. Research suggests that heating garlic can block 90% of the activity of alliinase, the enzyme that helps to form a cancer-fighting compound. Alliinase is activated when the cloves are crushed or cut, but if cut garlic cools its heels for 5 to 10 minutes before heating, enough compounds are formed to survive cooking.
Check for radon.
Exposure to this odorless, radioactive gas that's produced by the natural decay of uranium is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, according to the EPA. Test your home to see if you're safe. The National Safety Council's National Radon Hotline (800-767-7236) offers low-cost test kits; they're also available at hardware stores.
Play hot tomato.
Red fruits (watermelon, tomato, pink grapefruit) are loaded with lycopene, a substance that has been proven time and time again to be a potent cancer fighter. It seems that heating said fruits makes the lycopene easier for the body to use, which explains why men who eat a lot of ketchup, pizza (it's in the sauce), and spaghetti (ditto) are far less likely to get prostate cancer.
Ditch the wieners.
You can smother 'em in all the ketchup you want, but you can't negate a hot dog's, well, negatives. A new study of 190,545 people finds that eating a wiener daily may boost your risk of pancreatic cancer, which is nearly always fatal, by 67%. Same goes for sausage and other processed meats.
The Perfect Cancer- fighting Salad
Quick. Can you spot the cancer fighters at the salad bar? Build yourself some powerful protection with these ingredients.
Start with leafy greens.
They contain a hefty amount of the B vitamin folate, which has been shown to reduce one's chances of getting colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers. In the latest study, researchers at Vanderbilt University found that women who ate the most dark greens were among the least likely to get breast cancer. Apparently, folate can halt changes in DNA that trigger runaway cell growth, the main characteristic of cancer.
Add shredded carrot.
In a study from Brigham and Women?s Hospital in Boston, women who ate just five servings of four raw carrot sticks a week had a 54% decrease in their risk of getting ovarian cancer, compared with women who ate them less than once a month. Carrots may also reduce your risk of kidney cancer.
Serve yourself some tomatoes.
If you don't feel like turning up the heat on your tomatoes, you can still get some of their cancer-shielding benefits. German research on 165 colonoscopy patients found that those who had the lowest blood level of lycopene, one of the chemicals that give tomatoes their color, had the highest rate of colorectal adenomas, a precursor to colo-rectal cancer. Toss a few into your guy's salad: They also reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Heap on beans.
Women who ate beans at least twice a week were 24% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who ate them less often, report Harvard School of Public Health researchers, who analyzed data from 90,630 people. Legumes may lessen risk of breast cancer, thanks to their ability to suppress the production of enzymes that encourage tumor growth.
Add a little fish.
Want to add something hardy to your lunchtime salad? Go wild with salmon. When B6-rich foods (like salmon) are eaten with folate-filled foods (dark leafy greens), they can help reduce the recurrence of colorectal adenomas, a precursor to colorectal cancer, by 39%, a University of Arizona study found. Salmon may also help shield regular eaters from skin cancer, British research found.
Splash on some vinaigrette.
Mixing your favorite vinegar with olive oil can also help prevent breast cancer. Scientists from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine found that oleic acid in olive oil dramatically cuts the levels of the cancer gene Her-2/neu, associated with highly aggressive breast tumors with poor prognosis.
Garnish with citrus peel.
They're like eating sunscreen—but they taste better. Limonene—a compound that gives oranges, lemons, and limes their scent—is linked to a 34% reduction in skin cancer, finds a University of Arizona study of 400 people.
Breast Self Exam as Easy as 1-2-3
In October, it's Breast Cancer Awareness month. Many folks are out there participating in walks and runs to encourage awareness of breast cancer and raise funds for education and research. As they or you do that, don't forget to check yourself for breast lumps. Forget how or never learned? Let's review!
First, take a look. Standing at the mirror, look at the breasts for any changes. Rashes? Wrinkles? Dimples? If you find anything new, you should get it checked out by a doctor ASAP. Next, take another look in the mirror while you're leaning forward to see if your breasts fall the same. Again, any asymmetry (other than a slight difference in size) should be evaluated by your doctor.
Second, feel left. Feel all the tissue of the left breast, probing in a spiral pattern from its outer edges to the center, or follow a pattern of "spokes on a wheel," all the way around. Don't forget to feel the outermost tail of breast tissue that reaches up into the armpit area, and feel for any new lumps in the armpit, as well. If you detect any new changes or irregularities in texture or feel, or if you discover a specific lump like a pea, get to your doctor for a check.
Third, feel right. Same instructions as per the left. If you do feel something, don't panic. Schedule to see your doctor for the next steps.
While I'm performing clinical breast exams in my office during annual visits, I always review with my patients these simple self-examination how-to's. I should also add: If you've learned some other technique, any examination will work as long as it will allow you to compare what you find today with what you found last month.
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First, take a look. Standing at the mirror, look at the breasts for any changes. Rashes? Wrinkles? Dimples? If you find anything new, you should get it checked out by a doctor ASAP. Next, take another look in the mirror while you're leaning forward to see if your breasts fall the same. Again, any asymmetry (other than a slight difference in size) should be evaluated by your doctor.
Second, feel left. Feel all the tissue of the left breast, probing in a spiral pattern from its outer edges to the center, or follow a pattern of "spokes on a wheel," all the way around. Don't forget to feel the outermost tail of breast tissue that reaches up into the armpit area, and feel for any new lumps in the armpit, as well. If you detect any new changes or irregularities in texture or feel, or if you discover a specific lump like a pea, get to your doctor for a check.
Third, feel right. Same instructions as per the left. If you do feel something, don't panic. Schedule to see your doctor for the next steps.
While I'm performing clinical breast exams in my office during annual visits, I always review with my patients these simple self-examination how-to's. I should also add: If you've learned some other technique, any examination will work as long as it will allow you to compare what you find today with what you found last month.
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
Top 25 fittest and fattest cities in the U.S.
Sure, obesity is a problem in this country, but when you think fat, you probably don't think Miami. So you may be surprised to find Men's Fitness magazine ranks Miami as the nation's fattest city in its annual survey. The fittest? Salt Lake City.
So what about the South Beach Diet... and all those buff bodies you always see in the ocean-side metropolis? Even though Miami has a high number of health-food stores per capita, Men's Fitness found it also has nearly three times the fast-food restaurants as the average city. And while there are 79 percent more gyms and health clubs than average, residents are less likely to regularly use their memberships. Not many residents take advantage of outdoor activities, either.
On the other end of the spectrum... Salt Lake City got top marks for being the fittest city because of its abundance of park space, athletically motivated residents, and below- average obesity rates. It ranks highest in the survey in the number of people who take part in activities like beach volleyball, racquetball, aerobics, hiking, basketball, yoga, tai chi, swimming, cycling, running, and kickboxing.
As for the rest of the country, here are the top 25 fittest and fattest cities according to Men's Fitness:
Top Fittest Cities
1. Salt Lake City, UT
2. Colorado Springs, CO
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. Denver, CO
5. Albuquerque, NM
6. Portland, OR
7. Honolulu, HI
8. Seattle, WA
9. Omaha, NE
10. Virginia Beach, VA
11. Milwaukee, WI
12. San Francisco, CA
13. Tucson, AZ
14. Boston, MA
15. Cleveland, OH
16. St. Louis, MO
17. Austin, TX
18. Washington, DC
19. Sacramento, CA
20. Oakland, CA
21. Atlanta, GA
22. Fresno, CA
23. Tampa, FL
24. Nashville-Davidson, TN
25. Pittsburgh, PA
Top Fattest Cities
1. Miami, FL
2. Oklahoma City, OK
3. San Antonio, TX
4. Las Vegas, NV
5. New York, NY
6. Houston, TX
7. El Paso, TX
8. Jacksonville, FL
9. Charlotte, NC
10. Louisville-Jefferson, KY
11. Memphis, TN
12. Detroit, MI
13. Chicago, IL
14. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
15. San Jose, CA
16. Tulsa, OK
17. Baltimore, MD
18. Columbus, OH
19. Raleigh, NC
20. Philadelphia, PA
21. L.A.-Long Beach, CA
22. Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
23. Indianapolis, IN
24. San Diego, CA
25. Kansas City, MO
So what about the South Beach Diet... and all those buff bodies you always see in the ocean-side metropolis? Even though Miami has a high number of health-food stores per capita, Men's Fitness found it also has nearly three times the fast-food restaurants as the average city. And while there are 79 percent more gyms and health clubs than average, residents are less likely to regularly use their memberships. Not many residents take advantage of outdoor activities, either.
On the other end of the spectrum... Salt Lake City got top marks for being the fittest city because of its abundance of park space, athletically motivated residents, and below- average obesity rates. It ranks highest in the survey in the number of people who take part in activities like beach volleyball, racquetball, aerobics, hiking, basketball, yoga, tai chi, swimming, cycling, running, and kickboxing.
As for the rest of the country, here are the top 25 fittest and fattest cities according to Men's Fitness:
Top Fittest Cities
1. Salt Lake City, UT
2. Colorado Springs, CO
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. Denver, CO
5. Albuquerque, NM
6. Portland, OR
7. Honolulu, HI
8. Seattle, WA
9. Omaha, NE
10. Virginia Beach, VA
11. Milwaukee, WI
12. San Francisco, CA
13. Tucson, AZ
14. Boston, MA
15. Cleveland, OH
16. St. Louis, MO
17. Austin, TX
18. Washington, DC
19. Sacramento, CA
20. Oakland, CA
21. Atlanta, GA
22. Fresno, CA
23. Tampa, FL
24. Nashville-Davidson, TN
25. Pittsburgh, PA
Top Fattest Cities
1. Miami, FL
2. Oklahoma City, OK
3. San Antonio, TX
4. Las Vegas, NV
5. New York, NY
6. Houston, TX
7. El Paso, TX
8. Jacksonville, FL
9. Charlotte, NC
10. Louisville-Jefferson, KY
11. Memphis, TN
12. Detroit, MI
13. Chicago, IL
14. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
15. San Jose, CA
16. Tulsa, OK
17. Baltimore, MD
18. Columbus, OH
19. Raleigh, NC
20. Philadelphia, PA
21. L.A.-Long Beach, CA
22. Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
23. Indianapolis, IN
24. San Diego, CA
25. Kansas City, MO
Grandson kills native leader
TRURO, N.S. - James Douglas Gloade was high on three types of drugs when he struck his grandmother with all his might then slashed her throat with a kitchen knife after the revered native rights activist refused to give him money to buy more drugs.
The gruesome details of Nora Bernard's final moments in her Truro home on Dec. 26, 2007, were coldly relayed in a Nova Scotia courtroom Friday before Gloade, a self-described drug dealer with a long record, was sentenced to 15 years for manslaughter.
Reading from an agreed statement of facts, Crown prosecutor Nigel Allan said the frail, 72-year-old Mi'kmaq elder - whose lengthy court battles helped secure an historic $5-billion settlement for survivors of Indian residential schools - was almost decapitated by a man seized by a "killing fury."
The lawyer said Gloade had consumed $500 worth of crack cocaine, OxyContin and Valium before he went to his grandmother's home that night.
Gloade's heinous actions and his previous 37 convictions showed he was "defiant, dangerous and deadly," Allan said, noting that the young man had started taking drugs when he was 11 and claims to have been sexually assaulted as a teenager.
"It's a brutal and savage crime that, on the face of it, seems senseless," Allan told the small, packed courtroom. "He remains a real threat to anyone who defies him."
Gloade, 25, was originally charged on Dec. 31, 2007, with first-degree murder soon after he confessed to the crime.
He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter last September after Allan agreed that Gloade's drug-induced state prevented him from forming the intent to commit murder.
Accounting for time already served, there are 13 years remaining on his sentence.
Throughout the hearing, Gloade sat silently, staring at the floor. But as his mother, sister and four other relatives read their victim impact statements to the court, the young man leaned forward, put his head in his hands, then ground his knuckles into his eyes.
As the hearing drew to a close and the judge prepared to hand down his sentence, Gloade rose to address the court.
"I want to apologize to my family," he said in a monotone. "I'm ashamed for what I did. ... I let my family down. I'm sorry."
Court heard that Gloade often visited his grandmother and he was described several times as her favourite grandson.
Before the details of the killing were revealed, three of Bernard's daughters, two granddaughters and a sister described her as a loving, nurturing protector who had a great sense of humour and a knack for telling stories.
But above all, she was a strong woman who endured domestic abuse and, as the single parent, held down two jobs before embarking on a 15-year battle to win compensation for native children forced to attend residential schools.
In the early 1990s, Bernard began organizing abuse victims who attended the school in Shubenacadie, N.S. Her original lawsuit argued that tens of thousands of children had been robbed of their culture while attending the schools, run by six Christian denominations until the 1960s.
Her lawsuit was eventually merged with other legal actions, culminating in the largest class-action suit in Canada, which represented 79,000 survivors.
In court Friday, Gloade's mother, Natalie, was the last to read a statement.
"I believe that mom would have forgiven James for what he did if she lived," she said. "My whole family has been permanently divided. ... I am truly sorry for what my son, James, did to our mother."
Danielle Gloade, James Gloade's sister, described her grandmother as someone she relied on, "the one person I know I could always go to ... the one person who was cheering me on."
She said her plans to marry her fiance fell apart in the aftermath of her grandmother's death.
"When she died that night, a piece of me died too," Danielle Gloade said, adding that drugs destroyed her brother's life.
"The last few years he was so strung out on drugs, he was never around."
Bernard's sister, Linda Maloney, described how Bernard protected her while the two attended the school in Shubenacadie.
Maloney said she felt guilty because she was "unable to help her in the darkest hour of her life."
"I hope and prey that the creator ... was there to ease the pain."
Judge John MacDougall noted the "raw and vicious nature" of the killing, but he said there were mitigating factors, including Gloade's sense of remorse, his decision to confess quickly and the fact that it was his first conviction for a serious violent offence.
The maximum penalty for manslaughter is 20 years, but such a severe sentence has been rarely imposed in Canada.
"It's hard to imagine a crime closer to murder," the judge said. "He (James Gloade) was a tragedy looking for a place to happen."
Court heard that on the night she died, Bernard gave her grandson $20, but when he returned three hours later looking for more cash, she refused.
After going outside to smoke more crack, Gloade returned and hit Bernard three or four times about the head before slitting her throat twice while she lay on the floor.
The statement of facts quotes Gloade as saying his "head was buzzing" before he killed his grandmother.
Afterwards, Gloade went to his uncle's home to wash, then left to get more drugs.
He discarded a knife and his boots, which have never been found, but he left a bloody sweatshirt at his uncle's home. When he confessed, Gloade told police where to find the sweatshirt. Tests showed it had Bernard's DNA on it.
Gloade's lawyer, Stan MacDonald, said his client accepts responsibility for what happened to his grandmother.
"There was absolutely no motive for this whatsoever," he told the court, stressing that the lack of premeditation clearly ruled out a murder charge.
The Crown sought a 20-year sentence, while the defence asked for 10 years.
Galleries
The gruesome details of Nora Bernard's final moments in her Truro home on Dec. 26, 2007, were coldly relayed in a Nova Scotia courtroom Friday before Gloade, a self-described drug dealer with a long record, was sentenced to 15 years for manslaughter.
Reading from an agreed statement of facts, Crown prosecutor Nigel Allan said the frail, 72-year-old Mi'kmaq elder - whose lengthy court battles helped secure an historic $5-billion settlement for survivors of Indian residential schools - was almost decapitated by a man seized by a "killing fury."
The lawyer said Gloade had consumed $500 worth of crack cocaine, OxyContin and Valium before he went to his grandmother's home that night.
Gloade's heinous actions and his previous 37 convictions showed he was "defiant, dangerous and deadly," Allan said, noting that the young man had started taking drugs when he was 11 and claims to have been sexually assaulted as a teenager.
"It's a brutal and savage crime that, on the face of it, seems senseless," Allan told the small, packed courtroom. "He remains a real threat to anyone who defies him."
Gloade, 25, was originally charged on Dec. 31, 2007, with first-degree murder soon after he confessed to the crime.
He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter last September after Allan agreed that Gloade's drug-induced state prevented him from forming the intent to commit murder.
Accounting for time already served, there are 13 years remaining on his sentence.
Throughout the hearing, Gloade sat silently, staring at the floor. But as his mother, sister and four other relatives read their victim impact statements to the court, the young man leaned forward, put his head in his hands, then ground his knuckles into his eyes.
As the hearing drew to a close and the judge prepared to hand down his sentence, Gloade rose to address the court.
"I want to apologize to my family," he said in a monotone. "I'm ashamed for what I did. ... I let my family down. I'm sorry."
Court heard that Gloade often visited his grandmother and he was described several times as her favourite grandson.
Before the details of the killing were revealed, three of Bernard's daughters, two granddaughters and a sister described her as a loving, nurturing protector who had a great sense of humour and a knack for telling stories.
But above all, she was a strong woman who endured domestic abuse and, as the single parent, held down two jobs before embarking on a 15-year battle to win compensation for native children forced to attend residential schools.
In the early 1990s, Bernard began organizing abuse victims who attended the school in Shubenacadie, N.S. Her original lawsuit argued that tens of thousands of children had been robbed of their culture while attending the schools, run by six Christian denominations until the 1960s.
Her lawsuit was eventually merged with other legal actions, culminating in the largest class-action suit in Canada, which represented 79,000 survivors.
In court Friday, Gloade's mother, Natalie, was the last to read a statement.
"I believe that mom would have forgiven James for what he did if she lived," she said. "My whole family has been permanently divided. ... I am truly sorry for what my son, James, did to our mother."
Danielle Gloade, James Gloade's sister, described her grandmother as someone she relied on, "the one person I know I could always go to ... the one person who was cheering me on."
She said her plans to marry her fiance fell apart in the aftermath of her grandmother's death.
"When she died that night, a piece of me died too," Danielle Gloade said, adding that drugs destroyed her brother's life.
"The last few years he was so strung out on drugs, he was never around."
Bernard's sister, Linda Maloney, described how Bernard protected her while the two attended the school in Shubenacadie.
Maloney said she felt guilty because she was "unable to help her in the darkest hour of her life."
"I hope and prey that the creator ... was there to ease the pain."
Judge John MacDougall noted the "raw and vicious nature" of the killing, but he said there were mitigating factors, including Gloade's sense of remorse, his decision to confess quickly and the fact that it was his first conviction for a serious violent offence.
The maximum penalty for manslaughter is 20 years, but such a severe sentence has been rarely imposed in Canada.
"It's hard to imagine a crime closer to murder," the judge said. "He (James Gloade) was a tragedy looking for a place to happen."
Court heard that on the night she died, Bernard gave her grandson $20, but when he returned three hours later looking for more cash, she refused.
After going outside to smoke more crack, Gloade returned and hit Bernard three or four times about the head before slitting her throat twice while she lay on the floor.
The statement of facts quotes Gloade as saying his "head was buzzing" before he killed his grandmother.
Afterwards, Gloade went to his uncle's home to wash, then left to get more drugs.
He discarded a knife and his boots, which have never been found, but he left a bloody sweatshirt at his uncle's home. When he confessed, Gloade told police where to find the sweatshirt. Tests showed it had Bernard's DNA on it.
Gloade's lawyer, Stan MacDonald, said his client accepts responsibility for what happened to his grandmother.
"There was absolutely no motive for this whatsoever," he told the court, stressing that the lack of premeditation clearly ruled out a murder charge.
The Crown sought a 20-year sentence, while the defence asked for 10 years.
Galleries
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DISPENSING AND PURCHASING CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES OVER THE INTERNET
The following Questions and Answers are being published by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Office of Diversion Control as an educational/public awareness component relative to the use of the Internet for the purposes of purchasing, prescribing, dispensing and importing of controlled substances. The DEA recognizes that while some Internet sites facilitate legitimate prescribing and dispensing practices, other sites facilitate the illegal sale of controlled substances. These sites of illicit activity enable some consumers to illegally purchase controlled substances without realizing they are committing a crime. The DEA regards this as a critical issue and is taking steps to address it. This document is intended to serve as general guidance to prescribers, pharmacists, the regulatory and law enforcement communities, as well as the general public regarding the application of current laws and regulations to controlled substances transactions conducted via the Internet.
This document explains what constitutes legitimate controlled substances transactions via the Internet.
* Questions for Patients/Consumers
o
Can an individual order drugs using the Internet without seeing a doctor?
o
What are the types of risks taken by individuals when ordering drugs via the Internet? How can those risks be minimized?
o
Can underage individuals acquire drugs on the Internet? How can this be prevented from happening?
* General Information
o What are the basic requirements for prescribing, dispensing, and importing controlled substances?
* DEA Registrant Questions about Internet Pharmacies
o
Is it legal for Internet pharmacies to approach a physician to write prescriptions based on on-line consultations with customers/consumer?
o
Can an independent pharmacy purchase supplies on the Internet? What procedures must be followed?
o
Does the label on a prescription filled via the Internet indicate the Internet pharmacy or the registered location that filled the prescription?
o
Does being an Internet pharmacy change a pharmacy’s responsibilities under DEA regulations?
o
Is it possible for an Internet pharmacy to fill prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances?
o
Is it possible for an Internet pharmacy to fill prescriptions for Schedule III-V controlled substances?
o
Is it legal to buy controlled substances from foreign Internet sites and have them shipped to the U.S.?
o
Does it make a difference if an individual has a prescription from a U.S. doctor for controlled substances and buys from a foreign Internet site?
o
Are the rules different for "life style" drugs?
o
What does the VIPPS Seal seen on some Internet pharmacy sites mean?
o
Where should complaints regarding an "Internet Pharmacy" site on the Internet that appears to be illegally selling drug be directed?
Back to Top
Questions for Patients/Consumers
Can an individual order drugs using the Internet without seeing a doctor?
Federal law requires that "A prescription for a controlled substance to be effective must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his professional practice" (21 CFR 1306.04(a)). Every state separately imposes the same requirement under its laws. Under Federal and state law, for a doctor to be acting in the usual course of professional practice, there must be a bona fide doctor/ patient relationship.
For purposes of state law, many state authorities, with the endorsement of medical societies, consider the existence of the following four elements as an indication that a legitimate doctor/patient relationship has been established:
*
* A patient has a medical complaint;
* A medical history has been taken;
* A physical examination has been performed; and
Some logical connection exists between the medical complaint, the medical history, the physical examination and the drug prescribed.
A patient completing a questionnaire that is then reviewed by a physician hired by or working on behalf of an Internet pharmacy does not establish a doctor/patient relationship. A consumer can more easily provide false information in a questionnaire than in a face-to-face meeting with the physician. It is illegal to receive a prescription for a controlled substance without the establishment of a legitimate doctor/patient relationship, and it is unlikely for such a relationship to be formed through Internet correspondence alone. However, this is not intended to limit the ability of practitioners to engage in telemedicine. For purposes of this guidance document, telemedicine refers to the provision of health care using telecommunication networks to transmit and receive information including voice communications, images and patient records.
Some Internet sites recommend to the patient that they not take a new drug before they have a complete physical performed by a doctor. These sites then ask the patient to waive the requirement for a physical and to agree to have a physical before taking the drug they purchase via the Internet. An after the fact physical does not take the place of establishing a doctor/patient relationship. The physical exam should take place before the prescription is written. These types of activities by Internet pharmacies can subject the operators of the Internet site and any pharmacies or doctors who participate in the activity to criminal, civil, or administrative actions. For DEA registrants, administrative action may include the loss of their DEA registration. Additionally, providing false material information to obtain controlled substances could be considered obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and deceit, which is subject to Federal and State penalties.
What are the types of risks taken by individuals when ordering drugs via the Internet? How can those risks be minimized?
Persons considering purchasing drugs via an Internet pharmacy should exercise good common sense and scrutiny in selecting an Internet pharmacy. An "Internet pharmacy" site should provide a physical address for the pharmacy, in addition to the Internet address and a telephone number for the pharmacy. Some common indicators that the "Internet Pharmacy" site may not be legitimate and should not be used as a source for controlled substances include the following:
*
* The site is not a participant in any insurance plan and requires that all payments be made with a credit card.
* The site requires that you waive some rights before they send you the drugs.
* The site advises you about the law and why it is permissible for you to obtain pharmaceutical controlled substances from foreign countries via the Internet.
* The site does not ask the name, address, or phone number of your current physician.
* The site advises you to have the drugs sent to post office boxes or other locations to avoid detection by U.S. authorities.
The site does not require that you provide a bona fide prescription issued by your personal physician or mid-level practitioner.
Can underage individuals acquire drugs on the Internet? How can this be prevented from happening?
Underage individuals can acquire drugs on the Internet in the same manner as an adult. The only way to prevent this is to restrict Internet access. In many instances, the young person will need a credit card to pay for the drugs. In these instances, parents can prevent drug purchases by withholding access to a credit card.
As previously stated, a prescription not issued in the usual course of professional practice or not for legitimate medical/research purposes is not considered valid. Both the practitioner and the pharmacy have a responsibility to ensure that only legitimate prescriptions are written and filled.
Back to Top
General Information
What are the basic requirements for prescribing, dispensing, and importing controlled substances?
Only practitioners acting in the usual course of their professional practice may prescribe controlled substances. These practitioners must be registered with DEA and licensed to prescribe controlled substances by the State(s) in which they operate. Pharmacies filling prescriptions for controlled substances must also be registered with DEA and licensed to dispense controlled substances by the State(s) in which they operate. A prescription not issued in the usual course of professional practice or not for legitimate and authorized research is not considered valid. Both the practitioner and the pharmacy have a responsibility to ensure that only legitimate prescriptions are written and filled.
Pharmacists must receive written and manually signed prescriptions for Schedule II substances. They may receive oral or faxed prescriptions for Schedule III-V substances provided they confirm the legitimacy of the prescription and the practitioner. Prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances may not be refilled. Prescriptions for Schedule III-V controlled substances may be authorized to be refilled five times, but no prescription may be filled or refilled more than six months after the date on which the prescription was issued. Only those people who are registered with DEA as importers and who are in compliance with DEA requirements may have controlled substances shipped into the customs territory or jurisdiction of the U.S. from a foreign country.
DEA regulations covering prescriptions can be found in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 1306; rules on importers are found in 21 CFR 1312.
Back to Top
DEA Registrant Questions about Internet Pharmacies
Is it legal for Internet pharmacies to approach a physician to write prescriptions based on on-line consultations with customers/consumer?
A physician may use the Internet to provide information and to communicate with the patient, but it cannot be the sole basis for authorizing prescriptions. If a doctor/patient relationship exists, a doctor can use the Internet to communicate with patients. Where a doctor/patient relationship exists, the doctor may use the Internet to receive requests for treatment. DEA cautions, however, that such requests for treatment should be logical based upon a doctor’s knowledge of the patient’s medical history and the medical complaint. The doctor may also use the Internet to receive requests for refills of prescriptions from patients.
Can an independent pharmacy purchase supplies on the Internet? What procedures must be followed?
Pharmacies can use the Internet to facilitate their purchases; however, the basic regulations regarding registration and recordkeeping apply. The pharmacy can only purchase from a registered supplier and the pharmacy must maintain complete and accurate records describing the name, address and registration number of the supplier, a description of the drugs purchased and the date the drugs are received. For Schedule II controlled substances, official DEA Order Forms must be used. Recordkeeping requirements for dispensers can be found in Section 1304 of the Code of Federal Regulations (see 21 CFR 1304.22(c) for continuing recordkeeping requirements). Recordkeeping requirements pertaining to the use of official Order Forms can be found in Section 1305 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Does the label on a prescription filled via the Internet indicate the Internet pharmacy or the registered location that filled the prescription?
The label must list the name and registered location of the pharmacy that dispensed the controlled substance.
Does being an Internet pharmacy change a pharmacy’s responsibilities under DEA regulations?
No, Internet pharmacies are still authorized to sell controlled substances only when there is a valid prescription from a DEA-registered practitioner who issued the prescription in the usual course of his or her professional practice.
Is it possible for an Internet pharmacy to fill prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances?
An Internet pharmacy may fill valid prescriptions for Schedule II substances if the patient or prescriber provides the pharmacy with the manually signed original prescriptions prior to dispensing. Practically, it is unlikely that most patients will want to wait the time required for such a transaction to be completed.
Is it possible for an Internet pharmacy to fill prescriptions for Schedule III-V controlled substances?
Internet pharmacies may receive an original signed prescription or a facsimile of the original signed prescription, or an oral prescription, where allowed, which must be verified and immediately reduced to writing. Internet pharmacies have the responsibility to ensure the legitimacy of the prescription and the prescriber. At this time, DEA does not permit a prescription received via the Internet to be filled. If prescription information is transmitted via the Internet, the receiving pharmacy must contact the prescriber via telephone and receive an oral prescription for the controlled substance, including the full name and address of the patient, the drug name, strength, dosage form, quantity prescribed, directions for use and the name, address and registration number of the practitioner (21 CFR 1306.05(a)). The pharmacy must immediately reduce this oral prescription to writing (21 CFR 1306.21(a)).
Back to Top
Is it legal to buy controlled substances from foreign Internet sites and have them shipped to the U.S.?
No, having controlled substances shipped to the U.S. is illegal unless the purchaser is registered with DEA as an importer and is in compliance with 21 U.S.C. 952, 953 and 954 and 21 CFR part 1312. Some foreign Internet sites claim they can legally sell these controlled substances; other sites, knowing that such shipments are illegal, advise consumers of ways to avoid having the packages seized by U.S. Customs. The Controlled Substances Act prohibits any person from importing into the customs territory of the U.S. any controlled substance or List I chemical (21 U.S.C 971) and (21 CFR part 1313) unless that person maintains a valid, current authorization to import such substances or chemicals (21 U.S.C. 957(a)).
Illegal importation of controlled substances is a felony that may result in imprisonment and fines (21 U.S.C. 960).
Does it make a difference if an individual has a prescription from a U.S. doctor for controlled substances and buys from a foreign Internet site?
No, the law remains the same. The only condition in which controlled substances may be shipped to a purchaser in the U.S. from another country is if the purchaser is registered with DEA as an importer and is in compliance with DEA's requirements.
Are the rules different for "life style" drugs?
Some people have applied the phrase "life style drugs" to certain medications, such as Viagra®, weight control medications and tranquilizers. Many of the so-called life style drugs, such as Viagra®, are not controlled substances. If a "life style" drug is a controlled substance, however, it is still subject to all regulations for controlled substances. In order to have a prescription filled for a "life style" drug that is a controlled substance, DEA requires a prescription from a DEA registered prescriber and the prescription must be filled by a DEA registered pharmacy.
What does the VIPPS Seal seen on some Internet pharmacy sites mean?
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) has developed a voluntary program called the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS). The NABP issues a "seal of approval" to Internet pharmacies that meet standards regarding State licensing and DEA registration. To be VIPPS certified, a pharmacy must comply with the licensing and inspection requirements of their State and each State to which they dispense pharmaceuticals. In addition, pharmacies displaying the VIPPS seal have demonstrated to NABP compliance with VIPPS criteria including patient rights to privacy, authentication and security of prescription orders, adherence to a recognized quality assurance policy and provision of meaningful consultation between patients and pharmacists. The NABP also provides information on whether a pharmacy is licensed and in good standing (http://www.nabp.net).
Where should complaints regarding an "Internet Pharmacy" site on the Internet that appears to be illegally selling drug be directed?
If the complaint involves a pharmaceutical controlled substance, you may file a report on-line, or contact the DEA, Office of Diversion Control, Drug Operations Section, Washington, DC 20537, telephone (202) 307-7194 or contact your local DEA office .
If the complaint involves any pharmaceutical drug other than a controlled substance, contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, HFC-230, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, or file a report on the FDA's web site at http://www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/buyonlineform.htm.
If the complaint involves a pharmacist or a physician, the respective State Board of Pharmacy or the State Board of Medicine where the pharmacist or doctor is located should be contacted.
Persons wishing to file complaints may wish to view other sites on the Internet such as the NABP (http://www.nabp.net).
In the event further websites are identified which advertise the sale of controlled pharmaceutical substances, the nearest DEA Diversion Group office should be contacted and provided that information. A list of DEA offices and telephone numbers can be found at the DEA Office of Diversion website.
This document explains what constitutes legitimate controlled substances transactions via the Internet.
* Questions for Patients/Consumers
o
Can an individual order drugs using the Internet without seeing a doctor?
o
What are the types of risks taken by individuals when ordering drugs via the Internet? How can those risks be minimized?
o
Can underage individuals acquire drugs on the Internet? How can this be prevented from happening?
* General Information
o What are the basic requirements for prescribing, dispensing, and importing controlled substances?
* DEA Registrant Questions about Internet Pharmacies
o
Is it legal for Internet pharmacies to approach a physician to write prescriptions based on on-line consultations with customers/consumer?
o
Can an independent pharmacy purchase supplies on the Internet? What procedures must be followed?
o
Does the label on a prescription filled via the Internet indicate the Internet pharmacy or the registered location that filled the prescription?
o
Does being an Internet pharmacy change a pharmacy’s responsibilities under DEA regulations?
o
Is it possible for an Internet pharmacy to fill prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances?
o
Is it possible for an Internet pharmacy to fill prescriptions for Schedule III-V controlled substances?
o
Is it legal to buy controlled substances from foreign Internet sites and have them shipped to the U.S.?
o
Does it make a difference if an individual has a prescription from a U.S. doctor for controlled substances and buys from a foreign Internet site?
o
Are the rules different for "life style" drugs?
o
What does the VIPPS Seal seen on some Internet pharmacy sites mean?
o
Where should complaints regarding an "Internet Pharmacy" site on the Internet that appears to be illegally selling drug be directed?
Back to Top
Questions for Patients/Consumers
Can an individual order drugs using the Internet without seeing a doctor?
Federal law requires that "A prescription for a controlled substance to be effective must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his professional practice" (21 CFR 1306.04(a)). Every state separately imposes the same requirement under its laws. Under Federal and state law, for a doctor to be acting in the usual course of professional practice, there must be a bona fide doctor/ patient relationship.
For purposes of state law, many state authorities, with the endorsement of medical societies, consider the existence of the following four elements as an indication that a legitimate doctor/patient relationship has been established:
*
* A patient has a medical complaint;
* A medical history has been taken;
* A physical examination has been performed; and
Some logical connection exists between the medical complaint, the medical history, the physical examination and the drug prescribed.
A patient completing a questionnaire that is then reviewed by a physician hired by or working on behalf of an Internet pharmacy does not establish a doctor/patient relationship. A consumer can more easily provide false information in a questionnaire than in a face-to-face meeting with the physician. It is illegal to receive a prescription for a controlled substance without the establishment of a legitimate doctor/patient relationship, and it is unlikely for such a relationship to be formed through Internet correspondence alone. However, this is not intended to limit the ability of practitioners to engage in telemedicine. For purposes of this guidance document, telemedicine refers to the provision of health care using telecommunication networks to transmit and receive information including voice communications, images and patient records.
Some Internet sites recommend to the patient that they not take a new drug before they have a complete physical performed by a doctor. These sites then ask the patient to waive the requirement for a physical and to agree to have a physical before taking the drug they purchase via the Internet. An after the fact physical does not take the place of establishing a doctor/patient relationship. The physical exam should take place before the prescription is written. These types of activities by Internet pharmacies can subject the operators of the Internet site and any pharmacies or doctors who participate in the activity to criminal, civil, or administrative actions. For DEA registrants, administrative action may include the loss of their DEA registration. Additionally, providing false material information to obtain controlled substances could be considered obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and deceit, which is subject to Federal and State penalties.
What are the types of risks taken by individuals when ordering drugs via the Internet? How can those risks be minimized?
Persons considering purchasing drugs via an Internet pharmacy should exercise good common sense and scrutiny in selecting an Internet pharmacy. An "Internet pharmacy" site should provide a physical address for the pharmacy, in addition to the Internet address and a telephone number for the pharmacy. Some common indicators that the "Internet Pharmacy" site may not be legitimate and should not be used as a source for controlled substances include the following:
*
* The site is not a participant in any insurance plan and requires that all payments be made with a credit card.
* The site requires that you waive some rights before they send you the drugs.
* The site advises you about the law and why it is permissible for you to obtain pharmaceutical controlled substances from foreign countries via the Internet.
* The site does not ask the name, address, or phone number of your current physician.
* The site advises you to have the drugs sent to post office boxes or other locations to avoid detection by U.S. authorities.
The site does not require that you provide a bona fide prescription issued by your personal physician or mid-level practitioner.
Can underage individuals acquire drugs on the Internet? How can this be prevented from happening?
Underage individuals can acquire drugs on the Internet in the same manner as an adult. The only way to prevent this is to restrict Internet access. In many instances, the young person will need a credit card to pay for the drugs. In these instances, parents can prevent drug purchases by withholding access to a credit card.
As previously stated, a prescription not issued in the usual course of professional practice or not for legitimate medical/research purposes is not considered valid. Both the practitioner and the pharmacy have a responsibility to ensure that only legitimate prescriptions are written and filled.
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General Information
What are the basic requirements for prescribing, dispensing, and importing controlled substances?
Only practitioners acting in the usual course of their professional practice may prescribe controlled substances. These practitioners must be registered with DEA and licensed to prescribe controlled substances by the State(s) in which they operate. Pharmacies filling prescriptions for controlled substances must also be registered with DEA and licensed to dispense controlled substances by the State(s) in which they operate. A prescription not issued in the usual course of professional practice or not for legitimate and authorized research is not considered valid. Both the practitioner and the pharmacy have a responsibility to ensure that only legitimate prescriptions are written and filled.
Pharmacists must receive written and manually signed prescriptions for Schedule II substances. They may receive oral or faxed prescriptions for Schedule III-V substances provided they confirm the legitimacy of the prescription and the practitioner. Prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances may not be refilled. Prescriptions for Schedule III-V controlled substances may be authorized to be refilled five times, but no prescription may be filled or refilled more than six months after the date on which the prescription was issued. Only those people who are registered with DEA as importers and who are in compliance with DEA requirements may have controlled substances shipped into the customs territory or jurisdiction of the U.S. from a foreign country.
DEA regulations covering prescriptions can be found in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 1306; rules on importers are found in 21 CFR 1312.
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DEA Registrant Questions about Internet Pharmacies
Is it legal for Internet pharmacies to approach a physician to write prescriptions based on on-line consultations with customers/consumer?
A physician may use the Internet to provide information and to communicate with the patient, but it cannot be the sole basis for authorizing prescriptions. If a doctor/patient relationship exists, a doctor can use the Internet to communicate with patients. Where a doctor/patient relationship exists, the doctor may use the Internet to receive requests for treatment. DEA cautions, however, that such requests for treatment should be logical based upon a doctor’s knowledge of the patient’s medical history and the medical complaint. The doctor may also use the Internet to receive requests for refills of prescriptions from patients.
Can an independent pharmacy purchase supplies on the Internet? What procedures must be followed?
Pharmacies can use the Internet to facilitate their purchases; however, the basic regulations regarding registration and recordkeeping apply. The pharmacy can only purchase from a registered supplier and the pharmacy must maintain complete and accurate records describing the name, address and registration number of the supplier, a description of the drugs purchased and the date the drugs are received. For Schedule II controlled substances, official DEA Order Forms must be used. Recordkeeping requirements for dispensers can be found in Section 1304 of the Code of Federal Regulations (see 21 CFR 1304.22(c) for continuing recordkeeping requirements). Recordkeeping requirements pertaining to the use of official Order Forms can be found in Section 1305 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Does the label on a prescription filled via the Internet indicate the Internet pharmacy or the registered location that filled the prescription?
The label must list the name and registered location of the pharmacy that dispensed the controlled substance.
Does being an Internet pharmacy change a pharmacy’s responsibilities under DEA regulations?
No, Internet pharmacies are still authorized to sell controlled substances only when there is a valid prescription from a DEA-registered practitioner who issued the prescription in the usual course of his or her professional practice.
Is it possible for an Internet pharmacy to fill prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances?
An Internet pharmacy may fill valid prescriptions for Schedule II substances if the patient or prescriber provides the pharmacy with the manually signed original prescriptions prior to dispensing. Practically, it is unlikely that most patients will want to wait the time required for such a transaction to be completed.
Is it possible for an Internet pharmacy to fill prescriptions for Schedule III-V controlled substances?
Internet pharmacies may receive an original signed prescription or a facsimile of the original signed prescription, or an oral prescription, where allowed, which must be verified and immediately reduced to writing. Internet pharmacies have the responsibility to ensure the legitimacy of the prescription and the prescriber. At this time, DEA does not permit a prescription received via the Internet to be filled. If prescription information is transmitted via the Internet, the receiving pharmacy must contact the prescriber via telephone and receive an oral prescription for the controlled substance, including the full name and address of the patient, the drug name, strength, dosage form, quantity prescribed, directions for use and the name, address and registration number of the practitioner (21 CFR 1306.05(a)). The pharmacy must immediately reduce this oral prescription to writing (21 CFR 1306.21(a)).
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Is it legal to buy controlled substances from foreign Internet sites and have them shipped to the U.S.?
No, having controlled substances shipped to the U.S. is illegal unless the purchaser is registered with DEA as an importer and is in compliance with 21 U.S.C. 952, 953 and 954 and 21 CFR part 1312. Some foreign Internet sites claim they can legally sell these controlled substances; other sites, knowing that such shipments are illegal, advise consumers of ways to avoid having the packages seized by U.S. Customs. The Controlled Substances Act prohibits any person from importing into the customs territory of the U.S. any controlled substance or List I chemical (21 U.S.C 971) and (21 CFR part 1313) unless that person maintains a valid, current authorization to import such substances or chemicals (21 U.S.C. 957(a)).
Illegal importation of controlled substances is a felony that may result in imprisonment and fines (21 U.S.C. 960).
Does it make a difference if an individual has a prescription from a U.S. doctor for controlled substances and buys from a foreign Internet site?
No, the law remains the same. The only condition in which controlled substances may be shipped to a purchaser in the U.S. from another country is if the purchaser is registered with DEA as an importer and is in compliance with DEA's requirements.
Are the rules different for "life style" drugs?
Some people have applied the phrase "life style drugs" to certain medications, such as Viagra®, weight control medications and tranquilizers. Many of the so-called life style drugs, such as Viagra®, are not controlled substances. If a "life style" drug is a controlled substance, however, it is still subject to all regulations for controlled substances. In order to have a prescription filled for a "life style" drug that is a controlled substance, DEA requires a prescription from a DEA registered prescriber and the prescription must be filled by a DEA registered pharmacy.
What does the VIPPS Seal seen on some Internet pharmacy sites mean?
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) has developed a voluntary program called the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS). The NABP issues a "seal of approval" to Internet pharmacies that meet standards regarding State licensing and DEA registration. To be VIPPS certified, a pharmacy must comply with the licensing and inspection requirements of their State and each State to which they dispense pharmaceuticals. In addition, pharmacies displaying the VIPPS seal have demonstrated to NABP compliance with VIPPS criteria including patient rights to privacy, authentication and security of prescription orders, adherence to a recognized quality assurance policy and provision of meaningful consultation between patients and pharmacists. The NABP also provides information on whether a pharmacy is licensed and in good standing (http://www.nabp.net).
Where should complaints regarding an "Internet Pharmacy" site on the Internet that appears to be illegally selling drug be directed?
If the complaint involves a pharmaceutical controlled substance, you may file a report on-line, or contact the DEA, Office of Diversion Control, Drug Operations Section, Washington, DC 20537, telephone (202) 307-7194 or contact your local DEA office .
If the complaint involves any pharmaceutical drug other than a controlled substance, contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, HFC-230, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, or file a report on the FDA's web site at http://www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/buyonlineform.htm.
If the complaint involves a pharmacist or a physician, the respective State Board of Pharmacy or the State Board of Medicine where the pharmacist or doctor is located should be contacted.
Persons wishing to file complaints may wish to view other sites on the Internet such as the NABP (http://www.nabp.net).
In the event further websites are identified which advertise the sale of controlled pharmaceutical substances, the nearest DEA Diversion Group office should be contacted and provided that information. A list of DEA offices and telephone numbers can be found at the DEA Office of Diversion website.
READ THIS BEFORE PURCHASING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS OVER THE INTERNET
DEA Warning--Buying drugs online may be illegal and dangerous!
Federal law prohibits buying controlled substances such as narcotic pain relievers (e.g., OxyContin®, Vicodin ®), sedatives (e.g., Valium®, Xanax®, Ambien®), stimulants (e.g., phentermine, phendimetrazine, Adderall®, Ritalin®) and anabolic steroids (e.g., Winstrol®, Equipoise®) without a valid prescription from your doctor. This means there must be a real doctor-patient relationship, which by most state laws requires a physical examination. Prescriptions written by "cyber doctors" relying on online questionnaires are not legitimate under the law.
Buying controlled substances online without a valid prescription may be punishable by imprisonment under Federal law. Often drugs ordered from rogue websites come from foreign countries. It is a felony to import drugs into the United States and ship to a non-DEA registrant.
Buying drugs online may not be only illegal, but dangerous. The American Medical Association and state boards of medicine and pharmacy have all condemned the practice of cyber doctors issuing online prescriptions as unacceptable medical care. Drugs delivered by rogue websites may be the wrong drugs, adulterated or expired, the wrong dosage strength, or have no dosage directions or warnings.
DEA is targeting rogue online pharmacies for prosecution and shutting down these illegal websites. See the results of one such investigation, Operation Cyber Chase, at www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/pressrel/pr042005.html.
How to spot a rogue pharmacy: www.DEAdiversion.usdoj.gov/faq/internetpurch.htm
To report illegal prescription drug sales and/or rogue pharmacies operating on the Internet call the anonymous Pharmaceutical Drug Abuse Hotline: 1-877-RxAbuse (1-877-792-2873)
Federal law prohibits buying controlled substances such as narcotic pain relievers (e.g., OxyContin®, Vicodin ®), sedatives (e.g., Valium®, Xanax®, Ambien®), stimulants (e.g., phentermine, phendimetrazine, Adderall®, Ritalin®) and anabolic steroids (e.g., Winstrol®, Equipoise®) without a valid prescription from your doctor. This means there must be a real doctor-patient relationship, which by most state laws requires a physical examination. Prescriptions written by "cyber doctors" relying on online questionnaires are not legitimate under the law.
Buying controlled substances online without a valid prescription may be punishable by imprisonment under Federal law. Often drugs ordered from rogue websites come from foreign countries. It is a felony to import drugs into the United States and ship to a non-DEA registrant.
Buying drugs online may not be only illegal, but dangerous. The American Medical Association and state boards of medicine and pharmacy have all condemned the practice of cyber doctors issuing online prescriptions as unacceptable medical care. Drugs delivered by rogue websites may be the wrong drugs, adulterated or expired, the wrong dosage strength, or have no dosage directions or warnings.
DEA is targeting rogue online pharmacies for prosecution and shutting down these illegal websites. See the results of one such investigation, Operation Cyber Chase, at www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/pressrel/pr042005.html.
How to spot a rogue pharmacy: www.DEAdiversion.usdoj.gov/faq/internetpurch.htm
To report illegal prescription drug sales and/or rogue pharmacies operating on the Internet call the anonymous Pharmaceutical Drug Abuse Hotline: 1-877-RxAbuse (1-877-792-2873)
Ludlow latest in string of pharmacy stick-ups
LUDLOW — A man police believe is connected to a rash of pharmacy robberies made off with as much as $5,000 in prescription painkillers Thursday afternoon.
Around 2:30 p.m., a man entered the Rite Aid pharmacy at 215 Main St. and passed a note to a clerk demanding some prescription medication, said Ludlow Police Chief Jeff Billings.
Billings said the man's note told the clerk to keep quiet and during the robbery the man — either verbally or in his note — indicated he was armed. The robber fled the store with two bottles of OxyContin, totaling more than 100 pills, Billings said.
Police do not know if he fled the scene on foot, drove away or was driven away by an accomplice, Billings said. Within minutes, state troopers were combing the back roads of Ludlow looking for the robber, described as a white male in his early 20s with a dark complexion, wearing a white hooded sweatshirt and dark pants, Billings said.
"It's our belief it's related to the other pharmacy robberies," Billings said, noting recent robberies in Rutland, Windsor and Whitehall, N.Y., since New Year's Eve
Police have said in each case — with the exception of the Rutland robbery on New Year's Eve — the robber has demanded OxyContin or oxycodone, a prescription drug that when misused can produce a heroin-like high.
Rutland City police have declined to disclose what the robber of the Rutland Rite Aid stole.
Descriptions of the suspects have varied from robbery to robbery. In Rutland, the robber is described as a man in his mid-20s, 5 feet 9 inches tall with a big nose and dark hair. In the Whitehall and West Rutland robberies, the robber was described as a man between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 3 inches tall with dirty blond or brown hair.
Thursday afternoon, police questioned a suspect matching the description of the Ludlow robber just down the street from the pharmacy, but police quickly eliminated him as a suspect, Billings said.
Billings said he did not know the retail value of the medication stolen Thursday, but said he had heard of people paying as much as $50 per pill, depending on its potency.
RxPatrol-Crime Stoppers and the National Community Pharmacists Association are offering a $1,000 reward for the arrest of the robber.
Tips can be made by calling (888) 479-8477 or by calling state police at 773-9101, Rutland City police at 773-1816 or Ludlow police at 228-4411.
Around 2:30 p.m., a man entered the Rite Aid pharmacy at 215 Main St. and passed a note to a clerk demanding some prescription medication, said Ludlow Police Chief Jeff Billings.
Billings said the man's note told the clerk to keep quiet and during the robbery the man — either verbally or in his note — indicated he was armed. The robber fled the store with two bottles of OxyContin, totaling more than 100 pills, Billings said.
Police do not know if he fled the scene on foot, drove away or was driven away by an accomplice, Billings said. Within minutes, state troopers were combing the back roads of Ludlow looking for the robber, described as a white male in his early 20s with a dark complexion, wearing a white hooded sweatshirt and dark pants, Billings said.
"It's our belief it's related to the other pharmacy robberies," Billings said, noting recent robberies in Rutland, Windsor and Whitehall, N.Y., since New Year's Eve
Police have said in each case — with the exception of the Rutland robbery on New Year's Eve — the robber has demanded OxyContin or oxycodone, a prescription drug that when misused can produce a heroin-like high.
Rutland City police have declined to disclose what the robber of the Rutland Rite Aid stole.
Descriptions of the suspects have varied from robbery to robbery. In Rutland, the robber is described as a man in his mid-20s, 5 feet 9 inches tall with a big nose and dark hair. In the Whitehall and West Rutland robberies, the robber was described as a man between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 3 inches tall with dirty blond or brown hair.
Thursday afternoon, police questioned a suspect matching the description of the Ludlow robber just down the street from the pharmacy, but police quickly eliminated him as a suspect, Billings said.
Billings said he did not know the retail value of the medication stolen Thursday, but said he had heard of people paying as much as $50 per pill, depending on its potency.
RxPatrol-Crime Stoppers and the National Community Pharmacists Association are offering a $1,000 reward for the arrest of the robber.
Tips can be made by calling (888) 479-8477 or by calling state police at 773-9101, Rutland City police at 773-1816 or Ludlow police at 228-4411.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Police seek suspect in pharmacy robbery
WINDBER — Police have identified the man suspected of stealing a large quantity of pain pills at gunpoint last week from Rite Aid Pharmacy in Windber.
An arrest warrant was issued for Raymond Foreman Jr., 21, of Portage.
“He’s is a desperate individual,” Rick Skiles, Windber police officer in charge, said Thursday.
“A terrible drug addiction,” Skiles said.
“We’re doing everything we can to apprehend him.”
Police said Foreman entered the Jefferson Avenue store at 5:42 p.m. Jan. 11 and passed a note to the pharmacist that read: “Give me all OxyContin and oxycodone. I have a gun. Don’t make me use it.”
Foreman then jumped into a car and fled with 800 OxyContin tablets, police said.
Cpl. Daniel W. Croyle Jr. and Officer Amanda Tessari interviewed witnesses and contacted other police departments.
A black handgun was recovered in a nearby alley and identified as a BB gun used in the robbery, Skiles said.
Foreman is charged with robbery, criminal conspiracy, theft, receiving stolen property, terroristic threats and drug violations.
His whereabouts remain unknown.
Zachary James Johnson, 28, also of Portage, was identified by police as the driver of the getaway car. He is expected to turn himself in to authorities, Skiles said.
A 17-year old girl also suspected of involvement will face charges in juvenile court, Skiles said.
Tips from Portage area residents led to identifying the suspects, Croyle said.
With help from Portage Officer Donald Wyar, Foreman’s movements were traced to Altoona. Windber police learned from Altoona police Sgt. Ben Jones that Foreman had stayed three days at a Ramada Inn, where he continued drug activity, Croyle said.
“All three participated in the sale and use of these,” he said.
Skiles credited the cooperation of several police departments with finding the suspects.
“This is one of those incidents that shows the great cooperation among law enforcement agencies,” Skiles said. “We’re all trying to do the same thing out there.”
Anyone with information on Foreman’s whereabouts is asked to contact Somerset County 911 at its nonemergency number: (800) 362-5060.
An arrest warrant was issued for Raymond Foreman Jr., 21, of Portage.
“He’s is a desperate individual,” Rick Skiles, Windber police officer in charge, said Thursday.
“A terrible drug addiction,” Skiles said.
“We’re doing everything we can to apprehend him.”
Police said Foreman entered the Jefferson Avenue store at 5:42 p.m. Jan. 11 and passed a note to the pharmacist that read: “Give me all OxyContin and oxycodone. I have a gun. Don’t make me use it.”
Foreman then jumped into a car and fled with 800 OxyContin tablets, police said.
Cpl. Daniel W. Croyle Jr. and Officer Amanda Tessari interviewed witnesses and contacted other police departments.
A black handgun was recovered in a nearby alley and identified as a BB gun used in the robbery, Skiles said.
Foreman is charged with robbery, criminal conspiracy, theft, receiving stolen property, terroristic threats and drug violations.
His whereabouts remain unknown.
Zachary James Johnson, 28, also of Portage, was identified by police as the driver of the getaway car. He is expected to turn himself in to authorities, Skiles said.
A 17-year old girl also suspected of involvement will face charges in juvenile court, Skiles said.
Tips from Portage area residents led to identifying the suspects, Croyle said.
With help from Portage Officer Donald Wyar, Foreman’s movements were traced to Altoona. Windber police learned from Altoona police Sgt. Ben Jones that Foreman had stayed three days at a Ramada Inn, where he continued drug activity, Croyle said.
“All three participated in the sale and use of these,” he said.
Skiles credited the cooperation of several police departments with finding the suspects.
“This is one of those incidents that shows the great cooperation among law enforcement agencies,” Skiles said. “We’re all trying to do the same thing out there.”
Anyone with information on Foreman’s whereabouts is asked to contact Somerset County 911 at its nonemergency number: (800) 362-5060.
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