My husband's death plunged me into terrifying psychosis. Then the cocktail of drugs doctors gave me almost cost me my sons
My husband's death plunged me into terrifying psychosis. But it was the cocktail of drugs doctors dosed me with that almost cost me my sons.
The first indication that something was wrong came when I turned on my phone at lunchtime, after a three-hour work meeting, to find six missed calls from numbers I didn't recognise.
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Daily Mail
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Popular morning snack and dinner staple found to contain alarming levels of autism-linked chemicals
People vying to be healthy may want to think twice before reaching for two popular nutritious staples. The Environmental Working Group, a health advocacy organization, recently released its 'Dirty Dozen 2025' list - where it ranked the fruits and vegetables covered in the most toxic chemicals. After analyzing the Department of Agriculture's data on levels of pesticide contamination in different fruits and vegetables, the group ranked 47 of them based on their toxicity levels. Of these, they found the top 12 fruits and vegetables covered in pesticides. While usual suspects such as spinach, strawberries and kale took the top three spots, researchers noted that blackberries were a new addition to the list. Over 80 percent of samples of the popular berry, which is usually priced at $6 for 12oz, were found to be covered in two or more pesticides, placing it 10th on the list. The agency noted the most common pesticide they found on blackberries was cypermethrin - a toxic synthetic insecticide linked to autism. Also new on the list, landing in 12th place, were potatoes - the most commonly eaten vegetable in the US. The researchers found nearly all of the 1,000 samples of potatoes had high concentrations of chlorpropham, a plant growth regulator banned in the European Union due to its hormone-disrupting and cancer-causing properties. Alexis Temkin, EWG's Vice President of Science told CNN: 'The guide is there to help consumers eat a lot of fruits and vegetables while trying to reduce pesticide exposure. 'One of the things that a lot of peer-reviewed studies have shown over and over again (is) that when people switch to an organic diet from a conventional diet, you can really see measurable levels in the reduction of pesticide levels in the urine.' Organic produce is grown without synthetic pesticides, with farmers opting for more natural options that are less persistent in the environment. She noted that her team found 50 different pesticides across a variety of fruits and vegetables that made the Dirty Dozen list. Coming in fourth were grapes, fifth were peaches and sixth were cherries. These fruits were followed by nectarines, pears and apples at seventh, eighth and ninth place, respectively. The EWG ranked blueberries in 11th place. The agency noted blackberries had never made it on the list before as they hadn't been tested prior to 2023. However, both the EWG and Department of Agriculture examined 294 non-organic blackberry samples from July through December 2023 and found at least one pesticide in 93 percent of them. Most notably, they discovered the presence of cypermethrin, which is banned in the EU to due to its dangers to human health. While cypermethrin has proven beneficial in killing harmful insects in berries, certain studies have shown that consumption by pregnant woman may increase the risk of autism. A 2019 BMJ study found that a baby had a higher risk of developing autism if its mother had been exposed to cypermethrin within 6,500 feet of their home during her pregnancy. Cypermethrin has also been found to disrupt thyroid hormones, which are critical to brain development. At times, direct exposure to the insecticide may also cause irritation to the skin and eyes, numbness, tingling, itching, a burning sensation, loss of bladder control, incoordination, seizures and in severe cases, death. Since fruits such as blackberries are promoted for being rich in antioxidants and vitamins, they are often included in recommended healthy diets for children and pregnant women to help improve their nutrition levels. However, this may put them at a higher risk of being exposed to the insecticide. While insecticides are added into blackberry fruits as they grow, potatoes are covered in pesticides after they are harvested and ready to eat. Temkin said: 'It's applied after harvest to essentially prevent potatoes from sprouting while they're in storage or in transit. 'Because it's applied so late after harvest and so close to when consumers might be exposed or eating potatoes, that's partially what leads to some of these really high concentrations.' Between 2022 to 2023, the Department of Agriculture collected and tested more than 1,000 samples of potatoes for pesticides after washing and scrubbing each piece. They found that over 90 percent of samples contained twice the acceptable levels of chlorpropham allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency even after washing and scrubbing. The toxic pesticide has been linked to causing changes in blood cells and harm to the thyroid by reducing the production of certain hormones such as thyroxine - which is responsible to maintain the growth of cells. Low levels of thyroxine can cause DNA mutations and excessive growth of cells across the body - which may pave the way for cancer development. Similarly to cypermethrin, a 2024 Medicina study also found that prenatal exposure to chlorpropham has been found to increase a baby's risk of developing autism. Chlorpropham was banned in the EU in 2019 after officials found that people, particularly children, were being exposed to more than acceptable levels of chlorpropham through non-organic potatoes. Despite the results, Temkin noted the annual report is not meant to discourage consumers from eating fruits and vegetables but instead to encourage people to buy organic food. Multiple studies have shown that those who consume organic food have lower exposure to synthetic pesticides as organic farming prohibits the use of such chemicals. The EWG recommends buying organic whenever accessible because food residues are a main source of pesticide exposures for many people. For people looking to eat cleaner fruits and vegetables, the EWG found pineapple to be the least contaminated produce tested, followed by sweet corn (fresh and frozen), avocados, papaya, onions, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, cabbage, watermelon, cauliflower, bananas, mangos, carrots, mushrooms and kiwi. If you do opt for a dirty dozen, be sure to wash it with water or solutions of baking soda or vinegar.
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
Monash IVF chief executive resigns after company's second embryo transplant bungle
Monash IVF boss Michael Knaap has resigned in the wake of the reproductive healthcare company's second embryo transplant bungle. In a statement to the ASX, Monash IVF said the board had accepted Knaap's resignation as chief executive officer and managing director. This week, Monash IVF admitted to a second bungled embryo implant. In April, Monash IVF revealed a woman had given birth to the child of an unrelated woman after a separate incorrect embryo transplant in Queensland. Monash IVF said in the statement on Thursday that it 'acknowledges and respects [Knaap's] decision'. 'Since his appointment in 2019, Michael has led the organisation through a period of significant growth and transformation, and we thank him for his years of dedicated service,' the statement said. Malik Jainudeen, Monash IVF chief financial officer and company secretary, will serve as acting chief executive. Experts are now calling for national regulation of the sector, something that the health minister, Mark Butler, said would be discussed on Friday when health ministers meet in Melbourne. Currently, IVF is regulated by state and territory laws, but a more consistent, federal approach is being urged. Clinics must be licensed by the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee (RTAC), a subcommittee of the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ). That's the unit that carries out audits, including on some assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics internationally. Clinics must also follow ethical guidelines from the National Health and Medical Research Council. FSANZ said in a statement about the latest Monash IVF incident that Australia's fertility care system was 'among the safest, most transparent, and tightly regulated in the world'. FSANZ president Dr Petra Wale said errors were 'exceedingly rare' although 'deeply difficult for those affected'. FSANZ has called for a nationally consistent framework for ART, and an independent statutory authority to 'strengthen oversight and trust'. It said that while the clinical standards in IVF clinics are nationally consistent, each state and territory has its own legislation. Transitioning the RTAC to an independent statutory authority would strengthen the accreditation scheme with 'the regulatory clarity and operational flexibility needed to uphold rigorous standards and respond swiftly to emerging risks', it said, while a national approach to ART would 'strengthen transparency, streamline governance, and enhance patient care across the country'. The latest audit of Australian ART facilities found 172 non-conformance reports (NCRs), but only one was 'major'. Other countries audited, including New Zealand, had higher rates of NCRs. Professor Jeremy Thompson, from the University of Adelaide, is the cofounder and chief scientific officer at Fertilis Pty Ltd. Sign up to Afternoon Update Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion He said there is a global shortage of well-trained and experienced embryologists, so 'levels of training and experience can vary', and that it was a stressful job where 'skill and time management are critical for the best outcome'. But he said that 'Australia's reputation as a leader in embryology training and technique auditing is beyond question'. University of NSW associate professor Kuldip Sidhu, co-founder and director of CK Cell Technologies, said more rigorous compliance was needed in the industry. Embryologists are not currently registered under a national scheme, and doing this would 'help in adding another layer of responsibility to check such mishappenings in the IVF industry', he said. Dr Evie Kendal, a senior lecturer in health promotion at Swinburne University of Technology, said that with more human intervention in reproduction there was an increased potential for human error. 'Previous safeguards are clearly not up to the challenge of protecting clients against such incidents, and urgent ethical and policy guidance is needed to prevent such mistakes from occurring again,' she said. On Tuesday, Monash IVF told the ASX it would extend the review into the Queensland incident and start a new investigation into the Victorian one. Victorian health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas, confirmed the Victorian health regulator was also investigating. She said Monash IVF's 'clinical governance standards are not where they should be'. Monash IVF said on Tuesday that as well as the investigations it would put extra verification processes and patient confirmation safeguards in place 'over and above normal practice and electronic witness systems, to ensure patients and clinicians have every confidence in its processes'.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Chancellor unveils £6bn NHS funding after health-centred spending review
Some £6 billion will be spent on speeding up testing and treatment in the NHS, Rachel Reeves has announced, after she placed the health service at the heart of Government spending plans. The Chancellor unveiled the investment, which includes new scanners, ambulances and urgent treatment centres aimed at providing an extra four million appointments in England over the next five years, after Wednesday's spending review. The funding is aimed at reducing waiting lists and reaching Labour's 'milestone' of ensuring the health service carries out 92% of routine operations within 18 weeks. In the review, Ms Reeves set out day-to-day spending across Government for the next three years, as well as plans for capital investment over the next four years. The NHS and defence were seen as the winners from the settlement, as both will see higher than average rises in public spending. This comes at cost of squeezing the budgets of other Whitehall departments and experts have warned tax rises may be needed later this year. The Chancellor and Sir Keir Starmer both sought to portray the review as a 'new phase' for the Government, following the criticism Labour has faced during its first year in power, including over cuts to winter fuel allowance. Ms Reeves claimed the NHS had been 'put on its knees' as a result of under-investment by the previous government, adding: 'We are investing in Britain's renewal, and we will turn that around.' The new £6 billion investment will come from the capital settlement for the NHS and will also help to speed up diagnoses with scans and treatment available in places such as shopping centres and high streets. The scale of day-to-day spending for the NHS is akin to an extra £29 billion a year. In a broadcast interview on Wednesday evening, Ms Reeves said the Government was 'confident' it could meet its pledge to reduce waiting lists after the boost to NHS spending. But while health and defence have benefited from the review, the Home Office, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Transport and Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are all in line for real-terms cuts in day-to-day spending. The Foreign Office is also in line for real-terms cuts, mainly as a result of a reduction in the overseas aid budget, which was slashed as part of the commitment to boost defence spending to 2.6% of gross domestic product – including the intelligence agencies – from 2027. Ms Reeves acknowledged 'not everyone has been able to get exactly what they want' following Cabinet squabbling over departmental budgets. She said 'every penny' of the spending increases had been funded through the tax and borrowing changes she had announced in her first budget. The Chancellor also insisted she would not need to mount another tax raid to pay for her plans, but experts warned the money for the NHS might still not be enough and the Government is under international pressure to boost defence funding further. Paul Johnson, of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, described the hospital waiting times target as 'enormously ambitious', adding: 'And on defence, it's entirely possible that an increase in the Nato spending target will mean that maintaining defence spending at 2.6% of GDP no longer cuts the mustard.' At a summit later this month Nato members will consider calls to increase spending to 3.5% on defence, with a future 1.5% on defence-related measures. Steven Millard, interim director of the NIESR economic research institute, said the Chancellor's non-negotiable fiscal rules, coupled with the 'small amount of headroom' in her spending plans, meant 'it is now almost inevitable that if she is to keep to her fiscal rules, she will have to raise taxes in the autumn budget'. Elsewhere, policing leaders warned forces may need to make deep cuts after their settlement was announced. The spending review provides more than £2 billion for forces, but ministers have acknowledged some of that 'spending power' will come from council tax hikes.
