Critically Speaking

In this second part of our interview with Dr. Leigh Turner, Therese Markow and Dr. Leigh Turner discuss more information pertaining to the claims made by these clinics and businesses offering direct-to-market stem cell therapy treatments. Much of the data gathered at these locations are often subjective self-assessments and do not use the proper tools for data generation or survey tools to always get meaningful, credible responses. In addition, they discuss the continued growth of this marketplace, despite the increase in regulatory activity that has begun in recent times. Without the proper oversight and regulation, these business will continue to offer direct-to-consumer marketing and it is important to know what questions to ask and how to investigate these clinics to choose those with credible research programs versus just direct-to-consumer claims. 

 Key Takeaways:  

• There is not always data gathering being done by the clinics, and often what is being tracked are subjective self-assessments. 
• You need IRB approval and clearance from the FDA to initial stem cell studies.  
• There appears to be a breakdown in oversight at multiple levels, not just at one level. 

"The problem is not with the research programs, the problem is with the direct-to-consumer advertising claims where the homework hasn’t been done, the careful research hasn’t been done." —  Guest quote 

Connect with Dr. Leigh Turner:  

University of Minnesota – Center for Bioethics: Leigh Turner, PhD    

Connect with Therese:  

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net 

Twitter: @CritiSpeak  

Email: [email protected] 

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Leigh Turner discuss direct-to-consumer marketing of unproven and unlicensed cell-based interventions. Dr. Turner’s research addresses ethical, legal, and regulator issues associated with clinics engaged in direct-to-consumer marketing and shares his knowledge with us in this first of a two-part interview. Also discussed in this episode are the questions to ask when thinking about these cell-based treatments and therapies, not only about the administration of the cells, but also regarding the individuals who are advertising and performing these interventions, as well as those processing and marketing the product for use. There are many inadequacies and a lack of safe-research in many of these facilities, even when they appear to be run by a qualified and trusted provider.

 Key Takeaways:

• Even if someone is a board-certified clinician, that doesn’t mean that what they are offering is evidence based and has been approved for the US marketplace in any way.
• Advertising claims are not always evidence based, trustworthy, credible, and reliable.
• Registered with the FDA doesn’t mean that the FDA has gone on site, done a careful inspection, and provided approval. It just means they’ve uploaded a form on the FDA site.

"It’s important to ask challenging questions about individuals who are advertising these interventions and performing these procedures." —  Dr. Leigh Turner

Connect with Dr. Leigh Turner: 

University of Minnesota – Center for Bioethics: Leigh Turner, PhD  

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Alycia Halladay discuss the current research happening on autism, as well as Dr. Halladay’s personal experience with autism through her daughter. Dr. Halladay is the Chief Science Officer of the Autism Science Foundation and has a PhD in biopsychology with postdoctoral expertise in pharmacology and toxicology. She has spent over 25 years in autism research, including the last 5 years as CSO at ASF. They continue to discuss some of the early indicators that may lead to an autism diagnosis, recognizing that autism is a spectrum with core symptoms and behaviors that can vary between genders and from person to person. Also discussed are current treatments and ongoing research into new treatments for autism and how to improve outcomes for everyone across the spectrum.  

 Key Takeaways:  

• Every person with autism is different. Autism is like a zebra, every one is different in their own way. 
• Early markers are not diagnostic substitutes.  
• The goal is to improve outcomes for everyone across the spectrum – people don’t always respond to the same behavioral interventions in the same way. 

"The goal is to allow parents to become more involved, but that should not, in any way, replace the need for certified, well-trained, well-educated people who are monitored and have to continuously learn their craft and hone their craft." —  Dr. Alycia Halladay 

Connect with Dr. Alycia Halladay: 

Website: AutismScienceFoundation.org  

Show: ASFPodcast.org 

Connect with Therese:  

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net 

Twitter: @CritiSpeak  

Email: [email protected] 

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. David Beversdorf discuss what exactly autism is, the theories of the causes of autism, and what we do know from research of autism. Numerous non-evidence based cures for autism are becoming more common and understanding the facts of autism is becoming more critical. In this discussion with Dr. Beversdorf, we will understand more about what is autism, what are the symptoms, who first discovered it, what really causes it (and what doesn’t), and what effective treatments may be out there. 

 Key Takeaways:  

• Vaccines do not cause autism. We do know there is a genetic component and several environmental factors that appear to be important. 
• There is a variability aspect of autism. It may be extremely important to be able to track patients to see what they respond to in treatment research to see why and how they are responding. 
• Without more research, we will not be able to create personalized treatment plans for the bio markers. There are a number of organizations around the world that working to achieve this research, which is where the answers will be coming from. 

"Two, almost opposite biological aspects, could even be coming to this final common pathway of repetitive behaviors. If you blindly target the repetitive behaviors with a drug, without being aware of this biology, you will get nowhere, because one will get better and one will get worse." —  Dr. David Beversdorf 

Connect with Dr. David Beversdorf: 

Professional Bio: Dr. David Beversdorf 

Twitter: @MU_CogNeuroLab 

Facebook: MU Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory 

Connect with Therese:  

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net 

Twitter: @CritiSpeak  

Email: [email protected] 

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Boris Konrad discuss the striking impact of memorization on functional changes and connectivity in the brain. Dr. Konrad is a neuroscientist as well as an international Memory Champion. He not only studies brain connectivity, but also trains other memory athletes as well as those who simply wish to improve their memories. They discuss more specific aspects of memorization and its benefits across a range of other activities and problem solving, independent of the particular memorization training utilized. Dr. Konrad summarizes his recent study, published in the journal Neuron, and the techniques used to train the brain to improve memory. 

 Key Takeaways:  

• Memorization and memory is not a part of the brain, it is a function of the brain. It is a capability of our brain and our neural system. 
• Without exception, memory athletes use the method of loci (colloquially called the “memory palace”) as a technique to memorize and remember information. 
• Memory training actually decreases the brain activity needed to complete a range of tasks.    "Learning and thinking in your brain are not separate. We don’t have a thinking brain and a learning brain; it’s exactly one brain which does both." —  Dr. Boris Konrad    Connect with Dr. Boris Konrad:  Donders Institute: Dr B.N. Konrad (Boris) Website: BorisKonrad.com Memory Training: Superbrain! Memory Training with Boris Konrad    TedTalks:  How to use memory techniques to improve education The mind and methods of a Memory Champion     Connect with Therese:  Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net Twitter: @CritiSpeak  Email: [email protected]      Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In this episode, Therese Markow and Michael Zwaagstra discuss trends in education. Michael Zwaagstra has taught in elementary grades and high school, and has earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in education.  He discusses the differences between "traditional" and "reform" approaches to education.  He is a strong advocate of teaching content, especially in the earlier grades, and feels strongly, based upon his extensive experience, that many aspects of "reform" approaches to education produce students who are less capable in many aspects.  He is a strong advocate of prospective teachers first majoring in an academic subject and feels that many courses offered in colleges of education are weak and do not prepare teachers well. You can read more of his reflections and experiences in his newest book, A Sage on the Stage.

 Key Takeaways:

• Students need to learn content, especially in the earlier grades, so they can have a store of information with which to engage in more inquiry-based education in high school and college.
• The evidence does not support the claims that reform-based methods produce better prepared students.

"If we’re not intentional about helping students, starting in Grade 1, acquire a solid knowledge base and build that up sequentially, they’re going to struggle in their reading comprehension." —  Michael Zwaagstra

Connect with Michael Zwaagstra:

Twitter: @ZwaagstraM

Website: MichaelZwaagstra.com

Book: A Sage on the Stage: Common Sense Reflections on Teaching and Learning

Book Recommendations:

Left Back: A Century of Failed School Reforms by Diane Ravitch

Ed School Follies: The Miseducation of America’s Teachers by Rita Kramer

Connect with Therese:

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

Welcome to the second part of our interview with Dr. Hugh Waters, Director of Health Economics Research at the Milken Institute.  A few weeks ago, Dr. Waters presented us with the astounding economic costs of the rise of obesity in the United States, both from health expenditures and lost work and wages.  1.7 trillion (with a T) dollars in one year. These costs are not born only by the obese individual but are distributed across society in ways that affect us all.  So, we all need to think about ways to reverse this trend and today Dr. Waters will discuss some ideas about how. 

 Key Takeaways:  

• Increasing taxes on sugary and processed foods, like with cigarettes, does decrease the consumption of these unhealthy foods. Subsidizing healthy foods also increases the consumption of healthy foods. 
• As a society, we need to get involved at all levels, federal, state, local governments, employers, communities, families – everyone plays a role in decreasing the obesity and overweight levels. 
• The pocketbook is the most effective way to get people’s attention. 

"The key is not to make people feel badly about their bodies, but to let them know that they have other options and there are healthy alternatives and ways to lead full, healthy lives." —  Dr. Hugh Waters 

Connect with Dr. Hugh Waters:   

Milken Institute: Hugh Waters    

Milken Institute Report: 

Economic impact of excess weight now exceeds $1.7 trillion, new Milken Institute report reveals.  

Connect with Therese:  

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net 

Twitter: @CritiSpeak  

Email: [email protected] 

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

When we think of the obesity epidemic, we tend to focus on the risks of various diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease and many others that we discussed in an earlier podcast episode with Dr. Hugh Waters of the Milken Institute.  But evidence emerging from a number of studies suggest that obesity can affect cognition and educational performance, even at a young age.  In this episode, Dr. Nan Li, of the Institute for Environment and Society at Brown University discusses her work on the relationship between obesity and cognitive performance in young school children.  

Key Takeaways:   

• Earlier reports suggest that obese adolescents don't perform as well in school or on cognitive tests.  But at this age, other factors, such as depression from bullying, could influence this pattern. 
• Dr. Li and associates examined IQ and cognition in even younger children and found that these cognitive decrements also occur at an earlier age. 
• While the causes of this association are unknown, the pattern has been reported more than once and has serious implications for the futures of young individuals with obesity and for the society in which they will grow up. 

"Many studies show that the maternal obesity, especially pre-pregnancy BMI, maternal education level, and smoking are associated with children’s cognitive performance later on." —  Dr. Nan Li  

Connect with Dr. Nan Li:   

Website:   https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nan_Li142 

Connect with Dr. Therese Markow:  

Email:  [email protected] 

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net  

Twitter: @CritiSpeak 

The obesity epidemic has very complex and interacting drivers.  The intervention, however, is depicted in simple terms: eat less and exercise more.  But it's not so simple.  The way in which products are marketed and the way society views the concept of "normal" are important but less obvious contributors.  Dr. Brent McFerran, holder of the W.J. VanDusen Professorship of Marketing, at Simon Fraser University discusses his studies about consumer psychology and marketing as they relate to the obesity epidemic.  

 Key Takeaways:  

• There is an important difference between statistical “normal” and clinical “normal” as they relate to body size. 
• The way in which products are marketed influences consumer choices with respect to food. 
• Acceptance of larger bodies can influence people’s consumption as well as their motivations with respect to health behaviors.    

"We find that when larger bodies are coupled with these acceptance cues, we see a decreased motivation to engage in healthy behaviors, a decreased desire to reduce one’s own calorie consumption, and an increased consumption in actual unhealthy food." —  Dr. Brent McFerran 

Connect with Dr. Brent McFerran:  

Profile: Brent McFerran

Connect with Therese:  

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net 

Twitter: @CritiSpeak  

Email: [email protected] 

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

With over 70% of Americans falling into the categories of being overweight or having obesity, and the increasing health decrements associated with these conditions, Dr. Hugh Waters, Health Economist with the Milken Foundations discusses the various associated disease and their economic costs with Therese. 

 Key Takeaways:  

• The total costs associated with the "Obesity Crisis" in 2016 were $1.72 trillion dollars 
• A portion of these costs is attributable to healthcare, including hospitalizations and medications 
•  Another contributor to the costs is lost wages, which results in reduced individual income as well as reduced productivity at the national level 

"If you add up the direct health care costs plus the indirect productivity costs, you get $1.7 trillion in the year 2016. To put that number into perspective, that’s 9.3% of our GDP. That’s 9.3% our entire economy is lost to us because of the heath care problems caused by obesity." —  Dr. Hugh Waters 

Connect with Dr. Hugh Waters:   

Milken Institute: Hugh Waters    

Milken Institute Reports: 

America’s Obesity Crisis: The Health and Economic Costs of Excessive Weight 

The Costs of Chronic Disease in the U.S. 

Weighing Down America: The Health and Economic Impact of Obesity 

Additional information including book references, quizzes, etc. (provided by Teri) 

Connect with Therese:  

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net 

Twitter: @CritiSpeak  

Email: [email protected] 

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.