I saw a glimpse of the report on the Glutathione content of certain whitening supplements(that sounds so wrong). This report raised many eyebrows and hurt not just one business. One of the hurt ones is going to file libel cases against the news reporter. This doesn't seem right. They should be filing complaints against the one who analyzed the supplements(the Philippines Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry). The reporter didn't reveal the results because of malicious intent but because of her duties as a journalist.

According to a reply by a hurt company(the one in PhilStar), the PIPAC used titration to analyze the glutathione content. This wrong choice led to the allegedly biased results. Too bad I do not know the analytical method used by PIPAC so I'm not sure if it is really true. But from what I know, any method should suffice though it would be best if they used chomatography to avoid problems with contaminants and confounders. Still, titration should be fine. I think even the simple Kheldjal method could be used since theoretically the only Nitrogen containing substances in the supplements should be the glutathione. The company should also know that PIPAC do have the equipment needed for the tests they want to be performed on their products.

The ad also insulted titration by implying that since titration is a cheaper method, it is unreliable. I take great offense at this. I love titration. It is true that students and those with small chemistry sets could easily perform titration, unlike certain chromatography methods which require more special equipment. However, this that not mean that chromatography is always better than titration. Titration is indeed a very cheap method but that doesn't mean it is unreliable. Heck, in TB diagnosis a sputum exam which is cheaper than an x-ray is much more reliable. And in the hands of skilled lab tech, titration is very accurate and very precise with results comparable to that of chromatography(assuming a chemical reaction exist that could be used in titration).

Still, this would not probably help resolve the issue but I trust PIPAC. They wouldn't be swayed by money. The reputation of an analytical laboratory is priceless.

Update:
I finally saw the report on youtube(We love youtube!). I also saw the reaction of a user of Lucida. The defender said that the PIPAC made a mistake in the analysis because PIPAC methods couldn't detect the chemical lipoic acid. She suggests that another analysis be made this time by the Adamason Univ. Technology Research and Development Center. These statements though are irrelevant as the report and PIPAC only wanted to determine glutathione content of the products. Lipoic acid is not the same as glutathione. Lipoic acid was not even in the list of products PIPAC want to quantify. The statements only become relevant if lipoic acid serves as a confounding agent in the method used to quantify glutathione. Thus even if PIPAC couldn't detect LA and even if the users say that Lucida products work, the distributors of Lucida-ds would still be at fault for the false information found in their products' labels.

Links:
ABS-CBN report - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUHVCa1T4ME
Lucida defense - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_ard1mUF_g&feature=related

"If DOH and Congress had evidence linking health expenditures and outputs, then we would be well-positioned to advocate for increased funding for health. We would also be able to re-allocate funds in the health sector to support priority services such as maternal mortality reduction." Sen. Edgardo Angara, 2008 National Conference on Health.

My initial reaction:

Oh! You want evidence. You want studies.

That's BS! Why not try allocating at least the WHO recommended budget first before asking for cost-efficiency studies and evidence? But if you want evidence, here it is. Right now, PGH is running with only one functional X-ray machine. Why is this so? Because the hospital do not have enough funds to maintain the air conditioning system that keeps the x-ray machines from overheating and breaking down. ER and OPD patients have to have their x-rays taken from private clinics which slightly defeats the purpose of them going to PGH in the first place. According to my friend, they have to ask ER patients to go to another hospital because of this problem. A problem which could be solved if PGH had funds.

Why would you ask for evidence on expenditure(ie funding) and output(healthy people) when you know for yourself that the health sector is severely underfunded! How could you?! And you seemed to be one of the smarter people. I wonder if you still got applause after saying this sh*t.

My calmed down reaction:
Maybe he is taking about efficiency and stuff. But I still think that Congress should allocate the appropriate funding first before asking too many questions regarding efficiency. They have yet to see the state of a properly funded government hospital. And aren't the Brain Drain and health professional Exodus enough to show that the health sector is underfunded? When even the martyrs are complaining, they should know that there is a problem.

I love this blog!

This is such a lifesaver. Self-meditation, psychoanalysis and composition practice all rolled up into one thing.

After putting thoughts into a blog post(published or unpublished), I feel a release. It's like a load is taken of my chest. And in the making of the post, I manage to explore the issue I'm thinking about and achieve new insights regarding it. Of course the same could be said for diaries, journals and logs(travelogue, etc) but I find physically writing down stuff too slow to keep up with my thoughts. Especially if I'm emotionally involved in what I am writing about. Besides, Shrinks are not too common here and they would probably cost a lot.

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I saw the Pyro-olympics last night. Wow! Different Colors falling down from the sky, forming different shapes, some seeming to drop toward you sealing your death and then disappearing into the night's darkness, such wonderful sights(hmmm... sounds like poetry). You do not want to take your eyes of the sky not because you don't want to miss something. You don't want to because you can not. And the other good thing was I didn't have to pay for the f*ckin' Php150 ticket(greedy bastards!).

Summer is really over. We just had the first big rain of the season. I was on my way home when light rain started. Luckily for me, I managed to get into a jeepney by the time the rain started really pouring. The passengers who came after me were all soaking wet. Lucky lucky boy.

In other news, I noticed that the one of the lens of my glasses had scratches. Yes, the glasses which I saved up for are now damaged. I could still use them since the scratches are not noticeable when I'm wearing my glasses but it still sucks that my lovely pair are now damaged.

I'm trying to catch up on vacation time. I'll try to catch as many films as I can before June. I finally watched History Boys. I'm trying to finish Starter for 10 and this German movie. I wonder what I'll watch next? And I won't be watching Iron Man, The Dark Knight, Indiana Jones, Speed Racer and all those movies brimming with special effects and seemingly lacking in the stories department(sorry fans and fanatics of the mentioned movies).

I just had my wisdom tooth extracted; the one in the lower left to be exact. I feel a numbness in the operated area. The procedure was bloody, short and a bit painful. I was very lucky to be one of those individuals who manage to still feel pain after application of anesthesia. I really shouldn't complain because with the excess anesthesia came a longer time of numbness that blocked the pain I should feel after an operation. Nevertheless, it was painful. I actually shed two tear drops during the procedure. Yes, I'm a wuss.

My tooth didn't want to come out in a single piece so my dentist had to separate it into three pieces. Contrary to the belief of some, the chance of the tooth to come out in one whole piece is not directly related to the skill of the dentist. It is more related to how the tooth grew into its current position and how firm is it planted into the bone.

In case anybody is wondering, I had my operation in the PGH-OPD Dentistry department. The procedure(odondectomy) costs around Php6000/tooth for normal patients and Php3000/tooth for UP students and employees plus the cost of equipment and medicines. Mine cost lower the Php3000 due to the kindness of my dentist. So, what should I give my dentist as a sign of gratitude?

On I lighter note, now I know why the shit is happening in the Asian region.

God hates Asia!

Holy Crap!

900 kids!

Then there's that mess in Myanmar.

East and South East Asia is really getting all the shitty stuff Nature likes to throw at humans.

My boil burst! I know it's gross. It was bloody and you could see the pus ball(aka the head). The aftermath was bloodier. I was dripping blood all over the floor. Hah! I'll stop now. Let's go eat!

Happy Mother's Day to the moms of the universe(at least those moms who do not abuse their own children)

F*ck! My life became more interesting all right. I got a boil in the butt area; right near the margin of the butt and the thigh. I have a hard time finding the most a comfortable sitting position. What sucked more is that I had to go to school(not due to academics) and that entailed commuting and SITTING in jeepneys. It is really painful. I'm afraid of the Filipino method of treating it which involves very hot and hopefully sterile glass bottles and gumamela buds but to be released from the pain I just might undergo it. Then again some boils drain spontaneously. Hopefully, mine is just like those.

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Those new posters in the LRT stations of pGMA are so funny. Economic and social stability, my painful ass! And the composition of the pieces is so laughable. pGMA walking with wind blowing through her jacket(or is it a bolero?) and the serious face like whatever pose she makes will make the statement in her poster true, much less, believable.

My vacation is killing me. It is so boring!

Bleaaaah!

The boredom is so strong, it has already lead to lack of inspiration and the number of drafts in this blog is increasing. Aarrgh! Must fight the boredom...