Last year, I grew gravely concerned about our public health experts’ hysterical overreaction to the “novel” coronavirus. I predicted that their months-long, almost-complete lockdown of our floundering healthcare system would turn into a huge, tragic, short-sighted mistake for many Americans.
Indeed, new research published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that this draconian response to the virus did take a tremendous toll on American health and well-being. Especially when it comes to the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.
But before I get into the details of the new JAMA study, let’s back up to discuss why the topic of cancer screenings is so complex…
A silver lining in fewer cancer screenings
As I often write, overdiagnosis and overtreatment of cancer is a huge problem in the U.S. It occurs when our overly aggressive, routine screening programs turn up small lesions of questionable cells that I call “fake” cancers.
This overdiagnosis leads to all kinds of unnecessary harms, costs, and worries. Including toxic, medieval treatments that cause secondary, often untreatable cancers. But the sad truth is, those “fake” cancers would not have harmed the patients or shortened their lives in the first place, even if left completely alone!
So, the temporary disruption to the country’s “routine” cancer screenings during the coronavirus shutdowns briefly curtailed the problem of finding “fake cancers.”
Unfortunately, the shutdowns also delayed the detection and treatment of real, aggressive cancers. And remember, real cancers, especially when left undetected and untreated, have a far greater fatality rate than COVID-19.
Of course, shutting down the economy also led to more dire financial problems, depression, anxiety, drug abuse (prescription and non-prescription), alcohol abuse, suicide, domestic abuse, injuries, and homicides. Not to mention, tens of millions of people with chronic pain couldn’t get access to effective, non-drug treatments—such as acupuncture and massage. And in the states with the strictest and longest lockdowns— such as Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York—they experienced the worst numbers and deaths.
So, now that we’ve set the stage, let’s get back to the new JAMA study I mentioned at the beginning of this Dispatch…
Sharp decline in cancer screenings and treatments
In one of the first studies to examine the impact of the coronavirus on cancer diagnoses, researchers at the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center tracked screening tests for breast, colon, cervical, prostate, and lung cancer over four distinct, three-month periods at a major hospital system in the Boston area. The four periods were:
- March to June 2019—a year prior to the peak shutdowns of routine medical care.
- December 2019 to February 2020—the three months prior to the peak shutdowns.
- March to June 2020—during the peak shutdowns.
- July to September 2020—the three months following the peak shutdowns.
Here’s what they found…
One year prior to the peak shutdowns, more than 60,000 people were screened for cancer. Likewise, during the three months before the peak shutdowns, more than 64,000 were screened for it.
However, during the peak of the coronavirus shutdowns, just over 15,000 people were screened for cancer. (That’s less than one-quarter of the people normally screened in the Boston area during any given three months!)
Then, in the three-month period following the peak shutdowns, the screenings started to rebound—to about 50,000 people.
Overall, the researchers estimated that the shutdowns caused more than 1,400 missed or delayed diagnoses of cancer. When you extend that same ratio out to the entire nation, it means that we probably missed or delayed the diagnoses of at least 85,000 cancers in just three months.
But in my view, the national situation is most likely much worse…
For one, this study focused on the Boston metropolitan region—which I believe has the best routine medical care in the country. So, the impact of the coronavirus shutdowns in other areas of the country with less access to quality healthcare was probably far greater.
You can also think of it this way…if Boston catches a cold, most of the rest of the country develops pneumonia.
And sadly, this dramatic drop in diagnoses between March and June 2020 will probably completely reverse the modest progress we’ve made in recent years in cancer death rates. (The most recent national statistics from 2017 to 2018 showed a modest decline of about 2 percent in the cancer death rates.)
The government’s “war on cancer” reminds me of the trench warfare of World War I. (It took years to make a few modest advances. But within just a few months, the coronavirus panic has driven us back and reversed them in one fell swoop.)
Were the shutdowns necessary?
In the end, I suppose only time will tell the full tale about the terrible toll the pandemic panic has taken on people dealing with cancer and other fatal chronic diseases. (Including those suffering from anxiety, depression, and pain—who were denied access to natural, non-drug, hands-on therapies.)
So, one has to wonder, were all the shutdowns really necessary or worth it?
I tend to believe they weren’t. And many sensible analyses now show that improving basic, personal hygiene played the biggest role in thwarting the spread of the coronavirus.
In other words, when you practice good hygiene by washing your hands frequently, protecting your face, and avoiding crowds and potentially contaminated surfaces, you remove most of your personal risk of catching the coronavirus.
And guess what else…you also lower your risk of contracting the flu and other viruses too. (No wonder this year’s flu numbers are way, way down!)
Yet, here we are…still dealing with the shutdowns and disruptions to workplaces, schools, healthcare, and the entire economy. And they continue to come at a terrible cost for ordinary Americans.
Regain control of your personal health, despite ongoing restrictions
I don’t know how or when our country will “get back to normal”—if ever. But I do know this…
You can take control of your own health, starting today.
In fact, I recommend starting with your overall immunity—which includes supplementing daily with 250 mcg (10,000 IU) of vitamin D. (You can learn more about my top immune health recommendations in my Pandemic Protection Playbook: How to become “immune ready” in every season. To gain access this essential guide, click here now!)
In addition, there are dozens of other safe, natural alternatives to help prevent, detect, AND treat cancer. I’ve outlined them all in detail in my groundbreaking online learning tool, my Authentic Anti-Cancer Protocol.
This all-inclusive protocol is the sum total of more than 40 years of personal research, study, and experience in natural cancer treatment. And every solution you’ll hear about has been studied and researched by countless, cutting-edge medical institutions. To learn more, or to enroll today, click here now!
Sources:
“Cancer Screening Tests and Cancer Diagnoses During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” JAMA Oncol. Published online January 14, 2021. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.7600