Long COVID National Conference Agenda

Monday, October 3rd, 2022   9:00 am to 9:15 am Welcome from Dr. Diana Zuckerman, President of National Center for Health Research, and Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, Chair of Rehabilitation Medicine at Long School of Medicine at UT Health Science Center 9:15 am to 10:15 am Panel I: Autoimmunity and Long COVID: Dr. Rasika Karnik, Assistant […]

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NCHR Report: Breast Implant Illness — What’s the Evidence?

The National Center for Health Research report on Breast Implant Illness (BII) reviews decades of research before and after the term Breast Implant Illness became popular. Whether referred to as autoimmune symptoms, neurological symptoms, connective tissue disease, neurological symptoms, or BII, we find clear evidence of an increase in symptoms associated with breast implants, compared to women who do not have breast implants. We provide specific examples of how research that dismissed the evidence was poorly designed, often focusing on specific autoimmune diseases, only evaluated hospitalization as evidence of disease, studied women who had breast implants for a short period of time, or had other major flaws.

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What is Vulvodynia?

One of the most common causes of chronic pelvic pain in women is vulvodynia. This is defined as vulvar pain of unknown cause that’s lasted for at least three months.[1,2] This disorder is experienced by an estimated 10% to 28% of reproductive-age women.[1,2] Although less common, it can affect postmenopausal women as well. The pain can sometimes be described as a burning, irritation, stinging, or sharp pain in the vulva, the area outside the vagina. This area includes the labia and the entrance to the vagina. This pain can be brought on by touch, pressure, and vaginal intercourse (attempted or completed). Because of the pain, it can wreak havoc on a patient’s intimate relationships and everyday life…

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Who Should You Believe? A critique of the Aesthetic Society’s view of Breast Implant Illness

A 2022 article in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal makes it clear that Aesthetic Society plastic surgeons are encouraging their members to pretend to share patients’ concerns about breast implant illness (BII) while persuading patients that BII is not real and therefore BII patients do not need explant surgery. A review of their poorly researched article explains which BII studies it ignored or misrepresented and raises questions about bias and gaslighting.

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