By Rod Boshart, Gazette Des Moines Bureau DES MOINES A legislative panel on Tuesday cleared state rules on registration cards that will allow possession of marijuana-derived cannabis oil for medical treatment of intractable epilepsy. The new rules take effect Jan. 30. However, Deborah Thompson, policy adviser for the Iowa Department of Public Health, said her agency and the state Department of Transportation may not be in a position to actually issue the photo ID registration cards until a later launch date once the rules have taken effect. The cards are part of a new state law that allows very limited access to medical cannabidiol. State officials are treating the cards as a priority project as they push for a launch date to physically issue the cards. We just want to make sure that all of the pieces are there, Thompson said. I would like to think well know closer to the date what everything looks like. It is likely that the health agency will post an application form online in advance of the card issuance, so patients and parents of minor patients can submit the pertinent information needed from a licensed neurologist to qualify. The state-issued registration card would provide … Continue reading →

DES MOINES | A legislative panel Tuesday cleared state rules to take effect Jan. 30 governing registration cards that will provide legal protection for Iowans authorized to possess marijuana-derived cannabis oil for medical treatment of intractable epilepsy. However, Deborah Thompson, policy adviser for the Iowa Department of Public Health, said her agency and the state Department of Transportation may not be in a position to actually issue the photo ID registration cards until a later launch date after the rules have taken effect. DOT officials have been working with a vendor to produce the cards that are part of a new state law that allows very limited access to medical cannabidiol, she said. State officials are treating the cards as a priority project as they push for a launch date to physically issue the cards. We just want to make sure that all of the pieces are there, Thompson said. I would like to think well know closer to the date what everything looks like. It is likely that the health agency will post an application form online in advance of the card issuance so patients and parents of minor patients can submit the pertinent information needed from a licensed … Continue reading →

Medical researchers in the US have identified an effective new treatment for autism in an extract from the humble broccoli sprout. Researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine conducted a double blind study over 18 weeks of more than 40 young men with moderate to severe autism. The study found the effect on those treated with the extract was transformative. One of the lead authors, Professor Paul Talalay, said during the blinding period it became quite obvious to the parents, caretakers and professionals that there were some dramatic changes in behaviour. "So that I must say we were rather sceptical and somewhat wondered whether there couldn't be anything wrong with the studies," he said. "And we had all the data professionally examined by an independent firm to make sure that there'd be no systematic error of any sort." At the moment, other than behavioural modification programs, there is no effective medical treatment for autism. "Nearly all efforts in autism now - and there are many hundreds - deal with trying to ameliorate the behavioural effects, which are endpoints to be sure. "But the point is that this was designed to look at the cause, the core mechanisms rather than … Continue reading →

By Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, Oct. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A compound extracted from broccoli sprouts may improve some social and behavioral problems that affect people with autism, a new study suggests. The study was short-term and small, including just over 40 teenage boys and young men with autism. And experts stressed that no one is saying broccoli -- or its extracts -- is a magic bullet. "This is just one study, and it's a preliminary study," said lead researcher Dr. Kanwaljit Singh, of Massachusetts General Hospital for Children. It's also important to note that not everyone responded to the treatment. About one-third of those treated with the compound didn't have a positive response, according to the study. Still, the findings are "promising" and should be followed up by larger studies that also include women and young children, Singh said. The compound in question is called sulforaphane, and it's naturally found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables. The chemical has been widely studied for its potential benefits against cancer, according to Singh. But in the new study, reported on Oct. 13 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online, researchers chose to test sulforaphane as an … Continue reading →

A program at Mercy Childrens Hospital in St. Louis provides early intervention for children diagnosed with autism. (Courtesy Mercy Childrens Hospital) One in 88 kids are diagnosed with some form of autism, but most children are not diagnosed until age four or later. Now doctors say toddlers as young as 12 months can be diagnosed with the disorder and that early treatment can actually help reverse the condition. Mercy Childrens Hospitalin St. Louis is expanding its early intervention program. The program is based on theEarly Start Denver Model. Kate Wrighthas two sons who have been diagnosed with autism and noticed some red flags with her son, William, early on. One of the earliest indications to me was the idea that I really had to work to get him to pay attention to me, Wright toldHere& Nows Jeremy Hobson. It just wasnt normal to sit on the floor and practically beg him to look at me, to clap with me, to sing a song with me, just to get a glimpse. Williamrecently finished the program at Mercy, and Wrights other sonis in the program. Wright says that once her son started the therapy, she saw a significant change. Magic, Wright said. … Continue reading →

iStock( 2010 Oliver Hoffmann) A chemical found in broccoli, cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables may reduce symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, suggests a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. For the study, scientists at the MassGeneral Hospital for Childrens Lurie Center for Autism gave young men with moderate to severe autism, who ranged in age from 13 to 30, a dose of sulforaphane, a phytochemical derived from broccoli. Two-thirds of the participants social behaviors improved by the end of the 22-week study. Researchers were inspired by research in 2007 that indicated when autistic children have a fever, their social interaction becomes enhanced. We hypothesized the changes in fever probably are due to changes in cells that are stimulated by whats called the cellular stress response, study author Dr. Andrew Zimmerman, a clinical professor of pediatrics and neurology at UMass Memorial Medical Center, told FoxNews.com. Zimmerman, who was part of the 2007 research, said there were several chemicals that stimulated changes in autistic childrens behavior during fever. One of them was hydroxyurea, a drug thats used for sickle-cell disease. Another was sulforaphane. Previous studies showed sulforaphane can treat skin blistering and boost the immune … Continue reading →

A compound extracted from broccoli sprouts may improve some social and behavioral problems that affect people with autism, a new study suggests. The study was short-term and small, including just over 40 teenage boys and young men with autism. And experts stressed that no one is saying broccoli -- or its extracts -- is a magic bullet. "This is just one study, and it's a preliminary study," said lead researcher Dr. Kanwaljit Singh, of Massachusetts General Hospital for Children. It's also important to note that not everyone responded to the treatment. About one-third of those treated with the compound didn't have a positive response, according to the study. Play Video Researchers have flagged certain behaviors that may be early signs of autism, including abnormal repetitive behaviors and delayed communication. ... Still, the findings are "promising" and should be followed up by larger studies that also include women and young children, Singh said. The compound in question is called sulforaphane, and it's naturally found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables. The chemical has been widely studied for its potential benefits against cancer, according to Singh. But in the new study, reported on Oct. 13 in the Proceedings of the National Academy … Continue reading →