HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works July 7 2015I WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Public Works, Health, and Safety Committee
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4 July 7, 2015
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6 CALL TO ORDER
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8 Committee Chair Barbara Brenner called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. in the
9 Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
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11
12 ROLL CALL
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14 Present: Barbara Brenner, Pete Kremen, and Ken Mann
15 Absent: None
16 Also Present: Rud Browne and Satpal Sidhu
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19 SPECIAL PRESENTATION
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21 1. ORTHOMOLECULAR MEDICINE: EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR MENTALLY ILL
22 INMATES (AB2015 -209)
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24 Linda Santini, M.Ed. described her history and experience with orthomolecular
25 medicine. She submitted and read from a presentation (on file).
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27 Brenner stated she read the information about how King County tracked information,
28 but it was confusing. She asked if they've improved that testing. Santini stated they have
29 not. They did not change the delivery method of psychiatric services. All the patients
30 continued to be given synthetic drugs.
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32 Kremen stated this treatment may augment how the County addresses mental illness
33 issues in the jail. He's glad to see a discussion about alternatives to traditional medicine.
34 Look at the health problems holistically. The information provided is valid, but he is
35 concerned that people will self -treat their problems and overdose on these natural products.
36 Overall, the information is valid. Santini stated people in jail don't have access to
37 naturopaths, but they should.
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39 Mann stated the mainstream medical community doesn't embrace orthomolecular
40 medicine, and he couldn't find any studies to corroborate these claims. He asked for
41 scientific evidence of its efficacy. Santini stated the Orthomolecular Society in Toronto
42 Canada can provide studies. Doctors everywhere prescribe folic acid to pregnant women,
43 which has never had a double blind study, because it would be unethical. The placebo
44 double -blind studies aren't the gold standard for scientific proof.
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46 Sidhu stated he is familiar with alternative medicine because he grew up in India.
47 Much of it is similar to Ayurvedic medicine. He agrees that the traditional medical
48 community wants to protect their profits, and their medicines only manage symptoms.
49 There has to be a paradigm shift in society's thinking to accept these types of solutions.
50 There need to be more studies for proof. Getting approval from the American Medical
51 Association (AMA) or pharmaceutical industries is difficult. The pharmaceutical industries
52 began by synthesizing natural remedies. The issues are with legal liability. He appreciates
53 having this information.
Public Works, Health, and Safety Committee, 7/7/2015, Page 1
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Brenner stated orthomolecular treatment is very similar to what naturopaths do.
She can tell when she hasn't taken her vitamins on time. She's not sure how much the jail
does for inmate nutrition. The County can provide multivitamins which each inmate can
choose to take. There is no one solution for everything. She takes her medication, but can
tell a difference when she takes her vitamins.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 2:08 p.m.
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Daha Brown -D,#,id \64unJc Clerk
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31 Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Barbara Brenner, Committee Chair
Public Works, Health, and Safety Committee, 7/7/2015, Page 2