Jews in the D
52 | OCTOBER 31 • 2019
to stop or slow its progression,”
says Dr. Aaron Ellenbogen,
movement disorder special-
ist at QUEST
Research Institute
in Farmington
Hills. “Quest has
been researching
Parkinson’
s disease
for more than 15
years, frequently conducting
clinical trials for pharmaceuti-
cal companies regarding their
development of new drugs.
“Based on the knowledge
that people don’
t respond to
medical treatments the same
way, a new approach, called
tailored medicine, emphasizes
treating people with certain
conditions using personalized
plans,” Ellenbogen says.
It is thought that up to 15
percent of Ashkenazi Jewish
patients with PD may carry
one or more of the gene muta-
tions that increase the risk of
acquiring the disease.
Current research is inves-
tigating new therapies for
PD patients with these gene
mutations. This personalized
medicine could have benefits
for everyone with PD. QUEST
Research Institute is currently
enrolling for one of these trials,
testing people with PD for free
if they have Ashkenazi heritage
or family history.
To learn more, call (248)
957-8940.
Ellenbogen
continued from page 51
SOME PD SYMPTOMS:
• Tremor or shaking
• Slowed movement
• Rigid muscles
• Stooped posture and balance
problems
• Loss of automatic movements
such as blinking or swinging
arms when walking
• Speech changes such as
speaking softly, slurring words
Panel to Discuss Different Religions’
Perspectives on Organ Donation
Throughout the U.S., thou-
sands of severely ill individuals
await donated organs to alle-
viate their chronic illnesses or
injuries.
The wait can be long and
not everyone survives until an
appropriate organ is available
for transplantation. Donating
an organ is not an easy deci-
sion, and the views of various
religions toward organ dona-
tion vary.
The InterFaith Leadership
Council of Metropolitan
Detroit will present a panel
discussion, “Organ Donation
Across the Faith Traditions,
”
from 2:30-5:30 p.m. Sunday,
Nov. 3, at St. John’
s Episcopal
Church, 26998 Woodward
Ave., Royal Oak.
Ramonia Chapmen from
Gift of Life Michigan will
moderate the panel fea-
turing representatives of
many faiths: Imam Ibrahim
Kazerooni, Islamic Center
of America, Dearborn;
Shama Mehta, board-cer-
tified Hindu chaplain; Jill
Abromowitz Gutmann,
Jewish expert on bioeth-
ics; Rev. Ronald Copeland,
organ recipient, New
Prospect Missionary Baptist
Church, Detroit; and Father
Richard Leliaert, St. Robert
Bellarmine Parish.
Program co-sponsors
include Gift of Life Michigan,
WISDOM (Women’
s Interfaith
Solution for Dialogue and
Outreach in Metro Detroit)
and the InterFaith Health and
Hope Coalition.
The event is free of charge.
RSVP in advance at
detroitinterfaithcouncil.com.
For details, contact
gailkatz@comcast.net or at
(248) 978-6664.
Ask Dr. Vieder
For more health information, visit the Ask Dr. Vieder page at LakesUrgentCare.com
Dr. Sanford Vieder, DO, FACEP, FACOEP, Medical Director at Lakes Urgent Care, West Bloomfi
eld/Livonia
I am trying to quit smoking and have been using an E-cigarette product as a substitute.
Now I’m hearing that this is not such a safe alternative. What are the latest fi
ndings on vaping?
Unauthorized vaping products regularly enter the market, and underage sales too frequently occur in stores and online. Some experts believe vaping
is a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes. But much is unknown about the long-term health consequences of vaping. Unlike traditional cigarettes,
E-cigarettes don’
t contain tobacco, don’
t involve combustion and contain fewer ingredients. A 2018 analysis of more than 800 peer-reviewed
scientifi
c studies suggests that “E-cigarettes are likely to be far less harmful than combustible tobacco cigarettes.” While vaping exposes users to
some toxicants, the vapor has “fewer numbers and lower levels of most toxicants” than cigarette smoke. However, E-cigarettes have not received
FDA approval as a medical smoking cessation device.
What are the potential health risks of vaping?
E-cigarettes are undeniably harmful, exposing users to numerous toxic and carcinogenic substances that may lead to adverse health effects. But they
virtually eliminate exposure to carbon monoxide, tar and many of the 7,000 chemicals that contribute to cigarettes’
lethality. In short, E-cigarettes
are less harmful than smoking, but they are by no means safe! As of last week, the CDC has reported a total of 29 vaping related deaths across the
US, in contrast to nearly half a million cigarette related deaths annually. Vaping products from reputable, regulated manufacturers may indeed be
measurably safer than traditional cigarettes, but there is simply not enough experience or research to know the ultimate health impact vaping will
have on users. The simple and safe answer is, don’
t smoke cigarettes and don’
t vape.
I know that smoking is detrimental to my health. If I have to stop vaping, what other safer alternatives
do you recommend?
It is true that most smokers who try E-cigarettes continue to smoke, but that does not mean that E-cigarettes are an
ineffective cessation aid. Most smokers who try FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapies also continue to smoke, but
such products are still offi
cially deemed “effective.” The best source of advice and guidance to quit smoking cigarettes or
discontinue the use of vaping products will be your primary care physician. There is certainly not a “one fi
ts all” approach but
keep trying to quit if you are a smoker or vaper! care physician. There is certainly not a “one fi
ts all” approach but keep trying
to quit if you are a smoker or vaper!