Hepatitis C is a contagious, viral disease that leads to swelling (inflammation) of the liver. according to the Caring Ambassadors Hepatitis C Program, approximately five million Americans have been infected with the virus and two out of three are unaware that they have it.

Lucinda K. Porter, registered nurse and author of “Free from Hepatitis C,” said, “Although more Americans die from hepatitis C than from HIV, hepatitis C is not a death sentence. Hepatitis C is preventable, manageable and curable.”

CausesIt is spread through blood to blood contact, such as infected blood transfusions, sharing illegal drug paraphernalia, unprotected sex with someone who has the disease or being born to a mother with the disease.

Risk FactorsAs the Mayo Clinic highlights, various other factors put you at a greater risk of contracting the disease: exposure to blood as an emergency or health worker, treatment for clotting from hemophilia prior to 1987, extensive treatment for hemodialysis and organ transplants prior to 1992.

Anjana Pillai, gastroenterologist for the Loyola University Health system, said that whose born between 1945 – 1964 are in a high risk category and should be tested. “This period,” she explained, “saw a high incidence of IV drug abuse and other illicit behavior that can lead to getting Hepatitis C.”

Acute and chronicHepatitis C is separated into two types: acute and chronic. the former is a short-term illness that occurs within six months of exposure to the virus. in many cases it develops into the latter, which is a long-term illness that potentially lasts for one’s entire life.

SymptomsThe majority of people with hepatitis C (between 70 and 80 percent) are asymptomatic. therefore many people don’t even know they have the disease. however, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that some people exhibit the following warning signs: nausea, dark urine, jaundice, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, fatigue, clay-colored bowel movements, joint paint and appetite loss.

DiagnosisA simply blood test can conclude whether someone has hepatitis C, measure how far the virus has spread and establish the virus’ genetic makeup.

TreatmentThe most effective treatments for the disease depend upon the patient’s genotype, reported Pillai. there are six different types and 70 percent of patients have genotype one, which is the most difficult to treat.

Porter said, “Most people will need 3 drugs – peginterferon (once a week injection), ribavirin (twice daily pills), and one of the new HCV protease inhibitors, either telaprevir (Incivek) or boceprevir (Victrelis) pills taken every 8 hours.”

Peginterferon and ribavirin are antiviral medications. these medications can cause serious side effects, such as depression and flu-like symptoms.

Telaprevir and boceprevir, two recently-approved FDA drugs, reportedly increase response rate by 80 percent.

Up until a year ago, people has less than a 40 percent chance for a cure with 48 weeks of treatment. with the availability of telaprevir, that chance has doubled to 80 percent.

If the disease has ravaged the liver, a surgeon may perform a liver transplant to provide the patient with a healthy one. Porter said that hepatitis C will cause one million cases of cirrhosis (chronic liver disease) by 2020.

Pader

Residents of Acholi-bur Sub-county in Pader District are living in fear after one person died and two other suspected cases of Hepatitis E were reported in the area.

The deceased, Christine Anek Oloya of Ogago Parish, is said to have died after last week after showing signs and symptoms similar to that of the disease, which left scores dead in Kitgum and Pader districts last year.

Hepatitis E is a condition related to unhygienic environments and its earlier outbreak in the region in 2008 was associated to the unfriendly conditions in IDP camps.its symptoms are mild and last for a couple of weeks. they include fatigue, a sore throat, joint pain and excessive tiredness. Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, most commonly caused by a viral infection.

Although not chronic, the disease has no cure and the only action that can be taken is to relieve the symptoms through rehydration. If the patient survives the infection, the virus disappears and the liver recovers.

Although many people have left the IDP camps to return to their homes, many health needs are still unmet as latrine and clean water coverage is still minimal.according to the Sub-county chairperson, mr Charles Okot, his office has launched an awareness campaign for all residents in the Sub-county and nearing areas to observe maximum hygiene in their homes.

“Sanitation in the sub-county has drastically dropped. the community does not seem to care anymore, thus creating room for the disease to re-emerge,” mr Okot said.the in-charge Acholi-bur Health Centre III, mr Michael Owiny, said with the laxity in the area, the disease is bound to spread further.

“We diagnosed the deceased at this health centre but we have to wait and come out with detailed information to confirm the outbreak,” mr Owiny said.

The District Health Officer, Dr Jane Oola, however, said her office is not aware of the disease outbreak but pledged to send a team of health officials on ground to ascertain the reports.

The primary causes of fatty liver are weight gain, overuse of alcohol, diabetes, and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means that the body has become less responsive to rising blood sugar levels. to compensate, the pancreas has to make more insulin and send it into the blood stream. Higher blood levels of insulin slow down the normal turnover of triglycerides in liver cells, so they build up.

most often, people with fatty livers don’t have any symptoms. like you, many people are diagnosed when a blood test shows elevated liver enzymes. Or a doctor detects an enlarged liver during a physical exam. sometimes, a large fatty liver is seen on an ultrasound or CT scan of the abdomen when the test is ordered for some other reason.

Untreated steatohepatitis can progress to cirrhosis of the liver — a serious condition where the liver becomes unable to do its job of cleaning toxins out of the bloodstream.

Eating healthier and decreasing alcohol use should help. But in my mind, it’s not enough. I recommend complete abstinence from alcohol and cutting calories to lose weight.

Exercise is a must. You can start slow, but you do want to progress to a minimum of 30 minutes of dedicated aerobic exercise daily. an hour of moderate intensity exercise most days of the week would be best.

I’m not sure if eating artichokes will help. But they surely won’t hurt as long as you don’t dip them in butter or mayonnaise.

(Howard LeWine, M.D., is a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass., and chief medical editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School.)

(For additional consumer health information, please visit health.harvard.edu.)

(c) 2012. PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

ST. LOUIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Subcommittee on Osteoarthritis Guidelines has approved and issued several updates to clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA).

“We support the ACR treatment guidelines and believe topical NSAIDs, like PENNSAID, provide an effective option for reducing knee OA pain.”

the new guidelines, published in the April issue of Arthritis Care & Research, conditionally recommend that healthcare providers consider topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as one option for the initial management of knee OA, along with other treatments including acetaminophen, oral NSAIDs, tramadol and intraarticular corticosteroid injections. In addition, the guidelines strongly recommend the use of oral or topical NSAIDs or intraarticular corticosteroid injections in patients with an unsatisfactory clinical response to full-dose acetaminophen, and furthermore strongly recommend topical over oral NSAIDs in those patients aged 75 years or older initiating NSAID therapy.1

Commenting on the new guidelines, Marc C. Hochberg, MD, MPH, said, “Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis affecting adults in the United States and is the principal cause of musculoskeletal pain, limitation in physical activity and reduction in health-related quality of life. it is important for all primary care providers and specialists taking care of patients with osteoarthritis to recognize that there is a lot that can be offered to the patient to reduce their pain and improve their function.” Dr. Hochberg is professor of medicine and epidemiology and public health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, and chair of the Task Force that developed the new ACR recommendations.

Knee OA is a chronic condition in which joint cartilage–the smooth tissue that cushions the bone and allows easy joint movement–breaks down, leading to pain and loss of physical function.2 Mallinckrodt LLC, a Covidien company, markets PENNSAID® (diclofenac sodium topical solution) 1.5% w/w, a topical NSAID. PENNSAID is the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved topical NSAID for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of knee OA, which demonstrated statistically significant differences in pain and physical function compared to placebo.

“Knee OA pain is one of the top five causes of disability in American adults,” said Alfredo Bozzini, Interim Chief Medical Officer, Pharmaceuticals, Covidien. “We support the ACR treatment guidelines and believe topical NSAIDs, like PENNSAID, provide an effective option for reducing knee OA pain.”

“The American College of Rheumatology osteoarthritis treatment guidelines propose to advance the use of topical NSAIDs beyond what the American Geriatric Society and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons recommend,” said Dr. Joseph Markenson, attending physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery and professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. “The updated guidelines are helpful to physicians in their clinical practice, especially when seeing patients over 75 years of age.”

For Important Risk Information on PENNSAID, including boxed warning, see below.

About Osteoarthritis

OA is a chronic condition characterized by the breakdown of cartilage in the joint. Cartilage cushions the ends of the bones in joints – such as knees, hands, elbows, wrists, ankles and feet – which allows for easy movement. When this cartilage erodes, bones can rub together, resulting in pain and loss of free movement in the joint. Today, an estimated 27 million Americans live with OA.2

the most common symptoms include pain, joint soreness, stiffness and deterioration of overall coordination, posture and walking. Despite the high prevalence of OA, there is no cure for this disease, which tends to progressively reduce mobility and the overall health state in affected patients.

About PENNSAID®

PENNSAID is the only FDA-approved topical NSAID for the treatment of knee OA which demonstrated statistically significant differences in all three primary efficacy endpoints: pain and physical function (WOMAC®), patient overall health assessment (POHA) and patient global assessment of knee OA.

INDICATION

PENNSAID is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) indicated for the treatment of signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee(s).

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WARNING: CARDIOVASCULAR AND GASTROINTESTINAL RISK

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Cardiovascular Risk

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• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may cause an increased risk of serious cardiovascular thrombotic events, myocardial infarction, and stroke, which can be fatal. this risk may increase with duration of use. Patients with cardiovascular disease or risk factors for cardiovascular disease may be at greater risk.

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• PENNSAID is contraindicated in the perioperative setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

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Gastrointestinal Risk

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• NSAIDs cause an increased risk of serious gastrointestinal adverse events including bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal. These events can occur at any time during use and without warning symptoms. Elderly patients are at greater risk for serious gastrointestinal events.

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IMPORTANT RISK INFORMATION

PENNSAID is also contraindicated in patients:

• with a known hypersensitivity to diclofenac sodium or any other component of PENNSAID
• who have experienced asthma, urticaria, or allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs. Severe, rarely fatal anaphylactic-like reactions to NSAIDs have been reported in such patients.

Elevation of one or more liver tests may occur during therapy with NSAIDs. PENNSAID should be discontinued immediately if abnormal liver tests persist or worsen.

use with caution in patients with fluid retention or heart failure. Hypertension can occur with NSAID treatment. Monitor blood pressure closely with PENNSAID treatment.

Long-term administration of NSAIDs can result in renal papillary necrosis and other renal injury.

use PENNSAID with caution in patients at greatest risk of this reaction, including the elderly, those with impaired renal function, heart failure, liver dysfunction, and those taking diuretics and ACE-inhibitors.

should not be used in pregnant or lactating women and is not approved for use in pediatric patients.

Anaphylactoid reactions may occur in patients without prior exposure to PENNSAID. NSAIDs can cause serious skin adverse events such as exfoliative dermatitis, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), which can be fatal.

the most common treatment-related adverse events in patients receiving PENNSAID were application site skin reactions including dry skin (32%), contact dermatitis characterized by skin erythema and induration (9%), contact dermatitis with vesicles (2%) and pruritus (4%). In a long term safety study, contact dermatitis occurred in 13% and contact dermatitis with vesicles in 10% of patients, generally within the first 6 months of exposure, leading to a withdrawal rate for an application site event of 14%. Other common adverse events greater than placebo include: dyspepsia (9%), abdominal pain (6%), flatulence (4%), diarrhea (4%) and nausea (4%).

do not apply to open wounds. Protect treated knee(s) from natural or artificial sunlight. Topicals such as sunscreen and bug repellant may be applied after PENNSAID treated knee(s) are completely dry. Avoid contact of PENNSAID with eyes and mucous membranes. Wash and dry hands after use. Concurrent use with oral NSAIDs should be avoided unless benefit outweighs risk and periodic laboratory evaluations are conducted.

you are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

PENNSAID is a registered trademark of Nuvo Research inc.

WOMAC is a registered trademark of Nicholas Bellamy.

ABOUT COVIDIEN

Covidien is a leading global healthcare products company that creates innovative medical solutions for better patient outcomes and delivers value through clinical leadership and excellence. Covidien manufactures, distributes and services a diverse range of industry-leading product lines in three segments: Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies. With 2011 revenue of $11.6 billion, Covidien has 41,000 employees worldwide in more than 65 countries, and its products are sold in over 140 countries. please visit covidien.com to learn more about our business.

1 Hochberg M, Altman R, et al. American College of Rheumatology 2012 Recommendations for the use of Nonpharmacologic and Pharmacologic Therapies in Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee. Arthritis Care & Research. 2012;64:465-474.

2 Arthritis Foundation. Osteoarthritis Fact Sheet. arthritis.org/media/newsroom/media-kits/Osteoarthritis_fact_sheet.pdf [Last Accessed January 10, 2012]

(Credit:AP Graphics)

(CBS/AP) Hepatitis C deaths are on the rise, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. the report found baby boomers are especially at risk because they account for two-thirds of all hepatitis C cases.

The worrisome news has prompted health officials to wonder whether anyone born between 1945 and 1965 should get a blood test for hepatitis C, because many of these boomers may have had the disease for decades without even realizing it.

“One of every 33 baby boomers are living with hepatitis C infection,” says Dr. John Ward, the CDC’s hepatitis chief. “Most people will be surprised, because it’s a silent epidemic.”

Some baby boomers may not think they’re at risk because sharing a needle while injecting illegal drugs is the biggest risk factor for becoming infected with this blood-borne virus. But before 1992, when widespread testing of the blood supply began, hepatitis C commonly was spread through blood transfusions. Plus, a one-time experiment with drugs way back when could have been enough.

“Asking someone about a risk that happened 20 to 30 years ago is a lot to ask,” says Ward. That’s why officials are seeking a new strategy.

About 3.2 million Americans are estimated to have chronic hepatitis C, but at least half of them may not know it. the virus, which affects 170 million people worldwide, can gradually scar the liver and lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer. it is a leading cause of liver transplants.

For the CDC’s study, published in the Feb. 21 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed a decade of death records and found an increase in death rates from hepatitis C. in fact, in 2007 there were 15,000 deaths related to hepatitis C, higher than previous estimates – and surpassing the nearly 13,000 deaths caused by the better-known AIDS virus. perhaps more surprising, three-fourths of the hepatitis deaths occurred in the middle-aged, people 45 to 64-years old.

“Mortality will continue to grow for the next 10 to 15 years at least unless we do something different” to find and treat the silent sufferers, Ward says.

Current CDC guidelines recommend testing people known to be at high risk, and until last summer there wasn’t much enthusiasm even for that step: the reasons are the year-long, two-drug treatment promised to cure only 40 percent of people; treatment was so grueling that many patients refused to try it and treatment could cost up to $30,000.

Two new drugs – Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ telaprevir and Merck & Co.’s boceprevir – are starting to change that pessimism. Research suggests adding one of them to standard therapy can boost cure rates as high as 75 percent. While still full of side effects, they can allow some people to finish treatment in just six months. they add to the price, however, another $1,000 to $4,000 a week. Drugs that promise to work even better are also being tested.

Those advances are fueling CDC deliberations of whether to change testing guidelines to recommend that anyone born between 1945 and 1965 get a one-time screening. A second CDC-funded study, also published in the Feb. 21 Annals, analyzed models of that option, and concluded it had the potential to save 82,000 lives.

A third study published Monday from Stanford University looked more closely at the price tag, and concluded the new triple-therapy would be cost-effective for people with advanced disease. It’s still cheaper than a transplant costing well over $100,000. But not everyone with hepatitis C will go on to suffer serious liver damage. for those with mild disease, that analysis concluded some gene testing to predict who might really need the costlier triple therapy rather than the older drugs would be a good next step.

It’s not clear how quickly the CDC will settle the boomer-screening question. But doctors at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City have started raising the issue. Montefiore internist Dr. Gary Rogg also says a number of patients have sought testing after seeing hepatitis-awareness ads from the drugs’ manufacturers.

“Now it’s considered a curable disease, that makes all the difference,” says Rogg, who was surprised at some longtime patients’ test results. Even a nurse he knows learned she had it, and the only risk she could recall was a blood transfusion during surgery when she was 10 years old.

According to WebMD, symptoms of hepatitis C include feeling very tired, joint and belly pain, itchy skin, sore muscles, yellowish eyes and skin, and dark urine. since many people with the disease don’t show symptoms, it is common for people to have hepatitis C for 15 years or longer, before it’s diagnosed as chronic hepatitis C.

The CDC has more on hepatitis C.

As fewer boys today are getting circumcised than in the past, a new study adds support to the procedure.  

The study, published Monday in the journal Cancer, a journal of the American Cancer Society, found that circumcision reduces the risk of prostate cancer. the authors suggest that circumcision lowers the chance of infections and inflammation that may contribute to cancer.

Many studies have found that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including HIV are associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer.  other studies have found that circumcision reduces the risk of infections including STDs.  Viruses can slip into the mucosal layers under the foreskin and thrive in the moist environment there, so removing the foreskin appears to lower the risk of infections taking hold.  the authors theorized that since circumcision therefore would also reduce the incidence of prostate cancer.

The investigators analyzed data from more than 1,700 men with prostate cancer and a nearly equal number of men without cancer.  Approximately 70 percent of all men, who ranged in age from 35 to 74 had been circumcised—the vast majority right after birth. Men who had been circumcised before their first sexual intercourse were 15 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who were not circumcised. 

“From these results, we estimate that circumcision may prevent about 10 percent of all prostate cancer cases in the general population,” said Janet L. Stanford, a co-author of the study and research professor at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. 

Men who were circumcised after their first intercourse, however, did not benefit from the reduced risk.

In addition, men circumcised prior to having their first sexual encounter had an 18 percent reduced risk for developing a more aggressive form of prostate cancer.

Infections are estimated to be the cause of 17 percent of cancers worldwide. other cancers that have been linked to infections include cervical, stomach and liver cancers. In fact, one study found that circumcised men are less likely to infect their female partners with the human papillomavirus, or HPV, which is linked to cervical cancer.

Infections are thought to cause a chronic inflammation, which can lead to DNA damage as well as other changes that may help cancers thrive. the study did not find a higher rate of self-reported STDs in men who had prostate cancer, though the authors suggest that the men may not have known they had an STD if they had been a carrier without symptoms. 

?Liver sustains life and we must understand that taking its care is as important as taking precautions to check diabetes, heart disease and obesity,? said Dr Subba Rao V Kanchustambam, Additional Director and Head, Centre for Liver Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Sciences while speaking at an interactive session on `know your friendly liver? at Fortis Hospital Mohali.

More than 100 senior citizens attended this lecture where Dr Subba Rao explained at length about liver, functions of liver, symptoms of liver diseases and how one can take care of one?s liver.

Deliberating on how prevention is better than cure, Dr Subba said, ?Prevent fatty liver by regular exercise, keep your sugars and cholesterol under control. keep alcohol consumption within limits.

Prevent liver cancer by vaccinating yourself for hepatitis B. keep yourself under doctor follow up if you have any chronic liver disease. Drink boiled water and eat well-cooked food to avoid hepatitis a and E. There is always a possibility of cure if one takes right help at right time.?

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For the first seven months of her life, little Addilyn Hawks appeared to be a perfectly healthy baby. Born Dec. 19, 2010, the daughter of Krystin and Aaron Hawks didn’t exhibit any symptoms of liver disease until August. after tests, she was diagnosed on Oct. 11 with Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis-Type 2, a liver disease for which there is no treatment and for which a transplant is the only lifesaving procedure.

“The doctor said she was in stage 3 of 4 liver disease,” says Krystin Hawks. The doctors at Children’s Hospital of Colorado in Aurora recommended a liver transplant.

The news was a blow for the new parents, and the prognosis was difficult to accept.

“Eventually, the liver just shuts down,” she says. “Right now, there is scarring of the liver, and it’s twice its normal size as it tries to compensate. her liver isn’t able to absorb and process fat-soluble vitamins that are crucial to growth, so Addilyn has to have added large doses of the vitamins.”

Because children with the disease are eventually diagnosed with liver cancer, Addilyn was immediately placed on the organ transplant registry. however, just a few weeks ago, a biopsy showed that she is free of cancer.

It was a good news-bad news situation.

“Unfortunately, because she doesn’t have cancer, she was taken off the transplant list,” says Krystin Hawks. “That’s the hardest part — it’s a blessing she doesn’t have cancer, but now it means that we have to wait for her to get sicker on down the line before she can go back on the list. That’s the hardest thing for us to deal with.”

Meanwhile, the Fort Collins community is rallying support for the baby and an eventual transplant through the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, a national nonprofit that organizes communities to raise funds for transplant-related expenses.

“Our target is to raise $50,000 to help with all the expenses related to Addilyn’s eventual transplant,” says Jamie Sedlak, national public relations coordinator with COTA. “These are two wonderful parents who are enjoying every moment they can with their baby,” she says. “It’s phenomenal what a support COTA can be in easing the concerns of a family facing such an overwhelming future.”

The Hawkses are currently living with Krystin’s family while they are in the process of buying a home of their own. last October, just after Addilyn’s diagnosis, the couple was forced to move out of their apartment in Fort Collins because of cigarette smoke that was drifting up from an apartment downstairs from them. “(The smoke) was a danger to Addilyn’s health, and we had to take her to a safer environment,” Krystin Hawks says.

They were eventually released from their lease, and their deposit was returned. “The problem was resolved,” she says. “Now, while we wait for a house, it’s great to have the extra support from my family.”

For the time being, Addilyn is growing and on target for normal development for a 1-year-old.

“She is a happy, beautiful baby,” says her mother. “But we can’t reverse the damage that’s already been done to her liver and know that it will eventually catch up with her. That’s a lot to deal with.”

Meanwhile, each day is filled with joy as the couple watches their little girl fight the odds.

“We depend on the support and love from our families, friends and church,” Krystin Hawks says.

“It’s interesting that you can imagine facing a situation like this and you think you couldn’t do it,” she says. “And then one day, you just have to step up and do the best you can.

“It’s amazing the strength God gives you and how important it is to be the best parents you can possibly be for your baby.”

Joyce Davis is a freelance writer who lives in Longmont. She can be reached at .

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South Korea’s Budget Committee of National Assembly recently voted in favor of a proposal indicative of South Korea’s will to end bear farming by investigating its current status and establishing ways to end the practice.

Bear farming is a practice utilized for the animal’s bile, a bitter yellow fluid found in its gallbladder that is popular in Chinese Medicine for ailments ranging from hangovers to liver disease.

Bear farming became popular in the 1980’s as a means to keep up with demand for the expensive commodity, a product fetching thousands of dollars for a single gallbladder.

Milking the bear’s bile, a process that requires a permanent hole to be formed in the bear’s abdomen and gallbladder so the bile can drip freely, is a popular method for extraction.

The bears are often put in what are referred to as ‘crush’ cages, cages that are so small the bear can barely move and thus not attack the farmer. South Korea and China are the only nations where bear farming is legal, Vietnam having made plans to phase out the practice beginning in 2005. regardless, Vietnam still produces bear bile largely for tourist demand.

South Korea outlawed extraction of bile from live bears in 1992, but currently allows bears to be farmed and slaughtered after age 10 as to harvest their gallbladder for bile.

The bears have been reported to be living in neglected undersized cages with a variety of physical and psychological symptoms such as malnourishment, lesions, missing limbs, rocking, pacing, self hugging, banging on bars, chewing on their paws, and other visible signs of distress.

The approved proposal from Korea’s Budget Committee of National Assembly has a budget of 200 million won (approx. US$175,000) to determine the current situations with bear farms and design ways to end the business.

Though animal advocates are celebrating Korea’s progress in ending the practice, China will continue bear farming and milking bile from live bears. China came under scrutiny in August 2011 when reports surfaced of a mother killing her cub and then herself to save them from a life of being farmed for bile.

After hearing her cub howl in fear, the mother reportedly broke out of her cage and, after failed attempts to remove his restraints, hugged her child until it was smothered to death. she then immediately ran head first into a wall, killing herself.

BM

Section: Animals, East Asia, Latest News