A simple recipe that requires only a few minutes of pan cooking and a lot of rest. A nice association with chopped hazelnuts.

INGREDIENTS: 4 PERS.

1 Raw foie gras devetin of 600 g

7 g Smoked salt Viking Exotic Earth

1 g ground pepper

200 g Chopped hazelnut

For pan-fried fruit:

1 Physalis box

300 g Black grape

2 Pear

1/2 Lemon

1 tbsp Honey

1 tbsp Sherry vinegar

50 g Salted butter

Pepper

Realization

1. Mix the smoked salt and pepper. Detach the lobes, place them on film, season them on all their faces and pack them well before leaving them in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Take the lobes out of the refrigerator, cut them into slices about 2 cm thick, then pass them through the chopped hazelnuts, set them aside.
2. Line a mold with parchment paper or food film to easily unmold the terrine. Heat a non-stick pan and grasp the slices of foie gras for 1 min on each side over low heat and then pack them flat into the mold as you go. Squeeze the terrine with a wood or cardboard wafer packed with food film to the dimensions of the mold and place a weight over the cooling time. Remove the press, cover, and store in the refrigerator 3 days before eating.
3. Wash the grapes and pears. Cut slices of pears, drizzle them with lemon juice so that they do not oxidize. In a non-stick pan, melt the butter over high heat, add the fruit, mix and add the vinegar. after 3 min, add the honey, pepper and continue cooking over medium heat for 5 to 8 min. Adjust the seasoning to fleur de sel if necessary.

 Discover our superb recipe for pâté en croûte, duck stuffing and foie gras, pistachios and dried apricots. A festive starter that will amaze all your guests! To facilitate the demoulding of the pâté en croûte, preferably use a hinged mold.

INGREDIENTS: For 15 people

The rectangular mold of 8 x 30 cm

Ingredients

For the dough:

400 g Flour

225 g Butter

1 Whole egg 1 yolk for gilding

80 g Water

Salt

For the stuffing:

500 g Duck needles

300 g Pork stuffing

300 g Raw duck foie gras

1 Egg

40 g Unsalted pistachios

5 Dried apricots

2 tsp Blend of 5 spices

10 cl Cognac

7 g Salt

2 g Pepper

For pickles:

1 Yellow onion

5 Small beets in 4 (or 8 depending on their size)

40 cl Water

25 cl Apple cider vinegar

125 g Sugar

1 tsp Anise seed

Pepper

Realization

1. The day before, start this recipe for pâté en croûte by preparing the dough and marinating the meats. In the bowl of a robot, mix all the ingredients of the dough, except the egg yolk for gilding.
2. Spread the dough coarsely, film it and reserve it in the cool.
3. Chop the duck with a knife and then mix with the pork stuffing. Add the salt, cognac, spices, and pepper. Mix, cover, and reserve in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
4. The day before spread the dough on a thickness of about 5 mm, reserve a quarter for the lid. Line with baking paper and butter the mold. Cut a rectangle of dough so as to line the entire width of the mold by going up to the edges. Place this rectangle in the mold and line the walls with dough over the entire height, letting the surplus protrude on each side. Then detail two pieces to line both ends of the mold. Make them a little larger than the part to be filled so that they can be soldered to the dough already in the mold. You can slightly moisten the dough so that it adheres better. Keep the falls for decoration.
5. Preheat the oven to 220°C.  Take the meat out of the refrigerator, add the egg, pistachios, and apricots cut into pieces, knead. Cut the foie gras into 1.5 cm slices, salt, and pepper.
6. Squeeze half of the stuffing into the mold, cover slices of foie gras all over the surface, and then the rest of the stuffing, tamp well. Fold the edges over the stuffing, brush with egg yolk. Spread the dough reserved for the lid, cut a rectangle the size of the mold. Cover the pate and carefully weld the edges. Make three holes on the lid and make fireplaces with parchment paper. Make shapes with a knife or the rest of the dough to decorate and then brush with egg yolk.
7. Bake for 15 min, then lower the temperature to 180 ° C and continue cooking for 45 min. Let the pâté cool before unmolding it and then refrigerate it for 24 hours.
8. On the same day, take out the pâté 30 minutes before tasting it or put it in the oven for a few minutes to serve it warm. Accompany it with pickles of small beets and onions.

 The international Phase III study of the Sanofi vaccine aims to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of a vaccine candidate: it began on May 27, 2021, for the Sanofi recombinant protein vaccine. It could therefore be approved in the fourth quarter of 2021, subject to convincing results from this phase III as well as regulatory evaluations.

This vaccine may be useful, in particular as a possible booster after two doses of mRNA vaccine, but also to participate in the vaccination campaign of the world population, a little less than a quarter of whom are, to date, vaccinated.

Context of Covid-19 vaccination

The Covid-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global health crisis.

A French transnational company whose activities include pharmaceuticals and vaccines, Sanofi ranks third in the world in the healthcare sector by turnover. Its global Vaccines entity is based in Lyon and is called Sanofi Pasteur. She is currently working on two Covid-19 vaccine candidates that use two different technologies. It is, on the one hand, an adjuvanted vaccine based on recombinant proteins, and, on the other hand, a messenger RNA vaccine (the same technology as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines).

What is the principle of the Sanofi vaccine?

According to Our World in Data, only 24.6% of the world's population is currently fully vaccinated. In addition, large disparities remain in terms of immunization between, on the one hand, the richest countries and, on the other, the countries with lower incomes.

In this context, the arrival of a new vaccine, in this case, the very first French vaccine with Sanofi, is scheduled for the end of the fourth quarter of 2021, subject to the results of the phase III clinical trial.

This vaccine called Vidprevtyn could help boost the vaccination campaign around the world. Especially since recombinant proteins, the technology used by this vaccine candidate, is easier to preserve than other vaccines such as those based on mRNA technology.

Operation and principle of action

Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline (or GSK, a British pharmaceutical company), have launched since May 27, 2021, the third phase of clinical trials of their recombinant protein vaccine candidate against Covid-19.

It is a protein-based vaccine: it contains a version of the Spike protein grown in the laboratory. This vaccine under development is based on the same technology used for one of Sanofi's seasonal influenza vaccines, with the flu protein being replaced by the Spike protein. This protein is present on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, which is the coronavirus at the origin of Covid-19), it allows the coronavirus to enter human cells, including those of the lungs. Once entered a cell thanks to Spike, the virus reproduces, before spreading to other cells in the body.

In fact, this recombinant protein vaccine candidate from Sanofi is based on innovative technology. Its purpose is to induce an immune response that will allow the human body to fight against the Covid-19 virus. GSK produces adjuvants for pandemic use.

When a person receives the vaccine, their body identifies the Spike protein as foreign and makes antibodies against it. If later, the vaccinated person comes into contact with SARS-CoV-2, the immune system will recognize the viral protein and be ready to defend the body against the virus.

The principle of this proven technology is as follows:

1. To make the vaccine, scientists copy the DNA sequence of the Spike protein in the lab.
2. Then, they introduce this DNA sequence into a circular fragment of DNA called a plasmid: it is, therefore, a recombinant DNA since it recombinants several DNA fragments.
3. This plasmid carries the DNA sequence of the Spike protein into a baculovirus, which is a kind of delivery system used for the manufacture of the vaccine.
4. In parallel, scientists are developing cells in culture: these will serve as a production platform. Baculovirus can then enter these cells and reproduce there.
5. This results in the production of multiple identical copies of the Spike protein.
6. The scientists will then extract the Spike proteins, purify them before gathering them in batches, formulating them, and packaging them into vials. This vaccine candidate must be combined with an adjuvant that will boost the immune system so that it defends itself, via the production of antibodies against the Spike protein.
7. If the vaccine is injected into the body, the immune system will detect the Spike protein and produce antibodies that can identify and bind to it.
8. The immune system reacts to the vaccine. It memorizes the Spike protein. And so, when the body encounters the complete SARS-CoV-2 virus, it will remember that it must generate new antibodies in order to fight the virus. It is this process of memorization that allows a vaccine to provide more long-lasting protection against the disease.

The safety and efficacy of this vaccine is currently still being evaluated by a regulatory authority.

Composition

The vaccine candidate developed by Sanofi-Pasteur and GSK, Vidprevtyn, consists of recombinant Spike proteins produced by Sanofi as well as an adjuvant produced by GSK. One dose of vaccine candidate contains, specifically, an amount of 10μg of recombinant protein, combined with GSK's AS03 adjuvant.

Who can receive the Sanofi vaccine?

Phase III clinical trials of this vaccine are currently underway and involve 35,000 people aged 18 years and older. This is a randomized, double-blind study. Some participants in this study receive the vaccine candidate, others the placebo.

These clinical trials are conducted in different locations around the world: the United States, Asia, Africa and Latin America. This phase III study will therefore make it possible to evaluate, in adult individuals of different ages, to evaluate both the safety and the efficacy and immunogenicity of this vaccine based on recombinant proteins. Depending on the results, the Sanofi vaccine could hit the market for a variety of audiences, potentially starting in the fourth quarter of 2021.

What is the dosage of the Sanofi vaccine?

What is the recommended duration between the 2 injections?

It will also take two doses of the Sanofi vaccine for primary vaccination. For a booster vaccination, one dose will be sufficient. In phase II dose-finding trials, both injections were administered twenty-one days apart. The method of administration is intramuscular.

Should you get vaccinated when you have had Covid?

Phase II clinical trials of the recombinant Sanofi vaccine candidate have demonstrated elevated antibody concentrations observed in participants who have already been infected following the administration of a single dose of this vaccine candidate. They thus suggest that such a vaccine could be useful for vaccination after having already been infected with Covid-19, but also for a booster vaccination.

How is the Sanofi vaccine stored?

Proteins turn out to be relatively stable molecules. This is why a candidate vaccine designed from purified Spike proteins can be stored at a temperature of 2 to 8°C.

Is the Sanofi vaccine effective?

Protection against covid-19

The percentage efficacy of the Sanofi vaccine will be determined during the ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial. This vaccine candidate has been manufactured to generate a consistently high immune response. In addition, it could potentially stop viral transmission, as reported by the Clinical Trials Arena website.

In fact, the interim phase II results are already known: they indicate that the recombinant adjuvanted vaccine candidate triggered a strong immune response in adults of all age groups. For this, seroconversion rates were between 95% and 100%. In addition, high concentrations of neutralizing antibodies were produced, at levels comparable to those generated by a natural infection.

Protection against variants

The Phase III clinical trial is designed in two stages:

The first step

It aims to determine the efficacy of a vaccine formulation targeting the original Wuhan variant (D.614).

The second step

This one will investigate a different formulation using the South African variant (i.e. The Beta variant, B.1.351).

However, in fact, as evidenced by recent scientific data, the antibodies generated against the South African variant could offer broader cross-protection and therefore protection against other variants that are more transmissible. The design of this clinical trial, therefore, has the objective of also testing the effectiveness of the vaccine against different variants in circulation.

1 dose: limited efficacy?

To be effective, the vast majority of vaccines require boosters, because otherwise, their effectiveness is not optimal. And so, for Sanofi's vaccine, it is the injection of two doses that are currently being tested for primary vaccination.

A single dose could be useful either as a booster after vaccination with another vaccine, for example, an mRNA vaccine, or in people who have previously been infected with Covid-19.

What are the side effects of the Sanofi vaccine?

In a statement, Sanofi announced that with respect to adverse reactions to this recombinant protein vaccine candidate, "the safety profile is acceptable and does not raise safety concerns."

The results of phase III clinical trials will make it possible to better determine, in particular, the safety of this vaccine and the nature of its side effects.

What are the differences with other vaccines on the market?

Sanofi vs Pfizer or Moderna

The technology of these vaccines is different, since Sanofi uses that of recombinant proteins, while the Pfizer vaccine, like Moderna's, uses messenger RNA technology.

Thus, the difference between these two types of vaccines is that, in the case of Sanofi, the vaccinated person is injected directly with a Spike protein produced by biotechnology, combined with an adjuvant that stimulates the immune response, while in the case of Pfizer (or Moderna), it is the messenger RNA encoding the Spike protein that is injected,  thus causing the body's cell itself to produce the Spike protein that will trigger the immune response. An important difference is also that the Sanofi vaccine requires the addition of an adjuvant, whereas messenger RNA technology does not.

Sanofi vs Astrazeneca and Janssen

Again, the two technologies diverge between Sanofi's vaccine candidate and the Astrazeneca or Janssen vaccines. For this, the technology of the AstraZeneca vaccine and that of the Janssen vaccine uses an adenoviral vector.

The Spike protein is not injected directly in combination with an adjuvant, as with Sanofi's Vidprevtyn vaccine, but this Spike protein, in the case of AstraZeneca or Janssen vaccines, is expressed by means of an adenovirus, which is a recombinant chimpanzee virus. It should also be noted that the Sanofi and AstraZeneca vaccines require, for primary vaccination, two doses of vaccines while that of Janssen requires only one.

.

 Based on the innovative messenger RNA technology, the Pfizer vaccine received its marketing authorization from the European Union on 21 December 2020.

In France, the first doses injected, in elderly patients, the most at risk of developing a severe form, began on December 27, 2020. In total, 600 million doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine have been ordered by the European Union for the year 2021.

This reveals a 95% effectiveness in preventing severe forms of Covid-19, but this effect may decrease in mutated viruses, called variants.

Context of Covid-19 vaccination

It was at the end of 2019 that the first cases of a new respiratory disease quickly baptized Covid-19, appeared in China, in the city of Wuhan.

Caused by a coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, this emerging pathology has spread around the world, causing a pandemic that has caused many deaths, and has caused several periods of confinement in many parts of the world.

In France, at the end of August 2021, the High Authority for Health counted a total of more than 114,000 deaths. In addition, long forms of the disease also appeared, causing symptoms that can persist for several months, even in relatively young subjects and without comorbidities.

It is in this context that the first vaccines appeared in the course of 2020. And so, Pfizer, an American laboratory founded in 1849 and which currently has nearly 92,000 employees worldwide, has partnered with the German biotechnology company BioNTech, created in 2008, to launch the very first vaccine against Covid-19.

What is the principle of the Pfizer vaccine?

Operation and principle of action

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is called Cominarty. It is a vaccine based on messenger MRA technology, an innovative technology that is based on a long scientific history: indeed, researchers have been working on the subject for several decades.

Usually, the principle of a vaccination is to inject an attenuated or inactivated form of an infectious agent or some of its components into the body. The goal is, thus, to prepare it for further contact with a pathogen. Indeed, this vaccination causes the development of immune cells called 'memories', which will immediately recognize the pathogen if the individual were to be exposed to it naturally. 

What is a messenger RNA vaccine?

The principle of these new so-called messenger RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) vaccines is a little different since they consist in making the fragments of infectious agents produce directly by the cells of the vaccinated individual. It is therefore not, in this case, the virus in its attenuated form that injects, but only the RNA molecules encoding proteins of the pathogen. The cells that are located near the injection site, essentially muscle cells and cells of the immune system, will then make the proteins of this pathogen themselves, in this case, fragments of the Spike protein. These were chosen upstream because they trigger a significant and protective immune response.

In fact, the Spike protein is indeed a key molecule of SARS-CoV-2: present on its surface, it allows the virus to cling to cells before penetrating and then infecting them.

The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine induces both neutralizing antibody production and cellular immunity in response to the Spike antigen produced by the body's cells from injected mRNAs.

Composition of the vaccine 

The vaccine is therefore made up of messenger RNA fragments, which are transported by lipid particles to the right place, inside the cells of interest. These nanolipid particles that carry vaccine messenger RNA have a composition similar to that of lipids located in the membranes of all cells of our body and therefore pose no risk.

In addition, RNA is, like DNA, a molecule naturally present in all cells of living beings. Indeed, DNA, which is located in the nucleus, carries the genetic heritage of any individual. As for RNA, it is synthesized from DNA fragments and is used as a pattern by complex cellular machinery (including ribosomes), to make all the proteins necessary for the functioning of the body.

Choosing an RNA vaccine over a DNA vaccine

This choice is important: indeed, it allows the Spike protein to be produced directly in the cytoplasm of the cells of the vaccinated person, that is to say by the part of the cell that surrounds the nucleus, and thus prevents this molecule from entering the nucleus. These vaccines are potentially better tolerated since they do not rely on whole viruses. In addition, they do not use any adjuvant, but only nucleic acid molecules (the famous RNAs). The RNA contained in the vaccine will thus play a dual role: to express the viral protein and to stimulate the immune system without adjuvant.

This messenger RNA is produced using cells in vitro transcription from the corresponding DNA matrices and encoding the viral Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. The drug is provided in a multidose vial. It should be diluted before use: for this reason, one 0.45 ml vial contains six doses of 0.3 ml after dilution. One dose, or 0.3 ml, contains 30 micrograms of mRNA vaccine encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles. The vaccine also contains excipients.

Who can receive the Pfizer vaccine?

Children over 12 years of age and adults

Adolescents between the age of 12 and 18 as well as adults can receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Marketing authorization in Europe was granted on 21 December 2020 for all adults and adolescents over 16 years of age. This MA has been extended to adolescents aged 12 to 15 years from 10 June 2021. In France, the HAS issued a favourable opinion on 3 June 2021 for the use of this vaccine among adolescents between 12 and 15 years of age. The overall safety profile in adolescents assessed in two clinical studies involving a total of 22,975 participants was similar to that observed in participants aged 16 years and older.

Seniors and over 55 years of age

Advanced age is the main risk factor for severe Covid-19 and therefore hospitalization. However, the Phase 3 clinical trials that led to the commercialization of these vaccines were under-represented of older people. The first French data published on May 21, 2021 by EPI-PHARE (public expert group in the epidemiology of health products) on the effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine show an effectiveness that seems excellent in elderly subjects, with a protection rate of at least 90% for 75-85 year olds and at least 80% for those over 85 years old. 

Pregnant women

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO) updated at the end of June 2021, pregnancy puts women at a higher risk of severe Covid-19, but currently, very little data exists to assess the safety of the vaccine during pregnancy.

Pregnant women at high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (e.g. Health workers) or with comorbidities that increase the risk of developing a severe form of the disease can be vaccinated in consultation with their caregiver. Thus, in pregnant women, the vaccine should only be considered if the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks to the mother and fetus. The website of the Ministry of Health indicates a possible vaccination for pregnant women from the second half of pregnancy.

People with comorbidities

For the WHO, "the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine has proven its safety and efficacy in people with different conditions associated with an increased risk" of the severe form of the disease.

Among these co-morbidity factors are mentioned:

1. high blood pressure;
2. diabetes;
3. asthma;
4. lung diseases;
5. hepatic or renal;
6. as well as chronic infections under control.

 Are there any precautions for use and contraindications?

Prevention

The vaccinated person should be monitored for fifteen minutes after vaccination. In addition, a second dose should be avoided in the event of an anaphylactic (i.e. Allergic) reaction that occurred following the first dose.

Contraindications

The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine is contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of its excipients.

For information, here is the list of excipients contained in this vaccine:

1. ALC-0315, ALC-0159, DSPC;
2. cholesterol;
3. potassium chloride;
4. monopotassium phosphate;
5. sodium chloride;
6. disodium phosphate dihydrate; 
7. sucrose;
8. Water for injection.

What is the dosage of the Pfizer vaccine?

 For some time now, you have noticed that you are always tired, no matter how many hours you spend in bed? It may be time to get rid of one of those 12 bad habits that are often overlooked and responsible for chronic fatigue.

You don't drink enough water

Although water is essential to all vital processes of the body, many neglect it.

They don't know how wrong they are: several studies have shown that chronic dehydration affects mood, significantly increases fatigue, and decreases alertness1. That is why (among other things) it is advisable to drink 2-3 liters of water per day, or even more in case of intense physical training.

You have dietary deficiencies

Several nutrients – including iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and B-complex vitamins – play an important role in the chemical balance of the brain.

A deficiency in either of these nutrients can lead to a decrease in sleep quality and therefore a feeling of fatigue. In case of persistent fatigue, it may therefore be relevant to do a complete blood test to detect nutrient deficiencies.

You don't do enough exercises

Several studies have found a correlation between lack of exercise, chronic fatigue, and low cortisol levels.

Quickly, we fall into a vicious circle: fatigue discourages the individual from practising physical activity, which reinforces the feeling of fatigue. It is recommended to practice the equivalent of at least 1 hour of brisk walking per day.

You don't eat enough in the morning

While recent studies have shown that breakfast is not essential in itself (and that it does not allow you to lose weight), it is recognized that eating in the morning is beneficial for physical and cognitive performance.

Glucose deprivation caused by fasting for several hours leads to a drop in blood glucose, quickly followed by disturbances in brain function1: attention is slowed down.

Starting early in the day without having a snack can therefore explain a feeling of fatigue throughout the morning.

Your workspace is not tidy

This may seem strange: an unsigned desk could restrict your ability to concentrate and increase the feeling of fatigue1...

To avoid this, nothing could be simpler: at the end of each day, be sure that nothing is lying around on your desk so that you can ideally start the next day. Above all, do not wait to be overwhelmed by a disorder before taking matters into your own hands!

You are to perfectionist

Perfectionism is a personality trait that can quickly lead to burnout.

Unrealistic goals, fear of failure, and excessive self-criticism are all factors directly related to poor restful sleep and fatigue at all times.

If you are in this case, several tips are available to you: make an appointment with yourself (through a journal for example), set priorities (and stick to them), limit your time...

You snore and have sleep apnea

It should be known, snoring, sleep apnea, can harm sleep insidiously and cause chronic fatigue.

If multiple factors are at play, the frequency of sleep apnea is 12 to 30 times higher in people with obesity. A loss of 7 kg may be enough to reduce snoring and improve sleep. Snorer as well as a partner!

You don't know how to say no

Still, feeling overwhelmed? Do you feel like you never give your opinion, that you are suffering, that you are being crushed?

Perhaps you suffer from an inability to say no, in your private life as well as in your professional environment. If this is the case, look no further: this "disability" is probably one of the culprits of your chronic fatigue, as several studies have shown.

You abuse your sleep on weekends

Every Monday, it's the same song: you feel tired and have trouble getting up. And for good reason! You have the feeling that you have only managed to sleep a few hours. This is not an impression: it seems that the night from Sunday to Monday is the least conducive to falling asleep and restful sleep.

This is simply explained by the upheaval in the sleep rhythm caused by the two days of rest: for many, Friday and Saturday nights are an opportunity to go to bed later and therefore to sleep in. The body is out of control and makes you pay for it, it's the same mechanism that operates when you experience jet lag.

You use your mobile phone in bed

Looking at your phone, tablet, or e-reader in bed is not recommended if you want to get a good night's sleep.

The light released by these devices slows down the production of melatonin (sleep hormone). The direct action of the light delivered by a screen stimulates the visual pathways and acts on the internal biological clock when viewed1.

According to a study2, looking at the screen of an electronic device before bed reduces the quality of sleep. In the long term, this use is harmful and can cause significant sleep disorders, which severely affect daily life. A possible solution: use filters that block the blue light emitted.

You ingest too much caffeine during the day

 The Caffeine found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy or soft drinks should be avoided before going to bed. It persists in the body between 3 and 5 hours and disrupts sleep cycles.

One study1 showed that consuming a drink that contains caffeine between 0 and 6 hours before bedtime significantly reduced sleep duration. Indeed, even when consumed 6 hours before bedtime, it would lose nearly an hour of sleep!

You consume alcohol in the evening

Do you think alcohol makes it easier to fall asleep? Undoubtedly, but in reality, it significantly reduces the quality of sleep.

This is because drinking alcohol after dinner can blow up the first sleep cycle, which is called calm wakefulness. During it, the brain is still active, but the body relaxes. Alcohol also causes regular awakenings due to adrenaline secretions and disrupts sleep cycles because it blocks the entry of tryptophan into the brain.

In addition, since it dehydrates, it frequently happens that the person wakes up in the middle of the night to drink a glass of water. Sleep is, therefore, less regenerative and less restful.

 To stay healthy, it is often enough to use the products around us well. Eating apples regularly, for example, would be a great idea that we don't think about often enough.

 The apple regulates transit problems

The apple is a fruit rich in fiber, which facilitates intestinal transit and reduces the risk of constipation. For this, it must be eaten raw with the skin. In case of diarrhea, on the other hand, peel your apple. It will then have a radical effect. The pectin it contains is a soluble fiber that can retain up to 20 times its volume of water.

Apple reduces the risk of cancer

The apple is also an ally against cancer. It contains high levels of catechins and quercetin, antioxidants that act against the proliferation of cancer cells. These antioxidants are mainly found in the skin, so consider buying organic apples, or washing them well before consuming them.

Apple fights bad cholesterol

Apples are able to significantly reduce bad cholesterol levels and slightly increase good cholesterol levels. It is thanks to pectin that apples prevent fats from clumping together in the arteries. Squeezing the apple into juice would fight even more effectively against bad cholesterol.

The apple is a slimming ally

The apple would also be recommended for all people looking to lose weight. It is indeed an excellent appetite suppressant. Eating two apples a day would therefore allow you to lose weight. The feeling of satiety it provides reduces snacking as well as our apétit during meals.

Apple reduces the risk of diabetes

Eating apples would also be helpful in reducing the risk of diabetes. Fiber, like pectin, slows down the penetration of sugars into the blood and thus stabilizes blood sugar levels. According to the results of an American study, eating an apple a day reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 28%.

Apple is good for bones

Several studies have shown that eating antioxidant-rich fruits, such as apples, leads to increased bone mass and greater bone strength. As a rule, fruit consumption leads to better bone mineral density.

The apple allows you to sleep better

Eating apples makes our nights more peaceful. Because it is rich in phosphorus, the apple prevents sleep problems like insomnia. It also fights anxiety and promotes relaxation. Eating an apple before bed is therefore recommended.

Apple reduces the risk of stroke

According to a study conducted by Dutch researchers and published in Stroke, the Journal of the American Heart Association, regularly consuming pears and apples reduces the risk of stroke (stroke) by 52%. One apple a day would be enough to effectively prevent strokes.

Apple reduces the risk of neurodegenerative disease

Apple is also recommended for good brain health because it contains an antioxidant, quercetin, which effectively protects brain cells. It also helps to maintain a good memory and prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkison's.

Apple is excellent for oral health

The apple is finally essential to maintain good oral hygiene. It promotes the production of saliva. However, saliva protects the teeth from bacteria and helps fight against the development of cavities.

 Pfizer Gate is the name given to the controversy around the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine caused by the publication of an article in the British Medical Journal that questions the "bad practices" of Ventavia, one of the companies responsible for conducting phase III clinical trials of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19.

Testimony that questions the integrity of data from clinical trials of the Pfizer vaccine

The Pfizergate case follows an article published on November 2 in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) that questions the integrity of data relating to clinical trials evaluating Pfizer's Covid vaccine. These revelations are based on the testimony of Brook Jackson, former regional director at Ventavia Research Group, one of the subcontractors of the Pfizer laboratory responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of the Comirnaty vaccine against Covid-19. According to her, Ventavia Research Group had committed shortcomings during its tests, "falsified data" and "delayed in monitoring side effects". 

What are Brook Jackson's accusations?

The origin of the accusations dates back to September 2020 when Brook Jackson told the BMJ that Ventavia Research Group allegedly falsified data, removed patient anonymity, employed "inadequately trained vaccinators" and "took time" to track adverse events reported in Pfizer's pivotal Phase III trial. After having repeatedly informed the Ventavia group of these problems, the regional director would have sent on September 25, 2020, a complaint to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States. On the same day, she was fired by Ventavia.

In his email to the FDA, Brook Jackson accuses Ventavia of a dozen questionable practices she allegedly witnessed. Among her accusations, she recounts, among others:

1. Participants were placed in a corridor after injection and not monitored by clinical staff
2. Lack of timely follow-up of patients with adverse events
3. Unreported protocol deviations
4. Vaccines that were not stored at appropriate temperatures
5. Mislabeled laboratory samples
6. Targeting Ventavia staff to report these types of issues.

According to the BMJ, the former regional director of Ventavia Research Group "provided dozens of internal company documents, photos, audio recordings, and emails." However, the companies Ventavia and Pfizer have not reacted to these revelations.

What are health agencies saying in the face of these accusations?

Faced with the Controversial Pfizergate affair, the FDA refrained from any comment, but assured the newspaper of the Parisian "not being able, for the moment, to comment more on this case" but to have "full confidence in the data that have been used to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine". As for the European Medicines Agency, it said it "takes very seriously all claims involving the safety and integrity of data" and "works closely with the FDA and international partners" to shed light on these facts.

On Monday 8 November, the High Authority for Health (HAS) published an opinion concerning the Spikevax covid vaccine® developed by Moderna. The body advises against it to people under 30 years of age. Why?

A risk of myocarditis

Moderna Serum is a messenger RNA vaccine, as is Pfizer's Cormirnaty® vaccine. It is one of the first to have obtained a marketing authorization to fight against the coronavirus. Since the beginning of vaccination, data have been collected as part of pharmacovigilance, by the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) and the Health Insurance, thanks to the Epi-Phare study. However, this study now shows that there is a "risk of occurrence of very rare cases of myocarditis". Although it is rare, the danger remains real. As a reminder, myocarditis is characterized by inflammation of the heart muscle while pericarditis concerns the membrane that surrounds the heart.

The ANSM had already confirmed this risk in its report dated October 2021, particularly following the study of patients aged 12 to 50 years. The study then stated "the existence of an infrequent risk of myocarditis and pericarditis within 7 days of vaccination against Covid-19 with an mRNA vaccine [...] particularly among young people aged 12 to 29. In addition, the HAS specifies today that men are more affected and that "this risk appears about 5 times lower for the Comirnaty vaccine® of Pfizer compared to the Spikevax vaccine® of Moderna. Nevertheless, the outcome of cases of myocarditis or pericarditis is, in the vast majority of cases, favourable. Indeed, "the state of health of patients improves on its own or with the help of treatment."

Moderna vaccine not recommended for children under 30

According to the HAS, it is therefore quite clear that this Spikevax® vaccine should not be administered to people under 30 years of age in order to rule out any risk of myocarditis or pericarditis. In 12-29-year-olds, an excess of cases was observed, to the tune of 131.3 per million cases involving Moderna and 26.7 compared to the Pfizer vaccine, most often after the injection of the second dose. In light of these clinical data and pending additional data on these risks, "the HAS recommends, for the population under 30 years of age and as soon as it is available, the use of the Comirnaty vaccine® whether it is a primary vaccination or a booster."