Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Many People Won't Do What They're Told

The New York Academy of Medicine: News & Publications: Terrorism Response Plans Will Not Protect Many Americans, New Academy Study Finds:

""Called Redefining Readiness: Terrorism Planning Through the Eyes of the Public and funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, this year-long study gave the American people their first opportunity to describe how they would react to two kinds of terrorist attacks: a smallpox outbreak and a dirty bomb explosion. The rigorous study involved in-depth conversations with government and private-sector planners, 14 group discussions with diverse community residents around the country, and a telephone survey of 2,545 randomly selected adults in the continental United States. ""

Bottom Line: only about 40% would actually do as they are told and go to a smallpox vaccination center for fear of a) catching the illness form the crowds there and b) concern over side effects. The public would do worse in dealing with a dirty-bomb (radiation) attack.

[Via The Atlantic Monthly]



Tuesday, November 9, 2004

Obesity Triples Prescription Drug Costs

FOXNews.com - Health - Obesity Triples Prescription Drug Costs:

""For normal-weight men, monthly prescription drug costs for heart disease-related drugs were $9.89 and for other drugs, $12.96. For overweight men, monthly prescription drug costs for heart disease-related drugs were $18.41 and for other drugs, $20.86. For obese men, monthly prescription drug costs for heart disease-related drugs were $42.02 and for other drugs, $38.29.""

Data apparently presented during an ongoing AHA meeting.



Saturday, November 6, 2004

Cold-Eeze Lawsuit Over Anosmia

Colde-Eze subject of lawsuit for allegedly ruining the sense of smell. Recall I've posted about how well I think Cold-Eeze works. I guess I'll stick to the lozenges...

[Via medpundit]



Friday, November 5, 2004

Americans flock to Canada's immigration Web site

From Reuter's News Agency:

":The number of U.S. citizens visiting Canada's main immigration Web site has shot up six-fold as Americans flirt with the idea of abandoning their homeland after President George W. Bush's election win this week.

"When we looked at the first day after the election, November 3, our Web site hit a new high, almost double the previous record high," immigration ministry spokeswoman Maria Iadinardi said on Friday.

On an average day some 20,000 people in the United States log onto the Web site, www.cic.gc.ca -- a figure which rocketed to 115,016 on Wednesday. The number of U.S. visits settled down to 65,803 on Thursday, still well above the norm.

Bush's victory sparked speculation that disconsolate Democrats and others might decide to start a new life in Canada, a land that tilts more to the left than the United States.""

[Via Drudge]



Thursday, November 4, 2004

Gulf War Syndrome Cause Probably Found

Gulf War Syndrome Cause Probably Found:

""The New Scientist is reporting that after extensive studies by researchers at the Veterans Administration, the cause of Gulf War Syndrome has been possibly traced to exposure to Sarin gas.""

[Via The Command Post]



Monday, November 1, 2004

Poland Attracts Plastic Surgery 'Tourism'

Poland Attracts Plastic Surgery 'Tourism'

""A rising number of Germans and others from western Europe are traveling to Poland - and other new EU members such as Hungary and Slovakia - to pay less for plastic surgery, fertility treatment and dental work."

...[snip]...

"Breast enlargement, for instance, starts at around $3,200 in Poland, but runs between $6,150 and $9,800 in Germany. A nose job costs $2,000 to $2,500 in Poland, $4,900 to $7,400 in Germany.""

[Via My Way News: ]



Sunday, October 31, 2004

Poland Attracts Plastic Surgery 'Tourism'



Friday, October 29, 2004

Rendell Misstates The Issue

Rendell is finally doing the right thing:

""Under pressure from military voters and Republicans, [Pennsylvanie] Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell said Friday that he will ask a federal judge to extend the deadline for counting overseas ballots by one week.

Rendell told a news conference in Philadelphia that Republicans could produce only one voter - out of 26,000 overseas military and civilian voters - who failed to get the absentee ballot he requested." [My Way News]"

The issue is not whether people got ballots, governor. The issue is the the fact that they got them late yet the deadline for their return was unaltered. It appears that will now be rectified.



Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Is the Hockey Stick Broken?

More on global warming science:Is the Hockey Stick Broken?



Monday, October 25, 2004

New Interim Guidelines Address Use of Antiviral Medications for Influenza

Influenza Antiviral Medications: 2004-05 Interim Chemoprophylaxis and Treatment Guidelines

""Influenza antiviral medications are an important adjunct to influenza vaccine in the prevention and treatment of influenza. In the setting of the current vaccine shortage, CDC has developed interim recommendations on the use of antiviral medications for the 2004-05 influenza season. These interim recommendations are provided, in conjunction with previously issued recommendations on use of vaccine, to reduce the impact of influenza on persons at high risk for developing severe complications secondary to infection.""

[Via Medscape Headlines]


How To Reduce The Risk Of Catching The Flu

From the JCAHO:

New National Campaign Offers Americans Three Easy Steps To Prevent Infections

The Joint Commission urges Americans to do three easy things to limit the spread of respiratory infections in health care settings and communities.

  • Clean your hands – Rub hands vigorously with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds after using the bathroom, taking out the trash, changing a diaper, or before handling food. Use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers is an acceptable alternative. Americans should also not hesitate to ask their doctors, nurses, dentists or other caregivers whether they have cleaned their hands before rendering care. It is also important that your hands be clean when caring for a sick friend or family member at home.
  • Cover your mouth and nose – To stop the spread of infectious diseases through sneezes and coughs, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, your hands, or the crook of your elbow. Then, remember to wash your hands.
  • Avoid close contact – A fever or symptoms of a contagious illness are clear signs to you or your child to stay at home and away from other people, either at work or at school. If you are sick and go to work or school, you place others at risk for getting sick as well.
November, 2004
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
  1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30  
Oct  Dec

Feeds and Categories

Blog Roll

Google Modules
   Body Mass Index
   Allowable Blood Loss

Anesthesiology
   The Ether Way
   Westmead Anaesthesia Blog
   Anesthesioboist
   Book of Joe
   Anesthesiamania
   i'm so sleepy
   GASMAN

Medicine
   Aggravated DocSurg
   Retired Doc
   Finger and Tubes
   Running A Hospital
   Medviews
   Doctor
   Chance To Cut
   Medlogs
   Medpundit
   RangelMD
   DB's Medical Rants
   EchoJournal
   Palmdoc Chronicles
   Blogborygmi
   The Well-Timed Period
   WebMD

Journals
   NEJM
   JAMA
   A&A
   Anesthesiology

Geeks Like Me
   Seth Dillingham
   Jonathan Greene