CDC Investigation into Respiratory Disease Outbreak Has Contributed Absolutely Nothing to the Public's Knowledge So Far
Before the CDC initiated its investigation of vaping-associated respiratory illness (VARI) on August 1, here is what we knew about the outbreak:This outbreak is associated with vaping. If you want to avoid getting sick, you should avoid vaping.After nearly eight weeks of CDC investigation, here is what the CDC ' s current conclusion is about the outbreak:This outbreak is associated with vaping. If you want to avoid getting sick, you should avoid vaping.In other words, the investigation has added nothing in terms of public knowledge. Most importantly, it has added nothing in terms of specific steps that the public can take ...
Source: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary - September 23, 2019 Category: Addiction Source Type: blogs
CDC's Obfuscation of Link Between Illicit THC Carts and Lung Disease Outbreak is Worsening the Situation and Probably Leading to More Cases
Instead of simply acknowledging that a large number of cases in the recent outbreak of severe, acute respiratory failure are due to black market THC vape carts, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is undermining that key information and continuing to do everything it can to pin the outbreak on the use of traditional, nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes. Today, I provide three examples to show how the CDC ' s fraudulent conduct is causing state officials to issue inappropriate warnings that are almost certainly worsening the situation and leading to more cases of disease.1.Montana: Today, health offic...
Source: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary - September 9, 2019 Category: Addiction Source Type: blogs
A Flood of Irresponsible Actions and Advice on Respiratory Disease Outbreak
There is a wave of irresponsible recommendations and actions that are taking place in response to the outbreak of more than 400 cases of severe, acute respiratory disease and five deaths that have occurred in the United States. Since there are far too many to write an individual commentary on each, I am combining three of the most important examples in this post.1. Dr. Thomas Eissenberg Implies that the Respiratory Disease Outbreak is being Caused by Traditional (nicotine-containing) Electronic CigarettesIn anop-ed piece inThe Guardian entitled " Vaping Is Risky: Do Not Do It If You Care About Your Lungs, " Dr. Thomas Eiss...
Source: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary - September 8, 2019 Category: Addiction Source Type: blogs
The Most Telling Sign that CDC is Protecting Illicit Marijuana Drug Dealers While Doing Everything it Can to Pin this Outbreak on Traditional E-Cigarettes
It is clear to me that in its investigation of more than 400 cases of acute respiratory failure tied to the vaping of certain products, the CDC is doing everything it can to undermine the proven connection between most of these cases and illicit marijuana vape carts, while exaggerating a potential, but completely unproven connection with traditional electronic cigarettes.This was highlighted last Friday with the complete split between the FDA and CDC with respect to their public communications and warnings regarding the disease outbreak.The CDC is undermining the observed connection between black market THC/CBD oils and th...
Source: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary - September 8, 2019 Category: Addiction Source Type: blogs
Bad viruses travel fast: Measles vaccine important for travelers
(This post has been updated with relevant recent information.)
The United States was declared free from ongoing measles transmission in 2000. But we may be at risk for joining the UK Greece, Albania, and the Czech Republic, four countries recently stripped of measles elimination status by the World Health Organization. Since the beginning of 2019, more than 1,234 measles cases have been reported in 31 states, with active outbreaks in upstate New York and El Paso, Texas. New York has just declared the end of its yearlong outbreak, which required a massive public health response to control. Minnesota had a major measles outb...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - September 8, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: John Ross, MD, FIDSA Tags: Health Infectious diseases Prevention Travel health Source Type: blogs
CDC Has No Problem Attacking Vaping Companies so Why are They Protecting the Marijuana Drug Cartel?
We now know that the majority of cases of the severe respiratory disease outbreak that has affected more than 300 people and resulted in three deaths across the United States are associated with the use of illicit, bootleg marijuana vape carts that are produced by what is most likely a relatively small cartel of illegal manufacturers. E-liquid samples from patients across multiple states have tested positive for tocopherol acetate and at high levels, with at least one sample reported to be comprised of 50% tocopherol acetate. The CDC itselfreported today that a cluster of cases of lipoid pnemonia in North Carolina were all...
Source: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary - September 6, 2019 Category: Addiction Source Type: blogs
Understanding How Changes in SNF Medicare Payment Affect SLPs
By now, most speech-language pathologists in health care setting have heard about major changes coming to the way Medicare pays skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), effective Oct. 1. The patient-driven payment model (PDPM) bases Medicare reimbursement to SNFs on a patient’s clinical presentation rather than on the amount of time they need treatment.
Here are the PDPM facts and tips—both financial and clinical—for SLPs in SNFs.
Know the facts
Medicare is changing how it pays SNFs, but not the longstanding requirement that only medically necessary services are reimbursed. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - September 6, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Sarah Warren Tags: Health Care Slider Speech-Language Pathology Professional Development Source Type: blogs
Understanding How Changes in Medicare Payment to SNFs Affect SLPs
By now, most speech-language pathologists in health care setting have heard about major changes coming to the way Medicare pays skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), effective Oct. 1. The patient-driven payment model (PDPM) bases Medicare reimbursement to SNFs on a patient’s clinical presentation rather than on the amount of time they need treatment.
Here are the PDPM facts and tips—both financial and clinical—for SLPs in SNFs.
Know the facts
Medicare is changing how it pays SNFs, but not the longstanding requirement that only medically necessary services are reimbursed. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - September 6, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Sarah Warren Tags: Health Care Slider Speech-Language Pathology Professional Development Source Type: blogs
Bad viruses travel fast: Measles vaccine important for travelers
The United States was declared free from ongoing measles transmission in 2000. But we may be at risk for joining the U.K, Greece, Albania, and the Czech Republic, four countries recently stripped of measles elimination status by the World Health Organization. Since the beginning of 2019, more than 1,234 measles cases have been reported in 31 states, with active outbreaks in upstate New York and El Paso, Texas. New York has just declared the end of its yearlong outbreak, which required a massive public health response to control. Minnesota had a major measles outbreak in 2017. In 2015, 125 cases of measles occurred in Cali...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - September 5, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: John Ross, MD, FIDSA Tags: Health Infectious diseases Prevention Travel health Source Type: blogs
IN MY VIEW: CDC and Health Groups' Bias Against E-Cigarettes is Putting Kids' Lives at Risk
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have now been153 reported cases of severe, acute lung disease caused by " vaping " across 19 states. Tragically, one of these cases resulted in a death. Most of the cases are occurring among youth or young adults. The acute disease appears to be taking the form of lipoid pnemonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and/or chemical pneumonitis.Physicians, health departments, and the CDC have almost uniformly informed the public that these cases are caused by " vaping " and have advised youth and young adults to avoid using " e-cigarettes. "The Rest o...
Source: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary - August 25, 2019 Category: Addiction Source Type: blogs
Everyone Is Having the Wrong Healthcare Debate
By STEVEN MERAHN, MD
In 1807, in an effort to spite the British and French for shipping interference (and forced recruitment of American citizens into military service), the United States Congress passed an Embargo Act, effectively shutting down trade with these two countries. Britain and France quickly found other trading partners; the US, then limited in our capacity to sell products outside our borders, was left with a devastated economy and a gaping hole in our face. It took only weeks before Congress passed a loophole; they repealed the act within 15 months of its passing. It was a great lesson in unintended co...
Source: The Health Care Blog - August 16, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Christina Liu Tags: Health Policy Politics Uncategorized Health care debate Health Care Reform Steven Merahn universal healthcare Source Type: blogs
Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 290
Dr Mark Corden Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 290
It's Friday. Boggle your brain with FFFF challenge and some old fashioned trivia. Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 290 (Source: Life in the Fast Lane)
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - August 16, 2019 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Dr Mark Corden Tags: FFFF 50 years acute eosinophilic pneumonia anaesthetics ASA boiled lobster coronary heart disease Death diffuse alveolar haemorrhage e-cigarettes emergency sedation fasting GRIM hypersensitivity inhalation injury mortality Pa Source Type: blogs
The ECG was correct. The angiogram was not.
In this study, approximately 10% of Transient STEMI had no culprit found:Early or late intervention in patients with transient ST ‐segment elevation acute coronary syndrome: Subgroup analysis of the ELISA‐3 trialOne must use all available data, including the ECG, to determine what happened.Final Diagnosis?If the troponin remained under the 99% reference, then it would be unstable angina. If it rose above that level before falling, it would be acute myocardial injury due to ischemia, which is, by definition, acute MI. If that is a result of plaque rupture, then it is a type I MI. The clinical presentat...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - August 12, 2019 Category: Cardiology Authors: Steve Smith Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, July 22nd 2019
This study elucidates the potential to use mitochondria from different donors (PAMM) to treat UVR stress and possibly other types of damage or metabolic malfunctions in cells, resulting in not only in-vitro but also ex-vivo applications.
Gene Therapy in Mice Alters the Balance of Macrophage Phenotypes to Slow Atherosclerosis Progression
https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2019/07/gene-therapy-in-mice-alters-the-balance-of-macrophage-phenotypes-to-slow-atherosclerosis-progression/
Atherosclerosis causes a sizable fraction of all deaths in our species. It is the generation of fatty deposits in blood vesse...
Source: Fight Aging! - July 21, 2019 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
100-Hour MRI Delivers Unprecedented Detail
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital used a 7 Tesla MRI Scanner to capture the most precise and detailed 3-D photo of the brain ever taken, according to recently published reports. The brain used belonged to a 58-year old woman who died of pneumonia and had no known neurological condition. Her brain was stored for nearly three years before researchers decided to scan it for 100 hours, producing unprecedented images that could zero-in on material that was .1 millimeters wide. The brain was held in a custom-made spheroid case made of urethane, which permitted interfering air bubbles to escape. The case was then ...
Source: radRounds - July 19, 2019 Category: Radiology Authors: Julie Morse Source Type: blogs
