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March 12. 2008
H ealth MATTERS
Page B3
Have you seen me?
1-800-THE-LOST
Shoddy Practice Spreads Hepatitis C
Endangered Runaway
Clinic tried to
save money
(AP) — Nearly 40,000 people
learned last week that a trip to the
doctor may have made them sick.
In a type of scandal more often
asso ciated w ith T hird W orld
countries, a Las Vegas clinic was
found to be reusing syringes and
vials of medication for nearly four
years. The shoddy practices may
have led to an outbreak of the
potentially fatal hepatitis C virus
and exposed patients to IIIV, too.
The discovery led to the big
gest public health notification op
eration in U.S. history, brought
dem ands for investigations and
caused scores o f lawyers to seek
out patients at risk for infections.
Thousands o f patients are be
ing urged to be tested for the
viruses. Six acute cases o f hepa
titis C have been confirm ed. The
surgical center and five affiliated
clinics have been closed.
"I find it baffling, frankly, that
in this day and age anyone would
think it was safe to reuse a sy
ringe," said M ichael Bell, associ
ate director for infection control
at the national Centers for D is
ease Control and Prevention.
One o f the infected patients is
retired airplane mechanic Michael
W ashington, 67, who was the first
to report his infection. On the
advice of his doctor, he received
a routine colon exam in July at the
Endoscopy C enter o f Southern
Nevada.
In Septem ber, he started to get
sick. He was losing weight fast.
His urine turned dark. His stom
Samanthu Cochran
Daniel Anderson
Current Age: 15
Date Missing: Eeb. 11,2008
Missing From: Christiansburg, VA
Current Age: 17
Date Missing: Feb. 14,2008
Missing From: Aurora, IL
Larry Anderson
Joel Andrade
Current Age: 16
Date Missing: Feb. 20,2008
Missing From: Miami Gardens. FL
Current Age: 16
Date Missing: Feb. 15, 2(M,8
Missing From: Chicago, IL
Michael Washington, 67, believes he contracted hepatitis C while having a preventative colon
examine at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada last July. Washington's wife Josephine. 70,
is shown nearby. (AP Photo)
ach hurt. By January, it was clear
what had happened.
W ashington describes his vi
rus as a "creeping death sen
tence" and worries that others
will hear his story and think twice
before getting preventive care
they need.
Health officials say they are
most worried about the spread of
hepatitis C, which targets the liver
but shows no symptoms in as
many as 80 percent of infections.
Hepatitis C results in the sw ell
ing o f the liver and can cause
stomach pain, fatigue and ja u n
dice. It may eventually result in
liver failure. Even when no sym p
toms occur, the virus can slowly
cause dam age to the liver.
Health inspectors say they ob
served clinic staff using the same
syringe twice to extract anesthe
sia from a single vial, which was
then inappropriately used to treat
more than one patient. The prac
tice allows contam inated blood
in a used syringe to taint the vial
and infect the next patient.
Bell said such improper proce
dures appear to be more common
in outpatient surgical centers like
the endoscopy center. U nlike
hospitals, such centers often do
not have em ployees whose sole
responsibility is to m onitor and
educate staff on best practices.
Clinic staff told inspectors they
had been ordered by management
to reuse the vials and syringes.
Investigators were told the
practice was an attempt to cut
costs, according to a letter of
com plaint from the city, which
revoked the facility's business
license. The clinic's m ajority
owner, Dipak Desai, a political
contributor and member of the
governor's commission on health
care, has refused to comment on
the allegations.
O f the thousands o f people
who have rushed to be tested,
many will get positive results,
officials fear. More than 15,000
people already have called the
health district for information.
I f you hove any inform ation please contact:
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
1-800-1 H E -L O S T (1-800-843-5678)
This public service announcement provided
by the Portland Observer Newspaper.
Smoke around your children and
they could inhale
equal to 102 packs
of cigarettes
by age 5.
Glaucoma Screening Saves Sight
by
M argaret C arter
In c e le b ra tio n o f
World Glaucoma Day,
organized to call atten
tion to the importance of
glaucoma screenings, it’s
important to understand
how' glaucoma can steal
vision without warning.
That is why it is called the
“sneak thief of sight.”
With glaucoma, you may not
notice any symptoms until you lose
some vision.
The good news is that a simple,
painless screening by an optom
etrist or ophthalmologist can de-
tect glaucoma. Early de
tection is essential to
save vision.
I want to add my own
personal message of
encouragement to O r
egonians over the age
of 4 0 -especially Afri
can Americans — to get
a glaucoma screening.
All of us are at risk
for glaucoma, some of us more than
others. African Americans are five
times more likely to gel glaucoma
than Caucasians, and six times more
likely to become blind from the dis
ease. In fact, glaucoma is the lead
ing cause of blindness among Af
rican Americans.
No one knows why glaucoma
occurs more often, and with more
devastating consequences, among
African Americans. But clearly,
glaucoma screenings need to be
part of our regular medical routine.
Other high-risk groups include
people over 60, family members of
those already diagnosed, diabetics
and people who are severely near
sighted.
Glaucoma screenings are a per
sonal cause for me. Several mem
bers o f my fam ily have been
stricken with this “sneak thief of
sight.” Some of them whose glau
coma was detected early received
appropriate medical treatm ent
and still have vision. Others were
less fortunate, and their vision
loss haunts me.
During the last session of the
Legislature, I sponsored a bill to
facilitate appropriate medical treat
ment of glaucoma once it has been
diagnosed. But to stop the “sneak
thief of sight."each of us is respon
sible for taking the first step: get
ting a glaucoma screening.
Margaret Carter is a state sena
tor. representing Distrù I22 in Port
land.
Everyone has the right
to breathe clean air,
especially our.children.
Emergency Contraception for Victims Made Available
State public officials are imple
menting a new law that requires
hospitals to offer emergency con
traception to fem ale victims o f
sexual assault.
The law requires hospitals to
inform female sexual assault vic
tims about em ergency contracep
tion. the option o f receiving it.
and to provide it to the victim if
she asks for it.
"We want women to be aware
that em ergency contraception is
available to all sexual assault vic
tim s," said Katherine Bradley,
Ph.D., adm inistrator of family
health program s in DHS. "It is a
safe, effective treatment option
H ealth W atch
L e a rn in g to L iv e w ith D ia b e te s -T hursdays,
March
13 and March 20, 1:3() to 3 p.m.; $ 10. To register, call
503-241-3059.
Tools fo r C a re g ive rs -Six-w eek educational series are
offered to help family caregivers take care of themselves
whilecaring fora relative orfriend with achmnic illness.
The classes are being held at several locations and
dales. Call 503-413-6465 for more information.
P aren tin g Classes - Newborns don't come with
instruction manuals hut parents and parents-to-be
can learn about a variety of topics from pain and
childbirth to breastfeeding to infant C'PR and much
more. For a schedule of events, call 503-574-6595 or
visit: providence.org/classes.
Free, safe confiden
tial group meetings for those who have experienced
the death of a loved one offered on various nights and
locations. For information and registration, call 503-
B ereavem ent S u pp o rt G ro u p s -
215-4622.
( o loreetal ( an ce r Discussion — Wednesday,
March
19, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., join oncologists Katherine
Morris and Anupama Kurup to discuss prevention,
colonoscopy procedures and latest treatment options
including robotic surgery at Legacy Good Samaritan.
1040 N.W. 22nd Ave.
C a n c er Resource C e n te r — Providence
St. Vincent
Medical Center and the American Red Cross have
and the sooner it is taken, the
better it w orks.”
E m e r g e n c y - c o n tr a c e p tio n
pills have the same hormone used
in birth-control pills and reduce
the likelihood o f pregnancy by 8 1
to 90 percent when taken within
72 hours of unprotected sex. The
pills may work up to five days
( 120 hours) after unprotected sex.
Studies in the New England
Journal of M edicine and O bstet
rics and Gynecology indicate that
em ergency contraception does
not cause abortion. It does not
work if a woman is already preg
nant and will not harm an existing
pregnancy.
M a te rn ity O rie n ta tio n - Thursday. March 20. from
7:45 to 8:45 p.m.. this class is to familiarize expectant
parents with the maternity unit and answer any ques
tions you may have prior to labor and delivery. To
register, call 503-574-6595.
-Check your carotid arteries
w ith a painless ultrasound to assess your risk. Fee $40.
To schedule a screening, call 503-251 -6 137.
S tro ke A le rt Screening
Sm oke-Free Support G ro u p - meets Mondays, 7 to
8 p.m. For more information, call 503-256-4000.
Free Body Basics - This physician-recommended
class is appropriate for all ages and health conditions.
Plan to attend this one-session class and learn the
simple guidelines for safe exercises, including stretch
ing. Call 5O3-256-4tXM) to register.
Third Wednesday of
each month at 5 p.m., this informative session is led by
a nurse to help manage side effects of medications and
dosage preparations and administration: doctor's refer
ral is required. To register.call 503-251 -6313.
M an ag ing C h ro n ic H epatitis C -
AND EDUCATION
PROGRAM
___________ THE____________
joined forces to create the first in-hospital resource
center providing books, printed material, computer
access and more for individuals and families dealing
with cancer. The center is open Monday through
Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
N ew born C are -- Sunday, March 16, from noon to 5
p.m., learn all the basics of newborn care from bathing
to diapering: $45 per couple to register call 503-574-
6595.
)HS
TOBACCO
SPlNAlCOLUMN
An ongoing senes of questions and answers about America's natural healing profession
Dr. Billy R. Flowers
Part 9. Low Back Surgery:
The unkindest and most unnecessary cut of all.
sivc hospital bills. With Chiroprac you make any decision, heed
tic. the only side effects arc the the advice of the "father" o f low
disappearance of symptoms and back surgery: "exhaust all m eth
have surgery and get it “ fixed
the
Il
IL recurrence
ILL
of vitality.
ods of conservative care before
rig h t? "
W h ic h techn iqu e has
: We hear this question quite
considering surgery to the lum
b etter results fo r low hack bar (low back) spine." To find
often and considering many
problem
probit s. ( h iro p ra e tie o r
physicians' pro-surgery preoccu
out how Chiropractic can help
you avoid back surgery, or for
pation, it's no wonder people ask su rg ery?
: According to a recent issue answers to any questions you
such questions. That is, until they
of Com puter M edicine, low might have about your health,
examine the facts. The truth is that
back surgery is one of the least
please call us at the phone num
in about 9 0 f/r of low back pain, the
problem is mechanical. Chiroprac effective procedures. In fact. 75 ber displayed below .
tic has had and continues to have to 9 9 L are unsuccessful. Before
the best technique for treating
spinal m echanical problem s
through gentle, exact adjustment
2124 NE Hancock,
with highly skilled hands. Anil
Port land Oregon 97212
Chiropractic requires no drugs,
surgery, recuperation or expen-
Phone: (5 0 3 ) 2 8 7 -5 5 0 4
Q
: Should I try c h iro p rac tic
fo r m y low hack pain o r
Q
A
A
Flowers' Chiropractic Office
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