advance the complete features and specifications of said product.
Advisory re: Chinese General Hospital, Blumentritt St., Manila; St. Luke's Medical Center; Philippine General Hospital; Manila Doctors Hospital, Manila Medical Center; other hospitals; it will benefit prospective customers
of hospitals to find out out in advance the following regarding hospitals:
Is said hospital a trauma center?
Is said hospital's ER a three, two, or one level ER?
Does said hospital's ER offer round-the-clock diagnostic tests such as ultrasound, CT scans, and
MRIs?
What is the specialty of said hospital's ER?
How fast does the ER treat heart emergencies?
What is said ER's average patient wait? .
Are a Are all the ER doctors board certified in emergency medicine
Is the entire staff of said hospital's ER skilled in pediatrics?
What, if any, pediatric equipment does the said ER have?
Does said hospital's ER have a separate treatment area for children?
How inclined are the said hospital's ER docs to call in a plastic surgeon to do some potentially tricky work, versus just doing it themselves?
What are the busiest hours in said hospital's ER?
Is there always a doctor in said hospital's ER who can open an artery in the heart or brain, or will a patient
have to be moved to be moved to another hospital if he/she needs that procedure done?
Does said hospital have a centralized system for collecting reports of adverse events? reporting system?
Does said hospital fully distribute adverse event summary reports?
Does said hospital encourage reporting by a range of hospital staff, and distribute timely
summary reports that are reviewed by senior-level staff?
Are said reports used to develop event reduction strategies.
Has said hospital established “supportive environments” that allow anonymous reporting.
Does said hospital have broad staff involvement in reporting adverse events?
Does said hospital adhere to recommended infection control practices including standard,
contact, droplet, and airborne precautions?
What is said hospital doing to: prevent medication errors? protect their patients from infections?
reduce radiation risk from computed tomography for pediatric and small adult patients?
Does said hospital have a computerized prescription system?
Does said hospital use patient bar codes to ensure that patients get the correct medication?
If said hospital does not use said patient bar codes, what kind of safeguards does said hospital have in place to prevent medication errors?
Proof, if any, that patients in sad hospital's ER equiring admission to the ICU were always
transferred from the ER to the ICU within 1 hour.
Proof, if any, that said hospital has in place measures to prevent health care-associated infections.
Proof, if any, that said hospital has in place measures to prevent food poisoning.
Public message to the Editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper:
Did said newspaper print on page A4 of the Tuesday May 12, 2009 issue of said newspaper an article containing the following words:
"Retired nurse Elsie Brandes-De Veyra of EcoWaste Coalition . . . Citing information from the University of the Philippines-National
Poison Management and Poison Control Center EcoWaste said . . ." If said newspaper published said article, did you examine said alleged information beforehand?
Please send soonest the complete address of EcoWaste Coalition and your reply to: consumertipsphils@yahoo.com
Information from the U.S. government web site: Center for Disease Control:
This will be the last regular H1N1 flu update sent to subscribers to Recent Outbreaks and Incidents. If you are a subscriber to that list and would like to continue to receive updates on H1N1 flu, please visit the CDC H1N1 Flu website to sign up for the H1N1 flu email updates.
UPDATE ON THE SITUATION
A New Virus Emerges
Novel influenza A (H1N1) is a new flu virus of swine origin that was first detected in April, 2009. The virus is infecting people and is spreading from person-to-person, and has sparked a growing outbreak of illness in the United States with an increasing number of cases being reported internationally as well.
CDC anticipates that there will be more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths associated with this new virus in the coming days and weeks because the population has little to no immunity against it. Novel influenza A (H1N1) activity is now being detected in two of CDC’s routine influenza surveillance systems as reported in the May 8, 2009 FluView (PDF). FluView is a weekly report that tracks U.S. influenza activity through multiple systems across five categories.
The May 8 FluView found that the number of people visiting their doctors with influenza-like-illness is higher than expected in the United States for this time of year. Second, laboratory data shows that regular seasonal influenza A (H1N1), (H3N2) and influenza B viruses are still circulating in the United States, but novel influenza A (H1N1) and “unsubtypable”* viruses now account for a significant number of the viruses detected in the United States.
It’s thought that novel influenza A (H1N1) flu spreads in the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread; mainly through the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick with the virus.
CDC continues to take aggressive action to respond to the outbreak. CDC’s response goals are to reduce the spread and severity of illness, and to provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by this new public health threat.
Increased Testing
CDC has developed a PCR diagnostic test kit to detect this novel H1N1 virus and has now distributed test kits to all states in the U.S. and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The test kits are being shipped internationally as well. This will allow states and other countries to test for this new virus. This increase in testing will likely result in an increase in the number of confirmed cases of illness reported. This, combined with ongoing monitoring through Flu View should provide a fuller picture of the burden of disease in the United States over time.
CDC is issuing updated interim guidance daily in response to the rapidly evolving situation.
Clinician Guidance
CDC has issued interim guidance for clinicians on identifying and caring for patients with novel H1N1, in addition to providing interim guidance on the use of antiviral drugs. Influenza antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) with activity against influenza viruses, including novel influenza H1N1 viruses. The priority use for influenza antiviral drugs during this outbreak is to treat severe influenza illness, including people who are hospitalized or sick people who are considered at high risk of serious influenza-related complications.
Public Guidance
In addition, CDC has provided guidance for the public on what to do if they become sick with flu-like symptoms, including infection with novel H1N1. CDC also has issued instructions on taking care of a sick person at home. Novel H1N1 infection has been reported to cause a wide range of symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. In addition, a significant number of people also have reported nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Everyone should take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs, including frequent hand washing and people who are sick should stay home and avoid contact with others in order to limit further spread of the disease.
*Unsubtypable viruses are viruses that through normal testing cannot be subtyped as regularly occurring human seasonal influenza viruses. In the context of the current outbreak, it’s likely that most of these unsubtypable viruses are novel H1N1.
U.S. HUMAN CASES OF H1N1 FLU INFECTION
H1N1 Confirmed Cases 05/13/2009As of May 13, 2009, CDC has confirmed 3,352 human cases and 3 deaths in 45 states (including the District of Columbia):
* Alabama: 9
* Arizona: 187
* California: 221
* Colorado: 44
* Connecticut: 33
* Delaware: 54
* Florida: 58
* Georgia: 8
* Hawaii: 6
* Idaho: 3
* Illinois: 592
* Indiana: 70
* Iowa: 55
* Kansas: 23
* Kentucky: 10
* Louisiana: 33
* Maine: 6
* Maryland: 23
* Massachusetts: 107
* Michigan: 134
* Minnesota: 31
* Missouri: 18
* Montana: 1
* Nebraska: 21
* Nevada: 21
* New Hampshire: 17
* New Jersey: 8
* New Mexico: 44
* New York: 211
* North Carolina: 12
* Ohio: 11
* Oklahoma: 22
* Oregon: 74
* Pennsylvania: 22
* Rhode Island: 7
* South Carolina: 32
* South Dakota: 3
* Tennessee: 57
* Texas: 293 (2 deaths)
* Utah: 72
* Vermont:1
* Virginia: 17
* Washington: 176 (1 death)
* Washington, D.C.: 9
* Wisconsin: 496
For more information, see the CDC H1N1 Flu website.
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN CASES OF H1N1 FLU INFECTION
For information about the global situation, see the World Health Organization website.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STAY HEALTHY
* Stay informed. This website will be updated regularly as information becomes available.
* Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
* Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
o Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
o Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
o Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
o Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
* Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
* Call 1-800-CDC-INFO for more information.
For more information on what you can to stay safe and healthy, check the CDC H1N1 Flu website.
ADDITIONAL UPDATES ON THE CDC H1N1 FLU WEBSITE
To learn about other recent updates made to the CDC H1N1 Flu Website, please check the "What's New" page on the CDC H1N1 Flu website.
Be Careful When Hiring Contractors For Disaster Repairs
Thursday, May 14, 2009 12:05 AM
From:
"FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)"
MOORHEAD, Minn. -- watch out for scam artists when hiring contractors to clean and repair property or remove debris.
That is the warning issued by officials with Minnesota Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
"Unfortunately in disaster situations, scam artists often attempt to take advantage of other people's misfortune," said State Coordinating Officer Kris Eide.
People should be especially alert, she said, for phone or door-to-door solicitors who hand out flyers and promise to speed up the insurance or building-permit process, and those who ask for large cash deposits or advance payments in full.
“All too often disasters attract scam artists,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Michael H. Smith. “Some claim to be state or FEMA certified, when, in fact, neither the state nor FEMA certifies or endorses any contractor.”
If you suspect contractor fraud, contact the Minnesota Attorney General's Consumer Protection Unit 1-800-657-3787 or online at www.ag.state.mn.us, or contact your local Better Business Bureau.
Tips for hiring contractors include:
* Get a written estimate. Compare services and prices before making a final decision. Also, read the fine print. Some contractors charge a fee for a written estimate, which is often applied to the cost of subsequent repairs they make.
* Check references. Contractors should be willing to provide names of previous customers. Call several former customers who had similar work done to make sure they were satisfied with the job.
* Ask for proof of insurance. Make sure the contractor carries general liability insurance and workers' compensation. If the contractor is not insured, the homeowner may be liable for accidents that occur on the property.
* Use reliable, licensed contractors. Call your local Better Business Bureau (and other local sources) to inquire about a business before signing a contract.
* Insist on a written contract. A complete contract should state clearly all tasks to be performed, all associated costs and the payment schedule. Never sign a blank contract or one with blank spaces. Make sure the contract clearly states who will apply for the necessary permits or licenses. Have a lawyer review the contract if substantial costs are involved, and keep a copy for your records.
* Get guarantees in writing. Any guarantees made by the contractor should be written into the contract. The guarantee should state clearly what is guaranteed, who is responsible for the guarantee and how long the guarantee is valid.
* Obtain a local building permit, if required. Permits may be required for site work including demolition and reconstruction. Contact your local government for permit information.
* Make final payments when the work is completed. Do not sign completion papers or make the final payment until the work is completed to your satisfaction. A reputable contractor will not threaten you or pressure you to sign if the job is not finished properly.
* Pay by check. Avoid on-the-spot cash payments. The safest route is to write a check to the contracting company. A reasonable down payment is 30 percent of the total cost of the project to be paid upon initial delivery of materials. Federal law gives consumers a three-day "cooling off" period for unsolicited door-to-door sales of more than $25.
* If necessary, cancel a contract in the proper manner. This should be done within three business days of signing. Be sure to follow the procedures for cancellation that are set out in the contract. Send the notification by registered mail with a return receipt to be signed by the contractor.
Consumers should be wary of contractors who:
* Lack proper identification.
* Go door-to-door. Persons going door-to-door to damaged homes or phoning victims and claiming to be building contractors could be frauds.
* Charge fees to put customers on a list or to fill out forms.
* Offer to increase the amount of your disaster damage assessment. This is not wise and is usually a sure sign of a scam.
* Ask for cash up front.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 13-May-2009 11:37:52
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2009/NEW02004.html
FDA Requires Additional Labeling for Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers and Fever Reducers to Help Consumers Use Products Safely
FDA News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2009
Media Inquiries:
Rita Chappelle, 301-796-4672
Consumer Inquiries:
888-INFO-FDA
FDA Requires Additional Labeling for Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers and Fever Reducers to Help Consumers Use Products Safely
The Food and Drug Administration issued a final rule today that requires manufacturers of over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers and fever reducers to revise their labeling to include warnings about potential safety risks, such as internal bleeding and liver damage, associated with the use of these popular drugs.
Products covered by the FDA action include acetaminophen, and a class of drugs known as the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and ketoprofen. Acetaminophen is in a class by itself. The revised labeling applies to all OTC pain relievers and fever reducers, including those that contain one of these ingredients in combination with other ingredients, such as in cold medicines containing pain relievers or fever reducers.
“Acetaminophen and NSAIDs are commonly used drugs for both children and adults because they are effective in reducing fevers and relieving minor aches and pain, such as headaches and muscle aches, “ said Charles Ganley, M.D., director, FDA’s Office of Nonprescription Drugs in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “However, the risks associated with their use, need to be clearly identified on the label so that consumers taking these drugs are fully aware of the potential harm they can cause. It is important that they know how to take these medications safely to reduce their risk.”
Under the final rule, manufacturers must ensure that the active ingredients of these drugs are prominently displayed on the drug labels on both the packages and bottles. The labeling also must warn of the risks of stomach bleeding for NSAIDs and severe liver damage for acetaminophen.
Since 2006, some manufacturers have voluntarily revised their product labeling to identify these potential safety concerns. However, the voluntary changes to labeling do not address all of the labeling requirements in the new rule. For example, the new rule includes a warning on products containing acetaminophen that instructs consumers to ask a doctor before they are taking the blood thinning drug warfarin. The new rule requires all manufacturers to relabel their products within one year of today’s date.
Safety data reported in medical literature indicate that people sometimes take more acetaminophen than the labeling recommends. Others unknowingly take multiple products containing acetaminophen at the same time. Exceeding the recommended dosage of acetaminophen may increase the risks for severe liver damage. Alcohol use can also increase the risk of liver damage with acetaminophen.
The risk for stomach bleeding may increase in people who use NSAIDs and who are taking blood-thinning drugs (anticoagulants) or steroids. Stomach bleeding risks also increase for people who take multiple NSAIDs at the same time, or in people who take them longer than directed. Alcohol use can increase the risk for stomach bleeding with NSAIDs use.
An FDA Advisory Committee meeting will be convened on June 29 & 30, 2009, to discuss further steps the FDA could take to reduce the risk of liver damage associated with acetaminophen overdoses.
To read the final rule on the relabeling of OTC pain relievers and fever reducers, go to
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-9684.pdf
To read the FR Notice announcing the FDA Advisory Committee meeting, see link below:
http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/E9-9380.pdf
OTC Pain Relievers
Acetaminophen: Tylenol & other Brands
NSAIDS
Aspirin: Bayer & other brands
Ibuprofen: Advil, Motrin & other brands
Naproxen: Aleve & other brands
Source: FDA
web sites with useful, free info:
Philippine Bureau of Agriculture Research Publication
http://www.bar.gov.ph/
Tips On Cleaning Up Mold In Flooded Homes
http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=48358
Removal of Mold Reduces Health Impact and Property Damage
Release Date: May 13, 2009
Release Number: 1833-022
ATLANTA, Ga. -- Receding flood waters often leave a home with the perfect damp environment for rampant growth of mold and mildew. These fungi are a health hazard to some people and must be cleaned up effectively to prevent health problems and make flooded homes habitable.
Infants, the elderly or anyone with asthma, allergies and other breathing conditions may be more sensitive to mold. Also, people with immune suppression are more susceptible to mold infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The CDC and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend the following steps to get rid of mold:
*
Open windows and doors and use fans to dry out the building as quickly as possible. If possible, use wet-vacs to remove water and use dehumidifiers in closed spaces.
*
When working in an affected building, wear protective eye-wear, latex or rubber gloves and a mask.
*
Remove baseboards and wet drywall to a foot above the watermark and discard. Drain walls by drilling holes or pulling non-porous paneling away from the studs. Check the interior of walls for mold.
*
Discard any porous items that have been wet for more than 48 hours and cannot be thoroughly cleaned and dried. This includes carpeting and carpet padding, upholstered furniture, drywall, floor and ceiling tiles, insulation, leather, wood, paper, food and clothing. If there is any doubt about whether the item has been affected by mold, discard it.
*
Allow areas to dry for several days before replacing damaged materials.
* Wash hard, non-porous surfaces (metal, glass, solid wood, plastic, etc.) with non-ammonia detergent and hot water. Scrub rough surfaces like concrete. After the mold is cleaned from non-porous surfaces, disinfect them with a solution of water and bleach (one cup of bleach to one gallon of water); rinse after 10 minutes. Never mix bleach with ammonia.
If the area to be cleaned exceeds 10 square feet, consult a professional contractor or the EPA guides Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings (available at www.epa.gov/mold/i-e-r.html).
For a brochure on mold prevention and cleanup, visit FEMA's recovery web pages at www.fema.gov/pdf/rebuild/recover/fema_mold_brochure_english_pdf. For a Spanish version of this brochure, go to www.fema.gov/pdf/rebuild/recover/fema_mold_brochure_spanish.pdf
FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 13-May-2009 12:43:23
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