Consumers Union, Testimony at Hepatitis Hearing, and Public Comment at HICPAC
June 18 3:00 PM
Evelyn McKnight
It was a busy and gratifying week. Highlights include meeting fellow patient advocates at the event organized by Consumers Union at the CDC. Special thanks to Lisa McGiffert and her colleagues for their wonderful work.
I issued testimony as part of the congressional hearing on hepatitis yesterday, and we are including it in the "Advocacy/Policy" button on our web site. Here's the link: http://honoreform.org/public-policy-advocacy/details.aspx?ID=6
Steve Langan remained at the CDC for the first half of the HICPAC meeting yesterday, and he made a comment in response to Dr. Schaefer's presentation on infection rates at outpatient clinics. Because of concentrated migration of healthcare to outpatient clinics, it is clear that the 2007 HICPAC guidelines need to be revised, updated. Their discussion of creating a checklist is particularly interesting news.
ABC News Report and JAMA article, etc.
June 9 9:44 AM
Evelyn McKnight
A busy morning, and a satisfying one. The news report on unsafe practices in outpatient surgery centers from ABC is making the rounds - it's on our home page - and the article, "Infection Control Assessment of Ambulatory Surgery Centers," co-written by many of our friends, came out today in JAMA. Contact our executive director, Steve Langan, at 402.659.6343 or steve@HONOReform.org, and he will send you a copy.
I am so grateful for friends throughout the country who are helping to make a difference. Thank you for validating the struggle of so many of us who have been affected by unsafe practices.
One of the nurse anesthesists involved in the Las Vegas outbreak was arrested today. And there was a an excellent story by Luis Fabregas, titled "Syringe reuse failed to surface in Children's Hospital records," published yesterday. If any of the editors in Pittsburgh happen upon my blog, will you please - please - consider the opinion piece I wrote and sent to you?
I also responded about the outbreak of hepatitis B at the free dental clinic in West Virginia...and sent that to editor Jake Womer.
Our committee meets at noon today - full steam ahead on our November 12 awareness and fundraising event in Fremont.
One & Only Campaign Video update
June 3 10:51 AM
Steve Langan
A report today from the coordinator of the One & Only Campaign: 800 orders, from as far away as Ireland and New Zealand. I am so proud of the efforts of the Safe Injection Practices Coalition...clearly becoming noticed by people who want and need this valuable - and life saving - information!
Pittsburgh Childrens Hospital; Lauren Lolllini.
June 1 11:53 AM
Evelyn McKnight
Sadly, news about outbreaks does not take the long weekend off. We learned late last week of a report from Pittsburgh. Over 250 children who had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy were treated with Botox to help them walk. The same syringes were used on multiple patients. Shocking and sad. I wrote and sent an op-ed in response to this awful news to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Our friend - one of our heroes - Lauren Lollini of Denver is featured on the main page of our web site. Kudos to Lauren for her hard work on behalf of people who are affected by outbreaks.