Category: Quality Control (Page 69 of 74)

Drug Name Confusion Causes Serious Mistakes

August 17, 2011 / Staff

Confusing or similar drug names can cause serious mix-ups.

The government has a system in place to try to keep drugs that look or sound alike from ending up on the market together. But the pharmaceutical industry has been pushing to kill the system.
There are nearly 800 pairs of drugs like Clindesse and Clindets that look or sound alike, according to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, or ISMP, a patient safety group that compiled a list of them. And the ISMP says all of these similarly named drugs are a big problem, because name mix-ups are responsible for about 25 percent of all medication errors.

While the government does have a system in place to avoid such mix-ups, the pharmaceutical companies are fighting against such safeguards as they are found to be cumbersome to the process of getting drugs to market.

Quality Control

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More Than 60 Thousand Pounds of Ground Beef Recalled for E.Coli Contamination

August 15, 2011 / Staff

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that the National Beef Packing Co. has recalled 60,424 pounds of ground beef products after inspection at an Ohio processing plant revealed potentially dubious signs of contamination by e.coli 0157:H7 bacteria.

The beef was shipped to distributors nationwide for further processing and distribution.

Without more regulation of the food industry and especially factory farms, this will become a much more common occurrence.

Recalls are costly and contamination can often be deadly.

Unbridled by regulation the population continues to be subject to illness and death.

How much longer can we afford to consume without conscience?

Quality Control, Wellness

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An Increased Risk of Type II Diabetes Linked to Processed Meats

August 13, 2011 / Staff

As if we needed more reasons to avoid meat; salmonella poisoning, e-coli, antibiotic resistant bacteria and HCG, to name a few, add a risk of type 2 diabetes to the list.

Type 2 diabetes is at epidemic levels in the U.S raising many questions about the American diet.

Critics aside, some serious evaluation is necessary.

Healthcare costs from treating diabetes alone is in the billions and growing.

No comprehensive national healthcare policy can exist without a comprehensive national food policy!

Read the whole article to learn more.

Type 2 diabetes is linked with obesity. It occurs when they body does not produce enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells do not use insulin properly. Insulin helps the body use glucose or blood sugar for energy. When blood sugar remains elevated with diabetes, complications such as heart disease, blindness, and nerve and kidney damage can occur.
In the study, participants who ate one 3.5-ounce serving of non-processed red meat a day, such as steak or hamburger, were almost 20% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
Those who ate half of this amount of processed meat, such as two slices of bacon or one hot dog, had a 51% increased risk for developing diabetes.

Nutrition, Quality Control, Research, Wellness

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You Can Negotiate for Cheaper Medical Care

August 11, 2011 / Staff

Barter with your doctor
Before bringing it up, think about what your doctor might value. Boxer Wachler, for example, is a car enthusiast and has young children, so car services and photos worked well for him, but when a patient who is an artist offered free paintings in exchange for care, he declined.
“If you can’t afford care, just go for it,” Boxer Wachler says. “It can’t hurt to ask. The worst thing that will happen is the doctor says thanks for offering, but no thanks.”

Pay on credit
About half of Boxer Wachler’s patients pay on credit — often over 24 months with no interest. Ask your doctor if he or she has arrangements with credit companies and if not, ask if they would be willing to make them.

Negotiate with your doctor
When Christina McMenemy’s husband lost his job and health insurance, she negotiated a $40 fee for an office visit with her children’s pediatrician.
“You’d be surprised how many doctors, especially primary care physicians such as internists and pediatricians, will do this for their patients,” says Dr. Gail Gazelle, a patient advocate and assistant clinical professor at Harvard Medical School.
The book “My Healthcare is Killing Me” teaches you how to negotiate prices with hospitals, too.

Get financial assistance
The “Healthcare Survival Guide” has a state-by-state listing of resources that offer financial help for medical care.

Get discounted dental care, contact lenses and drugs

Tattoo Infections Linked to New Bacteria

August 11, 2011 / Staff

An investigation into skin lesions developed by two individuals after getting tattoos has concluded that both were infected with a bacteria not previously linked to the business.

The infections involved Mycobacterium haemophilum, which usually only strikes individuals with compromised immune systems.

In this instance, however, the patients, both from Seattle, developed rashes despite the fact that both had normal immune systems, a report on the investigation found.

The authors pointed out that tattooing is not considered a sterile procedure, is not regulated at the federal level and can be risky. And while the specific inks and colorings (pigments) commonly used to apply tattoos are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the rules usually apply only when cosmetics or color additives are involved.

Quality Control, Research, Wellness

antibiotic resistant bacteria bacteria CDC Center for Disease Control epidemic epidemics Tattoo safety Tattoos