They Play Cards, He Dies
Ian @ August 22, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Why have we forgotten the simple golden rule, do onto others as you would have them do unto you. Nurses play cards, ignore the needs of their patients, and one dies. Yet they blame poor working conditions, being overworked, yet they had time to dance, to play cards. Seems today more and more hide behind the title, of being a so called professional, instead of standing up and doing the job they chose. People are hired to look after sick people, they weren’t hired to not feed them, to not check on their health while under their care. That is abuse, plain and simple, but instead of filing charges, they give the facility time to make up a plan to correct the issue? That is so called government oversight? I call it bullshit.
More on page 1297
Mutant Salads
Ian @ August 22, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Nuke It and hey, no more germs, no more bacteria, no more sickness from eating fresh food. Least that is what the FDA wants people to believe, as it approves the plan to radiate lettuce & spinach. Course meat, mainly hamburger, is already been radiated for years, and look at how well that is working. I mean all those millions of pounds of hamburger recalled for having ecoli, well that is nothing to fret about. Teething pains, but hey, they got it right for lettuce. And no, dont’ worry if that head of lettuce glows in the dark, least you know it won’t kill you, that all those nasty bugs are dead. Okay not all, not even really any, just that they are weakened, and shouldn’t pose a problem. Like that is nice comforting thought, isn’t it? And to think some say the FDA doesn’t care about people.
More on page 1300
FDA and Your Safety
Ian @ August 19, 2008 # No Comment Yet
The FDA wants a stronger warning on the labels for Byetta, a diabetic drug that is widely used for Diabetes treatment. Despite several deaths, and a growing number of serious side effects being developed among users, all the FDA wants is a stronger warning issued with the drug. Like what the heck is that about? Protecting the consumer, or covering the fat asses of the Drug Companies who make the stuff? Seems the FDA is a bit more concerned about their corporate clients, than the people they serve. Why does that not surprise me, anymore?
More on page 1293
Safe Injection Sites
Ian @ August 19, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Like his hero George Bush, the entire Harper regime knows only how to attack, not debate, not discuss. To them, a drug user is a wasted citizen, not worth their help. The attack by the Health Minister on the ethics of doctors who support safe injection sites shows the mentality of the Harper Government, in its bid to stay in power. Using fear, they attack those whose job it is to provide proper health care, irrespective of politics. These sites aren’t pretty, but they safe lives. They help contain the spread of infectious disease, by insuring needles are clean, not contaminated. They provide a laison with those who can be best served, before the infections get out of hand. It saves not only lives, but money too. Yet instead of embracing it, the Harper Government wastes taxpayer money to try and shut these sites down, because George Bush & his Republican Conservatives oppose helping anyone that isn’t part of the Fortune 500 or some fanatical religious sect. And like a good toady, Harper is quite willing to follow along.
More on page 1291
Buying Prescription Drugs Online
Ian @ July 10, 2008 # No Comment Yet
While the figures are amazing, it boggles the mind that anyone would consider purchasing hard core drugs online. The risk of getting ripped off is just too much, never mind the risk of it being a set up. Though given how the Government works, maybe it isn’t such a risk. After all, they can’t find out how over a 1000 people got poisoned with Salmonella, so how can they find out if you bought some hardcore drugs? Then how about the Credit Card companies, that allow these Online Drug Dealers to process your purchase. Like they can’t stop it from happening?
More on page 1169
Pop A Pill, little child.
Ian @ July 8, 2008 # One Comment
As long as they make a profit, as long as they keep on racking up the big bucks, the Corporate World will continue to push solutions that are stop gaps. Drugs for kids as young as eight, instead of ending the commercials pushing Super Sized meals. Now Doctors want kids to take pills, that boost the profits for the Drug Companies, but what do they do to Kids? Do they create a dependency on drugs more than ever, or do they solve the fat problem? Is the answer to obesity in drugs, or is it in proper diet, exercise, and education? Do we simply prefer to pop a pill rather than battle with Junior to eat his veggies, and go out and play? Is popping a pill really the answer, or is it simply more convenient?
More on page 1166
Saving Money & Health Care
Ian @ December 26, 2007 # No Comment Yet
A novel approach to saving money, while maintaining high care standards seems to actually be working. The novel concept is to work with the patient, in assisting in their health care through monitoring and providing detailed understandable instructions. Isn’t it about time that Doctors stopped pretending they were GOD and actually worked as healers? While this approach rewards those groups financially, shouldn’t the concept of providing the best care be already in place?
More on page 876
Parents Be Careful
Ian @ November 20, 2007 # No Comment Yet
Interesting to watch the ‘acting head’ of the CPSC advise parents to be more vigilant. After all it is her agency that is supposed to be responsible, that is supposed to insure that what goes on the shelves at toy stories is safe. I suppose that when you are understaffed and incapable of using common sense, it is a good idea to pass the buck onto the parents. After all, it isn’t like she lets those free trips to trade shows influence her decision or whether or not to inspect the toys. It is just the price of doing business when your department is understaffed. Of course asking for more money to hire inspectors never crossed her mind, just to make sure there was enough funds to cover the bonuses she and other executives get is what counts.
This is a broken government, and looking at the choice of potential successors, it doesn’t look like this broken government will ever be fixed. After all, that would require commitment, and honesty.
More on page 827
Rising Rates of STDs
Ian @ November 13, 2007 # No Comment Yet
Is the record rise of some STDs due to better reporting, better testing methods, or is it a result of poor education on sex education? Frankly I think it is both, and worse the drug treatments are slowly being outdated. As our bodies become immune to treatment methods, is this a sign of impending epidemics?
More on page 815
Generic or Brand Name?
Ian @ November 2, 2007 # No Comment Yet
In an effort to improve their profits, Drug Companies are offering rebates, cash incentives, lower prices to Pharmacies to carry their brands. Yet these reductions aren’t being passed on to the consumer or the government. Seems that we need to start looking at just how much the drug prices are legitimate, how much are just padding for higher corporate returns.
More on page 783
Last Minute Recalls
Ian @ November 1, 2007 # No Comment Yet
Did you brush your teeth today? Maybe you used that cheap toothpaste from the discount store, or maybe you just put some of those fake Halloween teeth in instead. I mean one had poison mixed in, the other high concentrates of lead, so about the same. Yet as the product is recalled at the 11th hour, it is worth noting that the lead tainted teeth have been sold for nearly TWO YEARS, without anyone being sick. Well, reported as being sick.
More on page 788
Recalls - Beef & Other Perishables
Ian @ October 28, 2007 # No Comment Yet
Another food recall, that has me wondering if Government is fully addressing the issue of Public Safety? I mean a recall for beef that might have been contaminated is one thing, but from possible contamination in June & August and the recall comes out at the end of October? That seems suspicious in itself, and makes me wonder, are Government Agencies ignoring their primary obligation to us, the consumer, in place of Corporate Needs?
More on page 782
When to Test
Ian @ October 28, 2007 # No Comment Yet
So, it seems to me that the goal of testing is for control of what one eats, how one lives. You get to see the results for example if you eat a nice danish instead of perhaps a piece of fruit, or maybe a chocolate cookie.
Which is helpful, I’ll grant that, though I am not [...]
More on page 781
Testing Nightmare Continues
Ian @ October 27, 2007 # No Comment Yet
You know, it pays to shop around.
Needed some new test strips, and Pharmasave wanted $90 for a hundred, London Drugs wanted $73. Guess where I got them from?
In some ways it seems like a real racket to me. I mean okay its a necessary evil, but I got this new meter, that came with a [...]
More on page 778
Raising Standards, A Little
Ian @ October 26, 2007 # No Comment Yet
At last, something worth applauding. The step to provide a single site for consumers to check for recalls and health warnings is beginning to go online. Still not complete, but a start is better than just rhetoric. Hopefully it will continue to include more items, like drugs. It is also hoped that our standards will not just be increased, but that we will begin to properly inspect ALL GOODS entering Canada, from ALL COUNTRIES, including the USA, which is nothing but a conduit for Made in China goods. Fingers crossed.
More on page 774
