"American Meat" Latest Film to Join Food Debateby Dan Flynn
Sep 07, 2011"American Meat" is the latest documentary film seeking to be part of the nation's food debate. Unlike some that have gone before -- "Food Inc." and "Fast Food Nation" come to mind --"American Meat" appears to be less polemic. So far it's only had a few screenings in Iowa, but its own website says "American Meat is a solutions-oriented macroscopic documentary surveying the current state of the U.S. meat industry." The producers say they "take an even-handed look at animal husbandry." From the trailer, also on the website, "American Meat" appears to offer some dialog among those in animal agriculture who operate large scale facilities and those like Joel Salatin, who advocates for the grass-based farms both in practice and on the lecture circuit. "We explain how America arrived at our current industrial system, and show you the feedlots and confinement houses, not through hidden cameras but through the eyes of the farmers who live and work there," say the producers. The film promises "many voices" but clearly sets out to explain what's going on in rural America, from the confinement house that raises 21,000 chickens in seven weeks to "egg mobiles" that follow grazing cattle with free range chickens. "American Meat" is getting its first screening outside of Iowa this Friday before the American Devon Cattle Association's Great Event at Double Brook Farm near Hopewell, NJ. Temple Grandin, the Colorado State University animal welfare expert, will speak prior to the screening. Jon McConaughy and Double Brook Farm are featured in the film. The new full-length documentary is only the latest to feature the food industry. Best known of these is "Food Inc.," that fired one shot after another at the meat industry in 2009, and "Fast Food Nation," which like the book of the same title took on McDonald's and its competitors when released in 2004. So called "outreach partners" for "American Meat," according to its website, include: Food Democracy Now!, Real Time Farms, Chef's Collaborative, Oklahoma Food Cooperative, Spin Farming, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Local Harvest and Acres USA. "American Meat" will be screened about 100 times locally before its scheduled general DVD release in February 2012. Reply ForwardNew Doc:
Monday, September 26, 2011
New Virus Plaguing Soy-Crop / USA
SOYBEAN VEIN NECROSIS VIRUS - USA: UPDATE
*****************************************
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
[1]
Date: Wed 21 Sep 2011
Source: Farms.com, Penn State University report [edited]
A new disease of soybeans
-------------------------
Across the state [of Pennsylvania] this year [2011] I have noticed
some symptoms that couldn't quite be explained by our known soybean
diseases. We believe that these are the symptoms of a relatively new
virus called Soybean Vein Necrosis Virus (SVNV).
This was discovered in 2008 in Tennessee and Arkansas and has since
been confirmed in New York and most recently in Delaware and
Maryland.
We do not yet know whether this is a yield impacting disease. The
level of leaf damage I have seen suggests that at least in 2011 we
will not see yield reduction from this virus. In some cases, plants
that are infected by multiple viruses may have a significantly reduced
yield. We have seen some outbreaks of bean pod mottle virus in 2011,
and if the 2 occur in the same plant, it may overwhelm the plant's
resources.
I will be sending samples to the University of Arkansas to confirm the
virus in Pennsylvania.
[Byline: Alyssa Collins]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
******
[2]
Date: Fri 16 Sep 2011
Source: University of Delaware, Weekly Crop Update [edited]
Soybean vein necrosis virus in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia
------------------------------------------------------------
Soybean vein necrosis virus was confirmed this week [week of 12 Sep
2011] by Yannis Tzanetakis, University of Arkansas. So the symptoms
that we have been seeing and sharing with concerned growers are due to
this new virus disease. Much work is being done in the Midwest to
identify the vectors and possible other hosts of the virus that may
harbor it and allow feeding vectors to move it to soybeans.
The question is: will it reduce yield or affect seed quality? So far I
have not seen enough leaf loss to imply yield effects, but we have
some time to go before maturity, so the jury is still out on the yield
effects here in the Mid-Atlantic.
The researchers have noted that multiple infections with other viruses
may increase yield loss potential. We have occasional outbreaks of
bean pod mottle virus and have seen soybean mosaic virus and peanut
stunt virus in the region, so the potential is here for multiple
infections. We do not have much information about the extent of other
virus diseases in soybeans.
Genetic resistance incorporated into good varieties will be the best
control strategy. That work is ongoing as well. It is too early for
recommendations but growers need to be aware of this disease and know
that work is being conducted to answer some of the pressing
questions.
[Byline: Bob Mulrooney]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
******
[3]
Date: Sat 10 Sep 2011
Source: Carroll County Times, Ag Today report [edited]
May be new virus on soybeans
----------------------------
There might be a new virus on soybeans showing up in our region [of
Maryland]. It has not yet been confirmed, however, the symptoms are
consistent with pictures from around Maryland. So far the presumptive
diagnosis based on symptoms alone is of soybean vein necrosis virus.
This is a relatively new problem and has been detected and confirmed
in Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee. New
York has also indicated that it has samples with similar symptoms. If
these all turn out to be soybean vein necrosis virus, then this new
disease has spread rather rapidly.
It is not yet known how serious this disease can be with regard to
affecting yield. However, the pictures and descriptions from Arkansas
and Illinois indicate that significant leaf necrosis and possible
early defoliation can occur.
[Byline: Michael R Bell]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[A previously unknown virus was first identified in Tennessee in 2008
and in Illinois and Kentucky in 2009 (see ProMED-mal post
20100922.3430) as the cause of a new disease of soybeans. Symptoms
observed included vein clearing that becomes necrotic as leaves mature
leading to large necrotic regions on leaves and reduced plant vigour.
The name Soybean vein necrosis virus (SVNV) was suggested. Preliminary
classification based on protein comparisons coupled with phylogenetic
analyses has placed it in the genus _Tospovirus_ (family
_Bunyaviridae_), although it appears to have minimal similarity to
characterised members of the genus. Many tospoviruses are transmitted
by thrips, and these insects are also being investigated as possible
vectors of SVNV.
SVNV was found to affect a range of soybean cultivars and recent
surveys suggest that it may be widespread in the midwest and midsouth
of the US. No information is available yet on its presence in other
countries.
Disease management of crop viruses may include cultural techniques,
phytosanitary measures, vector control, and use of crop cultivars
resistant to the virus and/or the vectors. More information is needed
about the new virus before specific management strategies can be
designed.
Interactions between coinfecting viruses in plants are known to have
the potential to lead to severely increased effects on the host
(synergism; see link below). The mechanisms for this effect are as yet
unclear and it is therefore not possible to predict how SVNV may
interact in coinfections with the other soybean viruses mentioned
above.
Maps
USA:
and
Individual states via:
Pictures of SVNV symptoms:
,
,
, and
(disease
progression)
Links
Information and updates on SVNV:
,
,
,
, and via
Molecular characterisation of SVNV:
Genus _Tospovirus_ taxonomy:
Taxonomy and information on all other viruses via:
Management of soybean viruses:
Implications of synergism on plant virus epidemiology:
.
- Mod.DHA]
[see also:
2010
----
New viruses, soybean - South Korea, USA 20100922.3430]
.................................................dha/mj/lm
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Donate to ProMED-mail. Details available at:
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at.
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org (NOT to
an individual moderator). If you do not give your full name
name and affiliation, it may not be posted. You may unsub-
scribe at.
For assistance from a human being, send mail to:
.
############################################################
############################################################
*****************************************
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
[1]
Date: Wed 21 Sep 2011
Source: Farms.com, Penn State University report [edited]
A new disease of soybeans
-------------------------
Across the state [of Pennsylvania] this year [2011] I have noticed
some symptoms that couldn't quite be explained by our known soybean
diseases. We believe that these are the symptoms of a relatively new
virus called Soybean Vein Necrosis Virus (SVNV).
This was discovered in 2008 in Tennessee and Arkansas and has since
been confirmed in New York and most recently in Delaware and
Maryland.
We do not yet know whether this is a yield impacting disease. The
level of leaf damage I have seen suggests that at least in 2011 we
will not see yield reduction from this virus. In some cases, plants
that are infected by multiple viruses may have a significantly reduced
yield. We have seen some outbreaks of bean pod mottle virus in 2011,
and if the 2 occur in the same plant, it may overwhelm the plant's
resources.
I will be sending samples to the University of Arkansas to confirm the
virus in Pennsylvania.
[Byline: Alyssa Collins]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
******
[2]
Date: Fri 16 Sep 2011
Source: University of Delaware, Weekly Crop Update [edited]
Soybean vein necrosis virus in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia
------------------------------------------------------------
Soybean vein necrosis virus was confirmed this week [week of 12 Sep
2011] by Yannis Tzanetakis, University of Arkansas. So the symptoms
that we have been seeing and sharing with concerned growers are due to
this new virus disease. Much work is being done in the Midwest to
identify the vectors and possible other hosts of the virus that may
harbor it and allow feeding vectors to move it to soybeans.
The question is: will it reduce yield or affect seed quality? So far I
have not seen enough leaf loss to imply yield effects, but we have
some time to go before maturity, so the jury is still out on the yield
effects here in the Mid-Atlantic.
The researchers have noted that multiple infections with other viruses
may increase yield loss potential. We have occasional outbreaks of
bean pod mottle virus and have seen soybean mosaic virus and peanut
stunt virus in the region, so the potential is here for multiple
infections. We do not have much information about the extent of other
virus diseases in soybeans.
Genetic resistance incorporated into good varieties will be the best
control strategy. That work is ongoing as well. It is too early for
recommendations but growers need to be aware of this disease and know
that work is being conducted to answer some of the pressing
questions.
[Byline: Bob Mulrooney]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
******
[3]
Date: Sat 10 Sep 2011
Source: Carroll County Times, Ag Today report [edited]
May be new virus on soybeans
----------------------------
There might be a new virus on soybeans showing up in our region [of
Maryland]. It has not yet been confirmed, however, the symptoms are
consistent with pictures from around Maryland. So far the presumptive
diagnosis based on symptoms alone is of soybean vein necrosis virus.
This is a relatively new problem and has been detected and confirmed
in Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee. New
York has also indicated that it has samples with similar symptoms. If
these all turn out to be soybean vein necrosis virus, then this new
disease has spread rather rapidly.
It is not yet known how serious this disease can be with regard to
affecting yield. However, the pictures and descriptions from Arkansas
and Illinois indicate that significant leaf necrosis and possible
early defoliation can occur.
[Byline: Michael R Bell]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[A previously unknown virus was first identified in Tennessee in 2008
and in Illinois and Kentucky in 2009 (see ProMED-mal post
20100922.3430) as the cause of a new disease of soybeans. Symptoms
observed included vein clearing that becomes necrotic as leaves mature
leading to large necrotic regions on leaves and reduced plant vigour.
The name Soybean vein necrosis virus (SVNV) was suggested. Preliminary
classification based on protein comparisons coupled with phylogenetic
analyses has placed it in the genus _Tospovirus_ (family
_Bunyaviridae_), although it appears to have minimal similarity to
characterised members of the genus. Many tospoviruses are transmitted
by thrips, and these insects are also being investigated as possible
vectors of SVNV.
SVNV was found to affect a range of soybean cultivars and recent
surveys suggest that it may be widespread in the midwest and midsouth
of the US. No information is available yet on its presence in other
countries.
Disease management of crop viruses may include cultural techniques,
phytosanitary measures, vector control, and use of crop cultivars
resistant to the virus and/or the vectors. More information is needed
about the new virus before specific management strategies can be
designed.
Interactions between coinfecting viruses in plants are known to have
the potential to lead to severely increased effects on the host
(synergism; see link below). The mechanisms for this effect are as yet
unclear and it is therefore not possible to predict how SVNV may
interact in coinfections with the other soybean viruses mentioned
above.
Maps
USA:
Individual states via:
Pictures of SVNV symptoms:
progression)
Links
Information and updates on SVNV:
Molecular characterisation of SVNV:
Genus _Tospovirus_ taxonomy:
Taxonomy and information on all other viruses via:
Management of soybean viruses:
Implications of synergism on plant virus epidemiology:
- Mod.DHA]
[see also:
2010
----
New viruses, soybean - South Korea, USA 20100922.3430]
.................................................dha/mj/lm
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Donate to ProMED-mail. Details available at:
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org (NOT to
an individual moderator). If you do not give your full name
name and affiliation, it may not be posted. You may unsub-
scribe at
For assistance from a human being, send mail to:
############################################################
############################################################
Thursday, September 22, 2011
LISTERIOSIS, FATAL - USA (05): CANTALOUPE, MORE CASES AND DEATHS
****************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
[1]
Date: Wed 21 Sep 2011
Source: CDC [edited]
CDC is collaborating with public health officials in several states,
including Colorado, and the FDA to investigate a multistate outbreak
of listeriosis. Listeriosis is a serious infection usually caused by
eating food contaminated with the bacterium _Listeria monocytogenes_.
Investigators are using DNA analysis of Listeria isolated from
patients to identify cases of illness that may be part of this
outbreak. The _Listeria_ bacteria are obtained from diagnostic
testing; pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is used to determine
DNA fingerprint patterns. Investigators are using data from PulseNet,
the national subtyping network made up of state and local public
health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that
perform molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.
As of 5pm EDT on 20 Sep 2011, a total of 55 persons infected with the
4 outbreak-associated strains of _Listeria monocytogenes_ have been
reported from 14 states. All illnesses started on or after 4 Aug 2011.
The number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows:
California (1), Colorado (14), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Maryland
(1), Montana (1), Nebraska (4), New Mexico (10), Oklahoma (8), Texas
(9), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (1).
Listeriosis illnesses in several other states are currently being
investigated by state and local health departments to determine
whether they are part of this outbreak.
Patient ages range from 35 to 96 years, with a median age of 78 years
old. Most ill persons are over 60 years old or have health conditions
that weaken the immune system. 59 percent of ill persons are female.
Among the 43 ill persons with available information on whether they
were hospitalized, all were hospitalized. Eight deaths have been
reported, 2 in Colorado, one in Maryland, 4 in New Mexico, and one in
Oklahoma.
About 800 cases of Listeria infection are diagnosed each year in the
USA, along with 3 or 4 outbreaks of Listeria-associated foodborne
illness. The foods that typically cause these outbreaks have been deli
meats, hot dogs, and Mexican-style soft cheeses made with
unpasteurized milk. Produce is not often identified as a source, but
sprouts caused an outbreak in 2009, and celery caused an outbreak in
2010.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
******
[2]
Date: Wed 21 Sep 2011
Source: Associated Press [edited]
The death toll has risen to 8 in an outbreak of listeria traced to
Colorado-grown cantaloupes, officials said Wednesday [21 Sep 2011].
The CDC said that a person in Maryland died from eating the tainted
produce. Four deaths have been reported in New Mexico and 2 in
Colorado, and one person has died in Oklahoma.
The CDC said 55 people in 14 states have now been confirmed as
sickened from eating the cantaloupes. On Mon 19 Sep 2011, the CDC
reported 4 deaths and 35 illnesses in 10 states.
The death count, the highest in a known food outbreak since tainted
peanuts were linked to 9 deaths almost 3 years ago, could go even
higher. The CDC said illnesses in several other states potentially
connected to the outbreak were under investigation.
Health officials have said they think the number of illnesses and
deaths could continue to grow because the incubation period for
listeria can be up to a month. Unlike many pathogens, listeria
bacteria can grow at room and refrigerator temperatures. The FDA and
CDC recommend anyone who may have one of the contaminated cantaloupes
throw it out immediately.
About 800 cases of listeria are found in the United States each year,
according to CDC, and there usually are 3 or 4 outbreaks. Most of
these are traced to deli meat and soft cheeses, where listeria is most
common. Produce has rarely been the culprit, but federal investigators
say they have seen more produce-related listeria illnesses in the past
2 years. It was found in sprouts in 2009 and celery in 2010.
While most healthy adults can consume listeria with no ill effects, it
can kill the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. It is
also dangerous to pregnant women because it easily passes through to
the fetus. In the current outbreak, the median age of those sickened
is 78, according to the CDC.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[In the 2 days since the last update, the number of cases has
increased from 35 to 55, the deaths from 4 to 8, and the states
involved from 10 to 14. As noted in the AP report, this _Listeria_
outbreak is quickly approaching the number of deaths associated with a
_Salmonella enterica_ serotype Typhimurium outbreak linked to peanut
butter in 2009, although more than 600 cases were reported.
More cases are likely to be included in this growing outbreak in the
days to come. - Mod.LL]
[see also:
Listeriosis, fatal - USA (04): cantaloupe, alert 20110921.2866
Listeriosis, fatal - USA (03): cantaloupe susp. 20110914.2800
Listeriosis, fatal - USA (02): (CO) 20110909.2746
Listeriosis, fatal - USA: (CO) 20110605.1719
2010
----
Listeriosis, fatal - USA (03): (TX), recall 20101105.4005
Listeriosis, fatal - USA (02): (TX), recall 20101021.3813
Listeriosis, fatal - USA: (TX) 20100515.1592
Listeriosis, fatal, meat product - Canada: (ON) 20100314.0829
2009
----
Listeriosis - Australia (02): airline food, chicken wrap susp
20090820.2947
Listeriosis - Australia: airline food, chicken wrap susp
20090807.2793
Listeriosis, fatal - Chile: (Santiago) meat susp, RFI 20090411.1391
Listeriosis, Mexican-style cheeses - USA: risk, recall 20090401.1261
Listeriosis, fatal, meat product - Canada: unconf. 20090307.0957
2008
----
Listeriosis, fatal - Chile: (Santiago) cheese susp. RFI 20081128.3754
Listeriosis, fatal, meat product - Canada (04) 20081005.3147
Listeriosis, fatal, meat product - Canada: alert, recall
20080821.2605
Listeriosis - USA: (MA), update 20080118.0223
2007
----
Listeriosis - USA: (NC, MA), alert 20071230.4186
Listeriosis, nosocomial - Norway: (Oslo) 20071024.3452
Listeriosis, unpasteurized cheese - USA (IN) 20070425.1351
Listeriosis, sandwiches - UK (England): alert, recall 20070326.1049
2006
----
Listeriosis, seafood - USA 20060130.0295
2005
----
Listeriosis - USA (TX) 20050824.2491
Listeriosis - USA (NY) (05) 20050819.2431
Listeriosis - USA (NY) 20050707.1925
2004
----
Listeriosis, cluster - USA (VA) (02): background 20040723.2013]
.................................................ll/msp/ml
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Donate to ProMED-mail. Details available at:
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at.
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org (NOT to
an individual moderator). If you do not give your full name
name and affiliation, it may not be posted. You may unsub-
scribe at.
For assistance from a human being, send mail to:
.
############################################################
############################################################
Reply Reply to all Forward
Send Save Now DiscardFrom:Mule Kist
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
[1]
Date: Wed 21 Sep 2011
Source: CDC [edited]
CDC is collaborating with public health officials in several states,
including Colorado, and the FDA to investigate a multistate outbreak
of listeriosis. Listeriosis is a serious infection usually caused by
eating food contaminated with the bacterium _Listeria monocytogenes_.
Investigators are using DNA analysis of Listeria isolated from
patients to identify cases of illness that may be part of this
outbreak. The _Listeria_ bacteria are obtained from diagnostic
testing; pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is used to determine
DNA fingerprint patterns. Investigators are using data from PulseNet,
the national subtyping network made up of state and local public
health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that
perform molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.
As of 5pm EDT on 20 Sep 2011, a total of 55 persons infected with the
4 outbreak-associated strains of _Listeria monocytogenes_ have been
reported from 14 states. All illnesses started on or after 4 Aug 2011.
The number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows:
California (1), Colorado (14), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Maryland
(1), Montana (1), Nebraska (4), New Mexico (10), Oklahoma (8), Texas
(9), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (1).
Listeriosis illnesses in several other states are currently being
investigated by state and local health departments to determine
whether they are part of this outbreak.
Patient ages range from 35 to 96 years, with a median age of 78 years
old. Most ill persons are over 60 years old or have health conditions
that weaken the immune system. 59 percent of ill persons are female.
Among the 43 ill persons with available information on whether they
were hospitalized, all were hospitalized. Eight deaths have been
reported, 2 in Colorado, one in Maryland, 4 in New Mexico, and one in
Oklahoma.
About 800 cases of Listeria infection are diagnosed each year in the
USA, along with 3 or 4 outbreaks of Listeria-associated foodborne
illness. The foods that typically cause these outbreaks have been deli
meats, hot dogs, and Mexican-style soft cheeses made with
unpasteurized milk. Produce is not often identified as a source, but
sprouts caused an outbreak in 2009, and celery caused an outbreak in
2010.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
******
[2]
Date: Wed 21 Sep 2011
Source: Associated Press [edited]
The death toll has risen to 8 in an outbreak of listeria traced to
Colorado-grown cantaloupes, officials said Wednesday [21 Sep 2011].
The CDC said that a person in Maryland died from eating the tainted
produce. Four deaths have been reported in New Mexico and 2 in
Colorado, and one person has died in Oklahoma.
The CDC said 55 people in 14 states have now been confirmed as
sickened from eating the cantaloupes. On Mon 19 Sep 2011, the CDC
reported 4 deaths and 35 illnesses in 10 states.
The death count, the highest in a known food outbreak since tainted
peanuts were linked to 9 deaths almost 3 years ago, could go even
higher. The CDC said illnesses in several other states potentially
connected to the outbreak were under investigation.
Health officials have said they think the number of illnesses and
deaths could continue to grow because the incubation period for
listeria can be up to a month. Unlike many pathogens, listeria
bacteria can grow at room and refrigerator temperatures. The FDA and
CDC recommend anyone who may have one of the contaminated cantaloupes
throw it out immediately.
About 800 cases of listeria are found in the United States each year,
according to CDC, and there usually are 3 or 4 outbreaks. Most of
these are traced to deli meat and soft cheeses, where listeria is most
common. Produce has rarely been the culprit, but federal investigators
say they have seen more produce-related listeria illnesses in the past
2 years. It was found in sprouts in 2009 and celery in 2010.
While most healthy adults can consume listeria with no ill effects, it
can kill the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. It is
also dangerous to pregnant women because it easily passes through to
the fetus. In the current outbreak, the median age of those sickened
is 78, according to the CDC.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[In the 2 days since the last update, the number of cases has
increased from 35 to 55, the deaths from 4 to 8, and the states
involved from 10 to 14. As noted in the AP report, this _Listeria_
outbreak is quickly approaching the number of deaths associated with a
_Salmonella enterica_ serotype Typhimurium outbreak linked to peanut
butter in 2009, although more than 600 cases were reported.
More cases are likely to be included in this growing outbreak in the
days to come. - Mod.LL]
[see also:
Listeriosis, fatal - USA (04): cantaloupe, alert 20110921.2866
Listeriosis, fatal - USA (03): cantaloupe susp. 20110914.2800
Listeriosis, fatal - USA (02): (CO) 20110909.2746
Listeriosis, fatal - USA: (CO) 20110605.1719
2010
----
Listeriosis, fatal - USA (03): (TX), recall 20101105.4005
Listeriosis, fatal - USA (02): (TX), recall 20101021.3813
Listeriosis, fatal - USA: (TX) 20100515.1592
Listeriosis, fatal, meat product - Canada: (ON) 20100314.0829
2009
----
Listeriosis - Australia (02): airline food, chicken wrap susp
20090820.2947
Listeriosis - Australia: airline food, chicken wrap susp
20090807.2793
Listeriosis, fatal - Chile: (Santiago) meat susp, RFI 20090411.1391
Listeriosis, Mexican-style cheeses - USA: risk, recall 20090401.1261
Listeriosis, fatal, meat product - Canada: unconf. 20090307.0957
2008
----
Listeriosis, fatal - Chile: (Santiago) cheese susp. RFI 20081128.3754
Listeriosis, fatal, meat product - Canada (04) 20081005.3147
Listeriosis, fatal, meat product - Canada: alert, recall
20080821.2605
Listeriosis - USA: (MA), update 20080118.0223
2007
----
Listeriosis - USA: (NC, MA), alert 20071230.4186
Listeriosis, nosocomial - Norway: (Oslo) 20071024.3452
Listeriosis, unpasteurized cheese - USA (IN) 20070425.1351
Listeriosis, sandwiches - UK (England): alert, recall 20070326.1049
2006
----
Listeriosis, seafood - USA 20060130.0295
2005
----
Listeriosis - USA (TX) 20050824.2491
Listeriosis - USA (NY) (05) 20050819.2431
Listeriosis - USA (NY) 20050707.1925
2004
----
Listeriosis, cluster - USA (VA) (02): background 20040723.2013]
.................................................ll/msp/ml
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Donate to ProMED-mail. Details available at:
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org (NOT to
an individual moderator). If you do not give your full name
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Reply Reply to all Forward
Send Save Now DiscardFrom:Mule Kist
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
RABIES VACCINE, SERIOUS ADVERSE EVENTS - INDIA: REQUEST FOR MORE INFO
***********************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: 21 Sep 2011
Source: Times of India [edited]
Two persons suffered severe respiratory problems and cardiac arrest
after they were injected with an anti-rabies vaccine at the New Delhi
Municipal (NDMC)-run Charak Palika hospital in Moti Bagh on Monday [19
Sep 2011]. [A 45-year-old male] and a [52-year-old female] are in
critical condition and have been shifted to Safdarjung hospital's ICU
ward at present. According to NDMC spokesperson Amit Prasad, all
vaccine vials have been sealed, and a 4-member committee has been
formed to inquire into the matter.
"Prima facie, it appears that an allergic reaction to the drug led to
sudden cardiac arrest and respiratory attack, said a hospital doctor,
who requested not to be named.
Sources said [the 45-year-old male] is an NDMC employee, and [the
52-year-old female] is a housewife living in Moti Bagh. Soon after
being administered the injections, they complained of severe chest
pain and were admitted to the emergency unit of the hospital. A team
of doctors, including cardiologists and anesthetists, tried to revive
them, but when their condition deteriorated further, they were shifted
to Safdarjung hospital.
"My mother had gone to NDMC hospital for the 3rd dose of anti-rabies
vaccine. The vaccine caused sudden cardiac arrest, and her condition
is critical. She is in coma and has been put on a life support
system," claimed Harish, Chandra Devi's son who works with the Delhi
Police. He said that they have filed an FIR against the hospital in
this case.
[The 45-year-old male's] condition is also serious, and he is on
ventilator support. His cousin said that [he] was perfectly fine when
he left the home. "We were informed about his condition almost an hour
later," he said.
According to Dr P K Sharma, the NDMC health officer, anti-rabies
vaccines were given to 12 patients on Monday [19 Sep 2011] including
[the above mentioned individuals]. "All the other patients are fine.
The 2 patients who suffered chest pain and cardiac arrest were given
injections from a new vial. As a preventive measure, we have sealed
all vaccines, and a committee has been formed to inquire into the
matter. Drug reaction from rabies vaccines is extremely rare," he
said.
Sharma added that the expiry date of the vaccines is the year 2013.
NDMC gives anti-rabies vaccines to more than 500 patients every month.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) gives over 10 000 anti-rabies
vaccines monthly. Said Dr V K Monga, Chairman of the MCD health
committee, "I have never come across a case where anti-rabies vaccine
causes such a fatal reaction. Let the committee report come, and if
any problem is found with the particular batch of vaccine, we will
also review our injections."
Another expert said, "The various minor side effects that may develop
during and after a course of anti-rabies treatment includes fever,
headache, insomnia and diarrhoea. Sensitization to proteins contained
in older vaccines can cause a sudden shock-like collapse, usually
towards the end of the course of treatment." He added that no comment
can be passed in this case without further examination.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[According to the WHO 2010 position paper on rabies vaccines, there
are an estimated 20 000 deaths annual attributable to rabies in
India.
There are 2 types of rabies vaccines for humans, nerve tissue and cell
culture vaccines. WHO recommends all countries replace the use of
nerve tissue vaccines with the use of the more efficacious, safer
vaccines developed through cell culture as soon as possible. In the
past, India had been using the neural tissue vaccines but has changed
over to the use of the cell culture vaccines.
The concentrated and purified cell-culture (CCV) and embryonated
egg-based (EEV) rabies vaccines (jointly referred to as CCEEVs) have
proved to be safe and effective in preventing rabies. Nerve tissue
vaccines have been associated with more severe adverse reactions and
are generally more immunogenic than the CCEEVs and are no longer
recommended for use by WHO. CCEEVs contain rabies virus that has been
propagated in cell substrates such as human diploid cells (embryonic
fibroblast cells), fetal rhesus diploid cells, Vero cells (African
green monkey kidney cells), primary Syrian hamster kidney cells,
primary chick embryo cells or embryonated duck eggs. The more recently
developed vaccines that are based on chick embryo cells and Vero cells
have safety and efficacy records comparable to those of the human
diploid cell vaccines and are less expensive.
Following growth in the respective cell cultures (or embryonic egg),
the viral harvest is concentrated, purified, inactivated and
lyophilized. Some of the CCEEVs use human albumin or processed gelatin
as a stabilizer. WHO prequalified rabies vaccines do not use
preservatives such as thimerosal.
Recommendations for post-exposure depend on the type of contact with
the suspected rabid animal. For category I exposure (touching or
feeding animals, licks on intact skin), no prophylaxis is required;
for category II (nibbling of uncovered skin, minor scratches or
abrasions without bleeding), immediate vaccination; and for category
III (single or multiple transdermal bites or scratches, contamination
of mucous membrane with saliva from licks, licks on broken skin,
exposures to bats), immediate vaccination and administration of rabies
immunoglobulin are recommended.
According to WHO data on post rabies vaccines adverse events,
approximately 35-45 percent of recipients develop minor and transient
erythema (redness), pain and/or swelling at the vaccination site,
especially following intradermal booster administration. Mild systemic
events such as transient fever, headache, dizziness and
gastrointestinal symptoms have been observed in 5-15 percent of
vaccinees. More serious adverse events -- mainly allergic or
neurological -- have been noted to rarely occur
().
The above description of the serious adverse events in 2 individuals
vaccinated from the same newly opened vial of vaccine is suggestive of
the possibility of an additive substance used in that vial of vaccine
prior to administration that led to the apparently rapid onset of
chest pain and respiratory distress. As the rabies vaccines are
lyophilized, the possibility of a contaminant or incorrect solution
used in the reconstitution of the vaccine needs to be considered as
well. It is noteworthy that there were other individuals vaccinated
the same day in the same clinic, presumably using the same substance
for reconstitution of the lyophilized vaccine. The possibility of 2
consecutive rare serious allergic reactions is there, but the
probability of that occurring due to chance seems very low (this
moderator was not able to easily find data on the incidence of
post-vaccine allergic reactions; most documents just mention "very
rare").
More information on findings of the investigations into these events
from knowledgeable individuals would be greatly appreciated.
For the HealthMap/ProMED map of India highlighting New Delhi, the
capital city, see. - Mod.MPP]
[see also:
Rabies - India (15): (AP), human, vaccine failure 20110726.2256
Rabies - India (14): (KA), squirrel, human 20110713.2117
Rabies - India (13): (TN) canine, human 20110707.2059
Rabies - India (12): (MA) PEP failure 20110621.1892
Rabies - India (11): (MA) PEP failure 20110620.1884
Rabies - India (07): (AP) canine, human 20110523.1563
Rabies - India (06): (AP) canine, human 20110522.1558
Rabies - India (05): (AP) canine, human 20110518.1506
Rabies - India (04): (AP) canine, human 20110517.1500
Rabies - India (03): (TN), dog control, human 20110421.1249
Rabies - India (02): (MZ) canine control, human exposure
20110407.1088
Rabies - India: (AP) canine, human exposure 20110102.0018
2010
----
Rabies, canine, human - India (03): (MI) 20101018.3780
Rabies - USA: (VA) ex India, 2009 20101003.3585
Rabies, animal, human - India (02): (GA) 20100720.2431
Rabies, animal, human - India: (HR) 20100629.2164
Rabies, canine, human - India: (JD) susp, RFI 20100228.0666
2009
----
Rabies, human, animals - India: (HP), susp. RFI 20091119.3991
Rabies, human, control - India (TN) 20090422.1511
Rabies, human - UAE ex India 20090220.0723
1999
----
Rabies vaccine, reactions - Brazil (Sao Paulo) (02) 19991215.2165
Rabies vaccine, reactions - Brazil (Sao Paulo): RFI 19991203.2121
1997
----
Rabies, human, vaccine allergies (02) 19971129.2375
Rabies, human, vaccine allergies: RFI 19971120.2338]
.................................................sb/mpp/msp/dk
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Donate to ProMED-mail. Details available at:
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at.
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org (NOT to
an individual moderator). If you do not give your full name
name and affiliation, it may not be posted. You may unsub-
scribe at.
For assistance from a human being, send mail to:
.
############################################################
############################################################
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: 21 Sep 2011
Source: Times of India [edited]
Two persons suffered severe respiratory problems and cardiac arrest
after they were injected with an anti-rabies vaccine at the New Delhi
Municipal (NDMC)-run Charak Palika hospital in Moti Bagh on Monday [19
Sep 2011]. [A 45-year-old male] and a [52-year-old female] are in
critical condition and have been shifted to Safdarjung hospital's ICU
ward at present. According to NDMC spokesperson Amit Prasad, all
vaccine vials have been sealed, and a 4-member committee has been
formed to inquire into the matter.
"Prima facie, it appears that an allergic reaction to the drug led to
sudden cardiac arrest and respiratory attack, said a hospital doctor,
who requested not to be named.
Sources said [the 45-year-old male] is an NDMC employee, and [the
52-year-old female] is a housewife living in Moti Bagh. Soon after
being administered the injections, they complained of severe chest
pain and were admitted to the emergency unit of the hospital. A team
of doctors, including cardiologists and anesthetists, tried to revive
them, but when their condition deteriorated further, they were shifted
to Safdarjung hospital.
"My mother had gone to NDMC hospital for the 3rd dose of anti-rabies
vaccine. The vaccine caused sudden cardiac arrest, and her condition
is critical. She is in coma and has been put on a life support
system," claimed Harish, Chandra Devi's son who works with the Delhi
Police. He said that they have filed an FIR against the hospital in
this case.
[The 45-year-old male's] condition is also serious, and he is on
ventilator support. His cousin said that [he] was perfectly fine when
he left the home. "We were informed about his condition almost an hour
later," he said.
According to Dr P K Sharma, the NDMC health officer, anti-rabies
vaccines were given to 12 patients on Monday [19 Sep 2011] including
[the above mentioned individuals]. "All the other patients are fine.
The 2 patients who suffered chest pain and cardiac arrest were given
injections from a new vial. As a preventive measure, we have sealed
all vaccines, and a committee has been formed to inquire into the
matter. Drug reaction from rabies vaccines is extremely rare," he
said.
Sharma added that the expiry date of the vaccines is the year 2013.
NDMC gives anti-rabies vaccines to more than 500 patients every month.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) gives over 10 000 anti-rabies
vaccines monthly. Said Dr V K Monga, Chairman of the MCD health
committee, "I have never come across a case where anti-rabies vaccine
causes such a fatal reaction. Let the committee report come, and if
any problem is found with the particular batch of vaccine, we will
also review our injections."
Another expert said, "The various minor side effects that may develop
during and after a course of anti-rabies treatment includes fever,
headache, insomnia and diarrhoea. Sensitization to proteins contained
in older vaccines can cause a sudden shock-like collapse, usually
towards the end of the course of treatment." He added that no comment
can be passed in this case without further examination.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[According to the WHO 2010 position paper on rabies vaccines, there
are an estimated 20 000 deaths annual attributable to rabies in
India.
There are 2 types of rabies vaccines for humans, nerve tissue and cell
culture vaccines. WHO recommends all countries replace the use of
nerve tissue vaccines with the use of the more efficacious, safer
vaccines developed through cell culture as soon as possible. In the
past, India had been using the neural tissue vaccines but has changed
over to the use of the cell culture vaccines.
The concentrated and purified cell-culture (CCV) and embryonated
egg-based (EEV) rabies vaccines (jointly referred to as CCEEVs) have
proved to be safe and effective in preventing rabies. Nerve tissue
vaccines have been associated with more severe adverse reactions and
are generally more immunogenic than the CCEEVs and are no longer
recommended for use by WHO. CCEEVs contain rabies virus that has been
propagated in cell substrates such as human diploid cells (embryonic
fibroblast cells), fetal rhesus diploid cells, Vero cells (African
green monkey kidney cells), primary Syrian hamster kidney cells,
primary chick embryo cells or embryonated duck eggs. The more recently
developed vaccines that are based on chick embryo cells and Vero cells
have safety and efficacy records comparable to those of the human
diploid cell vaccines and are less expensive.
Following growth in the respective cell cultures (or embryonic egg),
the viral harvest is concentrated, purified, inactivated and
lyophilized. Some of the CCEEVs use human albumin or processed gelatin
as a stabilizer. WHO prequalified rabies vaccines do not use
preservatives such as thimerosal.
Recommendations for post-exposure depend on the type of contact with
the suspected rabid animal. For category I exposure (touching or
feeding animals, licks on intact skin), no prophylaxis is required;
for category II (nibbling of uncovered skin, minor scratches or
abrasions without bleeding), immediate vaccination; and for category
III (single or multiple transdermal bites or scratches, contamination
of mucous membrane with saliva from licks, licks on broken skin,
exposures to bats), immediate vaccination and administration of rabies
immunoglobulin are recommended.
According to WHO data on post rabies vaccines adverse events,
approximately 35-45 percent of recipients develop minor and transient
erythema (redness), pain and/or swelling at the vaccination site,
especially following intradermal booster administration. Mild systemic
events such as transient fever, headache, dizziness and
gastrointestinal symptoms have been observed in 5-15 percent of
vaccinees. More serious adverse events -- mainly allergic or
neurological -- have been noted to rarely occur
(
The above description of the serious adverse events in 2 individuals
vaccinated from the same newly opened vial of vaccine is suggestive of
the possibility of an additive substance used in that vial of vaccine
prior to administration that led to the apparently rapid onset of
chest pain and respiratory distress. As the rabies vaccines are
lyophilized, the possibility of a contaminant or incorrect solution
used in the reconstitution of the vaccine needs to be considered as
well. It is noteworthy that there were other individuals vaccinated
the same day in the same clinic, presumably using the same substance
for reconstitution of the lyophilized vaccine. The possibility of 2
consecutive rare serious allergic reactions is there, but the
probability of that occurring due to chance seems very low (this
moderator was not able to easily find data on the incidence of
post-vaccine allergic reactions; most documents just mention "very
rare").
More information on findings of the investigations into these events
from knowledgeable individuals would be greatly appreciated.
For the HealthMap/ProMED map of India highlighting New Delhi, the
capital city, see
[see also:
Rabies - India (15): (AP), human, vaccine failure 20110726.2256
Rabies - India (14): (KA), squirrel, human 20110713.2117
Rabies - India (13): (TN) canine, human 20110707.2059
Rabies - India (12): (MA) PEP failure 20110621.1892
Rabies - India (11): (MA) PEP failure 20110620.1884
Rabies - India (07): (AP) canine, human 20110523.1563
Rabies - India (06): (AP) canine, human 20110522.1558
Rabies - India (05): (AP) canine, human 20110518.1506
Rabies - India (04): (AP) canine, human 20110517.1500
Rabies - India (03): (TN), dog control, human 20110421.1249
Rabies - India (02): (MZ) canine control, human exposure
20110407.1088
Rabies - India: (AP) canine, human exposure 20110102.0018
2010
----
Rabies, canine, human - India (03): (MI) 20101018.3780
Rabies - USA: (VA) ex India, 2009 20101003.3585
Rabies, animal, human - India (02): (GA) 20100720.2431
Rabies, animal, human - India: (HR) 20100629.2164
Rabies, canine, human - India: (JD) susp, RFI 20100228.0666
2009
----
Rabies, human, animals - India: (HP), susp. RFI 20091119.3991
Rabies, human, control - India (TN) 20090422.1511
Rabies, human - UAE ex India 20090220.0723
1999
----
Rabies vaccine, reactions - Brazil (Sao Paulo) (02) 19991215.2165
Rabies vaccine, reactions - Brazil (Sao Paulo): RFI 19991203.2121
1997
----
Rabies, human, vaccine allergies (02) 19971129.2375
Rabies, human, vaccine allergies: RFI 19971120.2338]
.................................................sb/mpp/msp/dk
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Donate to ProMED-mail. Details available at:
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org (NOT to
an individual moderator). If you do not give your full name
name and affiliation, it may not be posted. You may unsub-
scribe at
For assistance from a human being, send mail to:
############################################################
############################################################
Monday, August 1, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Cancer-causing Polio Vaccines
Feature writer J.D. Heyes brings you a truly remarkable story about how polio vacci...nes were widely contaminated with the SV40 virus that causes cancer. And it's still being found in cancer tumors in people all across the world! Read more about the true history of vaccines that the medical establishment doesn't want you to know:
http://www.naturalnews.com/032854_SV40_polio_vaccines.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/032854_SV40_polio_vaccines.html
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
The Truth About Sugar / Natalie on Nutrition Pt. 1
Listen close as a nutritionalist tell us the truth about sugar and other foods WE LOVE;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYzeCoH1Gjs&feature=fvwrel
Saturday, June 25, 2011
FDA's approval of aspartame
If a product is approved by the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) and composed of natural ingredients, would you assume
it is safe to consume? If the same product is an artificial sweetener, would you assume
it helps control your weight? Millions of people use aspartame,
the artificial sweetener known as NutraSweet, with these
assumptions in mind.
Video:
http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/page/4092.html
However, aspartame's tainted history of approval and potentially
toxic ingredients cast serious doubt on the safety of this sugar
substitute. Furthermore, aspartame may actually increase your
appetite (Farber 52).
While the FDA approval may signal the green light for safe
consumption, 85 percent of all complaints registered with the
FDA are for adverse reactions to aspartame, including five
reported deaths. A closer look at the unscientific studies,
suspicious approval methods, and its harmful ingredients,
reveal the hidden dangers of this artificial sweetener.
In reality, aspartame poses a public health threat.
Video:
http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/page/4092.html
- Alexandra
See also, the FDAs "Splendid Lies,: "Splenda" - http://exposingfdanusda.blogspot.com/2009/06/fda-on-splenda-splendid-lies.html
P.S. Forbidden Knowledge TV newsletters are all
backed-up on both Twitter: http://bit.ly/fleR5d
and on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/e8DaBm
The FKTV site, itself contains many videos which
are not broadcast and can be navigated by category:
http://www.ForbiddenKnowledgeTV.com
P.P.S. Please share Forbidden Knowledge TV e-mails
and videos with your friends and colleagues.
That's how we grow. Thanks.
(FDA) and composed of natural ingredients, would you assume
it is safe to consume? If the same product is an artificial sweetener, would you assume
it helps control your weight? Millions of people use aspartame,
the artificial sweetener known as NutraSweet, with these
assumptions in mind.
Video:
http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/page/4092.html
However, aspartame's tainted history of approval and potentially
toxic ingredients cast serious doubt on the safety of this sugar
substitute. Furthermore, aspartame may actually increase your
appetite (Farber 52).
While the FDA approval may signal the green light for safe
consumption, 85 percent of all complaints registered with the
FDA are for adverse reactions to aspartame, including five
reported deaths. A closer look at the unscientific studies,
suspicious approval methods, and its harmful ingredients,
reveal the hidden dangers of this artificial sweetener.
In reality, aspartame poses a public health threat.
Video:
http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/page/4092.html
- Alexandra
See also, the FDAs "Splendid Lies,: "Splenda" - http://exposingfdanusda.blogspot.com/2009/06/fda-on-splenda-splendid-lies.html
P.S. Forbidden Knowledge TV newsletters are all
backed-up on both Twitter: http://bit.ly/fleR5d
and on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/e8DaBm
The FKTV site, itself contains many videos which
are not broadcast and can be navigated by category:
http://www.ForbiddenKnowledgeTV.com
P.P.S. Please share Forbidden Knowledge TV e-mails
and videos with your friends and colleagues.
That's how we grow. Thanks.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Shocking facts that prove the ENTIRE US Healthcare Industry Has Become One GIANT Money Making SCAM
25 Shocking Facts That Prove That The Entire U.S. Health Care Industry Has Become One Giant Money Making Scam
Before Its News
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 5:05
What is the appropriate word to use when you find out that the top executive at the third largest health insurance company in America raked in 68.7 million dollars in 2010? How is one supposed to respond when one learns that more than two dozen pharmaceutical companies make over a billion dollars in profits each year? Is it okay to get angry when you discover that over 90 percent of all hospital bills contain "gross overcharges"? Once upon a time, going into the medical profession was seen as a "noble" thing to do. But now the health care industry in the United States has become one giant money making scam and it is completely dominated by health insurance companies, pharmaceutical corporations, lawyers and corporate fatcats. In America today, just one trip to the hospital can cost you tens of thousands of dollars even if you do not stay for a single night. The sad thing is that the vast majority of the money that you pay out for medical care does not even go to your doctor. In fact, large numbers of doctors across the United States are going broke. Rather, it is the "system" that is soaking up almost all of the profits. We have a health care industry in the United States that is fundamentally broken and it needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.
But wasn't that what Obamacare was supposed to do? No, in fact Obamacare was largely written by representatives from the health insurance industry and the pharmaceutical industry. Once it was signed into law the stocks of most health insurance companies went way up.
The truth is that Obamacare was one of the worst pieces of legislation in modern American history. It did nothing to fix our health care problems. Rather, it just made all of our health care problems much worse.
In case you haven't noticed, health insurance companies all over the United States have announced that they are going to raise premiums significantly due to the new law. Of course they are just using it as an excuse. They have been sticking it to us good for the last several decades and they just grab hold of whatever excuse they can find to justify the latest rate hike.
If you are looking for a legal way to drain massive amounts of money out of average Americans just become a health care company executive. Health care has become perhaps the greatest money making scam in the United States. When Americans are sick and have to go to the hospital most of them aren't really thinking about how much it will cost. At that point they are super vulnerable and ready to be exploited.
It is almost unbelievable how much money some of these companies make. Health insurance companies are more profitable when they provide less health care. Pharmaceutical companies aren't in the business of saving lives. Rather, they are in the business of inflating the profit margins on their drugs as much as possible. Many hospitals have adopted a policy of charging "whatever they can get away with", knowing that the vast majority of the public will never challenge the medical bills.
The system is broken.
Everyone knows it.
But it never gets fixed.
The following are 25 shocking facts that prove that the entire U.S. health care industry is one giant money making scam....
#1 The chairman of Aetna, the third largest health insurance company in the United States, brought in a staggering $68.7 million during 2010. Ron Williams exercised stock options that were worth approximately $50.3 million and he raked in an additional $18.4 million in wages and other forms of compensation. The funny thing is that he left the company and didn't even work the whole year.
#2 The top executives at the five largest for-profit health insurance companies in the United States combined to receive nearly $200 million in total compensation in 2009.
#3 One study found that approximately 41 percent of working age Americans either have medical bill problems or are currently paying off medical debt.
#4 Over the last decade, the number of Americans without health insurance has risen from about 38 million to about 52 million.
#5 According to one survey, approximately 1 out of every 4 Californians under the age of 65 has absolutely no health insurance.
#6 According to a report published in The American Journal of Medicine, medical bills are a major factor in more than 60 percent of the personal bankruptcies in the United States. Of those bankruptcies that were caused by medical bills, approximately 75 percent of them involved individuals that actually did have health insurance.
#7 Profits at U.S. health insurance companies increased by 56 percent during 2009.
#8 According to a report by Health Care for America Now, America's five biggest for-profit health insurance companies ended 2009 with a combined profit of $12.2 billion.
#9 Health insurance rate increases are getting out of control. According to the Los Angeles Times, Blue Shield of California plans to raise rates an average of 30% to 35%, and some individual policy holders could see their health insurance premiums rise by a whopping 59 percent this year alone.
#10 According to an article on the Mother Jones website, health insurance premiums for small employers in the U.S. increased 180% between 1999 and 2009.
#11 Why are c-sections on the rise? It is because a vaginal delivery costs approximately $5,992 on average, while a c-section costs approximately $8,558 on average.
#12 Since 2003, health insurance companies have shelled out more than $42 million in state-level campaign contributions.
#13 Between 2000 and 2006, wages in the United States increased by 3.8%, but health care premiums increased by 87%.
#14 There were more than two dozen pharmaceutical companies that made over a billion dollars in profits in 2008.
#15 Each year, tens of billions of dollars is spent on pharmaceutical marketing in the United States alone.
#16 Nearly half of all Americans now use prescription drugs on a regular basis according to a CDC report that was just released. According to the report, approximately one-third of all Americans use two or more pharmaceutical drugs, and more than ten percent of all Americans use five or more prescription drugs on a regular basis.
#17 According to the CDC, approximately three quarters of a million people a year are rushed to emergency rooms in the United States because of adverse reactions to pharmaceutical drugs.
#18 The Food and Drug Administration reported 1,742 prescription drug recalls in 2009, which was a gigantic increase from 426 drug recalls in 2008.
#19 Lawyers are certainly doing their part to contribute to soaring health care costs. According to one recent study, the medical liability system in the United States added approximately $55.6 billion to the cost of health care in 2008.
#20 According to one doctor interviewed by Fox News, "a gunshot wound to the head, chest or abdomen" will cost $13,000 at his hospital the moment the victim comes in the door, and then there will be significant additional charges depending on how bad the wound is.
#21 In America today, if you have an illness that requires intensive care for an extended period of time, it is ridiculously really easy to rack up medical bills that total over 1 million dollars.
#22 It is estimated that hospitals overcharge Americans by about 10 billion dollars every single year.
#23 One trained medical billing advocate says that over 90 percent of the medical bills that she has audited contain "gross overcharges".
#24 It is not uncommon for insurance companies to get hospitals to knock their bills down by up to 95 percent, but if you are uninsured or you don't know how the system works then you are out of luck.
#25 According to one recent report, Americans spend approximately twice as much as residents of other developed countries on health care.
Sadly, the pillaging of the American people only seems to be accelerating.
Whether it is as a result of Obamacare or not, health insurers have decided that this is the season to raise health insurance premiums. Just consider the following excerpt from a recent article on Fox News....
Here is the terse reason CareFirst/Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Washington gave its subscribers for raising a monthly premium from $333 to $512 on a middle aged man who is healthy, is not a smoker and is not obese: "Your new rate reflects the overall rise in health care costs and we regret having to pass these additional costs on to you."
512 dollars a month for health insurance for a healthy non-smoker?
Are they serious?
Apparently they are.
Things have gotten so bad that an increasing number of Americans are going outside of the country for medical care.
According to numbers released by Deloitte Consulting, a whopping 875,000 Americans were "medical tourists" in 2010.
Is there anyone out there that is not paid by the health care industry that is still willing to defend it?
Is there anyone out there that still believes that the health care industry is not just one giant money making scam?
Feel free to leave your comments below. In particular, if you have a horror story about a health insurance company, a pharmaceutical company or the health care industry as a whole please share it with us....
Read more at The End of the American Dream;
Before It's News
Before Its News
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 5:05
What is the appropriate word to use when you find out that the top executive at the third largest health insurance company in America raked in 68.7 million dollars in 2010? How is one supposed to respond when one learns that more than two dozen pharmaceutical companies make over a billion dollars in profits each year? Is it okay to get angry when you discover that over 90 percent of all hospital bills contain "gross overcharges"? Once upon a time, going into the medical profession was seen as a "noble" thing to do. But now the health care industry in the United States has become one giant money making scam and it is completely dominated by health insurance companies, pharmaceutical corporations, lawyers and corporate fatcats. In America today, just one trip to the hospital can cost you tens of thousands of dollars even if you do not stay for a single night. The sad thing is that the vast majority of the money that you pay out for medical care does not even go to your doctor. In fact, large numbers of doctors across the United States are going broke. Rather, it is the "system" that is soaking up almost all of the profits. We have a health care industry in the United States that is fundamentally broken and it needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.
But wasn't that what Obamacare was supposed to do? No, in fact Obamacare was largely written by representatives from the health insurance industry and the pharmaceutical industry. Once it was signed into law the stocks of most health insurance companies went way up.
The truth is that Obamacare was one of the worst pieces of legislation in modern American history. It did nothing to fix our health care problems. Rather, it just made all of our health care problems much worse.
In case you haven't noticed, health insurance companies all over the United States have announced that they are going to raise premiums significantly due to the new law. Of course they are just using it as an excuse. They have been sticking it to us good for the last several decades and they just grab hold of whatever excuse they can find to justify the latest rate hike.
If you are looking for a legal way to drain massive amounts of money out of average Americans just become a health care company executive. Health care has become perhaps the greatest money making scam in the United States. When Americans are sick and have to go to the hospital most of them aren't really thinking about how much it will cost. At that point they are super vulnerable and ready to be exploited.
It is almost unbelievable how much money some of these companies make. Health insurance companies are more profitable when they provide less health care. Pharmaceutical companies aren't in the business of saving lives. Rather, they are in the business of inflating the profit margins on their drugs as much as possible. Many hospitals have adopted a policy of charging "whatever they can get away with", knowing that the vast majority of the public will never challenge the medical bills.
The system is broken.
Everyone knows it.
But it never gets fixed.
The following are 25 shocking facts that prove that the entire U.S. health care industry is one giant money making scam....
#1 The chairman of Aetna, the third largest health insurance company in the United States, brought in a staggering $68.7 million during 2010. Ron Williams exercised stock options that were worth approximately $50.3 million and he raked in an additional $18.4 million in wages and other forms of compensation. The funny thing is that he left the company and didn't even work the whole year.
#2 The top executives at the five largest for-profit health insurance companies in the United States combined to receive nearly $200 million in total compensation in 2009.
#3 One study found that approximately 41 percent of working age Americans either have medical bill problems or are currently paying off medical debt.
#4 Over the last decade, the number of Americans without health insurance has risen from about 38 million to about 52 million.
#5 According to one survey, approximately 1 out of every 4 Californians under the age of 65 has absolutely no health insurance.
#6 According to a report published in The American Journal of Medicine, medical bills are a major factor in more than 60 percent of the personal bankruptcies in the United States. Of those bankruptcies that were caused by medical bills, approximately 75 percent of them involved individuals that actually did have health insurance.
#7 Profits at U.S. health insurance companies increased by 56 percent during 2009.
#8 According to a report by Health Care for America Now, America's five biggest for-profit health insurance companies ended 2009 with a combined profit of $12.2 billion.
#9 Health insurance rate increases are getting out of control. According to the Los Angeles Times, Blue Shield of California plans to raise rates an average of 30% to 35%, and some individual policy holders could see their health insurance premiums rise by a whopping 59 percent this year alone.
#10 According to an article on the Mother Jones website, health insurance premiums for small employers in the U.S. increased 180% between 1999 and 2009.
#11 Why are c-sections on the rise? It is because a vaginal delivery costs approximately $5,992 on average, while a c-section costs approximately $8,558 on average.
#12 Since 2003, health insurance companies have shelled out more than $42 million in state-level campaign contributions.
#13 Between 2000 and 2006, wages in the United States increased by 3.8%, but health care premiums increased by 87%.
#14 There were more than two dozen pharmaceutical companies that made over a billion dollars in profits in 2008.
#15 Each year, tens of billions of dollars is spent on pharmaceutical marketing in the United States alone.
#16 Nearly half of all Americans now use prescription drugs on a regular basis according to a CDC report that was just released. According to the report, approximately one-third of all Americans use two or more pharmaceutical drugs, and more than ten percent of all Americans use five or more prescription drugs on a regular basis.
#17 According to the CDC, approximately three quarters of a million people a year are rushed to emergency rooms in the United States because of adverse reactions to pharmaceutical drugs.
#18 The Food and Drug Administration reported 1,742 prescription drug recalls in 2009, which was a gigantic increase from 426 drug recalls in 2008.
#19 Lawyers are certainly doing their part to contribute to soaring health care costs. According to one recent study, the medical liability system in the United States added approximately $55.6 billion to the cost of health care in 2008.
#20 According to one doctor interviewed by Fox News, "a gunshot wound to the head, chest or abdomen" will cost $13,000 at his hospital the moment the victim comes in the door, and then there will be significant additional charges depending on how bad the wound is.
#21 In America today, if you have an illness that requires intensive care for an extended period of time, it is ridiculously really easy to rack up medical bills that total over 1 million dollars.
#22 It is estimated that hospitals overcharge Americans by about 10 billion dollars every single year.
#23 One trained medical billing advocate says that over 90 percent of the medical bills that she has audited contain "gross overcharges".
#24 It is not uncommon for insurance companies to get hospitals to knock their bills down by up to 95 percent, but if you are uninsured or you don't know how the system works then you are out of luck.
#25 According to one recent report, Americans spend approximately twice as much as residents of other developed countries on health care.
Sadly, the pillaging of the American people only seems to be accelerating.
Whether it is as a result of Obamacare or not, health insurers have decided that this is the season to raise health insurance premiums. Just consider the following excerpt from a recent article on Fox News....
Here is the terse reason CareFirst/Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Washington gave its subscribers for raising a monthly premium from $333 to $512 on a middle aged man who is healthy, is not a smoker and is not obese: "Your new rate reflects the overall rise in health care costs and we regret having to pass these additional costs on to you."
512 dollars a month for health insurance for a healthy non-smoker?
Are they serious?
Apparently they are.
Things have gotten so bad that an increasing number of Americans are going outside of the country for medical care.
According to numbers released by Deloitte Consulting, a whopping 875,000 Americans were "medical tourists" in 2010.
Is there anyone out there that is not paid by the health care industry that is still willing to defend it?
Is there anyone out there that still believes that the health care industry is not just one giant money making scam?
Feel free to leave your comments below. In particular, if you have a horror story about a health insurance company, a pharmaceutical company or the health care industry as a whole please share it with us....
Read more at The End of the American Dream;
Before It's News
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Irriated Seed-Crops Sicken Cattle w/ Fatal Disease / Russia
UNDIAGNOSED DISEASE, BOVINE - RUSSIA: (TATARSTAN) REQUEST FOR
INFORMATION
*************************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: Wed 20 Apr 2011
Source: Epidnews.Ru [in Russian, trans. Corr.ATS, edited]
Spasskiy district plague: are the cattle killed by radiation?
-------------------------------------------------------------
The environmental protection activists in the Republic of Tatarstan
have reported mysterious cattle death cases in Spasskiy district since
last summer [2010]. The cause of these deaths remains unknown;
however, the activists connect it with a recent gamma irradiation
experiment of the seeds in the region. The affected animals develop
muscle weakness, start limping, and at the end die. A representative
of the environmental protection activists has visited one of the
affected villages and asked the villagers about these cases. All 3
respondents have had a dead cow in their farm. They have said that the
same situation exists in their neighbor's yards. There are no official
statistics available for these fatal cattle cases.
A local veterinarian considers that the disease could be
osteodystrophy due to affected metabolism in these animals. He also
thinks that the quality of the local forage could be low because of
the very hot summer last year [2010], which led to decreased
nutritional value and less vitamins in all vegetation. Such problems
with feed sometimes can cause similar health problems in cattle in
early spring, he says.
The environmental activists consider that seed irradiation also can
lead to a low content of vitamins in forage plants. To prove their
claims they point out clustering of cattle deaths only in Spasskiy
district, where the irradiation experiment took place. The neighboring
districts, which had similarly hot summers last year, did not report
cattle health problems at all. The environmentalists also cite
scientific articles from the 1950s, which document loss of vitamins in
irradiated seeds. Additionally, they say, there is evidence about
development of radiation sickness in animals if they are fed
irradiated forage.
There is an ongoing project in Russia to establish a centralized
radiation facility for cattle forage and maybe chicken feeds as well.
The local environmentalists consider this a dangerous development and
are lobbying for local legislative measures against such radiation
projects.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Russian service PRO/RUS
[This report is rather turbid, lacking quantitative as well as
qualitative data, seemingly belonging to the "hearsay" party. No
epidemiological or clinical information on the population which is
said to be affected are included.
Food irradiation is the process of exposing food/feed to ionizing
radiation to destroy microorganisms, bacteria, viruses or insects that
might be present in the food/feed. There are also other applications,
including sprout inhibition. Irradiated food does not become
radioactive, but in some cases there may be subtle chemical changes. -
Mod.AS]
[The undiagnosed illness/death affecting the cattle is not from
radiation. I am also hard pressed to believe the radiation effect on
the plants. Osteodystrophy and what the vet said sound correct. -
Mod.TG]
[Maps of Russia can be seen at
and. The Republic of Tatarstan is
located in the Volga (Privolzhsky) Federal District, which forms the
southeastern part of European Russia. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]
[see also:
2008
----
Undiagnosed disease, bovine - Russia (02): (Irkutsk) 20080107.0094
Undiagnosed disease, bovine - Russia (Irkutsk) 20080106.0073]
.................................................ats/arn/tg/mj/jw
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Donate to ProMED-mail. Details available at:
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at.
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org (NOT to
an individual moderator). If you do not give your full name
name and affiliation, it may not be posted. You may unsub-
scribe at.
For assistance from a human being, send mail to:
INFORMATION
*************************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: Wed 20 Apr 2011
Source: Epidnews.Ru [in Russian, trans. Corr.ATS, edited]
Spasskiy district plague: are the cattle killed by radiation?
-------------------------------------------------------------
The environmental protection activists in the Republic of Tatarstan
have reported mysterious cattle death cases in Spasskiy district since
last summer [2010]. The cause of these deaths remains unknown;
however, the activists connect it with a recent gamma irradiation
experiment of the seeds in the region. The affected animals develop
muscle weakness, start limping, and at the end die. A representative
of the environmental protection activists has visited one of the
affected villages and asked the villagers about these cases. All 3
respondents have had a dead cow in their farm. They have said that the
same situation exists in their neighbor's yards. There are no official
statistics available for these fatal cattle cases.
A local veterinarian considers that the disease could be
osteodystrophy due to affected metabolism in these animals. He also
thinks that the quality of the local forage could be low because of
the very hot summer last year [2010], which led to decreased
nutritional value and less vitamins in all vegetation. Such problems
with feed sometimes can cause similar health problems in cattle in
early spring, he says.
The environmental activists consider that seed irradiation also can
lead to a low content of vitamins in forage plants. To prove their
claims they point out clustering of cattle deaths only in Spasskiy
district, where the irradiation experiment took place. The neighboring
districts, which had similarly hot summers last year, did not report
cattle health problems at all. The environmentalists also cite
scientific articles from the 1950s, which document loss of vitamins in
irradiated seeds. Additionally, they say, there is evidence about
development of radiation sickness in animals if they are fed
irradiated forage.
There is an ongoing project in Russia to establish a centralized
radiation facility for cattle forage and maybe chicken feeds as well.
The local environmentalists consider this a dangerous development and
are lobbying for local legislative measures against such radiation
projects.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Russian service PRO/RUS
[This report is rather turbid, lacking quantitative as well as
qualitative data, seemingly belonging to the "hearsay" party. No
epidemiological or clinical information on the population which is
said to be affected are included.
Food irradiation is the process of exposing food/feed to ionizing
radiation to destroy microorganisms, bacteria, viruses or insects that
might be present in the food/feed. There are also other applications,
including sprout inhibition. Irradiated food does not become
radioactive, but in some cases there may be subtle chemical changes. -
Mod.AS]
[The undiagnosed illness/death affecting the cattle is not from
radiation. I am also hard pressed to believe the radiation effect on
the plants. Osteodystrophy and what the vet said sound correct. -
Mod.TG]
[Maps of Russia can be seen at
and
located in the Volga (Privolzhsky) Federal District, which forms the
southeastern part of European Russia. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]
[see also:
2008
----
Undiagnosed disease, bovine - Russia (02): (Irkutsk) 20080107.0094
Undiagnosed disease, bovine - Russia (Irkutsk) 20080106.0073]
.................................................ats/arn/tg/mj/jw
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Donate to ProMED-mail. Details available at:
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org (NOT to
an individual moderator). If you do not give your full name
name and affiliation, it may not be posted. You may unsub-
scribe at
For assistance from a human being, send mail to:
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