A New Role For Dermatologists And CDC - tanTALK

Don Smith · 07-20-2002, 10:09 PM

FYI To Ask Don's Army:

A report by the Chicago Trubune stated that there were 103,000 deaths caused by infections in American hospitals in 2000 and that 75% of them were preventable. That means that there were 77,250 deaths that were "preventable" and did not need to occur. This report significantly differed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA "report" earlier this year claiming that "only" 90,000 deaths from hospital-borne infections occured each year, a difference of 14.4%.

Whether there are 90,000 or 103,000 deaths each year is not the issue; whatever the number, it is unacceptable!

One cannot help but wonder why CDC itself, and the American Academy of Dermatology, dedicate so much of their time and resources to non-melanoma skin cancer when there are only about 600 deaths per year due to overexposure to UVR when there are between 90,000 and 103,000 people dying from hospital infections. At this rate, even if all 600 deaths could be prevented each year, it will take approximately 129 years to "save" the number of patients who die needlessly each year from hospital infections.

Therefore a modest proposal.

I hereby propose that the American Academy of Dermatology and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concentrate their efforts and resources on reducing the number of "preventable" deaths from infections in the nations hospitals.

In the meantime, the indoor tanning industry will concentrate on helping people develop photoprotective, thermoprotective and immunoprotective facultative pigmentation (better known as a "tan") which has a MUCH better "chance" of reducing the non-melanoma skin cancer death toll than does sun avoidance.

IF the goal of CDC and AAD is to "save lives" and "improve the health and welfare of the American public" as stated, they will quickly embrace my proposal.

Don[ This Message was edited by: Don Smith on 2002-07-22 12:29 ]

solarmeter · 07-20-2002, 10:39 PM

CDC certainly should. AAD won't care.. "Big Sunscreen" has too many $$$.

The only hope to stop "sunscare" or UVscare" is for valid research to ultimately conclude that calcium/vitamin D deficiencies and the related risks of UV underexposure are a national tragedy worthy of front page news.

Steve

Don Smith · 07-21-2002, 08:24 AM

What Happened To "Informed Consent"???

The CDC report stated that "more than 75% of all hospitals have been cited for serious cleanliness and sanitation violations" and surely they would be required to "disclose" their violations, right/

Wrong!

The report stated that "Hospitals are not required to disclose infection rates, AND MOST DO NOT. Doctors are not required to tell patients about risk or exposure to hospital germs."

What, I wonder ARE they required to disclose?

So, the hospitals "blame" this situation on "the last decade of unprecedented cost-cutting" and ask the question "How much do you want to invest in high-quality, safe medical care."

WOW!

I thought that "high-quality, safe medical care" WAS what we were investing in!

Personally, I think we "want to invest" whatever money and effort is required to eliminate the 77,250 "unnecessary" deaths from infections each year in our hospitals!

CDC and AAD MUST set new priorities!

And quit wasting time and resources "scaring" people about skin cancer!

Don "Who Is Fed UP With What Is Happening" Smith

Don Smith · 07-21-2002, 04:07 PM

It Gets Worse!

In the Arizona Daily Star today (in an article about the CDC report) Barry Farr, MD, a leading infection-control expert and the president of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America was quoted as saying:

"The number of people needlessly killed by hospital infections is unbelievable, but the public doesn't know anything about it. For years, we've just been quietly bundling the bodies of patients off to the morgue while infection rates get higher and higher."

It is clear that the medical community should have been putting it's own house in order instead of attacking the indoor tanning industry and trying to interfere with the American public's right to tan!

The CDC report showed that 2.1 million (of 35 million admissions) patients (about 6 percent of admissions) pick up an infection during their hospital stay and that is an INCREDIBLE statistic!

[Note: Don't forget that there are 77,250 "preventable" deaths from hospital infections each year and this constitutes a "scandal" of major proportions!]

And these are the people who have the unmitigated "gall" to critize us! It's time for them to put their own house in order and time for us to take legal action against our enemies!

Don "Who Has Had Enough Of This Nonsense" Smith

Don Smith · 07-21-2002, 04:23 PM

Take A Look At The CDC Website:

So what is CDC talking about on their website (www.cdc.gov) at a time when the nation is outraged about the deaths from "preventable" infections in our hospitals?

Are they talking about THEIR OWN STUDY that confirmed the fact that there are 103,000 deaths each year in American hospitals due to infections "picked up" while hospitalized and that 77,250 of these were preventable?

Nope!

They are talking about the anti-tanning segment of the dermatology community's "Choose Your Cover" program. And, if you look in the "Info for Parents" section, you will read the following:

"Tan? There's no other way to say it — tanned skin is damaged skin. Any change in the color of your child's skin after time outside — whether sunburn or suntan — indicates damage from UV rays."

The CDC is, as usual, busy reorganizing the deck chairs on the Titanic! When they should be deploying all of their resources in order to cut down on the 77,250 "preventable" deaths from hospital-based infections, they are spending their time (and resources) trying to interfere with the American public's right to tan!

What an outrage!

Don "Who Has Had Enough Of This Nonsense" Smith

BooBop · 07-22-2002, 06:57 PM

What losers! Okay, Don let's start another email campaign! I am right behind you.

07-20-2002, 10:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
Don Smith Join Date: Feb 25 2000 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 1,643 Rep Power: 26	FYI To Ask Don's Army: A report by the Chicago Trubune stated that there were 103,000 deaths caused by infections in American hospitals in 2000 and that 75% of them were preventable. That means that there were 77,250 deaths that were "preventable" and did not need to occur. This report significantly differed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA "report" earlier this year claiming that "only" 90,000 deaths from hospital-borne infections occured each year, a difference of 14.4%. Whether there are 90,000 or 103,000 deaths each year is not the issue; whatever the number, it is unacceptable! One cannot help but wonder why CDC itself, and the American Academy of Dermatology, dedicate so much of their time and resources to non-melanoma skin cancer when there are only about 600 deaths per year due to overexposure to UVR when there are between 90,000 and 103,000 people dying from hospital infections. At this rate, even if all 600 deaths could be prevented each year, it will take approximately 129 years to "save" the number of patients who die needlessly each year from hospital infections. Therefore a modest proposal. I hereby propose that the American Academy of Dermatology and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concentrate their efforts and resources on reducing the number of "preventable" deaths from infections in the nations hospitals. In the meantime, the indoor tanning industry will concentrate on helping people develop photoprotective, thermoprotective and immunoprotective facultative pigmentation (better known as a "tan") which has a MUCH better "chance" of reducing the non-melanoma skin cancer death toll than does sun avoidance. IF the goal of CDC and AAD is to "save lives" and "improve the health and welfare of the American public" as stated, they will quickly embrace my proposal. Don[ This Message was edited by: Don Smith on 2002-07-22 12:29 ]

07-20-2002, 10:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
solarmeter Join Date: Nov 13 2001 Location: MI Posts: 861 Rep Power: 23	CDC certainly should. AAD won't care.. "Big Sunscreen" has too many $$$. The only hope to stop "sunscare" or UVscare" is for valid research to ultimately conclude that calcium/vitamin D deficiencies and the related risks of UV underexposure are a national tragedy worthy of front page news. Steve

07-21-2002, 08:24 AM	#3 (permalink)
Don Smith Join Date: Feb 25 2000 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 1,643 Rep Power: 26	What Happened To "Informed Consent"??? The CDC report stated that "more than 75% of all hospitals have been cited for serious cleanliness and sanitation violations" and surely they would be required to "disclose" their violations, right/ Wrong! The report stated that "Hospitals are not required to disclose infection rates, AND MOST DO NOT. Doctors are not required to tell patients about risk or exposure to hospital germs." What, I wonder ARE they required to disclose? So, the hospitals "blame" this situation on "the last decade of unprecedented cost-cutting" and ask the question "How much do you want to invest in high-quality, safe medical care." WOW! I thought that "high-quality, safe medical care" WAS what we were investing in! Personally, I think we "want to invest" whatever money and effort is required to eliminate the 77,250 "unnecessary" deaths from infections each year in our hospitals! CDC and AAD MUST set new priorities! And quit wasting time and resources "scaring" people about skin cancer! Don "Who Is Fed UP With What Is Happening" Smith

07-21-2002, 04:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
Don Smith Join Date: Feb 25 2000 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 1,643 Rep Power: 26	It Gets Worse! In the Arizona Daily Star today (in an article about the CDC report) Barry Farr, MD, a leading infection-control expert and the president of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America was quoted as saying: "The number of people needlessly killed by hospital infections is unbelievable, but the public doesn't know anything about it. For years, we've just been quietly bundling the bodies of patients off to the morgue while infection rates get higher and higher." It is clear that the medical community should have been putting it's own house in order instead of attacking the indoor tanning industry and trying to interfere with the American public's right to tan! The CDC report showed that 2.1 million (of 35 million admissions) patients (about 6 percent of admissions) pick up an infection during their hospital stay and that is an INCREDIBLE statistic! [Note: Don't forget that there are 77,250 "preventable" deaths from hospital infections each year and this constitutes a "scandal" of major proportions!] And these are the people who have the unmitigated "gall" to critize us! It's time for them to put their own house in order and time for us to take legal action against our enemies! Don "Who Has Had Enough Of This Nonsense" Smith

07-21-2002, 04:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
Don Smith Join Date: Feb 25 2000 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 1,643 Rep Power: 26	Take A Look At The CDC Website: So what is CDC talking about on their website (www.cdc.gov) at a time when the nation is outraged about the deaths from "preventable" infections in our hospitals? Are they talking about THEIR OWN STUDY that confirmed the fact that there are 103,000 deaths each year in American hospitals due to infections "picked up" while hospitalized and that 77,250 of these were preventable? Nope! They are talking about the anti-tanning segment of the dermatology community's "Choose Your Cover" program. And, if you look in the "Info for Parents" section, you will read the following: "Tan? There's no other way to say it — tanned skin is damaged skin. Any change in the color of your child's skin after time outside — whether sunburn or suntan — indicates damage from UV rays." The CDC is, as usual, busy reorganizing the deck chairs on the Titanic! When they should be deploying all of their resources in order to cut down on the 77,250 "preventable" deaths from hospital-based infections, they are spending their time (and resources) trying to interfere with the American public's right to tan! What an outrage! Don "Who Has Had Enough Of This Nonsense" Smith

07-22-2002, 06:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
BooBop I love Derf!! Join Date: Apr 5 2001 Age: 66 Posts: 7,766 Rep Power: 28	What losers! Okay, Don let's start another email campaign! I am right behind you.

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