Shaw's Eco-Logic by Mike Shaw

Have mercy...on those infected with MRSA
This HND piece covers yet another outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus aka MRSA. What makes this one plain awful is that it occurred in a neonatal intensive care unit, and would not have even been reported publicly, but for "leak" from a hospital employee to a state official.  You'll love the excuse they used when confronted by the media. My friend, infection control guru Lawrence Muscarella, weighs in on this, and while polite, he minces no words.  Read the complete article. 

CBD and the NFL

This HND piece discusses how retired and suffering NFL players are turning to cannabidiol (CBD) to relieve their symptoms. Unlike denial, which was the NFL's primary response to concussions, the league sure knows how to deal with chronic pain—and that's with drugs. Loads of them. Too bad there are side effects.  Way back in the 60s, I knew a UCLA football player (a defensive back) who was taking enormous doses of ibuprofen for his constant pain. While I guess it helped him with the pain, it also burned out his kidneys. Too bad they didn't have CBD back then.  One of the groups promoting CBD to the former players is CW Hemp, famous for coming up with the formula that saved the life of little seizure sufferer Charlotte Figi. (CW as in Charlotte's Web).  CBD is a cannabis extract that has no hallucinogenic properties, but does wonders for a variety of symptoms. Naturally, the Feds are years behind the curve on this one.  Read the complete article. 

Unneeded or outdated meds? Get rid of them!

This HND piece examines the very real problem of prescription drug abuse. The title derives from the sad fact that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.   We cite some disturbing statistics, including this charmer: 45 people die every day from overdosing on opioid prescription painkillers, and that's more deaths than fatal heroin and cocaine overdoses combined.  The good news is that the government and private sector are teaming up in a big way to mbat this epidemic. Read the complete article.

Hear ye, hear ye 

This HND piece covers a bill being promoted by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), that would allow certain types of hearing aids to be sold, without the need for a professional consult. At first blush, this seems like a reasonable libertarian concept—coming strangely from a Leftist senator. Besides, a professional consult is necessary for best results.  As it happens, Medicare and most private insurance do not cover hearing aids, even though hearing loss affects 48 million Americans, most of whom are on Medicare. One wonders why Warren was not an avid supporter of the bills that would have forced Medicare to cover these devices.  It might be because the company that would benefit the most from OTC hearing aids is in her state.  Read the complete article.

Searching for self-help resources--in mental health 

This HND piece takes to heart this statement from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA):  "Consumer self-care is becoming an important part of efficient and effective healthcare delivery. By exercising best practices of promoting wellness and preventing illness, informed consumers can dramatically improve outcomes and reduce costs. Learn about what you are experiencing. This will allow you to make good decisions about all parts of your life, like: your treatment; how and where you are going to live; who you are going to live with; how you will get and spend money; your close relationships; and parenting issues."  Within the mental health field, a host of self-help resources are available from the Open Forest initiative. As such, we cover them in some detail.  Read the complete article.