Guest guest Posted February 17, 2008 Report Share Posted February 17, 2008 Hadcorp News: February 17, 2007 In this edition of our newsletter: It costs �2,000 and lasts only 18 months ... so would you have a boob jab? (UK)-- Three of the first women in the UK to augment their breasts with Macrolane share their experiences. Woman sues over publishing of her cosmetic surgery photos (USA)-- The defendants in this case are Body Aesthetics Plastic Surgery and Skin Care Center Inc. and Drs. V. Leroy Young, Centeno and C.B. Boswell. The suit says this woman suffered shame and humiliation, and is seeking more than $75,000 for invasion of privacy, breach of fiduciary duty, wrongful commercial appropriation and exploitation of her image and medical information. Teens Plastic Perfection - A Special Report (USA)-- In 1997 more than 59,000 American teens had cosmetic surgery. By 2006 this number nearly tripled to more than 178,000. Vain UK's �1bn plastic surgery bill (UK)-- The cost of having nips, tucks and Botox hit nearly �500million in 2006 and experts predict Britons will spend �1.5billion on treatments in 2011. Rise in cosmetic surgery "putting pressure on GP services" (UK)-- 73% of GPs do not feel confident about dealing with a rise in demand for plastic surgery and GPs are worried about people choosing to go under the knife, as 79% of them prefer that patients consult them before undergoing any operation. GPs are being exposed to the aftermath of unsatisfied patients. Govt to review ADF plastic surgery (Australia)桾he Defence Minister has ordered a review into the practice of offering plastic surgery to Defence Force personnel for psychological reasons. Stop the cowboys, plastic surgeons warn (Australia)� Restrictions are so lax that nurses and even beauty therapists are offering treatments now like Botox and photo rejuvenation therapy with powerful intense pulse light (IPL) lasers. Concerns are also related to doctors without specific qualifications in cosmetic treatments, who offer procedures after training as minimal as a weekend course. Lawyer: Woman Died After Surgery At Local Hospital (USA)桾his lawsuit says 38-year-old Tracey Jordan died last February after being given the wrong drug during a plastic surgery operation. She had liposuction, a tummy tuck, and breast reduction to relieve chronic back problems based on recommendations from her personal doctor. AGENT ORANGE Agent of suffering (UK)-- A third generation of Vietnamese are suffering deformities caused by US chemical warfare and still Washington refuses to accept responsibility. GM FOOD ARTICLES France suspends use of genetically modified corn crops (Austria)--The French government on Saturday suspended any use of genetically modified corn crops in France, pending its request for the European Union to approve a full ban. WA welcomes South Australia's decision to stay GM-free (Australia)--Western Australian Agriculture and Food Minister Kim Chance has welcomed South Australia抯 decision to maintain its moratorium on the commercial production of GM crops as a responsible move to protect the interests of consumers and export markets. BIG PHARMA Current events, politics fuel Big Pharma probes (USA)-- Congress is turning up the heat on the pharmaceutical industry after more than a decade of minimal oversight, launching an array of inquiries into allegations of suppressing research data, lapses in drug safety and deceptive marketing strategies. AEROTOXIC SYNDROME Is cabin air killing pilots, passengers? (UK)-- Vaporized jet oil contains neuro-toxic, immuno-toxic, and potentially carcinogenic organophosphates that are related both to the deadly nerve gas sarin, and to the chemicals found in anti-malaria and anti-nerve drugs implicated as causing Gulf War Syndrome when given to troops in the first Gulf War. MACROLANE INJECTABLE BREAST IMPLANTS It costs �2,000 and lasts only 18 months ... so would you have a boob jab? Daily Mail UK By SADIE NICHOLAS 16th February 2008 Despite lasting only 18 months and costing the same as conventional breast implants, the injectable boob job is tipped to be the next big cosmetic surgery treatment. Here, three of the first women in the UK to enhance their assets with Macrolane tell Femail why they were prepared to spend thousands on a temporary cleavage. LUCY MITCHELL, 35, is a divorced dental hygienist and lives in Colchester, Essex, with her son Sam, 13. My little breasts were never the same after breastfeeding my son 13 years ago. They'd always been a small 34A but they lost any fullness they'd had pre-pregnancy. I began a long-standing relationship with Wonderbras, as well as the dreaded chicken fillet-shaped gel pads that slip into bras. But I always knew that however I looked in my clothes, underneath I still didn't have much to shout about. And it was so obvious on the beach when I wore padded bikinis - you can spot them a mile off because the bikini cups are so rigid. I hated my breasts and they affected my confidence with men, too. I was divorced when Sam was a baby and had dated a few men since then, but always felt self-conscious about my figure. Men always tell women they look fine as they are, then five minutes later you catch them staring at photos of women with ample bosoms, like the actress Pamela . Last summer, I bought a beautiful strapless dress to wear to a wedding but had to stuff my Wonderbra with chicken fillets just to try to fill the bust of the dress so it would hang properly and, more importantly, stay up. It left me feeling very awkward and unhappy about my lack of assets and I didn't know what to do about it. Friends have had breast implants but I wasn't keen on going down the route of invasive surgery because of the risks involved from the general anaesthetic and post-operative complications. But six weeks ago, a chance conversation while I was having laser hair removal treatment suddenly made fuller breasts a possibility. My consultant started telling me about injected breast implants and they sounded great - a much safer option. I booked a Macrolane consultation a week later and was thrilled to be told I was perfect for the treatment and could expect to increase my bust size to a 34B for up to 18 months. It was going to cost �2,000 which is a huge amount of money to pay for something temporary, but I didn't really think about that - or the financial implications if I wanted to have the treatment on a regular basis. I was just excited about the idea of the injections. At the beginning of January I returned to the clinic for treatment. Dr Lucy Glancey, my consultant, explained that the treatment is suitable for two types of women; those who want to increase their breasts by a cup size but are reluctant to have implants, and those who simply want to add volume and shape to their chest. She explained the treatment worked by injecting the breasts with a thick filler called Macrolane which is made from hyaluronic acid, a synthetic substance that's long been used in facial fillers. Macrolane would be injected deep into the breast using a thick needle similar to a knitting needle so I'd need a local anaesthetic to numb my breasts first. I lay down on the consulting couch and a screen was put up in front of my face so that I couldn't see the needles. As Dr Glancey set to work, the only discomfort was a bit of stinging as the local anaesthetic was injected. But it certainly wasn't unbearable and it only took half an hour to inject some much-needed life into my boobs. Afterwards there was some swelling and bruising that made my breasts feel tender for a few days. But it was definitely worth it. My breasts are now beautifully rounded and full, and I can't wait until the shops are full of gorgeous spring tops because for the first time in years I want to show off my shape. But the fact that it has been a success has brought its own problems. The cost of having the treatment topped up once a year or every 18 months is too prohibitive for me. I just can't afford it. But the thought of not having the wonderful full breasts I've got at the moment, and going back to being flat-chested, is quite depressing. I've been given a tantalising glimpse of the sort of bust I could have. If I decide I want to keep my chest this size permanently then I might have to consider having breast implants instead, because they would be more affordable long-term. I'll just have to weigh up the risks and options once Macrolane starts to wear off. EMMA TYLER, 34, is a separated mother of two from Norfolk who is studying for a degree in social work and works part-time as a sales manager for a beauty company. Fed up with the saggy legacy of breastfeeding, two years ago I had breast implants to take my chest from a pathetic 34B to an ample 36DD. I'd tried all sorts of breast plumping creams - and even some disgusting herbal pills that cost �500 and failed to deliver their promise of giving me fuller breasts. Nothing worked, which is why I decided on having surgery. The problem was that although implants increased the size of my chest, one breast was bigger than the other and they still lacked volume and roundness. Short of asking the surgeon to reposition the implants, I didn't know what to do. Then I heard about Macrolane from a friend in the cosmetic surgery industry and it sounded like the perfect solution. I loved the fact that it didn't involve a general anaesthetic or the recovery time of implants - I'd had drips, drains, stitches and an overnight stay in hospital when I had my boob job and it was six weeks before they healed. With enough money in the bank to splash out on Macrolane, I booked a consultation with Lucy Glancey. I had a lot of questions: would it be safe to inject deep into the breast tissue? If the treatment wasn't permanent then where would the filler disperse to within the body? However she reassured me it had been through rigorous medical testing and approval and that she wouldn't offer a treatment that hadn't been reviewed so thoroughly and deemed safe. But, of course, despite all the testing, nobody can say for sure whether there will be any long-term side-effects and, like any cosmetic treatment, there is always a risk involved - but that's the risk you take. I decided to go ahead with the treatment and it was performed last month. Dr Glancey warned that, at worst, I'd suffer perhaps a bit of bruising. So, for two weeks before I had Macrolane I took arnica, a plant extract said to help prevent bruises. When she injected the local anaesthetic I've got to admit that it did hurt a little - the procedure certainly wasn't completely pain-free. But once that was out of the way, I felt only the sensation of the doctor manipulating my breasts to ensure the filler fell into the right shape, but no discomfort. Less than an hour after arriving at the clinic, I was driving home to admire my beautiful new breasts in the mirror. Finally, I had the perfect but natural roundness that the implants alone had not achieved. To anyone else, the difference will be extremely subtle and they may not even notice unless they scrutinise my silhouette when I wear close-fittings tops. But the difference is very noticeable to me and I feel so much more confident. Had Macrolane existed two years ago, when I was about to have full breast augmentation surgery, I would definitely have considered it as an alternative to going under the knife. Although, on average, the treat-ment only increases your bust by a cup size, the benefit is the shape it gives you and I'd have chosen a rounded C-cup over my DD implants. Will I have Macrolane again once it wears off? Obviously, I don't want to end up looking like some kind of freak by having lots of cosmetic procedures, but I'll definitely keep having Macrolane topped up as it starts to deplete after a year. Yes, it's expensive and I can see that's a big downside for the procedure, as many women won't be able to afford to keep it up. If I have the treatment every 18 months until I'm a pensioner at a cost of around �2,000 a time, it could cost me �12,000 every decade. That's a huge amount of money. But I don't think I'm being gullible and falling for the latest surgery fad. As far as I'm concerned, you can't put a price on self-confidence and I'm fortunate to have savings. Ava son, 47, works in advertising and lives in Wimbledon, South London. She is single and doesn't have children. She increased her bra size from 36B to 36C with Macrolane. When I wore a beautiful Wakeley dress to a friend's wedding recently, it looked so much better than the first time I wore it, last autumn. The difference? A few injections to boost my breasts by an entire cup size to a 36C. Nothing drastic, you might think, but it has worked wonders. It's odd because I'm not one of those women who has spent years bemoaning a small bust and longing for a D-cup. It really was that one dress that suddenly made me wish I had something more ample up front. I certainly wouldn't have considered going under the knife for breast implants. But one day last month, when I was having a top-up treatment of Botox, my surgeon mentioned a new injectible boob job that she was about to launch exclusively in this country. All that stood between me and more voluptuous breasts was �;2,000, half an hour and a tiny bit of discomfort. Immediately, I was completely sold on the idea. Six weeks ago, I arrived back at the clinic having booked my place as one of the first women in the UK to have it. Apparently, it's already one of the hottest treatments in Japan. In the clinic's main consulting room I was given a surgical gown to wear and my breasts were sterilised with an antiseptic solution. Dr Lucy Glancey then injected local anaesthetic under my breasts, round the sides and down the cleavage area to block the pain. It was just a series of pinpricks, a bit like having Botox. She used a needle to make a small, 2mm incision in the fold under the first breast and inserted a cannula. A syringe with a 20cm-long needle was then passed through the cannula and the Macrolane injected into my breast tissue. As she proceeded to inject the filler, Dr Glancey had me standing up, laying down and raising my hands above my head so that she could manipulate the filler with her fingers to give my breasts the best shape. With a plaster over the incision, she went to work on my other breast. The 30-minute procedure was a bit uncomfortable, similar to having a filling at the dentist - but the results were instant and it felt quite surreal looking in the mirror at my new C-cup breasts. The difference was subtle but immediately noticeable: my breasts had a lovely shape and were much more perky than when I'd walked into the clinic less than an hour earlier. Since then I've had so much fun buying new bras and tops. I don't have a boyfriend, but my girlfriends couldn't stop staring the first time they saw me after the procedure. They think my new shape gives the impression that my waist is more nipped in, too, so I'm very happy. Was it worth it? Absolutely. With no general anaesthetic, stitches, pain or risk of infection I am very happy. The Macrolane will naturally start to deplete between eight and 12 months after treatment and will be expelled in normal bodily waste. At that point, Dr Glancey has advised that I can either have a topup for about �1,000 or wait until my breasts have deflated completely after 18 months and have the full procedure again. Either way, I'll definitely be back. It will be a big luxury, but I can afford it, so why not? (Photos and additional information on this procedure are available at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=514519 & in_page_id=1879 ) PLASTIC SURGERY Woman sues over publishing of her cosmetic surgery photos St. Louis Post-Dispatch MO, United States By ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 02/13/2008 St. Louis � "Jane Doe" was trying to move past her old body image. After losing what her attorney called "substantial" weight, Doe had surgery to remove excess skin and thought she had left the matter behind. Then someone showed her the fully nude before-and-after pictures of her body that ran online and in thousands of copies of the Riverfront Times alongside an article about her cosmetic surgeons, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in St. Louis. "The woman was absolutely mortified when she saw her full frontal nude pictures in there," her attorney, Witzel, said Tuesday. "Picture your mother's reaction. The woman's in her 60s." Witzel declined to make his client, referred to only as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, available for an interview. She lives in Georgia. The defendants are Body Aesthetics Plastic Surgery and Skin Care Center Inc. and Drs. V. Leroy Young, Centeno and C.B. Boswell. The suit says the woman suffered shame and humiliation, and is seeking more than $75,000 for invasion of privacy, breach of fiduciary duty, wrongful commercial appropriation and exploitation of her image and medical information. The newspaper is not named in the suit. The suit alleges that the doctors told her the pictures, showing her from the neck down, would not be shared and would be used only for her treatment. It also says that in a deposition in what Witzel termed only "another legal matter," Young admitted that the woman had specifically denied permission to use the photo with a medical article before the Riverfront Times story. Calls to Body Aesthetics were not returned. The April 2006 article, which focuses primarily on Young, is still available online, but the pictures are no longer available on the website. The editor, Tom Finkel, said that although his recollection was vague, he believed the photos had been taken down at the request of one of the doctors. Teens Plastic Perfection - A Special Report USA Posted: Feb 14, 2008 04:41 PM EST Updated: Feb 15, 2008 06:56 AM EST INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - How young is too young when it comes to cosmetic surgery? The numbers show more teenagers are seeking it out more than ever and it wasn't tough to find them right here in Central Indiana. In the past decade, the number of American teens getting cosmetic surgery has nearly tripled. One local cosmetic surgeon is worried about the trend of teens seeking plastic perfection. Payton Guenter works at an Indianapolis modeling agency. The first time he had a laser treatment on his face was when he was 17-years-old. "Right before I was 18. And that was to remove a little sun spot, really tiny about the size of a pin point. My dad didn't even know it was there for two and a half years. But I had to look at it every day and I wanted to get rid of it," said Guenter, an employee at Powers Agency. Seventeen-year-old Hlava and her friends talk about doing even more than that. "Yeah, mainly like breast implants," said . The Center Grove High School senior hopes to get them herself soon. "Yeah, I want to do it for a graduation gift," she said. Should we be surprised? From Barbie in their childhoods to Britney Spears in their adolescence, this generation of teens is getting more exposure to 'ideal beauty' than any other before. In an episode of the MTV series "I Want a Famous Face," a young woman named Crystal decided she wants plastic surgery so she can look like Britney Spears. Look at the real-life numbers: In 1997 more than 59,000 American teens had cosmetic surgery. By 2006 that number had nearly tripled to more than 178,000. The people who run the Kurr Medical Spa in Carmel where Payton Guenter now goes for laser treatments said they're seeing an increase in teen interest. "There is a trend. I don't think we can deny it. There's more interest in plastic surgery and the numbers are growing," said Dr. ph Fata, a plastic surgeon in Carmel. Dr. Fata worries about the increasing number of younger people eager to go under the plastic surgeon's knife. "They have a different way of looking at things," said Dr. Fata. "Their bodies are changing. That separates them from us. Their opinions about their bodies are changing as quickly as their bodies are changing sometimes more quickly. And I think most important is many of them don't really have an adult's understanding of risk." Risks from surgery can include nausea, infection, or even more serious complications such as heart attack or stroke. Indianapolis Psychologist Clair Dean worries about the emotional risks as well. "My concern would be at that age it would be really hard to make a decision about what you want to change about yourself before you're really able to really know who you are," said Dr. Dean. And that's the concern of Kay Hlava, Hlava's mom. "And that's what I keep telling her is wait. Don't do something that's so permanent that you can't undo it or can't undo it easily. Just make sure that what you want today is what you're gonna want tomorrow," said Kay. Kay, by the way, says will not be receiving breast implants as a graduation present. By: McDermott WISH-TV Vain UK's �1bn plastic surgery bill Metro London,UK Thursday, February 14, 2008 Britons are spending more on cosmetic procedures than any other country in Europe, figures show. The cost of having nips, tucks and Botox injections hit nearly �500million in 2006 and experts predict we will spend �1.5billion on treatments in 2011. While more people are going under the knife in Britain, procedures are generally more expensive here than abroad. 'Britons spend a third and sometimes up to 50 per cent more on procedures here than if they had the same thing done abroad,' said a spokesman for the independent cosmetic surgery advice service, Briggs. Italians had the second highest spend of the European countries surveyed, at �158million, followed by France on �142million. Europe's combined spending on cosmetic surgery in 2006 was �1.25billion although this figure was dwarfed by the �5.79billion spent on procedures in the US. While people's desire to improve their appearance is on the rise, the fastest growing area of cosmetic surgery has been minimally invasive procedures, such as Botox injections. 'These have soared over the last decade,' a spokesman for analysts Datamonitor said. Rise in cosmetic surgery "putting pressure on GP services" Management in Practice London,England,UK Thursday 14th February 2008 A surge in the number of patients opting for cosmetic surgery is putting pressure on GP services, a survey shows. Some 61% of family doctors have had to deal with people affected by unsatisfactory procedures, GP newspaper said. And 73% do not feel confident about dealing with a rise in demand for plastic surgery. The poll also found that GPs are worried about people choosing to go under the knife, as 79% prefer patients to consult them before undergoing any operation. Mc, president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons and a consultant plastic surgeon, said: "Although cosmetic surgery is being taught in more medical schools these days, perhaps older GPs may not feel adequately trained because it was not part of the curriculum when they began medical school. "The consumer watchdog Which? reported last year that only one in eight people visit their GP before deciding on cosmetic surgery, yet it's mainly GPs that are being exposed to the aftermath of unsatisfied patients. "When people decide to travel abroad for surgery, for example, many are left with inadequate aftercare and it is left to the GPs to pick up the pieces and provide advice." Govt to review ADF plastic surgery ABC Online Australia Feb 17 Defence Minister Fitzgibbon has ordered a review into the practice of offering plastic surgery to Defence Force personnel for psychological reasons. A spokesman for Mr Fitzgibbon says the Minister wants information about the approval process before a decision is made about whether the practice will continue. The spokesman says a small number of procedures have been conducted and the Minister has ruled out any plastic surgery operations being carried out for "purely cosmetic" reasons. Stop the cowboys, plastic surgeons warn NEWS.com.au Australia By Adam Cresswell February 16, 2008 12:00am THE lack of regulation of cosmetic surgery is a national disgrace that allows "shonky" and underqualified practitioners to peddle treatments that can be harmful in the wrong hands. Plastic surgeons and cosmetic physicians are calling for tighter safeguards - including audits of qualifications, facilities and post-operative complications - to protect the public from cowboy operators. Restrictions are so lax that nurses and even beauty therapists are offering treatments such as Botox injections and photo rejuvenation therapy with powerful intense pulse light (IPL) lasers. In one complaint reported to 's health department, a woman had three IPL treatments for hair removal at a beauty salon, but when these were unsuccessful she was advised to return for higher-intensity therapy. This caused her to lose pigment in the skin in stripes around both legs, a condition that cannot be reversed. But concerns also related to doctors without specific qualifications in cosmetic treatments who are also getting in on the act, offering therapies after undergoing training as minimal as a weekend course. Webster, president of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, said there were instances of "shonky" people "practising in a dirty place with no infection control, hiding behind a pseudo qualification that they really haven't earned". "It's happening all over the place," Dr Webster said. Plastic surgeons perform medically indicated procedures such as breast reconstruction after mastectomy or repair of cleft palates. Cosmetic surgeons provide more aesthetic treatments, such as breast augmentation and facelifts. Dr Webster said because the latter category was generally not covered by Medicare, there was practically no data gathered on who was providing these services or whether providers were qualified. "We want them (cosmetic therapists) to report data on the spectrum of work they undertake, such as whether they do breast implants or liposuction, and where they are doing them. "We also want them to report morbidity and mortality data - for example, unexpected returns to the operating theatre, or admission to another hospital post-operatively, and deaths and infections. "There's (currently) no auditing system, and that's a total disgrace." Dingley, president of the Cosmetic Physicians Society of Australasia, said nurses and beauty therapists were "dabbling" in procedures such as IPL, which despite being potentially dangerous was available "on every street corner". "Some of these nurses and therapists are treating skin lesions without any training or knowledge of whether these might be melanoma, or some kind of lesion that needs to be excised," Dr Dingley said. "We are going to be talking to health ministers, health departments and the various medical boards, to try to get rid of some of these stupid arrangements that for example allow beauty therapists to give injections." Negligence claims against cosmetic surgeons have soared in the past 10 years. A report last year by Insurance Statistics Australia showed that claims against plastic and cosmetic surgeons together soared by 41 per cent over 10 years - higher even than obstetrics - when comparing the three years from 1995-96 to 1997-98 with the period 2003-04 to 2005-06. Dr Webster said this was "an absolute red herring" because cosmetic surgery barely existed 10 years ago and the claims increase merely reflected the huge rise in the number of procedures. However, he added there was "a problem without a doubt" and the society would be seeking a tightening of standards under the Government's national reform agenda. Lawyer: Woman Died After Surgery At Local Hospital Feb 11, 2008 9:20 pm US/Eastern Philadelphia, PA, USA Stahl PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― A Philadelphia lawyer said he filed suit Monday claiming a woman died because of a drug mistake that happened during plastic surgery at Nazareth Hospital. The lawsuit said 38-year-old Tracey Jordan died last February after being given the wrong drug during a plastic surgery operation. "I think she passed away in my arms," said Tracey's husband, Jordan. He said his wife had liposuction, a tummy tuck, and breast reduction to relieve chronic back problems based on recommendations from her personal doctor. He's now left to raise their 13-year-old daughter alone. "She was the best mother ever and a terrific wife, she took care of everything, I never knew how hard and difficult it was for a single parent until I became one," said . The lawsuit said Tracey was mistakenly given bupivacaine, a powerful anesthetic, instead of a similar looking lidocaine, which is commonly used in liposuction. Killino is the family's lawyer. "This woman died of bupivacaine toxicity. That's what we've alleged in the lawsuit and that's the wrong that we're trying to right," said Killino. A statement from Nazareth Hospital says: "It's inappropriate to comment on such matters with limited information, as we have not been served or summoned in a complaint." AGENT ORANGE NEWS Agent of suffering Guardian Unlimited � UK A third generation of Vietnamese are suffering deformities caused by US chemical warfare and still Washington refuses to accept responsibility Tom Fawthrop February 10, 2008 5:00 PM Long after the last bullet has been fired in a war, unexploded bombs, landmines and toxic chemicals continue to maim and kill civilians. This is particularly true of the Vietnam war. Three decades after US soldiers and diplomats scrambled aboard the last planes out of Saigon in April 1975, the toxins they left behind still poison Vietnam. Relations with the United States have been normalised since the 1990s, but the denial of justice to the victims of Agent Orange remains a major bone of contention. Not only are Vietnamese still maimed from treading on unexploded bombs, they are also victims of this insidious scourge that poisons water and food supplies, causing various cancers and crippling deformities. Eighty million litres of Agent Orange were sprayed on the jungles of Vietnam, destroying swathes of irreplaceable rainforest through massive defoliation and leaving a toxic trail of dioxin contamination in the soil for decades. The legacy of this chemical warfare can even be inflicted on the unborn, with Agent Orange birth deformities now being passed on to a third generation. In the 3,160 villages in the southern part of Vietnam within the Agent Orange spraying zone, 800,000 people continue to suffer serious health problems and are in need of constant medical attention. Last month, members of a US Vietnamese working group reported that it will cost at least $14m to remove dioxin residues from just one site around the former US airbase in Danang. The cost of a comprehensive clean-up around three dioxin hotspots and former US bases is estimated at around $60m. The $3m pledged by US Congress last year is a pathetically inadequate amount set against the billions spent in waging war and deploying weapons of mass destruction. The recent study of one Agent Orange hotspot, the former US airbase in Danang, found dioxin levels 300 to 400 times higher than internationally accepted limits. The study confirmed that rainwater had carried dioxin into city drains and into a neighbouring community that is home to more than 100,000 people. Dr Arnold Schecter, a leading expert in dioxin contamination in the US, sampled the soil around former US airbase in Bien Hoa in 2003 and found dioxin levels that were 180 times above the safe level set by the US environmental protection agency. The US government was aware of these findings (pdf) back in 2003. The US government's Veterans Administration officially recognises 13 medical conditions linked to Agent Orange and provides free medical treatment to US soldiers who can prove their exposure to the herbicide. But Washington has adamantly denied all responsibility and evaded any kind of accountability for the estimated four million Vietnamese soldiers and civilians who suffered far greater exposure to the dioxin than the US war veterans. In February 2004, the Vietnamese Association of Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA) filed a class action law suit in a New York court, against Monsanto, Dow Chemicals and 35 other manufacturers of the herbicides deployed in Vietnam. The plaintiffs and their lawyers deliberately chose the very same court that had presided over the only previous lawsuit brought against Agent Orange manufacturers, by US war veterans. The original lawsuit was settled in 1984, when seven American chemical companies paid out $180m to 291,000 US citizens over a period of 12 years. The out-of-court settlement was linked to a let-out clause for the chemical companies that refused to accept liability, claiming the science did not prove that Agent Orange was the cause of a diverse range of cancers, autoimmune diseases and birth deformities. In 2005, a US court predictably rejected the Vietnamese claim for massive compensation in respect of war crimes and crimes against humanity inflicted on the civilian population. It is still being appealed in the US courts. Why has Washington been so doggedly determined to deny any compensation to Vietnamese victims, even refusing to come up with humanitarian aid? A clue can be found in the intervention of the White House counsel in the Vietnamese lawsuit against the chemical companies. The US government intervened to argue that if the court permitted the case to prosper, it would undermine national security and limit presidential options in a time of war. In the New York Court Seth Waxman, defence counsel for the chemical companies, argued there was a lack of legal precedent for punishing those who used poisons during warfare, and said US battlefield decisions could be harmed. "This does affect our ongoing diplomacy," he said, citing the use of depleted uranium shells by US forces in Iraq. To accept US responsibility for Agent Orange could expose Washington to claims relating to the use of napalm, phosphorous bombs and various My Lai-type massacres. Tragically, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese victims are denied compensation because the US government and its military want no limits placed on their arsenal of weapons, and few restrictions on their methods of interrogation and torture. They are also deeply anxious to guarantee that international justice is confined to putting developing nations and other weak regimes in the dock - Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Serbia. The US government, in refusing to sign up to the international criminal court, has ensured that they are beyond the reach of international law. GM FOOD ARTICLES France suspends use of genetically modified corn crops World News Pressemitteilung Wien, Austria 2008-02-09 14:25:08 - PARIS (AP) - The French government on Saturday suspended any use of genetically modified corn crops in France, pending its request for the European Union to approve a full ban. The order formalized France's announcement Jan. 11 that it would suspend cultivation of Monsanto's MON810, the seed for the only type of genetically modified corn now allowed in the country. The suspension order has long been sought by environmental groups and anti-globalization militants, but was opposed by a large farmers group and agricultural companies. Environmental groups were dealt a blow Friday when the French Senate approved a law to curb the involvement of non-governmental organizations in a state agency charged with managing the genetically modified crop issue. The law passed by the upper house of parliament also included the creation of a misdemeanor offense for anti-biotech activists who tear up fields of genetically modified crops, punishable by up to two years in prison and fines of up to �75,000 (US$109,000). The European Food Safety Authority says genetically modified products do not constitute a risk to human health or the environment, but some EU governments _ including Austria, France, Greece and Hungary _ are wary of biotechnology. Under European Union rules, the EU's Brussels-based executive Commission has final say on whether member states can ban genetically modified products that the bloc has authorized. WA welcomes South Australia's decision to stay GM-free Media Newswire New York, NY, USA Western Australian Agriculture and Food Minister Kim Chance has welcomed South Australia's decision to maintain its moratorium on the commercial production of GM crops as a responsible move to protect the interests of consumers and export markets. Mr Chance said South Australia had clearly recognised that GM food crops were rejected by the majority of consumers. (Media-Newswire.com) - Western Australian Agriculture and Food Minister Kim Chance has welcomed South Australia抯 decision to maintain its moratorium on the commercial production of GM crops as a responsible move to protect the interests of consumers and export markets. Mr Chance said South Australia had clearly recognised that GM food crops were rejected by the majority of consumers. The Minister endorsed South Australia抯 decision to remain GM-free because it meant both States would be able to maintain their clean and green image, making it easier to promote their produce to export markets. Significantly, the South Australian decision now meant that Australia抯 leading grain export States would remain GM-free. New South Wales and recently decided to allow GM canola to be grown this year but Mr Chance said farmers in those States needed to realise that there was no turning back once the moratorium had been lifted. æ‚fter much discussion about the introduction of GM technology, I抦 not aware of any compelling reasons to justify removing the moratorium for food crops in WA,� he said. As chairman of the State抯 GM Industry Reference Group, Mr Chance said he was well aware of the risks of introducing the technology when there were many issues yet to be resolved. Risks included the loss of current market premiums, the potential loss of markets, the inability to segregate crops and increased on-farm costs. The Minister said there was also a lack of independent information about the performance of GM canola in Australian growing conditions and evidence of strong rejection by consumers both in Australia and in important overseas markets. Until all these issues were resolved, Mr Chance said he believed that the only responsible course by any government would be to maintain a very cautious approach to the technology. æouth Australia has now joined WA and Tasmania in recognising that GM crops could harm our trading relationships and Australian consumers have clearly demonstrated that they want to maintain our clean and green image,� he said. Minister's office - 9213 6700 BIG PHARMA Current events, politics fuel Big Pharma probes Sunday, February 10, 2008 BY ROBERT COHEN STAR-LEDGER WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- Congress is turning up the heat on the pharmaceutical industry after more than a decade of minimal oversight, launching an array of inquiries into allegations of suppressing research data, lapses in drug safety and deceptive marketing strategies. Week after week, House and Senate committees have been sending letters to drugmakers demanding documents and information, and raising questions about business practices and corporate integrity. The inquiries have placed drugmakers on the defensive, with industry critics hoping for congressional hearings to shed public light on improper corporate behavior. Industry supporters see the probes as counterproductive, generating publicity for politicians while causing federal regulators to become gun shy and slowing down the approval of innovative new medicines. Caught in the congressional investigative cross hairs are such pharmaceutical giants as Merck, Schering-Plough, Pfizer, GlaxoKline and Sanofi-Aventis. The inquiries center on activities dealing with drugs for cholesterol, diabetes, depression and infections. Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on oversight and investigations, said there has been a failure at the Food and Drug Administration to properly regulate the drugmakers and hold them accountable. "We're currently looking at a number of examples where pharmaceutical companies have put the interest of investors before the well-being of their customers," Stupak said last week. "There has been an atmosphere where their actions have gone unchecked." CHANGE IN MONITORING Former FDA Deputy Commissioner Hubbard said congressional monitoring of drugmakers virtually disappeared starting in the mid-1990s, when Republicans took over Congress. He said the one major exception were high-profile hearings in 2004 into the recall of Merck's blockbuster pain medicine Vioxx. "There has been a Republican Congress and a Republican president and nobody wanted to look," Hubbard said. "Now, the Democrats are in control and it's payback time to some extent. The pendulum is swinging back the other way." Republicans traditionally have tended to side with pharmaceutical interests, and for more than a decade have been rewarded with at least two-thirds of the share of industry's hefty campaign contributions. That has begun to even out in the current election cycle, with the Center for Responsive Politics reporting Democrats so far have received 47 percent of the contributions from drugmakers, or $2.3 million, compared with 53 percent, or $2.6 million, for Republicans. Tauzin, chief executive of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the leading trade group for big drugmakers, said the "aggressive" congressional oversight by the Democratic-led Congress comes amid "a lot of criticism leveled at the industry over how drugs are marketed, the relationships with doctors and the disclosure of information." "We have undertaken a major effort since last summer to review all the marketing practices to see which criticisms are valid and which are not, and we are actively considering recommendations for change," Tauzin said. "We are taking a hard look at ourselves and trying to see ourselves as others see us." Tauzin, a former Republican congressman from Louisiana who once headed the House committee that is investigating the industry, said some of the charges are the result of "misperceptions." Others, he said, are "old stories" involving practices that have been curtailed, while some cases are being driven by trial lawyers who make their livelihood filing lawsuits against drugmakers. MORE QUESTIONS The investigations panel led by Stupak has been the most active, recently sending a letter questioning whether Merck and Schering-Plough intentionally delayed release of clinical trial data that suggested their jointly marketed and highly touted new cholesterol drug Vytorin was no more effective than lower-cost statins alone at preventing plaque build-up in the arteries. The panel has questioned whether the two companies engaged in "misleading statements" in ads for Vytorin and whether two outside medical groups that initially issued supportive statements for the drug were influenced by financial ties to the drugmakers. The Senate Finance Committee, led by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Grassley (R-Iowa), has made similar requests regarding Vytorin, including asking whether any executives sold stock based on inside information about the trial data. Merck spokesman Garland said the company is "cooperating fully with the congressional inquiries." He said Merck "acted in good faith and with integrity in this clinical trial" and "stands by the safety and efficacy" of its products. The Senate committee also has sought marketing and drug safety documents from Eli Lilly regarding its antipsychotic drug Zyprexa; raised questions regarding possible improper marketing practices by Amgen for its psoriasis drug Enbrel; and asked for documents from GlaxoKline on whether the company knew about the risks of suicidal behavior associated with antidepressant Paxil years before informing doctors. In addition, the Senate and House panels have sought documents dealing with the activities of Glaxo and the FDA regarding safety issues for Avandia, a diabetes drug that last year was given new label warnings of potential heart risks after years on the market. The House committee also has requested information from Pfizer regarding its advertising practices, challenging the credentials of Jarvik to promote the company's blockbuster cholesterol drug Lipitor "given that he may not be a practicing physician with a valid license in any state." Pfizer has said it stands behind its ads for Lipitor and its association with Jarvik. OPPOSING VIEWS Sidney Wolfe, head of the Public Citizen Health Research Group and a vocal drug industry critic, said the pharmaceutical investigations are "long overdue." Wolfe said Congress must "hold their feet to the fire" as lawmakers did during a 10-year period in the 1970s and 1980s when there was "intense" Senate and House oversight of drugmakers and the FDA. Calfee, an American Enterprise Institute scholar and industry supporter, suggested there is "a large element of headline grabbing from both the House and Senate." "They are looking for irresponsibility on the part of the manufacturers that I don't think is there," Calfee said. "The manufacturers do make mistakes, and those mistakes are spending a lot of money on high-risk research that doesn't pan out, and when it doesn't, they are open to criticism." Calfee said the congressional probes tend to "obscure the good that comes out of this industry," generate litigation and "increase the pressure on the FDA to make it more difficult to bring new drugs to market." AEROTOXIC SYNDROME Is cabin air killing pilots, passengers? Ex-flyer says vaporized jet oil contains sarin-related elements Posted: February 08, 2008 5:51 pm Eastern � 2008 WorldNetDaily A former British Airways pilot who was in the cockpit of commercial jets for 19 years is warning that in addition to terrorists, crashes and hijackings, passengers need to worry about the air they breathe while aloft. He said he's finished six years of research into a phenomenon he fears threatens every airline passenger today, an air supply that is so poisoned the flight deck crew might no longer be able to fly the airplane. "Even more worrying is that, just like an over-confident drunk driver at the wheel of a car, they would have no idea they were doing anything wrong," Tristan Loranie wrote in a report in the Daily Mail. The situation already has a name: aerotoxic syndrome, and Loranie concludes that "alarmingly, it's not something I've made up." He said the problem comes from the engineering in today's aircraft that allows half of the air in the cabin to come from the "blisteringly hot heart of its engines" that is only cooled before it and "any toxins it might have picked up along the way" is directed straight into the passenger cabin. It's a system that is decades old, and never has been improved specifically to address safety concerns, he said. "In half a century of aviation progress, control and back up systems have been transformed, anti-collision systems introduced and navigation taken to stunning new heights. But nothing has been done about the fact that all on board � passengers and crew alike � are breathing unfiltered air straight from the engines," he warned. He first was alerted in 2001 while serving as union representative for the British Airline Pilot's Association. "One Sunday night I took a phone call from a pilot who said he was regularly being poisoned by chemicals in the cockpit air supply, that flight safety was being seriously threatened and that the airlines and the aircraft manufacturers were engaged in a massive coverup," Loranie said. He started watching for symptoms, and checking statistics, and found he was himself "displaying symptoms of aerotoxic syndrome." One flight ended, he said, in "full emergency with both myself and the co-pilot wearing emergency oxygen masks because fumes in the cockpit had left me feeling like I'd been hit by a baseball bat." "We did get down safely, but � a couple of hours later I couldn't find the key to start my car," he wrote of his disorientation. "It was still in the car door." Eventually the numbness in his fingers and feet, nausea and heart palpitations, confirmed, he said, by doctors as coming from toxins in aircraft air, prompted the Civil Aviation Authority to take away his medical certificate. At the University of New South Wales, a special research project has been launched to look into the "association of symptoms" among pilots and flying officers who are "exposed to hydraulic or engine oil vapors or mists." It is reviewing, among other issues, the toxicity of jet oils, the impacts of flight crew members, and an assessment of jet oil leaks. At a website called Aerotoxic, there is an announcement about a program scheduled to be aired on the BBC on March 3 that focuses on Loranie's work, and the issues that are raised. The site explains the Aerotoxic Association was assembled by air crew members worried about their health and safety and that of their passengers. "We are dedicated to informing crews and passengers about the health hazards they are exposed to, providing support and advice to sufferers, and raising recognition, through legal activity, that airlines and aircraft manufacturers are not being honest with crew and passengers," the website said. Association president Hoyte has warned that in a worst-case scenario, a flight could simply fall out of the sky. "Pilots can be knocked out by the fumes and in that situation there's every chance a plane could crash. � Many times we've seen pilots become completely incapacitated and completely unable to fly the aircraft. If you get two pilots knocked out at the same time you've got a real, real problem. Almost certainly accidents can be caused by it," he said. Loranie said in today's passenger jets, half of the cabin air is recirculated from the cabin itself, with only a filtration system to clean it up. "It's the other 50 percent of cabin air, however, that is the problem, because it comes from deep within the engines that are flying the plane. Bled off from the engine � and, therefore, known as 'bleed air' � before the fuel is injected and burnt, bleed air is piped back to the fuselage where it is cooled down and then pumped into the cabin," he said. "Crucially and extraordinarily, bleed air is not filtered at all," he said. That leaves whatever chemicals and toxins it may have picked up in passing through the engine being pumped directly to pilots, flight crew members and passengers. He said airline industry leaders keep the level of toxicity a closely guarded secret. "But it is now generally accepted � except by the airlines, the aircraft manufacturers and the British government � that vaporized jet oil contains neuro-toxic, immuno-toxic, and potentially carcinogenic organophosphates that are related both to the deadly nerve gas sarin, and to the chemicals found in anti-malaria and anti-nerve drugs implicated as causing Gulf War Syndrome when given to troops in the first Gulf War," he said. He said the first real breakthrough will arrive when the new Boeing 787 arrives. "For the first time in almost 50 years, a new passenger jet will take to the skies that doesn't use bleed air at all but instead will replenish its cabin air from the cool, clean skies that it flies through�" he said. Thank you for supporting Hadcorp. http://www.freewebs.com/implants/ To unsubscribe from these mailings, click here: please unsubscribe me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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