In commemoration of this important week, please remember to wash your hands, disinfect cutting boards after exposure to raw meat, and take your TB meds.
I would also like to point out that my message has been heard, and someone more important than me has had the intelligence to say it so that more people can hear it:
"Providing the HPV vaccine doesn't promote sexual promiscuity any more than providing the Hepatitis B vaccine promotes drug use." -- Rick Perry, Governor, Texas, in a Feb. 5 statement announcing his executive order to make the HPV vaccine mandatory.
Thank you! That's just what I've been trying to tell people all these past weeks!
And in other public health news, former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson (2001-2005) has announced that he is running for president. I don't particularly like him very much. He has a good record with HHS on bioterrorism preparedness efforts, but he also helped create the stem cell research ban for Bush and he helped with the ridiculously crazy Medicare Drug Act. His campaign website reveals that he is aware that too many people don't have health insurance, but I don't like his proposed solution: have states organize pools of uninsured families to create better bargaining. It's a step in the right direction, and I suppose it's better than nothing, but it's not the best idea out there. Still, it's nice to see politicians with actual healthcare experience entering the race. A physician would be better, but Tommy Thompson is better than nothing, especially since he's a Republican ;)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
Be careful what you wish for - isn't Bill Frist a physician? But, yeah, it would be nice for someone with some background in health care to be in a position to help the growing pool of uninsured to be able to sleep at night, knowing they won't have to go without health care if they need it (or won't be bankrupted by the costs).
Yeah, the problem with Bill Frist is that he's the only one, so he's the automatic expert. If there were more physicians in Congress, even if they were more Republicans, it would be better than what we have now, but of course a public health-minded physician would be best. Ernie Fletcher, our esteemed governor, is a problem as well. He hasn't funded public health in KY at all since taking office, and sends all the state funds to UK med school since that's his alma mater. Ridiculous.
Post a Comment