Jay Hancock in his article regarding health care malpractice costs ("Health care myths obscure the much tougher decisions," Aug. 6) cites information from the Congressional Budget Office that "malpractice costs make up only 2 percent of health care spending" and WellPoint Insurance, which says litigation and defensive medicine "are not considered a significant recent significant factor in the overall growth of health care spending."
Well, I guess it depends on who you talk to.
In a Massachusetts Medical Society survey of 900 doctors published last November, 83 percent of Bay State physicians cited the fear of being sued in their decisions to practice defensive medicine. According to the doctors anonymously surveyed, on average, 18 percent to 28 percent of tests, procedures, referrals and consultations and 13 percent of hospitalizations were ordered to avoid lawsuits. All of this adds at least $1.4 billion to annual health care costs in Massachusetts alone, and national estimates range as high as $200 billion.
A 2006 Harvard School of Public Health study found that four out of every 10 medical malpractice lawsuits filed in America each year were "without merit." Nonetheless, defending against such lawsuits imposes costs on doctors, hospitals and insurers that invariably are passed on to health care consumers. Beyond the obvious costs of litigation, more subtle costs related to the practice of "defensive medicine" are contributing to runaway health care inflation.
Texas has joined 24 other states in enacting reforms that include a reasonable limit on noneconomic damages for pain and suffering of up to $750,000 per incident. This reform does not limit compensatory awards for calculable lost wages and medical expenses, but it does balance the interests of patients and care providers while helping to ensure access to necessary care. Now, according to Gov. Rick Perry, doctors' insurance rates have declined by an average of 27 percent while the "number of doctors applying to practice medicine in Texas has skyrocketed by 57 percent. In ... just the first five years after reforms passed, 14,498 doctors either returned to practice in Texas or began practicing here for the first time."
Monday, August 31, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Major Genetic Determinant Of Psoriasis
A specific genetic region that has been increasingly identified as the strongest genetic link to psoriasis has an even more significant role in the chronic skin disease than has been suspected, University of Utah medical researchers show in a new study.
n the Aug. 13 issue of PLoS Genetics, researchers in the U School of Medicine's Department of Dermatology confirm that the presence of HLA-Cw*0602, a gene variation or allele on chromosome 6 found to be associated with psoriasis by numerous investigators, is the "major genetic determinant" of psoriasis, but that other nearby genetic variations also play an independent role in contributing to the disease
"The HLA-Cw*0602 gene variation stands alone as a high risk for psoriasis," said Gerald G. Krueger, M.D., professor of dermatology, Benning Presidential Endowed Chair holder, and a co-author on the study. "A major question has been: are there other genetic variations in this region that associate with psoriasis?"
The study reported in PLoS Genetics identifies two other genetic variations on chromosome 6 that also have significant association with psoriasis. People who have all three genetic variations are nearly nine times more at risk for psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a chronic disease that causes red scaly patches on the skin and affects up to 7.5 million people in the United States. About 25 percent of subjects with the disease also develop a painful inflammation of the joints called psoriatic arthritis.
University researchers, led by first author Bing-Jian Feng, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, and senior author David E. Goldgar, Ph.D., research professor of dermatology in the U of U School of Medicine, reached their conclusion after an expanded analysis of data from a study published earlier this year by investigators at Utah in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Michigan and Washington University.
That study (Nature Genetics, Jan. 25) used new technology to scan nearly 500,000 genetic variants (single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs) in 1,359 people with psoriasis and 1,400 without to find those with the strongest relationship with psoriasis. After identifying 18 SNPs with the highest associations with psoriasis, the researchers expanded the study to include 5,048 people with psoriasis and 5,051 without the disease. From that, they identified four new genetic "hotspots" for psoriasis and confirmed two others that Krueger and colleagues identified in previous studies.
Using the data from the Nature Genetics study, Feng, Goldgar, and colleagues employed two statistical methods, imputation and logistic regression analysis, to determine with a much greater degree of accuracy those genes that have the highest association with psoriasis. Using imputation they were able to reliably predict the *0602 status of all subjects in the recent Nature Genetics study. This did two things; first, it increased the confidence that *0602 is the major genetic variation on this chromosome and, second, it permitted them to determine if there was any other associated genetic variation in this region.
Removing the strong effect of *0602 resulted in the identification of two other loci (fixed position on a chromosome) that are independently associated with psoriasis (MICA/HLA-B and c6orf10). These two loci increased the risk for the disease by 1.23 and 1.6 times, respectively. However, when all three genetic variations that Feng, Goldgar, and colleagues report are present, the risk for psoriasis is 8.9 times higher than when none of these is present.
To confirm the results, the researchers examined an independent patient population in China, which corroborated their conclusions.
While *0602 and the associated, but independent, genetic variations reported have a major genetic contribution to psoriasis, many other genes undoubtedly play a role, according to Krueger. The number of DNA sites discovered to have strong associations with psoriasis has more than doubled in the past two years.
n the Aug. 13 issue of PLoS Genetics, researchers in the U School of Medicine's Department of Dermatology confirm that the presence of HLA-Cw*0602, a gene variation or allele on chromosome 6 found to be associated with psoriasis by numerous investigators, is the "major genetic determinant" of psoriasis, but that other nearby genetic variations also play an independent role in contributing to the disease
"The HLA-Cw*0602 gene variation stands alone as a high risk for psoriasis," said Gerald G. Krueger, M.D., professor of dermatology, Benning Presidential Endowed Chair holder, and a co-author on the study. "A major question has been: are there other genetic variations in this region that associate with psoriasis?"
The study reported in PLoS Genetics identifies two other genetic variations on chromosome 6 that also have significant association with psoriasis. People who have all three genetic variations are nearly nine times more at risk for psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a chronic disease that causes red scaly patches on the skin and affects up to 7.5 million people in the United States. About 25 percent of subjects with the disease also develop a painful inflammation of the joints called psoriatic arthritis.
University researchers, led by first author Bing-Jian Feng, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, and senior author David E. Goldgar, Ph.D., research professor of dermatology in the U of U School of Medicine, reached their conclusion after an expanded analysis of data from a study published earlier this year by investigators at Utah in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Michigan and Washington University.
That study (Nature Genetics, Jan. 25) used new technology to scan nearly 500,000 genetic variants (single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs) in 1,359 people with psoriasis and 1,400 without to find those with the strongest relationship with psoriasis. After identifying 18 SNPs with the highest associations with psoriasis, the researchers expanded the study to include 5,048 people with psoriasis and 5,051 without the disease. From that, they identified four new genetic "hotspots" for psoriasis and confirmed two others that Krueger and colleagues identified in previous studies.
Using the data from the Nature Genetics study, Feng, Goldgar, and colleagues employed two statistical methods, imputation and logistic regression analysis, to determine with a much greater degree of accuracy those genes that have the highest association with psoriasis. Using imputation they were able to reliably predict the *0602 status of all subjects in the recent Nature Genetics study. This did two things; first, it increased the confidence that *0602 is the major genetic variation on this chromosome and, second, it permitted them to determine if there was any other associated genetic variation in this region.
Removing the strong effect of *0602 resulted in the identification of two other loci (fixed position on a chromosome) that are independently associated with psoriasis (MICA/HLA-B and c6orf10). These two loci increased the risk for the disease by 1.23 and 1.6 times, respectively. However, when all three genetic variations that Feng, Goldgar, and colleagues report are present, the risk for psoriasis is 8.9 times higher than when none of these is present.
To confirm the results, the researchers examined an independent patient population in China, which corroborated their conclusions.
While *0602 and the associated, but independent, genetic variations reported have a major genetic contribution to psoriasis, many other genes undoubtedly play a role, according to Krueger. The number of DNA sites discovered to have strong associations with psoriasis has more than doubled in the past two years.
Prepares for swine flu season
With an expected increase in the number of H1N1 virus cases as the school year kicks off, Texas Tech has ordered extra flu vaccines as well as updated a Web site designed to help students protect themselves against the flu.
According to a report released by the White House earlier this week, the H1N1 virus will kill between 30,000 and 90,000 Americans in 2009 with the season peaking mid-October.
In preparation, Dr. Kelly Bennett of the Family Medicine department said Tech has ordered 500 additional doses of the regular flu vaccine.
She said no Tech students were infected with H1N1 last year, but the university has been preparing for an outbreak projected to be more severe than last year.
According to Tech's flu Web site, students with the flu or flu-like symptoms are not to attend class or work for at least 24 hours after fever returns to normal and to consider vaccinations as they become available.
This follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention swine flu response guidelines for higher education released Aug. 20, which recommends students and faculty infected with H1N1 be isolated as much as possible.
"Texas Tech has been designated a point of dispensing, by the CDC," said Managing Director of Family Medicine Evelyn McPherson. "This should give students and faculty easy access to the vaccine."
The H1N1 vaccine, which must be taken as two separate doses, should be available to students in late September, Bennett said, and does not replace the regular flu vaccine.
"The CDC is setting up a provider registry of doctors and health departments to receive vaccines for H1N1," said Lubbock Public Health Preparedness Coordinator Sandy Fortenberry. "Of the 45 million expected vaccines, about 4 million will be allocated to Texas which will then go to registered providers."
In addition to getting the H1N1 vaccine, she said, students must take responsibility for their own health so they do not become infected.
"Students should do the same as they would with seasonal flu by practicing good hygiene, staying healthy and getting their seasonal flu shot," Fortenberry said.
The CDC also urges balance, and according to CDC H1N1 response guidelines, strategies employed by organizations should reduce the number of people who become ill or die from the flu while minimizing disruption.
"We are working to follow CDC guidelines which sometimes change from one day to the next depending on the severity of outbreak," McPherson said.
According to a report released by the White House earlier this week, the H1N1 virus will kill between 30,000 and 90,000 Americans in 2009 with the season peaking mid-October.
In preparation, Dr. Kelly Bennett of the Family Medicine department said Tech has ordered 500 additional doses of the regular flu vaccine.
She said no Tech students were infected with H1N1 last year, but the university has been preparing for an outbreak projected to be more severe than last year.
According to Tech's flu Web site, students with the flu or flu-like symptoms are not to attend class or work for at least 24 hours after fever returns to normal and to consider vaccinations as they become available.
This follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention swine flu response guidelines for higher education released Aug. 20, which recommends students and faculty infected with H1N1 be isolated as much as possible.
"Texas Tech has been designated a point of dispensing, by the CDC," said Managing Director of Family Medicine Evelyn McPherson. "This should give students and faculty easy access to the vaccine."
The H1N1 vaccine, which must be taken as two separate doses, should be available to students in late September, Bennett said, and does not replace the regular flu vaccine.
"The CDC is setting up a provider registry of doctors and health departments to receive vaccines for H1N1," said Lubbock Public Health Preparedness Coordinator Sandy Fortenberry. "Of the 45 million expected vaccines, about 4 million will be allocated to Texas which will then go to registered providers."
In addition to getting the H1N1 vaccine, she said, students must take responsibility for their own health so they do not become infected.
"Students should do the same as they would with seasonal flu by practicing good hygiene, staying healthy and getting their seasonal flu shot," Fortenberry said.
The CDC also urges balance, and according to CDC H1N1 response guidelines, strategies employed by organizations should reduce the number of people who become ill or die from the flu while minimizing disruption.
"We are working to follow CDC guidelines which sometimes change from one day to the next depending on the severity of outbreak," McPherson said.
Incorporate traditional medicine into primary healthcare
Incorporating traditional medicine into primary healthcare system will improve the management of public health diseases, practitioners and experts agreed in Lagos on Wednesday. At a ceremony commemorating the African Traditional Medicine Day, marked every August 31, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Jide Idris, said that without traditional medicine, the realization of the millennium development goals will be a mirage.
"Traditional medicine which has been long neglected is the corner stone of an integrated healthcare system. We have yielded to the WHO's call as it is now part of our primary healthcare system in Lagos because we know that 80 per cent of the population patronize it. For about 33 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) had passed resolutions calling on member nations to give recognition to traditional medicine, but up till the moment, Nigeria has not passed the Bill on Traditional Medicine which will give it formal recognition in hospitals and regulation of the practice."
"There are challenges in making traditional medicine recognized in Nigeria," said Bunmi Omoseyindemi, the chairman of the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board. "Insufficient evidence regarding safety and efficiency, inadequate coordination of existing practice and practitioners, lack of coordination among stakeholder and so on," Dr. Omoseyindemi added.
In a bid to effect these, the Lagos State passed the Health Sector Reform Law 2006, but many states are yet to incorporate it into their health system, and experts clamour for a national bill.According to the director general of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency, Tamuno Okujagu, the Bill was last heard in the National Assembly five years ago and nothing is being done up till now."Yet the WHO has reported that at least 80 per cent of the population patronize one form of Traditional Medicine or the other."
The head of sellers of herbs for women and children, Ashabi Olomowewe told NEXT that she inherited the practice for over 40 years from her for parents and it has never failed her."I trained all my children with herbs, today they are grown up alive and well." Mrs Olomowewe who is in her mid sixties said that her experience has saved many pregnant women from going for caesarean operation."The doctors will say that the baby has crossed (breach birth), but there are certain herbs that if given the women, the baby will take the normal position and the woman give birth normally not needing an operation.
Attesting to the power of the practice also is the chairman of the Nigerian Traditional Medical Association, W. Oshodi; "The practice of using herbs is a blessing from God. There are many diseases that doctors cannot cure, but herbs can cure, so we call on the government to give it more recognition and to stop the orthodox doctors from looking down on us."
Citing India and China as examples of countries that have taken advantage of traditional medicine, Mr. Okujagu added: "If we can give traditional medicine its due recognition, it will not only help our health care, it has the potential of yielding billions of naira yearly export."
"Traditional medicine which has been long neglected is the corner stone of an integrated healthcare system. We have yielded to the WHO's call as it is now part of our primary healthcare system in Lagos because we know that 80 per cent of the population patronize it. For about 33 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) had passed resolutions calling on member nations to give recognition to traditional medicine, but up till the moment, Nigeria has not passed the Bill on Traditional Medicine which will give it formal recognition in hospitals and regulation of the practice."
"There are challenges in making traditional medicine recognized in Nigeria," said Bunmi Omoseyindemi, the chairman of the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board. "Insufficient evidence regarding safety and efficiency, inadequate coordination of existing practice and practitioners, lack of coordination among stakeholder and so on," Dr. Omoseyindemi added.
In a bid to effect these, the Lagos State passed the Health Sector Reform Law 2006, but many states are yet to incorporate it into their health system, and experts clamour for a national bill.According to the director general of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency, Tamuno Okujagu, the Bill was last heard in the National Assembly five years ago and nothing is being done up till now."Yet the WHO has reported that at least 80 per cent of the population patronize one form of Traditional Medicine or the other."
The head of sellers of herbs for women and children, Ashabi Olomowewe told NEXT that she inherited the practice for over 40 years from her for parents and it has never failed her."I trained all my children with herbs, today they are grown up alive and well." Mrs Olomowewe who is in her mid sixties said that her experience has saved many pregnant women from going for caesarean operation."The doctors will say that the baby has crossed (breach birth), but there are certain herbs that if given the women, the baby will take the normal position and the woman give birth normally not needing an operation.
Attesting to the power of the practice also is the chairman of the Nigerian Traditional Medical Association, W. Oshodi; "The practice of using herbs is a blessing from God. There are many diseases that doctors cannot cure, but herbs can cure, so we call on the government to give it more recognition and to stop the orthodox doctors from looking down on us."
Citing India and China as examples of countries that have taken advantage of traditional medicine, Mr. Okujagu added: "If we can give traditional medicine its due recognition, it will not only help our health care, it has the potential of yielding billions of naira yearly export."
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
UPDATE 1-Dainippon schizophrenia drug meets trial goals
apan's Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co Ltd (4506.T) said its experimental schizophrenia drug, lurasidone, was significantly better than placebo in a pivotal late-stage clinical trial, according to data released on Wednesday.
The company said it plans to submit its application seeking U.S. approval to sell the medicine early next year.
Dainippon Sumitomo will decide by autumn whether it will market the new drug, if approved, via its own sales network or a co-promotion deal with another firm or if it will acquire a U.S. company, a spokesman for the mid-sized drugmaker said.
Patients with acute schizophrenia in the 478-subject, six-week, Phase III trial received either 40 milligrams or 120 milligrams of lurasidone daily or a placebo.
Both doses of the drug proved to be statistically significantly better than placebo in the primary goal of the study, which was 30 percent or better improvement in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the company said.
Fifty-three percent of patients who received 40 mg of lurasidone and 47 percent of those on the 120 mg dose achieved the primary goal compared with 38 percent on placebo.
Both doses of lurasidone were also significantly more effective than placebo on a secondary measure used to test antipsychotic drugs called the Clinical Global Impressions Severity scale, the company said.
In previous trials, lurasidone was also tested at 80 mg and Dainippon Sumitomo said it would submit all three doses for FDA approval.
Lurasidone belongs to a class of drugs known as atypical antipsychotics and works by blocking serotonin receptors in the brain. If approved, it would join an already crowded field of such treatments.
"We're still searching for the right drug for many of these patients. There's no one size fits all," Dr Herbert Meltzer, one of the study's lead investigators and professor of psychiatry at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, said in a telephone interview.
Patients in the trial had been diagnosed with schizophrenia on average for more than 13 years and most had been previously hospitalized prior to entering the study.
"If you look at the weight gain, the lipid changes, it's among the most benign of any antipsychotic drugs, clearly better than olanzapine, clozapine and Seroquel," Meltzer said.
Olanzapine is the chemical name for Eli Lilly and Co's (LLY.N) widely-used Zyprexa; clozapine in sold by Novartis AG (NOVN.VX) under the brand name Clozaril; and Seroquel is sold by AstraZeneca Plc (AZN.L).
Zyprexa and similar drugs can cause significant weight gain and have been linked to increased risk of diabetes.
But "this class of drugs as a whole is so superior to the first generation drugs," said Meltzer, who plans to present the data from the lurasidone trial at a major medical meeting in December.
Lurasidone was well tolerated with a discontinuation rate nearly identical to placebo -- 40 percent versus 39 percent -- and the adverse events were generally mild, such as restlessness and sleepiness.
"From the point of view of efficacy and side effect profile, once a day administration, the fact that the lower dose works as well as the higher dose, I think this is going to have a very good chance of major acceptance among my colleagues," Meltzer added. (Additional reporting by Yumiko Nishitani in Tokyo; Editing by Andre Grenon and Edwina Gibbs)
The company said it plans to submit its application seeking U.S. approval to sell the medicine early next year.
Dainippon Sumitomo will decide by autumn whether it will market the new drug, if approved, via its own sales network or a co-promotion deal with another firm or if it will acquire a U.S. company, a spokesman for the mid-sized drugmaker said.
Patients with acute schizophrenia in the 478-subject, six-week, Phase III trial received either 40 milligrams or 120 milligrams of lurasidone daily or a placebo.
Both doses of the drug proved to be statistically significantly better than placebo in the primary goal of the study, which was 30 percent or better improvement in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the company said.
Fifty-three percent of patients who received 40 mg of lurasidone and 47 percent of those on the 120 mg dose achieved the primary goal compared with 38 percent on placebo.
Both doses of lurasidone were also significantly more effective than placebo on a secondary measure used to test antipsychotic drugs called the Clinical Global Impressions Severity scale, the company said.
In previous trials, lurasidone was also tested at 80 mg and Dainippon Sumitomo said it would submit all three doses for FDA approval.
Lurasidone belongs to a class of drugs known as atypical antipsychotics and works by blocking serotonin receptors in the brain. If approved, it would join an already crowded field of such treatments.
"We're still searching for the right drug for many of these patients. There's no one size fits all," Dr Herbert Meltzer, one of the study's lead investigators and professor of psychiatry at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, said in a telephone interview.
Patients in the trial had been diagnosed with schizophrenia on average for more than 13 years and most had been previously hospitalized prior to entering the study.
"If you look at the weight gain, the lipid changes, it's among the most benign of any antipsychotic drugs, clearly better than olanzapine, clozapine and Seroquel," Meltzer said.
Olanzapine is the chemical name for Eli Lilly and Co's (LLY.N) widely-used Zyprexa; clozapine in sold by Novartis AG (NOVN.VX) under the brand name Clozaril; and Seroquel is sold by AstraZeneca Plc (AZN.L).
Zyprexa and similar drugs can cause significant weight gain and have been linked to increased risk of diabetes.
But "this class of drugs as a whole is so superior to the first generation drugs," said Meltzer, who plans to present the data from the lurasidone trial at a major medical meeting in December.
Lurasidone was well tolerated with a discontinuation rate nearly identical to placebo -- 40 percent versus 39 percent -- and the adverse events were generally mild, such as restlessness and sleepiness.
"From the point of view of efficacy and side effect profile, once a day administration, the fact that the lower dose works as well as the higher dose, I think this is going to have a very good chance of major acceptance among my colleagues," Meltzer added. (Additional reporting by Yumiko Nishitani in Tokyo; Editing by Andre Grenon and Edwina Gibbs)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Use traditional medicine to fight flu
The head of a Manitoba First Nations organization is calling on his fellow chiefs to look to traditional aboriginal medicine to help fight the next wave of swine flu, also called H1N1.
Acting grand chief Norman Bone of the Southern Chiefs' Organization said he wants to drive home the fact that First Nations have access to traditional remedies to improve their health and treat the flu on their own, rather than waiting for funding announcements.
"It's more taking a step, doing what we can for ourselves," he said, adding that SCO would also welcome federal or provincial funding for traditional treatment, if an arrangement could be made.
Bone declined to say what types of roots, herbs or other remedies would be used to treat or prevent H1N1, based on the advice of elders. He said he's not suggesting people avoid vaccines in favour of traditional medicine.
"What I'm also promoting is the use of both methods," he said.
Residents of the northern Manitoba First Nations communities of St. Theresa Point and Garden Hill were the worst affected by the H1N1 flu so far, with hundreds of patients sick and dozens flown to Winnipeg for treatment.
Aboriginals make up less than four per cent of Canada's population but have accounted for 11.1 per cent of the total number of reported H1N1 cases, 15.6 per cent of the hospitalized cases, 15 per cent of the patients admitted to intensive care with it, and 12.3 per cent of the deaths.
In Manitoba more than one in four of the 886 individuals diagnosed with H1N1 are First Nations.
SCO health director Shirli Ewanchuk said the organization has been working with communities on pandemic planning since 2007, and is working to ensure there's a stockpile of traditional medicine for communities, including urban First Nations people.
Bone said he was pleased by last week's announcement that the province would spend $1.5 million to provide 15,000 medical kits including masks, tissue, hand sanitizer, rubber gloves and other supplies to First Nations.
Ewanchuk said with the kits paid for, the SCO can focus on making sure health centres in southern First Nations have the proper protective equipment and training, and lining up training for chiefs to deal with a flu pandemic, among other priorities.
Acting grand chief Norman Bone of the Southern Chiefs' Organization said he wants to drive home the fact that First Nations have access to traditional remedies to improve their health and treat the flu on their own, rather than waiting for funding announcements.
"It's more taking a step, doing what we can for ourselves," he said, adding that SCO would also welcome federal or provincial funding for traditional treatment, if an arrangement could be made.
Bone declined to say what types of roots, herbs or other remedies would be used to treat or prevent H1N1, based on the advice of elders. He said he's not suggesting people avoid vaccines in favour of traditional medicine.
"What I'm also promoting is the use of both methods," he said.
Residents of the northern Manitoba First Nations communities of St. Theresa Point and Garden Hill were the worst affected by the H1N1 flu so far, with hundreds of patients sick and dozens flown to Winnipeg for treatment.
Aboriginals make up less than four per cent of Canada's population but have accounted for 11.1 per cent of the total number of reported H1N1 cases, 15.6 per cent of the hospitalized cases, 15 per cent of the patients admitted to intensive care with it, and 12.3 per cent of the deaths.
In Manitoba more than one in four of the 886 individuals diagnosed with H1N1 are First Nations.
SCO health director Shirli Ewanchuk said the organization has been working with communities on pandemic planning since 2007, and is working to ensure there's a stockpile of traditional medicine for communities, including urban First Nations people.
Bone said he was pleased by last week's announcement that the province would spend $1.5 million to provide 15,000 medical kits including masks, tissue, hand sanitizer, rubber gloves and other supplies to First Nations.
Ewanchuk said with the kits paid for, the SCO can focus on making sure health centres in southern First Nations have the proper protective equipment and training, and lining up training for chiefs to deal with a flu pandemic, among other priorities.
Asthma sufferer fined $300 for ganja 'medicine'
SAN JUAN resident Lester Faustin was fined $300 yesterday for possession of 20 grammes of what he described as his "asthma medicine".
In this case, the "medicine" turned out to be the illegal drug marijuana.
Faustin who was arrested last Saturday after a warrant was executed at his girlfriend's Bourg Mulatrasse home, told Magistrate Andrew Stroude that he bought the "herbs" on the advice from an old lady named "Dolly", who prescribed the medication, minus the dosage.
Faustin added that "Dolly does sell bush", but quickly pointed out that it was not the kind of "bush" that he was arrested for.
"Since I start drinking the tea I breathing normal," said the 33-year-old shopkeeper.
He added that he was diagnosed with asthma since his birth but the problem got worse about four years ago when he "got a cut" on his chest.
Faustin was accompanied by his father who told Stroude that he tried speaking to his son about the illegal habit, without a favourable response.
Faustin said that he had trouble breathing at nights before he took the "medicine".
He told Stroude that the marijuana he was arrested for was "shake off", which was useless for smokers.
Faustin, who confessed to smoking marijuana in the past, added that he would "draw it and drink it in the morning".
Faustin then apologised for his actions and promised never to do it again, after which Stroude told him to "put aside his tea" and to seek medical attention for his bronchial problem before sentencing him.
In this case, the "medicine" turned out to be the illegal drug marijuana.
Faustin who was arrested last Saturday after a warrant was executed at his girlfriend's Bourg Mulatrasse home, told Magistrate Andrew Stroude that he bought the "herbs" on the advice from an old lady named "Dolly", who prescribed the medication, minus the dosage.
Faustin added that "Dolly does sell bush", but quickly pointed out that it was not the kind of "bush" that he was arrested for.
"Since I start drinking the tea I breathing normal," said the 33-year-old shopkeeper.
He added that he was diagnosed with asthma since his birth but the problem got worse about four years ago when he "got a cut" on his chest.
Faustin was accompanied by his father who told Stroude that he tried speaking to his son about the illegal habit, without a favourable response.
Faustin said that he had trouble breathing at nights before he took the "medicine".
He told Stroude that the marijuana he was arrested for was "shake off", which was useless for smokers.
Faustin, who confessed to smoking marijuana in the past, added that he would "draw it and drink it in the morning".
Faustin then apologised for his actions and promised never to do it again, after which Stroude told him to "put aside his tea" and to seek medical attention for his bronchial problem before sentencing him.
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