Dear Friends and Colleagues:
Three local Republican Representatives ( Adam Hasner of Boca Raton, Anitere Flores of Miami, Ellyn Bogdanoff of Fort Lauderdale) voted either against the bill to create a prescription drug database in Florida and/or sent a letter to Gov. Charlie Crist on Thursday, asking him to veto a bill one of their fellow GOP leaders sponsored.
This bill will create a statewide prescription drug monitoring system to track those ''doctor shopping'' for addictive pills.
So why do they oppose it? In the letter those Republicans argue that " the sensitive personal and medical information contained
in such a database would be susceptible to cyber terrorists and criminals who would use information against the citizens of Florida."
This argument is ludicrous! Does that mean we will also stop using ATMs and Internet banking because our data could be misused by cyber terrorists or criminals? When do politicians learn that fear-based politics is leading us nowhere? We need to save lives and also stop those drug-dealers in a white coat who claim to be doctors! They are not! They are drug dealers and they know it!
I URGE you to contact the offices of those three lawmakers listed below to ask them to withdraw their opposition to the legislation.
Make your call today!!!
* Adam Hasner
o Capitol Office:
o 322 The Capitol
o 402 South Monroe Street
o Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
o Phone: (850) 488-1993
o District Office:
o 33 NE 4th Avenue
o Delray Beach, FL 33483-4528
o Phone: (561) 279-16
o
* Ellyn Bogdanoff
* Capitol Office:
* 418 The Capitol
* 402 South Monroe Street
* Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
* Phone: (850) 488-0635
* District Office:
* 1421 South Andrews Avenue
* Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316-1839
* Phone: (954) 762-375
* Anitere Flores
o Capitol Office:
324 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-2831
District Office:
Suite 205 C
1405 SW 107th Avenue
Miami, FL 33174-2523
Phone: (305) 227-7626
Monday, May 11, 2009
Friday, May 08, 2009
Prescription Drug Legislation Faces Opposition
Attached an article from the Palm Beach Post regarding the prescription drug legislation. I hope that our organization speaks up in FAVOR of the legislation and AGAINST the request to torpedo this bill.
This legislation is the first step towards curbing the narcotic abuse.
The argument that " the sensitive personal and medical information contained in such a database would be susceptible to cyber terrorists and criminals who would use information against the citizens of Florida," is ludicrous!
Does that mean we will also stop using ATMs and Internet banking because our data could be misused by cyber terrorists or criminals?
When do politicians learn that fear-based politics is leading us nowhere?
We need to save lives and stop those drug-dealers in a white coat who claim to be doctors! They are not! They are drug dealers and they know it!
Please visit South Florida to understand the enormity of the problems. The number of pain clinics skyrocketed almost 100 % since last year! The nations TOP 30 narcotic drug prescriber's practice in Dade and Broward county! Hard to believe but its true. Doctors can be drug dealers, too!!
Yours
Bernd
============================================================================
Drug database access worries some in Florida House
By MICHAEL C. BENDER
Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau
Thursday, May 07, 2009
TALLAHASSEE — Thirteen state House Republicans sent a letter to Gov. Charlie Crist on Thursday, asking him to veto a bill one of their fellow GOP leaders sponsored.
Ten of the 13 lawmakers voted against the bill to create a prescription drug database in Florida. Three of the Republicans - Adam Hasner of Boca Raton, Anitere Flores of Miami and Dean Cannon of Winter Park - did not vote on the original bill.
The bill, sponsored by House budget co-chairman Marcelo Llorente, R-Miami, is aimed at curbing drug abuse. It was approved unanimously in the Senate and on a 113-10 vote in the House.
But a similar database was recently hacked in Virginia, according to TheWashington Post. House Republicans cited that story in their letter to Crist.
"This request is based on a well founded fear that the sensitive personal and medical information contained in such a database would be susceptible to cyber terrorists and criminals who would use information against the citizens of Florida," according to the letter.
Crist's press office did not comment.
Llorente said the bill (SB 462) creates a task force that will "ensure the protection of personal information."
"The tragic deaths of almost 10 Floridians a day must stop," Llorente said. "I urge the governor to sign this bill expeditiously in an effort to end the practice of doctor shopping."
In addition to Hasner, other local Republican lawmakers signing the letter were Reps. Ellyn Bogdanoff of Fort Lauderdale and Carl Domino of Jupiter.
This legislation is the first step towards curbing the narcotic abuse.
The argument that " the sensitive personal and medical information contained in such a database would be susceptible to cyber terrorists and criminals who would use information against the citizens of Florida," is ludicrous!
Does that mean we will also stop using ATMs and Internet banking because our data could be misused by cyber terrorists or criminals?
When do politicians learn that fear-based politics is leading us nowhere?
We need to save lives and stop those drug-dealers in a white coat who claim to be doctors! They are not! They are drug dealers and they know it!
Please visit South Florida to understand the enormity of the problems. The number of pain clinics skyrocketed almost 100 % since last year! The nations TOP 30 narcotic drug prescriber's practice in Dade and Broward county! Hard to believe but its true. Doctors can be drug dealers, too!!
Yours
Bernd
============================================================================
Drug database access worries some in Florida House
By MICHAEL C. BENDER
Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau
Thursday, May 07, 2009
TALLAHASSEE — Thirteen state House Republicans sent a letter to Gov. Charlie Crist on Thursday, asking him to veto a bill one of their fellow GOP leaders sponsored.
Ten of the 13 lawmakers voted against the bill to create a prescription drug database in Florida. Three of the Republicans - Adam Hasner of Boca Raton, Anitere Flores of Miami and Dean Cannon of Winter Park - did not vote on the original bill.
The bill, sponsored by House budget co-chairman Marcelo Llorente, R-Miami, is aimed at curbing drug abuse. It was approved unanimously in the Senate and on a 113-10 vote in the House.
But a similar database was recently hacked in Virginia, according to TheWashington Post. House Republicans cited that story in their letter to Crist.
"This request is based on a well founded fear that the sensitive personal and medical information contained in such a database would be susceptible to cyber terrorists and criminals who would use information against the citizens of Florida," according to the letter.
Crist's press office did not comment.
Llorente said the bill (SB 462) creates a task force that will "ensure the protection of personal information."
"The tragic deaths of almost 10 Floridians a day must stop," Llorente said. "I urge the governor to sign this bill expeditiously in an effort to end the practice of doctor shopping."
In addition to Hasner, other local Republican lawmakers signing the letter were Reps. Ellyn Bogdanoff of Fort Lauderdale and Carl Domino of Jupiter.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Tamiflu and Public Health
I am gravely concerned about the generous use (or abuse) of Tamiflu. Lately, I have been pressured by patients to prescribe Tamiflu " just in case to have it at home." I often deny the request to avoid the prophylactic use of Tamiflu and argue as follows:
• The " regular flu" kills approximately 36,000 Americans annually and I still have a hard time convincing people to get their flu shot. In comparison,17 countries have reported 653 cases of H1N1 and 17 Mexicans have died.In the US 160 cases have been confirmed and only one patient has died in the US so far!
• Outside Mexico the virus does not appear to be severe, and this virus might not be any more virulent than normal seasonal flu infections.
• Scientists are encouraged by initial analyses of the DNA sequence of the virus, which has found it lacks the traits that led to the death of nearly 50m people in the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak.
• A WHO medical health officer, said the biggest concern was that the virus could mutate and become resistant to Tamiflu, the anti-viral drug. This could be accelerated by the indiscriminate use of Tamiflu fueled by doctors who mean well but may cause greater harm to the public health by prescribing the drug to any one requesting it.
• The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, says 98% of existing H1 flu strains were resistant to Tamiflu in the last flu season. Scientists are struggling to understand why this is.Dr Nikki Shindo, a WHO medical health officer, said that he worst-case scenario is the virus will mutate and become Tamiflu-resistant. The best-case scenario is that it causes only mild illness and continues to respond to Tamiflu.
What Can We Do?
Please DO NOT prescribe Tamifu unless their is a reasonable concern that the patient suffers from the flu and diagnostic testing was initiated (nasal swab). For more information about proper testing procedures see http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.
Tamiflu overuse can lead to resistance and the drug itself can cause significant side affects and even serious reactions (see http://www.drugs.com/sfx/tamiflu-side-effects.html)
I hope someone will listen and please forward this e-mail to anyone interested.
Yours
Bernd
• The " regular flu" kills approximately 36,000 Americans annually and I still have a hard time convincing people to get their flu shot. In comparison,17 countries have reported 653 cases of H1N1 and 17 Mexicans have died.In the US 160 cases have been confirmed and only one patient has died in the US so far!
• Outside Mexico the virus does not appear to be severe, and this virus might not be any more virulent than normal seasonal flu infections.
• Scientists are encouraged by initial analyses of the DNA sequence of the virus, which has found it lacks the traits that led to the death of nearly 50m people in the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak.
• A WHO medical health officer, said the biggest concern was that the virus could mutate and become resistant to Tamiflu, the anti-viral drug. This could be accelerated by the indiscriminate use of Tamiflu fueled by doctors who mean well but may cause greater harm to the public health by prescribing the drug to any one requesting it.
• The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, says 98% of existing H1 flu strains were resistant to Tamiflu in the last flu season. Scientists are struggling to understand why this is.Dr Nikki Shindo, a WHO medical health officer, said that he worst-case scenario is the virus will mutate and become Tamiflu-resistant. The best-case scenario is that it causes only mild illness and continues to respond to Tamiflu.
What Can We Do?
Please DO NOT prescribe Tamifu unless their is a reasonable concern that the patient suffers from the flu and diagnostic testing was initiated (nasal swab). For more information about proper testing procedures see http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.
Tamiflu overuse can lead to resistance and the drug itself can cause significant side affects and even serious reactions (see http://www.drugs.com/sfx/tamiflu-side-effects.html)
I hope someone will listen and please forward this e-mail to anyone interested.
Yours
Bernd
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