Powerful Testimony About Twins' Overdose

Actor Dennis Quaid testified before the House Committee on Wednesday about how his newborn twins came dangerously close to death after an overdose of the blood-thinning medication, Heparin. He faults the drug company for not recalling bottles that were easily confused. The drug companies had previous problems because of the easily confused bottles.

Here are some stand-out quotes from the article:

Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-California, said, "This is exactly the wrong time for the FDA to say, 'Trust us.' As a result of chronic underfunding and weak leadership, FDA's ability to protect the public is plummeting."

..instead of the 10 units of heparin they were supposed to receive, the twins received 10,000 units, 1,000 times the prescribed amount. The babies survived, apparently with no permanent injury, Quaid told members of Congress, although no one knows whether they will show any long-term effects.

In researching the incident, Quaid told lawmakers he found that the bottles of 10-unit Hep-Lock and 10,000-unit heparin were "virtually indistinguishable." Both drugs are manufactured by Baxter Healthcare.

He also learned that the labels' similarity led to an overdose of infants at an Indianapolis, Indiana, hospital in 2006. Three babies died and three were injured. Four months after that incident, he said, Baxter sent a warning to hospitals regarding the potential for mistakes. Seven months after that, Baxter received permission to change the labels. However, Quaid said, Baxter failed to recall the previous bottles that were in hospitals.

To read the whole article, click the title below:

ACTOR TELLS HOUSE PANEL OF NEWBORN TWINS' OVERDOSE

I applaud Dennis Quaid for refusing to remain silent about this HUGE problem. Pharmaceutical companies need to take responsibility for their actions. Maybe this case, and Quaid's celebrity, will shine a much needed light on the errors of Big Pharma. I just hate this had to come as a result of a near death experience from newborn twins.

Study Shows HALF of Americans On Drugs

"For the first time, it appears that more than half of all insured Americans are taking prescription medicines regularly for chronic health problems, a study shows."

Ok, people...this is HALF of all insured Americans...HALF! That is a HUGE deal.

To read the full article, click on the title below:

Study: Half of Americans on Medicine

A couple of stand-out quotes:

"...there is the pharmaceutical industry's relentless advertising. With those factors unlikely to change, doctors say the proportion of Americans on chronic medications can only grow."

Why are there not laws restricting drug companies from all this ENDLESS advertising???

"'Unless we do things to change the way we're managing health in this country ... things will get worse instead of getting better," predicted Jones, a heart specialist and dean of the University of Mississippi's medical school."

"Americans buy much more medicine per person than any other country."

"Dr. Robert Epstein, chief medical officer at Franklin Lakes, N.J.-based Medco, said he sees both bad news and good in the findings. "Honestly, a lot of it is related to obesity," he said. "We've become a couch potato culture (and) it's a lot easier to pop a pill" than to exercise regularly or diet."

AMEN.

Shine a Light On Drug Industry's Influence

Drug marketing is out of control. Help send a message to Congress. Support the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, which will require drug companies to publicly report their gifts and payments to doctors. Drug companies spend at least $25 billion each year marketing to doctors. We pay for that with every drug we buy. By increasing transparency, the Sunshine Act will help protect patients and help counter the skyrocketing costs of drugs. Sponsored by: National Coalition for Appropriate Prescribing.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/sunshine

Generation RX

Check out this trailer for a new documentary, "Generation RX". The trailer is only 3 1/2 minutes. It's worth the time. This movie looks like a must see for Channing and me. I hope you'll see it too.

Scientist Speaks Out About the HPV Vaccine

Want to hear what a top scientist has to say about the Gardasil vaccine? If you have a daughter or have been considering getting the vaccine yourself, you need to watch this video:

HPV Scientist Speaks Out

A super stand-out quote from this interview came from Dr. Harper, "We don't know yet what's going to happen when millions of doses of the vaccine have been given and to put in process a place that says you must have this vaccine, it means you must be part of a big public experiment. So we can't do that until we have more data."

This quote came from a doctor PAID BY MERCK. If this person is paid by Merck, yet still feels the need to share the possible dangers, we need to listen!

Do you want to trust Merck? The company who uses ghost-writers to write about the "safety" of their medications? The same company who was found by the FDA to have contaminated vaccines in their factory? Yes, that's the same Merck who wants to mandate this vaccine for our little girls. Makes no sense to me.

Here is a news story about more concern over the vaccine:

CBS4 I-Team: Vaccine Concern Part 1

CBS4 I-Team: Vaccine Concern Part 2

Alcohol Raises Cancer Risk

A new study out of Austrailia shows that women who consume just two alcoholic beverages a day and men who consume four increase their risk of mouth cancer by a whopping 75%! Bowel cancer by 64%! And when it comes to women, breast cancer by 22%!

You can read the story here:

Study: Alcohol Raises Cancer Risk in Men and Women

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18, NIV

Yet Another Reason to Breastfeed

Both my boys breastfed exclusively for the first six months of their lives (for exclusive honesty purposes, I will say that Asher probably had three formula bottles somewhere in the first six months...and that may be stretching it). Asher actually had very little solid food until he turned a year old. He predominantly nursed.
For those who don't know what breastfeeding exclusively is, it is simply this...the baby breastfeeds only...no cereal, formula, or solids. There are numerous studies showing the health benefits for children who nurse, but here is a new study that shows that if you are able to breastfeed your baby...YOU SHOULD. Check it out:

Study: Long-Term Breast-Feeding Will Raise Child's IQ