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PATIENT2PATIENT NEWSLETTER
February 2006
Please visit our Web site: www.Patient2Patient.net
"The Guided Source to Health Information"
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In This Issue:
* From the Director
* Quotation of the Month
* Patient2Patient Medical WebGuidesT
* Cold and Flu Recommendations
* Patient Best Practices Feature Article -"Avian Flu - The Best Preparation"
* Humor
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~ From the Director ~
For years our company has been watching and reviewing the warnings about
Avian Flu. When the information about a potential Avian Flu pandemic finally
reached public consciousness it became co-opted by politics and controversy.
The fact remains that there is a very real potential and threat of an Avian
flu pandemic. This is the type of flu which killed twenty million people in
1918. And there is good reason to believe that we are still very susceptible
to a pandemic. The avian flu has now reached Europe -Italy, France, Germany
and Greece. It only takes one variation for the flu to become transmissible
between humans. No one knows, if and when that occurs, how deadly it might
be.
There has been a great deal of back and forth - information and
misinformation - about a potential Avian Flu vaccine. The focus has been
whether a vaccine will be effective, how it should be used, who should be
given it.
In all this debate (and hype) one extremely important precaution has not
been emphasized. If the Avian Flu mutates and travels from person to person
it is expected to be a respiratory virus. That means it will be transmitted
by coughing - the virus will be in the air where it will be inhaled by other
people. This transmission can be prevented by protective masks. However,
regular hospital/surgical masks will not prevent transmission of the virus.
It requires
higher quality masks which are still accessible and affordable. A
description of these masks and how to purchase them is the subject of our
"Patient2Patient Best Practices" column.
I strongly urge you to take a few moments to read this information.
Update: In our last newsletter I wrote about the need to establish a
database of Patient Best Practices. I received a number of interesting
responses. One was from Neil Sofian who I have known for many years. Neal
and his company have been working on the development of a very effective
Patient Best Practices application. Neil's company has developed a Patient
community information sharing application that allows patients to work
together online to share their ideas and experiences. If you are interested
is such a platform you may contact Neil at the NewSof group -
www.Newsof.com.
Andrew Robinson, J.D.
Executive Director
Patient2Patient, LLC
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~ Quotation of the Month ~
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even
though checkered
by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor
suffer too much,
because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
-- Theodore Roosevelt --
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~Patient2Patient Medical WebGuidesT~
As of March 1st our updated Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease
Medical WebGuides will be available to our subscribers. To view and download
your updated Patient Medical WebGuide subscription go to our Home Page -
www.Patient2Patient.net. On the Home Page click on the Subscribers button.
On the Log In page enter your email address and your password. Follow the
prompts to view and download your current Patient Medical WebGuide. If you
have forgotten your password follow the directions to obtain a new password.
For Alzheimer's and Parkinson's patients and caregivers, our Medical
WebGuides are the most comprehensive guides to medical information,
resources and support on the Internet. Both of these Medical WebGuides
contain critical information on over twenty different topic areas related to
these diseases. Using our Patient Medical WebGuides you will quickly find
the answers to all your questions, throughout the course of your illness.
Don't risk missing critical information that can affect your health. Learn
more about our Patient Medical WebGuides on our Home
Page,www.Patient2Patient.net.
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~Cold and Flu Recommendations~
We are still in the middle of cold and flu season. Last winter we published
a series of cold and flu measures written by a member of our Advisory Board,
Frances Goodwin. We received many positive responses about Frances' article.
If you would like to review her recommendations they are available in our
email archive - http://ajrob.c.topica.com/maaewY2aboAtKaaaaaabaehojm/
Scroll down to our Newsletter of November/December 2004 - Best Patient
Practices: "Preventing and Treating Flu and Colds - Alternative Medical
Approaches".
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~Patient Best Practices Feature Article: "Avian Flu - The Best Preparation"~
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that in the
case of an Avian Flu pandemic, individuals should be prepared with food,
water and other supplies, so as to not have to go out in public. But for
patients, caregivers, health care and other professionals, it may not be
possible to stay at home through the course of a pandemic.
If Avian Flu mutates into a form that can pass from person to person, it is
expected to be a respiratory disease. As such, the best protection if you
have to be around other people is a mask and gloves. Gloves, because people
sneeze and cough and the droplets end up on surfaces which are touched and
then introduced into the mouth and eyes. Masks, to prevent breathing in
infected droplets.
What is essential to know, and the point of this column, is that regular
surgical/hospital masks are not considered effective to prevent the
transmission of the Avian Flu. Even layering hospital masks is not expected
to be effective. Journal of Hospital Infection
Volume 59, Issue 4 , April 2005, Pages 365-368;
http://ajrob.c.topica.com/maaewY2aboArSaaaaaabaehojm/
The CDC lists manufacturers and specifications for high quality masks and
respirators that are approved for use for Avian Flu protection. One of these
companies is Moldex, which makes a disposable mask with a N100 rated
capacity which means it filters out approx. 97.99% of particulates. Another
recommended manufacturer is 3M which makes a more durable mask called a
respirator mask. The CDC believes that the masks manufactured by these two
companies will filter out Avian Flu Virus.
The recommended items (masks and gloves) can be obtained through a number of
suppliers. A supplier that we have used is Airgas Safety. (The masks are
primarily used for industrial purposes.) The Airgas Safety phone number is
800-827-2338. The Airgas representative at this number is Jenn Luna. Airgas
has agreed to give discounts to any individual or company that mentions
Patient2Patient when they are ordering. Please note - Patient2Patient has no
financial relationship with Airgas Safety. We are recommending them based on
our own experience in working with them.
Gloves:
5 mil. Non-powdered Latex - size Medium. Item #RAD64057897 Quantity -
100/box ($5.00 per box)
These are the standard hospital type latex gloves. They are nonporous.
Masks:
There are two kinds of masks - disposable masks and respirators. The
respirators are more durable and are for extended use.
Disposable Masks - It is hard to say how long the disposable masks will
last. They are most often used for industrial purposes and become soiled and
misshapen from "rough" use. Also, they get clogged and dirty from the
particulates they filter out. This should not be a problem with general use
for virus prevention. They may be good for 5 - 10 uses if used carefully.
Disposable Moldex Respirator Masks:
2730N100 (Regular Size); 5/Box - $27.89; 30/Case $167.34
2731N100 (Small [small woman's face]; - Same Prices as Above
Respirators:
These are more permanent masks. They are not disposable but are made for
extended use. Each mask requires a set of two filters, so you need to
purchase both the masks and a set of two filters.
3M Respirator - Half Masks (Cover nose and mouth, but NOT eyes). These are
more durable for long wear. Each mask requires a set of two filters. Again,
filter life is dependent on use but should have long wear for virus
protection as opposed to industrial use. This series is described as "low
maintenance"
Half Mask Respirators - 3M - the 6000 series:
6200 (medium) - $10.11 each;
6100 (small) - $10.11 each;
Filters for 6000 series - Manufacturer 3M #2091
(These filters are rated "N100" (organic vapors))
$4.83 for a package of two filters (You need two filters per mask).
A reasonable precaution is to order two packages of filters per mask - a
total of 4 filters.
Note - One limitation with the Half Masks is that you cannot talk to other
people while you are wearing them.
For Health Professionals who risk repeated exposure from working with
infected patients the CDC recommends goggles or face shields. These can be
found on the AirGas site - www.airgas.com and ordered from the company.
General planning information for individuals, businesses and schools can be
found on the federal government site www.pandemic.gov. Specific planning
lists can be found at http://ajrob.c.topica.com/maaewY2aboArTaaaaaabaehojm/
Information on safety precautions and government recommendations can be
found on the federal government Center for Disease Control and Prevention
site - http://ajrob.c.topica.com/maaewY2aboArUaaaaaabaehojm/ If you want to
see the specific recommendations we are relying on, click on "Persons with
Possible Exposure". These recommendations are for workers who may be exposed
to the virus. However, if there is an outbreak, or pandemic, we will all
face exposure.
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~ Humor ~
The following article, on the therapeutic effect of laughter, is from the
Health Behavior News Service (HBNS), a daily health newsletter from the
Center for the Advancement of Health. The HBNS newsletter provides brief
descriptions and links to stories on health promotion, disease prevention,
chronic conditions and health care services. www.cfah.org
"No Joke: Laughter As Medicine"
Agence-France Presse
It's been said laughter is the best medicine, but no one has yet to prove
it. Now a Japanese scientist is unlocking the secrets of the funny bone,
which he believes can cheer up people's genes.http://tinyurl.com/akk7q
RECIPE FOR THE PERFECT MARRIAGE (attributed to Red Skelton)
1. We go out twice a week for drinks, good food, and companionship -
She goes on Tuesdays. I go on Fridays.
2. We sleep in separate beds.
Hers is in California and mine is in Texas.
3. I asked my wife where she wanted to go for our anniversary.
She said, "Somewhere I haven't been in a long time!"
I suggested the kitchen.
4. We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops.
5. I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always.
6. I haven't spoken to my wife in 18 months. I don't like to interrupt her.
7. The last fight was my fault. She asked "What's on the TV?"
I said "Dust!"
Feel Good!
The Staff of Patient2Patient
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We welcome your comments about this newsletter and our Patient Medical
WebGuidesT -
Feedback@patient2patient.net.
(c) Copyright 2006 Patient2Patient, LLC. All Rights Reserved
Patient2Patient, LLC, 490 Tenth Street, NYC 11215.
You are welcome to forward this issue to someone you know, in its entirety
(without cutting).
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