Will Tamiflu become a costly joke?

After the news before the Christmas, Japan links Tamiflu to 2 teen suicides 64 cases of disorders connected to avian flu treatment and 2 Who Died From Avian Flu in Vietnam Were Resistant to an Antiviral Drug, there is no further information about this problem.

Of course, when billions were spent, it is difficult to admit that the stuff is useless. Also, getting Tamiflu is the only choice of governments in response to huge media coverage that frightened everyone.

Recently in Hong Kong, I have seen repeated broadcasting of flu epidemic program that would let the fear be heightened. It is good to let everyone aware of the threat, yet without updating information, such practice is irresponsible. The sad thing is that most would not have good knowledge of science and fail to have time or intention to find information, especially those lawmakers.

The bird flu case may hang on for some years. It may be too early to have any summary or report about the right and wrong of the whole incidence. Perhaps, there would not be any such report at all. I do think that we must take this lesson to find out what should we do in the future.

Certainly, I do wish that something like Tamiflu would free us from such type of epidemic. Unfortunately, we have seen so many cases that so called clinical trial or scientific proof had fraud and too many scientists were not honest.

The future of health

I just read from the news, One-Third of U.S. Teens Out of Shape. It seems that something must be done to help the new generation.

There should be a lot of advice from specialists and I am sure that no many youngsters would follow. If a message will be neglected, the problem is the wrong concept that applied.

All adults have been young some years ago and most might forget their valuable experience. There are much more changes from generation to generation. Radio, television as well as Internet influence new generations. No matter how, parents do have the duty to guide their children. I mean guidance, not administration. It is certain that every parent will care for the children. The problem is the lack of knowledge for this problem.

From the report, we can see that the situation is not about poor families only, even the rich and educated families are no exception. In fact, I am afraid that the worst cases may not be about poverty, instead, it may be the excess care, or spoiling, of richer families.

Recently, there are some children in China suffering hyperthermia. This is astonishing that someone would have heat illness in cold weather. The reason is found. The children had too many clothes that raised the body temperature too much. Some parents said that they did not know how many clothes were enough. This stupidity reminds me of my old and odd idea. People should apply for a license before allowing them to give birth.

There is an old Chinese saying, "the more clothes you have the more cold you feel". I am sure that this would be based on experience, not science. Yet it is true that keeping our body warm requires a layer of warm air between the body and the overcoat. Too many clothes will give no space for the warm air.

This example indicated that some people should remain poor and smart instead of rich and stupid. The worst thing is the next and next generations of human will have serious health problem.

Is it true that someone in America would contract bird flu next year?

There is a bet about this, "...there is a 65 percent chance that someone in the United States will contract bird flu by March..". See: Betting on Bird Flu.

Until now, there is no such case in America yet. We know that the migrating birds spread the bird flu in Asia and Europe.
Therefore, everywhere in the world would not be safe.

Most incidences are about bird to bird. It is only the Asian might suffer bird to human infection. Reasons include poultry management and operation, population density, environment, knowledge and safety precaution etc.

When chickens, ducks etc. are running around in open area, there is great chance to contact the feces of flying birds. I think that the cause of infection may not be close contact between birds. Instead, flying birds would shower their feces in their paths and it would be easy for those chickens to pick up the flu virus.

Such practice seems to be limited to farmers in developing countries. The difficulty is that even they were told about this threat, they might not care because they did not want to change anything that had been so for years. They are stubborn, may be, but most would not have the chance to work it right the next time. Just like a doctor said, the good thing is the high mortality rate so that the virus host had no chance to transmit. It is not like AIDS that has the infected staying alive and let many others infected.

I guess that the bet would not be won because such conditions are rare if not entirely free of in America.

Heartbreak truth

There is an article "When the Doctor Is in, but You Wish He Wasn't" published in New York Times on November 30, 2005 written by GINA KOLATA. The topic has touched many readers and the letters from readers are grouped under the title "Being a Patient Reader Letters" published on Dec. 7, 2005. If you miss these articles, it is better to have a look.

It is great to see so many responses from patients, patients' family member as well as doctors and we can have different opinion to learn.The unfortunate truth is that doctors are forced to spend less time with patients due to hospital management and insurance bodies. Certainly, we cannot blame all doctors, hospitals or insurance companies alone.

If a hospital is run as business, there is no way to avoid the problem of costing control and the target for making profit. It is certain that no one would have a way to solve this problem. But, will it be worse in the future?There are many reasons and patients are not completely innocent. Same as every sector in our society, there are good and bad members. I have seen a story some times ago about a family of doctors who had to give up their profession because the premium for surgery was too high. Doctors might make mistakes. To avoid facing huge compensation, the only way is to have insurance. Same as every insured topic, premium would be raised against huge compensation to keep the insurance company profitable.

I think that the core problem is the medication has to run as business. Business must have profit and costing must be controlled one way or the other. America may be the first country to face this problem and it is certain that other places like Hong Kong would follow the same path in the coming future. Governments just cannot bear the continuous surging medical cost.

As I have said the best way we can have is to avoid being sick, that is, to be healthy for the lifetime.

Hey guys, you're playing our health.

Some days ago, specialist said coffee was not good for our health. So some of us gave up the coffee for green tea.Then they said there was no proof to benefit from green tea. Then again, they said that three cups of coffee a day would protect our heart.

Some times ago, specialist said wine was good for our health. Then recently, they said that three glasses of wine gave very little protection for our heats.

Yes, specialists have mistakes. Yes, they had no responsibilities for any consequence because we might be the exceptional if anything went wrong. Yes, we may not be dead and we may be cured. Yes, we have to pay for their mistakes.

Of course, if they have to take responsibilities, they shall keep their mouth shut. Of course, if that happened, they would not have funds to research. Of course, if there would be no research, our health would be jeopardized.

So they always have the upper hand. So they can do what they like. So we have to pay
everything from research indirectly from our tax and for medication directly from our pocket or indirectly by insurance with our premium.

By such count, we are always the losers. The best we can do is to be a health specialist.