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(More) Trouble in Toyland
Just in time for the holidays, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group has released its annual list of dangerous toys.
We couldn't list all of 'em in the story we wrote up for 1p ET - so you can find more info here.
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Post by: Filed under: Kyra Phillips • On TV |
1:30ET: When Docs Screw Up
Elizabeth Cohen joins us live, to talk about a Rhode Island hospital that's in trouble AGAIN for "wrong-site surgery".
In the meantime, some info from our medical unit:
By Sharisse Scineaux
CNN Medical Producer
Hospitals and doctors make mistakes. It's something we don't like to think about, but it happens. Some scary examples I've come across: Minnesota doctors removed the healthy kidney of a cancer patient while leaving the diseased one behind; California doctors removed the appendix of the wrong patient; one of the most experienced surgeons in a Boston, Massachusetts, hospital operated on the wrong side of a patient. All of these mistakes happened within the past couple of years.
Rest assured, if you are the patient, you can help avoid such medical errors.
1. Check out your doctor and hopsital. There are several websites that rank hospitals and physicians.
2. Tell the nurses and doctors who you are and why you're having surgery. You might feel a little silly, but giving your name, date of birth and for example, which hip you're having replaced – it bears repeating.
3. Make sure your doctor – not someone else – initials your surgery site.
4. Confirm that site with your physician right before your procedure.
5. Finally, train someone to be your advocate. You're likely to be anxious and a little out of it, so be sure that friend or family member knows these important tips too.
Check out CNN Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen’s Empowered Patient column here, for more useful details.
And, if you'd like to check up on a hospital or doctor, HealthGrades and The Leapfrog Group are a couple of helpful websites.
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Post by: Filed under: Kyra Phillips • On TV |
Cheeseburger... E. coli on the side?
Since most of us were focused on candy bars - not cheeseburgers - this weekend: heads up. There's a big ground beef recall going on, amid an E. coli scare. The CDC announced today that two deaths may be linked.
The meat came from New York-based Fairbank Farms, and went to a bunch of eastern U.S. states. Stores include Trader Joe's, Shaw's, BJ's, and Giant.
Get more info/specifics here.
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Post by: Filed under: Kyra Phillips • On TV |
From War Widow To Prostitute
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/11/02/owfi.jpg caption="OWFI"]
Times are tough for lots of Iraqis right now - women and girls, in particular. War widows turning tricks to survive. Mothers pimping their own daughters. Child trafficking.
Today in the Newsroom, we ran a piece by CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom that took a look at Baghdad's sex trade.
If you'd like more information, or want to help the group featured in his report, you can go here.
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Post by: Filed under: Kyra Phillips • On TV |
Coach Carter on Richmond H.S. Rape
Maybe you saw the movie, or caught his story on CNN back in the day.
In the late 90s, Coach Ken Carter put Richmond High School on the national map; well, the Bay Area school's back in the headlines this week. No feel-good story this time - but the callous gang-rape of a 15-year-old girl.
The educator/activist joined Kyra to talk about what's going on at his old school. Also part of the conversation: Gina Saechao, Richmond's senior class president.
Soldiering On
If you're a regular visitor to the Team Kyra blog, you probably know she's a big supporter of TAPS - a group that helps families of fallen U.S. troops.
Well, a little while back, Kyra heard about a song called "Soldier On"; the people behind it are donating half the song's proceeds to TAPS.
You can find more info on "Soldier On" right here.
FDA & Unproven Drugs
A new report from the Government Accountability Office says the FDA needs better follow-up on unproven drugs okayed for use. Per the GAO, drugs for cancer and other diseases are still on the market, despite studies later showing they didn't extend patients' lives.
To read a summary of the GAO's report, click here.
For the full report - with a list of "accelerated approval" drugs - click here.
(List begins on PDF pg 47/report pg 42)
***UPDATE***
From Medical Producer Miriam Falco:
Here are some more websites you may want to check out:
Drive a Toyota or Lexus? Read This.
Deadly floor mats - it sounds like a bad joke.
Tragically, at least four people lost their lives in an accident investigators believe was floor mat-related. Now Toyota, the world's biggest carmaker, is recalling 7 of its models - 3.8 million vehicles.
From CNNMoney.com:
The Toyota models being recalled include the 2007-2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2004-2009 Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma and 2007-2010 Tundra. The Lexus models facing the safety recall are the 2007-2010 ES 350, and the 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS 350.
If you own one of these cars, Toyota says to remove the floor mat on the driver's side immediately.
For more info, check out their official news release.
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