Vaccine Safety

Thursday

May 23, 2013 |

New anti-tobacco campaign urges smokers  to turn to their doctors for aid in quitting. The campaign, “Talk With Your Doctor,” also encourages physicians to ask patients whether they smoke and to offer help in giving up cigarettes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with five national physicians organizations, unveiled the initiative. Though 70 percent of smokers see doctors regularly, most try to quit smoking without professional help, said the CDC’s director, Dr. Thomas Frieden. He said a doctor’s advice and assistance more than doubles the odds that a smoker will quit, but “it is still too often not part of the routine doctor visit.” Los Angeles Times, MedPage Today

U.S. retailers remain sharply opposed to joining a global plan to improve safety at Bangladesh’s garment factories. The companies say they are concerned about legal liability. The issue has been debated since nearly three dozen European retailers embraced the plan last week, while almost all major U.S. companies shunned it, after the Rana Plaza factory building collapse on April 24 killed 1,127 workers. The plan was forged by retailers, union leaders and government officials overseas. A Columbia University corporate law professor said U.S. companies face higher risks of litigation than overseas competitors, but a recent Supreme Court decision could greatly reduce the ability of foreign plaintiffs to pursue such cases. The New York Times

California acts to prevent mercury-laden thermostats from harming the environment. The state issued regulations requiring thermostat makers to significantly increase the safe disposal of devices containing mercury. Selling thermostats with mercury has been banned in the state since 2006, but it is estimated that 5 million to 10 million are still in California homes and businesses. A regulator said nearly a ton of mercury from thermostats goes into California landfills every year. From there, it can seep into the water supply. Mercury exposure is linked to human neurological and cognitive damage. The Natural Resources Defense Council said California would be the first state with a “truly accountable” industry program. San Francisco Chronicle

Stuart Silverstein

Wednesday

New York City Will Speed Plans to Rid Schools of Light Fixtures Containing Toxic PCBs

May 22, 2013 |

In a deal with plaintiffs, New York agrees to remove hundreds of schools' tainted light fixtures by 2016. The Bloomberg administration, facing alarming though scattered leakages of smoke and tar from the classroom fixtures, said it will cut in half the time needed to replace them. The deal to complete the cleanup by the end of 2016, rather than by 2021, ...

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