By Local Fen-Phen victims sought for screening
Free screenings will be available this month to local residents who used the diet drugs Fenfluramine, Redux and Pondimin, commonly known as Fen-Phen.
Studies show that the FDA-approved drugs caused heart valve damage among many users.
Since the study, the FDA has pulled the drugs from the market. A class-action lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, MDL No. 1203, against American Home Products Corporation, the company that marketed and sold Fen-Phen diet drugs.
Sales of these drugs began in 1992 and skyrocketed in 1995 when approximately 2 million people took Redux and 4 million took Pondimin. Most of the users were middle-aged women.
The lawsuit was settled in November 1999. The settlement provides monetary awards for persons who took either of these drugs and meet certain requirements.
Many people don’t even know they have damage until an echocardiogram screening is performed. Many of the awards are actually intended for persons who have yet to feel the effects of the damage.
Murphy, Pearson, Bradley and Feeney will conduct echocardiogram screenings in the Bay Area. Potential victims may preregister by calling (800) 916-6151 or logging on to www.mpbf.com.
North County gets new dental mobile
The Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System rolled out its new Dental Care Mobile in Mountain View last week. The mobile is expected to serve more than 2,000 children in Mountain View, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale and other parts of the North County.
“The new Dental Care Mobile will provide families with convenient access to high-quality, cost-effective dental care,” said Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss during the program’s kickoff last Friday. “For too long, certain segments of the population, including low-income children and adults, have had difficulty getting the dental care they need,” she said.
The 40-foot-long truck features two patient examination rooms, radiology equipment, a reception area, and storage space for dental records.
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved the one-time funding for the acquisition of the mobile after the Planning Coalition for North County Primary Care Services identified dental care as one of the most critical needs for children and families who do not have the ability to pay for such services.
The North County vehicle will enable staff to provide on-site dental services to children and adults at Valley Health Centers, community clinics and schools. Services include oral exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings, extractions, root canals and dental hygiene education.
Flu shots beneficial to healthy adults
Vaccinating healthy younger adults against influenza is beneficial, according to a new medical study conducted at Stanford Hospital and Clinics.
Most physicians agree that vaccinations can be life-saving to elderly adults, but some have debated the benefits of vaccinating younger healthy adults.
“There’s been a lot of debate about optimal treatment strategies,” said Patrick Lee, a resident in internal medicine at Stanford who conducted the study. “Our study shows that society as a whole benefits if you vaccinate the entire population and use antiviral medications on those who get sick.”
Influenza, a viral disease characterized by nasal congestion, dry cough and fever, affects 10 percent to 20 percent of the U.S. population each year. The Centers for Disease Control recommend vaccination only for specific groups, including the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
In the study, published in the Aug. 20 issue of the Journal Annals of Internal Medicine, Lee and his colleagues gathered previously published data on the costs and benefits of flu vaccination and treatment of flu patients with antiviral medication in healthy adults ages 18-50. These included costs of the vaccine and drugs, lost work time due to illness, and duration of symptom relief with antiviral medications.
Researchers found that those who were vaccinated had an overall savings of about $30 each.
Fifty-Plus health events
Fifty-Plus Fitness is scheduled to hold the following health events next month: Challenge Camp, a full-body workout program, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, or Saturdays only, at Angell Field, adjacent to Stanford Stadium; bicycling trip, Sept. 1, Stevens Canyon via Rancho San Antonio; walking trip, 8:30 a.m., Sept. 7, Menlo Commons, 2140 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park.
Fifty-Plus is a non-profit group dedicated to the healthful living of older adults.
For more information, logon to www.50plus.org or call 323-6160.
Back-to-school shots
required for students
The Santa Clara County Public Health Department announced last week that all children entering child care centers and kindergarten through grade seven must be vaccinated for several contagious diseases.
As of July 2001, all children are required to have one dose of the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, or a physician-documented disease or immunity certificate.
Children entering child care or kindergarten need to have four or more doses of the DPT vaccine, three or more doses of the polio vaccine, one dose of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, one dose of the Hib vaccine, and three doses of the hepatitis B vaccine.
Last year nearly 90 percent of children aged 2 years to 4 years 11 months entering child care or kindergarten were vaccinated. Of the entering seventh-graders, nearly 73 percent were vaccinated, outpacing the statewide rate by 3 percent.
For information about free or low-cost immunizations, call (800) 310-2332.
‘Health Week’
in Santa Clara
Today through Aug. 24 is Community Health Center Week in Santa Clara County, Supervisor Liz Kniss proclaimed. The event will be celebrated with a variety of activities, including: immunizations 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., today, at Palo Alto Community Clinic, 270 Grant Road, Palo Alto; well-child checks 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. 24, at Mountain View Community Clinic, 100 N. Moffett Blvd., Suite 101, and Aug. 23 at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte at Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, and Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, 225 San Antonio Road, Mountain View; and school physicals, Thursday, at Asian Americans for Community Involvement, 2400 Moorpark Ave., San Jose.
