Song in my head: But I still haven't found what I'm looking for............U2


ALTER-ABLED NEWS

From the Corvallis-Gazette Times......

Marijuana doctor loses license

PORTLAND — The doctor who signed a third of all medical marijuana cards in Oregon lost his license to practice medicine on Wednesday, in what medical regulators and advocates for the drug say marked the first such case in the nine states where marijuana is legal as a medicine. LINK

The article goes on to say that the doctor had received no complaints. None.

Merck, the manufacturer of Vioxx, a medication I was prescribed and took for osteo-arthritis is being sued. When used over 18 months the risk of heart attack or strokes double. I checked my health records and used Vioxx for less than a year. Medical marijuana is a much safer alternative as a painkiller. Yesterday PresSenator Kerry validated state's rights and Oregon's Medical Marijuana Program. LINK

Vioxx fallout hits Merck: Profit falls; 300 suits filed

Merck & Co. Inc. said yesterday that third-quarter earnings plunged 29 percent because of its Vioxx recall, and the company disclosed that more than 300 lawsuits have been filed by users of the arthritis painkiller. LINK

I was born with a multitude of health problems, but my heart just aches when reading stories about able bodied soldiers instantly becoming alter-abled because of the greed of oilmen. I had years to adjust....

A soldier or Marine who loses a leg must learn to adjust to moving without one. A soldier whose body is peppered with shrapnel must have it removed and the damage to his body repaired. A soldier wounded by a bomb that kills his friend may deal with recurring dreams and depression long after the physical injuries have healed.

The wounds of war pose a challenge for soldiers, the military, families, social workers and employers. As long as Oregonians are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the broader the problems become. The Oregon National Guard, for example, which has about 715 people deployed in Iraq, always has a certain number who are kept from active duty for medical reasons. On a recent week, it was 92, or nearly 13 percent. The longer the conflict, the more the injured. LINK

Whoever gets elected will have a health care crisis to address. And I'm not talking about flu shots.

Serious problems in the nation's health system await the next administration

I raq will not be the only crisis that George Bush or John Kerry will have to deal with in the next four years. The winner of the presidential race also will be grappling with a health care system rushing headlong into serious crisis. LINK