Category Archives: Public Safety

It’s A Dangerous World Out There (And In Here)

Healthy Living, Household Medical Waste, Public Safety

The environment is full of toxins. Petrochemicals, Carcinogens, Halogens, Xenoestrogens– there are so many names and categories for so many chemicals that are out there, waiting to make us ill.

They are in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the foods we consume, and the products we use.

In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control reported that the average American has 116 our of 148 synthetic compounds in his or her body, including dioxins, polycyclic hydrocarbons, and organochloride pesticides.  The average umbilical cord contains 217 neurotoxins, 208 of which are known to cause birth defects.

There are about 80,000 chemicals in commercial use in the United States, and only about 2% of those have been assessed for their safety.

The Environmental Working Group, a U.S. environmental health research and advocacy organization, keeps an updated list of the worst offenders. We encounter many of them daily.

Environmental toxins can cause organ failure, developmental problems, cause cancer, and act as endocrine disruptors. (More on that in another article.)

Or, they can do all three.

Let’s talk about cancer, the scariest end result of toxic exposure. So many chemical compounds out there are being vilified as causing cancer. The truth is, they may all be implicated in the development of cell dysfunction that can lead to cancer- but the road is too long to follow it back. When people are diagnosed with cancer, Scientists can’t usually point to a specific chemical and say, “This is what caused it.”

The human body has defenses to guard against all sorts of harmful exposures. For example, damage to DNA cells can lead to cancer, but often, DNA damage can be repaired.

But the thing about cancer is, it starts years before the actual diagnosis. Let’s say somebody’s body is less able to deal with incoming toxins and the DNA doesn’t get repaired.

It’s the unrepaired DNA damage that can lead to mutations in genes or the cellular structure. Mutations in certain genes or cellular structure can cause cancer.

You can also inherit mutations when your parents have been exposed to toxins. The time between the first, slight cell damage and actual cancer has a long latency period, which makes it hard to tell which exposure to which toxin led to the mutation.

Remember that there are 80,000 different chemicals we people are exposed to over our lifetime. This is why it is hard to determine whether a specific chemical causes cancer.  

Having said that, the Cancer Panel Report and the ATSDR single out Asbestos, Arsenic, Beryllium, Vinyl Chloride, Radon, formaldehyde, and benzene as known human carcinogens.

What Is Asbestos?

Asbestos was adapted and widely used in building materials for its fire and chemical proof properties. It also has soundproofing and insulating qualities. Asbestos has been used in thousands of products which are still found in millions of homes today.

Asbestos is a risk when its fibers become airborne after it’s been disturbed in some way. If inhaled, these fibers can lodge themselves in the lungs, causing scarring and abnormal cell growth, leading to a number of cancers, including mesothelioma.

Common asbestos-containing products that can be found in the home include: Insulation materials for pipes and furnaces, attic insulation, shingles, siding and roofing tiles, soundproofing, plaster and joint compounds, casings for electrical wires, some floor tiles and flooring adhesives, and some plastics and paints/adhesives.

Researchers began to find links between asbestos and Cancer already in the 1950’s, but a lot of the products are built into homes and haven’t been removed.

Reducing Asbestos Exposure:

Asbestos is not a problem if left undisturbed. It’s only harmful when it’s airborne. If you suspect a product or home contains asbestos, it is important that you don’t touch or disturb it in any way. It is especially critical to take care if you are planning to remodel or if you find any damaged building materials in your home.

Check with your children’s school. Many schools use older buildings.

According to law, every school in the US is required to have a detailed asbestos management plan, in accordance with The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA).

Schools should inspect their building for asbestos, and re-inspect it at least every three years. They need to provide training in asbestos awareness to custodial staff, and if asbestos is found on premised, write up a detailed plan on how they will get rid of it using people who are trained and certified to handle asbestos properly.

What Is Arsenic?

Arsenic is toxic, bio-accumulative and carcinogenic. It is a metalloid element that occurs in nature, in both organic and inorganic compounds. Organic arsenic is “natural” and therefore less toxic than the inorganic arsenic.

Arsenic was used as a straight-out poison in the olden days. At a concentrated dosage, it is lethal.

Lesser dosage and exposure to arsenic via water and foods can lead to (a)  Various kinds of cancer (lung, bladder, liver and kidney), (b) reproductive and developmental issues; (c) cardiovascular disease; (d) reduced intellectual function in children and (e) possibility of diabetes and high blood pressure.

There are two inorganic arsenic species that are found predominantly in groundwater.

Arsenic poisoning via groundwater has become a worldwide problem. See Bangladesh. The worst toxic exposure issues are usually traced back to the groundwater.

When contaminated groundwater is, or even was, used for irrigation, people can be exposed to arsenic via foods that were grown in soil that was saturated with arsenic-laced groundwater.

It’s all in the water, folks… and then it’s in the soil. And then, it’s in the foods.

The elevated level of arsenic in soil has resulted in elevated concentrations of arsenic in food crops, such as rice and some vegetables. There are different levels of arsenic in the vegetables’ roots, stems, or grain parts. Just like in humans, arsenic bio-accumulates in crops, so the arsenic level depends on the duration and level of exposure.

Then, if cows or other cattle eat the arsenic-laced crops— guess where the arsenic ends up.

Another way the arsenic reaches us humans.

To recap:

Arsenic exposure can occur via water, soil, crops (vegetables and grains), milk, and meat.

On top of that, According to the FDA, poultry farmers are allowed to feed arsenic to birds, for “growth promotion, feed efficiency, and improved pigmentation.” The arsenic affects the blood vessels in chickens and turkeys, causing them to appear pinker and therefore fresher.

“When the Minnesota-based advocacy group Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy tested conventional poultry, it found the poison (arsenic) in 55 percent of chicken parts tested, with the highest amount–21.2 parts per million–occurring in generic brands.

If you want to know how safe that is, the EPA considers 10 parts per billion in drinking water to be high enough to pose a cancer risk. The chickens tested had up to2,000 times more of these cancer causing arsenic levels!

The European Union has outlawed the use of arsenic since 1999.

Reducing Arsenic Exposure:

According to the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy “American- grown rice contains 1.4 to 5 times more arsenic on average than does rice from Europe, India and Bangladesh— scientists think the likely culprit is the American practice of growing rice on former cotton fields contaminated with long-banned arsenic pesticides.”

Scientists at Consumer Reports recommend restricting rice and rice-based hot cereal, ready-to-eat cereal, rice pasta, and rice cakes to two to three servings a week for adults, and one to one-and-a half servings a week for children.

Thoroughly rinsing and cooking your rice with six cups of water to one cup of rice and then draining the excess water can reduce inorganic arsenic content by about 30 percent.

Additionally, purchasing foreign rice can be a safeguard.

Choose organic poultry. In order to use the label of USDA-certified organic chicken, it is legally prohibited to use arsenic in the feed. (The poultry must also be free of pesticide, chemical fertilizers, hormones, and antibiotics, among other requirements.

What Is Beryllium?

Beryllium is used industrially in three forms: as a pure metal, as beryllium oxide, and most commonly, as an alloy with copper, aluminum, magnesium, or nickel. Beryllium oxide (called beryllia) is known for its high heat capacity and is an important component of certain sensitive electronic equipment.

Workers in industries where beryllium is present may be exposed to beryllium by inhaling or contacting beryllium in the air or on surfaces.

Inhaling or contacting beryllium can cause an immune response that puts you at risk for developing a debilitating disease of the lungs called chronic beryllium disease (CBD). Beryllium-exposed workers may also develop other adverse health effects such as acute beryllium disease and lung cancer.

Reducing Beryllium Exposure:

Follow workplace protocol!

What Is Vinyl chloride?

Most of the vinyl chloride produced in the United States is used to make a polymer called polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which consists of long repeating units of vinyl chloride. PVC is used to make a variety of plastic products including pipes, wire and cable coatings, and packaging materials. Other uses include furniture and automobile upholstery, wall coverings, housewares, and automotive parts. At one time, vinyl chloride was used as a coolant, as a propellant in spray cans, and in some cosmetics.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that vinyl chloride is a known carcinogen. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has determined that vinyl chloride is carcinogenic to people, and EPA has determined that vinyl chloride is a human carcinogen.

Use of Vinyl Chloride has been highly restricted so it’s not very likely to be a major concern today. Inhalation causes a large variety initial symptoms way before there is damage to internal organs or cells. You’d notice if you’ve been exposed to Vinyl Chloride.

Vinyl Chloride also has an easily detectable smell.

There is Vinyl Chloride in cigarette smoke.

PVC products tend to have phthalates in them too, which are endocrine disruptors. It would be smart to avoid phthalates as well.

Phthalates are chemicals used to soften plastics. They are found in a wide variety of products, including shampoo, cosmetics, lotions, bottles, nail polish, and deodorant.

At one time most flexible plastics contained high levels of phthalates. Fortunately, they are being phased out in the US and Europe due to emerging recognition of their risks.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS), part of the National Institute of Health, has found that pre-natal
exposure to phthalates is associated with adverse genital development and can significantly reduce masculine behavior in boys. This is true for all endocrine disruptors, but phthalates are documented.

Women with high exposure to phthalates while pregnant report significantly more disruptive behavior in their children, while other research by NIEHS has found phthalate exposure can lead to thyroid dysfunction in adults.

Fortunately if exposure is decreased, phthalates quickly exit the body. Studies found that phthalate levels in the urine decreased by
53-56% within three days of stopping exposure.

Reducing  Phthalate Exposure:

  •  Minimize use of plastics with the recycling code #3.
  •  Use PVC-free containers. Buy plastic wrap and bags made from polyethylene and use glass containers. If you do use plastic containers, do not heat or microwave them.
  •  Choose phthalate-free toys. Many large toymakers have pledged to stop using phthalates, but be sure to look for toys made from polypropylene or polyethylene.
  • Purchase phthalate-free beauty products. Avoid nail polish, perfumes, colognes, and other scented products that list phthalates as an ingredient. Many scented products simply list “fragrance” as an ingredient, which often incorporates a number of different chemicals including phthalates. Try to minimize these products, or for more information on phthalate-free cosmetics and personal care products, visit the National Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Environmental Working Group, which maintains a database on cosmetic products and their ingredients.

What Is Radon?

Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium or thorium found in nearly all soils and it typically moves up through the ground and into the home through cracks in floors, walls, and foundations. It can also be released from building materials or from well water. Radon breaks down quickly, giving off radioactive particles. Long-term exposure to these particles can lead to lung cancer.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States each year. 1 in 20 homes in the United States have elevated levels of radon present.

Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking and the leading cause among non-smokers.

Radon Mitigation is the process of decreasing radon in homes found to have elevated levels present.

Reducing Radon Exposure:

  •         Get your home air checked. It is simple and inexpensive.
  •         If you use a well, check your water.

What Is Formaldehyde?

Formaldehydeis a known human carcinogen. It is a colourless, flammable, strong-smelling chemical that is used in building materials and in the manufacture of many household products. It also occurs naturally in the environment and is produced in small amounts by most living organisms as part of normal metabolic processes.

Formaldehyde sources in the home include pressed-wood products such as particleboard and plywood, glues and adhesives, permanent press fabrics, cigarette smoke, and fuel-burning appliances. In addition, formaldehyde is commonly used as an industrial fungicide, germicide, and disinfectant, and as a preservative in mortuaries and medical laboratories.

Research studies of workers exposed to formaldehyde have suggested an association between formaldehyde exposure and several cancers, including nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia.

Reducing Formaldehyde Exposure:

  •         Use “exterior-grade” pressed-wood products to limit formaldehyde exposure in the home.
  •         Ensure adequate ventilation and moderate temperatures.
  •         Reduce humidity levels with air conditioners and dehumidifiers.
  •         Go natural and grow plants in your home.

What Is Benzene?

Benzene is a colourless liquid that evaporates quickly. It is naturally found in crude oil and is a basic petrochemical (Petrochemicals are endocrine disruptors.) It is also a known human carcinogen.

Substantial amounts of data link benzene to aplastic anemia, bone marrow abnormalities, and leukemia — particularly acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL).

Benzene is found in tobacco smoke, gasoline (think car exhaust), pesticides, synthetic fibers, plastics, inks, oils, and detergents.

Benzene has also been found in some dryer emissions from scented laundry detergent and dryer sheets

It has been in soft drinks, although they have since reformulated to exclude it.

About 50% of the benzene exposure in the US results from smoking tobacco or from second-hand smoke.

Reducing Benzene Exposure:

  •         Don’t smoke and try to avoid second hand smoke.
  •         Ensure adequate ventilation in your home.
  •         Use non-scented laundry detergents.
  •         Keep plants in the home.

Poison is in the dose. Environmental toxins cause serious health concerns when there is an accumulated exposure. The more prolonged or excessive the exposure is, the worse the effect.

Ironically, prolonged, acute stress can also disrupt endocrine function, cause organ failure, hinder development and is implicated in cancer! So don’t stress out about all these toxins in your environment.

Using a plastic cup every once in a while is not going to kill you.

It’s impossible to completely avoid exposure to known human carcinogens.

However, a few simple steps can go a long way towards protecting you and your loved ones.

*Don’t smoke.

*Don’t expose yourself to secondhand smoke.

*Get your home air and water checked for radon.

*Use a water filter. An air filter is great too.

*Check your home for asbestos materials.

*Keep your home well-ventilated.

*Use less products with “fragrance” as a listed ingredient.

*Keep plenty of plants in your home.

*Decrease use of plastic. Transition to glass, stainless steel, and porcelain containers, mugs and glasses.

*Eat more organic poultry and produce. Wash all produce. If possible, purchase only organic options from the Dirty Dozen.

*Transition to less processed foods and products. The less processed, the better.

   There’s no need to freak out over occasional exposure to environmental toxins. Just look for simple ways to reduce your everyday exposure. Make changes slowly, one at a time, in a manageable way, and you will decrease your risk with minimal stress to yourself and others.

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We are MedWaste Management – California’s medical waste disposal experts!

Established in 2008, MedWaste Management brings great benefit to the healthcare industry and the general public alike. We publish this blog to to spread useful and practical information to help people stay safe, smart and healthy!

Call us with any questions or to start service at (866) 254-5105. We are always happy to speak!

Check out our services and other great resources in the links below.

Medical Waste Disposal Services 

MedWaste’s Blog Index

Medical Waste Regulations

MedWaste’s Products Store 

Home Generated Medical Waste Drop-Off Points In California

man behind mask

Doctor, I’m Just Not Myself.

Document Shredding, Healthcare, Public Safety

Medical Identity Theft is on the rise.

Security experts say that cyber criminals are increasingly targeting the $3 trillion U.S. healthcare industry. 

According to a survey by the Ponemon Institute Think Tank, the percentage of reported criminal cyber attacks on healthcare organizations has risen to 40 percent in 2013 from 20 percent in 2009.

What Are They Doing with the Stolen Data?

Typically, medical fraud scams involve provider billing and over billing.

You probably heard about medical billing scams. That’s because government and health insurance providers have a checks and balances system of sort in place to prevent fraudulent billing, and they https://etechlib.wordpress.com/2012/08/28/my-medical-record-says-what-part-two-what-now/catch it quickly. Then they report it. Then the media gets a whiff of it. They we hear all about it.

Other sorts of Medical Identity Theft are not identified so quickly by a patient or their provider, giving criminals years to milk credentials.

Medical data is more valuable to fraudster than credit cards, which tend to be quickly canceled by banks once the fraud is detected.

Take Ronnie Bogle, a museum supervisor from San Jose, California. He had his medical identity stolen for more than a decade, across several states.

His brother  Gary was stealing his identity to get healthcare.

Gary had a simple routine. He’d move to a new place, get a photo ID, then present the ID along with Ronnie’s Social Security number at hospitals and clinics to get treatment. He often claimed to be uninsured when he sought care. After treatment, the bills got sent to his house, not Ronnie’s.

Ronnie discovered what Gary was up to when he applied for a new credit card. He was turned down. His credit report had a lot of unpaid debts- from his brother’s hospital visits and treatments over the years.

“He destroyed my credit history multiple times,” Ronnie said.

It took Ronnie Bogle two years to straighten out his credit card and get his brother’s bills off his financial record. Eventually, Gary was arrested and pleaded guilty to 10 counts of criminal impersonation in California. He’s facing more charges in Washington state for allegedly stealing his brother’s identity there, too.

Here’s some other ideas on what Medical ID thieves can do with your data:

  1. They can bill your health plan for fake or inflated treatment claims. This kind of fraud is called Insider Fraud, because the crooks are usually employees inside the healthcare system who know how the billing system works.
  2. They can get medical treatment for free, courtesy of your policy. They take on your identity, go to the Doctor, Hospital, or Clinic, and the bills get sent to your health insurance provider.
  3. They can obtain drugs. Medical personnel with access to your data can use your identity to get prescription drugs to sell or use themselves. For example, pharmacists can bill your policy for narcotics. Nurses can call in a prescription in your name, then pick it up themselves.
  4. They can sell your patient information on the black market.

  5. They can set up fake clinics using the data stolen from many patients, then bill insurance companies for fake treatments. They can buy medical equipment for the fake clinic, then sell it on the black market.

  6. They can mess up your credit and your finances.
  7. The most dangerous aspect of medical identity fraud is when the thief’s record, history and diagnosis get mixed up with your records, delaying, tainting, and complicating your own care, even causing you to receive erroneous treatment if you need a hospital or clinic, based on the information in your file that’s about them, not you.

Imagine if a Medical Data thief uses your stolen insurance card to get diagnsis or treatment for diabetes. Your Doctor is going to want to see your toes the next time you come in.

Or, in a more extreme version, if a pregnant woman uses stolen data to get maternity care at the hospital near your home, you may be charged with neglecting “your” baby.

This is what happened to Anndorie Cromar.

The woman used Cromar’s data to sign into the maternity ward in a hospital near Cromar’s home. The baby was born with drugs in her system and Child Services were alerted. The State went after Cromar and threatened to take away the rest of her kids. She had to take a DNA test to get her name off of the infant’s birth certificate. The rest of her records took years to correct.

47 percent of victims of Medical Identity Theft that participated in a study by the Ponemon Institute said that their identity theft was perpetrated by a relative or someone else they knew. Twenty-four percent said they had a situation like Bogle’s, where a relative stole their identity without their knowledge or consent. Surprisingly, an additional 23 percent of respondents said they willingly shared their credentials with someone they knew. 

It’s “Friendly Fraud.”

Of those who said they shared healthcare credentials that way, 91 percent reported that
it was because the other person had no health insurance.

86 percent said it was because the other person couldn’t afford medical treatment.

Sixty-five percent said it was done in an emergency.

Unlike financial identity theft, there’s no straightforward process for challenging false medical claims or correcting inaccurate medical records.

If a thug steals your wallet and runs up your credit cards with expenditures, there are systems in place to keep it simple.

You need to request that the three major credit bureaus provide you a free credit report, place a fraud alert on your accounts, and work with your creditors to get inaccurate charges removed.

Identity theft is often discovered early on the financial side because credit card issuers have sophisticated systems for detecting fraud. Also, nearly all financial institutions use one or more of the three credit reporting agencies. There’s a centralized data base so it’s easier to track for fraud.

With medical identity theft, it’s not that simple. Your medical records are likely to be interspersed among a number of different providers, and there’s no merged or even single “medical records clearinghouse” that keeps them. You probably don’t have a complete copy of all your medical records. You can get a copy, but you may have to pay for it. When there’s an error on your record, you can add a correction, but you can’t delete any of it. 

Ironically, if you suspect that you are a victim of Medical Identity Theft, you may not be granted access to your own records. Once they are intermingled with another patient’s records, that person’s privacy must be protected under HIPAA.

Ponemon Institute found that it took an average of more than three months for victims to even detect the fraud and more than 200 hours to undo the mess.

65 percent of the medical identity theft victims surveyed by Ponemon said they spent an average of $13,500 to pay the healthcare bills run up in their name, to recover their health insurance, and to pay lawyer’s fees, among other things.

Prevention Is Easier:

  1. Read the Explanation of Benefits, or EOB, statement that your insurance provider sends you after you’ve received covered treatment. Confirm that the information about the date of service, type of service provided, and the provider are all correct.
  2. Request a complete list of payments made from your health insurance company on an annual basis. Review it.
  3. Be Aware when you are at the doctor’s office or pharmacy.

  4. Just like when you are using a credit card, pay attention to who’s nearby when you’re giving the staff your insurance card.

  5. Don’t leave your medical insurance card sitting around  for others to see.
  6. Shred documents associated with your health insurance, especially those containing your account number and personal information.
  7. Periodically, check for discrepancies with the Medical Information Bureau (MIB).  The MIB is like a “credit bureau” for health-related personal information. It has a comprehensive list of insurance companies that belong to it. Any time an individual applies for life or health insurance, this information is probably reported to the MIB.
  8. Get a current copy of your medical records. Most Doctor’s offices will be able to easily provide records for the last couple of years. For a full file, you may need to pay. Keep them in case they are tampered with in the future.
  9. Exercise your right for a free annual copy of your credit report.  Most Medical Identity Theft is noticed when the claim makes the transition to the billing department. If you have an unpaid medical bill on your credit report that you don’t recognize, you’ve probably a victim of Medical Identity Theft.

  1. Don’t post news of an upcoming surgery on Facebook or other social media outlets.

  2.  A good rule of thumb for social media in general is, if you’re not comfortable having the information plastered on a billboard, don’t put in out there on the World Wide Web.

The more interaction you have with the healthcare system, the more vigilant you ought to be. Some people are more susceptible to Medical Identity Theft than others. People on Medicare, whose Social Security number is on their medical card, are a gateway to all kinds of fraud. Older people are more susceptible to scams because they tend to give away personal health information  indiscriminately. Children’s health records are very attractive to Medical Identity Fraudsters, because a child is not likely to be checking their credit report for a while, so unpaid medical debts can go unnoticed for longer. New mothers, surgery patients, and people with chronic conditions like diabetes – or serious illnesses, like cancer, are also vulnerable, because they interact with the system a lot. The more interaction you have with the healthcare system, the more opportunity there is for records to be breached. Last but not least, millenials and anyone who casually posts a lot of personal information online. Medical Identity Fraudsters are very good at collecting information from social media or other apps and putting it together with other data they have on you, like an address or date of birth.

What to Do If You Are a Victim of Medical Identity Theft:

  1. File a police report.  Send a copy of the report to your insurer, medical providers and all credit bureaus.
  2. Call your insurance company.  You will be put in contact with the fraud department. They’ll disable your health insurance account, give you a new account and card, and assist you with the process of dealing with any billing, collections or records issues.
  3. Request access to your medical records.  If you even suspect you’re a victim of Medical Identity Theft, get a copy of your records from your doctor, hospital, pharmacy or laboratory. Correct errors immediately.
  4. Contact the three major credit bureaus, your bank or financial institutions, and your credit card issuers.  Inform them that your medical identity has been stolen. Place a fraud alert and freeze your credit so the scam doesn’t complicate your credit score any further.
  5. File a medical identify theft complaint.  File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or call the FTC’s toll free hotline at (877) IDTHEFT.
  6. If you are refused access to your medical records, appeal.  To appeal, follow the steps outlined in your medical provider’s notice of privacy practices. If you still aren’t satisfied, file a health-privacy complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or call 1-800-368-1019.

The effects of Medical Identity Theft are far-reaching, costing the victims time, money and aggravation. Awareness is growing by the day. In terms of prevention and support, there is more work to be done to safeguard healthcare consumers from Medical Identity Theft. Experts are working on new ways to prevent it. They are using software that prevents fraud in billing and training staff and consumers to notice warning signs and ask for photo IDs.

There will be more extensive verification screening in the future, like the use of fingerprints.

Hopefully, in the future, we will see a decline in the occurence of Medical Identity Theft with minimal inconvenience to Doctors, patients, and insurance companies.

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We are MedWaste Management – California’s medical waste disposal experts!

Established in 2008, MedWaste Management brings great benefit to the healthcare industry and the general public alike. We publish this blog to to spread useful and practical information to help people stay safe, smart and healthy!

Call us with any questions or to start service at (866) 254-5105. We are always happy to speak!

Check out our services and other great resources in the links below.

Medical Waste Disposal Services 

MedWaste’s Blog Index

Medical Waste Regulations

Medical Waste Products 

Home Generated Medical Waste Drop-Off Points In California

Product Recall: Valsartan

Healthcare, Product Recalls, Public Safety

Teva Pharmaceuticals USA today confirmed a voluntary recall to the consumer / user level of 29 lots of single and 51 lots of combination valsartan medicines .

The products subject to recall  are packed in bottles. These lots were distributed Nationwide to Teva’s Direct Accounts (Wholesale/Distributor/Retail/Repackagers/VA Pharmacy, et. al).

These were distributed under the Actavis label in the U.S. They are being recalled due to the detection of trace amounts of an unexpected impurity found in an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) that was manufactured by Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical.

Teva is not the only company to recall Valsartan. Major Pharmaceuticals, and Solco Healthcare are also recalling Valsartan/ Hydrochlorothiazide due to the same impurity detected.

The FDA action came after 22 other countries issued recalls involving 2,300 valsartan batches sent to Germany, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Ireland, Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, France, Poland, Croatia, Lithuania, Greece, Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bahrain and Malta.

What Is Valsartan?

Valsartan is used for the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure) and for the treatment of heart failure. It is also indicated as a treatment for left ventricular failure and left ventricular dysfunction following myocardial infarction. In combination with hydrochlorothiazide, it is used in the treatment of hypertension.

Why Is It Being Recalled?

The impurity detected in the API is N- nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is a substance that occurs naturally in certain foods, drinking water, air pollution,  and industrial processes. It can be used to make liquid rocket fuel, softeners and lubricants, among other products. It can also be unintentionally produced through certain chemical reactions and is a byproduct from some pesticide manufacturing, the making of rubber tires or fish processing.a

N- nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) has been classified as a probable human carcinogen as per International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classification.

The toxin affects the liver and causes liver fibrosis or scarring and liver tumors in rats.Exposure to high levels of NDMA may cause liver damage in humans, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

To date, TEVA has not received any reports of adverse events related to this recall.

What Should You Do?

Don’t stop taking your blood pressure meds!!

First of all, not all medicines containing valsartan are involved in the recall.

Check the FDA recall site or call your pharmacy to find out if the bottle you have is from a contaminated lot before taking further action.

Valsartan alternatives are available.

Patients should contact their pharmacist or physician who can advise them about an alternative treatment prior to returning their medication. Patients who are on valsartan should continue taking their medication, as the risk of harm to a patient’s health may be higher if the treatment is stopped immediately without any alternative treatment.

Questions, concerns, adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to Teva directly at 888- 838-2872 or to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.

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We are MedWaste Management – California’s medical waste disposal experts!

Established in 2008, MedWaste Management brings great benefit to the healthcare industry and the general public alike. We publish this blog to to spread useful and practical information to help people stay safe, smart and healthy!

Call us with any questions or to start service at (866) 254-5105. We are always happy to speak!

Check out our services and other great resources in the links below.

Medical Waste Disposal Services 

MedWaste’s Blog Index

Medical Waste Regulations

Medical Waste Products 

Home Generated Medical Waste Drop-Off Points In California

 

 

e-cigarette, vaping

The Scoop on E-Cigarettes

Healthcare, Healthy Living, Public Safety

E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that  look like a real cigarette: kind of pen-shaped. Some look a bit different- those with refillable tanks, for example .

There are nearly 500 brands of e-cigarettes on the market, in more than 7,000 flavors.

All brands have the same basic mechanism:

  • They have containers filled with liquid, ingredients vary with the brand or type.
  • A heating device turns the liquid into vapor that you inhale when you take a drag.

Using an e-cigarette is  called “vaping.”

Are They Safe?

The FDA was given the power to regulate the manufacturing, labeling, distribution and marketing of all tobacco products in 2009 when President Obama signed into law the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act and in 2010 a court ruled that the FDA could regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products.

It wasn’t until 2016 that the FDA finally announced a rule to regulate e-cigarettes. Under the final rule, the FDA plans to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18.  The rule also requires all makers of e-cigarettes sold after February 15, 2007 to go through a “premarket review.” This is the process that the FDA uses to determine whether potentially risky products are safe. However, companies are allowed to have anywhere from 18 months to two years to prepare their applications. And it will take another year for the FDA to actually approve these applications. So don’t expect e-cigarettes currently on the market to be officially allowed to be sold by the FDA for another couple of years.

The popularity of electronic cigarettes  has outpaced available scientific data.

Research is still preliminary and answers may vary slightly. Overall, here are some points all experts agree on.

E-cigarettes are not safe, regardless of how they are marketed to appear to the public. Yes, they may be safer than conventional cigarettes, but they are not safe on their own merit.

The e-cig works by heating a liquid to generate an aerosol (we call it “vapor”) that is inhaled by the user. The e-liquid in the cigarette (or “e-juice”) is commonly made of nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerine and flavorings.

E-cigarette users who use e-cigarettes that contain nicotine are exposed to its potentially harmful effects. Nicotine is associated with cardiovascular disease, potential birth defects, and poisoning, among other deleterious effects.

Normal usage of e-cigarettes generates low levels of formaldehyde.

Degraded products will produce very high levels of formaldehyde in the vapor. Most users will detect the degradation and avoid using the degraded product, but there is still a slight risk.

Formaldehyde is a well-known carcinogen. Exact measurements have not been established. Too much formaldehyde inhalation will cause respiratory symptoms like itchy nose and throat, coughing, and nosebleeds. It may be implicated in respiratory diseases like asthma. A little exposure once in a while will usually fade, but continuous exposure to high levels of formaldehyde might increase the chance of getting cancer even at levels too low to cause noticeable symptoms. 

Metal parts of e-cigarettes in contact with the e-liquid can contaminate it with heavy metal toxins. 

One of the flavors used in e-cigs is diacetyl, a harmful chemical which causes a lung disease known as ‘popcorn lung’, among other harmful effects.

No long-term data is available on the overall effects of e-cigs on the lungs. In particular, the effects in people with respiratory diseases are still unknown. “No long term data” does not equal, “Safe to Inhale!” It merely states that there is no current information.

According to a study by VA San Diego Healthcare System and UC San Diego researchers, human cells exposed to the e-cigarette vapor showed several forms of damage, including DNA strand breaks. When the  DNA is harmed and the cellular repair process doesn’t work right, it raises the risk of cancer. The affected cells were also more likely to launch into apoptosis and necrosis, which lead to cell death. The team used normal epithelial cells, which line organs, glands, and cavities throughout the body, including the mouth and lungs.

The San Diego team found that the nicotine versions caused worse damage, but even the nicotine-free vapor was enough to damage cells. Nicotine free e-cigarettes caused 50 per cent more DNA breaks, while those containing nicotine raised the damage margin three fold.

They were able to identify that e-cigarettes on the whole have something to do with increased cell death but not necessarily the individual components that are contributing to the effect.

There is limited information available on the environmental issues around production, use, and disposal of e-cigarette cartridges. A 2014 review recommended that e-cigarettes should be regulated for consumer safety.

There is a concern that some of the mainstream vapor exhaled by e-cigarette users can be inhaled by bystanders, particularly indoors.

The liquid used in e-cigarettes is highly concentrated, so absorbing it through the skin or swallowing it is far more likely to require an emergency room visit than eating or swallowing regular cigarettes.

In 2012, less than 50 kids under the age of six were reported to poison control hotlines per month because of e-cigarettes. In 2015, that number rose to about 200 children a month, nearly half of which were under the age of two.

Is Vaping Better Than Smoking?’

E-cigarettes aren’t thought of as 100% safe, but most experts think they’re less dangerous than cigarettes, says Neal Benowitz, MD, a nicotine researcher at the University of California at San Francisco.

Tobacco smoke contains 100 known carcinogens, and 900 potentially cancer causing chemicals, none of which has been found in more than trace quantities in e-cigarette vapor.

Those present are mostly below 1% of the corresponding levels in tobacco smoke   Another review found that compared with cigarettes, e-cigarettes are likely to be much less, if at all, harmful to users or bystanders.

The e-cigarette aerosol can contain toxicants and traces of heavy metals at levels permissible in inhalation medicines, and potentially harmful chemicals not found in tobacco smoke- at concentrations permissible by workplace safety standards.

When vaping, there is no ash, tar, carbon and carbon monoxide entering inhaler’s lungs. However, chemical concentrations may exceed the stricter public safety limits. There is considerable variation between vaporizers in terms of quality of their liquid ingredients and thus the contents of the vapor.

A study funded by Cancer Research UK showed that when smokers switched completely to e-cigarettes, bodily level exposure to established and important smoking-related carcinogens and toxicants was reduced by between 56 percent to 97 percent.

 E-cigarettes are a safer alternative to smoking tobacco in the context of developing smoking-related cancer.

(Dual smokers and vapers, who vape where smoking is prohibited but smoke regular cigarettes as well, saw very different results. Vaping and smoking did not lower the level of toxins in the body and also had too many variables to produce entirely accurate study results.)

Dr. Lion Shahab reported that according to the study, smokers who switched entirely to e-cigarettes cut their intake of toxins and carcinogens. Levels of nicotine — the addictive ingredient in cigarettes — remained constant, but their intake of cancer-causing chemicals fell to levels found in people using nicotine-replacement therapies. E-cigs reduced toxin intake at a level comparable to those who quit smoking by using nicotine replacements like the patch, gum or lozenges.

Proffessor Kevin Fenton, National Director Health & Wellbeing at PHE, agrees: “Public Health England has always been clear that e-cigarettes are not 100 per cent safe, but our major world leading review, published recently, found that e-cigarettes carry a fraction of the risk of smoking.”

“Electronic cigarettes are a much safer alternative source of nicotine for smokers than cigarettes, but that doesn’t mean they are risk free and we would discourage anyone who’s not a smoker from using them,” says Kenneth Warner, a tobacco policy researcher at the University of Michigan. “The worst critics of e-cigarettes would probably argue they’re a half to two-thirds less dangerous. But from a practical view, they’re probably on the order of 80% to 85% less dangerous, at least.”

Can They Help Me Quit Smoking?

“We don’t have the definitive study on that,” Warner says. “My reading of the evidence is that it is quite convincing that e-cigarettes are helping some people quit smoking.”

The American Heart Association says e-cigarettes should only be used as a last resort way to quit.

There is research that supports the idea that e-cigarettes can reduce smoking urges and help motivated smokers quit.

Last year, two out of three smokers who combined e-cigarettes with expert support from a local service quit successfully.

E-cigs have been shown to be as effective as nicotine inhalers in reducing both craving and withdrawals effects. Another study found that e-cigs may be comparable, but not more effective, than other methods for smoking cessation, like nicotine patches and even placebo e-cigs.

Whether e-cigs can safely help people quit smoking remains to be seen. 

“We don’t know what is in e-cigarette vapor because the devices haven’t yet been fully regulated by the FDA,” says Norman H. Edelman MD, of the American Lung Association. “If you want to stop smoking, you may as well use an FDA-approved nicotine replacement, such as the patch or the lozenge. You can have more confidence because it’s been analyzed by the FDA, while e-cigarettes haven’t been analyzed by the FDA.”

Since e-cig manufacturers have not submitted an application to the FDA for their use in smoking cessation, e-cigs are not currently FDA-approved for such use

According to the FDA, there’s no evidence any e-cigarette is safe and effective at helping smokers quit.

The best thing a smoker can do is quit completely now and forever. The best way to succeed is to get help from your local stop smoking service. Smokers who have struggled to quit in the past could try vaping, and vapers should stop smoking.

Talk to your doctor about medications and other strategies that are proven stop-smoking tools. And if you need help quitting or reducing the number of cigarettes you are smoking, check out the smokefree.gov website.

_______

We are MedWaste Management – California’s medical waste disposal experts!

Established in 2008, MedWaste Management brings great benefit to the healthcare industry and the general public alike. We publish this blog to to spread useful and practical information to help people stay safe, smart and healthy!

Call us with any questions or to start service at (866) 254-5105. We are always happy to speak!

Check out our services and other great resources in the links below.

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Home Generated Medical Waste Drop-Off Points In California

what is in my meds?

Product Recall: MyNicNaxs.com

Product Recalls, Public Safety

MyNicNaxs, LLC, Deltona, FL is voluntarily recalling all lots of dietary supplements distributed nationwide to consumers and stores. All lots means every bottle that went out of their warehouse, of every product they were selling.

Unfortunately, they are not the first company who needed to recall weight loss and sexual enhancement products. These niches seem to be rife with undeclared, misleading, and plain dangerous pills. Dozens of weight-loss and immune-system supplements on the market are illegally labeled and lack the recommended type of scientific evidence to back up their purported health claims.

Cautionary Tale

MyNicNaxs, LLC, Deltona, FL, is- or was- a company selling both dietary supplements for weight loss and sexual enhancement. Unfortunately, the dietary supplement (or “chinese medicine”) was  a misleading name for products that contained undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Drugs, in other words.

The FDA went to court to complain. First, they alleged that certain MyNicNaxs products are drugs under the FD&C Act because they are intended to cure, mitigate, treat or prevent disease.

Second, the drugs were misbranded because their labeling was false and misleading in that it didn’t  declare certain active pharmaceutical ingredients. The labeling failed to bear adequate directions for use, and/or the drugs are dangerous to health when used as recommended in the labeling.

The following permanent injuction required the defendants to stop distributing any unapproved new drugs or misbranded drugs. They were prohibited from receiving, manufacturing, holding and distributing any drugs or dietary supplements until the FDA puts out a written notification that they are in compliance of the FD&C Act and its regulations, and that they may resume operations.

The MyNicNax website is down, but the pinterest account is still up with photos of the products and promotional photos.

Harmful Substances

The FDA discovered the presence of Sildenafil, Sibutramine, Diclofenac and/or Phenolphthalein in the dietary supplements. This rendered the supplements as an unapproved drug for which safety and efficacy have not been established.

These products were distributed from January 2013, to December 2017, though the website http://www.mynicnaxs.com.

The undeclared drugs can cause serious health risk. A)Some of them are cancerous, and B)Taking drugs unknowingly can interfere and interact with other drugs the person is taking. Or can expose the consumer to a drug that is harmful or dangerous in their particular situation… a drug they would never take if they knew it was in the magic pill.

The following drugs were detected in the products:

Sibutramine is the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Meridia, a new drug approved by FDA for marketing in 1997 for prescription treatment of obesity and, subsequently, withdrawn from the U.S. market on December 21, 2010, after clinical data indicated Sibutramine poses an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Phenolphthalein is a known carcinogen (cancer causing agent) It was once an ingredient used in over-the-counter laxatives. It is no longer approved for marketing in the United States.

Sildenafil is the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Viagra (PDE-5 inhibitor), a drug approved by FDA for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. PDE-5 inhibitors may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin). PDE-5 inhibitors can lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.

Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) found in FDA-approved drugs that are used to treat pain and inflammation associated with several conditions. NSAIDs could lead to serious GI trouble, like bleeding, ulceration, and fatal perforation of the stomach and intestines.

Patients who are already taking medication that could cause bleeding may increase their risk for bleeding significantly.

This is a list of all the website products, as listed on the FDA website: 26 products in all that did not disclose drugs in the ingredient list on the bottle.

Product Description API Found in FDA Lab Results
Platinum Maximum Strength Blue Pill Version;
30 capsules; 500mg each		 Sibutramine and Phenolphthalein
Platinum Maximum Strength Blue Pill Version;
30 capsules; 500mg each		 Sibutramine and Phenolphthalein
Slimming Plus Advanced Weight Loss; 30
capsules; 500mg each		 Sibutramine and Phenolphthalein
African Viagra – sexual performance
enhancement product; 4500mg x 2		 Sildenafil
GINSENG – sexual performance enhancement
product; 300mg/tablet x 10 tablets		 Sildenafi
African Superman – sexual performance
enhancement product; 2900mg x 8 tablets per
blister pack		 Sildenafil
Old Chinese – sexual performance enhancement
product; 19800mg x 10 capsules		 Sildenafil
Lean Extreme Max; 30 capsules; 400mg each Sibutramine
X-treme Beauty Slim; 30 capsules; 350mg each Sibutramine
African Superman – Top-Class Permanence
Tablet; 2900mg x 8 tablets		 Sildenafil
Slim Evolution – 100% Natural Ingredients; 30
capsules; 350mg each		 Diclofenac
Meizitang Strong Version capsules packed in a
non-flexible clear bottle with a green screw-on
top		 Sibutramine
Magic Slim capsules packed in a non-flexible
white bottle with a white screw-on top		 Sibutramine
Slim Xtreme capsules packed in a non-flexible
white bottle with a white screw-on top		 Sibutramine
Meizi Evolution capsules were packed in a non-
flexible clear bottle with a blue screw-on top		 Sibutramine
SlimEasy Herbs capsules packed in blister
packaging and placed in a white box with black
labeling		 Sibutramine
Hokkaido – capsules packed in blister packaging
in pink box with black labeling		 Phenolphthalein
Super Fat Burning Bomb capsules in blister
packs, packaged in a red box with black labeling		 Sibutramine and Phenolphthalein
FRUTA Bio blister packs, packaged in a
yellow/green box with green labeling		 Sibutramine and Phenolphthalein
JIANFEIJINDAN Activity Girl – blister packs,
packaged in a white/pink box with pink labeling		 Sibutramine
Reduce Weight FRUTA PLANTA blister packs,
packaged in a yellow/green box with green
labeling		 Phenolphthalein
Fat Loss Slimming Beauty – 30 capsules in
blister packs packaged in yellow/black box -500
mg		 Sibutramine and Phenolphthalein
Fruta Planta -blister packs packaged in
yellow/green box with green labeling		 Sibutramine and Phenolphthalein
Botanical Slimming – 100% Natural Soft gel; 30 soft gels; 650mg each packaged in a green bag with yellow and white lettering
Slim Body – Dietary Supplement;100% Herbal Slimming Formula; 30 capsules; 6x5x300mg blister packs, packaged in blue and red box

If you have bought any of these products, you are advised to immediately discontinue use.

There have been no reports of adverse effects so far. If you think you have experienced adverse effects, speak to your health care provider immediately. You should also report to the FDA MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program by filling out the online form, or sending the form by regular mail or fax.

For any questions regarding this recall, contact Mike Banner by phone 407-791-3597 or Chevonne Torres 386-337-8142, Monday to Friday, 09:00am-5:00 pm, Eastern Time.

 

 

 

Is Shaking Hands a Risky Business?

Public Safety

The handshake dates back to the 5th century B.C., in Greece. It was a symbol of peace, each man showing empty hands to prove he wasn’t carrying a weapon.

Some claim that the handshake really started in Medieval Europe, where the knights would shake other’s hands in an attempt to shake loose hidden weapons.

Whether a symbol of peace, or a way to allay suspicion, the handshake is losing popularity as a greeting. In the U.S. it is becoming more and more common to use a fist bump. Forty-nine percent of Americans today will choose the fist bump over the traditional handshake.

Why?

Fear of catching germs.

How Many Germs Are Really On Your Hand At Any One Time?

It’s fair to say a lot of them, especially if you haven’t washed your hands recently.

Every time you touch an object or shake someone’s hand, you are probably picking up bacteria and potentially viruses too. We’re estimated to have around 1,500 bacteria living on each square centimeter of the skin on our hands. Areas such as underneath the fingernails and between the fingers often harbor even more.

According to Research from the University of Colorado at Boulder, on average we carry 3,200 bacteria from 150 different species on our hands.

Bacteria on the hands can be divided into two categories: Resident, and Transient.

Resident flora (or microbiota, if you want to be precise) consist of microorganisms that reside beneath the surface of the skin, but can also be found on the surface of the skin. They are mostly known to researchers because the common ones tend to recur.

Resident flora is more resistant to removal by routine hand-washing and hygiene. At the same time, resident flora is less likely to cause serious infections beyond local infections on broken skin, in eyes, or sterile body cavities.

Transient flora (transient microbiota), which colonizes the superficial layers of the skin, is more amenable to removal by routine hand hygiene. It is acquired most often by direct contact with other people or contaminated surfaces. The strains on your hand can’t be predicted as easily. Different people pick up different germs.

Some kinds of activities result in higher levels of contamination. One highly germy job is working with babies- spit up and other respiratory secretions, diaper changing and direct skin contact all contribute to high levels of bacteria on a caretaker’s hands. However, any job that requires you to use your hands or any part of your hands will result in contamination. Germs find their way onto hands in less obvious ways than changing a baby’s diaper: handling raw meats, touching keyboards and doorknobs, touching any surface that has been coughed or sneezed around, or touching anything that was touched by a hand already contaminated by something it has touched. So even if you are so careful not to touch a doorknob, your colleague who touched the doorknob and then touched your desk can easily pass the germs from the doorknob over to you and your hands.

Depending on where you’ve been and who you’ve been around, the germs on your hand may include the common flu virus, Salmonella, E. coli O157, respiratory infections like adenovirus and hand-foot-mouth disease. Norovirus is alsao likely- it causes the viral gastroenteritis that can so rapidly spread through retirement homes and cruise ships.

It’s easy for these germs and viruses to make their way around, to everyone you come in contact with, and to mouths and noses as you touch your face or eat. (This is where germs really want to go. They can’t cause that much damage just sitting around on your hand. They need to get into the body to really make a person sick. So they bide their time.)

Don’t Panic Yet.

Scientists say germs may be good for us in small measure. According to “the hygiene hypothesis,” exposure to germs and allergens helps our bodies develop immunity to them. This results in less allergies and illnesses. There have been studies that link having a dirty home or growing up in germ-rich places like a farm with reduced allergies and asthma. So don’t take personal hygiene too far and get rid of too much of the germs our bodies need to be exposed to in order to develop the immune system.

This applies especially to children!

Normal human skin is colonized by bacteria. Bacteria impacts your personal health in both positive and negative ways. For better or worse, they are a part of you!

According to Dr Noah Fierer, who led one of the germs-on-hands studies, the types of bacteria on human hands are very diverse.

Each person’s bacterial “fingerprint” is unique. So it doesn’t seem like there is that much sharing going on, despite all that handshaking.

When a study was done on a college campus, the researchers were surprised to find that, among 51 college students’ hands’, there was a low number of species that were shared. The number of different species of bacteria found on each hand also shocked them. On top of all that, there was a difference in the amount and type of bacteria between left and right hands, and there were differences between men and women’s hands.

Not only did individuals have few types of bacteria in common, the left and right hands shared only about 17 per cent of the same bacteria types.

The way your hand interacts with the environment affects the kind of bacteria on it. The transmissibility of transient flora depends on the species present, the number of microorganisms on the surface, and the skin moisture, pH factor, oil and salinity of the hand. That’s a lot more factors at play. It’s not as simple as Handshake=Staph Infection.

Having said all that, hand washing is important.

Hand Washing Saves Lives.

There are certain diseases and infections have been shown to be significantly reduced with hand-washing practices, like the norovirus, and respiratory infections. In a case where there is immune deficiency, or in a place where there is a greater likelihood of meeting virulent bacteria, extra care should be practiced with hand-washing and hand sanitizing.

Many hospitals employ a rigorous hand-washing policy. Hospital-related infections kill 16 million patients yearly. Washing hands has been proven to reduce the amount of infection. So washing your hands can save lives of people in the hospital, or the elderly and the young.

Wash your Hands Right:

  • Sing “Happy Birthday” twice. That’s how long you should scrub for.
  • Make sure to rub between fingers and nails. These are the hotbed areas for germs on your hands.
  • Don’t forget to wash the backs of your hands: Rub one palm over the back of the other, then swap hands.
  • Consider using a clean towel to turn off the tap. You just turned the same tap with your un-washed hands two happy birthday songs ago.

The Soap Conundrum:

The best way to clean your hands is not so much what you use, but how you use it. The physical action of washing hands by rubbing them together is the best way to get rid of germs.

Soap and water can outperform antibacterial products as long as you spend enough time scrubbing your hands.

The  FDA declared antibacterial soaps can no longer be sold if they contain any one of 19 forbidden ingredients, including triclosan (used in liquid soaps) and triclocarban (used in bar soaps). Manufacturers haven’t been able to prove that the ingredients  are more effective than plain soap and water in spreading infection and preventing illness. They also haven’t demonstrated long-term safety for daily use.

Other Reasons to Hold Off on that Handshake:

Some people don’t shake hands- for religious reasons. Orthodox Jews, for example,  have this custom. They will usually let you know, politely and respectfully, that they observe this religious custom. To dispel a myth, it emphatically has nothing to do with impurity, or with social or religious status. The rule is that people of the opposite gender do not even touch each other, let alone shake hands, unless they are husband and wife, siblings, or children with parents and grandparents.

Different cultures have different greetings.

Even with the handshake, the etiquette shifts. Who holds their hand out first? Before shaking hands in other countries, find out what the handshaking etiquette is.

There’s an amazing diversity of greeting customs around the world. In Tibet, they stick their tongues out by way of greeting. In New Zealand, Maori greet each other by touching noses. Men in Ethiopia touch shoulders. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, men touch foreheads. In some Asian countries, people bow to each other. In some European countries, hugs and kisses are a standard greeting ritual.

Imagine the germs you can get by doing that!

_____________

We are MedWaste Management – California’s medical waste disposal experts!

Established in 2008, MedWaste Management brings great benefit to the healthcare industry and the general public alike. We publish this blog to to spread useful and practical information to help people stay safe, smart and healthy!

Call us with any questions or to start service at (866) 254-5105. We are always happy to speak!

Check out our services and other great resources in the links below.

Medical Waste Disposal Services 

MedWaste’s Blog Index

Medical Waste Regulations

Medical Waste Products 

Home Generated Medical Waste Drop-Off Points In California

 

 

Keep the Leash On!

Healthy Living, Public Safety,

Your dog may be flawless and always listens to your commands. Your dog may be perfectly trained and would never move without your permission. Your dog may be friendly and love all of God’s creatures, humans and animals alike.

You must still keep your dog on its leash.

Why?

 It’s The Law.

Keeping your dog on a leash is a legal requirement as stated in the Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 53.06.2. You must keep your dog leashed any time your dog is off your property.

The same law applies in most municipal codes.

Funnily enough, many people overlook this reason and let their dogs off the leash in public anyway. That may be because the law differs in different jurisdictions. Know the law in your area and keep your dog leashed.

The law specifies various details about the leash. For example, leash length. Legally, the leash must adhere to a certain length limit to be considered a “leashed dog.”

In most California jurisdictions, the leash length requirement is no longer than six feet.

Some jurisdictions don’t have a limit on specific length of a leash. Some have longer leash length. In Long Beach, for example, leash law requires the leash to be no longer than eight feet in length.)

If you are using a retractable leash, it cannot stretch longer than the leash length requirement. So, you cannot use a 10-foot retractable leash even if you keep it at 6 feet long.

Your dog must be kept on a leash anytime it is off your property.

Many communities also have designated areas where dogs are permitted off leash. Dog parks, for example, provide citizens with a place to let their dogs run free and socialize with each other.

There are some ordinances that will make an exception for dogs who are under voice control by their owners. These jurisdictions work on the assumption that responsible pet owners will be able to use verbal commands to stop their dogs from misbehaving in public. Other areas waive dog leash laws if the dog is in a training program or has already completed obedience school. (Livermore and Sacramento leashing laws.)

Los Angeles does not waive leash laws for dogs whose owners have voice control over them.

The penalties for failing to follow dog leash laws vary just as widely as the laws themselves. In Los Angeles County, police and animal control officers can issue citations to owners of dogs “at large.” Owners must appear in court and may be charged with a fine. The first offense will cost $100, the second will be $250 and the third will be $500.

 To Keep Your Dog Safe.

Dogs that are under control are less likely to engage in something harmful, either to themselves or others.

An off-leash dog can eat something it shouldn’t, drink polluted water, or encounter some harmful chemical another way. (Something that was sprayed on the grass, for example.) An unleashed dog can get into a dangerous situation with automobiles, people riding bicycles, broken glass, discarded, rancid food or a sick or rabid wild animal. A dog that’s roaming free can get sprayed by a skunk, encounter a porcupine or a rattlesnake, or get injured chasing  some wildlife.

A dog off a leash is not easily monitored. Dogs can become hypothermic when in cold water and run the risk of an accidental drowning. When summer temperatures get very hot, dogs can get heat stroke or heat exhaustion, both of which can result in serious injury and in rare cases can be fatal.

A visit to an emergency pet hospital can be expensive even if it is only an easily treatable bacterial infection from surface water.

It’s even more expensive and heartbreaking if an encounter causes severe illness or even death to the dog- that could have been prevented. So please leash your dog.

By law, police officers on duty have the authority to shoot and kill your dog if they feel he may be a threat to them or impede their progress. (Even if they are the ones entering your yard.) Keep your dogs supervised and on a leash in public. A leashed dog’s actions are unlikely be misconstrued as a threat or impediment by officers of the law- or other people who are carrying arms for some reason.

To Keep Other Dogs and Animals Safe.

Keeping your dog on a leash keeps unwelcome encounters with other dogs under control. It prevents encounters with unfriendly dogs. Even dogs who may appear friendly at first can sometimes become aggressive during the greeting sniff, or may injure another dog by bowling into them or jumping on them.

Dogs that roam free are more likely to chase wildlife and can spook horses, potentially injuring the riders and the horses. In addition, a spooked horse can kick a dog so hard that it usually results in a serious injury or a fatality.

Think about other people’s pets before unleashing your dog.

There have been instances where people taking their rabbits out for a walk out at the park were chased by unleashed dogs.

And let’s not even talk about squirrels.

To Keep Owners Safe.

Dog owners who let their animals run off leash can be cited for violations of the leash laws. In some jurisdictions, especially in Los Angeles, this means a court appearance on top of a fine. A court appearance can possibly mean spending hours of your day in court so that you can then pay your fine. The first offense will cost $100, the second will be $250 and the third will be $500.

Dog owners are responsible and held liable for cleaning any mess their dogs make.

Dog owners are responsible and held liable for what their dogs do to both humans and other animals.

Any dog that causes a bite or a scratch on a human that involves dog saliva must be quarantined to ensure there is no threat of rabies. Keeping a dog quarantined is expensive and there is the high cost to consider: the treatment of the physical and emotional harm to a bite victim.

Every day about one thousand U.S. citizens incur dog bites that require emergency attention.

Dog bite law is a branch of law that greatly varies from state to state. California has noticed an increase in dangerous dogs and dog bites, and has created a set of laws that are especially stringent in order to keep its citizens safer. In California dog bite lawsuits, the defendant is liable for negligence per se if their dog causes injury to a person while at large in a public domain (excluding dog parks).

And talking about bites…

To Keep Other People Safe.

Not everyone is a “dog person”!!

Many people don’t want to encounter loose dogs! Many people are afraid of dogs– or certain breeds of dogs. (Not naming any, of course.) Cynophobia!! It’s a real thing.

People rely on leash laws when they go places. They go out with the expectation that there won’t be loose dogs to watch out for.

When a dog is loose in areas with leash laws, people’s rights to move around in public places without  encountering loose dogs is infringed.

Not everyone you meet is physically able to withstand a dog jumping on them or running toward them.

If your dog runs toward people and there is a collision, there could easily be scratches or injuries from a dog knocking down a child, a pregnant woman, or an elderly person.

An unleashed dog can unintentionally cause injuries just by being friendly and jumping up to greet a person who is not able to handle it well.

So please keep your dog on a leash in public places.

We are MedWaste Management – California’s medical waste disposal experts!

Established in 2008, MedWaste Management brings great benefit to the healthcare industry and the general public alike. We publish this blog to to spread useful and practical information to help people stay safe, smart and healthy!

Call us with any questions or to start service at (866) 254-5105. We are always happy to speak!

Check out our services and other great resources in the links below.

Medical Waste Disposal Services 

MedWaste’s Blog Index

Medical Waste Regulations

Medical Waste Products 

Home Generated Medical Waste Drop-Off Points In California

 

How do I dispose of home generated medical waste?

Healthcare, Healthy Living, Household Medical Waste, Most Popular, Proper Waste Disposal, Public Safety, Removal Of Hazards

Click here for a list of FREE approved locations to drop off home medical waste at, in California.

How do I dispose of home-generated medical waste?

Package It: Make sure to package your home sharps waste and needles in approved travel sized or medium sized or large sharps containers. This will allow the waste to be safely handled and transported for disposal . If you don’t yet have a sharps container, try packaging your sharps waste in a heavy duty plastic container, such as a laundry detergent bottle, for the meanwhile. Medicine waste can be packaged in a rigid container. Any printed information about the medicine or prescribed patient, should be erased or covered. 

Dispose Of It: Bring your home generated medical waste to your local California State approved collection site for free and proper disposal.  Remember, all sharps waste must be properly packaged.   For medicine waste, check which of the collection sites on the list indicate that they also accept medicines for disposal.

The not free free option: If you need a professional company to come collect and dispose of your medical waste, contact MedWaste Management at (866) 254-5105. We collect and dispose of all types of medical waste, from all types of facilities in California, such as healthcare facilities, schools, homes and businesses. Since this disposal option is not free, it is recommended for the disposal of large quantities of home generated medical waste, or anyone who wants to pay for this convenience.

What is home-generated medical waste? 

In Septemebr 2008, it became illegal in California to place your home-generated sharps waste in the regular trash container, or to flush it down the toilet.

  • Sharps Waste – Home-generated sharps waste means hypodermic needles, pen needles, intravenous needles, lancets, and other devices that are used to penetrate the skin for the delivery of medications derived from a household, including a multifamily residence or household. See California’s Medical Waste Management Act section 117671.
  • Medicine Waste – Home-generated medicine waste means expired or unused medicines, whether prescription or over the counter.

Browse For Local California County Info:

Alameda County:

Alameda County – Find information about how to properly dispose of home generated sharps and medicine waste in Alameda County, CA.

Alameda County Medication Drop Off Sites – Find the 41 locations, where Alameda County residents can drop off unwanted prescription and Over-the-Counter drugs and medications, including controlled substances.

Alameda County Public Health Dept. –  Find information about how to properly dispose of home generated sharps waste in Alameda County, CA.

CityofLivermore.net –  Find information about how to properly dispose of home generated sharps waste in the city of Livermore, CA.

StopWaste.org – Find out where to dispose of of sharps waste and medicine waste in the cities of Fremont, Hayward, Livermore and Oakland, in Alameda County, CA.

Alpine County:

Amador County:

Butte County:

Butte County –  Find information about how to properly dispose of home generated sharps waste in Butte County, CA.

CityofOroville.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Oroville, CA.

Calaveras County:

Colusa County:

Countyof Colusa.org – Learn and see a video about how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in Orange County, CA.

Contra Costa County:

ContraCostacountyhealth.org – Learn more about how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in Orange County, CA.

DeltaDiablo.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in Delta Diablo District, in East Contra Costa County, CA.

PleasantHill.ca.us – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in the city of Pleasant Hill, CA.

Del Norte County:

El Dorado County:

ElDoradoCountygov.us – Learn more about how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in El Dorado County, CA.

Fresno County:

Glenn County:

Humboldt County:

Imperial County:

Inyo County:

Kern County:

KernCountywaste.com – Learn about how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in Kern County, CA.

Kings County:

Lake County:

Lassen County:

Los Angeles County:

Azusa.ca.us – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Azusa, CA.

AgouraHills.ca.us – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Agoura Hills, CA.

Calrecycle.ca.gov – Find locations throughout California that will accept a variety of special wastes.

Calrecycle.ca.gov – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in California.

CityofBell.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Bell, CA.

Lakewoodcity.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Lakewood, CA.

dpwLAcounty.gov – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in Los Angeles County, CA.

MontereyPark.ca.gov – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Monterey Park, CA.

Madera County:

Marin County:

MarinCounty.org  – Learn more about how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in Marin County, CA.

Mariposa County:

Mendocino County:

Merced County:

Modoc County:

Mono County:

Monterey County:

Napa County:

CountyofNapa.org – Learn about how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in Napa County, CA.

Nevada County:

KeepTruckeeGreena.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Truckee, CA.

Orange County:

FountainValley.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and medicine waste in the city of Fountain Valley, CA.

LaHabracity.org – Learn about how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in the city of La Habra, CA.

Orangecounty.com – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in Orange County, CA.

Orangecountyhealth.com – Learn more about how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in Orange County, CA.

RanchoSantaMargarita.org – Learn about how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in the city of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.

SanJuanCapistrano.org – Learn about how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in the city of San Juan Capistrano, CA.

Placer County:

RecyclinginLincoln.com – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Lincoln, CA.

Plumas County:

CountyofPlumas –  Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste waste in Plumas County, CA.

Riverside County:

Coronaca.gov – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in the city of Corona, CA.

Riversidecounty.org –  Find information about how to properly dispose of home generated sharps waste in Riverside County, CA.

CityofCommerce.ca.us – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Commerce, CA.

Temeculaca.gov – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Temecula, CA.

Sacramento County:

CityofSacramento.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated hazardous waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Sacramento, CA.

San Benito County:

San Bernardino County:

Adelentoca.gov – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in the city of Adelento, CA.

AppleValley.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the town of Apple Valley, CA.

CityofChino.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in the city of Chino, CA.

CityofCommerce.ca.us – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Commerce, CA.

Fontana.org –  Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in the city of Fontana, CA.

SanBernardinoCounty.gov – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and medication waste in Los Angeles County, CA.

Victorville.gov – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Los Angeles County, CA.

San Diego County:

Oceanside.ca.us – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in the city of Oceanside, CA.

Poway.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and medication waste in the city of Poway, CA.

CityofSanteeca.gov – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in the city of Santee, CA.

San Joaquin County:

Stocktongov.com – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and medicine waste in the city of Stockton, CA.

San Luis Obispo County:

SanLuisObispoCountyiwma.com – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in San Luis Obispo County, CA.

Santa Clara County:

MountainView.gov – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and medicine waste in the city of Mountain View, CA.

San Diego County:

SanDiegocounty.gov – Learn how to dispose of home generated hazardous waste and pharmaceutical waste in San Diego County, CA.

San Francisco County:

San Joaquin County:

San Luis Obispo County:

San Mateo:

SanMateoCountyhealth.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in San Mateo County, CA.

Santa Barbara County:

CountyofSantaBarbara.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in Santa Barbara County, CA.

Santa Clara County:

SantaClara.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and medicine waste in Santa Clara County, CA.

SantaClaraFireDept.org – Learn more about how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and medicine waste in Santa Clara County, CA.

Santa Cruz County:

Shasta County:

Sierra County:

Siskiyou County:

Solano County:

Sonoma County:

RecycleNow.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in Sonoma County, CA.

Stanislaus County:

Stanislauscounty.com – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in Stanislaus County, CA.

Sutter County:

YubaSutterRecycles.com –  Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in Sutter County, CA.

Tehama County:

Trinity County:

Tulare County:

Visalia.city – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in the city of Visalia, CA.

Tuolumne County:

Ventura County:

Simivalley.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Simi Valley, CA.

VenturaCountyrma.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in Ventura County, CA.

VenturaCountypublicworks.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated pharmaceutical waste in Ventura County, CA.

Yolo County:

CityofDavis.org – Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste in the city of Davis, CA.

Yolocounty.org –  Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste in Sonoma County, CA.

Yuba County:

YubaSutterRecycles.com –  Learn how to dispose of home generated sharps waste and pharmaceutical in Yuba County, CA.

How can I accept home-generated medical waste at my health care facility or business?

If you have a medical facility or business that generated medical waste, and you already properly dispose of your medical waste, you can easily start accepting home-generated medical waste from your patients and community.

Just make sure of the following:

  • The sharps must be contained in an approved sharps container.
  • The generator of the home-generated sharps waste, or a member of his or her family, must bring the sharps waste to your facility.
  • The sharps waste is accepted at a central location at your facility.
  • You must properly dispose of the home-generated medical waste that you accept, just as your properly dispose of your facility’s medical waste.
  •  A reference to, and a description of, the above actions are
    included in your facility’s medical waste management plan.

See California’s Medical Waste Management Act Section 118147.

We are MedWaste Management – California’s medical waste disposal experts!

Established in 2008, MedWaste Management brings great benefit to the healthcare industry and the general public alike. We publish this blog to to spread useful and practical information to help people stay safe, smart and healthy!

Call us with any questions or to start service at (866) 254-5105. We are always happy to speak!

Check out our services and other great resources in the links below.

Medical Waste Disposal Services 

MedWaste’s Blog Index

Medical Waste Regulations

Medical Waste Products 

Home Generated Medical Waste Drop-Off Points In California

 

Medical Identity Theft- the New Frontier

Public Safety

Is Medical Identity Theft the new frontier for Identity Theft?

More and more healthcare organizations rely on the collection and use of personal data via online platforms to provide care and perform mission-critical functions.

This is a wonderful development. It’s important for Doctors to be able to share your health needs, diagnoses, and treatment information with each other. It’s nice when you don’t have to carry a bulging folder of your medical testing results every time you go in to see a Specialist, because they can access your medical file from their computer. In an emergency, it’s especially important that Doctors have the fastest possible access to medical information.

However, putting the information on a digital platform also invites new security issues, especially since hospitals are relatively new to cybersecurity. Cybercriminals recognize an opportunity to profit and will continue to exploit security gaps to steal and make money from the same information the patient appreciates having access to online.

One reason criminals like Medical Identity Theft is the amount of time it takes before a patient or their provider notices that something is amiss.

This makes medical data more valuable than credit cards, which tend to be quickly canceled by banks once fraud is detected by the system.

There is no Medical Identity Fraud detection system in place yet, which makes it easier for criminals to get to the data. The data is also accessible to many hospital personnel. All it takes is one corrupt account.

“Healthcare providers and hospitals are just some of the easiest networks to break into,” said Jeff Horne, vice president at cybersecurity firm Accuvant, which is majority-owned by private equity firm Blackstone Group.

“As attackers discover new methods to make money, the healthcare industry is becoming a much riper target because of the ability to sell large batches of personal data for profit,” said Dave Kennedy, an expert on healthcare security and CEO of TrustedSEC LLC.

“Hospitals have low security, so it’s relatively easy for these hackers to get a large amount of personal data for medical fraud.”

Cybercriminals can use a patient’s stolen medical information to access their services or other resources, open bank accounts, make online transactions, apply for loans or credit cards, file tax returns to collect rebates, damage the victim’s reputation, expose private information to the public, blackmail the victim with details that should have been kept private, and cause various forms of personal distress.

They can sell the information in bulk on the Dark Net. According to a survey of customers in 2015, medical records and other health information are estimated at $82.90 apiece for U.S. consumers, while a Social Security number is worth $55.70. Payment details, physical location information, home address, marital status, as well as name and gender information are pegged at $45.10, $38.40, $17.90, $6.10 and $2.90, respectively.

medical identity theft

NEW YORK/BOSTON (Reuters) 2014- “Your medical information is worth 10 times more than your credit card number on the black market.”

Bitglass, a security company made the decision to ‘bait’ cybercriminals and then follow the bread crumbs to see how quickly the data traveled on the Dark Net.

In the twelve days that the company monitored the transmissions, they watched the data travel to over twenty two different countries. It was viewed almost 1,100 times.

The information was spread mainly over North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. There were forty seven different parties involved in downloads, mostly in Nigeria, Brazil and Russia, with the highest percentage in Nigeria and Russia.”

(Check the end of this article for link to read more.)

Criminals can even use medical profiles to compromise corporate accounts and use them as gateways to breach more networks.

The effects of medical identity theft are frighteningly far-reaching, costing the victim, the healthcare organization, and probably even taxpayers time, money, and aggravation.

According to the Ponemon Institute, 65 percent of medical identity theft victims spent an average of $13,500 to pay the healthcare bills run up in their name, to recover their health insurance, and to pay lawyer’s fees, among other things.  

They also found that it took an average of more than three months for victims to even detect the fraud, and more than 200 hours to undo the mess

Ann Patterson is a senior vice president of the Medical Identity Fraud Alliance (MIFA), a group of several dozen healthcare organizations and businesses working to reduce the crime and its negative effects. She reported that approximately  20 percent of victims have told the company that they got the wrong diagnosis or treatment, or that their care was delayed because there was confusion about what was true in their records due to the identity theft.

The repercussions of a data breach for a healthcare organization are daunting.

There is the loss of reputation and patient trust. There is also a risk of huge revenue losses from expenses needed to cover the forensic investigation and mitigation of damages caused by the breach. There are also billing issues for fraudulent billing, and costs involved to provide victims of the crime with reparational support.

Healthcare providers can also be served with civil and criminal penalties in line with the Omnibus rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), with fines that range from $100 to $50,000 per violation (or per record) and an annual maximum of $1.5 million.

On top of all that, recent attacks prompted policy makers to push for more stringent guidelines that will be mandated to the healthcare industry in line with HIPAA and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) in terms of averting the unauthorized exposure of private information.

The one thing that healthcare experts don’t want is to completely lock up our medical data.

Ironically, there are certain kinds of ransomware cybercriminals use to steal the information that pose operational risks to healthcare facilities. For example, they can deny the Doctor’s access to patients medical data and block the IT functions necessary to providing health care services. So if the security doesn’t keep the data locked, the ransomware can cause it to lock up- and security won’t be the ones with the key.

It’s a wild, wild world out there.

Document Shredding, anyone?

——-

We at MedWaste Management are here to serve and protect healthcare consumers as best we can. We offer Medical Waste Disposal Services and Document Shredding Services.

Call us today to start service! We are always happy to speak! (866) 254-5105

Our Services:

Medical Waste Disposal Services.

Bio-Hazardous Waste Disposal Services.

Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Services.

Document Shredding

Resources:

Read the 2014 Reuter’s report: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cybersecurity-hospitals/your-medical-record-is-worth-more-to-hackers-than-your-credit-card-idUSKCN0HJ21I20140924

 

 

 

Hazards at the Hotel and How to Avoid Them

Hygiene And Infection Control, Public Safety

Are hotels as clean as their lobbies would make you think?

I spend my day trying to minimize people’s exposure to harmful pathogens. Medical settings are required to dispose of waste and keep the area sterilized in very specific and highly regulated ways. But sometimes I need a vacation, and then I can’t help wondering: Who is disinfecting the surfaces I share with a whole lot of strangers OUTSIDE the medical setting?

Can I trust regular hotel housekeeping to keep me and my family safe?

Ideal hotel housekeeping is rigorous and regulated. A good hotel will ideally keep at least three sets of sheets and towels for every room in inventory, so it’s easy to change them, and replace them every time a stain is stubborn or it gets “tired” from washing. In a good hotel, the sheets and towels won’t be older than one year.

ALL linens and towels should be replaced between guests, even if the bed appears unused. They should be laundered at high temperatures, with harsher chemicals than you would use at home. A really great hotel will wash the blankets and bedspreads too.

All solid surfaces should be wiped down with appropriate cleaners and disinfectants. The bathroom should be mopped, the bathtub filled with a cleanser, scrubbed, and emptied again. Carpets should be vacuumed, perhaps treated for odor. A good hotel will use just the right amount of chemicals. The scent of excessive disinfectant or perfume is just as bad as a musty or smoky scent for a guest.

The only things a guest should find in the room are the hotel-issued amenities. Whatever has been used, should be switched, and cleaned before going into a room again. (Think: Coffeemaker) The fridge, microwave, drawers and cupboards should be cleaned as well.

A good hotel will ideally keep at least three sets of sheets and towels for every room in inventory.

Rooms should be cleaned every day. That way, if one spot is missed, it will be caught promptly, so dirt or dust doesn’t accumulate. On top of that, a good housekeeping supervisor will create time to get to more obscure assignments that are easily overlooked, like dusting the tops of picture frames, or checking the irons to make sure they work. A good supervisor will only consider a room “ready” when it has been cleaned AND inspected to make sure nothing was overlooked.

Every couple of months, each room should be more deeply cleaned: Mattress aired and flipped over, drapes laundered, furniture cleaned, and carpet steamed.

Depending on who the previous occupant was and how well the room was disinfected, you can catch anything from scabies to a norovirus through contact with contaminated surfaces. (Just to give you an idea- the amount of norovirus particles that fit on the head of a pin would be enough to infect more than 1,000 people.)

Think about these 9 useful tips before your next hotel stay.

So here are 9 tips to avoid infection during your hotel stay.

1 – Pack Smart:

Handy items are a travel-size Lysol disinfectant spray, alchohol (or other disinfecting) wipes, slippers, and clear plastic bags.

2 – Inspect your room before you unpack:

Take a look around. Check the floor, bedding and furniture for stains, hairs, crumbs and debris. Check for mold and mildew in the bathroom and look over the toiletries- they should all be sealed.

Peel back the fitted sheet and check the mattress for signs of bedbugs: dried blood stains, tiny white eggs, or transparent/yellow bedbug skin or shells.

You can also use a cheap bed bug trap- supermarkets sell them. Put the trap under the mattress, (following instructions on the packaging). Check back after an hour. Until you are sure the bed is safe to sleep in, don’t sit on it or put personal belongings on it.

Check the vents and the bathroom fan. Sniff for stange smells, or dust and debris around the ducts that can aggravate allergies or affect your breathing. Also, note if there is a stale smell of cigarettes in a non-smoking room.

The previous guest may have decided to smoke in it anyway.

3 – Wash your hands:

80 percent of infections are transmitted by hands. A lot of people have touched the doorknob, elevator button, stair railing, etc. It’s a good practice to eliminate pathogens on your hands before you eat, drink, touch your face- or contaminate other surfaces in the room.

4 – Sanitize:

Start with the bathroom- it’s the most germy. Use a tissue to lift the toilet seat and spray both sides of the seat with Lysol. Then use alchohol wipes on frequently-touched surfaces: the flush lever, the faucets, doornknobs, drawer handles, light switches, the phone, clock radio, and the remote control. Because the remote control has many crevices, it’s a good idea to simply slide it into a clear plastic bag and use that as a protective cover.

5 – Avoid water glasses:

They are often poorly sterilized between guests. (Sometimes they are just given a quick scrub in the bathroom sink and then placed back on the counter as if they were new.) Either bring your own cup, use the disposable wrapped plastic cups, or wash glasses/mugs with hand soap and hot water and leave them open-side up to dry. The same goes for ice buckets without plastic liners.

6 – Avoid skin contact with surfaces:

Hands off the drapes. They trap a lot of debris and allergens, and the germs build up over time. Be fully clothed when sitting on chairs or  on the sofa.

The carpet isn’t likely to have been sterilized since the last guest. Wear socks or slippers and use shower shoes in the bathroom. If your room has a hard floor it is a bit safer; floors are cleaned more frequently.

7 – Put away the Bedspread:

You are not likely to catch a norovirus from the bedding, but it may be full of allergens or just plain dirty. If there’s a bedspread, put it away in a corner. It’s not likely to have been washed or changed recently. A duvet is a bit safer. Keep the top sheet between you and the cover and fold the sheet over the edge to keep your chin covered as well. Also, for an additional barrier and protection, use a bug repellent like BugBand towelettes or essential oils (lemon, peppermint, rosemary and citronella repel bugs.)

8 – Take a Careful Shower:

Squirt shampoo or soap in the tub or shower and run the water on its hottest setting for a minute to de-germ the area where you will be standing. If you have cuts or abrasions on the bottom of your feet, bandage them or wear slippers. Skipping a bath is recommended due to biofilm, a layer of bacteria that sticks to surfaces like tubs and only comes off with vigorous scrubbing (with a brush) and soap.

9 – Avoid the Drapes!

They trap a lot of debris and allergens.

If you stay at hotels often, you might consider investing in a travel garment steamer. You can use it to steam upholstered surfaces, and even the toilet seat, bedsheets, and parts of the floor. Another useful gadget is a portable UV air sanitizer to get rid of bacteria, mold, dust mites and pet dander in the air.

 

More information on hotel rooms:

http://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/2012/11/27/how-clean-is-your-hotel-room.html

_________

We are MedWaste Management – California’s medical waste disposal experts!

Established in 2008, MedWaste Management brings great benefit to the healthcare industry and the general public alike. We publish this blog to to spread useful and practical information to help people stay safe, smart and healthy!

Call us with any questions or to start service at (866) 254-5105. We are always happy to speak!

Check out our services and other great resources in the links below.

Medical Waste Disposal Services 

MedWaste’s Blog Index

Medical Waste Regulations

Medical Waste Products 

Home Generated Medical Waste Drop-Off Points In California

 

Illegal Dumping of Medical Waste is an Expensive Gamble

Biohazard Waste Disposal, Medical Waste Disposal, Public Safety, Regulatory Compliance

This past June, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection let it be known that violations with medical waste disposal for hospitals will be treated harshly. They fined both the UPMC and the Allegheny Health Network after an investigation found both were illegally disposing of their medical waste.

The investigation began almost 3 years ago when a local waste management company discovered untreated medical waste was mixed in with municipal garbage at a state landfill. Initially, it was believed that all had come from UPMC, but a further probe revealed that 2 hospitals in the Allegheny Health Network were also responsible. Both of the health systems were fined, yet the investigation continued around the state to ensure that no other medical facilities were also guilty of the practice.

Biological waste disposal violations were subsequently found in 12 hospitals operated by UPMC, which was then hit with a $451,000 fine. It was found that they were dumping large quantities of contaminated needles, wound dressings containing blood, and other bodily fluids right at the landfill. Two hospitals in the Allegheny Health Network – West Penn and Forbes – are guilty of similar practices, and were fined a total of $86,900 by the state.

According to a representative from the state’s environmental protection agency, the biggest concern was that none of the waste had been sterilized prior to shipment and dumping. This practice puts the local water supply at risk of contamination as the medical waste begins to break down and decompose on its own. The presence of contaminated needles was also noted, as these are an immediate health risk for any individual who comes into contact with them.

A spokesperson from the Allegheny Health Network admits a breakdown in their normally strict policies of medical waste disposal. Once the breakdown was discovered, they immediately took steps to reeducate staff members involved in the path of medical waste inside of the hospitals. They also opted to begin using a professional medical waste disposal company that could ensure that all medical waste was properly sterilized before it was left at any landfill.

What Led to These Violations

During the inspections following the initial discovery of untreated medical waste in a landfill, investigators found a number of violations inside of area hospitals. Noted was improper labeling, storage, and the handling of untreated medical waste before it even left the facility. This is why it is extremely important to implement a strategy that starts at the very collection of medical waste from where it is being generated.

To avoid this happening to your medical facility, it is imperative that you work with a reliable medical waste management service provider. Not only do we treat medical waste, be assist in educating your employees, providing you with the proper materials for collection, and structuring a plan for its safe removal from your hospital. This is your best defense against having to pay almost half a million dollars in penalties.

California’s Role in Shaping the Medical Waste Disposal Industry

Biohazard Waste Disposal, Medical Waste Disposal, Public Safety, Regulatory Compliance

When it comes to medical waste disposal rules and practices, no one is doing it better than the state of California. Since 1972, state lawmakers have been making a concerted effort to better regulate medical waste, providing federal regulators with an exemplary lead to follow.

The California Hazardous Waste Control Law – or HWCL – was enacted in 1972, four years before the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act – RCRA – was put into place by the federal government. Since that time, California has always been a few steps ahead of the feds, ensuring residents that they will not be affected by medical waste disposal hazards. Medical waste disposal for hospitals, clinics and any other type of healthcare facility is closely monitored at the state level, starting from the point at which it is generated all the way to the methods used for sterilization.

Not only was California first in recognizing the need for medical waste disposal regulation, they have enacted stricter regulations consistently over the last 5 decades:

  • As per the HWCL, the Department of Toxic Substances Control must grant permits to companies treating hazardous waste. The same was not initially set forth in the regulations given by the RCRA.
  • A list was made of hazardous wastes and a toxicity characteristic by the HWCL ten years before the RCRA put forth a similar list.
  • There is a sewer exclusion included for wastes as per the Clean Water Act, yet this exclusion is not recognized in the state of California.
  • California laws clearly define toxicity characteristics whereas the federal government makes no concessions, not even for copper, zinc or nickel. They also look at carcinogens, another point missed in federal regulations.
  • Under California law, more hazardous wastes are regulated that what is recognized by the federal government.

The stringent guidelines set forth by the California government may be good news for residents, yet it poses problems for healthcare facilities. Knowing the expectations of OSHA and the EPA is not enough. Health care providers must be up to speed on the myriad of rules given at the state level, on top of what can be expected form their federal counterparts.

In order to avoid systematic inspections and fines imposed by state regulators, the administrator of a dental office or health clinic in California needs to be fully aware of all of the rules being imposed. This makes biological waste disposal for dental offices a burdensome task that can consume your resources as you work to be compliant. Professional medical waste disposal companies are fully equipped to relieve you of the burden, making your facility safe for patients and your employees.

Don’t risk being subject to expensive fines due to accidental non-compliance with California laws. Use a locally based company that has been registered with the state in order to ensure that your medical waste disposal needs are being met, with regard for the laws enforced at every level.