Re: Preventive health care: "Chronic Radiation- "

["Howard Long" <hflong@pacbell.net>]

Barbara and Radsafers,

"Is Chronic Radiation an Effective Prophylaxis Against Cancer?"  ChenWC, Luan YC et al, J M Phys and Surg, Spring 2004 pp6-10, analizes the amazingly low (3% vs control pop) cancer incidence among 10,000 Taiwan apartment dwellers exposed for 9-20 years to av 0.4 Sv (4,000 person-Sv).from Co60 in construction steel. See  www.aapsonline.org .



Barbara, "universal health care" is here. I give it. Regardless of ability to pay, I give primary care to workaholic Mexican restaurant workers, who usually pay a small fee to get more than Medicaid supplied. If you mean "Universal" to be "Compulsory", beware!. Canadians were 70% happy with their system - until they had to use it. Now only 20% like it because of long waits, impersonal "care", etc. I visited the Hernia center in London.  I found that a working man cannot afford free NHS care. Why wait 6 mo when for $1,900 he can have better care and be back at work in 2 weeks? 



In health care as in health physics, over-regulation stifles benefit. Patient Power, Cato Inst Washington DC details the science proving that self-managed care (MSAs or Health Savings Accounts effective Jan 1 2004) gives superior and thriftier care. Bush pushes MSAs, missile defense, terrorist pre-emption, and energy independence (read nuclear). However, the inertia of bureaucracy supported by the bigger government opposition stifles choices - like the uranium ore Cameron and I want under our mattresses. 



Howard Long



----- Original Message ----- 

  From: BLHamrick@AOL.COM 

  To: NiagaraNet@AOL.COM ; radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu ; RuthWeiner@AOL.COM 

  Sent: Friday, March 26, 2004 7:27 PM

  Subject: Re: Thank you Ruth Weiner





  In a message dated 3/26/2004 6:15:59 PM Pacific Standard Time, NiagaraNet@AOL.COM writes:

    I suppose to pay these men who made some sacrifice by their very proximity to these sites and materials, even after the fact, in your opinion, is outlandish or somehow wrong. I beg to differ. If this makes me a "bleeding heart," I'm only glad I reside on this side of the compassion fenceline. I sleep at night.

  Technically, I'm a "bleeding heart" on most issues...But, I don't "get" this one.  What was the sacrifice?  If there's no definitive connection between the work and the disease, then how are these people any different than the other half million that die of cancer every year?



  You do realize that the primary preventable factors contributing to cancer and other chronic disease are firsthand smoke, alcohol abuse, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and also a lack of access to preventive health care (preventing early diagnosis), right?  Perhaps the gabillions we spend on cleaning up every last atom of whatever is the toxin of the day would be better spent on providing universal healthcare.  I would wager we'd save more people in a year than more stringent environmental regulation would save in twenty.



  Barbara