Perspectives on Sebelius Overrule of FDA on Plan B

Women’s health advocates were quick to cry foul Wednesday when Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius overruled the opinion of the Food and Drug Administration that the popular “morning after” emergency contraceptive “Plan B One Step” should be allowed to be sold without a prescription — and without age restrictions.

That’s from an NPR story on the response of women’s groups to the ruling by HHS head Sebelius. Many others have weighed in via various forums since the ruling. What gives? Is the decision politically motivated? Or was it because Sebelius actually believed in the rightness of her objection enough that she should overrule the FDA, something that’s apparently not at all usual practice?

Here are some quotes from an MSNBC Vitals blog article about the issue, from a major ethicist and from a leader in pediatric care:

“In facing a tough call, HHS has put politics over science when it comes to sex,” said Art Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania and a frequent contributor to msnbc.com.

Dr. Robert Block, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, called the decision “medically inexplicable,” saying that it defies strong data that shows emergency contraception is safe and effective for girls and women of all ages.

President Obama has […]

2016-11-21T13:11:12-05:00December 8th, 2011|Nursing|3 Comments
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Sarcopenia and Me – Or Why Exercise Really Matters as We Age

By Karen Roush, MS, RN, FNP-C, AJN clinical managing editor

Recently I started an exercise program with a personal trainer. I’ve been a runner for 25 years, even ran five marathons. I’ve never had a problem being disciplined about running four or five days a week, no matter what the weather. But I’ve never been able to stick to any other exercise program for more than a week or so. Working with weights, yoga, step classes, just doing push-ups in my living room when I get back from a run—never stuck with any of them.

Getting older isn’t kind to those who don’t exercise. Years ago my lack of upper-body fitness was hardly noticeable. Shoveling snow, raking leaves, playing racquetball, carrying my kids around, all of it kept me in good enough shape. That’s not the case now that I’m in my fifties. Lifting my grandson above my head—not happening. Hanging a new shower curtain – three clips – rest – three clips – rest…

When I found I couldn’t blow-dry my very short hair without lowering my arm repeatedly because of muscle fatigue, it was time to do something about it.  That’s when I decided to invest in a personal trainer. It was expensive—but I figured I would just do it long enough to make exercise, other than running, […]

2016-11-21T13:11:13-05:00December 7th, 2011|nursing perspective, personal health practices|3 Comments
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‘A Passing Shadow’: The Abiding Uncertainty of Cancer Survivorship

My husband and I wake into the narrow December dark. He brushes his teeth, dresses, then busies himself as I eat breakfast. His packed suitcase sits by the back door. It’s 5 AM, two days before Thanksgiving. At precisely 9 AM, the surgeon will remove my husband’s right kidney, the one he is 99% sure is cancerous.

That’s the start of “A Passing Shadow,” the December Reflections column in AJN. Written by Gail Lukasik, a poet and the author of several literary mysteries, this hopeful but tonally nuanced piece vividly evokes the uncertainty that all cancer survivors and their loved ones must live with. Click the link or the image above to read it in entirety.—JM, senior editor

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2016-11-21T13:11:15-05:00December 5th, 2011|Nursing|0 Comments
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World AIDS Day, 30 Years On from That Fateful MMWR

By Karen Roush, MS, RN, FNP-C, AJN clinical managing editor

“In the period October 1980-May 1981, 5 young men, all active homosexuals, were treated for biopsy-confirmed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia at 3 different hospitals in Los Angeles, California. Two of the patients died. All 5 patients had laboratory-confirmed previous or current cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and candidal mucosal infection. Case reports of these patients follow.”

So began the MMWR of June 5, 1981—the first herald of what became known as AIDS. Reading that report now, knowing the devastation that would follow, is chilling.

Today is World AIDS Day. It has been 30 years.

In some ways, we need this day more than ever, to remind us of the devastating potential of this condition—the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that only 28% of people in the U.S. infected with HIV get the treatment they need to suppress the virus. We need it to remind us of the millions who continue to suffer and die from it, mostly in Africa where two thirds of the AIDS cases occur.

We should also take time today to celebrate the victories. We’ve come far in the last 30 years. Effective treatments have been developed. Civil rights protections have been put in place. People with HIV can now […]

2016-11-21T13:11:16-05:00December 1st, 2011|nursing perspective|15 Comments
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Bad News, Good News: Berwick, a Casualty of Politics, Succeeded at CMS Helm by a Nurse

By Shawn Kennedy, MA, RN, editor-in-chief

When Donald Berwick steps down from his post as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on December 2, he’ll turn the reins over to Marilyn Tavenner, MHA, BSN, RN. Tavenner is not a new face at CMS—she served as acting administrator prior to Berwick’s July 2010 appointment by President Obama and has been principal deputy administrator at CMS since February 2010.

As noted by an article in The Washington Post, Berwick is stepping down in the face of organized opposition to his nomination by Republicans in Congress, who have vowed to block the confirmation he’d need to continue after his recess appointment expires on December 31.

On November 23, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Tavenner for the top post. In her e-mail to CMS staff (carried on the Kaiser Health News site), Kathy Sebelius, secretary of  Health and Human Resources, says of Tavenner, “Her career as a nurse, hospital administrator, and Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources give her unique insights that position her well to serve as Administrator.”

I certainly hope so. Berwick’s reputation and track record for pinpointing problems in our health system—and more importantly, working to do something about them through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement—was stellar, and he carried this zeal into […]

2016-11-21T13:11:20-05:00November 30th, 2011|Nursing|2 Comments
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