1999 - 2000 Archive
Program #6
Superbugs .. is a hospital stay a threat to your health? It may sound like a new action figure, but the Superbug is no hero. Although, you have to admire it's adaptability. Superbugs are bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics. They've been multiplying in hospitals across North America at an alarming rate. Each year, an estimated 550,000 hospital patients in the U.S. and Canada are infected or colonized with a Superbug. Their illnesses range from minor skin infections to life-threatening diseases like pneumonia and meningitis. Our documentary feature explores this new health threat.
Herbs
We're not just cooking with them anymore, we're popping them back for everything from colds to depression. Recently, the federal government created an Expert Advisory Committee to regulate natural health products. The goal is to ensure that herbal product manufacturers guarantee a certain purity....and don't make health claims on their labels they can't back up with hard science. How will these regulations affect people who buy things like echinacea, St. John's Wort and evening primrose oil? Is regulation even necessary? Meera Thadini is a pharmacist and was a member of the federal standing committee on health. Zoltan Rona is an MD who uses alternative therapies in his practice. A newborn baby is in the world for seconds before it's whisked away for a battery of tests. The one thing we don't test is the baby's hearing. According to ear, nose and throat doctor Blake Papsin, that's a problem.
Second Opinion
Dr. Papsin argues for a national screening test for newborns.
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© TVOntario, 2000