Category: Science/Medicine

Knowledge is power: Get facts straight during Colorectal Awareness Month

Did you know that colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death among American men and women combined? One out of every three people are not up-to-date with screenings.

Sadly, 60 percent of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented with screening: in fact, getting screened routinely starting at age 45 or 50, at the latest — is the most effective way to reduce your risk.

Abnormal growths, called polyps, can form in the colon or rectum. Through screenings, they can be removed early, before becoming cancerous.  A person’s CRC risk increases as they age; about 90 percent of cases occur in adults 50 and up.

Some risk factors include:

Inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis

A personal or family history of colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps

A genetic syndrome, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome).

The U.S. Multi-Society Task Force of Colorectal Cancer recommends:

People at average risk of CRC start regular screenings at 50.

African Americans at average risk of CRC start regular screenings at 45.

People in good health, and with a life expectancy of more than 10 years, continue regular CRC screenings through the age of 75.

People ages 76 through 85 should make a decision regarding screenings with their medical provider, based on personal preferences, life expectancy, overall health, and prior screening history.

People over 85 should no longer get CRC screening.

Decrease your risk for colorectal cancer with these lifestyle changes:

Regular physical activity

A diet high in fruits and vegetables

A high-fiber, low-fat diet or one that eliminates processed meats (cold cuts, sausage, bacon)

Eating less red meat

Limiting alcohol consumption

Avoiding tobacco use.

The recommended tests fall into two categories:

Stool-based tests are non-invasive and require no special diet or bowel preparation. If the test shows abnormal signs of blood, or a possible cancer or pre-cancer, a colonoscopy will be needed to confirm the result, and possibly remove any abnormal findings or polyps.

Visual or Structural tests are invasive tests that look inside the colon and rectum for abnormal areas that might be cancer or polyps. If a stool-based test was done first and had an abnormal result, a visual test, such as colonoscopy, can help find out why.

To prepare, you are asked to follow a special diet in advance and will also need to clean out your colon with strong laxatives (called a bowel prep) and sometimes with enemas, as well. Most people are sedated during the test.

Talk to your care provider about which screening option is the best for you. The life you save could be your own!

Jefferson Health Foundation – New Jersey 2020 Gala Raises Nearly $900K for Planned Jefferson Pride Primary and Specialty Care Practice

Nearly

900 supporters of Jefferson Health New Jersey enjoyed an evening of dancing and dining at the organization’s 24

th

annual Jefferson Health Foundation – New Jersey fundraising Gala, held at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. The February 29

th

event — headlined by performances from Motown legends The Temptations and Four Tops — raised close to $900,000 to benefit the planned Jefferson Pride Primary & Specialty Care practice, set to open in Collingswood later this year. For more information, visit

JeffersonHealth.org/JeffPrideNJ

.

Shown, from left

: Colleen Wyse and husband, Dr. Stephen K. Klasko, President, Thomas Jefferson University, and CEO of Jefferson Health; and Dina Devine and husband, Joseph W. Devine, President of Jefferson Health New Jersey, and Chief Experience Officer, Jefferson Health.

State of New Jersey Diverts Tax Dollars Allocated to 911 System Improvements

By Emily S. Moore |

The Center Square

A decade ago, a fee was placed on every New Jersey resident’s phone bill to be allocated to improving the state’s out-of-date 911 system.

However, only 10 to 15 percent of those funds is used to upgrade the three state-operated 911 centers, John G. Donnadio, executive director of the New Jersey Association of Counties, said in an interview with The Center Square.

“The 197 or so the county and municipal 911 centers have not received any funding from the state during this time and have been forced to rely on the use of local property taxpayer dollars to fund 911 system upgrades,” he said.

The funds, instead, have been diverted for general operating expenses at the Department of Law and Public Safety. The diversions prohibit New Jersey from applying for millions of dollars in grants from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to upgrade 911 systems.

Donnadio said the solution to improving New Jersey’s 911 system is a technology called Next Generation 911 (NexGen 911).

“All 911 centers (public safety answering points) across the country must enhance their systems with NextGen 911 technology, which is an upgrade from analog to digital or Internet Protocol (IP) technologies,” he said.

The current system dates to the 1980s and can give incorrect location data and have trouble locating cell phone callers.

The Federal Trade Commission reported that NextGen 911 could save more than 10,000 lives annually if implemented nationwide.

In New Jersey, the 90-cent tax on phone bills was implemented in 2004 by the state Legislature to upgrade the 911 system, bringing in an average of $124 million a year.

In January, state officials held a news conference in Trenton to ask for diversions of funds that should be used for 911 system improvements to stop.

“That money has ended up in the black hole of the state budget,” Sen. Michael Testa, R-Vineland, said

in an interview

with

NJ.com

. “It’s long past time for the state to do the right thing.”

published by Gloucestercitynews.net with permission of

The Center Square

NIH Purchases of Aborted Fetal Parts for ‘Humanized Mice’ Testing

(Washington, DC)

– Judicial Watch announced it received

676 pages

of records from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showing that the agency paid thousands of dollars to a California-based firm to purchase organs from aborted human fetuses to create “

humanized mice

” for HIV research.

The records show that NIH paid at least $18,100 between December 2016 and August 2018 to Advanced Bioscience Resources (ABR) for livers and thymuses from second trimester aborted fetuses. They include at least 26 such purchases from ABR by Dr. Kim Hasenkrug,

senior investigator

at the

NIH lab

in Hamilton, Montana.

Purchase orders associated with the transactions state: “These tissues, liver and thymus, are required [by] Ron Messer for ongoing studies of HIV in the Hasenkrug Lab. Our mice will be ready for reconstitution soon.”

Beginning with a December 21, 2016, payment to ABR and running through April 2018, the records show that a fetal liver and thymus set costs $680, and payment was due upon receipt. On May 23, 2018, the cost increased to $750.

The records also include “Tissue Acquisition Invoices” and sales receipts issued by ABR. Payment was made by credit card.

Judicial Watch received the records through a March 2019

lawsuit

against the Department of Health and Human Services for all contracts and related documentation between the FDA and Advanced Bioscience Resources (ABR) for the provision of human fetal tissue to be used in humanized mice research (

Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department Health and Human Services

(No. 1:19-cv-00876)).

ABR has been the subject of

criminal referrals

from House and Senate committees investigating whether Planned Parenthood or any other entity was illegally profiting from the handling of fetal tissue from aborted babies.

Federal

law

regulates the purchase and acceptance of human fetal tissue for research purposes.  It is unlawful to knowingly transfer fetal tissue for profit. According to the records, agency officials concluded in March 2018 that: “Federal regulations for the protection of human subjects do not apply to above named activity.”

The records include a November 2009 “

Request for Review of Research

Activity Involving Human Subjects” with the protocol title “Study of HIV infection and vaccine protection in mice reconstituted with a human immune system” that describes the development of a “cohort” of humanized mice using human fetal tissue:

Recent reports have demonstrated that immunodeficient mice reconstituted with 17-19 week old human fetal tissue develop a human immune system and are susceptible to HIV infection and disease. The goal of this project proposal is to create such humanized mice to study the role of immune cell subsets and virus-neutralizing antibodies in vaccine protection. The experiments will entail the development of a cohort of mice all reconstituted with the same human cells so as to be histocompatible. This will require transplantation of the mice with 1 mm

3

pieces of fetal thymus as well as reconstitution with stem cells isolated from cord blood and liver. Once the humanized mice have been established some will be vaccinated to prime distinct subsets of immune cells. Immune cell subsets from vaccinated mice will be adoptively transferred into naive mice, which will then be infected with HIV to test the antiviral activity of the immune cells. The goal of these experiments is to establish correlates of immunity against HIV.

In an “

Overview

” provided by Advanced Bioscience Resources, the firm describes itself as a “non-profit corporate foundation” which is “devoted to providing services in connection with the procurement of human organs and tissues for medical and scientific research.”

In Hasenkrug’s November 2009 “

Request for Review of Research

Activity Involving Human Subjects” he is asked: “Where are the subjects of this research activity located?” Hasenkrug answers: “The material for this research is obtained from natural or induced abortions from females in California.” Another question is: “Has the research activity that you are proposing in this form been approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) elsewhere?” Hasenkrug answers: “No IRB review of the research activity … has taken place.”

The records include a November 2009

email

from the deputy director of the Office of Human Subject Research (OHSR) in Bethesda, MD, to Hasenkrug at the NIH lab, approving his research project and instructing him: “Provide documentation that you will not seek the identity of the subjects who have provided the samples you will receive as well as documentation from ABR that under no circumstances will the identity or link to the identifiers of the subjects be released to you.” The signature block concluding the email includes the phrase: “The NIH is committed to maintaining the highest stands for the protection of human subjects.”

The Advanced Bioscience Resources’ “Tissue Acquisition Invoices” show:

On December 21, 2016, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by credit card on January 10, 2017. The “justification” states: “These tissues, liver and thymus, are required [by] Ron Messer for ongoing studies of HIV in Hasenkrug Lab. Our mice will be ready for reconstitution soon.”

On January 25, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in February 2017.

On February 8, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on February 15, 2017.

On March 9, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on March 24, 2017.

On March 30, 2017, ABR provided a second trimester thymus and liver to Hasenkrug’s lab at no charge due to a “delivery delay.” The parts were needed by March 17, 2017 and NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was to have been

charged $680

but the parts weren’t delivered until April 19, 2017.

On April 20, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in May 2017.

On May 17, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on May 19, 2017.

On June 28, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were received on May 30, 2017.

On July 5, 2017, a redacted NIH employee placed an order for a second trimester liver and thymus on behalf of Ron Messer. NIH redacted the price from the email, citing confidential commercial information. However, the $680 price is included in the

purchase order

. The tissues were delivered on August 21, 2017.

On August 10, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in September 2017.

On August 24, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in September 2017.

On September 21, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in October 2017.

On October 5, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on October 24, 2017.

On October 26, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in November 2017.

On December 13, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by credit card on December 22, 2017.

On January 3, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on January 11, 2018.

On January 25, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on January 30, 2018.

On February 7, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on February 16, 2018.

On March 1, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on March 16, 2018.

April 4, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on April 18, 2018.

On May 23, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in June 2018.

On May 31, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on June 26, 2018.

On June 27, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by credit card and delivered on July 10, 2018.

On August 15, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa and delivered on August 23, 2018.

On August 10, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs ordered a second trimester liver and thymus and

paid $750

by credit card. They were to be delivered on September 10, 2018.

On September 6, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester liver and thymus, which was paid for by Visa on September 14, 2018.

“These records detailing the federal government’s purchases of organs of aborted fetuses are the most disturbing I’ve ever seen in all my time at Judicial Watch,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Every responsible official in government – from President Trump to HHS Secretary Azar should investigate and stop the trafficking of organs of aborted unborn human beings for taxpayer-funded Frankenstein-type experimentation.”

Topping Off Ceremony Held for $184M Patient Tower at Jefferson Washington Township Hospital

Jefferson Washington Township Hospital reached a major milestone on Thursday, February 20th, as a “topping off” ceremony was held for its new $184 million patient tower, slated to open in summer 2021. Jefferson leadership and staff — including Dr. Stephen Klasko, President of Thomas Jefferson University and CEO of Jefferson Health — were in attendance, along with NJ state and local officials, as the final beam was lifted by a crane and put in place.

The 7-floor, 243,500-square-foot tower, being named in honor of Jefferson board member and benefactor John P. Silvestri and his family, will feature 90 private patient rooms, a two-story lobby, Same-Day Surgery Unit, roof helipad, café with outdoor dining, and more. The $222 million overall Washington Township hospital campus transformation began in 2018, with construction of an 8-level enclosed parking facility, completed in April 2019.

Shown at the Topping Off ceremony, from left, are

: Stephen M. Sweeney, New Jersey Senate President; Joseph W. Devine, President, Jefferson New Jersey Division and Chief Experience Officer, Jefferson Health; John P. Silvestri, Vice Chairman, Jefferson Health New Jersey Hospital Board of Trustees; Joann Gattinelli, Washington Township Mayor; and John W. Graham, Chief Administrative Officer, Jefferson Washington Township Hospital.

Jefferson Health Hosts FREE Wellness Programs for Seniors Through May 2020

Join Jefferson Health experts for FREE community wellness programs for seniors through May:

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – The Basics

;

Thursday, March 5, 2 p.m.; Kennedy Health & Wellness Center (405 Hurffville-Cross Keys Road, Suite 201, Sewell)

: COPD affects almost 15 million Americans. Learn what COPD is; how it affects the lungs; causes, signs and symptoms; and disease management.

Weight Loss and Fiber – What’s the Connection?

;

Wednesday, March 18, 11 a.m., at the

Margaret E. Heggan Free Public Library

(606 Delsea Drive, Sewell)

: Eating enough fiber is essential for a healthy diet. Join Jefferson Health’s Danielle Hall, RD, to learn how much dietary fiber you need, the foods that contain it, how it aids in weight loss, and how to add it to meals and snacks.

Understanding Alzheimer’s & Dementia

;

Tuesday, April 21, 2 p.m., at Jefferson Stratford Hospital (18 East Laurel Road, 3

rd

Floor, Room L)

: Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. Join the Alzheimer’s Association to learn about Alzheimer’s impact, differences between Alzheimer’s and dementia, stages and risk factors, current research and treatments available for some symptoms, and Alzheimer’s Association resources.

Seconds Count when Stopping Strokes

;

Thursday, May 7, 2 p.m., at the

Gloucester County Library Mullica Hill Branch (389 Wolfert Station Road)

: Join Jefferson Health’s Kathryn Donley, BSN, RN, CCRN-K, CNRN, Program Director, Stroke & Life Support Education, for a discussion on ways to reduce your risk, identify early signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke, and when to call 9-1-1. FREE blood pressure screenings are included.

Horticultural Therapy – Creating an Indoor Fairy Garden

;

Tuesday, May 19, 2 p.m., at Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital (2201 Chapel Avenue, Rooms 2 & 3)

: Discover the fun in designing your own “indoor fairy garden.” Adults all over are experiencing the magic in constructing them. Inspirational Horticultural Therapy’s Rachelle Hasenberg, will provide step-by-step instructions as participants plant in their own container and choose from a wide variety of items to create their unique miniature “fairy garden.” No experience necessary. A fee of $12 is due by Tuesday, May 5.

These programs are sponsored by Jefferson Health – New Jersey’s PrimeTime, a free health and wellness program for active older adults in South Jersey. All community members are invited. For more information and to register, visit

JeffersonHealth.org/NJclasses

or call

800-522-1965

.

Jefferson Primary & Specialty Care offices celebrate “Patient Appreciation Day”

There was a sweet treat awaiting Jefferson Primary & Specialty Care patients in New Jersey on Valentine’s Day. Four of our medical practices – Marlton, Voorhees, Regulus (Turnersville) and Kingsway (Sewell) – celebrated \”Patient Appreciation Day” as a well to thank patients for trusting us with their healthcare needs.  The all-day events featured snacks, Jefferson “swag” and a chance to win a gift basket. Patients could also learn about the benefits of MyChart, which offers free, online access to their medical record, and allows patients to request medical appointments, review test results and more.

Left to right, at the Jefferson Voorhees Primary & Specialty Care Office: Family Medicine physician Dr. Vishal Phakey; Certified Medical Assistant Briana Cook; Front Office Coordinator Karyn Washington-Brown; and Patient Service Representative Yu Juan Tan.

Seasonal Flu More Dangerous Than COVID-19

Gloucester Township, NJ) – While Coronavirus (COVID-19) is in the headlines and a prime topic with medical professionals, the County Department of Health and Human Services says it currently poses little risk to residents in the United States. While the outbreak continues throughout the 22 impacted countries, the county health department is maintaining constant contact with health care providers in the region and state and federal agencies. The department is maintaining contact with local universities and other institutions to monitor and report any new developments.

To date, there have not been any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey, and there have been only a handful of cases across the United States. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) maintains that the threat of human-to-human transmission of the virus in the United States is low.

“For the vast majority of Americans, unless you have recently traveled to Hebei Province where the outbreak is believed to have started, you are not at risk of contracting the coronavirus,” said Camden County Health Officer Paschal Nwako. “Still, the dedicated professionals at the Health Department are receiving constant updates from the CDC and state Department of Health in order to monitor any changes in this assessment and to keep the public informed.”

COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus which is believed to have first emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019. A novel coronavirus is a coronavirus which has not been previously identified. These are different from other coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans like the common cold.

Although it is considered a serious public health concern by the CDC, the agency maintains that based on the current information available, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 to the general public in the United States is considered low.

The New Jersey Department of Health is working with state and federal partner agencies to track and monitor any suspected cases of the virus and those who had been in contract with any ill persons. The Camden County Department of Health also has the ability to order quarantine for anyone suspected of having contracted the virus.

Anyone with questions about the novel coronavirus, symptoms, or their risk of exposure, can call the free, 24-hour public hotline at (800) 222-1222 where trained professionals are standing by to answer questions about COVID-19.

“It is still important to practice good hygiene, washing your hands regularly, covering coughs and sneezes with sleeves or tissues instead of your hands, avoiding sick people when possible,” said Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez. “We want to use this opportunity to stress to the public that while the coronavirus poses little threat at this time, the threat from the seasonal flu remains quite high throughout New Jersey.”

Rodriguez and health officials are stressing the deadly potential of the seasonal flu which currently poses a much greater risk to our community than COVID-19. There have not been any coronavirus-related deaths in the United States, meanwhile the CDC estimates that since October 2019, the seasonal flu has caused more than 10,000 deaths in the United States.

In New Jersey, flu activity remains high in all counties, and officials are reporting an increase in Type B influenza strains, which, like Type A, can cause serious respiratory illnesses and fast-spreading epidemics. The flu vaccine is generally more effective against Type B viruses.

Camden County residents can still receive the influenza vaccination at Camden County’s Regional Health Centers in Bellmawr and Camden City.

To schedule an appointment or to inquire regarding walk-in hours, please contact the appropriate center:

Bellmawr Regional Health Center

35 E. Browning Road

Bellmawr, NJ 08031

(856) 931-2700

Board of Social Services Building

600 Market Street, Basement B-55

Camden, NJ 08102

856-756-2266

“While not 100 percent effective, the flu vaccination is still the best way to protect yourself and your family from getting sick,” Rodriguez said. “While we keep those affected by the coronavirus in our thoughts and prayers, we hope that our residents will take the initiative and use their elevated concern surrounding the virus and focus on the much more immediate risk which is the seasonal flu.”

For additional information about where and how to receive the flu vaccine residents can contact the county Department of Health and Human Services at (800) 999-9045, or visit

www.camdencounty.com

, or contact their primary physician.

Think Vaping Is Safe?? Think again!!!

Get The Facts On The Dangers Of Vaping-

The Camden County Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Mental Health and Addiction, and Camden County College Human Services Program are sponsoring an

informational event on the dangers of vaping on February 20, 2020 at 6pm at the Camden County College Connector Buidling- Rm 105, 200 College Drive Blackwood NJ.

Register online at:

Camden County College Series

Address/Location

Gloucester Township Police Department

1261 Chews Landing Rd

Gloucester Township, NJ 08021

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-228-4500

EPA Says: No Need To ‘Warm Up’ Modern Vehicles In Cold Weather

CAR CARE COUNCIL BE CAR CARE AWARE

(NAPSI)—When the weather is cold, many motorists wonder if they need to let their vehicle “warm up” or idle before driving. In fact, today’s modern cars are ready to drive in cold temperatures without

You may have to bundle up before you drive in cold weather but your modern car is ready to go, with no need to idle a while

.

excessive idling.

The idea of idling before driving dates back to when cars were built with carburetors. With new fuel-injection technology, complex computer systems and thinner synthetic oils, drivers don’t need to warm up their cars before hitting the road.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “When a car idles for more than 30 seconds, it has several negative effects, such as increasing air pollution unnecessarily, wasting fuel and money and causing excessive wear or even damaging a car’s engine components, including cylinders, spark plugs and the exhaust system. Contrary to popular belief, idling isn’t an effective way to warm up most car engines.”

“Unless you are trying to defrost the windshield or warm the interior of your car, idling is not required for today’s vehicles,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “In most cases, idling longer than 30 seconds is unnecessary, even on the coldest days. The best way to warm up your car’s engine is to drive gently at the start. Remember, a vehicle gets zero miles per gallon when idling and the result is lower fuel economy and wasted money.”

The Car Care Council has a free 80-page Car Care Guide for motorists that features several pages of fuel economy and environmental awareness tips. Available in English and Spanish, the popular guide uses easy-to-understand, everyday language rather than technical automotive jargon and fits easily in a glove box.

The non-profit Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers.

To order a free copy of the popular Car Care Guide, visit the council’s consumer education website at

www.carcare.org

.