Why haven’t scientists forcefully come forth to shed light on the potential for medical devices to spread infectious diseases such as HCV? The F. D. A. regulates medical devices (jet-guns, syringes, endoscopes etc..) and their proper sterilization. Isn’t keeping the public safer what they’re paid by taxpayers to do? Apparently some powerful members in the agency don’t think so.
See this The New York Times headline story (7/14/12) by Eric Lichtblau and Scott Shane:
In Vast Effort, F.D.A. Spied on E-Mails of Its Own Scientists
“A wide-ranging surveillance operation by the Food and Drug Administration against a group of its own scientists used an enemies list of sorts as it secretly captured thousands of e-mails that the disgruntled scientists sent privately to members of Congress, lawyers, labor officials, journalists and even President Obama, previously undisclosed records show.”
Whistle-blowing scientists have been fired; other have been silenced with these fear-tactics. The corruption being uncovered is huge. Think Watergate-huge.
I’ve recently read a vintage F. D. A. meeting transcript that dealt with the cross-contamination risks of jet-guns. I’ll post some sound-bites in the upcoming weeks so readers of ASKNOD can get a sense of how F. D. A. experts and doctors tip-toe around this issue.
Folks, most veterans and their families are not going to prevail at the VA until scientists at agencies like the F. D. A. can speak openly and without fear. Many veterans have included scientific studies, published on government sites such as PubMed, only to have them dismissed as “Internet” material/junk. These studies may be sound but they are not influential.
asknod
Bethanie Spangenberg
kcraveiro
robinhoodesqvetsatty
Wesley McCauley
Veterans Claims Help 
I still find it amusing that since HIV ‘debuted’ in the early 80’s and HCV rates up within us baby boomers that the medical and dental community started wearing those plastic shields that cover their eyes. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY (but me) ever questioned them whats with the eye protection? Can ya’ get AIDS and HCV via splatters to the EYE?? Why, of course! Nobody even questions that, yet a jet gun that penetrates the skin and veins, (and can even cause nasty gashes if the victim moves) is a “Whaaa??? Nope! Sorry Vet…. nice try, but no way did HVC tx to you that way. Claim denied”
I couldn’t agree more. Funny that you bring up blood-borne pathogen infections from splashes into eyes. I watched the ABC premier of the ER reality show NY MED; a HCW got vomit fluids from a patient co-injected with HIV/HCV into his eyes. He wasn’t wearing PPE for his eyes. The staff moved fast to wash his eyes. And he expects to get onto anti-viral meds. They were most worried about contagion from the HCV. The full episode is free to watch online. This crisis occurred at 34:34 into the 40 minute show. Lots of commercials to suffer through but a quality show. Dr. Oz is in one of the stories.
http://abc.go.com/watch/ny-med/SH55214626/VD55217744/episode-1
Perhaps for a BVA hearing, a Vet should go in w/ briefcase and “suit up” for the VLJ. After completing this, ask the VLJ if he/she ever saw a dentist or HCW who was dressed such prior to 1992. If not, then why all the precautions for something that is very difficult to transmit? By the same token, if jetguns were so safe, where are they now? In museums…