Consumers Oppose Prescription Mandate; Prefer Alternative Method to Fighting Meth

JACKSON, Miss., Jan. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Mississippians are expressing outrage at lawmakers’ rush to change over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine (PSE) to a prescription (Rx) drug.

“The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) has provided a phone number for Mississippians to contact their legislators which within the first day fielded scores of calls from around the state. We have heard their outrage on talk radio, and online posting to news web pages. And recent polling shows almost two-thirds of Mississippi voters oppose the legislation. Everyone wants to fight meth, but Mississippians believe an electronic tracking procedure is better than the added cost and burden of a prescription mandate,” said Elizabeth Funderburk of CHPA.

CHPA’s legislative call line for Mississippians is 1-866-346-8118 or they can visit www.StopMethNotMeds.org.

Almost two-thirds of Mississippi voters surveyed oppose making common cold and allergy medications containing PSE available by Rx-only, and 74 percent agree that an Rx-only requirement would create an “unnecessary burden” for law-abiding citizens (2010, DB Research). While those voters were not heard or even considered before last week’s rushed House vote, Mississippians are now making their voices heard and contacting their state Senators.

Last week, the state’s House passed H.B. 512, legislation that would impose an Rx-only mandate on commonly available cold and allergy medications containing PSE, without a hearing and are now trying to push identical legislation through the Senate (S.B. 2339). Should this legislation pass, it would place an unnecessary burden on families, significantly increase consumer costs, and hurt the state’s finances at the worst possible time.

“Because Mississippi does not tax prescription drugs, this legislation would also divert $590,000 from the general fund annually, as well as increase the costs to Mississippi‘s Medicaid program through increased doctor’s visits and prescriptions as a result,” Funderburk continued. “This would be an expensive new mandate from the state on the budgets of Mississippi families and Mississippi taxpayers. There is a better way to fight meth, and that’s through establishing an electronic tracking program to stop the illegal sale to criminals.”

The proposed prescription legislation flies in the face of Mississippi voter sentiment. Sixty-one percent of Mississippi voters surveyed are opposed to an Rx-only law. And 59 percent indicate they feel the legislative train is speeding forward too fast, agreeing: “Before my state’s lawmakers enact a new law, they should study the economic impact and societal burden a prescription law would pose.”

What the lawmakers don’t want the public to realize is that they are rejecting a better way to address the state’s methamphetamine problem without limiting consumer access to these important medicines – a real-time electronic tracking (e-tracking) system of PSE purchases at the pharmacy or service counter. E-tracking is successfully being implemented across a growing number of states, including neighboring Louisiana in the near future. Two-thirds (66 percent) of those surveyed support such a system in Mississippi, as well.

The survey, conducted from January 14-23, involved 350 Mississippi state residents aged 18 or over, all of whom voted in the last election, and has a margin-of-error of +/-5.2%. The survey was sponsored by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

David Binder Research has been a source for innovative research for more than 25 years, providing high-quality survey, focus group and media research services to clients throughout the United States.

CHPA is the 129-year-old-trade association representing U.S. manufacturers and distributors of over-the-counter medicines and nutritional supplements.

www.chpa-info.org  

SOURCE Consumer Healthcare Products Association

RELATED LINKS
http://www.chpa-info.org

Majority of Public Power Customers Maintain Reliable Electricity during Storm

RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — NC Public Power communities are reporting only minor scattered outages due to the severe winter storm moving across North Carolina. In anticipation of the storm, ElectriCities Emergency Assistance Program (EAP) was activated and ready to respond in outage areas. The EAP coordinates with all public power communities experiencing outages and dispatches crews from other parts of the state to help restore power.

Public power customers should report any power outages or downed lines directly to their local utility. A complete listing of outage reporting telephone numbers is available in the “Storm Central” section of www.ncpublicpower.com.

NC Public Power urges you to continue to monitor local conditions and follow the safety tips listed below:

• Check for electrical damage inside your home, such as frayed wires, sparks or the smell of burning insulation. If you find damage outside your home, such as to your meter box, don’t turn your power on until an electrician inspects your system and makes necessary repairs.
• Do not connect a generator directly to your home’s electrical system. It is dangerous to you, your neighbors and utility workers. Follow manufacturer’s directions regarding connecting appliances directly to your generator. Use a generator only in a well-ventilated area.

ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc. (ElectriCities), North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1 (NCMPA1), North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA) – More than 70 North Carolina public power communities, municipally owned and operated electric systems, serve more than 500,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in North Carolina. ElectriCities’ members in NC, SC and VA serve more than one million customers. Most have been providing reliable electric service for 100 years or more. ElectriCities is the service organization that provides customer service and safety training, emergency and technical assistance, communications, government affairs and legal services to public power communities. ElectriCities provides management services to the state’s two municipal power agencies: NCMPA1 and NCEMPA. NCMPA1 has 19 member cities in the western part of North Carolina and NCEMPA has 32 member cities in eastern North Carolina. More information about ElectriCities is available at www.electricities.com. More information about the Power Agencies and NC Public Power is available at www.ncpublicpower.com.

SOURCE ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc.

RELATED LINKS
http://www.electricities.com

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Global Health at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is deploying a medical team to Haiti today in response to an urgent call from Partners In Health for pediatric experts to care for children with injuries related to the Jan. 12 earthquake at the University Hospital in Port-au-Prince. This will be the first dedicated pediatric medical team providing care on the ground at this facility in Port-au-Prince.

After gathering at The Children’s Hospital for a final orientation meeting, the medical team will depart to Chester County Airport in Coatesville, Pa., where they are to fly on two private jets to Chicago. At that juncture, the medical team will take a flight arranged by Partners In Health (PIH) from Chicago for the 10-day trip, and join PIH members who have arranged a flight to Haiti.

The 12-member team, led by Fred Henretig, M.D., includes doctors and nurses from Children’s Hospital’s emergency, critical care and transport teams, as well as a doctor from the emergency department at the Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania. The team expects to see patients at University Hospital in Port-au-Prince (HUEH) and treat children with crush injuries, bone fractures, wound infections, post amputation and other illnesses.

“There is a dire need for pediatric care in Haiti right now, and we are anxious to receive the medical expertise from the doctors and nurses from Children’s Hospital who have volunteered to go on the trip,” said Joe Rhatigan, a team member from Partners In Health. “We are grateful for their nimbleness in responding to our request so quickly. This immediate response will certainly have major impact for the multitude of pediatric patients requiring treatment.”

After the earthquake struck Haiti, more than 400 Children’s Hospital employees submitted applications for consideration as a volunteer through the Global Health Haiti Disaster Response program.  In addition, Children’s Hospital employees have worked for weeks to identify and obtain critical equipment to send into Haiti.

“Our past Global Health outreach to Haitian children living in the Dominican Republic makes us uniquely suited to offer medical support to Haiti during this time of crisis,” said Global Health director Rodney Finalle, M.D., “We would like to thank all of the employees at Children’s Hospital for supporting this effort.”

After the earthquake struck Haiti, Partners In Health quickly established field hospitals in Port-au-Prince, and currently has 20 operating rooms up and running, with 12 functioning 24-hours a day.  PIH has been designated by the World Health Organization to serve as the primary coordinators of HUEH hospital.

Global Health at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: Since 2004, more than 100 Children’s Hospital staff have participated in a Global Health activity, primarily outside the borders of the United States. More than 4,000 children have received care in another country from a Children’s Hospital clinical professional in one of our established programs.

About The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation’s first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children’s Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country, ranking second in National Institutes of Health funding. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 441-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu.

About Partners In Health: Founded in 1987 by Dr. Paul Farmer, Partners In Health (PIH) is an international health care organization based in Boston that works in 12 countries dedicated to delivering quality health care to people and communities devastated by joint burdens of poverty and disease.  PIH’s work has three goals: to care for patients, to alleviate the root causes of disease and to share lessons learned around the world.

PIH has been providing vital health care services in Haiti for more than 20 years and is one of the largest rural health care providers in the country, working with the Haitian Ministry of Health to deliver comprehensive health care services to a catchment area of 1.2 million across the Central Plateau and the Lower Artibonite Valley. PIH had more than 100 doctors, 600 nurse and 4,000 employees on the ground in Haiti working from 12 existing PIH medical facilities in Haiti before the earthquake struck on January 12th. For more information: www.standwithhaiti.org.

SOURCE The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

RELATED LINKS
http://www.chop.edu

Protesters Handbill, Sing & Dance, Telling Auto Show Attendees to ‘Beware the Bailout Bandit’

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Today, dozens of Teamsters who deliver new cars for a living, along with consumer activists from CarBuyersBeware.com, handbilled outside the Washington, D.C. Auto Show and staged a song and dance action inside the show venue to demand Fiat/Chrysler not destroy the jobs that support them and their families.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO)

Fiat/Chrysler received $14 billion in the taxpayer-funded auto bailout that was meant to help the economy and save jobs. However, the company is now moving work away from the professional carhaul companies that have delivered their vehicles to dealerships for many years. The loss of this work could put these carriers out of business, leaving up to 5,000 people without jobs and health care. And by using cut-rate carriers, Chrysler risks new cars being damaged when delivered.

“Fiat/Chrysler is moving work to less-experienced companies whose drivers are not well-trained,” said Teamsters Carhaul Division Director Fred Zuckerman. “If improperly secured and transported, new cars can sustain hidden damages to tires, rims, axles and the overall frame. This can threaten your safety and can lead to costly repair bills in the future.”

Outside the auto show, consumer activists and union members handed out leaflets to attendees that read, “Fiat/Chrysler Buyers Beware: Hidden Damages On New Cars?” while inside, demonstrators broke into a song and dance routine to raise attention of these issues to auto show attendees.

“After Fiat/Chrysler received so much taxpayer money, it’s outrageous that they would outsource good jobs to low-wage contractors,” Zuckerman said. “In this economy, America cannot afford to lose even more good jobs with good benefits. American car buyers and taxpayers, who thought Fiat/Chrysler would repay them with gratitude and loyalty instead of greed, are being betrayed.”

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters was founded in 1903 and represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters

RELATED LINKS
http://www.teamster.org
http://carbuyersbeware.com

BOCA RATON, Fla., Jan. 30 /PRNewswire/ — Richard J. Schilling, Jr., successful restaurant, night club, and casino owner considered the Father of Mississippi Gaming, died Wednesday at the age of 62 at his home in Boca Raton, Florida.

Mr. Schilling started in the restaurant and entertainment business when he was 13 years old and since owned some of the most successful and legendary entertainment venues in the country.  From redefining entertainment in the Midwest with the legendary Beverly Hills Supper Club outside of Cincinnati, to “Splash” the first casino in Tunica, Mississippi, his vision and drive were second to none.

Mr. Schilling began his career, at the early age of 13, working for Keys Brothers Concessions, in Devou Park.  At age 16, he began working at the Lookout House for his Father and Uncle.  Learning the business from the bottom up, he began in the dish room and worked his way up to the restaurant general manager.  Under his management the restaurant had grown from 6 dining rooms holding 1100 patrons to 14 dining rooms able to accommodate 2300 for a sit down meal.

In 1969 the Schilling family purchased another small vacant restaurant, in Southgate, Kentucky (adjacent to Cincinnati), their new venture called the “Beverly Hills Supper Club” opened in 1971.  The showroom became the entertainment mecca of the Midwest featuring legendary performers including Frank Sinatra, Eli Fitzgerald, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the Righteous Brothers and Connie Stevens.

The night club held over 5500 patrons and was long recognized as, “Showplace of the Nation”.  In May 1977, the massive complex club was completely destroyed by fire.

The family took a year to reorganize after their tragic loss, and in May 1978 Mr. Schilling opened a new venture in Downtown Cincinnati called Januarys and Oodles.  

In 1981, completely from the proceeds of January’s and Oodles, Mr. Schilling, opened the First Riverboat Restaurant in Newport, Kentucky (Cincinnati).  With a tropical theme, “The Islands” quickly became the highest grossing restaurant in the United States.  This success prompted the building and subsequent opening of the adjoining “Splash” nightclub which opened a year later.

In 1986 The Islands and Splash were moved to Louisville, Kentucky as his first out of “Cincinnati Area” venture.  The business duplicated its success in Louisville, with crowds so large that the city was forced to take over crowd management for the facility.

In 1992, the Island and Splash sailed away for their most extravagant venture yet.  Docking in Tunica, Mississippi, 29 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee, Mr. Schilling became the founding Father of the $3 Billion Mississippi gaming industry, the third largest gaming destination in the United States.  

In 2002 he was diagnosed with colon cancer.  With his “never let ‘em get you down” mentality,  he and his wife Linda designed, built and ran a new $75 Million Casino Resort named “Harlow’s” in Greenville, MS.   Mr. Schilling sold his controlling interest in “Harlow’s” early last year.

On Thursday, February 4, 2010, viewing will be from 10-11:30 a.m. followed by Mass at 11:30 at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 1680 Dixie Highway Fort Wright, Kentucky.  At the conclusion of Mass the burial will occur at Cave Hill Cemetery, 701 Baxter Avenue Louisville, Kentucky at 3 p.m. that afternoon.

SOURCE Schilling Family