Sunscreens Not Created Equal

Even with the new Food and Drug Administration regulations on sunscreens, many companies can't get it right and some of the worst are advertising heavily to make their poor products be the first in the minds of some consumers. Neutrogena, while not the most expensive and certainly not one of the best, is heavily advertised in my area and is about the only one advertising this heavily. I have seen occasional ads for a few others, but most are for sunscreens at the bottom of the list. I guess this is the manufacturer's way of getting people to forget about the low rating they have received by Consumer Reports.

Here in the Midwest, we have not had a lot of need for sunscreens because of the rainy weather. I suspect there will be a need when the weather starts to warm up and remain above 75 degrees for much of the day and there are dry days.

Consumer Reports is one of the more objective reports on sunscreen. The top recommended include the following and it is worth quoting:

• Target's Up & Up Sport, at the top spot, costs $1.16 an ounce.
• Walmart's Equate Ultra Protection SPF 50, is just 47 cents an ounce. It won the CR Best Buy award of the dozen.
• Coppertone Water Babies SPF 50, at $1.38 an ounce.
• Walgreens Continuous Spray Sport SPF 50, at $1.33 an ounce. 
• Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch SPF 30, at $1.38 an ounce.
• Coppertone Sport High Performance SPF 30, at $1.67 an ounce.

I have mentioned one of the worst above. But do not feel that the others should receive space. If you are interested, you may read this.

AND Attempts to Cash in on Obesity

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) is again trying to expand their monopoly, but this time at the federal level. In a House of Representatives bill (HR 2415), the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2013 which the AND is primarily responsible for creating this legislation would severely restrict the professionals that would be able to counsel obese patients.

Is it any wonder that the one group, AND, which is largely responsible for promoting the obesity with their high carbohydrate, whole grains teaching, would be trying to cash in on counseling the obese to keep them this way. Then when you look at their corporate sponsors, see my blog here, this is just another reason the AND must be removed from any position of responsibility in counseling people with obesity.

Registered dietitians (RDs) are allowed to perform services under Medicare part B, so why do they need special provisions that exclude and create special provisions that do not exist in federal law (the Social Security Act, which controls Medicare, provides equal treatment for RDs and other qualified nutrition professionals). Just more of the monopoly attempt by AND and a smaller choice for us as patients.

This is one reason I have sent my objections to my Representative and I hope you will consider this as well.

States Are Making Your Medical Records Public

When there is money to be made, look for someone willing to find a way. This time it is the states and they are selling our medical information. HIPAA does not have provisions preventing this and as a result, the states are making money from selling the information from our medical records legally. And some states are selling too much information and your identity may be compromised. The map below list the problem states.

 

Other states do a somewhat better job of sanitizing records, but even then, some areas can be easy to figure out who the patients are. Bloomberg News spent over a year identifying individuals from records they purchased. In many areas of the country, this is an easy task and in other areas, this is a little more difficult, but still can be done.

If you still have doubts, then follow the link above and view the video, read the article and this should make you very uncomfortable about your medical records and their privacy being secure.

Even “de-identified” data sets contain significant personal information that could be used to identify individuals, especially in rural areas with small populations. What does “de-identified” mean? It means that your name has been removed form the data sold. Some states remove more information and sterilize the data very well, while other states leave too much information attached. This generally means that by checking local news and public records a medical record can be identified to an individual.

The trouble is that state public health agencies received an exemption from the federal law, formally the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, enacted in 1996. The privacy rules took effect in 2003, though they apply only to health-care providers, insurers, billing and claims processors and their contractors. Most law enforcement agencies and courts have unfettered access to your medical records if they need them. When they do access your medical records, this has to be noted along with the reason, but these are allowed by law.

It sounds to me like new laws are in order, to punish states that violate citizens' privacy.