Oral Care Found Lacking
The Institute of Medicine warned that millions of Americans – especially children – lack access to critical dental services because there are too few dentists in some areas and not all families can afford dental care. One way to address the problem, in addition to improving reimbursement for dental professionals, is to train doctors and nurses to recognize potential oral diseases, according to the report. “As the nation struggles to address the larger systemic issues of access to health care, we need to ensure that oral health is recognized as a basic component of overall health,” IOM committee chairman Dr. Frederick Rivara, professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington in Seattle, said in a statement. Children and adults who lack regular oral care risk diabetes and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, the report emphasized.
AMA Adopts BPA Policy
At its recent annual meeting, the American Medical Association recognized bisphenol A (BPA) as an endocrine-disrupting agent, supported existing bans on BPA in baby bottles and infant-feeding cups, and called on manufacturers to clearly label products that contain the substance. The AMA policy resolution noted that the chemical can be found in the lining of canned food containers, cigarette filters, certain medical devices, cash register receipts, and dental sealants. “Both the [Food and Drug Administration] and Canadian officials have recently expressed concern about potential harmful effects of BPA and taken interim actions to protect sensitive populations such as infants and toddlers by banning the sale of baby bottles, food containers, and cups containing BPA,” Dr. Edward Langston, an AMA board member, said in a statement.
Training Support Urged
Despite what it calls a “challenging” budgetary climate, the American Academy of Pediatrics has urged federal lawmakers to fund three training programs for pediatricians that are intended, in part, to improve access to care for vulnerable pediatric populations. The academy labeled “instrumental” the Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education program, the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program, and a new loan-repayment plan that is part of the health care reform act. The Children's Hospital program funds training for more than 40% of general pediatricians and pediatric medical and surgical specialists, according to the academy. The loan repayment program, which has not yet been funded, would provide financial support for pediatricians who enter subspecialty care, the group said.
The Smoke Clears in Movies
Motion pictures dramatically decreased depictions of tobacco from 2005 to 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The change could prevent some adolescents from starting the habit, the CDC said. The number of scenes with a tobacco product shown or its use implied dropped 56% in top-grossing movies (from 4,152 “incidents” to 1,825). In G- or PG-rated movies the drop was 94% (472 to 30), in PG-13 movies it was 65% (from 1,621 to 2010), and in R-rated movies tobacco use decreased 40% (2,059 to 1,226). Three of the six major motion picture companies have implemented policies to reduce tobacco use in their movies, the CDC reported, but films from the companies without such policies also left more tobacco on the cutting room floor.
School Health Centers Get Bonus
A total of 278 school-based health centers across the United States will split grants of $95 million to greatly expand their services, the Department of Health and Human Services said. The clinics currently serve approximately 790,000 patients, and the awards are intended to hike capacity by 440,000. The centers provide health screenings, disease prevention activities, and services that enable children with chronic illnesses to attend school. The new grants come from the health care reform act, which promised $200 million for school-based health centers through 2013.
Food Makers Pan Guidelines
Food manufacturers charged that voluntary guidelines proposed by the federal government ignore the industry's progress on responsible marketing of food to children. The April proposal from the Federal Trade Commission said that only foods that contribute to a healthful diet should be marketed to children, and offered target levels for saturated fat, trans fat, added sugars, and sodium in such food. In a letter to the FTC, the FDA, and other agencies, 150 state, regional, and national food groups and manufacturers now argue that there's no evidence the proposed restrictions would contribute to long-term changes in eating behavior or solve childhood obesity. Separately, the National Restaurant Association also called for the voluntary standards to be withdrawn because they could become mandatory.