Another Week 44 - No DC Flu Deaths

There is some disagreement between the success of the District of Columbia's Department of Health's (DOH) efforts to inoculate the most vulnerable. We worked inside and outside with the department. On the outside the lining and waiting was not acceptable but on the inside the effort was smooth and efficient. The success is reflected in numbers. Again for the second week no reported deaths from the flu or reported to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Visits to doctors for influenza-like illness (ILI) nationally decreased this week over last week. This is the second week of national decreases in ILI after four consecutive weeks of sharp increases. While ILI declined overall nationally, visits to doctors for influenza-like illness remain higher than what is seen during the peak of many regular flu seasons.

JURISDICTIONS 2009 2008 2007 District of Columbia Baltimore, MD Richmond / Norfolk, VA 97 659 222 74 714 189 68 564 195 DEATH TOTALS WK 44 978 977 827

Total influenza hospitalization rates for laboratory-confirmed flu continue to climb and remain higher than expected for this time of year. Hospitalization rates continue to be highest in younger populations with the highest hospitalization rate reported in children 0-4 years old.

Almost all of the influenza viruses identified so far continue to be 2009 H1N1 influenza A viruses. These viruses remain similar to the virus chosen for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, and remain susceptible to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir with rare exception.

We noticed that DC's good fortune isn't just restricted to the District - Norfolk also had only one loss this week as well. While decreases are to be applauded unless we believe that what was done before is or was good enough and that life isn't precious we do need to celebrate while doing all we can to do substantially better. We can always do better. We must!

And Then You Die!

The headline from US News & World Report reminds of the old joke that ends with that punchline. Unfortunately when you're old, poor, Black and female it's no joke. It's no joking matter. You're the most neediest among of us, you're the most disadvantaged among us, you're the most discriminated among us, you're the most abused among us and when you marry if you get terminally ill your mate will leave you to die. Even if they don't you're the most likely to, if you have cancer, not survive when others would have.

The one headline lead us to the Journal of Cancer study we could not find but to many other studies in the journal from the US, Mexico and Switzerland. The studies relating cancer to issues of color, discrimination and poverty. Here is what we came upon in our verification process:

African-American women have increased breast cancer mortality compared with white women. Diagnostic and treatment gaps may contribute to this disparity.
Disparities in medical care among patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer were evident between African-American women and white women despite health plan insurance coverage. Interventions that address the gaps identified are needed. Cancer Journal

Racial differences in follow-up of abnormal mammography findings among economically disadvantaged women
BACKGROUND: In the United States, and particularly in South Carolina, African-American women suffer disproportionately higher mortality rates from breast cancer than European-American women. The timeliness of patient adherence to the follow-up of mammographic abnormalities may influence prognosis and survival. The objective of the current investigation was to examine racial differences in the completion and completion time of a diagnostic workup after the finding of a suspicious breast abnormality.
CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study established a racial disparity in the time to completion of a diagnostic workup among Best Chance Network participants. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the factors associated with delays in and adherence to completing the recommended workup when breast abnormalities are detected in mammograms. Cancer Journal

Ethnic disparity in mortality after diagnosis of colorectal cancer among inner city minority New Yorkers
CONCLUSIONS: The first to compare inner city minority subjects with CRC, the authors observed increased odds of death in AAs, despite similar clinical features and living environment. Tumor behavior or host response among AAs could explain this difference. Aggressive therapeutic and early detection strategies need to be tested in a large randomized study setting to substantiate our study findings. Cancer 2009.

Impact of socioeconomic status on prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in Geneva, Switzerland, in which healthcare costs, medical coverage, and life expectancy are considered to be among the highest in the world.
CONCLUSIONS: In the current study, patients of low socioeconomic class were found to be at increased risk of dying as a result of their prostate cancer. This increased mortality is largely attributable to delayed diagnosis, poor diagnostic workup, and less invasive treatments in these individuals. Cancer 2009.

Prejudice against blacks is becoming unacceptable although it will take years to eliminate it. But it is doomed because, slowly, white America is beginning to admit that it exists. Prejudice against women is still acceptable. - Shirley Chisholm

The impact of Medicaid coverage and reimbursement on access to diagnostic mammography
CONCLUSIONS: Callers with Medicaid were offered appointments for DM less frequently than callers with Medicare, although both were widely accepted. State Medicaid reimbursement rates did not affect access to mammography. Cancer 2009.

Racial differences in treatment and outcomes among patients with early stage bladder cancer
BACKGROUND: Black patients are at greater of risk of death from bladder cancer than white patients. Potential explanations for this disparity include a more aggressive phenotype and delays in diagnosis resulting in higher stage disease. Alternatively, black patients may receive a lower quality of care, which may explain this difference.
CONCLUSIONS: Although differences in initial treatment were evident, they did not appear to be systematic and had unclear clinical significance. Whereas black patients are at greater risk of death, this disparity did not appear to be caused by differences in the intensity or quality of care provided. Cancer 2009.

WHO calls for action beyond the health sector to improve the health of girls and women
Despite progress, societies continue to fail women at key times
Despite considerable progress in the past decades, societies continue to fail to meet the health care needs of women at key moments of their lives, particularly in their adolescent years and in older age, a WHO report has found.

It was this final study that gave us considerable cause for concern. This was the most disheartening of all and unfortunately the full information was not available to us or you. Our only solace is that we in our lives are not making it true. For the unlucky/unblessed/unfortunate among us it is a sad reality that speaks to the real state of the nation. Reuters news service printed this story:

Men more likely than women to leave partner with cancer
The study confirmed earlier research of a divorce or separation rate among cancer patients of 11.6 percent, similar to the general population, but found the rate jumped to 20.8 percent when the woman was sick versus 2.9 percent when the man was ill.

"Female gender was the strongest predictor of separation or divorce in each of the patient groups we studied," said Marc Chamberlain, director of the neuro-oncology program at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA).

The researchers said the reason men leave a sick spouse can be partly explained by their inability to rapidly adjust to becoming a caregiver and to look after the home and family.

The picture of the elderly woman above was the last time we saw our namesake in her chair. It was taken just before she was admitted to the hospital for one of her last visits. When we brought her we did not know she would not be coming home ever again. We never know when the last time will be the last time. What comforts us now is the words of our family which said: "Think how better her life was with you in it!" Too many women are old and alone without anyone to care for or to care for them. Pearlie Mae Leach Frierson outlived her husband and son until there was just us. That we had her brings us continued joy.

The Mexican Misconnection

The one headline, Older People at Greater Risk of Swine Flu Death, lead us to the Journal of Cancer study we could not find but to many other studies in the journal from the US, Mexico and Switzerland. The studies relating cancer to issues of color, discrimination and poverty.

Cases in Mexico show young more likely to get sick, but elderly more likely to die. "The researchers found that the risk of infection fell by 35 percent in those who received vaccinations for seasonal flu. Chronic disease boosted the risk of death by six times. Those who didn't go to the hospital within four days after developing symptoms boosted their risk of death by 20 percent for each extra day they delayed a hospital visit."

H1N1 influenza in Mexico. The Lancet headline has less to do with the pandemic in the United States except that Mexico seems to be the source of the H1N1 virus. While the headline as being mentioned seems to suggest that what is true in Mexico is true in the US as well. While the numbers are down among the elderly with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Canadian governments research indicates that while this does not appear to be our current situation.
Newsweek offers a historical as well as an informational report on the flu and its history particularly with the Mexican H1N1 study as its considered our source for the flu. We refer you to the article and the graphic historical timeline on flu.

There is a joke among flu researchers: "If you've seen one flu season, you've seen…one flu season." The translation, for those not up on epidemiological humor: the joke is wry commentary on the unpredictable nature of the flu virus. Every year it looks different, and every strain follows its own pattern. This is not just a quirk that frustrates scientists—it's the reason new strains like H1N1 are impossible to anticipate and fully prepare for.

"I know less about influenza today than I did 10 years ago," quips Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Minnesota Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance and a former adviser to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

What happens there, hopefully stays there. Bring the problem here but not the results - in this case the H1N1 flu doesn't have to mean that our results will be the same as Mexico's results. While our federal government deals with the issues of "Universal Health Care" what the future might hold for a healthier planet is an international health care solution. While the United States works to bring its system and self back to it's position of superiority in Health and everything these days after Veterans Day - we can only hope and strive for better results.

Facts To Know - Asked & Answered

We had questions and they had answers at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a pretty well hidden Frequent Questions (FQs) database that allows you to search for questions previously asked. Normally we email the CDC when we want to know the answer but today we braved the toll-free number and asked a real human being a question. Accessing a real live person was about as well hidden as the website answers.

Here are our nine (9) favorite questions and answers. There are actually eleven (11) questions but only ten (10) get answered but we're not certain about the tenth question. All provided by and found directly from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

1. What does the H1N1 vaccine cost?
    The federal government has purchased the H1N1 vaccine and is providing it to the states free of charge. This is different in many places from the seasonal flu vaccine. Public vaccination clinics (sponsored by local health departments at schools or other places) will offer vaccine at no charge. Some private providers may charge a small fee to administer the vaccine, but cost should not be a barrier to getting immunized. Many, many people and businesses have stepped up to the public health challenge we all face and are working together for the overall public good to make this vaccine free – or at least affordable – for all those who want it. 


2. Will people age 65 years and older be able to get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine this season?
   Yes, the U.S. government has purchased 250 million doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine, so anyone who wants to get the vaccine will have the opportunity to do so. While people 65 and older are not included in the groups recommended to get the earliest doses of vaccine, they can get the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine as soon as the high risk groups have had the opportunity to be vaccinated.
   Some communities and providers will offer the 2009 H1N1 vaccine to people 65 and over sooner than others, depending on how quickly they meet the needs of the initial prioritized populations. While the early doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine are being given to those in high risk groups, CDC's priority for people 65 and older is to have them get their seasonal flu vaccine first, and to seek medical advice quickly if they develop flu-like symptoms this season. This will determine whether they need medical evaluation and possible treatment with antiviral medications.


3. Are natural remedies (also referred to as “complementary” or “alternative” medicine) recommended to prevent the 2009 H1N1 flu virus?
   The first and most important step to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated. Vaccination stimulates an immune response using a killed or weakened virus that uses the body’s own defense mechanisms to prevent infection. CDC's current recommendations to protect against 2009 H1N1 virus do not include natural remedies as a sole prevention method. If you want to use a natural remedy to reduce symptoms, CDC recommends that you talk to your healthcare provider about options.
   
   Alternative medicine should not be used as a replacement for proven conventional care, or to postpone seeing a doctor about a medical problem. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides information at http://health.nih.gov/topic/AlternativeMedicine on specific alternative options, including scientific information, potential side effects, and cautions for each.
   
   The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns consumers to be cautious about products that claim to prevent, treat, or cure 2009 H1N1 influenza, specifically products like pills, air filtration devices, and cleaning agents can kill or eliminate the virus.
   
   The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers to use extreme care when purchasing any products over the Internet that claim to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure the H1N1 influenza virus. The warning comes after the FDA recently purchased and analyzed several products represented online as Tamiflu (oseltamivir), which may pose risks to patients. For more information, see the news release. Consumers can also visit FDA's Web site for tips about how to protect themselves when buying medicines online.


4. How long (one season or more) will immunity be effective from the H1N1 vaccine? Will this be an annual vaccine like the seasonal flu?
   Influenza (flu) viruses change from year to year. You are unlikely to get infected with the same exact strain of influenza (flu) more than once. Most people with flu-like illness since spring 2009 don't know whether they were infected with 2009 H1N1 or another flu virus strain. If you think you had 2009 H1N1 infection, ask your doctor if you should be vaccinated. The only sure way to diagnose 2009 H1N1 infection is with real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
   
   Even if you had a confirmed case of 2009 H1N1 flu, you can still get infected with other flu strains. You should make sure you get the seasonal flu vaccine. If you had a flu-like illness since spring 2009 that wasn't diagnosed as 2009 H1N1 flu by RT-PCR, get the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines.
   
   Also, a vaccine made against flu viruses circulating last year may not protect against the newer viruses. That is why the influenza vaccine is updated every year to include current viruses.


5. What is the incubation period of the H1N1 (swine) flu? How long will it take to get the flu after being exposed?
   The estimated incubation period is unknown and could range from 1 to 7 days, and more likely 1 to 4 days.
   
   
   Persons with novel H1N1 flu virus infection should be considered potentially contagious (able to spread disease) for up to 7 days after illness onset. Persons who continue to be ill longer than 7 days should be considered potentially contagious until symptoms have resolved. Children, especially younger children, might be contagious for longer periods. People with influenza-like illness should stay home for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone (without the use of fever-reducing medicine). A fever is defined as having a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater.
   
   It's important to remember that we are still in flu and allergy season and it's not uncommon to have cold or flu-like symptoms. If you are sick, stay home from work or school to monitor your health. If you do have symptoms where you think you need urgent care, contact your doctor right away.


6. Can I get 2009 H1N1 more than once?
   Getting infected with any flu virus, including 2009 H1N1, should cause your body to develop immune resistance to that virus so it's not likely that a person would be infected with the identical influenza virus more than once. (However, people with weakened immune systems might not develop full immunity after infection and might be more likely to get infected with the same influenza virus more than once.) However, it's also possible that a person could have a positive test result for flu infection more than once in an influenza season. This can occur for two reasons:
   A person may be infected with different influenza viruses (for example, the first time with 2009 H1N1 and the second time with a regular seasonal flu virus. Most rapid tests cannot distinguish which influenza virus is responsible for the illness. and,
   Influenza tests can occasionally give false positive and false negative results so it's possible that one of the test results were incorrect. This is more likely to happen when the diagnosis is made with the rapid flu tests.
   
   More information about flu diagnosis is available at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/diagnosis/.


7. What are the initial symptoms of swine flu? How do we get it cured?
   The symptoms of novel H1N1 flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal flu infection.
   
   (P)ersons with novel H1N1 flu virus infection should be considered potentially contagious (able to spread disease) for up to 7 days after illness onset. Persons who continue to be ill longer than 7 days should be considered potentially contagious until symptoms have resolved. Children, especially younger children, might be contagious for longer periods.


8. Do you have special recommendations for air conditioned buildings?
   The CDC indicates that the odds of transmission of the 2009-H1N1 influenza over significant distances through heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is extremely remote and special cleaning of air ducts is not required.


9. Does the flu vaccine work right away? How long before the vaccine takes effect after it is given?
   It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza virus infection. In the meantime, you are still at risk for getting the flu. That's why it's better to get vaccinated early in the fall, before the flu season really gets under way.

The tenth answer came by telephone from the toll-free flu line at the CDC. We've included the code prompts to get you to where you can get to a living being if you found questions not answered at the site or above.

Dial: 1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636). Where you'll hear:
"Thanks for calling the CDC H1N1 Info line"
"For English Press 1" and then you will be prompted to choose:
"All Others Press 3" (Doctors 1 / News Media 2) after which you'll be given:
"For H1N1 Press 8" and then another prompt will say:
"For more H1N1 info Press 1" after which you will be told:
"Please hold for a "brief" survey afterwards".

We spoke to a "BJ" "not a physician and can not answer any questions concerning your medical condition." We didn't hold after asking the question if we could purchase the H1N1 vaccine from a for profit source where we could pay to bypass the wait. BJ informed us that was not possible. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was the only source in the United States for the vaccine.

Are You There Yet? - No!

We want to call this Flu-oogle to talk about Google's not quite there yet flu shot finder. The problem isn't so much GOOGLE as its the places that actually give out the vaccines. We're "flu policing" again - and really we don't want to. But with the World Health Organization's report on Women's health, this being Veterans Day, and Aunt Pearlie's sister whom we called "Daughter" was an honored Army servicewoman we couldn't ignore this story. Google has a flu shot finder for the country that will eventually be available through the flu.gov site of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The problem with the GOOGLE or Flu-OOGLE if you will isn't the OOGLE it's the "G" the governments with which they have to get the information. It's as inaccurate as the I-phone apps meant to inform. The original information is faulty or rather inaccurate.

The "Flu Shot Finder" only goes to the state's or county's website which you would think would make it more accurate and in a sense that is true. However most of that means that the county "has no public H1N1 or seasonal clinics scheduled." For "non-breeding" women this isn't helpful at all. We're still not there yet! To inquire because of WHO - we wish we could:

"say to you this afternoon, however difficult the moment, (Yes, sir) however frustrating the hour, it will not be long..." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

DC Department of Health (DOH)

Thursday, November 12 5 pm - 9 pm
Cardozo Senior High School
Ballou Senior High School

"To say that the future will be different from the present and past may be hopelessly self-evident. I must observe regretfully, however, that in politics it can be heresy. It can be denounced as radicalism or branded as subversion. There are people in every time and every land who want to stop history in its tracks. They fear the future, mistrust the present and invoke the security of a comfortable past, which in fact, never existed. It hardly seems necessary to point out in the United States, of all places, that change, although it involves risk, is the law of life." - Robert F. Kennedy

Saturday, November 14
8 am - 1 pm
Eliot-Hine Middle School
Kelly Miller Middle School
Hardy Middle School

MD Calvert County
November 14, 2009
H1N1 (Swine) Flu Vaccination Clinic
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Calvert Fairgrounds

Cecil County
At this time, the Cecil County Health Department has no public H1N1 or seasonal clinics scheduled.

"An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An atheist believes that deed must be done instead of prayer said. An atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanished, war eliminated." - Madalyn Murray O'Hair

Charles County
Vaccine will be provided from 3:00pm to 7:00pm (or until the supply of vaccine is gone) ** Cars of clinic attendees will not be permitted in the parking lot until all school buses depart at 2:45
November 12 - Thursday **4:30 to 7 pm Picowaxen Elementary School -Priority Only
**New time and location
*** Cars of clinic attendees will not be permitted in the parking lot until all school buses depart at 3:45.
November 16 - Monday 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm Indian Head Pavillion
November 18 - Wednesday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm Department of Health Offices
November 24 - Tuesday 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm Charles County Government Center

Dorchester County
Updated 11/6/09
SEASONAL FLU INFORMATION: Currently out of vaccine. When additional supplies arrive we will advertise on this site and in local papers.

“If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?” - Rabbi Hillel

Frederick County
Community Clinics for Priority Groups- By Appointment Only
Vaccination Date: November 12, 2009, 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
The appointment line for the November 12th H1N1 flu clinic is now closed. The Health Department will announce dates for additional clinics in the near future.
If a caller does not receive a call back within 4 hours, all appointments have been scheduled.

"But this is the great danger America faces. That we will cease to be one nation and become instead a collection of interest groups: city against suburb, region against region, individual against individual. Each seeking to satisfy private wants." - Barbara Jordan

Baltimore MD
Pre-register for upcoming clinics that will be scheduled this month. If you are in one of the priority groups, complete the online form. Someone will contact your within 10 business days to schedule your appointment(s).
Thursday, November 12 - 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

VA All Counties
Vaccine will be available for the general public at pharmacies, health care provider offices and local health departments in December. We will add clinic dates and times as they become available. Please check back for regular updates.

We only included the more current days, links and locations. We'll try to keep up with the information as it becomes more available. We don't know and aren't being told when everyone will have access to their own protection. It is good to know that this is still fairly early for our health and that the numbers (though not ALL the people are being saved) are starting to shrink especially in our area from epidemic proportions to normal proportions. Unless you're related to the dead or dying. Protect yourself. Don't despair - you are not alone. We are with you. We can and must demand to do better.

Simply Not The Best

Our concern is that all of us in business and in life don't always do our best. We're really critical of ourselves and we often admit to slot and inactivity knowing that there is better way of living. What made "this country great" has always been our drive to do better - together - rich helping poor, healthy helping infirmed, strong helping weak. That's the American way - united we stand. Whether that was in achievements, inventions or families we strive to go beyond what we've done before to what we can do today.

"Nations, like men, often march to the beat of different drummers, and the precise solutions of the United States can neither be dictated nor transplanted to others. What is important is that all nations must march toward a increasing freedom; toward justice for all; toward a society strong and flexible enough to meet the demands of all of its own people, and a world of immense and dizzying change." - Robert F. Kennedy

The headlines from CNN - Women's health an 'urgent priority', The Associated Press (AP) and the U.S. News & World Report highlighted AIDS, only TIME trumpeted - Why Sexism Kills. While the original World Health Organization (WHO) press releases stated: "WHO calls for action beyond the health sector to improve the health of girls and women" -

• Despite progress, societies continue to fail women at key times
• Women provide the bulk of health care, but rarely receive the care they need
• Women live longer than men but these extra years are not always healthy
• Despite some biological advantages, women's health suffers from their lower socio-economic status
• Policy change and action is needed within the health sector and beyond

It's easy for this nation to ignore the world when it tries to lead and direct what was usually our domain. The United States is the world leader and we set the pace for the rest to follow. We're not use to taking orders the same way PearlieMae's not use to doing what we need to do to take care of ourselves. However when it's our loved ones there is nothing we won't do to make them safe, healthy and better.

I'll pray for you, you pray for me
I love you
I need you to survive
I won't harm you
With words from my mouth
I love you
I need you to survive - David G. Frasier(View)(Listen)

Have a wonderful Veteran's Day. If you have a vet in your life, write, call, email send love in any and every way you can. If you are a Vet - we salute you! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

Sweet Love

We delayed telling you this for as long as we could. We verified and then verified our verification all because the news is not good. You've heard and maybe read about it online and we hoped we'd hear something back on the other side to ignore this information to no avail.

The news isn't good so we might as well face it. Everything sweet is bad for you. Two studies by two different research teams on two (2) coast from fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to artificially sweetened drinks of any variety increases your risk of high blood pressure or " kidney function decline." Drink more than two (2) and you're going to pay medically. No if and or buts about it.

From the UK (Snack and soft drink sweetener putting millions at risk of high blood pressure) to the US:

"There are currently limited data on the role of diet in kidney disease," researcher Dr. Julie Lin, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said in a news release. "While more study is needed, our research suggests that higher sodium and artificially sweetened soda intake are associated with greater rate of decline in kidney function."

The first study looked at diet and kidney function decline in more than 3,000 women enrolled in the national Nurses' Health Study. The researchers found that:

"in women with well-preserved kidney function, higher dietary sodium intake was associated with greater kidney function decline, which is consistent with experimental animal data that high sodium intake promotes progressive kidney disease."

The second study looked at the association between sugar- and artificially-sweetened beverages and kidney function decline in the same group of women. The researchers found an association between two or more servings per day of artificially sweetened soda and a two-fold increased risk of faster kidney function decline. There was no connection between sugar-sweetened beverages and kidney function decline.

The association between artificially sweetened beverages and kidney function decline persisted after Lin and colleague Dr. Gary Curhan accounted for other factors, such as age, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, physical activity, caloric intake and cardiovascular disease.

Further study is needed to better understand how artificial sweeteners influence kidney function decline, the researchers said.

Our problem with the report was that the press release was the actually ABC News story rather than the other way around. So we immediately sought one of the researchers while contacting all of the usual suspect (American Beverage Association).
They had little (read nothing to say to us) to say on their website. The information they had was old and outdated.

The fact is that the compendium of science, regardless of funding source, does not show that soft drinks or other sweetened beverages uniquely contribute to obesity - nor, for that matter, that they are uniquely linked to any negative health consequences. In fact, the authors fail to cite a study funded by the Canadian government that examined a sample size of more than 137,000 school-aged children in 34 countries - a sample size larger than the combined total of the studies that were cited by these researchers - and found no association between soft drink intake and body mass index. Furthermore, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and published earlier this year in the New England Journal of Medicine supported that all calories count - and that balancing calories consumed from all foods and beverages with the calories burned through physical activity is what matters.

What we did find was quotes from WedMD:

Asked to review the study findings, Maureen Storey, senior vice president of science policy for the American Beverage Association, says in a prepared statement: "It's important to remember that this is an abstract presented at an annual meeting." She notes that the research needs further scrutiny by researchers.

She acknowledges that kidney disease is serious but that diabetes and high blood pressure account for the majority of kidney disease cases, ''not consumption of diet soda."

We thought the research was presented in a way that made us suspicious which is why we made direct contact with one of the researchers hoping for a copy of the original press release. Instead what we got was an interchange that didn't reassure us at all.

We studied all sugar-sweetened beverages, sugary sodas, and diet sodas in our investigation so I cannot speak to the applicability of the drinks you mentioned below. We found an association between faster kidney function decline and >=2 servings of artificially sweetened sodas per day but not with other beverages. - Dr. Julie Lin

The abstract that's not online said:

We identified 3256 women participating in the Nurses' Health Study who had had data on sugar sweetened beverage (SSB) or artificially sweetened soda intake and (epidermal growth factor receptor) eGFR change between 1989 and 2000. SSB included soda, fruit juices, punch, and iced tea. This group included 730 diabetic women participating in a sub-study of kidney function. Cumulative average beverage intake was derived from the 1984, 1986, and 1990 food frequency questionnaires.

Median age was 67 years, 97% were Caucasian, 54% had HTN, 24% were diabetic, and median eGFR was 85 ml/min/1.73 m2 at baseline in 1989.

Consumption of > 2 servings per day of artificially sweetened soda is associated with a two-fold increased risk for kidney function decline.

We're holding on to the hope of Splenda. Though it really isn't sweet enough for some of us. Some of us only have less than two (2) a day but other of us drink like it's going out of style. Yes, we know about the "rat" study but that was thrown out of court and it's from the Sugar Association against Splenda. Listen we need something sweet since every dentist in the world speaks against the ills of sugar (and we really don't like dentist! - Do you?).