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HAZEL VS. HOPE
Re: “Hazel Lane’s proposal rejected” [Jan. 22 – Web only], the Hazel Lane residents claim that if they do not live in the city, they will not know who to call if there is a problem with plowing. That argument lacks credibility. Two residents of Hazel Lane, including their spokesperson Chris Richmond, have already been annexed into the city. Additionally, I believe that Richmond worked for Alderman Frank Edwards when the alderman was fire chief! The Hazel Lane residents have had no problem contacting aldermen so far, so I don’t understand what the problem is!
Mark Schmidt
The Hope Institute Springfield
EXPEDITED PARTNER THERAPY
In my years as an LPN, I have seen a lot of changes in health practices, and never before have I been so adamantly opposed to one than that which took effect Jan. 1. It is called Expedited Partner Therapy and is for the treatment of two types of sexually transmitted diseases, chlamydia and gonorrhea. EPT “treats” STDs by allowing doctors to give unlimited amounts of antibiotics to unknown, unseen partners.
The Centers for Disease Control claim EPT is “safe and effective” treatment for these two STDs and encourages states to “overcome” the barriers for its use. Illinois did so by legislating a medical malpractice release of liability assurance to doctors and other clinicians who use EPT.
Why does any “safe and effective” treatment need to be legislatively released from liability in order for doctors to use it? The legislature included the term but failed to define “except for willful misconduct.” This is a loosely-defined term which may be difficult to prove. Will the doctors be protected from other medical malpractice while under the guise of or umbrella of EPT use? That is yet to be determined.
Health care should be ethical and safe. With or without the knowledge of their parents, teens who seek STD treatment should be able to trust their treatment provider to give them the best care. The treatment provider should not be using EPT as a shield to just throw some pills at the problem and hope it goes away. Treatment providers must be willing to take the time to answer any and all questions a teen has, to answer those questions the teens are afraid to ask and to answer all of those questions teens don’t know they should ask.
I wrote the CDC with questions and concerns about EPT months ago and received no response. I wrote a letter to the governor’s office many months before he signed the legislation and a law student working in his office contacted me two days before it was signed and I was not allowed to show a research study he should have seen.
I am urging everyone who believes they have contracted an STD to seek a complete medical exam. EPT only treats two infections. Other infections could go undetected without a complete exam. Be fully informed before you request it. EPT is not the best or only way. Educate yourself and your children before they are sexually active. If your children are sexually active, keep educating them and make sure they get complete medical care.
Talma M. Brown,
LPN Springfield
PRAYERS FOR WRONGLY IMPRISONED
Sunday, Feb. 7, could be a day of reckoning for seven Baha’is standing trial that day in Iran. These seven ordinary and peaceful people have been imprisoned for 20 months on a variety of government-fabricated charges — including spying for Israel — that carry a potential death penalty. They have done nothing wrong, except practice a religion not recognized by the Islamic state in which they live. International support for the seven innocent Baha’is has been significant and includes resolutions approved by the United Nations, both houses of Congress and numerous other nations. More information on the situation in Iran can be found at http://iran.bahai.us/.
What currently is needed, perhaps more than anything, are prayers.
Toward this end, a special devotional gathering will be held at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 7, at the Springfield Baha’i Center (corner of 8th and Allen). The Springfield Baha’i community encourages all people of faith and goodwill to attend the devotional gathering — or offer prayers at their homes or places of worship.
The Baha’is of greater Springfield thank your readers in advance for their kind thoughts and prayers during this difficult period.
Mike Lang
Baha’is of Springfield
