January 25, 2008

PROFESSIONAL STAFF ELECTIONS
During the month of February, we will solicit nominations for the three major professional staff leadership positions. These are: the chair of medicine, the chair of surgery and the chair-elect of the professional staff. Of note, the chair-elect will come from the pool of active surgery department professional staff members.  If you are an active member of the professional staff and would like to nominate a colleague for one of these positions, please submit the nomination in writing to Jeff Adam, MD, Robert Myers, DO, or Tom Murphy, MD.  Please identify yourself as the nominator (to allow confirmation that you are an active member of the professional staff).  Failure to provide your name as the nominator will invalidate the nomination.  The deadline for receipt of the nomination is February 29, 2008.

HEPARIN AND NORMAL SALINE PRE-FILLED FLUSHES ARE RECALLED
AM2 PAT, Inc., notified health care professionals and patients of a nationwide recall of all lots of both Heparin and Normal Saline pre-filled flushes.  These products are distributed under two brand names, Sierra Pre-Filled Inc., and B. Braun.  The products are sold in 3ml and 5ml sizes for Heparin and 3ml, 5ml and 10ml sizes for Normal Saline. One lot of Heparin IV flush syringes (1003-02, Lot 070926H) was contaminated with Serratia marcescens, which has resulted in patient infections.  This type of bacterial infection could present a serious adverse health consequence that could lead to life-threatening injuries and/or death.

User facilities and consumers should stop using the product immediately, quarantine remaining inventory and return the product to their respective distributor.  For a complete list of the recalled products, see the Recall Notice.

COUGH AND COLD MEDICATIONS IN CHILDREN LESS THAN 2 YEARS OF AGE
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) informed consumers and health care professionals that the agency has completed its review of information regarding the safety of over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines in children under 2 years of age and recommends that these drugs not be used to treat children in this age group because serious and potentially life-threatening side effects can occur.  The FDA’s recommendation is based on both the review of the information the agency received about serious side effects in children in the referenced age group and the discussion and recommendations made at the October 18-19, 2007, public advisory committee meeting at which this issue was discussed.  The FDA has not completed its review of information about the safety of OTC cough and cold medicines in children 2 through 11 years of age.  See the FDA Public Health Advisory for Agency recommendations regarding this issue.

EVENTS ON THE HORIZON

• February 2008—Nominations for professional staff leaders
• Professional Staff Banquet—March 7, 2008. Look for invitations soon.