The Arizona Senate will consider a bill that could put Arizona patients at risk of complications from filler and Botox injections. Senate Bill 1269which would allow dental hygienists to administer neurotoxins and dermal fillers for therapeutic or cosmetic purposes.
The medical procedures that dental hygienists want to perform use FDA-regulated devices that, if used incorrectly, could cause complications, possibly resulting in vision problems, blindness, or stroke.
These should only be performed by a physician or appropriately trained non-medical personnel under the direct, on-site supervision of a trained physician. This legislation puts patient safety at risk.
With the growing demand for facial fillers and neuromodulators, providing patients with properly trained and supervised medical staff is a guarantee that Arizona must have for its citizens.
Neil Fernandez, Chandler
Don’t buy the Kroger merger
Despite growing opposition to the Kroger-Albertsons merger, Kroger continues to “strongly defend” the merger, saying it’s great for workers and consumers.
They certainly aren’t pushing that hard to benefit us all. Obviously they stand to gain a lot from the merger.
The more they try to spin it, the more we are against it. This merger should be blocked.
Rusty Duplessis, Casa Grande
Blame the parents before social media
It’s amusing to me how politicians and parents blame tech companies for getting their kids addicted and negatively influenced by social media use and content.
Today, it is easier to blame others than to take responsibility.
Why am I saying this? Observation is one of the most powerful ways children learn. And what do our children notice?
They see adults looking at their phones while driving, walking, going to the bathroom, eating (including with their partners and/or family), and even walking with their children. They learn that watching videos or texting is the most important thing in an adult’s life and should not be disturbed.
If we want our children to be less dependent on social media for their happiness, a good first step is for parents to shape interaction with significant others instead of looking at what’s on their cell phones. (Parents may also set limits on phone use, but I doubt the majority of parents are willing to do so).
Mark Loeser, Mesa
Changing the rules won’t kill research
Doug Hockstad’s recent column questions a proposed federal rule change that would provide more flexibility to relicense patents from federally funded research when the price of a product based on it is too high.
It predicts a loss of “$4.7 billion in economic output and more than $172 million in tax revenue” over the next decade as government officials trample on the last spark of innovation at Arizona universities.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The proposal has strict guidelines on which inventions are even subject to consideration.
And it makes sense to consider whether the public benefit of making products of a taxpayer-funded invention available and used by the intended end-users — on behalf of whom the original funding was provided — should be weighed against individual and corporate profits. (Nowhere in the rule do I see that it applies to patents from privately funded research.)
Thanks, Doug, for bringing this to our attention. This rule reform is indeed an important issue. I will contact the White House to advocate for its speedy adoption.
Robert Altizer, Phoenix
The measles case is a wake-up call
The report of measles in public places in Maricopa County (“Traveler with measles visited public places in Phoenix and Chandler. Were you exposed?” Feb. 13) is a reminder that infectious diseases are a present threat, whether we think about them or not.
This highly contagious disease remains in the air for more than two hours after an infected person leaves the area, and vaccination is the only way to protect children and families from spreading it.
Measles vaccination rates have not yet recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in low- and middle-income countries with limited access to basic health services. We need continued funding from Congress to fight measles and other infectious diseases because children’s lives are at risk.
I am asking Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema to protect foreign aid in this year’s appropriations process and support the highest possible funding levels for global vaccine programs for next year.
Cynthia Levin, St. Louis, Mo.
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