Adhesive Arachnoiditis: World Events

The Qualities of Caring and Compassion are Essential to Allow the World to be a Better Place.
                                                            Pastor Paul Youngdahl

God is Just and His Justice Cannot Sleep Forever
                                                                    Thomas Jefferson

With continually improving transfer of information our world has become a smaller place providing us with the opportunity to work together in the effort to resolve many crucial, and until now, unresolved, societal issues.  In the medical arena adhesive arachnoiditis has been, and continues to be a uniquely disabling entity plagued by by continuing ignorance on the part of patients as well as their physicians. 

The Burton Report® wishes to acknowledge the efforts of many, throughout the world, who have endeavored, despite continuing setbacks, to persevere in attempting to protect an unwary society based on their own past sad experiences. 
                                                              Charles V. Burton, M.D., Editor
 
UNITED STATES


From the cover of Forbes magazine, August 21, 2000

See: www.cofwa.org
       for additional information on arachnoiditis 

 
ENGLAND
In this not-far-from fiction drama penned by author and correspondent Roger Radford we are brought into the tale of a loved ones destroyed life because of a poorly performed epidural injection.  The rage engendered by the patient's husband is clearly a tale oft repeated throughout the world today.

The names have been changed, but the players are identifiable to those familiar with the subject. Even thalidomide is being used today with associated informed consent in the treatment of leprosy and cancer.  Epidural injections, for the most part, have not yet been associated with this basic medical-legal requirement.

The Myodil Action Group of England is shown in front of the House of Commons on October 25, 2000.  The purpose of their demonstration was to promote society's awareness of the many personal tragedies resulting from Myodil® iophendylate myelography as well as the failure to recognize adhesive arachnoiditis as a serious health problem.  

Additional information can be obtained at the following sites:

www.arachnoiditistrust.org

arachnoiditis.co.uk

 
AUSTRALIA



This banner was from a September 2, 2000 Vigil held the Sydney Olympics. 
NEW ZEALAND

On November 17, 2000 the New Zealand Arachnoiditis Suffers, Action & Monitoring Society (ASAMS) launched their website.  Contact them at: 
www.arachnoiditis.info

ASAMS has made available to the public a Seminar on adhesive arachnoiditis given by Charles Burton, M.D., Editor of Burton Report® in London in 1995.  The seminar includes animations outlining the process by which adhesive arachnoiditis occurs.  Members of ASAMS have gone to great lengths to make this information available to the public through their website.

ASAMS as also endeavored to focus public and governmental attention on the issue of clinically significant adhesive arachnoiditis.  Their interest and support has encouraged the New Zealand Ministry of Health to support a literature summary which was published in February, 2002.  This study represents the first time that any country in the world has officially demonstrated a concern regarding this important global health care dilemma.