Governor de Jongh continued his administration’s push in Washington to ensure that the territory is included in key provisions of federal health care reform on Tuesday, when he attended a meeting at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with nine officials of the department who will be directly responsible for the reform’s implementation. The HHS delegation was led by Steven Larsen who serves as Director of Consumer Information Oversight and Chiquita Brooks-LaSure from the Office of Health Reform and included representatives of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, HHS Region II, and the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

“The meeting follows two letters that I have sent to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius informing her of the establishment of the V.I. task force on health care reform implementation and asking her to ensure that the reform legislation is applied inclusive of the U.S. territories in the areas of consumer protection and major insurance reform,” the Governor said, adding, that his meeting at HHS occurred on the 90-day anniversary of the passage of the major health care reform legislation.

"Ensuring that Virgin Islanders have the same access, achieve affordability and quality health care is our prime focus in our conversations and transmittals with officials. We have also had numerous conferences calls that have been specific to the Virgin Islands and, at times included the other territories, to ensure a commonality of purpose across the board," the governor added.

id he, along with the governors of the other U.S. territories, will continue to lobby for the benefits of healthcare reform to be applied to all citizens and residents of the Virgin Islands and the other territories including the consumer protections and reforms that are spelled out in Title I that amends the Public Health Service Act. “Not only is there a need for a high level mechanism to be put in place to coordinate implementation of decisions on establishing the exchanges and on expansion of Medicaid, there is also a need for a readjustment of the Medicare reimbursement rates under the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act, (TEFRA), rates that have not been adjusted in one case since the 1980s. We are approaching the successful implementation of healthcare reform in the Virgin Islands in a comprehensive manner to plug as many gaps as possible, right some on-going neglects, and set us on a path to parity with the states to ensure equity." 

Governor de Jongh wrote to Secretary Sebelius on June 7 and again on June 17 seeking HHS support in ensuring that benefits of healthcare reform are extended to the residents of all U.S. territories. The governor noted that there is presently some uncertainty over the extent to which the insurance regulatory reforms and protections are applied to the territories however, “It is my position that these reforms do in fact apply to the territories. These amendments will provide and ensure the health care coverage of millions of Americans. But the four and a half million Americans living in our offshore territories may be denied the benefits of such protections unless the department makes clear, in its regulations and guidance, that these provisions apply equally to all Americans, regardless of where they live.” 

In his June 17 correspondence, the Governor said he was both surprised and disappointed by an announcement from HHS that only the fifty states and Washington, D.C. were eligible for a first round of rate review grants under health care reform. “I strongly believe that exclusion of the Virgin Islands or other territories from this program is unfair, discriminatory, and inconsistent with the statutory authority for the grant program.” The Governor requested that HHS clarify that the grant funding is open to the territories and that the deadline be extended in order to provide the territories sufficient time to submit an application.

The HHS officials also agreed to the governor’s request to review the Medicare reimbursement rates now in effect in the Virgin Islands. De Jongh said that the current rates shortchange Virgin Islands hospitals by several millions of dollars a year, even though Virgin Islanders pay the same Medicare taxes as everyone else on the mainland. He said that the additional funding that would come from adjusting the reimbursement rates would be used to implement his plan to expand coverage and improve healthcare benefits in the territory. 

The Governor, who has been in Washington, D.C. since Monday, returns to the Virgin Islands on Wednesday.

Governor de Jongh said this morning that the Virgin Islands is closer to acquiring a state-of-the-art vessel that would aid in both medical and maritime emergencies.

The Governor said that a St. Croix company has been contracted to design and build the vessel which would replace the Department of Health’s current ambulance boat, the Star of Life. The new vessel would provide improved service in emergency situations and is part of the administration’s continuing effort to improve services on St. John as well as to reinforce the territory’s capabilities in responding to marine emergencies.

“I am pleased that at long last we will have in place a maritime vehicle that is fast and durable and will put the St. John community at ease. We wanted a vehicle that could serve the dual purpose of assisting in marine emergencies as well as serve as an ambulance boat, thus, we were very meticulous with design details, even to bringing in a highly recommended consultant from the U.S. Coast Guard to assist in this endeavor.”

The contract was awarded to Gold Coast Yachts, a company that has been based on St. Croix since 1985.

The Governor had long promised to push for the acquisition of a new vessel and last December, the consultant along with government representatives travelled to Lewes, Delaware and Northport, New York to witness firsthand the vessels used to provide waterborne emergency medical transport services in their jurisdictions. The Department of Health’s representatives were Territorial Assistant Commissioner Fern P. Clarke and Captain Liston Sprauve. The Office of the Governor was represented by St. John Administrator Leona Smith.

He said that the new vessel -- a 45-55 foot catamaran-hull design which ensures a highly stable working platform -- will be capable of handling large loads and operate in all types of weather and offshore conditions.

Health Commissioner Julia Sheen welcomed the news of the new boat which would replace the department’s ailing ambulance boat, the Star of Life. The new vessel will be responsible for providing medical support and transportation to patients from the island of St. John and should be in use by November.

  “I too am pleased that we’re closer to an acquisition because of what a new ambulance boat will mean for residents. It will not only provide for improved and more efficient response times, but safer rescue operations, better maneuverability, access to shallow bays and areas of the St. John coastline. We also anticipate it serving as a back-up water-based emergency response vehicle.”

In contrast to the Star of Life which could only accommodate two patients and was donated to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division in 1991 following a seizure, the new vessel will be able to transport four to six stretchers and accommodate a crew of five. I

Health Commissioner Julia Sheen announced today that the Department of Health STD/HIV/TB Program will hold a series of events beginning today, to commemorate National HIV Testing Day.

National HIV Testing Day is celebrated June 27 annually but the STD/HIV/TB Program will hold free-testing through July 3, 2010, to encourage residents to take the test. This year’s theme is “Take the Test, Take Control.”

“While June 27 is observed annually as National HIV testing day, every day is HIV testing day,” Sheen said. “We encourage residents to live up to this year’s theme and take the test and take control of their lives.”

Residents can know their status within minutes of taking the Rapid HIV Test which will be administered, Sheen said.

Free testing will be held through July 3 at various times at these locations:

Wednesday June 23, 2010 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

• St. Thomas: Seaborne Terminal
• St. Croix: Seaborne Terminal

Thursday June 24, 2010 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

• St. John: The Market Place-Cruz Bay

Friday, June 25, 2010 (time is TBA)

• St. Thomas: Club 75
• St. Croix: Players Club Central

Saturday, June 26, 2010 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

• St. Thomas: Philadelphia Seventh Day Adventist Church
• St. Croix: Central Seventh Day Adventist Church at Sian Farm Ball Park

Monday June 28, 2010 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

• St. Thomas: Clinic Only HIV Screening
• St. Croix: Clinic Only HIV Screening

Saturday, July 3, 2010 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

• St. Croix: Seventh Day Adventist Church Health Fair

Health Commissioner Julia Sheen today said that events occurring at Health Department locations in both the St. Thomas and St. Croix districts have forced the Department to release some employees early due to problems in the building.

At the Knud Hansen Complex on St. Thomas, employees will be allowed to leave at 2 p.m. today because of a water outage caused by repairs being made by Water and Power Authority personnel in the area.

At the Charles Harwood on Complex on St. Croix, employees will be allowed leave at 3 p.m. today through June 11 because of a malodorous episode exacerbated by last weekend’s power outage on that island.

“We apologize for any inconvenience to the public and hope to resume normal hours as soon as possible,” Sheen said.

Individuals with clinic appointments will be contacted to reschedule.

First Case of Dengue Fever Reported in the Territory
Posted by Eunice Bedminster on June 2, 2010 at 4:21 PM AST

Health Commissioner Julia Sheen said today that the Department of Health has confirmed the Territory’s first case of Dengue Fever. The case was reported in the St. Thomas-St. John district and follow-up testing confirmed positive for the disease caused by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which is mostly found in the home.

Read the full Public Health Alert | Alerta en Español

Environmental Health Enforcement Officer Stevie Webster points to discarded tires that could be breeding grounds for the Aedes Aegypti mosquito that transmits the Dengue Fever virus. Holes should be punched in tires so water cannot accumulate.

In issuing the public health alert, the commissioner said:

“Increased rains can make certain areas near the home a haven for mosquito breeding and place individuals at risk for Dengue Fever,” Sheen said. “We went through both the hurricane and rainy seasons last year without a positive case of Dengue being reported and with this confirmed case, we urge residents to be vigilant and help their communities and the Department of Health stop the spread of Dengue Fever by doing basic things.”

The Department of Health, in collaboration with the Department of Human Services, is now providing dental evaluations for children in the Head Start Program territorywide.

The services include screenings, in-depth examinations and dental cleanings for children enrolled in Head Start as well as new and returning students. However, as part of the agreement between the departments of Human Services and Health, parents must schedule appointments through the Head Start Program.

Parents can call at 773-1972 ext. 234 or 235 for dental appointments in the St. Croix district and 774-5370 in the St. Thomas-St. John district.

DOH Clinics to Close Next Week for Training
Posted by Eunice Bedminster on May 23, 2010 at 10:42 AM AST

Health Commissioner Julia Sheen announced on Friday that Department of Health clinics will close temporarily at different periods during May 25-27, 2010, for staff training. Get the full schedule of closures here.

Ed Note: Cross-posted from the Government House Blog

Governor deJongh welcomed a delegation of health care professionals from West Virginia to Government House Monday night as part of the territory’s plan to improve Medicaid services to residents.

The visit comes following the Department of Health’s submission of an Advanced Planning Document (APD) to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for planning and procurement of a Medicaid Information Management System (MMIS). Following approval by the CMS, one of the MMIS procurement options under consideration was a partnership model, in which the Virgin Islands would enter into a business agreement with another state, building the MMIS functionality required by the territory into the partner’s already existing MMIS. 

Governor John P. deJongh, Jr. welcomes a delegation of health professionals from West Virginia to Government House, St. Thomas on April 19, 2010. The health care professionals are on island as part of the Virgin Island’s plan to improve Medicaid services to residents of the territory.

After initially meeting at the National Governor Association’s conference, Governor deJongh expressed an interest in 2008 to West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin in exploring such a partnership between the Virgin Islands and West Virginia last year. A year later, in August 2009, Health Commissioner Julia Sheen and other DOH staff met with West Virginia health officials in Charleston to see first-hand the functionality and discuss the potential of the existing MMIS. That same month, while attending the MMIS conference in Chicago, the Virgin Islands delegation met with CMS about this potential partnership and received full endorsement. 

At Monday's reception, the Governor said:

“CMS considers the partnership an attractive means of acquiring MMIS functionality without the necessity of building a MMIS from scratch. Thus, we’ve embarked on this vital project with a two-day training and once implemented would show a marked improvement in how Medicaid claims are processed and improve services to MAP clients as a whole.”

The two-day workshop, which got under way on Monday, will continue from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at Wyndham Sugar Bay Hotel. 

The training would focus on the technology and operations and understanding the requirements for operational integration and estimating the time and effort required to do so. The goal would be to gather the information needed to estimate the cost of incorporating the business rules of the territory’s Medical Assistance Program (MAP) to the existing West Virginia MMIS such that the system could be used by both the Virgin Islands and West Virginia without inconvenience to either.

Sheen added that because CMS agreed that the partnership is valuable and merits exploration the agency “has agreed that the cost of the planning session would be an appropriate use of the federal funding granted to the Virgin Islands for MMIS planning and would cover the cost of West Virginia’s personnel attending the session.”

The grant received totaled $850,000 and would assist the territory and West Virginia, working through and defining the framework for a Memorandum of Understanding that would serve as the basis for a partnership.

Earlier today, Commissioner Sheen announced that the Department of Health is slated to receive $693,000 in funding earmarked for “Health Care and Other Facilities” by the U.S. Congress:

“The new mobile units will go a long way in the Department’s initiative to bring healthcare back into the community. We look forward to government agencies and community organizations partnering with us to make access to preventative health care convenient and a regular undertaking for residents.”

She added that the funding, granted through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will assist the Department in purchasing two mobile units for use in health outreach activities.

One of the mobile unit will replace the Department’s aging HealthStop Van on St. Croix that has been used in community outreach activities such as the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening outreach held last August in William’s Delight. The HealthStop Van on St. Thomas has been out of service for over five years and the Department partnered with HOPE Inc. for use of its mobile unit to accommodate free health screenings for breast, prostate and cervical cancer during its health outreach in Estate Tutu earlier this month.

FDA Recommends Temporary Suspension of Infant Vaccine
Posted by Eunice Bedminster on March 23, 2010 at 4:09 PM AST

Earlier today, Commissioner Sheen announced that the Food and Drug Administration is recommending that health care providers temporarily suspend the use of the Rotarix vaccine for rotavirus immunization in the United States.

“We want to make health care providers aware of information recently received by the FDA about the Rotarix vaccine,” Sheen said Tuesday. “As the FDA noted, there is no evidence at this time of safety concerns but clinicians should temporarily discontinue the use of the Rotarix vaccine use until the FDA can learn more about the situation. The Department of Health will keep physicians and the community updated on the FDA’s findings.”

Rotarix is given by mouth to young infants to prevent rotavirus disease, which can cause severe diarrhea and is estimated to be responsible for the deaths of more than 500,000 infants worldwide each year, primarily in low and middle-income countries. The Health Department’s Vaccine For Children Program does not utilize the Rotarix vaccine, Sheen said.

The FDA said it is recommending the temporary suspension of the vaccine because it wants to lean more about components of an extraneous virus detected Rotarix, but that there is no evidence at this time that this finding poses a safety risk.

The FDA recently became aware that an independent academic team in the U.S. found DNA from porcine circovirus 1 or PCV1 in Rotarix, which is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. The FDA said that PCV1 is not known to cause illness in humans or other animals and that Rotarix has been studied extensively, prior to and after approval, and found to have an excellent safety record.

Earlier today, the Department of Health released the following advertisement seeking qualified medical professionals to join Territory-wide "Vaccination Strike Teams:"

The Poison Prevention Week Council has designated March 14-20, 2010 as Poison Prevention Week. This annual observance is focused on raising awareness about unintentional poisoning—a serious and often unrecognized problem. At the Department of Health, we thought this was an excellent time to remind Virgin Island residents and visitors about the Florida/USVI Poison Information Center located in Jacksonville, Florida.

The Florida/USVI Poison Information Center/Jacksonville (FPIC/Jax) is a 24-hour poison emergency treatment and information resource for health care professionals and the public in the northern and eastern coastal counties of Florida. It is one of three Centers comprising the Florida Poison Information Center Network.

Created by an act of the Florida Legislature in 1989, in response to the overwhelming need for emergency poison information in the state, the Florida/USVI Poison Information Center/Jacksonville (FPIC/Jax) is part of the Florida Poison Information Center Network, which incorporates poison centers in Jacksonville, Miami, and Tampa. Currently, FPIC/Jax receives approximately 160-200 calls each day from Floridians in 42 northern and eastern coastal counties in the state as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands, also served by this Center.

The Florida/USVI Poison Information Center/Jacksonville provides an invaluable service to the citizens of Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands by offering poison prevention and management information through a nationwide, toll-free hotline accessible by both voice and TTY. Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, calls are answered by specially trained nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, toxicology fellows, and board certified toxicologists who have computerized access to the latest, in-depth poison assessment and management techniques. The Center is certified as a regional poison control center by the American Association of Poison Control Centers and has been designated by the State Department of Health to serve it's assigned geographic area within the State of Florida.

All poison specialists at the Jacksonville center are registered nurses or pharmacists, many with emergency medicine or critical care experience. In addition, board certified toxicologists are available 24-hours per day for consultations with health care professionals. The poison specialists on staff are uniquely trained to assess, triage and manage poison information and exposure calls. All poison specialists are required to receive certification as "Certified Specialist in Poison Information" (CSPI) by the American Association of Poison Control Centers, the national agency which oversees the accreditation of poison centers and the certification of the specialists who man them.

In an effort to reduce the number of accidental poisonings in the state, FPIC/Jax conducts a full spectrum of poison prevention educational programs for the general public and health care professionals. FPIC/Jax also serves as a teaching facility for clinical and medical toxicology fellowships and facilitates academic rotations for nursing, medical and pharmacy students, pharmacy, emergency medicine and other health professional residents in training, pediatric critical care fellows and pediatric emergency medicine fellows.

The center, located at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, is certified by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) as a regional poison center and serves a population of approximately six million people. FPIC/Jax is a cooperative effort between the University of Florida College of Medicine, Shands Jacksonville, The University of Florida Health Science Center/Jacksonville, and the Children's Medical Services, State of Florida Department of Health. 

Health Commissioner Julia Sheen said today she is pleased to announce that the Department’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program will hold free screenings for women on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at the Al McBean Sporting Complex in Estate Tutu, St. Thomas.

Free prostate cancer screening will also be offered to men in the community.

The event, billed “Bringing Healthcare Back into Our Community”, will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to prostate, breast and cervical cancer screenings, the Department will offer free HIV testing, glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure screenings.

Residents will also receive information on nutrition and oral health and take advantage of on-site scheduling of appointments with the Dental Services Program.

In announcing the event, Commissioner Sheen said:

“After the high turnout in William’s Delight last year, I am really pleased that we can bring these services to St. Thomas. We had several men who showed up requesting prostate screening, which was not offered at the time, so I’m also happy that we can do so this time around."

Sheen added that this will be family activity with entertainment and other fun-filled activities for attendants. Light refreshments will also be served.

The event is co-sponsored by the AARP, American Cancer Society, Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute, Continuum Care, Inc., Office of the Governor, Rotary Club of St. Thomas II District 7020, and United Way of St. Thomas-St. John.

For details call (340) 773-1311, Ext. 3158 or 340-777-9251 ext. 2707.

This week, the Department of Health will celebrate National Women and Girls HIV Day with a special forum designed to raise awareness about the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls in the Virgin Islands. The forum will be held this Wednesday, March 10th beginning at 6:00 pm at the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Center on St. Thomas. 

Statistics show that nationwide, a woman tests positive every 35 minutes for HIV and that more women have become infected since the disease was first reported in the early 1980s.Today, one in four Americans living with HIV are women.

Commissioner Sheen is encouraging women to participate next week’s forum and urged them to make an appointment to get tested. She noted that the department offers free testing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, at clinics in both the St. Thomas-St. John and St. Croix districts.

"Our Rapid Response testing makes it easy for residents to know their status. Testing is free and results can be known in just 20 minutes," she said

STD/HIV/TB Director Gritell Martinez said that the forum is part of a nationwide celebration each year to and is being sponsored by the US Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Women’s Health. She is also urging women to get tested, adding that in In 2009, of the 29 HIV/AIDS cases reported in the Virgin Islands, 45% were women.

Educational material on HIV/AIDS will be distributed and DOH staff will be available to answer questions at the forum. Residents interested in attending should call 340-774-3168 to RSVP or to request for further details. 

Ed Note: Cross-posted from the Government House Blog

Earlier today, Governor deJongh applauded the Health Department’s progress with the Ryan White Part B Program following a site visit by federal officials, who praised the program’s turnaround. The program, which pays for HIV/AIDs medications for clients under its AIDS Drug Assistance Program and commonly referred to as ADAP, lost $400,000 in funding last year because of past compliance issues dating back to 2007. Since that time, officials with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which administers the grant, has held frequent meetings via conference call with the Office of the Governor and the Department of Health to ensure that compliance issues were met.

DeJongh said that, as a result of the progress, the Department of Health is eligible to apply for a variety of funds including a new grant of $1.1 million as well as supplemental funding under ADAP, Minority AIDS Initiative and Ryan White Part B, which would cover primary healthcare for AIDS patients. 

“I am extremely pleased that we were able to turn this program around as this funding is essential for residents who rely daily on critical HIV medications. As governor, I remain committed to ensuring that all programs benefitting the public remain in compliance so that we are never faced with losing grant funding over issues, that often times, can easily be rectified.”

At a site visit last month, HRSA project officers met with deJongh Administration officials and praised the fact that all mandatory reports to the federal agency were on time and the fact that the Department of Health had medical coverage for clients in both clinics. 

DeJongh said Monday that in addition to being eligible for more grant funding, HRSA has also offered technical assistance to the department to identify new patients. Health Commissioner Julia Sheen also applauded the turnaround, noting that the department was on its way to developing a model program. “Nearly a year later, in the words of the consultants and federal project officers, the Ryan White Part B Program has officially put out the fire in addressing all the compliance issues that caused the penalty,” she said.

Ed Note: Cross-posted from the Government House Blog

Last week, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced grant awards to help health care providers advance the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology (HIT). One million dollars was awarded to the Virgin Islands Department of Health to help facilitate a territory-wide Health Information Exchange (HIE). This award will enable the DOH to take a leadership role in achieving HIE in the territory, developing governance structures, technical services and capabilities, and policies required to support the infrastructure necessary to the meaningful use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) by providers through information exchange.

Governor deJongh welcomed the award announcement, saying:

"I extremely excited by this opportunity to participate on the front lines of our nation’s health care technology transformation, and pleased that the Department of Health is continuing to take a leadership role in that effort. These projects, along with the Broadband Initiative currently underway to provide robust, high-speed internet access capability across the territory, will help us establish a world-class health information environment in the U.S. Virgin Islands, to the benefit of the entire territory."

Establishment of a territory level HIE is a critical step towards the goal of a nation-wide interoperable, private and secure electronic health information system. The resulting ability of all providers in the Territory to exchange health records electronically will help modernize our health care system, improve its efficiency, and improve the quality of care for everyone in the Territory. This grant award will help develop the electronic infrastructure necessary to that goal. As a first step, the Department of Health is working to appoint a Territorial HIT Coordinator, a condition of the grant. This individual will serve as the lead on the HIE project, coordinating activities among the many stakeholders and providing overall guidance under the auspices of the DOH.

The National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Dr. David Blumenthal, said of the grant:

“I applaud each awarded entity for its dedication to the mission of improving the quality of health care and for the leadership and guidance it will provide.” 

This grant complements the $231,786 grant announced on December 8, 2009 for development of a comprehensive territorial plan for HIT and establishment of an EHR incentive program for providers. It is also part of the HIT transformation underway in the territory that started with the award of $815,760 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the design, acquisition and implementation planning of a Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) last October 28. 

The Department of Health Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program will host a cervical cancer symposium this Saturday aimed at heightening public awareness.

Health Commissioner Julia Sheen said Wednesday that the Department decided to hold the cervical cancer symposium following the success of a breast cancer symposium on St. Croix last October. 

“This symposium, like the first, is aimed at enhancing cervical cancer awareness in the territory as well as to provide continuing education on cervical cancer for healthcare professionals,” Sheen said. “We also look forward to seeing ordinary residents and healthcare professionals in attendance to learn more about the services that the Department is bringing back to the community through its Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.”

Doctors Edith Ramsay-John, Martin Dukes, and Samuel Hughes will join Ms. Carlene Kehoe as panelists at this month’s daylong symposium. The symposium, entitled “Fact vs. Myth”, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 30, 2010, at the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute’s Bennie and Martha Benjamin Auditorium on St. Thomas. 

Interested residents can pre-register for the symposium by calling 773-1311, Ext. 3158 or 3178. There will also be on-site registration beginning at 9 a.m. on January 30, 2010.

For more information on the symposium, call (340) 773-1311, Ext. 3178.

In a joint statement today, Health Commissioner Julia Sheen and Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Wayne Biggs are urging residents to search their homes for Tylenol Arthritis Pain Caplet 100-count bottles and to stop using the product immediately because of a voluntary recall by the manufacturer.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a division of McNeil-PPC, recently expanded its voluntary recall to include all product lots of Tylenol Arthritis Pain Caplet 100 count bottles, with the distinctive red EZ-OPEN CAP. The initial recall last month included just five lots of products. The expanded list of product lots can be found here.

The FDA said that the recall was prompted after consumer reports of “unusual moldy, musty, or mildew-like odor “that was associated with nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea.

“Anyone who has these products should stop using them immediately,” Sheen said in the statement.

Biggs said consumers can contact the company for instructions on a refund or replacement by calling 888-222-6036.

The FDA said that only Tylenol Arthritis Pain Caplet 100’s with the distinctive EZ-Open Cap are affected by the recall and that all other Tylenol Arthritis pain products are safe.

H1N1 Vaccinations for the Public Scheduled
Posted by Eunice Bedminster on January 8, 2010 at 3:46 PM AST

Earlier today, Health Commissioner Julia Sheen announced that H1N1 vaccine is now available to the general public and that residents can get vaccinated during free mass vaccinations that the Department of Health will conduct territorywide between January 11-23, 2010.

Sheen said the mass vaccinations are being held to coincide with National Influenza Vaccination Week, which kicks off on Sunday and was established to highlight the importance of continuing flu vaccination after the holiday season into January and beyond.

“In order to accommodate as many persons as possible, we decided to hold mass vaccinations for those who did not fall into the initial priority groups sanctioned by the CDC,” Sheen said. “Vaccination is voluntary but we recommend that everyone get the vaccine as it is the best protection against the H1N1 virus."

To learn more and to view the schedule of vaccinations, click here.