|
Aplastic Anemia News - Return to News Menu
China restarts EU honey exports
07/02/2005 - Honey producers in China began exporting to the EU for the first time in nearly three years last week after the authorities in Brussels lifted a ban imposed amid safety concerns.
The first shipment – some 55 tons – left China’s Sichuan province last week en route for Spain. Sichuan is one of China’s four largest honey-producing regions, and prior to the ban – imposed in early 2002 after the discovery of unacceptably high levels of antibiotics in the honey - used to export to the US, EU, Japan and Malaysia.
Honey was just one of a number of Chinese food products (others include shrimps, farmed fish, royal jelly and rabbit meat) which were banned by the EU after they were found to contain high levels of the antibiotic chloramphenicol.
Cloramphenicol is an antibiotic used to control disease in shrimp, crawfish and bees, and is mostly used to treat life-threatening infections in humans when other alternatives are not available. Use of the antibiotic is limited because it is associated with a rare, but potentially life threatening side effect called idiosyncratic aplastic anemia. For the small number of people susceptible to this side effect, exposure to chloramphenicol can be fatal.
According to market analysts Access Asia, although the market for honey in China has fluctuated in recent years the country continues to be by far the leading producer in the world. And with per capita consumption set to rise, Access Asia indicates that production will continue to increase in line with demands. In international terms China is currently by far the largest honey-producing nation in the world, with around 40 per cent of the market. The next biggest producers are the US, Argentina and Ukraine. According to the American Honey Producers’ Association, China and Argentina have been adversely affecting America’s domestic honey industry with cheap imports, although there is a counter argument that both China and Argentina have been helping to counterbalance falling production in the US. Also starting to emerge onto the world honey production arena are Thailand and Vietnam.
Although production has continued to rise the number of bee colonies in China has declined in the past few years from a high of 6.5 million to around 5.7 million in 2001. This decrease, Access Asia says, is due to the introduction of smaller beehives and reduced choice of bee yards. Additionally, many agricultural co-operatives have shifted from honey production and bee cultivation following the poor harvests of 1998 and looked for more high-margin products.
The EU agreed to lift the ban on imports of Chinese honey back in July last year after agreeing that the Beijing authorities had done enough to reduce the levels of cloramphenicol.
http://www.ap-foodtechnology.com/news/news-ng.asp?n=57889-china-restarts-eu
Rell launches blood donation challenge
New Haven-WTNH - Mar. 1, 2005 - Gov. Jodi Rell is challenging the people of Connecticut to give the gift of life.
The governor launched the Connecticut Governor's Blood Drive Challenge 2005 today at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
The goal is to have a self-sufficient and self-sustained blood supply for our state. To do it Gov. Rell is lobbying businesses to sponsor at least two blood drives a year.
"If we have to depend on others we often times will put public safety and public health and local disaster preparedness at risk, and it is simply a risk we can not afford to make," Gov. Rell said.
"I am just one of many children in Connecticut who have survived their illness due to the help of blood platelet transfusions," says 17-year-old blood recipient Alex Gentile. "Hopefully this message will get out to the people of the state of Connecticut that donating blood does save lives."
Gentile, of Bethel, was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia and needed blood transfusions to fight it.
UConn head football coach Randy Edsall was the first to roll up his sleeve at the blood drive.
It is estimated someone in the United States gets a blood transfusion every two seconds.
Press Release Source: American Red Cross Penn-Jersey Region
Snow Storm has Negative Impact on Blood Collections
Please Schedule an Appointment to Donate Blood this Weekend
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross Blood Services, Penn-Jersey Region is asking blood donors to help area hospital patients. The region's blood supply has been severely impacted by the inclement weather and blood donations yesterday were only 75% of what was anticipated, leaving the blood center short by 2700 donations in the month of February.
Due to the severe weather conditions, the American Red Cross was forced to cancel or delay blood drives between yesterday and today in southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The loss of hundreds of blood donations and 25% of the anticipated apheresis platelet donations has created an emergency situation that could disrupt medical care in the region and put patients at risk.
"Apheresis is the blood donation process that enables us to collect platelets. Platelets are essential to normal blood clotting. An individual's platelets can be seriously depleted during treatment for cancer, leukemia, aplastic anemia and other diseases, and their survival depends on the generous platelet donations of healthy volunteer blood donors who sign up to participate in this very special program," said John Hagins, senior director of donor services, American Red Cross Blood Services, Penn-Jersey Region.
This morning the American Red Cross had less than a two-day supply of O negative red blood cells on-hand to fill hospital orders. Type O negative blood or the "universal" blood type is often given in emergencies because it's the only type that people with all other blood types can safely receive. The regional blood supply, which serves more than 125 southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey hospitals, must be replenished each day.
"Our medical staff will monitor supplies carefully and work with our hospitals to be sure patient care is supported while we ask our community for immediate help," said Hagins.
To make up the loss of donations and to prevent a critical blood shortage, the American Red Cross urgently asks all eligible community members to donate blood this weekend. This Saturday and Sunday, all Penn-Jersey Region blood drives and donor centers in southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey will have a variety of Dunkin' Donuts in the refreshment area for donors to enjoy. In addition, each collection site will have a raffle drawing for a year's supply of Dunkin' Donuts coffee! All presenting blood donors will be eligible to win one of these 26 raffle prizes. To schedule an appointment at a location nearest you, please call 1-800-GIVE LIFE or visit http://www.pleasegiveblood.org.
Most healthy people who are at least 17 years old and weigh 110 pounds or more are eligible to donate every two months. Donors can give blood at any one of nearly 200 bloodmobiles sponsored by business and community groups in southeastern Pennsylvania and in New Jersey weekly, or at one of nine community donor centers.
To make an immediate appointment for a Red Cross blood drive this weekend, please call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (1-800-448-3543), or visit http://www.pleasegiveblood.org to find a listing of community blood drives.
PENNSYLVANIA
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Chester County
Great Valley Sheraton Hotel
707 E. Lancaster Avenue
Oxford Room
Frazer, PA 19355
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Montgomery County
Christ Lutheran Church
2211 Sumneytown Pike
Fellowship Hall
Kulpsville, PA 19443
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Willow Grove United Methodist Church
35 York Road
Fellowship Hall
Willow Grove, PA 19090
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Abington Baptist Church - Huntingdon
1501 Huntingdon Road
Fellowship Hall
Abington, PA 19001
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Philadelphia County
American Red Cross
Center City Philadelphia Donor Center
700 Spring Garden Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
American Red Cross
Northeast Philadelphia
Donor Center
Smylie Times Building, Suite 101
8001 Roosevelt Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19152
Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Delaware County
Temple Adath Israel-Merion Station
250 N. Highland Avenue
(Old Lancaster & Highland Avenue)
Frankel Hall
Merion Station, PA 19066
Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Philadelphia County
American Red Cross
Center City Philadelphia Donor Center
700 Spring Garden Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
American Red Cross
Northeast Philadelphia Donor Center
Smylie Times Building, Suite 101
8001 Roosevelt Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19152
Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Chester County
West Chester Donor Center
523 E. Gay Street
West Chester, PA 19380
Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
NEW JERSEY
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Atlantic County
Atlantic County Donor Center
American Red Cross - Pleasantville
850 N. Franklin Street
Pleasantville, NJ 08232
Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Burlington County
Palmyra Emergency Squad
125 W. Broad Street
Meeting Room
Palmyra, NJ 08065
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Camden County
Camden County Donor Center
American Red Cross - Cherry Hill
Rutgers Casualty Building, Ground Floor
2250 West Chapel Avenue
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Essex County
American Red Cross - Metropolitan Community
209 Fairfield Road
Fairfield, NJ 07004
Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Mercer County
First Presbyterian Church - Dutch Neck
154 S. Mill Road
Fellowship Hall
Princeton Junction, NJ 08550
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
American Red Cross
Central New Jersey Donor Center
707 Alexander Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Ocean County
St. Dominic's Church-Brick
250 Old Squan Road
Parish Center
Brick, NJ 08723
Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Middlesex County
Cranbury First Aid Squad
68 Maplewood Avenue
Meeting Room
Cranbury, NJ 08512
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lowe's Home Improvement - Old Bridge
Route 9 South
1324 US Highway 9
Old Bridge, NJ 08857
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Mercer County
Our Lady of Divine Shepherd-Trenton
34 Pennington Avenue
Gym
Trenton, NJ 08618
Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Trenton County
Central NJ Donor Center
707 Alexander Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Camden County
Cherry Hill Donor Center
2250 West Chapel Avenue
Rutgers Casualty Building, Ground Fl.
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Source: American Red Cross Penn-Jersey Region
|
