October 8, 2019 Issue, Page 4 of 10

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Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Tuesday, October 8, 2019 Canada cannot (and doesn't Opinion Page “ElkCituNews want) to be America's pharmacy Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 Green By Peter J. Pitts Drug importation is no longer a pipe dream. Now The plan sounds reason- percent of U.S. prescrip- approved drugs United States. into the increased costs for Canadian patients. If Canada filled 10 quality control. Patients who purchase these medications may not realize they're tak- breakthroughs it’s a pipe bomb. tions, Canada's drug supply ing ineffective drugs until The Department of Health state that's been pondering and Human Services recent- able enough, but neither the Trump administration or any improve. would run out in less than eight months, according to their health condition fails to By Lowman S. Henry ly floated a proposal, dubbed drug importation has ever one study. Other counterfeit drugs Environmentalists just got some great news. the "Safe Importation Action consulted the Canadian gov- Even if Canada had an are composed of potentially America’s power plants will emit 2.3 percent less carbon Plan," to allow Americans to ernment. Had they done so, endless supply of treatments, deadly substances. Investi- dioxide this year compared to 2018. Even better, emissions use Canada as their personal they'd see that our neighbors drug importation is dan- gators have found counter- will continue falling next year, according to a new report pharmacy. to the north have some seri- gerous. Though the Trump feit medicines that contain from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The FDA has stated over ous concerns with the pro- administration's new plan everything from paint thin- This progress isn’t the result of new environmental pro- and over again that our gov- posal. states that the drugs would ner and antifreeze to arsenic ernment cannot vouch for the Canadian officials have be verified before importa- and uranium. From April tections or alternative-energy breakthroughs. The credit ac- tually belongs to natural gas firms. safety and efficacy of Cana- already stated that "Canada tion, the Canadian govern- 2016 to March 2017 alone, dian medicines. Pushing this does not support actions that ment has stated that it cannot Health Canada seized close These companies have harvested such massive quanti- policy through would need- could adversely affect the guarantee a drug's effective- to 5,500 packages of coun- ties of the cheap, relatively clean-burning fuel that power lessly threaten patient health supply of prescription drugs ness. terfeit drugs. plants have transitioned away from energy sources with and well-being. And, it's in Canada and potentially Counterfeit drugs are very Access to high-quality higher emissions such as coal. The firms have also invested infeasible -- Canada simply raise costs of prescription common in foreign markets. medicines is a crucial issue, millions to make their drilling operations as environmen- doesn't have enough drugs to drugs for Canadians." These In fact, one out of ten medi- but drug importation is not tally friendly as possible. share with the United States. concerns are justified. cations is fake, according to the answer. The Trump ad- Green activists often demonize these companies. They The Safe Importation Ac- Canada is just one-tenth a 2017 report by the World ministration’s drug importa- ought to thank them instead. tion Plan offers two paths the size of the United States Health Organization. Never- tion plan would create more New drilling technologies, such as fracking, greatly forward for drug importa- with a mere 37 million peo- theless, counterfeit medicine problems than it would solve boosted natural gas production starting in the mid-2000s. tion. First, states, wholesal- ple. Given the sheer magni- sales add up to billions of by jeopardizing Canada's Power plants soon began switching to this invisible fuel, ers, or pharmacists could tude of the U.S. population dollars a year. drug supply and exposing which was cheaper than coal and also produces about 50. submit plans for demon- -- a whopping 329 million There are two types of Americans to deadly coun- percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions. Thanks to this stration projects for HHS to people -- there's no way counterfeit medicines. The terfeits. transition, U.S. carbon dioxide emissions fell 8 percent be- review outlining how they Canada could cover drugs first are cheap copies of Peter J. Pitts, a former tween 2010 and 2017. would import Health-Cana- for all Americans. commonly sold drugs mas- FDA Associate Commis- Natural gas firms have actively tried to cut emissions da approved drugs. Second, The strain on the Cana- querading as the real thing. sioner, is president of the even further. manufacturers could import dian medicine supply would They contain few if any ac- Center for Medicine in the versions of existing FDA- likely lead to shortages and tive ingredients and have no Public Interest. Consider Ecosphere Technologies. The company devel- oped a new technique that employs ozone to remove con- taminants from fracking water. Via ultrasound technology, The way to an A: Busy student schedule Ecosphere creates tiny bubbles that kill contaminants and help disinfect water when they pop. Then, the company breeds opportunity to teach time management runs an electrical current through the fluid to break down salts. By Jan Barrick Successful people do not help students identify an ex- Finally, help your child The process helps fracking operations reuse massive The school year is careen- have more time; they simply isting windowoftime so that prepare for adulthood by quantities of water, which reduces pressure on aquifers. It ing toward Fall Break at use their time wisely. studying can occur at the giving them the study tools also reduces the need for using chemicals such as descaling what seems like break-neck Time management is a life same time each day. Make it they need, and then letting agents and biocides. speed. Parents, students skill that can serve students a habit, and it will automati- your child set the schedule. These new techniques have already benefited the envi- and even teachers may find well into adulthood. Parents cally become more ... well The life lessons available themselves struggling to who recognize the learning ++. automatic. from managing their time ronment. In Pennsylvania, for example, the amount of wa- keep pace with a cluttered opportunity derived from a 2. Know where to study won’t be learned if you as ter reused in fracking operations ballooned from 2.6 mil- calendar of schoolwork, busy student’s schedule — - Having a space free ofdis- the parent do all the sched- lion barrels a year in 2010 to over 22 million in 2015. family obligations and ex- and who use that opportuni- tractions will improve the uling. This is true for any The industry’s also spearheading efforts to reduce emis- tracurricular activities. ty to teach time management quality of a student’s study sions of methane -- a greenhouse gas. For instance, dozens lessons you want to depart While this time of year can — are giving their students a time. A designated, clutter on your child. In the same of firms have joined together to inspect their pneumatic seem overwhelming, it also leg up for life. free space allows for better way a kid can’t truly learn controllers -- which regulate the level, flow, and pressure presents opportunity for kids Time management helps focus. Pick a spot, clear the to drive a car by watching of natural gas. These controllers sometimes release small to learn one of life’s most students deploy discipline in space, and use it. someone else drive, a child amounts of methane into the atmosphere during normal important skills. a way that can net immediate 3. Know what to study drilling operations. I’m talking about time results. —Help your student plan and can’t learn time manage- Recent advancements have enabled firms to reduce -- and management. When it comes to manag- prioritize subjects accord- ment by watching you set Let’s start with this truth: ing school work, proper time ing to their school schedule. the schedule. Teach the even eliminate -- these leaks. So far, firms have replaced or rules, and then hand over the retrofitted about 30,000 old “high-bleed” controllers. The every person on this Earth management can insure ef- Have a math test on Thurs- has exactly the same number ficient, effective study time, day? Set aside extra time wheel. You can do this. So Environmental Partnership -- an alliance of U.S. energy of hours in a day to work to- while making room for for math studying Monday can your child. firms committed to a greener industry -- led these replace- ward their goals. There are sports, music lessons and through Wednesday, and Jan Barrick is a former ments. The industry has also made headway with new leak-de- 24 hours in a day, 7 days a family activities. divide topics for each day public school teacher and week, 365 days per year. Study time can be made based on likely test material. the founder of Alpha Plus tection technologies, such as optical gas imaging cameras. That’s true whether you're most efficient by following Your student will walk into Educational Systems, an These devices scan large areas of natural gas infrastructure a stay-at-home mom, a non- these three basic principles: that test with confidence, Oklahoma-based company and detect the infrared signature of compounds like meth- profit executive, a classroom 1. Know when to study and they'll score better as a that supports K-12 schools ane, catching leaks otherwise invisible to the human eye. teacher or the CEO of a For- — set aside time each day for result of well-planned prepa- through standards based cur- Such tools and precautions have yielded impressive re tune 500 company. study. Ideally, parents can ration. riculum. sults. In Texas’s Eagle Ford basin alone, methane pollution dropped 65 percent between 2011 and 2017. This occurred even as production soared 130 percent. Meanwhile, in the Medicaid expansion, insurance availability Appalachia basin, methane emissions from natural gas op- Enid News & Eagle, Okla. people in Oklahoma have state voters are behind ex- lion being infused into our erations fell 70 percent in that same period, while produc- Work is ongoing on a cou- been supportive, especially pansion. economy every year. That tion nearly quadrupled. ple of fronts with respect to in rural areas. Oklahomans Support was highest benefits everyone, and at the Though often portrayed as reckless polluters, energy the future of health care in say they’re struggling to ac- among Democrats. Indepen- same time thousands of addi- firms are actually using their technical know-how to do Oklahoma. cess health care and their lo- dent voters also favored the tional Oklahomans will have right by the environment. And judging by the latest emis- On one side, the group Yes cal hospitals have closed or plan. Republican support access to affordable health sions numbers, their efforts are paying off. on 802 -- Oklahomans De- are teetering on the brink, for the proposal was mixed, Lowman S. Henry is chairman & CEO of the Lincoln cide Healthcare is working she said. with 41.6% opposing it and care. There are several ru- Institute and host of the weekly Lincoln Radio Journal. to collect enough signatures At the state Capitol, a bi- 39.8% supporting it. ral hospitals in Oklahoma to get its Medicaid expan- partisan working group of Health care professionals that are just trying to keep sion plan on the 2020 ballot. lawmakers is working on a also are in favor of Medicaid their doors open. Expanding Members have until Oct. legislative plan designed to expansion. Medicaid means bringing 28 to collect about 20,000 increase health care and in- “Every day, hundreds of dollars back to those com- more signatures to be suc- surance access. The group Oklahomans slip through munities. Without Medicaid cessful. has met with providers, the cracks when it comes The group’s effort asks surance companies and pub- to access to life-saving care expansion, there is a high to share? voters to expand Medicaid lic health experts. coverage to nearly 200,000 more low-income Oklaho- Gov. Kevin Stitt also is supposed to release his plan because they can’t afford health insurance but yet they make too much money to likelihood that we will see more rural hospitals close.” It appears something will be done, one way or the oth- Send your letter to mans and bring billions in for health care later this qualify for Medicaid,” said federal health care dollars month. Finny Mathew, president of er, either by the Legislature back to the state. Oklaho- Either way, it appears most Integris Bass Baptist Health when it returns to session in ma lawmakers would have Oklahomans favor some sort Center. “We believe State to contribute a share of the of Medicaid expansion. Ac- Question 802 helps close February 2020, or by voters [email protected] Medicaid funding. Amber England, a spokes- cording to a July poll by the that gap. nonpartisan —_ organization woman for the group, says SoonerPoll, a majority of “If Oklahoma follows suit, we are talking about $1 bil- at the ballot box in Novem- ber 2020. Stay tuned.