Mpelembe :: HEALTH & LIVING: Virtual Medical Care

1. CONSUMER ISSUES: "BLOOD DIAMONDS" AND HOLIDAY JEWELRY SHOPPERS. DAVID CRAIG ROTENBERG, owner of DAVID CRAIG JEWELERS, LTD., in Langhorne, Pa.: "The highly anticipated holiday release of the movie 'Blood Diamond' will undoubtedly heighten public awareness of an important issue: the illegal trading of diamonds to fund conflict in war-torn areas of Africa. However, holiday shoppers should know that reputable jewelers have been aware of and dealing with the issue of conflict diamonds for a number of years. Today, most of the world's supply of diamonds is from sources free of conflict. A reputable gemologist ensures that any stone he or she purchases has been certified through the Kimberly Process and/or a voluntary system of warranties that guards against these conflict diamonds entering the supply chain. The industry safeguards that evolved to protect against blood diamonds are effective. Today, the only conflict jewelry shoppers should have is ascertaining the integrity and credentials of their jeweler -- especially during the busy holiday season." Rotenberg also commented on the issue when it was happening in the early 1990s. News Contact: Wendy Ward, wendy@paige2.com Phone: +1-215-321-9822 (11/9/06)

2. DERMATOLOGY: KIDS' SKIN AILMENTS ON THE RISE. DR. JOSHUA FOX, leading dermatologist, is a spokesperson for the AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY. He can discuss risk, prevention, awareness and treatment of kids' skin ailments: "Many childhood skin infections are on the rise, and can cause serious health issues in youngsters if they are not diagnosed and treated quickly and properly. There is a temptation to think of skin infections as superficial conditions that will clear up on their own in time. The vast majority of skin infections do require treatment in order to lessen the discomfort or side effects and to eliminate the possibility of the infection spreading to internal organs and causing more serious health issues. Many common skin infections, including ringworm, molluscum contagiosum, warts and impetigo, are on the rise, affecting 10-15 percent of school-aged children each year or more. In addition, herpes, a diagnosis that often surprises many parents, is also becoming more prevalent among children today." News Contact: Melissa Chefec, mchefec@optonline.net Phone: +1-203-968-6625 (11/9/06)

3. DERMATOLOGY: HOW TO LOOK YOUR BEST FOR THE HOLIDAYS. JOEL SCHLESSINGER, M.D., board-certified dermatologist, general cosmetic surgeon, and president elect of the AMERICAN SOCIETY OF COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY AND AESTHETIC SURGERY: "As family events and photos, work parties and winter cruises draw closer, now is the time to get spruced up with wrinkle-filler treatments, laser hair removal and liposuction. Planning is essential, however, as different procedures have different recovery times, contrary to popular beliefs." Schlessinger can discuss the procedures, new treatments, and ways to reduce potential problems. News Contact: Marie Savine, marie@LovelySkin.com Phone: +1-402-334-7546 (11/9/06)

4. HEALTH: VIRTUAL MEDICAL CARE BENEFITS MOBILE PATIENTS. SCOTT SHEPPARD, president and CTO of WEBVMC, can discuss how breakthroughs in telehealth and software-driven systems can manage the health of today's mobile patient: "Virtual medical care is now possible in any setting: home, church, school, work. The ability to monitor symptoms and health status anytime, anywhere is critically important to combat the increase in chronic illnesses of our aging population, particularly the confluence of diabetes and obesity known as 'diabesity.'" News contact: Joy Scott, joy@scottpublicrelations.com Phone: +1- 818-610-0270 (11/9/06)

5. HOME: ECO-FRIENDLY HOMES EASY ON THE WALLET. BOB WALKER, CEO of BIXBY ENERGY: "Creating an eco-friendly home can save you money and take less effort now than ever before. Attractive alternative energy appliances can use corn and other biomass materials -- instead of fossil fuels or ethanol -- to heat their homes and cut costs by more than 50 percent. Using corn-burning stoves this winter is an environmentally friendly way to heat your home for as little as $1.50 per day. Simple installation and push-button operation of a 'green' home heating system can keep a 3,000-square-foot home warm and toasty with ease." News Contact: Shelley Pfaendler, spfaendler@kcsa.com Phone: +1-212-896- 1248 (11/9/06)

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-0- 11/10/2006

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