FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2009

Contact: Lana Keeton

Truth in Medicine Incorporated

786-566-7780

FIRST ANNUAL TRUTH IN MEDICINE CONFERENCE

“SURVIVING THE COMPLICATIONS OF SYNTHETIC SURGICAL MESH”

Conference to Address Synthetic Meshes impact on more than 13 million Baby Boomers causing increased health care costs with 30-40% Complication Rate

CONTACT: truthinmedicine@bellsouth.net

WEBSITE: http://www.truthinmedicine.us.com/

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept 19, 2009 –For the first time, a group of injured patients representing millions who have received synthetic surgical mesh for the common problems of hernia repair and urinary incontinence, will meet, one-on-one with patient advocates and surgeons to address the high complication rates of synthetic meshes at the first annual Truth in Medicine, conference at the Renaissance Ft Lauderdale Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Hotel, September 25-26, 2009.

“While medical device makers and some doctors advertise a 1-2% complication rate, thousands of injured patients have contacted Truth in Medicine, to tell their stories of ruined lives from irreversible complications indicating a rate of closer to 30 to 40 %,” says patient advocate and founder of Truth in Medicine, Lana Keeton.

Keeton, herself a synthetic mesh sufferer, helps to educate and support injured patients through Truth in Medicine showing them how to find medical treatment and making them realize they are not suffering alone. “These are very serious complications,” says Keeton.

“Millions of people may have synthetic surgical mesh of one kind or another implanted in their bodies which can shrink, migrate, perforate bowels, the vaginal wall, the urethra and/or the bladder and in some cases lead to death.”

Truth in Medicine patient advocates were the driving force behind the FDA issuing its first Public Health Notification in October 2008, on “Serious complications associated with Trans-vaginal Placement of Surgical Mesh…” and FDA's Information on Surgical Mesh for Hernia Repairs http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/ucm142636.htm. Their focus now is to have the same Public Health Notification warning of complications of placement of synthetic hernia mesh.

Also, Truth in Medicine is pushing the FDA to re-open their Synthetic Surgical Mesh Investigation, following the “resignation” of Dr. Daniel Schultz, head of the CDRH who approved Regen for marketing against the recommendations of internal agency scientists and to re-review synthetic mesh according to the GAO’s recommendations earlier this year to re-review 25 other medical devices approved without assurances of safety or efficacy, says Keeton.

Presentations will be made Friday & Saturday, September 25-26, at the Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Hotel, 1617 SE 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 and include featured speakers:
Dr. Diana Zuckerman, President of the National Research Center for Women & Families; Nancy Muller, Executive Director of the national Association for Continence; and Ken W. Goodman, PhD, Director, Bioethics Program and Co-Director, Ethics Programs, University of Miami.

Doctors Roundtable will include members of the American Urogynecological Society (AUGS), representatives from AUGS' Board of Directors, Dr. Zuckerman and Dr. Goodman.

MEDIA: Will have access to patients from around the country to tell their stories, as well as surgeons and urogynecologists.

BACKGROUND RESOURCES: - Truth in Medicine was recently highlighted on the consumer Web site, InjuryBoard.com in a four part series, which generated more consumer responses than any other single story, and by WPLG TV 10 http://www.local10.com/video/17492050/index.html in Miami. #

ADDITIONAL HYPERLINKS:

FDA's Public Health Notification for Transvaginal Placement of Mesh:

http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/PublicHealthNotifications/ucm061976.htm
FDA on Surgical Mesh for Hernia Repairs:

http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/ucm142636.htm

Injury Board four part series: http://www.injuryboard.com/national-news/suffering-in-silence-from-a-medical-device---surgical-mesh-part-4.aspx?googleid=262334

WPLG TV 10 Miami: http://www.local10.com/video/17492050/index.html

FDA “APPROVED” SAFE AND EFFECTIVE? THAT IS NOT WHAT IT MEANS!

DON'T DIE AN EARLY DEATH

FROM SYNTHETIC SURGICAL MESH!

FDA “APPROVED” SAFE AND EFFECTIVE?

THAT IS NOT WHAT IT MEANS!

“MINIMALLY INVASIVE OUTPATIENT PROCEDURES”

ARE DANGEROUS!

Synthetic Surgical Mesh is a very dangerous product being surgically implanted in millions of people every year. Doctors implant surgical mesh for hernia repair, pelvic organ prolapse and bladder suspension, both male and female. Doctors are even using it now when women have Caesarean section delivery of their babies.

The manufacturers of these products know they cause serious permanent injury to patients, but continue to sell them as safe and effective, “approved” by the FDA.

Major pharmaceutical companies sell small pieces of polypropylene mesh [looks like window screen with raw edges] for thousands of dollars and call them “medical devices”.
The same polypropylene is also used to make pots and pans, roofing membrane, road paving materials, silt fences, carpeting...lots of things.

Polypropylene implanted in humans through “minimally invasive outpatient procedures” can cause severe permanent debilitating pain, death, perforation of the bladder, strangulation of the bowel, inability to sit, stand, walk, urinate or have sex and male infertility. These complications can appear immediately after surgery or many years later.

Patients wind up permanently in the health care system, cost insurance companies millions and millions of dollars and create thousands of medical malpractice lawsuits. This affects all Americans by causing higher health insurance premiums and weighing down the court system, not to mention the devastation to the patient.

Someone YOU know has synthetic surgical mesh implanted in them. They may not even know it. They just know they are sick and in pain. Learn about this serious silent health crisis. Come to the First Annual Conference of Truth in Medicine Friday & Saturday, September 25-26, 2009 in Ft Lauderdale, FL at the Renaissance Ft Lauderdale, “Surviving the Complications of Synthetic Surgical Mesh”.

Please go to www.truthinmedicine.us.com for more information, to become a member or register for the conference. We are patients helping patients to get well and stopping this from happening to others. Join us in making a difference for others!

Your friendly steel salesman, turned patients advocate, p.s. I still sell steel!!
Lana Keeton, Founder & President
Truth in Medicine Incorporated
1521 Alton Road, #198
Miami Beach, FL 33139
truthinmedicine@bellsouth.net
www.truthinmedicine.us.com
www.lanakeeton.com