The Illinois State Medical Society has come out against Illinois State Dental Society-proposed legislation that would allow dentists to administer vaccinations as part of their services to the public. Upon passage of Senate Bill 1217, sponsored by Sen. William Haine (D-Alton), dentists that complete training on how to address contraindications and adverse reactions would be additional qualified providers available to administer influenza and other vaccines.
In a 2010 Illinois Physician Workforce report by Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine which examined the shortage of physicians, the Illinois Hospital Association and the Illinois State Medical Society described Illinois as “in danger of being unable to meet even the most pressing health care needs.” Hence, the Illinois State Dental Society is confused as to why the medical community and Public Health Association would not embrace this offer by extremely well-trained healthcare providers to help vaccinate Illinois citizens when just over 40% now receive a vaccine during flu season.
“This year was a tragic year with 28 deaths and 368 hospitalizations from influenza,” said Dr. Barry Howell, President of the Illinois State Dental Society. “Given the severity of the recent flu season, it only makes sense to expand the public’s access to the flu vaccine as well as other immunizations, particularly in rural and underserved areas where access to a pharmacist or physician is likely to be very limited.”
Dentists are thoroughly trained in full body anatomy and infection control, and already routinely administer injections in their own practices. However, the State Medical Society asserts that this will diminish the supply of vaccines available and undermine efforts to establish the patients’ medical home. But according to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2012 more than 30 million doses of flu vaccine went unused and were likely discarded.
“Neither of these arguments makes sense when the objective with this measure is to provide another convenient option for patients to be properly immunized by trained medical providers. The bottom line is that the State Medical Society simply doesn’t want dentists giving vaccines,” added Dr. Howell.
If enacted, SB1217 would expand access and allow dentists, along with the physicians, nurses and pharmacists, to promote the importance of receiving certain immunizations to prevent serious health consequences.
About the Illinois State Medical Society: Founded by dentists in Chicago in 1865, the Illinois State Dental Society continues to write an interesting history each year through achievements that not only improve the oral health of the public, but also enhance the profession of dentistry. Past leaders in the state and local dental societies have paved the way for their successors to enjoy a bright future in organized dentistry.
The Texas Taxpayers and Research Association responded today to a recent series on tax incentives published in the New York Times. The Times contends that Texas gives out a whopping $19 billion annually in tax incentives—more than any other state.“The Times’ contends that Texas is unique in offering certain incentives, which, in fact are basic tax exemptions common across the states,” TTARA’s President, Dale Craymer said. “They selectively count the costs for Texas but ignore them for other states. Their conclusions are misleading and simply wrong.”For example, over half of the value of “incentives” the Times attributes to Texas is the sales tax exemption for raw materials consumed in manufacturing. Virtually all other states offer the same exemption as a way to prevent tax pyramiding. The Times, however, excludes those values from their ranking for California, Illinois, Florida, New York, and a myriad of other states. This results in the erroneous conclusion that Texas somehow offers more incentives than other states.“The key difference between Texas and these other states,” Craymer commented, “is that Texas is transparent in our tax policy and provides publicly available estimates. Many other states do not, so the Times ignored them in its calculations.”“Further, many of these exemptions are designed to prevent economic distortions associated with taxing a business’s productive costs. To count these very common and basic exemptions as tax incentives is the same as arguing that Texas’ sales tax exemption for groceries creates an incentive to eat.”A more recent, academically honest, report on state tax incentives and business tax costs, Location Matters, was prepared by the Tax Foundation. Surprisingly, Texas scores much lower on incentives than what the Times suggests. “Taxes aside, there are many reasons for businesses to locate in Texas—efficient regulation, rational tort laws, policy stability, etc.,” Craymer said. “What you simply won’t find is a $19 billion bonanza of handouts.”The Texas Taxpayers and Research Association (TTARA) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership-supported organization of businesses and individuals interested in state and local fiscal policies in Texas and the way those policies impact our economy. TTARA members operate in every part of Texas; they employ and provide incomes to thousands of Texans; they produce or provide every type of good or service Texans consume; and, they provide a huge portion of the revenue that supports public services at every level of government. TTARA has been recognized as the state’s leading organization specializing in tax and fiscal policy for more than 50 years.
iKeepSafe is delighted to announce the addition of Linnette Attai to its Advisory Board. Linnette is a media and marketing compliance executive with extensive expertise navigating regulatory and self-regulatory environments surrounding advertising, marketing, content, privacy, safety and ethical concerns. Since 2000, her primary area of focus has been the multi-billion dollar children’s entertainment industry, and the special considerations faced by consumer product, food, movie, toy, video game, television, digital and mobile companies creating content and marketing intended for children and teens.As the founder of PlayWell, LLC, Linnette focuses on guiding clients through compliance concerns related to media and marketing, including digital and mobile privacy and safety concerns. She has previously served as Vice President, Standards & Practices for Nickelodeon, and as a compliance executive with CBS.Linnette has advised the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) on children’s issues, helping to write their guidelines on children’s advertising, and leading a subcommittee on children’s privacy. She was also an active participant on the MMA’s subcommittee on behavioral targeting, and is a member of the Children’s Media Association. Her work in children’s media dovetails with a keen interest in societal issues impacting children, including education, health and safety. In 2010 she completed the Executive Education Training Program at Fordham Center for Nonprofit Leaders to further explore business practices of organizations centered on improving the lives of children.A native of New York, Linnette completed her undergraduate degree at Connecticut College and received her MBA in Marketing and Management from Fordham Graduate School of Business Administration.“iKeepSafe is thrilled to welcome Ms. Attai as a new member of the Advisory Board,” iKeepSafe CEO and President Marsali Hancock said. “With her background experience and genuine passion for digital and mobile privacy concerns, she will be a valuable asset. We are lucky to have her.”###About the Internet Keep Safe Coalition The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) is a broad partnership of governors and first spouses, attorneys general, public health and educational professionals, law enforcement and industry leaders working together for the health and safety of youth online. The Coalition provides innovative resources, including parent tutorials and educational materials like the Faux Paw the Techno Cat® Internet safety book series and animated films for children. iKeepSafe uses its unique partnerships to disseminate the safety resources to families worldwide, including its Generation Safe™ program launched in the U.S., Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam. To learn more, visit 
The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) is pleased to announce its support of National Cyber Security Awareness Month and appreciates the National Cyber Security Alliance’s special efforts this month ensuring that our online lives are kept safe and secure. This year’s theme, “Our Shared Responsibility,” emphasizes that the internet is a shared resource and securing it is everyone’s responsibility. Further, the month highlights that if each of us does our part, “together we will be a more resilient and safer digital society.”National Cyber Security Awareness Month, conducted every October since 2001, is an annual awareness-raising effort that seeks to encourage everyone to protect their networks and our nation’s critical cyber infrastructure. NCSA works in collaboration with partners across the country to empower consumers, schools, businesses and government agencies to stay safe online.In celebration of the month, iKeepSafe will do its part to raise awareness of the importance of cyber security. The organization will be attending the 11th Annual Cyberethics, Cybersafety, and Cybersecurity Conference in College Park, Maryland on October 4th and 5th. In addition, iKeepSafe has officially shown its support for the month and its commitment to cyber security by participating as a National Cyber Security Awareness Month “champion.” As a champion, iKeepSafe recognizes that we all share the responsibility to secure our part of cyberspace and the networks we use.“iKeepSafe strives to educate families and educators about the importance of cyber security throughout our daily outreach and communication efforts,” said Marsali Hancock, President and CEO of iKeepSafe. “We strongly support the National Cyber Security Alliance’s mission, vision and efforts in promoting ‘Our Shared Responsibility’ in celebration of National Cyber Security Awareness Month this October.” To learn more about iKeepSafe, visit ikeepsafe.org.###About the Internet Keep Safe CoalitionThe Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) is a broad partnership of governors and first spouses, attorneys general, public health and educational professionals, law enforcement and industry leaders working together for the health and safety of youth online. The Coalition provides innovative resources, including parent tutorials and educational materials like the Faux Paw the Techno Cat® Internet safety book series and animated films for children. iKeepSafe uses its unique partnerships to disseminate the safety resources to families worldwide, including its Generation Safe™ program launched in the U.S., Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam.
Alfred State ranks no. 7 among top public schools/regional colleges (north) according to the most recent U.S. News and World Report’s 2013 Best Colleges report for the second year in a row. Additionally, Alfred State ranked no. 23 on the list of top regional colleges in the North, up from the no. 25 spot last year. Alfred State was also included in the rankings of those colleges with the highest average freshman retention rate, coming in at 74 percent. These figures represent a gain over previous year’s rankings!U.S. News and World Report’s annual ranking studies more than 1,600 schools nationwide and is the most trusted and comprehensive research tool students and parents look to when considering higher education choices.Dr. John M. Anderson, Alfred State president,attributes the top ranking and Alfred State’s increased ranking on the list to the compelling relevancy Alfred’s project-based learning has on students and employers alike. “The way we approach project-based learning is unique to us in many ways which is why it has become a cornerstone of our culture,” said Anderson. “Our focus is on teaching students how to think – not what to think – and that is something that resonates extremely well with employers. In fact, it is the reason why we are able to boast a 99% employment and transfer rate.”The category of ‘top public schools’ refers to public colleges and universities from small liberal arts colleges to large research institutions. The ‘regional colleges’ category on the report encompasses schools that focus almost exclusively on the undergraduate experience while offering a broad range of programs in the liberal arts and in fields such as business, nursing, and education. Alfred State is a member of the technology college sector within the State University of New York (SUNY) system. The College offers 52 associate degree programs, 20 baccalaureate degree programs, and three certificate programs in addition to an array of online programs. For more information, contact Tami Bacon, Marketing Communications Specialist at Alfred State at (607) 587-4230 or 
Contract Gurus (