-Caveat Lector- >From http://leviathan.weblogs.com http://www.theage.com.au/news/2001/01/07/FFXNM5S5MHC.html Minister survives thrombosis air ordeal By DAVID O'REILLY LONDON Sunday 7 January 2001 An MP who nearly died from the so-called economy-class syndrome wants the Howard Government to ban international airlines that fail to install gymnasium-style walking machines in jumbo jets. Labor's long-time member for the federal Victorian seat of Burke and transport policy specialist, Neil O'Keefe, said he almost died in a Brazilian hospital in November after suffering a seizure on a flight from Sydney. Mr O'Keefe was rushed to the Camara dos Deputados hospital in Brazilia in a critical condition after developing a potentially lethal deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) in his leg while travelling as part of a parliamentary delegation to South America. The MP believes that his daily dose of aspirin, prescribed for another condition, saved his life by keeping his blood thin during the ordeal. DVT usually affects the legs or pelvis, but if clots move through the bloodstream, often fatal pulmonary embolisms obstruct lung blood vessels. Mr O'Keefe supports claims that some airlines have ignored or even covered up the incidence of passengers dying or falling critically ill from blood clots after long flights. He said evidence suggest-ed that DVT was a big safety problem for the air industry. During weeks recuperating in the United States and Europe, Mr O'Keefe learnt that a House of Lords inquiry had been set up after a British MP suffered the same fate on a flight to New Zealand in 1999. Late last year, a 28-year-old British bride-to-be, Emma Christofferson, collapsed at Heathrow Airport minutes after stepping off a 23-hour flight from Australia and died on the way to hospital. Publicity about her death led to a flood of revelations about other British cases. Now a reported 700 people have come forward in Australia, prompting Melbourne law firm Slater and Gordon to consider a class action. "I thought I was an isolated case," Mr O'Keefe said. "Then I discovered the House of Lords inquiry and now Slater and Gordon have 700 cases. Heaven knows how many there may be around the world." A House of Lords report, published in November and produced by the UK Science and Technology Committee, concedes that experts are arguing about the DVT risk in flying. It is possible the risk may be low for healthy people. Big airlines have rushed to commission scientific surveys, arguing that the evidence is equivocal and that the DVT risk is greater in long-distance car and train travel. No one disputes that some people may have a high DVT risk. But the race is now on to quantify the specific risk in aircraft. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
