Posted on 08/07/2014 2:05:46 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Renowned neurosurgeon and possible 2016 presidential hopeful, Dr. Benjamin Carson criticized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Monday for bringing two Ebola infected missionaries to the U.S. for treatment, citing the highly contagious and deadly nature of the disease.
"Why would we bring that into our country? Why would we expose ourselves when we already know that there are problems that can occur and have occurred," said Carson, who is a former director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University and Hospital, in an interview with Newsmax TV.
"Ebola is a terrifying disease. If you don't treat it, close to 90 percent of the people will die," said Carson.
Two missionaries, Dr. Ken Brantly, 33, who works with Samaritan's Purse and Nancy Writebol, 59, an aid worker with SIM, are both being treated at a special unit set up at Emory University Hospital in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, after being infected with the deadly virus while working in Liberia. They were both flown to the U.S. in the last few days after receiving doses of a trial serum call ZMapp and are now reportedly improving.
Dr. Carson, however, does not believe it was a wise move to treat them stateside.
"I'm a little concerned that we're bringing it back here. I think we have the ability to treat it in other places," said Carson.
"The reason I would be concerned about bringing it back here is because it is transmitted primarily through bodily fluids. And it can actually survive outside of the host, outside of the body for several days at least. Which means that, let's say a container or urine or vomit or whatever for whatever reason, gets disseminated into the public, you got a big problem," he noted.
"Why do we even risk such a thing when we can send experts elsewhere? We can send a plane equipped to handle this somewhere to land. We can create parts of a hospital somewhere. We have lots of options," explained Carson.
When asked if he thought it was a mistake for the CDC and Emory University Hospital to bring the missionaries back to the U.S. for treatment, Carson said: "I certainly would treat it where it is and then once we have cured the individuals, bring them back with open arms."
"It is a highly contagious disease and all it requires is infractions in some procedures and all of a sudden you got more spread, and that's what I am afraid of," said Carson.
I have seen those hospitals. Impressive.
I have to wonder what sort of assistance the CDC is sending over with the 50 personnel they’re sending. Hopefully good stuff.
While I do NOT support more aid to AFrica because it’s usually squandered in corruption, stopping an epidemic like this is in our best interests.
I’m a cynic and suspect the whole driving force behind bringing them here was to secure funding for Emory and a publication stream for the attendings.
You are so right.
You’re welcome!
Carson is wrong. Flat out wrong.
Ebola has an incubation period of 21 days. Some strains have a 24 day incubation period.
Anyone can travel anywhere else in the world in 21 days, multiple places, and then end up in the United States before they show symptoms.
Ebola is coming to the United States. We can gain experience in treating these few American patients under the best conditions possible, allowing us to learn how to treat it. Or we can panic and fly blind when it gets here.
Carson wants the infectious disease specialists to fly blind. That is cowardly and short-sighted.
That “MD” after his name doesn’t stand for “Minor Deity”. He doesn’t know everything, and he isn’t an infectious disease specialist.
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