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Sat May 15 17:45:12 BST 2010

well, it does help that the current LA governor is not a motorcycle  
rider...

ck 

In a message dated 5/15/2010 11:07:05 Central Daylight Time,  
nmcswai at tulane.edu writes:

Interestingly enough the state medical society was not interested  in 
helping  The state police, the trauma centers and many individual  physicians 
sent letters and spoke. So far we have kept in in committee and not  on the 
floor. I hope that continues 

Norman

Norman McSwain  MD
Trauma Director, Spirit of Charity Trauma Center
Professor of  Surgery, Tulane University
New Orleans LA
504 988  5111
norman.mcswain at tulane.edu <mailto:norman.mcswain at tulane.edu>  

________________________________

From:  trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org on behalf of caesar ursic
Sent: Sat  5/15/2010 10:56 AM
To: Trauma-List [TRAUMA.ORG]
Subject: Re: Motorcycle  Helmets on the Air

Dr. McSwain:
Could you share with us why  it is that you feel the helmet law repeal
measure failed in  Louisiana?  Was it a concerted effort by any one  group
(hospitals?  surgeons?  others?)?  Was it public  outcry?  Was it a
sympathetic group of legislators?  A  well-financed media campaign?   I am
curious as to which tactics  were employed so successfully.
Thanks.
C Ursic, MD

On Sat, May  15, 2010 at 3:20 AM, McSwain, Norman E  
<nmcswai at tulane.edu>wrote:

> Thanks Caesar.
> This will  be good for my collections and lectures
>
> We, as a profession,  strive to protect people from themselves, but they
> feel invulnerable  and are far above the need for protection. It seems 
that
> they strive  to be a part of the trauma educational system for residents
> rather  than listen to what we have to tell them.
>
> This of course  includes our law makers throughout the world. Repeal of 
the
> M/C helmet  law came up again in the Louisiana legislature this session.
>  Fortunately for the people of the state it failed
>
>  Norman
>
> Norman McSwain MD
> Trauma Director, Spirit of  Charity Trauma Center
> Professor of Surgery, Tulane University
>  New Orleans LA
> 504 988 5111
> norman.mcswain at tulane.edu  <mailto:norman.mcswain at tulane.edu>
>
>  ________________________________
>
> From:  trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org on behalf of listasmsd
> Sent: Sat  5/15/2010 6:05 AM
> To: Trauma-List [TRAUMA.ORG]
> Subject: Re:  Motorcycle Helmets on the Air
>
>
>
> Exceding 80 mph  in a central freeway in Caracas, Venezuela
> For what will you need the  helmet anyways?
>
>
>
>
> Caesar
>
>  As background, I have fought this battle for more that 30 years...
>  literally. I started n 1975 in Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas  as
> major campaigns and spoken to help others in at least 30 states and  a 
couple
> of countries. When I was president of the American  Association for
> Automotive Medicine (now Association for the Advance  of Automotive 
Medicine
> to include the folks outside of the US) I  spoke  in many states including
> the US Senate. I was on the  American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) hate
> list for several years.  They even claimed to be fighting me personally 
in a
> couple of states.  I was in their magazine a couple of times. At one 
time, my
> research  team had data about the largest number of motorcycle collisions 
in
> the  medical literature. We had data from 25,000 collisions. I have 
several
>  articles in the literature both national and state journals. None  lately
>
> There are 3 groups of people: Legislators, the public  citizens and the
> motorcyclist. Do not consider the medical profession.  As a group, the
> medical folks are not interested in being involved. I  have never been 
able
> to get the state or American Medical Association  (AMA) to participate in
> helmet legislation. They have 'other fish to  fry'.
>
> The legislators are interested only in money. Talk to  them about how much
> the head injury disability will cost in unfunded  patients that will have 
to
> come from the state sources. Talk to them  about the amount of taxes 
needed
> to fund this medical care and  especially the rehabilitation, Talk about 
the
> taxes lost from years of  non production due to disability. They do not 
care
> about lives  saved
>
> The public is interested in the disability of their  children and loved 
ones
> if they get a head injury. Lives saved in the  general population is not a
> consideration Actually no one does. If you  wonder, just look at the 
number
> of trauma deaths each year on the  highway. Does anyone even take
> notice?.....no
>
> The  motorcyclist talk about their rights to do as they please and not 
wear
>  a helmets if they do not want to do so. It is their right to kill or  
injury
> themselves if they please. Despite what the AMA (motorcyclists)  says:
> Helmets do NOT: increase neck injuries, decrease hearing  perception of 
the
> cars to their side or rear, or reduce significantly  the field of vision.
> Plenty of data to support those statement but  they will not listen to any
> literature that you quote. Don't waste  your time with them. Just watch 
your
> back
>
> Pick your  audience and fight one group at a time. Each has a different
>  agenda
>
> Hope this helps
>
> Norman
>
>  Norman McSwain MD
> Trauma Director, Spirit of Charity Trauma  Center
> Professor of Surgery, Tulane University
> New Orleans  LA
> 504 988 5111
> norman.mcswain at tulane.edu  <mailto:norman.mcswain at tulane.edu>
>
>  ________________________________
>
> From:  trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org on behalf of caesar ursic
> Sent: Fri  1/29/2010 9:49 PM
> To: Trauma-List [TRAUMA.ORG]
> Subject:  Motorcycle Helmets on the Air
>
>
>
> If you were  given 90 seconds to address motorcycle helmet laws and why 
they
> are a  good thing on a television news and current events program...
>
>  What would you say?
>
> How would you say it?
>
> Only  a minute-and-a-half, and no Power Point allowed.
>
>  ???
>
> Thanks,
>
> CM Ursic, MD
> general  surgeon
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Motorcycle Helmets on the Air