James Geiger, M.D.--

Informed Consent for H1N1

There is no shortage of emotions when your child is sick. Especially in light of the recent statistics documenting the increased trend in this point of the pandemic of deaths of children from Swine Flu. Although the CDC has verified that the deaths were among children with serious chronic illnesses like diabetes, asthma and immune compromised patients, that is not comforting to parents of well children. Nonetheless, during this H1N1 Swine flu pandemic there are pre-existing conditions which the CDC has identified and publicized which must be considered when making medical care decisions for special groups, such as pregnant women, children and the elderly. These emotions and conditions may generate considerable questions which must be answered by the patient’s parents and doctor prior to initiating any treatment.That process is known as obtaining  informed consent.

A virus does not need consent to infect a child but a doctor must obtain the informed consent of the parent or guardian in order to vaccinate a child or initiate treatment for an infected child.

What constitutes informed consent?

According to the FDA, it is the process of obtaining a patient’s permission for a procedure after the patient and doctor have discussed the risks, benefits, and alternatives of the procedure and the patient understand them.

For example, as an anesthesiologist, the process of obtaining informed consent prior to surgery involves a discussion of both allopathic and complementary methods of administering an anesthetic. Intravenous medications such as propofol and inhaled anesthetic gases are administered to keep a patient asleep throughout surgery. A potential anesthetic complication often discussed before surgery is the patient’s fear of having nausea and vomiting while recovering from anesthesia. I obtain consent to use essential oil of ginger as an integrative medicine technique as well as intravenous medications like ondansetron, to prevent and treat post-op nausea and vomiting (PONV).

The topics surrounding the Swine Flu pandemic are so complex and emotions are so high during this season of national debate on health care reform, that one would be  hard-pressed to say they are truly informed. Especially, when you are in line of people waiting to get immunized by a caregiver at a minute clinic. Our government has spokespeople saying the flu vaccinations are necessary and safely tested. Some lawgivers have written into law that all health care providers must be vaccinated. There are numerous opponents making claims otherwise.

Say your doctor recommends the live, attenutated virus intranasal vaccine (LAIV) for your child. Are you one of the 27% of parents who say they will not allow their child to be vaccinated?  Are you informed enough to ask the doctor if the vaccine will harm an unborn child if my child sheds virus for the next 21 days around me? Is the clinic where you are seeking treatment aware that your child has asthma and is therefore not a recommended candidate for FluMist? If your child gets complications of the vaccine, are you aware that the manufacturer is protected from lawsuits? You can apply for government assistance to cover the added medical expenses if it is determined that the complications are indeed from the vaccine.

What is a person to do? Do your due diligence. Seek help using online digital triage.

Be as informed as you possibly can while adopting safe practices. Besides watching Sesame Street videos with your kids to teach them the proper techniques of sneezing and handwashing, one could adopt natural methods of boosting immunity. Using food as your medicine, consider that garlic, olive, onion, ginger, echinacea, cat’s claw, shitake mushroom, lomatium dissectum, lemon balm, St John’s wart and probiotics are known traditional remedies with anti-viral and immune boosting function.

Be proactive and stay informed.

Dr. James L. Geiger is a board certified anesthesiologist practicing acute care anesthesia and clinical aromatherapy in Arizona. He c ompleted residency at USC and Internship at St. Mary’s Center in San Francisco where he remained to perform cardiac anesthesia with his father, a Cardiothoracic surgeon, for 16 years. At St. Mary’s he developed and lectured on Fast Track Cardiac Anesthesia programs for early recovery from anesthesia and was chairman of the critical care committee. Currently Dr. Geiger is on staff at several medical centers, orthopedic hospitals and surgicenters where he has introduced therapy with essential oils into the operating and recovery rooms. Dr Geiger’s special interest is consulting in the development of patient services for Integrative Therapies and Medical Spa services which care for the needs of those seeking integrative treatments. Dr. Geiger’s speaking presentations are suitable for conventions, resorts, spas and business meetings worldwide. He is the author of The Sweet Smell of Success: Health and Wealth Secrets (LifeSuccess Publishing/ Feb 2009).

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