JoNova
A science presenter, writer, speaker & former TV host; author of The Skeptic's Handbook (over 200,000 copies distributed & available in 15 languages).
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Wokeness and climate delusions affect the medical profession just as badly as any other element of society.
Within the anaesthetics profession there is a push by some to ban the anaesthetic agent desflurane because it is supposedly an especially powerful greenhouse gas.
This happens to be a very useful and effective agent which many anaesthetists prefer because of its fast recovery times and other advantages.
However many woke Australian hospitals have banned, want to ban, or discourage its use because of its supposedly destructive greenhouse effects.
E.g.
https://catag.org.au/wp-content/uploads/CATAG-Position-Statement-on-the-formulary-listing-of-desflurane-FINAL.pdf
https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au/ie/projects/reducing-the-use-of-desflurane
https://greenhospitals.org/news/new-case-study-australia-reducing-environmental-impact-anaesthesia
https://www.sjog.org.au/news-and-media/media-releases/2024/environment-the-big-winner-in-national-decision-by-st-john-of-god-health-care
Beyond that, they have invented a new reason to ban it. Supposedly because it and one of its degradation by-products is a “forever chemical” meaning it’s (supposedly) persistent in the environment for a very long time.
Surely if it’s stable in the environment it means it’s relative unreactive so should do little harm? Stability means little or no chemical reaction?
E.g. see the following paper:
The paper doesn’t actually prove any harm, however.
And modern chemical analysis equipment can detect vanishingly small quantities of substance so just because something is detectable doesn’t mean it’s bad.
I’m interested in people’s thoughts on this and any refutation or confirmation you might offer.
My anaesthetist friend is very concerned that one of his favourite anaesthetic agents will become unavailable everywhere, as it already is at some of the hospitals where he works.
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300,000 people drown each year. Ban water.
1 million people die each year from car accidents. Ban cars.
3 million people each year die from the effects of obesity. Ban food.
Everything is deadly. Deadly needs to be quantified.
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