Declarations

Executives Reprimanded

“They were getting facials, manicures and massages, while the American people were footing the bill.”

—Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, criticized a company sales outing held after the government loan bailed out AIG. Robert Willumstad, chief executive of AIG from June until he was replaced last month, told the oversight committee he was not aware of the retreat that included $200,000 in hotel rooms and $23,000 for spa services. “Had I been aware of it, I would have prevented it from happening.” The oversight committee examined thousands of pages of internal documents produced by AIG and former executives.

Cancer Scare

“We’re thoroughly disgusted with the answers.”

—Dennis Pehotsky, a safety representative from the Lewis Engineers and Scientists Association, comments on the findings of a federal health agency that determined two buildings at the NASA Glenn Research Center did not cause cancer among its past and present employees. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health released the findings Oct. 8 in response to concerns raised by a union over the cancer rate among employees. Workers weren’t satisfied with the findings, Pehotsky said. He planned to pursue the issue further. The federal agency’s medical officer, Dr. Elena Page, surveyed 301 current and former employees and found 65 cases of cancer reported since 1985, including nine cases that occurred before the employees started working in the buildings. There are more than 400 employees at any given time who work in the two buildings, which are used for office and administrative work and overlook Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Page determined that the number of cases and many types of cancer among the employees didn’t indicate a common exposure to a hazardous substance.

Drivers Off the Road

“It’s in everyone’s interest to have these patients reported to the state.”

—Dr. Paul Cullis, chief neurologist at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, says most patients who have had seizures or blackouts get the message loud and clear: Don’t drive for six months. But some get behind the wheel anyway, not waiting to see if their unconscious spells or other medical issues persist. Michigan physicians, however, worry about getting sued if they alert the secretary of state’s office to unfit drivers. Bills passed by the state Senate this month are designed to fix the problem by shielding doctors from lawsuits. Michigan is among 18 states without legal protections for doctors who report or don’t report unsafe drivers, according to Dr. Marianna Spanaki, a neurologist at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. “This is optional and we want to keep it optional,” Spanaki said of reporting motorists. “If we choose to fill out a report, then we need to be protected.”