This week on my CRI Radio Beijing Hour podcast, host Paul James and I take another 5-minute dive into the health headlines. This week I talk about yet another food safety scandal, this one involving a type of edible snail called a nassarius snail (see photo) which has sickened many — and killed a few dozen persons — over the last 25 years, and is yet again in the news due to another food poisoning outbreak in southern China. We discuss this issue and the larger issue of seafood safety in China, especially in regards to shellfish.

The second half discusses a new decree in Shanghai that sets up a free medical review board for patients who are disputing care with their hospitals. Apparently, many disgruntled patients hire people or agencies to act on their behalf by disrupting the hospitals, even falsely posing as angry family members. Hopefully, this free government agency will bring some order to this system.

Click on the arrow below to listen to the 5-minute podcast:

[podcast]http://66.147.244.109/~myfamio6/myhealthbeijing/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/beijinghour0823_CUT.mp3[/podcast].

You can always listen to the Beijing Hour on EZFM 91.5, which is broadcast from 7-8am every weekday by host Paul James. EZFM is the popular bilingual radio station on the CRI Radio network, broadcasting here in Beijing and on multiple stations all over the world, as well as live online here.