LETTER
Public Policy and Risk of a Haircut
Khalid L. Rehman, MD
15 September 1997 | Volume 127 Issue 6 | Page 494
TO THE EDITOR:
The brief study of the potential risks of a haircut reported by Gitlin and colleagues [1] has led to an amendment to the public health codes in New York State. This report had shown that hepatitis C virus RNA was not destroyed by the antiseptic solutions used in barber shops. The study highlighted the risks of the nondisposable razors often used for shaves and trimming of the sideburns and the back of neck. After reading this letter, I visited my local barber shop and discovered that some barbers were still using old-fashioned straight razors. I brought this to the attention of the State Health Department. However, it was the investigative efforts of a reporter for Staten Island's local newspaper [2] that caused the Health Department to realize that the existing rules for disposable razors (applicable to cosmetologists and beauty salons) did not cover barber shops. The codes are now being amended. This is a fine example of the quick translation of efforts of the medical community into a policy to protect the public health.
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Author and Article Information
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St. Vincent's Medical Center; Staten Island, NY 10310
1. Gitlin N, Nolte FS, Weiss M. Hepatitis C: risk of a haircut [Letter]. Ann Intern Med. 1997; 126:410-1.
2. Eisner R. Say so long to the old fashioned shaves. The Staten Island Advance. 12 May 1997:1.
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