Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

New Study Questions Effectiveness Of Colonoscopies; NFL, Players Union Agree To Updated Concussion Protocol; NTSB Recommending Speed Limiting Technology In New Cars; North Korea: Missile Tests Were Simulated Nuke Attack On South; Dems Lead In Key Senate Races Despite Low Approval for Biden; NYC Prepares To Open New Shelter As Migrants Flood In. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired October 10, 2022 - 13:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:32:39]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: A new study is raising questions about how effective colonoscopies really are. The cancer screening test is recommended once every 10 years starting at age 45. But how good is the procedure for actually catching or preventing colon cancer?

Let's find out with CNN's senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen.

Hey, Elizabeth. This is being called a landmark study. Walk us through what researchers found.

DR. ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It is a landmark study, Boris. And what it found is that people in the study who actually got colonoscopies, they reduced the getting colon cancer and reduced the risk of dying from colon cancer. So it's another study that shows that colonoscopies save lives.

Let's take a look at what this study found. About 12,000 people in the study got colonoscopies. This was in three European countries.

And the folks who got the colonoscopies reduced the colon cancer risk by 30 percent. Reduced the chance that they would get colon cancer by 30 percent. And it reduced their risk of dying from colon cancer by 50 percent.

It's interesting, U.S. studies, an even larger one, found an even benefit. So it's very clear from this study and others that colonoscopies save lives.

SANCHEZ: The test is notoriously inconvenient, invasive. Are doctors concerned people might use this study as an excuse to not get screened?

COHEN: You know, they might. Because this study was very complicated. There are lots of ways to interpret different parts of it. And the success rates that they found, again, weren't as good as the success rates in the United States. But different countries have different ways of doing things. In

Europe, they tend not to sedate people for colonoscopies, which may mean that doctors perhaps aren't as thorough because the people they're doing this to are uncomfortable and unhappy.

So the bottom line, this study, the biggest U.S. study, it works. And people are concerned that people are going to hear certain kinds of news and say, I'm not getting a colonoscopy.

Get a colonoscopy. They save live.

SANCHEZ: A colonoscopy without sedation, yikes. That sounds rough.

Elizabeth, while I have you, I do want to ask about --

COHEN: It does sound rough.

SANCHEZ: Yes., I want to ask you about another health story in the headlines. Because the NFL and the players union agreed on this updated protocol for dealing with possible concussions. It debuted just one day before kickoff.

What changes were made under the new guidelines?

[13:35:04]

COHEN: They've added another set of symptoms to the no-go list. And, Boris, the no-go list says, if a player is exhibiting these symptoms, they should not be allowed to remain in the game.

So, let's take a look at what they added.

Already on the list were if a player is showing loss of consciousness or gross motor stability, which is a fancy way of staying stumbling or falling, for neurological reasons not because you twisted your ankle.

If a player is showing confusion or amnesia, they should stay off the game.

Now they have added ataxia. What is ataxia? They say now, if a player is showing abnormality of balance, stability or motor coordination, if they're showing dysfunction of speech, both of those caused by neurological reasons, they should not be allowed to play.

It begs the question, why wasn't ataxia there from the beginning? I mean, dysfunctional speech, all of those other things we just talked about, those are classic concussion signs.

Why are they adding them now? These rules have been out for years. Why are they just adding ataxia now? It's not clear.

SANCHEZ: Yes, this all came about because of the Dolphins quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa. It was surprising to watch him get back to that game even after he had trouble standing.

Interesting to see the guidelines being added now after all these years.

Elizabeth Cohen, thank you so much for the reporting.

Now, to a new push to crack down on speeding and potentially save lives.

CNN's Pete Muntean has more on speed-limiting technology.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETE MUNTEAN, CORRESPONDENT: Here we go.

(voice-over): In this electric car, a lead foot can only get you so far. It is equipped with Intelligent Speed Assistance. That means the car knows the speed limit here is 20 miles per hour and it won't let you go above it.

MEERA JOSHI, DEPUTY MAYOR FOR OPERATIONS, NEW YORK CITY: I can't do anything. So, I'm pressing the pedal but you see actually the number is going down.

MUNTEAN: Driving me is New York City Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi. The city is the first in the U.S. to try speed limiter technology in 50 of its fleet vehicles.

JOSHI: We need to be at forefront. There is no reason today with so much technology and so much awareness that anybody should die at the hands of an automobile.

MUNTEAN: Federal data shows more than 20,000 deaths on our roads in the first half of this year. It is one reason why, in its latest safety recommendation, the National Transportation Safety Board is calling on the federal government to start incentivizing carmakers to put speed limiter systems in new cars.

JENNIFER HOMENDY, NTSB CHAIR: We have to remember these aren't just numbers. These are people who have lost their lives.

MUNTEAN: New York's speed limiter program works through something called Telematics. Stored data on local speed limits is cross- referenced with the car's GPS position.

Software in New York's cars gives the driver an alarm --

(ALARM BEEPING)

MUNTEAN (on camera): Ah.

(voice-over): -- or simply just cuts off the accelerator when you reach the speed limit.

JOSHI: It is called a dead pedal.

MUNTEAN (on camera): This system does have an override. If you press this button, you can accelerate beyond the speed limit for 15 seconds in case you need to merge or speed up to meet the flow of traffic. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, if somebody is in the fast lane driving too slow, then, to me, that causes more accidents than driving faster.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It feels kind of intrusive and invasive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think, from a regulatory standpoint, I think it might be overstepping some bounds.

KARL BRAUER, EXECUTIVE ANALYST, ISEECARS.COM: I think the average consumer is going to see this as an overreach by the government.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Industry expert, Karl Brauer, says it will be up to carmakers to accelerate safety without putting the brakes on sales.

BRAUER: I think a move like this is certainly a sign of the future. It is a preview of coming attractions and probably an unavoidable one.

MUNTEAN: A change can't come soon enough for Juan Pulido.

KJUAN PULIDO, FAMILY DIED IN CAR ACCIDENT: I'm really hopeful they take it serious and actually do make the changes.

MUNTEAN: His wife and kids were killed by an oncoming speeding drunk driver, a crash that served as inspiration for the NTSB calling for speed limiter systems.

PULIDO: It is going to save lives. It's going to prevent more accidents from happening and less families having to go through what I'm going through.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Our thanks to Pete Muntean for that report.

[13:39:08]

We have an update for you on some new launch tests by North Korea when NEWSROOM returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: North Korea says its latest state of missile tests is practice, practice for potential tactical nuclear attacks on South Korea. The North has now tested ballistic missiles seven times in the last two weeks.

CNN's Oren Liebermann is at the Pentagon for us.

Oren, the United States has warned North Korea over these missile launches. But the North has ignored those warnings. What is the U.S. reaction now?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, we have still seen that united message of condemnation and criticism coming from not only the U.S. but also South Korea and Japan directed at North Korea and these continued missile launches. Seven times in two weeks, between late September and early October. Mostly short-range ballistic missiles. But also one intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew over Japan for the first time in several years.

We now essentially got statements, read-outs, in a sense, from North Korea. State media saying there it was Kim Jong-Un himself who oversaw the tests. And afterwards, he said these were a message to his, quote, "enemies" and he saw no need for dialogue with them. Meaning the U.S. and South Korea.

[13:45:05]

Meanwhile, the U.S. and South Korea and Japan in response have conducted a series of their own military drills, some quite large scale that haven't been done for years.

The "Ronald Reagan" aircraft carrier and it's associated strike group went to the peninsula, the Korean Peninsula for exercises with South Korea for the first time in several years. And then, as the launches continued, went back for further exercises.

That included not only anti-submarine exercises for the first time in several years those have been conducted but also missile defense exercises if there is a need, South Korea said, for the interception of further North Korean ballistic missile launchers.

So in addition to the bellicose rhetoric we're hearing from North Korea, there's also that further preparation and that further unity as its own mission coming from the U.S. and its allies in the region South Korea and Japan.

So we see that message. North Korea, however, Boris, seems determined to continue on this path. We'll see where it goes from here. And if the U.S. would respond with further missiles and exercises or tests over it has over the past couple of weeks.

SANCHEZ: No sign of escalation at this point.

Oren Liebermann, at the Pentagon, thank you very much.

A state of emergency. New York's mayor saying that a surge of violence is going to cost the state $1 billion this year alone. We have a closer look at his response to the crisis.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:50:50]

SANCHEZ: Election Day is less than a month away, and the closer we get to November 8th, the muddier the picture is becoming. Right now, control of the Senate is a tossup because, despite President Biden's less-than-stellar approval numbers, Democrats are leading in several key races.

CNN's Harry Enten is here to explain what's going on. Harry, you've pored over these polls. Layout out for us what you're

finding.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: Yes. So, look, these are four key swing states where Joe Biden's approval rating is under 50 percent where they are leading right now -- Arizona, Georgia, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

Democrats hold leads of four points in all of those states. And if they win all four of those, there will be a very tough road for Republicans in order -- if they want to take back the United States Senate.

But of course, there's this whole big question, right, polarization. How could the Democrats be leading if Joe Biden's approval rating is under 50 percent?

But I looked back over the last two midterms where there was a Democratic president, that is 2010 and 2014 when Barack Obama was the president, and essentially said, OK, were there any races where Barack Obama's approval rating was under 50 percent where the Democrats were, in fact, able to win.

What we see is, in fact, that there were eight examples where that occurred, in 2010 and 2014. Three in 2010 in Colorado, Nevada, West Virginia. And, in fact, five of them in 2014, Illinois, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oregon and Virginia.

So it shouldn't be surprising if Democrats hold the Senate if Joe Biden's approval is under 50 percent in those key battle ground states.

SANCHEZ: What do you think is driving that? I know in at least one of those states, CNN did polling in Arizona recently, and Nevada as well, and it showed the economy was the number-one issue people were concerned about, inflation.

What do you think is driving the support for Democrats despite Biden's lower approval numbers?

ENTEN: Bad candidates. It turns out that candidates matter. Who knew, Boris? Who knew? Who knew?

(LAUGHTER)

ENTEN: So look at these Republican candidates in those four states we mentioned before, right? Look at Arizona. Look at Georgia. Look at New Hampshire. Look at Pennsylvania. The net favorability ratings of the GOP candidates in all four of those races is under water.

So essentially, what is happening is, yes, Joe Biden isn't well liked. But neither are the Republican candidates. And that is the cause.

It turns out you have to actually nominate candidates who are well liked by the electorate. Because if you don't, you could, in fact, lose races you otherwise should be able to win. SANCHEZ: That is the kind of expertise, that insight, that analysis

that we need Harry Enten for.

Harry, thank you so much. Always good to see you.

ENTEN: My pleasure, buddy.

SANCHEZ: Of course.

One issue that's obviously playing into this midterm election is immigration. And in New York, Mayor Eric Adams just declared a state of emergency.

He's warning immigration could cost the city $1 billion as Republican governors in southern states continue to send thousands of asylum seekers forth.

We want to go to Randall's Island now, just off Manhattan, because that's where CNN's Athena Jones is reporting live from a new migrant humanitarian center that's opening there.

Athena, how is this center supposed to take pressure off of shelters in New York City?

ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Boris. First, I want to show you where we are. This Randall's Island. It's just south of the Bronx, if you know New York City.

This is a holiday but there's a lot of people here hard at work erecting these giant tents. That one is going up there. Further along, you'll see some of the tents that have been put up.

But they're not finished yet. It will be a few weeks before these humanitarian response relief centers are opening.

And it's to try to take the burden off the city's over-stretched shelter system.

The mayor said, not only is he declaring a state of emergency but he's also issuing an executive order to make it easier to put these sorts of centers up quickly, you know, land use and permitting, to make sure they have enough to help.

But the city's homeless shelter system is what is taking in many of these migrants that have been arriving. And 61,000 people now in the system. That's a record. It's over stretched.

The mayor says that number, the homeless shelter population could reach 100,000 in the next year if migrants continue to arrive at the rate they're arriving.

At least 17,000 migrants, many from South America, has arrived in New York since April. Five and six buses are arriving on average a day. Sometimes as much as nine buses.

[13:55:06] The mayor says, look, the city doesn't -- it isn't that we don't have the compassion but we're running out of resources. He has made this demand over and over again. He's making it again.

He wants to see aid from the state government. He wants to see the Congress pass relief. So aid from the federal government.

He also wants the immigration asylum seekers to be allowed to work sooner than they norm early would.

Bottom line, he says we want to help them but we're going to need help to do so -- Boris?

SANCHEZ: Athena Jones, from Randall's Island in New York, thank you so much.

So that does it for me. Hey, thank you so much for sharing part of your afternoon with us. Ana is back tomorrow.

But don't go anywhere because the news continues with my friend, Victor Blackwell, in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)