Dr. Iqbal has made an excellent and timely comment to my previous post. Fortunately, the CDC has now narrowed the source of the tainted romaine to the Central Coastal regions of northern and central California. If you can determine your romaine did not come from this region, it is safe to consume. If you can't determine this, then don't eat it.
Fortunately, the lettuce harvest for this region of California has ended, so there shouldn't be any product from this area available in stores or restaurants.
Going forward, the FDA has asked lettuce growers to clearly label their bagged and packaged romaine products as to origin and harvest date, plus provide this information to retailers purchasing bulk lettuce to be sold or used in restaurants. Nonetheless, consumption of any raw food carries risks of foodborne illness. Salads, raw oysters, steak tartare all can be risky gastronomic adventures, and even cooked food carries some risk if temperatures are not properly regulated (e.g. the big tub of potato salad at a picnic) or if a typhoid Mary happens to prepare your food, as occurred in a fast-food restaurant in downtown Silver Spring in 1986.
You and your patients' families might be interested in the CDC's Food Safety website.
Great info! Love the blog!