I get a lot of e-mails from companies pitching health products. I don't do product endorsements so they end up in my electronic wastebasket. But I got one from a company (nameless because I'm not endorsing any particular product) that questioned the advisability of sending fresh flowers to people in the hospital -- and of course having an alternative flower solution.

It made me question: Is it bad to send flowers to a hospital patient? I've certainly sent patients flowers.

A call to two of our hospitals in Fresno provided some answers.

From Community Medical Centers: "We deliver natural flowers to our patients but not to our ICU Patients. Our ICU patients can receive artificial flowers but not natural flowers. I'm not aware of any allergen free, fragrance free, etc. stuff that is delivered to our patients from the outside. I do know that our gift shop doesn't purchase referenced items."

And from Kaiser Permanente Medical Center: "Fresh flowers and plants are not allowed in the ICU or in rooms of patients who have allergies or who are neutropenic (low white blood cell count)."

But before you cancel the fresh flower delivery, here's the flip side from Erin Kennedy, a Community Medical Centers spokeswoman: "I sit on a customer service work group ... there definitely is a benefit to our patients in having their spirits lifted by such gifts as they heal."