Drugs & Pharmacology Blogs This is an OPML file. It can be used to export all the MedWorm RSS feeds on this topic into your personal RSS reader (usually you have to save this file to your own computer before clicking on an Import OPML command in your own feed reader to upload the file which will then import all the feeds) or it can be used by webmasters to integrate MedWorm feeds with their own website. This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader, such as GoogleReader, or to display this data on your own website or blog. Subscribe to this data using MyMedWorm.Subscribe to this data using GoogleReader.Subscribe to this data using Bloglines.Subscribe to this data using MyYahoo.

This page shows you the most recent publications within this specialty of the MedWorm directory. This is page number 17.

Pharm! (Okay now I promise to stop talking about it for a while)
Pharmacology went incredibly well. It was a tough exam, but I totally rocked it! The only bad thing, apart from that a lot of people think they did poorly of course, is that there was absolutely nothing on there about autonomic nervous system pharmacology. I knew my adrenergic agonists, adrenergic blockers, anticholinergics, and parasympathomimetics like the back of my hand; I'm pretty sure by this point I could have recited them in my sleep, and there wasn't a single question about them! (They are SUCH interesting drugs too -- I was really looking forward to questions on mechanisms for treating hypertension, cardiac arres...
Source: I'm Not Anti-Social, I'm Just Pre-Med - March 2, 2009 Category: Medical Students Source Type: blogs

Can Anyone Be a Regulatory Writer?
Knowing that regulatory writing is one of the best-paid venues in medical writing, some people have asked me how to break into this industry. But I always tell them that regulatory writing is not for everyone.First, you must consider your background. Most regulatory writing positions at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies require that you have an advanced degree (MD or PhD); some prefer or require experience in a particular therapeutic area. There are exceptions of course, and some CROs may give junior writers opportunities at regulatory writing.“Our experience is that you need to be a good scientist first, prefer...
Source: Medical Writer - March 2, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Source Type: blogs

Micrograms, Tapering, and the Ubiquitous Nature of Addiction
One thing I enjoy so much about the blog is that I receive comments from people around the world… hello to my new friend in Holland, and California, and New York… I have also mentioned before how the miserable disease of opiate dependence affects people from all jobs and socioeconomic groups. I receive messages from members of the underground world of opiate dependence, and so often I think about how surprised people would be to know what a huge problem this is! Writers, stockbrokers, artists, businessmen, doctors, lawyers, factory workers, photographers, teachers, students, IT professionals, waitresses, real...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - March 1, 2009 Category: Addiction Authors: SuboxDoc Tags: 12 steps Chronic pain addiction buprenorphine education pharmacology receptor actions subutex terminal uniqueness opiate addiction opiate addicts recovery stopping suboxone suboxone patients taper suboxone Source Type: blogs

Day 128
: Wednesday December 3, 2008 We started the day with our last day of physiology and that would be with the 6th and final test. It was all on the most recent material, renal physiology. The test was pretty easy…I hope the rest of the test and finals coming up go the same way Next we had a lecture in pharmacology. We basically wrapped up all the material that we have been going over and talked more about the cumulative final next week. There will be two discussions questions, but we are not sure how much they will count. The teacher said he would make sure that they didn’t hurt anyone’s grades ov...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - March 1, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

Just wanted to say...
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE pharmacology.Okay, back to the books. It's going really well but it's starting to get dark now; as a result I'm losing energy fast. A good cuppa tea should do the trick I hope...
Source: I'm Not Anti-Social, I'm Just Pre-Med - March 1, 2009 Category: Medical Students Source Type: blogs

Day 126
: Monday December 1, 2008 First let me say how nice it was to actually have days off from class. I think little breaks are needed throughout the semester so that we, the students, can rest a bit and regain some of our strength and stamina. I’m not saying we should have 6 days off all the time, but maybe a day here or there would be good for refreshing the brain. Maybe that could be a research topic…who knows. As before we started bright and early on this Monday morning with renal physiology. Actually today was acid/base balance as it applies to renal physiology. We actually had already covered all t...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - March 1, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

Day 125
: Monday November 24, 2008 Its always hard to focus on the day before you get to go on a four 6 day vacation away from school, but I tried. We started with another renal lecture in physiology, this time on electrolyte imbalance. Another topic that I think is important to get a grasp of since i’m certain it will appear throughout the rest of our schooling and career. You always have to know about electrolytes and how what you are giving or doing will mess with them. Next was pharmacology. We did get word that the majority of our final will be new material that was been presented since the last test. Thank good...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - March 1, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

Day 124
: Friday November 21, 2008 More renal material today in physiology. The specific topic of the day was fluid balance. Come to think of it, i’m sure I will see most of this material again when we have to take clinical medicine class on the urinary system. So I guess it is good to learn some of the basics now. Next was another pharmacology lecture. Looking at the calendar its hard to believe that after thanksgiving break there will 2 more pharmacology lectures. Our last day of lecture type classes is Thursday December 4th. We actually had to go ahead and sign up for a day to do our physical exam on a fello...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - March 1, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

Day 123
: Thursday November 20, 2008 I started the day off with small group going over the physical examination. Actually we have a second year PA student teaching our small group as part of his research and teaching rotation. It actually helps quite a bit to have someone teach you tricks and tips of the physical exam that they remember from having to do it in a small group setting. He told us to move as quickly as we could, but not to get lost. I think this advice is right on. You have to do aspects of the physical quickly since you only have so long, or in our case, we only have an hour to complete a full physical. I...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - March 1, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

I
We're writing a pharmacology midterm on Monday so I've pretty well been studying nonstop, but I thought I'd emerge from my study cave for a quick update. Pharm is going swimmingly, it really is such a fascinating subject. I seem to be on a study roll which I'll hopefully be able to keep up for the remainder of the weekend -- the plan is to go through all the material two or three more times, as there are a lot of little details to remember and I want to make sure I know them all cold.My best friend and I are going to go have Bubble Tea and quiz each other shortly, have a wonderful remainder of the weekend all of you!
Source: I'm Not Anti-Social, I'm Just Pre-Med - February 28, 2009 Category: Medical Students Source Type: blogs

Out of Suboxone for a few days
A question from a person caught out of town without Suboxone: Hello doc - After weeding out all the misinformation on Suboxone which can be found on the ‘internets’, I now I read your blog pretty much exclusively. I have an important time-sensitive issue here and could use your advice. I have been on Suboxone/Subutex in some form since March 2008, after a 3 y/o long affair w/opiates and dangerous amounts of Tramadol. I recently went rapidly down from 20 mg/daily to 8-10mg/daily. Feeling not too bad - just sleepy w/lack of energy. I’m pretty much maintained at 8 mgs right now and hoping to stay that way until I go dow...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - February 28, 2009 Category: Addiction Authors: SuboxDoc Tags: addiction education pharmacology tolerance withdrawal methadone addiction methadone suboxone conversion methadone withdrawal out of suboxone Source Type: blogs

Day 122
: Wednesday November 19, 2008 Today as you can expect we continued with renal in physiology. Today’s topic was micturition. What in the world is that??? Its really just a fancy way of saying urination. See look, if you read my blog you learn something new all the time In pharmacology today we had a standard lecture and then he actually did a quick run through of what was going to be on the test. It helps when they give you an idea of what to study. Now I just hope I can answer it all right on the test. Like Monday, the rest of the day was spent on EKGs. The first lecture from 10-12 was on rhythms origi...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - February 27, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

Day 121
: Tuesday November 18, 2008 Another Tuesday…another short day. Man how I love Tuesdays! To in Biostat we covered Multivariable analysis. Basically the same stuff that we have been covering for a while just a little more detailed. So I guess still new material, but at least there is not test over this material Being a short day I must force myself to study for the pharmacology test this Thursday. I guess the hard part is forcing oneself to study!
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - February 27, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

Day 120
: Monday November 17, 2008 We continued in physiology today with more renal stuff. Today’s specific topic was glomerular filtration and tubular re-absorption. Nothing too too complicated, but if you don’t have all your ions straight you might have trouble. Next was pharmacology. I just got word today that the pharm final is cumulative. That kind of worries me a bit since it will be a lot of information to go over and make sure I know. I guess this all stems from the fact that thanksgiving break is next week and finals will be right after that!! After pharmacology we had our 3rd test in physical assess...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - February 27, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

Day 119
: Friday November 14, 2008 Another bright and early start with physiology and new topic…Kidney structure and function. I think I will actually like this topic because it applies to all patients. You have to know how the kidneys are working so you know which drugs to give when and so forth. Next was pharmacology. I hear that the third semester of pharmacology is nothing but case studies, so that should be fun. I guess you just have to make it through learning all the drugs and interactions before you actually get to thinking about using them. After pharm we had another review session in physical examination fo...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - February 27, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

Day 117
: Wednesday November 12, 2008 I actually got up very early today…around 5am or so to get in a few last minute things for todays physiology test at 8am. I’m not sure how I did. I think this was probably one of the hardest physiology test that we have had, but I think I got a majority right. I guess I will just have to wait and see. Next was pharmacology. Good ole’ pharm. I guess i’ll leave it at that. The rest of the day was filled with infectious disease lectures. First was a lecture by an M.D. on Tuberculosis. I actually made sure I paid attention for this lecture since I know that th...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - February 27, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

Just wanted to say...
The barista at this Second Cup is ADORABLE. And very friendly. I think I shall be studying here more often...Okay, back to my pharmacology notes.
Source: I'm Not Anti-Social, I'm Just Pre-Med - February 26, 2009 Category: Medical Students Source Type: blogs

Breast Implant Deflation
Recently I had a patient call to tell me to report that her right breast implant had deflated. She is a patient from the early years of my practice. This is her second deflation, but this one is complicated by pregnancy. She has listened to my “lectures” over the years and was not panicked. She wanted to check in with me. I reminded her Your body will simply absorb the IV saline that was used to fill the implant. It isn’t a medical emergency though it can be embarrassing. We can take our time and fit it into your life/work schedule (If patient is pregnant, it can safely wait until the de...
Source: Suture for a Living - February 26, 2009 Category: Plastic Surgeons Tags: Implants surgery plastic surgery breasts Source Type: blogs

Pall-Pourri: quality, stroke prognosis, rational prescribing
1)JAMA continues its Perspectives on Care at the Close of Life series with one on referring patients to high quality palliative care at the end of life. It focuses on the referral process, clinician interaction with palliative consultants, and discusses recent efforts to better define and measure quality of care delivered by palliative care and hospice programs. Like all the PCCL articles it is a relatively chatty discussion and literature review: what I appreciated about this one is that it is a realistic and understandable discussion about the similarities & differences between hospital-based palliative care and hos...
Source: Pallimed: A Hospice & Palliative Medicine Blog - February 25, 2009 Category: Palliative Carer Workers Authors: Drew Rosielle MD Source Type: blogs

Five new books received this week
Surgical pathology of the head and neck /edited by Leon Barnes. 3rd ed, New York ; [London] : Informa Healthcare, c2009.Description: This 3 volumes set is a complete stand-alone reference dealing with head and neck pathology. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the new edition of this text examines the incidence, etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of head and neck diseases.Orthodontic miniscrew implants: clinical applications. /Cheol-Ho Paik [et al.] Edinburgh ; New York : Mosby/Elsevier, 2009.Description: A highly illustrated, practical book on temporary anchorage devices in orthodontics, aimed at practising o...
Source: DentistryLibrary@Sydney - February 24, 2009 Category: Dentists Tags: New books Source Type: blogs

Childhood trauma produces life-long effect on genes and brain
Cynthia Lee, McGill University McGill University and Douglas Institute scientists have discovered that childhood trauma can actually alter your DNA and shape the way your genes work. This confirms in humans earlier findings in rats, that maternal care plays a significant role in influencing the genes that control our stress response. Using a sample of 36 brains; 12 suicide victims who were abused; 12 suicide victims who were not abused and 12 controls, the researchers discovered different epigenetic markings in the brains of the abused group. These markings influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function, a stress-re...
Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info - February 24, 2009 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Anxiety Insights Tags: epigenetics trauma Source Type: blogs

Day 115
: Monday November 10, 2008 I think one of the hardest parts of the week other than Thursday test days is waking up at getting to an 8am class on Monday morning. And to sit through a lecture on acid/base balance as it relates to the respiratory system. I don’t think I have ever talked about the dread “morning train” before, but today should be a good day. When coming to campus you basically have no choice but to cross over a railroad track. Almost every morning around 7:30 or so a long long train must travel through downtown Augusta blocking traffic from getting to MCG and the Augusta Medical compl...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - February 23, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

Stopping Suboxone– A Bit More Information about a POTENT Drug
I received some feedback after writing about tapering Suboxone here and on my site Sober after Suboxone (soberaftersub.com), and I would like to share the information and suggest a new way to think about buprenorphine during the tapering process. First… it has already become clear to me that Zofran, or odantreson, is not the big answer for opiate withdrawal that everyone is hoping for. Oh well… maybe some day. As I have said a number of times, some day there will be a medication that prevents tolerance, and I would expect such a medication to affect withdrawal as well, as the two processes are closely rel...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - February 23, 2009 Category: Addiction Authors: SuboxDoc Tags: addiction buprenorphine pharmacology receptor actions tolerance withdrawal how to stop suboxone opiate dependence Suboxone withdrawal tapering suboxone Source Type: blogs

Science Against Aging
Biomedical gerontologist Aubrey de Grey of the Methuselah Foundation will be in Moscow in early March, speaking at the Moscow State University. From Feb 28 - Mar 4 Aubrey de Grey will be visiting Moscow. His schedule is already fully booked and includes two public lectures: - 28.02, 12:30, Dom Uchenih - 02.02 18:00, Moscow State University (main building) There is a very high chance that the Russian translation of Ending Aging will become available upon Aubrey's arrival to Moscow. Aubrey's visit to Russia was made possible by Michael Batin's "Science Against Aging" campaign. Some of the "Science Against Aging" foundat...
Source: Fight Aging! - February 23, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Reason Tags: Healthy Life Extension Community Source Type: blogs

Day 114
: Friday November 7, 2008 Another early start to sit through a physiology lecture. There still seems to be quite a few people not coming to this class. I guess first off the topic for today, ventilation, was not of interest to very one, plus the class is at 8am, so I guess it is early. I don’t seem to have any problems getting here at 8am. Actually thinking back to my days at the University of Georgia, I nevered missed a class. And in fact I tried to take all the early classes so I could have the whole afternoon off. I guess i’m just odd like that Next was pharmacology. No word on how the test we...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - February 22, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

Day 113
: Thursday November 6, 2008 It was like a dream come true to not have Biostat today and be able to wake up early and study hard for today’s pharmacology test. Looking back I think this is test number 5 or so. Wow, the test are stacking up very quickly. I think the extra study time really help as the test didn’t seem to be as hard as they usually are. I just have to wonder what the pharmacology test will be like in the semesters to come.
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - February 22, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

Day 112
: Wednesday November 5, 2008 Lungs lungs lungs…they are good for you! Well, at least that is what we continue to learn in physiology. Today’s lecture was on gas exchange transport. I really think the teacher went a little deeper than what was really needed. I can understand some of the respiratory therapy students having to know the different models of air exchange and theories behind it, but I don’t know how important it will be for PAs or PTs. Next was good ole pharmacology. I don’t know if I have ever talked about the professor’s manners before, but I guess I will now. He is v...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - February 22, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

You know you've been studying too much when...
I woke up this morning, and my first thought was "biliary tract spasms".(I must have been dreaming about pharmacology again. One of my best friends slept over at my place last week, and in the morning she said I'd kept talking in my sleep about how many milligrams of drugs to give to various non-existent patients).
Source: I'm Not Anti-Social, I'm Just Pre-Med - February 22, 2009 Category: Medical Students Source Type: blogs

Conscious Sedation Certification Events Held Nationally
Conscious Sedation Consulting announces its national educational event calendar for 2009. This continuing educational event is for physicians, dentists, podiatrists, nurses and hygienists involved in the administration of conscious (moderate) sedation and analgesia services in the out-patient care setting. This course has been developed in accordance with core principles described in National Accrediting Organization Standards and specialty society guidelines. Course Topics Include Culture of Safety Standards ASA Classification Patient Assessment Airway Management Monitoring Pharmacology Adverse Events Risk Man...
Source: Nurse.Com Forums - Blogs - February 19, 2009 Category: Nurses Authors: Randy20037 Source Type: blogs

It (gasp!) IS Hard to Stop Suboxone. Here is why.
Yes, you heard it here fir…. fourth… it is hard to stop Suboxone. As anyone pausing at this web site knows, it is hard to stop ANY opiate. There are many forces at work against you when you are tapering off opiates; physical withdrawal, mental withdrawal, cravings for opiates, and the unconscious mental effects of addiction– the conditioning of your mind to see opiates as the solution to all of those uncomfortable feelings. With all of that going on, it is no wonder that most ‘opiate tapers’ end unsuccessfully, leaving the addict more discouraged than he was before. Suboxone is clearly...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - February 17, 2009 Category: Addiction Authors: SuboxDoc Tags: 12 steps addiction buprenorphine education pharmacology recovery side effects tolerance withdrawal how to stop suboxone opiate withdrawal pain pills stopping suboxone Suboxone withdrawal Source Type: blogs

TUMOR SPECIATION
On February 12, the world celebrated the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth. Darwin is best known for explaining speciation; how life on earth diversifies into distinct types of organisms. Each species shares a characteristic set of traits that separate the species from all other species on earth. One of the most curious aspects of speciation is member uniqueness: every species is composed of members that are different from every other member of the same species. If each species is composed of genetically diverse members, how can we think in terms of "sameness" among the members of a species? Speciation is a gener...
Source: Specified Life - February 17, 2009 Category: Pathologists Tags: neoplasms Source Type: blogs

Point-counterpoint on conflicts of interest
Has the hunt for conflict of interest gone too far? In an issue of BMJ last March Kirby Lee, assistant professor of clinical pharmacology at UCSF, argues no. Thomas P. Stossel, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, argues yes.Lee begins correctly noting abuses in the pharmaceutical industry and runs down some of the well known examples of unethical and even criminal corporate behavior. Predictably he trots out Vioxx, citing questionable promotions and implying illegal activity. Granted, drug companies could stand to clean up their marketing act. That would earn them more credibility with doctors. When they go ou...
Source: Notes from Dr. RW - February 17, 2009 Category: Internists and Doctors of Medicine Source Type: blogs

Day 110
: Monday November 3, 2008 Only 16 more days until the break. The big ole Thanksgiving break that I have oh so been waiting for. Our dive into the world of pulmonary physiology continued today with pulmonary circulation. There is a funny trend I am noticing with this class…it seems the number of students attending the class is getting lower and lower. Not just PA students, but Physical Therapy students as well seem to be “missing” this class. From what I understand or know, it is probably the subject material. Pulmonary physiology isn’t the most interesting thing in the world. Since we ha...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - February 16, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs

links for 2009-02-16
$900K NIH Research Grant Awarded to Study and Prevent Adverse Drug Reactions: UMD News: January 21, 2009 'University of Minnesota Duluth professor Ted Pedersen and University Minnesota Twin Cities professor Serguei Pakhomov have been awarded a three-year, $935,000 National Institutes of Health research grant to develop natural-language processing (NLP) techniques that search through medical records to quickly detect widespread adverse drug reactions.' (tags: biomedical+informatics) Is technology producing a decline in critical thinking and analysis? / UCLA Newsroom 'Univers...
Source: FutureHIT - Speculations on the Future of Health IT - February 16, 2009 Category: Technology Consultants Authors: Hunscher Source Type: blogs

Genoanthropology Update - RNA World Theory and Mapping Junior's Genome
Roche gets down with RNAi therapies, licenses tech from MDRNA, Inc:"Roche will obtain a non-exclusive license to a portion of MDRNA's technology platform for the development of RNAi-based therapeutics. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed."J. Michael French, President and Chief Executive Officer of MDRNA: "This agreement provides us the necessary resources to continue to pursue multiple, non-exclusive research collaborations, as well as future financing opportunities.""Our goal is to improve human health through the development of RNAi-based compounds and drug delivery technologies that together provide superior thera...
Source: Health Management Rx - February 13, 2009 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

New books received this week
Pharmacology in dental medicine / Jeffrey M. Casiglia, Peter L. Jacobsen. Hamilton, Ontario : B. C. Decker, 2008.Description: This pocket guide provides key information about pharmacologic agents used by the dental practitioner in general or specialty practice. Subjects are grouped by either specific classes of therapeutic agent, such as antiviral agents, or by a pharmacologic concept, such as reactions to pharmacologic agents.Oxford handbook of clinical dentistry / David A. Mitchell and Laura Mitchell. 4th ed. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2005.Description: This essential pocket guide covers the whole of clinical dent...
Source: DentistryLibrary@Sydney - February 12, 2009 Category: Dentists Tags: New books Source Type: blogs

Adverse drug reactions and in-patients
An important study in the UK looks at the occurance of adverse drug reactions in hospital in-inpatients. It’s a six month study of in-patients at a Liverpool hospital, and can be considered a follow-up on the study on ADRs seen at admission in the BMJ. Over six months, there were a total of 3695 patient episodes [...]
Source: Black Triangle - February 11, 2009 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Anthony Tags: Adverse drug reactions Source Type: blogs

Royal College of Physicians: UK Report on Industry Relationships
However we believe that within these broad limits (education funds donated to a central office not individuals and departments, and prohibition of gifts to students), the pharmaceutical industry does have an important and positive part to play in medical education. Industry has a distinctive voice that students deserve to hear. (Royal College of Physicians’ (RCP) Working Group Recommendations.) This week, a RCPs’ working party issued a recommendation paper entitled, Innovating for Health: Patients, physicians, the pharmaceutical industry and the National Health Service (NHS). The working party cons...
Source: Policy and Medicine - February 11, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Tom Tags: International Source Type: blogs

Royal College of Physicians: Report on Industry Relationships
However, we believe that within these broad limits (education funds donated to a central office not individuals and departments,and prohibition of gifts to students), the pharmaceutical industry does have an important and positive part to play in medical education. Industry has a distinctive voice that students deserve to hear. (Royal College of Physicians Working Group Recommendations) This week a Royal College of Physicians working party issued a recommendation paper Innovating for Health: Patients, physicians, the pharmaceutical industry and the National Health Service (NHS) . The working party consisted or repre...
Source: Policy and Medicine - February 11, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Tom Tags: International Source Type: blogs

UK Health News 02/11/2009
It’s safe to go to work on an egg again - The Guardian 10th February 2009 It is OK to go to work regularly on an egg, health experts said today as they attempted to dispel “the ingrained misconception” among consumers and some health professionals that people should eat no more than three a week because of the “myth” surrounding the food’s link to cholesterol in the blood. tags: Health, News, UHN, Diet, Nutrition, Heart Diseases, Cholesterol, The Guardian Additional Stories An egg a day is good for you, says British Nutrition Foundation - The Times 11th February 2009 You can now go to w...
Source: Fade Library - February 11, 2009 Category: Medical Librarians Authors: western4uk Tags: Mass Media Source Type: blogs

Cheshire and Merseyside Health News 02/11/2009
New superbug centre opens - Liverpool Echo 10th February 2009 A NEW £20m centre where experts can study superbugs such as MRSA and C diff, opens in Liverpool today. The Biomedical Research Centre is one of 12 being launched in the UK. It will focus on hospital and community associated infections, chest infections, sexual health and the safety of antibiotics. tags: Infection Control, MRSA, Clostridium Difficile, Sexual Health, Health, News, Research, CMHN, Liverpool Echo Shark: get healthy - Liverpool Daily Post 10th February 2009 A RUGBY union star helped promote heal-thy lifestyles in Wirral. Sale Sharks prop Rob O’Do...
Source: Fade Library - February 11, 2009 Category: Medical Librarians Authors: western4uk Tags: Mass Media Source Type: blogs

Ins and Outs
MMR doctor Andrew Wakefield fixed data on autism... [The Sunday Times] Genome sequencing: the third generation... [Nature] B&W and Covidien to develop U.S. source of Molybdenum-99, a key medical isotope... [Babcock & Wilcox] St. Jude Medical Announces U.S. Approval of Industry's First Connector System Designed to Simplify Implant Process for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Devices... [St. Jude Medical] Touch Bionics introduces the new i-LIMB Skin... [Touch Bionics] Philips and Immunetrics join forces to research advanced solutions for infectious disease in critical care... [Philips] Boston Scientific Submits Final Module...
Source: Medgadget - February 10, 2009 Category: Technology Consultants Authors: Michael Source Type: blogs

Feds Find NYC Psych Hospital "Nightmarish, Prison"
Late last week, the federal Department of Justice issued a report following its investigation of the psych unit at the Kings County (Manhattan) Hospital Center. As the New York Times reported: "After a yearlong investigation, the Department of Justice portrayed the unit at Kings County Hospital Center as a nightmarish place where patients were not treated for suicidal behavior, were routinely subdued with physical restraints and drugs instead of receiving individualized psychiatric treatment, and were frequently abused by other patients." I'm too disgusted to delve into the details, so please read the paper's article for...
Source: Furious Seasons - February 9, 2009 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Philip Dawdy Tags: American Culture Source Type: blogs

Facts about Huperzine A
Huperzine A, is a naturally occurring sesquiterpene alkaloid found in the plant extracts of the firmoss Huperzia serrata. Huperzine A may have cognition-enhancing activity in some Alzheimer's patients. This substance is really more of a drug than an herb and is sold over the counter as a dietary supplement for memory loss and mental impairment.The google keyword search for huperzine A sends many people to this website. I am not surprised. You can read more about huperzine A below. One word of caution: do not mix huperzine A with Aricept befor consulting with your doctor or memory specialist.Use of huperzine A along with th...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - February 8, 2009 Category: Dementia Authors: Bob DeMarco Source Type: blogs

Potential New Target For Hypertension Treatment Discovered
Huijing Xia, PhD, a postdoctoral research associate in the lab of Eric Lazartigues, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, is the lead author on a paper reporting that a recently identified enzyme in the brain plays a critically important role in the central regulation of blood pressure.read more | digg story from the Malaysian Medical Resources Potential New Target For Hypertension Treatment Discovered
Source: Malaysian Medical Resources - February 8, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Palmdoc Tags: - Digg - Medical Updates ACE II brain Hypertension Source Type: blogs

Biederman Defender Attacks Me, FS Readers
The other day I noted a newspaper article in Boston in which defenders of controversial Harvard child psychiatrist Joseph Biederman voiced their support for the embattled doctor. I thought what I wrote was pretty tame and non-critical of either the doctor or his supporters' views. Yesterday, one of Biederman's defenders swung through this site to lash out at me and those of you who read this site. "This will be my one and only comment to this egregious blog. Clearly you and those that comment on your blog are either in desperate need of neuropsychological evaluations and suffer from neuropsychiatric brain disorders - OR -...
Source: Furious Seasons - February 6, 2009 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Philip Dawdy Tags: Bipolar Disorder Source Type: blogs

Optimizing the Absorption of Suboxone
I often answer questions about Suboxone that require the qualification ‘if it is being absorbed properly’. If a person asks how long it take for Suboxone to wear off, or at what dose does the ceiling effect occur, I need to be sure that the person is taking it in a way that maximizes absorption; otherwise all bets are off. If a person simply swallows the tablet, for example, the level of buprenorphine in the bloodstream will be much lower than if it is taken correctly. The usual instructions for taking Suboxone are to place a tablet under the tongue and let it dissolve. It is important that Suboxone be take...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - February 4, 2009 Category: Addiction Authors: SuboxDoc Tags: addiction buprenorphine education pharmacology research subutex drug absorption opiate dependence pharmacokinetics Suboxone Source Type: blogs

RCP Pharma report - flawed, says BMJ editorial
On 4 February 2009, the Royal College of Physicians of London (RCP) published a report entitled Innovating for Health: Patients, Physicians, the Pharmaceutical Industry and the NHS.1 The report is the outcome of deliberations by a working party convened by the college in September 2007, chaired by Richard Horton (editor of the Lancet), and it comprises 70 pages and 42 recommendations. Despite its heritage the work is flawed, thereby diminishing the validity of the recommendations and the obligation to take them seriously.The ideal working party has clear and understandable terms of reference; has a membership selected to t...
Source: PharmaGossip - February 4, 2009 Category: Pharma Commentators Source Type: blogs

Green tea polyphenols block the anticancer effects of bortezomib and other boronic acid-based proteasome inhibitors
This caught my eye because I’ve been on Velcade before and never gave a second thought to whether or not I should not be consuming green tea/green tea products. Blood First Edition Paper, prepublished online February 3, 2009; DOI 10.1182/blood-2008-07-171389. Submitted July 28, 2008 Accepted January 12, 2009 Encouse B. Golden, Philip Y. Lam, Adel Kardosh, Kevin J. Gaffney, Enrique Cadenas, Stan G. Louie, Nicos A. Petasis, Thomas C. Chen, and Axel H. Schonthal* Department of Pathology, University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine (KSOM), Los Angeles, CA, United States Department of Molecular Pharmac...
Source: beth's myeloma blog - February 3, 2009 Category: Cancer Authors: Beth Tags: Cancer Food Myeloma Research Treatment bortezomib EGCG green tea Velcade Source Type: blogs

Day 109
: Friday October 31, 2008 We started another lecture in physiology today on “the mechanics of ventilation.” Again, we have a respiratory therapist teaching this section and he is very knowledgeable on his field. The problem is, sometimes I feel like he is talking, but it all is just mashed up words. I guess what I am trying to say is that this is getting complicated. As if a detailed mechanics of ventilation isn’t enough, we had a pharmacology lecture next. Pharmacology, pharmacology….we can’t live without it! Next we had a lecture on blood gases…just to wrap up on the pulmonary ...
Source: Life Of A PA - A Day In The Life Of A Physician Assistant - February 3, 2009 Category: Physician Assistants Authors: Dave Tags: General Talk Source Type: blogs