MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'active'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:54:52 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5182387&cid=t_110668_180_f&fid=38619&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FALifeCoachsBlog%2F%7E3%2FkBGyisZ1nrg%2F If you’re not a Life Coach and you have no intention of ever becoming a Life Coach this post is not for you and normal service will be resumed next time. Sorry for any inconvenience! Since I first became certified as a Life Coach in 2005 I’ve always really enjoyed working with other Life Coaches. To date I’m guessing I’ve worked with close on 50 other coaches and I’ve loved every minute of it. Continue reading... (Source: Life Coach Blog: The Discomfort Zone :) Life Coach Blog: The Discomfort Zone : blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5182387 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:16:10 +0100 5182387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159439&cid=t_110668_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2Fo71YDxEQEUA%2F We just noticed that the Alliance for Aging Research offers an excellent list of references on Brain Health Research, organized in these 10 sections below. Enjoy! #1 Nourish Your Noggin: Eat a Brain Healthy Diet #2 Use It or Lose It: Stay Mentally Active #3 Work Out for Your Wits: Exercise and Keep Fit #4 Interact with Others: Stay Social #5 Rest for Restoration: Get Plenty of Sleep #6 Unwind for Your Mind: Manage Your Stress #7 Guard Your Gray Matter: Protect Your Head #8 Think Overall Health: Control Other Conditions #9 Give Your Brain a Break: Avoid Unhealthy Habits #10 Understand Your Risk: Consider Your Genes Related articles: The Ten Habits of Highly Effective Brains Debunking 10 Brain Myths (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159439 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:52:32 +0100 5159439 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103342&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-should-people-receiving-health-care-be-called-empowered-patient-vs-health-care-consumer%2F2011.08.05 “There is a better way – structural reforms that empower patients with greater choices and increase the role of competition in the health-care marketplace.” Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) August 3, 2011 The highly charged political debates about reforming American health care have provided tempting opportunities to rename the people who receive health services.  But because the impetus for this change has been prompted by cost and quality concerns of health care payers, researchers and policy experts rather than emanating from us out of our own needs, some odd words have been called into service.  Two phrases commonly used to describe us convey meanings that mischaracterize our experiences and undervalue our needs: “empowered patient” and “health care consumer.” As one who has done ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103342 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 21:00:35 +0100 5103342 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096656&cid=t_110668_117_f&fid=37824&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doctorkalitenko.com%2Fblog%2Fmale-infertility-risk%2F A young couple, just married, wants to have children to grow their family and have someone carry on their genes and traits and looks.  That is how it should be.  But often a young couple faces an unusual problem that they should never encounter: infertility. Traditionally a woman is to blame first.  But nowadays more and more often a man is to be blamed. Have you ever heard about the “Disappearing Male Syndrome” (1) or “Vanishing Male Syndrome?”  It is all about toxins shutting down the male reproductive system.  But doesn’t the declining fertility rate portend the disappearance of human beings? I think it does. And it is not only a decreased sperm count (2,3): it is also testicular cancer, genital congenital abnormalities, etc. So what are the reasons? Toxins from alm... Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096656 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:09:23 +0100 5096656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077685&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftake-an-active-role-in-your-own-health-it-can-save-more-than-just-your-life%2F2011.07.29 Sometimes you need a published study to tell you what should be obvious in the first place. This time, researchers have discovered that: When physicians have more personalized discussions with their patients and encourage them to take a more active role in their health, both doctor and patient have more confidence that they reached a correct diagnosis and a good strategy to improve the patient’s health. Really? But wait, there’s more. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at See First Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077685 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:00:07 +0100 5077685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051328&cid=t_110668_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FsYHByKGxr88%2F The brain determines consciousness, and a long list of attributes which affect one’s quality of life. Without exception, everything starts with the brain; it is central for everything that we do. Productivity; starts with the mind, the brain must be nurtured with, stimulation, positive affirmations and active challenges. The Human Brain – A Remarkable Organic Computer Volumes of data exist around the subject physical fitness and well-being. Fitness is conducive with mental ability and brain efficiency; both are relative to productivity. The brain is a complex organic muscle which needs constant stimulation to preserve the minds peak performance. Knowledge about the mysteries of the human brain continues to grow, it is immensely complex and still largely not understood, it is the most c... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051328 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 06:04:28 +0100 5051328 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050794&cid=t_110668_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2FwbRRoA18ohw%2F In case you were still of the opinion that Google and Microsoft were the major players and groundbreaking pioneers of personal health records, here’s a partial list of other companies that have been at it for at least as long. I believe CapMed goes back as far as 1991. Some have been bought by larger firms, but many are still independent. Clip and save, or pass on to your favorite tech journalist that got snookered by the Google PR machine. Access Strategies CapMed ActiveHealth Management MEDecision HealthCapable MyMedLab NoMoreClipboard.com Carefx Good Health Network iPHER MedicalDrive.com MediKeeper Applied Research Works In any case, I remain unconvinced that the direct-to-consumer, “untethered” model—no connection to an electronic medical record unless the patient s... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050794 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:43:06 +0100 5050794 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008662&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fjg8EpAu81jA%2F And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. As always, this is the signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda calls for a dip in the pool, a little yardwork, hanging with assorted short people and catching up on some interesting R&D. What about you? Is a day at the beach in order? Or a drive in the country? Maybe catching up on some sleep or thinking big thoughts? Whatever you do, have a good time and be safe. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits. See you soon… Bayer Loses European Patent For Yasmin (Reuters) PETA Proposes Procter & Gamble Stop Animal Testing (Dayton Business Journal) Republicans Complain FDA Review Procedures Slow Innovation (Bloomberg News) Bydureon Diabetes Med Passed The Test In Heart Trial (Reuters) FDA Bans Imports From Dr. Reddy&#8217... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008662 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:04:58 +0100 5008662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953368&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FmZtV5T1ccqk%2F Beset by an inability to thoroughly monitor pharmaceutical ingredients and production around the world, the FDA has declared a new ‘global strategy’ to cope with the fast-paced industry changes that are straining its resources. And in issuing a 37-page report on the topic, the agency says the step reflects a lack of “resources to adequately keep pace with the pressures of globalization.” To illustrate the point, the FDA says that imports of pharmaceutical products have grown rapidly, at approximately 13 percent annually over the past seven years and accounted for more than 350,000 import lines in 2009. This volume accounted for approximately 30 percent by value of pharma products used annually. And the rise in imports has contributed to a growing trade deficit in ph... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953368 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:25:44 +0100 4953368 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883706&cid=t_110668_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2F83qsSKCLxg8%2F The following is the fourth video in my inaugural run of EMR and Healthcare IT related videos. In this video I talk about some of the ways healthcare IT can help a patient be more active in their care. I’m sure there’s a number of e-Patients out there that can hop in and add a lot more to the discussion I start in this video. I must admit that as a relatively healthy individual I have a hard time really getting into the active patient (e-Patient if you like). However, I love the idea of patients being respectfully involved in their patient care. The following video is in response to this question: How can Healthcare IT help patients take a more active role in their care? View the Healthcare IT and Active Patient Care Video Here Related posts:EMR Scanning and Chart Retention ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883706 Sun, 29 May 2011 16:25:46 +0100 4883706 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862629&cid=t_110668_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F25%2Fthe-critical-thinker-academy-2-interview-with-kevin-delaplante%2F This is part two of a two-part interview of Kevin deLaplante, a professor of philosophy and founder of The Critical Thinker Academy. Check out part one here. What is your favorite book on critical thinking? I often get requests for book recommendations. It’s hard because critical thinking requires so many different kinds of skill development, and no single book is going to cover everything. Also, people are usually interested in specific issues or topics, and once I know what those are it’s easier to recommend sources. My “starter kit” recommendation is to pick a good introductory book on basic argumentation and fallacies written from a logic/philosophy perspective, plus a good introductory book on the psychology of reasoning and decision making (something in the “biases ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862629 Wed, 25 May 2011 13:58:39 +0100 4862629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841987&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FPnFE-Cg3WGw%2F Good morning, everyone, and how are you today? Here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, we are engaged in the off-to-the-school-house hustle. This calls, of course, for a cup or two of stimulation. How else to gear up for those meetings and deadlines? So please feel free to join us. And here is another invitation: our webinar next week on the injectable drug delivery market. Meanwhile, we offer you these tidbits of the world at large. Have a great day and do stay in touch… North Carolina Delays Vote On Preemption Bill (Associated Press) CDC Blog On Zombie Apocalypse Proves Apocalyptic (AdWeek) Takeda To Buy Nycomed For $13.6 Billion (Reuters) Bill Gates Calls For A ‘Decade Of Vaccinations’ (Pharma Times) J&J Failed To Warn Parents Of Motrin Risks: Lawyer (Bloomberg Ne... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841987 Thu, 19 May 2011 11:47:58 +0100 4841987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828988&cid=t_110668_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F14%2Fthe-interventionist-an-interview-with-joani-gammill-about-addiction%25e2%2580%25a8%25e2%2580%25a8%25e2%2580%25a8%2F Today I have the honor of interviewing a friend of mine who has just written a compelling memoir, The Interventionist, about addiction from the perspective of both an addict and an interventionist. You begin your book with the quote from Khaled Hosseini’s book, The Kite Runner: “And that, I believe, is what true redemption is … when guilt leads to good.” Do you believe your work with other addicts is partly what keeps you clean and sober? Why compels you to enter into such hopeless situations and try to fix things? Joani: I think as the quote infers “when guilt leads to good,” my work with addicts and alcoholics assuages my own continued ambivalence about my responsibility about having this disease. It is not at all logical. There is no “choice” about having this ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828988 Sat, 14 May 2011 10:29:48 +0100 4828988 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753970&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FN7yYPeyVrt4%2F During a lengthy inspection last fall of a supplier of active pharmaceutical ingredients, the FDA found something curious. The Baltimore facility run by ChemPacific, which also has operations in China, was failing to complete batch records for various lots of Norepinephrine Bitartrate. Entries were incomplete or missing, records were backdated and the in-house quality unit failed to detect the problems. In other words, ChemPacific was cited for playing fast and loose with its paperwork. In one specific example, the FDA noted that Chinese characters signifying a “need to change” were written on different batch records. And someone at the supplier told FDA investigators that the characters indicated these marked pages were to be replaced with a corrected batch record page. Interestingly... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753970 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:00:24 +0100 4753970 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714745&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthecommunications.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fwatch.jpg I recently participated in a Twitter Chat about physician-patient communications. A common refrain from some of the providers in the group was that “there isn’t enough time” during the typical office visit for physicians to worry about communicating effectively. What’s up with that? The goal of patient-centered communications is to engage the patient in their own health care. While most physicians endorse the concept of patient centered communications, many seem reluctant to employ such techniques in their own practice.  Why?  I suspect that many fear that too much patient involvement will increase the length of the visit. Take the patient’s opening statement aka “patient agenda” in patient centered lingo.  This is where the doctor asks the patient why they are there.  T... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714745 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:00:41 +0100 4714745 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4696707&cid=t_110668_111_f&fid=39123&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fnursingcomments%2Ftdtc%2F%7E3%2Ff7IaZdMz4yc%2F    Tuberculosis Bacteria           Is tuberculosis a contagious killer?  Well, it depends on which type of tuberculosis (commonly called TB) we are talking about, active or inactive.  Active tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease.  Just like the common cold, it spreads through the air, but only people who are sick with TB in their lungs are infectious.  This type of TB means the bacteria are active in the body and the immune system is unable to stop them from causing illness.  People with active tuberculosis in their lungs can pass the bacteria on to anyone they come into close contact with.  When a person with active tuberculosis coughs, sneezes, talks, spits or even sings, people nearby can breathe in the tuberculosis bacteria and become infected.  If the disease re... Nursing Comments blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4696707 Sat, 09 Apr 2011 16:49:58 +0100 4696707 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653606&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FHbgOGFlE5sE%2F The ongoing shortage of prescription medicines continues to wreak havoc in the form of rising medication errors and are costing US hospitals an extra $200 million by forcing them to purchase more expensive generics or other therapeutic substitutes, according to a survey by the Premier alliance of hospitals and healthcare provideres. Why is this happening? At least 42 percent of sterile injectable drug shortages last year were due to product quality problems, such as particulates, microbial contamination, newly identified impurities and stability changes. Another 9 percent were due to problems with raw materials and 5 percent were attributed to the shutdown of a manufacturing site. Keep in mind, Premier notes, that foreign markets are the source for up to 80 percent of the raw materials req... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653606 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:52:12 +0100 4653606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592691&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F5cPetg5jHnI%2F For those wondering about the difficulties confronting the FDA as the agency attempts to monitor the supply chain, the chart offers some insight. From roughly 1,200 foreign manufacturing plants in 2001, the number grew to more than 3,500 in 2008 - a 185 percent increase. Yet the number of FDA inspections rose 23 percent, leading to a 57 percent drop in the inspection rate. [UPDATE: In 2001, 20.7 percent of facilities were inspected, but only 8.9 percent in fiscal year 2008]. In China alone, the problem is daunting. There are nearly 1,000 manufacturers of drug substances eligible for FDA inspection. And for 89 percent of audited Chinese-made drug substances, US and European pharmaceutical purchasers fail to demand the mandatory Chinese license and certificate, according to Philippe André o... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592691 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:15:33 +0100 4592691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4522286&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fc4iwc7RTeus%2F Two years ago, Pfizer trumpted a deal in which Aurobindo, a large supplier of active pharmaceutical ingredients that is based in India, would make a few dozen generic meds for the brand-name drugmaker. The move was part of a grand plan to expand into generics with lower manufacturing costs and revive growth as patents on big-selling, brand-name meds began expiring. “These agreements represent solid, measurable progress, and a strong commitment to achieve our growth objectives,” said David Simmons, who heads the drugmaker’s emerging markets and established products units, in a statement. Established products is a Pfizer euphemism for generics and branded generics. “We will dramatically change Pfizer’s Established Products portfolio to an engine of positive growth.” Since... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4522286 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:51:21 +0100 4522286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4495206&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fapp-tracking-the-flu%2F2011.02.18 As a part of the TheraFlu campaign, Novartis has developed free Android, Blackberry and iPhone applications for tracking flu outbreaks in the U.S. These days it’s become inevitable to develop free apps on all platforms in order to promote your product. From Novartis: Keep up-to-date on the most active cold and flu reports around the country. The WheresFlu™ app follows sickness incidence levels from week to week and keeps track of the current top 5 affected cities in the nation. The WheresFlu™ app will find your current location and provide you with results for that area. Or you can enter a ZIP code to get information for that area. If you’re wondering how it actually works and how it differs from Google Flu Trends, here it is: WheresFlu™ measures weekly activity for cold ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4495206 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:00:39 +0100 4495206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4438886&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fis-the-er-really-the-best-place-to-get-primary-care-quicker%2F2011.02.05 In 1986, when Congress passed the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), hospitals and ambulance services were mandated by law to stabilize anyone needing emergency healthcare services regardless of citizenship, legal status, and/or insurance status. This was instituted at the time to prevent the prevalent practice of “dumping” — refusing to treat patients because of insufficient insurance or transferring or discharging patients on the basis of anticipating high diagnosis and treatment costs. While the implications of this law are indeed very noble in providing undifferentiated care to all patients based solely on healthcare needs and not financial status, it has unfortunately led to many patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) for primary care is... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4438886 Sat, 05 Feb 2011 17:00:34 +0100 4438886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424441&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FrMRhvr_EIp8%2F One of the companies at the center of the Heparin scandal nearly three years ago just can’t seem to get it right. Last fall, the FDA sent an inspection letter to Scientific Protein Laboratories because the supplier of active pharmaceutical ingredients received info that additional lots were contaminated in October 2008 - months after the scandal broke - but failed to adequately investigate for a year. Now, the FDA has issued a January 20 warning letter in which SPL was upbraided for failing to consider widening its internal investigation into contamination into other lots for another eight months. This is serious; the blood thinner, you may recall, was linked to more than 80 deaths and hundreds of serious reactions in patients in late 2007 and early 2008. In the spring of 2008, an FD... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424441 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:24:42 +0100 4424441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399676&cid=t_110668_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FjGQ-IKZdZ0U%2F We are honored to announce the following Sponsors and Partners of the upcoming 2011 SharpBrains Summit: Retooling Brain Health for the 21st Century (March 30th — April 1st, 2011). And we are looking for more, so please contact us if interested! — Sponsors (want to become one?) The Arrowsmith Program,  avail­able in pub­lic and pri­vate schools in  the U.S. and Canada, is a com­pre­hen­sive suite of cog­ni­tive pro­grams for stu­dents with learn­ing dis­abil­i­ties that tar­gets 19 areas of the brain that are most com­monly involved in learn­ing. The Arrow­smith Pro­gram iden­ti­fies and strength­ens the weak cog­ni­tive areas that affect learn­ing and each stu­dent works on cog­ni­tive pro­grams that are indi­vid­u­ally designed for his or her are... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399676 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:15:36 +0100 4399676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382762&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Frealistic-medicine-the-kind-of-thinking-to-look-for%2F2011.01.21 There are several stages in becoming an empowered, engaged, activated patient — a capable, responsible partner in getting good care for yourself, your family, whoever you’re caring for. One ingredient is to know what to expect, so you can tell when things seem right and when they don’t. Researching a project today, I came across an article* published in 2006: ”Key Learning from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s 10-Year Patient Safety Journey.” This table shows the attitude you’ll find in an organization that has realized the challenges of medicine and is dealing with them realistically: “Errors are everywhere.” “Great care in a high-risk environment.” What kind of attitude is that? It’s accurate. This work began after the death of Boston Globe healt... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382762 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:00:29 +0100 4382762 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4338265&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F4f2wrjzvvuk%2F In recent months, the FDA has come under still greater pressure to monitor foreign plants. The US General Accountability Office has issued a scathing report (see this), House Republicans have chastised the agency for failing to fully probe the Heparin scandal (read here) and one Congressional committee is particularly interested in oversight failures in Puerto Rico (look here). So how does the FDA respond? The agency recently issued warning letters to four different manufacturers of active pharmaceutical ingredients and slammed them for a host of significant deviations from Current Good Manufacturing Practice. These included failures to establish a stability program to monitor the APIs; maintain adequate laboratory controls and maintain adequate records; or demonstrate that analytical test... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4338265 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:46:55 +0100 4338265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4314221&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F6v6OHNUJQ_Y%2F Greetings, everyone. How are you this morning? We trust you feel invigorated as another day gets under way. As usual, we are brewing a delicious cup of stimulation and poking around for interesting items. Heard something fascinating? Send us a note. Meanwhile, we hope your workload is manageable and much gets accomplished. Catch you soon… Pfizer Faces 1,200 Chantix Lawsuits (Birmingham News) Spectrum To Make Biosimilar Of Roche’s Rituximab (Reuters) Roche Wins Wider Approval For Actemra (Bloomberg News) Evidence Links Avastin To Heart Failure In Breast Cancer Patients (HealthDay) EMA Worries Over Foreign APIs (InPharma-Technologist) J&J Files For FDA Approval Of Bloodthinner (Associated Press) Celgene Submits New Applications For Cancer Meds (Reuters) Xoma Inks $505M Diabe... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4314221 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 12:48:44 +0100 4314221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4281557&cid=t_110668_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F336%2Fanti-aging-lotion-below-the-shoulders%2F Recently released is a new anti aging body lotion.   Many of the anti-aging products on the market are for your face.  A few of them are great, but right up until recently, there wasn’t much to choose from if you were looking for a body lotion with anti-aging effects. The signs of aging skin are not restricted to your face.  There are many other symptoms like rough elbows or chapped heals as well.  At times the initial symptom that women notice is sagging skin on their upper arms. Collagen loss and slowing growth of elastin fibers are the primary reasons for the sagging.  Roughness on the heels and elbows have to do with extreme dryness, which is also associated with the aging process.  A all-natural collagen cream may deal with these difficulties. Maybe you are one of the many pe... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4281557 Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:32:38 +0100 4281557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4266011&cid=t_110668_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FPM-vZAgjs0M%2F Having a sense of control over one’s life may be one of the most crucial markers of successful aging. Aging individuals who feel in control seem to know more about their health, be more likely to take actions to protect it and thus enjoy healthier and longer lives. Studies have shown that people feel less in control as they get older. Could cognitive or brain training boost such feeling and reverse or at least counteract that trend? A recent study says the answer is yes.Do you remember the ACTIVE study? This was a large randomized controlled trial with thousands of adults over 65 that included 3 types of cognitive training: memory, reasoning, and speed of processing. The participants were evaluated over several years. Results published in 2006 showed that people got better at the trained... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4266011 Wed, 15 Dec 2010 21:06:51 +0100 4266011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253458&cid=t_110668_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FM3QA4GFti3k%2F Image via Wikipedia Goldie Hawn still sexyThe secrets to staying sexually vibrant forever.These ideas for alcoholism, addiction or co-dependency recovery can empower all women who want to stay hot and sexy forever.Sex is agelessUnlike other species, we humans have a sexuality that can last way beyond the years of fertility and procreation. In fact, barring serious health problems, we have the ability to stay sexually active (with or without a partner) until we die.  Sexual fitness makes a differenceGood sex has a lot to do with stamina, flexibility and blood flow. Thus, keeping yourself in general good health—by eating well and exercising regularly–may be the most important thing you do to keep sex alive as you age.  Comfortable settings, comfortable vaginas... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253458 Sun, 05 Dec 2010 03:37:33 +0100 4253458 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190529&cid=t_110668_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fpassages-through-recovery%2F A Recovery Book "Abstinence from alcohol and other drugs is only the beginning of sobriety. It’s the ticket to get into the theater, not the movie we are going to see." — Passages Through Recovery One of the most important things we learn in recovery is that there really is a way out of all the misery–if we know which way to go. But abstinence from alcohol and other drugs is just the beginning of our journey, not our destination. And, that journey can be a rough one if we don’t know what lies ahead. Based on the experiences of thousands of recovering men and women, Passages Through Recovery presents an action plan for preventing relapse, on what can help us understand how recovery works and what is needed to move from active... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190529 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:32:00 +0100 4190529 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4168212&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FLHFTjD-DAAg%2F Good morning, everyone. Nice to see you again. We hope your weekend was refreshing and relaxing. Now, of course, the routine resumes with all those meetings and deadlines. We share the feeling, of course. To cope, we are brewing the mandatory cup of stimulation. Please join us. And as always, here are a few tidbits to help you along. Hope your day goes well and do stay in touch… J&J And Bayer’s Xarelto Beats Warfarin In Key Study (Bloomberg News) J&J’s Natrecor Doesn’t Kill Or Help Heart Patients (Forbes) Progress On Heart Disease Slows (The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) Genzyme Eyed Takeda As A White Knight (Bloomberg News) Pfizer Heart Drug Helps Milder Patients (Reuters) Merck Sets Growth Strategy In India (LiveMint) Brazil Lures Big Pharma (The Financial... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4168212 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:55:18 +0100 4168212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4151875&cid=t_110668_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F10%2Fhonoring-soldiers-when-they-come-home%2F Last week at the 26th annual Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Policy Symposium, I came away from the two days feeling like there are a lot of people who know and care about the issues discussed. This year’s topic was on helping returning soldiers — especially the National Guard and Reservists — reintegrate within their family, the workplace, and the community. It seems timely to talk about some of these issues to honor tomorrow, Veterans Day. The most moving stories for me came from the day’s first panel discussion, focused on the family. Ron Capps, a 25 year veteran of the U.S. Army and Army Reserves, told his story of dealing with the realities of war, and then of coming home and dealing with his feelings. “At the end of the day, I found myself categorizing mys... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4151875 Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:15:49 +0100 4151875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4125311&cid=t_110668_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FLuoAmrE82lU%2F Our bodies weren’t designed for our modern lifestyle. We were never meant to sit behind desks for half our waking hours, nor were we intended to spend more time in a car than on our feet. Most of us don’t get enough fresh air, sunshine and exercise and it’s having a profound impact on our moods, energy levels and health. Worse, it’s a self perpetuating problem. The less you move, the less energy you have to get going. Even if you know from experience that a bit of exercise will make you feel immeasurably better, you probably have a difficult time managing that first step. If you can find a way to incorporate as little as 10 minutes of active movement into your morning routine, you’ll find your days will run smoother and be less stressful. Plus, you’ll have more energy and a mor... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4125311 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:00:26 +0100 4125311 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119789&cid=t_110668_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FesaYtGj3a1o%2F Feeling grouchy? Lethargic? Annoyed or irritable? Bad moods happen to the best of us, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything you can do about them. The fact is, most of us feel like we’re at the mercy of our moods and try to push through or wait it out instead of taking positive action to improve our state of mind. Many people don’t even believe that it’s possible to change their mood and instead make themselves and everyone around them miserable. There are some tricks you can use to boost your mood, but the most important thing is making that leap of faith and trusting that there are actions that you can take to make yourself feel better. With that in mind, I’d love for you to try this trick that works for me 9 times out of 10 (the other time I’ve got a sinus headache an... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119789 Wed, 27 Oct 2010 18:03:05 +0100 4119789 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119756&cid=t_110668_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F303%2Fastonishing-skincare-products-actually-reverse-sun-damaged-and-wrinkled-skin%2F Scientists of late announced an astonishing skincare treatment that has the ability to restore sun damage and wrinkles.   The essential component is the well-known antioxidant CoenzymeQ10. CoQ10 is naturally present in just about all living cells.   Without it, cells would deteriorate and die quickly from oxidative stress. The skin’s COQ10 acts to negate free radicals created during exposure to UV rays from the sun.   Researchers found that the skin’s coenzyme Q10 levels are quickly depleted when exposed to direct UV light. They asked themselves:   What would happen if the Coenzyme Q10 could be replenished and the skin never ran out? Months of testing later, they were sincerely amazed by what they discovered.   Natural skincare products containing the microscopic ... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119756 Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:09:27 +0100 4119756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040796&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FSCuTbxtXbQE%2F Rise and shine, another day has arrived. And we are happy to say that so have we. After an unexpected two-day disappearance due to technical problems, we have returned as fresh as ever. So while we brew the mandatory cup of stimulation in the official Pharmalot cafeteria, please join us as we peruse the news of the world. Have a great day, everyone, and stay in touch… Will Bristol-Myers Buy Actelion? (Reuters) Health Care Fraud In Europe Is Rising (PharmaTimes) FDA To Push For More Investment In Science (Reuters) China’s API Suppliers May Have A Bright Future (OutsourcingPharma) Controversy Erupts Over Gout Drug Price Hike (MedPage Today) Vical Signs Deal To Make HIV Vaccine (Associated Press) Novo Nordisk Invests $73M Into US Plant Expansion (InPharma-Technologist) UK’s... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040796 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:51:23 +0100 4040796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3994119&cid=t_110668_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F0MLsIF1ukR0%2F Today is World Alzheimer’s Day. To raise awareness and funds, associations worldwide organize multiple activities including important Memory Walks, and a new report helps quantify the growing personal and economic burden of the disease. Among the report findings: Close to 36 million people worldwide have dementia today Dementia care costs around 1 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP), or 604 billion US dollars. Of these, 252 billion represent indirect costs of care, while annual direct medical costs account for 96 billion, and direct non-medical costs for 256 billion By 2030, worldwide societal costs will increase by over 85 percent The good news? That the number 1 reason for the bad news is simple: we live longer than ever before That, while there is nothing we can... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3994119 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 17:59:59 +0100 3994119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946701&cid=t_110668_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F270%2Fnatural-skin-care-ingredients-to-look-for%2F The top wrinkle product for effectively restoring firmness and elasticity to the skin is one that incorporates the correct mix of natural skin care substances. Regrettably, a significant number of the formulas on the market are developed with mostly synthetic ingredients, which provide very little benefit at all.   Many of the ingredients that go into making such products are actually potentially harmful. Be wary when choosing your skincare creams, because far too many companies include chemicals in their products proved to be cancer causing or toxic to human beings.   You should study the ingredients in any formula before actually putting it on your skin. If a skin cream you are considering purchasing turns out to contain anything unnatural in it, then it is... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946701 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:34:52 +0100 3946701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3902947&cid=t_110668_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F25%2Fproof-positive-generosity-as-a-business-model%2F Good works are links that form a chain of love. — Mother Teresa My nickname is eleven-fifty-nine. That is the time I show up at the bank on Saturdays. They close at noon. I know the tellers. They laugh each week when I come in. I laugh too. I always promise I will try to get there earlier next week. I never do.   Life just gets in the way. I went to the bank this past Friday. It is my writing day, and I was writing what you are now reading. I got there about 10 a.m. The tellers laughed, checked their imaginary or real watches and wondered out loud what day it was. I told them not to expect this from me again. As I filled out the deposit slip, an unkempt, scraggly man carrying a satchel got in line. I noticed the tellers paying attention to him and his sack. My anti-terrorism parano... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3902947 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:39:58 +0100 3902947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3848872&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffair-pay-and-unfunded-mandates%2F2010.08.09 This is my column in [the August 3rd] Atlanta Journal Constitution: Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis recently produced an interesting public service announcement. In it, she stated that every worker deserves to be paid fairly for his or her labor (whether the worker is documented or not), and offered both a website and telephone hot-line which workers could use to report unfair payment by employers. (Incidentally, here’s the link: www.dol.gov/wecanhelp.) In the video, she stated succinctly, “You work hard, and you deserve to be paid fairly.” Those of us who practice medicine completely agree. So we might reasonably ask if this announcement also applies to physicians who are undercompensated for their work. This routinely happens when patients are covered by Medicare and Medic... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3848872 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:00:42 +0100 3848872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3813215&cid=t_110668_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F248%2Fanti-aging-herbs-and-antioxidant-skin-care%2F If you want to achieve your goal of having firmer, younger looking skin, then you are going to have to take advantage of the amazing benefits of anti aging herbs and botanicals. You will not get the results you are after by applying products to your skin that are loaded down with synthetic compounds, as these substances don’t provide you with what it is you need.  Chemically developed ingredients can also be harmful to your health. You want all natural products for treating your skin, because they will not contain the toxins and carcinogens that most over the counter skin care products are developed with. Formulas are developed using healthy compounds like Jojoba, Maracuja passion fruit extract, Babassu wax, and other natural compounds supply the abundance of antioxidants necessary for ... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3813215 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:30:52 +0100 3813215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3764184&cid=t_110668_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F18%2Farmy-suicides-hit-all-time-high%2F For the month of June, the U.S. Department of Defense reported late last week that the number of soldiers who took their own lives — those who committed suicide — was an astonishing 32 individuals, 21 of whom were on active duty (but only one-third of those on active duty were serving in either Iraq or Afghanistan). This corresponds to the ongoing record-setting of the number of suicides in the past year — 245 who died in 2009 and the 145 who have committed suicide already in 2010. At the rate of suicides so far this year, 2010 will exceed 2009 in suicides. Who does the Army blame for this rise in suicides? Why, the people who commit suicide, of course, and the very culture they work to instill from Day One in boot camp. Tim Embree of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans o... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3764184 Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:30:39 +0100 3764184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737111&cid=t_110668_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2Foa_7zo0PHzE%2F Trent Peters from Umbrella Medical Systems added an interesting comment on my previous post about Domain Controlled Networks and HIPAA that I thought really added to my original post. Plus, Trent goes into a nice list of other benefits of having a “Management” server in an office. It gets a little technical for some of my readers I’m sure, but is valuable if you’re office is embarking on this adventure. Here’s Trent’s comment: This is an interesting question and can be argued either way, but again it comes down to what’s “reasonable and appropriate”. A little background, my company is a IT Consultant group that works specifically in the healthcare arena offering services to medium-sized and small healthcare organizations, we have plenty of EMR impl... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737111 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:16:09 +0100 3737111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3703006&cid=t_110668_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Fadministrator%2F2010%2F06%2F22%2Femr-question-and-answer-domain-controlled-networks%2F I got the following question from Brandon about the need to have a domain controlled network in order to comply with HIPAA. I am currently trying to implement an EMR system in a small practice. I am trying to convince the parties involved that it is necessary to transition to a domain controlled network for security reasons even though this type of network is not required for our EMR system or its server. My understanding of HIPAA is that simply having a firewall does not qualify as a “secured network”. Am I right on this? Brandon, You are correct that just having a firewall does not likely qualify as a “secured network.” However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to have a domain controlled network to meet the HIPAA security standards. You could sti... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3703006 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:40:45 +0100 3703006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3683911&cid=t_110668_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F177%2Fnatural-skin-care-recipes-for-cleansing-and-exfoliating%2F Here are a couple of natural skin care recipes for cleansing and exfoliating.  Most of the soaps and cleansers on the market contain sodium laurel sulfate and other harsh ingredients that can do more harm than good. They aggravate acne, eczema, psoriasis and other inflammatory conditions.  You can make your own soothing daily cleansers with very little effort. Grape juice is an excellent cleanser.  The red varieties contain unique antioxidants that may help reduce the risk of heart disease if eaten and prevent wrinkles if applied directly. Do not use grape juice that you purchase at the store.  It contains added sugars, which are not good for your skin’s health or appearance. Simply buy a bunch of red grapes.  Slice two or three in half.  Remove the pits and rub the flesh and pulp ... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3683911 Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:58:45 +0100 3683911 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3633447&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Flet-kids-be-willy-nilly%2F2010.06.05 As a cardiologist and advocate for healthy living through exercise, the bleak news of rising childhood obesity hits me hard. But as an endurance athlete well versed in the inflammatory effects of excessive exercise, and a coach of middle school children, recent news reports on the overtraining of American youth is equally troublesome. The overtraining of the young American athlete has risen to the level of capturing the attention of the American Academy of Pediatrics.  I planned on letting this New York Times piece pass quietly, as yet another documentation of how adults are either explicitly or implicitly drilling out the young athlete — sacrificing fun at the alter of performance. Little League-like overzealousness is old news dating back to my era, I thought. But I just couldn&#... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3633447 Sat, 05 Jun 2010 20:00:00 +0100 3633447 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3614569&cid=t_110668_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F31%2Fmemorial-day-2010%2F Another Memorial Day here in the U.S., and another year that we commemorate and remember those who’ve given their lives for our freedom and our nation. Those who have died did so that, in the future, our country might be safer. They died so that great evils could be done away with in WWII (and WWI). They died so that politicians could wage endless, unwinnable wars for political ideals (Vietnam, Korea, and now Iraq). They died, quite simply, so that we could enjoy the freedoms we so often take for granted in our country. I am grateful for the country I live in and for the sacrifices others have made to not only attain its freedom, but to keep it. Today, we remember their lives. For every veteran and every active duty soldier and individual in military uniform — thank you. Than... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3614569 Mon, 31 May 2010 13:08:11 +0100 3614569 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3611906&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Factive-kids-outdoor-play-and-little-mishaps%2F2010.05.30 This study suggests that school children in this age group should be provided with daily recess. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Health in 30* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3611906 Sun, 30 May 2010 13:19:26 +0100 3611906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3524109&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthy-active-kids-come-from-healthy-active-adults%2F2010.05.02 Kids are like dogs — you can train them until they’re too old to train. Then they’re going to do whatever they want. The key to getting kids to exercise is to make it fun for them. But they aren’t going to exercise if it isn’t made a part of their normal routine. It’s up to adults to train them. Mrs. Happy and I had the joyous opportunity of inviting our 10-year-old niece to her first-ever running event. She had never ever run in a race before. We did the two-mile race and she loved it. And amazingly, she finished without stopping — not even once. Our nation is raising a nation of fat and lazy kids because we’re lazy adults. We drive everywhere. We sit at our desks. We get food on the run. We watch a lot of television. We surf the Net a bunch... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3524109 Sun, 02 May 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3524109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3287944&cid=t_110668_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fflashback-fridday-how-to-start-jogging-in-3-easy-steps.html Time-check: I can’t believe it’s mid (to late) February already! Where do the days go and weeks go?  So, how many of you have left New Year’s Resolutions in the dust yet?  Yeah, life happens.  For those of you whose Resolutions had something to do with starting a new exercise routine, I thought you might [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3287944 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:00:14 +0100 3287944 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3185417&cid=t_110668_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F19%2Fmilitary-wives-more-likely-to-be-depressed-anxious%2F As we reported late last week, a recent study has confirmed that wives of active-duty soldiers are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and other mental health conditions. While much attention is focused on the mental health of soldiers themselves (especially with the recent rise in suicides in the military), a lot less attention is given to the families of those soldiers. This new study helps shed some much-needed light on the subject, and confirms what has long been suspected — the emotional toll for war-time deployments is much higher than anybody thought. The AP story on this issue had this quote: “Spouses tell me all the time that they want to get mental health assistance,” [wife of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff] said. &#8... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3185417 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:57:19 +0100 3185417 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3149115&cid=t_110668_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F06%2Fthis-emotional-life-why-does-religion-make-people-happier%2F Harvard psychologist and bestselling author Daniel Gilbert has teamed up with Vulcan Productions and the NOVA/WGBH Science Unit to create a multimedia project called This Emotional Life . This 3-part documentary ends tonight on PBS. Featured in the third episode is Dr. Edward Diener, who has studied happiness across cultures and has pinpointed some universal reasons that people are happier. One is religion. I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Diener. Question: Why does religion seem to make people happier? Dr. Diener: Many studies find that religious people on average are happier. But since not all religious people are happier, and not all religious beliefs seem to lead to happiness, we have to search for the “active ingredient” in what aspect of religion might increase feel... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3149115 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:54:06 +0100 3149115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3097072&cid=t_110668_151_f&fid=35822&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whatwinnersdo.com%2Faddiction-recovery-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change%2F There are certain things in life that we cannot change, no matter how badly it is we want to be able to. Just like the Serenity Prayer states, we hope for the serenity to accept the things we can not change. I usually look at addiction from an addicts point of view, what with being a recovering addict and all. But it seems that I need to change up my role here for a little bit. I have a sibling that is an active addict still in the denial phase. I'm sitting helplessly watching an active addict and sometimes wishing that I could do more. It's a pretty tough situation, although I'm sure that there are tons of people out there that have experienced this exact thing. I guess what makes it even worse is having been there myself. I know what it feels like, I know how hopeless you can become and ... What Winners Do blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3097072 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:35:27 +0100 3097072 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3067307&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FvI8bsLiCTUw%2F The increasing reliance on active pharmaceutical ingredients from overseas - notably, China - is prompting a row in Europe, where the Active Pharmaceuticals Ingredients Committee, a trade group, wants the European Commission to require repeated, mandatory inspection of overseas API facilities, Outsourcing Pharma reports. The debate comes amid ongoing concerns over the safety of APIs emanating from China, where reports of counterfeit or diluted ingredients has caused a repeated ruckus, such as with the Heparin scandal last year (some background). Recently, AstraZeneca disclosed plans to rely on China for APIs (see here). The European Commission excluded overseas mandatory inspections from a draft directive because they would be too expensive. However, this was based on a figure that Chris O... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3067307 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:06:55 +0100 3067307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3040020&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FyGEhZnz1GK0%2F The move comes two years after the big drugmaker insisted it wouldn’t outsource this activity there. Recently, though, AstraZeneca been building up its manufacturing presence in China with a big factory in Wuxi, which in addition to making APIs, also does medicine formulation and packaging, The Times of London reports. The move is part of a cost-cutting drive begun in 2007, which happened to coincide with increasing concerns over manufacturing safety and quality at Chinese facilities. At the time, AstraZeneca was caught in a fit of embarassing backpedaling after insisting API production wouldn’t be outsourced to China, even though plans had been made (see here and here). The drugmaker may attempt to assuage concerns by running its own facilities, but this step underscores a dif... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3040020 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:49:45 +0100 3040020 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3035924&cid=t_110668_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F27%2Fone-soldiers-suicide-story%2F While we return to our daily lives after the holidays and get into the Christmas spirit, some families will not be celebrating this year. One family is James Weigl’s, a soldier who returned home after deployment, suffered from depression, and ultimately took his own life. Forty-three percent of soldiers who commit suicide do so after returning home from deployment, demonstrating that follow-up care with soldiers after deployment is just as important as mental health treatment while in active duty. The story is an all-too familiar one. The article in the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel details the life of James Weigl, his active duty tour, return home, and his decline into depression. It’s a lengthy article, but it gives you an idea of how diverse the problems are that sol... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3035924 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:00:23 +0100 3035924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2996003&cid=t_110668_136_f&fid=39025&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Feverythingchangesbook%2F%7E3%2Fh2ri1Ovus04%2Faggressive-patient Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve had a huge don’t mess with me attitude.  I’m a scrawny Jewish girl, but am quite in touch with my inner Rambo.  It’s no surprise to anyone who knows me that I am a really aggressive cancer patient. But lately I’ve been wondering if aggressive is always the smartest choice. Sometimes I’m aggressive out of fear.  Living with cancer is damn scary.  It’s easy to want to pull out the big guns so I can feel forceful in fighting my disease.   My doc told me I could lower the dosage of my medication slightly.  Instead of embracing the prospect of diminished side effects, I want to stay at the highest dose possible.  It’s a bit of a “Thank you sir. May I have another?” attitude.  A hurts so good attitude. But is my choice pro-... Everything Changes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2996003 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:45:17 +0100 2996003 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2774734&cid=t_110668_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FaAd-hGE1Cbc%2F Here you have the September edition of our monthly newsletter covering cognitive health and brain fitness topics. Please remember that you can subscribe to receive this Newsletter by email, using the box at the top of this page. In the current edition of The Journal on Active Aging, I discuss why we need to Retool "Use it or lose it", and why routine, doing things inside our comfort zones, is the most common enemy of the novelty, variety and challenge our brains need. You can read the full article for free Here. Book Tour We are glad to report that The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness continues to obtain excellent endorsements: "This is the only book that I know of that seamlessly integrates latest information about cognitive health across the lifespan. Very useful to any... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2774734 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:26:03 +0100 2774734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2768727&cid=t_110668_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FpsjwziqkGe0%2F The July/ August 2009 issue of The Journal on Active Aging includes my article Why We Need to Retool "Use It Or Lose It" An excerpt: "By now you have probably heard about brain plasticity, the lifelong capacity of the brain to change and rewire itself in response to the stimulation of learning and experience. The latest scientific research shows that specific lifestyles and actions can improve the health and level of functioning of our brains, no matter our age. Of particular importance to maintaining cognitive functioning through life are the hippocampus (deep inside the brain, part of what is called the limbic system), which plays a role in learning and memory; and the frontal lobes (behind your forehead), which are key to maintaining decision-making and autonomy. Is ther... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2768727 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:06:41 +0100 2768727 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2517279&cid=t_110668_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FcYOpz5naCW4%2F Want to live a long and happy life? Stay involved in social activity. A new study said that socially active seniors had better mental outlook and even walked at a faster clip than those who weren’t around people so much. The socially “active ranked in the top 10% in gait speed, while those who shunned social activities were in the bottom 10%.” Social activity includes everything from spending time at restaurant or sporting events with friends, playing bingo, and even attending church. Image: sxc.hu. Share and Enjoy: Post from: Blisstree Key to Staying Young (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2517279 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:03:18 +0100 2517279 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2517300&cid=t_110668_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fkeeping-your-brain-active-10-tips-for-improving-your-brain%2F The other day I was listening to an interview on National Public Radio with Dean Oshler who has just written a book called From Square One: A Meditation, with Digressions, on Crosswords. During the interview I was surprised to hear Mr. Oshler challenge the widely held belief that regularly doing crossword puzzles is good for your brain fitness and can help stave off Alzheimer’s disease. Oshler’s problem with crossword solving is twofold: first, he believes the clinical data showing an advantage for puzzlers is both weak and only observational (”[The researcher] never said that there was a cause-and-effect relationship. He said there was a correlation. Maybe it just so happens that people who are mentally fit have a tendency to want to do crosswords in the first place&#822... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2517300 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:27:30 +0100 2517300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441694&cid=t_110668_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F25%2Fmemorial-day-2009%2F This Memorial Day in the U.S. — like every Memorial Day — we commemorate and remember those who’ve given their lives for our freedoms and our nation. “Given their lives” is really not accurate, though, as Andy Rooney noted — these soldiers died, plain and simple. They died so that in the future, our country might be safer or democracy might be nurtured in an otherwise hostile environment. They died so that great evils could be done away with in WWII (and WWI). They died so that politicians could wage endless, unwinnable wars for political ideals (Vietnam, Korea, and now Iraq). They died, quite simply, so that we could enjoy the freedoms we so often take for granted in our country. I hope, like most people, that in the future war become less of an option ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441694 Mon, 25 May 2009 10:08:36 +0100 2441694 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2274434&cid=t_110668_77_f&fid=37259&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.horizonpress.com%2Fblogger%2F2009%2F03%2Fabc-transporters.html ABC transporters are fascinating molecular systems that catalyze the vectorial transport of a great variety of substrates across biological membranes. They constitute a large superfamily of primary active transport systems that are present in all kingdoms of life, and play a diversity of physiological roles. A prominent characteristic of these systems is that they share a highly conserved domain, the ATP binding cassette (ABC), which binds and hydrolyzes ATP. The amino acid sequence of this cassette displays three major conserved motifs: the Walker A and Walker B motifs commonly found in P-loop containing ATPases or GTPases and a specific signature motif known as the linker peptide, the ABC signature motif, or simply the C loop.The year 2006 marked the 20th anniversary of the identificatio... Microbiology Blog: The weblog for microbiologists. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2274434 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:35:00 +0100 2274434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2152852&cid=t_110668_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fimplant-dentists-news-nobelbiocare-offers-new-self-tapping-dental-implant-nobelactive%25e2%2584%25a2%2F Good news for you, good news for your dental implant patients! Seasoned implant dentists, oral surgeons, prosthodontists, and periodontists will find the recently launched NobelActive ideal for compromised bone situations. Interesting benefits and features of this innovative new dental implant include… The self-tapping implant features a bone condensing property. As the implant is inserted, bone is moved, not shaved away. In addition, small grooves between the threads promote prompt bone integration, studies show. As a conservative option, in some situations NobelActive may eliminate the need for bone grafting. With its redirecting capability, NobelActive can be placed at various angles to optimize initial stability. Built-in Platform Shifting™ promotes Soft Tissue Integration�... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2152852 Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:49:50 +0100 2152852 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2104992&cid=t_110668_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F511462725%2F Good article in the New York Times today: An Epidemic of Crashes Among the Aging? Unlikely, Study Says - "The (Insurance Institute for Highway Driving) insurance institute is conducting further research to determine why the risks appear to be going down for older drivers. It may be that today’s older drivers are simply in better physical and mental shape than their counterparts a decade ago, so they are not only less likely to make a driving mistake, but also less frail and better able to survive injuries." There is no doubt that, as a group, older persons of any given age are in better physical and mental shape today than their counterparts years ago. For context, worldwide life expectancy has increased more than 20 years in less than 6o years - so you can imagine how a person... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2104992 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:09:36 +0100 2104992 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2065490&cid=t_110668_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2FfeFwyXhJfk4%2F var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(420,630,370562,"http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css")}catch(ex){}}() A new study suggests that “reducing time spent watching television and increasing time spent walking briskly or engaged in vigorous physical activity may reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes in African-American women.” I hate studies like this. Because the reality is that turning off the TV more and getting active is good for anyone. More than that, it suggests that television is bad. Any time scientists narrow research down to a point where information no longer seems helpful, it’s time to broaden the data. What they should say is African American Women are at an increased risk for diabetes, and as a result they should become ... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2065490 Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:49:21 +0100 2065490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2035946&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F482713949%2F The numbers coming out of France are in dispute. The drugmaker insists that 700 jobs will be lost trhough layoffs or voluntary departures from its Paris headquarters and among its sales force. But unions at Pfizer’s French subsidiary say the drugmaker will, in reality, reduce its workforce by 892 jobs, from 1,771 employees to 879. Gerard Bouquet, a Pfizer France vp, tells the Agence France Presse, insists that 700 people would leave the company. “This new organization will take effect from December 1, 2009,” he says, adding that “there will be no forced layoffs before” that date. But CFDT union delegate Thierry Lannes argues 892 jobs would be lost. “It is much higher than what we thought,” he tells AFP. Meanwhile, Pfizer has announced the sale of a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2035946 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:16:01 +0100 2035946 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1961220&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F452890280%2F Last month, the FDA awarded the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology and Education, a non-profit representing several universities, a contract to develop ‘Quality by Design’ science for drugmakers. The idea is to improve manufacturing processes that, presumably, would improve quality and lower costs in plants - and create mininum standards for overseas plants as well. We spoke with Prabir Basu, a former pharma exec who heads NIPTE, which is aligned with the FDA’s Critical Path Initiative, about what QBD can do. This is an excerpt… Pharmalot: First things first, what is Quality by Design and why is it needed? Basu: QBD is using the right science and engineering to design a drug so that you have a process assures you of the quality. And the failure rate wo... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1961220 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:33:30 +0100 1961220 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1930403&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F440022434%2F In an essay that takes a top-down view of the agency and its myriad problems protecting the supply of pharmaceuticals, Gardiner Harris of The New York Times reviews the highlights - or lowlights - of the past year or so: the Heparin deaths, the Ranbaxy scandal and the withering criticism from Congress. And he notes some of the issues bedeviling the FDA as it struggles to cope with the growing role played by Chinese suppliers: antiquated FDA computer systems, an inability among FDA staff to decipher names of Chinese plants, difficult travel conditions for agency inspectors, and, of course, the debate over sufficient FDA funding. For instance, this year, 18.2 million shipments of food, devices, cosmetics and drugs are expected to enter more than 300 US ports, but the FDA had 454 investigator... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1930403 Sun, 02 Nov 2008 15:17:56 +0100 1930403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1856732&cid=t_110668_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F413421820%2F James Zull is a professor of Biology. He is also Director Emeritus of the University Center for Innovation in Teaching and Education at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. These roles most assuredly coalesced in his 2002 book, The Art of Changing the Brain: Enriching the Practice of Teaching by Exploring the Biology of Learning. This is a book for both teachers and parents (because parents are also teachers!) Written with the earnestness of first-person experience and reflection, and a lifetime of expertise in biology, Zull makes a well-rounded case for his ideas. He offers those ideas for your perusal, providing much supporting evidence, but he doesn’t try to ram them into your psyche. Rather, he practices what he preaches by engaging you with stories, informing you with fact, and ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1856732 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:53:40 +0100 1856732 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1826754&cid=t_110668_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F402296770%2F Brain-fitness plan can improve memory (Sydney Morning Herald), reports on the recent endorsement of Posit Science's programs (Posit Science Program Classic, focused on auditory processing training, and Posit Science Cortex™ with InSight™, on visual processing). Quotes: - "While the group says it has concerns about endorsing a commercial product selling for almost $400, it is confident the benefits to the community will be wide-ranging." - "Likely purchasers of the program include nursing homes, libraries and telecentres and groups supporting and servicing dementia sufferers." - "This is core business for us ... one of our clear strategic objectives is to assist the community to reduce the risk of developing dementia," Alzheimer's Australia strategic direct... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1826754 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:47:49 +0100 1826754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1676977&cid=t_110668_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F08%2F03%2Fwhile-you-sleep-your-brain-keeps-working%2F You think when you go to sleep, you just, well, sleep? Sleep, as it turns out, is far more complicated than we thought. And the brain not only doesn’t turn off, but appears to help keeps itself healthy. We’ve all heard of REM — rapid eye movement — discovered by the late physiologists Eugene Aserinsky and Nathaniel Kleitman at the University of Chicago in 1953. Scientific American has the story: During REM sleep, our brain waves—the oscillating electromagnetic signals that result from large-scale brain activity—look similar to those produced while we are awake. And in subsequent decades, the late Mircea Steriade of Laval University in Quebec and other neuroscientists discovered that individual collections of neurons were independently firing in between the... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1676977 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:46:08 +0100 1676977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1652555&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F344936804%2F First, Sherrod Brown goes after Pfizer over its outsourcing and the extent to which it purchases active pharmaceutical ingredients from such countries as China. Now, the Democrat from Ohio, wrote Merck to ask how the drugmaker guarantees the safety of pharmaceutical ingredients and its finished meds. In explaining his reason, Brown cites a January 9 interview with Merck’s Richard Spoor, senior vp of global procurement, who said the drugmaker is “moving in the direction of externally sourcing approximately 35 percent of the overall manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients, intermediates, formulated pharmaceuticals, sterile products, vaccines, and packaging by 2010..This would represent a two-fold increase over what we currently source from external manufacturers.” So Brown wa... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1652555 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:58:04 +0100 1652555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1544538&cid=t_110668_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F320031080%2F In this study, we examined whether playing strategy-based video game can train those executive functions and improve them. We showed that playing a strategy-based videogame (Rise of Nations Gold Edition) can result in not only becoming a better videogame player but it transferred to untrained executive functions. We saw a significant improvement in task switching, working memory, visual short-term memory, and mental rotation. And some, but more limited, benefits in inhibition and reasoning. I can share a few details on the study: the average age was 69 years, and the experiment required around 23 hours of training time. We only included individuals who had played videogames 0 hours/ week for the last 2 years.   That last criteria is interesting. We typically say that good “brain exercis... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1544538 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:26:56 +0100 1544538 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1537804&cid=t_110668_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclinicalit.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Ffiercehealthit.html Just a quick note: I'm the guest host, as it were, of FierceHealthIT this week. I wasn't sure until it was too late if I was supposed to write a commentary, so I didn't, but four of the top five story summaries this week carry my byline:"Study: Physician adoption of EHRs continues to lag""MI, WI advance health information exchange""PHRs make inroads with health plans""WellPoint says e-prescribing could be a Trojan horse for HIE"The one I didn't write, "Top P4P hospitals to score $7m in bonuses from CMS," ran in the daily FierceHealthcare last Thursday. (Source: Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog) Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1537804 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:10:00 +0100 1537804 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1537846&cid=t_110668_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fnobel-boicare-nobelactivetm-now-available%2F Nobel Biocare NobelActive™ Now Available This month, NobelActive became available for dental implant procedures following a pre-launch period and much scientific research. The new system offers high initial stability (even with compromised bone), bone condensing, redirecting capability, dual-function connection, and Platform Shifting™. See these resources at Nobel Biocare’s website: Product Presentation Clinical Videos Clinical Case Photos Technical Facts Research & Clinical Studies Pre-Launch (Source: dental blog for dentists about dentistry) dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1537846 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:04:09 +0100 1537846 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1516777&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F311340134%2F So if drugmakers can outsource the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients, why can’t the FDA outsource the inspections? That’s one possibility being considered by both the agency and some members of Congress amid debate and turmoil over FDA funding and tainted goods, Reuters reports. Nearly 80 percent of ingredients used in meds sold in the US come from China and India, according to the FDA, but last year, just 83 plants in those countries were inspected. But critics say a multimillion-dollar program to use third-party inspectors to boost inspections of medical devices has flopped. It took the FDA two years to approve the first private inspectors that can be hired to check facilities. Since then, 12 third-party inspections have been conducted, according to Daniel Schu... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1516777 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:05:36 +0100 1516777 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1454348&cid=t_110668_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F05%2F20%2Fa-support-group-for-combat-ptsd%2F In an effort to help soldiers returning home from active combat duty, we’ve recently begun a support group for people who’re dealing with combat PTSD and related issues. This independent support group is pseudonymous and open to all military members who want to exchange support and advice with others. (PTSD is posttraumatic stress disorder and affects many soldiers who’ve seen active combat duty.) Please spread the word about this important resource. We hope members of the military find this combat PTSD forum helpful for their psychological needs. (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1454348 Tue, 20 May 2008 16:11:47 +0100 1454348 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1451948&cid=t_110668_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2F293101021%2F I actually took place in the Arthritis Walk that was in my area on Saturday morning. My 3 daughters and I walked 3 miles- even my 3 year old, to help further research and treatments among arthritis sufferers. Having been an athlete my whole life and having had about 10 orthopedic surgeries and countless broken bones I am among those that have to deal with the ailments of arthritis everyday. And being a diabetic- I understand the cyclical downfall of living with arthritis and trying to stay active to battle my diabetes. This research caught my eye… The report finds that arthritis appears to be a barrier to being physically active for people with diabetes. Despite the fact that physical activity helps control blood glucose levels and reduces joint pain, people with both diseases are mo... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1451948 Sun, 18 May 2008 23:22:14 +0100 1451948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1391299&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F275349371%2F Although the FDA increased inspections of foreign drug plants last year, the agency still checked only 11 percent of the sites that supply pharmaceutical ingredients to the US market. That’s what GAO health care director Marcia Crosse will tell the House Energy and Commerce Committee this morning at a hearing to discuss the FDA’s oversight of foreign manufacturing, according to Reuters. Concern about FDA oversight has risen since the finding of a contaminant in some batches of Heparin that were made with raw ingredients from China, where officials are now are voicing doubts that a contaminant identified in Heparin was the root cause of 81 deaths and severe allergic reactions in hundreds of Americans. “FDA’s plans represent a step forward in filling the large gaps ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1391299 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:12:47 +0100 1391299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1380613&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F272464380%2F Discussion Draft is meant to stimulate chatter about how to provide adequate funding and authority for FDA to ensure the safety of the nation’s food, drug, medical device, and cosmetic supply, according to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which intends to hold hearings over the next few weeks and to markup legislation shortly thereafter. This is the text. The bill, by the way, would be known as the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2008, and builds on four other pieces of legislation - HR 3610, HR 3624, HR 3484 and HR 3115 - as well as the investigations conducted by the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the report of the FDA Science Board’s Subcommittee on Science and Technology, among other things. These are ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1380613 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:09:43 +0100 1380613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1356371&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F266347242%2F In the aftermath of the Heparin controversy, a zillion questions are being asked. And one involves greater disclosure concerning the origins of those materials used to make drugs. As Melinda Beck points out in her health column in The Wall Street Journal, the FDA requires drugmakers to disclose only the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer or distributor of prescription medications. Active and inactive ingredients must be listed on the label, but not the raw materials or their origins, which are considered “commercial confidential.” PhRMA argues that making such info public would be neither practical nor helpful to consumers, and that what counts is that any med sold in the US must meet Good Manufacturing Practices set by the FDA, Beck writes. “The requi... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1356371 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:22:40 +0100 1356371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1546729&cid=t_110668_132_f&fid=35004&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioinformaticszen.com%2F2008%2F03%2Fbioruby-and-ruby-on-rails%2F A common practice in any computationally based field is writing code where the intended functionality has already been produced by someone else. This is usually called reinventing the wheel. This isn’t very useful since you’re spending time on an intermediate step, when instead you can use existing code and jump ahead to the next step in your research. Of course, it’s easy for me to shout bad practice on my blog, but I’m the worst person for doing this. I work in bioinformatics because I like writing code to solve problems, and my first response is to start coding, rather than look to see if someone has created a solution already. On the other hand, the benefit of using existing libraries is that you can build new things on what has already been done. BioRuby on Ra... Bioinformatics Zen blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1546729 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:38:55 +0100 1546729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1283632&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F246813095%2F Toxic toys? Tainted toothpaste? Contaminated Heparin? Some drugmakers may not be deterred. Take Pfizer- maybe. During its briefing yesterday for Wall Streeters, the drugmaker noted how important Asia is to its future growth. As part of its plan, Pfizer hopes to take “greater advantage of global manufacturing and R&D” there. Specifically, Pfizer “plans to expand operations in China from the 110 cities it now serves to more than 650 cities.” So does that mean Pfizer will manufacture in China - and then sell those drugs in the US? “They didn’t say it. That doesn’t mean it isn’t happening,” Les Funtleyder, an analyst at Miller TabakFuntleyder, tells the Associated Press. “They said they would use regional plants to supply the reg... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1283632 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:53:02 +0100 1283632 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1205051&cid=t_110668_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F229385028%2F Today we are fortunate to interview Dr. Jerri Edwards, an Associate Professor at University of South Florida's School of Aging Studies and Co-Investigator of the influencial ACTIVE study. Dr. Edwards was trained by Dr. Karlene K. Ball, and her research is aimed toward discovering how cognitive abilities can be maintained and even enhanced with advancing age. Main focus of research Alvaro Fernandez: Please explain to our readers your main research areas Jerri Edwards: I am particularly interested in how cognitive interventions may help older adults to avoid or at least delay functional difficulties and thereby maintain their independence longer. Much of my work has focused on the functional ability of driving including assessing driving fitness among older adults and remediation of cogniti... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1205051 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:23:15 +0100 1205051 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1142707&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F214411038%2F Israel’s Teva Pharmaceuticals, the world’s largest generics maker, plans to invest over $1 billion in India over the next two years to acquire Indian drug companies and set up manufacturing facilities, The Business Standard reports. Around $250 million to $300 million will be used to establish manufacturing facilities and the rest to fund acquisitions in India. A few weeks ago, Teva had acquired over 100 acres of land near Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, to set up API manufacturing facilities that will match the production capacity of domestic generic majors such as Ranbaxy, Cipla, Dr Reddy’s, Sun Pharma and Wockhardt, sources told the paper. Work would start at the site after government clearance is obtained. “Teva considers India an interesting geographical region and is looking to bro... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1142707 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:37:59 +0100 1142707 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1075148&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F196223872%2F The medicine cabinet in the average US home is filling with drugs made in China, and some experts say that could be a prescription for trouble, writes The Kansas City Star. China’s booming pharmaceutical industry has doubled exports to the US in the past five years, undercutting competitors and making American consumers reliant on the safety of Chinese factories and captive to any disruptions in trade relations. And while this might seem like merely a trade issue, industry experts in Europe and the US say that national security concerns are edging into the debate. Consider this scenario: If a major anthrax attack were to occur in the US — larger than the one in 2001, when five people died — the pharma companies that make the two antibiotics most suitable for treatment, Cipro and dox... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1075148 Thu, 06 Dec 2007 18:35:24 +0100 1075148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1017716&cid=t_110668_151_f&fid=35822&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWhatWinnersDo%2F%7E3%2F182218222%2F There are certain things in life that we cannot change, no matter how badly it is we want to be able to. Just like the Serenity Prayer states, we hope for the serenity to accept the things we can not change. I usually look at addiction from an addicts point of view, what with being a recovering addict and all. But it seems that I need to change up my role here for a little bit. I have a sibling that is an active addict still in the denial phase. I’m sitting helplessly watching an active addict and sometimes wishing that I could do more. (more…) (Source: What Winners Do) What Winners Do blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1017716 Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:00:53 +0100 1017716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=998817&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F178397474%2F The venerable agency inspects few foreign makers of pharmaceutical ingredients and has no accurate count of how many companies supply the American market, the GAO says. FDA data suggests the agency inspects only 7 percent of foreign drugmakers each year and lacks an accurate list of foreign sites subject to inspection because officials rely on conflicting databases. And the FDA can’t say how many overseas sites have never been visited, Reuters reports. Investigators uncovered similar problems when they reviewed the FDA’s oversight of foreign drug manufacturers in 1998, Marcia Crosse, the GAO’s director of health-care issues, told the House Energy and Commerce subcommitte on oversight and investigations. “Until FDA responds to systemic weaknesses in the management of... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=998817 Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:27:42 +0100 998817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=993377&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F177697122%2F Here is the simple, but troubling reason - ingredients exported from China are often made by chemical companies that are neither certified nor inspected by Chinese drug regulators. And the chemical companies are not required to meet even minimal drug-manufacturing standards, so there is little to stop them from exporting unapproved, adulterated or counterfeit ingredients, The New York Times writes. In China, chemical manufacturers that sell drug ingredients fall into a regulatory hole. Drugmakers are regulated by the food and drug agency, but chemical companies that make products as varied as fertilizer and industrial solvents are overseen by other agencies. The problem arises when chemical companies cross over into drug ingredients. “We have never investigated a chemical company,” Yan... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=993377 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:15:38 +0100 993377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=885516&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F158609982%2F The drugmaker was in overdrive this week after one of its own execs was quoted in The Times of London as saying that manufacturing will be outsourced over the next decade, primarily to India and China. Like others, we carried an item. But then yesterday, AstraZeneca was in a titter and e-mailed select media to denounce the report. Curiously, the publicity team never insisted that its own David Smith, exec vp of operations (to the right in the picture), was misquoted. Rather, they alluded to a misunderstanding. An AZ spokeswoman wrote us that the strategy doesn’t include outsourcing “supply and manufacturing activities,” but the drugmaker is “exploring the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients.” What’s the difference? Making the API is crucial,... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=885516 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 16:25:48 +0100 885516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=828447&cid=t_110668_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2F149188995%2F I have to do it this morning. I have been fighting the urge for over 2 weeks now. Every morning as I wade through all the new and updated diabetes information, I come across the most obvious, ridiculous almost “slap in your face” kind of findings. So I am going to share a few with you this very fine morning. Now don’t laugh too hard! To think that our tax dollars and private investors fund such research is mind blowing… Staying active — getting regular physical exercise, helps prevent and control diabetes, advises a U.S. expert. Researchers have found new evidence that soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in children. In a laboratory study of commonly consumed carbonated bevera... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=828447 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 01:26:20 +0100 828447 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=825592&cid=t_110668_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2F149188995%2F I have to do it this morning. I have been fighting the urge for over 2 weeks now. Every morning as I wade through all the new and updated diabetes information, I come across the most obvious, ridiculous almost “slap in your face” kind of findings. So I am going to share a few with you this very fine morning. Now don’t laugh too hard! To think that our tax dollars and private investors fund such research is mind blowing… Staying active — getting regular physical exercise, helps prevent and control diabetes, advises a U.S. expert. Researchers have found new evidence that soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in children. In a laboratory study of commonly consumed carbonated bevera... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=825592 Tue, 28 Aug 2007 11:54:34 +0100 825592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=751826&cid=t_110668_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F136637175%2F China is set to cut export incentives on close to 3,000 different products, including active pharmaceutical ingredients, beginning this month, according to PharmAsia News. The Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation cut the tax rebate rate 13 percent to 5 percent for some API’s as of July 1. As a result, prices of most APIs have already gone up. These include antipyretic and analgesic categories such as paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen, quinolones of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, citric acid and cortical hormones, perindopril and losartan categories, synthetic statins and sulfonamides. In addition, antibiotics for animal use and plant extracts also came under the cut. At a press conference last month, a Ministry of Finance official told reporters that the reason f... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=751826 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 21:44:55 +0100 751826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=682754&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F06%2F18%2Fbeware-the-wrath-of-alli%2F Filed under: Type 2, Adult Onset, Diet, Drugs, Research, Products, SupportIt's here and you should know all about the first over the counter FDA approved weight loss pill, alli. A word of caution: if you're a cheater on your diets - it seems like Glaxo is raising red flags before things get messy. No seriously, read on to find out what I'm talking about. Alli works by preventing your body from absorbing some of the fat you eat. It attaches to natural enzymes in the digestive system and prevents absorption of fat from the foods you eat. Undigested fat cannot be absorbed and passes through the body naturally. I know you're wondering about side effects, so here you go: the most common treatment effects (as they're eloquently called) come from eating meals with too much fat. The unabsorbed ex... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=682754 Mon, 18 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0100 682754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=675555&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=34866&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecardioblog.com%2F2007%2F06%2F12%2Fchildhood-obesity-whos-to-blame%2F Filed under: Obesity, Children Heart HealthChildhood obesity is a huge epidemic, one which begs the question: who's to blame? Is it the parents who set a bad example? Is it the schools who have cut down gym time in favour of academic learning? Is it video games that keep kids inside and in one spot? Is it McDonald's and their incessant advertising to kids? I would say all of the above, and even that society as a whole is to blame. The truth is, we're all responsible. eDiets examines this in detail, but the jist of it is this: We all need to work together to encourage good, healthy habits in kids, whether we're their parents, teachers, aunts, uncles, siblings, mentors, etc. And we need to teach by example by first improving our own lives and making health a priority. What are your thoughts?... The Cardio Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=675555 Tue, 12 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0100 675555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=612201&cid=t_110668_130_f&fid=34941&url=http%3A%2F%2Forthosportsrehab.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Factive-release-technique-science-or.html Having the pleasure to work at a facility like Penn Sports Medicine Center and being involved with sports medicine on a larger scale as with the Penn Relays, I have an opportunity to be exposed to some of the new, exciting, and even controversial topics related to sports medicine. For the past two years, one of our non-operative sports medicine physicians has been requesting that someone in our facility be trained in "Active Release Techniques (ART)". And recently, a sports medicine physician who worked at the Penn Relays asked if any of us were trained in ART.ART has been developed, refined, and patented by P. Michael Leahy, DC, CCSP for the treatment of soft tissue dysfunctions. He states on his website that "90% of his patients’ problems" are consistently resolved with this technique.... Concepts in Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Rehab blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=612201 Fri, 18 May 2007 10:00:00 +0100 612201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=939248&cid=t_110668_113_f&fid=36474&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMedsqodPodcastingForMedicalProfessionals%2F%7E5%2F121590510%2FPMP_5.mp3 Absolutely. And today’s show goes into 3 ways — and the ONLY 3 ways — to do it. Specifically, I expand on Show #4’s theme of Making More Money for your medical practice via podcasting, mainly via active income, which is how most medpros traditionally get paid. I define and contrast active and passive income, and explain that while passive has greater potential, active income is much easier to implement and can show a quicker return on investment. (more…) (Source: MedSqod: Podcasting for Medical Professionals) MedSqod: Podcasting for Medical Professionals blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=939248 Thu, 26 Apr 2007 08:26:15 +0100 939248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=529678&cid=t_110668_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F04%2F08%2Fsunday-seven-seven-ways-to-prime-kids-for-healthy-living%2F Filed under: All Cancers, Environment, Diets, Stress Reduction, Exercise, Obesity, Nutrition, Smoking, Sunday SevenYou've surely known kids whose parents smoke declare their repulsion for the habit. The health risk, the expense, the filth of smoking seem to deter many youngsters from following in the footsteps of mom and dad. Theoretically, anyway. In practice, these same kids may fall prey to the very act they vowed to reject. How about kids raised in households filled with sugary snacks and drinks, foods packed with fat, salt, and calories, and parents with expanding waistlines? Seems only natural these children, despite good intentions, end up struggling with healthful eating and weight management.We are what our parents teach us. It's all we know for a good many years. And by the time ... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=529678 Sun, 08 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 529678