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 'association'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:53:27 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181805&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fback-to-school-tip-your-child-may-need-a-comprehensive-eye-exam%2F2011.08.31 Dori Carlson, O.D. In a recent interview with the president of the American Optometric Association (AOA), Dr. Dori Carlson, I learned the surprising statistic that about 1 in 4 school age children have an undetected or undiagnosed vision problem. School vision screenings, while helpful, still miss more than 75% of these problems. And for those kids who are discovered to have a vision problem during a school screening, upwards of 40% receive no follow up after the diagnosis. Clearly, we need to do better at diagnosing and treating childhood visual deficits. My full conversation with Dr. Carlson can be listened to below: Dr. Carlson told me that the solution involves (more…) (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181805 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:00:24 +0100 5181805 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169545&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdo-physicians-have-a-role-in-controlling-healthcare-costs%2F2011.08.27 The Role of Physicians in Controlling Medical Care Costs and Reducing Waste by the RAND Corporation and David Geffen, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Santa Monica was just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).  I do not think the JAMA should have published this article. 1.Why would the JAMA publish such an article? 2. Why are physicians blamed for all the waste in the system? 3. Why is it the physicians’ responsibility to eliminate waste when they are not the cause of the greatest percentage of the waste? “The amount of money spent on medical care is increasing faster than the gross domestic product (GDP), and the federal deficit is increasing.” The initial statement assumes that the government deficit is increasing because phy... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169545 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 21:05:19 +0100 5169545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169546&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fresearch-shows-decrease-in-time-from-hospital-arrival-to-heart-attack-treatment%2F2011.08.27 Heart attack patients are now being treated on average 32 minutes faster than they were five years ago, and medical societies are touting it as evidence of the success of national campaigns to treat heart attacks more quickly. The study, “Improvements in Door-to-Balloon Time in the United States: 2005-2010,” found that the average time from hospital arrival to treatment declined from 96 minutes in 2005 to just 64 minutes in 2010. In addition, more than 90% of heart attack patients who required emergency angioplasty in 2010 received treatment within the recommended 90 minutes, up from 44% in 2005. Also, the study reported that (more…) *This blog post was originally published at ACP Hospitalist* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169546 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 18:15:00 +0100 5169546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159277&cid=t_105810_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2Fw2QBei4mkwo%2F For years, we’ve heard about how much clinical information is locked away in payer databases. Payers have offered to provide clinical summaries, electronic and otherwise, The problem is, it’s potentially inaccurate clinical information because it’s all based on billing claims. (Don’t believe me? Just ask “E-Patient” Dave de Bronkart.) It is for this reason that I don’t much trust “quality” ratings based on claims data. Just how much of a difference there was between claims data and true clinical data hasn’t been so clear, though. Until today. A paper just published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that searching EMRs with natural-language processing identified up to 12 times the number of pneumonia c... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159277 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:47:57 +0100 5159277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118992&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FosMPR6kwVuo%2F Venture capital investing in life sciences may be rising overall but, with one exception, the biotech sector is not receiving as much funding as it has for the past few years, according to new data released by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association. In this year’s second quarter, biotech investing fell by 9 percent in dollars and dropped 24 percent in deals, on a year-over-year basis, with $1.2 billion going into 116 deals. A year earlier, investing amounted to $1.37 billion in 156 deals. On the bright side, funding increased from $901 million invested in the second quarter in 2009, which represented a low mark in backing for biotech in recent years. By contrast, venture investing in medical devices rose 9 percent in dollars, but declined 17 percent in d... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118992 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:50:29 +0100 5118992 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118998&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fg-WZvl9XAuY%2F The new president of the American Medical Association is lashing out at critics who claim the AMA has not done enough to persuade physicians to join its five-year-old Physician Data Restriction Program, InformationWeek reports. So far, less than 28,000 doc have joined the PDRP, which enables them to opt out of prescription data mining used in pharmaceutical marketing campaigns. Last week, a commentary in The New England Journal of Medicine commentary suggested the AMA had sabotaged the PDRP. As part of a discussion about the recent US Supreme Court decision to strike down a Vermont data mining law (read here), the authors pointed out that the AMA makes a great deal of money from selling its physician lists, which data miners combine with prescribing data. “To date, few physicians (... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118998 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:37:32 +0100 5118998 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118712&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F09%2Ffacebook-tied-to-poor-mental-health-in-teens-kids%2F You know it’s a good time of the year for psychology “news” when the American Psychological Association holds its annual convention. Why? Because they push out a bunch of sexy press releases about presentations at the conference. Case in point, “Social Networking’s Good and Bad Impacts on Kids,” a presentation that presents a seemingly-random selection of research findings about social networking websites like Facebook from the past few years. This quickly gets turned into an exclusive focus on the negative aspects of the talk — “Facebook tied to poor mental health in teens: What parents must know” (CBS News), “Too Much Technology Breeds Health Problems in Teens” (Patch.com), and of course the inevitable, “Is constant &#82... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118712 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:43:50 +0100 5118712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118616&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FNjfGOgNR6eg%2F By Neal McCluskeyFormer Florida governor Jeb Bush cares about education. He made major education reforms in the Sunshine State, including many centered on private school choice. He has established the Foundation for Excellence in Education, and dedicates much of his time to education reform. Unfortunately, when it comes to national curriculum standards, it seems his genuine caring has led him to avoid—and now attempt to quash—critical debate on both the dubious merits of national standards, and the huge threats to federalism posed by Washington driving the standards train. As I’ve complained on numerous occasions, it’s clear that supporters of national standards have employed a stealth strategy to get their way: back-room drafting of standards, content-free Language ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118616 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:19:38 +0100 5118616 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107891&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FGVab88opJB4%2F The ongoing controversy over ghostwriting appears to be accelerating amid ongoing disclosures that various papers - and in one case, a book - were allegedly written or largely crafted by paid editors who were not credited. The issue has even generated debate about the definition of ghostwriting, but meanwhile, has embroiled various drugmakers, universities and high-profile academics in scandal. To find a solution, a growing number of proposals are popping up (read this). One pair of academics - Jonathan Leo, a professor at the DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine at Lincoln Memorial University, and Jeff Lacasse a professor at the Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy at Arizona State University - have just published a paper in Society in which they suggest that all authors should b... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107891 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:42:15 +0100 5107891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107892&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fk0gsqWimymU%2F A bill in New York to prohibit health insurers from requiring their customers use mail-order pharmacies was criticized by the Federal Trade Commission as a well-intentioned effort that, nonetheless, could have an anti-competitive outcome, according to a letter written by the agency to one of the sponsors of the legislation. The bill has passed both the state senate and assembly, and awaits a signature from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. In explaining its position, the FTC acknowledged that the bill (which you can read here) was designed to increase consumer choice and limit the ability of pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, from penalizing consumers who do not purchase their meds from mail-order pharmacies. You may recall that the largest PBMs, including CVS/Caremark, Express Scripts and ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107892 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:09:09 +0100 5107892 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103336&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-care-attorney-discusses-the-use-of-disclaimers-on-facebook-pages%2F2011.08.06 This is the third part of a three part post addressing the legal concerns of social networking in the health care arena. In part one, legal expert David Harlow, Esq., Health Care Attorney and Consultant at The Harlow Group, LLC in Boston, answered questions regarding “The Legal Implications for Doctors, Nurses and Hospitals Engaging in Social Media?” In part two, Mr. Harlow answered questions related to the Pharma industry;  “Legal Concerns: What Steps can Pharma Take to Engage in Social Media?” The third part addresses a question from a follower on Facebook about the use of disclaimers. Q:  Barbara: A Healthin30 reader on Facebook writes:  “I’m looking for a good disclaimer to put on a couple of medical practices’ Facebook pages. The AMA social media guidelines aren’t h... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103336 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 21:00:47 +0100 5103336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096206&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-problem-with-medical-licenses%2F2011.08.04 In one of those things I don’t really get*, Texas requires a separate license from an unrestricted medical license to prescribe narcotics. As the price of this extra license has always seemed to be more ‘cover the cost’, nobody has seriously objected. It’s $25, in case you’re interested. Since it’s a State license, it’s required if your job could even perceivably need to prescribe narcs in a hospital. (So, Radiologists and Pathologists are usually exempted). It’s never been an issue, as long as you don’t screw up. Until now. From the Austin American Statesman: (more…) *This blog post was originally published at GruntDoc* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096206 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:00:59 +0100 5096206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096361&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F04%2Fpolicy-implications-of-implicit-social-cognition%2F Situationist Contributor Brian Nosek and Rachel Riskind recently posted their paper, “Policy Implications of Implicit Social Cognition” on SSRN.  Here is the abstract. * * * Basic research in implicit social cognition demonstrates that thoughts and feelings outside of conscious awareness or conscious control can influence perception, judgment and action. Implicit measures reveal that people possess implicit attitudes and stereotypes about social groups that are often distinct from their explicitly endorsed beliefs and values. The evidence that behavior can be influenced by implicit social cognition contrasts with social policies that implicitly or explicitly assume that people know and control the causes of their behavior. We consider the present state of evidence for implicit... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096361 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 04:01:10 +0100 5096361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096195&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FzXJoBE2ln2E%2F By Stephanie Mensh. We are bombarded with conflicting messages on food.  On one front, we have Michelle Obama railing against childhood obesity, and organizations like the American Heart Association and the federal government driving on diet-related diseases—diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and chronic conditions.  Countering these efforts all around us, are compelling mouth-watering advertisements for high calorie, high fat, high sugar foods.  Every activity—at work, at home, at the movies, at the mall, at the park, studying, watching TV—requires lots of food and sugary drinks. Resisting these omnipresent temptations requires an incredible amount of individual willpower or habits that go contrary to the average American routine.  Despite my active role in advocating for healthy ... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096195 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:15:28 +0100 5096195 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086167&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-we-want-in-health-news-is-often-not-what-we-need%2F2011.08.01 News of the World wasn’t read by 15 percent of the British public because it told people what they should know. It got there by giving them what they wanted: stories about the peccadilloes of the rich and famous, accounts of the gross incompetence of government and of course, pictures of naked ladies. Setting aside the fact that News of the World is no more, its publishers and editors knew how to sell the “news.”  As free online news replaces print, every click, every page view, every second of viewing per page is tracked in the fierce competition for ad dollars, and so the selling of news increasingly influences its reporting.  Titles, format and content are tweaked by editors to “optimize the metrics.” Reporters succeed and fail based on their ability to write articles that a... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086167 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 22:00:46 +0100 5086167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077772&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F28%2F12-weeks-to-feeling-better-try-psychotherapy-today%2F It’s time for psychotherapy to stop beating around in the bushes and get a new marketing campaign going for itself. It’s time for organizations like our own, the American Psychological Association, the American Counseling Association and others to join together and have people understand a simple, basic message — 12 weeks is all most people need to start feeling better when faced with a mental health issue. Psychotherapy still gets a bad rap because of a basic misunderstanding of the process it entails, or prejudice around thinking that if you need to see a therapist, something’s really wrong with you. It doesn’t have to be this way. Just like the endless pharmaceutical commercials on TV for antidepressants and ADHD medications, psychotherapy could be remindin... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077772 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:06:58 +0100 5077772 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050721&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F18%2Fbed-sharing-seems-okay-for-toddlers%2F While not particularly popular here in the U.S., bed sharing arrangements are a little more common in many other countries, especially when sleeping quarters may be scarce. A new study just published suggests that such bed sharing between parents and their toddlers and young children probably don’t result in any kind of long-term psychological or social problems. The study followed a sample of 944 low-income families who were enrolled in the Early Head Start program, and followed the toddlers and parents over the course of five years. Once other factors were accounted for — such as the family’s socioeconomic status, the mom’s educational level, ethnicity and parenting style — the negative outcomes associated with bed sharing went away. This suggests that bed s... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050721 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:06:36 +0100 5050721 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008201&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Famerican-heart-associations-registration-page-demonstrates-gender-and-sexual-orientation-bias%2F2011.07.06 This afternoon I sat in my chair, revitalized form my weekend trip to the Jersey Shore, where I can assure you I did not partake in any fist pumping, spray tanning, pickle eating, or felonious activities, when I received an email from the American Heart Association announcing new scientific findings. I like these emails and generally find them informative. This particular email announced the placement of the first completely lab-grown human vascular grafts. The email linked to a presentation from Todd N. McAllister of Cytograft Tissue Engineering Inc. These blood vessels were apparently engineered from donor skin cells and: (more…) *This blog post was originally published at On Becoming a Domestic and Laboratory Goddess* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008201 Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:00:52 +0100 5008201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992755&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F02%2Fhow-the-dsm-developed-what-you-might-not-know%2F The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is widely known as the bible of psychiatry and psychology. But not many people know how this powerful and influential book came to be. Here’s a brief look at the DSM’s evolution and where we are today. The Need for Classification The origins of the DSM date back to 1840 — when the government wanted to collect data on mental illness. The term “idiocy/insanity” appeared in that year’s census. Forty years later, the census expanded to feature these seven categories: “mania, melancholia, monomania, paresis, dementia, dipsomania and epilepsy.” But there was still a need to gather uniform stats across mental hospitals. In 1917, the Bureau of the Census embraced a publication called the Statistical Manual for ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992755 Sat, 02 Jul 2011 10:43:12 +0100 4992755 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992995&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FrmAxL8gOtko%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Arno Therapeutics hired Alexander Zukiwski as chief medical officer. Most recently, he was executive vp for clinical research and chief medical officer at MedImmune, where he was responsible for developing and implementing clinical research, me... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992995 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:56:35 +0100 4992995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984527&cid=t_105810_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2FB2y8vCG_CjM%2F Last week, I was at the Mobile Health Expo in New York, where conference organizer Wendy Thomas announced plans to form a group called the Mobile Health Association. I cover this today in MobiHealthNews. Will this fill a void or just create more confusion in an industry that already includes groups such as the American Telemedicine Association, the mHealth Initiative, the mHealth Alliance, the Wireless-Life Sciences Alliance, the Continua Health Alliance, the West Wireless Health Institute and a few others? Watch this video, read the MobiHealthNews story, then decide for yourself.     Related posts:Mobile health events for 2011 Europe ‘has no mobile health policy’ State of mobile and wireless healthcare (Source: Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog) Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984527 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:33:45 +0100 4984527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984692&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F4EOKZajubgA%2F An exclusive delivery arrangement that Pfizer began in Australia earlier this year appears to have unraveled as hundreds of pharmacists are complaining they are not receiving supplies and, consequently, patients are being forced to wait days for urgently needed meds. In one case, a patient landed in the hospital, The Sydney Morning Herald writes. A report commissioned by wholesalers argues that, by becoming the sole distributor of its meds, Pfizer imperils the distribution system, which is backed by $180 million in federal subsidies. Many pharmacists want the arrangement scrapped, according to the National Pharmaceutical Services Association, which represents two of the three wholesalers. ”We have been overwhelmed with hundreds of responses from pharmacists sharing the same concerns,... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984692 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:40:40 +0100 4984692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968489&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffda-approved-drugs-are-not-always-effective-the-benefits-of-alternative-medicine%2F2011.06.25 On Saturday, while thousands of Boston Bruins fans gathered at Government Center to celebrate the team’s recent Stanley Cup victory, a hundred or so true die-hards met a few blocks away at a Massachusetts General Hospital conference to talk about complementary and alternative medicine for psychiatric disorders. While I hated to miss the Bruins parade, I’m glad I attended the MGH conference. I’ve always been a bit of a skeptic about so-called natural therapies for one simple reason: they don’t have to go through the same rigorous testing in clinical trials that medications do. At the same time, I realize that FDA-approved drugs don’t work for everyone. One in three adults with major depression, for example, can’t completely improve their mood and other symptoms even after trying... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968489 Sat, 25 Jun 2011 21:00:31 +0100 4968489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968492&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedical-students-deterred-from-primary-care%2F2011.06.25 Primary care physicians are getting paid more, two surveys agree, while hospital employment is rising. Internists earned $205,379 in median compensation in 2010, an increase of 4.21% over the previous year, reported the Medical Group Management Association’s (MGMA’s) Physician Compensation and Production Survey: 2011 Report Based on 2010 Data. Family practitioners (without obstetrics) reported median compensation of $189,402. Pediatric/adolescent medicine physicians earned $192,148 in median compensation, an increase of 0.39% since 2009. Among specialists, anesthesiologists reported decreased compensation, as did gastroenterologists and radiologists. Psychiatrists, dermatologists, neurologists and general surgeons reported an increase in median compensation since 2009. Regional... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968492 Sat, 25 Jun 2011 14:00:00 +0100 4968492 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968463&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FCJwDhLGSp-8%2F By Jim HarperThis podcast, put together by the high-performance folks at the Performance Marketing Association, is a pretty good exploration of privacy and proposals to create a “do-not-track” system for the World Wide Web. Though I do use the word “hedonic” at one point, which is a bit much… Podcast on Internet Privacy and Do-Not-Track is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968463 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:37:37 +0100 4968463 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968823&cid=t_105810_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F23%2Fcan-a-diet-low-in-carbs-high-on-protein-help-in-the-fight-against-cancer%2F Eating a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet may reduce the risk of cancer and slow the growth of tumors already present, according to a study published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Eating a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet may reduce the risk of cancer and slow the growth of tumors already present, [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968823 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 05:21:02 +0100 4968823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968914&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FaEr37LbJgo4%2F The ongoing controversy over industry sponsorship of continuing medical education took a new turn this week when delegates to the American Medical Association annual meeting voted to restrict support from entities or individuals that have financial interests in the subject matter. In other words, the delegates decided there should be little or no commercial support and those who are tapped to teach the material should not have any financial relationship with a drug or device maker. Danny Carlat, a psychiatrist who was once an industry speaker but now derides industry-sponsored CME, calls this vote “huge” (see here). However, an AMA spokeswoman says not so fast, or words to that effect. In a phone conversation, she says the language adopted by the delegates is open to interpreta... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968914 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:23:12 +0100 4968914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997535&cid=t_105810_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FFAw3qq0vzrY%2F The AHA combine the acting skills of Ken Jeong, MD (trained physician and crazy-ass actor from the Hangover II) with the metronomic beat of Stayin' Alive to teach CPR rhythm. (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997535 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:04:39 +0100 4997535 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960274&cid=t_105810_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F21%2Fharvard-scientists-image-beginning-stages-of-ovarian-cancer-metastasis-cancer-cells-bully-their-way-through-normal-tissue%2F According to a study reported in the Cancer Discovery journal, scientists at Harvard University imaged the beginning stages of ovarian cancer metastasis, and identified a mechanism used by cancer cells to bully their way through normal tissue. Scientists at Harvard University have created a laboratory model using time-lapse video microscopic technology that allows observation of early [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960274 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 22:49:55 +0100 4960274 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4945194&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FR9N3q5e2SFU%2F In a preliminary vote, the Maine legislature yesterday moved to repeal a 2003 law that was created to protect consumers from rising drug prices and prevent fraud by pharmacy benefit managers. The vote was prompted by industry lobbying over charges that transparency requirements had discouraged PBMs from doing business in the state, which was resulting in less competition and higher drug costs. The controversial law, which is called the Unfair Prescription Drug Practices Act, prevents PBMs from switching patients to more expensive drugs while also protecting consumers from co-payments when the actual drug price is cheaper. And PBMs are also required to pay independent pharmacies promptly and negotiate prices in good faith (here is the 2003 law and the bill to repeal the law). Those who foug... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4945194 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:37:52 +0100 4945194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893915&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F4kemhBVPFZI%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that VeraxisHealth promoted Anthony Durso to senior director for strategic planning and client services. A 16-year marketing and sales veteran, he joined the medical education and communications firm in 2010 after running Elemental Consulting, a str... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893915 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:05:51 +0100 4893915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883907&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUaHLMBOJt7k%2F For the past few years, one of the more contentious controversies has been the close financial ties between drugmakers and some doctors. But why have some docs embraced the pharmaceutical industry? Were their attitudes formed early in their careers? If so, would there be virtue in educating medical students and residents about the downside to industry interactions? That is the conclusion reached in a report issued last week in PLoS Medicine, which analyzed 32 studies that looked at industry interactions with medical students and whether these influenced student views (this amounted to reviewing data concerning some 9,850 students at 76 med schools or hospitals). They found that most had some interaction with drugmakers, but contact increased in the clinical years, with up to 90 percent of ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883907 Tue, 31 May 2011 12:03:59 +0100 4883907 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872471&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FpHHGMxSsWCQ%2F So how is this for subtlety? A journal ad for the Yasmin contraceptive pill sold by Bayer noted that the med had a beneficial effect on acne, fluid retention, hirsutism and premenstrual symptoms. At the same time, much smaller type mentioned that acne and fluid retention may be uncommon side effects and that Yasmin is not licensed as a treatment for any of the four afflictions. And so a general practitioner in the UK filed a complaint with the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority, which is responsible for administering the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry’s practice code. The anonymous doc believed it was “highly unethical” to put misleading info into an ad and that patents could be placed at an unnecessary risk. The upshot? A review panel found... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872471 Fri, 27 May 2011 17:32:33 +0100 4872471 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872475&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FQv7sASpsCEI%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Pfizer named Craig Lipset as head of clinical innovation. Most recently , he was venture partner in Pfizer Venture Investments, which oversees a $50 million budget for private investments in diagnostics and health technology. Before that, he wa... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872475 Fri, 27 May 2011 12:09:20 +0100 4872475 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872476&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fl6OCIRjRzwE%2F And so another working week is about to come to an end, which means we can daydream about weekend plans. Our modest agenda includes hanging out with the short people and catching up on some reading. What about you? Maybe a dip in the pool? A walk in the park? Perhaps gazing into the future? This side of the pond has a three-day break, of course, so there will be more time to indulge. Whatever you do, have a great time and see you soon… Novartis Found Not Liable For Jaw Disease (Reuters) Medco Loses Blue Cross Blue Shield Contract (Reuters) Trimeris Gets $5M In Roche Settlement (Triangle Business Journal) Pharma Protests UK Pricing Plan (Bloomberg News) AstraZeneca Confirms Endings Payments For Docs To Attend Meetings (Reuters) CMS Proposes Looser E-Prescribing Rules (Internal Medicin... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872476 Fri, 27 May 2011 12:09:07 +0100 4872476 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852943&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F21%2F6-steps-to-get-anyone-yourself-included-to-do-anything%2F I am not promising these things. A motivational coach, consultant, therapist, and award-winning faculty member at Yale School of Medicine is. A guy named Michael V. Pantalon. He has a bunch of credentials like publishing articles in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association, so I read though his book, Instant Influence: How to Get Anyone to Do Anything—FAST with curiosity. I have a lot of projects that I was hoping he could help me with. I have not had enough time to accurately test-drive his recipe of influence; however, I think I’m coming with a bit of a handicap considering my strong urge to want to please people. I only have to hear a vague “I don’t really see it that way,” to abandon my way and go with someone else’s. However,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852943 Sat, 21 May 2011 10:36:08 +0100 4852943 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841474&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcoffee-and-prostate-cancer-the-quality-of-news-reports-vary-significantly%2F2011.05.19 We simply don’t know why more news organizations can’t do an adequate job of explaining the limitations of observational studies – most notably, that they can’t prove cause and effect. Yes, they can show strong associations. But they can’t prove cause and effect. NBC Nightly News, as one example recently, inadequately explained the latest suggestion that coffee consumption can lower the risk of prostate cancer. In the anchor lead, Brian Williams framed this as another case of flip-flopping science, lightheartedly talking about what they say about “all those medical studies…if you don’t like the findings, wait for the next study.” The story seemed puzzled at how the same “lab” 30 years ago reported that coffee was linked to a... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841474 Thu, 19 May 2011 21:00:55 +0100 4841474 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841390&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fmore-medical-societies-supported-by.html There were several new reports about the extent that medical societies are supported by industry.  Last week we asked whether the extent of the industrial support provided the Heart Rhythm Society made that organization appear to be more of a marketing firm than a professional society.  Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions (SCAI)ProPublica reported last week:The Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) received 57 percent of its revenues in 2009 from medical device and pharmaceutical makers, according to financial information on the group's website.Industry contributions to the society's budget covered $4.7 million of the $8.2 million it received that year.The group's biggest funders are the companies with the biggest share of the stent market: C... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841390 Wed, 18 May 2011 21:43:00 +0100 4841390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841739&cid=t_105810_122_f&fid=37835&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iqscorner.com%2F2011%2F05%2Ffeedback-sought-on-proposed-speciality.html The following was just forwarded to me this past weekThe Board of Professional Affairs (BPA) seeks member and public comments on Proposed Revision of the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology, a collaboration between the American Psychology-Law Society, APA Division 41 and the American Board of Forensic Psychology, and facilitated through the APA review process, per Association Rule 30.8, by BPA and the Committee on Professional Practice and Standards (COPPS). The revised guidelines aim to improve the quality of forensic psychological services, enhance the practice and facilitate the systematic development of forensic psychology, and encourage a high level of quality in professional practice.The proposed Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology can be viewed here.Invitation for ... Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841739 Wed, 18 May 2011 16:46:00 +0100 4841739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841582&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F18%2Fapa-mental-health-blog-party-2011-roundup%2F Here is our roundup of posts from the Psych Central Blog Network that blogged about mental health today as a part of the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Mental Health “Blog Party.” Psych Central is the world’s largest independent mental health network run by ordinary mental health professionals. Each month, over 1.5 million people visit our site from around the world to learn more about better mental health and conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADHD and anxiety. Psych Central bloggers are some of the most dedicated and passionate people I’ve met in the field of mental health. Some are professionals, some are not, but all share one thing in common — they have a knack for writing about psychology and mental health issu... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841582 Wed, 18 May 2011 14:55:30 +0100 4841582 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841583&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F18%2Fmental-health-blog-party-why-do-i-blog-about-mental-health%2F As part of May Is Mental Health Awareness Month, many of us here at PsychCentral are participating in a Mental Health Blog Party hosted by the American Psychological Association. Today, May 18, we are all blogging about mental health awareness. Here’s my contribution. Why do I blog about mental health? I want to explain to people that depression and other mood disorders aren’t yuppie diseases for folks with the time and resources to ruminate and obsess, that they can be life-threatening illnesses. That’s right. Depression kills. It killed my godmother — my mom’s younger sister — at the tender age of 43. It kills approximately 800,000 people across the globe every year. Suicide takes more lives than traffic accidents, lung disease, and AIDs, and it is the second leading cause o... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841583 Wed, 18 May 2011 14:01:37 +0100 4841583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841584&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F18%2Fincreasing-mental-health-awareness-too-much-of-a-good-thing%2F Today is the American Psychological Association’s “Blog Party” in recognition of May being mental health month. The marketing effort behind designating a specific month a time to recognize and help increase awareness of a certain disease, disorder or condition is intended to help people learn more about various medical and mental health concerns. But a few weeks ago, physician H. Gilbert Welch wrote an op-ed in the LA Times that questioned whether the pendulum has swung too far the other way. Have we become a nation of people who will get diagnosed for all sorts of sub-clinical problems at the drop of a hat? Indeed, I think there is a very real danger of that becoming the case. And nowhere is that more likely than in mental health. Dr. Ron Pies talked about some of these... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841584 Wed, 18 May 2011 10:14:06 +0100 4841584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820763&cid=t_105810_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fsmall-bowel-injury-aast-classification%2F The American Association for the Study of Trauma has classified small bowel injury into five grades depending on severity and degree of devascularization. They are: Grade 1 – partial bowel wall thickness laceration or contusion/hematoma without devascularization Grade 2 – Less than 50% circumferential full-thickness laceration Grade 3 – Greater than 50% circumferential full-thickness laceration but without complete transection Grade 4 – Complete transection of bowel Grade 5 – Transection accompanied by segmental loss or with devascularization of a segment of bowel (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820763 Sat, 14 May 2011 06:00:24 +0100 4820763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820765&cid=t_105810_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fpancreas-injury-aast-classification%2F The American Association for the Study of Trauma has classified pancreatic injury into five grades depending on the severity and location of parenchymal and duct disruption. They are: Grade 1 – superficial laceration to gland without duct injury or small hematoma in gland without duct injury Grade 2 – major laceration to gland without duct injury or large hematoma in gland without duct injury Grade 3 – parenchymal laceration with duct injury or distal transection Grade 4 – parenchymal laceration involving the ampulla of Vater or proximal transection Grade 5 – massive disruption or obliteration of pancreatic head (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820765 Fri, 13 May 2011 06:00:42 +0100 4820765 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813389&cid=t_105810_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F05%2Findian-medical-association-prescribes.html The national unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has decided to make its two lakh members across the country, especially senior medical practitioners, more tech savvy. “We have noticed that, unlike young medical professionals, senior doctors by and large lack computer proficiency. They still use paper and pen for their daily records. The project will help such doctors cope with the competitive world and become tech savvy,” said national vice-president of IMA, Dr Devendra Shirole.This is great news - and will provide a huge impetus to the healthcare IT market in India ! Patients and doctor will benefit - and so will healthcare IT companies such as Plus91 ( in which I am an angel investor !) (Source: The Patient's Doctor) The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813389 Wed, 11 May 2011 16:20:00 +0100 4813389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813669&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FVsf-59_lCGQ%2F In a blistering missive, the Public Citizen consumer group has charged that researchers with ties to Eli Lilly withheld important data from the Journal of the American Medical Association concerning their recent study of an imaging agent for Alzheimer’s disease. Last March, the FDA declined to approve the drug over concerns that scans can be accurately read, but Lilly continues to seek approval. In a letter published yesterday in JAMA, Public Citizen criticized the January 19 study, which examined whether brain scans using Lilly’s Amyvid, an experimental dye to detect brain abnormalities, was effective. However, the consumer group charged the authors excluded data on the extent to which the scans could be intepreted accurately from one doctor to the next (here is the study and ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813669 Wed, 11 May 2011 13:26:24 +0100 4813669 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4795056&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FgtIUt5aYG24%2F How closely tied are professional medical societies to drug and device makers? Just how much money do some receive? And how obvious is the spending at annual meetings? The answers - some have very close ties, get lots of money and the outlay can be enough to burst a blood vessel. Take the Heart Rhythm Society, which is holding its annual to-do in San Francisco this week. For instance, Sanofi-Aventis shelled out a total of $351,00, which was divided this way: $110,000 on programs & guides; another $110,000 on educational support; $96,000 for exhibit space; $25,000 for ‘turndown service,’ and $10,000 for bag inserts and cards. Similarly, Johnson & Johnson spent $386,750. Here’s how: $275,000 for exhibit space and lounge;s $36,000 on educational support; $25,000 for ban... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4795056 Fri, 06 May 2011 13:44:32 +0100 4795056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789634&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FDTpKxYjCFGk%2F Several drugmakers - including Johnson & Johnson - will discontinue over-the-counter infant drops of meds that contain acetaminophen in hopes of avoiding confusion among parents that can lead to dangerous overdoses. The move was disclosed late yesterday by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, an industry trade group, which says the phase out will begin later this year. At that time, the OTC makers will only sell a single formula for all children under the age of 12. Right now, the infant formulations on store shelves contain half of the amount of acetaminophen that is found in regular children’s formula. Acetaminophen, you may recall, is a key ingredient in Tylenol, Nyquil and many other OTC meds sold to combat pain and fever. The announcement comes just before an FDA p... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789634 Thu, 05 May 2011 12:59:42 +0100 4789634 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771211&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F30%2Fthe-freudian-problem%2F Excluding pop psychologists, (such as Dr. Phil, Dr. Drew or Wayne Dyer) Sigmund Freud is probably the most well known name associated with psychology (at least to the lay public).  In Frank Sulloway’s book, Freud: Biologist of the Mind, the author notes, “Few individuals, if any, have exerted more influence upon the twentieth century than Sigmund Freud.” (Shermer, 2001, p.203). A 1981 survey of chairpersons of graduate psychology found that the respondents considered Freud the most influential figure in the history of psychology (Davis, Thomas, & Weaver, 1982).  But times have changed. “[I]f all the members of the American Psychological Association [APA] who  were concerned with Freudian psychoanalysis were collected, they would make up  less than 10 percent of the membersh... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771211 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 16:00:59 +0100 4771211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4758923&cid=t_105810_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2FGJkCgtMMQ58%2Fportion-control-your-diabetes.php Overeating will increase your blood sugars and weight. This is not good for your diabetes. But portion control isn't easy. Cutting back your portions effects you physically and emotionally. Our lifestyles revolve around the food we eat - like going out for dinner with friends and holiday meals with family. Tammy Randall, Director of Education at the Diabetes Association of Greater Cleveland, says if you want to change your eating habits you must understand what you eat, when you eat and where you eat. Portion control is an emotional journey.Mentally you must want to change your diet before you’ll be successful. It takes willpower, but anyone can make changes. Where To Start?The nutritional website Food and Health has great tips:Use smaller plates and cupsRead nutrition fact... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4758923 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:57:44 +0100 4758923 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753627&cid=t_105810_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F04%2F27%2Fhow-a-valentines-editorial-about-chocolate-semen-lead-to-the-resignation-of-top-surgeon-greenfield%2F Dr. Lazar Greenfield, recently won the election as the new President of  ACS (American College of Surgeons). This position would crown his achievements. For Greenfield was a truly pre-eminent surgeon. He is best known for his development of an intracaval filter bearing his name. This device probably has saved many lives by preventing blood clots from going into the [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753627 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:51:44 +0100 4753627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747651&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F24%2Fanalyzing-the-thinking-process-interview-with-diane-halpern%2F Diane Halpern is a professor of psychology at Claremont McKenna College; she is the former president of the American Psychological Association and former president of the Western Psychological Association.  Halpern has won many awards for her teaching and research, including the 2002 Outstanding Professor Award from the Western Psychological Association, the 1999 American Psychological Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching, and the Silver Medal Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.  She has also authored a variety of books. Here are some of Halpern’s views on the thinking process. What is the goal of critical thinking?  Is critical thinking rational thinking? Critical thinking is good thinking or clear thinking—it involves analyzing the think... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747651 Sun, 24 Apr 2011 12:16:37 +0100 4747651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4715014&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FpYq3k6eZCQ4%2F Four years after the merger between the CVS drugstore chain and the Caremark pharmacy benefits manager, which has spurred numerous investigations and lawsuits over anticompetitive concerns, a handful of consumer groups have written the US Federal Trade Commission to ask the agency to break up the company. Why? The groups charge CVS Caremark limits choice through various programs, the merger has given CVS unfair advantage over other retailers, patients are steered toward CVS and confidential patient information is improperly shared. Such concerns have already prompted investigations by the FTC and attorneys general of 24 states. CVS Caremark has previously said it is cooperating with the probes. “There is strong evidence that the CVS Caremark merger has harmed consumers,” says the lett... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4715014 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:18:08 +0100 4715014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4715015&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FQz8Sw-i4Qjs%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Aileron Therapeutics hired Tony Manning as sr vp of research and preclinical development. Most recently, he was vp and head of inflammation and autoimmune diseases research at Biogen Idec. Before that, he was vp and global head of inflammation,... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4715015 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:52:14 +0100 4715015 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714739&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpain-medicines-used-more-frequently-by-men-with-erectile-dysfunction%2F2011.04.15 The use of Motrin, Aleve and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) is associated with erectile dysfunction, according to a study by scientists affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. The apparent link surprised the scientists. They had hypothesized that the commonly used pain-killers would actually reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction since NSAIDS protect against heart disease, which has in turn been linked to the troubling condition. To reach their surprising conclusion, Steven Jacobsen and colleagues used data from Kaiser’s HealthConnect EHR, an associated pharmacy database, and self-reports about NSAID use and erectile dysfunction from an ethnically diverse population of 80,966 men between the ages of 45 and 69. After controlling for age, ethnicity, race, body mass index... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714739 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:00:35 +0100 4714739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704733&cid=t_105810_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fwhy-its-unethical-for-doctors-not-to.html Many doctors are still worried that it's unethical to have a personal website.They feel that this amounts to advertising, and that a website is a way of soliciting patients.I strongly disagree. In fact, I feel it's unethical for a doctor not to have their own website ! The word doctor is derived from the word, " docere", which means to teach. This clearly means that one of the key responsibilities of a doctor is to teach their patients. While many doctors do this face to face, the amount of teaching which can be done this way is very limited - and a conversation is not the best way of transmitting information.Doctors who publish their own websites communicate with their patients online - and a website is a much more powerful tool of reaching out to thousands of people who are looking for i... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704733 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:38:00 +0100 4704733 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704956&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FPhLfP23_6gY%2F File this under The Case of The Missing Book. When last seen, Scientific Therapeutics Information was at the center of an ongoing controversy over an allegedly ghostwritten book - yes, an entire book - that was published in 1999 by the American Psychiatric Association. Funding came from a grant provided by SmithKline Beecham, which is now part of GlaxoSmithKline (back story). The listed co-authors were Charles Nemeroff, who chairs the psychiatry department at the University of Miami medical school, and Alan Schatzberg, who until recently chaired the psychiatry department at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Both men were at the center of a long-running probe by the US Senate Finance Committee into undisclosed conflicts of interest among academic researchers. They were also regul... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704956 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:13:27 +0100 4704956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704589&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fthem-or-your-lying-eyes.html …THEM OR YOUR LYING EYES? A few days ago I discussed stonewalling by the American Psychiatric Association over charges that they were partners in a ghostwritten textbook. The issue resonated with many people, including Daniel Carlat, John Nardo, the POGO blog, Alison Bass, Ed Silverman, and others. The APA has not seen its way clear to releasing key documents that might clear up the charges. By stonewalling, the APA just does more damage to its image and credibility. They come across as uninterested in transparency, and they appear to be fighting a rearguard action to defend the indefensible. What kind of key documents could the APA have released? In our letter last January we suggested several, including the contract involving the American Psychiatric Press, the medical communications c... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704589 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 04:18:00 +0100 4704589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693504&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F21CAXYYz48I%2F After months of overseeing a series of controversial moves at the FDA press office, Beth Martino has resigned to take a job with the American Health Care Association as a public affairs advisor. Her departure caps a brief, but tumultuous reign for the 31-year-old former press aide to Kathleen Sebelius, the former Kansas governor who is now Department of Human Health & Services secretary. As much as she attempted to manage the news, Martino succeeded in making news herself. In December, her office purged a few senior specialists who are 50 years and older. Three staffers were let go and a fourth, career employee Donna Avallone, 62, was stripped of her title and reassigned by Carl Chitwood, a 37-year-old Martino appointee, although he later denied forcing anyone out of a job (back story... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693504 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:59:23 +0100 4693504 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693507&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FvHycW-dgqLw%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that QuantumMethod has hired Michele McHugh-Mazzatta, as a partner and she will manage east coast operations. Before joining the marketing firm, she ran her own firm, Four M Group, and previously spent more than 20 years at GlaxoSmithKline, most rec... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693507 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 12:00:11 +0100 4693507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693508&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FrnpVtSoFzBk%2F Once again, another working week will soon draw to a close. And this, of course, is our signal to begin daydreaming about weekend activities. Our modest agenda includes chauffering our short people around town, taking a nap or two and attending the latest installment in what we call the ‘Let’s See Them Before They Die’ concert series. And you? Anything special planned? Maybe a walk in the park? Curling up with a good e-book? Or you could finish your taxes, even if no one is in Washington to process your return. Whatever you do, have a great time. See you soon… Amgen CEO Got $21M Compensation In 2010 (Associated Press) Indian Company Ends Sale Of Lethal Injection Drug To The US (The Atlantic) FDA Will Be Severely Limited By Government Shutdown (CNN Money) Canadian P... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693508 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:43:35 +0100 4693508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684764&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3CWkAaWSr94%2F A small, but controversial non-profit group has just won a symbolic - and potentially significant - victory thanks to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which has determined its comb can be listed as an alternative to pharmaceutical treatments containing an insecticide banned by dozens of countries for agricultural use (see this). The comb is cleared by the FDA for screening, detecting and removing head lice and their eggs (read here). The move comes after nearly two decades in which the non-profit, called the National Pediculosis Association, has tussled with drugmakers and government agencies over the insecticide. Known commercially as Lindane, the chemical has been widely used as an agricultural tool around the world, but is also a key component in a topical loti... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684764 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:51:51 +0100 4684764 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4677109&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fr0Fv99YQmK0%2F Rise and shine, everyone. Another day is on the way. And it is a sunny one here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where the short people have left for the local school house and the official Pharmalot mascots are barking at squirrels. You know what this means - it is time for a cup of stimulation. Our flavor today is Southern Pecan. Please join us as we scour the news of the world. Have a great day and do send us those interesting tidbits…. Gilead Raises Prices Of Top-Selling Meds (Dow Jones) J&J Hepatitis C Drug Price Sparks Concern In France (Bloomberg News) Bayer To Consolidate And Add Jobs In New Jersey (The Daily Record) Brand And Generic Makers Clash Over Canada/EU Trade Deal (Pharma Times) Cubist Shares Jump On Teva Patent Deal (Associated Press) Link Sought Between Lab ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4677109 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:09:01 +0100 4677109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4676731&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fwho-you-gonna-believe.html WHO YOU GONNA BELIEVE? Ghostwriting Charges and Stonewalling at the American Psychiatric Association The American Psychiatric Association came under a searchlight this past December over allegations of ghostwriting. The story originated with a public letter from Project on Government Oversight (POGO) to the Director of NIH, and it was picked up by Duff Wilson writing in the New York Times. The book was Recognition and Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders: A Psychopharmacology Handbook for Primary Care. The named authors were Charles Nemeroff, now chairman of psychiatry at the University of Miami, and Alan Schatzberg, formerly chairman of psychiatry at Stanford University. Both are well known for ethical controversy – see here and here. Soon, these allegations were being dissected in the bl... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4676731 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 04:44:00 +0100 4676731 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4670170&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F02%2Fdo-you-feel-like-a-fake-2%2F When I was in grad school, I was a fake, a phony, a fraud. Or at least I felt that way — very much. I felt like the program made some exception to accept me, that I really didn’t deserve to be there, that I wore my stupidity on my sleeve and that soon the professors and powers-that-be would find out and kick me out. That never happened. (I actually left after receiving my Master’s to pursue writing.) But it didn’t quell my fears. Even when I received high grades and positive feedback and praise, I still felt a gnawing discomfort that I just didn’t belong in such a smart place. I also wasn’t the only one. My cohort and I talked regularly about feeling like our department had a made a mistake in admitting us. We worried about keeping up, regularly questioned our i... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4670170 Sat, 02 Apr 2011 19:20:51 +0100 4670170 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658583&cid=t_105810_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F03%2F30%2F2011-aacr-annual-meeting-select-ovarian-cancer-presentations-abstracts-available-online%2F The 102nd American Association For Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting will be held from Saturday, April 2 through Wednesday, April 6, 2011, at the Orange County Convention Center located in Orlando, Florida.  Select ovarian cancer presentations and abstracts are available online. The 102nd American Association For Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting will be held from [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658583 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:23:54 +0100 4658583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658622&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F15TOpFMeOlc%2F There is nothing quite like a jury of your peers. And over in the UK, Novo Nordisk management was slapped around quite a bit by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry for breaching industry codes concerning various promotional efforts for its Victoza diabetes med. What did the drugmaker do wrong? There were two cases, actually. In the first one, Novo Nordisk promoted the med on a website and at a symposium before regulators issued approval. The ABPI appeals board called this a “serious matter” that “displayed a poor understanding of the requirements” of the industry’s own code. In fact, the board was not convinced the drugmaker “understood the seriousness of the matter,” especially given there was another instance involving the same... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658622 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:18:33 +0100 4658622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653602&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FdtWgguerbvk%2F Yet another study has found a conflict of interest among doctors. This time, conflicts were reported by 56 percent of 498 docs who helped write 17 guidelines for the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology between 2003 through 2008, according to the study published today in the Archives of Internal Medicine (see the abstract). And this finding matters because these panels typically wield considerable influence. “Panels are the select groups of experts who are assigned to evaluate science independently and issue their advice to other doctors on what to do in clinical practice,” the researchers write. Guidelines “play an important role in synthesizing information for clinicians, as well as increasing uniform practice to certain standards and avoiding t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653602 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:15:11 +0100 4653602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642995&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FuZGC-ukK-wc%2F Should generic drugmakers be required to strengthen product labeling if alerted to side effects, even when the same change has not been made to the labeling for the branded med? This question goes to the heart of a pair of state lawsuits filed by two women, who claim generic drugmakers should be held liable for failing to warn of serious side effects. However, the drugmakers, which include Actavis and Pliva, claim federal law preempts the lawsuits, because they would be required to offer labeling that is different from what appears on the label of the brand-name drug. The generic drugmakers further maintain that permitting such lawsuits to proceed in state courts would raise their costs, which would, ultimately, be passed on to consumers. This complicated issue will be heard this coming We... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642995 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:12:39 +0100 4642995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642997&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FC17j0hNlPIg%2F The trade group that represents over-the-counter drugmakers is running radio ads against a Missouri proposal that would require a prescription to buy certain cold med containing pseudeophredine, a key ingredient used for making methamphetamine, the Associated Press reports. The ads urge people to call their lawmakers and tell them to “keep government out of your medicine cabinet.” The move, of course, is a bid to maintain sales of such products as Sudafed, Claritin-D, Advil Cold & Sinus and Mucinex-D, and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association is explaining its position by describing the proposal as overly restrictive and certain to increase costs for consumers (additional co-pays, for instance), state programs and lost sales tax revenue (see this statement). &#8220... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642997 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:33:49 +0100 4642997 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4636659&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F5PvEgH1s4QA%2F The pharmaceutical industry has traditionally established ties to doctors during their formative years in residency programs, but more recently, drugmakers have been shunned by several high-profile academic medical centers over concerns of undue influence on medical practice. Now, a new study in Academic Medicine finds that a wide array of family medicine residencies are taking similar steps. The researchers conducted a nationwide survey of family medicine residencies to determine the extent and type of industry interactions with trainees and to identify so-called pharma-free residencies that avoided iindustry influence. And so they e-mailed four questions to residency directors or coordinators at all 460 accredited US family med residencies. In all, 286 replied. The findings: 75 residenc... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4636659 Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:11:57 +0100 4636659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4622189&cid=t_105810_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fdr-frank-farmer-named-florida-surgeon-general%2F Dr. Frank Farmer, the head of the Florida Medical Association, has been named the new Surgeon General for the state of Florida. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4622189 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 04:22:59 +0100 4622189 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4622290&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F21%2Fpsychologists-still-seek-prescription-privileges-no-new-news%2F This story caught my eye only because of its headline, Psychologists seek authority to prescribe psychotropic medications. Really? I thought… I never heard that before. Oh, wait a minute, I have. Because the last time I checked, psychologists have been seeking prescription privileges for something like 16 or 17 years, maybe longer. In all of that time, they’ve only gained them in two states. Was another state joining New Mexico and Louisiana? Was there a renewed push for this service because of a sudden demand for prescriptions from those who have a mental illness? In other words, for this new article that appeared in the Washington Post (but was actually written by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a healthcare policy organization) — what’s newsworthy about this story?... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4622290 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 21:39:31 +0100 4622290 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592459&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34859&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.davemsw.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2Fcan_you_detect_a_liar.php Cover of Attachment in PsychotherapyAsk a lie detector professional and you will get a positive answer. But its not as simple as knowing how to work the instrument. The instruments used by a lie detector professional basically measure anxiety and are very similar to the machines used in biofeedback. The fact is that there is little research to support the idea that a polygraph or any other instrument can reliably detect a lie. Most psychologists and other scientists agree that there is little basis for the validity of polygraph tests. Courts, including the United States Supreme Court (cf. U.S. v. Scheffer, 1998 in which Dr.'s Saxe's research on polygraph fallibility was cited), have repeatedly rejected the use of polygraph evidence because of its inherent unreliability. (American Psychol... Ψ Dare To Dream... blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592459 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 01:19:04 +0100 4592459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592360&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FV43-r6AbKQI%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThe Washington Post is reporting that current Federal Housing Administration (FHA) head David Stevens, who only last week announced he was leaving FHA, is going to be the new head of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). When Stevens was first nominated to head FHA, I have to admit I was concerned.  FHA has a long history of prioritizing the interests of the mortgage industry over that of the taxpayer.  And here was a guy right out of the real estate industry (former Freddie Mac exec).  My expectations weren't exactly high.  Maybe because of that, I've been largely impressed.  As FHA Commissioner, Stevens has taken eliminating fraud seriously, as well as avoiding a taxpayer bailout of FHA (so far). All that said, it is hard to imagine that in under a week's time, ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592360 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:22:09 +0100 4592360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592388&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FQe6RESjeGdw%2F Edward Grandi “Women need their sleep,” says Edward Grandi, Disruptive Women’s March Man of the Month. Grandi is the Executive Director of the American Sleep Apnea Association (ASAA), the leading non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public and the medical community about sleep apnea, supporting those in treatment for the condition, and advocating on behalf of patients and their families. Grandi discussed a common misperception he felt Disruptive Women readers should be aware of – obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an ailment of middle-aged, overweight men. While it is true that twice as many men as women have OSA, after menopause women are affected in the same numbers as men. OSA is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592388 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:17:13 +0100 4592388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592400&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcoffee-and-stroke-another-study-the-media-got-wrong%2F2011.03.14 Here we go again. Headlines across America blaring lines like, “Coffee may reduce stroke risk.” It was a big study, but an observational study. Not a trial. Not an experiment. And, as we say so many times on this website that you could almost join along with the chorus, observational studies have inherent limitations that should always be mentioned in stories. They can’t prove cause and effect. They can show a strong statistical association, but they can’t prove cause and effect. So you can’t prove benefit or risk reduction. And stories should say that. USA Today, for example, did not explain that in its story. Nor did it include any of the limitations that were included in, for example, a HealthDay story, which stated: “The problem with this type of stu... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592400 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:00:45 +0100 4592400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4580956&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F13%2Fstaying-happy-in-bad-times%2F A year and a half ago, USA Today published an interesting article as a kind of wrap-up of the four-day annual meeting of the American Psychological Association. Among the happiness talk was how to stay chipper in this economy. My friend, Robert Wicks, attended and was interviewed for the article. Here is his section in the article (I still get giddy when I recognize my friends among the experts): Simplicity is a silver lining to the downturn, says psychologist Robert Wicks. “In the up economy, people were successful, but in many cases, they were missing their lives,” says Wicks, a psychology professor at Loyola University Maryland in Columbia and author of Bounce: Living the Resilient Life. “They weren’t spending time really enjoying themselves and weren’t spe... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4580956 Sun, 13 Mar 2011 10:34:11 +0100 4580956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4577906&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fred-light-cameras-save-lives%2F2011.03.12 Most people don’t like them. Privacy advocates abhor them. But, really– how many things can you name that save lives AND generate revenues for cash-strapped local and state governments? Red-light cameras are one such item. A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has shown that red-light cameras saved 159 lives over a four-year period in the 14 large U.S. cities where the study took place. The scientists claimed that more than 800 traffic fatalities would have been prevented during the course of the study if the cameras had been deployed in all large U.S. cities. The scientists compared fatal car crash rates in U.S. cities with populations of at least 200,000 for two four-year periods: 1992 to 1996 and 2004 to 2008. They excluded cities that had already deploy... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4577906 Sat, 12 Mar 2011 15:00:34 +0100 4577906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4575244&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FyX0B1GekJDo%2F Earlier this week, we wrote how the European Association for the Study of the Liver had difficulty maintaining an embargo on abstracts to be reviewed at its upcoming annual conference, even though the material is freely available on the Internet (see here). Then Embargo Watch notes that the public relations firm for the EASL is Cohn & Wolfe, which also represents various drugmakers, such as Allergan, Genzyme, Sanofi-Aventis, Boehringer-Ingelheim and Merck (see this). This raises a question: how can a public relations firm equitably run the media operations for a professional society conference and simultaneously represent drugmakers who may have a great deal at stake at these conferences? You know, abstracts from one or more clients could be on display at the gathering. How can the EA... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4575244 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:36:35 +0100 4575244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4566338&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FocSPEUl22T0%2F Two days ago, the European Association for the Study of the Liver released summaries of abstracts in advance of its annual meeting, which starts later this month. Among these were results showing that preliminary data on two hepatitis C meds from Pharmasset suggest a breakthrough because 94 percent of the patients displayed undetectable levels of the virus after two weeks. The summaries were posted on the EASL web site (see here and here) and, not surprisingly, sent Pharmasset stock soaring this week. The shares opened at $50 on Monday and closed yesterday at $66.92 yesterday, which amounts to a 33 percent increase. At the same time, Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock sank, because the Pharmasset results pose a competitive threat to its telaprevir hepatitis C med, which is due for FDA revew in M... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4566338 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:07:05 +0100 4566338 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4566339&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FP09cTmu9FyE%2F In recent years, the meta-analysis has taken on new prominence. These are, of course, not new studies, but detailed reviews combining results of several studies in order to address a hypothesis. Perhaps one of the most high-profile examples was published in 2007 in The New England Journal of Medicine and determined the Avandia diabetes pill led to a greater chance of cardiovascular risk. However, the meta-analysis has also been criticized as an imperfect beast, since sources of bias are not controlled by method, which is considered a weakness. A new study, though, has found another reason to take issue - most meta-analysis authors are not examining whether the authors of the underlying randomized, controlled clinical trials have disclosed conflicts of interest. Specifically, of 29 meta-ana... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4566339 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 13:59:53 +0100 4566339 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560272&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fteens-who-smoke-pot-at-risk-for-mental-illness-later%2F2011.03.08 Teenagers and young adults who use marijuana may be messing with their heads in ways they don’t intend. Evidence is mounting that regular marijuana use increases the chance that a teenager will develop psychosis, a pattern of unusual thoughts or perceptions, such as believing the television is transmitting secret messages. It also increases the risk of developing schizophrenia, a disabling brain disorder that not only causes psychosis, but also problems concentrating and loss of emotional expression. In one recent study that followed nearly 2,000 teenagers as they became young adults, young people who smoked marijuana at least five times were twice as likely to have developed psychosis over the next 10 years as those who didn’t smoke pot. Another new paper concluded that early marijuan... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560272 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:00:56 +0100 4560272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560273&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fibuprofen-parkinsons-study-few-news-organizations-report-on-it-accurately%2F2011.03.08 We’re delighted to see that USA Today, Reuters, and WebMD were among the news organizations that included what an editorial writer said about an observational study linking ibuprofen use with fewer cases of Parkinson’s disease. All three news organizations used some version of what editorial writer Dr. James Bower of the Mayo Clinic wrote or said: “Whenever in epidemiology you find an association, that does not mean causation.” “An association does not prove causation.” “There could be other explanations for the ibuprofen-Parkinson’s connection.” Kudos to those news organizations. And some praise goes to the journal Neurology for publishing Dr. Bower’s editorial to accompany the study. His piece is entitled, “Is the answer... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560273 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:00:43 +0100 4560273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560400&cid=t_105810_113_f&fid=38494&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuretogether.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F03%2F07%2Finfertility-asthma-link-confirmed%2F It’s time to start repeating some of our earlier studies to see if they hold up with the larger dataset we’ve now gathered in collaboration with our nearly 25,000 marvelous members. The very first discovery we announced, back in September 2009, was an association between Infertility and Asthma. The 2009 finding was based on an analysis of 324 members, and revealed that members with Infertility were 1.9x more likely to report Asthma. We just re-ran the analysis (15 months later), with data from 3,735 members (11.5x larger sample!) and we discovered that… the association still holds.     The gritty details: within the 253 people reporting infertility, 51 (20%) reported having asthma (the remaining 202 out of 253 specifically said they did NOT have asthma). Wi... The Collective Well blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560400 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 22:21:07 +0100 4560400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560275&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Flying-a-way-of-life-in-the-medical-profession%2F2011.03.07 In his last post, DrRich analyzed whether the young Wisconsin doctors who stood out on street corners proudly offering fake “sick excuses” to protesting teachers were engaging in an act of civil disobedience. DrRich respectfully kept an open mind on this question, but after careful deliberation concluded that it is very unlikely that their actions constituted classic civil disobedience as espoused by Thoreau or Gandhi. Instead, these doctors were, in a professional capacity, lying. They did not lie in any truly malicious way, however. They lied because they have been trained to believe in a higher cause than mere professional ethics, namely, the cause of social justice. They lied in full confidence that telling lies to advance such a noble cause is a natural duty of the medical profess... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560275 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 21:00:13 +0100 4560275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4554661&cid=t_105810_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fmy-doctor-does-not-tell-me-anything-dr.html " My doctor never has time to talk to me or to explain to me what is happening !" This is the commonest complaint patients have about their doctors.It's true that doctors are busy - and good doctors are in high demand, with enormous patient loads. Their time is precious - and the reality is that they do not have the luxury of sitting down and chatting with you.However, there's no point in looking for problems - you need to find solutions ! You cannot change the constraints your doctor operates under - but there's a lot you can do to make the most of the limited time you have with him !What are some useful strategies ?1. Remember that your doctor is no longer the only dispenser of reliable medical information. This was true 50 years ago, when doctors had a monopoly on access to medical know... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4554661 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 05:39:00 +0100 4554661 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4549827&cid=t_105810_125_f&fid=37825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbibbynews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F03%2F04%2Fcelebrate-dental-assistants-recognition-week-march-6-12%2F Bibby Library celebrates Dental Assistants Recognition week. This event is a joint effort of the American Dental Assistants Association, the American Dental Association, the Canadian Dental Assistants Association and the Canadian Dental Association to acknowledge and recognize the Dental Assistant. If you are an Eastman Institute for Oral Health Dental Assistant, we hope you’ll stop [...] (Source: Bibby Library News and Tips) Bibby Library News and Tips blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4549827 Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:42:21 +0100 4549827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4549754&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedicaid-will-the-cost-of-expanding-eligibility-be-overwhelming%2F2011.03.04 Medicaid has been front and center this week as President Obama addressed the National Governors Association, and several governors testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Obama told the governors that he supports the Wyden-Brown bill, which would accelerate the availability of waivers under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), so that states would not have to first create health insurance exchanges under the law, and then have the right to dismantle them and replace them with other mechanisms to achieve coverage goals of the law without additional cost to the federales. (See Wyden-Brown fact sheet.) The sponsors’ home states, Oregon and Massachusetts would otherwise have to dismantle parts of their own health reform efforts in order to align with the federal mandates... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4549754 Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:00:45 +0100 4549754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536151&cid=t_105810_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fwhat-ever-you-say-doctor.html At the end of a consultation, I usually ask my patients - So what have you decided ? What would you like to do next ? After all, IVF is an elective treatment; and infertile couples have many choices. These are very personal decisions, which are best made by the couple themselves, rather than the doctor.Often, many patients will answer - Whatever you say, doctor !While it may seem very flattering that they are willing to allow me to make the decision for them, this is actually not a good answer , and I am unhappy when I hear this !I'd much rather have a patient who took the time and trouble to understand their options, so they could make the decision for themselves . The best decision is one you make yourselfI will not let them make the wrong decision - but when there are choices, patients ... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536151 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:30:00 +0100 4536151 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532566&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fi9wHzkYLI3U%2F Those free medical journals - which are sent at no cost to doctors and are financed by pharma ads - are much more likely to recommend drugs that are mentioned in its pages than journals that are funded by subscription fees, according to a new study. Consequently, some physicians may not readily notice any possible bias as they go about absorbing information needed for patient care. The researchers identified 11 German educational medical journals from 2007 that are widely read by general practitioners, and these were divided into types according to revenue sources: free journals financed completely by paid ads; mixed-revenue journals that charge readers and also take paid advertising, and subscription-based journals that are completely financed by readers. They then selected nine drugs or ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532566 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:05:57 +0100 4532566 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512380&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FShcdYRfdZUs%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThe Washington Post reported today that the increase in January home sales was driven mainly by an increase in all-cash sales.  Whereas I would have thought increasing sales, especially driven by cash buyers, was a sign of market strength; the Post and the National Association of Realtors portrayed this as a bad thing.  NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun went so far as to call this portion of the market "unhealthy." Of course, what NAR and the rest of the real estate lobby were complaining about was that home sales and prices were not being driven by easy credit.  For the housing industry, it would seem that the "correct" house price is the price that is propped up by loose credit.  Yun goes on to say that "investors are taking the advantage of conditions to purchas... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512380 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:15:08 +0100 4512380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4507390&cid=t_105810_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FarM4RGb1n4M%2F Neil already broke the news a few weeks ago that the MTIA (Medical Transcription Industry Association) changed its name to the CDIA (Clinical Documentation Industry Association). I was able to attend the press event that they held to officially announce the change. I’m sure that many might not think this is such a big deal. Ok, the name change isn’t that big of a deal. However, I’d say that this part of the movement that I’ve been talking about for quite a while. Basically the survival of transcription for the forseeable future. I don’t think I talked to any transcription companies at the event that weren’t working on some sort of EMR tied to transcription strategy (MD-IT, FutureNet, and MxSecure to just name a few). In many cases they’re doing the... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4507390 Tue, 22 Feb 2011 04:16:54 +0100 4507390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4501588&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdiet-soda-and-your-risk-for-heart-attack-or-stroke%2F2011.02.20 It tastes sweet. It’s pleasurably fizzy. And free of calories. What’s more, the FDA says NutraSweet (aspartame) is safe. So what’s not to like about diet soft drinks? A bunch. The ongoing debate about the healthiness of diet soft drinks reminds me of the old adage, “If something sounds to be true, it probably is.” Artificially-sweetened “diet” drinks get touted as healthy alternatives to sugary drinks because they contain no calories or carbohydrates. On paper it seems plausible to think they are inert, no more dangerous than water. The Coca-Cola Company sublimely strengthens this assertion by putting a big red heart on Diet Coke cans. But diet-cola news (Los Angeles Times) presented at the International Stroke Conference 2011 suggests otherwise. This widely-publ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4501588 Sun, 20 Feb 2011 14:00:45 +0100 4501588 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482876&cid=t_105810_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F_yJ4wQY3NAs%2F We’re delighted to add Brain Resource to the roster of Sponsors of the upcoming 2011 SharpBrains Summit, and the Center for  Technology and Aging and the Brain Injury Association of Canada to the roster of Partners. Thank you for your support! New Sponsor Brain Resource brings new insights and new efficiencies to managing brain health. Its proprietary platforms are used to predict who will best respond to what drug, and develop new drugs, to provide objective reports from on-line assessments of brain health across the lifespan (including ADHD, Depression, Anxiety and Schizophrenia), and to match individualized profiles with brain training exercises & interactive videos to optimize wellness & brain function. New Partners The Brain Injury Association of Canada has a mandate to im... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482876 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 02:27:03 +0100 4482876 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4478158&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F4zPu4D1nOpc%2F A behind-the-scenes battle is brewing in nearly a dozen states where legislation has been introduced to more closely regulate e-prescribing. And a trade group for pharmacy benefit managers claims that brand-name drugmakers are trying to use the proposals to restrict access to lower-cost generics. The bills would, essentially, prohibit docs from seeing messages from third-party information providers as they write an e-prescription. In doing so, info about other prescribing options, including drug interactions, would not be displayed on screens. “By removing the third party message, the legislation doesn’t allow the technology to get to the doctor,” a spokesman for the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association tells us. Legislation is pending in 11 states, including Indiana, K... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4478158 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:36:47 +0100 4478158 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464705&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUzPmlJi0yIs%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that AstraZeneca hired John Yee as vp and US head medical officer. Previously, he was vp and global head, evidence-based medicine and health outcomes research at Genzyme, where he spent eight years. And before that, Yee was a faculty member at Harva... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4464705 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 13:13:18 +0100 4464705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4459959&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-forecast-for-heart-disease-gloomy-with-a-strong-chance-of-boomers%2F2011.02.10 As a youngster, I loved being part of the baby boom — it meant there were dozens of kids on my block who were ready to play hide-and-seek or join mysterious clubs. Now that I’m of an AARP age, there’s one club I don’t want to join: The one whose members have bypass scars, pacemakers, or other trappings of cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association’s (AHA) gloomy new forecast on cardiovascular disease tells me it won’t be easy to avoid. The AHA foresees sizeable increases in all forms of cardiovascular disease (see table) between now and 2030, the year all of the boomers are age 65 and older. Those increases will translate into an additional 27 million people with high blood pressure, eight million with coronary heart disease, four million with stroke, and thr... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4459959 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:00:43 +0100 4459959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455263&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fartificial-sweeteners-and-telling-pregnant-women-in-moderation%2F2011.02.09 I can already tell that this pregnancy is different from my first. When I was pregnant with Little Isis, I drank no caffeine and took no over-the-counter medication. I remember having a few headaches and Mr. Isis fighting with me to take a headache pill. I would then proclaim dramatically, “But I can’t! What if it hurts the baby?!” This morning, now pregnant with my second, I washed down a Zyrtec and two Tylenol with a cup of coffee. The little bugger is going to have to grow up with Little Isis. He might as well start building up his tolerance to exogenous substances at some point. I figure, now that its got a closed neural tube and a beating heart, we might as well begin. Still, you can’t blame a pregnant woman for being a bit neurotic. The feeling that one is solely res... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455263 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 20:00:01 +0100 4455263 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455326&cid=t_105810_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2FiwqDxZdEIqw%2Fmtia-changing-its-name.html I've just learned that the Medical Transcription Industry Association will be changing its name to the Clinical Documentation Industry Association. This change reflects the fact that the transcription profession is evolving into an editing function with the advent of EMRs.The new name and expanded organizational mission will be introduced Feb. 21 at the HIMSS conference. The CDIA will focus on the human interaction necessary to make electronic documentation more usable, a process likely to grow more complicated as the healthcare industry migrates to ICD-10 coding.The cynic in me knows that the public (or mainstream media) won't notice much of a difference because there's still the widespread perception that medical transcription is a booming industry. All those "work at home transcribing m... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455326 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 05:55:26 +0100 4455326 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4445800&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsex-during-pregnancy-is-safe%2F2011.02.07 The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) has published a new primer designed to help physicians when they counsel pregnant women. They note that sex during pregnancy is normal and is generally considered safe. The authors point out that there are very few proven contraindications and risks regarding intercourse in normal pregnancy. Pregnant women and their partners are often afraid to have sex. Men may think they are “invading” the home of the fetus and could actually harm the baby. In fact, the fetus is quite safe, ensconced in the uterus (womb) and the cervix (opening of the uterus) is closed in normal pregnancy. The penis has no contact with the fetus or the uterus during normal intercourse, no matter what the position. When is intercourse considered risky? Only f... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4445800 Tue, 08 Feb 2011 02:00:00 +0100 4445800 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4446031&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FkOSamOvJCZE%2F In a brief interview late last week, Roche ceo Severin Schwan complained that his best-selling Avastin cancer treatment is not viewed appropriately by investors. “People talk as if Avastin is a problem, but it is a product with over six billion Swiss francs (in sales) and it still has growth potential,” he told Dow Jones. “Other companies would long for a problem like this.” Well, sort of. It is certainly true that Avastin rings registers; worldwide sales last year totaled about $6.8 billion and rose 9 percent, which meant this one drug accounted for 14 percent of total Roche sales. But you may recall the FDA recently decided it wants to rescind the breast cancer indication for the drug, which is approved to treat bowel, lung, brain and kidney cancers. This means t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4446031 Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:14:55 +0100 4446031 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4446032&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FqZDR45Q5V5o%2F A trade deal being negotiated between Canada and the European Union could cost Canadians another $2.8 billion annually in drug costs - notably, by delaying the availability of lower-cost generics in Canada by about 3.5 years - if certain proposals are cemented, according to a new report commissioned by generic drugmakers. During the talks, the EU has sought various changes in Canadian laws and regulations governing intellectual property concerning brand-name meds. These include extending the term of patent protection by up to five years if drugs are bogged down in the regulatory approval process; lengthening the period of data exclusivity from eight years to 10 years or more; and strengthening notice of compliance regulations by adding an appeals process. The upshot is that Canadian payers... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4446032 Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:24:19 +0100 4446032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4441972&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fis-february-heart-marketing-month%2F2011.02.06 Heart disease and February: What relationship could be more cozy? From the scary risks of shoveling snow (yep, you could die, so be sure to lift a little at a time), Mercedes-sponsored red dress parades and government-sponsored National Wear Red Day®, to tips for identifying heart attacks in women (men, you need a different month I guess), February has all the important stories to improve your awareness. Such a polite term “awareness.” But I wonder, now that the Internet is upon us and people are seeing their insurance rates and co-pays skyrocket, if maybe we’re shooting ourselves in the foot with all this heart-month marketing hype. People are sick and tired of testing “just to be sure.” It’s starting to directly cost them a fortune, and people are fr... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4441972 Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4441972 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4436942&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FFoD7p_TQbwc%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Qforma hired Ted Pine as vice president of business development. He was previously vice president of sales at openQ, which markets programs for key opinion leader management and compliance, and was senior director of strategic accounts at Leade... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4436942 Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:11:44 +0100 4436942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4433103&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fno-more-cameras-in-the-delivery-room%2F2011.02.03 Most of our posts here deal with gadgets physicians or other medical professionals would use, but the New York Times has published an article about issues stemming from the patient or the family bringing cameras into the delivery room. Now, as anyone who’s been made to watch a video of a friend’s delivery during a party can attest, this isn’t a new phenomenon. However, since almost any device can record video now and it’s easiest to share the video online, medical-legal considerations are leading some hospitals to restrict any and all recordings of live births. We’d be interested to know what our readers think. Do you let patients film you while you work? New York Times article: Rules on Cameras in Delivery Rooms Stir Passions… *This blog post... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4433103 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:00:28 +0100 4433103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429017&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwere-overdosing-on-sodium-whose-responsibility-is-it%2F2011.02.02 I confess to loving Campbell’s tomato bisque soup. I mix it with 1 percent-fat milk and it’s hot and delicious and comforting, but one of the worst food choices I could make because one cup contains more sodium than I should have in a day. Knowing this, I have already relegated it to an occasional treat. But by the end of this blog post I will do more. We are overdosing on sodium and it is killing us. We need to cut the sodium we eat daily by more than half. The guidelines keep coming. The U.S. government has handed out dietary guidelines telling Americans who are over 50, all African Americans, people with high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease to have no more than 1,500 milligrams (mg) — or two thirds of a teaspoon — of sodium daily. That’s the majorit... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429017 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4429017 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429019&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-dietary-guidelines-offer-little-new-guidance%2F2011.02.02 There isn’t much new in the latest iteration of the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” Three years in the making, the 2010 guidelines (released a tad late, on January 31, 2011) offer the usual advice about eating less of the bad stuff (salt; saturated fat, trans fats, and cholesterol; and refined grains) and more of the good stuff (fruits and vegetables; whole grains; seafood, beans, and other lean protein; and unsaturated fats). I’ve listed the 23 main recommendations below. You can also find them on the “Dietary Guidelines” website. The guidelines do break some new ground. They state loudly and clearly that overweight and obesity are a leading nutrition problem in the United States, and that a healthy diet can help people achieve a healthy weight. They also r... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429019 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:00:27 +0100 4429019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429059&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F02%2Fdoes-schizophrenia-need-a-new-name%2F I was very nervous when my editorial about schizophrenia — there we go, a word I ought not to be using — appeared Open Access online in the December 2010 Journal of Mental Health (published by Informa Healthcare, New York). It contains personal details which it is not customary to reveal. Having got over that I had more anxiety when the printed journal was delayed by a month for unknown reasons. Now that it’s out I am calm again. Why should I not be using the ‘S’ word? What’s in a name? The answer is that it has acquired a stigma in the course of a hundred years owing to the small minority of people with our condition who are violent and attack or kill other people. Furthermore, according to Jim van Os, a professor of psychiatry at Maastricht University in the Neth... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429059 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:13:17 +0100 4429059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424281&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F01%2Fposting-about-health-concerns-on-facebook-twitter%2F If you’re thinking about posting your health or mental health concerns on Facebook or Twitter, you may want to think twice. According to an article published last week in The LA Times, health insurers will often turn to social networks to check out someone’s story — especially when that person is receiving medical leave or disability payments from an insurer. If you’re filing (or intending to file) a health insurance claim, be careful. This once-hypothetical scenario is now commonplace, as insurers look for ways to keep cutting costs and payments to what they perceive as people intending to commit fraud against them. In fact, insurance companies don’t just randomly check out a social networking website when a claim comes in — it is now standard practice,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424281 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:10:47 +0100 4424281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424235&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcardiovascular-care-costs-could-triple-by-2030%2F2011.02.01 Real total direct medical costs of cardiovascular disease (CVD) could triple, from $273 billion to $818 billion (in 2008 dollars) by 2030. Real indirect costs, such as lost productivity among the employed and unpaid household work, could increase 61 percent, from $172 billion in 2010 to $276 billion. Results appeared in a policy statement of the American Heart Association. CVD is the leading cause of mortality and accounts for 17 percent of national health expenditures, according to the statement. How much so? U.S. medical expenditures rose from 10 percent of the Gross Domestic Product in 1985 to 15 percent in 2008. In the past decade, the medical costs of CVD have grown at an average annual rate of 6 percent and have accounted for about 15 percent of the increase in medical spending... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424235 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4424235 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419111&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F0fpYN8orlOk%2F By Michael F. CannonAn article at HealthPolicySolutions.org (“a project of the Buechner Institute for Governance at the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver”), about how ObamaCare is causing Colorado’s child-only health insurance market to implode, contains this startling admission by the top lobbyist for Colorado’s health insurance companies: “Requiring all the carriers to sell this sort of plan creates a level playing field,’’ said Ben Price, executive director of the Colorado Association of Health Plans. “This is one of those unusual situations where we’re asking for more competition. If everyone else is in the market, the risk is spread across the entire market. Each company can afford to take on more risk.” Catch that?  A ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419111 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:40:09 +0100 4419111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399770&cid=t_105810_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F25%2Foutside-the-box-the-rogosin-institute-is-fighting-cancer-with-cancer-cells-in-clinical-trials%2F Researchers at the Rogosin Institute are using cancer “macrobeads” to fight cancer.  Cancer cells in the beads secrete proteins which researchers believe could signal a patient’s cancer to stop growing, shrink or even die. The treatment is currently being tested in human clinical trials. Two groundbreaking preclinical studies demonstrate for the first time that encapsulated [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399770 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 05:36:17 +0100 4399770 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399631&cid=t_105810_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fwhat-expert-patient-can-teach-expert.html I am an IVF specialist, and know lots about IVF. I read all the medical journals and keep myself updated, so I can provide high quality medical care to my patients - after all, my professional knowledgebase is my major asset and I spend a lot of time on polishing my skills and keeping current with recent advances. Since IVF is such a specialised field, it's much easier for me to do so, as compared to a general physician, for example, who has a much broader area to cover.However, no matter how good my intentions, the fact still remains that there will be areas in IVF in which I have blind spots. The good news is that my patients are getting smarter and are happy to help me fill in these blind spots. I have always respected my patients and I learn a lot from them all the time.Medicine is a r... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399631 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:24:00 +0100 4399631 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394746&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FYECv4Iz6fOk%2F Rise and shine, everyone. Another day is on the way. And here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, we are, once again, hustling those short people off to their school houses. Wish us luck. Meanwhile, we are also trying to brew a much-needed cup of stimulation - our flavor today is Southern Pecan - and scour the news of the world. And so here are a few tidbits. Hope your day goes well and drop us a line about anything interesting… J&J Sales Hurt By Product Recalls (Reuters) Amgen Buys A Cancer Drugmaker: Are More Deals Coming? (Bloomberg News) Wolters Kluwer Forms Joint Venture With China’s Medicom (Philadelphia Inquirer) Savient Pharma Hires Lilly Oncology Exec As CEO (Reuters) Cost Of Treating Heart Disease Will Triple By 2030 (Bloomberg News) Clinical Data And Its Antidepr... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394746 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:02:18 +0100 4394746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394529&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F24%2Fects-final-days%2F We may be witnessing electroconvulsive therapy’s final days. This week, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel will review whether there’s enough evidence to downgrade electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) devices into the Class II medical device category — that is, a medical device that carries only “medium risk.” Like a syringe. That’s right, a device that can send electricity directly into your brain is being considered to be placed in the same medical device category as a syringe. And guess who doesn’t mind that reclassification? Why, the American Psychiatric Association, of course — they are right on board with this re-classification (PDF). Currently ECT devices are classified as Class III devices — high risk. Yet they have neve... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394529 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:30:56 +0100 4394529 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4386272&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmystery-providers-healthcare-professionals-and-identification-badges%2F2011.01.22 So I’m in the exam room recently with a new patient. After some initial dialog with the child and family, I launched into the business of problem solving. Ten minutes into my history the mother politely asks: “I’m sorry, and you are?…” I hadn’t introduced myself. I had left my ID badge at my workstation, and by order of some innocent distraction with the child or family, I hadn’t identified myself immediately on entering the room. This is rare. Sometimes I assume people will know who I am. But I don’t wear a white coat and my stethoscope is concealed. I wear clothes only good enough to sustain the barrage of regurgitation, urine, full-frontal coughs, and sloppy hugs that mark a successful clinic day. A colleague once told me I dress like an algebra teacher. I haven’... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4386272 Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:00:56 +0100 4386272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382950&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F-uLkBowhkas%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Concert Pharmaceuticals hired James Shipley as chief medical officer. Previously, he was was senior vp of clinical development, medical and regulatory affairs at Indevus Pharmaceuticals, which is now owned by Endo Pharmaceuticals, and before th... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382950 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:08:51 +0100 4382950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377612&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F20%2Fskeptic-insights%2F The skeptic movement is alive and well.  In my home state of Kentucky, skeptic groups are becoming ever more prevalent.  What is a skeptic group?  Why do they exist?  Those are just a couple of questions I asked one of the founding members, Frank Lovell, of Kentucky’s first (and still active) skeptic group, Kentucky Association of Science Educators and Skeptics. What is the mission statement of the KASES? The mission of the Kentucky Association of Science Educators and Skeptics is the same as the mission of the national organization of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (which publishes the Bimonthly magazine Skeptical Inquirer), and that is to promote scientific inquiry, critical investigation, and the use of reason and objective evidence in examining controversial and extraordinar... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377612 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 19:59:16 +0100 4377612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377789&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FaVe4cHW2HSM%2F In a move that some may consider long overdue, more than a dozen of the most prestigious medical journals will consider requiring doctors who submit studies to disclose any payments received from hedge funds and other large investors. The proposal is expected to be discussed at the next annual meeting of The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, which is scheduled for June, according to a spokeswoman for the New England Journal of Medicine. The possibility follows ongoing concerns about conflicts of interest between researchers and the pharmaceutical industry and the extent to which undisclosed financial relationships may unduly influence medical research and, from there, medical practice. But the issue is also encompassing financial ties to large investors, given the growing... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377789 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:21:05 +0100 4377789 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4361304&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FIiODttpjxnE%2F In an embarassing comeuppance, Cephalon was slapped around by the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry for discrediting its species by providing inappropriate hospitality to 13 healthcare professionals during a medical congress in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2009. The move came after a complaint was filed anonymously by a perturbed employee, who works as a hospital specialist, and noted a subject of discussion was the Fentora pain patch. Among the transgressions that prompted the ABPI to admonish one of its own: an official feedback document that was distributed to Cephalon employees, including reps, that had such interesting comments as “Dinner was fantastic,” “great night again,” “took them clubbing,” and “we then went to a few bars and to a c... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4361304 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:04:53 +0100 4361304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4355718&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpsychiatric-diagnosis-and-the-dsm-5-controversy%2F2011.01.16 I’ve followed in bits and pieces — sometimes for Shrink Rap, sometimes because the issues fill my email inbox, sometimes because there’s no escape. Oh, and lots of the players have familiar names. In the December 27th issue of Wired magazine, Gary Greenberg writes a comprehensive article on the debates around the revision of the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) upcoming revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) entitled “Inside the Battle to Define Mental Illness.” Do read it. Here’s an excerpt: I recently asked a former president of the APA how he used the DSM in his daily work. He told me his secretary had just asked him for a diagnosis on a patient he’d been seeing for a couple of months so that she could bill the insur... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4355718 Sun, 16 Jan 2011 17:00:00 +0100 4355718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4338238&cid=t_105810_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fhello.html Hi Doc,Thought I stop by and wish all of your followers and your family, I am not sure about you though, a very happy new year.For me it will get worse, last year things progressed, this year maybe I will forget all and have no resentments because I cannnt remember ther.God Bless & Keep You,joe (Source: Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers) Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4338238 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 19:30:00 +0100 4338238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322508&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fphysician-visibility-in-public-i-see-patients-and-they-see-me%2F2011.01.07 In the movie “The Sixth Sense,” there was that kid who saw dead people. I’m like that. But I see patients and their parents instead. They’re all around me. They’re watching at the grocery store when my kids act up. We meet during anniversary dinners, at Christmas Eve service, and on the treadmill at the Y. I bump into parents when buying personal effects and even during the early morning coffee run in my oldest sweats. I see patients. The follow-up dialog between the parents might go something like this: Dad: “Marge, don’t you think Billy’s colitis might be better managed by a doctor capable of pulling himself together?” Mom: “Don’t be ridiculous, Frank. DrV’s bedhead has nothing to do with his ability to care for Billy. And besides, I’ve heard tha... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322508 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:00:43 +0100 4322508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322510&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Faverage-hourly-earnings-of-primary-care-relative-to-other-specialists-graph%2F2011.01.07 Here’s an interesting article, talking about stuff that’s not new to anyone who has read my blog for the last three years. The current relative value unit (RVU) system is a scam, perpetuated by a super-secretive group of subspecialists each  inflating their own worth for the benefit of themselves, at the expense of primary care. If you don’t understand what I’m talking about, first read about RVUs explained. Then come back and read this article put out by the National Institute for Health Care Management. It’s titled “Out of Whack: Pricing Distortions in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.“ In his essay, Dr. Robert Berenson shows how distorted primary care specialties are paid, relative to other specialties, in an all Medicare practice with t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322510 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0100 4322510 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322562&cid=t_105810_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fdr-malpanis-opinion-on-why-indian.html There are major disadvantages to the cut system. For one, this system increases the cost to the patient. It also promotes malpractice, because family physicians often pressurise specialists to do surgery in order to maximise their revenue, which means that procedures are done, which are not always in the patient's best interests. Because this practice is hidden, it's never discussed openly, and this creates a lot of resentment amongst patients. The fact that doctors indulge in giving kickbacks is an open secret - and hiding this reality creates a lot of suspicion in the patient's mind. “This is one of the major reasons patients do not trust their doctors, and why the reputation of entire medical profession has taken such a beating in recent years,” says Dr. Malpani. (Source: The Patien... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322562 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 12:39:00 +0100 4322562 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4314050&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F05%2Foptimism-and-the-psychology-of-chance-encounters%2F “…chance encounters play a prominent role in shaping the course of human lives.” ~ Albert Bandura Former president, American Psychological Association “Did you ever observe to whom the accidents happen? Chance favors only the prepared mind.” ~ Louis Pasteur A friend of mine recently went through a tough time: a personal crisis. She was scouring for signs of something positive, anything that would offer a ray of hope or light for her situation. She decided to go out for some tea when she encountered a woman, unknown to her, who began chatting about the trials and tribulations of her life. The woman spoke of gratitude for those who had courage, and at the end of what was essentially a monologue the woman said to my friend: “Everybody goes through difficulties. Surround yourse... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4314050 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 11:05:00 +0100 4314050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4305103&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FlRgOzMwajh8%2F Shortly before the recent holiday break, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals issued a ruling that had drugmakers and their attorneys cheering. After reviewing a lawsuit filed over the marketing of Pfizer’s hormone replacement meds, the court decided consumers who sue for misrepresentation under the state’s Consumer Credit and Protection Act now must also show proof of reliance to seek damages. In other words, consumers will now have to show a causal connection between claims that they were injured and any alleged unfair or deceptive conduct by a drugmaker. The original suit that was filed in 2004 charged Pfizer’s Wyeth used “unfair” and “deceptive” practices to promote its HRT meds to doctors and patients by using “misleading” st... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4305103 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:53:31 +0100 4305103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4302886&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F01%2Fpsych-central-by-the-numbers-2010%2F In October 2010, according to comScore Media Metrix, Psych Central had 820,000 unique U.S. visitors to the site, and in November 2010, we had 933,000 visitors. That puts us in the top 50 most-visited of all health websites on the Internet today — a first for us! Combined with our international audience, Google Analytics tells us we reach over 1.5 million unique visitors each and every month. Astounding, considering our humble beginnings of indexing other psychology and mental health resources online 15 years ago. To put this in some context, more people visit Psych Central every month than any one of these sites: The American Cancer Society The American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association combined The American Medical Association The American Diab... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4302886 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 23:00:52 +0100 4302886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4298620&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fabout-patient-autonomy%2F2010.12.29 Recently, I was involved in a discussion on an email list serve and decided to takes some of my comments on patient autonomy and blog about them. This arose following a debate about whether the term “patient” engendered a sense of passivity and, therefore, whether the term should be dropped in favor of something else, like “client” or something similar. Having participated in the preparation and dissemination of the white paper on e-patients, I don’t see the need for “factions” or disagreements in the service of advancing Participatory Medicine. As Alan Greene aptly stated: “This is a big tent, with room for all.” I want all of my patients to be as autonomous as possible. In my view, their autonomy is independent of the doctor-patient r... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4298620 Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4298620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272292&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdiabetes-camp-how-you-can-help%2F2010.12.18 I loved diabetes camp. Actually, that should be in present tense because I continue to love diabetes camp, even though I’m not a camper anymore. Attending Clara Barton Camp for those five summers changed the way I looked at life with diabetes, and my health has always been better for it. But I’ve talked about camp before. I’d love to play a role in sending other kids to diabetes camp. And thankfully, we as a community now have that chance. The Diabetes Education and Camping Association (DECA) is in the running to win one of the Pepsi Refresh Project grants. If they earn one, they’ll use their winnings to send kids to diabetes camps and will also arm them with digital filmmaking skills so that the campers can chronicle their experiences with type 1 diabetes. As ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272292 Sat, 18 Dec 2010 23:00:31 +0100 4272292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253137&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdecline-in-stroke-deaths-reinforces-brain-attack-prevention%2F2010.12.13 Stroke killed 2,000 fewer Americans in 2008 (the last year with complete numbers) than it did in 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said yesterday in its latest annual Deaths report. That dropped stroke from the third leading cause of death in the United States to the fourth. Good news? Yes and no. It’s always good news when fewer people die. The reduction suggests a payoff for efforts to prevent stroke and improve the way doctors treat it. Yet the drop from third to fourth place is due largely to an accounting change. The CDC reorganized another category, “chronic lower respiratory diseases” (mainly chronic bronchitis and emphysema), to include complications of these diseases such as pneumonia. The change substantially increased the number of deaths in this c... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253137 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:00:25 +0100 4253137 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4249093&cid=t_105810_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F11%2Fpushback-from-the-left%2F Situationist Contributor Jerry Kang recently posted his thoughtful essay, “Implicit Bias and the Pushback from the Left” (St. Louis University Law Journal, Vol. 54, p. 1139, 2010) on SSRN.  Here’s the abstrct. * * * Over the past three decades, the mind sciences have provided remarkable insights about how our brains process social categories. For example, scientists have discovered that implicit biases – in the form of stereotypes and attitudes that we are unaware of, do not consciously intend, and might reject upon conscious self-reflection – exist and have wide-ranging behavioral consequences. Such findings destabilize our self-serving self-conceptions as bias-free. Not surprisingly, there has been backlash from the political Right. This Article examines so... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4249093 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 04:01:35 +0100 4249093 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233182&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-preauthorization-impacts-care%2F2010.12.06 The American Medical Association (AMA) had a press release [recently] announcing findings from their survey on the impact of insurance company preauthorization policies. Surprisingly, they discovered that these policies use physician time and delay treatment. It’s funny, because preauthorization policies were designed to save money. And I imagine they do, for the insurer, but they cost money for everyone else. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Shrink Rap* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233182 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4233182 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225252&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fprison-overcrowding-does-it-affect-mental-health%2F2010.12.02 In California, the U.S. district court has ordered that tens of thousands of prisoners be released to reduce overcrowding. The case, Schwarzenegger v. Plata, was argued this past Tuesday and the transcript is online. This is relevant to a psychiatry blog because one of the arguments used in support of the releases is the contention that overcrowded facilities reduce access to mental health and medical services and that overcrowding causes mental deterioration and breakdown. The APA filed an amicus brief in the case, but the brief isn’t available online yet. (Keep an eye out for it here.) The challenge with this case is that there is no (or extremely little) actual research to support the link between overcrowding and psychological problems. Correctional systems have spent a lot of ti... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225252 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4225252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4219733&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FuODHB7SGWHg%2F By Walter OlsonWe are told constantly that government can play a beneficial role in the marketplace by taking steps to make sure consumers are more fully informed about the risks of the goods and services they use. But what happens when the government itself helps spread health and safety information that is false or misleading? That question came up recently in the controversy over New York City’s misleading nutrition-scare ad campaign, and it now comes up again in a controversy over a new database of complaints about consumer products sponsored by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). As part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), Congress mandated that the CPSC create a “publicly available consumer product safety information database... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4219733 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:54:55 +0100 4219733 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214106&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-transparency-patient-experts-at-medical-conventions%2F2010.11.30 We are invading their home turf. Increasingly, in among the thousands of doctors, scientists, and medical industry marketers at the largest medical conventions you are finding real patients who have the conditions discussed in the scientific sessions and exhibit halls. Patients like me want to be where the news breaks. We want to ask questions and — thanks to the Internet — we have a direct line to thousands of other patients waiting to know what new developments mean for them. I vividly remember attending an FDA drug hearing a few years ago and how there were stock analysts sitting in the audience, BlackBerries poised for the “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” on whether a proposed new drug would be recommended for approval. (At that session it was thumbs dow... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214106 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 22:00:47 +0100 4214106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214487&cid=t_105810_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FC3xcP8N8Lb4%2F China is flexing its economic muscle in all sorts of ways. Now, the National Development and Reform Commission, which is China’s top economic planner, intends to cap pricing on essential meds made by foreign-capitalized drugmakers, according to 21st Century Business Herald, writes that the move “can be seen as an end of the super-national treatment afforded to foreign companies.” Until now, meds by overseas drugmakers were often eligible for independent pricing and exempted from previous rounds of price reductions as part of a program established in 2000, the paper continues. According to the China Pharmaceutical Industry Research and Development Association, the average price of nine foreign independently priced drugs is 1,311 percent higher than domestic meds. “Price ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214487 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:29:08 +0100 4214487 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4205932&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcan-patients-choose-a-good-doctor-online%2F2010.11.27 The following op-ed was published on October 27th, 2010 in USA Today: When I ask new patients how they found me, frequently they say on the Internet through search engines such as Google. Out of curiosity, I recently Googled myself. Numerous ads appeared, promising readers a “detailed background report” or a “profile” of me. Among the search results was information about my practice, whether I was board certified, had any lawsuits against me, and reviews from online doctor rating sites. Thankfully, most were favorable, but some were not. Can patients reliably choose a good doctor online? People already choose restaurants, movies, and their college professors based on what they read on the Internet, so it’s inevitable that many will research their doctors on the Web as well. But t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4205932 Sat, 27 Nov 2010 21:00:36 +0100 4205932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4205934&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Famerican-medical-news-welcome-to-our-archives%2F2010.11.27 Via the American Medical Associations’s American Medical News article “Welcome to our archives“: Now, our extensive online archive, paired with search and article collections by topic, puts thousands of stories at your fingertips. Add to that a growing collection of Web-only content, such as our interactive tool for tracking health-plan earnings and a “Vault” page that will take you directly to articles and multimedia on topics of enduring interest (www.amednews.com/vault). Most of that older content has been behind an access-control wall. By knocking down that barrier, we are making available 10 years of full content and several years more of selected earlier articles. All told, about 15,000 articles now can be searched and read. We invite our readers to vis... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4205934 Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:00:23 +0100 4205934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4205982&cid=t_105810_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fpatientology-new-science-of-medical.html Patientology is the study of patients - and this is a core skill which all doctors need to learn, even though there is no textbook or syllabus for this !One way all doctors can become better patientologists is by teaching their patients how to become better patients ! Good patients make for good doctors - and it's possible to provide patients with a toolbox of skills which they can learn to help themselves.These tools include teaching patients :how to keep good medical recordshow to talk to doctorshow to ask questionshow to do their homeworkhow to take care of themselves when they are in hospital (Source: The Patient's Doctor) The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4205982 Sat, 27 Nov 2010 03:48:00 +0100 4205982 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4205938&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdental-fillings-and-birth-defects-what-moms-to-be-should-know%2F2010.11.26 Although the first trimester of pregnancy is sacred, there will be patients who will encounter problems at that time. During the first trimester, the brain and the central nervous system develops from 6 to 10 weeks, a time period commonly known as organogenesis. To minimize the risk of developing birth defects, medications and invasive procedures are usually postponed until the arrival of the second trimester. A recent article in the October 2010 issue of Ob.Gyn. News reported some disturbing findings: Dental fillings in the first trimester were linked to the development of a cleft palate. A cleft palate is a birth defect that has a slit in the roof of the mouth because it failed to close during the first trimester. The article by Susan London described a study in Norway where pregnant wo... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4205938 Fri, 26 Nov 2010 20:00:00 +0100 4205938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4200610&cid=t_105810_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Flooking-for-patient-information.html HELP is India's largest patient education resource center. We want to establish patient education resource centers all over India, to promote Information Therapy. We are now looking to recruit doctors to spearhead this initiative. You will need to create India-specific relevant information for patients; build closer relationships with physicians, pharma and health insurance companies; and help to set up patient education centers at hospitals and train patient information officers.This is an exciting and unique opportunity with helps to Put Patients First !Please send your resume to : helplibrary@gmail.com (Source: The Patient's Doctor) The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4200610 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 05:17:00 +0100 4200610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190153&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-amas-policy-on-professionalism-in-the-use-of-social-media%2F2010.11.22 A new policy on professionalism in the use of social media was [recently] adopted by the American Medical Association (AMA). The AMA Office of Media Relations was kind enough to share a copy of the policy: The Internet has created the ability for medical students and physicians to communicate and share information quickly and to reach millions of people easily. Participating in social networking and other similar Internet opportunities can support physicians’ personal expression, enable individual physicians to have a professional presence online, foster collegiality and camaraderie within the profession, provide opportunity to widely disseminate public health messages and other health communication. Social networks, blogs, and other forms of communication online also create new challe... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190153 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:00:18 +0100 4190153 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4186905&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcovertrationingblog.com%2Fpodpress_trac%2Ffeed%2F1076%2F0%2Fobesity-mortgage-crisis.mp3 Q. What’s the difference between a public health expert and an incompetent doctor? A. An incompetent doctor tends to kill only one person at a time. The deep recession and jobless “recovery” which we have enjoyed in the U.S. for going on three years now was triggered by the bursting of the housing bubble. The housing bubble was created by lending practices that awarded “subprime” mortgages to people with bad credit ratings, and offered to people with good credit ratings adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) that enticed them to purchase more expensive homes than they could afford. Traditionally, banks were always reluctant to award mortgages, of any flavor, to people who obviously could not afford them, since doing so would wreck their businesses. The reason the banks began making bad... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4186905 Sat, 20 Nov 2010 18:00:06 +0100 4186905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4186907&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Flose-weight-and-save-your-heart%2F2010.11.19 On location at the American Heart Association’s “Scientific Sessions“ meeting in Chicago, Andrew Schorr discusses lowering your risk of heart disease and how weight affects your risk: Lower Obesity and Save Your Heart from Patient Power® on Vimeo. *This blog post was originally published at Andrew's Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4186907 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 23:00:57 +0100 4186907 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179486&cid=t_105810_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fstream-of-consciousness-blogging-random.html Tomorrow is set-up for festival of trees. We will have some helpful info from Local Chapter of Alzheimer's Association, thanks to Esther over at the Duluth office. We will also have Help info from the National Family Caregivers Association (0NFCA) thanks to Suzanne over there in the great state of Maryland. Yes I love the Crab Cakes over at Obrycki's. and the old water taxis to Fell's Point. Of course the state is not just a suburb of DC and the inner harbor, in fact the whole state is beautiful. I sure miss the crab especially since Brian Williams told us on the NBC news last night how filthy and carcinogenic the crab and all seafood is from Thailand and Viet Nam is, it makes me realize I could eat a lot more healthy in Baltimore than I could in Duluth. - probably more... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179486 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 18:55:00 +0100 4179486 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172059&cid=t_105810_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fheart-smarts%2F2010.11.16 From the American Heart Association’s “Scientific Sessions 2010” in Chicago (November 13-17): Chicago Heart Smarts from Patient Power® on Vimeo. *This blog post was originally published at Andrew's Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172059 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:00:39 +0100 4172059