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 'food and drug'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:06:48 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130744&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffda-approves-ges-newest-ct-scanner%2F2011.08.15 GE Healthcare has received the FDA OK for its Optima CT660 computed tomography (CT) system. The CT660, which is already available in Europe, Latin America and Asia, distinguishes itself by its compact footprint combined with a modular design and low dose imaging. In addition, it is also one of the most energy efficient CT scanners available and has an “environmental design” that eases refurbishment and end-of-life recycling. The scanner itself is scalable from 32 to 128 slices through purchasable options and features automatic table positioning and a color 12-inch integrated gantry display monitor. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130744 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:05:47 +0100 5130744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118762&cid=t_364948_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fstudies-point-complexity-hit-transition Like it or not, spending the public’s money on the HIT transition is a Catch-22. On the one hand, billions of dollars are being spent on a promise. On the other hand, there’s no way of knowing for sure whether the promise will come true until those billions are spent. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118762 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:19:03 +0100 5118762 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077688&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcan-pharmacogenomic-tests-help-to-improve-public-health%2F2011.07.29 Adverse drug events are a serious public health problem. Consider the following facts: an estimated 82% of American adults take at least one medication and 29% take five or more; 700,000 emergency department visits and 120,000 hospitalizations are due to adverse drug events annually; $3.5 billion is spent on extra medical costs of adverse drug events annually; at least 40% of costs associated with adverse drug events occurring outside hospitals can be prevented. How can genomics help? Pharmacogenomics is the study of genetic variation as a factor in drug response, affecting both safety and effectiveness. The intended applications of pharmacogenomics research include identifying responders and non-responders to medications, avoiding adverse events, optimizing drug dose and avoiding unnece... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077688 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:00:10 +0100 5077688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062246&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-effective-are-antidepressants%2F2011.07.24 Antidepressant drugs have been getting a bad rap in the media. I’ll just give 3 examples: On the Today show, prominent medical expert Tom Cruise told us Brooke Shields shouldn’t have taken these drugs for her postpartum depression. In Natural News, “Health Ranger” Mike Adams accused pharmaceutical companies and the FDA of covering up negative information about antidepressants, saying it would be considered criminal activity in any other industry. And an article in Newsweek said  “Studies suggest that the popular drugs are no more effective than a placebo. In fact, they may be worse.” Yet psychiatrists are convinced that antidepressants work and are still routinely prescribing them for their patients. Is it all a Big Pharma plot? Who ya gonna believe? Inquiring minds want ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062246 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:00:36 +0100 5062246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036290&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F16%2Fnicholas-christakis-on-the-situation-of-epidemics%2F From TED Talks: After mapping humans’ intricate social networks, Nicholas Christakis and colleague James Fowler began investigating how this information could better our lives. Now, he reveals his hot-off-the-press findings: These networks can be used to detect epidemics earlier than ever, from the spread of innovative ideas to risky behaviors to viruses (like H1N1). Related Situationist posts: “The Situation of Social Networks,” “The Social Situation of Breaking Up,” “Social Networks,” “Common Cause: Combating the Epidemics of Obesity and Evil,” and “Situational Obesity, or, Friends Don’t Let Friends Eat and Veg.” (Source: The Situationist) The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036290 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 04:01:57 +0100 5036290 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028199&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fastercures.org%2Fdocuments%2Ffile%2FFasterCures%2520Chronicle%2520of%2520Philanthropy%2520Articles%2520Final%281%29.pdf The following is a guest post by Margaret Anderson, executive director of FasterCures/The Center for Accelerating Medical Solutions, an “action tank” working to improve the medical research system and speed up the time it takes to get important new medicines from discovery to patients. Margaret also serves as vice president of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA, board member for the Council for American Medical Innovation and the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, and member of the Prostate Cancer Foundation Government Affairs Committee and the Institute of Medicine’s Forum on Drug Discovery, Development and Translation. In 2011, the Clinical Research Forum recognized her with an award for leadership in public advocacy. By Margaret Anderson. What’s missing today in the... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028199 Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:15:00 +0100 5028199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008184&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2F2NrKe40onN8%2F By Archelle Georgiou. The use of Avastin for breast cancer was addressed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week. The outcome was devastating for Roche and an emotional one for many women who believe the FDA is subjecting them to a death sentence.  As usual, there are a variety of perspectives to take into consideration. The history: In 2008, Avastin was given preliminary approval by the FDA for the treatment of breast cancer on the condition that the company would do more studies to demonstrate its effectiveness. Many women have been successfully treated with Avastin — a billion dollar drug for Roche. But when Roche submitted the required follow-up studies in 2010, the data showed that there was no benefit from the drug for treating breast cancer.  Studies did not show ... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008184 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:00:08 +0100 5008184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997643&cid=t_364948_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fhow-does-your-doctor-interpret-your-hsg.html An HSG ( hysterosalpingogram, X-ray of the uterus and tubes, www.drmalpani.com/hsg.htm) is one of the commonest tests performed for infertile women , to confirm their uterine cavity is normal and their fallopian tubes are open. How does the doctor interpret your HSG films ? Sometimes, the films are of such poor quality , that we cannot make any sense of them. This maybe because the procedure was not done properly; or because the film was overexposed or under-exposed. Sometimes, the patient moves during the procedure, as a result of which the images may be blurred or out of focus. When this happens, this is a major shame, because we are then forced to repeat the study. I hate doing this, because I know the HSG can be quite painful ! This is why it’s best to do the HSG in a clinic which ha... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997643 Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:36:00 +0100 4997643 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952834&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2F-eAzFLBs7og%2F Beginning September 2012, FDA will require larger, more prominent cigarette health warnings on all cigarette packaging and advertisements in the United States.  These warnings mark the first change in cigarette warnings in more than 25 years and are a significant and necessary advancement in communicating the dangers of smoking. The final set of cigarette health warnings contains nine different text warnings and accompanying color graphics to: increase awareness of the specific health risks associated with smoking, such as death, addiction, lung disease, cancer, stroke and heart disease; encourage smokers to quit; and empower youth to say no to tobacco. The above is one of the new warnings; to see more of the new warnings of to learn more about them click here. Watch today’s ann... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952834 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:41:40 +0100 4952834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953393&cid=t_364948_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F517%2Fprotect-your-skin-this-summer%2F It’s the summer and while you proceed to spend some fun in the sun with your family and friends, it’s important that you properly protect your skin from overexposure—too much sun can lead not only to painful sunburns, but skin cancer and early skin aging such as unattractive wrinkles and sun spots as well. But when it comes to selecting the best sunscreen for you and/or your family, sometimes it’s confusing. So confusing in fact, that the Food and Drug Administration has mandated new sun screen regulations so that consumers can better understand labels and get the protection they need. Under the new regulations, which will take effect next summer, sunscreens will now have to pass a “broad spectrum” test before they can be placed on the market. This test will... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953393 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:31:52 +0100 4953393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934159&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-to-expect-from-the-new-sunscreen-labels%2F2011.06.16 Yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released the new rules regarding labeling of sunscreen.  The goal is to make it easier for the average person to chose a sunscreen. The new labels will not be in place until next summer, so you need to be aware. When the new labels are in place, NO sunscreen will be allowed to be labeled as a SUNBLOCK or as WATERPROOF. Under the new labeling rules Products that have SPF values between 2 and 14 may be labeled as Broad Spectrum if they pass the required test. Only products that are labeled both as Broad Spectrum with SPF values of 15 or higher may state that they reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging, when used as directed. A warning statement will be required on any product that is not Broad Spectrum, or that is Broad Spect... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934159 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4934159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841603&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F19%2Fmcdonalds-favorite-man-don-gorske%2F May 17th is an important day for Ronald. You see, each year it marks the anniversary of when one Fond du Lac, Wisconsin man decided to start eating Big Macs. Since 1972, that man, Don Gorske, has eaten 25,000 of McDonald’s famous burgers — typically two a day — becoming, as I and other Situationist contributors have chronicled (here in short form and here in long form), one of McDonald’s prize assets in its fight to avoid litigation and regulation related to the health consequences of consuming its products.  The reason?  In these 39 years, Gorske has been able to maintain relatively good health, low cholesterol, and, perhaps most importantly, a slim figure — clear proof that McDonald’s food can be eaten in copious quantities with no ill effects. As Mc... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841603 Thu, 19 May 2011 15:55:11 +0100 4841603 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4719937&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F04%2F15%2Fthe-illusion-of-health%2F From Time: If a box of chocolate cookies had an “organic” label, would you feel less guilty about eating them? Would you think they were more nutritious, or tastier? Economists who study social psychology refer to something called the “halo effect,” a bias in judgment that causes you to assume that one positive attribute comes packaged with a bunch of others. For example, you might perceive your attractive coworker as being more capable as well. According to a new study by Jenny Wan-chen Lee, a graduate student at Cornell University’s Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, the halo effect extends to food too: if people are told a food is “organic,” they’re also biased to believe it’s more nutritious and better tasting. Lee&#8... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4719937 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 04:01:42 +0100 4719937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4676779&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FQjV-tryLFQ4%2F By Glenna Crooks. Having been engaged in rare disease research and orphan drug development for many decades and as one who continues behind-the-scenes to encourage the work, events of the last few weeks about Makena’s launch sent chills through me.  The firestorm that followed created some heat but none sufficient to help relieve the shivers. Others might declare the outcome a “win” but the more I read, the worse it seems. I’m not privy to what really happened, only what the press reports. It does not look good… for virtually anyone of the players involved, especially the critics.  Those critics raised tough questions and to date only the company has faced them. It’s about time the critics themselves –and perhaps others as well – face some.    For those who’ve mi... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4676779 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 09:31:25 +0100 4676779 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642716&cid=t_364948_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fwhat-medicine-can-teach-economists-and.html There's a lot doctors can learn from other professionals - and there's a lot doctors can teach others as well !An interesting "recent" innovation in economics is the introduction of "controlled trials" to determine the true impact of interventions to help alleviate poverty. Common sense would suggest that giving the poor loans will them help to turn around their lives - but in reality, this is not what usually happens. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and "aid" can often end up killing initiative ; fueling waste and corruption; and breeding dependence ! Handouts don't always work well - and it's easy to waste a lot of money very quickly ! The only way to find out what works and what does not work is to perform experiments in the field - something which doctors are very good ... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642716 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 03:38:00 +0100 4642716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4626769&cid=t_364948_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F03%2F23%2Fkaleidoscope-3-2011-wk-12%2F It has been long since I have posted a Kaleidoscope post with a “kaleidoscope” of facts, findings, views and news gathered over the last 1-2 weeks. There have been only 2 editions: Kaleidoscope 1 (2009 wk 47) and 2 (2010 wk 31). Here is some recommended reading from the previous two weeks. Benlysta (belimumab) approved by FDA for treatment of lupus. Belimumab is [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4626769 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:37:20 +0100 4626769 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4622300&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F03%2F23%2Fsending-the-wrong-message%2F Joe D’Amico probably had the best of intentions when he set out to eat an all-McDonald’s diet for thirty days leading up to the L.A. Marathon. And, in fact, as a result of internet buzz, his “food challenge” ended up raising $26,000 for Ronald McDonald charities. At the race a few days ago, D’Amico set a personal record and improved his cholesterol levels in the process! So a clear win-win-win! But isn’t there some Grinch out there to point out the dark side of all of this? Not at the Huffington Post, which has been nothing but complementary (see here and here), . . . leaving it to the Situationist to rain on everyone’s parade. Why am I skeptical about this stunt? Well, for starters it fits in quite neatly with previous strategies by big tobacco an... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4622300 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 04:01:28 +0100 4622300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592394&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-new-treatment-for-lupus%2F2011.03.15 Lupus, an autoimmune disease, [recently] turned up on the front page of the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). It cropped up, also, on the first page of the New York Times business section, and elsewhere. Scientific American published a nice online review just now. The reason is that the FDA has approved a new monoclonal antibody for treatment of this condition. The drug belimumab (Benlysta), targets a molecule called BlyS (B-lymphocyte Stimulator). The newspapers uniformly emphasize that this drug marks some sort of triumph for Human Genome Sciences, a biotech company that first reported on BlyS in the journal Science way back in 1999. BlyS triggers B cells to produce antibodies that in patients with lupus tend to bind and destroy their own cells’ needed machinery, causing various joint, lung... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592394 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:00:36 +0100 4592394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4575058&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbad-medical-marketing-an-ad-the-fda-should-pull%2F2011.03.11 If ever a medical device company crossed a line with their marketing, this one has. Essure, which makes a sterilization device for women, is trying to scare men away from vasectomy in order to drive women to use their device. “We made men watch footage of an actual vasectomy,” says the female voiceover — and then they proceed to show men’s reactions to watching a surgical procedure, with “That’s frickin’ gross, man” being the most memorable quote. The final tagline: “You can only wait so long for him to man up.” Yeah, and to be sure he doesn’t, they’ve created this ad. The ad is slimy, harmful, obnoxious, and just plain stupid. A couple’s decision as to which sterilization procedure is best for them should be one informed by real information, not f... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4575058 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:00:26 +0100 4575058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4565905&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Findependent-peer-reviewed-scientific-journals-just-how-independent-are-they%2F2011.03.09 On September 27, 2010, the peer-reviewed scientific journal Europace published online-before-print a case report entitled “Spontaneous explosion of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator” by Martin Hudec and Gabriela Kaliska. In the pdf of that case report a figure containing a color photo of the affected patient’s chest, chest X-ray, and two pictures of the extracted device (one seen here) were included. The pictures and case presentation were dramatic and the case very rare. Both were perfect reasons to report such an important case to the medical literature. And so these doctors sent the case to Europace on June 29, 2010, and the article was accepted after revision on August 16, 2010, with the article appearing online September 27, 2010. The authors must have felt v... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4565905 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4565905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4549736&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FAcDaptYtsMA%2F By Walter OlsonIn recent weeks the press has been reporting widespread alarms about shortages of many frequently used hospital drugs [L.A. Times/Chicago Tribune, Scranton Times-Tribune, KMGH (Colorado hospitals swapping drugs in short supply), The Columbian] The drugs running short include various antibiotics, anesthetics, chemotherapy drugs and others, including many generic compounds long since approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "The most troubling aspect is that it is critical drugs for which there are limited alternatives. Many are involved in cancer care and surgery," one hospital pharmacist told the Chicago Tribune's reporter. While a variety of factors have played a role in the shortages, including lawsuits and economic retrenchment by some drugmakers, there... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4549736 Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:28:06 +0100 4549736 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4507279&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthink-zinc-for-a-cold-not-me%2F2011.02.22 Media channels are a-twitter with the news that zinc can beat the common cold. CBS News, the LA Times, the Huffington Post, and hundreds of others are treating a quiet research report as big news that will have a life-changing effect. After reading the report and doing a little digging into the dark side of zinc, I’m not rushing out to stock up on zinc lozenges or syrup. The latest hubbub about zinc was sparked by a report from the Cochrane Collaboration. This global network of scientists, patients, and others evaluates the evidence on hundreds of different treatments. In the latest review, on zinc for the common cold, researchers Meenu Singh and Rashmi R. Das pooled the results of 13 studies that tested zinc for treating colds. By their analysis, taking zinc within 24 hours of first no... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4507279 Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:00:38 +0100 4507279 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4507280&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fselecting-targeted-therapies-online-the-future-of-personalized-cancer-treatment%2F2011.02.22 The word cancer comes from the greek word for crab “karkinos,” so named by Hippocrates who visualized the tumor and its surrounding vessels looking like a crab, dug stubbornly into the sand with its legs. We know far more about cancer today than the ancient Greeks, but the vision of an entrenched opponent, almost impossible to extract whole, appears to be vividly prescient. What we have realized over the last half century is that removal of the visible tumor is not enough. Even as we learned how to do bigger and more destructive surgeries, the cancer still managed to sneak back in, growing later at different locations. The crab’s legs are still embedded in the patient. Thus the discovery that certain chemicals could extinguish these rogue cells opened the modern era of cancer therapy... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4507280 Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:00:25 +0100 4507280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4498274&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdeep-brain-stimulation-experts-raise-alarms-about-aggressive-marketing%2F2011.02.19 A paper published in the February issue of Health Affairs – discussed at length in an article in the New York Times – contains the sort of blunt, plain-spoken language you seldom read in academic journals. The authors, who include some of the most prominent neuroscientists and ethicists in the world, warn that manufacturers are misusing the FDA’s humanitarian device exemption to promote deep brain stimulation as a “treatment” for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). In fact, they make clear that deep brain stimulation is very much an experimental procedure. Research is still at an early stage, and the risks to patients are not well defined. When suffering is severe and no other treatment has provided relief, there is value in making available an intervention like deep b... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4498274 Sat, 19 Feb 2011 20:00:39 +0100 4498274 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4495203&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmri-safe-pacemakers-available-in-u-s-hospitals-soon-what-it-means-for-heart-patients%2F2011.02.18 This was the Guest Blog at Scientific American on February 16th, 2011. New wave of MRI-safe pacemakers set to ship to hospitals This week Medtronic will begin shipping to hospitals in the United States the first pacemaker approved by the FDA as safe for most MRI scans. For consumers, it is a significant step in what is expected to be a wave of new MRI-compatible implanted cardiac devices. But this is an example of one technology chasing another and the one being chased, the MRI scanner, is changing and is a step ahead of the new line of pacemakers. The pacemaker approved for U.S. distribution is Medtronic’s first-generation pacemaker with certain limitations, while its second-generation MRI-compatible pacemaker is already in use in Europe where approval for medical devices is not as dem... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4495203 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:00:00 +0100 4495203 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489676&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftreating-depression-the-shock-value-of-electroconvulsive-therapy%2F2011.02.16 Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is considered to be a highly effective treatment for depression. The story goes that roughly 90 percent of patients respond. The downside is that it requires general anesthesia with all its attendant risks, and patients may suffer from headaches and memory loss. The memory loss is often mild, but there are cases where it is profound and very troubling. As with any psychiatric treatment — or so it seems — there are those who say it saved them and those who say it destroyed them. Because the risks aren’t minor, the procedure is expensive and often done on an inpatient unit, and people generally don’t like the idea of having an IV line placed, being put under, then shocked through their brain until they seize, only to wake up groggy and... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489676 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:00:00 +0100 4489676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4445778&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FFRjDzJyzXlE%2F By Walter OlsonThis weekend the Washington Post and New York Times took a closer look at a development mentioned in this space a while back and in a related Cato audio, namely growing federal pressure on small producers of artisan and farmstead cheeses. Here's the Post: ....artisanal cheesemakers, and their boosters in the local-food movement, say they are being unfairly targeted. They say the FDA does not understand their craft and is trying to impose standards better suited for industrial food companies. ... Listeria is ubiquitous in the environment, but the FDA has a zero-tolerance rule for it in ready-to-eat food such as cheese. If the bacteria are present, the food is considered adulterated and cannot be sold. Some countries, including cheese-loving France, tolerate minute amounts of ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4445778 Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:36:36 +0100 4445778 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4433289&cid=t_364948_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F02%2F03%2Ffda-awards-1-6m-orphan-drug-grant-for-clinical-phase-ii-development-of-egen-001-for-treatment-of-ovarian-cancer%2F EGEN, Inc. announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) awarded the company a four-year grant of $1.6 million to assist in the phase II clinical development of EGEN-001, the company’s lead product. EGEN-001 is under clinical development for the treatment of advanced recurrent ovarian cancer. EGEN, Inc. announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4433289 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:52:52 +0100 4433289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429017&cid=t_364948_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=4424395&cid=t_364948_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F02%2F01%2Fnovel-cancer-targeting-cornell-dot-nanoparticle-approved-for-first-in-human-clinical-trial%2F “Cornell Dots” — brightly glowing nanoparticles — may soon be used to light up cancer cells to aid in diagnosing and treating cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first clinical trial in humans of the new technology. It is the first time the FDA has approved using an inorganic material [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424395 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 23:26:35 +0100 4424395 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411528&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffda-reports-on-association-of-breast-implants-and-a%25c2%25a0rare-form-of-cancer%2F2011.01.28 The FDA [has] issued an alert about a pos­sible link between breast implants — saline or sil­icone — and a rare form of lym­phoma called anaplastic large cell lym­phoma (ALCL). These lym­phoma cases are exceed­ingly rare, but the asso­ci­ation appears to be significant. The FDA iden­tified a total of approx­i­mately 60 ALCL cases in asso­ci­ation with implants, worldwide. Of these, 34 were iden­tified by review of pub­lished medical lit­er­ature from 1997 to May, 2010; the others were reported by implant man­u­fac­turers and other sources. The agency esti­mates the number of women worldwide with breast implants is between five and 10 million. These numbers translate to between six and 12 ALCL cases in the breast, per million women with breast implan... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411528 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:00:26 +0100 4411528 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405775&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-everyone-should-know-about-plastics%2F2011.01.27 Information circulating about the dangers of plastic containers has created fear and confusion. Are plastic containers toxic? Do harmful chemicals leach out into its contents? Do we need to discard all plastic containers? Recently, I interacted in a live health chat on MedHelp about the safety of plastics. Scientist, Joe Schwarcz, Ph.D., Director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society, talked about “The Real Truth About Plastics: What You Should And Shouldn’t Worry About.” While Dr. Schwarcz states that some plastics like those made by Tupperware and Rubbermaid are safe to use, there are other plastics made of Bisphenol A (BPA) that may cause some concern, however he did not become alarmed. There is extensive information on the safety of plastics, and reading some of... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405775 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:00:39 +0100 4405775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405777&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbreast-implants-and-lymphoma-new-safety-alert-from-the-fda%2F2011.01.27 From the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety alert yesterday: ISSUE: The FDA announced a possible association between saline and silicone gel-filled breast implants and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a very rare type of cancer. Data reviewed by the FDA suggest that patients with breast implants may have a very small but significant risk of ALCL in the scar capsule adjacent to the implant. BACKGROUND: In total, the agency is aware of about 60 cases of ALCL in women with breast implants worldwide. This number is difficult to verify because not all cases were published in the scientific literature and some may be duplicate reports. An estimated 5 million to 10 million women worldwide have breast implants. According to the National Cancer Institute, ALCL appears in different pa... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405777 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 14:00:36 +0100 4405777 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377568&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhead-lice-fda-approves-new-treatment%2F2011.01.20 Good news for parents, teachers, pediatricians, and others engaged in the ongoing battle against lice: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just approved a new treatment for head lice in children age four and older. Called Natroba, it’s a liquid that is rubbed into the hair and allowed to sit for 10 minutes before being rinsed off. Natroba is a useful addition to the anti-lice arsenal, since some head lice have become resistant to permethrin and pyrethrins, the active ingredients in over-the-counter anti-lice products such as Nix and Rid. Head lice are tiny insects that go by the big name Pediculus humanus capitis. They thrive in the warm tangle of human hair, feeding off blood in the scalp and breeding with abandon. A female lays eggs called nits that she attaches to strands of hair.... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377568 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 21:30:14 +0100 4377568 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377622&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F20%2Fmarketing-cigarettes%2F In this study, researchers led by senior investigator Todd Heatherton, PhD, and graduate student Dylan Wagner of Dartmouth College set out to determine whether the parts of the brain that control that routine gesture could be triggered by simply seeing someone else smoke. The authors found that seeing this familiar action — even when embedded in a Hollywood movie — evoked the same brain responses as planning to actually make that movement. These results may provide additional insight for people trying to overcome nicotine addiction, a condition that leads to one in five U.S. deaths each year. “Our findings support prior studies that show smokers who exit a movie that had images of smoking are more likely to crave a cigarette, compared with ones who watched a movie without them,&#... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377622 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 04:53:08 +0100 4377622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4360983&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fchewable-birth-control%2F2011.01.17 Just in time for the new year, the FDA has approved the first low-dose chewable birth control contraceptive.  The daily chew will be marketed by Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Fred Wilkinson, executive vice president of Global Brands said: “We believe this product is an important addition to the oral contraceptive category, and that its characteristics will make it a desirable choice for women.” I have to ask myself: “Why?” Most birth control failures occur because the woman forgets to take the pill. Will a chewable be more reliant? Is it aimed at gals who just love chewing gum? I don’t get the concept. Marketing for this breakthrough will begin the in the second quarter of 2011. *This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth* (Source: ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4360983 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4360983 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349516&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffda-restricts-acetaminophen-in-popular-pain-medications%2F2011.01.14 This is a guest post from Dr. Mary Lynn McPherson. ********** FDA Restricts Acetaminophen In Popular Pain Medications The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made an announcement yesterday that affects one of the most common pain medications on the market, and as a consequence may affect countless numbers of the 75 million Americans who experience chronic pain (for perspective, that’s more than the number of people suffering from cancer, heart disease and diabetes combined.) The FDA has asked manufacturers of popular prescription pain medications like Vicodin or Percocet to limit the amount of acetaminophen (also known as Tylenol, or APAP) used in these drugs to no more than 325 milligrams per tablet — the equivalent of one regular-strength Tylenol tablet. The move came because rese... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4349516 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:00:05 +0100 4349516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4326902&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-energy-drink%2F2011.01.09 By Scott Gavura, BScPhm, MBA, RPh for Science-Based Medicine My stimulant of choice is coffee. I started drinking it in first-year university, and never looked back. A tiny four-cup coffee maker became my reliable companion right through graduate school. But since I stopped needing to drink a pot at a time, an entirely new category of products has appeared — the energy drink. Targeting students, athletes, and others seeking a mental or physical boost, energy drinks are now an enormous industry: From the first U.S. product sale in 1997, the market size was $4.8 billion by 2008, and continues to grow. (1) My precious coffee effectively has a single therapeutic ingredient, caffeine. Its pharmacology is well documented, and the physiologic effects are understood. The safety data isn’... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4326902 Sun, 09 Jan 2011 17:00:48 +0100 4326902 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4304879&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffda-set-to-approve-new-anti-obesity-drug%2F2011.01.02 The FDA has been tough on diet drugs of late. Three years ago it scuttled an attempt to get the European diet drug rimonabant approved for use in the U.S. More recently it rejected, at least temporarily, applications for Qnexa and Lorcaserin. But that trend may have been reversed last week, when an advisory committee set the stage for possible FDA approval of Orexigen’s investigational diet drug, Contrave. By a 13-7 vote, the committee said in essence that the somewhat modest beneficial effects of the drug outweighed its tendency to increase blood pressure. The FDA will make final decision on the matter by the end of January. It is not required to follow the advice of its advisory committees, but as was the case for the three diet drugs mentioned above,  it usually does. (more…... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4304879 Sun, 02 Jan 2011 19:00:19 +0100 4304879 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4287415&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpainkiller-safety%2F2010.12.24 Perhaps as many as one in every five American adults will get a prescription for a painkiller this year, and many more will buy over-the-counter medicines without a prescription. These drugs can do wonders — getting rid of pain can seem like a miracle — but sometimes there’s a high price to be paid. Remember the heavily marketed COX-2 inhibitors? Rofecoxib, sold as Vioxx, and valdecoxib, sold as Bextra, were taken off the market in 2004 and 2005, respectively, after studies linked them to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like aspirin, ibuprofen (sold as Advil and Motrin), and naproxen (sold as Aleve) seem like safe bets. But taken over long periods, they have potentially dangerous gastrointestinal side effect... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4287415 Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:00:34 +0100 4287415 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277834&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Favastin-the-fdas-disappointing-decision%2F2010.12.21 “With this disappointing decision, the FDA has chosen to place itself between patients and their doctors by rationing access to a life-extending drug. . . We can’t allow this government takeover of health care to continue any longer.” That quote, courtesy of this morning’s [Dec 17th] Washington Post, incensed me to such a degree that I am writing this blog despite the two deadlines I have today. The speaker is Sen. David Vitter (R-La). The “disappointing decision” he refers to: The FDA’s decision to remove the breast cancer indication for Avastin (bevacizumab). I wrote about this earlier, and you can read the post here, but that was before yesterday’s [Dec 16th] decision. I’m not going to comment here on the benefits or risks of Avasti... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277834 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:00:00 +0100 4277834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265878&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F17%2Finterview-with-professor-robert-maccoun-on-drug-policy%2F Here is a fascinating interview of Professor Robert MacCoun about “The Psychology and Politics of Drug Policy.”  The 36-minute interview was conducted by Nina Catalano as part of the Law and Mind Science Seminar at Harvard Law School. Biography Robert MacCoun, a psychologist, joined the faculty of UC Berkeley’s School of Public Policy in 1993 and the Boalt faculty in 1999. From 1986 to 1993 he was a behavioral scientist at The RAND Corporation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan private research institution. He has published many studies of jury decision making, alternative dispute resolution, illicit drug dealing, alternative drug laws, harm reduction, gays and lesbians in the military, media biases, and bias in the use and interpretation of research evidence. He is on the National... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265878 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 04:01:28 +0100 4265878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233167&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FjT_21hU9b7o%2F By Walter OlsonLast Tuesday, despite warnings of regulatory overreach, the Senate voted 73-25 in favor of S. 510, the Food Safety Modernization Act, which would greatly expand the powers of the federal Food and Drug Administration and impose extensive new testing and paperwork requirements on farmers and food producers. Almost at once, however, the bill was derailed — whether temporarily or otherwise remains to be seen — by what the New York Times called an “arcane parliamentary mistake” and the L.A. Times considered a purely “technical flaw“. Roll Call put it more bluntly: “[Senate] Democrats violated a constitutional provision requiring that tax provisions originate in the House.” While the New York Times weirdly cast Senate Republicans as ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233167 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:33:26 +0100 4233167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4207281&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fx-O6LxE-TaI%2F By Walter OlsonLast week the New York Times reported on the story of Estrella Family Creamery, an award-winning, very-small-scale producer of raw milk farmstead cheeses in Montesano, Wash. The family faces a Food and Drug Administration ban on its products because the food pathogen listeria has been found in its facilities; when it expressed defiance, the FDA proceeded to stage a raid to seize its entire cheese stock. It’s not easy to sort out how large a health risk may be involved (listeria, a widely disseminated form of bacteria, poses a real danger of food poisoning, but no actual illness has been traced to Estrella cheese). I was struck, in any event, by these paragraphs from the Times account: “If the F.D.A. wanted to shut down the U.S. artisan cheese industry, all they’d ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4207281 Sun, 28 Nov 2010 23:29:39 +0100 4207281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175793&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F17%2Fmerchants-of-denial%2F GoogleTalks:  Author David Michaels visits Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, Ca, to discuss his book “Doubt is Their Product: How Industry’s Assault on Science Threatens Your Health.” * * * * * * For a sample of related Situationist posts, see “The Corporate Situation of Universities,” “The Greasy Situation of University Research,” “The Deeply Captured Situation of Spilling Oil,” “Tushnet on Teles and The Situation of Ideas – Abstract,” “The Situation of Policy Research and Policy Outcomes,” “Industry-Funded Research,” “The Situation of Medical Research,” “The company ‘had no control or influence over the research’ . . . .,” “The Situation of University Research,” “Captured Science.” (Source: T... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175793 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:33:52 +0100 4175793 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172127&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F16%2Fnews-about-the-captured-situation-of-food-policy%2F From the New York Times: Domino’s Pizza was hurting early last year. Domestic sales had fallen, and a survey of big pizza chain customers left the company tied for the worst tasting pies. Then help arrived from an organization called Dairy Management. It teamed up with Domino’s to develop a new line of pizzas with 40 percent more cheese, and proceeded to devise and pay for a $12 million marketing campaign. Consumers devoured the cheesier pizza, and sales soared by double digits. “This partnership is clearly working,” Brandon Solano, the Domino’s vice president for brand innovation, said in a statement to The New York Times. But as healthy as this pizza has been for Domino’s, one slice contains as much as two-thirds of a day’s maximum recommended amount of saturated fat, which... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172127 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 04:01:16 +0100 4172127 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4164521&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-cigarette-labels-from-the-fda%2F2010.11.14 The FDA will soon require new cigarette package labeling to deter smoking. So in politically-correct governmental fashion, they are asking which labels you’d like to see. (You can pick your favorites here.) My personal favorite (so far) is the one shown to the left, but its impact factor pales in comparison to this example found in England. (That, my friends, is cancer!) Ironically, it appears the FDA isn’t too sure how forceful it should be in these warnings about the dangers of smoking. They offer a cornucopia of milquetoast labeling options, many of which contain cartoons. Might such unrealistic portrayals defy they hard-hitting message they want to project? Worse, at least one cartoon (seen here) even seems to promote cigarettes AND drug use together! In an even more astoni... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4164521 Sun, 14 Nov 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4164521 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118936&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-impact-of-drug-marketing-on-medical-care%2F2010.10.28 In my group practice, the Yale Medical Group, drug company-sponsored lunches and similar events have been banned. This is part of a trend, at least within academic medicine, to create some distance between physicians and pharmaceutical companies, or at least their marketing divisions. The justifications for this are several, and are all reasonable. One reason is the appearance of being too cozy, which compromises the role of academic physicians as independent experts. But the primary reason is the belief that “detailing” by pharmaceutical sales representatives has a negative effect on the prescribing habits of physicians. There is reason to believe this may be the case because of cases of bad behavior on the part of pharmaceutical marketing divisions — ghost writing white papers,... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118936 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:00:50 +0100 4118936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119103&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2F27%2Fwinning-the-food-fight%2F Back at the end of August, I wrote a post about the benefits of “nudging” people towards heath, in particular, by resetting food defaults.  I argued that we could combat obesity without unduly infringing on individual choice or autonomy by changing the food situation so that when a person ordered “a latte,” for example, she was given skim milk unless she specified that she wanted whole milk. Thus, I was extremely excited to see Brian Wansink, David R. Just, and Joe McKendry’s great “Lunch Line Redesign” op-chart in the New York Times a few days ago.  For decades, experts have been working hard to design supermarkets and fast food restaurants to maximize sales; it sure is nice to see scientists taking a similar approach to maximize nutrition.  As they explain, Experiments t... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119103 Wed, 27 Oct 2010 04:01:26 +0100 4119103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040561&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftop-gripes-about-drugs-and-what-they-cost%2F2010.10.07 I used to defend pharmaceutical companies. ”What companies out there have contributed more good? Should care manufacturers make more when all they do is make transportation that breaks after a few years?” It made sense to me that you should put a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow so that companies are motivated to invent more drugs and innovate. We throw a lot of money to athletes and movie stars who simply entertain us, shouldn’t we do better to those who heal us? I used to say that. I don’t anymore. No, I don’t think the drug companies are “evil.” People who say that are thinking way to simplistic. These companies are doing exactly what their shareholders want them to do: make as much money as possible for as long as possible. That’s what all companies do, right? They... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040561 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 22:00:07 +0100 4040561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003254&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Freal-time-drug-safety-reports%2F2010.09.27 Researchers at Children’s Hospital in Boston and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed an iPhone application that keeps you up-to-date with drug safety reports and allows you to submit any side effects directly to the FDA. The app, called MedWatcher can keep a list of medications for which you receive both official FDA alerts and news from other channels. Users can report side effects straight from the app and view other submitted reports. The researchers hope to lower the barrier to reporting side effects, increasing the participation in safety surveillance. Reports of serious adverse events are reviewed by members of the Children’s Computational Epidemiology Group and then submitted to the FDA. The app was developed using technology from the Outbreaks... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003254 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 22:00:14 +0100 4003254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3987101&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F21%2Fthe-viral-situation-of-obesity%2F From UC San Diego News: The emerging idea that obesity may have an infectious origin gets new support in a cross-sectional study by University of California, San Diego School of Medicine researchers who found that children exposed to a particular strain of adenovirus were significantly more likely to be obese. The study will be published in the September 20 online edition of the journal Pediatrics. September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Jeffrey B. Schwimmer, MD,  associate professor of clinical pediatrics at UC San Diego, and colleagues examined 124 children, ages 8 to 18, for the presence of antibodies specific to adenovirus 36 (AD36), one of more than 50 strains of adenovirus known to infect humans and cause a variety of respiratory, gastrointestinal and other infectio... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3987101 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 04:01:04 +0100 3987101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3929234&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffda-actively-monitoring-medical-and-healthcare-apps%2F2010.09.02 Bradley Merrill Thompson, an attorney with expertise in the FDA approval process for medical devices, is stating that the FDA is actively monitoring app stores on various platforms. Regulating medical devices and health care-related applications falls under the FDA’s jurisdiction. James Kendrick from JkOnTheRun spoke with Thompson, where he stated the following: The FDA is actively engaged in surveillance of various app stores to see if apps should trigger their involvement. Applications where a smartphone is connected in any way to imaging are under scrutiny, in particular. Any app that is used to transmit images to a medical facility requires FDA approval. By “various app stores,” Thompson is likely referring to the App store [Apple], Palm App Catalog [Web OS], App World [BlackBe... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3929234 Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:00:10 +0100 3929234 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3913164&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F08%2F29%2Fthe-bagel-situation%2F If you order a “bagel with cream cheese,” how much cream cheese should be provided with the bagel? That was the question my girlfriend and I pondered the other day as we drove through New Jersey futilely trying to remove half of the cream cheese on our bagels without the aid of a knife. Why is it that nearly every bagel that we buy has considerably more cream cheese than we want?  Is it that people can somehow sense that we are from Philadelphia? If some people prefer a little cream cheese and some people prefer a lot, doesn’t it make the most sense to provide a small amount of cream cheese unless someone speaks up and voices a preference for more?  That way, everyone gets exactly what they want (and no more than they want).  And people who don’t really have a strong impulse eit... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3913164 Sun, 29 Aug 2010 04:01:33 +0100 3913164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3862009&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffda-warning-industrial-bleach-as-a-cure-for-cancer-and-hiv%2F2010.08.12 On the heels of Scott Gavura’s superb post on dietary supplement regulation in the U.S. and Canada, I bring you one of the most egregious and obscene product cases I have seen in 15 years of teaching on botanical and non-botanical products: Miracle Mineral Solution. Please accept my apologies in advance for not having a scholarly post for you – this is just too unbelievable not to share with science-based medicine readers. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Science-Based Medicine* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3862009 Thu, 12 Aug 2010 22:00:48 +0100 3862009 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3827068&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdrug-to-treat-spider-veins-asclera-now-fda-approved%2F2010.08.05 The FDA recently (March 2010) approved Asclera (poliocanol) injection for the treatment of small spider veins (tiny varicose veins less than 1 millimeter in diameter) and reticular veins (those that are 1 to 3 millimeters in diameter). Asclera is a detergent sclerosant and produces endothelial damage through interference with the cell’s surface lipids.and acts by damaging the cell lining of blood vessels. This causes the blood vessel to close, and it is eventually replaced by other types of tissue. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3827068 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3827068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3807396&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffood-and-pesticides-the-dirty-dozen%2F2010.07.31 The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a non-profit focused on public health. We know that the long-term consequences of eating chemicals from pesticides used on our foods is damaging to our health. The EWG analyzed data from the FDA and found that people who eat five fruits and vegetables a day from the “Dirty Dozen” are eating 10 pesticides a day. We want people to eat more fruits and vegetables, but NOT to ingest more chemicals. Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate pesticides. So what’s the answer? Rinse completely and buy the “Dirty Dozen” foods organic whenever possible. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3807396 Sat, 31 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3807396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3794773&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedical-devices-injure-70000-kids-each-year%2F2010.07.27 FDA researchers have published a study in Pediatrics that analyzed patient records from child and teen ER visits in 2004 and 2005. The investigators are reporting that 70,000 kids each year go to the ER because of issues caused by medical devices. About a quarter of the injuries were from contact lenses, while the other major contributors were needles, wheelchairs, braces, and obstetric exam tools. The study also looked at the devices most likely to cause hospitalization, and they were found to be mostly invasive devices like ostomy appliances and implanted defibrillators. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3794773 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:00:25 +0100 3794773 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3786171&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F25%2Fdoctors-conspiracy-of-silence%2F From ABC News, here is the introduction to Kim Carollo’s article, “Many Doctors Reluctant to Report Inept or Impaired Colleagues”: * * * Many professional medical organizations ethically require doctors to report other doctors who are incompetent or impaired by substance abuse or mental health problems, but as one recent survey found, more than a third of doctors don’t turn in their colleagues. Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital surveyed nearly 3,000 doctors across multiple specialties, and of the almost 2,000 who responded, 31 percent objected to the idea that they should have a responsibility to report physicians who are incompetent or impaired. The survey also found that 17 percent of doctors had encountered an impaired or incompetent colleague over ... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3786171 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 04:01:48 +0100 3786171 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3784322&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F23%2Fthe-toxic-situation-of-cosmetics%2F From the storyofstuffproject: The Story of Cosmetics, released on July 21st, 2010, examines the pervasive use of toxic chemicals in our everyday personal care products, from lipstick to baby shampoo. Produced with Free Range Studios and hosted by Annie Leonard, the seven-minute film by The Story of Stuff Project reveals the implications for consumer and worker health and the environment, and outlines ways we can move the industry away from hazardous chemicals and towards safer alternatives. The film concludes with a call for viewers to support legislation aimed at ensuring the safety of cosmetics and personal care products. * * * * * * For a sample of related Situationist posts, see “Our Carcinogenic Situation,” “The Situation of Bottled Water,” “‘Flow&#8... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3784322 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 04:01:57 +0100 3784322 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3776456&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F21%2Fthe-deeply-captured-situation-of-medicine%2F From PBS’s Need to Know: Prescription drug Avandia was once the top-selling diabetes drug in the world — and it still helps more than half a million Americans balance their blood sugar levels. But a Food and Drug Administration panel dealt the drug a blow this week that may have some diabetes sufferers questioning whether they want to use it. The debate focused on whether Avandia, which is acknowledged to be one of the most effective drugs for treating Type 2 diabetes, comes with dangerous side effects: An increase in a patient’s chance of suffering a stroke or heart attack, and dying from it. In the end, while a majority of the 33-member panel did agree that Avandia, compared to other diabetes drugs, does increase risk for cardiovascular problems, they didn’t agree that it inc... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3776456 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:24:41 +0100 3776456 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767074&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fgovernment-decisions-about-avandia-and-preventive-services%2F2010.07.19 An FDA advisory panel has voted that the diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) can remain on the market, but recommended further warnings associated with its use. The panel was divided, the New York Times reported, with 12 of 33 members saying the drug should be removed from the market, 10 voting to restrict sales and strengthen the warning label, 7 recommending only strengthening the warning label, and 3 voting for no change. One panel member abstained. (New York Times) The White House yesterday announced which preventive services would be available at no charge to patients under the new healthcare legislation. Adult patients who choose a health plan after September 23 will receive mammograms, diabetes screening, and tobacco cessation counseling, among other services, at no increased cos... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767074 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:45:57 +0100 3767074 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746739&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffor-patients-does-the-fda-play-fair%2F2010.07.12 They have a tough job, those government doctors, scientists, and bureaucrats who are charged with assessing the safety and effectiveness of proposed new medical products. As you know, they rely largely on studies presented by the applicants. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the power to not approve a new drug or product or even pull it off the market. Right now it is considering limiting or pulling GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) diabetes drug, Avandia, because of newly discovered data that it may have caused heart attack in some patients –- data mysteriously not shown in GSK’s own studies. If the drug is pulled it will cost GSK billions of dollars in lost revenue but, from the FDA’s point-of-view, it will be protecting the public. And, after all, there are safer diabetes drugs ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746739 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:00:41 +0100 3746739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746740&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F7-under-the-radar-healthcare-changes%2F2010.07.12 Kaiser Health News proves its value once again with an under-the-radar story covering some items you won’t see in many other news sources. An excerpt: “…several lesser-known provisions also take effect in coming months that could have a lasting impact on the nation’s health care system. These provisions include eliminating patients’ co-payments for certain preventive services such as mammograms, giving the government more power to review health insurers’ premium increases and allowing states to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income adults without children. While these changes might not have gotten at lot of attention, they could help build support for the law in the run-up to the contentious mid-term elections.” Their list: • Prevention For Less... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746740 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:00:29 +0100 3746740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729869&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2Fxb8dZCXYPVw%2F By Glenna Crooks. Rittenhouse Square in Philly, a holiday weekend and great weather made for the perfect place for light reading this weekend. I got magazines with the intention of doing just that – and did. It was great to be outside on warm, breezy days. However, my mood soured about half way into Spirituality&Health, reading an article about a possible new cancer therapy. It describes the observations of Mamdooh Ghoneum, PhD: cancer cells are attracted to, ‘eat’ heat-killed baker’s yeast and then die. That’s good news. It happens in labs and in mice, who apparently suffer no side effects. That’s good news, too. Approval for testing in other animals is pending. I hope he gets it. We need progress in the healing of people with cancer. Why the sour mood? Dr. Ghoneum is hero... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729869 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:39:29 +0100 3729869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3726594&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2Fxb8dZCXYPVw%2F Rittenhouse Square in Philly, a holiday weekend and great weather made for the perfect place for light reading this weekend. I got magazines with the intention of doing just that – and did. It was great to be outside on warm, breezy days.  However, my mood soured about half way into Spirituality&Health, reading an article about a possible new cancer therapy. It describes the observations of Mamdooh Ghoneum, PhD: cancer cells are attracted to, ‘eat’ heat-killed baker’s yeast and then die. That’s good news. It happens in labs and in mice, who apparently suffer no side effects. That’s good news, too. Approval for testing in other animals is pending. I hope he gets it. We need progress in the healing of people with cancer. Why the sour mood? Dr. Ghoneum is hero enough for maki... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3726594 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:39:29 +0100 3726594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718696&cid=t_364948_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FoOozbSbd4XU%2F The FDA is always under the gun, and both critics and supporters often point to a lack of funding. So how much money might be headed its way in fiscal 2011? Yesterday, the House Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee did a mark up and suggested $2.57 billion in funding – $55 million above the budget request. This is discretionary spending. Overall, the agency would have $3.8 billion for oversight - roughly $214 million above last year’s bill - when including $1.2 billion in user fees, notes Rosa DeLauro, the Connecticut Democrat who chairs the subcommittee, who has been harping on drug safety lately. [EDITORS' NOTE: Yes, there was a math problem earlier and we have clarified the numbers]. So the proposal include... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718696 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:49:21 +0100 3718696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3690834&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FROzoJirhUZw%2F Ever since Viagra hit the stores (and bedrooms) drug companies have been searching for a comparable little pink pill. Viagra didn’t seem to do much for girls (we tried it once, we felt nothing). Now there’s a new pink pill that came really close to getting FDA approval, but failed. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Related posts:Poll: The Next President’s Top Priority Poll: Female Attitudes About Appearance Improving Medication Adherence with a Cell Phone (Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care) Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3690834 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:29:24 +0100 3690834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687100&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fherbal-remedy-for-uti-if-youre-a-lab-rat-maybe%2F2010.06.22 A patient came into the office the other day carrying a small clipping from a reputable women’s health newsletter touting new research on an herbal remedy for urinary tract infection. Having recurrent bladder infections, my patient naturally was wondering if this was something she should try. The article was entitled “Herbal Remedy Effective for Urinary Tract Infections” and began with this startling revelation: The common herbal extract forskolin can greatly reduce urinary tract infections and could potentially help antibiotics kill the bacteria that cause most bladder infections.  But the article advised that the “popular” remedy was not FDA approved for this indication, so you should “ask your doctor.” (more…) *This blog post was... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687100 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:00:00 +0100 3687100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687036&cid=t_364948_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F06%2Ffda-approves-hiv-test-earlier-detection%2F The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new blood test for HIV that can detect both antigen and antibody of the HIV organism, thus allowing for earlier detection of the virus after infection. The ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo Assay is manufactured by Abbott Laboratory. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687036 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:58:39 +0100 3687036 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3676736&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F19%2Fthe-situation-of-public-relations%2F Here at the Situationist, we spend a lot of time focused on new research from the mind sciences and, as a result, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that there are other individuals and entities (besides academics and universities) out there working tirelessly to uncover what makes us tick. Some of these individuals and entities are well intentioned: they want to know how humans think and behave to design better government policies that reduce suffering and improve outcomes or to create products or services that better serve our needs and wants. Yet, there are others out there whose goals are less meritorious.  Like mind scientists, they understand that people are powerfully influenced by their situations, but their aim is not to use this knowledge to nudge people towards healthy eating... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3676736 Sat, 19 Jun 2010 04:01:38 +0100 3676736 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3659156&cid=t_364948_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FavZqNaffZ0g%2F Will another official from the Chinese Food and Drug Administration be executed? The latest scandal involves Zhang Jingli, 55, a deputy director of State Food and Drug Administration since 2003, who is being investigated by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, The Shanghai Daily reports. Jingli was recently dismissed for unspecified disciplinary violations. For those who may not recall, China executed Zheng Xiaoyu, the former head of its FDA, for approving untested medicine in exchange for cash. During his tenure, the agency approved six meds that turned out to be fake, and drugmakers had used falsified documents to apply for approvals (background). After that embarassing episode, China placed its FDA under the jurisidication of the Ministry of Health... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3659156 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:36:02 +0100 3659156 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3644742&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F181802%2F FDA Needs To Work on Outbreak Prevention: A new report says that the FDA is struggling to keep food safe, and should focus more of its budget on preventing foodborne illness outbreaks. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3644742 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:35:39 +0100 3644742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635744&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnutrition-and-the-government-donuts-for-freedom%2F2010.06.07 An interesting press release from the Competitive Enterprise Institute recently came across our desk and is reproduced in full below. I’m curious what our readers think of it, and of the government’s role in nutritional issues, given the link between nutrition and health: Institute Calls for Civil Disobedience on National Donut Day As Government Meddling in Nutritional Issues Mounts, CEI Advises, “Eat Two Donuts Today—One for Yourself, and One for Your Freedom” Washington, D.C., June 4, 2010 — The Competitive Enterprise Institute today urged Americans to turn National Donut Day into a day of protest against growing government intrusion into nutritional issues. CEI urged people to eat two donuts — “one for yourself, and one as an act of patriotic civil disobedience.�... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635744 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3635744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3625608&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F03%2Fthe-situation-of-poor-education%2F What is the cause of the educational disaster in central Africa? Nicholas D. Kristof had an interesting take in his N.Y. Times column, Moonshine or the Kids?, published last week. According to Kristof, “[I]f the poorest families spent as much money educating their children as they do on wine, cigarettes and prostitutes, their children’s prospects would be transformed. Much suffering is caused not only by low incomes, but also by shortsighted private spending decisions by heads of households.” In the article, Kristof profiles a Congolese family, the Obamzas (yes, you read that right).  The family is behind on its $6-a-month rent and cannot afford to send the three Obamza children to school at a cost of $7.50 a month.  The Obamzas do, however, spend $10 a month on cellphone usage and... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3625608 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 04:01:48 +0100 3625608 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3617947&cid=t_364948_117_f&fid=37824&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doctorkalitenko.com%2Fblog%2Fgeneral-health%2Fjaw-necrosis-and-fosamax-go-hand-in-hand Fosamax, a biophosphonate, is very commonly used for osteoporosis. It works by slowing bone loss and increasing bone mass, and yet did you know that it can cause jaw necrosis? fosamaxThe warning initially had been that cancer patients on the drug were more at risk, but now it seems that if you had recent dental work on infections, you are at a higher risk as well. How can this FDA approved medication be associated with pain, swelling, infection and exposed bone in the jaw? And even though the FDA approved the drug in 1995, it took them until 2008 to issue this statement: “FDA is highlighting the possibility of severe and sometimes incapacitating bone, joint, and/or muscle (musculoskeletal) pain in patients taking bisphosphonates. Although severe musculoskeletal pain is included in the p... Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3617947 Mon, 31 May 2010 19:48:51 +0100 3617947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3617948&cid=t_364948_117_f&fid=37824&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doctorkalitenko.com%2Fblog%2Fgeneral-health%2Ffda-approved-quinolones-can-cause-severe-disability Quinolones, basically synthetic, broad-spectrum antibiotics, are used to treat almost everything, from urinary tract infections to gynecological infections, STDs, skin infections, and respiratory infection like bronchitis, pneumonia and sinusitis.  And yet, a very well known side effect of quinolones is that it can cause tendon rupture. This can become a huge problem. Quinolones can cause tendon rupture, and someone who is just on treadmill or running while on the medication can tear their Achilles tendon. The recommendation is usually that you don’t run or jog while on the medication. How can we use something that dangerous, like Cipro, so often, when just movement while on the drug can harm you in such a way? But the FDA has known about these effects for a long time. Back in 1995, th... Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3617948 Mon, 31 May 2010 18:55:41 +0100 3617948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3607500&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhave-we-killed-clinical-research%2F2010.05.27 “…I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.”  — Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire Years ago when I began my medical training, I recall enrolling patients for clinical research. In cardiology, there were a myriad of questions that needed to be answered, especially in the area of defining which medications were best to limit the damage caused by a heart attack. Patients routinely participated in large, multi-center prospective randomized trials to answer these questions. It was routine for them not to charged for participating in the trial — the drug(s) and additional testing would be funded by the company whose drug was being studied. Patients enrolled willingly, eager to help advance science and perhaps, in s... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3607500 Thu, 27 May 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3607500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595589&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-problem-of-drug-extinction%2F2010.05.24 Doctors are all-familiar with marketing efforts to promote new drugs, but once the new drugs displace older drugs in the medical marketplace, who serves as advocates for the continued manufacturing of older FDA-approved drugs? In a short answer: No one. For those of us dealing in cardiac arrhythmia management, this presents difficult challenges for patient care if people are unable to take the newer drugs due to side effects. These patients no longer have a fall-back option to turn to for medical therapy when the older drugs have become extinct on the marketplace. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595589 Mon, 24 May 2010 12:30:00 +0100 3595589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585686&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F21%2Finequality-and-the-unequal-situation-of-mental-and-physical-health%2F Press release from University of Michigan: * * * When people are under chronic stress, they tend to smoke, drink, use drugs and overeat to help cope with stress. These behaviors trigger a biological cascade that helps prevent depression, but they also contribute to a host of physical problems that eventually contribute to early death. That is the claim of University of Michigan social scientist James S. Jackson and colleagues in an article published in the May 2010 issue of the American Journal of Public Health. The theory helps explain a long-time epidemiological puzzle: why African Americans have worse physical health than whites but better psychiatric health. “People engage in bad habits for functional reasons, not because of weak character or ignorance,” says Jackson, direc... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585686 Fri, 21 May 2010 04:01:42 +0100 3585686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560301&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F12%2Four-carcinogenic-situation-and-what-to-do-about-it%2F This report summarizes the Panel’s findings and conclusions based on the testimony received and additional information gathering. The Panel’s recommendations delineate concrete actions that governments; industry; the research, health care, and advocacy communities; and individuals can take to reduce cancer risk related to environmental contaminants, excess radiation, and other harmful exposures. Key Issues for Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk Issues impeding control of environmental cancer risks include those related to limited research on environmental influences on cancer; conflicting or inadequate exposure measurement, assessment, and classification; and ineffective regulation of environmental chemical and other hazardous exposures. Environmental Cancer Research Research on enviro... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560301 Wed, 12 May 2010 13:27:39 +0100 3560301 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3556173&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F12%2Four-carcinogenic-situation-and-what-to-do-about-it%2F This report summarizes the Panel’s findings and conclusions based on the testimony received and additional information gathering. The Panel’s recommendations delineate concrete actions that governments; industry; the research, health care, and advocacy communities; and individuals can take to reduce cancer risk related to environmental contaminants, excess radiation, and other harmful exposures. Key Issues for Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk Issues impeding control of environmental cancer risks include those related to limited research on environmental influences on cancer; conflicting or inadequate exposure measurement, assessment, and classification; and ineffective regulation of environmental chemical and other hazardous exposures. Environmental Cancer Research Research on enviro... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3556173 Wed, 12 May 2010 13:27:39 +0100 3556173 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3546907&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F09%2Fobesity-and-bullying%2F Christian Nordqvist wrote a nice summary of recent research for  Medical News Today on the relationship of obesity with bullying.  Here are a few excerpts. * * * A new study published in the journal Pediatrics reports that obese children have a higher risk of being bullied, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, social skills, academic achievement or gender. The study, titled “Weight status as a predictor of being bullied in third through sixth grades” was carried out by Julie C. Lumeng, M.D., . . . and her colleagues. * * * The aim of this study was to establish the link between childhood obesity and being the victim of bullying in 3rd, 5th, and 6th grades. * * * Researchers studied 821 children who were . . . . recruited at birth in 10 study sites around the USA. The res... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3546907 Sun, 09 May 2010 04:01:33 +0100 3546907 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3511586&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F28%2Fastrazeneca-settles-case-for-520-million%2F AstraZeneca agreed to a $520 million dollar settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and a consortium of state Medicaid agencies without admitting any wrongdoing in its marketing of the atypical antipsychotic drug, Seroquel. “AstraZeneca paid kickbacks to doctors as part of an illegal scheme to market drugs for unapproved uses,” Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of health and human services, said at the event in Washington. She said the company promoted drugs for unapproved uses by children, the elderly, veterans and prisoners. Glenn Engelmann, AstraZeneca’s U.S. general counsel, released a statement saying the company denies the allegations but settled the investigation with the payment. The government said the company also paid for ghostwritten journal articles, and marketed the... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3511586 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:25:06 +0100 3511586 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3482949&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F19%2Fde-capturing-the-fda%2F Harvard Law Student, Jason Iuliano, recently posted his forthcoming article, “Killing Us Sweetly: How to Take Industry Out of the FDA” (forthcoming Journal of Food Law and Policy) on SSRN.  Here’s the abstract. * * * For more than a century, the Food and Drug Administration has purported to protect the public health. During that time, it has actually been placing corporate profits above consumer safety. Nowhere is this corruption more evident than in the approval of artificial sweeteners. FDA leaders’ close ties to the very industry they were supposed to be regulating present a startling picture. Ignoring warnings from both independent scientists and their own review panels, FDA decision makers let greed guide their actions. They approved carcinogenic sweeteners such ... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3482949 Mon, 19 Apr 2010 04:01:50 +0100 3482949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3432950&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F02%2Fshould-addiction-be-criminalized%2F From Big Think: Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, argues that abusers should be treated the same as anyone with a debilitating disease. * * * * * * Transcript: Question: How should drug addicts be treated in society? Nora Volkow: Drug addiction is a disease of the brain. It’s a disease of the brain. We don’t put people that have diseases in the jail or in prison because they actually, that’s what we decide, right? I don’t even dare myself to the concept of putting someone in jail because they have a disease. My brain doesn’t even allow me to think that way. And yet we do that with addicted people and I’ve thought a lot, why is our society criminalizing the person that’s addicted to drugs? And I think it’s becau... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3432950 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 04:01:07 +0100 3432950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3420554&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F30%2Fthe-addictive-situation-of-fatty-food%2F Sarah Klein wrote an article for CNN, titled “Fatty foods may cause cocaine-like addiction,” discussing recent research co-authored by Paul J. Kenny, Ph.D., an associate professor of molecular therapeutics at the Scripps Research Institute.  Here are a few excerpts. * * * In the study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, Kenny and his co-author studied three groups of lab rats for 40 days. One of the groups was fed regular rat food. A second was fed bacon, sausage, cheesecake, frosting, and other fattening, high-calorie foods–but only for one hour each day. The third group was allowed to pig out on the unhealthy foods for up to 23 hours a day. Not surprisingly, the rats that gorged themselves on the human food quickly became obese. But their brains also changed... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3420554 Tue, 30 Mar 2010 04:01:41 +0100 3420554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3408452&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F26%2Fthe-situation-of-bottled-water%2F From the Story of Stuff: The Story of Bottled Water, releasing March 22, 2010, employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand—how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows from the tap. Over five minutes, the film explores the bottled water industrys attacks on tap water and its use of seductive, environmental-themed advertising to cover up the mountains of plastic waste it produces. The film concludes with a call to take back the tap, not only by making a personal commitment to avoid bottled water, but by supporting investments in clean, available tap water for all. * * * * * * For a sample of related Situationist posts, see ““Flow” and the Situation of Water,” and the links that post... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3408452 Fri, 26 Mar 2010 04:01:37 +0100 3408452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3403944&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F25%2Fflow-and-the-situation-of-water%2F From Wikipedia: Flow: For Love of Water is a 2008 documentary film by Irena Salina. The film concentrates on the big business of privatization of water infrastructure which prioritizes profits over the availability of clean water for people and the environment. Major businesses depicted in the film are Nestle, The Coca-Cola Company, Suez, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The first video below is the trailer.  You can watch the movie in 9 (roughly 10-minute) sections after the jump. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To review a sample of related Situationist posts, see “Global Climate Change and The Situation of Denial,” (Source: The Situationist) The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3403944 Thu, 25 Mar 2010 04:01:38 +0100 3403944 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3395247&cid=t_364948_117_f&fid=37824&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doctorkalitenko.com%2Fblog%2Fgeneral-health%2Fcan-you-really-trust-the-fda-and-pharmaceutical-companies Drugs that give us a quick fix, medications from the drug companies, could be giving us more than we bargained for, as we are learning in the many examples where drug companies are not telling the truth: http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/02/26/another-drug-company-accused-of-hiding-negative-study-results/?mod=djemHL The Department of Justice’s complaint against the lab that markets Celexa and Lexapro has once again brought to the forefront that drug companies may be hiding bad results of their medications, while only releasing the better data. I don’t argue that we need drugs sometimes for a quick fix, but in the long run, natural solutions are the only thing that we can trust with our lives. www.clinicaltrials.gov was created to encourage drug companies to be open about their trials, m... Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3395247 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:28:17 +0100 3395247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3359065&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F12%2Fthe-policy-situation-of-obesity%2F In 2004, Peter Jennings hosted an outstanding report, titled “How To Get Fat Without even Trying,” in which he explored some of the situational factors, including federal government agricultural policies and food industry practices, that  are contributing to Americas  obesity epidemic. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * For a sample of related Situationist posts, see “The Situation of Snacking,” “The Benefit of Knowing Your Eating Sins,” “The Situation of Body Image,” “Big Calories Come in Small Packages,” “The Situation of Eating – Part II,” “The Situation of Eating,” “The Situation of the Dreaded ‘Freshman 15′,” “Our Situation Is What We Eat,” “Social Networks,” “Common Cause: Combating the Epidemics of Obesity a... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3359065 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:00:59 +0100 3359065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3327045&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F03%2Fthe-sound-situation-of-beer-drinkers%2F CONCLUSIONS: The impact of environmental music on consumption was discussed and the “arousal” hypothesis and the negative effect of loud music on social interaction were used to explain our results. * * * For a sample of related Situationist posts, see “Just Me and My Friend, Sony,” “Alcohol, Hotdogs, Sexism, and Racism,” “What Our Exterior Situation Reveals About Our Interior Situation,” “Susan Boyle and the Situation of Sound,” “The Situation of Music,” “The Situation of the Dreaded ‘Freshman 15′,” “The Science of Songs Stuck in Your Head,” and “Investing in Vice,” (Source: The Situationist) The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3327045 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:12:34 +0100 3327045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3314699&cid=t_364948_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fshould-fda-regulate-ehr-safety HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius probably wishes she never left Kansas. She’s got one department—the Office of the National Coordinator for HIT (ONC)—that’s passing out HITECH money faster than a street-hawker with peep show tix in order to hasten the dissemination of EHRs. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3314699 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:37:51 +0100 3314699 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3306839&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FOOTgW1tzEi0%2F Chairman Wu, Congresswomen Edwards and Biggert, and Committee Members. Thank you for this opportunity to testify at this hearing on the National Institute of Standards and Technology. I ask that my written testimony be accepted into the record. Today you will hear from accomplished researchers and leaders in their fields of study from Duke University and Stanford. These individuals are scientists, entrepreneurs and biotechnology innovators. I come here primarily as a mom. I am here today to address the critical link between my experience as a mother striving for treatments, for my kids and millions of others, and the question before this Committee — How our National Institute of Standards and Technology can more effectively influence innovation in life sciences. I begin with a plain ... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3306839 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:20:38 +0100 3306839 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3212393&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F01%2F27%2Fdan-kahan-on-the-situation-of-risk-perceptions%2F Situationist Contributor Dan Kahan was recently interviewed for the National Science Foundation website.  In the interview, which you can watch the on the video below, Kahan discusses how people’s values shape perceptions of the HPV vaccine.  Here’s the abstract. * * * The “cultural cognition thesis” argues that individuals form risk perceptions based on often-contested personal views about what makes a good society. Now, Yale University Law professor Dr. Dan Kahan and his colleagues reveals how people’s values shape their perceptions of one of the most hotly debated health care proposals in recent years: vaccinating elementary-school girls, ages 11-12, against human papillomavirus (HPV), a widespread sexually transmitted disease. * * * * * * For a sam... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3212393 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:01:46 +0100 3212393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3146043&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F01%2F06%2F9644%2F Michael Pollan (a professor of science and environmental journalism at the Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California) has a new, short book, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual. Pollan’s writing has been frequently featured on this blog because it is superb and because of his fascinating situationist perspective regarding our food “choices.”  Here is a blurb about the book from Pollan’s website. * * * Eating doesn’t have to be so complicated. In this age of ever-more elaborate diets and conflicting health advice, Food Rules brings a welcome simplicity to our daily decisions about food. Written with the clarity, concision and wit that has become bestselling author Michael Pollan’s trademark, this indispensable handbook lays o... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3146043 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:01:09 +0100 3146043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3126668&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F12%2F27%2Fthe-spicey-situation-of-food-flavor-and-taste%2F With holiday feasts now behind us, we thought this might be a good time to post some portions of Linda Bartoshuk’s article, “Spicing Up Psychological Science,” from the September issue of The Observer.  Here are some excerpts. * * * The anatomy of spice perception involves illusion. We seem to perceive spices both with the senses of taste and smell, but in reality, smell does most of the work. Consider cinnamon . . . . Even with our eyes closed, the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls grabs our attention. Sniffing draws the cinnamon volatiles (chemicals that evaporate at low temperatures and make their way into our nostrils as vapors) up into our noses; the volatiles pass through a tiny opening at the top of the nasal cavity called the olfactory cleft. When odorants pa... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3126668 Sun, 27 Dec 2009 04:01:48 +0100 3126668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3123413&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F12%2F27%2Fthe-spicey-situation-of-food-flavor-and-taste%2F With holiday feasts now behind us, we thought this might be a good time to post some portions of Linda Bartoshuk’s article, “Spicing Up Psychological Science,” from the September issue of The Observer.  Here are some excerpts. * * * The anatomy of spice perception involves illusion. We seem to perceive spices both with the senses of taste and smell, but in reality, smell does most of the work. Consider cinnamon . . . . Even with our eyes closed, the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls grabs our attention. Sniffing draws the cinnamon volatiles (chemicals that evaporate at low temperatures and make their way into our nostrils as vapors) up into our noses; the volatiles pass through a tiny opening at the top of the nasal cavity called the olfactory cleft. When odorants pa... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3123413 Sun, 27 Dec 2009 04:01:48 +0100 3123413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3079384&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F11%2Ffda-wants-your-comments-on-ect%2F The good folks over at the Committee for Truth in Psychiatry (a national organization for people who’ve had electroconvulsive therapy - ECT) wanted me to remind you that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking comments on the safety and efficacy of electroconvulsive devices. You may not be aware, but these devices — which deliver electrical impulses to your brain! — have never been tested by the FDA for either safety of efficacy. Let me repeat that – the FDA has never approved ECT devices for safety or efficacy. Doctors today can apply electrical impulses to your brain without having any government agency approve such treatment, despite the fact that ECT in most people results in sometimes-significant memory loss. We wrote about FDA’s desire to... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3079384 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:35:05 +0100 3079384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3075714&cid=t_364948_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fthe-fda-and-social-media.html Many of you know that the FDA held public hearings on the pharma industry’s use of Social Media mid-last-month.  There was much excitement going into this because to date, the FDA has pretty much dodged the subject, and left drugmakers in fear of retribution (see BusinessWeek’s summary here). Essentially, since there are no clear rules laid [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3075714 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:00:02 +0100 3075714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3039740&cid=t_364948_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F11%2F30%2Fcomplementary-medicine-pharmacists%2F I don’t know if the situation is the same in other countries, but in the Netherlands we can only get prescribed medications in pharmacies. Drugstores are only allowed to sell over-the counter (OTC) medicines. Most Pharmacies have a small shop of 5 square meters (besides a large storage room). What surprises me is that the counter [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3039740 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:05:54 +0100 3039740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3019085&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F11%2F23%2Fa-mental-budget-for-the-holidays%2F From EurekaAlert: If you feel like you’re in a losing battle with a triple-chocolate cake, a “mental budget” can help, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. “There are some behaviors that consumers try to limit but have trouble doing so,” write authors Parthasarathy Krishnamurthy . . . and Sonja Prokopec . . . . “Even as one aims to curtail consumption of sugars and fat, one ends up consuming the tiramisu or the triple-chocolate cake. Such discrepancies between one’s goals and actual behaviors represent instances of self-control failure.” Overconsumption is a serious issue in the United States. For example, National Institutes of Health statistics show that two-thirds of American adults are overweight, with associated ... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3019085 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:01:57 +0100 3019085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2947145&cid=t_364948_151_f&fid=36896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsuboxonetalkzone.com%2Fbt.pdf Good Morning Dr. J- I just got off the phone with Roxane Labs, the only approved manufacturer of generic Subutex and the product IS available in all 50 states. It is available to pharmacies and dr offices direct from the manufacturer as well as from all major distributors. There is an ample supply available and is not on back order. Opiate addicts taking Suboxone are hoping for a drop in price with the announcement of new generic medication from Roxane Pharmaceuticals I called around to the major pharmacy chains and all three can order the drug (CVS, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart). None, at least in the Milwaukee area, keep it in stock because of its “orphan drug” status; however most can have it within 24 hours. (Only one of the pharmacists I spoke with actually offered to “pr... Suboxone Talk Zone blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2947145 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:50:03 +0100 2947145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2927564&cid=t_364948_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FfYyJca0pmg8%2F The agency has allowed drugs to remain available even when follow-up studies showed they didn’t save lives, according to a report from the General Accountability Office. And the FDA has never pulled a drug off the market due to a lack of required follow-up about its actual benefits — even when such info is more than a decade overdue, the Associated Press reports. FDA officials tell the AP they have no plans to get more aggressive.The FDA responded that the report paints an overly negative picture of its so-called “accelerated approval” program, which is only used to approve drugs for the most serious diseases. “Millions of patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses have had earlier access to new safe and effective treatments,” the FDA responded. The... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2927564 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:24:24 +0100 2927564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886649&cid=t_364948_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FR7LcuCQ5FUE%2F Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a potentially fatal genetic disorder caused by a deficient or abnormal blood protein called C1 inhibitor. It causes swelling of the extremities, face, trunk, abdomen or airways. Abdominal attacks can result in severe pain, nausea, vomiting, cramps and diarrhea. The attacks can be spontaneous but may also be triggered by stress, surgery or infection. Death may result when the airways close because of the swelling. Only 1 in 50,00 to 150,000 people worldwide/ 1 in 10,000 to 50,000 in the US is affected by this rare dominant mutation, but the mortality is quite high (30%) so it’s really good that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a treatment Hereditary angioedema. The FDA announced that Berinert has been approved for adults and adolescents wi... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886649 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:58:27 +0100 2886649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2832145&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FgSN0QaVCDss%2F Big news: The FDA is holding a public hearing to discuss online promotion of FDA-regulated medical products – including prescription drugs, prescription biologics, and medical devices. The hearing will be November 12 and 13, 2009 in Washington, DC (registration closes October 9 – see also registration instructions from Eye on FDA), but public comments can be submitted in writing or electronically now through February 28, 2010. View the docket details and full Federal Register notice. A common reaction around the Web has been “Finally!” – with remarks like “This is NOT a Hoax!” and “Just in time for Web 3.0,” the FDA has set a date to start figuring out “how to deal with Web 2.0.” (NPR Health Blog). But after the initial shock and sarcas... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2832145 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:24:35 +0100 2832145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807676&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F09%2F18%2Fplacebo-and-the-situation-of-healing%2F From Youtube: Featuring members of the the Harvard Placebo Study Group, “Placebo: Cracking the Code” examines the power of belief in alleviating pain, curing disease, and the healing of injuries. The placebo effect is a pervasive, albeit misunderstood, phenomenon in medicine. In the UK, over 60% of doctors surveyed said they had prescribed placebos in regular clinical practice. In a recent Time Magazine article, 96% of US physicians surveyed stated that they believe that placebo treatments have real therapeutic effects. Work on the placebo effect received an intellectual boost when the Harvard Placebo Study Group was founded at the beginning of 2001. This group is part of the Mind-Brain-Behavior Initiative at Harvard University, and its main characteristic is the interdisciplin... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807676 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:01:01 +0100 2807676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2774681&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F09%2F08%2Fthe-situation-of-snacking%2F Conclusion: These experiments demonstrate the power of food advertising to prime automatic eating behaviors and thus influence far more than brand preference alone. * * * You can download a pdf of the article here. For a collection of related Situationist posts, see “The Benefit of Knowing Your Eating Sins,” “The Situation of Body Image,” “Big Calories Come in Small Packages,” “The Situation of Eating – Part II,” “The Situation of Eating,” “The Situation of the Dreaded ‘Freshman 15′,” “Our Situation Is What We Eat,” “Social Networks,” “Common Cause: Combating the Epidemics of Obesity and Evil,” “The Situation of Fatness = Our ‘Obesogenic’ Society,” “Innovative Policy: Zoning for Health,” “Situational Obesit... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2774681 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:16:59 +0100 2774681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2724913&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F21%2Fdubious-blue-light-iphone-app%2F Recently a press release crossed my desk advertising a blue light application for your iPhone (now) and for the Blackberry and Palm soon. I was amazed at the brash medical claims this software maker was claiming — claims that one might think might need to evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration because they relate to the claimed treatment of seasonal depression. What’s so special about blue light? In recent years, there’s been a growing body of research that suggests light in the 460 - 470 nm wavelength spectrum can be particularly effective in helping people with seasonal affective disorder (also called seasonal depression or SAD). It’s also been theorized to help fight fatigue and drowsy driving. But here’s the rub. When you examine those studies, you... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2724913 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:15:35 +0100 2724913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2613820&cid=t_364948_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FtFN8J64JQs0%2F Yesterday I had the opportunity to moderate a fascinating panel: Drug & Food Safety in the Age of Social Media and Transparency. The panel was part of the Driving the Adoption of Health IT Through Innovations in Social Media conference in Washington DC. There were three panels in all. Mine was the second panel. After opening remarks by Craig Stoltz, Founder of Web 2.Oh…Really (and Former Editorial Director, Revolution Health and Former Editor of the Washington Post Health section), we heard from experts on H1N1 Influenza: How Social Media Improves Communication & Collaboration For Public Health. After my panel, we heard from experts (including Disruptive Woman’s March Man of the Month, Dr. Ted Eytan of Kaiser Permanente) on Electronic Health Records: Using Social Media To Driv... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2613820 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:26:30 +0100 2613820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2591527&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F07%2F11%2Fdr-david-kessler-waxes-situationist%2F Tara Parker-Pope recently had a terrific article, titled “How the Food Makers Captured Our Brains,” in The New York Times.  Thanks to the many readers who forwarded us the link to this article, recognizing it’s situationist message.  Here are some excerpts. * * * As head of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. David A. Kessler served two presidents and battled Congress and Big Tobacco. But the Harvard-educated pediatrician discovered he was helpless against the forces of a chocolate chip cookie. * * * “Why does that chocolate chip cookie have such power over me?” Dr. Kessler asked in an interview. “Is it the cookie, the representation of the cookie in my brain? I spent seven years trying to figure out the answer.” The result of Dr. Kessler’s quest is a fascin... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2591527 Sat, 11 Jul 2009 04:01:55 +0100 2591527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570575&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F07%2F03%2Fthe-situation-of-food-the-movie%2F From Michael Phillips’ Chicago Tribune review: Several things — too many, probably — are going on in “Food, Inc.,” all connected. Kenner begins by tracing the impact of 20th Century American fast food on industrialized food production, and notes that when McDonald’s brought factory assembly-line strategies into practice, everything changed. McDonald’s became a universe of beef-purchasing power unto itself. Their cows, like so many millions of other feedlot residents, consume corn instead of grass; the humans in our increasingly obese nation eat a ton of corn as well, courtesy of high-fructose, heavily subsidized corn syrup found in everything from ketchup to Twinkies to Coke. As a Brooklyn, N.Y., doctor in another food doc, “King Corn,”... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570575 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:01:40 +0100 2570575 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2748160&cid=t_364948_167_f&fid=37833&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnutrition.edublogs.org%2F2009%2F06%2F15%2Fcheerios-a-cholesterol-drug%2F In May the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) sent a warning letter to General Mills, the manufacturers of Cheerios indicating that they had found “serious violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act” in that they believe based on the packaging that Cheerios was “is promoted for conditions that cause it to be a drug because the product is intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease.” According to the Warning Letter sent by the FDA to Cheerios they were accusing General Mills of marketing an “Unproved New Drug” Based on claims made on your product’s label, we have determined that your Cheerios® Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal is promoted for conditions that cause it to be a drug because the product is intended... Nutrition and Wellness Biology 50 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2748160 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:14:59 +0100 2748160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452659&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F03%2Fa-healthy-alternative-or-the-latest-trick%2F Even after all of these years, after millions of deaths, after countless damning scientific reports, and billions in settlements, cigarette companies are still going after children. According to a report, “Deadly in Pink,” published last February, The nation’s two largest tobacco companies—Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds—have launched new marketing campaigns that depict cigarette smoking as feminine and fashionable to counter the growing public consensus that smoking is socially unacceptable and unhealthy. * * * These new marketing campaigns represent the most aggressive efforts by the tobacco industry to target women and girls in at least a decade. These campaigns are jeopardizing the progress the United States has made in reducing smoking and once again putting the health o... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452659 Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:01:00 +0100 2452659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2414871&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F17%2Fperfectionism-as-situation-for-binge-eating%2F Last month, ScienceDaily had a helpful review of recent research revealing how perfectionism can contribute to eating disorders. Here are some excerpts. * * * In everyday life, someone who takes a perfectionist’s approach to activities might be admired or even rewarded with a pat on the back. These attitudes are tied to a commonly held, but mistaken, belief that perfectionism will ultimately produce achievement and social success. But a psychologist warns that perfectionism is not a healthy, or even effective, approach to life’s challenges. “Perfectionism is a double-edged personality trait,” says Simon Sherry, assistant professor of psychology. A newly-published study shows why individuals with a high degree of perfectionism are often setting themselves up for a host of physical, ... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2414871 Sun, 17 May 2009 04:23:13 +0100 2414871 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2389931&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F06%2Fthe-problem-with-phase-iii-clinical-trials%2F Phase III clinical trials are the final phase of research needed before a drug receives U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Two fairly large-scale studies are needed and they need to show the drug is both safe and effective on the subjects tested. There’s been a long-standing problem with such clinical studies, however, one that the FDA has long been aware of but powerless to fix. They are purposely designed to employ stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria that may exclude a substantial portion of the population. In other words, the people the drugs are studied on are not representative of the people that will actually be receiving the drugs once approved. In other words, Phase III clinical studies are stacked in favor of finding positive results for the medicatio... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2389931 Wed, 06 May 2009 09:06:31 +0100 2389931 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382872&cid=t_364948_167_f&fid=37833&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnutrition.edublogs.org%2F2009%2F05%2F01%2Ffda-warning-hydroxycut%2F The FDA urges consumers to discontinue use of Hydroxycut products in order to avoid any undue risk. Adverse events are rare, but exist. Consumers should consult a physician or other health care professional if they are experiencing symptoms possibly associated with these products. Linda Katz, M.D. Interim Chief Medical Officer FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. I saw an ad for Hydroxycut in a magazine this morning and was wondering about the safety and claims made by the product. Another one of those…”looks too good to be true” and “buyer be ware.” I guess it was only been a matter of time that something would come up. Today the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) issued an official release warning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxyc... Nutrition and Wellness Biology 50 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382872 Fri, 01 May 2009 18:23:33 +0100 2382872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2381349&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F01%2Ffriday-flashback-for-may-1-2009%2F It’s Friday, I’m on vacation, so you might as well enjoy these oldies but goodies from years gone by. 10 Years Ago on Psych Central Becoming Stuck Online Ten years ago, I was contemplating my first big career move, leaving a company I had been with for four years in Columbus, Ohio and moving to Austin, Texas to go to work for an Internet startup called drkoop.com. No wonder I was feeling “stuck,” as the job I had created for myself was no longer very challenging (especially with the limited resources I had available versus the rampant resources available to startups). 5 Years Ago on Psych Central J&J Warned on Claims About Antipsychotic Drug In an ominous warning of things to come, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 5 years ago warned the J&J unit... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2381349 Fri, 01 May 2009 09:00:36 +0100 2381349 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348546&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F15%2Fwith-fda-change-ect-may-go-the-way-of-the-dinosaur%2F Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finally decided to start taking action to close a loophole that’s been around nearly as long as the agency itself. Last Wednesday it said that it would require safety and efficacy data from manufacturers of medical devices in 25 different categories. This data is equivalent to the types of data the FDA currently requires for medical devices and drugs — data that shows the device is both safe and effective in use for a prescribed disorder. One of those 25 categories is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) machines. Yes, you heard right. For decades, the most notorious of all psychiatric treatments available has never met any type of rigorous FDA approval for their use. How can this be? In the case of electroconvulsive therapy ma... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348546 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:51:52 +0100 2348546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287236&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F22%2Fdespite-controversy-lexapro-approved-for-kids-depression%2F Lexapro, an antidepressant already approved to treat major depression in adults, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat depression in children ages 12 to 17. This happened just weeks after the drug’s marker, Forest Laboratories, was charged by prosecutors of illegally marketing this and another drug (Celexa) to children and paying kickbacks to doctors for prescribing them. Digging into the studies that resulted in the FDA’s approval demonstrates a clearly mixed picture of Lexapro’s effectiveness in children: The FDA on Friday approved Lexapro’s use for adolescents based on favorable results in two clinical trials, one involving adolescents taking Lexapro and another involving children and adolescents taking chemically similar Cele... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287236 Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:28:25 +0100 2287236 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2266674&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F15%2Fmarket-manipulation-assuaging-cognitive-dissonance%2F From Wikipedia: Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously. The “ideas” or “cognitions” in question may include attitudes and beliefs, and also the awareness of one’s behavior. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, or by justifying or rationalizing their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Cognitive dissonance theory is one of the most influential and extensively studied theories in social psychology. Dissonance normally occurs when a person perceives a logical inconsistency among his or her cognitions. This happens when one idea implies the opposite of another. For example, a belief... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2266674 Sun, 15 Mar 2009 04:01:37 +0100 2266674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2200623&cid=t_364948_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F3PfAqxjTbi8%2F The current Obama administration is putting plenty of attention on HEALTH, and I’m not talking about health care and insurance, although hopefully we’ll have good news on those fronts in the next four years. What I’m talking about are money and heads of offices – two factors that dictate how U.S. research in genetics and health will be conducted and approached in the next four years. This week, when President Obama signed the Economic Recovery Act, the NIH got $10 billion in funds for research, medical education and patient care. Another $19 billion went to a health information technology initiative for creating electronic medical records. In the political front, who is going to replace Daschle as candidate for the Health and Human Services Secretary? The Wall Street Journal writ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2200623 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 05:49:00 +0100 2200623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2191194&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F02%2F17%2Fthe-stereotype-tax%2F The last issue of The Economist includes an interesting article, titled “The Price of Prejudice,” summarizing IAT research and two other studies employing conjoint analysis to measure the difference between what we would do as compared to what we would say we would do.  Here’s an excerpt. * * * Nobody likes to admit an uncomfortable truth about himself, especially when charged issues such as race, sex, age and even supersized waistlines come into play. That makes the task of the behavioural scientist a difficult one. Not only may participants in a study be lying to those running a test, but they may also, fundamentally, be lying to themselves. Prising the lid off human assumptions and hidden biases thus requires clever tools. One of the most widely deployed, known as the... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2191194 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:41:01 +0100 2191194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2040525&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F12%2F17%2Fforatv-whats-for-dinner-food-politics-in-21st-century%2F From FORA.tv: Author Michael Ruhlman and Chef Dan Barber talk about modern industrial farming and agriculture in the United States as part of Chautauqua Institutions week long program called “What’s for Dinner: Food and Politics in the 21st Century.” * * * For related Situationist posts, go to “The Situation of our Food – Part I,” “The Situation of Our Food - Part II,” “The Situation of Our Food - Part III,” and “The Situation of our Food - Part IV.”        (Source: The Situationist) The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2040525 Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:01:12 +0100 2040525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2018328&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F12%2F07%2Fthe-benefit-of-knowing-your-eating-sins%2F Earlier this week, John Tierney had a nice article, “Health Halo Can Hide the Calories,” in the New York Times about the situation of eating.  Here are some excerpts. * * * If you’re a well-informed, health-conscious New Yorker who has put on some unwanted pounds in the past year, it might not be entirely your fault. Here’s a possible alibi: The health halo made you do it. I offer this alibi after an experiment on New Yorkers that I conducted with Pierre Chandon, a Frenchman who has been studying what researchers call the American obesity paradox. Why, as Americans have paid more and more attention to eating healthily, have we kept getting fatter and fatter? Dr. Chandon’s answer, derived from laboratory experiments as well as field work at Subway and McDonald’s restaur... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2018328 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:35:19 +0100 2018328 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1996950&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F11%2F28%2Fthe-situation-of-weight-and-fitness-on-the-campaign-trail%2F Daniel Libit of Politico has an interesting piece on how the rigors and demands of the 2008 campaign trail led many McCain and Obama staffers, as well as the journalists who reported on them, down a road of poor diet and lack of exercise.  We excerpt the article below. * * * This is life after the protracted adrenaline high that is the presidential campaign: no more bag calls at 6:30 a.m. (or earlier). No more sniffling for weeks straight before a check-up at the doctor. For reporters, no more eating at “the file center,” catching cat naps on the plane and working into the early morning hours. A few days before the election, Time’s Karen Tumulty blogged about counting calories during a day on the Obama campaign plane: “So what are we talking about?” Tumulty wrote. “Seven full ... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1996950 Fri, 28 Nov 2008 04:01:29 +0100 1996950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1845228&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F10%2F02%2Fa-situationist-critique-of-legal-theory-abstract%2F Situationist contributor David Yosifon has recently posted his excellent article, “Legal Theoretic Inadequacy and Obesity Epidemic Analysis” (forthcoming 15 George Mason Law Review (2008)) on SSRN.  Here’s the abstract. * * * This Article explores crucial analytic and normative limitations in presently dominant and ascendant approaches to legal theory. The approaches’ failure to provide a satisfying framework for analyzing the obesity epidemic presently raging undeterred in American society reveals these limitations. Conventional law and economics scholars writing on the subject have deployed familiar frameworks to reach predictable conclusions that are neither intellectually nor morally justifiable. This Article argues that recent theoretical innovations promulgat... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1845228 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:01:03 +0100 1845228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1773570&cid=t_364948_167_f&fid=37833&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnutrition.edublogs.org%2F2008%2F09%2F03%2Firradiating-spinach-and-iceberg-lettuce-to-zap-bacteria-and-extend-shelf-life%2F On August 22, 2008, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a final rule that allows the use of irradiation to make fresh iceberg lettuce and fresh spinach safer and last longer without spoiling. The FDA ruling allows spinach and lettuce sellers to take an extra step, a long-awaited move amid increasing illness outbreaks caused by raw produce. Irradiation has been shown to kill E. coli, salmonella and listeria and lengthen shelf life, without compromising the safety, texture or nutrient value of raw spinach and iceberg lettuce. The FDA is reassuring the public that the process will not make food any less appealing or less healthful than non-irradiated varieties. For More information see the FDA’s website or download a Printer-Friendly PDF File. Sources: FDA. Irradiation: A S... Nutrition and Wellness Biology 50 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1773570 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 04:33:23 +0100 1773570 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1755338&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F09%2F02%2Fthe-situation-of-body-image%2F University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Madeline Fisher, an expert on the psychology of nutrition, recently wrote an interesting piece that connects the media’s portrayal of women’s body image with eating disorders. We excerpt the piece below. * * * As France’s parliament considers a landmark bill that would outlaw media images glamorizing the extremely thin, psychology researchers are reporting some of the most definitive findings yet on how these images affect women. In the May issue of Psychological Bulletin, University of Wisconsin-Madison postdoctoral researcher Shelly Grabe and psychology professor Janet Hyde describe a sweeping analysis of 77 previous studies involving more than 15,000 subjects. In it, they found that exposure to media depicting ultra-thin actres... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1755338 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:30:49 +0100 1755338 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1743025&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F08%2F30%2Fbig-calories-come-in-small-packages%2F From Robert Roy Britt’s article, “Small Packages Trick People to Eat More.” * * * If you think buying junk food in small packages will help you eat less, look out — marketers know the truth. Two new marketing studies found that some people tend to consume more calories when junk food portions and packages are smaller. For some, it’s because they perceive small packages to be . . . get this . . . diet food. For others, it’s just the temptation of small sins. * * * Manufacturers are releasing more and more products in smaller packages. And in recent years, several brand-name products, from chips to cookies to candy, have been released in smaller packages promoted as having just 100 calories. In terms of sales, the tactic has proven successful, past research s... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1743025 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 04:01:15 +0100 1743025 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1720620&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F08%2F21%2Fthe-situation-of-eating-part-ii%2F Monday’s Boston Globe had a nice article, titled “Environmental cues affect how much you eat,” by Judy Foreman on the Situation of Eating. We’ve included the introduction below. * * * Next time you sit down to dinner, dim the lights - but not too much. Both bright light and dim light may make you eat more. Watch the background music, too. If it’s too fast, you’ll eat fast, and therefore more; too slow and you’ll keep eating. And think small for plates - a portion that looks skimpy on a dinner plate looks ample on a salad plate. The more that researchers study obesity, the more they are finding that portion control is key to successful weight loss. Often, people think they’re eating much less than really are. And these perceptions can be influ... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1720620 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:59:20 +0100 1720620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1660837&cid=t_364948_134_f&fid=35152&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsstrumello.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fis-this-any-way-to-run-regulatory.html The Associated Press recently featured a story on my subject for today which began as follows: "When a state trooper pulls over a speeding motorist, the officer usually writes out a ticket on the spot."However, when federal regulators catch a pharmaceutical company marketing prescription medications for an "unapproved" use, it typically takes the U.S. FatalFood and Drug Administration (FDA) an average of 7 months to even issue a warning, and then it typically takes another 4 months for the company to fix the problem.Last year, the FDA took an average of 6 months to issue regulatory letters citing DTC violations, according to Marcia Crosse, who heads the GAO's healthcare division, testifying before a House subcommittee recently. In one case, the agency took more than 3 years to issue a regu... Scott's Web Log blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1660837 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:50:00 +0100 1660837 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1616190&cid=t_364948_134_f&fid=35152&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsstrumello.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Flavish-fda-bonuses-go-to-bureaucrats.html You'd think the U.S. FatalFood and Drug Administration (FDA) would be on the mend. After all, last December, The New York Times reported that the FDA is desperately short of money and poorly organized, which is putting people's lives at risk. A report entitled "FDA Science and Mission at Risk", which can be found at the Food and Drug Administration's website, highlights the numerous problems at the FDA.Congress has spent a lot of their time looking at the FDA, and made a number of changes meant to clean things up after more than a decade of mismanagement. As part of these efforts, a while ago, we learned about the FDA handing out $35 million in bonuses under a new incentive plan. FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach (a very close personal friend of the Bush family) explained that the bon... Scott's Web Log blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1616190 Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:47:00 +0100 1616190 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531914&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F06%2F20%2Four-situation-is-what-we-eat%2F (Source: The Situationist) The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531914 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:01:45 +0100 1531914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1522553&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F06%2F15%2Fthe-situation-of-medical-research%2F Gardiner Harris and Benedict Carey wrote an article in last week’s New York Times includes, titled “Researchers Fail to Reveal Full Drug Pay.“ In it , they describe yet another instance of industry influence over what research and manipulation of the marketplace of ideas. We’ve included a few excerpts from the story below. * * * A world-renowned Harvard child psychiatrist whose work has helped fuel an explosion in the use of powerful antipsychotic medicines in children earned at least $1.6 million in consulting fees from drug makers from 2000 to 2007 but for years did not report much of this income to university officials, according to information given Congressional investigators. By failing to report income, the psychiatrist, Dr. Joseph Biederman, and a colleague in the psych... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522553 Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:01:35 +0100 1522553 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1472692&cid=t_364948_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F299342466%2F Who knew? Seriously, though, a new focus on drug safety is, indeed, delaying the approval of some meds thanks to new requirements meant to minimize side effects, Janet Woodcock, who heads the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, confesses to Reuters. The FDA gained new powers in March to require distribution limits or other restrictions on the sale of new meds. “That’s taking a considerable amount of time more for every application. That will go away in time,” she tells the news service. The process, she continues, is adding days or weeks to reviews of drugs that need the additional safety measures. She adds that one of her goals is to direct a “major cultural shift” to emphasize safety. “We have to change…We have gotten that messag... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1472692 Wed, 28 May 2008 03:19:47 +0100 1472692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1432938&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F05%2F08%2Feconomic-journal-watch-table-of-contents%2F The latest issue of Economic Journal Watch includes several pieces of interest to Situationist readers: Table of Contents with links to articles (pdf) Smoking “Externalities”: David Henderson rejoins the debate with Benjamin Alamar and Stanton Glantz on smoking bans in restaurants. Alamar and Glantz reply. Why Few Women in Economics?: Christina Jonung and Ann-Charlotte Ståhlberg show that women are under-represented in economics in five countries and discuss explanations. Commentaries are provided by Ann Mari May, Deirdre McCloskey, Catherine Hakim, John Johnson, and Garett Jones. Honestly, Who Else Would Fund Such Research?: Michael Marlow reflects on biases in smoking research. Download and Print Entire May 2008 Issue (134 pages, 1.8 MB) (Source: The Situationist) The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1432938 Fri, 09 May 2008 01:00:55 +0100 1432938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1420494&cid=t_364948_134_f&fid=35152&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsstrumello.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fin-defense-of-insulin-pumps.html I never thought I would write something with a headline like this -- as a former insulin pump wearer myself, I usually argue that the benefits of insulin pumps are too often vastly overstated and that I've attained comparable glycemic control without the expensive device. That's not to say that some people don't benefit from them, particularly people whose basal rates vary considerably throughout the day, or those whose sensitivity to insulin is such that they require dosage precision smaller than 1/2 units, but I still believe that pump evangelists suggest that the answer to everyone's diabetes management can be answered with a pump.Regardless, at the beginning of every month, when the new editions of various scientific and medical journals are released, my RSS reader is bombarded with ne... Scott's Web Log blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1420494 Mon, 05 May 2008 14:25:00 +0100 1420494 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1391094&cid=t_364948_134_f&fid=35152&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsstrumello.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fwhy-recent-fda-decision-should-have-you.html Today, the Boston Globe reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected Genzyme Corp.'s request for permission to sell in the U.S. a version of its Pompe disease (a rare inherited and often fatal disorder that disables the heart and muscles) drug, called Myozyme, the company wanted to make at its Allston, Massachusetts manufacturing plant. Presently, the company can only make this drug at a smaller facility in Framingham, Massachusetts. The FDA ruled that any Myozyme made at the second plant should be considered a different product because of small differences in its chemical structure, and in order to receive FDA approval, the company needs to file another application with new data showing the drug is safe and effective in large numbers of patients. That means costly clinical... Scott's Web Log blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1391094 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:00:00 +0100 1391094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1337100&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F03%2F30%2Fthe-company-%25e2%2580%259chad-no-control-or-influence-over-the-research%25e2%2580%259d%2F Anyone following the tobacco industry revelations of the early 1990s knows about the industry’s diabolical strategies for influencing science. More specifically, as Stanton Glantz has written, the industry “encouraged scientific research to refute the scientific evidence about tobacco, to perpetuate about the health effects of tobacco, and to provide results that could be used to respond to adverse publicity.” What fewer people realize is that at least some cigarette manufacturers may still be engaged in some of their old practices — influencing the situation of research.  That is the possibility raised in Gardner Harris’s article last week in the New York Times, “Cigarette Company Paid for Lung Cancer Study,” excerpted below. * * * In October 2006, Dr.... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1337100 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:03:23 +0100 1337100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1306612&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F03%2F17%2Fthe-situation-of-our-food-part-iv%2F Michael Pollan has made a career studying and writing about the situation of food. We in include his wonderful TED lecture, “The Omnivore’s Next Dilemma,” from last month below. “What if human consciousness isn’t the end-all and be-all of Darwinism? What if we are all just pawns in corn’s clever strategy game, the ultimate prize of which is world domination? Author Michael Pollan asks us to see things from a plant’s-eye view — to consider the possibility that nature isn’t opposed to culture, that biochemistry rivals intellect as a survival tool. By merely shifting our perspective, he argues, we can heal the Earth. Who’s the more sophisticated species now?” Pollan’s latest book, “In Defense of Food: An Eater&#82... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1306612 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:42:03 +0100 1306612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1272670&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F03%2F03%2Fsocial-networks%2F Nicholas Christakis describes his research with James Fowler on social networks, and how he came to that research, on Edge. We have posted some excerpts from the fascinating video and transcript below. * * * There is a well-known example in evolutionary biology about whether the eye was designed, or is “just so” because it evolved and arose for a reason. How could this incredibly complicated thing come into being? It seems to serve an incredibly complicated purpose, and the eye is often used in debates about evolution precisely because it is so complex and seems to serve such a specialized and critical function. For me, social networks are like the eye. They are incredibly complex and beautiful, and looking at them begs the questio... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1272670 Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:22:12 +0100 1272670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1196102&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F02%2F02%2Fthe-big-game-what-corporations-are-learning-about-the-human-brain-2%2F This post was originally published on February 4, 2007. As I stake out my position on the couch this evening – close enough to reach the pretzels and my beer, but with an optimal view of the TV – it will be nice to imagine that the spectacle about to unfold is a sporting event. It shouldn’t be too hard: after all, there on the screen will be the field, Brian Urlacher stretching out his quads, Peyton Manning tossing a football, referees in their freshly-starched zebra uniforms milling about. Yes, I’ll think to myself, this has all the makings of a football game. How foolish. The Super Bowl isn’t about sports; it’s about making money. And with 90 million or so viewers, there is a lot of money to be made. With CBS charging an estimated $2.6 million for each 30-second advertising ... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1196102 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:09:01 +0100 1196102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1179336&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F01%2F26%2Fthe-situation-of-eating%2F On many occasions, we have discussed how one’s situation can play a major role in his or her eating patterns, often in ways that go undetected. Along those lines, though obesity is often attributed to a lack of will, laziness, or poor eating habits, it likely better reflects one’s situation and the constraints placed on it. Shari Roan of the Los Angeles Times offers a great summary of situational influences on eating, and we excerpt her list below. * * * People can be influenced to eat unhealthful food, or more food than they should, without even realizing it. Advertising matters One study, published last year in the Journal of Consumer Research, found that people think they are eating healthfully if it’s advertised that way. Researchers had people eat Subway meals... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1179336 Sat, 26 Jan 2008 05:28:23 +0100 1179336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1103602&cid=t_364948_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F202384343%2F That’s what a new study claims. The willingness to participate in a clinical investigation of a new drug or device is not affected by the investigator’s financial stake in the outcome of the trial, according to an article in the Food and Drug Law Journal (subscription required). Researchers asked 297 college students at George Mason Univeristy to agree to participate in a study involving a dietary supplement that might improve memory. Students were either told that the investigator was an employee of the company, that he was an employee and consultant, or that he was an employee and a patent holder. The study found that the willingness to participate was not affected by these three different conflict of interest disclosures. However, the study did find that students who rated the... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1103602 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 20:58:40 +0100 1103602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1071154&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F12%2F05%2Fthe-situation-of-the-dreaded-freshman-15%2F Every August, millions of young adults matriculate to colleges and universities across the country. A good number of them will put on weight during their first-year. Many will appear noticeably heavier–and we’re not talking about added muscle, either. This phenomenon is sometimes called the “Freshman 15,” and suggests that first-year college students tend to put on about 15 pounds over the course of their first year. The Freshman 15 has been attributed to a host of situational explanations, including increased access to alcohol, peer pressure to consume the alcohol, more demanding classes and heightened expectations for studying, continuous exposure to unhealthy foods in college cafeterias, the prevalence of low-cost, fast food restaurants in and around campus, and... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1071154 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 05:55:57 +0100 1071154 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=959895&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F10%2F18%2Fthe-situation-fatness-our-obesogenic-society%2F The BBC published a story this week about a massive study in the UK regarding the underlying causes of the obesity epidemic. One of the key messages of the report is that obesity is not the consequence of a sudden explosion of lazy overeaters, but dramatic shift in our environments and other factors situational. We excerpt portions of that below. * * * Individuals can no longer be held responsible for obesity so government must act to stop Britain “sleepwalking” into a crisis, a report has concluded. The largest ever UK study into obesity, backed by government and compiled by 250 experts, said excess weight was now the norm in our “obesogenic” society. Dramatic and comprehensive action was required to stop the majority of us becoming obese by 2050, they said. But th... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=959895 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 04:01:45 +0100 959895 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=914602&cid=t_364948_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F09%2F29%2Finnovative-policy-zoning-for-health%2F We often hear about new and allegedly innovative approaches to implementing public policy. The key word, of course, is “innovative.” By definition, it means the process of making improvements by introducing something new or — and particularly relevant to the following discussion — translating new ideas into tangible societal impact. This year we’ve seen plenty of “innovative” approaches when it comes to public health. Some have attracted headlines. “Philadelphia follows New York in taking on trans-fat“; “Montgomery county declares war on partially hydrogenated oils in restaurants, supermarket bakeries, and delis.” The city of Los Angeles will soon contemplate its own new and likely controversial proposal for innovative public health... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=914602 Sat, 29 Sep 2007 16:30:10 +0100 914602