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 'francis collins'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:28:39 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158872&cid=t_107381_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fquis-custodiet-ipsos-custodes-redux.html Revised HHS Rules for Conflict of Interest Fall Short This morning NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins announced revisions to the existing 1995 regulations on objectivity in research that is funded by the Public Health Service. The focus is on significant financial interests (SFI) and on financial conflicts of interest (FCOI). The regulations illustrate the 3-way dance involving academic institutions (the grantees), NIH (the grantor) and academic scientists (the investigators). Thanks to Senator Grassley (R-Iowa) and his investigator Paul Thacker, headlined revelations in recent years about unacceptable management of FCOI at places like Stanford (Alan Schatzberg), Emory (Charles Nemeroff) and Harvard (Joseph Biederman) forced these revisions of the NIH regulations. The general initial react... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158872 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 23:10:00 +0100 5158872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960330&cid=t_107381_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FeV33sONHAAI%2F Now you see recusal, now you don’t. For the past couple of years, National Institute of Mental Health director Tom Insel has found himself at the center of a furious controversy over conflicts of interest involving academic researchers who simultaneously receive NIH funding and do work for drugmakers. At one point, he was ensnared in a probe by the US Senate Finance Committee. What prompted this attention was a long-standing relationship with Charles Nemeroff, a former Emory University psychiatry department chair who accepted sizeable consulting fees from GlaxoSmithKline at the same time he was the primary investigator on an NIH-funded grant for research into a Glaxo drug. The revelation sparked a probe by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Ne... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960330 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:32:59 +0100 4960330 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934148&cid=t_107381_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FlOT_ePtRBng%2F This article is a perfect example of why he is our Man of the Month for June. Broadening Our Global Health Vision Over the past few decades, global health research has primarily focused on the “big three” diseases: AIDS, TB and malaria. And, thanks in large part to biomedical innovation, we today have better ways to treat these dreaded, infectious diseases and lower the risk of transmission — advances that have saved millions of lives and promise to save countless more. However, the job of biomedical research is far from over. Given the changing nature of the global health landscape, we must act now to broaden our vision even further. First, we need to apply the power of scientific innovation to more health problems. Secondly, we need to recognize that developed nations a... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934148 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:21:26 +0100 4934148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536449&cid=t_107381_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FaNhChVFA2s4%2F Last November, a watchdog group sent a letter to Francis Collins, who heads the National Institutes of Health, about four instances in which academics who received federal grants also used a ghostwriting firm to help publish studies, letters and even a book (back story). The missive was sent in hopes of encouraging the NIH to get tough on ghostwriting, an issue that has also plagued several drugmakers (see here, here and here). Shortly afterwards, Collins confessed at being stunned that ghostwriting took place. “I was shocked by that revelation - that people would allow their names to be used on articles they did not write, that were written for them, particularly by companies that have something to gain by the way the data is presented….If we want to have the integrity of science ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536449 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:37:44 +0100 4536449 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394747&cid=t_107381_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FOXP2WERs2zc%2F Concerned about the slow pace at which new treatments are being developed by big pharma, the National Institutes of Health is planning to open a new drug development center by October. The move, which comes after months of planning and study, would collect more than $700 million in projects already under way at various NIH institutes. The decision reflects growing concern that the pharmaceutical industry is finding it difficult to deliver on new breakthroughs while, at the same time, continuing to pare some research efforts in hopes of saving money. Nearly every big drugmaker faces a revenue squeeze as big sellers face generic competition and are reacting by eliminating numerous projects to juice their bottom lines. Big pharma productivity has been declining for 15 years “and it certainl... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394747 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:22:45 +0100 4394747 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3662925&cid=t_107381_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FQAzZBxIUqkY%2F Last month, the National Institues of Health proposed new rules that would require academic researchers who receive agency funding to more thoroughly report financial conflicts of interest and also require universities to do a better job of gathering this info and forwarding it to the NIH (background). One of those leading this effort has been Tom Insel, who heads the National Institute of Mental Health. Lately, though, Insel has been caught up in a bit of a conflicts quagmire himself after a report that, at the same time he was sorting out the proposal, he was allegedly helping one academic - Charles Nemeroff, who has been the target of a US Senate Finance Committee probe - land a new job at another university. The disclosure prompted the committee to widen its ongoing probe into Nemeroff... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3662925 Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:29:22 +0100 3662925 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585835&cid=t_107381_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Focplmedia.od.nih.gov%2Fnihradio%2FNIHtelebrifing-2010.05.20.mp3 In a bid to restore public trust, the National Institues of Health has proposed new rules that would require academic researchers who receive agency funding to more thoroughly report any financial conflicts of interest, and also require institutions - such as universities - to do a better job of gathering this information and then forwarding it to the NIH. This includes posting info on a web site. The move follows an ongoing probe by the US Senator Chuck Grassley of the Senate Finance Committee, who uncovered several examples in which academic researchers accepted funding from both the NIH and various drugmakers, but failed to fully or properly disclose the extent of their financial ties. At the same time, several universities failed to monitor their faculty for conflicts. At the heart of... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585835 Thu, 20 May 2010 17:05:55 +0100 3585835 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3370668&cid=t_107381_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FAq2HsV7EZNE%2F In response to the ongoing controversy over financial conflicts of interest university and med schools researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Project On Government Oversight is urging NIH director Francis Collins to disclose financial arrangements of its researchers in a public database. The issue is also being pursued by US Senator Chuck Grassley, who is probing researchers who accept funding from the NIH and pharma, as well as instances where their universities have failed to monitor or report payments. According to current NIH regulations, payments above $10,000 should be reported (see background here). In a March 11 letter, POGO noted that financial arrangements are currently reported confidentially to a researcher’s institution, but “the confidential... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3370668 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:20:53 +0100 3370668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3189400&cid=t_107381_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FcSz5onqH0Ls%2F For only the second time, the National Institutes of Health is applying pressure to a university over alleged conflicts of interest involving its researchers. The Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, is reportedly being eyed for failing to comply with the agency’s conflict of interest policy. Two years ago, the NIH suspended a grant from Emory University and added new conditions on further grants. The latest move was sparked by an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education that pointed out several academics with alleged research conflicts, including Baylor’s Christie Ballantyne, who received over $34,000 for consulting with Merck about its Vytorin cholesterol pill. This prompted US Senator Chuck Grassley to ask the NIH to investigate (see here), since Ballantyne was ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3189400 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:43:13 +0100 3189400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2999848&cid=t_107381_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FQ9nbEgjH6rg%2F Dozens of researchers, clinicians, and ethicists sent a letter asking the NIH to fund research on medical ethics, conflicts of interest, and industry influence on prescribing behavior. Why? They note that stimulus funding has increased the NIH budget significantly, but the agency has “no mechanism for funding research on how commercial interests affect the choice of medical therapeutics.” In their Nov. 17 letter, they write NIH director Francis Collins that the “NIH funds a substantial portion of the generation and dissemination of evidence, but the uptake of that evidence and its translation into clinical practice is strongly affected by the complex web of relationships that exists among industry, academicians, medical educators and clinicians… “..we ask that... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2999848 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:41:10 +0100 2999848 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3016939&cid=t_107381_139_f&fid=38879&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FVirologyBlog%2F%7E3%2F0MFyMM52X9E%2F The new director of the National Institutes of Health, Francis Collins, has been scrutinized for his Evangelical Christian beliefs, which some think might influence his science policy. But there may be an even more serious problem with his leadership of the biggest supporter of scientific research in the United States. A recent New York Times article focused on Collins’ religious beliefs. The following statement, which was buried in the article, worries me much more: While acknowledging the importance of basic sciences like biochemistry and genetics, he said he wanted scientists to consider clinical or therapeutic implications in their work. “We’re not the National Institutes of Basic Sciences,” he said. “We’re the National Institutes of Health.” Since its inception, the... virology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3016939 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:00:49 +0100 3016939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2871608&cid=t_107381_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FHa0wmbppsG4%2F Well – sadly it’s been one year since I have posted a blog with Disruptive Women in Healthcare so I really need to update you all on the fascinating science occurring in the genomics community. Shortly after I wrote my last blog in October 2008, I attended a meeting at one of our country’s finest scientific institutions– Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories – where some of the world’s foremost scientific discoveries have occurred. At this inaugural meeting entitled “Personal Genomes”, scientists discussed the tremendous potential for understanding the genome and translating this knowledge into our quest for the personalization of healthcare – yet at this meeting one year ago, we were acknowledging that we had sequenced less than a handful of genomes, the task at hand enorm... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2871608 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:05:33 +0100 2871608 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2762088&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fsome-confusion-exists.html I have a great comment string going on with Daniel MacArthur over at his blog Genetic Future I think there is some confusion going on here and I place blame on just about everyone in this space who has a mouthpiece.......But mainly I lay blame on the marketing teams for the Direct to Consumer Genomics companies.These companies have an interest in making you "think" that their products have some particular health relevance.Otherwise, no one in their right mind would waste their time with these tests.......Other than the HUGE field of ancestry buffs like Blaine Bettinger J.D. (woohoo) We need clarity here. From Daniel- "The American College of Medical Genetics is saying "Genetic tests of individuals or families for the presence of or susceptibility to disease are medical tests." The fine pri... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2762088 Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:03:00 +0100 2762088 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2716137&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Ffamily-history-state-of-science.html The NIH/CDC is hosting a conference next week. I conference I wish I could go to, but alas, I will be DOING family histories on my patients that week.The conference will be held at the NIH in Bethesda. This is an NIH state of the science conference about Family History and its usefulness.I for one, am very glad that the government is trying to address this super important issue. It is beyond due for an evaluation. Why?With the cost of a genome going to drop to 5000 USD by the late fall (trust me), we will soon see another level of DTC and Clinical lab set offering the genome as a predictive tool.There are several reasons that Family History beats a Genome (For Now) 1. Phenotypic data of family history represents complex interplay of genes and environment There is no way that a simple genom... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2716137 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:50:00 +0100 2716137 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2683961&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FM32MyPH8T1w%2F Just a short note and congratulations to Dr. Francis Collins for being confirmed as director of the National Institutes of Health. Francis Collins is new NIH director According to the Associated Press, Collins was confirmed by the US Senate yesterday via voice vote (say “aye” or “nay”), so I’d have to say this was an even easier confirmation than Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who took her oath today from Chief Justice Roberts as the first Hispanic justice of the US Supreme Court after a non-event of hearings. Collins is a familiar face and name at the NIH, having been one of the prime-movers of the human genome project as head of the Human Genome Research Institute for 15 years. He also authored the controversial book “The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief ” ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2683961 Sun, 09 Aug 2009 01:40:00 +0100 2683961 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442308&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fw9bjwy5bfkw%2F Francis Collins, one of the major players who cracked the genetic code, is in final talks for taking the helm of the National Institutes of Health, reports the Bloomberg News. As director of the National Human Genome Research Institutes (NHGRI) for 15 years, Collins spearheaded efforts to map the human genetic code. With a lot of help from J. Craig Venter at Celera, the project was completed ahead of schedule in 2003, and opened up a plethora of applications and implications for research into our genetic blueprint. Collins resigned from the NHGRI position last year, in his own words, to have “greater latitude than my current position allows to pursue other potential positions of service without encountering any possible conflicts of interest, whether real or perceived." Post from:... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442308 Tue, 26 May 2009 20:18:12 +0100 2442308 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390158&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Flots-to-recap-today.html First, in support of Francis Collins' efforts. I am a God believing scientist/physician. Why? Can you explain "spooky science" of photons? No? Are there some things in this world which are a mystery? Yes. I choose God to explain that mystery for me.Because as a human it is beyond my ability to conceive of it. Maybe someday Singularity will "save me" but I doubt it.Second, To explain Germany's move without resorting to "It's designed to make doctors money"Which BTW is the stupidest argument I have ever heard coming from a country with Nationalized Medicine. Doctors make what they make and that's all. Why try to find new revenue streams for someone who's salary is capped? Do they really think this would bring Doctors to their country? Wrong!Here's why they are outlawing this and why comparat... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390158 Wed, 06 May 2009 12:30:00 +0100 2390158 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2167991&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Flike-i-said.html If you have been following me at this blog for any amount of time, you know that I have been a careful watcher of these GWAS studies, and the testing companies who sprung up after them.I have been skeptical of most of these studies unless they have had replication and fairly large Odds Ratios or Relative Risks........why? We are looking for clinical relevance and asking what can we do with this to better our patients lives........Personalized medicine relies on several things but these 3 are absolutely needed: Prediction, Prevention and Privacy. It is rich in fields like Cancer Genetics, PGx, Preconception Genetics.You see Personalized medicine is not just Prediction, which these DTC companies are touting, it is therapies and action......which, these tests unfortunately are lacking in........ Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2167991 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 09:05:00 +0100 2167991 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2150842&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FniC0Uc_RKKA%2F   After describing himself as an “unemployed geneticist”, Francis Collins now reveals that he has been “working night and day” with the White House transition for health and human services with Tom Daschle.  Now that that’s over, he is ready to discuss the progress that personalized medicine needs for it to move forward in a responsible way. Francis Collins, the public face of the human genome research and former director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, spoke to biomedical researchers, biotech execs and policy people at a meeting in Washington DC organized by the Personalized Medicine Coalition. "If we’re serious about preventive medicine, and using personalized genomics to inform that, we’re not going to change the genome," he s... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2150842 Sun, 01 Feb 2009 14:54:00 +0100 2150842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2086995&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fzo4bcOvHNoQ%2F With the new administration comes a new NIH Director and the name that has been heard most often is none other than Francis Collins, former director of the National Human Genome Research Institute. While with the NHGRI, Collins led the Human Genome Project that has become the foundation for almost every mapping project in the field. He also paved the way to have genetic data become open source and freely available to the wider scientific community. So, is Collins the shoo-in to head the bigger National Institute of Health leadership? When asked, all Collins replied was, “No comment.” What’s your take? Want Collins in or not? Take the poll at Genome Technology. Image: Newscom Tags: francis-collins, human genetics, human-genome-project, national institutes of health, re... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2086995 Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:36:36 +0100 2086995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074965&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F12%2F2009-kansas-is-going-bye-bye.html Ok, So last year I closed with a joke from Francis Collins, who by the way, I predict to be the next head of the NIH....The Joke?"There is this woman who is married to a research geneticist......... He keeps telling her how great their sex life WILL be." That certainly was the hype from 2008. As we finally begin to wash ourselves off from the greatest hype and over-selling ever committed in Genomics, we may be a little skeptical...Even the FDA has now jumped on the regulation bandwagon. That's ok. But please don't dismiss Personalized Medicine as dead. Trust me, We've only just begun....To prove this works.....First, I am proud to announce that Helix Health is the newest member of the Personalized Medicine Coalition. In addition, I will be serving on their Clinical Science Committee. I am ... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074965 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:13:00 +0100 2074965 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2061531&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F12%2Fwe-have-no-clue-what-it-really.html The scene, a roundtable of geneticists reviewing a case.Geneticist 1: Well, some one (Non geneticist) astutely ordered genetic testing for condition X before we saw them. When we saw them we ordered a Chromosomal Micro Array (CMA) and a karyotype....Geneticist 2: Well, did you ate least think of condition X?Geneticist 1: Not really, it was pretty atypical for condition X so we thought we might find something with a CMA. Geneticist 3: You'll certainly find things with a CMA. Now what the hell you will do with those rare deletions and duplication is another topic.Geneticist 4 and Training Geneticist 5: "Chuckle, Chuckle"Geneticist 1: Well, while we were waiting for the CMA, we were notified by the patient's family, they have condition X....Geneticist 2: Wow, I would have thought it was Condi... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2061531 Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:17:00 +0100 2061531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1668695&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fall-people-have-time-bombs.html I received an email from a colleague that said..."interesting.....click here."Ok, so to anyone surfing on the internet probably not a good thing to do right? My friend likely has a virus on his cpu, right? Well, being the avid risk taker I am...I click. Guess what I find.A blog called the Belligerati...interesting name, but the blog has argument is all wrong."Many will see the headline Congress Passes Bill to Bar Bias Based on Genes and be pleased.The legislation, known as the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, prohibits health insurance companies from using genetic information to deny benefits or raise premiums for individual policies. (It is already illegal to exclude individuals from a group plan because of their genetic profile.) Employers who use genetic information to make de... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1668695 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:56:00 +0100 1668695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1551851&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fabc-misinformation-and-government.html I have to comment on something. ABC news tonight covered the whole drama in California.....But they really didn't. In fact they gave 20 seconds (approx) to the fact that the government was finally regulating this industry....they did even manage to squeeze in that the FTC is investigating deceptive advertising. What the piece really was.......A human interest story....much like the excellent work done by Amy Harmon at the NYT....Which reminds me....did anyone see Kathy Hudson throw the Federal Gov't under the bus???? She now really has put them on notice and put their backs slammed against the wall. So the ABC report? 52 year old woman caring for her mother with Alzheimers. The pitch "I am taking an at home test to find out what my risk for Alzhemier's" Whoa!!!!! No one....I mean no one... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1551851 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:59:00 +0100 1551851 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1526762&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fkicking.html Whoah! I never thought that my blog would generate such response! I received over 100 emails today. Guess what. In a near 50/50 split they were pro or anti regulation. Some were so nasty and hate filled I began to question why I was even blogging about this. Luckily, none threatened my pets or family! They even asked me whose side I was on. I think I have been pretty clear on this one. I am on the side of safe and effective personalized medicine. That's the only side to be on. I am FOR the Genomic Medicine revolution. I am against anything that will hinder its' development. Some of these fly by night companies have been doing just that for years now!So I must sit back and look over the landscape. I knew this is where we were headed. Maybe we need a refresher course in history to understand... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1526762 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:09:00 +0100 1526762 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1276105&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Fnew-england-journal-prostate-cancer-and.html This study Blows mere family history out of the water. This study, dubbed CAPS, evaluated Prostate Cancer in Sweden. The analysis of SNPs revealed 5 SNPs which had significant risk implicated...Here's the kicker, if a person has 4 SNPs and Family History, then your Odds Ratio for Having Prostate Cancer is.....get this 9.46 compared to the men who had none of these factors. Take That PSA and Digital Rectal Exam!Now where does this study have shortcomings?1. It is retrospective and this is subject to bias, therefore needing prospective analysis before we will use it.2. This population is a relatively homogeneous population that breeds nationally3. Only one of the SNPs has an identifiable gene. Without a gene, we can only guess what role the SNP may play let alone devise a medication or treat... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1276105 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:30:00 +0100 1276105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1131198&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fgarbage-in-gospel-out.html There is an old saying called "Garbage In, Garbage Out" This saying was coined by George Fuechsel an IBM hack. Other such terms like FUBAR, SNAFU, and even KIBO reflect some of the issues we have going on with personalized medicine and even medicine as a whole.This term is especially poignant today when the Wall Street Journal casts a shadow on the field of pathology and personalized medicine testing for breast cancers. The drug Herceptin is one of the Vanguards of what I called personalized molecular medicine therapy.You see, Herceptin therapy is targeted towards a certain type of breast cancer. In this type of breast cancer your cells have a protein located on them that can encourage cells to grow. When this protein is blocked, cells die. Therefore, Cancer is beaten back. The catch, if y... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1131198 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 21:27:00 +0100 1131198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1126410&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2F2008-here-we-come.html This study is a neat expression of this unique technology. By identifying patients with a "Genetic Disorder" (What disease isn't genetic?) researchers have created a new piece of nucleic acid that will actually tell the machinery in the cell to do something other than it was coded to do.Say Wha? Ok. Muscular Dystrophy is caused by absence of a certain protein called Dystrophin. If muscle cells can't make this protein, then they cannot function. Children often are wheelchair bound before 10. Why can't they make the protein? Usually, the gene which codes for the protein is defective. Its defect causes the gene to protein machinery to stop making the protein very early in its production. This results in a non-functioning protein. This new product PRO051 tells the machinery to pay no attention... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1126410 Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:16:00 +0100 1126410 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1072487&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F12%2Ffamily-history-tidbits.html In my search for useful news today, I have come across something near and dear to my heart. Karen Lu at M.D. Anderson has posted on the importance of taking a family history. Her spin is obviously tilted towards cancer, but the benefits of family history or just as important in diseases like heart disease.From the site:“Family gatherings are the perfect time to ask family members detailed questions about their health history,” says Karen Lu, M.D., co-medical director of the Clinical Cancer Genetics program at M. D. Anderson.“It is important to gather information about the health history of your parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and even your cousins.”She points out that there are some red flags to watch out for in your family.1. Early onset of Cancer. (I say not on... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1072487 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:21:00 +0100 1072487 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1057462&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F11%2F4-days-too-long.html This article I find especially timely. we have always known that genotypic variation plays a role in the metabolism of certain drugs. In this case, 2D6 metabolism has an even more important in the Ashkenazi Jewish. Here they find twice as many persons af Ashkenazi heritage have ultrarapid 2D6 metabolism. This enzyme is the key player in many psychiatric medications....The Sherpa Says: I am absolutely certain that ethnicity will play a huge variable in the frequency of these ultra-rapid metabolizers of any medication. Pharmacogenomics may be meeting genealogy sooner than we think....Thanks to Sherpa Hsien for helping me with a SNP issue the other day...... (Source: Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You) Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1057462 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:16:00 +0100 1057462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1048565&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F11%2Fminding-shop.html With all of this hullabaloo about genome sequencing companies and what they might do with your genome, including possibly selling the "de-identified" data to pharma companies. A great business plan, but NOT personalized medicine. I actually received 3 emails pointing out the same idea. I do know a friend of mine who sold his plasmapheresis company to the British Government, not because of the need for products in the UK, but because Bayer was this company's biggest customer.So the whole selling data/product to pharma is a plan which can make tons of money. Which could be the reason why the"genome" service is so cheap. Last time I checked, the best bet at the craps table is the pass line, provided you are on a come out roll. It's the proverbial hook.With that being said, I want to come back... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1048565 Sat, 24 Nov 2007 23:43:00 +0100 1048565 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1034688&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F11%2Fnot-with-bangthe-death-of-personalized.html Today I plan to discuss where this magical field of personalized medicine is headed. A few things have changed over the week, and I think that this may change what I was originally going to discuss. But all in all the likely paths of personalized medicine could be up to 8-fold. Some are less likely and are therefore not discussed here. In order to really understand personalized medicine's future we must know 4 truths.1. Genotyping is getting cheaper and cheaper. Less than a penny a base pair. So in turn genetic testing should get cheaper and cheaper. This is the idea of a 1000 USD whole-genome. Unfortunately some tests still remain in the thousands of dollars. Therefore, I assume (unless these companies are paying their workers millions), that there is some significant money being made her... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1034688 Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:45:00 +0100 1034688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1019449&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F11%2Fscienceroll-reviews-personalized.html Today, Bertalan Mesko at Scienceroll has reviewed three companies. Navigenics, 23 and Me, and Helix Health. For full disclosure, I am not only the owner of Helix Health, I am also a patient. My family has a significant genetic background for disease. Because of this, I was motivated to change the paradigm of current medical/genetics practice.Berci does a nice job of describing the companies and what he estimates their best attributes."If we could merge the real advantages of these companies:the fantastic team of Navigenics and their unique business model;the financial background of 23andMe; the focus on genealogy information and social networking; the personal aspect of Helix Health and their potential to serve and help physicians as well, …then it would be the perfect service. But it’... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1019449 Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:54:00 +0100 1019449 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=992025&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F10%2Fhooray-for-francis.html I am so glad that the United States has decided to award Francis Collins with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It is about time we pick up the pieces from Watson :(On another note, has anyone noticed how expensive it is to subscribe to all these wonderful journals? I read voraciously and am thankful for my institutional subscriptions. But what if you had to pay for your information? An example is the excellent Journal Pharmacogenomics. Bundled with Personalized Medicine(Its sister journal) you end up paying 1595 USD. This is the same for many journals out there. I only pick on these journals because I deem them mandatory subscriptions for the future of quality medical care.I would like to congratulate Dr Robison over at Omics Omics who has made it to the one year landmark with his blog. ... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=992025 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:55:00 +0100 992025 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=718970&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Ftaking-appointments-for-august.html After Much Ado, Legal Wrangling and Getting the Practice up, we are now accepting patients!!!! We have dates available in August. I have to tell you how very excited I am about this revolutionary style of medical practice. Heck, even when I talked with Dr Collins he was excited.The biggest problem with genetic care as well as primary care is its true lack of continuity. Helix Health will fix that problem and more. Yes, I know you may be thinking "Gosh, this is a shameless plug for his personalized medical practice"You are correct it is completely shameless. It is a revolution. The future of health care is about to change in a big way................. (Source: Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You) Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=718970 Fri, 06 Jul 2007 23:41:00 +0100 718970 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=707216&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fwbur-posts-on-coumadin-and-personalized.html Despite the heavy Boston accent,On WBUR Carol's worries regarding Coumadin and Personalized Medicine hit home to millions of patients everywhere. This is an excellent example of the press' coverage of my specialty. Dr Sam Goldhaber a physician at Mass General talks about the promise of pharmacogenomic testing in blood thinning and avoidance of its horrible side effects. Lastly they interview the Pope of Personalized MedicineFrancis says "Is this the scenario we want personalized medicine to enter?" "The public thinks that this is snake oil (i.e. Direct to consumer testing and nutrigenomics)"In addition Dr Collins talks again about the 2 Betty's and the potential to miss diagnose and have horrific outcomes.The Sherpa Says: "Save Betty!!!" We must take the time to educate everyone about the ... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=707216 Sat, 30 Jun 2007 23:43:00 +0100 707216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=691380&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fharvard-honoring-sherpa.html Today I was asked to be on the faculty of Harvard's famous Continuing Medical Education conference in the Genetic Basis of Adult Disease. I am extremely honored to be a part of this distinguished faculty. This year's conference will be held October 12-14th. The last conference topics and website are still up and I am certain the new one will be shortly. I highly recommend it for all physicians looking to become Sherpas or at least to stay up with the breakneck pace of genetic discovery in medicine. Several topics include:Genetic Causes of Heart Failure Genetics of Lipid Disorders Genetics of Cardiovascular Disease Genetics of Common Psychiatric DiagnosesGenetics, Lung Cancer and Treatment Responses Genetics of Gastro-Intestinal Diseases Barriers to the collection and use of the Family Heal... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=691380 Sat, 23 Jun 2007 01:02:00 +0100 691380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=687111&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fpersonalized-medicine-since-1986.html First I would like to apologize for the lack of postings on interesting topics lately. I am glad that others have picked up my slack. Notably Hsien and Bertalan's interesting posts this week. Or for an in depth post on the politics of health care and the reform movement check out VentureBeatWhat I want to pay attention to today is the question I inevitably get asked when I speak to other physicians. "Is what you say feasible in a 7 minute consult world?" The answer is inevitably NO. I do not feel in my heart of hearts that we will ever be able to practice personalized medicine in a 7 minute consult world.What's needed is a Revolution. We need a place where the patient has access to their records and their physicians 24/7. We need a place where the patient is given the skills to understand ... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=687111 Thu, 14 Jun 2007 02:18:00 +0100 687111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=687116&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fdr-collins-reports-from-front-lines.html In the second of my 3 maybe 4 part post I will detail Dr Collins' report from the Front Lines of the Revolution!First some notable quotes"2007 is going to be a landmark year in Genomics and Medicine""We all have ticking timebombs in our genome, you could guess most of them from family history.........But not all of them""We shall have the major genetic risk factors for common diseases in 2-3 years or less"Without further ado I will break his talk down into sections. Dr Collins', feel free to correct anything in this."Notes From the Front Lines"DNA sequencing is undergoing a revolution. I almost felt that he had been reading The Sherpa prior to giving this lecture. I had commented on 454 recently. On powerpoint he showed the technology behind 454 and Illumina. he did not comment on nanopore... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=687116 Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:15:00 +0100 687116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=687117&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fwatson-francisand-sherpa.html Remember how I said that June is going to be one heck of a ride? Well, what a way to kick it off. Yesterday I attended the "Personalized Medicine Revolution" at Brown University. My team drove 3 hours from NYC to Rhode Island to attend and trust me....It was worth it. I want to recap in some coherent and readable fashion so I will break it into 3 posts throughout the day. Post 1 The Welcoming Remarks by Dean of Brown Medical School Eli Adashi and Rep. Patrick Kennedy.I find it interesting that the introductory remarks are given by an REI specialist. Especially after what was disclosed to me."Future Pundit talks about the role of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis and its ever expanding uses. The specter of looks and intelligence for PGD rears its ugly head. Do I think this is a slippery slo... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=687117 Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:10:00 +0100 687117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=687118&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fjune-comes-crashing-in.html I am sorry it has been 2 days since my last post. Things have gotten crazy recently. I started with the launch of my personalized medicine practice. We are busy dotting the i's and crossing the t's. We have a truly "flat" organization and are able to grow at a moment's notice. This is great news for the patients! Several things are happening in this week and I want to share all of them with you.My wife, daughter and myself were involved in a car crash. I want to remind everyone to please wear your seat belts. If you have children please make sure they are in the appropriate car seat for their age. These simple things allowed us to walk away unharmed. Sometimes it is all about the prevention.At Brown University there is a conference being held, Frontiers of Medicine. My team from Helix Heal... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=687118 Sun, 03 Jun 2007 12:08:00 +0100 687118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=509402&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F105251315%2F Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, was on NPR’s Fresh Air today and PZ Myers wasn’t impressed with the strong religious message. He [Francis Collins] claims that science is only valid in investigating nature, and that it is inappropriate for examining ideas beyond nature … which begs the question of whether there is anything beyond nature. We also hear that science and spirit are complementary and different tools, but of course we aren’t told how the tool of spirit is applied to anything. We’re told that the intricacy and complexity of the human genome instills a sense of awe, and that it represents a glimpse of God’s creative genius — again, begging the question. When asked whether it was appropriate for Clinto... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=509402 Thu, 29 Mar 2007 23:22:23 +0100 509402 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=502947&cid=t_107381_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F104566928%2F On March 14, 2007, Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, testified before the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means. Here’s an excerpt of his testimony entitled, The Threat of Genetic Discrimination to the Promise of Personalized Medicine (pdf): As you can see, the science of genomic medicine is rocketing forward. But fear of genetic discrimination threatens to slow both the advance of such groundbreaking biomedical research and the integration of the fruits of that research into our nation’s health care. If individuals continue to worry that they will be denied health insurance or refused employment because they have a predisposition to a particular disease, they may forego genetic testing that could help guide medical p... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=502947 Mon, 26 Mar 2007 22:29:37 +0100 502947