Skin & Allergy News articles from August 2005

Skin & Allergy News archives from August 2005

Honest counseling quells Mohs anxiety.(Dermatologic Surgery)
August 1, 2005... QUEBEC CITY -- Clear and realistic communication by both the referring physician and the dermatologic surgeon is key to preparing patients for Mohs micrographic surgery, David M. Zloty, M.D., said at the annual conference of the Canadian...

Artefill nears final approval despite critics' cautions: granuloma formation is biggest concern.(Dermatologic Surgery)
August 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS, NEV. -- Two leading researcher/physicians have publicly expressed reservations about the long-term safety of Artefill, currently awaiting final Food and Drug Administration approval as a permanent facial filler. Sydney Coleman,...

Pipeline teeming with oral psoriasis therapies.(Dermatologic Therapy)
August 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- The future of psoriasis therapy lies in oral therapies now in development, Neil J. Korman, M.D., reported at the 11th International Psoriasis Symposium sponsored by the Skin Disease Education Foundation. "Biologics have made an...

Infliximab benefits long-lasting in plaque psoriasis phase III trial.(News)
August 1, 2005... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND -- In the first phase III trial evaluating infliximab for plaque psoriasis, substantial improvements were achieved by week 10 and sustained through week 50 in the majority of patients, Kristian Reich, M.D., said at the annual...

Top 10 diagnoses by dermatologist in 2004.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Top 10 diagnoses by dermatologist in 2004. Acne 13.4% Actinic keratosis 11.0% Malignan skin neoplasm 9.9% Dermatitis 7.5% Benign skin neoplasm 5.3% Viral warts 5.0%...

Breast radiation may raise angiosarcoma risk.(News)
August 1, 2005... NAPLES, FLA. -- In the last year, Michael B. Morgan, M.D., has seen four cases of angiosarcoma on the breast of women who previously underwent radiation therapy for breast cancer. Historically, there are only about 100 cases of angiosarcoma...

Multidrug resistance seen for TB in immigrants: noncompliance with treatment and airborne transmission named top two modes of transmission.(News)
August 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Cases of multidrug resistance in immigrant populations in the United States and links to the AIDS epidemic in Africa are attracting the attention of researchers. "There is an erroneous assumption that tuberculosis has been...

Skin health boosted and maintained with bosentan.(News)
August 1, 2005... VIENNA -- The endothelin receptor antagonist bosentan, currently used for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension, also is showing long-term beneficial effects on digital ulceration and cutaneous fibrosis in patients with scleroderma. ...

Able Laboratories recalls all drugs; patients urged to contact prescribers.(News)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Able Laboratories Inc. is recalling all of its manufactured drugs because of serious concerns that the drugs were not produced according to quality assurance standards. Most of the recalled products are generic prescription drugs,...

FDA: supplement contains glyburide.(News)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A dietary supplement available in the United States contains the oral hypoglycemic drug glyburide and could cause life-threatening effects in some people, according to a nationwide alert issued by the Food and Drug Administration last month....

Specialty expecting advances on several fronts.(News)
August 1, 2005... ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- As profits for the cosmeceutical industry steadily pour in, money is also pouring out for research and development, resulting in a welcome wave of dermatologic advances coming down the path, said Karyn Grossman, M.D., at a...

Panels address managing cancer survivors: oncologic and primary care physicians' long-term roles detailed for care of adult and pediatric patients.(News)
August 1, 2005... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Primary care physicians and other clinicians from specialties outside of oncology can expect to find their respective roles spelled out in new guidelines under development for medical management of cancer survivors. Among...

Vulvar/labial abscesses in children tied to MRSA.(News)(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- A recent series of "curious" cases of large vulvar or labial abscesses in previously healthy children were associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and represent the first reported cases of such abscesses in...

Flu vaccine doses may be tallied soon: CDC offers two-tiered strategy for prioritizing available vaccine in case of another shortfall.(News)
August 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The total number of doses of inactivated influenza vaccine available for the 2005-2006 season won't be known until this month at the earliest. That's when it's expected that the Food and Drug Administration will have results...

CDC: varicella vaccine indication may expand.(News)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
August 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- All healthy adolescents and adults born in the United States after 1965 should be assessed for varicella immunity and vaccinated if susceptible, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization...

Reform struggle joined at state and federal levels.(News)
August 1, 2005... The Bush administration has focused on overhauling the Social Security program, but the nation's governors and health providers say the real crisis is in Medicaid. The National Governors Association (NGA) has offered a reform proposal to...

Referral notes to nonphysicians.(Under My Skin)
August 1, 2005... If you ask patients not just why they came but why they came now, you'll often find that a third party was involved. Whatever is wrong may have been there for some time, raising no concern in the patient's mind until someone else stared at...

Well-rounded residency is enough.(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... Dr. Carlos Garcia's claim that a Mohs fellowship is required to perform Mohs micrographic surgery competently is flawed ("Should only fellowship-trained dermatologic surgeons perform Mohs surgery?" Pro & Con, May 2005, p. 12). It is true...

PAs can enrich derm practices.(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... As a physician assistant of 30 years (the last 10 spent in dermatology), I was particularly interested in and appreciative of Dr. Alan Rockoff's recent column ("Who Will Take Care of the Patients?" Under My Skin, July 2005, p. 11). I am...

Supporting dermatology PAs.(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... As a physician assistant who has practiced in the field of dermatology for nearly 12 years, I cannot express how gratified I was to read Dr. Alan Rockoff's positive comments about my profession ("Who Will Take Care of the Patients?" Under My...

Derms shouldn't delegate care to PAs.(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... Most of the folks I see want to see the doctor ("Who Will Take Care of the Patients?" Under My Skin, July 2005, p. 11). They don't have anything against wannabes, but they want to see a trained specialist, and if they wait several weeks,...

Practice threatened by Medicare cuts.(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... I am already reeling from the cuts and low reimbursement to date ("CMS Projects 4.3% Cut in Physician Pay for 2006," June 2005, p. 8). Additional cuts as projected will cause me to retire early or seek a salaried position. I will not be able to...

Drug industry funds influence FDA.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... In 1992, in an effort to speed up drug approvals, Congress authorized the Food and Drug Administration to collect funds from the brand name drug manufacturers. I recently completed my doctorate in public administration. My thesis explored...

Should experts with potential conflicts of interest be allowed to serve on FDA advisory panels?(Pro & Con)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... [YES] What is the best thing for patients? That is the key question. Patients are best served when the experts who have the most knowledge about a medicine or disease advise officials at the Food and Drug Administration. These individuals...

Light therapies inappropriate for first-line acne Tx.(Dermatologic Surgery)
August 1, 2005... ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- Light-based therapies are heavily promoted as options for treating ache, but issues of cost and convenience should rule them out as a first line of treatment, said dermatologists at a cosmetic dermatology seminar sponsored by...

Injectable silicone called a safe, elegant filler.(Dermatologic Surgery)
August 1, 2005... ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- Liquid injectable silicone can be a highly effective means of tissue augmentation, especially for ache scarring and HIV-related lipoatrophy, Derek Jones, M.D., said at a cosmetic dermatology seminar sponsored by the Skin...

Postop makeup service boosts patient satisfaction.(Dermatologic Surgery)
August 1, 2005... ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- An in-office camouflage makeup expert can help mask postoperative bruising, swelling, or redness, which can make the difference to patients who feel injured or disfigured, said Howard Steinman, M.D., at a cosmetic dermatology...

Follow the 'five Ps' for smooth skin resurfacing: mnemonic can be used to optimize outcomes and patient satisfaction after skin resurfacing procedures.(Dermatologic Surgery)
August 1, 2005... ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- Ablative laser resurfacing offers perhaps the most effective means for smoothing wrinkles and acne scars, but its success depends on the "five Ps": prepared patients, a good preop evaluation, pain control, a perfectly done...

Dermatologic supplies abound on hardware store shelves.(Dermatologic Surgery)
August 1, 2005... NAPLES, FLA. -- The best place to acquire surgical blades and materials for abrading is not necessarily the medical supply house, said Daniel M. Siegel, M.D. The hardware store has supplies for medical procedures that are usually much...

Recent studies refute Botox reconstitution myths.(Dermatologic Surgery)
August 1, 2005... NAPLES, FLA. -- Several longstanding myths and misconceptions about the botulinum toxin type A technique have recently been refuted, James M. Spencer, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Florida Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic...

New twists in topical psoriasis therapies.(Dermatologic Therapy)
August 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Biologic therapies for psoriasis are grabbing headlines, but new vehicles, concentrations, and combinations are making this an exciting time for topical therapies as well, Linda Stein Gold, M.D., reported at the 11th International...

Alefacept appears to be safe for at-risk psoriasis patients.(Dermatologic Therapy)
August 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Alefacept is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for psoriasis in elderly; obese, and diabetic patients, according to an analysis of data from nine clinical trials, Alice B. Gottlieb, M.D., reported in a poster at the 11th...

Skin cancer chemoprevention making strides.(Dermatologic Therapy)
August 1, 2005... NAPLES, FLA. -- Retinoids, NSAIDs, and perhaps statins lead the growing list of possible chemoprevention agents that could soon come to dermatologic practice, James Spencer, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Florida Society for...

Sun protection: make sure you've got your patients covered.(Dermatologic Therapy)
August 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- Several factors contribute to patients' continued poor use of sun blocks, including vague package instructions, a lack of understanding about proper use, and the perception that a little sunscreen goes a long way, Heidi A. Waldorf,...

Onion extract.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
August 1, 2005... Onions--along with other popular edible botanicals, such as garlic, chives, leeks, scallions, and shallots-belong to the lily (Allium cepa) family. Numerous varieties of onions are cultivated worldwide. This aromatic bulb has also been used by...

Becaplermin improves diabetic foot ulcer care.(Dermatologic Therapy)
August 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Diabetic neuropathic foot ulcers treated with becaplermin were 30% more likely to heal in a 20-week study period than ulcers not treated with the drug, David J. Margolis, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Wound Healing Society....

Antibiotic use in pilonidal wounds reduced with zinc.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Topical zinc oxide was associated with significantly reduced antibiotic use in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 64 patients with excised pilonidal wounds, said Magnus Agren, DMSc, at the annual meeting of the...

Old drugs get new trick for hyperkeratotic skin.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... MAUI, HAWAII -- A new, multilayered delivery system may enhance sustained-release delivery of medications to hyperkeratotic skin in difficult-to-treat disorders, said Joseph Bikowski, M.D., at a Hawaii dermatology seminar sponsored by the Skin...

Bisphosphonates underused as oral steroid offset.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... ST. LOUIS, MO. -- Bisphosphonates remain underutilized in the prevention of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, despite the existence of national clinical guidelines that recommend their use in patients on long-term oral steroid therapy,...

Swiss to lead tattoo industry reform.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... PARIS -- International efforts to control the health risks associated with tattoos got a boost from Switzerland's recent decision to regulate the content of tattoo pigments. By the end of 2006, Switzerland will have a federal law regulating...

Work gloves may exacerbate contact dermatitis: a thorough glove history may help elucidate the cause of--and the solution to--on-the-job outbreaks.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... HERSHEY, PA. -- The right pair of gloves can make all the difference to patients who develop contact dermatitis from the chemicals they are exposed to on the job, Matthew J. Zirwas, M.D., said at a meeting on contact dermatitis sponsored by...

Childhood cancer raises health risks later on.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Adult survivors of childhood cancers face more than four times the risk of a major health problem compared with their siblings, according to a survey of 10,397 adults diagnosed with a pediatric cancer between 1970 and 1986. ...

Novel technology provides 'optical biopsy' of oral cancers.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... BOCA RATON, FLA. -- Optical coherence tomography shows promise for noninvasive detection of oral cavity and oropharynx cancer, according to a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Head and Neck Society. An estimated 28,000...

SLN status predicts head, neck cancer recurrence.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... BOCA RATON, FLA. -- Sentinel lymph node status is the most important predictor of recurrence of head and neck melanoma but is not an independent predictor of mortality, according to the results of a multicenter study. "In the presentinel...

Gamma probe enhances sentinel node biopsy.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Gamma probe--guided sentinel lymph node biopsy is important in all lymph node basins, but mainly in the axillas and uncommon basins, Joao Pereira Duprat, Ph.D., reported during a poster presentation at the 10th World Congress on...

Combination technique improves node mapping.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Sentinel lymph nodes in patients with cutaneous melanoma are best identified using a combination of blue dye, lymphoscintigraphy, and gamma probe, Giorgio Landi, M.D., reported at the 10th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin. ...

Vitamin D deficiency knows no boundaries.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... VIENNA -- More than half of postmenopausal women being treated for osteoporosis in the United States and the rest of the world have vitamin D levels that are inadequate for skeletal health, according to two recent cross-sectional surveys...

Low vitamin D levels often missed in osteoporosis Tx.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- More than half of North American women receiving treatment for osteoporosis have suboptimal serum vitamin D levels, Anne E. de Papp, M.D., and her associates reported in a poster at the annual meeting of the American Association...

Vitamin D deficiency redefined with more accurate serum 25(OH)C cutoff.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- A serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D level below 30 ng/mL appears to define vitamin D deficiency, Paraskevi Sapountzi, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Vitamin D...

'Burning mouth' pain relieved with TCMS.(Clinical Rounds)(transcranial magnetic stimulation)
August 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- "Burning mouth syndrome," a constellation of symptoms involving burning sensations of the tongue, palate, lips, and buccal mucosa, responds to transcranial magnetic stimulation and possibly to drugs that increase levels of...

Statins for very-high-risk patients.(Drug Update)(Anticholesteremic agents)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The differences among the six statins available in the United States become sharpest when treating patients at very high risk for coronary artery disease. Moderate dosages of any statin will usually be adequate for lower-risk patients who do...

Database reviews indicate statins cut cancer risk.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Statin use was associated with a reduction of about 50% in the risk of breast, prostate, and lung cancers in three retrospective, case-control studies that mined a database containing medical records for 1.4 million veterans. ...

HSV-1 is likely cause of new genital infections: current prevalence estimates including only HSV-2 may 'greatly underestimate the amount of genital herpes.'.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... BETHESDA, MD. -- Herpes simplex virus 1 has emerged as an important genital pathogen and is more likely than herpes simplex virus 2 to be the cause of primary genital herpes infections in young women, Sharon L. Hillier, Ph.D., said at a...

Survey: half of HIV-infected men who have sex with men unaware of infection.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 63% of new cases of HIV infection are in men who have sex with men, 50% are in blacks, 32% are in whites, and 16% are in Hispanics. A recent report based on data from 5 cities...

Survey detects gaps in providers' HPV knowledge.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- A large survey of U.S. clinicians in nine specialties identified clinically important gaps in their knowledge of human papillomavirus and found that many don't test for HPV in the recommended ways. Several analyses of...

Ignorance at root of herpes prevalence.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... NAPLES, FLA. -- Patients with genital herpes often believe they can't transmit the infection while they are asymptomatic, and the majority of transmissions are probably borne of this ignorance, Stephen K. Tyring, M.D., said at the annual...

Showers essential for effective C-section wound healing.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Getting postcesarean patients into the shower will help the surgical wounds heal properly, Harriet W. Hopf, M.D., said at a meeting on antepartum and intrapartum management sponsored by the University of California, San...

Hormonal contraceptives, BV increase HSV-2 shedding.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... BETHESDA, MD. -- The use of hormonal contraception is among the factors that have been associated with increased viral shedding among women with genital herpes simplex virus type 2 infections, Sharon L. Hillier, Ph.D., said at a conference on...

Many teen girls fail to act on birth control info.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Adolescent girls at high risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections who participated in a recent study were knowledgeable about common birth control methods, but most reported having unprotected sex. Of 332 girls...

Study: fewer teens see pregnancy as obstacle to goals.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Higher educational and career goals among adolescent girls are widely considered to be protective against pregnancy, but a recent study suggests that this is true only among those who specifically view pregnancy as an impediment...

Teen girls often switch method of contraception.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Changes in contraceptive methods are frequent among adolescent girls, and tend to reflect pregnancy status and changes in sexual relationships and behaviors, Jennifer L. Woods, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the North...

Patient weight does not impair NuvaRing efficacy.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- The NuvaRing contraceptive appears to be as effective in women who weigh more than 89.9 kg (198 lbs.) as in women who weigh less, Carolyn Westhoff, M.D., reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American...

FDA approves Tx for black heart failure patients.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2005... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- The fixed-dose combination of isosorbide dinitrate and hydralazine is the first product approved specifically for treating patients in a specific racial group--a development that has been both lauded as a significant...

Apligraf stands up to standard wound dressings.(Clinical Rounds)(diabetic foot ulcers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- The quality of healed wounds treated with bilayered cell therapy equaled that of wounds treated with a standard dressing in a randomized, multicenter study of 172 patients, Vincent Falanga, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the...

Know when to suspect vulvar Paget's disease.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... BETHESDA, MD. -- Extramammary Paget's disease is most often found in the vulvar area and usually has an excellent prognosis, Peter J. Lynch, M.D., said at a conference on vulvovaginal diseases. The vulva is the site of about 65% of...

Revatio, Adacel.(New & Approved)
August 1, 2005... Revatio (sildenafil, Pfizer Inc.) A phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension (WHO group I) to improve exercise ability. The second oral therapy approved for PAH; the first was the...

Infliximab for ulcerative colitis.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Infliximab significantly reduced the rate of colectomy in patients who had severe or moderately severe ulcerative colitis that was refractory to conventional treatment, reported Gunnar Jarnerot, M.D., of Orebro (Sweden) University Hospital, and...

Screen SLE patients yearly for CV risk.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus should be evaluated on an annual basis for cardiovascular risk until such time as specific recommendations are formulated and disseminated, Heiko Schotte, M.D., said in a poster presentation at the...

Tularemia from hamster bite.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A 3-year-old boy who was bitten by a hamster was subsequently diagnosed with tularemia, according to a report from the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (MMWR 2005;53:1202-3). The boy...

Can hair loss signal CVD?(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Sometimes a prosaic symptom such as hair loss can provide the clue that is crucial to the correct diagnosis, according to Yvo Smulders, M.D., of VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, and his associates. They reported on a 39-year-old man...

Coccidiomycosis cases.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A significant increase in coccidiomycosis cases in Arizona between 1998 and 2001 is attributable to climatic factors, an investigation revealed. In 1998 there were 33 cases of the disease, also known as valley fever, per 100,000...

Physicians are hoping for a CMS revision on NPI numbers.(Practice Trends)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services )
August 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will review national provider identifier protocols that now require separate numbers for each covered entity. The requirement could mean some physicians who are also part of group...

Doctors and politics do mix?(Policy & Practice)(American Academy of Dermatology Association)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The American Academy of Dermatology Association is advocating for physicians serving in the U.S. Senate to be allowed to continue to practice medicine. Senate Rule 37 prohibits senators from affiliating with "a firm, partnership,...

Psoriasis research support urged.(Policy & Practice)
August 1, 2005... Support for federal research on psoriasis seems to be growing. Twenty-five members of Congress recently circulated a letter to their colleagues urging increased psoriasis funding in next year's National Institutes of Health budget. And last...

NIH extends disclosure deadline.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are giving NIH employees more time to report prohibited financial interests and to divest stock. In announcing the extension, HHS wrote it is considering issuing revisions to its...

Sleep deprivation dogs doctors.(Policy & Practice)(Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Residents and medical students are still suffering from fatigue, despite the shorter work hours established in 2003 by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. In a survey of 1,126 medical students and 1,010 residents, the...

Medicare drug benefit explained.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is requiring all health plans serving Medicare patients to include all drugs in six categories on their formularies starting in 2006, when the Part D drug benefit begins. The agency noted that in...

DEA battles OxyContin abuse.(Policy & Practice)(Drug Enforcement Administration)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The Drug Enforcement Administration's efforts to stop illegal use of the prescription painkiller OxyContin have "cast a chill over the doctor-patient candor necessary for successful treatment," Ronald T. Libby, Ph.D., a political science...

Please, may we have a directory?(Policy & Practice)(physician directory needs privacy protection)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Security concerns are currently keeping CMS from developing a directory of all NPI numbers for all health providers and covered entities, but one may be developed in the future, Ms. Brandt told PPAC members. "We may get to a point where we...

AMA delegates approve fair prescribing policies.(Practice Trends)(American Medical Association)
August 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- A pharmacist's philosophy shouldn't get in the way of prescribing needed drugs to patients. That was one of the conclusions that physicians reached while addressing controversial topics at the annual meeting of the American Medical...

Medical records: what to keep.(Managing Your Dermatology Practice)
August 1, 2005... If your office is anything like mine, you have too many medical records and too little storage space. And since the laws in your state require that old records be kept for only a finite amount of time, you may be tempted to get rid of your...

Legal expert highlights concierge-care risks.(Practice Trends)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... DALLAS -- Of the existing "concierge-care" models, practices that offer fees for non-covered services to patients who have insurance carry the highest legal risk, attorney John Marquis said at a national conference on concierge medicine. ...

Pain relievers.(Practice Trends)(Cartoon)
August 1, 2005... "How much medical skill are you willing to pay for?"

FDA tells IOM drug safety panel changes needed.(Practice Trends)(Institute of Medicine panel)
August 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Acknowledging that its drug safety system is inadequate, several Food and Drug Administration officials told an Institute of Medicine panel examining the issue that the agency is ready for recommendations on how to better protect...