Skin & Allergy News articles from January 2007

Skin & Allergy News archives from January 2007

Navigate biologics' contraindications.(Dermatologic Therapy)
January 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- Solutions to several challenging treatment scenarios in patients undergoing biologic therapy were considered by a panel of experts at a dermatology seminar sponsored by Skin Disease Education Foundation. The head of the panel,...

Derms react to possible FDA ban of hydroquinone: cite poor scientific reasoning, ethnic bias.(Dermatologic Therapy)(products to be banned)
January 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- The Food and Drug Administration soon could remove from the market hundreds of products containing hydroquinone, and dermatologists across the United States are decrying the anticipated move, which they say would most harm...

Rising tide of European fillers surges toward U.S.(Dermatologic Surgery)
January 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- Dermal fillers available for cosmetic use number more than 60 in Europe, and several of those products may soon be available in the United States, Dr. Rhoda S. Narins said at the annual meeting of the American Society for...

Detailed records may help avoid legal complications, HIPAA hassles.(News)
January 1, 2007... New York -- Consistent, detailed record keeping and patient communication are key to avoiding legal complications and navigating HIPAA requirements, Dr. Noah Scheinfeld said at meeting on medical and surgical dermatology sponsored by Mount...

Marathon training may increase melanoma risk.(News)
January 1, 2007... White marathon runners are at significantly higher risk of developing malignant melanoma than are white people of the same age who don't spend 40 or more hours per week training or competing outdoors, reported Dr. Christina M. Ambros-Rudolph...

Last-minute fix again averts medicare pay cuts: in addition to the fix, updated codes may actually mean a pay increase for some physicians.(News)
January 1, 2007... In one of its last actions, the 109th Congress approved a sweeping tax and health bill that included a 1-year delay in the scheduled cut in physician fees under the federal Medicare program. In 2007, physicians were due to see a 5%...

CMS offers 1.5% bonus to physicians who report quality data.(News)
January 1, 2007... Physicians who report quality data to Medicare will receive bonus payments of 1.5% starting in July, under a provision of the omnibus legislation passed at the end of the 109th Congress. Under the new provision, bonus payments would be...

Year in review: top dermatology stories of 2006.(News)(recertification of dermatologists)(pays of dermatologists)(linking psoriasis and cardiovascular disease)
January 1, 2007... Dermatologists faced a growing number of new demands last year, whether in the form of isotretinoin registry requirements or the looming challenges of pay for performance and maintenance of certification. Other important developments in...

FDA responds to methadone-related deaths: agency issues public advisory and changes label but does not alter administration, dosage requirements.(News)
January 1, 2007... Reports of deaths, cardiac arrhythmias, respiratory depression, and other serious adverse events in people treated with methadone for pain prompted the Food and Drug Administration to issue a public health advisory and revise its prescribing...

FDA recognizes adalimumab's joint protective effects in psoriatic arthritis.(News)
January 1, 2007... The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker adalimumab has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for inhibiting structural joint damage and improving physical function in patients with psoriatic arthritis, based on the results of a...

Novartis adds heart failure warning to Gleevec label.(News)
January 1, 2007... Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. has revised the precautions section of the prescribing label for Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) to warn physicians about the potential for severe congestive heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction in patients...

Interspecialty dialogue.(Under My Skin)(molluscum contagiosum treatment guidelines)(Discussion)(Column)
January 1, 2007... In my last column, I suggested that it might be useful for the members of different specialties to discuss how each sees and does things. I had a recent chance to try this out myself. Often, molluscum doesn't act so contagiosum. Though...

What's right with Medicare.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... I was pleasantly surprised to see the report on payer performance because I'm tired of reading articles that badmouth Medicare ("Humana, Medicare Lead in Payer Performance," August 2006, p. 50). For many years, Medicare has been our...

A 'professional firewall' lessens stress.(Guest Editorial)
January 1, 2007... The ancient Greeks struggled with the concept of a good or fulfilled life. In approximately 400 B.C., Hippocrates taught that the key to a healthy life was balancing the humors of the body. To do this, one paid attention to the spiritual,...

Do we really need the gifts?(business gifts for physicians)(Editorial)
January 1, 2007... How many physicians have ever accepted a free pen with a company's name on it? Or any gift from the pharmaceutical or medical industries? Virtually every physician has done this, including me. Should we? I don't propose to have the...

What is the best way to reform the U.S. health care system?(Point/Counterpoint)
January 1, 2007... A single-payer program is the way to go. The health care financing organ in the United States is failing. It has all the manifestations of a patient with heart failure. We have poor output, where we can't circulate health insurance to...

Organic skin care.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
January 1, 2007... The term "organic" can be traced back to 1940. J.I. Rodale, who founded the Rodale book and magazine publishing company with the modest publication Organic Farming and Gardening, coined the expression (Anonymous. March 1998. "'If You Care About...

Ulceration can complicate hemangioma's course: compression and occlusive dressings can help reduce pain and halt proliferation.(Dermatologic Therapy)
January 1, 2007... WILLIAMSBURG, VA. -- Treatment of ulcerated hemangiomas should alter the local environment, halt proliferation, and manage pain, Dr. Sharon A. Glick said at a meeting sponsored by Skin Disease Education Foundation. Ulceration is the most...

Bacterial control often trumps toxicity in chronic wound care.(Dermatologic Therapy)(treating wounds)
January 1, 2007... OTTAWA -- When wound management is more important than wound healing, treatment with an iodine solution to control bacteria may be beneficial, Kevin Woo, R.N., said in a poster presentation at the annual conference of the Canadian Association...

Arnica bests vitamin K for reducing laser bruising.(Dermatologic Therapy)
January 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- Vitamin K reduces bruising after a laser procedure, but not as much as arnica, an herbal plant extract also known as leopard's bane, according to a small study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for...

Barrier film may curb incontinence dermatitis.(Dermatologic Therapy)
January 1, 2007... OTTAWA -- A skin care regimen used three times weekly in nursing home residents with incontinence was as effective as a similar regimen applied after each incontinence episode in preventing incontinence dermatitis, based On data from 981...

Terbinafine may speed tinea pedis healing time.(Dermatologic Therapy)
January 1, 2007... RHODES, GREECE -- Terbinafine is superior to placebo and comparable with other antifungal agents for the treatment of tinea pedis, Dr. Hans Christian Korting reported in a poster at the 15th Congress of European Academy of Dermatology and...

Adalimumab trumps methotrexate for psoriasis.(Dermatologic Therapy)
January 1, 2007... WHISTLER, B.C.-- Adalimumab was significantly more effective against psoriasis than both methotrexate and placebo were in a double-blind, double-dummy, randomized, controlled phase III trial, Dr. Richard Langley reported at a dermatology...

"Drumhead" technique may spare alar graft depressions.(Dermatologic Surgery)
January 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- A better method for skin grafting surgical defects of the nasal afar region may be what Dr. Bradley K. Draper calls a "drumhead" graft. Deep alar defects can be difficult to graft without leaving a sunken depression,...

Know section thickness prior to Mohs surgery.(Dermatologic Surgery)
January 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- Since most Mohs surgeons want at least a 1-mm clear margin around a basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma, it is crucial to know how many slices were taken between frozen sections mounted for review, Dr. John Campbell said at a...

Before and after photos can help market a Mohs practice.(Dermatologic Surgery)(treating skin cancer)
January 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- When Dr. Edward Yob moved to Oklahoma 16 years ago, he became the first physician in that state to perform Mohs surgery. The dermatologists in Oklahoma, however, were not impressed. They saw no need for such a fancy approach,...

New to Mohs surgery? Allot plenty of time to first cases.(Dermatologic Surgery)
January 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- Neophyte Mohs surgeons should start with an easy case, ideally with a lesion located anywhere other than on the face, and, if possible, give the case an entire day on the schedule. That was just one bit of advice given by Dr....

Short stretch bandages yield long-term benefits.(Dermatologic Surgery)
January 1, 2007... OTTAWA -- The smart compression technique using short stretch bandages facilitates healing by extruding edema and lymphedema from a wound, Dr. John MacDonald said at the annual conference of the Canadian Association of Wound Care. ...

Liposuction is effective for some breast reduction.(Dermatologic Surgery)
January 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- Liposuction can be an effective alternative to breast reduction surgery in select patients, according to a presentation at an international symposium on cosmetic and laser surgery. Traditional breast reduction can require...

Researchers seek to quantify Thermage efficacy.(Dermatologic Surgery)(skin tightening methods)
January 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. --The radio-frequency heating technique Thermage is probably the best studied of the technologies that tighten the skin, said Dr. Roy Geronemus at the annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. ...

'Retro' method touted for some hair transplants.(Dermatologic Surgery)
January 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- Hair transplantation using follicular isolation is labor intensive and not for everyone, but the technique serves a subset of patients very well, Dr. Paul T. Rose said at an international symposium on cosmetic and laser surgery....

Sculptra may have role in volume replacement of hands.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- The filler poly-L-lactic acid is indicated for HIV facial atrophy, but in experienced hands it also is safe for volume replenishment of tear troughs and hands, Dr. Nell S. Sadick said at an international symposium on cosmetic and...

Two flap innovations lessen need for revision.(Dermatologic Surgery)(ear surgery)
January 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- An island pedicle flap can easily be elongated to accommodate facial anatomy and a pedicle graft for the ear's conchal bowl can come from the back of the ear, two dermatologists said in a session titled, "My Favorite...

Preventive services for employers.(Dermatologic Surgery)
January 1, 2007... The Agency for Healthcare Research land Quality and the nonprofit National Business Group on Health offer 'A Purchaser's Guide to Clinical Preventive Services: Moving Science Into Coverage." Developed in collaboration with the Centers for...

Triple light for tightening may also add volume.(Dermatologic Surgery)(skin tightening)
January 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- Using three light forms to hit three targets effectively tightens skin and can add facial volume without fillers, Dr. Javier Ruiz-Esparza said at an international symposium on cosmetic and laser surgery. "This is an entirely...

Draw the line on injecting fillers to create the perfect lip.(Dermatologic Surgery)(lip surgery)
January 1, 2007... WILLIAMSBURG, VA. -- Creating the perfect lip may mean telling a patient to step away from the fillers, Dr. Stephen H. Mandy said at a meeting sponsored by Skin Disease Education Foundation. Following a procedure to increase lip fullness,...

Dysport dosing by patient age loosens grip of crow's feet.(Dermatologic Surgery)(treating crows feet)(Clinical report)
January 1, 2007... RHODES, GREECE -- Botulinum toxin type A is a safe and effective treatment for crow's feet at doses of 15, 30, and 45 U per eye, Dr. Benjamin Ascher said in a poster presented at the 15th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and...

Biopsy location is key in dermatitis herpetiformis.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... NEW York -- Skin biopsies to confirm dermatitis herpetiformis should be taken from normal-looking skin adjacent to a lesion, not from within the lesion itself, Dr. John Zone said at an international symposium on celiac disease. "Twenty...

Aphthous ulcers, defects in tooth enamel may suggest celiac disease.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- Dental enamel defects and aphthous ulcers are both strongly associated with celiac disease, and should be followed up with a full investigation for the disorder in undiagnosed people, Theologos Malahias, D.D.S., suggested at an...

Phase III study makes case for IV chemoradiation: intravenous administration is found to be as effective as intra-arterial treatment in head and neck cancer.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... PHILADELPHIA -- Intravenous administration of chemoradiation is as effective as intra-arterial administration for patients with inoperable head and neck cancer, according to a phase III study presented at the annual meeting of the American...

Intensity modulation eases radiation toxicity.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- The use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy allows patients with head and neck cancer to complete their scheduled therapy without significant toxicity-associated treatment breaks, Dr. John Watkins and Dr. Anand K. Sharma...

Imiquimod not linked to paraben sensitivity.(Clinical Rounds)(adverse drug reactions)
January 1, 2007... BALTIMORE -- Imiquimod treatment does not appear to be associated with increased sensitivity to weak allergens, such as parabens, according to preliminary study findings, reported Dr. Jennifer Chwalek at a meeting on contact dermatitis. ...

Medical devices are the culprits behind some allergic reactions.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... BALTIMORE -- Allergic reactions to materials in stents, pacemakers, and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators are becoming more common, according to a literature review presented by Dr. James Taylor at a meeting on contact dermatitis. ...

Desensitization protocol indicated for women's semen allergy.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... PHILADELPHIA -- For women with semen allergy, the cure may be simply more of the same. "Women can be successfully desensitized, but to maintain the desensitization, they need frequent exposure to their partners' semen," Dr. David Resnick...

Psychology, OTCs help solve many skin problems.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... MONTEREY, CALIF. -- An understanding of patient psychology and a familiarity with over-the-counter preparations can aid the diagnosis and treatment of several dermatologic conditions, said Dr. John A. Lenahan said at the annual meeting of the...

Bias sways expert evaluation of some cosmetic procedures.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- A new study indicates that investigator bias of cosmetic procedure trial results, including blinding and prejudice about the value of the procedure performed, renders those results largely unreliable, Dr. David F. Horne...

Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.(Clinical Rounds)(research on beautiful face)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- Age and gender influence opinions on what makes a face beautiful, a recent study showed. Dr. David W. Kim and his associates at the University of California, San Francisco, photographed the faces of four women--two white women...

Anti-TNF therapy tied to psoriasis in RA cases.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- The use of anti-tumor necrosis factor-[alpha] blocking agents in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is associated with an increased risk for the development of palmoplantar psoriasis, Dr. Jacob A. Aelion reported at the annual...

Mutated barrier protein points to atopic dermatitis.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- The same gene mutation unmasked as the cause of ichthyosis vulgaris has now been found to have a highly significant association with the development of atopic dermatitis, Dr. Lawrence E Eichenfield said in reviewing recent studies...

More vitamin D urged for elderly black women.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Customary vitamin D supplementation and springtime sun exposure in the southern United States are inadequate to protect elderly African American women from vitamin D deficiency, data from a prospective cohort study show. ...

Vitamin D may protect against melanoma relapse.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... NOORDWIJK, NETHERLANDS -- Vitamin D supplementation was protective against late relapse of melanoma, particularly in patients with certain polymorphisms of the vitamin D receptor, Dr. Julia Newton Bishop reported at a conference on melanoma...

Polycystic ovary syndrome spawns misconceptions.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO -- Many myths surround polycystic ovary syndrome, according to two speakers at Perspectives on Women's Health sponsored by SKIN & ALLERGY NEWS' sister publication, OB.GYN, NEWS. On hand to clear up some misconceptions were...

Rings, patches broaden contraceptive options.(Clinical Rounds)(types of contraceptives)
January 1, 2007... ATLANTA -- Contraceptive rings and patches appear to have an efficacy similar to that of oral contraceptives and eliminate the need for daily pills, Joyce King, Ph.D., said at a conference on contraceptive technology sponsored by Contemporary...

NSAID use during pregnancy increases malformation risk.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Mothers who take NSAIDs during the first trimester of pregnancy face a 2.2-fold increased risk of giving birth to infants with congenital malformations, according to results from a large, multivariate analysis. In...

Joint hypermobility may affect skin, vein health.(Clinical Rounds)(underdiagnosis of disease)
January 1, 2007... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND -- Joint hypermobility syndrome is profoundly underdiagnosed and its impact underestimated despite its being one of the most common causes of widespread chronic pain--and indeed may be the most common rheumatic disorder, Dr....

Bosentan boosts key functions in sclerosis patients.(Clinical Rounds)(treating sclerosis patients)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... AMSTERDAM -- Short-term bosentan therapy improved myocardial perfusion and contractility in systemic sclerosis patients, Dr. Yannick Allanore reported at the annual European Congress of Rheumatology. To assess the effects of 1 month of...

Infliximab effective for refractory sarcoidosis.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... SALT LAKE CITY -- Infliximab is a highly effective and safe therapy for patients with multisystem sarcoidosis refractory to conventional immunomodulatory agents, Dr. Ghulam Khaleeq said at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest...

Adding clonidine to local anesthesia prolongs effects.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- Adding clonidine to a local anesthetic hastens the onset of a peripheral nerve block, prolongs the nerve block's effects, and reduces postoperative pain, Dr. Ahmad Elsharydah reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of...

Azithromycin is a quicker remedy for conjunctivitis.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... Children and adults who received a 3-day regimen of azithromycin 1.5% eye drops for purulent bacterial conjunctivitis fared just as well as those who received a 7-day regimen of tobramycin 0.3% eye drops, results from a randomized, controlled...

Causes narrowed for MRSA treatment failures.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO -- Independent clinical risk factors for vancomycin failure in patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection were infection of the lung or pleura, and, to a lesser extent, infection of the bone, results from...

Urban hospital sees high rate of treatment failure for MRSA.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO -- One-quarter of adult patients who completed the recommended initial therapy for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection experienced clinical failure, results from an urban hospital study showed. In addition,...

Topicals recommended over PDT for most acne.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- Photodynamic therapy for acne is an effective treatment for some patients, but topical therapy probably works for a greater number of patients, two dermatologists suggested at the annual meeting of the American Society...

Inflammatory acne tied to peripheral endocrine system.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- It's time to discard the old way of thinking about acne pathogenesis and view it as a disorder with its own independent endocrine functional system, Dr. Christos C. Zouboulis said at a dermatology symposium sponsored by Cornell...

Household cat exposure linked to infant eczema.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- Newborns who come home to a family cat may be at greater risk of developing eczema by their first birthday, according to an ongoing, prospective birth cohort study presented at the International Conference of the American Thoracic...

Aricept (Betaseron).(New & Approved)
January 1, 2007... Aricept (donepezil, Eisai Inc.) A cholinesterase inhibitor approved for severe dementia in people with Mzheimer's disease (AD). Approved in 1996 for mild to moderate AD, this is the second drug approved for treating advanced stages of AD....

Fever, rash, and joint pain may indicate rat bite fever.(Clinical Rounds)(symptoms for rat bite fever)
January 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- If a child presents to your office with fever, chills, muscle pain, joint swelling/pain, and a skin rash and has a pet rat, consider rat bite fever, Dr. Jay M. Lieberman advised at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of...

Von Eschenbach confirmed for FDA.(Policy & Practice)(appointments at Food and Drug Administration)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Almost 9 months after he was first nominated to be Food and Drug Administration commissioner, Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach was finally confirmed by the Senate by an 80-11 vote in the wee hours of the 109th Congress. Confirmation came after an 89-6...

FDA warns on topical anesthetics.(Policy & Practice)(compounded drugs side effects)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... FDA is warning that topical anesthetics being compounded by five manufacturers may contain high-potency lidocaine, tetracaine, benzocaine, and prilocaine. Patients may experience seizure, irregular heartbeat, and even death when exposed to the...

Public NPI directory possible.(Policy & Practice)(National Provider Identifiers)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is considering publishing a directory of physicians who have National Provider Identifiers. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) mandated that all providers who...

Poll: no off-label use.(Policy & Practice)(consumer opinion on off label prescribing by physicians)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... About half of Americans said physicians should not be allowed to prescribe pharmaceuticals for unapproved uses, according to a recent WSJ.com / Harris Interactive poll. About half of those polled--approximately 3,000 adults in November--were...

Medicare advantage costs more.(Policy & Practice)
January 1, 2007... If the incoming Democrat Congress is looking for funding to expand the Medicare drug benefit, Medicare Advantage may be a ripe target, according to an analysis from the Commonwealth Fund. Researchers at the Commonwealth Fund estimate that in...

Universal HIV screening may overload system.(Practice Trends)
January 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- New recommendations to test routinely for HIV in all patients aged 13-64 years will overburden the U.S. health care system with newly diagnosed patients unless additional funding is provided, experts said at a press briefing by...

Consumerized health care delivery is next wave.(Practice Trends)
January 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- The advent of health savings accounts and consumer-directed health plans has inspired entrepreneurs and academicians to design innovative delivery systems that cater to patient demand, experts said at a conference on technology...

Few try consumer-driven plans.(Practice Trends)(consumer driven health plan survey report)(Survey)
January 1, 2007... American consumers and their employers are treading cautiously when it comes to switching from traditional, more comprehensive health insurance to consumer-driven health plans, with few actually adopting the new plans, according to survey...

Facial photo capture technology could prevent medical errors.(Practice Trends)
January 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Electronic bar codes and radiofrequency microchips are all the rage in medical error prevention, but one research team thinks avoiding mistakes may be as easy as snapping a photo. Researchers with the MedStar Health network...

Interoperability standards may silence EHR babel.(Practice Trends)
January 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Eliminating "the stupid clipboard" may be the simplest, most straightforward benefit that would come from electronic interoperability standards designed to allow physicians' offices to communicate with hospitals, labs, insurers,...

FDA scrutinizes emergency informed consent rule.(Practice Trends)
January 1, 2007... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing a decade-old regulation that allows clinical studies of emergency treatments to be conducted without obtaining informed consent in people with certain life-threatening conditions....

Dealing with deadbeats.(Managing Your Dermatology Practice)(Column)
January 1, 2007... Unfortunately, every practice has its share of deadbeats, whom I define not as patients who fall on hard times and are unable to pay, but those who are able to pay and do not. The worst kinds of deadbeats are the ones who not only don't...

Experts call for FDA reform, changes in clinical trial design.(Practical Trends)
January 1, 2007... Boston -- Any proposals to reform the Food and Drug Administration should meet the test that the changes would have prevented the arthritis drug Vioxx from getting to the market, Dr. David J. Graham said at the annual meeting of the American...

Sideline docs among teams' key 'players'.(The Rest of Your Life)(sports medicine)
January 1, 2007... Football in the storied Big Ten Conference means big-time pressure, high expectations from alumni and fans, and intense media exposure. So when the college football season hits, Dr. Greg Rowdon, head team physician for the Purdue University...

Medicare Part D 'doughnut hole' may not be worth filling.(Practice Trends)
January 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Rhetoric aside, it's not clear whether lifting restrictions on the government's ability to negotiate pharmaceutical prices for the Part D benefit will have any real impact, experts said at a forum on the future of Medicare...

Jury is still out on viability of health courts.(Practice Trends)(medical malpractice case to be handled by administrative law judges )
January 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- The concept of using administrative law judges instead of civil jury trials to settle malpractice suits has gained some admirers in the U.S. Congress and generated interest among state legislatures. But it is uncertain whether...

Addition to NIA 24 skin care line.(Products)
January 1, 2007... The ingredients in NIA 24 Gentle Cleansing Cream include evening primrose and olive oil, sodium hyaluronate, and ProNiacin (provides continuous delivery of niacin deep in the skin). The cream can be rinsed or tissued off, is intended for daily...

Cream for athlete's foot.(Products)
January 1, 2007... Ertaczo, a 2% sertaconazole nitrate cream, is available for the treatment of tinea pedis (athlete's foot). The cream's lipophilic structure is designed to enhance skin penetration, and it also has anti-inflammatory properties. For more...