Skin & Allergy News articles from September 2003

Skin & Allergy News archives from September 2003

Women seek derm surgery mentors: joint task force created.
September 1, 2003... When Dr. Sarah Weitzul trained as a dermatologic surgeon, there were no female role models by her side as she painstakingly mastered flaps and grafts. Dr. Brooke Jackson "always had a hankering for the bloody stuff," but was encouraged by...

IOM on smallpox: don't vaccinate general public: launch pilot program instead: vaccination could drain resources from other important public health activities.(Institute of Medicine)
September 1, 2003... The potential risks outweigh the benefits of vaccinating the general public against smallpox, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine. Any vaccination of that group should be done cautiously and in clinical trial settings, the...

Case of the month.
September 1, 2003... A 4-month-old girl presented with a worsening erythematous scaly eruption that had been present for 2 months, anemia, and elevated liver function tests. She had been breastfeeding with slow weight gain. What's your diagnosis? SEATTLE --...

Safer lasers will improve acne Tx of darker skin: new technology: two new treatments may show promise.(News)
September 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Technological advances are making laser treatment for acne safer for non-Caucasian skin, Dr. Min-Wei Christine Lee said at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy 2003 meeting. Although 80% of both Caucasians and people of...

Tool spots candidates for systemic psoriasis Tx: brief questionnaire.(News)
September 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Two dermatologists have devised a simple tool to help physicians identify candidates for systemic treatment of psoriasis--and perhaps help justify the therapy to third-party payers. The instrument is a single piece of paper with...

Fewer U.S. adults say health industries do a good job of serving consumers.(Vital Signs)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Note: Based on a survey of 1, 026 adults in May 2002. Similar surveys were conducted for the other years. Source: Harris Interactive

Granulomatous infection reports were higher for infliximab than etanercept: etanercept shortage may affect results.(News)
September 1, 2003... LISBON -- The number of granulomatous infection reports associated with tumor necrosis factor-blocking agents continues to be higher with infliximab than with etanercept, according to an analysis of data from the Food and Drug Administration's...

Study: smallpox vaccine may provide lifelong immunity: degrades only slightly over time.(News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Contrary to popular belief, the smallpox vaccine appears to provide lifelong immunity, according to Erika Hammarlund of the Oregon Health & Science University Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute in Beaverton, and her associates. The...

Rising liability premiums tied to losses on claims: primary contributor.(News)
September 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Losses on malpractice claims may be driving up medical liability premiums. Multiple factors have contributed to the increases in medical malpractice premium rates, such as falling insurer investment income, a less competitive...

HIPAA compliance deadline: many aren't ready: standards eased slightly.(News)
September 1, 2003... Harry Reynolds is worried. Mr. Reynolds is responsible for making sure that his health plan, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, is ready on Oct. 16, the deadline for complying with the part of the Health Insurance Portability and...

West Nile prognosis linked to clinical symptoms: neurologic manifestations.(News)
September 1, 2003... The poliomyelitis-like syndrome that is sometimes associated with West Nile virus is linked with a poor long-term outcome and may be irreversible, researchers reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association in two articles that...

Vaccine, therapeutics on the fast track for West Nile virus: human trials possible soon.(News)
September 1, 2003... Human clinical trials of a West Nile virus vaccine could begin soon, according to Dr. James Meegan, virology program officer of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. On the therapeutic front, an immune globulin drawn...

Value of direct-to-consumer ads questioned: education vs. increased costs.(News)
September 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising is an educational service of great value to patients--or a venue for misleading statements designed solely to increase a drug's market share, depending on who you talk to. Both...

The undercover reviewer.(Under My Skin)
September 1, 2003... Psst! Hey, Colleague. You know the hassles that you go through when you want to prescribe terbinafine or tretinoin? At great personal risk, your intrepid columnist is embedded behind enemy lines posing as an insurance reviewer. My friend...

Shortchanging rural physicians.(Guest Editorial)(Editorial)
September 1, 2003... Geographic adjustments to physician reimbursement in the Medicare program unfairly undervalue the services of rural physicians. It is ludicrous to think that rural physicians do not work as hard or provide the same good quality of care as...

Talk back online.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Is the National Resident Matching Program fundamentally anticompetitive? (Aug. 2003, p. 51) YES 73% NO 27% Table made from pie-chart. To Talk Back visit www.eskinandallergynews.com

Should corticosteroids be given to all children with Kawasaki disease?(Pro & Con)
September 1, 2003... [YES] The goals of treatment for Kawasaki disease are symptom relief and the prevention of coronary artery aneurysms, which is the most significant long-term complication of the condition. Full doses of salicylates (aspirin) and intravenous...

Corrections.(Opinion)(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2003... In "Survey Shows New Derms Don't Desert 'Medical' Practice" (July 2003, p. 1), the statement that the researchers found a trend toward more medical dermatologists was incorrect. The investigators found a nonsignificant difference between...

Bridging the provider-payer gap.(Guest Editorial)
September 1, 2003... If providers and payers do not work together to improve the health care system, politicians will do it for us. Physicians, hospitals, health plans, and others should join forces and lobby together for medical liability reform. Tort reform...

I am outraged.(Guest Editorial)
September 1, 2003... I recently read a study and an editorial extolling the benefits of a new biological agent to treat chronic plaque psoriasis. The drug is alefacept. I am outraged that the pages of a peer-reviewed scientific journal were used for the...

Redefining efficacy in chronic plaque psoriasis.(Practical considerations in biodermatology #1)
September 1, 2003... Evaluating psoriasis assessment tools Since its introduction, the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) has become one of the accepted standards for measuring psoriasis severity and treatment response in clinical trials. (1) A patient's...

Gold Triangle Award winner.(Opinion)
September 1, 2003... Sherry Boschert, the San Francisco bureau chief for SKIN & ALLERGY NEWS, has received a Gold Triangle Award from the American Academy of Dermatology. The awards recognize and honor efforts to further understanding of dermatologic issues. ...

The promise of gene therapy.(Guest Editorial)(Editorial)
September 1, 2003... In recent years, research on gene therapy has yielded successes that offer much hope to patients suffering from a spectrum of diseases. I expect great advances in the coming years, but researchers still face obstacles. One sign of the field's...

Would reimporting drugs compromise public health?(Pro & Con)
September 1, 2003... [YES] The reimportation legislation recently passed by the House of Representatives will leave America's patients in grave danger. The bill would not include the same safeguards for reimported drugs that we currently have on prescription...

Should physicians conduct spiritual histories of their patients?(Pro & Con)
September 1, 2003... [YES] There is growing research that religion makes a difference in physical and psychological health, prevention, and recovery. It also gives patients a more optimistic view of death and illness, and is a powerful source of meaning and...

Derms armed with many wound-healing options: estrogen may be effective.(Dermatologic Surgery)
September 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Effective treatments are evolving for the full spectrum of wounds seen by dermatologists, regardless of chronicity or thickness, Dr. Robert S. Kirsner said at the annual meeting of the Florida Society of Dermatology and...

Use surgical glue sparingly in wide wounds in pediatric cases: costly therapy.(Dermatologic Surgery)
September 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- Surgical glues should be used sparingly in pediatric dermatology because they car; be more likely than sutures to result in hypertrophic scars, Dr. Bari Cunningham said at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology....

Try cephalexin, drainage first for skin, soft-tissue infections in kids: community acquired MRSA.(Dermatologic Surgery)
September 1, 2003... ASPEN, COLO. -- A [beta]-lactam antibiotic such as cephalexin combined with surgical drainage when appropriate usually is the first treatment to try for skin or soft-tissue infections in children, said Dr. Carol J. Baker at a conference on...

Liposomal lidocaine beats usual practice for topical anesthesia: compared with EMLA.(Dermatological Surgery)
September 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Liposomal lidocaine seemed to be faster and more convenient than other topical anesthetics for dermatologic procedures, Dr. Carin H. Gribetz said in a poster presentation at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy 2003 meeting....

Don't discount dermoscopy's usefulness in pediatric cases: congenital nevi.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- Epiluminescent microscopy may be useful in examining worrisome common nevi, evaluating possible hemangiomas, and perhaps most importantly, following congenital nevi in children, Dr. Zsolt Argenyi said at the annual meeting of the...

Combination UVB/topical treatment best for psoriasis: fewer treatments.(Dermatologic Surgery)
September 1, 2003... ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- Combining localized UVB treatment with calcipotriene ointment is a better treatment for psoriasis than either modality alone, Dr. Christine C. Dierickx said at the annual meeting of the Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery....

Fixed vitamin D analog/topical steroid combination now a reality: up for FDA review.(Dermatologic Therapy)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- A fixed topical combination of calcipotriol and betamethasone may soon be available in the United States for the treatment of psoriasis, reported Dr. Knud Kragballe at the Ninth International Psoriasis Symposium. The product is...

Five-year data show etanercept safe in RA patients: efficacy maintained.(Dermatologic Therapy)
September 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Etanercept maintained its safety and efficacy in treating rheumatoid arthritis in as many as 2,054 patients for up to 5 years in open-label extension studies, Dr. Mark Lebwohl reported. Of the total, 1,566 patients had been on...

Pravigard PAC.(New & Approved: Pravigard PAC, Lamictal)
September 1, 2003... (copackaged pravastatin sodium and buffered aspirin tablets, Bristol-Myers Squibb) The HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor plus aspirin, for people for whom treatment with both is appropriate, copackaged with a daily dose of each in a blister...

Lamictal.(New & Improved: Pravigard PAC, Lamictal)
September 1, 2003... (lamotrigine, GlaxoSmithKline) An anticonvulsant for maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder to delay the time to occurrence of mood episodes (depression, mania, hypomania, mixed episodes) in patients treated for acute mood episodes...

Cosmeceutical critique: lavender.(Dermatologic Therapy)
September 1, 2003... Widely cultivated for its essential oil, lavender is a fragrant, hardy, perennial shrub belonging to the Lamiaceae, or mint, family. Seeds of the lavender shrub were transported from their native Mediterranean region to England and France...

Vector-borne diseases reaffirm need for insect repellent: DEET, permethrin, botanicals.(Dermatologic Therapy)
September 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- With cases of Lyme disease and West Nile virus on the rise, there is a renewed need to know how to prevent vector-borne diseases, Dr. Adelaide Hebert said in a talk on insect repellents at the annual meeting of the Society for...

Study rumples claims that bedcovers ease allergy: dust mite controversy.(Dermatologic Therapy)
September 1, 2003... Adult patients with asthma and allergic rhinitis who encased their mattresses, pillows, and quilts in covers impermeable to dust mite allergen had no greater improvement in symptoms at 1 year than did patients with standard, cotton/polyester...

Topical tacrolimus ideal for thin-plaque psoriasis: face, eyelids, groin.(Dermatologic Therapy)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Topical immunomodulators such as tacrolimus and pimecrolimus may not clear thick, scaly plaque psoriasis on the trunk and limbs, but for thin plaques on the face and intertriginous areas, they are excellent therapies, said Dr. Mark...

Lab must watch for the 'D-zone' when testing for inducible clindamycin resistance: with S. Aureus.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... ASPEN, COLO. -- Physicians should make sure their microbiology lab is testing for both inducible and constitutive resistance to clindamycin when they send samples for susceptibility testing, Dr. Carol J. Baker said at a conference on pediatric...

Acupuncture-guided Botox may relieve migraine: study of 10 women.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Acupuncture-guided botulinum toxin injections in the scalp, neck, and shoulders may help relieve migraine headaches in women, Dr. Bhertha Miyuki Tamura, a dermatologist in Sao Paulo, reported. She and a colleague gave each of 10 female...

Long-term acitretin appears safe for bones: small sample size.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... There is no evidence that using the systemic retinoid acitretin for a median of 3.6 years increases a patient's risk of osteoporosis, results from a small study suggest. However, although the investigators described the finding as...

Tetravalent HPV vaccine now in phase III trials: preventing cervical cancer.(Dermatologic Therapy)
September 1, 2003... OTTAWA -- A tetravalent human papillomavirus vaccine now in international phase III trials is expected to prevent up to 70% of invasive cervical cancers, Dr Laura A Koutsky said at a congress of the International Society for Sexually...

Hydroquinone combo effective for melasma: data from preliminary, open trials.(Dermatologic Therapy)
September 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Two versions of a cream that combines 4% hydroquinone with 10% buffered glycolic acid, vitamins C and E, and sunscreen appeared to be safe and effective in treating melasma or postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in small, open trials...

Becaplermin gel heals ulcerated hemangiomas: rapid progress.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- Becaplermin gel rapidly heals ulcerated perineal hemangiomas and does not appear to cause expansion of the hemangiomas, Dr. Brandie Metz reported at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology Dr. Metz presented...

Parotid hemangiomas don't always have poor prognoses: 30 children studied.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... OTTAWA -- Although parotid hemangiomas in children have the potential to cause complications, they often don't--either because they respond adequately to treatment or because they are not severe enough, Dr. Julie Powell said. During...

Pick safe drugs to treat skin problems in pregnancy: communicate with colleagues.(Dermatologic Therapy)
September 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- There are plenty of sources to tell physicians which drugs not to use during pregnancy, but not as much information to help them pick the best drug therapies, Dr. Barbara R. Reed said at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy...

Neoprene rubber can cause allergic contact dermatitis: thioureas are the culprit.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... OTTAWA -- The chemical accelerators used to manufacture neoprene rubber are potent sensitizers for allergic contact dermatitis and often accompany the material in commonly used products, Dr. Joel DeKoven said at the annual meeting of the...

Consider testing for allergic contact dermatitis when treating venous leg ulcer patients: 54 patients studied.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... OTTAWA -- Allergic contact dermatitis may be common among patients with venous leg ulcers, Dr. Simone Fahim reported at the annual meeting of the Canadian Dermatology Association. Twenty-eight of 54 patients (52%) with venous leg ulcers...

Permanent hair dye can cause anaphylaxis: itching, urticaria.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Encourage patients to pay attention to allergic reactions to hair products but not to worry that hair dyes will cause cancer, said Dr. Marianne N. O'Donoghue at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy 2003 meeting. She...

Lowdown on lichen sclerosus may be a surprise: treatment strategy has changed.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- Don't overlook three little-recognized facts about lichen sclerosus: The disease may occur before puberty as often as it does later in life, the treatment strategy has changed, and boys can get lichen sclerosus, Dr. Jonathan Trager...

Check for optic pathway gliomas in infants with neurofibromatosis: contrary to guidelines.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- Contrary to current guidelines, infants with neurofibromatosis should be screened for optic pathway gliomas, Dr. Richard Lewis said at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. At Texas Children's Hospital,...

Study: AD patients had more molluscum lesions: epidemiology.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- A survey of patients seen for molluscum contagiosum suggests that children with atopic dermatitis may be more susceptible to molluscum infection, Dr. Magdalene Dohil said at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric...

Don't forget to ask psoriasis patients about joints: psoriatic arthritis often undiagnosed.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK--When making a diagnosis of psoriasis, remember to ask the patient about his or her joints, urged Dr. Gerald Krueger at the Ninth International Psoriasis Symposium. Psoriatic arthritis is more common than many dermatologists...

Onychomycosis rates don't appear to be higher in psoriasis patients: study of 221 patients.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Patients with moderate to severe psoriasis don't appear to have a greater prevalence of onychomycosis than those with other skin diseases, reported Dr. Gitte Kiellberg Larsen and colleagues at the University of Copenhagen. The researchers'...

Skin syndromes may spring from one disease: Klippel-Trenaunay and Sturge-Weber.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... OTTAWA--A growing body of evidence suggests that Sturge-Weber and Klippel-Trenaunay syndromes may be different manifestations of the same disease, said Dr. Catherine C. McCuaig of Hospital Ste-Justine, Montreal. In the literature, 63 cases...

STAT Cardiac Clearance.(Digital Assistance)
September 1, 2003... Overview: STAT Cardiac Clearance is a Palm OS handheld computer application that helps health care providers assess perioperative cardiac risk for patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. Those responsible for preoperative assessment and...

Public spending too long in tanning beds: teens and children.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- The general public fails to adequately appreciate tanning beds' potential hazards, and users typically lie in the beds for much longer than current safety standards recommend, Dr Robin Hornung said at the annual meeting of the...

Both sun and ski holidays may raise vacationers' melanoma risk: summer fun--not.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- Some outdoor vacations could spawn skin cancer, Dr. Kristina Ahsberg Johannesson said in a poster presented at the International Melanoma Research Congress. The relationship between sun exposure and melanoma is complex:...

Elite athletes not alone in anabolic steroid abuse: offshore Internet supply.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- Abuse of anabolic steroids and other performance and physique-enhancing drugs is on the rise in the United States, driven by a prolific offshore Internet network supplying androgens in veterinary medicines; over-the-counter...

Most chronic vulvar irritation isn't candida: history is key.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- All that itches is not candida. In fact, most patients with vulvar itching and irritation do not have candida infections. Allergic, contact, or irritant dermatitis is more likely to blame, Dr. Linn Parsons said at the...

Poor use of acupuncture needles caused infections: at least 270 people exposed.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... OTTAWA -- Acupuncture is not risk free, as numerous dermatologists have discovered after an outbreak of infections stemming from the inadequate sterilization and use of needles by one acupuncturist. A dermatopathologist in Toronto...

MRSA, VRE infections are rare visitors in nation's rural hospitals: 'a case or two'.(Clinical Rounds)(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococcal infections)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... BETHESDA, MD. -- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections rarely occur outside of large urban medical centers, "but most small rural hospitals have seen a case or two," Dr. Kurt B. Stevenson said at the annual conference on...

HPV load predicts cervical ca risk: persistent infection.(Clinical Rounds)(human papillomavirus; cervical cancer)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Viral burden as a marker of persistent human papillomavirus infection may predict risk for subsequent cervical cancer precursors, reported Dr. Nicolas F. Schlecht of McGill University (Montreal) and his colleagues. In 417 HPV-positive...

HSV-2 underrecognized in HIV-positive patients: subclinical infection.(Clinical Rounds)(Herpes simplex virus type 2 infection)
September 1, 2003... OTTAWA -- Herpes simplex virus type 2 infection is prevalent--and largely unrecognized--among HIV-positive patients. Epidemiologists have recognized for two decades that the presence of genital ulcers heightens the risk for transmission of...

Most young adults at increased HIV risk don't realize it: no recent test.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Most young adult Americans who engage in HIV risk behaviors underestimate their infection risk and have not been tested for HIV recently, according to the findings from a new national study. The study was undertaken in...

More frequent coitus is associated with persistence of HPV infection: small study.(Clinical Rounds)(human papillomavirus infection )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- More frequent sexual intercourse and more partners could be factors that determine how long a particular human papillomavirus infection persists, Dr. Marcia Shew said at the annual meeting of the Society for Adolescent Medicine. ...

Syphilis is on the rise among HIV-positive men: multiple outbreaks.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... OTTAWA -- The great imitator is resurgent in cities throughout North America and Europe, and is defeating public health efforts to contain it. New York City is a case in point. The city recently experienced a fivefold increase in the...

Athletes may be carriers of ringworm: asymptomatic.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- Some high-school and college wrestlers are asymptomatic carriers of ringworm infection, Dr. Thomas D. Kohl said at the annual meeting of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. Wrestlers are more likely to become...

Drug update: Parkinson's disease.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2003... Drug Update: Parkinson's Disease Levodopa has been the mainstay treatment of Parkinson's disease for more than 30 years, but it no longer reigns supreme. The dopamine precursor has had to make room for the dopamine agonists, a class that...

Marketing is key to a cosmetic practice: tips and pearls.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2003... STEVENSON, WASH. -- Shaping a cosmetic practice takes more than buying a laser and hanging out a shingle, said Dr. Barry Lycka at the annual meeting of the Pacific Northwest Dermatological Society. "Cosmetic surgery is much, much more than...

How to diagnose embezzlement.(Managing Your Dermatology Practice)
September 1, 2003... Has your practice ever been embezzled? The vast majority of physicians would answer "no"--and many would be wrong. Chances are, you have less and less time to oversee the business side of your practice. Perhaps your net income is...

Canada's dermatologist ranks may shrink 20%: immediate action needed.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2003... OTTAWA -- Concerns about a relative shortage of U.S. dermatologists may pale in comparison to the situation north of the border. The number of dermatologists in Canada is likely to drop by 20% in 5 years unless many options are explored and...

Savvy strategies can control derm staff problems: avoid negative statements.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- When office staff feud or become unproductive under stress, step in and make positive requests to change the behavior of the most troublesome employees, Larry Harmon, Ph.D., advised at the annual meeting of the Florida...

Physicians charging for administrative services: generating office revenue.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2003... Copying medical paperwork just got more expensive--for the patient. Barraged by rising medical liability premiums and diminishing Medicare payments, a small but growing number of office-based physicians are charging patients for...

What to do with difficult dermatology patients: different personalities.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Knowledge of what to expect from various types of difficult patients will help you keep control over a visit and your emotions, Dr. Eva Ritvo said at the annual meeting of the Florida Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic...

Physicians try to reignite single-payer plan debate: nearly 8,000 physicians sign on.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The more things change, the more they stay the same. When a group of 430 physicians introduced a proposal for a single-payer national health insurance system at the American Medical Association House of Delegates meeting in...

Atopic dermatitis guidelines.(Policy & Practice)(American Academy of Dermatology guidelines)
September 1, 2003... New guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology outline the best evidence for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. The guidelines examine prevention measures during pregnancy and after birth, use of topical and systemic medication,...

Accutane lawsuit.(Policy & Practice)(Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. may soon be facing a lawsuit from patients who have experienced side effects from Accutane (isotretinoin). The law firm Parker & Waichman LLP announced this summer that they would soon file claims against the company. The...

Liability impact.(Policy & Practice)(physician avoidance of prescribing appropriate medication )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... More than 40% of physicians in a recent survey say they have avoided prescribing an appropriate medication because they knew that the drug might be involved in a product liability lawsuit. In a telephone survey sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of...

HIPAA flexibility.(Policy & Practice)(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... More than 40 medical groups want to prevent disruption in Medicare payments and services when the electronic transactions and code sets requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) go into effect in...

New safety goals.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Health care organizations will have to reduce the risk of nosocomial infection if they want to be accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). The task is part of JCAHO's 2004 National Patient Safety...

Drug disparity.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Elderly African-American Medicare beneficiaries are more than twice as likely as whites to report that they can't get afford prescription drugs, the Center for Studying Health System Change reports in a national study. Almost 1 in 6 black...

NIH restructuring.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The National Institutes of Health should earmark funds from each of its institutes and centers for cross-cutting research, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, both part of the National Academies....