Internal Medicine News articles from August 2007

Internal Medicine News archives from August 2007

Team tackles cases of elder abuse.(News)
August 1, 2007... In 2004, Dr. Solomon Liao made a house call he won't forget anytime soon. As one of three physicians who volunteer at the Santa Ana, Calif.-based Elder Abuse Forensic Center, he was asked to perform a medical evaluation of an elderly woman...

Percentage of billed charges deemed patients' responsibility.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Percentage of Billed Charges Deemed Patients' Responsibility Medicare B 2.1% CHAMPUS/Tricare 4.5% UnitedHealth Group 7.6% Humana 7.7% Aetna 7.8% Cigna 8.5%...

Practice incentives yield quality gains, CMS demo shows: all practices met at least 7 of 10 targets.(News)
August 1, 2007... Preliminary results of a demonstration project that allows physician groups to share in savings they earn for the Medicare program has also resulted in quality gains, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The...

Anaphylaxis reports spur new Xolair requirements.(News)
August 1, 2007... Patients treated with Xolair for asthma must now receive injections under direct medical supervision in a health care setting so they can be monitored for signs of anaphylaxis. The Food and Drug Administration last month announced this and...

Covering the uninsured.(News)
August 1, 2007... The Alliance for Health Reform is offering a 24-page overview of how Americans get health coverage. The report on "Health Care Coverage in America" includes topics such as who is uninsured and proposals for covering the uninsured. To...

Training helps prevent abuse in nursing homes.(News)
August 1, 2007... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Preventing elder abuse in the nursing home involves an ongoing strategy of staff training and communication with residents and families, Ray Koenig, J.D., said at the annual symposium of the American Medical Directors...

FDA warns of febrile reactions after propofol.(News)
August 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration has issued an alert about patients who developed chills, fever, and body aches shortly after receiving propofol, and is advising health care professionals to evaluate such patients for bacterial sepsis. ...

Lipid-lowering drugs may cut neuropathy risk.(News)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- Lipid-lowering therapy was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of developing peripheral sensory neuropathy in a large Australian observational study of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Peripheral neuropathy,...

Letairis, Exelon patch.(NEW & APPROVED)
August 1, 2007... Letairis (ambrisentan, Gilead Sciences Inc.) An endothelin receptor antagonist for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This is the sixth drug, and the second drug in this class, approved for PAH. * Recommended Dosage:...

Get better cardiac risk estimates.(Editorial)
August 1, 2007... A noninvasive screening tool, such as coronary artery calcium score, may be quite helpful for deciding whether to start lifelong therapy with aspirin and a lipid-lowering drug in people who are otherwise "on the fence" for this treatment. ...

Pain relievers.(Opinoin)(Cartoon)
August 1, 2007... "I'm afraid your body has been stricken with a highly resistant form of insurance."

Reality trumps academic principles.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... The recent article about chlamydia screening exemplifies the difference between academic practice and clinical practice ("Chlamydia Screening Shortfall Has Dire Results," July 1, 2007, p. 34). In my private practice, the primary reason...

Blame insurance company greed.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... Chlamydia screening is not being done, largely because most insurance won't pay for it ("Chlamydia Screening Shortfall Has Dire Results," July 1, 2007, p. 34). In my Medicaid patient population, screening is almost 100%. But private...

Should prehypertension be treated with antihypertensive drugs?(POINT/COUNTERPOINT)
August 1, 2007... We can't wait for dietary changes. Pharmacologic treatment of prehypertension may prevent or postpone the development of hypertension. We know from prior research that hypertension starts very early in life. In the Tecumseh Blood...

Swelling undermines repair of RA erosions.(Rheumatology)(rheumatoid arthritis )
August 1, 2007... BARCELONA -- The presence of swelling in a joint with erosions induced by rheumatoid arthritis seems to interfere with treatment response, according to results from a 1-year follow-up of patients in the Trial of Etanercept and Methotrexate with...

Anti-TNF therapy shown to cut mortality in RA.(Rheumatology)(tumor necrosis factor, rheumatoid arthritis)
August 1, 2007... BARCELONA -- Treatment with tumor necrosis factor-blocking drugs has been shown for the first time to improve mortality in rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Lennart Jacobsson said at the annual European Congress of Rheumatology. It is well...

Consider new approaches for treating gout.(Rheumatology)
August 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- Physicians treating gout and other crystal deposition diseases should consider both new medications and new uses for already available drugs, Dr. Lloyd Klickstein said at a meeting sponsored by the American College of Rheumatology....

Nausea at end of life: think mechanistically.(Geriatrics)
August 1, 2007... DALLAS -- Haloperidol is, perhaps surprisingly to many, the drug of choice for nausea and vomiting caused by stimulation of the chemoreceptor trigger zone--the No. 1 mechanism for nausea in patients nearing the end of life, Dr. Steven Pantilat...

Opioids unmatched for dyspnea in patients near end of life.(Geriatrics)
August 1, 2007... DALLAS -- Of all the symptoms that occur in patients approaching the end of life, dyspnea is the one they find most distressing. "It's very frightening. People feel like they're dying in that moment," according to Dr. Steven Pantilat,...

Think octreotide for malignant bowel obstruction: octreotide is the go-to drug in patients with malignant bowel obstruction in palliative care.(Geriatrics)
August 1, 2007... DALLAS -- Octreotide is an extremely helpful yet underappreciated drug for the management of malignant bowel obstruction in the palliative care setting, Dr. Steven Pantilat said at the annual meeting of the Society of Hospital Medicine. "I...

Simple measures for dying patients can limit secretions, death rattle.(Geriatrics)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... DALLAS -- The key point in preventing the death rattle that's so distressing to the family of a dying patient is to avoid the natural inclination to perform suctioning, Dr. Steven Pantilat said at the annual meeting of the Society of Hospital...

Malnutrition common in hospitalized elderly.(Geriatrics)
August 1, 2007... DALLAS -- Nutritional deterioration in elderly hospitalized patients is very common, often unrecognized, and linked to negative consequences in terms of key hospital outcome measures. "Malnutrition in elderly patients is associated with...

Structured approach helps in delirium prevention.(Psychiatry)
August 1, 2007... DALLAS -- Prevention of delirium in hospitalized seniors is a largely untapped opportunity to achieve major improvements in health care--and the blueprint for success already exists in the form of standardized evidence-based approaches such as...

Algorithm serves as simple tool for bedside diagnosis of delirium.(Psychiatry)(Confusion Assessment Method )
August 1, 2007... DALLAS -- The Confusion Assessment Method diagnostic algorithm for delirium is a highly useful bedside diagnostic tool when a formal psychiatric evaluation is difficult to come by, Dr. Robert M. Palmer said at the annual meeting of the Society...

Students say that they use stimulants only for studying.(Psychiatry)
August 1, 2007... MIAMI -- College is "ground zero" for nonmedical use of prescription stimulants. But most college students who use stimulants do so only on occasion to enhance studying or boost concentration. More frequent users are at increased risk for...

Prevalence of cigarette smoking.(DATA WATCH)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking Note: Based on 2005 data for adults 18 and older who have smoked 100 cigarettes and are current smokers. Source: American Cancer Society ELSEVIER GLOBAL MEDICAL NEWS

New medications for addictions carry lower risk of relapse.(Psychiatry)
August 1, 2007... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Antiaddiction medications are becoming safer, more effective, and less prone to cause relapse, Dr. Michael E. Scott told clinicians at a psychopharmacology conference sponsored by the University of Arizona. Not all...

Address co-occurring disorders early in teens.(Adolescent Health)
August 1, 2007... MIAMI -- Co-occurrence of mental health and substance use disorders is a substantial problem among American adolescents, Jorielle R. Brown, Ph.D., said at the annual conference of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Many teenagers...

Text messaging reaches youth at risk for STDs.(Adolescent Health)(sexually transmitted diseases)
August 1, 2007... DENVER -- An experimental program in which inner-city adolescents were encouraged to send a text message for information on STD screening and pregnancy seems to have been successful at reaching at-risk youth, according to Loren Dobkin, who...

Girls more likely to mismanage type 1 diabetes.(Adolescent Health)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... DENVER -- Adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes are more likely to report mismanaging their insulin doses and to worry more about their diabetes, compared with their male counterparts, Dr. Aneesh J. Tosh and colleagues at Indiana University,...

Watch for maturity-onset diabetes of the young.(Adolescent Health)
August 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- Approximately 5% of antibody-negative/C-peptide-positive children and adolescents diagnosed with diabetes in the United States may have maturity-onset diabetes of the young rather than type 2 diabetes, Dr. Lisa Gilliam reported at...

Adult drooling improved with botulinum toxin.(Neurology)
August 1, 2007... PHOENIX -- Drooling by adults and children with neurologic disorders is an underrecognized problem that can be treated with botulinum toxin types A or B, Dr. Phillip C. Song said at a clinical dermatology conference sponsored by Medicis. ...

Meta-analysis suggests link between PFO and migraine with aura.(Neurology)(patent foramen ovale)
August 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- There appears to be an association between patent foramen ovale and migraine with aura, according to a meta-analysis of published literature presented at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society. Dr. Todd J. Schwedt...

Tizanidine contraindicated for use with Luvox, Cipro.(Neurology)
August 1, 2007... The antispasticity drug tizanidine should not be used with fluvoxamine, ciprofloxacin, or other CYP1A2 inhibitors because of potentially dangerous interactions, according to a letter issued by the drug's manufacturer. Concomitant use of...

ACE inhibitors may protect against mental decline.(Neurology)(angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors)
August 1, 2007... SEATTLE -- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors that cross the blood-brain barrier slow mental decline by about 50% relative to the decline seen in patients on other antihypertensives, according to an observational study of 1,074...

Blood glucose monitoring system.(PRODUCTS)(FreeStyle Lite )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The FreeStyle Lite blood glucose monitoring system features automatic calibration to eliminate the manual coding step usually required by most blood glucose meters before starting a new vial of test strips. The easy-to-use FreeStyle Lite meter...

Combination diabetes pill.(PRODUCTS)(Janumet)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Janumet, a fixed-dose tablet combination of sitagliptin and metformin--which were previously approved as antihyper-glycemic agents, and which have complementary mechanisms of action--has been approved as an adjunct to diet and exercise to...

Outsourced billing management.(PRODUCTS)(Catalisse)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Catalisse Inc. offers an outsourced medical billing service that includes charge entry and payment posting, electronic billing and paper claims, secondary submissions, patient bills generation, follow-up with payers including appeals, accounts...

Infection protection kit.(PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The CareMates infection protection kit is a three-in-one package offering seven NIOSH-approved foldable N95 masks, 10 powder-free CareMates medical exam gloves, and seven sanitizing wipes. The kit provides general consumers as well as...

Tasmar patient acknowledgment form.(PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... A new patient acknowledgment form in the label of Parkinson's disease drug Tasmar (tolcapone) replaces the patient consent form and is meant to facilitate more constructive discussions between the physician and patient. The patient...

Torisel for renal cancer.(PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The FDA has approved Torisel (tem-sirolimus) for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. The mTOR inhibitor is manufactured by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit the FDA online at www.accessdata.fda.gov and enter Torisel...

Alendronate/vitamin D in one tablet.(PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Fosamax Plus D (alendronate sodium/vitamin [D.sub.3]) tablets are approved for the treatment of osteoporosis in women after menopause and to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis. The tablet combines 70 mg of alendronate (equivalent to...

Formoterol Inhalation Solution.(PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration has approved Perforomist (formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Solution for long-term, twice-daily maintenance treatment of bronchoconstriction in emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It is the first FDA-approved...

New indication for Fragmin.(PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The low-molecular-weight heparin Fragmin (dalteparin sodium injection) has been approved for the treatment of recurrent blood clots in patients with cancer, according to Eisai Inc. and Pfizer Inc. Fragmin was previously approved for other...

Vyvanse receives schedule II.(PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The Drug Enforcement Administration has classified Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) as a schedule II controlled substance. The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in February 2007 for the treatment of...

AF ablation consensus will enable better care.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(atrial fibrillation)
August 1, 2007... DENVER -- Announcement of the first-ever formal international consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation couldn't have come at a better time to help restore luster to the field's tarnished credibility, leading...

Diabetes tied to risk of atrial fib recurrence after ablation.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(atrial fibrillation)
August 1, 2007... DENVER -- Radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation durably eliminates the arrhythmia in most treated patients but may be just a temporary fix in those with diabetes or another underlying arrhythmogenic substrate unaffected by the...

FDA panel backs cryoablation for atrial flutter.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Food and Drug Administration)
August 1, 2007... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- The majority of a federal advisory panel recommended that a cryoablation system be approved for treating atrial flutter in adults, under certain conditions that include a postmarketing study of treatment recipients...

Methadone at therapeutic levels linked to SCD.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(sudden cardiac death)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... DENVER -- Methadone in therapeutic doses appears to be associated with increased risk of sudden cardiac death, Dr. Carmen Socoteanu reported at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society. This observation from a prospective case-control...

Hep B vaccination: will standing orders work?(Infectious Diseases)(hepatitis B)
August 1, 2007... KANSAS CITY, MO. -- Physicians support using risk-based standing orders for adult hepatitis B vaccinations, but see clear barriers to their implementation, results of a national survey show. Prior studies show that age- and riskbased...

Safety of herpes zoster vaccine affirmed at 1 year.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2007... ATLANTA -- The safety profile for herpes zoster vaccine Zostavax, manufactured by Merck & Co., was reinforced during its first year of widespread use, based on adverse event reports collected from clinicians, patients, and others. ...

ACIP stresses value of influenza vaccine for medical personnel.(Infectious Diseases)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices)
August 1, 2007... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's updated recommendations for the 2007-2008 flu season emphasize vaccinating health care personnel and catching up previously unvaccinated children aged 6 months to 8 years with two doses of...

Flu vaccines have comparable immunogenicity and safety.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2007... BALTIMORE -- GlaxoSmithKline's influenza vaccine, Fluarix, is noninferior to Sanofi Pasteur's Fluzone in adults aged 18-95 years, Dr. James D. Campbell reported at a conference on vaccine research sponsored by the National Foundation for...

Obesity not a factor in colorectal screening.(Gastroenterology)
August 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- People who are overweight or obese appear to take advantage of colorectal cancer screening opportunities at the same rate as normal-weight Americans. Several studies have indicated that people with a higher body mass index...

NBI colonoscopy had no advantage over white light.(Gastroenterology)(narrow-band imaging colonoscopy)
August 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Narrow-band imaging colonoscopy appears to offer no advantage over white-light colonoscopy in detecting colorectal neoplasia, according to clinical trial data presented at the annual Digestive Disease Week. Modern colonoscopy...

Chronic hepatitis B.(THE EFFECTIVE PHYSICIAN)(Disease/Disorder overview)
August 1, 2007... Background There are an estimated 1.25 million chronic hepatitis B carriers in the United States. Up to 40% of these will develop significant sequelae during their lifetimes. The American Association for the Study of Liver Disease recently...

One-third of gastric bypass patients visit ED.(Gastroenterology)(emergency department)
August 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- Nearly one-third of patients who underwent laparoscopic Rouxen-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity were admitted to the emergency department, results from a 3-year, single-center study showed. Abdominal pain and vomiting were...

Gastric banding reoperation often needed.(Gastroenterology)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- Thirteen percent of patients who underwent laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding required a major reoperation, results from a long-term, single-center study showed. "We see complications, even many years after surgery," Dr....

Nursing home fees to increase.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has proposed increasing the work relative value units--and therefore the physician fees--for services provided in the nursing home setting. If the increase is included when CMS publishes its final...

ACP criticizes SCHIP funding.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
August 1, 2007... Funding levels are too low in a Senate bill to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program, the American College of Physicians told the Senate Finance Committee in July. In addition, the bill to reauthorize SCHIP does not address...

CMS releases Medicaid rule.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... CMS has unveiled a new method of setting limits on what the federal government will reimburse state Medicaid agencies for prescription drug payments. As part of the new regulation, states will be required to collect information from physicians...

Joint Commission announces goals.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(patient safety)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The Joint Commission (formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) will require health care institutions to take actions to reduce the risks of patient harm associated with the use of anticoagulant therapy as part...

Americans buy drugs overseas.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... More than 5 million Americans adults have recently purchased prescription drugs from another country, such as Canada or Mexico, according to a survey by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. The vast majority of consumer...

HHS expands vaccine capacity.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
August 1, 2007... The Department of Health and Human Services has awarded two contracts to expand the domestic influenza vaccine manufacturing capacity that could be used in the event of a influenza pandemic. The 5-year contracts were awarded to Sanofi Pasteur...

Lawmaker's bill would 'Wyden' health coverage.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- With the introduction of the Healthy Americans Act last January, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D) became the first major political player to launch a proposal for significant health care reform since the early days of the Clinton...

'Genetic medicine' for internists.(GENETICS IN YOUR PRACTICE)
August 1, 2007... This issue of INTERNAL MEDICINE NEWS marks the introduction of a new column, Genetics in Your Practice, developed to highlight the relevance of genetics to internists. Three physicians boarded in both internal medicine and clinical genetics...

CMS proposes changes to Medicare Advantage.(Practice Trends)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
August 1, 2007... Officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are proposing changes to the Medicare Part D prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans in an effort to strengthen oversight of the programs. The proposal includes...

Physicians unaware of shifts in opioid regulations.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2007... NEW ORLEANS -- Get educated about state and federal regulations and policies on the prescription of controlled substances, advised David Joranson, director of the Pain and Policy Studies Group at the University of Wisconsin Paul P. Carbone...

Fact sheet explains drug assistance.(Practice Trends)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The National Council on Patient Information and Education offers a fact sheet to advise consumers who lack health insurance or prescription drug coverage about prescription assistance programs and prescription savings/discount programs that can...

At least they're not on drugs ... right?(INDICATIONS)(video game addiction)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Haunted by youth misspent in all-night Pong benders, the American Medical Association during its recent annual meeting called for more long-term studies of the addictive potential of video games. But the AMA said that including Nintendo Wii...

Cheers to public health.(INDICATIONS)(waitpersons' health)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Just one work shift in a smoky Oregon bar led to increased levels of a biomarker for a carcinogen in the urine of bar wait staff, researchers from the Multnomah County Health Department and Oregon Public Health Division have reported. Waitrons...

Next time, buy 'em a happy meal.(INDICATIONS)(salmonella outbreak caused by Veggie Booty snack)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... A massive outbreak of salmonella that was associated with the popular "Veggie Booty" snack food--which consists of puffed rice and corn with a vegetable coating--prompted the Food and Drug Administration last month to issue a nationwide warning...

Tastes like (fossilized) chicken.(INDICATIONS)(the Paleolithic diet)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Now that yummy, bacteria-laden "Veggie Booty" is no longer available, soccer-mom food fascists may want to put Junior on the Paleolithic diet, which is modeled after the food consumption of Stone Age (seriously) humans. Staffan I. Lindberg and...

Bioterrorism DVD.(FYI)(Cross Training Respiratory Extenders for Medical Emergencies (Project XTREME))(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released a DVD titled "Cross Training Respiratory Extenders for Medical Emergencies (Project XTREME)" that is designed to train nonspecialist health care professionals to provide basic...

Consumer health web page.(FYI)(Consumer Health Information for You and Your Family )(Website overview)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has launched a Web page, Consumer Health Information for You and Your Family (www.fda.gov/consumer), and a related e-newsletter, FDA Consumer Health Information (www.fda.gov/consumer/consumerenews.html)....

Try a spin on the mouse wheel?(FYI)(overweight and stressed mice)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... "Chronically stressed" mice that were exposed to an aggressive "alpha mouse" and fed a high-fat diet gained twice as much weight as unstressed mice that were on the same fatty diet, according to a study published online July 1 in Nature...

Medical home can help uninsured.(News)
August 15, 2007... At the Spanish Catholic Center health clinics in the Washington area, patients can access one-stop shopping for their chronic medical care. The clinics have on-site laboratories and pharmacies so patients can come in for an exam, have...

Drug use by Medicare enrollees in 2006.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief article)
August 15, 2007... Drug Use by Medicare Enrollees in 2006 Antihypertensives 31.7% Lipid-lowering agents 10.8% Diabetes drugs 6.8% Ulcer and heartburn drugs 4.6% Thyroid...

Diagnostic errors by internists often go unrecognized: internists are 'overconfident,' expert says.(News)
August 15, 2007... SAN DIGEGO -- If you think internists commonly reflect on their diagnostic errors, think again. "Many are completely unaware of any diagnostic error they've made throughout their whole career," Dr. Mark Graber said at the annual meeting of...

FDA panel favors keeping c on market.(News)(Food and Drug Administration)
August 15, 2007... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- The oral diabetes agent rosiglita-zone should remain on the market, albeit with some warnings about an increased cardiac ischemia risk, said a majority of the members of a joint meeting of the Food and Drug Administration's...

Panel okays drug to lower breast ca risk.(News)
August 15, 2007... A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has recommended that raloxifene be approved to reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women who have osteoporosis or who are at high risk of breast cancer. The Oncologic...

False-positive findings rife in some types of cancer screening.(News)
August 15, 2007... CHICAGO -- Screening for colorectal, lung, ovarian, and prostate cancer resulted in false-positive findings in almost half of 68,415 adults who underwent cancer screening in a major clinical trial. If unnecessary diagnostic procedures are...

Smoking Prevention bill benefits tobacco companies.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
August 15, 2007... The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (S. 625/H.R. 1108) amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the regulation of tobacco products by the Secretary of Health and Human Services through the Food and Drug...

Do physician bloggers compromise patient privacy?(POINT/COUNTERPOINT)
August 15, 2007... Sophisticated bloggers can conceal patient identity. I write a doctor's blog (www.talesfromthewomb.blogspot.com), and I post in the open. I write fictionalized medical events, discuss studies relevant to neonatal outcomes, and, on occasion,...