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Supreme Court Decision Will Bring the Benefits of Personalized Medicine to More People

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LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Supreme Courts decision today to invalidate patents on human genes changes the landscape of Personalized Medicine, making it possible for more patients to benefit from genetic testing while substantially lowering the cost of that testing.

PGXLs mission is to advance Personalized Medicine for the improvement of peoples lives, says Dr. Roland Valdes, Jr., President of PGXL Laboratories. This opens the door for PGXL Laboratories and others to provide a greater diversity of tests in the very near future.

The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that were the subject of this case indicate a predisposition to breast and ovarian cancer. It was a BRCA1 test that convinced Angelina Jolie to undergo pre-emptive mastectomy.

The tests have been expensive, costing as much as $3,000. Putting BRCA1 and BRCA2 in the public domain will lower that cost by increasing availability and competition. In addition, unencumbered access to the genes will enable laboratories to innovate new and more cost-effective ways to analyze and interpret the gene.

The case is Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, 12-398

ABOUT PGXL

PGXL Laboratories is a pioneer in the application of genetic testing to personalized medicine. It was the first lab CLIA-certified specifically to perform pharmacogenetic tests, and the first to bring to market a combined CYP2C9/VKORC1 panel to diagnose susceptibility to warfarin adverse drug reactions. Along with its clinical practice, PGXL performs contract research for manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.

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Supreme Court Decision Will Bring the Benefits of Personalized Medicine to More People

10,000th Graduate Receives Medical Doctor Degree at Ross University School of Medicine Commencement Ceremony

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MIRAMAR, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

History was made at the Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) commencement ceremony on June 14 when the Schools 10,000thgraduate was awarded a medical degree. The graduation was held at the Bank United Center in Coral Gables, Fla.

One alumnus, keynote speaker Dr. Oleg Gusakov (05), shared his experience treating victims after the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15. Following his first instinct, the off-duty anesthesiologist rushed to Boston Medical Center, where he works, to join the healthcare team helping victims. It looked like a war zone, he said. But it felt good to be part of a team saving lives. This was the moment when all the hard work and long hours you have spent getting there really made sense.

Dr. Gusakov, 35, a native of Latvia, graduated from RUSM with high honors. He is an instructor of anaesthesiology at the Boston University School of Medicine and the clinical director of the Menino Pavilion, department of anesthesiology, at Boston Medical Center.

In the Class of 2013 approximately 1,100 students were eligible to graduate, and about 600 participated in the event, representing 44 U.S. states, seven Canadian provinces, and dozens of countries of origin.

Dr. Joseph A. Flaherty, dean and chancellor of RUSM, told the graduates, You are a class of achievers, of resilience, of true grit; you are the doctors who will go the extra mile and will sit down and talk to your patients and their families. You are the wave of the future of medicine -- as medicine becomes increasingly more scientific and technical, it will require a more personal and humane group of practitioners. That is the wealth of diversity and experience that you bring.

RUSM students begin their journey to become physicians on the schools campus in Dominica, located in the West Indies. Students complete a rigorous program of study in the basic sciences. The campus features a cutting-edge anatomy and medical imaging laboratory, as well as a simulation center where students begin to develop clinical skills. Students then complete their medical education by taking core and elective clinical rotations in teaching hospitals primarily in the United States.

For the 2012-13 academic year, more than 740 RUSM graduates obtained residency appointments in the U.S. and Canada, a record number for the school. RUSM students also achieved a 96 percent first-time pass rate on Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, based on institutional reporting for the calendar year 2012.

In an effort to continually enhance the experience of its doctors-in-training, RUSM is moving forward with the implementation of a multi-million dollar campus master plan. This includes a 47,500-square-foot student center on the Dominica campus, which will house a library, study space and other rooms for teaching and learning. It will be the most prominent building on campus. RUSM will also construct a new preparatory school and day care facility in the coming year.

About Ross University School of Medicine

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10,000th Graduate Receives Medical Doctor Degree at Ross University School of Medicine Commencement Ceremony

Benefits of health and wellness with alternative medicine-Dr. Holly Fourchalk (604) 764-5203 – Video

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Benefits of health and wellness with alternative medicine-Dr. Holly Fourchalk (604) 764-5203
Benefits of health and wellness with alternative medicine-Dr. Holly Fourchalk (604) 764-5203 http://www.ChoicesUnlimited.ca http://www.choicesunlimited.ca/st...

By: Dr. Holly Fourchalk

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Benefits of health and wellness with alternative medicine-Dr. Holly Fourchalk (604) 764-5203 - Video

Natural Healing with Alternative Medicine for Health and Wellness-Dr. Holly Fourchalk (604) 764-5203 – Video

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Natural Healing with Alternative Medicine for Health and Wellness-Dr. Holly Fourchalk (604) 764-5203
Natural Healing with Alternative Medicine for Health and Wellness-Dr. Holly Fourchalk (604) 764-5203 http://www.ChoicesUnlimited.ca http://www.choicesunlimit...

By: Dr. Holly Fourchalk

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Natural Healing with Alternative Medicine for Health and Wellness-Dr. Holly Fourchalk (604) 764-5203 - Video

University of Medicine and Dentistry students honored with Medal of Excellence

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Eight University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey graduates from 2012 to 2013 have been honored with the Stanley S. Bergen, Jr., MD, Medal of Excellence. One of these graduates is Dr. Karim Yussef Helmy, a resident of Branchburg and an alumnus of Somerville High School.

More than four decades ago, Dr. Stanley Bergen became the founding President of UMDNJ, and his many contributions touched the lives of thousands of students, patients, faculty and staff. Dr. Bergens personal philosophythat dedication to compassionate care helps shape academic excellencebecame UMDNJs defining value. In his honor, the Board of Trustees annually recognizes one individual from each school whose activities inside and out of the classroom embrace Dr. Bergens vision to improve the health and quality of life of all of New Jerseys citizens.

Dr. Helmy, a 2013 graduate of New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) in Newark, was honored with the Bergen Medal of Excellence for his dedication to serving the medical school and the surrounding community. I am very honored and grateful to be the recipient of the Bergen Medal of Excellence, says Dr. Helmy. I have a deep appreciation for all of the support I have received from my family, friends, colleagues and teachers who have afforded me such exciting opportunities. It has been a privilege to work with and learn from such committed and talented people.

During his time at NJMS, Dr. Helmy has strived for academic excellence and achievement in his field. He participated in a summer fellowship program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and successfully applied for a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Training Fellowship. Following that research year, he was awarded additional Howard Hughes funding to continue research at Sloan-Kettering. He was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha, the National Honor Medical Society, in his junior year.

Dr. Helmy is also known for placing an emphasis on service to the community.

Throughout his time in medical school, Dr. Helmy became active in a number of service organizations at the school and in the community: He mentored elementary-age children through the Early Start Mentoring Program; organized the Student Doctor Day program for local youth interested in the health sciences; educated residents at a Newark halfway house about personal health maintenance; and served as an elected member of student council, a group leader for the peer advising program, a student interviewer for the admissions office, and a member of the preclinical curriculum committee, which evaluates the courses from the first two years of medical school. In recognition of his compassion, sensitivity and respect for others, he was elected to the NJMS Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society.

This month, Dr. Helmy will begin his residency in Internal Medicine at Columbia/New York Presbyterian Hospital. I enjoyed learning clinical medicine, and I discovered a passion for Internal Medicine. My intention is to continue onto fellowship in Oncology, he says. I hope to build a career as a physician and a scientist both treating patients with cancer and helping to develop the next generation of therapies.

This years Stanley S. Bergen, Jr., MD, Medal of Excellence honorees are:

Karim Yussef Helmy, New Jersey Medical School Jessian Munoz, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Ivan G. Georgiev, New Jersey Dental School Catherine Madurski, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Chukwuemeka S. Nwigwe, School of Health Related Professions Laurie A. Huryk, School of Nursing Brittany Alexis Perry, School of Osteopathic Medicine Jermey Orlando Taylor, School of Public Health

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University of Medicine and Dentistry students honored with Medal of Excellence

Medicine is the flavour of the season

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At least 12 of the top 20 rankers in the State, who had applied for engineering admissions, have now decided to pursue medicine. The others, barring a few, are keen on mechanical engineering.

This is a dramatic shift from last year, when most top-scorers opted for computer science engineering or the popular ECE, aiming for jobs in the IT sector. This year, students say these courses have lost their sheen. With the economic slowdown affecting job prospects, many students have reconsidered their earlier decisions.

S. Abhinesh from Dindigul, who has centums in all four subjects, including biology said he spent a long time considering his options before choosing to pursue medicine at Madras Medical College. He was very confused. At one point, he wanted to go for aeronautics and then computer science, because his older brother did that. But with the IT sector not doing very well, he thought over it and decided medicine was a safer choice, said his father P. Sekar, a banker.

For Deepak Prakash Narayan of Madurai, also with a 200/200 cut-off, deciding to pursue medicine was not easy. The competition is tougher in medicine. While he is ranked sixth in the engineering rank list, he is ranked 159th in medicine. He has centums in physics, mathematics and chemistry, but not in biology, but he still wants to do medicine, said his uncle Vikram Narayanan.

T. Sudhahar from Tiruchi who scored 199.75, said medicine was always his first choice but he chose to fill up engineering forms too, because they were sold much before the results were declared.

I took computer science and biology to make sure I was eligible for both streams, said another topper Monika, who also said she wanted to pursue medicine. Only if she doesnt get into a good medical college will we consider engineering, her father said.

Secretary of Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions, V. Rhymend Uthariaraj, said every year at least 40 of the 100 toppers choose medicine. We can never say which stream is more sought after as trends change every year, he said.

This year, only 11 students have scored 200/ 200 while last year, there were 32 such students. The cut-off, officials said, could go down by 0.25 marks this year.

According to education consultant, Jayaprakash Gandhi, mechanical engineering, civil and electrical engineering will emerge as top favourites this year.

A parent, Giridharan, said he had convinced his son Sriram, who has a 200/200 score to choose mechanical engineering over ECE, even though Sriram was interested in the latter. Students dont really have any idea about the various branches. They want to do what their friends tell them to. If he pursues mechanical engineering, he can be employed in core companies which are doing well, Mr.Giridharan said.

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Medicine is the flavour of the season


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