The Greenville Police Department and federal Drug Enforcement Administration will hold an Operation Medicine Drop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Town Common.

The event aims to prevent prescription drug abuse by collecting unwanted, unused or expired medicines for law enforcement to properly destroy.

The effort also protects waterways by discouraging residents from flushing medicines down toilets or sinks, which could affect wildlife in local waters. Throwing medicines away in the trash also poses safety and health hazards.

The disposal service is free, anonymous and open to the public.

The Pitt County Coalition on Substance Abuse also will hold its third annual Walk for Recovery 1-mile walk and run from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

The organization also will be collecting unwanted medicines.

In April alone, medicine drops nationwide collected 276 tons of prescription drugs from more than 5,600 sites. In the four previous events, more than 775 tons of pills were collected.

Greenville police report rates of prescription drug abuse are high, as well as the accidental poisonings and overdoses. The majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, police said.

For more information about Operation Medicine Drop, contact Matt Lambeth at 752-0483. For information regarding the walk, contact the Pitt County Coalition on Substance Abuse at 321-1481 or pcconsa@gmail.com.

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Medicine drop, Recovery walk set for Saturday

HEALTHDAY NEWS -

Complementary medicine techniques known as healing touch and guided imagery can help reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in military personnel who have been in combat, a new study says.

The study included 123 active-duty U.S. Marines who had at least one of the following post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms: flashbacks of their traumatic experience, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, emotional numbness, insomnia, irritability, exaggerated startle response, avoidance of people or places that remind them of the traumatic experience, or exaggerated emotional responses to trauma.

The participants were assigned to receive either standard treatment for PTSD or standard treatment plus healing touch and guided imagery. There were six complementary therapy sessions over three weeks.

Healing touch is described as an energy-based treatment meant to restore and balance the human biofield in order to decrease pain and promote healing. It is sometimes used in surgery or other medical procedures to help patients relax and reduce pain and anxiety. Guided imagery uses imagination and visualization to help reduce stress and anxiety and enhance overall well-being.

The study found that patients who received standard treatment plus these complementary therapies had greater improvement in quality of life and lower levels of depression and cynicism than those who received standard treatment alone.

The study, published in the September issue of the journal Military Medicine, was led by the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in San Diego. It also involved the Samueli Institute in Alexandria, Va.

"Service members are seeking out non-drug complementary and integrative medicine as part of their overall care and approach to wellness," Dr. Wayne Jonas, president and chief executive officer of Samueli Institute, said in a Scripps news release.

"This treatment pairs deep relaxation with a self-care approach that can be used at home" he said. "The results of this study underscore the need to make effective, non-stigmatizing treatments for PTSD available to all our service members."

Although the study found an association between these complementary techniques and reduced PTSD symptoms, it did not prove that a cause-and-effect relationship exists.

Continued here:

Complementary medicine may help soldiers with PTSD

DALLAS, TX--(Marketwire - Sep 27, 2012) - Phytel, the leader in automated, provider-led population health improvement, announced today that it has been chosen to make a presentation at the Stanford School of Medicine's Medicine X conference, which will address "the intersection of medicine and emerging technologies."

Phytel's chief technology officer, Patrick Flynn, and its vice president of product management, Russell Olsen, will give their presentation, entitled "Improving Care Coordination and Patient Outcomes with Next Generation eHealth and Population Health Management Tools," on Saturday, September 29, at 4:20 p.m. They will speak at the Paul Berg Auditorium at Stanford University in Stanford, Calif.

Flynn and Olsen will explain how healthcare organizations can apply automation and analytic tools to population health management to improve the health of their patients. A highlight of their talk will be a demonstration of next-generation, web-based applications used by care teams in major healthcare organizations to coordinate and manage care and engage patients more fully in their own healthcare.

Among the tools to be demonstrated in the presentation are:

Success in population health management requires physicians and care teams to strengthen relationships with patients, optimize the services they provide before and during office visits, and extend their reach to remain in contact with patients outside of the office. Along with the use of eHealth, social and mobile technologies, automation tools can help practices achieve these patient intervention goals, while reducing the administrative, clinical and outreach effort that population health management requires of physicians and care teams.

"Phytel's selection as a presenter at this prestigious conference shows the high regard in which our company is held in the medical field," commented Patrick Flynn, CTO of Phytel. "The excellent outcomes of our customers attest to the high quality of our applications and toolsets for population health management. We look forward to telling this story to the attendees at Stanford's Medicine X conference."

About Phytel The premier company empowering physician-led population health improvement, Phytel provides physicians with proven technology to deliver timely, coordinated care to their patients. Phytel's state-of-the-art registry, which now encompasses more than 25 million patients nationwide, uses evidence-based chronic and preventive care protocols to identify and notify patients due for service, while tracking compliance and measuring quality and financial results. For more information, please visit http://www.phytel.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook.

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Phytel to Present at Stanford's Medicine X Conference

Latest Mental Health News

THURSDAY, Sept. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Complementary medicine techniques known as healing touch and guided imagery can help reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in military personnel who have been in combat, a new study says.

The study included 123 active-duty U.S. Marines who had at least one of the following post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms: flashbacks of their traumatic experience, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, emotional numbness, insomnia, irritability, exaggerated startle response, avoidance of people or places that remind them of the traumatic experience, or exaggerated emotional responses to trauma.

The participants were assigned to receive either standard treatment for PTSD or standard treatment plus healing touch and guided imagery. There were six complementary therapy sessions over three weeks.

Healing touch is described as an energy-based treatment meant to restore and balance the human biofield in order to decrease pain and promote healing. It is sometimes used in surgery or other medical procedures to help patients relax and reduce pain and anxiety. Guided imagery uses imagination and visualization to help reduce stress and anxiety and enhance overall well-being.

The study found that patients who received standard treatment plus these complementary therapies had greater improvement in quality of life and lower levels of depression and cynicism than those who received standard treatment alone.

The study, published in the September issue of the journal Military Medicine, was led by the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in San Diego. It also involved the Samueli Institute in Alexandria, Va.

"Service members are seeking out non-drug complementary and integrative medicine as part of their overall care and approach to wellness," Dr. Wayne Jonas, president and chief executive officer of Samueli Institute, said in a Scripps news release.

"This treatment pairs deep relaxation with a self-care approach that can be used at home" he said. "The results of this study underscore the need to make effective, non-stigmatizing treatments for PTSD available to all our service members."

Although the study found an association between these complementary techniques and reduced PTSD symptoms, it did not prove that a cause-and-effect relationship exists.

View original post here:

Complementary Medicine May Help Soldiers With PTSD: Study

PHILADELPHIA Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (www.med.upenn.edu) have been awarded a $3.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a new translational interdisciplinary research center to explore the role of sex and gender in behavioral health.

The new Center for the Study of Sex and Gender in Behavioral Health will be led by C. Neill Epperson, MD, associate professor of Psychiatry and founder and director of the Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness, as principal investigator, along with Tracy L. Bale, PhD, Center co-director and associate professor of Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine and director, Neuroscience Center at the University of Pennsylvania School Of Veterinary Medicine.

It is well established that sex and gender are critical determinants of mental health and mental illness. But what isnt clear is how hormonal developmental milestones such as puberty and early life traumatic events interact to impact neuropsychiatric health in women across the lifespan, said Dr. Epperson. Using behavioral and molecular models of stress and reproductive neuroendocrinology, psychophysiology, and neuroimaging, the new Center for the Study of Sex and Gender in Behavioral Health will investigate the unique mechanisms at play in womens behavioral health.

Studies have found that gender differences occur particularly in the rates of common mental disorders - depression, anxiety and somatic complaints. These disorders, in which women predominate, affect approximately 1 in 3 people in the community and constitute a serious public health problem.

This new Center provides a powerful mechanism by which we can translate results from an animal model examining early life stress directly to human studies, bench to bedside and back again, said Dr. Bale. Our frequent interactions as a research team mean that we can discuss our results as they are obtained, immediately implementing important new directions and outcomes.

The new Centers research projects will focus on how the experience of early childhood adversity in womens lives reprograms the brain toward stress dysregulation, and how this intersects with periods of dynamic hormonal flux across the life span, including pregnancy and aging. While the Centers present studies will focus primarily in the translational neuroscience of the sex bias for affective disturbances in females, Drs. Epperson and Bale will promote the inclusion of sex and gender as factors in research across all Schools, Centers and Institutes at the University of Pennsylvania.

The Perelman School of Medicine is currently ranked #2 in U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $479.3 million awarded in the 2011 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -- recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; and Pennsylvania Hospital the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Penn Medicine also includes additional patient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2011, Penn Medicine provided $854 million to benefit our community.

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Penn Medicine Receives $7.7 Million Grant from Department of Defense to Help Determine Most Effective Strategies for ...

LONDON, September 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

- PA Consulting Group and 4D Biomedical launch annual translational medicine foresighting report

Translational medicine, integrating clinical data and insight into the biomedical development process at an earlier stage, is finally delivering on its promise of facilitating the creation and development of effective medicines that lead to better outcomes for patients, according to a new report launched by PA Consulting Group and 4D Biomedical (4D). The report is based on the views of experts from government, clinical academic and private sector organisations who attended PA and 4D's annual translational medicine foresighting event.

The benefits of translational medicine have so far been constrained due to limited access to clinical data, the technology to interrogate this data and outdated business models. According to PA's report, these challenges are now being addressed.

Access to clinical data

According to the PA and 4D report, the creation of the new Clinical Practice Research Datalink and a commitment to 'making all patient data available' for approved research, combined with a change in mind-set to a NHS focused on innovation, has cleared the path for technology companies at all levels to unlock the value of health data in the UK.

Realising the value of the NHS is crucial to the success of translational medicine. Attendee of the PA and 4D event, Peter Knight from the NHS Department of Health, explains: "Research which had been undertaken showed that less than 1 per cent of patients would opt out of having their data used where identifiers flow to a safe haven to support life sciences research. Most people are philanthropic: they know their data could help future generations and particularly their own families."

Enhanced technology

Technological developments to enable the combination of data from multiple sources are critical for successful translational medicine. According to PA's report, organisations are making real progress on local, regional and national levels.

At a local level, clinical academic organisations such as King's College London are integrating data from multiple hospitals, allowing clinicians to make better decisions about treatments and patient management.

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From Bench to Bedside - How Translational Medicine is Generating Insights From Patient Data to Improve Healthcare

The system features a 32" touch screen display that gives consumers the product information they need to make informed health decisions. AVT's system also provides real-time reports on product interest and sampling.

They system is flexible and can be developed with customized graphics, and programed to deliver product information, samples, or both.

The AVT Automated Medicine Information and Dispensing System is manufactured with the highest quality galvanized steel and is tamper-proof. It is designed to hold up to 300 items and also features the latest technology and security devices, including a web camera, drop sensors, intelligent control to manage product expiration, continuous auto-testing of all operations, and photosensor position controls.

"Giving pharmaceutical companies and physicians the ability to deliver product information and samples through a self-service system will improve consumer awareness and knowledge about important medicines," stated Shannon Illingworth, Founder and Chairman of AVT. "With the AVT system, product information is readily available on an LED screen, and samples can be dispensed when authorized - helping empower consumers and enabling them to work with their doctor in developing a customized health plan."

For more information on AVT, please contact the Investor Relations Department at 877.424.3663 or visit AVT's website at http://www.autoretail.com.

About AVT:

AVT, Inc. is a low price, high quality leader offering technology solutions at 50% less than the best-known competitor. The company employs patented, state-of-the-art computer technology and highly advanced, patented software programs in their automated retailing systems, which can dispense a wide variety of items - from health products and cosmetics, to swimsuits, sunglasses and smart phones.

AVT, Inc. is a leading developer of automated and self-service retailing systems. AVT is able to work with any size company to design a custom automated retailing solution that drives traffic, increases sales, improves security, and lowers overhead. With an in-house design team, software developers, mechanical engineers and on-site manufacturing, AVT can take projects from concept to completion with speed, economy and ingenuity.

AVT's stock is traded through the OTC Bulletin Board Markets, Ticker Symbol: AVTC.OB.

For more information on AVT, custom vending, or the Automated Retailing Industry, visit http://www.autoretail.com.

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Medicine Information/Dispensing System has wall-mount design.

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Mallinckrodt, the pharmaceuticals business of Covidien (COV), today joined The Partnership at Drugfree.org in launching The Medicine Abuse Project, a multi-year effort to raise awareness and curb the abuse of prescription medicine by teens and young adults. Beginning this week, the campaign aims to prevent half a million teens from abusing such medications over the next five years.

The abuse of prescription medications is a serious problem and requires strong partnerships and innovative approaches to combat it, said Mark Trudeau, President, Mallinckrodt. As an advocate for awareness and education, we are proud to have been one of the first partners to team up with The Partnership at Drugfree.org to help bring attention to this vital issue.

Medicine abuse affects one in six teens in the United States, according to The Partnership at Drugfree.org. The Medicine Abuse Project calls on parents, healthcare providers and others to take the pledge to learn about medicine abuse, safeguard medicines and educate teens about the issue.

The majority of teens who abuse medicines get them from family and friends, said Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org. We need to change that. With the support of partners like Mallinckrodt, physicians, parents and teens themselves will be more aware of the dangers of medicine abuse.

In sponsoring the Medicine Abuse Project, Mallinckrodt continues to build on its dedication to ensuring patient safety. In 2010, Mallinckrodt launched the C.A.R.E.S. (Collaborating and Acting Responsibly to Ensure Safety) AllianceSM. This coalition of patient, provider and community organizations provides tools and resources to support the responsible prescribing, and safe and appropriate use, of prescription pain medications.

ABOUT COVIDIEN

Covidien is a leading global healthcare products company that creates innovative medical solutions for better patient outcomes and delivers value through clinical leadership and excellence. Covidien manufactures, distributes and services a diverse range of industry-leading product lines in three segments: Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies. With 2011 revenue of $11.6 billion, Covidien has 43,000 employees worldwide in more than 65 countries, and its products are sold in over 140 countries. Please visit http://www.covidien.com to learn more about our business.

Mallinckrodt, the pharmaceuticals business of Covidien, is a vertically integrated leader in providing products used in diagnostic procedures and in the treatment of pain and related conditions. The company is the largest US supplier, by prescription, of opioid pain medications and a leading manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients. It is also the largest US supplier of the medical isotope technetium-99m and an industry leader in radiopharmaceuticals and contrast media and delivery systems. Sales in 2011 were $2.0 billion. Please visit http://www.mallinckrodt.com to learn more about our business.

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Mallinckrodt Joins The Partnership at Drugfree.org to Launch The Medicine Abuse Project

State and local officials announced the installation of a secure medicine drop-off receptacle in the Paramus Police Department on Sept. 20, fulfilling a promise this April to put similar units in every county.

KAREN SUDOL/THE RECORD

New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa is joined by Paramus Police Chief Christopher Brock (right) as he speaks about 'Project Medicine Drop.'

Part of a statewide initiative called "Project Medicine Drop," the mailbox-like container is housed inside the entrance to the department. The public is invited to drop off any expired or unwanted medicines 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa said.

From there, deposited medicine is collected and safely stored by the department, then transported to a facility in Morristown where it is destroyed, Chiesa said. The incineration of the medicine, along with various recyclable materials, is used to generate electricity.

Covanta Energy has disposed of 250 pounds of medication free of charge and will continue doing so, according to Chiesa. The heat from combusting the medicine and recyclables is used to power a turbine, generating electricity that is sold by the organization. Incineration takes place in a controlled chamber designed to prevent air pollution from escaping.

"This disposes of thousands of pounds, and saves us thousands of dollars a year in costs that we would otherwise have to incur to dispose of the medicine ourselves," Chiesa said.

Paramus received one of 20 new units installed last week, bringing the statewide total to 27, with at least one container in each of New Jersey's 21 counties, according to Chiesa. The original seven units have gathered more than 2,000 pounds of unused medication since the project's inception in November 2011.

"This week we are quadrupling the size of Project Medicine Drop by installing 20 new boxes," Chiesa said.

More than 70 percent of people who abuse prescription medicine obtain it from friends and relatives, according to Chiesa. By dropping off unwanted and expired medication at a police station, residents can prevent it from reaching the wrong hands. Prescription drug abuse has been rising in recent years, especially among youth, he said.

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Medicine drop-off box installed at Paramus Police Department

HATFIELD, England, September 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Globalsoliddose manufacturing forEisai'snew epilepsy medicine Fycompa (perampanel) to start at 100 millionUKbased,purpose built,EMEA research and commercial regional headquarters

Eisai has announced that their UK production facility has received its licence for solid dose manufacturing for their new first in class partial epilepsy treatment, Fycompa (perampanel). Discovered and developed in the UK and Japan, Fycompa was launched first globally in the UK on 12 September 2012. Manufacturing will take place at the company's European, Middle-East, Africa (EMEA) and Russia headquarters, situated in Hatfield, UK, representing a significant boost to both the local economy and the wider UK life-sciences environment.

The investment is linked to a comprehensive neurosciences research and development (R&D) programme focusing on illnesses affecting the brain such as dementia and epilepsy. In addition to bolstering the company's product discovery, packaging and supply infrastructure, the increased investment will support a host of partnership initiatives between the NHS, UK academic institutions and commercial partners. Eisai recently presented phase I data for Alzheimer's Disease modifying treatment, the UK/Japan discovered BACE inhibitor E2609, confirming proof of mechanism for preventing amyloid beta by inhibiting BACE. This is added to the continuing development of novel monoclonal antibody BAN2401, also a disease modifying treatment for Alzheimer's Disease targeting amyloid beta protofibrils. Today's announcement further cements the UK's role as a major centre of this Japanese pharmaceutical company's commercial growth strategy and its continuing commitment to dementia and neuroscience research. Eisai has one of the largest private dementia research units in the UK. Around 200 out of 500 employees are currently employed in R&D related positions across multiple therapeutic areas at Eisai's Hatfield site.

Gary Hendler, President and CEO, Eisai EMEA &Russiaexplained: "This exciting announcement reaffirms Eisai's commitment to and recognition of the unique Life Sciences environment present in the UK today. Manufacturing Fycompa in Hatfield bucks a general trend of decline for pharmaceutical manufacturing in this country." He continued, "It has now become unusual for a company to discover, develop, manufacture and launch a new medicine in the UK. If we want to reverse this trend there is an increasing need for the NHS to embrace these new therapies, encouraging better patient outcomes, and faster uptake of new medicines. Commercial and competitive price freedom around a new product's launch is vital to tackle traditionally low and slow patient access to innovative medicines."

The announcement marks the initiation of the commercial manufacture of Eisai's new medicine in the UK for the treatment of partial epilepsy, Fycompa (perampanel), at the company's EMEA Knowledge Centre (EKC) in Hatfield UK. It represents an exciting milestone for both the product and the company, marking the first time Eisai has manufactured the global supply of a medicine outside of its home country. David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, formally opened the production facility for this medicine on Monday morningas part of an official visit to the Eisai site.

Discussing the milestone announcement, Rt Hon.David Willetts commented: "In the Strategy for UK Life Sciences the Government set out ambitious plans for the UK to be the best place in the world for companies to invest in innovation. This move by Eisai is an excellent example of the continued success of the UK's life sciences industry and will support hundreds of highly skilled jobs. New investments of this nature greatly improve discovery, development and uptake of innovative new medicines in the UK, bringing benefits for patients and driving long-term, sustainable growth."

Sales of Fycompa are expected to top 500 million US dollars by 2015, rising to $1bn in the years beyond that. As a result of Eisai's increased investment and the subsequent production of medicines at company's purpose built Hatfield plant, the company has already announced and is recruiting for additional quality control and production engineering colleagues to support their up-scaled activities.

With four marketed anti-epileptic drugs, Eisai currently market more epilepsy products in Europe than any other company and are aiming to be the number one epilepsy company by sales by 2015.

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Japanese Pharmaceutical Company Announces Transfer of Global Manufacturing for New Epilepsy Medicine to the UK

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Competitive Handbook towards Personalized Medicine in Prostate Cancer

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0980851/Competitive-Handbook-towards-Personalized-Medicine-in-Prostate-Cancer.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Drug_and_Medication

Personalized medicine is very much about fitting target profiles of drugs towards disease mechanism(s). This report is a new and unique way of stratifying and analyzing the global prostate cancer pipeline towards personalized medicine and presents actionable analysis which allows you to discover:

* Where the competition is; Which targets, compound types and companies are setting the path?

* How much R&D effort has gone towards different targets and what is known about the target?

* Which pathways are targeted, by what and how?

* What is truly new and unique in the prostate cancer pipeline?

* How new and unique your target strategy really is

* What overlapping competition you have from other companies and compound types towards your therapeutic targets

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Competitive Handbook towards Personalized Medicine in Prostate Cancer

PETALING JAYA, (Bernama) - The Malaysian Society for Complementary Medicine (MSCM) has voiced concern over the proposed Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) Act, saying its enforcement would force practitioners without paper qualifications out of the practice.

MSCM president Dr Lee Chee Pheng said there was no ''grandfather clause'' in the bill allowing TCM practitioners without certificates to continue with their practice.

A grandfather clause is a situation in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations, while a new rule will apply to all future situations.

"The Health ministry should not ignore them as this group of people has learned the traditional method of treatment from their forefathers and they do not carry any paper qualifications.

"There are many practitioners in the traditional massage industry who are blind and are over 60. How could they be possibly undergo formal anatomy and physiology classes in order to get certified?" he told Bernama in an exclusive interview.

Lee said that if the government felt that it was ready to enforce the law, then the act should be implemented gradually over time so as to ensure that the transition of the qualified and ''non-qualified practitioners was equalled out, or it would impose a problem for the practitioners.

MSCM treasurer Julian Leicester said Health ministry officials should include the grandfather clause in the bill to protect the originality of TCM and the practitioners of their livelihood and career and that the laws governing the industry should not be ''threatening''.

He said there were many senior aged practitioners who had learnt the traditional method of treatment from their forefathers, and the Health Ministry should not ''kill them'' totally.

"The grandfather clause in the TCM Act is important to give the opportunity to the senior practitioners without qualification to upgrade themselves as this group of people will not be able to go to school to get certificates.

The TCM Bill 2012, which was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on June 27, among others, requires all practitioners to be registered with the proposed TCM council.

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Society voices concern over proposed traditional medicine act

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry has agreed to include Islamic medicine practices in the Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) Bill 2012 after this was agreed upon by the Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and all the states' Islamic religious departments.

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General : Parliament: Islamic Medicine Included In Traditional And Complimentary Medicine Bill 2012

PETALING JAYA: Traditional medicine practitioners without paper qualification will be put out of business once the proposed Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) Act is passed and enforced.

To safeguard the livelihood of these practitioners, the Malaysian Society for Complementary Medicine (MSCM) wants a clause that allows existing practioners without paper qualification to continue practising and the requirement for paper qualification be applied to newcomers.

MSCM president Dr Lee Chee Pheng said Monday there was no 'grandfather clause' in the bill allowing TCM practitioners without certificates to continue with their practice.

A grandfather clause allows an old rule to continue to apply in certain existing situations while the new rule is set apply in all future situations.

"The Health Ministry should not ignore this group of people who have learned the traditional method of treatment from their forefathers. However, they do not carry any paper qualifications.

"There are many practitioners in the traditional massage industry who are blind and are over 60. How can they possibly undergo formal anatomy and physiology classes in order to get certified?" he asked in an exclusive interview with Bernama.

Lee said that if the government felt that it was ready to enforce the law, then the act should be implemented gradually over time so as to ensure that the transition of the 'qualified' and 'non-qualified' practitioners was balanced out.

Otherwise, it would impose a problem for the practitioners who are skilled but have no paper qualification, he said.

The TCM Bill 2012, which was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on June 27, among others, requires all practitioners to be registered with the proposed TCM council.

Under the act, TCM practitioners must be provisionally registered and must undergo a residency of not less than one year with any hospital or institution identified by the council.

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Proposed Traditional Medicine Act will drive some practitioners out of business

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has agreed to include Islamic medicine practices in the Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) Bill 2012 after this was agreed upon by the Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and all the states' Islamic religious departments.

Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the amendment notice to include Islamic medicine in the Bill would be issued during the debate session in the Dewan Rakyat.

"Prior to this, we did not include Islamic medicine in the Bill as we did not have Jakim's approval, but now Jakim and all the states' religious departments have agreed.

"After this, Islamic medicine practitioners and bomohs will have to be registered through a council to be established," he told Bernama at at the Parliament lobby.

Earlier, Liow had tabled the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Bill for the second reading in the Dewan Rakyat.

Barisan Nasional and opposition lawmakers have asked the ministry to consider including Islamic medicine in the Bill as modern medicine and Islamic medicine were equally important, besides the increasing popularity of Islamic or traditional medicine among patients.

Federation of Islamic Medicine Practitioners' Associations (GAPPIMA) chairman Mohd Fauzi Mustaffa had also expressed concern over the future of Islamic medicine and increasing cases of using black magic (by bomohs) to treat patients.

Under the TCM Bill, Liow said his ministry, with the cooperation of Jakim, would be monitoring the registration process for Islamic and Malay, Chinese and Indian TCM practitioners through a council that would be set up.

He said such practitioners who failed to register themselves could face a jail term of up to two years and a fine of RM30,000 to RM50,000.

When tabling the Bill, the Health Minister said nearly 15,000 TCM practitioners would not escape stern action if found to have cheated patients or have contravened the law.

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Islamic medicine included in Traditional and Complementary Medicine Bill 2012

AfterOurs Urgent Care and Highlands Family Medicine have joined forces to provide patients throughout the Denver, Colorado area with access to acute healthcare during evenings, weekends and holidays.Denver, CO (PRWEB) September 20, 2012 AfterOurs Urgent Care and Highlands Family Medicine have joined forces to provide patients throughout the Denver, Colorado area with an improved level of access ...

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AfterOurs Urgent Care, Highlands Family Medicine Join Forces to Tackle Emergency Room Overcrowding

His Holiness Paramahamsa today announced the name of an ayurvedic product as one of his luckiest discoveries to boost brain power - an ayurvedic medicine called Kadukka Podi (Haritaki) or inknut powder, with the botanical name Terminalia Chebula.Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 22, 2012 Paramahamsa Nithyananda today urged thousands of followers worldwide to start using Haritaki or 'Kadukka Podi ...

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Medicine To Boost Brain Power - Lucky Discovery - by His Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda

A Des Moines pain-relief doctor has promised to refrain from practicing medicine while a criminal case against him works its way through the courts, his lawyer said.

Dr. Daniel Baldi

Dr. Daniel Baldi made the agreement recently with the Iowa Board of Medicine, which licenses physicians, said his lawyer, Guy Cook. The board filed administrative charges against Baldi in August, accusing him of carelessly prescribing large amounts of narcotics to patients. The board had set an Oct. 11 hearing on those charges, but the agencys staff has agreed to delay that hearing indefinitely, Cook said.

The state boards administrative charges could cost Baldi his medical license, but the doctor has bigger worries. On Sept. 5, prosecutors charged him with eight criminal counts of involuntary manslaughter for allegedly overprescribing narcotics to patients who wound up dying of overdoses. If convicted, the doctor could face prison.

Baldi, 50, denies the allegations, but Cook said he promised to refrain from practicing medicine so that the medical board would agree to hold off on its proceedings against him until the criminal process is complete.

The stipulation with the board specifically provides the agreement is not an admission of any charges or wrongdoing by Dr. Baldi, Cook said in an email last night.

Baldi helped run an Iowa Health System pain clinic, which the company closed without explanation in June. Iowa Health officials said at the time that they had suspended Baldi from the clinic before it closed. About 1,800 patients had to scramble to find new health-care providers. Some of them have hailed Baldi as a caring physician who provided relief from unrelenting pain. Others have said that he should be punished if officials prove that his recklessness caused deaths.

The case comes amid a national wave of concern over abuse of narcotic painkillers, which can lead to addiction and death. The Iowa licensing board has sanctioned several doctors in recent years for allegedly overprescribing such drugs. However, the criminal charges against Baldi are a rarity. Cook has said that no other Iowa doctor has ever faced manslaughter charges in such a case. The doctor remains free on $16,000 bond after being jailed for a few hours on the day the charges were filed.

Tags: "Iowa Board of Medicine, Dr. Daniel Baldi, Guy Cook, health, Iowa Health System

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Daniel Baldi agrees to not practice medicine with manslaugher charges pending

HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwire - Sep 20, 2012) - Dr. Scott Rand, board certified primary care sports medicine (PCSM) physician at Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, and his specialized Sports Health team launch an advanced Human Performance Lab on the Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Campus.

The new lab is the first of its kind in northwest Houston and brings the technology and expertise once only available at the Texas Medical Center to endurance athletes and Bariatric patients throughout the community.

Located in the new 25,000 square foot, state-of-the-art Methodist Center for Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine facility, the Human Performance Lab provides three primary tests-- Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) and Body Composition Analysis, VO2 Max with Body Composition, and VO2 Max with Estimated Lactate Threshold.

Now accepting appointments, the Human Performance Lab is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with evening appointments available on Wednesdays and weekend appointments on Saturday mornings.

"We're really excited to make these resources more accessible to athletes in the community and those individuals who are ready to take their health to the next level," said Dr. Rand.

"We not only show them how their body is responding but also develop a plan to achieve optimal performance -- whether the goal is the next triathlon, a better game or an optimal workout. We now have both the technology and the expertise to chart that path," added Rand.

According to senior exercise physiologist Mark Morrison, the testing available in the new lab will not only provide athletes with valuable tools for training but also aide Bariatric patients in meeting pre surgery requirements and sustaining post surgery weight loss.

"We treat everyone individually -- with a tailored training prescription designed to maximize their body's ability to utilize oxygen and compete at a higher intensity for longer without fatigue," said Morrison.

Morrison, who recently joined the Sports Health Team at Methodist, works closely with individuals in assessing their body fat, metabolic rate and pulmonary function. He has a Masters in Exercise Science and over 12 years of combined experience in exercise testing, personal training and instructing.

Dr. Rand is the PCSM fellowship director and team doctor to Rice and area high schools and sports clubs. He is also a member of the Concussion Oversight Team serving area schools and nationally recognized in Sports Medicine Education.

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Methodist Center for Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine at Willowbrook Now Home to First Human Performance Lab of ...

By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff

Foundation Medicine announced Thursday the completion of a $42.5 million Series B financing.

In this round, public crossover funds Deerfield Management Company, L.P., Casdin Capital, Redmile Group and strategic investors Roche Venture Fund and WuXi Corporate Venture Fund joined founding investor Third Rock Ventures and current venture capital backers Google Ventures and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Cambridge-based Foundation Medicine said in a press release. In addition to the funds and strategic investors named, there was one undisclosed fund and one undisclosed strategic investor also involved in this financing round.

The company said that its board of directors remains unchanged.

Foundation Medicine describes itself as a molecular information company dedicated to a transformation in cancer care by developing treatments that are informed by an understanding of the genomic changes that contribute to each patients unique cancer.

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Foundation Medicine announces $42.5m Series B financing