Research and Markets: Understanding Medical Research: The Studies That Shaped Medicine

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Dublin - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/nkt6w6/understanding_medi) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Understanding Medical Research: The Studies That Shaped Medicine" to their offering.

Medical students and junior and senior doctors are frequently called upon to give research presentations, write reports, and answer exam questions on specific areas of medical research.

Understanding Medical Research: The Studies That Shaped Medicine is an exciting new title that offers a unique and valuable approach to understanding historically influential studies in important areas of medicine.

Featuring chapters from Sir Liam Donaldson and Sir David Weatherall, amongst others, world leading researchers identify ten primary research papers that have shaped the direction of research in their given topic, examining why they were carried out, key findings, and how they changed the field.

Each chapter also contains short sections on Key Questions Remaining' which outline outstanding areas where further research is needed, and a link to Key Laboratories/Clinics' which point the reader to major research groups of international standing.

Covering the seminal research in core areas of medicine, Understanding Medical Research provides an authoritative framework on each topic for medical students and healthcare professionals.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Population Health

2 Patient Safety

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Research and Markets: Understanding Medical Research: The Studies That Shaped Medicine

Research and Markets: Pediatric Cardiovascular Medicine, 2nd Edition

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Dublin - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/scw665/pediatric_cardiova) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Pediatric Cardiovascular Medicine, 2nd Edition" to their offering.

The first edition of this text, edited by two of the world's most respected pediatric cardiologists, set the standard for a single-volume, clinically focused textbook on this subject. This new edition, revised and updated by contributors representing today's global thought leaders, offers increased coverage of the most important current topics, such as pediatric electrophysiology, congenital heart disease, cardiovascular genetics/genomics, and the identification and management of risk factors in children, while maintaining the clinical focus. Published with a companion website that features additional images for download, self-assessment questions designed to aid readers who are preparing for examinations, and other features, Pediatric Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Edition, is the perfect reference for residents, fellows, pediatricians, as well as specialists in pediatric cardiology.

Key Topics Covered:

List of Contributors

Preface

1 Normal and Abnormal Cardiac Development,

2 Genetics of Cardiovascular Disease in the Young,

3 Developmental Physiology of the Circulation,

4 Basic Anatomy and Physiology of the Heart, and Coronary and Peripheral Circulations,

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Research and Markets: Pediatric Cardiovascular Medicine, 2nd Edition

EHE International Certifies Drexel University College of Medicine as Preventive Care Center

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NEW YORK, May 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --EHE International, a nationally recognized leader in preventive medicine and annual physical exams, today announced that the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pa., has been named an EHE-certified preventive care center. Through Drexel's multi-specialty practice, thousands of EHE members in the Philadelphia region now have greater access to EHE's programs, which help them maintain their health through a focus on preventive medicine.

"EHE is proud to add Drexel University to its growing private provider network. This is a natural fit for both organizations based on our shared understanding that prevention and early detection are vital to good health," said Deborah McKeever, president of EHE International. "EHE members will undoubtedly benefit from the expertise and experience of the Drexel network of 250 doctors practicing in more than 40 specialized areas of medicine."

As an EHE-certified center, Drexel University College of Medicine meets EHE's strict preventive care clinical protocols. The faculty-driven practice can facilitate the diagnostic testing at the core of EHE's preventive approach to health, and the multi-specialty Drexel Medicine network can provide ongoing care for EHE members should other specialized care or consultation be warranted. Drexel University is the fourth EHE-certified care center in the Philadelphia area. EHE has certified care centers in 42 states.

"Drexel Medicine is excited for the opportunity to expand our current program and serve even more patients through the EHE certification," said Dr. Richard G. Paluzzi, medical director for the Drexel Medicine Executive Health and Wellness Program. "Drexel and EHE's commitment to the idea that good medicine begins with promoting healthy living will give our patients the quality of preventive medical care that they expect and deserve."

"EHE's continued expansion in the Philadelphia area and across the United States is a sign that more and more employers are realizing the benefits of clinically based, standardized protocols in preventive health and annual exams, as opposed to the traditional reactive insurance model," added McKeever. "It is well-recognized that a focus on prevention helps control future healthcare costs, improves productivity and allows employees to proactively manage their own health. EHE has a century of experience in caring for employers greatest asset, its employees."

About EHE InternationalSince 1913, EHE International has been the recognized leader in preventive medicine. Its clinical protocols are specifically designed for early detection of preventable disease and associated risk factors, supported by robust personal coaching and health management tools and resources. EHE International is the oldest and largest preventive medicine specialist and its clinically based educational and social engagement platforms are the preferred choice among America's leading employers. For more information, visitwww.eheintl.com.

About Drexel University College of MedicineDrexel University College of Medicine has established some of the most innovative and rigorous academic programs available today, incorporating the University's expertise in engineering and technology into traditional medical training. The College of Medicine is home to one of the nation's leading centers for spinal cord research; one of the foremost centers for malaria study; and a highly regarded HIV/AIDS program with extensive NIH-funded research in prevention and therapeutic interventions. Drexel University College of Medicine has been designated a Vanguard National Center of Excellence in Women's Health by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and is highly respected in numerous other specialties including cardiology and pain management.

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EHE International Certifies Drexel University College of Medicine as Preventive Care Center

Duke-NUS Medical School Marks Second Graduation

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Singapore, 26 May 2012 The second class of DukeNUS Graduate Medical School (Duke-NUS) students marked the completion of their fouryear Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) training today. Mr. Heng Swee Keat, Singapores Minister for Education, graced the schools pregraduation celebration held in the auditorium of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at the National University of Singapore. The distinguished Professor Sydney Brenner, Nobel Laureate in Medicine 2002, was the event's keynote speaker.

This cohort of DukeNUS graduands will further receive training as postgraduate year one doctors who will provide clinical care as vital members of the healthcare team. They may be trained under the Residency Programmes in specialties such as Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, Paediatrics and Psychiatry, among other fields.

Mr Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Education, said: With its intensive focus on research and its unique feature of taking in graduate-entry students from a variety of academic backgrounds, but who share a common passion of serving others, Duke-NUS produces doctors with a diversity of insights and perspectives, and brings together different strengths and expertise to continually innovate and improve on the healthcare provision for Singaporeans.

Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, NUS President, said: Today, we celebrate with pride the remarkable accomplishments of Duke-NUS Class of 2012. Over the last four years, these students have been immersed in the Duke-NUS culture of excellence, boldness and imagination; and they have benefitted greatly from the innovative clinical and research training. The rigorous training and exposure will enable our graduands to make a real difference to patients, our community and society. We are confident these graduands will become role models for future generations of clinicians and clinician-scientists who will transform medicine through research and innovation. My heartiest congratulations to the Class of 2012!

It is clear that the innovative approach to medical education, clinical and basic research embodied by Duke-NUS is producing an extraordinary calibre of clinician-scientists who are uniquely equipped to become the healthcare and research leaders of the future, said Dr. Victor J. Dzau. Never before has there been as great a need for clinician-scientists who can not only engage in discovery science, but can translate discoveries from the laboratory to the clinic and improve the health of patients and the community. I have great pride and expectations for the class of 2012. Dr. Victor J. Dzau, Chancellor for Health Affairs, Duke University, and CEO, Duke University Health System, was in Singapore to grace the hooding ceremony.

I am proud to see that our graduands are starting a new chapter in their lives. They will work as critical members of clinical healthcare teams, to bring hope and relief to patients and their families. We hope they will continue to let their passion for medicine and their spirit of inquiry and curiosity drive future discoveries in patient and disease management, said Professor Ranga Krishnan, Dean of the DukeNUS.

Duke-NUS had five annual intakes since its M.D. programme started in August 2007. Since then, the school has admitted more than 240 post-baccalaureate students into its Americanstyled, researchoriented, four-year medical school programme. These students come from a diverse range of local and international undergraduate institutions. These include: National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Peking University, Chinese University in Hong Kong, University of Mumbai, University of Philippines, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Johns Hopkins University, Yale University, Duke University, Harvard University, and others.

The DukeNUS graduands will receive a joint Duke and NUS M.D. degree at the NUSCommencement Ceremony on 7 July 2012.

In addition to its 240-strong M.D. cohort, the school has over 20 students in itsPhD programme track. This track enables research-oriented medical students to leverage on their biomedicine knowledge to spur translational research aimed at developing better patient treatment, strategies and technology.

Duke-NUS Class of 2012 - Graduation Celebration & Hooding Ceremony, May 26, 2012

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Duke-NUS Medical School Marks Second Graduation

Medical school cleaners secure London living wage

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Medical school cleaners secure London living wage

7:40am Tuesday 29th May 2012 in News By Alexandra Rucki

Campaigning cleaners were celebrating after securing a pay increase up to the London living wage.

The cleaners for St George's Hospital Medical School, housed within St George's Hospital, Tooting, have been running a campaign for increased pay through posters, leafleting and petitions.

They will be paid a new hourly rate of 8.30 per hour from August 1, an increase from their current wage of 6.08 an hour after UNISON signed a deal with contractors Ocean Contract Cleaning Ltd.

However, trade union Industrial Workers for the World (IWW) have said the cleaners could face having their hours cut, which would make the pay rise futile.

UNISON have denied signing anything agreeing to cuts, with a spokesperson accusing IWW of being an anarchist group.

A protest to raise awareness of the issue was staged by IWW outside St George's Hospital last Friday, May 25.

Cleaners, medical students and families took part to raise awareness staff were being paid below the London wage.

A spokesperson for UNISON said: "We managed to secure the London living wage for hospital staff, but never for the teaching school.

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Medical school cleaners secure London living wage

Police: Prescription forged to get Liberty man a week off

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Published: 7:50 AM - 05/29/12 Last updated: 7:51 AM - 05/29/12

LIBERTY A man and woman from Liberty are accused of attempting to get the man a week off from work by using a stolen and forged prescription, village police said.

David Clark, 37, and Jeanette Alvarez, 23, were arrested Thursday following an investigation by village police and state troopers.

Alvarez stole a blank prescription from a medical office in the village, filling it out and forging a doctors signature, police said. It was given to Clark, who tried to use it to get time off, police said.

Alvarez was charged with felony second-degree forgery and misdemeanor petit larceny.

Clark was charged with two felonies second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and misdemeanor fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Both were arraigned in Town of Liberty Court. Alvarez is being held in Sullivan County Jail on $2,500 bail while Clarks bail was set at $1,000.

Leonard Sparks

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Police: Prescription forged to get Liberty man a week off

Perception, Opportunity in Volatility – Research & Analysis on Atmel Corporation and Liberty Global Inc.

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HONG KONG--(Marketwire -05/29/12)- This morning, http://www.MarketFoundations.com announced new reports highlighting Atmel Corporation (ATML) and Liberty Global Inc. (LBTYA). Free research downloads are available at http://www.MarketFoundations.com/index.php?coa=ATML&cob=LBTYA.

With markets in correction mode, investors are looking to quantify an accurate model, weighing positives and negatives of the months ahead. Upcoming negative pressures include China's slowdown, the European recession, the end of the Fed's Operation Twist stimulus program, continued geopolitical risks, election uncertainty, and potential 2013 budget bombshell of tax hikes and spending cuts. Meanwhile, positive offsets are driven by central banks (particularly China) cutting rather than hiking rates, deceleration in fuel and food prices, increase in consumer sentiment and resulting retail sales, signs of improvement in housing sales and new strength in auto production schedules.

Despite the current situation, our team continues to identify high momentum situations with growth potential -- there remains strong opportunity within careful discretion.

Market Foundations is releasing new coverage on Atmel Corporation for its current position within the technology industry. Atmel Corporation (Atmel) is engaged in designing, developing and supplying of microcontrollers. Atmel offers a portfolio of touch products, which integrate its microcontrollers with touch-focused intellectual property (IP). The full research report on Atmel Corporation (ATML) is available here: http://www.MarketFoundations.com/index.php?coa=ATML.

Market Foundations has released research on Liberty Global Inc. for its changing role within the services industry. Liberty Global Inc. (LGI) is an international provider of video, broadband Internet and telephony services, with broadband communications and/or direct-to-home satellite (DTH) operations, As of December 31, 2011, the Company was serving 19.5 million customers across 13 countries, primarily in Europe and Chile. The full research report on Liberty Global Inc. (LBTYA) is available here: http://www.MarketFoundations.com/index.php?cob=LBTYA.

About Market Foundations By providing members with financial information services, we provide the foundation investors need to build investing intelligence. The difference between consistently making good investments or bad investments is nothing more than the right information at the right time.

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Perception, Opportunity in Volatility - Research & Analysis on Atmel Corporation and Liberty Global Inc.

Daniel Cubias: Why Are There So Few Latino Libertarians?

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As everyone knows, the Republican Party is in serious trouble with Latinos. If Mitt Romney gets any less popular with Hispanics, he'll disappear from their consciousness altogether.

The reasons for Latinos' antipathy toward the GOP include the endless insults that Republicans have lobbed at Hispanics, along with the fact that Latinos are not as socially conservative as people think.

Still, one would think more Hispanics would embrace that offshoot of conservative thought known as libertarianism. This philosophy, which holds that the individual is the basic unit of society and must be subject to as little governmental influence as possible, should really resonate with people who have roots in lands where the government crushes all free thought. It should also appeal to people who often have to pull themselves up from their bootstraps (to use a favorite conservative clich) and start over in a new country.

But that hasn't happened. Currently, libertarians "are largely white, well-educated, and affluent." One could even say that "libertarians are mostly rich young white guys who, compared to most other Americans, live comfortable and financially secure lives."

Of course, there are Latino libertarians out there. But in general, talking Hispanics into espousing the Ron Paul agenda is only slightly easier than getting the pope to show up at the Stonewall Inn for a drink.

Libertarianism is still overwhelmingly the privilege of white men, who have a cultural advantage over other groups, regardless of what economic class they were born into. As such, they may believe they have achieved success solely through their own initiative. They may be blind to all the help they received, especially if their consciences are clear and they never discriminate against other ethnicities. They are certain they can do anything they set their minds to, because quite frankly, they often have done so (with society's help, of course).

However, this mindset blinds them to the fact that certain things -- and this is un-American to say -- are beyond their individual control. These can range from sudden health issues to global economic upheavals. They can also include the fact that the game is rigged to benefit the rich and that people's freewill decisions can be manipulated more easily than you think.

Perhaps Latinos, with our cultural baggage of Catholic fatalism and dictatorial governments, are more likely to know that a single person does not have unlimited power. Or maybe our emphasis on family provokes us to think beyond our individual needs. Or perhaps we realize that, despite a work ethic second to none, ceaseless labor and ambition are not always sufficient to get a person ahead in life.

Or maybe it comes down to the possibility that it's very easy to demand a libertarian system when one has gotten a good start in life and reaps the benefits of being on top of the socioeconomic pyramid. It's less common to advocate for that when you're still trying to claw your way upward.

In any case, I'm sure that if she had it to do all over again, Ayn Rand would have included at least one plucky Chicano objectivist named Hernandez in Atlas Shrugged.

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Daniel Cubias: Why Are There So Few Latino Libertarians?

Voting under way on Mayo islands

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Almost 200 voters are eligible to cast their votes today on the three islands.

Polling stations on the Mayo islands will be open from 10am to 8pm.

Voting will begin on the four Galway islands tomorrow morning.

There are over 1,000 people eligible to vote on the Aran Islands and Inisbofin.Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm.

Sinn Fin leader Gerry Adams issued a final call for a No vote, contesting the Government view that a rejection of the treaty would shut Ireland out of emergency funding should we need it.

He said the party has sought a judicial review of, what he said was the impression created by the Referendum Commission, that this was the case.

He denied the move was a last minute stunt and said the step had only been taken this morning on legal advice.

The United Left Alliance has claimed the result of the Fiscal Treaty Referendum is "too close to call".

At the ULA's final news conference, Richard Boyd Barrett said they were finding it quite hard to find Yes voters, and those they did find were doing so out of fear.

He said the result was a question of whether fear won out over the chance to reject austerity.

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Voting under way on Mayo islands

Source: Arrest teams back in place in Virgin Islands bribery scandal, just ‘waiting’ for Holder to green light action

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Arrest teams are now in place in the U.S. Virgin Islands in the wake of the territory’s financial crime and bribery scandal, a source within the Department of Justice told The Daily Caller. According to the source, the teams are now waiting now “waiting” for Attorney General Eric Holder to give the green light for “execution.”

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Source: Arrest teams back in place in Virgin Islands bribery scandal, just ‘waiting’ for Holder to green light action

Dr. David Rimoin, pioneering geneticist, dies at 76

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Obituaries

May 28, 2012

Dr. David Rimoin

Dr. David Rimoin, a pioneering physician and researcher in the field of medical genetics, died May 27, 2012 at the age of 76.

Dr. Rimoin succumbed after a private battle with pancreatic cancer.

Colleagues and friends, many of whom were not aware of his sudden diagnosis, reacted with shock.

We have lost a giant in the field of medicine, said an official statement from the Cedars Sinai board of directors. His medical contributions will continue to bring healing for generations.

Dr. Rimoin held the Steven Spielberg Family Chair in Pediatrics and was Director of the Medical Genetics Institute at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. He was also Professor of Pediatrics, Medicine and Human Genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. At Cedars, he conducted groundbreaking research into dwarfism and skeletal dysplasia. His 1970 demonstration that diabetes mellitus was the reflection of multiple genetic variants laid the foundation for the field of common disease genetics. His 1983 textbook, Emery and Rimoins Principles and Practice of Medical Genetics remains a classic in the field. Dr. Rimoin published over 400 articles in peer-reviewed journals.

David Rimoin was born in 1936 in Montreal, Canada. He earned his PhD from McGill Medical School in 1961, and received his PhD in human genetics in 1967 from Johns Hopkins.

In 1970 he arrived in LA, where he built the division of human genetics first at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, then at Cedars Sinai.

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Dr. David Rimoin, pioneering geneticist, dies at 76

PCGP Releases Genome Sequence Data for Hundreds of Tumor-Normal Pairs

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IntegenX has appointed David Smith to serve as its new COO. Smith most recently served as CFO of Thoratec, and previous to that was CFO at Chiron. He currently is chair of the audit committee and a director of OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals and previously was chair of the audit committee and a director of Perlegen Sciences.

Vermillion said this week that President and CEO Gail Page will be leaving the company by September and the firm has begun the process to find her successor. Page also has resigned her seat on the board of directors, and effective immediately Vermillion amended its bylaws to eliminate the vacant seat, reducing its board from seven to six members.

Genomic Health has appointed Richard Tompane as president of its new subsidiary InVitae, which will focus on developing next-generation-based sequencing diagnostics for genetic diseases. Tompane was previously president and CEO of Gemfire and has also served as an independent consultant.

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PCGP Releases Genome Sequence Data for Hundreds of Tumor-Normal Pairs

William Blair Downgrades Complete Genomics

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IntegenX has appointed David Smith to serve as its new COO. Smith most recently served as CFO of Thoratec, and previous to that was CFO at Chiron. He currently is chair of the audit committee and a director of OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals and previously was chair of the audit committee and a director of Perlegen Sciences.

Vermillion said this week that President and CEO Gail Page will be leaving the company by September and the firm has begun the process to find her successor. Page also has resigned her seat on the board of directors, and effective immediately Vermillion amended its bylaws to eliminate the vacant seat, reducing its board from seven to six members.

Genomic Health has appointed Richard Tompane as president of its new subsidiary InVitae, which will focus on developing next-generation-based sequencing diagnostics for genetic diseases. Tompane was previously president and CEO of Gemfire and has also served as an independent consultant.

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William Blair Downgrades Complete Genomics

World's Largest Release Of Comprehensive Human Cancer Genome Data Helps Researchers Everywhere Speed Discoveries

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MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To speed progress against cancer and other diseases, the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project today announced the largest-ever release of comprehensive human cancer genome data for free access by the global scientific community. The amount of information released more than doubles the volume of high-coverage, whole genome data currently available from all human genome sources combined. This information is valuable not just to cancer researchers, but also to scientists studying almost any disease.

To view the multimedia assets, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52993-st-jude-childrens-research-hospital-comprehensive-human-cancer-genome-data

The release of this data was announced as a part of a perspective published in Nature Genetics online May 29.

The 520 genome sequences released today are matched sets of normal and tumor tissue samples from 260 pediatric cancer patients. The Pediatric Cancer Genome Project is expected to sequence more than 1,200 genomes by year's end. Each sample is sequenced at a quality control level known as 30-fold coverage, ensuring maximum accuracy. St. Jude researchers are analyzing the genomic sequences to determine the differences between each child's normal and cancerous cells to pinpoint the causes of more than a half-dozen of the most deadly childhood cancers, an effort which has already produced a number of key discoveries reported in top scientific journals.

"This effort has generated more discoveries than we thought possible," said James Downing, M.D., St. Jude scientific director who leads the project at St. Jude. "We want to make this information available to the broader scientific community so that, collectively, we can explore new treatment options for these children. By sharing the information even before we analyze it ourselves, we're hoping that other researchers can use this rich resource for insights into many other types of diseases in children and adults."

Launched in early 2010, the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project is the world's largest effort and investment to date to understand the genetic origins of childhood cancers. The three-year project will cost an estimated $65 million. St. Jude is covering $55 million of the cost, including a $20 million commitment from Kay Jewelers, a long-standing partner of St. Jude. This is the first major privately funded human genome sequencing project to share its data as soon as it becomes available. To date, this type of open access has largely been restricted to government-funded efforts.Non-government efforts are typically treated as proprietary.

"Setting this precedent reflects a commitment to freely sharing information that has been a hallmark of St. Jude since we opened our doors 50 years ago," said Dr. William E. Evans, St. Jude director and CEO. "The Pediatric Cancer Genome Project is a one-of-a-kind effort, so the information has the potential to accelerate disease research worldwide."

Researchers worldwide will be able to access the sequence data via the Web-based European Genome-Phenome Archive, which provides large datasets for free access by researchers on request: http://www.ebi.ac.uk/ega/organisations/EGAO00000000046.

While most cancer genome initiatives focus only on genes, which make up a small portion of the genome, the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project researchers have taken a different approach. They are sequencing the entire genome all the DNA in each patient's tumor. This provides a richer, more complete picture of the DNA changes underlying the development and progression of each patient's disease.

"This approach has been more valuable that anyone could have predicted," said Richard K. Wilson, Ph.D., director of The Genome Institute at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "We have identified unusual, 'cryptic' changes in many patients' cancer cells that we would not have found using other methods. We are pleased to be able to share this data with the research community in hopes that others can build upon our initial discoveries."

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World's Largest Release Of Comprehensive Human Cancer Genome Data Helps Researchers Everywhere Speed Discoveries

Population Genetics Gets Funding under International Leukemia Study

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IntegenX has appointed David Smith to serve as its new COO. Smith most recently served as CFO of Thoratec, and previous to that was CFO at Chiron. He currently is chair of the audit committee and a director of OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals and previously was chair of the audit committee and a director of Perlegen Sciences.

Vermillion said this week that President and CEO Gail Page will be leaving the company by September and the firm has begun the process to find her successor. Page also has resigned her seat on the board of directors, and effective immediately Vermillion amended its bylaws to eliminate the vacant seat, reducing its board from seven to six members.

Genomic Health has appointed Richard Tompane as president of its new subsidiary InVitae, which will focus on developing next-generation-based sequencing diagnostics for genetic diseases. Tompane was previously president and CEO of Gemfire and has also served as an independent consultant.

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Population Genetics Gets Funding under International Leukemia Study

Scientific Organization Releases Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Guidelines to Educate Health Care Providers

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CHICAGO, May 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (IACFS/ME), the largest group of physicians and researchers dedicated to chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), has released updated care guidelines directed at primary care physicians and other health care providers. The document, "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Primer for Clinical Practitioners," can be accessed at: http://www.iacfsme.org/Home/Primer/tabid/509/Default.aspx

"CFS/ME affects at least one million people in the US yet up to 80% of them have not yet been diagnosed. Medical providers are often uncomfortable diagnosing and treating these patients and patients tell us that they frequently have difficulty finding a knowledgeable physician. We hope that the Primer will help solve these problems," states Dr. Fred Friedberg, IACFS/ME President.

The Primer highlights areas that have not been emphasized in the past including:

CFS/ME commonly strikes healthy people following a flu-like illness, leaving them with severe exhaustion, muscle pain, joint pain and memory and concentration problems among many other symptoms. The term "CFS" is most commonly used in the United States while other countries may use "ME" instead. People of both sexes and all ethnicities, ages, and backgrounds can become ill. Sufferers are often more functionally impaired than people with heart failure, multiple sclerosis or HIV. Because the cause of CFS/ME has not yet been discovered, no one knows how to prevent or effectively treat the illness, meaning many patients are disabled for decades. According to a 2008 DePaul University study, CFS/ME drains $18-24 billion annually from the U.S. economy due to decreased work productivity, lost tax revenue, increased health care expenditures, and disability payments.

Founded in 1990, IACFS/ME is an international scientific organization comprised of researchers, clinicians, advocates, patients, and other stakeholders. The mission of IACFS/ME is to promote, stimulate, and coordinate the exchange of ideas related to CFS, ME, and fibromyalgia research, patient care, and treatment. For more information, visit http://www.iacfsme.org

Contact Information: Dr. Fred Friedberg President, IACFS/ME (www.iacfsme.org) 631-632-8252 fred.friedberg@stonybrookmedicine.org

This press release was issued through eReleases Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

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Scientific Organization Releases Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Guidelines to Educate Health Care Providers

Many doctors think PSA tests don’t work. But they’ll keep doing them anyway.

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It was among the governments most controversial health care guidelines: Doctors should stop performing a cancer screening theyve provided for decades.

(Toby Melville - Reuters) The screening at hand is the Prostate-Specific Antigen, or PSA test used to screen men for prostate cancer. Last week, the Preventive Services Task Force came out with a recommendation that doctors not perform the screening, contending that it does more harm than good.

The PSA test produces a high level of false positives, with about 80 percent proving not to be cancer. Studies find it does not save lives, largely because prostate cancer often grows too slowly to ever cause medical harm.

The recommendation was certainly divisive: One in two doctors agree with it, according to a new survey published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Nearly all doctors, however, agree on one thing: Regardless of the guidelines validity, they did not plan to follow it in practice.

Only 1.8 percent of primary care doctors said they would no longer provide routine PSA tests. The survey looked at primary care doctors in Maryland affiliated with the Johns Hopkins Community Physicians. Among that group, 49 percent agreed that ending the PSA test made sense, while 36 percent disagreed.

Researchers asked the doctors what seems like the most obvious question here: If you agree with the guidelines, why not follow them? Three-quarters of the doctors said it had to do with their patients, who expected doctors to continue providing the tests. Two-thirds said they didnt have the time to explain the changes it was faster just to perform the best while a quarter worried that patients would think their health care was being rationed.

The results suggest that...the USPSTF recommendations may encounter significant barriers to adoption, the researchers conclude. To the extent that PSA screening should be reduced, it may be necessary to address patient perceptions about screening, to allow adequate time for screening discussions, and to reduce concerns regarding malpractice litigation.

Part of the challenge may have a lot to do with how we think about medicine. Screenings are supposed to lead to early detection, treatment and, eventually, a cure. As my colleague Brian Vastag writes, we dont hear much in the way to contradict that narrative: No one says: I got a PSA test. It was high, so I got a biopsy. The biopsy caused pain for weeks and made me bleed. But I didnt have cancer. Good thing I got that test.

Beyond the PSA test, the results of this survey also speak to some larger challenges for a growing movement to end unnecessary health care. A few months ago, a group called Choosing Wisely issued a list of 45 procedures that doctors often perform but dont think they should, because they provide little to no benefit.

That list was well-received by medical communities, seen as a laudable way to lower health care costs without reducing quality of medicine. It does, however, leave a lingering question of enforcement: How do you make sure that doctors stop performing the procedures they dont think are necessary? As this study suggests, theres a whole host of obstacles that stand between identifying a specific procedure as wasteful and actually reducing its use in our health care system.

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Many doctors think PSA tests don’t work. But they’ll keep doing them anyway.

Kids' access to health care a concern under Brown's budget

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Story by Stephanie Snyder

Low-income children in rural California communities are in jeopardy of losing their doctors and health care plans under Gov. Jerry Brown's budget proposal, state lawmakers, doctors and health advocates say.

The governor is proposing to transfer nearly 900,000 children enrolled in Healthy Families, the states Childrens Health Insurance Program, to Medi-Cal a program aimed at serving the states poorest families, seniors and disabled residents.

While combining the two programs might be a painless transition for children in urban areas with doctors who typically provide care to both Healthy Families and Medi-Cal patients, the transfer could severely limit access to health care for those on the outskirts.

In the more rural areas or outlying areas, there would be quite a loss or quite a strain, said Stuart Cohen, a San Diego pediatrician and California chairman-elect for the American Academy of Pediatrics. Access to care would be a huge issue.

And there would not be much incentive for rural doctors at full capacity to continue caring for their Healthy Families children if they have not already agreed to serve Medi-Cal patients, Cohen said.

The governors proposal not only forces Healthy Families patients to move to Medi-Cal, but it also would require doctors to accept Medi-Cals monthly reimbursement an average cut of nearly 20 percent.

Healthy Families doctors receive a monthly average of $103 per patient. They would receive an average of $84 per patient if they decide to make the switch to Medi-Cal, but California Medical Association spokeswoman Molly Weedn said the reimbursement often can be much less.

Rates that physicians are reimbursed for a Medi-Cal patient are less than what a large pizza costs, she said. Its really incredible that a physician can be reimbursed $18, $20 (per month).

A survey referenced by the Legislative Analysts Office asked pediatricians who now provide care to Healthy Families patients, but not Medi-Cal patients, if they would be willing to make the switch. The February report said 29 percent would not and 46 percent were not sure.

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Kids' access to health care a concern under Brown's budget