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The Medical Quack featured on the Lance Armstrong Cancer Awareness Website

This site follows Lance throughout his training and worldwide cancer awareness campaign.  Information from the website below.  I appreciate and thank the foundation and Livestrong for featuring posts from the Medical Quack!  More about grants awarded can be viewed here. 

If there is anyone who is a cancer survivor, this is a very good site to visit.  BD 

The Lance Armstrong Foundation is proud of its 10-year history of awarding grants to established and young investigators funding research in the areas of cancer survivorship and the basic and clinical science of testicular cancer.

We are excited to announce the recipients of the 2008 research grants. Read more about the grants that we funded through our 2008 RFP.

Additionally, in 2009, we will fund research in three important ways.

  • Ongoing support of the LIVESTRONG Survivorship Center of Excellence Network
  • Continued funding of the Germ Cell Tumor and Tissue Bank Resource at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Funding of research initiatives to further understand the biology of adolescent and young adult cancers as recommended by the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Progress Review Group

Later in 2009, the Journal of General Internal Medicine (JGIM) will release a special supplemental issue, sponsored by the LAF. The goal of this supplement is to raise awareness of, stimulate interest in and increase research into issues pertaining to cancer survivorship care in general internal medicine.

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http://www.livestrong.com/bbnews/?bbPostId=BAfMYODD5A1mB4i22hiR9pHlCzAJAgK0axKBZCzD4aJh16EOmJ

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http://www.livestrong.com/bbnews/?bbPostId=BAfMYODD5A1mB4i22hiR9pHlBEKMuZKSg3AmB12mnTMOOoDc

2009: The Year We all Reboot and find some better filters to enhance life..

I can’t think of one individual that was particularly happy with 2008 to say the least, but 2009 is not a cure all as the new year comes in.  There’s still a lot of clean up and rethinking on how we live and work to come through. 

 As the article states, fixing what is broken is first on the list.  I think I started feeling this in the Spring of 2008, being the geek imageand code head that I am and believe it or not, knowing how business functions and the ability to foresee combination of efforts from the technology and data side of things I believe gives me a bit of a head start, or at least it seems that way.  In other words, things are not coming as a surprise to me as data technology and transparency is on the move as the ability to keep things under the rug these days is almost non-existent nor possible, those inquiring servers and minds always want to know. 

One of the comments that sticks out in my mind is that which mentions there’s a new piece of technology out EVERY DAY to help either diagnose, treat, or offer some type of better health care, I know, I post a lot of them here on the blog!  

One other item mentioned here is the amount of time we spend online, which of course is increasing all the time, but having the ability to balance what is online and the real world can be a challenge as I can attest for that as well, as something I work at all the time.  With all the various worlds I seem to visit online, it is a balancing act.  Sometimes Twitter irritates me, sometimes I am happy with the information found, same with Facebook, Friend Feed, and the other social networks out there. 

I see a lot of content every day and read quite a bit and go from let’s say the world of gadgets and technology back to healthcare problems and issues.  Sometimes I see the gadget folks not having one single clue as to the urgency of what is happening in healthcare and see only a bliss world of those wrapped up in technology and gadgets.  On the other hand, I communicate with those in healthcare that don’t like gadgets and barely understand technology so there can be a rub on both sides, and my wish at times would be to get both worlds together to share, but again with individual focuses on the internet, that might be hard to do at times, although some just normally cross over though and visit the other side.

The Internet has done one thing probably better than any other single element today and that is choice, we have more choices today than we ever have had, and there’s no sign of that stopping anytime soon, so many choices that it can make the selection process a tedious job too!  That applies to purchasing any product on the web, social sites, dating sites, you name it, and sadly imagebut true when faced with too many choices, as the old saying goes we often leave “empty handed” or far from reaching any type of level of satisfaction and/or feeling of accomplishment too.

In 2009 we will have a lot of disruptive people in our face, which will continue on from 2008, simply due to the economic times and mismanagement of business that has been the ruling factor of the past.  Reading and increasing one’s knowledge base can be a big help, as we all fear the unknown, and with fear comes anger.  Sometimes who ever seems to be in our path at the time is the one who gets it, even though we have no beef with that person, but need to blow. 

In real life I experience frustration of others frequently since I like technology and usually the one who is upset is one that resents what technology is doing, and granted there is intrusive technology out there to irritate us, but be kind to your fellow human and see what a geek might be able to teach you instead of being angry with the “piano player”, as well all learn from each other and there’s no going backward at this point too.image

In 2009 the number of choices we have will continue to grow and so will the number of filters we have in life, in 2009 rebooting with added filters is going to be the key to survival as well as returning to values, the value of your fellow human being and how to relate with out “text box”or gadget too, even though those are great to fill in the gaps and stay in touch, gadgets and non emotional and expressions should not be allowed to take over and rule, otherwise, well we end up with some of the most connected and yet disconnected people walking the face of the earth without a clue on what to do when they meet another human eye to eye.  BD  

"2009 is going to be the year we totally reboot," she said. "The system is totally down. It's like the Kennedys as we know them, we're going to reboot with Caroline. The presidency as we know it, we're going to reboot with Obama. And the American city as we know it is over and we're going to reboot with Chicago."

Salzman researched and wrote her 2009 trend predictions in a report titled "Intellect Dialogue: Change is Now," for the Porter Novelli public relations firm. After studying everything from quantitative research reports to Facebook posts, Salzman isn't forecasting any quick fixes to our country's problems. But her predictions do have a few bright spots, such as a return to civility, improvements in health care, and a worldwide appreciation of Chicago.

A return to values: 

The age of less-is-more is here. Value will be placed on how people live their life and not on what they own, where they live or what they do for a living.

Luxury is out, and more attention will be paid to corporate behavior and environmental issues, Salzman says. Listen for more consumers to say, "I'm not paying for all those extra features, I just need the basics."

Taking risks to change health care.

With so much money to be made in this field, change is on the horizon. Personalized medicine, technology and genetic analysis will make medical treatment far more effective, focused and cost-efficient, Salzman predicts.

Money is already being invested in biomedical and genetic enhancement, which some consider "the new space race," the report says. Plus, patents will expire for many brand-name drugs, so cheaper generics are on the way.

"Things are definitely changing," Heim said. "Every day there's a new piece of technology that makes it faster and easier to take care of patients, to diagnose them, and to treat them if necessary."

Living in your "Third Place."

It's not work, and it's not home. Your "Third Place" is your personal den of 21st century media (your choices of Web sites, blogs, DVDs, etc.) where you retreat from the world, connect with people, explore, learn, have fun or fantasize. A big appeal of the Third Place is that it's free and accessible 24/7 from anywhere in the world.

"It's going to be a parallel universe," Salzman said. "We're going to see an explosion. As we spend less time shopping, it's only logical we'd look for other places to be."

Daily Herald | 2009: The year of the total reboot, experts say

NIST Calls Personalized Medicine a 'Critical National Need, asking for White Papers and suggestions on projects to fund with personalized medicine

Is this perhaps an attempt to begin some standardization along the line as well?  Well here we go with 2009, more information overload to a degree and not enough folks in government offices to bring this to the table, but it is also the nature of the business, personalized medicine is still very much of a science and as much as we would like, it can’t materialize any faster than R and D can produce.  BD 

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) — The National Institute of Standards and Technology wants genomics, proteomics, and other biomedical researchers to submit ideas about needed advances in personalized medicine, and has asked for white papers detailing these pitches.

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The NIST call is part of a new program asking for input on a number of subjects it has deemed “areas of critical national need,” including personalized medicine, and the advice will be used to develop new competitions for funding under its Technology Innovation Program.

More information about the NIST call for white papers addressing areas of critical national need may be found here.

GenomeWeb News: NIST Calls Personalized Medicine a 'Critical National Need,' Seeks Advice for New Funding Programs

Strange Insurance Marketing Web Page– Humana

It appears that Humana is thinking an Adobe Flash page might generate some additional interest and perhaps some new customers? 

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And then you get to click and it does this:

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Don’t really know the entire purpose of the graphics here, but for me, not impressed as navigation is not easy and hard to to read at points.  I’d rather play a real game.  BD

http://crumpleitup.com/

State panel to examine payments to Partners Hospitals in Boston – Other hospitals in the State are looking for a bail out…

One group, Partners is making money, while others are starving and it has to do with contracts with insurers and patient mix, charity and those insured.  Click on the picture below to get the background on Partners in Boston from a video on the Boston Globe. 

Blue Cross can’t be complaining too bad as they made 57 million profit in the 3rd quarter and have started a Venture Capital firm and bank to boot, so the higher rates don’t they pay Partners don’t seem to have any effect, and there’s always the “reserves”, which nobody seems to ever discuss much, but the reserves are piles of money that is sitting in the bank for “just in case”, billions if added up across the country if not a trillion or two.  So we have this picture and hospitals taking patients to court to get bills paid, make sense? 

Is this a bail out for some and a profitability roll out for others?  We have some of the same in California too with contracts and they are some of the lowest in the nation as well, the “have” and “have not” hospitalsSee the Desperate Hospital series for more information on how many I found that are taking extreme measures or have already filed bankruptcy in the US in the last few months.  BD 

Governor Deval Patrick will convene a panel of top state officials Monday to look into whether a recently disclosed, eight-year-old agreement between Partners HealthCare System Inc. and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts drove up healthcare costs, making it harder to extend healthcare insurance to all residents.

The panel will also look at current contract negotiations between Partners, the state's biggest health care provider, and healthcare insurers to see whether the negotiations might also create artificially high rates that threaten healthcare reform, officials said.

On the other hand we have this, also happening in Massachusetts

Healthcare groups push for federal bailout funds

Cutbacks to healthcare, among the state's largest industries, could produce a "ripple effect, extending to nursing agencies, equipment suppliers, and other businesses that support hospitals," the Massachusetts Hospital Association warned in a recent letter to the governor. The letter noted there are 479,000 healthcare and social service jobs in Massachusetts.

Joe Kirkpatrick, the association's vice president for healthcare finance, said patients, particularly those with mental illnesses, will feel the effects of continued hospital cutbacks.

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State panel to examine payments to Partners - The Boston Globe

Related Reading:

Madoff Scam Hits Harvard Medical School Grants and affiliate Beth Israel Medical Center

Wall Street Greed and Fraud Hits Boston Hospitals and Healthcare - donors bilked out of millions

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts reports $57.6 million profit for the 3rd quarter
BlueCross BlueShield Create New Venture Capital Organization
Health insurers reinvent themselves as money managers – Banks
California regulators to audit health insurers
Blue Cross Blue Shield starts new bank for customers

Insurer's Reserves Criticized
Private health insurance study finds disparity between profits, coverage

Beware of Geeks Bearing Formulas

The battle of the medical bills where nobody but the insurers win

How Hospitals Go To War – Tenet and HCA – It’s a Hedge War with Insurers

The 2 New Hot Words in Healthcare: Algorithms and Whistleblowers

University of Connecticut Health Center asks Legislature to Approve Merger With Hartford Hospital

Plavix – What’s the next step for doctors and patients – possible genetic testing in the near future?

Will Plavix be the next drug up for a genetic test?  There are not many alternative drugs either that could easily replace the functionality of Plavix, it is a blood thinner.   imageOne idea would be to monitor patients with poor liver or kidney metabolization. as suggested here, a blog written by Steve Murphy, MD of New York who has a personalized medicine practice, and thus electronic records would help the cause here tremendously as manually if a practice has a substantial amount of patients, it would be a nightmare.  At this point, the FDA does not have an idea as to what exactly the label should say! 

Popular heartburn medications interfere with Plavix as well.  There is already a test for another blood thinning medication, Warfarin available, so perhaps Plavix will be next on the list, however, with Warfarin we still don’t know if Medicare will pay for the test as of yet.  Dr. Milos from Helicos and I had touched on that subject a few months ago during my interview relative to the progress being made with genomics and personalized medicine. 

“The Sherpa Says: I see that lawsuit creeping closer and closer......We need some educators and damn fast! The durg-drug interaction with PPIs has been a possibility for years, the gene-drug interaction too....now what about the gene-drug-drug????”

Dr. Murphy states we need more education with physicians on personalized medicine, and here’s a link below that might help the cause along with information from a prior post.  This is one more example of information overload – complicated and complex information needed to make an intelligent decision which will require teamwork and some good information intelligence and filtering.  BD 

MDVIP Physicians Partners with Navigenics to Provide Personal Genetic Tests for Preventive Medicine

American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) and Navigenics, Inc. today announced a medical education program designed to improve physicians' understanding of genetic risk factors for disease, the current evidence about the use of genomic tools and technologies to determine risk, and promising practices for utilizing those tools to aid in disease prevention.

Through an unrestricted educational grant from Navigenics, ACPM is independently developing this continuing medical education (CME) course, titled Genetic Risk, Screening and Intervention, to address the growing use of genetic testing services and to examine their evidence-based impact on the practice of medicine.image

The Genetic Counseling Foundation has been established that could offer both physicians and patients a bit more background and how the process is progressing and where genetic testing could be applicable as well and help with some of the confusion here.  In the family practice office, there is not a lot of time for research and study with the heavy flow patients a normal physicians sees in a day.image

 

Food and Drug Administration officials, however, said they aren't sure what changes to make to the label and what to tell cardiologists to do because of a variety of complications. To start, three studies published last week in prominent medical journals came to different conclusions about how many patients are at high risk for heart attack or stroke despite regular use of Plavix.

The complications with Plavix show the promise and problems with the new area of "personalized medicine," where drugs are tailored to certain people based on their genetic makeup. In Plavix's case, three new studies have pinpointed a likely genetic factor inhibiting the drug's efficacy - but that has opened up more questions than the FDA, physicians, patients, insurance companies and the firm that sells Plavix can answer.

Doctors say the Plavix situation highlights the need for individually tailored medicine."  Clearly I think just the blind administration of these drugs is rapidly coming to an end," said Paul Gurbel of Baltimore's Sinai Hospital. Dr. Gurbel authored one of the first studies showing that many heart patients do not process Plavix effectively.

Doubling the dose of Plavix may make it more effective in patients who have the gene mutation, said Dr. Robert Epstein - author of the Medco study. He has been studying the impact of higher dosages and noted that such an increase may also increase internal bleeding.

FDA Considers Updating Label For Anticlotting Drug Plavix

Genomics Related Reading:

Personalized medicine will rely on IT – It’s all about Software
Complete Genomic Sequence $5000 Next Year – Wholesale

Helicos BioSciences and Personalized Medicine - Featured Interview with Dr. Patrice Milos

Genome Database Will Link Genes, Traits in Public View – George Church
How Hot is Genomics and the Sequencing Machines?
Cerner Incorporates Genomics Into Electronic Medical Records
Scripps, Navigenics, Affymetrix and Microsoft team on groundbreaking health study – Personalized Medicine
Venture Capitalists to Play Critical Role in Personalized Medicine

Who's going to pay for the Warfarin Test - Personalized Medicine

FDA Warns of Dangers of Mexican Vanilla – Tonka Beans, Not Vanilla Beans

New California Laws – Healthcare Related

Well first on the list is text messaging and that can have an immediate effect on healthcare in helping avoid accidents, and one more of interest that is that students can be expelled for making purchases on the internet while in class.  One good thing is now we can have mounted GPS units on the dashboard, so at least we know where we are going.

If you are under the influence of alcohol, insurance companies can’t use that to refuse paying medical bills, wonder why this law came about, perhaps this has been challenged in court.  Advanced directives will become much more popular as it is now the physician’s responsibility to give full information about the end of life options.  HIV testing will now be a requirement for insurers to cover too. 

If your insurance is cancelled, the rest of the family can keep their health insurance, again, wonder why this law is here, but perhaps it too was challenged in court at some point.  I really wonder how this works if your entire family is under your plan from work, you get cancelled, but yet the family can still be insured under the policy?  I’m sure there might be more information coming on this one soon. 

Privacy issues, if you have a card using RFID information, it is now a misdemeanor to capture and use that information.  From a back story, that can be imagedone easier than you think.  There are many more that can be read at the source, but these are the ones that are healthcare related.  BD 

LOS ANGELES -- Californians must abide by dozens of new state laws taking effect Jan. 1, including bans on text-messaging while driving.

Meat safety: Makes it a misdemeanor to buy, sell or butcher sick and some disabled animals for human consumption.

Medical care: Requires doctors treating terminally ill patients to give them comprehensive information about end-of-life options, such as hospice care at home and the right to refuse treatment.

Medical insurance: Requires that when insurers cancel someone's coverage, they allow other members of the family to keep theirs.

Another law prevents insurers from refusing to pay the medical bills of customers injured while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

A third new law requires insurers to pay for HIV screening.

Privacy: Makes it a misdemeanor to use radio waves, without consent, to remotely read another person's identifying information. The measure is in response to the practice of having personal identification information included on government-issued identification cards that can be read with radio-frequency identification devices.

Text Messaging , 911 Use Among New CA Laws

Related Reading:

RFID credit cards easily hacked with $8 reader

New law makes "malicious" RFID spying illegal, Corporations can do as they please - Privacy Issues at hand

Inherited Factors Play an Important Role in Breast Cancer Progression According to New Study in Mice, but Prostate Cancer Family History does not affect treatment outcomes

Two different studies, two different types of cancer, and two different results based on family history of breast and prostate cancer.  As the first report indicates family history makes a difference on how genetic profiles can give additional information on the rate of spreading, while the other report relating to prostate cancer shows that family history makes no difference when it comes to treatment outcomes. 

If nothing more this goes to show how varied and how types of cancer vary, again even though the breast cancer report is relative early with results being reported with mice, but we all know how breast cancer appears to be cured and then perhaps years later returns.  The prostate study appears to be statistically reported relating to the “seeding” radiation treatment, while the breast cancer report involves additional research from the genomics side of the coin.  A similar treatment plan for breast cancer is available using the “seeding” technique and is called a Mammosite and more information on breast cancer “seeding techniques” can be read here.  BD 

New research in mice and five independent collections of human breast tumors has enabled National Cancer Institute (NCI) scientists to confirm that genes for factors contributing to susceptibility for breast cancer metastasis can be inherited. The new findings support earlier results from the same laboratory and appear in the Jan. 1, 2009, issue of Cancer Research.

The study results also show that gene activities in tumor cells and immune cells that infiltrate, or invade, tumors can contribute to the development of expression profiles, called gene signatures, that are predictive of cancer progression. The analysis of normal mouse tissue as well as tumors transplanted into mice suggests that predictive, or prognostic, gene signatures that point to a tumor’s potential for spreading throughout the body can be the result of both inherited and non-inherited factors, with inherited factors being more consistently predictive. The research team that reported these findings is from the Center for Cancer Research at NCI, which is part of the National Institutes of Health.

Inherited Factors Play an Important Role in Breast Cancer Progression According to New Study in Mice, January 1, 2009 News Release - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

In a first of its kind study, a first-degree family history of prostate cancer has no impact on the treatment outcomes of prostate cancer patients treated with brachytherapy (also called seed implants), and patients with this type of family history have clinical and pathologic characteristics similar to men with no family history at all, according to a January 1 study in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

"This information is relevant for both physicians and patients with new diagnoses as they embark on complex treatment decisions," Christopher A. Peters, M.D., lead author of the study and a radiation oncologist at Northeast Radiation Oncology Center in Dunmore, Pa. (chief resident at Mount Sinai School of Medicine at the time of the study), said. "Now patients with a family history of prostate cancer can be confident that they have the same outcomes as patients with sporadic disease, regardless of the treatment modality they chose."

http://www.physorg.com/news150115064.html

Related Reading:

Breast Cancer Treatments – What is a MammoSite?
Personalized treatment for breast cancer
What is Lymphedema?
Cancer Isn't One Size Fits All – Robin Roberts from ABC and Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer May Regress On Own, Controversial Report Says Up To 22 Percent Of Cases May Disappear Without Treatment

Does work affect one’s mental health – pretty good chance it does

This is a good article written by by Brain Blogger who discusses biopsychosocial perspectives.  It is probably no surprise to most of us that yes indeed, work has a major influence on how we see ourselves and others as well.  With the current economic state and world of information overload we live in today, old values and methodologies that we relied on for years seem to be getting pushed to the back burner, but by no means does this indicate we need to trash those values but rather see if we can create a “balance” of sorts between traditional values and the challenges presented to use every day with online life.image

No doubt, individuals who may not have experienced panic attacks will now perhaps be surprised to find themselves in this situation and may not even know what is happening, as we are all humans with the abundance of emotions that make the world go around, and without a feeling of accomplishment somewhere along the line, we stop and analyze, reanalyze, and try to figure out what we could be doing better or figure out what the solution might be to get some relief from panic attacks, and I have not found anyone who truly is not at risk for some type of attack somewhere along in life, but how we deal with the scenarios is the key, and sometimes it’s difficult to find a solution in our own minds, and thus a counselor or some other outside 3rd party might be able to offer some insight. 

As mentioned below, panic attacks about having another panic attack are surfacing.  With a current world of changing methodologies everywhere we turn, it’s somewhat hard to find the good solid solution today, as it may in fact change tomorrow.  Even for those who are working, panic attacks exist there as well, for example, one could have a superior that looks at “Joe” wondering what’s wrong with him, he used to feel so secure and was on top of all his decisions, but now as a boss he wonders what direction “Joe” is going and notices a shortness of patience, lack of ability to provide the solid solutions he has always provided in the past.  Is it really “Joe” or the “boss” or a combination of both?  Also, where’s the level of patience from the “boss” that used to exist, as in the past he has always allowed the time and efforts necessary to create positive decision, has this now too vanished?  More than likely, it’s a combination of both personalities that are pushed to the limits with the current economic conditions and perhaps some unrealistic results demanded, again based on how we have functioned over the years. 

Career counseling and communication strategies as mentioned are probably more important than ever, as well as having a partner who can listen and be able to discuss issues as they arise, as careers and personal life are molding together more than ever with the connected world of the internet we live in too. Group solutions and being able to have the ability to openly and freely talk and pursue answers without judgment appear to be more important than ever, after all, it’s not just one figurehead at the top of the heap anymore, it is a group effort for the most part.  In short, one could also be working with a “boss” that is also experiencing panic attacks as well, and when the 2 explode together, well we all somewhat know what happens then and there’s no real winner to emerge. 

Responsibilities and goals that used to be black and white may no longer exist and the answers, or solutions of the day may lie in the “gray” areas where we all feel a bit uncomfortable, self included here of course too.  Balance of life will continue to be a major challenge for all of us in the upcoming years and lack thereof, will continue to create feelings of panic and unrest as we all need that feeling of accomplishment somewhere along the line, and for the most part too, when failures occur, those too will need to be perhaps viewed as a team effort and not just hung on the head of one individual, as what may have been the procedure in the past. image

Anyway, some rambling thoughts here and something to think about when displaced and looking for new solutions.  Seek out individuals who are truly “team” players if you can to help ease some of the panic attacks and be vocal and collaborate, as being an island today is slowly dissipating and hopefully the emphasis on the “one” solution provider will eventually go by the wayside and perhaps we can all learn a bit more about the over indulged world of information technology and multitude of choices available today.  Too many choices and not enough information on each one to feel a sound and solid decision can be made will also crank up those panic attacks as well, so more than ever it’s important be a part of a “connected” world versus a “disconnected” world when it comes to relationships with other individuals, a challenge for any of us at any given time as it is easy to simply tune out and rely on the “text boxes” of the web and somehow forget what being a human being is all about.  BD

“As a practitioner, nothing can replace obtaining a thorough history, screening, and intake. I discovered that he had experienced some degree of anxiety throughout his life. Generally speaking, he was a worrier. But there was more to it than perhaps being biologically predisposed to panic attacks. At the time of the appointment, he was experiencing some difficulties in his relationship with his wife. She was very critical of the fact that he was currently not working. They had several children between the two of them, and money was tight.

There were multiple options for my work with him. We discussed cognitive behavioral strategies to address relaxation, communication strategies that he could use with his wife, and — what turned out to be the most important element — career counseling.

Since his first attack, the attacks became more frequent and more severe. “Now,” he said, “I get a panic attack because I’m afraid I’m going to have (another) panic attack.” This is a common experience.  Quite often, work (paid or unpaid) is how we identify ourselves to others. We develop a sense of who we are based on what we do and what we have accomplished (some more than others). Unemployment takes away part of who we are, and how we feel about ourselves.  ”

http://brainblogger.com/2009/01/02/work-and-mental-health/

FDA Approves Ferring Pharmaceuticals' Degarelix for Advanced Prostate Cancer

A new treatment option that is basically depressing the body’s hormone producing agents, and for use with advanced stages of the disease. 

“Degarelix was at least as effective as leuprolide in achieving and maintaining castrate levels of testosterone.”

There are side effects such as hot flushes, increased weight, and fatigue since the drug is suppressing hormone generation of the body and the product is an injection, not a tablet or pill so the injection site could also be an area of concern as far as irritation.  The product is to become imageavailable very soon in the US and other markets are pending.  BD 

Ferring Pharmaceuticals, USA today received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for degarelix, a new injectable gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist, indicated for patients with advanced prostate cancer. Potential trade  names are still under review with the FDA. Following issuance of a trade name, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, USA will immediately begin commercialization in the U.S. On December 18, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), part of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), recommended granting a marketing authorization for degarelix in Europe. Degarelix is awaiting approval in other key global markets. It is a milestone for the company and represents Ferring's first global product launch.

FDA Approves Ferring Pharmaceuticals' Degarelix (Generic Name) For Treatment Of Advanced Prostate Cancer

FDA Drug Approvals Highest In Three Years

It certainly doesn’t seem this way, but when you stop and think about the submissions to the FDA, those too have increased tremendously over the last year as well.  With more drugs under development and the addition of more biotech R and D, who knows how many we could see coming this year, although it is getting more expensive each year to bring a new drug to market. 

Medical devices are making a mark too in providing some potential device treatment plans where the option in the past has been limited to drugs, so I’m sure we might be in store for some additional devices to also hit the market and apply for approval this coming year.  BD 

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Federal regulators approved more new drugs in 2008 than in any of the prior three years, a slight consolation to an industry struggling with greater scrutiny, thousands of layoffs and thinning drug pipelines.FDANew

The Food and Drug Administration approved 24 new, or first-of-a-kind, drugs in 2008, more than the 18 approved in 2006, the 22 approved in 2006 and the 20 approved in 2005. Such drugs included Pristiq, an antidepressant from Wyeth ( WYE); Treanda, a treatment for certain types of leukemia and lymphoma from Cephalon Inc. (CEPH); as well as Amgen Inc.'s (AMGN) Nplate and GlaxoSmithKline PLC's (GSK) Promacta to treat a blood condition that involves low platelet counts.

The agency also approved dozens of other new drug applications for new formulations or new uses of existing drugs like an Allergan Inc. (AGN) glaucoma drug that was also found to enhance eyelashes and was approved last week for that use.

FDA Drug Approvals Highest In Three Years

Rosetta Genomics introduces new molecular based cancer test

Earlier this year a collaboration effort was established with the NIH to determine the role of microRNAs in HIV viral replication, and their potential to act as novel drug targets for future therapy, and with the purchase of Parkway Clinical Labs this year, there’s a lot going on here.

Stay tuned as next week I’ll have an interview posted with a discussion with one of the key members of the Rosetta team.  BD 

The test is now commercially available through Rosetta Genomics CLIA-certified lab in Philadelphia.

miRview meso differentiates mesothelioma, a cancer connected to asbestos exposure, from other carcinomas in the lung, the company said.

Rosetta Genomics expects to perform approximately 2,000 tests during 2009 in its laboratory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Rosetta Genomics introduces new cancer test - Pharmaceutical Business Review

What’s better than $4.00 Generic Antibiotics – Free Antibiotics

In some areas, there are some available for free, Giant Food is running it for 3 months, and each retailer’s plan is different; however, if you need other medications, you may want to do some price checking as they could be a bit higher.  The generics are limited, so if they are not found on the free listings here, use the links to the $4.00 medications on this site, and the link to “Needy Meds”, which are always posted here in the resource area of the blog.  BD 

In this case, they’re free — at least for now. Giant Food is giving away generic antibiotics from Jan. 2 to March 21, including amoxicillin, penicillin and ciprofloxacin. Details are here. The program will also be available at Giant’s sister chain, Stop & Shop.image

Since Wal-Mart started its four-dollar program a couple of years ago, cheap generics have become almost a necessity to bring in customers.

“We have a lot more competition these days,” Robin Michel, EVP and general manager at Giant, told the Baltimore Business Journal. “And there’s no way you can be more competitive than free.”

Other retailers with free antibiotics here:

http://www.schnucks.com/pharmacyprogram.asp

http://www.martins-supermarkets.com/cnt/FreeAntibiotics.html

http://www.meijer.com/content/content_leftnav_manual.jsp?pageName=free_antibiotics

http://www.stopandshop.com/antibiotics

http://www.publix.com/freeantibiotics/

Health Blog : Giant Supermarkets Gives Away Generic Antibiotics

What’s in the “K” – Vitamin K or Potassium?

This is a good observation of perhaps how medications could be confused and not administered properly if mixed up, and instructions not read properly.  The Happy Hospitalist analyzes the two after hearing a patient discharge conversation and it appeared to be a potential mix up on medications that all relate back to the “K”. 

It is strange I agree to have the same initial allowed for two very different treatments, and as indicated in the statement below, the Vitamin K was not going to be the correct treatment and the potassium was the correct choice.  I’m sure there are others of sorts as well that get mixed up, but take a busy emergency room and perhaps a little short on staff with clinicians rushing to try to accommodate all and the stage could be set for a potential error as such.  That really does raise a very good question of why the letter “K” might need a second look for use with medical abbreviations.  Great information for all of us to be aware of, especially if you are one in need of potassium.  BD 

“For those not in the medical field, the abbreviation for potassium is K. The abbreviation for vitamin K is vitamin K. Vitamin K is used as a reversing agent for Coumadin, an anticoagulant that causes a person's INR to go up, making it more difficult for them to clot. This patient got vitamin K, not potassium, which would have done nothing but increased his potassium level.

I wonder if the Marijuana Mafia (MM) has looked into this dangerous association between K and K. How could two drugs have the same name, yet be so different.

I wonder how many deaths have been attributed to the administration of subQ potassium. If given in large doses, intravenous vitamin K can kill you as well. I wonder if we should sue the American Chemist Society for allowing vitamin K to be confused with potassium on the perdioc table of elements. All those needless deaths.”

http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2008/12/american-health-care-in-nutshell.html

Sponsor an Executive

Hilarious!  I hope it doesn’t come to this, although it seems pretty close at times.  BD 

“The money you give won't just save a life, it'll save a lifestyle.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDC0qcf0kzE

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Surgery Room goes Wireless with High-Definition Surgical Displays

The display is capable of transmitting surgical video with no perceptible lag or interference throughout the entire operating room, which means a few less sets of cables or wires in the OR.  imageSoon, HD surgeries may grown to be a common occurrence with displays.  BD

SANTA CLARA, CA - AMIMON Inc. is pleased to announce that Stryker Endoscopy, a division of Stryker Corporation, has launched the  world's first high-definition (HD) wireless video display for the operating room. Stryker Endoscopy's WiSe(TM) HDTV is embedded with AMIMON's wireless HD technology. AMIMON has granted Stryker Endoscopy exclusive access to its technology for the medical endoscopy market.

Stryker Endoscopy Launches the World's First High-Definition Wireless Surgical Display With AMIMON's High-Definition Wireless Technology - MSNBC Wire Services - msnbc.com

OptumHealth Web (United Healthcare) Partners with Microsoft HealthVault

Well if you can’t beat them, join in, seems to be the direction today of personal health records.  On the first of December, United announced their Optum Health website for members to use for personal health records and to find and review medical information. 

As mentioned before, the site will also be used to help sell and market their health insurance plans as well.  As time is marching on, Google and Microsoft HealthVault seem to be the 2 plans to align with, and this makes sense as more medical device companies and other healthcare vendors are jumping on the bandwagon.  Why these 2, because they are not related to an employer provided service and records can be taken with you anywhere.  My own thoughts here, why get 2 or 3 plans unless you need the additional PHRs for the sake of importing information into Google Health or Microsoft HealthVault.  BD 

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--OptumHealth Inc. today announced it is providing a free personal health record (PHR) that is portable and can be shared with physicians, family member or others. The PHR is available through the Web site  www.myOptumHealth.com and provides the same portability and sharing capability that is also now available to individuals with PHRs set up through more than 1,000 employer private health portals managed by OptumHealth, as well as the myUHC.com portal used by 25 million UnitedHealthcare members.

These attractive expanded features are made possible through collaboration between OptumHealth and Microsoft Corporation. Individuals can now transfer their PHR information from an OptumHealth-managed health portal directly into a Microsoft® HealthVault™ account, which is a security-enhanced, Web-based consumer health platform. Information stored in HealthVault will be “portable” in that it will be available to members even if they change jobs or health plans, providing a truly portable record of their health.

 

OptumHealth Expands Access to Portable Personal Health Records for Millions of Americans

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