November 23rd, 2011 by Harriet Hall, M.D. in Opinion
Tags: Buschke and Lowenstein, Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Dr. William Schaffner, Gardasil, Genital Warts, giant condyloma, Head and Neck Cancer, HPV, Human Papillomavirus, Male, New England Journal of Medicine, New York Times, Vaccines, Young Boys
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A recent announcement is likely to generate a lot of controversy. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the CDC has recommended that boys and young men be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV). Previously the guidelines said boys “could” be given the HPV vaccine. Now they have recommended that boys age 11 to 12 “should” be vaccinated, as well as boys age 13 to 21 who have not already had the full series of 3 shots. The vaccine can also be given to boys as young as 9 and to young men age 22 to 26.
The vaccine was originally promoted as a way to prevent cervical cancer. Boys don’t have a cervix, so why should they be subjected to a “girl’s” vaccine? There are some good science-based reasons:
- Boys can transmit the virus to female sex partners later in life, leading to cervical cancer in women.
- More importantly, boys themselves can also be directly harmed by the virus. It can cause genital warts, cancer of the head and neck (tongue, tonsils and throat), anal and penile cancer, respiratory papillomatosis, and giant condyloma of Buschke and Lowenstein. In rare cases, immunocompromised patients can develop epidermodysplasia verruciformis.
- HPV has even been Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Science-Based Medicine*
November 23rd, 2011 by GarySchwitzer in Opinion
Tags: Blogosphere, Center for International Energy & Environmental Policy, Controversy, Journalism, Pseudoscience, Science, Sheril Kirshenbaum, Truth, Vaccination, Writing
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Sheril Kirshenbaum, research associate at the University of Texas Austin’s Center for International Energy & Environmental Policy, blogged this week under the headline, “Battle Hymn of the Science Journalist.” Excerpt:
There are many excellent science journalists who inhabit the blogosphere and those mainstream news outlets that still feature science sections. These talented individuals want to share your story, your research, and they appreciate and value what you do.
However, there are also a lot of horrible journalists making the rest of us look bad.. Writers who care less about getting it right, and more about trumping up controversy. Journalists whose headlines are notoriously misleading or false. Some Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Gary Schwitzer's HealthNewsReview Blog*
November 23rd, 2011 by Berci in Opinion
Tags: E-Patients, Future, Health 2.0, List, Medical Education, Medical Students, Medicine, Medicine 2.0, Mobile, Next Generation, Observations, Online, Physicians, Public Health, Smart Phones, Social Media, Students, Technology, Web 2.0
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For the last 4 years, I’ve been teaching medical and public health students about the use of social media and generally digital technologies in medicine and healthcare and I got a good picture of what kind of medical professionals they would become soon. They represent the new generation of physicians.
Here are my points and observations:
- They are technophile. I remember the time when there was no internet, I remember the first website I first saw online. They were born into the technology and internet-based world. For them, websites, Facebook, Twitter and blogs represent the basics. They love gadgets and devices.
- They are fast. They use smartphones, read news online, follow blogs and know what RSS is, they are familiar with multi-tasking. They are much faster than the previous generations, therefore they need different tools and solutions in their work.
- But they use the technology for Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at ScienceRoll*
November 22nd, 2011 by DrWes in News, Opinion
Tags: biventricular pacing, Cardiology, Complex Surgery, EBR Systems, External Control Unit, Heart, Implantable electrode, Innovations, Leadless, Medgadget, Pacemaker, Pacing, Technology, Wireless, Wireless Cardiac Stimulation System
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From Medgadget via The Medical Quack:
EBR Systems, a start-up out of Sunnyvale California, and Cambridge Consultants, the technology design and development firm, have developed a leadless pacemaker system for patients with advanced heart failure. The Wireless Cardiac Stimulation System (WiCS) comprises two units, an implantable electrode and an external control unit. The electrode incorporates an ultrasonic, wireless receiver and delivers an electrical stimulus to the heart based on triggering signals from the external control unit.
In its current iteration the WiCS system is designed to work with conventional pacemakers/defibrillators pacing the right ventricle of patients requiring biventricular pacing. The WiCS external control unit senses the pacing stimulus delivered to the right ventricle and initiates a burst of stimulus from the electrode implanted in the left ventricle. According to the company, Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*
November 22nd, 2011 by Michael Kirsch, M.D. in Health Policy, Opinion
Tags: Defensive Medicine, Evidence, Lawyer, Litigation, Medical Malpractice, Meritorious, Money, Negligence, New Directions in Medical Liability Reform, New England Journal of Medicine, New York Times, Physicians, Tort Reform
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When lawyers talk, I listen. Two attorneys penned a piece on medical malpractice reform in the April 21st issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, the most prestigious medical journal on the planet. Here is an excerpt from their article, New Directions in Medical Liability Reform.
The best estimates are that only 2 to 3% of patients injured by negligence file claims, only about half of claimants recover money, and litigation is resolved discordantly with the merit of the claim (i.e., money is awarded in nonmeritorious cases or no money is awarded in meritorious cases) about a quarter of the time.
This is not self-serving drivel spewed forth by greedy, bitter doctors, but a view offered by attorneys, esteemed officers of the court. Apply the statistics in their quote to your profession. Would you be satisfied if your efforts were benefiting 2-3% of your customers or clients? Would this performance level give me bragging rights as a gastroenterologist? Perhaps, I should attach a new slogan to my business card.
Michael Kirsch, MD
Gastroenterologist
Correct Diagnosis and Treatment in 2-3% of Cases
We would have to Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at MD Whistleblower*
