Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
Popular Articles

Common Cancer Drug May Increase Risk Of Deadly GI Perforations
Cancer patients treated with the widely used drug bevacizumab (Avastin) in combination with chemotherapy are at greater risk of life-thereatening gastrointestinal (GI) perforations. This is the conclusion of Shenhong Wu, M.D., Ph.D., Principal Investigator, and colleagues at Stony Brook University Medical Center, in a study published online and in the June print issue of The Lancet Oncology.

Opinion Piece Examines If Abortion Access Should Ever Be Restricted
"Just because something is legal -- and should be legal -- does not mean it is always ethical," Frances Kissling, former president of Catholics for Choice, writes in a Salon opinion piece, adding that "sometimes the right thing to say to a woman [seeking abortion] is "I am so sorry, I cannot do what you ask."" According to Kissling, there has "always been a fear in the choice movement that if we deal with "morality," we are going to lose." However, "tough issues come up more frequently than they did in the first years after" Roe v. Wade, and such issues "should make us pause and think hard," Kissling writes, adding, "The thought of putting every woman through the indignity of meeting with an ethics committee, or getting a doctor to sign off on her reasons for abortion, has forced most of us to stick with the principle that women must be allowed to make their own private ethical decisions, without the state getting involved." However, Kissling comments that "we express moral views about every other issue under the sun." She continues, "Expressing our views about controversial issues is how society develops norms and shared values."Kissling adds that if abortion-rights supporters "follow the example of those opposed to abortion and present only one value -- a woman"s right to make this decision -- as the only ethical consideration worth discussing in difficult cases, do we not become as extremist as we say they are?" She continues, "Is there not, in an ethical sense, an important weighing of women"s rights and needs against a respect for life, even the life of nonpersons? Is there a point in pregnancy when our respect for life might outweigh a woman"s right to make this choice?" Kissling asks, "[I]s the fact that we have avoided it part of the reason that polls show that more people are willing to call themselves pro-life than ever before?"According to Kissling she has "come to believe that women"s autonomy does not require that all efforts be made to protect women from pain or from hearing the word "no."" Kissling writes, "I still have a twinge of doubt when I write these words," adding, "For most of my years as an advocate of a woman"s right to decide, I stepped back from this conclusion" and "could not bring myself to say that there are circumstances in which I would force a woman to continue a pregnancy." The piece continues, "What changed for me? ... Mostly, I feared that single value ethics about abortion, on either side of the debate, would result in a coarsening of our respect for both women and for life" (Kissling, Salon, 6/21).
News of the day
Waits To See Specialists In Boston Increased To Average Of 50 Days, Study Finds
The average time patients in Boston wait for an appointment to see a specialist has increased over the last five years to an average of 50 days and can be up to one year, despite the fact that the city has an "abundance" of specialists, according to a recent study, the Boston Globe reports. For the study, Merritt, Hawkins & Associates, a Texas-based consulting and physician recruiting firm, surveyed 1,162 physician offices in 15 metropolitan areas to try to re-create the situation of a new patient seeking a nonurgent appointment in five specialty areas -- cardiology, dermatology, family medicine, obstetrics-gynecology and orthopedic surgery. The average wait time in Boston is more than three weeks longer than any other city included in the study. The study determined that while Boston patients had the longest wait times for appointments to see dermatologists, ob-gyns and family practitioners, Dallas had the longest wait times to see orthopedic surgeons, followed by Boston. Miami, Minneapolis and San Diego all had longer wait times to see cardiologists than Boston.According to the study, while Boston patients have long faced delays, the problem may have been exacerbated by an increase in patients seeking care following the implementation of the 2006 Massachusetts health insurance law. While the study did not pinpoint a cause for longer wait times in Boston, the study"s authors wrote that the city"s experience "may signal what could happen nationally in the event that access to health care is expanded through health care reform."Brian Rossman, research director for Health Care for All, said the reason for long wait times also is because many specialists in Boston work for academic medical centers and do not see patients full time (Kowalczyk, Boston Globe, 5/15).
Nutrition

AAP President-Elect Testifies Before Senate Committee, Applauds Attention To Children's Benefits

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a non-profit professional organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, today praised the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee (HELP) and its health care reform legislation"s attention to children"s benefits, but cautioned lawmakers not to allow children"s needs to be overlooked during crucial health care reform negotiations. "I am here to urge you to keep children"s health needs prominent as the health reform process plays out. And I urge you to do this not just for the children, but because a focus on children is the foundation of a health system that works. In this economic environment, we are all looking for cost containment. There is no better way to do that than to invest early in a healthy citizenry," said Judith Palfrey, MD, FAAP, President-Elect; American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Palfrey reiterated the Academy"s support of comprehensive insurance coverage for all children, and that coverage should mean access to the right benefits in a medical home with payment rates that allow real access to services in public and private programs. She also commended the committee for its recognition that all HRSA funded preventive guidelines (also known as "Bright Futures") receiving first dollar coverage in new Gateway plans, as laid out in the legislation. "These preventive services will have enormous benefits not only for children while they are young, but doing the right thing for children will help prevent the adult consequences of obesity, mental illness and developmental dysfunction," Dr. Palfrey explained. "Bright Futures focuses on parental responsibility for their children"s health and places the appropriate emphasis on families and provides the tools they need to help their children." The Academy strongly believes that the country needs to develop a public-private health care financing system for children that will achieve the goal of quality health insurance for all infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For the millions of children and adolescents in the United States not covered by private insurance, Medicaid or CHIP, there needs to be a secure safety net. Children have unique health and developmental needs, and Congress must create a system in which every child born has access to quality care, including cost-saving care coordination. "We are hopeful that as the health reform process evolves, you continue to prioritize coverage, benefits and access to medical homes through appropriate payment rates for child health services. Health insurance for children is a smart investment that President Obama prioritized in his campaign. We hope to see all children benefit as a result of your important work," Dr. Palfrey concluded. The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. American Academy of Pediatrics


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

© Copyright 2009