FDA shifts stance on safety of BPA.
In a front-page story, the New York Times (1/16, A1, Grady) reported, "In a shift of position, the Food and Drug Administration is expressing concerns about possible health risks from bisphenol-A, or BPA, a widely used component of plastic bottles and food packaging that it declared safe in 2008." On Friday, the FDA said it has "some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children." While the agency plans to "join other federal health agencies in studying the chemical in both animals and humans," federal "officials said there was no proof that BPA was dangerous to humans." FDA principal deputy commissioner Dr. Joshua Sharfstein said, "If we thought it was unsafe, we would be taking strong regulatory action."
Dr. Sharfstein explained, "We have some concern, which leads us to recommend reasonable steps the public can take to reduce exposure to BPA," the Washington Post (1/16, Layton) added. "Sharfstein said the agency is conducting 'targeted' studies of BPA, part of a two-year, $30 million effort by the administration to answer key questions about the chemical that will help determine what action, if any, is necessary to protect public health.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Medical Students and Personality Testing
Personality testing may better predict success in medicine than cognitive assessment.
In the New York Times (1/14) Doctor and Patient column, Pauline W. Chen, MD, wrote that there is "no reliable standardized way to evaluate personality," so "it is inevitable that the MCAT will have a crucial role in medical school admission." But, "according to a recent study in the Journal of Applied Psychology," personality testing "may be more predictive of how successful students will be in medicine." Researchers found that conscientiousness, openness, and agreeableness contributed to students' "success" in medical school, while extraverts, who "invariably struggled early on...ended up excelling as their training entailed less time in the classroom and more time with patients." Chen noted, however, that these tests "can be useful only after medical schools...decide what characteristics are most important."
In the New York Times (1/14) Doctor and Patient column, Pauline W. Chen, MD, wrote that there is "no reliable standardized way to evaluate personality," so "it is inevitable that the MCAT will have a crucial role in medical school admission." But, "according to a recent study in the Journal of Applied Psychology," personality testing "may be more predictive of how successful students will be in medicine." Researchers found that conscientiousness, openness, and agreeableness contributed to students' "success" in medical school, while extraverts, who "invariably struggled early on...ended up excelling as their training entailed less time in the classroom and more time with patients." Chen noted, however, that these tests "can be useful only after medical schools...decide what characteristics are most important."
Hearing Loss in Baby Boomers
Hearing loss may be less prevalent among baby boomers than previously expected.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1/14, Fauber) reported that, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, "baby boomers have lost less of their hearing than their parents." The study, financed by the National Institute of Aging, showed that "actual hearing loss from one generation to the next has declined." In fact, "overall, the baby boomers had 31 percent less hearing loss than their parents." Previous estimates projected "that 66 million Americans would be hearing-impaired by 2030," but "the new findings suggest that number is more likely to be 51 million."
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1/14, Fauber) reported that, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, "baby boomers have lost less of their hearing than their parents." The study, financed by the National Institute of Aging, showed that "actual hearing loss from one generation to the next has declined." In fact, "overall, the baby boomers had 31 percent less hearing loss than their parents." Previous estimates projected "that 66 million Americans would be hearing-impaired by 2030," but "the new findings suggest that number is more likely to be 51 million."
Children May Cause Lower Blood Pressure
Parents may have lower blood pressure readings than childless adults.
USA Today (1/14, Jayson) reported that, according to a study published Jan. 14 in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, "parents have better blood pressure readings than childless adults." Researchers arrived at that conclusion after monitoring "the blood pressure of 198 adults, ages 20-68," who "wore portable monitors" taking "random readings three times an hour" around the clock. In addition, investigators "compared parents with kids under age two to parents with teens to parents with kids over 18 and found no differences."
"For parents overall, the 24-hour blood pressure readings averaged 116/71 -- which put them 4.5 points lower than nonparents in systolic blood pressure (the first number) and three points lower than nonparents in diastolic blood pressure," Utah's Deseret Morning News (1/15, Moore) reports. "The effect was dramatic among women in particular, with motherhood corresponding to a 12-point difference in systolic blood pressure and a seven-point difference in diastolic blood pressure." The Los Angeles Times (1/14, Stein) "Booster Shots" blog also covered the story.
USA Today (1/14, Jayson) reported that, according to a study published Jan. 14 in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, "parents have better blood pressure readings than childless adults." Researchers arrived at that conclusion after monitoring "the blood pressure of 198 adults, ages 20-68," who "wore portable monitors" taking "random readings three times an hour" around the clock. In addition, investigators "compared parents with kids under age two to parents with teens to parents with kids over 18 and found no differences."
"For parents overall, the 24-hour blood pressure readings averaged 116/71 -- which put them 4.5 points lower than nonparents in systolic blood pressure (the first number) and three points lower than nonparents in diastolic blood pressure," Utah's Deseret Morning News (1/15, Moore) reports. "The effect was dramatic among women in particular, with motherhood corresponding to a 12-point difference in systolic blood pressure and a seven-point difference in diastolic blood pressure." The Los Angeles Times (1/14, Stein) "Booster Shots" blog also covered the story.
H1N1 Childrens Dosing Update
Review of data finds many children overdue for second H1N1 dose.
USA Today (1/15, Young) reports that, according to its review of data from 10 states, "hundreds of thousands of children are overdue for a second dose of H1N1 vaccine that's needed to fully protect them from swine flu." In some states, "up to 80% of children under 10 who got a first dose are overdue for a second," and "no state had more than about half of children with a second dose." Beth Bell, a CDC influenza specialist, told USA Today that a third wave of H1N1 infections could occur this winter. Of the 10 states surveyed, Georgia had the greatest percentage of children overdue for a second dose, at 83%.
Swine flu statistics in California said to reflect further evidence of racial divide. The Los Angeles Times (1/15, Hennessy-Fiske) reports that figures released on Jan. 14 by the California Department of Public Health confirm that "Latinos have been nearly twice as likely as whites to die of H1N1 flu since the pandemic began last spring." State epidemiologist Dr. Gilberto Chavez said that "not everybody has been impacted equally" by the virus, noting that the figures had exposed "very important racial disparities" in H1N1 mortality and hospitalization rates. Chavez theorized that the higher mortality rates among minorities could be attributed to the "high rates of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, that studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate put them at greater risk for flu."
USA Today (1/15, Young) reports that, according to its review of data from 10 states, "hundreds of thousands of children are overdue for a second dose of H1N1 vaccine that's needed to fully protect them from swine flu." In some states, "up to 80% of children under 10 who got a first dose are overdue for a second," and "no state had more than about half of children with a second dose." Beth Bell, a CDC influenza specialist, told USA Today that a third wave of H1N1 infections could occur this winter. Of the 10 states surveyed, Georgia had the greatest percentage of children overdue for a second dose, at 83%.
Swine flu statistics in California said to reflect further evidence of racial divide. The Los Angeles Times (1/15, Hennessy-Fiske) reports that figures released on Jan. 14 by the California Department of Public Health confirm that "Latinos have been nearly twice as likely as whites to die of H1N1 flu since the pandemic began last spring." State epidemiologist Dr. Gilberto Chavez said that "not everybody has been impacted equally" by the virus, noting that the figures had exposed "very important racial disparities" in H1N1 mortality and hospitalization rates. Chavez theorized that the higher mortality rates among minorities could be attributed to the "high rates of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, that studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate put them at greater risk for flu."
New HIV Strain Update
Efforts to slow pandemic could be crippled by new wave of drug-resistant HIV strains.
According to Time (1/14, Harrell), "Last January, a team of scientists at the World Health Organization (WHO) published a study in...The Lancet making the audacious claim that the tools already exist to end the AIDS epidemic." Based on their "mathematical models, the researchers claimed that universal HIV testing followed by the immediate treatment of newly infected patients with antiretroviral drugs could eliminate the disease from even the most heavily infected populations within 10 years." They may not have accounted for drug resistance, however.
Already, "mutant strains are...starting to spread in poorer nations, such as South Africa, where there is little access to back-up medicines when resistance develops," Bloomberg News (1/15, Bennett) reports. What's more, "strains of mutant HIV emerging in the US and Europe threaten to undermine progress made in expanding access," according to a paper in published online Jan. 14 in Science and written by researchers from the University of California-Los Angeles, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Ottawa who constructed a new mathematical model.
The model "tracks the transmission of multiple strains of HIV," HealthDay (1/14, Preidt) reported. It shows "that many drug-resistant strains of HIV that have evolved over the past 10 years in San Francisco are much more easily transmitted from person to person than previously believed and are likely to cause a new wave of drug resistance in coming years." In fact, "strains of drug-resistant HIV that will emerge in San Francisco within the next five years could pose a serious threat to efforts to control the HIV pandemic."
At present, "about 60% of the resistant HIV strains now circulating in San Francisco are capable of starting their own mini-epidemics," MedPage Today (1/14, Smith) reported. The new model also "suggests that some resistant strains are now being transmitted among people who have never been treated." Lead investigator Sally Blower, PhD, said, "Essentially, it's like the beginning of the HIV epidemic all over again."
According to Time (1/14, Harrell), "Last January, a team of scientists at the World Health Organization (WHO) published a study in...The Lancet making the audacious claim that the tools already exist to end the AIDS epidemic." Based on their "mathematical models, the researchers claimed that universal HIV testing followed by the immediate treatment of newly infected patients with antiretroviral drugs could eliminate the disease from even the most heavily infected populations within 10 years." They may not have accounted for drug resistance, however.
Already, "mutant strains are...starting to spread in poorer nations, such as South Africa, where there is little access to back-up medicines when resistance develops," Bloomberg News (1/15, Bennett) reports. What's more, "strains of mutant HIV emerging in the US and Europe threaten to undermine progress made in expanding access," according to a paper in published online Jan. 14 in Science and written by researchers from the University of California-Los Angeles, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Ottawa who constructed a new mathematical model.
The model "tracks the transmission of multiple strains of HIV," HealthDay (1/14, Preidt) reported. It shows "that many drug-resistant strains of HIV that have evolved over the past 10 years in San Francisco are much more easily transmitted from person to person than previously believed and are likely to cause a new wave of drug resistance in coming years." In fact, "strains of drug-resistant HIV that will emerge in San Francisco within the next five years could pose a serious threat to efforts to control the HIV pandemic."
At present, "about 60% of the resistant HIV strains now circulating in San Francisco are capable of starting their own mini-epidemics," MedPage Today (1/14, Smith) reported. The new model also "suggests that some resistant strains are now being transmitted among people who have never been treated." Lead investigator Sally Blower, PhD, said, "Essentially, it's like the beginning of the HIV epidemic all over again."
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Pharmacists and Doctors
Pharmacists seen as taking on work once restricted to doctors, nurses.
The Washington Post (1/12, Boodman) reports that pharmacists "are moving into areas that have long been the exclusive province of doctors and nurses: providing immunizations for diseases including H1N1 influenza, screening for chronic health conditions such as diabetes, counseling patients about the increasing panoply of medications they are prescribed and, in a sour economy with dwindling access to health insurance and primary care, offering basic medical advice." Lynnae Mahaney, president of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, said pharmacists have become "'physician extenders' in hospital and community settings." She also said drug therapy is "much more complicated, both the number of medications we have and the number of patients" taking medications.
The Washington Post (1/12, Boodman) reports that pharmacists "are moving into areas that have long been the exclusive province of doctors and nurses: providing immunizations for diseases including H1N1 influenza, screening for chronic health conditions such as diabetes, counseling patients about the increasing panoply of medications they are prescribed and, in a sour economy with dwindling access to health insurance and primary care, offering basic medical advice." Lynnae Mahaney, president of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, said pharmacists have become "'physician extenders' in hospital and community settings." She also said drug therapy is "much more complicated, both the number of medications we have and the number of patients" taking medications.
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