terrasig | June 12, 2008I'm even later to the game on this story than my blogging colleague, Orac: ERV, Pharyngula, and denialism blog have each given their takes on the Minnesota's plan to authorize NDs, doctors of naturopathy, to use the title of "Doctor."
For two views on what naturopathy is, here is one from the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and another from Quackwatch. We link - you decide.
As I read the story, it sounds as though the new legislation allows naturopaths to practice without being prosecuted for practicing medicine without a license. No word yet on whether they can be sued…
terrasig | June 10, 2008Naw. This is more likely a case of an older person flushing some old prescription drugs down the toilet:
In a February interview with The Associated Press, Mayor Robert Cluck said trace concentrations of one pharmaceutical had been found in treated drinking water, but he declined to name it. He said revealing the name in the post-9/11 world could cause a terrorist to intentionally release more of the drug, causing harm to residents.
"I don't want to take that chance," Cluck said. "There is no public hazard, and I don't want to create one."
. . .Drinking water in Arlington, Texas, tested…
terrasig | June 8, 2008Apologies for being such a homer with the last few posts (and a couple upcoming) but there have been interesting local happenings of broad interest, especially while I was away earlier this week.
Turns out that the good Senator Edward Kennedy took a foray to the Town-That-Tobacco-Built to have his glioblastoma excised by Dr Dr Allan Friedman. The local fishwrapper covered this while I was away and noted that while Duke is big on tooting their own horns, they kept an unusually low profile with their high-profile patient.
But I actually didn't learn this news until I received an e-mail from a…
terrasig | June 7, 2008Oy vey, am I embarrassed for missing this piece of good news. Last month, Erin Zuiker graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.
Folks in the local and international science blogging community may recognize that Erin is the better half of Anton Zuiker, science blogger extraordinaire and co-founder with Bora Zivkovic of the former NC Science Blogging Conference (to be known next year as ScienceOnline'09) and leader of the BlogTogether movement.
Conference attendees this past year may not know that Erin Zuiker was solely responsible for securing and…
terrasig | June 6, 2008Here's one of those Friday afternoon press releases, hoping no one will notice. I'm having a little trouble parsing out whether this effort promotes CAM or is truly meant to inform physicians in a manner so as to protect their patients from unscupulous providers:
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
For Immediate Release: Friday, June 6, 2008
CONTACT: NCCAM Press Office, 301-496-7790,
TIME TO TALK ABOUT CAM:
Health Care Providers and Patients Need To Ask and Tell
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), part of the National…
terrasig | June 6, 2008This one's for the molecular and cell biology and pharmaceutical chemistry crowd: what's on your current wishlist?
If you had a US$250,000 equipment budget, what would you buy to outfit the lab?
Assume that your department has all the big ticket items like real-time PCR, confocal microscopy, flow cytometer, histology gadgetry, >500MHz NMR, MALDI-TOF, LCs, etc.
And, no, not for scientist salaries - instrumentation/capital equipment only.
I just want to know if there are any newfangled whizbang thingamabobs out there that I haven't seen in the last year or two, perhaps along the lines of the…
terrasig | June 5, 2008This just in from David B. Brushwood, RPh, JD, Professor of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. David said, "we could use your help promoting the programs to anyone you know who might be interested."
So, I know you and since you read this blog, you might be interested (see here for more information on these programs and others already ongoing):
We have really worked hard to develop three new online, part-time programs that will interest you. These are in addition to the programs that are up and running. The new programs start this fall.…
terrasig | June 4, 2008This whole "cosmeceutical" thing probably shouldn't be in "Medicine & Health" but we did call your attention to today's news item back on 27 July 2007: Drug maker Allergan announced at a stock analyst's meeting this afternoon that it is filing a New Drug Application (NDA) for a cosmetic form of its anti-glaucoma drug bimatoprost (Lumigan®) as a result of it side effect in increasing the number and thickness of eyelashes.
Allergan (nyse: AGN) has completed its clinical trial program demonstrating that its patented formulation of bimatoprost, when applied directly to the base of the…
terrasig | May 31, 2008Our quick post yesterday cited Jonathan Alter's Newsweek essay this week on the sad state of cancer research funding in the context of Hamilton Jordan's recent death and Ted Kennedy's recent glioblastoma diagnosis. Like many areas of US federal research funding, cancer research support has been flat under the Bush administration and, in fact, declined in real dollars since 2004.
But when one hears a federally-funded researcher like me whining about this situation, one might think I am solely acting in a self-serving fashion, caring only about the preservation of my career and that of my…
terrasig | May 30, 2008While I tend to off-blog responsibilities, you may be interested to read this lovely essay by Jonathan Alter in the current (2 June) issue of Newsweek entitled, "How We Really Help Ted."
There was a time when mentioning Kennedy and Jimmy Carter (or Carter's right hand) in the same breath would have meant a story about a Democratic family feud even more bitter than this year's between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. But today these men offer priceless lessons in how to overcome endless adversity and deep unpopularity and go on to lead redemptive and joyful lives that touch millions. Their…
terrasig | May 26, 2008Let me say from the outset that I am too close to this issue, in many ways, to be fully objective. However, this issue is likely to be of interest to those in the academic community and especially anyone who followed the now-discredited 2006 Duke lacrosse case.
On 15 May Duke graduating senior and guest columnist, Kristin Butler, wrote an editorial in The Duke Chronicle entitled, "Summa cum loony." Her editorial addressed the fellow graduation across town of Solomon Burnette, convicted in 1997 of robbing two Duke students, and Crystal Gail Mangum, the exotic dancer hired by Duke lacrosse…
terrasig | May 25, 2008I missed this FDA warning in my e-mail box this week. But given the use of such products by breast-feeding women we know, I think this warning is worth publicizing here - chlorphenesin is a centrally-active skeletal muscle relaxant that is for some reason used in cosmetics but is not intended for oral consumption:
FDA Warns Consumers Against Using Mommy's Bliss Nipple Cream
Product can be harmful to nursing infants
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use or purchase Mommy's Bliss Nipple Cream, marketed by MOM Enterprises, Inc., because the product contains…
terrasig | May 25, 2008So here's a bizarre convergence of the controversies surrounding cognitive performance-enhancing strategies and the end-of-grade (EOG) testing stress on teachers and students.
Esther Robards-Forbes reports in yesterday's Charlotte (NC) Observer that a third-grade teacher was arrested for contributing to the delinquency of minors by giving three students adult-strength multivitamin pills in advance of their EOG tests:
A third-grade teacher at Marvin Elementary in western Union County was arrested and suspended from his job after he was accused Friday of handing out vitamin pills to three…
terrasig | May 23, 2008Another Wine Experience - Syrahs from Europe and the US
By Erleichda
We've been having so many of our wine dinners the past two years that the group has had to return to its favorite haunts. Such was the case one Friday evening as we set about to taste Syrahs from the US and Europe. I have generally preferred my Syrahs blended, which is to say accompanied by other grape varieties such as one finds in the Rhone wines from the south of France. But tonight it was to be a tasting of just Syrah.
Getting a head start before any appetizers arrived, we passed around the first bottle of the evening…
terrasig | May 22, 2008Well, things have changed in my life that have begun to impact my posting frequency so I really appreciate the support of readers when I last spoke of this change of life (no, not menopause).
I've even gotten so distracted that I have neglected to read the daily fishwrapper - that is until today's recycling when I stood outside on the street at 6 am rummaging through my blue bin to read Tuesday's paper (hell, it was news to me). At least I was courteous enough to the neighbors to throw on a pair of shorts.
In it, I learned that an academic physician settled with her employer for $200K after…
terrasig | May 20, 2008On 8 May after a six-month search by a 21-member search committee, 43-year-old chemistry professor H. Holden Thorp was named Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The search committee was unable to find anyone else nationally or internationally that could match Thorp's promise in leading the university.
Thorp is a pretty amazing guy for any age, having already achieved full, distinguished professor status, chair of the chemistry department, dean of arts & sciences, started a couple of companies, directed and rejuvenated the university's aging planetarium, and…
terrasig | May 19, 2008One last political post for a little while at least.
We posted almost two weeks ago a note of thanks to the NC Democratic senate candidate, Jim Neal. The progressive candidate and friend of the blogging community (and blogger himself) lost to Kay Hagan, who will now face Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) in the November election.
I missed Jim's response to us in a long thread at BlueNC:
it's never too late for you and science/medicine bloggers to make an impact. Get to know Senator Hagan and other candidates. Inform them about what you are doing and your POV.
You have a voice. Use it. Expect,…
terrasig | May 16, 2008Terrible news out of Duke University Medical Center this week with the death of 63-year-old master steamfitter, Rayford Cofer, in a steampipe explosion under one of the university's largest research buildings. Not just any man, but one of the best at what his did:
Cofer, a Franklinton resident who began working with Duke's Facilities Management Department in 2001, was known by his co-workers as one of the "go-to guys" who overcame obstacles on difficult assignments. He was twice honored with one of Duke's top employee awards for meritorious service. (See, "A Generous Man and A Master…
terrasig | May 13, 2008I'm not sure whether this story qualifies as alternative medicine or religion, or neither. I throw it out to you because I and other sci/med bloggers widely criticize the infiltration of so-called alternative medicine in our academic medical centers.
But here in today's Health Journal section of the Wall Street Journal, Melinda Beck tells us of the application of mindfulness, a practice derived from Buddhism, to overcoming binge-eating disorders. Sure, this may be considered alternative medicine but it's really an application of psychology under the auspices of integrative medicine:
In a…
terrasig | May 11, 2008I had a lovely chat with PharmMom today and I am truly grateful for her example and all of the opportunities she gave me. Mom, I love you - but I urge you and all of my readers to saunter over to Thesis - With Children written by acmegirl, one of the stars-to-be of the science blogging community.
I cannot add anything more to better express her sentiments about her two mothers than the words written on her blog.
Here's to you AG and to both of your Moms.
Let me go find the Kleenex before I press "publish."