A new California ballot initiative being touted as a patient safety measure may create more problems than it solves, according to two new commentaries being published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Proposition 46, the Medical Malpractice Lawsuits Cap and Drug Testing of Doctors Initiative, would mandate random drug and alcohol testing of physicians and quadruple the cap on medical malpractice awards to $1.1 million.
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(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) —A 2004 California law mandating specific nurse-to-patient staffing standards in acute care hospitals significantly lowered job-related injuries and illnesses for both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, according to UC Davis research published online in the International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. The study is believed to be the first to evaluate the effect of the law on occupational health.
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) —Short questionnaires used to identify patients at risk for depression are linked with antidepressant medications being prescribed when they may not be needed, according to new research from UC Davis Health System published in the September-October issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.
Before undergoing heart imaging procedures involving radiation, healthcare providers should help patients understand why the procedure is needed and its potential benefits and risks, including risks related to radiation exposure, according to a new scientific statement in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
Information is lacking on most implanted medical devices cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration despite a legal requirement that companies submit scientific evidence about the devices' substantial equivalence to other devices already on the market.
MINNEAPOLIS – According to a new position statement from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the risk of death, overdose, addiction or serious side effects with prescription opioids outweigh the benefits in chronic, non-cancer conditions such as headache, fibromyalgia and chronic low back pain. The position paper is published in the September 30, 2014, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Bottom Line: The use of broad-spectrum antibiotics by children before the age of 24 months was associated with increased risk of obesity in early childhood.
Author: L. Charles Bailey, M.D., Ph.D., of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues.
Background: Obesity is a major public health problem. Previous research suggests intestinal microflora may be associated with obesity, and antibiotic exposure may affect microbial diversity and composition.
PHILADELPHIA – In the second of two papers outlining new gene-therapy approaches to treat a rare disease called MPS I, researchers from Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania examined systemic delivery of a vector to replace the enzyme IDUA, which is deficient in patients with this disorder.
A new study led by a Boston University School of Public Health researcher has found that states with higher estimated rates of gun ownership experience a higher incidence of non-stranger firearms homicides – disputing the claim that gun ownership deters violent crime, its authors say.
Research has shown that drinking caffeinated beverages and listening to music are two popular fatigue-fighting measures that drivers take, but very few studies have tested the usefulness of those measures. New research to be presented at the HFES 2014 Annual Meeting in Chicago evaluates which method, if either, can successfully combat driver fatigue.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Mathematicians from Brown University have introduced a new element of uncertainty into an equation used to describe the behavior of fluid flows. While being as certain as possible is generally the stock and trade of mathematics, the researchers hope this new formulation might ultimately lead to mathematical models that better reflect the inherent uncertainties of the natural world.
Medical imaging is at the forefront of diagnostics today, with imaging techniques like MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT (computerized tomography), scanning, and NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) increasing steeply over the last two decades. However, persisting problems of image resolution and quality still limit these techniques because of the nature of living tissue.
PRINCETON, N.J.–While it is largely understood that birth rates plummet when unemployment rates soar, the long-term effects have never been clear.
Now, new research from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs shows that recessions result in lower birth rates both in the short and long run.
A new study by researchers from the University of Montreal reveals the current state of knowledge about anorexia in men and boys. "Most of the knowledge about anorexia pertains to females. However, about 10% of persons affected are males, and we believe this figure is underestimated," says Laurence Corbeil-Serre, lead author of the study. "Our results show that there appear to be similarities between the behavioural symptoms of males and females, but certain particularities can be identified in males, especially related to personality, gender identity, and sexual orientation."
The monoclonal antibody nivolumab achieves superior response rates and a longer duration of response than standard chemotherapy[1] in patients whose melanoma has progressed after treatment with ipilimumab, according to phase III data presented at the ESMO 2014 Congress in Madrid, Spain.
"Previously-treated advanced melanoma patients have limited options," says the study's principal investigator, Professor Jeffrey Weber, Director of the Donald A. Adam Comprehensive Melanoma Research Center of Excellence at the Moffitt Cancer Centre, Tampa, Florida.