From the monthly archives:

December 2004

Happy New Year!

December 31, 2004

FDA Approves Pfizer Drug for Diabetes?
Wow – I read the headline and thought, “That’s interesting, since I hadn’t heard of a new diabetes drug coming.” Turns out, the story was for Pfizer’s pain medication Lyrica, which is used for diabetic neuropathy, not diabetes.
What a terrible, misleading headline – doesn’t anyone edit this [...]

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December 31, 2004

GruntDoc strikes a nerve

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December 31, 2004

I’m one of ABC News’ People of the Year
(via Instapundit)

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December 31, 2004

The uninsured was one of the “hot stories of 2004″, and its not likely to improve in 2005

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December 31, 2004

Update on the dueling malpractice initiatives in Washington state
Last month, the lawyer-supported initiative was submitted. This week, the physicians submitted their opposing initiative. The battle will be decided in the fall.

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Why medical malpractice isn’t a contest between doctors and lawyers

December 31, 2004

A lawyer weighs in on the malpractice debate
“Medical malpractice is not a contest between doctors and lawyers. It is instead an example of our legal system seeking to render justice through the time-honored tradition of the jury trial, and opposition to this system by insurance companies.”

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December 31, 2004

The Washington Post on the malpractice showdown in Maryland“The medical malpractice special session in Annapolis seemed destined from the outset to end in a veto-override showdown — and so it has.”

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December 31, 2004

CBS predicts the medical advancements for 2005

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December 30, 2004

Many of the donated organs in China come from executed prisoners
Also of note, the number of executions in China exceeds by at least two fold the total number of executions in the rest of the world combined.

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December 30, 2004

Colonoscopy still the best when compared to virtual colonoscopy
It’s not even close – virtual colonoscopy is still not ready for prime time:

When analysed on a per-patient basis, for lesions 10 mm or larger in size (n=63), the sensitivity of ACBE was 48% (95% CI 35-61), CTC 59% (46-71, p=0Â·1083 for CTC vs ACBE), and colonoscopy [...]

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Are single-dose antibiotics the future standard drug regimen?

December 30, 2004

Pfizer is getting single-dose Azithromycin ready for battleThey recently submitted a trio of studies to the FDA, aiming for indications in acute bronchitis, sinusitis, and pneumonia. The obvious benefit of increased compliance is cited:
Â“”Single treatment is a major advance,”Â” commented Victor L. Yu, M.D., chief of infectious diseases at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Pittsburgh. [...]

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December 30, 2004

The governor of Maryland is likely to veto a malpractice reform bill
You can’t please everyone all of the time – no bill is going to be perfect.

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December 30, 2004

The malpractice insurance industry in Mississippi is being accused of racism

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December 30, 2004

The FDA docs strike back against Dr. Topol
“‘Dr. Topol shows a lack of understanding of the FDA’s regulatory authority,’ FDA doctors Lourdes Villalba and James Witter wrote in their letter.”

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December 30, 2004

One of my colleagues is in Thailand, and people are starting to get worried
Here’s to a safe return Bill.

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