Pregnancy :: Study of environmental chemicals in pregnant women and their babies

The Government of Canada announced a $3.9 million investment in Canada’s largest study of environmental chemicals in pregnant women and their babies. To mark National Child Day and the one-year anniversary of the Chemicals Management Plan on December 8, the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, Canada announced this important step.

Eyes :: Surgical errors rare but serious in ophthalmic procedures

Surgical confusions—for instance, operations involving the wrong site, the wrong patient or the wrong procedure—occur infrequently in eye surgery procedures, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Although most surgical confusions cause little or no permanent injury, they may involve serious consequences for the patient, physician and profession, yet could often be prevented.

Healthcare :: Emergency response

Disasters are getting worse it seems but the federal government’s preparedness has been limited to helping after a disaster has occurred. On the other hand, local organizations often do not have the resources or the training to effectively react. Federal and state support must now be given to programs that enable local governments to work effectively with communities to prepare for and respond to all disasters.

Prostate Cancer :: Obesity and overweight linked to higher prostate cancer mortality

Men who are overweight or obese when diagnosed with prostate cancer are at greater risk of death after treatment, according to a new study in the December 15, 2007 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The study, by Dr. Jason Efstathiou from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and colleagues, found that a greater body mass index (BMI) at the time of cancer diagnosis was an independent risk factor for prostate cancer-related death.

Back Pain :: Back pain often over-treated

A study published this week in the prestigious British journal The Lancet, questions the need for expensive and potentially risky treatments commonly used to combat acute low back pain. The Sydney University researchers, led by Mark Hancock from the University of Sydney Back Pain Research Group, followed 240 patients suffering from acute low back pain from their first visit to their GP through to recovery.

Telemedicine :: Telemedicine publication expands coverage

Telemedicine and e-Health, a publication available in print and on-line by Mary Ann Liebert Inc., publishers (www.liebertpub.com) will greatly expand its content and frequency beginning in 2008; a new section, MEDICAL CONNECTIVITY will make its debut in the March issue.

Imaging :: Economic motivation may affect how often some physicians order imaging studies

Diagnostic imaging has been one of the fastest growing areas of health care in recent years. Some of that increase can be attributed to the availability of improved imaging studies, but whether some imaging utilization may be inappropriate has been an issue of concern. Now a study from the Institute for Technology Assessment in the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Radiology finds that physicians who consistently refer patients to themselves or members of their own specialty for imaging studies, rather than to radiologists, are more likely to order such studies for a variety of medical conditions. The results suggest that economic motivation could underlie some of the excess referrals.

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