Adding to the issues of medical insurance, availability of healthcare and physician reimbursement, actions are in motion by the American Medical Association's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) and proponents to eliminate commercial support of certified CME. Certified CME is part of a system which ensures that new information is communicated to physicians so that they may be as current as possible and maintain licensure to practice medicine. Proponents indicate that their efforts are due to the possibility for bias and other potential conflicts of interest in commercially-supported CME; however, a review of literature commissioned by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) which accredits providers of CME found 'no evidence to support or refute the assertion that support biases CME'. In a recent poll 92% of the consumers of the CME system, physicians, disagreed with the Committee's call to end commercial support of CME. Industry sources currently account for over a billion dollars of financial aid to the CME system every year. Withdrawing this financial aid would likely overwhelm what system remains and fill the subsequent vacuum with a dramatic increase in promotional activities and Direct-to-Consumer advertising.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
New Alliance Between Leaders in Health and Medicine to Address Healthcare Disparities Through Educational Initiative Partners share common goals of e
In an effort to help reduce racial, ethnic and gender disparities in healthcare, leading professional organizations and academic medical institutions have joined forces in a unique collaborative alliance with the goal of creating a comprehensive educational initiative that aims to improve the quality of care and outcomes for traditionally underserved minority populations.
The collaboration between The American College of Cardiology, the Association of Black Cardiologists, the National Kidney Foundation, Joslin Diabetes Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing will focus on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD) - conditions with consistently higher rates of morbidity and mortality among ethnic patients. The initiative will additionally examine multiple aspects of patient care including effectiveness of healthcare quality, patient safety, timeliness of and access to healthcare services and patient centeredness.
"The spectrum of clinical implications between hypertension, obesity, diabetes and chronic kidney disease has long been recognized by clinicians, but in recent years they have become a clear focus of considerable preventive and therapeutic attention," according to Keith C. Ferdinand, M.D., FACC, Clinical Professor, Emory University and Chief Science Officer, Association of Black Cardiologists. "With this important clinical challenge facing us, however, ethnic disparities limit our ability to provide optimal care."
"Despite extensive documentation of inequities in healthcare quality, little has been done to improve the delivery of services to ethnic populations," states Jack Lewin, M.D., CEO, American College of Cardiology. "The resources and technology necessary to address disparities in health care exist today. If we can harness these tools and provide training in using them to physicians and their care teams, we will go a long way toward providing evidence-based quality care to all patients regardless of ethnicity."
For example, statistics show that:
-- Healthcare providers are 40 percent less likely to order sophisticated cardiac tests for African Americans with chest pain than for Caucasians with identical symptoms.
-- African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics and American Asians are, respectively, 4.5, 3.6, 2 and 1.6 times more likely to develop chronic kidney disease than are Caucasians, and ethnic patients have a rate of end-stage renal disease that is 2 to 4 times higher than Caucasians.
-- Among patients diagnosed with diabetes, African-American patients are less likely (43.6 percent) than white patients (50.4 percent) to receive an eye exam, an established standard for diabetes care.
"As stakeholders in providing quality care to patients, we need to act aggressively to ensure that we address healthcare disparities among our patient populations," states Enrique Caballero, M.D., Director of the Latino Diabetes Initiative, Joslin Diabetes Center. "Effective education and training for clinicians is the first step toward change."
"This is an exciting opportunity to combine the expertise of our nation's leading medical societies, associations and academic medical centers to provide the highest degree of educational value to an underserved and under recognized area of healthcare," says Joseph Vassalotti, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, National Kidney Foundation.
Evidence shows that as patient populations grow and become more diverse, lack of cultural competence among providers will lead to an increasing gap in racial and ethnic disparities within the healthcare system. "This initiative will utilize several measures to assess the impact it will have on minimizing healthcare disparities," said Todd Dorman, M.D., FCCM, Associate Dean and Director, Johns Hopkins CME. He outlined them in the following manner;
1. Provider Measures
-- Did the initiative improve the provider's knowledge/awareness
-- Did the initiative change the provider's behavior in relation to the process of care
2. Patient Measures
-- Did the initiative result in better patient care and outcomes related to cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and CKD
-- Did the initiative improve the health status of patients through specific measures such as healthcare quality, timeliness of healthcare services, and patient centeredness
3. Healthcare Services and Utilization
-- Did the initiative have an impact on patient safety and/or error reduction
-- Did the initiative have an impact on diagnostic accuracy, appropriate therapy, and minimization of hospitalization rates
The curriculum-based, multi-year initiative aims to provide a series of educational interventions in multiple formats to various healthcare providers ranging from primary care and cardiovascular physicians to other specialists such as endocrinologists/diabetologists and nephrologists, as well as nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physician assistants, and dietitians.
A performance improvement (PI) system will be used in the curriculum to allow providers to apply quality measurement to their practices, and use the resulting data to take action specific to their practice for improved patient care.
Bringing this educational initiative to fruition demands a collaborative approach by healthcare organizations. "Our hope is that this initiative will empower healthcare providers in the U.S. to deliver the highest-quality care to every patient, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, culture, or language proficiency," said Dr. Dorman.
Gullapalli and Associates, LLC, a leading educational strategy firm, will facilitate the development and management of the initiative.
American College of Cardiology (ACC)
The American College of Cardiology is leading the way to optimal cardiovascular care and disease prevention. The ACC is a 34,000-member nonprofit medical society and bestows the credential Fellow of the American College of Cardiology upon physicians who meet its stringent qualifications. The College is a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines, and is a staunch supporter of cardiovascular research. The ACC provides professional education and operates national registries for the measurement and improvement of quality care. For more information, visit www.acc.org.
Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC)
The Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc. (ABC) is the nation's foremost advocate for the prevention and reduction of disparities in cardiovascular care and outcomes. Since its establishment in 1974, the ABC's achievements have made it an important voice and the foremost advocate for the prevention and reduction of cardiovascular diseases in African Americans and other minorities. The ABC continues to promote its primary mission through education, research, health promotion and health policy advocacy. The ABC's diverse membership consists of over 1,100 physicians, scientists, nurses, students and community health advocates. For more information, please call the Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc. at 1-800-753-9222.
Joslin Diabetes Center
Joslin Diabetes Center is the world's preeminent diabetes clinic, diabetes research center and provider of diabetes education. Joslin is dedicated to ensuring people with diabetes live long, healthy lives and offers real hope and progress toward diabetes prevention and a cure for the disease. Founded in 1898 by Elliott P. Joslin, M.D., Joslin is an independent, nonprofit institution affiliated with Harvard Medical School. For more information about Joslin.
National Kidney Foundation/Kidney Learning System (NKF/KLS)
The National Kidney Foundation, Inc., a major voluntary health organization, seeks to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation. NKF's KDOQI evidence-based practice guidelines are the leading resource in the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD). NKF's KLS develops and implements comprehensive educational resources for public health, patients and families and medical professionals across all disciplines through a wide variety of learning formats, CME/CE programs, tools and resources.
The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
In July 2008, U.S. News & World Report ranked The Johns Hopkins Hospital #1 among American hospitals for the 18th consecutive year. Johns Hopkins remains the nation's leading medical school recipient of research funds from the National Institutes of Health. In 2006, the Johns Hopkins Office of CME received "Accreditation with Commendation", the highest ranking issued by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education.
The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing
The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing designs and delivers leading-edge continuing education for nurses. The Institute accesses the expertise of faculty and nurses from both the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and Johns Hopkins Hospital, including over 2500 highly skilled clinicians in 10 clinical and countless subspecialty areas who are also world- renowned researchers and educators.
Gullapalli and Associates, LLC
Gullapalli & Associates (G&A) is an educational firm specializing in the facilitation of collaborative educational strategies with a variety of CME stakeholders, ensuring consistent educational strategy, goals and objectives.
The collaboration between The American College of Cardiology, the Association of Black Cardiologists, the National Kidney Foundation, Joslin Diabetes Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing will focus on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD) - conditions with consistently higher rates of morbidity and mortality among ethnic patients. The initiative will additionally examine multiple aspects of patient care including effectiveness of healthcare quality, patient safety, timeliness of and access to healthcare services and patient centeredness.
"The spectrum of clinical implications between hypertension, obesity, diabetes and chronic kidney disease has long been recognized by clinicians, but in recent years they have become a clear focus of considerable preventive and therapeutic attention," according to Keith C. Ferdinand, M.D., FACC, Clinical Professor, Emory University and Chief Science Officer, Association of Black Cardiologists. "With this important clinical challenge facing us, however, ethnic disparities limit our ability to provide optimal care."
"Despite extensive documentation of inequities in healthcare quality, little has been done to improve the delivery of services to ethnic populations," states Jack Lewin, M.D., CEO, American College of Cardiology. "The resources and technology necessary to address disparities in health care exist today. If we can harness these tools and provide training in using them to physicians and their care teams, we will go a long way toward providing evidence-based quality care to all patients regardless of ethnicity."
For example, statistics show that:
-- Healthcare providers are 40 percent less likely to order sophisticated cardiac tests for African Americans with chest pain than for Caucasians with identical symptoms.
-- African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics and American Asians are, respectively, 4.5, 3.6, 2 and 1.6 times more likely to develop chronic kidney disease than are Caucasians, and ethnic patients have a rate of end-stage renal disease that is 2 to 4 times higher than Caucasians.
-- Among patients diagnosed with diabetes, African-American patients are less likely (43.6 percent) than white patients (50.4 percent) to receive an eye exam, an established standard for diabetes care.
"As stakeholders in providing quality care to patients, we need to act aggressively to ensure that we address healthcare disparities among our patient populations," states Enrique Caballero, M.D., Director of the Latino Diabetes Initiative, Joslin Diabetes Center. "Effective education and training for clinicians is the first step toward change."
"This is an exciting opportunity to combine the expertise of our nation's leading medical societies, associations and academic medical centers to provide the highest degree of educational value to an underserved and under recognized area of healthcare," says Joseph Vassalotti, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, National Kidney Foundation.
Evidence shows that as patient populations grow and become more diverse, lack of cultural competence among providers will lead to an increasing gap in racial and ethnic disparities within the healthcare system. "This initiative will utilize several measures to assess the impact it will have on minimizing healthcare disparities," said Todd Dorman, M.D., FCCM, Associate Dean and Director, Johns Hopkins CME. He outlined them in the following manner;
1. Provider Measures
-- Did the initiative improve the provider's knowledge/awareness
-- Did the initiative change the provider's behavior in relation to the process of care
2. Patient Measures
-- Did the initiative result in better patient care and outcomes related to cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and CKD
-- Did the initiative improve the health status of patients through specific measures such as healthcare quality, timeliness of healthcare services, and patient centeredness
3. Healthcare Services and Utilization
-- Did the initiative have an impact on patient safety and/or error reduction
-- Did the initiative have an impact on diagnostic accuracy, appropriate therapy, and minimization of hospitalization rates
The curriculum-based, multi-year initiative aims to provide a series of educational interventions in multiple formats to various healthcare providers ranging from primary care and cardiovascular physicians to other specialists such as endocrinologists/diabetologists and nephrologists, as well as nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physician assistants, and dietitians.
A performance improvement (PI) system will be used in the curriculum to allow providers to apply quality measurement to their practices, and use the resulting data to take action specific to their practice for improved patient care.
Bringing this educational initiative to fruition demands a collaborative approach by healthcare organizations. "Our hope is that this initiative will empower healthcare providers in the U.S. to deliver the highest-quality care to every patient, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, culture, or language proficiency," said Dr. Dorman.
Gullapalli and Associates, LLC, a leading educational strategy firm, will facilitate the development and management of the initiative.
American College of Cardiology (ACC)
The American College of Cardiology is leading the way to optimal cardiovascular care and disease prevention. The ACC is a 34,000-member nonprofit medical society and bestows the credential Fellow of the American College of Cardiology upon physicians who meet its stringent qualifications. The College is a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines, and is a staunch supporter of cardiovascular research. The ACC provides professional education and operates national registries for the measurement and improvement of quality care. For more information, visit www.acc.org.
Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC)
The Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc. (ABC) is the nation's foremost advocate for the prevention and reduction of disparities in cardiovascular care and outcomes. Since its establishment in 1974, the ABC's achievements have made it an important voice and the foremost advocate for the prevention and reduction of cardiovascular diseases in African Americans and other minorities. The ABC continues to promote its primary mission through education, research, health promotion and health policy advocacy. The ABC's diverse membership consists of over 1,100 physicians, scientists, nurses, students and community health advocates. For more information, please call the Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc. at 1-800-753-9222.
Joslin Diabetes Center
Joslin Diabetes Center is the world's preeminent diabetes clinic, diabetes research center and provider of diabetes education. Joslin is dedicated to ensuring people with diabetes live long, healthy lives and offers real hope and progress toward diabetes prevention and a cure for the disease. Founded in 1898 by Elliott P. Joslin, M.D., Joslin is an independent, nonprofit institution affiliated with Harvard Medical School. For more information about Joslin.
National Kidney Foundation/Kidney Learning System (NKF/KLS)
The National Kidney Foundation, Inc., a major voluntary health organization, seeks to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation. NKF's KDOQI evidence-based practice guidelines are the leading resource in the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD). NKF's KLS develops and implements comprehensive educational resources for public health, patients and families and medical professionals across all disciplines through a wide variety of learning formats, CME/CE programs, tools and resources.
The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
In July 2008, U.S. News & World Report ranked The Johns Hopkins Hospital #1 among American hospitals for the 18th consecutive year. Johns Hopkins remains the nation's leading medical school recipient of research funds from the National Institutes of Health. In 2006, the Johns Hopkins Office of CME received "Accreditation with Commendation", the highest ranking issued by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education.
The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing
The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing designs and delivers leading-edge continuing education for nurses. The Institute accesses the expertise of faculty and nurses from both the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and Johns Hopkins Hospital, including over 2500 highly skilled clinicians in 10 clinical and countless subspecialty areas who are also world- renowned researchers and educators.
Gullapalli and Associates, LLC
Gullapalli & Associates (G&A) is an educational firm specializing in the facilitation of collaborative educational strategies with a variety of CME stakeholders, ensuring consistent educational strategy, goals and objectives.
CLX Medical, Inc. Announces Results of Meetings at AACC Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo
which is focused on the launch and distribution of unique medical diagnostic testing products, today updated shareholders on its successful attendance at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo held last week at in Washington, DC.
Among the more significant accomplishments achieved by CLX Medical management at the event was reaching agreement with a major European distributor to serve as the sole importer of CLX's subsidiary products into the European market. In the meetings with the targeted master distributor, a marketing strategy for European sales was established, and CLX expects to announce a Letter of Intent with the distributor in the next several days. The name of the company will also be announced at that time.
CLX Medical also met with the current owner and the manufacturer of an additional medical diagnostic testing product, which CLX expects to acquire in the near term. The two companies have reached agreement on acquisition terms and on a timeline for definitive agreement and the close of the acquisition. CLX expects to identify the product, the market opportunity presented by this acquisition and details of its launch plan within the next two weeks.
The AACC event was held from July 27-31 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. AACC's Clinical Lab Expo, the largest gathering of laboratory industry companies in the world, was anticipated to include 1,800 booths and 650 exhibitors. The Expo allows visitors to see and speak to world-leading companies about the latest developments in laboratory medicine. More information on the event can be found at http://www.aacc.org/EVENTS/ANN_MEET/Pages/default.aspx.
"Everything we had hoped to accomplish at the AACC Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo was achieved, and we look forward to providing the details of our agreement with our master distributor for Europe in the next several days and of our anticipated acquisition target shortly thereafter," commented Vera Leonard, chief executive officer of CLX Medical. "Our attendance at the event was more than worth the time we spent there, and we hope that CLX shareholders will follow our new releases closely as we follow-up with the details of each of these agreements."
To sign up to receive information by email directly from CLX Medical, Inc. when new press releases, investor newsletters, SEC filings, or other information is disclosed, please visit http://www.clxinvestments.com/email.php.
About CLX Medical, Inc.
CLX Medical, Inc. ( www.clxinvestments.com) holds a 51% equity interest in Zonda, Inc., which has developed rapid point of care tests for medical and non-medical markets, and CLX recently announced a letter of intent to acquire another rapid diagnostic device for the medical market. CLX has also invested, and holds a common stock position, in ActionView International, Inc. ( www.actionviewinternational.com), a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of "smart" scrolling advertising billboards.
All statements included in this release, including statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of CLX Medical, Inc. are forward-looking statements. Such statements are necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which are significant in scope and nature beyond CLX Medical's control. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements depending on many factors. Historical results are not necessarily indicative of future performance.
Among the more significant accomplishments achieved by CLX Medical management at the event was reaching agreement with a major European distributor to serve as the sole importer of CLX's subsidiary products into the European market. In the meetings with the targeted master distributor, a marketing strategy for European sales was established, and CLX expects to announce a Letter of Intent with the distributor in the next several days. The name of the company will also be announced at that time.
CLX Medical also met with the current owner and the manufacturer of an additional medical diagnostic testing product, which CLX expects to acquire in the near term. The two companies have reached agreement on acquisition terms and on a timeline for definitive agreement and the close of the acquisition. CLX expects to identify the product, the market opportunity presented by this acquisition and details of its launch plan within the next two weeks.
The AACC event was held from July 27-31 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. AACC's Clinical Lab Expo, the largest gathering of laboratory industry companies in the world, was anticipated to include 1,800 booths and 650 exhibitors. The Expo allows visitors to see and speak to world-leading companies about the latest developments in laboratory medicine. More information on the event can be found at http://www.aacc.org/EVENTS/ANN_MEET/Pages/default.aspx.
"Everything we had hoped to accomplish at the AACC Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo was achieved, and we look forward to providing the details of our agreement with our master distributor for Europe in the next several days and of our anticipated acquisition target shortly thereafter," commented Vera Leonard, chief executive officer of CLX Medical. "Our attendance at the event was more than worth the time we spent there, and we hope that CLX shareholders will follow our new releases closely as we follow-up with the details of each of these agreements."
To sign up to receive information by email directly from CLX Medical, Inc. when new press releases, investor newsletters, SEC filings, or other information is disclosed, please visit http://www.clxinvestments.com/email.php.
About CLX Medical, Inc.
CLX Medical, Inc. ( www.clxinvestments.com) holds a 51% equity interest in Zonda, Inc., which has developed rapid point of care tests for medical and non-medical markets, and CLX recently announced a letter of intent to acquire another rapid diagnostic device for the medical market. CLX has also invested, and holds a common stock position, in ActionView International, Inc. ( www.actionviewinternational.com), a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of "smart" scrolling advertising billboards.
All statements included in this release, including statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of CLX Medical, Inc. are forward-looking statements. Such statements are necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which are significant in scope and nature beyond CLX Medical's control. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements depending on many factors. Historical results are not necessarily indicative of future performance.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Pancreatic cancer an orphan of American medical research
It's a dread disease. The fourth-highest cause of cancer deaths in the United States, it's usually portrayed as an unstoppable, incurable killer. It has struck some high-profile figures: Hollywood actor Patrick Swayze has been diagnosed with it. Opera star Luciano Pavarotti and former Ronald Reagan aide Michael Deaver died of it. So, too, on July 25, did Randy Pausch, the former Carnegie Mellon University computer science professor whose "last lecture" before a university audience became a YouTube sensation and a bestselling book.
In March, Pausch testified before a congressional subcommittee about his struggle with pancreatic cancer. Holding up a picture of his soon-to-be-widowed wife, he pleaded for an increase in the paltry level of federal funding for research into this lethal disease. His testimony was gripping, and his battle generated a raft of news articles and media reports. And yet somehow, pancreatic cancer remains a private catastrophe - and an orphan of American medical research.
My own diagnosis
I know firsthand how devastating a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer can be. In April 2007, I started experiencing stomach pain. I saw a gastroenterologist, who ordered a CT scan, after which he sent me to the emergency room of a Washington, D.C., hospital. There, on April 6, a surgeon told me that the scan had revealed that I had appendicitis - and a large mass on my pancreas. At those words, my world turnedupside down.
I didn't know much about pancreatic cancer, but I knew enough: If I had adenocarcinoma, far and away the most common kind of pancreatic cancer, I would probably be dead within six months, at the age of 38. The five-year survival rate is 5 percent. Just about everybody who has that form of the disease dies quickly.
My dread deepened when the first two surgical specialists I saw weren't terribly optimistic. The first one was tentative, refusing to make any solid predictions about my prognosis. The second, I felt, handed down a death sentence, saying that the mass was definitely a tumor and could very well be adenocarcinoma.
It wasn't until April 10 that I was fortunate enough to get an appointment with Dr. John Cameron of Johns Hopkins University, the most experienced pancreatic cancer surgeon in the world. He looked at my films and asked me whether I'd recently lost a lot of weight. I told him no. And he told me that I was "going to live a long life."
For the first time since my diagnosis, my family, my girlfriend and I were able to breathe. Today, I could be standing in Randy Pausch's or Patrick Swayze's shoes; instead, I got incredibly lucky. I had a rare form of pancreatic cancer, called an islet-cell tumor, that's usually curable when caught early. It's the same kind of tumor Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs had in 2004. In a commencement address at Stanford University the next year, Jobs described the terror he'd felt when doctors told him that he had a mass on his pancreas and that he needed to start getting his "affairs in order." I understood only too well what he was talking about. Having sat in a hospital room and heard that I probably had pancreatic cancer, I know what it's like for thousands of Americans who each year are told, in essence, that they have six months to live and that there's little that modern medicine can do for them.
A biopsy later revealed that Jobs' tumor was an islet-cell. It was removed surgically, and his prognosis is positive, as is mine. My tumor, although the size of a large orange, was encapsulated, and Cameron was able to remove it all. But Jobs and I are among the fortunate few.
The National Cancer Institute spent nearly $600 million on breast cancer research in 2006, compared with a meager $74 million for pancreatic cancer research. In the past three years, it has provided only five grants to younger scientists who want to investigate this deadly form of cancer.
Few survivors
Pancreatic cancer is so lethal that it has no talented, dedicated group of survivor-advocates to organize marches, raise awareness, provide funding and shake society out of its complacency in the way that breast and prostate cancer survivors have succeeded in doing. The media, for the most part, spotlight the disease only when it strikes a celebrity. I hope to do my own small part to change all that. In September, I'll be going on a bike tour with a few friends through the Civil War battlefields of Maryland to raise money for pancreatic cancer research at Johns Hopkins.
But so much more needs to be done. Private donations will never be weapon enough to defeat this foe. The big guns will have to come from elsewhere. At a minimum, Washington lawmakers should take a first step in launching the war against pancreatic cancer and, as Randy Pausch asked, double the funding to fight this terrible disease.
In March, Pausch testified before a congressional subcommittee about his struggle with pancreatic cancer. Holding up a picture of his soon-to-be-widowed wife, he pleaded for an increase in the paltry level of federal funding for research into this lethal disease. His testimony was gripping, and his battle generated a raft of news articles and media reports. And yet somehow, pancreatic cancer remains a private catastrophe - and an orphan of American medical research.
My own diagnosis
I know firsthand how devastating a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer can be. In April 2007, I started experiencing stomach pain. I saw a gastroenterologist, who ordered a CT scan, after which he sent me to the emergency room of a Washington, D.C., hospital. There, on April 6, a surgeon told me that the scan had revealed that I had appendicitis - and a large mass on my pancreas. At those words, my world turnedupside down.
I didn't know much about pancreatic cancer, but I knew enough: If I had adenocarcinoma, far and away the most common kind of pancreatic cancer, I would probably be dead within six months, at the age of 38. The five-year survival rate is 5 percent. Just about everybody who has that form of the disease dies quickly.
My dread deepened when the first two surgical specialists I saw weren't terribly optimistic. The first one was tentative, refusing to make any solid predictions about my prognosis. The second, I felt, handed down a death sentence, saying that the mass was definitely a tumor and could very well be adenocarcinoma.
It wasn't until April 10 that I was fortunate enough to get an appointment with Dr. John Cameron of Johns Hopkins University, the most experienced pancreatic cancer surgeon in the world. He looked at my films and asked me whether I'd recently lost a lot of weight. I told him no. And he told me that I was "going to live a long life."
For the first time since my diagnosis, my family, my girlfriend and I were able to breathe. Today, I could be standing in Randy Pausch's or Patrick Swayze's shoes; instead, I got incredibly lucky. I had a rare form of pancreatic cancer, called an islet-cell tumor, that's usually curable when caught early. It's the same kind of tumor Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs had in 2004. In a commencement address at Stanford University the next year, Jobs described the terror he'd felt when doctors told him that he had a mass on his pancreas and that he needed to start getting his "affairs in order." I understood only too well what he was talking about. Having sat in a hospital room and heard that I probably had pancreatic cancer, I know what it's like for thousands of Americans who each year are told, in essence, that they have six months to live and that there's little that modern medicine can do for them.
A biopsy later revealed that Jobs' tumor was an islet-cell. It was removed surgically, and his prognosis is positive, as is mine. My tumor, although the size of a large orange, was encapsulated, and Cameron was able to remove it all. But Jobs and I are among the fortunate few.
The National Cancer Institute spent nearly $600 million on breast cancer research in 2006, compared with a meager $74 million for pancreatic cancer research. In the past three years, it has provided only five grants to younger scientists who want to investigate this deadly form of cancer.
Few survivors
Pancreatic cancer is so lethal that it has no talented, dedicated group of survivor-advocates to organize marches, raise awareness, provide funding and shake society out of its complacency in the way that breast and prostate cancer survivors have succeeded in doing. The media, for the most part, spotlight the disease only when it strikes a celebrity. I hope to do my own small part to change all that. In September, I'll be going on a bike tour with a few friends through the Civil War battlefields of Maryland to raise money for pancreatic cancer research at Johns Hopkins.
But so much more needs to be done. Private donations will never be weapon enough to defeat this foe. The big guns will have to come from elsewhere. At a minimum, Washington lawmakers should take a first step in launching the war against pancreatic cancer and, as Randy Pausch asked, double the funding to fight this terrible disease.
Merit Medical to Present At the Noble Financial Equity Conference
SOUTH JORDAN, Utah, Aug 6, 2008 (PrimeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (MMSI:19.93, -0.09, -0.4%) , a leading manufacturer and marketer of proprietary disposable devices used primarily in cardiology and radiology procedures, today announced that it will participate in the Fourth Annual Noble Financial Equity Conference being held August 18-19, 2008 at the Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort in Nevada.
On Monday, August 18th, at 5:00 p.m. PDT, Merit's Chief Financial Officer Kent Stanger will give a 25-minute presentation regarding Merit's history, products, financial performance and prospects. The presentation will be webcast live on the conference website at www.noblemadmax.com. It is recommended that interested parties register at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the presentation to ensure timely access.
ABOUT MERIT
Founded in 1987, Merit Medical Systems, Inc. is engaged in the development, manufacture and distribution of proprietary disposable medical devices used in interventional and diagnostic procedures, particularly in cardiology and radiology. Merit serves client hospitals worldwide with a domestic and international sales force totaling approximately 90 individuals. Merit employs approximately 1,640 people worldwide, with facilities in Salt Lake City and South Jordan, Utah; Angleton, Texas; Richmond, Virginia; Maastricht and Venlo, The Netherlands; and Galway, Ireland.
On Monday, August 18th, at 5:00 p.m. PDT, Merit's Chief Financial Officer Kent Stanger will give a 25-minute presentation regarding Merit's history, products, financial performance and prospects. The presentation will be webcast live on the conference website at www.noblemadmax.com. It is recommended that interested parties register at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the presentation to ensure timely access.
ABOUT MERIT
Founded in 1987, Merit Medical Systems, Inc. is engaged in the development, manufacture and distribution of proprietary disposable medical devices used in interventional and diagnostic procedures, particularly in cardiology and radiology. Merit serves client hospitals worldwide with a domestic and international sales force totaling approximately 90 individuals. Merit employs approximately 1,640 people worldwide, with facilities in Salt Lake City and South Jordan, Utah; Angleton, Texas; Richmond, Virginia; Maastricht and Venlo, The Netherlands; and Galway, Ireland.
Medical marijuana dispensary owner convicted
LOS ANGELES—The owner of a Morro Bay medical marijuana dispensary has been convicted on federal drug distribution counts.
Charles Lynch was found guilty on Tuesday of distributing more than 100 kilos of marijuana, some of it to minors. The 46-year-old man's Los Angeles trial dramatized the conflict in state and federal marijuana laws.
Lynch, owner of Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers, faces five to 85 years in federal prison.
Cultivating, using and selling medical pot to authorized patients is allowed under California law. But federal law outlaws marijuana cultivation, use and sales.
Charles Lynch was found guilty on Tuesday of distributing more than 100 kilos of marijuana, some of it to minors. The 46-year-old man's Los Angeles trial dramatized the conflict in state and federal marijuana laws.
Lynch, owner of Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers, faces five to 85 years in federal prison.
Cultivating, using and selling medical pot to authorized patients is allowed under California law. But federal law outlaws marijuana cultivation, use and sales.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)