How do scientists discover new genetic "biomarkers" to diagnose and treat disease early? The research community cites access to high quality biospecimens as the single most critical need for conducting today's generation of molecular or genomic experiments. Yet the field of biospecimens has lagged behind virtually every other area of medical research. Biobanks are storage [...]
Faced with a cancer diagnosis, effective communication between doctors and patients is crucial. Yet, often, a doctor's style or time constraints don't meet the patient's needs. Other times, patients are too overwhelmed with the confusion of a diagnosis to absorb all the information they need. In the current podcast, CR correspondent Kevin Begos talks to [...]
Because I am a widow, I am acutely aware of the problems in our medical system with palliative care. One of the problems is that people are not introduced to palliative care until very late in their disease process. The NCCN has released new palliative care guidelines. HemOnc Today ran an article today about the [...]
This is encouraging. It should become regular practice in all medical institutions. Giving doctors gifts influences their judgment and interferes with the doctor-patient relationship. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From The Daily Pennsylvanian By David Kanter, April 11, 2008 Medical institutions should follow HUP's lead and prevent drug reps from influencing doctors with gifts When you grow up in a [...]
The FDA has a news article on their website related to a bill that will be introduced this week. A bill establishing a comparative-effectiveness research institute is scheduled for introduction in the Senate this week, congressional staffers say. The Comparative Effectiveness Research Act of 2008, sponsored by Sens. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Max Baucus (D-Mont.), [...]