Today the largest majority of Americans are taking some type of herbal medications. They have followed the Pied Piper wherever he has marched, in streets, on ad boards, in magazines and journals, on TV and radio ads, on net sites, observing the comments of famous musicians and actors, from providers of health care, there is nowhere that this modality has not been spoken of.
Category Archives: General Medical News
Students at Georgia Health Sciences University help homeless with flu shots
Jesse Shuff was holding a black bag Friday as he stood in front of a supply closet in the Physician Assistant Department at Georgia Health Sciences University.
“Anything else we can throw in here?” he asked the other first-year physician assistant students picking through medical supplies. Concerned about the availability of flu shots for Augusta’s homeless, the physician assistant students dug out $1,260 to buy 100 shots for the homeless that they will distribute in a clinic today. Part of it came from money left to them by a previous class and some comes from their own fundraisers.
Important Decisions for September
The month of September is one of those pivotal months due to events and seasonal changes. We start this month with preparation for a Labor Day Picnic and quickly move into the preparation for school, for those that have children. This includes all the supplies that you failed to purchase in August, school uniforms or clothes, backpacks and of course getting that college freshman off to their designated school. All of these actions apply to family members and the question is; what have you done for yourself?
Physicians Assistants Need IT, Too
By John Pulley 08/05/11 07:52 am ET Physician assistants deserve incentives — at least when it comes to buying electronic health records. That’s the message from the American Academy of Physician Assistants, which is praising a bill introduced Monday in the House that calls for extending Medicaid incentive payments to physician assistants under the…
Advancement in Flu Shot Technology
Every year, come October/November, it’s that time of year that many dread – time to get your annual flu shot. Like it or not, in my opinion it’s a small price to pay for protection against the flu, which isn’t fun for anyone. Some people resist every year saying that it’s pointless or “I got one last year!” The truth is, the annual flu shot typically produces antibodies for 75% of people, giving protection against infection with influenza to the majority of those who receive the vaccine. However, despite these good odds, how nice would it be to never have to get another flu shot again? Well, except for just one more! The University of Texas Medical Branch (Woot! Way to represent!) is currently working on a universal influenza vaccine that would eliminate the need to create an annual vaccine due to the changing surface antigens of the virus. According to the Galveston County Daily News: “The vaccine candidate, VAX102, targets a protein known as M2e, found on the surface of the influenza A virus, that has remained completely unchanged from 1918 until the recent pandemic, making it of interest to researchers searching for a target for the immune response to influenza that would be stable through many seasons.”
10 Totally Cool and Incredibly Useful Medical Gadgets and Apps
Author: Neil Versel Posted: 05/18/2011 Introduction Some doctors find new gadgets, apps, and technology fun; some find them confusing; and others want nothing to do with them. Whichever category you fall into, there’s a good chance that some exciting and important new tools will someday be part of your medical life. Here are some that…
Correct Acetaminophen Dose Depends on Children’s Weight
May 18, 2011 — An FDA advisory panel says that pediatric doses of acetaminophen should be based first on a child’s weight, then on age. The panel noted that infant acetaminophen — Tylenol is the best-known brand — should be labeled only for fever reduction in children under age 2. Labels may recommend acetaminophen for…
The Great MMR-Autism Fraud
In the news this morning was breaking news that the link between autism and the MMR vaccine was found to not only be nonexistent but also fraudulent. The research behind this supposed link was fabricated to create fear that the vaccine was causing autism in young children that received it. The real tragedy in this situation is that so many children are now at risk for getting measles, mumps, rubella, and other diseases because parents feared that vaccines would put their child at risk for autism. This also puts countless other children at risk who haven’t been fully vaccinated due to age or immune status, as well as creating many more reservoirs for the viruses and bacteria that cause these diseases that could create a potential outbreak. It is interesting that this story should come out so timely, since vaccines have been on my mind for the past few months, and the past week in particular. I just purchased (and read in a matter of days) the new book Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All , by Paul Offit, M.D. ( see here at Amazon ). The book details the emergence of the anti-vaccine movement, including court cases, scientific studies, and individuals’ experiences. I thought it was very informative, and proves how incorrect the “evidence” against vaccines really is. I had expected the book to be more on the scientific side, but it actually appeals to a wider audience since it is written in language easy to understand by someone with a basic knowledge of science. I thought the book was very logically organized and pointed out the facts well. In reality, this is an issue that I am very passionate about. I truly believe that vaccines prevent serious diseases that have devastated previous generations in our country and throughout the world. I have recently read a lot of research on vaccines and the arguments against them—not because I questioned vaccines, but rather because I wanted to know what to say to people who would argue against having their children vaccinated. The truth is, vaccines make biological sense. It is a complex problem—infectious diseases—that has come down to a simple solution—vaccines. No one will disagree that vaccines are not 100% effective. However, this is due to the very nature of vaccines and their interaction with the body’s immune system. However, by having a large percentage of the population vaccinated against preventable diseases, we protect those most vulnerable—infants not yet vaccinated, children not fully vaccinated, and the immune compromised. As health care providers, it is our job to help provide reliable information about vaccines to patients and parents to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases in our country and the world.