Author: Ramaz Mitaishvili

Drug Misuse Partially Accounts for Excess Mortality in Scotland

Mortality rates in Scotland are substantially higher than in England and Wales – the so-called “Scottish effect.” New research suggests that loss of life related to problem drug use accounts for a significant portion of the excess death rate.Official reports of drug-related deaths in Scotland are limited to deaths directly related to the pharmacological effect […]

VICTORY: Medicare bill becomes law!

H.R. 6331 includes SGR fix, Teaching Rule reform In a historic triumph for ASA, a law has been enacted that will reverse Medicare payment cuts for 2008, provide a 1.1% positive update for 2009, and permanently restore full Medicare payment to anesthesiology teaching programs beginning in 2010! Earlier today President Bush vetoed H.R. 6331.  This […]

HHS Announces New International Programs to Enhance Drug and Food Safety

Joint Inspections with European Union and Australian Regulators; Third-Party Certification Program Are Latest Steps toward Implementing New Import StrategyU.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced two groundbreaking programs designed to enhance the safety of food and medical products exported to the United States. “These programs will significantly increase our collaboration with […]

Cymbalta® is now approved for fibromyalgia

Cymbalta is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI) indicated in adults for Acute and maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) Management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) Treatment of acute generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) The management of fibromyalgia, with or without depression Although the mechanism of the antidepressant action of Cymbalta in […]

Cymbalta® is now approved for fibromyalgia

Cymbalta is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI) indicated in adults for Acute and maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) Management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) Treatment of acute generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) The management of fibromyalgia, with or without depression Although the mechanism of the antidepressant action of Cymbalta in […]

CK19 MRNA Expression Identifies Lymph Node Metastases Intraoperatively

Measurement of CK19 mRNA expression intraoperatively can be used as a rapid diagnostic method to detect lymph node metastases in women with breast cancer, according to a report in the June 1st issue of the International Journal of Cancer. The cytoskeleton protein CK19 is expressed by virtually all breast cancers, the authors explain, and one-step […]

Effective Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer Remains Elusive

Although therapeutic strategies have advanced for many common gastrointestinal cancers, significant progress in the treatment of pancreatic cancer remains elusive. The eagerly anticipated results of randomized trials that evaluated gemcitabine-based combination regimens have proven to be disappointing, researchers report in a review paper that discusses the use of systemic therapy in advanced pancreatic cancer. Whereas […]

Early Laparoscopic Surgery Best for Acute Cholecystitis

In patients with acute cholecystitis, performing laparoscopic gallbladder removal within 24 hours of admission, rather than waiting weeks to years after a course of antibiotics has been given, reduces the hospital stay without increasing the risk of complications, new research shows. The findings, which appear in the Archives of Surgery for June, are based on […]

Surgical Maestro DeBakey Dies at Age 99

July 14, 2008 (Houston, Texas) – World-renowned cardiovascular surgeon Dr Michael DeBakey has died at age 99. One of the few heart surgeons to gain international recognition outside of medicine, he passed away of natural causes on Friday evening at the center that bears his name, part of the Baylor College of Medicine and Methodist […]