November 10, 2008Wild speculation
Analysis of:
Autism linked with rainfall in study (www.boston.com)
I do not believe that any conclusions can be drawn from these data unless they can be confirmed by a larger, more wide ranging population sampling.
Analysis of:
UCB's Vimpat(R) approved by U.S. FDA as adjunctive therapy for partial onset seizures in adults (www.pipelinereview.com)
Vimpat was developed to have applicability to other disease processes including neuropathic pain. The limited indication approved for Vimpat suggests the data for other potential uses was not very robust (that had been my observation based on the neuropathic pain studies). Although UCB may be developing...
Analysis of:
UCB's Vimpat(R) approved by U.S. FDA as adjunctive therapy for partial onset seizures in adults (www.pipelinereview.com)
FDA has approved lacosamide for add-on therapy of partial onset seizures. It will be marketed by UCB under the brand name Vimpat.
Analysis of:
Letter to CMS from a Coalition of Spine Care Professional Societies (www.spine.org)
The data presented by multiple professional societies does not lend clinical support of many Medtronic products in the Medicare population. The data does not support the use of disc arthroplasty in the Medicare population, and does not find any clinical advantage of kyphoplasty over vertebroplasty. ...
Analysis of:
NeuroMetrix Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance For UNIVERSAL(TM) Electrodes Used In The Performance Of Nerve Conduction Studies (www.medicalnewstoday.com)
New electrode will increase the capabilities of the Advance device from Neurometrix, potentially leading to more sales of the disposable electrodes The increased capabilities may also increase the number of practicioners interested in the Advance system, generating more sales for the company
Analysis of:
Proton Radiotherapy: A Review (www.nytimes.com)
The cost of proton beam installations is massive, and is not justified in light of available litterature regarding the superiority of this therapy. There are only a handful of tumors, such as chordoma, where the proton beam therapy is recommended over other types of radiation. The higher compensation...
Analysis of:
Why anaesthetics can make the pain worse (www.newscientist.com)
Pain is a complex of the personal, subjective, and unpleasant experiences that may or may not be related to physical injury or tissue damage. It has been described “timeless, ineluctable, and disconcertingly indefinable.” The expression may be influenced by psychosocial, ...
Analysis of:
Doctors Say Medication Is Overused in Dementia (www.nytimes.com)
Aricept, Namenda, Risperdal are grossly overused in the treatment of patients with suspected dementia Many patients with dementia have not received proper diagnosis, and do not receive proper treatment Better public and medical education will hopefully reverse this glaring deficit in our medical sy...
Analysis of:
Doctors Say Medication Is Overused in Dementia (www.nytimes.com)
Medications used for realistic indications and with clinically appropriate symptomatic targets are indicated and provide effectiveness that additional staff cannot offer. Decision making in health care is too often made by those who do not really provide clinical service but provide arm chair...