Here’s a potent argument in support of those Oh-So-Annoying JCAHO regulations - outpatients getting clinic-based chemotherapy came down with a rare, nasty blood infection. Clinics aren’t covered by those irritating rules and regulations. Perhaps the only way anyone really recognized the source of these infections is because the germ was sooo unusual.  Alcaligenes is a [...]

The Now-That-Hurts Winner of the week: anesthesia causes you pain. We’re not talking about that tube in the throat, or the botched IV. Instead, it’s more like what if your anesthesiologist asked you, “How would you like your chili-pepper powder? Blown down your lungs or directly stinging by vein?” That’s right - the type of [...]

Grand Rounds is calling you. This week’s extravaganza of the blogosphere is dazzling everyone with its new technology - Grand Rounds: The iPhone 3G Edition. Grand Rounds is being hosted over at My Three Shrinks - “A blog by Psychiatrists for Psychiatrists. A place to talk; no one has to listen. All patient vignettes are [...]

Here are twin news items that strike a powerful chord. First up is a report looking at whether or not doctors are willing to tell patients that, in essence, the game is up. A study shows that only one third of terminally-ill cancer patients say they have a doctor who has discussed end-of-life care. There [...]

Perhaps some of you (non-smokers?) remember the last claims of benefit from cigarettes - that they make you sharper. Nicotine was supposed to somehow improve alertness and mental function (separate, that is, from the improvement any addict feels when withdrawal symptoms are relieved). That last mighty claim of benefit just bit the dust. Well-designed large-scale, [...]

Sometimes playing the blame game is the right thing to do. Recent research is pointing an accusing finger at doctors who fail to obtain appropriate health tests and interventions for…well, let’s just say certain patients. As in, specifically, African American patients. Is this racism? Class-ism? Sexism? Do your doctor’s biases affect your health? Or [...]

Ah, that amazing sunshine vitamin strikes again. Studies are now mounting (this is not the first) to show a strong link between vitamin D and your heart. Low vitamin D levels are linked to increased risks of heart attack. This latest study is a case control study in the Archives of Internal Medicine that shows [...]

This nifty news falls into the category of “Things We Wish We Had Right Now As We Go Through Customs.” Researchers are developing a vaccine for toxic E. Coli diarrhea, otherwise known as traveler’s diarrhea. What makes this vaccine really swift is that it’s a patch you apply to your skin. Look Ma, no needles! [...]

Six Bay Area counties have banded together to promote Soda Free Summer, especially among youth. Why should you care? Let’s take a look at what that sweet fizzy liquid you’re holding in your hand right now is costing you in terms of health, shall we?
Liquid Obesity* Question of the Day:
What has the same number of [...]

Feel the island breeze? Got that scratchy sand feeling between your toes? If so, that means you’re ready for a great beach read - and here is it, thanks to Dr. David Khorram over at Marianas Eye. He’s hosting this week’s Grand Rounds with a tropical theme from Saipan. What makes a good beach read? [...]

You remember that fable, don’t you? The one where six blindfolded men each describe an elephant - or at least the part he could reach. One said the elephant was a fan (the ear), another said it was a giant snake (the trunk), another said it was a tree trunk (the leg), and so on [...]

This is a public service announcement: To our viewing audience - stay tuned while we attempt to reanimate your host. Doc Gurley learned today that Dave Barry (himself!) answered two (count them, two) of her Dave Barry for President Forum questions, and, faced with a double Dave, she did what any self-respecting fan possessing a [...]

Here’s a provocative study - but one that we should maybe take with a grain of salt. It fits the Doc Gurley criteria for interesting studies in that it: 1) deals with a common problem, 2) offers a low-cost, low-risk way of improving that problem, 3) uses an approach that already has known health benefits, [...]

Grand Rounds this week is a British extravaganza! None other than the famous NHS blog doc, Dr. John Crippen, is hosting. And - wow - what an entertaining read. Check it out for the latest round-up of fun, provocative, and wide-ranging medical information from all corners of the world - this time presented with a [...]

Summer heat and longer daylight hours often mean the loss of an hour or two of sleep a day. Add onto that the end-of-school frantic rush, and the loss of school-related bedtime/awakening routines, and you can easily find yourself staggering through your days in a sleep-deprived fog. It’s a good time of year to remind [...]

It’s that time of year again - when we can take simple steps to prevent West Nile disease. So why don’t more of us do it? Could it be that many of us are Living in the Land of West Denial? The unfortunate truth is that the West Nile virus has quickly spread across most [...]

Here’s a great article for all of us - it’s a science-based review of effective techniques for optimizing your exercise/weight loss approach. In other words, fitness advice for we Every Day Athletes. This clear, breezy Prevention article was billed as an article that addresses the “plateau” that people hit just as their initial enthusiasm for [...]

Grand Rounds is up! The Happy Hospitalist leads us through another week of the best from medical blogs - and he’s taking the opportunity to prove that there are six (or less) degrees of separation. In our case there are three…

There is a really interesting an illuminating comment to the “I’m NOT Going To Suck It Up” post about how to do something about the drug company inhaler scam. Basically a drug company insider is letting us know that not only is the new formulation an end-run around the possibility of a cheaper generic, but [...]