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The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) in Huntingdon Valley, PA, is encouraging pharmacists to help conduct a self-assessment of their hospitals medication safety processes. Data from the surveys then will be compiled and analyzed so that participating hospitals can compare their results against demographically similar institutions.
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The results of two recent Phase III clinical trials indicate that docetaxel (Taxotere) extends life in advanced prostate cancer patients who are resistant to hormone therapy, supporting the Food and Drug Administrations approval of docetaxel injection, in combination with prednisone, for the treatment of patients with advanced metastatic prostate cancer.
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These drugs recently received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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Denise Murphy, RN, MPH, CIC, chief of patient safety at Barnes Jewish Hospital at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis, and colleagues developed the following scenarios to assist infection control professionals in identifying sentinel events related to infections.
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Antihypertensive Treatment and Measurement at Home or in the Physicians Office; Inactivated Intranasal Influenza Vaccine and the Risk of Bells Palsy; Topiramate for Migraine Prevention; Computed Tomographic Colonography (Virtual Colonoscopy); Ejaculation Frequency and Subsequent Risk of Prostate Cancer;Different Combinations of Bupropion SR dose and Behavioral Treatment for Smoking Cessation.
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Headache is a common chief complaint encountered by emergency physicians (EPs). It may be a symptom of benign diseases such as migraine headaches or a common virus. Unfortunately, it also may represent other, more life-threatening illnesses, including subarachnoid hemorrhage. Delineating which patients need radiologic imaging, spinal fluid testing, and even angiography is part of the challenge encountered by the EP. This issue will outline strategies for reducing risk in the headache patient. Specifically, diagnosis and management of subarachniod hemorrhage will be detailed.
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Two studies published in the July 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine have found high efficacy rates among patients coinfected with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV who were treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin.
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JCAHO posts 2005 National Patient Safety Goals; ISDA appeals to lawmakers for antibiotic development; HHS gives details of Medicare reform proposal; FDA establishes new cancer office, program.
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Titan Pharmaceuticals has announced that the FDA has granted fast track designation for Spheramine for the treatment of advanced Parkinsons disease. Spheramine consists of normal, human retinal pigment epithelial cells adhered to spherical microscopic carriers.
