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Bypass Or Angioplasty No Better Than Drug Therapy In Reducing Deaths Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes And Heart Disease
There is no difference in mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes and stable heart disease who received prompt bypass surgery or angioplasty compared to drug therapy alone, according to a landmark study focused exclusively on patients with both conditions. The study, which was led by investigators at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, published in the June 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Diabetes Association 69th Scientific Sessions, also found that while prompt bypass in patients with more severe heart disease did not lower mortality, it lowered their risk of subsequent major cardiac events.
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Changing The EU Public Health Dynamic: Better Science, Regulation And Access Policies To Deliver Biopharmaceutical Innovation For Europe's Citizens
Better science, better regulation and better access policies are needed in Europe to support an
News of the day
At Veterans Affairs Hospital, A Rogue Cancer Unit
The New York Times reports that a "rogue cancer unit" at a veteran"s hospital in Philadelphia "operated with virtually no outside scrutiny and botched 92 of 116 [prostate] cancer treatments over a span of more than six years - and then kept quiet about it, according to interviews with investigators, government officials and public records." Dr. Gary D. Kao-- was responsible for almost all of the errors, which occurred during a "common surgical procedure" in which a doctor "implants dozens of radioactive seeds to attack the prostate cancer. "The team continued implants for a year even though the equipment that measured whether patients received the proper radiation dose was broken. The radiation safety committee at the Veterans Affairs hospital knew of this problem but took no action, records show." The cancer unit lacked peer review, and "the VA"s radiation safety program; the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which regulates the use of all nuclear materials; and the Joint Commission, a group that accredited the hospital, all failed to intervene; either their inspections had been limited or they had not acted decisively upon finding problems."
Public Health

British Medical Association Voices Concerns About Plans For London Hospitals

Plans to replace London"s District General Hospitals with new local hospitals providing fewer services carry clinical risks and need more thought, the BMA says today. Under proposals from Healthcare for London, more patients would bypass their nearest hospital to attend new centralised specialist centres. While expressing support for the aspiration to improve healthcare in London, and welcoming many of the plans, the BMA"s response to the proposals raises concerns about local hospitals being downgraded. It warns that "although it may be beneficial for some patient conditions for a small number of patients to bypass local hospitals to specialist centres, this is not true for the majority of patients attending A&E". The downgrading of hospitals, coupled with a lack of nocturnal surgical cover for some services, would mean more critically ill patients being transferred at night, with implications for their safety, the response says. The BMA document argues that there needs to be more evidence, as well as detailed costings, before changes to London"s healthcare go ahead. It raises concerns that: - the needs of children who require surgery are not addressed adequately - the proposals could financially destabilise existing hospitals, as services are transferred to other clinical settings, reducing their income - the impact of the proposals on the education and training of doctors and other staff has not been assessed - it is unclear whether the new model is financially viable. Dr Kevin O"Kane, Chair of the BMA"s London Regional Council, says: "London doctors share the aspiration to improve health services, but we have significant concerns about these proposals. They"re not supported by enough evidence, they carry clinical risks, and they would leave the average London hospital with a very limited range of services." Dr Jonathan Fielden, Chairman of the BMA"s Consultants Committee, says: "We welcome plans to reform and update local services when they are in patients" best interests, based on solid evidence, and clinically led. In the current economic climate, we need to ensure that these plans both deliver high quality care, and represent value for money. Change is needed but the public needs to understand the profound implications of these plans for London." View the BMA"s full response to the consultation. British Medical Association


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