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MDA Cancels Remainder Of Nationwide Summer Camp Program To Protect Children From Swine Flu
Due to overriding concern for the health and safety of Jerry"s Kids, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) announced today that it is immediately canceling the remainder of its annual summer camp program because of the H1N1 virus.

Identifying Pathways In The Brain To Understand The Underlying Molecular Mechanism Of Huntington's Disease
Florida Atlantic University researcher Dr. Jianning Wei, assistant professor of biomedical sciences in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science at FAU, has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to further her research into the molecular mechanisms of Huntington"s disease (HD). Named after American physician George Huntington, HD is a highly complex genetic, neurological disorder that causes certain nerve cells in the brain to waste away. The disease, characterized by a selective loss of neurons in the brain, affects the basal ganglia, which controls motor control, cognition, learning and emotions. It also affects the outer surface of the brain, or the cortex which controls thought, perception, and memory. Wei and her colleagues are working to identify the pathways in the brain that are altered in response to mutant proteins, as well as to understand the cellular processes impacted by the disease in order to facilitate the development of effective pharmacological interventions.
News of the day
Appeals Court Panel Says Pharmacists Must Distribute Emergency Contraception Under Washington State Regulation
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit on Wednesday unanimously ruled to lift an injunction blocking Washington state officials from penalizing pharmacists who refused to dispense the emergency contraception pill Plan B, the Los Angeles Times reports (Williams, Los Angeles Times, 7/9). The panel said the district court judge who issued the injunction refused to consider women"s need for EC (Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/9). The panel"s ruling is part of a larger case before the district court involving the constitutionality of a 2007 state regulation requiring pharmacies to stock and dispense EC. Joyce Roper, an assistant attorney general for Washington state, said the appeals court ruling means that the 2007 regulation will take immediate effect.The plaintiffs in the case, Stromans -- a supermarket pharmacy owner -- and two pharmacists employed elsewhere, argued that the state regulation requiring pharmacists to stock and dispense EC violated their First Amendment right to freedom of religion (Los Angeles Times, 7/9). The regulation said that pharmacies must stock and fill legally prescribed prescriptions but allowed individual pharmacists to object on moral or religious grounds if another pharmacist was available, in person or by telephone, to fill the order (San Francisco Chronicle, 7/9). The plaintiffs argued that the regulation would force them to choose between following their religious beliefs and keeping their jobs. They contended that EC prevents implantation of a fertilized egg, which they equated with abortion. The U.S. District Court in Seattle awarded the plaintiffs the temporary injunction in November 2007, pending trial on the constitutionality of the regulation (Los Angeles Times, 7/9). Plan B contains a high dose of a drug found in most birth control pills that generally prevents ovulation or the fertilization of an egg. Recent research suggests that it does not prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus (Woodward, AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 7/8). FDA in April lowered the age limit for nonprescription purchase of Plan B from 18 to 17 (San Francisco Chronicle, 7/9). Appeals Panel Returns Case to District CourtThe appeals court panel ruled that the freedom to exercise one"s religion "does not relieve an individual of the obligation to comply with a valid and neutral law of general applicability." The panel added, "Any refusal to dispense -- regardless of whether it is motivated by religion, morals, conscience, ethics, discriminatory prejudices or personal distaste for a patient -- violates the rules" (Los Angeles Times, 7/9). The panel ordered the district judge to reconsider the 2007 regulation under Supreme Court standards that allow states to pass neutral laws that may affect religious practices. According to the panel, the regulation does not aim to interfere with religious practices or beliefs and is intended to promote patients" health. In addition, the panel said the district court judge did not consider how the injunction would affect "sexually active women of childbearing age who will be denied reasonable access to Plan B" (San Francisco Chronicle, 7/9). According to the Times, the panel"s ruling could foretell future judgments in the case, including that a patient"s right to timely medication surpasses a pharmacist"s personal beliefs (Los Angeles Times, 7/9).
Diagnostics

The Endocrine Society Receives Commendation From The ACCME For Excellent Continuing Medical Education Programming

The Endocrine Society received the highest level of accreditation, "Accreditation with Commendation," as a provider of continuing medical education (CME) for physicians. Awarded by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the accreditation term will run through July 31, 2015. ACCME accreditation seeks to assure both physicians and the public that continuing medical education activities provided by The Endocrine Society meet the high standards of the essential areas, elements and policies for accreditation as specified by the ACCME. "On average, less than 10 percent of ACCME-accredited providers receive the highest rating of Accreditation with Commendation," said Scott Hunt, executive director and CEO for The Endocrine Society. "It is wonderful to receive this validation recognizing our excellent CME program. We look forward to continuing our commitment to providing the best possible CME programming." Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world"s oldest, largest and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society"s membership consists of over 14,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in more than 100 countries. Society members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Society has been an accredited provider of CME since 1975 and accredited by the ACCME since 1981. The Society has provided countless high-quality opportunities for education to endocrinologists and other medical professionals who provide endocrine care. Among its educational offerings are ENDO, its large annual meeting; Clinical Endocrinology Updates; hands-on workshops; live symposia; clinical guidelines; self-assessment tools for endocrine clinicians and trainees; and Maintenance of Certification activities approved by the American Board of Internal Medicine. The Society received notification of this prestigious recognition in a letter from Murray Kopelow, MD, MS(Comm), FRCPC and chief executive of the ACCME, stating that "Accreditation with Commendation is awarded to providers that demonstrate compliance in all 22 Criteria." The letter congratulates and commends the Society for not only meeting the ACCME"s rigorous accreditation requirements, but for demonstrating that the Society is a "learning organization and a change agent" for the physicians being served. This accreditation designation is the culmination of an intensive, 18-month reaccreditation process that included a self-study report, evidence of performance-in-practice and an accreditation interview conducted by the ACCME reviewers. The ACCME rigorously evaluates the overall continuing medical education programs of institutions according to standards adopted by all seven sponsoring organizations of the ACCME. These are: the American Board of Medical Specialties; the American Hospital Association; the American Medical Association; the Association for Hospital Medical Education; the Association of American Medical Colleges; the Council of Medical Specialty Societies; and the Federation of state medical Boards of the U.S., Inc. Endocrine Society


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