News

Waltham, Mass. - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Portrait (R) Plasma (Rhytec) for the treatments of acne scars, PRNewswire reports.

Washington - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed a blood-screening and monitoring requirement for Aczone, a topical acne treatment manufactured by QLT USA, a unit of biotech company QLT Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, the Associated Press reports.

St. Paul, Minn. - Using imaging to visualize areas lacking blood flow and deliver clot-breaking, anti-spasmodic drugs via catheter has proved to be an effective treatment for people who suffer severe frostbite, Newswise.com reports.

Raritan, N.J. - Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development has received a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvable letter for ceftobiprole, an antibiotic used to treat skin infections, according to an Associated Press report.

Philadelphia - The mechanism leading to the development of peanut allergy and a potential desensitization treatment for peanut-allergic individuals were among the study findings presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting held here in March, HealthDay News reports.

Winston-Salem, N.C. - Results of a recently completed phase 2 clinical trial show that a new foam for treatment of varicose veins has proved safe for use, HealthDay News reports.

New York - A study shows that about one half of 1 percent of people undergoing facelifts became infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), HealthDay News reports.

Scottsdale, Ariz. - Medicis and Paris-based Ipsen have announced that Ipsen has submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the Food and Drug Administration for the botulinum-toxin product Reloxin to be used in aesthetic indications, news source Prime Newswire reports.

Yes, a rollover into a different 529 program may be made an unlimited number of times as long as a new beneficiary is named on the account each time. If a rollover is done without changing the beneficiary, no additional rollovers may be completed in the following 12 months unless the beneficiary is changed. In any case, the rollover must be completed within 60 days and you should look into any restrictive terms and charges that may apply.

The federal budget for FY 2009, one that provides for $3.1 trillion in federal funding and includes overall Medicare reductions of $196 billion over five years, says about the problem that is the key to continuing Medicare physician reimbursement cuts – the Sustainable Growth Rate (SRG) formula.

Dr. Doc has an extraordinarily busy dermatology practice. In fact, he is so busy that he has little time to attend medical meetings. He depends on his pharmaceutical representatives to provide him with the latest information about off-label use of various dermatologic prescription drugs. He knows that physician off-label use of prescriptions is not only legal, but is actually encouraged by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The voluntary Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI), which began in 2007, may be a forerunner of a mandatory pay-for-performance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Under the PQRI regulations, a physician reports on specific best medical practices he follows. For example, under the PQRI, in 2007, dermatologists who asked patients with a history of melanoma whether they had seen any changes in moles or lesions, did full body exams on those patients and recommended patients do regular skin exams, and then reported they had followed those procedures in 80 percent of their melanoma patients, would earn 1.5 percent of their total CMS reimbursements as a bonus.

A study tracking the performance of a Mohs surgery fellow in Mohs histopathology section interpretation and mapping found that it took nearly 1,500 Mohs cases which generated 1,350 pathology specimens that were reviewed and immediately graded before the error rate fell to an acceptable level.

At 86, Jerome Z Litt, M.D., is in full-time dermatology practice; is the sole author of the popular Drug Eruption Reference Manual (in its 14th edition, and he has written every one); and has the comedic timing and voice of actor-comedian Mel Brooks.

Over the years, "keeping up with the Joneses" in terms of certification has been an evolutionary process, and it's not likely to become static any time soon.

With the worst January performance in the history of the stock market behind us, what now? Are we headed for (or already in) a major recession, or is this just another of those predictable bumps in the economic road to financial security?

For the first time, a randomized, controlled trial gives a slight edge to surgical excision for basal cell carcinomas when comparing the procedure to curettage plus cryosurgery.

Striae distensae are a very common post-pregnancy complaint in women, yet they frequently occur in other situations as well. Obesity, rapid weight gain or weight loss, puberty or weightlifting can also cause striae. Chronic use of topical steroids, especially in intertriginous or Cushing's syndrome also will lead to stretch marks.

Washington-The Food and Drug Administration's decision to review the safety of botulinum-toxin drugs Botox, Botox Cosmetic and Myobloc has generated reactions ranging from surprise to cynicism in the dermatologic community

National report - The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) continues to advise the public to practice proper sun protection to prevent skin cancer, despite recent debate on the health benefits of vitamin D, Medical News Today reports.

National Report - New research suggests a diet rich in omega-3 can ease the severity of eczema symptoms, according to Telegraph.co.uk.

Long Beach, Calif. - Stephen A. Garcia, chief financial officer of Obagi Medical Products Inc., will resign this summer, chron,com reports.

Mumbai, India - Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Inc., has begun U.S. marketing and distribution of five Clobetasol Propionate dermatology products, The Economy Times reports.

Hong Kong - A new study suggests a traditional Chinese herbal medicine may improve the quality of life of those suffering from atopic eczema.

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada - Dermatologists at the Dalhousie Medical School have discovered a receptor-blocking medication eases pain a caused by Familial Cold Autoinflammatory Syndrome (FCAS).

San Francisco - Suzanne M. Connolly, M.D., the new 2008-2009 president of the Women’s Dermatologic Society (WDS), took office in February at the recent WDS luncheon during the American Academy of Dermatology meeting.

National Report - Dust mites and roach allergens damage the protective layer of the skin, preventing already damaged skin from healing, according to new research.

Anecdotal evidence supporting the Indian spice turmeric as a healing agent for psoriasis is being questioned by a recent study.