Paul E. Sax, MD is the Editor-in-Chief, Journal Watch HIV/AIDS Clinical Care, Clinical Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
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(No Ratings Yet)This article in the BMJ is geting lots of news: Out of 679 practicing physicians in the United States, about half admitted to prescribing placebos on a regular basis. A “small but notable proportion (13%) of physicians reported using antibiotics.” My first instinct was surprise that the rate was this low, but then I remembered that [...]
(No Ratings Yet)After a lecture on HIV for Primary Care Providers in our course last week, the most controversial topic was, not surprisingly, the use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for both occupational and non-occupational exposures. And today, after an entire lecture on PEP to a group of HIV providers in our AIDS course, again the subject drew [...]
(No Ratings Yet)During the course, often the best questions and anecdotes come during the breaks. Here are a few: Tons of questions about our favorite nemesis, MRSA. What works for chronic carriers? How do you manage family members who you suspect would be culture-positive (and the source of recurrences), but are not your patient? What if the [...]
(No Ratings Yet)We offer two post-graduate courses each year, one entitled Infectious Diseases in Primary Care, and the other AIDS Medicine: An Intensive Case-Based Course. The Primary Care one started today, the AIDS course starts on Monday. (Both are equally fascinating. I am entirely unbiased.) What is so striking is that the participants — and content — [...]
(No Ratings Yet)The 2008 Nobel Prize in Medicine goes to Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier for discovery of HIV. They each get one-quarter of the prize money, with one-half going to Harald zur Hausen for showing the relationship between human papillomavirus and cervical cancer. For the record, if you search the Nobel press release for the word [...]
(No Ratings Yet)Just a reminder of some interesting deadlines/events out there, in case you were too wrapped up sharpening pencils for tomorrow’s Vice Presidential debate: As of today, Medicare will no longer reimburse hospitals for medical errors — which includes some hospital-acquired infections. According to this article, several other payors (including private insurers) are using this as a [...]
