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Read our latest stories on the people and scientific innovations making a difference in patients’ lives.
Joining a Clinical Trial: What to Know Before You Enroll
As a scientist who has been involved in running clinical trials for the past 30 years, I have seen first-hand how patients have contributed to and benefited from participating in a clinical trial. I am very pleased to have this opportunity to thank all of the many clinical trial participants who have taken part in research over the years. Because they enrolled in trials, new promising therapies have been understood in terms of safety and efficacy, and new therapies have become available to help...
5 Myths About Dementia
MYTH: Dementia is a disease FACT: Dementia is not a disease. Instead, it describes a group of symptoms that affects the ability to think, remember things, and reason to a degree such that a person’s activities of daily living are impaired. Other changes can include trouble with language or communication, and unexpected changes in mood and behavior. MYTH: All types of dementia are the same FACT: There are many different types of dementia—though some are more common than others. Some of the...
What Do You Really Know About Metastatic Breast Cancer?
As a public health initiative, breast cancer awareness has been generally successful. Patients, families, physicians, and advocates have worked diligently to make the disease better understood and synonymous with strength, survivorship and scientific breakthrough. With improved screening efforts and increasing numbers of available therapies, breast cancer is often discovered and treated in early-stage; as a result, a steady increase has occurred over the past 30 years in survival rates for...
When Should You Speak Up at the Doctor’s Office?
We’ve all seen the healthcare system undergo major changes. Providers, patients, and policymakers all share the desire for these changes to result in improved access, enhanced quality for patients and reduced healthcare costs within the system. And though it used to be common for patients to be relatively passive when receiving care, you may now find yourself being invited to participate more fully in the process of your own health and wellbeing. This is true whether you have a chronic condition...
Taking Medication During Pregnancy
The reality is that some women get sick and are diagnosed with serious diseases during pregnancy. Or they may have a chronic illness that needs to be managed while pregnant. Sometimes making the decision whether to take medication during pregnancy is not so easy. It is difficult to study new medications in pregnant women, and even more difficult to assess the effects of medication on the developing fetus. Pregnant women are considered a vulnerable group by regulatory agencies and ethics...
Empowering Patients to Overcome the Social Stigma of Psoriasis
Managing psoriasis—an immune-mediated dermatologic condition, characterized by red, scaly plaques and/or lesions on the skin—can be challenging in of itself. But one aspect of psoriasis that is not as apparent to the visible eye is the social stigma and misperception that many people with psoriasis often deal with. This can include people asking inappropriate questions, making rude comments, or steering clear because they’re afraid it’s contagious. As a dermatologist, I have come across many...
Clinical Trials for Children – Why Are They So Important?
When doctors prescribe a medication, they may rely on the drug label (or US prescribing information) to help them understand how to use it safely and successfully. This prescribing information document comes along with a prescription medication and provides detailed information which comes directly from research studies and clinical trials: How the medication works in the body What specifically the medication has been approved to treat in the US (e.g., high blood pressure, high cholesterol...
Taking Medication and Breastfeeding
A breastfeeding mother may find herself in a difficult and complex situation when faced with making medical treatment decisions, especially when she is managing or becomes diagnosed with a health concern or chronic illness. As with pregnancy, much remains to be known about the effects of many medications on the breastfeeding infant. Often the mother and her healthcare provider are left to discuss treatment options with limited information available to them. There are very few large, randomized...
Living with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)
Chronic myeloid (or myelogenous) leukemia (CML) is one of four main types of leukemia that can affect adults. These 4 types of leukemia are classified as either myeloid or lymphocytic based on the type of cells affected, and either acute or chronic. The chronic forms of leukemia tend to take longer to develop than the acute forms of leukemia; and therefore, people with chronic leukemia can live with the disease for many years.But there are some important things to know in order to manage life...
Supporting the Hemophilia Community
Hemophilia is a rare and life-long bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot normally. While people with hemophilia can lead fairly normal lives with certain precautions to prevent and control bleeds, managing the condition can be challenging. Those living with hemophilia or caring for someone with hemophilia can face a wide range of difficulties—including medical, psychological, social and financial – which is why a strong network of support is a vital part of comprehensive care. Each...
What If You Could Donate Your Data For Research?
There are many ways you can help researchers learn more about certain conditions or diseases by sharing your data. Being an active participant in a study that involves medical testing is not the only way scientific data is gathered in research studies and clinical trials. In fact, researchers can find valuable information from medical data such as electronic health records. Another source of data important to researchers is you, the patient. Some studies may ask patients to track and self...
Understanding Fungal Skin Infections
When you hear the word fungus, you may think of mushrooms growing on a wet tree trunk, mold on old bread, or mildew at the back of the refrigerator. These are perhaps the most well-known forms of fungi (more than one fungus), but did you know that there are up to 1.5 million species of fungi, approximately 300 of which can cause illness in people?Is There a Fungus Among Us?Fungi in the form of yeast, mold, or mildew are found just about everywhere, including in the air, in soil, on plants and...
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