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NACDS Retail Advisory Board Explores Social Networking Opportunities To Engage Consumers
The Retail Advisory Board (RAB) of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) met yesterday during the 2009 NACDS Marketplace Conference to discuss social networking opportunities within their businesses.
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Economic Recession Prompting California Women To Seek Health Care In Clinics
The current economic recession has prompted more women in California to seek health care -- including routine gynecological exams, contraceptives and abortions -- at clinics and family planning agencies, the Los Angeles Times reports. Many of the services, such as contraception and abortion, are related to avoiding or ending pregnancies as women experience job losses and subsequent loss of insurance coverage amid the recession, according to the Times. For example, Planned Parenthood clinics report that they are performing a record number of abortions, while other women"s health agencies report higher call volumes, more visits and additional requests for abortion funding. Clinic officials also report that women increasingly are switching their contraceptive methods to longer-term options than can last five to 10 years.According to the Times, the increased demand for reproductive health services -- particularly abortions funded by Medi-Cal, the state"s Medicaid program -- are putting a strain on some clinics. In addition, paying for an abortion can be difficult for women who already are struggling financially. The Times reports that as women attempt to raise the money for abortions, thereby postponing the procedure, the cost increases from about $450 during the first trimester to $1,200 during the second trimester. Delays in abortion funding also can cause more difficult choices for some women. Destiny Lopez -- executive director of ACCESS, a group that helps low-income women seeking reproductive health care -- said that some women who decided to terminate an early pregnancy are forced to decide between a second-trimester abortion or continuing an unwanted pregnancy because of funding delays. "It"s not like women are making these decision at the drop of a hat," she said, adding, "They are considering their life situations."Stephanie Poggi, executive director of the National Network of Abortion Funds, said, "We are seeing poor women get poorer and we"re also seeing low-wage women become poor," adding, "The economy is definitely having an impact. ... We see a greater demand for assistance." According to clinic officials, pregnant women who call in for assistance increasingly are considering the costs of raising a child when deciding how to proceed with their pregnancies. Lopez said, "Women are really having to make thoughtful decisions whether now is the right time to get pregnant or not."According to a recent Gallup Organization survey conducted on behalf of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, nearly one in 10 married women reported that the recession is a contributing factor in a decision to postpone a planned pregnancy; one in five women reported being more concerned now than one year ago about an unintended pregnancy; and about one in five women reported being more conscientious about using contraceptives (Yoshino, Los Angeles Times, 5/20).
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Scientists Discover How Thalidomide Causes Limb Defects
Scientists have uncovered how and why limbs are targeted by thalidomide - the drug that caused serious defects in babies whose mothers had taken it to relieve their morning sickness.
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New Treatment Option At The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center Provides Hope For Inoperable Tumors

The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center (SCCC) at Centennial Medical Center last week began treating patients with a new non-invasive weapon in the battle against cancer. The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center is the first and only cancer center in Middle Tennessee to offer image-guided robotic stereotactic radiosurgery. "The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center is proud to continue delivering on its promise to provide the highest quality, most advanced cancer treatment options in our region with the addition of the CyberKnife(R) stereotactic radiosurgery system," said Rocky Billups, administrator for The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center Network. "With this new image-guided robotic technology, we are giving new hope to those whose tumors were previously thought to be inoperable and untreatable." According to Billups, The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center now has the ability to treat tumors anywhere in the body, even the brain, spine, lung, liver, pancreas and prostate, with such accuracy that there is little or no damage to surrounding tissue. The new robotic radiosurgery technology is so sophisticated that it adjusts with every breath patients take. The robotic system tracks the tumor"s position, detects any movement of the tumor or the patient, and automatically corrects radiation delivery. It then targets the tumor with multiple pin-point beams of high-energy radiation, destroying abnormal tissue. "If you"ve ever seen a snake charmer keep a cobra focused on his hand, you have an idea of what the robotic arm looks like during treatment," said James Gray, M.D., a radiation oncologist at The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center trained in the technology. "This remarkable tracking system even detects abrupt chest motion, such as a cough or sneeze, shutting off the beam until the respiratory cycle resumes its normal motion and the tumor can be confidently tracked again. This heightened accuracy and targeting confidence allows for safer, yet more intensive, radiation delivery." Therapy can be directed at any part of the body, from any direction, with the help of a robotic arm. Treatment is pain-free and, unlike other forms of radiation therapy, can be completed within one to five days. Treatments are performed on an outpatient basis with no recovery time, allowing patients to return to normal activities immediately. The total investment for the robotic radiosurgery system and construction of a dedicated CyberKnife(R) suite in The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center was approximately $5.7 million. Last year, Centennial Medical Center announced a $143 million campus expansion project that includes a dedicated cancer center. The cancer center will integrate inpatient nursing units, radiation oncology, operating rooms, a new comprehensive cancer imaging center, outpatient services and laboratory services. According to Ed Hunt, M.D., who is also trained on the robotic radiosurgery technology, CyberKnife(R) - unlike other radiosurgery options such as Gamma Knife - does not require invasive head or body frames. He also said the newer treatment is ideal for treating both cancerous and benign tumors that are medically inoperable or surgically complex. According to a recent report published by the Journal of Clinical Oncology, by 2030, Americans age 65 and older will account for 70% of all cancer diagnoses -- up from about 61% of current cases. The cancer sites with the highest percentage of increase between 2010 and 2030 are expected to be those that are often more complex to treat: stomach (67%), liver (59%), myeloma (57%), prostate (55%), pancreas (55%), bladder (54%), lung (52%), and colorectum (52%). The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center in Nashville is one of 10 HCA hospitals to offer the new CyberKnife(R) technology and one of only 107 facilities nationwide. The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center Network--accredited by The Cancer Commission of the American College of Surgeons with commendations for providing superior cancer care--is second to none in the Southeast for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. With eight affiliated medical facilities, The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center Network has grown to become the largest community-based, privately-funded diagnostic and treatment center in the country. Through its investment in advanced technologies and a network of hundreds of cancer experts and researchers, more patients are benefiting from life-saving cancer diagnosis, treatment and access to clinical trials. HCA


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