Cancer Wellness at Piedmont’s Programs and Services for July

Comprehensive Complimentary Services Offered to Anyone Affected by Cancer

Cancer Wellness at Piedmont offers comprehensive services and programs for anyone affected by cancer at any phase in his or her journey. All programs take place at Cancer Wellness at Piedmont, located in the Piedmont Hospital Cancer Center at Piedmont West Medical Office Park, 1800 Howell Mill Road, Suite 700, Atlanta, GA 30318. For more information please visit piedmontcancerconnection.org or, to make a reservation for one of the classes listed below, call 404-425-7944, and please indicate which classes you plan to attend.

Classes offered every month include: Cancer Wellfit©, Gentle Yoga, Art Therapy, Guided Imagery and Relaxation for Optimal Health, Mindfulness Training 101 & 201, Breast Cancer Support, Gynecological Cancer Support, and A Guy’s Group.
Some special events for July:

The Life Lessons and Sacred Truths of the Chakras – Level 1 – This experiential workshop will introduce you to the seven sacred chakras. Explore and practice gentle yoga poses, meditation, breathwork, mantras and energy psychology principles that help you open and balance your mind, body and spirit energetically. Join Angela Buttimer, LPC, RYT, and Jody D. Iodice, Ph.D., on Wednesday, July 1, from 9:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. (lunch provided) and on Tuesday, July 21, from 5 to 8:15 p.m.

Becoming Grounded By Going Around in Circles – A Mandala Workshop - Join Edna Bacon, ATR, to examine the use of mandalas all over the world through the ages. A mandala is an artistic representation of the cosmos and a focus for meditation consisting of geometric designs and circles. Create mandalas individually and as a group with a variety of materials and consider the meaning they have for you. Friday, July 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (lunch provided)

Plan Your Escape! – In collaboration with Pink Heals Foundation, Inc., Lisa Vingerling guides you on an evening of escape. Sip cocktails and enjoy worldly tapas and beautiful scenery. A guest photographer will show you how to take beautiful photographs with your own camera. Prepare to be inspired and leave ready to Plan Your Escape! Thursday, July 30, from 6:45 to 8 p.m. Please register by e-mailing RSVP@pinkheals.org.

For more information and a full list of classes please visit piedmontcancerconnection.org.
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Piedmont Physicians Group Welcomes Eden Fleming English, M.D.

New Location Opening in Ball Ground

Piedmont Physicians Group (PPG) welcomes Eden Fleming English, M.D., to its healthcare team beginning July 13. She will be opening a new PPG location at 470 Valley Street, Ball Ground, GA 30107.

Dr. English is an experienced physician specializing in internal medicine for adolescents and adults ranging in age from 16 and older. Her special interests include diabetes care, weight management and women’s health issues. She received her Bachelor of Science from Tufts University in Medford, Mass. and earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Ga. She then completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at Atlanta Medical Center.

Prior to joining Piedmont Physicians, Dr. English practiced at WellStar Cobb Medical Group and WellStar Physicians Group in Austell, Ga. She is also board-certified in internal medicine and a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association.

“We are very excited to have Dr. English joining us, and are thrilled to be opening Piedmont Physicians at Ball Ground,” said Berney Crane, CEO of Piedmont Medical Care Corporation, the administrative parent corporation of the Piedmont Physicians Group. “She brings new energy and expertise to the Piedmont Healthcare family.”

Dr. English accepts most major insurance plans and is available for appointments beginning Monday, July 13. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To schedule an appointment, please call 678-454-6800. For more information visit piedmontphysicians.org.
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Mayo Clinic Study Using Structural MRI May Help Accurately Diagnose Dementia Patients

/PRNewswire / -- A new Mayo Clinic study may help physicians differentially diagnose three common neurodegenerative disorders in the future. The study will be presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease on July 11 in Vienna.

In this study, Mayo Clinic researchers developed a framework for MRI-based differential diagnosis of three common neurodegenerative disorders: Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and Lewy body disease using Structural MRI. Currently, examination of the brain at autopsy is the only way to confirm with certainty that a patient had a specific form of dementia. The framework, which is called "STructural Abnormality iNDex" or STAND-Map, shows promise in accurately diagnosing dementia patients while they are alive. The rationale is that if each neurodegenerative disorder can be associated with a unique pattern of atrophy specific on MRI, then it may be possible to differentially diagnose new patients. The study looked at 90 patients from the Mayo Clinic database who were confirmed to have only a single dementia pathology and also underwent an MRI at the time of clinical diagnosis of dementia. Using the STAND-Map framework, researchers predicted an accurate pathological diagnosis 75 to 80 percent of the time.

"The STAND-Map framework might have great potential in early diagnosis of dementia patients," says Prashanthi Vemuri, Ph.D., a senior research fellow at the Mayo Clinic aging and dementia imaging research lab and lead author of the study. "The next step would be to test the framework on a larger population to see if we can replicate these results and improve the accuracy level we achieved in this proof of concept study. In turn, this may lead to better treatment options for dementia patients."

The senior author of this Mayo Clinic research study is Clifford Jack, M.D. Other members included Kejal Kantarci, M.D.; Matthew L. Senjem; Jeffrey Gunter; Jennifer Whitwell, Ph.D.; Keith Josephs, M.D.; David Knopman, M.D.; Bradley Boeve, M.D.; Tanis Ferman, Ph.D.; Dennis Dickson, M.D.; and Ronald Petersen, Ph.D., M.D.

This work was supported in part by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, Robert H. Smith Family Foundation Research Fellowship, Alexander Family Alzheimer's Disease ResearchProfessorship.

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FDA Approves Effient to Reduce the Risk of Heart Attack in Angioplasty Patients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the blood-thinning drug Effient tablets (prasugrel) to reduce the risk of blood clots from forming in patients who undergo angioplasty, a common procedure to unblock a clogged coronary artery.

During an angioplasty, a balloon is used to open the artery that has been narrowed by atherosclerotic plaque.Often, a tiny wire mesh scaffold (stent) is inserted into the blood vessel to help keep the artery open after the procedure. Platelets in the blood can clump around the procedure site, causing clots that can lead to heart attack, stroke, and death.

Effient was studied in a 13,608-patient trial comparing it to the blood-thinning drug, Plavix (clopidogrel), in patients with a threatened heart attack or an actual heart attack who were about to undergo angioplasty.

The fraction of patients who had subsequent non-fatal heart attacks was reduced from 9.1 percent in patients who received Plavix to 7.0 percent in patients who received Effient.While the numbers of deaths and strokes were similar with both drugs, patients with a history of stroke were more likely to have another stroke while taking Effient. In addition, there was a greater risk of significant, sometimes fatal bleeding seen in patients who took Effient.

“Effient offers physicians an alternative treatment for preventing dangerous blood clots from forming and causing a heart attack or stroke during or after an angioplasty procedure,” said John Jenkins, M.D., director of the Office of New Drugs, in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.“Physicians must carefully weigh the potential benefits and risks of Effient as they decide which patients should receive the drug.”

The drug’s labeling will include a boxed warning alerting physicians that the drug can cause significant, sometimes fatal, bleeding. The drug should not be used in patients with active pathological bleeding, a history of mini-strokes (transient ischemic attacks) or stroke, or urgent need for surgery, including coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Effient is manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company of Indianapolis, in partnership with Tokyo-based Daiichi Sankyo Ltd.

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Kaiser Permanente of Georgia Continuing Medical Education Receives Recognition from Medical Association of Georgia

CME Program Becomes First in State to Receive This Honor

The Southeast Permanente Medical Group of Georgia, Inc. (TSPMG) has been honored with the highest possible accreditation status by the Medical Association of Georgia. TSPMG, which exclusively treats Kaiser Permanente patients in Georgia, was honored with “accreditation with commendation” for a 6-year term.

In garnering the honor, the TSPMG Office of Continuing Medical Education (CME) demonstrated excellence in all 15 basic criteria areas plus the seven optional criteria required for accreditation with commendation.

Kaiser Permanente is the first in the state to receive accreditation with commendation for a 6-year term under new, more stringent criteria. MAG is granted authority to accredit intrastate CME providers by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Nearly 50 Georgia health care organizations apply for accreditation.

“The Office of CME strives to offer quality continuing medical education activities and considers it an honor to be recognized as one of the best in the state of Georgia”, said Sandra Gauthier, manager of Continuing Medical Education for TSPMG.

“We feel it is not enough to only have excellent CME activities, but also to be able to measure whether or not they make a difference in patient care,” she added. “The participation of CME Committee members, medical group leadership and the support and hard work of our dedicated staff made this recognition possible.”
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Piedmont Mountainside Hopsital Welcomes New Physicians

Piedmont Mountainside Hospital has expanded its medical staff with the addition of several new physicians in the fields of cardiology, internal medicine/family practice, urology and neurology. These physicians joined the medical staff in the spring of 2009.

“At Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, we strive to attract physicians with the highest credentials, ensuring the best quality of care for our patients,” said Mike Robertson, president and CEO of Piedmont Mountainside Hospital. “We're thrilled to have each of these new physicians on our team, and we're excited about the work they'll do for the north Georgia area.”

Piedmont Mountainside Hospital welcomes John Hurst Jr., M.D., Shailesh Malla, M.D., and Sara Mobasseri, M.D., to its cardiology team. These three physicians are all members of Piedmont Heart Institute, the first integrated cardiovascular healthcare delivery program affiliated with a community health system in greater Atlanta. Dr. John Hurst Jr. received his undergraduate degree from Emory University in Atlanta and his medical training from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. Dr. Sara Mobasseri received her undergraduate training at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., before attending medical school at the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo. Dr. Shailesh Malla received his medical training from Tribhuvan University, the premier Medical School of Nepal, prior to completing his residency in internal medicine at Jacobi Medical Center in New York.

Piedmont Mountainside Hospital welcomes Khadeja Johnson, M.D., Jayuasri Mallavarapu, M.D., Nicole Nunga, M.D., and Sanja Serrao, M.D., to its internal medicine team. Dr. Johnson received her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and completed her internship and residency at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Dr. Mallavarupu received her medical degree from Osmania Medical College in India and completed her internship and residency at Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Ga. Dr. Nunga received her medical degree from Freie Universitat Berlin in Germany and completed her internship and residency at Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Serrao received his medical training at Grant Medical College in India and completed his internship and residency at the University of Connecticut, School of Medicine.

Piedmont Mountainside Hospital also welcomes Charles Kaplan, M.D., to its urology team. Dr. Kaplan received his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine before completing his internship at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Center. He then went on to complete his residency at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington DC.

Finally, Piedmont Mountainside Hospital welcomes Faiz Niaz, M.D., to its neurology team. Dr. Niaz received his medical degree from Dow Medical College in Pakistan and completed his internship and residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee.

Piedmont Mountainside Hospital will continue to raise its level of quality care by consistently adding top-level physicians. For more information about Piedmont Mountainside Hospital or to find a physician in your area, please visit piedmontmountainsidehospital.org.

Hearsay: How to remove a tick

A School Nurse has written the info below -- good enough to share -- And it really works!!

I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to remove a tick.. This is great, because it works in those places where it's some times difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc.

Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me.

Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way.

I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, "It worked!"

Note: We received the above via email and have not tried it. According to all we've read, the only safe way to remove a tick is with tweezers, etc. If you try this and it works, let us know!

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Obama Administration Calls on Nation to Begin Planning and Preparing for Fall Flu Season & the New H1N1 Virus

The Obama Administration sent a strong message to the nation today that it is time to start planning and preparing for the fall flu season and the ongoing H1N1 flu outbreak and that the federal government is prepared to commit resources, training, and new tools to help state and
local governments and America's families get ready.

White House Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined with delegations from 54 states, tribes and territories today at the H1N1 Influenza Preparedness Summit at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., to kick-off the government's nation-wide fall flu preparedness efforts.

"The President and the administration are actively engaged in mitigating the effects of the H1N1 flu virus and developing a national response framework and action plan that builds on the efforts and lessons learned from this spring's initial onset to prepare for the possibility of a
more serious fall outbreak of the virus," said White House Homeland Security Advisor Brennan in his address to summit participants.

"Over the course of coming weeks and months, we will move aggressively to prepare the nation for the possibility of a more severe outbreak of the H1N1 virus," said HHS Secretary Sebelius. "We ask the American people to become actively engaged with their own preparation and
prevention. It's a responsibility we all share."

"The federal government is working together with its federal, state, local and tribal partners to develop a nation-wide plan to combat the H1N1 flu that incorporates the lessons we learned this spring," said Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano. "The H1N1 Summit will allow us to continue this aggressive preparation for all possible H1N1 virus outbreak scenarios to ensure that we are doing everything possible to keep our country safe and healthy."

"Effectively dealing with a potential H1N1 outbreak requires all of us -- parents, educators, health providers, and local, state and federal governments -- working together on our emergency management plan," said Education Secretary Duncan. "Today's Flu Summit is an important step in that direction. Our primary goals at the Department of Education are the health and well being of students, faculty and staff, and ensuring that, in the event of any school closures, the learning process will continue."

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley moderated a Governors panel with participation via videolink from Governor Jim Douglas of Vermont, Governor Jim Doyle of Wisconsin, Governor Mark Parkinson of Kansas, Governor John Baldacci of Maine and Governor Jodi Rell of Connecticut.

"When responding to a national pandemic or a national recession, the basic principles of smart government remain the same -- to increase efficiency, openness, and transparency in everything we do. Today's summit illustrates our collective commitment to that goal," said Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley. "The experience in the spring taught us that while earlier pandemic flu planning efforts were effective, there are also areas for improvement. Effective response requires accurate and timely information that is as close to real time as possible. We share the commitment of the Obama Administration to constantly monitor, evaluate and improve these processes as we continue to lead the world in emergency preparedness."

Throughout the one-day summit, Administration officials laid out specific ways that states and local governments could start their planning and preparation efforts and announced new programs and resources to help state and local governments, the medical community and every day America prepare for H1N1 and the fall flu season.

First, HHS will make available preparedness grants worth a total of $350 million. These grants were funded by Congress in the latest supplemental appropriations bill and they will give state and local public health offices and health care systems valuable resources to step up their
preparedness efforts.

Second, the federal government will centralize communications about H1N1 and seasonal flu on the federal government's new Web site www.flu.gov. This one-stop comprehensive site brings together flu-related information from across HHS and other federal agencies. The expanded site builds on the pandemic planning information long presented on www.pandemicflu.gov, and incorporates information about the novel H1N1 flu as well as the seasonal flu.

Finally, HHS is launching a new PSA campaign contest to encourage more Americans to get involved in the nation's flu preparedness efforts by making a 15-second or 30-second PSA. Officials at the summit stressed the idea of "shared responsibility" when it comes to combating the flu and the goal of the new HHS PSA campaign contest is to tap into the nation's creativity to help educate Americans about how to plan for and prevent the spread of H1NI influenza. HHS will evaluate submissions and will present the best PSAs back to the public so everyone can vote on their favorite submission. The winning PSA will receive $2,500 in cash and will appear on national television. Contest details as well more information about the larger effort to plan and prepare for the flu season are available at www.flu.gov.

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Governor Appoints Jewel Norman Mental Health Ombudsman

Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that he has appointed Jewel Norman as the State Disability Services Ombudsman. Norman will assume the position on July 16.

“Along with creating a stand alone agency for developmental disabilities, the appointment of Jewel Norman as the mental health ombudsman is another step in improving the state’s care and delivery of services to the mental health community,” said Governor Perdue. “Ms. Norman has a wealth of public and private experience managing human services.”

The mental health ombudsman is a five year appointment. In January, the Governor organized a committee to nominate candidates for ombudsman. Member of the committee included Mary Burns, Nora Haynes, Tommy Hills, Vernon Keenan, Sharon McDaniel, Don Meck and Gwen Skinner.

“I look forward to working with the advocacy and provider community to promote system-wide improvements in mental health, developmental disabilities and addictive disease,” said Norman.
The ombudsman will investigate and make recommendations to the department and other agencies, establish a uniform state-wide complaint process, collect and record data relating to complaints with regard to service providers, recommend law and policy changes, and make a biennial written report documenting types of complaints reported by consumers.

“This is a great day for people with mental illness and co-occurring disorders and their families,” said Nora Haynes, President of the Georgia chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Jewel Norman has served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer of a large private for profit residential treatment facility. She has also served as a regional vice president of a psychiatric hospital corporation and served as interim CEO for a number of larger comprehensive psychiatric hospitals. Norman received her undergraduate degree from the University of Mary Washington and master’s degree from the University of Virginia.
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Rollins School of Public Health Names New Chair of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics

Lance Waller, PhD, has been named Rollins Professor and Chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. His appointment was effective July 1.

Waller will also serve as associate director of biostatistics and bioinformatics in the Emory Center for Comprehensive Informatics, a multi-disciplinary center that supports translational, clinical or deep integrative studies combining biostatistics and high-performance computing techniques.

Waller joined Emory in 1998 as an associate professor of biostatistics. He was promoted to a professor of biostatistics in 2003 and was elected the same year to the Fellowship in the American Statistical Association. Waller was recently tapped as chair of the department after an extensive national search.

"Dr. Waller is taking the helm of the biostatistics and bioinformatics department at a very exciting time," says James W. Curran, MD, MPH, dean of the Rollins School of Public Health. "Emory researchers in a range of disciplines, including predictive health, oncology and HIV/AIDS, are increasingly turning to biostatistics to aid their bioscience research efforts. Dr. Waller's expertise will be an asset to the department and his colleagues."

Waller's research involves the assessment of spatial clustering of disease, linking spatial statistics and geographic information systems, statistical assessments of environmental justice, and hierarchical methods for modeling small-area health statistics. His recent analyses have included spatial point process methods in alcohol epidemiology and conservation biology (sea turtle nesting patterns), and hierarchical models in disease ecology.

“I look forward to building on the department’s strong base in biostatistical research, training and collaboration," says Waller. "The most effective programs in biostatistics grow and adapt in concert with new methods of measurement and the new research possibilities enabled by them. I’m especially excited about new opportunities in the analysis of high-dimensional data, which link information from multiple sources in a variety of applications from across the health sciences. Making sense of these complex data in accurate, reliable, and interpretable ways is our primary goal."

Waller has authored or coauthored more than 100 articles and one book. His research is actively supported by seven federal grants, including four National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants on which he currently serves as principal investigator. In addition, Waller serves on numerous national advisory committees and has actively taught and mentored graduate and professional students during his tenure at Emory. Waller is also an alumnus of the Emory Woodruff Leadership Academy.

Waller earned his master's of science and doctoral degree in operations research from Cornell University. Before coming to Emory, he was an associate professor of biostatistics at the University of Minnesota and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Emory's biostatistics and bioinformatics faculty collaborate with researchers in a variety of disciplines, developing and applying statistical methodology in search of solutions to medical and public health problems. Specific research projects include a five-year, NIH-funded grant to develop powerful computer modeling techniques to analyze and respond to infectious disease outbreaks; efforts to apply biostatistical methods to the analysis of genetic data to further understanding of complex disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia; and the development of statistical methods to analyze the distribution of the burdens of environmental hazards between different socioeconomic groups.

The Rollins School of Public Health enrolls over 900 graduate students in masters' and doctoral programs, has more than 5,000 alumni, and employs 180 full-time faculty who work throughout Georgia, the United States, and in more than 100 countries around the globe. The Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics consists of more than 30 full-time and 20 adjunct faculty members.

To learn more about the Rollins School of Public Health, visit www.sph.emory.edu, and to learn more about the Emory Center for Comprehensive Informatics, visit http://cci.emory.edu/cms/index.html.
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Obesity Among U.S. Adults Continues to Rise

Obesity Prevalence 25 Percent or Higher in 32 States

The proportion of U.S. adults who are obese increased to 26.1 percent in 2008 compared to 25.6 percent in 2007. The data come from CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a state-based phone survey that collects health information from adults aged 18 and over.

In six states - Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia - adult obesity prevalence was 30 percent or more. Thirty-two states, including those six, had obesity prevalence of 25 percent or more. Only one state, Colorado, had a prevalence of obesity less than 20 percent. But no state showed a significant decrease in obesity prevalence from 2007 to 2008.

More than 400,000 U.S. adults were surveyed in the 2008 BRFSS, which is the world's largest telephone health survey. To assess obesity prevalence, survey respondents are asked to provide their height and weight, which is used to calculate their body mass index (BMI). A person is considered obese if they have a BMI of 30 or above.

"Obesity is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. As obesity increases among all age groups, we are seeing chronic diseases in much younger adults compared to a few decades ago," said Dr. William Dietz, director, CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity.

"For example, we now see young adults who suffer from heart disease risk factors and other conditions such as type 2 diabetes that were unheard of in the past."

The 2008 BRFSS obesity data indicate that none of the 50 states or the District of Columbia has achieved the Healthy People 2010 goal of reducing obesity prevalence to 15 percent or less.

"The latest BRFSS survey data show that the obesity problem in this country is getting worse," said Liping Pan, CDC epidemiologist and lead author of the 2008 BRFSS obesity map analysis. "If this trend continues we will likely see increases in health care costs for obesity related diseases."

For more information on obesity trends, including an animated map, visit
www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html.
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Isakson, Chambliss Praise Albany Non-Profit Founder as CNN Hero

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today praised the work of Pamela Green Jackson, founder and CEO of The Youth Becoming Healthy Project, whose work has led to her selection as a CNN ‘Hero of the Week.’

Jackson will appear on CNN’s Larry King Live and American Morning this week to discuss her accomplishments with The Youth Becoming Healthy Project.

Jackson founded the non-profit organization in February 2004 in memory of Bernard Green, her only brother, who lost his battle to complications of obesity-related illnesses on February 11, 2004. Since that time, The Youth Becoming Healthy Project has worked with countless numbers of students in Dougherty County’s middle schools by placing fitness centers, staff and wellness programs in each school to help combat childhood obesity. Jackson has also expanded her work to include elementary schools.

“Not only does The Youth Becoming Healthy Project work directly with students and schools to provide fitness and nutrition education and healthier menu choices, but Pamela Green Jackson serves as an inspiration to the community as she took a personal tragedy and turned it into a victory for her community,” said Isakson.

“I applaud Pamela Green Jackson for her tremendous work in the Albany community,” said Chambliss. “The obesity rate among children has dramatically increased over the past 20 years and these nutrition education and wellness programs are an important step in teaching our young students how to live healthy lifestyles.”

CNN Heroes, now in its third year, recognizes individuals around the world who are making a difference in their communities and beyond. Thousands of individuals are nominated by people from around the world in various categories. Jackson was chosen from a pool of viewer-submitted nominees and will be featured on Larry King Live this Thursday, July 9, at 9:00 p.m. and on CNN Heroes beginning Friday, July 10, 2009, on CNN, CNN International and CNN En Espanol.
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FDA Takes Actions on Darvon, Other Pain Medications Containing Propoxyphene

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking several actions to reduce the risk of overdose in patients using pain medications such as Darvon and Darvocet that contain propoxyphene. The actions were taken because of data linking propoxyphene and fatal overdoses.

The agency is requiring manufacturers of propoxyphene-containing products to strengthen the label, including the boxed warning, emphasizing the potential for overdose when using these products. These manufacturers will also be required to provide a medication guide to patients stressing the importance of using the drugs as directed.

In addition, the FDA is requiring a new safety study assessing unanswered questions about the effects of propoxyphene on the heart at higher than recommended doses. Findings from this study, as well as other data, could lead to additional regulatory action.

“Physicians need to be aware of the risk of overdose when prescribing these drugs. They should carefully review patient histories and make appropriate treatment decisions based on the warnings and directions stated within the drug’s label,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Prescribers and patients should be aware of propoxyphene’s potential risks when used at doses higher than those recommended. Therefore, the FDA is requiring manufacturers to provide more information to help physicians and patients decide whether propoxyphene is the appropriate pain therapy.”

To further evaluate the safety of propoxyphene, the FDA plans to work with several groups including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Veterans Health Administration to study how often the elderly are prescribed propoxyphene instead of other pain relievers and the difference in the safety profiles of propoxyphene compared to other drugs.

Propoxyphene manufacturers are required to submit the requested safety labeling changes to the FDA within 30 days, or to provide a reason why they do not believe such changes are necessary. If they do not submit new language, or if the FDA disagrees with the language the companies propose, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act provides strict timelines for discussions regarding the changes. At the end of these discussions, the FDA may issue an order directing the labeling changes as deemed appropriate to address the new safety information.

Also today, the FDA denied a citizen petition from the public interest group Public Citizen requesting a phased withdrawal of propoxyphene. The agency said in its response that despite the FDA’s serious concerns about propoxyphene, the benefits of using the medication for pain relief at recommended doses outweighs the safety risks at this time. The FDA also noted that it plans to further evaluate the safety of propoxyphene and will take additional regulatory action if necessary. Details of this decision can be found at:
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm170268.htm.

Propoxyphene has been on the market since 1957. It is a widely prescribed member of a group of drugs known as opioids and is used as a treatment for mild to moderate pain.

The most frequent side effects of propoxyphene include lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea, and vomiting.

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CDC Launches New Environmental Public Health Tracking Network

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today the launch of the Web-based Environmental Public Health Tracking Network, a surveillance tool that scientists, health professionals, and -- for the first time -- members of the public can use to track environmental exposures and chronic health conditions.

"The ability to examine many data sets together for the first time has already resulted in faster responses to environmental health issues. We believe the Tracking Network holds the potential to shed new light on some of our biggest environmental health questions," said Howard Frumkin, M.D., M.P.H., DrPh., director, of CDC's National Center for Environmental Health.

The web-based tool unites vital environmental information from across the country, including air and water pollutants and information for some chronic conditions, including asthma, cancer, childhood lead poisoning and heart disease into one resource.

While scientists know exposures such as air particle pollution and lead contribute to illnesses, many environmental and health connections remain unproven since detailed health and environmental data existed in separate silos until now.

"The Tracking Network is the foundation we need to make better environmental health decisions and help prevent chronic illnesses, such as asthma, cancer, and heart disease," said Michael McGeehin, Ph.D., director, Division of Environmental Hazard and Health Effects of CDC's National Center for Environmental Health.

CDC funds projects in California, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and New York City.

To date, their projects have led to 73 public health actions to control potential illnesses from environmental exposures. For example, the Utah Department of Health received a call from a citizen concerned about cases of cancer in his neighborhood. In the past, a similar call would have prompted a study that would have taken up to a year to complete, with most of that time spent waiting for data. In less than a day, the Utah Tracking Program was able to let this resident know that the likelihood of cancer in his area was no greater than in the state as a whole.

Massachusetts ranks third in the United States for prevalence of asthma. When Massachusetts Tracking staff conducted asthma surveillance and indoor quality assessments in schools, a significant association between mold/moisture and the prevalence of asthma was found. Based on tracking data, Massachusetts staff are working with school officials to correct mold/moisture problems and to enact policy changes for reducing mold and moisture in schools.

In March 2009, CDC received additional funding from Congress to expand environmental public health tracking to five more locations. Awards will be made and announced later this summer. Over time, CDC hopes to expand the Tracking Network across all 50 states, and track additional environmental hazards and health conditions to build a more complete picture of environmental public health.

CDC's Tracking Network is the result of collaboration with 17 local and state health departments; federal partners, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Cancer Institute, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Geological Survey; and organizations including the American Public Health Association, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, National Association of County and City Health Officials, National Environmental Health Association, National Association of Health Data Organizations and the National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems.

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FDA Approves First Maintenance Drug Therapy for Advanced Lung Cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Alimta (pemetrexed), the first drug available for maintenance therapy of advanced or metastatic lung cancer.

Patients with cancer often receive maintenance therapy to prevent the disease from progressing after their tumor has shrunk or the disease has stabilized in response to chemotherapy. Alimta disrupts metabolic processes that are dependent on the B-vitamin folate, a necessary ingredient for cell replication.

“This drug represents a new approach in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., director, Office of Oncology Drug Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Typically, patients whose tumors respond to chemotherapy do not receive further treatment after four-to-six chemotherapy cycles. This study demonstrates an advantage in overall survival in certain patients who received Alimta for maintenance therapy.”

Non-small cell lung cancer has several subtypes, including squamous cell, large cell, adenocarcinoma and mixed histology cancers. In a 600-patient clinical trial, people with predominantly squamous cell cancer did not benefit from Alimta. But those with other subtypes of non-small lung cancer survived an average 15.5 months following treatment compared with 10.3 months for patients who received an inactive substance (placebo). All patients in the study received standard medical care.

Reported adverse events included damage to blood cells, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, and skin rash.

Alimta initially was approved in 2004 for the treatment of patients with mesothelioma, a cancer frequently related to asbestos exposure. The drug was later approved for the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer whose disease worsened on prior chemotherapy drugs and also as an initial therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Alimta is manufactured by Eli Lilly & Co. of Indianapolis.

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