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February
1, 2006 |
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Welcome to ACAAI eNews — a bi-weekly aggregated news service
from the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. To be
removed from this distribution list, please see instructions at
bottom. |
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Top
Stories |
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Distance Learning |
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Association
News |
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Fellows-in-Training |
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Calendar |
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Archive |
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FIT Archive |
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More than 86
percent of readers responding value AllergyWatch as an
integral part of their CME efforts, and 81 percent voted in
favor of a biannual edition of ImmunologyWatch. |
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Distance Learning |
2005 Board/Recertification Review Course:
DVDs, Audio CDs, MP3s
Link
ACAAI Tape Store
Complete Listing
Link
2004 ACAAI ANNUAL MEETING
Nov. 12-17, Boston
Link
From the 2003 ACAAI ANNUAL MEETING
Nov. 7-12, 2003, New Orleans
• Two Symposia Online
Link
• Plenary Sessions CD-ROM and DVD
Link
Patient-Centered Allergy Practice
Endorsed by ACAAI, Sponsored by Physicians Practice
Link
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Calendar |
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FEBRUARY
ISAAI Lecture Schedule
Illinois Society of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Feb. 6
Marriott Chicago Downtown at Medical District
Tel: 847-427-9600
E-mail
MARCH
2006 AAAAI Annual Meeting
March
3-7, Miami Beach
Link
APRIL
AAAAI/ACAAI Certification/Maintenance of Certification Board
Review Course
April
6-9
Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel
Chicago, IL
Link
ISAAI Lecture Schedule
Illinois Society of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
April 23
Marriott Chicago Downtown at Medical District
Tel: 847-427-9600
E-mail
ONGOING
World Allergy Organization Society Meetings
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Top
Stories |
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NAFTA Commission: Childhood asthma up in
North America
The number of childhood asthma cases is increasing across
North America, according to a NAFTA Commission’s first report on
children's health and environment indicators on the continent.
The report, recently issued by the Commission for Environmental
Cooperation (CEC), in partnership with public health
organizations and the governments of Canada, Mexico and the
United States, also showed improvements in children’s blood
levels of toxic substances and fewer deaths from waterborne
diseases. The report details 13 indicators of health, under
three main categories: asthma and respiratory disease, effects
of exposure to lead and other toxic substances, and waterborne
diseases.
Telithromycin linked to three liver toxicity cases
Physicians in Charlotte, N.C., have reported three cases of
severe liver toxicity that may have been caused by the ketolide
antibiotic telithromycin (brand name Ketek), according to an
online issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. The
three cases led to one death and one transplant. All three
patients developed acute hepatitis within days of receiving
telithromycin, according to the report. In addition, all three
had jaundice and abnormal liver function test results. Their
viral serologic tests were negative.
Study: HRT, lower BMI increases women’s asthma risk
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was linked to a higher
asthma and wheezing risk, especially in women with a lower
body mass index (BMI), according to a study in Thorax.
Scientists analyzed surveys from 2,206 women 46 to 54 years
old in Northern Europe between 1999 and 2001, excluding
pregnant women and those using oral contraceptives. HRT use
increased asthma risk by 57 percent, wheeze risk by 60 percent
and hay fever risk by 48 percent. In women with lower BMI,
however, the association between asthma and wheeze risk and
HRT were significantly stronger.
IMAP leaders to academic hospitals: Eliminate conflicts of
interest
A group of medical leaders from the Institute on Medicine as
a Profession (IMAP) is calling for teaching hospitals to be
leaders in eliminating conflicts of interest that continue to
“characterize the relationship between physicians and the
health care industry,” says a report in the Journal of the
American Medical Association.
The
group
believes more stringent regulation is needed. It has
generated several recommendations for institutions to follow,
including a complete ban on gift-giving from drug and device
makers to physicians and no direct provision of drug samples
to physicians.
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 A word from Dr. Bryan L. Martin, member of ACAAI Board
of Regents
At a joint meeting of the Nonprescription Drugs
Advisory Committee (NDAC)
and the Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee (PADAC) convened by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), held in Bethesda, Md., on Jan. 24, the
committees voted 11-7 to recommend that the FDA no
longer support the essential use designation of
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) for use in over-the-counter
(OTC) epinephrine MDIs. While this is only a
recommendation to the FDA and does not mean that OTC
epinephrine MDIs are either banned or doomed, it may
begin the process that leads to the withdrawal of
allocation of CFC for the manufacturing of these
devices — and may ultimately lead to their
disappearance from the marketplace.
A decision that may lead to the disappearance of a
drug for the market is not easy, and there was a great
deal of open discussion regarding the advantages and
disadvantages of such a move during the joint meeting.
Members of the FDA presented the environmental reasons
for the elimination of CFCs and the legal decisions
that bind users of CFCs under current guidelines.
Industry representatives presented data regarding the
use, effectiveness and uniqueness of their
medications. Members of the public then had an
opportunity to voice their opinions. The committee
deliberated, discussed their options and opinions,
then voted. It was a very open process, and much of
the discussion was pertinent to the practicing
allergist.
Allergists were represented at this meeting with a
joint presentation from the ACAAI and the AAAAI.
The deliberations of the committee were to the point.
Concerns were raised regarding the paucity of data on
this drug; although it was pointed out that there were
many “older” drugs with limited data on efficacy and
safety. There was discussion about the wisdom of
having any OTC drug to treat asthma, with recognition
of the counter concern
that
asthma treatment was expensive and elimination of an
OTC bronchodilator may, in some cases, mean patients
who could not afford a physician’s visit would go
without medications. Some commented that in this day
and age, no treatment options for asthma should be
OTC. Committee members stated that that the standards
that were applied to allow epinephrine MDI to be
marketed OTC in the United States about 50 years ago
do not apply now. This discussion led to the final
11-7 vote to recommend that the FDA not support
continued exemption for use of CFC for epinephrine
MDI.
more... |
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Plan to attend the ACAAI-HSACI meeting in Greece
The ACAAI and Hellenic Society of Allergy & Clinical
Immunology (HSACI) are co-sponsoring a
Joint Allergy Symposium, Allergy Update in
Greece, Sept. 6-9, 2006, in beautiful Athens.
This international meeting brings together many of the
finest researchers and clinicians to present cutting-edge
lectures on the most important topics for the clinical
practice of allergy and immunology.
Plan to join your colleagues in Athens, one of the most
exciting cities in the world, the metropolis of wisdom,
philosophy and inspiration. The modern Athens Ledra
Marriott Hotel is the perfect venue for this meeting, with
its spacious conference center and view of the Acropolis.
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Association
News |
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Update your
ACAAI Member Profile for the Membership Directory
Look for your Member Profile, which was mailed to all ACAAI
members to update information in the Membership Directory.
Please be sure to include your current Web site address for
the online
Allergist Locator . Forms should be returned by Feb.
20, 2006.
Members in the spotlight
ACAAI fellow Dr. Steve Kagen is running for Wisconsin’s 8th
Congressional District seat. His campaign Web site is
http://www.kagen4congress.com.
Have you written a new book? Have you won a prestigious award?
Are you doing something that ACAAI members would find
interesting? Submit notable achievements, and read about those
of your peers, in ACAAI eNews. Please
e-mail member news notices to
joannfaber@acaai.org. |
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Fellows-in-Training |
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Immunology Review Corner
Welcome to the Board Review Corner, prepared by Dr. Karla R.
Davis, senior representative of ACAAI’s fellows-in-training (FITs)
to the Board of Regents. The Board Review Corner is your chance
to test your Board preparedness.
To refer to a previous Board Review Corner, click the “Archive”
link in the left column.
Immunology Review Corner: Chapter 62 of the 6th edition
of Middleton’s Allergy Principles and Practice, edited by
N. Franklin Adkinson, et al. Review questions were written by
Drs. Eric Chenworth, Mayo Clinic; Karla R. Davis, Walter Reed
Medical Center; Anne K. Ellis, McMaster University; and Soo Kim-Delio,
Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
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Copyright
© 2006 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. All
rights reserved.
E-newsletter services provided by the medical editors at Ascend
Media, LLC.
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