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August 13, 2008 |
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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
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FIT Archive |
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Distance Learning |
Conferences On Line Allergy Initiative (COLA)
2008 ACAAI/AAAAI Certification/Maintenance of Certification Board Review Course
2007 ACAAI Annual Meeting Podcasts and Vodcasts
2007 ACAAI Annual Meeting CME Symposium
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Periodicals |
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Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Current issue
• AllergyWatch
Current issue
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Calendar |
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AUGUST
9th Annual Tennessee Society Meeting
ACAAI Jointly Sponsored
Aug. 22-24, Franklin, Tenn.
Contact: Anna Brooks
Tel: 865-342-7057
Email
SEPTEMBER
Long Island Allergy and Asthma Society
15th Annual Scientific Conference
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Sept. 5-7, Montauk, N.Y.
Contact: Dr. Muataz Jaber
Tel: 516-764-4180
Email
NY Allergy and Asthma Society
Sinusitis – Fall Scientific Program
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Sept. 17, New York, N.Y.
Contact: Songhui Ma
Tel: 212-342-7410
Email
Arizona Allergy & Asthma Society Annual Meeting
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Sept. 27-28, Phoenix, Ariz.
Contact: Miriam K. Anand, MD
Tel: 480-838-4296
Email
OCTOBER
3rd International Symposium in Italy
Co-sponsored by ACAAI
Oct. 1, Verona, Italy
Oct. 3-4, Venice, Italy
Contact: Jacqueline Roberts
Tel: 301-938-2941
Email
Northwest Allergy Forum 2008
Washington State Society of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Oct. 3-5, Seattle, Wash.
Contact: Hannah Scott
Tel: 206-341-1353
Email
Update in Allergy and Immunology
Nassau University
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Oct. 16, East Meadow, N.Y.
Contact: Marianne Frieri, MD, PhD
Tel: 718-631-9440
Email
Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Society
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Oct. 17-18, Hot Springs, Va.
Contact: Eric Bletzinger
Tel: 270-684-6144
Email
New York Allergy & Asthma Society
Difficult Problems in Asthma, Allergy & Immunology
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Oct. 31, New York, N.Y.
Contact: Golda Hudes, MD
Tel: 212-595-6460
Email
NOVEMBER
XIX World Congress of Asthma
Nov. 5-8, Monte-Carlo
Contact: Mrs. Leonetta Baldini
Tel: +377 97 97 35 55
Email
Link
ACAAI Annual Scientific Meeting
Nov. 6-11, Seattle, Wash
Tel: 847-427-1200
Email
Link
DECEMBER
ACAAI-IAACI Conference in Israel
Allergists For Israel
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Dec. 3-6, Jerusalem, Israel
Contact: Beth Goldfarb
Tel: 513-891-0880
Email
ONGOING
World Allergy Organization Society Meetings
ACAAI CME JOINT SPONSORSHIP ACCREDITATION
Contact: Mary Campbell
Tel: 847-427-1200
Email
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Top
Stories |
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Inhaled steroids less likely than oral to cause bone thinning in boys
Long-term steroid use may cause bone thinning in boys with asthma, according to a study in Pediatrics, and inhaled steroids were less likely than oral steriods to cause bone thinning. Researchers at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque followed 531 boys and 346 girls enrolled in the Childhood Asthma Management Program. They performed serial dual-energy radiograph absorptiometry scans of the subjects’ lumbar spines for bone mineral density, calculating annual bone mineral accretion. Oral corticosteroid bursts produced a dosage-dependent reduction in bone mineral accretion and an increase in risk for osteopenia in boys, but not girls. Cumulative inhaled corticosteroid use was associated with a small decrease in bone mineral accretion in boys, but not girls, but no increased risk for osteopenia. 
FDA approves flu vaccines for new season
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved six versions of the influenza vaccine for the 2008-2009 flu season. The vaccines are: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals’ Fluarix; ID Biomedical Corporation of
Quebec’s FluLaval; Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limiteds’ Fluvirin; Sanofi Pasteur Inc.’s Fluzone; and CSL Limited’s Afluria. The FDA also approved MedImmune Vaccines Inc.’s FluMist nasal spray. This season’s vaccines contain the same three strains of the influenza virus. The FDA changed all three strains for this year’s vaccine, which is unusual.
Hotel chain to market rooms to allergy sufferers
Wyndham Hotels is announcing a new initiative to offer allergy-friendly guest and meeting rooms. By the end of 2009, all of the company’s hotels will convert 10 percent of their room inventory (or a minimum of 25 rooms) into allergy-friendly environments.
The planned cleaning process includes sanitizing and treating with a microbial shield the walls, carpeting, bedcovers, and fabrics. The company also will install air purification systems, as well as deep clean air handling units and vents.
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A message from ACAAI President Dr. Jay M. Portnoy
During the last few years, I have had the opportunity to attend various local and regional allergy society meetings. These meetings take place throughout the nation at virtually any time of the year. I have gone to meetings in places such as Virginia Beach, Va.; Aspen, Colo.; Destin, Fla.; Louisville, Ky.; Homestead, Fla.; Lake Oconee, Ga.; Washington, D.C.; Binghamton, N.Y.; Chicago; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and, of course, the Kansas City Allergy Society. Wherever I go, I meet friends and colleagues with whom I share common interests and concerns. The quality of the programs is universally excellent, as are the opportunities for networking and problem solving.
I spent this last weekend in Destin, at the annual meeting of the Alabama Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. This surprised me for several reasons, in addition to the fact that the Alabama meeting was held in Florida. Because local meetings tend to be small, there was ample time for the audience to interact with the speakers in a way that is not practical at a large national meeting. I was amazed by the quality of piercing, clinically relevant questions that cut through the chafe and got to the point. When my turn came, I described my views about the “State of the College” and where we are going. Several times, when I was asked what the College was going to do about one issue or another, I discovered that the questioners usually had great ideas in mind. This led me to promptly ask them to become active in a relevant College committee and send their ideas to the chair. Be careful what problems you raise, as you may be invited to solve them.
The presidents of these local societies have the usually unrecognized job of organizing meetings, doing the finances, answering member questions and interacting with other societies — all on a volunteer basis. The value of this service to the allergy community cannot be overstated. Even so, the adage has been that if you want to be president, just don’t show up at the meeting when the president gets elected. The odds are that you will be elected. The officers of these societies do a yeoman’s job for the rest of the allergy community, and they should be commended for this. The speakers also do a great service as many of the meetings are located in nice, but difficult to access, places. Even so, the rewards are worth the effort.
The importance of these societies is acknowledged by both of the national allergy organizations in the form of the Regional, State and Local Allergy Societies (RSLAS) of the Academy and the House of Delegates (HOD) of the College. These sessions give society members an opportunity to voice their issues in a forum that permits group problem solving. In the College, the Speaker of the HOD is a full Board member giving an even more direct voice to the societies.
The bottom line is that these societies provide an amazing resource for allergists across the country. They augment the national meetings, permit a forum for audience participation, and can serve as proving grounds for leadership roles in national associations. If you have not yet joined your local society, what are you waiting for? If you have joined, then it is time for you to become more active. If you already have served as an officer, then it is time for you to enter leadership roles in one, and preferably both, of our national allergy organizations. We need leaders like you to guide us in the coming decades. For a list of local and regional meetings check the ACAAI eNews calendar. See you there.
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| Dr. Stephen G. Helm, Tuscaloosa, Ala., (left) president of the Alabama Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, with ACAAI President Dr. Jay Portnoy (center), Kansas City, Mo., and David A. Khan (right), faculty. |
Three ACAAI past presidents attended the meeting in Destin, Florida. From left: Drs. Betty B. Wray, Augusta, Ga.; Don Q. Mitchell, Jackson, Miss.; and Rufus E. Lee, Dothan, Ala.
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Association
News |
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Dynamic and motivational Annual Meeting
scientific programs you won’t want to miss
The ACAAI Annual Meeting in Seattle, Nov. 6-11, is chock full of practical scientific programs. Learning is especially exciting at these interactive state-of-the-art programs:
The Great Asthma Raft Debate: Saturday, Nov. 8 – Experts involved in asthma management are adrift in a life raft. There’s enough food and water in the raft for only one to survive, and the surrounding waters are teeming with sharks. Each expert has exactly 15 minutes to make his case on what causes asthma. Come and see who gets tossed to the sharks! Experts include:
- Access to Care (Stanislaus Jaros Lecture) – Dr. Michael B. Foggs
- Distrust of Medical Profession – Dr. Richard W. Weber
- Cultural/Lifestyle – Dr. Michael S. Blaiss
- Patient Adherence – Dr. Allan T. Luskin
- Delayed Asthma Diagnosis – Dr. Phillip L. Lieberman
- Genetic Discrepancies – Dr. Deborah A. Meyers
Practitioner’s Edge: Monday, Nov. 10 – Learn about improving outcomes for patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma in this innovative, case-based interactive symposium that provides attendees with cutting-edge medical education in a peer-to-peer discussion format. The program engages the practicing physician by linking discussion of the latest scientific data with its application in the clinical setting. Panelists are Drs. Lawrence M. DuBuske, David P. Skoner, and Myron J. Zitt.
Access online registration, online housing, printable housing forms and the Preliminary Program from the College member Web site. Attendees can register for housing by using the housing form located on the Web site and in the preliminary program. Preliminary Programs have been mailed to all members.
Remember to order your tickets early for the Annual Fundraising Dinner and Cirque Ingenieux Sunday evening, Nov. 9.
| Dr. Lanny J. Rosenwasser (center), winner of the Great Asthma Raft Debate 2007, with moderators Dr. William K. Dolen (left) and Bryan L. Martin. |
Engage in distance learning at your home or office
The ACAAI online Distance Learning Web site offers educational opportunities in the convenience of your home or office, including the following programs:
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2007 Annual Meeting Vodcasts include presentations from the Healthy Indoor Environment Conference, the Literature Review Course, Named Lectures and the Symposium on “Allergic Rhinitis and the Allergist.” The vodcast program is supported by a grant from GlaxoSmithKline.
- The 2007 Annual Meeting Symposium, “Immunotherapy in Allergic Rhinitis: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?” is available as a Webcast. Complimentary CME credits are available for those that did not receive credit from attending the meeting. The Webcast is supported by an educational grant from Schering-Plough Corporation.
- The 2008 Online ACAAI/AAAAI Certification/Maintenance of Certification Board Review Course is an intensive literature review course that will give you the winning edge whether you are preparing for the ABAI exam, ABAI recertification, or simply strengthening your skills.
- ACAAI’s Conferences On Line Allergy (COLA) Initiative provides online access to live allergy conferences for physicians throughout the world. Viewers can participate in the conference or be a silent spectator.
ACAAI co-sponsors Verona and Venice conferences in October
The College is again collaborating with the International Center for Interdisciplinary Studies of Immunology at Georgetown University Medical Center, the Italian Society of Childhood Respiratory Diseases, and the University of Florence to present the “3rd International Symposium: New Horizons in Allergy-Immunology and Pulmonary & Infectious Diseases.”
The program includes a one-day conference in Verona on Oct. 1, followed by a 2-day conference in Venice on Oct. 3-4. ACAAI speakers are Drs. Sami L. Bahna, Joseph A. Bellanti, Daniel Ein, Lawrence M. DuBuske, and Myron J. Zitt. For registration and hotel accommodations for ACAAI members, contact Jacqueline Roberts at jbella007@aol.com or (301) 938-2941.
Come to Israel for the ACAAI-IAACI Conference in December
The College is jointly sponsoring a state-of-the-art CME scientific conference in Jerusalem, Dec. 3-6, 2008, in collaboration with the Israel Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (IAACI) and Allergists for Israel (AFI).
The meeting will be held at the Inbal Jerusalem Hotel, situated in the heart of modern Jerusalem. It overlooks Liberty Bell Park and the Old City, and is within easy walking distance of the city's main cultural, historical and holy sites.
Pre- and post-meeting travel tours of Israel, Jordon and Egypt — as well as day trips during the conference — are now available. For travel or tour arrangements, e-mail Lisa Keller with International Travel Exchange at lakeller7@yahoo.com or (352) 291-0448 or (215) 275-7929.
Don’t miss this unforgettable experience. For more information, contact Beth Goldfarb at afiadm@gmail.com.
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AMA Corner |
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Welcome to the AMA Corner prepared by Dr. Alnoor A. Malick, ACAAI Delegate to the AMA House of Delegates, to keep you abreast of important AMA news and developments affecting allergy-immunology.
Update: CMS PQRI 2007 payments and reports to physicians
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the distribution of 2007 Medicare Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) incentive payments for eligible physicians, physician group practices and other professionals who satisfactorily reported. Payments will be distributed electronically to the tax identification number and should be received by August. The average incentive amount for individual professionals is more than $600, while the average incentive payment for a physician group practice is more than $4,700. Registration is not needed to receive incentive payments. Learn more about the Medicare Physician Quality Reporting Initiative.
Feedback reports for all eligible professionals who participated (regardless if successful) are available; registration is required to access these reports. Physicians can register or access their feedback report online. Physicians also can call (866) 484-8049 or (866) 523-4759 with questions about how to register, access or change their Individual Authorized Access to CMS Computer Services, or IACS, account. Contact the QualityNet Help Desk at (866) 288-8912 or qnetsupport@ifmc.sdps.org with questions on the 2007 PQRI reports related to the quality measures listed or any discrepancies with reports.
Prescribing data access is up to physicians
The AMA’s Physician Data Restriction Program (PDRP) lets physicians decide whether the prescribing data they generate is accessible to pharmaceutical sales representatives. Physicians can opt out of sharing prescribing data with pharmaceutical reps by registering on the PDRP Web site, or they can continue to allow reps to access their prescribing activity. Either way, the data will remain available for important public health benefits, communication on drug recalls, and evidence-based medical research. The AMA does not collect, sell or have access to prescribing data, but rather provides a way for physicians to determine how their data will be used. All physicians are eligible for the PDRP.
AMA applauds U.S. House for acting to protect Americans from dangers of tobacco
The AMA applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for taking a critical step to combat smoking-related diseases by passing the “Family Smoking and Tobacco Control Act” and giving the FDA needed regulatory authority over tobacco products.
“We hope members of the U.S. Senate will truly consider the countless lives that could be saved when they cast their votes on this important issue,” said Dr. Joseph Heyman,
Board Chair, American Medical Association. “Given what we know about the dangers of smoking, it is astonishing that tobacco products are one of the least regulated products in our society. Congressional action to provide the FDA with strong and effective regulatory authority over tobacco products is long overdue. The bill will stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children, further restrict marketing, especially to kids, and require more informative health warnings on each package.”
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Fellows-in-Training |
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New Educational Resource for FITs
AllergyCases.org is a free online case-based curriculum of Allergy and Immunology for fellows-in-training (FITs), medical residents and students. The Web site is supported by fellows and faculty from the Creighton University Division of Allergy and Immunology, and the Allergy and Immunology Section of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (Shreveport). Since its launch in early 2008, AllergyCases.org has consistently been ranked as a top result by Google.com. The educational value of the cases is enhanced by succinct clinical notes, visual mind maps and mnemonics.
FITs are invited to discuss the diagnosis and management of the clinical cases in small teaching groups and in the online comments section. The goals of the Web site are to enhance patient care skills of allergists/immunologists, FITs and other trainees and health care providers, and to enhance the preparation of the FITs for the American Board of Allergy and Immunology exam by adding an interactive case-based resource to the available resources. Interested FITs can submit teaching cases and suggestions by using the secure online form.
Board Review Corner
Welcome to the Board Review Corner prepared by Drs. Bret R. Haymore and Jennifer W. Mbuthia, Senior and Junior Representatives of ACAAI’s fellows-in-training (FITs) to the Board of Regents. The Board Review Corner is an opportunity to help hone your Board preparedness.
To refer to a previous Board Review Corner, click the “FIT Archive” link in the left column.
Review Questions: Chapter 33 of Pediatric Allergy: Principles & Practices, edited by Donald Y.M. Leung, et al. Review questions were written by Dr. Bret R. Haymore, Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
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