Researchers from the University of California at San Diego reported their findings at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association. The Chinese herb Aristolochia fangchi may cause cancer in addition to kidney failure, according to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will soon issue an import alert that effectively bans importation of the herb. Some 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. But there may be hope with new treatments that focus on the mind-body connection.
Sidebars examine how to pick a pain doctor and how to ease pain in children.
KNOW Patients often lack the full information they need when choosing a doctor. Washington Post reporter Sandra G. Boodman examines this issue in an extensive profile of a urologist whose seemingly impeccable credentials hide problems ranging from a felony conviction for income tax evasion to the termination of his privileges at numerous hospitals for negligence or incompetence. The article also raises serious questions about the current system of medical oversight. A flurry of ballot initiatives seeking improvements in health care will appear on ballots in various states in November. Massachusetts, where an initiative would provide universal health insurance coverage and expand patient rights, is one of the key battlegrounds.