Wednesday, September 22, 2010

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!!!

THIS BLOG WILL BE TURNING INTO A FULL WEBSITE SOON

STARTING DECEMBER 10TH, I WILL BE OPENING A NEW PRACTICE IN BELLINGHAM, MOVING FROM PEACEHEALTH MEDICAL GROUP. UNTIL THAT TIME, I CONTINUE AT PHMG TO SEE PATIENTS IN CONSULTATION FOR ALL TYPES OF SURGERY, INCLUDING BARIATRIC SURGERY, AND TO PERFORM ALL TYPES OF BARIATRIC SURGERY EXCEPT DUODENAL SWITCH, WHICH I PLAN TO ADD IN 2011.

THE NEW PRACTICE WILL CONTINUE TO INCLUDE GENERAL SURGERY CARE, AND POSTOPERATIVE CARE OF PREVIOUS BARIATRIC PROCEDURES.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Irony from Ontario

Diabetes risks for pregnancy, baby in Ontario

The blind eye of policy as it relates to evidence. The quote at the end is just priceless - a glib pronouncement about prioritizing Diabetes prevention and treatment (as related to a very expensive study) in the same year that Ontario slashes the access of its patients to out of country care.

The real message is that millions are available to study and publish, but don't actually treat the greater population. Sorry for our Ontario peers - you are victims, but not alone in the world of policy hypocrisy.

Just to clarify - we need research, it just needs to translate into rational care. At some point, "we need more information" becomes a delaying tactic at the Governmental Level...


When your Minister of Health takes action based on evidence of Diabetes remission (hint hint) - I will eagerly highlight that here, too!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Canadian Diabetes Summit Article

Average 5 year wait for surgery

This is only counting patients in the queue, of course!

Estimates quoted here of major cost savings for treating diabetes with surgery in appropriate patients, also.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Not a good day for the Drug Industry (and later update)

Increase in nonfatal heart attacks and stroke with Meridia - and NO change in survival

Contrast with proven survival benefits with surgery - see previous posts and Vancouver Sun article for Diabetes remission (Archives of Surgery source)


UPDATE late October - (now that Meridia is withdrawn from the market)

Qnexa FDA rejection (2 drugs in one week - not much left in "pipeline"

Here's a quote from the end... of the article

"If there isn't any kind of path forward for this drug I think it is going to shut down all obesity drug development for a decade," said Dr. Tim Garvey of the University of Alabama. Garvey conducted two clinical trials of Qnexa and has consulted for Vivus.
"Why would a company put all that investment into developing a drug if the FDA signals they aren't willing to approve it," he said.
With U.S. obesity rates nearing 35 percent among adults, doctors and public health officials say new weight-loss therapies are desperately needed. And even a modestly effective drug could have blockbuster potential.
But the search for a drug that helps patients safely shed pounds has been largely unsuccessful. Two weeks ago Abbott Laboratories withdrew its pill Meridia from U.S. and Canadian markets after regulators said it increased the risk of heart attack and stroke.


The answer is that Phen-Fen had 18 MILLION prescriptions, and made a lot of people money, even if there was ultimately more harm than good out of it... The drug companies will keep trying, as they should, but there is no "silver bullet" - even surgery is not a cure, but a tool.