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National Health Authorities (national + health_authority)
Selected AbstractsProblems associated with potential massive use of antimicrobial agents as prophylaxis or therapy of a bioterrorist attackCLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 8 2002E. Navas In addition to the direct sanitary damage of a terrorist attack caused by biological weapons, the consequences of the massive stockpiling and consumption of antimicrobial agents in order to treat or prevent the disease under a potential epidemic due to pathogenic bacteria must also be considered. Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis and Yersinia pestis are the bacteria most likely to be used as terrorist weapons. Tetracyclines, quinolones and aminoglycoside are the antibiotics of choice against these microorganisms. The recent terrorist attack with anthrax spores in the USA caused a substantial increase in the sales of ciprofloxacin, as thousands of citizens received antibiotic prophylaxis for either confirmed or suspected exposure to anthrax, and many others stockpiled antibiotic supplies at their homes under a panic scenario. The massive consumption of antimicrobial drugs may lead to the selection of antibiotic resistant strains, and to the appearance of undesirable side effects, such as anaphylaxis or teratogenesis. National health authorities must develop realistic protocols in order to detect, treat and prevent mass casualties caused by biological weapons. An antibiotic stockpile has to be planned and implemented, and home stockpiling of antibiotics must be strongly discouraged. [source] Why should addiction medicine be an attractive field for young physicians?ADDICTION, Issue 2 2009Michael Soyka ABSTRACT Aims The clinical practice and science of addiction are increasingly active fields, which are attracting professionals from diverse disciplines such as psychology and neurobiology. Our scientific knowledge of the pathophysiology of addiction is rapidly growing, along with the variety of effective treatments available to clinicians. Yet, we believe that the medical specialties of addiction medicine/psychiatry are not attracting the interest and enthusiasm of young physicians. What can be done? Methods We offer the opinions of two experience addiction psychiatrists. Results In the US, there has been a decline in the number of psychiatrists seeking training or board certification in addiction psychiatry; about one-third of graduates with such training are not practicing in an addiction psychiatry setting. There is widespread neglect of addiction medicine/psychiatry among the medical profession, academia and national health authorities. This neglect is unfortunate, given the enormous societal costs of addiction (3,5% of the gross domestic product in some developed countries), the substantial unmet need for addiction treatment, and the highly favourable benefit to cost yield (at least 7:1) from treatment. Conclusions We believe that addiction medicine/psychiatry can be made more attractive for young physicians. Helpful steps include widening acceptance as a medical specialty or subspecialty, reducing the social stigma against people with substance use disorders, expanding insurance coverage and increasing the low rates of reimbursement for physicians. These steps would be easier to take with broader societal (and political) recognition of substance use disorders as a major cause of premature death, morbidity and economic burden. [source] European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) guidelines for the clinical management and treatment of HIV-infected adultsHIV MEDICINE, Issue 2 2008N Clumeck A working group of the European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) have developed these guidelines for European clinicians to help them in the treatment of adults with HIV infection. This third version of the guidelines includes, as new topics, the assessment of patients at initial and subsequent clinic visits as well as post-exposure prophylaxis. A revision of the 2005 guidelines based on current data includes changes in the sections on primary HIV infection, when to initiate therapy, which drug combinations are preferred as initial combination regimens for antiretroviral-naïve patients, how to manage virological failure and the treatment of HIV during pregnancy. In Europe, there is a wide range of clinical practices in antiretroviral therapy depending on various factors such as drug registration, national policies, local availability, reimbursement and access to treatment. These can vary greatly from one country to another, especially in Central and Eastern parts of Europe. These guidelines are intended to help clinicians achieve the best care for their patients. In some countries, particularly where the quality of and access to care are not optimal, these guidelines should help AIDS societies and physicians or patient group organizations to negotiate with their national health authorities with a view to implementing what should be the standard of care for HIV-infected patients all over Europe. [source] Update on treatment guidelines for acute bacterial sinusitisINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 2 2005J. M. Klossek Summary Acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS) is a common complication of viral upper respiratory tract infections and represents a considerable social burden both in terms of diminished quality of life for the patient and the economic implications of decreased productivity and treatment costs. Several national health authorities have developed guidelines for the management of ABS, which aim to promote rational selection of anti-bacterial therapy to optimise clinical outcomes while minimising the potential for selection of anti-bacterial resistance as a result of inappropriate anti-bacterial usage. This article provides an overview of current guidelines, with particular focus on the clinical significance of variations in treatment recommendations and new treatment options, such as the ketolide telithromycin, which was recently added to a number of national treatment guidelines. [source] | ||||||||||