News

Successful social networking requires consistent messaging and a working grasp of how these media interconnect, says an expert who spoke at the Cosmetic Surgery Forum.

The start of 2013 found Congress in frantic negotiations to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff, which it did (barely) with passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) on Jan. 1. As a result, most Americans, including physicians, will see their taxes increase. For those who earn more than $400,000 and/or have significant investment income, the added tax bite you will feel beginning this year could be especially significant.

Even if a dermatologist has only a few minutes per visit to devote to patient education, taking a practical approach can boost the impact of these efforts, says Judith Hong, M.D., a third-year dermatology resident at the University of California, San Francisco.

To address a medical mistake or unsatisfactory outcome, Neil S. Prose, M.D., has a unique suggestion: “Imagine yourself on the opposite side of the table from the patient, with the problem in the middle. Then imagine what it would take to get on the same side of the table, working together.”

Nervousness over the potential of falling off the oft-publicized “fiscal cliff” was averted when the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA) was approved by the House and Senate and signed into law by President Obama. The legislation addressed and resolved most of the tax uncertainty that made year-end tax planning for 2012 so difficult for many people. Unfortunately, however, the final resolution of issues related to spending cuts and the debt ceiling was delayed.

The protective effect of varicella zoster virus vaccine may be hindered in older patients with untreated depression, results of a study indicate.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who use anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy are not at an increased risk of herpes zoster, according to a recent study.

Women who regularly take aspirin have a 21 percent lower risk of developing melanoma than those who do not take the drug, results of a recent study indicate.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Lymphoseek, a radioactive diagnostic imaging agent to locate lymph nodes in patients with certain cancers, including melanoma.

The total amount of fraud recoveries returned to Medicare trust funds since the start of the Obama administration is $10.7 billion. [Infographic]

Novan Therapeutics is conducting research on its SB204 drug candidate, which could lead to topical therapies to reduce sebum production.

Traditional teaching about celiac disease (CD) ignores the wide spectrum of this condition, which affects many atopic patients, a clinician says.

Patients who have severe psoriasis and fail conventional therapies can choose from biologic regimens that increasingly match drug attributes with individual patient characteristics, an expert says.

Dermatologists can provide value in the era of healthcare reform by realistically gauging the cost-effectiveness of many treatment strategies, according to an expert who spoke at the 71st annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in Miami Beach, Fla.

Isotretinoin does not appear to be linked to an increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease, researchers report.

A strain of Propionibacterium acnes may contain properties that protect the skin from harmful bacteria, results of a study indicate.

A genetically modified protein demonstrated a reversal of vitiligo in lab mice and could lead to therapies for the condition in human patients.

A new smartphone application from the American Academy of Dermatology provides evidence-based clinical guidelines for treating patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Follow @DermTimesNow on Twitter and hashtag #AAD13 to follow the American Academy of Dermatology meeting in Miami. And take a look at our infographic about attendance.

PuriCore, a water-based clean technology company, has entered into a marketing partnership with Onset Dermatologics.

The Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation has launched a research awards program aimed at funding innovative research for the disease.

The American Academy of Dermatology Association’s board of directors has unanimously approved a position statement on anatomic pathology billing.

More states and municipalities are considering enacting laws that would restrict minors from using indoor tanning facilities.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals has acquired the rights to Targretin (bexarotene) gel and capsules from Eisai for $65 million.

Legal action related to cutaneous laser procedures have increased significantly in the past three decades, according to results of a recent study, and even doctors who aren’t personally handling the devices are being named in litigation.

Treating facial rhytids may require botulinum toxin doses as much as five times higher in the upper facial muscles than the lower facial muscles, according to findings of a recent study.

The asthma medication omalizumab helps to calm chronic urticaria in patients who had failed standard therapy, according to results of a phase 3 study.

Most tanning salons in Missouri would allow children as young as age 10 to tan if there were no legal restrictions against doing so, according to results of a survey conducted by researchers.

Papules and pustules after patients undergo resurfacing procedures with a fractional CO2 laser may be caused by nontuberculous mycobacterial infection, according to a recent study.

Acute skin infections responded as well to a six-day course of a new antibiotic as infections treated with a longer treatment with an existing drug, researchers report.