News

Las Vegas - "There are problems with corticosteroids," says Alan B. Fleischer, Jr., M.D., professor and chair of dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Las Vegas - Although topical anesthetics have long been a mainstay for dermatologists, physicians have relatively little clinical data with which to evaluate them, an expert says.

Las Vegas - The availability of a broad range of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers has allowed dermatologists to employ greater creativity in correcting not only facial lines and wrinkles, but also age-related volume loss, an expert says.

Las Vegas - As new biologic drugs navigate through the FDA approval process, the amount of efficacy data - including comparative studies - available to dermatologists is growing, says a leading psoriasis clinician and researcher.

Las Vegas - Nonsurgical modalities can provide safe, effective treatment for carefully selected low-risk nonmelanoma skin cancers, an expert says.

Las Vegas - "It?s my bias that every practice should be using photodynamic therapy (PDT.) It is so useful," says C. William Hanke, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P.; president, American Academy of Dermatology; visiting professor, dermatology, University of Iowa-Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa.

Las Vegas - Everyone needs a working knowledge of cosmeceuticals, even if you?re a skeptic, says Hilary E. Baldwin, M.D, vice chair and associate professor of dermatology, department of dermatology, State University of New York, Brooklyn, N.Y., in a presentation here at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference.

Las Vegas - Treating tough pigmentary disorders requires combining current therapies while keeping abreast of emerging therapies including new sunscreens, resurfacing procedures and promising monotherapeutic bleaching agents, says an expert.

Las Vegas - As injection techniques and aesthetic applications for Botox (botulinum toxin A, Allergan) expand, knowing the facial anatomy and tempering patient expectations remain critical to success, an expert says.

Las Vegas - The evolving nature of infectious diseases that attack the skin requires dermatologists to maintain constant vigilance, an expert says.

Las Vegas - A selection of recent cases offer lessons ranging from potential causes of drug-induced subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (DISCLE) to comorbidities associated with seborrheic dermatitis, says a physician familiar the cases.

Las Vegas - Kawasaki disease (KD), also called mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, is the most common cause of acquired cardiac disease in children, and it is important to understand its pathogenesis in order to diagnose and treat the child, says Sheila Fallon Friedlander, M.D., clinical professor, pediatrics and medicine, University of California San Diego Medical Center, Rady Children?s Hospital, San Diego.

Las Vegas - When an adult female presents with acne, it can be very helpful to do a hormonal evaluation, including a menstrual history, use of cosmetic and skincare products and clinical signs of cutaneous androgen excess, says Diana S. Berson, M.D., in a presentation here at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference.

Las Vegas - "TIMS (topical immune modulators) are safer than topical steroids if you don?t feed them heavily to monkeys," says Lawrence A. Schachner, M.D., chairman and Harvey Blank Professor of Dermatology, professor of pediatrics, and director, division of pediatric dermatology, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Fla.

Data from two large, phase 4 trials indicate that long-term, intermittent, once-daily therapy with tacrolimus ointment is an effective treatment for pediatric patients with stabilized atopic dermatitis, Docguide.com reports.

New Brunswick, N.J. ? A Johnson & Johnson-funded patient study suggests that J&J?s experimental drug ustekinumab was more effective at treating psoriasis than Amgen?s Enbrel, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Results of a recent study show that 68 percent of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis experienced improvement in scalp psoriasis within the first 12 weeks of treatment with efalizumab, Docguide.com reports.

Keraderm, which develops phototherapy treatments for infections, has announced it will introduce a $100 phototherapy treatment for onychomycosis in 2009, upon completion of current pivotal trials and pending marketing clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), PRNewswire reports.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that a blood cancer drug may cause a serious skin reaction in some patients, the Dow Jones Newswire reports.

Syneron Medical Ltd., based here, has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its Matrix RF applicator for use in dermatological procedures requiring skin ablation and resurfacing, CNNMoney.com reports.

French pharmaceutical company Ipsen says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will not complete its first-cycle review of Ipsen?s botulinum toxin type A product Dysport until the end of the year, Reuters reports.

National report - The news is bright for the Women’s Dermatologic Society’s Play Safe in the Sun campaign.

Greensboro, N.C. - Jack Britts, who was previously a pharmaceutical executive at Sepracor and AstraZeneca PLC, has been named President and CEO of Merz Pharmaceuticals, according to dbusinessnews.com.

Bedford, Mass. - Anika Therapeutics has signed an agreement with Canderm Pharma, a skincare company in Canada, to distribute and market Elevess throughout Canada, BusinessWire reports.

Known for decades for his dedication to dermatology, Oswald Lightsey Mikell, M.D., was named 2008 Dermatologist of the Year by the South Carolina Dermatology Association.

In Part 1 of this article, published in Dermatology Times last month, we explained that physician families have substantially greater liability risk and retirement challenges than do so-called "average American" families. This segment will focus on tax, investment and insurance issues that affect physicians; mistakes that doctors make; and suggestions for avoiding pitfalls.

Inflation reminds me of termites: It gradually eats away from the inside of your financial portfolio - unnoticed and silent. Left alone, it can cause major structural damage, even total collapse.

Industry experts estimate that as many as 20 percent of all claims for services are returned to physicians without payment.

While the full promise of EHR systems has yet to become reality, an expert offers shopping tips for finding the best available system for your practice.