News

With oral dapsone plagued by concerns of hematological side effects, a topical formulation has given dapsone a safer, new role in treating some dermatologic conditions.

Among the most hard-hit victims of today's troubled economy are the nation's banks. New service charges, confusing account options and wildly varying interest rates are just some of the techniques some banks are using to help pump up their slumping profits - at your expense.

If it weren't for off-label drug use, dermatologists might have no medications at all. That may be a facetious statement, but it is one commonly repeated by dermatologists. A study from Stanford University a few years ago indicated that 20 percent of all drugs were prescribed off-label, and with biologics, fillers, immunomodulators and other drugs, dermatology's percentage may be even higher.

Today's nonsurgical rejuvenation tools provide effective means for achieving objectifiable contemporary standards of facial beauty, an expert says.

Mohs surgeons are experiencing a drastic reduction in reimbursement due to a change in Medicare policy, and further cuts may be coming. The task for dermatologists who perform Mohs surgery is to face the fact of reduced reimbursements and work with the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) to reverse these measure

ArNOX is an abbreviation for age-related NOX, with NOX representing NADH oxidase proteins. Much of the research on arNOX was completed by D.M. Morré, Ph.D., and D.J. Morré, Ph.D., at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. Several types of NOX have been identified, including constitutive or normal NOX (cNOX) and tumor NOX (tNOX).

The mainstay of treatment for actinic keratoses (AKs) is liquid nitrogen, but the therapy has several disadvantages. Ingenor mebutate, a topical gel, is being investigated for its efficacy and safety as a therapy, with the most recent findings showing a significant difference in the clearance rate of AKs with the use of this gel, as well as good tolerability.

Botulinum toxin products must carry a strong "black box" warning on potentially lethal risks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced April 30.

Medicis (NYSE:MRX) and Ipsen (Euronext:IPN) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of the Biologics License Application (BLA) for DYSPORT (abobotulinumtoxinA), an acetylcholine release inhibitor and a neuromuscular blocking agent, according to GlobeNewswire.com.

Tretinoin gel microsphere 0.04 percent technology causes less facial skin irritation than does adapalene 0.3 percent, according to a recent study.

A new study involving cross-sectional samples of the U.S. population reveals no association between isotretinoin and suicidality, the study-s author says.

Beginning May 1, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was to begin enforcing a rule requiring certain kinds of businesses, including most doctors? practices and hospitals, to develop written plans for identifying and responding to warning signs ? red flags ? of identity theft. And while many healthcare providers view the Red Flags Rule as another time-consuming, expensive federal mandate they have to follow, dermatologists who have prepared for it say it need not be either.

Is the voice of the professional being heard in the debate over healthcare reform? ModernMedicine.com convened a roundtable of doctors, hospital administrators, professors and others to talk about what needs to be done. See the videos at www.modernmedicine.com.

Emeryville, Calif. ? NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, which develops anti-infective products for the treatment and prevention of infections without causing resistance, has entered a global agreement with Galderma to develop and commercialize NovaBay's Aganocide, according to a company press release.

Corvallis, Ore. ? Oregon State University researchers have discovered a gene in humans that appears to be a master regulator in skin formation, which could shed light on everything from psoriasis to aging skin, according to a University press release.

Albany, New York ? Valeo Pharma has announced a partnership with Del-Ray Dermatologicals, a subsidiary of Crown Laboratories, for the exclusive sale and distribution of Hydrosal Professional in the U.S, according to a company press release.

Many of our high net-worth clients are finding themselves re-evaluating their annual charitable contributions as well as some of their estate planning goals as they concentrate on meeting their future retirement or current income needs. There are always choices, however, that one can make depending on their priorities and resources.

National report - The National Psoriasis Foundation is kicking off their Walk with your Doc program to raise awareness and funds for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

New York - The Skin Cancer Foundation is urging citizens to write to their congressional representatives to request $10 million for melanoma research, according to the foundation.

Would your assets be protected if you were sued? Darrell Aviss of Swiss Guard International walks physicians through a strategy for protecting wealth.

More and more health insurers are publishing quality ratings of individual physicians, but critics argue the programs are inherently flawed.

Dermatology Times presents an interview with Dr James Young, a cardiologist with the Cleveland Clinic, which signed on early with Google Health and was part of its pilot project.

Are you headed to San Francisco this month? Check out our podcast to find the best places to dine, visit and shop!

A St. Louis hospital’s inpatient pediatric atopic dermatitis program brings together dermatology, physical therapy, nursing and other health professionals, as well as a child life specialist (to help with coping skills) - and even volunteers. Pediatric dermatologist Elaine Siegfried, M.D., tells Dermatology Times how she helped to launch the inpatient care concept at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, and how it helps patients with severe outbreaks.

Zurich, Switzerland - Roche Holding AG has sealed a deal with Genentech to buy the 44 percent of the company that it doesn't already own for $95 a share, CNNMoney.com reports.

National report - The purchase of Schering-Plough for 41.1 billion in cash and stock has given Merck a dozen experimental drugs that are nearing marketing approval in the U.S., which may pay off before Merck loses patents on medicines with $8 billion in annual sales, Bloomberg.com reports.

San Francisco - Patients presenting with oral ulcers is not an uncommon occurrence, but the precise etiology of these lesions may at times be a source of confusion to the clinician.

Rouen, France ?Patients with toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) or Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) commonly experience acute ocular involvement, according to a study published in the Archives of Dermatology.

International report ? International report ? Playing video games excessively can lead to a skin condition dubbed "Playstation palmar hidradenitis," characterized by painful sores that occur due to sweating, according to BBC News.

International report ? Gray hair is caused by a massive build-up of hydrogen peroxide, due to "wear and tear" of hair follicles, which blocks the synthesis of melanin, according to a study published in the FASEB Journal.