What's New at GWUMC

WASHINGTON — The George Washington University Medical Center, GW Medical Faculty Associates and the GW Hospital will be offering free assessment of stroke risk to the general public on Friday, May 9th starting at 7 am until 1 pm. The stroke unit at GW, who have Primary Stroke Center Certification from the American Stroke Association and the Joint Commission, will assess the risk of stroke using a combination of family history, a brief individual health questionnaire, blood pressure, pulse and carotid (neck) artery blood flow evaluation.

WASHINGTON - The George Washington UniversityCancer Institute Gala, supported by principal benefactors Dr. and Mrs. Cyrus Katzen and Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Katzen, took place this evening at the National Building Museum. Proceeds from the Gala will provide funds for critical cancer programs in the DC area. GW President Steven Knapp joined Provost and Vice President for Health Affairs, John F. Williams as hosts of the event, while Diane Robinson Knapp and Kimberly D. Russo, associate administrator at GW Hospital, served as the Gala co-chairs.

One of the highlights of the evening was an awards ceremony that recognized five honorees whose lives and work have had an impact on the community and the world. This year’s Gala honorees were: 

WASHINGTON – The GW Cancer Institute received a $500,000 grant from the Avon Foundation that will support breast cancer outreach, education and screening services in the DC community. GW Cancer Institute Executive Director, Steven Patierno, PhD, accepted a check on May 4, as part of the Avon Walk DC Closing Ceremony.

The Foundation’s support for breast cancer services is critical because it will address the fact that DC has nearly the highest breast cancer mortality rate in the country. Actress Reese Witherspoon, honorary chair of the Avon Foundation, presented the check to Patierno and six other area organizations designated to receive funding from the Avon Foundation. This is the largest grant the Avon Foundation has awarded to GW.

The Avon grant will enable GW to deploy the GW Mammovan, a mobile mammography unit, equipped with state-of-the-art digital mammography technology, to medically underserved areas of the District, including Anacostia, a quadrant of our city that currently has no mammographic facilities. The GW Mammovan will reach women who have very little access to mammography, outreach and breast cancer education. The Avon Foundation’s executive director for Breast Cancer Crusade, Marc Hurlbert, PhD, attended the Fifth Annual Cancer Gala on Saturday, May 3, at the National Building Museum to announce that the grant had been awarded.

“We are pleased to be a recipient of this grant from the Avon Foundation. It will enable GW to provide a critical service to those in our city, who are in need. It is our hope that we can help to lower the breast cancer mortality rate in our city and deliver services that will detect breast cancer at an earlier stage, in women who live in our own backyard,” said John F. Williams, MD, EdD, MPH, Provost and Vice President for Health Affairs, GW Medical Center.

The Avon grant will also support the work of the GW Cancer Institute to create a network of business and faith-based community partnerships that will facilitate culturally competent outreach specialists to work with members of the community to provide educational materials and patient navigation. Additionally, it will enable the establishment of an Avon Imaging Fellowship that will provide training and experience for a Radiology/ Mammography Fellow in community-based medicine.

About the GW Medical Center/ GW Cancer Institute

As the GW Medical Center works to cement its position among leading academic health centers, excellence in cancer research is one of three signature multidisciplinary programs leading this strategic mission. Cutting-edge research aims to improve the health and well-being of our local, national and international communities. Within the next decade, cancer research at GW will prove to be a defining characteristic of the Medical Center and an integral part of its clinical and educational programs.

About The George Washington University Medical Center

The George Washington University’s Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI) hosted Ambassador Amine Kherbi, the Algerian Ambassador to Washington D.C. on May 5th, for a roundtable discussion

Event Summary

Algerian Resources

The Ambassador Roundtable Series on International Collaboration to Combat Terrorism and Insurgencies is cosponsored by HSPI and the Inter-University Center for Terrorism Studies. The series is an effort to engage ambassadors, heads of state and cabinet level officials in an ongoing dialogue on the counterterrorism efforts around the world.

For more information, including upcoming events, click here

On May 1, 2008, researchers in the Department of Health Policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services issued an update of its earlier report titled "Analysis of the Proposed rule on Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas."  That earlier report, prepared by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation, analyzed proposed regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that would modify the way in which areas are designated as being medically underserved or health professional shortage areas; designations which safety net and other providers depend on to qualify for federal funding, physician subsidies and placement, and health-related investments.

On April 21, 2008, HHS issued a notice that extended the comment period on these regulations to May 29, 2008, as well as made certain clarifications to the regulations and requested comments on additional topics. Our May 1 revision discusses the April 21 notice and corrects and clarifies some earlier technical calculations.

The revised documents can be found at:
http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/healthpolicy/chsrp/new_publications.cfm

and
http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/healthpolicy/chsrp/safetynet_publications.cfm

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GW Medical Student Honored by President in White House Ceremony; Rose Garden Ceremony Honors Physicians for Peace Volunteers’ Work to Build Global Health Systems

• Dr. Eid Mustafa, Wichita Falls, Texas, for his work in the West Bank
• Amy Fiedler, The George Washington University Medical Center, for her work in Eritrea
• Emily Tinsley, BSN, RN, Charlottesville, Va., for her work in Central America
• Dr. Ogo Emejuru, Norfolk, Va., for his work in Nigeria
• Caroline Ramwell, MSN, RN,PNP, University of Virginia, for her work in Sri Lanka and Central America
• Dr. Juan Montero, Chesapeake, Va., for his work in the Philippines

Physicians for Peace was founded in 1989 to mobilize medical volunteers and healthcare educators to help build medical systems in developing and third world countries. The organization has conducted medical missions in 50 countries.

“Volunteers are the very lifeblood of our organization,” noted Physicians for Peace President and CEO, Brig. Gen. Ron Sconyers, (USAF, Ret.).  “These professionals give selflessly of their time and their talent to help those in need in some of the most desperate conditions in the world.  That the President has recognized the invaluable contributions of our volunteers is a real testimony to their work as America’s medical diplomats in the developing world.”    

The George Washington University Department of Nursing Educationwas recently honored by the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) with the world's most prestigious distance learning award presented for excellence in distance learning.

St Louis, MO (April 23, 2008) -- The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) yesterday presented its 2008 International Distance Learning Award to The George Washington University Department of Nursing Education’s National Nurse Emergency Preparedness Initiative (NNEPI)in conjunction with the 2008 National Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. Since 1987, USDLA has been the world's premier distance learning association. The USDLA International Awards program honored outstanding individuals and organizations for excellence in the field distance learning, education and training.

These prestigious International Awards are presented annually to organizations and individuals engaged in the development and delivery of distance learning programs. Included in the recognition ceremony were awards for 21st Century Best Practice, Best Practice for Distance Learning Programming, Excellence in Distance Learning Teaching, Outstanding Leadership by an Individual, Hall of Fame and Eagle Awards.

"As a premier organization for the entire distance learning profession, we are honoring The George Washington University Department of Nursing Education as a leader in the industry," said Dr. John G. Flores, CEO of USDLA. "The National Nurse Emergency Preparedness Initiative project team at The George Washington University Department of Nursing Education has raised the bar of excellence and we are truly honored by The George Washington University’s contributions to the distance learning industry."

The USDLA Awards were created to acknowledge major accomplishments in distance learning and to highlight those distance learning instructors, programs, and professionals who have achieved and demonstrated extraordinary results through the use of online, videoconferencing, satellite and blended learning delivery technologies. In addition, winners will be recognized in an edition of USDLA’s Distance Learning Today quarterly supplement.  Distance Learning Today appears in USA TODAY's top-tier markets for distance learning - major commuter hubs, convention centers and hotels.  It is read by 3.5 million goal-oriented, affluent professionals who recognize the value of distance learning, education and training. The section will also be featured on the USDLA website, which averages 2.6 million hits per month.

“The George Washington University Department of Nursing Education produced Nurses on the Front Line: Preparing for and Responding to Emergencies and Disasters to address a critical gap in the nation’s emergency preparedness,” said Jean E. Johnson, PhD, FAAN, Project Director of The National Nurse Emergency Preparedness Initiative. “We are deeply appreciative of the contributions our colleagues in the field of nursing made to this endeavor, particular the expert review panels assembled by The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and The American Association of Colleges of Nurses.”

 “When we received U.S. Department of Homeland Security funding to develop the NNEPI course, we set out to create a course that integrates rich media content and engaging interactive experiences to arm nurses with the knowledge, skills and abilities they need to think critically and respond effectively in unpredictable emergency situations,” said Ellen M. Dawson, PhD, ANP, Chair of The Department of Nursing Education and Co-Director of The National Nurse Emergency Preparedness. “We feel confident that we achieved that goal and we are honored to be recognized by The U.S. Distance Learning Association for our contributions to the field.”

Mr. Reggie Smith III, USDLA board member and chair of the awards committee, noted that, “We look forward to seeing how The George Washington University Department of Nursing Education will inspire the 2009 award entries as they are recognized in Distance Learning Today to 3.5 million readers and via their participation in National Distance Learning Week (http://www.ndlw.org ), November 10-14, 2008.”

About The George Washington University Department of Nursing Education
The George Washington University Department of Nursing Education was established in 2004 and is an integral part of The George Washington University Medical Center. The George Washington University Medical Center is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary academic health center that has consistently provided high quality medical care in the Washington, DC metropolitan area for 176 years. The George Washington University Department of Nursing Education launched the first Doctor of Nursing Practice program in the nation’s capital and offers eight graduate-level programs in the clinical, research and leadership fields. The Department of Nursing Education is accredited through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. For more information about GW’s nursing programs, click on “Nursing” at http://www.gwumc.edu/healthsci/.

About United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)
The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) is a non-profit association formed in 1987 and is located in Boston, Massachusetts. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking and opportunity. Distance learning and training constituencies served include pre-k-12 education, higher and continuing education, home schooling as well as business, corporate, military, government and telehealth markets. The USDLA trademarked logo is the recognized worldwide symbol of dedicated professionals committed to the distance learning industry. http://www.usdla.org

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Contact: Jean E. Johnson, PhD, FAAN, Senior Associate Dean for Health Sciences Programs and Project Director for The National Nurse Emergency Preparedness Initiative
E-mail: hspjej@gwumc.edu
Phone: 202-994-3725The NNEPI online course is available at http://learning.nnepi.org

WASHINGTON — Responses to eValue8^TM, an annual survey of American health plans conducted by the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH), indicate that 58 percent of the 150 plans surveyed will pay for substance use screening and brief intervention services (SBI). These services are defined by medical billing codes recently approved by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In addition, The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently announced that the 5.6 million employees with Federal health insurance will also be covered for SBI services.

The George Washington University Medical Center is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary academic health center that has consistently provided high-quality medical care in the Washington, DC metropolitan area for 176 years. The Medical Center comprises the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the 11^th oldest medical school in the country; the School of Public Health and Health Services, the only such school in the nation’s capital; GW Hospital, jointly owned and operated by a partnership between The George Washington University and a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc.; and the GW Medical Faculty Associates, an independent faculty practice plan. For more information on GWUMC, visit  HYPERLINK http://www.gwumc.edu www.gwumc.edu

The George Washington University’s Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI) hosted Ambassador Bisera Turkovic, the Bosnian and Herzegovinan Ambassador to Washington D.C. on April 17th, for a roundtable discussion

Ambassador's Presentation

Event Summary

Bosnia and Herzegovina Resources

The Ambassador Roundtable Series on International Collaboration to Combat Terrorism and Insurgencies is cosponsored by HSPI and the Inter-University Center for Terrorism Studies. The series is an effort to engage ambassadors, heads of state and cabinet level officials in an ongoing dialogue on the counterterrorism efforts around the world.

For more information, including upcoming events, click here

WASHINGTON (April 14, 2008) — A proposed federal rule could disrupt health center funding and jeopardize health care for millions of poor and underserved populations across the nation. A new study from The George Washington University Medical Center’s School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) provides the first up-to-date estimates of the effects of the new regulations and their impact on safety net providers and vulnerable populations. The study is the second in a continuing series of health policy research briefs prepared by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative.

The GW policy brief, “Analysis of the Proposed Rule on Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas,” examines a proposed rule issued on February 29, 2008, which creates a new method to designate Health Professional Shortage Areas and Medically Underserved Areas or Populations. These designations are used by the federal government to prioritize the distribution of federal and state funds to communities nationwide, with vulnerable populations with high health care needs.

At present, all health center sites that provide the full range of primary care services are counted as being in medically underserved areas and their communities are targeted for priority funding. The new rule would create a three-tier designation system: “Tier 1,” “Tier 2,” and “Safety Net Facility.” Under the proposed system: 

• Almost one-third of health centers would fail to meet either “Tier 1” or “Tier 2” status and therefore would lose priority funding. Instead, they would be designated as “safety net facilities,” the lowest priority level, and thus could potentially lose eligibility for additional federal funding to meet community and patient need.  

• The proposed rules would disproportionately affect urban areas and states in the northeast and northwest. In 15 states, more than half of existing health centers would fall into “safety net facility” status and would thus be in jeopardy.  

WASHINGTON — Traces of many pharmaceuticals are entering the drinking water of numerous American cities, according to a body of scientific research that has accumulated over the past decade. At current levels, pharmaceutical residues are unlikely to pose an immediate risk to human health, but the long-term consequences of individual chemicals, and combinations of chemicals, are unknown.

Earlier this year, a highly-publicized, five-month investigation by the Associated Press brought renewed attention to this issue. A new report by The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (GW/SPHHS) provides a context for the concerns, describing the extent of the contamination; the nature of the health risks that could emerge; and action steps to consider.

Among the report’s findings:

• In a “national reconnaissance,” the U.S. Geological Survey looked for 95 different organic wastewater contaminants – including antibiotics, hypertensive and cholesterol-lowering drugs, antidepressants, analgesics, steroids, and reproductive hormones – in surface water. It found at least one contaminant in 80% of the water samples taken from 139 streams in 30 states.  

• Pharmaceutical residue has been identified in the drinking water of at least 25 major metropolitan areas, according to the Associated Press’s review of scientific studies and government databases.  

• Concern about the human health effects of pharmaceuticals reflects, in part, the recognition that they are deliberately designed to interact with the body at low concentrations in order to have a biological impact. In particular, hormones and other chemicals that act by signaling and stimulating cell changes can have effects at low levels.  

• Evidence of an impact on the ecosystem is already apparent – published studies have identified endocrine disruptions, reproductive effects, and renal deterioration in fish, among other damage.

• More public education to encourage consumers and health care providers to dispose of medications properly. 

• Changing the way the FDA requires pharmaceutical companies to assess the environmental impact of their drugs.  

• Altering agricultural practices that release antibiotics and steroids into the water supply. 

• An emphasis on controlling discharges of contaminated water at the source, rather than treatment at the point of use, in order to protect the environment and reduce the burden on water treatment facilities.  

• Giving consideration to the more aggressive regulatory approaches used in the European Union to control contamination.  

• Greater public investment in drinking and wastewater infrastructure.  

The GW/SPHHS report -- “Pharmaceuticals are in the Drinking Water: What does It Mean?” -- can be downloaded at: http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/about/rapidresponse/download/Rapid_H2O_Final.pdf.

For more information on pharmaceuticals in the drinking water, contact:  

Week of April 21

Sara Rosenbaum, JD, Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and chair, Department of Health Policy, was interviewed on Good Morning America regarding laws that enable insurance companies to avoid paying disability benefits. Click here to watch this video.

David Michaels, PhD, MPH, research professor and associate chairman of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, has written a book titled “Doubt is their Product,” that reveals how the tobacco industry's duplicitous tactics spawned a multimillion dollar industry that is dismantling public health safeguards. His book was been featured in Scientific American, Vanity Fair, Defending Science.org.

Dr. Michaels was also quoted in Chemical and Engineering News regarding the chemical industry'sability to determine how science is used to shape the national debate over product safety. Click here to read this article.

Margaret Dunkle, senior fellow at the Center for Health Services Research and Policy was quoted in the New York Times, commenting on the autism and vaccine debate. Click here to read this article.

Eric Goplerud, PhD, MA, director of Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, department of Health Policy, was quoted in an article in the Salt Lake Tribune about alcoholism not being addressed in the workplace. Click here to read this article. 

Dr. Goplerud was also quoted on AISHealth.com about the fact that while there is alcohol addiction and lost productivity, yet there is little use of available prescription drug therapies. Click here to read this article. 

Dr. Goplerud was also quoted in the Chicago Sun Times, commenting on the social and geographical reasons why drunk driving is more prevalent in certain states. Click here to read this article.

Patricia Berg, PhD, director of the breast cancer laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, co-wrote an article that appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune. Click here to read this article. 

Week of April 7

Tee Guidotti, MD, MPH, chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and professor of Environmental and Occupational Health, was interviewed by WTOP Radio, WJLA-TV and the Washington Examiner regarding a new study on the pharmaceuticals in drinking water issue. The report describes the extent of the contamination, the nature of the health risks that could emerge and action steps to consider. Click here to read the WTOP interview. Click here to read the WJLA-TV interview. Click here to read the Washington Examiner article.

Glenn Geelhoed,MD, professor of Surgery, International Medical Education and Microbiology, was the topic of an article in the Toledo Blade, regarding his numerous medical missions and his inclusion in the Medical Mission Hall of Fame (2005). Click here to read this article.

Additionally,Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, Walter G. Ross Professor and chair, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, was inducted into the Medical Mission Hall of Fame on April 5, 2008, which was covered in the Toledo Blade, as well. Click here to read about his induction.

Rachel Brem, MD, director, Breast Imaging and Intervention, vice-chair for Research and Faculty Development and professor of Radiology, was quoted in an article by CampusProgress.org about breast cancer screening and the efficiency of mammograms. Click here to read this article.

Week of March 31

The Department of Health Policy, School of Public Health and Health Services, released a press release about a study titled, “Workplace Screening & Brief Intervention: What Employers Can and Should Do About Excessive Alcohol Use,” which identifies that alcohol problems are prevalent in certain industries, including the hospitality industry. Several publications/ Web sites have posted the press release or written an article about the data. These publications/ Web sites include: the United Press International, Popular Science Magazine, About.com, Washington Business Journal, Baltimore Business Journal, Atlanta Business Journal, the Wichita Business Journal, Occupational Health and Safety Magazine, Medicalnewstoday.com, Medilexicon.com and InterestingScienceNews.com. Click here to read the press release.

Showkat Bashir, MD, assistant professor of Medicine, performed a colonoscopy on DC Councilmember Jack Evans as part of a news story about colorectal cancer prevention. Dr. Bashir and Jack Evans were interviewed live on WUSA9 following a story on the procedure and the importance of cancer screening. Click here to watch the video clip.

Vivek Deshmukh, MD, assistant professor of Neurosurgery, was interviewed by Fox News about a compilation of studies suggesting that cell phone use could lead to an increased risk for brain cancer. Click here to watch this video clip.

Week of March 24

Fayaz Shawl, MD, clinical professor of Medicine, was interviewed about the cardiac specialty hospital he is working to open in Kashmir. Click here to read this interview.

George Davis, MD, PhD, research professor of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine, was quoted in a Scientific American article, about China’s Three Gorges Dam and the possibility that it may be triggering landslides, altering entire ecosystems and causing other serious environmental problems—and, by extension, endangering the millions. Click here to read this article.

Janine Van Lancker, MD, assistant professor of Medicine, was a guest on the Kojo Nnamdi Show on Wednesday, March 26. She discussed seasonal allergies and new therapies to treat seasonal allergies. Click here to listen to this interview.

The Department of Health Policy, School of Public Health and Health Services, released a press release about a study titled, “Workplace Screening & Brief Intervention: What Employers Can and Should Do About Excessive Alcohol Use,” which identifies that alcohol problems are prevalent in certain industries, including the hospitality industry. Several publications/ Web sites have posted the press release or written an article about the data. These publications/ Web sites include: Washington Business Journal, Baltimore Business Journal, Atlanta Business Journal, Wichita Business Journal, Occupational Health and Safety Magazine, Medicalnewstoday.com, Medilexicon.com and InterestingScienceNews.com. Click here to read the press release.

Week of March 17

Leighton Ku, PhD, professor, Tom Perez, MPP, JD, Geiger Gibson research professor, and Marsha Lillie-Blanton, DrPH, associate research professor, Department of Health Policy, recently participated in a Kaiser Family Foundation webcast on the influence that immigration policies have on federal and state decisions about access to health care and coverage. A video of the March 12 session, "Immigration and Health Care: What are the Policy Choices," can be found at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/health_cast/hcast_index.cfm?display=detail&hc=2517

Bruce Siegel, MD, MPH, research professor in the Department of Health Policy, George Washington University Medical Center's School of Public Health and Health Services, was quoted in the South Florida Times in an article about Hispanic and African-American patients receiving substandard care in hospitals. Dr. Siegel was quoted in the article, referring to a Robert Wood Johnson-funded initiative that he is heading up, called Expecting Success (www.expectingsuccess.org). Expecting Success is an initiative aimed at improving cardiac care for black and Hispanic patients. To read this article, click here. This article also appeared in the Miami Herald.

Joshua L. Cohen, MD, associate professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The George Washington University Medical Center, was interviewed on XM Radio’s Dr. Radio Show. The segment was about diet, healthy eating and medications that help people lose weight.

Rachel Brem, MD, director, Breast Imaging and Intervention, vice-chair for Research and Faculty Development and professor of Radiology, was quoted by CNN in an article about breast health at every age. Click here to read this article.

Anne Rossier Markus, JD, PhD, MHS, assistant dean for Academic Affairs and associate research professor of Health Policy, was interviewed by APHA’s Newsletter, Nation’s Health, regarding a study published by the School of Public Health and Health Services, Department of Health Policy titled, “Pediatric Dentistry: How Can Dental Care for Low-Income Children Be Improved?” The article appeared in the APHA newsletter, as well as in Dental Office Magazine. Click here to read the article.

Week of March 3

Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, Walter G. Ross Professor and chair, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, wrote an editorial in the journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Disease in response to President Bush’s Initiative to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases. Commentary on the editorial was published in the UK’s Times Online. Click here to read this commentary. The same editorial was discussed on the Web site, SciDev.Net. Click here to read the SciDev.Net article.

Christina M. Puchalski, MD, director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWISH) was one focus of an article regarding spirituality and health curriculum in medical schools. The article appeared in American Medical News, a publication of the American Medical Association. Puchalski was quoted throughout the article and promoted as a pioneer in bringing spirituality into a medical school curriculum. Click here to read this article.

Week of February 25

Fayaz Shawl, MD, clinical professor of Medicine, was the subject of an article in Greater Kashmir regarding hisvisit to Srinagar, India on February 17- 20 to conduct a free clinic for medically underserved patients at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura. Click here to read the article.

Sara Rosenbaum, JD, Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and chair, Department of Health Policy, was quoted in David Noonan’s “Health Matters” Column in Newsweek on the loss of employer-based health coverage and the underfunding of SCHIP, leaving children with asthma without care. Click here to read the article.

Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, Walter G. Ross Professor and chair, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, wrote an editorial in the journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Disease in response to President Bush’s Initiative to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases. The editorial was the subject of several blogs, including the Wired Magazine science blog and the Wall Street Journal health blog. Click here to read the Wired science blog; Click here to read the Wall Street Journal health blog.

Gary Simon, MD, PhD, professor of Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Tropical Medicine, vice chairman of the Department of Medicine and director of the Division of Infectious Diseases, was interviewed by WAMU-88.5 FM (Washington, DC) regarding a situation in a DC public school where a child died, possibly of MRSA, and parents of children in the school want the school sanitized. Click here to listen to the interview. (Scroll down to the Parents Want D.C. School Sanitized After MRSA Case” story.)

Week of February 11

Daniel S. Lewin, PhD, MS, assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in the article, “Getting Enough Sleep Will Help Raise Your Exam Scores – AASM to Teens,” that appeared on MedicalNewsToday.com.

Celeste Monforton, MPH, lecturer, Environmental and Occupational Health and senior research associate, Project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy, SPHHS, was quoted in an Associated Press article about inferior management practices at an Alaska gold mine at which two young workers died.

Rachel Moon, MD, associate professor, Pediatrics, was quoted in the article, “Sharing bed with baby can be dangerous, controversial,” that was posted on ScrippsNews.com.

Susan F. Wood, PhD, research professor of Environmental and Occupational Health, wrote an op-ed in the Boston Globe; this piece was discussed in the article, “Government Vacancies Can Lead to Sketchy Science,” that appeared in the Reg Watch section of OMBWatch.org.

Week of January 28

Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, Walter G. Ross Professor and chair, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine was quoted on the ABC News Web site in an article about the subject matter of the first episode of a new show on the network called “Eli Stone.” The episode focuses on the debate of vaccines and autism. Click here to read this article.

Dr. Hotez was also quoted in the LA Times about a new study that shows that the vaccine/autism link is unlikely. Click here to read this article.

Sara Rosenbaum, JD, Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and chair, Department of Health Policy was quoted in USA Today in an article about employers dropping their group health insurance plans, leaving their employees to get individual plans. Click here to read this article. Her comments also appeared in Medical News Today and Kaisernetwork.org.

Fernando Bianco, Jr., MD, head of GW’s Prostate Cancer Program, GW Cancer Institute, was a guest on the Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU-FM (Washington, DC NPR). He talked about DNA testing and Prostate Cancer Screening. Click here to listen to the program.

Week of January 14

Jason Engel, MD, assistant clinical professor of Urology and director of the urologic robotic surgery program at the George Washington University Hospital was quoted in the New York Times in an article regarding sex after prostate surgery. Click here to read the article.

Daniel Lieberman, MD,associate professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and director, Clinical Psychiatric Research Center, was interviewed by Fox 5 (WDC-Fox affiliate) on a hallucinogenic herb called Salvia. Click here to see the video clip.

Suena Huang, MD, professor of Psychiatry, did an interview for Aljazeera TV that appeared on YouTube on smoking cessation. Click here to see the video clip.

Week of January 7

Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, Walter G. Ross Professor and chair, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, authored the lead article in the journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases about neglected tropical diseases affecting poor populations in the U.S. This article received substantial media attention; Dr. Hotez was quoted in the following news outlets: BBC, MSNBC, Fox News, New York Post, The Daily Herald and NPR.

Dr. Hotez was also quoted in the article, “Why a Market-Driven Vaccine Plan Faces Big Obstacles,” that appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Click here to read the article.

Dr. Hotez was also interviewed regarding a study reporting that a rare chromosome abnormality increases the risk of developing autism 100 times. Dr. Hotez is quoted by ABC News and US News and World Report.

Suena Huang, MD, professor of Psychiatry, was interviewed by the Los Angeles Times about workaholics getting sick when they take vacation. Click here to read the article.

David Borenstein, MD, a rheumatologist and a clinical professor of Medicine at The George Washington University Medical Center, was quoted by US News and World Report in a story that focuses on neck pain and methods for avoiding and treating neck pain. Click here to read this article.

Fayaz Shawl, MD, clinical professor of Medicine, was highlighted in an article about the Cardiac Institute at Zulekha Hospital in Dubai. Click here to read this article.