Healthcare Policy

Clinical Commentary: The Travesty of Grinding Axes with Science: Rosiglitazone and Cardiac Risk

June 12, 2007
Clinical Commentary: The Travesty of Grinding Axes with Science: Rosiglitazone and Cardiac Risk

Welcome to our first blog commentary. One of the purposes of the blog is to generate discussion about issues in health care. This “Clinical Commentary” section is an invitation to our housestaff and faculty to submit their own thoughts and viewpoints on current issues. The views expressed in this section are soley those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Clinical Correlations.

Commentary by Gregory Mints MD and Nirav Shah MD, MPH

The meta-analysis of Rosiglitazone’s effect on cardiovascular events…

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Conflicts of Interest

March 21, 2007
Conflicts of Interest

The debate about the ethically questionable relationship between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry opened up again this morning on the front page of the New York Times. Although the article is heavy on interview and anecdote and a little short on evidence, it is difficult to avoid casting a critical eye on this relationship. The impetus for the article is the new laws in a handful of states requiring drug makers to disclose all payments made to doctors. These laws have made public previously…

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The Vioxx Wars

February 23, 2007
The Vioxx Wars

Commentary By: Sandeep Mangalmurti MD, JD PGY-1

The continuing legal battles over Vioxx remain at the center of a fascinating intersection of law and medicine. Most physicians are well acquainted with the basics of the case, but like most complicated health care issues, the deeper one probes, the more interesting it becomes.

The Vioxx saga begins in 2000, with the VIGOR trial. (1) This study was a randomized control trial comparing the gastrointestinal toxicity of Vioxx to naproxen, and was notable for…

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Medical Malpractice 101

January 19, 2007
Medical Malpractice 101

Commentary By: Sandeep Mangalmurti, MD, JD PGY-1

For many physicians, medical malpractice is like paying taxes; inevitable, but incomprehensible.  This is unfortunate, since most physicians offer unique insights into the current debate on malpractice reform.  Hopefully this article will begin to familiarize the reader with the general landscape of current trends in medical malpractice law.

When a physician complains of the current “malpractice crisis,” the complaint is usually about rising premiums.  The concern is generally not only over their…

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As Power Shifts in Washington…

December 5, 2006
As Power Shifts in Washington…

In the summer of 2002, I worked in DC for the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America (PHRMA), which is an umbrella organization that represents the largest pharmaceutical companies.  It was the height of Republican power and PHRMA lobbyists were at the forefront of influencing the policy debate.   One of the crowning achievements of the Bush’s domestic policy was the Medicare prescription drug benefit.  Passed in 2003 at an initial cost of…

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