Articles related to Family Medicine/General Practice

The IRS was kind enough to move the traditional tax deadline from April 15 to Monday, May 17, granting a bit of a reprieve for getting your financial affairs in order. Many physicians choose to handle their taxes themselves despite a good CPA paying for him/herself in the deductions and tax-savings strategies that they find for you. If you decide to go this route, here are some things you should be asking.

The numbers are staggering when it comes to heart disease, and it’s still the No. 1 killer in the US, according to the CDC. With 30.3 million American adults—12.1% of the adult population—diagnosed with heart disease, it’s certainly a struggle to keep it at bay, but there are preventive measures your patients can take. Here are five foods that represent a heart-healthy diet.

The FDA announced a trial hold after two participants with sickle cell disease (SCD) in the LentiGlobin gene therapy trials developed AML and MDS. According to bluebird bio, the manufacturer of LentiGlobin products, the company was unable to find any cancer cells in the patient’s bone marrow and has asked the FDA for permission to resume clinical trials.

According to a recent study published in Clinical Toxicology, the authors examined the makeup of 17 brands of OTC supplements in the US, purchased online, that were labeled to include banned and unapproved stimulants, including deterenol, a beta-agonist that has never been approved for use in the US and which the FDA banned from supplements in 2004.

In this podcast/article from KevinMD, the story of Dr. Hasan Gokal is examined, a Houston physician who was fired from his public health job and was subsequently faced with criminal charges for stealing a vial of the vaccine. His case was also brought to the Texas Medical Board. In a sea of regulations and protocols, were his actions well-intentioned and in the best interest of patient care and safety?

Without a centralized scheduling system and 50 states to consider, scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment online isn’t so simple. Thankfully, others with scheduling savvy and a little patience have put together some advice. We invite you to share these tips with your patients struggling to get an appointment and how to handle the technology, processes, and preparation.