SUMC in the News (09/13/06)

Print media coverage

Los Angeles Times, 09/13/06
Stanford bans taking freebies from drug companies
Stanford has joined a small cadre of other major academic medical centers in enacting a policy aimed at limiting the potential influence of pharmaceutical and other biomedical companies in its day-to-day clinical and educational activities. Philip Pizzo, medical school dean; David Magnus, director of the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics; and Lawrence Shuer, professor of neurosurgery and chief-of-staff at Stanford Hospital & Clinics, are quoted in this article. An Associated Press article on the new policy appears on ABCNews.com, CBSNews.com, Forbes.com, FOXNews.com and MSNBC.com and on the websites of numerous newspapers, including the Contra Costa Times, Newsday (New York), Philadelphia Inquirer, San Diego Union Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, Seattle Post Intelligencer and Washington Post. Articles also appear on CNNMoney.com and on the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal's website; United Press International also prepared an article.

New stem cell ethics issue emerges
Stem cell researchers are grappling with a shortage of eggs that they say is crippling their work. Irving Weissman, the Virginia and DK Ludwig Professor for Clinical Investigation and director of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, provides comment here.

Palo Alto Weekly, 09/13/06
Relieving the stress of infertility
Women's Health @ Stanford is offering a 10-week program for women and their partners who are experiencing infertility.

Managing diabetes
The Stanford Patient Education Research Center will hold a diabetes self-management workshop and study for adults with Type 2 diabetes on Sat., Sept. 16.

When words fail
This Stanford Health Library piece discusses books and videos that offer advice on how to comfort ill loved ones.

Associated Press, 09/12/06
NIH: Scientists escape ethics punishment
The majority of the 44 NIH scientists recently found to have violated rules governing private consulting deals were not seriously punished. Although Stanford isn't referenced, this article may be of interest to readers.

Stanford Magazine, September/October 2006
Strong medicine
This cover story discusses the medical school's new curriculum. Philip Pizzo; Neil Gesundheit, associate professor of medicine and associate dean of medical education; Clarence Braddock, associate professor of medicine; Julie Parsonnet, the George DeForest Barnett Professor in Medicine and senior associate dean for medical education and student affairs; Sherry Wren, associate professor of surgery; Samuel LeBaron, professor of family medicine; Paul Wise, the Richard E. Behrman Professor in Child Health; and numerous medical students are featured.

Cardinal numbers (click on "Cardinal numbers")
This brief item lists some quick stats about Stanford's medical students.

Get 'em while they're young
This article discusses a recent policy paper written by Eric Knudsen, the Edward C. and Amy H. Sewall Professor, and other researchers that shows that positive interactions with nurturing adults can help a child's brain thrive. Knudsen is quoted here.

For genetics professor, Japan's biggest prize
Leonard Herzenberg, professor of genetics, emeritus, was recently awarded the 2006 Kyoto prize for advanced technology - Japan's equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Garry Nolan, associate professor of microbiology and immunology, is quoted in this article.

A discovery about Down syndrome
Researchers at Stanford and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital have recently identified one possible cause of mental retardation in Down syndrome. William Mobley, the John E. Cahill Family Professor and director of Packard's Down Syndrome Center, is quoted in this article; Ahmad Salehi, a senior research scientist, is mentioned.

Heartburn patients: Eat up
This brief item discusses how recent Stanford research indicates there's no evidence to support a need for dietary deprivation among heartburn patients. Lauren Gerson, assistant professor of medicine, provides comment.

Broadcast media coverage

CNN, 09/13/06
This segment discussed the medical center's new policy on industry gifts. The policy was also mentioned on newscasts on KGO-TV, KPIX-TV, KRON-TV and KRXI-TV (Reno).

KTVU-TV, 09/12/06
David Magnus and Larry Shuer were featured in this segment on the medical center's new policy on industry gifts. Magnus was also interviewed by KGO-AM.