Search

Mucosal melanoma remains a rare cancer with high mortality and a paucity of therapeutic options. This is due in significant part to its low incidence leading to limited patient access to expert care and downstream clinical/basic science data for research interrogation. Clinical challenges such as delayed and at times inaccurate diagnoses, and lack of consensus tumor staging have added to the suboptimal outcomes for these patients. Clinical trials, while promising, have been difficult to activate and accrue. While individual institutions and investigators have attempted to seek solutions to such problems, international, national, and local partnership may provide the keys to more efficient and innovative paths forward. Furthermore, a mucosal melanoma coalition would provide a potential network for patients and caregivers to seek expert opinion and advice. The Melanoma Research Foundation Mucosal Melanoma Meeting (December 16, 2022, New York, USA) highlighted the current clinical challenges faced by patients, providers, and scientists, identified current and future clinical trial investigations in this rare disease space, and aimed to increase national and international collaboration among the mucosal melanoma community in an effort to improve patient outcomes. The included proceedings highlight the clinical challenges of mucosal melanoma, global clinical trial experience, basic science advances in mucosal melanoma, and future directions, including the creation of shared rare tumor registries and enhanced collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To measure the extent to which pharmacist-patient conversations are private. Design: Cross sectional. Setting: New York State, April to June 2007. Participants: No individual participants were enrolled: the study consisted of observations of the pharmacy environment and pharmacy patient-staff interactions. Intervention: Measurement of privacy-related distances in the pharmacy. Main outcome measures: Distance between patients at the pharmacy counter and staff behind the counter, distance between patient waiting area and pharmacy counter, and distance that a pharmacy counter conversation was audible. Results: Observational data were recorded from 597 pharmacy staff-patient interactions in 282 pharmacies across New York State. Of the 597 interactions, 167 occurred while a second patient was within 6 ft. Of the 282 pharmacies, pharmacy staff-patient conversations were audible to observers more than 6 ft away in 229 pharmacies; 142 could be heard more than 15 ft away. Conclusion: Most staff-patient conversations in the pharmacy setting are not private and, as a result, have a high potential for incidental protected health information disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To survey practicing pharmacists regarding their use of and familiarity with six dietary supplement information references. Methods: Pharmacists attending a March 2005 continuing education program at the Albany College of Pharmacy on interactions between drugs and dietary supplements were surveyed about their use of and views on dietary supplement information references. Included in the survey were six references: Physicians Desk Reference (PDR) for Herbal Medicines; Facts and Comparisons: Review of Natural Products; German Commission E Monographs; Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (online or textbook format); Micromedex: AltMedDex; and The Natural Therapeutics Pocket Guide. The survey was repeated by mail 1 year after the program. Results: Of the 91 attendees at the program, 58 completed the survey, and 25 individuals returned the 1-year survey. Of those completing the surveys, 80% had more than 10 years in practice, 95% had bachelor's degrees, and most practiced in community or institutional pharmacies. At baseline, fewer than 40% had "heard of" four of the six references. Pharmacists were most familiar with PDR for Herbal Medicines and Facts and Comparisons: Review of Natural Products. Familiarity rates increased at 1 year for five of the six references, though, again, overall rates were low and differences from baseline were not statistically-significant for any of the six references. Usage rates increased for two references (Facts and Comparisons: Review of Natural Products and Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database) at 1 year and declined for the remaining four. Conclusion: Experienced pharmacists in both community and institutional settings infrequently use and are unfamiliar with dietary supplement information references, including those found in studies to be of the highest quality. Education on the availability and features of these references could benefit pharmacists and potentially change usage patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the speech of New York State Governor Mario M. Cuomo before the American Arbitration Association on May 17, 1984 about the truth of the mediation process. Antiquity of the arbitration process; Importance of arbitration to society; Need to emphasize mediation in resolving issues before they come before a judge or an arbitrator.