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Lawsuits due to patient perception of inappropriate medical actions are a growing reality in medical practice, which entails widespread concern in the medical community. Lawsuits often entail additional circumstances beyond the primary concern of preventing or sanctioning acts of medical negligence. CETREMI proposes various recommendations aimed at legal and medical professionals to improve this circumstance and avoid harming the doctor-patient relationship.Las demandas judiciales por la percepción del paciente de una actuación médica inadecuada son una realidad creciente en la práctica médica, la cual entraña una preocupación extendida en el gremio médico. Las demandas judiciales frecuentemente conllevan circunstancias adicionales a la primaria preocupación de prevenir o sancionar actos de negligencia médica. CETREMI emite algunas recomendaciones a los profesionales jurídicos y médicos para mejorar esta situación y evitar daños en la relación médico-paciente.

Due to sanitary restrictions secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic, various interactions between the pharmaceutical industry and physicians have changed. One of them has been the method for promoting medicinal products through academic meetings around diseases of financial interest. A recent modality has been unilateral promotion by the pharmaceutical industry through academic events with the invitation of so-called "experts" for the promotion of a specific drug. These meetings are often biased not towards optimal care of a disease, but rather towards commercial promotion of a specific drug, which may or may not be the best option, without considering associated therapeutic alternatives. The Committee of Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship, of the National Academy of Medicine, analyzes this new circumstance and proposes some considerations to the medical community.Debido a las restricciones sanitarias secundarias a la pandemia de COVID-19, diversas interacciones entre la industria farmacéutica y los médicos cambiaron. Una de ellas ha sido el método promocional de medicamentos a través de reuniones académicas en torno a padecimientos de interés financiero. Una modalidad reciente ha sido la promoción unilateral de un fármaco determinado por parte de la industria farmacéutica por medio de eventos académicos con la invitación de aparentes “expertos”. Estas reuniones frecuentemente están sesgadas no hacia la atención óptima de un padecimiento, sino a la promoción comercial de un medicamento específico que pudiera o no ser la mejor opción o sin la consideración de alternativas terapéuticas asociadas. El Comité de Ética y Transparencia en la Relación Médico-Industria, de la Academia Nacional de Medicina de México, analiza esta nueva circunstancia y propone algunas consideraciones a la comunidad médica.

Writing a prescription or indicating a treatment is usually the last part of medical consultation. This crucial process can be undermined by multiple factors such as limited prescriptive ability, overwork, and lack of reflection or time. Insufficient information about the patient or the treatment affects the prescriptive process and leads to errors that can be serious for patient health. The National Academy of Medicine, in line with the World Health Organization, emphasizes the relevance of making the prescriptive process a reflective exercise. Extender una receta o indicar un tratamiento suele ser la ultima parte de la consulta medica. Este proceso crucial puede desvirtuarse debido a multiples factores como capacidad prescriptiva limitada, exceso de trabajo y falta de reflexion o tiempo. La informacion insuficiente acerca del paciente o del tratamiento afecta el proceso prescriptivo y propicia errores que pueden ser graves para la salud del enfermo. La Academia Nacional de Medicina, en consonancia con la Organizacion Mundial de la Salud, hace enfasis en hacer del proceso prescriptivo un ejercicio de reflexion.

The implementation of an essential medicines list in health institutions allows acquiring and administering a long list of drugs that offers treatment alternatives to physicians, as well as a collegiate academic description of indications, doses, side effects, interactions and cost-benefit analyses, thus facilitating medical prescription and administration of health products. The Committee of Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship issues several recommendations for optimizing the benefits generated by essential medicines lists. La implementacion en instituciones de salud de un cuadro basico permite adquirir y administrar una larga lista de medicamentos que presenta a los medicos las alternativas de tratamiento, asi como la descripcion academica colegiada de indicaciones, dosis, efectos secundarios, interacciones y analisis de costo-beneficio, con lo que se facilita la prescripcion medica y la administracion de insumos para la salud. El Comite de Etica y Transparencia en la Relacion Medico-Industria emite diversas recomendaciones para la optimizacion de los beneficios generados por los cuadros basico de medicamentos.

Self-medication and self-prescription are actions undertaken by patients; the former, as an element of self-care that involves over-the-counter drugs, and the latter, as a violation of the Statute of Health, since it includes drugs that can only be dispensed with a medical prescription. All the drawbacks that have been attributed to self-medication are actually associated with self-prescription. La automedicacion y la autoprescripcion son acciones de los pacientes; la primera como elemento del autocuidado que involucra medicamentos de venta libre y la segunda como una violacion a la ley de salud, pues comprende medicamentos que solo pueden expenderse con receta. Todos los inconvenientes que se han atribuido a la automedicacion en realidad lo son de la autoprescripcion.

A novel chapter in current medical settings is the promotion and attention of esthetic aspects rather than health issues by health professionals. The human aspiration related to the search for personal beauty has generated new scenarios in medical practice. The Committee on Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship (CETREMI) of the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico has analyzed this phenomenon and has issued recommendations directed both to medical professionals and to producers and potential consumers of esthetic procedures.Un capítulo novedoso es la atención y promoción por parte de médicos especialistas de aspectos relacionados con procedimientos estéticos, más que con la salud. La aspiración humana de la búsqueda de la belleza personal ha generado nuevos escenarios en la labor médica. El Comité de Ética y Transparencia en la Relación Médico Industria (CETREMI) de la Academia Nacional de México ha revisado esta circunstancia y emite recomendaciones tanto a los médicos como a los productores y potenciales consumidores de procedimientos estéticos.

espanolUn capitulo novedoso es la atencion y promocion por parte de medicos especialistas de aspectos relacionados con procedimientos esteticos, mas que con la salud. La aspiracion humana de la busqueda de la belleza personal ha generado nuevos escenarios en la labor medica. El Comite de Etica y Transparencia en la Relacion Medico Industria (CETREMI) de la Academia Nacional de Mexico ha revisado esta circunstancia y emite recomendaciones tanto a los medicos como a los productores y potenciales consumidores de procedimientos esteticos. EnglishA novel chapter in current medical settings is the promotion and attention of esthetic aspects rather than health issues by health professionals. The human aspiration related to the search for personal beauty has generated new scenarios in medical practice. The Committee on Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship (CETREMI) of the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico has analyzed this phenomenon and has issued recommendations directed both to medical professionals and to producers and potential consumers of esthetic procedures.

Conflicts of interest are situations in which judgment and integrity of medical decisions or actions are influenced by a secondary interest, often of an economic nature. The Committee of Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship of the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico recognizes that these conflicts occur in health professionals' daily life, but also in public and private institutions that provide health services, as well as in the academy and in research activities. Therefore, it is necessary to identify conflicting situations and always act in accordance with the patient's interest.

Conflicts of interest are situations in which judgment and integrity of medical decisions or actions are influenced by a secondary interest, often of an economic nature. The Committee of Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship of the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico recognizes that these conflicts occur in health professionals' daily life, but also in public and private institutions that provide health services, as well as in the academy and in research activities. Therefore, it is necessary to identify conflicting situations and always act in accordance with the patient's interest.Los conflictos de interés son situaciones en las que el juicio y la integridad de las decisiones o acciones médicas son influidas por un interés secundario, frecuentemente de tipo económico. El Comité de Ética y Transparencia en la Relación Médico-­Industria de la Academia Nacional de Medicina de México reconoce que estos conflictos ocurren en la vida diaria de los profesionales de la salud, pero también en las instituciones de servicios de salud públicas y privadas, así como en la academia y en la investigación. Por ello, es necesario identificar situaciones de conflicto y actuar siempre de acuerdo con el interés del paciente.

To present a report on the incidence and management protocol of cerebrospinal fluid gusher in cochlear implantation in the national institute of respiratory diseases.We conducted a clinical, longitudinal, retrospective investigation of all the medical charts from implanted patients between October 1999 and December 2016 in the national institute of respiratory diseases to evaluate the incidence of gusher, management protocol and evolution after surgery. Statistical analysis was conducted using Fishers test to find out if there was a relationship between the number of inner ear malformations and gusher severity and between the surgical access to the inner ear (cochleostomy or round window) and gusher severity.276 patients were evaluated, 12 (4.3%) presented gusher during cochlear implantation. Seven had minimal gusher that stopped completely with a fascia seal, three had moderate gusher that required fascia and cartilage and two had severe gusher that required middle ear packing and obliteration of the eustachian tube. There was no statistically significant relationship between the number of inner ear malformations or the surgical access to the inner ear with gusher severity.A thorough evaluation of the imaging study should always be conducted, it should include specific measurements and an individualized management in accordance with gusher severity should always be performed.Presentar un reporte de la incidencia y del protocolo de manejo del gusher del líquido cefalorraquídeo durante la implantación coclear en el Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias.Se realizó una investigación clínica, longitudinal y retrospectiva de los expedientes clínicos de todos los pacientes con implantación coclear entre octubre de 1999 y diciembre de 2016, para valorar la incidencia de Gusher, el protocolo de manejo y la evolución posterior. Se realizó el análisis estadístico utilizando la prueba exacta de Fisher para buscar si había relación entre el número de malformaciones de oído interno y el grado de Gusher, y entre la vía de abordaje al oído interno (cocleostomía o ventana redonda) y el grado de Gusher.Se valoraron 276 pacientes, de los cuales 12 (4.3%) presentaron Gusher durante la implantación coclear. De estos, siete fueron Gusher mínimo y cedió totalmente con el sellado con fascia, tres fueron Gusher moderado que ameritó el sellado con fascia y cartílago, y dos fueron Gusher grave que ameritó empaquetamiento de oído medio y obliteración de la trompa de Eustaquio. No se encontró una relación estadísticamente significativa entre el número de malformaciones del oído interno o la vía de abordaje al oído interno con el grado de Gusher.Debe realizarse una minuciosa evaluación del estudio de imagen prequirúrgico, que incluya la toma de mediciones específicas, y brindar un manejo individualizado según la gravedad del Gusher.

Objective To present a report on the incidence and management protocol of cerebrospinal fluid gusher in cochlear implantation in the national institute of respiratory diseases. Method We conducted a clinical, longitudinal, retrospective investigation of all the medical charts from implanted patients between October 1999 and December 2016 in the national institute of respiratory diseases to evaluate the incidence of gusher, management protocol and evolution after surgery. Statistical analysis was conducted using Fishers test to find out if there was a relationship between the number of inner ear malformations and gusher severity and between the surgical access to the inner ear (cochleostomy or round window) and gusher severity. Results 276 patients were evaluated, 12 (4.3%) presented gusher during cochlear implantation. Seven had minimal gusher that stopped completely with a fascia seal, three had moderate gusher that required fascia and cartilage and two had severe gusher that required middle ear packing and obliteration of the eustachian tube. There was no statistically significant relationship between the number of inner ear malformations or the surgical access to the inner ear with gusher severity. Conclusions A thorough evaluation of the imaging study should always be conducted, it should include specific measurements and an individualized management in accordance with gusher severity should always be performed.

Clinical research is the most important tool for the identification of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that derive in higher efficacy and safety. Despite its significance, successful implementation of clinical research faces numerous difficulties, with one the most relevant being limited availability of resources for the performance of independent clinical trials. Generally, the pharmaceutical industry absorbs the costs associated with most clinical trials; however, this can generate dissociation between subjects of interest and health priorities when economic interest is the main driver of these protocols. In addition to the relevant role played by the pharmaceutical industry, it is important that government agencies favor adequate conditions, both in economic and regulatory aspects, for the implementation of independent clinical research that addresses subjects of medical and therapeutic interest, even if it does not generate corporate economic benefits.La investigación clínica es la herramienta de mayor importancia para la identificación de estrategias diagnósticas y terapéuticas que deriven en mayor eficacia y seguridad. A pesar de su trascendencia, la implementación exitosa de la investigación clínica presenta numerosas dificultades; entre las más relevantes se encuentra la poca disponibilidad de recursos para realizar ensayos clínicos independientes. Por lo general, la industria farmacéutica absorbe los costos asociados con la mayoría de los ensayos clínicos, sin embargo, esto puede generar una disociación entre los temas de interés y las prioridades en salud, al existir interés económico como principal motivación de estos protocolos. Además del papel relevante de la industria farmacéutica, es importante que las instancias gubernamentales favorezcan las condiciones, tanto económicas como regulatorias, para la implementación de investigación clínica independiente, que aborde temas de interés médico y terapéutico, aunque no genere beneficios económicos empresariales.

Informed consent is an indispensable element to obtain adequate patient participation either in research protocols or in therapeutic design. The Committee of Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship (CETREMI) of the National Academy of Medicine developed several recommendations for informed consent to be documented.El consentimiento informado es un elemento indispensable para obtener la adecuada participación del paciente, ya sea en protocolos de investigación o en diseños terapéuticos. El Comité de Ética y Transparencia en la Relación Médico-Industria (CETREMI) de la Academia Nacional de Medicina elaboró varias recomendaciones para documentar el consentimiento informado.

espanolLas actividades de educacion medica continua con frecuencia son apoyadas financieramente por la industria farmaceutica y de implementos medicos. Con el proposito de velar por la etica y rendicion de cuentas en el manejo de estos apoyos, en el presente texto el Comite de Etica y Transparencia en la Relacion Medico-Industria (Cetremi) de la Academia Nacional de Medicina de Mexico formula recomendaciones a los directivos de agrupaciones medicas. EnglishContinuing medical education activities are often financially supported by pharmaceutical and device companies. With the purpose to ensure ethics and accountability in the management of this assistance, the Committee of Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship of the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico formulates recommendations to medical associations’ leaders in this text.

espanolEl tratamiento del dolor cronico severo es una meta historica de la medicina. Los opioides naturales (como la morfina) se han usado por muchos anos y la aparicion reciente de opioides sinteticos se ha sumado a esta opcion terapeutica, sin embargo, el potencial adictivo de estas sustancias obliga a la reglamentacion de su uso. Las agencias medicas internacionales recomiendan prudencia en el uso terapeutico de opioides. EnglishThe treatment of chronic and severe pain is a principal goal of medicine. Natural opioids have been used for several years, and the recent development of synthetic opioids has increased therapeutic options; however, the addictive potential of these substances obliges the regulation of their use. International agencies recommend prudent rules in the therapeutic use of opioids.

Varios medicamentos de adecuada eficacia han sido retirados del mercado por razones financieras, ya sea por su reducido precio (la patente ha expirado) o porque han sido sustituidos por nuevos fármacos (con patentes vigentes); otros tantos no han sido desarrollados porque las enfermedades contra las que van dirigidos no son económicamente promisorias debido al tipo de población que las padece (estratos económicamente marginados o sin significación numérica). Deberán establecerse lineamientos e incentivos para la industria farmacéutica y de biotecnología.Several drugs with adequate efficacy have been withdrawn from the market for financial reasons, either due to their reduced price (the patent has expired) or because they have been substituted with new drugs (with patents in force); many others have not been developed because the diseases they are directed against are not economically promising owing to the type of population that suffers from them (economically marginalized or numerically non-significant strata). Guidelines and incentives for the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry should be established.

La relación que involucra al médico y la industria abarca un espectro amplio de formas, para lo cual se requiere una exposición clara y transparente de términos y principios. Uno de los objetivos primordiales de la industria es contar con un respaldo académico que le permita dar a conocer las características y las propiedades de sus productos -eficacia, eficiencia y seguridad- con el propósito de ser prescritos y usados. Los fines de la industria son la venta de sus productos, el reconocimiento como empresas de prestigio y la ganancia económica. Implícitamente, para CETREMI el principio de mayor importancia en esta relación es indudablemente el beneficio del enfermo.

Las siguientes recomendaciones a la industria farmacéutica se fundamentan en los principios éticos del CETREMI: - El paciente es lo primero: • Que la atención sea óptima para todos los pacientes. Que las compañías farmacéuticas apoyen las decisiones del médico que garanticen el tratamiento más eficaz, seguro, accesible y adecuado. • Que las compañías farmacéuticas colaboren para que los pacientes tengan acceso fácil y oportuno a los medicamentos. • Que las compañías farmacéuticas colaboren para que la información sobre los tratamientos beneficie a los pacientes en todos los rubros, incluyendo el económico.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) anti-HIV activity is well documented. To evaluate its distribution in lymphoid tissues, which are considered sanctuaries of HIV reservoirs and targets of early massive depletion of CD4(+) T cells, we assessed HCQ concentrations in adenoid tissue and plasma of HIV-infected subjects. A daily oral dose of 400 or 800 mg of HCQ was administered to eight HIV-infected subjects for 8 days. HCQ concentrations were measured in plasma and adenoid tissue by high-performance liquid chromatography. Mean concentrations of HCQ in adenoid tissue of subjects treated with 400 and 800 mg were 87,210 +/- 17,817 and 167,472 +/- 93,793 ng/g, respectively. In plasma, these values corresponded to 329 +/- 133 and 278 +/- 68 ng/g, respectively. HCQ concentrations were significantly higher in adenoid tissue than in plasma in both groups. The potential use of HCQ as adjuvant in the therapy of HIV deserves to be explored, as the drug accumulates in relevant tissues for HIV replication and immunopathogenesis.

Objective Investigate whether perimodiolar cochlear implants provide a better preservation of residual hearing than straight implants. Study Design and Setting Longitudinal, observational, and comparative study in tertiary center in Mexico City. Forty-eight patients who underwent cochlear implant surgery were included and were divided into two groups depending on whether they received a straight or a perimodiolar implant. The residual hearing of the operated ear was measured audiometrically before and after surgery. Variables analyzed were pure-tone average threshold at 125, 250, and 500 Hz and residual hearing at frequencies from 125 to 8000 Hz. Residual hearing was considered as preserved when audiometric changes were less than 10 dB HL in each variable. Results No statistically significant difference was found in the preservation of residual hearing between the two groups or between individual devices ( P > 0.05 in all variables). Conclusion Straight and perimodiolar cochlear implants seem to preserve residual hearing at similar rates across frequencies.

The aim of this study was to evaluate otoscopic and microscopic changes produced on the healthy mucosa of the middle ear (ME) and tympanic membrane (TM) of guinea pigs after packing with a collagen polyvinylpyrrolidone (CPVP) sponge soaked in hyaluronic acid (HA).In 24 guinea pigs, myringotomy on the right side was created and the ME was packed as follows: Group I (n = 6): Absorbable gelatin sponge (AGS) soaked in saline solution; Group II (n = 6): AGS sponge soaked in HA, Group III (n = 6): CPVP sponge soaked in saline solution, Group IV (n = 6): CPVP sponge soaked in HA. Four weeks after miringotomy, the ME and TM integrity and residual packing material were evaluated otoscopically. Histologically, we evaluated inflammatory changes on the ME mucosa.All animals in Groups I and II showed residual packing material (p.001 ANOVA, TUKEY). Histologically, more inflammation was observed in Groups I, II, and III than in Group IV (p.001 ANOVA, TUKEY). Group IV showed greater fibroblastic reaction (p.02, ANOVA, TUKEY) versus other groups.The CPVP sponge soaked in HA used as ME packing material is biocompatible and nontoxic, because it produces minimal inflammatory changes on the healthy mucosa of the ME and TM of guinea pigs. However, more research with injured mucosa is needed to validate its usefulness in otosurgery.

Packing material is mandatory in middle ear (ME) surgery in order to avoid inflammation, adhesions and fibrotic healing. Collagen polivynil-pirrolidone (CPVP) is a healing modulator, which reduces inflammation and fibrosis. Hence we can hypothesize that packing of the ME with CPVP sponge will lead a good ME healing.The aim of this study was to evaluate the otoscopic and microscopic changes induced on the healthy mucosa of the ME and Tympanic membrane (TM) after packing with CPVP sponge in guinea pigs.Twelve guinea pigs were operated on of right myringotomy. The ME was packed with: Group I (n = 6): Absorbable gelatin sponge (AGS) in SS; Group II (n = 6): CPVP soaked in SS. TM and ME integrity was evaluated otoscopically, as well as residual packing material. Euthanasia was performed on the 4th post-operative week. ME mucosa histologic examination was done.Group I in all the cases showed residual packing material (p0.007 Student's test p0.001 ANOVA). Histologically both groups presented inflammation with polymorphonuclears, in addition group I showed severe lymphocytosis (p0.003 Student's, test p0.001, ANOVA).The CPVP sponge when it is used as material of packing in the OM of guinea pigs produces less chronic inflammatory changes, but more studies with the injured mucosa are required to validate their utility in the otologic surgery.

To compare human immunodeficiency virus viral load (HIVVL) in plasma versus the adenoid HIVVL during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).Adenoid biopsies were taken basally and after 3 and 6 months of treatment. Also, the adenoid diameter by simple endoscopy was measured, and its correlation with adenoid HIVVL was calculated.A public tertiary care human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) hospital research centre. Twenty-seven antiretroviral-naive HIV-infected patients, with a mean age of 34.7 years, were included in the study.Correlation between adenoid diameter and plasma and tissue HIVVL.At 3 months, although plasma HIVVL reduced by almost 5 log to a level below 1 log, adenoid HIVVL only decreased 2.36 log, remaining well over 4 log. At 6 months, plasma HIVVL further decreased to 0.205 log, but adenoid HIVVL remained at 2.424 log. Adenoid diameter also decreased over time, with means at 8.52, 5.61, and 4 mm, respectively. It significantly correlated with plasma and adenoid viral load, but the correlation was higher with the biopsies.HIVVL in adenoid tissue is more resilient to HAART than plasma VL and may need more than 6 months to reach asymptomatic levels. Nevertheless, simple endoscopic measurement of the adenoid diameter is a good indicator of viral load decrease in this tissue.

Laryngeal tuberculosis continues to exist in spite of extensive tuberculosis eradication campaigns. We present 19 cases of laryngeal tuberculosis seen in our institution between 1982 and 1987. From the clinical findings it is clear that the localization of the lesions has changed since the preantibiotic era. Today the spread appears to be mainly via lymphatic and hematogenic routes, as opposed to the direct spread more common previously. The fibrosis caused by the lesions is incapacitating and frequently requires surgical correction.