INTERESTING TIMES

My notes are behind the cut. These ladies review some recent FDA approvals and critique the process. The upshot is that the FDA is fast-tracking drugs without following their own rules regarding the supposedly scientific and independent review process. My take: Don't Use New RX drugs until they've been on the market at least 10 years. Otherwise YOU are part of the longterm followup studies that they aren't doing before approval.

SOURCE
http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2013/01/25/antibiotics-when-science-and-wishful-thinking-collide/
( my notes on Zuckerman & Yttri article )

SOURCE
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/06/dr-shade-on-mercury-exposure.aspx?e_cid=20130106_SNL_Art_1
( NOTES )

congenital = present at birth
hereditary = inherited
familial = runs in family
genetic = caused by gene

reduced penetrance often at work in dominant diseases: genotype does not "penetrate" to phenotype

( notes on osteogenesis imperfecta, neurofibromatosis, achondroplasia, marfan syndrome, polycystic kidney disease )

What causes a granular surface on the kidneys?
benign nephrosclerosis-->patchy ischemic atrophy-->focal loss of parenchyma-->granular surface
common in diabetics, also dt HTN
( from Miller's notes )

This study had an unexpected result.
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/303/16/1603

What can you diagnose by measuring vanillyl mandelic acid in the urine?
pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma

How much do the adrenals glands weigh? (each)
( self quiz and lecture notes from lecture on this date by SSL )