Clinician's Roundtable

Host: Gary Kohn, MD Guest: Aaron Carroll, MD Turkey gets a bad rap for its tryptophan levels. Ditto cell phones for disrupting sensitive life support instruments. And what about this notion that we only use 10% of our brains? Dr. Aaron Carroll, assistant professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine, and author of the article ‘Medical Myths,’ published in the British Medical Journal, dispels several common misconceptions making the rounds in modern medicine. Dr. Gary Kohn hosts.

Host: Gary Kohn, MD Guest: Jane Fowler There exists a lingering perception that only certain groups are vulnerable to contracting HIV. Jane Fowler dismisses this notion, and with good reason. Despite eschewing the major risk factors, she contracted HIV in the early 1990s. Now the founder and director of HIV Wisdom for Older Women, Ms. Fowler shares her perspective with host Dr. Gary Kohn. How are we addressing the need to care for older patients contracting and carrying HIV, and is it enough?

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Cynthia Bulik, PhD Join Dr. Cynthia Bulik from UNC at Chapel Hill as she is interviewed by Dr. Shira Johnson regarding the diagnosis and treatment of Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa. Dr Bulik is the Vice President of the Eating Disorders Coalition. She has been treating patients with this disorder for over 24 years and she has conducted extensive research in this area.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Cynthia Bulik, PhD Dr. Cynthia Bulik from UNC is a noted researcher in the field of Eating Disorders and Obesity. Join Dr. Shira Johnson as she interviews Dr. Bulik and discusses prevalence, the emerging roles of families, and the important functions of the Primary Care Provider.

Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD Guest: Michael Oxman, MD Guest: William Schaffner, MD A vaccine for adult shingles was approved by the FDA in 2006 and is in use today. Perversely, recent data shows that delivery of the adult Shingles vaccine has been a challenge. This includes delivery to older populations, on whom the Shingles virus typically realizes its greatest impact. With Baby Boomers nearing the age of greatest risk, how can physicians and other medical professionals improve their dialogue with patients about this vaccine? Host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill examines strategies to improve immunization rates for adult Shingles with Dr. Michael Oxman, professor of medicine and pathology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and Dr. William Schaffner, professor and chair of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD Guest: Michael Oxman, MD Guest: William Schaffner, MD A vaccine for adult Shingles was approved in 2006 by the FDA and is in use today. Yet delivery of this vaccination has not been as widespread as it could and should be. With this in mind, many hospitals and clinics are working to improve on their current approach to its distribution; at some health centers, this includes allowing pharmacists to administer the vaccine. Can this program be implemented nationwide, in accordance with local and state laws? Would this program necessitate any change in insurance coverage for providers? Learn more from Dr. Michael Oxman, professor of medicine and pathology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and Dr. William Schaffner, professor and chair of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Will this program also lower overall immunization costs? Dr. Mark Nolan Hill hosts.

Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD Guest: Michael Oxman, MD Guest: William Schaffner, MD A vaccine for adult Shingles was officially licensed for use in 2006, but recent data shows that delivery of this vaccination has been a challenge. What are some of the issues which are limiting the distribution of the Shingles vaccine? How can we best address these difficulties? For expert insight on these questions and more, host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill welcomes Dr. Michael Oxman, professor of medicine and pathology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and Dr. William Schaffner, professor and chair of preventive medicine and professor of medicine in the department of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD Guest: Michael Oxman, MD Guest: William Schaffner, MD Decades of research have gone into the isolation and refinement of a vaccine for adult shingles, approved in 2006 by the FDA and in use today. Do we now fully understand the mechanism which activates the latent varicella-zoster virus, leading to adult shingles? How did initial isolation, going back more than 30 years, of the vaccine for chicken pox (triggered by the same varicella virus) contribute to the investigations on adult shingles? Host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill discusses these questions and more with Dr. Michael Oxman, professor of medicine and pathology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and Dr. William Schaffner, professor and chair of preventive medicine and professor of medicine in the department of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD Guest: Anthony Fiore, MD Why has this year's flu season seemed more severe than those in the past? Are the vaccines working? Are influenza strains more difficult to predict? In addressing this year's peculiar flu season, host Dr. Bruce Bloom speaks with Dr. Tony Fiore, a vaccination and immunization expert from the CDC's National Center for Infectious and Respiratory Diseases in Atlanta.

Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD Guest: Anthony Fiore, MD With this year's flu season comes the recommendation from the CDC to extend the age of childhood vaccination past the previous age of 59 months, to 18 years. Why the change, and what are the recommendations based upon? Joining Dr. Bruce Bloom to discuss this year's recommendation is Dr. Anthony Fiore, a vaccination and immunization expert, and medical epidemiologist from the CDC in Atlanta.