Clinician's Roundtable

Guest: Stuart McGill, PhD Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Each year, 40 to 60 percent of American adults suffer from chronic back pain. More than one million spine surgery procedures are performed annually in the US, with medical costs to treat back pain approaching $24 billion per year. Dr. Stuart McGill, professor of spine biomechanics and chair of the department of kinesiology at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to talk about cost-effective treatments for back pain.

Guest: Stuart McGill, PhD Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD At some point nearly 85% of your patients below age 50 will present with back pain and nearly all of them will have at least one recurrence. Host Dr. Leslie Lundt welcomes Dr. Stuart McGill, professor of spine biomechanics and chair of the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo to review the primary causes of back pain.

Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Guest: Matthew W. Johnson, PhD It used to be common for researchers to study the potential medicinal uses for hallucinogenic drugs, including psilocybin, ecstasy, and LSD; however, the 60's left a blemish on legitimate research and it grinded to a halt. Host Dr. Leslie Lundt welcomes Dr. Matthew Johnson, a psychopharmacologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, who is studying psychoactive drug effects in human participants.

Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Guest: Peter R. Breggin, MD Our guest Dr. Peter Breggin, a psychiatrist now in private practice in Ithica New York has been convinced by the weight of scientific evidence and his years of clinical experience that psychiatric medications frequently cause patients to lose their judgment and their ability to control their emotions and actions. Needless to say, he is a controversial figure in our field. He joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to discuss why he believes that psychotropics "spellbind" patients.

Guest: Peter Farrell Host: Bruce Japsen Point-of-care testing has evolved in the last decade, allowing for immediate diagnostic testing at a patient's bedside. But a new study points to perhaps some usages and healthcare benefits not previously realized, particularly in the emergency room. Peter Farrell, divisional vice president of marketing and clinical affairs for Abbott Laboratories Point of Care business tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about the importance of point of care testing, which essentially puts diagnostic testing in the physicians' hands.

Guest: Peter Farrell Host: Bruce Japsen Some doctors may view it as a laboratory in their hand - the new point-of-care method of diagnostic testing, right at the patients bedside. Peter Farrell, divisional vice president of marketing and clinical affairs for Abbott Laboratories Point-of-Care business, tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about the movement of hospitals, doctors and other health facilities to point-of-care testing, which allows for quicker diagnoses and subsequent treatment plans.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: James L. Gulley, MD, PhD, FACP Can a vaccination help prevent prostate cancer? Dr. James Gulley, director of the Clinical Trials Group of the Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology at the National Institutes of Health discusses studies involving the use of cancer vaccines to modulate the immune response in cancer patients. These trials contrast classic "tumor response" with "patient response" that have shown increased survival post therapy.

Guest: Sharon Mitchell, PhD Host: Michael Greenberg, MD A patient tells you that they have a sexual issue. Do you get queasy? Do you know how to guide this patient to a specialist who can help them? Dr. Sharon Mitchell, founder of the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation and a former actress in adult films, aims to help us maintain our commitment to addressing our patients' needs, including those issues that might make for a slightly uncomfortable discussion. How should you respond if some of these concerns are presented to you during a routine office visit? To whom can you refer those patients who would benefit from an opportunity to speak with an expert on sexual issues? Dr. Michael Greenberg hosts.

Host: Michael Greenberg, MD Guest: Anthony Jahn, MD "A night at the opera" means more than mere entertainment for some. For guest Dr. Anthony Jahn, otolaryngologist and volunteer medical director for the New York Metropolitan Opera, it's part of a second career. Host Dr. Michael Greenberg speaks with Dr. Jahn about his practiced art of caring for professional singers, addressing several unique occupational health issues from this select population.

Host: Michael Greenberg, MD Guest: Anthony Jahn, MD Dr. Anthony Jahn, an otolaryngologist and volunteer medical director for the New York Metropolitan Opera, introduces you to the art of caring for professional singers. What are the idiosyncrasies of providing care to this select population, who must be doggedly devoted to preserving strong health and maintaining good overall occupational status, most specifically those breathtaking voices? Host Dr. Michael Greenberg talks with Dr. Jahn about the delicate balance of prescribing steroids to elite vocalists, their exposure to alternative medicines and belief systems, as well as the role of placebos in mollifying superstition among high-level performers.