H A R A T A N

The objective of this research was to catalog what is known about the safety of interventions containing Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Saccharomyces, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, and/or Bacillus strains used as probiotic agents in research to reduce the risk of, prevent, or treat disease.

Ethos Environmental, Inc. is conducting a voluntary recall because FDA lab analysis has confirmed the presence of Sulfoaildenafil, an analogue of Sildenafil, making these products unapproved new drugs. Sildenafil is an FDA-approved drug used as treatment for male Erectile Dysfunction (ED). The active drug ingredient is not listed on the label for these products.

Date: August 10–12, 2011
Location: Bethesda, Maryland

The objectives of this summit are to:

• Examine the current status of palliative care and end-of-life research, practice, and policy
• Propose strategies to overcome barriers and ensure scientific and methodologic rigor in our research
• Delineate new action items that galvanize progress in this vital area of science
• Envision and map pathways to ensure a future rich with scientific endeavor and achievements.

Abstracts are being accepted through May 23, 2011.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disorder that interferes with the normal functions of the colon. IBS is characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. IBS is challenging to study because its symptoms vary and may disappear for long periods, and because people with IBS tend to respond well to placebos.

This issue summarizes research on some of the most popular complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies people try to treat symptoms of IBS. Overall, although there is some emerging evidence suggesting that some CAM therapies may be helpful for IBS, there have been few large well-designed studies, and most of the studies have had methodological flaws. Systematic reviews generally conclude that more well-designed studies are needed to firmly establish whether CAM therapies are helpful treatments for IBS.

Nutrition Express of Torrance, CA is voluntarily recalling specific products containing whey protein isolate sourced from one supplier because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Dr. Rachel Lampert presented this lecture as part of the Integrative Medicine Consult Service lecture series sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health.

Rachel Lampert, M.D. is an associate professor of medicine (cardiology) at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Lampert’s clinical interests include arrhythmias, stress, and the autonomic nervous system. Although psychologic stress and sudden cardiac death have been strongly correlated in epidemiological studies, the underlying physiologic link remains poorly understood. The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator population allows evaluation of effects of mental stress on arrhythmia. Recent investigation has included evaluation of effects of mental stress on ventricular tachycardia as well as mechanisms and prognostic implications of this effect. Ongoing studies include emotional triggering of atrial fibrillation and the role of stress reactivity.

Dr. Lampert received her medical degree from Vanderbilt University and completed her internship and residency at Bellevue/New York University. Dr. Lampert completed a fellowship in cardiology/electrophysiology from the Yale University School of Medicine.

Do Americans aged 50 and older discuss the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with their health care providers? What do they talk about&or why don’t they? To help answer these questions, in October 2010 AARP and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health partnered on a telephone survey. The survey builds on a similar study conducted in 2006.