Panel Statement Research Articles

Botulinum toxin

The National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on Clinical Use of Botulinum Toxin brought together neurologists, ophthalmologists, otolaryngologists, speech pathologists, and other health care professionals as well as the public to address the mechanisms of action of botulinum toxin, the indications and contraindications for botulinum toxin treatment, the general principles of technique of injection and handling for its safe and effective use, and the short-term and long-term side effects and complications of therapy. Following 2 days of presentations by experts and discussion by the audience, a consensus panel weighed the evidence and prepared their consensus statement. Among their findings, the panel recommended that (a) botulinum toxin therapy is safe and effective for treating strabismus, blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, adductor spasmodic dysphonia, jaw-closing oromandibular dystonia, and cervical dystonia; (b) botulinum toxin is not curative in chronic neurological disorders; (c) the safety of botulinum toxin therapy during pregnancy, breast feeding, and chronic use during childhood is unknown; (d) the long-term effects of chronic treatment with botulinum toxin remain unknown; and (e) botulinum toxin should be administered by committed interdisciplinary teams of physicians and related health care professionals with appropriate instrumentation. The full text of the consensus panel's statement follows. The National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on Clinical Use of Botulinum Toxin brought together neurologists, ophthalmologists, otolaryngologists, speech pathologists, and other health care professionals as well as the public to address the mechanisms of action of botulinum toxin, the indications and contraindications for botulinum toxin treatment, the general principles of technique of injection and handling for its safe and effective use, and the short-term and long-term side effects and complications of therapy. Following 2 days of presentations by experts and discussion by the audience, a consensus panel weighed the evidence and prepared their consensus statement. Among their findings, the panel recommended that (a) botulinum toxin therapy is safe and effective for treating strabismus, blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, adductor spasmodic dysphonia, jaw-closing oromandibular dystonia, and cervical dystonia; (b) botulinum toxin is not curative in chronic neurological disorders; (c) the safety of botulinum toxin therapy during pregnancy, breast feeding, and chronic use during childhood is unknown; (d) the long-term effects of chronic treatment with botulinum toxin remain unknown; and (e) botulinum toxin should be administered by committed interdisciplinary teams of physicians and related health care professionals with appropriate instrumentation. The full text of the consensus panel's statement follows.

Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity.

The National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity brought together surgeons, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, psychiatrists, nutritionists, and other health care professionals as well as the public to address the nonsurgical treatment options for severe obesity, the surgical treatments for severe obesity and the criteria for selection, the efficacy and risks of surgical treatments for severe obesity, and the need for future research on and epidemiological evaluation of these therapies. Following 2 days of presentations by experts and discussion by the audience, a consensus panel weighed the evidence and prepared their consensus statement. Among their findings, the panel recommended that 1) patients seeking therapy for severe obesity for the first time should be considered for treatment in a nonsurgical program with integrated components of a dietary regimen, appropriate exercise, and behavioral modification and support, 2) gastric restrictive or bypass procedures could be considered for well-informed and motivated patients with acceptable operative risks, 3) patients who are candidates for surgical procedures should be selected carefully after evaluation by a multidisciplinary team with medical, surgical, psychiatric, and nutritional expertise, 4) the operation be performed by a surgeon substantially experienced with the appropriate procedures and working in a clinical setting with adequate support for all aspects of management and assessment, and 5) lifelong medical surveillance after surgical therapy is a necessity. The full text of the consensus panel's statement follows.

MILITARY-MEDIA RELATIONS COME OF AGE

Abstract : We have now run the gamut-from a hasty, makeshift pool, organized to cover the latter part of the Grenada rescue operation; through training deployments and the activation of the DoD national media pool for the first transit of reflagged Kuwaiti tankers; to the first employment of the DoD media pool during hostile action by U.S. forces, a thoroughly planned contingency that involved public affairs from the beginning as an integral part of the operation. Regional pool activities ceased in the Gulf in July of last year. In its place, a program of unilateral embarkations began to accommodate the many requests received from news organizations asking for the opportunity to send representatives to ships in the Persian Gulf. Of course, the Department of Defense and U.S. Central Command retain the option of reactivating the pool, should that become necessary. The military's planning, coordination, and execution of the media pool deployments to cover operations in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere have set the standard for future media pool operations. The evolution of pool deployments to cover both ground-based force deployments during training and contingency operations and sea-based deployments in the Persian Gulf involving all services has clearly addressed the Sidle Panel's statement of principle -- news media [should] cover US military operations to the maximum degree possible consistent with mission security and the safety of US forces.

NIH Consensus Development Panel Statement Available

NIH Consensus Development Panel Statement Available

Disciplinary panel statement meteorology and climatology of the seasonal sea ice zone

Disciplinary panel statement meteorology and climatology of the seasonal sea ice zone

Neurological and Neurosurgical Conditions Associated With Aviation Safety

This month the Archives of Neurology is publishing a special issue that deals with the current state of knowledge about selected neurological conditions. This authoritative document was solicited by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to serve as a guide for physicians who examine airman applicants and make decisions concerning medical certifications. The document consists of panel statements on eight categories of major and commonly occurring neurological diseases: (1) cerebrovascular disease, (2) intracranial tumors, (3) head injuries, (4) demyelinating and degenerative diseases, (5) neuromuscular disorders and injuries to the peripheral and cranial nerves and spinal cord, (6) seizure disorders and disturbances of consciousness, (7) migraine and other headaches, and (8) dizziness and disorders of equilibrium. Each panel statement was developed by a group of nationally recognized experts who met in a two-day conference with invited guests and American Medical Association staff to arrive at a consensus. The final document was transmitted

Neurological and neurosurgical conditions associated with aviation safety

This month the<i>Archives of Neurology</i>is publishing a special issue that deals with the current state of knowledge about selected neurological conditions. This authoritative document was solicited by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to serve as a guide for physicians who examine airman applicants and make decisions concerning medical certifications. The document consists of panel statements on eight categories of major and commonly occurring neurological diseases: (1) cerebrovascular disease, (2) intracranial tumors, (3) head injuries, (4) demyelinating and degenerative diseases, (5) neuromuscular disorders and injuries to the peripheral and cranial nerves and spinal cord, (6) seizure disorders and disturbances of consciousness, (7) migraine and other headaches, and (8) dizziness and disorders of equilibrium. Each panel statement was developed by a group of nationally recognized experts who met in a two-day conference with invited guests and American Medical Association staff to arrive at a consensus. The final document was transmitted

Panel statement presented for symposium on „needed research in science education”︁

Panel statement presented for symposium on „needed research in science education”︁