Applications for Research Concerning Fetal or Placental Tissue and Expected Institutional Review Board Responses.

Proposals for research concerning fetal and/or placental tissue may be refused institutional review board (IRB) review, effectively preventing the research from occurring. We conducted an anonymous electronic survey of IRB chairs to determine their assessment of the likely response to research projects using fetal/placental tissue obtained from various procedures. We found that proposals concerning tissue obtained from diagnostic procedures or miscarriage were anticipated to be considered at most institutions.

Factors related to colonization with Oxalobacter formigenes in U.S. adults.

Goals: To elucidate the determinants of Oxalobacter formigenes colonization in humans.

Background: O. formigenes is a gram-negative anaerobic bacterium that colonizes the colon of a substantial proportion of the normal population and metabolizes dietary and endogenous oxalate.

Statin and NSAID use and prostate cancer risk.

Purpose: Some studies have reported reduced risks of advanced, but not early, prostate cancer among statin users, and one study found a reduced risk only among statin users who had also used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). We have previously reported no association between statin use and prostate cancer in our hospital-based Case Control Surveillance Study. The purpose of the present analyses was to update the findings by cancer stage and to evaluate the joint use of statins and NSAIDs.

Prevalence and characteristics of opioid use in the US adult population.

This report describes the prevalence of opioid use in the US adult population, overall and in subgroups, the characteristics of opioid use, and concomitant medication use among opioid users. Data were obtained from the Slone Survey, a population-based random-digit dialing survey. One household member was randomly selected to answer a series of questions regarding all medications taken during the previous week.

Use of herbal/natural supplements according to racial/ethnic group.

Objectives: The aim of this paper was to determine similarities and differences in the use of herbal/natural supplements among various racial/ethnic groups.

Design: A random-digit dial (RDD) telephone survey of medication use during the week before the interview was used.

Settings/location: Households in the 48 contiguous United States comprised our study.

Use of postmenopausal hormone therapy since the Women's Health Initiative findings.

Purpose: To assess how use of postmenopausal hormone therapy (PHT) has changed since the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial was halted early due to an excess risk of stroke and other adverse outcomes. To estimate whether use of alternative drugs to treat menopausal symptoms (e.g.

The risk of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis associated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs: a multinational perspective.

Objective: To quantify the risk of the severe cutaneous adverse reactions Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) associated with use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID).

Methods: Three large data sources were analyzed: an international case-control study on severe cutaneous reactions (SCAR Study), a population based registry in Germany, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) spontaneous reporting system.

Results: In the international case-control study, the oxicams were associated with the greatest increase in risk of SJS and TEN (relative risk 34, 95% confidence interval 11-105).