January 2011 Archive - Penn Medicine News Blog

A new study out this week from the bioethics think tank the Hastings Center is giving a voice to a group of patients that we don't hear much from -- the cancer patients who join Phase I clinical trials. For any given early trial, this group is small in number,...

Every weekday, the Department of Communications shares selected health news stories from the mainstream media that are of interest to the Penn Medicine community. Now on our blog, we'll be sharing a selection of these picks once or twice a week, plus a few added links of interest. Here is...

Patricia Ford, MD, is a pioneer in the study and practice of bloodless -- transfusion free-- medicine as well as proper blood management and use. Why not transfuse? “Avoiding transfusions reduces complications and recovery time for patients in general. It’s amazing how much blood is collected and wasted and given unnecessarily in this country,” Dr. Ford told the Philadelphia Inquirer in a recent front-page story.

Misfolded TDP-43 proteins in neurons of brain tissue (brown structures indicated by arrows) Credit: Felix Geser, MD, PhD, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Science, if anything, is incremental. It's a slow accumulation of knowledge punctuated by Eureka moments. As the years go by, one of my favorite aspects of...

The Penn Medicine News Blog is a place where members of Penn Medicine's communications staff will be sharing news story ideas and perspectives on health and science news topics. It's an opportunity to open a door, and to build an on-ramp for the public -- patients, families, and the community -- into the wider universe of Penn Medicine. I explain how using an example with adorable puppies.

Cancer patients often say that their illness changed their lives in fundamental ways, both for better and for worse. Studies show that even amidst the uncertainty that the disease – and sometimes even with a terminal prognosis -- cancer can help patients find a new sense of purpose, peace, and...

We’re in the midst of the Year of Water here at Penn, but I can’t help but think there is a water disconnect – the water that we’re trying to save and protect is the same thing we’re rejecting as a drink. I, like many Americans, drink water only if...

For many of us, the new year is a moment to reflect on opportunities for change in our own lives. Taking on a new exercise regimen or resolving to save more money are common and laudable goals, as many of us seek to be healthier and manage our finances more...