Tom J. Donohue's Blog
Posted by Tom J. Donohue
The American Association for Cancer Research (AARC) is the authoritative source of information about advances in the causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer. AACR fosters the exchange of knowledge and new ideas among scientists dedicated to cancer research, provide training opportunities for the next generation of cancer researchers, and increase public understanding of cancer.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) works to improve cancer care and prevention and ensuring that all patients with cancer receive care of the highest quality. ASCO, which represents 23,000 oncology health care practitioners, is committed to advancing the education of oncologists and other oncology professionals, to advocating for policies that provide access to high-quality cancer care, and to supporting the clinical trials system and the need for increased clinical and translational research.
The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) labors to advance the practice of radiation oncology by promoting excellence in patient care, providing opportunities for educational and professional development, promoting research and disseminating research results and representing radiation oncology in a rapidly evolving socioeconomic healthcare environment.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is an alliance of 20 of the world's leading cancer centers, working together to develop treatment guidelines for most cancers, and dedicated to research that improves the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of cancer care. NCCN offers a number of programs to give clinicians access to tools and knowledge that can help guide decision-making in the management of cancer.
The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) provides state-of-the-art information on the experimental biology, etiology, prevention, diagnosis, and therapy of breast cancer and pre-malignant breast disease. SABCS serves an international audience of academic and private physicians and researchers.
The Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) provides state-of-the-art, comprehensive and compassionate multidisciplinary patient treatments. CTRC facilitates the discovery of the causes, treatments and cures of cancer. The organization also promotes cancer education and prevention practices.
Posted by Tom J. Donohue
Substance abuse is one of America's major public health problems. In monetary terms, it costs the country $484 billion per year. In human terms, substance abuse is implicated in 10-20 percent of all car accidents and 50 percent of all major crimes, including homicide. Here's where to find help:
To learn about treatment options for virtually all chemical substance, visit Substance Abuse Treatment Facilitator Locator . Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), this searchable directory of drug and alcohol treatment programs shows the location of over 10,000 facilities around the country that treat alcoholism, alcohol abuse and drug abuse problems.
SAMHSA also hosts the Buprenorphine Physician Locator. Buprenorphine is a drug used to treat opioid addiction. These include heroin, opium, codeine, meperidine (Demerol), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), Oxycontin and others. The Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 limits physicians to prescribing buprenorphine to a maximum of 30 patients at one time. Therefore, some physicians listed on the Locator may not be accepting new patients at this time.
Alcoholics Anonymous® is a nonprofit organization of men and women who help each other solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership. AA is non-sectarian and non-denominational.
Narcotics Anonymous® follows the Alcoholics Anonymous model in helping its members to overcome drug addiction. A non-sectarian and non-denominational organization, membership is open to all drug addicts, regardless of the particular drug or combination of drugs used. One of the keys to NA's success is the therapeutic value of addicts working with other addicts. Members share their successes and challenges in overcoming active addiction and living drug-free productive lives.
Alateen is part of Al-Anon, which helps families and friends of alcoholics recover from the effects of living with the problem drinking of a relative or friend. Alateen is our recovery program for young people. Alateen groups are sponsored by Al-Anon members. The program of recovery is adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous's twelve-steps approach. The only requirement of membership is that there be a problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend.
Al-Non/Alateen is a companion Web site to the above one, offering a more comprehensive array of services, including versions of its site in English, Spanish and French.
SMART Recovery® helps people recover from all types of addictive behaviors, including: alcoholism, drug abuse, substance abuse, drug addiction, alcohol abuse, gambling addiction, and cocaine addiction. The Smart Recovery program presents itself as an alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, where the former eschews the twelve-step approach of the latter organizations.
LifeRing Secular Recovery offers a non-religious approach to treating substance abuse. Just like Smart Recovery, the LifeRing treatment model eschews the twelve-step approach of Alcoholics Anonymous and like-minded organizations. Even so, LifeRing adopts some of AA's tenets, such as by being uncompromisingly abstinent and by rejecting moderation and controlled drinking. It also emphasizes peer group support.
Posted by Tom J. Donohue
The American Social Health Association (ASHA), founded in 1914 as a non-profit organization to improve public health outcomes, provides medically reliable information about sexually transmitted diseases. This site provides primers, fact sheets and support information on virtually every common STD; including, Chancroid, Chlamydia, Crabs, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis, Herpes, Syphilis, Vaginitis, and HIV and AIDS. In addition, this site offers information on the STI Resource Center Hotline, clinical trials, chat rooms and helpful publications.
Guttmacher Institute is a nonprofit organization focused on sexual and reproductive health research, policy analysis and public education. The Institute's mission is to protect the reproductive choices of all women and men in the United States and throughout the world. It is to support their ability to obtain the information and services needed to achieve their full human rights, safeguard their health and exercise their individual responsibilities in regard to sexual behavior and relationships, reproduction and family formation.
SEX Etc., a Web site by teens for teens that is Sponsored by the Network for Family Life Education at Rutgers University, offers candid information about sexuality. Topics run the gamut, including everything from guy health to girl health, to love and relationships, to GLBTQ, to birth control, to body image, and so on.
SexualHealth.com is dedicated to providing easy access to sexuality information, education, mutual support, counseling, therapy, healthcare, products and other resources for people with disabilities, illness, or natural changes throughout the lifecycle and those who love them or care for them.
SIECUS, the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, advocates for sexuality education, sexual health, and sexual rights. SIECUS published and distributes information about sexuality for professionals, educators and the public.
Engender Health offers mini-courses in reproductive health, which are designed for health care providers and students.
Posted by Tom J. Donohue
The National Cancer Institute is an ideal resource for someone to begin their research for information relating to treatment options, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and vaccine therapy; background biological and epidemiological information about the disease, including its cause, methods of prevention, and genetics; and information about clinical trials, helpful literature and additional research-related information.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) devotes a special section for seniors seeking information about breast cancer. Access it by visiting NIH Senior Health.
The American Cancer Society (ACS), a non-profit organization, helps cancer patients and their families. The ACS supports new research, provides helpful literature, and offers educational programs.
The CancerLifeline a non-profit organization, offers a wide range of programs, support groups, classes, activities and presentations aimed at optimizing the quality of life for cancer patients and cancer survivors and their families, friends, co-workers and caregivers.
The Cancer Survivors Network, a telephone and Web-based service for cancer survivors hosted by ACS, provides access to pre-recorded discussions. The online service offers chat-rooms and virtual support groups, as well as audio files of educational discussions.
The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association host a Web site devoted to helping cancer survivors deal with issues concerning personal appearance called Look Better ... Feel Better®, which focuses on techniques that people undergoing cancer treatment can use to improve their personal appearance.
The National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) is a breast cancer advocacy group that educates and trains individuals to become advocates who effectively influence public policies that affect breast cancer research and treatment. It also promotes breast cancer research, and works to improve access to high-quality breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment for all women.
Posted by Tom J. Donohue
More than 20 million Americans have either Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes. Since both types of the disease threaten its patients with numerous complications, most of which can be quite dire, it behooves patients to seek out educational and self-help resources so that they can effectively manage their condition and lower their risks for adverse health consequences.
The Juvenal Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF) is an advocacy organization for people with Type 1 Diabetes. The main thrust to JDRF's mission is to find a cure for the disease. Its agenda includes funding research, acting as a spur for more government research, and being a voice for the rights of people with Type 1 Diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association is a non-profit organization that provides diabetes research, information and advocacy.
The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), offers a vast reservoir of information about diabetes, including information about the nature of the disease, common complications, treatments, helpful publications and clinical trials.
The National Diabetes Education Program is a partnership of the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than 200 public and private organizations. This site also provides information about resources for healthcare professionals, school personnel, and business managers.
DiabetesAtWork.org is a Web site for employers and business managers that explains how to implement a diabetes awareness program in the workplace, which explains how to prevent and control the disease.
Medtronic MiniMed, is a Web site owned by Medtronic Diabetes, a Northridge, Calif.-based company that is a world leader in medical devices for diabetics, such as glucose monitoring and insulin pump devices.
Posted by Tom J. Donohue
Parkinson Society Canada is a not for profit, national charitable organization. The Society raises money through corporate sponsorships, public donations, and planned gifts. Finding the cause and cure for Parkinson's disease remains their chief mission. In the meantime, however, they advocate for patients and caregivers. In addition, they offer new publications, patient conferences, clinical assistance programs, and other projects.
parkinsonsdisease.ca is a Canadian-sponsored Web site that provides links to other sites on Parkinson's disease, including ones concerning treatment options for patients, education and advocacy, healthcare and pharmaceutical products, and research projects and news.
Parkinsons.org is a non-profit organization that provides information about Parkinson's disease, as well as a helpful list of resources for people with the condition.
The Parkinson's Action Network (PAN) is the leading advocacy group in the United States for Parkinson's community, which numbers over one million Americans, the group claims. Based in Washington, DC, PAN seeks to increase awareness about the disease, as well as to advocate for federal research for treatments and an eventual cure.
American Parkinson Disease Association, based in New York, "focuses its energies on research, patient support, education and raising public awareness of the disease," the organization says in its mission statement. Their Web site offers information about chapter organizations throughout the country, current events and news, and fellowships and grants.
National Parkinson Foundation, a Miami,
Florida based non-profit organization, advocates for patients and care-givers. It also works to raise awareness about the disease and to find an eventual cure.
Parkinson's Care Series, offered by href="http://www.parkinsonheartland.org">The Parkinson Foundation of the Heartland, is a series of 8 videotapes designed to maximize effective care for people with Parkinson's disease. While the series is designed with professional caregivers in mind, anyone caring for a person with Parkinson's disease will benefit. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, established by the famous actor Michael J. Fox after he publicly disclosed that he had been diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson's disease, is dedicated to ensuring the development of a cure for Parkinson's disease within this decade through an aggressively funded research agenda. Advances in Neurology is a for-profit company that markets a multimedia neurology library. The company provides high-quality information to those seeking a better understanding of how neurological conditions are recognized and treated. Learn how these disorders affect adults and children and how they can best be managed with today's therapies. The multimedia programs Advances in Neurology offers will help you understand treatment strategies for Epilepsy, Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease. Advances in Neurology is a division of Healthology, Inc. , a for-profit health-education company based in New York. Schwarz Pharma AG, a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Monheim, Germany, focuses on developing therapeutic drug therapies to treat neurological and urological diseases. The company developed the skin patch for early-stage Parkinson's disease patients that goes under the brand name Neupro(r), or rotigotine transdermal system.
Posted by Tom J. Donohue
The National Marrow Donor Program, a non-profit organization, provides information on bone marrow and cord blood transplant programs and maintains the world's largest donor registry, with 5.5 million potential volunteer donors listed. It also holds more than 40,000 blood chord units.
Cord blood banks collect and store umbilical cord blood for future use in transplants. Blood from each donation is frozen (or cryopreserved) as an individual blood chord unit that is available for transplantation. The cells from these donations are being studied as a potential treatment for numerous diseases. The National Marrow Donor Program provides a list of Network Cord Banks offer the single largest listing of umbilical cord blood units in the United States.
CBR: Cord Blood Registry® is a for-profit company that stores blood from the umbilical chord and placenta, a rich source of stem cells after the baby is born. Many families are now choosing to bank these genetically unique cord blood stem cells for the future health of their loved ones.
Cordis Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson company, has a strong commitment to perform groundbreaking work in the fight against vascular disease. The company develops cutting-edge products for interventional medicine, minimally invasive computer-based imaging, and electrophysiology.
Posted by Tom J. Donohue
The Paget Foundation Web site provides information on Paget's disease, primary hyperparathyroidism, fibrous dysplasia, osteopetrosis (not the common disease osteoporosis) and the skeletal complications of cancer. The Foundation dedicates itself to providing useful information to patients, health professionals, and researchers. Visit the site at Paget Foundation
The National Association for the Relief of Paget's disease, a British-based non-profit organization, offers support and information about treatment to people suffering from the disease, sponsors research and new treatments for the disease, and raises awareness of the disease among the public and healthcare professionals. Visit the organization's Web site at: NARP
Paget's Disease of Bone New England Registry, a joint project of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, is a listing of persons with this disease who live in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The registry is intend to do the following: to address the issue of prevalence of Paget's disease in New England; to identify geographic or family clusters of the disease; to foster research in the clinical and basic sciences; and to promote education and treatment for all persons with Paget's disease of bone. Visit the site at: Paget's Disease of Bone New England Registry
Fibrous Dysplasia Foundation, Inc. (FDF) is a worldwide, not-for-profit, charitable organization of volunteers whose mission is to provide information, advocacy and support for patients, medical professionals and the general public and promote research for diagnosis, treatment and a cure for Fibrous Dysplasia (FD) and McCune-Albright's Syndrome (MAS), and related diseases.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation works to prevent osteoporosis, to improve the lives of those with the disease, to promote life-long bone health, and to find a cure for bone diseases. The Foundation offers programs of awareness, education and training, advocacy and research. Visit its Web site at: Osteoporosis
The National Institutes of Health Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center provides patients, health professionals, and the public with an important link to resources and information on metabolic bone diseases, including osteoporosis, Paget's disease of the bone, osteogenesis imperfecta, and hyperparathyroidism. The National Resource Center is dedicated to increasing the awareness, knowledge and understanding of physicians, health professionals, patients, underserved and at-risk populations (such as Hispanic and Asian women, adolescents, and men) and the general public about the prevention, early detection and treatment of osteoporosis and related bone diseases.
The Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation is dedicated to supporting anyone needing information about the disease with free medically-verified responses to your individual questions.
The International Myeloma Foundation helps everyone battling multiple myeloma; including: patients, families, friends, caregivers and the medical and scientific communities.
The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) was founded in 1998 by twin sisters Karen Andrews and Kathy Giusti following Kathy's diagnosis with multiple myeloma. Today, the MMRF is the world's number one private financier of myeloma specific research. Visit MMRF
Posted by Tom J. Donohue
National Heart Foundation Web site provides medical news and background information about heart disease and stroke. It also features information about current research in the field.
The American Heart Association provides a consumer friendly Web site, which is an excellent starting point for anyone wishing to learn the basics concerning heart disease.
HeartCenterOnline provides consumer friendly articles on heart disease. The site features medical news, background information on various conditions and information about drugs used to combat heart disease.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute offers a comprehensive Web site, which features educational tutorials for patients and the public, clinical-practice guidelines and information about publications for healthcare professionals, and information about ongoing research.
The Cleveland Clinic Heart and Vascular Institute offers information on diseases of the heart and vascular system, information for medical professionals on treatment options, and research news in the field.
The mission of the American College of Cardiology is to advocate for high-quality cardiovascular care. The College serves to advance education and new research in the field, to develop treatment guidelines and standards, and to advise government on health care policy. It also offers information about continuing education seminars on cardiovascular care for physicians.
The Karolinska Institute provides a comprehensive series of links to Web sites for specific cardiovascular diseases. The site includes Web links to encyclopedia articles that offer introductory information on medical conditions, to research articles on conditions, and to x-rays and other images illustrating conditions.
Information about the statin drug Crestor, including details about the recent Cleveland Clinic-led drug trials, is available on the AstraZeneca Web site.
Posted by Tom J. Donohue
The Multiple Sclerosis International Federation offers a range of informational services on the disease, including a primer on the disease, research news, information about treatment and profiles of people with the disease. Aside from English, the site is accessible in five languages, including German, Spanish, French, Italian and Russian.
Based in the United Kingdom, The Multiple Sclerosis Resource Center offers a cornucopia of MS-related information, including medical-science information about the disease, research news, and message boards and chat rooms.
For information about MS and services, Canadians can visit the BCHealthGuide or the Canada Health Portal.
For information about the medical-science research, including clinical trials, on MS, U.S. citizens can visit the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) is a group that advocates on behalf of persons with MS. They also provide news about MS, especially news about public policy that affects those with MS.
International MS Support Foundation (IMSSF) offers Articles, Papers and FAQs by Neurologists treating people with Multiple Sclerosis.
MS Awareness Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people with MS achieve a high life-quality.
All About Multiple Sclerosis provides comprehensive medical information on the disease, containing a vast archive of news and encyclopedia articles about the disease.
The Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis is a non-profit organization dedicated to discovering the disease's cause and to developing a cure.
The two companies that are sponsoring Tysabri carry information about their product on their Web sites. You can visit Biogen Idec and Elan Pharmaceuticals. These two companies appear to be good corporate citizens, having voluntarily removed Tysabri immediately after safety concerns were raised. Even so, patients and their families must keep in mind that these are for-profit companies, and it's only natural for them to present their product in a positive light, without presenting a more skeptical perspective. Therefore, whenever you're contemplating using this or any other medication, apply the golden rule of thumb: ask your doctor about known side-effects and risks.