Maine Medicine Weekly Update - 12/11/2017  (Plain Text Version)

Return to Graphical Version

In this issue:
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
•  MMA Legislative Committee Meets to Prepare for Next Legislative Session
•  Online Links to Opioid CME
•  Congressional Stopgap Spending Plan Fails to Include CHIP 2018 Funding
•  Health Insurance Marketplace 2018: Open Enrollment Ends Friday
•  New AMA, CMS Resources Aid Transition to the New Medicare Card
•  Sanofi Genzyme: Arthritis Medication Should Not Be Used Due To Side Effects
•  Maine CDC Message on Immunizations
•  Naloxone Research Shows Importance of Post-Administration Intervention
•  Opportunities for Year-End Giving at MMA
•  Improving Opioid Prescribing and Patient Safety: Monday, 12/18 at EMMC
•  Peer Navigation Program from Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered
128TH MAINE LEGISLATURE
•  Legislative Calls to Resume When Legislature Returns
•  Highlights of Recently Enacted Legislation: L.D. 911 (c. 267) Prohibiting Gifts to Practitioners from Sellers
UPCOMING EVENTS
•  Online Learning Opportunities Offering CME Credits - from the Northern New England Practice Transformation Network
•  New Free CME on Alzheimer's Risk, Detection, and Management
•  Webinar on Improving Opioid Prescribing and Patient Safety: Wednesday, December 13
HEALTHCARE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
•  Chief Executive Officer - Pines Health Services
•  Clinical Cardiology Opportunity
•  Family Medicine Physician/Clinician Leader
•  BE/BC Family Practitioner - Lewiston, ME
•  Primary Care Physician - Eastern Maine Medical Center
•  Relocate to Beautiful Southwestern Maine - Medical Director/Family Practice Physician
•  Palliative Care Provider
•  Gastroenterologist - Brunswick, ME
•  Hospitalist - Brunswick, ME
•  DO or MD Physician - Augusta, ME
•  Outpatient Only - Internal Medicine with Loan Repayment & Sign-on Bonus
•  Physiatrist - Brunswick, Maine
•  Opportunities at the VA for Volunteer Physicians

Sanofi Genzyme: Arthritis Medication Should Not Be Used Due To Side Effects

The Boston Globe (12/8, Saltzman) reported Sanofi Genzyme issued a product hold on about 18,000 packages of Synvisc-One (hyaluronan), which is used to treat knee arthritis.

[from AMA Morning Rounds]

Eighteen thousand gel-filled syringes of Synvisc-One, used to treat knee arthritis, from a single batch, have been linked to "an unexpected increase in the number of labelled adverse events."

The halt applies only to a single lot of Synvisc-One that bears the identification number 7RSL021, according to Heather Guzzi, a spokeswoman for the parent company in Bridgewater, N.J.