August 22, 2007 (Insidermedicine)

From Ottawa - The move to have pharmacists prescribe is meeting opposition. The Canadian Medical Association has voted against a motion that would have pharmacists be able to prescribe medicines.

From Los Angeles - Exhaust fumes plus genetic predisposition raises risk for asthma. Researchers studying over 3,000 children with asthma noted a 9 fold risk for asthma in children who lived close to major highways and who had a mutation in a gene that codes for an enzyme that assists in the removal of toxins from air.

From Texas - A new eye drop can help diagnose those with dry eyes better than traditional ones. In a case-control study,  Lissamine green drops were much better at detecting early cases of dry eye than fluorescein.

And finally from Calgary - In a rare event- estimated at 1 in 13 million- a mother gives birth to quadruplets who are naturally conceived. Interestingly because no high-risk neonatal beds were available at the time, the delivery was done in the US - at an estimated cost of over $200,000. If done in Calgary the cost would have been closer to $70,000.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Maria Radina.