Faculty Bibliography

The New Zealand study involved 270 patients under the age of 70 who had suffered a first heart attack. Half received streptokinase and half TPA. Participants agreed to allow a computer to determine randomly which drug they would receive. Ten of those who received streptokinase and five of those who were treated with TPA died within 30 days. TPA has received extensive publicity because of early test results and its theoretical advantages. Among those suggested were that, as a pure substance created in a laboratory, it would be less likely to cause allergic reactions or complications from bleeding. Treatment with TPA and streptokinase has become standard for heart attack patients in recent years. The drugs dissolve clots that can block arteries around the heart. Such clots can lodge in narrowed portions of the arteries, producing heart attacks

A higly publicized expensive drug called tissue plasminogen activator that treats heart attack is no better than the much cheaper drug streptokinase, according to a recent study

''Measles eradication is a long way off,'' said Dr. Walter A. Orenstein who runs the measles program at the Federal Centers for Disease Control. Dr. Stanley A. Plotkin, chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on infectious diseases, said that ''eradication is a colorful word, and very attractive as a battle cry.'' But Dr. Plotkin, who works at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, also said: ''It is regrettable we set a goal that is unrealistic; we didn't realize how contagious measles could be.'' Dr. Donald A. Henderson, who directed the smallpox eradication program for the World Health Organization, called the attempt to date ''a public health policy failure,'' in part because the policy of recommending a single dose of vaccine at age 15 months is inadequate

NEW YORK - Three teams of researchers have detected strains of the AIDS virus that have become resistant to AZT, the only drug licensed by the government to treat the disease, researchers said. The Burroughs Wellcome Co., the manufacturer of AZT, mailed a letter Monday to the 8,000 American doctors treating AIDS patients telling them about findings of the resistant strains in laboratory tests. AZT is among the few antiviral drugs that have been marketed and is the only drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The drug is toxic and is not a cure for AIDS. But it has been shown to extend the lives of many AIDS patients

Three teams of researchers have detected strains of the AIDS virus that have become resistant to AZT, so far the only drug licensed by the government to treat the disease

NEW YORK - Three teams of researchers have detected strains of the AIDS virus that have become resistant to AZT, the only drug licensed by the government to treat the disease, researchers said Tuesday. The Burroughs Wellcome Co. of Research Triangle Park, N.C., the manufacturer of AZT, mailed a letter on Monday to the 8,000 American doctors treating AIDS patients telling them about findings of the resistant strains in laboratory tests. The company said that the resistant strains were detected in 11 patients who had received AZT for more than six months and that ``very marked`` resistance had been found in strains from five patients

''Nobody would be hired anymore at Memorial simply because of their clinical skills,'' he said. ''They are hired primarily for their research skills; that's the current vogue.'' Dr. Paul Marks, president of the cancer center, said that he has recently hired several ''outstanding clinicians.'' He also said that unless the center made ''the highest quality of care our highest priority, there is no way we could do reasonable clinical research.'' Dr. Marks said one of the center's goals is for every patient to have a physician concerned with the patient as a whole. But Dr. Marks said he ''freely admits we don't always achieve it, in part because many of the patients who come here want to see 'the expert' for their particular type of cancer.''

[Daniel Ruge], however, found he had a handicap: his thick head of silver hair. While the sign of seniority was generally useful in helping him command respect, it made him stand out when he tried to observe the president without being noticed. Ruge said he purposely tried to keep out of Reagan's view because he considered it 'unnatural and disconcerting' for a healthy person to see his doctor every day. Ruge viewed his role as a medical supervisor and coordinator, allowing consultants a free hand. To many, Ruge earned his highest marks in handling Reagan's care after he was shot. He told doctors at George Washington University Hospital to treat the president the way they would any other patient with similar injuries, and he advised them not to cut corners at the expense of good medical care. Ruge said he felt inhibited in defending himself against criticism. In 1984, for example, a small benign polyp was detected on a routine examination of Reagan's colon. At the time, Ruge decided not to perform an examination of the entire colon known as a colonoscopy

Dr. [Burton J. Lee] said he expected to broaden the scope of the position by becoming ''a health policy adviser without portfolio.'' He said that he would ''get involved in as many things as I can while I am learning the ropes'' and that he would then define his role in health policy more clearly. Delegating Responsibilities Although Dr. Lee said he would call on medical consultants whenever needed, he stressed that he would be in charge of Mr. [Bush]'s care and would avoid ''medicine by committee'' because it diffuses reponsibility, encourages cutting corners that jeopardize the health of a patient and leads to ''the lowest common denominator of care.'' Dr. Daniel Ruge, a civilian who was Mr. [Reagan]'s personal doctor from 1981 to 1985, said Mr. Reagan and Administration officials ''rarely'' asked him about health policy issues. Expanding the White House physician's role ''is a good idea,'' he said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has concluded that circumcision protects against infections of the kidneys and urinary system