“It is time to sound the alarm,” said Dr. Judy Wasserheit, vice chair of the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington, who wrote the article with Dr. Gail Bolan of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Dr. P. Frederick Sparling of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill.

Gonorrhea bacteria - Photo CDC

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease that can infect the genital tract, throat and anus.

There are more than 600,000 cases of gonorrhea a year in the U.S., making it one of the most common reportable infections in the country.

Untreated, gonorrhea can cause a number of serous complications, including infertility, a chronic painful pelvic condition in women called pelvic inflammatory disease, and ectopic pregnancy, a serious complication in which the fetus develops in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus.

In rare cases, the bacteria can travel through the bloodstream and infect joints, heart valves and the brain.

The bacteria that causes gonorrhea, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, has a history of quickly acquiring the ability to resist antibiotics. In the 1940s it became resistant to sulfa drugs, in the 1980s to penicillins and tetracyclines, and by 2007 to flouroquinolones.

Today, treatment with a class of antibiotics called cephalosporins is considered the most reliable option, but resistance to this class of drugs is on the rise both abroad and in the U.S., raising concerns that doctors here will soon begin seeing cases they cannot cure.

Untreatable cases have not yet been reported in the U.S., but they have appeared in Asia and Europe and a worrying number of strains in the U.S. are showing signs of resistance to cephalosporins.

Resistance to one of the cephalosporins has risen 17-fold in the U.S. over the past few years, Dr. Wasserheit and her colleagues write, increasing from just 0.1 percent of cases in 2006 to 1.7 percent in the first part of last year.

Resistance has been increasing even faster in the western U.S., reaching 3.6 percent of all cases last year and 4.7 percent of cases among men who have sex with men.

Although higher doses may overcome the ability of these strains to resist cephalosporins for a time, Dr. Wasserheit and her colleagues write, urgent action is needed now to prevent the spread of these strains and to develop new treatments.

“There is much to do, and the threat of untreatable gonorrhea is emerging rapidly,” they conclude.

 To learn more:

• Visit the National Library of Medicine’s Medline Plus information page on gonorrhea.

• Visit the Public Health – Seattle & King County’s page on Sexually Transmitted Infections.

The talks will be held 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every Thursday of the month.

What’s Stress Got to Do with It? — February 2

Dr. Bonnie McGregor is a behavioral medicine pioneer interested in how psychological factors affect the health of our bodies and our minds. Hear how stress influences our vulnerability to disease, and how stress management techniques can help you reduce your own disease risk.

Stem-cell Therapy: The Hope, the Hype and the Real Potential – February 9

Join Drs. Beverly Torok-Storb, Tony Blau, Phil Horner and Chuck Murry in a discussion of stem-cell research. Learn about the different types of stem cells, common misunderstandings about stem-cell work, clinical therapies being explored and what these researchers envision for the future.

Cancer and Infectious Diseases: Making a Global Impact – February 16

Did you know that nearly a quarter of cancers around the world are infection caused or related? Meet Dr. Corey Casper, the force behind the Hutchinson Center’s research on infection-related cancers in Uganda. By focusing efforts in a country with a higher disease burden, we hope to understand how chronic infections lead to cancer, including why this happens in some of us and not in others.

Influenza: A Study in Evolution – February 23

Soon personal genomic sequences will be cheaper than personal computers. But genomic sequences don’t come with instruction manuals, so revealing what they tell us about evolution and disease remains a challenge. Dr. Jesse Bloom will take us on a journey along the evolutionary path followed by one influenza gene over the last 40 years, and reveal the obstacles and forces that shape genetic change as we attempt to understand evolution at the molecular level.

When:

Thursdays
February 2-23
7-8:30 pm

 Where:

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
1100 Fairview Ave. N., Seattle
Thomas Building
Pelton Auditorium

To Register go HERE.

Polyclinic introduces clinical research department with international HDL study

Seattle’s Polyclinic has launched a clinical research department with a study sponsored by Oxford University. The study, called REVEAL, will test whether new drug Anacetrapib can boost levels of the “good cholesterol” HDL in patients 50 years or older with a history of heart attack, coronary artery disease, or type I or II diabetes. “The only currently available therapy with an effect on HDL is niacin, which raises levels by 20% to 30% but can cause uncomfortable side effects,” the medical group says. Press Release.

Virginia Mason and Wenatchee Valley Medical Center to Begin Cardiac Affiliation

Virginia Mason and Wenatchee Valley Medical Center have formed a “cardiac affiliation” in which physicians from the two medical centers will collaborate on patient care and share best practices. Activities include:

• Weekly Grand Rounds
• Consultation on cases requiring technology and techniques not available in Wenatchee
• Development of cardiology order-sets and clinical protocols
• Weekly cardiac catheterization conferences and collaborative case reviews
• Shadowing opportunities
• Continuing medical education
• Site visits
• Community outreach events

To learn more read the full press release.

Merck for Mothers and PATH to collaborate on project to reduce maternal deaths

The pharmaceutical company Merck has awarded a grant to the Seattle global health non-profit PATH to “evaluate more than 30 promising technologies at various stages of development that address the two leading causes of maternal mortality—post-partum hemorrhage and preeclampsia—as well as family planning.”

The initiative is part of Merck’s “Merck for Mothers” program.

“The partnership, valued at $2.5 million and extending through Fall 2012, will integrate private- and public-sector expertise to help evaluate affordable and easy-to-use maternal health technologies that work in resource-poor settings.” Press Release.

PRESS RELEASE MATERIAL

Polyclinic introduces clinical research department with international HDL study

SEATTLE, Wash. – The Polyclinic is participating in a major international clinical research study aimed at raising HDL (good cholesterol) levels. As an entirely new department at The Polyclinic, clinical research opens up an additional arm of medicine for patients and physicians alike. The Polyclinic recognizes clinical research as an enhancement to its mission of providing high-quality, comprehensive, personalized health care.

“Patients who participate in clinical research studies are ultimately contributing to better health care,” said Polyclinic Chief Medical Officer Michael Tronolone, MD, MMM. “It leads to new discoveries that improve quality of life, and also the lives of future generations.”

Having grown significantly since its creation a year ago, the department aims to focus on research studies addressing significant unmet medical needs. Polyclinic physicians welcome the addition of the department, as it increases patients’ options for treatment and their ability to participate in research.

“Not all patients achieve optimum health with currently available medications,” said Dr. Tronolone. “The Polyclinic clinical research department can now play a part in improving outcomes.”

This international HDL study, now enrolling participants, will test whether new drug Anacetrapib can boost HDL levels in patients 50 years or older with a history of heart attack, coronary artery disease, or type I or II diabetes.

The study, entitled REVEAL and sponsored by Oxford University, will include 30,000 individuals worldwide with 180 sites in the United States.

The only currently available therapy with an effect on HDL is niacin, which raises levels by 20% to 30% but can cause uncomfortable side effects.

“Although we have excellent methods of treating heart disease, current therapies have plateaued and further progress is needed,” said Dr. Kier Huehnergarth, Polyclinic

cardiologist and principal investigator for the REVEAL study. “By participating in this research, The Polyclinic hopes to provide patients with even more protection against a future heart attack.”

Patients who qualify for this study will attend five clinic visits in the first year and biannual clinic visits thereafter. They will also receive a stipend for each visit as well as lab tests and study medication at no cost. The study will continue to enroll throughout the next several months.

The Polyclinic clinical research department studies are open to anyone who meets the criteria, regardless of their status as a Polyclinic patient. Other studies currently enrolling are focused on lupus, overactive bladder, nocturia (nighttime urination), and HIV. Each study is administered by a Polyclinic physician who acts as the principal investigator and is assisted by the staff of the research department.

For more information about the REVEAL study and other clinical research studies at The Polyclinic, or to find out if you qualify, visit www.polyclinic.com/clinical-research or call 206-860-5433.

# # #

PRESS RELEASE MATERIAL

Virginia Mason and Wenatchee Valley Medical Center to Begin Cardiac Affiliation

SEATTLE – (Dec. 5, 2011) – Virginia Mason and Wenatchee Valley Medical Center have entered into a new cardiac affiliation. This affiliation represents two outstanding health care organizations, who share similar values, formalizing a relationship to provide the residents of North Central Washington with access to high-quality, efficient and cost-effective health care. This is an opportunity for two like-minded organizations to further dedicate themselves to transforming health care, with a focus on improving the patient experience and value of care.

As part of the arrangement, physicians from Wenatchee Valley Medical Center and Virginia Mason will collaborate on numerous aspects of patient care and share best practices with one another. Some of the activities include:

• Weekly Grand Rounds
• Consultation on cases requiring technology and techniques not available in Wenatchee
• Development of cardiology order-sets and clinical protocols
• Weekly cardiac catheterization conferences and collaborative case reviews
• Shadowing opportunities
• Continuing medical education
• Site visits
• Community outreach events

“We look forward to this affiliation with Wenatchee Valley Medical Center, as our patients and providers throughout the state will ultimately benefit from what these exceptional organizations have to offer,” says Sarah Patterson, Virginia Mason executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Virginia Mason has served many eastern Washington patients over the years, and we are excited to build on this service as our partnership with WVMC takes shape.”

“This affiliation is a tremendous opportunity for Wenatchee Valley Medical Center and the patients it serves to have organized access to and interaction with a high quality health care organization that shares our values of patient-centered value-based care,” says Peter Rutherford, MD, CEO and Chairman of Wenatchee Valley Medical Center. “We will be able to learn from each other and improve patient care for all.”

# # #

PRESS RELEASE MATERIAL

Merck for Mothers and PATH Collaborate to Identify Innovations that Save Mothers’ Lives

Alliance is Key Step in Bringing Sustainable, Affordable Technologies to the Mothers Who Need Them Most

Whitehouse Station, N.J. and Seattle, W.A., December 5, 2011 – Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, awarded a grant to PATH, a global health nonprofit, to identify game-changing technologies with potential to save the lives of women during pregnancy and childbirth in low-resource settings. Spearheaded by top scientists from Merck for Mothers and PATH, this unique alliance will evaluate more than 30 promising technologies at various stages of development that address the two leading causes of maternal mortality—post-partum hemorrhage and preeclampsia—as well as family planning. The partnership, valued at $2.5 million and extending through Fall 2012, will integrate private- and public-sector expertise to help evaluate affordable and easy-to-use maternal health technologies that work in resource-poor settings.

“PATH is excited to collaborate with Merck to make measurable reductions in maternal mortality,” said Dr. Michael J. Free, vice president and senior advisor for technologies, PATH. “Combining our capabilities will allow the most effective technologies to enter the market, without the usual barriers that come from the lack of private-sector incentives. This is an opportunity to advance needed technologies and make a great impact on maternal health around the world.”

“There are many promising, life-saving maternal health innovations that, left to current market forces, would not reach the mothers who need them, when they need them, at a price they can afford,” said Dr. Naveen Rao, who is leading Merck for Mothers. “By collaborating with PATH, which has deep expertise in developing solutions for the world’s greatest health problems, we will help bring important technologies to countries where women are dying at some of the highest rates.  By doing so, we will fulfill a key part of the commitment of Merck for Mothers to advance product development in post-partum hemorrhage, preeclampsia and family planning toward achieving United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal 5.”

Merck for Mothers is a new 10-year, half-billion-dollar initiative to create a world where no woman has to die from preventable complications of pregnancy and childbirth (merckformothers.com).  Drawing on the company’s history of discovering innovative, life-saving medicines and vaccines, Merck for Mothers will apply Merck’s scientific and business expertise—as well as its financial resources and experience in taking on tough global healthcare challenges—to reduce maternal mortality around the world.  As part of its focus, the program will seek to accelerate access to proven solutions; develop game-changing prevention, diagnostic and treatment technologies; and support public awareness, improved policies and broader private-sector engagement in the area of maternal health. The collaboration with PATH is a key step in Merck for Mothers’ rapid development of game-changing technologies in maternal health, and the company will leverage the learnings to build an investment strategy for accelerating the development of these technologies.

Researchers at Merck’s Development Center in Oss, Netherlands and PATH’s Technology Solutions Global Program in Seattle will work together to advance promising technologies in different stages of development, with an initial goal of identifying three to five maternal health breakthroughs in the next 12-18 months. The collaboration will evaluate technologies in the prevention, diagnostic and treatment areas for the different stages of pregnancy and childbirth and compare them across multiple parameters, such as commercialization potential, user and stakeholder acceptability and time to impact.

Potential technologies for assessment include:

• Treatments for the prevention of post-partum hemorrhage to assist women in the third stage of labor.

• Pre-natal preeclampsia screening tool to identify high risk women and significantly increase survival rates.

• Effective family planning interventions that are relatively easy to use to encourage higher adherence.

About Maternal Mortality

In the next decade, it is estimated that as many as three million women may die from complications of pregnancy and childbirth. The majority of these maternal deaths are preventable.

The United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) seek to address the world’s greatest development priorities, with MDG5 focused on reducing the maternal mortality ratio by 75 percent and creating universal access to reproductive health. However, several countries around the world run the risk of failing to meet this goal unless good-quality reproductive health services and well-timed interventions are supplied.

About PATH

PATH is an international nonprofit organization that transforms global health through innovation. PATH takes an entrepreneurial approach to developing and delivering high-impact, low-cost solutions, from lifesaving vaccines and devices to collaborative programs with communities. Through its work in more than 70 countries, PATH and its partners empower people to achieve their full potential. For more information, please visit www.path.org.

About Merck

Today’s Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well.  Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada.  Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions.  We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships.  For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the merger between Merck and Schering-Plough, including future financial and operating results, the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the possibility that the expected synergies from the merger of Merck and Schering-Plough will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and healthcare legislation; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; Merck’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; dependence on the effectiveness of Merck’s patents and other protections for innovative products; the risk of new and changing regulation and health policies in the United States and internationally and the exposure to litigation and/or regulatory actions.

Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Merck’s 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).

By Dr. James Kublin

Today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day, and to mark the occasion the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, which is headquartered at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, would like to debunk the top 10 myths about HIV vaccine research.

Myth No. 1: HIV vaccines can give people HIV.

HIV vaccines do not contain HIV and therefore a person cannot get HIV from the HIV vaccine. Some vaccines, like those for typhoid or polio, may contain a weak form of the virus they are protecting against, but this is not the case for HIV vaccines. Scientists make HIV vaccines so that they look like the real virus, but they do not contain any HIV. Think of it like a photocopy: It might look similar, but it isn’t the original. In the past 25 years more than 30,000 volunteers have taken part in HIV vaccine studies worldwide, and no one has been infected with HIV by any of the vaccines tested – because they do not contain HIV.

Myth No. 2: An HIV vaccine already exists.

There is no licensed vaccine against HIV or AIDS, but scientists are getting closer than ever before to developing an effective vaccine against HIV. In 2009, a large-scale vaccine study conducted in Thailand called RV144 showed that a vaccine combination could prevent about 32 percent of new infections. Researchers are starting to understand why this vaccine combination worked and how to improve upon it.

Researchers around the world continue to search for an HIV vaccine that is even more effective. Leading this effort is the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, the largest publicly funded group of HIV vaccine researchers in the world. The HVTN is an international effort to find a safe and effective vaccine to stop the spread of HIV. It is funded by the U. S. National Institutes of Health.

Myth No. 3: Joining an HIV-vaccine study is like being a guinea pig.

Unlike guinea pigs, people can say yes or no to participating in research. All study volunteers must go through a process called informed consent that ensures they understand all of the risks and benefits of being in a study, and those volunteers are reminded that they may leave a study at any time without losing rights or benefits. The HVTN takes great care in making sure people understand the study fully before they decide whether or not join. All HVTN research adheres to U.S. federal regulations on research, as well as the international standards for the countries in which it conducts research.

Myth No. 4: A person must be HIV positive to be in an HIV vaccine study.

Not so. While some research groups are conducting studies of vaccines that might be used in people who are already infected with HIV, the vaccines being tested by the HVTN are preventive vaccines. They must be tested on volunteers who are not infected with HIV.

Myth No. 5: Vaccine researchers want study participants to practice unsafe behaviors so they can see whether the vaccine really works.

Not true. The safety of study participants is the No. 1 priority of HIV vaccine researchers and study site staff. Trained counselors work with study participants to help them develop an individual plan on how to keep from contracting HIV. Participants also are given supplies such as condoms and lubricant as well as instructions on how to use them properly. HIV efficacy trials enroll thousands of participants over several years, and with even with the best counseling some participants will still become infected through their risky behavior. Changing human behavior is never easy; after all, many people still smoke, even though it is widely known that smoking is the major cause of lung cancer. An AIDS epidemic would not exist if prevention was as simple as counseling people to change their risky behavior.

Myth No. 6: Now that there are pills that can prevent HIV infection, an HIV vaccine is no longer necessary.

HIV-negative people who are at high risk can take antiretroviral medication daily to try to lower their chances of becoming infected if they are exposed to the virus. This type of therapy – called PrEP, short for PreExposure Prophylaxis – has been shown to be effective among those at high risk. However, it has not yet been recommended for widespread use. PrEP is unlikely to be an option for everyone because the pills are expensive and are not always covered by insurance, may cause side effects, and not everyone has access to them. Remembering to take a pill every day is also challenging for some people. The most effective way to eliminate a disease is by using an effective vaccine. It was a vaccine that eliminated small pox and has almost eliminated polio. Most likely it will be an HIV vaccine that eliminates HIV from the world. Vaccines are an effective, affordable and practical option.

Myth No. 7: An HIV vaccine is unnecessary because AIDS is easily treated and controlled, just like diabetes.

While treatment for AIDS has dramatically improved over the last 30 years, it is no substitute for prevention. Current HIV medications are very expensive, and there are also many side effects. Sometimes people develop drug resistance and have to change the regimen of pills they take. Access to these drugs for the uninsured in the U.S. and those in the developing world is also very limited.

Myth No. 8: The search for an HIV vaccine has been going on for a long time and it’s just not possible to find one that works.

The science of HIV-vaccine development is challenging, but scientific understanding continues to improve all the time. In just the past two years there have been promising results from the RV144 study in Thailand as well as exciting laboratory work, such as the discovery of new broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV. HIV is a powerful opponent, but scientists are constantly learning from one another and using advanced technology to fight it. Science has come a long way in the 30 years since AIDS was discovered. In comparing preventive HIV vaccine work to other vaccine development, the time it has taken is not so surprising; the polio vaccine took 47 years to develop.

Myth No. 9: Vaccines cause autism and just aren’t safe.

This is not true. Numerous studies in the past decade have found this claim to be false. The British doctor who originally published the finding about vaccines and autism has since been found to have falsified his data. There is actually no link between childhood vaccination and autism. It is true that vaccines often have side effects, but those are typically temporary (like a sore arm, low fever, muscle aches and pains) and go away after a day or two. The value of protection to vaccinated individuals and to the public has made vaccines one of the top public health measures in history, second only to having a clean water supply.

Myth No. 10: People who aren’t at risk don’t need an HIV vaccine.

A person currently may not be at risk for HIV, but life situations can change along with disease risk. Such a vaccine also may be important for one’s children or other family members and friends. By being knowledgeable about preventive HIV vaccine research, a person can be part of the solution by educating friends and family about the importance of such research and debunking the myths that surround it. Even if a person is not at risk, he or she can be part of the effort to find a vaccine that will hopefully save the lives of millions of people worldwide.

To learn more or find out how to get involved in an HIV vaccine study, please visit www.hvtn.org

Elias joined PATH in 2000, when the organization had a budget of $44 million and a staff of 297 employees. He led the organization through a period of significant growth, and the non-profit now has an annual budget of $295 million and more than 1,100 on staff working on project in more than 70 countries.

In his new position, Dr. Elias focus on developing integrated health-care delivery of interventions for the developing world. In addition, he will oversee the foundation’s Family Health and Vaccine Delivery strategies along with Global Development’s existing work in Agricultural Development, Financial Services for the Poor, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene, and Special Initiatives.

The foundation’s U.S. and Global Libraries Programs will also be combined in this broader portfolio, the foundation said.

“I am deeply honored to be joining the Gates Foundation,” Dr. Elias said in a statement. “I look forward to applying my experience in health and development to help advance the foundation’s ambitious mission.”

Dr. Elias received his M.D, from Creighton University in 1983, and received an MPH in 1990 from the University of Washington, where he was also a fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program.