Dr Prithy Ramlachan Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common disorder of the male population, affecting both patients and their partners, creating distress, reduced relationship satisfaction, quality of life and wellbeing. In the landmark Massachussets Male Aging Study, 30% of men who responded as having ED also reported a history of hypertension. Some published data have [...]
Medical Male Circumcision and HIV
Dr Xolile Dlamini Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin of a penis. The foreskin’s main function is to cover the glans penis. It also lubricates it and makes it ultra sensitive to enhance sexual experience. The frenulum is a highly vascularised fold of the prepuce whose function is to ensure that the covering of [...]
Avoiding Complications in Oral Analgesics
Dr Luc Evenepoel To enhance their analgesic effect, or to perk up or relax the aching patient, many painkillers contain more than just molecules that counteract pain. They often contain stimulants (caffeine, pemoline), sedatives such as meprobamate or antihistamines (e.g. doxylamine, diphenhydramine), or centrally acting muscle relaxants (mephenesin). Analgesic cocktails Although these additional molecules are [...]
Are SA Doctors Behind the Curve in Treating Crohn’s Disease?
Gastro forum authors: Prof Reid Ally, Dr Keith Pettengell and Dr John Wright There was a fundamental change in the management of Crohn’s disease in 1990 when the value of immunosuppression with azathioprine was generally accepted. In 1998, the whirlwind of infliximab hit the profession after the US Food and Drug Administration approved its use in [...]
Treatment and Prognosis of Osteosarcoma
Dr Louis Kathan Primary bone tumours are rare, accounting for <0,2% of malignant tumours registered. Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumour in adolescence and childhood (it accounts for over 50% of primary bone tumours in patients <20 years of age), and is the sixth leading cancer in children >15 years. The age distribution [...]
Social Anxiety Disorder: Sick or Just Shy?
Dr Rykie Liebenberg Many people go through life in an agony of tension and anxiety because of social anxiety disorder, because they never knew it existed or realised they could be helped. They consider themselves to be awkward and shy, and somehow never achieve their potential on a social or occupational level. Social anxiety disorder [...]
BHF Denied Leave to Appeal against PMB Ruling
The Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) was denied leave to appeal the order handed down in November 2011, regarding clarification of wording in the Medical Schemes Act Regulations around the payment of Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs). The judgement did not deal with the merits of the case and instead upheld the technical points raised by [...]
HPCSA’s ‘Report a Doc’ Campaign likely to Hike Medical Costs
Both the SA Private Practitioners Forum (SAPPF) and SAMA anticipate a rise in defensive medicine following the HPCSA’s launch of its patients’ rights awareness campaign. The campaign, announced in March by Dr Kgosi Letlape, the then acting CEO and registrar of the HPCSA, involves a series of national radio advertisements, broadcast in all official languages, which [...]
Preferential Procurement – SA Has What it Takes
SA drug manufacturers are well geared to compete against the prices of imported generics, which account for roughly half of the generics supplied to the government. According to Stavros Nicolaou, chairman of Pharmaceuticals Made in SA (Pharmisa) and senior executive of Aspen Pharmacare, a large number of drugs used in the public health sector are [...]
Outrage Mounting over DSP ‘Illegal’ Dispensing Fees
The Independent Community Pharmacy Association (ICPA) is adamant that the setting of fixed dispensing fees by some designated service providers (DSP) appointed by medical schemes to deliver chronic medicines to their members is illegal, despite assertions to the contrary by the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS). The apparent disregard of regulated dispensing fees, finalised in [...]
Latest Issue - May 2012
In This Issue:
Videos
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SAMA Slams HPCSA’s ‘Report a Doctor’ Campaign*If you are accessing this article from a mobile device...
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GPs Urged to Become More Involved in Glaucoma Detection*If you are accessing this article from a mobile device...
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