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As you may know, the
Dec.
23/30 issue was a combined issue, so there is no new content on the site
this week.
FACTS: Below is a
look back at 2002, as reflected in our own selection of the most interesting
or noteworthy fact from each issue.
NEXT WEEK: The story
of Afghan-American physicians returning to their homeland, in Government.
And in Health, there's a lot more to new drug development than the
scientific end. The Jan. 6 issue also brings you coverage of the AMA's
Interim Meeting in New Orleans. It will be live Monday, Dec. 30.

You can also sign up for our mobile edition at AvantGo http://myavantgo.com/
OUR MOST INTRIGUING MEDICAL FACTS
OF 2002
-
80% of patients with uncomplicated infections recover within a week
without antibiotics. (Dec. 23/30)
-
In 19th century medicine, cataracts were not removed, just pushed
down. (Dec. 16)
-
70% to 86% of people want to die at home, yet only 25% do.
(Dec. 9)
-
Children vaccinated for smallpox would have to stay out of school or
day care for the next 30 days. (Dec. 2)
-
After a decade of decline, syphilis rates increased in 2001.
(Nov. 25)
-
A family physician discovered his Web site had links for sex toys.
(Nov. 18)
-
A drug approved for treatment of narcolepsy is attracting interest
from sleepy type A's. (Nov. 11)
-
Hearing loss is the No. 1 disability among the elderly. (Nov.
4)
-
92.7 million doses of flu vaccine will be available this season, 5.7
million more than in 2001. (Oct. 28)
-
85% of donor lungs are rejected for transplant. (Oct. 21)
-
Acetaminophen misuse is linked to 100 deaths and 2,000
hospitalizations annually. (Oct. 14)
-
A single CT scan gives roughly as much radiation as 100 x-rays.
(Oct. 7)
-
20 million people miss work each year due to pain, costing business
some $50 billion in replacement labor. (Sept. 23/30)
-
Some physicians are trying liposuction to manage diabetes.
(Sept. 16)
-
Urban family doctors earned only $2,100 more than rural counterparts
in 1999. (Sept. 9)
-
Grateful patients raised $40,000 to pay their oncologist's liability
premium. (Sept. 2)
-
50% of cardiothoracic surgeons now practicing will retire by 2010.
(Aug. 26)
-
There are 474 brains in a Maryland tissue bank. (Aug. 19)
-
20% of people with eating disorders will die as a result of the
disease. (Aug. 12)
-
Thong underwear may cause recurrent vaginal infections. (Aug.
5)
-
Patients are being targeted for marketing campaigns based on their
medical records. (July 29)
-
Abused women experience a 50% to 70% increase in health problems.
(July 22)
-
12 states are already in a liability crisis; 30 more are headed that
way. (July 8/15)
-
Genetics plays the strongest role in people who live to 100.
(July 1)
-
A quarter of parents miss children's doctor appointments because of
work. (June 24)
-
25% of consumers always verify Web health information. (June
17)
-
Medicare reimburses for telemedicine, but not for e-mail. (June
10)
-
1 in 5 seniors takes analgesics regularly. (June 3)
-
Drug companies spend more than $12 billion a year marketing to
doctors. (May 27)
-
60,000 people will undergo weight loss surgery in the U.S. this year.
(May 20)
-
Arizona's sanction rate against physicians is highest; the District of
Columbia's lowest. (May 13)
-
Hemophilia A affects one in 5,000 men; hemophilia B affects about one
in 20,000 men. (May 6)
-
86% of Texas malpractice suits last year resulted in no award to the
plaintiff. (April 22/29)
-
70% of all U.S. surgeries in 2000 were outpatient. (April 15)
-
Almost half of HMO coverage denials going to external review are
reversed. (April 8)
-
4 out of 5 adult smokers began smoking before age 18. (April 1)
-
87.7 million doses of flu vaccine were produced, but 10 million were
not used. (March 25)
-
50,000 units of blood donated after the Sept. 11 attacks had to be
destroyed. (March 18)
-
13% of internists failed on their first recertification attempt in
2000. (March 11)
-
42 states expect Medicaid budget shortfalls this year. (March
4)
-
Uninsured women with breast cancer are more than twice as likely to
die. (Feb. 25)
-
In 1999, 19% of doctor pay incentives were based on quality, 72% on
productivity. (Feb. 18)
-
Diabetes increased 49% during the last decade. (Feb. 11)
-
Montana screens newborns for 3 disorders, Iowa for 36. (Feb. 4)
-
1 in 4 Afghan children die before age 5. (Jan. 28)
-
Florida is logging more deaths from painkiller overdoses than from
heroin. (Jan. 21)
-
Most physicians doing medical relief work abroad pay their own way.
(Jan. 14)
-
Medicaid is the largest and fastest growing element of most state
budgets. (Jan. 7)
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