Approach to cardiology residents clinical aptitude evaluation. Multicenter design

INTRODUCTION

To the best of our knowledge, the research herein presented is the first multicenter study in Mexico to analyze the development of clinical aptitude in medical units that train cardiologists.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the degree of development of clinical aptitude in cardiology residents at three High Specialty Medical Units.

METHODS

Multicenter, cross-sectional design. All students of the 2019-2020 academic year were included in the study. An instrument was constructed that evaluated clinical aptitude based on eight indicators and 170 items; conceptual/content validity and reliability were assessed by five cardiologists with teaching and educational research experience.

RESULTS

By indicator and year of residence, significant statistical differences were observed in the CMN20Nov academic site. At HCSXXI and INCICh, statistically significant differences were observed in one of eight indicators. Differences between R1 residents (n = 41) of all three academic sites were estimated by indicator, with statistical significance being recorded in three of eight indicators. Between R2 (n = 35) and between R3 residents (n = 43), the result was similar.

CONCLUSIONS

The degree of clinical aptitude development can be considered intermediate in all three academic sites, probably because the instrument explored problematized clinical situations that required for the residents to critically reflect on their clinical experience.

Who judges medical practice?

Lawsuits due to patient perception of inappropriate medical actions are a growing reality in medical practice, which entails widespread concern in the medical community. Lawsuits often entail additional circumstances beyond the primary concern of preventing or sanctioning acts of medical negligence. CETREMI proposes various recommendations aimed at legal and medical professionals to improve this circumstance and avoid harming the doctor-patient relationship.

Recommendations for the sale and promotion of dermocosmetic treatments at the office

A novel chapter in current medical settings is the promotion and attention of esthetic aspects rather than health issues by health professionals. The human aspiration related to the search for personal beauty has generated new scenarios in medical practice. The Committee on Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship (CETREMI) of the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico has analyzed this phenomenon and has issued recommendations directed both to medical professionals and to producers and potential consumers of esthetic procedures.

Conflicts of interest in medicine. CETREMI recommendations

Conflicts of interest are situations in which judgment and integrity of medical decisions or actions are influenced by a secondary interest, often of an economic nature. The Committee of Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship of the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico recognizes that these conflicts occur in health professionals' daily life, but also in public and private institutions that provide health services, as well as in the academy and in research activities. Therefore, it is necessary to identify conflicting situations and always act in accordance with the patient's interest.

Identification and Determination of Sugars in Some Fruit Juices

The sugars α-glucose, β-glucose, fructose, galactose, and sucrose were identified in the juice of Israel orange, grapefruit, and lemon by gas-liquid chromatographic methods. Rhamnose, xylose, and trehalose were also identified but only tentatively. The amounts of glucose and fructose before and after hydrolysis were measured in 88 samples of citrus juice by enzymatic methods. The concentration of glucose found was in all cases very near that of fructose. In other fruit juices (e.g., pear) the concentration of fructose was found to be higher than that of glucose. The ratio fructose:glucose cannot therefore be used as a criterion for purity in orange and grapefruit juices but may serve as a useful tool to detect addition of sucrose to other fruit juices.

Detection of Adulteration of Fruit Juice. I. Characterization of Israel Lemon Juice

A survey of some of the constituents of Israel lemon juice was conducted during the last 4 years. Fifty-eight samples of natural juice, obtained from various sources, were tested for a number of analytical parameters, including a detailed free amino acids analysis. The changes of total soluble solids and acidity as the season progressed were traced. The data were given some statistical treatment.

Detection of Adulteration of Fruit Juice. II. Comparison of Statistical Methods

Following a survey of lemon juice composition, the analytical data are given 2 different statistical treatments. On comparing these treatments, it is found that the specific test based on classical chi-square distribution is more powerful than that based on regression analysis. The analysis of free amino acids provides a method for the detection of adulteration of lemon juice, which is both efficient and difficult to circumvent.

Physicians and the pharmaceutical industry: impact on prescription attitudes and habits

INTRODUCTION

The physician-pharmaceutical industry relationship has been identified as an ethical problem, due to conflicts of interest motivated by the benefits that doctors receive and that can affect their clinical judgment.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the frequency of physicians participation in activities financed by the pharmaceutical industry (PI), their attitudes towards PI representatives (PIRs), their prescriptive behavior and the association between their characteristics and their workplace with their participation in activities financed by the PI.

METHOD

Cross-sectional survey to internists and cardiologists. The questionnaire included characteristics of the doctors and their workplace, participation in activities financed by the PI, attitudes towards PIRs, and prescription behavior.

RESULTS

455 questionnaires were analyzed; 78.5 % of surveyed subjects were aware of the physician-PI relationship, the majority acknowledged meeting with PIRs, 30 % indicated having received financial subsidies and 10 % considered that gifts affect their prescription. Having prior knowledge of the physician-PI relationship was associated with less participation in PI-financed educational activities.

CONCLUSION

Practices and preferences towards the PI show the need to design strategies to avoid inappropriate prescription.

INTRODUCCIÓN

La relación médico-industria farmacéutica (IF) se ha identificado como un problema ético por favorecer conflictos de interés derivados de los beneficios que reciben los médicos y que pueden afectar su juicio clínico.

OBJETIVO

Identificar la frecuencia de participación de médicos en actividades financiadas por la IF, las actitudes de estos profesionales hacia los representantes de la IF, su conducta prescriptiva y la asociación de sus características y del trabajo con la participación en actividades financiadas por la IF.

MÉTODO

Encuesta transversal a médicos internistas y cardiólogos. El cuestionario incluyó características de los médicos y centro de trabajo, participación en actividades financiadas por la IF, actitudes hacia los representantes y conducta de prescripción.

RESULTADOS

Se analizaron 455 cuestionarios, 78.5 % de los encuestados tuvo conocimiento de la relación médico-IF, la mayoría respondió reunirse con representantes de la IF, 30 % indicó haber recibido subsidios financieros y 10 % consideró que los obsequios afectan su prescripción. Tener conocimiento previo de la relación médico-IF se asoció con menor participación en actividades educativas financiadas por por la IF.

CONCLUSIÓN

Las prácticas y preferencias hacia la IF muestran la necesidad de diseñar estrategias para evitar la prescripción inapropiada.

Medical prescription: conditioned reflex or conscious reflection?

Writing a prescription or indicating a treatment is usually the last part of medical consultation. This crucial process can be undermined by multiple factors such as limited prescriptive ability, overwork, and lack of reflection or time. Insufficient information about the patient or the treatment affects the prescriptive process and leads to errors that can be serious for patient health. The National Academy of Medicine, in line with the World Health Organization, emphasizes the relevance of making the prescriptive process a reflective exercise.

Extender una receta o indicar un tratamiento suele ser la última parte de la consulta médica. Este proceso crucial puede desvirtuarse debido a múltiples factores como capacidad prescriptiva limitada, exceso de trabajo y falta de reflexión o tiempo. La información insuficiente acerca del paciente o del tratamiento afecta el proceso prescriptivo y propicia errores que pueden ser graves para la salud del enfermo. La Academia Nacional de Medicina, en consonancia con la Organización Mundial de la Salud, hace énfasis en hacer del proceso prescriptivo un ejercicio de reflexión.

Conflictos de intereses en medicina. Recomendaciones del CETREMI

Conflicts of interest are situations in which judgment and integrity of medical decisions or actions are influenced by a secondary interest, often of an economic nature. The Committee of Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship of the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico recognizes that these conflicts occur in health professionals' daily life, but also in public and private institutions that provide health services, as well as in the academy and in research activities. Therefore, it is necessary to identify conflicting situations and always act in accordance with the patient's interest.

Importancia de la investigación clínica independiente en la medicina: dificultades y recomendaciones

Clinical research is the most important tool for the identification of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that derive in higher efficacy and safety. Despite its significance, successful implementation of clinical research faces numerous difficulties, with one the most relevant being limited availability of resources for the performance of independent clinical trials. Generally, the pharmaceutical industry absorbs the costs associated with most clinical trials; however, this can generate dissociation between subjects of interest and health priorities when economic interest is the main driver of these protocols. In addition to the relevant role played by the pharmaceutical industry, it is important that government agencies favor adequate conditions, both in economic and regulatory aspects, for the implementation of independent clinical research that addresses subjects of medical and therapeutic interest, even if it does not generate corporate economic benefits.

[El consentimiento informado: recomendaciones para su documentación]

Informed consent is an indispensable element to obtain adequate patient participation either in research protocols or in therapeutic design. The Committee of Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship (CETREMI) of the National Academy of Medicine developed several recommendations for informed consent to be documented.

[Recomendaciones a los cuerpos directivos de las agrupaciones médicas en su relación con la industria]

Continuing medical education activities are often financially supported by pharmaceutical and device companies. With the purpose to ensure ethics and accountability in the management of this assistance, the Committee of Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship of the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico formulates recommendations to medical associations' leaders in this text.

Sugerencias en torno a medicamentos de efectividad demostrada sin interés comercial para la industria farmacéutica

Varios medicamentos de adecuada eficacia han sido retirados del mercado por razones financieras, ya sea por su reducido precio (la patente ha expirado) o porque han sido sustituidos por nuevos fármacos (con patentes vigentes); otros tantos no han sido desarrollados porque las enfermedades contra las que van dirigidos no son económicamente promisorias debido al tipo de población que las padece (estratos económicamente marginados o sin significación numérica). Deberán establecerse lineamientos e incentivos para la industria farmacéutica y de biotecnología.

Several drugs with adequate efficacy have been withdrawn from the market for financial reasons, either due to their reduced price (the patent has expired) or because they have been substituted with new drugs (with patents in force); many others have not been developed because the diseases they are directed against are not economically promising owing to the type of population that suffers from them (economically marginalized or numerically non-significant strata). Guidelines and incentives for the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry should be established.

Recomendaciones para la prescripción segura de opioides en el manejo del dolor crónico no oncológico

El tratamiento del dolor crónico severo es una meta histórica de la medicina. Los opioides naturales (como la morfina) se han usado por muchos años y la aparición reciente de opioides sintéticos se ha sumado a esta opción terapéutica, sin embargo, el potencial adictivo de estas sustancias obliga a la reglamentación de su uso. Las agencias médicas internacionales recomiendan prudencia en el uso terapéutico de opioides.

The treatment of chronic and severe pain is a principal goal of medicine. Natural opioids have been used for several years, and the recent development of synthetic opioids has increased therapeutic options; however, the addictive potential of these substances obliges the regulation of their use. International agencies recommend prudent rules in the therapeutic use of opioids.

[What can doctors do to moderate healthcare costs?]

Los costos de la atención médica pueden alcanzar niveles tales que marginen a algunos pacientes de los beneficios del avance científico y tecnológico. Las razones de estos elevados costos son diversas y en la mayoría de los casos no está en manos de los médicos moderarlos. En este escrito se proponen algunas acciones que los médicos podemos realizar para disminuir los costos de la atención médica. La magnitud del ahorro que se puede alcanzar con estas medidas es modesta, puesto que la mayor parte de los costos no dependen de los médicos, pero se trata de ofrecer nuestra contribución. Evitar todo lo superfluo: no más medicamentos ni estudios que los estrictamente necesarios, sin medicina defensiva; y no ceder ante la presión de pacientes y familiares para que se prescriban pruebas o medicamentos inútiles.

[Concept of "opinion leader": Recommendations of the Committee on Ethics and Transparency in the Medical-Industry Relationship (CETREMI) of the National Academy of Medicine (ANM)]

La relación que involucra al médico y la industria abarca un espectro amplio de formas, para lo cual se requiere una exposición clara y transparente de términos y principios. Uno de los objetivos primordiales de la industria es contar con un respaldo académico que le permita dar a conocer las características y las propiedades de sus productos -eficacia, eficiencia y seguridad- con el propósito de ser prescritos y usados. Los fines de la industria son la venta de sus productos, el reconocimiento como empresas de prestigio y la ganancia económica. Implícitamente, para CETREMI el principio de mayor importancia en esta relación es indudablemente el beneficio del enfermo.

[Ethics and transparency committee of physicians in their relationship with the pharmaceutics: Industry recommendations for physician support]

Las siguientes recomendaciones a la industria farmacéutica se fundamentan en los principios éticos del CETREMI: - El paciente es lo primero: • Que la atención sea óptima para todos los pacientes. Que las compañías farmacéuticas apoyen las decisiones del médico que garanticen el tratamiento más eficaz, seguro, accesible y adecuado. • Que las compañías farmacéuticas colaboren para que los pacientes tengan acceso fácil y oportuno a los medicamentos. • Que las compañías farmacéuticas colaboren para que la información sobre los tratamientos beneficie a los pacientes en todos los rubros, incluyendo el económico.

[The continuous intrusion of subjectivity in medical decisions]

La medicina contemporánea tiene su sustento más sólido en la ciencia positivista que pretende excluir la subjetividad y centrarse en el conocimiento sólido, objetivo, duro, demostrable, reproducible, verificable y falseable. Este enfoque ha generado beneficios indudables en tanto que en las decisiones se eluden muchas ideas que dominaron el pensamiento médico como la magia, el prejuicio, la casualidad, las fuerzas sobrenaturales, los dogmas y las creencias.