Courts in New York and Texas have imposed limits on psychiatric research involving involuntarily institutionalized patients as subjects, citing state and constitutional protection of privacy, due process, and equal protection. Some are concerned that mental health research and treatment will suffer. (MSE)

A meeting of dental school deans concerning relationships with the National Institute of Dental Research is reported. Purposes were to explore further integration of dental research with dental education, enhance dental schools' research potential, and assess current and future impact of research on dental education. Themes and comments are…

An autobiographical account by the army's chief logistical adviser to the surgeon general during World War II calls attention to the challenges of medical service planning and three postwar changes in medicine: demand for access to care; bigger federal biomedical research expenditures; and the rise of specialization. (Author/MSE)

Presents a model for medical reference source instruction. Focuses on identifying the potential audiences; conducting user and information assessments; creating and delivering models of training; and future goals. Includes a list of Internet healthcare sites. (AEF)

In this third annual report from the National Research Council (NRC), articles are presented on national issues by officers of the assemblies of behavioral and social sciences, engineering, life sciences, mathematical and physical sciences, human resources, international relations, natural resources, sociotechnical systems, and medicine. Topics…

Presents a sampling of the contributions of primate research to human health and welfare through discussions of: atherosclerosis; aging; endocrine and seasonality influences on reproductive behavior; emotional expression; communication; infectious diseases (viruses, polio, acquired immune deficiency syndrome-AIDS; and others); cancer; the brain;…

An analysis of the state of medical informatics, the application of computer and information technology to biomedicine, looks at trends and concerns, including integration of traditionally distinct enterprises (clinical information systems, financial information, scholarly support activities, infrastructures); informatics career choice and…

Harvard Watch asserts that withholding essential information from public scrutiny is not uncommon at Harvard University. Maintaining that Harvard has reversed its position from extolling the virtues of public disclosure to one of imposing secrecy, the document suggests that this about face is linked to the university's recent collaboration with…

There is a growing body of evidence that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) victims are not completely normal and healthy, as was once believed. A variety of new information from several disciplines strongly suggests that the infant who dies suddenly and unexpectedly may do so because of subtle developmental, neurologic, cardiorespiratory, and…

Discussion of evidence-based medicine (EBM) focuses on information tools to facilitate the practice of EBM that were developed, evaluated, and made more accessible by the McMaster University (Canada) Faculty of Health Sciences. Highlights include users' guides to medical literature, strategies for improving MEDLINE searches, new journals, and…

On a tour of Cuba, Native scholars from North and South America reconnected with the "extinct" Taino people and shared their knowledge of traditional healing herbs. Western science is just beginning to validate the tremendous knowledge base that indigenous healers have developed--most indigenous medicinal knowledge is useful for finding…

In health research, we depend heavily on the goodwill of study participants. However, the whole social contract of health research is based on the premise that everyone comes to the research table with honorable intentions. What course should we take if we doubt the authenticity of our participants' accounts? Through the use of an illustrative…

This final report discusses the activities of Minnesota's Medical Education and Research Costs (MERC) project, which was undertaken to gather data on the costs of medical education and health care research conducted by hospitals, medical centers, and health maintenance organizations and develop mechanisms to assess the costs across the health care…

Many undergraduate medical curricula have been criticized for not adequately preparing graduates to be independent problem-solvers able to analyze clinical and published evidence. A program in the critical appraisal of medical literature at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine is described. (MLW)

This article outlines concepts and skills that will help teachers and students interpret news and controversies generated by medical research. Students need to: (1) understand some basic research concepts; (2) apply critical thinking to health news; and (3) know how to locate additional information sources. (Authors/PP)