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This newsletter was created many years ago to encourage patient engagement with legislation that affects healthcare.

We're going back to our roots with this issue, as well as offering our usual tips to help you keep yourself and your family healthy.

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Support PACMA with Bipartisan Action!

At stake: Individual doctors and pharmacies are facing regulation which would decrease the quality of healthcare offered to our patients.

Background: In 2012, contaminated spinal injections from the New England Compounding Pharmacy caused health complications and even death. In response, the Drug Quality and Safety Act (DQSA) established FDA regulation of largescale “compounding pharmacies” which manufacture large quantities of medications. The DQSA calls for extensive quality control in facilities manufacturing bulk quantities of drugs to be shipped around the country.

Current Issue: The FDA wants to apply the DQSA to all individual doctors’ offices and pharmacies. This regulatory overreach would prevent plastic surgeons and dermatologists from such simple procedures as mixing anesthetic to numb skin before performing biopsies. It would make it very difficult for allergists to mix up allergens for testing in their offices, and get in the way of any number of other commonplace practices which doctors have the training and expertise to carry out.

Bottom Line: This misapplication of the law would hurt both doctors and patients rather than offering patients any new protections. The Patient Access to Compounded Medications Act (PACMA/HR 2871) is a new bipartisan bill which would direct the FDA to apply the Drug Quality and Safety Act ONLY to the largescale compounding pharmacies it was intended to regulate.

TAKE ACTION: We are asking you to make three phone calls or send three emails. Contact your federal representative and two federal senators to encourage support of HR 2871, the Patient Access to Compounded Medications Act.

You can reach the offices of your elected officials by calling 1-888-434-6200, a phone number supported by the American Medical Association’s Patient Action Network.

Support Your Joints with Thoughtful Weight Loss

From our Rheumatologist, Dr. Cathy Chapman

Excess weight means worse arthritis. Fortunately, losing weight helps reverse pain, stiffness, and low energy. Avoiding these nine simple mistakes can help you meet your goals and feel better:

Relying on Crash Diets: When you eat very few calories, your train your metabolism to slow down. Once the diet is over, you have a body that burns calories more slowly. 

Skipping Breakfast: The result can be insatiable hunger the rest of the day. This may lead to unplanned snacking and eating oversized portions at lunch and/or dinner. Breakfasts high in protein and fiber can reduce hunger throughout the day.  

Losing Track of Your Snacks: Maybe you count calories meticulously at every meal, but what about those snacks in between? Mindless munching adds up and can sabotage an otherwise well-planned diet. While mindless snacking can pad your waistline, thoughtful snacking may do just the opposite.  Eating several small meals and snacks a day helps you control hunger and lose weight. 

Loading up on Low-Fat: Low-fat products can play an important role in your diet. Just remember that low-fat isn’t the same as low-calorie, and it’s not a license to take second and third helpings.  

Sipping Too Many Calories: Some coffees and alcoholic beverages have more than 500 calories. Even the calories in fruit juice and soda can add up quickly.  

Drinking Too Little Water: If you let yourself get dehydrated, your metabolism slows; that means slower weight loss. 

Taking Drive-Through Baits: Drive-throughs can seem great on hectic days, but we're all tempted to order more than just the salad or other healthier option.  

Weighing Yourself Every Day: This is frustrating and not useful. It’s more important to look for a long-term trend with weekly weigh-ins. It is motivating to see the pounds go down, but daily weighing tends to show swings that will only confuse you. 

Setting Unrealistic Goals: Telling yourself you’ll lose 20 pounds your first week is probably setting yourself up for failure. If you know you won’t be able to do it, you may never start your diet in the first place. And if you lose 5 pounds instead of 20, you may feel discouraged instead of celebrating! A realistic goal is vital to successful dieting.  

Good Luck and Good Dieting!

Keep Your Skin Youthful by Fighting Photoaging

From our Dermatologist, Dr. George Woodbury, Jr.

Our skin regulates body temperature, retains necessary moisture, and protects from infection. Ultraviolet light can damage our skin through sunburn, photoaging (wrinkling and premature skin aging), and skin cancer. Here are some ways we can help our skin stay fresh!

Avoid damage to begin with:

• Limit sun exposure and stay out of tanning salons.
   
• Use broad-spectrum sunscreens with an SPF of 30 or higher. Apply every two hours when outside between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
   
• Wear sun-protective clothing and hats.
   
• Plan outdoor activities for the beginning or end of the day. 

Minimize wrinkles due to photoaging

(with the help of your doctor):

• Prescription retinoid creams and gels are helpful for acne and rosacea, but also can reverse wrinkling.
   
• Alpha-hydroxy acid creams and lotions can also help with fine wrinkles and prevention of skin aging. Dr. Woodbury currently offers two such products, produced by his company Big River Silk Skincare (www.bigriversilkskincare.com). GlycoShea™ Hand & Body Cream and GlycoShea™ Face & Neck Cream are made from shea butter and glycolic acid.
   
• More aggressive office treatments include chemical peels, Botox® injections, injections of fillers like Restylane®, laser therapy, dermabrasion, or even surgical approaches such as face lifts for people with more severe issues. We offer chemical peels at R&D, and other procedures are  available from plastic surgeons or cosmetic dermatologists in the area.

None of these are a instant cure for photoaging, but work best as part of a management program. Most medical studies have involved 6-12 months of use. The first step is to get a consultation with a doctor to determine which treatment or combination might be best suited to your situation.