Dr. James Reed Joins Ranks of Highly Distinguished Physicians

The American College of Physicians (ACP) has recognized James W. Reed, MD, MACP, FACE, for his achievement in practice/medical research. This acknowledgement comes through the ACP’s elevation of Dr. Reed to the level of Master - American College of Physicians.

Masters compose a small group of highly distinguished physicians, selected from among Fellows who have achieved recognition in medicine by exhibiting preeminence in practice or medical research, holding positions of high honor, or making significant contributions to medical science or the art of medicine. They are recommended by the Awards Committee for election to Mastership by the Board of Regents. Masters are authorized to use the letters MACP (Master of the American College of Physicians) in connection with their professional activities for as long as their membership remains current. Masters enjoy the same privileges as Fellows.

Dr. Reed is a founding member and past-president of ISHIB. Join ISHIB in congratulating Dr. Reed on this remarkable acheivement.

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced the award of a $14 million grant to Tuskegee University to complete its National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care (NCBRHC). The grant from the National Institutes of Health will allow the university to provide research and teaching facilities for faculty, researchers, and visiting scholars for studies in bioethics, public health, and integrated bioscience programs.

Tuskegee University's center is the nation's first bioethics institute dedicated to addressing issues that involve African Americans and other underserved populations. It was created in part to address the legacy of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, which took place from 1932 to 1972 in Macon County, Alabama.

"This national center will serve as a place of excellence that will work to ensure patient protection in our country and provide guidance to other countries around the world," Secretary Thompson said. "Tuskegee University serves as an ideal place to house this center, both professionally and symbolically. The center will stand as a testament to those who suffered so unjustly in the name of science."

"A critical element of biomedical research is to assure all citizens that their rights are protected when they participate in research projects and that core ethical principles are exercised by all sectors of the health care profession," NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni, MD, said. "The Bioethics Center at Tuskegee University helps us promote sound medical research practice by educating researchers and bringing greater attention to bioethical issues that impact disadvantaged populations."

The center's objectives also include providing awareness of historical and contemporary medical treatment of African Americans and assisting in the elimination of racial disparities in health and improving access to quality health care and health services. The center serves as a resource for primary and secondary research exploring the role of cultural diversity in the bioethics community.

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced a new community-based effort to identify persons with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes and refer them for follow-up blood testing and treatment if appropriate. The focus of this initiative is to help Americans better understand their diabetes risk and take appropriate actions based on those risks.

The Secretary's Diabetes Detection Initiative: Finding the Undiagnosed (DDI) supports HHS' Steps to a HealthierUS and the President's HealthierUS programs to create a healthier, prevention-oriented society. The goals of the DDI are to increase blood testing for individuals who are at high-risk for diabetes and to increase diagnosis for those with unrecognized diabetes.

As a broad-based community effort, the DDI encourages individuals to determine their risk for undiagnosed diabetes using a customized paper risk assessment tool adapted from the American Diabetes Association. The results of this self-administered risk assessment tool will give the individual a clear message regarding appropriate blood testing to confirm the risk. A finger stick/capillary blood test will be part of the medical assessment that takes place in a health care site, and this result, combined with other information, will inform the health care provider of the need for further testing to diagnose diabetes. Risk tests will be distributed through a variety of community channels including social-service, faith-based, grass-roots and fraternal organizations and retail outlets.

"November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, so it is an appropriate time to recommit ourselves to the fight against diabetes," Secretary Thompson said. "Diabetes is now the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and cost the nation $132 billion in 2002. Through programs like the Diabetes Detection Initiative, we're working at the community level to find Americans who have type 2 diabetes but do not know it. Early diagnosis and proper treatment of diabetes can delay, and even prevent, the progression of serious health problems such as heart disease and stroke, blindness, lower limb amputations, and kidney failure. It is vitally important that we reach the undiagnosed sooner rather than later."

ISHIB Celebrates the Life and Accomplishments of
Mattiedna Johnson, RN, MT, MA-Divinity
(April 7, 1918 - December 12, 2003)