The Conversation, an online newsletter originally based in the United Kingdom and Australia, recently launched its US edition.  On Oct. 30 they published an interesting “conversation” about the history behind the “father of modern gynecology” that discusses his early work on surgical repair of obstetrical fistulas.   Like much early experimental medical procedures, it was often the poorest, most vulnerable women who were used as subjects (in this case slaves) so the lack of consent is concerning.  Yet these “experiments” often ended up helping people in the greatest need.   It is an interesting ethical discussion that has value for young researchers and doctors.  Informed consent today is much more regulated and monitored with legal oversight.  The article in its entirety can be accessed HERE.

A new data note from the Kaiser Family Foundation reports on the number of working mothers who must take unpaid time off when their children are sick and discusses state and national policies addressing the issue.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today allowed marketing of the inFlow Intraurethral Valve-Pump, a replaceable urinary prosthesis for use in female adults who cannot contract the muscles necessary to push urine out of the bladder (impaired detrusor contractility or IDC).

IDC is a condition where patients are unable to spontaneously urinate due to insufficient bladder muscle contraction, which can result from significant neurologic disease or injury such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, spina bifida or diabetic neuropathy. IDC is typically managed with various types of catheters, including clean intermittent catheterization (CIC).

Today, NIH released a Guide Notice (NOT-OD-15-012) announcing that the response date for the Request for Information “Consideration of Sex As a Biological Variable in Biomedical Research,” has been extended to October 24th. If you have not had a chance to submit your thoughts, please do so by October 24th.