August 10 2010 Issue

1) Comparative effectiveness research and 2) ACGME proposals for work duty hours. This podcast for the Neurology Journal begins and closes with Dr. Robert Gross, Editor-in-Chief, briefly discussing highlighted articles from the print issue of Neurology. In the second segment Dr. Michael Benatar interviews Dr. Jacqueline French about her paper on comparative effectiveness research. In the next segment, Dr. Ryan Overman is reading our e-Pearl of the week about Guillain-Barré-like syndrome with thallium poisoning. In the next part of the podcast Dr. Ted Burns interviews Dr. Lori Schuh about ACGME recommendations for work duty hours for our Lesson of the Week. The participants had nothing to disclose except Drs. French, Overman, and Burns. Dr. French has served on scientific advisory boards for UCB, Johnson & Johnson, Eisai Inc., Novartis, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Icagen, Inc., Ikano Therapeutics Inc., Sepracor Inc., and Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; has received funding for travel from UCB, Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma, Inc., Eisai Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, and GlaxoSmithKline; serves as an Associate Editor of Epilepsy Currents and Supplement Editor for Epileptic Disorders; estimates that 30% of her time is spent in outpatient epilepsy practice; receives research support from the Epilepsy Therapy Development Project, FACES, Johnson & Johnson, Eisai Inc., UCB, SK Bio-Pharmaceuticals, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Inc, Merck Serono, the NIH (R01 NS053998-01A1 [coinvestigator]), and from the Epilepsy Research Foundation; and serves as President of the Epilepsy Study Consortium, which receives money from multiple pharmaceutical companies. A fixed 20% of her NYU salary is paid by the study consortium, some of which may come from consulting fees from GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer Inc, UCB, Johnson & Johnson, Cyberonics, Inc., SCHWARZ PHARMA, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Eisai Inc., Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Ovation Pharmaceuticals, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Bial Pharmaceuticals, NeuroVista Corporation, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Icagen, Inc., Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ikano Therapeutics Inc., SK Bio-Pharmaceuticals, TaroPharma, NeuroTherapeutics Pharma, Inc., Sepracor Inc., and Novartis. Dr. Overman serves as Deputy Editor on the Neurology® Resident and Fellow Section editorial team and the Neurology® Podcast Committee.Dr. Burns receives a stipend as Podcast Editor for Neurology®, and performs EMG studies in his neuromuscular practice (30% effort).