Out of East Africa
Satish K. Batta, M.D., was featured in the Spring 2006 issue of AMREFfocus, a publication of the African Medical Education and Research Foundation, for his activities as a teacher of anesthesiology in East African countries.

Pediatric Sedation Guidelines
Randall M. Clark M.D., and Steven C. Hall, M.D., were quoted in a Chicago Tribune article on December 5 that focused on the release of new guidelines for pediatric sedation from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

Lifesaving CPR in NC
The December 31 Asheville Citizen-Times (Asheville, North Carolina) reported that Frank H. Moretz, M.D., performed CPR and used a defibrillator to save the life of friend Alan Morledge after he collapsed from cardiac arrest at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville.

Anesthesia One of Greatest Medical Breakthroughs
Anesthesia was voted one of the top five greatest medical breakthroughs since 1840, according to results released on January 18 in a poll by the British Medical Journal. The top five breakthroughs were sanitation, antibiotics, anesthesia, vaccines and the discovery of DNA structure.

‘Grey’ Area in Medical Fiction
A letter from ASA to the producers of “Grey’s Anatomy” regarding the actions of anesthesiologists in the television drama was mentioned in the article “How T.V. Docs Can Keep You Well” of the January 28 Parade Magazine, demonstrating that situations represented in fictional dramas are often unrealistic and promoted for dramatic effect.

MH Gets Good Press
A January 30 Cape Gazette (Lewes, Delaware) article discussed malignant hyperthermia (MH) and the efforts of the Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States (MHAUS) to raise awareness of the hard-to-detect disorder. The October 1 Carroll County Times (Westminster, Maryland) highlighted information on how to recognize and treat MH.

In related efforts to provide information on MH, Richard F. Kaplan, M.D., and Sheila M. Muldoon, M.D., participated in an MHAUS mini-conference held in July in Westminster, Maryland.

Lethal Injection Participation Examined
David Varlotta, D.O., served as a member of a Florida commission convened to examine the state’s lethal injection procedures following a flawed state execution in late 2006. Nikolaus Gravenstein, M.D., Mark Dershwitz, M.D., Ph.D., and Mark J. Heath, M.D., testified as medical experts in hearings held by the commission. Commission recommendations submitted to the state on March 1 included a statement from doctors on the panel stating that medical personnel involved in the administration of lethal injections would be in violation of professional ethics.T he ASA Communications Department is interested in hearing from members who have been quoted in the media. To let us know that you have been interviewed, or for assistance with media relations, contact Donna Habich d.habich@ASAhq.org or Brittny Dziadula b.dziadula@ASAhq.org in the ASA Communications Department or call (847) 825-5586.