"I think clinically we all strive to have our patients attain NEDA, even if it may be an imperfect measure or not always entirely possible." – Elisabeth Lucassen MD, of Penn State Hershey Neurology in Hershey, on a new analysis of dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera) in multiple sclerosis.
"This is a quadfecta!" -- Anthony Reder, MD, University of Chicago, discussing the approval of ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) for progressive and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
"There have definitely been consequences, and there may be more." -- Craig Smith, MD, surgeon-in-chief at New York Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center in New York City, on the institution's Match Day goof-up that left it without cardiothoracic surgery residents from this year's class.
"People can generally take opioids for pain for a few days and it's not an issue, but when they are on them for weeks, months, or even longer, it becomes a chronic medical condition like diabetes, hypertension, or depression." – Nitin S. Damle, MD, president of the American College of Physicians (ACP) commenting on a set of ACP public policy recommendations for the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders.
"If you want to reduce the number of abortions in America -- to make them 'safe, legal, and rare,' as they say -- then provide access to family planning." Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) discussing a resolution that would allow states to bar Planned Parenthood from receiving Title X grant funds.
"The most important thing physicians can do is talk patients through the issues." -- Todd Tuttle, MD, of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, commenting on a study of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy in women with early breast cancer.
"Without a federal commitment, we are going to lose this fight." -- Journalist Maria Shriver on threats to government funding for Alzheimer's disease research.