The National Institutes of Health (NIH) have been publishing clinical alerts for almost 10 years. These alerts are infrequent, but are considered extremely important. NIH uses them to expedite the release of findings from the NIH-funded clinical trials where such release could significantly affect morbidity and mortality.
Of course, the word "alert" attaches a degree of urgency to the warning which isn't always appropriate for some content which nonetheless needs to be disseminated widely. So starting with the year 2000, NIH has begun to publish what it calls "clinical advisories." The advisories constitute worthwhile information deserving of special attention, but may consist more of health promotion, policy, or clinical trial issues that deal more with quality of life than mortality.
So far, three advisories have been issued in 2000, compared to only 19 alerts during the almost 10 years alerts have been available. The infrequency of the releases tends to add weight to the ones which are issued. Advisory topics include:
NIDCD/VA Clinical Trial Finding Can Benefit Millions with Hearing Loss
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Issued October 10, 2000
Treating Hypertension in the Patient with Type 2 Diabetes
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Issued May 30, 2000
NHLBI Issues New Clinical Advisory on Systolic Blood Pressure
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Issued May 4, 2000
Both the NIH Clinical Alerts and the NIH Clinical Advisories are listed on JEFFLINE. Look for them on the JEFFLINE News page, under Medical and Scientific News. They are also on the E-Journals list. In fact, the NIH Clinical Alerts are so important that whenever a new one is published, JEFFLINE runs a banner on our homepage announcing it.
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