Although cannabis is still listed as an illegal narcotic under federal law, 16 states and the District of Columbia have statutes decriminalizing the drug when used as a therapy for specific ailments. One of the main points of contention with respect to medical marijuana is whether it is safe and efficacious.

Although some believe that insulin is the gold standard for treating type 2 diabetes, Harold Lebovitz, MD, of SUNY Health Sciences Center, Brooklyn, says that is not necessarily the case.

Guidelines and goals play a key role in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but they must be tailored to the needs of individual patients. The bottom line, according to Yehuda Handelsman, MD, is that no patient should register an increased glycemic level while in treatment.

One of the many challenges for clinicians treating fibromyalgia is determining whether a patient has developed a true comorbid major depression and when to make a referral to a psychiatrist.

Antimicrobial programs, which need to be closely connected to infection control programs and clinical microbiology labs, are playing an emerging role in slowing the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Warfarin has long been the primary oral anticoagulant for reducing the risk of stroke and thromboembolisms. But a new generation of oral anticoagulants are beginning to change patient treatment.

Concerns about methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection skyrocketed in 2000, when its prevalence in the US dramatically increaseed. One key to fighting MRSA is preventing its transmission.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are becoming more common in hospitals and health care facilities and have still higher incidence rates in nursing homes and long-term-care facilities. Listen here for valuable information on MRSA prevention and treatment.

Screening is thought by many to play a key role in reducing the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, but some argue that it isn't always necessary.

Guidelines from organizations such as the Infectious Disease Society of North America play a key role in the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and can help determine which therapies work best for which patients.

When treating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, some clinicians have argued that newer, costlier drugs can save money if used from the beginning in place of older, cheaper alternatives.

Over the last few decades, improved understanding of the neurobiology and pathophysiology of fibromyalgia has made the disease less mysterious to clinicians.

Diagnoses of fibromyalgia were originally reached by excluding other conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. Today, by contrast, diagnosis is done through a process of inclusion.

Comorbid conditions accompanying fibromyalgia include depression, sleep difficulty, restless leg syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome. Treating these conditions can help improve patients' overall condition.

Fibromyalgia is one of the most common pain syndromes in the US, but it can be difficult to identify and treat. Learn what you need to know about the challenges and opportunities facing physicians who treat this condition.

Physicians report that many patients are "terrified" when they are diagnosed with diabetes because they liken it to a death sentence.

The term "prediabetes" was first coined in 1979 by the World Health Organization and the National Diabetes Data Group.

The A1C test measures the percentage of a patient's hemoglobin that is glycated. The higher the A1C level, the poorer the patient's glycemic control and the higher their risk of diabetes-related complications.

Virginia Tech Carilion, the nation's newest medical school, is using a novel interview process for selecting new students. Applicants encounter a series of scenarios in which they must interact with their "interviewers" in a variety of different contexts, which require them to grapple with ethical conundrums, think on their feet, and demonstrate their ability to work as part of a team.

In November, the patent protection of the statin Lipitor, the world’s best-selling drug, is set to expire. It has been reported that Lipitor's maker, Pfizer, may seek permission to sell an over-the-counter version of the drug. We asked Jan Basile, MD, of the Medical University of South Carolina, for his thoughts on the matter.