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MIEC 6250 Claremont Avenue, Oakland, California 94618 MIEC 800-227-4527 • www.miec.com SFmedSoc_ad_02.11.10 Owned by the policyholders we protect. In ThIs Issue SAN FRANCISCO MEDICINE April 2010 Volume 83, Number 3 medicine and the Environment: Practice, Prevention, and Policy 12FEATURE A Climate ARTICLES Change for the Better 4MONTHLY Membership COLUMNS Matters 13 FromLinda OutBirnbaum, in the WorldPhD, and to JohnUnder Balbus, the Skin MD, MPH 5 Classified Ad 7 Executive Memo 15 TedScientific Schettler, Support MD, MPH for Endocrine Disruption 9 President’sMary Lou Licwinko, Message JD, MHSA 17 LorettaCan Plastic Doan, Hurt PhD, You? and Linda C. Guidice, MD, PhD Michael Rokeach, MD, and Steve 19 WilliamThe Weight H. Goodson of Evidence: III, MD, Chemicals and Shanaz and Dairkee, Obesity PhD 11 EditorialHeilig, MPH 20 J.P.Is Ignorance Myers, PhD Bliss? Measuring My Own Toxins Philip R. Lee, MD; Steve Heilig, MPH; 34 Hospitaland Michael News Lerner, PhD 22 MercuryLarry B. Silver, Update MD 2010 38 In Memoriam: Edgar Wayburn 23 ChemicalJane Hightower, Policy MD Reform: A Clinical Perspective William S. Andereck, MD 36OF INTERESTBook Review: 25 GinaThe NavigationM. Solomon, Guide: MD, MPH The Science Behind Practice Slow Death by Rubber Duck Patrice Sutton, MPH; Jeanne Conry, MD, PhD; Pablo Rodriguez, MD; and 37 PublicSteve Heilig, Health MPH Report: 27 TraceyTaking Woodruff, Action to PhD, Prevent MPH Harm: County Medical Associations Antibiotics (Still) at Risk 28 VitaminRobert Gould, D and MD, Calcium and Cindy Russell, MD Steve Heilig, MPH Toxic Matters Brochure on Page 26 Toxic Matters 31 BiomonitoringWilliam B. Grant, Update PhD It is with great pleasure that we share with you , the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment’s (PRHE) new print and online publication designed to help people avoid exposure to toxic substances that are present in our daily 32 CountingDavis Baltz, Roaches MS, and Sharyle Patton Toxic Matters lives. A pullout version of the brochure is located on page 26. is a nontechnical guide that provides evidence-based recommenda- tions for preventing exposure to environmental substances with adverse reproductive Editorial Philip and Landrigan, Advertising MD, Offices: MSc and developmental health impacts. 1003 A O’Reilly Ave., San Francisco, CA 94129 The online version of this brochure, as well as further resources, is available on the Phone: (415) 561-0850 extension 261 Toxic Matters e-mail: [email protected] Web: www.sfms.org program’s website, www.prhe.ucsf.edu/prhe/tmlinks.html. If you would like more infor- Advertising information is available by request. mation on , including information on getting copies for groups, seminars, clinics, etc., please e-mail [email protected] or visit the website at www.prhe.ucsf.edu. www.sfms.org April 2010 sAn frAncisco medicine 3 MeMbershIp Matters April 2010 Volume 83, Number 3 A SAmpling of ActivitieS And ActionS of intereSt to SFMS memberS Guest Editors Philip R. Lee Managing Editor Amanda Denz Join the Fight to Protect Medicine Copy Editor Mary VanClay CMA’s 36th Annual legislative leadership Conference of the Department of Public Health. Dr. Chow has been president of the Commis- Editorial Board Tuesday, April 27, 2010 sion and will now serve as vice president. Obituarist Nancy Thomson CMA Legislative Day 2010 is sched- Commissioner Chow is an internist and Stephen Askin Shieva Khayam-Bashi uled for , at the the executive director of the Chinese Toni Brayer Arthur Lyons Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento Community Health Care Association. Linda Hawes Clever Ricki Pollycove (please note the new date). The SFMS is again pleased and proud to Gordon Fung Stephen Walsh At the conference, you will hear have someone of Dr. Chow’s knowledge Erica Goode about the issues facing medicine in and distinction so intimately involved California from an impressive array of with health services in San Francisco. SFMS Officers experts who live and breathe the politics He is currently the only physician on the President Michael Rokeach and policy on these issues. Armed with 2010Commission. SFMS Seminar Schedule President-Elect George A. Fouras this knowledge, you will then head to Secretary Peter J. Curran the Capitol to meet with legislators to Treasurer Keith E. Loring make sure the voice of doctors is heard In conjunction with Practice and Liability Immediate Past President Charles J. Wibbelsman in Sacramento. Will you join us? Consultants The 2010 Conference will feature the Contact Posi Lyon at plyon@sfms. SFMS Executive Staff new Speaker of the Assembly, John Perez, org or (415) 561-0850 extension 260 for Executive Director Mary Lou Licwinko who will discuss the latest political hap- more information or to register. Advance Director of Public Health & Education Steve Heilig penings in the Capitol, and Robert Hertz- registration is required. Director of Administration Posi Lyon berg, Speaker Emeritus of the Assembly, Customer Service/Front Office Director of Membership Therese Porter who will give insight on proposed struc- TelephoneTuesday, May 11,Techniques/Difficult 2010 Director of Communications Amanda Denz tural reforms to our state government. Patients Skills Learn about the 2010 budget and its effect Board of Directors on health care from key officials who put Term: Jan 2010-Dec 2012 Roger Eng the budget together. Get the latest from This half-day practice management Gary L. Chan Thomas H. Lee CMA’s Center for Government Relations seminar provides valuable training to Donald C. Kitt Richard A. Podolin on legislation and how it will affect physi- enable your staff to handle front desk Cynthia A. Point Rodman S. Rogers cians. Meet directly with your legislators tasks and patients both efficiently and Adam Rosenblatt or their staff on issues that affect your professionally. Physicians and managers Lily M. Tan Term: Jan 2008-Dec 2010 practice and your patients. You will be should not assume their staff members Shannon Udovic- Jennifer H. Do provided with talking points and other inherently have customer service/patient Constant Shieva C. Khayam-Bashi resourcesPlease to bring allow your for a whitesuccessful coat. visit. relations skills. This seminar gives them Joseph Woo William A. Miller the tools for positive patient relations that Jeffrey Newman enhance the practice. Term: Jan 2009-Dec 2011 Thomas J. Peitz 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (8:40 a.m. Contact Therese Porter in the Mem- registration/continental breakfast) Jeffrey Beane Daniel M. Raybin Andrew F. Calman Michael H. Siu bership Department to RSVP, at tporter@ $95 for SFMS/CMA members and their Lawrence Cheung sfms.org or (415) 561-0850 extension staff ($85 each for additional attendees 268 for information about appointments from the same office); $150 each for CMA Trustee Robert J. Margolin sfms with our p legislators.ast-president edward Tellnonmembers. Us Why You Are a Member! AMA Representatives chow reappointed to Health H. Hugh Vincent, Delegate commission Robert J. Margolin, Alternate Delegate SFMS is launching a new member- driven promotional campaign and needs Edward A. Chow, MD, has been reap- your help. The campaign, entitled “Why pointed to an unprecedented sixth term I’m a Member,” will draw exclusively on the San Francisco Health Commission, upon quotes from members about their 4 sAn frAncisco medicine April 2010 the governing and policy-making body experiences with SFMS. www.sfms.org To help get this MeMbershIp Matters The san francisco medical society Advocating for physicians and patients campaign off the ground, we are asking you to share memorable moments, sto- As San Francisco Medical Society members know, since its inception in 1868 SFMS has ries, and anecdotes that exemplify why been an activist organization when it comes to the health of our community. Many projects you are a member of SFMS.Membership Please keep Direc all- and activities that have begun in San Francisco have gone on to have implications for the state torysubmissionsSan Francisco under 200 Medicine words. We will be and the nation. Here are some highlights from the current SFMS community health agenda. including these in the , in , and on the Agenda for 2010 website. E-mail submissions or questions to Jonathan Kyle, [email protected]. We thank you for your participation • Preserving the safety net and public health programs in times of severe budget cuts. sandtay look Informed forward andto hearing Help from SFMS you Go • Testifying in support of antitobacco legislation and San Francisco’s law banning the green! sale of tobacco in pharmacies. With the California Medical Association, submitting amicus brief opposing lawsuit to overturn the ban. • Working with Mayoral Task Force to develop and support the Healthy San Francisco Make sure SFMS has your e-mail program and participating in the lawsuit to preserve the program. address (SFMS does not share its mem- • Providing physicians for medical consultation for the San Francisco Unified School bers’ e-mail addresses). You can add this District. information to your membership profile • Participating in the Hep B Free program in San Francisco and educating physicians by going to the Member Log-in section of SFMSand patients Community on prevention Health and treatment Activities of hepatitis B.