News in brief - Oct. 17, 2011

2 American doctors win Nobel for immunology work

Two U.S. physicians were awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in medicine for their research into the immune system. Half of the $1.4 million prize went to Bruce A. Beutler, MD, chair of the Dept. of Genetics at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., and Jules A. Hoffman, PhD, for "their discoveries concerning the activation of innate immunity."

The Nobel assembly awarded the other half of the prize to Ralph M. Steinman, MD, for "his discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity." Dr. Steinman died of pancreatic cancer three days before the award was announced. He was a professor in the Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immunology at Rockefeller University in New York.

"The discoveries of the three Nobel Laureates have revealed how the innate and adaptive phases of the immune response are activated and thereby provided novel insights into disease mechanisms," the prize committee said in its announcement. "Their work has opened up new avenues for the development of prevention and therapy against infections, cancer and inflammatory diseases."

Back to top

Joint Commission requires catheter-related UTI prevention measures

Starting in January 2012, hospitals seeking accreditation with the Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based Joint Commission must follow evidence-based practices to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections. There are about 450,000 such hospital infections annually, the commission said.

As part of the commission's National Patient Safety Goal, hospitals will be required to follow guidelines on inserting and managing indwelling urinary catheters. These include limiting catheter use, employing aseptic techniques for insertion and maintaining the sterility of the urine collection system. Also, hospitals must track prevention processes and outcomes in high-volume areas of their facilities. Joint Commission accreditation is one way for hospitals to meet the conditions for participation in Medicare and Medicaid. More information about the new requirement is available at the commission's website (www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/R3_report_issue_2_9_22_11_final.pdf).

Back to top