Bristow Pediatrics

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is one of the four branches within traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM): acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine or therapy, Tui-na, and food therapy. CHM is a medicinal system which utilizes individual and combinations of herbs to prevent and aid in the treatment of disease. Proper veterinarian training, as well as utilizing and recommending herbal products from trusted sources is vital. CHM can be used to aid in the treatment of almost all veterinary conditions. The introduction of CHM into a veterinary practice can be beneficial for both the patient and the health of the practice. The successful incorporation and utilization of CHM does not end with the veterinarian's training. Support staff training and client education are crucial. This chapter discusses the what, why, and how for effective integration of CHM within your practice.

Database marketers, more than most, should be aware of their obligations as regards protection of data and the role of the Information Commissioner's Office. The perception of those who hold personal data, so-called ‘data controllers’ under the Data Protection Act, has been affected by headline news in the past year or so. Various committees and independent reviews are investigating the relevant legal provisions in light of recent breaches of data security and in particular HMRC's loss of data, reportedly comprising the banking details of 25 million recipients of child benefit. Here we assess the various calls for changes to the law and what tightening of the rules might mean for database marketers.

Outsourcing is a common practice in the database marketing industry, with companies outsourcing marketing functions to database marketers and database marketers outsourcing a variety of functions themselves. But what happens if the relationship breaks down to a point where one of the parties does not want it to continue even if the other does? The recent case of Vertex v Powergen is a useful reminder of the courts’ discretion about whether to order specific performance of a contract to get the parties to do what they agreed to. This paper discusses the High Court's decision in Vertex and considers the situations in which database marketing companies might want to consider seeking orders for specific performance and the likelihood of such orders being made.

The organ collection scandals of Alder Hey and Bristol Royal Infirmary in the UK were the driving force for a comprehensive overhaul of the legislation and regulation of the handling and use of human tissues in the UK. The Human Tissue Act 2004 is due to come into force in April 2006 and will resolve a number of uncertainties for researchers. The adopted regulatory approach is not dissimilar to that adopted for the use of embryos in the UK. The legislation provides the framework but a body established under the Act – the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) – will be responsible for granting licences, determining what constitutes ‘appropriate consent’ and providing detailed guidance and regulations. The advantage of this approach is that it will allow the board of the HTA, whose members include experienced professionals in the medical and research communities, to adapt the system to keep up with scientific developments and possibly changes in public opinion more rapidly than would have been possible where guidance is set out within the legislation. Even before the HTA issues its first guidance, researchers can be clear that certain activities, such as those relating to cell lines, are not covered by the Act. Other processes, such as the anonymising and de-linking of patient data could be subject to additional regulation by the HTA although any guidelines must also conform with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998. This paper discusses the new regulatory framework and identifies the challenges for researchers in complying with an Act, which provides for criminal sanctions for breach.