GW HealthCast

More than ever before, children treated for serious illnesses are living well into adulthood. This happy statistic means there is increased awareness of long-term quality of life concerns, such as the risk of infertility. The comprehensive Fertility & Hormone Preservation & Restoration Program at Lurie Children’s offers solutions for those young patients, giving many their only chance to have biological children one day. The program's leaders talk about this remarkable field of medicine...

Dr. Chad Johnson is joining us for another episode of Cannabis Grand Rounds today. In this episode, we talk a little bit more about some of the oral preps and get into the transmembrane and transdermal challenges that cannabinoids can present to prescribers. Dr. Johnson received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, focusing on medicinal chemistry and pharmacology. He is a faculty member in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Co-Director of the Master of Science in...

Dr. Chad Johnson received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, focusing on medicinal chemistry and pharmacology. He is a faculty member in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Co-Director of the Master of Science in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics (MCST) program at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy--involved in all basic science courses within the program. His research focuses on designing novel, fast-acting antidepressants and opioid...

Human agriculture started about 10,000 years ago and hemp was most likely one of the first cultivated crops. It is an extremely versatile crop with multiple uses back then and even more uses today. American farmers including our founding father George Washington grew hemp as a staple crop in the 1700s. But it only became legal in 2018 with the passing of that year's Farm Bill. So why did it take so long for the US to harness the power of hemp? In this encore episode from August 2022, we...

You've probably heard about the dangers of K2, Spice, and other strains of synthetic cannabis. As well as the horror stories of zombie-like states and fatalities. But you might be surprised to hear about its noble beginnings. That's according to Dr. Andrew Coop. Dr. Coop received his Ph.D. from the University of Bristol in the area of chemistry of drugs of abuse, followed by a Fogerty post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. He has been a faculty member in the...

The endocannaba-what?! Many of us have heard of the numerous systems in our bodies that help us live our day-to-day lives. But fewer have heard of the more recently discovered endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is critical for almost every aspect of our moment-to-moment functioning. This episode from February 2022 will cover what the endocannabinoid system is, how it helps us, and where it fits in the world of cannabis.

Dustin Sulak, D.O. is a renowned integrative medicine physician based in Maine, whose practice balances the principles of osteopathy, mind-body medicine, and medical cannabis. Regarded as an expert on medical cannabis nationally, Dr. Sulak educates medical providers and patients on its clinical use, while continuing to explore the therapeutic potential of this ancient yet emerging medicine. He also runs the cannabis brand Healer, which offers a line of CBD & THC products and free dosage...

Lurie Children’s Chest Wall Deformities Program is one of the few comprehensive centers in the country that focuses on the treatment of conditions including pectus excavatum, or sunken chest. Pediatric surgeon Dr. Fizan Abdullah is a world-renowned authority on minimally invasive surgery and chest wall deformities, and leader in researching health services and surgical quality improvement. We talk with him today about advances in chest wall deformity diagnosis and treatment.

Cannabis is an interesting plant been around for thousands of years used by humans for food, fiber, and medicine. But the botany of it is really fascinating. There is a sexuality to the cannabis plant, separate male and female cannabis plants. This is also referred to as dioecious. We have all of our hosts on this encore episode from August 2022 to discuss the differences in these plants, why having different sexes is advantageous, and how each plant works on a biological level.

The CDC has reported, in the middle of October, 8,000 RSV tests have come back positive which is double the number of positive tests at this time last year. As we move into winter, covid and flu numbers are expected to rise as well. Reid Health, director of emergency medicine, Dr. Samuel Iden shares what to look out for and when to seek care.

The Master of Science (MS) in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy is in its third class now. The Program provides students with the knowledge they need to support patients and the medical cannabis industry, add to existing research, and develop well-informed medical cannabis policy. The two-year program based at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Md., blends online instruction with face-to-face experiences to prepare...

Lurie Children's is among the only pediatric hospitals with a specialized colorectal center. The multidisciplinary team cares for children with colorectal conditions such as imperforate anus, Hirschsprung disease and severe constipation. Learn more from two of the center's leaders, Dr. Julia Grabowski and Dr. John Fortunato, about how their comprehensive approach to treating children with these conditions stands out.

In this episode, we're going to delve into the history of cannabis. And we thought a good way to do this was by talking about the history of cannabis prior to the early, early 20th century. There was a lot that transpired in the early and mid-20th century that impacts regulatory issues that we still face today. In this encore episode from January 2022, we'll cover the origins of Sativa and Indicus, William O'Shaughnessy's legacy, and standardization and precision dosing. Be sure to also...

Like any medication, different doses and treatments affect each population in a variety of ways. So we're focusing on different populations and cannabis use. In this encore episode from April 2022, we talk about kids: how children react to an accidental cannabis overdose, and how these cases are handled in emergency rooms. And we'll also look at the elderly: pain regulation, drug interactions, and avoiding increased fall risks. Lastly, we touch on what we know about pregnancy, lactating,...

According to in.gov, 12% of Indiana adults have received a diabetes diagnosis. This episode will help to educate and unpack factors leading to diabetes and what you can do if you've been diagnosed.

Lurie Children’s nationally ranked Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine is engaged in many research studies. Experts are exploring ways to improve the bone health of children, prevent injuries and the need for unnecessary surgeries, and address health disparities in children's orthopedic care. Today we talk with three of the division’s specialists about their current scientific pursuits, and how that will transform care children and teens with orthopedic disorders.

This episode is diving deep into some pharmacology again. We're talking about THCA. So what is the "A" for? How is it different than THC, which we've heard about for decades? Break out the old organic chemistry textbooks, because we're getting deep into this important cannabinoid with Dr. Les Matthews & Dr. Leigh Vincour.

Lurie Children's nationally ranked Division of Urology oversees one of the most experienced Multidisciplinary Valves Program (MVP) Clinic in the country. Their focus is treating children with a rare urological condition known as posterior urethral valves. Affecting only boys, PUV affects about 1 in 5,000 births and can lead to extreme damage to the kidney and bladder. Lurie Children's urologist Dr. Ed Gong and kidney specialist Dr. Kavita Hodgkins run the valves program and talk with us...

In the second episode of our discussion on seniors, today we are focusing on the special considerations the people in this population should take when deciding to incorporate cannabis into their treatment plans. 70% of older adults have 2 or more chronic conditions, and almost 40% of all seniors take 5 or more prescriptions! So polypharmacy is very important here. Dr. Les Matthews & Dr. Leigh Vincour are back in this episode to go over how to prescribe cannabis for this more complex...

By 2030, it's estimated that 20% of the population will be over 65. And in the last 3 years, there has been a 75% increase in the number of seniors who are interested in medical cannabis. In fact, the average age at Dr. Vincour's practice is about 79-80 years old. So why are all of these seniors all of a sudden interested in using cannabis, and why? Dr. Les Matthews & Dr. Leigh Vincour are back in this episode to talk about why we are seeing this trend.