In the News

December 2004

Allegations of Prisoner Abuse
ABC World News Tonight, 6:30 p.m. - Dec. 21

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) obtained e-mails and memos sent by the FBI detailing alleged abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay by the military. The pattern of abuse detailed in this information is more widespread than the military has acknowledged. Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, and professor, School of Law, said these practices "turn the stomach." Greenberger notes that the FBI knew that this information eventually would become public.

Celebrex Warnings Issued
WMAR-TV 6 p.m. - Dec 15

The maker of Celebrex has released new information that the pain relief medication may cause an increased risk of heart attack. Some doctors are more cautious about prescribing Celebrex because of new studies showing an increased risk for patients who take the largest doses for 5 years. Thomas Lang, MD, assistant professor, School of Medicine, says he is inclined to prescribe some of the older medications for his patients until the findings in the new studies have been analyzed.

Maryland Poison Center and Giant Food Issue Food Poison Warnings
Washington Post - Dec. 19
WRC-TV, Ch. 4 - 4:15 p.m., Dec. 15
Hearst Station Group - Dec. 15
WTOP Radio - Dec. 15

The Maryland Poison Center, a service of the School of Pharmacy, and Giant Food LLC, issued a holiday food safety and poison prevention advisory at the beginning of this busy holiday season. Illnesses related to food-borne bacteria have been described as the second-leading cause of sickness in the United States, behind the common cold. Bruce Anderson, PharmD, DABAT, associate professor, School of Pharmacy, and director of the Maryland Poison Center, was interviewed. Also participating in the news conference was the National Capital Poison Center, based in Washington, D.C.

Patients Confused by Painkiller Warnings
Fox 45 Morning News, Ch. 45, 7:20 a.m. - Dec. 22
WJZ-TV, Ch. 13, 5 p.m., 6 p.m. - Dec. 21

Fadia Shaya, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, School of Pharmacy, discussed the publicýs ongoing concerns about drug safety after another warning from federal authorities about potential problems with a popular painkiller. The latest drug to draw scrutiny is the painkiller naproxen.

University Of Maryland Law's Environmental Law Clinic Takes on EPA
Daily Record - Dec. 17

You don't get rated fourth in U.S. News & World Report's national survey of environmental law clinics by shying away from tough cases. The caseload at the School of Law's environmental law clinic includes two complex suits that take on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "This is real grownup work," says Rena Steinzor, JD, professor, School of Law, and director of the School's environmental law clinic. "We're not easily intimidated."

Acupuncture Found Helpful in Easing Arthritis Pain
Baltimore Sun ý Dec. 21
Washington Post ý Dec. 21
Seattle Post-Intelligencer ý Dec. 21
Fort-Worth Star-Telegram ý Dec. 21

In the largest study of acupuncture to date, researchers have found the 2,000-year-old Chinese treatment can supplement traditional therapies to help relieve pain and improve functions in patients with arthritis of the knee. The study's results are published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. "Conventional medicine doesn't have all the answers," says Brian Berman, MD, professor, School of Medicine, the study's lead investigator. Marc Hochberg, MD, MPH, professor, School of Medicine, is also quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com
www.washingtonpost.com

Buying Time at a Heavy Price
Baltimore Sun ý Dec. 20

Doctors say that when asked in the abstract about treatment options, most people quickly reject aggressive, painful procedures. Yet those same people find themselves accepting high-risk treatments, sometimes for themselves, more often for their children, to avoid dying. William Gray, MD, associate professor, School of Medicine, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com

Congressman Wants Bay Cleanup Overhaul
Maryland Gazette ý Dec. 18

The federal government's Chesapeake Bay Program needs more power to impose cleanup policies and a better way to get money to communities, a local congressman said last week. Jan Powell, PhD, assistant professor, School of Medicine, says there isn't enough research on whether nonnative oysters will harbor higher levels of a naturally occurring pathogen that causes food poisoning and occasionally a potentially deadly, gruesome infection.

For Blacks, Poor Health Care Access Cost 900,000 Lives
Washington Post ý Dec. 21

More than 886,000 deaths could have been prevented from 1991 to 2000 if African Americans had received the same care as whites, according to an analysis in the December issue of the American Journal of Public Health. More attention should be paid to addressing the causes of disparities, says Shiraz Mishra, MBBS, PhD, associate professor, School of Medicine.
www.washingtonpost.com

The Most Difficult Journey
Baltimore Sun ý Dec. 19

Hospitals have undertaken steps to ease the physical and emotional burdens of sick and dying children. They're borrowing concepts from compassionate care that have become accepted for the oldest patients, and tailoring them for the youngest. William Gray, MD, associate professor, School of Medicine, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com

A Grass-Roots Approach to African-American Health
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 16

Health care advocates hope to tap into the power of black clergy to educate African-Americans on health problems gripping their communities. Locally, experts in academia have tried to confront the problem. Last summer, the School of Medicine launched a Center for Health Disparities.
www.baltimoresun.com

A Long-Delayed Freedom for Walter Arvinger
National Public Radio, "All Things Considered" - Dec. 15

Walter Arvinger, conducted for a murder he did not commit, returned home to his family in Baltimore after 35 years in prison. Gov. Ehrlich commuted his life sentence as a result of the efforts by Michael A. Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law, and about 20 students from the School's Clinical Law Office. These efforts are profiled in a 25-minute news story featuring the students. Longtime "All Things Considered" host Robert Siegel attended a ceremony in the School in which Arvinger was honored on Dec. 2.
www.npr.org

American Detainee in Saudi Arabia Seeks Justice in United States
National Public Radio, "All Things Considered" - Dec. 16

A federal judge ruled that an American jailed in Saudi Arabia may have the right to challenge his detention in a U.S. court, and the judge will hear more evidence in the case. The family of Ahmed Abu Ali says he was incarcerated at the behest of the U.S. government. Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law, and director, Center for Health and Homeland Security, is interviewed.
www.npr.org

Challenges for Military Families and Blended Families
Media News Radio Network (network of radio stations on Maryland Eastern Shore) ý Dec. 12

Jesse Harris, PhD, dean, School of Social Work, and a military veteran, discussed coping mechanisms for military families whose loved ones are deployed during the holidays. Geoffrey Greif, DSW, associate dean and professor, School of Social Work, was interviewed about holiday-season challenges that are especially germane to blended families.

Commentary: Economic Development Progressing Nicely In Maryland
Daily Record - Dec. 11

The writer notes that Maryland has continued to accelerate its transformation toward the new "knowledge economy." Two soon-to-be completed biotech centers, the University of Maryland, Baltimore BioPark and the East Baltimore Life Sciences and Technology Park, mark the latest example of abundant bioscience activity taking place in the state.

Holiday Hazards
WHFS Radio - Dec. 12

Geoffrey Greif, DSW, associate dean and professor, School of Social Work, discussed ways that families can avoid stress and conflict during the holidays. The interview focused on holiday-season challenges that are especially germane to blended families.

Likely Successor for Kerik Discussed
WCHV-AM Radio, Charlottesville, Va. - Dec. 13

Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, discussed likely candidates to replace former New York City Police Chief Bernard Kerik as the next nominee for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. He was interviewed by radio host Tony Booth.

Many New or Expectant Mothers Die Violent Deaths
Washington Post ý Dec. 19
Newsday ý Dec. 20
Fort Wayne News-Sentinel ý Dec. 20

A year-long examination by The Washington Post of death-record data in states across the country documents the killings of 1,367 pregnant women and new mothers since 1990. This is only part of the national toll, because no reliable system is in place to track such cases. Cara J. Krulewitch, PhD, an assistant professor in the University of Maryland School of Nursing, has studied maternal deaths in the District and Maryland and says the states are not to blame so much as the lack of a national focus. The FBI collects comprehensive homicide statistics but does not look at pregnancy.

Startup Dental Practice Caters to Kids' Concerns
The Jeffersonian - Dec. 16

The pediatric dentistry practice of Shari Kohn, DDS, clinical instructor, Dental School, is profiled extensively. Kohn, who is pictured, recently opened an office in the northern Baltimore County town of Sparks.
news.mywebpal.com

UM Cancer Center Competes for Cancer Institute Grant
Baltimore Business Journal - Dec. 17
MSNBC - Dec. 20

The cancer center at the University of Maryland medical campus in Baltimore is looking to set up research partnerships with businesses. The goal is to shorten the time required to bring cancer drugs and diagnostic tools to clinical trials. If the cancer center receives the grant, it could mean up to $600,000 a year in new federal funding. "The hope is they would see it as an opportunity to get additional funding and additional expertise that they might not have within their walls," said Edward Sausville, MD, associate director of clinical research at the cancer center.
www.bizjournals.com
msnbc.msn.com

UMB BioPark ý Too Pricey or Just Right?
Baltimore Business Journal - Dec. 17

University of Maryland, Baltimore officials say its planned $193 million research park on the city's west side won't be too pricey for area companies, even though one of the region's more promising firms decided to take space elsewhere. Chesapeake PERL is moving its headquarters from College Park to Savage despite being hotly pursued by university officials. "I think it really varies from company to company," said James L. Hughes, UMB's vice president for research and development. "It's not going to be right for everyone."
www.bizjournals.com

Clinic's First Case Helps to Free Man Serving Life
Washington Post - Dec. 12

Two weeks ago, Walter Arvinger, 55, of Baltimore, walked out of prison a free man, his life sentence having been commuted by Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Arvinger's cause over the past 18 months has been championed aggressively by a law clinic in the School of Law that was established recently to exonerate wrongly convicted inmates. "Walter Arvinger has spent 36 years locked up for something he didn't do, something he never should have been tried for in the first place," says Michael Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law and the clinic's founder. "It's an immense tragedy."
www.washingtonpost.com

Educators the Key to Nursing Supply
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 11

Janet Allan, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, dean, School of Nursing, writes that she was gratified to see the nationwide nursing shortage receive prominent attention in the paper's editorial page ("Good Jobs Available," editorial, Dec. 5). "It is indeed correct," she writes, "that nursing is the 'pivotal link' in the delivery of health care, and a profession that is far too often insufficiently appreciated, respected and compensated."
www.baltimoresun.com

Keeping the Front Lines Secure
U.S.News & World Report - Week of Dec. 20

The Department of Homeland Security recently began testing the new U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology system, or US-VISIT. The program is designed to secure the nation's borders and facilitate the entry and exit process. Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, is quoted.
www.usnews.com

The Druggist Is In
Washington Post - Dec. 14

Independent pharmacy consultants are pharmacists who counsel patients for a fee. There are roughly 500 such pharmacy consultants in the database of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. Resources cited include Nicole Brandt, PharmD, CFP, BCPP, assistant professor, School of Pharmacy, and the School's Peter Lamy Center for Drug Therapy and Aging. Brandt is its director of educational and clinical programs.

The Murder Epidemic
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 12

As the clock ticks down the end of another year, Baltimore's homicide tally keeps mounting with deadly momentum toward a figure that almost certainly will be more than last year's total of 271. Jerome Deise, Jr., JD, professor, School of Law and Michael Lindsey, MSW, MPH, PhD, assistant professor, School of Social Work, are interviewed.
www.baltimoresun.com

Arvinger Release
WEAA radio, 7:14 a.m. - Dec. 2

Walter Arvinger, convicted for a murder he did not commit, returned home to his family in Baltimore after 35 years in prison. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. commuted his life sentence as a result of the efforts by Michael Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law, and about 20 students from the School's Clinical Law Office. Millemann was interviewed on "Daybreak with Anthony McCarthy" regarding the case.

Booths Make Comeback for Cell Users
The Sunday Gazette Mail - Dec. 5

Some restaurants, libraries, and other businesses are slowly bringing back the phone booth, often without a phone itself. Instead, users have a private place to talk on their cell phones. The Thurgood Marshall Law Library in the School of Law has eight British-style phone booths, four with conventional phones and four dedicated to wireless calls.

Government Targets Drugged Driving Among Teens
Foxnews.com - Dec. 3

The White House drug czar warned teenagers and parents on Dec. 2 about the risks of smoking marijuana while driving, which he said is now as common as drinking and driving. An ongoing study at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, has preliminarily found that almost one in five teenage crash victims at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in the University of Maryland Medical Center tested positive for marijuana over 90 days in 2003. For victims between the ages of 16 to 20, over half tested positive for the drug.
www.foxnews.com

Hepatitis C Contamination
WBAL-TV - 5 p.m. & 6 p.m. Dec. 10
WJZ-TV - 11 p.m. Dec. 10

Cardinal Health's nuclear pharmacy in Timonium has temporarily suspended operations officials investigate a cluster of hepatitis C cases in the Baltimore area that may have been caused by contamination of a tracer agent administered to 16 or less patients Oct. 15. The state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating. Fadia Shaya, an assistant research professor in the School of Pharmacy, and Jean-Pierre Raufman, MD, head of gastroenterology and hepatitis in the School of Medicine, were interviewed about the risks.

Maryland's Governor's 'Gag Order' Stirs Debate
The Providence Journal (Rhode Island) - Dec. 7

Constitutional law experts and attorneys are debating whether Maryland's governor violated the freedom of speech of a Baltimore Sun columnist and reporter when he banned state officials from talking to the journalists. Abraham Dash, JD, professor, School of Law, says the First Amendment prohibits the governor from trying to stop the paper from printing stories he does not like.

New Reasons to Ditch Soda
Buffalo News (NY) - Dec. 7

You know that soft drinks are a good habit to break. Another surprising motivator is that sugar-filled soda really does rot teeth, say researchers at the Dental School. In test-tube studies, malic and tartaric acids in noncola drinks damaged dental enamel.
www.buffalonews.com

Search Begins for New Homeland Security Secretary
WTOP Radio ý 8:30 a.m. Dec. 13
WGGM Radio (Charlottesville, Va.) ý Dec. 13
WTOP Radio ý 3:20 p.m. Dec. 11

Michael Greenberger, JD, professor in the School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, was interviewed about possible new candidates to direct the U.S. Department of Homeland Security now that Bernard Kerik has asked that his name be withdrawn as a nominee.

Shortage of Nurse Instructors
WTOP.com - Dec. 11
Associated Press - Dec. 11

A lack of instructors and adequate classroom space forced Maryland nursing schools to turn away thousands of qualified students last year, officials say. "What we're having is this huge upturn in applicants, and we can't admit students because we don't have enough faculty," says Janet D. Allan, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing. "It's kind of criminal that we are turning away qualified students in a time of shortage."
www.wtopnews.com

Timeline of Thurgood Marshall's Career
The Dallas Morning News - Dec. 9

In this timeline of Thurgood Marshall's career, one of the highlights listed is his first major civil rights case victory in 1935 with Charles Houston in the case Murray v. Pearson. This case led to desegregation at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Unionized UMB Employees Approve Contract
The Daily Record - Dec. 9

Employees of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, who are represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees approved a first-ever contract by an "overwhelming" vote, AFSCME officials said. Among issues resolved during sometimes-contentious negotiations were a freeze on employees' parking fees during the first year of the contract, and an increase in the university's bus pass subsidy.

Death Sentences Challenged for Racial Bias
Washington Times - Dec. 6
Associated Press - Dec. 6

Three Maryland death-row inmates, running out of appeals, have filed or plan to file challenges to their death sentences based on a nearly 2-year-old study of race and Maryland's death penalty. This means judges likely will have to determine whether Marylandýs death penalty law allows race to seep into the decisions prosecutors make. "The race issue will finally get litigated and resolved," says Michael Millemann, JD, a professor in the School of Law who represents death-row inmate John Booth.
washingtontimes.com

Doctors Warn of Weight Gain in Teens on Mood-Altering Drugs
Kansas City Star - Dec. 2

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved so-called second-generation anti-psychotic drugs to treat mentally ill adults, the agency has not agreed to their use in youths. "We are learning about the safety issues as we are using the drugs in children," says Julie Magno Zito, MS, PhD, associate professor, School of Pharmacy, and School of Medicine, who led the study showing the soaring use of these drugs in youths. "In my mind, there is not sufficient data that establishes them as effective and safe in children for long-term use."

Drug Czar Warns Teens On Driving, Pot Smoking
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Dec. 3

The White House drug czar warned teenagers and parents on Dec. 2 about the risks of smoking marijuana while driving, which he said is now as common as drinking and driving. An ongoing study at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, has preliminarily found that almost one in five teenage crash victims at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in the University of Maryland Medical Center tested positive for marijuana over 90 days in 2003. For victims between the ages of 16 to 20, over half tested positive for the drug.

Experts Debate Constitutionality of Governor's Reporter Ban
Salisbury Daily Times - Dec. 7

Constitutional law experts and attorneys are debating whether Maryland's governor violated the freedom of speech of two Baltimore Sun reporters he calls biased after he banned officials from talking them. A constitutional law expert says the Republican governor probably had the legal right to tell his staff how to deal with the media. But, Abraham Dash, JD, a professor at the School of Law, says the First Amendment prohibits the governor from trying to stop the Sun from printing stories he doesn't like.
www.delmarvaheadlines.com

FDA Whistleblower Steps into the Spotlight
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 6

A career government scientist, David Graham, MD, has become an accidental celebrity with his Congressional testimony calling into question five prescription drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Paul Stolley, MD, a University of Maryland epidemiologist who worked in the FDA's drug safety office in 2000, says Graham has "a very good track record. He's doing this because he thinks these drugs are dangerous and he's going to save lives."
www.washingtonpost.com

Former N.Y. Police Commissioner Tapped for Homeland Security
MSNBC - Dec. 4
Detroit Free Press - Dec. 4

President Bush has picked former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik to serve as Homeland Security secretary. Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, calls the selection "inspired" and says, "This is going to bring smiles to the faces of fire chiefs, police chiefs, and emergency medical technicians around the country."
www.freep.com

German Flu Vaccine Being Tested Here
Baltimore Sun ý Dec. 10
WBALChannel.com ý Dec. 10
WBAL-AM Radio ý Dec. 10
WYPR-FM ý Dec. 10
ABCNews.com ý Dec. 10

The School of Medicine is one of four institutions nationwide studying the safety of a foreign-made influenza vaccine to determine whether it can be licensed in the United States in time for next year's flu season. "The vaccine is made in a nearly identical fashion to the vaccine that is licensed in the United States," says James Campbell, MD, assistant professor, School of Medicine.
www.baltimoresun.com
abcnews.go.com
www.thewbalchannel.com

Intelligence ReformLegislation Addresses Key National Security Problem
National Public Radio - Dec. 7
WUSA-TV, Ch 9 - 9 a.m. Dec. 8

Michael Greenberger, JD, a professor in the School of Law and director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, says the intelligence reform legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives addresses one of the key problems in the 9/11 tragedy: the ability of intelligence agencies to communicate with each other.
www.theworld.org

Law Experts Debate Ehrlich's Reporter Ban
Associated Press ý Dec. 6 (Story has appeared in 40 publications)

Constitutional law experts and attorneys are debating whether Maryland's governor violated the freedom of speech of a Baltimore Sun columnist and reporter when he banned state officials from talking to the journalists. Abraham Dash, JD, professor, School of Law, says the First Amendment prohibits the governor from trying to stop the paper from printing stories he does not like.
www.tallahassee.com

Malpractice Reform
WYPR Radio - Dec. 7

Diane Hoffmann, MS, JD, associate dean, director of the Law and Health Care Program, and professor, School of Law, was a guest on "The Marc Steiner Show" and was interviewed about malpractice reform.

Officials in Southwest Like Nominee
Arizona Republic - Dec. 4

President Bush has picked former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik to serve as Homeland Security secretary. Kerik played a key role in the city's response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Says Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, "The Southwest border is the most critical issue (Bernard Kerik) has right now. I don't know what he knows about border issues now. But we can be as confident as we can be that he'll be a quick learner and that the border will be on the top of his priority list."
www.azcentral.com

Some Patients are Seeking Alternatives to Five Risky Drugs
Washington Post - Dec. 7

Now that the safety of five prescription drugs has been called into question by an associate director for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, some patients are asking doctors for alternatives. Michael Miller, MD, director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology and a professor in the School of Medicine, says at least 10 patients have called asking what to do.
www.washingtonpost.com

Watchdog Groups Sue EPA Over Pollution Levels in Maryland
Washington Post ý Dec. 10
Baltimore Sun ý Dec. 10
WBALChannel.com ý Dec. 10

Four Maryland water-watchdog groups are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, claiming that the federal government is not doing enough to protect the state's rivers and streams from pollution. Rena Steinzor, JD, director of the Environmental Law Clinic and professor, School of Law, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com
www.washingtonpost.com
www.thewbalchannel.com

Web Sites Compares Drugs for Best Buys
USA TODAY - Dec. 10

The publisher of Consumer Reports launched a free Web site to rate prescription drugs on safety, effectiveness, and cost. Sheila Weiss Smith, PhD, associate professor, School of Pharmacy and adjunct professor, School of Medicine, says the site does provide valuable information. However, she warns that consumers should read the entire report on the class of drug they are considering, not just the short highlight page that precedes each section. "If you just read the highlights, you're not informed," she says.
www.usatoday.com

Anti-Depressant Use by U.S. Adults Soars
Washington Post - Dec. 3

One in 10 American women takes an antidepressant drug and the use of such drugs by all adults has nearly tripled in the last decade, according to new federal figures. "As the numbers keep growing year after year after year, and larger proportions of the population appear to be suffering from conditions or getting treatments they may or may not be benefiting from, that would be an argument to follow large cohorts of patients in community studies to assess effectiveness and safety," says Julie Magno Zito, MS, PhD, associate professor, School of Pharmacy, and School of Medicine.

Expansion, $22 Million Renovation Set at Drug Plant
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 6

Shire Pharmaceuticals Group will spend $22 million for renovations and additions at its Owings Mills manufacturing plant and will employ 50 more workers next year. A company spokesman says that Shire values its relationship with the county and the state, and benefits by having a relationship with the School of Pharmacy.
www.baltimoresun.com

Homemade DVDs About Informing Give Police Clues
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 4

Baltimore police reported that their discovery of a cache of homemade DVDs featuring young men smoking marijuana and spewing violent threats, as well as appearances by homegrown NBA star Carmelo Anthony, has provided them with a trove of criminal intelligence. Police believe the videos were made in an attempt to intimidate police informants. Michael Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law, says the DVD did not appear to form a basis for criminal charges against Anthony.
www.baltimoresun.com

Law Experts Debate Ehrlich's Reporter Ban
Associated Press - Dec. 6
Kansas City Star - Dec. 6

Constitutional law experts and attorneys are debating whether Maryland's governor violated the freedom of speech of a Baltimore Sun columnist and reporter when he banned state officials from talking to the journalists. Abraham Dash, JD, professor, School of Law, says the First Amendment prohibits the governor from trying to stop the paper from printing stories he does not like.
www.baltimoresun.com

Murders of Three Children in Northwest Baltimore
Legal Times - Dec. 6

Two Mexican immigrants accused of killing three children in Northwest Baltimore in May will not face the death penalty, according to defense lawyers who said prosecutors had informed them of this development. Michael Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law, is quoted.

Panel Flunks Female Libido Patch
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 4

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel has voted unanimously to recommend that the agency deny approval to Procter & Gamble's bid to market a skin patch designed to restore the sex drive of millions of women who have lost their ovaries to surgery. S. Michael Plaut, PhD, associate professor, School of Medicine, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com

Pills Are a Double-Edged Sword
Chicago Tribune - Dec. 2

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved so-called second-generation anti-psychotic drugs to treat mentally ill adults, the agency has not agreed to their use in youths. "We are learning about the safety issues as we are using the drugs in children," says Julie Magno Zito, MS, PhD, associate professor, School of Pharmacy, and School of Medicine, who led the study showing the soaring use of these drugs in youths. "In my mind, there is not sufficient data that establishes them as effective and safe in children for long-term use."

Revisiting Welfare Reform
Washington Times - Dec. 4

In a letter to the editor, Karen Czapanskiy, JD, professor, School of Law, offers a response to an earlier opinion piece that encourages parents to give more time to their teenage children. She argues that the op-ed piece focuses on upper-middle-class women, while the broader reality is that many more mothers and fathers live in low-income families and have no options about caretaking time.
www.washingtontimes.com

A Tough Cop Tempered by 9/11 and Iraq
Washington Post - Dec. 3

President Bush has picked former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik to serve as Homeland Security secretary. Kerik is a seasoned police veteran who played a key role in the city's response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "The relationship between the Bush administration and the nationýs first responders has not been the best. I think Kerik will help change that dramatically," says Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law.
www.washingtonpost.com

Biotech Lab Aims to Spark Careers
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 5

MdBioLab is a mobile, $400,000 customized trailer equipped with all the amenities of a biotechnology research laboratory. It travels to high schools across the state to develop interest in bioscience careers. It is operated by a nonprofit organization that has received funding, in part, from the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute.
www.baltimoresun.com

For Cellphone Users, Booths are Answer to Etiquette Gaffes
WMAR-TV, Ch. 2, 5 p.m. - Dec. 3
Chicago Sun-Times - Dec. 5

Some restaurants, libraries, and other businesses are slowly bringing back the phone booth, often without a phone itself. Instead, users have a private place to talk on their cell phones. The Thurgood Marshall Law Library in the School of Law has eight British-style phone booths, four with conventional phones and four dedicated to wireless calls. A few unidentified students were interviewed for the WMAR-TV story.
www.suntimes.com

Tracking Down Digital Smoking Guns
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 5

Not since the adoption of the Xerox machine 45 years ago has the centuries-old legal profession been so affected by new technology. While most students are familiar with the Internet and other electric technology advances, "trying to harness all of that recreational knowledge and turn it into professional expertise is a challenge for all law schools," says Theresa LaMaster, JD, assistant dean for technology affairs, School of Law.
www.baltimoresun.com

Whistleblower at FDA Steps into Spotlight
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 6

Food and Drug Administration safety officer David Graham has repeatedly accused his supervisors of failing to guarantee the safety of America's drugs. "He's no hothead. He's doing this because he thinks these drugs are dangerous and he's going to save lives," says Paul Stolley, MPH, MD, clinical professor, School of Medicine. Stolley worked in the FDA's drug safety office in 2000.
www.baltimoresun.com

Additional City Surveillance Cameras Raise Privacy Concerns
WNUV-TV, Ch. 54 - 6:30 p.m., Dec. 2
WBFF-TV, Ch. 45 - 10 p.m., Dec. 2

Mayor Martin O'Malley has announced that Baltimore City will be installing more surveillance cameras to observe activity on public streets in high-crime areas. The American Civil Liberties Union questions whether the program will violate privacy laws. Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, says constitutional rights to privacy will not be invaded as long as the cameras are installed in public areas where there is no expectation of privacy.

Complacency Seen as Security Problem
Newhouse News Service - Dec. 2

A major challenge awaiting the successor to departing Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge will be persuading a largely complacent public to take terrorism more seriously. "People are just not focused on this, and the truth is that we are vulnerable in so many different directions," says Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law.

Complacency Seen as Security Problem
New Orleans Times-Picayune - Dec. 2

A major challenge awaiting the successor to departing Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge will be persuading a largely complacent public to take terrorism more seriously. "People are just not focused on this, and the truth is that we are vulnerable in so many different directions," says Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law.
www.nola.com

For Cellphone Users, Booths are Answer to Etiquette Gaffes
WJLA-TV, Ch. 7- 6 p.m., Dec. 1

Some restaurants, libraries, and other businesses are slowly bringing back the phone booth, often without a phone itself. Instead, users have a private place to talk on their cell phone. The Thurgood Marshall Law Library in the School of Law has eight British-style phone booths, four with conventional phones and four dedicated to wireless calls. Students Russ Bowman and Lisandra Santiago were interviewed, along with Jose Bahamonde-Gonzalez, JD, associate dean, School of Law.

Former N.Y. Police Commissioner Tapped for Homeland Security
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 3
WRC-TV - 6:30 a.m., Dec. 3
Associated Press Radio - 10:10 a.m., Dec. 3
Associated Press Talk Radio Network - Dec. 3
Bloomberg News Service - Dec. 2
WTOP Radio ý 6:20 p.m., Dec. 2

President Bush has picked former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik to serve as Homeland Security secretary. Kerik is a seasoned police veteran who played a key role in the city's response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, calls the selection "inspired." He tells Bloomberg News, "This is going to bring smiles to the faces of fire chiefs, police chiefs, and emergency medical technicians around the country."
www.bloomberg.com
www.baltimoresun.com

Freed Prisoner Meets UM Law Students Who Worked on His Case
WMAR-TV, Ch. 2 - 5:30 p.m., 11 p.m., Dec. 2
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11 - 6 p.m., 11 p.m., Dec. 2
WJZ-TV, Ch. 13 - 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 11 p.m., Dec. 2
WNUV-TV, Ch. 54 ý 6:30 p.m., Dec. 2
WBFF-TV, Ch. 45 - 11 p.m., Dec. 2
Capital News TV (P.G. and Montgomery County Cable) - 6:30 p.m., Dec. 2

Freed prisoner Walter Arvinger and his family came to the School of Law to meet the 20 students who worked on his case for 18 months and helped to secure the commutation of his sentence by Gov. Ehrlich. The ceremony was led by Karen Rothenberg, JD, MPA, dean, School of Law, and Michael A. Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law, who supervised the students and helped lead the legal effort. Also interviewed were two student leaders in the School's Clinical Law Office, Elizabeth Carmichael and Brian Furlong.

Homeland Security Chief Ridge Offers Resignation
Dallas Morning News - Dec. 1
Kansas City Star - Dec. 1
Knight Ridder Newspapers - Dec. 1
National Public Radio "All Things Considered" - Nov. 30

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, the former governor of Pennsylvania, became the seventh member of President Bush's cabinet to announce his resignation. Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, tells Knight-Ridder Newspapers that Ridge was a "tremendous ambassador for the president with regard to assuring the American public that homeland security was something that was taken care of." But Greenberger faulted Ridge for not creating a robust intelligence analytical unit within the department, as envisioned by Congress.
www.kansascity.com

Homeland Security Chief Ridge Offers Resignation
National Public Radio "All Things Considered" - Nov. 30

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, the former governor of Pennsylvania, became the seventh member of President Bush's cabinet to announce his resignation. Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, said that "unlike Attorney General Ashcroft he was viewed by the public as non-combative and, even more than that, a real gentleman who had a lot of tact and conveyed a deep concern for the well-being of the country." He added that the next Homeland Security secretary will have to be a more forceful figure.
www.npr.org

Is U.S. Ready for a Bioterrorism Attack?
ABC.com - Dec. 2

Some counter-terrorism experts are concerned that the United States remains vulnerable to a bioterrorist attack, even though three years have passed since the anthrax scare of 2001. Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, is quoted.
abcnews.go.com

Prisoner Freed; Returns Home to Baltimore
WMAR-TV, Ch. 2 - 7:55 a.m., Dec. 2

Walter Arvinger, convicted for a murder he did not commit, returned home to his family in Baltimore after 35 years in prison. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. commuted his life sentence as a result of the efforts by Michael A. Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law, and about 20 students from the School's Clinical Law Office. The School and the Clinical Law office prepared to host a noon reception Dec. 2 in Arvinger's honor.

Righting a Wrong
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 2

Walter Arvinger, convicted for a murder he did not commit, returned home to his family in Baltimore after 35 years in prison. As a result of the efforts by Michael A. Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law, and about 20 students from the School's Clinical Law Office, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. commuted his life sentence. In an opinion column that he authored, Millemann writes, "The commutation power recognizes the fallibility of both human judgment and performance."
www.baltimoresun.com

Celiac Disease More Common Than Once Thought
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ý Nov. 30

One of the year's great medical awakenings is the recognition that an intestinal disorder called celiac disease is much more common in the United States than once believed. A study by Alessio Fasano, MD, professor, School of Medicine, is noted.
www.post-gazette.com

For Cellphone Users, Booths are Answer to Etiquette Gaffes
Wall Street Journal - Nov. 30

Some restaurants, libraries, and other businesses are slowly bringing back the phone booth, often without a phone itself. Instead, users have a private place to talk on their cell phone. The Thurgood Marshall Law Library in the School of Law has eight British-style phone booths, four with conventional phones and four dedicated to wireless calls. David Grahek, JD, associate director, Thurgood Marshall Law Library, is quoted.

Four University-Based Research Parks Planned in Maryland
Daily Record (cover story) - Nov. 26

Trailing a trend that started in the early 1990s with the likes of Silicon Valley and North Carolina's Research Triangle, the state now has at least four university-based research parks in the pipeline. The University of Maryland, Baltimore, is already constructing the first of eight buildings dedicated to biosciences as part of a 720,000-square-foot research park on the city's West Side. Jane Shaab, senior director of business development, Office of Research and Development, is quoted.

Homeland Security Chief Ridge Offers Resignation
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ý Dec. 1
Toledo Blade ý Dec. 1
Harrisburg Patriot-News ý Dec. 1
WUSA-TV, Ch. 9 - 9 a.m., Dec. 1
WTOP Radio - 6:50 a.m., Dec. 1

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, the former governor of Pennsylvania, became the seventh member of President Bush's cabinet to announce his resignation. Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, is quoted. He tells the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Ridge's failure to coordinate intelligence "was a major administrative shortcoming."
www.post-gazette.com

In Delivery Room, Baby and Doctor at Risk
Washington Post - Nov. 27

In this profile of a medical malpractice case, it is noted that none of the 128 students who graduated from the School of Medicine in 2003 chose obstetrics as a specialty.
www.washingtonpost.com

Institute for Nurse Educators
Baltimore Sun (Education supplement) - Nov. 29

The new Institute for Nurse Educators and "Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions" certificate program in the School of Nursing are highlighted in this profile on the critical shortage of nursing faculty. Janet Allan, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, dean of the School, and Louise Jenkins, PhD, RN, assistant professor and co-director of the Institute, are quoted. Carol O'Neil, PhD, RN, co-director of the Institute, is also recognized.

Prisoner Freed; Returns Home to Baltimore
WBFF-TV, Ch. 45 ý 11 p.m., Nov. 30
Sinclair Broadcasting affiliates ý Nov. 30
Baltimore Sun ý Dec. 1

Walter Arvinger, convicted for a murder he did not commit, returned home to his family in Baltimore after 35 years in prison. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. commuted his life sentence as a result of the efforts by Michael A. Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law, and about 20 students from the School's Clinical Law Office. Arvinger was greeted by his son, grandchildren, and his 105-year-old grandmother.
www.baltimoresun.com

The Food Hangover
Baltimore Sun - Nov. 26

There's not much to do about feeling stuffed from Thanksgiving dinner except to get off the couch, take a vigorous walk, and emphasize healthier eating. One meal won't kill you. However, one meal might increase your odds of a heart attack, according to research by cardiologist Robert Vogel, MD, professor, School of Medicine.