DENVER — Conflicts between federal government payment policy and physician practice guidelines played a part in the government's investigation into the uses of implantable cardioverter defibrillators, and executives with the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS; Washington) used a session at the organization's annual meeting to announce HRS will seek legislation that would shield physicians from prosecution for non-covered uses of medical devices. Physicians in the state of Georgia seem to be ahead of the curve on this issue, however, given the recent announcement that Georgia's Republican governor, Nathan Deal, just signed a physician shield law into force for doctors practicing in the Peach State.

Remember when expectant parents would go around showing off their ultrasound pictures to 350 or more of their family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and old classmates? Neither do I. Yet on any given day I can see 3-D ultrasound pictures posted by Facebook friends I only vaguely remember from school. Awe, it’s a picture of your uterus, you shouldn't have. No, really, you shouldn't have! Socially speaking, this trend is downright disturbing, especially when the mother-to-be makes it her profile picture. Now her fetus is available for the entire world to...