Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

Ramon E. Rivera, MD, assistant professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, was interviewed about possible contamination of endoscopes used in colonoscopies performed at the Veterans Administration hospital in Buffalo. “The worst thing that could come out of this,” Rivera said, “would be for patients sitting at home saying ‘You know what? I won’t get my colonoscopy.’”

An article reports on research being conducted by Andrew H. Talal, MD, professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and two student researchers to find out if telemedicine can improve hepatitis C treatment for patients who take methadone and, if so, how it can work best. “This is a population that not only has been excluded from medical care but also from research,” Talal said.

CGTV News, an international news outlets with an audience of 1.2 billion people around the world, interviews Andrew H. Talal, MD, professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, about World Hepatitis Day and research about the disease. “I think the progress in treatment has really been phenomenal,” he said. “The new therapies for hepatitis C have really been revolutionary, resulting in one pill once a day for the vast majority of patients, much shorter treatment duration, much easier to take and minimal side effects.”

An article about Hepatitis C and the new group of drugs that offer a 90 percent cure rate interviews Andrew H. Talal, MD, professor of medicine, who leads liver disease research at UB’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute. “We’re not only seeing the fact that the older generation is dying of cirrhosis and increased liver cancer in larger numbers, but just when we thought we were going to get rid of this disease because we have these new therapies, now we’ve got all these young people coming in with Hepatitis C,” he said.

A study of patients with irritable bowel syndrome showed that many factors that contribute to patient satisfaction are beyond the doctor’s control. "Patient satisfaction is a significant metric that impacts reimbursement as health care emphasizes the value of care not the volume of care," said Jeffrey M. Lackner, PsyD, professor of medicine.

An editorial by Andrew H. Talal, MD, professor of medicine, looks at the difficulties of screening, diagnosing and treating individuals infected with the hepatitis C virus who also have substance use disorders. “People with substance use disorders can account for as much as 80 percent of infected individuals in developed countries, a direct result of the opioid epidemic in the U.S.,” he said.

Andrew H. Talal, MD, MPH, professor of medicine, talks about the sharp rise in hepatitis C in young adults that officials are blaming on the opioid epidemic.

Thomas C. Mahl, MD, professor of medicine and chief of gastroenterology at the Buffalo VA Medical Center, discusses liver diseases and says many people with hepatitis C are not aware they have it. Mahl directs the gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition fellowship. Brian Clemency, DO, associate professor of emergency medicine and director of the emergency medicine services fellowship, gives advice on preparations for end-of-life care.

Anthony D. Martinez, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine, is interviewed about hepatology, the medical field that deals with the liver, and, specifically, about new treatments for hepatitis C that have a 100 percent cure rate.

Andrew H. Talal, MD, professor of medicine, discusses the telemedicine program he has been developing. The program allows people with hepatitis C virus to receive virtual appointments at methadone clinics with an off-site physician who can prescribe treatment for the virus. It “is really the opportunity to virtually integrate medical treatment into the substance abuse treatment facility, as opposed to physical integration, which is much more difficult to accomplish,” he says.

Ramon E. Rivera, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine, moved to Buffalo with his family because of the opportunities it offers. “On a trip here, we drove around and thought the medical corridor was impressive,” he says, emphasizing that he and his family see growth and engagement in Buffalo. “People in the medical community want to put Buffalo on a national stage. We’re in it for the long haul.”

UB researchers have received $7 million in federal funding to expand drug treatment to hundreds of patients throughout New York State, with the research to be led by Andrew H. Talal, MD, professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and director of the Center for Clinical Care and Research in Liver Disease, who will study the spread of hepatitis C virus among drug users who share needles.

Anthony D. Martinez, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine, speaks about Hepatitis C and the role of addiction in treating the disease. Martinez discussed the positives that addiction specialists’ experience and background bring to treating HCV.

Andrew H. Talal, MD, MPH, professor of medicine and director of the Center for Clinical Care and Research in Liver Disease, is profiled for his hepatology research, particularly in the hepatitis C virus and the need for translational research and integration into addiction medicine care.

Jeffrey M. Lackner, PsyD, professor of medicine, is leading a pilot study to determine whether behavioral self-management of irritable bowel syndrome may lead to fundamental changes in the digestive system’s bacterial ecosystem.