| Dear Colleagues,
My thoughts this summer had been focused on our COVID response and the ANA’s efforts in social justice. Recently I was on service on our inpatient service with our new residents. Diving back into direct patient care was invigorating and rejuvenating, especially at a time when new therapeutics for neurological disorders are appearing regularly, for example: • The ASO tofersen for SOD1 ALS (N Engl J Med 2020;383:109-19. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2003715) • Selumetinib an inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases 1 and 2 (MEK1/2) was approved for NF1. (N Engl J Med. 2020;382: DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa11912735.) • eptinezumab-jjmr, the first IV preventative CGRP-antagonist. (Cephalalgia. 2020;40(3):241-254. doi:10.1177/0333102420905132) With the optimism that derives from these therapeutic advancements and other foundational discoveries it is easy to be distracted from the social justice issues. I am determined that the momentum that has developed within our organization towards social justice will be durable, and not a transient response. In that regard, I am delighted to repost something from our daughter Heather L. McArthur, an architect in NYC that captures the sense of accountability that we have to keep front of mind even as we focus on clinical and research activities. Warm regards,
Justin C. McArthur, MBBS, MPH |