Accordant Medical Review Board &WritersMedical ReviewersAaron Miller, MD -- Multiple Sclerosis

Dr. Miller is Professor of Clinical Neurology at the State University of New York Health Sciences Center. He is the Chairman of the Professional Education Committee for the American Academy of Neurology as well as the immediate past-Chairman of the AAN's Section on Multiple Sclerosis. Dr. Miller is a graduate of the New York University School of Medicine and trained in neurology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He has authored over 30 peer review journal publications and is currently the principal investigator on numerous clinical trials involving the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis. In addition, he is director of both the Division of Neurology and the Multiple Sclerosis Care Center at Maimonides Medical Center in New York and past-President of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers.

David Rodman, MD -- Cystic Fibrosis (Adult)

Dr. Rodman is both a Professor of Medicine as well as a Professor of Physiology at the University of Colorado. He completed his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania and his fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Colorado. Dr. Rodman is a Research Committee Member for the American Heart Association and a member of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee. Dr. Rodman has been awarded over $1 million in grants related to the research of Cystic Fibrosis and serves as the Director of the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and National Jewish Centers in Denver.

Donald Sanders, MD -- Myasthenia Gravis

Dr. Sanders is Professor of Medicine in the Division of Neurology at Duke University Medical Center, where he directs the Myasthenia Gravis Clinic. His major area of interest is the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular diseases. He is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and trained in neurology at the University of Virginia under T.R. Johns, M.D., a pioneer in the treatment of Myasthenia Gravis. Dr. Sanders has authored or co-authored over 100 peer review journal publications and lectures extensively on the topic of neuromuscular diseases. He was named Doctor of the Year by the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America. In addition, he is a past-President of both the Medical Advisory Board of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation and the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine.

Francis Walker, MD -- Parkinson's Disease

Dr. Walker is a Professor of Neurology at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He received his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine, completed his neurology training at the University of Iowa Hospital &Clinics and completed his Fellowship in Movement Disorders at the University of Michigan School of Medicine. Dr. Walker is the Director of the Wake Forest University Physicians Movement Disorders Clinic and the Medical Director of the EMG-NCV Laboratory at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He is an ad hoc reviewer for 6 journals including Muscle &Nerve and Neurology and the Associate Editor of the Journal of Neurological Sciences. Dr. Walker has authored or co-authored over 35 peer review journal publications, written more than 55 abstracts and speaks extensively on the topics of, among others, Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease and movement disorders.

Mark Bromberg, MD, Ph.D. -- CIDP, ALS, MG and inflammatory myopathies

Dr. Bromberg was on the faculty in the Department of Neurology at the University of Michigan for seven years before joining the faculty at the University of Utah in 1994 where he directs the neuromuscular program, which includes the EMG laboratory and Neuromuscular Clinic. He received his medical degree from the University of Michigan where he also completed his residency training in neurology and fellowship training in electromyography (EMG) and neuromuscular diseases. He received a doctoral degree in Neurophysiology from the University of Vermont and completed postdoctoral research training in the field of motor control. Dr. Bromberg is an ad hoc reviewer of four journals including Neurology and Annals of Neurology, is on the editorial board of Journal of Clinical Neuromuscular Disease, has published more than 50 peer review journal publications and has written chapters in 9 books.

Mike Swenson, MD -- Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis

Dr. Swenson is a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of California at San Diego and the Chief of Staff of Clinical Neurophysiology in the Department of Neurology at the University of Louisville. He received his medical degree from the University of Minnesota and completed his neurology residence at the University of Arizona. Dr. Swenson is a former Chief of Staff at the UCSD Medical Center and former Director of the UCSD Neuromuscular Clinics and EMG Laboratories. Dr. Swenson holds active professional memberships in over 15 associations and conducts editorial duties for five peer review journal publications. He is a contributing author on more than 60 peer review journal publications and is involved as the principal investigator on 14 currently funded research projects. In addition, he serves on the executive committee of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Board of Trustees.

Pam Becker, MD, Ph.D. -- Gaucher

Dr. Becker is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Cell Biology at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. She earned her Medical Degree at the Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Institute of Technology Health Sciences and Technology program. And, she earned her Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology from the Harvard Graduate School's Division of Medical Sciences. Dr. Becker is currently the Director of both the Gaucher Disease Center and Gene Therapy Laboratory as well as an Associate Director of Bone Marrow Transplantation at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester, MA. She is a current member in numerous professional societies including the American Society for Hematology, is the Principal Investigator on the NIH's Project, "Hematopoietic Stem Cell Adhesion in Engraftment" which runs through the year 2000 and is a contributing author on more than 30 peer review journal publications and abstracts.

Susanna Antonia McColley, MD -- Cystic Fibrosis (Pediatric)

Dr. McColley is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Northwestern University Medical School and the Attending Physician and Director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center at The Children's Memorial Medical Center in Chicago. She received her Medical Degree at the Northwestern University Medical School and completed her fellowship in the Pediatric Pulmonary Division at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. McColley has authored numerous peer review journal publications, lectures extensively on the topic of Cystic Fibrosis and received more than $350,000 in grants and contracts for the study of Cystic Fibrosis. In addition, she is active in regional and national organizations including the Cystic Fibrosis Center Committee and the nominating committee of the Assembly on Pediatrics for the American Thoracic Society.

Walter Barr, MD -- Systemic Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Sclerosis

Dr. Barr is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Northwestern University School of Medicine and Director of the Fellowship Training Program. He also serves as the Clinical Practice Director. He completed his medical degree at the Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine and his fellowship in Rheumatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Prior to joining Northwestern University this year, Dr. Barr served as Director of Continuing Medical Education and Director of the Division of Rheumatology at Loyola University. In addition to his teaching commitments, he is also a participant in numerous research and clinical studies focused on autoimmune diseases. Dr. Barr has authored more than 20 peer review journal publications on connective tissue disease and lectures extensively through such agencies as The National Center for Advanced Medical Education and the Chicago Medical Society. His disease of special interest is scleroderma. He is a member of the national Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium. Regularly volunteering his time on community service projects, Dr. Barr is a member of the Greater Chicago Arthritis Foundation's Task Force on Arthritis Care for the Indigent. In addition, Dr. Barr served as the president of the Chicago Rheumatism Society from 1995 - 1997 and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arthritis Foundation of Greater Chicago from 1997 - 1999.

Doyt LaDean Conn, MD -- Systemic Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Sclerosis

Dr. Conn is Professor of Medicine and Chairman of Rheumatology at Emory University School of Medicine and Chief of Rheumatology for the Grady Health System in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the past Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs for the National Arthritis Foundation. He completed his medical degree at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and his Internal Medicine training and Rheumatology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Conn was on the staff of the Mayo Clinic for 25 years and was actively involved in practice, education, clinical research and administration. He was a professor of medicine at the Mayo Medical School and served as chairman of the division of Rheumatology for 11 years. He is a fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians. Dr. Conn is the current medical editor for Arthritis Today and frequently responds to medical questions from readers. He is also the editor for "The Bulletin on the Rheumatic Diseases."

Andrew N. Wilner, MD, FACP - Epilepsy

Dr. Wilner was most recently on the faculty of Brown University in the Department of Neurology. Previously, he was the Medical Director of the Carolinas Epilepsy Center, in Charlotte, NC for six years. Dr. Wilner received his medical degree from Brown University. He completed residency training in internal medicine at the Long Beach Veterans Hospital and the University of Southern California -Los Angeles County Medical Center. He received neurology training at the McGill University Affiliated Hospitals and completed a fellowship in electroencephalography at the Montreal Neurologic Institute. Dr. Wilner is board certified in both internal medicine and neurology, with Added Qualification in Clinical Neurophysiology. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Epilepsy Society. Dr. Wilner has published many scientific articles on the topic of epilepsy and is the author of Epilepsy: 199 Answers, (A Doctor Responds to His Patients¿ Questions). His new textbook, Epilepsy in Clinical Practice, will be published in the spring of this year.

Patricia K. Coyle, MD -- Multiple Sclerosis

Dr. Coyle is Attending Neurologist with University Hospital Medical Center and is Staff Neurologist at Northport VA Medical Center in Stony Brook, NY. Dr. Coyle is an elected member of the American Neurological Association where she currently serves as Chair of the Multiple Sclerosis Section and as Chair of the American Academy of Neurology Infectious Disease Task Force. She also serves on the Medical Board and on the Advisory Committee for the Compendium of Multiple Sclerosis Information of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Dr. Coyle served as a Research Fellow at Johns Hopkins in NeuroImmunology and Neurovirology and is currently a tenured professor at SUNY at Stony Brook. She has presented 39 papers at national association meetings and has over 400 published papers in various medical journals, reviews, symposia and articles. She received her medical degree from Johns Hopkins, trained in neurology at Cornell University and completed her neurology residency at Johns Hopkins.

Cathy G. Rosenfield, MD -- Hemophilia and Sickle Cell Anemia

Dr. Rosenfield is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA and currently serves as the Director for the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic. Dr. Rosenfield received her graduate training at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Her post-graduate training in Pediatrics was completed at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, where she later served as a Fellow in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, and the Children's Hospital National Medical Center, Washington, DC. Dr. Rosenfield also completed a Fellowship with the Transfusion Medicine Service, Puget Sound Blood Center in Seattle, WA and holds Certification in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology with the American Board of Pediatrics. In addition to her academic appointments, Dr. Rosenfield is an active member of numerous medical societies and foundations, including the National Hemophilia Foundation and the American Society of Hematology. She also serves on the Children's Oncology Group National Committee and the New England Hemophilia Association Board of Directors.

Thomas W. Wilson, Ph.D., DrPH. -- Epidemiology

Dr. Wilson is Chief Information Officer and Corporate Epidemiologist with the Missouri Patient Care Review Foundation in Jefferson City, MO. Additionally, he is the Chief Scientific Officer with Wilson Research in Loveland, Ohio. Previously, Dr. Wilson was Director, Health Research and Evaluation with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Mason, OH. He was a Fulbright Fellow (Council for the International Exchange of Scholars) at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados from 1988-1989 and has been a fellow of the American Heart Association's Council for High Blood Pressure Research since 1993. Dr. Wilson has authored or co-authored over 50 business case studies, presentations and publications. He received his BS in Marketing/Business Administration, M.A. in American Studies, and Ph.D. in History/Social Sciences all from Bowling Green State University. He received his M.P.H. in Public Health/Epidemiology from the University of California, Los Angeles, which included training in bio-statistics at the London School of Tropical Hygiene. His Doctorate in Public Health was also obtained at the University of California, where he also trained in Health Services and Health Policy Research at RAND Corporation.

WritersLynn Rose is a health and medical writer for Accordant Health Services. Deborah Stewart is a former health and medical writer with Accordant Health Services.

Accordant's medical review team also contributes to the articles.

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