Contamination of supplements: an interview with professor Ron Maughan by Louise M. Burke

This issue of IJSNEM features two articles related to supplement use by athletes. In one (Morrison et al. 2004), people who undertake regular exercise in a gym were found to report the use of a wide variety of supplements. The other paper (Goel et al. 2004) dealt with one of the issues that a sub-group of athletes need to consider before deciding to take supplements - the risk of a positive drug test if the product contains substances banned by the anti-doping codes under which their sport is conducted. This issue received much publicity earlier in the year when top tennis player Greg Rusedski tested positive for the steroid nandrolone as the result of inadvertent intake via a contaminated supplement. In this article, Professor Ron Maughan, Chair of Sports Nutrition at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom, advisor to the British Olympic team, and co-editor of IJSNEM, provides his insight on this important topic.     

Grounded in community: an interview with AHA chair-elect. Interview by Mary Grayson

We must make sure that health care, despite its complexity, remains incredibly personal and patient-focused, says William Petasnick, chair-elect of the American Hospital Association. Hospital leaders need to find more effective ways to bring together all stakeholders in the community to build a shared vision for health care.     

An interview with Leon Davis. Interview by Al Nash

Leon Davis, founder of District 1199, represents the origin of hospital unionization. Known for his devotion to District 1199, Davis was imprisoned several times as a result of his activities as union president. The following interview with the now retired union activist, traces his impact on the union, discusses conflicts between union and management, changes in today's union, plus other first hand insights regarding this issue.