HJAR Nov/Dec 2025

32 NOV / DEC 2025  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS   Healthcare Briefs $5.8 million, grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue research into the side effects of cancer therapies, including radiation and chemotherapy. The $5,737,500 grant awarded by the NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences funds the third phase of the UAMS Center for Studies of Host Response to Cancer Therapy, a Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) initiative, bringing the total federal investment in the center to more than $27 mil- lion since it was established in 2015. Led by Marjan Boerma, PhD, associate director of basic science at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rocke- feller Cancer Institute and the J. Thomas May Dis- tinguished Endowed Chair in Oncology at UAMS, the center is the first COBRE research center of its kind in the United States dedicated exclusively to studying the side effects of cancer treatment. UAMS, ALS Association Celebrate Opening of First ALS Clinic in NWA The University of Arkansas for Medical Sci- ences (UAMS) and the ALS Association (ALSA) celebrated the opening of a new multidisciplinary clinic dedicated to the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, at its Northwest Regional Cam- pus in Fayetteville. Made possible by a three-year, $424,542 Hoff- man Clinic Development Award from the ALS Association, this new clinic will provide increased access to specialized care for patients in North- west Arkansas living with this progressive neu- rodegenerative disease. This is the second ALS clinic operated by UAMS, complementing the original Little Rock location. Justin Voris, MD, is President of the Arkansas Academy of Family Physicians Justin Voris, MD, has been installed as the Arkansas Academy of Family Physicians’ 78th president. Voris, a practicing family physician in Ft. Smith, has been a leader within the organization for many years, serving in various roles on the board of directors before being elected president. In his new role, he will represent more than 1,400 family physicians, residents, and medical students across Arkansas, working to advance family med- icine and improve healthcare access for commu- nities statewide. FDA Addresses Acetaminophen Controversy Martin A. Makary, MD, MPH, commissioner of Food and Drugs at the FDA issued a message to physicians on September 22 about the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy. The let- ter reads: “In recent years, evidence has accumulated suggesting that the use of acetaminophen by pregnant women may be associated with an increased risk of neurological conditions such as autism and ADHD in children. Some studies have described that the risk may be most pro- nounced when acetaminophen is taken chroni- cally throughout pregnancy to childbirth. These concerns may be magnified by the fact that a very young child’s liver may still be developing and thus a child’s ability to metabolize the drug may be limited. “To be clear, while an association between acet- aminophen and autism has been described in many studies, a causal relationship has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature. The association is an ongoing area of scientific debate and clinicians should be aware of the issue in their clinical decision-mak- ing, especially given that most short-term fevers in pregnant women and young children do not require medication. “In the spirit of patient safety and prudent medicine, clinicians should consider minimiz- ing the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy for routine low-grade fevers. This consideration should also be balanced with the fact that acet- aminophen is the safest over-the-counter alter- native in pregnancy among all analgesics and antipyretics; aspirin and ibuprofen have well-doc- umented adverse impacts on the fetus.” Baptist HealthWomen’s Clinic- North Little RockWelcomes Sabrina Doffing, MD Obstetrician-gynecologist Sabrina Doffing, MD, has joined Baptist Health Women’s Clinic-North Little Rock. A native of McAllen, Texas, Doffing earned a degree from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Medical School and completed residency through the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). UAMS College of Nursing Earns Pre-accreditation to Establish Nurse-Midwifery Program The University of Arkansas for Medical Sci- ences (UAMS) College of Nursing has received pre-accreditation status from the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education to establish the state’s first nurse-midwifery program, which will launch in fall 2026. The master’s-level degree program will help aspiring midwives reach the workforce after two and a half years of graduate training. Many of the courses will be taught virtually, though the stu- dents will convene in-person each semester for a skill development session at the main UAMS campus in Little Rock or the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville. The students will complete their training by Sabrina Doffing, MD Justin Voris, MD