UT Southwestern doc wins Prostate Award

by John P. Meyer

Dr. John McConnell, the picture of humility.

It's not often the American Urological Association hands out their Eugene Fuller Triennial Prostate Award. (Triennially, it turns out.) The one just bestowed upon UT Southwestern's Dr. John McConnell, professor of urology and executive VP for health system affairs, is the 11th such award in the Association's 30-year history.

Dr. McConnell is actually the second UT Southwestern medico who's received the coveted Prostate (hey, we capitalize Oscar, don't we?): the Prostate also went to Dr. Jean Wilson, a professor of internal medicine, in 1983. (Oddly, though, on Dr. Wilson's bio page he lists numerous awards - including one from the Endocrine Society, another glandular-based group - without mention of the Prostate. What's his bias, one wonders?)

McConnell is a recognized authority in prostate disease, with the award being directed specifically towards his work in the study of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) - the best kind of prostatic hyperplasia to have, if one had to choose between options. Chief among McConnell's findings is the discovery that combining two drug treatments for BPH - alpha-blocking doxazosin and finasteride - works better in dealing with BPH than the application of either drug separately. (Combine two effective drugs into one treatment regimen? GENIUS!)

A construction worker who's been treated successfully for BPH offers up the single-finger salute to Dr. McConnell.

Ever the team player, Dr. McConnell offers the following aw, shucks: "I look at the award as recognition of the entire UT Southwestern team. Years ago, Dr. Claus Roehrborn and I envisioned a team of gifted physicians and scientists who could fundamentally change the way BPH is managed around the world. I share this honor with them."

SAAAA lute.