Nutrition
America"s largest, most influential physician group said "it will oppose creation of a government-sponsored insurance plan, which President Obama and many other Democrats see as an essential element of legislation to remake the health care system," the New York Times reports. In comments to the Senate Finance Committee, the American Medical Association said, "The introduction of a new public plan threatens to restrict patient choice by driving out private insurers, which currently provide coverage for nearly 70 percent of Americans," and would lead to an "explosion of costs" (Pear, 6/10).
Several newspapers had articles on major players in health care reform. Douglas W. Elmendorf, director of the Congressional Budget Office, has "toiled for much of his career in the anonymous bowels of the nation"s economic superstructure," the Washington Post reports. But now, some lawmakers "think he holds the fate of public policy in his hands." After delivering a "skeptical analysis of a stimulus package intended to rescue the U.S. economy" and forecasting "bigger-than-expected losses from a $700 billion bailout of the U.S. financial system, Elmendorf now "faces the toughest task of his brief tenure: attaching a price to a monumental overhaul of the nation"s health-care system." Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., has "publicly lectured Elmendorf, saying he has a moral duty to be "creative" and deliver the favorable budget estimates "we have to have" to win broad support." But Elmendorf says "his office will offer an objective analysis, "without regard to the political consequences."" Elmendorf told the Post that his office would provide the information, but the decision is in the hands of Congress. "CBO is not going to make or break health-care reform," he says.
In a posting aimed at health care professionals, FDA on its Web site on Wednesday said that recipients of Merck"s human papillomavirus vaccine, Gardasil, should be closely observed afterward for 15 minutes while they remain seated or lying down to avoid the possibility of fainting, the Wall Street Journal reports. FDA said that since October 2007, Gardasil"s labeling for both health care providers and patients has included a discussion about fainting. The agency said the strengthened recommendation comes in response to reports of "traumatic injuries" among some recipients who experienced fainting (Corbett Dooren, Wall Street Journal, 6/10). Gardasil protects against the strains of HPV that cause most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that girls ages 11 and 12 receive the three-dose vaccine before they are sexually active. Girls and women ages 13 to 26 who have not been vaccinated or completed the vaccine series also should receive the vaccine (CDC fact sheet, June 2008). On Wednesday, FDA also approved changes to Gardasil materials that place warnings about fainting in a more prominent place on drug labels and handouts. The agency said that the new recommendations are intended to "prevent falls and injuries" (Wall Street Journal, 6/10).
The Hawai"i State Department of Health (DOH) confirmed 83 additional cases of novel H1N1 Influenza A of swine origin this week. Two of the individuals live on the island of Kaua"i, one individual lives on the island of Maui, two individuals live on the island of Hawai"i, and 78 are O"ahu residents. It is important to note that all of the individuals have recovered or are recovering at home with no complications. The next weekly update will be posted at http://www.hawaii.gov/health on Wednesday, June 17 at 11:00 a.m.
Researchers at Addenbrook"s Hospital in Cambridge published a study on bmj.com in which they explain their design and evaluation of a new cognitive test for detecting Alzeimer" disease called TYM ("test your memory") which is considered quicker and more precise than many existing tests, and which can also help diagnose early dementia.
The evidence is in. Estrogen does not halt aging or protect women from heart disease and dementia, nor is it the safest or best treatment for the hot flashes, night sweats and the insomnia that are associated with menopause and perimenopause. Quite simply - estrogen is not a good and magical hormone - as Susan Baxter, PhD., and Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior, painstakingly prove in their book, The Estrogen Errors; Why Progesterone is Better for Women"s Health.
BACKGROUND: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the so-called "bad cholesterol" often linked to medical problems like heart disease and clogged arteries. Cells in the liver produce a specific receptor that sticks to LDL and removes it from the blood, lowering cholesterol levels. Statin drugs also reduce LDL cholesterol levels by boosting cells" production of the receptor.
By as early as 7 years of age, being obese may raise a child"s future risk of heart disease and stroke, even without the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, a new study found. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Some disease-causing bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics because they have peculiar sex lives, say researchers publishing new results in the journal Science. The new study helps scientists understand how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics, which is a major challenge for those treating infectious diseases, say the authors from Imperial College London.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee (PDAC) voted that Zyprexa(R) (olanzapine), an atypical antipsychotic, is effective and acceptably safe for the acute treatment of schizophrenia or manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adolescents aged 13-17 years old. The panel supported the FDA and Lilly"s position that if Zyprexa is approved for the two indications, prescribers should consider other treatment options first for adolescent patients.
A research published on bmj.com reports that individuals with a family history of genetic disease are frequently discriminated by their relatives, friends and also by insurance companies.
The U.S. Senate has introduced a bill, S. 1221, "The Medicare Prompt Pay Correction Act," a companion bill to H.R. 1392, which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and currently has 45 co-sponsors.
With a four-fold increase in swine flu cases within the last week, Filligent, the Australian-led biotech company, is mobilizing stocks of its anti-infective BioMask to help combat the spread of Influenza A (H1N1) across Australia. The BioMask is the first medical face mask to kill the Influenza A virus within seconds of contact while retaining the breathability required by front-line workers and children, who are often the first to fall in a contagious episode. CEO Melissa Mowbray-d"Arbela says. "We"re allocating our res to respond to Australia"s needs. The BioMask was designed specifically for situations like this."
In 2010, cancer will be the single leading cause of death worldwide, overtaking chronic illnesses such as heart disease and stroke. Already cancer causes more deaths than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. Almost three-quarters of new cases will occur in developing countries, with more than a million cases in sub-Saharan Africa by 2020, according to World Health Organization projections.
The use of fenestrated endografts to treat juxta-renal and para-renal aneurysms (adjacent to and involving the visceral segment of the aorta) after prior aortic reconstruction, is a viable alternative to open repair. These findings are from a study presented at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Vascular Surgery®.
The health of millions of people worldwide is at risk as a result of the financial crisis, says Dr Andrew Robertson, in an editorial published online in Emerging Health Threats Journal. The world economy is currently in the midst of the most significant recession since the 1930s. The crisis has proved devastating for national economies, and the effects on health care will be felt worldwide as health spending falls, unemployment rises, and international aid is cut.
Statement from Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), Executive Director, American Public Health Association, "The American Public Health Association applauds the Senate for today passing the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The legislation will protect the health of Americans, particularly children, by giving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco products.
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health are conducting a study to determine if collaborative virtual environments improve public health preparedness and response planning.
Men can now take control of their sexual health and confront any concerns without embarrassment using NHS Direct"s new on-line symptom checker.
New research released by the MS Society has for the first time revealed an accurate estimate of the number of people living with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the UK.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting patients to the Class I recall of certain Medtronic Kappa and Sigma pacemakers. These devices may fail due to a separation of wires that connect the electronic circuit to other pacemaker components, such as the battery.
The UK Revalidation Programme Board (UKRPB) has reviewed the strategy and timetable for developing local systems to support the introduction of revalidation for doctors. The Board expects that these systems will be in place in some parts of the country by 2011. The GMC is committed to a phased approach to introducing revalidation from 2011. This will mean starting where the systems needed to support revalidation are ready and fit for purpose.
Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers have discovered that low-oxygen regions in prostate tumors can be used to predict a rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, a marker of tumor recurrence in prostate cancer. The long-term study results were presented at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Orlando, FL.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) announced results of two ORENCIA® (abatacept) studies at the 2009 Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR) currently being held in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Researchers, doctors and patient groups will today call on
Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany, has completed
Insomnia is associated with increased frontal cerebral metabolism during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. Cerebral hypothermia, or cooling of the brain, has been found to reduce cerebral metabolism in other medical conditions, but its effects in insomnia are unknown.
Orphan Therapeutics, LLC and Ikaria Holdings, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the final section of the New Drug Application (NDA) filing seeking marketing approval for LUCASSIN(R) (terlipressin for injection) for the treatment of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) Type 1. The filing was completed on May 4, 2009, and LUCASSIN has been granted Priority Review as well as Orphan Drug status and Fast Track designation.
Transcept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: TSPT) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has informed the company that it should expect to receive formal notice of a three month extension of the review period for the new drug application (NDA) for Intermezzo(R) (zolpidem tartrate sublingual tablet). The Intermezzo(R) NDA had been assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of July 30, 2009. Under this revised timeline, Transcept now anticipates action from the FDA on the NDA on or before October 31, 2009.
MedPredict Market Research, a global provider of pharmaceutical competitive intelligence and market research, has published a new report entitled "Thought Leader Insight & Analysis: Alzheimer"s Disease," designed to provide critical strategic insight for pharma and biotech companies with a stake in the market for diagnostics and treatments in this disease area.
A distinguished panel of clinical and policy experts gathered by Novo Nordisk recently convened in Washington, D.C. to explore solutions to address the exponential growth of diabetes in America. The universal theme from the renowned speakers, including Larry Hausner, CEO of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), was that the cost of the disease to our nation, at $218 billion annually, is startling and the lag in patient motivation to take action to offset the disease is distressing. Without intervention at both a national and patient level, our nation runs the risk of reaching a projected 50 million Americans having diabetes by the year 2025.
Researchers in the Neuroimaging and Stroke Recovery Laboratory at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center / Harvard Medical School are using a novel treatment for chronic stroke patients. The non-invasive technique of dual-hemisphere transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) uses electrical stimulation to modulate brain activity while simultaneous engaging the paretic arm/hand in sensorimotor activities. They studied chronic stroke patients who had movement problems after a stroke in a randomized clinical trial. The patients were divided into groups receiving either the electrical stimulation or placebo stimulation while receiving occupational therapy (OT) at the same time. After only 5 treatment sessions, patients receiving real stimulation and OT significantly improved in their motor functions, while control patients (receiving placebo stimulation and OT) showed no significant improvement. Functional magnetic resonance imaging showed increased brain activity in areas that control limb movement on the affected side for patients who received the real tDCS. It is important to notice that these changes were found in patients whose strokes had occurred on average about 3 years prior to the study, when patients are typically considered to be stable and unlikely to experience further improvement. This new treatment offers hope for patients debilitated by strokes.
Brain-computer interfaces "translate" what a person is thinking in words or actions. Researchers from Maastricht University in the Netherlands performed functional MRI brain scans on healthy participants, instructing them to "type" by performing mental tasks corresponding to different letters in the English alphabet. Researchers were able to use signals from the participants" brain activation patterns to decode information about the intended letter that a participant was thinking about, and to use this in a conversation with the experimenters without any spoken words. It is hoped that such technology can enable communication with "locked-in" patients or assessment of consciousness in non-responsive patients.
Recently the use of laparoscopy for vascular procedures has been limited by difficulties in aortic exposure and anastomosis techniques, as well as the concurrent competitive progress of endovascular surgery. For aortic repair, best results (in terms of long-term patency) have been obtained by conventional surgery which has been associated short-term morbidity and mortality.
The US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health, which is a founding member of the Global Alliance for Chronic Disease, has decided to go forward strongly and improve its plan to target chronic diseases in developing countries by collaborating with a leading health and wellbeing corporation. Together, they plan to build numerous centers of excellence (COEs) across the world. The details of this partnership have been published in a comment Online First and in this week"s edition of The Lancet.
In middle-aged and older men with low testosterone levels, long-term testosterone replacement therapy greatly improves their fatty liver disease and their risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, a new study found. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
A Warwick Business School professor and one of the founders of global risks specialist, Maplecroft, has released three new maps and indices revealing the countries most at risk from an influenza pandemic.
UroToday.com - Radiofrequency (RF) ablation of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been accepted as a minimally invasive treatment for patients who are not able to undergo surgery1. These patients have such poor medical conditions that they can have a higher risk of postoperative morbidity or mortality compared to the general population.
Globally, millions of people die each year as a result of accidents or serious injury. Unfortunately, many of those deaths could have been prevented had first aid been administered at the scene immediately, before the emergency services arrived. First aid, or emergency first aid is the care that is given to an injured or sick person prior to treatment by medically trained personnel. According to Medilexicon"s medical dictionary, first aid is "Immediate assistance administered in the case of injury or sudden illness by a bystander or other layperson, before the arrival of trained medical personnel."
The Soil Association is pleased to announce a new EU-wide, harmonised standard for organic health and beauty products.
Thousands of people with Alzheimer"s will continue to be denied access to the only drug treatments for the disease following the publication of revised guidance by the NICE.
No Additional Risk
Merck & Co., Inc. issued the following statement in response to today"s communication from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) addressing updated information on leukotriene inhibitors, including SINGULAIR® (montelukast sodium).
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and WHO (World Health Organization), the total number of swine flu A(H1N1) cases stood at 4,714, plus four deaths, on 17th May, 2009. Non-essential travel to Mexico has been downgraded from a "Warning" to a "Precaution"; meaning authorities consider travel to Mexico as not being dangerous for people who are not at high risk of normal flu complications.
How Safeway Is Cutting Health Care Costs - Wall Street Journal
A large, well-controlled, multi-national clinical trial program has demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of what may become the first FDA-approved medicine for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF.
Welcoming the publication of the National Audit Office report, Reducing Healthcare Associated Infections in Hospitals in England, Dr Peter Carter, RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, said:
The Los Angeles County"s Commission on HIV this week backed down on a proposal that would have cut $350,000 from nutrition programs that serve people living with HIV, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. The commission members voted on Thursday to send the proposal back to a committee for further review after protests by food pantry clients and volunteers and staff from AIDS Project Los Angeles, Project Angel Food and other organizations attending a hearing on the issue. While this year"s Ryan White Program funds, which the county uses for its programs, were increased from last year, the bad economy and increasing medical and pharmaceutical costs for people living with HIV prompted the commission to consider using the $350,000 slated for nutrition for other services, according to the Daily News. Roughly 3,000 people use the nutrition services monthly (Abram, Los Angeles Daily News, 6/11).
Protesters gathered outside a Washington, D.C., CVS Pharmacy on Thursday to urge the pharmacy chain to end the practice of locking condoms in display cases in certain neighborhoods, WJLA News reports. The protesters contend that CVS restricts access to condoms in poor black neighborhoods, whose residents may be at higher risk for HIV, other sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies (WJLA News, 6/11). The protest was a part of a nationwide effort called, "Cure CVS: Unlock the Condoms Initiative," which aims to urge CVS to keep condoms unlocked at all times (Business Wire release, 6/10). CVS said in a statement, "All CVS stores sell condoms that are unlocked and accessible" (WJLA News, 6/11).
A new study using advanced cardiac imaging technology indicates that cardiac abnormalities experienced by some marathon runners following competition are temporary, and do not result in damage to the heart muscle. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Manitoba, marked the first use of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, or CMR, in a post-marathon setting.
The following summarizes news coverage on women"s health-related legislation in Arizona and North Carolina. ~ Arizona: The Arizona Senate Public Safety and Human Services Committee on Wednesday voted 4-3 to approve a bill (S.B. 1206) that would place several restrictions on abortion rights and allow pharmacists or other health care providers to refuse to distribute emergency contraception based on religious or moral objections, the AP/Arizona Daily Star reports. The state House passed an identical bill in March. The measure would impose a 24-hour waiting period for women seeking abortion procedures and mandate that doctors inform women about risks and alternatives. It also would toughen an exisiting parental consent requirement for minors seeking abortion. The bill requires an in-person consultation before the 24-hour waiting period, which would increase costs for women who are forced to travel to a clinic twice, according to Planned Parenthood of Arizona President Bryan Howard. The Legislature approved bills with similar restrictions in recent years, but the measures were vetoed by then-Gov. Janet Napolitano (D). Current Gov. Jan Brewer (R) has said she supports mandatory disclosures and a 24-hour waiting period (Billeaud, AP/Arizona Daily Star, 6/10).~ North Carolina: The North Carolina Senate Mental Health and Youth Services Committee this week approved a bill (S. 221) that would require all public school systems to offer information on the use of contraceptives to students in grades seven through nine, the AP/Raleigh News & Observer reports. The information would be presented as part of a larger reproductive health education program that would maintain the abstinence-only education curricula currently taught at nearly all of the state"s 115 school districts. Parents would be permitted to prevent children from participating in the classes with contraceptive information. The measure is a revised version of state House-approved legislation (H.B. 88) that would have required schools to teach two separate abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education tracks. If the full state Senate passes the new bill, the two chambers will meet to negotiate a compromise (Robertson, AP/Raleigh News & Observer, 6/11).
New genes discovered by Australian and New Zealand researchers may hold the key to new treatments for people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
The Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has called HM Prison Service to account over a case of Legionnaires Disease at Nottingham Prison.
Healthcare professionals can now order a number of Macmillan Cancer Support"s free, high-quality cancer information booklets in CD format.
Young patients at The Portland Hospital in London, part of the HCA group, will now undergo less stressful MRI examinations due to the installation of a MAGNETOM® Avanto from Siemens Healthcare. The system is used for a range of imaging procedures from brain to spine to small bowel.
New data presented this week during the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Annual Meeting in Copenhagen demonstrated that sustained combination therapy (etanercept and methotrexate) was consistently superior to continuous methotrexate monotherapy in providing clinical remission and radiographic non-progression over two years in patients with early active rheumatoid arthritis.1 These new data add to the body of evidence supporting the benefits of early intervention with a biologic treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
In June, the Royal College of Physicians will be holding a series of workshops with local schools and families exploring The Great Plague of 1665 and the involvement of the Royal College of Physicians.
The number of confirmed cases of new A/H1N1 swine flu in Japan surged over the weekend, when health officials reported earlier today,
Genomas, a biomedical company advancing DNA-guided medicine and personalized healthcare, announced its participation at the prestigious XV International Symposium on Atherosclerosis, a meeting held triennially by the International Atherosclerosis Society. Gualberto Ruano, MD, PhD, President of Genomas, will present "Physiogenomic Contours of Statin Safety and Efficacy," a clinical study examining the differences in response to statin drugs based on individual gene variations.
Vitamin D deficiency was found to be prevalent in cancer patients regardless of nutritional status, according to the results of a recent study conducted at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). Based on these results, CTCA researchers determined that screening for vitamin D deficiency and aggressive vitamin D repletion should be considered for all people with cancer.
Proteolix, Inc. announced that in an article published in Nature Medicine, Proteolix"s selective immunoproteasome inhibitor PR-957 was shown to block disease progression in mouse models of rheumatoid arthritis in a dose-dependent manner and to completely eliminate visible signs of disease at the highest dose. The anti-inflammatory effect induced by PR-957 was rapid and long-lasting, lowering expression of multiple inflammatory mediators, including TNF-a and IL-6. Disease regression was evident 24 hours after dosing and a complete amelioration of disease was achieved with a single dose. When compared to anti-TNF-a therapy (etanercept), PR-957 mediated a more rapid resolution of clinical symptoms, including joint inflammation, and was more effective than etanercept in a model of aggressive arthritis.
Transdel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: TDLP) a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing non-invasive, topically administered products, announced that they anticipate reporting top-line results from their current Phase 3 study of Ketotransdel(R) during the third quarter of 2009.
Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) announced that results from nine studies involving the Company"s Urology/Gynecology products will be presented at the 34th Annual Meeting of the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA). Presentations will feature Boston Scientific"s pelvic floor reconstruction systems and mid-urethral sling systems used to treat pelvic floor prolapse and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The Company will also sponsor a symposium highlighting long-term registry data comparing the benefits of experienced-based versus evidence-based outcomes for patients treated with mid-urethral slings. The IUGA Congress will be held June 16-20 at the Villa Erba Conference Center in Como, Italy.
-Mental Health America honored two extraordinary mental health advocates on Saturday during the final day of its Centennial Conference.
US researchers found that people with memory problems who are depressed are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer"s disease than people who
Universal Detection Technology (OTCBB: UNDT), a developer of early-warning monitoring technologies to protect people from bioterrorism and other infectious health threats and provider of counter-terrorism consulting and training services, announced that it has applied for CAGE and NSN Stock numbers for its biological detection equipment. The numbers will facilitate the sales of the items to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
As the Senate Finance Committee prepares to unveil a health overhaul proposal this week, key players have been weighing in on aspects of potential legislation.
The Los Angeles Times examined the documentary movie "Sex Positive," which chronicles the lives and efforts of three men who sought to promote safe sex during the early years of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. According to the Times, late singer-songwriter Michael Callen, activist Richard Berkowitz and Joseph Sonnabend, a virologist and personal physician of Callen and Berkowitz, together "actually invented the notion of safe sex." With professional guidance from Sonnabend, in 1983, Callen and Berkowitz co-authored "How to Have Sex in an Epidemic: One Approach," the "first document to identify and advocate "medically safe sex," which encouraged condom use" along with other practices, the Times reports. "Sex Positive" will debut in theaters on Friday (Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 6/14).
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is conducting a three-week tour featuring a mobile testing unit named for former National Basketball Association player Earvin "Magic" Johnson that provides free HIV testing to local residents, WDSU.com reports. During the tour, which recently stopped in New Orleans, AHF will present $5,000 grants to local HIV/AIDS organizations (WDSU.com, 6/14). In related news, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) sponsored a health awareness festival in Pensacola, Fla. that sought to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among the black community as part of its annual state convention. According to Art Rocker, head of the local SCLC chapter, since 2007, there has been an increase in the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Escambia County, Fla., which prompted the organization to focus its event on HIV/AIDS (Dugas, Pensacola News Journal, 6/14).
Which? is challenging the belief that it"s impossible to get an appointment with an NHS dentist as its new research shows that nine out of 10 people* who have tried in the last two years were, in fact, able to get one.
One main reason why viruses such as HIV or hepatitis C persist despite a vigorous initial immune response is exhaustion. The T cells, or white blood cells, fighting a chronic infection eventually wear out.
PATH and WaterAid America released two new reports that show that the international aid community and developing-country governments are not responding to clear evidence on child mortality by targeting res where the disease burden is greatest. Diarrheal disease, a leading killer of children under age five worldwide, is responsible for the deaths of nearly 1.6 million children annually, yet it receives very little attention from both policymakers and the public. During the 1980s and 1990s, diarrheal disease mortality rates were cut by nearly 50 percent, made possible by wide availability and implementation of lifesaving prevention and treatment interventions.
All Global, the world"s
A new lung cancer therapy employing a vaporized viral vector to deliver a cancer-inhibiting molecule directly to lung tissue shows early promise in mouse trials, according to researchers at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Korea.
The Louisiana Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday approved a bill (H.B. 517) that would expand the ability of health care workers to refuse to provide services for moral or religious reasons, the Baton Rouge Advocate reports. The bill passed by a 3-2 vote after the addition of amendments to narrow the scope of the legislation. According to the Advocate, the bill would allow a medical worker to choose not to participate in any service "that violates his conscience," which it defines as a religious belief or moral conviction. Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) supports the legislation, as do conservative groups like the Louisiana Family Forum and the Louisiana Right to Life Federation. Several groups oppose the bill, including Planned Parenthood, the Forum for Equality, Louisiana Agenda for Children and the American Civil Liberties Union. ACLU of Louisiana"s Marjorie Esman said that the bill could "lead to all kinds of unintended consequences," based on assertions of moral and religious objections (Blum, Baton Rouge Advocate, 6/11).
You"ve just won a prize. Would you like to find out what it is right away, or wait until later? A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research says most people are happier waiting.
EuropaBio, the European biotech industry association applauds the report "IB 2025: Maximising UK Opportunities from Industrial Biotechnology in a Low Carbon Economy" (1) released today by the UK"s Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR). The biotech industry welcomes the report which is completely in line with the EU"s Lead Market Initiative for Biobased Products (2). EuropaBio is also pleased to note that the report also embraces EuropaBio"s policy recommendations (3) developed to help the EU realise the vision of a Knowledge-Based Bio-Economy (KBBE).
President Barack Obama speaks to the American Medical Association (AMA) addressing concerns about health insurance reform and the whole nation, including physicians from coast to coast, is listening.
Today, the Israeli medtech startup company CLT Ltd. announced the establishment of Closed Loop Therapies (CLT) BV - a joint venture between Erasmus University Medical Centre (Rotterdam, the Netherlands), a highly prominent medical institute in Europe, and CLT Israel. The joint venture aims to develop and commercialise a novel therapeutic system, consisting of an arrhythmia-detecting drug pump combined with a unique drug, for automatic and immediate treatment of emerging atrial fibrillation (AF). Market size is estimated at 2.5-3 billion Euro, annually.
In response to the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee End of Life Care Report published Ruairi O"Connor, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said:
Recent epidemiological studies have revealed an increase in the frequency of genital malformations in male newborns (e.g., un-descended testes) and a decrease in male fertility.
A multi-ethnic study in the June 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine reports that there is a statistically significant relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) episodes occurring during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and type 2 diabetes.
Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI), Crystal Lake location - part of one of the nation"s leading infertility treatment practices - has expanded its services to include an array of holistic treatments such as acupuncture, massage and nutrition counseling, in addition to free patient education seminars. FCI recognizes the growing benefits of integrating holistic therapies with medical treatment and with an increasing demand from patients, has extended its partnership with Pulling Down The Moon to create the first holistic center located within the fertility clinic.
Research by a Hebrew University of Jerusalem professor has led to the development of a product that has been shown in clinical trials to be successful in halting the growth of various types of cancer cells.
Disabled children missing out on basic NHS care Parents tell of "battle" to get basic healthcare for disabled children and of agencies routinely "passing the buck"
Scientists from the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig, Germany and the Medical School Hannover, Germany have succeeded in treating immune cells in a way that enables them to inhibit unwanted immune reactions such as organ rejection. Their results have now been published in the current issue of the scientific journal Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine.
Most of our cells contain a single nucleus that harbors 46 chromosomes (DNA and protein complexes that contain our genes). However, during normal postnatal development, liver cells containing two nuclei, each of which have 46 chromosomes, appear. These cells, which are known as binucleated tetraploid hepatocytes, arise in all mammals as a result of failure of the cellular process cytokinesis (the process by which the bulk of a cell, excluding the nucleus, divides to form two "daughter" cells). New insight into the failure of this process has now been provided by Chantal Desdouets and colleagues, at Institut Cochin, France, who have identified a cellular signaling pathway that leads to cytokinesis failure and the formation of binucleated tetraploid hepatocytes in rodents.
Scientists have used genetic engineering to tame one of the most deadly food poisoning microbes and turn it into a potential new way of giving patients medicine and vaccines in pills rather than injections. The study is in the current issue of ACS" Molecular Pharmaceutics, a bi-monthly journal.
Stalled microtubules might be responsible for some cases of the neurological disorder Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, Tanabe and Takei report in the June 15, 2009 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology. A mutant protein makes the microtubules too stable to perform their jobs, the researchers find.
A group of scientific academies in Africa encourages the G8+5 countries to help Africa stem the scientific brain drain.
Loss of feeling in the feet is a common complication of diabetes, so it"s critical that those with the disease wear shoes that fit properly and check their feet often for cuts or sores. Left untreated, a diabetic"s foot wound can lead to a serious infection or even require amputation.
The American Medical Association warmly welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama to its 158th annual meeting in Chicago. Like the president, the AMA is committed to health reform this year that provides all Americans with affordable, high-quality health coverage.
We know that the environment can have long-term effects on our health, but what about the health of those who aren"t born yet? A recent study looking at the birth weights of more than 5 million children born in Canada between 1981 and 2003 showed an increase in the frequency of genital malformations in male newborns and a decrease in male fertility.
Henry Ford Health System, one of the nation"s top rated health systems and recognized visionaries in offering quality care, formally announced its adoption of Healthy Interactions U.S. Diabetes Conversation Map® education program in its diabetes education curriculum, proclaiming them to demonstrate increased effectiveness in helping patients with diabetes live with their condition. The five Conversation Map tools, which were developed in collaboration with the American Diabetes Association and sponsored by Merck & Co., are based around large colorful 5 ft by 3 ft discussion displays.
Kidney stones, usually comprised of a compound called calcium oxalate, are the result of a build-up of dissolved minerals on the inner lining of the kidneys. These deposits can grow to the size of a golf ball while maintaining a sharp, crystalline structure. They may be small and pass unnoticed out of the urinary tract, but they may also cause extreme pain upon exiting. Kidney stones that remain inside the body can lead to many conditions, including severe pain and ureter (the tube connecting the kidney and bladder) blockage that obstructs the path urine uses to leave the body.
New data presented showed that pitavastatin is an effective treatment for the management of dyslipidemia in elderly patients, with a similar safety and tolerability profile to low-dose pravastatin. The Phase III data were presented by Kowa, at the XV International Symposium on Atherosclerosis in Boston.
Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVNT) announced that the Arthritis Advisory Committee appointed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended by a vote of 14 to 1 that KRYSTEXXA(TM) (pegloticase), a biologic PEGylated uricase enzyme, be granted marketing approval by the FDA for the treatment of refractory chronic gout. Refractory chronic gout or treatment failure gout (TFG) is gout in patients who have failed to normalize serum uric acid and whose signs and symptoms are inadequately controlled with conventional urate-lowering therapy at the maximum medically appropriate dose or for whom conventional urate-lowering therapy is contraindicated. The current target Prescription Drug User Fee (PDUFA) action date for the FDA"s decision as to whether to grant marketing approval for KRYSTEXXA is August 1, 2009.
According to a new report by HHS" Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that genetic testing for two gene mutations in adults with a history of blood clots helps to prevent a condition known as deep-vein thrombosis or to improve other clinical outcomes.
Luminex Corporation (NASDAQ: LMNX), the worldwide leader in multiplexed solutions, today announced that it has launched two new cystic fibrosis (CF) tests in Europe, the xTAG® Cystic Fibrosis 39 Kit v2 and xTAG® Cystic Fibrosis 71 Kit v2, as CE IVD Marked products under the European Directive on In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices.
Alzheimer"s disease, Cancer, Diabetes, Osteoporosis. These are the diseases for which Eli Lilly and Company will be engaging
In testimony before the Listening Panel of the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (FCCC) on June 10, 2009, ECRI Institute President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey C. Lerner, Ph.D., called for devoting a substantial proportion of the $1.1 billion allocated to the comparative effectiveness research to go toward establishing a National Patient Library™. ECRI Institute® (http://www.ecri.org) is an independent nonprofit organization that researches the best approaches to improving patient care.
Some things in life are multi-purpose. Now miniature technology used to cool the central processing units in computers may have found a use in mainstream medicine!
A report published revealed the social care workforce is unfit to deliver quality care for people with dementia.
NPR reports on the health care struggles of Howard County, Maryland, a well-off and generally liberal area with hospital fees set by the state and a county program for the uninsured. "But like the rest the country, Howard County is facing the impact of the recession: Employers have to cut back on benefits, so employees cut back on their coverage." Herb Huston, 61, lost his employer-provided insurance when he was laid off a few years ago. He"d always been healthy, but one night in May he suffered a heart attack. "Neither old enough for Medicare nor poor enough for Medicaid," Huston will be responsible for the costs himself, which "should easily exceed $50,000." On the other end of the spectrum is 62-year-old Judy Weeter, who pays no premium for the insurance she receives through her employer. She"s undergoing expensive chemotherapy for breast cancer but expects to pay no more than her $20 copays.
To mark Day of the African Child on Tuesday, the U.N. Millennium Campaign is calling on African governments, civil society organizations and the private sector to address child and maternal mortality and other targets related to the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), InDepthNews reports (Mwanda, InDepthNews, 6/16), while Save the Children released a new briefing paper, indicating that more than 1,500 babies born in sub-Saharan Africa die daily, "mostly from preventable or treatable causes," (Save the Children release, 6/16).
The Kaiser Family Foundation will hold a briefing on June 17 to examine the U.S. government"s role in addressing malaria, including its strategic options for reducing the impact of the disease and the current status of the development of the comprehensive malaria strategy. The discussion will touch on issues such as: What will the U.S. malaria response look like over the next five years? What strategies are most likely to prove effective? How will the U.S. efforts fit into the broader global response to malaria?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking steps to improve contact lens safety by reminding consumers of the importance of following proper cleaning and storing procedures. Consumers who do not follow instructions for contact lens care and use increase their risk of serious eye infections that can lead to blindness.
The 150th anniversary of the death of Jacob Bell, founder of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, was remembered on Friday 12 June at a ceremony at his memorial in Woodbury Park Cemetery, Royal Tunbridge Wells.
The ways we deal with death are finding a new life online, according to research being published by a Kansas State University journalism professor and her colleague.
Attorney Tom Keegan of the law firm Keegan & Keegan, Ross & Rosner, said President Barack Obama"s proposal to reduce the number of medical malpractice lawsuits being filed nationwide will not benefit the people of New York in any way because such legal mechanisms are already in place to cut down on the number of frivolous lawsuits being filed in the state. He further states that, contrary to what the president said, New Yorkers will not see a reduction in health care costs.
Utopia Home Care, Inc. has announced that Michelle Harris will be its 2009 Caregiver of the Year. At the company"s annual corporate breakfast meeting this morning, Utopia Home Care, Inc. President and CEO Manuel F. Martinez and Executive Vice President Manuel G. Martinez presented Ms. Harris with a commemorative plaque and a check for $1,000. The presentation was made before approximately 125 staff members representing Utopia offices in New York, Connecticut, Florida, South Carolina and Pennsylvania.
According to a report published recently, we must all share responsibility for preventing the spread of diseases such as swine flu, SARS, avian influenza, diarrhoeal and skin diseases, and even the common cold.
A new study by Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) researchers contradicts the conventional wisdom that living near a fast food outlet increases weight in children and that living near supermarkets, which sell fresh fruit and vegetables as well as so called junk food, lowers weight.
The kids are playing in the backyard and enjoying their break from school. Your husband is enjoying the day on the golf course. And you"re cleaning up the house, folding laundry and cooking three meals. Sound familiar?
Computed tomographic (CT) colonography may offer patients at increased risk of colorectal cancer an alternative to colonoscopy that is less-invasive, is better-tolerated and has good diagnostic accuracy, according to a study in the June 17 issue of JAMA.
Nanoparticles specially engineered by University of Central Florida Assistant Professor J. Manuel Perez and his colleagues could someday target and destroy tumors, sparing patients from toxic, whole-body chemotherapies.
Same-sex behavior is a nearly universal phenomenon in the animal kingdom, common across species, from worms to frogs to birds, concludes a new review of existing research.
A group of researchers led by Carnegie Mellon University Biological Sciences Professor Aaron Mitchell has identified a novel regulatory gene network that plays an important role in the spread of common, and sometimes deadly, yeast infections. The findings, which establish the role of Zap1 protein in the activation of genes that regulate the synthesis of biofilm matrix, will be published in the June 16, 2009, issue of PLoS Biology, a peer-reviewed open-access journal from the Public Library of Science.
The ESMO Conference: 11th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer opens next week in Barcelona, Spain with a substantial increase in registered attendees over previous years, providing important practice updates and promising new research into the numerous types of cancers that affect the gastrointestinal tract. "Ongoing study and changing standards in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers have made it mandatory for clinicians to continually update their knowledge to keep up with advances in the field," says Congress co-chair Dr. Eric Van Cutsem. "The World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer addresses the immediate practice implications of these changes."
A leading Danish cancer hospital has treated its first patient using RapidArc(R) radiotherapy after installing eight advanced radiotherapy treatment machines from Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) of Palo Alto, California. Herlev Hospital, to the north-west of Copenhagen, delivered the fast and efficient RapidArc treatment to a prostate cancer patient using a Clinac(R) iX linear accelerator.
Two new studies published by neurologists at Columbia University Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital demonstrate a need for more vigilant monitoring for seizure activity among intensive care patients who may be experiencing subtle seizures that are typically unrecognized. These subtle seizures may be affecting patients" prognoses and causing long-term brain damage, death and severe disability.
The most popular type of gastric bypass surgery appears to nearly double the chance that a patient will develop kidney stones, despite earlier assumptions that it would not, Johns Hopkins doctors report in a new study. The overall risk, however, remains fairly small at about 8 percent.
In a series of recently-published articles, a research team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center has uncovered clues to the development of cancers in AIDS patients.
How molecules of the oldest branch of the human immune system have interconnected has remained a mystery. Now, two new structures, both involving a central component of an enzyme important to the complement system of the immune response, reveal how this system fights invading microbes while avoiding problems of the body attacking itself.
In a study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have identified cells in blood that predict which HIV-positive individuals are most likely to develop deadly fungal meningitis, a major cause of HIV-related death. This form of meningitis affects more than 900,000 HIV-infected people globally most of them in sub-Saharan Africa and other areas of the world where antiretroviral therapy for HIV is not available.
A group of Australian researchers investigated in medical disorders the effects of comorbid dysthymic disorder as compared to major depressive disorder (MDD) on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) and disability days in the general population. In a population-based study 4,181 individuals were assessed for the presence of dysthymic disorder and depression, utilizing the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Each participant received a thorough medical examination to assess the presence of comorbid somatic conditions. HR-QoL was evaluated using the Medical Outcomes Survey Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and disability days were provided by self-report.
Ladyhawke will play an exclusive gig for just one persoṇ€¦ and their online social network. The new "Skindividual" initiative, from SunSmart (Cancer Research UK"s skin cancer awareness campaign), aims to encourage young people to protect their skin from too much UV by harnessing the power of social networks and rewarding those who grow the biggest online guestlist.
Legislation to establish a Frontline Providers Loan Repayment Program that includes physical therapists was introduced Tuesday by Representative Bruce Braley (D-IA). The Access to Frontline Health Care Act of 2009 (HR 2891) would encourage physical therapists to practice in underserved areas, says the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
The up to $1.6 trillion price tag for one version of health care reform has left Democrats scrambling to find a way to rein in costs while not sacrificing the basic tenets of a plan they favor, The Washington Post reports.
Senate Democrats are scrambling to reduce the price tag of reform proposals, which initial estimates place at $1.6 trillion, The Wall Street Journal reports.
As the recession forces more hospitals and doctors to pare costs and services, children are being especially hard hit.
St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ) announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of its Cool Point™ Irrigation Pump. Used in conjunction with SJM open-irrigated ablation catheters, an irrigation pump supplies a continuous flow of saline through the catheter"s inner lumen to cool the ablation electrode for more effective energy delivery. Designed to enhance physicians" ability to perform successful atrial ablations, the new Cool Point irrigation pump was developed specifically for use with the company"s IBI-1500T9-CP cardiac ablation generator and family of Therapy™ Cool Path™ irrigated catheters.
Endocrine Society Unveils First-Ever Scientific Statement: Inaugural Statement Identifies Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals as a Significant Concern to Public Health
The Endocrine Society"s Corporate Liaison Board (CLB) will host its annual forum on Wednesday June 10, as part of ENDO 09, the Society"s 91th Annual Meeting. The 2009 topic for the forum is "Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Endocrinology in Clinical Trials & Drug Development."
The Endocrine Society is pleased to announce the 2009 Laureate Awards established in 1944 to recognize the highest achievements in endocrinology including: science, leadership, teaching and service. This year"s Laureate Awards were presented at ENDO 09, the 91st Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society, being held June 10-13, in Washington, DC.
TR BioSurgical, LLC, announced highly encouraging results using their new medical device (bioscaffold) in canine patients with advanced osteoarthritis. The new bioscaffold is implanted in or near diseased tissue and provides a structural matrix for local repair cells, such as stem cells or fibroblasts, to attach and heal tissue by local, physiological repair mechanisms. The new bioscaffold implant contains no drugs, cells or growth factors and is eventually resorbed by the infiltrating cells. The implant is made from a proprietary, copolymerized collagen and is sterile, cost effective, and non- immunogenic.
An evaluation of recent innovations in delivering primary care at a Group Health Cooperative medical center shows significant success and rapid return on investment. The data led to a decision to invest in these best practices in all of Group Health"s 26 medical centers by 2010.
Shape is turning out to be a particularly important feature of some commercially important nanoparticles - but in subtle ways. New studies* by scientists at the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) show that changing the shape of cobalt nanoparticles from spherical to cubic can fundamentally change their behavior.