Cardiovascular
Healthcare Advocates Will Present Congressmembers with "Happy Birthday Medicare" Cakes-And a Plea to Improve and Expand the Beloved Program
Over 50 pharmacists have been trained to provide seasonal flu vaccinations under a private Patient Group Direction that the NPA is facilitating. Training days were conducted in London and Birmingham with further training days scheduled at the start of September 2009 in Newport, Durham, St Albans and Haydock.
A recently released AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition report says that although there has been a renewed focus on discovery, innovation and basic science in vaccine research, action is needed to ensure that research funding continues during the economic downturn, VOA News reports. AVAC executive director Mitchell Warren said the report is "about putting all the pieces together ... not just the search for an AIDS vaccine, but in fact the entire HIV prevention response." He added, "[T]he good news is we have some new pieces of the puzzle, and we"re expecting additional new pieces of understanding through research this year." Warren said that AVAC believes HIV/AIDS vaccine research is in "one of the most exciting times," with "new energy, new commitment to unlocking some of the basic scientific roadblocks that have impeded our ability to find a vaccine." For example, a study released earlier this week examined efforts to produce a vaccine through genetic transfer. Regarding the study, Warren said, "It doesn"t mean we have an AIDS vaccine, but it means we have an entirely new approach to trying to deliver protection." Warren said that the field of HIV/AIDS vaccine research has shown a renewed commitment since Merck canceled its vaccine trial in 2007. According to Warren, the new AVAC report examines knowledge gained from the Merck study, which has provided "an unimaginable amount of information." Meanwhile, the effect of the economic crisis on research funding is concerning, Warren said, adding, "I believe that every dollar spent is going to be held up to a greater scrutiny as budgets tighten and as funders have to re-examine their priorities." According to Warren, without renewed funding commitments, "we will not only incur a much greater public health catastrophe, but I would argue that the economic catastrophes to come, if we don"t respond aggressively to HIV, will actually have repercussions that will ... make the economic crisis pale in comparison" (DeCapua, VOA News, 5/18).
Lawmakers are considering two new taxes to help pay for a health care overhaul: a tax on fatty foods and taxing insurers on so-called Cadillac plans. Both proposals were scrutinized in news articles.
Children who were exposed to Plasmodium falciparum "malaria before birth become tolerant to the malaria parasite, or their soluble products," according to a PLoS Medicine study, which has "unravelled the mystery behind why some children are more susceptible to malaria infection and anaemia," ANI/Newstrack India reports. This tolerance, which persists after birth and into childhood, erodes the immune system"s ability to attack and destroy parasites and increases the susceptibility of these children to develop a malaria infection and increases their risk for anemia (7/28).
Victorian researchers have developed a wristwatch that continuously monitors the health status of people with Parkinson"s disease to help doctors manage their treatment, Victorian Minister for Innovation Gavin Jennings said today.
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute scientists have created a weakened strain of the malaria parasite that will be used as a live vaccine against the disease. The vaccine, developed in collaboration with researchers from the US, Japan and Canada, will be trialled in humans from early next year.
Similarities in brain activity during lucid dreaming and psychosis suggest that dream therapy may be useful in psychiatric treatment, a European Science Foundation (ESF) workshop has found. This is strengthened by the potential evolutionary relationship between dreams and psychosis.
The GMC has launched a series of challenging online tutorials that tackle tricky ethical scenarios.
Teenagers whose mothers have mental health impairments are likely to suffer behavioural problems, UQ research has found.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health has stopped a clinical trial testing a drug treatment for pulmonary hypertension in adults with sickle cell disease nearly one year early due to safety concerns. In an interim review of safety data from 33 participants who completed 16 weeks of treatment, researchers found that, compared to participants on placebo (dummy pill), participants taking sildenafil (Revatio) were significantly more likely to have serious medical problems. The most common problem was episodes of severe pain called sickle cell crises, which resulted in hospitalization. No deaths have been associated with the drug in the clinical trial.
A national fellowship program focused on expanding the role of nurses to lead change in the U.S. health care system has been awarded to Elias Provencio-Vasquez, Ph.D., N.P., F.A.A.N., F.A.A.N.P., associate professor at the University of Miami (UM) School of Nursing and Health Studies. He is one of twenty nurses selected nationwide as a 2009 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation® (RWJF) Executive Nurse Fellow.
Biotech firm Replikins Ltd. released its analysis of the June and July genomic data that predicts the rates of infectivity and lethality of the H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus. The quantitative analysis shows continued elevated levels in the Replikin Counts* of both Infectivity and Lethality genes, which indicate that the end of the current outbreak is not yet in sight.
Foresight Biotherapeutics announced that the first patient has been dosed in a viral conjunctivitis clinical trial. Foresight"s proprietary lead compound, FST-100, will be tested in a placebo-controlled, masked, and randomized multicenter clinical study throughout the United States. The primary endpoint of the study is the resolution of clinical signs and symptoms of acute conjunctivitis. Secondary endpoints include a reduction in quantitative PCR (qPCR) viral titers, eradication of infectious virus determined by cell culture immunofluorescence assay (CC-IFA), and safety. The company anticipates enrolling up to 100 patients.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has moved sunbeds (UV tanning beds) up to the highest cancer risk category-group 1-"carcinogenic to humans". The use of sunlamps and sunbeds was until now classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (group 2A). IARC also moved ultraviolet radiation into group 1. These and other findings are revealed in a Special Report in the August edition of The Lancet Oncology, produced by Dr Fatiha El Ghissassi and her colleagues, IARC, Lyon, France, on behalf of the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer Monograph Working Group.
A meta-analysis of more than 50,000 patients has shown that general practitioners (GPs) continue to have difficulty separating those with and without depression, with substantial numbers missed and misidentified. GPs looking for depression make more misidentifications (false positives of depression) than the number of depressions they correctly spot following an initial consultation but accuracy could improved by re-assessment of people suspected of having depression. These are the conclusions of an Article published Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet, written by Dr Alex Mitchell, Dr Amol Vaze, and Dr Sanajay Rao of Leicester Partnership Trust and University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Two articles published this week in the open-access journal PLoS Medicine
Cognitive testing may help people with inactive or benign multiple sclerosis (MS) better predict their future with the disease, according to a study published in the July 29, 2009, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Gender and brain lesions may also determine the risk of progression of MS years after diagnosis.
"As Congress struggles with a massive health care overhaul, several lobbying powerhouses - including the pharmaceutical industry and the nation"s largest advocacy group for retirees - are locked in a contentious fight over the future of biotechnology drugs," USA Today reports in a front page package. "Both sides have spent heavily to sway lawmakers in the debate over how long to keep the expensive drugs exempt from generic competition." The pharmaceutical industry is fighting for 12 years of exclusivity, while President Barack Obama is "pushing for seven years of exclusivity as he looks to trim costs to help pay for his health care plan. ... The pharmaceutical industry counters that a longer period of exclusivity is needed to recover its investments in "biologic drugs," which are made from living organisms and used to treat cancer, multiple sclerosis and other serious diseases."
Massachusetts lawmakers will vote today to provide $40 million to restore health care coverage for legal immigrants.
Anaesthetists in the UK and Ireland have been issued with new guidelines on how to
Malaria parasites in western Cambodia have become resistant to artemisinin-based therapies, the first-line treatment for malaria, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Resistance to the drugs makes them less effective and could eventually render them obsolete, putting millions of lives at risk.
Politicians will be put under the pump today as aged care nurses push for better funding in Budget 2010.
The Appointments Commission and the Department of Health have published guidance to help Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) with their governance arrangements for Provider Committees.
In response to the publication of Demonstrating Quality: The Sixth National Adult Cardiac Surgical Database Report (1) which examined outcomes for adult cardiac patients British Heart Foundation (BHF) Associate Medical Director Dr Mike Knapton said:
The Council of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has announced a fee
For those who can"t imagine starting the day without an energy drink, RightHealth, the Guide to Health on the Web, is providing a wake up call. Although energy drinks can make all-night cram sessions easier to stay awake for, they may not receive a passing grade when it comes to health.
By systematically analysing MRI changes occuring in the brains of children with the metabolic disease glutaric aciduria type I researchers at Heidelberg University Hospital have succeeded for the first time in demonstrating reversible and permanent brain damage as well as elucidating its temporal evolution.
A new study published in a leading medical journal today shows that in Western Cambodia, the parasites that cause malaria have developed
Sciele Pharma Inc., a Shionogi Company, and Plethora Solutions Holdings PLC ("Plethora" - AIM:PLE), announced that a second and final Phase III double-blind, placebo-controlled study of PSD502 for the treatment of premature ejaculation ("PE") has met all co-primary endpoints of Intra-vaginal Ejaculation Latency Time ("IELT"), Index of Premature Ejaculation ("IPE," Ejaculatory Control, Sexual Satisfaction and Distress domains).
A new study investigated the effectiveness of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) in the prevention and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or primary liver cancer. SAMe, a widely available nutritional supplement, with little known side effects, was found to be effective in preventing the formation of HCC in rats. However, high enough levels of SAMe were not attainable to successfully treat established HCC. The findings are available in the August issue of Hepatology, a journal published by John Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Levels of flu in Wales increased sharply in the week ending 26 July. Current levels of flu in Wales would be considered normal in the winter. Swine flu usually leads to a mild illness although in a minority of cases it can be severe
To fulfill America"s humanitarian obligations as a member of the international community and to invest in the nation"s long-term health, economic interests, and national security, the United States should reaffirm and increase its commitment to improving the health of developing nations, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.
"The healthcare overhaul fight in Washington is bursting into America"s living rooms, and interests from many bands on the political spectrum are trying to transform an often wonky debate over 1,000-page bills into an emotional pitch that can be captured in 30 seconds," The Boston Globe reports.
Low donation levels are causing the World Food Programme (WFP) to fall short of feeding the most critically hungry people in the world, and the agency "has so far received only $1.8 billion and has had to cut back rations and programs to the 108 million people it serves, said Josette Sheeran," WFP"s executive director, Reuters reports (Rampton, 7/29).
South Africa"s Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor on Tuesday announced a government-sponsored research initiative that "aims to combat HIV and AIDS through scientific and technological research, the development of new drugs, diagnostic tests and vaccines," SAPA/IOL reports (7/28). "[K]ey focus areas" of the South Africa HIV/AIDS Research and Innovation Platform (SHARP) will be prevention and therapeutics, according to BuaNews (7/28).
It"s been a year since fashion designer Joanne Scott went through a cancer treatment that changed her life -- and made history to boot. Ms. Scott, 54, was the first person in the world to receive an injection of tumor-activated natural killer (TaNK) cells as a treatment for leukemia.
It takes a spleen to mend a broken heart - that"s the conclusion of a surprising new report from researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Systems Biology, directed by Ralph Weissleder, MD, PhD. In the July 31 issue of Science the team reports how, in following up an intriguing observation, they discovered an unexpected reservoir of the immune cells called monocytes in the spleen and went on to show that these cells are essential to recovery of cardiac tissue in an animal heart attack model.
Doctors are being reminded to contact the GMC with their licensing decision through an advertising campaign launched yesterday, 1 August. Adverts will appear in the medical trade press throughout the first half of August as a final push to encourage doctors to respond to the GMC.
Continuing to help ensure the identity, purity and quality of heparin, the U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention has revised written and physical standards for the widely used blood thinner. In February, USP released updated heparin standards at the request of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in response to the 2008 public health crisis in which more than 200 people died as a result of heparin adulterated for economic gain. A second phase of revisions is reflected in the newly posted standards. These developments and new information about heparin were discussed by scientists and regulators at the third International Heparin Workshop held at USP headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, July 27.
The least-fit segment of the population has twice the mortality risk of even those who are just a bit more in shape, according to a study published in the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.
From time to time, Headway is made aware of worthy causes it believes it should provide its support to.
The second wave of Integrated Care Pilots should be developed among existing promising commissioners and providers to encourage a complete restructuring of the way primary and secondary work together.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection in the upper respiratory tract. Typically it is characterized by sore throat, swollen neck glands, high temperature and breathing difficulties. Through means of successful immunization diphtheria is now very rare in the United States and Europe. However it"s still common in countries where immunization programs are not an integral part of standard public health care. It is a potentially fatal disease with an estimated 5-10% fatality rate. In children under 5 and adults over 40 the fatality rate may sometimes reach 20%.
GSK announced that it has notified the European Medicines Agency of its decision to withdraw the Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) in the EU for mepolizumab for the treatment of hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES).
The biotechnology medicine Ilaris® (canakinumab) has passed another major milestone with a recommendation for approval in the European Union to treat patients with a life-long and potentially fatal auto-inflammatory disease called cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS). When approved, Ilaris will be the only treatment in the EU indicated for CAPS patients aged four years and older[1].
Blog Examines State Of USAID, Potential Farmer Appointment
San Francisco area HIV/AIDS organizations are urging lawmakers to restore millions of dollars in funding for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs that were cut from the California budget by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) this week, KCBS.com reports. "The governor has removed a substantial amount of our capacity to make sure that people know their HIV status," Dana Van Gorder of Project Inform said, adding "Services that are keeping people who are already HIV positive healthy will be reduced with a major impact on their health." A rally is planned to take place next week at the state building in San Francisco to protest the cuts, according to the article (7/30). David Brinkman of the Desert AIDS Project in Palm Springs, "says the budget cuts are literally a matter of life and death," KESQ.com reports. The Desert AIDS Project is hoping that planned fundraising will temporarily offset the cuts to services in the Palm Springs area (Diaz, 7/30).
Previously untreated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients over the age of 70 respond well to a combination of bevacizumab and erlotinib, Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers reported at the annual meeting of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.
UroToday.com - Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma Hominis are members of a unique group of microorganisms commonly identified in the genital tract of women. With the onset of sexual intercourse the prevalence of Mycoplasma increases dramatically an isolation is strongly dependent on the number of sexual partners. Convincing evidence of an infection caused by genital Mycoplasma is not easy, because they usually are not isolated in pure culture, making the evaluation even more difficult.
UroToday.com - Patients with pain can present with various symptom complexes that include interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, myofascial pain or various causes of dyspareunia but when carefully evaluated, the majority have very similar findings. No matter what their primary complaint might be over 70% of patients will have hypertonic pelvic floor dysfunction and/or pain as well as a component of at least one visceral pain syndrome such as interstitial cystitis (the most common), chronic pelvic pain or irritable bowel syndrome.
UroToday.com - Most recently, health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) after definitive local therapy for prostate cancer has been argued in the patient group with an oncological risk category. [1] Prior to such controversy, we thought that posttreatment HRQOL issues or functional outcomes possibly vary among oncological risk categories, and compared both oncological and functional outcomes between patients receiving radical prostatectomy (RP) and those undergoing external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with risk stratification. [2] Indeed, we found that the low- and intermediate-risk patients in the RP group reported poorer urinary function than those in the EBRT group.
UroToday.com - In this paper, we investigated 809 prostate cancer patients subjected to >10 cores at initial or repeat prostate biopsy from two prospective, multi-center studies from Europe and North America It has been demonstrated that the urinary marker Prostate CAncer gene 3 (PCA3) represents a novel prostate cancer (PCa) detection marker capable of increasing accuracy of multivariable biopsy nomograms.[1] The paper reports the first PCA3-based nomograms which accurately identify individuals at risk of harboring PCa (AUC=0.73). If a PCA3 score in combination with established risk factors is available, this novel tool assists clinicians in deciding whether further prostatic evaluation is necessary.
The Turner Syndrome Society of the United States (TSSUS) recently concluded its 22nd Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon. The conference drew more than 350 individuals, families, researchers and health care professionals to network and learn about the latest research breakthroughs benefiting women and girls with TS.
Depression among preschoolers appears to be a continuous, chronic condition rather than a transient developmental stage, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
If you"ve ever felt doomed to repeat your mistakes, researchers at MIT"s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory may have explained why: brain cells may only learn from experience when we do something right and not when we fail.
Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (NYSE AMEX: SVA), a leading provider of vaccines in China, announced today that the clinical trial of its A/H1N1 influenza vaccine is proceeding well. All of the volunteers have received their first shot of the vaccine and, during the three-day observation of safety, the preliminary tests on the A/H1N1 influenza vaccine have indicated that the vaccine is safe and reliable in humans.
Brazos Valley residents, neuroscience researchers, and interested clinicians will each have opportunities to hear from internationally recognized researchers on the topic of aging and Alzheimer"s Disease during the Texas Brain and Spine Institute"s Third Annual Neuroscience Symposium on September 3 and 4. This year"s symposium will consist of an evening of public presentations aimed at helping local residents, Alzheimer"s patients, and their family members better understand early signs of the disease and ways to reduce your risk. The Friday afternoon session will feature a clinical presentation for health providers and researchers.
Ovarian cancer is any cancerous growth that may occur in different parts of the ovary. The majority of ovarian cancers arise from the epithelium (outer lining) of the ovary. According to the American Cancer Society it is the 8th most common cancer among women in the USA (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). In the UK ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among females, after breast cancer, bowel cancer, lung cancer and uterine cancer (cancer of the uterus).
Authorities in China confirmed that a third man has died of pneumonic plague in Ziketan, Qinghai Province, China. The town has been sealed off. The 64-year-old man lived near the other two men who died, officials said.
"A week-old agreement among House Democrats to smooth out disparities in the way Medicare reimburses rural and urban health providers is in danger of crumbling, as disputes erupted Friday over what actually was agreed to," The Wall Street Journal reports. "Some lawmakers from states with high health-care costs are also pressing House Democratic leaders for changes to the deal to ensure that their doctors and hospitals don"t see too big of a bite. ò€¦ Lawmakers from populous areas are questioning whether the deal on geographic disparities should be altered to allow more time for Medicare changes to take effect, since there is no longer the urgency of putting those changes into effect before the public option is rolled out. Another issue is for how long a period of time after changes go into effect urban hospitals should be "held harmless," meaning they won"t see their Medicare reimbursements cut" (Vaughan, 8/2).
Francis Collins, President Obama"s pick to head NIH, and Regina Benjamin, Obama"s surgeon general nominee, have spoken publicly about their religious beliefs but also have expressed views on issues such as embryonic stem cell research that conflict with church teachings, USA Today reports. Collins, who headed the Human Genome Project, is an evangelical Christian who supports the use of human embryonic stem cells in some medical research. Focus on the Family in a newsletter lauded Obama"s choice of an evangelical to lead NIH but said that abortion-rights opponents cannot support Collins" views, "particularly since he supports destructive human embryonic stem cell research."Benjamin is a Roman Catholic and sits on the board of the Catholic Health Association. She also is active in her local church and received a papal medal in 2006. According to USA Today, Catholic leaders from her native state of Alabama say they have not heard Benjamin voice support for abortion rights. The Bayou La Batre, La., medical clinic that she oversees does not perform abortions. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, initially expressed support for Benjamin"s nomination, saying, "Her tireless and selfless efforts are a model for all physicians." He later said that he opposes any possible support she might give "mandated abortion coverage" in health reform.The White House has said that Benjamin agrees with Obama "on reproductive issues." Retired archbishop Oscar Lipscomb, who nominated Benjamin for the papal medal, said, "She is a practicing Catholic and faithful and, to the best of my knowledge, in all those questions that have arisen so far, there has never been a conflict in her practice and in her conversation with regard to what the church expects of medical practitioners." Former Surgeon General David Satcher, who taught Benjamin at Morehouse School of Medicine, said, "While the religion of the surgeon general may very well influence his or her ... approach, the message has to be the public health science," adding, "It"s not a religious message. It"s a public health science message."Emilie Townes, associate dean of academic affairs for Yale Divinity School, said that Obama"s choices represent his aim to "break the mold" of traditional politics, adding that Collins and Benjamin are examples of "big tent" evangelicalism and Catholicism (Banks, USA Today, 8/3).
A new study published in the August issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine shows that positron emission tomography (PET) is an important tool for depicting the extent of neuroblastoma in some patients, particularly for those in the early stages of the disease. Neuroblastoma accounts for six to ten percent of all childhood cancers in the United States and 15 percent of cancer deaths in children. Accurately identifying where in the body the disease is located and whether it is spreading is critical for choosing appropriate types of treatment, which can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and-in the most advanced cases-a combination of all of these treatments along with bone marrow transplant or investigational therapies.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota and National Institutes of Health have identified a new function for the protein missing in people with the most common and ultimately lethal form of childhood muscular dystrophy.
An international team of researchers has identified a new method for selectively killing metastatic melanoma cells, which may lead to new areas for drug development in melanoma - a cancer that is highly resistant to current treatment strategies.
Researchers have identified what they believe is the original of malignant malaria: a parasite found in chimpanzees in equatorial Africa.
Interventional radiology procedures are on the rise in developing countries and there is a significant need for optimization of these procedures to ensure patient safety. Many facilities in these countries lack the concept of patient dose estimation and dose management, putting patients at a higher risk of developing complications due to overexposure from radiation during interventional procedures, according to a study performed by the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria.
Pregnant women with mild hypertensive disorders such as high blood pressure/mild pre-eclampsia^ should have their labour induced once they complete 37 weeks of their pregnancy. This is the conclusion of the HYPITAT study, published in an Article Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet, written by Dr Corine M Koopmans, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Groningen, Netherlands, and colleagues.
Physical education (PE) in schools is one of the main tools used to increase physical activity and to prevent childhood obesity, and PE-related injuries are on the rise. Although increasing physical activity may reduce obesity, it may also increase the risk of injury. While recognizing that PE classes and physical activity are important components in combating obesity, parents and school administrators should remain vigilant for injuries. A recent study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children"s Hospital, found that the number of PE-related injuries to elementary, middle and high school students in the United States increased 150 percent between 1997 and 2007.
Middle aged people who smoke, have high blood pressure or diabetes are far more likely to develop dementia in later life, suggests research published ahead of print in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
Boehringer Ingelheim announced today at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer"s 13th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), San Francisco, CA, the initiation of a Phase III clinical study of BIBW 2992 as first-line treatment in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. BIBW 2992 (planned brand name Tovok™) is the first orally-administered, irreversible dual inhibitor of EGFR and HER2,1 to reach Phase III development in NSCLC.2
Kefir, one of the world"s oldest "health" drinks, did little to prevent diarrhea in young children being treated with antibiotics, say researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC), who tested the drink in a unique and rigorous double-blind clinical trial.
Of the 600,000-800,000 people trafficked across international borders each year, 50 percent are under 17. It is estimated that by 2010, human trafficking will be the No. 1 crime worldwide.
Nile Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: NLTX), a company focused on the development of novel therapeutics for heart failure patients, today announced dosing of its first patient in a Phase 2 clinical study of its lead product, CD-NP, for the treatment of acute heart failure.
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: LXRX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing breakthrough treatments for human disease, announced that it has initiated a Phase 2 clinical trial of LX2931 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. LX2931 is an orally-delivered, small molecule drug candidate that has recently completed Phase 1 testing in normal volunteers. Lexicon also successfully completed a drug-drug interaction (DDI) study of LX2931 with methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, with no clinically significant drug-drug interactions observed.
PEAK Surgical, Inc. announced the launch of the PEAK((R)) PlasmaBlade TnA (Tonsil and Adenoid) tissue dissection device following 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This new product is indicated for cutting and coagulation of soft tissue during otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat [ENT]) surgery, including removal of the tonsils and adenoids.
Efforts to standardize quality measures for medical tourism are underway as Mexico tries to attract medical tourists. Such efforts come after the swine flu outbreak significantly hurt Mexico"s tourism industry, which ranks third as the country"s of foreign income
Congressional Quarterly examines a "three-page concept paper" issued by the House Foreign Affairs Committee that lays out a plan to overhaul U.S. foreign aid. The committee suggests "giving the administration greater flexibility to control aid in exchange for greater public oversight and a performance- and need-driven allocation system," the news service writes. "The plan would reorganize aid programs around seven purposes, including "reducing poverty and alleviating human suffering," "supporting human rights and democracy," and "expanding prosperity through trade and investment,"" according to CQ. The House committee wants to enhance USAID"s role, "giving the agency a seat on the National Security Council and putting it in charge of the U.S. global AIDS plan and the Millennium Challenge Corporation," the news service writes.
The Boston Public Health Commission has allocated $100,000 to a new campaign that uses social networking sites and other media outlets to raise sexual health awareness among teenagers, the Boston Globe reports. The city is facing increasing rates of sexually transmitted diseases among those age 15 to 19, according to the Globe. The new campaign will include educational videos featuring teenagers that will air on the MTV, FX and BET television networks; radio and mass transit advertisements; and theater performances. Facebook, YouTube and other social networking sites also will be used to reach teenagers with safer sex messages. Officials hope to address teenagers" "casual attitudes" toward sexually transmitted diseases, the Globe reports. Lydia Shrier, an adolescent medicine specialist at Children"s Hospital Boston, said teenagers might say ""Hey, I may get HIV, but it"s treatable and I"m going to live." It"s not a death sentence to them" (Smith, 8/4).
The National Institutes of Health is launching the first integrated, drug development pipeline to produce new treatments for rare and neglected diseases. The $24 million program jumpstarts a trans-NIH initiative called the Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases Program, or TRND.
Antisoma plc (LSE: ASM; USOTC: ATSMY) announces that the journal Lung Cancer has published the results of a single-arm phase II trial of ASA404 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The trial included patients with both major histological forms of NSCLC: squamous and non-squamous. Positive data from this trial supported the progress of ASA404 into phase III trials in patients with NSCLC of all histologies.
When you feel you are being touched, usually someone or something is
Emergency physicians should trust their judgment when evaluating patients who report with chest pain symptoms, said a group of researchers led by Abhinav Chandra, M.D., at Duke University Medical Center.
Over 100 certified breastfeeding peer counselors, lactation consultants, nurses, physicians, dietitians and community health workers are expected to gather at Rush University Medical Center on Thursday, August 6 from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. in Room 500 at 1725 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, to attend the Griffin Inaugural Conference on Breastfeeding: The Primary Foundation for Health.
Ferring Pharmaceuticals announced yesterday that the U.S.
Threshold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: THLD) and the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare announced yesterday clinical trial results related to Threshold"s clinical stage hypoxia-activated prodrug, TH-302. The results were presented at the World Conference on Lung Cancer being held July 31 to August 4, 2009, at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, CA.
A new US study has added to existing knowledge about the million or so brain cells in our gut by using lab mice to show that it can also grow
Growing scientific evidence indicates that people who adhere to a special calorie-restricted diet can improve their health and could potentially add years to their lifespan, according to an article in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS" weekly newsmagazine.
Due to workforce shortages, doctors are struggling to maintain their involvement in teaching and in research activities, according to an article published in the Medical Journal of Australia. Further, the demands for doctors to teach medical students and doctors-in-training are increasing, with even more medical students now enrolled.
Death notification forms should include voluntary questions about whether the deceased was a smoker, according to an article published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Labopharm Inc. (TSX: DDS; NASDAQ: DDSS) announced it has filed a New Drug Submission (NDS) with the Therapeutic Products Directorate of Health Canada for its novel formulation of the antidepressant trazodone.
As the U.S. prepares for a resurgence of H1N1 influenza this fall, much can be learned from looking at a previous pandemic that had similar patterns. In an article published today in Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, researchers at the Center for Biosecurity of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) examined historical documents, published material, and newspaper coverage related to the 1957-58 influenza pandemic to compare the progress and severity of that outbreak with the current one. The simple, practical actions taken in 1957 allowed the country to continue functioning with minimal disruption.
Most people who carry a genetic mutation for a movement disorder called dystonia will never develop symptoms, a phenomenon that has puzzled scientists since the first genetic mutation was identified in the 1990"s. Now, scientists at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have figured out why these mutation carriers are protected from symptoms of the disorder they have an additional lesion that evens the score.
As we all know from experience, people eat not only because they are hungry, but also because the food just simply tastes too good to pass up. Now, a new study in the August 6th Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, helps to explain how leptin, a hormone produced by fat tissue, influences that motivation to eat.
The following summarizes recent articles on breast and ovarian cancer research.~ Breast cancer: For the first time, a large international breast cancer study to determine the effectiveness of radiation therapy after mastectomy will include 200 Chinese women, the New York Times reports. Asian women traditionally have had relatively low breast cancer rates. However, that trend is reversing in China, where breast cancer is on the rise because of rapid urbanization, pollution and diet changes. In addition, China"s one-child policy could be contributing to the trend, as breast cancer is less common in women with more children. Chief researcher Ian Kunkler, a professor at the Edinburgh Cancer Research Center, said that although pharmaceutical companies have done clinical trials of chemotherapy drugs in China, "no patient in China has ever been recruited into a randomized controlled trial for breast radiotherapy." Kunkler"s trial will include about 3,700 participants overall from Australia, Britain and other parts of Europe, Japan and Singapore (Caryn Rabin, New York Times, 8/3).~ Ovarian cancer: Two recently published studies have provided new insight into the early stages of ovarian cancer, potentially increasing the likelihood of developing better diagnostic tests, the Wall Street Journal reports. A study published in the journal Nature Genetics has identified a common gene variation called BNC2. Scientists predict that when BNC2 is combined with other gene variations, the result dramatically increases the risk of ovarian cancer. Researchers involved in a study published in the online journal PLoS have determined that ovarian tumors of the BRCA1 mutation exist in the body for about four years before metastasizing but remain less than one centimeter in diameter during that time. They also found that only about half of the tumors grow to be three centimeters in diameter when they do spread (Beck, Wall Street Journal, 8/4).
The Associated Press reports: "Health care legislation before Congress would allow a new government-sponsored insurance plan to cover abortions, a decision that would affect millions of women and recast federal policy on the divisive issue. Federal funds for abortions are now restricted to cases involving rape, incest or danger to the health of the mother. Abortion opponents say those restrictions should carry over to any health insurance sold through a new marketplace envisioned under the legislation, an exchange where people would choose private coverage or the public plan. Abortion rights supporters say that would have the effect of denying coverage for abortion to millions of women who now have it through workplace insurance and are expected to join the exchange. Advocates on both sides are preparing for a renewed battle over abortion, which could jeopardize political support for President Barack Obama"s health care initiative aimed at covering nearly 50 million uninsured and restraining medical costs" (Alonso-Zaldivar, 8/5).
Massachusetts officials are proud of their low rate of uninsured people, but the state also hosts the highest health care costs in the country, a problem that jeopardizes their achievement in expanding coverage, NPR"s Morning Edition reports. A commission charged with overseeing the insurance plan for 310,000 government workers recently voted - unanimously - that doing away with the current, fee-for-service model for paying doctors was the first step to controlling those costs. "Massachusetts policymakers want to replace fee-for-service with "global payment" - paying groups of health providers a flat yearly fee for each patient they cover," NPR reports (Knox, 8/5).
States are grappling with budget cuts, trying to anticipate the effects of Washington"s health system overhaul and rejiggering Medicaid programs. Here"s a round-up of today"s local coverage:
Health Co-ops Emerge As Weak Substitute USA Today
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have today published their
Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global healthcare products company and recognized innovator in mechanical ventilation and respiratory care devices, announced it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its Leak Compensation software feature for the Puritan Bennett 840™ ventilator system. This option provides continuous levels of mechanical ventilation to patients requiring respiratory support, regardless of the level of gas leakage that might occur in the circuit or past a patient interface device in the clinical setting.
People living with HIV will benefit from a new test developed by Victoria, Australia scientists that offers a simpler and cheaper way of monitoring the disease in sufferers, Victorian Innovation Minister Gavin Jennings said today.