Public Health
Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (Euronext: AMT), a leader in the field of human gene therapy, announced that the European Medicines Agency has granted Orphan Drug Designation to AMT"s gene therapy product AMT-021 for the treatment of acute intermittent porphyria (AIP).
Millions of Baby Boomers are struggling to care for their aging parents. Many don"t know where to turn or even what their options are in making important decisions about senior care facilities for their parents.
At least six states have considered eliminating or reducing financial assistance for those enrolled in the Medicare prescription drug benefit program who are affected by the "doughnut hole," or gap in coverage, the AP/Boston Herald reports. According to the AP/Herald, the governors of Rhode Island and Vermont and lawmakers in South Carolina have proposed plans to eliminate such financial assistance programs, while Massachusetts has reduced funding for its program. Meanwhile, proposals in New York and Connecticut to limit financial help have been dismissed.Beneficiaries enrolled in the drug benefit have coverage until total spending reaches $2,700 and then must pay out-of-pocket for their medications until the total spending reaches $4,350, after coverage. At least 16 states provide financial help to beneficiaries who have reached the coverage gap (AP/Boston Herald, 5/27).
Candela Corporation (NASDAQ: CLZR) announced that two studies have reported superior results on patients who benefited from the Candela Vbeam® laser treatments for bruising resulting from cosmetic procedures. The studies concluded that the Vbeam pulsed-dye laser significantly expedited the healing process, improved outcomes, and provided greater overall patient satisfaction.
Thailand has set a goal of reducing by half the number of new HIV cases in the country by 2011, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Wednesday, TNA/MCOT English News reports. Abhisit was speaking at the opening ceremony of the three-day 12th National Seminar on AIDS, which more than 2,500 HIV-positive people, students, and participants from Thai agencies, private sector groups and international organizations are expected to attend. The seminar will focus on the government"s plan to reduce new cases by 2011 and the national HIV/AIDS action plan."The government"s plan, if successful, will be the result of cooperation from all sides," Abhisit said. He added that statistics indicate that one in four new HIV infections occur among men who have sex with men. In addition, new cases among married women in the country have increased by 30% to 40%, according to Abhisit. He said that he will be involved in a campaign to promote fidelity among married couples in the country (TNA/MCOT English News, 5/27).
Low vitamin D levels in blacks could contribute to health gaps between white and black U.S. residents, Michael Holick, a professor at Boston University and a vitamin D researcher, said recently, the GNS/Chicago Sun-Times reports. According to Holick, blacks have lower levels of vitamin D than whites in part because the higher amount of pigment in their skin makes it harder for their body to absorb the nutrient, which is produced in response to sun exposure. Although scientists are debating optimum vitamin D levels, some scientists have said that vitamin D can reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses. Holick added that some scientists believe blacks are more likely to have prostate cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer and have more aggressive forms of the cancer because they have lower levels of vitamin D. John Flack, principal investigator at the Center for Urban and African American Health at Wayne State University, said lower vitamin D levels among blacks is "potentially a very important explanation for some of the differences, from hypertension to cancer to heart failure," adding, "The actual proof is not there, but it"s plausible." Flack added that many factors -- including decreased access to health care and differences in income and education -- contribute to the overall poorer health among blacks. The Institute of Medicine next year is expected to release new guidelines on recommended daily intake for vitamin D. "All Americans, but particularly people with darker skin, should pay attention" to the new guidelines, according to Adit Ginde, a researcher at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine who led a recent study that found vitamin D levels are decreasing in all racial groups and are particularly low in blacks (Painter, GNS/Chicago Sun-Times, 5/28).
Academic Press, a division of Elsevier, would like to announce the publication of a new title in psychology; Evidence-Based Addiction Treatment by Peter Miller, PhD.
Contrary to what one might expect, it is not the sweaty armpit or fluffy bellybutton but the forearm that is home to the most diverse range of
Long-term risks of invasive cancer and recurrence of severe cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) are higher among women previously treated for CIN, compared with those with no CIN diagnosis, according to data from a large, retrospective cohort study published in the May 12 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
When faced with a terminal illness, African-American seniors were two times more likely than whites to say they would want life-prolonging treatments, according to a University of Pittsburgh study available online and published in the June issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
RAJ Devices, the regulatory affairs journal published by Informa and covering the medical technology industry, has published a comprehensive feature on how companies in the US can comply with a much stricter code of ethics that medical technology industry association AdvaMed will launch on 1 July.
Just as our world buzzes with distractions - from phone calls to e-mails to tweets - the neurons in our brain are bombarded with messages. Research has shown that when we pay attention, some of these neurons begin firing in unison, like a chorus rising above the noise. Now, a study in the May 29 issue of Science reveals the likely brain center that serves as the conductor of this neural chorus.
Oxoid, a world leading microbiology brand, has today announced the availability of two new chromogenic media in the Brilliance™ Resistant Screening Agar range. Brilliance ESBL Agar and Brilliance VRE Agar can be used as screening tests to rapidly identify patients colonised with problematic Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producing organisms and vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE), allowing appropriate infection control and treatment to commence sooner for the best possible patient outcome.
Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers report that a combination of trastuzumab and neratinib (HKI-272) a novel small molecule inhibitor of the HER2 receptor (ErbB2) appears active in women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who have progressed on previous trastuzumab based therapies. More than one-quarter of the women in a phase I/II trial had their tumors shrink on the combination therapy.
Yale University researchers have discovered a set of cellular chaperones needed to assemble a proteasome, the cellular workhorse that recycles proteins and is crucial for the existence of all eukaryotic cells.
Boehringer Ingelheim announced that it will become the founding sponsor of the World Stroke Academy, a novel training initiative for stroke professionals being developed by the World Stroke Organization ( WSO). This latest educational initiative from the WSO will bring together an international group of stroke experts - led by Professor Michael Brainin of the Danube University Krems, Austria - to provide information about stroke and knowledge for health professionals and medical doctors in order to improve prevention, therapy and management of stroke.
An analysis of previous studies indicates that among patients with peripheral artery disease, aspirin use is associated with a statistically nonsignificant decrease in the risk of a group of combined cardiovascular events (nonfatal heart attack, nonfatal stroke, and cardiovascular death), but is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of one of these events, nonfatal stroke, although the findings may be limited by the lack of a large study population, according to an article in the May 13 issue of JAMA.
Midwifery Regulators from eighteen European countries have met in London to discuss ways in which they can collaborate to enhance the safety of women and babies across the EU.
Scientists are reporting discovery of a potential new alternative to aspirin, ReoPro, and other anti-platelet agents used widely to prevent blood clots in coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke. Their study, scheduled for the June 23 issue of ACS Nano, a monthly journal, involves particles of silver - 1/50,000th the diameter of a human hair - that are injected into the bloodstream.
Sleep disturbances increase as we age. Some studies report more than half of seniors 65 years of age or older suffer from chronic sleep disturbances. Researchers have long believed that the sleep disturbances common among the elderly often result from a disruption of the body"s circadian rhythms - biological cycles that repeat approximately every 24 hours.
By using ultrafast laser pulses to slice off pieces of chromosomes and observe how the chromosomes behave, biomedical engineers at the University of Michigan have gained pivotal insights into mitosis, the process of cell division.
Those in the United States living with HIV/AIDS are more likely to use marijuana than those in Kenya, South Africa or Puerto Rica to alleviate their symptoms, according to a new study published in Clinical Nursing Research, published by SAGE. Those who did use marijuana rate it as effective as prescribed or over the counter (OTC) medicines for the majority of common symptoms, once again raising the issue that therapeutic marijuana use merits further study and consideration among policy makers.
Certain individuals have long been regarded as particularly susceptible to developing behavioural and emotional problems when they experience negative environmental conditions, due to the fact that they carry so-called "vulnerability genes". Existing research suggests, for instance, that such "genetically vulnerable" individuals are most likely to become impulsive and hyperactive if their mothers smoked while pregnant, to behave anti-socially if subjected to child abuse, and to become depressed if exposed to many negative life events (e.g., divorce, unemployment). But a new evaluation of existing gene-by-environment interaction (GXE) research highlighting such genetic vulnerability to adversity challenges this traditional interpretation of existing evidence. Research published in Molecular Psychiatry suggests that those carrying "vulnerability genes" are not only more likely than others to be adversely affected by negative experiences but to also benefit more than others from positive environments, making them more malleable or plastic, not just vulnerable. This novel interpretation of old and new findings suggests that "vulnerability genes" might be better conceptualised as "plasticity or malleability genes" because carriers are more affected, for better and for worse, by positive and negative environmental conditions.
Congressman James McGovern, D-Massachusetts, has announced National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards for two researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute"s Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center at Gateway Park.
CAFFEINE SHOWN AS EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING EXERCISE-INDUCED ASTHMA SYMPTOMS AS AN ALBUTEROL INHALER
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices represent a critical step toward achieving automated glucose measurement, offering people with diabetes a promising new tool for maintaining optimal glucose control. A comprehensive review of this rapidly changing field, featuring the most recent research findings and critical analysis, is the focus of a special supplement of Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The supplement is available free online at http://www.liebertonline.com/dia
President Obama has nominated Miguel Diaz, a Cuban-born Roman Catholic and an associate professor of theology at the College of Saint Benedict at St. John"s University in Minnesota, as the next U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, the White House announced on Wednesday, AP/Boston Globe reports. According to the AP/Globe, although the selection of an ambassador for the Vatican does not usually draw much scrutiny, Diaz"s nomination "comes as tensions run high in the U.S. church over Catholics" voice in the public square and the politics of abortion," especially in the wake of the controversy over Obama"s recent speech at the University of Notre Dame. Another potential issue that might arise during Diaz"s confirmation is his support for former Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) during her nomination to be HHS secretary, the AP/Globe reports. Although conservative Catholics expressed anger that Sebelius, who is Catholic, supports abortion rights, Diaz joined 25 other Catholic leaders and scholars who signed a statement supporting her as "a woman of deep faith," citing her record on health care and reducing abortion rates in Kansas, according to the AP/Globe.In January at Obama"s inauguration, Diaz told the Catholic News Service that Obama was "committed to working" with people who defend "life in the womb" and holds much respect for those whose positions he does not agree with. "Wherever we can, we should advance life at all stages," he said. On Wednesday, he declined to comment on his positions on various issues, which he said would be inappropriate before his confirmation hearing. The AP/Globe reports that the next U.S. ambassador to the Vatican would play a prominent role in scheduling a possible meeting in July between Obama and Pope Benedict XVI during Obama"s visit to Italy (Gorski, AP/Boston Globe, 5/28).
Botswana"s campaign to circumcise about 500,000 men by 2012 will prevent nearly 70,000 new HIV cases by 2025, according to a report published Thursday in the Journal of the International AIDS Society, AFP/Yahoo! News reports. The government"s national campaign aims to circumcise 460,000 men over the next five years, and the country has begun airing television and radio advertisements to encourage men to be circumcised at local clinics. "Scaling up safe male circumcision has the potential to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in Botswana significantly," according to the study. The report puts the estimated cost of the circumcision campaign at about $47 million. A UNAIDS report estimates that the HIV prevalence among pregnant women in Botswana was 43% in 2003, the year that antiretroviral drug access was introduced in the country (AFP/Yahoo! News, 5/28).
Fox Chase Cancer Center investigators report that a two-drug blockade of mTOR signaling appears safe in metastatic kidney cancer in a phase I trial. Early data suggests that a combination of temsirolimus and bryostatin may be active in patients with rare forms of renal cell cancer, which are less likely to respond to other targeted therapies.
If you are a clinical research novice or veteran with a study sponsor, research site, or CRO in a corporate, academic or other organization, you will find a comprehensive program that focuses on your current needs and broadens your knowledge. MAGI conferences feature balanced co-presentations from sponsors, sites and CROs, real-life examples, practical tips, and lots of interaction and networking. This year"s conference will feature:
Dentists are seeing a spike in jaw-pain related
Boehringer Ingelheim will present new data on the company"s two lead oncology compounds, BIBW 2992* and BIBF 1120** at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the company announced today. Two studies in the LUX-Lung clinical development programme for BIBW 2992 and a Phase II study of BIBF 1120 in ovarian cancer patients will be presented.
Genzyme Corporation (Nasdaq: GENZ) announced that the European Medicines Agency"s Committee for Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion on the marketing authorization application for Mozobil ® (plerixafor injection).
Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. ("Raptor" or the "Company") (OTC Bulletin Board: RPTP), announced that it has dosed the first patient in its Phase 2b clinical trial, conducted in collaboration with the University of California, San Diego ("UCSD"), to evaluate Raptor"s proprietary delayed-release cysteamine bitartrate ("DR Cysteamine") capsules in nephropathic cystinosis ("cystinosis"), a rare genetic lysosomal storage disease. Under Raptor"s open Investigational New Drug application ("IND"), UCSD is performing the Raptor-sponsored trial at its General Clinical Research Center.
Detailed data from a randomized Phase 2 study with PROSTVAC(TM) were presented Saturday at the ASCO Annual Meeting in Orlando. The presentation was made by Philip Kantoff MD, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who is also the principal investigator of the study.
Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: PVCT), a development-stage oncology and dermatology biopharmaceutical company, has announced interim data from the first 40 subjects in its Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. PV-10 treatment was well tolerated and caused selective tumor destruction in the majority of subjects. Additional data on untreated tumors corroborated observations of a possible bystander effect seen during earlier Phase 1 testing. These data were presented today at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2009 Annual Meeting, Abstract #9060, entitled "Chemoablation of melanoma with intralesional rose bengal (PV-10)," in the General Poster Session.
Micromet, Inc. (Nasdaq: MITI), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, proprietary antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases, presented data from a clinical trial investigating its anti-EpCAM human antibody adecatumumab (MT201) in combination with the chemotherapeutic docetaxel in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) held in Orlando, Florida, USA(1).
American Psychological Association 117th Annual Convention in Toronto, Canada, Aug. 6-9, 2009
A vaccine for one of the most lethal cancers, advanced melanoma, has shown improved response rates and progression-free survival for patients when combined with the immunotherapy drug, Interleukin-2, according to researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Physicians who treat patients with multiple health problems will fare well under pay-for-performance, which bases physician reimbursement on the quality of care provided, said researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston in a report in the current issue of the journal Circulation.
New research published in the June issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, shows most mental health settings in England have faced challenges in introducing smoke-free policies.
Health warnings on tobacco packaging that combine text and pictures are one of the most cost-effective ways to increase public awareness of the serious health risks of tobacco use and reduce consumption.
Plans to replace London"s District General Hospitals with new local hospitals providing fewer services carry clinical risks and need more thought, the BMA says today.
Athletes could be putting their lives at risk by doping themselves with powerful prescription drugs, a leading academic has warned.
Dr Alexis Willett, Head of Policy & Involvement at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, says:
Four risk factors that help predict how long men may survive with metastatic prostate cancer could help doctors choose more effective treatments, according to a study led by researchers in the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Even while their blood pressures are still normal, overweight male teens may have elevated levels of a hormone known to increase pressures as well as early signs of heart damage, researchers say.
Changing the order that chemotherapy drugs are given to breast cancer patients before surgery makes treatment much more effective, according to trial results presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference, today.
"Health industry officials delivered a plan to the White House Monday documenting how they"ll attempt to save $2 trillion over a decade through measures like reducing hospitalizations and cutting down on paperwork," the Associated Press reports. "Health insurers, doctors, hospitals, drug-makers and others were under pressure to make good on a pledge they made last month to curb their own costs to help President Barack Obama achieve his health care overhaul goals." Their three big areas of savings: $150 billion to $180 billion would come from more efficient use of health care services, $350 billion to $850 billion from better management of chronic diseases, and $500 billion to $700 billion through administrative improvements such as standardizing claim forms (Werner, 6/1).
The United Auto Workers" benefits plan is expected to receive a nearly 20 percent ownership stake in General Motors as a result of the automaker"s bankruptcy filing today and proposed restructuring, the Washington Post reports (Whoriskey, 6/1).
A new multi-center study, conducted at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in collaboration with five other centers throughout the country, tested the commonly prescribed antidepressant citalopram and found that it was no more effective than placebo in altering obsessive features of the condition - the spinning, rocking and repetitive behavior.
Cougar Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:CGRB) announced that results from ongoing Phase II clinical trials of Cougar"s investigational drug CB7630 (abiraterone acetate) were presented at the 2009 ASCO Annual Meeting that is currently taking place in Orlando, Florida. The data were released today in three poster presentations. These presentations are further detailed below:
If you want a safe way to take your dog with you on bike rides, the Springer dog exerciser might be the perfect answer.
Argos Therapeutics announced the presentation of new information on its soluble CD83 (sCD83) protein program in a poster session at the 2009 American Transplant Congress, held May 30-June 3 in Boston. The poster presentation, to be made on June 2 at 5:30pm by Argos" collaborating scientists from the University of Western Ontario, demonstrates that combination therapy with sCD83 can prolong kidney allograft survival in an animal model of transplantation, and that sCD83 attenuates pathological changes in kidney allografts, induces generation of T regulatory cells and inhibits dendritic cell maturation, all of which may contribute to immunosuppression and allograft tolerance.
Nigeria Releases 57M Polio Vaccines, Aims To Increase Vaccine Coverage
GTx, Inc. (Nasdaq: GTXI) announced the presentation of data demonstrating that toremifene 80 mg treatment compared to placebo increased bone mineral density (BMD) in multiple clinically relevant subpopulations of men with prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The data, an analysis of results of the recent Phase III clinical trial evaluating toremifene 80 mg for the prevention of bone fractures and treatment of other estrogen deficiency side effects of androgen deprivation therapy in men with prostate cancer, were presented yesterday at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Somerset people living in the Williton area now have a wider choice when it comes to choosing an NHS dentist.
Reuters reports that, due to the difficulties in getting or paying for health insurance, "countless workers in the United States are trapped in jobs they would like to leave ... calcifying innovation and mobility in the world"s largest economy." Reuters notes that when he was head of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, "Todd Stottlemeyer frequently encountered would-be entrepreneurs who let their ideas go stale and their products languish on the workbench because they did not want to shoulder their own health care costs. "
Pennsylvania and Illinois are expanding health insurance options for for young adults.
The Cancer Research Center of Hawaii"s (CRCH) Minority Based
New research from the UC Davis Center for
In the midst of Zimbabwe"s growing humanitarian crisis, U.N. agencies on Monday released a revised statement of appeal for foreign donations totaling $718 million for "food, clean water, AIDS medicines and other aid - up from an estimate of $550 million in November," the AP/Washington Post reports (Shaw, AP/Washington Post, 6/1).
Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) will be demonstrating its full range of brachytherapy cancer treatment equipment and software at the American Brachytherapy Society meeting in Toronto, Canada, from May 31 to June 2. Varian"s exhibit will include the new BrachyVision™ Acuros™ system, which offers a significantly more accurate* way of calculating the dosimetry of cancer treatments.
International development charity Teaching-aids At Low Cost (TALC) has launched the 10th edition of its e-TALC CD.
Two opinion pieces recently responded to criticisms of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama"s nominee to the Supreme Court.~ Raina Kelley, Newsweek: The "discussions about whether ... Sotomayor was chosen just because she is a Hispanic woman drive me nuts," Newsweek columnist Kelley writes. She continues, "Yes, the fact that she"s a Latina makes a difference in what she brings to the bench, but let"s not overlook the fact that she"d be qualified for the job even if she were a white man." Citing Sotomayor"s experience as a Second Circuit Court of Appeals judge for more than a decade and her educational qualifications as a graduate of Princeton University and Yale Law School, Kelley writes that "we can assume that she has at least some of the appropriate skills to be a Supreme Court justice." She adds, "But when she sits down for those hearings in front of the cameras and the country, the lingering question will still be, "Did she get into all those great schools just because of her race?"" Kelley writes, "It"s infuriating to me that a woman as competent as Sotomayor will have to prove she deserves her nomination while a white-male colleague with the same resume can skip that step and go straight to his judicial philosophy." According to Kelley, "It is time for our hallowed institutions to look like the country" they serve. She notes that "white males have gotten the jobs over at the Supreme Court 96% of the time," concluding that "the assumption that they"re naturally the best candidate for everything, and we"re doing anyone else a favor if we give them a desirable job, is a bit much" (Kelley, Newsweek, 5/29).~ Kathleen Parker, Washington Post: "Even without the help of all those foot soldiers who blast out late-night memos, any sentient being could have predicted the reaction" last week to the nomination of Sotomayor, syndicated columnist Parker writes. She adds, "Within minutes" of the announcement, "a dozen other e-mails tumbled through the hatch enumerating all the reasons Sotomayor was a terrible pick: affirmative action, identity politics, the Ricci [v. DeStefano] case, double standards, racism, sexism." She continues, "Although her judicial record has raised some legitimate concerns, Sotomayor isn"t so easily characterized as the radical liberal that some on the right have suggested. She has ruled favorably toward abortion protesters and unfavorably toward minority plaintiffs." In reference to Sotomayor"s 2001 comments that her experiences as a Hispanic woman might help her reach a ""better conclusion than a white male who hasn"t lived that life,"" Parker asks, "Could a white man get away with saying something comparable about a Latina? Of course not. After Latinas have run the world for 2,000 years, they won"t be able to say it ever again either." Parker continues, "For now, the hot winds of punditry could use a little chill," concluding, "Calling Sotomayor a sexist and racist, far from being fair, is an irrational rush to judgment unbecoming ladies, gentlemen, scoundrels and scholars" (Parker, Washington Post, 5/31).
Reclast® (zoledronic acid 5 mg) Injection* has been approved by
Factors that lead to emergency department overcrowdings, ambulance diversions and other incidents that endanger patient safety have been revealed. A study published in BioMed Central"s open access Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine has shown that reductions in the number of hospital beds and downsizing or closure of emergency departments may create a dangerous loss of "surge capacity".
A new global study has found that lifestyle risk factors such as alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking are important risk factors for bowel cancer. Researchers have shown that people who consume the largest quantities of alcohol (equivalent to > 7 drinks per week) have 60% greater risk of developing the cancer, compared with non-drinkers.
Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center uncovered a genetic pattern that may help predict how gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients respond to the targeted therapy imatinib mesylate (Gleevec). Moreover, their findings point to genes that could be suppressed in order to make these tumors respond more readily to imatinib.
Researchers unveiled data during Digestive Disease Week® (DDW®) 2009 examining the potential risks associated with two commonly-used treatments, particularly among the elderly: acid suppressors and antithrombotics. DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians and researchers in the field of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.
As America"s drive for healthcare reforms heats up, the lobbying group for health insurers will meet this week in San Diego-and will be greeted by an impassioned demonstration organized by nurses, doctors, and patients supporting single-payer healthcare reforms.
Secretary of State for work and pensions James Purnell MP is lending his support to an MS Society-led project designed to help people with chronic and fluctuating health conditions remain in work.
Men are planning for their financial security in retirement but not for their happiness, according to a survey revealing that more women than men plan for their health and leisure interests before they stop working.
Informing men that a new vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) would also help protect their female partners against developing cervical cancer from the sexually transmitted infection did not increase their interest in getting the vaccine, according to a new Florida State University study.
Collaboration research carried out by the teams of Jordi Surrallés, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB); Juan Carlos IzpisÃôa-Belmonte and Angel Raya, Centre for Regenerative Medicine of Barcelona (CMRB); and Juan Antonio Bueren, Centre for Energetic, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT), has resulted in the generation of blood cells from skin cells of patients with a genetic disease known as Fanconi anemia. The process is based on gene therapy and cell reprogramming techniques in which cells similar to embryonic stem cells known as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be generated. The research article was published in this week"s digital version of Nature.
People with lower back pain are better off exercising more, not less.
America"s chain restaurants are making Americans fatter and sicker say consumer watchdog Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) who
Wireless, personal computers used by cancer patients to log their symptoms help improve the patients" care and further cancer research, according to a study led by researchers in the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Diabetes UK launches its national Measure Up Roadshow today to tackle the diabetes epidemic, as it reveals that more than 1.7 million people in the UK could have avoided developing Type 2 diabetes.
The Gamida Cell-Teva Joint Venture have today that five prestigious cord blood transplantation centers in Spain, three in Barcelona and two in Valencia, have joined the ExCell study.
Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., (DSP) announced that positive results from a phase 2 clinical trial for lurasidone in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia have been published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. This six-week, randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial, involving 180 patients with acute schizophrenia, evaluated a single fixed dose of lurasidone 80 mg/day versus placebo. Lurasidone 80 mg/day produced statistically significant improvement versus placebo in both primary and secondary efficacy assessments at all study visits starting at day 3. In addition, lurasidone was generally well-tolerated and was associated with weight and metabolic changes that were similar to placebo.
An electronic diagnostic tool called the SmartPill is swallowed by patients in order to take measurements as it travels through the gastrointestinal tract. A new study by physician-scientists at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center used the device in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC), determining that they have significantly more acidic pH in their colons, compared with the average person -- a finding that may impact treatment strategy.
Traumatic brain injury not heart disease, stroke or cancer is the number one cause of death and disability in people under 45. Each year, some 1.5 million Americans, including soldiers, athletes, the elderly and children, sustain head injuries, and nearly half of them will be hospitalized and treated in an emergency room or intensive care unit.
Tiny fluctuations in a fetus"s heartbeat can indicate distress, but currently there is no way to detect such subtle variations except during labor, when it could be too late to prevent serious or even fatal complications.
Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SLXP) announced on Monday the presentation of new data from its Phase III pivotal clinical trial evaluating the efficacy, safety and tolerability of rifaximin - a non-absorbed (O144. The Effect of Prognostic Factors on the Maintenance of Remission in Hepatic Encephalopathy Patients Treated with Rifaximin
Although Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor"s confirmation hearings are more than a month away, "it"s easy to predict how they will go," New York Times columnist Ross Douthat writes. Douthat predicts that Senate Judiciary Committee members "will attempt to divine Sotomayor"s position on a variety of controversial topics," such as abortion rights, and in "a series of polite, evasive answers, the nominee will feign a studious neutrality on almost every issue that could come before her during what"s likely to be decades as one of the most powerful women in the world." According to Douthat, the "deeper stakes" that likely will be ignored are that "Sotomayor will be joining a high court that"s gradually become a kind of extra legislative body." He cites research from Harvard Law School professor Jed Shugerman showing that the court over roughly the past 50 years has invalidated both state and federal statutes at an unprecedented rate. Douthat also points to data from Evan Caminker of the University of Michigan showing that in one eight-year period, the court invalidated 16 federal laws in 5-4 votes, something that occurred only 25 times in the previous two centuries. Douthat writes that "settling so many vexing controversies with 5-to-4 votes -- effectively making Anthony Kennedy the nation"s philosopher king -- is an awfully poor way to run a republic."Douthat continues that the "modern court"s most enduringly controversial power grabs -- with Roe v. Wade leading the way -- were usually the work of liberal justices" but that "in practice, the main divide between liberal and conservative judges tends to be over the responsibilities of the federal government, not judicial activism per se." He writes, "There are bipartisan ways that the Court could be reined in, and the legislative branch reinvigorated," including the idea of a supermajority rule that would require a 6-3 vote to overturn federal legislation. This idea "might spur the court toward greater consensus, and perhaps greater modesty as well," according to Douthat. Another possibility would be to implement 12-year term limits, he says. Douthat concludes that these suggestions would not "reduce the Supreme Court"s power directly, but it would help us see the court for what it has become -- a deeply political institution, as fallible as any other, and answerable, when all is said and done, to us" (Douthat, New York Times, 6/2).
Esomeprazole significantly reduced the occurrence of gastric and duodenal ulcers and upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in patients taking low-dose aspirin for risk reduction of adverse cardiovascular (CV) events[i], such as myocardial infarction (MI) and ischaemic stroke, according to new data presented today at the Digestive Diseases Week annual meeting (DDW, 30thMay - 4th June, Chicago).
The Premier healthcare alliance applauds the healthcare stakeholders group for their commitment to achieve up to $2 trillion in savings over the next decade.
Navajo County Public Health Services District officials announced today the first case of 2009 H1N1 in Navajo County. The Arizona Department of Health Services Lab confirmed that an 18 year old patient at Little Colorado Medical Center tested positive for the illness. The patient has subsequently been treated and released.
The U.S. government recently announced a commitment to double its support for Malawi"s efforts to fight HIV/AIDS to $45 million annually, Xinhua reports (Xinhua, 6/2).
Joseph F. Finn, Jr., C.P.A. ("Finn"), announced today that there has been promising initial interest from pharma companies in the intellectual property of Prospect Therapeutics, Inc. ("Prospect").
Magellan Spine Technologies, Inc. announced the first human implant of its DART (Disc Annular Repair Technology) System for use after lumbar discectomy procedures. This initial clinical use follows European CE Mark clearance of the DART System in April 2009.
More than a decade after Harvard researchers first revealed that life and health insurance companies were major investors in tobacco stocks - prompting calls upon them to divest - the insurance industry has yet to kick the habit, they say.
New Phase III study results presented for the first time today at the ninth annual American Transplant Congress 2009 (ATC) demonstrate that doubling the duration of preventive therapy ("prophylaxis") with Valcyte (oral valganciclovir), significantly reduces the incidence of CMV disease by 56% in high-risk kidney transplant patients within the first year post-transplant.(1)
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) have discovered a protein in the lungs that can help in determining progression of the rare lung disease Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).
Ray Berkelbach is taking long walks three times a day just a couple weeks after having lung surgery. The 68-year-old retiree from Punta Gorda underwent robotic surgery at Moffitt Cancer Center to remove a cancerous part of his lung. His was the first lung procedure in the Tampa Bay area that used the robot-assisted da Vinci surgical system.
MDCT angiography leads to accurate recommendations for successful treatment of patients with critical limb ischemia, sometimes allowing the patients to avoid more complicated surgery, according to a study performed at the Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
The discovery that adult skin cells can be "reprogrammed" to behave like stem cells has been a major scientific boon, providing a way to tap the potential of embryonic stem cells without the associated ethical quandaries. Now, in a study appearing online in JBC, researchers have created a line of such reprogrammed stem cells from adult pigs. As pigs are large animals with a physiology very similar to humans, this work provides a valuable model to study the therapeutic potential of this new "induced pluripotent stem cell" (iPS) technology.
Two new taxes that could help pay for health care reform both carry political baggage. The first, a possible new tax on at least some employer-sponsored health benefits, has support from members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. But during last year"s presidential campaign, President Obama spoke out strongly against just such a plan when his opponent, Sen. John McCain suggested it, Roll Call reports. "Within weeks, Obama may find himself hawking around the country legislation that includes a provision he so ardently rejected during the campaign. Obama didn"t just oppose the exclusion. He all but drew a "read my lips" line in the sand ... "For the first time in American history, [McCain] wants to tax your health benefits," Obama said on the campaign trail. "Apparently, Sen. McCain doesn"t think it"s enough that your health premiums have doubled"" (Koffler, 6/4).