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As Patients Age, Future Physicians Develop End Of Life Skills
The American Medical Student Association (AMSA), the nation"s oldest and largest, independent association for physicians-in-training, is pleased to present the graduates of the AMSA Foundation-VITAS End of Life Education Fellowship Program. Five medical students have spent the past six weeks immersing themselves in end of life (EOL) care issues.
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More Women Seek Nonprescription Remedies For Menopause Symptoms
Over-the-counter remedies for menopause symptoms are growing in popularity among some women who fear potential risks from prescription hormone replacement therapy, the New York Times reports. According to the Times, the market for alternative therapies -- such as natural supplements and topical creams -- jumped in 2002 after initial results from the Women"s Health Initiative suggested that HRT could increase risk for heart disease, cancer, stroke and blood clots. Gynecologists estimate that about one-third of menopausal women are treated with conventional prescription hormones, and about one-third are treated with bio-identical hormones -- plant-derived synthetic hormones that mimic the molecular structure of human hormones. The remaining one-third either do not seek therapy for symptoms, are not bothered by symptoms or use over-the-counter therapies. There are more than 500 over-the-counter products available that claim to alleviate menopause symptoms, the Times reports. The treatments include such products as teas, low-dose progesterone creams, black cohosh capsules and phytoestrogens derived from soy and red clover, according to the Times. According to Nutrition Business Journal, the U.S. dietary supplement market associated with menopause increased from $211 million in 1999 to $337 million in 2007.Some studies have raised doubts about the safety and effectiveness of the over-the-counter remedies. Todd Cooperman -- director of consumerLab.com, a private nutrition product-testing lab -- said that his company"s study of more than one dozen products found that five failed to gain the lab"s approval because of problems such as inaccurate labeling or tainted ingredients. The Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements Research this fall is expected to release the results of a study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, that aims to determine the efficacy of the ingredients associated with menopause symptom relief. Some studies have questioned the efficacy of progesterone creams, which some experts contend can gather in fat cells and disrupt the production and synthesis of other hormones. Other experts maintain that the products are safe if properly used. Theresa Ramsey, director of the Center for Natural Healing in Arizona, said, "I think over all these products are generally safe, but must be taken in the right circumstances and in conjunction with a mindfully healthy approach to life if they are going to be effective at all" (Sweeney, New York Times, 7/2).
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Study Shows Teen Contraception Use Declining, Level Of Sexual Activity Unchanged
After years of declining teenage pregnancy rates and improved teen contraception use during the 1990s and early 2000s, the trends appeared to have flattened or even reversed among some groups of teens in recent years, according to a study from Columbia University"s Mailman School of Public Health and the Guttmacher Institute, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Researchers found that from 2003 to 2007, teens" contraceptive use declined by 10%, while their level of sexual activity did not change. The decrease in contraceptive use was particularly prevalent among black teens. The figures take into account the rate of contraception use as well as the types of contraceptives used, as methods vary in effectiveness. Teen condom use leveled off and in some cases declined, according to the study. The study also reported that the teen birth rate increased by 5% from 2005 to 2007. According to the study"s authors, the findings suggest a link between declining teen contraception use and the rise in abstinence-only education during former President George W. Bush"s administration. President Obama"s fiscal year 2010 budget proposal calls for redirecting some abstinence-only funds toward increased comprehensive sex education, the Monitor reports. In addition to the effects of abstinence-only sex education, the decline in condom use also could be tied to lessening concern about sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. A shift in the teen population to include a higher number of Hispanics -- who have the highest rates of teen pregnancy and birth -- also could contribute to the findings. Laura Lindberg, one of the study"s authors and a senior research associate at Guttmacher, said, "In the end, this story is really about the loss of momentum." She added that although the statistical changes are small, "they raise concern about what the next few years will bring in this country." Sarah Brown, director of the National Campaign To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, noted that the proportion of births to unmarried women, particularly among women ages 20 to 24, also is on the upswing (Feldmann, Christian Science Monitor, 6/18).
Medical Devices

Vantia Therapeutics' Lead Candidate VA106483 Demonstrates Positive Anti-diuretic Effect In Phase IIa Trial In Nocturia

Vantia Therapeutics, an emerging pharmaceutical company developing novel, small molecule drugs targeting large, underserved medical markets, announces positive results from a Phase IIa clinical trial of its lead development compound VA106483 for nocturia. The trial showed that oral VA106483 was successful in producing a predictable and sustained anti-diuretic effect in patients, as determined by increased osmolality and decreased urine output. The study also found that VA106483 was generally well tolerated among the patient population. Nocturia (defined as waking frequently to urinate at night thereby disturbing sleep significantly) is a common condition, with prevalence increasing markedly with age. It is often the presenting symptom in men with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and affects at least 70% of BPH patients. There is currently no adequate treatment for nocturia and it represents a potential market estimated at more than US$500 million. VA106483 is a novel small molecule drug candidate that exerts its effect directly in the kidney by binding to vasopressin (V2) receptors, which regulate water balance. It was discovered by Vantia from its extensive drug candidate library. The double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-response study was designed to investigate the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of single and repeated oral doses of VA106483. The trial involved 27 elderly men aged 65 years or more with a history of nocturia. Based on these results, Vantia now plans to advance VA106483 into a larger Phase IIb clinical efficacy study in the second half of 2009. Dr Jim Phillips, CEO of Vantia Therapeutics, said "VA106483 was discovered and has been developed by Vantia based on its small molecule drug development expertise and is the first of several potentially high-value drug candidates in our pipeline. The clinical results for VA106483 are very encouraging and we look forward to advancing it into the next stages of clinical development. These results will also further highlight the value of this new drug candidate as we progress partnership discussions in parallel. " About Vantia Therapeutics Vantia Therapeutics is an emerging pharmaceutical company developing novel, small molecule drugs targeting large, underserved medical markets. Formed in 2008 as a spin-out of Ferring Research Ltd"s small molecule R&D, it has two clinical phase products, VA106483 for the treatment of nocturia in BPH patients and VA111913 for the treatment of dysmenorrhoea, as well as preclinical and discovery programmes based on protease inhibition with potential in the areas of oncology and inflammation. The company"s investors include MVM Life Science Partners, SV Life Sciences and Novo A/S. Vantia Therapeutics is situated on Southampton Science Park, UK, where it occupies 10,000 sq ft of chemistry and biology facilities About nocturia Nocturia (defined as waking to void at night) is a common condition, with prevalence increasing markedly with age. It is often the presenting symptom of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) with at least 70% of BPH patients complaining of nocturia. Whilst some symptoms of BPH are successfully addressed by the standard BPH therapies of alpha blockers and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, nocturia remains inadequately treated. With estimates putting the number of BPH/nocturia sufferers at 55 million in the seven largest markets world wide, and only 10% of these believed to be receiving any kind of treatment, it is a clear area of unmet medical need estimated to be worth in excess of $500m. The hormone vasopressin is involved in the regulation of the body"s water content and as a vasopressin agonist VA106483 has been shown to act as an anti-diuretic. Vantia Therapeutics


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