Diagnostics
Health experts and politicians filled Sunday talk shows as Obama administration officials push for reform.
The insurance industry so far has "stayed at the bargaining table and held its fire in the ad wars," but "now, the industry is speaking up, not with an attack but with a seven-figure, national cable TV ad buy starting Monday in favor of affordable bipartisan health reform that can cover everyone," Politico reports. "But make no mistake: The ads are sending a strong don"t-tread-on-us message, not so much a shot across the bow of reform as a reminder of the industry"s ability to weigh in at any time, with messages pro or con." The 30-second ads from America"s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) "pushes for bipartisan reform that includes affordable, universal coverage that doesn"t deny insurance to those with pre-existing health conditions," but doesn"t attack the idea of a government-run insurance plan - a proposal the industry vehemently opposes." The ad "will be supported by a complementary print campaign that is also set to launch this week."
"As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to consider a restaurant group"s challenge to San Francisco"s health coverage ordinance, one voice is noticeably silent: the Obama administration"s," The San Francisco Chronicle reports. "In contrast to President George W. Bush"s Labor Department, which unsuccessfully urged a federal appeals court to overturn the groundbreaking law, the new administration submitted no arguments before the July 10 deadline for briefs supporting or opposing Supreme Court review. President Obama, meanwhile, has praised the San Francisco program, the first of its kind in the nation, while pressing Congress to enact comprehensive health coverage."
Eurand N.V. (NASDAQ: EURX), a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops enhanced pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products based on its proprietary pharmaceutical technologies, announced that the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB) informed the Company that the Decentralized Procedure (DCP) for registration of Paracetamol 250 and 500 mg Orodispersible Tablets (ODT) in several EU countries has been successfully completed.
The New York Daily News on Friday examined the federal government"s recent actions to remove HIV from the list of diseases that can bar foreign residents from entry into the U.S. According to the Daily News, "The current regulations took effect in 1987, at the height of the worldwide AIDS scare," but, "[n]ow, with the backing of the Obama administration, the ban could be lifted by the end of the year." Martin Cetron, director of the CDC"s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, said, "We"re trying to end the stigma and the discriminatory practice for a disease that doesn"t warrant exclusion for coming into this country." MSNBC.com reports that "immigration critics say they"re leery of the proposal that could allow an average of 4,275 HIV-infected people into the country annually, with a lifetime medical cost of about $94 million for those admitted during the first year, according to CDC estimates published this month in the Federal Register" (Aleccia, 7/17). Through Aug. 17, CDC is seeking public comment on the proposed rule to remove HIV from the list of diseases that can bar entry into the U.S. (Miller, 7/17).
As the UK enters a summer of discontent, one company has a vision to make the outlook decidedly brighter - by looking at life through blue-tinted spectacles.
Mild facial nerve paralysis caused by the use of forceps during birth generally resolves on its own and does not require treatment, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
TUMOR IMMUNOLOGY: Killing off human tumor cells
In response to Food Standards Agency"s new guidelines on voluntary salt reduction targets, Alex Callaghan, Policy Officer at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said:
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy"s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a fast and efficient way to determine the structure of proteins, shortening a process that often takes years into a matter of days.
Every year, 42,000 Americans are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Few live very long, and less than 5% are still alive five years after diagnosis.
The results of a new study of the pen and paper workarounds employed by healthcare providers who use an electronic medical record system may help make electronic medical records even more useful to health-care providers and the patients they serve.
UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers Drs. Jay Schneider, Joseph Hill and Eric Olson have been awarded a $2 million grant from the American Heart Association to study the development and mechanisms of generating new cardiac muscle cells.
General Practitioners and specialists will be able to prescribe VFEND® (voriconazole) oral suspension for immuno-suppressed adolescents and children following its listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 August 2009.
ImClone Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved revisions to the U.S. prescribing information for ERBITUX® (cetuximab) concerning the treatment of patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The labeling revisions include a modification to the indication, which now includes a statement that retrospective subset analyses of metastatic or advanced colorectal cancer trials have not shown a treatment benefit for ERBITUX in patients whose tumors had K-ras mutations in codon 12 or 13 and that the use of ERBITUX is not recommended for the treatment of colorectal cancer with these mutations. Revisions concerning the use of ERBITUX in colorectal cancer tumors with K-ras mutations were also made to the clinical studies and clinical pharmacology sections of the product"s prescribing information.
Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC BB: PVCT ), a development-stage oncology and dermatology biopharmaceutical company, has initiated a new Phase 2 clinical trial of PH-10 for psoriasis involving daily dosing of patients for 28 days. After reviewing safety and efficacy data from its PH-10 trial for atopic dermatitis, Provectus determined that daily dosing of patients with psoriasis trial would be an appropriate and attractive regimen. The new study supplants an earlier Phase 2 study, using twice weekly dosing for 12 weeks, which was terminated earlier in June.
Researchers have uncovered the first cases in which HIV almost certainly was transmitted from mothers or other caregivers to children through pre-chewed food. The of HIV in the pre-chewed food was most likely the infected blood in the saliva of the people who pre-chewed the food before giving it to the children. The researchers said their findings suggest that HIV-infected mothers or other caregivers should be warned against giving infants pre-chewed food and directed toward safer feeding options.
Children on the high-fat ketogenic diet to control epileptic seizures can prevent the excruciatingly painful kidney stones that the diet can sometimes cause if they take a daily supplement of potassium citrate the day they start the diet, according to research from Johns Hopkins Children"s Center.
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) on Monday said that he and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) are negotiating to resolve the concerns of antiabortion-rights Democrats who want to exclude abortion coverage from the House health reform bill (HR 3200), Dow Jones reports. Stupak said that the compromise would affect how state abortion laws are handled under the bill (Yoest, Dow Jones, 7/20.). According to the AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Stupak did not give details on the negotiations, and aides said that no final deal has been reached (Werner, AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 7/21).Stupak said that he and Waxman"s staff discussed the compromise over the weekend. According to Stupak, a compromise could be voted on this week as an amendment during the committee"s markup of the bill. According to Dow Jones, Stupak holds a key vote on the health bill, which faces opposition from some other conservative Democrats on the panel over costs. His comments on Monday suggest "an easing of tensions" between antiabortion-right Democrats and supporters of the bill, Dow Jones reports. Stupak and 19 other House Democrats last week sent a letter to party leaders stating that they "cannot support a health care reform proposal unless it explicitly excludes abortion from the scope of any government-defined or subsidized health plan." They also stated that they want to ensure that a health benefits advisory council created under the bill "cannot recommend abortion services be included under covered benefits or as part of a benefits package." The advisory council would make recommendations to the HHS secretary, who would make final determinations on what public and private plans would be required to cover in a health insurance exchange. Stupak said that the two sides are "working in good faith" and that other members of the committee should not push their own abortion-related amendments (Dow Jones, 7/20). On Monday, committee voted 20-35 to reject an amendment, offered by Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.), that would have eliminated a provision requiring states to adhere to minimum benefits requirements that employer-sponsored insurance must include. Deal said that states could be required to cover abortion or "out of mainstream" services. Stupak responded, "I hope we"re not going to start using reproductive rights as a red herring on every amendment that comes up." Panel Approves Sex Education AmendmentThe panel voted 33-23 to approve an amendment that would authorize $250 million through 2014 for "evidence-based" sex education programs for teenagers. Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.), who offered the amendment, said that abstinence-only programs would not be excluded if they are proven effective. Following debate on Capps" amendment, Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) offered an amendment that would reauthorize the Title V abstinence-only sex education program. Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said that Title V "has been a failure," adding that 25 states refused to accept the money through the program because it is ineffective. Terry"s amendment was rejected 26-29.The committee also voted 36-23 to adopt an amendment that would provide $150 million in grants through 2014 to state and local governments and not-for-profits for educating residents in "medically underserved" areas on various topics, including sexual behavior (Wayne, CQ Today, 7/21).
The Escambia County Health Department announced that a sentinel chicken from the Riverview
Sufferers of eating disorders have problems with certain mental tasks; this is the finding of a comprehensive overview of studies examining the link between cognitive deficits and eating disorders, published online in the Journal of Neuropsychology today, 22nd July 2009.
The Washington Post reports on efforts by hospitals to tally their avoidable mistakes and describes "hundreds of incidents of death or serious medical harm disclosed in the past year by hospitals in the Washington region, preventable errors that until recently have not required public reporting. Under laws that took effect last year in Virginia and a few years earlier in the District and Maryland, hospitals must report to health regulators many serious injuries that patients suffer in the course of treatment. The laws are different in each jurisdiction. For example, Virginia"s public records identify the hospitals by name, while Maryland"s and the District"s do not. But they all allow the public to glimpse the breadth of mistakes that health experts dub "never events" (because they should never happen): sponges left inside patients after surgery, operations on the wrong limb, medication errors, falls that lead to needless deaths (as well as other events). At least 20 states require hospitals to report every incidence of hospital-acquired infection. Patients, insurers and regulators are beginning to use this information to prod health-care providers to ensure that such events really never happen."
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) commented on the announcement by Health Secretary Rt. Hon Andy Burnham MP of a new independent inquiry into the failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.
Nigeria on Monday signed on to receive a $100 million loan from the World Bank for malaria control activities, Leadership Nigeria reports. The states of Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano and Rivers will receive part of the funding for malaria control activities (Nduwugwe, 7/21).World Bank Country Director for Nigeria Onno Ruhl signed the agreement on behalf of the bank and Nigerian Finance Minister Sarki Muhtar signed on behalf of the federal government. Ruhl said the World Bank is "confident" in Nigeria"s ability to fight malaria, This Day writes. Ruhl pointed out that during President Barack Obama"s recent trip to Ghana, he "commended" Nigeria"s interfaith efforts for fighting malaria.
A pilot needle exchange program in Camden, N.J., - one of four in the state - "was off to a slow start" when it began 18 months ago, but "now, 976 drug users have registered with the program - more people than those at the other pilot sites in Atlantic City, Newark or Paterson," the Cherry Hill Courier-Post reports. "In Camden, 854 people are living with HIV/AIDS, the eighth-highest number among New Jersey municipalities, according to the latest data from the state Department of Health and Senior Services. About a third of them were infected by dirty needles," the Courier-Post reports. Bob Baxter, who oversees Newark"s program, said needle exchanges provide "the most immediate benefit at the cheapest cost," in reducing the spread of blood-borne diseases. "While there"s no way to count the number of people who are no longer sharing needles because of the program, organizers say they hope to see their success correlate to lowered communicable disease rates," the article states (Hirsch, 7/20).
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has today (22 July) published guidance on the use of rituximab for the first line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The guidance recommends that rituximab should be considered asa possible first treatment for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia who are able to take fludarabine in combination with cyclophosphamide.
The hospitalization rate of patients admitted for treatment of hip, pelvis and other fractures associated with osteoporosis increased by 55 percent between 1995 and 2006, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The anticipated National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) decision on the Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) for Nexavar® (sorafenib) for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been delayed, to allow consideration of the patient access scheme, Bayer Schering Pharma has agreed with the Department of Health.
By substituting a single atom in a molecule widely used to purify water, researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have created a far more effective decontaminant with a shelf life superior to products currently on the market.
The Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) and SDI, a U.S. private-sector healthcare information company, announced the formation of the European Paediatric Influenza Analysis (EPIA) group, created to generate data needed to inform the decision process about paediatric influenza vaccination policy in individual European countries. Researchers from Denmark, England, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Scotland, Spain and Wales are participating; it is hoped that other countries will also join. EPIA was formed to address knowledge gaps highlighted in a recent European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) report that concluded that a key barrier to decision-making about paediatric flu vaccines is the lack of high-quality, European-specific data on disease burden, especially for young children. It is estimated by ECDC that at least 40,000 people die each year from influenza in the European Union (EU). EPIA will present the initial results from their research project at the 27th annual meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases (ESPID) in June.
Foresight Biotherapeutics, Inc. announced completion of a multi-center open-label pilot study of FST100 in the treatment of viral conjunctivitis. FST-100 is a novel formulation of dexamethasone that includes povidone iodine. The trial studied patients with clinical signs and symptoms of acute conjunctivitis who tested positive for adenoviral antigen by the RPS Adeno Detector® (RPS). Patients were enrolled in a single arm utilizing FST-100 topical ophthalmic suspension given 4 times daily for 5 days. The RPS Adeno Detector® test was performed at baseline and at each visit along with conjunctival swabs for adenoviral titers by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and cell culture with confirmatory immunoflourescence (CC-IFA). The primary endpoint of the study was clinical resolution of conjunctival injection and conjunctival discharge. These signs were scored on a scale from zero to three. Secondary endpoints included reduction of viral titers measured by qPCR and eradication of infectious virus determined by CC-IFA.
African American men could be putting their health at risk by avoiding disease screening, in the belief that the results might threaten their masculinity. Because they prove their masculinity through their sexuality and sexual performance, seeking medical advice including HIV/AIDS testing goes against their notion of masculinity. Waverly Duck, a Post Doctoral Associate from the Department of Sociology at Yale University in the US, argues that current leading theories of gender and masculinity and health behavior models are not relevant enough to African American men and their distinctive notion of masculinity. His results1 are published online in Springer"s Journal of African American Studies.
Interim results of a study being conducted by scientists at the University of Liverpool suggest that children aged three years and younger, who are born to women taking the anti-epileptic drug sodium valproate whilst pregnant, are likely to have an IQ of six to nine points lower than average.
Tobira Therapeutics Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company committed to research and product discovery for the treatment of life-threatening and life-altering infectious diseases, today announced pharmacokinetic data and results from two Phase I pharmacokinetic studies for TAK-652, an investigational compound being developed for the treatment of HIV. These data suggest that TAK-652 is rapidly absorbed and demonstrate relatively good oral bioavailability (as shown by the plasma TBR-652 concentration data) and has a long plasma half-life of TBR-652 (approximate mean of 35 hours) supporting once-daily dosing. Mean TBR-652 plasma concentrations were well above the predicted target plasma concentration (2ng/mL) with or without food. In both studies TBR-652 was safe and well tolerated in this healthy subject population when administered over a dose range of 10 mg to 800 mg in 2 tablet formulations. "These two Phase I studies provide encouraging support for TAK-652 as a therapeutic option for the treatment of HIV. We look forward to results from our on-going proof-of-concept study," said James Sapirstein, CEO.
Updates on the impact of sexually transmitted diseases, infection risk from animals in the home and public settings, seasonal and H1N1 influenza, and foodborne diseases were presented today at a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The news conference was sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons"(AAOS) Board of Directors approved a new clinical practice guideline for the treatment of pediatric diaphyseal femur fractures. Diaphyseal (the shaft of a long bone) fracture of the femur (the bone in the thigh) is a very common childhood injury.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday postponed its vote on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor until July 28 at the request of Republican members who said they need one more week to review written answers she recently submitted to the panel, CongressDaily reports. Both Republicans and Democrats expect Sotomayor to be approved by the committee and confirmed by the Senate, CongressDaily reports (CongressDaily, 7/21).The delay came as Senate Republicans continued to weigh whether they would vote to confirm Sotomayor, the Wall Street Journal reports. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced plans to vote for Sotomayor and issued a statement calling the judge "committed to applying the law impartially without bias or favoritism." Four other moderate Republicans have said they will support Sotomayor, and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) indicated that more might follow suit. "There are a number of Republicans who have announced they plan to vote for her," Leahy said, adding, "There are a number of others who"ve not made that announcement yet, but plan to vote for her" (Peterson, Wall Street Journal, 7/21). Leahy said he is confident that Sotomayor will be confirmed in time for the Supreme Court"s first meeting on Sept. 9.Some strong conservatives, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), have said they will oppose Sotomayor (Hirschfeld Davis, AP/Denver Post, 7/22). Among the Senate Republicans who have not announced their intentions are Sens. John Cornyn (Texas), who serves on the Judiciary Committee, and Judd Gregg (N.H.) (Wall Street Journal, 7/21).NARAL Endorses Sotomayor NARAL ProChoice America recently said that it will endorse Sotomayor, the AP/Seattle Times reports. The group said that Sotomayor"s testimony shows that she is a stronger supporter of privacy rights than the last two Supreme Court nominees -- Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito. Sotomayor said several times during her confirmation hearings that privacy rights include a woman"s right to have an abortion, NARAL said. According to the AP/Times, NARAL did not endorse Sotomayor until now because of uncertainty over her views on abortion rights (Hirschfeld Davis, AP/Seattle Times, 7/21).
A US non-profit organization filed a lawsuit on Wednesday asking a New Jersey county court to force food companies to put labels warning of
At a time when the entertainment industry is perpetuating inaccurate portrayals of nursing in the new television shows "Nurse Jackie" and "HawthoRNe," ANA"s ethics books are especially relevant to all registered nurses (RNs). The fictional nurses are shown violating the nursing Code of Ethics by participating in activities ranging from on-the-job drug use to inappropriate nurse/patient contact in these shows. The very heart of nursing is mischaracterized as nurses are portrayed engaging in irresponsible and often criminal acts for entertainment purposes. ANA sets the ethical standards for nurses in the U.S. and internationally with its highly respected Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements, and is deeply concerned about the lasting impact these negative portrayals may have on the nursing profession.
"Many small businesses are worried that rising health insurance costs are choking their growth and hindering the creation of new companies, and they fear health care reform plans being debated in Congress and by the Obama administration could end up costing them even more in taxes, according to business advocates," the Baltimore Sun reports. Some of those views were collected in a survey released Tuesday by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. According to the survey 29 percent of [309] businesses were unable to offer insurance to their employees, and many said their health care costs had risen this year. "Rising health care costs are choking American small businesses just when we need them the most," said Nicholas Green, an organizer for the research group"s Maryland contingent (Sentementes, 7/22).
The worldwide death toll from the H1N1 (swine flu) virus has doubled in the past month, reaching over 700, the WHO announced Tuesday, the AP/Google.com reports. "WHO did not give a breakdown of the deaths Tuesday. But as of last week, the U.S. reported 263 deaths, Canada reported 45 deaths and Britain had 29. According to WHO"s last update on July 6, there were 119 deaths in Mexico," the news service writes. "Yet even Tuesday"s figure of 700 deaths may seriously underestimate the true toll, experts say, because not all swine flu cases are being picked up due to testing limitations" (Jordans, 7/21).
Despite increasing danger posed by "al Qaeda-linked militants," U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes said Tuesday U.N. aid workers "were not backing away" from the country, Reuters reports. "Intense fighting is making it increasingly difficult to deliver aid in the Horn of Africa country, where U.N. agencies are trying to combat cholera outbreaks and maintain food supplies to 3.5 million hungry people," the news service writes (Nebehay, 7/21).
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed a "prototype camera-phone mounted with a microscope" that can "magnify and photograph blood or saliva samples" for diagnosing diseases, the Canadian Press/Google.com reports. A report on the device was published on Wednesday in the journal PLoS One. The prototype, called CellScope, would enable "disease screening and diagnosis in the field where specialized clinical microscopy laboratories aren"t available, including in underdeveloped countries," according to the news service (Ubelacker, 7/21).
"HIV infection rates among babies are significantly cut when mothers are given prolonged ARV treatment during breastfeeding," according to findings released at the International AIDS Society conference in Cape Town, South Africa on Wednesday, Reuters reports. According to Reuters, "Key findings from the study showed that a stronger drug cocktail administered over a longer period reduced the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission compared with the current WHO-recommended short-course ARV regimen." Tim Farley, project leader for the "Kesho Bora" study - which was conducted at five sites in Burkina Faso, Kenya and South Africa by the WHO in partnership with several other international agencies - said, "The results of this study show an almost two-fold reduction in the risk of HIV transmission during the breastfeeding period and also [show] there is no short-term toxicity (to mothers or infants)." The WHO "is reviewing its 2006 recommendations on the use of ARVs in pregnant women, including during the breastfeeding period. New guidelines are expected to be published by the end of 2009 and will take into account emerging data," Reuters reports (Roelf, 7/21).
The New York Daily News profiled Paul Klotman, chair of the Samuel F. Bronfman Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who is "one of the world"s leading experts on the kidney diseases associated with HIV." In the article, Klotman discussed the clinical details of HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN), including treatment, causes and symptoms. According to the Daily News, doctors estimate that two million to four million people of African heritage have HIVAN, including between 4 percent and 12 percent of blacks with HIV in the U.S. The article continues, "In recent years, doctors have made tremendous advances in their understanding of both HIV and its associated kidney disease." Klotman said, "In thinking about a cure, we know now that we have to clean out the brain and the kidney. Those are things we have to know if we can ever achieve a cure for AIDS" (Charles, 7/22).
Proteus syndrome is a complex disorder associated with varied, disproportionate, asymmetric overgrowth of many body parts and unregulated adipose tissue. The overgrowth seen in Proteus syndrome is progressive and difficult to manage. Patients with Proteus syndrome require repeated treatment for the progressive overgrowth of tissue over a long period. Aggressive treatment may cause severe functional and cosmetic consequences, so surgical intervention is often delayed until it is absolutely necessary.
Cancer stem-like cells have been implicated in the genesis of a variety of malignant cancers. Research scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center"s Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute have isolated stem-like cells in benign (pituitary) tumors and used these "mother" cells to generate new tumors in laboratory mice. Targeting the cells of origin is seen as a possible strategy in the fight against malignant and benign tumors.
Over the last four years, heart specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center have implanted an innovative aortic heart valve replacement using a catheter-based approach that does not require open-heart surgery in a total of 100 patients -- the most of any U.S. medical center to date.
The term Cnidophobia may be uncommon but what it describes is not. Cnidophobia is the fear of insect stings. Although a "phobia" may seem to be an overreaction to what some consider nuisance pests, homeowners must recognize the health threats associated with stinging insects. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) reports more than half million people are sent to the emergency room every year due to stinging insects, which is why these summer pests must be addressed efficiently and effectively.
The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) is calling on the Obama Administration and state Governors to provide evidence that it is necessary to give experimental swine flu vaccines to children in schools and that strong mechanisms for vaccine safety screening, recording, monitoring, reporting and vaccine injury compensation are in place. NVIC announced that parental concerns about vaccine safety and vaccine mandates will be addressed Oct. 2-4, 2009 in Washington, D.C. at the Fourth International Public Conference on Vaccination.
CytoDyn, Inc. (Pink Sheets:CYDY) has completed safety testing of its current inventory of Cytolin®, the Company"s immune-system modulator for managing HIV disease and the public health crisis afflicting communities where the infection is spreading due to unprotected sex and the other risk factors for AIDS. Tests for specific adventitious agents and other quality parameters following purification were performed by the manufacturing facility, Vista Biologicals Corporation of Carlsbad, California. The other safety tests, including in vivo general safety using two animal species, were performed by WuXi AppTec, a fully integrated pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical-device company with facilities in St. Paul, Minnesota. WuXi AppTec provides R&D services to the biotechnology industry. Since the product is intended for use in a clinical trial, the tests conducted were those required for each new batch of a biologic agent manufactured for use in human research. The Company believes that the test results satisfy the current safety standards for the manufacturing of drugs belonging to the class of biologics. The results are summarized in the table below.
Dr. David H. Martin, Professor and Chief of the Section of Infectious Diseases at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine, updated reporters and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases on sexually transmitted diseases in the United States on July 22, 2009 at the National Press Club in Washington , DC. Dr. Martin, whose presentation was called, Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Neither Gone nor Forgotten, revealed significant information about STDs including Chlamydia trachomatis, gonorrhea, syphilis, and a relatively new STD, Mycoplasma genitalium.
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, has announced that a study published online in the peer-reviewed journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health found once-daily Vyvanse® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) CII significantly reduced the symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children aged 6 to 12 from the first time point measured (1.5 hours) up to the last time point assessed (13 hours) after administration. In this pediatric analog classroom study, treatment with Vyvanse was associated with significant improvement in behavior and attention in children at each time point measured, with improvement at 13 hours after administration.
Health Minister Edwina Hart is reminding people that Wales will not be part of the National Pandemic Flu Service (NPHS) when it goes live in England.
The National Cancer Institute has awarded a five-year, $2.8 million Research Project (RO1) grant to Roswell Park Cancer Institute http://www.roswellpark.org/ (RPCI) researchers to investigate the role of immunological pathways in the development of ovarian cancer.
Ten years ago, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) sounded the alarm about the widespread toll of medical errors in a groundbreaking report call "To Err is Human." The report prompted a rush of congressional hearings and promises of reform. But in the decade since the report was published, little progress has been made implementing key reforms recommended by the IOM to improve patient safety, according to Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports.
ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (OTC Bulletin Board: ACCP), announced that its European partner, SpePharm, is collecting data from a post approval study of MuGard in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment in the UK showing prevention of oral mucositis. In a multi-center study expected to enroll a total of 280 patients, patients are provided with seven weeks of MuGard therapy, and begin using MuGard one week prior to radiation treatment and then throughout the subsequent six weeks of planned therapy. The first 140 patients being treated in this assessment study have been enrolled and treated, and as of the time of the update, none of these patients have experienced any oral mucositis.
Side discrepancy errors in radiology reports do occur and it is important that radiologists, referring physicians and patients communicate well to help prevent errors in clinical management, according to a study performed at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. "Side discrepancy errors refer to instances when the side of the lesion is incorrectly noted in one or more sections of the radiology report," said Minal Jagtiani Sangwaiya, MD, lead author of the study.
A host of Democrats and Republicans now count themselves among the rolls of those who question the long-term costs and repercussions of health reform as reform efforts slow considerably, The New York Times reports.
The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) welcomes the Federal Government"s announcement of funding to upgrade the skills of workers in aged care.
A new survey suggests that "most Americans support an overhaul of the health system, but the percentage who believe they (and their family) will be worse off from the change" has gone from 11 percent to 21 percent in the past five months, Kaiser Health News reports. "The survey, conducted July 7 to July 14 by the Kaiser Family Foundation, found 56 percent of Americans say now is the time for the country to overhaul the health system. That"s down from 61 percent in June." (note: KHN is a program of Kaiser Family Foundation).
A new study finds more seniors are covered by a Medicare drug plan and report greater savings, but gaps in coverage and other problems still persist.
Ovulation is one part of the female menstrual cycle whereby a mature ovarian follicle (part of the ovary) discharges an egg (also known as an ovum, oocyte, or female gamete). It is during this process that the egg travels down the fallopian tube where it may be met by a sperm and become fertilized.
Inter Press Service examines how "[f]ailure to sustain funding for HIV/AIDS treatment programmes could lead to a rising number of deaths, particularly in Africa." Examples cited by the news service include: "The Tanzanian government ò€¦ had to reduce its HIV budget by a quarter, while Swaziland lowered its 2011 treatment coverage target from 60 percent to 50 percent, which will affect about 40,000 HIV-positive people." In Uganda, "some PEPFAR-funded non-governmental organizations" were "instructed to stop enrolment in treatment," and "Malawi is expecting national drug shortages and in the process of putting into place an emergency plan."
The Alabama Department of Corrections has expanded to all inmates a re-entry program that provides newly released inmates with HIV/AIDS "with information on obtaining licenses [and] other documents and preparing for returning to life outside prison," the AP/USA Today/Montgomery Advertiser reports (Hunter, 7/22). "In the past, prisoners at the end of their sentences were sent back into the free world with minimal assistance, not the in-depth services the inmates with HIV and AIDS had received," according to AP/WZTV.com. The expanded Alabama Prison Initiative will allow all inmates to enroll in classes that provide them with "practical tips" and guidance "that will hopefully help keep them from returning," the AP/WZTV.com reports (7/22). AIDS Alabama CEO Kathie Hiers said, "We"ve seen it help so much in the HIV community. They"re smart to take a good program and expand it" (Hunter, 7/22).
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has incorporated the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR), a nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting and reporting on hip and knee joint replacement procedures. AAOS believes this proposed option is a patient safety best practice.
Researchers at The University of Nottingham are hoping to find out if inflammation of the knee could be an early sign of osteoarthritis - a condition which leads to pain, stiffness, swelling and disability.
Dog breeds selected to work in visual contact with humans, such as sheep dogs and gun dogs, are better able to comprehend a pointing gesture than those breeds that usually work without direct supervision. A series of tests, described in BioMed Central"s open access journal Behavioral and Brain Functions, should caution researchers against making simple generalizations about the effects of domestication and on dog-wolf differences in the utilization of human visual signals.
An event to mark the celebrate the 10th anniversary of the UQ Ipswich Campus and the launch of UQ"s teaching of Medicine at UQ Ipswich will be held today, Friday, July 24, 2009.
It may be possible to improve impaired attention after stroke - which could aid recovery - according to research reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Allergan, Inc. (NYSE: AGN) announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ACUVAIL™ (ketorolac tromethamine ophthalmic solution) 0.45%, an advanced, preservative-free formulation of ketorolac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) indicated for the treatment of pain and inflammation following cataract surgery. Cataracts are a leading cause of blindness among older adults and cataract surgery is the most frequently performed surgical procedure in the United States, with more than 3 million procedures performed each year.1
When Tony Goldberg is not whacking through the brush of central
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:REGN) announced that the first patient has been enrolled in the Phase 3 program of VEGF Trap-Eye for the treatment of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), a leading cause of blindness in adults. Regeneron received a $20 million milestone payment from Bayer Healthcare that was triggered by the dosing of the first patient in the CRVO program. Regeneron also announced that enrollment in the Phase 2 DA VINCI study of VEGF Trap-Eye in diabetic macular edema (DME) has been completed and data are expected during the first half of 2010.
As the economy continues to falter, a poll released today shows that parents must make harder choices about how to spend what money they have, and children -- especially those who are uninsured or who are among the lowest income bracket -- are more at risk because of it.
When the number of red blood cells or concentrations of hemoglobin are low a person is said to have anemia. Hemoglobin is a protein (metalloprotein) inside the red blood cells that contains iron and transports oxygen.
Results from the ARTEN trial presented at the 5th International AIDS Society (IAS) conference in Cape Town, South Africa demonstrated non-inferiority regarding efficacy between Viramune® (nevirapine) and ritonavir boosted atazanavir (atazanavir/r) both combined with tenofovir and emtricitabine (Truvada ®). This head-to-head study also showed Viramune®Â´s more favourable effect on the lipid profile and now clearly confirms the combination"s place as an important first line therapy for patients with HIV.
The U.S. Agency for International Development funded programs that used biblical lessons to promote sexual abstinence in Africa, despite a prohibition on the use of taxpayer funds to support "inherently religious activities," according to a recent audit by the agency"s inspector general, the Washington Post reports.The audit focused on projects initiated from 2006 to 2007 during the administration of President George W. Bush. According to the audit, the use of Christian stories in HIV/AIDS prevention programs in Africa could be seen as showing a "USAID-funded preference for Christianity." The audit also found that officials in one faith-based abstinence program in Africa urged youth to memorize and recite a passage from the Bible"s book of Psalms. Participants were then instructed to recite the passage"s "key concept": "God has a plan for sex and this plan will help you and protect you from harm."USAID challenged the findings in a written response that said its African programs" main goals are secular in nature. It acknowledged that some of its abstinence programs included "religiously infused materials" but said that the materials showed no preference for Christian groups.According to the Post, the issue has been complicated by legal ambiguities over whether the separation of church and state applies to programs for promoting U.S. foreign policy abroad. The inspector general"s report said the Department of Justice is considering a request from USAID to determine the legality of its practices (Lynch, Washington Post, 7/23).
The New York Times spoke to several families as they watched President Obama"s Wednesday night news conference. Thirty-six year old Craig Brown found that the event, meant to explain and gain support for health reform proposals, left him with many questions. He and his wife "remain frustrated by the lack of available detail about his plan"s contours and cost. They say they feel they are being asked to buy on spec from a government they do not trust. ... A similar unease was apparent in three other living rooms where families gathered to watch the news conference."
Asian Americans who have adopted more aspects of Western culture may be more likely to engage in behaviors that increase sun exposure, thereby endangering their skin health, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
"Three years into its experiment with near-universal health care, Massachusetts has some "dos and don"ts" for the nation as it grapples with the best way to cover tens of millions of uninsured Americans," the Associated Press reports. "Do require that virtually everyone have health insurance, the overriding goal in Massachusetts. Don"t ignore rising costs, the single greatest threat to the law"s long-term affordability."
Lancet Commends U.K. All-Parliamentary Group on AIDS Call For HIV Drug Patent Pool
Pregnant women appear to have worse clinical and economic outcomes after thyroid and parathyroid surgery compared with women who are not pregnant, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Concussion is also known as mild brain injury, mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), mild head injury and minor head trauma. Some experts define concussion as a head injury with temporary loss of brain function, which can cause cognitive, physical and emotional symptoms. Concussion may also be defined as an injury to the brain generally caused by a jolt or blow to the head - in the majority of cases the individual does not lose consciousness.
Elekta (STO:EKTAB) has received FDA 510(k) clearance for the VMAT (Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy) enhancement to Monaco®, treatment planning solution.
Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited (MSD) received a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommending expanded marketing authorisation for "Isentress" (raltegravir) in combination with other antiretroviral (ARV) medicinal products for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in all appropriate adult patients, including patients starting HIV therapy for the first time (treatment-naç¯ve), as well as treatment-experienced patients. The positive opinion will be reviewed by the European Commission, which grants marketing authorisation to the 27 countries that are members of the European Union (EU), as well as Iceland and Norway.
The Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) has responded to the decision by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to move to a neutral position on assisted suicide.
Childhood obesity causes lifelong illness, leads to serious health complications in young adults and can lead to premature death in adulthood due to medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. In addition to its significant human toll, childhood obesity alone costs the nation"s health care system some $14 billion annually.
The Minnesota Department of Health recently designated Children"s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota"s two hospital locations as Level III Trauma Hospitals. Children"s of Minnesota has the sixth busiest pediatric emergency department in the nation with over 84,000 visits per year, and already treats around 450 trauma cases each year. Children"s voluntarily participated in the intense designation process, which included an external review of the hospitals" res and capabilities to care for young trauma patients. Children"s met the required standards of commitment, clinical and equipment res, and staff training.
Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) -- along with committee members John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) -- recently said that they will oppose Sonia Sotomayor"s confirmation to the Supreme Court, USA Today reports. The Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on Sotomayor"s nomination on Tuesday.In an opinion piece published Monday in USA Today, Sessions wrote that he questions Sotomayor"s "fidelity to the law," adding, "I don"t believe that Judge Sotomayor has the deep-rooted convictions necessary to resist the siren call of judicial activism. She has evoked its mantra too often." In reference to what Sessions said were discrepancies between her statements before the panel and her judicial record, he wrote, "Which Sotomayor will we get?" (Page, USA Today, 7/27).On Friday in floor remarks, Cornyn said, "While her record was generally in the mainstream, several of her decisions demonstrated the kind of liberal judicial activism that has steered the court in the wrong direction over the last few years." He added that "many of her public statements reflected a surprisingly radical view of the law." Cornyn also said that "those speeches contain very radical ideas on what the role of a judge is," noting that Sotomayor expressed a belief that there "is no objectivity in law; courts should change the law to make new policy; and ethnicity and gender can and even should impact a judge"s decision-making" (Bolton, The Hill, 7/24).Hatch, in a statement released Friday, said, "I reluctantly, and with a heavy heart, have found that I cannot support her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court," adding, "Although Judge Sotomayor has a compelling life story and dedication to public service, her statements and record were too much at odds with the principles about the judiciary in which I deeply believe" (Stanton, Roll Call, 7/24).
A recent audit by the U.S. Agency for International Development"s inspector general has "raised questions about several USAID expenditures" on a number of "faith-based" projects initiated during former President George W. Bush"s administration, a Los Angeles Times editorial says. Among other issues, the report highlighted "the use of instructional materials, including biblical references," in an HIV/AIDS prevention program that promoted sexual abstinence in Africa, the editorial continues. It adds that USAID said that it "stopped allowing "religiously infused" curricula after the Justice Department expressed legal qualms."According to the Times, the issue raises several questions, including whether the U.S. Constitution is "violated when U.S. officials abroad ... endorse religious activities in the furtherance of this nation"s foreign policy." It states, "Our answer is no, but policymakers still need to be cautious about mixing religion and diplomacy" (Los Angeles Times, 7/24).
The Washington Post on Sunday featured Washington D.C.,-based Inner Light Ministries, a 16-year-old black community church with about 100 members, where many go "to share their experience of being black and gay, living and loving in a city where HIV and AIDS lurk in epidemic proportions. ò€¦" Some members of the congregation, as well as four of its leaders including Bishop Rainey Cheeks are HIV-positive. Cheeks teaches safe sex as a part of his sermons and the church provides condoms to its members. The article also discusses the stigma associated with HIV among gay black men. "Some men are reluctant to reveal their health status to possible partners for fear of being rejected," according to the Post. "That attitude, Cheeks said, is part of why gay black men in the District are disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS. And why he has to keep preaching the message of safe sex," the article states (Fears, 7/26).
The Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) announced that Dennis P. Whalen, Director of State Operations in the Governor"s office, will join the Association on September 9 as Executive Vice President. Mr. Whalen will play a key role in shaping HANYS" overall policies and in helping prepare the membership for national health care reform.
A new study finds that most older long-term cancer survivors who are interested in diet and exercise actually have poor health habits. The study also reveals that those survivors who do exercise and watch their diet have improved physical health and quality of life. Published in the September 1, 2009 issue of Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the research indicates that greater efforts are needed to encourage elderly cancer survivors to live healthier lives.
Nearly all species have some ability to detect light. At least three types of cells in the retina allow us to see images or distinguish between night and day. Now, researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have discovered in fish yet another type of cell that can sense light and contribute to vision.
A lack of sunlight is associated with reduced cognitive function among depressed people. Researchers writing in BioMed Central"s open access journal Environmental Health used weather data from NASA satellites to measure sunlight exposure across the United States and linked this information to the prevalence of cognitive impairment in depressed people.
Government health officials from 13 African countries today launched the first-ever push for accreditation of the continent"s medical laboratories, starting a process that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Government believe will be an historic step to strengthen health systems and lead to better care for patients.
Summaries of several developments related to health care reform appear below.
Distinctive patterns of genes turned off - or left on - in healthy versus cancerous cells could enable early screening for many common cancers and maybe help avoid them, Medical College of Georgia scientists say.
Doctors are being reminded that assisting a suicide is illegal in England and Wales and that they should not give advice to patients to help them travel abroad to take their own lives.
÷£25 million announced to more than treble the number of NHS apprenticeships
Inovio Biomedical Corporation (NYSE Amex: INO), a leader in DNA vaccine design, development and delivery, announced that the company"s first SynCon™ dengue virus DNA vaccine induced neutralizing antibody responses against all four distinct serotypes of dengue viruses that are transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. Currently there is no commercially available vaccine or antiviral drug against dengue virus infections. The results were published in Vaccine, July 3, 2009, in a paper entitled, "Development of a novel DNA SynCon tetravalent dengue vaccine that elicits immune responses against four serotypes" (Ramanathan MP, Kuo YC, Selling BH, Li Q, Sardesai NY, Kim JJ, Weiner DB).
Bioheart, Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: BHRT) a company committed to delivering intelligent devices and biologics that help monitor, diagnose and treat heart failure and cardiovascular diseases announced today that the US FDA cleared a phase I clinical trial for MyoCell SDF-1 (Stromal Derived Factor - 1) to treat congestive heart failure. The REGEN trial will enroll 15 patients in a multicenter, randomized, dose escalation study to assess the safety and cardiovascular effects of the implantation of MyoCell SDF-1 in congestive heart failure patients post myocardial infarction(s).