Oncology
A new study finds the average wait for a medical appointment has increased by more than a week since 2004, to 8.6 days, USA Today reports. In Boston, the worst-performing city of the 15 surveyed for the Merritt Hawkins and Associates study, patients waited nearly 50 days, on average, to see a doctor.
New technology allows student doctors to practice operations and other procedures on simulators before trying them out on real patients, just as pilots practice for emergencies on aircraft simulators. Medical educators feel that this will increase patient safety, by avoiding first-time mistakes being made on live patients. But does education by simulation actually work? Can doctors learn new skills on simulators instead of on humans?
U.N. Agencies, NGOs Appeal For $37M For IDPs In Pakistan
Kansas has become "perhaps the fiercest battleground" in the abortion-rights debate with mass protests, prosecutions, lawsuits and the recent murder of abortion provider George Tiller, the AP/Washington Post reports. Kansas State University political scientist Joe Aistrup said, "There"s a very prominent vein in Kansas politics that tends toward moral righteousness." He said that this contributes to that unending debate and has produced extremists on both sides of the issue in the state.Peter Brownlie, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said that the majority of those who maintain the intense debate on abortion rights are political leaders. "There is a very clear and growing gap between the general public and the political leaders who are committed to this being such a constant and volatile issue," he said. Brownlie added that on issues relating to abortion, sex education and family planning, "Kansans" views are not markedly different from most Americans, but there are political forces at work, some of them well beyond the state borders."The Post reports that Kansas is different than most states where either supporters or foes of abortion rights dominate. According to the AP/Post, Kansas often sways between having key lawmakers who support abortion rights and those who oppose them. For example, a Republican-dominated Legislature over the past six years passed several bills to restrict abortion access, but much of the legislation was vetoed by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D). The result has triggered frustration in groups opposing abortion rights, and they continue to feed widespread opposition to abortion in the state, the AP/Post reports.According to Burdett Loomis, a University of Kansas political science professor, there even is a split among Kansas Republicans in regard to abortion rights, as some Republicans in the state are evangelical Christians who oppose abortion rights, while others are moderates who support such rights. He said the split "might pop out in gun laws, home schooling, evolution, but it starts and stops with abortion" (Crary/Hanna, AP/Washington Post, 6/3).Wall Street Journal Examines Abortions Later in PregnancyIn related news, the Wall Street Journal on Thursday examined how Tiller"s clinic in Kansas became a battleground in the abortion-rights debate particularly because some of his patients were in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. According to the Journal, even though the subject of abortion later in pregnancy is the of "a deep cultural divide," both sides agree that it is "anguishing." Fewer than 1% of all abortions in the U.S. are performed in the second or third trimesters, and most states prohibit abortions late in pregnancy but include exceptions for the woman"s life and health.The Journal reports that abortion procedures performed later in pregnancy often carry increased health risks, are more expensive and are emotional. The Guttmacher Institute reports that 8.9 maternal deaths occur during every 100,000 abortions performed later in pregnancy, compared with 7.1 deaths per 100,000 births. The article also profiled women who chose to undergo abortions later in pregnancy at Tiller"s clinic, as well as arguments from abortion-rights opponents (Simon, Wall Street Journal, 6/4).
TCT Symposium will feature strategies for nurses and technologists to improve care for angioplasty patients
Approximately 30 percent U.S. children live more than one hour away from a pediatric trauma center by ground or by air transportation, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
One in every 3,000 babies is born with an inborn error of metabolism -- a genetic defect that interferes with their ability to process substances like carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Until recently, tests to detect many of these very rare, disabling, and sometimes fatal disorders like fatty acid oxidation disorders were rarely used. If the child died, the cause would be listed as unknown or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). If they survived, they would experience a range of symptoms and medical problems throughout their lives such as delays in development, seizures, difficulty with growth and autistic behavior.
The cause of Parkinson"s disease (PD), the second most frequent neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer"s disease, is unknown, but in most cases it is believed to involve a combination of environmental risk factors and genetic susceptibility. Laboratory studies in rats have shown that injecting the insecticide rotenone leads to an animal model of PD and several epidemiological studies have shown an association between pesticides and PD, but most have not identified specific pesticides or studied the amount of exposure relating to the association.
Westminster Kingsway College has launched a new Access to Higher Education programme in Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences at its new King"s Cross Centre in central London. The College is already a leading provider of Access to Higher Education courses in London as well as specialising in courses for Pharmacy Technicians in conjunction with the University of London"s School of Pharmacy and Birkbeck College.
A recent surge in immigration rates has led psychologists to study how these families are coping and thriving in their adopted countries. In a special June issue of the Journal of Family Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association, researchers report that close family ties are crucial for immigrants" successful transition to their new country.
Journalist, Malini Guha, has won the prestigious new Advances in Renal Cancer Journalists" Award - Europe for her article "New Advances Deliver Fresh Hope in Kidney Cancer" - which was published in Scrip World Pharmaceutical News on February 13th 2009.
This month, Yale University"s newly launched Global Health Leadership Institute will host "Strategic Problem Solving in Global Health," an innovative conference that will bring together health officials from five countries and members of Yale"s global health community to generate a high-level dialogue on how to approach vital health care issues facing each country. Officials from Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Mexico, and Rwanda will attend the meeting, which will take place in New Haven from June 15-19.
Commenting on a new report on the use of management consultants by the NHS and the Department of Health, published by the Health Select Committee, Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said:
Can a patient be awake and communicating with the anesthesiologist and surgeon during general anesthesia? With a new "cooperative patient" anesthesia technique, the answer is yes, according to a study in the June issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).
On the 4th June, the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Copenhagen will open the doors of its new research center, The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research. The Center is the result of a historic donation from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which in 2007 gave the University 80 million euros for its establishment.
The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, is pleased to announce another measure to address the H1N1 flu virus. The Government of Canada will fund a national influenza research network focused on pandemic vaccine evaluation. The network will strengthen Canada"s capacity to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a pandemic influenza vaccine and vaccination programs.
The recent murder of Kansas abortion provider George Tiller has prompted other providers nationwide to reassess their need for protective measures against violent actions from opponents of abortion rights, the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports. In the days following Tiller"s murder, many clinic officials nationwide said that they had contacted law enforcement and examined their existing security measures. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder also ordered the U.S. Marshals Service to provide security to several clinicians and facilities. According to the AP/Chronicle, violence against abortion providers in the 1980s and 1990s forced many to take various precautionary measures in and around their clinics, while some underwent training to protect themselves.Kate Michelman, former president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said the election of former President George W. Bush, an abortion-rights opponent, helped alleviate some violence against abortion providers. However, she said that she believes Tiller"s murder might indicate the situation is changing during the first months of President Obama"s administration. Obama has rejected abortion-rights opponents" calls for restrictions on the procedure and also reversed the "global gag rule," or "Mexico City" policy.Michelman said, "Historically, when those who oppose a woman"s right to decide are frustrated politically, they get more violent," adding, "I have been thinking about this ever since the [Obama] election." She said that some providers will remain fearful even though she believes clinics are now safe. "In the end ... if someone is out to get you and they are determined and have a chorus encouraging them, ... there"s not much you can do to stop them," Michelman said. Provider LeRoy Carhart, who provided abortion services at Tiller"s clinic, said that people who commit violence against abortion providers should be charged with hate crimes (Hanna, AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 6/3).
Keeping Them Honest - The New York Times
Lancet Study Finds No Association Between Human-Rights Treaties and Health Status
Religious leaders, health care workers, community organizations and government agencies in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky have begun a number of HIV and sexual health awareness efforts that encourage members of the black community, and others, to get tested, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. To increase the number of people being tested, the Northern Kentucky Health Department is providing HIV testing in people"s homes and the Cincinnati Health Department, along with other organizations, is conducting HIV testing in bars and clubs. Cincinnati also is a pilot site for the Black AIDS Institute"s "Test One Million" campaign. Separately, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections is nearing the end of a two-year pilot program in one prison that is testing inmates for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections upon their release. Other efforts in the states include condom distribution and HIV education (O"Farrell, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/5).
New research led by the University of Cincinnati (UC) suggests that the hunger hormone ghrelin is activated by fats from the foods we eat - not those made in the body - in order to optimize nutrient metabolism and promote the storage of body fat.
Dialysis is the artificial process of getting rid of waste (diffusion) and unwanted water (ultrafiltration) from the blood. This process is naturally done by our kidneys. Some people, however, may have failed or damaged kidneys which cannot carry out the function properly - they may need dialysis. In other words, dialysis is the artificial replacement for lost kidney function (renal replacement therapy). Dialysis may be used for people who have become ill and have acute kidney failure (temporary loss of kidney function), or for fairly stable patients who have permanently lost kidney function (stage 5 chronic kidney disease).
Musculoskeletal problems are among the complaints most frequently reported in health interview surveys. Typically around 50 percent of the population report having had musculoskeletal pain in one or more areas for at least one week during the past month. Musculoskeletal disorders are also the most common work-related health problems in the EU: 25 percent of European workers complain of backache and 23 percent of muscular pains. The trend will become even more acute as demographic changes lead to an ageing society.
When it comes to maintaining their health, men tend to wait for serious symptoms to appear before taking the necessary precautions. Indications of serious physical conditions, however, can oftentimes take a silent form. Take hearing loss: The condition affects more than 31 million people, 65 percent of whom are men, but the signs of the condition are typically overlooked. With that in mind, Miracle-Ear is honoring National Men"s Health Week, which begins on June 15th, with advice on what to look - or listen - for to determine if men are living with diminished hearing capacity.
New research launched today (Monday) to mark the start of national Carers Week (8-13 June) shows that almost three-quarters (74%) of carers have reached breaking point due to the pressures of their caring role.
Nine of the top 20 health issues researched on the internet relate to dieting, weight loss and healthy living.
On Wednesday 3 June 2009 the situation in the UK was as follows:
A new taskforce of health professionals working together to spot early signs of violence and abuse against women and girls, investigate the scale of the problem and ensure victims across the NHS get the support they need was announced by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Health Secretary Alan Johnson.
Millions of Brits are dicing with disaster and placing their health at risk when taking overseas
A new wrinkle-smoother will be arriving in doctors" offices in July: the U.S. FDA has approved the cosmetic injectable Dysport®. Dysport®, approved in the European Union, Brazil, Argentina and more than 26 countries worldwide is a form of botulinum type A, similar to the protein found in Botox® Cosmetic, approved for fighting wrinkles in the U.S. since 2004. Dysport® and Botox® are both cosmetic injections that temporarily relax the muscles in the face that create expressions, such as frown lines between the brows, that over time result in visible facial lines and deeper creases. "Although their action is similar, Dysport® and Botox® Cosmetic are two different drugs," said oculoplastic surgeon Dr. Brian Biesman, Coalition leader and Assistant Clinical Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. "Both temporarily modify the action of facial muscles, smoothing out undesirable lines between the brows, across the forehead or crow"s feet to restore a more youthful, less stressed appearance. But they are not interchangeable, they have distinct dosing differences."
Cystitis refers to inflammation of the lining of the bladder. It usually occurs when the normally sterile urethra and bladder (lower urinary tract) are infected by bacteria and become irritated and inflamed. Cystitis is fairly common and can affect both men and women and people of all ages. However, it is more common in women.
Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: KERX) announced results of the Phase 2 study of Zerenex (ferric citrate) for the treatment of elevated serum phosphorous levels, or hyperphosphatemia, in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on thrice weekly hemodialysis. The study was a multicenter, open-label clinical trial, which enrolled 55 patients. The primary objective of this study was to assess the tolerability and safety of Zerenex (ferric citrate) with doses ranging from approximately 1 gram per day to 12 grams per day.
Research presented at the American Diabetes Association"s 69th Scientific Sessions points to increased risk for people with diabetes associated with two widely used drug classes; while another study shed new light on a different class of drugs that faced increased scrutiny from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
New data show that Afinitor(R) (everolimus) tablets significantly shrunk tumors in 33% of patients with relapsed non-Hodgkin"s lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin"s disease(1). Based on results from this study and other early-stage research, Novartis has initiated a Phase III trial in the most common NHL, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
New Phase II data presented at the American Diabetes Association 69th Scientific Sessions in New Orleans show that the investigational type 2 diabetes treatment Syncria(R) (albiglutide) significantly reduced blood glucose levels and provided weight loss across weekly, biweekly and monthly dosing. Reducing blood sugar is a key part of managing type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects over 250 million people worldwide.
D-Pharm announced today that its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for a pivotal Phase III clinical trial of DP-b99 in acute ischemic stroke patients has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). D-Pharm plans to initiate the trial in the coming months, in over 100 clinical sites in North America, Europe, South Africa and Israel.
Tau protein tangles are found in the brains of people with a range of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer"s.
Several newspapers had articles about major congressional players in the health care debate.
President Barack Obama is ramping up his efforts to overhaul the nation"s health care system, including devoting his Saturday radio and video address to health reform.
In the wake of the shooting death of Kansas abortion provider George Tiller, columnist Ellen Goodman writes in the Boston Globe that she "can"t help wondering whether rhetoric can justify a crime in the mind of a fanatic." She continues, "Can"t words provide the sort of perverse moral platform that jihadists stand on and the alternate universe in which a "lone nut" can find a home?" Goodman writes that she does not blame Tiller"s death on "everyone who checks a pro-life box on the pollster"s chart," but it is "well past time for the antiabortion movement to denounce those who are in the profession of inflaming passions."Tiller "was a doctor of last resort for many women, especially those women for whom the sonogram did not bring joy but tragic tidings," Goodman writes, adding, "He refused to be cowed. At the very least, he should be buried with truth." In his recent commencement address at the University of Notre Dame, President Obama asked, "As citizens of a vibrant and varied democracy, how do we engage in vigorous debate? How does each of us remain firm in our principles, and fight for what we consider right, without demonizing those with just as strongly held convictions on the other side?" Goodman writes, "One way is for those who truly "denounce the murder" to take on the chorus, the back-up singers, who still provide the doo-wop for the next deranged soloist." She concludes, "You see, this suspect was not such a lone gunman. And no, I am afraid, this was not an isolated incident" (Goodman, Boston Globe, 6/5).
The American Journal of Men"s Health (AJMH), published by SAGE, has been accepted for inclusion in MEDLINE, the premier bibliographic database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), containing more than 16 million journal article citations.
Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced that enrollment has been completed in the second Phase II clinical trial of its trivalent virus-like particle (VLP) seasonal influenza vaccine. This Phase IIa randomized, placebo-controlled study is evaluating a VLP vaccine against the H3N2, H1N1, and B influenza strains that circulated in the 2008-2009 influenza season. This clinical trial represents another step in the development of Novavax"s VLP seasonal influenza vaccine, allowing further evaluation of safety and immunogenicity of a broad range of vaccine doses against a new set of influenza strains. As announced in December of 2008, the first Phase II study evaluated a trivalent VLP vaccine against the seasonal influenza strains that circulated in the 2005-2006 influenza season.
The announcement of the establishment of a new Indigenous Health, Rural and
As advocates for people living with mental illnesses, we strongly urge the FDA to carefully consider the importance of viable treatment options for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in pediatric and adolescent populations. Access to safe and effective treatments, including more information about all treatment options, is crucial to treating these serious and complex conditions in children and adolescents.
Lyme disease is emerging in Canada, and is expected to increase with climate change, but effective, enhanced surveillance and clinician awareness will be key to minimizing the impact of the disease, write researchers in a review in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine are trailblazing the molecular pathway that regulates replication of pancreatic beta cells, the insulin-producing cells that are lacking in people who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Research led by a leading expert on the positive benefits of napping at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine suggests that Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep enhances creative problem-solving. The findings may have important implications for how sleep, specifically REM sleep, fosters the formation of associative networks in the brain.
A new study finds that many women with breast cancer take antioxidant supplements while undergoing cancer treatment, even though the consequences of doing so are unknown. Published in the July 15, 2009 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that additional research should be undertaken to determine the effects of antioxidant supplementation on the health and survival of breast cancer patients.
The woolly mammoth died out several thousand years ago, but the genetic material they left behind is yielding new clues about the evolution of mammals. In a study published online in Genome Research, scientists have analyzed the mammoth genome looking for mobile DNA elements, revealing new insights into how some of these elements arose in mammals and shaped the genome of an animal headed for extinction.
Athletes who extended their nightly sleep and reduced accumulated sleep debt reported improvements in various drills conducted after every regular practice, according to a research abstract presented on June 8, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
According to a research abstract presented on June 8 at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, in the presence of free access to food, sleep restricted subjects reported decrease in appetite, food cravings and food consumption; however, they gained weight over the course of the study. Thus, the finding suggests that energy intake exceeded energy expenditure during the sleep restriction
According to a research abstract presented on June 8, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, race significantly influences the risk of obesity conferred by short sleep duration, with blacks having a greater risk than whites.
Men who work with their female partners while receiving continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are more likely to adhere to their treatment, according to a research abstract presented on Monday at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Martin Simon Hickman, a 49-year-old unlicensed and counterfeit medicines dealer, was sentenced to two years imprisonment at the Southwark Crown Court after pleading guilty to six counts of selling and supplying fake and unlicensed medicines, and money laundering to the sum of ÷£1.4m.
Prenatal multivitamin supplements are associated with a significantly reduced risk of babies with a low birth weight compared with prenatal iron-folic acid supplementation, found a new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).
Middle-aged adults who sleep fewer hours appear more likely to have high blood pressure and to experience adverse changes in blood pressure over time, according to a report in the June 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Children and especially boys diagnosed with intermittent exotropia, a condition in which the eye turns outward (away from the nose) only some of the time, appear more likely to develop mental illness by young adulthood than children without strabismus (when the eyes deviate or are misaligned when looking at an object), according to a report in the June issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Researchers in the University of Virginia Department of Urology have developed a novel method that could help physicians determine the best course of treatment for patients suffering from bladder cancer.
Vaccines intended to help the body to fight off the flu bug may actually give the bug an edge, researchers say.
As many as fifteen million American women suffer from a disabling medical condition known as fibromyalgia. In the medical community, sides have been drawn over whether fibromyalgia is a genuine syndrome or a catchall diagnosis based on vague clinical criteria. In The Fibromyalgia Controversy, M. Clement Hall, MD presents an unbiased overview of the fibromyalgia situation today and reviews the most up-to-date opinions and studies on this condition and its surrounding controversy.
A clinical trial has demonstrated that HIV-infected adults in a re-limited setting are more likely to survive if they start antiretroviral therapy (ART) before their immune systems are severely compromised.
Researchers have been seeking a safe and effective way to treat cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia by enhancing N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors. Functional deficits in NMDA receptors may contribute to the underlying neurobiology of this disorder. The first generation of studies trying to stimulate NMDA receptors administered large amounts of substances, like glycine or D-serine, which indirectly enhance NMDA receptor function. While there were some positive reports of efficacy, findings across studies were more inconsistent than was hoped.
Babies that fail to receive stimulation and love in the first year are at risk of poor brain development and social skills, a child health expert has warned.
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) announced results from the Phase 1 clinical study of PEG-PAL (PEGylated recombinant phenylalanine ammonia lyase) for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU). The company expects to initiate the Phase 2 clinical study in late June or early July, pending institutional review board (IRB) approval from the clinical trial sites. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed the Phase II clinical trial protocol.
Roche announced it will start Phase III clinical investigations for aleglitazar, its innovative PPAR co-agonist R1439 which is uniquely designed to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in high risk patients with type 2 diabetes. This decision is supported by data from the Phase II SYNCHRONY study published today in The Lancet(1) and announced at the American Diabetes Association meeting in New Orleans. The Phase III program is anticipated to start in the second half of 2009.
A veterinarian at Kansas State University"s College of Veterinary Medicine has advice for pet owners who want to consider how pets fit into their own household emergency plans -- especially if that includes evacuating.
Mental Health America, celebrating its 100th Anniversary as the founder of the organized mental health movement, will honor Senators Edward M. Kennedy and Pete Domenici for their legendary work on behalf of individuals with mental health conditions at its Centennial Gala on Thursday, June 11, in Washington, D.C.
On June 17 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, Terrence Higgins Trust is launching a new Positive Self Management Programme for gay men living with HIV. The free workshops in Ladbroke Grove, London will run at the same time every subsequent Tuesday for seven weeks.
UroToday.com - In the Lancet Oncology online edition, Dr. Andrew Vickers and collaborators report that prostate cancer (CaP) recurrence is significantly reduced with increasing surgical experience among urologists performing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP). The learning curve appears greater than that for open radical prostatectomy.
The word constipation comes from the Latin constipare meaning "to press, crowd together", and from 1400 A.D. Latin Constipationem. According to Medilexicon"s medical dictionary, constipation is "A condition in which bowel movements are infrequent or incomplete". Constipation is also known as costiveness, and irregularity.
Children who are bullied at school are up to four times more likely than their peers to develop psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions and paranoia - and the more severe the bullying the more severe the symptoms.
UroToday.com - At present, no consensus exists on how patients with PSA recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP) should be treated. Although patients with postoperative PSA recurrence frequently undergo androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) before evidence of metastatic disease, the benefit of this approach is uncertain. As no randomized studies are performed in this clinical setting there is no conclusive evidence that hormone therapy (HT) after RP will prolong survival or reduce morbidity.
Naps with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep refresh the brain"s empathetic sensitivity for evaluating human emotions by decreasing a negative bias and amplifying recognition of positive emotions, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Wednesday, June 10, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Parental presence at bedtimes appears to have a greater negative impact on infant sleep than actual co-sleeping, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Wednesday, June 10, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Abbott announced the EAS® Myoplex® Strength Formula nutrition shake designed to help active people on the go refuel after physical activity. The ready-to-drink sports nutrition shakes come in a new, reclosable 14 fluid ounce plastic bottle.
Abbott and AstraZeneca announced today that they have entered into an agreement for AstraZeneca to co-promote Abbott"s TRILIPIX® (fenofibric acid), a medication for use alone or in combination with a statin to treat certain lipid disorders. Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will obtain the non-exclusive right to co-promote TRILIPIX alongside Abbott in the United States, excluding Puerto Rico. Specific financial terms were not disclosed.
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the availability of nearly $200 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support student loan repayments for primary care medical, dental and mental health clinicians who want to work at National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites. In exchange for the loan repayments, clinicians serve for two years with the Corps. The new funds are expected to double the number of Corps clinicians and make 3,300 awards to clinicians that serve in health centers, rural health clinics and other health care facilities that care for uninsured and underserved people. Secretary Sebelius made the announcement prior to touring the Tufts Floating Children"s Hospital in Boston, Mass., where she was joined by members of the National Health Service Corps. Following the tour, Sebelius held a discussion with health care experts and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick on the importance of health reform.
UK charity the Blood Pressure Association has responded to the American Medical Association CARDIA Sleep Study - "Association Between Sleep and Blood Pressure in Midlife", published in Archives of Internal Medicines (volume 169, no. 11)
A leading anxiety charity has today criticised Veteran Labour MP Sir Gerald Kaufman for using Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder as an excuse for, by his own admittance "bizarre and daft" MP expense claims.
According to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, patients suffering from chronic primary insomnia (PIs) have higher levels of brain activation compared to normal sleepers during a working memory test.
Patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have an increased prevalence of parasomnia symptoms compared with the prevalence rates of individual parasomnias, according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Earlier parental-mandated bedtimes could help protect teens from depression and suicidal thoughts by lengthening sleep duration, according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Individuals with insomnia and objective short sleep duration are at increased risk for developing diabetes, according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
A majority of people experiencing chronic insomnia can experience a normalization of sleep parameters through the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Although most gallbladder (GB) polyps are benign, some early carcinomas of the GB share the same appearance as benign polyps. Currently, GB polyps larger than 1 cm should be surgically removed because of the increased risk of malignancy. On the other hand, patients with smaller polyps usually require repeated US and follow-up. Distinguishing among non-neoplastic, neoplastic, and potentially malignant lesions is a major diagnostic dilemma, and the therapeutic options for these lesions remain controversial.
People "will not be surprised" by the recent Republican "purge" and "un-eulogies" of several conservative abortion-rights supporters -- including retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, former Republican Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Penn.) and former Secretary of State Colin Powell -- given that "abortion is the purity test for remaining in the GOP inner circle," syndicated columnist Ellen Goodman writes in a Memphis Commercial Appeal opinion piece. The U.S. is "in for another battle centered, again, on Roe v. Wade" as President Obama nominates a replacement for Souter, she writes, adding that the "purge has led me to wonder what would have happened if the first abortion case to arrive at the Supreme Court" were Struck v. Secretary of Defense, rather than Roe. "What if it had been brought by the woman who did not want an abortion?" Goodman writes, noting that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg has recently "mused out loud about the case that got away -- the one she would have liked to argue before the court back when she was a women"s rights litigator."According to Goodman, Susan Struck was a captain in the Air Force who became pregnant in 1970 and was told by her commanding officer that she could either resign or have an abortion. "Struck picked a third choice: a lawsuit," and Ginsberg -- a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union -- "argued that the regulation prohibiting pregnant women from military service was sex discrimination," Goodman writes. Ginsberg also argued that Struck"s choice to carry her pregnancy to term was a personal one and that government intervention was a violation of her liberty. However, as the case was heading to the Supreme Court, the defending lawyer "figured that he was going to lose. So the savvy solicitor advised the armed services to change the rules and the case became moot," Goodman writes."It is mind-bending to think about how different the whole debate might have been if the first Supreme Court case arguing for the right to decide had been brought by a woman wanting to have a baby," Goodman continues. She asks if the U.S. would "have better understood this reality: a government that can force a woman to have an abortion is the same government that can force a woman to continue the pregnancy? Would it have changed a Republican Party that was traditionally so wary of government power-grabs?" (Goodman, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 5/14).
In a discovery that could lead to new treatment approaches for depression, researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have shown that internet-based therapy programs are as effective as face-to-face therapies in combating the illness.
In a study that sheds light on how insurance coverage may drive health care and may reveal an unexpected result for the uninsured, a team of Yale School of Medicine and Yale-New Haven Children"s Hospital physicians has found that babies from uninsured families who are born with congenital defects are far more likely than those whose families have insurance to be transferred out of the large community hospitals where they are born and into children"s hospitals for corrective surgery.
The Automation Partnership (TAP), a world leader in the design and development of innovative advanced automation for life science applications, announced it is collaborating with world leading academics on the prestigious, Technology Strategy Board funded, RAFT (Rapid Automated Fabrication of Tissues) Project to develop and commercialise novel technology for rapid production of 3D tissues, which have the potential to transform drug discovery and regenerative medicine.
The Washington Times on Friday examined how President Obama"s "former campaign apparatus is cranking up a full-tilt drive for passage of a health care overhaul this year" by "tapping his 13-million-strong e-mail list" for financial contributions to fund advertising efforts, hire staff and open election-style offices. The group -- launched in January as Organizing for America, or OFA2, a unit under the Democratic National Committee -- sent supporters an e-mail this week asking them for their time and money to fight "special interest lobbyists and partisan ideologues" that might attempt to "water down" health care reform. Mitch Stewart, the group"s executive director, wrote that contributions would be used to organize "local educational events" and to "bring constituent voices straight to Congress, and make sure real life stories are heard louder than the lobbyists" spin" (Bellantoni, Washington Times, 5/15). Single-Payer System Not on Table, Obama Says
A new parent questionnaire, developed at the University of Waterloo, will help health practitioners to more accurately gauge the acquisition of language skills in children with autism.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the recognized leader in pediatric oral health, announced new oral health guidelines for expectant mothers and infants following its 62nd Annual Session in Honolulu, Hawaii. The guidelines call for all pregnant women to receive counseling and oral healthcare during pregnancy, and also that infants receive an oral health risk assessment and oral care by their first birthday. These steps will contribute to optimal oral health for both mom and baby.
Emory University researchers have identified a surprising mechanism in the brains of mother mice that focuses their awareness on the calls of baby mice. Their study, published June 11 in Neuron, found that the high-frequency sounds of mice pups stand out in a mother"s auditory cortex by inhibiting the activity of neurons more attuned to lower frequency sounds.
Ninety-six percent of primary care physicians believe the nation"s health care system should place more emphasis on nutrition to treat and manage chronic disease, according to a new survey released today. However, only 12 percent believe physicians currently pay significant attention to nutrition in the context of chronic disease.
A new technology that revolutionizes the way low back pain is diagnosed and treated, while also significantly reducing healthcare costs, has been introduced by SpineMatrix(R) Inc., an Akron, Ohio-based medical technology company that specializes in advanced spinal diagnostics.
Depression is a major public health problem, and one of the most important challenges for psychiatrists is to determine whether an individual with depression should receive cognitive-behavioral therapy or treatment with antidepressant medication. A study by researchers from Emory University, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping in San Francisco, used brain imaging along with sophisticated statistical techniques to examine the differences in brain function that result from these two different kinds of treatment. Forty individuals with depression were scanned with magnetic resonance imaging after undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy or antidepressant therapy. The researchers found that they could distinguish the brain activity of individuals undergoing the two different treatments, and in particular that the two treatments differently affected the communication of the brain areas that are thought to play a role in depression, including the communication between the prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens, and between the subgenual cingulate and the thalamus. The results provide a basis for future research that will try to predict which individuals will benefit from different treatments for depression.
A modest reduction in the amount of carbohydrates eaten, without calorie restriction and weight loss, appears to increase a sense of fullness, which may help people eat less, a preliminary study found. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have defined a key target of an evolutionarily conserved protein that regulates the process of aging. The study, published June 11 in Nature, provides fundamental knowledge about key mechanisms of aging that could point toward new anti-aging strategies and cancer therapies.
A genetic analysis of data from three studies suggests that genetically elevated levels of lipoprotein(a) are associated with an increased risk of heart attack, according to a study in the June 10 issue of JAMA.
The Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission on Wednesday unanimously voted to approve a 1.77% increase in the amount hospitals can charge patients, the Baltimore Sun reports. The new rate is expected to bring approximately $260 million in increased revenue to state hospitals. The Maryland Hospital Association last month had sought a 3.25% increase, while commission staff members had recommended a 1.27% increase.A coalition of state officials, hospital leaders and insurers on Wednesday recommended a last-minute compromise of 2.12%, but the commission lowered it to 1.77%. The rate increase will take effect July 1 and applies for one year to 47 hospitals. The commission approved a 4.5% increase in hospital rates for fiscal year 2009 (Gunts, Baltimore Sun, 5/13).
Democratic leaders in the House and Senate on Tuesday released draft versions of health care reform legislation in their respective chambers that outline several initiatives, including a public health insurance option that has been the focus of debate between Democratic leaders who favor it and Republicans and moderate Democrats who oppose the provision, The Hill reports (Soraghan, The Hill, 6/9). According to the New York Times, the draft bills represent an emerging consensus between the Senate and House on how to move forward with health reform (Pear, New York Times, 6/10).The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee"s 615-page draft health care bill would expand eligibility for Medicaid and allow families with incomes up to 500% of the federal poverty level to qualify for subsidies to purchase insurance. In addition, the bill includes an individual mandate requiring U.S. residents to purchase insurance, reforms for the insurance market, suspension of coverage denials based on pre-existing conditions and the establishment of a health insurance exchange where U.S. residents can compare and buy coverage (Budoff Brown, Politico, 6/9). Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), the second-ranking Democrat on the HELP Committee, will lead mark-up sessions scheduled to begin June 16 while Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) undergoes treatment for brain cancer (The Hill, 6/9). At a meeting of the House Democratic Caucus, the leaders of the three House committees charged with crafting health reform legislation outlined a bill with similar provisions to the one being written in the Senate (New York Times, 6/10). The bill -- which is being drafted by the chairs of the House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor committees -- calls for a public plan, an individual mandate, a mandate for employers to help pay for coverage and the creation of a health insurance exchange. Under the House bill, families with incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level would qualify for subsidies for insurance. The House bill also would expand Medicaid by determining eligibility entirely on income, according to a House aide. Currently, many Medicaid applicants must meet other criteria, such as being a parent, in addition to having a low income, to qualify. The House is expected to release a formal version of the bill next week.Both draft bills released on Tuesday did not include details on how the proposals would be financed. According to the Wall Street Journal the omission gives lawmakers time to better assess the costs involved and promote health reform to the public (Bendavid/Adamy, Wall Street Journal, 6/10).
Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global supplier of healthcare products, has announced the integration of its Nellcor™ OxiMax™ oximetry system into Philips IntelliVue and M-Series patient monitors. Philips is a leading global provider of patient monitoring solutions, and the collaboration between the companies is expected to significantly increase, in all major geographies, hospitals" and healthcare providers" access to the industry-leading capabilities offered by both companies.
David Brooks, New York Times: Health care costs have become "the crucial issue of [President Obama"s] whole presidency," Times columnist Brooks writes. According to Brooks, Obama"s original plan was to fund his priorities, including education and energy, with debt that would be paid off with future savings resulting from health care reform. Brooks writes that Obama"s aides have been discussing "game-changers" -- such as health information technology, wellness programs, preventive medicine, comparative effective measures and altering reimbursement policies -- that would result in cost reductions. However, Brooks writes that most experts do not think such efforts would "produce much in the way of cost savings over the next 10 years" and that "nobody is sure" the efforts would "ever produce significant savings." Brooks writes that because "there are deep structural forces, both in Medicare and the private insurance market" that make it "nearly impossible to put together a majority coalition for a bill" challenging those structures, reform efforts this year likely will produce a "medium-size bill that expands coverage to some groups but does relatively little to control costs." Brooks concludes, "Without serious health cost cuts," Obama"s agenda "will hasten fiscal suicide" (Brooks, New York Times, 5/15).
Britannia Building Society wrapped up its best ever charity fundraising year with a ÷£400,000 birthday boost to Alzheimer"s Society.
According to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, a link exists between the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and weight gain.
Hawaii-based Kai Sensors announced it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for the Kai Sensors Non-Contact Respiratory Rate Spot Check, also called the Kai RSpot. The 510(k) clearance allows Kai Sensors to market the Kai RSpot to physicians, hospitals, and clinics.
A suite of genes that affect aggression in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has been identified. By investigating male flies from a large panel of lines which each carry a mutation in a single gene but are otherwise genetically identical, researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Biology identified particularly angry and particularly placid insects, uncovering 59 mutations in 57 genes that affect aggressive behavior.
Two signals - an external one from retinoic acid and an internal one from the transcription factor Neurogenin2 - cooperate to activate chromatin (the basic material of chromosomes) and help determine that certain nerve progenitor cells become motor neurons, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in a report in the current issue of the journal Neuron.
Cegedim Dendrite announced the launch of COUNTERxFEIT DETECT, a new offering that will assist pharmaceutical companies in identifying counterfeit product and determining where it entered their United States supply chains. Cegedim Dendrite is the leading provider of compliance technology solutions and services in the pharmaceutical industry.
Alexion Pharma France and Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALXN) today received the 2009 Prix Galien France for Soliris® (eculizumab) in the category of medicines for rare diseases. The award recognizes the scientific innovation represented by the complement-inhibition technology of Soliris, and the impact the drug is having on the lives of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), an ultra-rare, debilitating and life-threatening blood disorder.
Checkpoint with forkhead and ring finger (CHFR) is a mitotic stress checkpoint gene whose promoter is frequently methylated in various kinds of cancer. In gastric cancer, CHFR promoter hypermethylation has been reported to lead to chromosome instability (CIN) and genetic instability is one of the hallmarks of human cancer.