Medical Devices
New research, published in The Lancet Oncology, has found that combining human papillomavirus (HPV) testing with routine liquid-based cytology (LBC) screening does not increase the detection of cervical cancer compared with LBC screening alone. The trial funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme aimed to determine whether testing for HPV in the cervix might increase the effectiveness of the cervical screening programme.
Evidence suggests that outcomes in many clinical settings leave a lot to be desired, which means that research into quality improvement (QI) in clinical care has the potential to greatly improve the lot of patients. Now a study in the journal Medical Care Research and Review published by SAGE suggests that both theoretical and practical improvements in QI effectiveness studies could make these into much more powerful tools for positive change.
Vision loss costs Canadian society a staggering $15.8 billlion per year - significantly higher than previously estimated, according to new research study released on June 23, 2009, by CNIB and the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS). The study"s proponents say these costs, which are expected to increase dramatically in the years ahead, underscore the urgent need for Canada to develop a comprehensive national vision health plan.
"In a new report released yesterday, the government watchdog group Common Cause found that major health care interests have spent upwards of $1.4 million a day to lobby Capitol Hill so far this year," the National Journal reports. This political spending amount represents a 73 percent increase since 2000. In addition, the report finds that campaign contributions to members of Congress jumped $40 million since 2000, to $94 million in the 2008 election cycle (Krigman, 6/24).
The Senate Commerce Committee has found that a flawed payment database produced by a UnitedHealth subsidiary and distributed to other major insurance companies has led insurers to underpay millions of out-of-network claims, forcing patients to make up the difference of health care providers" fees, the Wall Street Journal reports. Aetna, Cigna, WellPoint, and other large insurers used the data to calculate their "reasonable and customary" charges. They also provided UnitedHealth"s subsidiary, Ingenix, with historic data about their payments, which became the foundation of ongoing versions of the flawed payment models.
Responding to reports of dangerous lapses in the VA medical system, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee said Wednesday that more centralized control is needed, The Associated Press reports.
Staying ahead of the upcoming drive to sell electronic health records to hospitals and physicians may be difficult for smaller vendors, Pharmawire/Financial Times reports. General Electric announced a program last week to provide health care organizations with financing options to purchase health technology through its financial services arm even as it sells electronic records through its health care wing. Other large vendors like Cerner and McKesson will be able to keep up, but smaller producers will be left behind, industry experts said.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health yesterday issued a directive recommending that health care providers include written consent for HIV testing in the general permission forms given to patients receiving medical care, the Boston Globe reports. State health care providers typically give patients separate consent forms for HIV testing, a practice health officials say poses as a barrier to HIV testing for patients and their providers. The new Massachusetts recommendation states that HIV testing should be explicitly mentioned on standard general consent forms. Reinforcing a provision in the CDC"s 2006 HIV testing guidelines, the directive also recommends routine HIV testing for all residents age 13 to 64 in health care settings. Patients in Massachusetts must still opt in to HIV testing, whereas the CDC recommends that HIV testing be performed unless a patient opts out, according to the Globe (Cooney, Boston Globe, 6/25).
A three-year initiative launched last year by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to test every adult in the Bronx for HIV has boosted testing by 28 percent, according to city health officials, the New York Times" blog "City Room" reports. The "Bronx Knows" campaign began with an effort to make voluntary HIV testing routine in emergency departments and clinics, where city officials said, "cumbersome consent procedures required by state law have deterred doctors from offering the tests," according to "City Room" (Chan, "City Room," New York Times, 6/24). The initiative - which involves clinics, hospitals and community organizations - tested nearly 160,000 Bronx residents in the past 12 months (United Press International, 6/24). The city also is participating in National HIV Testing Day on Saturday ("City Room," New York Times, 6/24).
The number of people killed at work in Britain has fallen to a record low, new figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reveal.
The H1N1 (swine flu) virus has reached the sub-Saharan African countries of Cape Verde, Ethiopia and Ivory Coast, according to the WHO, the AP/Boston Herald reports. Last week, South Africa became the first country in the region to confirm a 12-year-old, who had returned from the U.S., tested positive for the H1N1 virus.
FDA on Wednesday approved Watson Pharmaceuticals" generic version of the emergency contraceptive Plan B, the Wall Street Journal reports. The generic drug will be available without a prescription to women ages 18 and older on Aug. 24, when Duramed Pharmaceuticals" market exclusivity for Plan B expires (Kalish, Wall Street Journal, 6/25). The generic version will be available to women ages 17 and younger with a prescription, according to an FDA press release (FDA Web site, 6/24). Watson will market the generic version under the name Next Choice (AP/Washington Post, 6/24).A one-time use pack of the brand-name product, Plan B, currently costs $49.99 through the online retailer DrugStore.com. According to Bloomberg, generic drugs usually cost 30% to 80% less than brand-name versions (Larkin, Bloomberg, 6/24).
The European Medicines Agency has recommended the first marketing
President Barack Obama"s signature on a bill this week to grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory authority over tobacco was historic, and represents a step in the march to eliminate tobacco use in this country by 2047, two national tobacco experts said recently (June 25).
In an article published in the June 25th edition of the journal Neuron, researchers at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, have found that synaptic plasticity, long implicated as a device for "change" in the brain, may also be essential for stability.
When humans and animals delay reproduction because food or other res are scarce, they may live longer to increase the impact of reproduction, according to a new study by University of Minnesota researchers published in the June 25 issue of PLoS (Public Library of Science) One.
Childhood physical abuse is associated with elevated rates of cancer in adulthood, according to a new study by University of Toronto researchers.
Contrary to predictions, males of high genetic quality are not very successful when it comes to fertilizing eggs. A new study on seed beetles by Swedish and Danish scientists Goran Arnqvist and Trine Bilde shows that when a female mates with several males, the males of low genetic quality are the most successful in fertilizing eggs. The study is published in this week"s issue of Science.
Every 16 hours, give or take, the brain"s hippocampus makes six to nine thousand new neurons in the dentate gyrus, the portion of the brain which is believed to play a significant role in the preservation of episodic, or autobiographical, memory.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality"s annual release of state-by-state quality data continues to give states mixed reviews for the quality of care they provide. As in previous years, AHRQ"s 2008 State Snapshots show that no state does well or poorly on all quality measures.
Newly appointed IHS Director Yvette Roubideaux on Friday announced that American Indian tribes will receive $500 million as part of the $787 billion economic stimulus package to fund health care projects, the Green Bay Press-Gazette reports. According to the Press-Gazette, American Indian tribes frequently cite lack of adequate health care as a major issue on reservations. President Obama also included a $454 million increase for IHS programs in his 2010 budget proposal to address such barriers.The $500 million includes:
Researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have identified a protein that marks the tumor suppressor p53 for destruction, providing a potential new avenue for restoring p53 in cancer cells.
Researchers from the Royal Adelaide Hospital and University of Adelaide believe our oldest mammalian relative may help us to better understand ovarian cancer.
Social network sites should be designed to meet the needs of 55-65-year-old people. Researchers at Helsinki Institute for Information Technology HIIT found out that many baby-boomers think social network sites like Facebook are unfit to them. This is the reason why so few of them use any social network services on the net.
Combating high blood pressure is a global challenge. But while developed countries have enjoyed reductions in cardiovascular disease over recent decades, Latin America has been less fortunate. In fact new research published in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Cardiovascular Disease shows that high blood pressure is on the increase in many Latin American countries, a situation set to worsen unless immediate action is taken.
According to the CDC"s (Center for Disease Control and Prevention"s) Friday evening weekly update, 27th June 2009, there have been 27,717 laboratory confirmed human cases including 127 deaths of Swine Flu or A(H1N1) influenza. Fortunately, so far the Swine Flu A(H1N1) virus appears to be no more virulent than ordinary seasonal human influenza. No reports have come in indicating that the virus may have mutated.
New York"s Empire State Stem Cell Board earlier this month decided to allow embryonic stem cell researchers who receive state funding to compensate women for donating their eggs for use in research, making New York the first state to enact such a policy, the Washington Post reports (Stein, Washington Post, 6/26). According to the New York Times, the New York state Legislature in 2007 allotted $600 million for an 11-year stem cell research plan (Nelson, New York Times, 6/26). Under the board"s decisions, researchers receiving the state funding may pay women up to $10,000 to compensate them for the time, discomfort and expenses associated with egg donation. David Hohn, vice chair of the board"s two committees that endorsed the decision, said that the board "could not distinguish ethically between the payment for in vitro fertilization, which is very well precedented, and the compensation for donation for research." The board said researchers should follow the same guidelines as infertility clinics that receive donated eggs for infertile couples. Under those guidelines, payments exceeding $5,000 must be justified, and those exceeding $10,000 are considered excessive (Washington Post, 6/26). Robert Klitzman, director of the master"s degree program in bioethics at Columbia University and a member of the stem cell board"s ethics committee, said the payments will be carefully evaluated by an institutional review board (New York Times, 6/26).The Post reports that the decision goes against policies in other states that offer funding for embryonic stem cell research, as well as against current guidelines from scientific organizations like the National Academy of Sciences (Washington Post, 6/26). NAS guidelines, for example, prohibit paying women for eggs used in stem cell research. Similarly, the internal guidelines for New York-based groups like Rockefeller University, Cornell University and the Sloan-Kettering Institute prohibit financial compensation for donated eggs. However, researchers say that efforts to recruit unpaid donors have been unsuccessful and that the board"s decision will give New York an advantage in stem cell research (New York Times, 6/26). The decision was welcomed by scientists and other proponents of stem cell research, who said it will allow them to further research in areas like therapeutic cloning. The process, also known as somatic cell nuclear transfer, involves replacing the genetic material in a human egg with genes from the nucleus of a patient"s cell. The egg is then developed into an early embryo, which, in theory, could be used to produce stem cells that the patient"s immune system would not reject. Although the procedure has been unsuccessful so far, researchers say the board"s decision will help attract more donors, which will allow for more experiments. Egg donation involves weeks of hormone injections to stimulate the ovaries and a painful egg extraction procedure, which carries rare but serious risks. Other attempts at soliciting women to donate eggs for stem cell research have been unsuccessful, according to the Post.Some critics of the board"s decision said that paying women for eggs could lead to exploitation, especially for low-income women. Thomas Berg -- a Roman Catholic priest who is director of the Westchester Institute for Ethics and the Human Person and a member of the Empire State Stem Cell Board"s ethics committee -- said that in the current economic recession, paying a woman $10,000 to participate in a research project is an "undue inducement." He added that he thinks it "manipulates women" and "creates a trafficking in human body parts." Other opponents of the decision questioned if compensating women who donate eggs for research is indeed equivalent to the process for infertility treatments. Jonathan Moreno, a professor of bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, said that donors recognize that egg donation for infertility treatments is a "very concrete good for society" but that "you can"t be sure any biological material you collect for research wi
Eric Goosby, U.S. global AIDS coordinator and administrator of the President"s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, said that slowing the spread of HIV among pregnant women is one of his top priorities, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. In an interview with the Chronicle, Goosby said he also plans to focus U.S. global efforts on education and prevention, as well as convincing other nations to increase their involvement in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Although Goosby stressed the importance of indentifying people who could benefit from antiretroviral drugs, he added that "[w]e"re not going to be able to treat ourselves out of the epidemic, and prevention efforts will need to be continued and increased." He continued, "We also need to look for concentration of patients who have a higher probability of HIV infection, such as pregnant women -- getting them tested, getting them on antiretrovirals, which will prevent transmission to the fetus." Goosby estimated that only around 35% of pregnant women who are HIV positive and could benefit from antiretrovirals receive the drugs.Goosby also praised the efforts of PEPFAR, which was established six years ago under former President George W. Bush. However, he said that more work must be done and that the disease is not controlled. Sub-Saharan Africa, where about 23 million people are living with HIV, "is clearly the epicenter on the planet of this epidemic," Goosby said. He also noted that HIV/AIDS has begun to spread more rapidly among certain populations in Russia, Ukraine, China and Southeast Asia (Doyle, San Francisco Chronicle, 6/24).
The following summarizes selected women"s health-related blog entries.~ "Another Abortion Case Developing," Lyle Denniston, SCOTUSblog: The decision by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit to uphold Virginia"s 2003 law banning what abortion-rights opponents call "partial-birth" abortion -- known medically as intact dilation and extraction -- could send a new abortion-rights case to the U.S. Supreme Court, Denniston writes. He continues that if the case, Richmond Medical Center v. Herring, is appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, it could be a "sequel" to the court"s 2007 ruling in Gonzales v. Carhart, which upheld a federal ban on the procedure. Denniston notes that the 4th Circuit Court panel twice struck down the Virginia law. A "key factor" in those rulings was that the state law "differs in some significant respects from the federal ban," he writes. Denniston continues that the full appeals court in its opinion said that the Virginia law "is "somewhat different" from the federal ban, but still "provides sufficient clarity as to what conduct is prohibited to enable a doctor of reasonable intelligence to avoid criminal liability under it."" According to Denniston, "The most significant difference between the Virginia ban and the federal ban is that, under the Virginia law, a doctor who intends to perform an abortion that does not violate the law, but the fetus accidentally is delivered intact to a significant degree, and if the mother"s life is not at stake, the doctor has committed a crime" (Denniston, SCOTUSblog, 6/24).~ "More Restrictive Law on Late-Term Abortions Comes to Germany," Anna Wilkowska-Landowska, RH Reality Check: Pregnant German women seeking abortions after the first trimester of pregnancy "will face stringent consultations and will be required to undergo a waiting period of at least three days before a physician can make a final decision allowing the abortion" under a new German law, Wilkowska-Landowska writes. According to a 1995 German law, an abortion performed during the first three months of pregnancy is considered an unlawful act but not a punishable offense if a pregnant woman first visits a counseling center, though the woman is not required to give a reason for seeking the procedure. German law allows abortion after 20 weeks" gestation if there is a risk to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman. In May, the lower house of the German parliament enacted a law requiring women seeking the procedure after the first trimester to wait at least three days before a physician can make the decision to perform an abortion. Women also must undergo a psychological evaluation. In addition, parliamentarians voted to increase "consultations and support for families with handicapped children considering termination," Wilkowska-Landowska writes. She continues that the medical and psychological consultation requirements are aimed at reducing the number of abortions performed after the first trimester. According to Wilkowska-Landowska, church representatives and lawmakers began discussions on the issue in 2005,when it was reported that the number of abortions performed later in pregnancy were increasing (Wilkowska-Landowska, RH Reality Check, 6/25).~ "Jon Stewart and Mike Huckabee on Abortion," Jim Wallis, Sojourners" "God"s Politics": Wallis writes that he was surprised to see that The Daily Show handled a discussion on abortion between host Jon Stewart and former Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee with such "nuance and respect" for the topic. According to Wallis, although Stewart and Huckabee "didn"t solve the issue, ... the depth of their dialogue and their respect for the other"s core values and opinions was clear." Wallis writes they "never quite reached common ground, but their dialogue was a great example of the type of civil discourse our country needs to be engaged in." Wallis also includes video clips of the interview (Wallis, "God"s Politics," Sojourners, 6/24).~ "George Tiller: Health Care P
NPR began a series of reports on the health care lobbyists who attend Congressional sessions as part of their campaign. Richard Miller, a "longtime lobbyist for the American Chiropractic Association, says it"s important that the chiropractors keep on top of the health care overhaul legislation - and also take pains to make sure that senators and staff see them doing that, because the chiropractors are small dogs in a big fight." President Barack Obama "certainly sees Washington"s lobbyists as an obstacle to change. He"s tried limiting their access to the executive branch, but that runs into the constitutional question." Lobbying is on the rise: "Between 1998 and 2008, the number of registered lobbyists on health care more than doubled, to 3,627, according to the Center for Responsive Politics." Spending also increased: "Organizations lobbying on health care spent $484.4 million in 2008, more than two and a half times the spending in 1998." The project includes an interactive panoramic photo of lobbyists in the Senate HELP Committee hearing room and asks readers to help identify the players (Overby and Seabrook, 6/25).
Entomopathogenic fungi may be a safe and efficient means of controlling
Kenya"s Medical Services Permanent Secretary James Ole Kiyiapi announced Thursday that the government is in negotiations with PEPFAR for support in building additional blood transfusion centers in the country, Capital News reports. In an opening address at the 5th International Africa Society for Blood Transfusion, Ole Kiyiapi said the government estimates it will cost about Sh230 million ($2.99 million) to build the new centers and train appropriate staff.
The Kaiser Family Foundation, ahead of National HIV Testing Day on Saturday, has released new and updated informational res on HIV testing in the U.S., including a fact sheet that provides HIV testing statistics, policies and CDC recommendations. In addition, the Foundation released two survey briefs, which examine the public"s attitudes, experiences and knowledge related to HIV testing, one of which focuses on black residents. The briefs are based on the 2009 Survey of Americans on HIV/AIDS released this spring. Information regarding HIV testing by state also is available through statehealthfacts.org (Kaiser Family Foundation release, 6/24).
While most fans are in awe of what their football heroes can do with a football, the of their remarkable skill remains strangely mysterious. Although being in excellent physical condition undoubtedly helps, few people actually believe that intense physical training alone can turn an average bloke into a Ronaldo. Now, scientists from the University of Queensland have decided to study what this "something else" might be. Dr. Robbie Wilson talked about the details of this study and the results that have been obtained so far in his talk at the Society of Experimental Biology Annual Meeting in Glasgow on Sunday 28th June 2009.
The Stowers Institute"s Xie Lab has revealed how the BAM protein affects germline stem cell differentiation and how it is involved in regulating the quality of stem cells through intercellular competition. The work was published by PNAS Early Edition.
Research lead by Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Boyd Professor and Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, identifying an enzyme that makes neuroprotectin D1 which specifically and selectively protects retinal cells key for vision, was published in the June 26, 2009 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
The efficacy of preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) has been one of the most hotly disputed subjects in assisted reproduction over the past few years. None of the trials carried out so far has shown conclusively whether it works or not. Now the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) Task Force on PGS has decided to try to find out if a novel method of doing PGS using polar body biopsy and chromosome array analysis offers a possible solution.
Janssen®, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Supplemental New Drug Applications (sNDAs) for the use of RISPERDAL® CONSTA® (risperidone) Long-Acting Treatment as both monotherapy and adjunctive therapy to lithium or valproate in the maintenance treatment of Bipolar I Disorder.
Athletes of any age, active boomers and do-it-yourselfers can finally find real, natural relief from sore, tired muscles. Hyland"s, Inc., a leading provider of natural over-the-counter medicines, announces the launch of the new Hyland"s Muscle Therapy™ product line, an arnica-based medication line that includes Arnica 30X, Muscle Therapy Gel with Arnica and Muscle Therapy Strips with Arnica. This product line is now available in natural food retailers and select food, drug, and mass retailers nationwide.
Pharmacy technicians throughout England, Scotland and Wales will be regulated by the Royal
MedImmune continues to advance its commitment to pediatric research with today"s announcement of the first observational prospective study designed to assess the burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among preterm infants 32-to-35 weeks gestational age (GA) in outpatient settings during their first year of life.
A discovery by scientists at deCODE genetics (Nasdaq: DCGN) and academic colleagues from Iceland, the Netherlands and Denmark has pointed to a common biological mechanism contributing to both kidney stones and decreased bone mineral density (BMD). About 60% of the population carry two copies of a single-letter variation in the human genome (SNP) on chromosome 21, putting them at roughly 65% greater likelihood of developing kidney stones than those who carry no copies. This single variant may thus account for more than a quarter of the incidence of kidney stones, and in women carriers it is also associated with decreased BMD at the hip and spine.
Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (NYSE Amex: SVA), a leading developer and provider of vaccines in China, announced today that it has received a revised Drug Supplementary Application Approval for Panflu(TM), Sinovac"s pandemic influenza vaccine from the China State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), based on the Phase IIb clinical trial, Under the revised approval, the age group eligible for use of the whole viron inactivated pandemic influenza vaccine was expanded to 18 years old and over, whereas it was previously 18 to 60 years of age, enabling Sinovac to reach a much broader percentage of the population.
An article published Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet reports the findings of the INSPIRE trial on treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) with interferon gamma-1b (Ifn-g1b). It is written by Professor Talmadge E King Jr, of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), USA and his team. Results show no improvement in survival compared with placebo. There is no effective treatment for IPF which is a fatal disease.
A federal judge will hear oral arguments on July 17 regarding a lawsuit challenging a South Dakota law that requires doctors to tell women seeking abortions that the procedure will end a human life, the AP/Sioux City Journal reports. Planned Parenthood, which operates the state"s only abortion clinic, appealed the law after it was passed in 2005. U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier temporarily prevented the law from going into effect, but the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in July 2008 overruled that order, and the state began enforcing the law. According to the AP/Journal, Schreier will decide during the hearing whether to grant motions for summary judgment and will consider Planned Parenthood"s request to stop the state from imposing sanctions over the law"s requirements (AP/Sioux City Journal, 6/26).
A bill (S. 221) approved by the North Carolina Legislature that would require a public school sex education curriculum covering abstinence, contraception and sexually transmitted infections "will be the most comprehensive and science-based approach the state has used" for sex education, a Charlotte Observer editorial states, adding that Gov. Bev Perdue (D) "should sign it." The bill would require all public school districts in the state to teach a curriculum that focuses on abstinence but also includes information on preventing pregnancy and STIs. Parents would be able to have their children removed from the comprehensive portions of instruction. According to the editorial, the measure "still gives parents a choice in deciding what kind of sex education their children will receive." The editorial adds, "It also finally provides a curriculum that gives N.C. students vital access to age-appropriate, science-based information critical to their health, safety and well-being," which is "the kind of information that can help them make smart choices in serious situations."Parents are "often the best people for kids to turn to for advice and information" on sex, but "not all children have parents who can provide it, or are even willing to," and "not all children [who] go to their parents adhere to their advice," the editorial states. It continues, "The schools provide another avenue to get this critical advice and information -- and state lawmakers are right to make it available." According to the Observer, North Carolina has the ninth-highest teenage pregnancy rate in the U.S., and about "20,000 teenagers will get pregnant in North Carolina this year." A "comprehensive, science-based education program can help reduce the number of unintended teen pregnancies" and help reduce the spread of STIs, the editorial says. It concludes, "By reaching agreement on this matter, state lawmakers have given the children of this state vital tools to safeguard their health and welfare. ... Perdue should sign this bill and make it law" (Charlotte Observer, 6/26).
OptumHealth Inc. announced that it is providing a free help line to people in West Virginia trying to cope with the emotional consequences of the recent floods that hit the region. Staffed by experienced master"s-level behavioral health specialists, the free help line offers assistance to callers seeking help in dealing with stress, anxiety and the grieving process. Callers may also receive referrals to a database of community res to help them with specific concerns, such as financial and legal issues.
Potential new drugs: 970 million and still counting
The UK spends around ÷£2.5 billion each year on dental materials to replace or strengthen teeth*. The Chewing Robot is a new biologically inspired way to test dental materials and it will be shown to the public for the first time at this year"s Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition [30 June to 4 July].
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has found E. coli O157:H7 (a bacterium that can cause serious food borne illness) in a sample of prepackaged Nestlç© Toll House refrigerated cookie dough currently under recall by the manufacturer and marketer, Nestlç© USA. The contaminated sample was collected at Nestlç©"s facility in Danville, Va. on June 25, 2009.
Commenting on new figures published yesterday which show that one in 20 deaths are attributable to alcohol, Dr Peter Terry, Chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said:
Tel Aviv University researcher Prof. Noam Eliaz of the TAU School of Mechanical Engineering has developed an electrochemical process for coating metal implants which vastly improves their functionality, longevity and integration into the body.
The more than 1.5 million Americans with systemic lupus erythematosus (or lupus) suffer from a variety of symptoms that flare and subside, often including painful or swollen joints, extreme fatigue, skin rashes, fever, and kidney problems. Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute have now identified the main trigger for the development of this disease.
New data from an economic analysis presented today at this year"s European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) congress showed that, within the parameters of the simulation model used, the in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment MENOPUR (highly-purified human menopausal gonatropin or HP-hMG) offered considerable cost-savings over recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH).1 The cost-effectiveness of HP-hMG compared with rFSH suggested by this data could make it a more attractive choice for use in infertility treatment within a fixed healthcare budget.
In two recent COPD studies sponsored by DEY LP, PARI"s LC Plus nebulizer and PRONEB compressors (Ultra and Ultra II) were used to show that nebulized formoterol fumarate (Perforomist, DEY LP, Mylan Inc.) improves pulmonary function.
Doctors at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute announced today the completion of the first procedure in which a patient"s own heart tissue was used to grow specialized heart stem cells that were then injected back into the patient"s heart in an effort to repair and re-grow healthy muscle in a heart that had been injured by a heart attack.
Researchers at the University of Glasgow believe they have found a potential new treatment for cardiovascular disease which reduces blood pressure. Scientists at the British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre (BHF GCRC) used a recently-developed antioxidant called MitoQ10 to prevent damage to the mitochondria of cells in an experimental model of hypertension and stroke.
Spain hosts this week, for the first time in history, this event, the most renowned international symposium on humour and laughter, where scientists and experts from four continents will discuss the latest advances and research of this field of study. The ninth occasion of the "International Summer School and Symposium on Humour and Laughter: Theory, Research and Applications" is being hosted by the University of Granada, and they will analyse the relationship between sense of humour and different fields such as anthropology, sociology, medicine or philosophy.
PPD, Inc. (NASDAQ: PPDI) today announced that Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited issued a news release reporting that Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc., its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, has received a complete response letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its new drug application (NDA) for alogliptin.
The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation named 4 new Damon Runyon Clinical Investigators at its April 2009 Clinical Investigator Award Committee review. The recipients of this prestigious, three-year award are outstanding early career physician-scientists conducting patient-oriented cancer research at major research centers under the mentorship of the nation"s leading scientists and clinicians. Each will receive $450,000 to support the development of his cancer research program.
The Supreme Court"s 5-4 reversal of a decision endorsed by a three-judge appellate panel that included Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is attracting criticism from the judge"s conservative opponents but is not expected to have a significant effect on delaying her confirmation, the Washington Post reports. The appellate panel in 2008 upheld New Haven, Conn."s decision to discard a promotion test for firefighters after no blacks and only two Hispanics qualified for advancement after taking the test (Markon/Kane, Washington Post, 6/30). The panel"s ruling affirmed a lower court"s decision that the city had a right to discard the test based on a segment of civil rights law involving actions that have a "disparate impact" on minorities. A group of white and Hispanic firefighters who would have received promotions under the test sued, alleging reverse discrimination. Democrats and legal analysts said that Sotomayor was following legal precedent in the 2008 ruling and that it was the Supreme Court, which has the ability to exercise more discretion, that chose to make law by reversing the decision (Friedman, CongressDaily, 6/29). The Supreme Court typically reverses about 75% of the cases it reviews, according to legal experts. The court previously has reversed four of Sotomayor"s rulings and upheld three of her decisions, the Post reports. Tom Goldstein, a lawyer and founder of the SCOTUSblog Web site, said, "I don"t think it will persuade anybody who is inclined one way or another to change their views about Sotomayor" (Washington Post, 6/30). Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said, "The main charge against Sotomayor is that she will be an activist judge, but this decision clearly shows that she won"t." He said that the results of the case "won"t change things a wit," adding that "in fact, it bolsters (the claim) that she is mainstream" (CongressDaily, 6/29). Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the New Haven case "sharpens our focus on [Sotomayor"s] troubling speeches and writings" that "indicate ... that personal experiences and political views should influence a judge"s decisions." He added that the issue "will clearly be the subject of questioning" at Sotomayor"s confirmation hearing, which is scheduled to begin on Monday (Phillips, "The Caucus," New York Times, 6/29).
The following summarizes selected women"s health-related blog entries. ~ "Just Released: Gains and Losses for Women in 2008-09 Supreme Court Decisions," National Women"s Law Center"s "Womenstake": The Supreme Court"s 2008-2009 term, which concluded Monday, included "several crucial decisions that demonstrate the impact of the court on women"s lives," according to the blog post, which summarizes a new analysis from NWLC on the cases. For example, the blog post says that the rulings in Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Committee and Crawford v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tenn., increased employees" protections against discrimination in the workplace. However, the rulings in Ricci v. DeStetano -- which overturned an appellate court"s anti-discrimination ruling -- and AT&T Corp. v. Hulteen -- which "permitted AT&T to pay women lower pension benefits for the rest of their lives" -- were "not as positive," the blog entry says. NWLC Co-President Marcia Greenberger said that the Supreme Court "ignored the realities of the workplace and the intent of Congress and ruled against female workers" in AT&T v. Hulteen. Greenberger also said that such cases "underscore why every seat on the Supreme Court is of paramount importance to women," adding that it is "absolutely critical" that Supreme Court nominees have "a strong commitment to upholding and enforcing women"s basic legal rights and protections" ("Womenstake," National Women"s Law Center, 6/29).~ "Waldman and Saletan: Oh What a Fine Bromance!" Jodi Jacobson, RH Reality Check: In a recent bloggingheads.tv chat on "common ground" in the abortion-rights debate, Slate columnist Will Saletan and Beliefnet Editor-in-Chief Steve Waldman "spent as much time as possible complimenting each other"s work" and "as little as possible on any real substance regarding reproductive health and choice issues," Jacobson writes. It is "clear that the Obama administration"s stated intention to create "a common ground platform"" on abortion rights has become "a full employment program for both Waldman and Saletan," she writes. Jacobson continues, "So perhaps the most striking thing about the conversation was that, in the end, they both effectively concluded that the common ground enterprise was a "just for show" political strategy," and that the "real strategies" necessary to reduce the need for abortion "are the very prevention programs least likely to be supported by the far right. (Revelation!)." She adds, "However, they came to this conclusion through the same faux-expert uninformed arguments that characterize their columns." During the "Will-interviews-Steve format," Saletan "revealed once again that there is no core philosophy or framework underlying his ever-shifting positions on choice and abortion," according to Jacobson. She adds that "Waldman, for his part, several times underscored what is clear from reading his work": that he "just throws things "out there" without considered thought" about what "might be good versus bad data, not understanding how to read evidence," and "oblivious or uncaring about the effects his free-form moralistic misinformation and opinions might actually have on an already polarized debate." According to Jacobson, "Public policies affecting sexual and reproductive health issues" should be "based first and foremost on public health and on promoting individual rights balanced by individual responsibilities," but "as anyone living on Planet Earth knows, sex and reproduction have become the front in a war waged by ultra-conservative religious and political forces for which Waldman serves as a paid flacky." She continues, "In fact, Waldman himself stated during the program: "I have a corporate interest in injecting religion into every debate."" Jacobson states, "Reading and watching this duo is like buying the OK! magazine version of the culture wars at the grocery store; they put whatever sells on the front cover, no matter the truth or consequences.
"Much of the TV advertising on health care so far has focused on the controversial public, or government-run insurance program that Democrats say would compete with private insurers and Republicans say would drive them out of business," but the Laborers" International Union of North America "will begin airing ads in two states Tuesday that deal with an equally explosive issue: Taxing health benefits," USA Today reports. The union will "run the ads at least through Thursday in North Dakota and Montana," home states of "the two most important senators on the issue, Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D." The ads reveal the "fine line labor is walking" on health care: "The ads first praise Congress for taking up the health care debate but then criticize an idea that could be included in one draft of the legislation to tax health care premiums" (Fritze, 6/29).
The Health and Human Services Department Monday "rescinded three controversial Bush administration regulations governing Medicaid and said it would postpone and possibly change or rescind a fourth," according to CQ Politics.
Internationally acclaimed Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White is supporting a global campaign launched today by the World Hypertension League to encourage more people to adopt a healthy, low salt diet to tackle the problem of high blood pressure. High blood pressure affects over 1.5 billion people around the world1. Excess salt raises blood pressure2, which is the number one risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the number one cause of death worldwide3.
Additional research is called for and patients with moderate to severe periodontitis should receive evaluation and possible treatment to reduce their risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a special consensus paper by editors of The American Journal of Cardiology and Journal of Peridontology in the July 1, 2009 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology, published by Elsevier.
Scientists from Texas are batty over a new discovery which could lead to the single most important medical breakthrough in human history - significantly longer lifespans. The discovery, featured on the cover of the July 2009 print issue of The FASEB Journal, shows that proper protein folding over time in long-lived bats explains why they live significantly longer than other mammals of comparable size, such as mice.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have devised a microscale tool to help them understand the mechanical behavior of biofilms, slimy colonies of bacteria involved in most human infectious diseases.
Yesterday MPs debated the discrimination that people with a lung condition can experience when they travel on planes. People with lung conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Pulmonary Hypertension often require additional supplementary oxygen due to the low levels of oxygen in their blood. However, due to the policies set by airline companies, it is both expensive and difficult for people who need supplementary oxygen to plan and use air travel.
Throwing "swine flu parties" in an attempt to get immunity against the virus while it is a fairly mild form is not a good idea, the BMA said yesterday, 1 July 2009.
The search is on for fifty cancer patients undergoing chemo or radiotherapy to trial an innovative, natural cosmetic product, Evonail, aimed at reversing the damage done to cracked or broken nails during anti-cancer treatments.
-- 26 confirmed cases in Wales, with 9 new cases:
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for the Company"s Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market a generic version of Ortho McNeil Janssen"s oral contraceptive, Ortho Tri-Cyclen® Lo. Shipment of this product, for which Teva"s trade name is Tri-Lo Sprintec, has commenced.
Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPHM) today announced that it has been awarded a European patent for a novel device and methods for linking biological agents to labels for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The technology, which is known as In-Line labeling, was developed for the production of radiolabeled anti-cancer antibodies, but is applicable to other agents as well. A study published today in the July 2009 issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine confirms that In-Line labeling can dramatically reduce the complexity and cost of producing radiolabeled cancer drugs(1). In-Line labeling is already being used for the production of Peregrine"s radiolabeled antibody Cotara(R), currently in Phase II trials for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, a deadly form of brain cancer.
Data published in the journal, Nicotine and Tobacco Research, shows that many U.S. quit attempts are unplanned and can be a successful route to cessation. In the study, almost 40 percent of subjects reported that their most recent quit attempt started without any advance planning, suggesting that for some smokers, setting an advance quit date may not be as necessary as once thought.
Hard To Treat Diseases (HTDS) Chief Scientist with its Slavica BioChem subsidiary, Dr. Sanja Pekovic provided updates on recent clinical trials with animal subjects in regards to the use of Ribavirin And Tiazofurin for the potential treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
For the first time, scientists have shown that chromosomal abnormalities are present in more than 90% of IVF embryos, even those produced by young, fertile couples. Ms Evelyne Vanneste, a PhD student in the Centre for Human Genetics and the University Fertility Center, Leuven University, Belgium, told the 25th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today (Wednesday July 1), that the surprising finding meant that current techniques used in preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), where embryos are screened genetically in order to select the best embryo for transfer, do nothing to improve pregnancy and live birth rates. Indeed, it can lead to potentially viable embryos being discarded, she said.
AstraZeneca announced that it has received a licence by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) for its oral targeted anti-cancer drug, gefitinib, for EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase) activating mutation positive patients with Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer and accounts for 80% of all lung cancer cases. [1] The licence means that for the first time, thousands [2] of patients undergoing first line treatment of NSCLC in the UK may benefit from a more effective, [3] oral alternative to doublet chemotherapy (UK standard of care) without many of the side effects associated with chemotherapy. [3]
Like astronomers counting stars in the familiar universe of outer space, chemists in Switzerland are reporting the latest results of a survey of chemical space - the so-called chemical universe where tomorrow"s miracle drugs may reside. The scientists conclude, based on this phase of the ongoing count, that there are 970 million chemicals suitable for study as new drugs. Scheduled for the July 1 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the study represents the largest publicly available database of virtual molecules ever reported, the researchers say.
British scientists have found a significant link between later retirement age and later onset of dementia in men.
Complications during pregnancy may increase the risk of having a child with autism, according to American researchers.
In the coming summer months it is estimated that 200,000 young people in Europe will become infected with Chlamydia and most of them won"t know that they are infected. Chlamydia trachomatis, the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection in Europe, continues to increase in many countries. It affects mostly young adults under 25. The true occurrence of Chlamydia is most likely much higher than the official figures because the majority of the infected do not have clinical symptoms. Surveys in European countries have shown an estimated population prevalence of 5 to 10 % in young people.
NARAL Pro-Choice America on Monday announced its endorsement of appointed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) in her bid for a full term in 2010, Politico reports. New York Gov. David Paterson (D) in January appointed Gillibrand to fill the Senate seat vacated by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.NARAL"s political action committee to date has contributed $5,000 to Gillibrand"s campaign, and it plans to organize its more than 63,000 members on her behalf, according a press release from the group. The release calls Gillibrand "a rising star among pro-choice leaders in the Senate." It adds, "She is a resilient campaigner whose fully pro-choice voting record reflects an unwavering commitment to the values of freedom and privacy." NARAL endorsed Gillibrand in her successful 2006 and 2008 House election campaigns (Abrahamson, Politico, 6/30).
Medicaid receives increased attention while an underused, special monthly pension benefit called Aid and Attendance can help veterans, and spouses, with assisted living.
Comparative-Effectiveness Research - Implications of the Federal Coordinating Council"s Report The New England Journal Of Medicine
Deep brain stimulation improves movement skills and quality of life in some patients with a subtype of cerebral palsy (CP) (dystonia-choreoathetosis CP)*, and could be an effective treatment option for these patients, finds an Article published Online first and in the July edition of The Lancet Neurology.
Responding to scientists" need to measure organic contaminants in human body fluids, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has recently made four new Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) available for purchase. Developed in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the human milk and serum SRMs have certified levels of contaminants, including flame retardants and pesticides, commonly found in the U.S. population. Scientists at the CDC and other laboratories will use the SRMs as controls in their experiments to ensure their methods are providing trustworthy results.
Researchers at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center are injecting a modified herpes virus into melanoma tumors, hoping to kill the cancer cells while also bolstering the body"s immune defenses against the disease.
Sucampo Pharma Americas, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCMP), today reported top-line results from its phase 2 clinical trial of orally administered cobiprostone for the prevention of gastric ulcers and other gastrointestinal injuries in patients treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Researchers have successfully tested for the first time a computer simulation of major portions of the body"s immune reaction to influenza type A, with implications for treatment design and preparation ahead of future pandemics, according to work accepted for publication, and posted online, by the Journal of Virology. The new "global" flu model is built out of preexisting, smaller-scale models that capture in mathematical equations millions of simulated interactions between virtual immune cells and viruses.
New research at Rhode Island Hospital has uncovered the biological effects of a novel membrane estrogen receptor, a finding that has potential implications for hormonal therapy for breast cancer. The study is published in the July edition of the journal Molecular Endocrinology. This new study by Edward Filardo, MD, and his research team further supports earlier published work by the group that linked the transmembrane receptor, GPR30/GPER-1, to specific estrogen binding, rapid estrogen signaling and breast cancer metastasis. "What is exciting about this new work," says Filardo, "is that it provides some insight into the influence of GPR30 at the cellular level. It shows that estrogen action through GPR30 allows for breast tumor cell survival, and not breast tumor cell proliferation." Prior studies by Filardo"s group showed that estrogen acts through GPR30 to promote the rapid release of preformed growth factors that are tethered to the surface of breast cancer cells. Their latest study was conducted in an effort to better understand the mechanism by which GPR30 triggered the release of epidermal growth factor (EGF) polypeptides from the surface of breast cancer cells.
The first of two reviews in this week"s edition of The Lancet discusses the standards of health and lifestyles of Indigenous people. It is the work of Professor Michael Gracey, of the Unity of First People of Australia, Perth, WA, Australia, and Professor Malcolm King, of the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. There are almost 400 million Indigenous people in the world with low standards of health that are usually linked to malnutrition, poverty, environmental contamination, and prevalent infections. However, as those people shift to more modern or "western" lifestyles, conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes have been on the rise. Physical, social and mental disorders related to misuse of alcohol and other drugs are also increasing. Indigenous people must be encouraged and given the means to take responsibility for issues that affect their health. In this review, the authors discuss indigenous people worldwide but focus on Aboriginal Australians.
Lixte Biotechnology Holdings (OTC Bulletin Board: LIXT) announced that investigators of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health and Lixte reported that its novel compound, LB-1.2, enhances the effectiveness of two standard chemotherapy drugs in mouse models of human cancers. This research is being conducted under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between NINDS and Lixte. The report was published online in the early edition (June 29) of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (US). The print version will appear July 14.
Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Multaq(R) (dronedarone) 400 mg Tablets. Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) soon will have a new treatment option to help improve current management of their disease. Multaq(R) is the first drug approved in the United States that has shown a clinical benefit to reduce cardiovascular hospitalization in patients with AF/AFL.
In response to the advisory committee"s recommendations to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to put new restrictions on acetaminophen this week, physician leaders from the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM), have released the following statement:
In an effort to encourage medical professionals to provide services to low-income rural populations in India, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad announced an initiative that will significantly raise the salary of "doctors, specialists and para-medical staff" who elect to work in "rural, particularly far-flung and inaccessible areas," the Hindu reports.
Democrats on a key Senate committee are readying a plan that has a government-run insurance option and a $750-per-worker annual fee on larger companies that do not offer coverage to its employees, The Associated Press reports.
The excitement of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs will inspire young players and weekend warriors to hit the ice. But, traveling up to 30 miles an hour on a quarter inch blade of steel and stopping instantly will put anyone at risk for injury. According to American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) spokesperson Mark Mortland, PT, ATC, team physical therapist of the Pittsburgh Penguins, there are special precautions one can take to help avoid the multiple injuries that can occur in this high-speed, high-impact sport.
The Patients Doctors Don"t Know The New York Times
The British Psychological Society"s Division of Clinical Psychology has welcomed Lord Layard"s call for 1,000 more child therapists to be employed by the NHS to improve access to evidence-based psychological interventions for children.
The American Society of Radiologic Technologists announced it has released the first in a series of interactive learning modules focusing on computed tomography. CT Basics: Module 1 - Fundamentals provides in-depth information about the modality and its equipment and also offers radiologic technologists information about careers in CT. The first of 10 modules, the program features colorful images with easy-to-understand animations that engage participants in the learning process.