Medical Devices
Vetericyn Inc., a California-based animal healthcare company, has announced the launch of its new Vetericyn™ equine product, available in a 16-ounce trigger spray for horses. Vetericyn™ utilizes an FDA-cleared technology that has been used to successfully treat over one million human patients without a single serious adverse effect. Now, the innovative topical wound-care product is available to the animal healthcare market.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) welcomes the amendments made to the Health Workforce Australia Bill 2009 this week. The Bill establishes the Health Workforce Authority (HWA) as proposed by the Council of Australian Governments (CoAG). The legislation was passed subject to an amendment, which restricts the HWA from having responsibility for the accreditation of clinical education and training, which includes general practice vocational training.
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is now accepting applications for Survivor Circle grants from cancer support organizations in Illinois. ASTRO awards these grants to non-disease site specific cancer support groups located in the state where ASTRO holds its Annual Meeting. ASTRO"s Annual Meeting will be held November 1-5, 2009, at McCormick Place West in Chicago.
The overwhelming majority of all junior doctor rotas will be compliant with the requirements of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) by 1st August 2009, Health Secretary Andy Burnham announced today.
"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).
Michigan lawmakers introduced health reform packages this week, the Detroit News reports. On Thursday, state senators introduced a bipartisan package of health care bills aimed at expanding health insurance coverage to the state"s 1.2 million uninsured residents. The package, named MI Health, would establish two state health plans that provide the residents with more affordable and accessible coverage options.MI Access would expand the state Medicaid program to include residents with annual incomes under 200% of the federal poverty level, and beneficiaries would contribute copayments for services and medications. MI Coverage would provide subsidized coverage options for residents with annual incomes at 200% to 300% of the poverty level. Fees for residents under MI Coverage would be set according to their health levels and habits (Bouffard, Detroit News, 5/14). The proposed legislation package also would create a state fund that pays for insurance claims exceeding $25,000, or up to $250,000 per year, with health plans making contributions to the fund. In addition, the package proposes to bar commercial insurers from rejecting coverage for applicants with chronic conditions or increasing their premiums if they have been previously diagnosed with a chronic condition (Anstett, Detroit Free Press, 5/15).
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.
A Lifeline For Primary Care The New England Journal of Medicine
AdvanDx announced it received FDA 510(k) clearance for GBS PNA FISH® for detection of Streptococcus agalactiae, aka Group B Strep, from turbid Lim Broths inoculated with vaginal and rectal swabs obtained from pregnant women between 35 and 37 weeks gestation. The 90 minute molecular diagnostic test enables rapid and highly sensitive detection of Group B Strep from Lim Broths to help detect colonization in pregnant women.
The following summarizes recent editorials and opinion pieces responding to health reform action over the last week.
Hundreds of health care leaders from throughout the state gathered Wednesday evening in Lake George as the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) presented its 30th annual Distinguished Service Award, its highest honor, to New York State"s health care auxiliaries. Since 1979, HANYS has awarded the Distinguished Service Award to individuals who demonstrate their extraordinary commitment to improving health care through service to their community.
The Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) presented its 2009
An enzyme that naturally occurs in the brain helps destroy the mutated protein that is the most common cause of inherited Parkinson"s disease, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.
People in very early stages of Alzheimer"s disease already have trouble focusing on what is important to remember, a UCLA psychologist and colleagues report.
Condom vending machines will be unveiled on Monday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as part of a six-year pilot HIV prevention initiative in the country, Tanzania"s The Citizen reports. Daniel Crapper of Population Services International said, "We are working very hard to ensure that condoms are widely available to the people." About 100 machines -- at a cost of about 380,000 Kenyan shillings, or $350 -- will be installed in various bars in Dar es Salaam. The project also will be carried out in Morogoro, Iringa and Mbeya before being rolled out to other regions across the country, according to Crapper. "Bars and night clubs are in our targets because they have the highest risk of unsafe sex, especially when people get drunk," Crapper said, adding, "This will enable condoms to be available almost daily." He noted that the condoms will be offered at a lower cost compared with some retail outlets and that the new initiative will not interfere with condom distribution systems throughout the country. According to The Citizen, the condoms will be available for purchase from the vending machines for 100 shillings, or about $1. John Wanyancha, PSI"s HIV/AIDS program manager, said that the project"s leaders focused on targeting areas with high HIV/AIDS rates after research revealed that inaccessibility to condoms at night was a major challenge in efforts to curb the spread of the disease. He noted that about 324 million condoms have been distributed in Tanzania since 2001 (Mbani, The Citizen, 5/15).
If you have hay fever, headaches or a cold, it"s only a short way to the nearest chemist. The drugs, on the other hand, can take eight to ten years to develop. Until now animal experiments have been an essential step, yet they continue to raise ethical issues. "Our artificial organ systems are aimed at offering an alternative to animal experiments," says Professor Heike Mertsching of the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart. "Particularly as humans and animals have different metabolisms. 30 per cent of all side effects come to light in clinical trials." The test system, which Professor Mertsching has developed jointly with Dr. Johanna Schanz, should in future give pharmaceutical companies greater security and shorten the path to new drugs. Both researchers received the "Human-centered Technology" prize for their work.
Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes of Virology and Immunology (GIVI) have found another clue that may lead to eradication of HIV from infected patients who have been on antiretroviral therapy. A real cure for HIV has been elusive because the virus can "hide" in a latent form in resting CD4-T cells. By understanding this "latency" effect, researchers can identify ways to reactivate the virus and enable complete clearance by current or future therapies.
A UK consumer watchdog that is campaiging for clearer food labelling analysed a selection of pre-packed salads from high street supermarkets
A multi-institutional team of researchers, led by the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, will begin a five-year, $2.9 million National Institutes of Health-funded study. They will examine the lives of patients with both cataracts and Alzheimer"s disease (AD) to document how restored vision improves everyday life for people with dementia.
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.
Today the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) announced outstanding new commitments to cancer control from European nations including Belgium, England, Germany, Ireland and Italy as part of the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign, an initiative to address the global cancer burden. The European commitments feature ambitious goals ranging from creating a national cancer plan to addressing disparities in treatment for cancer survivors to establishing an academy devoted entirely to cancer to improvements for breast health services, among others.
Joining a prestigious group including Anish Kapoor and Bernardo Bertolucci, acclaimed Shakespearean actor Simon Russell Beale was welcomed as an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Psychoanalysis at a presentation on Sunday 21 June 2009. The award was made in recognition of Russell Beale"s "contribution to psychoanalysis through his exceptionally thoughtful work as an actor, especially in major Shakespearean roles and through his reflections on them."
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a highly contagious viral infection that can lead to paralysis, breathing problems, or even death. The term poliomyelitis is from the Greek poliÃös meaning "grey", myelÃös referencing the spinal cord, and -itis meaning inflammation.
A revolutionary new protein stabilisation technique has been developed by scientists funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) which could lead to 30 per cent more proteins being available as potential targets for drug development opening up exciting possibilities in drug discovery.
Over the years, research has shown that Latino youth face numerous risk factors when integrating into American culture, including increased rates of alcohol and substance use and higher rates of dropping out of school.
Any cancer - a growth, lump, tumor - of the colon and the rectum is a type of colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is also known as bowel cancer. The UK National Health Service says colorectal cancer is the most common cancer globally today. However, the World Health Organization says it is the second most common cancer, after lung cancer. A US study found that incidence rates among adults younger than age 50 years are increasing.
Pope Benedict XVI has agreed to meet with President Obama at the Vatican on July 10, according to White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs, the AP/Boston Globe reports. The Rev. Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesperson, on Wednesday said that the pope will hold an afternoon meeting with the president and first lady Michelle Obama after the conclusion of the Group of Eight industrialized nations summit meeting, a break with a Vatican tradition of holding midday meetings. The AP/Globe reports that the Vatican "clearly sought to accommodate" the president"s schedule, an indication that Benedict is interested in meeting with Obama despite his support for abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research.Some U.S. bishops have publicly attacked Obama"s support of abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research, which has fueled anticipation of a meeting between the president and the pope. Most recently, dozens of bishops denounced the University of Notre Dame"s decision to invite Obama to deliver its commencement address and receive an honorary degree. However, L"Osservatore Romano, the Vatican"s daily newspaper, said that Obama"s speech showed that he is looking for common ground on issues related to abortion. Obama also received a positive review from the newspaper after his first 100 days in office. An editorial in the paper said that Obama had not confirmed the "radical" direction on ethical questions he had discussed as a candidate (Simpson, AP/Boston Globe, 6/24).
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).
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).
The New York Times reports on a proposal for a new health care reimbursement model that offers warranties to patients, a topic also examined in a piece by Francois de Brantes in the journal, Health Affairs. Brantes and co-authors developed a model, called the Prometheus Payment, which offers set fees to providers that "cover all recommended services, treatments and procedures for specific conditions but are also "risk-adjusted" for patients who may be older or frail. The warranty is based on the costs incurred by avoidable complications. In current fee-for-service plans, all costs from these complications are covered by the third party payer, regardless. But in the Prometheus Payment model, half of the costs from avoidable complications must be paid for by the providers themselves. The result, Mr. de Brantes and his co-authors write, is a payment system that offers patients a health care warranty, since "providers win or lose financially based on their actual performance in reducing the incidence of avoidable complications.""
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.
High intake of dietary fats from red meat and dairy products was associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a new study published online June 26 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Researchers have found that the anti-malarial drug quinine can block a cell"s ability to take up the essential amino acid tryptophan, a discovery that may explain many of the adverse side-effects associated with quinine. Once confirmed, these findings would suggest that dietary tryptophan supplements could be a simple and inexpensive way to improve the performance of this important drug.
New research from the US that studied the diet and health outcomes of over half a million people suggests that high consumption of dietary fat,
Morbidly obese seniors, age 65 and over, who had laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery lost nearly 76 percent of their excess weight after two years and had low complication rates and short hospital stays comparable to younger surgical patients, according to a new study presented today at the 26th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
Less than one-half of one percent (0.4%) of the 22 million people in the U.S. who are medically eligible for bariatric surgery actually get the surgery, and those who do are most likely to be white females with higher incomes and covered by private health insurance, according to a new study presented here at the 26th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
Radiant Research, Inc. announced that it is actively recruiting subjects and establishing operational plans for upcoming H1N1 vaccine trials. The World Health Organization declared the H1N1 influenza outbreak a pandemic, and the CDC has shipped virus samples to several manufacturers with the hope of having vaccine available to the general public by the fall. Manufacturers will need to complete clinical trials prior to release of vaccine to the public.
Agreeing with the broad goals and most of the underlying policies contained in a comprehensive draft bill on health care reform legislation, the American College of Physicians (ACP) praised the House "tri-committee." Made up of the House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor Committees, the "tri-committee" unveiled its proposed legislation on June 19.
Two Indiana University studies conducted among nationally representative samples of adult American men and women show that vibrator use during sexual interactions is common, with use being reported by approximately 53 percent of women and 45 percent of men ages 18 to 60. Not only is vibrator use common, but the two studies also show that vibrator use is associated with more positive sexual function and being more proactive in caring for one"s sexual health.
A Vanderbilt chemist and a biomedical engineer have teamed up to develop a respiratory virus detector that is sensitive enough to detect an infection at an early stage, takes only a few minutes to return a result and is simple enough to be performed in a pediatrician"s office.
Endosense has announced the release of acute clinical results from the TOCCATA (TOuCh+ for CATheter Ablation) European clinical trial at Heart Rhythm 2009, the Heart Rhythm Society"s 30th Annual Scientific Sessions in Boston, May 13 - 16. The highly anticipated results of the 76-patient, multi-center study confirm the feasibility, safety and value of Endosense"s TactiCath force-sensing ablation catheter during catheter ablation.
Lorus Therapeutics Inc. (TSX:LOR)("Lorus"), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the research and development of pharmaceutical products and technologies for the management of cancer, today announced a publication from investigators at the Ohio State University (OSU). The article entitled "A LC-MS/MS Method for the Analysis of Intracellular Nucleoside Triphosphate Levels" was published in the peer-reviewed journal, Pharmaceutical Research in the June issue (Vol. 26(6):1504-15).
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.
Scientists know that some cancers are triggered by viruses, which take over cellular systems and cause uncontrolled cell growth. Doctors and patients who get shingles late in life have also known for many years that some viruses, particularly the herpes virus, can lie dormant in a person"s cells for long periods of time and then reactivate, causing disease. These viruses also cause significant disease in immunosuppressed people and those living with HIV/AIDS.
Pig heart valves used to replace defective aortic valves in human patients failed much earlier and more often than expected, says a report from cardiac surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. This is the first report to demonstrate this potential problem, the researchers say.
The challenge to the Prime Minister by Mark Harper MP, Shadow Minister for Disabled People, to remove Section 141 of the Mental Health Act which strips an MP of their seat in Parliament if detained under the Act for more than six months, and his tabling of an amendment to the Equality Bill on this issue, are both very welcome and long overdue.
Analysis of the longest running ICSI programme in the United States has found reassuring evidence that babies born from frozen embryos fertilised via ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) do just as well as those born from frozen embryos fertilised via standard IVF treatment.
A new test examining chromosomes in human eggs a few hours after fertilisation can identify those that are capable of forming a healthy baby, a researcher told the 25th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. Dr. Elpida Fragouli, from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford, UK, and Reprogenetics UK, said that her team"s work had already enabled seven ongoing pregnancies in a group of older women with a history of multiple failed IVF attempts.
Ultra-fast freezing of ovarian tissue from women who have lost their fertility as a result of cancer treatment can lead to it being used in transplants with the same success rate as fresh tissue, a researcher told the 25th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology 29 June. Dr. Sherman Silber, Director of the St. Louis Infertility Centre, St. Louis, Missouri, USA, said that freezing tissue by the vitrification method, which avoids ice formation, meant that oocyte (egg) viability was almost identical with that seen in fresh oocytes.
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).
Despite costs and public skepticism, Democrats are increasingly confident that they"ll enact a vast health care overhaul. McClatchy reports: "The White House is ramping up its behind-the-scenes lobbying of Congress. President Barack Obama is signaling that he could drop some key principles of his campaign if necessary to jump-start negotiations, opening the door to broad tax increases and a plan that could, he now concedes, push people into a government-run insurance program against their will. Senate Democrats also said last week that they were heading toward agreement again after a momentary stall. ... Republicans, too, concede that the Democrats who control Congress and the White House are back on track to push an overhaul into law."
A new study uncovers a molecular mechanism that explains why joints fail to develop in embryos with paralyzed limbs. The research, published by Cell Press in the May issue of the journal Developmental Cell, answers a longstanding question about the influence of muscle activity on developing joints and underscores the critical contribution of movement to regulation of a signaling pathway that is important during development and beyond.
Reform Needs Healthy Life Incentives The Wall Street Journal
The Los Angeles Times examines several stories of patients too poor to pay their hospital bills in Kenya that were held in a "makeshift patients" prison," until they escape or settle their debt. "Tragically, healthcare horror stories are common in Africa, where developing countries rarely have medical safety nets for the poor. But an increase in cases of cash-starved public hospitals and mortuaries detaining patients and even corpses over unpaid bills is spurring outrage in Kenya," writes the newspaper.
Fox News examines a U.S.-supported program in Iraq that is equipping women with the skills they need to become nursing aids.
"Beware the winter" warn dietitians as research shows more Australians turn to comfort foods at this time of
The recent release of two large randomized trials suggests that if there is a benefit of screening, it is, at best, small, says a new report in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Authored by Otis W. Brawley, M.D. of the American Cancer Society and Donna Ankerst, Ph.D. and Ian M. Thompson, M.D. of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the review says because prostate cancer is virtually ubiquitous in men as they age, it is clear that a goal of "finding more cancers" is not acceptable. Instead, public health principles demand that screening must reduce the risk of death from prostate cancer, reduce the suffering from prostate cancer, or reduce health care costs when compared with a non-screening scenario. The authors suggest prostate cancer screening has yet to reach one of these standards to date.
The first three guides - Clinical Engagement, Governance and Prioritising Investment - will be launched at the Practice Based Commissioning National Forum, on 1 July. A fourth guide, on Patient and Public Engagement, will be published over the summer and a fifth, on Procurement, is already in the pipeline and expected to be published in September.
Amarillo Biosciences, Inc. (ABI) (OTCBB: AMAR) and CytoPharm, Inc. today jointly announced the start of enrollment for a study of ABI"s oral interferon-alpha lozenges for chronic hepatitis C virus infection. The aim of the trial is to reduce the virologic relapse rate for those patients who have completed the standard combination therapy, which consists of high dose injectable interferon-alpha and Ribavirin. Although most patients respond to the standard therapy, up to 50% of those with certain "high-risk" viral genotypes relapse after treatment.
Varian Medical Systems, Inc., (NYSE: VAR) announced it has acquired the assets of Houston-based IKOEmed and IKOEtech, privately-owned suppliers of software used in the planning of radiotherapy and radiosurgery treatments. The acquisition enables Varian to offer hospitals and clinics an additional software tool to automate and accelerate the most time-consuming portion of the treatment planning process. Varian is paying approximately $2.2 million plus an additional amount based on achievement of specified milestones to acquire the IKOE assets.
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:
In a study published online by the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, UC Davis researchers report that it takes at least a year for former methamphetamine users to regain impulse control. The results tell recovering substance abusers, their families and drug-treatment specialists that it can take an extended period of time for the brain functions critical to recovery to improve.
In an effort to increase understanding of the medical device development process and help companies execute the bench-to-bedside process of product development more effectively, researchers at Stanford University have published the first comprehensive model representing the medical device development process.
The July issue of European Urology, the official journal of the European Association of Urology, features an editorial by Lars Holmberg comparing the results from the European Randomised Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) with the results from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) In the editorial, Professor Holmberg writes that "The studies illustrate that the price to pay for 20% reduction in prostate cancer deaths is high; overdiagnosis and overtreatment are great problems. The answers lie in improving the PSA test or finding biomarkers that effectively separate aggressive cancers from slow-growing ones. We identify some priorities in the discussion about PSA testing."
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.
Exercise requires the integrated activity of every organ and tissue in the body, and understanding how these respond to the decreased oxygen levels present at moderate to high altitude is the focus of the current special issue of High Altitude Medicine & Biology, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The entire issue is available free online at http://www.liebertpub.com/ham Guest Editor Peter D. Wagner, MD, Distinguished Professor of Medicine & Bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego, presents six review articles written by expert researchers in the field of high altitude medicine that explore various aspects of exercise at altitude, including muscle and nerve function, metabolic responses, and changes that occur at the cellular level.
Improved communication among patients and primary care physicians increases the chances those due for colorectal cancer screening will follow their doctors" advice and complete the procedure, a University at Buffalo study has found.
Prof. Prakit Vathesatogkit, Executive Secretary of Action on Smoking and Health Foundation welcome the government policy of increasing cigarette tax. He believes that the tax increase will greatly benefit smokers in Thailand. This is due to the fact that the higher cigarette price will result in people smoking less or quit completely, especially in the lower income group.
Being given enough time with a GP and feeling that their problems are taken seriously are the most important factor in patients" satisfaction with their local surgery, according to new data out today. The GP Patient Survey, the biggest healthcare survey of its kind, found that overall satisfaction with surgeries was high at 91%, but there is still room for improvement in accessing GP services, especially getting through on the phone and being able to make appointments more than 48 hours in advance.
Inovio Biomedical Corporation (NYSE Amex: INO), a leader in DNA vaccine design, development and delivery, announced today it has established a new collaboration with the National Microbiology Laboratory of the Public Health Agency of Canada and the University of Pennsylvania to further evaluate Inovio DNA vaccine candidates against swine influenza A (H1N1) virus. As a part of its universal influenza vaccine program, Inovio has designed and manufactured consensus DNA vaccines for H1N1 influenza strains. These consensus vaccines, delivered using Inovio"s proprietary electroporation technology, have the potential to provide protection against a broad scope of existing as well as currently unknown, unmatched influenza strains that could emerge -- one of the perpetual challenges in trying to protect against influenza. The purpose of this collaboration is to test these vaccine candidates against pandemic and seasonal influenza strains in animal models and will include testing against a recently identified swine H1N1 strain.
The Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing at The University of Western Ontario has announced a $2 million research chair to address issues surrounding the chronic shortage of registered nurses in Canada and the United States. Dr. Heather Laschinger, Ph.D., was named the first Arthur Labatt Family Nursing Research Chair in Human Re Optimization.
Caring for an elderly family member can be stressful and can pose health threats to caregivers. Steven Zarit, professor and head, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Penn State, received a $3 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to study the effects of caregiving on familial caregivers. He will look at people who care for family members with dementia and how adult day care impacts the stress levels of all individuals involved.
BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: BPAX), which is developing a testosterone gel (LibiGel®) to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in women, is pleased to comment on results in a paper published in the July issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine showing testosterone has no effect on the incidence of invasive breast cancer among menopausal women who use testosterone to improve sexual function.
Over the last 27 sessions of Congress, there has always been a Dingell universal health care bill, introduced first by Rep. John D. Dingell"s father during World War II, and then by his son, The Washington Times reports.
NPR interviewed Robert Reich, professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley and former Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration, on the steps President Barack Obama needs to take to successfully reform health care. Recently, Reich sent Obama a memo "outlining six things the president must to do save universal health care." Reich told NPR that "health care is stalling in the Senate," and Obama must "fire people up" and "be tough" to counter the medical industry, which has "some of the most formidable lobbies in the country." Reich said that Obama is only going to succeed if he "counts noses, cajoles, twists arms, threatens - and I think he does have it in him." He adds that while "bipartisanship is a noble aspiration," "we"re getting to the point where the president has got to say if I do not get your votes on this, Republicans, I"m going to go through reconciliation. I"m going to do it without you" (Martin, 6/29).
The British Medical Journal examines the outcome of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya, last week. More than 200 international health experts came together to discuss finding therapies for such diseases as visceral leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and sleeping sickness. "Current treatments are often toxic, prohibitively expensive, or difficult to administer in countries with limited res," and "[d]rug companies have little incentive to develop treatments for neglected diseases that mainly affect poor people," the journal writes.
Doctors at a seminar at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) in Karachi, Pakistan, on Monday said that at the current rate, it will be impossible for Pakistan to achieve the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to child mortality and maternal health by 2015, the International News reports.
The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) has reached a management agreement with the International Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU) effective July 1, 2009. The AIUM will support the ISTU"s administrative, financial, and member service functions in an effort to maximize the ISTU"s mission of advancing therapeutic ultrasound applications worldwide.
A minimally invasive procedure to treat tendonitis in the rotator cuff of the shoulder provides immediate symptom relief to the patient, according to a study published in the July issue of Radiology. The study found that ultrasound-guided nonsurgical therapy significantly reduces pain from calcific tendonitis of the rotator cuff and restores lasting mobility after treatment.
An unusual study at the Department of Surgery at Heidelberg University Hospital examined for the first time whether the incision technique used in major abdominal surgery had an effect on the results. Neither physician nor patient knew what kind of incision had been made. The study of 200 patients showed that pain perception and the healing process were unrelated to the technique used to open the abdominal cavity. Complications were also just as frequent, except for wound infections, which were more frequent for transverse incisions, possibly due to circulatory problems. The surgeons in Heidelberg thus recommend that the surgeon make an individual, case-by-case decision on the incision technique.
Siemens Hearing Instruments has kicked off its new education initiative during Deaf Awareness Week with a visit by its hearing ambassador Kellie Moody to a Birmingham based deaf school. The visit and the launch of an education focused website ties into this year"s Deaf Awareness theme of "look at me".
One-step screening for both genetic and chromosomal abnormalities has come a stage closer as scientists announced that an embryo test they have been developing has successfully screened cells taken from spare embryos that were known to have cystic fibrosis.
Each year in this country, one of every three people over age 65 suffers a fall, resulting in nearly 16,000 deaths. The federal government estimates that 1.8 million older adults who fall are treated each year in hospital emergency rooms for nonfatal injuries - including bruises, fractures and head trauma - and that 433,000 of those individuals need to be hospitalized because of their injuries. Research published this month in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has found that a significant number of those falls - an average of 129 per day - involve the use of walkers and canes, the very devices on which millions rely to help them avoid the dangers posed by falling.
Researchers at the Helmholtz Zentrum MÃønchen and the Technische Universität MÃønchen are using a combination of light and ultrasound to visualize fluorescent proteins that are seated several centimeters deep into living tissue. In the past, even modern technologies have failed to produce high-resolution fluorescence images from this depth because of the strong scattering of light. In the Nature Photonics journal, the Munich researchers describe how they can reveal genetic expression within live fly larvae and fish by "listening to light". In the future this technology may facilitate the examination of tumors or coronary vessels in humans.
A team of Harvard scientists has taken an important first step toward the development of new treatments to help people with HIV battle Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) infection. In their report, appearing in the July 2009 print issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology they describe how HIV interferes with the cellular and molecular mechanisms used by the lungs to fight TB infection. This information is crucial for researchers developing treatments to help people with HIV prevent or recover from TB infection.
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.
Lyme disease in the U.S. is caused by the tick-borne bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and usually begins with a skin lesion, after which the bacteria spread throughout the body to the nervous system, heart or joints. About 60 percent of untreated individuals develop arthritis, which affects the knees in particular. Lyme disease usually responds well to antibiotic therapy, but in rare cases arthritis can persist for months or years after treatment, a rare condition known as antibiotic-refractory Lyme arthritis. Joint fluid usually tests negative for B burgdorferi after treatment, indicating that joint inflammation may persist even after the bacteria has been eradicated.
Medical scientists from Southampton have contributed to a major new report published today, setting out plans to enhance the nation"s health by improving diet, increasing physical activity and cutting harmful drinking.
Tomorrow"s Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting is a crucial opportunity to focus on achieving concrete long-term health improvements for Indigenous people, the AMA said.
Schering-Plough Corp., (NYSE: SGP) announced results from the Phase III ENGAGE clinical trial demonstrating that a single injection of corifollitropin alfa, first in the class of sustained follicle stimulants, achieved similar efficacy to recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH) given once daily for seven days. The ENGAGE data was presented along with data from the Phase III ENSURE trial and the Phase II REALIZE trial at the 25th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Because females carry two copies of the X chromosome to males" one X and one Y, they harbor a potentially toxic double dose of the over 1000 genes that reside on the X chromosome.
What is done when the elderly lodge complaints about their services? elderly care? Why is it that staff describe complaints made by the elderly as "trivialities"? In two recent studies, Tove Persson, doctoral student at the School of Health Sciences, shows that staff, as well as social services directors in local administrations often trivialize complaints from the elderly, which in turn makes it difficult for the elderly to influence their everyday lives.
On June 11, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
The Guardia Pro Protective Embryo Transfer Catheteris uniquely engineered to protect and guide embryos through cervical mucus and blood and to eliminate the need for cervical flushing or aspiration prior to transfer.
A new study by a large international consortium found that many common genetic variants contribute up to a third of a person"s risk of inheriting
Scientists in New Jersey are describing discovery and successful tests of the first once-a-month pill for controlling both fleas and ticks in domestic dogs and cats. Their study is in the current issue of ACS" Journal of the Medicinal Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.
Most of the world"s acute hunger and undernutrition occurs not in conflicts and natural disasters but in the annual "hunger season," according to
Just about one-third of people seeking malaria treatment in Kenya received the recommended artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) and some people are being treated with ineffective drugs like chloroquine, which was phased out almost 10 years ago, according to the recently launched 2007 Kenya Malaria Indicator Survey - the country"s "first ever comprehensive malaria study," the Daily Nation reports (Gathura/Cheboi, 6/30).
POZEN Inc. (NASDAQ:POZN), announced the submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the marketing approval of VIMOVO™ (PN 400), the combination of enteric coated (EC) naproxen and immediate release esomeprazole. POZEN and AstraZeneca entered into a global co-development agreement for VIMOVO in August 2006. Pending regulatory approval, the proposed trade name is VIMOVO and the proposed indications are for the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis in patients who are at risk for developing NSAID-associated ulcers.
The U.S. should conduct research to compare the effectiveness of innovative programs aimed at preventing unintended pregnancy, according to a report issued Tuesday by a congressionally convened Institute of Medicine panel, the New York Times reports (Meier, New York Times, 7/1). The recommendations state that these strategies should include "over-the-counter access to oral contraceptives or other hormonal methods, expanding access to long-acting methods for young women, [and] providing free contraceptive methods at public clinics, pharmacies or other locations" (List of Priorities, IOM, 6/26). The report lists 100 health topics that should be prioritized as the Obama administration seeks to increase cost-effectiveness in medicine. The federal stimulus package passed earlier this year allotted $1.1 billion for comparative effectiveness research into different ways of treating certain conditions and addressing various health care issues. According to the Times, the report is a first step in an expansive effort by the administration and health experts to direct medical practice toward scientifically proven treatments, rather than a provider"s personal opinion or a medical product company"s promotional claims. Harold Sox, co-chair of the IOM panel that wrote the report and the editor of the Annals of Internal Medicine, said that based on public comments, the panel decided it was important to include pregnancy prevention and other public health issues in its recommendations (Meier, New York Times, 7/1). The report also recommends that researchers compare different comprehensive care coordination programs, such as the medical home model and chronic disease management, especially in communities known to have health disparities (Simmons, HealthLeaders Media, 6/30).
There is growing evidence that a procedure for identifying chromosomal abnormalities in embryos prior to in vitro fertilization is ineffective at helping older women become pregnant, the Wall Street Journal reports. The procedure -- known as pre-implantation genetic screening, or PGS -- is performed in dozen of U.S. fertility clinics and sometimes marketed to older women as a way to increase the odds of a healthy live birth. PGS involves extracting a single cell from a six-cell embryo and inspecting it for chromosomal abnormalities known as aneuploidies; unaffected embryos can then be implanted through IVF. Women older than age 35 have a higher risk of aneuploidies, in which embryos have fewer or more than the usual number of 23 pairs of chromosomes. Aneuploidies can trigger early miscarriage or certain genetics conditions, such as Down syndrome. Most medical experts agree that embryo screening is capable of significantly reducing the risk of Down syndrome and other serious chromosome-related illnesses. However, evidence from several studies increasingly suggests that the procedure does not increase older women"s chances of healthy live births. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine released an initial opinion about PGS in 2007, saying that available evidence does not support the use of embryo screening to increase live birth rates in older women. Andrew La Barbera, scientific director of the society, said, "Since that time, there have been several more trials that have reached the same conclusion." Another shortcoming is that most clinics can only test for fewer than half of the 23 chromosomes, meaning that many defects can go undetected. However, medical experts say that the use of PGS has increased in the two years since ASRM issued its recommendations. According to the Journal, PGS can add more than $2,000 to the roughly $10,000 cost of one IVF cycle. Very few health insurers cover PGS, though some pay for IVF. Some experts contend that studies showing a lack of clinical benefit from PGS do not use more efficient biopsy techniques that can prevent damage to the embryo. Santiago Munne, scientific director for Reprogenetics, said that the treatment is "effective." In a 2007 study, Munne and colleagues used PGS to reduce the rate at which patients miscarried. However, the chances of a woman getting pregnant largely were unchanged, which the authors said could be attributed to the small number of study participants (Naik, Wall Street Journal, 6/1).
"Labor unions are showing their increasing displeasure over [health reform] financing proposals that target their healthcare benefits by launching attack ads against key lawmakers, causing the Senate"s leading advocate of taxing such benefits to seek an end to one especially aggressive campaign," Congress Daily reports. The Laborers" International Union of North America pulled an ad in Montana attacking Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus at the senator"s request, and after he asked to meet with the union"s president to discuss proposals (Dann, 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.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control "has prioritized testing" for HIV and offered free or low-cost testing at events in conjunction with National HIV Testing Day last week, an Orangeburg Times and Democrat editorial states, adding, "The importance of testing is not to be forgotten the other 364 days of the year." The editorial continues, "On the national level, Congresswoman Maxine Waters of California has reintroduced a bill to require health insurance plans to cover routine HIV tests under the same terms and conditions as other routine health screenings. The risk of further spread of [HIV] illustrates the legislation is needed to ensure broader testing" (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, 7/1).
Johnson & Johnson has announced that Axel Ullrich, Ph.D., director of the Department of Molecular Biology at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Germany, whose discoveries have led to novel cancer therapies including Herceptin® (trastuzumab) , is the winner of the 2009 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research. An independent committee of world-renowned scientists selected Dr. Ullrich, who on September 8 will receive a $100,000 prize during a ceremony in Beerse, Belgium.
Janet Davison Rowley, MD, a founder in the field of cancer cytogenetics and a renowned leader in molecular oncology, will receive the 2009 Genetics Prize of The Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation. She is being honored with the prestigious international award for discoveries of recurrent chromosomal abnormalities in leukemias and lymphomas - discoveries that have revolutionized how cancer is understood and treated. Currently the Blum-Riese Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago, Rowley is also being honored for her critical national and international leadership in the biomedical research community. The Prize will be presented in Honolulu, Hawaii, on October 23 at the 59th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics.
The NHS Chief Executive has recently warned that the NHS could have to
WHAT: Food prices rose by 5.5 percent in the past year and are expected to increase up to an additional 4 percent in 2009. Americans are seeking to get the most out of their dollar, and since together, dairy foods provide a unique package of nine essential nutrients, they are a nutritional bang for the buck.
Take Care Health Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens (NYSE:WAG) (NASDAQ:WAG) and the largest and most comprehensive provider of convenient care clinics and worksite health and wellness centers in the country, is now offering a new set of procedures for skin conditions and minor injury treatments.
Counseling patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) on how to increase physical activity leads to health benefits that are independent of changes in weight. These findings are in a new study in the July issue of Hepatology, a journal published by John Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article is also available online at Wiley Interscience.
Cases of the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus has been confirmed in a Crawford County adult and a Miami County child. These are the first cases identified in both counties.
Doctors attending the BMA"s annual conference in Liverpool have today (Thursday 2 July 2009) backed calls to introduce a minimum price for a unit of alcohol. Proposing a motion which also included calls for clearer labelling and a total ban on alcohol advertising, Dr Chandra Mohan from Barking, Havering and Brentwood, said:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it is requiring manufacturers to put a Boxed Warning on the prescribing information for the smoking cessation drugs Chantix (varenicline) and Zyban (bupropion). The warning will highlight the risk of serious mental health events including changes in behavior, depressed mood, hostility, and suicidal thoughts when taking these drugs.
Recent news reports have highlighted the importance of physician credentials and ensuring that physicians meet high standards in their chosen area of practice, according to the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), which coordinates and assists its 24 Member Boards in their efforts to develop and implement educational and professional standards for the evaluation and certification of physician specialists. Certification by an ABMS Member Board is considered the gold standard in physician certification in the health care industry.
As many as five to ten million males in the U.S. struggle quietly with an eating disorder because they"re ashamed to admit they have the illness, reports Remuda Ranch Programs for Eating and Anxiety Disorders. Healthcare professionals, family members and close friends often are unaware of the high-risk behaviors in males that may signify an eating disorder. Therefore, effective intervention is often not available to the male population.
Tinnitus (from the Latin tinnitus or "ringing") is a condition characterized by ringing, swishing, or other noises that appear to be originating in the ear or head. Not normally a dangerous or serious problem, tinnitus is usually a symptom of some other underlying condition and most often considered a nuisance. Age-related hearing loss, ear injury, foreign objects in the ear, and circulatory system problems, for example, may cause the condition.
Curcumin, the major polyphenol found in turmeric, appears to reduce weight gain in mice and suppress the growth of fat tissue in mice and cell models. Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (USDA HNRCA) studied mice fed high fat diets supplemented with curcumin and cell cultures incubated with curcumin.
This week Nursing Standard published some misleading and speculative information regarding the NMC"s registration fee. The story, titled "Registration fees could increase as regulator goes into black", also included factually inaccurate information about the NMC"s diversity data collection exercise which will soon be launched.
"A new large-scale study of medical records found that the extra cost of extending prescription coverage to Medicare enrollees was substantially offset by lower spending on other medical care for people who previously had limited or no prescription-drug coverage," The Wall Street Journal reports.
The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) submitted comments to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology"s (ONC) request for feedback on determining criteria for the term "meaningful use" of electronic records (EHRs), prepared by ONC"s HIT Policy Committee.
The Patients Doctors Don"t Know The New York Times
Vegetarians are 12 per cent less likely to develop cancer than meat eaters, according to new research published in the British Journal of Cancer .
The opening of a unique centre will put Newcastle at the forefront of cancer research and bring benefits to patients in the North East.
A new campaign has just been launched encouraging young men in Argyll & Bute aged 16 - 24 to get tested for chlamydia and gonorrhoea. The scheme, run by Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland and funded by NHS Highland, aims to reduce undiagnosed sexually transmitted infections (STIs) amongst young men because research suggests they are much less likely to get checked out.
Statement of Captain Charles D. Connor, U.S. Navy (Ret.), American Lung Association President and CEO: