Public Health
Reports are coming in that the government of Australia has placed an order for 10 million vaccines against the novel H1N1 swine flu virus, following a press briefing from Health Minister Nicola
Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARD), a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative oncology therapies, today announced updated efficacy and safety data from its Phase 2 clinical trial of picoplatin in patients with metastatic castration-resistant (hormone-refractory) prostate cancer (CRPC). The data demonstrate that picoplatin in combination with docetaxel and prednisone is active as first-line therapy for metastatic CRPC. This was demonstrated by several endpoints, including reductions in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, disease control as measured by tumor response, and progression-free survival (PFS). Results also continue to show that picoplatin can be safely administered every three weeks for up to 10 cycles concurrently with full doses of docetaxel and prednisone, the standard treatment for CRPC. In addition, no neurotoxicity was observed in these patients.
Though the growing shift toward oral chemotherapy agents offers cancer patients greater freedom and independence during their treatment, physicians say use of the new medications also poses more chances for patients to skip doses, miss prescription refills, and take their drugs in a dangerous way. An increasing number of cancer patients who receive chemotherapy now do so at home, with the click of a pill bottle each day rather than the drip of an IV medicine that must be delivered in a doctor"s office or hospital.
Supermarket shoppers may be encouraged to buy sugar-filled, calorie-rich drinks by discounts and promotions, according to New Zealand research.
Since the implementation of the Massachusetts health insurance law in 2006, more residents have health coverage and increased access to care, but rising health care costs combined with the current economic recession could undermine some of the law"s successes, according to the third annual "Update on Health Reform in Massachusetts" report by the Urban Institute, the Boston Globe reports. The study was funded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund, and published in the journal Health Affairs.For the report, Sharon Long of the Urban Institute and colleagues surveyed about 4,000 Massachusetts adults in 2007 and 2008 and compared their health care habits with those of residents surveyed in 2006 -- just after the law went into effect. Researchers found that although there were initial gains in health care affordability, there are now some signs that an increasing number of state residents are reporting problems paying for medical bills, and an increasing number of people -- especially lower-income residents -- not seeking care because of costs (Lazar, Boston Globe, 5/28). One in five adults reported being told in the past 12 months that a physician or clinic was not accepting new patients or would not see patients with their type of insurance (Sack, New York Times, 5/28). Lower-income residents had more difficulties finding a physician than higher-income residents, with 24% of residents enrolled in state-subsidized health plans, saying they were told that a physician did not accept their insurance, compared with 7% of residents with private coverage (Boston Globe, 5/28). Additional Findings
An increasing number of U.S. residents "are on the outside looking in to a world of [medical] progress and discovery that is denied to them because they cannot afford quality health care," Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) writes in a Boston Globe opinion piece. He writes that he is "thrilled" to be working with lawmakers on health reform legislation "that will build on what"s already working and fix what"s broken" in the current system.According to Kennedy, health reform legislation "will include five major elements":
Thailand has set a goal of reducing by half the number of new HIV cases in the country by 2011, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Wednesday, TNA/MCOT English News reports. Abhisit was speaking at the opening ceremony of the three-day 12th National Seminar on AIDS, which more than 2,500 HIV-positive people, students, and participants from Thai agencies, private sector groups and international organizations are expected to attend. The seminar will focus on the government"s plan to reduce new cases by 2011 and the national HIV/AIDS action plan."The government"s plan, if successful, will be the result of cooperation from all sides," Abhisit said. He added that statistics indicate that one in four new HIV infections occur among men who have sex with men. In addition, new cases among married women in the country have increased by 30% to 40%, according to Abhisit. He said that he will be involved in a campaign to promote fidelity among married couples in the country (TNA/MCOT English News, 5/27).
Interson announces the launch of the SeeMore USB Ultrasound Imaging probe. Inexpensive and portable, SeeMore probes plug directly into the USB port of a laptop, netbook, or desktop computer. General purpose and specialty probes are available for a wide range of clinical applications including: abdominal, OB/GYN, bladder scanning, emergency, vascular access, small parts, musculo-skeletal, nerve blocks, endocavity (prostate, transvaginal) and more, and range in frequency from 3.5 MHz to 24 MHz.
The fishing industry and some cultural practices in communities living around Africa"s Lake Victoria are contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections in the area, according to a panel of experts at a recent meeting in Kisumu, Kenya, The Citizen reports. According to the panel, cultural practices such as widow inheritance, commercial sex work for fish and the long-distance trucking industry have led to the spread of HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS prevalence among women and people who live along the beaches of the lake is particularly high, the meeting participants noted.The four-day meeting was held by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission and involved members of the East African Community and other officials. Meeting delegates were taken to cross-border control posts along the Kenya-Uganda border to interact with people living with HIV/AIDS, commercial sex workers, long-distance truck drivers and district government officials. Doreen Othero, HIV/AIDS technical specialist at the LVBC Secretariat, said that the group "managed to bring together organizations working in HIV/AIDS along transport corridors to share information, improve coordination and build synergy among the various programs so as to have maximum impact on the corridors" most at risk populations."Jean Claude Nsengiyumva, EAC deputy secretary general in charge of productive and social sectors, said that the fight against HIV/AIDS will be successful through a coordinated and collaborative effort among all stakeholders. He said that EAC has introduced a four-year Regional Multisectorial HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan, ending in 2012, that aims to address HIV/AIDS in the region. The region also is undergoing efforts to create more collaboration between regional, international and multisectorial organizations that have projects for HIV/AIDS education, care, treatment and testing. Othero said there are more than four million HIV-positive people and more than 3.5 million orphans and vulnerable children in EAC partner states (The Citizen, 5/27).
"Nearly 30 years after the discovery of HIV and AIDS, the epidemic is still ravaging black neighborhoods in Baltimore and across the nation," Kevin Fenton -- director of CDC"s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention -- writes in a Baltimore Sun opinion piece. Fenton writes that "complacency about HIV and the continued stigma associated with the disease are hindering progress by preventing too many African-Americans from seeking either HIV testing and treatment or support from their friends and family," adding that "this is a challenge that can be overcome."According to Fenton, the Obama administration last month "took an important step in confronting the United States" HIV epidemic" when CDC and White House officials announced a five-year campaign called Act Against AIDS, which is "designed to refocus the nation"s attention on the HIV crisis here at home." Fenton notes that 14 black civic organizations -- including the NAACP, the National Urban League, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the National Council of Negro Women -- are "joining the CDC to increase knowledge, awareness and action within black communities across the country." He adds that the campaign "will harness the strength and reach of these organizations by enhancing their ability to make HIV prevention a core component of their daily activities." "By raising the visibility of HIV and AIDS, the new campaign also aims to confront and overcome the fear and stigma that help keep HIV alive in black communities," Fenton says. He adds that he has "been encouraged in recent years to see black leaders, including black faith leaders, speak out more openly across the nation about the need to confront HIV and the stigma that persists surrounding this disease." Fenton writes that "[e]nding this epidemic will require not only frank and difficult discussions about HIV but also a shared sense of responsibility and commitment," concluding, "All of us can and must be part of the solution" (Fenton, Baltimore Sun, 5/27).
OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: OGXI) announced today that the Company will hold a live webcast and conference call of presentations made at an OncoGenex hosted reception during the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting (ASCO) on Saturday, May 30, 2009. The webcast will begin at 7:10 p.m. EDT.
Two studies in the May 29th issue of Cell, a Cell Press publication, have taken advantage of new technological advances to search for and find previously unknown weaknesses in a hard to treat form of cancer. The discoveries lend new hope in the fight again tumors that are today considered "undruggable."
Sipping wine, beer or spirits three to four times per week increases the risk of binge drinking, particularly among young men, according to a new study published in the journal Addiction. Researchers from the Universitçİ de Montrçİal and the University of Western Ontario analyzed the drinking habits of Canadians and found that frequent alcohol consumption can lead to binge drinking among all gender and all age groups.
Psychiatrist and psychoanalytic psychotherapist John, Lord Alderdice will apply a psychoanalytic perspective to the issues of fundamentalism, radicalization and terrorism at a lecture to be held at the Institute of Psychoanalysis on Friday 12 June 2009, 7.00pm.
The atherosclerosis vaccine development program by
Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers report that a combination of trastuzumab and neratinib (HKI-272) a novel small molecule inhibitor of the HER2 receptor (ErbB2) appears active in women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who have progressed on previous trastuzumab based therapies. More than one-quarter of the women in a phase I/II trial had their tumors shrink on the combination therapy.
Informa Healthcare - one of the world"s leading medical and scientific publishers- has announced that its peer-reviewed medical titles will be joining the company"s pharmaceutical science titles to form one, united platform for drug discovery and clinical medicine on http://www.Informahealthcare.com.
Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and collaborators at Harvard Medical School have linked a specialized protein in human muscles to the process that clears glucose out of the bloodstream, shedding light on what goes wrong in type 2 diabetes on a cellular level.
Boehringer Ingelheim announced that it will become the founding sponsor of the World Stroke Academy, a novel training initiative for stroke professionals being developed by the World Stroke Organization ( WSO). This latest educational initiative from the WSO will bring together an international group of stroke experts - led by Professor Michael Brainin of the Danube University Krems, Austria - to provide information about stroke and knowledge for health professionals and medical doctors in order to improve prevention, therapy and management of stroke.
By using ultrafast laser pulses to slice off pieces of chromosomes and observe how the chromosomes behave, biomedical engineers at the University of Michigan have gained pivotal insights into mitosis, the process of cell division.
Not yet convinced about keeping your healthy teeth, here"s another reason.
Ballerinas and female athletes share quadruple health threats
Theta oscillations are a type of prominent brain rhythm that orchestrates neuronal activity in the hippocampus, a brain area critical for the formation of new memories. For several decades these oscillations were believed to be "in sync" across the hippocampus, timing the firing of neurons like a sort of central pacemaker. A new study conducted by researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) argues that this long-held assumption needs to be revised. In a paper published in this week"s issue of the journal Nature, the researchers showed that instead of being in sync, theta oscillations actually sweep along the length of the hippocampus as traveling waves.
For years, doctors and other health-care providers have managed pregnant patients according to guidelines issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). In 1986, ACOG stated, "Regardless of how much women weigh before they become pregnant, gaining between 26-35 pounds during pregnancy can improve the outcome of pregnancy and reduce their chances of having the pregnancy end in fetal death." Until its revised guidelines were released yesterday, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) had recommended that overweight women should gain about 15 pounds during pregnancy.
The Texas Senate on Wednesday voted to approve a bill that would boost enrollment in the state"s version of CHIP, the Houston Chronicle reports. The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Kip Averitt (R), would raise the income eligibility threshold for the program to 200% of the federal poverty level for a family of four. Families" premiums, copayments and fees would not exceed 5% of their net income, under the bill (Elliott, Houston Chronicle, 5/28).Supporters of the bill say that it could extend CHIP coverage to as many as 80,000 uninsured children statewide (AP/Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5/28). The bill now moves back to the state House for approval. The House approved legislation last month that would have expanded CHIP to families with annual incomes up to $88,000. Averitt said the measure, which he attached to a House bill on disease screening for newborns, is similar to a bill that passed the Senate in March.According to the Chronicle, the state budget being finalized this week includes $43 million to expand CHIP, which would draw down federal matching funds (Houston Chronicle, 5/28).
"The Social Security COLA and Medicare Part B Premium: Questions, Answers and Issues," Kaiser Family Foundation Medicare Policy Project: The issue brief examines how Social Security recipients for the first time in 2010 are not expected to receive a cost-of-living adjustment, with no or a low COLA expected through 2012. The brief examines the relationship between the Social Security COLA and the Medicare Part B premium and the effect that such changes have on beneficiaries of both programs (Kaiser Family Foundation release, 5/27).
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have uncovered variation around two genes that are associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer. Testicular cancer is the most common cancer among young men, and its incidence among non-Hispanic Caucasian men has doubled in the last 40 years -- it now affects seven out of 100,000 white men in the United States each year. The discovery, published in the May 31, 2009 online issue of Nature Genetics, is the first step toward understanding which men are at high risk of disease.
The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) announced the award of four new NSYCF-Stanley and Fiona Druckenmiller Fellows. These New York-based post-doctoral scientists join 13 extraordinarily accomplished stem cell researchers from leading research institutions who have been supported by the fellowships program since 2006.
The two ends of a ruptured Achilles tendon are often stitched together before the leg is put in plaster, in order to reduce the risk of the tendon rupturing again. However, a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, now suggests that surgery may be unnecessary. Patients who do not undergo surgery have just as good a chance of recovery.
Private business in California saw health care premiums increase by 138
Doctor David Werring, from The Stroke Association"s Expert Advisory Panel said:
A new study showed that the breast cancer drug Herceptin improved survival in patients with HER2-positive stomach cancer, an aggressive form
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is advising patients with flu like symptoms to call their local general practice to seek advice before presenting at the practice to seek care.
Patients with inflammatory arthritis completing a health-related quality of life questionnaire report levels of pain that result in their health being rated as "worse than death" by members of the general population.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have discovered that a complex network of interactions between drugs and the proteins with which they bind can explain adverse drug effects. Their findings suggest that adverse drug effects might be minimized by using single or multiple drug therapies in order to fine-tune multiple off-target interactions.
An editorial and a case report on Disorders of Sexual Development (DSD) in the Medical Journal of Australia highlight the need for early diagnosis and effective risk management in these rare but potentially life threatening cases.
A new survey published in the British Journal of Cardiology suggests that inconsistencies in clinical guidance for the ongoing management of post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients may contribute to significant variation in clinical practice reported by GPs and practice nurses.1a These findings indicate that, in some areas of the UK, care for post-MI patients after leaving hospital may not be optimal,1b according to authors from the Follow Your Heart group. *
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the world"s largest sports medicine and exercise organization, rang the closing bell at the NASDAQ stock market last week (Wednesday, May 6), using the international platform to promote the health benefits of physical activity, especially for businesses and employers in the U.S. and worldwide.
Sodexo (PARIS:SW) (OTCBB:SDXAY) received two awards at the inaugural Professional Training Evening held May 25 in Paris: the "Best Training Strategy" award and the Favorites Award for "Successful vocational rehabilitation." The culmination of a 75-company competition, the event was organized jointly by France"s National Association of Human Res Directors (ANDRH), Professional Training Federation (FFP) and Association of Trainers and Training Managers (GARF).
Sipping wine, beer or spirits three to four times per week increases the risk of binge drinking, particularly among young men, according to a new study published in the journal Addiction. Researchers from the Universitçİ de Montrçİal and the University of Western Ontario analyzed the drinking habits of Canadians and found that frequent alcohol consumption can lead to binge drinking among all gender and all age groups.
A new national campaign aiming to reduce the number of undiagnosed heart conditions will visit 12 destinations in England throughout May and June. The CRY Philips Test My Heart Tour 09 is the first free tour of its kind in England and has been made possible by charity CRY, health and well-being company Philips, through the fundraising efforts of families whose lives have been affected by Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) or Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), and the Gwyneth Forrester Trust. The tour aims to test over 3,000 14-35 year olds hearts to identify heart conditions which could potentially prove fatal if left untreated. To book a free appointment at one of the 12 tour locations simply go to http://www.testmyheart.org
Talecris Biotherapeutics presented results last week from two phase III studies assessing the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic comparability of a more concentrated formulation of Prolastin® (Alpha1-Proteinase Inhibitor [Human]) produced via a modification of the current manufacturing process that incorporates technological changes.
New Phase III study results presented for the first time at the ninth annual American Transplant Congress 2009 (ATC) demonstrate that doubling the duration of preventive therapy ("prophylaxis") with Valcyte (oral valganciclovir) significantly reduced the incidence of CMV disease by 56% in high-risk kidney transplant patients within the first year post-transplant.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (NYSE: VRX) reported final results for its Phase IIb dose-finding clinical trial for taribavirin, a prodrug of ribavirin which is in development for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in conjunction with a pegylated interferon. The study in treatment naive genotype 1 infected subjects was of standard design, consisting of 48 weeks of treatment with a 24-week follow-up period. It explored three weight-based doses of taribavirin: 20 mg/kg, 25 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg vs. ribavirin 800-1400 mg/day. Throughout the 72-week trial, all doses of taribavirin demonstrated comparable efficacy (sustained virologic response (SVR)) to ribavirin with consistently lower levels of anemia. In addition, relapse rates in the 25 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg arms were comparable with the ribavirin arm; supporting the premise that higher dose weight-based taribavirin may be as effective as weight based ribavirin. Valeant plans to present the full final data at the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) later this year.
Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RIGL) announced that its oral Syk inhibitor, R788, is being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial funded, designed and implemented by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. This open-label, single arm clinical trial will include patients with advanced colorectal, thyroid, non-small cell lung, hepatocellular, head and neck, or renal cell cancers who have failed to respond to at least one line of therapy.
Computer scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have developed a new way of cloning facial expressions during live conversations to help us better understand what influences our behaviour when we communicate with others.
Infants and young toddlers with obstructive sleep apnea and sleep disordered breathing experience significant improvement following surgical treatment of the ailment, according to an invited article in the June 2009 issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
Bird flu virus remains infectious up to 600 days in municipal landfills
Kansas abortion provider George Tiller, one of the few U.S. doctors who performed the procedure later in pregnancy, was shot and killed Sunday at his church in Kansas, the New York Times reports. Tiller, who ran Women"s Health Care Services, was believed to be one of about three doctors in the country who provided abortion services to women in the third trimester of pregnancy under certain conditions, according to the Times. He was a longtime target for protests from antiabortion-rights groups and, in recent years, had endured multiple legal challenges from the groups and antiabortion-rights officials seeking to shut down his practice through prosecution (Stumpe/Davey, New York Times, 6/1). The Washington Post reports that Kansas resident Scott Roeder is considered a suspect in the shooting and was taken into custody. According to the Post, Roeder "is known in antiabortion circles as a man who believes that killing an abortion doctor is justifiable" (Slevin/Barnes, Washington Post, 6/1). The killing further intensifies attention on abortion-rights issues at a time when the Supreme Court nomination and the controversy over President Obama"s recent speech at the University of Notre Dame have brought the debate to the forefront, the Post reports (Barnes, Washington Post, 6/1). In a statement, Obama said he was "shocked and outraged" by the murder (Simon/Bustillo, Wall Street Journal, 6/1). "However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence," Obama said. Abortion-rights supporters said Tiller"s death would leave few options for women in need of abortion later in pregnancy. Peter Brownlie, president of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said, "This is a tremendous loss on so many levels" (New York Times, 6/1). The Post reports that Tiller is the fourth abortion provider to be killed since 1993 and the first since 1998. Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said, "Dr. Tiller"s murder will send a chill down the spines of the brave and courageous providers and other professionals who are part of reproductive health centers that serve women across this country" (Barnes, Washington Post, 6/1). NARAL New York President Kelli Conlin, said, "It is cold-blooded, vicious actions like today"s assassination that make it hard for those of us in the pro-choice community to find common ground with those on the other side" (Abcarian, Los Angeles Times, 6/1). Center for Reproductive Rights President Nancy Northup said that Tiller was "willing to be a very public, forthright and brave defender of women"s right to abortion," adding that he "put himself out front as a defender of women"s reproductive health care" (Welch, USA Today, 6/1). Abortion-rights opponents also condemned the murder, saying that they do not condone violence as a means to further their cause, USA Today reports. Troy Newman, director of Operation Rescue, which had been working to pressure Kansas" medical licensing board to revoke Tiller"s license, called Tiller"s death "a setback for the cause," adding that he "will likely be seen as a hero from the pro-choice perspective" (Bello, USA Today, 6/1). Marjorie Dannenfelser, head of the antiabortion-rights group Susan B. Anthony List, said she condemned "this anti-life act in the strongest of terms" (Wall Street Journal, 6/1).
Several Republican senators in appearances on various talk shows on Sunday said that they do not expect the GOP to attempt a filibuster to block the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, although none ruled the idea out, the Washington Post reports. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) said that she does not think the "need for filibuster will be there unless we have not had a chance to look at the record fully," adding that the Senate "need[s] to look at the record fully" and in an "expeditious way." Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, on NBC"s "Meet the Press" said that Sotomayor"s 17-year career as a federal judge is "very strong in her favor" and "the kind of background you would look for" in a Supreme Court justice. However, Sessions added that he and other Republican senators are concerned over a remark Sotomayor made in 2001 at a conference on Hispanics in the judiciary. According to the Post, Sotomayor was discussing how her Puerto Rican heritage has influenced her role as a judge when she said, "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experience would, more often than not, reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn"t lived that life." Sessions said the remark "goes against the heart of the great American heritage of an independent judge" (Barnes, Washington Post, 6/1). Judiciary Committee member John Cornyn (R-Texas), appearing on ABC"s "This Week," said that senators "need to know ... whether she"s going to be a justice for all of us or just a justice for a few of us" (Wallsten, Los Angeles Times, 6/1).Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) -- Sotomayor"s sponsor through the confirmation process -- said on "This Week" that she is "virtually filibuster-proof when people learn her record and her story." He added that Sotomayor is "legally excellent" and "not a far-left-wing judge" (Barnes, Washington Post, 6/1). White House Defends Sotomayor"s Comments White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that he thinks Sotomayor would "say that her word choice in 2001 was poor, that she was simply making the point that personal experiences are relevant to the process of judging." In an interview with NBC News that will air this week, President Obama also defended Sotomayor, saying that "if you look in the entire sweep of the essay that she wrote, what"s clear is that she was simply saying her life experiences will give her information about the struggles and hardships that people are going through" (Eggen/Kane, Washington Post, 5/30). Obama also stood by his decision to nominate Sotomayor in his weekly radio and Internet address on Saturday. Obama said that he is "certain that she is the right choice" and that her record as a federal judge "makes clear that she is fair, unbiased and dedicated to the rule of law." While he said he expects "rigorous evaluation" of Sotomayor, Obama said his "hope is that we can avoid the political posturing and ideological brinkmanship that has bogged down this process, and Congress, in the past" (AP/USA Today, 6/1). First Meetings With Senators Expected This WeekAccording to the AP/Chicago Tribune, Sotomayor is scheduled to hold her first meetings with senators this week, beginning on Tuesday with Sessions and Democratic Sens. Harry Reid (Nev.) and Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (Vt.). Gibbs said a meeting with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnnell (R-Ky.) also is possible, adding that he is hopeful there will be other meetings scheduled throughout the week (AP/Chicago Tribune, 5/31).The Wall Street Journal reports that the formal Senate confirmation hearings are not expected to begin for several weeks. The White House would like the Senate to confirm Sotomayor before the August recess so she will be on the bench for the court"s next term, which begins in October. Although some GOP senators say this might not be enough time to fully examine her record, Sotomayor is expected to be confirmed, the Journal reports (Bendavid, Wall Street Journal, 6/1).
DxS, a personalised medicine company, and Boehringer Ingelheim, a global group of pharmaceutical companies, headquartered in Germany, have entered into an agreement to provide a companion diagnostic test kit for Boehringer Ingelheim"s compound BIBW 2992 (Tovok™) to identify mutations of the EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) in patients with non small cell lung cancer. Financial terms of the agreement are not disclosed.
New research published in the June issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, shows most mental health settings in England have faced challenges in introducing smoke-free policies.
Data presented at the 2009 American Transplant Congress
The 62nd World Health Assembly, governing body of the World Health Organization (WHO), endorsed the WHO Action Plan for the Prevention of Avoidable Blindness and Visual Impairment.
- 0 confirmed cases in Wales.
The Royal College of Anaesthetists, the professional body representing anaesthesia in the UK, is introducing an interactive e-Learning re to support training and professional development in anaesthesia. The programme will be launched by the President of the College, Dr Judith Hulf, at its annual College Tutors conference on 11 June, 2009.
It"s hard to miss the huge eye of a squid. But now it appears that certain squids can detect light through an organ other than their eyes as well.
A study published in the June 2009 issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology determined several predictors of a positive lung cancer diagnosis after having an abnormal chest x-ray. Dr. Martin Carl Tammemagi of Brock University in Ontario and his team of US researchers examined the chest radiographs of 12,314 individuals obtained through the National Cancer Institute"s Prostate Lung Colorectal Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO). They found that older age, lower education levels and a longer smoking history were all associated with a "true positive" diagnosis for lung cancer in those individuals with an abnormal screening chest radiograph.
Soccer players and exercise enthusiasts now have another reason to reach for lowfat chocolate milk after a hard workout, suggests a new study from James Madison University presented at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting. Post-exercise consumption of lowfat chocolate milk was found to provide equal or possibly superior muscle recovery compared to a high-carbohydrate recovery beverage with the same amount of calories.
The UK government would like to allow pharmaceutical companies to provide patients with more information about prescription drugs, according to an article published in Pulse. UK ministers view the European Commission"s proposals positively - these proposals would greatly extend the communication permitted between companies and patients. Currently, European Law limits such communication to patient safety leaflets.
Nonprofit hospitals will lobby Congress to keep hands off their charitable status - which grants large tax exemptions, costing the government revenue - as lawmakers plan a health care overhaul, the New York Times reports. The leading senators of the Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, are considering a requirement that hospitals must provide a set amount of free care to benefit from the tax perks.
While the majority of patients with common vision problems can find glasses or contact lenses fairly easily, others who suffer from diseases of the eye that affect the focus of light have more limited options and may simply have to learn to live with poor vision.
A drug with potential to prevent epilepsy caused by a genetic condition may also help prevent more common forms of epilepsy caused by brain injury, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZIOP) announced that it presented final data from a Phase I study of palifosfamide (ZymafosTM) in combination with doxorubicin at the 45th Annual American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting held in Orlando, FL, May 29th to June 2nd.
The New York Times reports on a series of deep budget cuts to help California, which is some $24 billion in the red, deal with its" ongoing financial woes.
A protein abundant in embryonic stem cells is now shown to be important in cancer, and offers a possible new target for drug development, report researchers from the Stem Cell Program at Children"s Hospital Boston.
As the number of food and beverage products sweetened with stevia-based ingredients continues to grow in the United States and worldwide, the U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention announces that new reference standards for Rebaudioside A and Stevioside are now available. The reference standards for these two ingredients complement the soon to be released written testing standard for high-purity Rebaudioside A in the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC), a collection of documentary standards for food ingredients that allow manufacturers to demonstrate the quality, and thus related aspects of safety, of the products they provide to consumers.
Researchers at Tulane University, in collaboration with Corgenix Medical Corporation, a worldwide developer and marketer of diagnostic test kits, have received a five-year $7,073,538 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for continued development of detection kits for Lassa viral hemorrhagic fever, a serious disease spread by contact with infected rodents. Viral hemorrhagic fevers are characterized by fever and bleeding disorders and can progress to high fever and shock. Lassa fever is estimated to infect 300,000 to 500,000 people per year across West Africa, resulting in approximately 5,000 deaths.
Genta Incorporated (OTCBB: GNTA.OB) announced preliminary results from its ongoing clinical study of tesetaxel, a leading oral taxane in the Company"s investigational drug portfolio. The new data show a favorable safety profile with a low incidence of serious adverse events, along with objective responses that have been observed at less than the maximally tolerated dose (MTD). The data are featured in a presentation today at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando, FL.
A group of Senate Democrats will meet with President Obama today to discuss overhauling health care, The New York Times reports.
Prometheus Laboratories Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical and diagnostic company, announced new findings regarding a correlation between an important serologic marker used in the detection of Crohn"s disease and particular genetic markers in patients at risk for celiac disease. In an oral presentation yesterday at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) in Chicago, Prometheus reported a statistically significant correlation between antibodies to the flagellin CBir1 and HLA haplotypes DQ2.5 and DQ8 in a study of 5,406 patients at risk for celiac disease who are EMA positive. Blood and serum samples were analyzed using PROMETHEUS(R) Celiac PLUS and PROMETHEUS(R) IBD Serology 7 diagnostic tests.
The University of Cincinnati houses internationally and nationally ranked programs in design, business and engineering; and faculty and students from these cutting-edge programs recently took on a project to design better hospital gowns in partnership with Hill-Rom Company, Inc., of Batesville, Ind., a maker of hospital beds and medical equipment.
When should a parent schedule a comprehensive eye assessment for a baby? Clinical research has shown that at 6 months, the average baby has reached a number of critical developmental milestones, making this an appropriate age for the first eye and vision assessment.
The friendship between "working moms" Kathleen Sebelius and Nancy-Ann DeParle "could pay big dividends for President Obama now," USA Today reports. The two have a lot in common in the policy world as well. Sebelius, the secretary of Health and Human Services, and DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform, "first met at the White House mess in 1997, during the battle for a patients" bill of rights to combat the constraints of managed care." Their relationship was then "built over a dozen years on topics ranging from the children"s health insurance program to raising their own children. Now, they are the "tag team for Obama"s most ambitious domestic policy goal: an overhaul of the nation"s health care system."
From 1 June 2009, HbA1c (long term blood glucose levels) in all people with diabetes will be measured in millimoles per mol as well as by percentage, the Department of Health said today.
Local news coverage details concerns about Medicare and Medicaid spending reductions that could affect senior and nursing care.
Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) scientists are investigating a promising drug for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients who have become intolerant or resistant to standard therapies. Meir Wetzler, MD, Department of Medicine at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, analyzed the effectiveness of omacetaxine (OM) in an ongoing phase II clinical study and will present the findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2009 annual meeting, May 29 - June 2, in Orlando, FL.
Dr Alexis Willett, Head of Policy & Involvement at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, says:
G-20 leaders pledged to provide the International Monetary Fund with $500
Targeting the issue of low birth rates, the Taiwanese government implemented the Mega Warmth Social Welfare Program (MWSWP) in 2006 after its fertility rates dipped lower than most industrial nations.
The World Milk Day provides an opportunity to focus attention on milk and to publicise activities connected with milk and the milk industry. The fact that many countries choose to do this on the same day lends additional importance to individual national celebrations and shows that milk is a global food.
Declining private and public financial support has forced Vital Life Services, an Oakland, Calif.-based nonprofit that provided support, case management, mental health counseling and other services to roughly 400 low-income and homeless clients with HIV, to shut down, the Oakland Tribune reports. According to the Tribune, the 25-year-old center -- which also provided "unique" services such as daily meals and emergency housing assistance -- "has become a victim of the recession" (Burt, Oakland Tribune, 5/30).
Research from a survey by Tesco Dental Insurance has revealed Brits are finding it increasingly difficulty to find an NHS dentist. The results also show that rising dental costs are putting people off visiting the dentist.
Roche and Plexxikon announced interim results from a phase I study with PLX4032 (R7204) a new, highly selective and potentially promising oral treatment for patients with advanced melanoma whose cancer harbours the BRAF mutation (known as mutation-positive). Patients treated with PLX4032 lived for a median of six months without their disease getting worse and more than half experienced significant shrinkage of their tumours; this included patients where the cancer had spread to the liver, lung and bone.1 Historically, less than 5% of metastatic melanoma patients are still alive five years after diagnosis.2
Older people in Britain are being drugged and robbed when they need care.
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Mice lacking the fat hormone leptin or the ability to respond to it become morbidly obese and severely diabetic - not to mention downright sluggish. Now, a new study in the June Cell Metabolism shows that blood sugar control in those animals can be completely restored by returning leptin sensitivity to a single class of neurons in the brain, which account for only a small fraction of those that normally carry the hormone receptors.
An international team of astronauts, including Canadian Dr. Robert Thirsk who launched into space on May 27, have just published an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) about the complex physiologic changes and psychological effects that occur in space. They draw upon first-hand experience as both physician-astronauts and crew medical officers on space missions and from NASA literature and peer-reviewed medical s.
New data on the persistence of avian influenza viruses in the environment has allowed a team of University of Georgia researchers to create the first model that takes into account both direct and indirect transmission of the viruses among birds. The model, which is detailed in the early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has the potential to shed new light on how outbreaks begin in wild bird populations.
Sunwin International Neutraceuticals, Inc. (OTCBB: SUWN), a leader in the production and distribution of Chinese herbs, veterinary medicines and one of the world"s leading producers of all natural, zero calorie Stevia in China, announced today that the company has increased the availability of two veterinary medicines, Huangqiduotang vaccine and Jinfang Detoxification Powder to treat swine flu that has recently spread in North America and other parts of the world. These products, currently used for controlling various types of influenza in China, have demonstrated effectiveness in controlling swine flu outbreaks among livestock.
An over-the-counter prostate cancer test kit could be coming to a pharmacy near you, thanks to the collaborative work of a University of Central Florida chemist and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando researchers.
Traumatic brain injury not heart disease, stroke or cancer is the number one cause of death and disability in people under 45. Each year, some 1.5 million Americans, including soldiers, athletes, the elderly and children, sustain head injuries, and nearly half of them will be hospitalized and treated in an emergency room or intensive care unit.
Esomeprazole significantly reduced the occurrence of gastric and duodenal ulcers and upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in patients taking low-dose aspirin for risk reduction of adverse cardiovascular (CV) events[i], such as myocardial infarction (MI) and ischaemic stroke, according to new data presented today at the Digestive Diseases Week annual meeting (DDW, 30thMay - 4th June, Chicago).
A new study shows that - in the words of Jon Gabel, its lead author - "American families with employer-based [health] coverage were worse off in 2007 than they were in 2004," the Wall Street Journal reports. The study, published in Health Affairs, found that out-of-pocket costs, such as co-pays and deductibles, increased 34 percent between those years. "The main reason for rising out-of-pocket costs was the growth in overall health spending," the Journal reports (Gerencher, 6/3).
A phase III study has shown that adding an antibody-based therapy that harnesses the body"s immune system resulted in a 20 percent increase in the number of children living disease-free for at least two years with neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma, a hard-to-treat cancer arising from nervous system cells, is responsible for 15 percent of cancer-related deaths in children. The researchers reported their findings - the first to show that immunotherapy could be effective against childhood cancer - online May 14, 2009 on the American Society of Clinical Oncology website in advance of presentation June 2.
Genes trump environment as the primary reason that some adolescents are more likely than others to be victimized by crime, according to groundbreaking research led by distinguished criminologist Kevin M. Beaver of The Florida State University.
More than 17 percent of gay men in Chicago have HIV, and 39 percent went untested in the last 12 months because of fear of the results, according to a study of nearly 600 gay men in the city by the Chicago Department of Health, the Chi-Town Daily News reports. The study also found that gay black men had an infection rate that was more than twice the rates of gay white and Hispanic men. Jim Pickett, director of advocacy for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, said the findings indicate that, "We need to incorporate HIV into a broader or more holistic framework (covering) gay men"s health needs from top to toe." The city will formally release the study"s results next week (Parker, Chi-Town Daily News, 6/2).
Over the past 20 years, the health care system has made tremendous progress in reducing the use of physical restraints among hospitalized elderly patients, a positive change that has had numerous numerous ripple effects, improving outcomes, maintaining mobility and preserving dignity and independence for these individuals.
In an ambitious effort to further Yale University"s engagement in global health, President Richard C. Levin announced today the launch of the Yale Global Health Initiative. This is the first endeavor of the University"s new Jackson Institute of Global Affairs, which was announced in April. The purpose of the new initiative is to unite the many global health efforts across campus, foster innovative educational programs to address the growing student interest in global health, and stimulate and support faculty research to enhance healthcare around the world.
In a review of more than 2,000 patients coded for Barrett"s esophagus, electronic diagnosis overestimated the prevalence of the disease according to researchers in California. They found that only 61.9 percent of patients assigned a billing diagnosis code for Barrett"s esophagus actually had Barrett"s esophagus after a manual record review. The study evaluated the accuracy of diagnostic codes for Barrett"s esophagus by contrasting codes from electronic databases with diagnoses from a detailed medical record review. Researchers also evaluated the reproducibility of a pathologic diagnosis of Barrett"s esophagus between two pathologists and between a single pathologist on two different occasions. The study appears in the May issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).
A new study appearing in Neurology and Urodynamics evaluates the use of a daytime diaper that uses a musical "wetting alarm" for children in day-care centers. The findings show that wetting alarm diaper training is an effective option for toilet training in a child-friendly way.
The demand for more user-friendly healthcare IT professional services has been increasing across Europe. Companies that have delivered the right blend of 360 degree consulting, easier and shorter training sessions and exceptional operational services along with round-the-clock support and maintenance services have been displaying market leadership in terms of revenues and number of installed bases.
Many hospitalized patients overestimate their chance of surviving an in-hospital cardiac arrest and do not know what CPR really involves, a University of Iowa study has shown.
Danish children who move frequently appear to have an increased risk of attempted or completed suicide between ages 11 and 17, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
A protein related to aggressive cancers can actually improve the efficacy of gemcitabine at treating pancreatic cancer, according to a Priority Report in Cancer Research, published by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University.
MRSA is a major problem in nursing homes with one in four residents carrying the bacteria, a study by Queen"s University Belfast and Antrim Area Hospital has found.
As the administration searches for ways to pay for health care reform and restrain medical costs, President Obama suggested Wednesday that he would consider transferring the power to set Medicare reimbursement rates from Congress to the independent advisory agency known as MedPAC, MedPage Today reports. The move reflects legislation introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., last month that would move MedPAC into the executive branch as "a regulatory board similar to the Federal Reserve ... The move would transfer the power to set reimbursement rates from Congress -- and perhaps the interest groups that lobby it -- to an agency that critics say is better equipped to make nuanced medical payment decisions" (Walker 3/09).