Nutrition
UN Launches Pilot Study In Uganda That Uses Text Messages To Promote Public Health
Infighting among Democrats over inclusion of a public plan in health care reform is turning disagreement between moderates and liberals into a "Democratic civil war" with outside groups taking part in the attacks, Politico reports.
The Senate is to vote on an extensive tobacco control bill expected to gain approval today. The bill would "give the Food and Drug Administration legal authority to regulate the sale, manufacturing and marketing of tobacco products" and "give the federal government broad new powers to monitor and change a toxic substance that contributes to some 400,000 deaths every year," according to the Associated Press. "Supporters hailed it as a milestone in efforts to reduce smoking," the AP notes.
With schools dismissing for summer and summer activities underway, the Iowa Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) reminds Iowans to be aware of illnesses and health concerns that are typically associated with warmer weather. Increased outdoor activities mean increased potential for exposure to ticks, waterborne illnesses like Cryptosporidiosis (Crypto) and other diseases. "Everyone is eager to get outdoors," said IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk. "Being aware of spring and summer health concerns is important, especially when simple precautions can help prevent illnesses."
Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans on Wednesday sent a letter to Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor requesting additional background information to supplement a committee questionnaire, CQ Today reports. The Republicans said that Democrats are rushing the nomination process by scheduling Sotomayor"s confirmation hearing to begin July 13 and that they need more information on the nominee. According to CQ Today, Democrats are unlikely to budge from their determination to confirm Sotomayor before the Aug. 7 recess, although Republicans might convince Leahy to postpone the hearing for a week in exchange for a GOP pledge not to delay a committee vote on Sotomayor for a week, as allowed under the panel"s rules (Perine, CQ Today, 6/10). Among their requests, Republicans asked that Sotomayor provide copies of the Yale Law Journal, for which she served as an editor, and that she elaborate upon her role with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund. White House spokesperson Ben LaBolt said that the Obama administration has made clear that it plans to provide additional information but that it has presented most of the information quickly to allow the Senate to begin its review (Herszenhorn, "The Caucus," New York Times, 6/10). Judiciary Committee ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) said that the information requested is not "little itty-bitty matters" but "important" components of Sotomayor"s background. He added, "If we"re going to move forward in a record-breaking time frame, the least we can expect is complete and full answers to these questions." Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), a senior member on the committee, said there is "a lot of irritation and discomfort" among Republicans "about the way it"s being handled." He added that he does not think Republicans want to filibuster the nomination but implied that they might use procedural tools to slow the process (CQ Today, 6/10).
The Hawai"i State Department of Health (DOH) confirmed 83 additional cases of novel H1N1 Influenza A of swine origin this week. Two of the individuals live on the island of Kaua"i, one individual lives on the island of Maui, two individuals live on the island of Hawai"i, and 78 are O"ahu residents. It is important to note that all of the individuals have recovered or are recovering at home with no complications. The next weekly update will be posted at http://www.hawaii.gov/health on Wednesday, June 17 at 11:00 a.m.
Researchers at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles and Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona have discovered a reason why smoking increases the risk of heart disease and strokes.
Researchers at Addenbrook"s Hospital in Cambridge published a study on bmj.com in which they explain their design and evaluation of a new cognitive test for detecting Alzeimer" disease called TYM ("test your memory") which is considered quicker and more precise than many existing tests, and which can also help diagnose early dementia.
Operating a computer by thought alone was unimaginable ten years ago, but this incredible feat is now possible. Financed by the ANR (the French national research agency) OpenViBE is the first French multi-partner project on brain-computer interfaces. With support from INRIA (the French national institute for research in computer science and control) and Inserm (the French national institute of health and medical research), OpenViBE has successfully perfected a free software programme with highly promising applications.
"Taking out the trash" takes on a whole new meaning, as investigators at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, have discovered that a waste disposal protein is the key to cancer tumor suppression in a process known as autophagy. CINJ is a Center of Excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers are reporting the first detailed molecular snapshots of a deadly gastrointestinal virus as it is caught in the grasp of an immune system molecule with the capacity to destroy it. The images could help scientists design a more effective vaccine against rotavirus, a lethal infection that kills more than 500,000 children worldwide each year. The discovery is timely.
The first long-term study following a large number of chest pain patients who are screened with coronary computerized tomographic angiography (CTA) confirms that the test is a safe, effective way to rule out serious cardiovascular disease in patients who come to hospital emergency rooms with chest pain, according to new research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine which was presented Friday, May 15, 2009 at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine"s annual conference.
A recent study by Kessler Foundation Research Center published in Brain Injury, the official journal of the International Brain Injury Association, uncovered the possible cause of cognitive fatigue in patients suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Cognitive fatigue has been shown to be one of the most challenging symptoms following TBI, greatly affecting everyday life activities such as work and school. The study also addressed the difficult task of measuring cognitive fatigue through the use of functional MRI (fMRI), an advanced imaging technology. In addition to civilians with TBI, methodology from the study could potentially be used in VA Hospitals to improve the lives of the estimated 300,000 U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who suffer from brain injury. Cognitive fatigue is a highly prevalent condition, with 73 percent of TBI patients reporting significant levels of fatigue even five years post-injury.
Following the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of swine flu pandemic, the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) announced it has successfully developed an adjuvant that could significantly enhance both the effectiveness and supplies of pandemic flu vaccines. The Seattle-based not-for-profit organization will make its adjuvant technology available to flu vaccine manufacturers for the production of A (H1N1) or future pandemic flu vaccines.
Combining two chemotherapy drugs with trastuzumab (Herceptin) to treat women who have metastatic HER2+ breast cancer may offer physicians another choice in their treatment options.
University of Florida researchers have come up with a new gene therapy method to disrupt cancer growth by using a synthetic protein to induce blood clotting that cuts off a tumor"s blood and nutrient supply.
Researchers in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester are developing a new way to make protein based drugs with potential applications in stroke, vascular inflammation, blood vessel formation, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
HCL, the UK"s largest health and social care recruiter, said today that it anticipates increasing demand for its temporary and locum staff as the NHS seeks to increase efficiencies in healthcare provision.
A new report tracking selected indicators of health system performance over 10 years in Canada shows significant improvements in the prevention and management of heart disease, with fewer Canadians having a heart attack, one of the leading causes of death in this country. Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows the rate of patients admitted to hospital for heart attack in Canada (outside Quebec) dropped 13% between 2003-2004 and 2007-2008, after population growth and aging were taken into account. Over the same time period, deaths in hospital within 30 days of admission for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), or heart attack, were down 11%, and unplanned readmissions to hospital after a heart attack declined by 31%. Health Indicators 2009 marks the 10th anniversary of CIHI"s annual report. Produced with Statistics Canada, the report provides more than 40 comparable measures of health and the health system by health region, province and territory.
On 16 June, boys living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, their families and supporters will be lobbying MPs and marching to No. 10 Downing Street to bring an end to the continuing serious under-funding for research into the condition. Results from recent clinical trials into the effectiveness of Exon Skipping as a gene therapy for the treatment of Duchenne have been very promising and scientists say that a cure is tantalisingly close, but more funding is needed. The lobby action is being organised by Action Duchenne, the only UK charity dedicated solely to raising awareness and raising funds for research into treatments and finding a cure, and providing support for families living with Duchenne.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting patients to the Class I recall of certain Medtronic Kappa and Sigma pacemakers. These devices may fail due to a separation of wires that connect the electronic circuit to other pacemaker components, such as the battery.
Rogers Media is proud to join AstraZeneca Canada and Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada) as a presenting partner of the school-based children"s wellness initiative, At My Best. The program addresses three key areas of wellness-physical, nutritional and emotional-and empowers teachers, parents and caregivers to inspire and motivate children and their families to make healthier choices today and develop lifelong healthy habits.
UK researchers who asked over 700 patients and members of the public to pick out a diagram that showed the correct location of the human heart
Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany, has completed
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announced that it received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to market the BRYAN® Cervical Disc System for the treatment of single-level cervical disc disease (radiculopathy and/or myelopathy). In July 2007, Medtronic"s PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc was the first artificial cervical disc to be approved by the FDA. With the BRYAN® Disc and the PRESTIGE® Disc, Medtronic now offers a diverse portfolio of artificial cervical discs that address varying philosophies among spine surgeons about optimal implant materials, fixation methods, surgical techniques, and other unique design features.
GTx, Inc. (Nasdaq: GTXI) announced results of a Phase II clinical trial evaluating Ostarine™ (MK-2866), an investigational selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), in patients with cancer induced muscle loss, also known as cancer cachexia. In the study, Ostarine treatment led to statistically significant increase in lean body mass (LBM) and improvement in muscle performance measured by stair climb in patients with cancer cachexia compared to baseline in both the Ostarine 1 mg and 3 mg treatment cohorts. These study results were the subject today of an oral podium presentation at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society in Washington.
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the world"s leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced the availability of a new laboratory developed test designed to help physicians determine whether a patient with a history of HIV drug resistance will respond to the latest class of HIV antiretroviral therapies. The HIV-1 Coreceptor Tropism Test, which reports results in approximately half the time of the nearest competing test, provides physicians with timely information so they may more quickly determine or change therapy based on how the HIV virus infects cells in the individual patient.
WASHINGTON D.C. - Most patients with acromegaly who are switched to the long-acting somatostatin analogue lanreotide (SomatulineR Depot) injection from initial treatment with octreotide cite a preference for lanreotide as their future therapy, according to data released here at the 91st Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society (ENDO 09).
An embolism - from the Greek ç©mbolos meaning "stopper" or "plug" - is the term that describes a condition where an object called an embolus is created in one part of the body, circulates throughout the body, and then blocks blood flowing through a vessel in another part of the body. Emboli (plural of embolus) are not to be confused with thrombi (plural of thrombus), which are clots that are formed and remain in one area of the body without being carried throughout the bloodstream.
In light of the World Health Organization raising its pandemic flu alert to the top phase of its six-phase scale, Aon Corporation (NYSE: AOC) today issued the following statement by Gisele Norris, DrPH, national director of Aon Healthcare"s alternative risk practice:
Auditory hallucinations are one of the more disturbing features of schizophrenia, and tend to persist even when patients are treated with conventional medication treatments. Researchers from the University of Caen, France, report on a new treatment for hallucinations at the meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping. They used a technique called Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation- rTMS, which sends magnetic pulses at high frequency (20 Hz) over the brain surface. By placing the pulses guided by anatomical and functional cerebral imaging over the auditory cortex where hallucinations are generated, they found a significant reduction in auditory hallucinations that lasted for nearly 2 weeks following the treatment; 2 patients were hallucination free after 6 months. While the study is still preliminary, it suggests the potential for 20 Hz- rTMS as a new, noninvasive approach to treatment of schizophrenia that is relatively safe and free of side effects.
Brain-computer interfaces "translate" what a person is thinking in words or actions. Researchers from Maastricht University in the Netherlands performed functional MRI brain scans on healthy participants, instructing them to "type" by performing mental tasks corresponding to different letters in the English alphabet. Researchers were able to use signals from the participants" brain activation patterns to decode information about the intended letter that a participant was thinking about, and to use this in a conversation with the experimenters without any spoken words. It is hoped that such technology can enable communication with "locked-in" patients or assessment of consciousness in non-responsive patients.
Dartmouth Medical School geneticists have made new inroads into understanding the regulatory circuitry of the biological clock that synchronizes the ebb and flow of daily activities, according to two studies published May 15.
In a study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, Saint Louis University"s Center for Vaccine Development is investigating whether the standard vaccine used in foreign countries against tuberculosis offers better protection as a shot, drink or combination of both.
A new study reports that 75 percent of cardiac damage after vascular surgery is asymptomatic or patients" symptoms are concealed by postoperative complaints such as nausea and incision pain. This damage is associated with an increased risk for mortality. Researchers have found that screening for cardiac damage following surgery helps identify high-risk patients who might benefit from more aggressive medical therapy and follow-up after discharge. These findings are from a study presented today at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Vascular Surgery®.
A research group based at the University of Granada, in cooperation with the Neurology Unit of the San Cecilio Hospital of Granada and the Department of Experimental Sciences of the University of Jaen, is studying the Neurobiology of Parkinson"s disease (PD). They have developed a non-invasive method for serological diagnosis of Parkinson"s disease, which is being patented by the University of Granada. To this end, the scientists analyzed and purified proteins associated with this disease, such as aminopeptidase. However, it is not an easy task: "there are thousands of proteins in the blood, and only a few are related to neurodegenerative diseases."
UroToday.com - The mortality rate for prostate cancer is declining due to improvements in earlier detection and in local therapy strategies, however, the ability to predict the metastatic behavior of a patient"s cancer, as well as to detect and eradicate disease recurrence remains some of the greatest clinical challenges in oncology.
UroToday.com - Large urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis poses a diagnostic as well as surgical challenge to the urologist. This type of malignancy is frequently mistaken preoperatively for renal cell cancer due to its low incidence (10% of all renal malignancies) especially when associated with tumor extension into the inferior vena cava. The presence of a large renal mass should therefore not dissuade the urologist to perform cystoscopy and cytology in order to complete hematuria work-up. Opening the specimen in the operating room will provide clues for the origin of the tumor.
UroToday.com - Radiofrequency (RF) ablation of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been accepted as a minimally invasive treatment for patients who are not able to undergo surgery1. These patients have such poor medical conditions that they can have a higher risk of postoperative morbidity or mortality compared to the general population.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that globally a total of 8,840 swine flu A(H1N1) cases of human infection have been confirmed, including 71 deaths (all of them in Mexico, the USA and Canada). The death rate for this novel influenza strain appears to be no different from that of seasonal human influenza. Several countries have now lifted travel restrictions on non-essential visits to Mexico.
On Monday June 15th 2009, it"s the Department of Health"s National Bug Busting Day. It"s the day for families everywhere to check their hair for traces of head lice and nits. In support of this Department of Health incentive, The Hairforce are setting up a Head Lice Check & Clear Hotline (0844 848 5948) for people to call-in and listen to advice about checking and clearing hair.
Mental Health America tomorrow will honor journalists, producers and writers for outstanding coverage of mental health issues at a Media Awards luncheon being held during its Centennial Conference in Washington, D.C.
The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), the nation"s oldest women"s health organization, is pleased to announce that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has reaffirmed its support for equitable reimbursement for certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) within the Medicare program, a priority legislative initiative for ACNM members.
Merck & Co., Inc. issued the following statement in response to today"s communication from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) addressing updated information on leukotriene inhibitors, including SINGULAIR® (montelukast sodium).
Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) announced that it has completed testing and evaluation of the A/H1N1 influenza virus and is now in full-scale production of a commercial A/H1N1 vaccine using its Vero cell culture technology. Baxter received an A/H1N1 strain from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center] in early May and is diligently working to deliver a pandemic vaccine for use as early as July.
Sen. Kent Conrad, who has proposed a cooperative insurance marketplace for Americans and small businesses to pool and purchase health insurance, told The Washington Post"s Ezra Klein yesterday that his co-op proposal worked from the premise that a public plan to purchase health insurance doesn"t have the votes to pass the Senate.
New legislation introduced yesterday would attempt to shift Medicare reimbursement policy to reward patient health outcomes, rather than the volume of services provided, MinnPost, a nonprofit online news organization, reports. "We need to be sure to keep score," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who introduced the bill, according to MinnPost. "That means measuring outcomes and rewarding providers that deliver quality results."
Based on its ongoing avian influenza vaccine research, Inviragen is designing vaccines to protect against multiple influenza strains, including seasonal influenza and the recently emerged H1N1 influenza strain. The H1N1 influenza virus has caused nearly 30,000 cases worldwide in 74 countries leading to 144 deaths. In contrast, while no H5N1 avian influenza strain capable of human-to-human transmission has yet emerged, the high mortality of the virus represents a threat for future epidemics. In addition, conventional seasonal influenza continues to impact public health, causing an estimated 250,000 deaths worldwide every year. Inviragen will leverage its success in designing avian influenza vaccines to identify vaccine candidates that protect against pandemic and seasonal influenza viruses.
Data presented at the 19th Scientific Meeting of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) confirm that Diovan® (valsartan) and valsartan-based combinations deliver sustained, 24-hr blood pressure (BP)-lowering efficacy2-6.
Global Post examines the quest for an effective vaccine to fight malaria. According to Global Post, "epidemiologists are pinning their hopes on a malaria vaccine" because "[k]illing mosquitoes, or avoiding bites, is an imprecise solution to malaria."
Men are almost 40 per cent more likely than women to die from cancer, reveals a report published today (Monday) by the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) and Cancer Research UK together with the Men"s Health Forum to mark Men"s Health Week.
Individuals diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in lower gross domestic product (GDP) countries (GDP below $11,000) are more likely to continue working despite higher disease activity and functional disability scores compared to their counterparts in higher GDP countries (GDP >$24,000) according to a new multinational study presented today at EULAR 2009, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Over half (63%) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) also suffer from psychiatric disorders, with the majority of these (87%) occurring in the depressive spectrum, according to the results of a new study presented recently at EULAR 2009, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Copenhagen, Denmark. Interestingly, over half (52%) of the patients studied indicated that they had experienced stress events before the onset of their RA.
A protein known to be overly active in breast cancer can exist in a form that seems to change the structural composition of mammary tissue, potentially making it more conducive to tumor progression, say researchers from the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC).
Gallstones are lumps or stones that develop in the gallbladder or bile duct. Some of the chemicals which exist in the gallbladder, such as cholesterol, calcium bilirubinate, and calcium carbonate, harden into either one large stone or many small ones. According to Medilexicon"s medical dictionary, a gallstone is "A concretion in the gallbladder or a bile duct, composed chiefly of a mixture of cholesterol, calcium bilirubinate, and calcium carbonate, occasionally as a pure stone composed of just one of these substances". An article describes a gallbladder in the bile duct similar to trying to squeeze a golf ball through a straw.
President Barack Obama is seeking support from America"s doctors today as he addresses delegates at the 158th annual meeting of the American
Jazz Pharmaceuticals" (Nasdaq: JAZZ) sodium oxybate (JZP-6) demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in pain and the core symptoms associated with fibromyalgia, according to Phase III data presented last week at the 2009 Associated Professional Sleep Societies meeting in Seattle, WA. These data have not been evaluated by the FDA or other regulatory authorities for use of sodium oxybate in the treatment of fibromyalgia.
Transdel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: TDLP) a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing non-invasive, topically administered products, announced that they anticipate reporting top-line results from their current Phase 3 study of Ketotransdel(R) during the third quarter of 2009.
A marker in the blood of both cats and humans that was identified in a recent study might signal both species" susceptibility for a painful bladder disorder called interstitial cystitis, a condition that is often difficult to diagnose.
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In his weekly Internet and radio address Saturday, President Obama announced a plan to cut $313 billion in Medicare and Medicaid spending over the next decade as a way to raise money for overhauling the health care system and covering millions of the uninsured, the Los Angeles Times reports. The largest savings include "increased efficiencies in the system," cuts to subsidies paid to hospitals for treating the uninsured, cuts to prices the government pays for prescription drugs for seniors. The paper adds: "the proposal -- which includes potential cuts to hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and other providers -- also underscores the political delicacy of the administration"s search for money for a massive healthcare overhaul that could cost more than $1.2 trillion over the next decade" (Levey, 6/15).
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is conducting a three-week tour featuring a mobile testing unit named for former National Basketball Association player Earvin "Magic" Johnson that provides free HIV testing to local residents, WDSU.com reports. During the tour, which recently stopped in New Orleans, AHF will present $5,000 grants to local HIV/AIDS organizations (WDSU.com, 6/14). In related news, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) sponsored a health awareness festival in Pensacola, Fla. that sought to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among the black community as part of its annual state convention. According to Art Rocker, head of the local SCLC chapter, since 2007, there has been an increase in the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Escambia County, Fla., which prompted the organization to focus its event on HIV/AIDS (Dugas, Pensacola News Journal, 6/14).
Mayo Clinic cardiology researchers have found a peptide that helps preserve and improve kidney function during heart failure, without affecting blood pressure. Earlier variations of this peptide caused blood pressure to drop limiting the potential benefits to the kidneys. The findings appear in the current Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
A lung cancer treatment that inhibits nicotine receptors was shown to double survival time in mice, according to Italian researchers.
A new article in Scrip World Pharmaceutical News highlights enormous change in cancer medicine with highly personalised treatments, patient top-up payments in some markets, response-related payments and even refunds when there is no response to a treatment, all driving the future of cancer care worldwide.
Recent epidemiological studies have revealed an increase in the frequency of genital malformations in male newborns (e.g., un-descended testes) and a decrease in male fertility.
Australian and New Zealand scientists are a step closer to unravelling what causes multiple sclerosis.
Paul Ennals, Chief Executive of NCB, has been awarded a knighthood in the Queen"s Birthday Honours list.
Disabled children missing out on basic NHS care Parents tell of "battle" to get basic healthcare for disabled children and of agencies routinely "passing the buck"
Calcium Supplementation Has No Weight-loss Benefit for Obese Patients
President Barack Obama spoke to the American Medical Association (AMA) recently addressing concerns about health insurance reform and the whole nation, including physicians from coast to coast, listened.
The University of South Florida and Moffitt Cancer Center have been awarded a highly competitive, $6-million federal grant to create a National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) Center of Excellence. The five-year program grant from the NCMHD, National Institutes of Health, will focus on research, education and training, and community outreach activities to reduce cancer-related health disparities among minority and underserved communities in Florida.
A new technique known as stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is safe for patients with recurrent head and neck cancers and may improve their quality of life, according to researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI). Results of the phase I study were reported today in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.
June is National Osteoporosis Month and health experts from NHS Somerset are urging people to look after their bones by living well and eating well.
The European Medicines Agency has been formally notified by Sepracor Pharmaceuticals Ltd of its decision to withdraw its application for a centralised marketing authorisation for the medicine Lunivia (eszopiclone), 2 and 3 mg tablets.
CeNeRx BioPharma, Inc., a clinical stage company developing and commercializing innovative treatments for diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), announced that it has obtained the rights to develop and market a novel agent for the prevention and treatment of neuropathies and neurodegenerative disorders. The drug candidate, CXB909, is a small molecule, orally active agent that enhances the effects of nerve growth factor (NGF). CeNeRx intends to initiate a Phase l trial of CXB909 for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) later this year.
MacroGenics, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced that the PROTEGE trial achieved its targeted patient enrollment. The trial is a pivotal Phase 2/3 clinical study evaluating teplizumab, an investigational compound under development for the treatment of individuals with recent-onset type 1 diabetes.
More and more couples from the United Kingdom are crossing the ocean for donor egg treatment at Shady Grove Fertility Center, the Washington/Baltimore area"s largest in vitro fertilization (IVF) and fertility clinic. More than five dozen British patients received IVF treatment there last year, which was a 350-percent increase over 2007; most were donor egg recipients.
In 2004, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center announced a crucial discovery in the understanding of cellular aging. They found that as cells and tissues age, the expression of a key protein, called p16INK4a, dramatically increases in most mammalian organs. Because p16INK4a is a tumor suppressor protein, cancer researchers are interested in its role in cellular aging and cancer prevention.
A research published today on bmj.com reports that Caucasian British women are more likely to have had a mammogram. And there is more probability that women owning cars or homes have had a mammogram.
In an interview with NPR, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius stressed that talk of a public plan doesn"t mean that a single-payer option is a possibility. "This is not a trick. This is not single payerò€¦ That"s not what anyone is talking about - mostly because the president feels strongly, as I do, that dismantling private health coverage for the 180 million Americans that have it, discouraging more employers from coming into the marketplace, is really the bad, you know, is a bad direction to go," she said. Sebelius added that a public insurance option would pressure private insurance companies to lower costs, which she says is "a good thing for the American public. Medicare right now has lower overhead than private insurers." Some Republicans have argued that Americans currently in private plans would flee to the public option, but Sebelius countered that expanding health insurance would potentially create "50 million-plus new insurance customers, whether you"re talking about a private plan or public option."
The following statistics were released by the Department of Health:
The number of assisted reproduction procedures, such as in vitro fertilization, continues to increase at a rapid pace, with half of the 54,656 infants born in 2006 being twins, triplets or higher multiples, according to a series of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports, HealthLeaders Media reports. Since 2001, the number of live-birth deliveries -- which includes those in which at least one infant was born -- as the result of assisted reproductive technology increased by 41%, and the number of infants born as a result increased by 34%, according to CDC. ART services are offered at 483 medical centers, compared with 421 in 2001.According to CDC, ART procedures are more likely to result in multiple births, which produce higher rates of complication in the infants, such as prematurity, low birthweight and disability. CDC said that the cost of treating complications resulting from ART pregnancies totaled $1 billion in 2005, presenting an economic burden to hospitals and payers. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology recommend that doctors transfer one embryo in women younger than age 35, one or two in women ages 35 to 37, no more than three embryos in women ages 38 to 40 and up to five in older women and "extraordinary circumstances." However, CDC reported that about 16% of ART procedures since 2001 involved four or more embryos, and 5% involved five or more embryos, indicating that these guidelines were not widely followed. According to CDC, "In certain states, ART procedures are not covered by insurance carriers, and patients might feel pressured to maximize the opportunity for live-birth delivery by transferring multiple embryos." The report also noted that physicians might be implanting more embryos to increase the percentage of total live-birth deliveries by their patients. The report said that to "minimize the adverse maternal and child health effects associated with multiple pregnancies, ongoing efforts to limit the number of embryos transferred in each ART procedure should be continued and strengthened."Many hospitals consider ART a lucrative field because most patients undergoing the procedures have private insurance or pay out of pocket. However, health plans pass on the costs of complications to employers and the insured in the form of higher premiums, HealthLeaders Media reports. Thomas Moore, director of Obstetrical Services at the University of California-San Diego, said, "Even though private insurance pays a large percentage of the cost of caring for these newborns, it can be expensive for the health insurance industry overall," adding, "At $2,000 to $3,000 a day for intensive care, which can continue three and four months, that"s a cost that raises premiums across the board" (Clark, HealthLeaders Media, 6/12).
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the ASHP Foundation today announced the Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative (PPMI), the next major step in the evolution of pharmacy practice in hospitals and health systems.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) today honored Christopher A. Hatwig, M.S., FASHP, with the ASHP Board of Directors Award of Excellence for his work to help safety net hospitals provide safe and cost-effective drug therapy to low-income and uninsured patients. Hatwig, vice president of Apexus in Irving, Texas, received the award during ASHP"s Summer Meeting in Rosemont, Ill.
The 150th anniversary of the death of Jacob Bell, founder of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, was remembered on Friday 12 June at a ceremony at his memorial in Woodbury Park Cemetery, Royal Tunbridge Wells.
A new report issued recently by the U.S. Global Change Research Program outlines the extent of climate change around the U.S. and its effects not only at present but for the future as well.
American Career College has gained approval to offer a Respiratory Therapy (RT) program at its Ontario campus, where the program"s initial class will commence on July 20, 2009. Currently, American Career College offers an RT program at its Orange County campus in Anaheim.
University of Alberta researchers conducting a water study in the Mackenzie River Delta have found a dramatically higher delivery of mercury from the Mackenzie River to the Arctic Ocean than determined in previous studies.
Building on the historic $19 billion investment provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), efforts continued today to further the national adoption and implementation of health information technology (HIT) -- an essential tool to modernize the health care system and bring about improved health for all Americans. The Health Information Technology (HIT) Policy Committee, a Federal Advisory Committee (FACA) to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), met today to begin the process of defining "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs). This meeting is a first step for the department, as it investigates possible definitions for meaningful use.
Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic disease, announced final data from three separate Phase II trials involving its lead cholesterol management compound, lomitapide (AEGR-733), which is a microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor (MTP-I) small molecule drug. The final data was recently presented at the American Diabetes Association"s "69th Scientific Sessions" in New Orleans, LA on June 7, 2009 and the International Symposium on Atherosclerosis (ISA) in Boston, MA on June 15, 2009.
Clear Innova announced the launch of a next-generation radiology information system (RIS) that will serve as an efficient, cost-effective practice management solution for imaging centers and hospital radiology departments.
A new diagnostic technique which may greatly simplify the detection of Alzheimer"s disease has been discovered by researchers at McGill University and the affiliated Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research at Montreal"s Jewish General Hospital (JGH). Their results were published June 8 in the Journal of Alzheimer"s Disease. There is currently no accepted blood test for Alzheimer"s, and the diagnosis is usually based on expensive and labour-intensive neurological, neuropsychological and neuroimaging evaluations.
To determine if guided fat (adipose) precursor cells (APCs) could improve nerve regeneration and functional recovery, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh (USA) used biodegradable nerve guides to transplant APCs into the injured peripheral nerves of laboratory rats.
This week, a study came out that scared us big-time ... it suggests that children and teens who take stimulants like Ritalin for ADHD have an increased risk for sudden cardiac death. Our pediatrician weighs in.
The ESMO Conference: 11th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer opens next week in Barcelona, Spain with a substantial increase in registered attendees over previous years, providing important practice updates and promising new research into the numerous types of cancers that affect the gastrointestinal tract. "Ongoing study and changing standards in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers have made it mandatory for clinicians to continually update their knowledge to keep up with advances in the field," says Congress co-chair Dr. Eric Van Cutsem. "The World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer addresses the immediate practice implications of these changes."
Two new studies from The Children"s Hospital of Philadelphia advance the search for genetic events that result in neuroblastoma, a puzzling, often-deadly type of childhood cancer.
The most popular type of gastric bypass surgery appears to nearly double the chance that a patient will develop kidney stones, despite earlier assumptions that it would not, Johns Hopkins doctors report in a new study. The overall risk, however, remains fairly small at about 8 percent.
Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENZN) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Cimzia®, for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol), is a PEGylated anti-TNFa (Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha). The product is currently being developed by UCB. Cimzia is one of several products which utilize Enzon"s PEGylation technology, including PEG-INTRON®, Macugen®, and Pegasys®.
A new trial has found that pneumococcal vaccine is effective in preventing severe pneumonia, the leading cause of death among children in developing countries. Co-ordinated by the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) between 2000 and 2004, a large scale efficacy trial first of its kind in Asia - was carried out in the Philippines to investigate the effect of an investigational pneumococcal vaccine.
Hydration expert, Water Wellpoint is playing a key role in helping public sector employers look after the health and wellbeing of their staff. The company has recently been working with East London NHS Foundation Trust to run a series of wellbeing days, giving employees the ability to check key aspects of their health in a total voluntary format.
Discovering for the first time that copy number variation or CNV, where a strip of DNA is duplicated or missing, may
Brain injuries are the number one killer and disabler of people under the age of 45 in Canada. These injuries are
HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) Cymru is reminding visitors to Swansea Pride (Saturday 27th June) not to put their sexual health at risk by getting carried away with the party mood.
Good news for the 1.3 million Canadian patients at risk for anaphylaxis, as Paladin Labs Inc. (TSX:PLB), a leading Canadian specialty pharmaceutical company, announced the Canadian launch of Twinject® TwinpackTM, making it more convenient for people to manage this potentially life threatening condition.
Diabetes UK and the South Asian Health Foundation (SAHF) are highlighting 16 research topics in a new report to find out more about diabetes in South Asian people.
"Democrats Tom Daschle and George Mitchell are set to join Republicans Bob Dole and Howard Baker on Wednesday to release a $1.2 trillion proposal that would be fully paid for with a combination of spending cuts and tax increases," the Associated Press reports. The proposal from the four former Senate leaders "combines ideas from both political parties to guarantee coverage for all" and is an attempt to "prevent a repeat of the 1990s standoff over health care."
As the recession forces more hospitals and doctors to pare costs and services, children are being especially hard hit.
The Ozone Man, Inc. (OTCBB: OZOM), dba TOMI Environmental Solutions, or TOMIES, announced today the completion of a deep cleaning treatment of Xaverian High School with a student body of 1400 located in Brooklyn, New York. The Ozone Man"s treatment eliminated contaminants including Swine Flu "H1N1" along with inactivating viruses. The Ozone Man"s treatment also eliminates odor, mold spores and kills bacteria in the treated areas. Its proprietary Ultraviolet Ozone Generators produce the cleanest ozone south of the stratosphere, helping to ensure the health, safety and well being of the building and its inhabitants.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday narrowly passed a $106 billion war-funding bill, which "included 7.7 billion to help the nation prepare for an outbreak of the H1N1 virus, the so-called swine flu," the Washington Times reports (Rowland, Washington Times, 6/17). The spending bill will now move to the Senate for consideration (Pelofsky, Reuters, 6/16).
The Endocrine Society is pleased to announce the 2009 Laureate Awards established in 1944 to recognize the highest achievements in endocrinology including: science, leadership, teaching and service. This year"s Laureate Awards were presented at ENDO 09, the 91st Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society, being held June 10-13, in Washington, DC.
Health and religion have always been intertwined, most obviously through prayer on behalf of the sick. Does intercessory prayer for sick people actually help heal them? For thousands of years some people have believed so. But new Brandeis University research in the Journal of Religion this month shows that over the last four decades, medical studies of intercessory prayer - the prayer of strangers at a distance - actually say more about the scientists conducting the studies than about the power of prayer to heal.
In the decade since the Implicit Association Test was introduced, its most surprising and controversial finding is its indication that about 70 percent of those who took a version of the test that measures racial attitudes have an unconscious, or implicit, preference for white people compared to blacks. This contrasts with figures generally under 20 percent for self report, or survey, measures of race bias.