Oncology
President Barack Obama yesterday detailed his support for "government-run insurance program that would compete with private insurers," CQ Politics reports.
In a New England Journal of Medicine perspective published online last night, Harvard Business School Professor Michael E. Porter outlines a national health care strategy. Recognizing "a new openness to changing a system that we all agree is broken," Porter emphasizes the need for a "value-based system" that both moves toward universal insurance coverage and restructures the care delivery system. Porter offers six steps critical to achieving such a system:
A nationwide vaccination effort in Mozambique helped to slash the number of reported cases of measles in Mozambique in 2008, Health Minister Ivo Garrido said Wednesday when addressing the country"s parliament, Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique/allAfrica.com reports.
With the U.N. Human Rights Council"s June session coming up, governments have a "chance to prove that they value women"s lives by taking concrete action" to recognize "preventable maternal death as a violation of women"s rights," Mary Robinson and Alicia Yamin, advisory council members of the International Initiative on Maternal Mortality and Human Rights, write in a Boston Globe opinion piece.
"The President has made a strong commitment to developing a national HIV/AIDS strategy, which is a top priority for" the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), Jeffrey Crowley, director of ONAP and senior advisor on disability policy, writes in a Windy City Times opinion piece. He adds, "As we work to craft a national strategy, we are prepared to engage the government and the public to ask tough questions to achieve the President"s goals of reducing HIV incidence, getting all people living with HIV/AIDS into care, and addressing health disparities." In addition, President Obama"s budget seeks to increase access to care and treatment for people living with HIV and calls for increased CDC funding that "will allow states and local health departments to expand evidence-based prevention interventions and test 600,000 additional persons with HIV and identify 6,000 new HIV infections per year," Crowley said (Crowley, Windy City Times, 6/3).
Kansas has become "perhaps the fiercest battleground" in the abortion-rights debate with mass protests, prosecutions, lawsuits and the recent murder of abortion provider George Tiller, the AP/Washington Post reports. Kansas State University political scientist Joe Aistrup said, "There"s a very prominent vein in Kansas politics that tends toward moral righteousness." He said that this contributes to that unending debate and has produced extremists on both sides of the issue in the state.Peter Brownlie, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said that the majority of those who maintain the intense debate on abortion rights are political leaders. "There is a very clear and growing gap between the general public and the political leaders who are committed to this being such a constant and volatile issue," he said. Brownlie added that on issues relating to abortion, sex education and family planning, "Kansans" views are not markedly different from most Americans, but there are political forces at work, some of them well beyond the state borders."The Post reports that Kansas is different than most states where either supporters or foes of abortion rights dominate. According to the AP/Post, Kansas often sways between having key lawmakers who support abortion rights and those who oppose them. For example, a Republican-dominated Legislature over the past six years passed several bills to restrict abortion access, but much of the legislation was vetoed by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D). The result has triggered frustration in groups opposing abortion rights, and they continue to feed widespread opposition to abortion in the state, the AP/Post reports.According to Burdett Loomis, a University of Kansas political science professor, there even is a split among Kansas Republicans in regard to abortion rights, as some Republicans in the state are evangelical Christians who oppose abortion rights, while others are moderates who support such rights. He said the split "might pop out in gun laws, home schooling, evolution, but it starts and stops with abortion" (Crary/Hanna, AP/Washington Post, 6/3).Wall Street Journal Examines Abortions Later in PregnancyIn related news, the Wall Street Journal on Thursday examined how Tiller"s clinic in Kansas became a battleground in the abortion-rights debate particularly because some of his patients were in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. According to the Journal, even though the subject of abortion later in pregnancy is the of "a deep cultural divide," both sides agree that it is "anguishing." Fewer than 1% of all abortions in the U.S. are performed in the second or third trimesters, and most states prohibit abortions late in pregnancy but include exceptions for the woman"s life and health.The Journal reports that abortion procedures performed later in pregnancy often carry increased health risks, are more expensive and are emotional. The Guttmacher Institute reports that 8.9 maternal deaths occur during every 100,000 abortions performed later in pregnancy, compared with 7.1 deaths per 100,000 births. The article also profiled women who chose to undergo abortions later in pregnancy at Tiller"s clinic, as well as arguments from abortion-rights opponents (Simon, Wall Street Journal, 6/4).
"If Sonia Sotomayor is a radical activist eager to push the law leftward or to rule according to personal whims rather than constitutional commands, she"s done an impressive job of hiding it all these years," Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus writes, adding that the "amazing thing about the case against Sotomayor is how thin it is." She writes, "If Sotomayor is the judicial radical of conservative imaginings, certainly there ought to be something more in her paper trail."Marcus continues that an "examination of Sotomayor"s decisions shows a careful judge who tends to rule for the government over criminal defendants; who has been skeptical of most civil rights claims that have come before her; and who, to the extent that she has ruled on cases that touch on abortion, has come down against the abortion-rights side." According to Marcus, Sotomayor is "not apt to be David Souter in reverse -- a Democratic pick who turns out to be a close conservative." However, there also is "no evidence that she will be outside the liberal mainstream on the current court," Marcus writes. Marcus notes that Sotomayor "has ruled in favor of abortion protesters who claimed police used excessive force in removing them from outside a clinic," and she "refused to overturn the federal policy barring international family planning funds to organizations that perform or promote abortion," known as the "global gag rule." Marcus concludes, "Perhaps Sotomayor the radical has been biding her time, awaiting the day when the freedom of a Supreme Court seat would liberate her from precedent and moderation," but "the record suggests" that outcome is "unlikely" (Marcus, Washington Post, 6/3).
A unique research project into the highly sensitive problem of domestic violence towards older women is being carried out by researchers from The University of Nottingham"s Division of Nursing. 12 participants have already taken part since the project started last year for this valuable study aimed at helping those who have experienced abuse and health professionals deal with the problem.
At the ends of chromosome are special pieces of DNA called telomeres. Think of it as the little tip that caps off a shoelace. The telomeres send signals to the cells to let them know it"s the end point, not a break that should be repaired.
More than 80 community pharmacists from the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and several patients met with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today to discuss the negative impact of the March 2007 CVS/Caremark merger and to urge the FTC to re-examine it.
Many children who are retained in kindergarten, first or third grade for academic reasons do not subsequently receive a document outlining the individualized special education services they should receive, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Adding AZD3355, a novel GABAB receptor agonist, to a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) in patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), resulted in a 35% reduction in the mean total number of reflux episodes 0-24 hours after dose, compared with placebo.[i] These data were presented at the Digestive Diseases Week annual meeting (DDW®, 30 May - 4 June, Chicago).
The California Medical Association issued the following statement about the tragic shooting of Dr. George Tiller of Kansas:
Thanks to the introduction of an innovative IT system at the Children"s Acute Transport Service (CATS) hosted at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust (GOSH), referring hospitals can now share perfect quality medical data on emergency patients more quickly and securely than ever before.
The American Diabetes
Manchester based software engineering company, Godel Technologies Europe Ltd, is to implement a virtual learning portal for the NHS.
SRI International, an
New standards to improve access to diagnosis and treatment of sarcomas have been published by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Legislation requiring an independent review of decisions by health plans and insurers to rescind coverage for patients passed the Assembly on a 46-24 vote today.
Patients with heart attacks and other forms of chest pain are three to five times more likely to experience serious complications after hospital admission when they are treated in a crowded emergency department (ED), according to a new study published in the journal Academic Emergency Medicine. The authors say that this dramatic difference in rates of serious complications underscores the need for action on the part of hospital administrators, policymakers and emergency physicians to find solutions to what has been termed "a national public health problem." More than six million patients per year come to U.S. emergency departments with chest pain.
In response to the report "A Commitment to Health" published by the British Retail Consortium Alex Callaghan, Policy Officer at the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said:
A new partnership between NHS Counter Fraud and law firm Capsticks will strengthen support to health bodies seeking to recover NHS funds lost to fraud.
"Thanks to patients" champions in the House and Senate, the 2009 Texas Legislature passed bills to reform health insurance, increase access to health care, preserve the patient-physician relationship, and improve the health of all Texans.
Nearly 1,000 researchers, clinicians and mental health advocates are expected to attend the Eighth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder, June 25 to 27, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. The event is held only once every two years and is the largest meeting of its kind solely devoted to bipolar disorder, a disease that affects almost six million Americans.
An Australian psychiatrist believes Britain"s stiff upper lip culture, class system and the NHS means we are not supporting the mental health needs of war veterans adequately.
Scientists in Michigan and California are reporting an advance toward development of a new generation of drugs that treat disease by orchestrating how genes in the body produce proteins involved in arthritis, cancer and a range of other disorders. Acting like an "on-off switch," the medications might ratchet up the production of proteins in genes working at abnormally low levels or shut off genes producing an abnormal protein linked to disease. Their report is in the current issue of ACS Chemical Biology, a monthly journal.
Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and its fully
A new breakthrough in adult stem cell technology has three Texarkana neurosurgeons leading their industry by utilizing concentrated stem cells for spine surgery. The innovative technique is improving the desired results of surgical interventions for back pain. Leading researchers in the orthopedic and spine industry are predicting the latest developments in this field of medicine will become mainstream practice and, potentially, a standard of care for surgical treatments of severe back pain.
Clinical trial results presented today at the American Diabetes Association annual meeting show that overall rates of cardiovascular hospitalization and cardiovascular death are similar in patients taking Avandia (rosiglitazone) compared to those receiving metformin and sulfonylurea.
The axon is a part of the neuron through which nerve impulses are transmitted, and at the end of which is located the synapse, which connects it to another neuron. In the event of a lesion, the axon is the component which must be regenerated in order to restore the connections between the different neurons and re-form the nerve.
Scientists of the Electronic Technology group of the University of Seville (US), led by Professor Jos̩ Manuel Quero, have completed the first phase of Mireia, a research project financed by the Plan Nacional del Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovaci̚n (National Plan of the Spanish Science and Innovation Ministry), whose aim is to develop an intelligent chip to regulate diabetes in any kind of patients suffering this disease.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and some local more up-to-date reports, the total number of confirmed human cases of swine flu A(H1N1) infection has exceeded 21,000, including 125 deaths in Mexico, USA, Canada, Chile and Costa Rica. If these figures are accurate, that would be 1 death per 168 cases.
DKT Ethiopia and TOTAL Ethiopia have formed a groundbreaking partnership to run a pilot project to promote condoms to housemaids and other low-income women.
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, the world"s leading charitable funder and advocate of diabetes research, said that it is partnering with Sanford Health, an integrated health care system in South Dakota and the Midwest, in an innovative "cure collaboration" to speed the pace of diabetes research and delivery of cures at the point-of-care.
The Senate Judiciary Committee"s vetting of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama"s nominee for the Supreme Court, officially began Thursday when the White House delivered her written responses to a comprehensive questionnaire designed by the committee"s leadership, Roll Call reports. The questionnaire -- developed by Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) -- will be used as part of preparations for Sotomayor"s as-yet-unscheduled round of confirmation hearings (Stanton, Roll Call, 6/4).Sotomayor disclosed a large amount of information in the questionnaire, such as her net worth and a timeline for when she learned that she was under consideration by the White House as a potential replacement to retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter (Perine, CQ Today, 6/4). According to Roll Call, Sotomayor"s responses might offer members of both parties "fodder to support or oppose her nomination."Leahy, who has the authority to schedule the confirmation hearings, said in a statement that Sotomayor "has advanced the confirmation process by promptly complying with this Senate requirement, and now the Senate should promptly schedule hearings to fairly consider her nomination to our highest court," adding, "The unfair attacks that have been leveled at her from outside the Senate are all the more reason to give her the chance to respond." Earlier this week, he said that he would announce a start date for the hearings after Sotomayor"s responses were received (Roll Call, 6/4). Meanwhile, Sotomayor on Thursday continued another round of private meetings with senators on Capitol Hill, including a few GOP senators who earlier had expressed concerns about her past comments and actions, CQ Today reports (CQ Today, 6/4).Questions Over Sotomayor"s Position on Abortion-Rights Issue RemainIn related news, USA Today on Friday examined how Sotomayor in the past 17 years as a federal judge "has left no clear footprints revealing" her position on abortion-rights issues. This week, some Democratic senators in private meetings with Sotomayor attempted to seek answers, while advocates on both sides of the debate are urging senators to question her about her views on Roe v. Wade during the expected confirmation hearings. On Wednesday, following a meeting with Sotomayor, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said that she believes Sotomayor has respect for judicial precedent. Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said, "I don"t have concerns about this nominee in the sense that I think there is something on the record (against abortion rights)," adding, "We just think it"s important for Supreme Court nominees to say where they stand." Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life, agreed, noting the lack of a definitive position on abortion rights in Sotomayor"s record. Feinstein also said that she will persist on abortion-rights issues. "I remember what it was like when abortion was illegal, and the lives of young, desperate women were in jeopardy," she said, adding that she is concerned "Americans no longer appreciate what it would mean if (abortion rights) were taken away" (Biskupic, USA Today, 6/5).
Eleven people were charged in an indictment unsealed on Thursday with "scamming Medicare to get painkillers," the Associated Press reports. "A federal indictment in Detroit says the government unwittingly paid more than $480,000 to a phony health-care business that was a front for acquiring and selling painkillers." Authorities say Quick Response Medical Professionals paid people up to $220 to be seen by a doctor and that those visits were then reimbursed by Medicare. The case also involves thousands of doses of OxyContin worth more than $5 million that were sold during 2007 and 2008. The AP noted that "the government says Medicare and Medicaid fraud costs taxpayers billions each year" (6/4).
In light of two reports released this week, public health officials examine preparation plans for a second strain of swine flu amid troubling budget cuts. According to Reuters, "a report by the non-profit group Trust for America"s Health released on Thursday found that while the investment in pandemic planning and stockpiling of antiviral medications have paid off, recent cuts in public health departments have meant many did not have adequate res to carry out flu plans." "The group specifically urged a halt to planned layoffs at state and local health departments, and recommended hospitals improve strategies for handling a large influx of patients."
To reduce an estimated half million deaths and two million hospitalizations from diarrhea caused by rotavirus each year, the WHO on Friday recommended that oral rotavirus vaccines be added to national childhood immunization programs, broadening access to the vaccine in the developing world,
The Dallas City Manager"s Office is proposing to cut $325,000 from the city"s general fund for HIV/AIDS education, outreach and prevention programs, according to a city official, the Dallas Voice reports. The city is facing a $190 million budget deficit. Karen Rayzer, director of the city"s Environmental and Health Services department, said the funding currently allows agencies such as the AIDS Interfaith Network, Re Center of Dallas and Dallas County Health and Human Services to serve 20,200 people annually, most of whom are low-income and minorities.
"ADAP Watch," National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors: The report found that as of May 20, 2009, there were 99 people on AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) waiting lists in Indiana, Montana, Nebraska and Wyoming -- 37 more people than the previous ADAP Watch report, published in March 2009. The report also found that 11 ADAPs anticipate implementing new cost-containment measures by the end of March 2010, six of which anticipate implementing a waiting list. In addition, the report identifies factors contributing to the need for cost-containment measures, and discusses how state budget deficits are affecting HIV programs, including ADAPs ("ADAP Watch," NASTAD, 6/4).
UroToday.com - The diagnosis of localised prostate cancer is increasing due to increased awareness and increased testing. There are a number of treatment options available to many of these men, including surgery, radiotherapy, active surveillance and a range of new modalities including high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).
Dialysis is the artificial process of getting rid of waste (diffusion) and unwanted water (ultrafiltration) from the blood. This process is naturally done by our kidneys. Some people, however, may have failed or damaged kidneys which cannot carry out the function properly - they may need dialysis. In other words, dialysis is the artificial replacement for lost kidney function (renal replacement therapy). Dialysis may be used for people who have become ill and have acute kidney failure (temporary loss of kidney function), or for fairly stable patients who have permanently lost kidney function (stage 5 chronic kidney disease).
Screening adults for diabetes could result in significant cost-savings for health care systems compared to the costs of not screening individuals at all.
Democratic Senators Dick Durbin, Chris Dodd, Jack Reed and Frank Lautenberg joined Matt Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, at a press conference this morning to discuss the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The legislation will give the Food and Drug Administration legal authority to regulate the sale, distribution and advertising of cigarettes in order to stop tobacco companies from targeting children and misleading the public.
Given Imaging Ltd. (NASDAQ: GIVN) announced a new study that shows over half of the eligible patients with occult or obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) may benefit from the additional diagnostic information provided by small bowel capsule endoscopy in accordance with existing gastrointestinal (GI) society guidelines, which call for the patient-friendly, non-invasive procedure following a negative upper endoscopy and colonoscopy. Additional studies advocate broader utility of capsule endoscopy in iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and suspected small bowel Crohn"s disease. The studies were presented at the Digestive Disease Week(R) (DDW) 2009 conference taking place in Chicago from May 30 - June 4, where Given Imaging also demonstrated a new, simplified procedure for performing PillCam(R) capsule endoscopy of the small bowel and the latest version of its RAPID(R) Software Suite at booth #2235 at the conference.
When it comes to maintaining their health, men tend to wait for serious symptoms to appear before taking the necessary precautions. Indications of serious physical conditions, however, can oftentimes take a silent form. Take hearing loss: The condition affects more than 31 million people, 65 percent of whom are men, but the signs of the condition are typically overlooked. With that in mind, Miracle-Ear is honoring National Men"s Health Week, which begins on June 15th, with advice on what to look - or listen - for to determine if men are living with diminished hearing capacity.
Idaho Technology, Inc. has received the support of the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) for use of the Platinum Path™ Extraction Kit (PPEK) with the Joint Biological Agent Identification and Diagnostic System (JBAIDS).
Aspyra, Inc. (AMEX: APY) announced plans to demonstrate the latest release of AccessRAD, their RIS/PACS product at the upcoming Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) 2009 Radiology Summit held at Lowes Royal Pacific Resort in Orlando, FL, June 7 - 10, 2009, Booth 411.
ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. (OTCBB: IMUC) (IMUC), a biotechnology company, presented promising clinical data from a Phase I trial evaluating ICT-107, the company"s dendritic cell-based cancer vaccine product candidate for the treatment of glioblastoma. These data were reported at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Meeting in Orlando, Florida (Abstract #2032), and supplement the preliminary data from the completed clinical trial that the Company reported in December 2008.
More than 1,500 registered dental hygienists (RDH) from across the United States will travel to Washington D.C. to attend the 86th Annual Session of the American Dental Hygienists" Association (ADHA) June 17-23.
A few weeks ago, Hank Esmond would not have dreamed that he would be operating his prosthetic arms through his thoughts. Mr. Esmond is the first upper extremity amputee in Indiana to be fit with the DynamicArm TMR manufactured by Otto Bock. Advanced Arm Dynamics, the nation"s leading provider of upper extremity prostheses, working with Sam Santa-Rita, CP, owner of SRT (Superior Rehabilitation Techniques) based in Ft. Wayne, recently fit Mr. Esmond with his first set of prosthetic limbs.
Dietitians of Canada and Kraft Canada have announced the winners of the 12th annual Speaking of Food and Healthy Living Award - an annual competition designed to showcase and encourage collaborative efforts that help Canadians make informed choices about healthy eating and physical activity.
New research launched today (Monday) to mark the start of national Carers Week (8-13 June) shows that almost three-quarters (74%) of carers have reached breaking point due to the pressures of their caring role.
Health visitors are opposed to a proposal to make the MMR immunisation mandatory for young children.
The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme is expanding the evidence base surrounding the treatment of traumatic brain and head injury (TBI) by commissioning four new research projects. If left untreated many patients with head injury will rapidly develop complications which may lead to death or permanent disability. More than 100,000 people in the UK have long-term effects caused by such injuries. Prompt medical treatment may prevent the worsening of symptoms and lead to a better outcome.
Standards of Care Survey shows that over a third of all parents of children living with Duchenne feel that their child receives sub-standard medical care.
-- 0 confirmed cases in Wales.
Cancer Research Technology (CRT) and The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) announced a major research collaboration with AstraZeneca. The three partners will combine their expertise to discover and develop potential new anti-cancer drugs to target molecular "chaperones" which support the growth of cancer cells.
Mental health care must improve to halt the staggering number of suicides occurring in prisons, new research has revealed.
The St. Petersburg Times examines the work of Paul Farmer - "the Harvard-educated doctor who, starting in Haiti, built a multinational organization on the radical idea that poor patients deserve the same care as rich ones" and is reportedly being considered for a high-level job with USAID or the State Department. The newspaper reports that though it"s "not a sure thing, even his candidacy indicates how far the international aid establishment has come around to Farmer"s way of thinking, health care experts say."
Tau protein tangles are found in the brains of people with a range of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer"s.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday said it is "way too early to know" whether Senate Republicans will attempt to filibuster the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama"s nominee for the Supreme Court, the AP/Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Although other Senate Republicans have said that they do not plan to filibuster a vote on Sotomayor, McConnell said that Senate Democrats established a precedent of filibustering former President George W. Bush"s nominees. However, he added that he believes blocking votes on judges is generally a "bad idea." Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) has said a filibuster is unlikely, and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) has said that Republicans do not have the votes or the desire to mount a filibuster against Sotomayor. Senate Democrats hope to have confirmation hearings for Sotomayor in July, followed by a full Senate vote before the August recess. Senate Republicans are hoping to push back the hearings until September to give them more time to review her judicial record.Antiabortion Groups Circulate 1998 Legal Brief Abortion-rights opponents on Friday circulated a 1998 legal brief supporting abortion rights that the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund joined while Sotomayor was on the fund"s board. The brief -- which was submitted to the Supreme Court to support a challenge to a Missouri law that made it illegal to use public facilities for abortion services -- warned of "the danger of tampering with the core framework of Roe v. Wade." The brief added that the law would disproportionately affect poor women of color. According to the AP/Star Tribune, there is nothing to indicate that Sotomayor had any role in drafting the brief.PRLDEF President Cesar Perales said that although its board helps determine which legal issues the organization should focus on, it is not involved with deciding which cases to take on. Charmaine Yoest of Americans United for Life said, "That specific case makes it very difficult for [Sotomayor] to say that she doesn"t have a position" on abortion rights (Hirschfeld Davis, AP/Minneapolis Star Tribune, 6/5).Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Two Federal Judges In related news, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted to approve two of Obama"s federal judge nominees, Roll Call reports. The committee voted 12-7 to approve David Hamilton to fill a vacancy in the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and voted 16-3 to approve Andre Davis to fill a vacancy on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. The votes were delayed two weeks because of requests from panel Republicans. This week, the committee will consider the nomination of Judge Gerard Lynch to fill a vacancy on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (Brady, Roll Call, 6/4).
As advocates for people living with mental illnesses, we strongly urge the FDA to carefully consider the importance of viable treatment options for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in pediatric and adolescent populations. Access to safe and effective treatments, including more information about all treatment options, is crucial to treating these serious and complex conditions in children and adolescents.
According to a research abstract presented on Monday, June 8, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, both long and short sleepers are at greater risk for diabetes. Individuals sleeping for more than eight hours per night may be particularly vulnerable.
Prenatal multivitamin supplements are associated with a significantly reduced risk of babies with a low birth weight compared with prenatal iron-folic acid supplementation, found a new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).
According to a research abstract presented on June 8, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, television watching may be an important determinant of bedtime, and may contribute to chronic sleep debt.
Opal Events is proud to present our next exciting conference Drug Discovery Partnerships: Academia & Industrial Interactions , to be held at the Hyatt Regency in Boston on October 28-30, 2009.
Diabetes UK has released a short, gritty video called "Setting the record straight", to show schoolchildren and young people about Type 1 diabetes.
Canadian Light (CLS) staff scientist Luca Quaroni and Dr. Alan Casson, Head of the Department of Surgery at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) used the synchrotron"s infrared microscope to identify tissue afflicted with a condition known as Barrett"s Esophagus from chemical fingerprints associated with the disease, which can lead to esophageal cancer. The finding is published in the June, 2009 issue of the Royal Society of Chemistry journal, The Analyst.
The GMC has announced the launch date of a milestone in medical regulation. From 16 November, all doctors will need a licence in order to practise medicine in the UK.
Both boys and girls have issues, but boys seem to be the ones getting the raw deal. According to Judith Kleinfeld, professor of psychology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in the US, issues affecting boys are more serious than those affecting girls, but they have been neglected by policy makers. Her review1 of issues characterizing American boyhood, how they compare to those affecting girls, and the lack of initiatives in place to address them has just been published in the June issue of Springer"s journal Gender Issues.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine are trailblazing the molecular pathway that regulates replication of pancreatic beta cells, the insulin-producing cells that are lacking in people who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Alzheimer"s disease and its precursor, mild cognitive impairment, appear to be associated with an increased risk of death among both white and African American older adults, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
As survival rates among some patients with cancer continue to rise, so does the spread of these cancers to the brain - as much as 40 percent of all diagnosed brain cancers are considered metastatic, having spread from a primary cancer elsewhere in the body.
In this week"s edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, PNAS, Uppsala University scientists describe a new mechanism behind an important process that causes a rapid reduction of DNA in the chromosomes of bacteria. The findings advance our knowledge of how DNA content has been reduced, which is something that has occurred in bacteria that live as parasites inside the cells of other organisms.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death worldwide and a major driver of medical and economic costs, especially among older adults. It has long been established that cardiac rehabilitation improves survival, at least in middle-aged, low- and moderate-risk white men. Now a large Brandeis University-led study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reports that older cardiac patients benefit as much from cardiac rehab as their younger counterparts.
On June 4, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it is considering a pathway for coverage of Sodium Fluoride (NaF-18) for PET bone imaging as an alternative to Technetium-99m imaging. Currently, Tc-99m bone imaging is one of the more commonly performed procedures using this radioisotope. Technetium-99m is in scant supply because of ongoing production outages, resulting in serious delays in patient imaging studies for many medical problems, including oncologic, cardiac and neurologic conditions.
For car designers, secret agents in the movies and jet fighter pilots, data eyeglasses - also called head-mounted displays, or HMDs for short - are everyday objects. They transport the wearer into virtual worlds or provide the user with data from the real environment. At present these devices can only display information. "We want to make the eyeglasses bidirectional and interactive so that new areas of application can be opened up," says Dr. Michael Scholles, business unit manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS in Dresden. A group of scientists at IPMS is working on a device which incorporates eye tracking - users can influence the content presented by moving their eyes or fixing on certain points in the image. Without having to use any other devices to enter instructions, the wearer can display new content, scroll through the menu or shift picture elements. Scholles believes that the bidirectional data eyeglasses will yield advantages wherever people need to consult additional information but do not have their hands free to operate a keyboard or mouse. The Dresden-based researchers have integrated their system"s eye tracker and image reproduction on a CMOS chip. This makes the HMDs small, light, easy to manufacture and inexpensive.
A synthetic DNA binding compound has proved surprisingly effective at binding to the DNA of bacteria and killing all the bacteria it touched within two minutes. The DNA binding properties of the compound were first discovered in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Warwick by Professor Mike Hannon and Professor Alison Rodger (Professor Mike Hannon is now at the University of Birmingham). However the strength of its antibiotic powers have now made it a compound of high interest for University of Warwick researchers working on the development of novel antibiotics.
When mothers become infected with influenza during their pregnancy, it may increase the risk for schizophrenia in their offspring. Influenza is a very common virus and so there has been substantial concern about this association. A new study in the June 15th issue of Biological Psychiatry, published by Elsevier suggests that the observed association depends upon a pre-existing vulnerability in the fetus.
As stroma - the supportive framework of the prostate gland- react to prostate cancer, changes in the expression of genes occur that induce the formation of new structures such as blood vessels, nerves and parts of nerves, said researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in a report that appears in the current issue of the journal Clinical Cancer Research.
Scientists at the University of Leicester are developing new ways of studying how brain cells work -thanks to jellyfish!
Babies that fail to receive stimulation and love in the first year are at risk of poor brain development and social skills, a child health expert has warned.
An over-the-counter prostate cancer test kit
The results from the phase II SYNCHRONY study are published in an article Online First and in a future edition of The Lancet. At the same time, the findings are presented at the American Diabetes Association meeting in New Orleans, USA. They suggest that aleglitazar, a treatment for type 2 diabetes, might be safe and effective and may perhaps be introduced into phase III trials.
Two chemicals - trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) - found to have contaminated drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune from the 1950s to 1985 have been linked to certain diseases and disorders, including various cancers. A new report from the National Research Council, Contaminated Water Supplies at Camp Lejeune - Assessing Potential Health Effects, reviews scientific evidence about the potential adverse health effects that could occur after exposure to TCE, PCE, and other contaminants; recommends the usefulness of conducting additional studies on former residents of the base; and identifies scientific considerations that could help the U.S. Department of the Navy, under which the Marine Corps operates, set priorities on future actions. The report will be released at a 90-minute public briefing.
Researchers at the Harold Hamm Oklahoma Diabetes Center have found a way to stop the damage caused by Type 1 diabetes with the combination of insulin and a common vitamin found in most medicine cabinets.
The WHO and UNICEF on Tuesday said that vitamin A supplements and deworming tablets are safe, after two deaths and the "sickness of hundreds" were alleged among the children who received the interventions during a nationwide campaign in Bangladesh, Bernama.com reports (Bernama.com, 6/9).
High-quality one-stop breast clinics could be the most effective way to spot breast cancer early, a study published in the British Journal of Cancer * reveals today (Wednesday).
The word constipation comes from the Latin constipare meaning "to press, crowd together", and from 1400 A.D. Latin Constipationem. According to Medilexicon"s medical dictionary, constipation is "A condition in which bowel movements are infrequent or incomplete". Constipation is also known as costiveness, and irregularity.
A New York City law that will go into effect in July could make it easier for antiabortion-rights protesters to be arrested for restricting access to abortion clinics or harassing people trying to enter the facilities, the New York Times reports. Current law allows authorities to make arrests only if the person directly affected, such as a woman entering a clinic, is willing to press charges. However, the new law would allow third parties, such as clinic workers, to press charges if they witnessed the activity, the Times reports. New York City"s Dr. Emily"s Women"s Health Center and NARAL Pro-Choice New York spearheaded efforts to pass the legislation in response to antiabortion-rights demonstrators who target women on their way to clinics and attempt to persuade them to carry their pregnancies to term. Clinic workers report that the protesters also have harassed women as they left the subway or surrounded them as they walked to the clinic. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed the law in April. Joan Malin, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of New York City, said the group is "not against people demonstrating. But there is a line between freedom of speech and harassment and bullying" (Bosman, New York Times, 6/6).
Contrary to popular belief, the timing of sleep in new mothers is preserved after giving birth, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Wednesday, June 10, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Brookdale Care, the specialist provider of care services for
According to a research abstract that will be presented on Wednesday, June 10, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, increased sleep disturbances are associated with lower education, income or being unmarried or unemployed. Disturbances are much more likely in multiracial individuals.
Abbott Park, Illinois (NYSE: ABT) and London, UK - Abbott and AstraZeneca announced that the companies have submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an investigational compound for the treatment of mixed dyslipidemia, a combination of two or more lipid abnormalities including high LDL- cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol), high triglycerides and low HDL-cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol). The NDA submission for this investigational compound, containing the active ingredients of CRESTOR® (rosuvastatin calcium) and TRILIPIX® (fenofibric acid), is supported by data from multiple studies, including efficacy and safety studies with the 5mg, 10mg and 20mg doses of rosuvastatin combined with fenofibric acid. Pending approval of the NDA, the treatment will be marketed as CERTRIAD™.
Older Americans with depressive symptoms and poor mental health tend to get seven hours of sleep per night or less, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Wednesday, June 10, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
UroToday.com - Stone size is of key importance in making treatment decisions, especially for ureteral calculi. Earlier studies revealed that stone size on CT could at times be underestimated by as much as 1-2 mm; for ureteral calculi this could be the difference between initiating medical expulsive therapy versus an invasive ureteroscopic procedure. However, there are many ways to "view" a CT scan and by moving from the standard soft tissue view to a "bone" window view, different characteristics of tissue or foreign bodies can be appreciated. Such was first brought to the attention of many urologists when Dr. Stephen Dretler and colleagues reported the use of bone windows to distinguish ureteral stents from denser stone fragments.
Moms who have used drugs may be doing their teens a favour by admitting to it, University of Alberta research shows.
Spread and extent of the outbreak
Aurora Information Technology (Aurora IT), a developer of highly customized medical website designs, introduces the launch of the new Ovu-Trac® site (http://www.ovu-trac.com). Created with Bitrix Site Manager, the Ovu-Trac® website is an informational and educational portal that markets its signature product, the Ovu-Trac® Ovulation Predictor Kit. Manufactured by OvumOptics, Inc., the kit uses saliva to accurately identify fertility and ovulation. Customers can purchase the kit through the site"s Fertilit-eStore and read testimonials from customers who have used the product. The site also features market comparisons, product background and scientific research behind the concept of saliva testing for predicting ovulation.
U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released a new report on health disparities in America and participated in a White House Health Care Stakeholder Discussion on the importance of reform that reduces disparities that exist in our current health care system. The new report Health Disparities: A Case for Closing the Gap is available at http://www.HealthReform.gov.
House Republicans on Wednesday sent President Obama a letter urging "open and constructive dialogue across party lines" on health care reform and calling on him to maintain current restrictions on federal funding of abortion services, Politico reports. The letter, signed by House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio), House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (Va.), House Republican Conference Chair Mike Pence (Ind.) and six other Republican House members, outlines the Republicans" positions on health care reform. It says achieving those objectives "can be accomplished through health reform that maintains current law provisions regarding restrictions on federal funding of abortion services, restricts federal funds from flowing to abortion providers and does not impose mandates either on insurance carriers or medical providers to participate in activities that violate their religious and moral beliefs."The letter says that Republicans have several "areas for potential common ground on health care reform." In all, it mentions the phrase "common ground" four times in eight paragraphs, Politico reports (Allen, Politico, 5/13).
Retirement from some occupations may not provide relief from the potentially devastating health effects of work-related hypertension, according to a new study from UC Davis.
Scientists at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and a team of collaborators from across the country have identified a new risk factor gene for rheumatoid arthritis. The paper will be published in Nature Genetics and the finding brings light to the nature of the disease. The gene, dubbed REL, is a member of the NF-íºB family, important transcription factors that have many roles in the body. The NF-íºB family seems to have a big hand in regulating the body"s immune response as well.
Campaigning to tackle the massive problem of head lice.
A team of U.S. investigators led by neuroscientists at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) are steadily uncovering the role that amyloid precursor protein (APP) - the protein implicated in development of Alzheimer"s disease - plays in normal brain function. In the June 10 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, they discovered that APP interacts with another protein known as Reelin to promote development of abundant connections between brain neurons.
There is a high probability of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in non-obese, middle-aged patients, according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Researchers at Imperial College London have identified a new appetite suppressant for promoting weight loss that they say works in rodents and may one day be used to develop an effective anti-obesity treatment. Results of the new study were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Hormone therapy is often given to patients with advanced prostate cancer. While it is true that the treatment prevents growth of the tumour, it also changes its properties. Some of these changes may result in the tumour becoming more aggressive and more liable to form metastases. This is one of the conclusion of a thesis presented at the Sahlgrenska Academy.
Lack of Association Between Autoimmune Antibodies and Improved Outcome in Melanoma Patients
When we talk about exercise, we nearly always refer to physical exercise. Exercise is the physical exertion of the body - making the body do a physical activity which results in a healthy or healthier level of physical fitness and both physical and mental health. In other words, exercise aims to maintain or enhance our physical fitness and general health. People exercise for many different reasons. Some of them are included below:
A study published ahead of print in the British Journal of Ophthalmology suggests that in order to diminish the development of the age related eye disease called macular degeneration, a weekly consumption of two to three portions of fatty fish could be beneficial.
The most important factors for a successful stay in hospital short-stay units (SSUs) are the types of diagnostic tests performed and whether or not specialty consultations are needed. When hospitalists staff these units, they can ensure that only patients who need readily accessible services are admitted. These are the findings of a study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
InteKrin Therapeutics Inc presented Phase 2a clinical study results at the American Diabetes Association annual meeting in New Orleans demonstrating that once a day oral treatment with INT131 provides anti-diabetic efficacy consistent with maximal dose thiazolidinedione (TZD) therapy but with less hematocrit reduction and weight gain.
House Democrats on Tuesday released an outline of their proposal to reform the health care system that would require that all Americans have insurance and that employers provide coverage or pay a penalty, The Associated Press reports. The bill also emphasized preventive care but omitted details about how to cover the costs.
Long-term care plays a role in the Senate HELP committee health plan released Tuesday by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. The Associated Press reports that "Americans would be able to buy long-term care insurance from the government for $65 a month under a provision tucked into sweeping health care legislation that senators will begin considering next week."
Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of African Americans with high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) say they worry more about their finances than their personal health, according to a new "My Pressure Points"(TM) national survey commissioned by Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., in collaboration with the Association of Black Cardiologists.(1) In addition, almost half (48 percent) are stressed about their work and careers. Everyone juggles many external pressures in everyday life like jobs, finances and family care. But while those African Americans surveyed have increased their focus on the external pressures, have they lost sight of a critical internal pressure - one that can impact every facet of their lives? The survey was designed to test this hypothesis.
Depression is a major public health problem, and one of the most important challenges for psychiatrists is to determine whether an individual with depression should receive cognitive-behavioral therapy or treatment with antidepressant medication. A study by researchers from Emory University, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping in San Francisco, used brain imaging along with sophisticated statistical techniques to examine the differences in brain function that result from these two different kinds of treatment. Forty individuals with depression were scanned with magnetic resonance imaging after undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy or antidepressant therapy. The researchers found that they could distinguish the brain activity of individuals undergoing the two different treatments, and in particular that the two treatments differently affected the communication of the brain areas that are thought to play a role in depression, including the communication between the prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens, and between the subgenual cingulate and the thalamus. The results provide a basis for future research that will try to predict which individuals will benefit from different treatments for depression.
Medtronic, Inc (NYSE: MDT) announced the launch of the Shock-Less clinical trial. This trial will identify ways physicians can improve the quality of care for patients through optimal application of device-based tools designed to reduce unnecessary shocks in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator (CRT-D) devices. Specifically, the Shock-Less study aims to create evidence that will increase the use of programming tools that reduce unnecessary shocks including features on Medtronic devices, such as Medtronic"s exclusive Lead Integrity Alert™ (LIA) and Anti-Tachycardia Pacing (ATP) During Charging™.
After the murder of abortion provider George Tiller and the closure of his Wichita, Kan., clinic, residents of the city face about a three-hour drive to the nearest abortion provider, a distance experts say is not uncommon for access to abortion services in southern and midwestern states, the Wichita Eagle reports. Jenny O"Donnell of the Abortion Access Project said that southern and midwestern states have the heaviest restrictions on abortion, adding that "substantial populations don"t have an abortion provider" in states such as Mississippi and Arkansas. According to 2005 statistics from the Guttmacher Institute, 87% of U.S. counties have no abortion provider; the figure rises to 94% of counties in the Midwest and 96% of counties in Kansas. The number of abortion providers in Kansas declined from 15 in 1992 to seven in 2005, while the number of providers nationwide dropped from 2,380 to 1,787 over the same time period, according to Guttmacher. Experts say the decline is the result of several factors, including public pressures, increased regulation that has driven up the cost and complexity of providing abortion and a general trend in the health care industry toward consolidated, more specialized practices.Vicki Saporta, president and CEO of the National Abortion Federation, said that the decrease in the number of abortion providers is misleading on some levels. The decline primarily has occurred among hospitals and small providers who perform a few procedures a year, while major clinics that specialize in abortion have remained essentially stable, Saporta said. Peter Brownie, executive director of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said that the group"s clinics have experienced an increase in contacts from women from south-central Kansas since Tiller"s clinic closed a little more than one week ago. He added, "At the present time, there"s no place between Denver and Kansas City where a woman can obtain abortion care. That"s a significant barrier for women throughout the state that have that need." NAF has established a national hotline to offer referrals for women who have to make new arrangements for abortion care because of the closure of Tiller"s clinic, Saporta said (Lefler, Wichita Eagle, 6/9).
NIH and the advocacy group Autism Speaks are enrolling 1,200 pregnant women who have other children with autism spectrum disorders to participate in a large study that aims to identify early signs of the condition and its possible causes, the Wall Street Journal reports. Women who participate in the study -- known as the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation, or EARLI, study -- will be monitored throughout their pregnancies, and their infants will be monitored until age three. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in 150 children in the U.S. has an autism spectrum disorder, which includes autism, Asperger"s syndrome and pervasive developmental disorders. The study will focus on women who already have one child with an autism spectrum disorder because such women have a higher chance of having another child with the condition. Craig Newschaffer, the study"s lead investigator and a department chair at Philadelphia"s Drexel University School of Public Health, said, "By studying families who are already affected by autism, we feel we have the best chance at learning how genetics and environmental factors could work together to cause autism." Autism usually is characterized by social interaction and communication impairments, as well as unusual interests or behaviors. Although there is no cure for autism, its symptoms can be improved through therapy and medication, the Journal reports.According to Newschaffer, researchers throughout the study will collect blood and urine for DNA analysis. Samples also will be collected from the umbilical cord, placenta and meconium -- the infant"s first stool -- after birth. Infants born during the study will be provided with a series of developmental assessments, and older siblings with autism also could receive assessments to confirm their diagnosis (Corbett Dooren, Wall Street Journal, 6/9).
"Blog Watch" offers readers a roundup of health policy-related blog posts.Appropriately, the last of the Senate Finance Committee"s three major public roundtables on health reform issues was on finance. Keith Hennessy lauds economist Kate Baicker"s testimony (.pdf) and says it helps connect reform ideas to a system of third-party payment. Hennessy says the current system leads people to "spend more of other people"s money than they do of their own, and less wisely." Hennessy explores the example of employer-sponsored insurance, which he says makes health insurance appear less expensive to employees than it is.Meanwhile, the New Republic"s Jonathan Cohn, who has been calling attention to potential ways of financing the significant cost of reform, recommends the testimony of Center on Budget and Policy Priorities President Robert Greenstein. Greenstein testified that there are no "painless" ways of raising money for reform, and said, "This leads to my first recommendation, in the form of a plea to the Committee. Please do not take any offset options off the table at this time. I believe you ultimately will need to put together a package that contains an array of spending and revenue offsets." Offsets could include removing or limiting the tax exclusion for employer-sponsored insurance. Bob Lazsewski strenuously disagrees. He illustrates a post titled "Paying for a Big Part of Health Care Reform With New Taxes Would Be a Terrible Mistake!" with a graph of the trends in health insurance premiums over the last 20 years and says, "paying for most of health care reform by raising taxes would be nothing less than cowardly and fiscally irresponsible." He continues, "the Congress is so desperate to find money and so unwilling to anger any powerful health care special interests we better get ready for some interesting rationalizations to promote tax increases in the place of fundamental reforms."After the hearing, ranking member Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) gave a presentation at the Heritage Foundation on his preferences for bipartisan reform legislation and the Foundry"s Marguerite Higgins blogged Enzi"s key points. She says the senator wants to increase affordability, use private plans for coverage and ensure a bill is fully paid for.The White House appears to be initiating additional outreach efforts to mobilize support. Jose Antonio Vargas of the Washington Post"s Daily Dose reports that President Obama"s administration chose to send its first WhiteHouse.gov e-mail on health reform Wednesday. Vargas says, "It"s only fitting that Obama"s first official e-mail from the White House is about health care reform. As early as December, the incoming Obama administration began using new media tools to build grassroots support around the issue."Interesting elsewhere:
EUROPACE, the official congress of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), is the foremost European meeting on cardiac arrhythmias and pacing. More than 4,000 participants are expected to attend this year"s event, whose main themes are atrial fibrillation and sudden cardiac death.
Thousands of people with Alzheimer"s will continue to be denied access to the only drug treatments for the disease following the publication of revised guidance by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). The original guidance recommended that only people in the moderate stages of Alzheimer"s disease should have access to drugs in the NHS, denying them to people in the early stages.
Britannia Building Society wrapped up its best ever charity fundraising year with a ÷£400,000 birthday boost to Alzheimer"s Society.
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) announced its official product endorsement of the NESS L300 Foot Drop System, manufactured by Bioness Inc. of Valencia, CA, the first functional electrical stimulation (FES) foot drop system to be endorsed by APTA.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has announced that, following consultation with stakeholders on the economic model that underpinned NICE"s 2006 guidance on the use of drugs to treat Alzheimer"s disease, the resulting draft guidance remains unchanged.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning employers to ensure they have adequate safeguards in place to prevent access to dangerous parts of their machinery. This warning follows HSE"s prosecution of Metal Containers Ltd (formerly trading as Greif UK Ltd) after an employee"s one finger was broken in two places and another injured in the unguarded rotating part of a chained conveyor.
Thailand"s Office of Welfare Promotion, Protection and Empowerment of Vulnerable People earlier this week held a public hearing to discuss various risks facing the country"s children, including HIV/AIDS, Thailand"s The Nation reports. The office plans to present a draft report on the state of child rights in the country. The report will be sent through the Foreign Affairs Ministry to the United Nations" Convention on the Rights of the Child in July, according to ministry deputy director Saran Samarnphan. Young people were among some of the attendees at the public hearing, according to The Nation.Youth representative Natkamon Tumpaeng said that the government has not provided adequate sex education to young people, which has resulted in unwanted pregnancies and the spread of HIV. He said, "Without sex education, many youths have clearly engaged in unsafe sex." Passacha Pachuen, a public relations official for a council on children and youth in the Surin province, said that at many schools, teachers are forcing sex on students. "Many teachers demand sex or other favors from their students in exchange for good grades," Passacha said. In addition, Amnat Siangsawas, the deputy chair of the council of youth and children in the city of Nakhon Sawan, said that a lack of res often leads many children into the labor market, where they are being exploited. Amnat added that officials should "put in place mechanisms that will help them" (The Nation, 5/13).
OCD-UK, the leading national charity for people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder with the support of a grant from Comic Relief has announced a year long research project to understand and evaluate if treatment guidelines have had a positive impact on providing treatment for people with OCD across the UK.
Cegedim Dendrite announced the launch of COUNTERxFEIT DETECT, a new offering that will assist pharmaceutical companies in identifying counterfeit product and determining where it entered their United States supply chains. Cegedim Dendrite is the leading provider of compliance technology solutions and services in the pharmaceutical industry.
Alexion Pharma France and Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALXN) today received the 2009 Prix Galien France for Soliris® (eculizumab) in the category of medicines for rare diseases. The award recognizes the scientific innovation represented by the complement-inhibition technology of Soliris, and the impact the drug is having on the lives of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), an ultra-rare, debilitating and life-threatening blood disorder.
Health officials in Allegheny County, Pa., on Wednesday held a sexually transmitted infection diversity conference to discuss the disproportionately higher STI rates among blacks and strategies to reduce them, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Blacks comprise 13.5% of the Allegheny County population. According to the Post-Gazette, last year in Allegheny County blacks were involved in:
The results of a new study reinforce an advisory that patients taking
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in China. Although the association between the epidemiological factors and sporadic colorectal cancer has been studied, the relation between smoking, alcohol drinking, family history of cancer, body mass index (BMI) and sporadic colorectal cancer still remains uncertain. So it is important to investigate the role of these factors in the development of sporadic colorectal cancer.
At 66 years old, Elizabeth Adeney is set to become Britain"s oldest mother when she gives birth to a child conceived following fertility treatment at a clinic in Ukraine. The example highlights the growing trend among fertility patients to travel abroad to access treatment which in Britain often involves high cost and a long wait.
Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai met with U.S. lawmakers in Washington, D.C., Wednesday in an attempt to secure donations for a country in economic collapse, ZimOnline reports. Tsvangirai"s visit is part of "a three-week trip to America and Europe to try to drum up financial support for the power-sharing government," entered into with his political rival, President Robert Mugabe in February, according to ZimOnline (ZimOnline, 6/11).