Oncology
Tamiflu
Trust for America"s Health (TFAH), the Center for Biosecurity, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) issued a new analysis today, Pandemic Flu: Lessons From the Frontlines, which found that the initial response to the H1N1 outbreak showed strong coordination and communication and an ability to adapt to changing circumstances from U.S. officials, but it also showed how quickly the nation"s core public health capacity would be overwhelmed if an outbreak were more severe or widespread.
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.
Older patients may have to pass on the heartburn drugs to spare their bones from fractures according to a new study.
A new study suggests that over 60 per cent of all bankruptcies in the US are down to medical reasons, with most victims being health-insured
The first of six online courses to educate healthcare professionals on preventing the transmission of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is being launched by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) cause 99,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.
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.
As the 2009 hurricane season begins, the MIT AgeLab and the Advance 50 Team of gerontologists at The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., offer new research and life-saving tips to help caregivers, family and friends of those with Alzheimer"s disease who live at home prepare for a natural disaster and get their lives back on track in the aftermath.
WellQuest Medical & Wellness Corporation ("WellQuest") (OTCBB:WEQL) announced the recent launch of its Medically Supervised Weight Loss Program. WellQuest"s unique approach to weight loss addresses a growing $2 billion market.
A pair of Michigan State University professors have received a total of nearly $400,000 for their cardiovascular research projects as part of the first wave of stimulus funding from federal agencies.
With just $399 and a bit of saliva in a cup, consumers can learn about their genetic risk for diseases from breast cancer to diabetes. Now, thanks to social networking sites set up by personal genomics companies, they can also share that information with family, friends and even strangers on the Internet.
The cause of Parkinson"s disease (PD), the second most frequent neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer"s disease, is unknown, but in most cases it is believed to involve a combination of environmental risk factors and genetic susceptibility. Laboratory studies in rats have shown that injecting the insecticide rotenone leads to an animal model of PD and several epidemiological studies have shown an association between pesticides and PD, but most have not identified specific pesticides or studied the amount of exposure relating to the association.
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.
Increasing population density, rather than boosts in human brain power, appears to have catalysed the emergence of modern human behaviour, according to a new study by UCL (University College London) scientists published in the journal Science. High population density leads to greater exchange of ideas and skills and prevents the loss of new innovations. It is this skill maintenance, combined with a greater probability of useful innovations, that led to modern human behaviour appearing at different times in different parts of the world.
International development agency Sightsavers International supports the World Health Organisation"s (WHO) call for the distribution of low-cost interventions such as spectacles to help boost the global economy which loses billions of dollars each year due to visual impairments.
CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE AMEX: CVM) announced that its collaborators at the University of Hawaii reported on data at the annual American Society for Microbiology in Philadelphia, PA. This data demonstrates that vaccines utilizing its L.E.A.P.S.(TM) (Ligand Epitope Antigen Presentation System) vaccine technology with specificity for particular Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) antigens can elicit immune responses that would be protective against tuberculosis and have the potential to treat swine and other H1N1 influenzas.
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.
Both blood pressure and serum lipid levels have improved in Swedish middle-aged women during the past 30 years. Levels of perceived mental stress, however, have increased significantly. These are the of a thesis presented at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
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.
UroToday.com - Together with Drs. Heruti, Bechor, Justo and Galor, we studied 815 Israeli male adults of whom 305 had complete data and were included in the statistical analysis. In the analyzed population, 2.1% of people without erectile dysfunction (ED) had advanced periodontal disease (defined as recession of periodontal bone of 6 mm or more) in comparison to 9.8% of the mild ED and 15.8% of the moderate/severe ED populations, respectively. However, due to the relatively small groups, we could not present the odds ratio. We are now planning a large-scale study to further establish the association between the two conditions.
Versartis, Inc., a new company developing novel biologics with enhanced properties for patients with metabolic diseases, published abstracts for preclinical data on its two product candidates, VRS-859 (exenatide-rPEG) and VRS-808 (glucagon-rPEG), at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions annual meeting in New Orleans.
The Washington Post on Friday examined the renewed attention on abortion procedures performed later in pregnancy following Kansas provider George Tiller"s shooting death on Sunday. Tiller was one of the few physicians in the U.S. who performed late abortions. The Post reports that these abortions make up a small portion of the 1.2 million abortions performed each year -- more than 88% of abortions are performed in the first trimester and less than 1% are performed after 21 weeks" gestation. Data published in 2001 from 15 states and New York City show that as many as 2,400 abortions after 24 weeks" gestation were performed in the U.S. that year, according to Stanley Henshaw, a senior fellow at the Guttmacher Institute. He added that most of those abortions likely were performed in the 25th or 26th week.Henshaw said that little is known about the circumstances surrounding third trimester abortion procedures and that "information just isn"t available." The government does not collect detailed data regarding the number of such procedures, who is performing them and under what circumstances. In addition, abortion providers who perform the procedure later in pregnancy supply very little published information, the Post reports. According to the Post, most abortion providers will not perform the procedure after 22 or 24 weeks" gestation because of legal and other concerns, social stigma, or inadequate training and lack of experience. A 2001 survey of 1,819 abortion providers indicated that 18 clinics and 12 hospitals performed abortions at 26 weeks" gestation. However, the Post reports that the number of providers offering abortions later in pregnancy likely has declined in correlation with the decreasing number of overall providers. Henshaw said the number of providers offering the procedure later in pregnancy also likely has declined.Abortion-rights supporters say that third-trimester abortions are performed only when medically necessary, such as when a fatal abnormality is detected in the fetus or a life-threatening complication in the woman is discovered. Other circumstances include cases when the woman suffers serious emotional issues or is undergoing cancer treatment, the Post reports. Vicki Saporta, president of the National Abortion Federation, said that women who experience such pregnancies have "no good choice" and "nee[d] to terminate their pregnancies to protect their own health." Tiller "provided both the emotional and physical care for women in that situation," she said (Stein, Washington Post, 6/5).Los Angeles Times Profiles Abortion Provider Hern The Los Angeles Times on Friday profiled Warren Hern, a Colorado-based abortion provider who performs the procedure later in pregnancy and was a close friend of Tiller"s. Hern has provided abortions since 1973 when the Supreme Court legalized the procedure with Roe v. Wade. He said he "felt doing abortions was the most important thing I could do with my life." Hern opened the Boulder Abortion Clinic in 1975, and in the 1980s authored and self-published a textbook, Abortion Practice. He said that he eventually began to focus on abortion procedures later in pregnancy, which currently make up the majority of his practice. Such abortions usually are performed because of medical complications in the woman or abnormalities in the fetus. Patients at Hern"s clinic receive counseling to explain the procedure and to ensure the woman wants it, although he said many women have already made their decision with their own physician. Hern said that although Tiller"s death has been an emotional situation, his clinic is "pretty busy taking care of people who said they couldn"t find anyone else" to perform abortions later in pregnancy (Correll, Los Angeles Times, 6/5).Bond Set for Tiller Shooting Suspect Sedgwick County, Kan., District Judge Warren Wilbert on Thursday set a $5 million bond for Scott Roeder, the man charged with shooting and killing Tiller, the AP/Yahoo! News reports. A preliminary hearing for Roeder is scheduled for June 16. If convicted, Roeder face
The Chicago Tribune published a series of articles on industry"s solutions for health care reform. The paper "turned to Chicago-area leaders in three key segments of the industry: insurers, medical providers and pharmacy," and presented their "thoughts on how best to expand medical-care coverage to all Americans."
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said he disagrees with President Obama"s support of transferring Congress"s price-setting powers over Medicare to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), which now acts as an advisory panel, USA Today reports. In a letter to senators Wednesday, Obama floated support for the idea: "Under this approach, MedPAC"s recommendations on cost reductions would be adopted unless opposed by a joint resolution of the Congress."
Religious leaders, health care workers, community organizations and government agencies in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky have begun a number of HIV and sexual health awareness efforts that encourage members of the black community, and others, to get tested, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. To increase the number of people being tested, the Northern Kentucky Health Department is providing HIV testing in people"s homes and the Cincinnati Health Department, along with other organizations, is conducting HIV testing in bars and clubs. Cincinnati also is a pilot site for the Black AIDS Institute"s "Test One Million" campaign. Separately, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections is nearing the end of a two-year pilot program in one prison that is testing inmates for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections upon their release. Other efforts in the states include condom distribution and HIV education (O"Farrell, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/5).
Dengue Fever (DF) and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) are the most important vector-borne viral diseases in the World. Around 50-100 million cases appear each year putting 2.5 billion people at risk of suffering this debilitating and sometimes fatal disease. Dengue Fever is prevalent in the Tropics. For that reason, an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Miami (UM) and the University of Costa Rica have used global climatological data and vegetation indices from Costa Rica, to predict Dengue outbreaks in the region.
Boys who carry a particular variation of the gene Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), sometimes called the "warrior gene," are more likely not only to join gangs but also to be among the most violent members and to use weapons, according to a new study from The Florida State University that is the first to confirm an MAOA link specifically to gangs and guns.
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.
PMSI Settlement Solutions, a leading solutions provider for liability and workers" compensation claims, announced its initiative to address payor concerns regarding the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) new prescription drug requirement associated with Medicare Set-Asides (MSA"s). As part of this initiative, PMSI Settlement Solutions will work with government affairs experts, industry consultants and other interested payors.
Argenta Discovery and Porsolt announced they have entered into an alliance to provide unparalleled CNS and pain drug discovery services and expertise on a fee-for- service basis. The collaboration enables Argenta and Porsolt to undertake fully integrated CNS and pain-focused drug discovery programmes for their clients, from hit identification to development candidate nomination. Both companies bring a wealth of "Big Pharma" industry based experience and know-how in CNS and pain research. This alliance will leverage those key skills for its partners to ensure the rapid generation of high quality development candidates.
The NMC has started work to improve its advice and information on whistle-blowing for nurses and midwives.
New treatments to ease or even cure the most common cancer affecting Australian men are a step closer to reality with a $1.25 million grant awarded to QUT prostate cancer researcher Professor Colleen Nelson today.
On Wednesday 3 June 2009 the situation in the UK was as follows:
Mark Lever, NAS chief executive said; "In the current economic climate the Government cannot possibly ignore the huge cost savings and benefits, identified by their own auditing body, of providing adults with autism with the right support at the right time. Neither the Government, people with autism nor the taxpayer are getting value for money from existing autism services and support, leaving those affected by the condition feeling isolated, ignored and often at breaking point. This is simply unacceptable.
Checking lymph nodes during surgery and assessing the hormone status of tumours could help improve breast cancer survival in the UK, according to research published today in Annals of Oncology.
Millions of Brits are dicing with disaster and placing their health at risk when taking overseas
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) is demanding the closure of a
There is no difference in mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes and stable heart disease who received prompt bypass surgery or angioplasty compared to drug therapy alone, according to a landmark study focused exclusively on patients with both conditions. The study, which was led by investigators at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, published in the June 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Diabetes Association 69th Scientific Sessions, also found that while prompt bypass in patients with more severe heart disease did not lower mortality, it lowered their risk of subsequent major cardiac events.
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.
Operating Department Practitioner, Mr Mark McFarlane has been struck off
MAQUET Cardiovascular LLC announced that data presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery show that administration of a heparin bolus with doses as low as 2500U prior to endoscopic vein harvest (EVH) was associated with improved acute saphenous vein (SV) graft patency in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB). Pre-heparinization was also linked to a significant reduction in the incidence and volume of residual clot strands within the vein.
Delcath Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: DCTH), a medical technology company testing its proprietary percutaneous hepatic perfusion (PHP(TM)) system for the treatment of cancers of the liver, announced today that it has achieved the seventy-five percent enrollment point of its pivotal Phase III clinical trial treating metastatic cutaneous and ocular melanoma to the liver. The participating cancer centers in this trial continue to evaluate and enroll patients and the Company remains on target to complete enrollment this year.
Micromet, Inc. (Nasdaq: MITI), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, proprietary antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases, last week presented an update from an ongoing clinical study of the BiTE(R) antibody blinatumomab (MT103) for non-Hodgkin"s lymphoma (NHL) at the 14th Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA), held June 4 to 7 in Berlin, Germany. Blinatumomab is a novel therapeutic antibody that activates a patient"s T cells to seek out and destroy cancer cells.
New data show that Afinitor(R) (everolimus) tablets significantly shrunk tumors in 33% of patients with relapsed non-Hodgkin"s lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin"s disease(1). Based on results from this study and other early-stage research, Novartis has initiated a Phase III trial in the most common NHL, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMLN) and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced interim results from a retrospective study including nearly 260,000 patients that showed the risk of acute pancreatitis among patients initiating therapy with BYETTA(R) (exenatide) injection was not increased compared to patients initiating other antidiabetic therapies. These findings were presented at the 69th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in New Orleans.
Patient-provider communication influences quality of care, but black and Asian patients were more likely than white patients to report communication difficulties with their doctors in 2005, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The AP/Washington Post examines how the millions of Pakistani refugees fleeing from the army"s offensive against the Taliban in the northwest of the country are overwhelming the country"s health care system. "The crisis has exhausted doctors, used up limited supplies of medicines and buried hospitals in a mountain of red tape as they try to get money and medicine for the crisis" pushing the entire health system to the brink of collapse, the AP/Washington Post writes.
BioVex Inc, a company developing next generation biologics for the treatment and prevention of cancer and infectious disease, announced that the results from a Phase I/II combination study in previously untreated patients with head and neck cancer will be presented at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, which will take place May 29, 2009 - June 2, 2009 in Orlando, FL.
Beginning Monday, international health experts will gather through Wednesday in Busan, South Korea, to discuss the effects of the environment on children"s health for the Third WHO International Conference on Children"s Health and the Environment, the Korea Times reports.
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."
More than 350 leading women donors from across the country will gather at the American Red Cross national headquarters in Washington, D.C., on June 8 for a two-day summit on philanthropy and service.
Known for his often controversial approach to public health issues, Dr. Thomas Frieden will take over as the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today, according to various news outlets.
Antiabortion-rights legislators in Kansas plan to push for harsher restrictions on abortion when the next legislative session begins in January 2010, despite increased tensions following the murder of abortion provider George Tiller, the AP/Indianapolis Star reports.According to state House Judiciary Committee Chair Lance Kinzer (R), the debate over abortion rights should continue in the state because some laws aimed at restricting abortion access are not being enforced properly. This year, Kinzer pushed legislation (S.B. 218) to strengthen the state"s restrictions on abortions performed later in pregnancy, but the bill was vetoed by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D). Gov. Mark Parkinson (D) has said his views are "very similar" to those of Sebelius on abortion rights. On Monday, he called on advocates on both sides of the issue to tone down their rhetoric. Parkinson also has said that Kansas should aim to reduce unplanned pregnancies.State Rep. Tom Sawyer (D), who supports abortion rights, said he would like to see legislators take one year off of debating the issue, adding that he thinks this is unlikely. He said, "It"d be nice to have one session where we didn"t have to debate it," adding, "People who are adamant, who keep bringing up these issues, are going to keep bringing them up. I don"t think [Tiller"s murder] is going to slow them down."However, state House Speaker Mike O"Neal (R) said tensions over abortion rights "will calm down a great deal" in the coming months. He added, "All those issues are still there. As long as the parties on both sides behave themselves and not let the rhetoric get out [of] hand, I think we can stay focused on the issues." State Sen. Tim Huelskamp (R) said that abortion-rights opponents likely will focus in the short term on the Board of Healing Arts, which licenses and regulates physicians, and the courts. A criminal case against a Planned Parenthood clinic in Johnson County, Kan., is pending (Hanna, AP/Indianapolis Star, 6/5).
Consumer concern over the swine influenza outbreak has reinforced the
The announcement of the establishment of a new Indigenous Health, Rural and
A study available ahead of print in Tobacco Control reports that the cost of tobacco illnesses to the National Health Services in The United Kingdom is five times the accepted figure, resulting in more than 5 billion pounds a year.
VeroScience, in collaboration with S2 Therapeutics, announced the presentation of clinical and preclinical data at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 69th Scientific Sessions on Cycloset, a novel treatment for patients with Type 2 diabetes. FDA-approved in May 2009, Cycloset is the first therapy directly targeting the body"s dopamine activity to improve glycemic control. It is also the only drug to be approved subsequent to the FDA"s new guidelines that require studies demonstrating that diabetes drugs do not increase cardiovascular risk.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory Inc. of Roy, Utah, is voluntarily recalling some skin sanitizers and skin protectants marketed under several different brand names because of high levels of disease-causing bacteria found in the product during a recent inspection. The FDA is warning consumers to not use any Clarcon products.
An obese 70-year-old will spend approximately 20 percent more on health care over their lifetime - nearly $40,000 - than a peer of normal weight, according to the second annual Almanac of Chronic Disease, released today by the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD).
Pinal County Public Health officials have received confirmation that a 64-year-old woman who died last week was positive for the H1N1 virus. The woman had underlying health conditions and was being treated for pneumonia at the time of her death.
Being overweight is a health concern, and using only body mass index (BMI) to determine weight classification may not give an accurate picture of a person"s health, according to an advisory published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Study results presented for the first
A chemotherapy drug that is supposed to help save cancer patients" lives, instead resulted in life-threatening and sometimes fatal allergic reactions.
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).
Ontario children are more likely to get diagnosed with diabetes than their American counterparts. A study out of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) has found a 3 per cent increase per year in the rate of diabetes in Ontario children from 1994 to 2004.
A new lung cancer therapy employing a vaporized viral vector to deliver a cancer-inhibiting molecule directly to lung tissue shows early promise in mouse trials, according to researchers at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Korea.
Dry eye disease is common among American men older than 50 and increases with age, high blood pressure, benign prostate disease and the use of antidepressants, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
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.
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.
New research indicates that natural selection may shape the human genome
A new analysis demonstrated that a greater proportion of patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had prior treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha agents and received subcutaneous injections of SIMPONI(TM) (golimumab) once every four weeks experienced significant improvements in signs and symptoms through week 24, compared with patients receiving placebo. Patients continued to receive stable doses of methotrexate, sulfasalazine and/or hydroxychloroquine if receiving them at baseline. These data were presented at the 2009 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Annual Congress.
Israeli researchers have developed a technique that could produce a more effective blend of tumor-fighting immune cells used to treat cancers such as metastatic melanoma.
Scientists have developed a prototype scanner designed to help police identify criminals carrying guns and knives without putting themselves in the line of attack.
Not getting enough sleep could increase a person"s risk of developing high blood pressure, said US researchers who monitored over 500 middle
Congressional Democrats seeking leadership are feeling Sen. Edward Kennedy"s absence in the looming health care reform debate as he continues his battle with brain cancer, and struggles to return to Washington, The New York Times reports.
The Oregon House of Representatives passed two health reform bills that a leading Democratic lawmakers says will help Oregon "fit into whatever happens on the national scale," the Portland Oregonian reports. One bill would tax insurers and hospitals more than $300 million over two years to provide coverage to an additional 115,000 Oregonians. These funds would "leverage nearly $1 billion in federal Medicaid matching money." The second measure would create an Oregon Health Authority to replace an existing Department of Human Services, but with a broader mandate to track health care claims data and harness consolidated purchasing power to "pressure insurers and hospitals to use evidence based care." State officials say the measure "would create an estimated 3,600 high-paying jobs in hospitals, medical clinics and other areas" (Graves, 6/8).
UroToday.com - Angiogenesis is thought to be important in many chronic inflammatory disorders, including diabetic retinopathy, atherosclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. It has also been suggested that the angiogenic components of these diseases contribute to and exacerbate disease conditions. Increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been detected in patients with asthma and have been shown to be correlated with the severity of the disease. Anti-VEGF therapy has been shown to ameliorate inflammation in animal models of chronic inflammatory bowel disease. This background forms the prelude to a very interested study by Kiuchi and colleagues from Osaka, Japan.
Body chemistry changes that lead to Type 2 diabetes begin several years before symptoms become apparent, according to new research.
The following summarizes selected women"s health-related blog entries. ~ "Obama"s True Colors: Appointee Opposes Abortion and Birth Control," Bonnie Erbe, U.S. News & World Report"s "Thomas Jefferson Street": President Obama"s appointment of Alexia Kelley, founder of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, as director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships at HHS "doesn"t surprise me at all," Erbe writes, adding that Obama is "merely feeling comfortable enough to show his true self, rather than staying true to promises he made to his supporters prior to being elected." Erbe includes an excerpt from Frances Kissling"s Salon opinion piece in which Kissling questions whether Kelley will follow through with the Obama administration"s pledges to implement policies that help prevent teenage pregnancy and reduce the need for abortion. Erbe concludes, "[A]s the evidence mounts that winning re-election is more important to this president than anything else, his supporters should re-examine their votes in 2012" (Erbe, "Thomas Jefferson Street," U.S. News & World Report, 6/8).~ "This Weekend is the International Demonstration Against Birth Control," Cristina Page, Birth Control Watch: "This weekend marks the second year of "The Pill Kills" campaign," which its antiabortion-rights organizers are calling the ""International Demonstration Against Birth Control"" that they say will ""expose the tragic effects"" hormonal contraception has on women, Page writes. She writes that while last year"s campaign focused on convincing women that birth control pills and other common contraceptives "were really abortion methods," this year"s campaign "is trying to scare women" from using birth control "by claiming it will kill them." The campaign "targets the regular birth control pill in particular," Page says, adding that "it appears impossible to find a single instance in which any pro-life group has anything good to say about any birth control method except natural family planning -- a technique most notable for its high failure rate." She notes, "Even the lowly condom disturbs them." According to Page, David Grimes, "one of the world"s leading experts on contraception," said that ""some antiabortion groups describe a subtle blend of fake claims and real, but exaggerated, risks to frighten women,"" and only ""those very knowledgeable can tease out which are which."" Grimes also noted, ""Ironically, the net effect of this campaign to discredit contraception is more unplanned pregnancies and, of course, more abortions."" Page writes, "One can safely say" that the American Life League -- lead organizer of "The Pill Kills" campaign -- has a "desire to ban birth control [that] is equally intense as its campaign against legal abortion." As evidence of this, she cites the group"s efforts to defeat legislation offering contraception coverage for federal employees and its distribution of anti-contraception literature. She adds, "Not only does ALL promote" that "birth control is abortion," but it "also put[s] forth that any attempt to prevent pregnancy during sex is tantamount to having an abortion." Page concludes, "In actuality," efforts by ALL and similar groups "punish people for having the type of sex they define as contrary to God"s wishes. Pregnancy is, according to them, what sex is for" (Page, "Birth Control Watch," 6/5).~ "The Next Generation of Providers: One Doctor Shows the Way," Sheila Bapat, RH Reality Check: The recent murder of Kansas abortion provider George Tiller "brings into sharp relief the gravity" of women"s health care providers" decision to perform abortions, Bapat writes. She profiles an ob-gyn -- a "young woman in her early 30s" -- who holds a faculty position at a university hospital in a southern, conservative state and also is "one of just a handful of abortion providers in the South." Bapat writes that the "low number of abortion providers" in the U.S. is the result of several factors, including fear o
Parental presence at bedtimes appears to have a greater negative impact on infant sleep than actual co-sleeping, 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 - Robotic and medical imaging technology has made leaps and bounds over the past few decades, and the practice of brachytherapy should take advantage of these advances. Of course, any new technology cannot be implemented in the clinic without a scientifically validated foundation, which must be established in order to justify the move away from tried-and-true methods. With this in mind, we present this paper as a peek into the future -- alternative, potentially useful implant catheter patterns.
Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) introduced the Trilogy100 portable at-home life-support ventilator. The highly versatile, lightweight (11 lb / 5 kg) device marks a milestone in home ventilation from a recognized leader in respiratory care. Respironics first introduced bi-level positive airway pressure for noninvasive ventilation nearly 20 years ago.
Abbott and AstraZeneca announced today that they have entered into an agreement for AstraZeneca to co-promote Abbott"s TRILIPIX® (fenofibric acid), a medication for use alone or in combination with a statin to treat certain lipid disorders. Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will obtain the non-exclusive right to co-promote TRILIPIX alongside Abbott in the United States, excluding Puerto Rico. Specific financial terms were not disclosed.
Spread and extent of the outbreak
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.
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.
CPD4Health Innovation is facilitating a ground breaking event, The Missing Expertise, which will bring together service users, carers, health technology companies, NHS staff and higher education representatives.
The Missouri Senate on Thursday voted 25-7 to approve a bill (SB 264) that would add additional requirements to the state"s existing informed consent law for women seeking abortion, the AP/Newark Star-Ledger reports.The measure would require physicians to hold in-person meetings with women seeking abortion 24 hours before the scheduled procedure to inform them about the physical and psychological risks and the physical development of their fetuses. The existing informed consent law allows physicians to provide this information by phone. Under the revised bill, health care providers also would be required to offer a woman the option to view ultrasound images of the fetus and to listen to the fetus" heartbeat. Providers also would be required to tell women who are at least 22 weeks pregnant that their fetuses have the ability to feel pain and offer fetal anesthesia. The new measure would exempt the Planned Parenthood clinic in Columbia, Mo., one of two in the state that perform abortions, from the requirements until August 2012.Susan Klein of Missouri Right to Life said, "This bill just makes sure the woman is fully informed about what she is about to decide that will affect her for the rest of her life." The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Rob Mayer (R) and now heads to the House for consideration and a vote. If the House approves the bill before 6 p.m. on Friday, when the Legislature concludes its 2009 session, it will go to Gov. Jay Nixon (D) for his consideration. During his campaign last year, Nixon said he supported Missouri"s existing abortion laws without changes but declined to say whether he would veto bills containing additional restrictions the AP/Star-Ledger reports (Blank, AP/Newark Star-Ledger, 5/14).
Meditation may be an effective behavioral intervention in the treatment of insomnia, according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies
Earlier parental-mandated bedtimes could help protect teens from depression and suicidal thoughts by lengthening sleep duration, according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
The genetic factors that cause increased sleep problems during times of stress seem to be the same as those that make people with intrusive and ruminative thoughts have a higher prevalence of insomnia, according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
The virus that causes winter vomiting disease invades cells by attaching to particular sugar molecules on the surface of the cells. This is the conclusion of a thesis presented at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. This result may be an important step in the development of a drug against the regular hospital-based epidemics caused by the virus.
President Obama on Friday appointed New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden as CDC director, according to Obama administration officials, the New York Times reports. According to the Times, Frieden, an infectious disease specialist, has "cut a high and sometimes contentious profile" in his seven years as health commissioner in New York City, during which time he has advocated for a smoking ban in restaurants and bars, made HIV testing part of routine medical exams and protected a program that distributes 35 million condoms a year. According to the Times, Frieden is expected to take office next month. The Times reports that he will "inherit a host of immediate and long-term problems," including questions surrounding a vaccine for the H1N1 influenza virus, also known as swine flu, health care reform and organizational issues at CDC.The Times reports that a potential advantage for Frieden is a positive relationship with likely FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, who also was New York City health commissioner. Frieden would work with Hamburg to combat the H1N1 flu virus and to re-evaluate the U.S. food safety system (Harris/Hartocollis, New York Times, 5/15).
Researchers trying to uncover why premature birth is a growing problem in the United States and one that disproportionately affects black women have found that pre-pregnancy depressive mood appears to be a risk factor in preterm birth among both blacks and whites.
The Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday both worked on health care proposals aimed at overhauling the U.S. health care system, CQ Today reports. In its second of three closed-door meetings, the Finance Committee came to "early, broad agreement" on some issues but continued to disagree over a public option as part of a reform bill. Meanwhile, portions of an overhaul plan being developed by the Energy and Commerce Committee were leaked on Thursday, after Democrats on the committee held a closed-door session on the topic earlier this week (Armstrong, CQ Today, 5/14). Finance Committee
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted unanimously to approve a $91.3 billion defense and foreign aid spending bill that includes President Obama"s request for $1.5 billion in emergency funds to fight a potential influenza pandemic, the AP/Winston-Salem Journal reports. The House version of the bill, approved Thursday in a 368-60 vote, adds $500 million to the pandemic preparedness funds (AP/Winston-Salem Journal, 5/15). Last month, the public health emergency involving the H1N1 influenza virus spurred congressional lawmakers to rethink the elimination of $870 million from the economic stimulus package that would have been used to combat an influenza pandemic. Democratic legislators eliminated the funds in order to garner support from congressional Republicans to pass the stimulus package (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 4/28).
UNAIDS Executive Director Highlights Latin America, Caribbean Successes In Battle Against HIV/AIDS
Democratic leaders have begun moving the rank and file closer to acceptance of basic tenets of health reform proposals, but concerns remain among the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats on how it will be paid for, Politico reports.
Senators will likely pay for at least a portion of the expected $1 trillion-plus health reform price tag by taxing employer-provided health benefits that are significantly more expensive than the basic plan for federal employees, which costs $13,000 a year for a family, the Washington Post reports. A new tax on the benefits, which are now exempt, is "perhaps the best way to raise money for an overhaul of the health care system," Sen. Baucus, D-Mont., the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which must find a way to pay for the bill, told reporters (Montgomery, 6/10).
A genetic analysis from three studies of people living in Denmark found that those who had higher levels of a cholesterol known as lipoprotein
The White House"s pressure to cut soaring healthcare costs is causing action and concern in high cost Medicare areas, especially South Florida.
General Motors and the United Auto Workers are close to finalizing a deal that would reduce the automaker"s cash obligation to a retiree health care trust fund, according to people with knowledge of the matter, the Wall Street Journal reports. UAW in 2007 agreed to establish the voluntary employees" beneficiary association, totaling $35 billion, that would cover health care costs of retired GM workers and their spouses starting in 2010. GM has paid about $15 billion into the fund, but under the deal now being discussed, the remaining $20 billion obligation could be paid using about $10 billion in cash and a 39% equity stake in the restructured GM that will be formed under the Treasury Department"s "controlled bankruptcy" plan for the firm. The deal would be subject to approval by UAW"s 60,000 GM members, who likely would face "steep cuts" in pay and benefits as a result, as well as 20,000 additional layoffs, according to the Journal. Union officials also have expressed concern that the GM stock making up the equity stake is "illiquid and hard to value, posing a big risk for UAW members," the Journal reports. GM and UAW could agree to a final version of the deal "as early as next week," according to the Journal (Stoll, Wall Street Journal, 5/15). Chrysler
"Immigrant and health-care advocacy groups" are calling on New Jersey to "restore $1 million in funding that has been eliminated in the latest round of budget tightening," the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports. "The money was earmarked for community-outreach efforts to educate legal immigrants on available state health programs." A report released yesterday by Rutgers University concluded that "New Jersey"s percentage of uninsured immigrant children is higher than the national average, and the state has a poor track record of making sure those children receive health coverage."
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have defined a key target of an evolutionarily conserved protein that regulates the process of aging. The study, published June 11 in Nature, provides fundamental knowledge about key mechanisms of aging that could point toward new anti-aging strategies and cancer therapies.
World Health Organization officials are meeting today to discuss the world swine flu situation and are expected to decide to move the pandemic
Kansas State University once again is host to a noted microbiology workshop that helps the scientists who test food and other samples for microorganisms. K-State"s 29th annual Rapid Methods and Automation in Microbiology workshop will be June 19-26.
Health and social service professionals who care for adults with depression should not only tackle their clients" physical and mental health, but also detect and prevent possible spillover effects on their children, says a new report from the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine. To achieve this new family-focused model of depression care, federal and state agencies, nonprofits, and the private sector will have to experiment with nontraditional ways of organizing, paying for, and delivering services, said the committee that wrote the report.
NHLBI Funds Research and Training Centers Aimed at Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases in Developing Countries and Collaborates with UnitedHealth Group"s Chronic Disease Initiative
DrugScope has welcomed the publication of the Association of Public Health Observatories report into drug use in England.
The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) applauds the report by The White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) which provides a comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of health care reform.
Metoclopramide, a drug approved in the U.S. for nausea, vomiting and heartburn poses no significant risks for the fetus according to a large cohort study published in the June 11 issue of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, "The Safety of Metoclopramide Use in the First Trimester of Pregnancy" (N Engl J Med 2009;360:24 June 11, 2009).
In response to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report on hospitals, Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) said the best remedy for Australia"s hospitals is to keep people out of them.
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified Medtronic"s previously announced physician advisory about a small subset of Kappa® and Sigma® series pacemakers, identified at increased susceptibility for separation of bonded interconnect wires from the electronic circuit, as a Class I recall. Notification to U.S. FDA, physicians and patients began May 18, 2009. As of the date of this news release, more than 95 percent of physicians following affected devices in the United States have confirmed receipt of the notification. The FDA"s classification of Medtronic"s Important Patient Safety Information does not alter the patient management recommendations already provided in the May 2009 letter, and physicians need not take any new action.
Lambda Legal, a group that represents HIV-positive people, on Tuesday filed a law suit against the Fox Ridge assisted-living facility in North Little Rock, Ark., for allegedly evicting a resident because he is HIV-positive, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports.The Rev. Robert Franke, a retired biology and religion professor who was diagnosed with HIV in 1987, moved into Fox Ridge, which is operated by Parkstone Living Center, in February. The day after he moved into the facility, an unidentified administrator told his daughter, Sara Franke Bowling, that her "superiors" said Franke needed to be discharged from the facility "because of his HIV." Franke disclosed his HIV status on application materials before moving into the facility. The suit alleges that Parkstone violated the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Arkansas Civil Rights Act and requests a permanent injunction to prevent the facility from denying apartments or services to people living with HIV/AIDS. The suit also seeks compensatory and punitive damages and attorneys" fees and costs. The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Eisele. The facility declined to comment on the suit. Julie Munsell, a spokesperson for the state Department of Human Services, said Arkansas law allows for people who have been discharged for assisted-living facilities to remain in the facility pending a hearing if the discharge is appealed. Munsell said the department"s Long-Term Care Division received notice that Franke was appealing the discharge but that the appeal was later dismissed without a hearing. According to Munsell, facilities are not permitted to discharge residents based on medical diagnoses but that some facilities have said they do not have the capacity to provide care for certain conditions. Munsell also said that Fox Ridge is "claiming that they did not admit this client so there is no need for a hearing." Scott Schoettes, staff attorney for Lambda"s HIV Project, said that Franke was not seeking medical care from Fox Ridge, although the facility does provide medical services. "He didn"t require any services beyond which they were licensed to provide," Schoettes said. Franke"s eviction is "particularly blatant and egregious, but unfortunately, not all that uncommon," Schoettes said, adding, "This happens all across the country. We want to send a message that this kind of discrimination is not going to be tolerated" (Satter, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 5/13).
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.
Mayo Clinic researchers are reporting that persons who undergo bariatric surgery may have a greater chance of experiencing broken bones, especially in their hands and feet. The study is based on a review of nearly 100 surgical cases at Mayo spanning 21 years and presented at the Endocrinology Society Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
One of the most widely read books in endocrinology recently came out in its second edition.
Altus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTU) announced that patient dosing in its Phase 2 trial for ALTU-238 in growth hormone deficiency pediatric subjects began on June 2, 2009. ALTU-238 is a long-acting, extended-release formulation of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH, somatropin), which is being developed utilizing Altus" proprietary protein crystallization technology. ALTU-238 is a ready-to-use liquid suspension of crystallized rhGH that preserves the structure of the rhGH molecule without the need for pegylation, polymerization, or encapsulation and enables administration through a fine gauge needle. The Phase 2 ALTU-238 pediatric trial is being conducted in approximately 18 clinical sites in the U.S. and targets enrolling 36 growth hormone deficient pediatric patients. ALTU-238 has been studied in a series of Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies in healthy and GH deficiency adults.
Acceleron Pharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics that modulate the growth of cells and tissues including red blood cells, bone, and muscle, today announced it will provide three oral presentations on data from its ACE-031 program at the Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting to be held in Washington, DC from June 10-13, 2009. The presentations will provide results from preclinical studies highlighting the effects of its lead investigational product for treating diseases involving the loss of muscle mass and function.
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:
A quarter of active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients receiving either 10mg (24.6%) or 15mg (28.1%) twice daily of the investigational oral JAK-3 (janus-associated kinase) inhibitor CP-690,550 (CP) achieved ACR70* after 12 weeks, according to the results of a new study presented at EULAR 2009, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Copenhagen, Denmark. The primary outcome for the study was ACR20*, with 75.4% of patients achieving this measure at 12 weeks for both 10mg and 15mg doses.
The value and cost-effectiveness of screening for left ventricular (LV) dysfunction remains unclear, particularly since specific, evidence-based treatments are not available for the majority of patients with preserved systolic dysfunction, reports a study in the June issue of the Journal of Cardiac Failure, published by Elsevier.