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Some Experts Remain Skeptical Of Withdrawal Method, Despite Recent Study On Effectiveness
Reproductive health experts were "taken aback" by a recent study that found that the withdrawal method is nearly as effective as male condoms in preventing pregnancy, the New York Times reports. The paper -- published in the June issue of the journal Contraception -- found that 4% of couples will become pregnant over a one-year period if they consistently use the withdrawal method, compared with about 2% of couples that consistently use condoms. According to the study"s authors, a more significant finding was that the rate of "typical use" for withdrawal leads to pregnancy 18% of the time, compared with 17% of the time for typical use of condoms. They wrote in the study that "it is unfortunate that some couples do not realize they are substantially reducing their risk of pregnancy when using withdrawal, as these misperceptions may cause unnecessary levels of anxiety. More speculatively, if more people realized that correct and consistent use of withdrawal substantially reduced the risk of pregnancy, they might use it more effectively." Although the authors said the goal of the paper was to encourage discussion, some experts are concerned that spreading a message that withdrawal is effective could lead young people to have unprotected sex, potentially exposing themselves to sexually transmitted infections that can be prevented through condom use, the Times reports. Melissa Gilliam, chief of family planning and contraceptive research at the University of Chicago"s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a board member of the Guttmacher Institute, said the study"s data "don"t necessarily translate to youth today." She added, "In terms of a reliable method used over and over again, the risk of failure is quite high."Rachel Jones, the lead author of the study and a senior research associate at Guttmacher, said that dismissing the withdrawal method as a "legitimate" form of contraception is "counterproductive for the prevention of pregnancy and also discourages academic inquiry into this frequently used and reasonably effective method." She also said that health educators and providers "should discuss withdrawal as a legitimate, if slightly less effective, contraceptive method in the same way they do condoms and diaphragms." She noted that "most women have used withdrawal at some point in their lives."The study"s authors decided to examine the issue after noticing that many researchers and providers "just kind of dismiss withdrawal and don"t seem to realize that it can prevent pregnancy," according to Jones. She added, "Most people seem to be under the impression that you might as well do nothing." Martha Kempner, vice president for information and communications at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, said the results of the study have "made some classroom teachers nervous to give out the truth in this instance, but we do have to tell the truth." She added, "People, kids in particular, they"re using it. It is better than nothing, and it is always available" (Belluck, New York Times, 7/21).
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Trubion Announces Acceptance Of Three Presentations On Its TRU-016 Product Candidate At The 2009 ASCO Annual Meeting
Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRBN) announced the acceptance of three data presentations on its proprietary product candidate, TRU-016, that will be given at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting May 29 through June 2 in Orlando, Fla. The presentations will include positive data from a Phase 1 clinical trial of TRU-016 for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a preclinical study demonstrating the additive or synergistic effects of TRU-016 in combination with other therapeutic drugs for the treatment of non-Hodgkin"s lymphoma (NHL), and a preclinical study evaluating the effect of TRU-016 on direct apoptosis in CLL cells.
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A New UK Survey Suggests Primary Care Clinicians Need Clearer Post-Mi Guidelines To Provide Their Patients With Optimal Care
A new survey published in the British Journal of Cardiology suggests that inconsistencies in clinical guidance for the ongoing management of post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients may contribute to significant variation in clinical practice reported by GPs and practice nurses.1a These findings indicate that, in some areas of the UK, care for post-MI patients after leaving hospital may not be optimal,1b according to authors from the Follow Your Heart group. *
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Today's Selection Of Opinions And Editorials

Delay Vacation, Not Health-Care Reform The Des Moines Register This is no time for elected officials to take a summer vacation. There is too much momentum - unprecedented momentum - that could be lost by putting this on a shelf until Congress reconvenes (7/24). Waterloo Might Be Preferable The (New York) Daily News The back-and-forth feels so familiar - lather, rinse, repeat - we forget to ask an important question: Is DeMint"s theory right? (Josh Greenman, 7/24). Costs And Compassion The New York Times The talking heads on cable TV panned President Obama"s Wednesday press conference. You see, he didn"t offer a lot of folksy anecdotes. Shame on them (Krugman, 7/23). Kill The Rhinos! The New York Times Forget the wonkery. Let"s get primeval. Rising health care costs are a stampede of big ugly rhinos (Brooks, 7/23). Why Obamacare Is Sinking The Washington Post Once you commit your fantasies to words and numbers, the Congressional Budget Office comes along and declares that the emperor has no clothes (Krauthammer, 7/24). Now We"re A Bogeyman The Ottawa Citizen The fastest way to shut down debate about health care, in Canada or the United States, is to accuse your opponent of advocating the other country"s system (7/23). This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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