Oncology
U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced the National Nursing Reform and Patient Advocacy Act, legislation to protect the rights of nurses to advocate on behalf of their patients, set minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals, and invest in training nurses to address the current nationwide nursing shortage.
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.
On Friday, HIV/AIDS advocates in California will appear at the state Legislature"s Budget Conference Committee hearing to urge lawmakers to block proposed health-related budget cuts, the Bay Area Reporter reports. According to the Reporter, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger"s (R) latest budget proposal includes cutting $67.8 million from state HIV programs and an additional $12.3 million from the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. Anne Donnelly of Project Inform said, "We realize we may have to take cuts to our programs. But let"s make sure they are minimized and that we continue to deliver the essential services to those people living with HIV and those also at risk." Next week HIV/AIDS advocates also plan to convene on the steps of the state Capitol to protest the proposed budget cuts (Bajko, Bay Area Reporter, 6/4).
The Planned Parenthood Center of El Paso has begun to refocus its services on family planning and women"s health, and likely will shift its HIV/AIDS support programs to other providers that specialize in such services, according to the local agency"s board president, the El Paso Times reports. According to the agency, 56 percent of the center"s budget was earmarked for HIV/AIDS programs, while 30 percent was for family planning and primary health care. Lynn Salas, board president of the El Paso Planned Parenthood, said, "The [Planned Parenthood Federation of America] felt our AIDS/HIV programs had grown so much we were not focusing enough on the core mission, and we began in mid-March to plan the changes we are still working out" (Valdez, El Paso Times, 6/3).
Heart failure is one of the world"s most frequent causes of death - caused by conditions such as diabetes and obesity. With people who are overweight, the heart has to do more work in order to pump the blood through the circulatory system and this causes an increase in blood pressure. The heart itself becomes enlarged as the myocardial muscle cells increase in mass. To enable the heart to grow there also has to be an increased supply of energy and oxygen. However, the myocardial muscle cells suffer from a lack of oxygen and energy until such time as there are enough blood vessels to support the tissue.
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.
The Society for Biomolecular Sciences (SBS) announces the delivery of their Annual Meeting posters and abstracts with online commenting through Poster Hall 2.0 developed by Conference Archives, Inc. The SBS e-poster website, accessible to SBS members, brings together posters and abstracts from the 2008 and 2009 SBS Annual Conference & Exhibitions.
Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIVO) announced that it has received FDA clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new rapid test for Campylobacter, ImmunoCard STAT!® CAMPY. This new test provides fast and accurate detection of Campylobacter bacteria, one of the most common causes of diarrheal illness and the most common bacterial cause of foodborne illness in the United States. Approximately 20 million stool culture tests are conducted each year in the U.S. to detect the illness, known as Campylobacteriosis. Campylobacter is most often transmitted by poorly cooked poultry or person-to-person contact.
Using McKesson"s Horizon Study Share™ reference case solution, the American College of Radiology (ACR) has made its entire library of ACR Learning File® images and content available online as a Web-hosted archive to ACR members and others in the field. The ACR Learning File® includes a collection of more than 3,600 peer-reviewed cases in 12 subspecialties, with more than 10,000 high-quality images depicting thousands of diagnoses. Key findings and detailed discussions supplement the images, making the library a unique experience for practicing radiologists and members in training. McKesson worked with ACR to transfer the entire ACR Learning File® library from CDs into the Horizon Study Share repository.
BMA Scotland has called on the NHS in Scotland to value the clinical leadership offered by consultants in Scotland in order for patients to benefit from developments and innovations in healthcare. In order to do this, they say, the NHS needs to plan and invest in a consultant workforce that can lead the NHS and deliver the best care for patients.
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.
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) launched its World Diabetes Day campaign under the slogan "Understand diabetes and take control."
Journalist, Malini Guha, has won the prestigious new Advances in Renal Cancer Journalists" Award - Europe for her article "New Advances Deliver Fresh Hope in Kidney Cancer" - which was published in Scrip World Pharmaceutical News on February 13th 2009.
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.
Two-thirds of patients are happy for their medical records to be stored electronically, according to a snapshot survey carried out in a community mental health setting. But many patients still have concerns about security and confidentiality.
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.
Nearly 2 in 3 U.S. adults (63%) think that it is important that dental coverage is part of an overall health reform package, and 40 percent say it is very important, according to a new public opinion survey commissioned by Oral Health America. The survey, sponsored by the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation, and conducted by Harris Interactive(R), was released today at the launch of National Smile Month, the largest independent international campaign promoting good dental care including brushing, regular dental visits, and healthy food choices as well as the need for effective oral healthcare policies.
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.
Cracks permeate the dried-out desert ground, the landscape bears testimony to the lack of water. But even here, where there are no lakes, rivers or groundwater, considerable quantities of water are stored in the air. In the Negev desert in Israel, for example, annual average relative air humidity is 64 percent - in every cubic meter of air there are 11.5 milliliters of water.
SAGE have announced that flagship medical journal Palliative Medicine is to become the official journal of the Association for Palliative Medicine.
Health care supplier Johnson & Johnson will focus on new treatments and improved tests for cancer and other diseases for which company perceives unmet needs, like diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV, as well as using new, Washington-supported research techniques to gauge their effectiveness, researchers and executives said at a briefing with analysts, BusinessWeek reports.
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.
UroToday.com - The prevailing view is that MRI has a limited role in the management of prostate cancer. Currently, the threshold for requesting a pre-treatment staging MRI is variable with most advocating this for only those classified as high risk localized prostate cancer, although some also advocate men with intermediate risk disease.
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.
Using zebrafish because they have similar genes to humans, US researchers discovered that hydrogen peroxide, the chemical that we use to bleach
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning employers to ensure the effective management of the safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles around the workplace, after a man was reversed over by a forklift truck at the new ÷£22.5m shopping complex at Willow Place, Corby.
A new report, issued by an expert committee convened by the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), for the first time defines scientific competencies for future medical school graduates and for undergraduate students who want to pursue a career in medicine.
Health professionals need to look no further than their iPhone to support them at the point of care. Wave Medical, who provides clinical decision support applications to general practitioners, nurses, emergency doctors and medical students has recently expanded its mobile platform offering to include the iPhone™ and iPod® Touch. Now all healthcare professionals can easily access any of Wave Medical"s specialty-focused clinical decision support applications through iPhone"s innovative platform.
The current financial meltdown has in part been caused by bankers who display the attributes of Hubris Syndrome, a former leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has claimed.
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.
Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) Federal Secretary Ged Kearney said comments made by Senator Nick Xenophon today display a lack of understanding of the award modernisation process and the benefits this process brings to nursing staff, employers and the aged care industry.
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.
The BMA on Thursday welcomed the Health Select Committee"s call for the government to gather central information on the cost to the NHS of private management consultants.
Operating Department Practitioner, Mr Mark McFarlane has been struck off
Avecia Biologics has announced it has created a "toolkit" of technologies to meet the production challenges for the next generation of antibody-based therapeutics.
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 Phase II data presented at the American Diabetes Association 69th Scientific Sessions in New Orleans show that the investigational type 2 diabetes treatment Syncria(R) (albiglutide) significantly reduced blood glucose levels and provided weight loss across weekly, biweekly and monthly dosing. Reducing blood sugar is a key part of managing type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects over 250 million people worldwide.
Amgen Inc. (Nasdaq: AMGN) today released the results of a new study comparing Nplate(R) (romiplostim) to the medical standard of care (SOC) in non-splenectomised adult patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Chronic ITP is a serious autoimmune disorder characterised by low platelet counts in the blood (thrombocytopenia), which can lead to serious bleeding events. The study results show Nplate significantly reduced the incidences of splenectomy and treatment failures in non-splenectomised adult patients with chronic ITP when compared to medical SOC. The results were presented today as an oral presentation at the 14th congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA abstract #1672).
D-Pharm announced today that its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for a pivotal Phase III clinical trial of DP-b99 in acute ischemic stroke patients has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). D-Pharm plans to initiate the trial in the coming months, in over 100 clinical sites in North America, Europe, South Africa and Israel.
Swedish global industrial group, Sandvik, is announcing the development of the new Sandvik European Center of Excellence (SECoE) for finish processing and supply management activities for orthopedic implants and instruments.
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."
The Washington Post on Monday examined how antiabortion-rights advocates are pressing state legislatures to approve measures designed to restrict access to abortion and compel women seeking the procedure to reconsider. The Post reports that the election of President Obama, who supports abortion rights, and the Democratic majority in Congress have made it less likely that there will be new federal restrictions on abortion or an overturning of Roe v. Wade. In response, antiabortion-rights groups have pushed to enact more state-level restrictions, such as parental consent for minors and waiting periods. According to the Post, state legislatures in 2008 considered around 400 measures to restrict abortion. Gretchen Borchelt, senior counsel at the National Women"s Law Center, said, "The states are the battlegrounds and certainly the testing grounds of new kinds of restrictions." She added, "State legislatures can be more creative in what they"re trying to push and see what works."The restrictions -- known as Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers, or TRAP laws -- include measures such as requiring a woman to visit a clinic twice at least 24 hours apart before obtaining an abortion, severely limiting public funding for abortion, mandating consent from both parents or a judge"s signature before minors can obtain abortions and requiring that women view ultrasounds before abortion procedures. The ultrasound laws are aimed at making women reconsider the decision to have an abortion, while the waiting period laws "have the added effect of raising the obstacles and the costs," particularly for low-income and working-class women, who are most likely to have unintended pregnancies, the Post reports.Terri Herring, head of Mississippi"s Pro-Life America Network, said, "We tried every which way, and we were successful in the state way." She added, "All-or-nothing means nothing. Incremental means something." Herring"s next goal is enacting a law in Mississippi requiring clinic staffers to report the identities of the sexual partners of minors. The Post reports that Mississippi, which has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, has become a model for antiabortion-rights groups in other states. According to Herring, the "greater goal, even in legislation, is to influence the culture." Felicia Brown-Williams, a Planned Parenthood staffer in Mississippi, said, "We"ve got a glut of bills we fight every year. We spend the first two months in sheer and utter panic that one of these bills is going to get past us" (Slevin, Washington Post, 6/8).
"When a Supreme Court nominee such as Judge Sonia Sotomayor comes before the Senate for confirmation, she is promised a full, fair hearing," yet "every nominee"s path is booby-trapped by the history of previous confirmation battles," Washington Post columnist David Broder writes. Broder examines prior confirmation hearings, noting that the "[o]ne thing that may make it harder to forget the partisan and ideological battles of the past is that President Obama found reasons to oppose" Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito while he was in the Senate.During Roberts" confirmation hearing, Obama said that although he was "sorely tempted to vote for Judge Roberts," he had issues with Roberts in cases where "precedent and rules of construction" are insufficient and where justice "can only be determined on the basis of one"s deepest values." Obama added that the rights of women and minorities are dependent on cases in which "the critical ingredient is supplied by what is in the judge"s heart." Obama said Roberts" record on women"s rights and other issues was not strong enough to quell doubts about Roberts" "deepest values."Broder continues, "Based on the Obama precedent, the White House can hardly complain if Republicans push beyond the question of Sotomayor"s qualifications and examine her values -- and her biases." He concludes, "Someday, the Senate may again be satisfied to examine only professional credentials, recognizing the uncertain dynamics of a nine-person bench," but while past precedents survive, "that is not likely" (Broder, Washington Post, 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.
According to a research abstrac presented on Monday, June 8, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, white Americans are more likely to report experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) more days per month than Asians, African Americans and Hispanics, but African Americans experience more severe EDS.
Lyme disease is emerging in Canada, and is expected to increase with climate change, but effective, enhanced surveillance and clinician awareness will be key to minimizing the impact of the disease, write researchers in a review in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Despite tough economic times, the majority of Canadians want to see federal and provincial governments make clean air a top priority, according to a new poll by The Canadian Lung Association to mark Clean Air Day.
AdvanDx announced it received FDA 510(k) clearance for GBS PNA FISH(R) for detection of Streptococcus agalactiae, aka Group B Strep, from turbid Lim Broths inoculated with vaginal and rectal swabs obtained from pregnant women between 35 and 37 weeks gestation. The 90 minute molecular diagnostic test enables rapid and highly sensitive detection of Group B Strep from Lim Broths to help detect colonization in pregnant women.
Scientists have pinpointed an enzyme responsible for breaking down and inactivating a key childhood leukaemia drug, which could help to explain why around 20 per cent of patients do not respond to therapy. Their findings are published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation * today (Monday).
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.
As the official sponsor of birthdays, the American Cancer Society announced new survey results that show people who say they are in excellent health enjoy better birthdays. The online survey of 2,002 U.S. adults, which demonstrated a strong link between health and attitudes about birthdays, revealed that people who say they are in excellent health are more likely to consider birthdays special and exciting events. In addition, people who say they are in excellent health are nearly twice as likely to love celebrating birthdays, generally consider them fun and feel more special on their birthday than people who say they are in poor health.
Computer/console gamers who play for more than seven hours a week and who identify their gaming as an addiction sleep less during the weekdays and experience greater sleepiness than casual or non-gamers, according to a research abstract presented on June 8 at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies
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.
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.
A chemotherapy drug that is supposed to help save cancer patients" lives, instead resulted in life-threatening and sometimes fatal allergic reactions.
Low income, conflict-affected countries such as Afghanistan, Sudan and
In a case study of a type of melanoma skin cancer typically found on chronically sun-exposed skin, Saint Louis University researchers found that imiquimod, a topical cream, produced good results for patients when used together with surgery to treat the cancer, potentially helping doctors cut less.
Researchers in the University of Virginia Department of Urology have developed a novel method that could help physicians determine the best course of treatment for patients suffering from bladder cancer.
A clinical trial has demonstrated that HIV-infected adults in a re-limited setting are more likely to survive if they start antiretroviral therapy (ART) before their immune systems are severely compromised.
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.
After last Wednesday"s revelations that NHS jargon could be affecting patient health, Thames Translations" MD Simon George raised concerns that the needs of foreign patients could be missed in the rush to remove jargon from communications and replace it with plain English.
This Sunday, thousands of people around the globe will join the
Biotech company Pharming Group NV ("Pharming" or "the Company") (NYSE Euronext: PHARM) today announced that the Paediatric Committee (PDCO) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has adopted an opinion agreeing the paediatric investigation plan (PIP) for Rhucin® (recombinant human C1 inhibitor) in the therapeutic area of immunology-rheumatology transplantation.
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.
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) announced results from the Phase 1 clinical study of PEG-PAL (PEGylated recombinant phenylalanine ammonia lyase) for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU). The company expects to initiate the Phase 2 clinical study in late June or early July, pending institutional review board (IRB) approval from the clinical trial sites. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed the Phase II clinical trial protocol.
DOR BioPharma, Inc. (DOR or the Company) (OTC Bulletin Board: DORB), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced that it has received Protocol Assistance feedback from the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) on the design of its confirmatory, pivotal, Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating its lead product orBec(R) for the treatment of acute gastrointestinal Graft-versus-Host Disease (GI GVHD).
A network of leading autism researchers from three regions across the country has launched one of the largest research studies of its kind to investigate early risk factors for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The network, called the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI), will follow a cohort of up to 1,200 pregnant women who already have a child with autism. The study is considered one of the best-equipped to discover biological markers and environmental risk factors for autism due to its elevated autism risk pregnancy cohort, wide ranging data collection with extensive bio-sampling, length of time it follows pregnant women and their babies, and multi-disciplinary team of expert investigators.
Protesting what they call a "dangerous and frightening" reduction in medical res, Registered Nurses from UCSF will picket their hospital this Wednesday, calling on administrators to immediately withdraw their proposal to increase patient loads for nurses by 25 to 100 percent.
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 new swine influenza virus [H1N1], which appeared suddenly after years of warning about a potential pandemic of avian influenza, upset the WHO"s assumptions that most people have the same understanding of the word pandemic," says the New York Times in a report that examines the difficultly health experts have had when attempting to agree upon what constitutes a pandemic.
The Senate could vote today on tougher tobacco laws that would give the Food and Drug Adminstration power to regulate tobacco.
Low blood glucose levels do not explain the excess deaths seen in the intensive control group of the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial, according to a report presented here today at the American Diabetes Association"s 69th Scientific Sessions.
Children who are bullied at school are up to four times more likely than their peers to develop psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions and paranoia - and the more severe the bullying the more severe the symptoms.
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.
Three researchers from the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech have developed and evaluated a new one-step bioanalytical approach that allows them to profile in detail complex cellular extracts of proteins. The method has allowed the scientists to look at how the levels of proteins change in breast cancer cells when they are treated with hormones or cancer drugs like tamoxifen.
Experts from across the country will gather at a conference at De Montfort University (DMU) in Leicester next week to discuss the issue of Sickle Cell and deaths in custody.
-- 2 confirmed cases in Wales:
Residential childcare and fostering agency, Perpetual Care, and the University of Central Lancashire"s School of Nursing & Caring Sciences are jointly developing an introductory workshop on the ground-breaking Nurtured Heart Approach, which seeks to improve social and educational outcomes for many children and young people. Experts from UCLan and Perpetual are currently designing an awareness workshop, which will provide an overview of the approach, examine existing US research findings and explore its potential role in UK residential childcare and fostering, particularly in the light of revised NICE guidelines relating to children with ADHD. The first session is scheduled at UCLan"s Preston campus in late June this year and should be of interest to registered social workers, local authority placement officers and other social care and health professionals concerned with the well-being of challenging young people.
Patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have an increased prevalence of parasomnia symptoms compared with the prevalence rates of individual parasomnias, according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Angiotensin 1-7, a hormone in the body that has cardiovascular benefits, improves the metabolic syndrome in rats, according to a new study. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
An ingenious new method of obtaining marine microbe samples while preserving the microbes" natural gene expression has yielded an unexpected boon: the presence of many varieties of small RNAs - snippets of RNA that act as switches to regulate gene expression in these single-celled creatures. Before now, small RNA could only be studied in lab-cultured microorganisms; the discovery of its presence in a natural setting may make it possible finally to learn on a broad scale how microbial communities living at different ocean depths and regions respond to environmental stimuli.
In a world-first breakthrough, University of New South Wales (UNSW) medical researchers have used stem cells cultured on a simple contact lens to restore sight to sufferers of blinding corneal disease.
Alcohol consumption by pregnant women hinders brain development in their children by interfering with the genetic processes that control thyroid hormone levels in the fetal brain, a new animal study found. Results were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) announces it will be delivering training sessions for the RSPH Level 1 Health Awareness and the RSPH Level 2 Understanding Health Improvement awards.
Building on the momentum of their previous events, The Stem Cell Awareness Association will hold a Stem Cell Awareness Rally in Denver, Colorado on June 13th, 2009. The group"s last event, in Punta Gorda, Florida, drew past patients, prospective patients, news media, U.S. physicians and specialists, as well as members of the public interested in learning more about stem cell treatment.
New data presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 69th Annual Scientific Sessions showed that initial treatment with "Janumet"* (sitagliptin/metformin) provided significantly greater blood sugar improvements in drug-naç¯ve** patients with type 2 diabetes, compared with metformin alone.[i]
A new investigational study presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 69th Annual Scientific Sessions showed that "Januvia" (sitagliptin), when added to ongoing insulin therapy with or without metformin, significantly improved blood sugar control.[i] Applications to use "Januvia" and "Janumet"* (sitagliptin/metformin) in combination with insulin have been accepted for review by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are currently under review.
Researchers at McGill University and the affiliated Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research at Montreal"s Jewish General Hospital - along with colleagues at the University of Manitoba and the University of British Columbia - may have found a chink in the armour of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the microorganism which causes AIDS. They have pinpointed the key cellular machinery co-opted by HIV-1 to hijack the human cell for its own benefit. Their study was published in May in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
The United States is becoming a nation of haves and have-nots when it comes to tobacco control, according to a comprehensive publication on cigarette smoking prevalence and policies in the U.S. which has just been released.
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.
With the start of the rainy season, Francisco Duque III, health secretary in the Philippines, on Tuesday emphasized a continued government commitment to controlling and preventing dengue - a disease for which there is currently no vaccine or specific drug, the Manila Times reports.
Sen. Chris Dodd has taken the reins on health care reform while he juggles other bills and a tough re-election campaign, Roll Call reports.
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
Trust for America"s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) released a new public opinion survey today which finds that Americans rank prevention as the most important health care reform priority, and overwhelmingly support increasing funding for prevention programs to reduce disease and keep people healthy.
Cephalon, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEPH) presented results from a pivotal trial that showed NUVIGIL(R) (armodafinil) Tablets [C-IV] significantly improved wakefulness in people with excessive sleepiness associated with jet lag disorder. These phase three data were presented at the SLEEP 2009 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies meeting in Seattle, Washington. NUVIGIL is currently indicated to improve wakefulness throughout the day for the millions of patients who struggle with excessive sleepiness associated with treated obstructive sleep apnea, shift work disorder and narcolepsy.
People with chronic health conditions who receive coaching tailored to their level of health activation showed significant improvements in clinical outcomes, and experienced fewer hospitalizations and visits to the emergency room than those coached using traditional methods, according to a study published in the June issue of The American Journal of Managed Care.
Washington state lawmakers this week eliminated a budgetary proposal that would have reduced Medicaid payment rates to pharmacies to the lowest levels in the country, the AP/Spokane Spokesman-Review reports. The provision would have reduced the payment rate from 86% to 80% of the average wholesale price of branded drugs. It had been approved by the state House and Gov. Chris Gregoire (D) and was intended to address the state"s $9.3 billion shortfall for the current fiscal year.The state"s Department of Social and Health Services moved to make the rate change on April 1, but pharmacy operators and a person living with HIV/AIDS brought a suit in federal court in Tacoma, Wash., and a judge blocked the change. According to the judge"s order, the plaintiffs likely could prove that their best interests had not been sufficiently considered and that the proposal would diminish the quality of Medicaid care in the state. Walgreen had stated that if the rate change occurred, 44 of its 111 stores in the state would no longer be able to fill Medicaid prescriptions. Other pharmacies made similar arguments. The state prepared an argument on behalf of the rate cut, but later decided against it.Along with eliminating the payment reduction, state legislators added a provision that a DSHS analysis is required before rates can be lowered in the next budget, as well as one placing a 2% cap on any future rate cuts. DSHS spokesperson Jim Stevenson said the agency had not started to analyze what would be required to get a rate cut approved, but added, "I think we"re at a stage where we"re going to have to do it soon if we want to get ready for July 1," the start of fiscal year 2010 (AP/Spokane Spokesman-Review, 5/13).
An analysis of previous studies indicates that allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) (stem cells from a compatible donor) is associated with significant overall and relapse-free survival benefit among adult patients with intermediate- and poor-risk but not good-risk acute myeloid leukemia in first complete remission, compared with nonallogeneic SCT therapies, according to an article in the June 10 issue of JAMA.
Cancer patients who are older than 65 years have poorer physical health and, in some cases, mental health when compared with people of the same age group without cancer, according to a study in the June 9 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
If you are pregnant and your mate complains your frequent snoring is rattling the bedroom windows, you may have bigger problems than an annoyed, sleep-deprived partner.
Commenting on the announcement by European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers Association (HOSPEEM) of an EU-wide agreement set to prevent 1 million medical sharps injuries per year, Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said:
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).
Scientists have identified for the first time a mechanism by which nanoparticles cause lung damage and have demonstrated that it can be combated by blocking the process involved, taking a step toward addressing the growing concerns over the safety of nanotechnology.
A report launched at the NHS Confederation annual conference today warns that the bureaucratic burden of healthcare regulation is growing and calls on the Department of Health and regulators to simplify providers" process of reporting.
The following statistics were released by the Department of Health: Report on the experience of patients in Black and Minority Ethnic groups, based on data up to and including 2008 patient surveys. This report produced by the Department of Health with input and advice from the Care Quality Commission, examines variations in the self-reported views of NHS patients from different ethnic groups. Results are presented from the 2008/09 adult inpatient, 2008/09 emergency department, 2007/08 primary care services and 2007/08 community mental health patient surveys. These findings give us insight into the areas of NHS service provision where experience of the service looks different to patients from different ethnic groups. Results are based on data from the National Patient Survey programme, led by the Care Quality Commission.
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 today in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP (ENTA), is pleased to announce the formation of OASIS (i.e., Otolaryngology, Allergy Specialty Insurance Services), a separate company that will be a vehicle to provide Otolaryngology and Allergy Specific medical malpractice coverage. OASIS, which will be domiciled in the State of Vermont, is the first RRG to provide medical malpractice coverage exclusively to ENT physicians and Allergists. ENTA decided to embark on this path as a means of stabilizing its malpractice premiums in the face of mounting deficits among the State"s largest carriers and the failure of the legislature to pass any meaningful tort reform. These factors will most likely result in substantial premium increases well into the future. In addition, ENTA, now a 96 physician practice, will be able to focus on controlling the risks unique to its specialty to ensure patient safety and physician compliance with its risk management policies.
Nexstim Oy, a medical device company developing non-invasive brain diagnostics and therapy technologies, announces presentation of the abstract "TMS as a part of multimodal management of safe glioma resection in the motor cortex" at the 60th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Neurosurgery.
Biothera has initiated a Phase II clinical trial in stage IV KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer patients with its investigational drug Imprime PGG® in combination with Erbitux® (cetuximab), the company announced today.
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.
Cecal volvulus is axial twisting that occurs involving the cecum, terminal ileum, and ascending colon. Rarely, it may take the form of upward and anterior folding of the ascending colon ("cecal bascule").