National and International News
Family anger at 'needless' deaths
The families of two women, who died after failures at a hospital already being questioned about patient safety, say their deaths were needless.
BBC Health News 20/01/05
Transplant brother back to school
The first of four brothers diagnosed with one of the world's rarest fatal illnesses has been back to school for the first time following his operation.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Watchdog probes NI fracture lists
A patients' watchdog in Northern Ireland is trying to find out why there is an average wait of five days for fracture surgery.
BBC Health News 20/01/05
Most adverse events in hospitalized children are preventable
A study by researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine suggests that nearly 70,000 children hospitalized in the United States experience an adverse event each year and that at least 60 percent of these errors may be preventable.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
New health policy challenges extend beyond US borders
Forum to address health as foreign policy issue - More and more health policy challenges stretch across borders, and even powerful nations like the US have found that they can no longer ensure the health of their citizens through national policies alone. Understanding and responding to this growing interdependence requires both health policy and foreign policy perspectives. To promote greater dialogue between the fields, AcademyHealth will launch its first Health in Foreign Policy Forum.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Research may speed development of new oral drugs for fertility treatments
Researchers now have a much better picture of how follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), one of the most frequently used fertility drugs, works, and with it new ideas for creating a new generation of oral medications to treat infertility.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
The role of ethnicity in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
The first study to examine nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among different ethnic and racial groups in the United States finds that Hispanics may be at a higher risk of developing the condition. The study is published in Hepatology, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hepatology is available online via Wiley InterScience at interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
What's in store for health policy now the elections are over - USA
Rated 3 in National and International News on Jan 20, 2005 at 07:24:20 GMT.
The implications of the 2004 Presidential election on health policy, the future of entitlement programs, the promise and pitfalls of consumer-driven health plans, and early experiences of prescription drug discount cards - how will these critical issues influence the nation's health policy agenda in 2005?
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Common Antidepressants Lower Effects of Tamoxifen in Many Women
Additional evidence that a class of antidepressants can reduce the effectiveness of tamoxifen has been published by researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine, the University of Michigan and Johns Hopkins University.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Patients Sought For Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trials
The Indiana University Alzheimer Disease Center is seeking participants for two studies of medications.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
50 per cent chance you genes are why you are fat
If you're a middle-aged guy who's packed on the pounds and now is battling to take them off, it's a 50-50 shot that your jeans are fitting tighter because of your genes, according to a Saint Louis University School of Public Health study.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Colonoscopy still best colorectal cancer screening method
According to a study published in the Jan. 18 issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, fecal occult blood test (FOBT) performed in-office as part of a digital rectal examination failed to detect potentially cancerous colon growths 95 percent of the time. Furthermore, an at-home FOBT was found to detect cancerous polyps less than 24 percent of the time. The entire study population received follow-up colonoscopies, regardless of whether they received digital FOBT or the at-home stool test.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Cord blood transplantation now a viable option for adult leukemia patients
Stem cell transplantation using umbilical cord blood is a standard treatment option for blood disorders in children, but not for adults, due to the difficulty of obtaining a sufficiently large dose of cells. To solve this problem, researchers from the University of Minnesota examined a new technique that combines two cord blood units from different donors for transplantation into adult or adolescent leukemia patients. Their study is to be published in the February 1, 2005, issue of Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Discovery of pathway in learning impairment caused by liver disease may lead to drug treatment
A new study rats reveals the mechanism responsible for learning impairment due to liver failure and shows that sildenafil restores cognitive function
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Low-dose aspirin & stomach ulcer medications better for heart patients with GI complications
Heart patients with gastrointestinal complications should use low doses of aspirin combined with drugs that treat stomach ulcers rather than taking the anti-platelet drug Plavix, which has been thought to reduce bleeding ulcers, according to a gastroenterologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center and the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Male Circumcision Reduces Risk of HIV Transmission From Women to Men
The first study to examine the probability of HIV infection per act of heterosexual sex among a population with multiple sexual partners has found that uncircumcised men have more than twice the risk of acquiring HIV than do circumcised men.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Therapy hope for stroke victims
Stimulating the brain with a magnet may be a good treatment for stroke victims, say scientists.
BBC Health News 20/01/05
Test tube baby gets blood check
Genetic screening has been used to ensure a test tube baby's blood was compatible with that of its mother.
BBC Health News 20/01/05
Why some people entice mosquitoes
Scientists believe they have discovered the reason why mosquitoes find some of us more tasty than others.
BBC Health News 20/01/05
The sweet smell of security
A forward-thinking young company is using technology to try to make our lives safer, writes Bobbie Johnson. The secret lies in sniffing out potential threats with tiny, low-cost sensors
The Guardian 20/01/05
How old is too old to have a baby?
Some say 50 should be the upper limit. Some say 95. Others say that human rights should come before considerations of age. The debate was sparked again this week when a 67-year-old Romanian woman, Adriana Iliescu, became the world's oldest mother, giving birth to a girl at the Giulesti maternity hospital in Bucharest.
The Guardian 20/01/05
Asians yet to gain quango job equality
The majority of government departments are failing to appoint a fair number of Asians to jobs on powerful public bodies, says a survey published today.
The Guardian 20/01/05
Military dominates UK science, says report
Military thinking has a disproportionate influence on science and technology in modern Britain, according to a report launched last night.
The Guardian 20/01/05
The shape of things to come?
What does today's report on the health service's troubled e-booking project mean for the rest of the 6.2bn NHS IT programme? SA Mathieson reports
The Guardian 19/01/05
Inside IT: Public Domain
Next month, government-funded researchers begin a two-year study on the management of identity in public services. The Oxford Internet Institute plans to examine eight case studies of IT-based services, asking questions about the extent to which users need to identify themselves, the balance between efficiency and security, and many more.
The Guardian 20/01/05
Inside IT: Get it out of your system
Government technology failures are well known but Whitehall's new IT guru is adamant that 2005 will be the year of delivery. Michael Cross reports
The Guardian 20/01/05
Bone bank manager sold donations
A hospital worker has been jailed for 10 months for selling human bones and tissue to private clinics, but pocketing the cash himself.
The Guardian 20/01/05
In the health trade
A controversial new European directive is in danger of placing the interests of business above the safety of workers and consumers
The Guardian 20/01/05
Home with high death rate was checked 17 times
Health officials conducted 17 inspections of a former nursing home under scrutiny following the deaths of 16 elderly residents, it emerged yesterday.
The Guardian 20/01/05
Postcode lottery for university entrants
Researchers find school leavers from 'good' areas six times more likely to go on to higher education than those from poorer parts
The Guardian 20/01/05
Seeking a scent that deters
Scientists hope to remedy one of life's great injustices: that some people are far more likely than others to be bitten by mosquitoes.
The Guardian 20/01/05
NHS chiefs rebel on plans to contract out operations
John Reid, the health secretary, is facing a groundswell of opposition from NHS trust chiefs in England about plans to contract out up to 15% of non-emergency operations and diagnostic tests.
The Guardian 20/01/05
Shipman: 137 more deaths examined
The inquiry into the past of Harold Shipman, the GP who murdered at least 215 patients, announced yesterday that it has investigated a further 137 deaths for which he signed death certificates.
The Guardian 20/01/05
Roe asks court to ban abortion
The woman once known as "Jane Roe" has asked the supreme court to overturn its landmark decision that legalised abortion 32 years ago.
The Guardian 20/01/05
Degree of affluence helps university hopefuls
Parents who want their children to go to university should live in a detached house in a salubrious neighbourhood, read The Telegraph, avoid having sons and give birth to their daughters in September, according to a detailed analysis published yesterday by the Higher Education Funding Council.
The Telegraph 20/01/05
Shipman's killing may have begun in hospital
Harold Shipman may have become a serial killer nearly four years earlier than previously thought, it emerged last night.
The Telegraph 20/01/05
Why I had to help my brave sister in 26-hour suicide
A man who comforted his terminally-ill sister while she attempted to commit suicide will not face charges.
The Telegraph 20/01/05
Secret repellent may take the sting out of mosquitoes
Some people are unattractive to mosquitoes because they exude chemicals that act as a natural repellent, according to a study published today.
The Telegraph 20/01/05
Watchdog attacks quango 'cronyism'
Ministers should lose their right to take the final decision over who should run powerful quangos, Whitehall's standards watchdog said yesterday.
The Telegraph 20/01/05
95m for NHS online
An extra 95 million is to be made available to speed up a new system of electronic appointments in the NHS following a damning report on progress from the Government spending watchdog.
The Telegraph 20/01/05
WD-40: the scourge of snakes, beavers and cocaine-taking clubbers
A bus driver in Asia faced with the problem of a python coiled around the undercarriage of his vehicle may, on the face of it, have little in common with a Bristol nightclub owner trying to deter customers from snorting cocaine in the lavatories. But for both, the solution lay inside the distinctive yellow and blue can of WD-40.
The Independent 20/01/05
Shipman may have killed 137 as trainee
Harold Shipman, the doctor responsible for the murder of hundreds of patients, may have killed a further 137 people during his medical training.
The Independent 20/01/05
Archbishop says Church cannot back euthanasia
THE Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, insists today that human and ethical reasons mean that the Church of England can never soften its line on euthanasia.
The Times 20/01/05
Girls dominate university entry - and stay the course
THE increasing dominance of young women at university was revealed yesterday in a report examining social class differences in higher education.
The Times 20/01/05
Why children of the rich are six times more likely to get a degree
IT WAS meant light-heartedly, but Sir Howard Newby’s advice to “choose your mother carefully” struck at the root of the social divide at university.
The Times 20/01/05
NHS cuts services to meet private treatment targets
HOSPITALS are being pushed into debt and are having to cut services because of the Government’s use of the private sector, health leaders say.
The Times 20/01/05
Final report on killings by Shipman
A REPORT to be released next Thursday may reveal how many people Harold Shipman really killed, five years after he was jailed for life for the murder of 15 patients.
The Times 20/01/05
No charge over suicide vigil
A MAN who sat with his sister for 26 hours as she tried to suffocate herself with a plastic bag will not be charged with any crime over her suicide.
The Times 20/01/05
Watchdog ends jobs for the boys
Ministers should have less say on public appointments to avoid cries of cronyism
The Times 20/01/05
Number of heroin users in Scotland drops by 7.6%
THE number of heroin users in Scotland fell from 55,800 in 2000 to 51,582 in 2003, a decrease of 7.6 per cent.
The Times 20/01/05
Does a right to assisted death entail a responsibility on others to kill?
IN THE passionate argument about euthanasia and the law, the thing most immediate to many — perhaps most — people’s minds is the extreme nature of the human suffering for which euthanasia is claimed as the best and most compassionate solution. This is not unfamiliar territory for those who oppose euthanasia on religious grounds. The continuing and costly investment of many religious bodies in palliative care, as well as the day-to-day experience of the priest or pastor alongside the dying, means that they know as well as anyone what sort of circumstances are being discussed.
The Times 20/01/05
Cannabis painkiller in cancer trial
Cancer patients in severe pain have been offered hope that their suffering could be relieved by a new drug derived from cannabis.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Beer 'may protect against cancer'
A mystery ingredient in beer may protect against cancer, it has been claimed.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Gene could be cancer 'switch'
A gene named Pokemon, after the popular computer game, may prove to be a molecular master-switch for cancer, scientists have revealed.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Test helps avoid blood condition
Scientists have hailed their success in using embryo screening to help avoid the birth of a baby with a potentially fatal blood condition.
Daily Mail 20/01/05
How mosquitoes choose their victims
Scientists believe they have found the answer to why some people prove a more tasty meal for mosquitoes than others.
Daily Mail 20/01/05
Woman gives birth to 16lb 11oz baby
A Brazilian woman has given birth to what a doctor called a "giant baby," a boy weighing 16lb 11oz
Daily Mail 20/01/05
NHS heading for 'IT disaster'
The NHS is heading for an "IT disaster" because the Government failed to enlist doctors' support for its policy of delivering patient choice through a new electronic booking system, it was claimed today.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Brazil Hands Out Record 11 Million Carnival Condoms
Brazil, one of the Latin American countries hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic, will hand out a record 11 million condoms to prevent the spread of the disease during its erotically charged Carnival festival when casual sex rises.
Reuters 19/01/05
Low-Carb Diets Get New Year's Boost, Survey Says
The number of U.S. consumers on low-carbohydrate diets rose sharply in the first two weeks of 2005, but many Americans are likely to give up the diets as the year progresses, according to a new survey.
Reuters 19/01/05
Extended Raptiva Therapy Safe, Effective for Psoriasis
Treatment with the relatively new drug Raptiva for 12 weeks has been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for moderate-to-severe chronic psoriasis. Now, new research indicates that the benefits are even more pronounced, without an increase in side effects, when therapy is extended to 24 weeks.
Reuters 19/01/05
Medicare to Pay for More Heart Devices
Medicare will soon fund implantable heart devices for thousands more patients, after publication of a landmark study finding the devices can save more lives, top agency officials said in a medical journal on Wednesday.
Reuters 19/01/05
Anti-Fungus Drug Useful for Sinus Problem
Treatment with a nasal spray containing the anti-fungal drug amphotericin B reduces the swelling and inflammation that occurs with chronic rhinosinusitis, a common cause of stuffy nose and facial pain, new research shows.
Reuters 19/01/05
Daily Drink Improves Thinking in Older Women -Study
Women who enjoy a drink of beer or wine daily have sharper minds into old age than women who abstain, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.
Reuters 19/01/05
Painkiller Combo Cut Post-Surgery Morphine Need
Women undergoing hysterectomy who are given two types of painkiller around the time of the surgery experience less postoperative pain, and this means they need less morphine, Canadian researchers report.
Reuters 19/01/05
Non-Alcoholic Beer Could Help Mice Fight Cancer
Mystery ingredients in non- alcoholic beer may protect against cancer, at least in mice.
Reuters 19/01/05
Low-LDL Gene Quite Common in African Americans
Deaths related to medication errors appear to rise sharply during the first few days of each month, suggesting that hectic pharmacies may be at least partly to blame, according to researchers.
Reuters 19/01/05
WHO Begins Building Smallpox Vaccine Reserve
Work has started on building a 200 million-dose stockpile of smallpox vaccines but it could take up to three years to complete, World Health Organization (WHO) officials said on Wednesday.
Reuters 19/01/05
Vitamin E May Ward Off Lou Gehrig's Disease
Vitamin E supplements may play a role in preventing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the slowly paralyzing condition commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, new research shows.
Reuters 19/01/05
U.S. Warns of Safety Risks of Boehringer AIDS Drug
An important AIDS drug can cause sometimes deadly liver damage but remains a key option for many patients, U.S. health officials warned on Wednesday.
Reuters 19/01/05
Cancer Survival Rates Up in United States-Report
More Americans than ever before are surviving cancer and rates in general are falling, mostly because fewer people are smoking, the American Cancer Society reported on Wednesday.
Reuters 19/01/05
New Gene Could Be a Master Switch for Cancer
Scientists have discovered a new cancer-causing gene that they believe could be a molecular master switch for the disease.
Reuters 20/01/05
Bird Flu Kills Vietnam Teenager, Virus Fears Rise
An 18-year-old girl has died of bird flu in southern Vietnam and the first confirmed human infection in the country's north has raised concerns about possible human-to-human transmission of the virus.
Reuters 20/01/05
U.S. Cites Poor Water Quality on More Airliners
The U.S. government has found for the second time in recent months that water from a sampling of commercial aircraft galleys and bathrooms was not safe for use, regulators said on Wednesday.
Reuters 20/01/05
U.S. Cancer Survival Rates Rising -- Report
More Americans than ever before are surviving cancer and rates in general are falling, mostly because fewer people are smoking, the American Cancer Society reported on Wednesday.
Reuters 20/01/05
Impotence from Prostate Radiation May Be Avoidable
Radiation therapy is effective for prostate cancer, but up to 90 percent of men will develop impotence after the treatment. New research indicates that this frustrating side effect may be avoided if both MRI and CT, rather than just CT, are used to plan exactly how and where radiation will be delivered.
Reuters 19/01/05
Medicare to Pay for More Heart Devices
Medicare will soon fund implantable heart devices for thousands more patients, after publication of a landmark study finding the devices can save more lives, top agency officials said in a medical journal on Wednesday.
Reuters 19/01/05
Animal extremists' intimidation scares off companies suppliers, UK
Increasing numbers of suppliers are being forced to stop providing their services to those engaged in animal research, figures released by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) today show.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
BMA responds to new Government money for "choose and book", UK
Responding to the announcement by Health Secretary, John Reid, that £95m will be made available to reward GPs for using the new "choose and book" system, Dr Richard Vautrey, the BMA's GP negotiator with responsibility for IT said: "While we welcome any extra investment to help resolve doctors' concerns about choose and book, financial incentives will not address the fundamental problems that GPs have with the new system.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Genes in the interferon system important in SLE
Two genes with very strong associations with the disease SLE have been identified by a team of scientists headed by researchers at the Department of Medical Sciences at Uppsala University. The findings are being published today on the Web page of the highly prestigious American Journal of Human Genetics.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Heroin use falling across Scotland, University of Glasgow study
A new report by the Centre for Drug Misuse Research at the University of Glasgow reveals that the number of people misusing heroin in Scotland has dropped. The research shows a near 8% drop in the number of problem drug users since 2000.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Kraft Misses Chance To Be Crafty on Childhood Obesity, Australia
AMA (Australian Medical Association) President, Dr Bill Glasson, said today that Kraft Asia Pacific has missed a golden opportunity to show leadership in the battle against the epidemic of childhood obesity by not following its US counterpart and modifying advertising of its products to children under the age of 12.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Made-to-measure skin and bones a reality using inkjet printers, Univ of Manchester
Made-to-measure skin and bones, which could be used to treat burn victims or patients who have suffered severe disfigurements, may soon be a reality using inkjets which can print human cells.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Novel antiviral technology inhibits RSV infection in mice
write an opinion on this A novel antiviral treatment combining nanoparticle and gene silencing technologies thwarts attacks of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) -- a virus associated with severe bronchitis and asthma, an animal study by University of South Florida researchers found. The study was reported in the January 2005 issue of the journal Nature Medicine.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Shipman hospital deaths probed
The inquiry into the crimes of killer GP Harold Shipman has examined 137 deaths at a hospital where he worked as a junior doctor, it has been revealed.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Cigar nation faces smoking curbs
Cuba, the world's best known cigar-producing country, has announced a ban on smoking in some public places.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Civil rights fears over mental health reforms
A committee of MPs warned ministers today that the controversial draft mental health bill would grossly infringe the rights of people with learning disabilities and autism.
The Guardian 19/01/05
New surgeries to offer operations
Three "super surgeries" have opened their doors to patients in Barnsley in a bid to provide access to healthcare normally only available in hospitals.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Health manager sold human bones
A hospital manager accused of stealing human bones and selling them to clinics has been jailed for 10 months after he admitted obtaining money by deception.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Transplant boy back at school
The first of four brothers diagnosed with the same rare disease is back at school following life-saving surgery.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Screening applications fast-tracked
Fertility clinics and patients are to benefit from fast-tracked applications on embryo screening for serious illnesses, the head of the watchdog has said.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Hospital boss jailed for bone sales
A former hospital manager accused of stealing human bones and selling them on to private clinics has been jailed for 10 months after admitting obtaining money by deception.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Model Elle backs breastfeeding
Supermodel Elle Macpherson has visited a hospital maternity ward to encourage new mothers to breastfeed.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Sacked hospital boss 'a scapegoat'
The sacked chairman of one of the first foundation hospital trusts says he has been made a scapegoat for the failure of the flagship government policy, it has emerged.
The Guardian 19/01/05
Government plans 'ambitious' improvements for disabled people
A 20-year vision to improve the lives of disabled people was published by the government today.
The Guardian 19/01/05
Elderly with Rheumatoid Arthritis Can Cope Well
Many elderly people with rheumatoid arthritis may go about their daily activities with no more problem than others their age, a new study suggests.
Reuters 19/01/05
Breast cancer survival rates raised with chemo and radio therapies combines
A woman's chances of survival after breast cancer surgery are significantly improved if she undergoes a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, say researchers from the University of British Columbia. Apparently, radiation therapy alone does not improve survival rates.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Extra folic acid good for women's blood pressure
If you are a woman and take 1,000 micrograms of folic acid a day in the form of supplements, your chances of developing high blood pressure are greatly reduced, say scientists in a new study.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Novel asthma study shows multiple genetic input required; single-gene solution shot down
Researchers led by a Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School team found that wheezing -- a key physiological component of asthma -- requires the interaction of genes in several locations. The work, involving multiple independent verification, demonstrates the complexity of the genetic predisposition to asthma.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Impotence from Prostate Radiation May Be Avoidable
Radiation therapy is effective for prostate cancer, but up to 90 percent of men will develop impotence after the treatment. New research indicates that this frustrating side effect may be avoided if both MRI and CT, rather than just CT, are used to plan exactly how and where radiation will be delivered.
Reuters 19/01/05
Medicare to Pay for More Heart Devices
Medicare will soon fund implantable heart devices for thousands more patients, after publication of a landmark study finding the devices can save more lives, top agency officials said in a medical journal on Wednesday.
Reuters 19/01/05
Animal extremists' intimidation scares off companies suppliers, UK
Increasing numbers of suppliers are being forced to stop providing their services to those engaged in animal research, figures released by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) today show.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
BMA responds to new Government money for "choose and book", UK
Responding to the announcement by Health Secretary, John Reid, that £95m will be made available to reward GPs for using the new "choose and book" system, Dr Richard Vautrey, the BMA's GP negotiator with responsibility for IT said: "While we welcome any extra investment to help resolve doctors' concerns about choose and book, financial incentives will not address the fundamental problems that GPs have with the new system.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Genes in the interferon system important in SLE
Two genes with very strong associations with the disease SLE have been identified by a team of scientists headed by researchers at the Department of Medical Sciences at Uppsala University. The findings are being published today on the Web page of the highly prestigious American Journal of Human Genetics.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Heroin use falling across Scotland, University of Glasgow study
A new report by the Centre for Drug Misuse Research at the University of Glasgow reveals that the number of people misusing heroin in Scotland has dropped. The research shows a near 8% drop in the number of problem drug users since 2000.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Kraft Misses Chance To Be Crafty on Childhood Obesity, Australia
AMA (Australian Medical Association) President, Dr Bill Glasson, said today that Kraft Asia Pacific has missed a golden opportunity to show leadership in the battle against the epidemic of childhood obesity by not following its US counterpart and modifying advertising of its products to children under the age of 12.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Made-to-measure skin and bones a reality using inkjet printers, Univ of Manchester
Made-to-measure skin and bones, which could be used to treat burn victims or patients who have suffered severe disfigurements, may soon be a reality using inkjets which can print human cells.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Novel antiviral technology inhibits RSV infection in mice
Write an opinion on this A novel antiviral treatment combining nanoparticle and gene silencing technologies thwarts attacks of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) -- a virus associated with severe bronchitis and asthma, an animal study by University of South Florida researchers found. The study was reported in the January 2005 issue of the journal Nature Medicine.
Medical News Today 20/01/05
Shipman hospital deaths probed
The inquiry into the crimes of killer GP Harold Shipman has examined 137 deaths at a hospital where he worked as a junior doctor, it has been revealed.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Cigar nation faces smoking curbs
Cuba, the world's best known cigar-producing country, has announced a ban on smoking in some public places.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Civil rights fears over mental health reforms
A committee of MPs warned ministers today that the controversial draft mental health bill would grossly infringe the rights of people with learning disabilities and autism.
The Guardian 19/01/05
London dominates pollution list
Air pollution caused by nitrogen dioxide in parts of central London is almost three times higher than government targets, a report says.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Hands-free kits 'cut radiation'
Radiation emissions absorbed by the head from using mobile phones are cut by using hands-free kits, a study says.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Hippie drug 'may help alcoholics'
A hallucinogenic drug used by 1960s hippies could hold to key to beating alcoholism, US researchers have said.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Reid defends 200m e-booking system
Health Secretary John Reid defended a £200 million electronic appointment system set up to deliver patient choice, which had resulted in just 63 e-bookings.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Bird flu death sparks pandemic fear
Bird flu has claimed its fifth human death in three weeks, officials said, after a 35-year-old woman died of the virus in southern Vietnam.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
America Knows Very Little About Fat, Despite Its Obsession
Best Foods(R) 'Facts About Fat' Survey Reveals That A Nation Obsessed With Fat Actually Knows Very Little About It - With the federal government having just released the new dietary guidelines, a new consumer survey by Best Foods(R) Real Mayonnaise reveals that the nation is confused about fat. Just slightly more than half of respondents (55%) passed the Best Foods(R) "Facts About Fat" survey, which was constructed in the form of a test, with the average "grade" being a dismal 58*. No one in the survey actually scored an "A," or above 90.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Benefits for Autism & Asperger's Syndrome With Essential Fatty Acid Supplementation, New Study
.
Nordic Naturals, Inc, a leading supplier of fish oil and essential fatty acid nutritional supplements, announced today the results of a successful pilot trial that showed beneficial effects of essential fatty acids (EFAs) on language and learning skills in children with autism and Asperger's syndrome. The study, completed in 2004, was conducted by Louise Patrick, a licensed speech and language pathologist, and Ronald Salik, MD at a pediatric clinic in Arizona. A report of the pilot trial can be found in the January/February 2005 issue of Autism-Asperger's
Digest.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Lifestyle Changes Especially Effective at Preventing Type 2 Diabetes in Seniors
New Awareness Campaign Says “It's Not Too Late” to Prevent the Disease - About 40 percent of adults ages 40 to 74 - or 41 million people - have pre-diabetes, a condition that raises a person's risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Studies show that while adults over 60 are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, losing a small amount of weight and increasing physical activity is especially effective in reducing that risk among this age group.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Program Effective at Reducing Depression in Teens
An intervention for adolescents aimed at improving the quality of treatment for depression is effective at reducing depression, according to a study in the January 19 issue of JAMA.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Reid Announces £95m Boost For E-Booking & Patient Choice, UK
UK Primary Care Trusts that offer a choice of hospital treatment to NHS patients through the electronic Choose and Book system will be rewarded under a new £95 million scheme announced today by Health Secretary John Reid.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Strategic Analysis of the European Tissue Sealants Market
Expand Licensed Indications, Data Collection Central to Expansion of European Tissue Sealants Market - Although the USD 90 million European tissue sealants market is in the growth phase, the rate of growth is projected to be gradual due to sluggish technological advancements, the slow pace of collecting clinical evidence and unclear product demarcations. Moreover, while around 35 per cent of all internal surgical procedures offer the potential for sealants' use, their deployment has been limited to only a few procedures.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Wintertime Heart Protection, Wintry Weather May Increase Heart Attack Risk
The winter is in full swing - Before shoveling snow or participating in other strenuous wintertime activities, heart attack survivors should be aware of the hidden heart health risks involved.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Health Service Is 'Rhodri's Baby'- Plaid Cymru, Wales
Wales - "Rhodri Morgan cannot shift any blame for the failure of the NHS in Wales on his new Health Minister, he must take personal responsibility from now on. He must also understand that his own job is on the line if he fails to deliver, for the failure of the NHS is damaging the devolution project itself."
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Detroit Teams Up For Autism' Tickets Available
Detroit Coaches Join Tiger Broadcaster Jim Price for Unique Fundraiser on February 8 - The coaches for all five of Detroit's professional sports teams will lead an all-star team at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Feb. 8 to help raise money for Metro Detroit children and adults with autism. The fundraising dinner will benefit Jack's Place for Autism, a non- profit organization founded by Detroit Tigers broadcaster Jim Price and his wife, Lisa.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
BMA responds to National Audit Office report on patient choice
UK - Commenting on the National Audit Office report "Patient Choice at the Point of GP Referral" published today (19/1/05), Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of the BMA's General Practitioners Committee said: "There is still a lot of work to be done before GPs are convinced that the "choose and book" initiative will be successful. The IT system is still being developed and GPs are awaiting information on how the new arrangements will affect their consultations with patients.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
'World's oldest mum' raps critics
A 66-year-old Romanian woman thought to be the oldest recorded mother has dismissed concerns that she was too old and frail to bring up a child.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
The doctor won't see you now
He can't. A £196m computer system designed to handle 205,000 online appointments has made just 63
The Times 19/01/05
WD-40 adds coke-busting to its list of handy household chores
IT LOOSENS rusty screws, cleans piano keys, stops wicker chairs squeaking, and removes crayon marks from wallpaper. Now another use has joined the myriad applications of the lubricant WD-40; it stops you snorting coke from lavatory lids.
The Times 19/01/05
NHS boss denies selling bones to private clinics
A LABORATORY manager stole bones from an NHS hospital and sold them to private clinics for transplant operations, a court was told yesterday.
The Times 19/01/05
Parents who ignore child contact orders face curfews and tagging
DIVORCED and separated parents who ignore child contact orders imposed by the courts could be forced to do unpaid community work on Saturdays, placed under a curfew or they might even be tagged, the Government said yesterday.
The Times 19/01/05
Effect of placing babies in playpens
Sir, Mrs B. Merriott (letter, January 11) suggests that if babies are allowed to explore their environment outside the confines of a playpen they may, by exposure to a wider range of stimuli, develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The Times 19/01/05
Doctors' affliction
Sir, Dr Tom Stuttaford (T2, January 13) tells us that the psychological condition of “co-dependency” is a “doubtful benefit” which afflicts many doctors. This dysfunction allows us to derive apparently deviant satisfaction from “the gratitude of needy patients”. I have just dialled 999. The men in white coats will collect me shortly.
The Times 19/01/05
New NHS referral system cost £3m for 63 bookings
A Government strategy to allow NHS patients to be treated in a hospital of their choice is in disarray because of opposition from family doctors and delays to the computer system, an independent watchdog says today.
The Independent 19/01/05
Parents denying child access may be tagged
Ministers have bowed to pressure from the campaign group Fathers 4 Justice by including a plan for electronic tagging in a draft Bill on measures to enforce access to children, despite having described the idea as "disproportionate".
The Independent 19/01/05
Inquest into 'starvation' care deaths
Almost a decade of allegations that 11 elderly and senile men were starved to death to ease the workload of psychiatric hospital staff finally went before an inquest yesterday.
The Guardian 19/01/05
But does Sure Start work?
Is Sure Start heading for a sure finish, or will it be embraced by local government and rolled out to families it has so far failed to reach? Will the new arrangements championed by children's minister Margaret Hodge be more effective than the current arrangements, devised and now defended by former Treasury mandarin Norman Glass?
The Guardian 19/01/05
If it ain't broke...
As debate rages over plans to bring the Sure Start early years scheme under local authority control, Alison Benjamin asks those using and delivering the service what they think of the changes
The Guardian 19/01/05
Excess of Gore
Eric Allison's piece about Gorton (Crying Shame, January 12) is understandably angry and impatient for change. But it is an incomplete picture. When New East Manchester (NEM) was established in 2000 to lead the regeneration of the area, Gorton was not included for the simple reason that the vagaries and constraints of government funding did not permit the whole of East Manchester to be included.
The Guardian 19/01/05
What else can I do?
Rima, a psychiatric nurse, wonders whether her skills working with youngsters could be of some use to the tsunami relief effort. Debbie Andalo investigates
The Guardian 19/01/05
US obesity problem overstated
Blaming a computer software error, the US government has admitted overstating the nation's weight problem in a study last year that said that obesity was about to overtake smoking as the chief cause of death in America.
The Guardian 19/01/05
Foundation status extended
John Reid, the health secretary, made the first move yesterday to extend foundation hospital status into the field of mental health.
The Guardian 19/01/05
Axing Whitehall jobs is smoke and mirrors
Treasury is saving cash, but often by squeezing suppliers, not staff
The Guardian 19/01/05
Private healthcare will benefit poor, says Reid
John Reid, the health secretary, will anger those he calls the chattering classes today by claiming that his plans to give patients more choice over their health care will empower the working class.
The Guardian 19/01/05
NHS e-booking plan runs into trouble
The NHS's £6.2bn investment in IT may be running into trouble, according to a report published today by the parliamentary spending watchdog.
The Guardian 19/01/05
Simon Hoggart: Teeth become an election issue
The election will be upon us at any moment, and few MPs care about anything else. It will be fought on the basis of everything to hand - the economy, Iraq, health, crime, and, if yesterday is any guide, teeth.
The Guardian 19/01/05
Social policy zombies
Alan Maynard, health specialist at York University, calls them zombies. They are ideas - vouchers for schools, paying for the NHS through insurance, for instance - that will not die, no matter how much evidence is brought to bear of their unwieldiness, cost and fairness. Like the undead, they lumber on, given the occasional jolt in Social Market Foundation pamphlets and dusted down for the umpteenth time in pressure group seminars.
The Guardian 19/01/05
Goodwill hunting
Mark Gould on a project improving the sometimes fraught relationship between psychiatric nurses and their patients
The Guardian 19/01/05
Over before it's begun
GPs baffled as plan to build 'one stop shop' hits the wall
The Guardian 19/01/05
Prison overwhelmed by gang culture
Liverpool prison is so overwhelmed by the city's drug and street gang culture that there are no-go areas where staff are afraid to walk in some wings, according to a report by the chief inspector of prisons published today.
The Guardian 19/01/05
Prison attacked for failing to protect suicidal women
The prisons ombudsman yesterday criticised a jail where six vulnerable women prisoners died in a 12-month period, saying he was deeply uncomfortable that they had been placed in a segregation unit.
The Guardian 19/01/05
Inquiry into nursing home
Investigation into nursing home where 28 died in one year
The Guardian 19/01/05
Law to help fathers in child contact cases
Mediation in divorces seen as key to ensuring fair settlements
The Guardian 19/01/05
Clarke orders crackdown on race inequality
Drive in health, schools, and jobs to help disadvantaged
The Guardian 19/01/05
Schizophrenic killed man eight days after discharging himself
A violent schizophrenic who stabbed a man to death was allowed to discharge himself from hospital eight days earlier despite warnings that he was extremely dangerous, an inquiry found yesterday.
The Telegraph 18/01/05
Fake doctor posed as expert in court and for refugees
A former taxi driver who posed as a doctor admitted conning more than £1.5 million from the Government, charities and unsuspecting patients when he appeared in court yesterday.
The Telegraph 18/01/05
Lab boss accused of bone thefts
A laboratory manager stole human bones from a hospital freezer and sold them to private clinics for use by transplant patients, a court was told yesterday.
The Telegraph 19/01/05
Hospital 'starved 11 patients to death'
Eleven elderly patients on the same hospital ward were deliberately starved to death, an inquest was told yesterday.
The Telegraph 19/01/05
Hands-free mobiles cut radiation risk by half
Hands-free kits reduce radiation from mobile phones by about half, according to new research.
The Telegraph 19/01/05
'Abysmal progress' over NHS patient choice
Progress towards giving NHS patients a choice of hospitals for their treatment is "abysmal" and will not meet Government targets, it is claimed today.
The Telegraph 19/01/05
Feuding parents may be subject to curfew
Separated parents who ignore child contact orders imposed by the courts will be forced to do unpaid community work under proposals outlined by the Government yesterday.
The Telegraph 19/01/05
66-year-old defends right to give birth
The Romanian woman who underwent fertility treatment to become the world's oldest first-time mother at the age of 66 defended her actions yesterday.
The Telegraph 19/01/05
Tories aim to cut tax and spend more on services
Michael Howard reclaimed the Tories' credentials as the tax-cutting party yesterday, opening a clear gap between the Conservatives and the other parties as they prepared for 100 days of campaigning for a spring election.
The Telegraph 18/01/05
Look into my eyes for slimmer thighs
Paul McKenna believes he can hypnotise people into eating less – and many fans think the one-time DJ is right, says Judith Woods.
The Telegraph 18/01/05
Gene defect linked to Parkinson's
A newly-discovered single gene defect could be the most common cause of inherited Parkinson's disease, scientists said today.
Daily Mail 18/01/05
Boy, 17, latest bird flu victim
A 17-year-old boy suspected of having bird flu has died, while Vietnamese officials have banned poultry imports and stepped up measures to stop the disease from spreading.
Daily Mail 18/01/05
Unmade beds 'keep dust mites away'
Scientists have welcome news for teenagers - not making the bed can help prevent allergies.
Daily Mail 18/01/05
NHS trusts in foundation bid
The Government has pushed forward with its controversial foundation hospitals scheme with more trusts given the go-ahead to continue with their bids.
Daily Mail 18/01/05
Plaid Cymru in attack over health
Plaid Cymru has called on First Minister Rhodri Morgan to show "contrition" for the "catastrophic failure" of his health policies.
Daily Mail 18/01/05
Charity in child poverty campaign
Proposals to save one million children from poverty by the end of the decade have been revealed by a charity.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Parents who deny access face curfew
Fathers' rights groups have attacked the Government's new "parenting plans" and said the legislation did not go far enough.
Daily Mail 18/01/05
HRT 'raises risk of gallstones'
Hormone replacement therapy pills dramatically increase the risk of gallstones in post-menopausal women, scientists said.
Daily Mail 18/01/05
Reid condemns Tory reform proposals
Conservative proposals to broaden choice in the NHS would produce a "sink" service, Health Secretary Dr John Reid is set to claim.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Patient choice pledge warning
Urgent action is needed if the Government is to deliver on its pledge to give patients more choice of where and when they get hospital consultations, a new report has warned.
Daily Mail 19/01/05
Radiation Ups Long-Term Breast Cancer Survival
The addition of radiation therapy to chemotherapy after breast cancer surgery "substantially" improves survival, according to a 20-year followup analysis of a British Columbia trial.
Reuters 18/01/05
Folic Acid May Prevent High Blood Pressure
Folic acid supplements, widely used by women to prevent birth defects, also may fight hypertension in women, perhaps because they relax blood vessels, researchers said on Tuesday.
Reuters 18/01/05
Studies Cite Poor CPR Methods in Restarting Hearts
Many caregivers perform CPR incorrectly and fail to restart stopped hearts by not adhering to strict guidelines governing the frequency and force of chest compressions, a pair of studies said on Tuesday.
Reuters 18/01/05
Raising HDL May Limit Heart Disease Progression
For people with low levels of "good" (HDL) cholesterol and coronary disease, treatment aimed at increasing HDL levels is worthwhile, researchers report.
Reuters 18/01/05
Diabetes Linked to Reduced Risk of Prostate Cancer
Men with type 2 diabetes seem to be less likely to develop prostate cancer, overall, a new study indicates.
Reuters 18/01/05
New Virus May Cause Childhood Diseases - Study
A newly discovered virus related to the SARS virus may cause several mysterious childhood ailments, including Kawasaki disease, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
Reuters 19/01/05
U.S. Blacks Get Less Treatment for Cancer - Study
Black esophageal cancer patients in the United States are half as likely as whites to get surgery that can help them live longer and often do not even see a surgeon, researchers reported on Tuesday.
Reuters 19/01/05
Study: Parent Notification Laws Won't Stop Teen Sex
Laws aimed at forcing teens to get their parents' permission before getting contraception will do nothing to scare youngsters off having sex and may in fact increase rates of teen pregnancy, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
Reuters 18/01/05
New Plan Could Speed AIDS Vaccine Development
The Global HIV/AIDS Vaccine Enterprise, an international alliance of independent organizations supporting HIV vaccine research, has issued a roadmap to speed the development of a vaccine by promoting new collaboration, resources, and strategic focus.
Reuters 18/01/05
Obesity Death Figures Lowered
A widely reported study released earlier this year overstated the increase in obesity-related U.S. deaths by about 35,000, a U.S. government health agency said on Tuesday in admitting the miscalculation.
Reuters 18/01/05
Probable Genetic Cause of Some Parkinson's Disease Cases, Two New Studies
Two new studies strongly suggest that a mutation in a recently discovered gene is the most common genetic cause of Parkinson's disease identified to date. The discovery by an international research team provides fresh evidence that genetics may contribute to the development of some cases of Parkinson's disease. The findings could lead to the development of a genetic test to detect the mutation in individuals at risk. The research team includes investigators at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and scientists supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Medical News Today 18/01/05
Research on Diseases of Ageing, Australia
A consortium of researchers led by Monash University will receive more than $3.5 million in Australian Government funding for research into the use of aspirin for reducing heart attacks, strokes and dementia in older Australians.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
Rice student wins award for revolutionary MRI research
Fullerene-based contrast agents could allow first single-cell imaging - The Nanotechnology Foundation of Texas has selected Rice University doctoral student Balaji Sitharaman as one of two winners of the 2004 George Kozmetsky Award for Outstanding Graduate Research in Nanotechnology for his efforts to create a revolutionary new class of contrast agents that could, for the first time, allow magnetic resonance imaging of individual cells.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Spinal repair pioneer to speak in NY on 20th Jan
The first clinical trials seeking to repair spinal cord injury on a pilot group of selected patients are set to begin at University College London (UCL) within the next three years, says Professor Geoffrey Raisman, director of the newly established Spinal Repair Unit at UCL. Professor Raisman will be setting out his vision for the future in New York on Thursday 20th January, at the US launch of the Campaign for UCL, a major campaign with the objective of raising funds necessary to support projects that include development of the Spinal Repair Unit.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Young people get talking about cancer, UK
Children's celebrities are asking young people to be cancer aware during Macmillan's 'Cancertalk Week', 24 to 28 January 2005, and to help raise money for people living with cancer by taking part in The Big Hush, a sponsored silence, at the end of the week.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
London's STD ‘hotspots' targeted through new technology
A new kind of map that highlights sexually transmitted disease (STD) ‘hotspots' in London will help healthcare workers target the areas that need the most help in preventing and treating diseases like genital warts, Chlamydia and HIV.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
New Treatment Guidelines for Long-Neglected Peripheral Arterial Disease Will Drive the Drug Market
The Gold-Standard Method for Diagnosis of the Disease is Effective, But Few Physicians Use it, According to a New Study from Decision Resources - Decision Resources, Inc, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and health care issues, finds that the publication and dissemination of new treatment guidelines for peripheral arterial disease will raise awareness and understanding of the disease among primary care physicians in the next 10 years.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
Next Wave Of Prospective Flagship Hospitals Receive Government Support - UK
Reid gives the green light to 32 more Trusts to apply for Foundation status - UK Health Secretary John Reid today announced the next group of NHS Trusts allowed to make a formal application for NHS Foundation Trust status.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
Female Sexual Dysfunction Often Not Discussed With Physician Reports, HysterSisters
Hystersisters, a woman-to-woman hysterectomy recovery support website, reports findings from an extensive online survey conducted during the fourth quarter of 2004. With nearly 6,000 respondents, most of whom have had a hysterectomy, the research measures the extent to which menopausal women are educated about hormone therapy, seek treatment for their menopausal symptoms and experiment with treatment options.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
Greater Awareness of Breast Cancer to Spur Screening Programmes, Increasing Uptake of Mammography Systems
With breast cancer being identified as one of the leading causes of death among European women, several governments have begun to launch extensive screening and awareness programmes across the region. However, some countries have still not implemented the planned programmes due to budgetary or socio-economic constraints.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
Hershey Foods Seeks First Ever Snacking Smart Ambassador to Help Advocate Healthier Snacking
Hershey(R)'s SmartZone(TM) Nutrition Bars Will Award $10K to America's Smartest Snacker - Hershey Foods Corporation, the makers of Hershey(R)'s SmartZone(TM) nutrition bars, is launching a contest to find the smartest snacker in America. The contest winner will be awarded the honorary title of Snacking Smart Ambassador - as well as $10,000 in cash and other prizes - and will help Hershey raise awareness of the importance of healthy snacking and the benefits of a balanced lifestyle.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
Information cure for sickness absence, UK
New survey results released today (18.01.05) indicate that employers who give their workers more health information may see a decrease in sickness absence with nearly two thirds of people (64%) agreeing that if they had more information about managing common ailments they would be less likely to take time off work.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
Is there a link between migraine and a heart condition (PFO)?
A new trial is being carried out in the UK called MIST, which will establish whether there is a connection between a common heart defect, called a patent foramen ovale (PFO), and migraine. PFOs are present in 15-25% of the general population and studies indicate that the occurrence among sufferers of migraine with aura could be as high as 50%.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
Collaboration to Enhance Clinical Trials for Cognitive Impairment
Two leading forces in cognitive research will team up to speed the development of effective treatments for disorders ranging from Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia to diabetes and heart disease. Network Neurometrics (NetMet), based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Cogtest plc, with offices in London, Chicago and New Delhi, announced today a collaborative agreement whereby the clinical facilities, trial site networks, proprietary technologies and scientific expertise of each company would be made available to the other.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
Diet, exercise, stimulating environment helps old dogs learn
According to conventional wisdom, old dogs and new tricks aren't a good match. But a new study of beagles finds that regular physical activity, mental stimulation, and a diet rich in antioxidants can help keep aging canine--and perhaps human--brains in tip-top shape. The research, supported by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is among the first to examine the combined effects of these interventions and suggests that diet and mental exercise may work more effectively in combination than by themselves.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Does hair influence attraction between sexes?
Men prefer to date women with a great body than a beautiful head of hair. But most women say they would rather date a man with thinning or balding hair than one who was overweight, a new survey has found.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
Editorial urges 'black-box' warning for Bextra and Celebrex
Physicians should avoid prescribing Bextra altogether, or use it only as a drug of last resort, says a researcher from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and colleagues in an editorial published on-line Jan. 17 in Circulation, a publication of the American Heart Association.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Feeling SAD This Valentine's Day?
If your mood suddenly matches the gloomy weather, don't blame Valentine's Day. The lover's holiday takes place in prime SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) season, a winter depression caused by the short daylight hours and lack of sunlight.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
Casodex (bicalutamide) 150mg, cost effective treatment for the management of locally advanced prostate cancer
New data published in the European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy - New health economic data published today in the European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy outline the cost benefits of the non-steroidal anti-androgen bicalutamide 150mg for the treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer. By delaying disease progression in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer, bicalutamide 150mg reduces the additional healthcare costs associated with treating advanced disease.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Reaching Epidemic Proportions
As our reliance on computers increases, Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) such as Carpel Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) are hitting epidemic proportions. More than 28 million Americans use computers each day and, according to officials at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, (OSHA) many risk coming down with carpal tunnel syndrome, the painful, debilitating condition that is the number one disability reported by insurance companies today.
Medical News Today 18/01/05
UCLA/VA researchers discover fat gene
Finding may offer new target for controlling obesity, diabetes - UCLA/VA scientists have identified a new gene that controls how the body produces and uses fat. Called lipin, the gene may provide a new target for therapies to control obesity, diabetes and other weight-related disorders. The first issue of the new journal Cell Metabolism publishes the findings in its January 2005 edition.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Prevalence, Treatment, and Control of Hypertension, USA
High blood pressure (HBP) is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, end-stage renal disease, and peripheral vascular disease and is a chief contributor to adult disability (1). Approximately one in four adults in the United States has hypertension (2).
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Locating One's Self at the Temporoparietal Junction
In this week's Journal, of Neuroscience Blanke et al attempt to link the phenomenon known as an out-of-body experience (OBE) with specific brain activity. During an OBE, one senses that the "self" departs the body so that the body and the world can be viewed from "outside."
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Many Recover From Alcoholism - 2001-2002 Survey
Researchers Identify Factors Associated with Abstinent and Non-Abstinent Recovery - More than one-third (35.9 percent) of US adults with alcohol dependence (alcoholism) that began more than one year ago are now in full recovery, according to an article in the current issue of Addiction. The fully recovered individuals show symptoms of neither alcohol dependence nor alcohol abuse and either abstain or drink at levels below those known to increase relapse risk. They include roughly equal proportions of abstainers (18.2 percent) and low-risk drinkers (17.7 percent). The analysis is based on data from the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a project of the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Need for National Guidelines for Assisted Reproductive Technology Programs - PENN Study
Infertility prevents roughly 6.1 million people in the United States from having children. As a result, infertile individuals and couples commonly seek to become parents through assisted reproductive technology (ART). Since 1981, approximately 177,000 babies have been born via ART: and, in one year alone (2000), some 100,000 cycles of ART were attempted, resulting in 60,253 live births. Beyond the factors of infertility and a candidate's ability to afford treatment, little is known about the qualifications that ART programs use to determine a candidate's eligibility for parenthood. This raises the question: Should there be guidelines to determine who should be eligible to use this technology for reproduction?
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Newly Discovered Virus Linked to Childhood Lung Disorders and Kawasaki Disease
A newly discovered virus may be responsible for many respiratory tract illnesses in infants and children, and may be associated with an important multi-organ disease whose cause has remained a mystery for decades, according to articles in the Feb. 15 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases, now available online. The virus is one of the numerous coronaviruses, most of which infect animals. In humans, coronaviruses have been known primarily for causing colds or, more recently, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Genetic evidence now suggests that a previously unknown coronavirus may account for some of the many respiratory diseases for which a causative agent is unidentified, and may have a role in Kawasaki disease, the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children in developed countries.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
NIH Halts Use of COX-2 Inhibitor in Large Cancer Prevention Trial
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced today that it has suspended the use of COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (Celebrex™ Pfizer, Inc.) for all participants in a large colorectal cancer prevention clinical trial conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The study, called the Adenoma Prevention with Celecoxib (APC) trial, was stopped because analysis by an independent Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) showed a 2.5-fold increased risk of major fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events for participants taking the drug compared to those on a placebo.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Deficient DNA repair capacity associated with increased risk of breast cancer
Deficiencies in the ability of cells to repair damaged DNA are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, according to a new study in the January 19 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Doctor Report Cards Not Always Clear When Comparing Quality of Care
When choosing a doctor based on increasingly popular “doctor report cards,” patients should be aware that the areas in which physicians are graded are not always clear-cut, according to researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Medicine. They examined the usefulness of quality indicators for asthma specialists; that is, individual aspects of patient care that can be used to “grade” physicians, such as patient satisfaction with care or use of the correct medication. The study is published in the January 2005 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Fat deficiency gene also spurs obesity
A gene earlier found to underlie lipodystrophy--a disorder characterized by a severe deficiency of fat--can also spur obesity, according to new research published in the premier issue of Cell Metabolism. The gene, which alters fat storage and metabolism, is the first found to adjust body fat content up or down, depending on its expression level in fat and muscle, according to the researchers.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Fat hormone acts on brain circuit to curb obesity, diabetes
New research published in the premier issue of Cell Metabolism finds that a single brain region is sufficient for normal control of blood sugar and activity level by the fat hormone leptin. The same region also exerts significant, though more modest, control over leptin's effects on body weight. The findings in mice provide insight into potential mechanisms underlying type II diabetes and suggest new avenues for treatment, according to the researchers.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Florida Dept of Citrus responds to URMC's release on grapefruit-drug interactions
The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) is seeking clarification on allegations about grapefruit-drug interactions made without appropriate scientific support in a University of Rochester Medical Center's press release dated January 17th. The FDOC's first priority is the health of consumers in regards to possible interactions between grapefruit and certain drugs.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
NHS choice target 'may be missed'
A target to give patients a choice of treatment at four or five hospitals by the end of the year risks being missed, the government spending watchdog says.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Cancer therapy targets stem cells
A cancer treatment is being developed that researchers believe could rid the body of the disease by homing in on its stem cells.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Folic acid 'cuts blood pressure'
Folic acid may help keep blood pressure in check, US researchers believe.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Inquest focuses on dementia care
It may be in the interests of dementia patients who cannot eat safely not to be fed, even if that leads to their deaths, an inquest has heard.
BBC Health News 18/01/05
1960s drug 'alcoholism cure hope'
A hallucinogenic drug popular in the 1960s could help scientists find a medical treatment for alcoholism, US researchers believe.
BBC Health News 19/01/05
Handle with care?
Following official advice that children should restrict their use of mobile phones, David Derbyshire reviews the evidence for and against
The Telegraph 19/01/05
Alteon Initiates Phase 2 Trial of Alagebrium in Erectile Dysfunction
'EMERALD' Trial to Test the Efficacy of Alagebrium in Diabetic Men Who Achieve Limited Benefit from Current Therapies - Inc (Amex: ALT) announced today that it has initiated a Phase 2 trial of its novel A.G.E. Crosslink Breaker compound alagebrium chloride (formerly known as ALT-711) in erectile dysfunction (ED). EMERALD (Evaluation of Alagebrium in Erectile Dysfunction in Diabetic Males on PDE5 Inhibitors) will assess the ability of alagebrium to restore erectile function in diabetic patients with moderate to severe ED who achieve limited benefit from current treatment with phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, the first class of orally active compounds approved for the treatment of ED. Alagebrium has demonstrated an ability to reverse ED in a preclinical model of ED in diabetic rats - through what appears to be a unique mechanism of action -- and thus may offer significant potential as an adjunctive treatment for diabetic ED.
Medical News Today 19/01/05
Cheshire and Mersey News
'Major concerns about round-the-clock opening'
DRUNKS marauding through the streets will make Wirral's town centres no-go areas if government plans for round-the-clock drinking are brought in, it has been claimed.
Wirral Globe 19/01/05
Arthur's agony as op is postponed for third time
A RUDHEATH pensioner who has been in plaster since July has had his operation at Leighton Hospital cancelled three times.
Northwich Guardian 19/01/05
Smoke ban backed
WEAVER Vale MP Mike Hall is calling for eating out to be made smoke free this year.
Northwich Guardian 19/01/05
Suicidal wife died of natural causes
A HOUSEBOUND woman plagued by phobias and ill-health died in hospital after being found collapsed by her husband.
Crewe Chronicle 19/01/05
Hospital in bed crisis
A BED crisis at Leighton Hospital has led to all elective operations being cancelled.
Northwich Guardian 19/01/05
Man sheds half his weight after pioneering surgery
A MAN once described as so obese his life was at risk has lost 80% of his body fat in a year and seen his weight drop to half of what it was after pioneering treatment by a Liverpool doctor.
Daily Post 19/01/05
Hospitals cleared for foundation breakaway
THREE Merseyside hospitals have cleared a major hurdle in their bids to win independence from Whitehall control, it was announced yesterday.
Daily Post 19/01/05
Doctors act over rise in mumps
AN EMERGENCY immunisation campaign has been launched after a huge rise in cases of mumps across Merseyside and Cheshire.
Daily Post 19/01/05
Three more hospitals could go it alone
THREE more Merseyside hospitals are in line to be freed from government control.
Liverpool Echo 19/01/05
Eat more fruit and veg to beat cancer
NOT smoking is the best way to reduce the chance of cancer a Warrington health chief says, as a new report reveals how people put themselves at risk.
Warrington Guardian 19/01/05
Hospitals need your help
HEALTH chiefs in Cheshire and Merseyside are urging people to avoid going to hospital unless it is totally necessary.
Middlewich Guardian 18/01/05
We'll beat the gangs, vows jail chief
THE governor of Liverpool Prison has vowed to cut drug use and violence after a damning report exposed how the city's gang culture had infiltrated the jail.
Daily Post 18/01/05
Speed hump deadline for medic crews
MERSEYSIDE Regional Ambulance Service has been set a deadline to identify which speed humps it finds a "particular problem" for its emergency crews in Aintree Village.
Maghull & Aintree Star 13/01/05
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Dentists probe
A HEALTH minister has pledged to investigate why dentists in the Burnley area are going private despite Government attempts to stop them abandoning the NHS.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 19/01/05
Greater Manchester News
Anil injuries 'typical of shaken baby'
THE brain injuries that caused the death of a five-month-old baby were typical of those caused by shaking, a manslaughter trial was told.
Bolton Evening News 19/01/05
Health board to meet
THE monthly board meeting of the Bolton, Salford and Trafford Mental Health NHS Trust will take place on Monday January 24.
Bolton Evening News 19/01/05
Register office opens at Royal Bolton Hospital
BABY Sean Joseph Lane was first in line when the Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Prentice Howarth, officially opened the new register office at the Royal Bolton Hospital.
Bolton Evening News 19/01/05
24-hour drinking will create yob culture - Tory candidate
Proposed legislation to allow 24-hour drinking has been condemned by a Bolton prospective parliamentary candidate.
Bolton Evening News 19/01/05
No benefits in round the clock drinking
RE: 24-hour drinking. - This idea must be the silliest idea in a long history of silly ideas!
Bolton Evening News 19/01/05
Unenviable task for health boss
IN the article about David Fillingham, Chief Executive of the Royal Bolton Hospital, being awarded the CBE (January 1), Cllr Margaret Clare, Chairman of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Bolton Council, said that if anyone can iron out the problems at the hospital it is him.
Bolton Evening News 19/01/05
Antibiotics 'will not cure colds'
A MAJOR campaign has been launched in Bolton to quash the myth that antibiotics cure coughs and colds.
Bolton Evening News 19/01/05
Profits put before health
RESEARCH recently conducted at Cardiff University clearly links the contracting out, (privatisation), of hospital cleaning services with a drastic reduction in standards of cleanliness in hospitals, and even the development of often fatal "super bugs" like MRSA.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 18/01/05
I quit smoking for the sake of baby Kaiden
WHEN Michelle Menzies found out she was pregnant, she decided to give her baby the best present she possibly could - she gave up smoking.
Bolton Evening News 18/01/05
Punch may have led to baby bruise
A JURY has been told by a leading paediatrician that bruising on the eye of a five-month-old baby, who died from brain damage the next day, was consistent with the child being punched.
Bolton Evening News 18/01/05
Bob must wait for cancer cash verdict
A MAN who had to pay £8,000 for lifesaving cancer treatment must wait up to three days to find out if the money will be refunded by the NHS.
Bolton Evening News 18/01/05
Family blame 999 crew for mum's death
AN investigation has been launched into claims that a woman died from a heart attack two days after an ambulance crew called to her home had failed to take her to hospital.
Manchester Evening News 19/01/05
Women drag their heels on giving up cigs
ALMOST a third of women in the north west smoke - and more are taking up the habit every year, according to a shock report.
Manchester Evening News 19/01/05
Tailor-made skin from 'ink' printer
SCIENTISTS at Manchester University have developed a printer able to produce human skin to help wounds heal.
Manchester Evening News 19/01/05
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