National and International News
Bush FY 2006 Budget Proposal Might Mean 'Deep Cuts' in Veterans' Health Care - Medical News Today 13/02/05
President Bush "faces almost impossible political choices if he is to keep his pledge to reduce spending over the next five years," and unpublished White House budget estimates indicate that the president "cannot reach his budget goals without making deep cuts in programs that have strong political support," such as health care for veterans and scientific research, the... New York Times reports. According to the White House budget estimates, discretionary spending, adjusted for inflation, would decrease by 16%, or $65 billion annually, through 2010. The fiscal year 2006 budget proposal that Bush released this week does not include specific spending reductions for future fiscal years. However, White House budget estimates indicate that to maintain current spending levels through 2010, spending for health care for veterans would have to decrease by 16% after inflation and spending for basic scientific research would have to decrease by 13%. Joshua Bolten, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, has dismissed such concerns. He said on Thursday, "I don't think it does anybody any good to look at these out-year projections and conclude from them that those programs are going to be cut."
Elton John To Headline Free July 4th Concert in Philadelphia To Raise Money To Fight HIV/AIDS - Medical News Today 13/02/05
British musician Elton John on Thursday announced that he will headline a free concert on July 4th in Philadelphia to raise funds to fight HIV/AIDS, the... Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Although the concert, called the "Philadelphia Freedom Concert & Ball," is open to the general public for no charge, organizers of the event are hoping to raise an expected $2 million in donations to be split between the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld Fund, which will distribute funds to local Philadelphia HIV/AIDS service providers (Cusick, Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/10). John will perform with Peter Nero and the Philadelphia Orchestra at the event, according to the AP/Miami Herald (AP/Miami Herald, 2/10). "Philadelphia has long been one of my favorite cities because it has always had an intrinsic spirit of freedom and compassion," John said, adding, "This compassion has never been needed more than now" (Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/10).
FDA Advisory Committees To Begin Meeting on Questions About COX-2 Inhibitors Next Week - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Members of the FDA arthritis and drug safety and risk management advisory committees next Wednesday will begin a three-day meeting in Gaithersburg, Md, to determine whether to remove COX-2 inhibitors from the market over safety concerns... USA Today reports (Rubin, USA Today, 2/11). Questions have arisen about the safety of COX-2 inhibitors in recent months after Merck in late September 2004 withdrew from the market the COX-2 inhibitor Vioxx because of safety concerns and FDA recently announced that Bextra, a COX-2 inhibitor manufactured by Pfizer, could increase patient risk for heart attack and stroke (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 1/18). In addition, recent studies have found that the safety concerns associated with Vioxx could apply to all COX-2 inhibitors. The members of the advisory committees will review hundreds of documents from FDA scientists and the manufacturers of COX-2 inhibitors and hear testimony from scientists, physicians and patients. In a memo to members of the advisory committees, Jonca Bull, head of the FDA office that reviews new arthritis medications, wrote that "many in the public, the scientific community and FDA have raised questions about whether there should be continued marketing" of COX-2 inhibitors. The memo, posted on Friday on the FDA Web site, added, "Is there a patient population for whom the risk is warranted, given the known potential for benefit? If COX-2 drugs continue to be marketed, how much and what kind of information is necessary to justify" approval of such treatments? (USA Today, 2/11).
Pakistani Health Care Workers Traveling to India To Learn About HIV/AIDS Treatment - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Pakistan this month is sending a group of five doctors and five nurses to the... Tata Institute for Social Sciences in Mumbai, India, to learn about HIV/AIDS treatment, a Pakistani health official said on Thursday, BBC News reports (BBC News, 2/10). Asma Bukhari, a manager at Pakistan's National AIDS Control Program, said at a press conference that India was chosen because of its "vast experience" in treating HIV-positive people, similarities between the two countries' social conditions and cost-effectiveness, according to the PTI/Times of India. She added that the United Kingdom's Department of International Development will pay for the training (PTI/Times of India, 2/10). Pakistan has recorded 2,612 HIV/AIDS cases, but Bukhari said health officials estimate that as many as 70,000 to 80,000 Pakistanis were living with the disease in 2002 and 2003, according to the Associated Press. "There has been no change in these figures as far as we know," Bukhari said, adding that HIV prevalence in Pakistan is lower than in other countries "mainly because of awareness and our better social and Islamic values." However, fear and the stigma surrounding the disease might prevent many HIV-positive people from seeking testing and treatment, the Associated Press reports. "We cannot rule out the possibility of an HIV/AIDS epidemic in the near future," Bukhari said (Ahmad, Associated Press, 2/10). During the press conference, Pakistani Health Secretary Syed Anwar Mehmood directed the NACP to develop an "effective [HIV/AIDS] awareness strategy, which could have a wide ranging impact on different high-risk groups," the PTI/Times of India reports (PTI/Times of India, 2/10).
Personality, Not Values, Makes the Marriage -Study - Reuters 13/02/05
Shared moral values are less important than compatible personalities as a recipe for a good marriage, according to a study released on Sunday.
CDC Director Gerberding Testifies That Flu Shortage Remains - Medical News Today 13/02/05
CDC Director Julie Gerberding on Thursday told the House Committee on Government Reform that despite reports from some states about surpluses of flu vaccine, there is still a national shortage, and states should exercise "common sense" in distributing the vaccine, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports. In response to the shortage -- which occurred after Chiron, one of two major U.S. suppliers, announced that it would not ship any doses of the flu vaccine this season because of manufacturing problems at its Liverpool, England, plant -- CDC in October 2004 recommended states prioritize flu vaccine for high-risk individuals.
Mass. Senate President Introduces Bill Endorsing Embryonic Stem Cell Research; Gov. Proposes Outlawing Research - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Massachusetts Senate President Robert Travaglini (D) on Wednesday introduced a bill that would endorse human embryonic stem cell research in the state and void a 30-year-old law that requires such research to be approved by county district attorneys, the... New York Times reports (Belluck, New York Times, 2/10). Although the measure would not provide any public funds for the research, it would provide a "state policy of support," according to the Boston Globe (Boston Globe, 2/10).
Challenges Women Face in Maintaining a Multi-Vitamin Routine, New Survey - Medical News Today 13/02/05
The makers of the VIACTIV® Calcium Soft Chews, announced today national availability of the VIACTIV® Multi-Vitamin Chew. The announcement comes in conjunction with the release of the VIACTIV® "What Women Chews" survey, which reports that as many as one-third (33 percent) of women in the U.S. never take a multi-vitamin1. Considering many women do not obtain the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals from diet alone, the number could be improved. The survey also reports that nearly a quarter of these women claim to not take a vitamin regularly because they are unable to adopt and maintain a consistent routine.
FDA Advisory Committees To Begin Meeting on Questions About COX-2 Inhibitors Next Week - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Members of the FDA arthritis and drug safety and risk management advisory committees next Wednesday will begin a three-day meeting in Gaithersburg, Md, to determine whether to remove COX-2 inhibitors from the market over safety concerns... USA Today reports (Rubin, USA Today, 2/11). Questions have arisen about the safety of COX-2 inhibitors in recent months after Merck in late September 2004 withdrew from the market the COX-2 inhibitor Vioxx because of safety concerns and FDA recently announced that Bextra, a COX-2 inhibitor manufactured by Pfizer, could increase patient risk for heart attack and stroke (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 1/18).
FDA agrees to file Abbott's new drug app for Xinlay™ (atrasentan) for metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer - Medical NewsToday 13/02/05
Abbott announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed to file the New Drug Application (NDA) for its oral agent Xinlay™ (atrasentan) for the treatment of metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer. This action by the FDA indicates the NDA is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review of the data supporting Xinlay's safety and effectiveness. Abbott expects a response from FDA regarding its application in the fourth quarter of 2005.
Health Care Costs Threatening US Companies' Ability To Compete, General Motors Chair Says - Medical News Today 13/02/05
US automakers cannot compete in the global market, in large part because of high health care costs, and corporate and government leaders must find "some serious medicine" to address the issue... General Motors Chair and CEO Richard Wagoner said on Thursday in a speech at the Economic Club of Chicago, the Washington Post reports. GM, the second-largest purchaser of health care after the federal government, plans to launch a media campaign that will call on lawmakers to reform the U.S. health care system, which Wagoner said has a number of inefficiencies and inequities.
Helping Children Cope with Crisis: Booklet Offers Lessons for Parents - Medical News Today 13/02/05
When Terrible Things Happen: A Parent's Guide to Talking with Their Children Offers Age-Specific Advice
House Subcommittee Considers Pay-for-Performance System for Medicare Providers, USA - Medical News Today 13/02/05
The House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee on Thursday held a hearing to consider a proposal to tie Medicare physician reimbursements to performance measures, a move that was recommended by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission in January, CQ Today reports. MedPAC advised reforming Medicare's provider reimbursement system by tying payments to quality and earmarking 1% of Medicare funds used for hospital and doctor reimbursements to offer bonuses to providers who improve their quality of care (Schuler, CQ Today, 2/10). In addition, CMS late last month announced a demonstration project under which Medicare would provide bonuses to physician groups that make specific improvements in the quality of care they provide to fee-for-service beneficiaries (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 2/1).
Man has clone of dead pet cat, says 'Happiest Day of My Life' - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Dan, a 40-something investment counselor from Southern California, became the second paying client to receive a pet clone when Genetic Savings & Clone (GSC) officials delivered a kitten to his door on Tuesday, February 8. "Little Gizmo" is a clone of Gizmo, his mixed breed Siamese who died at age 13 in March 2004.
New skin patch developed to measure glucose levels - Medical News Today 13/02/05
A new skin patch has been developed to measure glucose levels without the need of finger-prick tests.
McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, Files Lawsuit Against The Sugar Association - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Complaint Seeks Damages and Injunctive Relief From Sugar Association, Sugar Association Members, and Qorvis Communications - McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, today filed a court action in U.S. District Court in Delaware for false advertising and deceptive trade practices against The Sugar Association, each of The Sugar Association's members and Qorvis Communications, a public relations firm that represents The Sugar Association.
South African President Mbeki Promises To Fight HIV/AIDS With 'Greater Vigor' in State of Nation Address - Medical News Today 13/02/05
South African President Thabo Mbeki on Friday during his State of the Nation address to open Parliament said that the government's "comprehensive plan" for fighting HIV/AIDS is being implemented with "greater vigor,"... AFP/Tribune de Geneve reports. "Campaigns to reduce noncommunicable diseases as well as non-natural causes of death will continue through ... increased focus on tuberculosis, AIDS, malaria, cholera and other water-borne diseases and generally increasing the standard of living of the poorest among us," Mbeki said, adding, "With regard to AIDS in particular, the government's comprehensive plan, which is among the best in the world, combining awareness, treatment and home-based care, is being implemented with greater vigor" (AFP/Tribune de Geneve, 2/11).
Novartis obtains rights from Otsuka to develop new treatment for dry eye - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Novel mechanism of action expected to enhance tear secretion and increase mucin levels covering conjunctiva and cornea - Over 22 million patients visit ophthalmologists each year seeking treatment for symptoms of dry eye.
Patients Should Consider Success Rates and Other Factors When Choosing a Fertility Clinic - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released the 2002 Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) clinic success rate. The 2002 report provides the most current data on the pregnancy success rates of ART clinics in the United States. This report revealed that the age of the woman is a significant determining factor in achieving pregnancy. Younger women who used ART technology had a greater chance of a live birth with her own eggs. The report also stated that in 2002, 45,000 babies were born in the U.S. with the help of ART - a 10 percent increase over 2001.
Regulating Donation Options: The American Fertility Association Raises Concern over New FDA Guidelines - Medical News Today 13/02/05
On May 25, 2005, new FDA guidelines for the donation of human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps), will go into effect. Reproductive tissue -- sperm, eggs and embryos -- falls under these testing guidelines. The potential impact for men and women seeking to build families through such donations will be significant.
Randomized Portion of the Phase II Clinical Study of TNFerade(TM) in Pancreatic Cancer,GenVec Receives FDA Clearance - Medical News Today 13/02/05
GenVec, Inc announced that it has received a letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today, which allows the company to proceed with the randomized, controlled portion of the Phase II clinical trial of TNFerade in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. This clinical study is designed to assess the clinical benefit of using TNFerade in combination with standard of care treatment in patients with this disease. In October 2004, the FDA placed the TNFerade clinical program on hold due to blood clots seen in patients with esophageal cancer in a separate Phase II trial. In response, GenVec submitted data to the FDA and requested permission to move forward only with the pancreatic cancer study. Other indications that were affected (esophageal and rectal cancer) remain on clinical hold.
S. Dakota House Committee Approves Bill To Require Doctors To Provide More Abortion Information - Medical News Today 13/02/05
The South Dakota House State Affairs Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved a bill... (HB 1166) that would require doctors to provide more information to women seeking abortions in the state, the AP/Aberdeen American News reports (Kafka, AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/9). The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Roger Hunt (R), would declare that abortion terminates the life of a human being and require physicians to more fully inform women about the risks and consequences of abortion and alternatives to the procedure, such as adoption (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/2). The measure also would establish that women have a relationship with the fetus until birth and that the state has an interest in "protecting" that relationship, according to the AP/American News. Hunt said he proposed the bill to make sure that women considering abortion are "fully educated on the risks of abortion and will clearly understand that they are making decisions to end the lives of their babies," the AP/American News reports. Opponents of the legislation have questioned the measure's constitutionality, according to the AP/American News. The House State Affairs Committee also has unanimously approved legislation (HB 1233) that would establish a task force to study abortion, the AP/American News reports (AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/9). Under the measure, which also was sponsored by Hunt, the task force would report its findings to the state Legislature and the governor by Dec. 1 (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/2).
Senate Passes Class-Action Measure; House Approval Expected, USA - Medical News Today 13/02/05
The Senate (USA) on Thursday voted 72-26 to pass a class-action lawsuit reform bill... (S 5), with approval from the House and President Bush likely as early as next week, the New York Times reports (Labaton, New York Times, 2/11). The legislation seeks to prevent "forum shopping," a practice under which attorneys file lawsuits in jurisdictions that often favor plaintiffs. The bill also would shift class-action lawsuits from state to federal courts in cases in which more than $5 million is in dispute or in which plaintiffs and defendants reside in different states. In addition, the legislation includes several provisions that would protect plaintiffs from settlements where they receive coupons for discounts on goods and services while their lawyers receive large payouts (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 2/10).
St. Louis Health Officials Alarmed Over Number of New Syphilis Cases Recorded in January - Medical News Today 13/02/05
St Louis health officials are "on alert" after the city recorded 15 new syphilis cases last month, the... St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The city recorded a total of 65 syphilis cases last year. "This is more cases reported in the month of January than in any month in the last seven years," Nyla DeArmitt, a public health adviser for CDC and consultant to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said. Of the 15 new syphilis cases, 14 were among men. Of those 14 men, 11 said that they had sex with other men, and nine of those 11 men also are HIV-positive. "The fact that so many are HIV-positive is really alarming because it means they are having unprotected sex," DeArmitt said. The incidence of syphilis in Missouri in 2004 increased 41% over 2002, with most cases occurring among men who have unprotected sex with men (Hesman, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 2/10).
Vermont House OKs Bill To Join I-Save Rx Program To Reimport Prescription Drugs - Medical News Today 13/02/05
The Vermont House on Tuesday voted 129-8 to pass a bill that would allow state residents by May 1 to purchase lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and Europe through I-Save Rx, a program launched last fall in Illinois, the... Associated Press reports (Associated Press, 2/10).
UCSF To Launch Global Health Sciences Program; Graduates Will Combat Diseases in Resource-Poor Nations - Medical News Today 13/02/05
The University of California-San Francisco on Friday is scheduled to launch its... Global Health Sciences program, which will train health care workers from the United States and other countries to fight diseases in resource-poor nations, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Russell, San Francisco Chronicle, 2/11).
Pfizer, Microsoft File Lawsuits Against Web Sites Allegedly Selling Illegal Generic Viagra - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Pfizer and Microsoft have separately filed lawsuits against the operators of two Web sites that send spam e-mails with offers for allegedly illegal generic versions of the erectile dysfunction medication Viagra, officials for the companies announced on Thursday, the... New York Times reports.
Not Enough Evidence to Say Gun Laws Reduce Violence - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Despite a proliferation of gun registration requirements, bans on specific firearms and “zero tolerance” policies for guns in schools over the past three decades, the jury is still out on whether these laws help prevent gun violence, according to a new review of studies in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Neural Tube Birth Defects Cut in Half in Utah - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Neural tube defects (birth defects affecting the brain and spine) have declined by more than 50 percent in Utah since 1992, according to a recent study by the Utah Department of Health's (UDOH) Birth Defect Network (UBDN). The UDOH and a University of Utah professor attribute the decline to more women taking folic acid supplements before pregnancy, ongoing public education programs, and the addition of folic acid to food products.
Patients with Cancer Have Highly Increased Risk for Blood Clots - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Patients with cancer have a 7-fold increased risk for blood clots in the legs or lungs (venous thrombosis), according to a study in the February 9 issue of JAMA.
Simpler Blood Thinning Medication Found Effective for Preventing Recurrent Blood Clots - Medical News Today 13/02/05
A medication that could simplify anticoagulation therapy, ximelagatran, was found to be as effective as other common therapies for preventing stroke and recurrent blood clots, according to studies in the February 9 issue of JAMA. Ximelagatran is currently approved for use in some European countries but it has not been approved in the United States because of concerns about adverse effects.
African-Americans May Need More Medication to Control Asthma - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Racial differences may play a significant role in determining a patient's response to asthma medications. A new study in the February issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), shows that asthmatic and nonasthmatic African-Americans required higher doses of glucocorticoids to suppress lymphocytes, which play an important role in airway inflammation. As a result, researchers speculate that African-Americans may have a predisposition to a diminished medication response, which can contribute to more difficult asthma control among African-Americans.
Computerized Decision Support System Reduces Medical Errors, Cuts Costs - Medical News Today 13/02/05
A new clinical study published today in this month's American Journal of Managed Care demonstrated that a technology-driven clinical decision support system applying evidence-based clinical guidelines to patient's electronic medical data helps flag potentially serious clinical errors or deviations from accepted best practices, while making a significant improvement on the cost and quality of medical care.
Federal Democratic Lawmakers Introduce Bill That Would Provide $206M for Comprehensive Sex Education Programs, USA - Medical News Today 13/02/05
Rep Barbara Lee (D-California) on Thursday introduced a bill that would provide $206 million for comprehensive sex education programs nationwide, the.... Contra Costa Times reports. The Responsible Education About Life, or REAL, Act -- which already has 65 co-sponsors -- would provide federal funding to state sex education programs that provide "medically accurate" information about the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, according to the Contra Costa Times.
Herb Used to Treat Diabetes Works Like Modern-Day Prescription Drugs - Medical News Today 13/02/05
An herb used in traditional Indian medicine to treat diabetes seems to lower blood sugar and insulin levels in a manner similar to prescription drugs, a new study reports.
New York Warns of Fast, Resistant Strain of HIV - Reuters 12/02/05
One day after the discovery of a drug-resistant, fast-developing AIDS case in New York prompted city health officials to announce an alert, leading experts said on Saturday there may be little cause for alarm.
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A 6bn question for the NHS - The Observer 13/02/04
The world's biggest non-military IT operation is making companies think and operate in completely new ways, writes Simon Caulkin
Vitamin hope for mothers at risk - The Observer 13/02/04
Women sought for trials to find trigger of lethal blood pressure rise
Nothing to vote for - The Observer 13/02/04
Scientists are predicting that 'de-individualisation' will be the next worldwide trend. The word describes how technology encourages us to become passive recipients of information rather than cherish our individuality.
School trip safety - The Observer 13/02/04
Travel firms specialising in school trips have launched a new health and safety code of practice to reassure parents and teachers that children booked with them will be safe.
A suitable case for treatment - The Observer 13/02/04
I have a lot of sympathy with Gary Horne's distress at delays in treatment when his brain tumour was diagnosed (Focus, last week). But let's not throw out the baby with the bath water. You could argue Gary's care wasn't bad. Six or seven out of 10 perhaps.
Sri Lanka accuses NHS of luring away its medical staff - The Observer 13/02/04
Sri Lanka - still recovering from the devastation of December's tsunami - has accused Britain of undermining its already embattled health service by failing to prevent hospitals luring away trained doctors and nurses to work in the UK.
Hands-free mobile kits 'just as dangerous for driving' - The Independent 13/02/05
Using a hands-free mobile phone kit slows the reaction times of teenage drivers to those of old-age pensioners, according to new research. The findings reopen the debate about driving with hands-free mobile kits, which is currently legal in Britain.
What women look for in a partner - The Independent 13/02/05
It is a question that has frustrated generations of men. What is it women look for in a partner? At last, a definitive answer has arrived. Make that four definitive answers.
'Hospital school made son a poet' - BBC Health News 13/02/05
Kieran Siveyer has just had his first poem published at the tender age of seven.
HIV parents 'limit child kisses' - BBC Health News 13/02/05
Many parents with HIV limit physical contact with their children because of fears they will pass on the virus or catch an infection, a US study says.
UK 'major heart disease spender' - BBC Health News 13/02/05
The UK spends more on treating heart disease per head of population than any other country in Europe, figures show.
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Drug addicts turning to herbal highs - The Independent 13/02/05
Plans to outlaw magic mushrooms have raised fears of a surge in the use of potentially harmful hallucinogenic herbs and plants. Drugs experts are calling for these legal so-called herbal highs, now widely available on the internet and in high street shops, to carry clear warning labels because inexperienced users mistakenly believe they are safe.
Promises, promises - The Telegraph 13/02/05
A carefully contrived school visit was one of the first stops on Tony Blair's tour of the Labour heartland to deliver his party's six election pledges last week. No date for the impending battle has been set but, as Patrick Hennessy in Gateshead and Melissa Kite report, the election starts here.
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Parents forced into low-paid jobs by long working hours - The Independent 13/02/05
Britain's long hours culture is forcing increasing numbers of parents into part-time jobs with poor prospects as they struggle to combine careers with childcare, according to a report published tomorrow.
The photograph that exposes Labour's broken promises on mixed hospital wards - The Telegraph 13/02/05
This is the photograph that exposes the Labour Government's broken promises to eliminate degrading mixed-sex hospital wards.
The Telegraph 13/01/05
Coming soon to a cigarette packet near you: images to make you quit - The Independent 13/02/05
Images of rotten teeth and smoke-blackened lungs are set to be displayed on cigarette packets as part of a new hard-hitting anti-smoking campaign drawn up by ministers.
US health officials raise alarm over 'new and untreatable' strain of HIV - The Independent 13/02/05
A virulent strain of HIV which health experts fear could be impossible to treat has been discovered in the United States.
The truth about young love, sex and relationships (he's scared, she's in control) - The Independent 13/02/05
Women know what they want when they get into bed - and, increasingly, they know how to get it. No wonder that young men in particular feel intimidated, writes Steve Bloomfield
It is a sad day for Irish nursing - The Sunday Times 13/02/05
THE response of Liam Doran, the general secretary of the Irish Nurses’ Organisation, to my recent column on the issue of nurses having to perform ancillary tasks in addition to patient care speaks volumes (Nurses don’t like a dose of straight talk, Business Comment, January 30).
Susan Clark — What's the alternative - The Sunday Times 13/02/05
My sister is a recovering alcoholic. Can you suggest dietary or nutritional changes that will support her and help to rebuild her health?
Buzz junkies - The Sunday Times 13/02/05
As women take to extreme sports in ever greater numbers, Lindsay Baker asks: why do they choose to live so close to the edge?
Mobile precaution - The Sunday Times 13/02/05
ISN’T it amazing, that while parents are giving their children the latest model mobile phone one day, they are calling for “no mast near my child’s school” the next (One in 20 people ‘may have a mobile phone illness’, News, January 30). They can’t have it both ways.
Appointment dodgers to suffer - The Sunday Times 13/02/05
PATIENTS who refuse hospital appointments without a good reason will pay the penalty of being placed at the end of the waiting list.
Doctors call for law change as firm checks prescribing habits - The Sunday Times 13/02/05
THE British Medical Association (BMA) is demanding a review of the Freedom of Information Act after it was used by a private company to obtain details of the prescribing habits of hundreds of Scottish doctors.
Love’s not only blind but mad, say scientists - The Sunday Times 13/02/04
PEOPLE who feel compelled to behave irrationally on Valentine’s Day tomorrow may not entirely be to blame for their actions. Scientists have found evidence that love really is blind.
Withdrawn painkiller may be linked to hundreds of deaths - The Sunday Times 13/02/05
DOCTORS have reported 103 deaths they suspect were due to the painkiller Vioxx, which was withdrawn from sale over safety fears last September.
Psychiatrist brings back concept of evil - The Sunday Times 13/02/05
EVIL, a concept long reviled by psychologists, may have been rehabilitated. A study of serial killers and mass murderers suggests that some criminals are so inherently bad that there is no other word to describe their actions.
Shouting is good for a woman’s health - The Sunday Times 13/02/05
WOMEN now have a decent excuse for shouting at their husbands — it may be good for their health. A study has found that those who give vent to their anger live longer than those who bite their tongue.
Women Successfully Treated to Prevent Preterm Labor at Low Risk for Recurrent Episode - Medical News Today 12/02/05
Mayo Clinic and Medical University of South Carolina researchers have found that the large majority of expectant mothers treated to prevent preterm labor will deliver at or near term.
Health Canada Suspends ADHD drug Adderall XR - Medical News Today 12/02/05
Health Canada is informing Canadians that it has instructed Shire BioChem Inc, the manufacturer of ADDERALL XR® to withdraw the drug from the Canadian market. Health Canada has suspended the market authorization of the product due to safety information concerning the association of sudden deaths, heart-related deaths, and strokes in children and adults taking usual recommended doses of ADDERALL® and ADDERALL XR®. The immediate release form of ADDERALL® has never been marketed in Canada.
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Flu activity continues to rise in USA - Medical News Today 12/02/05
During week 4 (January 23-29, 2005), influenza activity continued to increase in the United States. Four hundred seventy-four (15.9%) specimens tested by U.S. World Health Organization (WHO) and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) collaborating laboratories were positive for influenza viruses. The proportion of patient visits to sentinel providers for influenza-like illness (ILI) is above the national baseline and the proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza is below the epidemic threshold. There have been four influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported to CDC this season. Sixteen states reported widespread influenza activity, 19 states and New York City reported regional influenza activity, and 9 states and the District of Columbia reported local activity. Five states and Puerto Rico reported sporadic influenza activity.
Expanded information on Cox-2 inhibitors for doctors and pharmacists, Australia - Medical News Today 12/02/05
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of Australia has introduced new measures on the prescribing of anti-arthritis drugs known as Cox-2 inhibitors following the findings of a review into the safety of this family of medicines.
Men's Choice to Test for HIV Is Complicated - Medical News Today 12/02/05
A recent study by Tulane University international health researchers reveals that married men in Uganda are more likely to seek out HIV testing and counseling if they want to help their wife have a healthy pregnancy, if they have used needles for medical purposes or IV drug use, or if there is a known testing and counseling site nearby. Voluntary HIV testing and HIV counseling is one of the most important steps that people can take to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, says the Tulane team.
Dental Scientists to Present Stem-Cell Briefing on Capitol Hill - Medical News Today 12/02/05
The American Association for Dental Research (AADR), the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) will host a briefing on Capitol Hill, providing some of the latest information on stem cell research by dental scientists.
Baby's broken bones probe - Daily Mail 12/02/05
Police have launched an investigation at London's world-famous Great Ormond Street Hospital after claims an infant suffered broken bones while being treated.
Sex diseases rising in over-45s - Daily Mail 11/02/05
Rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, are rising in people over 45, according to a new report.
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Operation waiting list up 14,000 - Daily Mail 11/02/05
The number of patients on the waiting list for an NHS operation in England rose by more than 14,000 at the end of last year, figures have revealed.
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Medications Prevent Diabetic Kidney Damage in Rats - Medical News Today 12/02/05
Early treatment with medications that block the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may help prevent diabetes-related kidney disease-even before full-blown diabetes develops, suggests a study in the March issue of Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).
Return to phonics puts children years ahead - The Independent 12/02/05
A return to traditional methods of teaching primary school children to read has seen a group of pupils start secondary school three and a half years ahead of their contemporaries, according to a major research study published yesterday.
The Times 12/02/05
How the fit and fabulous stay that way: Lennie James - The Times 12/02/05
Your first film script was about children growing up in care; was it a personal experience? I grew up in care and then in a foster home. As a young man, I worked in the children’s home run by my foster mother. This is what the main character in the film Storm Damage does. But it wasn’t until I watched it in the cinema with my foster mum that I realised how much more I’d revealed.
Fit is a walk in the park - The Times 12/02/05
Liz Hurley did it by “eating very little” and “going to bed hungry”; Kate Winslet reportedly consulted a face reader to prescribe a downsizing diet. In Celebville, it seems, there are ways of whittling away the pounds gained during pregnancy faster than it takes to change a nappy. But for most new mothers, a lack of time, energy and childcare mean that baby bulges persist for months and even years after giving birth. One solution comes in the form of Stroller Strides classes, a new take on the jogging buggy fad of the late Eighties. Its appeal is twofold: not only does the exercise promise vastly improved fitness levels, but also there is no need to find a crèche while you take part; baby comes too.
Fantastically well oiled - The Times 12/02/05
Puzzled by the dazzling array of super-healthy oils now in supermarkets?
At your table: Valentine food - The Times 12/02/05
Why oysters, figs and even the humble carrot can give you that loving feeling
It works for me: aloa vera - The Times 12/02/05
A plant with healing properties gave one IBS sufferer a new lease of life
Sex with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson - The Times 12/02/05
Can you tell me the benefits and dangers of using penis-enhancing equipment? Will it improve the strength of my old and somewhat feeble erection, and will it make my penis bigger? I feel very anxious about the prospect of sexual intercourse because of this
Interview: bored with being Ruby - The Times 12/02/05
Fed up with being a mouthy celeb, Ruby Wax she wants a new career
Psychic love coaching - The Times 12/02/05
Describing yourself as a “psychic love coach” can be a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it makes you sound like a superior kind of love coach, with a phone line directly to the Divine; on the other, in a field which is seen by many as, well, a bit flaky, you could appear to be the farthest crumb clinging to the edge of the pastry crust.
Tribe - speed dating at Tate Britain - The Times 112/02/05
I can’t be the only person in the world who thinks that taking a three-year-old child to a speed dating event is weird. But Andy didn’t. No, my first “date” clearly thought the opposite.
Casual sex in the city - Times 12/02/05
Valentine’s Day serves as a reminder of just how perfect for love London is. Or, as a globe-trotting friend of mine put it, “Reykjavik for partying, New York for shopping, London for getting yer end away with some piece.”
Health features February 12, 2005 Body&Soul: single society Blindplate - meet your soulmate over dinner - The Times 12/02/05
Slow down on the speed dating, disconnect that online love affair and pick up a wooden spoon. The new way to stir the loins of a potential partner is cooking. Blindplate is the latest addition to the world of organised dating: take three men, three women, a dash of wine, a sprinkling of conversation, a spot of cooking and, voila! It’s a recipe for love. At least that’s the plan.
Wanted: thin, rich, sex gods - The Times 12/02/05
Despite the rise in singletons we are still yearning for love. Three eligible hopefuls try their luck in the latest dating schemes
Single society: power of one is turning the tables - The Times 12/02/05
Britain is undergoing a dramatic shift towards solitary living. Well, maybe, but we find on the following pages, that many of us are still out there searching for love
Dr Copperfield: inside the mind of a GP - The Times 12/02/05
When you’re stressed and overworked, errors creep in. So when you attend with your ingrowing toenail and I mean to tick the chiropodist box on the referral form, it’s just possible that I might suffer slippage of the pen or brain. Hence your surprise appointment with the one-box-down specialty: a community psychiatric nurse. But, hey, it’s not all bad; she can counsel you if your nail’s really stressing you out.
Junk medicine: intellectual freedom - The Times 12/02/05
Forbidden knowledge is supposed to have gone out with the Garden of Eden.
Analyse this: critics of Ellen MacArthur - The Times 12/02/05
She wanted it, went for it, got it. She's fab, get over it
Cure of the vampire - The Times 12/02/05
BLOOD-SUCKING bats and exotic plants could come to the aid of stroke victims, cancer patients and people with diabetes.
Cannabis: guide for parents -The Times 12/02/05
Haroon Riaz, who runs the award-winning Keeping it Real drugs awareness project, says: Your child may know more about cannabis than you, so get your facts right.
Case study: 'he said food looked like maggots' - The Times 12/02/05
Honor, a shop assistant, and her husband Keith, a manager for a building company, have been married for 35 years and live in Essex. There is no history of mental illness in the family. Honor is a member of a local support group for parents of children with mental illness: in all but two cases it is linked to cannabis and other drugs “Alistair was 15 when we first realised that he was smoking cannabis. We’re anti-drugs so we grounded him and lectured him on the dangers. But teenagers think that parents know nothing about drugs. When he was 17 I took him to our GP. He was smoking every day, and it was affecting his concentration. The doctor just told him cannabis was a bad idea.
Kids and cannabis - The Times 12/02/05
Why dope is much more dangerous than you think
Sense of scale - The Times 12/02/05
Spare the cod, but what kind of fish can you eat instead?
Prices for alcohol linked to violence - The Times 12/02/05
The decision of the Office of Fair Trading to sanction the imposition of minimum drinks prices where necessary (report, February 8) is welcome. Disorder and harm involving alcohol are strongly related to price.
Mother warned school of suicide fear - The Times 12/02/05
Pupils were arrested for assaulting teenager but they were never expelled from their victim’s school
Breast Exam Adds Little to Mammography: Study - Reuters 11/01/05
Having a doctor examine the breasts for potential signs of cancer may add little to the benefits of mammography screening, a large study suggests.
Mortality Not Higher for Most with Prostate Cancer - Reuters 11/02/05
The mortality rates for most men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States are no higher than those in the general population, a new analysis shows. "The bottom line is that most men diagnosed with the disease today can expect to live as long as, or longer than, men their age without the disease," two editorialists comment.
Survey Finds Pain Common in Children and Teenagers - Reuters 11/02/05
Most children and adolescents commonly experience pain, such as headache or gastric discomfort, which often restricts activities of daily living, according to a study conducted in Germany.
BP Drugs Reduce Pneumonia Risk in Stroke Patients - Reuters 11/02/05
Treatment with an ACE inhibitor, a type of blood pressure drug that includes Zestril and Accupril among others, appears to reduce the risk of pneumonia in patients who've suffered a stroke, new research suggests.
Patients with Serious Illness Appear to Adapt Well - Reuters 11/02/05
Most people who live with serious disability or illness, such as kidney failure, appear to adapt well and maintain a healthy outlook on life, new research reports.
People Can Change Some Stroke Risk Factors - Reuters 12/02/05
High blood pressure is a big risk factor for stroke, but people with normal blood pressure can have a stroke. In a new study, researchers have identified other key determinants of this debilitating neurologic problem.
Medtronic Issues Heart Device Warning - Reuters 12/02/05
Medical device maker Medtronic Inc. said on Friday it has begun warning doctors about some faulty batteries installed in a line of its implantable heart defibrillators.
McDonald's to Pay $8.5 Million in Trans Fat Lawsuit - Reuters 12/02/05
McDonald's has agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle a lawsuit over artery-clogging trans fats in its cooking oils, the company said on Friday.
Health Agency Chief Seeks Conflict Summit - Reuters 12/01/05
The head of the U.S. National Institutes of Health said he wants government and academic leaders to meet to address conflicts of interest in medical research, the Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday.
Transport system smuggles medicines into brain - Medical News Today 12/02/05
Dutch researcher Corine Visser investigated a new way of transporting medicines into the brain. Her approach made use of an iron transport system located on the blood-brain barrier. The smaller the medicine, the more easily it penetrates the brain.
Emory researchers find more evidence for children's growth spurts, pain - Medical News Today 12/02/05
The existence of growth spurts and growing pains in children may be perpetually evident to parents, but their cause has lacked scientific explanation. A new study by Emory University anthropologist Michelle Lampl, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison now sheds some light on this childhood phenomena.
A startling diary reveals the onset of autism - Medical News Today 12/02/05
A meticulous diary kept by a mother of twins has revealed indicators of autistic behaviour in children as young as six months of age. The findings are published today in Neurocase.
Sprinklers shown effective in slowing dorm fires - Medical News Today 12/02/05
An automatic sprinkler system significantly increases a person's chances of surviving a dormitory fire, according to a report issued recently by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Research focusing on why estrogenic hormones produce differing results - Medical News Today 12/02/05
New research is shedding light on why estrogenic hormones produce unintended results in women, giving hope to the idea that new drugs might reach their targets and work more effectively. Ultimately it could mean that postmenopausal women would know that hormone-replacement therapy would have only its intended result.
Rat brain's executive hub quells alarm center if stress is controllable - Medical News Today 12/02/05
Treatments for mood and anxiety disorders are thought to work, in part, by helping patients control the stresses in their lives. A new study in rats by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grantees provides insight into the brain mechanisms likely involved. When it deems a stressor controllable, an executive hub in the front of the brain quells an alarm center deep in the brainstem, preventing the adverse behavioral and physiological effects of uncontrollable stress.
Penn joins major NCI research initiative to advance breast cancer therapies - Medical News Today 12/02/05
The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine was recently selected to become a member of the National Cancer Institute's Mouse Models of Human Cancers Consortium (MMHCC). The MMHCC was established in 1999 to design and characterize mouse models that more accurately reflect the way that human cancers develop and respond to therapy. The research groups comprising the MMHCC at 24 lead sites connect more than 50 institutions in the US and abroad and focus on mouse models for cancers of major organ systems including prostate, breast, lung, ovary, skin, colon, brain, and the blood and lymph systems.
Why do we overcommit? Study suggests we think we'll have more time in future than today - Medical News Today 12/02/05
If your appointment book runneth over, it could mean one of two things: Either you are enviably popular or you make the same faulty assumptions about the future as everyone else. Psychological research points to the latter explanation. Research by two business-school professors reveals that people over-commit because we expect to have more time in the future than we have in the present. Of course, when tomorrow turns into today, we discover that we are too busy to do everything we promised.
Children, TV, computers and more media: New research shows pluses, minuses - Medical News Today 12/02/05
A consortium of researchers has reported that very young children's interactions with TV and computers are a mixed bag of opportunities and cautions, while teenagers' Internet use has changed so much that the myths of several years ago need to be debunked.
Just in Time for Valentine's Day: Falling in Love in Three Minutes or Less - Medical News Today 12/02/05
It seems that the heart wants what the heart wants -- and it can figure it out fairly quickly, according to evolutionary psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania. The researchers studied dating data from 10,526 anonymous participants of HurryDate, a company that organizes "speed dating" sessions, and found rare behavioral data on how people genuinely act in dating situations.
New book for nurses guides patient care during a disaster - Medical News Today 12/02/05
A new book by two Saint Louis University School of Nursing faculty members prepares nurses to do what the public expects - take the lead in caring for them when disaster strikes.
Ingestion of Afterbirth Appears to Promote Maternal Behavior in Mammals - Medical News Today 12/02/05
A behavioral neuroscientist at the University at Buffalo holds that the ingestion of afterbirth by a mother, a feature of pregnancy in nearly all non-human mammals, not only relieves postpartum pain, but optimizes the onset of maternal behavior by mediating the activity of specific opioid activity circuits in the brain.
Gladstone Institutes rank high in the scientist survey of best places for postdocs - Medical News Today 12/02/05
The J David Gladstone Institutes, a group of UCSF-affiliated medical research institutes, is among the top 15 institutional work environments for life sciences postdoctoral fellows, according to The Scientist's annual "Best Places to Work for Postdocs" survey, set to be published in the February 14 issue.
FDA Proposes $1.9 Billion Budget to Expand Food Defense Effort, Increase Drug Safety and Medical Device Review - Medical News Today 12/02/05
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today released highlights of its fiscal year (FY) 2006 budget request to Congress totaling $1.9 billion. This overall amount includes $1.5 billion in budget authority and $382 million in Congressionally authorized industry user fees. This request is 50% higher than the appropriations in FY 2001 and represents a 4.5 % increase over the FY 2005 level.
CDC: Influenza Vaccine was used for Priority Groups, USA - Medical News Today 12/02/05
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today that influenza vaccine was used during the first part of the 2004-2005 flu season to vaccinate those at highest risk of serious complications from influenza, including young children, the elderly, those with chronic health conditions, and health-care workers.
Dialogue & personal example work best for parents in drug talks with teens - Medical News Today 12/02/05
Parents can more effectively advise teens about alcohol and drug use if, first, they try dialogue instead of lecture and, second, they set an everyday example, rather than give the one-time drug sermon, according to a Penn State researcher.
Ask Emma - The Guardian 12/02/05
Since moving to London, I've had a hacking dry cough, regularly have an inflamed, blocked nose, and go deaf in one ear for a week at a time. My GP says this is due to the air quality. Is there anything I can do about it?
Body strategy - The Guardian 12/02/05
Everyone is talking about walking 10,000 steps a day with a pedometer, but is it enough to lose weight?
Ian Mayes: The voice of the people - The Guardian 12/02/05
On Tuesday this week the Guardian published details of the government's five-year plan for immigration and asylum. There was a report on the front page, a leading article, a comment-page piece with the headline "Fear of immigration and crime is driving the parties to outbid each other", and a cartoon by Steve Bell showing Tony Blair and Michael Howard face to face in the Commons, their (forked) tongues labelled "Wogs/go home". This was captioned, "The great debate begins".
Brown guns for Tories' figures - The Guardian 12/02/05
Rated 3 in Health; News; National and International News on Feb 12, 2005 at 18:13:10 GMT.
Chancellor Gordon Brown promised today to target the Conservatives' plans to cut £35bn from public expenditure during the three and a half months to polling day but remained silent about his tax plans.
Sara's legacy - The Guardian 12/02/05
With the birth of his first son, Jonathan Freedland felt the weight of the identity he was passing on. Was his Jewishness a blessing or a burden? To understand he delved deeper into his own family history, beginning with his mother's story
Revenue rejects data requests - The Guardian 12/02/05
The Freedom of Information Act doesn't impress the taxman, writes Phillip Inman
Could the postcode lottery soon be over? - The Guardian 12/02/05
A national framework for long-term care is on the horizon
Felicity Lawrence: It's dinner money day - The Guardian 12/02/05
Taking turkey twizzlers off school menus will need state investment
Yoghurt drinks enjoy hangover cure boom - The Guardian 12/02/05
Britons' addiction to curries and booze is helping to create another sales boom - in "healthy" dairy drinks.
Blair vows to spend more and leaves door open for tax rises - The Telegraph 12/01/05
John Prescott yesterday left the door open for tax rises in a Labour third term as Tony Blair promised to fund new investment in schools, hospitals and child care if he won the next election.
'Urine test' for cervical cancer - BBC Health News 12/01/05
It could be possible to screen for cervical cancer with urine, US scientists believe.
'My mother was told to put me into a home' - BBC Health News 12/01/05
When Jill Mahler was born over 60 years ago, the health policy was to put children with cerebral palsy into homes.
Rare pregnancy diseases studied - BBC Health News 12/01/05
Specialists are to study rare but potentially fatal disorders which can affect pregnant women.
International trial of two microbicides begins - Medical News Today 12/02/05
A large, multisite trial designed to examine the safety and preliminary effectiveness of two candidate topical microbicides to prevent HIV infection has opened to volunteer enrollment. The trial, sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, represents a partnership among various research institutions in Africa and the United States.
St. John's Wort at Least as Effective as Paroxetine in the Treatment of Depression, latest research shows - Medical News Today 11/02/05
According to latest research, Dr. Willmar Schwabe Pharmaceuticals' proprietary St. John's Wort extract WS® 5570 is at least as effective and better tolerated than standard treatment with prescription antidepressant paroxetine in the treatment of moderate to severe major depression[1]. The randomised, double-blind, reference-controlled, multicentre Phase III clinical trial investigated the antidepressant efficacy of WS® 5570 and paroxetine in 251 patients with acute major depression and was published online in the British Medical Journal (http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/) today.
UCF stem cell research may hold promise for treating Alzheimer's disease - Medical News Today 11/02/05
A compound similar to the components of DNA may improve the chances that stem cells transplanted from a patient's bone marrow to the brain will take over the functions of damaged cells and help treat Alzheimer's disease and other neurological illnesses.
2002 Study Submitted to FDA Showed Possible Heart Risks Related To Vioxx - Medical News Today 11/02/05
A 2002 study indicated that older patients taking... Merck's COX-2 inhibitor Vioxx might be at higher risk for developing cardiovascular problems, but an FDA analysis of the study's data found no correlation, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Electronic medical records reduce hours, cut cost - Medical News Today 12/02/05
Improved patient outcomes and reduced costs highlight crucial link between electronic medical data and clinical practice guidelines
Bulk Billing Rates - ‘If You Fund Them, They Will Grow', Australian Medical Association - Medical News Today 12/02/05
AMA (Australian Medical Association) President, Dr Bill Glasson, said today that the December 2004 quarter bulk billing rates are proof positive that the rate will rise in line with the amount of funding being injected to the system as incentives
Engineers Develop Biowarfare Sensing Elements That Permit Mass Production of Highly Sensitive and Stable Nerve-Gas Detectors - Medical News Today 11/0
A sensing device tailored for mass production of highly sensitive and stable nerve-gas detectors has been developed by a research group led by a mechanical engineer at The University of Texas at Austin.
Georgia Woman Agrees to Sterilization To Avoid Murder Trial for Killing Infant Daughter - Medical News Today 11/02/05
A 34-year-old Atlanta woman who plead guilty to killing her five-week-old daughter and the.... Fulton County District Attorney's Office on Tuesday agreed to a plea bargain that would allow the woman to avoid a murder trial and possible prison sentence if she is surgically sterilized, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard, whose office proposed the plea deal, said he agreed to reduce the murder charge to voluntary manslaughter because Carisa Ashe -- who has seven other children -- was suffering from postpartum depression when she killed the infant in December 1998 and has no prior history of abuse or criminal activity.
Genetics Research Unlocks a Key Regulator of Weight in Women - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Recently, Jose Ordovas, PhD, and colleagues shed some light on a genetic factor in obesity. Ordovas, director of the Nutrition and Genomics Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University uncovered two variants in the perilipin gene that influence body weight in white women.
HIV infection still on the rise - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Preventive measures are failing to stem the rising rate of HIV infection, warn two senior doctors in an editorial in this week's BMJ.
Induction at 32 weeks possible action for expectant moms with premature membrane rupture - Medical News Today 12/02/05
A new Mayo Clinic study of pregnant women who experience early membrane rupture has found induction of labor at 32 weeks gestation to be a viable option.
Joslin scientists show knocking out two key signals will cause type 2 diabetes - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Using a revolutionary technique to turn off chemical signals inside the cell, scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center have discovered that the different metabolic abnormalities present in type 2 diabetes can be caused by knocking out two key signals in liver cells. Their findings in mice may someday lead to strategies in humans to boost these two different signals, providing a powerful new way to treat the different metabolic components present in the most common form of diabetes.
National Inventors Hall of Fame announces 2005 inductees - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Inventors' work includes Valium, the electric guitar, genetic fingerprinting, frozen foods
Many South African Children Miss School Because Parents Affected by HIV/AIDS, Report Says - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Many South African children are absent from school because their parents or other family members are affected by HIV/AIDS, according to a report released Wednesday by the... Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Human Sciences Research Council, AFP/News24.com reports.
Miscommunication, Other Problems Led to Improper Release of CDC Obesity Study, Agency Report Finds - Medical News Today 11/02/05
A CDC study published in March 2004 that might have overstated the number of annual obesity-related deaths in the United States was improperly released because of "miscommunication, bureaucratic snafus and acquiescence from dissenting scientists," according to a report posted on Wednesday on the agency Web site following an internal investigation, the Los Angeles Times reports (Mestel, Los Angeles Times, 2/10).
Novel "Canary on a Chip" Sensor Measures Tiny Changes in Cell Volume; Provides Assay Results in Minutes - Medical News Today 11/02/05
A novel technology that can test cells in minutes for responses to any stimulus, including antibiotics, pathogens, toxins, radiation or chemotherapy, has been developed by scientists at the University at Buffalo.
President Bush Says Medicare's 'Unfunded Liabilities' Must Be Addressed - Medical News Today 11/02/05
President Bush on Wednesday indicated he would address Medicare's finances after completion of Social Security reform, while some lawmakers "demand[ed] changes in the Medicare law" in response to new cost estimates for the program's prescription drug benefit, the... New York Times reports. Bush said, "There's no question that there is an unfunded liability inherent in Medicare that Congress and the administration is going to have to deal with over time" (Pear, New York Times, 2/10). CMS on Tuesday said the new Medicare prescription drug benefit will cost more than $720 billion over its first 10 years, with costs reaching $100 billion annually by 2015.
Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Multiple Risk Factors for Heart Disease and Stroke, USA, 2003 - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Heart disease and stroke are the first and third leading causes of death, respectively, in the United States (1). Certain modifiable risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, tobacco use, obesity, and lack of exercise, are the main targets for primary and secondary prevention of heart disease and stroke.
Secret relationships go sour quickly, according to new study by psychologists - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Secret romantic relationships are hot, right? Movies and television dramas are full of them, and they almost always seem intense, the gateway to a new life filled with promise if not outright ecstasy.
Teaching a less obvious medical skill - Ethical decision-making - Medical News Today 11/02/05
When medical students at the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine learn about ethical decision-making in patient care, one of the things they paradoxically learn is that an "ethical" problem often isn't one.
Researchers In Quest of Osteoporosis Prevention Find Benefits In Vitamin B12 - Medical News Today 11/02/05
It can't be said enough: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of bone. An estimated 40% of women and 13% of men are at high risk of an osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime. When these fractures occur in older individuals, quality of life can decrease, sometimes dramatically. Osteoporosis is also associated with higher mortality. New research conducted by Katherine Tucker, PhD, director of the Dietary Assessment and Epidemiology Research Program at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts, examined dietary factors in relation to osteoporosis and uncovered a positive association between vitamin B12 and bone health. In other words, the authors conclude that vitamin B12 deficiency may be an important modifiable risk factor for osteoporosis.
The BIOS Initiative - open source biotechnology is born - Medical News Today 11/02/05
In a publication today in the prestigious scientific journal, Nature, a team at CAMBIA in Canberra unveils the 'kernel' of the world's first 'explicit open source' biotechnology toolkit. These tools, and the precedent they establish, will allow the public-sector, small to medium enterprises and even large firms worldwide to explore new business models and begin a new era of transparent and cost-effective innovation in life sciences.
The Shapes of Life: NIGMS Project Yields More Than 1,000 Protein Structures - Medical News Today 11/02/05
The Protein Structure Initiative (PSI), a national program aimed at determining the three-dimensional shapes of a wide range of proteins, has now determined more than 1,000 different structures. These structures will shed light on how proteins function in many life processes and could lead to targets for the development of new medicines.
Tufts-NEMC researchers identify enzyme that activates cancer cell growth and invasion - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Researchers from Tufts-New England Medical Center have identified a long-sought-after enzyme that interacts with a specific protease-activated receptor, PAR1, on breast cancer cells. The study authors identified metalloprotease-1 as the molecular scissors that activates PAR1 resulting in cancer cell invasion and tumor growth. They were able to block the spread of the breast cancer in animals using novel compounds called pepducins that act on the inside surface of the cell downstream of the enzyme and receptor. Their study appears in the February 11 edition of the journal Cell.
UT Southwestern doctors track Oklahoma Alzheimer's patients via telemedicine - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Checking on Alzheimer's patients miles away is now as close as a simple satellite linkup.
Visual Recognition Begins with Categorization - Medical News Today 12/02/05
Take a moment and look at a picture near you - What did you see? How long did it take you to understand what was in the image, meaning how long did it take you to realize the green blob was a tree? Or that the orange circle was a piece of fruit? Most likely you assume that it took you no time at all, you just knew.
Over Prescribing Causing High Rates of Antibiotic Resistance in South and East Europe - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Resistance to antibiotics is more common in southern and eastern Europe than in northern Europe because the regions have high rates of antibiotic use, suggests a study published in this week's issue of The Lancet (See page 579-587).
Pro-inflammatory Protein Contributes to Crohn's Disease - Medical News Today 11/02/05
A pro-inflammatory protein activated by bacteria in the colon plays a key role in the development of experimental colitis in mice - a mouse-version of human Crohn's disease - according to research by scientists at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine.
Emergency department study supports giving dehydrated children fluids by mouth - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Oral rehydration therapy, or giving fluids by mouth, is equally effective as giving intravenous fluids to young children dehydrated by common stomach and intestinal inflammations, according to a new study by emergency medicine physicians. Because oral therapy can be started more quickly and is less painful for the child than IV treatment, the researchers say it should be the preferred treatment for children with moderate dehydration.
Virginia House Approves Measure Requiring Fetal Anesthesia To Be Offered for Abortion Procedures Beyond 20 Weeks - Medical News Today 11/02/05
The Virginia House of Delegates on Friday approved 72-20 a bill… (HB 1524) that would require physicians to anesthetize fetuses at 20 weeks gestation or beyond before performing abortion procedures, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports (Smith, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 2/5).
The Public Library of Science urges researchers to comply with the new NIH public access policy - Medical News Today 11/02/05
The Public Library of Science [PLoS] applauds the US National Institutes of Health [NIH] for today's announcement that it expects all of its grantees to make articles arising from their NIH-funded research freely available online in the National Library of Medicine's PubMed Central.
San Francisco Chronicle Examines 'Intense Debate' in Democratic Party Over Abortion-Rights Issue - Medical News Today 11/02/05
The San Francisco Chronicle on Monday examined the "intens[e]" debate within the Democratic Party over the issue of abortion rights. While some Democrats since the November 2004 elections have suggested that the party try to "broaden its appeal" by reaching out to abortion-rights opponents, others within the party have said that it "should not step back from a strong and resolute position" supporting abortion rights, according to the Chronicle (Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle, 2/7). The complete article is available online.
Retrovirus marker identified in motor neuron disease - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Scientists have discovered a molecular marker linked to retroviruses in the blood of people affected by motor neuron disease (MND), according to a study published in the Feb 8 issue of the journal Neurology. The collaborative study found the marker in nearly half of all patients studied, suggesting that there might be a common basis for the development of MND, a disease which at present has no known cause for the majority of people affected.
National Vaccine Information Center Calls 'Anti-Terror' Bill 'Unconstitutional', USA - Medical News Today 11/02/05
The USA's largest and oldest consumer-led vaccine safety organization, the National Vaccine Information Center, is calling a bill introduced into Congress by Senators Gregg and Frist entitled "Protecting America in the War on Terror Act of 2005" (S.3) an "assault on the Constitution" and a serious threat to protecting the health and informed consent rights of those who use federally regulated vaccines and drugs.
John Hutton Launches Spring NHS Careers Campaign, UK - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Campaign targets primary care staff, midwifery, radiography and mental health workers - UK Health Minister John Hutton today launched the NHS Careers 2005 advertising campaign to encourage more people to join the NHS.
Companies Agree To Post Signs in California Restaurants Warning of Possible Mercury Exposure From Eating Fish - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Fifteen companies that operate more than 400 restaurants in California have agreed to post signs warning their customers of possible mercury exposure from eating fish, settling a lawsuit brought by state Attorney General Bill Lockyer (D) in April 2003, officials said on Friday, the... Los Angeles Times reports.
Bush's FY 2006 Budget Proposal Expected To Include Increases for Global HIV/AIDS, Abstinence-Only Education - Medical News Today 11/02/05
President Bush's fiscal year 2006 budget proposal is expected to include spending increases for abstinence-only education and global health initiatives, including HIV/AIDS programs, but eliminate or reduce spending on other health care programs, according to documents obtained by the… New York Times from "budget analysts who oppose the cuts" (Pear, New York Times, 2/5).
Circles of DNA might help predict success of stem cell transplantation - Medical News Today 11/02/05
St Jude study shows the level of this DNA in the blood appears to directly reflect the ability of the transplant recipient's thymus gland to process donated stem cells and turn them into effective T cells
UCI researchers uncover how plaque in neck artery leads to stroke-inducing blood clots - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Findings press need for early treatment to help prevent strokes - A UC Irvine Stroke Center study reveals how plaque in the main neck artery plays a critical role in creating blood clots that greatly increase the risk of stroke.
New treatment rivals chemotherapy for lymphoma, U-M study finds - Medical News Today 11/02/05
A new form of treatment for lymphoma that takes a fraction of the time of traditional chemotherapy with fewer side effects caused tumors to shrink in 95 percent of patients, a new study by researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found.
New Mexico State Senator Introduces Legislation Promoting Umbilical Cord Donation for Stem Cell Treatment - Medical News Today 11/02/05
New Mexico state Sen Nancy Rodriguez (D) on Wednesday introduced legislation... (SB 605) that would require doctors to inform pregnant women about umbilical cord blood donations and compel hospitals to allow such donations in an effort to promote stem cell treatment in the state, the AP/RedNova News reports.
Medical Services Begins Shipping Its VScan Test Kits Into Russia - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Medical Services International Inc. (Pinksheets: MSITF) is pleased to announce that it has begun shipping its VScan HIV test kits into Russia. In addition to the HIV test kits there has been an expressed interest and demand for the VScan TB test kit. The marketing studies for this area show that it is reasonable to expect that there will be a demand for 2 to 3 million VScan test kits per year. The distributors that have been signed for eastern Europe have indicated that marketing studies show that the demand for test kits for HIV and TB is increasing substantially and the fact that VScan is easy to use, very accurate using whole blood and requires no refrigeration will create a significant demand for the VScan test kit.
HIV Transmission Among Black Women, North Carolina, USA, 2004 - Medical News Today 11/02/05
In 2003, women constituted 28% of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) cases in the United States; approximately 69% of those cases were among non-Hispanic black women (1). Heterosexual transmission is now the most commonly reported mode of HIV transmission among women (1).
Cameroon Health Ministry Suspends Clinical Trial Testing Tenofovir for HIV Prevention - Medical News Today 11/02/05
The Cameroon Ministry of Health on Thursday announced that it has suspended a "controversial" clinical trial that is testing the antiretroviral drug Viread, which is known generically as tenofovir, to determine if it can reduce the risk of HIV infection... AFP/Cameroon-info.net reports.
A Family's Guide to Living with HIV - Medical News Today 11/02/05
An Indiana University physician and nurse at Riley Hospital for Children have written a book containing both medical and practical everyday advice for families who have children who are HIV positive.
Watch what you eat - leptin and cholecystokinin - Medical News Today 11/02/05
A new paper appearing online on February 10 in advance of publication in the March 1 print edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, describes the interactions of two circulating hormones that control food intake and body weight - leptin and cholecystokinin.
Scientists disprove two tenets of common leukemia - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Scientists at the Institute for Medical Research at North Shore-LIJ have made a discovery that refutes two longstanding beliefs about the most common leukemia in the western hemisphere. Due to the relatively slow disease progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), doctors thought it was caused by a gradual accumulation of leukemia cells that could not die. The new findings, published online today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, prove the exact opposite. The study will appear in the journal's March 2005 print issue.
Siderocalin eases liver diseases - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Liver injury in mice causes upregulation of a protein called siderocalin -a protein that binds and transports iron. Why this upregulation occurred was not known.
New RNA polymerase discovered in plants - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Plays roles in flowering, methylation - Biologists at Washington University in St. Louis have discovered an entirely new cellular "machine" in plants that plays a significant role in plant flowering and DNA methylation, a key chemical process essential for an organism's development.
Herbal extract as effective as commonly prescribed anti-depressant - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Rated 3 in Health; News; National and International News on Feb 12, 2005 at 06:54:39 GMT.
Acute treatment of moderate to severe depression with hypericum extract WS 5570 (St John's Wort): randomised controlled double blind non-inferiority trial versus paroxetine BMJ Online First
Discovery May Help Extend Life of Natural Pesticide - Medical News Today 11/02/05
A team led by biologists at the University of California, San Diego has discovered a molecule in roundworms that makes them susceptible to Bacillus thuringiensis toxin, or Bt toxin-a pesticide produced by bacteria and widely used by organic farmers and in genetically engineered crops to ward off insect pests.
Trial Reveals Safer and Simpler Approach to Treating Children with Cystic Fibrosis - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Treating chest infections in young cystic fibrosis patients with an antibiotic once instead of three times daily is as effective and less toxic, conclude the results of a randomised trial published in this week's issue of The Lancet (See page 573-578).
Sweden Partners With Asian Development Bank To Establish HIV/AIDS Trust Fund To Fight Disease in Asia - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Sweden and the Asian Development Bank have partnered to establish an HIV/AIDS trust fund to help raise awareness and fight the disease in Asia, AFP/Tribune de Geneve reports. Swedish Ambassador to the Philippines Annika Markovic on Wednesday in Manila, Philippines, announced the formation of the trust fund, saying that the fund will be formally established later this month at a two-day forum on HIV/AIDS in the Philippines sponsored by the Philippine National AIDS Council, the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, ADB and the Swedish government.
South Africa in Denial Over Number of Deaths From HIV/AIDS - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Deaths from HIV/AIDS in South Africa are being misclassified because of the social stigma associated with the disease, states an editorial in this week's issue of The Lancet (Page 546).
NHS Trusts Rewarded For Exceptional A&E Performance, UK - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Hospital Trusts who have consistently seen 97 percent of patients in and out of A&E within four hours or less will receive £100,000 extra capital funding each to develop services across their hospital, Health Minister Rosie Winterton announced today.
Nearly 600 People on ADAP Waiting Lists Nationwide, NASTAD Report Says, USA - Medical News Today 11/02/05
The number of people on waiting lists nationwide for enrollment in AIDS Drug Assistance Programs as of Jan. 24 was 592 in nine states, according to the latest "ADAP Watch" released on Wednesday by the.... National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD release, 2/9). ADAPs are federal- and state-funded programs that provide HIV/AIDS-related medications to low-income, uninsured and underinsured HIV-positive individuals.
British conservatives should beware of Australian health service reforms - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Australia is held up as a model of how to increase use of private health care in the United Kingdom. But experts in this week's BMJ warn that the effects of its reforms are not all beneficial and ask what can British and European conservatives learn from an Australian colleague who has deliberately sought to enhance the role of the private sector?
AAHomecare Will Seek Clarifications to Wheelchair Coverage Criteria - Medical News Today 11/02/05
The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) welcomed draft Medicare coverage policy for power wheelchairs but expressed continuing concerns about potential affects on patient access to medically necessary mobility equipment.
Alcohol Drinkers Three Times as Likely to Die from Injury - Medical News Today 11/02/05
People who regularly drink alcohol are three times as likely to die from injury as are non-drinkers and former drinkers of alcohol, according to new research from the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. This is the first study to examine drinking behavior in relation to all major categories of injuries. In particular, the study authors found that the risk of drowning was most strongly related to current drinkers. The study will be published in the March 2005 issue of Accident Analysis and Prevention.
Medicare Rights Center Recruits for Consumer Action Board - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Board Members to Advise on Local Health Care Access and Affordability Concerns - New York - The Medicare Rights Center (MRC) is now recruiting people with Medicare who want to make a difference in local, state, and national health care policy for a National Medicare Consumer Action Board (CAB).
Clinicians to Lead Drive on Improving Diagnostic Services, UK - Medical News Today 11/02/05
UK Health Minister John Hutton today announced the appointment of Erika Denton as the National Clinical Lead for Diagnostic Imaging. Her appointment completes the appointment of a new team of clinical experts to help drive progress on diagnostic services.
HIV Testing Should Be Part of Routine Medical Care; Early Detection Can Lengthen Lifespan, Prevent Spread, Studies Suggest - Medical News Today 11/02/
Voluntary HIV testing should be a routine part of medical care in the U.S., and early detection of the disease could add more than a year to the lifespan of HIV-positive patients at a cost comparable to other common screenings, including those for high blood pressure or breast cancer, according to two independent, federally funded studies published in the Feb. 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the Baltimore Sun reports (Niedowski, Baltimore Sun, 2/10).
New Mosquito Control Strategy Proves Successful Against Dengue Fever - Medical News Today 11/02/05
Over 380 000 people have been protected from dengue fever in Vietnam thanks to the implementation of a novel strategy to control mosquitoes in the country, concludes a report in this week's issue of The Lancet (See page 613-617).
Overseas junior doctors warned to expect unemployment in the UK - Medical News Today 11/02/05
So many junior overseas doctors are struggling to get jobs in the United Kingdom that they are now being warned to be prepared for long periods of unemployment, writes Peter Trewby, of the Royal College of Physicians in this week's BMJ Career Focus.
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