National and International News
Sunburn's role in cancer survival - Daily Mail 02/02/05
Sunlight exposure, a major risk factor for potentially deadly skin cancer, may also help victims survive that disease, new US and European research shows.
Vietnam reports more bird flu - Daily Mail 02/02/05
Vietnam has reported another bird flu infection in an outbreak that has killed 13 people in Vietnam and Cambodia over the past month, a doctor said.
Abstinence-Only Sex Education Programs Have Little Effect on Texas Teenagers' Behavior, Study Says - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Abstinence-only sex education programs have had "little impact" on Texas teenagers' behavior, according to an ongoing study funded by the….
HHS for First Time Adds Viruses, Including HPV, to List of Cancer-Causing Agents - Medical News Today 02/02/05
HHS (USA) on Monday for the first time has added several viruses, including several strains of the sexually transmitted disease human papillomavirus that cause almost all cases of cervical cancer, to its list of known carcinogens, the… San Francisco Chronicle reports (Kay, San Francisco Chronicle, 2/1).
Medicare Drug Benefit To Include Coverage for Impotence Medications - Medical News Today 02/02/05
CMS officials on Monday confirmed that the Medicare prescription drug benefit will cover impotence drugs such as Viagra, the… Los Angeles Times reports.
New York Times Examines Sen Clinton's Call for 'Common Ground' on Abortion Rights, Increased Focus on 'Values' Issues - Medical News Today 02/02/05
The New York Times on Tuesday profiled what some call Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-N.Y.) changing themes and motives on "values" issues -- including faith, abortion and gay marriage -- as "she enters a new phase of her public life."
Parents Criticize Abstinence-Only Program, Ask for Comprehensive Sex Education in DeKalb County, Ga - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Parents in DeKalb County, Ga., last week challenged school district officials about a new federally funded abstinence-only sex education program being introduced in eighth-grade health classes, calling instead for more comprehensive information to be included, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Pfizer Acted Responsibly in Sharing Celebrex Alzheimer's Study Data With FDA - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Pfizer Inc said today that it remains confident in its COX-2 medicines as important treatment options for arthritis patients and that it has acted responsibly in sharing all appropriate data with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Playing a Musical Instrument Reverses Stress on the Genomic Level - Medical News Today 02/02/05
A groundbreaking study due to be published in the February 2005 issue of the international research journal Medical Science Monitor shows for the first time that playing a musical instrument can reverse multiple components of the human stress response on the genomic level. The study's principal investigator, Barry Bittman, M.D. of the Mind-Body Wellness Center in Meadville, PA, says these unique findings not only shed new light on the value of active music participation, but also extend our understanding of individualized human biological stress responses on an unprecedented level.
Sequenom Announces Identification of Second Breast Cancer Gene - Medical News Today 02/02/05
SEQUENOM, Inc (Nasdaq: SQNM) announced the discovery of genetic variations in the gene encoding the nuclear mitotic apparatus protein (NuMA) that affect breast cancer risk. Published today in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (PNAS), the study entitled "Association of the NuMA region on chromosome 11q13 with breast cancer susceptibility" reports that individuals with a coding variation in the NuMA gene have more than a 2-fold higher risk of developing breast cancer than those without it. This risk is increased to more than 4-fold for cases with a family history of cancer.
Six Governors Request Meeting With Canadian Prime Minister To Discuss Prescription Drug Reimportation - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Governors from six states in a letter dated January 19 requested a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin to discuss the reimportation of lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada amid "mounting speculation that the [Canadian] government is set to clamp down on the practice."
Brain cells perform balancing act, MIT - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Researchers at MIT's Picower Center for Learning and Memory have uncovered an important new way that the brain performs complex functions such as pattern recognition. The study will appear in the Feb. 1 issue of Nature Neuroscience.
Cells' 'energy factories' linked to cancer - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Cancer Research UK scientists in Scotland have discovered how mitochondria - the energy factories in our cells - can sustain a cancer, reporting their findings in a new study published today*.
Emotions play key role in guiding consumer spending - Medical News Today 02/02/05
In a study that sheds new light on how consumers choose between pleasurable or practical products, a University of Washington researcher has found that people are more likely to buy fun products, but only if the situation allows them the flexibility to rationalize their purchases.
Protective relationship protects women from major depression more than men, VCU study - Medical News Today 02/02/05
American Journal of Psychiatry Article Describes Social Support and Risk for Major Depression in Opposite-Sex Twins
Half of Bankruptcy Due to Medical Bills -- U.S. Study - Reuters 02/02/05
Half of all U.S. bankruptcies are caused by soaring medical bills and most people sent into debt by illness are middle-class workers with health insurance, researchers said on Wednesday.
Inquiry starts into infant deaths - BBC Health News 02/02/05
A commission which has been set up to find out why so many babies in Bradford die soon after birth is to hold its first meeting on Wednesday.
Free fruit offered to low earners - BBC Health News 02/02/05
Parents of young children in Devon and Cornwall are going to be the first in the country to benefit from a new free fruit and vegetables scheme.
Patient GP ratio 'varies widely' - BBC Health News 02/02/05
Some GPs have five times the number of patients than others, research shows.
Daily Mail 02/02/05
New UCLA study disputes antidepressant/suicide link - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Challenging recent claims linking antidepressant use to suicidal behavior, a new UCLA study shows that American suicide rates have dropped steadily since the introduction of Prozac and other serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs. Published in the February edition of the journal Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, the authors caution that regulatory actions to limit SSRI prescriptions may actually increase death rates from untreated depression, the No. 1 cause of suicide.
National Academy of Engineering announces million-dollar challenge to provide safe drinking water - Medical News Today 02/02/05
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) announced today the establishment of the Grainger Challenge Prize for Sustainability. This prize will award $1 million for a practical technology that can prevent the slow poisoning of people throughout the world as a result of arsenic contamination of drinking water.
Multi-purpose protein regulates new protein synthesis and immune cell development - Medical News Today 02/02/05
IRE1 could be target of new drugs for autoimmune diseases like lupus - A signaling protein called IRE1, which helps stressed-out cells make new proteins, may be more versatile and important than scientists believed. A new study by researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute reveals the surprising finding that this same signaling protein is required for the formation of immune cells called B lymphocytes.
Key Mechanism in Genetic Inheritance During Cell Division Identified - Medical News Today 02/02/05
A key mechanism in the passing of genetic material from a parent cell to daughter cells appears to have been identified by a team of Berkeley researchers. Their study may explain how a complex of proteins, called kinetochores, can recognize and stay attached to microtubules, hollow fibers in the walls of biological cells that are responsible for the faithful segregation of chromosomes during cell division.
How the brain creates false memories - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Lawyers are often suspicious of so-called "eye-witness accounts" and rightly so. Hundreds of scientific studies in the past few decades have shown that the memories of people who observe complex events are notoriously susceptible to alteration if they receive misleading information about the event after it has taken place. In this month's issue of the journal Learning & Memory, scientists from Johns Hopkins University report new insights into how such "false memories" are formed. This is the first study to use neuroimaging to investigate how the brain encodes misinformation during the creation of a false memory.
Gene used in brain development can cause childhood brain cancers - Medical News Today 02/02/05
A gene that's normally silenced after contributing to brain development was found to be expressed in cells from medulloblastoma, the most common form of pediatric brain malignancy in children, scientists report in an article published in the February 1 issue of the journal Cancer Research.
Blocking cell signaling can stymie viral infections, study shows - Medical News Today 02/02/05
In a finding that represents an entirely new approach to treating viral diseases such as smallpox, scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and collaborating institutions have shown that infections can be stymied by interfering with signals used by viruses to reproduce in human cells.
$10-million study explores men's role in transmitting HPV - Medical News Today 02/02/05
In the largest grant ever to a Cancer Control and Prevention researcher at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, the National Institutes of Health awarded $10 million to Anna Giuliano, Ph.D., to help determine men's roles in spreading the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes deadly cervical cancer in women.
Shortage of dentists is threat to free check-ups - The Times 02/02/05
THE Scottish Executive came under fire yesterday after a report gave warning that its flagship pledge to give free dental checks to everyone by 2007 would be difficult to meet without a significant increase in NHS dentists.
BBC Health News 01/02/05
Noble fight against cancer ends with last entry on internet diary - The Times 02/02/05
THE death of Ivan Noble from a brain tumour at the age of 37 may mean little to many, but his brave fight and ultimate defeat at the hands of cancer has drawn a wave of condolence from around the world.
BBC Health News 01/02/05
Vaccine could wipe out deadly cervical cancer - The Times 02/02/05
EVERY woman in Britain could be protected against cervical cancer by a vaccine available within five years.
The Guardian 02/02/05
The Independent 02/02/05
The Telegraph 02/02/05
Reuters 01/02/05
Daily Mail 01/02/05
BBC Health News 01/02/05
Reform of benefits system aims to get a further 1m back to work - The Times 02/02/05
PLANS to coax or force a million benefit claimants back into work will be announced today by ministers as part of the Government’s blueprint for a 21st-century welfare state.
The Guardian 02/02/05
The Independent 02/02/05
The Guardian 01/02/05
The Telegraph 01/02/05
Whitehall struggles to free information - The Times 02/02/05
AT LEAST three Whitehall departments have breached the Freedom of Information Act by failing to respond to inquiries within 20 working days.
The Guardian 02/02/05
The Independent 02/02/05
The Independent 02/02/05
30,000 pregnant women lose their jobs each year - The Times 02/02/05
AN ESTIMATED 30,000 working women are dismissed, made redundant or are forced to leave their jobs every year because they become pregnant, a study shows.
The Independent 02/02/05
The Telegraph 02/02/05
Police chief clamps down on dinner party cocaine - The Times 02/02/05
SCOTLAND YARD’S new chief is launching a drive against middle-class drug users who think it is now socially acceptable to take cocaine at a dinner party or a club.
The Guardian 02/02/05
The Independent 02/02/05
The Telegraph 02/02/05
Chiropractic has a research record - The Guardian 02/02/05
Edzard Ernst has often repeated his opinion that chiropractic doesn't have a sufficient evidence base to demonstrate its efficacy (Health, G2, February 1). It's as though he hopes that, by repetition, he'll make it true. The very opposite is true - chiropractic management of musculoskeletal disorders has a good evidence base for efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
Nodding agreement - The Guardian 02/02/05
You know you're turning into your parents when you find yourself agreeing with Conservative policies
Life after birth - The Guardian 02/02/05
Jack is banned from eating sugar, just as I was. 'Is he diabetic?' an old woman asked me
Way out west - The Guardian 02/02/05
Wilderness therapy, as seen in Channel 4's Brat Camp, is now big business in America. It's extreme - but will it do your teenager any good? David Adam reports
Command performance - The Guardian 02/02/05
In an exclusive interview, Sir Ian Blair, London's new chief of police, talks to Rosie Cowan about his toughest role yet - balancing racial harmony and public safety
Prison sexual abuse victims speak up - The Guardian 02/02/05
In the macho world of prisons, victims of sexual abuse are reluctant to 'show weakness' by talking about their torment. But now a former psychiatric nurse has devised a safe way to seek help.
Low-cost housing planned on public land - The Guardian 02/02/05
John Prescott, the deputy prime minister, promised yesterday to build affordable housing on a string of redundant airfields and other Ministry of Defence land on the back of a deal to acquire 100 former hospital sites for lower-cost homes.
The Guardian 02/02/05
How Blair got NHS up to par - The Guardian 02/02/05
Has Labour delivered? In the the last of three extracts from their new book, Polly Toynbee and David Walker examine the state of the health service and assess whether second-term promises have been fulfilled
Living in ignorance - The Guardian 02/02/05
In the rush to congratulate Chris Smith we are in danger of overlooking the reality of HIV in Britain
Letters - The Guardian 02/02/05
Alison Benjamin's article (Opinion, January 19) and Mary Foley's letter (January 26) are symptomatic of a sustained attack on the Big Lottery Fund by parts of the voluntary sector. Few, if any, of the criticisms have a basis in fact.
Straitjackets for mental patients? - The Guardian 02/02/05
The use of straitjackets to control mental patients has long been discredited in Britain as inhumane and dangerous. So why has the NHS been examining whether to introduce controversial state-of-the-art mechanical restraints? Mary O'Hara investigates
The Guardian 02/02/05
NHS blogger in mystery flit - The Guardian 02/02/05
Dr Dre has mysteriously disappeared - not the rapper, but the blogger whose laconic and humorous online diary of NHS office life had won a cult following.
Age shall not weary him... - The Guardian 02/02/05
As the baby boomer generation heads for retirement, Sir Derek Wanless tells John Carvel how he aims to put care of older people high on the political agenda
Daily Mail 31/01/05
Facilitating advancement - The Guardian 02/02/05
Debbie Andalo looks at the opportunities open to Mark, a 32-year-old facilities manager for a local authority, who is looking to further his career
More parents teach their children at home - The Guardian 02/02/05
Bullying is said to be the main concern of families who are opting out of mainstream education
Minder gets three years for baby death - The Guardian 02/02/05
Family claims accused woman who shook boy to death played the system after judge talks of tragedy for all concerned
'Huge disparity' in GP provision - The Guardian 02/02/05
A postcode lottery in primary healthcare was revealed yesterday by research showing that some areas have five times more GPs a head than others.
Scientists find new designer steroid - The Guardian 02/02/05
Scientists at the World Anti-Doping Agency have discovered a new designer anabolic steroid designed specifically to evade drugs tests, fulfilling the prophecy made last year by Victor Conte.
BBC Health News 01/02/05
Aids deaths in South Africa 'three times higher than official figures' - The Independent 02/02/05
The number of people dying of Aids in South Africa is more than three times higher than government figures suggest, the country's medical research council said.
Order! Smoking in Parliament is banned - The Independent 02/02/05
The smoke-filled rooms and corridors of the Palace of Westminster will be consigned to history within weeks when smoking is banned across Parliament.
Catholic Kelly stands by stem cell policy - The Telegraph 02/02/05
Ruth Kelly, the Education Secretary, said yesterday that her strong Catholic beliefs would not affect her readiness to implement Government policy on stem cell research.
England Gets Cleaner But London Remains Filthy - Reuters 02/02/05
While parks and leafy lanes are getting cleaner, a survey published on Wednesday showed that London still holds the ignoble title as the dirtiest place to live in England.
Cardiovascular Screening Advised for Young Athletes - Reuters 02/02/05
Young athletes in Europe should be screened before competing in events to detect heart problems and reduce sport-related deaths, health experts said on Wednesday.
BBC Health News 02/02/05
Daily Mail 02/02/05
Medical News Toay 02/02/05
U.S. Doctors Ignore Women's Heart Issues - Reports - Reuters 01/02/05
Even though heart disease is the top killer of U.S. women and men, doctors are giving women short shrift when it come to preventive care, according to studies published on Tuesday.
Patient Records Often Missing, U.S. Study Finds - Reuters 01/02/05
Medical records are frequently incomplete or missing during patient visits to the doctor, posing potential danger and wasting time, a survey of physicians said on Tuesday.
Music, Pets Recommended to Soothe Dementia Patients - Reuters 01/02/05
Music, pets and aromatherapy should be used to calm agitated or delusional patients before turning to drugs that often prove ineffective or have unhealthy side effects, researchers said on Tuesday.
Study Finds Brain Tumor Treatment Inconsistent - Reuters 01/02/05
Patients who develop the most common kind of primary malignant brain tumor are sometimes given drugs they may not need and deprived of others that might help, medical researchers said on Tuesday.
Medicare to Cover Viagra Under New Drug Benefit - Reuters 01/02/05
Viagra, the blockbuster impotence drug, will be paid for under Medicare's new prescription drug coverage, officials said on Tuesday.
High-Risk Women Not Lowering Cholesterol Enough - Reuters 01/02/05
New research indicates that few high-risk women are achieving the optimal cholesterol levels set forth in recent guidelines by the American Heart Association (AHA). Moreover, only about one third of eligible women are receiving cholesterol-lowering drugs.
U.S. Youth Antidepressant Use Drops in 2004 - Report - Reuters 01/02/05
Antidepressant use among children declined 10 percent in 2004, after U.S. regulators warned the drugs may be linked with increased suicide risk, pharmacy benefits firm Medco Health Solutions said on Tuesday.
ASGE announces grant recipients in annual research awards program - Medical News Today 02/02/05
The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the ASGE Foundation announced this year's institutional winners of medical research grants, as part of the ASGE's annual Research & Outcomes & Effectiveness Awards Program.
Balancing care decisions for gravely ill patients - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Mayo Clinic researchers studying gravely ill intensive care unit (ICU) patients found that unrealistic family expectations resulted in the increased use of health care resources without a significant improvement in survival rate among these patients.
Beer-drinking rats count calories better than many people, UF researchers say - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Football fans faced with a frosty pitcher of beer and a heaping platter of wings on Super Bowl Sunday often respond as if it were fourth-and-goal - they go for it.
Cell phone users drive like old folks - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Elderly also drive worse when chatting on cell phone, but not as bad as expected
COX-2 inhibitor increases the risk of heart attack in heart healthy elderly adults - Medical News Today 02/02/05
New research published in the on-line version of the Annals of Internal Medicine today, documents an increased risk of heart attack with one of the COX-2 inhibitors used in elderly adults with no previous history of heart attack--a group previously considered low-risk.
Diffusion-weighted MRI can diagnose 'mad cow'-related disease in humans before symptoms show - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Diffusion-weighted MRI is "extremely useful" in detecting Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a close cousin of "mad cow" disease, very early in its progression--even before the onset of characteristic clinical findings, according to a new study by researchers from Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital in Japan.
Gene therapy promising for growing tooth-supporting bone - Medical News Today 02/02/05
A University of Michigan research team has found that introducing a growth factor protein into a mouth wound using gene therapy helped generate bone around dental implants, according to a new paper in the February issue of the journal Molecular Therapy.
Increased risk of osteoporosis associated with gene that one in five people have - Medical News Today 02/02/05
About nineteen percent of people have a genetic variation that may increase susceptibility to osteoporosis, a new study reveals. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis demonstrated that in women the variant gene speeds up the breakdown of estrogen and is associated with low density in the bones of the hip.
Lupus Research Institute increases funding for innovative research - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Committed to its core belief that original thinking--idea-driven science--is the overarching need in lupus research, the Lupus Research Institute (LRI) is raising its individual novel research grant awards to $300,000.
New York Times Examines Controversy Over Subsidies to Employers Providing Retiree Drug Benefits - Medical News Today 02/02/05
.The New York Times on Monday examined the "furious debate" resulting from the release of final rules governing the new Medicare prescription drug benefit that allow "employers to collect billions of dollars in federal subsidies" for maintaining retiree drug coverage, even if they reduce the benefit amount (Pear, New York Times, 1/31). Under the new prescription drug benefit, Medicare will provide tax-free subsidies to employers equal to 28% of retired workers' annual drug costs. To qualify for the subsidy, employers will be required to offer a prescription drug plan at least as generous as the Medicare coverage, and they will be required to contribute at least as much as Medicare (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 1/28). However, critics say and Medicare officials acknowledge that it will not always be the case that employer-sponsored retiree drug benefits will be at least equal in value to those offered under Medicare, the Times reports (New York Times, 1/31).
Newly Published Study Evaluates Abbott's Humira® in Crohn's Disease - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Research Supports Further Assessment of Benefit of Humira in Tough-To-Treat Crohn's Population
Promise of ‘Bladder Pacemaker' for People With Spinal Cord Injury - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Biomedical engineers at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering have demonstrated for the first time that stimulating a specific nerve in the pelvis triggers the process that causes urine to begin flowing out from the bladder, refuting conventional thinking that "bladder emptying" requires signals from the brain.
Sequential MDCT sufficient for determining possible risk of coronary artery disease - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Sequential MDCT offers an adequate way to stratify which patients have calcium build-up in their coronary arteries--a possible risk factor for developing coronary artery disease, a new study shows.
Smoking causes cognitive impairment in adolescents - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Adolescents who smoke show impairment of memory and other cognitive functions, according to a Yale study in Biological Psychiatry.
State Policies Decrease Youth Smoking, Drinking and Sex, USA - Medical News Today 02/02/05
State policies, such as taxing the sale of cigarettes and alcohol, decrease teenage smoking and drinking, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The researchers also found a correlation between an increased availability of family planning clinics and a decrease in teen sexual intercourse. The study results suggest that state and local legislatures can help teenagers make decisions to avoid unhealthy behaviors by implementing laws to make cigarettes and beer more difficult to obtain and increase the number of family planning clinics. The study is published in the February 2005 issue of Preventive Medicine.
Using Gene Therapy for Heart Patients with Moderate to Severe Chest Pains - Medical News Today 02/02/05
Rush Physicians Using Gene Therapy for Heart Patients with Moderate to Severe Chest Pains Who Do Not Benefit from Other Treatments
Yale researcher studying acupuncture to reduce back pain in pregnancy - Medical News Today 02/02/05
A Yale researcher and expert in the practice of acupuncture is conducting a three-year study on the effectiveness of this ancient Chinese practice in reducing low back pain during pregnancy.
Park teen boozers 'most at risk' - BBC Health News 02/02/05
Teenagers drinking on streets, in parks and at home when parents are away are more at risk of harm than those boozing in pubs, a study says.
Daily Mail 02/02/05
Sunshine might stop skin cancers - BBC Health News 01/02/05
Sunshine might stop certain cancers from growing, including skin cancers, according to two new studies.
Tories make £30m asthma pledge - Daily Mail 02/02/05
The Conservative Party has pledged to direct £30 million of funding to improve the care and treatment of the UK's asthma sufferers.
Children taking less exercise - Daily Mail 02/02/05
Children are doing just a quarter of the physical exercise their parents did when they were young, according to a study.
Government accused of failing on children's rights - The Guardian 01/02/05
The government's plans to put child welfare at the heart of its election strategy suffered a setback today as a coalition of charities warned that many children remain at risk and their rights are being violated.
Pros and cons of painkillers - The Telegraph 01/02/05
How it works: aspirin reduces pain and fever, and is particularly effective for short-term pain, such as a tension headache, muscular pain or flu symptoms.
The Telegraph 01/02/05
Testosterone supplements for elderly men - Medical News Today 01/02/05
The University of Manchester has just launched trials to investigate whether increasing the testosterone levels of frail elderly men could improve their strength, energy and mobility.
Strength training safe and effective way to help address youth inactivity and obesity, American Council on Exercise - Medical News Today 01/02/05
American children are increasingly overweight and one more way to steer them toward an active lifestyle is through strength training. Unfortunately, many long-standing myths and misconceptions have fostered a belief that strength training may be ineffective and potentially unsafe for youngsters. According to the Youth Strength Training book recently published by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), America's Authority on Fitness, strength training is a safe and effective option for most children age 7 and older.
Politicians, Business Leaders React to French President's Proposal of International Tax To Raise Money for HIV/AIDS - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Many politicians and investors on Thursday reacted "coolly" to French President Jacques Chirac's proposal to institute a global tax on international financial transactions to raise $10 billion annually to fight HIV/AIDS, Reuters reports (Edwards, Reuters, 1/27).
Pharmaceutical Companies' Internet Pharmacy Sales Restrictions Affect Industry - Medical News Today 01/02/05
The Chicago Tribune on Sunday examined how some drug manufacturers' efforts to ban the sale of brand-name products to many Canadian Internet pharmacies "is contributing to a major shift in the online drug business."
Oklahoma Governor Proposes Prescription Drug Reimportation Program; FDA Opposes Rhode Island Plan - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry (D) on Wednesday proposed a $1.5 million plan that would allow state residents to purchase lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and other nations, the Oklahoman reports.
New research could help physicians tailor asthma therapy for children, from the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Researchers have identified specific asthma characteristics in children that could help determine the type of asthma treatment they will best respond to. These findings were published in the February 2005 Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (JACI). The JACI is the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).
New Psoriasis and Eczema Treatment Receives US Patent - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Charles E Crutchfield III, MD, Director of CutiCeuticals, Inc. received a US patent (6,579,512) for "CutiCort Spray," a 0.05% clobetasol-containing aerosol spray for the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.
Kaiser Permanente Temporarily Bans Distribution, Coverage for COX-2 Medication Bextra - Medical News Today 01/02/05
California-based Kaiser Permanente, the nation's largest not-for-profit HMO, last week ordered its pharmacies to stop dispensing Pfizer's COX-2 inhibitor Bextra because of evidence that it might increase the risk of heart attack, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Community Matrons will make a difference to patients' lives - Chief Nursing Officer, UK - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Chief Nursing Officer Professor Chris Beasley today set out how NHS nurses will help to deliver better care to the millions of people in England coping with long-term conditions.
American Academy of Neurology program receives Grassroots Award - Medical News Today 01/02/05
The American Academy of Neurology received a Grassroots Innovation Award from the Public Affairs Council during the National Grassroots Conference held last week in St. Pete Beach, Fla. The Academy received the award specifically for its Donald M. Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum, which provides formal advocacy training and leadership development to neurologists each year.
African Leaders Aim To Address HIV/AIDS, Development Goals at African Union Summit - Medical News Today 01/02/05
African leaders meeting at this week's… African Union summit in Abuja, Nigeria, in a session devoted to the HIV/AIDS pandemic are hoping to address government funding, "[c]ontroversial" drug trials, "battles" over drug patents and the fate of millions of AIDS orphans, AFP/Yahoo! News reports.
Aneurysm risk for men who smoked - Daily Mail 01/02/05
All men aged between 65 and 75 who have ever smoked should be tested for potential aneurysms, US scientists have warned.
Reuters 31/01/05
Drug cools hot flushes - Daily Mail 01/02/05
Rated 3 in National and International News on Feb 1, 2005 at 21:10:22 GMT.
Health groups have hailed research which claims that a drug reduces menopausal symptoms among patients receiving tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer.
Gene with vital puberty role - Daily Mail 01/02/05
A gene called "kiss" plays a vital role in triggering puberty, scientists have said.
BBC Health News 01/02/05
New breast cancer check tested - BBC Health News 01/02/05
A research team at the University of Bristol is developing a new test to detect breast cancer at an early stage.
Thalidomide helps cancer patient - BBC Health News 01/02/05
A Cornwall cancer patient is being prescribed Thalidomide as part of an informal trial by a team from Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.
GP 0870 numbers could be banned - BBC Health News 01/02/05
Ministers are considering banning GP surgeries using 0870 numbers amid concerns over the cost of patients' calls to their doctor.
Diana linked to bulimia increase - BBC Health News 01/02/05
Rates of the eating disorder bulimia appear to have been influenced by revelations Princess Diana had battled with the condition, a study suggests.
Daily Mail 31/01/05
Vietnam to host bird flu meeting - Daily Mail 01/02/05
Vietnam will host an international conference later this month to discuss ways to combat the growing bird flu outbreak that has killed 12 people there in a month, an official said.
Hazard Posed by Infant Bath Seats and Rings - Reuters 31/01/05
Parents should not use bath seats and bath rings to bathe their infants, according to a Canadian child health organization. Their survey findings show that the risk of injury and drowning associated with these products is too great for parents to continue using them safely.
Texas Teens Increased Sex After Abstinence Program - Reuters 31/01/05
Abstinence-only sex education programs, a major plank in President Bush's education plan, have had no impact on teenagers' behavior in his home state of Texas, according to a new study.
Obesity Gene Identified in Mice - Reuters 31/01/05
A gene that encodes a protein called lipin seems to promote obesity in mice, even when food intake remains stable, according to researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Consumer Group Says Pfizer Hid Celebrex Study - Reuters 31/01/05
A U.S. consumer group on Monday accused Pfizer Inc. of burying a study suggesting its painkiller Celebrex boosts the risk of heart attack and stroke, a claim the No. 1 drug maker has denied.
Quality of Life Okay After Repaired Heart Defect - Reuters 31/01/05
Adults who have undergone surgery during childhood to repair a congenital heart defect called tetralogy of Fallot have a satisfactory quality of life, although psychosocial problems and impaired thinking are often present, according to a report in the medical journal Heart.
Vioxx Increases Heart Attack Risk in Elderly - Reuters 31/01/05
A new study adds to the evidence that cardiac risk is increased in Vioxx (rofecoxib) users, even in those without a history of heart attack. The results also show that at lower doses of Vioxx, concurrent aspirin use can reduce the risk and the risk decreases to normal levels after Vioxx is discontinued.
Blair launches cancer campaign - Daily Mail 31/01/05
Prime Minister Tony Blair is urging the public to "banish any stigma" linked to bowel cancer in the battle against the disease's high death toll.
Weight Gain Linked to Breast Cancer Death-US Study - Reuters 31/01/05
Women who are overweight when diagnosed with breast cancer or who become overweight after learning of their condition are more likely to die or have the disease come back, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.
Childhood Abuse Common Among Manic Depressives - Reuters 01/02/05
Nearly half of patients suffering from manic depression, or bipolar disorder, may have been abused as children, scientists say in a new report.
Breakthrough in Alzheimer's fight - Daily Mail 01/02/05
A super-sensitive test for Alzheimer's that could identify the disease long before symptoms appear has been demonstrated on patients, scientists have said.
BBC Health News 01/02/05
Medicare Rights Center Launches Online Advocacy Network to Mobilize Americans to Speak Out About Problems Accessing Health Care - Medical News Today 01/02/05
In an effort to empower people with Medicare and their advocates to speak out about the problems older adults and people with disabilities face accessing good, affordable health care, the Medicare Rights Center (MRC), a national consumer service group, is launching an online Advocacy Network.
Women want annual pap smears despite recommended 2-3 year intervals - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Since it was first introduced six decades ago, the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear - widely credited with substantial reductions in the incidence and mortality from cervical cancer - has become an annual screening rite among American women. Recently, however, long-accepted Papanicolaou smear screening standards have been re-examined. Current recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Cancer Society and the US Preventive Services Task Force stipulate that screening intervals can be extended to every 2 to 3 years in women over age 30 with more than 3 prior normal test results and that most elderly women can cease screening. But are woman willing to forego their annual test?
Researchers Find New Genes Necessary to Make Embryo - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Researchers at New York University and the medical schools at Harvard and Yale universities have identified new genes necessary for embryonic development, according to findings published in the latest issue of Genome Research. This discovery is an important step toward a complete mapping of which parts of the genome are required for embryonic development. The new findings also probe into how genetic networks are built and how they could evolve.
Study proves catheter ablation safe for patients - Medical News Today 01/02/05
A recent study published in Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology (PACE) determined that the use of catheter ablation to treat supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is not detrimental to patients. This data refutes previous evidence which suggested a high incidence of injury to a patient's cardiac nerves, possibly resulting in accelerated heart rates following the procedure.
Progress toward a more targeted treatment of Alzheimer's disease - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Scientists from the Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) connected with the Catholic University of Leuven have shed a little more light on Alzheimer's disease. They've gone deeply into the operation of ã-secretase, a crucial factor in the origin of the disease. Their research has revealed that the action of ã-secretase is not homogeneous - as previously assumed - but quite differentiated. This discovery opens up perspectives for new medicines that will have fewer undesired side effects than current medicines do.
Moffitt Recruits Healthy Men to Study Human Papillomavirus, Which Causes Cervical Cancer - Medical News Today 01/02/05
In the largest grant ever to a Cancer Control and Prevention researcher at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, the National Institutes of Health have awarded $10 million to Anna Giuliano, Ph.D., to help determine men's roles in spreading the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes deadly cervical cancer in women.
Myelin Repair Foundation Announces $250,000 Research Award from Biogen Idec - Medical News Today 01/02/05
The Myelin Repair Foundation (MRF) today announced the receipt of a $250,000 award from Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB), a leading biotechnology company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Funds from the award will be used to support the MRF's multi-laboratory collaborative research consortium focused on developing myelin repair drug targets that will lead to treatments for Multiple Sclerosis.
FDA Approves Generic Painkiller Patch - Medical News Today 01/02/05
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval to Mylan Technologies, Inc, for the first generic version of Alza Corporation's Duragesic Patch (Fentanyl Transdermal System) used to treat patients suffering from severe chronic pain that cannot be managed with alternative analgesics. When applied to the skin, this patch technology delivers fentanyl, an opioid pain medication that is slowly absorbed into the body through the skin providing pain relief for up to three days (72 hours).
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Infection in breast implants, The Lancet - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Breast augmentation is the most frequent type of plastic surgery done in the UK and - after nose reshaping and liposuction - it is the third most common cosmetic procedure in the USA.
'IV Flush' Brand Preloaded Syringes May be Contaminated, FDA - Medical News Today 01/02/05
FDA is issuing a nationwide alert against the use of all lots of preloaded syringes containing either heparin or sodium chloride intravenous catheter flushes manufactured by the IV Flush, LLC and distributed by Pinnacle Medical Supply, of Rowlett, Texas, because these products have not received proper clearance from FDA and may be contaminated.
Calcium and vitamin D most effective for treatment of Crohn's-related bone loss - Medical News Today 01/02/05
According to a study published today in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the addition of popular bone building drugs to calcium and vitamin D therapy to treat bone loss associated with Crohn's disease is not beneficial. Moreover, the study shows that calcium and vitamin D treatment alone can improve bone mineral density (BMD) in Crohn's patients by 3 to 4 percent per year.
Compound from rare plant shows promise in treating breast cancer - Medical News Today 01/02/05
They started with a bare room and an idea. Now, after five years of painstaking, sophisticated tests, scientists at the University of Virginia Health System have discovered that a compound, derived from a rare South American plant, stops the growth of human breast cancer cells in laboratory cultures.
Drug treatment promising for halting Huntington's-related nerve death - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered that drugs commonly used to treat psychiatric illnesses and blood disorders in humans may protect the brain cells that die in people with Huntington's disease, possibly delaying the onset and slowing the progression of the disease.
Nurses jump on the waiting list - The Times 01/02/05
THERE are few perks to working in the NHS, unless you count saving lives. But now sick health workers are being offered fast-track treatment ahead of other patients.
Uniform response to togs - The Times 01/02/05
WHAT do nurses and McDonald’s employees have in common? (Clue: the answer is nothing to do with pay or fries.) Neither is allowed to wear their uniforms outside work.
'Give us light' say patients - The Times 01/02/05
A ROOM of one’s own, calming colours on the walls and a garden view from the window. This is what NHS patients dream about. What they get are antiquated mixed-sex wards reminiscent of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
'Bribe and Book' upsets GPs - The Times 01/02/05
SOMEONE at the Department of Health (DoH) knows their Shakespeare. “There is gold for you. Sell me your good report.” The DoH has had nothing but bad reports about its general practice-based hospital booking system Choose and Book. So it has brought out the gold: £95 million of incentive payments for primary care trusts and refusal to allow GPs to take part in practice-based commissioning unless they join the scheme.
Use it or lose it: how crosswords can beat Alzheimer's - The Times 01/02/05
FOR TRUE cruciverbalists, little beats the sheer pleasure of filling in that final clue. They should also derive satisfaction from knowing that their addiction affords them substantial protection against Alzheimer’s disease, one of the commonest causes of dementia.
Doctors Orders - The Times 01/02/05
Keep an eye on your pre-adolescent daughter’s calcium intake. A study by the Ohio State University Medical Center has found that a high intake between the ages of 8 and 13 could help to prevent osteoporosis. Girls with a faster rate of bone mass development had, on average, an additional 670 mg of calcium daily (around a pint of milk).
NB - The Times 01/02/05
NB DEPRESSION LIFTS Mild to moderate depression could be helped with aerobic exercise. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine reports on a study which found that those who performed aerobic exercise (such as treadmill walking) three to five times a week for 30 to 35 minutes experienced nearly a 50 per cent improvement in their symptoms, compared with only a minor improvement in patients who did just stretching exercises. ASTHMA LINK Could Vitamin C intake during pregnancy increase a child’s likelihood of developing asthma and eczema by the age of 2? Researchers at the University of Aberdeen found that women with the highest levels of vitamin C from diet were more likely to have children with these conditions. Dietary intake of Vitamin E seemed to reduce both asthma and eczema risk. OLD REMEDY Paracetamol can be just as effective in treating arthritis as Ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory, according to a study from the University of Queensland (published in the American Journal of Therapeutics). The researchers advise trying paracetamol first to relieve pain and other symptoms, before using medication with more potential side effects. FAT FAMILIES Overweight mothers are much more likely to have overweight children, and by the age of 6, their offspring are 15 times more at risk of being obese than the children of thin mothers. Researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania found that only one child in their group of lean mothers was obese — suggesting that genetic factors are involved. DON’T LOOK NOW Anyone with a phobia may find it difficult to control their gaze when confronted with an image of their phobia, reports the journal Emotion, published by the American Psychological Association, while those who may find it hardest are arachnophobes. The findings suggest that therapy which looks at conscious cognitive processes may not work; instead, desensitisation — which therapists also use — may be more helpful.
A fat load of good? - The Times 01/02/05
In spite of their bad press saturated fats are not necessarily unhealthy and in moderate amounts butter is preferable to margarine
Diana effect is credited with decline in bulimia - The Times 01/02/05
THE decision by Diana, Princess of Wales, to publicise her harrowing battle with the eating disorder bulimia resulted in double the number of sufferers coming forward for treatment.
McConnell soaks up flak after school alcohol gaffe - The Times 01/02/05
JACK McCONNELL was under pressure last night to apologise after he told an audience of schoolchildren that it was acceptable for people to get drunk from time to time.
Tales from the Therapist's Couch - The Independent 01/02/05
'Deeply moved by the scale of human suffering, she felt herself being freed from a habit of anxiety that had haunted her'
CO2 levels 'have not fallen under Labour' - The Independent 01/02/05
Tony Blair must do more to cut the UK's greenhouse gas emissions if he wants to show world leadership in tackling the problem, a leading environmental campaign group urged today.
A new front is opened up in the cola wars: diet-conscious men - The Independent 01/02/05
Diet Cola manufacturers will today enter into a battle for the hearts and minds of a new breed of health-conscious male consumer. In an attempt to keep its core market, Pepsi Max, the sugar-free soft drink that has targeted young male drinkers since the early 1990s, has launched a multimillion-pound advertising campaign.
'Major improvements' needed to measure public services - The Guardian 31/01/05
"Major improvements" need to be made to better measure the quality of public services people receive as a result of government spending, an independent inquiry warned today.
Productivity on parade - The Guardian 01/02/05
The most explosive domestic issue in the general election campaign is likely to be the effectiveness of the billions of taxpayers' money the government has pumped into public services such as health and education. Anyone expecting guidance on the success of such spending from yesterday's review of government productivity by the highly regarded warden of Nuffield College, Oxford, Sir Tony Atkinson, will be deeply disappointed. And a good thing, too. Sir Tony was asked to report on the methodology involved in assessing output and productivity in the public sector, not to give marks out of 10 for success and failure. Britain is actually one of the world leaders in this and, contrary to shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin's assertion yesterday that "public trust in national statistics is at an all-time low", the UK's official statistics are much admired around the world, and will be even more so if Sir Tony's 54 proposals are implemented.
No place for HIV stigma - The Guardian 01/02/05
The overwhelmingly supportive response to Chris Smith's announcement that he is HIV-positive is encouraging evidence of changing attitudes to HIV. But the assertion that the British public is learning not to stigmatise people living with HIV (Report, January 31) is not entirely accurate. Outsider Status, a recent report by the National Aids Trust, demonstrated that gay men and Africans living with HIV in the UK still experience high daily levels of discrimination which can cause stress, isolation and ill health.
Peta McGrath on what exercise keeps you in shape - The Guardian 01/02/05
Mind-body classes with a bit of gentle stretching are hugely popular but are they really enough to keep you in shape? Peta McGrath on what exercise works and how much we need
'I keep a pen where I once kept a knife' - The Guardian 01/02/05
For the last two years I've run the writing group at the Big Issue in Brighton. It's an informal drop in - no structure, no set exercises, no lesson plan. To the casual observer it would look anarchic, yet in this group I've seen more progression, more rewards and more learning than I have in many formal education environments.
Couldn't care less - The Guardian 01/02/05
Young people leaving care are still not being adequately provided for by the government, new research shows. John Crace reports.
Letters - The Guardian 01/02/05
As you reported last week (Life's what you make it, January 25), Ofsted has found teaching unsatisfactory in both citizenship and PSHE. One problem identified is the relationship between the two. In his speech on citizenship, David Bell, the chief inspector, said: "Taking the broad view, PSHE is about the private, individual dimension of pupils' development, whereas citizenship concerns the public dimension. They do not sit easily together."
Union blues - The Guardian 01/02/05
The unions' learning fund needs reform, not abolition, argues Conor Ryan
Opportunity locked - The Guardian 01/02/05
In 1971, a Guardian article on how UK schools were failing black boys sparked a furious row. Now the author has updated his work - from a prison cell in Grenada. Polly Curtis reports
Extra special - The Guardian 01/02/05
It's break time and a frantic game of football is taking place in the school gym. Kids speed across the wooden floor in pursuit of the ball. Goalies dive to stop it. There is an awful lot of yelling and occasional peals of laughter. It's a remarkable game to watch. Only one of the children can stand unaided and he is pretty wobbly on his feet. A couple of the kids are on all fours because that is how they get around out of their wheelchairs. The rest are in their wheelchairs.
Blair pledges 'people power' for communities - The Guardian 01/02/05
Tony Blair promised yesterday to unleash "people power" by giving communities responsibility for services such as leisure centres and housing estates under a new form of local control below the town hall.
Call for method change at ONS - The Guardian 01/02/05
The Office for National Statistics needs to make big improvements to the way in which it measures public services if the government is to find out whether the billions of pounds it has pumped into them have been well spent or wasted, according to a report published yesterday.
Merger could create biggest union - The Guardian 01/02/05
Plans to create Britain's biggest trade union, with the clout to recruit thousands of private-sector workers and have a big influence on Labour party policy, are expected to be discussed by the executives of two unions tomorrow.
Eva Gizowska reports on NHS-funded medical treatments outside the UK - The Guardian 01/02/05
Did you know that you can go to a spa in the south of France on the NHS? Eva Gizowska reports
This UK patient avoided the NHS list and flew to India for a heart bypass. Is health tourism the future? - The Guardian 01/02/05
Three months ago George Marshall fretted about the choice offered by his doctor in Britain. Diagnosed with coronary heart disease, the violin repairer from Bradford was told he could either wait up to six months for a heart bypass operation on the National Health Service or pay £19,000 to go under the scalpel immediately.
Why the culture of failure has been hard to break - The Guardian 01/02/05
In the second of a three-part serialisation of their new book, Polly Toynbee and David Walker assess whether Labour has delivered on its second-term promises. Today they examine education
Cardinal says condoms could help to stop Aids - The Guardian 01/02/05
A senior Vatican official has supported the use of condoms to fight Africa's Aids pandemic, contradicting the Catholic church's official position.
Popular painkiller to be withdrawn - The Guardian 01/02/05
Twenty years after doctors were warned that a painkiller taken by 1.7m people a year was linked to suicides and accidental deaths, the government announced yesterday it was to be withdrawn.
Daily Mail 31/01/05
Medical News Today 31/01/05
Staying positive - The Guardian 01/02/05
The former cabinet minister Chris Smith revealed at the weekend that he has been HIV-positive for 17 years. So does this herald a new climate of openness and optimism around HIV and Aids? Things are improving, says Michael Carter, who was diagnosed three years after Smith - but survival brings its own set of problems
Trainee doctors to teach children - BBC Health News 01/02/05
Trainee doctors will teach primary school children about basic healthcare under a programme which is being launched on Tuesday.
Care home head denies misconduct - BBC Health News 31/01/05
The head of the famous Priory rehab clinics ran a care home which allegedly mistreated elderly patients, the General Medical Council has heard.
The Independent 01/02/05
Daily Mail 31/01/05
The Telegraph 01/02/05
New non-hormonal hot flash treatment set for clinical trial, University at Buffalo - Medical News Today 01/02/05
A novel non-estrogen-based therapy for hot flashes will be tested for effectiveness in a clinical trial conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo that is set to begin in February.
BBC Health News 01/02/05
Patients with previous heart attacks may not benefit from pacemaker implant - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Current criteria for implantation of pacemakers fail to accurately identify which patients will or will not receive benefit, recent research shows. This study, published in Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology (PACE) looked at information derived from a standard electrocardiogram (EKG) to examine factors associated with response or non-response. On average, patients with previous heart attacks did not respond as well to this therapy as patients without previous heart attacks.
Women benefit from alcohol drinking more than men - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Women see a slightly higher health benefit over men from alcohol consumption according to twelve separate studies reviewed in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. However, more studies are needed to determine if there are more significant results from either wine, other spirits or beer.
Pro-inflammatory enzyme linked to diabetes; Immune system's macrophages may be key to treatment - Medical News Today 01/02/05
An enzyme that initiates inflammation has been directly linked to insulin resistance and resulting type II diabetes by researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine. In addition, the team suggests that inhibition of the enzyme in the immune system's macrophages may be a new diabetes therapy.
Blair's pet idea for elected mayors revived - The Telegraph 01/02/05
Renewed pressure will be put on towns and cities to elect mayors under plans announced yesterday aimed at reviving local democracy.
Scientists sceptical of curbs on animal extremists - The Telegraph 01/02/05
Scientists, industry and the police gave a qualified and lukewarm response yesterday to new Government measures to prevent intimidation and violence by animal rights extremists threatening billions of pounds of investment by drug companies in Britain.
Mentally ill terror suspect is granted bail on appeal - The Telegraph 01/02/05
A Palestinian suspected of raising funds for terrorist groups linked to al-Qa'eda was granted conditional bail yesterday by a court in London because the damage to his mental health caused by indefinite detention had reduced the risk he posed to national security.
No 10 refuses to deny 100,000 Cherie reports - The Telegraph 01/02/05
A fund-raising tour of Australia by Cherie Blair next week was overshadowed yesterday by a row over reports that she was being paid more than £100,000 for appearing at a series of gala dinners.
Loud music 'is used to fuel binge drinking' - The Telegraph 01/02/05
Loud music in pubs is often a ploy to stop conversation and encourage drinking, an alcohol charity said yesterday.
Nicotine patches for schoolchildren - Daily Mail 31/01/05
Smokers as young as 14 are to be given nicotine patches in an attempt to reduce cancer rates.
Consumers 'unsure of food levels' - Daily Mail 31/01/05
Eight out of 10 people are unaware of how much salt they should be eating, according to a new survey.
Privacy rule cuts research recruitment by more than half - Medical News Today 01/02/05
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) designed to enhance patient confidentiality by restricting access to medical records is slowing the progress of critical biomedical research, according to an editorial published in the February issue of the journal Annals of Epidemiology. In perhaps the first quantitative study of recruitment trends following the rule's implementation in April 2003, Roberta B. Ness, M.D., M.P.H., reports a significant "chilling effect."
Erectile dysfunction often sign of a cardiovascular problem - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is often the first and earliest sign of a more significant cardiovascular condition, according to a study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. The study presents results from the Minority Health Institute (MHI) Expert Advisory Panel.
Atkins Diet may help people with epilepsy - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Imagine that your child with epilepsy could have seizures less frequently, by eating more protein and less carbs. The first comprehensive review of possible dietary treatments of epilepsy has recently been published. Among those dietary regimens is the low-carbohydrate Atkins Diet which has proven successful in suppressing epileptic seizures in a small series of patients. The review, published in Epilepsy Currents, explores the benefits of low-carb, high protein, and other restricted dietary therapies for patients with epilepsy.
Bioartificial Kidney Under Study at MCG - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Whether a bioartificial kidney containing billions of donor kidney cells will help intensive care patients with kidney failure survive is under study at the Medical College of Georgia.
Chemists create 'Superbowl' molecule; May lead to better health - Medical News Today 01/02/05
In a development that could one day score a touchdown for better health, chemists in Australia have created a "superbowl" molecule that shows promise for precision drug delivery, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Shaped like a miniature football stadium, the molecule is capable of delivering a wide range of drugs - from painkillers to chemotherapy cocktails - to specific areas of the body, potentially resulting in improved treatment outcomes and perhaps saving lives, the researchers say.
CMS plan recognizes PET technology for benefit of cancer patients - Medical News Today 01/02/05
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a plan Jan. 28 that will lead to reimbursement for a broad range of oncology studies with positron emission tomography (PET)--increasing a cancer patient's access to this modality and thus improving the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients nationwide. The plan will link reimbursement to a national patient database created by CMS to track clinical management decisions of cancer patients.
Minorities who experience pain don't receive the same care as Caucasians - Medical News Today 01/02/05
The first issue of Pain Medicine in 2005 will focus on the inequalities and differences in how pain is assessed and treated amongst various racial and ethnic minority groups. Data from the articles in this themed edition provide evidence that African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians and other racial and ethnic minorities do not receive optimal care in treatment for pain.
New nicotine-like imaging agent holds promise in PET studies, may help diagnose Alzheimer's disease - Medical News Today 01/02/05
The chemical nicotine--a main ingredient in tobacco--may hold promise in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, give insight into therapeutic interventions for nicotine addiction and possibly complement the diagnosis of certain forms of lung cancer, according to a study in the January issue of the Society of Nuclear Medicine's Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
Drink and drive pilots have more flying accidents - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Study shows that pilots who drink and drive are at higher risk to crash planes background 'DWI' checks effective: Study shows that pilots who drink and drive are at higher risk to crash planes.
Obesity and weight gain associated with poorer breast cancer survival - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Women who are overweight prior to breast cancer diagnosis, or who are lean but gain weight following diagnosis, are more likely to have their disease return or die of the disease, a new study shows. This effect was found to be particularly pronounced among women who had never smoked. The study is to be published online January 31 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO).
Progesterone therapy could prevent thousands of preterm births - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Nearly 10,000 preterm births could have been prevented in 2002 if all pregnant women at high risk for a premature baby and eligible for weekly injections of a derivative of the hormone progesterone had received them, according to a new study published in the February issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Screening for osteoporosis prevents hip fractures in older adults - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have determined that screening for osteoporosis in men and women age 65 and older can prevent a large number of hip fractures, a debilitating, traumatic experience for 340,000 older adults annually.
Stent graft design provides benefits for abdominal aortic aneurysms - Medical News Today 01/02/05
A clinical paper presented by Dr Rodney White titled "Sac Remodeling with the Powerlink(R) Stent Graft for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA)" suggests that the Powerlink design may provide greater long-term benefit than traditional surgical techniques.
Gene With Broad Role Also Causes Prevalent, Inherited Nerve Disorder - Medical News Today 01/02/05
A gene that plays many fundamental roles in cells throughout the body has, for the first time, been implicated in human disease, according to researchers at the Duke Center for Human Genetics. A defect in the ubiquitous gene dynamin 2 underlies one form of the prevalent, familial nerve disorder, known as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). The disorder affects approximately 1 in every 2,500 people, making it one of the most common of all hereditary disorders, said the researchers.
Topic of ASBMB-Avanti Award Lecture will be lipid-protein interactions - Medical News Today 01/02/05
William Dowhan, John S Dunn Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Texas Medical Center in Houston, has been chosen to receive the ASBMB-Avanti Award in Lipids. The focus of Dr. Dowhan's award lecture will be lipid-protein interactions as determinants of protein structure and function. The lecture will take place on Monday, April 4 at 8:30 a.m. at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) Annual Meeting in San Diego.
VCU Research shows Viagra reduces death of heart cells in heart attack model - Medical News Today 01/02/05
Journal of Biological Chemistry Article Describes Viagra's Ability to Protect Cardiomyocytes Against Cell Death - Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have shown that a widely used drug for treating erectile dysfunction, Viagra, reduces the death of heart cells under heart attack-like conditions in a laboratory model.
Wine drinkers live longer than beer guzzlers - Medical News Today 01/02/05
A recent article in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis determined that drinkers of wine benefit from its cardio-protective effects, more so than those who drink beer or other spirits, and may also live longer. The article is part of a series of papers published in an open forum on wine, alcohol and cardiovascular risk. The analysis, encompassing various international studies, further confirms the agreement among researchers that any alcohol, in light to moderate intake, puts drinkers at lower risk for cardiovascular disease and death than non-drinkers.
People in U.S. Three Times as Likely To Experience Adverse Effects, Including Premature Death, Because of Sexual Activity - Medical News Today 31/01/02
People in the U.S. are three times as likely as people living in other developed countries to experience premature death or other "adverse effects" as the result of sexual activity, according to a study published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, Reuters reports
Muscular Dystrophy: CepTor Receives $12 Million For R&D - Medical News Today 31/01/05
CepTor Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of cell-targeted therapeutic products for neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases. The Company is focusing its efforts on its lead product, MYODUR, for Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (MD). Currently there is no cure for this disease that affects between 50,000-250,000 sufferers annually. In addition, CepTor is developing products for multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. The Company announced today the completion of a $12 million private placement in which the net proceeds will be used to continue the pre-clinical development of MYODUR including: 1) Submission of an IND for MYODUR and 2) Initiate Phase I/II human clinical trials, if approved by the FDA.
Viral DNA sequence a possible trigger for breast cancer - Medical News Today 31/01/05
A small sequence of DNA in the envelope (Env) protein of a mouse breast tumor virus (called MMTV) can transform breast cells into cancer cells, according to a study by Katz et al. in the February 7 issue of The Journal of Experimental Medicine. The ability of this motif to transform cells single-handedly suggests that viral infection may be an important and previously unrecognized trigger for breast cancer.
Japan Documents Record High Numbers of New HIV, AIDS Cases; Health Ministry To Revise HIV Prevention Guidelines - Medical News Today 31/01/05
Japan in 2004 recorded 748 new HIV cases and 366 new AIDS cases. The highest annual totals ever documented in the country -- indicating that the country's HIV/AIDS epidemic is becoming more widespread, according to a preliminary report released on Wednesday by a panel of Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Kyodo News/Yahoo! Asia News reports.
Pharmaceutical Industry Applauds Determination to End Animal Extremism, UK - Medical News Today 31/01/05
Pharmaceutical Industry Applauds Determination To End Animal Extremism The Government's announcement of fresh measures to curb the excesses of animal rights extremists has been warmly welcomed by the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).
HHS Officials Officially Expand Medicare Coverage for ICDs - Medical News Today 31/01/05
As expected, Medicare officials on Thursday announced plans to expand coverage of implantable cardioverter defibrillators to a larger group of beneficiaries, the Wall Street Journal reports (Burton, Wall Street Journal, 1/28).
Sweet dreams are made of this - The Telegraph 31/01/05
The secret of a good night's rest can be as simple as having a hot bath, an early evening nap or a cup of tea – but having too much sleep can make you feel worse, says Christine Doyle
Former Pres. Clinton, World Leaders at World Economic Forum Call for Increased Spending on HIV/AIDS, Poverty in Africa - Medical News Today 31/01/05
Former Pres. Clinton at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday called for developed countries to give more money to Africa to help fight HIV/AIDS and poverty, Xinhuanet reports (Xinhuanet, 1/28).
CDC Releases Stockpiled Flu Vaccine Doses, Allows States With Ample Supplies To Lift Restrictions on Vaccine - Medical News Today 31/01/05
CDC officials on Thursday announced that the agency will make about 3.1 million doses of flu vaccine available for physicians to purchase through pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur, USA Today reports.
Sen Clinton Criticizes Anticipated Bush Administration Plan To Overhaul Medicaid - Medical News Today 31/01/05
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) on Thursday said that the Bush administration likely will offer a Medicaid reform proposal that would "threaten to destroy the health safety net" for the "poorest of the poor" and the "sickest of the sick."
White House Officials Say Bush Administration Funding Pledges for Global HIV/AIDS Programs Being Met - Medical News Today 31/01/05
White House officials on Thursday at a background briefing in response to a recent Wall Street Journal article examining U.S. spending for international health and development initiatives said that pledges made by the Bush administration to increase funding for global HIV/AIDS programs are being met, AFP/Yahoo! News reports (AFP/Yahoo! News, 1/27). The Journal on Thursday reported that Bush is "falling further and further behind" on pledges to increase funding for HIV/AIDS and poverty initiatives worldwide, creating shortfalls that are raising alarm among some health and development advocates. According to the Journal, although Bush in 2003 announced that he would increase funding for global HIV/AIDS programs by $10 billion over the following five years, U.S. funding has increased by only $2 billion during fiscal years 2004 and 2005. In addition, even though Bush has proposed an increase of $1.6 billion in funding for FY 2006, the Journal reported that it still leaves a "dauntingly large" $6.4 billion to "extract" from Congress over the next two years in order to meet Bush's initial pledge. The Journal also reported that Bush has "quietly notified" the Millennium Challenge Corporation -- a newly established agency created to administer funding for the Millennium Challenge Account -- that his proposed FY 2006 budget likely will include billions less than he pledged for the initiative during his first term and that if Congress approves Bush's funding request for MCC, it would leave the agency with a $4.5 billion shortfall in what the administration promised to provide over its initial three years (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/27).
The art of walking on water - The Telegraph 31/01/05
Sea kayaking is like a hike by the coast, but with better scenery and more fun, says Tarquin Cooper
Charities in Tory plan to cut bill for sick benefits - The Telegraph 01/02/05
Voluntary groups would be invited to take charge of getting people off incapacity benefit and into work under plans announced by the Tories yesterday.
Bones 'grow most at night time' - BBC Health News 31/01/05
The notion that children grow taller while they sleep is probably true, US researchers say.
Blood pressure soars on Mondays - BBC Health News 31/01/05
The stress of returning to work on a Monday morning can trigger a dangerous increase in blood pressure, according to a study.
Cheshire and Mersey News
Literature for unemployed - Daily Post 01/02/05
JOBLESS people across Wirral are being encouraged to take up reading to battle depression and get them back into work.
Take health advice with a pinch of salt - Warrington Guardian 01/02/05
HEALTH problems associated with too much salt intake came under the spotlight last week at workshops held across the town.
No equality in services - Liverpool Echo 31/02/05
TOO few people from ethnic minorities are working in Warrington's social services department, a new report reveals.
Anger at church phone mast disguised by cross - Daily Post 01/02/05
WHEN the Rev Ken Blake agreed to have a mobile phone mast placed on the tower of his church in Wirral to raise vital funds he suspected there might be some opposition.
Senior staff to tackle 999 crisis - Daily Post 01/02/05
AMBULANCE service managers are being sent back on to the roads in a bid to reach performance targets, the Daily Post can reveal.
Exercise makes the heart grow stronger for women - Daily Post 31/01/05
WOMEN going through the menopause can dramatically reduce the risk of a heart attack by just 30 minutes of exercise five days a week, say experts in Liverpool.
Prescott wants rules on electing mayors relaxed - Daily Post 31/01/05
RULES will be relaxed to persuade Liverpool to stage a referendum on whether to replace its council leader with a directly-elected mayor.
82% say NO to red light zones - Liverpool Echo 31/01/05
LIVERPOOL'S red light plans should be rejected out of hand, says a government minister.
Amirah's smile makes her a model patient - Liverpool Echo 31/01/05
A LITTLE girl who spent the first three years of her life in and out of hospital has turned into a model patient.
Greater Manchester News
Flu jab halts outbreak - Bury Times 01/02/05
A RECORD number of people living in Bury received the flu jab this winter.
Every child matters - Bury Times 01/02/05
I HAVE been following with interest the fate of the Re:d Centre in Morley Street, Bury, which provides a support service for people with disabilities.
Health guide - Bolton Evening News 01/02/02
A MENTAL health charity has produced a guide explaining the issues around the draft Mental Health Bill. Maca wants to encourage people to join its fight for improved mental health laws.
Activities for elderly people - Bolton Evening News 01/02/02
A NEW support centre for elderly people in Prestwich will be unveiled by councillors on Friday.
Centre to help blind - Bolton Evening News 01/02/02
BOLTON people with sight problems are being invited to a pioneering help unit visiting Preston, Lancaster and St Anne's.
Hospital puts off operations - Bolton Evening News 01/02/02
MORE operations have been postponed at the Royal Bolton Hospital.
Survivor Bob will lead cancer campaign - Bolton Evening News 01/02/02
A BUSINESSMAN who paid for his own treatment for prostrate cancer is to spearhead a Greater Manchester campaign to raise awareness of the disease.
£3,000 boost for crash victim's hospital - Bolton Evening News 31/01/02
SICK youngsters will benefit from a fund-raising night held in memory of a children's nurse from Bolton who died in a road accident.
Link
Managers not to blame for hospital debts - Bolton Evening News 31/01/02
I READ with interest the article detailing John Reid the Health Minister's comments with regard to the current financial position of the Royal Bolton Hospital (January 25).
Waiting list for scanner is growing - Bolton Evening News 31/01/02
PATIENTS in Bolton are continuing to wait for MRI scans while a £700,000 machine lies idle for much of the week.
Prescott's lifeline for Salford - Manchester Evening News 01/02/05
DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott was today unveiling plans to revitalise the old heart of Salford.
Younger binge-drinkers "risk injury" - Manchester Evening News 01/02/05
YOUNG people who binge-drink on street corners and in parks face an especially high risk of injury and damage to their health, a study revealed today.
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