National and International News
Do we really need badges that tell people to give up their seats to pregnant women? - The Guardian 09/03/05
In Jane Austen's day, of course, you could convey your every desire with nothing more than a sly smoothing of sideburns or the carefully calibrated twist of a glove button (according to gender). By such delicate ministrations was the social symphony conducted. Alas, those times have sadly gone and we must look to more robust ways of orchestrating public harmony.
Britain to defy UN vote on cloning - The Guardian 09/03/05
The United Nations yesterday approved a declaration urging governments to ban all forms of human cloning, including the cloning of human embryos for stem cell research.
UK to oppose human cloning ban - The Guardian 08/03/05
UN vote urges human cloning ban - BBC Health News 08/03/05
Schools in healthy eating programme do better in national tests - The Guardian 09/03/05
Primary schools which belong to the government's national healthy schools programme, where pupils are better fed and exercised, have outperformed others in national tests in reading, writing, maths and science, according to research.
The Oliver effect - The Guardian 09/03/05
How diabetes transplants could herald the end of the daily agony of insulin jabs - The Guardian 09/03/05
They have to inject themselves, often up to five times a day, in their thighs, arms, stomachs or some other fatty part of their body. But now hopes for an end to the daily jab of insulin are rising for more than 250,000 Britons with diabetes.
Hope for 250,000 sufferers as British diabetic is 'cured' - The Independent 09/03/05
Pioneering transplant cures diabetic - The Times 09/03/05
Graphic: Islet cell transplantation - The Times 09/03/05
Diabetic hails transplant 'cure' - Daily Mail 09/05/03
Transplant cures man of diabetes - BBC Health News 09/03/05
UK spending plans are right, Brown tells Brussels - The Guardian 09/03/05
Gordon Brown yesterday rejected calls from the IMF and European commission to rein in spending, insisting the government's commitments to raise investment in key public services were affordable and would continue after the general election.
Clinton to have follow-up chest surgery - The Guardian 09/03/05
Bill Clinton is to have another operation to remove scar tissue and fluid from his left chest, following on from his quadruple bypass surgery in September, his office said yesterday.
Off diary: Allotment evictions - The Guardian 09/03/05
The therapeutic qualities of gardening are well documented - that is, unless you find yourself at loggerheads with your local council over how to cultivate your allotment patch.
Think Tank: Disabled children must be helped - The Guardian 09/03/05
Will Blair's pledge to disabled children be met? He still has a few options, says Francine Bates
What else can I do?: Social workers - The Guardian 09/03/05
After three years as a social worker in a local authority children and families service, 27-year-old Joel is looking to the future. Debbie Andalo offers some career advice
Howard's handful of men are chopping Blair to pieces [Comment] - The Guardian 09/03/05
The NHS is Labour terrain, but even here the Tories are gaining ground
We find the experts with the answers to your culinary crises - The Guardian 09/03/05
I adore cabbage in all its forms and eat it twice a day. I also have an underactive thyroid, for which I am taking thyroxine, and have been told that cabbages contain goitrogens which nullify the feeble attempts of my poor thyroid. Can I cook it in some way that drives off the toxicity?
Battle is joined on the field of health - The Guardian 09/03/05
Tony Blair and John Reid yesterday unleashed Labour's long-expected onslaught on Conservative health plans when they challenged Michael Howard to come out from behind his "human shield" and explain how using taxpayers' money to help the better-off get private operations will help the NHS - or its patients.
Risk strategy - The Guardian 09/03/05
Police and health professionals are poles apart on how best to deal with potentially dangerous mentally ill people. Hugh Muir and Mary O'Hara report
Malcolm Dean: Charities' uncertain future [Opinion] - The Guardian 09/03/05
This is a golden age for charities, but the future is not so clear, says Malcolm Dean
Sisters of Mercy - The Guardian 09/03/05
Community matrons aim to keep sick or disabled elderly people out of hospital by providing care in their own homes and improving their quality of life. Juliet Rix does the rounds with a 'CM'
Grass roots: The abuse of older people - The Guardian 09/03/05
Lisa Trowse on the challenge of trying to raise awareness about the abuse of older people
Adrian Moorhouse - The Guardian 09/03/05
Your company is involved in the Leadership for Service Improvement initiative at Surrey and Sussex NHS. What is it exactly?
Sometimes it's hard to be a girl - The Guardian 09/03/05
New research suggests girls as young as five are fretting (unnecessarily) about their weight. How did things get so messed up, asks Joanna Moorhead - and what can we do about it?
What's your poison? - The Independent 09/03/05
Snake venom has long been used to cure as well as kill. Now, scientists have found that even harmless species provide toxins of vital medicinal use
Racism 'still at core of police service' - The Independent 09/03/05
More than five years after the Stephen Lawrence murder inquiry, another major report has concluded that racism is still at the heart of the police service.
Officers at private jail 'ignored heroin use' - The Independent 09/03/05
Prison officers turned a blind eye to heroin abuse and endangered lives by pretending to make checks on suicidal inmates, an undercover BBC documentary at a privately run jail claims today.
Food firms given deadline to show healthiest options - The Independent 09/03/05
Food companies are to be given 18 months to introduce a "traffic lights" system of labelling to help families identify healthy eating options or face legislation. Today, John Reid, the Secretary of State for Health, and Tony Blair will announce a timetable to implement the White Paper on public health, which includes the plan for clearer food-labelling, a ban on smoking in most pubs, and curbs on junk food advertising on television.
Why restrictions are not the answer - The Times 09/03/05
IT WILL probably surprise you to hear that I’m not in favour of the EU restricting or banning the sale of certain vitamins and minerals in Britain. While I don’t agree with the trend that seems to suggest we should all be swallowing at least a multivitamin and mineral tablet every day, bringing in such strict controls on what can be bought in this country isn’t the way forward.
Leave it to the individual to decide - The Times 09/03/05
Getting your vitamins? Well, not for much longer . . . - The Times 09/03/05
A snip didn't make me less of a man - The Times 09/03/05
When our correspondent had a vasectomy, he was surprised that the procedure was so untraumatic. But he was even more amazed at the reaction of his male friends
Surgical after-care [Letter] - The Times 09/03/05
Sir, You highlight the high incidence of poor surgical outcome when joint replacement operations are performed by UK surgical teams who have no long-term commitment to the outcome of the patient (report, February 28).
Computational tool predicts how drugs work in cells, advancing efforts to design better medicines - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Boston University biomedical engineers, chemists collaborate on novel method - The ability to select and develop compounds that act on specific cellular targets has just gained a computational ally -- a mathematical algorithm that predicts the precise effects a given compound will have on a cell's molecular components or chemical processes. Using this tool, drug developers can design compounds that will act on only desired gene and protein targets, eliciting therapeutic responses free of unwanted side effects.
Health must always be free for all, say doctors critical of Tories' plan - The Times 09/03/05
DOCTORS have voiced concern over Tory plans to give part-NHS funding to patients willing to pay towards a private operation, as Labour called the proposals “illegal”.
Tory health policies 'illegal' - Daily Mail 08/03/05
Cigarette smoke worsens respiratory infections in infants - Medical News Today 09/03/05
RSV more severe in children who live with smokers - Studying Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) to learn what puts children at risk for the most severe infections, Washington University researchers at St. Louis Children's Hospital found that a child's age at the time of infection and whether that child lives with a smoker could mean the difference between the sniffles and the intensive care unit.
Pet Scanning Better for Heart Disease Diagnosis, Management - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Could cut use of angiograms and bypass surgery, as well as patient costs - Using positron emission tomography (PET) scanning rather than other types of imaging as the first tool to diagnose heart-vessel blockages is more accurate, less invasive and saves dollars, a study by University at Buffalo researchers has shown.
Drug slows cancer patients' weight loss - Daily Mail 08/05/03
Thalidomide could be used as a treatment for cancer, doctors say.
New lease of life for thalidomide as cancer treatment? - Medical News Today 08/03/05
'Give up before you clog up' - Daily Mail 09/05/03
The British Heart Foundation has compiled a step-by-step guide on how your health can benefit just 20 minutes after giving up smoking.
Reid accuses 'patronising' Paxman in TV bust-up - Daily Mail 09/05/03
Health Secretary John Reid had an astonishing on-screen bust-up with Jeremy Paxman after the Newsnight presenter branded him a Labour "attack dog".
Bid to make Happy Meals healthier - Daily Mail 09/05/03
Fast food giant McDonald's has announced the biggest ever changes to its children's Happy Meals in a bid to shake-off their "unhealthy" image.
Quit smoking to boost your pension - Daily Mail 09/03/05
Around 392 billion worth of pensions could be going up in smoke, according to research to coincide with National No Smoking Day.
Help workers quit smoking - Daily Mail 09/03/05
Employers have been urged to help workers quit smoking rather than forcing them to huddle outside offices when they fancied a cigarette.
Kansas Governor Proposes Expanding Medicaid by Increasing Tobacco Taxes - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) has proposed extending Medicaid coverage to 30,000 additional adults, "making her an unusual example" as many other governors are reducing or restructuring Medicaid benefits, the,,, AP/Las Vegas Sun reports. Sebelius' proposal would expand coverage to adults with an annual salary of $19,350 for a family of four, instead of the current eligibility threshold of $7,160. To fund part of the $50 million expansion plan, Sebelius proposed increasing the state's cigarette tax by 50 cents to $1.29 per pack. However, many state lawmakers oppose increasing taxes, the AP/Sun reports. The state's total Medicaid budget has increased 65% in the past five years to more than $2.55 billion this year, according to the state Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. State Rep. Brenda Landwehr (R), chair of the House Budget Subcommittee on Social Services, said that Medicaid is "the fastest-growing part of [the] budget right now." She added, "I think it would be unwise at this time to expand our Medicaid program" (Hanna, AP/Las Vegas Sun, 3/8).
Utah Governor Gives Health Department Authority To Make Policy Changes to Medicaid - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Utah Gov Jon Huntsman (R) has given the state... Health Department approval to make policy changes to the state's Medicaid program that could reduce prescription drug spending, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. The first change will allow department officials to explore joining a multistate bulk prescription drug purchasing program, which is being organized by Maine. The program would allow the state to negotiate larger drug discounts with pharmaceutical companies for Utah's 250,000 Medicaid beneficiaries. The second policy change will allow the health department with the input of state physicians to draft a Medicaid preferred drug list. The state will permit providers to prescribe nonpreferred medications if necessary. Health Department Director David Sundwall said the changes could save the state as much as $12 million to $14 million annually. Sundwall said he did not know when the changes take effect (Stewart, Salt Lake Tribune, 3/5).
U.S., U.N. Drug Policy Heads Disagree on Needle Exchange for HIV/AIDS Prevention - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy John Walters and Antonio Maria Costa, head of the... U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, on Monday at the 48th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria, disagreed over the practice of using needle-exchange programs to curb HIV transmission among injection drug users, AFP/Yahoo! News reports (AFP/Yahoo! News, 3/7). Costa said UNODC views needle exchanges, in which injection drug users can turn in used needles and obtain clean ones, as "appropriate as long as they are part of a comprehensive strategy to battle the overall drug problem," the Associated Press reports (Loof, Associated Press, 3/7). He said that contaminated needles are a "major source" of infection with HIV and other diseases, including hepatitis, especially among injection drug users, according to AFP/Yahoo! News. "We must not deny these addicts any genuine opportunities to remain HIV-negative," Costa said in a speech to open the CND session. He added, "We reject the false dichotomy that either drug control prevails, with no consideration for HIV, or that HIV prevention prevails with no consideration for drug abuse" (AFP/Yahoo! News, 3/7). However, Walters said drug use itself -- not a lack of needle exchanges or other programs for drug users, such as safe injection sites -- is "behind the danger" of HIV and other bloodborne diseases, Reuters reports. "Continued drug use is a fundamental cause of the dangers we face from bloodborne diseases," Walters said (Charbonneau, Reuters, 3/7). However, Walters added that the "points of agreement" between himself and Costa in the fight against illegal drug use "far outweighed the differences," according to AFP/Yahoo! News. "[T]he single greatest way of preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS through drug users is taking those addicted and get them to recover," Walters said (AFP/Yahoo! News, 3/7).
UCLA scientists store materials in cells' natural vaults - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Method may offer safer way to target drugs to living cells
Survey Examines Experts' Beliefs About Reducing Number of Uninsured, USA - Medical News Today 09/03/05
"Commonwealth Fund Health Care Opinion Leaders Survey,"... Commonwealth Fund: The percentage of the U.S. population without health insurance can and should be halved over the next decade, according to the survey of 255 health care experts. The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, notes that the experts said that employer-sponsored health plans can and should continue to cover about two-thirds of the U.S. nonelderly population over the next 10 years, while 84% said that a program similar to the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan would be the most effective way to provide coverage to employees of small businesses and those who are self-employed. In addition, 22% of the experts said they support health savings accounts as a way to expand coverage (Commonwealth Fund release, 3/8).
Student identifies electrical changes preceding heart failure - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Findings could lead to new medications that halt or reverse the condition - A Johns Hopkins undergraduate student has contributed to new research showing that electrical changes in the heart leading to heart failure can occur long before a patient exhibits any clinical symptoms. The initial changes can then spur a second, later phase of changes that cause lethal heart rhythm disturbances known as arrhythmias.
Smoking while pregnant may increase chromosomal abnormalities in fetal cells, study - Medical News Today 09/03/05
A preliminary report suggests that maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with increased chromosomal abnormalities in fetal cells, according to a study in the March 9 issue of JAMA.
Senate Budget Committee Chair To Propose $14 Billion Reduction in Medicaid Spending Over Five Years - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Senate Budget Committee Chair Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) on Tuesday is expected to propose a budget for fiscal year 2006 that would reduce Medicaid spending by about $14 billion over the next five years, the... Wall Street Journal reports. During budget talks Monday with White House Budget Director Joshua Bolten and HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt, senators discussed both Medicaid and tax cuts. While the proposal's figures could change, Gregg "appears most determined to exact long-term savings from major government-benefit programs such as Medicaid" to meet President Bush's goal to reduce the deficit to $229 billion by 2009, the Journal reports. Concerning Medicaid spending reductions, Gregg's budget proposal likely would "closely trac[k] the net savings assumed" in Bush's budget, according to the Journal. Bush's budget projects that his proposed Medicaid changes would produce as much as $14 billion in net savings over five years, compared with $9 billion in net savings over the next five years, as projected by the Congressional Budget Office last week (Rogers, Wall Street Journal, 3/8). The House Budget Committee is expected to release details of its budget proposal Wednesday, according to a spokesperson (CQ HealthBeat, 3/7).
Oldest fossil human protein ever sequenced - Medical News Today 09/03/05
An international team led by researchers at the Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Liepzig, Germany and Washington University in St. Louis, has extracted and sequenced protein from a Neanderthal from Shanidar Cave, Iraq dating to approximately 75,000 years old.
N.M. Governor Signs Bills Creating HIV/AIDS Policy Commission, Directing Health Dept. To Coordinate Services - Medical News Today 09/03/05
New Mexico Gov Bill Richardson (D) on Saturday signed a bill... (SB 313) creating a state HIV/AIDS policy commission and another measure (SB 314) that directs the New Mexico Department of Health to coordinate HIV/AIDS services in the state, the AP/KOBTV.com reports (AP/KOBTV.com, 3/5). The first measure, sponsored by state Sen. Phil Griego (D), creates a 23-member commission to make recommendations on HIV/AIDS policy to the state health department (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/17). The commission will be made up of people living with HIV/AIDS, HMO representatives, members of the public and people with experience providing HIV/AIDS services. Under the second bill, also sponsored by Griego, a seven-member advisory committee will review HIV/AIDS policies and services and a constituent services program will review requests for services and complaints. "In numerous other states, people are dying while waiting for their AIDS medications," Richardson said, adding, "This is not going to happen in New Mexico." The number of HIV-positive New Mexicans has nearly doubled since 1990 to 1,910 in 2003, according to the Associated Press (Associated Press, 3/5).
MUHC researchers make cancer target breakthrough - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Researchers at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), in Montreal, have identified a new gene to combat cancer. In a new study, published in the on-line edition of the journal Clinical Cancer Research this week, the researchers document a reduction in the growth of both colon and lung cancer tumors with inhibition of the gene.
Mouse gene shows new mechanism behind cardiac infarction in man - Medical News Today 09/03/05
A gene that, in different variants, increases or decreases the level of atherosclerosis has been identified in mice. The corresponding human gene has been shown to play a role in the development of myocardial infarction. The results of the study is published this week on Nature Genetics Online.
Medicaid Rarely Ensures Accuracy of Prescription Drug Prices, Thus Often Overpays for Medications, GAO Report Says - Medical News Today 09/03/05
CMS does not enforce a 1990 law that requires pharmaceutical companies to provide Medicaid with the "best price" for brand-name prescription drugs, according to a Government Accountability Office report released on Monday, the New York Times reports. Under the law, Medicaid only pays for prescription drugs when pharmaceutical companies agree to provide certain discounts through rebates to states. According to the report, pharmaceutical companies in some cases conceal the best prices from Medicaid to reduce the amount of the rebates, and CMS in many cases does not "ensure the accuracy of reported prices." In addition, CMS does not require pharmaceutical companies to make corrections when the agency finds errors or problems with reported prices, the report found (Pear, New York Times, 3/8). The report also found "considerable variation" in how pharmaceutical companies determine the best prices and that CMS does not provide guidelines for how companies should consider prices negotiated by pharmacy benefit managers on behalf of private health plans and insurers (CQ HealthBeat, 3/7). According to the report, CMS in most cases allows pharmaceutical companies to use "reasonable assumptions" to determine the best prices. GAO officials said that they could not determine the total amount of federal Medicaid overpayments for prescription drugs. Prescription drug expenditures currently account for about 10% of total Medicaid spending, or about $37 billion of $300 billion this year, the Times reports.
Many children are undervaccinated or have delayed vaccinations in their first 2 years of life, USA - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Approximately one-third of US children were undervaccinated for more than six months and one-fourth experienced delays in receiving many of the recommended vaccinations during their first 24 months of life, according to a study in the March 9 issue of JAMA.
Study Finds Vaccinations Lag for U.S. Children - Reuters 08/03/05
IOM To Publish Review of Trial Testing Nevirapine Use in HIV-Positive Pregnant Ugandan Women - Medical News Today 09/03/05
An Institute of Medicine independent study expected to be published later this month aims to "settle serious questions" about apparent "flaws" with recordkeeping in an... NIH-funded study on the use of the antiretroviral drug nevirapine among pregnant HIV-positive women in Uganda, Nature Medicine reports (Check, Nature Medicine, March 2005). A series of Associated Press articles published in December 2004 criticized the conduct of a trial that began in 1997 to determine whether and to what extent single-dose nevirapine prevents vertical HIV transmission. The initial results showed that the drug prevented vertical transmission in as many as half of births, but by early 2002, medical safety specialists and auditors with NIH as well as Boehringer Ingelheim, which produces nevirapine under the brand name Viramune, cited administrative problems with the research. Because of the reported problems, NIH suspended the research from spring 2002 to summer 2003 in order to review the trial and take corrective steps. In response, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in a Q & A document regarding the trial said that nevirapine is a "safe and effective" treatment to reduce the risk of vertical HIV transmission and that reviews of the study data "have found only a very small number of serious adverse reactions that potentially might be due to nevirapine." NIH in July 2004 asked IOM to conduct a review of the Ugandan trial (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/20).
Could microbes solve Russia's chemical weapons conundrum? - Medical News Today 09/03/05
One of nature's most versatile microorganisms - a bacterium called Pseudomonas putida - could help mop up the toxic by-products caused by the destruction of the chemical weapon mustard, write Russian researchers in Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology... (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/jctb) this month.
HIV is not an independent risk factor for severe heart disease, Emory Study - Medical News Today 09/03/05
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Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is no longer an automatic death sentence, thanks to the use of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). However, several studies questions have suggested that HIV infection poses a serious threat to the heart -- specifically, that HIV positivity leads to an increased risk for the development of angiographically severe coronary artery disease (CAD). But Emory research presented by Amar D. Patel, MD, today at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 54th Annual Scientific Sessions in Orlando today reaches a different conclusion.
International Women's Day Prompts Calls for Equality, Increased Efforts Against HIV/AIDS - Medical News Today 09/03/05
To mark International Women's Day on Tuesday, political leaders, women's rights advocates and others worldwide called for equality for women, including increased efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the... AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports (Lederer, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 3/8). U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued a message in honor of the day, saying gender equality is a "vital element of development and peace for each nation" and an "obligation" of the entire international community, VOV News reports (VOV News, 3/8). Annan, assessing women's advancement in the 10 years since the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, said the "terrifying" spread of HIV/AIDS among women and girls is a new challenge in the struggle for women's empowerment, BBC News reports (BBC News, 3/8). However, Annan said improvements have been made. "Over this decade, we have seen tangible progress on many fronts," he said, adding, "Life expectancy and fertility rates have improved." Annan also reaffirmed the United Nations' commitment to promoting equality, saying, "No other policy is as likely to raise economic productivity or to reduce infant and maternal mortality. No other policy is as sure to improve nutrition and promote health, including the prevention of HIV/AIDS" (Kashar News, 3/8). The World Food Programme also marked International Women's Day with a statement saying that the group is committed to "reducing additional burdens often put on women in developing countries," Agence France-Presse reports. The group said it provides food for women in developing countries to reduce the "heavy burden of responsibility" for providing for their families, including small packages of food for women whose health is affected by HIV/AIDS, according to Agence France-Presse (Agence France-Presse, 3/7).
Emotional memory study reveals evidence for a self-reinforcing loop - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Researchers exploring the brain structures involved in recalling an emotional memory a year later have found evidence for a self-reinforcing "memory loop" -- in which the brain's emotional center triggers the memory center, which in turn further enhances activity in the emotional center.
Cockroach allergens have greatest impact on childhood asthma in many US cities - Medical News Today 09/03/05
New results from a nationwide study on factors that affect asthma in inner-city children show that cockroach allergen appears to worsen asthma symptoms more than either dust mite or pet allergens. This research, funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, is the first large-scale study to show marked geographic differences in allergen exposure and sensitivity in inner-city children. Most homes in northeastern cities had high levels of cockroach allergens, while those in the south and northwest had dust mite allergen levels in ranges known to exacerbate asthma symptoms.
Computerized order entry systems can increase risk of medication errors - Medical News Today 09/03/05
A new study suggests that computerized order entry systems which are implemented in part to reduce prescribing errors can actually increase the risk of medication errors in certain situations, according to a study in the March 9 issue of JAMA.
Articles Examine Misconceptions About HIV/AIDS Fight, How G8 Countries Can Achieve Millennium Development Goals - Medical News Today 09/03/05
"Think Again: AIDS," Foreign Policy: In the March/April issue, Tina Rosenberg, an editorial writer with the New York Times, examines the global fight against HIV/AIDS, "how we are winning and losing the battle" and common misperceptions about the disease (Rosenberg, Foreign Policy, March/April 2005).
Northwestern Memorial physicians encourage screenings during colon cancer awareness month - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Northwestern Cancer Center kicks-off the month by welcoming the Super Colon March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month and doctors at Northwestern Memorial Hospital are encouraging Chicagoans to know their family history and get screened.
Violence exposure and traumatic stress reactions can lead to poor health in children - Medical News Today 09/03/05
The link between health problems and children in low income, single-mother families is not surprising; these children are also more apt to be exposed to violence and maltreatment within the community and their families. A study in the March issue of The Journal of Pediatrics examines whether traumatic stress reactions in children due to these adverse childhood experiences also play a role in predicting their health.
Norovirus Found To Cause Traveler's Diarrhea - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Study of U.S. Travelers to Mexico and Guatemala Found 65 Percent Prevalence Rate - A majority of traveler's diarrhea cases among U.S. travelers to Mexico and Guatemala were attributed to Norovirus, a common cause of nonbacterial gastroenteritis outbreaks usually associated with developed countries, according to a new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and other institutions. The researchers also found that the longer travelers stayed at their destination, the more likely they were to contract Norovirus infections. The study is published in the March 2005 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
NJIT researcher creates opportunities for studying chiral ionic liquids - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Conference in New Delhi planned for chemical researchers - Ionic liquids, especially chiral ones, fascinate Sanjay V. Malhotra, PhD, assistant professor of chemistry and environmental science at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). "Properly formulated," said the chemist, "these organic salts, which are found in natural substances as common as pine cones, could be a safe and effective way to dissolve and recover dangerous chemicals."
Is your job giving you a heart attack? Occupational health conference answers that, and more - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Fourth International Conference on Work Environment and Cardiovascular Diseases, March 9-11, Newport Beach, California, USA - Is your job giving you a heart attack? The International Commission of Occupational Health (ICOH) conference this week in Newport Beach, Calif., helps answer that question, and more. The UCI Center for Occupational and Environmental Health is hosting this conference, during which original research is being presented in the following areas: the changing nature of work; the relationship between working conditions, social class and social inequality as determinants of cardiovascular disease research; and the relationship between working conditions, social class and social inequality as determinants of cardiovascular disease risk.
How Much Can Your Mind Keep Track Of? - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Cooking shows on TV usually give a Web address where you can find, read, and print out the recipe of the dish created on that day's show. The reason is obvious: It's too hard to just follow along with what the chef is doing, let alone remember it all. There are too many directions and ingredients - too many variables and steps in the process to keep track of quickly.
How effective are herbal supplements in reducing illnesses in children? - Medical News Today 09/03/05
The use of herbal supplements in women is increasing. Many mothers may also be giving herbal supplements to their children to treat or prevent various illnesses, including asthma, hyperactivity, colds, and respiratory infections. A study in the March issue of The Journal of Pediatrics reviews the medical literature to provide information about the effectiveness of some of the most common herbal supplements in children, including Andrographis paniculata, evening primrose oil, ivy leaf, and valerian.
How does super-hard tooth enamel emerge from soft, organic gum tissue? - Medical News Today 09/03/05
It is one of the mysteries of biology: How does tooth enamel, the hardest mineral in the mammalian body, emerge from soft, organic gum tissue?
End AIDS Drug Waiting Lists, HIV Care Providers Tell Policymakers - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Make Medical Care Top Priority for Ryan White Programs - The nation's frontline HIV medical providers are calling for an end to waiting lists for essential anti-AIDS drugs that patients need in order to live.
Closing in on a vaccine for breast cancer - clinical trials could begin soon - Medical News Today 09/03/05
Progress toward development of a breast cancer vaccine has been reported by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine and the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis.
Mental Slowing in Elderly a Tip-Off to Dementia - Reuters 08/03/05
Mild loss of mental powers in older people -- the kind of slowing or forgetfulness that has often been thought of as "normal for age" -- is likely the first signs of the process that leads to Alzheimer's disease or cerebrovascular disease, new research suggests.
Crestor Improves Heart Protein in U.S. Blacks: Study - Reuters 08/03/05
An unusual cholesterol drug study focusing on black Americans shows that AstraZeneca Plc's Crestor lowers levels of a protein that may predict a person's risk of serious heart disease.
Diabetes Ups Risk of Liver Cancer 2-3 Times-Study - Reuters 08/03/05
Patients suffering from diabetes could be two to three times more likely to develop cancer of the liver, researchers said on Tuesday.
Smoking in Pregnancy Damages Baby's Chromosomes - Reuters 08/03/05
Mothers who smoke when they're pregnant may cause genetic damage in their babies, findings from a new study suggest. In fact, one common type of chromosome damage linked to maternal smoking is known to increase the risk of blood cancers.
Sanofi Obesity Drug Works for 2 Years, Some Snags - Reuters 08/03/05
Sanofi-Aventis SA's experimental obesity drug helped patients shed three times as much weight as those on a placebo, but patients gained some of that weight back in the second year, according to a study released on Tuesday.
More Women Fat Than Underfed Around World - Study - Reuters 08/03/05
Many more women around the world are overweight than underfed, even in poor countries and rural areas, according to a report published on Tuesday.
Think Cats Make Your Kid Sneeze? Try Cockroaches - Reuters 08/03/05
Cockroaches worsen asthma symptoms in children far more than furry pets or dust mites, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
Senators Eye Longer Specialty Hospital Moratorium - Reuters 08/03/05
A federal advisory group urged lawmakers on Tuesday to extend a moratorium on new, small specialty hospitals while more information is gathered on whether they drain resources from full service community hospitals.
Vietnamese Relative Has Bird Flu, No Symptoms - Reuters 09/03/05
A 81-year-old Vietnamese man whose two grandchildren are being treated for bird flu has tested positive for the virus even though he showed no symptoms of the deadly disease, a health official said on Wednesday.
Nurse 'killed baby with wrong jab' - The Telegraph 09/03/05
A paediatric nurse killed a seriously ill baby when she mistakenly injected him with a powerful muscle relaxant, a court heard yesterday.
Waist size is way to measure heart risk - The Telegraph 09/03/05
Doctors should place more emphasis on measuring patients' waists when assessing the risk of heart disease, obesity experts said yesterday.
Howard warns of sex disease epidemic - The Telegraph 09/03/05
Britain faces "an epidemic" of sexually transmitted disease, Michael Howard said yesterday.
PM happy for more private care within the NHS - The Telegraph 09/03/05
The Prime Minister is ready to give the private sector a much bigger role in providing National Health Service care in a move that will be strongly resisted by Gordon Brown and the Labour Left.
Thousands prepare to quit smoking - BBC Health News 09/03/05
Organisers of Wednesday's No Smoking Day predict this year's event will help 85,000 smokers give up their habit.
Asbestos cancer victims 'ignored' - BBC Health News 09/03/05
People suffering from a cancer caused by asbestos exposure are being neglected, campaigners say.
More food withdrawn in dye scare - BBC Health News 08/03/05
Companies have withdrawn 43 more products as a result of the Sudan I contamination, bringing the total to 580, the Food Standards Agency says.
43 more products in Sudan 1 scare - Daily Mail 08/03/05
Aspirin Therapy Affects Men, Women Differently - Reuters 08/03/05
Taking a baby aspirin may prevent heart attacks in men, but it does little to ward off a first heart attack in women aged 45 to 64, researchers reported on Monday.
Washington Post Examines Internal Dissention at CDC - Medical News Today 08/03/05
CDC has been "roiled by internal dissension" as it faces "unprecedented" public health threats, "drawn-out" restructuring, a pending budget cut of almost $500 million and "concerns about political interference," according to some current and former CDC officials and several outside experts, the Washington Post reports. According to the CDC officials and experts interviewed by the Post, the "uproar" in CDC might have been a factor in several recent "crucial missteps," including "confused messages" during the flu vaccine shortages late last year; an "embarrassing error" in a "highly publicized" estimate of the effects of obesity; and a "failed program" to vaccinate front-line health workers against smallpox in the event of a bioterrorist attack. Robert Keegan, deputy director of CDC's Global Immunization and Vaccinations division, said, "I think there is a crisis. Clearly there is a real problem with morale," adding, "People are feeling tired and frustrated and don't know where we're headed."
Washington Senate Approves Mental Health Parity Legislation - Medical News Today 08/03/05
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The Washington Senate on Thursday voted 40-9 to pass a bill... (SHB 1154) that would require health insurers to cover equally mental and physical illnesses, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 3/4). The legislation, which would be fully implemented by July 2010, would affect 900,000 people, according to the Seattle Times. The bill would not apply to companies with 50 or fewer employees, self-insured companies or individual health plans. If the bill becomes law, it would cost the state about $8 million annually for state employees and people enrolled in the state's Basic Health Plan. The bill also would increase private health plan premiums by 1% to 5% for many residents, the Times reports (Perry/Siderius, Seattle Times, 4/4). Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) is expected to sign the bill into law as early as this week (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 3/4).
UN Commission Approves Declaration Reaffirming Goals of 1995 Women's Conference After U.S. Drops Antiabortion Amendment - Medical News Today 08/03/05
The 45-member... U.N. Commission on the Status of Women on Friday unanimously approved a one-page declaration supporting the Platform for Action adopted at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing after the United States dropped an amendment that would have clarified that the platform does not include a right to abortion or create any new international human rights, the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports (Lederer, AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 3/5). The U.N. commission at the end of last month -- ahead of a two-week review of the conference, which began last week -- proposed a declaration asking the participating countries to reaffirm progress toward the Beijing platform, which stated that abortion should be safe in places where it is legal and that criminal charges should not be filed against any woman who undergoes an illegal abortion. The platform also stated that women have the right to "decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality ... free of coercion, discrimination and violence." Bush administration representatives at first said the United States would not sign the declaration because of concerns that the platform classified legal abortion as a human right and proposed an amendment that would reaffirm U.S. commitment to the platform and declaration "while reaffirming that they do not create any new international human rights and that they do not include the right to abortion." However, most member nations rejected even a "watered down" version of the U.S. amendment, with delegates from the European Union, African Union and Mercosur trading bloc in South America all insisting that the declaration remain in its original form (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 3/4).
The circadian clock: Understanding nature's timepiece - Medical News Today 08/03/05
A cluster of brain cells less than half the size of a pencil eraser tells you when to wake up, when to be hungry and when it's time to go to sleep. The same cells also cause you to be disoriented after you've flown across multiple time zones.
UK Considering Legislation On Health Hygiene In Hospitals, Nursing Homes And Care Homes - Medical News Today 08/03/05
UK Health Secretary John Reid announced today new proposals for enabling legislation that would allow the government to extend to hospitals, care homes and nursing homes a statutory Hygiene Code.
Study reveals tobacco's 6.3 million death toll, UK - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Tobacco has killed 6.3 million people - close to the current population of London* - across the UK during the last half century.
Statement from Health Canada about acrylamide in food - Medical News Today 08/03/05
In 2002, Health Canada alerted Canadians to the presence of acrylamide in some foods, following reports by scientists in Sweden. Since then, Health Canada scientists have participated in international research efforts aimed at understanding how acrylamide is formed in foods and the health implications.
State Officials Express Concern About Drug Coverage for Beneficiaries Eligible for Medicare, Medicaid - Medical News Today 08/03/05
State Medicaid administrators are concerned that the new Medicare prescription drug benefit will not reduce state drug costs as promised, according to several officials who attended a congressional forum on Friday with... CMS Administrator Mark McClellan, CQ HealthBeat reports. Prescription drug coverage for dual eligibles -- who are covered by both Medicaid and Medicare -- will shift from Medicaid to Medicare when the new federal benefit takes effect in 2006. For instance, California next year will have $215 million more in prescription drug costs as a result of the new Medicare law, despite promises of savings for states through clawback payments to the federal government, state Medicaid official Stan Rosenstein said. Under the clawback provision, states in 2006 will be required to pay the federal government 90% of the dual eligibles' prescription drug costs. Since states previously paid all of those costs, the Bush administration says that they will save 10% on drug costs. However, officials from a number of states said savings will not be realized because their clawback payments will be based on state outlays from 2003. Some state officials said they have reduced drug outlays since 2003 through cost-saving measures such as preferred drug lists, rebates and other tactics, so the 90% payment based on 2003 outlays will not accurately reflect current spending levels. They also said that rebates received in 2004 for 2003 outlays should be factored into the 2003 baseline for clawback payments. Another concern for states is an inflation factor built into the clawback payment formula. Over time, state clawback payments will decline to 75% of prescription drug costs for dual eligibles, but the inflation factor will limit savings. Officials argued that states that have worked to cut dual eligibles' drug costs since 2003 should not be subject to the clawback inflation factor.
Simple Interventions Could Prevent Three Million Newborn Deaths Annually, Studies Say - Medical News Today 08/03/05
About three million of the four million annual newborn deaths worldwide could be prevented with "simple improvements" in basic health care and childbirth procedures, according to a four-part series of studies published last week in the journal Lancet, the Boston Globe reports (Mishra, Boston Globe, 3/4). The main causes of death among newborns include premature delivery, infection, diarrhea and suffocation, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports. These problems could be overcome by low-cost, low-tech interventions, such as providing tetanus shots and antibiotics, encouraging breastfeeding, having sanitary conditions during delivery and improving access to basic hospital emergency services. Experts say that another "major factor" that would help reduce infant mortality is the availability of skilled help, often a trained midwife, during delivery, according to the AP/Sun. The research, which was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID, was conducted by scientists from several countries and experts from the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the World Bank (Ross, AP/Las Vegas Sun, 3/3). The researchers said that, in addition to the $2 billion currently spent annually on newborn health interventions, another $4.1 billion would be needed to provide simple health care for 90% of the women and children at risk in the 75 countries with the highest mortality rates, Reuters reports. "Early success in preventing neonatal deaths is possible ... by improving home care practices, raising demand for skilled care and increasing care-seeking for illnesses through outreach services and a family-community care package," Dr. Gary Darmstadt, a study author and associate professor of international health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said. "The plight of newborns is not just a medical issue, it is also a moral barometer of our times, a measure of our values and our feelings for others," Lancet editor Richard Horton said (Reaney, Reuters, 3/3).
RCGP calls for routine Hep B jabs for drug users, UK - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Rated 3 in National and International News on Mar 9, 2005 at 00:02:13 GMT.
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has called on GPs not to wait for test results before vaccinating high risk patients for Hepatitis B.
Prostate Cancer - Brachytherapy with Palladium-103 Better Than or Equal to Prostatectomy - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Twelve-Year Research Proves Superior Efficacy of “Seed Therapy” for High- and Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients - A new peer-reviewed study demonstrates that cure rates achieved with brachytherapy using palladium-103 are better than or equal to traditional surgery for treating prostate cancer. The twelve-year study proves the superior efficacy of brachytherapy, or “seed therapy,” for treatment of high- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients. The study is published in the Vol. 4, Issue 1 edition of the journal Brachytherapy and is now available online at sciencedirect.com/science/journal/15384721.
Overseas nurses' experiences in the United Kingdom - Medical News Today 08/03/05
In an increasingly competitive global labour market, the UK is faced with a nursing shortage and is actively recruiting trained nurses from abroad. In the year 2003/4 45% of nurses and midwives registering in the UK had trained overseas. Preliminary findings from research by the University of Surrey in collaboration with the Open University (OU) and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) reveal senior NHS managers expect overseas nurses to continue to play a major role in UK healthcare and that it is crucial that their views and experiences are taken into account.
Overactive Bladder Treatment, Trospium Chloride, Does Not Affect Sleep Patterns in Older Adults - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Indevus Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: IDEV) today announced that a new study published in the January edition of British Journal of Urology demonstrates that trospium chloride, the active ingredient in SANCTURA(TM), marketed in the U.S. as a first-line therapy for overactive bladder (OAB), had no effect on the sleep patterns of older subjects (aged 51 to 65 years). Other currently marketed anticholinergic OAB treatments tested in this study were oxybutynin and tolterodine. Although OAB can occur in people of all ages, the incidence in older adults is higher.
NIAID Seeks Applicants to Lead Clinical Trials Units for Revamped HIV/AIDS Networks - Medical News Today 08/03/05
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) today announced that it is soliciting applications from U.S. and overseas research institutions seeking to become Clinical Trials Units (CTUs) in the Institute's revamped HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Networks. NIAID, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), supports the world's largest portfolio of clinical research in HIV/AIDS prevention, vaccine and treatment research and development.
Newspapers Examine Developments in Employer-Sponsored Health Benefits - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Two newspapers recently examined issues related to employer-sponsored health benefits in Connecticut and Maryland. Summaries of the articles appear below.... * Baltimore Sun: The Maryland Senate Finance Committee recently held a hearing on a bill that would require an employer in the state with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8% of its payroll on health benefits or pay into a state fund to provide health coverage. Several representatives from labor groups, the United Seniors of Maryland, the American Minority Contractors and Business Association and Giant Food support the measure. Wal-Mart, which spends 7% to 8% of its payroll on health insurance, opposes the measure. Lisa Woods of Wal-Mart said that the company offers workers a choice of health plans and offers more comprehensive packages than many of its competitors (Salganik, Baltimore Sun, 3/3).
New system for the analysis of facial movement in three dimensions - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Navarre University Hospital has launched a novel system for capturing facial movement that enables such movement to be monitored and quantified in a precise manner.
Medicare Drug Benefit To Cost $849B Over 10 Years, CBO Says - Medical News Today 08/03/05
The Congressional Budget Office on Friday said that the Medicare prescription drug benefit will cost $849 billion over the 10-year period ending in 2015, up $54 billion from the agency's January projection, the... AP/Detroit News reports. CBO's projection does not include anticipated "savings," which could make the actual cost lower than the Bush administration's cost estimate of $724 billion over 10 years, the AP/News reports (Fram, AP/Detroit News, 3/5). Analysts attributed the net spending increase to a higher estimated cost of basic benefits and a change in the cost of low-income subsidies under the original bill. About $36 billion of the $54 billion net spending increase would occur before 2013 -- the period covered under the original cost projections (CQ HealthBeat, 3/4).
Major study reveals Scotland's tobacco death toll - Medical News Today 08/03/05
New statistics reveal the extent of the death toll caused by smoking in Scotland in the last half century.
Laughter helps blood vessels function better - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Volunteers were shown funny and disturbing movies to test the effect of emotions on blood vessels - Using laughter-provoking movies to gauge the effect of emotions on cardiovascular health, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore have shown for the first time that laughter is linked to healthy function of blood vessels. Laughter appears to cause the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels, the endothelium, to dilate or expand in order to increase blood flow.
Laughter May Be Good for the Heart, Study Finds - Reuters 07/03/05
EPA to Strengthen Protection from Lead in Drinking Water, USA - Medical News Today 08/03/05
EPA is initiating the Drinking Water Lead Reduction Plan to strengthen, update and clarify existing requirements for water utilities and states to test for and reduce lead in drinking water. This action, which follows extensive analysis and assessment of current implementation of these regulations, will tighten monitoring, treatment, lead service line management and customer awareness. The plan also addresses lead in tap water in schools and child care facilities to further protect vulnerable populations.
Gender gap for lung cancer rates narrowing - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Broadest-to-date US lung cancer study compares gender with incidence - Results of the most comprehensive analysis to date of the impact of gender differences in lung cancer incidence in the United States indicate that lung cancer rates among men are on the decline, while the rate in women remains steady. A new study in the March issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, shows that, in addition to the unequal incidence of lung cancer in men and women, there are other gender-linked differences, including subtype of lung cancer and survival rate.
HAART Effective in Controlling HIV; Fewer Patients Than Expected Develop Drug Resistance, Study Says - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Highly active antiretroviral therapy, which is a combination of three or more antiretroviral drugs, is "quite effective" in controlling HIV, and fewer patients than expected develop resistance to the drugs, according to a study published on Friday in... BMJ, Xinhuanet reports (Xinhuanet, 3/4). Caroline Sabin, a professor at the Department of Primary Care and Population Sciences at the Royal Free and University College Medical School in London, and colleagues examined patient records at six clinics in Britain, where a total of 16,593 HIV-positive people were treated between 1996 and 2002 (AFP/Yahoo! News, 3/4). Among patients who had been exposed to antiretroviral drugs, the percentage with high viral load measurements dropped from 89% in 1996 to 23.5% in 2002 and the percentage with low levels of CD4+ T cells -- the cells that HIV primarily attacks -- fell from 57% to 15% over the same period, according to the study (Sabin et al., BMJ, 3/4).
GSK Announces Disruption of Supply for Paxil CR And Avandamet - Medical News Today 08/03/05
GlaxoSmithKline [GSK:NYSE] said that the US Food and Drug Administration has halted distribution of supplies of two of its medicines due to manufacturing issues: Avandamet (rosiglitazone maleate / metformin hydrochloride) tablets, used to treat type 2 diabetes, and Paxil CR (paroxetine hydrochloride controlled release) tablets, a treatment for depression and several anxiety disorders.
Glaxo shares fall after FDA seized batches of Paxil CT and Avandamet - Medical News Today 08/03/05
After having batches of Paxil CT (antidepressant) and Avandament (diabetes) seized by the FDA experts are saying the loss of revenue could hit the company's profits by around two per cent.
Endeavor™ drug eluting stent provides significant treatment effect in patients with coronary artery disease, Clinical results show - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Final ENDEAVOR II clinical data shows impressive reduction in repeat procedures and vessel renarrowing - William Wijns, MD, Co-Principal Investigator of the ENDEAVOR II Pivotal Clinical Trial and Co-Director of the Cardiovascular Center, OLV Ziekenhuis, Aalst, Belgium, last night presented positive results of the ENDEAVOR II trial at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 54th Annual Scientific Session. The ENDEAVOR II study demonstrated clinically and statistically significant improvement in all of the study's endpoints, including a 47 per cent reduction in the primary endpoint of Target Vessel Failure (TVF).
Diabetes triples risk of liver cancer - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Diabetic patients run three times the risk of developing liver cancer, suggests a large US study in Gut.
Democratic Abortion-Rights Opponent Casey Announces Plans for US Senate Campaign; Hafer, Hoeffel Drop Out of Race - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Pennsylvania Treasurer Bob Casey, Jr (D), who opposes abortion rights, on Friday announced plans to challenge Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) in 2006 in a "closely watched" Senate race that could indicate the Democratic Party's "changing attitudes" toward the issue of abortion rights, the... New York Times reports (Dao, New York Times, 3/5). Former Rep. Joe Hoeffel (D-Pa.) and former state Treasurer Barbara Hafer (D), both of whom support abortion rights, previously had indicated that they might challenge Santorum. However, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recruited Casey to run against Santorum in the Senate race (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/3). Following Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell's (D) Friday endorsement of Casey, Hafer withdrew from the race, according to the Times. "The governor has asked me to step aside and allow Treasurer Casey to run unopposed for U.S. Senate. After some consideration, I have decided to agree to the governor's request," Hafer said in a statement (New York Times, 3/5). Hoeffel also agreed to withdraw from the race after speaking with Casey, according to the AP/CBS2.com. "I really want to see Rick Santorum defeated, and it seems to me that Bob Casey has the best chance to do that," Hoeffel said (Jackson, AP/CBS2.com, 3/5).
Arkansas Governor Signs Bill To Require Parental Consent Before Minors Can Undergo Abortion Procedures - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Arkansas Gov Mike Huckabee (R) on Thursday signed into law a bill... (HB 1033) that requires written consent from a parent or guardian before a woman under age 18 could undergo abortion, the Associated Press reports (Rousseau, Associated Press, 3/3). The law will require a parent or guardian to give permission for the procedure in the presence of the abortion provider or submit their notarized signature. However, it will allow for exceptions in cases of incest or when pregnancy endangers the life of the woman. In addition, if a woman or girl does not wish to obtain consent from a parent or guardian, a judge could hold a hearing to determine if the woman is mature enough to make her own decision about abortion and bypass the parental-consent requirement. The law also requires any mentally incompetent woman -- regardless of age -- to obtain consent from a parent or guardian before undergoing an abortion procedure. Violation of the law constitutes a misdemeanor and could result in civil action from the parent or guardian whose consent was required (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/17). Huckabee called state lawmakers "courageous" for passing the measure, according to the Associated Press. He added, "Life is sacred. It's special." Opponents of the measure said that it could cause some minors to have to go to an abusive parent to gain consent (Associated Press, 3/3).
16th Annual Black Church Week of Prayer for Healing of AIDS Begins - Medical News Today 08/03/05
The 16th Annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS -- in which thousands of African-American churches throughout the United States, Africa and the Caribbean join in an effort to help prevent the spread of HIV -- began on Saturday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The Balm in Gilead, a New York-based not-for-profit group, founded the Week of Prayer in 1989 in an effort to improve the response of African-American churches to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and provide support for those affected by the disease (Dyer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/5). As part of the Week of Prayer, African-American churches nationwide will hold a number of events -- such as educational sessions, discussions and prayer vigils -- to address the issue of HIV/AIDS. Rev. Amos Landry of Seattle said, "It's time the pulpit made its voice heard and sound the alarm and tell folk we can no longer be uninvolved." Rev. Mary Diggs-Hobson of Seattle said that HIV/AIDS "still has such a stigma, much of that fueled by lack of knowledge as well as personal, cultural, social and religious beliefs." According to the Seattle Times, one of the "biggest barriers" to efforts to reduce the spread of HIV in the African-American community is the "belief that AIDS is primarily a disease affecting gay white men" (Tu, Seattle Times, 3/5). In 2003, African-American men were seven times more likely than white men to contract HIV (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/5). African-Americans accounted for 54% of new HIV/AIDS cases in 2002, and the disease is the leading cause of death among African-American men ages 35 to 44 (The Balm in Gilead release, 3/6). Several newspapers around the country have published articles covering events that took place to mark the Week of Prayer. Links to some of the articles appear below.
Brain Awareness Week Teaches Kids How Their Brains Work - Medical News Today 08/03/05
The fifth annual Brain Awareness Week (BAW), a science and health education fair to teach 5th-8th grade students about the brain, will take place March 14-18, 2005 at the National Museum of Health and Medicine at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will present short lessons on brain health and neuroscience on March 16th and 17th. Participating institutes include the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Asthma relapse in children common, possible risk factors identified - Medical News Today 08/03/05
One third of children in asthma remission at age 18 will relapse by age 26 - One-third of children with asthma who go into remission by the age of 18 will relapse and redevelop asthma by the time they are 26, says a new study published in the March issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians. The findings also suggest that children with certain common allergies, such as house dust mite sensitivity, and/or poor lung function are more likely to redevelop asthma following remission.
545 Women Operated on during ‘Fistula Fortnight', Nigeria - Medical News Today 08/03/05
A total of 545 women were operated on during the "Fistula Fortnight," an unprecedented surgical effort to treat women living with obstetric fistula and train doctors in repair techniques at four sites in northern Nigeria.
Curious female rats survive tumors longer - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Curious female rats, more willing to step out and explore their environment, survive breast and pituitary tumors longer than their more cautious sisters, says a Penn State researcher.
eDocAmerica launches Hispanic Website for members - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Now providing benefits to 750,000 - eDocAmerica, the web-based provider of doctor-consumer consultations online, today announced that it has launched a Spanish-language version of its website for its increasing number of Hispanic users.
Can Your Eating Habits Make You Infertile? - Medical News Today 08/03/05
The societal pressures on women to be attractive, successful, and thin are stronger than ever. The desirable woman portrayed in the media is much thinner than the average woman. Popular slogans such as "thin is in" and "you can never be too rich or too thin" have equated thinness with happiness. The result is that for the first time in history, being attractive means being thin. Healthy weight women have an easier time getting pregnant than overweight or underweight women. Studies show that women whose body mass index (BMI) is below 20 or above 25 (especially above 30) have a harder time getting pregnant, so it's a good idea to try to get yourself into the 20 to 25 range before you start trying.
Conserved amino acids play both structural and mechanistic roles in sandwich-like protein - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Scientists at Rice University report their findings in PNAS - The question of whether amino acids in sandwich-like proteins are there to stabilize the structure or to speed up the protein-folding process is best answered by "all of the above," according to researchers at Rice University in Houston.
Chicago Tribune Examines Botswana's AIDS Treatment Program; Therapy Could Be Reducing Fears of Disease - Medical News Today 08/03/05
The Chicago Tribune on Sunday examined Botswana's antiretroviral drug treatment program, which became the first program in Africa to offer antiretrovirals at no cost to any HIV-positive person who needed them and has become a "model for treatment" on the continent. However, doctors say that the availability of treatment could be "reducing fears" of becoming infected with the virus among Batswana, according to the Tribune (Goering, Chicago Tribune, 3/6). The complete article is available online.
More Cases of Patients with Bird Flu in Viet Nam - Medical News Today 08/03/05
The Ministry of Health in Viet Nam has confirmed an additional four cases of human infection with H5N1 avian influenza.
Beta-blockers may help broader group of patients with heart problems - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Researchers find drugs boost survival in those with congestive heart failure and mitral regurgitation with normal ejection fraction - Beta-blockers, medications that block the action of certain hormones on the heart, can benefit patients with certain serious heart problems such as diastolic heart failure, according to cardiologists at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and Loma Linda University Medical Center.
UK to Vote Against UN Human Cloning Decision - Medical News Today 08/03/05
The UK will vote against the declaration on human cloning at the United Nations' General Assembly today (8 March 2005). The UN declaration is non-binding and has no legal status, but it calls on countries to prohibit all forms of human cloning. This is totally unacceptable to the UK government which strongly supports stem cell research, including embryonic stem cell research which involves the use of cloning technology. Stem cell research could lead to new treatments for serious and fatal diseases that affect millions of people.
Heart Center cardiologist performs rare liver catheter intervention on teen - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Through an innovative catheterization procedure, a pediatric cardiologist at Texas Children's Heart Center in Houston repaired a severe liver condition in a 14-year-old male. The doctor used a catheter and septal occluder device that is generally used to close holes in children's hearts. Similar procedures have been reported only six times in medical literature. But this is the first time the procedure has been performed with this particular device.
Geography predicts human genetic diversity - Medical News Today 08/03/05
By analyzing the relationship between the geographic location of current human populations in relation to East Africa and the genetic variability within these populations, researchers have found new evidence for an African origin of modern humans.
Global Coalition on Women and AIDS Tours United States To Raise Awareness of Disease - Medical News Today 08/03/05
The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS is touring five U.S. cities -- New York City, Nashville, Chicago, Miami and Washington, D.C. -- to promote education and awareness about the "rapid" spread of HIV among women, the Miami Herald reports (Tasker, Miami Herald, 3/6). The "Empower Women, Save Lives: Women and AIDS U.S. Tour" will promote increasing girls' access to education, reducing violence against women, providing increased economic opportunities for women, protecting women's property and inheritance rights and ensuring access to female-controlled contraceptive methods, according to a GCWA release. The group, launched by UNAIDS, will target businesses, foundations, advocacy groups, religious leaders, academics, the entertainment industry and the media to promote partnerships between local and global communities that would provide prevention, care and treatment for women and girls. "The tour brings together inspiring women to highlight the impact of AIDS on women globally," Dr. Kathleen Cravero, deputy executive director of UNAIDS, said, adding, "Efforts to reach women and girls are a good start but not nearly enough. In many parts of the world, women not only lack information, but also the social and economic options they need to keep themselves and their families safe from AIDS." For the tour, GCWA has partnered with the MAC AIDS Fund, the United Nations Foundation, World Vision, the International Center for Research on Women and the American Foundation for AIDS Research (GCWA release, 3/1). "A decade ago, less than one-third of the world's HIV/AIDS patients were women; now it's more than half. In parts of Africa and the Caribbean, 75% of the new HIV cases in the 15 to 30 age group are in young women," Cravero said, adding, "It makes young women an endangered species in these areas" (Miami Herald, 3/6).
NJIT chemistry professor edits text outlining best laboratory practices - Medical News Today 08/03/05
NJIT professor edits text to improve working in lab - The importance of meticulous measurements are essential to good science. But ensuring that correct methods are used is another story as well as the topic of a text edited by Somenath Mitra, PhD, professor of chemistry, at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).
Serum sodium level is a major predictor of a poor prognosis for heart failure patients - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Findings presented at ACC Scientific Sessions show improving serum sodium levels may improve outcomes - Research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's Scientific Sessions in Orlando pinpoints a major marker of a poor prognosis for heart failure, hyponatremia, or a lower than normal concentration of serum or blood sodium. Researchers found that hyponatremia, which is found in almost a quarter of patients with severe heart failure, doubled death rates within 60 days of hospital discharge. Serum sodium levels are easily measured through routine blood tests.
Portable system offers dialysis patients 'liberating' changes - Medical News Today 08/03/05
A suitcase-sized machine tested at the Indiana University School of Medicine is making life easier for some patients undergoing rigorous dialysis for kidney failure.
Non-invasive and invasive breast cancers share the same genetic mutations - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Women diagnosed with early stage, non-invasive breast cancer who carry the same mutations in two inherited breast/ovarian cancer genes as women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, may benefit from high risk treatment, Yale researchers report in the February 23 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association.
Pioneering PET/CT research widens applications of imaging for diabetic foot - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Pioneering research with combined positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) scans provides accurate detection and localization of foot infection in diabetic patients, according to an article in the March issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine. PET/CT scans could potentially offer a single-step, noninvasive technique for the diagnosis of infection, said Society of Nuclear Medicine member Zohar Keidar, M.D., Ph.D., the article's lead author.
Some neurons can transmit three signals at once - Researchers make surprise discovery - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Findings reported in Nature Neuroscience give new understanding to how cells in auditory system organize before hearing develops - Generations of neuroscientists have been indoctrinated into believing that our senses, thoughts, feelings and movements are orchestrated by a communication network of brain cells, or neurons, each responsible for relaying one specific chemical message called a neurotransmitter. Either neurons release a neurotransmitter that excites a neighboring cell, thereby triggering an electrical discharge and enhancing brain activity, or they dispatch a signal that quells a neuron's activity. So, when researchers at the University of Pittsburgh discovered that immature rat brain cells could fire a simultaneous three-punch salvo - three neurotransmitters bursting out of a single cell -- it was a finding they knew would excite more than just neurons.
South African Government Awards Contracts to Seven Pharmaceutical Companies To Produce Antiretroviral Drugs - Medical News Today 08/03/05
South Africa's government on Thursday announced it has awarded three-year contracts to seven pharmaceutical companies to produce antiretroviral drugs for distribution in public health facilities across the country,... Reuters reports (Reuters, 3/3). The South African Cabinet in November 2003 approved an HIV/AIDS treatment plan that aims to provide antiretroviral drugs to 1.2 million people -- or about 25% of the country's HIV-positive population -- at low or no cost by 2008. South African President Thabo Mbeki's African National Congress party in 2004 promised that 53,000 HIV-positive people would receive antiretroviral treatment under the program by this month (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/18). However, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang last month said that approximately 28,000 to 31,000 people were receiving antiretrovirals from the government (Reuters, 3/3).
Springfield, Mass., Public Health Council Recommends City Launch Needle-Exchange Program - Medical News Today 08/03/05
The Springfield, Mass., .Public Health Council on Wednesday voted 7-4 to recommend that the city launch a needle-exchange program to reduce the spread of HIV among injection drug users, the Springfield Republican reports. The Public Health Council advises and is appointed by Springfield Mayor Charles Ryan (D), who opposes needle exchange. The City Council is expected to consider a needle-exchange proposal in the next several weeks (Plaisance, Springfield Republican, 3/3). Springfield City Council members Bud Williams and Kateri Walsh last month said they planned to present a proposal for a needle-exchange program. City officials and needle-exchange program advocates said that the program would be mobile, perhaps consisting of a van that would operate from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and focus on the three areas with the highest rates of injection drug use in the city (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/10). However, the chances of the council endorsing a needle-exchange program "remain slim" because a majority of council members oppose such programs, according to the Republican. Opponents of a needle-exchange program said it would "sen[d] the message" that the city approves of illegal drug use, according to the Republican (Springfield Republican, 3/3).
Study shows faces are processed like words - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Although they are dramatically different, words and faces are both recognized by parts, according to a study published in February in the Journal of Vision, an online, free access publication of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).
Urine protein could help diagnose preeclampsia - Medical News Today 08/03/05
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found that specific substances in the urine of pregnant women could serve as a screening/diagnostic tool for preeclampsia (hypertension and proteinuria during pregnancy).
Drug-Eluting Stents Differ Significantly in Rate of Blood Clot Formation-Stent Thrombosis - Trial Data Suggests - Medical News Today 07/03/05
Results from the REALITY trial presented today at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session found that the CYPHER® Sirolimus-eluting Coronary Stent was associated with development of significantly fewer blood clots at the stent site (stent thromboses) than the Taxus Paclitaxel-eluting Coronary Stent* (p=0.020).
How good are these energy drinks? - Medical News Today 07/03/05
When pop princess Britney Spears needs a pick-me-up, she turns to a popular energy drink for a quick boost. Red Bull mixed with apple juice, she has said, “really pumps me up.”
Picturing the future of skin cancer diagnosis - Medical News Today 07/03/05
Detecting skin cancer early saves lives, but is a job for specialists. A new European system based on confocal imaging promises to improve detection and diagnosis rates by 20 per cent and to speed up the whole process considerably.
Medical Research Council Response to Spending Review 2004 Allocations, UK - Medical News Today 07/03/05
The Medical Research Council (MRC) welcomes the additional funding of approximately 90 million over two years, announced today as part of the Spending Review (SR2004) allocation.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy - Columbia researchers receive $3 million to combat genetic killer of infants & toddlers - Medical News Today 07/03/05
Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation provides funding to support the discovery and advancement of novel products to treat SMA - Researchers at Columbia University have received more than $3 million in funding from the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation to conduct research on spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a neuromuscular disease that is the leading genetic killer of infants and toddlers. The funding will enable the institution to significantly expand its already substantial SMA research.
Hospital blood clots kill more than 25,000 - Daily Mail 08/03/05
Blood clots kill more than 25,000 people a year despite being largely preventable by cheap drugs, MPs warn.
Reducing 'Middle Management' in Treatment of Heart Attacks Saves Lives - Medical News Today 06/03/05
One thing is commonly known in the treatment of major heart attacks - time saves lives in this deadly game of beat the clock. Two cardiac specialists from Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa., have found a way to more than cut in half the amount of time that it takes for a patient to get from the helicopter door to the catheterization table.
No bed for second burns victim - Daily Mail 08/03/05
A woman suffering critical burns has been refused treatment in a major city because of a lack of beds - the second in 10 days.
'Prove passive smoking is a killer' - Daily Mail 08/03/05
A smokers' lobby group has challenged England's chief medical officer to prove beyond doubt that passive smoking is responsible for thousands of deaths.
Call for passive smoke harm proof - BBC Health News 08/03/05
'Safer' stem cell therapies hailed - Daily Mail 08/03/05
A new method of growing human embryonic stem cells in the laboratory could make therapies based on the technique safer, scientists said.
Stem cell therapy safety boosted - BBC Health News 08/03/05
Lung Cancer No Longer Just a Man's Disease - Reuters 8/03/05
The stereotype that lung cancer mainly affects men needs to be revised, new study findings show.
Study: Vytorin Tops Lipitor in High-Risk Patients - Reuters 08/03/05
A combination medicine by Merck & Co. and Schering-Plough Corp. was more effective in helping high-risk patients achieve stringent, new lower cholesterol goals than Pfizer Inc.'s top-selling Lipitor in a clinical trial.
Newer Drugs May Cut Stroke, Heart Attack Risk - Reuters 08/03/05
Patients with high blood pressure taking a mixture of newer drugs may cut their risk of stroke by 25 percent and dangerous heart complications by 15 percent compared with those on older pills, according to a large study released on Tuesday.
Japanese in blood donations ban - Daily Mail 08/03/05
Anyone who visited Britain or France for a day or more between 1980 and 1996 will be banned from donating blood in Japan, an official said.
Being Heavy Ups Asthma Risk for Women But Not Men - Reuters 08/03/05
A new report confirms that women who are overweight run an increased risk of developing asthma and allergy, but men don't.
Baking Soda Helps Kids During Severe Asthma Attack - Reuters 08/03/05
An intravenous infusion of a solution of sodium bicarbonate -- better known as baking soda -- reduces respiratory distress and excessive acidity of body fluids in children with a life-threatening asthma flare-up, according to a report from the Netherlands.
Medicaid Fails to Check Drug Pricing -Report - Reuters 07/03/05
U.S. Medicaid officials failed to properly check the prices drug companies charge the health insurance program for the poor and disabled, according to a government report released on Monday.
Asthma Returns in Children Who 'Outgrew' It -Study - Reuters 07/03/05
A third of children who supposedly outgrew their asthma saw it come back by the time they reached their mid-20s, researchers reported on Monday.
Heavy Drinking More Common on Campus Than Off -Study - Reuters 07/03/05
U.S. college students drink more alcohol and are more likely to binge drink than young adults who are not in college, but the nonstudents are more likely to be dependent on alcohol, a study said Monday.
Mini-Strokes Should Get Swift Treatment -Study - Reuters 07/03/05
People often suffer mini-strokes days before a major stroke and should seek help within hours to get the most effective treatment, British researchers reported on Monday.
Vietnam Nurse Infected with Bird Flu - Doctor - Reuters 07/03/05
A 26-year-old Vietnamese male nurse who tended a patient with bird flu has caught the virus that has killed 47 people in Asia, a health official said on Monday.
Study: Kids Safest Strapped Into Car's Rear Seat - Reuters 07/03/04
Children are least likely to be injured in a car crash when they are properly restrained and riding in the back seat, according to a study published Monday.
Egyptian 'Two-Head' Baby Has Second Operation - Reuters 06/03/05
An Egyptian baby who had an operation to remove a second head last month has had a second operation to extract excess fluid from her brain, one of her doctors said Sunday.
German Plastic Surgeons at Odds on Advertising Ban - Reuters 07/03/05
The perfect beach body with cleavage to match. Great breasts for low prices. The figure you've always dreamed of.
Men Get Prostate Screen, Balk at Colon Cancer Test - Reuters 07/03/05
Men apparently find it quite acceptable to get a PSA test to screen for prostate cancer, but don't go along so readily with being screened for colorectal cancer, findings from a new study indicate.
Sports drinks 'dissolving teeth' - BBC Health News 08/03/05
Rehydrating sports drinks are up to 30 times more erosive to teeth than water, according to researchers at the University of Birmingham.
Zimbabwe conjoined twins divided - BBC Health News 08/03/05
Canadian doctors have successfully separated conjoined twin boys from Zimbabwe in a five-hour operation.
Tests show bird flu cases missed - BBC Health News 08/03/05
Seven Vietnamese who initially tested negative for bird flu have now been found to have carried the virus, the World Health Organization has said.
Stem cell therapy safety boosted - BBC Health News 08/03/05
Rated 3 in National and International News on Mar 8, 2005 at 22:15:39 GMT.
A new way of growing human embryonic stem cells in the laboratory will reduce the risk that their use in therapy could go wrong, say scientists.
Wrong vaccine is given to pupils - BBC Health News 08/03/05
Almost 100 schoolchildren were given wrong vaccine jabs during the confusion which followed recent floods in Cumbria, a report has revealed.
Cheshire and Mersey News
WAR OF WORDS OVER SCRAPPED SURGERY - Warrington Guardian 08/03/05
WARRINGTON has become the battleground for a fierce pre-election showdown after Tory leader Michael Howard challenged Tony Blair over NHS failures at the town's hospital.
Pollution hope in clean up vow - Liverpool Echo 08/03/05
THIS is the unacceptable face of industry a company has pledged to clear up - a plume of pollution hovering over homes.
MRSA bug is still on the rise in region's hospitals - Daily Post 08/03/05
INFECTIONS of the MRSA 'superbug' are still on the rise in Merseyside and Cheshire hospitals, despite a nationwide fall to a four-year low.
MRSA mother urges hospital clean-up - Daily Post 09/03/05
Should hospitals pay fines for surgery delays? - Daily Post 08/03/05
IN THE last week, the state of the National Health Service has risen to become one of the biggest campaign issues of the coming general election.
Ban on smoking - Liverpool Echo 08/03/05
THE debate over smoking is taking centre stage on Merseyside this week.
Nurse denies killing child - Daily Post 09/03/05
AN ALDER Hey hospital nurse killed a toddler by injecting him with the wrong drug, a court heard yesterday.
Hospitals blaze the trail as smoke-free pioneers - Daily Post 09/03/05
MERSEYSIDE will be the first area in the country to have smoke-free hospitals, it was announced last night.
New network boosts biotechnology sector - Daily Post 08/03/05
MERSEYBIO has launched a new service to help local firms operating in the biotechnology sector to expand and grow.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Time to Trash the Ash - Carlisle News and Star 09/03/05
HUNDREDS of smokers across Cumbria will be gearing up tomorrow to quit the habit once and for all as the country marks National No Smoking Day.
Doctor will be sadly missed [Letter] - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 08/03/05
I CANNOT let this opportunity pass without paying tribute to Dr Ian Gavin who has so tragically died (LET, March 3) leaving so many people who knew him wondering why this should have happened to such a caring person and dedicate doctor.
Greater Manchester News
Why smoking costs you £251 a year - Manchester Evening News 09/03/05
SMOKING costs every man, woman and child in Greater Manchester £251 a year, a report claims today.
Ten hours on a hospital trolley - Manchester Evening News 09/03/05
A SERIOUSLY ill pensioner with heart problems was one of six people left on trolleys for up to ten hours in a hospital bed crisis.
Opticians highlight smoke risks - Bury Times 08/03/05
A OPTICIAN is warning smokers to watch out for serious damage to their eyes if they continue their nicotine habit.
Specialist nurse for stoma patients - Bury Times 08/03/05
STOMA patients living in Bury will soon have access to a specialist nurse.
'Super nursery' gets VIP visitor - Bury Times 08/03/05
CHANCELLOR Gordon Brown paid a flying visit to Bury yesterday to visit the town's first "super nursery"
Town has fewer drinking deaths - Bolton Evening News 08/03/05
There were 13 deaths from alcohol-related illnesses per year for every 100,000 people between 2001 and 2003, according to latest figures.
Alert over missing patient- Bolton Evening News 08/03/05
A MAN who police have warned could be a danger to the public has disappeared from a psychiatric ward.
Mumps cases on rise - Bolton Evening News 08/03/05
MUMPS is on the increase in Bolton, despite advice from doctors that young people should have the MMR jab.
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