National and International News
Pope John Paul II dies in Vatican - BBC Health News 02/04/05
Pope John Paul II, the third longest-serving pontiff in history, has died at the age of 84.
End draws closer for ailing Pope - BBC Health News 02/04/05
Key to early bird sleep disorder - BBC Health News 02/04/05
Researchers have identified the cause of a sleep disorder which causes people to nod off early and wake fully alert before dawn.
Healthcare 'failing black youths' - BBC Health News 02/04/05
Tosin Ogundere is young and black with a mental illness - another statistic in a growing list.
Cancer patient inspires pub campaign - BBC Health News 01/04/05
Eye-catching posters in pub toilets and specially-designed beer mats are warning drinkers to check their bowel habits - a legacy of cancer campaigner Dave Miners.
Quick kidney failure test 'found' - BBC Health News 01/04/05
A quick test to diagnose kidney failure has been developed, US doctors say.
Hope for new arthritis treatment - BBC Health News 01/04/05
Inhibiting a single enzyme may be enough to block the development of arthritis, research suggests.
Couples face long waits for IVF - BBC Health News 01/04/05
Ten per cent of primary care trusts in England have waiting times of over two years for IVF treatment, a survey has found.
India Knight: This stupid sex myth - The Sunday Times 03/04/05
One of the more curious effects of living in this peculiar, sex-saturated age is the belief, widely held, that everybody else is having sex all the time. More, that everybody else is having particularly amazing sex all the time with a varied and interesting number of partners, in a fabulous number of ways, and in a series of photogenic settings.
Comment: Jenny Hjul: Hardline approach would smoke out child obesity - The Sunday Times 03/04/05
English schoolchildren might have Jamie Oliver to fight on their behalf for better school meals but in Scotland we do things differently. A cheeky chef with his “Feed me something edible” campaign is all very well for southerners who are charmed by that sort of thing, but up here we deal with problems in a less glitzy, more prosaic, more predictable fashion.
Woman asks Falkirk hospital to cut off healthy legs - The Sunday Times 03/04/05
A SCOTTISH hospital has issued a statement warning that it will not treat sufferers of body dysmorphic disorder after a woman travelled from France seeking to have both her legs amputated.
Scots boys start drinking before reaching teens - The Sunday Times 03/04/05
A QUARTER of Scottish boys start drinking when they are 11 and almost one in 10 admit to being drunk before they reach their teens, according to a new study.
NHS 24 helpine ‘putting patients’ health at risk’ - The Sunday Times 03/04/05
THE emergency health service hotline NHS 24 is in chaos, according to a new report which reveals that it is failing to diagnose illnesses on time and is putting patients’ health at risk.
Names of £1m NHS dentists kept secret - The Sunday Times 03/04/05
GOVERNMENT officials are coming under pressure to release the names of dental practices that are earning million-pound incomes in the National Health Service.
Ooh matron, this is a new breed of nurse - The Sunday Times 03/04/05
NURSES are to try to rebrand their profession, updating the old Carry On film image of battleaxe or bimbo to emerge as modern professionals who are as likely to be giving injections as emptying bedpans.
‘Healthy’ chicken piles on the fat - The Sunday Times 03/04/05
BRITAIN’S favourite meat is getting fatter. Despite its healthy image, researchers have found that the modern chicken contains nearly three times the fat it did 35 years ago.
Abortion clinics back cut to a 20-week limit - The Sunday Times 03/04/05
BRITAIN’S largest provider of abortions outside the National Health Service has changed its policy to back a lowering of the legal limit at which pregnancies may be terminated for non- medical reasons.
Sex with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson - The Times 02/04/05
I am in my mid-sixties but feel as sexual as a young man. I've had numerous affairs as I find it impossible to control myself. My wife and I are drifting apart and live separate lives. I'm wondering if I might have a genetic disorder
Bodylicious: Brushing groom, smoothie chops and cool sole man - The Times 02/04/05
BRUSHING GROOM There’s no point denying it — women know that men covet their tans and steal their bronzer. Guerlain knows this, too, which is why it has come to the rescue with its Terracotta Pour Homme compact bronzing powder. This elegant product comes complete with a wooden brush, in reassuringly masculine black packaging, and has a matt finish for a natural look. The shade is deep bronze, so this is not for those whose complexions are still winter-white. Terracotta Pour Homme costs £33 for 11g. Call 01932 233909 for stockists. SMOOTHIE CHOPS Being a modern, well-groomed man is all very well but it does add weight to your wash-bag. Travel light with Jack Black’s new Beard Lube, a three-in-one product that serves as a pre-shave oil, shave cream and conditioner. The lotion, which contains macadamia and jojoba oil to soften coarse stubble, and peppermint, eucalyptus and menthol to cool the skin, is transparent, to help you see what you’re doing. It’s weird at first shaving without foam and it does feel a bit gooey. But the result is soft skin. Costs £15 for 177ml. Call 01932 254854 for stockists. COOL SOLE MAN If you enjoy indulging your sporty side but not hot, sweaty trainer feet, Keen may have the answer. Eighteen months after launching in the US, this outdoor footwear brand is bringing its range here. Of note is The Boulder, a high-tech trainer, which has shock-absorbing soles, toe guards, an anti-microbial synthetic lining to prevent odour and open panels to allow air to reach the foot. Its quick-dry Polyester webbing makes it ideal for watersports. The Boulder costs £70 from Cotswold Outdoor. Call 0870 4427755 for stockists. FRAN YEOMAN
Irma Kurtz: Moving on: Whose sex life is it anyway? - The Times 02/04/05
Was I right to feel betrayed when friends revealed their secret gay relationship? Two women in my close and long-term group of friends have only just come out to the rest of us as having been in a relationship together for the past two years. They claim not to have told us before because of having felt deeply uncertain about what they were doing regarding their relationship and their sexuality, rather than because they feared a negative reaction from us. I am not homophobic, but I feel as if they have destroyed the trust between us by keeping us in the dark about something so important. Indeed, I feel that I can never be such good friends with either of them again and have told them so. The wider group is divided over the question. Am I being selfish?
A brief encounter - The Times 02/04/05
Short relationships can be sweet if we learn from them, says the psychologist Andrew G. Marshall
Child psychiatrist had sex with girl, 14 - The Times 02/04/05
AN EMINENT child psychiatrist who had sex with a 14-year-old girl after grooming her on the internet was yesterday jailed for four years.
Starck raving about everything - The Times 02/04/05
From see-through chairs to chic hotels, Philippe Starck’s imagination knows no bounds. But, he tells Rose Shepherd, there is a method to his madness
Parents in double trouble - The Times 02/04/05
Where's the aftercare? A new survey highlights the lack of support for mothers of twins
A girl's new best friend - The Times 02/04/05
Outed as a sex-toy virgin, Hannah Betts attempts a fling with the rampantly popular Rabbit
Junk medicine: Infertility treatment - The Times 02/04/05
Without a set national guidelines, access to IVF will remain an unfair lottery A small part of the NHS’s postcode lottery is supposed to have ended yesterday. Infertility treatment has long been one of the most conspicuous examples of such patchwork provision: if you have trouble conceiving, your chances of a family have historically depended on whether your local primary care trust (PCT) was willing to pay for IVF treatment. Under new regulations in force from April 1, every qualifying couple is entitled to a free cycle.
Dr Copperfield: inside the mind of a GP - The Times 02/04/05
Just because something is for charity, it doesn’t mean your GP will give approval
Analyse this: Dying of a broken heart - The Times 02/04/05
Till our immune systems do us part... THE death of the former Prime Minister James Callaghan was officially put down to a simple cause: old age. But the fact that he passed away just 11 days after his beloved wife Audrey prompted many to say that he had died of a broken heart. The pair had been married for 67 years and after the brutal separation of bereavement, it seemed only natural that he would want to join her.
Need to know - The Times 02/04/05
Claim Nine out of ten doctors have legible handwriting. Never! What you should know The lengths that pen manufacturers will go to. Ten years ago, the Pilot Pen Corporation set its chief graphologist the task of examining handwriting samples from medical doctors worldwide. Result A decade and 120,000 signatures later, she concluded not only that illegible scrawl was uncommon but that most doctors didn’t think they were godlike at all. The lack of “hooks” on their letters indicated a willingness to yield to authority, and a desire for intellectual and spiritual stimulation rather than material reward. Unfortunately, their open vowels also revealed that most are happier talking than listening. Verdict Next: estate agents never lie.
Beyond recognition - The Times 02/04/05
POLICE technology could soon come to the aid of people who can’t recognise faces.
Lunchtime fix: Conductive keratoplasty - The Times 02/04/05
Want to ditch the reading glasses but scared of having laser treatment? Conductive keratoplasty could help you to see things more clearly. Dr David Allamby and Dr Alex Ionides explain all.
Is trust enough? - The Times 02/04/05
A-Z alternative health guide: the conclusions. Complementary therapies need to be regulated - now
At your table: dried fruits - The Times 02/04/05
Dried fruit is the perfect pick-me-up — and crammed with minerals and fibre
We all need a little kelp - The Times 02/04/05
Seaweed is natural, tasty and full of goodness — it could even help in the fight against cancer
How to cheat at eating: fresh vegetable soup - The Times 02/04/05
Woulda . . . NEW COVENT GARDEN FOOD CO. WINTER VEGETABLE FRESH SOUP Fat 25.2g per 600g carton Salt 3g salt Price £1.95 Verdict It’s a pleasure to read the ingredients of this thick, filling soup, 53 per cent of which are vegetables — half a carton provides two of the recommended five daily servings of fruit and veg (although, like many soups, it’s quite high in salt). It tastes good; peas and sweetcorn dominate. A hearty lunch, even if you’re watching your waistline. 426 calories Coulda . . . SIMPLY ORGANIC CHUNKY VEGETABLE FRESH ORGANIC SOUP Fat 9.2g per 600g carton Salt 1.5g Price £1.79 Verdict Vegetables account for just a third of the ingredients, but half a carton gives 1.5 of your five daily fruit and veg servings. It’s thick, looks home-made and organic pearl barley adds texture. Half a carton has one eighth of the recommended maximum salt intake for adults, reasonable for a soup. It’s especially good if you’re counting calories. 305 calories Shoulda . . . SAINSBURY’S TASTE THE DIFFERENCE ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP Fat 18g per 600g carton Salt 3g Price £1.95 Verdict This has twice as much salt as the Simply Organic Soup and more fat, mainly on account of whipping cream. It’s impossible to tell from the pack the number of fruit and veg servings, but with 129 calories per half carton, it’s the perfect slimming choice. 258 calories
Becoming Mr Muscle - The Times 02/04/05
It was pretty tough but Matthew Barbour went from scrawny to brawny in eight weeks
How the fit and fabulous stay that way: Cindy Crawford - The Times 02/04/05
Supermodel Cindy Crawford, 39, finds massage a great way to relax, but spices things up with a curry
NHS staff shortage [Letter] - The Times 02/04/05
During a recent duty in London with the St John Ambulance, I talked to a woman member who told me that she is an Armenian asylum-seeker from Iran with Iranian nursing qualifications, which are not recognised here. In three years she has learnt English and is now in her second year of a nursing degree course at university. She supports herself by working at weekends as a healthcare assistant.
Tories promise to protect GPs - The Times 02/04/05
The Party is to campaign against Labour's plan for 'super-surgeries'
Fighting goes on over body of Schiavo - The Guardian 02/04/05
A bitter war of words between Terri Schiavo's parents and husband continued yesterday as a coroner prepared to release his findings on the extent of her brain damage.
Funeral fuels new Schiavo feud - The Telegraph 02/04/05
Life on the knife edge [Comment] - The Observer 03/04/05
Alienated youngsters are just as much victims of our fractured society as persecuted householders
Cut-price drinks must go, say MPs - The Observer 03/04/05
Pubs and nightclubs applying for late-night licences should be forced to keep drinks prices above a minimum level to crack down on the violence associated with binge drinking, MPs will say this week.
Right-to-die pressure grows as doctors drop opposition - The Observer 03/04/05
Pressure for British citizens to be given the 'right to die' will increase this week with the publication of new evidence that the medical profession has dropped its opposition to voluntary euthanasia.
Labour's unthinking opposition [Comment] - The Observer 03/04/05
David Aaronovitch accuses the intelligentsia of prejudice, cynicism and a lack of political nous in criticising Tony Blair
Death sentences [Comment] - The Observer 03/04/05
We must do more to treat mental health problems in our prisons
Drugs firms 'creating ills for every pill' - The Observer 03/04/05
Expensive new medicines are oversold when cheaper therapies or prevention would work better, say MPs
Our good old days [Comment] - The Observer 03/04/05
We are all in for a shock. It's not bad news. In fact, it's the best news possible. People are living longer. Even good news is disturbing, though, when we are unprepared. And our species is about as unprepared for the longevity revolution as the dinosaurs were for the arrival of mammals. As a result, mankind's greatest triumph - a more than doubling in life expectancy over just eight generations - might very easily turn sour.
Sex health crisis swamps clinics - The Observer 03/04/05
The true scale of Britain's sexual health crisis is revealed today in a report showing that two-thirds of clinics are turning away patients because they cannot cope with demand for treatment.
STI clinics 'turning away patients' - Daily Mail 03/04/05
Sex disease clinics 'cannot cope' - BBC Health News 02/04/05
Dr John Briffa: Banned goods - The Observer 03/04/05
The government's plan to brand certain foods with a 'healthy' logo is great in theory, but some of its advice is misleading. Dr John Briffa weighs in
Oliver James: Couch potatoes - The Observer 03/04/05
Does psychoanalysis potentially do more harm than good? That depends on the personalities of the patient and therapist, believes Oliver James
Follow the leader - The Observer 03/04/05
Leadership. It’s a funny old thing. Hard to define, but so easy to spot. What did Martin Johnson have that Jason Robinson does not? How did Sean Fitzpatrick captain so effectively from the position of hooker? Is David Beckham a good captain? Why did Ian Botham not make a good captain? What is good captaincy? How do you define good leadership?
Work in progress - The Guardian 02/04/05
The Department of Trade and Industry is inviting entries for The 2005 E-Commerce Awards. It believes the awards will provide an opportunity for organisations to share and show how their use of information and communication technology (ICT) has improved their overall productivity and competitiveness.
Voters wooed with new care system - The Guardian 02/04/05
Ask any adult user of council-provided social care and too often the response is that the care workers are sub-standard.
Natural health therapist Emma Mitchell answers your questions - The Guardian 02/04/05
Pompholyx is a type of eczema that affects the hands and soles of the feet. It can be triggered by heat and sweating or an allergic reaction to soaps, detergents, solvents, metal compounds such as nickel, cobalt or chromate (in shoe leather), or to rubber in gloves or shoe adhesives. Stress, anxiety, internal toxicity and poor diet can make it worse. Take zinc, vitamin A, C and evening primrose oil daily to improve the skin's immune function. Ensure socks and gloves are made of unbleached organic cotton (see greenfibres.com). Get more advice from the National Eczema Society (0870 241 3604, eczema.org).
How to ... visit a hospital - The Guardian 02/04/05
Hospitals are like your internal organs. You know they're vital and do good work, but you don't really want to see too much of them. Finding a bed in a hospital is a challenge, but not as challenging as finding a spot in the hospital car park. It's estimated that 40% of NHS funding comes from parking charges and 10% of cardiac admissions are car-parking-related.
The vagina monologue - The Guardian 01/04/05
Most women need no defence from a conventional birth, says Belinda Phipps
Sales of Turkey Twizzlers soar as Britain's canteen culture remains a Jamie-free zone - The Independent 03/04/05
Described as a menace to children's health, banned from schools across the country, the Turkey Twizzler is having the last laugh - or should that be gobble.
Food watchdog is 'biased against organic food', says its own review - The Independent 03/02/05
Britain's official food safety watchdog must review its controversial policies on GM and organic goods, a wide-ranging official review of its performance has concluded.
More sexual assaults are caused by too much alcohol than by 'date rape' drugs - The Independent 03/04/05
Alcohol is being blamed as the cause of three out of every four alleged "date rapes" or sexual assaults.
School meals turf war -The Independent 03/04/05
Ruth Kelly, admitted last week that existing guidelines drawn up in 2001 are inadequate.
Internet-savvy patients make life difficult for doctors - The Independent 02/03/05
Family doctors are having to redefine their traditional "father figure" role because patients increasingly turn to the internet for medical advice, a conference was told.
Internet poses challenge to doctors - Daily Mail 01/04/05
Internet turns patients into know it alls - Daily Mail 01/04/05
Net 'means GPs must find a new role' - The Telegraph 02/04/05
Children as young as 11 are unhappy with their bodies - The Independent 02/03/05
Almost 80 per cent of pre-adolescent children are unhappy with their bodies, according to research.
Children's health suffers if unhappy with body shape - Daily Mail 01/04/05
Four fifths of children dislike their body shape - The Telegraph 02/04/05
'Maths anxiety' may cause problems - Daily Mail 03/04/05
People who struggle with sums may be suffering from a mental block caused by "maths anxiety", say psychologists.
Caesarean births rise again - Daily Mail 01/04/05
Campaigners are disappointed after figures have shown an increase in the rate of Caesarean births.
Alarm as C-sections rise, UK - Medical News Today 03/04/05
1 pound cut in Welsh prescriptions - Daily Mail 01/04/05
A "significant" cut in prescription charges has come into force in Wales, prompting fears of a rise in so-called "health tourism".
Pledge to stop 'health tourists' - BBC Health News 01/04/05
Reid faces questions over death - Daily Mail 01/04/05
Health Secretary John Reid is facing questions over the death of a 10-year-old boy following a severe asthma attack and 90-minute wait for paramedics.
Pharmacies open at supermarket - Daily Mail 01/04/05
Supermarket chain Asda is preparing to cash in on a relaxation of rules governing where chemists can open in the UK.
NHS nets 4.5m in drug prices row - Daily Mail 01/04/05
A drug company has agreed to compensate the NHS by 4.5 million in a legal battle over the alleged price-fixing of medicines, it has been announced.
NHS wins 4.5m from drug company - BBC Health News 01/04/05
Morgan pledge over 'health tourism' - Daily Mail 01/04/05
Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan pledged to tighten the rules to prevent so-called "health tourists" taking advantage of cheaper prescription charges in Wales.
Long waits for IVF treatment - Daily Mail 01/04/05
Couples waiting for fertility treatment on the NHS are still facing lengthy waits with wide variations across England, a survey has revealed.
GPs 'unhelpful' over multiple births - Daily Mail 01/04/05
Family doctors have been criticised for failing to give parents expecting a multiple birth vital advice and support during pregnancy.
Call for hospital ethics specialists - Daily Mail 01/04/05
All hospitals in the UK should have a specialist in ethics to help doctors facing difficult medical dilemmas, a researcher has said.
Probe into orange juice syringe - Daily Mail 02/04/05
A factory is at the centre of investigations into how a syringe came to be in a carton of Sainsbury's orange juice.
Watchdog attacks plans for genetic tests on babies - Daily Mail 01/04/05
Plans to give babies genetic 'barcodes' from birth were condemned as unethical yesterday.
Viagra link to cases of blindness - Daily Mail 01/04/05
Men who use Viagra may put themselves at risk of permanent blindness, experts warn.
Viagra linked to blindness risk - BBC Health News 01/04/05
Identifying sperm donors 'leads to shortage' - Daily Mail 01/04/05
Experts fear new rules lifting the anonymity of sperm and egg donors will lead to shortage of future donors.
Experts fear superbug pandemic - Daily Mail 01/04/05
A strain of the MRSA superbug caught in public places as opposed to hospitals could spread faster and wider than first thought, experts say.
Chemists' bitter pill - Daily Mail 31/03/05
Hundreds of small chemist shops face being driven out of business under a funding shake-up.
Junk food 'helps pupils pass exams' - The Telegraph 02/04/05
Children do better in exams if they are given junk food for lunch, new research has found.
We must learn a lesson from Terri Schiavo - The Telegraph 03/04/05
It is not that I'm agnostic about the fate of Terri Schiavo, the vegetative woman who died last week in Florida after feeding tubes were removed from her. Quite the reverse. I found myself in vigorous agreement with whatever side of the argument I was listening to.
Comment: Andrew Sullivan: An age-old moral lifeline out of the Terri Schiavo torment - The Sunday Times 03/04/05
Cannabis ingredient causes toxic psychosis - The Telegraph 02/04/05
Cannabis-based medicines can induce dangerous psychotic reactions in patients, according to research published yesterday.
Why must we die before the French? - The Telegraph 01/04/05
Longevity figures show British life expectancy in the middle of the EU league, says Barbara Lantin. But obesity could reverse a steady two-century improvement
Texters lose touch with reality - The Telegraph 01/04/05
Modern communication is causing 'pseudo ADD', discovers Helen Kirwan-Taylor
Bush Order Allows Isolation of Those with Bird Flu - Reuters 01/04/05
President Bush issued a directive on Friday allowing authorities to detain or isolate any passenger suspected of having avian flu when arriving in the United States aboard an international flight.
Victims of Nazi Medical Experiments Get More Funds - Reuters 01/04/05
Some 714 surviving victims of Nazi medical experiments are being paid additional funds, bringing their compensation to 6,693 euros ($8,675) each, an international aid agency said on Friday.
Computer Helps Detect Small Breast Cancers - Reuters 01/04/05
A computer-aided detection system can help radiologists spot small breast tumors that may otherwise be missed, results of a study show. The system detected 92 percent of cancers that were 5 millimeters in size or smaller.
Memory Remains Intact in Type 1 Diabetics - Reuters 01/04/05
Some areas of cognitive function, or thinking ability, are impaired in patients with type 1 diabetes, but learning and memory remain intact, Dutch investigators report.
Fibroid Treatment May Not Complicate Pregnancy - Reuters 01/04/05
Uterine artery embolization is a blood vessel blocking technique used to treat fibroids, benign growths in the uterus that can cause pain and other symptoms. Although this treatment is not generally recommended for women planning to become pregnant, a new report suggests that it doesn't significantly raise the risk of most pregnancy problems.
Hormonal Drug Aids Prostate Cancer Survival-Study - Reuters 01/04/05
Prostate cancer patients treated with the hormonal drug Zoladex immediately after radiation therapy live longer than men who wait to take the drug, researchers said on Friday.
Fruit, Veggies Tied to Lower Pancreatic Cancer Risk - Reuters 01/04/05
New research from Canada suggests that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help prevent pancreatic cancer, a particularly deadly type of tumor.
HIV Testing Advised for All Sexually Active People - Reuters 01/04/05
Now is the time to implement routine, not risk-based, HIV testing, according to an editorial published in the medical journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
New Test Detects Multiple Sclerosis - Reuters 01/04/05
A protein pattern or "molecular footprint" in the blood can distinguish patients with multiple sclerosis from healthy subjects, preliminary research suggests, which could make diagnosis of the disease much easier.
US-India research team completes analysis of X chromosome - Medical News Today 03/04/05
By intensely and systematically comparing the human X chromosome to genetic information from chimpanzees, rats and mice, a team of scientists from the United States and India has uncovered dozens of new genes, many of which are located in regions of the chromosome already tied to disease.
Changing the face of drug addiction treatment, Rockefeller University researchers - Medical News Today 03/04/05
People addicted to heroin, alcohol and other drugs of abuse often fail to stay clean because they won't go to or won't stay in treatment. Reporting in the January issue of the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, Scott Kellogg, Ph.D., and Mary Jeanne Kreek, M.D., at The Rockefeller University, and colleagues at the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) and at Johns Hopkins University, show that a treatment approach called contingency management improves patients' motivation to stay in treatment and increases their therapeutic progress.
British Company Sues Illinois Governor to Collect Payment for Imported Flu Vaccine Doses - Medical News Today 03/04/05
British flu vaccine distributor Ecosse last month filed a lawsuit in the Illinois Court of Claims alleging that state officials violated a contract with the company by refusing to pay $2.6 million for more than 250,000 doses of flu vaccine, the... AP/Las Vegas Sun reports (Lannan, AP/Las Vegas Sun, 3/31). In an effort to boost the state's supply amid a national vaccine shortage, Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) in late October 2004 requested FDA approval to purchase flu vaccine through European wholesalers. Under the request, Illinois planned to distribute the flu vaccine to state residents. New York City, Cleveland and New Mexico officials later partnered with Illinois in the request. Blagojevich said that he negotiated with wholesalers to pay $7 per dose. Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes (D) in late January refused to pay $2.6 million for the vaccine, which FDA officials never approved and the state did not receive. Blagojevich's administration has said the contract with the foreign provider should be honored (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 2/3). Hynes maintains that the state is not obligated to pay the distributor under an escape clause in the contract. The provision states that the contract may be terminated for "unforeseeable circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including ... governmental regulation." A commissioner will be assigned to hear the case and make a recommendation to the court. Illinois has 60 days to respond to the complaint, according to the state attorney general's office.
New vaccine means bye-bye to bacteria in the lung - Pseudomonas aeruginosa - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium that can cause respiratory tract infections, which can be life threatening in patients who have cystic fibrosis. It is therefore important to develop a vaccine against this pathogen. Appearing online on 1 April 2005 in advance of print publication of the May issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation, Ronald Crystal and colleagues from Cornell University use a novel strategy to create a genetic vaccine against P. aeruginosa.
Roundup® highly lethal to amphibians, finds University of Pittsburgh researcher - Medical News Today 03/04/05
The herbicide Roundup® is widely used to eradicate weeds. But a study published today by a University of Pittsburgh researcher finds that the chemical may be eradicating much more than that.
Organochlorine compounds present in diet increase risk of colon cancer - Medical News Today 03/04/05
The study points to a relationship between organochlorine compounds, contaminants commonly found in the environment, and this type of cancer - A team of researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, The Catalan Institute of Oncology and the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) have published a study indicating that exposure to organochlorine compounds, which we ingest in our diets, increases the risk of suffering colorectal cancer. The authors have identified two types of compounds, present in the blood of cancer patients, in double the quantity of the non-affected population undergoing the study. In addition, the researchers studied the mechanism that triggers the disease. They have been able to deduce that these compounds cause genetic alterations in genes such as the K-Ras and the p53, which are involved in other cancers such as breast cancer or cancer of the pancreas.
Ex Pres. Clinton Receives 2005 Carter Award for Humanitarian Contributions for Work in Fight Against HIV/AIDS - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Former President Clinton on Thursday was awarded the 2005 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Award for Humanitarian Contributions to the Health of Humankind from the... National Foundation for Infectious Diseases for his post-presidency work in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the AP/ABC News reports. Clinton expressed gratitude that the Clinton Foundation has been able to reduce the price of antiretroviral medicines to less than $140 per person annually for some HIV/AIDS patients. "I just knew that unless somebody was committed to helping these countries systemize their approach and get this medicine out there, people were going to keep dying like flies who don't have to die," Clinton said. He estimated that more than 100,000 people in developing countries will have been helped by the foundation's work by the end of 2005 (Barrett, AP/ABC News, 4/1). He added that he hopes more than two million people would be helped by his foundation's programs by 2008. Clinton also called on wealthy nations to provide more assistance in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, saying it is "unconscionable" how little some nations are doing to prevent disease epidemics, according to the Washington Post (Harris, Washington Post, 4/1).
First Cases of Rare STD Reported Among MSM in United Kingdom - Medical News Today 03/04/05
The first cases of a rare sexually transmitted disease called lymphogranuloma venereum, or LGV, have been reported in the United Kingdom, with health officials reporting 34 cases among men who have unprotected sex with men by mid-February, according to an article published in... BMJ's journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, London's Daily Mail reports (Daily Mail, 3/31). At least 90 MSM in the Netherlands have been diagnosed with LGV, and officials have reported cases in Belgium, France, Sweden and Britain. CDC officials in November 2004 warned doctors that LGV had been spreading among MSM in Europe and could appear among MSM in the United States. In December 2004, San Francisco public health officials issued a warning about LGV and announced that four MSM there had been diagnosed with the infection. In February, New York City health officials issued a warning following two local cases among MSM.
Statin simvastatin linked to protection against endothelial dysfunction in diabetic rats - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Almost two years ago, the diabetes arm of the Heart Protection Study, the largest-ever study using a cholesterol-lowering medication, found that diabetics who took a daily dose of the statin drug simvastatin over five years reduced the risk of a first nonlethal heart attack by 37 percent and risk of a first nonfatal or fatal stroke by 24 percent, regardless of their cholesterol or glucose levels. That is significant, since people with diabetes are two to four times more likely than others to have a coronary event even though their low-density lipid (LDL) cholesterol levels are similar to those in the general population.
Sexual Lifestyles Vary Among Ethnic Groups in Britain - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Patterns of sexual lifestyles and sexually transmitted infections (STI) vary among ethnic groups in Great Britain, concludes a study in this week's issue of The Lancet.
Terri Schiavo - Lessons Learned, Center for Practical Bioethics - Medical News Today 03/04/05
The Terri Schiavo story is truly tragic. The heartbreaking circumstances surrounding this story indicate that we still have much to do to improve care for the seriously ill and dying in this country (USA).
Three Nonsurgical Pain Treatments for Bone Tumors Very Effective - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Research shows that three new nonsurgical treatments reduced the severe pain caused by bone tumors by 74 - 89 percent, in patients that have failed conventional pain treatments. The studies were presented today at the 30th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology. These new nonsurgical techniques -- osteoplasty, radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation -- heat or freeze the tumor, which kills the tumor and nerve endings in the vicinity of the metastasis, that were causing pain. Cancer often metastasizes to bone, and can cause terrible pain that is unrelieved by narcotics and other standard pain treatments. These treatments could benefit many of the 100,000 people who develop bone metastasis in the United States each year.
Growth factor in baby formula could reduce necrotizing enterocolitis, most devastating GI disease in preemies - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Could it be that the most widespread and devastating gastrointestinal disease affecting premature babies could be conquered simply by adding a common polypeptide, epidermal growth factor (EGF), to infant formula? And if so, exactly how does it work, and why?
Estrogen, SERMS reduce asthma impact by halting constriction - Medical News Today 03/04/05
New molecular targets, concentration tests may improve current asthma therapy - For years, anecdotal evidence suggested that ovulating or pregnant women or post-menopausal women taking estrogen supplements, experienced fewer asthma attacks and less severe asthma symptoms, strongly suggesting that perhaps estrogen affects airway smooth muscle function by preventing the hyperresponsiveness characteristic of asthma and other chronic lung diseases.
Implanted medical device aims to lower blood pressure - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Doctors at the University of Rochester Medical Center are the first in the nation to implant an investigational medical device that lowers blood pressure by activating the body's natural blood pressure regulation systems.
Maintaining proper weight can prevent gallstones - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Anyone who's ever experienced a gallstone knows about the excruciating pain associated with the condition, whether the stone is as tiny as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. The gallbladder may produce a single stone or many smaller ones, even several thousand.
Angioplasty Prevents Amputation in Severe Peripheral Arterial Disease - Medical News Today 03/04/05
This study, presented today at the 30th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology, showed that treating long segments of the blocked artery with subintimal angioplasty, followed by stenting as needed, was highly successful in restoring blood flow nonsurgically and preventing amputation. Subintimal angioplasty differs from the usual intraluminal angioplasty because subintimal angioplasty is performed in the wall of the artery to create a new nondiseased channel underneath the diseased lumen area, whereas traditional angioplasty opens the narrowed lumen. The study examined treating long segments of small vessels in the legs and feet, the superficial femoral arteries and tibial arteries, in patients with chronic critical limb ischemia. These patients had blood flow to the feet so restricted from peripheral arterial disease, that most were not candidates for arterial bypass surgery, the treatment frequently offered to patients with chronic critical limb ischemia, and were facing amputation of their foot and leg.
'Mandela's Paradox' may show that osteoporosis propensity starts in pre-teen years - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Black South African adults have very low hip fracture rate despite low calcium intake and exercise rates as youths - After Nelson Mandela was released from prison February 11, 1990, all children born in the greater Johannesburg area were enrolled in a 20-year longitudinal study. Officially known as "Birth to Twenty," the study and its 3,273 youth, are colloquially referred to as "Mandela's Children." It's the largest and longest running study of child and adolescent health and development in Africa, and one of the few large-scale longitudinal studies in the world.
Hutton Welcomes New Additions to the Foundation Trust Family, UK - Medical News Today 03/04/05
UK Health Minister John Hutton today welcomed a further wave of NHS Foundation Trusts. It follows the announcement by Monitor, the independent regulator of foundation trusts, that six more Trusts had achieved foundation status. The successful trusts - which will enjoy foundation status from 1 April 2005 - are: - Heart of England (formerly Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull) - Frimley Park NHS Trust - Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust - Liverpool Women's Hospital NHS Trust - Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases NHS Trust - The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals
In anoxia, why can't humans be more like western painted turtles? - Medical News Today 03/04/05
The right answer could yield better anesthetics, as well as improved stroke and heart attack outcomes - for everyone - For a human, mere minutes without oxygen (called anoxia) resulting from cardiac arrest, cerebral stroke or being trapped under water can lead to profound tissue damage and even death. However a Western painted turtle can survive anoxia for months without apparent tissue damage. Why, and how?
Long-Term Data Show Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) Is Effective - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Data presented at the 30th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology found that the nonsurgical embolization treatment for uterine fibroids had a 73 percent success rate at five years. Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is a minimally invasive interventional radiology treatment that blocks the blood supply to the fibroid tumors, causing them to shrink and die, alleviating symptoms.
Nonsurgical Lung Cancer Treatment Has 91% Survival at 2 Years - Medical News Today 03/04/05
After receiving treatment of radiofrequency heat to “cook” and kill their lung tumors, patients had a 91 percent cancer-specific survival rate at one and two years, according to results of a prospective, multicenter trial that was presented today at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 30th Annual Scientific Meeting. The research also showed the radiofrequency ablation (RFA) technique successfully killed the tumor inside the body without surgery in 93 percent of the cases. During radiofrequency ablation, an interventional radiologist inserts a small, energy-delivering probe through the skin, directly into the tumor using imaging for guidance. Heat is delivered through the probe to destroy the tumor cells without significant side effects or damage to nearby normal tissue.
Obesity Drug? - 'Second messenger' NAADP shows fast, dose-related impact on satiety cycle - Medical News Today 03/04/05
One traditional approach to pharmaceutical design uses so-called "first messengers" - hormones, other natural facilitators or synthetic products - to initiate various cellular cascades for the desired physiological effect. To date, despite concerted efforts at all levels of research, this approach has failed to develop a truly successful obesity drug to address this major global health problem.
100 Years of Progress in Tuberculosis Treatment - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Over the past century, the use of anti-tuberculosis drugs has changed tuberculosis from a disease with a 50 percent mortality rate, which was treated by collapsing the affected lung and rest in a sanitarium, to a condition successfully cured by use of chemotherapy.
Alcoholism reduces male heart's ability to synthesize protein; possible therapy target? - Medical News Today 03/04/05
The fact that men and women react differently to alcohol consumption and addiction, health and behavior risks, disease and death is well known and accepted. Women get drunker faster on less alcohol than men, but fewer women drink either occasionally or heavily, and men are more likely to become dependent on alcohol.
Prenatal vitamins not so benign when small children find them - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Many expectant mothers don't always think to keep their prenatal vitamins under lock and key or at least out of reach of their other young children. But doing so just might save their toddler's life, says Dr. Kathleen Delaney, vice chairman of emergency medicine and professor of surgery and internal medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Autistic children's abnormal metabolic profile findings - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Chronic biochemical imbalance is often a primary factor in the development of many complex diseases but a possible metabolic basis for autism has not been well explored. Now Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute researchers report for the first time that children with autism have a severely abnormal metabolic profile indicating increased vulnerability to oxidative stress. The scientists also identified a significant increase in the frequency of several genetic polymorphisms that they believe may increase the risk of autism in specific combinations yet to be determined.
Engineers, Surgeons Design Breakthrough Laparoscopy Tool - Medical News Today 03/04/05
A new articulated grasping tool will revolutionize laparoscopic surgery, those responsible for the design at the University of Nebraska say.
Ranbaxy Receives FDA Approval To Market A Generic Alternative To Macrobid® - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (RLL) announced today that the Company has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to manufacture and market Nitrofurantoin Monohydrate/Macrocrystals Capsules, 100 mg. The Office of Generic Drugs, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has determined the Ranbaxy formulations to be bioequivalent and have the same therapeutic effect as that of the reference listed drug Macrobid®. Total annual market sales for Nitrofurantoin Monohydrate/Macrocrystals Capsules were $80.0 million (IMS - MAT: December 2004).
Recognizing heart attack symptoms early and calling 911 increases survival rate - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Each year, more than a million people suffer a heart attack in the United States. The chances of surviving such an event rely heavily on how soon you recognize the symptoms and get to a hospital for treatment, says James M. Atkins, professor of internal medicine-cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Therapy For Multiple Sclerosis - Serono And Syntonix Sign Worldwide Agreement To Develop/Commercialize An Inhaleable Interferon-Be - Medical News Today o3/04/05
Serono (virt-x: SEO and NYSE: SRA) and Syntonix Pharmaceuticals Inc announced today that they have entered into an agreement under which Serono has licensed worldwide exclusive rights to Syntonix' Transceptor™ and SynFusion™ technologies for the development and commercialization of interferon-beta:Fc products.
Study Proves Risk of Older Adults Falling is Significantly Reduced by Wearing Arch Supports - Medical News Today 03/04/05
A recent study has proven that wearing a properly designed and fitted arch support results in significant improvements in balance, functional mobility, and reduced levels of pain in older adults. Poor balance, limited functional mobility and lower extremity and back pain increase the risk of falls in older adults. They can lower their risk of falls by initiating self-care activities, such as wearing arch supports, to improve balance, comfort and mobility.
Bayer HealthCare receives FDA approval for hepatitis total assay - Medical News Today 03/04/05
(NYSE:BAY) announced today the sixth FDA approved, automated assay for hepatitis on its market leading ADVIA Centaur® Immunoassay System. The US Food and Drug Administration approved Bayer HealthCare Diagnostics' assay for Hepatitis A (HAV) Total, an in vitro diagnostic immunoassay for the qualitative determination of total antibodies to the hepatitis A virus in human serum or plasma. The assay can be used by laboratories to aid in the diagnosis of previous or ongoing hepatitis A viral infection or in the identification of HAV-susceptible individuals for vaccination.
What to Do About Sensitive Teeth - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Foods - hot, cold, sweet or sour - can cause pain in a sensitive tooth. Touch or even air can be bothersome, too.
Viagra may treat preeclampsia - Medical News Today 03/04/05
The first study to consider the effect of Viagra (sildenafil) during pregnancy affected by hypertension on such significant facts as fetal growth and well-being and the mother's uterine circulation yielded surprisingly positive results, which may indicate possible utility in preeclampsia, the leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide.
Radiation therapy for prostate cancer nearly doubles the risk of rectal cancer - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Men who undergo radiation for prostate cancer have nearly double the risk of developing rectal cancer when compared to men who opt to have surgery to treat prostate cancer, according to a study published today in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Gastroenterology. Men who receive radiation for prostate cancer have a 70 percent higher risk of developing rectal cancer than those who underwent surgery, a risk similar to that posed by having a family history of the disease.
Prisons Transfer Health Services to Local PCTS, UK - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Most UK prisons will transfer responsibility for commissioning health services to their local primary care trusts (PCTs) a year ahead of schedule, Community Minister Stephen Ladyman announced today.
Prisons Transfer Health Services To Local PCTS, RCGP Comment, UK - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Cultural and social factors influence prostate cancer treatment - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Researchers say social and cultural factors play a significant role in patients' prostate cancer treatment decisions. A new study published in the May 1, 2005 issue of CANCER... ( interscience.wiley.com/cancer-newsroom), a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, finds non-medical variables, such as marital status, high school education, and race/ethnicity may play a larger role in patients' treatment decisions than previously believed. Prostate cancer is now detected earlier than ever because of the introduction of a simple blood test in 1987 called the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. However, the treatment options for prostate cancer - radical prostatectomy, external beam radiation, and brachytherapy - have no evidence of clear mortality benefit over expectant treatment (i.e., observation). Moreover, the treatments can lead to serious side effects, including urinary incontinence, impotence, and bowel urgency. It is widely assumed that men make treatment decisions based on medical considerations, such as age, other existing conditions, and the grade of the tumor. Investigators led by Thomas Denberg, M.D., Ph.D. of the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center in Denver reviewed data from 27,920 Hispanic, non-Hispanic, white, and black men without underlying conditions who were registered in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer database. The investigators found that sociocultural and racial factors independently predicted treatment. Caucasian, black, and Hispanic patients were equally likely to receive curative treatments over "watchful waiting" but while Caucasian and Hispanic men were more likely to choose prostatectomy, black men were more likely to be treated with radiation. Independently, marriage was also an important predictor of treatment: married men in all three groups were much more likely than unmarried men to receive curative treatment over watchful waiting, and they were also more likely than their unmarried counterparts to receive prostatectomy compared with radiation. The authors summarize, "This study confirmed the hypothesis that sociocultural factors add significant explanatory power to traditional biomedical variables in understanding treatment patterns of early-stage prostate cancer." Article: "Marriage and Ethnicity Predict Treatment in Localized Prostate Carcinoma," Thomas D. Denberg, Brenda L. Beaty, Fernando J. Kim, John F. Steiner, CANCER; Published Online: March 28, 2005 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.20982); Print Issue Date: May 1, 2005. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. http://www.interscience.wiley.com/
Update on the Investigation of a Rare Strain of HIV in a NY City Resident - Medical News Today 02/04/05
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is continuing its investigation of a multi-drug-class resistant strain of HIV that appears to have rapidly progressed to AIDS in a New York City man. This is an update on the status of the investigation.
Two-part blood pressure control suggests new approach to hypertension therapy - Medical News Today 02/04/05
The kidneys have long been known to play a major role in many cases of high blood pressure, but a new study by researchers at Duke University Medical Center reveals that the body's control of blood pressure depends as much on other organs in the body. The researchers said the findings about a "two-part system" may lead to improved methods for treating high blood pressure, which affects nearly one in three American adults.
Fat may promote inflammation, new study suggests - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Why does extra fat around the waist increase the risk of heart disease? A new study by Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center researchers and colleagues suggests that inflammation may be the key.
Ranbaxy (UK) LTD Settle NHS Claim For 'Price Fixing', UK - Medical News Today 02/04/05
The UK Department of Health and Ranbaxy (UK) Ltd ("Ranbaxy") are pleased to jointly announce settlement of the claims brought against Ranbaxy for alleged anti-competitive cartel conduct in connection with the supply to the NHS of generic drugs between 1996 and 2000. Under the terms of the settlement Ranbaxy have agreed, on a full and final basis and without admission of liability, to compensate the NHS by payment of £4.5 million and to provide co-operation in the context of the ongoing proceedings. Both Ranbaxy and the Department of Health look forward to a strong working relationship in the future and are committed to the highest standards of health care at all levels.
Program finds lost genes in nematode genome, ‘Good to the last amino acid', Crossing the tipping point - Medical News Today 02/04/05
A computer scientist at Washington University in St. Louis has applied software that he has developed to the genome of a worm and has found 150 genes that were missed by previous genome analysis methods. Moreover, using the software, he and his colleagues have developed predictions for the existence of a whopping 1, 119 more genes.
Pfizer Awarded Preliminary Injunction Blocking Teva/Ranbaxy from Selling Generic Quinapril - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Ruling Requires Teva/Ranbaxy to Withdraw Generic Quinapril From US Market - Pfizer Inc said today it has obtained a preliminary injunction halting sales of a generic quinapril product marketed by Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited. In a decision issued today, Judge Dickinson R. Debevoise of the U.S. District Court of New Jersey ordered Teva and Ranbaxy to immediately stop marketing the product which Teva launched in December 2004 under its own label as part of an agreement with Ranbaxy.
Ranbaxy to Appeal Preliminary Injunction Against Sales of Quinapril - Medical News Today 03/04/05
Lack of clinical trial participation may contribute to lower survival rates - Medical News Today 02/04/05
A new study finds poor survival rates among young adults and older adolescents with some cancers may be partially explained by the lack of participation in clinical trials. The study, published in the May 1, 2005 issue of CANCER
Picky eating among girls - Can mother's pressure cause it? - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Many parents are concerned with their children refusing to eat certain foods. And while bouts of independence are part of being a young child, could parental pressure lead to picky eating among kids?
Girls Follow Mom's Lead When Eating Fruits, Veggies - Reuters 01/04/05
Obesity Life-Expectancy Study Reinforces Need for Healthier Toddler Eating Habits - Medical News Today 02/04/05
A new study published in the March 2005 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine reports that rapid increases in childhood and adolescent obesity could shorten the future American lifespan by two to five years. The study reaffirms the obesity research being conducted by SimplyH (a global health organization) founder and CEO, Dr. Richard Visser, which finds that obesity prevention is imperative to raising healthy and fit kids, and that healthy, low-sugar eating patterns must be established in early childhood.
Xeloda wins EU approval for adjuvant therapy in colon cancer treatment - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Colon cancer patients have access to a new, more convenient and safer treatment option compared to the current standard of therapy - Roche announced today that the European authorities have approved Xeloda (capecitabine), an innovative oral chemotherapy, to be used as an adjuvant treatment (post-surgery) for colon cancer. Patients will now have the choice of an effective, convenient chemotherapy that prolongs cancer free life, with a less serious side effect profile compared to the current standard treatment of intravenous 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (i.v. 5-FU/LV).
Asthma - FDA Approves ASMANEX(R) (mometasone furoate) for Once Daily Management - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Studies Show Improved Lung Function, Decreased Use of Rescue Medication and Significant Improvement in Day and Nighttime Symptoms - Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of ASMANEX(R) TWISTHALER(R) 220 mcg (mometasone furoate inhalation powder) for the first-line maintenance treatment of asthma as preventive therapy in patients 12 years of age and older. ASMANEX is also the only inhaled asthma controller therapy approved for once daily initiation and management of asthma in patients previously treated with bronchodilators alone or inhaled corticosteroids. Clinical studies with ASMANEX have shown substantial improvement in lung function, decreased use of rescue medication, decreased incidence of nighttime awakenings and significant improvements in daytime symptoms such as coughing and wheezing.
NHS professionals call for more integration, better communications between different areas of the NHS, UK - Medical News Today 01/04/05
New research from Health Direction, the healthcare business intelligence specialists, has today revealed that over half (52%) of (UK) NHS professionals surveyed believe that integration and communication between different areas of the NHS is the most important factor affecting their ability to carry out their role. 62% of those surveyed were interested in how their organisation compares to others at a national level, with a further 55% expressing an interest in how their organisation compares within their Strategic Health Authority.
Nurse organisations welcome new broad-based assessment system to replace star ratings in NHS, UK - Medical News Today 02/04/05
NHS Confederation celebrates the abolition of star ratings, UK - Medical News Today 01/04/05
Rated 3 in Health; News; National and International News on Apr 2, 2005 at 19:48:48 GMT.
The NHS Confederation, which represents more than 90% of NHS organisations, has welcomed changes made by the Healthcare Commission to its ratings system to measure the performance of NHS trusts.
The UK's Healthcare Commission has developed the new system for assessing public and private health services in England - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Multiple Sclerosis - TYSABRI® Update - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) and Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) announced today that their ongoing safety evaluation of TYSABRI® (natalizumab) has led to a previously diagnosed case of malignant astrocytoma being reassessed as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), in a patient in an open label Crohn's disease clinical trial.
New Trial for Treatment of Liver Disease - NASH Clinical Research Network - Medical News Today 02/04/05
The Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) Clinical Research Network is launching its first two clinical trials for the study of NASH, a liver disease that resembles alcoholic liver disease but occurs in patients who drink little or no alcohol. NASH occurs most often in adults over the age of 40 who are overweight or have diabetes, insulin resistance (pre-diabetes), or hyperlipidemia (excess concentrations of fatty materials in the blood). NASH can also occur in children, the elderly, normal-weight, and non-diabetic persons. The NASH Clinical Research Network and the clinical trial are funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
New miniaturised chip dramatically reduces time taken for DNA analysis - Medical News Today 02/04/05
The portable device will speed up performing paternity tests, identifying bacterial infections and detecting genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
New approach to eye training may significantly improve performance for radiologists, pilots and other professionals using monitors - Medical News Today 02/04/05
A new study suggests there may be a better way to sharpen the eyes of radiologists, military pilots and other professionals for whom identifying objects or patterns in a monitor or visual display - often quickly and with pinpoint accuracy - is a critical part of the job.
Long-Term Survival in Lung Transplantation - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Based on a study of 752 French patients who underwent either lung or heart-lung transplantation, investigators revealed a close relationship between graft ischemic time and long-term survival after single or double lung transplantation. (Graft ischemic time was defined as the interval between the application of the aortic cross clamp during donor organ removal and the reperfusion (restoration of blood flow) in the graft of the recipient.)
Marburg virus disease in Angola - 140 cases, 132 fatal - Medical News Today 02/04/05
As of 31 March, 140 cases of Marburg virus disease have been reported in Angola. Of these, 132 have been fatal. Cases continue to be concentrated in Uige.
India Government, NGOs Adopt 'Delhi Commitment' To Protect, Support Children Affected by, Vulnerable to HIV/AIDS - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Indian government ministries and nongovernmental organizations in New Delhi on Thursday after a two-day national consultation on children affected by and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS adopted a "comprehensive" national policy recommendation to protect, care and provide support for such children, the... Hindu reports (Hindu, 3/31). The "Delhi Commitment" is aimed at strengthening existing policies and seeks to guide new developments and establish a coordinated approach to helping children, according to Webindia123.com (Webindia123.com, 3/31). During the opening of the meeting -- which was organized by India's Department of Women & Child Development, UNICEF and the National AIDS Control Organization -- Loveleen Kacker, the joint secretary of DWCD, said India currently is formulating several programs and a new law under the national action plan that would protect vulnerable children (UNI/Navhind Times, 3/29). In endorsing the agreement, India's Ministries of Human Resource Development and Health & Family Welfare, U.N. agencies and faith-based groups "rededicated themselves" to helping families provide protection and care for AIDS orphans and children vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, according to the Hindu (Hindu, 3/31). According to UNAIDS estimates, there are about 170,000 HIV-positive children under age 15 in India, where about 5.1 million HIV-positive people live. There are no estimates on the number of children indirectly affected by the disease (Newindpress.com, 3/29).
Key Milestone for Health Protection Agency, UK - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Under the Health Protection Agency Act, the status of the Health Protection Agency has today moved from that of Special Health Authority to Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB)
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Dawn of New Era for Pharmacy, UK - Medical News Today 02/04/05
People will get a lot more health services from their high street pharmacist from today announced UK Health Secretary John Reid. Thanks to a new contractual framework for community pharmacy patients will benefit from better services such as repeat dispensing and more accessibility to frontline healthcare services, like blood pressure tests, on the high street.
Chronic Idiopathic Constipation - Sucampo Submits New Drug Application for Lubiprostone, an Investigational Compound - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ("Takeda",) announced today its partner, Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 31, 2005 to market lubiprostone, a novel compound with a unique mechanism of action, for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation and associated symptoms in adults. Based on an agreement reached in October 2004, Takeda will market lubiprostone, once approved, in U.S. and Canada through their US subsidiary.
Impact of Treating Anemia on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Type 2 Diabetes - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Amgen Inc (Nasdaq:AMGN), the world's largest biotechnology company, today announced that TREAT (Trial to Reduce Cardiovascular Events with Aranesp(R) Therapy), an Amgen-sponsored trial, is featured in the March 2005 issue of the American Heart Journal. TREAT is the first randomized controlled trial specifically designed to determine whether treating anemia reduces cardiovascular events in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and Type 2 diabetes.
Edifoligide (E2F Decoy) Phase 3 Trial for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Failure - Results - Medical News Today 02/04/05
Corgentech Inc (Nasdaq: CGTK), and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) announced top-line results from PREVENT IV, a Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the use of edifoligide (E2F Decoy), an investigational product, to prevent vein graft failure following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Treatment with E2F Decoy failed to meet the trial's primary and secondary endpoints. E2F Decoy was generally well tolerated in the 3,014-patient trial. Corgentech will host a webcast conference call today at 8:30 a.m. EST to review the clinical data announced today.
‘Inoperable' advanced prostate cancer may be operable, curable - Medical News Today 02/04/05
New findings from Mayo Clinic indicate that cT3 prostate cancer, a disease in which the cancer has spread locally from inside the prostate to immediately outside it, is operable and has 15-year cancer survival rates of almost 80 percent.
DOTS Show the Way to Tackle the Toughest TB - Medical News Today 02/04/05
New research has shown for the first time that the spread of multi drug-resistant TB can be halted through a well executed standard treatment programme. Bacterial fingerprinting techniques used to track disease transmission in a southern Mexico community revealed that all categories of tuberculosis were controlled when the DOTS strategy was used.
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