National and International News
Hundreds queue for NHS dentist - Daily Mail 02/05/05
A dentist has told how hundreds of people queued to register at his practice when he agreed to take on more NHS patients.
Hundreds queue up for NHS dentist - BBC Health News 02/05/05
'Grief like this can drive you insane' - The Telegraph 02/05/05
Stephanie Hunter's husband died on the rugby pitch; 11 years later, her son died in almost identical circumstances. Elizabeth Grice hears her heartbreaking story
Hospital row over failed vasectomy - Daily Mail 02/05/05
A mother has demanded an apology from health officials after claiming doctors had insisted that her partner's vasectomy meant he could not be the father of their second child.
Warning of worm infection threat - BBC Health News 02/05/05
The disability caused by a tropical parasitic worm infection is far greater than previously thought, warn experts.
Are they nationalising childhood? - The Telegraph 02/05/05
You would have thought that there could be few better investments to make than to set up a private day nursery. With more mothers than ever going back to work, and with the political parties competing to throw money at them, there can hardly have been a more auspicious time to dig into the savings, tap the bank manager for a loan and wait for the profits to pour in.
Skin cells jabs 'may cure baldness'- The Telegaph 02/05/05
Banishing baldness or getting rid of stretch marks could one day be as simple as having an injection of skin cells, a report revealed.
Scientists discover ultimate ‘cure-all’ - The Times 02/05/05
Physical depression ails ignored - BBC Health News 02/05/05
Although most people with depression have physical symptoms, few discuss them with their doctor, a survey shows.
The fight against Osteoporosis, Dr Thomas Stuttaford - The Times 02/05/05
THE DUCHESS of Cornwall’s first public engagement, when still Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles, was at a meeting of the National Osteoporosis Society. Her mother and grandmother suffered from osteoporosis and it is said to have contributed to her mother’s death. Over the past few years the Duchess’s concern has helped to keep this problem in the news.
Workload soared at hospital where mothers lost lives - The Times 02/05/05
A MATERNITY unit where ten mothers have died in the past three years had its workload increased by almost 50 per cent after the Government closed a nearby facility to make way for a much vaunted hospital project, it has emerged.
Children's diet link to disorders - The Guardian 02/05/05
British children are suffering behavioural and learning disorders because their diets are deficient in vital nutrients needed for their brains to function normally, a study reveals today.
Cautious doctors shun child protection - The Guardian 02/05/05
Doctors who work with children are seeking ways to protect themselves from a barrage of complaints when they report suspected child abuse, which may deter some from working in child protection.
It's a tough one ... - The Guardian 02/05/05
On Thursday, voters will pick the party to govern us for the next four years. But how to choose between them? Fittingly, one of the key differences between the politicians is their attitude to choice, and to how much of it we should be given. From the schools we select for our children to the hospitals where we go for surgery, James Meek investigates how - whether we notice it or not - the issue of choice has come to overshadow our everyday lives
Heart disease linked to loneliness - Daily Mail 01/05/05
Being the life and soul of the party could be good for the heart, according to a study linking loneliness with furred-up arteries.
Lonely hearts - The Times 02/05/05
Lonely men 'have high heart risk' - BBC Health News 02/05/05
Being a loner could be bad for your heart - The Guardian 02/05/05
Social connections: Could heartwarming be heart-saving? - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Bird flu mutates and now more infectious - The Independent 01/05/05
Deadly bird flu is mutating to spread from person to person, bringing a disastrous global pandemic closer, experts fear.
Crisps recalled over allergy fear - Daily Mail 01/05/05
Thousands of packets of crisps have been recalled after a mix-up meant unlabelled dairy products were used in two batches, said a manufacturer.
Condom gets it right on the night - Daily Mail 01/05/05
A condom with a kick that promotes safe sex could soon be on sale in Britain.
Limit on abortions set to be reduced - Daily Mail 01/05/05
Britain's 24-week limit on abortions could be reduced as the Government reviews the law for the first time in 15 years, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
How to keep our kids healthy - Daily Mail 01/05/05
We are a country that has long favoured convenience food. And with fatty and sugary meals advertised mercilessly on television, many children have been eating all the wrong things in colossal quantities.
'I can't remember creating my art' - BBC Health News 30/04/05
When William Fairbank sees the beautifully carved sculptures in Lincoln Cathedral he is rightly proud because they are his work.
Cannabis increases car-crash risk - BBC Health News 30/04/05
Heavy cannabis users are 10 times more likely to be injured, or to injure others, in car accidents, researchers have found.
Acupuncture 'more than a placebo' - BBC Health News 30/04/05
Scientists say they have proof that acupuncture works in its own right.
It's official: acupuncture really works - The Observer 01/05/05
At last the truth about acupuncture: it's as good as drugs for treating pain - The Independent 01/05/05
Needle cure effect 'is not all in the mind' - The Telegraph 02/05/05
Nutritionist to tackle unruly classrooms - The Independent 01/05/05
A controversial nutritionist with a track record of "curing" disruptive pupils has been enlisted in the Government's fight against growing indiscipline in the classroom.
Doctors accuse Labour over 48-hour GP target - The Independent 01/05/05
Doctors yesterday accused the Government of failing to recruit enough doctors and nurses to meet the target of seeing each patient within 48 hours.
40m patients are hit by GP appointments fiasco - Daily Mail 02/05/05
GPs 'wrong' on 48-hr booking - The Observer 01/05/05
Target practice [Leader] - The Guardian 30/04/05
When you can't see a GP - The Guardian 30/04/05
Truthwatch - The Guardian 30/04/05
GP booking fiasco known to ministers for two years - The Times 30/04/05
Targets for GPs to see patients within 48 hours may be scrapped - The Independent 30/04/05
GPs 'wrong over appointments', Reid - Daily Mail 30/04/05
GP 'target money set to rocket' - BBC Health News 29/04/05
Doctors attack Labour's GP targets - Daily Mail 29/04/05
Scientists create first twins in UK using 'freeze now, use later' egg technology - The Independent 01/05/05
Hailed as a breakthrough for women suffering from fertility problems, the revolutionary technique which enables eggs to be frozen for use at a later date is alarming experts who fear the emergence of lifestyle genetics. Sophie Goodchild reports
First 'frozen egg' twins on way - Daily Mail 02/05/05
Nurses 'fear needle danger' - Daily Mail 01/05/05
Nurses are still living with the daily fear of contracting a deadly disease through accidents involving needles at work, experts have warned.
Brush-off for a clean sweep - Daily Mail 01/05/05
Most people believe their homes are not clean enough, according to a new survey which also reveals the nation's ignorance about household germs.
Cancer dye found in jars of paprika - Daily Mail 30/04/05
A potentially cancer-causing dye - similar to the notorious Sudan 1 - has been discovered in jars of paprika, sparking a major product recall.
Paprika withdrawn after cancer scare - Daily Mail 30/04/05
Cancer alert over rogue food dye in paprika - The Times 30/04/05
Fourth couple in fertility campaign - Daily Mail 30/04/05
A fourth and final couple has been chosen for fertility treatment funded by a regional newspaper.
'Reducing red tape' GPS' priority - Daily Mail 30/04/05
Reducing red tape is the top concern of GPs which they feel needs to be addressed by the next government, a survey revealed.
Health staff back Labour NHS vision - Daily Mail 30/04/05
Three health service professionals spoke out in support of Labour's plans for the NHS.
Ministers bring home health message - Daily Mail 30/04/05
Health Secretary John Reid took the campaign against the Tories' health strategy to the streets of a marginal London constituency.
Suffering from Hurried Woman Syndrome? - Daily Mail 30/04/05
Being a mother, holding down a career and doing the housework can be an exhausting combination.
Paramedic furious at freedom for attacker - The Telegraph 01/05/05
A paramedic who was assaulted by a patient he had been called to help has spoken out about his anger at the system that let his attacker walk free with a caution.
'Choose and lose' - how another one of Labour's flagship health policies fell apart - The Telegraph 01/05/05
Family doctors are warning that another of the Government's much-trumpeted health targets, which is costing taxpayers more than 300 million to set up and run this year, is so misguided that it is likely to backfire.
The Vortex Energiser - The Telegraph 28/04/05
There's something in the water at Marco Pierre White's eateries, writes Thea Jourdan.
School steroid use on increase - The Observer 01/05/05
American health officials are warning of a dangerous new trend: girls as young as nine using illegal steroids to pump themselves up to resemble their favourite stars.
'Trust me, I'm a health page writer' - The Observer 01/05/05
Newspaper Marketing Agency boss Maureen Duffy on a section readers find increasingly compulsive
Carnal pleasures - The Observer 01/05/05
A recent report links eating red meat with an increased risk of colon cancer. But, as Dr John Briffa explains, there's a body of evidence to the contrary
Living for ages - The Observer 01/05/05
Living to be 130 would be fine if you felt like an 18-year-old. But chances are you'll feel 130... I can see myself sat in a bath chair, rug over my knees, wheezing like an old concertina, as I regale everyone with tales of Glastonbury festival 1996
Scandal of justice revolution that betrayed rape victims - The Observer 01/05/05
Despite radical reform of the way police and the courts deal with sex crimes, conviction rates are at a record low. Amelia Hill on the shocking story of Britain's rape crisis
Why beauty spas thank heaven for little girls - The Observer 01/05/05
Mothers taking daughters as young as five for facials and manicures have created a booming new market
Labour is the right choice - The Observer 01/05/05
This has not been an inspiring election campaign, but it has been a revealing one. It has not introduced many new arguments into the debate, but it has revived old ones - on immigration, on tax, on public services.
Master's class: The flying aid worker - The Guardian 30/04/05
Orbis is an international non-governmental organisation that works to prevent avoidable blindness in the world's developing countries. We are probably most famous for our Flying Eye Hospital. Based on commercial planes, it flies round the world helping to train local doctors, nurses and other health practitioners to help those with treatable eye disorders.
Michael Holden's screen burn - The Guardian 30/04/05
If strangers' kids screaming in the supermarket is the kind of thing that winds you up then this week's television brings that public ritual of disdain to the discomfort of your own home. Even if you like children, you'll hate these. The parade of demented youth and deranged infancy on offer could persuade the old woman who lived in a shoe to set fire to it and walk away without a backward glance. If you are pregnant, then watching any of these programmes is wholly inadvisable. Better to take up smoking instead. Seriously, if these tapes end up in the Vatican then the pro-life lobby can pack up and go home.
A victory for the freedom to be foolish [Comment] - The Guardian 30/04/05
I defend the right to swim in an icy pond even if I wouldn't do it myself
Work in progress - The Guardian 30/04/05
Every year around 1,000 sales reps, couriers, van and truck drivers, are killed in work-related road accidents and around 7,500 suffer serious injury. The TUC is marking the International Workers' Memorial Day (April 28) this week by publishing a guide to safer driving.
Funny Money - The Guardian 30/04/05
There's nothing like finding a new syndrome to worry about. Especially if you have all the symptoms.
Bosom buddies - The Guardian 30/04/05
We're told that breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world - but for children of two, three or four? Viv Groskop meets the mums who swear by late feeding (but not on the bus)
Natural health therapist Emma Mitchell answers your questions - The Guardian 30/04/05
I am a fit vegetarian, aged 60. Six months ago I had an operation to remove part of my bowel, and my previously inoffensive flatulence has become excessively malodorous.
Letters to the Editor: Nurses carry the burden [Letter] - The Sunday Times 01/05/05
WHEN was the last time Alan Ruddock had occasion to visit a doctor’s surgery, hospital or care facility (Comment, April 17)? He would be amazed at the courage, strength and skill of those providing care at the coalface. He would see for himself how impossibly hard it is to provide a decent standard of care when there are simply not enough staff to do it.
Baby’s health is priority[Letter] - The Sunday Times 01/05/05
I WAS enraged to read your article, Mother threatened with forced caesarean (News, last week). Would that woman ever cop on and do what’s best for the safe delivery of her baby, and for her own safety? Does she realise how lucky she is? My husband and I have a little boy who will be four shortly. We would so dearly love to have another baby but in the past two years and five months I have had four miscarriages and one ectopic pregnancy.
Drugs underprescribed to HIV-infected children - The Sunday Times 01/05/05
IRISH and British children infected with HIV have not received adequate doses of treatments for the virus, according to a study released last week, writes Enda Leahy.
Military hospital to relieve A&E - The Sunday Times 01/05/05
THE government looks set to proceed with plans to use a 19th-century military hospital to ease congestion in Dublin’s accident & emergency wards.
GPs charged premium rates for ambulance calls - The Sunday Times 01/05/05
DOCTORS are being charged up to 35p a minute to dial a premium rate phone line for emergency ambulance call-outs.
Scientists stub out theory that smoking keeps you slim - The Sunday Times 01/05/05
SCOTTISH scientists claim to have exploded the myth that young women are more likely to stay thin if they smoke.
More dentists leave the NHS - The Sunday Times 01/05/05
TWO more rural dentists have withdrawn from the National Health Service, forcing thousands of patients to find another practice or pay more for private treatment.
Food wrap linked to prostate cancer - The Sunday Times 01/05/05
A CHEMICAL used to make food wrapping and line tin cans could be the cause of surging prostate cancer rates in men, says a study.
Government ‘hides’ billions wasted in public services - The Sunday Times 01/05/05
THE release of official figures that are expected to reveal how ministers have wasted billions of pounds on schools, the police and other key public services have been delayed until after the election.
Epileptic died after 8-month wait for scan - The Sunday Times 01/05/05
A 26-YEAR-OLD publishing executive died after spending eight months on an NHS waiting list for a scan that would have enabled doctors to treat her condition.
Couch potatoes sprout bigger brains watching TV - The Sunday Times 01/05/04
TODAY’S screen culture is boosting the intelligence of children and teenagers, according to a controversial new book.
Blair promises to cut back on target numbers - The Guardian 30/04/05
Tony Blair yesterday signalled a review of the government's public service reform programme when he promised to reduce the number of targets imposed in schools and the NHS, as well as to make them more flexible and less centrally driven.
Childhood obesity study alarms doctors - The Guardian 30/04/05
The scale of the obesity epidemic among young children was revealed yesterday in official figures which showed that more than a quarter of two- to 10-year-olds in England are overweight and one in seven is obese.
Obesity in under-11s soars - The Independent 30/04/05
Children in UK among the world's fattest - The Telegraph 30/04/05
Fears over boys as obesity balloons among under 11s - The Times 30/04/05
Obesity 'still rising' among young- Daily Mail 29/04/05
Childhood obesity rises dramatically in the UK - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Hospital staff accidentally release deadly spider - The Guardian 30/04/05
The strange episode of the twice-bitten Somerset chef and the not-so-camera-shy Brazilian spider took a further twist last night, after it emerged that the deadly five-inch arachnid was freed to roam the grounds of a hospital after staff mistook it for a native species.
Forget superbugs, hospital falls prey to deadly spider - The Times 30/04/05
Government 'is hampering the fight against MRSA superbug' - The Independent 30/04/05
Eight out of 10 hospital infection control teams believe government targets have hampered efforts to deal with the MRSA superbug, according to a survey published by the Liberal Democrats.
Found: the real you - The Times 30/04/05
Breakthroughs, tips and trends IT’S BEEN called your soul, the mind or the self, but where or what is it? Philosophers and scientists have argued for centuries over whether the human brain, soul and mind are the same thing, but a breakthrough by British scientists has brought us closer to the answer.
Bitten in Britain - The Times 30/04/05
Stories behind the news: we're surrounded by venomous beasts - but don't panic
Analyse this: stabbing of Abigail - The Times 30/04/05
Acting out is good response to trauma THE shocking story of the attack on Abigail Witchalls and her infant son Joseph dominated headlines not only because of its extreme violence. Stabbed in a quiet country lane on the way home from a toddler group, she showed amazing courage and tenacity in transmitting the information to police.
A lounger life - The Times 30/04/05
SO you thought that a sofa was for sitting on. Oh no. A new survey has revealed that those plumped cushions (usually blue or cream, apparently) accommodate all of life’s rich upholstery.
Dr Copperfield: inside the mind of a GP: oral pain - The Times 30/04/05
Oral pain? You should know the drill by now; there’s no point gumming to me ...
Junk medicine: health spending - The Times 30/04/05
We should use a new model that calculates if a safety measure is worth its price
Nip cancer in the bud - The Times 30/04/05
A revolutionary technique for diagnosing breast cancer in its early stages — by inserting a tiny camera into the milk ducts — could help to save thousands of lives. Simon Crompton reports
A wing and a prayer - The Times 30/04/05
Books on angels are flying off the shelves, but is this a feather-brained craze, asks John Naish
Moving on: truculent daughter - The Times 30/04/05
How can I be a good mother to a daughter who tries to pull me into her circle of discontent? Irma Kurtz answers I have two daughters whom I love dearly; the elder has a sunny personality and copes with challenges, the younger (in her early thirties) tends to make hard work of life. Someone else is always to blame: me because I left her dad. She managed as a mature student to get a degree and went to live abroad with her boyfriend. Now, due to huge debts and other problems, she is coming back, alone, with a young baby. I will continue to give her emotional support and a home until she finds a place of her own. But how do I prevent myself being drawn into the circle of her discontent? After all, it is a mother’s role to make her children happy, isn’t it? It is 14 years since we lived under the same roof. I now live with a new partner who is very positive and I feel that we will cope but I am frightened of succumbing to the guilt that she can throw at me. I know I need to set boundaries, but how?
Sex matters with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson - The Times 30/04/05
I have long had a fetish about silky women's underwear. After 34 years of marriage and seven children, I still buy slips and stockings to wear under my normal clothes. My wife won't talk about it; I just wish she could accept my inclinations
Your problems solved: when it's time to give the vocal cords a rest - The Times 30/04/05
Since starting school two years ago, my six-year-old daughter has had a tendency to shout at home. Sometimes she sounds hoarse and I am concerned that she could be damaging her vocal cords. What do you think?
A foodie couple's guide to fighting flab - The Times 30/04/05
Restaurant critic Terry Durack eats for a living; his wife Jill Dupleix is the Times cookery editor. When he swelled to 18 stone they both took steps to shed his spare tyre
At your table - The Times 30/04/05
A trip to the corner shop can provide all you need for a nourishing, quick supper
Feed your face and look great - The Times 30/04/05
Can you eat yourself lovely? Hannah Betts tucks into a stylish ‘lunchbox’, while nutritionist Fiona Hunter looks at foods that promise beauty
Are they fit to govern? - The Times 30/04/05
Just how trim are the main parties' health chiefs? John Naish quizzes them on their lifestyles, while Portia Colwell sees how they perform in the gym
Strike a little pose - The Times 30/04/05
Is yoga for toddlers just a stretch too far? Emma Cook finds whether it really is kids’ stuff
Not just anybody: Diana Moran, 64 - The Times 30/04/05
Evergreen goddess: TV's former Green Goddess Diana Moran, found fitness at 40 and there's still no stopping her
Patient set free to stab partner - The Times 30/04/05
A MENTALLY ill man stabbed his former partner to death a few hours after he had persuaded medical staff that he was fit to be discharged from hospital, a court was told.
Loosen up to lose the years - The Telegraph 26/04/05
Staying young: A balanced approach to exercise can avert ageing, Emma Hill discovers
Is this the best way to start the day? - The Telegraph 26/04/05
Today's children face a new generation of healthy breakfast cereals. Barbara Lantin checks the menu
I lived to see my miracle - The Telegraph 29/04/05
Pioneering stem-cell surgery has restored one mother's sight, says Barbara Lantin
Keeping an eye on your children - The Telegraph 29/04/05
Tim Lott's new novel led him into the booming business of child surveillance - web cams in schools, tracking devices on wrists and all-seeing teddies
Nurses call for clean uniforms to beat MRSA - The Telegraph 28/04/05
Hundreds of thousands of nurses may be spreading MRSA because of a shortage of uniforms, the Royal College of Nursing said yesterday.
Embryos may be tested for breast cancer genes - The Telegraph 28/04/05
Women with a family history of breast cancer who are undergoing IVF treatment may soon be offered the option of screening their embryo for the faulty genes which cause the disease.
Breast cancer sufferers offered hope - The Telegraph 28/04/05
A drug used to treat women in the advanced stages of one of the most deadly forms of breast cancer halves the danger of the disease progressing in those in the early stages of the disease.
Agent Orange victims furious as court denies them compensation - The Telegraph 28/04/05
Every few weeks a new alleged victim of the Vietnam war - and a blameless pawn in an international legal battle - is presented to the Hoa Binh Peace Village in Ho Chi Minh City.
Extra vitamin D and calcium 'a waste of time' - The Telegraph 28/04/05
Tens of thousands of elderly people who take vitamin D and calcium supplements to prevent bone fractures may be wasting their time, according to researchers.
Elderly warned about supplements - Daily Mail 28/04/05
Bone study questions supplement use - Daily Mail 29/04/05
Extra vitamin D and calcium 'a waste of time' - The Telegraph 28/04/05
Calcium and Vitamin D Fail to Reduce Fracture Risk - Reuters 29/04/05
Vitamin D Does Not Stop Elderly Fractures -Study - Reuters 28/04/05
Vitamin D and Calcium Supplements for Elderly a Waste of Time, The Lancet - Medical News Today 28/04/05
One day you're a princess, the next a tetchy old bag - The Telegraph 28/04/05
Marianne Faithfull should worry about feeling old at 58, says Judith Woods. Not yet 40, she's already seeing unwelcome signs...
Thousands of nurses join exodus from the health service - The Telegraph 28/04/05
Thousands of nurses are leaving the NHS despite Government efforts to raise recruitment, nursing leaders said yesterday.
Children 'hooked on sugary food by books and games' - The Telegraph 28/04/05
Food manufacturers are using sophisticated tactics to market sweets, fast food and sugary breakfast cereals at children in their homes, the Food Commission pressure group said yesterday.
Wrong, Pamela, there is a cure - The Telegraph 28/04/05
Lack of public awareness - and funding - is holding back the treatment of hepatitis C. Barbara Lantin reports on a medical 'timebomb'
Toxic chemical exposure 'could affect the sex of your children' - The Telegraph 28/04/05
Exposure to some polluting chemicals may lead to the birth of more boys than girls, says research out today.
Thousands of new mothers 'cannot cope with a baby' - The Telegraph 28/04/05
Thousands of new mothers cannot cope with having a baby and are suffering significant levels of stress, a report said yesterday.
Google goes for quality - The Telegraph 28/04/05
A discriminating search engine that separates the "wheat from the chaff" on the internet is being developed by Google.
One in four 'heading for poverty in retirement' - The Telegraph 28/04/05
One in four adults thinks he can live on 29 per cent below the minimum wage in retirement, according to a study which says people's expectations of pensions are "way off".
Jury clears widow accused of letting ME husband die - The Telegraph 28/04/05
A woman accused of doing nothing for 15 hours as she watched her husband die from a deliberate drugs overdose was cleared of his manslaughter yesterday.
Father found son, 15, dead in glider crash - The Telegraph 28/04/05
A company director told an inquest yesterday how he raced to the scene of a glider crash only to find his 15-year-old son dead in the wreckage.
How garlic helps your heart - The Telegraph 30/04/05
Garlic consumption cuts the risk of heart disease by dramatically reducing the early build-up of fatty deposits in arteries, according to new research.
Garlic supplements aid the heart- Daily Mail 29/04/05
Mushroom law threat to innocent farmers - The Telegraph 30/04/05
Farmers with magic mushrooms growing on their property could be arrested for possession of controlled drugs under legislation rushed through Parliament before the election.
Inquiry after psychiatric patient kills - The Telegraph 30/04/05
A psychiatric patient killed his former girlfriend hours after being discharged from hospital, where he was allowed to diagnose himself.
Deaths in glider ruled accidental - The Telegraph 30/04/05
A gliding instructor who crashed after ignoring a health warning not to fly was yesterday branded "selfish and reckless" by the father of a boy who died with him.
Woman in Arab jail after taking prescription drugs - The Telegraph 25/04/05
A campaign has been launched to free a British woman being held in a Middle East jail after prescription drugs were found in her system.
School nurses forget nits and try to stamp out group sex - The Telegraph 28/04/05
The role of the school nurse has changed from the traditional "nit nurse" to helping children involved in prostitution and abusing alcohol and drugs, a conference was told yesterday.
Lords to rule on 'designer babies' - The Telegraph 29/04/05
The House of Lords are set to rule on the rights of parents to have so-called "designer babies" in order to treat children with genetic disorders.
Long-lasting gel against herpes - BBC Health News 30/04/05
US scientists have developed an easy to apply gel that could protect against genital herpes for up to 10 days.
Florida girl has abortion blocked - BBC Health News 30/04/05
A pregnant 13-year-old girl in Florida has been told she cannot have an abortion because she lacks the maturity to make such a decision.
'Alcohol makes your brain grow' - BBC Health News 29/04/05
Drinking alcohol boosts the growth of new nerve cells in the brain, research suggests.
Non-smoking pubs hit Wetherspoon - BBC Health News 29/04/05
Pub chain JD Wetherspoon has said profits at its non-smoking pubs have come under pressure as the outlets sell less beer but more food.
Alzheimer's gene therapy hailed - BBC Health News 25/04/05
The first Alzheimer's patients to test pioneering gene therapy are proof of the treatment's promise, say doctors.
Apology for cancer survivor - Daily Mail 28/04/05
Hospital bosses have apologised to a woman who made a successful recovery from cancer despite being told her condition was untreatable.
Nurses threaten action over pensions - Daily Mail 28/04/05
Nurses have threatened industrial action amid growing anger over proposed changes to their pensions.
Lords rule on 'designer babies' bid - Daily Mail 28/04/05
The House of Lords is set to rule on the rights of parents to have so-called "designer babies" to treat siblings with genetic disorders.
GPs attack political narrow focus - Daily Mail 28/04/05
Family doctors will warn that Scotland's general practices are being overlooked because of politicians' "narrow focus" on hospital waiting times.
Chemicals 'harm reproductive health' - Daily Mail 28/04/05
Two new studies have provided further evidence of the damaging impact of environmental chemicals on men's reproductive health.
Pollution affects male reproduction - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Heart transplant baby turns 18 - Daily Mail 28/04/05
A baby who became Britain's youngest successful heart transplant patient is celebrating her 18th birthday.
Goals 'better for you than pills' - Daily Mail 28/04/05
If doctors could prescribe goals instead of pills, the nation could find itself feeling healthier and happier, nurses have suggested.
Breast and lung cancer rates double - Daily Mail 28/04/05
Rates of breast and lung cancer have doubled worldwide since 1975, according to a new report.
Apology for cancer survivor - Daily Mail 28/04/05
Hospital bosses have apologised to a woman who made a successful recovery from cancer despite being told her condition was untreatable.
Life expectancy gap widening - Daily Mail 29/04/05
Health inequalities in Britain have continued to increase with the greatest differences in life expectancy since Victorian times, according to new research.
Middle-age spread in dementia risk- Daily Mail 29/04/05
Middle-age spread and obesity increase the risk of dementia in later life, according to research.
Dementia - the new obesity risk - Daily Mail 28/04/05
Obesity in Middle Age Raises Dementia Risk - Study - Reuters 29/04/05
Obesity In Middle Age Raises Risk Of Dementia Later On - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Womb cancer fears over HRT- Daily Mail 29/04/05
Fears have been raised over the safety of Britain's most popular hormone replacement therapy. Researchers found that the synthetic HRT pill Livial doubled the risk of womb cancer compared with conventional treatments containing a combination of hormones.
2.1m for girl damaged at birth - Daily Mail 29/04/05
A seven-year-old twin girl who suffers from mild cerebral palsy and learning problems has received a £2.1 million settlement from a hospital at the High Court.
Bid to fight heart blood clots - Daily Mail 29/04/05
Scientists are hoping to develop an antibody that will prevent dangerous blood clotting that causes heart attacks, it was announced.
Howard 'talking piffle' about MRSA - Daily Mail 29/04/05
Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan has accused Tory leader Michael Howard of "hiding behind" the death of his mother-in-law from a hospital infection.
'Reducing red tape' GPS' priority - Daily Mail 30/04/05
Reducing red tape is the top concern of GPs which they feel needs to be addressed by the next government, a survey revealed.
'Regret' for heroin addict on DIY detox - Daily Mail 25/04/05
A doctor whose heroin addict patient died during a DIY home detox admitted "regret" about the case today.
Second opinion saved woman's life - Daily Mail 25/04/05
Hospital bosses have apologised to a woman who made a successful recovery from cancer despite being told her condition was untreatable.
Stress putting men off marriage - Daily Mail 25/04/05
Most men would like to settle down, get married and have children before they are 30 but the pressures of modern-day life is getting in the way, a survey reveals today.
Why 34 is the best age to have a baby - Daily Mail 25/04/05
What is the best age for a woman to give birth? According to sociologists the answer is 34.
Winning teams make nation happier - Daily Mail 28/04/05
If doctors could prescribe goals instead of pills, the nation could find itself feeling healthier and happier, nurses have suggested.
'Forgotten generation' of mental illness sufferers - Daily Mail 28/04/05
The needs of 50,000 people with severe mental illness in the UK are still being ignored, campaigners have warned.
The mother of all diets - Daily Mail 26/04/05
For some celebrity mothers, it's no longer enough just to get back in shape after giving birth.
Britons tired of being told what to eat - Daily Mail 27/04/05
Almost half of Britons have "do-gooder fatigue" with healthy eating campaigners telling them how to change their diet, according to a new survey.
Prozac faces ban over suicide fear - Daily Mail 28/04/05
Teenagers could be barred from being prescribed Prozac and other anti-depressants amid fears that they increase the risk of suicide.
Heart transplant baby's 18th birthday - Daily Mail 28/04/05
A baby who became Britain's youngest successful heart transplant patient is celebrating her 18th birthday.
A generation of pupils 'pressured into sex' - Daily Mail 28/04/05
A disturbing picture of soaring promiscuity and sexual diseases among school-children has emerged.
Nurses want protection from attacks - Daily Mail 25/04/05
Nurses have called for tougher action to reduce the tens of thousands of violent attacks on NHS staff each year.
Lords rule 'designer babies' are lawful - Daily Mail 28/04/05
The House of Lords ruled today that the creation of so-called "designer babies" to treat siblings with genetic disorders was lawful.
Pint of beer boosts your memory - Daily Mail 29/04/05
It's the news drinkers have waited years to hear - alcohol consumption is good for your brain.
Charley, 6, killed by heart attack - Daily Mail 29/04/05
Fun-loving Charley Stone suffered a massive heart attack while riding her bike, collapsed and later died - aged six.
Donate your kidney while you watch TV - Daily Mail 29/04/05
You can already book a holiday or vote for your favourite singer through the TV - but this summer you will be able to donate a kidney.
IVF mothers may screen out embryos - Daily Mail 25/04/05
British women undergoing IVF treatment could soon have the option for the first time of selecting babies that lack breast cancer genes, it was revealed today.
U.S. Study: Recent decline in SIDS deaths illusory - Reuters 02/05/05
Deaths attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome dropped by half in the 1990s due to a campaign to put babies to sleep on their backs, but recently reported declines are likely illusory, a study said on Monday.
Medical errors edging up in US, study finds - Reuters 02/05/05
Hospital-acquired infections are worsening in the United States, even though the problem is widely recognized, according to a report issued on Monday.
Male Hormones May Help Women After Hysterectomy - Reuters 30/04/05
Women who feel less sexy after a hysterectomy may get a boost from a seemingly unlikely source -- testosterone, new research reports
Mom's Flu Infection Tied to Eye Problems in Baby - Reuters 30/04/05
Having the flu during pregnancy or being infected with a microbe called Parvovirus raises the risk that the baby will be born with small eyes or even no eyes, new research shows. Still, even when the flu is present, the risk of these eye problems is very, very small.
Orthopedic Operation Linked to Erection Problems - Reuters 30/04/05
About 40 percent of men who undergo "intramedullary nailing" for a broken thighbone, also called the femur, report erectile dysfunction (ED) afterwards, according to a recent report by French researchers. Receiving adequate amounts of muscle relaxant during the operation may help reduce the risk.
Epidural During Labor Linked to Abnormal Head Position - Reuters 30/04/05
Receiving epidural analgesia during labor seems to increase the risk that the baby will be delivered face up instead of the normal face -down position, new research shows. This may explain the higher rate of c-sections associated with epidurals.
Low Weight Common in Childhood Cancer Survivors - Reuters 30/04/05
Adult survivors of childhood cancer are more likely to be underweight than the general population, study findings suggest.
Obesity May Raise Risk of Stillbirth, Infant Death - Reuters 29/04/05
Women who are obese before becoming pregnant seem to have a higher risk of stillbirth and of having an infant die soon after birth, according to a new study.
Womb Cancer Risk Varies by HRT Type - Reuters 29/04/05
Individuals who are at high risk of developing lung cancer should consider having a test for the disease, according to the recommendations of cancer experts who developed a position statement at a 2003 conference in Lake Como, Italy.
FDA OKs Lilly-Amylin Drug for Type 2 Diabetes - Reuters 29/04/05
U.S. regulators have approved a diabetes drug derived from lizard saliva for patients who have not responded to other treatments, the drug's developers, Eli Lilly and Co. and Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc., said on Friday.
Arthritis Symptoms Worse in African Americans - Reuters 29/04/05
African Americans with rheumatoid arthritis report more severe disease and more disability than whites with the disease, a new study shows.
Influenza Vaccine Safe at Any Stage of Pregnancy - Reuters 29/04/05
Women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy can safely be immunized against influenza, according to a new study.
Womb Cancer Risk Varies by HRT Type - Reuters 29/04/05
Certain types of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increase a woman's risk of endometrial cancer, research suggests.
Aging Global Population Spurs Increase in Cancer - Reuters 28/04/05
An aging population has fueled a rise in cancer and contributed to a doubling in breast and lung cancer cases in the past 30 years, researchers said on Thursday.
Glaxo Sees Return for Two Suspended Drugs - Reuters 28/04/05
GlaxoSmithKline Plc expects to get two withdrawn drugs back on the U.S. market in the middle of this year after signing a legal agreement with regulators over a problem plant in Puerto Rico.
Herceptin, a breast cancer drug developed by Roche and its U.S. biotechnology arm Genentech Inc., helps women fight an aggressive form - Reuters 28/04/05
Herceptin, a breast cancer drug developed by Roche and its U.S. biotechnology arm Genentech Inc., helps women fight an aggressive form of early-stage breast cancer after surgery, a study showed.
Africa's Real Killer Diseases Win Little Publicity - Reuters 28/04/05
Africa is a notorious incubator of frightening, exotic new diseases like Ebola and Marburg, but the real killers on the world's poorest continent are easily preventable illnesses like malaria and cholera.
Africa's Real Killer Diseases Win Little Publicity - Reuters 28/04/05
Environmental pollutants from domestic and industrial waste and pesticides could be changing the ratio of sex chromosomes in sperm, researchers said on Thursday.
U.S. Recommends More Repellents to Fight West Nile - Reuters 28/04/05
U.S. health officials on Thursday recommended two more mosquito repellent ingredients, one of them a plant oil, to fight the West Nile virus after years of favoring the chemical DEET.
Judge Sees Vioxx Lawsuit Lasting Rest of Decade - Reuters 28/04/05
The lawsuits against Merck & Co. Inc. for the alleged damages caused by its painkiller Vioxx were expected to last up to five years, the U.S. judge said on Thursday.
Medicare Expands Coverage for Fracture Therapy - Reuters 27/04/05
Medicare will pay for ultrasound treatments to help mend broken bones in any beneficiary whose fractures won't heal, not just patients who have undergone failed surgery, the agency said on Wednesday.
Parents' Age Tied to Risk of Oral Birth Defects - Reuters 27/04/05
New research suggests that the older parents are, the higher the risk that their child will be born with a cleft lip or palate, congenital malformations that affect the mouth and face.
J&J Adds Mortality Risk to Heart Drug Label - Reuters 25/04/05
Johnson & Johnson has revised the label of its Natrecor heart failure medicine to include data that suggest it may increase the risk of death, following two widely publicized medical journal articles that questioned its safety.
Few U.S. Adults Lead Healthy Lives - Reuters 25/04/05
A paltry number of Americans follow four basic rules of health living -- don't smoke, eat well, exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight, according to new study findings released Monday.
Sleep Patterns Linked to Diabetes Risk - Reuters 25/04/05
Sleeping for less than six hours or for more than nine hours each night is associated with an increased risk of diabetes and impaired blood sugar (glucose) tolerance, researchers report in this week's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Adding Plavix Helps Aspirin Stop Strokes-Study - Reuters 25/04/05
Adding the anti-clotting drug Plavix to daily doses of aspirin helps prevent the risk of later strokes better than using aspirin alone, British researchers reported on Monday.
Combo Therapy Lowers Blood Clot Risk After Stroke - Reuters 25/04/05
Chest X-Rays Could Yield Osteoporosis Clues- Study - Reuters 25/04/05
A closer examination of the common chest X-ray could reveal osteoporosis in older patients not previously diagnosed with the brittle bone disease, according to a study published on Monday.
Kids' Eating Habits Unaffected by Mom's Job - Reuters 25/04/05
Contrary to what some might think, children of mothers who work outside the home tend to have healthier eating habits than those whose mothers are full-time homemakers, new study findings suggest.
Report Cautions on Liposuction Alternative - Reuters 25/04/05
A therapy that promises to melt fat away with the help of a syringe has not yet been proven a safe and effective alternative to liposuction, according to a new report.
Gene Modified Tissue May Slow Alzheimer's - Study - Reuters 24/04/05
Alzheimer's patients given gene therapy seemed to regrow some damaged brain cells and seemed to experience a slower loss of their ability to think and remember, U.S. scientists reported on Sunday.
Targeted Proteins May Treat West Nile-Researchers - Reuters 24/04/05
Targeted proteins called monoclonal antibodies may work to treat West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne disease that came to North America in 1999, researchers said on Sunday.
Growing ageing population drives global cancer rise - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Worldwide breast and lung cancer cases have doubled since 1975, according to a new report published today (Thursday) by Cancer Research UK.
HRT and endometrial cancer - results from the million women study - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Some forms of hormone replacement therapy increase the risk of endometrial (womb) cancer, according to results from the Million Women Study, published in the Lancet*(1) today (Friday). Women taking a relatively new type of HRT, called tibolone*(2), and women taking oestrogen-only HRT are at an increased risk of the disease compared with women who have never taken HRT. Women taking a combination of oestrogen and progesterone have the same or a slightly lower risk of endometrial cancer, compared to women who have never taken HRT. However, previous research has shown that this combined type of HRT poses a greater breast cancer risk than tibolone or oestrogen-only HRT and, because breast cancer is more common than endometrial cancer, the researchers believe that when considering the overall effect of HRT it is important to look at both breast and endometrial cancer. When rates for breast and endometrial cancer are taken together, the overall risk is highest in women taking combined HRT. The study shows that around three out of every 100 women on combined HRT will develop either breast or endometrial cancer over a period of five years. This compares with about two and a half per 100 who take oestrogen-only HRT or tibolone, and around one and a half per 100 who have not taken HRT. The Million Women Study, funded by Cancer Research UK, the NHS Cancer Screening Programme and the Medical Research Council, includes over a million women aged between 50 and 64 who filled out lifestyle questionnaires, including whether they had taken HRT. Since the late 1990s, when the women were recruited, around 1,300 have developed endometrial cancer and over 10,000 have developed breast cancer. Lead author Professor Valerie Beral, Director of Cancer Research UK's Epidemiology Unit, explains: "These new results create a dilemma for women who haven't had a hysterectomy and want to use HRT. On one hand, oestrogen-only HRT and tibolone increase the risk of endometrial cancer but, on the other hand, HRT containing both oestrogen and progesterone causes the greatest increase in breast cancer. "Since breast cancer is much more common than endometrial cancer, combined HRT poses the greatest overall cancer risk." Use of combined and oestrogen-only HRT has fallen over the last three years. Tibolone use has stayed much the same and is now the most common brand of HRT prescribed to women in the study who have not had a hysterectomy*(3). The study also reinforces the link between obesity*(4) and endometrial cancer; the more overweight a woman is, the greater her risk of endometrial cancer, but this risk varies depending on whether the woman is taking HRT. Experts believe that oestrogen stimulates growth of the cells in the womb, which can lead to cancer, and women who are obese have higher levels of oestrogen in the blood. For obese women, oestrogen-only HRT appears to have less impact on the risk of endometrial cancer and this may be because their existing levels of oestrogen are already quite high. Progesterone may go some way towards counteracting the effects of oestrogen, especially in obese women. Professor John Toy, Cancer Research UK's Medical Director, says: "It's crucial that we understand the effects that drugs can have on our bodies. We already know the impact that HRT has on breast cancer risk and now we understand how it can affect the risk of developing endometrial cancer. "It's important that women, and the doctors who treat them, are given all the information they need to decide whether to take HRT. "Our advice remains that women should take HRT for medical need only and the shortest time possible." *(1) Lancet, 2005; 365: 1543-51 *(2) Tibolone, which is sold as Livial®, is a steroid that combines oestrogenic, progestogenic and androgenic activity and has the same licensed indication as conventional HRT. In the late 90s, nine per cent of women in the Million Women Study who had not had a hysterectomy and were using HRT took tibolone. Now the figure is around 15 per cent. *(3) Because oestrogen-only HRT has already been linked to endometrial cancer, doctors usually only prescribe it to women who have had a hysterectomy. Women who have a womb are usually offered combination HRT or tibolone. *(4) Someone who has a Body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more is considered obese. BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height squared in meters. -- According to the research, an average of 0.6 women out of every 100 who take tibolone developed endometrial cancer over a five-year period. This compares to 0.3 out of every 100 women who had not taken HRT. -- Among women who take oestrogen-only HRT, 0.5 out of every 100 developed endometrial cancer over five years. -- For every 100 women who take combined oestrogen and progesterone, between 0.2 and 0.3 developed endometrial cancer. -- The corresponding figures (per 100 over five years) for breast cancer are 2.0 for tibolone, 1.8 for oestrogen only HRT, 2.8 for combined HRT and 1.4 for women who have never used HRT. -- There are around 5,100 new cases of endometrial cancer diagnosed in the UK each year. For breast cancer, the figure is approximately 41,000. -- Further details of the Million Women Study - specifically the incidence rates for endometrial and breast cancer per 1000 women over five years - can be found at the Million Women Study website: http://www.millionwomenstudy.org.uk. -- For more information on endometrial cancer, breast cancer and HRT, visit Cancer Research UK's patient information website Cancer Help UK at: http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk. If you would like to get in touch with the Cancer Research UK press office, please go to their contacts page.
Leading Rheumatologist Offers Tips for Natural Relief From Arthritis Pain - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Over the past few months, millions of American arthritis sufferers have been forced to find alternatives to medication for their pain to avoid potentially deadly side effects. Soon after prescription medications Vioxx and Bextra were taken off the market for their potential cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health risks, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned of similar risks associated with popular over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Despite these developments, arthritis sufferers can achieve pain relief by adapting simple lifestyle changes into their daily routines.
Missing girl who is a Jehovah's Witness, needs blood transfusion - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Police in Canada say they are looking for a girl who has disappeared with her parents after a court ruled she must accept a possible blood transfusion after receiving chemotherapy. The girl is 14 and has cancer (a cancerous tumour in her leg). She is a Jehovah's Witness, as are her parents. The girl does not want a blood transfusion. People who follow the Jehovah's Witness faith oppose blood transfusions.
Rear Seating for Children Key in Preventing Car Crash Injuries - Medical News Today 02/05/05
The importance of seating children in the rear of motor vehicles and age-appropriate seating restraints is reinforced in a new report from researchers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in collaboration with State Farm® Insurance Companies and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The report also underscores the enhanced safety of children riding in larger, heavier vehicles.
Lonely first-year college students have weaker immune response to the flu shot - Medical News Today 02/05/05
A new study at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh confirms how college challenges both mind and body, by demonstrating that lonely first-year students mounted a weaker immune response to the flu shot than did other students. The study appears in the May issue of Health Psychology, which is published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Vitamins E and C Confirmed Safe at High Doses - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Fourteen leading safety and antioxidant experts reviewed the available scientific literature on vitamins E and C and concluded vitamin E is safe for the general population at intakes up to 1600 IU daily and vitamin C is safe at up to 2000 mg daily, according to a new article published in the April issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN).
Many glaucoma patients don't take medication properly, Journal of Ophthalmology - Medical News Today 02/05/05
A study that appears in the May edition of Ophthalmology, the clinical journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, shows that as many as 47 percent of patients receiving glaucoma therapy do not comply with their doctor's prescribed medicine regimen. This is in startling contrast to the 90 percent of doctors who believe that their patients are following the prescribed treatment.
Genetic glitch in the heart's electrical system - Mayo Clinic - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Mayo Clinic researchers have identified defects in a second gene called RyR2 that causes malfunctions in the heart's electrical system and contributes to what were previously unexplained drownings.
Bypass surgery patient who cycled 2,400 miles has died of a heart attack - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Broc Bebout, who had had life-saving quadruple bypass surgery nearly twenty years ago, has died of a heart attack one day after completing a 2,400 mile cycle ride across the USA.
Majority of U.S. Adults Think Chemicals and Pollutants are More of a Threat Now Than They Were 10 Years Ago - Medical News Today 02/05/05
A majority (58%) of US adults believe that chemicals and pollutants are more of a threat to people like them now than they were 10 years ago. The public appears to be more worried about certain outdoor air pollutants and chemicals than those indoors but about one in five (21%) adults report that they or someone in their household has experienced a chronic health problem (e.g., allergies, lung condition, chronic fatigue, etc.) attributed to indoor air pollutants or chemicals. Many adults are taking proactive steps to reduce their exposure to potentially harmful chemicals and pollutants.
Snoring Leads to Poor Performance at Work and in the Bedroom - Medical News Today 02/05/05
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On Sunday, May 1, metro area couples and those from as far away as Nassau, the Bahamas, who are desperate for a good night's sleep gathered to hear a special presentation from one of the USA's leading snoring and sleep apnea experts, Dr. Michael Gelb, in an effort to turn their lives -- and their marriage beds -- around.
Transcendental Meditation extends lifespan - Medical News Today 02/05/05
The American Journal of Cardiology reports in its May 2, 2005, issue that the Transcendental Meditation technique, a non-drug stress-reduction method, reduces death rates by 23% and extends lifespan.
What are the health consequences of being obese or overweight? - Medical News Today 02/05/05
One day we are told there is an obesity epidemic which is killing nearly as many people as smoking is. Then we are told the numbers were slightly wrong, or substantially wrong. Tabloids now tell us it is OK to be fat as long as you are not obese.
African Americans Disproportionately Faced With Stroke Says the American Stroke Association - Medical News Today 02/05/05
There are many faces of stroke. This year, 700,000 Americans of all ages, genders and ethnicities will have a new or recurrent stroke. There were 1,262 deaths from stroke in West Virginia in 2001. But African Americans are at particularly high risk. Nearly one-fourth (23%) of stroke deaths among African Americans in West Virginia in 2001 occurred prematurely, or before the age of 65; among whites, only 10% of stroke deaths were premature.
Air pollution kills estimated 5,900 Canadians every year - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Health Canada today released an updated estimate of the number of deaths that can be attributed to air pollution. Based on data from eight Canadian cities, the estimate is 5,900 deaths per year.
Participants Needed for Generalized Anxiety Disorder Study - Medical News Today 02/05/05
UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers are looking for participants for a nationwide study of an investigational medication for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a type of mental illness characterized by excessive and persistent worry about everyday events and activities.
CDC Readies for 21st Century Health Threats - Medical News Today 02/05/05
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has taken a landmark step in reorganization. The reorganization, which includes the creation of four new coordinating centers and two national offices, will help CDC more efficiently and effectively deal with 21st-century health threats.
Genetic Screening for Iron Blood Disorder Feasible in the Workplace - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Screening for a condition called haemochromatosis, where iron to builds up in the body, could help prevent organ damage and disease, suggests a study published online today by The Lancet.
African-American Mothers More Likely to Have Unnecessary Cesareans - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Black women, women aged 35 years or older and women admitted on weekends are more likely to have potentially unnecessary cesarean sections than others, say Tulane University researchers. Their analysis of unnecessary cesarean section deliveries is the first to detail factors correlated with the surgery at the national level. The results are published in the April issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
CDC Efforts to Reduce or Prevent Obesity - Medical News Today 02/05/05
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the USA has increased substantially over the past several decades. The latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data indicate 65 percent of U.S. adults aged 20 years and older are overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher, or obese with a BMI of 30 or higher. In addition, 16 percent of children and adolescents ages 6-19 in the United States are overweight.
Vitamin C counteracts some negative impacts of smoking on unborn babies - OHSU research shows - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Research may allow for more normal development of babies born to mothers who don't stop smoking during pregnancy - Research conducted in monkeys at the Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, suggests high doses of vitamin C may have potential to counteract some negative impacts of smoking in unborn babies. The research may benefit thousands of babies born to mothers who continue to smoke throughout pregnancy despite physician warnings. The research is published in the current edition of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
USC researchers determine mechanism of action of chemotherapy drug - Medical News Today 02/05/05
The chemotherapy drug motexafin gadolinium (brand name: Xcytrin, manufactured by Pharmacyclics, Inc) works to thwart cancer cells by disrupting key enzymes involved in cellular metabolism, according to a team of researchers led by Joseph Hacia, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.
Washington, D.C., Teens in Best Friends Abstinence-Only Program Less Likely To Be Sexually Active Than Peers, Study Says - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Middle-school and high-school girls in Washington, DC, who participated in the Best Friends Foundation's abstinence-only education programs are "substantially" less likely to have had sexual intercourse than the average girl of the same age in the district, according to a study published in the spring issue of the... Institute for Youth Development's journal Adolescent & Family Health, the Washington Times reports. IYD is a not-for-profit group that studies ways to help teens and families avoid premarital sex and illegal drug, tobacco and alcohol use. Study author Robert Lerner studied data from 2,700 girls in grades six through eight and 800 girls in grades nine through 12, some of whom were enrolled in the Best Friends program. The researchers compared several years of data on the Best Friends program participants with data collected through CDC's national Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System in the same area over the same period. Girls in the middle-school Best Friends program -- which uses school-based curricula, fitness classes, mentors and community service to encourage girls to abstain from premarital sex and does not teach information about contraception -- were more than six times less likely to report having had sex than middle-school girls in the CDC study, according to the study, the Times reports. The high-school girls involved in the Best Friends' Diamond Girls program were 120 times less likely to report sexual activity than the average girl of the same age in the district. The study also found that the Best Friends participants were less likely than the average district students to smoke, drink alcohol or use illegal drugs, the Times reports.
Tools for diagnosing heart attack could be inaccurate in some populations - Medical News Today 02/05/05
A computerized tool to help emergency room physicians determine whether a patient is having a heart attack may not work as well among some racial and ethnic groups, according to research of almost 12,000 patients at nine medical centers.
Scientists track 'stealth' DNA elements in primate evolution - Medical News Today 02/05/05
New theory contends that long-lived, quiescent retroelements are a major driving force in human genome evolution - Louisiana State University scientists in the Department of Biological Sciences have unraveled the details of a 25-million-year-old evolutionary process in the human genome. Specific DNA sequences that appear to have persisted in a latent state for long periods of time may not be simply lying dormant. Instead, the researchers say that these elements have played a crucial role in human evolution by surreptitiously spawning hyperactive progeny copies, giving rise to the most abundant family of DNA elements in the human genome: Alu elements. The study, which was led by LSU scientist Dr. Mark A. Batzer, provides the first strong mechanistic evidence for the evolution of Alu elements to date. It appears in the May issue of the journal Genome Research.
Prevalence of concussion effects linked to 'pot of gold' lawsuits, researcher says - Medical News Today 02/05/05
A new review of studies suggests that long-lasting symptoms of concussion - subjective at best - may increase when the outcome of a lawsuit is at stake.
Many glaucoma patients don't take medication properly, Journal of Ophthalmology - Medical News Today 02/05/05
A study that appears in the May edition of Ophthalmology, the clinical journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, shows that as many as 47 percent of patients receiving glaucoma therapy do not comply with their doctor's prescribed medicine regimen. This is in startling contrast to the 90 percent of doctors who believe that their patients are following the prescribed treatment.
Japanese women have lower recurrence of breast cancer - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Early-stage breast cancer patients of Japanese descent that are treated with a lumpectomy and radiation therapy are more likely to be cured of their cancer than women of other ancestries, according to a new study published in the May 2005 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of ASTRO, the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.
Phase I Data for NT- 501 Encapsulated Cell Delivery of Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor to Eyes of Retinitis Pigmentosa Patients - Medical News Today 02/05
Neurotech SA, a specialist in the development of novel therapies for retinal diseases, today announced positive results from an open-label Phase I clinical trial (03-EI-0234) of its lead product, NT-501. NT-501 uses Neurotech's patented Encapsulated Cell Technology (ECT) as a device to deliver ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) to eyes of visually impaired patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Results confirm that CNTF can be safely delivered into the vitreous of patients with RP and that the ECT device was well tolerated by all patients. Futhermore, some patients experienced more than one-line of improvement in their visual acuity score. These Phase I results were presented at the ARVO annual meeting and the trial was conducted at the National Eye Institute (NEI), Bethesda, USA. Neurotech has confirmed that it will now progress to a multi-center Phase II trial.
Marburg haemorrhagic fever in Angola, 275 cases, 255 fatal - Medical News Today 02/05/05
As of 27 April, the Ministry of Health in Angola has reported 275 cases of Marburg haemorrhagic fever. Of these cases, 255 were fatal. In Uige Province, which remains the epicentre of the outbreak, 266 cases, of which 246 have been fatal, were reported as of 28 April.
Blocking COX-1 slows tumor growth in mice - Medical News Today 02/05/05
Blocking the COX-1 enzyme - not COX-2 - might lead to a way to prevent and treat the most common and fatal form of ovarian cancer, researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center reported this week.
Vascular structure and function improve with diet and exercise - Medical News Today 01/05/05
Some structural and functional measures of cardiovascular disease risk may improve by the eighth week of a diet and exercise regimen, according to a study presented today at the American Heart Association's Sixth Annual Conference on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
US Prisons Should Make Condoms Available To Prevent Spread of HIV, Hepatitis C, Editorial Says - Medical News Today 01/05/05
US prison officials have a "special duty" to curb the spread of HIV and hepatitis C among the more than 11 million people who spend time in the prison system each year, because about one-third of US residents who have hepatitis C and 15% of individuals with AIDS are incarcerated in any given year, a... New York Times editorial says. Currently, 95% of U.S. prisons ban the distribution of or do not make available condoms to inmates, according to the Times. However, according to a 2002 survey of U.S. prisoners, inmates estimated that about 44% of prisoners probably participate in "sex acts" while imprisoned, the Times reports. In addition, researchers estimate that about 70% of people who have sex while in prison had their first same-sex partner while incarcerated, according to the Times. "If those estimates are anywhere near accurate, the risk of infection behind bars is substantial, and the men who contract HIV in prison return home to infect wives and girlfriends," the editorial says. "Distributing condoms does not encourage sex in prison -- that appears to be going on anyway," the Times says, concluding, "On the contrary, jurisdictions that adopt such programs tend to keep and build upon them," and "[c]orrections officers usually support the programs once they have been proved effective" (New York Times, 4/29).
U-M Study Looks at Gender Differences with Stroke - Medical News Today 01/05/05
What does it feel like to have a stroke? For some people, the ability to speak or walk disappears in a moment. For others, arms, legs and faces suddenly go numb. And for others, it's a rush of confusion or dizziness.
Arteries Thicken Earlier, Faster as Risk Factors Increase - Medical News Today 01/05/05
The more heart disease risk factors young adults have, the more likely their arteries are to be hardening, say Tulane University researchers. Risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking have an impact on arteries even in the early 20s.
Senate Subcommittee Raises Concerns About U.S. Preparedness for Bioterrorist Attack - Medical News Today 01/05/05
Members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security on Thursday raised concerns about US preparedness for a bioterrorist attack,... CongressDaily reports. At the hearing, subcommittee Chair Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) said that the nation has made progress in bioterrorism preparedness but must do more to protect food and vaccine supplies. Penrose Albright, assistant secretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security, testified that the federal government currently cannot identify biological pathogens, such as anthrax and smallpox, before they enter the United States. "No, we don't have a good way of detecting someone trying to bring a vial of pathogen across the border," he said. Albright added that the department has focused on detection of populations infected by biological agents to allow early distribution of vaccines to prevent widespread infection. Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) raised concerns about U.S. preparedness for an influenza pandemic. Craig said that the nation "lucked out this year," adding, "We made it through the flu season. But I was amazed at our vulnerability there." However, Stewart Simonson, assistant secretary in the HHS Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, said, "I would not say we are unprepared, but it presents an enormous challenge to us." Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Gregg questioned whether the process used by the office to award vaccine development contracts ensured open competition and delivery to prevent a shortage. Simonson said that the office has negotiated a number of different vaccine development contracts and has not "put all our eggs in one basket," adding, "We're learning as we go" (Rodriguez Cadavid/Povich, CongressDaily, 4/29).
NASA-UTMB Human Centrifuge Gives Artificial Gravity a New Spin - Medical News Today 01/05/05
NASA will use a new human centrifuge to explore artificial gravity as a way to counter the physiologic effects of extended weightlessness for future space exploration.
Orientation and the egg - Medical News Today 01/05/05
The establishment of first polarity in the developing mammalian embryo is one of the most contentious topics in developmental biology today.
Lipoprotein abnormalities found in severely obese children - Medical News Today 01/05/05
Severely obese children have lipoprotein profiles that signal early risk of cardiovascular disease and the metabolic syndrome, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's Sixth Annual Scientific Conference on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
Fiber supplements may lower cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetics - Medical News Today 01/05/05
Fiber supplements lower "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and increase "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's Sixth Annual Conference on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
CPR Saves Many Lives, but Not Enough - Medical News Today 01/05/05
Studies show that when cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is done right away - and correctly - it saves lives. However, the chances of that happening aren't very good, reports the May issue of the Harvard Health Letter. Some studies have found that as few as 1 in 20 people who have a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital survive, even with CPR. And even health professionals often don't perform the procedure correctly.
University of Maryland Institute of Human Virology To Open Care, Treatment Branch in Nigeria To Help Country Fight HIV/AIDS - Medical News Today 01/05
The University of Maryland Institute of Human Virology plans to open an HIV/AIDS care and treatment branch in Abuja, Nigeria, to help the country fight HIV/AIDS, the... AP/Baltimore Sun reports. Dr. Robert Gallo, the institute's director and co-discoverer of HIV, on Thursday announced the creation of the branch with Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R) and the two principal investigators for the project, Dr. William Blattner, director of IHV's Epidemiology and Prevention Division, and Nigerian-born virologist Dr. Alash'le Abimiku. Gallo plans to travel to Nigeria later this year to dedicate the facility and chair an HIV/AIDS symposium. The treatment and care mission of IHV-Nigeria will be funded by a $22 million CDC grant to the University of Maryland-Baltimore. The CDC funding comes from the five-year, $15 billion President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Blattner said that the Nigerian branch will provide treatment and care to HIV-positive people, as well as training for health care workers, according to the AP/Sun. The Nigerian program will aim to treat about 15,000 HIV-positive Nigerians at six sites over the next year. Dr. Donald Wilson, dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said that the "health challenges related to HIV/AIDS in Nigeria mirror those in the city of Baltimore, so there is much to be learned and much to be shared" (AP/Baltimore Sun, 4/29).
Making a brain - Medical News Today 01/05/05
A long-standing paradigm in developmental biology has been that default neuralization (ie., the differentiation of dissociated ectodermal cells to neural cells in culture) is caused by the dilution and thereby suppression of BMP growth factor signaling.
UNAIDS Executive Director Discusses HIV/AIDS Fight on C-SPAN's 'Washington Journal' - Medical News Today 01/05/05
UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot on Thursday in an interview on C-SPAN's... "Washington Journal" answered questions about his role in, observations of and goals for the fight against HIV/AIDS. Piot said he is in Washington, D.C., to discuss with incoming World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz and incoming UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman their organizations' leadership roles with HIV/AIDS programs in developing countries. When asked about the role of UNAIDS in fighting HIV/AIDS, Piot said that the agency coordinates all AIDS-related efforts within the U.N. system so that global HIV/AIDS organizations "have one song sheet. We all sing one song, and it's not so easy to do that." Piot said that as executive director, he is "the conductor of the orchestra of all the AIDS efforts" and has worked during his tenure to place HIV/AIDS on the political agenda of wealthy countries. He also said he has redefined AIDS as "not just a medical curiosity but as an obstacle to social and economic development ... and also a threat to security and stability," and he works to make sure there is continued funding for countries affected by HIV/AIDS. According to Piot, about $200 million was spent on HIV/AIDS in developing countries when UNAIDS was founded seven years ago, compared with approximately $6 billion last year. "Our job is really to make that money work and make sure that all the players are working in the same direction," Piot said.
Perceived discrimination linked to coronary artery calcification - Medical News Today 01/05/05
The more discrimination African-American women report, the more likely they are to have coronary artery calcification, a buildup of calcium in the vessels that is associated with atherosclerosis, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's 45th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.
Smaller, Smarter Heart Pump Built University of Florida Students - Medical News Today 01/05/05
A miniaturized heart pump designed by a team of University of Florida engineering students could become a life-saving alternative for patients waiting in long lines for scarce donor hearts.
Women With Abortion History at Increased Risk of Delivering Very Preterm in Subsequent Pregnancies, Study Says - Medical News Today 01/05/05
Women with a history of induced abortion have a higher risk of delivering very prematurely in subsequent pregnancies than women who have never had an abortion, according to a study published in the April issue of the... British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Reuters Health reports. Dr. Caroline Moreau of the Epidemiological Research Unit on Perinatal and Women's Health at the Hopital de Bicetre in France and colleagues examined records for 1,943 very preterm infants born before 33 weeks gestation, 276 moderately preterm infants born between 33 and 34 weeks gestation and 618 full-term infants born between 39 and 40 weeks gestation. Women who reported having had at least one induced abortion had a 50% higher risk of having a very preterm delivery than women who had never had an abortion. In addition, women who reported having previous abortions had a 70% higher risk of delivering an infant before 28 weeks gestation, compared with women who had never had an abortion. The researchers said that previous abortion was associated with an increased risk of very preterm delivery because premature rupture of the membranes, unexplained spontaneous preterm labor and bleeding unassociated with maternal hypertension, according to Reuters Health. However, the researchers found no association between previous abortion and very preterm delivery because of maternal hypertension. The researchers concluded that induced abortion "increases the risk of preterm births, particularly extremely preterm deliveries," but they said more research is needed "to assess the differences in the level of risk according to the technique used for abortion" (Douglas, Reuters Health, 4/27).
Variation in immune response gene causes age-related macular degeneration when triggered - Medical News Today 01/05/05
Age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly, occurs when a common inherited gene variation is triggered, possibly by an infection, according to a new study led by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center and the University of Iowa, with an international research team.
Retroviral resistance gene found - Medical News Today 01/05/05
Dr Stephen Goff and colleagues have identified a novel retroviral resistance gene, called FEZ1, that can mediate a potent resistance to murine leukemia virus, as well as HIV-1, in cell culture.
Picky eaters - turning ‘yuk' into ‘yum-yum' - Medical News Today 01/05/05
Five-year old Matthew McCormack doesn't like the taste of fruit. He doesn't like to eat vegetables either, or any other piece of food that “looks or sounds gross,” he says.
More Needs To Be Done To Protect Children From HIV/AIDS, Poverty, Conflict, Outgoing UNICEF Director Bellamy Says - Medical News Today 01/05/05
Outgoing UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy on Wednesday said "much more" needs to be done to protect children, especially from HIV/AIDS, conflict and poverty, the... AP/Scotsman reports (Linton, AP/Scotsman, 4/28). Bellamy, who will step down as executive director of UNICEF on Saturday after 10 years in the position, will be succeeded by former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman (Bloomberg News, 4/27). "More than a billion children, nearly half of all children alive today, are living in extreme poverty and are effectively being robbed of childhood by the triple threat of AIDS, conflict and poverty," Bellamy said, adding, "It is essential that we invest more in the health, well-being and protection of children. ... We are moving in a positive direction when it comes to children, but it has not been nearly enough. I am the first to say I wish we had achieved more for children over the past 10 years" (AP/Scotsman, 4/28). Bellamy said she does not see the agency undergoing a "major shift of emphasis" under Veneman, adding, "You don't bring your national agenda, you don't bring your government's agenda, you bring UNICEF's agenda, and that is what I expect from [Veneman]" (Linton, Associated Press, 4/27). Veneman in January said, "I come with an agenda of helping children, particularly in the areas of education and health and to address the issues of hunger and malnutrition" (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/19). Bellamy said that UNICEF later this year plans to launch a global campaign to fight HIV/AIDS among children. "Every part of the world needs to do more today about HIV/AIDS," she said (Associated Press, 4/27).
Perceived discrimination linked to coronary artery calcification - Medical News Today 01/05/05
The more discrimination African-American women report, the more likely they are to have coronary artery calcification, a buildup of calcium in the vessels that is associated with atherosclerosis, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's 45th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.
UNAIDS, Indian Government Agree To Combat HIV/AIDS Among Country's Military - Medical News Today 01/05/05
The Indian government and UNAIDS on Wednesday signed a partnership agreement that aims to curb the spread of HIV among the country's military personnel,... AFP/Yahoo! News reports (AFP/Yahoo! News, 4/28). Under the agreement, UNAIDS will work with India's National AIDS Control Organization, Ministry of Defence and the National Cadet Corps to design and implement a comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention program among the military, according to Ulf Kristoffersson, director of the UNAIDS Office on AIDS, Security and Humanitarian Response (Press Trust of India, 4/28). The program will include awareness initiatives, peer education training and the integration of curricula on sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, into the country's military schools. The program also will help improve the capabilities of military health professionals to provide HIV-positive people with quality health care and support, according to a UNAIDS release. India has approximately 1.3 million active members in its military and about 535,000 people in the military reserves. Military service members are "particularly vulnerable" to HIV for many reasons, including their young age, according to the release (UNAIDS release, 4/28). Last week, Director-General of the Assam Rifles Bhopinder Singh said that more soldiers die of AIDS-related causes than as a result of warfare in the country's northeast region and that the number of HIV infections among India's military personnel are assuming "serious dimensions." Kristoffersson said, "India's commitment to confronting the epidemic at an early stage, focusing on prevention and education of young men and women in uniform, should stand as a lesson for militaries and governments in the region and elsewhere" (AFP/Yahoo! News, 4/28).
Metastatic Colorectal Cancer - Phase 3 Clinical Trial of Panitumumab Therapy for First-Line Treatment - Medical News Today 30/04/05
Amgen Inc (Nasdaq:AMGN) and Abgenix, Inc (Nasdaq:ABGX) today announced the initiation of a Phase 3 clinical study to evaluate the potential benefits of adding panitumumab, an experimental fully human monoclonal antibody, administered every other week to bevacizumab (Avastin(TM), Genentech) and either oxaliplatin- (Eloxatin(R), sanofi-aventis) or irinotecan-based (Camptosar(R), Pfizer) chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. The clinical trial, called the PACCE (Panitumumab Advanced Colorectal Cancer Evaluation) study, is a randomized, multi-center, open-label study, with endpoints of progression-free survival, overall survival and response rate. Enrollment in the study of approximately 1,000 patients is already underway.
Coartem® (artemether-lumefantrine) most effective malaria treatment in areas of high resistance to conventional anti-malarials - Medical News Today 01/05/05
A new study published in The Lancet suggests that the combination of artemether and lumefantrine, available from Novartis under the brand name Coartem, is the most effective available treatment for malaria in children in areas of Africa where resistance to conventional anti-malarial drugs is high. Developed and produced by Novartis and its Chinese partners, Coartem is currently the only fixed-dose artemisinin-based combination therapy pre-qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO) for procurement by United Nations agencies.
Managing Life Often Takes Precedence over Managing Family Health Information - Medical News Today 30/04/05
National survey reveals that 63 percent of adults say other day-to-day responsibilities come before managing family's health - Many American adults are so busy managing their daily lives that conducting important health-related tasks are often overlooked. A recent survey commissioned by Merck & Co., Inc. and conducted by Harris Interactive® found that 63 percent of all U.S. adults and 75 percent of those adults living with children say day-to-day responsibilities often take priority over organizing their family's health histories and records, or learning about health conditions1. In fact, the survey results indicate that just more than one third (36%) of all respondents feel they have the time or take the time necessary to conduct these important health-related tasks.
European Cancer Clinic Offers Advanced Radiotherapy Treatments, Increase Capacity and Cut Treatment Times with New Equipment - Medical News Today 30/0
One of Europe's leading cancer centers has begun clinical treatments on the first of two newly installed advanced linear accelerators from Varian Medical Systems. Aarhus University Hospital in the city of Aarhus, Denmark, will use the new treatment machines for a variety of leading-edge radiotherapy procedures, including image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT).
BAND-AID® Brand Celebrates 85 Years of Innovation with Reinvention of the Traditional Bandage - Medical News Today 30/04/05
BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages, an iconic part of American history, celebrated its 85th anniversary today with the unveiling of the next generation of bandage with COMFORT-FLEX™ technology. Featuring a revolutionary adhesive material and tapered shape, bandages with COMFORT-FLEX™ technology will replace the traditional bandages that have been on store shelves since the early 1950s. The traditional strip will now take its rightful place in the Johnson & Johnson archives in New Brunswick, NJ.
No Wisdom in Routinely Pulling Wisdom Teeth, Study Says - Medical News Today 30/04/05
No reliable studies exist to support removal of trouble-free impacted wisdom teeth, according to a systematic review of evidence. Despite this surprising lack of data, extraction of third molars has long been considered appropriate care in most developed countries.
Officials Simulate Bioterrorist Attack to Test APL-Developed Disease Surveillance System - Medical News Today 30/04/05
Public health officials from the District of Columbia, Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia gathered today at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Md., to demonstrate the utility of the National Capital Region (NCR) Disease Surveillance Network.
Patients with pituitary gland tumors are often misdiagnosed - Medical News Today 30/04/05
A recent study found that tumors of the pituitary gland are more common than many health care professionals realize, with national prevalence rates averaging 16.7 percent.
Nano-particle research will benefit inhaler-users - Medical News Today 30/04/05
Patients suffering from conditions as diverse as asthma and diabetes could benefit from research at Cardiff University to improve the effectiveness of drugs taken through spray inhalers.
Measles epidemic in Chad, Médecins Sans Frontières responds - Medical News Today 30/04/05
The total number of individuals now infected is likely to be two or three times higher than the reported figure. In the paediatric ward of some hospitals, 50% of the death toll is due to measles in April.
Mautner Project Shocked At Therapist Who Attempts To Change Sexual Orientation of Lesbians And Gays Reinstatement - Medical News Today 30/04/05
Reappointment of Controversial Therapist to Magellan Health Services Called "Irresponsible and Dangerous" - The following is a statement from Kathleen DeBold, executive director of the Mautner Project, the National Lesbian Health Organization, regarding Dr. Warren Throckmorton's reappointment to the National Professional Advisory Council of Magellan Health Services.
Conference Highlights Need For Better Formulations For Children, UK - Medical News Today 30/04/05
A conference hosted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain's Industrial Pharmacists' Group in association with the Neonatal & Paediatric Pharmacists' Group on Monday 25 April looked at the issues surrounding supply of medicines to children.
Comprehensive treatment improves cognitive impairment in heart failure patients - Medical News Today 30/04/05
It is common for patients in heart failure to show cognitive dysfunction, known in the past as "cardiogenic dementia." However, by evaluating and treating some coexisting conditions observed in these patients, such as salt imbalances, anemia and hyperglycemia, their cognitive functions may improve independently of the underlying cardiac problems.
Burden Of Parasitic Worm Infection Greater Than Previous Estimates - Medical News Today 30/04/05
The disability associated with schistosomiasis is far greater than previously thought, concludes a study published in this week's issue of The Lancet.
Breast-Cancer Risk Linked to Exposure to Traffic Emissions at Menarche, First Birth - Medical News Today 30/04/05
Exposure to carcinogens in traffic emissions at particular lifetime points may increase the risk of developing breast cancer in women who are lifetime nonsmokers, a study by epidemiologists and geographers at the University at Buffalo has found.
'Correlation found between mobile phone masts and sleep disturbances' - Medical News Today 30/04/05
"We have found that people who are very electrosensitive in the evening, do not sleep well in the night". Prof. dr. Norbert Leitgeb of the Technical University of Graz in Austria told it to a journalist of the Grazer Woche. "This could indicate, that mobile phone masts and other sources of radiofrequent radiation indeed have a negative influence on the well being of many persons."
Color Doppler Sonography Speeds Detection of Serious Illness in Premature Infants - Medical News Today 30/04/05
Measuring blood flow to a newborn's intestines using a special form of ultrasound can help radiologists identify a life-threatening complication in a serious bowel disease, according to a study in the May issue of the journal Radiology.
RCN calls for major reforms to combat MRSA, UK - Medical News Today 29/04/05
The next Government will need to invest in hundreds of thousands more nurses' uniforms, require employers to build adequate staff changing and laundry facilities and introduce 24-hour cleaning teams in all acute hospitals if they are to successfully tackle MRSA and other healthcare associated infections (HCAIs), according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
RCN Survey Exposes School Nurse Numbers Crisis, UK - Medical News Today 29/04/05
The next government needs to double the number of school nurses to ensure every child has access to a school nurse, according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN ). New research commissioned by the RCN shows on average a school nurse in the state sector covers at least ten schools, caring for an average of 2,400 pupils. This means less than 3000 school nurses cover the UK, amounting to just 4.5 school nurses per constituency.
Swedish Healthcare excludes undocumented migrant children - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Undocumented migrant children in Sweden do not have sufficient access to healthcare. That is the experience of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) after 15 months of referrals of 'gomda', the hidden migrants in Swedish society, to a network of volunteer health workers.
Risk Of Womb Cancer Varies According To The Type Of HRT Used - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Certain types of hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) increase a woman's risk of womb cancer while others do not, concludes a study published in this week's issue of The Lancet. Many post-menopausal women, who have not had a hysterectomy, use combined HRT (containing progestagen and oestrogen) or tibolone (synthetic HRT), because oestrogenonly preparations are known to increase the risk of womb cancer. But little information exists on the incidence of womb cancer in users of these other therapies.
Swedish Healthcare excludes undocumented migrant children - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Undocumented migrant children in Sweden do not have sufficient access to healthcare. That is the experience of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) after 15 months of referrals of 'gomda', the hidden migrants in Swedish society, to a network of volunteer health workers.
Tiny endoscopes bring medical costs down - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Viewing actual images of patients' internal organs is more and more common in medical procedures. However, in many cases the treatment can be painful or uncomfortable, and high sterilisation costs can limit the procedure's use. IVP's prototypes aim to overcome such challenges.
Use of Antibiotics to Treat Ear Infections is Falling, USA - Medical News Today 29/04/05
The proportion of children who were given an antibiotic specifically to treat otitis media, a commonly diagnosed ear condition, declined from 14.4 percent in 1996 to 11.5 percent in 2001, according to new data from HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The data also showed declines in both the percentage of children reported to have otitis media and the percentage of children whose parents sought treatment for the condition.
UK Politicians Failing To Address Low Morale Among Doctors - Medical News Today 29/04/05
All the UK's main political parties have all failed to address the single most important factor hindering the improvement of health services in their election campaigns-the collapse in morale among doctors, states an Editorial in this week's issue of The Lancet.
Prenatal cocaine exposure exerts subtle effects on schoolchildren - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Children exposed to cocaine before birth show subtle but discernible differences in their ability to plan and problem-solve once they reach school age, University of Florida researchers report.
US Federal Authorities Seize Prescription Drugs from Distributors - 80 Pharmacies Nationwide Affected - Medical News Today 29/04/05
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Attorney for the District of Utah are announcing a series of indictments today against multiple prescription drug distributors whose illegal distribution of diverted drugs could affect the safety and efficacy of more than 40 medications purchased by consumers in over 80 pharmacies nationwide.
Polio outbreak spreads across Yemen - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Eighteen new cases of polio have today been announced in Yemen, bringing the reported total number associated with an outbreak in the country to 22. Yemen had been polio-free since disease surveillance began in 1996 - a genetic investigation is ongoing to determine the precise origin of the outbreak. Experts fear that the number of cases will rise in the immediate future.
VentrAssistTM implantable heart assist system - Enrollment progress for European approval trial - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Ventracor Limited (ASX:VCR) today announced three patients had recently been implanted with the VentrAssistTM implantable heart assist system as part of its CE Mark Trial. Ventracor Limited Chief Executive Officer, Colin Sutton PhD, said two implants were conducted at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne and one at Royal Perth.
Better, Faster, Cheaper, Safer Drugs - Getting Drugs to Market More Quickly And Cheaply - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Measurement scientists at the National Physical Laboratory are helping the pharmaceutical industry to get better drugs to market more quickly and cheaply - by reducing the time and cost of testing.
Day Care In Infancy Protects Against Childhood Leukaemia - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Day care in infancy and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: findings from UK case-control study.
Designer babies lawful to help sick siblings, UK Law Lords decide - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Five Law Lords in the UK have ruled that families can legally create babies to help their sick brother or sister, the authority would come from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, UK.
Facelift alternatives rid patients of neck 'wattle' without the downtime of surgery - Medical News Today 29/04/05
On the show Ally McBeal, a character was romantically pursued because of her neck "wattle" or loose skin - a scenario that would only happen on television, right? In reality, many people want to rid themselves of neck "wattle" to look younger or to wear certain clothes or accessories more comfortably, without having facelifts. They may feel they are too young or old for an invasive procedure, are not able to afford the prolonged recovery time, or only want targeted improvement of their neck region. Patients have less invasive options to rid the "wattle," reports a study in May's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), through targeted neck rejuvenation techniques.
Health Inequalities Continue To Widen, Despite Government Rhetoric, UK - Medical News Today 29/04/05
Health inequalities in Britain have continued to increase, despite the government's commitment to tackle the problem, argue researchers in this week's BMJ.
Opinion Piece Suggests Ending US Health System, Outsourcing for Care - Medical News Today 29/04/05
It is "painful to admit that the nation that produced Osler and Salk, pacemakers and MRIs can't do health care anymore," but the reality is that the United States "left the whole business [of health care] to business -- both the profit-making and private 'nonprofit' variety -- and business screwed it up," Barbara Ehrenreich, author of "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America," writes in a Los Angeles Times opinion piece. According to Ehrenreich, the United States' health care system makes "plenty of people rich" -- including executives at pharmaceutical companies and large hospital chains -- but "makes a lot more people poor: indirectly, by inhibiting job growth, and directly, by grinding individuals down to bankruptcy" as a result of medical bills. While "we can't outsource our illnesses" the way many U.S. businesses have sought to outsource manufacturing to offset rising U.S. employee health care costs, "we can at least outsource our health care," she adds. Already, many U.S. residents reimport their prescription drugs from abroad or travel to Manila and Singapore for "low-cost, high-quality care," Ehrenreich says. Before long, "Motel 6-style hospitals might be "springing up in Tijuana for the American working class," she adds. Ehrenreich notes that the "abolition of the American health care system [would] lead to some difficult readjustments," including that U.S. doctors, nurses and technicians would have to find work in the medical tourism field abroad. However, she adds that "for the estimated two million to three million insurance company functionaries whose sole business it is to turn down your claims, these folk may be a bit harder to re-employ because they have no counterpart in any civilized, health-providing nation" (Ehrenreich, Los Angeles Times, 4/28).
Pharmaceutical Companies' Nominal Pricing Practices Facing Growing Scrutiny - Medical News Today 29/04/05
A practice in the pharmaceutical industry of providing steep discounts on medications to some hospitals without informing Medicaid of the price reduction is coming under increasing scrutiny by attorneys, lawmakers and regulators, the... Wall Street Journal reports. Under federal law, pharmaceutical companies are required to give Medicaid the best price on medications that they offer to any customer. An exception to the law stipulates that products sold at a discount of 90% or more need not be disclosed to the government or included in the best-price calculation. The exception is intended to allow pharmaceutical companies to provide charitable organizations with inexpensive medications. However, several recent legal actions and investigations are targeting a practice called nominal pricing, in which companies are discounting prices by 90% or more to hospitals in exchange for guaranteed market share levels. The discounts have not been offered to Medicaid.
Engineer turns bacteria into living computers - Medical News Today 28/04/05
In a step toward making living cells function as if they were tiny computers, engineers at Princeton have programmed bacteria to communicate with each other and produce color-coded patterns.
Ginkgo beneficial for multiple sclerosis symptoms, OHSU study - Medical News Today 28/04/05
When it comes to her health, Janice Winfield of Portland, Ore., does her research. That's why the stay-at-home mom, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in July 2000, was willing to turn to popular, over-the-counter herbal supplements like ginkgo biloba to deal with memory problems, fatigue and occasional muscle pain.
Key stress factors facing new mums - Tiredness, Feeding Baby and Lack of Time to Care for Other Children - Medical News Today 28/04/05
Tiredness, feeding their baby and lack of time to care for other children are three of the key stresses experienced by new mothers, according to a study in the latest Journal of Advanced Nursing.
Protein's role in stopping bacterial-induced inflammation, UCSD medical researchers show - Medical News Today 28/04/05
In findings that could have implications for autoimmune disorders and drug-resistant bacterial infections, researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have identified a key protein involved in the appropriate shut-down of inflammation following an immune response to invading pathogens.
Discovery of a 'molecular switch' may lead to new ways of treating infection, including MRSA - Medical News Today 28/04/05
The discovery of a 'molecular switch' could lead to new ways of treating infections such as MRSA, and inflammatory diseases like arthritis.
Use of Clomiphene Citrate to Induce Ovulation Associated with Higher Risk of Uterine Cancer, Study Says - Medical News Today 28/04/05
The use of the selective estrogen receptor modulator clomiphene citrate to induce ovulation in women with fertility problems is associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer, according to a study published in the April 1 issue of the... American Journal of Epidemiology, Reuters Health reports. Michelle Althuis of the division of cancer epidemiology and genetics at the National Cancer Institute and colleagues studied 8,431 women who had been evaluated for infertility at five U.S. metropolitan-area fertility clinics between 1965 and 1988. Thirty-nine of the women were diagnosed with uterine cancer during the course of the study, a 56% higher uterine cancer prevalence than in the general population. In addition, the 3,280 women studied who were exposed to clomiphene citrate were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer as the women involved in the study who were not exposed to the drug (Reuters Health, 4/25). However, the rate ratios did not reach traditional levels of statistical significance (Althuis et al., American Journal of Epidemiology, 4/1). The risk of uterine cancer was even higher for women who took larger doses of clomiphene, took the hormone for longer periods of time or took the drug more than 20 years ago. The highest risk of uterine cancer among women given clomiphene in the study occurred in obese women who had never been pregnant at the start of the study. However, the risk was not statistically significant, and obese women who had never been pregnant had an increased risk of uterine cancer even without taking clomiphene. The authors said additional research is needed, but they hypothesized that clomiphene increases uterine cancer risk by indirectly increasing estrogen levels. High levels of estrogen previously have been "definitively linked to uterine cancer," according to the study (Reuters Health, 4/25).
UK nurses unhappy with recent health policies - Medical News Today 28/04/05
A poll of nurses shows that the majority do not support Labour's health policies and reforms over the last four years.
UK Nurse uniforms need laundering, provisions currently inadequate - Medical News Today 28/04/05
Most hospitals are failing to make provision to enable nurses to wear clean uniforms, it was claimed yesterday.
Promoting general practice - annual conference of Scotland's GPs - Medical News Today 28/04/05
Doctors will today call on the Scottish Executive to acknowledge the fundamental role of General Practice in NHS Scotland and to recognise that the role of the NHS extends far beyond the debate on waiting times in hospitals.
New Guidance to Help Pharmacists Raise Concerns about Poor Practice, UK - Medical News Today 28/04/05
New guidelines designed to help pharmacists and registered pharmacy technicians protect public safety by raising concerns about healthcare professionals, employers and carers in the most appropriate way has been published by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.
Labour's Broken Promises Regarding Waiting Lists in Wales, Plaid Cymru - Medical News Today 28/04/05
Welsh Shadow Health Minister, Rhodri Glyn Thomas, today expressed his concern at the NHS waiting lists published today by the Assembly. Rhodri Glyn Thomas said: “Today's figures show that nearly 114,000 more people are on a waiting list than when New Labour took control of the health service in 1997 but New Labour have been in denial over the year on year increase in the number of patients waiting to receive treatment. It is high time that New Labour apologised to the people of Wales and admit that they have failed to deliver on manifesto commitments made six years ago.”
BMA Northern Ireland clears the air with new report on smoke-free public places - Medical News Today 28/04/05
The BMA in Northern Ireland publishes a report today (Thursday 28 April 2005) that will clear the air on the smoking debate. The report, Behind the smokescreen, backs up the BMA's call for a UK-wide ban on smoking in all enclosed public places.
Costs of medical institutional review boards' greater than previously estimated - Medical News Today 28/04/05
Institutional review boards (IRBs), the committees that oversee protections for human research participants, often come with a higher than expected price tag, according to results of a study published in the April 28 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.
'Sugar Daddies' Contribute to Spread of HIV/AIDS in U.S., Africa Because of Lack of Condom Use, Opinion Piece Says - Medical News Today 28/04/05
"Sugar daddies" -- older men who have relationships with and buy gifts for or give money to young, female partners -- "are making it difficult to stop the spread" of HIV in the United States and worldwide, columnist Mary Mitchell writes in a... Chicago Sun-Times opinion piece. This "makes sense" because "[o]ld men who sleep with much younger women understand that they are paying for sex and are determined to get their money's worth," while young women do not understand "how difficult it is to negotiate condom use," according to Mitchell. In a study conducted in Kenya by Harvard University research fellow Nancy Luke, sugar daddies were found to have the "upper hand because their sex partners are needy financially," Mitchell says, adding that the study found that sugar daddies who are in relationships with women closer to their own age are more likely to use condoms. According to Mitchell, Luke argues that African women need "more control over their lives" and increased access to contraceptives, education and jobs in order to avoid these types of relationships. The "sugar daddy syndrome" also needs to be examined in the United States so that young women "know what those trinkets could cost down the road," Mitchell concludes (Mitchell, Chicago Sun-Times, 4/26).
Improved cancer treatments aim of new biology research program, Canada - Medical News Today 28/04/05
Cancer research in Alberta, Canada, is taking a major step forward with a new research program being housed at the University of Calgary. The Institute for Biocomplexity and Informatics will be led by Dr. Stuart Kauffman, a scientist known around the world for his revolutionary genetic theories, who has relocated to Alberta to work on research that could offer new ways to treat cancer.
Even more good news about Herceptin, breast cancer less likely to come back - Medical News Today 28/04/05
Roche, Genentech and Breast International Group (BIG) today announced that the interim analysis of HERA (HERceptin Adjuvant), a large scale, 39-country, phase III study with a wide range of chemotherapy regimens shows that the addition of Herceptin (trastuzumab) significantly increases disease-free survival for women with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer.
Leading radiotherapy researcher leaves USA to lead new Oxford centre - Medical News Today 25/04/05
Professor Gillies McKenna takes up the post of Professor of Radiation Oncology and Biology at the University of Oxford, UK, this month.
‘Critical' Malnutrition Among Children In Niger - Medical News Today 25/04/05
The United Nations World Food Programme has warned that approximately 350,000 children under five years-old in the West African state of Niger could be suffering from malnutrition according to the results of a survey published today in the capital Niamey.
Bishops' Official Hails Move by HHS to Protect Infants Who Survive Abortion - Medical News Today 25/04/05
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced plans to vigorously enforce violations of the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act. The Act ensures that any infant who is fully born and shows signs of life is considered a human person entitled to the full protection of the law -- whether or not the baby is born during a failed abortion.
Ezetrol(tm) with a Statin - Achieves Greater LDL Cholesterol Reduction Compared with Statin Therapy Alone - Medical News Today 25/04/05
Results from two clinical trials showed that co-administration of EZETROL(tm) (ezetimibe) with ongoing statin therapy (simvastatin or atorvastatin), provided greater reduction in LDL ("bad") cholesterol in hypercholesterolemia patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) compared with statin therapy alone (ezetimibe/simvastatin 74.3 percent vs. placebo/simvastatin 16.7 percent; p¡Ü0.001; ezetimibe/atorvastatin 81.3 percent vs. placebo/atorvastatin 21.8 percent; p¡Ü0.001).1,2 In addition, the study demonstrated that significantly more patients taking EZETROL with ongoing statin therapy achieved European and U.S. LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) level guidelines (¡Ü2.60 mmol/L or ¡Ü100 mg/dl), compared with statin therapy alone. EZETROL used with a statin provides Dual Inhibition of two sources of cholesterol by inhibiting the production of cholesterol mainly in the liver and inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine. This data confirms that treating two sources of cholesterol results in greater LDL-C reduction, and allows significantly more patients to reach greater goal attainment versus statin therapy alone.
Female Teen Depression Can Be Prevented and Helped if Parents Know Red Flags - Medical News Today 25/04/05
Can you distinguish behavior that suggests a girl is in trouble from typical teen angst or attitude? Is your teenage daughter at risk for depression? One in four are, and you might not know it.
Cheshire and Mersey News
Company pays high price for vaccine factory fiasco - Daily Post 29/04/05
THE bill for getting Chiron's Liverpool vaccine factory back up and running following a contamination fiasco will run into tens of millions of pounds, the company admitted yesterday.
Help for drug offenders - Bootle Times 28/04/05
AINTREE Racecourse will host an anti-drug initiative launch on May 17.
Legionnaire's fear at school - Crosby Herald 28/04/05
PARENTS who pulled their children out of lessons after a Legionnaires disease scare have been assured the risk of an outbreak is "no higher than normal".
Doctor accused of killing nanny - Crosby Herald 28/04/05
A THORNTON doctor appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday (April 22) accused of murdering his children's nanny.
Cannabis cafe owner to face drug charge - Liverpool Echo 29/04/05
THE owner of Merseyside's first cannabis cafe will appear in court accused of a drug offence.
Bone scans are healthy way to help holiday fund - Southport Visiter 29/04/05
SONOGRAPHER Rex Mallett combined his two passions to help raise funds for a children's holiday project.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Fishy idea to make pupils do better - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/04/05
FISH oil is on the menu at a Preston high school in the hope that it will make pupils do swimmingly in their GCSEs.
Mumps cases at 15 year high - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/04/05
CASES of mumps are reaching epidemic proportions in Preston with 100 cases recorded so far this year, compared to 42 in the whole of 2004.
Weak heart blamed for early death - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/04/05
POLICE have ruled out any link between the death of a father of four and a scuffle outside a pub on Friday night in which he was involved.
Greater Manchester News
Danger mushrooms still on sale - Manchester Evening News 02/05/05
MAGIC mushrooms similar to the type that led to a Salford man jumping to his death from the 23rd floor of a tower block are still on sale in Manchester city centre.
Record Numbers Quit Smoking - Bolton Evening News 30/04/05
A RECORD number of smokers have stubbed out the habit in Bolton.
Freeing up hospital beds should be a priority [Letter]- Bolton Evening News 30/04/05
I WOULD like to make a few remarks about the article, Beds crisis hits Royal Bolton Hospital".
The 1,700 cigarette - Manchester Evening News 30/04/05
IT is probably the most expensive cigarette Peter Sweeney will ever smoke.
Blair pledges probe into GP targets - Manchester Evening News 30/04/05
TONY BLAIR has ordered an inquiry after his targets for GPs came under fire during the debate.
Cancer-causing dye link to paprika - Manchester Evening News 30/04/05
A potentially cancer-causing dye - similar to the notorious Sudan 1 - has been discovered in jars of paprika, sparking a major product recall today.
Mumps crisis hits school - Bolton Evening News 29/04/05
TWENTY-SIX pupils have been sent home from a Bolton school with suspected mumps.
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