National and International News
Miss education - The Guardian 28/11/05
A health article in a US girls' mag has caused an uproar - one supermarket chain even pulled the title from its shelves. But what is so scary about Vagina 101?
Inquest to look at how healthy mother, 34, died after childbirth - The Guardian 28/11/05
Jessica and Ben Palmer were thrilled when baby Emily was born on June 24 2004 at Kingston hospital in south-west London, a much-wanted sister for their toddler, Harry. But six days later Jessica was dead from multiple organ failure caused by streptococcal septicaemia.
Sense of failure: the scale of teenage self-harm - The Guardian 28/11/05
Far more British teenagers than previously thought are inflicting injuries on themselves because of feelings of failure and social inadequacy, according to research by mental health experts.
Tightening the law - The Guardian 28/11/05
The arrest of Gary Glitter in Vietnam on child sex charges has refocused international attention on one of the ugliest faces of tourism: the child sex trade. The UN agency Unicef estimates that the number of child prostitutes in southeast Asia runs into the hundreds of thousands, with up to 35% of all sex workers in the Mekong area, which includes Thailand and Cambodia, being under 17. There could hardly be a bleaker trade, with children often "sold" by their poverty-stricken parents following false promises from pimps. Life for most of them is an intolerable succession of repeated abortions, sexual diseases and physical abuse.
Child Support Agency forced to pay back wrongly accused men - The Guardian 28/11/05
The Child Support Agency has had to refund hundreds of thousands of pounds in maintenance payments to more than 3,000 men after DNA tests revealed that they had been wrongly named by mothers in paternity suits. One in six men who took a DNA test to challenge claims by women that they were the fathers of their children were cleared by the results, according to official figures disclosed by the agency.
GPs to ask men to open up - The Observer 27/11/05
Doctors are to be taught how to talk to male patients in order to work out what is really wrong with them.
'Without education there's no hope. Without books there's no education' - The Observer 27/11/05
This Christmas, Observer readers can make a difference to the lives of millions of people by doing a very simple thing - helping them buy a book. David Smith opens our appeal
Top liver specialist treated bankrupt hero free of charge - The Observer 27/11/05
The sad truth behind George Best's final days became apparent yesterday after The Observer discovered that the football star was given free medical treatment at the prestigious Cromwell Hospital in London because he was bankrupt and unable to pay.
Sober lessons about drink - The Observer 27/11/05
Roger Williams, Best's doctor, says his death should make us consider our drinking culture
Truckers take India on fast lane to Aids - The Observer 27/11/05
India's lorry drivers carry more than freight. Their frequent use of young prostitutes is driving the country to the brink of an HIV/Aids epidemic
Brown still faces 11bn 'black hole' - The Observer 27/11/05
Item Club warning spoils Gordon's party
A study of homosexuals' mental health - The Observer 27/11/05
A study of homosexuality among New Zealanders in their early twenties (Psychological Medicine) finds that 3.9 per cent of men and 1.6 per cent of women were exclusively of that persuasion. In this still-homophobic nation, they had sky-high rates of mental illness: 71 per cent of gay men were depressed (11 times more than exclusively heterosexual men). Implication: nothing like 10 per cent of people (the proportion famously given by Kinsey) are exclusively gay - many studies in other nations show similarly low rates (2-3 per cent for young men, 1-2 per cent for women, although around 5-7 per cent are bisexual); however, homophobia is still a problem beyond the Antipodes, as gay people nearly everywhere have poorer mental health.
Oliver James: Baby shambles - The Observer 27/11/05
If the government cares about infant welfare, says Oliver James, it should fund support for stressed mothers, not daycare centres to force them back to work
Dr John Briffa: Hip service - The Observer 27/11/05
If your waist is larger than your hips you could be at risk of a heart attack. Dr John Briffa reveals why you need to act if you can't button your trousers
Who do they think they are? - The Observer 27/11/05
Which celebrity do you look most like? For some, the similarity is uncanny; for others it's more a case of wishful thinking. Here, photographer Kevin Cummins explores what it's like to be almost famous
'G8 had a mandate to do much more' - The Observer 27/11/05
World leaders have broken promises made at the G8 summit last summer, according to a leading member of the Make Poverty History campaign.
How appropriate - a row about retiring - The Observer 27/11/05
The uneasy armistice between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown is breaking apart as pensions bring out their conflicting ambitions
Fair pensions assure Britain's future - The Guardian 28/11/05
Save more or pay more: the dilemma we all face - The Guardian 28/11/05
Is it fair, affordable, sustainable? - The Guardian 28/11/05
No backtrack on public sector retirement age deal, CBI told - The Guardian 28/11/05
Brown 'tries to scrap deal on public-sector retirement age' - The Independent 27/11/05
Letters to the editor - The Observer 27/11/05
Pension? Start saving from birth - The Observer 27/11/05
The British workers' revolution has begun and is changing life for all of us - The Observer 27/11/05
'Hangover hospitals' could go nationwide - The Observer 27/11/05
Makershift field clinics should be set up in cities across Britain to deal with minor alcohol-related injuries, according to those behind the UK's first all-night 'hangover hospital', which opened in Newcastle this weekend.
'I wish I'd had more time to profile God' - The Observer 27/11/05
God made the world in seven days ... and Lord Winston took just five months to write the story. Dare to suggest, though, that his new book and TV series lack expertise and you'll risk making this all-purpose TV pundit barking mad, says Lynn Barber
Let nurses nurse - The Observer 27/11/05
A very common complaint from patients who have recently been in hospital is that the nurses spend too much time filling in forms and not enough time at the bedside talking to them. The changes in nursing practice over the past decade is usually blamed for this absence of visible care on the wards. Their increasing professionalism and desire to take on roles traditionally carried out by doctors means that many hands-on tasks are now left to healthcare assistants.
Paperwork mountain keeps nurses from care - The Observer 27/11/05
'Filling in admission forms can take an hour' - The Observer 27/11/05
Treating inflammatory conditions - The Guardian 26/11/05
I am a very fit 73-year-old woman and swim about 26 lengths every day. I've recently been diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica and told there is no cure but that it can be controlled with steroids. Is that all?
Seven fitness ailments ... and how to avoid them - The Guardian 26/11/05
Are you put off exercise by those aches and niggles that strike as soon as you pull on your tracksuit? Don't worry, says Peta Bee, there is a solution ...
Out of the cold - The Guardian 26/11/05
The Russian way to health is a strange ritual involving plenty of vodka, steam, silly hats and birch twigs
'Witch doctor' fined for refusing blood sample - The Guardian 26/11/05
A self-styled "witch doctor" was fined £250 in Huddersfield yesterday for failing to give police a blood sample.
Smoking ban loophole gives prisons a problem - The Guardian 26/11/05
The government's attempt to curb smoking in enclosed public places faces a further setback with prison chiefs warning that they cannot ban inmates from smoking because of a legal loophole that regards their cells as their "private home".
Pay up or serve 10 more years in jail, cocaine supplier told - The Guardian 26/11/05
An ex-public schoolboy who masterminded a £10.5m cocaine operation supplying celebrities, City workers and leading music industry figures, was stripped of £2.1m yesterday. He faces serving a further 10 years in jail if he fails to pay up.
Cocaine dealers told to pay 3.6m - The Times 26/11/05
Feeling better? Or is it all in the mind? - The Guardian 26/11/05
The moment I saw the press release for the new Bristol Homeopathy study, I knew I was in for a treat. This was a fabulously flawed "survey", no more, in which some doctors asked their patients whether they thought they'd got better a while after having some homeopathy. Not meaningless data in itself, but the action, as ever, is in the interpretation, and the interpretation was at its most cock-eyed in the Daily Telegraph.
Do animals induce a sense of wellbeing? - The Guardian 26/11/05
The idea might sound like new age mumbo-jumbo. But wait - this week, scientists writing in the British Medical Journal said that swimming with dolphins really does alleviate depression.
If you swim with dolphins you could alleviate your depression - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Pets help your health, especially if you are older or recovering from a major illness - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Connecting with nature can improve your health and wellbeing - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Tracking down child abusers: police forces unite to fight world problem - The Guardian 26/11/05
Accusations against Gary Glitter throw spotlight on Vietnam
Must we really work until we drop? - The Guardian 26/11/05
A proposal to up the retirement age to 67 is raising hackles. Phillip Inman reports from Glasgow
Cold comfort as gas prices fuel concern - The Guardian 26/11/05
With the threat of soaring costs and a bitter winter, the heat is on. Miles Brignall reports
Mother's diet can influence a child's taste, says study - The Independent 28/11/05
Flavours experienced in the womb and, later, in mothers' milk may have a significant influence on what children are willing to eat.
Parents of 30 children sue over birth defects they blame on clean-up of toxic waste dumps - The Independent 28/11/05
Mothers of 30 children born with webbed hands or webbed feet have won the right to bring a multimillion-pound legal action to try to prove a link between the mismanagement of toxic waste dumps and the birth defects.
24-hour drinking: The morning after - The Independent 27/11/05
We did not drown in a sea of drink. Drunken mobs did not terrorise our cities (well, no more than usual). Surely it wasn't down to the cold snap? Steve Bloomfield reports from Bournemouth, Britain's 24-hour-licence capital
The civilised face of late-night drinking - The Times 28/11/05
Cold keeps drunken louts off the streets - The Times 28/11/05
Canterbury tales: the nurse, the clergyman, the policeman . . . - The Times 26/11/05
News analysis: Influenza chaos - The Independent 27/11/05
Where have all the vaccines gone? Who is to blame for this 'shambles'?
My quest for the Last Flu Jab in Britain - The Telegraph 27/11/05
Cold snap could spread bird flu - The Independent 27/11/05
Arctic weather this winter will bring bird flu to Britain, ministers fear. They believe it will cause waterfowl carrying the deadly virus to come to this country.
Will you want a Zeta-Jones smile after you read this? - The Independent 27/11/05
Dentists warn of the dangers of using do-it-yourself bleaching kits
NHS faces cash crisis as harsh winter bites - The Independent 26/11/05
NHS trusts are feared to be heading for a total deficit of £1bn amid a predicted rise in ill-health caused by the cold weather.
Schools to encourage emotional intelligence - The Times 28/11/05
CHILDREN will be encouraged to “explore their emotions” in school and learn about manners, respect and good behaviour in a bid to raise attendance and improve learning.
Child vaccines under threat in pay row - The Times 28/11/05
VACCINATIONS for children could be under threat from changes to the way that family doctors are paid. A survey suggests that more than one in seven GPs is considering opting out of providing immunisations and another 10 per cent may stop chasing up children’s vaccinations because the money they are paid for doing them has dropped by more than half.
Drug dealers don't fit stereotypes - The Times 28/11/05
A social policy research charity has cautioned against believing the stereotype of drug-dealing areas as run-down, socially fragmented neighbourhoods.
Land where everyone from the King down has Aids test - The Times 28/11/05
The Times has learnt that Lesotho’s entire population is to be screened for HIV
Surgeon's scalpel is new weapon in US battle for hearts and minds - The Times 28/11/05
BASIRA JAN’S heart condition was so severe that her face turned blue after walking just a few yards.
Through the keyhole - The Times 28/11/05
More young men are now affected by prostate cancer, but surgery no longer means incontinence
Put your therapist on the couch - The Times 28/11/05
Victims of trauma would do well to audition their prospective counsellor
I have poor circulation - my fingers and toes go white when cold - The Times 28/11/05
Is there anything you can suggest for Raynaud’s? I am in my early 40s and otherwise appear to be healthy, but I do have poor circulation. I have only to touch a cold milk bottle (in the summer or winter) for my fingers to go white, and it’s extremely painful. Suzy, Cambridge
Urban worrier - The Times 28/11/05
Breakfast time on Saturday morning. The normal hubbub of domestic life is interrupted by sudden shouts of anger in the outside world, followed by the tinkle of breaking glass, a thud, then silence. We peer out of the window of our basement kitchen but can’t see anything untoward. We assume the disturbance was either a domestic that is now over (and not worth ogling) or some accident involving builders in a neighbouring house.
Fifty babies a year are alive after abortion - The Sunday Times 27/11/05
A GOVERNMENT agency is launching an inquiry into doctors’ reports that up to 50 babies a year are born alive after botched National Health Service abortions.
Doctors will get right not to treat self-inflicted illnesses - The Sunday Times 27/11/05
DOCTORS are to be issued with new guidance permitting them to refuse to treat a patient if they judge that an illness is self-inflicted.
Help the obese: snigger - The Sunday Times 27/11/05
The NHS in east Suffolk has announced that it will no longer perform hip or knee replacements on people classed as “obese”. Never mind that the definition it uses for obesity — a body mass index of 30 or higher — is increasingly discredited, and that a much more reliable way of measuring healthy weight is waist-to-hip ratio. (It should be 0.9 or less in men, and 0.85 or less in women; you can check it on www.healthstatus.com/calculate/whr ).
Doctors drink so why can’t we smoke? - The Sunday Times 27/11/05
I AGREE with Rod Liddle (We drink, proles binge, Comment, last week) about the government’s contradictory approach to drinking and smoking.
Health chief to report on MRSA - The Sunday Times 27/11/05
THE Oireachtas health committee wants the government’s chief medical officer to appear before it every three months to explain what progress is being made in fighting the MRSA superbug.
Study finds man-made folic acid in newborns - The Sunday Times 27/11/05
SYNTHETIC folic acid has been found in the blood of new-born babies during a study by Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and the Coombe maternity hospital.
Dinner-party drug is not a laughing matter, doctors say - The Times 26/11/05
THE pudding has been cleared away, the coffee served. It’s time to bring on the balloons and soon everyone is laughing — literally.
Elderly don't know of heating help - The Times 26/11/05
Three out of four elderly people in Scotland are unaware of the country’s free winter heating schemes.
Businesses shun pregnant women - The Times 26/11/05
Three out of four companies would rather break the law than employ a pregnant woman or one of childbearing age, a survey suggests.
Baby died after phone diagnosis - The Times 26/11/05
A coroner has condemned the “substantial failure” of a GP to give correct advice to the mother of an 11-month-girl who died of dehydration the day after he was consulted.
Spare us the spoilt child - The Times 26/11/05
In the first of her new weekly columns on coping with tricky family figures, Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall explains just how to tame those tiny tyrants
Britain’s favourite granny - The Times 26/11/05
A few years ago, while Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall was changing the nappy of one of her four grandsons, he tumbled off the bed on to the floor. “I won’t tell you which one because I haven’t yet confessed to the parents,” she says mischievously. The key to negotiating the politics of family relations, Jane believes, is knowing when to hold your tongue and when to brace yourself for confrontation. “I err on the side of avoiding rows or shouting, but I hope I’m not a sweeper-under-the-carpet person.”
'Love my man, hate the sex' - The Times 26/11/05
You are not being unfair to your husband unless you affected an enthusiasm for physical union with him when you first met, whereas in truth there was none. Did you possibly not only fake occasional orgasms but also any interest in genital contact? A disgust at the mechanics of sex is common in prepubescent children whose reproductive instincts are as yet unawakened. In some people, who may have developed a strong cerebral love for their partners and may glory in their shared interests, including the bonds created by children, this immature approach may last a lifetime.
Festive stocking? Start with quality sweets - The Times 26/11/05
Now Maya is 3, the whole Nativity play, Father Christmas build-up will whip her into a frenzy and I’ll need all my energy to enjoy this wonderful time with her. And I need to be organised. I don’t want to miss out on mothering stuff because I’ve forgotten to buy something.
A-Z for relationships: Q is for quarrel - The Times 26/11/05
Are spats and tiffs a staple of all relationships? Some couples flourish on little else; others see quarrels as the most intermittent of interludes. But what role
Love in the mourning - The Times 26/11/05
Would you sleep with your dead partner’s best friend? It’s taboo, but common and healthy, says Catriona Wrottesley
A good wheeze - The Times 26/11/05
Could the way you breathe make you ill? While scientists argue, a new device is claimed to help, says Jerome Burne
Inside story: hernia operation: my private nightmare - The Times 26/11/05
The menu may have been good but the treatment left deep scars on John O’Connell
Junk medicine: stem cell research - The Times 26/11/05
When the World Stem Cell Hub was launched last month, it promised to be one of the most exciting international collaborations in science.
Dr Copperfield: inside the mind of a GP - The Times 26/11/05
This week, we GPs have mostly been rubbish at . . . diagnosing and treating obsessive compulsive disorder. Well, pardon me for trying to justify my incompetence. But can I just point out that the nature of OCD often involves concealment of the problem? So if a patient presents after a decade of hand-washing, I can hardly be blamed for a ten-year delay in diagnosis.
Superior health - The Times 26/11/05
BE A SNOB, it could add years to your life, claims a study of civil servants.
Chosen Spot on Social Ladder Predicts Health - Medical News Today 28/11/05
In the pink of health - The Times 26/11/05
Too shy to tell your GP about an indiscretion? A gay sex clinic could help, says Andrew Pierce
Getting rid of bellyache - The Times 26/11/05
My 13-year-old son had tummy migraine diagnosed over a year ago. He has had several episodes of vomiting, which lasted for three hours and left him feeling weak for up to 24 hours. He loves to stay up late. Could this problem be exacerbated by lack of sleep?
Over the counter: lidocaine cream for piles - The Times 26/11/05
Brands Anodesyn ointment, Germoloids cream
Goodwill can go a long way - The Times 26/11/05
Volunteer at a hospice or garden with city kids. Amber Cowan says it can be good for you too
Winning and dining - The Times 26/11/05
The Soil Association presented its School Food Awards on Thursday. Celia Dodd visited the four winning primary schools and talked Turkey Twizzlers and risk-taking to teachers, parents, cooks and pupils
Sloping off for charity - The Times 26/11/05
Raising money for cancer research made one woman fitter — and happier, says Helena Pozniak
Not just anybody: Tracey Emin - The Times 26/11/05
Artist Tracey Emin, 42, has stubbed out the fags, chills out by stroking the cat, but is looking for love
Lunchtime fix: figure-toning - The Times 26/11/05
We all know that you can’t lose weight without exercise and a healthy diet, but sometimes going to the gym can seem a slog. If you seek a quick tone-up, Arasys is an inch-loss system that claims to make you lose up to 4in in 17 minutes.
Price of beauty is 41,000 - The Telegraph 28/11/05
The average British family spends £41,000 on health and beauty products, a survey suggests today.
Baby delivered after mother killed in crash - The Telegraph 27/11/05
A baby has been delivered in an emergency operation after its parents were killed in a car crash.
Newborn baby dies after parents killed - The Telegraph 28/11/05
Baby dies after police crash kills pregnant mother - The Independent 28/11/05
Short life of baby born after parents die in crash - The Times 28/11/05
Hewitt 'proud of flu jab programme' - The Telegaph 27/11/05
The NHS can be "proud" of its efforts to vaccinate vulnerable groups against flu despite a shortage of jabs in England, Patricia Hewitt, the Health Secretary, has said.
Hewitt 'proud of flu jab programme' - Daily Mail 27/11/05
What's wrong with children paying for us? - The Telegraph 27/11/05
Gordon Brown evidently thinks Adair Turner has got this pensions business all wrong, and I'm with him. I should have known that Lord Turner, chairman of the pensions commission, was not the man for a job as important as thinking through the future of British pensions. Nobody with a coiffure so unruffled can be sound. For all I know, the chap probably wears red socks.
Late abortion followed 'honour killing - The Telegraph 27/11/05
A pregnant young woman at the centre of a Muslim "honour killing" underwent an illegally late abortion at a clinic exposed by the Sunday Telegraph.
Smaller is beautiful: models slim to size 6 for the skinny leg look - The Telegraph 27/11/05
It is the essence of fashion. Where the beautiful people lead, we must dutifully follow.
School lessons in emotions - The Telegraph 27/11/05
Millions of secondary school pupils will be taught how to make friends, express their feelings and manage their anger in a controversial Government scheme to be rolled out nationally, the Sunday Telegraph can reveal.
The plight of the cellar girls - The Telegraph 27/11/05
Young women are being imprisoned as sex slaves in secret underground bunkers before being trafficked to Britain, the Sunday Telegraph can reveal.
Britain 'is facing 2bn bill for TB in cattle' - The Telegraph 26/11/05
Tuberculosis in cattle will cost 2 billion over the next decade unless the Government takes the kind of determined action seen in the United States, the Tories warned yesterday.
Record numbers of NHS trusts in crisis - The Telegraph 26/11/05
A record number of health service trusts has been "named and shamed", mainly because there were no signs that measures were being taken to cut growing deficits.
Keep taking the arsenic - The Telegraph 25/11/05
Results of a six-year study have proved a boost for homoeopathic remedies. Elizabeth Grice reports
Victims urge action over 'pandemic' - Daily Mail 28/11/05
Angry victims of the MRSA superbug have called for the Government to shift its policies from paper and into practice before more die from the infection.
Teenagers 'riddled with anxiety' - Daily Mail 28/11/05
An "unacceptably high" number of British teenagers are riddled with anxiety over issues involving sex, drugs and self-harming, according to a new report.
New mothers 'lie about baby blues' - Daily Mail 28/11/05
Many more new mothers may be suffering from postnatal depression (PND) than was originally thought because some are lying to health visitors about their symptoms, a new survey suggests.
Mums 'hide' post-natal depression - BBC Health News 28/11/05
Say no to drug myths, Frank-ly - Daily Mail 28/11/05
A campaign aimed at dispelling the myths about drugs has been launched to put young people and parents in the picture.
Jobs shortage for physiotherapists - Daily Mail 28/11/05
Millions of pounds of taxpayers money is being wasted as newly trained physiotherapists are forced to find work in shops because they cannot find NHS jobs, it is claimed.
Physio graduates cannot get jobs - BBC Health News 28/11/05
Boost for bid to make khat illegal - Daily Mail 27/11/05
Moves to ban the drug "khat", which is currently legal in Britain, received a boost from a Government survey.
Ban on khat possible after poll of drug's Somali users - The Guardian 28/11/05
Flu victims may be abandoned - fear - Daily Mail 27/11/05
Concerns that health workers could abandon their posts in the face of a flu pandemic, leading to a shortage of staff to care for the sick, were raised by experts.
Doctors 'could abandon flu victims' - Daily Mail 28/11/05
Buy one bad food, get one free - Daily Mail 25/11/05
You may think you're getting a bargain, but supermarkets are twice as likely to place unhealthy foods in their price promotions than fresh and healthy produce, according to a report.
NHS plastic surgery perk condemned - Daily Mail 26/11/05
An MP and former hospital doctor has condemned as "bizarre" an offer of discounted plastic surgery for NHS staff at a regional hospital.
HIV warning on sex in relationships - Daily Mail 26/11/05
HIV infection could be spreading due to more people in relationships having unprotected sex, a scientist has claimed.
'Left-hand link to stress disorder' - Daily Mail 26/11/05
Being left-handed may increase people's chances of developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a conference has heard.
Measles and mumps cases soar - Daily Mail 26/11/05
Cases of mumps, measles and rubella have soared in Scotland in recent years, according to new figures.
Better CJD testing needed - expert - Daily Mail 26/11/05
A blood transfusion expert has urged specialists that better procedures are needed to detect CJD in donors.
Contaminated baby milk stays on sale - Daily Mail 26/11/05
Baby milk sold by some of the UK's biggest brands is contaminated with a packaging chemical, it has been revealed.
New labels make allergy foods easier to spot - Daily Mail 25/11/05
People with food allergies will find it easier to spot danger foods with the introduction of new labelling rules.
'Tired doctors as alert as drink drivers' - Daily Mail 25/11/05
Patients are being put at risk by young medics who have nowhere to sleep while they are on call, doctors are warning.
Revealed: How the 'beer goggles' really work - Daily Mail 25/11/05
Scientists have revealed a formula to calculate how "beer goggles" affect a drinker's vision.
Apology over missed Aids target - BBC Health News 28/11/05
The head of the World Health Organisation's HIV/Aids programme has apologised for its failure to meet a global target for the treatment of HIV.
Drinking straw helps drugs down - BBC Health News 28/11/05
A German-based drugs company has launched a drinking straw to help children take their medicine.
Smoke ban 'may be total by 2007' - BBC Health News 27/11/05
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt says it is "only a matter of time" before there is a complete ban on smoking in public places in England and Wales.
Total ban on public smoking 'inevitable' - The Telegraph 28/11/05
'Not all needy' will get flu jabs - BBC Health News 27/11/05
Some vulnerable people who need flu jabs may not now be able to get them before Christmas, Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has admitted.
Olive oil's heart effect located - BBC Health News 27/11/05
Scientists say they have pinpointed the micronutrients in olive oil that make it a good heart protector.
Worm eggs may tackle inflammation - BBC Health News 27/11/05
Eggs from a parasitic worm may hold the key to treating inflammatory conditions such as lung diseases and psoriasis.
Regenerating worms help elucidate stem cell biology - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Millions 'cannot pee in public' - BBC Health News 26/11/05
Some four million people in the UK are unable to urinate in public toilets because of a social phobia commonly called "shy pee", it is claimed.
Cranberries 'block tooth decay' - BBC Health News 26/11/05
Cranberries may help prevent tooth decay and cavities, research suggests.
Middle-aged are surviving cancer - BBC Health News 25/11/05
The number of middle-aged people dying of cancer in the UK is falling.
Experts Issue Warnings Regarding the Risk of Emerging Pathogens to Patient Safety, UK - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Experts in patient safety today issued a warning to the Government not to ignore the risk of emerging pathogens particularly in the supply of blood products, and to ensure that patients have the information available to make informed decisions.
Roche confirms ability to supply pandemic Tamiflu to the people of Taiwan - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Roche received the announcement that the Taiwanese government would issue a compulsory license for use only if Roche could not meet the requested delivery timelines for the pandemic order with surprise. Roche met with the Taiwanese government earlier this week and committed to supply the required Tamiflu order according to mutually agreed delivery timelines.
Shire Files Elaprase(TM) (idursulfase) With the FDA for the Treatment of Hunter Syndrome - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Shire plc announced today that it has submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for idursulfase under the tradename Elaprase(TM), formerly referred to as I2S. If approved, ELAPRASE would be the first human enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of Hunter syndrome, also known as Mucopolysaccharidosis II (MPS II). Idursulfase has previously received Fast Track designation from FDA, and Shire has requested Priority Review of this submission, which would result in a six-month review. Submission to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) is anticipated before the end of 2005 and typically takes 12 months for review and approval.
8% of US Adults Experienced Major Depression in Past Year - Medical News Today 28/11/05
An estimated 17 million adults ages 18 and older (8.0 percent) reported having experienced at least one major depressive episode during the past year, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported today. Around two thirds of them reported receiving treatment for that depression in the past year, according to the new report, “Depression among Adults”.
FDA Approves Effexor XR Approved for Panic Disorder Treatment - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Wyeth (NYSE:WYE) announced that on November 18, 2005, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved EFFEXOR XR® (venlafaxine HCl) for the treatment of adults with panic disorder. This marks the first antidepressant approved for panic disorder since 2002.
Master Switch for Blood Cell Development Detected - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Blood cells develop from blood stem cells in the bone marrow. Their development is regulated by roughly 20 gene regulators or transcription factors. One transcription factor, called PU.1, plays a central role in this vital process. It steers the development of two major blood cell lines of the immune system, namely the lymphocytes and the myeloid blood cells.
Evidence Supports First Non-Injectable Insulin as Alternative Treatment for Diabetes - Medical News Today 28/11/05
There is clear evidence from clinical trials that a new inhaled formulation of insulin, Exubera®, is as effective as traditional subcutaneous injections in controlling blood glucose in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The new formulation, which is likely to be the first non-injectable insulin on the market, was preferred by a majority of patients due to ease of use.
Exercise Helps Relieve Severe Depression - or So It Seems - Medical News Today 28/11/05
How useful is exercise for people with severe depression, anxiety, or chronic mental illness? According to the December issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter, hundreds of studies show that it can help-but there are qualifications.
Spouse Caregivers of Alzheimer's Patients Show Higher Risk of Gingivitis - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Caregiver spouses of patients with Alzheimer's disease develop gum disease at twice the rate of their non-caregiver counterparts, researchers report in the latest issue of Psychosomatic Medicine.
Hospital unit closes as health watchdog takes action to protect adolescents with learning disabilities, UK - Medical News Today 28/11/05
A mental health unit for adolescent patients at St Luke's Hospital in Norfolk is to close down following intervention from the Healthcare Commission.
Genetic research done in China we never hear about - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Important genetic research done in China often fails to reach the international scientific community, according to a study published in the open access journal PLoS Medicine.
Cancer detection a spin-off of war on terror - Medical News Today 28/11/05
A scientific method that has been used to track the source of illegal drugs, explosives, counterfeit bills and biological warfare agents may have some new uses: detecting rapidly growing cancers and studying obesity and eating disorders.
Healthcare Commission on the right track, says Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, UK - Medical News Today 28/11/05
The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities welcomes the news that the Healthcare Commission is taking active steps to improve health services for people with learning disabilities.
Ethics in a Pandemic - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Coping effectively with a predicted influenza pandemic that threatens to affect the health of millions worldwide, hobble economies and overwhelm health care systems will require more than new drugs and good infection control.
Stopping students gaining 15 pounds in their first year at college - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Preventing the so-called freshman 15- the typical number of pounds students gain during their first year of college -- could be as simple as stepping on a scale every morning or getting a little information about big portions in all-you-can-eat dining halls, according to two new studies from Cornell University.
Eat your way to a better brain for your baby - Florida parents pay for hydrocephalus research - Medical News Today 28/11/05
A team of British scientists at Manchester and Lancaster Universities has turned established thinking on its head in a bid to understand the serious and often deadly condition, hydrocephalus, commonly known as 'water on the brain'.
Normal chromosome ends elicit a limited DNA damage response - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies discovered that cells co-opted the machinery that usually repairs broken strands of DNA to protect the integrity of chromosomes. This finding solves for the first time an important question that has long puzzled scientists.
Autoimmunity and pulmonary hypertension - Medical News Today 28/11/05
For several decades researchers and clinicians have known that patients with high blood pressure in their lungs, a condition known as 'pulmonary hypertension', often have diseases characterised by inappropriate immune system activity collectively referred to as 'autoimmunity'.
Research published in the NEJM challenges 30-year-old standard of care for lupus patients - Medical News Today 28/11/05
New use for immunosuppressive drug offers hope, quality of life to patients.
Deleted genes help predict outcome in a children's cancer - Medical News Today 28/11/05
A new study reports that a loss of genes on chromosome 1 or chromosome 11 raises the risk of death from the children's cancer neuroblastoma, even when other indicators seem to point to a lower-risk form of the disease. This research finding will help guide physicians to the most appropriate treatment for the cancer, which strikes the peripheral nervous system. The approach used may also be applied to customizing care for other cancers.
Innovative clipping mechanism revolutionizes dental implant technology - Medical News Today 28/11/05
The screwless dental implant system that connects implant and suprastructure with a novel clipping mechanism has been recognized with a major award: Its designer - Prof. Dr. Manfred Peters, head of Division 1, Mechanics and Acoustics at Germany's Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, the national metrology institute providing scientific and technical services - has won the Braunschweig Chamber of Commerce's 2005 Technology Transfer Prize. Heraeus Kulzer will launch the implant system under the "IQ:NECT" brand 2006 in Germany, with global roll-out until 2010.
David Blaine lost 25% of body weight during glass box fast - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Doctors responsible for treating the magician David Blaine following his 44 day fast in a suspended glass box said he lost 24.5kg - 25 per cent of his original body weight - and his body-mass index (body weight divided by the square of height in metres) dropped from 29.0 to 21.6 in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine published on 24 November 2005
Fewer dying of cancer while incidence remains stable, Great Britain - Medical News Today 28/11/05
New statistics reveal that fewer middle-aged people are dying of cancer, while the number of new cases is stable. The findings will be presented at the Britain Against Cancer conference today (Thursday).
Poor diet and body weight affect how well we work - Medical News Today 28/11/05
A poor diet and how much a person weighs affects how well they work according to new research from health charity DPP (Developing Patient Partnerships).
European Medicines Agency gives first positive opinions on medicinal products for use outside EU - Medical News Today 28/11/05
The European Medicines Agency today gave, for the first time, a scientific opinion in the context of cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) for medicinal products intended exclusively for markets outside of the European Union.
Chinese-U.S. Study Outlines Steps to Cut Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas in Beijing - Medical News Today 28/11/05
A team of US-supported Chinese researchers have outlined strategies to dramatically reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and local air pollutants in preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics and afterward. With clean energy technologies and policies in Beijing the city could reduce annual emissions of carbon dioxide by up to 22 percent in 2010, the study found. Output of health-impairing particulate matter could also be cut by up to 40 percent each year. The Beijing project is part of a larger effort by EPA to work with China and other developing countries to promote environmental sustainability.
Doctors' Regulator Announces First Ever Northern Ireland Office - Medical News Today 28/11/05
The General Medical Council (GMC), the body that regulates over 3,000 doctors in Northern Ireland today (Wednesday) announced that it is to open its first ever Northern Ireland office before the end of the year.
How should doctors behave in their private lives? Scottish vote - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Members of the public and the medical profession in Scotland have told the General Medical Council (GMC) that they don't feel doctors should be allowed to behave improperly in their private lives at a meeting held this week.
Doctors deserve a private life, public tell the General Medical Council, Wales - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Medicare Proposes New Coverage Policy For Bariatric Surgery Procedures, USA - Medical News Today 28/11/05
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today its proposal to modify Medicare coverage of bariatric surgery to help reduce significant health risks associated with obesity that may increase morbidity and mortality among the Medicare population.
Imperial receives Gates Foundation grant to develop new tests for managing AIDS treatment - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Imperial College London has received a 4.9 ($8.6) million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a simple, affordable and rapid test to measure the health of the immune system in HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries.
High sugar consumption among Latino kids and diabetes 2 - Medical News Today 28/11/05
Overweight Latino children who consume lots of sugar-especially in sugary drinks-show signs of beta cell decline, a precursor of type 2 diabetes, according to researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.
Sustainable Chemistry Strategic Research Agenda brings Innovative Solutions to Societal Demands - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Stakeholders of the Technology Platform on Sustainable Chemistry (SusChem) today unveiled their Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) and three future scenarios demonstrating the value of innovations in chemistry. Based on a common vision, the SRA aims at responding to the challenges faced by the chemical sector in the next 20 years, while shaping solutions to critical societal demands.
From Intelligent Cars to the Prevention of Heart Attacks, Germany - Medical News Today 27/11/05
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) will establish 12 new Collaborative Research Centres as of 1 January 2006. These will cover a wide variety of topics including intelligent safety systems for cars, non-governmental governance models, and methods of preventing kidney failure or heart attacks. In addition, new Independent Junior Research Groups and Transfer Units have been approved. The objective of Independent Junior Research Groups is to support the independence of young researchers. Transfer Units serve to transfer research findings, produced in collaboration with industry, into the realm of practical application.
The earliest animals had human-like genes - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Species evolve at very different rates, and the evolutionary line that produced humans seems to be among the slowest. The result, according to a new study by scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), is that our species has retained characteristics of a very ancient ancestor that have been lost in more quickly-evolving animals. This overturns a commonly-held view of the nature of genes in the first animals. The work appears in the current issue of the journal Science.
Silenced gene in worm shows role in regeneration - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Researchers at the University of Utah have discovered that when a gene called smedwi-2 is silenced in the adult stem cells of planarians, the quarter-inch long worm is unable to carry out a biological process that has mystified scientists for centuries: regeneration.
Molecular trickery helps reduce drug cravings of addicted rats - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Canadian scientists have developed some clever molecular trickery that is helping to reduce the drug cravings of addicted rats. One of the problems in addiction is that neurons in some parts of the brain lose glutamate receptors from the cell surface, and those receptors are important for communication between neurons. The researchers have sidestepped this problem by crafting a peptide that mimics a portion of the tail of the glutamate receptor and, once inside a neuron, serves as a decoy to prevent the loss of glutamate receptors.
Children with HIV-infection benefit from zinc supplements - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Zinc supplements are a safe, simple, and cost-effective method of reducing illness in children infected with HIV, concludes a randomised trial in this week's issue of The Lancet.
BMA chairman criticises 'licence to exploit' overseas doctors, UK - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Some hospital trusts are making the most of a “licence to exploit” overseas doctors, the chairman of the British Medical Association said Friday, 25 November 2005.
New vaccine platform may fight infections with causes from influenza to bioterrorism - Medical News Today 27/11/05
The development of effective vaccines for people with compromised immune systems may be feasible after all, according to a team of researchers, who demonstrated their approach could protect against pneumocystis pneumonia in mice lacking the same population of immune cells that HIV destroys in humans. The vaccine platform developed by Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh researchers, working in collaboration with researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Louisiana State University, suggests that the immune system can be primed to ward off other infections as well, such as those caused by the flu, smallpox or exposure to anthrax, even in patients who have the highest risk for infection.
Chronic noise and heart attack risk, study - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Research published online (Thursday 24 November) in European's leading cardiology journal, European Heart Journal[1], links exposure to chronic noise with an increased risk of heart attack.
T cells reactive to old flu infections make unrelated viral infections worse - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Childhood infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is often asymptomatic, while the same infection in adolescents and adults causes infectious mononucleosis (IM). Liisa Selin and colleagues from the University of Massachusetts Medical School now show how, in a strange twist of immunological karma, T cells specific to a previously encountered virus (such as the flu) may come back to haunt you, by overzealously responding to a subsequent, unrelated viral infection like EBV, thereby increasing the severity of the immune response and causing IM.
Changes in the use of anti-asthmatic medication in an international cohort - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Several national and international guidelines on asthma management were introduced during the 1990s promoting the use of inhaled corticosteroids as a first line treatment in asthma.
The role of social class in allergic diseases has changed over 30 years - Medical News Today 27/11/05
The rising prevalence of hay fever in Western Europe during the 19th century was linked to industrialisation, and started in the affluent classes.
Teens more likely to develop drinking problems if mother is depressed and drinks regularly - Medical News Today 27/11/05
The findings come from University of Queensland researchers who tracked alcohol related disorders of children through adulthood as part of one of the world's longest health studies.
Chain of molecular events contributes to stroke damage - Medical News Today 27/11/05
In the neural train wreck that is stroke, the cut-off of oxygen kills brain cells through a build-up of acid, as well as by overexciting receptors on the surface of brain cells. Now, researchers exploring the detailed mechanism of this excitotoxicity and acidotoxicity have discovered how an insidious chain of molecular events contributes to its damage. In an article in the November 23, 2005, issue of Neuron, Jun Gao and colleagues say that their findings could contribute to the development of drugs to protect against the molecular "cabal" that produces such lethality.
Physiogenomics study suggests vascular smooth muscle statin link - Medical News Today 27/11/05
A collaborative study by Gualberto Ruano, M.D., Ph.D. of Genomas Inc. and Paul Thompson, M.D., of Hartford Hospital and collaborators at University of California San Francisco and Yale has demonstrated a strong association between serum creatine kinase (CK) activity during statin treatment and variability in genes related to vascular function, The study, published in the December issue of Pharmacogenomics1 suggests that vascular smooth muscle function may contribute to the muscle side effects of statins.
Myanmar Health Minister Calls Global Fund's Decision To Terminate $98M Grant 'Unwarranted' - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Myanmar Health Minister Kyaw Myint has "strongly criticized" the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for its recent decision to terminate grant agreements with the country, calling the action "uncalled for and unwarranted" and saying the withdrawal would affect "people on the streets," who are hardest hit by the diseases, the Financial Times reports (Kazmin, Financial Times, 11/18). The Global Fund in August announced that it was suspending its grants to Myanmar -- also known as Burma -- citing travel and other restrictions implemented by the country's military-controlled government that impede the delivery of medical supplies and services. The fund in 2004 pledged to spend $98 million over five years to fight the three diseases in the country (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 8/23). "Whoever pulled the trigger for this termination will be held morally responsible for the plight of these people, who are going to suffer for want of money," Kyaw Myint told the Times. He also said that the temporary travel restrictions, which since have been relaxed, were an inadequate reason to terminate the funding. Global Fund officials "should have consulted us, or at least give us warning signals that we are falling behind, so we can improve it, and try to satisfy their needs," he said, adding, "But they didn't do that. They just terminated -- just chopped us off."
Key to better blood pressure control is in continuity of care, not race - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Sustained access to the same doctor is more important than a doctor being of the same race in helping older black patients control their high blood pressure, a new study indicates. The same holds true for older whites.
CO2 sensing proves critical for fungal pathogens to adapt to life in air and human hosts - Medical News Today 27/11/05
By using pathogenic fungi as model systems for understanding fungal diseases, two groups of researchers are reporting new work that offers insight into how carbon dioxide (CO2) governs the morphogenic changes that allow pathogenic fungi to survive in different environments and invade the human body, and they provide new evidence for how CO2 sensing and metabolism utilize evolutionarily conserved enzymes to control the growth and sexual reproduction of pathogenic microbes.
People with mild depression are more tuned into the feelings of others - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Surprisingly, people with mild depression are actually more tuned into the feelings of others than those who aren't depressed, a team of Queen's psychologists has discovered.
Multiple-birth babies, boys have higher risk of defects - Medical News Today 27/11/05
Twins, triplets and other multiples have a nearly 50 percent greater chance of being born with birth defects, and boys tend to be more at risk than girls, according to two population-based studies conducted at the University of Florida.
Total lymphocyte count can predict HIV progression in children - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Total lymphocyte count could be a relatively simple, inexpensive way to indicate when antiretroviral therapy (ART) should be started for HIV-infected children in developing countries, concludes a meta-analysis in this week's issue of The Lancet.
Prisoners should have access to proven HIV prevention methods - Medical News Today 26/11/05
HIV prevention methods known to work in prisoner populations are rarely made available to this community, states a Comment in this week's issue of The Lancet.
Total lymphocyte count can predict HIV progression in children - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Total lymphocyte count could be a relatively simple, inexpensive way to indicate when antiretroviral therapy (ART) should be started for HIV-infected children in developing countries, concludes a meta-analysis in this week's issue of The Lancet.
Prisoners should have access to proven HIV prevention methods - Medical News Today 26/11/05
HIV prevention methods known to work in prisoner populations are rarely made available to this community, states a Comment in this week's issue of The Lancet.
Problem of emerging infectious diseases likely to worsen - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Emerging infectious diseases pose a global threat to human and animal health, and the problem is likely to worsen, warns an expert in this week's British Medical Journal (BMJ).
How the Immune System Recognizes and Responds to Cancer, UCLA - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center were able to observe - in real time - how the immune system initially recognizes cancer and mobilizes to fight the disease.
New high-performance surgical microscope for opthalmic surgery - Medical News Today 26/11/05
The year comes to a close - but not the innovative power and the ambition of Leica Microsystems to provide perfect solutions to the challenges of ophthalmic surgery. The new Leica offers users all the high-performance features of the 8-series surgical microscopes, thereby meeting highest opthalmic requirements.
Software for people who have lost the ability to speak - Medical News Today 26/11/05
QArea, Sym Systems Corporation and Ukrainian Hi-Tech Initiative contribute to socially oriented IT technology for people who lost their ability to speak.
Patient-specific stem cell lines - now a real possibility - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Mitosis in human embryonic stem (hES) cell cytoplast cybrid following fusion. A, B, C, D: Increasing appearance in background of red fluorescence [octamer binding transcription factor-4 (Oct-4)] surrounded by ring of green fluorescence [tumour rejection antigen-2-39 (TRA-2-39)], with no nucleoli being present. Blue fluorescence: DAPI, showing the chromosome location. Original magnification x40.
Do no underestimate snake bites, say experts - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Life threatening snake bites are uncommon in the UK but can happen, especially in children, and should not be underestimated, says an expert in this week's BMJ.
Phase 2a results of NCX 4016 in type 2 diabetes, NicOx S.A. - Medical News Today 26/11/05
NicOx S.A. announced that the results of a 13-patient, exploratory phase 2a study in patients with type 2 diabetes and early nephropathy were reported in an oral presentation at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2005, in Dallas, Texas. Patients who received NCX 4016 showed a statistically significant improvement in insulin sensitivity and systemic hemodynamics, compared to baseline. Treatment with NCX 4016 was also associated with potential safety advantages compared to aspirin.
Procoralan® (ivabradine), the first pure heart rate-lowering agent, receives marketing authorization in Europe - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Procoralan (ivabradine, Servier), the first selective and specific If inhibitor, has received marketing authorization in 27 European countries from the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) for the symptomatic treatment of chronic stable angina pectoris in patients with normal sinus rhythm who have a contraindication or intolerance to beta-blockers.
Patients Regain Cognitive Function After Radiation for Brain Tumors - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Patients who suffer from low-grade brain tumors are able to regain normal cognitive function after receiving radiation therapy to shrink their tumor, according to a study published in the November 15, 2005, issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of ASTRO, the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.
Get a Jump on Preventing Winter Sports and Cold-Related Injuries - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Before you know it, snow will be falling and the wind-chills will be hovering down below zero. Now is the time to begin thinking about preventing winter sports and cold-related injuries. Dr. Trish Palmer, a sports medicine specialist and family medicine physician at Rush University Medical Center, says most cold-related injuries can be prevented with a little planning, preparation and proper equipment.
AstraZeneca Commences Patent Infringement Litigation Against Ranbaxy Laboratories - Medical News Today 26/11/05
AstraZeneca announced today that it has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against Ranbaxy Laboratories for willful infringement of AstraZeneca's patents protecting NEXIUM® (esomeprazole magnesium).
Info Plant Surveys How People Use Drugstores, Japan - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Online market researcher Info Plant has announced the results of a survey of 10,173 i-mode users on the use of drugstores, which it conducted from October 25 to November 1.
Landmark study on domestic violence, WHO - Medical News Today 26/11/05
The first-ever World Health Organization (WHO) study on domestic violence reveals that intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence in women's lives - much more so than assault or rape by strangers or acquaintances. The study reports on the enormous toll physical and sexual violence by husbands and partners has on the health and well-being of women around the world and the extent to which partner violence is still largely hidden.
Survey: How healthy is your world? WHO - Medical News Today 26/11/05
As 2005 draws to a close, WHO invites you to tell us which public health issues affected you the most this year, and, which issues you think needed more attention.
Enzyme crucial to the malaria parasite's invasion of red blood cells identified - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Researchers have identified an enzyme crucial to the malaria parasite's invasion of red blood cells, according to a study in the open-access journal, PLoS Pathogens.
Coversyl's Cardioprotective Benefits Go Beyond Blood Pressure Reduction - Medical News Today 26/11/05
A new sub-study of the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial (ASCOT)1, presented during a late breaking clinical trial session of the American Heart Association (AHA) meeting gave an explanation for the amlodipine / Coversyl (perindopril) benefits in terms of total mortality, cardiovascular mortality, stroke, and cardiovascular events in comparison with the beta-blocker + diuretic combination. The CAFÉ (Conduit Artery Function Evaluation) study is the largest ever prospective evaluation of the effects of cardiovascular drugs on derived central aortic pressures and hemodynamics. It found that blood pressure (BP)-lowering drugs can have substantially different effects on central aortic pressures and hemodynamics, despite a similar impact on brachial (upper arm) BP. This demonstrates that central pulse pressure appears to be an important determinant of clinical outcomes. It provides a new plausible explanation for the improved clinical outcomes seen in patients treated with the amlodipine / perindopril combination.
Swimming with dolphins can alleviate depression, University of Leicester - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Swimming with dolphins is an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression, say researchers from the University of Leicester in this week's BMJ.
Time is right for vetetrinarians and doctors to debate food policy - Medical News Today 26/11/05
The time is right for vets and doctors to join together to examine the case for radical reform of current food policy, say researchers in this week's BMJ.
For First European Study on Automating Cell and Tissue Production - Major Research Consortium Chooses CompacT SelecT - Medical News Today 26/11/05
The Automation Partnership (TAP), a world leading manufacturer of innovative industrial automation for life science applications, is delighted to announce the Remedi consortium has chosen a CompacT SelecT, automated cell culture system for use in the first major European study on automating the manufacture of regenerative medicine products.
Killing regulatory T cells boosts effectiveness of cancer vaccine - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Duke University researchers have now shown that selectively killing the population of regulatory T cells in cancer patients - cells that normally function to restrain the activity of the immune response - improves the ability of a cancer vaccine to stimulate tumor-specific T cells. The results suggest that this approach holds great promise for augmenting the potency of current cancer vaccination protocols.
Tracking viruses years before they develop the capacity to replicate with high efficiency in humans - Medical News Today 26/11/05
An article by Robert Belshe, MD, of Saint Louis University School of Medicine in this week's New England Journal of Medicine reviews recent "spectacular achievements of contemporary molecular biology" that hold great importance as the world prepares for a possible flu pandemic.
Mycophenolate Mofetil - Clinical trial supports better treatment for lupus nephritis - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Treating lupus patients suffering from kidney inflammation with a medicine known as mycophenolate mofetil may be more effective in inducing remission than treating them with the standard regimen of intravenous cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), a new clinical trial indicates.
CellCept® - Statement from Sandra Raymond, President and CEO, Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. - Medical News Today 26/11/05
Carvedilol May Improve Heart Failure and Help Prevent Sudden Death - Medical News Today 25/11/05
Research shows that Carvedilol, a cardiovascular drug, could be useful in reducing cardiac death in high risk patients with prior myocardial infarction and/or heart failure and also in reducing the incidence and/or preventing the occurrence of atrial fibrillation in a number of clinical situations. A review of this research is published in the journal Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology.
Non-invasive ventilation: new tool for the treatment of advanced COPD - Medical News Today 25/11/05
Treatment of patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently includes several non pharmacological approaches, such as pulmonary rehabilitation, lung volume reduction surgery and lung transplantation. One additional method is the so-called non-invasive ventilation (NIV), based on a mechanical device which rhythmically blows air through a mask attached over the nose and mouth into the lungs of the patients.
King's Fund announces new integrated health funding and development programme for London - Medical News Today 25/11/05
The King's Fund today (Monday 21 November 2005) launches a challenge to researchers to improve understanding of how orthodox, complementary and traditional approaches to health are used together in practice.
CDC Proposes Rules to Allow Federal Government to Track Travelers with Certain Communicable Diseases, Expand Instances of Quarantine, USA - Medical News Today 25/11/05
CDC on Tuesday proposed "the first significant changes in quarantine rules in 25 years" as part of the federal government's effort to prepare for a possible flu pandemic or other contagious disease outbreak, the New York Times reports (Altman, New York Times, 11/23). The proposed changes, to be published in the Federal Register, are expected to cost an estimated $185 million to $865 million annually to implement (Weiss, Washington Post, 11/23). The cost to the airline and cruise industries could be as much as $395 million annually (McKay, Wall Street Journal, 11/23).
Better Colorectal Cancer Surveillance Needed in Ulcerative Colitis Patients - Medical News Today 25/11/05
Gastroenterologists need to adhere more closely to guidelines for screening ulcerative colitis (UC) patients for colorectal cancer, according to a presentation here at the 7th Symposium on Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Salicylates.
Developing sports performance technology, Sontra Medical and Hort Research - Medical News Today 25/11/05
A unique device, designed to take the sting out of the doctor's needle, could soon help elite athletes and sports teams develop the winning edge.
Figuring out the ups and downs - and sideways - of neural development - Medical News Today 25/11/05
One of the key controllers of neural development seems to depend on a simple cellular decision--whether to divide perpendicularly or in parallel to the embryonic structure called the neuroepithelium. Nevertheless, such orientation is critical, and understanding its machinery could help neuroscientists learn to control the division of adult neural stem cells to regenerate neural tissues.
Scotland is missing an opportunity to increase organ donation rates, claims BMA - Medical News Today 25/11/05
Commenting on the publication of the stage 1 report on the Human Tissue (Scotland) Bill by the Scottish Parliament Health Committee today (Tuesday 22 November 2005), the BMA expressed disappointment that the committee had failed to recommend a change in the current system for organ donation.
National HIV/AIDS Programs Must Consider Needs of Children Who Have HIV-Positive Parent, Opinion Piece Says - Medical News Today 25/11/05
"When adults decide how to tackle the world's AIDS crisis, the way it affects children must become part of their thinking," Kerrel McKay, an HIV/AIDS outreach officer for Jamaica's Ministry of Health, writes in a Newsweek opinion piece. McKay, whose father died of an AIDS-related illness in February 2000 when she was 15, writes that she was "fortunate enough" to receive counseling from the not-for-profit group Jamaica AIDS Support to help her cope with her father's death. However, McKay says that the help she received was an "anomaly" among children who have HIV-positive parents, adding that, according to UNICEF, less than 10% of children affected by the disease obtain any public support. Children with HIV-positive parents often are "forced to skip school to tend to their sick parents, left to scrounge for food and medicine and grow up without parental protection," McKay writes, adding that national HIV/AIDS programs need to provide medication, health care, psychological support, education and prevention information to children with an HIV-positive parent, as well as help children care for their parent so he or she can attend school (McKay, Newsweek, 11/28).
Global AIDS Leaders Call for Lower Drug Prices, Increased Funding To Fight Disease After Release of New HIV/AIDS Data - Medical News Today 25/11/05
Global HIV/AIDS leaders have said that new data on the pandemic released on Monday by UNAIDS and the World Health Organization highlight the need for increased access to antiretroviral treatment and HIV prevention programs, the Washington Post reports (Timberg, Washington Post, 11/22). The report, titled "AIDS Epidemic Update: December 2005," estimates that the total number of HIV-positive people worldwide has reached its highest level ever, increasing from 39.4 million in 2004 to 40.3 million currently. It also says that nearly five million new HIV cases occurred in 2005 and about 3.1 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses this year, bringing the total number of deaths from the disease to more than 25 million since 1981. Although the report notes that the number of HIV cases increased in every region of the world except the Caribbean last year, some countries that have invested heavily in prevention programs -- including Kenya, Zimbabwe and some Caribbean countries -- have lowered their HIV prevalence rates. In addition, access to HIV treatment has improved over the last two years, with more than one million people in middle- and low-income countries receiving antiretroviral treatment, leading to an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 avoided deaths in 2005, according to the report (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 11/21).
Brain morphing technology simplifies the surgical treatment for movement disorders - Medical News Today 25/11/05
Tens of thousands of people who experience movement disorders associated with Parkinson's and a variety of other neurological conditions stand to benefit from a new guidance system that uses computerized brain-mapping techniques to significantly improve an increasingly popular procedure called deep brain stimulation.
Fruit fly research set to revolutionize study of birth defects - Researchers identify genes affected by MTX - Medical News Today 25/11/05
A Queen's University study of fruit flies that may revolutionize the way birth defects are studied has identified the genes affected by a widely-prescribed drug known to cause birth defects.
People not aware of harmful effects of painkillers, study - Medical News Today 25/11/05
According to a study supported by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), over-the-counter and prescription painkillers are often used inappropriately and there is an alarming number of people who are ignorant to the potential side effects. Despite the widespread use of store-bought and prescription painkillers, also known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), this is the first study to look at the characteristics of the population who frequently uses painkillers and their attitudes and behaviors. The study is published in the November issue of the Journal of Rheumatology.
Millions of girls undergo female genital cutting every year - Medical News Today 25/11/05
An estimated three million girls in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East undergo genital mutilation/cutting every year, according to a UNICEF report released today.
Niger faces prolonged starvation - Medical News Today 25/11/05
WFP warned today that unless the international community renewed its commitment to deal with the consequences of this year's food crisis in Niger - including prevailing high levels of malnutrition among children - the country faces a second successive year of extreme suffering and hardship.
Panflu vaccine at least a year away - Reuters 25/11/05
China's home-grown human bird flu vaccine is at least a year away from hitting the market but clinical tests on people have been approved by the government, head of the research drug company said on Friday.
Exercise may not slow seniors' mental decline - Reuters 25/11/05
Staying physically active can help keep adults fit as they grow older, but, contrary to what some may think, it may not protect against mental decline, according to a new study.
Mediterranean diet good for the heart - Reuters 25/11/05
Eating a Mediterranean-style diet for three months can reduce the risk of heart disease by 15 percent, a new study shows.
Vietnam city poisons wild pigeons - Reuters 25/11/05
Vietnam's commercial hub Ho Chi Minh City has begun poisoning pigeons and other wild birds as it moves to prevent avian flu from spreading into the crowded city, an official said on Friday.
Little ethnic variation in Paxil response - Reuters 25/11/05
A new study has found no major differences in how people of different ethnic groups respond to the anti-anxiety drug paroxetine, sold as Paxil.
Novo Nordisk: Diabetes drug shows promise - Reuters 25/11/05
Denmark's Novo Nordisk, the world's biggest maker of insulin, said on Friday a phase II study showed promising results for its diabetes drug liraglutide.
Cheshire and Mersey News
Six-week wait for benefits - Daily Post 28/11/05
MORE than 100,000 calls from jobless Merseysiders seeking their first benefit payment went unanswered because of computer failures, a leaked report has revealed.
Benitez in domestic violence campaign - Daily Post 28/11/05
LIVERPOOL FC manager Rafael Benitez has made a stand against domestic violence.
Anger management lessons for primary school children - Daily Post 28/11/05
PRIMARY school children are to be given anger management-style sessions in a bid to curb bad behaviour in class.
Damning reaction to merger plan - Warrington Guardian 25/11/05
REACTION to news of a possible merger between Warrington Hospital and Whiston Hospital has been vociferously damning.
Patrols to catch underage drinkers - Northwich Guardian 25/11/05
CHESHIRE Constabulary is cracking down on underage drinking in the run up to Christmas.
Fight to stop hospital mergers - Southport Visiter 25/11/05
WEST Lancs MP Rosie Cooper has launched a campaign against a merger between Southport and Ormskirk hospitals and Liverpool, saying it would be a "disaster" for the future of local health services.
Playgroup is launched to help parents - Skelmersdale Advertiser 24/11/05
A NEW playgroup is up and running at the Ecumenical Centre, thanks to Skelmers-dale Gingerbread.
Health fears for baby after problems with gas supply - Skelmersdale Advertiser 24/11/05
A BIRCH Green family say they face an "absolute nightmare" trying to keep warm after problems with their gas supply.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Hospital protesters draw up battle plans - Carlisle News & Star 25/11/05
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save beds at Cumbria’s cottage hospitals have pledged to launch the biggest protest campaign the county has ever seen.
1-in-4: Drinks spiked - Lancashire Evening Post 25/11/05
One-in-four women in Preston claim to have had their drink spiked during a night out in the city, according to an alarming survey.
New booze laws - Lancashire Evening Post 25/11/05
It was quieter than usual as Preston's bars ushered in the new, extended drinking hours peacefully.
The first victims of 24-hour drinking - Lancaster Guardian 25/11/05
Greater Manchester News
Quiet start to all day drinking - Bolton evening News 26/11/05
NEW licensing laws allow pubs and clubs to stay open all day. Bolton Evening News crime reporter Lucie McFall and photographer Marc Berry were in the town centre on Friday night to see what difference - if any - the new laws made
New drinking hours: Quiet start - Bolton Evening News 25/11/05
Ceiling collapse at hospital ward - Bury Times 26/11/05
STAFF at Fairfield Hospital were left to mop up the children's ward after a hot water pipe burst on Saturday morning.
Cancer mum delight after wonderdrug victory - Bury Times 25/11/05
BREAST cancer patient Amanda D'argue has spoken of her delight when she was told her primary care trust had agreed to prescribe her the wonderdrug Herceptin.
No funding for dentists - Bury Times 25/11/05
A DENTAL practice could lose five of its dentists by next spring because health bosses will be unable to fund them.
Baby unit will shut in plan to axe services - Bury Times 25/11/05
FAIRFIELD Hospital's maternity department, including its special care baby unit, is set to shut.
Baby unit set to shut - Bury Times 25/11/05
Hospice rewards its long serving voluntary workers - Bury Times 25/11/05
THE gifts of time and support have been celebrated at a special volunteers evening at Bury Hospice.
Judith beat mouth cancer to watch grandkids grow - Bury Times 25/11/05
A GRANDMOTHER who survived mouth cancer is backing a national campaign to highlight awareness of the disease.
Bereaved parents are sick of reading about road deaths - Bury Times 25/11/05
I REFER to the letter in the Radcliffe Times on November 18 from someone describing themselves as 'More cars, more roads, less whinging'.
Stop violence against women, says group - Bolton Evening News 25/11/05
Amnesty International is calling on people in Bolton to help stop violence against women.
Care firm set for flotation - Bolton Evening News 25/11/05
A CARE home company in Bolton is set to make 7.5m for the Midlands family firm that bought it last month.
Coma woman loses baby after brutal attack - Manchester Evening News 25/11/05
A PREGNANT woman beaten unconscious, then dumped in the street, has lost her baby.
'We're fighting back" - Bolton Evening News 25/11/05
A ONCE deprived and crime plagued area of Bolton has won an award for fighting back. Reporter, Chris Gough, went behind the scenes to meet the team that changed Great Lever.
