National and International News
Daily intake of vitamin D 'can cut cancer risk by half' - The Guardian 28/12/05
A large daily dose of vitamin D can cut the risk of developing many common cancers by half, according to a new study. Researchers found that people deficient in the natural form of the vitamin, known as D3, were more likely to develop breast, ovarian and colon cancer and other forms of the disease.
Revealed: the pill that prevents cancer - The Independent 28/12/05
Oliver Gillie: The world is waking up to the medicinal power of the outdoors - The Independent 28/12/05
Vitamin D cuts risk of cancers, say doctors - The Telegraph 28/12/05
Vitamin D 'can lower cancer risk' - BBC Health News 28/12/05
Vitamin D can 'lower cancer risk' - The Times 28/12/05
Vitamin cuts risk of cancer by half - Daily Mail 28/12/05
Obesity 'linked to eye disease' - The Guardian 28/12/05
Obesity can put people's eyesight at risk, scientists warned today.
Hewitt challenge to 1bn Bart's plan raises NHS finance fears - The Guardian 28/12/05
The health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, has imposed a review of the biggest hospital rebuilding project in Britain, casting into doubt Labour's multibillion pound private finance initiative in modernising the NHS.
Future of Barts hospital in doubt - BBC Health News 23/12/05
Zambia struggles with power of witchdoctors - The Guardian 28/12/05
MSF is educating southern Africans about the cause of Aids and effective treatment
The man with the perfect memory - just don't ask him to remember what's in it - The Guardian 28/12/05
Gordon Bell doesn't need to remember, but has no chance of forgetting. At the age of 71, he is recording as much of his life as modern technology will allow, storing it all on a vast database: a digital facsimile of a life lived.
Spain's abortion rate soars - The Guardian 28/12/05
The annual number of abortions in Spain has nearly doubled in the last decade, prompting calls for improved sex education in schools.
Rethinking inconsistent hospital policies - The Guardian 28/12/05
A new NHS white paper is due early in the new year. It is aimed at shifting the focus from hospitals to primary care and community health programmes. Many observers will echo our own thought "and not before time". Nine out of 10 people who use the NHS do not take up a hospital bed, yet hospitals have dominated Labour's agenda until now. To be fair to the government, a major reinvestment was needed in hospitals which had been starved of funds for 25 years. But, paradoxically, while we are still less than halfway through the biggest hospital building programme in the history of the NHS, hospitals are coming under new scrutiny. Are we building too many? Have we financed them in the wrong way?
MoD cites asbestos fear in rejecting information pleas - The Guardian 28/12/05
Thousands of the government's most sensitive secret documents are being held back from publication under the Freedom of Information Act on the grounds that they may be contaminated by asbestos.
New crackdown on prostitution - The Guardian 28/12/05
Plan for licensed 'red light' zones ditched in favour of zero-tolerance strategy
Zoe Williams: Gluttony is good for you - The Guardian 28/12/05
Eat up. The fatter you are, the less likely you are to get depressed and commit suicide
TV psychiatrist's bosses investigate plagiarism claims - The Guardian 28/12/05
Britain's best known psychiatrist was last night being formally investigated by his employers amid multiple allegations of plagiarism. Raj Persaud, famous for his appearances alongside Richard and Judy on the This Morning sofa, is being investigated by a review panel from the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College and the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust after two of his articles were retracted from different publications.
Dying patients 'can aid stem cell research' - The Guardain 27/12/05
Professor Ian Wilmut, creator of Dolly the sheep, today said experimental stem cell therapy should be carried out on terminally ill patients to speed up the pace of research.
'Give stem cells to ill patients' - BBC Health News 27/12/05
Defiance predicted as Spain brings in smoking ban - The Guardian 27/12/05
Juan Ramirez set his glass of red wine on the bar, lit up a fag and, between drags, mocked Spain's impending smoking ban. "Why don't they leave us smokers in peace?" the 60-year-old doorman said, exhaling a white cloud at his companion in a central Madrid tavern. "What are they going to prohibit next? Walking out into the street?"
UK bars poaching of medical staff - The Guardian 27/12/05
You are right to warn about the shortage of health workers in a number of developing countries (UK agencies still hiring poorest nations' nurses, December 20), but Andrew George's criticism of the UK government's efforts to help African nations create and develop viable health services is wrong. The UK is the only developed country to implement and review policies that explicitly prevent the targeting of developing countries in the international recruitment of healthcare professionals, both by the NHS and the independent healthcare sector.
Taking the pill 'may cut MS risk in women' - The Guardian 27/12/05
Taking the pill may lessen women's short-term risk of multiple sclerosis, a study suggests. Researchers have found incidence of the debilitating neurological disease may be 40% lower in those taking the oral contraceptive than those who are not.
Oral contraception 'cuts MS risk' - BBC Health News 26/12/05
Healthy, wealthy - and still at work - The Guardian 27/12/05
For older family members sitting at this year's Christmas table the last 50 years have seen dramatic social changes. All ages have been affected. For young people, childhood has shrunk, but dependence has lengthened in a world in which 44% now go on to higher education. For parents, particularly for women, the changes have been even more dramatic, with an ever-rising proportion having to juggle both work and the major responsibility for childcare. But for a large number of newly retired grandparents, this is a golden age. Ask Adair Turner, head of the pension commission, who forewarned future generations in his recent report that they will not be so well off as the recently retired of today, even if they do start to save more. They will not get so much from either the state or employers as current pensioners.
Balanced: Lorraine Kelly - The Guardian 24/12/05
Do you take any vitamins or supplements? Berocca every morning - it gives me a bit of a boost.
Something wonderful happened - The Guardian 24/12/05
Once miracles were supernatural events, utterly inexplicable. But, really, you don't need divine intervention for a Lazarus-like recovery, or unexpected joy. Craig Taylor investigates five modern miracles
Room with a new you - The Guardian 24/12/05
Need to kick-start your post-festive fitness drive? Then book into a hotel and make a weekend of it
Little Angel Baby found in street - The Guardian 24/12/05
A newborn baby found abandoned naked outside a garage in Yeovil, Somerset, just hours after her birth was last night reunited with her mother.
Tories should aim to cut inequality, says Letwin - The Guardian 24/12/05
Oliver Letwin's promise that a future Conservative government will redistribute wealth to help close the gap between rich and poor won mixed reviews from fellow Tories yesterday - and a demand from Labour that he stop opposing their own efforts.
Experience: My stomach expands by 10 inches - The Guardian 24/12/05
You'll have to forgive me. My story has a sketchy beginning, an uncertain ending and I'm living the middle as we speak. As far as anyone knows, it started somewhere, something like this. Two years ago I was volunteering with street children in Ghana when I was rushed to hospital with suspected malaria. No one knows if this is linked to what happened next - whether my body was traumatised by that illness, or whether my condition is diet-related: death by cheese, very rock'n'roll.
Joanna Hall: Teenagers go for it - The Guardian 24/12/05
My 13-year-old son wants to start running, and has asked for some weights. What are the guidelines? I'm worried about injury at a time when he's growing so rapidly.
Emma Mitchell: Pregnancy yoga - The Guardian 24/12/05
When I go out at this time of year, my fingers become painfully numb, red and then bluish. Why is this?
Rose Elliot: Veg delight - The Guardian 24/12/05
These make a festive starter or main course, and can be made in advance and kept in the fridge until required. A packet of filo usually contains 12 sheets - I remove four sheets to make this, then close the packet and refreeze it ready for next time (it can even be put back in the freezer a second time). For a vegan version, replace the goats' cheese with Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese (from health food shops). Serves four.
Whatever happened to ... wassailing? - The Guardian 24/12/05
Christmas isn't just about arguing with family, buying presents online at the 11th hour and eating charred turkey until your paunch gets stuck under the table. A lot of people also look forward to the music - Silent Night, In the Bleak Midwinter, Once in Royal David's City, Mr Blobby. The American satirist Tom Lehrer sang his own alternative Christmas carol: "Kill the turkeys, ducks and chickens / Mix the punch, drag out the Dickens / Even though the prospect sickens / Brother, here we go again."
Chicken dung used to feed fish may help spread bird flu - The Independent 28/12/05
Bird flu may be spread by using chicken dung as food in fish farms, a practice now routine in Asia, according to the world's leading bird conservation organisation.
Sick and disabled targeted in benefit reforms - The Independent 27/12/05
Most sick and disabled people will have to seek work to receive maximum state benefits under welfare reforms to be announced next month.
Death sentences against nurses are lifted - The Independent 26/12/05
Bulgaria welcomed the decision by Libya's Supreme Court to scrap death sentences against five Bulgarian nurses and order a retrial of the cases, which have harmed Tripoli's efforts to build ties with the West.
Death row HIV staff to be retried - The Times 26/12/05
Libyan Court Grants Five Bulgarians And One Palestinian A Reprieve - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Fate Of 5 Bulgarian Nurses In Libya May Be Decided By The End Of The Year - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Maastricht's bad experience with cannabis - The Independent 26/12/05
One town in the Netherlands has become a magnet for smokers from around Europe. But now the council has had enough. Stephen Castle reports on a crackdown that could herald the end of Dutch liberalism
Fathers who refuse to pay child maintenance face electronic tags - The Independent 26/12/05
Tougher penalties for absent fathers who refuse to pay child maintenance will be included in a shake-up of the troubled Child Support Agency to be announced next month.
Cloning scientist quits on admitting fake breakthrough - The Independent 24/12/05
A South Korean scientist who claimed to have cloned a dog and offered hopes of a cure for intractable illnesses has left his position at Seoul National University after he was exposed as a sham who faked the results of stem-cell research.
Clone pioneer falls from grace - The Times 24/12/05
Embryo cloning cheat resigns in disgrace - The Telegraph 24/12/05
Medical frauds: Korean scientist hardly the first - Reuters 23/12/05
Blair to stand down next year if Labour MPs fail to back his reforms, say aides - The Independent 24/12/05
Close allies say that Tony Blair may stand down as Prime Minister next year if Labour MPs refuse to back his reforms on education, health and welfare.
Parents discover baby 'boy' is a girl - The Times 28/12/05
THE text messages had gone out announcing the arrival of Ryan and the couple were looking forward to dressing their baby in his first set of clothes.
They told us it's a boy. Hours later they said it's a girl. Then we had to wait five weeks to find out if it was ours - The Telegraph 28/12/05
Letters to the Editor - The Times 28/12/05
Milk consumption throughout the UK is at a 25-year low and there is growing concern about calcium intakes, especially those of young girls. More than half our dietary calcium comes from milk and an adequate intake is essential if osteoporosis and fracture in later life is to be prevented. It is alarming therefore that the dietary calcium intakes of about one fifth of adolescent girls in the UK and about one in every 20 boys is now less than that recommended.
The new year resolution that your life might depend on - The Times 28/12/05
An early check on any physical ailment is the best way to ensure a happy 2006
Hospitals ignoring new killer superbug - The Times 27/12/05
A WINTER superbug that kills as many people as MRSA is being routinely neglected by hospitals, the Government’s health watchdog gives warning today.
Private prison where 40% of prisoners are on drugs - The Times 27/12/05
A PRIVATELY run jail is out of control, with high levels of assaults and a culture on the wings of drug abuse, according to a highly critical report published today.
GPs' soaring salaries may make their pensions too costly - The Times 27/12/05
FAMILY doctors have been warned by the Government that their soaring salaries may be making their future pensions unaffordable.
'There have to be some rewards' - The Times 27/12/05
Income has increased because of doctor shortage - The Times 27/12/05
Pupils given nicotine patches as teachers tackle smoking threat - The Times 27/12/05
Children at six secondary schools are to be offered nicotine patches if they show signs of addiction to smoking.
Rights Act loses its appeal - The Times 26/12/05
THE use of human rights laws in legal claims is falling off after the first dramatic leap when the Act came into force five years ago, a survey has found.
Letters to the Editor - The Times 26/12/05
Once again the Cyclists’ Touring Club is repeating misinformation on the helmet debate. Roger Geffen (letter, Dec 17) makes the claim that current designs “only withstand forces equivalent to falling from a stationary riding position”. This is not the experience of crashes involving thousands of cyclists around the world, in which good protection has been enjoyed in incidents across a range of speeds.
Asylum children 'kept like prisoners' - The Times 24/12/05
The Yarl’s Wood immigration centre has been accused of ignoring basic rights
How Amber got her smile back - The Times 24/12/05
A rare disorder has been overcome by implants that send shocks to the centre of her brain.
Surgery gives Amber her smile back for Christmas - The Telegraph 24/12/05
Row over smoking takes centre stage - The Times 24/12/05
MORE than 60 years after Bette Davis filmed Now, Voyager, the moment when Paul Henreid puts two cigarettes in his mouth, lights both of them and hands one to her, remains one of cinema’s most romantic scenes. If the film were to be remade today, it would probably need a health warning.
Pioneer transplant pair share their ordeals - The Times 24/12/05
A WOMAN who underwent the first face transplant was visited yesterday by the man who had the first double hand transplant six years ago.
Wake up to reality - The Times 24/12/05
Dramatic recoveries from comas only really happen in soap-land
Soap Opera Coma Patients Have Far Better Prognosis Than In Real Life - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Sweet little mystery - The Times 24/12/05
GIVING a child a sweet to make them feel better isn’t just a parental con trick, it really does kill pain, according to new research from the Monell Chemical Senses Centre, in Philadelphia.
The power of love - The Times 24/12/05
THE LENGTHS we go to convince our true love that we are perfect in every way were revealed in a survey this week. A thousand people were asked what they do in fledgeling relationships and the most common trait was running frantically around the house picking up underwear just before their date arrives. Twice as many women did this as men, suggesting either that girls are more prone to throwing their knickers around, or that men just don’t care. About a third of men and women avoided food that would make them break wind, and well over a quarter of both sexes posed in front of the mirror to see how attractive they were.
Dr Copperfield: inside the mind of a GP - The Times 24/12/05
“I wouldn’t normally bother you with this, doctor,” says the mother, indicating her snuffly but smiley baby. “But I don’t want her to be ill over Christmas.” Obviously not. Christmas is miserable enough — in-laws, unwanted woollen gifts, inevitable domestic rows — without a child screaming with earache through the Queen’s Speech, or throwing up over the new X-Box. So patients want us to ensure their Christmas isn’t just merry but healthy, too.
Just enjoy yourselves, damn you - The Times 24/12/05
Christmas rarely turns out exactly as we would like. Super-gran Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall has a few hints for keeping family friction to a minimum
Doctor will see you now, Santa - The Times 24/12/05
The medicos are so worried they’ve called a case conference
Hi, God here. I know you can hear me - The Times 24/12/05
It sounds mad but hearing voices is quite common, with up to half the ‘normal’ population tuned in and most getting good vibrations
What scientists believe but can't prove . . . - The Times 24/12/05
Christmas brings with it the ultimate suspension of disbelief: a virgin birth of the Son of God. And a lack of substantial evidence to back up this claim seems to be no barrier to the belief of millions of Christians.
Relationship with booze - The Times 24/12/05
Rosie Millard had wine, and an argument, with her husband every night. So she gave up the sauce
Sex matters with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson - The Times 24/12/05
During sex I’m constantly thinking about the mortgage, the kids, the bills and mundane matters. My husband’s always seems to be in the moment; how do I get there?
Tuck in, the tidings are good - The Times 24/12/05
You eat and drink too much — so Christmas is bad for you, right? Wrong, says John Naish
There'll be few hiccups if you sit back and relax - The Times 24/12/05
Try to take it easy this Christmas and they'll be few hiccups. Jane Clarke on avoiding indigestion
Nippy dipping - The Times 24/12/05
Outdoor swimming - fight the festive flab, kickstart a sluggish system and make a bigger splash for charity
On the ball: your perfect gym - The Times 24/12/05
Match your gym to your personality and those new year fitness resolutions will be a cinch
Not just anybody: Alexandre Dobrynine - The Times 24/12/05
Cirque du Soleil trapeze artist Alexandre Dobrynine, 32, has fallen once: for the glamour of the circus
Why immigration spells the end of the green belt - The Telegraph 28/12/05
Most studies and projections end with a wake-up call. The world will overheat unless we act now on climate change; the tiger will be extinct unless we rescue it at once.
2,500 care homes 'failing the elderly' - The Telegraph 28/12/05
More than 2,500 care homes for the elderly are failing to meet minimum standards on meals and one in five has not met a target designed to maintain dignity and autonomy, official figures have revealed.
Pan scourer could be weapon against MRSA - The Telegraph 28/12/05
Cheap kitchen scourers sold in a supermarket may hold the clue to growing a microbe capable of killing the MRSA superbug.
Sponge puzzles superbug experts - BBC Health News 26/12/05
Mother on trial for helping sick daughter to die - The Telegraph 27/12/05
A British woman has been charged with helping her daughter to commit suicide after the 24-year-old shot herself in the head at the family's home in Italy.
Binge drinking takes rising toll on health of young - The Telegraph 27/12/05
The number of young people admitted to hospital for drink-related diseases continues to rise, with record numbers needing treatment for a range of problems.
Hospitals hit by rising toll of binge drinkers - Daily Mail 27/12/05
College students not alone in dangerous drinking - Reuters 23/12/05
Sweet cure for hangovers - The Telegraph 27/12/05
A good cure for hangovers turns out to be the staple of a childhood teatime of almost a century ago - a plate of bread and butter and honey.
New type of drug offers chance to 'switch off' cancer treatment - The Telegraph 27/12/05
A British team is pushing back the frontiers in cancer treatment by creating a new generation of "epigenetic" drugs.
GPs' online referral scheme 'is another national IT disaster' - The Telegraph 26/12/05
A multi-million pound computer project to make it easier for GPs to book hospital appointments for their patients is a "disaster", Conservatives will claim today.
Curfew plan to control unruly children - The Telegraph 26/12/05
Tearaway children will be subject to tough control orders and night-time curfews even before they commit a criminal offence under a new drive against anti-social behaviour.
7,000 are in need of marrow donations - The Telegraph 24/12/05
A Christmas appeal for bone marrow donors was launched yesterday to help 7,000 people worldwide whose lives could be saved.
Womb of wonders - Daily Mail 27/12/05
Research recently revealed that an unborn baby is able to taste the different flavours of the foods its mother eats - an ability which can affect the tastes a child prefers in later life.
New Pill will eliminate menstruation - Daily Mail 24/12/05
A new Pill promises a lifestyle revolution for women by eliminating periods and offering the prospect of an end to premenstrual syndrome.
Premature twins' weblog wins fans - BBC Health News 28/12/05
A weblog charting the progress of twin babies who were born 15 weeks early in the UK is now attracting readers from across the world.
Sibling link to heart health risk - BBC Health News 28/12/05
Having a brother or sister with cardiovascular disease (CVD) is bad news for your own odds of developing problems, research has found.
Drug risk to mother's descendants - BBC Health News 27/12/05
Drugs given to a woman at risk of having a premature baby may affect the brains and behaviour of her grandchildren, research suggests.
New scan 'may save babies' lives' - BBC Health News 27/12/05
Scientists are developing a portable brain scanner which they hope could aid treatment - and possibly save the lives - of premature and newborn babies.
Language affects 'half of vision' - BBC Health News 27/12/05
Language affects half of what the human eye sees, a study suggests.
Gnashers may be secret of success - BBC Health News 27/12/05
A person's teeth may influence whether they will be successful in life, say a team of social psychologists.
Public defibrillators save lives - BBC Health News 26/12/05
Putting electric shock machines in public places to treat cardiac arrest victims saves lives, researchers say.
Asthma attack 'predictor' devised - BBC Health News 26/12/05
Researchers say they have found a way to predict asthma attacks using a mathematic model.
'I have a head of hair again' - BBC Health News 25/12/05
A young woman who was horrifically burnt in an acid attack almost a year ago finally has a full head of hair again.
Grapefruit 'may cut gum disease' - BBC Health News 25/12/05
Eating grapefruit could help fight gum disease, a study suggests.
Grapefruit Helps People With Gum Disease - Medical News Today 27/12/05
High-veg diet 'wards off cancer' - BBC Health News 24/12/05
Eating at least five portions a day of certain fruit and vegetables could cut the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by 50%, US researchers believe.
Clue to how malaria infects cells - BBC Health News 24/12/05
Scientists have analysed in close detail the structure of a key protein that helps the malaria parasite infect human cells.
Trust boss resigns over 18m hole - BBC Health News 23/12/05
The chairman of a hospital trust has resigned over financial errors.
Anti-smoke firm 'acted legally' - BBC Health News 23/12/05
Bosses of a company who dismissed an employee after 15 minutes when they found she smoked, acted legally.
Transplant boy home for Christmas - BBC Health News 23/12/05
The third of four brothers diagnosed with a rare life-threatening disease has been allowed home for Christmas after undergoing a transplant.
Working Against ‘super Bugs' - EU Member States Must Do More To Combat Antimicrobial Resistance - Medical News Today 28/12/05
Efforts need to be stepped up to reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics in the EU and curb the emergence of “super bugs” resistant to medical treatments, according to a new European Commission report.
Questions And Answers On The New EU Rules On Food And Feed Hygiene And Controls - Medical News Today 28/12/05
Why did the Commission draw up new food and feed hygiene legislation?
Defining Competencies For Healthcare Staff Working In Diabetes Care, UK - Medical News Today 28/12/05
A new project was launched in August 2005 to define competencies for healthcare staff working in diabetes care. The project is being undertaken by Skills for Health, the Sector Skills Council for the entire healthcare sector.
Tighter Blood Pressure, Cholesterol And Blood Glucose Targets For People With Diabetes, UK - Medical News Today 28/12/05
A new report sets tighter blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose targets for people with diabetes than ever before.
CMO Launches New Website Giving Vital Information To People Considering Cosmetic Surgery, UK - Medical News Today 28/12/05
Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson today launched a new website providing important information for people considering cosmetic surgery. Last year Sir Liam asked Harry Cayton, Director for Patients and the Public, to convene an Expert Group to look at the regulation of cosmetic surgery. One of their key recommendations was that patients and the public should have access to detailed, accredited advice on cosmetic surgery including what standards to expect from providers, what qualifications to look for and what questions to ask.
Age Is Still A Major Factor In Determining Success Of Assisted Reproductive Technology, CDC Report - Medical News Today 28/12/05
More than 48,000 babies were born in the United States as a result of assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures carried out in 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported today. This is up from the 45,751 babies born as a result of ART in 2002. ART includes infertility treatment procedures in which both egg and sperm are handled in the laboratory. The most common ART procedure is in vitro fertilization.
Behavior Change Can Help Seniors Sleep Without Drugs - Medical News Today 28/12/05
A new study lays to rest the notion that sleepless seniors might respond poorly to treatments that emphasize behavioral therapy over drugs.
Children Will Outgrow Bedwetting, Advise Paediatricians - Medical News Today 28/12/05
If bedwetting isn't upsetting your child then treatment probably isn't necessary, according to new recommendations from the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS). Children will outgrow it.
Most kids will outgrow bedwetting: pediatricians - Reuters 26/12/05
Cancer Research UK Administers 10 Million 'shot In The Arm' For Medicinal Chemistry - Medical News Today 28/12/05
Cancer Research UK is to cultivate the top anti-cancer drug designers of tomorrow with a major new funding stream that will establish innovative medicinal chemistry training programmes across key UK universities and cancer research institutes.
AMA Urges Australians To Sign Up For Organ Donation Register - Medical News Today 28/12/05
Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, today urged all Australians to start the new year on a positive note by signing onto the Australian Organ Donation Register.
AMA Welcomes ACCC Action To Force Tobacco Industry Advertising Campaign On Dangers Of ‘Light' Cigarettes, Australia - Medical News Today 28/12/05
Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, said the launch today of an advertising campaign, funded by the tobacco industry warning consumers of the dangers of ‘light' and ‘mild' cigarettes, in response to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) findings, is a welcome move, but long overdue.
American Lung Association Statement On Proposed New Particle Pollution Standards - Medical News Today 28/12/05
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is signing its proposal for new national air quality standards for particle air pollution. Unfortunately, the proposal is disappointing- it falls far short of what is necessary to protect public health.
Innovation In Diabetes Care: New Ways For People To Take Insulin; New Compounds Under Development - Medical News Today 28/12/05
Pharmaceutical companies are exploring new and different ways of enabling people who need to take insulin to control their diabetes, according to a report issued today by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).
Wyeth Submits New Drug Application For Desvenlafaxine Extended Release (DVS-233) For Depression - Medical News Today 28/12/05
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth (NYSE:WYE), announced that it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for desvenlafaxine extended release (DVS-233) for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Desvenlafaxine extended release represents Wyeth's ongoing commitment to research and development of new antidepressant therapies. The new compound was discovered and developed by Wyeth Research.
Smith & Nephew Announces Launch Of OXINIUM* Revision Knee System - Medical News Today 28/12/05
Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics (LSE: SN, NYSE: SNN), announced the launch of the LEGION* Revision Knee System, featuring Smith & Nephew's proprietary material OXINIUM*, oxidized zirconium alloy.
Chronic Hepatitis C Treatment, Peg-Intron(R) And Rebetol(R) Approved In Japan - Medical News Today 28/12/05
Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) announced that Schering-Plough K.K., the company's country operations in Japan, has received marketing approval for a new, additional indication for PEG-INTRON(R) (peginterferon alfa-2b) Powder for Injection in combination with REBETOL(R) (ribavirin) Capsules -- the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in adult patients other than those with genotype 1 virus and high viral load. This expanded use represents approximately 40 percent of the patient population in Japan. With this approval, PEG-INTRON and REBETOL is indicated for the treatment of the vast majority of Japanese patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
Smoking Cessation Medicine - Varenicline Receives FDA Priority Review - Medical News Today 28/12/05
Pfizer Inc said that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a six-month priority review for the New Drug Application for Pfizer's smoking cessation medicine, varenicline tartrate, which the company intends to market under the brand name Champix®.
Camparing Costs Of Older Conventional Antipsychotics With Zyprexa®, An Atypical Antipsychotic, In The Treatment Of Schizophrenia - Medical News Today
Requiring people with schizophrenia to first fail on an older, inexpensive generic antipsychotic before allowing them to switch to the newer antipsychotic Zyprexa® (olanzapine) may not result in cost savings overall, according to a new study published in this month's issue of Value in Health.
Contact Lens - Acuvue® Oasys™ With Hydraclear™ Plus Receives FDA Approval For Extended Wear - Medical News Today 28/12/05
VISTAKON®, a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., today announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has granted an additional indication for ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™ PLUS, approving the daily wear contact lens for up to six consecutive nights/seven days of extended wear.
First In New Class Of Antibacterials Demonstrates Promising Activity Against Pathogens Commonly Found In Skin Infections - Medical News Today 28/12/05
Studies presented demonstrated that GlaxoSmithKline's investigational antibacterial retapamulin showed an excellent microbiology profile and a high degree of in vitro potency in laboratory studies against key pathogens commonly associated with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI), consistently showing potent activity when compared to other commonly-prescribed topical and oral antimicrobial agents. Retapamulin also showed a low propensity for development of resistance in target pathogens. These data were presented today in Washington, D.C., at the 45th Interscience Conference of Antimicrobials Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC).
Investigational HIV Drug Brecanavir, Positive Data For Protease Inhibitor - Medical News Today 28/12/05
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) presented positive results today from a study evaluating the safety, tolerability and antiviral activity of its investigational HIV-1 protease inhibitor (PI), brecanavir* (formerly known as GW640385)1. These data were presented at the 45th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) held in WashingtonDC. Interim findings following 24 weeks of dosing demonstrated potent antiviral activity for brecanavir in both PI-sensitive and PI-resistant HIV-infected adults.
Breast Cancer Treatment - Eisai Announces Phase II Data On E7389, Marine Sponge Molecule Is Model For Novel Anti-Tubulin Agent - Medical News Today 27
Researchers today presented preliminary safety and efficacy data for E7389 in the treatment of advanced, refractory breast cancer during the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. E7389 is a synthetic analog of halichondrin B (HB), which is a natural product shown in preclinical studies to have highly potent anti-cancer activity in vitro and in vivo. Halichondrin B was originally isolated from a type of marine sponge.
Eisai Resubmits SNDA Application For ARICEPT® For Treatment Of Severe Alzheimer's Disease - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President and CEO Haruo Naito) and Eisai Inc. (Headquarters: Teaneck, NJ, Chairman and CEO Hajime Shimizu) announced today that a reformatted version of the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for ARICEPT® (donepezil HCl tablets) for treatment of severe Alzheimer's Disease has been resubmitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Eisai Medical Research Inc. (Headquarters: Ridgefield Park, President Mindell Seidlin, MD) submitted the revised application on December 16, 2005. The sNDA was originally submitted on August 31, 2005, but the FDA did not accept the application for filing due to deficiencies in its format.
Crohn's Disease Patient Robert Hill To Scale Antarctic Summit For Intestinal Disease Awareness - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Crohn's disease patient Robert (Rob) Hill announced today his team's plans to summit Vinson Massif, Antarctica's tallest mountain, in January 2006. The expedition, sponsored by ConvaTec, a world-leading manufacturer of ostomy and wound care products, marks the fifth mountain in Hill's quest to become the first Crohn's patient and ostomate to scale the Seven Summits, the tallest peaks on the seven continents.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Statement On Muraglitazar, An Investigational Oral Treatment For Type 2 Diabetes - Medical News Today 27/12/05
As previously disclosed, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) agreed to begin discussions with Merck & Co., Inc. to terminate the collaborative agreement for muraglitazar, the company's investigational oral medicine for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
ZEVALIN® Radioimmunotherapy May Play Greater Role In Combination With Standard Of Care For Various Types Of Lymphoma - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Biogen Idec Inc (Nasdaq: BIIB) announced that new data, presented today at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in Atlanta, December 10-13, demonstrate that patients may benefit from earlier and consolidated use of ZEVALINâ (Ibritumomab Tiuxetan) radioimmunotherapy in refractory and hard-to-treat cancers, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (FL).
New Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Drug, Nexavar® Granted U.S. Approval - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Bayer HealthCare AG announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Nexavar® (sorafenib) tablets for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), or kidney cancer. Nexavar is co-developed by Bayer HealthCare AG and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and has been shown to double progression free survival in patients with advanced RCC. It is the first FDA-approved treatment for this type of cancer in more than a decade. The companies expect that Nexavar will be shipped, primarily to specialty pharmacies, and available to patients within the next 24 hours.
Acquisition Of KuDOS Pharmaceuticals Will Enhance AstraZeneca's Ability To Generate Novel Cancer Treatments - Medical News Today 27/12/05
AstraZeneca announced an agreement to acquire KuDOS Pharmaceuticals Limited, a privately-owned UK biotechnology company, focused on the discovery and development of oncology therapies based on the inhibition of DNA repair. The total share capital of the company will be purchased for $210m cash, subject to debt and working capital adjustment. The transaction is expected to close early in 2006.
Cervical Cancer Screening Less Likely Among Those Living In Poor Communities - Medical News Today 27/12/05
African-American women living in communities with high poverty rates are less likely to be screened for cervical cancer, even after adjusting for other factors known to raise the risk of non-screening, such as older age, lower educational attainment, and smoking. The study, appearing in the February 1, 2006 issue of CANCER (interscience.wiley.com/cancer-newsroom), a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, demonstrates that a community's income status predicts cervical screening rates.
Gene Therapy For Muscular Dystrophy Fixes Frail Muscle Cells In Animal Model, Stanford Study Finds - Medical News Today 27/12/05
A new gene therapy technique that has shown promise in skin disease and hemophilia might one day be useful for treating muscular dystrophy, according to a new study by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine.
NIAID Researchers Show How Promising TB Drug Works - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, have determined how a promising drug candidate attacks the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB). Published online this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the finding may help scientists optimize the drug candidate, PA-824, which targets Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb).
Childhood Infections Stunt Growth, Shorten Life - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Records from four European countries show that, on average, survivors of generations with rampant childhood infection - measured by cohort mortality rates at young ages - were shorter and died sooner than counterparts from generations with less childhood disease.
Vaccine To Stop Smoking Has Surprisingly Good Results - Medical News Today 27/12/05
After a 38 week study, researchers have been surprised at how effective NicVax was. The study was not designed to see how many people gave up. Its aim was to see how well-tolerated the vaccine was. The 68 volunteers had to be smokers who had not planned to give up - they were expected not have had a set date in their minds to quit (in order to be part of the trial).
New Bird Flu Vaccine Developed In China - Medical News Today 27/12/05
A new vaccine has been developed at the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, China, which is better than existing ones at protecting poultry and other birds from Avian Flu (bird flu), says the official media. Apparently, the vaccine also protects birds from Newcastle Disease.
Neuron Growth In Adult Brain, MIT - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Despite the prevailing belief that adult brain cells don't grow, a researcher at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory reports in the Dec. 27 issue of Public Library of Science (PLoS) Biology that structural remodeling of neurons does in fact occur in mature brains.
A New Window Into Structural Plasticity In The Adult Visual Cortex - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Neuroscientists have known for decades that the adult brain can reorganize neural pathways in response to new experiences, for example, by changing the firing pattern and responses of neurons. But it has remained an open question whether structural changes accompany this functional plasticity. In a new study published in the open-access journal PLoS Biology, Wei-Chung Allen Lee and colleagues report the continuous monitoring of neurons in the mouse adult visual cortex over the course of a few months, revealing that the adult brain can indeed rewire its circuits under normal conditions.
Treating Children Exposed To Chemicals Used In Bioterrorist Attacks, New Video - Medical News Today 27/12/05
The US Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) released "The Decontamination of Children: Preparedness and Response for Hospital Emergency Departments," a 27-minute video that trains emergency responders and hospital emergency department staff to decontaminate children after being exposed to hazardous chemicals during a bioterrorist attack or other disaster.
‘Secrets From The Black Bag', Fictionalized Account Of Home-Visiting GPs From Around The Globe - Medical News Today 27/12/05
A fictionalised account of the lives and experiences of home-visiting GPs from around the globe has just been published by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).
GenoMed Considers Offering Low-Cost Health Insurance To America's Uninsured - Medical News Today 27/12/05
GenoMed, Inc. (Pink Sheets GMED) a Next Generation Disease Management company, announced today that it is considering partnering to offer a low-cost health insurance product to compete for the uninsured market.
Medical Student Debt Tops 20,000, UK - Medical News Today 27/12/05
The amount owed by the average final year medical student has topped 20,000 for the first time, the BMA revealed on Monday, 19 December, 2005.
Personal Stockpiling May Lead To Tamiflu-Resistant Influenza - Medical News Today 27/12/05
A perspective article in the December 22 New England Journal of Medicine by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center's Dr. Anne Moscona explores why personal stockpiles and improper use of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) may cause drug-resistant strains of influenza to surface. This report is troubling news as Tamiflu, one of only two neuraminidase inhibitors available to combat seasonal as well as avian influenza, is beginning to appear less than infallible.
Smoking In Public Places And Workplaces, UK - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Responding to the Health Select Committee's report on smoking in public places published today, UK Public Health Minister Caroline Flint said: "For the first time government will legislate to ban smoking in the vast majority of public places and workplaces. The Health Bill is a huge step forward for public health and will help reduce deaths from cancer, heart disease and other smoking related diseases.
Twins Comparison Suggests Genetic Risk For Dementia - Medical News Today 27/12/05
On average, twins of people who have been diagnosed with dementia score lower on cognitive tests than do the twins of people without dementia, new research has found. The study, which included more than 100 Swedish twins age 65 and older, also found that, on average, identical twins of people with dementia have poorer cognitive skills than do fraternal (non-identical) twins of people with dementia.
Medical Futility Focus Of Practical Bioethics - Ethical Issue For Clinicians And Patients - Medical News Today 27/12/05
The scenario is far too common in today's medical facilities. An elderly woman is moved from a skilled nursing facility to a local hospital because of multiorgan failure. The family is at the bedside demanding all possible medical means to save her life. Physicians and other caregivers are convinced such treatment would be medically futile.
Out-of-hours Services For Palliative Care Need To Be Appropriately Integrated And Resourced - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Effective out-of-hours community palliative care requires an integrated, multidisciplinary service able to respond to planned and acute needs, a study in the January 2006 issue of the British Journal of General Practice (BJGP) finds.
New Members Of The Human Genetics Commission Appointed, UK - Medical News Today 27/12/05
UK Health Minister Jane Kennedy and Science Minister Lord Sainsbury today announced the appointment of seven new members to the Human Genetics Commission.
We Still Find It Hard To Understand How Mirrors Work - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Psychologists at the University of Liverpool have found that people still find it difficult to understand how mirrors work Psychologists at the University of Liverpool have found that people still find it difficult to understand how mirrors work.
Why Do Children Become Ill? One Of The World's Biggest Studies - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Medical researchers in Bradford (UK) have unveiled plans for one of the world's biggest studies into why children become ill.
Glivec Improves Long-term Survival Prospects For Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia Patients - Medical News Today 26/12/05
Most patients who develop chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) can now expect to live more than 20 years from diagnosis if they are treated with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) Glivec (imatinib) according to haematologists involved in the IRIS (International Randomized Interferon versus STI571) study. Before availability of current treatments, median survival from diagnosis was 3.5 years.
The Science Behind Glivec (Imatinib) - Medical News Today 26/12/05
The History Of Glivec - Medical News Today 27/12/05
Reproductive Health Care Being Restored In Tsunami-Hit Areas - Medical News Today 26/12/05
A year after the Indian Ocean tsunami, work is ongoing to restore reproductive health services and address psychosocial needs in affected communities with support from UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.
FDA Approves Orencia® (Abatacept) For Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment - Medical News Today 26/12/05
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Orencia® (abatacept), the first selective modulator of a co-stimulatory signal required for full T-cell activation, for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Dangers Of Insulating Your Home And Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - Medical News Today 26/12/05
For a variety of reasons, including reducing energy consumption and saving money, homeowners are informed of the benefits of weatherizing the home. Despite these advantages, there is a major negative to making your home too airtight, it being, carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a potentially fatal gas that can go undetected in your home. In order to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, be aware of the signals signifying its dangerous presence.
Eisai Submits New Drug Application For Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Adalimumab (D2E7) In Japan - Medical News Today 26/12/05
Eisai Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan (TSE: 4523) and Abbott Japan Co., Ltd. today submitted a new drug application (NDA) to the Minister of Health Labour and Welfare (MHLW) for the manufacturing and marketing for the rheumatoid arthritis drug adalimumab (D2E7), which is co-developed by the two companies in Japan.
FDA Approves StarClose Vascular Closure System, Abbott - Medical News Today 26/12/05
Abbott announced it received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to market its StarClose™ Vascular Closure System, a new vessel closure device engineered to enable faster, safe and secure closure and earlier patient mobilization after catheterization.
Potential Pharmaceutical Drugs In The Field Of Cancer - Medical News Today 26/12/05
Raquel Villar Becares, in her PhD thesis at the Public University of Navarre, has developed new derivatives of benzo[b]tiophene 1,1-dioxide that enable their application in the pharmaceutical field. Moreover, the researcher tested for the antitumoural activity of these derivatives, concluding that 23 of the 24 compounds analysed proved to be active or very active against one or more of the tumoural cell lines tested.
Sensor Determines The Quality Of Meat, Voronezh Technological Academy - Medical News Today 26/12/05
A sensor developed by a team of analytical chemists of the Voronezh Technological Academy allows you to determine the quality of meat, to learn whether it is fresh, and how long it has been kept. Researchers headed by Professor Yakov Korenman and Tatiana Kuchmenko, Doctor of Science (Chemistry), have produced a sensor which helps to quickly and accurately analyse the scent of meat; to identify the adipose and muscular tissue oxidation products through the piesoelectric microweighing method.
Sickle Cell Disease Corrected In Human Models Using Stem Cell-based Gene Therapy - Medical News Today 26/12/05
In a study to be published in the January 2006 issue of Nature Biotechnology, researchers led by a team of scientists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have devised a novel strategy that uses stem cell-based gene therapy and RNA interference to genetically reverse sickle cell disease (SCD) in human cells. This research is the first to demonstrate a way to genetically correct this debilitating blood disease using RNA interference technology.
Simple Way To Lose Weight And Improve Your Health Without Spending Hours In The Gym - Medical News Today 26/12/05
With the sharp increase in obesity rates, Americans are looking more and more for an exercise plan that will keep health risks at bay and that will fit into busy schedules.
Food Insecurity Impairs Academic Development Of Children - Medical News Today 26/12/05
When young school-age children do not always have enough to eat, their academic development -- especially reading -- suffers, according to a new longitudinal Cornell University study.
Book Looks At Improving Health-care Access For Disabled - Medical News Today 26/12/05
Almost 20 percent of Americans -- and 42 percent of those over age 65 -- live with a disability, and the numbers are growing as baby boomers age. A new book says that despite a multitude of barriers that prevent people with disabilities from obtaining optimal and efficient health care, many can be overcome.
Mechanism For Epstein-Barr Virus Protein's Role In Blood Cancers Discovered - Medical News Today 26/12/05
Earlier this year, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine identified a link between a critical cancer pathway and an Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) protein known to be expressed in a number of EBV-associated cancers. Their findings demonstrated a new mechanism by which EBV can transform human B cells from the immune system into cancerous cells, which can lead to B-cell lymphomas. Now, they have found that the viral protein--called EBNA3C (for EBV nuclear antigen)--mediates the degradation of the retinoblastoma protein, an important molecular brake for cell proliferation.
American College Of Cardiology Calls On Congress To Reject Cuts To Office-based Imaging - Medical News Today 26/12/05
In an end-of-year sprint to finish budget reconciliation negotiations, conferees turned to office-based medical imaging for quick cost savings after rejecting other Medicare offsets included in the Senate-passed reconciliation bill.
Obesity Treatment - Blocking Cannabinoid Receptor, CB1 Shows Promise - Medical News Today 26/12/05
Marijuana, or more specifically its active ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol--has a well-documented tendency to stimulate hunger. And while scientists have traced this property to cannabinoid receptors in the brain, they have had little understanding of the neural circuitry underlying this effect.
Brain Activity, Drugs Could Affect Alzheimer's Progression - Medical News Today 26/12/05
The activity of connections among brain cells significantly affects levels of the toxic protein beta-amyloid (Aß) that is a major cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD), researchers have found. Aß is produced by the cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) within brain cells.
Blister-Forming Protein Helps Build Blood Vessels - Medical News Today 26/12/05
How does the body go about generating blood vessels? This question has been studied by a research team from Uppsala University in collaboration with colleagues from the National Institutes of Health in the United States. The findings show that a relatively unknown protein, CLIC4, forms blisters that later develop into the hollow interior of the vessel. The study is being published in the December 23 issue of Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Innovative Drying Technology Future Of Food Preservation - Medical News Today 26/12/05
According to a well-known proverb “one apple a day keeps the doctor away“, suggesting that the healthy components which occur in fruits and vegetables can prevent diet-related diseases.
Combination Of Polymorphism And Antibodies Associated With Highly Increased Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis - Medical News Today 26/12/05
People who have a specific genetic variant of the PTPN22 gene and test positive for antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptide are much more at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis than people who only have one of these markers.
Heart Burn Medication A Risk Factor For Community-acquired C. Difficile - Medical News Today 26/12/05
Researchers have discovered that drugs, such as heart burn medications, which reduce gastric acidity, are potential risk factors for Clostridium difficile infection outside of hospitals. The new research to be published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) tomorrow focuses on community-acquired C. difficile, and is a follow-up to previous work by the same group that demonstrated an increased risk from these medications in hospital settings.
Successful Treatment For Acute Heart Failure Remains Elusive - Medical News Today 26/12/05
In recent years, cardiologists have begun to view acute heart failure syndrome (AHFS) as a distinct condition, not merely a part of the chronic heart failure continuum. However, there is not yet a consensus on a definition, epidemiology, appropriate therapy and directions for future research for acute heart failure syndrome, says a Special Report published in today's Circulation journal. The report is the result of the First and Second International Workshops on Acute Heart Failure Syndrome that took place in May 2004 and April 2005.
Patient Outcomes Linked To Biomarker Levels By Quantitative Technology - Medical News Today 26/12/05
Researchers in the Department of Pathology at Yale University School of Medicine report that when using current pathology methods of biomarker detection, the concentration of antibodies used dramatically alters the apparent relationship of biomarker level to clinical outcome. The paper appears in the December issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Women Benefit From Implantable Defibrillators As Much As Men Do - Medical News Today 25/12/05
Women who have had a heart attack get as much survival benefit as men from implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), devices designed to monitor the heart's pumping rhythm and shock it back to normal when needed, according to a study published in the December edition of the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology.
Study Links Length Of Chromosome Ends To A Rare Disease Of Stem Cells - Medical News Today 25/12/05
With seed money from Johns Hopkins Institute of Cell Engineering, a Johns Hopkins geneticist and her team have discovered a critical link between the health of stem cells and the length of the chromosome ends within them.
Air Pollution, High-fat Diet Cause Atherosclerosis In Laboratory Mice - Medical News Today 25/12/05
Test results with laboratory mice show a direct cause-and-effect link between exposure to fine particle air pollution and the development of atherosclerosis, commonly known as hardening of the arteries. Mice that were fed a high-fat diet and exposed to air with fine particles had 1.5 times more plaque production than mice fed the same diet and exposed to clean filtered air.
Chromosome Regions Containing Genes Related To Alcohol Addiction Affect Drinking Behavior In Smokers - Medical News Today 25/12/05
Scientists have found in a study of tobacco users that their drinking behavior is linked to some of the same chromosome regions associated with alcohol addiction.
Mapping The Activity Of The Brain By Means Of Electrical Microstimulation - Medical News Today 25/12/05
Over the last two centuries electrical microstimulation has been often used to demonstrate causal links between neural activity and specific behaviors or cognitive functions. It has also been used successfully for the treatment of several neurological disorders, most notably, Parkinson's disease. However, to understand the mechanisms by which electrical microstimulation can cause alternations in behaviors and cognitive functions it is imperative to characterize the cortical activity patterns that are elicited by stimulation locally around the electrode and in other functionally connected areas.
Role Of Nervous System In Fatal Heart Rhythm Under Study - Medical News Today 25/12/05
Finding out why seemingly healthy people experience ventricular fibrillation, a fatal irregular heart rhythm, could eventually lead to better methods of early detection, according to a Medical College of Georgia researcher.
Study Demonstrates Safety Of Oral Contraceptives In Women With Lupus - Medical News Today 25/12/05
In a major study funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), women with either inactive or stable systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) - a disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and damages healthy tissues of the skin, joints and internal organs - were able to take oral contraceptives without increased risk of flares, or periods of increased disease activity, that characterize the disease.
West Nile Disease Breakthrough - Medical News Today 25/12/05
West Nile virus (WNV) is a serious infection spreading across the world. Spread by mosquitoes, it can cause high fever, encephalitis, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, loss of vision, numbness, paralysis and death. There is no vaccine and no cure.
Brain Size Influences Intellectual Ability, Mcmaster University Study - Medical News Today 25/12/05
Brain size matters for intellectual ability and bigger is better, McMaster University researchers have found.
MicroRNA Gene That Regulates Lifespan Found By Yale Scientists - Medical News Today 25/12/05
Genes that control the timing of organ formation during development also control timing of aging and death, and provide evidence of a biological timing mechanism for aging, Yale researchers report in the journal Science.
Blocking Previously Unrecognized Links Between Inflammatory Systems Could Make COX-2 Inhibitors Safe - Medical News Today 25/12/05
A recently identified path of inflammation once thought to be wholly independent of other inflammatory systems has now been linked to another major pathway. The findings by neuroscientists at Johns Hopkins are likely to point scientists to novel drugs that significantly reduce the risks of taking COX-2 inhibitor pain relievers, the investigators report.
One Third Of Patients Who Stop Treatment For Schizophrenia Early Do So Due To Poor Response - Medical News Today 25/12/05
A third of patients treated for schizophrenia who stop taking their medication early do so because they do not feel any significant improvement or because their symptoms are worsening. A study published today in the open access journal BMC Medicine reveals that patients with schizophrenia are three times more likely to stop treatment because of poor response or worsening symptoms, than because of adverse non-psychiatric side effects.
Using Child's Own Bone Marrow Stem Cells To Treat Brain Trauma - Medical News Today 25/12/05
A unique clinical trial will gauge the safety and potential of treating children suffering traumatic brain injury with stem cells derived from their own bone marrow starting early next year at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston and Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital.
Blocking The Nerve Receptor EP1 In Mouse Models Reduces Brain Damage Caused By Stroke - Medical News Today 25/12/05
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered how to block a molecular switch that triggers brain damage caused by the lack of oxygen during a stroke. The Hopkins study, conducted on mice, is believed to be the first to demonstrate that a protein on the surface of nerve cells called the EP1 receptor is the switch, and that a specific compound, known as ONO-8713, turns it off.
Efficacy Of A Chest X-Ray As A Screening Test For Lung Cancer - Medical News Today 25/12/05
Almost half of lung cancers detected by a chest x-ray were early-stage cancers, according to baseline results of a large, randomized clinical trial that is testing the efficacy of a chest x-ray as a screening test for lung cancer. The study results are published in the December 21 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
GSK HPV Vaccine Produces Stronger Immune Response In Girls Ages 10 - 14 Than In Older Women - Medical News Today 25/12/05
GlaxoSmithKline's experimental human papillomavirus vaccine, Cervarix, produces a stronger immune response in girls ages 10 to 14 than in girls and women ages 15 to 25, according to results of a Phase III clinical trial announced by the company on Saturday, Reuters reports (Pierson, Reuters, 12/17). Cervarix in early clinical trials was 100% effective in preventing HPV strains 16 and 18, which together cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 12/6). In the Phase III trial, which was conducted in Europe and Russia, 158 girls ages 10 to 14 and 458 girls and women ages 15 to 25 were given three doses of Cervarix over a six-month period. At the end of the trial, "concentrations of antibodies to the virus were twice as high in the bloodstreams of the young girls," Gary Dubin, a senior research official at GSK and lead author of the study, said (Reuters, 12/17). According to Dow Jones, the stronger immune response in girls ages 10 to 14 indicates that vaccinating at a younger age might provide a "longer duration of protection" from HPV (Dow Jones, 12/17). "Vaccination of pre-teen/adolescent girls against cancer-causing HPV before onset of sexual activity will be an important part of the overall strategy for cervical cancer prevention," Anna-Barbara Moscicki, a pediatrics professor at the University of California-San Francisco, said (AFP/Yahoo! News, 12/17). GSK, which plans to submit an application for approval of Cervarix in Europe and elsewhere in 2006, said it plans to recommend the vaccine for girls as young as age 10. Merck earlier this month filed for priority FDA review of its experimental HPV vaccine Gardasil, which also has been found to be 100% effective in preventing infection with HPV strains 16 and 18 (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 12/6).
Mother-to-Child Hepatitis C Transmission Twice As Likely Among Infant Girls As Boys, Study Says - Medical News Today 25/12/05
Pregnant women living with hepatitis C are about twice as likely to transmit the virus to an infant girl as they are to a boy, according to a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases, Reuters Health reports. Pier-Angelo Tovo from the Universita degli Studi di Torino in Turin, Italy, and colleagues examined 1,787 pregnant women living with hepatitis C and their infants at 33 centers in Europe and recorded a mother-to-child transmission rate of 6.2%. The researchers also found that elective delivery by caesarean section did not prevent infants from contracting the virus. In addition, breastfeeding, maternal history of injection drug use and premature birth were not significantly associated with higher rates of vertical transmission of hepatitis C, according to the study (Reuters Health, 12/15). Women co-infected with HIV and hepatitis C had a higher hepatitis C transmission rate -- 8.7% -- than the other women participating in the study -- 5.5% -- but the finding was not statistically significant (Tovo et al., Journal of Infectious Diseases, 12/1). The researchers said the higher rate of hepatitis C infection among infant girls suggests hormonal or genetic differences between girls and boys affect an infant's risk of contracting the virus. In an accompanying JID editorial, Palmer Beasley from the University of Texas School of Public Health said that the study's finding on gender differences is "interesting, provocative and worth further investigation." Beasley adds that the finding is consistant with recent observations regarding gender differences in vertical HIV transmission (Reuters Health, 12/15).
SSRIs Boost Brain Growth, Hopkins Scientists Report - Medical News Today 25/12/05
The beneficial effects of a widely used class of antidepressants might be the result of increased nerve-fiber growth in key parts of the brain, according to a Johns Hopkins study being published in the January 2006 issue of the Journal of Neurochemistry.
Women Who Undergo Reconstructive Breast Implantation Frequently Develop Short-term Complications - Medical News Today 25/12/05
Almost one-third of women who underwent reconstructive breast implantation after mastectomy had at least one short-term complication in the chest or breast area, with one in five women requiring additional surgery, according to a study in the December issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Bacterial Protein Mimics Host To Cripple Defenses - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Like a wolf in sheep's clothing, a protein from a disease-causing bacterium slips into plant cells and imitates a key host protein in order to cripple the plant's defenses. This discovery, reported in this week's Science Express by researchers at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) for Plant Research, advances the understanding of a disease mechanism common to plants, animals, and people.
Max Planck Researchers Make A Breakthrough In Plant Stem Cell Research - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Totipotent stem cells allow plants to build new organs throughout their whole life. But it has been unclear how hormones and genetic factors work together to prevent plants from having growth that is either stunted, or uncontrolled and tumor-like. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology have now uncovered a feedback mechanism, involving a growth-enhancing hormone and a regulatory protein, which controls the number of stem cells the plant produces. (Nature, December 22, 2005). The results are of great importance for all of stem cell research.
Grants Will Give Developing World Access To Scientific Research - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Two grants totaling $500,000 will support Yale University participation in an international consortium to make prestigious scientific journals in the environment sciences available online to the developing world at little or no cost.
DOE Joint Genome Institute Issues New Call For Large-scale Sequencing Proposals, USA - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Responding to the escalating demand for genome sequencing to unlock the potential of plants and microbes as fuel for the nation's energy needs, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI) has announced the call for 2007 Community Sequencing Program (CSP) proposals.
Birth Defect Gene Identified - Research Points To Possible Therapy To Prevent Malformation - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Craniofacial researchers have developed an animal model that explains how skull malformations occur and how they might be prevented.
Role Of MicroRNA Identified In Thyroid Cancer - Medical News Today 24/12/05
The presence of only five tiny strands of RNA is enough to clearly distinguish cancerous thyroid tissue from otherwise normal tissue, scientists say.
New Way Of Tracking People's Mental State As They Think Back To Previous Events - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Neuroscientists at Princeton University have developed a new way of tracking people's mental state as they think back to previous events - a process that has been described as "mental time travel."
Hangover Cures Do Not Seem To Work - Medical News Today 24/12/05
No compelling evidence exists to suggest that any complementary or conventional intervention is effective for treating or preventing alcohol hangover, say researchers in this week's BMJ.
Will Money Buy You Happiness? Apparently Not - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Money is not the key to happiness, argues an editorial in this week's BMJ - but family networks and having a full life outside work may do the trick. "Individuals usually get richer during their lifetimes - but not happier" says the author.
Have Sleep Problems? Play The Didgeridoo - BMJ Article - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Regular didgeridoo playing reduces snoring and daytime sleepiness, finds a study published online by the BMJ today.
Where Have All The Teaspoons Gone, BMJ Article - Medical News Today 24/12/05
"Where have all the bloody teaspoons gone?" is an age old question in the workplace. In this week's BMJ, researchers at the Burnet Institute in Australia attempt to measure the phenomenon of teaspoon loss and its effect on office life.
Harry Potter Books Protect Children From Traumatic Injuries, British Medical Journal - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Injuries caused by ‘craze' activities such as inline skating and microscooters have previously been reported. One modern craze is the Harry Potter series of books and films. Given the lack of horizontal velocity, height, wheels, or sharp edges associated with this particular craze, researchers at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford investigated the impact of these books on children's traumatic injuries during the peak of their use.
Short Squat Glasses Get More Alcohol Poured Into Them In Bars - Medical News Today 24/12/05
When pouring liquor, even professional bartenders unintentionally pour 20 to 30 percent more into short, squat glasses than into tall, thin ones, according to a new Cornell University study.
Doctors Can See Heart In 3-D With Virtual Reality And Diagnose Heart Conditions - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Virtual reality that allows doctors to visualise the heart in three dimensions could help in the diagnosis of heart conditions. A pilot study published today in the open access journal Cardiovascular Ultrasound reveals that doctors can diagnose heart conditions quickly and easily from virtual three-dimensional animated images or 'holograms' of the heart. Three-dimensional (3D) holograms allow doctors to 'dive' into the beating heart and see interior parts of the organ.
Researchers Provide Study Of Early Heart Development And Underlying Cause Of Congenital Heart Defects - Medical News Today 24/12/05
Researchers at The Burnham Institute for Medical Research have provided detailed insights into the early formation of the heart. A team lead by Dr. Rolf Bodmer found that two proteins, called Robo and Slit, are required for normal development of the heart and that malfunction of either of these proteins severely impacts the heart's structure, resulting in congenital heart defects. These findings were published in the journal Current Biology released on December 20th.
Ultraviolet B Light Exposure Associated With Increased Risk Of Skin Cancer - Medical News Today 24/12/05
A decreased ability to repair chromosomal damage caused by exposure to ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation in test tubes may be associated with an increased risk of the common skin cancers basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, but not of melanoma, according to a study in the December 21 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Derivative Of The Sweet Wormwood Plant Shows Potential In Preventing Breast Cancer - Medical News Today 24/12/05
A derivative of the sweet wormwood plant used since ancient times to fight malaria and shown to precisely target and kill cancer cells may someday aid in stopping breast cancer before it gets a toehold. In a new study, two University of Washington bioengineers found that the substance, artemisinin, appeared to prevent the onset of breast cancer in rats that had been given a cancer-causing agent. The study appears in the latest issue of the journal Cancer Letters.
High CRP in pregnancy linked to preterm delivery - Reuters 26/12/05
Women who have very high levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) early in pregnancy run the risk of delivering before term, according to a study reported in American Journal of Epidemiology.
Resistance training OK for heart failure patients - Reuters 26/12/05
Contrary to qualms about deleterious effects on the heart, people with chronic heart failure can safely undertake a resistance training program, Australian researchers report. In fact, such training appears to have a beneficial effect on how strongly the heart is able to pump blood.
The Pill doesn't affect cervical pre-cancer risk - Reuters 26/12/05
Women with certain types of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection run the risk of developing CIN -- cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, a type of pre-cancer. However, contrary to previous concerns, their risk is not affected if they use hormonal contraceptives, or by their history of pregnancy and childbearing, researchers have found.
More evidence seen for fiber cutting heart risks - Reuters 26/12/05
A diet that includes diverse sources of fiber may help prevent several major risk factors for heart disease, a study of French adults suggests.
Infrared energy doesn't ease diabetic nerve damage - Reuters 26/12/05
Devices that deliver monochromatic infrared energy (MIRE) are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for certain uses, but it seems they are no better than placebo treatments in reducing the foot numbness experienced by people who have nerve damage related to diabetes.
Study shows how alcohol damages bones - Reuters 26/12/05
Bone loss is an often-overlooked consequence of heavy drinking, but recent research has illuminated how alcohol takes a toll on the bones, according to a new report.
Hormone-blocking implant halts too-early puberty - Reuters 26/12/05
Sometimes, when hormones get out of kilter, young girls can enter puberty at too early an age -- before they're even 7 or 8 years old and before they're ready to stop growing and begin sexual maturation. Now, an Israeli team has come up with a convenient way to stop the process.
Milk thistle ineffective for liver disease - Reuters 26/12/05
Milk thistle, an herbal remedy used worldwide for liver disease, does not appear to be effective, and there is not enough evidence to conclude that it is safe, an international team of researchers has concluded.
Barley products can claim heart benefits: FDA - Reuters 23/12/05
Barley products can claim heart benefits: FDA
Damaged New Orleans goes to dogs for therapy - Reuters 23/12/05
Now New Orleans has really gone to the dogs. A group of pet owners from Virginia and New York has brought their "therapy" dogs to the storm-stricken city to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to bring Christmas cheer to stressed-out victims of Hurricane Katrina.
I.V. iron rapidly treats anemia of pregnancy - Reuters 23/12/05
For women with anemia of pregnancy related to iron deficiency and requiring treatment, intravenously administered iron increases hemoglobin faster and more effectively than iron pills, according to results of a Turkish study.
Conception rate still good with fewer IVF embryos - Reuters 23/12/05
It seems that one of the dilemmas facing women undergoing in vitro fertilization need not be a bar to a successful outcome.
Quick-dissolve pills helpful for some patients - Reuters 23/12/05
Orally disintegrating tablets, which dissolve on contact with saliva without the need for water, may help people with swallowing difficulties take their pills, researchers report.
Diabetics with pneumonia fare poorly - Reuters 23/12/05
Outcomes for people with diabetes who develop pneumonia are worse than for non-diabetics, according to a report from Spain.
Layperson-operated auto-defibrillators save lives - Reuters 23/12/05
Automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) can be easily, safely, and effectively used by lay people to revive people who experience cardiac arrest in public places, according to an Italian study.
Successful aging may be partly in the genes - Reuters 23/12/05
If you make it to a ripe old age with all your marbles, credit might go to the gene you inherited.
Cheshire and Mersey News
We should be on panel say group - Birkenhead News 28/12/05
CAMPAIGNERS who fought against wards at a Wallasey hospital being shut are demanding more involvement in monitoring the situation post-closure.
French cheese alert - Southport Visiter 23/12/05
WAITROSE supermarket has withdrawn some varieties of Camembert cheeses from its shelves over concerns it may contain E.coli.
Extra car spaces at hospital - Southport Visiter 23/12/05
EIGHTY more Tarmac parking spaces have become available at Southport & Formby District General Hospital a month ahead of schedule.
Battling for vital treatment on NHS - Ormskirk Advertiser 22/12/05
PARENTS of a child with a misshapen head are campaigning for vital treatment to be made available on the NHS.
1,200-a-day drug couple busted - Crewe Chronicle 28/12/05
A HUSBAND and wife who sold heroin through their letterbox were uncovered in a crackdown on Crewe's drugs underworld.
The greatest gift of all for couple - Crewe Chronicle 28/12/05
A CREWE couple have received an extra special Christmas gift - a new baby girl.
Special deliveries - Northwich Chronicle 28/12/05
Ambulance trust merger on cards? - Northwich Chronicle 28/12/05
GOVERNMENT plans for the NHS could see Mid Cheshire's ambulance service swallowed up by a new trust serving the entire North West of England.
Deprived children to get support centre - Chester Chronicle 23/12/05
PLANS have been approved for a children's centre in two city wards said to be among the most disadvantaged in the country.
Review could reduce speed limit - Chester Chronicle 23/12/05
A LOWER speed limit is in prospect on a former main road.
Woman cleared of stealing from relative - Chester Chronicle 23/12/05
A 44-YEAR-OLD alleged to have stolen more than 12,000 from an elderly relation she was helping to care for was cleared of all charges.
Big win for artist with rare illness - Chester Chronicle 23/12/05
A BOY facing open heart surgery has wowed judges in a Christmas card competition.
Freddie looks to the future - Chester Chronicle 23/12/05
A THALIDOMIDE victim and former Chester man has led a campaign which has led to an apology and increased compensation for hundreds of sufferers.
Publicans are in Step for fundraising - Chester Chronicle 23/12/05
A PAIR of village publicans have been praised by the parents of a young girl diagnosed with cerebral palsy for their fundraising efforts.
Deserted children shelter in city - Daily Post 28/12/05
MORE than 230 illegally trafficked foreign children abandoned on the streets of Liverpool are currently in foster care in the city, the Daily Post can reveal.
We'll sniff out your kids' drugs - Liverpool Echo 23/12/05
SNIFFER dogs are being hired by Merseyside parents to seek out their children's drug stashes.
We're staying in our community - Liverpool Echo 23/12/05
ANGRY campaigners are refusing to leave the closed community centre Bankfield House.
Captain Gerrard leads his team of Santas on Alder Hey Christmas mission - Daily Post 23/12/05
STEVEN GERRARD played Santa Claus for sick children at Alder Hey children's hospital yesterday and Harrison Kelley, from Warrington, was delighted with his gift of a Liverpool cushion with the skipper's signature.
Decision in New Year on Liverpool's call for prostitution zone - Daily Post 23/12/05
LIVERPOOL will learn in the New Year whether it has won government backing for a managed prostitute zone.
Free bus services to Merseyside hospitals - Liverpool Echo 23/12/05
FREE buses will run to Mersey hospitals over Christmas.
I got you babe - Warrington Guardian 23/12/05
CHRISTMAS 2005 promises to be extra special for Lisa and David Hankey.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Disaster expert tipping Sellafield to explode - Carlisle News & Star 24/12/05
AN EXPLOSION at the Sellafield nuclear complex has been listed among the 10 things Britons should fear in 2006.
Ian backs air appeal - Carlisle News & Star 24/12/05
A MAN has had an elaborate tattoo on his back – to help raise cash for the Great North Air Ambulance.
Bright idea raises cash for hospice - Carlisle News & Star 24/12/05
RESIDENTS of a Carlisle street who have an electrifying way of raising charity cash for Christmas have already smashed the total they raised last year.
Teen 'ran riot' at hospital: security guard attacked - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 24/12/05
A TEENAGER who "ran riot" in a hospital unit and assaulted a security guard could remember nothing of the incident because he was so drunk, a court was told.
Dossier slams 16 wards in East Lancs' top 3 hospitals - Lancashire Evening Post 23/12/05
EAST Lancashire's hospitals are still "dirty, tatty and dusty" months after bosses pledged to clean them up, it was revealed today.
Radiation fears over dump plan - Carlisle News & Star 24/12/05
RESIDENTS of Drigg fear that plans to extend the life of the low-level nuclear waste dump there will expose them to higher levels of radiation.
Millie's mission raises 4000 for baby unit - Carlisle News & Star 27/12/05
MILLIE’S Christmas Mission which is raising money to help tiny babies born in Carlisle has reached almost 4,000.
800 join hunters in march for hospital - Carlisle News & Star 27/12/05
MORE than 800 placard-waving campaigners from across Cumbria joined hunt enthusiasts yesterday to ensure the campaign to save cottage hospitals was not forgotten over Christmas.
Christmas day baby for Christmas day mum - Carlisle News & Star 27/12/05
ONE Cumbrian family now has three birthdays to celebrate on Christmas Day.
People will die if we lose A&E dept - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 23/12/05
I WRITE regarding the plans for hospital facilities in Burnley. Peter Pike, the former MP for Burnley, once described Burnley as "A town with inner city problems".
Greater Manchester News
Breakthrough hope for eye disease - Manchester Evening News 28/12/05
EXPERTS are close to finding a new treatment for one of the world's leading causes of blindness.
Superbug fear over City star death - Manchester Evening News 27/12/05
THE family of a football coach who brought scores of Manchester City players through the ranks believe a hospital superbug has caused his death.
Health bosses 'too busy' to investigate mum's MRSA death - Manchester Evening News 27/12/05
THE daughter of an MRSA victim has been told a health watchdog is too busy to review the case.
Saved from silence - Manchester Evning News 28/12/05
A NEW hearing aid pioneered by Manchester doctors has transformed the life of a teenager by enabling her to speak in sentences for the first time.
Health alert over hi-tech games - Manchester Evning News 28/12/05
UNHEALTHY Christmas presents make children fat, a report on child obesity has claimed.
Emma's pals raise cash for kidney charity - Bolton Evening News 27/12/05
STAFF at a high school broke with festive tradition to show their support for a fellow teacher.
Well done, Emma - Bolton Evening News 23/12/05
Walk-in centre opening dates - Bolton Evening News 27/12/05
BOLTON'S town centre walk-in centre will be open every day over the festive period to provide expert advice and treatment, including the weekend, Tuesday, New Year's Day and January 2.
Gamecock show falls foul of bird flu fears - Bolton Evening News 27/12/05
FEARS over the possible spread of bird flu have led to a long-established gamecock event being cancelled for the first time in living memory.
Tips to keep winter bugs at bay - Bolton Evening News 27/12/05
HEALTH experts in Bolton are issuing winter advice to halt the spread of viruses that cause stomach upsets.
Christmas Day baby joy for four mums - Bolton Evening News 26/12/05
FOUR mothers received special presents on Chrisatmas Day when they brought new lives into the world.
'No panic' over bird flu drugs - Bolton Evening News 26/12/05
HEALTH experts in Bolton say they are not surprised some cases of bird flu are resistant to the anti-viral drug being used to treat it.
Miracle baby will be home soon - Bolton Evening News 24/12/05
LITTLE Emily Kirkwood has had a five-month battle for life.
Hospital top candidate for super baby unit - Bolton Evening News 24/12/05
THE Royal Bolton Hospital is likely to be chosen for a "super maternity unit" after it became a favoured candidate for North-west health bosses wanting to improve baby care services.
Blow for Fairfield in super baby unit plan - Bury Times 24/12/05
Superbug cases on the increase at hopsital - Bolton Evening News 24/12/05
RATES of a deadly superbug at the Royal Bolton Hospital have risen.
Town hall backs fight for baby unit - Bury Times 23/12/05
BURY'S political leaders have thrown their combined weight behind the campaign to save Fairfield Hospital's maternity services.
Passive smoke blindness link - Bolton Evening News 23/12/05
A BOLTON eye doctor whose research linked smoking to blindness, is backing claims that passive smoking can be just as dangerous.
Pub landlords' fears over smoking ban - Bolton Evening News 23/12/05
A TOTAL smoking ban in public would damage the pub trade and lead to bars in Bolton closing for good, landlords fear.
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