National and International News
We must care about Alzheimer's - The Observer 22/01/06
Alzheimer's is a devastating disease for which there is no cure. But drugs can help to delay the onset of the memory loss and personality changes which come with the condition. These drugs have lifted treatment out of the dark ages, transforming the possibilities for doctors to offer patients and carers relief against a bleak future. Now, as we report today, the government's licensing body, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), has concluded, following a 10-month investigation, that they should be prescribed on the NHS for people in the earlier stages of the disease.
Alzheimer sufferers win 60m drug fight - The Observer 22/01/06
Why my father deserves to have his lost voice back - The Observer 22/01/06
'I have to be strong for mum, I can't give up' - The Observer 22/01/06
GPs paid to send sick back to work - The Observer 22/01/06
Doctors to work with employment advisers to help the long-term ill move off state benefits
GPs may be rewarded for getting patients to work - The Independent 22/01/06
Doctors set to get bonuses if they cut sicknotes - The Sunday Times 22/01/06
Doctors told to clamp down on sick notes - The Telegraph 22/01/06
Benefit rewards for doctors - The Telegraph 22/01/06
Desperate British Asians fly to India to abort baby girls - The Observer 22/01/06
Women refused terminations on the NHS are joining the millions of Indians who have surgery to uphold a sons-only tradition. Dan McDougall reports from Delhi
Blair warned on 'rush for nuclear' - The Observer 22/01/06
Peter Hain sounds the alert on hidden costs as Number 10 gears up to combat energy shortage
Jill Insley: Ofcom to the rescue of NHS patients - almost - The Observer 22/01/06
Cash is delighted by Ofcom's decision to recommend that all aspects of the installation and operation of hospital telephone and television services should be reviewed by the Department of Health.
Trust chemicals, beware of nature - The Observer 22/01/06
From make-up to medicine, scientists warn that people are wrong to think natural must be best
Sex: Britain's quiet revolution - The Observer 22/01/06
Do we care about being faithful? Are we happy with our sex lives and relaxed about how others behave? The results of a MORI poll for The Observer show that Britain is gradually becoming a more tolerant society. Denis Campbell reports
No sex please until we're at least 17 years old, we're British - The Observer 22/01/06
Health panel: How can I increase my potency? - The Observer 22/01/06
After trying for three years to start a family, a reader writes about his concerns over his lack of success. Can he boost his fertility? Our panel of experts give their opinions
50 best spas - The Observer 22/01/06
With so many spa holidays to choose from, finding the right one for you can be a daunting task. Should you opt for Ayurveda in India, thalassotherapy in Thailand or new age therapy in New Mexico? Spa veteran Nicole Mowbray selects some of the best retreats to suit every need and every budget
Nigel's edible alphabet - The Observer 22/01/06
Food M is for meat, organic and wild. P is for pomegranate, bright and beguiling ... In the third slice of his food guide, Nigel Slater caps a revival in earthy ingredients
Eat yourself fitter - The Independent 22/01/06
'After just an hour of coaching, you walk away knowing exactly what you want and believing you can do it' - The Observer 22/01/06
Exponents make big claims for life coaching, insisting it can improve everything from your career to your health and your parenting skills. Sceptics think it's just the latest over-priced, under-regulated, pseudo-scientific sop for the angst-ridden me generation. Anna Moore investigates a controversial boom industry
NHS shakeup at the top in bid to get a grip on spending - The Guardian 21/01/06
A thorough shakeup of the top ranks of NHS management was announced yesterday in an attempt to tighten control after an accident-prone period of policy mishaps and financial instability.
Can you handle it? Being sacked - The Guardian 21/01/06
"There was an interesting case recently in which a senior employee within an NHS trust who was dismissed because of his personality had his claim for unfair dismissal rejected," recalls Hayes. "His negative attitude managed to upset a number of colleagues. The court found this was a substantial enough reason for the dismissal to stand."
In Iraq, life expectancy is 67. Minutes from Glasgow city centre, it's 54 - The Guardian 21/01/06
In deprived inner city area of Calton, the chance of surviving to old age is lowest in UK
Feel the burn - The Guardian 21/01/06
Being 'stressed' is not cause for complaint, it's a sign our brains are working
'I will put my baby's picture on my laptop and make his cry the ring on my mobile' - The Guardian 21/01/06
John Simpson on becoming a father again at the age of 61
Joanna Hall: Weigh to go - The Guardian 21/01/06
Why is it that, when I manage to get to the gym or pool most days and feel that I have pushed myself quite hard, I weigh more than when I am not able to exercise properly for a couple of weeks?
Prostate problems - The Guardian 21/01/06
I have an enlarged prostate gland and suffer from a persistent urinary infection. Herbal buchu seemed to work for a while, but no longer. What else can I try?
Shorts: Twisted sisters - The Guardian 21/01/06
Kim Cattrall, Teri Hatcher and Madonna have all recently been singing the praises of Gyrotonic, invented by Hungarian dancer Juliu Horvath. Not being a fan of contraption-based workouts (especially hugely expensive ones), I hadn't given the system a try. But then I found out that a) originally, the workout was done simply sitting on a stool and b) Gyrokinesis classes (for that is what they are called) are becoming increasingly widespread.
Seven pointers to a perfect smile - The Guardian 21/01/06
There's more to keeping your pearly whites precisely that than a bit of brushing and the odd visit to a dentist. Jacqui Ripley advises on dental dos and don'ts
Doctor couple struck off for neglecting elderly in their care - The Guardian 21/01/06
Two doctors who failed to seek specialist medical care for elderly patients in their nursing home, even when they were gravely ill and dying, were struck off by the General Medical Council yesterday.
Next generation of nuclear reactors may be fast tracked - The Guardian 21/01/06
The nuclear industry is pushing ministers to approve sweeping changes to the way atomic power stations are approved in an attempt to fast-track a new generation of reactors.
Can PFI climb up off its sickbed? After the Bart's brouhaha, what's next for the axe? - The Independent 22/01/06
Just a few weeks ago, all was going swimmingly. Along with its sister hospital the Royal London, the cardiac and cancer specialist St Bartholomew's was to be overhauled through an ambitious 1.15bn private finance initiative (PFI) scheme.
Nip 'n' tuck: your wallet won't look as lovely as you - The Independent 22/01/06
Britain is going crazy for cosmetic surgery, but some of the loan deals are far from gorgeous
If your suntan oil can change the sex of fish, what can do it to you? - The Independent 22/01/06
The stuff is not only on our skin: it's in our tap water and lunches too
50 ways to get fit - The Independent 22/01/06
Whether it's boot-camp pilates or space-age trainers, text-message workouts or trendy Roman spas, our experts pick the exercise essentials for 2006
Toddlers targeted for flu jab - The Independent 22/01/06
Every two-year-old in Britain could be given a flu jab under plans being drawn up by health officials, The Independent on Sunday has learnt.
Babies may get flu jabs to cut epidemics - The Sunday Times 22/01/06
Flu jab considered for under-twos - BBC Health News 22/01/06
Stem cells: Cell-u-like - The Independent 22/01/06
For families who want to try to safeguard their baby's future, the latest thing is a 1,500 set of stem cells. Danielle Gusmaroli reports
Acupuncture does combat pain, study finds - The Independent 21/01/06
Ever since Westerners started using acupuncture to treat their aches and pains, a debate has raged as to whether the ancient Chinese medicine really did work.
Acupuncture 'deactivates brain' - BBC Health News 21/01/06
A brief history of brothels - The Independent 21/01/06
The first bordellos were in the temples of Babylon, while in Ancient Greece they were run by the state. As the Government announces the latest attempt to control prostitution, Paul Vallely romps through the colourful story of the whorehouse
A matter of money - The Times 21/01/06
Legal blow for jailed baby-death parents - The Sunday Times 22/01/06
DOZENS of parents imprisoned for killing their children will be denied a chance to challenge their convictions, in a ruling set to reignite the debate over the validity of shaken baby syndrome.
Focus: Selling the sex the middle class way - The Sunday Times 22/01/06
Ministers want to crack down on street prostitution but are they missing a trick? It’s the middle classes, says Richard Woods, who are dressing up vice as something glamorous
A simple way to better schools: don’t treat them like hospitals - The Sunday Times 22/01/06
Go to your room and write out 100 times: a school is not a hospital, a hospital is not a school. Whitehall is a zoo in a fog. Its inhabitants cannot tell camels from kangaroos. Schools, hospitals, trusts, foundations, private finance initiative contracts, partnerships, contestabilities are all the same animals. Life is money and gongs.
Children's champions demand a total ban on smacking - The Times 21/01/06
THE Government’s four children’s commissioners have demanded a total ban on the smacking of children.
Turkey says neighbours are covering up bird flu - The Times 21/01/06
The number of unsold eggs at a wholesale shop in Istanbul, right, reached 100 million after the outbreak of avian flu as Turkey accused neighbouring countries of covering up similar infections. The country has reported possible H5N1 outbreaks in areas close to its borders with Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Georgia.
'Bird flu secrecy' angers Turkey - BBC Health News 20/01/06
On a wing and a prayer - The Times 21/01/06
'Bird Flu' Infections In Humans Prompt New Investigation At Saint Louis University - Medical News Today 20/01/06
In a different vein - The Times 21/01/06
IT IS every needle-phobe’s nightmare: the nurse or doctor merrily saying, “Oh, I can’t seem to find a vein,” while they repeatedly poke a hypodermic into your flesh.
Portable 'vein Finder' For Faster, More Accurate Injections Developed - Medical News Today 20/01/06
Saying goodbye to the props - The Times 21/01/06
It took five years, but Andy Ward eventually learnt how to leave the ‘safe’ world of his disability
Dr Copperfield: inside the mind of a GP - The Times 21/01/06
“So, doctor, is my blood pressure OK? And what about my cholesterol level?” Ah. There was a time when such questions were easy to answer — normal/abnormal, black/white. Not any more. Unless your readings are off the scale, we’re into shades of grey. And two recent news stories render those shades fuzzier than ever.
Are you having a laugh? - The Times 21/01/06
It sounds like poking fun but it’s called provocative therapy. Catriona Wrottesley reports
Take out the competition - The Times 21/01/06
Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall on happy families. This week: the tactless grandmother
Lunchtime fix: floatation therapy - The Times 21/01/06
It’s cold and a January wind is blowing. What could be better than a snug hour or so floating in warm water? And according to the blurb, the experience should transport me to another, deeper level normally obtained only by years of meditation. A shortcut to serenity? Bring it on.
Focus on a clearer picture - The Times 21/01/06
My seven-year-old granddaughter has begun to complain of blurred vision occasionally when she looks at the blackboard and reads music. The other day she also told her mother that she, too, appeared blurred. Her mother started having migraines at the same age and I am wondering if this could be the start of the same condition. Blood tests and optician tests were all n ormal. Should my granddaughter see a paediatrician?
Junk medicine: patent data protection - The Times 21/01/06
The information in medical records is properly regarded as highly sensitive. When a patient shares details of a mental illness or sexually transmitted infection with a doctor, it is in the expectation that these are not for public display. Confidentiality is axiomatic to responsible medicine and legislation such as the Data Protection Act (DPA), which restricts access to personal files, is necessary and desirable. But it also has unwelcome consequences that are harming the public.
A-Z of relationships: W is for wobble - The Times 21/01/06
What counts as a wobble? We so often hear of relationship discord, splits, tiffs and trial separations. But how do we know the difference between a mere wobble and a sign
Get over it: heavy workload - The Times 21/01/06
My current workload is exhausting. What can I do?
Celtic comfort - The Times 21/01/06
Staying at a top Irish spa, John Naish was caught between the wild rocks and a hard place to leave
Sex matters with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson - The Times 21/01/06
I'm worried that my hip replacement will not bear my husband's weight during sex, even though he is slight. Is the end of our sex life?
I’m beginning to see the light - The Times 21/01/06
Physicist and TV presenter Kathy Sykes tells John Naish how researching a new series on alternative medicine changed her attitude — and her life
It works for me: hot treatment for cold sores - The Times 21/01/06
A GP, with help from electrical engineering, gave his daughter’s misery the red light, says Celia Dodd
Home remedies: honey and onion cough cure - The Times 21/01/06
Chop an onion finely, put it with a tablespoon of clear honey in a screw-top jar and leave overnight. In the morning, drinking a teaspoonful of the juice produced will ease a cough.
Eco-worrier: wine bottle tops - The Times 21/01/06
I have vowed to think more ecologically about my wine consumption this year. Should I choose cork, screw tops or plastic tops?
For goodness sake, embrace the turnip - The Times 21/01/06
A diet of health scares about meat has made veg the main attraction at top restaurants, discovers Fiona Sims
Just say no to morning muffins - The Times 21/01/06
Greed or hunger? Knowing which was which has made Sarah Vine slimmer, trimmer — and happier
Italians know how to dress for the winter - The Times 21/01/06
The Italian film director Federico Fellini famously once said: “Life is a combination of magic and pasta” — and I’m inclined to agree. While the magic might take a little longer to conjure, a bowl of pasta can be made in minutes, making it the perfect antidote to a cold winter’s night when the body cries out for starchy, easy-to- swallow comfort food.
Fun on the dry run - The Times 21/01/06
Artificial slopes are great places to find your ski-legs or to hone your snowboard skills
Not just anybody: Rupert Pennefather - The Times 21/01/06
Royal Ballet star Rupert Pennefather, 24, still smokes — but music helps him rise to the occasion
France investigates possible human bird flu case - The Telegraph 22/01/06
France is investigating a possible case of bird flu in a woman who recently visited Turkey, the French health ministry has said.
France tests woman for bird flu - BBC Health News 22/01/06
Threat to bowel cancer screening - The Telegraph 22/01/06
A national screening programme to help to reduce deaths from bowel cancer is set to become a casualty of the deepening financial crisis facing the National Health Service.
Babies face year in care due to court delays - The Telegraph 22/01/06
Babies are remaining in care for more than a year before it is decided whether they should be returned to their parents or put up for adoption.
Experts sceptical as thousands rush to buy anti-bird flu kits - The Telegraph 22/01/06
Scientists describe them as "a total waste of time and money" but that does not appear to have dissuaded thousands of Britons from rushing to stockpile biohazard suits and surgical masks to protect against bird flu.
Two-tier NHS care for pregnant women ready to pay 4,000 - The Telegraph 21/01/06
Pregnant women are being offered vastly improved maternity care at a leading NHS hospital if they can afford to pay 4,000 for the privilege.
Fury as euthanasia group puts dignity in new name - The Telegraph 21/01/06
Plans by the Voluntary Euthanasia Society to rename itself Dignity in Dying came under bitter attack last night.
Feel fabulous with Team Telegraph day 10: sixties plus - The Telegraph 20/01/06
With retirement looming, you must prepare now for how you will fill all this extra time and keep yourself stimulated, not only in the outside world but also in your inner world, writes Max Tomlinson
Looks for life: sixties plus - The Telegraph 20/01/06
Botched operations gynaecologist arrested - The Telegraph 20/01/06
A disgraced gynaecologist who was struck off after botching operations has been arrested by police.
Special ambulances for beefy Brits - Daily Mail 20/01/06
A new ambulance especially designed to carry heavier patients has been launched by St John Ambulance.
The cool way to work out - Daily Mail 20/01/06
It's engaging television and is set to do for ice skating what Strictly Come Dancing has done for ballroom dancing - inspired thousands of people across the country to take up the hobby. Here, Erin Kelly - a huge fan of Dancing On Ice - slips on her skates for her first lesson
Mind over matter could cure back pain - Daily Mail 20/01/06
Mental exercises could be just as effective as physically working the muscles to ease back pain, researchers have suggested. Their work could bring relief to the thousands of chronic back pain sufferers in the UK.
Mobile phones 'don't raise brain cancer risk' - Daily Mail 20/01/06
Using a mobile phone is not linked to an increased risk of brain cancer, researchers have said. The largest study of its kind found no association between mobile use and the most common type of brain tumours.
Salty spray could treat cystic fibrosis - Daily Mail 19/01/06
People with cystic fibrosis may soon be treated with a salt water spray to ease their condition after a study found it to be highly effective.
Treatment Shows Long-term Benefits For Cystic Fibrosis Patients - Medical News Today 21/01/06
Elderberries 'may combat bird flu' - Daily Mail 19/01/06
An extract from black elderberries could be used to combat the bird flu virus, new research has suggested.
Dirt 'may hold clue' to superbugs - BBC Health News 22/01/06
Studying bacteria in the soil may provide key clues to understanding how so-called superbugs develop resistance to antibiotics, research suggests.
Allergy cell holds treatment hope - BBC Health News 22/01/06
Scientists say they have discovered precisely how a cell involved in allergy is made, which may help with finding new preventive treatments.
Killer breast cancer therapy hope - BBC Health News 21/01/06
Researchers have pinpointed the chemistry behind the development of a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer.
Oily fish makes 'babies brainier' - BBC Health News 20/01/06
Eating oily fish and seeds in pregnancy can boost children's future brain power and social skills, research suggests.
Parents sue over 'junk food' ads - BBC Health News 20/01/06
Consumer groups in the US are suing cereal maker Kellogg's and children's TV network Nickelodeon in a bid to stop them showing adverts for sugary foods.
New Brain Area Identified That Responds To Leptin In Regulating Body Weight And Energy Expenditure - Medical News Today 22/01/06
Researchers have identified a new area of the brain that responds to the fat hormone leptin in regulating body weight and energy expenditure. They said that the region seems to be particularly important in enabling the body to resist weight gain from a high-fat diet. Their discovery, they said, indicates that leptin acts on more brain areas than previously believed, to regulate body weight.
Demonstrating How Taste Response Is Hard-wired Into The Brain - Medical News Today 22/01/06
Instantly reacting to the sweet lure of chocolate or the bitter taste of strychnine would seem to demand that such behavioral responses be so innate as to be hard-wired into the brain. Indeed, in studies with the easily manipulable fruit fly Drosophila, Kristin Scott and colleagues reported in the January 19, 2006, issue of Neuron experiments demonstrating just such a hard-wired circuitry.
Another Gene Linked To Degenerative Blindness - Medical News Today 22/01/06
Researchers have labored for decades to understand blindness-inducing neurodegenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
Nursing Professor Calls For Steps To Close The Reality Gap Between Education And Practice - Medical News Today 22/01/06
The nursing profession should be deeply concerned that the reality gap between education and practice identified three decades ago still remains today, according to a commentary in the latest Journal of Advanced Nursing.
SCOTUS Correct To Uphold Oregon Physician-Assisted Suicide Law, Op-Ed Says - Medical News Today 22/01/06
The Supreme Court was "right" to uphold Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law on Tuesday because -- while "legalizing physician-assisted suicide is a mistake" -- it is an issue "that should be debated by the people and their representatives" and not decided by "federal courts and bureaucrats," E.J. Dionne, a columnist for the Washington Post, writes in an opinion piece. Assisted suicide "is the wrong answer to the right questions" about whether the medical industry should improve efforts to alleviate pain and suffering in those with terminal illnesses and whether "our high-tech medical system" should "do as much as it can to allow people to die with dignity," Dionne says, adding that the answer is "[o]bviously, yes." So far, he adds, most states have sought to address these questions "through measures short of assisted suicide," but the dissenting justices in the Supreme Court's ruling "would claim the right to impose" their opposition to the practice on Oregon. By contrast, the majority decision "is a model of judicial modesty," based on a "careful look at the language of the Controlled Substances Act," Dionne writes. He concludes, "As it happens, assisted suicide is one issue on which my beliefs coincide with those of many conservatives. But I want my view to prevail through persuasion in the democratic process, not because an attorney general and sympathetic judges impose it on every state in the Union" (Dionne, Washington Post, 1/20).
Growth Hormone, Obesity Can Trigger Sleep Apnea In Some Kids - Medical News Today 22/01/06
Growth hormone helps hundreds of children with a rare disorder that causes them to gorge on food, but for some, starting treatment can worsen a dangerous nighttime breathing problem, University of Florida researchers have found.
Preventive Hysterectomy, Removal Of Ovaries Can Prevent Cancer In Women With Lynch Syndrome, Study Says - Medical News Today 22/01/06
Preventive hysterectomy, which removes the uterus, or removal of the ovaries can prevent ovarian and endometrial cancer in women with Lynch syndrome, the genetic mutation known to cause colorectal cancer, according to a study published Thursday in the Jan. 19 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, Reuters reports. Karen Lu of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and colleagues found that women with Lynch syndrome also are at increased risk for certain gynecological cancers (Reuters, 1/18). Three hundred and fifteen women, all of whom had genetic mutations associated with Lynch syndrome, were assigned to different groups: 61 women who previously underwent a hysterectomy were matched with a control group of 210 women who had not undergone the surgery, and 47 women who previously underwent removal of the ovaries were matched with 223 who had not undergone the surgery. The study found that there were no occurrences of ovarian or endometrial cancer among the women who underwent either surgery, with 33% of the women in the control groups being diagnosed with endometrial cancer and 5% being diagnosed with ovarian cancer (Schmeler et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 1/19). "This provides definitive evidence for doing something proactively that will prevent some women from ever getting these cancers," Lu said, adding, "Until now, doctors have not been able to recommend preventive surgery." Lu recommended that women with Lynch syndrome consider the surgery beginning at age 35 (Ackerman, Houston Chronicle, 1/19).
Devastating Financial Toll Divorce Can Wreak On A Person's Wealth - Medical News Today 21/01/06
A new nationwide (USA) study provides some of the best evidence to date of the devastating financial toll divorce can wreak on a person's wealth.
New Study Examines Scope Of Online Breast Cancer Support Groups - Medical News Today 21/01/06
Stereotypes about who will use online support groups are wrong, according to research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The researchers found that age, income and education did not predict participation, although minorities were not as active as other users. The percentage of women with breast cancer participating in online support groups is significant and has been growing steadily over the past decade. This new research provides insights about the characteristics of women who are more likely to participate in these groups when barriers to computers and Internet access are removed.
Darkness Unveils Vital Metabolic Fuel Switch Between Sugar And Fat - Mediating Molecule Provides New Research Target For Diabetes, Obesity - Medical News Today 21/01/06
Constant darkness throws a molecular switch in mammals that shifts the body's fuel consumption from glucose to fat and induces a state of torpor in mice, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston reports in the Jan. 19 edition of Nature.
Tiny RNA Molecules Fine-tune The Brain's Synapses - A New Mechanism For Regulating Brain Function - Medical News Today 21/01/06
Non-coding regions of the genome - those that don't code for proteins - are now known to include important elements that regulate gene activity. Among those elements are microRNAs, tiny, recently discovered RNA molecules that suppress gene expression. Increasing evidence indicates a role for microRNAs in the developing nervous system, and researchers from Children's Hospital Boston now demonstrate that one microRNA affects the development of synapses - the points of communication between brain cells that underlie learning and memory. The findings appear in the January 19th issue of Nature.
Report Demonstrates Safety Of Nuclear Medicine Procedures - Medical News Today 21/01/06
US Pharmacopeia releases findings on nuclear medicine, radiological services, cardiac cath labs and intensive care units; Practice errors 'exceptionally low,' notes Society of Nuclear Medicine President Peter S. Conti.
Genetics Plays A Role In The Relapse Of Drug-seeking Behavior In Humans - Medical News Today 21/01/06
Inbred strains of rats differ in how aggressively they seek cocaine after a few weeks of use, researchers say.
Researchers At Barrow Neurological Institute Resolve 40-year Eye Movement, Visibility Controversy - Medical News Today 21/01/06
For more than 40 years, a scientific controversy has raged over whether microsaccades, rapid eye movements that occur when a person's gaze is fixated, are responsible for visibility.
Scientists Find Unusual Lung-cancer Tumor-suppressor Gene - Medical News Today 21/01/06
Researchers have identified a new and unusual tumor suppressor gene that may be important in cancers of the lung and head and neck. The study shows that restoring the inactivated gene can slow the growth of tumor cells.
Prophylactic Surgeries Prevent Two Gynecological Cancers In Women With Lynch Syndrome - Medical News Today 21/01/06
Women diagnosed with Lynch syndrome, a condition often associated with colon cancer, also are at high risk for endometrial and ovarian cancers - both of which can be eliminated by having a prophylactic hysterectomy and oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries), according to a study published by researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in the Jan. 19 New England Journal of Medicine.
Gene Therapy 'turns Off' Mutation Linked To Parkinson's Disease - Medical News Today 21/01/06
A group of Northwestern University researchers is developing a novel gene therapy aimed at selectively turning off one of the genes involved in the development of Parkinson's disease.
Four Antivirals Not Suitable For Routine Seasonal Influenza Control - Medical News Today 21/01/06
The commonly prescribed antiviral medications amantadine and rimantidine should not be used for seasonal or pandemic influenza control because they are ineffective and can cause adverse side-effects, according to a study published online today (Thursday January 19, 2006) by The Lancet. Another two antivirals--zanamivir and oseltamivir--should not routinely be used for seasonal influenza control and should only be used in a serious epidemic or pandemic alongside other public health measures, state the authors. The researchers also found no evidence that zanamivir (Relenza) and oseltamivir (Tamiflu) were effective against avian influenza.
Baltimore Sun Examines Obstetric Fistula In Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia - Medical News Today 21/01/06
The Baltimore Sun on Friday examined the problem of obstetric fistulas in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia (Minaya, Baltimore Sun, 1/20). The condition develops when a fetus becomes lodged during labor in the narrow birth canal of a young woman, causing pressure that blocks blood to vital tissues and tearing holes in the bowel, urethra or both (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 9/28/05). In addition to the physical effects of fistulas, including infected sores on the legs and feet and nerve damage, women who suffer from obstetric fistulas often are left by their husbands and shunned by their families and communities because of the odor caused by the constant leakage of urine, according to the Sun. Obstetric fistulas can be prevented with caesarean-section deliveries, but women usually ask a relative or neighbor with no professional training to help them with the delivery because walking to a clinic -- which usually is a long distance from rural villages -- is not feasible, Kate Ramsey, a technical specialist at the U.N. Population Fund's Campaign to End Fistula, said. Surgery can repair fistulas, and the procedure costs about $300, but there is debate over the success rate of the procedure, according to the Sun. Physicians can repair a small fistula during a 1.5 hour surgery, but to repair a larger fistula and restore a woman's continence might require more than one surgery, according to Marcella Roenneburg, a doctor who has conducted surgical missions in the region. According to Ramsey, fistulas are a problem that is more efficient to prevent than to fix later (Baltimore Sun, 1/20).
Los Angeles Times Examines Drug Resistance In HIV-Positive People Who Have Undergone Monotherapy - Medical News Today 21/01/06
The Los Angeles Times on Thursday profiled HIV-positive patients who were treated in the early 1990s using monotherapy, or single-drug treatment, and who often are resistant to antiretroviral combination therapies because they previously have taken one of their components. Monotherapy -- which was used before combination therapy was initiated in 1996 -- gave HIV "only one obstacle to mutate past," and has created a "virtually insurmountable mutational challenge" for researchers to develop effective HIV/AIDS-related therapies, the Times reports. According to the Times, an estimated 40,000 HIV-positive "veterans of monotherapy" in the U.S. are "playing a fearsome waiting game" while researchers "repeatedly improvise with existing medications" to develop "salvage therapy," a "last resort" treatment for monotherapy patients. Salvage therapy "is a machine of many moving parts" because a patient's resistance to a certain drug often means that they are resistant to all other drugs in its class, according to the Times. HIV-positive patients with resistance await new combinations and new classes of drugs such as integrase inhibitors that might offer the chance of a viable treatment (Ricci, Los Angeles Times, 1/19).
U.S., Vietnam Health Ministry Sign 2006-2008 Action Plan For PEPFAR-Funded Programs - Medical News Today 21/01/06
U.S. and Vietnam's Ministry of Health officials on Wednesday signed an action plan for 2006 through 2008 for HIV/AIDS-related programs funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, VietNamNet Bridge reports (Le, VietNamNet Bridge, 1/19). According to a joint press release issued by the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam, and the health ministry, Vietnam's PEPFAR-funded programs aim by 2008 to provide antiretroviral drugs to 22,000 HIV-positive people and to provide care for 110,000 people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS in the country (Xinhuanet, 1/18). PEPFAR is a five-year, $15 billion program that directs funding for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria to 15 focus countries, including Vietnam (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/11). According to the health ministry, about 263,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in the country but only 103,000 HIV/AIDS cases have been reported. The government aims to reduce the country's HIV/AIDS prevalence rate to below 0.3% by 2010 (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/11). According to VietNamNet Bridge, PEPFAR in 2005 provided $27 million to Vietnam for HIV/AIDS prevention and care programs (VietNamNet Bridge, 1/19).
U.S. Rep. Smith Urges African Nations To Promote Home Visits As HIV Control Strategy - Medical News Today 21/01/06
African countries should promote the use of home visits as a method of providing HIV testing and counseling services, Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) said on Wednesday, CQ HealthBeat reports. Smith, who chairs the Africa subcommittee of the House Committee on International Relations, said that African nations should follow a program implemented by Uganda under which teams of workers visit people's homes to administer HIV tests and provide follow-up counseling. Workers are trained to disclose HIV-positive results in such a way that spousal abuse does not occur, according to Smith. When dealing with couples in which only one person is HIV-positive, workers hand out condoms to ensure the HIV-negative person does not contract the virus, Smith said. He added that HIV-positive people also are prescribed antiretroviral drugs and educated on how to take them. In addition, they are given insecticide-treated nets to protect themselves from malaria and containers of water and a chlorine additive to prevent waterborne disease, according to Smith. Uganda's home visit system should serve as a model because it affords people privacy when receiving HIV tests and follow-up counseling, which eliminates the fear of stigmatization that keeps people from accessing such services at clinics, he said. According to Smith, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief recently has funded 100,000 home visits in Uganda and plans to fund an additional 250,000 visits in the next few months (Reichard, CQ HealthBeat, 1/18). PEPFAR is a five-year, $15 billion program that directs funding for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria to 15 focus countries, including Uganda (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/11). PEPFAR is set to expire in 2008, Smith said, adding that its renewal should increase funding levels for home-visit programs and antiretroviral drug treatments, Smith said (CQ HealthBeat, 1/18).
Fund For HIV-Positive Libyan Children To Launch This Week - Medical News Today 21/01/06
A fund to support the HIV-positive Libyan children who allegedly were infected with the virus by five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian physician is expected to begin operations this week, Ivan Chomakov, the fund's Bulgarian representative, said on Wednesday, Reuters reports (Winfrey, Reuters, 1/18). The six health workers were sentenced to death by firing squad in May 2004 for allegedly infecting the children through contaminated blood products. Libyan Supreme Court President Ali al-Alus on Dec. 25, 2005, overturned the convictions two days after Bulgaria, Libya, the U.S. and the European Union agreed to establish a fund to support the HIV-positive Libyan children. The agreement did not mention the accused health workers, and Bulgarian officials said that the fund is part of an international effort to resolve the situation (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/17). Although Chomakov -- who also serves as mayor of Plovdiv, Bulgaria -- did not say how much money the fund will provide to support the children, he did say that it has secured between $309,000 and $370,800 to date. Chomakov added that the fund will provide only for medical care for the children and will not serve as compensation. Volunteers, including Bulgarian and E.U. representatives, are expected to meet with the families of the HIV-positive children this weekend to determine the details of the fund (Reuters, 1/18).
Internal ‘skeleton' Of Cells Is Altered By Exposure To High Fat - Medical News Today 20/01/06
Investigating the harmful health effects of excess fat, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a protein that triggers death in mammalian cells overloaded with saturated fat.
Study Examines IGF1 Gene, HNPCC, And Colorectal Cancer Risk - Medical News Today 20/01/06
A new study has shown that having a low number of specific sequences of the IGF1 gene called CA-repeats is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer in people with the disorder hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC).
Study Examines The Association Between Diabetes Mellitus And Risk Of Colorectal Cancer - Medical News Today 20/01/06
People with diabetes may have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer, according to a new study.
Variation In IGF1 Gene Associated With Risk Of Prostate Cancer - Medical News Today 20/01/06
A new study suggests that genetic variation in the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) gene may be associated with the risk of prostate cancer.
Increasing Penetrance Of BRCA2 Increases Mutations Over Time, Study Shows - Medical News Today 20/01/06
The incidence of breast cancer before 70 years in Icelandic women who carry a specific mutation in the BRCA2 gene increased fourfold between 1920 and 2002, according to a new study.
Sex Hormones Not A Useful Predictor Of Breast Cancer Risk - Medical News Today 20/01/06
Sex hormone levels in the blood are not associated with the risk of developing breast cancer in postmenopausal women who are in high-risk groups, according to a new study.
HIV Infection Associated With Increased Risk Of High-Grade Cervical Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions (HSILs) - Medical News Today 20/01/06
Women infected with HIV types 1 and 2 may have a higher risk of HSIL than HIV-negative women, according to a new study in Senegalese women.
Chromosome May Harbor Autism Gene, Utah School Of Medicine - Medical News Today 20/01/06
Using technology that allows DNA from thousands of genes to be collected and surveyed on a 3 x 1½-inch chip, University of Utah medical researchers have confirmed that a region on a single chromosome probably harbors a gene that causes autism. The researchers at the U School of Medicine made the finding by tracing variations in the DNA of an extended Utah family that has a high occurrence of the disorder and whose members are descended from one couple.
Monitoring System Needed To Prevent Safety Hazard Of Problem Physicians - Medical News Today 20/01/06
Asserting that "physician performance failures are not rare and pose substantial threats to patient welfare and safety," experts in medical error are calling on state medical boards and healthcare organizations to institute a formal monitoring and prevention system for catching "problem doctors" before they do further harm.
Mutation That Protects Against HIV Infection May Raise Risk Of West Nile Virus Illness - Medical News Today 20/01/06
People who lack a cell surface protein called CCR5 are highly resistant to infection by HIV but may be at increased risk of developing West Nile virus (WNV) illness when exposed to the mosquito-borne virus, report researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study, by Philip M. Murphy, M.D., and colleagues, appears online today in The Journal of Experimental Medicine. The findings may have cautionary implications for physicians who are treating HIV-positive individuals with experimental CCR5-blocking drugs, say the scientists.
Working Memory Retains Visual Details Despite Distractions - Medical News Today 20/01/06
The ability to retain memory about the details of a natural scene is unaffected by the distraction of another activity and this information is retained in “working memory” according to a study recently published in JOURNAL OF VISION, an online, free access publication of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). These results reinforce the notion that humans maintain useful information about previous fixations in long-term working memory rather than the limited capacity of visual short-term memory (VSTM).
Meningitis Warning For Returnee Hajj Pilgrims - Medical News Today 20/01/06
Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH) together with the Meningitis Research Foundation is reminding returnee Hajj pilgrims and their families of the symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia, as over the last few years there have been about 20 deaths in UK from these diseases following the Hajj.
Benefits Of Pilates, Evaluation By American Council On Exercise - Medical News Today 20/01/06
Check out the group fitness schedule at most health clubs and it's clear that Pilates is still one of the hottest trends in fitness. But is Pilates also a good calorie-burning workout? In an exclusive study, the American Council on Exercise (ACE), America's nonprofit fitness advocate, examined the calorie expenditure of an average Pilates Workout.
OTC weight drug seen unsafe for some -US FDA staff - Reuters 20/01/06
A proposed over-the-counter version of the diet drug Xenical may pose safety problems for some patients, U.S. Food and Drug Administration staff said in documents released on Friday.
Food health claims hard to understand: FTC staff - Reuters 21/01/06
The disease-reduction claims on a number of foods are confusing to consumers and could be improved with better wording or graphics, staff of a government agency that monitors deceptive advertising said.
Bird flu virus survives for days in droppings: WHO - Reuters 21/01/06
The H5N1 avian influenza virus can survive for more than a month in bird droppings in cold weather and for nearly a week even in hot summer temperatures, the World Health Organization said on Friday.
US drug plan frustrates patients, pharmacists - Reuters 20/01/06
Patients, pharmacists, physicians and state officials expressed extreme frustration over foul-ups with the new Medicare drug benefit on Friday, urging lawmakers to simplify a plan they called confusing and fraught with potentially life-threatening problems.
US says studying liver damage after Sanofi drug - Reuters 20/01/06
U.S. regulators said on Friday they were reviewing three cases of serious liver damage, including one that was fatal, that were reported after patients were treated with the Sanofi-Aventis antibiotic Ketek.
Breastfeeding may reduce risk of celiac disease - Reuters 20/01/06
Sufferers from celiac disease can't tolerate wheat and gluten in their diet, but people who were breastfed as babies seem to be less likely to develop the condition, a UK study shows.
Depot contraceptives boost weight in obese teens - Reuters 20/01/06
Obese adolescent girls are more likely to gain weight while using depot medroxyprogesterone contraceptives than those using oral contraceptives or no hormonal contraceptives, researchers report.
Blacks, whites affected differently by smoking - Reuters 20/01/06
Black U.S. teenagers get a much bigger hit of addictive nicotine from a cigarette than do their white classmates, researchers said on Friday.
USDA sends team to Japan after mad cow violation - Reuters 20/01/06
U.S. meat inspectors were dispatched to Japan to re-examine American beef shipments following a violation of mad cow rules and beef processors will be under stricter scrutiny, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said on Friday.
'Statins' improve prostate cancer outcome - Reuters 20/01/06
Men who've been treated for prostate cancer and are taking one of the popular cholesterol-lowering 'statin' drugs (Lipitor and Zocor are examples) may be on to a good thing.
Cutting calories slows aging of heart - Reuters 20/01/06
Sticking to a low-calorie diet over the long term slows the decline in heart function that normally occurs with aging, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Past suicide attempt linked to seizure risk - Reuters 20/01/06
A history of major depression and a past suicide attempt seem to be tied to an increased risk of seizures and epilepsy, according to the findings of a population-based study conducted in Iceland.
Drug industry officials see room to improve safety - Reuters 20/01/06
The U.S. government's monitoring of drug side effects could be strengthened but does not need the major changes critics have advocated, industry officials told an expert panel on Thursday.
Tamiflu works against deadly bird flu strain: Roche - Reuters 20/01/06
Tamiflu, the drug which many governments have stockpiled to ward off a deadly bird flu pandemic, appears to be an effective treatment for the disease if administered early enough, its maker Roche Holding AG said.
Cheshire and Mersey News
Bedroom fire at hospital - Warrington Guardian 21/01/06
FIREFIGHTERS were called to a fire at Hollins Park Hospital in the early hours of Saturday.
Help at hand for bereaved children - Warrington Guardian 21/01/06
CHILDREN affected by grief can get support from the NCH Child Bereavement Service.
79 motorists died on county roads in 2005 - Chester Chronicle 20/01/06
ROAD deaths claimed 79 lives last year in Cheshire - a dozen more than in 2004.
Smear test delay fears - Chester Chronicle 20/01/06
CHESTER women are waiting up to three months for the return of smear test results - double the time recommended in NHS guidelines.
No ambulance anger after boy breaks arm - Southport Visiter 20/01/06
A TEENAGER who went to Southport Hospital in agony from a broken arm was sent home because there were no ambulances available - and was then told to make an appointment at Ormskirk Hospital a WEEK later.
Shock results of care home probe - Liverpool Echo 20/01/06
AN elite squad has investigated 71 cases of alleged abuse of old people in Merseyside care homes over the past 20 months.
Hospital campaigner says 'We're won a battle, but not the war' - Congleton Guardian 20/01/06
HOSPITAL campaign leader Mike Smith is asking Congleton people to make sure their voice is heard.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
'Foolish mistake' made by dead man's carer - Carlisle News & Star 21/01/06
THE director of an under-fire Carlisle care company has admitted a worker made a “foolish mistake” while looking after an elderly man who was found dead in his home on Christmas Day.
Hopes of new dental surgery - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 21/01/06
HEALTH bosses have welcomed news that a new dental surgery could be built in Great Harwood.
Morphine ruled out as cause of death - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 20/01/06
FEARS that an injection contributed to the death of an 80-year-old Blackburn woman were dispelled by an inquest.
Head 'won't fight phone mast plan' - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 20/01/06
THE headteacher of a special school has said he will not oppose plans for a nearby mobile phone mast - as long as the health of pupils is not affected.
Alcohol abuse's fatal legacy - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 20/01/06
A 63-YEAR-OLD Accrington man died as a result of a lifetime of alcohol abuse.
Help to shape health centre - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 20/01/06
PLANS for a new health centre in Accrington have been submitted to Hyndburn Council.
CJD deaths a statistical blip - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 20/01/06
AN Accrington woman was the third East Lancashire victim in the last 12 months of one-in-a-million mystery killer disease sporadic Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease, an inquest heard.
Warning after cocaine death - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 20/01/06
A 32-YEAR-OLD Rishton man died at home as a direct result of taking cocaine, an inquest heard.
Greater Manchester News
Welfare reforms unveiled - Manchester Evening News 22/01/06
A NEW welfare underclass will be created unless everyone is encouraged to work under reforms unveiled this week, Labour's favourite think-tank has warned.
Beds crisis as winter bugs bite - Bolton Evening News 21/01/06
BOSSES at the Royal Bolton Hospital have been forced to open extra beds to cope with the number of patients being admitted with winter illnesses.
Fears over care home crisis - Bolton Evening News 21/01/06
A SECRET plan which may lead to the closure of Bolton Council's last care home has been uncovered by the Bolton Evening News.
MP applauds decision on cannabis law - Bolton Evening News 21/01/06
BOLTON MP Brian Iddon has welcomed the Government's decision not to reclassify cannabis.
'Sharks' cash in on cancer concert - Manchester Evening News 20/01/06
CALLOUS internet ticket tout "sharks" are cashing in on a spectacular Manchester charity concert being staged to raise money to fight cancer.
Doctors saved lives of our twins - Bolton Evening News 20/01/06
I have filled in my 'Back the Baby Unit' campaign coupon and sent it back. My children and two grandsons were born at Bolton hospital.
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