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National News
Soaring rate of caesarean births linked to legal action fear - The Guardian 27/03/06
Women are unnecessarily having caesareans because of a lack of senior labour ward staff and doctors' fears that they will be sued if anything goes wrong, research in a new book has found. But according to consultants the rising caesarean rate is also down to more "too posh to push" mothers who expect a pain-free birth.
Failed drug trial patient comes out of coma - The Guardian 27/03/06
One of two men who fell critically ill two weeks ago after taking part in a clinical drug trial has come out of his coma, it emerged yesterday.
Drugs trial man 'making progress' - BBC Health News 26/03/06
Elderly 'second-class citizens' - The Guardian 27/03/06
Britain's public services are treating elderly people as "second-class citizens", a leading charity has warned following a report into health and social care for over-50s.
Public services 'failing the elderly' - Daily Mail 27/03/06
NHS still failing older people, says watchdog - The Guardian 27/03/06
The great betrayal: how the NHS fails the elderly - The Independent 27/03/06
Damning report is another blow for beleaguered Hewitt - The Independent 27/03/06
Health system 'neglects elderly' - BBC Health News Today 27/03/06
'More people at risk from vCJD' - The Guardian 27/03/06
Many more people may be at risk of contracting vCJD than previously thought, according to new research.
'Silent killer vCJD is more widespread than thought' - The Independent 27/03/06
Hidden CJD is new threat to thousands - The Times 27/03/06
Disease that is here to stay - The Times 27/03/06
More people at risk of vCJD say researchers - The Telegraph 27/03/06
vCJD cases 'may be hidden in population' - Daily Mail 27/03/06
vCJD transmission 'risk for all' - BBC Health News 26/03/06
Internet used to push fast food to children, say campaigners - The Guardian 27/03/06
Health campaigners have warned that fast food giants are increasingly turning to the internet to circumvent moves designed to curb advertising aimed at children.
Junk food ads to be banned from kids' TV - Daily Mail 27/03/06
A long-term target - The Guardian 27/03/06
If Tony Blair intends to stay in office until the problems of the NHS are sorted, he cannot expect to step down before 2008.
Anti-abortionists turn sights on schools and hospitals in US-style campaign - The Guardian 27/03/06
Anti-abortionists inspired by the militancy of the movement in America are adopting tactics associated with animal rights extremists in an escalating campaign of intimidation.
'People on the waiting list will die' - The Observer 26/03/06
Greg Hopkinson's job is saving lives. Health secretary Patricia Hewitt says cutting jobs to stem the NHS deficit - soaring past 1bn - will not hurt patient care. Well, Ms Hewitt, here's one surgeon who begs to differ
NHS 'not giving value for money' - BBC Health News 26/03/06
NHS Confederation Responds To Job Losses In The NHS, UK - Medical News Today 27/03/06
We can't afford drugs needed to treat you, NHS tells MS patients - The Times 25/03/05
Health unions call for talks as they fear more job cuts - The Times 25/03/05
Unions call for NHS crisis talks - BBC Health News 24/03/06
NHS 'facing worse financial crisis' - The Telegraph 25/03/06
'I rang outpatients for six hours but no one replied' - The Observer 26/03/06
NHS cuts set to wreck bowel cancer tests - The Observer 26/03/06
It's because we're Brits we love the NHS - The Telegraph 26/03/06
Matt Cartoon - The Telegraph 26/03/06
NHS to cut down early admissions - The Telegraph 26/03/06
Teenagers' epidemic of self-harm - The Observer 26/03/06
A new study suggests that one in 12 British children deliberately hurt themselves - the highest rate in Europe. Amelia Hill reports
More help for self-harmers urged - BBC Health News 26/03/06
'Poisoned' worker to sue law firm - The Observer 26/03/06
A former chemical employee is complaining of poor treatment from lawyers employed by his union to fight his case, writes Jon Robins
Cameron vow over homes inequality - The Observer 26/03/06
Conservative leader David Cameron called for urgent action to tackle the growing social inequality caused by soaring property prices.
Scotland ushers in pubs smoke ban - The Observer 26/03/06
Lighting up in pubs and restaurants became a thing of the past in Scotland, as the smoking ban finally came into force.
AL Kennedy: Message to smokers: just get over it - The Guardian 27/03/06
Scots divided as smoking ban begins - The Guardian 27/03/06
Scotland takes to its first day of no smoke without ire - The Times 27/03/06
Smokers outlawed in Scottish pubs - The Telegraph 27/03/06
Smooth start for ban on smoking - BBC Health News 27/03/06
Smoking ban 'will lead to muggings and date rape' - The Observer 26/03/06
MSP pension fund invests 250,000 in tobacco firms - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
Even Rebus will have to stub out his cigarettes - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
'Ban could force me to quit Scotland' - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
Pub regulars strike a light note as deadline for ban approaches - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
Now the authorities turn their attention to your living room - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
Smoking ban begins in Scotland - The Telegraph 26/03/06
Scotland begins pub smoking ban - BBC Health News 26/03/06
Smoke Free Scotland - 'lives Will Be Saved' Say Scotland's Doctors - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Scots smoke in last chance saloon as ban beckons - The Independent 25/03/06
Scotland to go smoke-free to shake "sick man" tag - Reuters 24/03/06
Seven reasons to train with weights - The Guardian 25/03/06
Dumbbells, says Sam Murphy, aren't just for muscle men
Action pledge over young drug takers - The Guardian 25/03/06
The Government has pledged to take steps to cut the number of young people taking drugs after a survey showed one in five secondary school children took drugs last year.
Cocaine floods the playground - The Times 25/03/05
Pupils' use of cocaine doubles - The Telegraph 25/03/06
'One in five pupils' tried drugs - BBC Health News 24/03/06
Drug culture now rife in British schools - Daily Mail 24/03/06
Exercise the brain without this transparent nonsense - The Guardian 25/03/06
Nothing prepared me for the outpouring of jaw-dropping stupidity that vomited forth from teachers when I wrote about Brain Gym last week. To recap: Brain Gym is an incredibly popular technique, in at least hundreds of British state schools, promoted all over government websites, and with a scientific explanatory framework that is barkingly out to lunch.
Ex-health secretary slams reforms - The Guardian 25/03/06
Former Health Secretary Frank Dobson will support calls for the Government to suspend the next steps in its NHS reforms because of fears that they will worsen the service's financial problems.
Doctor guilty of drugs malpractice - The Guardian 25/03/06
The founder of a private drug treatment clinic was today found guilty of inappropriately and irresponsibly treating several heroin addicts.
Pioneering heroin treatment doctor may be struck off - The Guardian 25/03/06
Three guilty over 'addictive' drug prescriptions - The Independent 25/03/06
Clinic founder is guilty - The Times 25/03/05
Marjorie Wallace: The ditching of the Mental Health Bill is a victory for compassion over coercion - The Independent 26/03/06
We should now concentrate on the thousands who suffer quietly
Madness: Britain's mental health time bomb - The Independent 26/03/06
The Bill has been dropped but has the battle been won? - The Independent 26/03/06
Mental health legislation toned down but doubts persist - The Guardian 24/03/06
Protecting patients and the public - The Guardian 24/03/06
Two-thirds of Britons suffer sleepless nights - The Independent 27/03/06
A blueprint for a Gordon Brown government to "make child poverty history" in Britain will be unveiled this week amid growing evidence that Labour will fail to hit its target to abolish it.
Brown's vision to beat child poverty revealed - The Independent 27/03/06
Two-thirds of Britons have trouble sleeping, with a staggering one in three getting less than five hours sleep a night, according to a survey published today.
The donor business: The price of eggs - The Independent 26/03/06
Some women donate them, some trade them for IVF, some sell them. But there still aren't enough, and demand is increasing. Mary Braid investigates a shadowy trade
Premature babies are 'bed blockers' - The Independent 26/03/06
One of Britain's colleges of medicine has labelled premature babies requiring expensive neonatal care as "bedblockers".'
Premature babies are 'blocking beds' - The Times 27/03/06
Premature babies are blocking beds, says royal medical college - The Telegraph 27/03/06
Spartan care - The Telegraph 27/03/06
Early babies dubbed bed blockers - BBC Health News 27/03/06
Very premature babies' rights defended - Daily Mail 27/03/06
Doctors call premature babies ‘bed blockers’ - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
Medical schools need to recruit 1,000 new dead bodies - The Independent 26/03/06
Popular crime dramas and macabre autopsy exhibitions have been blamed for a severe shortage of bodies being donated to Britain's medical schools, hitting training courses for doctors and surgeons.
Food Safety: Salt - The Independent 26/03/06
We love it. Food companies are refusing to cut it out for fear of losing customers. So just how dangerous can those white crystals really be?
Tough targets on salt were eroded by food lobbyists - The Times 25/03/05
'Glenn would be alive if he'd received better care' - The Independent 26/03/06
Glenn Howard died from irreparable brain damage after being held face down by police and starved of oxygen for at least 10 minutes. As the police van pulled up at the emergency, an officer was still straddling his limp body.
Don't let the dentist bite you in the wallet - The Independent 25/03/06
Dental care, on the NHS or private, is expensive. Sarah Bridge finds ways to ease the financial pain
Spread of granny vouchers - The Times 27/03/06
SOME of the largest employers are backing a “granny voucher” scheme to help employees to pay for the care of older relatives while they go to work.
Suicidal young men are told: don't bottle it up - The Times 27/03/06
A CAMPAIGN to combat suicide among young men begins today with the message, “Being silent isn’t being strong”.
GPs guilty over false sick notes - The Times 27/03/06
Two GPs who provided an undercover journalist with sick notes when they knew that she was not ill have been found guilty of serious professional misconduct.
How to have a good death - The Times 27/03/06
A BBC poll shows cancer patients get better care than those dying of heart disease
Suicidal young men are told: don't bottle it up - The Times 27/03/06
A CAMPAIGN to combat suicide among young men begins today with the message, “Being silent isn’t being strong”.
Even a modest intake can be bad for your health - The Times 27/03/06
t's not just heavy drinkers who risk their livers. For some, even two glasses of their favourite drink may be too many
I just can't get over my awful homesickness - The Times 27/03/06
I’ve just started at university and it’s my first time living away from home. Although I’ve made some lovely friends and am enjoying my course, I’m also really missing home and my family. It’s usually fine during the day when I’m socialising or in lectures, but at night I really miss my mum and want her to be there to hug me — a lot of nights I end up crying and waking up with crusty eyes. It’s difficult to talk to my flatmates and colleagues because they’re mainly graduates and have lived away from home before. At the weekends a lot of them go home but it’s too expensive, so I end up staying on my own feeling miserable. It’s been nearly seven months like this.
Health food? Try the dog’s dinner - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
THE epitaph for a horrible meal used to be “I wouldn’t feed it to my dog”. A new analysis has shown, however, that pet food is now healthier than many fast foods, containing less fat, salt and sugar.
Doctors opt to have private operations - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
HOSPITAL consultants are spurning the National Health Service by paying for medical insurance so they can be treated privately if they become ill.
British fertility clinics at foot of IVF league - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
BRITISH clinics are among the least successful in Europe at producing test tube babies, according to a league table to be published this week. There are also concerns that childless women are being channelled into treatments that are more expensive than at clinics elsewhere in Europe.
Cost of caring for the elderly set to double - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
SPENDING on care for the elderly will have to double over the next 20 years to cope with a surge in the numbers of sick and disabled old people, a report to be published this week is expected to warn.
Science accuses BBC of medical quackery - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
SOME of Britain’s leading scientists have accused the BBC of “quackery” by misleading viewers in an attempt to exaggerate the power of alternative medicine.
A groundbreaking experiment ... or a sensationalised TV stunt? - The Guardian 25/03/06
Court scheme takes on domestic violence - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
THE Scottish executive is to set up a network of dedicated domestic violence courts to tackle soaring levels of household abuse, writes Kathleen Nutt.
Can thalidomide ever be trusted? - The Sunday Times 26/03/06
The notorious drug is back on the front line in the fight against cancer and Aids , but critics doubt if it can ever truly be rehabilitated
Mother died after surgeon missed her penicillin allergy - The Times 25/03/05
A CORONER criticised hospital staff yesterday whose “catalogue of mistakes” led to the death of a mother who was given penicillin despite telling doctors she was allergic to it.
Rule of thumb - The Times 25/03/05
CURLING up into a ball and sucking your thumb often seems a great idea when the going gets tough. And a study on children shows that going foetal really can help.
Letters to the Editor - The Times 25/03/05
Professor Edzard Ernst’s study, which concluded that manipulation does not work and may be dangerous in some circumstances (report, Mar 22), was incomplete as it included a review of just 16 selected studies from the very many more high-quality studies which arrive at precisely the opposite conclusion.
Your health, Mum - The Times 25/03/05
So why can’t women be like men? Because it would be bad for them
A sharper focus on eyes gives clearer vision - The Times 25/03/05
Laser eye surgery is now regarded as being as safe as contact lenses. Hilary Freeman takes a look at the latest techniques
Is the beam in your eye safe? - The Telegraph 27/03/06
One day she lost the plot - The Times 25/03/05
Clare Allan had a serious breakdown, but she has managed to write her way out of it, says Emma Cook
Who's got the muscle? - The Times 25/03/05
David Rowan reports on another round in the battle between health campaigners and the food industry
Inside the mind of a trickster - The Times 25/03/05
The illusionist Derren Brown cultivates his image as the prince of dark arts. But he tells John Naish why being nice can work magic
Inside story: extreme height - The Times 25/03/05
Being 7ft 3in gives John Williams a different perspective on day-to-day living
Spas: splash out in style - The Times 25/03/05
Anthony Osmond-Evans set himself a mission: to find the world’s most luxurious spa. So he visited 56 in as many weeks
Junk medicine: spinal manipulation - The Times 25/03/05
Spinal manipulation is one of the fields of alternative medicine to which sceptics are generally most willing to give the benefit of the doubt.
Spinal Manipulation Doesn't Work For Any Condition, New Research Finds - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Dr Copperfield: inside the mind of a GP - The Times 25/03/05
You march into my consulting room, your expression a pained mixture of anger and an urgent need to find the nearest toilet. “Those bloody antibiotics,” you spit, slamming the empty bottle on my desk. “That prescription cost me 6.50. For six tablets. At that price, I’d expect them to work. Why have I still got cystitis?” Fair enough: I’d be crossly crossing my legs, too. Now you have even more reason to be peed off by your urinary infection because the charge is rising to 6.65. And I’m suffering as well. Because the more expensive prescriptions become, the greater the pressure on me to get it right first time. But general practice isn’t like that: whether it’s cystitis or blood pressure, prescribing is as much about educated guesses as pharmacology. The alternative is always to prescribe the most “powerful” therapy, but then I’d be berated by you for causing nasty side-effects and by the Government for busting the drug budget.
What’s the matter, dear? - The Times 25/03/05
You need nerves of steel to deal with a festering silence, says Jane Fearnley-Whittingsta
Agony & ecstasy: sex advice - The Times 25/03/05
After a gruelling gym regime my wife looks fantastic. She's even bought new clothes. But she has gone off sex. Can exercise kill libido?
Weighty problem of steroids - The Times 25/03/05
My seven-year-old niece has finished a long course of strong steroids for a medical condition. Her weight has ballooned from 4st to 8st and she can hardly walk. A recent fall left her with a broken leg. Her mother has been told this weight gain is because of the steroids. Is this true? The family has never had a good diet; can they get help from a dietitian?
What's up doc? Listening to your heart - The Times 25/03/05
Why bother? He’s listening to your “heart sounds”. These are the noises made by the valves in the heart as they snap shut.
A life dogged by allergies - The Times 25/03/05
Tom Bryant discovers a breed of canine he can cuddle in comfort
Eco-worrier: saving water - The Times 25/03/05
It might not look it, but our green and pleasant land is thirsty. Last year was the third driest since records began
Cooking up a storm at school - The Times 25/03/05
Hilly Janes, the editor of Body&Soul, serves up your response to training little chefs
On the good food trail - The Times 25/03/05
A brisk walk around a country farm is an excellent way to work up an appetite for fresh seasonal produce, says Nick Wyke
Farm trails near you - The Times 25/03/05
At your table: frozen fish - The Times 25/03/05
Fish pie made with creamy mashed potato must be one of the easiest ways to get children to enjoy fish’s health benefits
Running argument - The Times 25/03/05
Pounding pavements is bad for joints? Not according to new research, says Peta Bee
The Sussex swordsman - The Times 25/03/05
Jamie Thakston, 35, loves fencing, hates beards and finds wearing ladies' underwear liberating
TV snooker distracted birth crisis doctor - The Telegraph 27/03/06
A doctor was more interested in watching snooker on television than overseeing the high-risk pregnancy of a patient whose labour went disastrously wrong, a court was told.
Breast cancer victim continues Herceptin fight - The Telegraph 27/03/06
A breast cancer victim will return to the High Court today to continue her fight to force her local NHS trust to fund the drug Herceptin.
Woman appeals in Herceptin battle - BBC Health News 26/03/06
Cancer drug refusal 'arbitrary' - BBC Health News 27/03/06
UK breast cancer sufferer appeals in Herceptin case - Reuters 27/03/06
Trust me, I'm a junior doctor: remember that estate agents are human too - The Telegraph 27/03/06
There are worse things in life than moving house, says Max Pemberton
And let's not forget Sister Josita - The Telegraph 27/03/06
Nuns are providing valuable clues as to how Alzheimer's disease affects the elderly, explains Harry Mount
After 'silver surgery'... a golden future? - The Telegraph 27/03/06
Growing numbers of middle-aged women feel compelled to have facelifts simply to keep up. There must be a better way, says Elizabeth Grice
First mines, then fur & now Mills McCartney wants to ban milk - The Telegraph 26/03/06
She has made her name as a vociferous campaigner against landmines and the fur trade, but this week Heather Mills McCartney will warn of a danger lurking closer to home - the humble British pinta.
Standing-only classrooms 'could prevent child obesity' - The Telegraph 26/03/06
Chair-free classrooms where pupils stand for hours a day are being introduced to Britain after a study found that they could lead to substantial weight loss.
Fairer taxes, better public services and real choice for all: this is how to beat Labour - The Telegraph 26/03/06
In case anyone thought Gordon Brown might change the Government's direction after becoming Prime Minister, his tenth Budget delivered last Wednesday proved conclusively that he will not. It cemented the legacy Labour has metic- ulously built in the years since 1997.
'Designer baby' clinic to charge 6,000 per child - The Telegraph 26/03/06
Britain's first IVF "designer baby" clinic is to charge about 6,000 for a made-to-order infant.
Pesticides blamed as autism rate soars - The Telegraph 25/03/06
The number of children diagnosed with autism has almost doubled in seven years.
Eating oily fish may not be so healthy - The Telegraph 25/03/06
The medical benefits of eating oily fish were thrown under the spotlight yesterday as experts rowed over the extent of their health-giving properties.
Fish oil may not be so healthy after all - Daily Mail 24/03/06
Super foods: pomegranate - The Telegraph 25/03/06
Judith Woods looks at the health-giving benefits of some of our most common foods. This week: pomegranate
Doctor's diary: nun the wiser about stem cell therapy - The Telegraph 24/03/06
James LeFanu on a 'miracle cure' for Parkinson's and unconventional cures for your nerves
Older mothers have higher heart attack risk - Daily Mail 27/03/06
Career women who put motherhood on hold are far more likely to suffer a heart attack during pregnancy, scientists have claimed.
Impatient generation put health at risk - Daily Mail 24/03/06
A new generation of "can't wait, won't wait" Britons are neglecting their health and happiness because they can't bear to queue.
Birth pill with less cancer risk - BBC Health News 27/03/06
Scientists are developing a contraceptive pill which carries a lower risk of breast cancer than the current combined pill.
Detox's medical claims face probe - BBC Health News 27/03/06
The marketing of detox products is to be investigated by the government after the BBC drew its attention to some of their medical claims.
Kidney drug helps combat eczema - BBC Health News 25/03/06
Scientists are developing a way to use a powerful drug so it can more safely treat the most common form of eczema.
Coroner critical of allergy check - BBC Health News 24/03/06
A coroner has criticised a surgeon who gave a Bradford woman penicillin despite her being allergic to the drug.
Midwife left mum to deliver baby - BBC Health News 24/03/06
A private midwife has been found guilty by her professional body of a string of charges after leaving a west Wales woman alone to deliver her own baby.
Cancer patient's 'unfair' journey - BBC Health News 24/03/06
A cancer charity has highlighted the case of an 87-year-old woman who has to undergo a 175-mile round trip to have breast cancer treatment.
Fertility doctor cleared by GMC - BBC Health News 24/03/06
A controversial fertility medic accused of charging patients for care they did not need, want or get, has been cleared of serious professional misconduct.
Questions Over Accuracy Of MRI In Diagnosing Multiple Sclerosis - Medical News Today 27/03/06
The accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not sufficient to rule in or rule out a diagnosis of MS with a high degree of certainty, finds a study published online by the BMJ.
Do Bicycle Helmet Laws Prevent Head Injuries And Improve Health? - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Many doctors believe that enforced bicycle helmet laws improve health, but this view remains hotly contested in some quarters. Experts in this week's BMJ set out their arguments for and against legislation.
Time For Britain To Adopt Universal Hepatitis B Immunisation - Medical News Today 27/03/06
It's time for Britain to adopt universal hepatitis B immunisation, say senior doctors in an editorial published online by the BMJ today.
European Working Time Rules ‘Make It Impossible To Train Doctors Properly' - Medical News Today 27/03/06
The European working time directive, which limits the hours employees are allowed to work, means junior hospital doctors cannot receive the training they need to become a consultant gastroenterologist, according to results of a survey presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the British Society of Gastroenterology.
Delay Likely For Life-Saving Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, UK - Medical News Today 27/03/06
It looks unlikely that a new screening programme for bowel cancer will go ahead next month as planned, warned the new president of the British Society of Gastroenterology today.
Rate Of Breast Cancer In Pregnancy Likely To Rise As Women Delay Childbearing - Medical News Today 27/03/06
The incidence of pregnancy-associated breast cancer is likely to rise as more women delay childbearing, a major research conference was told today.
Persistent Genital Arousal In Women, Doctors Uncover New Syndrome - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Doctors have identified a new sexual condition affecting women. Tentatively labelled Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome, its primary symptom is relatively constant, unrelieved feelings of genital arousal in the absence of genuine sexual interest or desire.
GPs Can Offer Life After Death In Their Surgeries, UK - Medical News Today 27/03/06
General practitioners across the UK are being asked to help patients offer the gift of life after death by joining the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR).
BMA Calls On Government Not To Slash Medical Training Budget, UK - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Plans for a 10% cut in the budget for medical training could reduce the quality of patient services, worsen the financial crisis facing NHS trusts, and cause doctors' posts to be cut, the British Medical Association says today (Friday 24th March, 2006).
Ethnic Groups Need Specialist Services To Tackle Alcohol Misuse - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Ethnic minorities may have particular problems with alcohol use, yet may not be seeking help, warns a senior psychiatrist in this week's BMJ. He believes that these hidden populations need specific services - and more research.
Key New Tool For Identifying Problem Badger Setts Harbouring Bovine TB - Medical News Today 26/03/06
New research led by biologists at the University of Warwick has revealed a new technique that could become a valuable way of identifying badger setts that harbour TB diseased and infectious badgers in regions where TB in cattle, caused by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), is problematic.
New Tool For Identifying Problem Badger Setts Harbouring Bovine TB - Medical News Today 25/03/06
National Roll Out Of Health Trainers, UK - Medical News Today 26/03/06
NHS health trainers will begin work to help people improve their health as the government initiative to tackle health inequalities starts to roll out nationally.
Comment Of Boehringer Ingelheim To The Clinical Trial Of TeGenero In The UK - Medical News Today 26/03/06
TeGenero and Boehringer Ingelheim had entered into an agreement in November 2003 for the production of GMP-material of TeGenero`s compound CD28-SuperMAB (monoclonal antibody).
The Consultant Contract - Myths And Facts, British Medical Association - Medical News Today 25/03/06
In recent weeks a number of details about the consultant contract have been inaccurately covered in the media. Some of the coverage has claimed that the cost of the consultant contract is one of the major reasons for the current debt crisis being experienced by some NHS Trusts. This briefing aims to put into context the real facts and figures of the consultant contract.
"Sick Building Syndrome" Hallmark Of Job Stress And Lack Of Support, Not Unhealthy Surroundings - Medical News Today 25/03/06
"Sick building syndrome" is a hallmark of job stress and lack of support rather than an unhealthy building, suggests research in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Simple Checklists Could Improve UK Child Protection - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Simple checklists and structured forms could help healthcare professionals pick up child abuse more effectively, suggests research published ahead of print in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Not All Breast Cancers' Risk Are Increased By HRT - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Recent research presented today at EBCC-5 from the million women study found that taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) increased the risk of some types of breast cancer, but not others.
Smoke Free Vote Supported By North West Pubs Air Quality Study - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Research released this week supports the UK House of Commons vote to make all workplaces smoke free, including pubs and bars.
90% Of Mums Stop Breastfeeding Exclusively After 4 Months, UK - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Nine out of ten mothers will stop breastfeeding exclusively by the time their babies are four months old, despite government advice to give babies only breast milk for the first six months of their lives. The findings will be presented at the Royal College of Nursing's 2006 International Nursing Research Conference in York today.
Overcoming Fears About Emergency Contraception - Support Is Key - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Health workers such as sexual health nurses and community nurses play a crucial role in helping young women overcome feelings of shame and blame when accessing emergency contraception.
International News
Trouble begins when the clocks go forward - The Observer 26/03/06
Expect a stock market slump tomorrow, a rise in traffic accidents throughout the week and some wild swings in mood both in yourself and your friends. No, it's not the start of the World Cup. This is what experts forecast for the week after the clocks went forward earlier this morning.
New Survey Indicates Majority Of Americans Suffer From 'Sleep Slump' - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Here comes Pharmaheit 9/11 - The Telegraph 26/03/06
Controversial film maker Michael Moore is targeting the drugs companies. Sylvia Pfeifer assesses their reaction
Testicles may provide a better kind of stem cell - The Times 25/03/05
Men may be carrying in their testicles an almost limitless supply of spare part cells for treating disease and injury, research has suggested.
Testicle cells may aid research - BBC Health News 25/03/06
Reebok recalls bracelet after boy's death in US - The Telegraph 25/03/06
Reebok, the sportswear manufacturer, has been forced to recall 145,000 charm bracelets after a child in America died from lead poisoning after apparently swallowing one of them.
Reebok recalls bracelets that poisoned boy aged 4 - The Times 25/03/05
Reebok gift in child death scare - BBC Health News 24/03/06
Healthy, wealthy and wise Inc - The Telegraph 25/03/06
'Sustainability' used to be just for hippies. In America, it's now big business, says Oliver Bennett
Two-head girl dies of infection - BBC Health News 26/03/06
An Egyptian girl who survived an operation to remove a second head has died from a brain infection.
China reports 11th bird flu death - BBC Health News 24/03/06
A 29-year-old woman has become the 11th person to die from the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu in China, state media have reported.
10 Reasons For A Smoke Free Europe - New Report Issued In The European Parliament - Medical News Today 27/03/06
More than 79,000 adults die each year as a result of passive smoking in the 25 countries of the European Union, according to statistics published today by the Smoke Free Partnership, a new strategic and independent partnership between the European Respiratory Society, Cancer Research UK and the Institut National du Cancer in France.
New Study Compares Treatment Options For Pre-Cancerous Condition Of Esophagus - Medical News Today 27/03/06
BÂRRX Medical, Inc. today announced the initiation of a landmark human study titled "Ablation of Intestinal Metaplasia Containing Dysplasia: a Multi-Center, Randomized, Sham-Controlled Trial." The AIM Dysplasia Trial will compare the effectiveness of the HALO360 System against the current standard of care for Barrett's esophagus, which includes regular endoscopic biopsy surveillance and appropriate medical management of associated acid reflux disease (also called GERD). Barrett's esophagus, often caused by chronic GERD, is a pre-cancerous change to the lining of the esophagus that affects approximately three million U.S. adults. Barrett's sufferers are at increased risk for developing a dangerous type of cancer called esophageal adenocarcinoma, currently the fastest growing cancer in the U.S. The study is the first to compare radio frequency (RF) ablation therapy against the current standard of care for the treatment of Barrett's esophagus.
Foods High In E, Beta-carotene And Vitamin C Do Not Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Men who consume foods and vitamins high in vitamin E, Beta-carotene and vitamin C do not lower their risk of prostate cancer, Yale School of Medicine researchers report recently in the Journal of National Cancer Institute (JNCI). Led by former Yale Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH) doctoral student Victoria Kirsh, who is now at Cancer Care Ontario, the team found that while there was no significant association between the use of antioxidant supplementation and the reduced risk of prostate cancer, there was an association between high-dose supplemental vitamin E intake and a reduced risk of prostate cancer in smokers.
Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative, Yale University And Ethiopian Ministry Of Health Forge Partnership - Medical News Today 27/03/06
To boost treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS and other diseases in Ethiopia, the William J. Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative and Yale University have joined forces with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health to launch the Ethiopian Hospital Management Initiative (EHMI) to improve management of the public hospital system in Ethiopia.
Potential New Drugs For Delivering Lethal One-Two Punch Against Tuberculosis, Albert Einstein College Of Medicine - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have synthesized chemicals that are up to 10 times more effective than isoniazid, the leading anti-tuberculosis drug. The finding could lead to badly needed new drugs for combating tuberculosis bacteria, which each year kill an estimated 2.4 million people worldwide. The study appears in the March issue of Chemistry & Biology.
Changes To In Utero Environment May Delay Or Slow Down Onset Of Cancer In Later Life - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Manipulating the in utero environment may alter the onset of cancers that appear later in the lives of mammals, according to a new University of Toronto study published in the journal Carcinogenesis.
Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Reduce Mortality During Stroke - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Patients given lipid lowering agents (LLAs) during an ischemic stroke have a considerably higher survival rate than patients who do not use the cholesterol-reducing drugs, according to recent research by Yale School of Medicine investigators.
400 Million Children Deprived Of Safe Water - Medical News Today 27/03/06
As world leaders gather to discuss solutions to the global water crisis, a landmark meeting of children called for urgent help for 400 million children struggling to survive without safe water.
Violence Along Chad/Sudan Border Threatens Thousands - Medical News Today 27/03/06
WFP warned today that an escalation of the violence that has forced thousands of people from their homes along the Chadian border with Sudan's Darfur region could seriously impede humanitarian assistance.
Crestor Significantly Helps Hispanic Patients With Elevated Cholesterol, Large Scale Study - Medical News Today 27/03/06
New data presented today at the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA) annual meeting showed that AstraZeneca's CRESTOR(R) (rosuvastatin calcium) at 10 and 20 mg reduced LDL-C or "bad" cholesterol by 45.2 and 50.0 percent, compared to 35.9 and 42.4 percent with atorvastatin at milligram-equivalent doses in Hispanic patients with elevated cholesterol (p<0.017>
Enhanced Diet, Physical Exam Prove Best Medicine For Children With Frequent Fractures - Medical News Today 27/03/06
While fractures may be on the rise in U.S. children, bone mineral density tests are unnecessary for most children who experience repeat fractures. Although recent research shows a correlation between recurrent fractures during childhood and decreased bone mineral density, parents can be assured that the safest and most accurate way to identify any concerns regarding a child's bone mineral density level is through regular physical exams and an assessment of the child's dietary history. This is according to new research findings presented at the 73rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). The study addressed the issue of frequent fractures in children, particularly how to best assess bone mineral density levels and prevent initial and subsequent fractures.
New Study Reports Increased Response To Therapy With No Added Toxicity In Treatment Of Recurrent Ovarian Cancer - Medical News Today 27/03/06
In a study released today at the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists 37th Annual Meeting on Women's Cancer, researchers found the addition of thalidomide to topotecan for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer significantly increases the response to therapy and the duration of progression free survival without additional toxicity.
Two New Studies Reveal Benefits Of Laparoscopic Surgery For Uterine Cancer - Medical News Today 27/03/06
In a pair of studies presented today at the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists 37th Annual Meeting on Women's Cancer, researchers have found in a large randomized trial of laparoscopy versus laparotomy for surgical treatment of uterine (endometrial) cancer that laparoscopy is safe, and when successfully completed reduces hospital stay by 50 percent, and contributes to a better quality of life from the patient's perspective. Additionally, the study provided the best guidelines to date for predicting the likelihood of successful laparoscopic surgery, based on weight and Body Mass Index (BMI).
New Study Establishes Criteria To Detect Ovarian Cancer Malignancy In Asymptomatic Postmenopausal Women - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Reporting on the largest study of its kind today at the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists 37th Annual Meeting on Women's Cancer, researchers presented new criteria for detecting ovarian cancer malignancy in postmenopausal asymptomatic women, 55 to 74 years old. Utilizing the new criteria, researchers determined that they could accurately predict 93 percent of the advanced ovarian cancers and 87 percent of the early ovarian cancers in asymptomatic women enrolled in an annual screening program and found to have an abnormal screen.
Corgentech Reports Phase 2 Trial Results For 4975 In Hernia Repair Pain - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Corgentech Inc. (Nasdaq: CGTK) today reported clinical results from a Phase 2 trial of 4975, the company's novel, long-acting, non-opioid drug candidate being developed in multiple mid-stage clinical trials for site-specific, moderate to severe pain.
Women's Health Findings Presented At National Conference - Medical News Today 27/03/06
The clinical and basic science research findings of more than a dozen studies are being presented by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh-affiliated Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI) at the 53rd annual meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. In addition, a major conference debate on the essence of preeclampsia will feature James Roberts, M.D., MWRI director. Scientific sessions will take place March 22 to 25 at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto.
Multiple Sclerosis - FDA Statement On Tysabri Review Time - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Biogen Idec and Elan announced on March 22, 2006, that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had extended the regulatory review period for the reintroduction of Tysabri (natalizumab) for multiple sclerosis (MS) by up to 90 days.
Avian Flu In Cambodia, 5th Human Case Confirmed - Medical News Today 27/03/06
The Ministry of health in Cambodia has confirmed the country's fifth case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case, which was fatal, occurred in a 3-year-old girl from Kampong Speu Province, west of Phnom Penh in the southern part of the country.
Poliomyelitis In Somalia, Two New Cases -Medical News Today 27/03/06
Two new cases of poliomyelitis have been reported from two new regions: Lower Juba, southern Somalia and Mudug region, northeastern Somalia. These regions, with security-related restrictions, present a risk to neighbouring countries.
Benefits Of Mother's Milk For Premature Babies - Your Breast Feeding Questions Answered - Medical News Today 27/03/06
Breastfeeding has a special benefit for premature infants. Premature babies are those who are delivered before 37 weeks of gestation. The mother's milk, under such circumstances, helps in supplying important nutrients to the premature infant. These nutrients help the premature infant to not only survive but also develop a strong immunity against possible infections. Such infants develop the immunity to protect themselves from a bowel inflammation disease (Necrotizing Enterocolitis).
Moderate Lifetime Reductions In LDL Cholesterol Dramatically Reduce Risk Of Heart Disease - Medical News Today 26/03/06
A new genetic analysis of more than 12,000 individuals has found that a decrease in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, of as little as 15 percent, sustained over the long term can dramatically reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The reduction in LDL observed in this study can easily be achieved with a low dose of cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins.
Tips On How Elderly Can Stay Home From NJIT Environmental Psychologist - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Environmental psychologist Richard Olsen, PhD, and research architect Lynn Hutchings are people on a mission. The researchers, based in the architecture school at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), would like to see older people and people with dementia live better, safer and more comfortable lives staying in their homes.
Infused Spleen Cells Found Not To Impact Islet Recovery And Reversal Of Type 1 Diabetes In Mice - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Researchers from Joslin Diabetes Center have published in the March, 2006, issue of the journal Science a significant study about islet cell recovery and reversal of type 1 diabetes in mice.
Teens' Herbal Product Use Associated With Illicit Substance Use - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Adolescents who have ever used herbal products are six times more likely to have tried cocaine and almost 15 times more likely to have used anabolic steroids than teens who have never used herbal products, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study published in March in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Pregnancy Research Leads To Progress On Premature Delivery - Medical News Today 26/03/06
The University of Rochester has filed a patent on several ideas to help prevent early labor and the premature delivery of low-birth-weight babies. The discovery is an incremental step in an area of obstetrics that has seen little improvement in 20 years.
Novel Process Reduces Toxic Chemical Use - Medical News Today 26/03/06
A chemical engineer at The University of Auckland has used environmentally-friendly vegetable oils to replace toxic chemical solvents like kerosene in the extraction of a range of biomolecules, such as antibiotics and organic acids.
New Drug Shown To Reduce Gastric Ulcers In At-risk Patients Using Long-term NSAIDS - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Results from two clinical trials, to be published in the April 2006 edition of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, indicate that NEXIUM® (esomeprazole magnesium) can reduce the incidence of gastric (stomach) ulcers in patients at risk of developing gastric ulcers and who regularly take either non-selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or COX-2-selective NSAIDs.1
Keeping Patients From Falling Through The Medical-imaging Cracks - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Every day in hospitals around the country, thousands of patients undergo CT, MRI, X-ray and other kinds of scans, producing detailed images of their bodies. Specially trained doctors "read" those images to look for problems, and then send a report of what they've found to each patient's own doctor.
Patients Want To Know Results Of Their Clinical Trials - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Although an overwhelming 98% of cancer patients wanted to know the results of the clinical trial they took part in, there is currently no standard way of conveying the information. The onus is usually placed on the patient to find out the results from their doctor. Over 1,400 people with cancer took part in a new study to determine the best way of telling patients about their clinical trial results, the findings of which were announced today at the 5th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5).
Evanston Northwestern Healthcare First To Use Latest Robotic Surgical System - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Evanston Northwestern Healthcare (ENH) today announced that Evanston Hospital will be the first facility in Illinois to perform surgery using Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci® Surgical System.
Electrical Stimulation Boosts Stroke Recovery - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Sending tiny electric pulses to a part of the brain controlling motor function helps ischemic stroke survivors regain partial use of a weakened hand, new Oregon Health & Science University research shows.
New Light On Muscle Efficiency: It Is Not The Power-plant - Medical News Today 26/03/06
A recent study from Scandinavia shows that the well-known differences between individuals in the efficiency of converting energy stored in food to work done by muscles are related to muscle fibre type composition and to the content of specific molecules in muscle.
Topical Antiseptic Reduces Umbilical Cord Infection And Mortality Risk - Medical News Today 26/03/06
A topical antiseptic reduces umbilical cord infections and infant mortality risk, according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In a study conducted in southern Nepal, babies who received umbilical cord cleanings after their cords were cut with chlorhexidine, a topical antiseptic, were 75 percent less likely to experience severe infections of their umbilical cord and were 24 percent less likely to die, as compared to a group of babies who received dry-cord care. When the cleansing of the cord was initiated within 24 hours of birth, mortality risk was reduced by 34 percent. The study is published in the March, 2006, edition of The Lancet.
Pitt Researchers Find "switch" For Brain's Pleasure Pathway - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Amid reports that a drug used to treat Parkinson's disease has caused some patients to become addicted to gambling and sex, University of Pittsburgh researchers have published a study that sheds light on what may have gone wrong.
Study Finds Emotional Benefits From Participation In Computer Support Groups - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Women with breast cancer who participate in computer support groups can obtain emotional benefits when they openly express themselves in ways that help them make sense of their cancer experience, according to a new study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center of Excellence in Cancer Communications Research (CECCR).
Cell Therapy Slows Progression Of An Inherited Neurological Disease; Improves Motor Skills In Mice - Medical News Today 26/03/06
In an important discovery, scientists have demonstrated that the progression of a type of genetic brain disease is slowed and symptoms are improved in mice that received cell transplants
Perceived Company Injustices Can Lead A Supervisor Into Depression And That Can Translate Into Workplace Abuse - Medical News Today 26/03/06
A new study published in the current issue of Personnel Psychology finds that supervisors engage in more abusive behavior when they perceive that the organization they work for is using unfair decision-making to allocate valued resources. If a company doesn't seem neutral or respectful when distributing benefits and other attractive incentives, the boss may become rude, assign blame, or publicly ridicule those that report to him or her. Perceived company injustices can lead a supervisor into depression and that can translate into abuse. The authors find that this abuse is strategic. "Specifically, perpetrators tend to abuse subordinates who come across as weak and vulnerable--subordinates who project the image that they are unlikely to fight back," they explain.
Reduced Insulin In The Brain Triggers Alzheimer's Degeneration - Medical News Today 26/03/06
By depleting insulin and its related proteins in the brain, researchers at Rhode Island Hospital and Brown Medical School have replicated the progression of Alzheimer's disease - including plaque deposits, neurofibrillary tangles, impaired cognitive functioning, cell loss and overall brain deterioration - in an experimental animal model. The study demonstrates that Alzheimer's is a brain-specific neuroendocrine disorder, distinct from other types of diabetes.
New Lipid Molecule Holds Promise For Gene Therapy - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara have created a new molecule that holds promise in fighting disease via gene therapy. Inherited diseases, as well as many cancers and cardiovascular diseases, may eventually be helped by this approach, which delivers therapeutic genes directly to cells. These genes can correct genetic defects, for example, or help the body's immune system fight cancer cells.
Age Is An Independent Risk Factor In Young Women With Breast Cancer - Medical News Today 26/03/06
A 30 year old woman diagnosed with breast cancer has the same chance of survival as a 60 year old woman with breast cancer according to the latest findings presented today at the European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5).
Innovative Technology For Production Of New Pharmaceuticals Forms Basis Of New Company - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Ghent, Belgium and Espoo, Finland - Plants produce a lot of valuable pharmaceuticals - but rather slowly and in small quantities. So, scientists from the Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) have together with Ghent University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland developed a technology to increase the production of pharmaceuticals in plant cells. The technology forms the foundation for the new company SoluCel. This week, the authoritative scientific journal PNAS is publishing results from the researchers that confirm the importance of the new technology.
Ocean Virus Identified In Human Blood Samples - Medical News Today 26/03/06
A virus of ocean origin that can cause a range of diseases in several animal species has been found in human blood samples. The virus, or antibodies to it, was found most often in the blood of individuals with liver damage, or hepatitis of unknown cause related to blood exposure.
MTBE Contamination: A Microbial Approach For Groundwater - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Max Haggblom's Rutgers laboratory has taken an important step on the path to using microbes to rid the environment of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), a toxic gasoline additive now classified as a potential human carcinogen.
Scientists Making Advances In Cancer To Receive International Awards, American Association For Cancer Research - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Leading scientists whose work in research laboratories, universities and medical centers is helping to understand and eradicate cancer will be recognized April 1-5, 2006, by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) at its 97th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Prescription Sleep Aids Not Always Best For Insomniacs - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Studies show that many Americans are struggling to get a good night's sleep, and an increasing number of those people are turning to fast-acting prescription sleep aids.
Diabetes Risk Raised By Too Much Or Too Little Sleep - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Men who sleep too much or too little are at an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a study by the New England Research Institutes in collaboration with Yale School of Medicine researchers.
Fitness For Your Feet - Medical News Today 26/03/06
The limousines are in the garage, the red carpets are rolled up - and your feet are suffering the stiletto sting.
Bayer Makes Move To Buy Schering AG - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Bayer intends to make a public takeover offer to the stockholders of Schering AG. In a transaction with a total value of EUR 16.3 billion, the company is willing to pay EUR 86 in cash for each Schering share or ADS (American Depositary Share). The offer price is 39 percent above the Schering share price before the announcement of the hostile bid by Merck KGaA and 12 percent above this competing offer. The Supervisory Board of Bayer AG has approved the proposed transaction. The Board of Management of Schering AG welcomes Bayer's proposal and has stated its intention to recommend acceptance by the company's stockholders subject to evaluation of the final offer document.
FDA Will Extend Regulatory Review Period For The Reintroduction Of Tysabri® For Multiple Sclerosis - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Elan Corporation, plc. (NYSE: ELN) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed the companies that the Agency will extend its regulatory review of TYSABRI® (natalizumab) as a treatment for multiple sclerosis by up to 90 days.
Regulatory Agencies Confirmed Accurate And Flawless Manufacturing And Testing Of TeGenero's TGN1412 At Boehringer Ingelheim - Medical News Today 26/03
Boehringer Ingelheim had produced TGN 1412, a monoclonal antibody, in Biberach as contract manufacturer for TeGenero.
Sanofi-aventis And BMS Announce Agreement To Settle U.S. Plavix® Litigation With Apotex Subject To Certain Conditions - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Sanofi-aventis (Paris Bourse: EURONEXT: SAN; and New York: NYSE: SNY) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) announced today that they have reached an agreement subject to certain conditions with Apotex Inc. and Apotex Corp. to settle the patent infringement lawsuit pending between the parties in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit relates to the validity of a composition of matter patent for clopidogrel bisulfate (the '265 patent), a medicine made available in the United States by sanofi-aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb as PLAVIX®. The trial in the lawsuit had previously been scheduled to begin in June 2006. As a result of the agreement, the Court has now suspended the trial date pending the possible finalization of the proposed settlement.
Asthma - FDA Approves Flovent® HFA(fluticasone Propionate Hfa) Inhalation Aerosol For Children Four To Eleven - Medical News Today 26/03/06
GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Flovent HFA in children four to eleven years of age with asthma. Flovent HFA, an important medicine in the treatment of asthma, is an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) which helps prevent airway inflammation associated with asthma. Now children with asthma as young as four years of age can benefit from the most prescribed ICS in an environmentally-friendly aerosol formulation.
Influenza - GSK Submits Biologics License Application For FDA Approval Of Flulaval - Medical News Today 26/03/06
GlaxoSmithKline [NYSE: GSK] today announced it has submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) for FluLavalTM (Influenza Virus Vaccine) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If licensed, FluLaval will be used for the active immunization of adults 18 years of age and older against influenza disease caused by influenza virus types A and B, which are contained in the vaccine.
New Data In Lancet Confirm Potential To Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Clear evidence that Lymphatic Filariasis (LF, commonly known as elephantiasis) can be eliminated is reported in the March 25 issue of The Lancet. LF is one of the world's most disfiguring and disabling parasitic diseases, and the target of one of the largest global public health programmes using mass drug administration (MDA).
Caring For Your Eyes In The Digital World - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Studies have found that the majority of people who work at a computer experience some eye or vision problems, and that the level of discomfort appears to increase with the amount of computer use. But, increased use of smaller, portable work and recreational gadgets such as Personal Digital Assistants, laptops and cell phones used for text messaging and Web access may also be contributing factors to the visual fatigue and discomfort experienced by millions, according to a leading expert.
New Dosages Of RISPERDAL® (Risperidone) Now Available - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Physicians treating people with schizophrenia or bipolar mania now have expanded treatment options: Two additional dosages (3 mg and 4 mg) of RISPERDAL® M-TAB®, the fast-dissolving form of one of the most prescribed antipsychotic medications, RISPERDAL® (risperidone), are now available by prescription.
Once-Weekly Exenatide LAR Clinical Study In Type 2 Diabetes Initiated - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMLN), Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) and Alkermes, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALKS) today announced that, following discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a long-term comparator clinical study of a long-acting release (LAR) formulation of BYETTA® (exenatide) injection in patients with type 2 diabetes has been initiated. This study is designed to generate the type of safety and efficacy data that could form the basis of a New Drug Application (NDA).
Femara® Approved In Germany As Initial Therapy For Postmenopausal Women With Early Breast Cancer After Surgery - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Novartis has announced that Femara® (letrozole) has received approval in Germany for use after surgery in postmenopausal women with hormone-sensitive early breast cancer (adjuvant setting). This is the first major European market approval for this additional indication under the European mutual recognition procedure.
Efforts To Replicate Controversial Diabetes Therapy Bring Partial Success - Medical News Today 26/03/06
An effort by researchers at the University of Chicago to confirm the results of a high-profile study that brought extraordinary hope to diabetes researchers and patients worldwide has met with considerable, but not complete, success. The researchers were able to reverse type-1 diabetes in one-third of mice but were unable to find any evidence of insulin-producing beta cells derived from donated spleen cells, initially thought to be a crucial component of the therapy.
Procedure Cures Some Diabetic Mice, But Not In The Way Previously Reported - Medical News Today 26/03/06
Researchers attempting to reproduce a controversial 2003 mouse experiment suggestive of a cure for type 1 diabetes have found evidence that the experimental procedure does eliminate diabetic symptoms in a small fraction of the mice exposed to it.
Sleep Is As Important As Diet And Exercise (Only Easier!) - Medical News Today 25/03/06
An estimated 47 million American adults may be putting themselves at risk for injury as well as health and behavior problems because they aren't meeting their minimum sleep needs in order to be fully alert the next day, according to polls by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).
CMPH 20-23 March 2006 Initial Marketing Authorisation Applications - European Medicines Agency - Medical News Today 25/03/06
The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted positive opinions on initial marketing authorisation applications for: -- Ganfort (bimatoprost/timolol), Allergan Pharmaceuticals Ireland. Ganfort is an eye-drop solution, intended for reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who are insufficiently responsive to topical beta-blockers or prostaglandin analogues. EMEA review began on 18 May 2005 with an active review time of 196 days. -- Zostavax (herpes zoster vaccine), Aventis Pasteur MSD. Zostavax is a vaccine intended for the prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) and herpes zoster related postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). EMEA review began on 15 June 2005 with an active review time of 202 days.
Study Describes How Cells Return To Normal After Responding To Stress - Medical News Today 25/03/06
CHAPEL HILL, New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine describes how cells recover from heat, cold and other stressful conditions.
Neuropeptide Can Be Used To Re-set The Body's Clock - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Everyone is equipped with a biological clock, a region in the brain the size of a corn kernel, which dictates our sleep-wake cycles, and plays a major role in our physical and mental health. Pioneering research conducted by Kent State professor Dr. David Glass has shown the body's clock can be re-set – good news for people who work swing shifts, experience jet lag or take anti-depressants.
Successful Cell Engineering May Lead To Mad Cow Prevention By Breeding Disease Resistance In Animals, Say Researchers - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Researchers at Texas A&M University have successfully "knocked down" the expression of possible disease-causing genes in a cloned goat fetus, perhaps paving the way for breeding disease resistance in other animals, even those genes that might cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as Mad Cow Disease.
Quality Of Life Can Improve In Old Age, Claim Researchers - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Increasing age does not necessarily cause a reduction in the quality of life, and in some cases, can even improve it.
Patient Care For Breast Cancer Dramatically Improved Using Best Practice - Medical News Today 25/03/06
A study in the Netherlands has proved that achieving the gold standard in breast cancer care is possible. Teams across the Netherlands set up and met targets for faster diagnosis of breast cancer and a reduction in waiting time for operations. The 5th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5) heard today how all countries should be striving to hit similar targets.
Paclitaxel Combined With Bevacizumab Prolongs Progression Free Survival In Metastatic Breast Cancer - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Results from a large, randomised clinical trial for patients with breast cancer show that those who received bevacizumab (Avastin®) in combination with paclitaxel (Taxol®) survived without the disease getting worse for almost twice as long as patients who received paclitaxel alone. The results were announced today at the 5th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5).
Lefties Have The Advantage In Adversarial Situations - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Contrary to traditional wisdom, being a leftie promotes survival from attacks, at least in the world of snails and crabs, according to a report by researchers at Yale and Cornell in the Biology Letters of the Royal Society, UK.
Shanghai Reports First Human Bird Flu Case - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Chinese health authorities have confirmed the country's 16th case of H5N1 avian flu (bird flu) infection. A 29-year-old female migrant worker, from Shanghai, became ill and was hospitalized on 15 March. She died six days later.
Bird Flu Has Infected 186 People Of Which 105 Have Died - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Since 2003 186 people have become infected with bird flu (avian flu), specifically, the H5N1 virus strain. 105 of them have died.
Newer Form Of Cardiac Imaging Providing Better Look At Heart - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a newer development in echocardiography providing doctors with better imaging of the heart. In this procedure, a probe is inserted into the esophagus that transmits radio waves. Those waves are bounced off the heart and provide a moving image that can be seen more clearly than a traditional echocardiogram.
Sometimes No Treatment Is The Right Option For Low-risk Prostate Cancer - Medical News Today 25/03/06
When Houston restaurateur Tony Masraff was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer, his life was packed with dancing, running marathons, playing tennis, gardening, leading a successful business and spending time with his family.
Caring Emotions May Overcome Drug Addictions In New Parent Therapy Program - Medical News Today 25/03/06
An article published in the latest issue of Family Relations describes a new therapy program for women with young children and substance abuse problems. The Mothers' and Toddlers' Program (MTP) broadens the focus of substance abuse treatment to encompass parent-child relationships. The MTP aids mothers to recognize their own, and subsequently their child's, emotional cues aiming to improve the emotional quality of the mother-child relationship and decrease the mother's preoccupation with drugs.
Cell Barrier Shows Why Bird Flu Not So Easily Spread Among Humans - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Although more than 100 people have been infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus, mostly from close contact with infected poultry, the fact that the virus does not spread easily from its pioneering human hosts to other humans has been a biomedical puzzle.
Journal Of Clinical Investigation Findings, March 2006 - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a crippling autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in which the protective nerve cell coating called myelin is damaged. Although uncontrolled CNS inflammation by immune cells called microglia (MG) and production of the protein TNF-alpha are considered important causes of demyelination and loss of nerve (neuron) function in MS, there is evidence to suggest that a controlled inflammatory response may actually restore damaged myelin and nerve function. Now, in a study appearing online on March 23 in advance of print publication in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researcher Michal Schwartz and colleagues at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel help clarify the controversy by reporting that it is the mechanism by which the MGs are activated that determines whether they are destructive or protective. Using both mouse and rat animal models of MS, the authors show that production by immune cells known as helper T cells of small amounts of a proinflammatory protein called IFN-gamma or production of an anti-inflammatory protein IL-4 could stimulate MGs to support nerve cell survival. In contrast, the researchers show that MGs fail to protect neurons when they are exposed to high doses of IFN-gamma, because high levels of IFN-gamma stimulate the MGs to produce TNF-alpha. The results demonstrate that the helper T cells can have direct control over MG action, stimulating them to either support or destroy nerve cell function through production of IL-4, and suggest that stimulation of MGs with IL-4 may help in MS clinical recovery.
Drug Effective For Severe Alzheimer's Disease - Medical News Today 25/03/06
The drug donepezil can reverse some aspects of cognitive and functional deterioration seen in patients with severe Alzheimer's disease, according to a randomised trial published online (March, 2006) by The Lancet.
New RNAi Tools Enable Systematic Studies Of Gene Function - Medical News Today 25/03/06
An international public-private research team led by scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard announced today the construction and availability of an extensive library of molecular reagents to silence most human and mouse genes. As described in the March 24 issue of Cell, this library consists of small RNA molecules that can switch off genes individually, allowing the user to dissect the genetic underpinnings of normal biology and disease. These RNA-interference (RNAi)-based gene inhibitors are packaged in lentiviruses, enabling their use in virtually all types of human and mouse cells. This work springs from the RNAi Consortium (TRC), a unique collaboration among academic research institutions and leading life science companies with the mission to build comprehensive RNAi libraries and make them available to scientists worldwide.
Male Smokers 40 Percent More Likely To Be Impotent Than Non-smokers - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Men who smoke a pack or more of cigarettes daily are 40 per cent more likely to be impotent than non-smokers, finds research in Tobacco Control.
Breast Cancer Book For Children Wins The 2006 Nathwani Prize - Medical News Today 25/03/06
The Nathwani prize for an outstanding contribution to improving the relationship between science and the arts was announced today at the European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5). Catherine Thornton was awarded the prize for her book 'Why Mum? A Small Child Dealing With a Big Problem', describing her breast cancer through the eyes of her seven year old son.
Do Older People Quit Smoking For The Wrong Reasons? - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that elderly women are more likely to quit smoking than elderly men, while results are just the opposite for studies among younger populations.
Beta Carotene Slows Decline In Lung Power Associated With Ageing - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, slows the decline in lung power associated with ageing, reveals research in Thorax.
Missing Breast Cancer Genes May Soon Be Discovered - Medical News Today 25/03/06
We are closer to finding the missing 80% of breast cancer genes than ever before thanks to the success of the COSMIC database (Catalogue Of Somatic Mutations In Cancer) the 5th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5) was told today.
Levitra Treats Erectile Dysfunction Effectively In Men Taking Medications To Lower High Blood Pressure, Study - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Levitra (vardenafil HCl), a PDE5 inhibitor, is effective in treating erectile dysfunction (ED) in men receiving one or more medications for the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure),(1) according to data published in a recent issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, patients treated with LEVITRA experienced an 83% overall success rate in erectile function while also receiving one or more anti-hypertensive medications.
Smith & Nephew Endoscopy's New CALAXO* Screw Formulated To Stimulate Bone Growth After ACL Reconstruction In The Knee - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Smith & Nephew's (NYSE:SNN; LSE: SN) Endoscopy division today announced the launch of its CALAXO* Osteoconductive Interference Screw, which promotes bone regrowth after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The announcement came on the first day of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Cream With Ingredients From Fish Can Relieve Psoriasis And Eczema - Medical News Today 25/03/06
A new skin cream has shown promising results in the treatment of psoriasis and eczema. The cream contains fish enzymes and gelatine and is under development by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim and the University of Bergen, Norway.
EBCC Calls For European Countries To Speed Access To Innovative Advances For All Breast Cancer Patients - Medical News Today 25/03/06
Breast cancer specialists and advocates at the 5th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5) called today for patients to have equal and speedy access to new breast cancer treatments and procedures, as soon as they are validated by comparative clinical trials.
New Breast Cancer Dictionary For Doctors - Medical News Today 25/03/06
A new ‘breast cancer dictionary' is being created to help bridge the gap between patient terminology and complicated medical language, announced The French League Against Cancer at the European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5), today.
Seeking Consensus On Managing Metastatic Breast Cancer - Medical News Today 25/03/06
A new European School of Oncology (ESO) task force has been created to discuss and review the current guidelines for managing metastatic breast cancer. This is the first time an open debate has taken place with breast cancer experts and patients anywhere in Europe. The European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5) will host the discussion.
Two Promising Drugs For Breast Cancer - Raloxifene And Lapatinib - Medical News Today 25/03/06
New anticancer drugs are usually developed specially for the job, but occasionally they are borrowed from another field of medicine, and applied speculatively in cancer. Tamoxifen was designed as an anti-oestrogen, based on the observation that at least a third of breast cancers depend on female sex hormones such as oestrogen for survival. Tamoxifen has shown to be an exceptionally effective molecule in cancer treatment; It was never planned to be a preventive agent, but so it has proved to be! It is now licensed to be used to prevent breast cancer in certain women at high risk of the disease.
Parkinson's Disease May Be Treated By Electric Current - Medical News Today 25/03/06
A simple and efficient method that facilitates Parkinson's disease treatment has been developed by researchers of the Institute of Human Brain, Russian Academy of Sciences. Influence of feeble electric current on the brain via electrodes laid on the head skin - the so-called transcranial electric polarization (TCEP) - reduces muscle tone and partially restores patients' movements. In combination with antiparkinsonian drug intake, TCEP reduces their side effect.
Project Could Help Pets Serve As Disease Watchdogs, Purdue University - Medical News Today 25/03/06
A national surveillance network that uses the medical records of companion animals could help prepare for a wide variety of emerging disease threats to humans and animals, including avian influenza, according to veterinary scientists at Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine.
Cymbalta® Safely And Effectively Treats Core Anxiety Symptoms Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Study - Medical News Today 25/03/06
A new study of approximately 500 patients evaluated the safety and efficacy of the antidepressant Cymbalta® (duloxetine HCl) on the core anxiety symptoms in patients with generalized anxiety disorder. Cymbalta significantly reduced core anxiety symptoms and associated painful physical symptoms and improved functional impairment associated with the illness. Results will be announced on Saturday, March 25, in two separate presentations[i],[ii] at the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) Annual Conference.
Women Have A Disproportionately Higher Death Rate From Bladder Cancer Than Men - Medical News Today 25/03/06
UroToday.com - CLINICAL BRIEF: (Toronto, March 23, 2006, 6:30 PM EST) Society for Gynecologic Investigation (SGI), Scientific Poster 332, "Detection of Bladder Cancer in Women Using a Point-of-Care Assay."
Clinical Significance Of Primary Vesicoureteral Reflux And Urinary Antibiotic Prophylaxis After Acute Pyelonephritis - Medical News Today 25/03/06
UroToday.com - I found this study by Garin et al to be intriguing as it attempts to answer a very difficult and controversial question - the role of antibiotic prophylaxis in primary vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). The goal of their study was to evaluate the role of VUR in regards to the frequency and severity of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and renal parenchymal damage in patients with acute pyelonephritis. They also wanted to determine whether urinary antibiotic prophylaxis reduces the frequency and/or severity of UTIs, and probably more importantly to see if there is any influence on preventing renal parenchymal damage in patients with mild to moderate VUR.
New Strategies Help Depressed Patients Become Symptom Free - Medical News Today 24/03/06
Results of the nation's largest depression study show that one in three depressed patients who previously did not achieve remission using an antidepressant became symptom-free with the help of an additional medication and one in four achieved remission after switching to a different antidepressant. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), shows that people whose depression is resistant to initial treatment can achieve remission - the virtual absence of symptoms - when treated with a secondary strategy that either augments or switches medications. This is the first study to examine the effectiveness of different treatment strategies for those who did not become symptom-free after initial medication.
Lowering Cholesterol Early In Life Protects Against Heart Disease Later - Medical News Today 24/03/06
New research from UT Southwestern Medical Center indicates that lowering "bad" blood cholesterol earlier in life, even by a modest amount, confers substantial protection from coronary heart disease.
Hope For Depression Sufferers: Became Symptom Free After Changing To, Or Adding A Second Antidepressant - Medical News Today 24/03/06
If a first antidepressant medication doesn't work, try a different one, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report.
New Research Shows Pin1 Enzyme Is Key In Preventing Onset Of Alzheimer's Disease - Medical News Today 24/03/06
A new discovery has found that Pin1, an enzyme previously shown to prevent the formation of the tangle-like lesions found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients, also plays a pivotal role in guarding against the development of amyloid peptide plaques, the second brain lesion that characterizes Alzheimer'
How Does The Brain Know What The Right Hand Is Doing? - Medical News Today 24/03/06
A new experiment has shed more light on the multi-decade debate about how the brain knows where limbs are without looking at them.
Exercise Reduces Menopausal Symptoms And Improves Quality Of Life - Medical News Today 24/03/06
Regular exercise can reduce severe symptoms in menopausal women and improve their quality of life, according to a study in the latest Journal of Advanced Nursing.
Developmentally Delayed Young Children Show Slowed Development In Peer Relations Too - Medical News Today 24/03/06
Children with mild cognitive delays show only modest or no improvement from early childhood to early grade school in their ability to interact with their peers, a worrisome situation given the importance of such relationships and their ability to contribute to other aspects of a child's development. These findings come from researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle and are published in the March/April 2006 issue of the journal Child Development.
UNAIDS Report Examining Education Sector And HIV/AIDS - Medical News Today 24/03/06
"Education Sector Global HIV & AIDS Readiness Survey 2004: Implications for Education and Development," UNAIDS Inter-Agency Task Team on Education: The report examines the capacity of education ministries in 71 countries and civil society groups in 18 countries to manage and curb the spread of HIV/AIDS. It finds that although there is a continuing emphasis on HIV prevention, there is comparatively little focus given to care and support, workplace issues and disease impact management (UNAIDS Inter-Agency Task Team on Education, "Education Sector Global HIV & AIDS Readiness Survey 2004: Implications for Education and Development," 3/21).
Effects Of Preterm Birth And Early Environmental Risks Continue Into Adolescence - Medical News Today 24/03/06
In one of the first studies to use brain imaging with adolescents born prematurely, New Jersey researchers report that the effects of premature birth and environmental risks on the brain during the first three years of childhood continue through adolescence. Their findings are published in the March/April issue of the journal Child Development.
Poor, Ethnic Children At Greater Risk For Exposure To Toxic Pollutants - Medical News Today 24/03/06
Poor and ethnic minority children in the United States have a significantly greater risk for exposure to toxic pollutants that can affect their cognitive development and other health indicators than higher income and non-minority peers, and current local, state and federal policies appear to be failing to address these inequities. That's the finding laid out in a review of social injustice and environmental pollutants and their effects on children published in the March/April issue of Child Development.
New International Standards For Tuberculosis Care Published - Medical News Today 24/03/06
Led by the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the World Health Organization (WHO), a consortium of international health agencies today published on the World Wide Web the first International Standards for Tuberculosis Care (ISTC).
New Tools Developed For Studying Neurodegenerative Brain Disorders - Medical News Today 24/03/06
Penn State researchers have created an elegantly simple model of an axon - the extension of a neuron that communicates with other neurons - and have used this model to reproduce a change in the axon's shape that is characteristic of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. This achievement is the first of its kind in a highly simplified biophysical model system. The model provides a novel avenue for investigating the specific mechanisms that contribute to complex brain diseases. It also provides a means of discovering new kinds of drugs for the treatment of these disorders. The research will be described in a paper to be published in the 4 April 2006 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
HIV-Positive Woman Running For Legislature In India's Assam State Denied Congress Party Nomination - Medical News Today 24/03/06
An HIV-positive woman who heads the Assam Network of Positive People and earlier this month submitted an application to run for an assembly seat in the Indian state of Assam has said that she was denied the Congress Party nomination because of stigma and discrimination, the Times of India reports (Sinha, Times of India, 3/21). Jahnabi Goswami -- who has called for regular HIV testing, especially among engaged couples -- planned to run for state assembly for the Congress Party, which is the ruling party in the state and in the national government. She said Congress Party officials asked her to run to show "there is a need for people like me, who can become future policy makers, especially in issues related to fighting the HIV/AIDS menace in the region." State residents on April 3 and April 10 go to the polls to elect the Legislature (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 3/7). The Congress Party recently decided to give the nomination to Chitralekha Phukan, the wife of a former member of the Legislative Assembly. According to Goswami, she was denied the nomination because 12 other candidates "joined hands to spread the propaganda that AIDS was an airborne disease and sitting and talking with an AIDS patient would mean transmission." Goswami said that she will take up the matter with Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi, who also chairs India's parliamentary AIDS committee (Times of India, 3/21).
UC Davis Study With Mice Links Thimerosal With Immune System Dysfunction - Medical News Today 24/03/06
A team of cell biologists, toxicologists and molecular bioscientists at UC Davis has published a study connecting thimerosal with disruptions in antigen-presenting cells known as dendritic cells obtained from mice. The study provides the first evidence that dendritic cells show unprecedented sensitivity to thimerosal, resulting in fundamental changes in the immune system's ability to respond to external factors. The study was published online today and will be available in the July print edition of Environmental Health Perspectives, the peer-reviewed scientific publication of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
BRCA Genetic Mutation Test Yields False Negatives For Breast Cancer Patients With Family History Of Breast, Ovarian Cancer, Study Says - Medical News Today 24/03/06
A commonly used genetic test to determine a person's risk of breast cancer failed to identify the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations -- thought to increase risk of the disease -- in about 12% of people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, who have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer and who previously tested negative for the mutation, according to a study published in the March 22 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the New York Times reports (Pollack, New York Times, 3/22). About one in 400 people are believed to carry either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, both of which are believed to increase the chance of developing breast and ovarian cancers (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 2/16). The only commercially available BRCA test in the U.S. is made by Salt Lake City-based Myriad Genetics at a cost of about $3,000 (Burton, Wall Street Journal, 3/22). According to the Times, Myriad Genetics "has long been the focus of controversy because its patents give it a monopoly on the test" and some critics believe the "monopoly has slowed development of better testing" (New York Times, 3/22). Thomas Walsh of the University of Washington's departments of Medicine and Genome Sciences and colleagues examined 297 women and three men who had tested negative for the BRCA mutations, been diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives and were members of families that have had at least four individuals with breast or ovarian cancer (Walsh et al., Journal of the American Medical Association, 3/22). Researchers tested the patients using various techniques including one known as MLPA, which is not commercially available in the U.S., the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The study finds that 52 of the participants had some type of genetic mutation, including 35 -- or about 12% -- who had the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation (Newson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/21). The MLPA test was developed by Amsterdam, Netherlands-based Microbiology Research Center-Holland (Dentch, Bloomberg, 3/21).
Half Of WHO's World Regions On Track To Meet TB Control Targets; Efforts Hampered In Africa Because Of HIV/AIDS, Report Says - Medical News Today 24/0
Three of the World Health Organization's six world regions likely will reach global tuberculosis control targets, while efforts to control the disease are hindered in Africa primarily because of complications related to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, according to WHO's annual Global Tuberculosis Control report released on Wednesday, the SAPA/Mail & Guardian reports. The report finds that the Americas, Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific regions are expected to achieve standards set by the DOTS control strategy, which include detecting 70% of TB cases and successfully treating 85% of those cases (SAPA/Mail & Guardian, 3/22). It also finds that 26 countries met targets one year ahead of schedule, including the high-burden countries of Vietnam and the Philippines. Five other high-burden countries -- Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia and Myanmar -- likely reached the targets by the end of 2005, but data needed to confirm this will not be available until the end of 2006 (WHO release, 3/22). "The trends and progress are clear and positive. Even in low-income countries with enormous financial constraints, programs are operating effectively and producing results," WHO Director-General Lee Jong-Wook said. However, he added that "figures released in this report still make grim reading." The report finds that there were 1.7 million TB-related deaths and almost nine million new cases in 2004, and the number of new infections is rising by 1% annually.
US, African scientists seek biotech answer to hunger - Reuters 27/03/06
As he pores over plant tissue and petri dishes in a biotech seed lab in Johnston, Iowa, Luke Mehlo is half a world away from his home in South Africa.
Three sick Cambodians test negative for bird flu - Reuters 27/03/06
Three Cambodians suffering from fever and coughs tested negative for bird flu after a 3-year-old girl died of the virus last week, the head of the hospital treating them said on Monday.
US scientists make pigs with heart-healthy fats - Reuters 26/03/06
U.S. scientists said on Sunday they had genetically engineered pigs that make beneficial fatty acids and may one day serve as a healthier source of pork chops or bacon.
Why the the fat from this little piggy could be good for us - The Times 27/03/06
Pigs bred to produce healthy oils - BBC Health News 26/03/06
FDA says Encysive lung drug "approvable" - Reuters 25/03/06
Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s drug Thelin is "approvable" for treating a rare, often-fatal lung condition, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) spokeswoman said on Friday.
FDA says Tysabri review a high priority - Reuters 24/03/06
A review of Biogen Idec and Elan's bid to return multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri to the market "continues to be a high priority," the Food and Drug Administration said on Friday.
Infant snoring may harm cognitive development - Reuters 24/03/06
Infants who snore so loudly that they wake themselves have lower scores on standardized mental development tests, a study shows. The study also hints that exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke may contribute to the deleterious effects of infant snoring.
Schizophrenia tied to a range of autoimmune ills - Reuters 24/03/06
Results of a study suggest that schizophrenia may be associated with a larger range of autoimmune diseases than previously suspected.
HDL cholesterol level predicts heart events - Reuters 24/03/06
Levels of HDL cholesterol -- the good cholesterol -- can be used to predict major adverse coronary events, independent of other heart and circulatory risk factors, according to a report published this month.
Aspirin equally heart-protective in men and women - Reuters 24/03/06
Studies have suggested that aspirin is less effective for preventing heart attack in women than in men, although women do benefit from a similar reduction in risk of stroke due to a blocked artery. However, a new study shows that the apparent lower efficacy in women is not due to a failure of aspirin to reduce platelet clumping or aggregation, as has been proposed.
Risky sex more likely for young men with positive body images - Reuters 24/03/06
Young men who feel good about their looks are more likely than their peers with a less positive body image to engage in risky sexual behavior, a new study of college students shows.
200 children in Somalia stricken with polio: WHO - Reuters 24/03/06
Nearly 200 children in Somalia have been paralyzed with polio since the disease re-emerged in July, and the virus is spreading in the lawless country, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
AIDS, poverty worsen Africa's tuberculosis crisis - Reuters 24/03/06
Five-year-old Unis Nyambura waves her yellow lollipop while waiting for treatment in a tuberculosis clinic in Nairobi's sprawling Kibera slum.
Act now to stop HIV/AIDS in children, UN says - Reuters 24/03/06
The United Nations called on governments on Friday to take immediate steps to better protect children from HIV/AIDS and ensure better treatment for those infected.
Waist girth predicts diabetes risk in children - Reuters 23/03/06
Waist circumference in children and adolescents predicts insulin resistance, a risk factor for diabetes, and this is independent of body mass index (BMI), a height to weight ratio used to determine how thin or fat an individual is, according to a report in the Journal of Pediatrics.
Heart disease risk increases after stroke - Reuters 23/03/06
After a first stroke, patients are nearly twice as likely to die from heart disease than from another stroke, according to a study published in the medical journal Neurology. However, in the long-term, they are more likely to have another non-fatal stroke than to have a cardiac event.
Cheshire and Merseyside News
City-based nurse joins ER crew in Africa - Daily Post 27/03/06
THE US producers of the medical drama ER - which has one of the highest viewing figures in the world - have enlisted the help of an expert at Liverpool's School of Tropical Medicine to advise them on their latest series.
Is change good for our health? - Middlewich Guardian 24/03/06
WILL a structural shake-up of the NHS be good for our health or lead to mid Cheshire's patients feeling alienated and insignificant?
No bed in A&E for Lilian, 83 - Southport Advertiser 24/03/06
AN 83-year-old grandmother with a history of heart attacks was unable to go to Southport Accident & Emergency as there wasn't a bed for her.
NHS dental changes sparking concerns - Southport Advertiser 24/03/06
CHANGES to NHS dental practices in Southport have sparked a swathe of concerned correspondence from Visiter readers.
Threat lifted over health programme - Ormskirk Advertiser 23/03/06
A SUCCESSFUL health scheme which was dropped from the council's budget is to be reinstated later in the year.
Respect for MP's merger battle - Ormskirk Advertiser 23/03/06
AN MP has paid tribute to the work done by West Lancashire's Rosie Cooper in the battle against hospital mergers.
Free advice on staying younger - Ormskirk Advertiser 23/03/06
MORE than 250 people will be looking to a healthier retirement next week.
First-class facilities at 1m unit - Ormskirk Advertiser 23/03/06
IT has been one of the charities of her year of office, and next week Cllr Una Atherley will be highlighting the work of a specialist hospital unit.
'Walk-in, walk out' surgery on veins - Ormskirk Advertiser 23/03/06
WEST Lancashire people who suffer varicose vein problems have been promised a brand new treatment.
A&E patients 'diverted' - Ormskirk Advertiser 23/03/06
CASUALTY patients from West Lancashire are being turned away from Southport Accident & Emergency department.
Pay more to park or face job cuts hospital staff told - Ormskirk Advertiser 23/03/06
ORMSKIRK Hospital staff have been warned there could be redundancies if staff car parking fees are not increased.
Hospital workers given redundancy ultimatum - Southport Advertiser 24/03/06
Patient transfer explained - Chester Chronicle 2403/06
THE Countess of Chester Hospital has explained why it sent patients over the border into Wales following an inquiry by a patient watchdog.
21-bed ward is to be closed for a year - Ellesmere Port Pioneer 23/03/06
A HOSPITAL ward which was closed for two months due to finance problems has been shut for a further year.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Bed Closures Now For Good - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 27/03/06
HEALTH chiefs have come under fire after announcing that more than 40 beds closed last year on a "temporary" basis will shut for good next week.
Kitty In Proud Of NHS Storm - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 27/03/06
BURNLEY MP Kitty Ussher claimed she was proud' of Labour's record with the NHS on the day health bosses announced that local hospitals will lose 417 beds.
MRSA Threat To Old - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 27/03/06
A MAN who lost his leg to MRSA was put in a home full of pensioners vulnerable to the disease while he was still infected.
Hospital Chance For Job Hunters - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 25/03/06
A STAFF recruitment day is to be held at an East Lancashire mental health hospital.
Mortuary Dispute - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 25/03/06
A SENIOR mortuary worker with more than 30 years' service at Blackburn Royal Infirmary has been suspended after a dispute with a funeral director.
Public are urged to take precautions as sickness bug spreads - Carlisle News & Star 24/03/06
A WINTER sickness bug, which has to date affected more than 160 patients in north and west Cumbrian hospitals, is still spreading through the community.
Promise to improve 999 cover - Carlisle News & Star 24/03/06
AMBULANCE chiefs are promising to improve the service after a dying man was forced to wait more than 30 minutes for treatment.
MPs welcome NDA’s boost for healthcare - Carlisle News & Star 25/03/06
THE Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is to give 18m over the next three years for community health care in Cumbria.
18m lifeline to hospitals? - Carlisle News & Star 24/03/06
Paramedic attacked while saving a life - Carlisle News & Star 25/03/06
A WOMAN attacked a paramedic who was trying to save the life of her partner in the kitchen of their Carlisle home.
100,000 for hospitals from car park charges - Carlisle News & Star 25/03/06
CAR parking charges at north Cumbria’s two main hospitals in Carlisle and Whitehaven raised more than 100,000 last year.
Hope For Boy Who Went Suddenly Blind - The Burnley Citizen 24/03/06
A TEENAGE student who went blind in a weekend today told of the miracle' that his sight was returning.
Stay Away From Wards Plea - The Blackpool Citizen 24/03/06
People suffering sickness and diarrhoea are being urged not to visit Blackpool Victoria Hospital after a highly contagious virus struck over 50 patients.
Homeless To Come In From Cold - The Blackpool Citizen 24/03/06
Blackpool's homeless should be feeling the warmth this summer after the resort secured 20,000 in government cash to open a new night shelter.
Hospital To Offer New Brain Surgery - The Preston Citizen 24/03/06
Life-saving brain surgery, currently only available at a handful of hospitals in the UK, will soon be offered in Preston.
Health Plan For Ethnic Minorities - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 24/03/06
NOT enough people from ethnic minorities work in community-based NHS services in Blackburn with Darwen, an NHS boss said today.
Hip Patients Heart Disease - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 24/03/06
A 69-YEAR-OLD man who died after a hip replacement operation was later found to have extensive heart disease, an inquest heard.
Uni Probe Rap On Hospitals - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 24/03/06
HEALTH chiefs have been criticised after an investigation into how people were asked about controversial hospital shake-up plans.
Greater Manchester News
Strike Brings Plea Over Calls To Emergency Services - Bolton Evening News 27/03/06
EMERGENCY services are urging people not to make non-urgent calls tomorrow as a strike will stretch police, fire and ambulance services to the limit.
The healthiest curry in town? - Manchester Evening News 24/03/06
A CURRY lover has convinced her favourite restaurant to join the healthy eating revolution by revamping its menu.
The doctor will text you now... - Manchester Evening News 24/03/06
TEXT messages reminding patients of their doctors' appointments could save the NHS up to 370m a year in England alone, according to a new report.
Child Care Call To Councils - Bolton Evening News 24/03/06
COUNCILS must do more to stop children committing crimes and prevent teenage girls getting pregnant, the government's education inspectors said today.
Cancer Survivors Prostate Warning - Bolton Evening News 24/03/06
CANCER survivor Andrew Dickson is urging men to be more aware of their own bodies.
Help The Elderly With Cost Of Fuel - Bolton Evening News 24/03/06
A CALL for more energy suppliers to introduce lower tariffs for their most vulnerable customers has been made by David Crausby.
Industrial Alcohol In Fake Vodka - Bolton Evening News 24/03/06
FAKE vodka seized in Bolton contained an industrial alcohol sometimes used in petrol, forensic tests have revealed.
Council Hit Out A Plans To Close Fairfield Maternity Unit - Bury Times 24/03/06
COUNCIL bosses have branded plans to close the maternity unit at Fairfield General Hospital in Bury as "detrimental to the future health care of all our residents".
Rallying Call For Hospital Protest - Bury Times 24/03/06
