Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Contents

Click on content link below to go to the news from that section: this will open a web page if you receive this by email


National News

Crippling pension costs lead to charity closure - The Guardian 04/04/06

A charity that for almost 60 years has worked with families in some of Britain's most deprived communities will today go into administration because of crippling staff pension costs and its inability to cover its overheads under national and local government contracts.

Nurse, the screens! It's NHS The Musical - The Guardian 04/04/06

Hospitals haven't been this tuneful since a chorus of consultants crooned Dem Bones to Michael Gambon in The Singing Detective. At Plymouth Theatre Royal, rehearsals have begun for a musical that traces the history of the National Health Service, from its birth in 1948 to the present day. Featuring such toe-tapping numbers as The Morning Song of the Poor Hard-Pressed GP and The Great Hospital Sweepstake, NHS The Musical! is described as a "living autopsy" by its director, Nick Stimson.

World's top 25 food firms 'pathetic' in combating unhealthy diets - The Guardian 04/04/06

The world's top 25 food companies have not taken significant action to improve diets despite their claims, according to a report published today.

Food firms 'lukewarm on health' - BBC Health News 03/04/06
Food companies criticized over health commitments - Reuters 04/04/06

Our NHS will remain tax-funded - The Guardian 04/04/06

Doctors for Reform is right to call on the NHS to do more to meet rising patient expectations (Doctors say NHS must charge for care, April 3), but I disagree with their analysis that a tax-funded system dooms the NHS to failure. This government is not going to move away from a tax-funded system of NHS provision, where we all contribute and where we all benefit free at the point of need. As Derek Wanless's independent research confirmed, there are strengths and weaknesses to all forms of healthcare funding, but I am yet to see a convincing argument for Britain to move away from our system.

Charging is no solution for the health service - The Guardian 04/04/06
Stop, think, rebuild; a prescription for the NHS - The Times 04/04/06
Two years left 'to save free NHS' - BBC Health News 04/04/06

The strange case of the man who took 40,000 ecstasy pills in nine years - The Guardian 04/04/06

Doctors from London University have revealed details of what they believe is the largest amount of ecstasy ever consumed by a single person. Consultants from the addiction centre at St George's Medical School, London, have published a case report of a British man estimated to have taken around 40,000 pills of MDMA, the active ingredient in ecstasy, over nine years. The heaviest previous lifetime intake on record is 2,000 pills.

Man 'took 25 Ecstasy tablets daily' - Daily Mail 04/04/06

Good results end drug trial early - The Guardian 04/04/06

Trials of a drug which may extend the life of a woman with breast cancer which has spread to other body parts have been stopped early because of good results, GlaxoSmithKline announced yesterday.

WHO plea to drugs companies - The Guardian 04/04/06

Drug companies should not take out patents on their new medicines or enforce patents in poor countries if that is likely to prevent patients from getting them, an influential commission set up by the World Health Organisation said yesterday.

Spectacle users may get crystal clear vision at flick of a switch - The Guardian 04/04/06

Spectacle-wearers will soon be able to say goodbye to the humble bifocal lens, trusted friend of ageing eyes. Scientists have developed new flat lenses that can change their focusing power at the flick of a switch, allowing the wearer to change their focus from the horizon to something a few inches away in a split second.

Cancer patient, 87, forced to travel 500 miles a week - The Guardian 04/04/06

An 87-year-old woman with breast cancer is being forced to travel more than 500 miles a week for treatment because of a lack of local services, it emerged yesterday. Muriel Buckby has to make three 175-mile round trips every week from her home in mid Wales to a radiotherapy unit in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

Senior NHS official condemns health reforms - The Guardian 04/04/06

The government's claim that it has successfully reformed the health service is "a deceit", a senior NHS official said in a forthright call for a fundamental overhaul of working practices.

A guiding hand - The Guardian 04/04/06

Healthcare professionals and NHS trusts alike would benefit from mentoring schemes, writes Dr Peter Harborow

Measles death prompts call for greater take-up of MMR - The Independent 04/04/06

Doctors re-emphasised the importance of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine after a resurgence in cases including the death of a teenager, the first in the UK in 14 years.

The radical new treatment for 'flat head syndrome' - The Independent 04/04/06

My daughter, Tabitha, was nearly two months old before I noticed anything wrong. One day, while bathing her, I looked down at her wet head and was suddenly struck by its shape. The right side - the one she always slept on - was very flat while the left side seemed to be bulging out to the left. I took her to my GP, who said that it was perfectly common for babies to favour one side while sleeping and flatten their heads as a result. He suggested a few ways of encouraging her to lie on the left side of her head, but reassured me that her head would correct itself naturally.

A Question Of Health - The Independent 04/04/06

What's causing my hiccups? Can I take Prozac while pregnant?

Letters: New rules for overseas doctors - The Independent 04/04/06

New rules for overseas doctors are unfair and discriminatory

NHS Direct job cuts loom as patients go online - The Times 04/04/06

NHS DIRECT, the telephone advice service, may have to cut hundreds of jobs as part of a restructuring programme.

1,000 NHS Direct jobs to be axed in face of 20m deficit - The Telegraph 03/04/06
Hundreds face axe at NHS direct - BBC Health News 03/04/06

Jail for 600,000 dentist fraudster - The Times 04/04/06

Claims for dead patients and work that was never done funded personal debts

Dentist is jailed after charging 600,000 for 'ghost' patients - The Telegraph 04/04/06
Dentist jailed after record fraud - BBC Health News 03/04/06

Letter to The Times improves doctors' prospects - The Times 04/04/06

THE “computer-dating” system for appointing doctors to their first jobs faces changes after a storm of protests, led by a letter in The Times from 86 academics.

Tackling root cause of allergies - The Times 04/04/06

Tokyo city government is asking allergy sufferers to sponsor a campaign to replace a forest of pollen-rich cedar trees.

Equity in NHS pay - The Times 04/04/06

The average earnings for a full-time employee in the UK are 28,258, according to ASHE, the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. The minimum salary for a first-year consultant is soon to be 70,822 (report, Mar 31).

Tackling root cause of allergies - The Times 04/04/06

Tokyo city government is asking allergy sufferers to sponsor a campaign to replace a forest of pollen-rich cedar trees.

How to protect yourself against air-conditioning - The Times 04/04/06

The office where I work operates an all-year-round air-conditioning system that leaves my skin very dry, mottled and papery and my nails brittle, as well as having a chilling effect on the whole body. I take evening primrose, garlic tablets and a multivitamin, and eat oily fish and avocado once or twice a week, plus nuts and seeds every day. I don’t smoke and I drink lots of water. Are there other things I could do to improve my skin condition?

The bigger the better? For our family the answer is yes - The Times 04/04/06

Our correspondent revels in the chaos that comes from having lots of children

Parents 'failing to teach art of conversing' - The Telegraph 04/04/06

Parents who buy their children interactive games and allow them to have television sets in their bedrooms are to blame for a disturbing decline in speaking and listening skills, the Basic Skills Agency says.

Bird flu panic 'leading to destruction of nests' - The Telegraph 04/04/06

Migratory songbirds and waterfowl could be driven from their habitats or have their nests destroyed this spring because of ignorance about bird flu in Britain, it is feared.

'We can rebuild him. We have the technology.' Almost - The Telegraph 04/04/06

Three decades after the hit television programme The Six Million Dollar Man described how the broken body of a former astronaut was rebuilt with mechanical parts, scientists are closer than ever to creating such cyborgs.

Need a lover or a house? Call on the cosmos - The Telegraph 04/04/06

The Cosmic Ordering Service is a perfect creed for our age, says Tom Leonard - no commitment but unlimited benefits

Second opinion: one for the price of two - The Telegraph 04/04/06

When it comes to breast cancer, always seek out another view, says James Le Fanu

Keep on running: model Sophie Anderton - The Telegraph 03/04/06

Tiffany Hancock catches up with the star names in the 2006 London Marathon

After all that, she's absolutely perfect - The Telegraph 03/04/06

For 18 months, Imogen Edwards-Jones wrote a regular column on these pages about her struggle to become pregnant. 'Shall I be a Mother?' recounted a heart-rending journey that cost thousands of pounds and involved countless doctors, painful medical procedures and much desperation - including the fear that her longed-for baby was disabled. Last June, she gave birth to her daughter, Allegra. But the agonising continued. Here, Imogen picks up the story

Ease your pain and share your worries on the web - The Telegraph 03/04/06

Relatives who chronicle a loved one's illness on the internet find it therapeutic while providing valuable information, says Barbara Lantin

An inner beauty - The Telegraph 03/04/06

Holistic remedies and supplements are reaching the parts the cosmetic giants can't, says Kate Shapland

Four minutes of sun a week is enough - Daily Mail 04/04/06

Fair-skinned people need little more than four minutes in the summer sunshine to produce enough vitamin D to keep bones healthy, a study has found.

Dust mite detox can stop asthma - Daily Mail 04/04/06

A dust eradication system that could bring relief to the thousands of dust mite allergy sufferers has been endorsed by the NHS.

Sushi - the raw truth - Daily Mail 04/04/06

Millions think it's the ultimate health fast food - but sushi is tainted by harmful chemicals and packed full of calories, fat and salt...

Could wine really be good for the heart? - Daily Mail 04/04/06

People who drink 14 or more glasses of wine or beer a week have the lowest risk of a heart attack, according to new research.

Britain set to put bird flu plans into practice - Daily Mail 04/04/06

Officials in London are preparing to carry out a real-time simulation of an outbreak of avian influenza in poultry in Britain. Hundreds of people will take part in Exercise Hawthorn tomorrow and Thursday, set three days into an outbreak.

Council fury over 3m health cut - BBC Health News 04/04/06

Several day-care centres and care homes in Wiltshire may face financial crisis after a withdrawal of 3m in funding.

House products liver link probe - BBC Health News 04/04/06

The effect on the liver of tiny particles found in household goods such as toothpaste and sunscreen is being studied by scientists.

Hundreds of health jobs to be cut - BBC Health News 04/04/06

A healthcare trust has said it expects around 400 jobs will go as it attempts to wipe out a 2m monthly overspend.

Gold nanoparticles to trap toxins - BBC Health News 04/04/06

Tiny particles of gold could soon be helping to spot viruses, bacteria and toxins used by bio-terrorists.

Hospital trust to lose 160 jobs - BBC Health News 03/04/06

Up to 160 jobs are to go at a Kent hospital in a move to save 11m in the next financial year.

Hospital tube block sparks probe - BBC Health News 03/04/06

Police are investigating the deaths of two patients at a hospital in Greater Manchester after a blockage was found in vital operating equipment.

'More genes' needed to make life - BBC Health News 03/04/06

Scientists trying to make artificial life forms in the lab may have more work ahead of them than they thought.

Brain damage boy, 6, awarded 3m - BBC Health News 03/04/06

A six-year-old boy brain-damaged at birth has been awarded 3m in High Court damages.

Six nurses fall ill with measles - BBC Health News 03/04/06

Hundreds of hospital staff are being vaccinated against measles after six nurses contracted the disease.

First measles death for 14 years - BBC Health News 03/04/06

A 13-year-old boy has become the first person in the UK in 14 years to die from measles.

Higher Levels Of Inorganic Carbon Can Have A Positive Influence On Human Health - Medical News Today 04/04/06

Increasing carbon levels can be a good thing in some cases: scientists at the University of Durham propose that higher levels of inorganic carbon can have a positive influence on human health.

Research Conference That Will Facilitate Development Of New Treatments For MRSA, 11 - 12 April, UK - Medical New Today 04/04/06

Experts in MRSA will meet at the University of Liverpool next week to discuss research that will facilitate development of new treatments for the potentially fatal bacterium.

Low-Carb Pregnancies Can Lead To More Stressed Babies - Medical News Today 04/04/06

A new study suggests that pregnant mothers who eat lots of meat and keep their carbs down may risk having stressed babies.

New Method Of Delivering Chemotherapy To Cancer Patients Without Them Incurring Side Effects - Medical News Today 04/04/06

A new method of delivering chemotherapy to cancer patients without incurring side effects such as hair loss and vomiting is being developed.

Chemicals In Sunscreens May Disrupt Thyroid Hormones - Medical News Today 04/04/06

UV-absorbing chemicals used in sunscreens may disturb production of thyroid hormone, according to new work being presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Glasgow.

High Testosterone Levels In Mother Leads To Smaller Babies And Possible Diseases In Later Life, Study Indicates - Medical News Today 04/04/06

Small birth size has been shown to have adverse effects on the offspring in later life, including increased risks of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions. Now work presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Glasgow shows that women with a high testosterone level in pregnancy will produce smaller babies.

FGDP(UK) Publishes Training Standards In Implant Dentistry, UK - Medical News Today 04/04/06

The Faculty of General Dental Practice is pleased to announce the publication of Training Standards in Implant Dentistry for General Dental Practitioners, which has been produced by the Faculty on behalf of a Working Group, convened by the General Dental Council (GDC)

International News

Bladders engineered in laboratory help combat disease - The Guardian 04/04/06

Scientists have managed to "grow" human bladders for the first time using tissue engineering. A team of researchers in the US have successfully implanted tissue-engineered bladders into children with myelomeningocele, a congenital bladder disease.

Triumph for 'spare-part' surgery as scientists grow new bladders - The Times 04/04/06
Lab grown organs implanted in humans - Daily Mail 04/04/06
Lab-grown bladders 'a milestone' - BBC Health News 04/04/06

Obsessive compulsive disorder: why it's so hard to control - The Independent 04/04/06

They're famous and successful - and obsessive compulsive. As David Beckham comes out as a sufferer, Jane Feinmann asks why it's so hard to stop repetitive rituals, compulsive cleaning and irrational fears

Confessions of an obsessive - Daily Mail 04/04/06

US project to rebuild health system has run out of money - The Independent 04/04/06

A plan to build 142 health clinics in Iraq has run out of money with only 20 of the centres completed.

Hope over self-focusing glasses - BBC Health News 04/04/06

US researchers have designed glasses which can change focusing power by harnessing the images seen by the eyes.

Newly Discovered Testosterone Action May Act On Prostate Cancer - Medical News Today 04/04/06

A newly-discovered mode of action of testosterone is showing great promise in defining novel strategies for the development of drugs against prostate cancer.

Over One Billion People May Suffer From Vitamin D Deficiency - Medical News Today 04/04/06

More than a billion may suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Consequences may be more severe than thought. Prominent clinician calls for action.

Major Obesity Gene Is 'lost In The Shuffle' - Medical News Today 04/04/06

Scientists from The University of Tokyo announce that gibbons, arboreal primates that inhabit the jungles of Southeast Asia, do not carry a major obesity gene that is present in the genomes of all other primates, including humans. This omission is due to a genetic mis-shuffling event that occurred approximately 25 million years ago. Their results are reported in the April issue of the scientific journal Genome Research.

Homeoprotein DNA-binding Specificity - Medical News Today 04/04/06

In the April issue of G&D, Dr. Cory Abate-Shen (UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School) and colleagues resolve the long-standing question of how homeoproteins selectively bind their DNA targets in vivo. In marked contrast to their precise target recognition in vivo, in vitro, homeoproteins bind DNA quite promiscuously. In their upcoming paper, Dr. Abate-Shen and colleagues demonstrate that the PIAS1 SUMO E3 ubiquitin ligase protein underlies the in vivo DNA-binding specificity of the Msx1 homeoprotein. The researchers show that the interaction between Msx1 and PIAS1 (but not its sumoylation) is required for Msx1 localization to the nuclear periphery of muscle precursor cells. There, Msx1 is posited to bind its targets genes, MyoD and Myf5, and regulate muscle cell differentiation. Dr. Abate-Shen explains that "Our studies go a long way towards unraveling the mystery of how homeoproteins can find their target genes in vivo and, in addition, help pus to understand how the "address" of a gene in the nucleus contributes to its differential regulation."

Jefferson Scientists Reveal New Mechanism That Causes Spread Of Colorectal Cancer - Medical News Today 04/04/06

Researchers have known for years that the enzyme MMP-9 plays a key role in the spread of colorectal cancer. Now, scientists at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia have found out how the enzyme helps initiate the process, known as metastasis. Their discovery of a new molecular mechanism by which MMP-9 promotes cancer spread may provide a new target at which to aim anti-metastasis drugs.

China Launches Sex Education, HIV-Prevention Program Aimed At Truckers - Medical News Today 04/04/06

China has launched a sex education program with support from international organizations that provides long-distance truck and bus drivers with decks of cartoon playing cards displaying sexual health information at no cost, PTI/ZeeNews.com reports. The playing cards include cartoon illustrations that depict safer-sex practices, as well as HIV-prevention methods. The local government in Yanshan County, located in China's Hebei Province, already has distributed the playing cards to bus and truck drivers in the area. "Most long-distance truck and bus drivers lack knowledge about safe[r] sex," Zhang Manli, secretary general of Yanshan County's family planning association, said, adding, "That makes it possible for venereal disease and HIV/AIDS to spread quickly among them and their wives and girlfriends." The program is part of an effort by Chinese family planning officials to expand sex education to various groups, including army units, prisoners, drivers and migrant populations. According to Zhao Rongqiao, a family planning official from China's Shandong Province, sex education has been carried out among some army units in the province, and officials have received positive responses from the soldiers. Although sex education in the past has been limited to students, cities such as Shenzhen, Qingdao, Beijing and Wuhan over the past five years have targeted programs at migrant workers, prisoners and men who have sex with men (Joseph, PTI/ZeeNews.com, 3/30).

Scent Of Fear Impacts Cognitive Performance - Medical News Today 04/04/06

The chemical warning signals produced by fear improve cognitive performance, according to a study at Rice University in Houston.

More Than 80% Of HIV-Positive People In Russia Are Under Age 30, UNAIDS Official Says - Medical News Today 04/04/06

More than 80% of HIV-positive people in Russia are under age 30, Bertil Lindblad, UNAIDS country representative, said at a news conference on Wednesday, the RIA Novosti reports. About 30% of HIV-positive people living in North America and Western Europe are younger than age 30, RIA Novosti reports (RIA Novosti, 3/29). According to the Federal Service for the Supervision of Consumer Rights and Human Welfare, the number of HIV cases in Russia has nearly doubled in the past five years, from 121 per 100,000 people in 2001 to 231 per 100,000 by the end of 2005 (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/9). Lindblad said the number of HIV-positive women in the country also is rising, adding that the situation could have serious repercussions for Russia, which is experiencing high mortality rates and low birth rates. According to Lindblad, more than 1.4 million people in Russia -- or 1% of the population -- are HIV-positive. Official figures place the number of HIV-positive Russians at a little more than 340,000, RIA Novosti reports. Health officials in the country have launched public awareness campaigns, such as posters in subways, as part of an effort to inform young people about HIV/AIDS and encourage condom use. According to a recent survey commissioned by Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS and conducted by the Public Opinion Foundation, 84% of Russians reported that HIV/AIDS is an increasing problem, and 70% said they support efforts to strengthen awareness of the epidemic in the country (RIA Novosti, 3/29).

Cancer Virus Protein Critically Needed By The Virus To Initiate An Infection And To Reproduce - Medical News Today 04/04/06

New research shows that a protein made by a cancer-causing virus that was thought to be unimportant for its replication is in fact critically needed by the virus to initiate an infection and to reproduce.

MEASURE DHS Updates Web Site - Medical News Today 04/04/06

MEASURE DHS: Demographic and Health Surveys on Wednesday launched its updated Web site, which includes international health and population data for more than 75 countries. Data on topics such as fertility rates, gender issues, HIV prevalence, malaria and other topics are available, and users can create maps and download tables from a DHS database (MEASURE DHS release, 3/29).

The Intelligent Search Engine For Biomedical Specialists - Medical News Today 04/04/06

Founded in November 2005, Transinsight is a software company focused on the life sciences that provides products and solutions for intelligent search technologies. Their main product, GoPubMed, was partly developed during the IST project, Biogrid, by Professor Michael Schroeder and his research team from the Biotechnology Centre at the Technical University of Dresden.

Young Cancer Patients More Likely To Die In Countries Where Health Care Is Funded By Private Insurance - Medical News Today 04/04/06

Countries that have national health services easily accessible to people of all ages are more likely to have better survival rates for their teenagers and young adults (TYAs) with cancer, than are countries where individuals have to pay for their own medical insurance.

Combined Treatment Can Significantly Reduce Inflammatory Cells In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Medical News Today 04/04/06

The combination of two existing clinical treatments, salmeterol and fluticasone propionate, can significantly reduce inflammatory cells in the airways of current and former smokers being treated for moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Grow Your Own Organs, A Revolution In Transplantation - Medical News Today 04/04/06

Scientists at Wake Forest, USA, have implanted bladders grown from patients' cells. The seven patients had myelomeningocele, a congenital condition which causes a weak bladder. Several years later their bladder functions have significantly improved.

Celebrex May Have Colon Cancer Protecting Qualities - Medical News Today 04/04/06

New research indicates that controversial Cox-2 inhibitors may protect patients from developing colon cancer, especially in high-risk individuals. Celebrex is a Cox-2 inhibitor.

Gilead Reluctant To Promote Antiretroviral Truvada As Method Of HIV Prevention - Medical News Today 04/04/06

Foster City, Calif.-based Gilead is trying to curb the anticipation surrounding the potential of its antiretroviral drug Truvada to prevent HIV transmission after a CDC study presented last month showed positive signs of the drug's preventive effects in monkeys, the AP/San Jose Mercury News reports (Elias, AP/San Jose Mercury News, 3/29). CDC researcher Walid Heneine last month at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Denver presented a study that showed that six rhesus macaques that were given Truvada -- which contains Viread, also known as tenofovir, and Emtriva, or emtracitibine -- did not contract simian HIV despite being exposed to the virus daily for 14 days (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/8). In contrast, five of six macaques in the study who did not receive Truvada contracted SHIV (Garcia-Lerma et al., CROI oral abstract, 2/6). "It's premature to speculate on what the actual use of [Truvada] might be at this time," Gilead Medical Affairs Vice President James Rooney said, adding, "We really need data from clinical trials to determine what the effectiveness of the pill would be as a preventive." Some analysts say that if Truvada is used "off-label" as a prophylactic and then proven ineffective at preventing HIV transmission, there might be backlash against Gilead, the AP/Mercury News reports (AP/San Jose Mercury News, 3/29).

Hormone Can Predict Pulmonary Hypertension And Potential Death Or Survival - Medical News Today 04/04/06

Measuring levels of a hormone called brain natriuretic peptide in individuals with serious lung disease can predict the presence of pulmonary hypertension and a patient's potential death or survival, regardless of clinical severity or the cause of illness.

Transfusion-free Heart Surgery To All Offered By PENN Surgeons - Medical News Today 04/04/06

Transfusion-free cardiac surgery is now available at the University of Pennsylvania Health System to anyone who wants it and qualifies as a good candidate. Patients receive no foreign blood, reducing the risk of complications and a long hospital stay.

Most obese people don't see themselves that way - Reuters 04/04/06

Obese people are accurate in assessing their height and weight, but only 15 percent think of themselves as obese, a new study shows.

Vitamin D and calcium may lower diabetes risk - Reuters 04/04/06

Women with high intakes of vitamin D and calcium appear to have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to Boston-based researchers.

Vitamin D during teens may cut breast cancer risk - Reuters 04/04/06
Over One Billion People May Suffer From Vitamin D Deficiency - Medical News Today 04/04/06

Ginger, pepper treat difficult cancers - Reuters 04/04/06

Ginger can kill ovarian cancer cells while the compound that makes peppers hot can shrink pancreatic tumors, researchers told a conference on Tuesday.

US women may be winning fat battle: study - Reuters 04/04/06

Obesity continues to spread among adult American males and children but there are indications the problem may have leveled off for adult women, according to a study published on Tuesday.

Newer procedure safer than surgery for fibroids - Reuters 04/04/06

For dealing with fibroids in the uterus, a procedure called uterine artery embolization (UAE) is not only effective, but also safer than conventional surgery. Moreover, UAE usually requires a shorter stay in the hospital, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology in Toronto.

Study finds less breast cancer in COX-2 drug users - Reuters 04/04/06

Patients who took prescription pain relievers known as COX-2 inhibitors were less likely to develop breast cancer than others who did not have a history of taking the drugs, a study released on Tuesday said.

Less breast cancer in COX-2 users: study - Reuters 04/04/06

Men not banking sperm before cancer therapy - Reuters 04/04/06

Even though success rates in achieving pregnancy with frozen sperm are high, not many men take advantage of sperm preservation before they undergo cancer treatment that can make them sterile, Spanish investigators report.

Kin of non-smokers with lung cancer seen at risk - Reuters 04/04/06

First-degree relatives of non-smoking individuals diagnosed with lung cancer have an increased likelihood of developing any type of cancer, researchers report.

Bird flu measures benefit public health: WHO - Reuters 04/04/06

No one knows if the H5N1 bird flu virus will spark a human pandemic but the money and measures being put in place in case it does will benefit public health, a WHO official said on Tuesday.

New Jersey Vioxx jury begins deliberating - Reuters 04/04/06

A jury began deliberating on Tuesday in the latest Vioxx product-liability suit after a four-week trial in which Merck & Co. Inc. defended itself against claims that its withdrawn pain drug caused the heart attacks of two New Jersey men.

Tonsillectomy may help some kids' ADHD symptoms - Reuters 04/04/06

Children's behavioral problems, including symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sometimes improve after they have their tonsils removed, a new study has found.

Lack of sleep linked to high blood pressure - Reuters 04/04/06

Skimping on sleep over a prolonged period appears to be an important risk factor for developing high blood pressure, according to a report in the medical journal Hypertension.

Patients receive first custom-made bladders - Reuters 04/04/06

Custom-made bladders grown from patients' own cells have been successfully transplanted and work, in some cases for years, scientists reported on Monday.

South Africa's herbal tea causes a stir in new markets - Reuters 04/04/06

The normally tranquil country roads of South Africa's Cederberg district are resounding to the rumble of trucks packed to overflowing with bales of reedy herbs. It's harvest time for rooibos, a health tea that is winning fans from Berlin to Tokyo.

Celebrex cuts pre-cancerous colon growths in study - Reuters 03/04/06

High doses of Pfizer Inc.'s arthritis pill Celebrex reduced the number of pre-cancerous growths in the colon in two large studies but ongoing concerns about heart risks make it too soon to recommend that use, researchers said on Monday.

Celebrex May Have Colon Cancer Protecting Qualities - Medical News Today 04/04/06

Cheshire and Merseyside News

Research Conference That Will Facilitate Development Of New Treatments For MRSA, 11 - 12 April, UK - Medical New Today 04/04/06

Experts in MRSA will meet at the University of Liverpool next week to discuss research that will facilitate development of new treatments for the potentially fatal bacterium.

Someone out there can save the lives of our beautiful children - Liverpool Echo 04/04/06

TIME is running out for little Ella and Sam Wright. The brother and sister urgently need bone marrow transplants, and a donor must be found by summer or it could be too late to save them.

Shame of drink and drug kids at school - Liverpool Echo 04/04/06

FIFTY youngsters have been excluded from Merseyside schools for drug and alcohol abuse in the past six months.

The baby wasn't breathing . . . the little mite looked really poorly and turned blue. I went into autopilot - Liverpool Echo 04/04/06

LIVERPOOL builder Alan Strickland saved a toddler's life with first-aid techniques he learned more than 30 years ago.

We'll sink plan for toxic ships - Liverpool Echo 04/04/06

MPs today fired a broadside at any plans to dismantle toxic ships in the Mersey.

5m will provide 'cure' for MRSA - Daily Post 04/04/06

BRITAIN is just 5m away from finding a "cure" for the hospital superbug MRSA, a Merseyside scientist claimed last night.

Alder Hey in parking probe - Liverpool Echo 03/04/06

RESIDENTS can voice their concerns about parking problems around a city hospital at a public meeting.

No denial from council - Warrington Guardian 03/04/06

THE Warrington Guardian would like to point out that Warrington Borough Council did not refuse to deny rumours on a story about a contract with the 5 Borough's trust in last week's paper.

Improved service for patients with minor ailments - Warrington Guardian 03/04/06

PATIENTS in Warrington suffering with minor ailments will benefit from a new and improved service launched this week.

Deaf checks at mobile test centre - Warrington Guardian 03/04/06

THE Hidden Hearing Mobile Testing Unit will be at the Asda Cockhedge Centre from 9.30am until 4.30pm next Tuesday and Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of the opening of the Warrington Hearing Centre.

Vicar back on board - Runcorn World 03/04/06

A VICAR has been re-appointed as a non-executive board member of 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust.

Cumbria and Lancashire News

Trip To Hungarian Dentist Saved 8 000 - Burnley Citizen 04/04/06

A WOMAN who was determined to have a perfect smile on her wedding day saved 8,000 by flying 1,400 miles to Hungary for dental treatment.

Its A 30m High Five For Hospital - Burnley Citizen 04/04/06

A 30million development at Burnley General Hospital has moved a step nearer completion with the handover of the scheme to the hospital trust.

Have Your Say On Hospitals Shakeup - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 03/04/06

NINE out of ten homes in East Lancashire will this week receive a document outlining the future of the area's hospital services.

Health Trust Plea To NHS - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 03/04/06

EAST Lancashire's hospital authority will not be able to plug a financial black hole alone, its chief executive has warned.

Three Days To Clean Up Hospital Kitchens - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 04/04/06

HOSPITAL staff were given three days to clean up their kitchens to prevent them being closed by environmental health officers, it was revealed today.

Bosses Say Shakeup At Practices Is No Problem - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 04/04/06

DENTAL bosses in East Lancashire today said a controversial new contract had not resulted in a fall in NHS places.

Greater Manchester News

Hospital Wants Patients Tol Help Research - Prestwich and Whitefield Guide 03/04/06

PATIENTS at North Manchester General Hospital's physiotherapy department are being invited to join a research programme to help tackle shoulder injuries.

Hospital Radio Puts Call Out For Volunteers - Prestwich and Whitefield Guide 03/04/06

VOLUNTEERS are needed to liven up the airwaves at a hospital radio station and help make the patient's stay more enjoyable.

Parking Fees Give Hospital Trust 1m - Prestwich and Whitefield Guide 03/04/06

THE trust which runs Fairfield and North Manchester General hospitals has raised more than 1 million a year through car park charges and will be increasing prices this weekend.

Thousands Expected At Hospital Protest - Prestwich and Whitefield Guide 03/04/06

THOUSANDS of protesters are expected to take to the streets on Saturday to demonstrate against plans to axe Fairfield Hospital's maternity department.

Meeting On Hospital Future - Prestwich and Whitefield Guide 03/04/06

Hospital Deaths Probe After Fault Is Spotted - Bolton Evening News 04/04/06

POLICE have launched an inquiry into the deaths of two hospital patients after faulty equipment was discovered in an operating theatre, bosses at a Salford hospital said.

Bakers Rapped Over Health Ad - Bolton Evening News 02/04/06

BREAD makers Warburtons has been criticised for a misleading advertisement claiming its new snack was a complete healthy lunch.

Mass Flu Jab Test Hailed A Success - Bolton Evening News 03/04/06

A MOCK flu vaccination exercise in Bolton has been hailed a success after 800 "jabs" were given to volunteers in just 90 minutes.

Bed Numbers To Be Cut At Hospital - Bolton Evening News 03/04/06

BED numbers could be slashed at the Royal Bolton Hospital as part of cost-cutting plans for the new financial year.

One in 10 dentists quits NHS - Manchester Evening News 04/04/06

AT least one in 10 dentists across Greater Manchester has quit the NHS rather than sign a new government contract.

Pub air pollution worse than roads - Manchester Evening News 04/04/06

PUBS are 10 times more polluted than busy roads.

New cancer centre revealed - Manchester Evening News 04/04/06

THIS is what the building that will revolutionise breast cancer care across Greater Manchester will look like.

Premature babies 'feel pain' - Manchester Evening News 04/04/06

PREMATURE babies experience true feelings of pain rather than simply displaying reflex reactions, scientists said.

Bird flu plans put to the test - Manchester Evening News 04/04/06

OFFICIALS will carry out a real-time simulation this week of an outbreak of avian influenza in poultry in Britain.

Police probe hospital deaths - Manchester Evening News 03/04/06

POLICE are investigating two deaths at a Greater Manchester hospital amid fears that operating equipment may have been tampered with.

Hospital tube block sparks probe - BBC Health News 03/04/06

Posted by Kieran at 6:16 am

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)