National and International News
Medicine: The man who saved a million lives - The Observer 24/04/05
In the Second World War, only military action killed more Britons than cigarettes. The tobacco industry wouldn't accept it - and the government couldn't afford to. But in Oxford, one scientist was about to prove the cancer link that changed the course of medical history. Simon Garfield meets Sir Richard Doll
My heartlands - The Observer 24/04/05
Sue Townsend, Britain's foremost comic writer, was an acerbic critic of Tony Blair, reporting on Labour's election victories for the Observer from a bleak Leeds council estate. Things could only get better, they said. Last week she returned and, as she reports in this remarkable dispatch, it seems they finally have
Meet the step-parents - The Observer 24/04/05
The latest reality TV series has children picking a mate for their single parent. But how can new partners woo their lover's offspring?
Nigel Slater: All at sea - The Observer 24/04/05
Haddock or hake? Porgy or pollack? The environmental advice on fish may be confusing, says Nigel Slater, but with the right recipe, there's no need to flounder
Dr John Briffa: A bug's life - The Observer 24/04/05
Your intestinal tract is home to a variety of useful microbes. But keeping them friendly means eating what they like, says Dr John Briffa
Ministers denounced for nuclear waste 'spin' - The Observer 24/04/05
Two of Britain's most senior scientific experts yesterday denounced government ministers for favouring PR spin over serious scientific advice when dealing with nuclear waste disposal.
Private scans deal brings NHS chaos - The Observer 24/04/05
A multi-million-pound government deal with a private company, aimed at clearing up the long waits for diagnostic scans for the NHS has backfired, leaving some patients waiting up to a year and a half for a scan.
Why angels must spread their wings - The Observer 24/04/05
Many patients wonder if there is still room for compassion as hospital care grows more technical. As nurses gather for their annual conference, their role is under scrutiny, reports Health Editor Jo Revill
Whitehall 'scuppered new hospital' - The Observer 24/04/05
Whitehall accused of sinking Paddington Basin hospital plan
My time in the engine room [Comment] - The Guardian 23/04/05
Seven years inside No 10 teaches you a lot about the nature of power
Refugees are wasting skills - The Guardian 23/04/05
Britain is failing to make the most of expertise in crucial sectors of the economy because many highly qualified refugees are being ignored, warns a leading refugee charity.
Jury dismissed in legionnaires trial - The Guardian 23/04/05
A jury was discharged yesterday after failing to reach verdicts on seven manslaughter charges after the UK's worst outbreak of legionnaires' disease.
Jury discharged in Legion bug trial - Daily Mail 22/04/05
Cinderella said to be a poor role model for later life - The Guardian 23/04/05
Warning: reading too much Cinderella to your daughter may damage her emotional health in later life.
If I were boss - The Guardian 23/04/05
We are a small firm running nursing/care homes in the home counties. We offer health benefits, paid holiday and profit sharing and yet we have trouble recruiting and retaining employees. I admit most of our jobs do require hard graft, but we pay for meals and uniforms. Advertising in local papers and job centres hasn't helped. What can we do?
Jenni Russell: The glue is coming unstuck [Comment] - The Guardian 23/04/05
Efficiency is not the best policy if it undermines community
Natural health therapist Emma Mitchell answers your questions - The Guardian 23/04/05
There is a history of osteoporosis and early menopause in my family. I have increased my calcium intake, but dairy products give me eczema-like patches. A calcium supplement with vitamin D has had the same effect.
Ask Rise - The Guardian 23/04/05
I have poor communication skills due to a stammer and have had mundane jobs since graduating. Is a challenging job, such as teaching, an impossible ambition?
Andrea Dworkin: Through the pain barrier - The Guardian 23/04/05
This is the last piece written by Andrea Dworkin just a month before she died. Few knew that she had been suffering an agonising bone disease for several years. She describes with grim humour her worst moments, and why she felt she was starting to heal.
Howard admits party will raise tax take - The Guardian 23/04/05
The overall tax burden would increase under a Conservative government, Michael Howard said last night in remarks which will blunt his pledge to lower taxes.
Too much knowledge is a dangerous thing - The Guardian 23/04/05
Mankind's addictive personality can adapt itself to depend on society's most modern creations. If it's not Red Bull, reported to be the unfortunate Paul Gascoigne's latest substance of choice, it is the compulsive checking of emails and the internet. Stock market traders will be very familiar with both.
Txt and email 'reduce IQ more than cannabis' - Daily Mail 22/04/05
Shipman hanged himself out of despair and to secure his wife's finances, inquest jury concludes - The Guardian 23/04/05
The serial killer Harold Shipman hanged himself in his jail cell because he could not face the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison and wanted to ensure his wife was financially secure, an inquest jury concluded yesterday.
Shipman jury: he killed himself to avoid life in jail - The Telegraph 23/04/05
Shipman believed 'lifers should be offered suicide every five years' - The Telegraph 24/04/05
Despair led to Shipman's suicide - BBC Health News 22/04/05
GM industry puts human gene into rice - The Independent 24/04/05
Scientists have begun putting genes from human beings into food crops in a dramatic extension of genetic modification. The move, which is causing disgust and revulsion among critics, is bound to strengthen accusations that GM technology is creating "Frankenstein foods" and drive the controversy surrounding it to new heights.
The 'miracle pill' that makes your body tan itself - The Independent 24/04/05
The sun is about to set on the tanning industry of northern Europe. Scientists have developed a "self-browning" implant which threatens to leave the sunbed and the spray-on tan in the shade.
Mixing with other children 'helps prevent leukaemia' - The Independent 23/04/05
Children with a wide social circle who pick up infections from their peers early in life have the best defence against childhood leukaemia, the commonest cancer in the young.
Babies who mix 'may halve leukaemia risk' - Daily Mail 23/04/05
Infants in daycare may suffer less leukaemia - The Guardian 23/04/05
Child leukaemia linked to pre-birth - Daily Mail 22/04/05
Child care may help cut risk of leukaemia - The Telegraph 23/04/05
Early exposure to infection reduces child leukaemia - The Times 23/04/05
Day care prevents child cancers - BBC Health News 22/04/05
Playgroups Could Cut Child Leukemia Risk -Study - Reuters 22/04/05
What is the best age to start a family? Now experts say it's 34 - The Independent 24/04/05
The biological clock may be ticking for thousands of women. But the dilemma over the best age to start a family has finally been solved: women should aim for 34.
Call for more school nurses - Daily Mail 24/04/05
A massive increase in the number of school nurses is needed so all children have access, a study reveals today.
'Many more' school nurses needed - Daily Mail 24/04/05
Call to double nurses in schools - BBC Health News 23/04/05
School meals 'becoming healthier' - Daily Mail 24/04/05
School meals are already becoming healthier with a sharp decline in canteens ordering chips, chocolate and frozen turkey, according to new figures.
People sicker as nation gets healthier - Daily Mail 21/04/05
As the health of the nation improves people appear to have become sicker, a doctor suggested today.
People becoming sicker, doctor says - Daily Mail 22/04/05
'Ladette' drinking to increase in next five years - Daily Mail 22/04/05
Alcohol consumption among young women in the UK will increase by almost a third in five years, a report said today.
Women's alcohol consumption up - Daily Mail 22/04/05
MRSA cure cream developed in man's garage - Daily Mail 22/04/05
A cream which could help prevent the spread of MRSA has hit the pharmacy shelves of a leading supermarket.
Superbug cream 'produced in garage' - Daily Mail 22/04/05
Why you'll live longer if you're a bit overweight - Daily Mail 22/04/05
Caesarean delivery ban at hospital - Daily Mail 22/04/05
A hospital has been banned from carrying out non- emergency Caesarean deliveries because so many women have died while giving birth there.
Diabetes study raises cancer hopes - Daily Mail 22/04/05
A drug commonly used to treat diabetes could help prevent cancer tumours, university researchers claimed.
Drug cocktail 'helps fight malaria' - Daily Mail 22/04/05
The battle against malaria could be helped by using a combination of drugs to fight the disease, new research suggests.
Mice study may aid cancer patients - Daily Mail 21/04/05
Scientists have induced a state of hibernation in mice and believe the development could lead to new treatments for cancer and other diseases.
Teens 'more likely' to take pills - Daily Mail 22/04/05
Teenagers are more likely to experiment with prescription pills than ecstasy or cocaine, according to a new US report.
Love life? You'll get well soon - The Telegraph 22/04/05
Optimists respond better to medical treatment - even when it's a placebo, says Raj Persaud
The essence of good medicine - The Telegraph 22/04/05
Dismissed by many GPs, flower remedies can be surprisingly effective. Barbara Lantin reports
Surgeons fear hospital closures - The Telegraph 23/04/05
Surgeons said yesterday they feared that the introduction of independent treatment centres, set up to cut waiting lists, will lead to hospital closures and lower standards of patient care.
Wife 'begged drug overdose husband to live' - The Telegraph 23/04/05
A woman accused of watching her sick husband die from a drugs overdose told detectives that she believed he would recover as he had done from previous suicide attempts.
NHS debts soar to over 1bn - The Telegraph 24/04/05
Hospitals and primary care trusts have run up an estimated total debt of 1 billion, raising more questions about how Labour is spending the billions it has taken in tax for the National Health Service.
Cancer sufferer re-mortgages to buy drug NHS refused her - The Telegraph 24/04/05
When Jackie Urlwin was told last year that her bowel cancer had returned she expected that the NHS would pay for her treatment.
New treatment for Alzheimer’s - The Sunday Times 24/04/05
SCIENTISTS have inserted genetically modified cells into the brains of Alzheimer’s patients to delay the onset of the disease.
GM cell therapy to slow disease - The Sunday Times 24/04/05
Mother threatened with forced caesarean - The Sunday Times 24/04/05
A WOMAN who is refusing to have a caesarean section in Holles Street maternity hospital says she has been threatened with a court order.
Pru offers bonus for healthy types - The Sunday Times 24/04/05
ONE of Britain’s leading insurers is offering cash incentives to customers to adopt a more healthy lifestyle. New subscribers to Prudential’s “vitality points” medical cover scheme win money for attending a gym regularly, eating healthy food, giving up smoking or having regular health checks.
Where patients turned to poetry - The Sunday Times 24/04/05
Craiglockhart hospital in Edinburgh was home to shell shocked victims of the first world war. Two of them emerged as great poets of their generation, writes Tim Luckhurst
Scottish peer catches MRSA twice in Perth infirmary - The Sunday Times 24/04/05
THE wife of one of Scotland’s most senior peers has condemned the state of the National Health Service after her husband contracted a potentially fatal hospital superbug twice while recovering from illness in hospital, write Jason Allardyce and Sue Leonard.
Steel wants Holyrood to make abortion laws - The Sunday Times 24/04/05
LORD STEEL, the architect of Britain’s abortion laws, is to recommend that powers over the issue should be transferred from Westminster to Holyrood.
What's wrong with your . . . bit on the side? - The Times 23/04/05
It hurts our partners; it can often ruin relationships: so why are we still unfaithful?
Dr Copperfield: inside the mind of a GP: treating little princes - The Times 23/04/05
Over-anxious parents can turn their children into gripers — and give GPs the jitters, too
Junk medicine: abortion time-limit - The Times 23/04/05
A pre-election debate on abortion would be healthy but we need to get the facts right
Sex, death and dollies - The Times 23/04/05
A new exhibition highlights the important place that dolls inhabit in our unconscious minds. John Naish gets to grips with his inner mannequin
Cosmetics: part 2: organic equals all good, right? - The Times 23/04/05
Alison-Jane Reid put 60 organic products to a six-week test and reports back on the top seven; while Simon Crompton asks if natural really means nicer
The Stepford shrink - The Times 23/04/05
In Desperate Housewives she plays uptight Bree, clearly a candidate for the couch; but in real life the actress Marcia Cross is more used to being the therapist than the patient
Analyse this: foodie faith - The Times 23/04/05
WE have a new pope — a man of mature values ministering to a large flock who is joyfully feeding the faithful. Having served loyally for a decade behind the scenes to bring order out of mediocrity, he is now stiffening the sinews of doubters and dissenters with his mix of timeless excellence. He is certain of his recipe for the good life. There is a self-deprecating pledge to the world that his philosophy will never be diluted by the rewards of supreme office.
Fixing genes is a snip - The Times 23/04/05
A revolutionary treatment could provide the solution to many life-threatening, inherited diseases
Jabs not swabs - The Times 23/04/05
Stories behind the news: Why a new generation of women won't need smear tests
Sunlight cancer cure - The Times 23/04/05
“SCALPEL, forceps, shades . . .” People who have cancer operations during sunny spells seem to have far better chances of survival, claim Harvard researchers.
Vitamin D 'aids lung cancer ops' - BBC Health News 22/04/05
Sex with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson - The Times 23/04/05
I'm a man who's had chronic eczema all his adult life. As a result, I've always avoided sex and, though I'm nearly 40, I'm still a virgin. Recently, my condition has improved but I feel it may be too late for a love life. Can you live a full life without sex?
Degrees of stress - The Times 23/04/05
Is the pressure of finals driving you up the wall? Many students can't cope but few seek helkp in time, particularly if they are men
Case study: 'I'm quite proud that I asked for help' - The Times 23/04/05
Joe Curran, now 21, was in the middle of the final year at John Moores University, Liverpool, when his friend and then his cousin were killed in road accidents, ten days apart: “After my friend Mark died I thought, ‘OK,
Packed with goodness - The Times 23/04/05
For thousands of kids a school dinner is a sarnie; but that doesn't mean it has to be bad for them. Celia Dodd talks to the caterers and childen
Tips for tasty lunches - The Times 23/04/05
Involve your child Stick a check list on the fridge with five food groups on it (carbohydrate, fruit/veg, dairy, protein, drink) and help them to choose a portion of food for each one. If wholemeal isn’t popular, make sandwiches with one slice white, one wholemeal. Make pasta salads with tricolour spirals, and add a proportion of wholemeal pasta. Vary contents Make a sandwich with a different filling in each half — easier if you’re making sandwiches for more than one. Use frozen bread and drinks Keep a range of breads and rolls in the freezer: pitta, baguettes, bagels, rolls, wraps, and take them out the night before. Freeze cartons of juice or milk; they’ll be ready to drink by lunchtime and will keep the food cool. Include fruit and veg By choosing a variety of different coloured fruit and vegetables you can be sure of providing a range of vitamins and minerals. If your child isn’t keen, add a little fruit and veg to sandwiches, or put in a pot of dip or soft cheese with crudités. The Kids Cookery School in West London recommends cooked vegetable salads and putting ice cubes in with raw veg to keep it crisp. Watch salt, sugar and fat Check labels for salt, sugar and fat content. Foods high in salt will have over 1.25g of salt per 100g. Use sauces and pickles sparingly; they’re usually high in salt. Foods high in sugar will have over 10g per 100g (watch out for sucrose, glucose, fructose high on the ingredients list). Foods high in fat will have over 20g per 100g. Treats are important The occasional small chocolate bar or packet of crisps is fine. Good alternatives are plain popcorn, rice cakes and breadsticks; fruit muffins and scones; home-made quiches and pizzas from supper are a good option, too. For more information: Organix has a free mini lunchbox guide, including a five-day menu planner — see www.goodies.uk.com or freephone 0800 393511.
www.foodinschools.org publishes a leaflet for parents called Healthier Lunchboxes.
Not just anybody: Louise Moore, 21 - The Times 23/04/05
Wakeboarding star hates the sun but loves water and the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
First I took Manhattan - The Times 23/04/05
Inspired by the London Marathon but feel woefully unfit? Take heart from one middle-aged man who couldn’t run 400 yards without gasping and yet completed the New York race
The rundown - The Times 23/04/05
FANCY IT? To enter the New York Marathon on November 6, 2005, contact one of the many charities offering places, most of whom will pay your costs if you can raise about £2,000 (for information call 020-7902 0189). Alternatively, try Sports Tours International (www.sportstoursinternational.co.uk) who have a waiting list for places that become available after May 9. TRAINING Ideally begin six months before the race. Build up from short runs two or three times a week to four or five runs a week, in varied bouts of three to eight miles. With six weeks to go, about 26 miles a week should be covered. With a month to go, include a weekly run of about 16 miles in your schedule but leave a week to ten days between your last long training run and the event. For programmes tailored to your age, weight and target time, visit
www.ingnycmarathon.org and click on training. DIET Lots of slow-burning carbs — rice, pasta and bananas — in the run-up to and on the night before the race. READ The Runner’s World Complete Book of Running for Beginners, edited by Amby Burfoot, and Marathoning for Mortals by John Bingham and Jenny Hadfield.
Sorted: top gear for first-time buyers - The Times 23/04/05
WATER CARRIER: THE CAMELBAK CATALYST As a beginner on short runs you can get away with drinking little water but as you begin to go further and faster, you’ll perspire more and will need to replace those lost fluids. One comfy way to drink on the move is via a CamelBak Catalyst — a pouch, with an attached tube to drink from, that you wear around your waist in a special holder. It holds almost a litre of liquid, so will last on longer runs. If you’re out for more than an hour, aim to drink 150ml to 250ml every 15 minutes. Price £29.99; Stockists 01845 521737;
www.camelbak.com T-SHIRT: ADIDAS FORMOTIONAlthough it is tempting to run in an old cotton T-shirt, it’s not advisable. Cotton soaks up perspiration and once it gets wet it stays wet, and will make you feel uncomfortable. An Adidas ForMotion T-shirt is made from a special ClimaLite fabric, it draws perspiration away from your skin, allowing it to evaporate and keeping you dry and, as it’s cut from a 3-D pattern, it is designed to move in harmony with your body. The sleeves, for example, are shaped to allow your arms to swing back and forth as you run. Price £35 Stockists 0870 2404204 SOCKS: X-HALEFor the best results, team your trainers with performance running socks, which help to eliminate blisters, bunching and sweaty feet, leaving you free to stride out in total comfort. Bridgedale’s X-Hale socks have specially padded ShockZones to cushion the heel, the ball of the foot and the specific toe areas that take the most impact. The socks also contain a high-tech Isolfil yarn which draws moisture away from your feet, keeping them dry and blister-free. Jonny Lee Miller swears by them. Price £9.50 Stockists 0116 2344644;
www.bridgedale.com STOPWATCH: NIKE PRESTO DIGIWhen you’re starting out running, you simply don’t need an all-singing, all-dancing watch that measures your lap times and heart rate — it’s too complex and distracts you from your technique and, more importantly, enjoying yourself. What you need is a basic watch with a clear start/stop function, so you can track how long you’ve been running or when you’re next due a walk break. Nike’s watch fulfills all those functions, is easy to operate and comes in 12 colours. Price £39.99 Stockists 0870 7000988;
www.nike.com TRAINERS: ASICS A great beginner’s shoe is the Asics Gel 1100. It comes in both women’s and men’s versions, contains a silicone-based gel in its sole to help to cushion your body from impact each time your foot hits the ground, and is suitable for those with a normal running style (known as a neutral gait), or who have feet which roll slightly inwards as they strike the ground (known as “pronating”). Make sure you get professionally fitted in a running shop, where assistants can match your running style to the trainer. Price £65 Stockists 01925 241041;
www.asics.co.uk SPORTS BRA: FALKEA true essential for female runners. If you don’t ban the bounce, you can end up permanently stretching the ligaments that support your breasts. Falke’s ergonomic sports bras come in a wonderful range of bright colours and are designed to fit like a second skin. They’re seam-free to prevent rubbing and come in full support and part support, in sizes 32A to 38D. Price from £30 Stockists Falke (020-7493 8442;
www.falke.com)
How to cheat at drinking ... sports water - The Times 23/04/05
Woulda ... VITTEL ENERGY CARBOHYDRATE 41.3g SALT 0.9g PRICE 82p per 750ml VERDICT Made from 95 per cent mineral water and natural flavouring, this has a pleasant orange taste. It contains carbs such as maltodextrins, fructose, sugar and glucose to provide an energy rush. It’s also high in salt. This might be useful for maintaining fluid balance in the body if you’re training extra hard. But for the average gym-goer, this will add to our already high intakes of sodium. And with as many calories as two chocolate digestives, it’s not ideal for dieters. 173 calories per bottle Coulda ... HYDRA ACTIVE CARBOHYDRATE 10g
SALT 0.4g
PRICE £1.10 per 500ml
VERDICT Like the other drinks, this water contains added B vitamins, which help to release the energy from fat, protein and carbohydrates. Sadly though, there’s insufficient evidence to suggest that adding B vitamins to a drink will make you burn calories or fat any quicker. Nevertheless, this has a refreshing fruity smell and taste — good news if you’re training hard, as research indicates that flavoured drinks increase the amount of fluid athletes drink during exercise. 50 calories per bottle Shoulda ... SHAPERS CARBOHYDRATE a trace
SALT a trace
PRICE 85p per 500ml bottle
VERDICT This has an unpleasant artificial smell and taste, possibly due to the addition of the sweetener, sucralose. It also contains added B vitamins and vitamins C and E for “a busy lifestyle” These are largely unnecessary if you eat a balanced diet. In fact, you would get as much benefit from taking a multivitamin supplement with a glass of diluted fruit juice or just plain water — you will probably enjoy it more. While this drink might contain only 10 calories a bottle, water is calorie-free. 10 calories per bottle
Charities join forces to fight child cancer - The Times 23/04/05
TWO leading charities announced yesterday that they are to merge, creating Britain’s biggest children’s cancer charity.
NHS 'bought Africa's Aids drugs' - BBC Health News 24/04/05
The NHS bought Aids drugs which had been illegally diverted from developing countries, the BBC has discovered.
Drugs for Third World 'sold to NHS' - Daily Mail 24/04/05
'Healing' gene breast cancer clue - BBC Health News 23/04/05
Genes involved in healing wounds may help predict breast cancer patients' long-term health, scientists hope.
Heart hope over implant arteries - BBC Health News 22/04/05
A revolutionary technique using a medical equipment coating and plastic surgery implants may help ward off heart disease, scientists believe.
Cot death expert set to face GMC - BBC Health News 22/04/05
A cot death expert at the centre of a series of high profile cases against women accused of killing their babies is to appear before the GMC in June.
Doubt cast over jab mercury risks - BBC Health News 22/04/05
A mercury which has been used in vaccines may be less dangerous than widely claimed, researchers suggest.
WHO: Angola at Critical Stage in Marburg Battle - Reuters 24/04/05
Angola is at a critical stage in its fight against an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus and must step up its drive to bring the disease under control, the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) said Saturday.
Angola at Critical Stage in Marburg Battle -WHO - Reuters 23/04/05
Marburg haemorrhagic fever in Angola, 266 cases, 244 deaths - Medical News Today 23/04/05
Sponge Contraceptive Returning to Market - Reuters 22/04/05
A contraceptive sponge for women is returning to the U.S. market for the first time in a decade, the manufacturer said on Friday.
80-Year-Olds Do Well with Heart Artery Bypass - Reuters 22/04/05
Many people in their 80s benefit as much as younger patients from surgery to bypass blocked coronary arteries, according to New York-based researchers.
Pain Course Helps Cancer Patients and Partners - Reuters 22/04/05
Involving both patients with end-stage cancer and their caregivers in a pain control program has benefits for both, results of a pilot study suggest.
Birth Order, Allergies Tied to Risk of Lymphoma - Reuters 22/04/05
Both allergies and a person's place in the sibling pecking order may influence the risk of developing the blood cancer non-Hodgkin lymphoma, new study findings suggest.
Provigil Doesn't Help MS Fatigue But Aspirin Might - Reuters 22/04/05
Provigil, a drug used to treat the sudden-sleep disorder narcolepsy, does not affect fatigue experienced by people with multiple sclerosis (MS), results of a trial suggest.
Vitamin E Relieves Menstrual Cramp - Reuters 22/04/05
Women may find some relief from menstrual cramps by taking vitamin E a few days a month, new research suggests.
China Seeks UN Status for Japan Germ Warfare Unit Site - Reuters 19/04/05
China will seek UNESCO World Heritage protection for the ruins of a Japanese germ warfare center during World War II called Unit 731, Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday.
USDA Revamps Food Pyramid to Unveil New Symbol - Reuters 18/04/05
The U.S. Agriculture Department will discard its nearly 15-year-old Food Guide Pyramid, blamed by some nutritionists for the country's growing childhood obesity problem, and unveil on Tuesday a new food guide symbol to encourage healthy eating.
Co-creator of Healing Foods Pyramid Reacts to New USDA Pyramid - Medical News Today 24/04/05
First Week Critical in Childhood Obesity - U.S. Study - Reuters 18/04/05
What you feed a newborn baby during the first week of life could be critical in deciding whether that baby grows up to be obese, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
Studies: Some Pain Drugs Help Prevent Cancer - Reuters 18/04/05
Aspirin, ibuprofen and the troubled COX-2 inhibitor drugs may help prevent certain cancers by tamping down inflammation, researchers reported Monday.
Vietnam Sees a Long Fight Against Bird Flu - Reuters 18/04/05
The bird flu virus which has killed 36 people in Vietnam may not be contained until 2007 because the way it is spreading still baffles experts, officials said Monday.
HHS Lobbying WHO Director General To Block Approval of Mifepristone, Misoprostol for WHO Essential Medicines List, Guardian Report - Medical News Today 24/04/05
HHS is lobbying World Health Organization Director-General Jong-Wook Lee to block the medical abortion drugs mifepristone and misoprostol from being added to the agency's essential medicines list, London's... Guardian reports. A WHO committee, which includes two U.S. experts, last month unanimously recommended that the two pills -- which, when used in combination, can terminate a pregnancy at a gestation of 49 days or less -- be added to the list, which provides official advice to governments on basic drugs that should be made available, according to the Guardian. Although Lee must give final approval for drugs to be included on the list, his approval usually is considered a formality and follows within days of a committee's recommendations. However, "more than a month has passed" since the committee made its recommendations, and WHO has made no changes to the list, according to the Guardian. The WHO Director General's Office on March 23 wrote to committee members asking if they had reviewed information stating that mifepristone in rare cases can cause bacterial infections, sepsis and bleeding. The committee members said that they had considered all of the drugs' possible side effects before recommending approval of the pills. A spokesperson from the WHO Director General's Office said the delays occurred because "we had some questions and sought clarification." The spokesperson said a decision would be made "within days," according to the Guardian. About 19 million women have unsafe abortions each year, 18.5 million of whom undergo the procedure in developing countries. Access to the pills could prevent almost 68,000 women's deaths annually from unsafe abortions, according to the Guardian (Boseley, Guardian, 4/21).
US teens using Prescription and OTC medications to get high - Medical News Today 24/04/05
An alarming number of US teens are abusing a variety of prescription and OTC (over the counter) medications to get high, according to the 17th annual study of teen drug abuse, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America® today reports. Prescription pain killers have been used by 20% of all teenagers - the sole aim was to get high. One in 11 teenagers have used OTC drugs, such as cough medications, to get high.
International Internet Drug Ring Shattered - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Karen P Tandy today announced the results of Operation “Cyber Chase”, a year-long Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation that targeted international Internet pharmaceutical traffickers operating in the United States, India, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. These e-traffickers distributed drugs world-wide using “rogue” Internet pharmacies.
Childhood leukaemia triggered by infectious events in infancy and childhood, Leukaemia Research, UK - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Leukaemia Research, UK has revealed that major sign-posts along the pathways leading to childhood leukaemia have been identified - although most childhood leukaemias have their origins before birth, infectious events in infancy and childhood may trigger abnormal immune responses that lead to the disease.
How Can Central American Free Trade Agreement Affect Access to Antiretroviral Drugs, Los Angeles Times - Medical News Today 24/04/05
The Los Angeles Times on Friday examined HIV/AIDS advocates' concerns that the Central American Free Trade Agreement could affect access to antiretroviral drugs.
Hard Facts About Marijuana Grab Parents' Attention - Medical News Today 24/04/05
The Office of National Drug Control Policy's (ONDCP) National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign (USA) launched a new advertising campaign to provide scientific facts about marijuana risks and harms for parents of teens. Themed "Facts for Parents," the print ad campaign underscores the potency and carcinogenic content of marijuana and outlines short- and long-term consequences of marijuana use on adolescent brain development and learning. Starting today, the ads are running in The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. During the course of the next four months, they will also appear in Newsweek, BusinessWeek, Time and Smithsonian magazines.
Football (soccer) Players Are Sportsmen Most at Risk of Injury - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Football (soccer) players are far more likely to have injuries than other athletes including swimmers, tennis players and gymnasts, according to research published this week in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Cypher® Sirolimus-Eluting Coronary Stent Receives FDA Approval for MRI Scans - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Immediately Following Implantation Cypher® Stent Patients Benefit From Immediate Access to Important MRI Tests, Diagnostics - Cordis Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a condition of use for the Cypher® Sirolimus-eluting Coronary Stent, allowing patients receiving the stent to immediately undergo Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) following implantation. Approval was granted after laboratory studies demonstrated the Cypher® Stent is MRI-safe.
Cholesterol-Carrying Proteins Affect Cardiovascular Risk in Dialysis Patients - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Heart attacks and strokes remain the leading causes of death in developed countries, and account for over 60 percent of death in patients with kidney failure receiving dialysis. A study in the June Journal of the American Society of Nephrology finds that levels of a cholesterol-carrying protein called lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a])-and especially the size of "low molecular weight" apolipoprotein(a) (apo[a]) particles-are important risk factors for cardiovascular events in patients on dialysis.
Better Referral Training for Emergency Doctors Helps Improve Patient Care - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Emergency doctors with specific training in making referrals can help achieve a safer patient experience, according to research published this week in Emergency Medicine Journal.
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome May Affect More Than 1.2 Million - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Paula Abdul's story about her struggle with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSD), also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) highlights this complex and poorly understood disorder. CRPS/RSD is a neurological syndrome characterized by severe and relentless pain that, according to the McGill Pain Index, is greater than that experienced by cancer patients. A common complication after surgery or minor injury, CRPS/RSD is a major cause of disability-only one in five patients is able fully to resume prior activities. The continuing tragedy is that many physicians are not familiar with its telltale symptoms and do not consider the diagnosis in their examination. Experience has shown that early diagnosis promotes more successful outcomes for people with the syndrome.
EU's CHMP Recommends Approval of TEMODAL(R) (Temozolomide) for the Most Common and Aggressive Form of Brain Cancer - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) reported that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has issued a positive opinion recommending approval of TEMODAL(R) (temozolomide) Capsules for first-line use in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common form of brain cancer. The CHMP recommendation serves as the basis for a European Commission approval.
Genes Influence How Heart Failure Patients Respond to Drugs - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Genes dictate the color of our hair and eyes. They factor into whether we get cancer or heart disease. And, scientists increasingly recognize, they also ensure some patients will benefit from a prescription drug, while others develop adverse reactions or simply fail to respond at all.
Novartis receives European marketing authorization for Aclasta® - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Novartis Pharma AG announced today that Aclasta® (zoledronic acid 5mg solution for infusion) has been granted Marketing Authorization by the European Commission for the treatment of Paget's disease of the bone in all 25 European member states, as well as Norway and Iceland. This represents the first approval for Aclasta.
Research Shows Decline of Silver Filling - Medical News Today 24/04/05
A new array of dental materials -- many of them tested at Creighton's internationally acclaimed Center for Oral Health Research -- is offering patients more options than ever. Will this new crop of materials spell the end for the old, reliable silver filling?
Paediatric study shows benefits of XYZAL®* (levocetirizine) in allergic rhinitis over entire pollen season - Medical News Today 24/04/05
A daily dose of the potent and highly selective H1-antihistamine,1 Xyzal (levocetirizine), can control seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) symptoms in children throughout the pollen season. Results of a six week, placebo controlled trial of 177 children aged 6 to 12 years with SAR are reported in the leading medical publication, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology1.
Safety Worries Linked to Poor Health, Depression - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Enhancing the resources available to low-income, urban African American women to make their neighborhoods safer could protect them against poor health and symptoms of depression, says Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine community health researcher Adam Becker. The study appeared in a recent issue of the Journal of Urban Health.
Search for age-related macular degeneration Genes Narrows - Medical News Today 24/04/05
In the last month, researchers have taken an exciting step forward in identifying the genes that cause or increase the risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness in the elderly.
Social Background May Predict Skeletal Problems - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Researchers investigating the impact of social and economic inequality on health have today (Tuesday 19 April) announced findings that children from more privileged backgrounds are taller and leaner than children from poorer backgrounds - but that it may leave them more susceptible to skeletal problems such as fractures or osteoporosis in later life.
The Roll Back Malaria Partnership Has Done More Harm than Good, The Lancet - Medical News Today 24/04/05
The Roll Back Malaria partnership (RBM) - an international alliance of over 90 organisations - has not only failed to control malaria, but its ineffectiveness has meant that malaria rates have increased since its inception, states an editorial in this week's issue of The Lancet ahead of Africa Malaria Day on April 25, 2005.
The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy - Medical News Today 24/04/05
USBMIS is proud to feature it's newest product for beta testing, The Sanford Guide 2005, PDA edition. The new version has even more great features than ever, helping you to find the right information on infectious disease etiologies, drug regimens and dosages, and complications more quickly and efficiently.
Studies show Keppra® reduces seizure frequency in patients with brain tumors - Medical News Today 24/04/05
The anti-epileptic drug Keppra® (levetiracetam) significantly reduced seizures and was well tolerated in patients with brain tumors, according to research presented at the 57th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN).1,2 The findings are important because patients with brain tumors often suffer from seizures, and the most frequently prescribed treatments have complications that often can be avoided with Keppra® and other, newer anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs).
Southern African HIV/AIDS Advocates Say Countries' Laws Not Adequately Addressing Women's Rights - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Domestic HIV/AIDS-related laws and policies in Southern African countries are not adequately addressing the rights of women and girls, according to HIV/AIDS advocates who attended an... Oxfam America event on Thursday in Johannesburg, South Africa, Inter Press Service reports. Studies in Southern Africa have shown that regional and international human rights agreements have not been "adequately applied or incorporated" into domestic HIV/AIDS-related laws, especially those regarding the protection of young women, Jacqueline Bataringaya, an HIV/AIDS consultant for Oxfam in Southern Africa, said. According to a report released last year from the U.N. Secretary General's Task Force on Women, Girls and AIDS in Southern Africa, more than 75% of HIV-positive people ages 15 to 24 are female, and a majority of them contract HIV as soon as they begin engaging in sexual activity. According to Bataringaya, Zimbabwe law is "silent" about "harmful traditional practices" -- such as forcing young girls to marry "aggrieved claimants" and subjecting young girls to "virginity testing" -- that could make women more vulnerable to contracting HIV, Inter Press Service reports. "The deep-rooted social and cultural norms continue to assign women throughout the sub-region to lower social and economic status than men," Bataringaya said. South African Judge Johann Van der Westhuizen said that women should have further protection from abuses such as sexual assault and urged women to know their rights and responsibilities. "The answers are not always in law and in court, although sometimes the courts take a stand on social changes," Van der Westhuizen said (Nduru, Inter Press Service, 4/18).
Doctors Return Islet Cells After Removing Organ - Medical News Today 24/04/05
In a 12-hour, dual-stage surgery known to be performed at only two other centers in the U.S., doctors at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) on Tuesday returned a patient's own insulin-producing cells to him after surgically removing his pancreas to eliminate constant, severe pain from chronic pancreatitis. The patient, Leonard Stewart, 47, of Panama City, Fla., remained anesthetized in the operating room at UAB Hospital through removal of his entire pancreas and the hours-long wait for the pancreatic islet cells to be processed in a specialized UAB laboratory. The cells were then returned to the operating room and infused into the patient's liver, where they have begun to produce insulin.
Child Health Teacher Numbers at Worrying Levels, UK - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Concerns over the future of children's health care in the UK are being raised as new research shows the numbers of clinical teachers in this field have dropped dramatically in recent years.
AstraZeneca Fulfills Approval Commitment To Make 5mg Dose Of Crestor Available In EU - Medical News Today 24/04/05
AstraZeneca announced today that agreement has been reached under the EU arbitration procedure on label wording for a 5mg dose of CRESTOR, the cholesterol lowering treatment, paving the way for its availability across the European Union The commitment to make the 5mg dose available was made when CRESTOR 10-40mg was first approved in Europe in 2003. Approval of the original dose range of 10-40mg was based, in part, on clinical trial data showing that more than 80 per cent of patients reach their LDL-cholesterol target on the 10mg dose.
Anti-malaria Drug Combination Could Help Address Treatment Crisis in Africa, The Lancet - Medical News Today 24/04/05
Using a combination of two drugs - artemether and lumefantrine - is the most effective way to treat malaria in the areas of Africa where resistance to commonly used malaria drugs is high, concludes a randomised trial published in this week's issue of The Lancet.
10 Years Before Malaria Vaccine Is Ready for Widespread Use, The Lancet - Medical News Today 24/04/05
A seminar on malaria in this week's issue of The Lancet states that it will be at least a decade before a vaccine for the disease will be ready for widespread use and emphasises the need to expand the use of existing control methods.
Identifying markers of non-metastatic vs. metastatic breast cancer - Medical News Today 23/04/05
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have used a new strategy to identify differences between non-metastatic and highly metastatic breast cancer cells. The article by Valerie Montel et al., "Expression profiling of primary tumors and matched lymphatic and lung metastases in a xenogeneic breast cancer model," appears in the May 2005 issue of The American Journal of Pathology and is accompanied by a commentary.
European Government Representatives, Private Sector Partners Launch Friends of Global Fund Europe - Medical News Today 23/04/05
Several European companies, government representatives, and members of the private sector and civil society on Tuesday partnered to launch the group Friends of the Global Fund Europe to mobilize public opinion and financial support for the... Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the International Herald Tribune reports (Kanter, International Herald Tribune, 4/20). The group, which follows in the footsteps of Friends of the Global Fund Japan and U.S.-based Friends of the Global Fight, aims to raise awareness about the needs and activities of the fund, encourage the development of public-private partnerships and develop new sources of international financing. "Mobilizing support around the world for the role of the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is of paramount importance," Global Fund Executive Director Richard Feachem said, adding, "Urgent action is needed to turn back the tide of these three diseases, and we warmly welcome the arrival of Friends of the Global Fund Europe as a vital new resource of commitment and energy." Friends of the Global Fund Europe Chair Michele Barzach said, "The consequences of these epidemics go beyond the dramatic situation of public health. The world's work forces and tomorrow's resources are directly concerned. Friends of the Global Fund Europe will also concentrate their efforts on the reinforcement of partnerships between public and private actors in all European countries" (Global Fund release, 4/19).
CDC Efforts to Reduce or Prevent Obesity, USA - Medical News Today 23/04/05
The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased substantially over the past several decades. The latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data indicate 65 percent of U.S. adults aged 20 years and older are overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher, or obese with a BMI of 30 or higher. In addition, 16 percent of children and adolescents ages 6-19 in the United States are overweight.
Portugal's Parliament Votes To Hold Referendum On Decriminalizing Abortion During First 10 Weeks of Pregnancy - Medical News Today 23/04/05
The Portuguese Parliament on Tuesday approved legislation authorizing a national referendum on whether to decriminalize abortion during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy in the country, which has one of the strictest abortion laws in Europe,... AFP/Yahoo! News reports (AFP/Yahoo! News, 4/20). Abortion in Portugal is illegal except in cases of rape or when a pregnant woman's life is in danger (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 11/4/04). In the referendum, Portuguese voters will be asked, "Do you agree that abortions carried out in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy with the woman's consent in a legal medical establishment should no longer be illegal?" (BBC News, 4/21). The bill now goes to President Jorge Sampaio, who will set a date for the vote, which likely will not take place before this summer (AAP/National Nine News, 4/21). Sampaio previously has said he would like the referendum to be held at a time that would favor high voter turnout, which observers interpret to mean that the vote likely will not be held until after the summer. A similar referendum was held in June 1998, when many Portuguese voters were on vacation, and the measure was rejected "by a whisker," according to AFP/Yahoo! News.
Emory holds national conference on HIV vaccine and drug research - Medical News Today 23/04/05
A two-day conference at Emory University will assemble key scientific leaders from the fields of HIV vaccine research and HIV drug development to "bridge the gap" in knowledge about the prevention and treatment of HIV. The conference "Bridging the Sciences: HIV Vaccine Research and Drug Development" will feature scientists and opinion leaders from institutions including the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, and national and international academic institutions, as well as leading HIV scientists at Emory University.
Bronx Woman Bitten by Rabid Raccoon, First Case in 5 Years, USA - Medical News Today 23/04/05
New York City - Earlier this week, a female Bronx resident was bitten by a rabid raccoon, the first time a confirmed rabid raccoon bite has occurred in New York City in almost five years, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). Rabies is a preventable viral disease that is most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal, such as raccoons, skunks, and bats, is almost always fatal if not treated immediately. All New Yorkers - and especially people living in the Bronx - should take precautions to protect themselves from rabies. Avoid contact with wild animals, and make sure pets are vaccinated against rabies.
Nanoparticles offer new hope for cancer detection and treatment - Medical News Today 23/04/05
Specially designed nanoparticles can reveal tiny cancerous tumors that are invisible by ordinary means of detection, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Infectious connection to chronic diseases - Medical News Today 23/04/05
The aging population increase in the US and throughout the developed world appears to correlate with a switch from acute infectious diseases to chronic diseases as the major cause of morbidity and mortality. Some diseases like ulcers and certain types of cancer, once thought to be primarily related to lifestyle factors, are now known to be caused by microorganisms, and many more syndromes, including some psychiatric conditions, may have a connection to infection, according to a report released today by the American Academy of Microbiology.
High levels of immunosuppressant may lead to tumor recurrence - Medical News Today 23/04/05
A new study on the incidence of liver cancer after transplant found that high levels of the immunosuppressant cyclosporine favored tumor recurrence and identified blood levels of the drug that should not be exceeded. Lower levels of cyclosporine levels did not affect rejection rates.
Global Network for Research Training on Trauma and Injury - Medical News Today 23/04/05
USA - The Fogarty International Center (FIC), at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced seven new awardees* for the International Collaborative Trauma and Injury Research Training Program (ICTIRT).
HIV/AIDS Funding Needs To Be Used More Effectively Over Longer Periods of Time, Opinion Piece Says - Medical News Today 23/04/05
Although Western governments have "finally mobilized to raise serious resources" for the fight against HIV/AIDS, "long-term" funding -- not "quick fixes" -- is needed to curb the pandemic, Maureen Lewis, a senior fellow at the... Center for Global Development, writes in an opinion piece in London's Financial Times. Over the past five years, the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the World Bank and individual donor countries have pledged billions of dollars to fight HIV/AIDS worldwide, leading to 1,000% increases in foreign aid received in Lesotho and Swaziland over the past two years and a more than 650% increase in Zambia over the same period, according to Lewis. Although "[t]here is no doubt that this new money is sorely needed, ... [i]t would be a challenge for even the most sophisticated economies to absorb these dramatic increases," Lewis says. Currently, most HIV/AIDS funding comes with a "use-it-or-lose-it" clause, but recipient countries "must be allowed to bank incoming funds rather than spend it all at once" because HIV/AIDS patients "require lifelong treatment" and funding needs to be available even when donations are "volatile," Lewis writes. Funding also must be focused not only on places where there is "immediate need" but also where funds could be used "most effectively," she says. "Finally, and most important, the fight against HIV/AIDS cannot be separated from initiatives to strengthen national health care institutions," Lewis says, adding that "[m]erely focusing on the supply of drugs and on building up staff numbers is to neglect critical ingredients such as management, logistics and motivation of personnel that make health systems work and ensure improved performance and accountability." Lewis concludes, "If the billions raised by the international community are not well-spent, the credibility of public and private programs that encourage donations will be put at risk and future money for AIDS prevention and treatment will evaporate" (Lewis, Financial Times, 4/20).
Brain imaging study explains Williams syndrome language gifts - Medical News Today 23/04/05
A team of neuroscientists led by UCLA researchers used a novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to create the first detailed images showing how Williams syndrome affects the cerebral cortex. The study finds sharply defined cortical thickening and complexity in the area of the brain important to language.
Human Papillomavirus More Likely To Be Reactivated Among HIV-Positive Women, Study Says - Medical News Today 23/04/05
The human papillomavirus -- which is the primary cause of cervical cancer -- is more likely to be reactivated among HIV-positive women with suppressed immune systems, according to a study published in the April 20 issue of the... Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Reuters reports. Howard Strickler, an associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology & Population Health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and colleagues studied 2,500 women -- 1,848 of whom were HIV-positive -- who were enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study between October 1994 and November 1995. Every six months for an average of seven years, the women underwent HPV testing using polymerase chain reaction assays, which test for genetic material of the virus. Most women in the study had detectable HPV at some point but later tested negative for the virus. However, women who had advanced HIV or AIDS were more likely than women with uncompromised immune systems to have a second outbreak of detectable HPV following a period when the virus was undetectable. According to the study, 29 HIV-positive women who previously tested positive for HPV experienced a reactivation of HPV after 18 months or more, despite the fact that they had not engaged in sexual activity during that time. "Our data suggest that undetectable HPV infections become active much more frequently in HIV-positive women, which helps explain the extremely high rates of HPV infection in these women," Strickler said in a statement. He also said the findings suggest that HIV-positive women and other women with suppressed immune systems should have regular Pap tests in order to monitor HPV (Reuters, 4/20).
International experts renew calls for registration of clinical trials - Medical News Today 23/04/05
A group of 80 international experts is calling for the public registration of all clinical trials. The Ottawa Statement, the result of an open meeting hosted by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) in October 2004, was published today in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
New York Times Examines Debate Over Catholic Church's Opposition to Condoms for HIV Prevention - Medical News Today 23/04/05
The New York Times on Friday examined how an increasing number of Roman Catholics "are urging the new pope to revisit what was probably his predecessor's most divisive position -- his opposition to condom use in the fight against AIDS"... (Rosenthal, New York Times, 4/22). The Roman Catholic Church's College of Cardinals on Tuesday elected as the new pope Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany -- now known as Pope Benedict XVI -- who is viewed as a staunch supporter of conservative Roman Catholic doctrine (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 4/20). Benedict has not spoken about the issue, but observers say he is not expected to "soften" the use of contraceptives, including condoms, the Times reports. Medical aid organizations and many governments say that condoms are the "only method that reliably prevents sexual transmission" of HIV, but the Catholic Church promotes sexual abstinence and fidelity in marriage to prevent the spread of the virus, according to the Times. However, some high church officials and theologians say that the church should "accept condoms in certain circumstances to stem the spread of AIDS, as a pro-life medical intervention," the Times reports (New York Times, 4/22).
Parallels between extreme environment physiology and intensive care in hospitals - Medical News Today 23/04/05
University College London (UCL) is hosting a conference on Wednesday 27 April 2005 to explore the parallels between extreme environment physiology and intensive care in hospitals. Talks will cover the history and future of high altitude research and explain how lessons learnt from life at the very limit might teach us something about every day healthcare.
Partnership gains ground in the fight against malaria - Medical News Today 23/04/05
A single word has become the touchstone for hopes that a successful battle can be waged against malaria in Africa: partnership. At a time when funding to fight malaria is still sorely lacking, a kaleidoscope of organizations, governments, businesses and celebrities in Africa, Europe, North America and Asia, united under the banner of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, have made unprecedented gains over the past year.
Yale scientists 'see' basis of antibiotic resistance - Medical News Today 23/04/05
Using X-ray crystallography, researchers at Yale have "seen" the structural basis for antibiotic resistance to common pathogenic bacteria, facilitating design of a new class of antibiotic drugs, according to an article in Cell.
Zambian Government, ILO Collaborate on Program To Prevent Child Labor; Many Child Laborers Affected by HIV/AIDS - Medical News Today 23/04/05
The Zambian government on Wednesday announced it is launching a three-year program aimed at lowering the number of children affected by HIV/AIDS who are recruited for child labor,... Xinhua/ReliefWeb reports. The program, which will collaborate with the International Labour Organization's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, will focus on strategy development, capacity building, advocacy and social mobilization, policy-oriented research and surveys, and direct intervention to prevent and withdraw children from labor. About 600,000 children work in Zambia, and a significant number of them are affected by or infected with HIV/AIDS, according to Xinhua/ReliefWeb. "Child labor and HIV/AIDS are creating a vicious circle, both of which have been aggravating poverty in Zambia," Louis Ndaba-Hagamye, ILO director for Zambia, said, adding, "Many of the HIV/AIDS-affected children enter into child labor, and the program will try to cut this vicious circle toward the sustainable development and poverty eradication in Zambia." The program will target homeless children, particularly those who are involved with commercial sex work and illegal activities. Zambia is the first country to implement the project, and its outcome could be replicated in other countries, according to Xinhua/ReliefWeb (Xinhua/ReliefWeb, 4/20).
HIV/AIDS Epidemic 'Eclipsing' Fight Against Tuberculosis in African Countries, PRI's 'The World' Reports - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Some African countries are "losing ground" in combating tuberculosis, as the newer epidemic of HIV/AIDS is "eclipsing the old, familiar scourge" of TB, ..."The World" -- a production of BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston -- reported on Tuesday. According to PRI, the number of people with TB has "quietly tripled" while African leaders and Western donors have increasingly focused on fighting HIV/AIDS over the past decade (Marmion, "The World," PRI, 4/19). An annual World Health Organization report, released last month in observance of World TB Day and titled "Global Tuberculosis Control -- Surveillance, Planning, Financing," estimated that in 2003 -- the latest year for which data are available -- there were approximately 8.8 million new cases of TB worldwide. The global TB prevalence rate has declined by more than 20% since 1990, and TB incidence rates in 2003 were falling or stable in five of the six WHO regions of the world. However, as of 2003, the global TB incidence rate was growing by 1%, primarily because of increasing incidence in the African region. Since 1990, TB incidence rates in Africa have tripled in countries with high HIV prevalence and are increasing continentwide at a rate of 3% to 4% annually. Nearly one-third of the approximately 1.7 million TB-related deaths worldwide in 2003 occurred in Africa, where TB is the leading cause of death among HIV-positive people (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 3/24). The PRI segment includes comments from Patrick Bertrand, an advocate with the not-for-profit organization Massive Effort Campaign; Bayo Oyebade, a Nigerian pastor and founder of the Mashiah Foundation, which provides free counseling and medical care to Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS; Mario Raviglione, director of WHO's Stop TB Department; Nigerian women co-infected with HIV and TB; and physicians in Nigeria ("The World," PRI, 4/19). The complete segment is available online in Windows Media.
Turning off switch that makes cancer cells immortal - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Brunel University, UK, is leading a €4.8 million project, funded by the European Commission, that aims to turn off the switch which makes cancer cells immortal. Led by Professor Rob Newbold, Director of the Brunel Institute of Cancer Genetics and Pharmacogenomics, the project includes genetic scientists, pathologists, diagnostic specialists and pharmacologists from across Europe.
Testing new manic depression drugs in slime mould: an alternative to the current serendipitous approach - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Research by University College London (UCL) scientists could lead to the development of more effective drugs for treating manic depression thanks to a new screening approach developed in a ‘slime mould' - a microbe that lives in leaves and dung on forest floors. The breakthrough using slime mould (Dictyostelium) is the first possible alternative to the current - accidental - method of discovering manic depression drugs. The findings are published today in the May 2005 issue of Molecular Pharmacology.
Nurses Deliver High Quality Primary Care - Medical News Today 21/04/05
A review of primary care provided by nurses has found they achieve equally high standards to those of doctors.
Diamond Like Carbon is the Key to Preventing Blocked Arteries - Medical News Today 21/04/05
write an opinion on this Scientists at Brunel University may have found the key to preventing blockages that cause thrombosis and heart disease. By coating flat sheets of collagen with a diamond like carbon (DLC) substance, researchers believe that they can prevent blood vessels from becoming clogged.
Advance in Intra-Tumor Gene Therapy for Cancer - Generex Biotechnology Collaborator Reports - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Therapy based on a novel immune stimulation strategy cures up to 50% of mice inoculated with a prostate tumor - Generex Biotechnology Corporation, a leader in the area of buccal drug delivery, announced today that an academic collaborator of its wholly owned subsidiary, Antigen Express, has published a paper showing that their patented reagents and technology induce a potent immune response to prostate tumor in a preclinical mouse model.
CDC Downscales Mortality Risk From Obesity, USA - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Obesity is responsible for 112,000 deaths annually in the United States, and overweight people might live longer than people classified having a normal weight, according to a... CDC and National Cancer Institute study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Wall Street Journal reports. Researchers led by CDC senior epidemiologist Katherine Flegal analyzed data from several major federal health studies conducted between 1976 and 2000 (McKay, Wall Street Journal, 4/20). Data was controlled for factors such as smoking, age, race and alcohol consumption using a complex analytical method based on a popular method for predicting cancer rates. Weight groups were based on body-mass index calculations. According to the study, obesity and extreme obesity cause about 112,000 deaths per year, but being overweight was found to prevent about 86,000 deaths annually. Based on those figures, the net U.S. death toll from excess weight is 26,000 per year. By contrast, researchers found that being underweight results in 34,000 deaths per year (Kolata, New York Times, 4/20). Flegal noted that there might have been a large number of frail elderly people in the normal-weight category, which might have affected the findings (Wahlberg, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 4/20). The new study does not offer a reason why being slightly overweight correlated with a reduced risk of death. Study co-author David Williamson of CDC said that most people are over age 70 when they die, and some excess weight appears to have a protective effect in old age. However, Williamson also noted that the reasons behind the "paradox" are theoretical at this point, saying, "It's raw conjecture" (New York Times, 4/20).
Brain-injury rehabilitation depends on acetylcholine circuitry - Medical News Today 21/04/05
The ability of the brain to recover from such injury as stroke or trauma depends on a particular circuitry of neurons that "talk" to one another using the brain chemical acetylcholine, researchers led by James Conner and Mark Tuszynski in the Neural repair Group at UCSD have discovered. Their finding in rats could help enhance rehabilitation to recover from such injuries by leading to the development of drugs or other treatments to enhance the "cholinergic system."
Early detection of lung cancer - Medical News Today 21/04/05
This study was aimed at the detection of lung cancer in its early stages amongst high-risk persons by means of Computerised Axial Tomography (CAT).
Chemical Terrorism - Cumbersome Chemical Suits Take at Least 15 Minutes to Put On - Medical News Today 21/04/05
UK Hospitals are well-equipped to deal with chemical terrorism - except it can take at least 15 minutes to put on protective suits, according to research reported today.
Green tea shown to prevent prostate cancer - Medical News Today 21/04/05
After a year's oral administration of green tea catechins (GTCs), only one man in a group of 32 at high risk for prostate cancer developed the disease, compared to nine out of 30 in a control, according to a team of Italian researchers from the University of Parma and University of Modena and Reggio Emilia led by Saverio Bettuzzi, Ph.D.
Patients Swallow ‘Camera-in-a-Pill' To Help Doctors Check for Diseases of Esophagus, GERD - Medical News Today 21/04/05
A new camera-in-a-pill can help doctors diagnose and evaluate diseases of the esophagus including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), erosive esophagitis and Barrett's esophagus (a pre-cancerous condition) without the use of a traditional endoscope.
Heavy consumption of processed meats linked to increased risk for pancreatic cancer - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Heavy consumption of hot dogs, sausages and luncheon meats, along with other forms of processed meat, was associated with the greatest risk of pancreatic cancer in a large multiethnic study reported today at the 96th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
New drug may be used to treat women with ovarian cancer - Medical News Today 21/04/05
A new drug, RAD001, has been shown to stop the growth and movement of certain ovarian cancer cells, according to scientists at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. The research was presented today at the 96th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in Anaheim, Calif.
SOX2 Gene - The Crucial Link For Sensory Development in The Ear - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Scientists from the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the University of Hong Kong have isolated the gene responsible for sensory development in the inner ear, which may lead to significant advances in the development of treatments for the deaf and severely hearing impaired, according to research published in the current issue of Nature.
New research pinpoints best treatment for stroke - CT perfusion improves outcomes - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Interventional neuroradiologists at West Virginia University School of Medicine and Hospitals today presented the largest study to date on the utility of computed tomography (CT) perfusion imaging of the brain in determining and predicting stroke outcomes. Results will help better identify patients who are suitable candidates for treatment utilizing either clot busting medicines or clot retrieval devices. The research was presented to leading neurosurgeons at the 73rd annual meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
The Best Patient Care in Rheumatology - 2004 Freedom to Move OnTM Award Winners Announced, UK - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Three UK rheumatology units: Poole Hospital NHS Trust, St Helen's and Knowsley Hospital, Prescot, and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, are celebrating as the winners of the 2004 Freedom to Move OnTM Awards. The awards showcase the latest advances in developing and implementing best practice in rheumatology and delivering excellence in patient care.
Selenium will have critical role in prostate cancer treatment - Fox Chase Cancer Center - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia have come a step closer to understanding selenium's molecular role in causing prostate cancer cells to self-destruct. According to data presented today at the 96th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Anaheim, Calif., selenium helps malignant cells overcome their resistance to TRAIL-induced apopstosis (self-inflicted cell death). Previous studies had shown that TRAIL, a cytotoxic agent being investigated as a new therapeutic agent for cancer, causes malignant cells to self-destruct. Yet some cells resist the treatment.
Top Children's Summer Sports Injuries - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Keeping children active year- round is essential in helping them maintain good health, build muscles and prevent obesity. However, recreational outdoor sports occupy more than just the majority of children's free time during the spring and summer months; these activities also demand a significant amount of attention in hospital emergency rooms, doctors' offices and clinics nationwide, according to estimates from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC) on all medically-treated injuries in 2003 for children ages zero through 19.
Subset of ovarian cancer patients responsive to Iressa identified, Fox Chase Cancer - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia have identified a subset of ovarian cancer patients who appear to respond better than others to gefitinib, or Iressa.TM The research was presented today at the 96th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Anaheim, Calif.
Bit of stress good for immune system, under certain conditions - Medical News Today 19/04/05
New research in mice provides more evidence that a brief bout of stress can give the immune system a beneficial boost - under certain conditions.
Monitoring Health of Laboratory Workers Who Destroy Influenza A (H2N2) Samples, Instructions - Medical News Today 18/04/05
CDC issued a Health Advisory describing the inadvertent distribution of influenza A (H2N2) samples to domestic and international laboratories and recommending that those samples be destroyed immediately. This update provides instructions for 1) monitoring for and reporting influenza-like illness among laboratory workers who might have been exposed to the A (H2N2) samples and 2) destroying influenza A (H2N2) samples by use of autoclaves, incineration, or chemical decontamination.
Phase 1 Clinical Trial of HGS-ETR1 in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors, Results from Human Genome Sciences - Medical News Today 18/04/05
Genome Sciences, Inc announced today that the results of a Phase 1 clinical trial demonstrate the safety and tolerability of HGS-ETR1 (agonistic human monoclonal antibody to TRAIL receptor 1) in patients with advanced solid tumors, and support further evaluation of HGS-ETR1 in Phase 2 clinical trials, both as a single agent and in combination with chemotherapy. The results were presented yesterday at the 96th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Anaheim, California.
NSAIDs provoke a specific portfolio - Medical News Today 18/04/05
NSAIDs provoke a specific portfolio of differentially expressed genes in the healthy colon of HNPCC patients Anaheim, Calif. -- Taking celecoxib, a COX-2 inhibitor better known as Celebrex, has been found to alter a specific "signature" set of genes in the colons of patients at high risk for a hereditary form of colon cancer, according to a new study reported here at the 96th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
'Do It Yourself' Genetic Test Kit Promoted During 2005 Hemochromatosis Awareness Month - Medical News Today 18/04/05
"Do it yourself!" is a suggestion often made by Sandra Thomas, founder and president of the American Hemochromatosis Society, a non-profit health organization based near Orlando, Florida. Thomas, a nationally recognized patient advocate, is referring to family genetic screening for hereditary hemochromatosis (HH), also known as genetic iron poisoning or iron overload disease, the most common genetic disease in the USA, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Genetic testing for the disease has been commercially available through doctors' offices since 1997, but most patients have never been tested for it. This is a tragic health situation, which Thomas wants to change through "do-it-yourself" genetic test kits and iron storage screening performed by patients themselves.
Measuring enzymes at end of cancer pathway predicts outcome of Tarceva, Taxol - Medical News Today 18/04/05
Researchers at The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center have developed a way to test whether the new targeted therapy Tarceva and the widely used chemotherapy drug Taxol are effectively killing tumor cells. They say that with further refinement, the test may make it possible to accurately assess whether patients are responding to these agents, as well as potentially others, within days of beginning therapy.
Health and Consumer Protection Programme 2007-2013 - European Commission - Medical News Today 18/04/05
On 6 April 2005 the Commission adopted a Health and Consumer protection Strategy and a proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision creating the Community Programme for Health and Consumer protection 2007-2013.
More bird flu cases in Vietnam, H5N1 strain - Medical News Today 18/04/05
Vietnamese authorities say that a 21-year-old woman and two other patients from northern Vietnam are infected with bird flu (H5N1). The H5N1 strain is the more deadly one. The woman is also HIV positive - authorities say she is still very weak.
Cheshire and Mersey News
The Best Patient Care in Rheumatology - 2004 Freedom to Move OnTM Award Winners Announced, UK - Medical News Today 21/04/05
Three UK rheumatology units: Poole Hospital NHS Trust, St Helen's and Knowsley Hospital, Prescot, and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, are celebrating as the winners of the 2004 Freedom to Move OnTM Awards. The awards showcase the latest advances in developing and implementing best practice in rheumatology and delivering excellence in patient care.
Caring staff honoured - Midweek Visiter 20/04/05
CARERS in Sefton have been commended for excellence in caring for adults and young people.
Nurses lose park rights - Midweek Visiter 20/04/05
DOZENS of nurses at South-port and Ormskirk hospitals are about to lose their car parking permits.
Care home for elderly to close - Southport Visiter 22/04/05
THE elderly residents of Orleans Rest Home have been told to move out to make way for a £2 million luxury flat development.
Cannabis cafe boss may appeal - Liverpool Echo 22/04/05
A PUBLIC inquiry could be held over Merseyside's first cannabis cafe.
New row erupts over Merseytram - Daily Post 22/04/05
LIVERPOOL councillors are to be asked to refuse permission for Merseyside's tram network to take up any of the city's precious green space.
Smoking ban hits teachers - Daily Post 21/04/05
THE image of the rebellious pupil hiding behind the bike shed with a crafty cigarette is one we all remember from our school days.
Tributes to doctor - Formby Times 21/04/05
TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Formby health boss.
Healthly questions for candidates - Formby Times 21/04/05
IN the second of our three-part Election 2005 series we put readers' questions to the three main candidates -Claire Curtis-Thomas (Labour), Debi Jones (Conservative) and Jim Murray (Liberal Democrats).
Council policy will ban smoking - Crosby Herald 21/04/05
SMOKERS have until September to give up or prepare for strict new rules banning lighting up anywhere on council grounds in Sefton.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Medic wins man of the match vote - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 22/04/05
MORECAMBE'S press for a place in the Nationwide Conference play-offs got an extra hand from an unlikely source on Saturday.
Mental health law needs reform [Letter] - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 22/04/05
ONE in four people will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, and Government plans to reform mental health law could lead to many more of them being detained and treated against their will.
Please don't struggle in silence - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 22/04/05
A FATHER campaigning for better care for disabled children today urged other parents to back him.
Use or lose new dentists - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 22/04/05
THE German dentists who set up a new NHS practice in the centre of Blackburn just over a fortnight ago must already be well and truly baffled by East Lancashire folk.
Matrons idea an election gimmick [Letter] - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 22/04/05
I WRITE concerning the article in the LET (April 18) by Jemma Dobson on the appointment of "district matrons."
Greater Manchester News
Warning over drugs theft - Bolton Evening News 23/04/05
A WARNING has been issued after prescription drugs were stolen from a Leigh chemist.
No cash to fun parents' classes - Bolton Evening News 23/04/05
A GOVERNMENT course to teach parenting skills in Bolton is not being given any funding.
A DYSLEXIC mother-of-two is standing against Dyslexia fighter targets Education Secretary - Bolton Evening News 22/04/05
EDUCATION Secretary Ruth Kelly in Bolton West at the May 5 General Election to raise awareness of the condition.
More school nurses needed - Manchester Evening News 24/04/05
A MASSIVE increase in the number of school nurses is needed so all children have access, a new study reveals.
How I lost 22 stone - Manchester Evening News 23/04/05
BINGO caller Charlie Walduck is a hero to Britain's dieters after losing an inspirational 22-stone in just over a year.
Shipman jury retires to consider verdict - Manchester Evening News 21/04/05
THE jury in the inquest of serial killer Harold Shipman retired today to consider its verdict.
Scandal of the cancer fakers - Manchester Evening News 21/04/05
BREAST cancer services are being bogged down by too many bogus health complaints, a leading Manchester doctor claims today.
Baby Charlotte 'should be left to die' - Manchester Evening News 21/04/05
THE parents of seriously ill baby Charlotte Wyatt lost their legal battle today to overturn a court order allowing doctors to let her die if she stops breathing.
Skeleton scare - Manchester Evening News 22/04/05
A HOME Office pathologist was called in to investigate after a pile of bones was found under the floorboards of a building in Didsbury.
Tories prescribe changes to NHS - Manchester Evening News 22/04/05
THE shadow health secretary spelled out his vision of the NHS under a Conservative government during a visit to Manchester.
E-mails fog brain worse than cannabis - Manchester Evening News 22/04/05
WORKERS distracted by phones, emails and text messages suffer a greater loss of IQ than a person smoking marijuana, a study revealed today.
Killer GP 'could not face life in jail' - Manchester Evening News 22/04/05
AN inquest jury today said Hyde serial killer Harold Shipman killed himself because could not face the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison.
Brit girls drink EU under table - Manchester Evening News 22/04/05
BOOZING among British "ladettes" is set to increase by almost a third in five years, according to a report out today.
