National and International News
Suicide agency to film deaths - The Observer 15/05/05
A Swiss agency which helps people to commit suicide has begun to film the deaths of its clients to avoid future prosecution.
Blunkett plans clamp on benefits for disabled - The Observer 15/05/05
Drug addicts could be forced into rehab programmes or lose cash benefits under welfare reforms being drawn up by David Blunkett.
Doctors go west in Polish brain drain - The Observer 15/05/05
Crisis looms in Warsaw as medics migrate to Britain in search of a living wage
Junior medics bullied to lie about hours - The Observer 15/05/05
Junior doctors fear they are being dangerously overstretched in hospitals at night and say they are sometimes asked to perform tasks for which they have no training.
Grey matters: Take the money and run your life - The Observer 15/05/05
If you receive a care package through your local social services team you could soon be offered the chance to get the equivalent in cash and decide for yourself how to spend it.
Discover your inner domestic slut - The Observer 15/05/05
Mothers work harder than anyone else, putting in 100 hours a week in cleaning, childcare and the school run. The average mother also puts in 25 hours of paid work, slaves long into the night at the ironing board, has barely six hours' sleep and views weekends as yet another (sparkling) window of opportunity for still more housework.
Geraldine Bedell: Waking up to the morning after pill - The Observer 15/05/05
It's five years since emergency contraception became available over the counter. Geraldine Bedell reveals why, despite its obvious benefits, the morning-after pill is still considered the method of choice for the morally lax
Is food less nutritious than it used to be? Andre Purvis investigates - The Observer 15/05/05
We think of chicken as the healthy option for our Sunday roast, but even organic or free-range birds lack the protein and nutrients of a generation ago, reports Andrew Purvis - and the veg ain't what it used to be either
Ads warn about alternative medicine - The Sunday Times 15/05/05
IRISH people are to be given a strong warning that they should seek medical help before they turn to alternative therapists.
Why the vCJD epidemic never came - The Sunday Times 15/05/05
A leading doctor believes public ignorance of science has allowed fears over mad cow disease to spin out of control, writes Sue Leonard
Brain disease man in fight for right to be fed - The Sunday Times 15/05/05
A MAN who suffers from a degenerative brain condition will this week go to the High Court in London over the right to be kept alive by being fed artificially.
Former Labour ministers attack extra 60m for NHS consultants - The Sunday Times 15/05/05
AT least 60m has been squandered on a pay deal for hospital consultants, according to a damning report co-written by former Labour health ministers.
Girl's 'miracle cure' offers cancer hope - The Sunday Times 15/05/05
SCOTTISH scientists have saved the life of an eight-year-old girl using a technique that brings new hope to thousands of cancer sufferers.
Patients pay to beat two-year delays for NHS scans - The Sunday Times 15/05/05
THOUSANDS of patients are waiting in pain for more than a year for scans to diagnose their illnesses. Some are becoming so frustrated that they are paying to have tests carried out privately at their local National Health Service hospital.
Revealed: list of sites to take nuclear waste - The Sunday Times 15/05/05
A TOP SECRET list of the 12 sites shortlisted for dumping Britain’s most dangerous radioactive waste is to be published by the government — after 16 years of being kept under lock and key.
‘Baked beetle’ among hygiene breaches revealed at fast-food chains - The Sunday Times 15/05/05
RESTAURANTS belonging to four of Britain’s leading fast-food chains have been branded “extremely poor” and “totally unacceptable” by health officials in inspection reports released for the first time.
Cannabis advisers don’t want rethink - The Sunday Times 15/05/05
GOVERNMENT advisers are likely to reject a tougher line on cannabis despite mounting concerns about the drug’s potential dangers and reservations by Tony Blair and the home secretary.
Crack use soars as price plunges - The Independent 15/05/05
Crack cocaine is being blamed for an alarming rise in the number of people seeking treatment for drug addiction, according to new research.
Drinks firms accused over 'low-carb' marketing drive - The Independent 15/05/05
Drinks companies are being accused of cashing in on the current low-carb diet craze by targeting weight-conscious young women with special wines and spirits which have a reduced calorie content.
Focus: 'WIMPY' - The sign that says we're greasy, we're British and we're lovin' it - The Independent 15/05/05
And it's the sign that hung above the country's first burger chain, 50 years ago this week and a generation before Big Mac invaded. Here Katy Guest spends a day in a Wimpy bar, where customers can smoke and nobody orders them to have a nice day...
Bagels for breakfast! Burgers for lunch! The eat-all-you-want diet - The Independent 15/05/05
It sounds like a dieter's dream: a weight-loss regime that allows you to eat absolutely anything you like, including chocolate, cakes and hamburgers. But as publishers prepare to unleash the latest US dieting fad on this country, medical experts and nutritionists are warning consumers that there is no such thing as a free lunch.
Mother sues for veto on daughters’ morning-after pill - The Sunday Times 15/05/05
THE mother of two teenage girls is taking legal action to prevent them being prescribed the morning-after pill at school without her being informed.
Queen’s speech targets drivers and patients - The Sunday Times 15/05/05
POPULIST measures for parents, patients, motorists and Muslims will form the centrepiece of the government’s new legislative programme to be unveiled this week.
Revealed: how an abortion puts the next baby at risk - The Telegraph 15/05/05
Having an abortion almost doubles a woman's risk of giving birth dangerously early in a later pregnancy, according to research that will provoke fresh debate over the most controversial of all medical procedures.
My mother was dying, but no one would take charge of her care [Opinion] - The Telegraph 15/05/05
The latest report into the failings of patient care in the NHS has a depressingly familiar ring. An organisation called the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death found that nearly half of patients needing intensive care were not properly cared for. In a substantial number of cases in which the patient died, the care was so bad that it could have contributed to hastening the patient's death. The report found that the overall quality of medical records was "poor". Ten per cent of patients did not even receive a complete examination, nor was their medical history available to the doctors who were charged with making decisions about their care.
Targeting the NHS targets - BBC Health News 15/05/05
This government will be forever associated with targets when it comes to the health service.
TV chef in care homes food drive - BBC Health News 15/05/05
Celebrity chef Paul Rankin is campaigning for improvements in the quality of food served to the elderly in the UK's residential care homes.
Nursing homes 'serve poor food' - Daily Mail 15/05/05
Hospitals could face MRSA charges - BBC Health News 15/05/05
Hospitals could be held criminally liable if patients catch superbugs such as MRSA, Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has warned.
Hospitals 'may be liable' for MRSA - The Telegraph 15/05/05
Hospitals 'liable for superbug spread' - Daily Mail 15/05/05
MRSA hospitals 'could be liable' - Daily Mail 15/05/05
Britons 'complacent' over malaria - BBC Health News 15/05/05
British tourists are too complacent about contracting malaria as they travel to more and more far flung locations, say campaigners.
Britons 'unaware of malaria risk' - Daily Mail 15/05/05
Drug offers bladder cancer hope - BBC Health News 14/05/05
A drug used to treat breast cancer may also help bladder cancer patients, research suggests.
HIV gives clue to muscle disease - BBC Health News 15/05/05
A fatal muscle disorder appears to be related to the same family of viruses as HIV, say UK researchers.
Ex-private hospital hits target - BBC Health News 15/05/05
A private hospital which was bought to cut National Health Service waiting lists has beaten its target, the Scottish Executive has said.
Top hospital beats targets - Daily Mail 15/05/05
Eye surgery provider's Spanish deal - Daily Mail 15/05/05
A long-established provider of laser eye surgery in the UK has been bought by a Spanish company in a deal worth £30 million, it has been announced.
Health chief's cover-up of CDJ blood donor - Daily Mail 15/05/05
The father of the youngest victim of Britain's worst CJD outbreak has accused medical authorities of engaging in a seven-year conspiracy to hide the fact that his son had been a blood donor.
India in drive to eradicate polio - Daily Mail 15/05/05
Health workers and volunteers delivered polio vaccine drops to hundreds of thousands of children across the country as India entered the final stretch of a drive to wipe out the crippling disease by year's end.
GMC to appeal over ruling - Daily Mail 15/05/05
The General Medical Council is to begin an appeal over a High Court ruling hailed as a breakthrough for the rights of terminally-ill patients.
Vitamin 'can cut cholesterol level' - Daily Mail 15/05/05
A type of vitamin E obtained from rice appears to melt away cholesterol and may also combat cancer, according to scientists.
MRSA found throughout Scotland - Daily Mail 15/05/05
Record levels of the deadly superbug MRSA have been found in leisure centres throughout Scotland, it has been revealed.
Most 'can't spot cancer moles' - Daily Mail 15/05/05
Less than one in 10 people would be able to recognise if a mole was cancerous, research has revealed.
Picnickers warned over ticks - Daily Mail 15/05/05
Anyone heading for a pleasant picnic in the forest or a summer walk in the park is being warned about taking home an unwanted guest who could harm their health.
Government report gives new wind to green energy - The Independent 15/05/05
Wind power is better than nuclear power stations for tackling global warming, the Government's official environmental advisers will tell Tony Blair this week.
Ask Emma - natural health therapist Emma Mitchell answers your questions - The Guardian 14/05/05
I suffer from insomnia: I fall asleep very easily, but wake up around 3am and can't get back to sleep. I have hot baths every evening and have tried valerian, but it doesn't work.
Body strategy - fitness expert Joanna Hall answers your questions - The Guardian 14/05/05
I've read that if I do weight training I will speed up my metabolism. Is this true? I've never liked the idea, but if it helps me burn more calories, I'd be more inclined to do it.
Discredited doctor's 'cure' for Aids ignites life-and-death struggle in South Africa - The Guardian 14/05/05
Patricia Masinga, 36, had known she had HIV for about 10 years. She worked for an Aids organisation, so when, inevitably, she began to get sick, she was well placed to get treatment, and her youth and two children gave her every reason to fight to stay alive.
S.Africa AIDS group faces maverick doctor in court - Reuters 13/05/05
Did you miss? - The Guardian 14/05/05
Get in with the inpatient crowd If you have more money than health, keep taking the Tatler (June), which this month offered its guide to the 150 best private doctors.
Bob Woffinden: A clash of conviction - The Guardian 14/05/05
Dee Winzar is serving life for the murder of her husband. The prosecution case was simple: he was killed by a lethal injection and she was the only one who could have done it. But was it really murder? Bob Woffinden investigates
Get what IT takes to cross digital divide - The Guardian 14/05/05
If you've been contemplating enhancing your education, or learning a totally new skill, but have yet to take up the challenge, there'll be a chance to give it a go later this month during Adult Learners' Week which kicks off on May 21. Co-ordinated by the charity NIACE (National Institute of Adult Continuing Education), hundreds of free taster sessions, covering a wide variety of courses, are being run across the country.
Hospitals could get food factory hygiene standards - The Guardian 14/05/05
Hospital visitors may have to wear hairnets, clean overalls and take precautions such as walking through a tray of disinfectant before entering the building in the NHS's drive to reverse the spread of the MRSA superbug, the health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, warned yesterday.
NHS 'dirtier than food factories' - The Telegraph 14/05/05
How far will they go? [Leader] - The Guardian 14/05/05
The third Labour term opens with the biggest changes to the National Health Service since its foundation in 1948 set in place and ready to roll. Even the best-informed insiders concede they cannot predict what will happen. Almost all acknowledge that the NHS - described by one American health commentator as the finest piece of social legislation since Magna Carta - is entering a period of instability. No one knows how six separate major changes will interact with each other: the right of patients to select the hospital of their choice; payment following the patient to the hospital of their choice; the expansion of foundation hospitals from the current 31 to all 300-plus trusts; the introduction of the world's biggest civilian IT programme (£6bn) linking all parts of the NHS and its 60 million patients; the promotion of GP commissioning, which should result in less hospital work through more routine surgery by GPs; and wider use of private-sector hospitals for NHS work. Not one of these six changes - let alone all six - received even a fraction of the coverage that MRSA was given in the recent election thanks to the diversion created by the Conservative campaign.
Hewitt denies dismantling the NHS - The Independent 14/05/05
Hewitt pledge on NHS use of private sector - The Telegraph 13/05/05
Blair pledges 'bold programme' of reform - The Telegraph 10/05/05
Crossing the line - The Guardian 14/05/05
NHS private ops get go-ahead - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Hewitt plans private sector surgery - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Pledge on NHS using private sector - Daily Mail 13/05/05
BMA calls for clarity on plans to increase private health provision, UK - Medical News Today 13/05/05
London schools report 300 African boys disappeared - The Independent 14/05/05
Hundreds of African boys have disappeared from schools in London, police investigating the murder of the young boy whose torso was found in the river Thames have revealed.
Research shows immigrants help the economy - The Independent 14/05/05
Immigration is vital for the health of the economy, helping to tackle jobs shortages, according to new academic research.
Waste warning over plans to expand UK's nuclear power - The Independent 14/05/05
No decision about building new nuclear power stations in Britain should be taken until a solution to the problem of nuclear waste has been outlined, a committee of scientists has told the Government.
Nuclear power may be the only way, says chief scientist - The Independent 12/05/05
Girl, eight, 'tortured by family for being witch' - The Independent 12/05/05
A ten-year-old girl has told a jury how three people she believed to be her mother, aunt and uncle said they would kill her for being a witch, before they cut her with a knife and hit her.
'Witch' child withdraws allegation of cruelty -The Times 14/05/05
New light on the lady with the lamp - The Independent 12/05/05
Florence Nightingale was honoured as a heroine and a pioneer of health reform. But a young surgeon who worked with her wasn't so impressed. By Paul Kelbie
Mentally ill man 'stabbed police officer' after chase - The Independent 10/05/05
A paranoid schizophrenic who stabbed to death a detective had not been taking his medication for "months or even years" prior to the killing, a court has heard.
Anti-smoking jab trial results due - Daily Mail 14/05/05
Results of a major trial into a nicotine vaccine which could help people stop smoking are to be published .
Nicotine vaccine is set to stub out smoking - The Times 14/05/05
Britain in grip of mumps epidemic after missed jabs - The Telegraph 13/05/05
Britain is in the grip of a mumps epidemic, health professionals warned yesterday, as figures showed an 18-fold increase in the number of reported cases.
Hospitals warn of mumps epidemic - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Mumps epidemic spreads nationwide - Daily Mail 13/05/05
UK is in the grip of a nationwide mumps epidemic - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Call to immunise children against hepatitis B - The Telegraph 10/05/05
All children in the UK should be immunised against potentially fatal liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus, doctors' leaders have said.
Call for hepatitis B immunisations - Daily Mail 10/05/05
State 'will not dig pensioners out of poverty' - The Telegraph 13/05/05
People will have to save more for their retirement and cannot expect the state to "dig them out of poverty" in their old age, David Blunkett, the Work and Pensions Secretary, said yesterday.
Breast cancer survival rate at 80pc - The Telegraph 10/05/05
Breast cancer survival rates have reached, or even gone beyond, 80 per cent for the first time, according to new data.
Breast cancer survival rate at 80pc - The Telegraph 11/05/05
Doctors hail breast cancer drug trial - The Times 14/05/05
Breast cancer drugs 'halve deaths' - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Breast cancer treatments improve 15-year survival - Reuters 13/05/05
Breast cancer mortality has dropped rapidly since early 1990s - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Substantial 15-Year Survival Gains from Standard Breast Cancer Treatments - Medical News Today 13/05/05
A new life on Jura is just what the doctor ordered - The Telegraph 14/05/05
The scenery is breathtaking, the neighbourhood is crime-free, the whisky is exceptional and the school has just 16 pupils.
Call to raise tobacco tax 50pc a year - The Telegraph 13/05/05
A massive rise in tobacco tax to combat a "worldwide epidemic" of lung cancer, has been urged by the editor of The Lancet.
Hike prices to stop people smoking - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Call for 50% cigarette price rise - Daily Mail 13/05/05
The Lancet Calls for Higher Tax on Cigarettes, Worldwide - Medical News Today 13/05/05
European doctors cover for GPs who won't work late - The Telegraph 12/05/05
Family doctors are being drafted in from Europe to cover for British GPs who are no longer offering out-of-hours services.
Four in 10 mothers 'need vitamin pills' - The Telegraph 12/05/05
Four out of 10 women need to supplement their diets with vitamins if they plan to have a baby, the Royal College of Midwives was told yesterday.
Nearly half of hospital patients who die 'receive inadequate care' - The Telegraph 12/05/05
Nearly half of the critically ill patients who died in British hospitals did not receive adequate care, according to a detailed analysis of their treatment published today.
Survey finds sub-standard ICU care - Daily Mail 12/05/05
400 wanted for trials of anthrax vaccine - The Telegraph 14/05/05
Volunteers are being offered 3,000 pounds each to take part in clinical trials of a new vaccine to protect people from anthrax.
Half of GPs pass 100,000 earnings barrier - The Telegraph 11/05/05
Almost half of family doctors have broken through the 100,000 pay barrier, said a survey published yesterday.
Hospital's ducks are health risk - The Telegraph 11/05/05
Patients and staff at a hospital in Cheshire have been asked to stop feeding families of ducks because of potential health hazards.
Combining heart pills 'reduces death risk' - The Telegraph 11/05/05
Heart disease patients who are prescribed a combination of three drugs are likely to live longer than patients taking just one of the options, researchers say today.
Range of drugs linked to sudden heart deaths - The Telegraph 11/05/05
Drugs commonly prescribed for a range of different complaints are linked to sudden death from heart attacks in a small but significant number of cases, researchers said yesterday.
Kitted out: pedometers - The Telegraph 10/05/05
Gear and gadgets for the great outdoors, tested by Robert Uhlig
Get set for summer with the diet that will change your life - The Telegraph 09/05/05
In the first part of a week-long series, Lesley Thomas introduces the GI diet, the revolutionary plan that will change your eating habits for eve
Get set for summer with the diet that will change your life - part two - The Telegraph 10/05/05
Get set for summer with the diet that will change your life - part three - The Telegraph 11/05/05
Get set for summer with the diet that will change your life - part four - The Telegraph 11/05/05
Get set for summer with the diet that will change your life - part five - The Telegraph 12/05/05
'It has made a world of difference' - The Telegraph 13/05/05
'I have been enjoying this diet' - The Telegraph 12/05/05
Sex matters with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson - The Times 14/05/05
I am 19 and have fallen in love with a boys who is far more sexually experienced than I. I really want to sleep with him, but I am worried that I could catch a horrible disease as a result of his past encounters
What's wrong with your ... Bridget Jones DVD? - The Times 14/05/05
Always falling for the wrong person? Unlock your inner Bridget Jones or Darcy
Hitting all the right notes - TheTimes 14/05/05
Singing in a choir is a real joy — especially when you can also spread a little harmony, says Ginny Dougary
Just a bit of a lad - The Times 14/05/05
Actor James Nesbitt has quit the fags, toned up his pecs for a new Murphy’s Law, and put his past behind him. He tells Tim Teeman that his greatest fear is going bald — and being too nice
Dr Copperfield: inside the mind of a GP - The Times 14/05/05
I’m the best thing since sliced bread — at least, that’s what one of my patients seemed to think ...
Junk medicine: immunisation spending - The Times 14/05/05
One of the favourite targets of the campaign against immunisation is drug company profits. Anti-vaccine groups regularly claim that risks are covered up by pharmaceutical giants because they threaten an easy stream of revenue. Governments and regulators, they charge, connive to protect this reliable cash cow, and scientists who ask awkward questions are silenced in the interests of a money-spinning industry.
High-risk babies - The Times 14/05/05
DESPITE recent warnings that sharing your bed with your baby increases its risk of cot death, a third of parents still do it, according to a new survey by the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID). Cot death kills seven babies every week.
Lonely teenager was driven to suicide pact by school bullying - The Times 14/05/05
A BULLIED teenage girl killed herself in a suicide pact because she could not bear to be parted from her best friend.
Let your hands talk - The Times 14/05/05
IF YOU find yourself stuck for words, try gesticulating — nicely, of course, we’re not talking of road rage.
Hand gestures linked to better speaking - Medical News Today 10/05/05
Decent exposure - The Times 14/05/05
Too much sun is bad, right? Simon Crompton meets the controversial scientist who says that we all need more sun to beat cancer
The bottom line - The Times 14/05/05
WHEN it comes to cosmetics, we don’t have many people protecting our interests, so thank goodness advertising watchdogs occasionally give everyone a wake-up call.
Lights out on night terrors - The Times 14/05/05
My son is 7 and has “night terrors” about twice a month. They last a minute or two and he appears to know I am there and responds when I ask if he can see me. In the morning he has no memory of them. He is a sensitive boy but is growing more confident, and is happy and popular at school. Most of what I’ve read says not to worry, but I do! Can you help?
A spot of bother - The Times 14/05/05
It’s a mini-plague that affects mini-people. But GPs cannot agree what to do when molluscum, the mystery virus, strikes
GL diet: choice is back on the menu - The Times 14/05/05
Say goodbye GI and hello GL - the new, improved diet for savvy slimmers. Nigel Denby offers a simple nutritious regimen that cuts out calorie-counting and keeps the weight off
GL diet: case study: I’ve lost 7lb in two weeks - The Times 14/05/05
GL diet: be prepared and beat the hunger pangs - The Times 14/05/05
GL diet: the recipes: watermelon, mint and feta salad ... - The Times 14/05/05
Find a true sole mate - The Times 14/05/05
The latest trainers are cushion-free and stripped down to replicate the feel of barefoot running
Not just anybody: actress Amanda Redman, 48 - The Times 14/05/05
At ease with herself. Actress Amanda Redman smokes, drinks and hates the gym; eye gel and curry work for her
Report on child sex abuse 'overstated' - The Times 14/05/05
A SPECIALIST on child abuse was criticised by the General Medical Council yesterday for compiling exaggerated reports that led to two nursery nurses being falsely accused of leading a paedophile ring.
'Exaggerating' specialist cleared - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Polio outbreak in Indonesia - Daily Mail 14/05/05
Indonesia has confirmed two more cases of polio, including the first in the country's teeming capital, as it struggled to contain the first outbreak of the disease in 10 years.
Number of polio cases in Indonesia rise - Medical News Today 12/05/05
Weighing up the diet drug - Daily Mail 13/05/05
As most dieters have discovered to their dismay, there is one thing harder than losing weight.
Acupuncture helped me have a daughter - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Emma Wilson was so determined to get pregnant that it was no surprise when she decided to have yet another stab.
Supermodel supports breastfeeding - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Supermodel Elle Macpherson has challenged hospitals to do more to help women breastfeed successfully.
Help breastfeeding women, says Elle - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Babies see colours by four months - Daily Mail 09/05/05
Babies as young as four months are able to distinguish between different colours, a study revealed.
'No MMR link' to Crohn's disease - Daily Mail 13/05/05
The triple measles, mumps and rubella jab does not increase the risk of Crohn's disease, a study shows.
MMR vaccine not linked to Crohn's disease - Reuters 13/05/05
MMR vaccine not linked to Crohn's disease - Reuters 13/05/05
MMR vaccine does not increase risk of Crohn's disease - Medical News Today 13/05/05
'Curb litter or rats will rule' - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Town centre streets could become rat-ridden disaster areas strewn with rubbish unless there is action to curb litter louts, a green pressure group have warned.
Heart op targets met years early - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Tens of thousands of heart patients are being treated quicker than ever before, with targets being met ahead of schedule, a report by the NHS chief executive has showed.
'Bionic' implant for stroke victim - Daily Mail 13/05/05
A British woman became the first person in the world to have a "bionic" device fitted to help restore some of her lost hand and arm movement.
Athletes - cannabis lingers longer - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Sports men and women should steer well clear of cannabis as it stays in the system longer than many other substances, according to an expert on drugs in sport.
Drugs warning over dementia - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Patients with dementia are still being prescribed dangerous drug treatments despite a warning from medicines experts, campaigners said.
Loyd leads hospital food campaign - Daily Mail 12/05/05
Moves to offer patients more choice in their hospital meals are being launched by TV presenter Loyd Grossman.
Concern over Caesarean births - Daily Mail 12/05/05
A campaign to tackle rising rates of Caesarean births in the UK is being spearheaded by midwives.
Court rejects IVF paternity bid - Daily Mail 12/05/05
A man who was made infertile by testicular cancer has failed in a bid to become the legal father of a child born to his ex-partner by donor insemination after they had parted.
'More smoke-free pubs in South' - Daily Mail 12/05/05
Anyone wanting to avoid a smoke-filled pub should stay in the south of England rather than head up north, a study has suggested.
North-south divide between the number of non-food pubs, UK, BMA survey - Medical News Today 12/05/05
'Tanorexic' girl defies doctor - Daily Mail 12/05/05
A "tanorexic" schoolgirl who used sunbeds up to five times a week today told how she is defying doctors' orders to stop.
Cut gym costs, physios urge - Daily Mail 12/05/05
Physiotherapists called for leisure centres to cut the cost of going to a gym after new research showed that sessions ranged from 1.90 to 7.30.
Season 'determines menopause onset' - Daily Mail 12/05/05
The season in which a woman is born has a big impact on the age at which she reaches the menopause, scientists said.
Month of birth influences menopause age - study - Reuters 12/05/05
Cocaine users 'risk aneurysms' - Daily Mail 10/05/05
Cocaine users are up to four times more likely to suffer a dangerous coronary aneurysm than non-users, according to a US study.
Doctor admits health care fraud - Daily Mail 10/05/05
A British doctor who trained in Scotland has pleaded guilty to four of 118 charges connected to health care fraud in the United States.
Public supports right-to-live case - Daily Mail 10/05/05
More than three-quarters of the public believe patients who are unable to communicate should be able to receive food and water by tube if they have asked in advance, a survey has revealed.
Road test for private convenience - Daily Mail 10/05/05
A British couple have travelled from John O'Groats to the tip of southern Italy without getting out of their car - to demonstrate their latest invention and highlight two little-talked-about diseases.
Stab man's family hand in petition - Daily Mail 10/05/05
The family of a former banker brutally stabbed to death by a paranoid schizophrenic have taken their campaign to prevent future similar killings to Downing Street.
Sun-tan warning for cancer patients - Daily Mail 10/05/05
Patients having treatment for cancer were warned to take extra care in the sun.
Concerns over teenage self-harming - Daily Mail 10/05/05
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of troubled teenagers presented for counselling with self-harm problems, it has emerged.
750,000 for hospital fall patient - Daily Mail 10/05/05
A 76-year-old woman left brain-damaged after falling from a hospital bed has been awarded £750,000
Premature baby study extended - Daily Mail 10/05/05
Researchers are to investigate the effect of different treatments on the long-term health of babies born extremely prematurely, it has been announced.
Late HIV diagnosis 'a problem' - BBC Health News 13/05/05
Diagnosis of HIV is often not happening until the infection is at a late stage, a study says.
HIV patients undiagnosed in UK - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Doctors 'failing to diagnose HIV' - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Many HIV patients are not diagnosed early enough, UK and Ireland - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Ocean waters yield cancer therapy - BBC Health News 13/05/05
Scientists believe they can make cancer drugs from the humble sea squirt.
Sponges as Drugs - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Hospital rumbles secret reporter - BBC Health News 13/05/05
A BBC investigative reporter blew her cover and was summarily sacked just hours after beginning a job as a hospital housekeeper.
Hospital sacks undercover reporter - Daily Mail 13/05/05
'Walk don't smoke' say scientists - BBC Health News 13/05/05
Going for a walk can help smokers break the habit according to new research by scientists at Exeter University.
Walking 'may help smokers give up' - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Patients ignore brushing advice - BBC Health News 13/05/05
Around two-thirds of gum disease patients ignore advice about how long to brush their teeth, a study suggests.
To clean, or not to clean? - Daily Mail 13/05/05
66% of patients ignore tooth advice - Daily Mail 13/05/05
Two-thirds of patients brush off their dentist's advice, UK - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Warning about rural roads' risk - BBC Health News 11/05/05
More needs to be done to make children in rural areas aware of the risk of road accidents, campaigners say.
Health bug controls 'improving' - BBC Health News 09/05/05
Efforts to tackle infections associated with healthcare are improving but more could be done, a new study says.
Germany's Merck hails cancer drug trial results - Reuters 15/05/05
Trials show that Merck KGaA's newly launched cancer drug Erbitux slows the spread of rectal and colon cancer and enables more patients to have surgery, the German drug and chemical company said late on Saturday.
Study: Glaxo drug effective in breast cancer - Reuters 15/05/05
GlaxoSmithKline Plc's experimental cancer pill lapatinib is effective as a first-line breast cancer treatment and applications for regulatory approval will be delayed until late 2006 or 2007 after more data is collected, the company said on Sunday.
Statins help prevent breast cancer, study finds - Reuters 14/05/05
Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins can prevent breast cancer, researchers told a conference on Saturday, meaning the already widely used drugs can prevent not only heart disease but range of cancers.
New data strengthens confidence in Dendreon drug - Reuters 14/05/05
A prostate cancer vaccine whose life-extending benefits had been questioned does seem to in fact to work, researchers said on Saturday.
Chemo helps surgery in hard-to-treat cancers - Reuters 14/05/05
Chemotherapy can shrink a tumor before surgery in certain hard-to-cure cancers, helping patients survive longer, researchers reported on Saturday.
Breast cancer drug may help prostate - study - Reuters 14/05/05
A drug used to treat breast cancer may also help prostate cancer from developing in men who have precancerous lesions, researchers reported on Saturday.
Weight Watchers tops Consumer Reports diet ratings - Reuters 14/05/05
Americans looking to shed those extra pounds should choose Weight Watchers International Inc. over low-carbohydrate rival the Atkins Diet, according to the latest issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
Nicotine vaccine helps smokers quit, study finds - Reuters 15/05/05
An experimental vaccine against nicotine helped smokers kick the habit, Swiss researchers reported on Saturday.
Drug slows progression of lung, breast cancer - Reuters 13/05/05
Patients with advanced lung cancer or advanced breast cancer who took Genentech Inc.'s cancer drug Avastin in combination with chemotherapy took longer to relapse than patients who took chemotherapy alone, researchers said on Friday.
Vascular disease linked to depression in elderly - Reuters 13/05/05
Older people with hardening of the arteries or other vascular diseases are prone to develop depression, according to a report presented here at the meeting of the American Geriatric Society.
Oral contraceptives boost herpes shedding - Reuters 13/05/05
For women with genital herpes, taking oral contraceptives can double the likelihood of actively shedding the virus and so passing on the infection, a new study shows.
Practical approach may cut teenage girls' STD rate - Reuters 13/05/05
In a study of sexually active black and Hispanic teenage girls, researchers found that a "skills-based" safer sex program offered at an adolescent health clinic helped cut the rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among girls who participated.
Cataract surgery may improve driving ability - Reuters 13/05/05
Surgery for cataracts can help older drivers see the road more clearly, and may get some former drivers behind the wheel again, new research shows.
Smokeless tobacco ups risk of pancreatic cancer - Reuters 13/05/05
Using smokeless tobacco is associated with an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer, researchers report.
Remicade reduces rheumatoid arthritis damage - Reuters 13/05/05
Some people with rheumatoid arthritis being treated with Remicade may feel little improvement but they may still benefit from this therapy, which appears to protect against joint damage, according to European and US researchers.
Breast cancer recurrence rare in Japanese women - Reuters 13/05/05
The rate of breast cancer recurrence is much lower among women of Japanese descent than among women in the general U.S. population, a study from Hawaii suggests.
Minor complications common with 'arm lift' surgery - Reuters 13/05/05
Approximately 1 in 4 women undergoing a so-called arm lift, to trim excess skin and fat from the upper arms, are likely to experience some minor complications such as infection, fluid collection and problems with scarring, new study findings suggest.
Hepatitis A test often misleading - Reuters 13/05/05
Routinely testing people for hepatitis A virus (HAV) -- when they don't have clinical symptoms of infection or a history of exposure -- raises the likelihood of false-positive results, investigators report.
Lonely students show weaker immunity: study - Reuters 13/05/05
First-year college students who consider themselves to be very lonely on campus and cut off from their friends and family back home may receive less benefit from flu vaccinations than their peers, new study findings suggest.
New drug shown to help control diabetes - Reuters 13/05/05
For people with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar is inadequately controlled when they're on two oral anti-diabetes medicines, the addition of an injected drug called exenatide is helpful, researchers report.
Nigeria opens blood screening center to fight AIDS - Reuters 12/05/05
President Olusegun Obasanjo opened Nigeria's first blood transfusion center Thursday to help stem the spread of the AIDS virus by preventing the use of contaminated blood in Africa's most populous nation.
Insulin identified as trigger that causes diabetes - Reuters 12/05/05
Two teams of scientists identified the hormone insulin on Wednesday as the trigger that causes the more severe form of diabetes.
Leprosy originated in Africa or Near East - study - Reuters 12/05/05
Leprosy, a disease widely believed to have been spread out of India, in fact appears to have originated in Africa or the Near East, scientists said on Thursday.
Leprosy genome tells story of human migrations, French researchers report in Science - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Asian states hampering bird flu checks - UN agencyAsian states hampering bird flu checks - UN agency - Reuters 12/05/05
A top U.N. agency official accused Asian nations of blocking proper monitoring of the deadly bird flu virus by giving too few samples to scientists, but denied a charge that his own agency was failing to share specimens.
ACE inhibitors helpful in heart and kidney disease - Reuters 12/05/05
ACE inhibitors, a class of drugs used to lower high blood pressure, also significantly improve the survival of older adults with heart failure and kidney disease, results of a new study show.
Kids may struggle to hit slow-moving balls - Reuters 12/05/05
If kids miss a slow-moving ball, don't write them off as non-sporty -- it's probably because their brains haven't yet developed the ability to track slow objects, new research suggests.
Early prostate cancer surgery improves survival - Reuters 12/05/05
For men diagnosed with early prostate cancer, one of their options is to wait to see if the disease progresses and then to undergo treatment if necessary. However, in terms of survival over the ensuing 10 years, immediate surgery seems a better choice, a Swedish study indicates.
Osteoporosis risk high for breast cancer survivors - Reuters 11/05/05
Postmenopausal women who have survived early breast cancer face a higher than average risk of osteoporosis, according to a report by Canadian researchers.
Drug mix boosts pancreatic cancer survival - study - Reuters 11/05/05
Pancreatic cancer patients who are given a combination of chemotherapy drugs survive longer than those prescribed a single treatment, Italian researchers said on Tuesday.
U.N. may add new chemicals to 'dirty dozen' - Reuters 09/05/05
Countries at a U.N. meeting in Uruguay agreed on Friday to consider adding four new chemicals to the "dirty dozen" list of banned pesticides and industrial chemicals, a U.N. official said.
Sex researchers shed light on unpopular sex acts - Reuters 09/05/05
From bondage to "breath play" and zoophilia, it's not easy keeping up with society's fast-developing sexual trends.
Britons unaware of breastfeeding benefits: survey - Reuters 09/05/05
Many Britons are unaware of the health benefits of breastfeeding for both the baby and mother, according to a poll released on Monday.
Red Cross launches $653 mln 5-yr tsunami aid plan - Reuters 09/05/05
The global Red Cross and Red Crescent body on Monday launched a $653 million five-year plan to help 10 Asian and African nations around the Indian Ocean to rebuild after last December's devastating tsunami.
Erectile Dysfunction, High Blood Pressure Linked - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Men with high blood pressure have a new reason to get their condition under control - they may be at risk for erectile dysfunction, medical experts announced today at the American Society of Hypertension's Twentieth Annual Scientific Meeting.
Eye candy: Transcriptional control of vertebrate eye development - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Dr Greg Lemke and colleagues have determined that two ventral anterior homeobox (Vax) genes act as intracellular effectors of Shh signaling in the developing eye field and are required for proper optic nerve formation.
Zambia to Receive $115M in PEPFAR Funding in 2005, Up From Nearly $82M in 2004 - Medical News Today 15/05/05
The United States will grant $115 million in... President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief funding to Zambia in 2005, U.S. Ambassador to Zambia Martin Brennan said on Wednesday, Xinhua News Agency reports (Xinhua News Agency, 5/11). PEPFAR is a five-year, $15 billion program that directs funding for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria primarily to 15 focus countries and provides funding to the Global Fund To Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 5/10). Brennan said $15.5 million of the funding will go toward improving access to antiretroviral drugs, $8.2 million will be spent on training counselors and improving access to counseling and testing services, $6.5 million will be spent on preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission, and $5.7 million will go toward the care of orphans and other vulnerable children, according to Xinhua News Agency. The 2005 grant is an increase over the $81.7 million that Zambia received from PEPFAR in 2004, which was the fourth highest grant among the focus countries. "The U.S. funding will build on [the] previous year's contribution to Zambian national program accomplishments in prevention, treatment, care, systems strengthening and policy analysis and strategic information," Brennan said (Xinhua News Agency, 5/11). One in five people in Zambia is HIV-positive, and people ages 15 to 49 are the most-affected group (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/27).
Avastin® extends survival in lung cancer study - Medical News Today 15/05/05
A new study, presented for the first time today, reveals that Avastin® (bevacizumab rhuMAb-VEGF) significantly extends survival for patients with previously untreated, advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)1, the most common form of lung cancer. The data were presented at the 2005 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Orlando, USA. There are now three cancer types in which Avastin has demonstrated significant clinical benefit - breast, lung and bowel cancer - the three biggest cancer killers in the UK2. Avastin is the only anti-angiogenic agent to report clinical benefit in each of these cancer types.
New restrictions on lead and mercury in paints, enamels and similar products, Canada - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Health Canada today announced that regulations are now in place that set new, lower acceptable levels for lead and mercury in paints, enamels, varnishes, lacquers, shellacs or similar materials that dry to a solid film on the application surface. The regulations do not apply to materials that become absorbed into the application surface, such as wood stains and sealers.
Vitamin D - More May Be Better - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Vitamin D has long been known to help keep your bones in good shape. The May issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter covers new research that shows vitamin D may play a much bigger role in overall health.
Vaccine to stop smoking effective in phase II trials - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Cytos Biotechnology AG announced that its vaccine candidate CYT002-NicQb to treat nicotine addiction has achieved proof of efficacy. The phase II clinical trial results were presented by Prof. Dr. Jacques Cornuz (CHUV Lausanne), principal investigator, at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando, USA, on behalf of the three Swiss study centres. The study included 341 smokers and assessed safety, tolerability and efficacy of the vaccine candidate.
Regular Physical Fitness Not Enough for Patients with Severe Hypertension - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Physical fitness and regular exercise reduces a major predictor of cardiovascular disease in adults with normal blood pressure or mild hypertension. Physical conditioning in the absence of medication is not, however, as advantageous to the more severe hypertensive patient, reported researchers at the American Society of Hypertension Twentieth Annual Scientific Meeting.
Medical Experts Revisit Pediatric Blood Pressure Guidelines One Year Later - Medical News Today 15/05/05
One year after recommending that children should be checked for high blood pressure starting at age 3, medical experts reviewed additional supporting evidence for the pediatric blood pressure guidelines at the American Society of Hypertension's Twentieth Annual Meeting (ASH 2005).
Patricia Hewitt, New Secretary of State for Health, Biography, UK - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Patricia Hewitt served as Member of Parliament for Leicester West from 1997 to 2005. She took over from Greville Janner (now Lord Janner) who served as MP for 27 years, following his father, Barney Janner. She was formerly Minister for Small Business and e-Commerce at the Department of Trade and Industry (1999-2001) and Economic Secretary at the Treasury (1998-1999).
Techno Medica Develops Automated Urine Analyzer - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Tokyo (JCNN) - Techno Medica announced on May 11 that it has developed automated urine analyzer UA ROBO-700i and will begin shipping it in October. The new device can complete qualitative analysis in 30 seconds (120 seconds for a leukocyte test).
NHS Pocket Guide launched at 'HR in the NHS' conference, UK - Medical News Today 15/05/05
The NHS Confederation, which represents more than 90% of NHS organisations, launches the 2005/06 edition of its Pocket guide to the NHS in England at the HR in the NHS conference in Birmingham this week.
Sexual attraction, for some fish size matters - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Competing evolutionary mechanisms influence male genital size in some fish species reflecting the tradeoff between a capacity to attract mates and the ability to quickly evade predators, according to a report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
People with Oral Pain Wait Too Long Before Seeking Help, USA - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Rural residents are nearly twice as likely as their urban counterparts to postpone timely trips to the dentist, seeking help only after they develop a problem and oral pain is severe, University of Florida researchers report.
NEXIUM® Can Reduce Upper GI Symptoms in Patients Using NSAIDS, Clinical Trials Indicate - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Results from two clinical trials, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, demonstrate that NEXIUM® (esomeprazole magnesium) can reduce upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms - such as moderate to severe pain, burning and discomfort in the upper abdomen- associated with continuous, daily use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including selective COX-2 inhibitors.
New test for early detection of prostate cancer shows promise - Medical News Today 15/05/05
In the first clinical study of a new blood protein associated with prostate cancer, researchers have found that the marker, called EPCA or early prostate cancer antigen, can successfully detect prostate cancer in its earliest stages. At the same time, the marker successfully avoids the problem of false positive results that plagues prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing.
Lapatinib shows 35% response in advanced breast cancer patients in initial trial of the drug as first-line treatment - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Thirty-five percent of women (14 of 40) with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer have responded to lapatinib as first-line therapy, according to interim results of a study reported today at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)1. The data are the first to be reported on the use of lapatinib as a first-line therapy.
Advanced colorectal cancer, PTK/ZK trial confirms positive drug effects - Medical News Today 15/05/05
First results from the Phase III CONFIRM 1 trial showed PTK/ZK, a new oral targeted therapy designed to block the growth of blood and lymphatic vessels, demonstrated positive drug effects in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer combined with FOLFOX chemotherapy as first-line therapy.
New kidney cancer drug response rate is more than double that of standard treatment - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Recent studies of a new anticancer drug show continued response for patients with late-stage kidney cancer. Robert Motzer, MD, attending physician at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), reported a response rate of 40 percent in patients with metastatic (advanced) renal cell (kidney) cancer who received SU11248 in second-line therapy. Findings from two consecutive, Phase II multicenter trials of 169 patients were presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Function of cancer genes discovered - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Dutch researcher Sebastian Nijman has discovered new genes which are involved in the development of cancer. The results of his research have led to a new treatment for patients with an inherited form of cancer, cylindromatosis.
ANSI Solicits Participation on New Technical Advisory Group in the Area of Nanotechnology - Medical News Today 15/05/05
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is currently soliciting participation in a US Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the International Organization for Standardization's (ISO) new Technical Committee (TC) in Nanotechnologies.
Alarm as polio cases rise around the world - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Health officials in several parts of the world are expressing alarm at the rise in the number of polio cases. Many had thought polio, like smallpox, was becoming one of those diseases people would eventually only read about in history books. Unfortunately, the poliomyelitis virus is finding its way back to Asia (from Africa).
Benefits of Interventions Targeting Multiple Risk Factors During and After Pregnancy - Medical News Today 15/05/05
A new report suggests that pregnancy-related health interventions work best when multiple risk factors are dealt with simultaneously and when intervention efforts continue after a baby is born. The report, "An Integrated Psycho-Behavioral Intervention During Pregnancy Has Significant Effects in Reducing Risks During the Post-Partum Period in African-American Women" was prepared by Ayman El-Mohandes, MD, MPH, professor of Pediatrics and Obstetrics at GW and interim chair of the Department of Prevention and Community Health in GW's School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS), for the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, convening May 14-17 in Washington, D.C.
Campaign for real births as C-sections rise, UK - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Midwives have launched a "campaign for normal birth" to help stem the rising numbers of caesarean births.
Doctors and patients think differently about clinical trials, study - Medical News Today 15/05/05
A survey of patients and physicians regarding clinical trials shows that doctors don't recognize the importance of side effects as a barrier for their patients in deciding about whether to undergo experimental therapy. That is one result of a survey of doctors and patients examining the psychosocial influences on clinical trial participation. The results were presented today at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's 41st Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla.
Children at risk from injury from eyeglasses, 21% of all injured are aged 2-17 - Medical News Today 15/05/05
An estimated 96 million people in the United States wear prescription eyeglasses. According to researchers at Columbus Children's Research Institute (CCRI) on the campus of Columbus Children's Hospital, during a two-year period of time, more than 26,000 people were treated in U.S. emergency departments for eyeglasses-related injuries, and six percent of these injuries resulted in admission to the hospital. Columbus Children's Hospital researchers also found that the mechanism of injury differed according to the age of the person wearing the eyeglasses. The findings were presented May 15, 2005, at the Pediatric Academic Societies' annual meeting in Washington, D.C.
Kidney cancer drug sorafenib doubles progression-free survival rate - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Bayer HealthCare AG and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc announced that sorafenib (formerly BAY 43-9006) was shown to significantly slow tumor progression in an ongoing Phase III trial in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), or kidney cancer. Results from the international study -- the largest randomized, controlled study in advanced kidney cancer -- were presented at the meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando, Florida by Dr. Bernard Escudier, one of the principal investigators, from the Gustave-Roussy Institute, Paris, France. In the study, as assessed by independent radiological review, the median progession-free survival rate in the sorafenib group was 24 weeks (167 days) compared with 12 weeks (84 days) for patients receiving placebo.
Everyday Vigorous Activity Increases Bone Strength in Children - Medical News Today 15/05/05
Young children who engage in 40 minutes of normal vigorous activity each day have significantly stronger bones than their less active peers, according to new research presented in the July issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, the official scientific journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Researchers say the results indicate activity during childhood, when bone is most likely to adapt and adjust to the strains of physical activity, may have as much influence on osteoporosis prevention as adult interventions.
Dutch-Bangla Bank Agrees to Pay for Antiretroviral Treatment for 23 Women, Children in Bangladesh - Medical News Today 15/05/05
The Dutch-Bangla Bank has agreed to pay for antiretroviral treatment for 23 HIV-positive women and children in Bangladesh, bank officials said on Wednesday, AFP/Yahoo! News reports. "The patients will get the drugs free of cost through two local groups who work with HIV and AIDS patients," Mojammel Hussain Khan, a senior official at Dutch-Bangla Bank, said. AIDS advocates in Bangladesh said that the bank's offer represented the first time that a private company has agreed to provide financial aid for HIV-positive people, many of whom cannot afford antiretrovirals, according to AFP/Yahoo! News. Habiba Akhter -- executive director of Aashar Alo Society, one of the two groups working with HIV-positive people in Dhaka, Bangladesh -- said that the country's government and international donors have been spending funds on prevention and awareness campaigns but have not focused on providing antiretroviral drugs for people who already are HIV-positive, according to AFP/Yahoo! News. "We hope more business houses will now follow in the footsteps of the bank," Akhter said (AFP/Yahoo! News, 5/11). According to UNAIDS, there were 13,000 HIV-positive people in Bangladesh in 2002, and a study funded by the United Nations in 2004 showed that the number of HIV/AIDS cases in the country had tripled in the last six years (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/8).
Is your pain medication safe? - Medical News Today 15/05/05
With recent news associating certain pain medications with increased heart attack risks, it's a good time to discuss pain medication options with your doctor.
Herceptin may have role in bladder cancer treatment, study - Medical News Today 15/05/05
A targeted drug shown to improve the outcome of certain breast cancer patients may be of use in the treatment of advanced cases of bladder cancer, according to new research led by the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Alzheimer's Patients' Ability to Make Decisions about Treatment, Study - Medical News Today 14/05/05
People with very mild Alzheimer's disease are still competent to make decisions about their treatment, while those with moderate Alzheimer's may no longer be able to competently make those decisions, according to a study published in the May 10 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study also found that people who were aware of their Alzheimer's diagnosis, symptoms, and prognosis were more likely to be able to make competent decisions, regardless of the severity of their disease.
DOE JGI announces 2006 Community Sequencing Program portfolio - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Embedded in the language of DNA, the common link among all living things, are lessons for interpreting the complex systems that regulate the health of planet Earth. Now, rounding out this global lesson plan are more than 40 new genome projects, representing a cornucopia of life forms, from the important grain sorghum, to catfish, crustaceans, and a host of extreme lifestyle microbes, slated for DNA sequencing by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI).
Organisms in Soil May Protect Lettuce from E. coli - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Researchers from Norway believe that naturally occurring organisms present in soil may protect lettuce from contamination by a common foodborne pathogen. Their findings appear in the May 2005 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Study Reveals Smog Clearing Properties Of Atmosphere - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Chemists at the University of California, San Diego and Purdue University have discovered that natural chemical processes in the atmosphere may be removing smog and other damaging hydrocarbons at a faster rate than once believed.
We are more fertile than chimps, but more prone to cancer - it's all in the genes - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Chimpanzees and humans share a common ancestor, and even today 99 percent of the two species' DNA is identical. But since the paths of man and chimp diverged 5 million years ago, that one percent of genetic difference appears to have changed humans in an unexpected way: It could have made people more prone to cancer.
Robotic surgery dramatically reduces physical trauma for head & neck cancer patients - Medical News Today 14/05/05
For patients with cancer of the mouth and throat, surgery is a frequent course of treatment, often leading to speech and swallowing dysfunction and external scarring. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine's Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, have completed two studies - the most comprehensive and largest to date - that demonstrate the effective use of the daVinci Surgical Robotic SystemÒ to perform Trans-Oral Robotic Surgery (TORS) which greatly reduces surgical trauma for patients. Their initial findings will be presented Monday, May 16th at 11:45 a.m., at the combined annual meetings of otorhinolaryngology (ear, nose and throat) experts - the Triologic Society, May 13th through16th, in Boca Raton, Florida.
Innovative coating could give medical implants a longer life - Medical News Today 14/05/05
By mimicking an adhesive protein secreted by mussels and a polymer that repels cells and proteins, researchers at Northwestern University have designed a versatile new two-sided coating that could breathe life into medical implants.
Fitness Linked To Fewer Doctor, Hospital Visits - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Physically fit men had fewer overnight hospital stays and visited their doctors less frequently, according to the results of a long-term study published this month in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, the official scientific journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The research provides further evidence of the numerous health benefits of exercise, especially for those who are unfit. By enhancing health with physical activity, experts say the frequency of utilizing the healthcare system is likely reduced, creating a cost savings in both public and private sectors.
New book explains antibiotic resistance for a broad audience - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Media coverage about "superbugs" that defy current treatments has increased the public's awareness of and fears surrounding the issue of antibiotic resistance. A new book from ASM Press, Revenge of the Microbes: How Bacterial Resistance is Undermining the Antibiotic Miracle, provides an in-depth overview of the subject in a reader-friendly, comprehensible style that will engage everyone from scientists to everyday citizens.
Lung cancer patients - Blocking blood vessels provides new option for many - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Patients with a particular type of advanced lung cancer may have a new option based on data presented here at the 2005 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology showing that combining a drug that cuts off the cancer's blood supply with standard chemotherapy can shrink tumors and extend life.
Experiment Station Researchers to Explore Genome of Disease-Fighting Fungus - Medical News Today 14/05/05
A team of Texas Agricultural Experiment Station scientists will soon begin genome sequencing a disease-fighting fungus used to protect crops, which has implications for both agriculture and the pharmaceutical industry.
Best organic businesses 2005 announced by Soil Association, UK - Medical News Today 14/05/05
TV presenter Gillian McKeith and a pioneering farmer supplying organic milk to his local hospital are among the winners in this year's Organic Industry Awards presented by the Soil Association - the UK's leading organisation promoting organic food and farming.
10,000 steps a day help middle-aged women keep normal body weight and have smaller waists - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Middle-aged women who took at least 10,000 steps per day on average were much more likely to fall into recommended ranges for measures of body composition such as total body weight and body fat percentage, according to the results of a study published in the May 2004 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Conversely, inactive women - those taking fewer than 6,000 steps per day - were more likely to be overweight or obese and have higher waist circumferences, a strong predictor of increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
HHS Revises Web Site Aimed at Helping Parents Talk to Teens About Sex Education Issues After Groups Complain About Bias, USA - Medical News Today 14/0
HHS has revised its Web site designed to help parents discuss sexual abstinence with their teenage children following criticism that the site provided biased and inaccurate information, the... AP/Raleigh News & Observer reports (Freking, AP/Raleigh News & Observer, 5/11). The Web site -- 4parents.gov -- is one of several new communication tools developed by HHS' Office of Population Affairs and Administration for Children & Families to help parents talk to their teenage children about sexual abstinence. The site includes information on various health topics, statistics, conversation starters and interactive tools and also instructs parents to tell their teenage children to abstain from sex. In March, 145 advocacy groups -- including the American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Campaign, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States -- sent a letter to HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt criticizing the Web site for inaccurate information (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 4/1).
S African Radio Program Examines Infidelity as Underlying Cause of Country's HIV/AIDS Pandemic, 'The World' Reports - Medical News Today 14/05/05
"Cheaters," a weekly, reality radio show in South Africa that is loosely based on a U.S. television show with the same name, is a "microcosm" of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country, where HIV primarily is transmitted through unprotected heterosexual sex,... "The World" -- a production of BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston -- reported on Wednesday. According to PRI, infidelity "can be fatal" in South Africa, which has more HIV-positive residents than any other country in the world, and an episode of the show in which a woman revealed that she and her fiance are HIV-positive to his two other girlfriends provided a "frightening reminder of the dangers" of the practice. Some listeners say the program encourages fidelity among local residents, who fear getting caught by the program (Costello, "The World," PRI, 5/11).
Chinese Government, Merck Partner to Launch HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment Project - Medical News Today 14/05/05
The Chinese government and US-based pharmaceutical company Merck on Wednesday launched a joint HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment project in the country,... Xinhuanet reports. Merck will fund the initiative with $30 million over five years, and China's Ministry of Health will provide medical personnel and equipment for the project, which is expected to begin later this fall in a southwestern province of China. The project aims to prevent the spread of HIV and provide treatment and care for HIV-positive patients, according to Xinhuanet (Xinhuanet, 5/11). The initiative will aim to identify high-risk groups, such as injection drug users and commercial sex workers; promote HIV/AIDS awareness and education programs; expand condom distribution and needle-exchange programs; offer care and treatment to HIV-positive individuals; train health care professionals; and provide social and economic support to HIV/AIDS patients (Merck release, 5/11). The Chinese government estimates that there are 840,000 HIV-positive people in the country and that 80,000 of those people have AIDS. However, international experts and advocates say that the actual number of HIV-positive people in China probably is between one million and 1.5 million. UNAIDS has said that the number of HIV-positive people living in China could increase to 10 million by 2010 unless steps are taken to address the disease (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 3/14).
Very Early Antiretroviral Treatment of HIV-Positive Infants Slows Progression of Disease, Study Says - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Administering antiretroviral treatment to very young, HIV-positive infants, especially when treatment starts before age three months, decreases the chance they will progress to the "advanced stage" of the disease by age three years, according to a study published in the May 11 issue of the... Journal of the American Medical Association, Reuters Health reports. Dr. David Berk of the Stanford School of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases and colleagues involved with the California Pediatric HIV Study Group examined the medical records of 205 HIV-positive infants born in Northern California between 1988 and 2001. Of the 205 children -- who were followed through age three -- about 65% received antiretroviral therapy and/or pneumonia prophylaxis, according to Reuters Health. By age three, 81 of the children had progressed to an AIDS diagnosis, and 41 of those children had died, according to Reuters Health (Gale, Reuters Health, 5/10). Untreated children were significantly more likely to progress to an advanced stage of disease, compared with children who received treatment. Overall, about 62% of untreated children studied progressed to an advanced stage of HIV, compared with 28% of treated children (Berk et al., JAMA, 5/11).
Short Bouts of Exercise Reduce Fat in The Bloodstream After Meals - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Accumulated, short bouts of exercise are more effective than continuous exercise for lowering fat and triglyceride levels in the bloodstream after eating. This new research, presented in the August issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, the official scientific journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), supports intermittent exercise, multiple 10-minute bouts that accumulate to at least 30 minutes a day on most, if not all, days of the week, as a way to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Sensor warns of gastrointestinal problems - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Dutch researcher Sebastiaan Herber has developed a sensor which can detect poor blood circulation in the stomach. A high level of carbon dioxide in the stomach is a characteristic of this so-called gastrointestinal ischaemia. By measuring this concentration the sensor can indicate how good or bad the circulation in the stomach wall is.
GMC launches review of undergraduate medical education in the UK - Medical News Today 14/05/05
The conference 'Medical Education: From Here to Where?' was opened on Monday 9 May, by The Right Hon. Lady Justice Janet Smith DBE, Chair of The Shipman Inquiry.
Genome of a Social Amoeba Sequenced for the First Time - Medical News Today 14/05/05
As part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft's (DFG, German Research Foundation) “Genome Sequencing” initiative, researchers at the Center for Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, and the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMB) in Jena, working as part of an international collaboration with colleagues from the USA, the United Kingdom, Japan and France have sequenced the genome of the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. The results of their research are published in the current issue of Nature (Nature 435, 5 May 2005). Over the course of several years, the German team, led by Angelika Noegel, Ludwig Eichinger, Gernot Glöckner, André Rosenthal and Matthias Platzer, as part of the international team, has sequenced 60 percent of the 34 million or so bases that constitute this minute creature's genetic makeup.
Fitness, Strength Measured Before/After Pregnancy - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Fitness and strength decline during pregnancy and the early postpartum period, but improve by approximately 27 weeks postpartum regardless of the mother's body mass index (BMI), according to research in the May issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The study was designed to examine changes that occur in a woman's body with pregnancy and to determine what role physical activity may play among pregnancy-induced changes in body composition and physiology. Because pregnancy may decondition a woman's body, researchers measured fitness before pregnancy and postpartum in order to determine the overall effect of pregnancy on a woman's fitness level.
ADHD improves with sensory intervention, Study finds - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Preliminary findings from a study of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show that sensory intervention -- for example, deep pressure and strenuous exercise -- can significantly improve problem behaviors such as restlessness, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Of the children receiving occupational therapy, 95 percent improved. This is the first study of this size on sensory intervention for ADHD.
74 million boost for patient centred research to develop new therapies, UK - Medical News Today 14/05/05
Funding of 74 million is announced (Wednesday 11 May) to provide a major boost to experimental medicine1 in the UK to develop new treatments for patients. Experimental medicine brings together laboratory and clinical patient-based research to answer important questions about health and disease. The resulting knowledge can then be used to speed up the development of new treatments to benefit patients.
Battling against noise pollution for a quieter Europe - Medical News Today 14/05/05
The first comprehensive methodology to measure and map noise patterns will help the European Union lay down a common approach to avoiding, preventing and reducing harmful noise that currently affects a quarter of Europe's population.
Gene 'archeology' gets easier using Carnegie Mellon University software - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Comparing genomes of different species can tell you when new genes evolved and what they do for their respective hosts. But pinpointing the ancestry of any given gene is a complex computational task. Now, powerful new software makes gene "archeology" considerably easier, reports a team of investigators at Carnegie Mellon University. The scientists, who are making this software publicly available for the first time, are presenting their findings Monday, May 16, at the RECOMB meeting in Cambridge, Mass.
Colon Cancer Treatment - Keyhole Surgery Set to Become New Gold Standard - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Keyhole surgery for colon cancer is as effective as open surgery in the short term, concludes a randomised trial published in this week's issue of The Lancet.
New Minister for Pharmacy and Quality and Patient Safety, Jane Kennedy, UK - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Rt Hon Jane Kennedy MP (Labour, Liverpool Wavertree) is the Minister of State for Quality and Patient Safety and is responsible for pharmacy.
Older people are better at picking their battles, studies show - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Older people are less likely than younger people to react aggressively when problems come up in their relationships, University of Michigan research shows.
GMC needs to get its head out of the sand over revalidation, UK - Medical News Today 13/05/05
The General Medical Council needs to get its head out of the sand over revalidation, argues a senior doctor in this week's BMJ.
Scripps scientists describe protein used by bacteria and cancer cells to resist drugs - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have solved the structure of a protein called MsbA that is involved in resisting antibiotics and chemotherapy.
Heart failure wall stress drops 38% with moderate thyroid hormone therapy - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Not only is low thyroid function very common in congestive heart failure, it also indicates a reduced likelihood of recovery, and an increased chance of death.
Professor criticises medicine's 'blind spot', patients' symptoms - Medical News Today 13/05/05
If modern scientific medicine is to meet the needs of today's patients, it will have to pay more attention to patients' symptoms and not just to their diseases, a University of Edinburgh Professor says in his inaugural lecture (Thursday, 12 May).
Why embryos need a good diet, nutrition influences growth of organs - Medical News Today 13/05/05
A thick-coated vole and a man with cardiovascular disease have something in common: both are doing what their mothers told them. They are part of the developmental programming phenomenon that is broader than many acknowledge, according to a review paper published in The Journal of Physiology.
All U.S. Residents Should Have Access to 'Virtual-Assisted Living' Programs, Opinion Piece Says - Medical News Today 13/05/05
"In a just world," all US residents would have access to "virtual assisted-living," programs that allow residents to remain in their own apartments while "any service you need comes to you, a la carte," Robert Kuttner, co-editor of... The American Prospect, writes in a Boston Globe opinion piece. According to Kuttner, Beacon Hill Village in Boston is the only community of this kind in the nation and was developed by residents who did not want to move to nursing homes. About 300 residents in Boston's Beacon Hill, Back Bay and West End neighborhoods participate in the program, which can procure for residents "anyone from an electrician to a nurse, provide in-home meals or exercise classes and basically provide anything a residential program does," Kuttner writes. The program has a $500 annual membership fee, which is applied toward the cost of services, Kuttner writes, adding that a local foundation and grants subsidize costs for about one-fifth of the program's participants. Noting that Beacon Hill Village "is a lot less costly to society and more dignified than an old folks' home," Kuttner writes that the federal government should provide "challenge grants so that senior citizens in communities all over America could have counterparts to Beacon Hill Village" (Kuttner, Boston Globe, 5/11).
Researchers Develop Blood Test to Detect Ovarian Cancer in Early Stages, Study Says - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Researchers have developed a blood test that can detect ovarian cancer in its early stages, before symptoms develop and when treatment is likely to be most effective, according to a study published in the early edition of the May 9 issue of the... Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, BBC News reports (BBC News, 5/10). Gil Mor, an associate professor at the Yale University School of Medicine, and colleagues developed a test that relies on four marker proteins -- leptin, prolactin, osteopontin and insulin-like growth factor II -- to identify ovarian cancer (Lister, Times, 5/10). The researchers used the test in a trial involving 106 cancer-free women and 100 women with ovarian cancer, including 24 in an early stage of the disease, and were able to accurately identify 95% of the cases, Reuters Health reports. Researchers found that in women with ovarian cancer, prolactin and osteopontin levels were significantly higher and leptin and insulin-like growth factor-II levels were significantly lower than the levels found in cancer-free women. Researchers said that the extent to which the proteins "can serve as potential biomarkers" of other types of cancer "must be investigated rigorously" (Reuters Health, 5/9). Researchers also said that they will work to improve the test, which is required to be 99.6% accurate in order to be considered reliable enough for national screening programs in the United Kingdom (Hodgson, Guardian, 5/10). "Early diagnosis can help prolong or save lives, but clinicians currently have no sensitive screening method because the disease shows few symptoms," Mor said (BBC News, 5/10). About 70% to 80% of ovarian cancer cases that are found in the early stages can be cured (Xinhuanet, 5/10). About 22,000 U.S. women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, and about 16,000 women annually die of the disease, according to the American Cancer Society (Bazell, MSNBC.com, 5/9).
Understanding how bacteria communicate may help scientists prevent disease - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Rahul Kulkarni, assistant professor of physics at Virginia Tech, has been awarded a Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from Oak Ridge Associated Universities to continue his research on quorum sensing in bacteria. He is modeling the sequence of events that initiate activity, such as virulence, by a bacteria colony once it has reached a critical size.
Patient waiting times latest, UK - Medical News Today 13/05/05
The number of patients, for whom English commissioners are responsible, waiting over 9 months at the end of March 2005 was 41. Of these 41, 6 were English residents waiting in Welsh hospitals.
Unlocking mysteries of brain, grooming future med students goals of UH prof - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Grooming future health care professionals is just one important contribution Costa M Colbert makes at the University of Houston.
Mice Brains Shrink During Winter, Impairing Some Learning And Memory - Medical News Today 13/05/05
The brains of one species of mouse actually shrink during the winter, causing the mice to have more difficulty with some types of learning, a new study found.
Heart Patients Getting Faster Treatment, UK - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Chief Executive's Report shows sustained progress - health service at halfway point of implementing the NHS Plan
Astelin® Nasal Spray Provided Greater Improvement in Relieving Nasal Allergy Symptoms Than Zyrtec® - Medical News Today 13/05/05
A new head-to-head, peer-reviewed clinical trial demonstrated that ASTELIN® Nasal Spray™ (azelastine HCl), marketed by MedPointe Pharmaceuticals, provided 25 percent greater reduction in nasal symptoms than top-selling prescription antihistamine Zyrtec? (cetirizine HCl), marketed by Pfizer Inc. The new data, published in the May 2005 issue of Clinical Therapeutics, also showed that ASTELIN offered significantly greater improvements in allergy patients' quality of life, compared to Zyrtec.
Active vaccine prevents mice from developing prion disease - Medical News Today 13/05/05
NYU School of Medicine scientists have created the first active vaccine that can significantly delay and possibly prevent the onset of a brain disease in mice that is similar to mad cow disease. The new findings, published online this week in the journal Neuroscience, could provide a platform for the development of a vaccine to prevent a group of fatal brain diseases caused by unusual infectious particles called prions.
Liver Receptor Key To Diet-Dependent Differences in Blood Lipid Levels (Cholesterol) - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered that a molecule found in liver cells is an important link in explaining the relationship among diet, lipid levels in blood, and atherosclerosis. The research team surmises that drugs targeted at the liver may one day help lower elevated lipids and battle cardiovascular disease. Mitchell Lazar, MD, PhD, Director of the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism at Penn, and colleagues report their findings in the May 2005 issue of Cell Metabolism.
Heart or vascular disease could indicate kidney problems - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Cardiovascular risk factors appear to indicate deteriorating renal function in all adults. Researchers discovered various indicators of heart or vascular disease can signal that kidney function is on the decline in the general population, as published in the May issue of Kidney International.
Africa responds to close down polio epidemic - Medical News Today 13/05/05
As polio reaches as far as Indonesia, over 77 million children to be immunized at heart of outbreak to prevent further spread.
Older adults with insomnia report falling asleep faster with ramelteon - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Results from a Phase 3 clinical study presented at the 2005 Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society showed that bedtime administration of ramelteon, an investigational compound currently under review for the treatment of insomnia, significantly reduced time to fall asleep in older adults with chronic insomnia. Additionally, no rebound insomnia or withdrawal effects were observed.
Suspected Acute Haemorrhagic Fever Syndrome in the Republic of the Congo - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Between 27 April and 11 May 2005, a total of 9 suspected cases of acute haemorrhagic fever syndrome has been reported in Etoumbi (8) and Mbomo (1) in Cuvette Ouest Region. All cases have been fatal.
Rice bran oil may melt away cholesterol, fight cancer and infection - Medical News Today 13/05/05
A natural component of rice bran oil lowers cholesterol in rats, and ongoing research also shows it may have potential as an anti-cancer and anti-infection agent in humans, according to a University of Rochester scientist who has studied the antioxidant since 1996.
A&E Attendances, Stop Smoking Services, UK - Medical News Today 13/05/05
The UK Department of Health released the following statistics today.
Stem cell trial in heart failure patients to begin - injecting patient's bone marrow-derived stem cells directly into heart muscle - Medical News Today 13/05/05
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) is beginning a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and feasibility of a potential treatment for congestive heart failure that involves injecting a patient's own bone marrow-derived stem cells directly into the heart muscle. The procedure is expected to be performed in five to 10 patients who are scheduled to receive a heart assist device as a bridge to organ transplantation.
The effects of prenatal cocaine exposure - lasting and lifelong adverse effects on the heart - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Cocaine abuse is becoming increasingly prevalent among women of childbearing age, and is associated with numerous adverse perinatal outcomes. New research, published in The Journal of Physiology, by Professor Lubo Zhang and his research team from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California presents the exciting novel finding that cocaine exposure in utero has lasting and lifelong adverse effects on the heart in adulthood, particularly if you are male!
Atmosphere may cleanse itself better than previously thought - Medical News Today 13/05/05
A research team from Purdue University and the University of California, San Diego has found that the Earth's atmosphere may be more effective at cleansing itself of smog and other damaging hydrocarbons than was once thought.
Your Type 2 Diabetes Risk Influenced by Grandma's Diet - Medical News Today 13/05/05
An innovative study published online in The Journal of Physiology in Press provides the first evidence that the insulin resistance typical of type 2 diabetes can be "programmed" across two generations by poor nutrition during a grandmother's pregnancy and lactation.
Adulteration of spices and other foods with industrial dyes - European Commission's Standing Committee Conclusions - Medical News Today 13/05/05
The Standing Committee met on 10 May 2005 to assess the situation with respect to the adulteration of spices and other foods with industrial dyes, in particular the recent findings of Para Red. EFSA will carry out a review of toxicological data available on p-Red and other similar dyes; tentative timescale: 2 months. Analytical methods: UK, NL, FR and ES agreed that their laboratory would work in a network in order to further develop analytical methods for p-Red, to extend the method to other similar dyes in food and to improve consistency of results. DE will explore the possibility of participating in the network (feedback by 12 May). Tentative timescale: 2 weeks.
New medical 4D ultrasound technology rides wave of the future - Medical News Today 13/05/05
A fully digital 4D ultrasound system is set to provide a 'next generation' integrated solution for medical imaging applications, allowing practitioners to provide faster treatment and improve therapeutic success rates.
WHO Efforts to Combat AIDS, Malaria 'Failing,' Opinion Piece Says - Medical News Today 13/05/05
The World Health Organization "faces a severe crisis" because its efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and malaria worldwide are "failing," James Glassman, a fellow at the... American Enterprise Institute, writes in a Washington Times opinion piece. Although the organization has "ballyhooed" its 3 by 5 Initiative -- which aims to treat three million people with antiretroviral drugs by the end of this year -- the program is "plagued by dubious accounting" and is "shortchanging the neediest victims, those in Africa," Glassman says. WHO also has promoted the use of generic antiretrovirals manufactured by Indian pharmaceutical companies that cannot be proven as effective as the patented versions, Glassman writes. In addition, a report released last year found that the organization's Roll Back Malaria partnership has been "pushing outdated" malaria drugs that "no longer work," according to Glassman. Therefore, "[y]ou might suppose" that the 58th World Health Assembly meeting next week in Geneva would "concentrate on reforming the AIDS and malaria efforts by adopting effective medicines, stressing sound science and improving management," Glassman writes. However, the assembly instead will "be obsessed" with "politically correct matters," such as "social health insurance," providing aid to populations in the occupied Arab territories and breastfeeding, Glassman says. Instead, the assembly should "robustly oppose attacks on patents," which have "spurred the investment of billions of dollars" into the development of "powerful" HIV/AIDS medications, according to Glassman. WHO has the "potential to do much that's good, but unless it brushes aside the protectionists and political extremists, it will continue falling far short in treating the eminently treatable epidemics of the 21st century," Glassman concludes (Glassman, Washington Times, 5/11).
Mozambique Partners with U.N., Flemish Government to Launch Program Addressing HIV/AIDS among Women - Medical News Today 13/05/05
The Mozambican government on Friday announced that it has partnered with the United Nations and the government of the Belgian region of Flanders to launch a four-year, $12.8 million program to address the increasing "feminization" of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country, China's... People's Daily reports. Mozambican Health Minister Ivo Garrido on Friday said that women and girls in the country are at an increased risk of HIV infection because of gender inequality, lack of economic opportunities, limited power, socio-cultural customs and a lack of knowledge about sexual health, according to the People's Daily. Fifty-eight percent of HIV-positive people in Mozambique are women, and 75% of HIV-positive people in the country are between the ages of 15 and 24, according to health ministry data. The program, which will be financed by the Flemish government, will focus on areas of intervention identified by the U.N. Secretary General's Task Force on Women, Girls and AIDS in Southern Africa, including education, prevention strategies, violence prevention, inheritance and property rights, the role of women as caregivers, and care and treatment for HIV-positive women (People's Daily, 5/8). UNFPA will implement the program in Mozambique. "The program is one answer to the growing feminization of the HIV and AIDS epidemic," Geert Bourgeois, minister for administrative affairs, foreign policy, media and tourism in the Flemish government, said, adding, "It will help to strengthen integration of gender within Mozambique's national response" (UNAIDS/Flemish government release, 5/6).
Epidermolysis Bullosa - Dundee Scientists on road to sure for "Butterfly Children" condition - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Scientists in Dundee have embarked on a major research programme funded by the charity DebRA which it is hoped will ultimately lead to a successful treatment for a previously incurable genetic skin condition.
Consequences of exposure to an energy rich diet during development - Medical News Today 13/05/05
The World Health Organisation recognises the world-wide epidemic increase of obesity-related cardiovascular and metabolic disease as one of the most important health issues of the new millennium. Although this obesity is in part due to the fact that many of us eat a diet high in saturated fat and sugars and do little exercise, there is emerging evidence that the diet that our mothers consume while we are in the womb and also when breast feeding may lead to health risks associated with obesity.
Developing Countries Pledge to Empower Women, Protect Them from Poverty, Disease, Including HIV/AIDS - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Wealthy and developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America on Tuesday at the Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Meeting on the Advancement of Women in Putrajaya, Malaysia, pledged to "rescue women" from poverty, disease and war, as well as ensure "greater political voice" for women, the... AP/Yahoo! News reports. Government ministers and representatives from 84 of the 116 NAM member nations issued a declaration calling for extensive measures to increase women's participation in government and business and protect them from war, physical and sexual assault and diseases such as HIV/AIDS, according to the AP/Yahoo! News (Yoong, AP/Yahoo! News, 5/10). The 50-point declaration outlines specific concerns in nine areas for women, including health, education, poverty and economic development, power and decision-making, media and communication technology, armed conflict, violence, disaster situations and gender mainstreaming (Xinhuanet, 5/10). In a message to the meeting, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said there has been "tangible progress" for women in areas such as fertility rates, life expectancy and education. However, he said women still face challenges, including an increasing number of HIV/AIDS cases among women and the trafficking of women, according to the AP/Yahoo! News (AP/Yahoo! News, 5/10). Malaysia on Monday proposed establishing a NAM Centre on Gender and Development that would work to improve women's empowerment through lifelong education, the Bernama Daily Malaysian News reports (Muhammad, Bernama Daily Malaysian News, 5/9).
Euro-wide health cooperation needed - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Europe needs greater collaboration among health services, an expert on EU healthcare said yesterday (12/05/05).
Overweight Workers Receive Smaller Wages, Possibly To Counter Health Costs, Study Finds - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Workers who are obese might be receiving lower wages than other employees as companies try to compensate for higher health-related spending associated with overweight workers, according to a... Stanford University study recently published as a working paper on the Web site of the Massachusetts-based National Bureau of Economic Research, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The study used data from a Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, which contained detailed information about employees' height, weight and health, as well as their jobs, wages and education. Researchers from 1989 to 1998 compared hourly wages of obese and nonobese workers, factoring in experience and job type. While other research has shown obese workers receive lower wages than nonobese people, the new study shows the phenomenon exists only in companies offering workers health insurance, the Chronicle reports. Severely overweight workers with health care coverage in 1989 were paid an adjusted average of $1.20 less per hour than workers of normal weight, according to the study. The wage difference increased incrementally to $2.58 in 1998, which suggests the gap widened as workers aged, the researchers said. No significant difference was found when comparing the wages, retirement and life insurance benefits of obese and nonobese workers who were not provided with health insurance, the researchers noted. The study did not examine whether companies deliberately lowered wages to compensate for rising health costs, according to the Chronicle.
NEXIUM® can reduce upper GI symptoms in patients using NSAIDS, clincal trials indicate - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Results from two clinical trials, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, demonstrate that NEXIUM® (esomeprazole magnesium) can reduce upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms - such as moderate to severe pain, burning and discomfort in the upper abdomen- associated with continuous, daily use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including selective COX-2 inhibitors.
Your obesity risk originates when you are in the womb - Medical News Today 13/05/05
An article in The Journal of Physiology presents important research showing that events before birth can permanently change patterns of appetite and fat deposition in child and adult life.
Work too much and put on weight - Medical News Today 13/05/05
A recently published study "Psychosocial working conditions and weight gain among employees" is part of the ongoing Helsinki Health Study, carried out in the University of Helsinki, Department of Public Health.
UCLA cancer researchers shake loose hidden biomarker - Medical News Today 12/05/05
Using a common chemotherapy agent, researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine found a way to move an important biomarker expressed in prostate cancer, shaking it loose from one location in a cell - where it could not be accessed by blood - to another, easier to target area.
U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization Establishes 34 Farming Schools for AIDS Orphans in Four African Countries - Medical News Today 12/05/05
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on Monday announced that it has established 34 farming schools for AIDS orphans in Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia that aim to teach the children agricultural knowledge and business and life skills, the... SAPA/News24.com reports. The Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools are targeting about 1,000 children ages 12 to 18 who have lost one or both parents to AIDS-related causes. The schools cover traditional and modern agriculture, and children learn about field preparation, sowing and transplanting, weeding, irrigation, pest control, use and conservation of resources, food crop processing, harvesting, storage and marketing skills. In addition, the schools offer lessons in HIV/AIDS prevention education, gender sensitivity, child protection and sexual health, according to the SAPA/News24.com (SAPA/News24.com, 5/9). The program is funded by Finland, Norway, FAO and the World Food Programme (FAO release, 5/9). "The objective of the schools is to empower the orphans through knowledge and self-esteem and to give them essential elements for their long-term food security," Marcela Villarreal, director of FAO's gender and population division, said, adding, "These training courses are an important starting point to get AIDS orphans out of hunger and poverty" (U.N. News Service, 5/9). Gabriel Rugalema, FAO's senior officer on HIV/AIDS and food security, said the number of AIDS orphans attending the schools is "small" compared with the total number of AIDS orphans in the region, but he added that the project only began last year and he expects it to grow, VOA News reports (De Capua, VOA News, 5/9).
Type 2 diabetes is increasing among children all over the world - Medical News Today 12/05/05
Obesity rates are continuing to rise among both children and adults worldwide. Obesity is a risk factor for development of a variety of complications, including type 2 diabetes, and an increase in the rates of such obesity-associated diseases has been seen among adults. However, a review article in the May issue of The Journal of Pediatrics reports that the rate of type 2 diabetes among children worldwide also appears to have increased significantly over the last 15 years.
Tell your patients to exercise, diabetes doctors told, new study - Medical News Today 12/05/05
Diabetics are more likely to exercise if their doctors help them create and stick to a formalized exercise plan, according to new Saint Louis University research in the May issue of "Diabetes Care."
Surgery is best remedy for hammer hand, Mayo Clinic study determines - Medical News Today 12/05/05
The hand pain, tingling, numbness and cold sensitivity of hypothenar hammer syndrome, also known as hammer hand, are best alleviated by bypass grafting surgery, according to a new study by Mayo Clinic plastic surgeons.
Sudan IV in Jalal palm oil - Medical News Today 12/05/05
Illegal food dye Sudan IV has been found in Jalal palm oil products. The Food Standards Agency (UK) has issued a Food Alert for Action.
Soft drinks consumption may increase the risk of childhood obesity - Medical News Today 12/05/05
Obesity is one of the biggest threats to child health. Genetics, decreases in physical activity, increases in television watching, and consumption of fast food are factors that have led to an increase of childhood obesity in the United States. Excessive consumption of sugar sweetened drinks may also be a key factor. A commentary in the May issue of The Journal of Pediatrics reviews prior research to provide perspective about the role of soft drinks in childhood obesity.
Sex, gender and heart disease-MUHC researcher leads Canada-wide team - Medical News Today 12/05/05
A new research project involving more than thirty investigators from across Canada has just been launched. The project, known as GENESIS, is Canada's largest multidisciplinary initiative to study the causes of cardiovascular disease--the leading cause of death in Canada.
Saving virtual lives with nanobots goal of UH-led project - Medical News Today 12/05/05
Computer science student to compete in world semifinals of microsoft competition - Building and controlling a team of nanobots to seek and destroy infected tissue within a simulated terminally ill patient, a University of Houston computer science student and his teammate have advanced to the 2005 Microsoft Imagine Cup world semifinals.
Program finds lost genes in nematode genome - Medical News Today 12/05/05
A computer scientist at Washington University in St Louis has applied software that he has developed to the genome of a worm and has found 150 genes that were missed by previous genome analysis methods. Moreover, using the software, he and his colleagues have developed predictions for the existence of a whopping 1, 119 more genes.
National Epilepsy Week - Changing Lives - Medical News Today 12/05/05
A national membership survey, carried out by Epilepsy Action, the UK's largest member-led epilepsy charity, has revealed that one third of older people who responded have experienced stigma because of their epilepsy.
Local African Leaders Question Widow 'Sexual Cleansing' Tradition in Light of AIDS Pandemic, New York Times Reports - Medical News Today 12/05/05
The HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa has encouraged women's advocates and local leaders to "speak out publicly against so-called sexual cleansing," in which a newly widowed woman must have sex with one of her husband's male relatives in order to "exorcise" his spirit, the... New York Times reports. Some people believe the practice contributes to the spread of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, where about 25 million people are HIV-positive and about 60% of them are women. In Zambia, where the HIV prevalence rate among adults is about 20%, President Levy Mwanawasa has said that the tradition should be "discouraged," and tribal chiefs throughout the country no longer are enforcing the practice, according to the Times. However, "change is coming slowly, village by village, hut by hut," because for many people "the fear of flouting tradition often outweighs even the fear of AIDS," the Times reports (LaFraniere, New York Times, 5/11).
Latest Research and Emerging Treatments for Osteoporosis Focus of NYAS Conference - Medical News Today 12/05/05
Recently, the US Surgeon General issued a report emphasizing the need to recognize osteoporosis as a public health hazard. It is fortuitous that, in recent years, the use of advanced molecular technologies, including transgenesis, gene knockout, and gene array have greatly expanded our understanding of how our bones and joints are affected by aging, health and disease. Researchers have gained a better understanding of the precise pathways through which new and old bones are repaired and remodeled. Clearer too are the basic biological properties of the skeleton and how it responds to hormonal, cytokine, and mechanical stimulation.
Hyperhidrosis excessive sweating disorder, and its treatment becoming better understood - Medical News Today 12/05/05
The often embarrassing, excessive sweating disorder, hyperhidrosis, and its treatment options are gaining greater attention from physicians. This is improving the efficacy of treatment and minimizing its adverse effects, Mayo Clinic authors write in the May issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
How exactly does the brain control breathing? - Medical News Today 12/05/05
An understanding of exactly how the brain controls breathing is fundamental to the treatment of respiratory disorders. We know that breathing is an automatic rhythmic process that persists without conscious effort whether we are awake or asleep, but the question that has intrigued many scientists for well over 100 years is what maintains this almost fail safe vital rhythm throughout life?
Vitamin A's role in influencing symmetry during embryonic development revealed, a paradox - Medical News Today 12/05/05
In this week's journal Nature, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies report that they have solved one of the "holy grail" puzzles of developmental biology: the existence of a mechanism that insures that the exterior of our bodies is symmetrical while inner organs are arranged asymmetrically.
Hospital Groups Ask FDA To Take Action To Require Bar Codes on Medical Devices - Medical News Today 12/05/05
FDA acting Commissioner Lester Crawford should take "swift action" to require bar codes on medical devices, a step that would "promote public health and welfare," hospital groups wrote in a May 9 letter to Crawford,... CQ HealthBeat reports (CQ HealthBeat [1], 5/10). In February 2004, FDA announced plans to require drug makers and blood suppliers to include bar codes on most of their products within two years. Under the new rule, newly approved prescription drugs, vaccines, over-the-counter drugs and blood products must include bar codes with the product's National Drug Code number -- a unique identifier -- within 60 days of approval. FDA also said that products already on the market must implement the codes within two years (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 2/26/04). In their letter, the hospital groups -- including the American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals and Premier -- said that bar coding medical devices "is a common sense next step in our shared goal of promoting patient safety, improving quality of care and encouraging cost-effectiveness and supply chain efficiency." The groups added that bar coding medical devices has "vast potential for improved clinical product and service innovation. ... Comprehensive data on -- and that ability to conduct rigorous comparisons of -- emerging health practices, products and services is essential for both clinical and economic decision-making." Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) in April sent a similar letter. FDA had no immediate comment on the hospital groups' letter, CQ HealthBeat reports (CQ HealthBeat [1], 5/10).
Crystal structure of a protein that plays a role in supplying nutrients to solid tumors identified - Medical News Today 12/05/05
A structural biologist from the Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center, in collaboration with researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, has identified the crystal structure of a protein that plays a role in supplying nutrients to solid tumors.
A Hospital Stay Can Make An Older Person More Likely to Commit Suicide - Medical News Today 12/05/05
A study in the May edition of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society indicates that suicide in persons age 80 and older is more prevalent among those who have been hospitalized than in those who have not.
A "Hidden" Biomarker in Prostate Cancer Cells - Researchers Find Way to Shake Loose - Medical News Today 12/05/05
Using a common chemotherapy agent, researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine found a way to move an important biomarker expressed in prostate cancer, shaking it loose from one location in a cell - where it could not be accessed by blood - to another, easier to target area.
When you were born influences when you reach the menopause - Medical News Today 12/05/05
Research by Italian experts on the menopause has found that that the month and the season in which a woman is born influence the age at which she reaches menopause.
Emerging Science: Exploring the Inner Dynamics of Diabetes - Medical News Today 12/05/05
Hear directly from the physician-researchers who are diabetes news makers helping to reshape the understanding of Type 2 diabetes. Leading endocrinologists will explain the latest research in the emerging field of incretin hormones and their potential role in diabetes treatment. New therapies currently under investigation that move beyond insulin-mediated treatments to a multi dimensional approach that may alter the usual progression of Type 2 disease will be discussed. The role of glucagon in diabetes, pancreatic islet function (beta cell and alpha-cell), and insulin/glucagon balance also will be discussed.
Wiley to publish UICC TNM Atlas in July 2005, Classification of Malignant Tumours - Medical News Today 12/05/05
Global publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc., today announced the July 2005 publication of the fifth edition of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC)'s TNM Atlas. The Atlas is a companion guide to the best-selling TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours, Sixth Edition. TNM is the internationally approved system for staging cancer developed by the UICC.
HIV/AIDS Epidemic Among Aboriginal Populations in British Columbia, Canada, Could Resemble African Epidemics, Study - Medical News Today 12/05/05
The HIV/AIDS epidemic among aboriginal populations in British Columbia, Canada, has "all the elements" in place to resemble the large epidemics in Africa, according to preliminary data from a long-term study of aboriginal injection drug users, Toronto's... Globe and Mail reports. Patricia Spittal and colleagues from the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS on Monday released data from the study of 600 young aboriginal IDUs in Prince George, B.C., and Vancouver, B.C. The study, called the Cedar Project, was initiated after a 2003 study found that HIV incidence among aboriginal IDUs in Vancouver was double that among nonaboriginal IDUs. The Cedar Project researchers found that the hepatitis C prevalence among young IDUs from Prince George who are participating in the study was 62%, compared with 57% of young IDUs from Vancouver. High hepatitis C prevalence rates can be a "key warning sign" of a pending HIV/AIDS epidemic, according to the Globe and Mail. HIV prevalence was "considerably" lower in Prince George than in Vancouver -- 8% compared with 17%, respectively -- but the study's "key finding" is the high hepatitis C prevalence in the two cities, according to the Globe and Mail. In addition, the researchers found that more IDUs shared needles in Prince George than in Vancouver, according to Spittal. She added it also is "alarming" that they found 300 young injection drug users in Prince George, which has a population of 72,000 -- 7,000 of whom are aboriginal -- according to the Globe and Mail.
Medem To Launch No-Cost, Electronic Personal Health Records System - Medical News Today 10/05/05
Medem, founded in 1999 by the American Medical Association and six other medical societies, on Monday is expected to unveil a no-cost, Internet-based "personal health record," called... iHealthRecord, people can use to log and organize their personal medical information. With the health industry under "increasing pressure from the government, insurers and patient advocates to go digital," Medem is hoping that interest in the system will encourage doctors to use electronic health records, the Journal reports. Through Medem's system, patients can collect data such as emergency contacts, health insurance information and family medical history. Users will need a password to access the record online and can provide the password to doctors or family members for use in an emergency. To further address privacy concerns, Medem has modeled the system's security measures on those employed by the financial-services industry. Medem encrypts data and hires an outside security company to perform audits on the system. The company also will not sell users' medical information but might make some data available to public health researchers. About 50 physicians and their patients are testing the system through a pilot program. Medem will send patients and physicians using the system information from CDC, FDA and other groups about prescription drug recalls or about issues related to specific medications or health conditions.
UNICEF alarmed by cholera outbreak in Sao Tome, UNICEF rushes in medical supplies - Medical News Today 10/05/05
In response to an outbreak of cholera, UNICEF has rushed medical supplies to Sao Tome, where nearly 80 per cent of the island's total population is at risk to the deadly disease.
Audiovisual integration of speech falters under competing demands for attention - Medical News Today 10/05/05
In order to achieve a coherent and accurate representation of the environment, the brain binds together the inputs--for example, vision and audition--arriving from different senses. This process often occurs seamlessly and without any apparent effort or attention. However, researchers have now found that this integration of sensory signals can be disrupted when attention is diverted to a secondary task, suggesting that the integration, or "binding," does not occur as automatically as previously supposed. The new work is reported in the May 10 issue of Current Biology by Salvador Soto-Faraco and colleagues of the University of Barcelona and Ruth Campbell of University College London.
Avanir Pharmaceuticals' Marketing of Treatment for Uncontrollable Laughing, Crying, New York Times Examines - Medical News Today 10/05/05
The New York Times on Monday examined efforts by... Avanir Pharmaceuticals to "prime the market" for an experimental medication "by elevating an ill-defined group of symptoms into a condition" under the name pseudobulbar affect, or PBA, "in hopes of establishing awareness of it among doctors and patients." Avanir officials said that they hope to receive FDA approval for Neurodex -- a combination of two older medications used to treat uncontrollable laughing or crying in patients -- by the end of this year. However, critics maintain that PBA does not require treatment because patients with the condition often have more serious health problems, such as multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke or brain injury. Critics also have "accused pharmaceutical companies of hyping dysfunctions into diseases to sell drugs," the Times reports. Avanir CEO Gerald Yakatan said that the efforts by the company to raise awareness of PBA are similar to the past efforts of other pharmaceutical companies to raise awareness of conditions such as erectile dysfunction and attention deficit disorder. Yakatan said, "Before there were drugs, these conditions didn't exist." Avanir has sponsored speeches, symposiums and continuing medical education courses for physicians and has placed advertisements in psychiatric journals to raise awareness of PBA. In addition, Avanir has "approached patient advocacy groups to publicize the condition," according to the Times (Pollack, New York Times, 5/9).
Is obesity a risk factor for asthma? - Medical News Today 10/05/05
Obesity is a known risk factor for type II diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer. Evidence is now mounting that obesity is also a risk factor for asthma. Reports have shown that nearly 75 percent of emergency room visits for asthma have been among obese individuals and studies have shown that obesity pre-dates asthma. The risk for developing asthma increases with increasing obesity among individuals. Yet little is known about how obesity influences asthma.
Older adults with diabetes in managed care networks have higher rates of untreated eye disease - Medical News Today 10/05/05
USA - Medicare beneficiaries at high risk for eye disease due to diabetes are more likely to have unrecognized and untreated eye disease if they are enrolled in managed care than if they have fee-for-service (FFS) health insurance, according to an article in the May issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
New Technology to Enhance Non-Invasive Colon Exams - Medical News Today 10/05/05
GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric, announced the 1000th CT colonography (CTC) examination at the CHC - Clinique Saint-Joseph, Liège, Belgium, under the clinical expertise of Dr Danielle Hock, MD, in the Medical Imaging Department led by Dr Paul Magotteaux, MD, in less than 2 years.
Pope Benedict XVI Pledges to Defend 'Inviolability of Human Life From Conception to Natural Death' - Medical News Today 10/05/05
Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday during a sermon at the Roman basilica of St. John in Lateran pledged to continue to defend the "inviolability of human life from conception to natural death," BBC News reports (BBC News, 5/7). The pope said he will maintain Pope John Paul II's ideals and urged all church officials to refuse "all attempts of adaptation or of watering down" Roman Catholic teaching, the AP/Washington Post reports (Petroff, AP/Washington Post, 5/8). The ceremony was the last in the pope's formal assumption of the papacy, following his election on April 19 (BBC News, 5/7).
Perceptions of Death and Dying in the ICU: Doctors, Nurses, Residents, and Family - Medical News Today 10/05/05
Following the deaths of 68 patients in the ICU, researchers from Nashville, TN, administered the 31-item Quality of Dying and Death (QODD) instrument to each of the patient's attending physician, nurse, resident, and, one month following the death, to one of the patient's family members to capture their views on the quality of the dying process. Significant differences were found between the opinions of members of these groups in the areas of patient autonomy, maintaining dignity, being touched by loved ones, and the overall quality of end of life.
Serotonin involved in early embryo patterning, Forsyth scientists find - Medical News Today 10/05/05
Discovery provides keys to evolution of neuronal signalling, 'left-right asymmetry' - Forsyth Institute researchers have found that serotonin-the chemical substance involved in transmitting signals between neurons and which plays a role in anxiety and mood disorders-- is present in vertebrate embryos long before neurons form. The scientists also found that serotonin plays a key role in determining where organs are positioned in the body during embryonic development.
European Patent For Trovax® Covering 5T4 Tumour Antigen-Targeted Immunotherapy, Oxford Biomedica - Medical News Today 09/05/05
Oxford BioMedica, the leading gene therapy company, today announced that the European Patent Office has granted a key patent (No. EP1036091), that provides broad protection for Oxford BioMedica's lead product, TroVax. This is one of several granted and pending patents that protect the Company's ownership of the 5T4 tumour antigen. The granted patent covers immunotherapy products directed against 5T4 and includes specific claims to the use of viral delivery systems in 5T4-targeted vaccines.
FDA Approves Triglide(TM) A Novel Formulation of Fenofibrate - Medical News Today 09/05/05
SkyePharma PLC announces today that the US Food and Drug Administration ('FDA') has approved Triglide(TM), its novel formulation of fenofibrate. This approval will trigger a $15 million milestone payment from our partner First Horizon Pharmaceutical Corporation ('First Horizon', Nasdaq: FHRX).
Nine-year survival of transplanted pig islet cells in a diabetic patient - Medical News Today 09/05/05
Living Cell Technologies Ltd today reported the long-term survival of encapsulated pig islets in a man with type 1 diabetes. The cells were retrieved after being in the patient's abdomen for almost nine years.
Untreated low-grade ductal carcinoma in situ poses long-term risk - Medical News Today 09/05/05
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast develops into invasive breast cancer (IBC) in approximately 50 percent of women if left untreated, with the risk extending over more than forty years, according to a new study appearing in the June 15, 2005 issue of CANCER...
Cheshire and Mersey News
New Minister for Pharmacy and Quality and Patient Safety, Jane Kennedy, UK - Medical News Today 13/05/05
Rt Hon Jane Kennedy MP (Labour, Liverpool Wavertree) is the Minister of State for Quality and Patient Safety and is responsible for pharmacy.
Care home fees to rise by thousands - Daily Post 09/05/05
PENSIONERS living in Wirral care homes face paying thousands of pounds extra a year in fees, the Daily Post can reveal today.
GP arrested over death - Maghull & Aintree Star 12/05/05
PATIENTS at Claremont Medical Centre in Maghull have expressed shock following the arrest of their GP on suspicion of murder.
Ex-addict gives talk - Maghull & Aintree Star 12/05/05
AINTREE racecourse is to play host to the launch of Sefton Council's Drug Action Team's Drug Intervention Programme (DIP) on Tuesday (May 17).
Second hospital bans smoking - Daily Post 09/05/05
AINTREE University Hospital will today go completely smoke free.
Charges denied over legionnaires' deaths - Ormskirk Advertiser 12/05/05
THE source of an outbreak of legion-naires' disease at a Cardiff hotel was traced back to a humidifier in a buffet unit installed by a Skelmers-dale company, a court heard.
Legionnaire deaths: MD of company goes on trial - Skelmersdale Advertiser 12/05/05
Brave baby in eye cancer fight - Widnes Weekly News 12/05/05
A WIDNES baby is battling back from a rare form of cancer after specialists found a golf ball-sized tumour behind one of her eyes.
Hospital ducks can stay! - Halton Weekly News 12/05/05
DUCKS which had taken residence in the courtyards of Halton hospital have been granted permission to stay after countryside rangers claimed it would be too risky to move them.
Hospital's ducks are health risk - The Telegraph 11/05/05
Aghast mum finds syringe stuck in salad - Chester Chronicle 13/05/05
A MOTHER was appalled to find a hypodermic needle stuck in a yellow pepper while she prepared a family barbecue.
Hospital nursery is in top health say Ofsted - Ormskirk Advertiser 12/05/05
THE Office of Standards in Education has given top marks to Tiddlywinks Nursery at Ormskirk Hospital.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Couple step out to fund MS nurses - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 13/05/05
A CLITHEROE mother of two is taking part in a 50-mile trek to raise money for more nurses to treat people with the debilitating condition which has stricken her father.
All square for school meals - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 13/05/05
FORGET turkey twizzlers - freshly-cooked school dinners are going down a storm in Blackpool's primary schools.
10,000 dental places are set to fill the gap - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 13/05/05
UP to 10,000 NHS dental places are to be created at a new practice opening in Blackburn this summer.
Funds crisis at Shopmobility - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 13/05/05
A SCHEME which has provided disabled shoppers with transport for the last five years could be wound up "within months" because of a cash crisis.
Greater Manchester News
Health lesson on Fruity Friday - Manchester Evening News 13/05/05
PUPILS at a Manchester school were given free fruit to show them, and their parents, ways of reducing the risk of cancer.
Alert over mumps epidemic - Manchester Evening News 13/05/05
MUMPS cases have increased ten fold across Greater Manchester in two years as an epidemic grips the region.
Doctors 'failing to diagnose HIV for up to a year' - Manchester Evening News 13/05/05
MANY patients in the UK and Ireland are not having their HIV infection diagnosed until the disease is at a late stage, a study showed today.
Price hike on cigs will deter smokers, say docs - Manchester Evening News 13/05/05
CIGARETTE prices should be increased by 50% a year to persuade people not to smoke, a leading medical journal said today.
GMC 'fails to root out bad GPs' - Manchester Evening News 13/05/05
THE General Medical Council is still failing to weed out bad medics and protect patients, a leading Shipman Inquiry advisor has claimed.
Trike that changed a little girl's life - Bolton Evening News 13/05/05
A FIVE-year-old girl with cerebral palsy can now join in with the games of other children, thanks to a specially-adapted tricycle.
