National and International News
Drug 'can trigger suicide in adults - The Guardian 22/08/05
Commonly used modern antidepressants can cause adults as well as children to attempt suicide, a new study says.
British lawyers poised after US Vioxx award - The Guardian 22/08/05
Arthritis sufferer who took drug says Merck puts profits before lives
NHS turns league tables on reporters - The Guardian 22/08/05
Not content with measuring the performance of doctors and hospital managers, the Department of Health has begun publishing statistics on the output and perceived "slant" of the journalists writing most frequently about the condition of the NHS.
Acambis accused in smallpox vaccine row - The Guardian 22/08/05
A fight to supply the US with smallpox vaccine has led to aggressive allegations against one of Britain's largest biotechnology companies, Acambis, which stands accused of stealing trade secrets from a rival.
Mixed health benefits - The Guardian 22/08/05
Edzard Ernst seems to be all in a tizz about integrated medicine, the new GP forum set up by the Prince of Wales's Foundation for Integrated Health, and even my recommendation of devil's claw for shoulder pain (G2, August 16). But he is not a practising clinician and has misunderstood how integrated medicine is practiced today.
Tory hopeful Clarke 'must cut tobacco tie' - The Observer 21/08/05
Kenneth Clarke, the Tory leadership hopeful, faces growing pressure to quit his job with a major tobacco firm.
Call for 1,000 more speed cameras to save lives - The Observer 21/08/05
The controversial debate over speed cameras will be reignited this week after Britain's leading police expert on the issue called for a significant expansion of the number of the devices around the country.
All in the mind - The Observer 21/08/05
He's the Balzac of Holland Park, a 'must-read' novelist who seems happiest writing about turn-of-the-century France, women and soldiers. Now, with his latest book, he's turned his attention to madness and psychiatry. Kate Kellaway reveals why there's nothing 'straightforward' about Sebastian Faulks
Check what's on the label - The Observer 21/08/05
Organic food is seen as safe in a disturbing world where food quality and safety are constantly under siege. An organic label dangles the promise of food produced by people with higher standards, an ethical choice that brings benefits such as better animal welfare, reduced pollution, more natural food.
Travel news: The E111 is dead, long live the EHIC - The Observer 21/08/05
The replacement for the E111 form is soon to be available from UK post offices. Travellers will need a new European Health Insurance Card instead of an E111 when the forms are phased out at the end of this year.
Couples call for IVF ban inquiry - The Observer 21/08/05
Women are being denied basic IVF treatment on the NHS in defiance of a ruling from government watchdogs, prompting demands for an inquiry.
Zero intelligence - The Observer 21/08/05
Muddled thinking over drug use in prisons will help the criminals
If you buy 'organic produce', can you trust what you get? - The Observer 21/08/05
Grocers falsely labelling food, farmers secretly spraying crops with pesticides by night - the food industry's new boom sector can leave a nasty taste in the mouth
Ancient secrets of plants' miracle cures unravelled in the laboratory - The Observer 21/08/05
At Kew Gardens hi-tech tests are being carried out to find how herbal remedies can help modern medicine
Britain's organic food scam exposed - The Observer 21/08/05
Britain's organic food revolution was facing its first serious test last night after an Observer investigation revealed disturbing levels of fraud within the industry.
How's your sex life? - The Observer 21/08/05
Insurance companies are to start asking applicants about their sexual behaviour, rather than if they are gay, before demanding an HIV test, writes Jill Insley
Dr John Briffa: Scoff report - The Observer 21/08/05
His diet may have crashed, but Dr Atkins was right that increasing your protein intake fills you up. Dr John Briffa re-examines the prophet of loss
Letters to the Editor - The Observer 21/08/05
Agnes Poirier may be French, but the picture she paints of French drinking habits (Comment, last week) is not one I recognise after four years of living here.
Matters of life and death - The Observer 21/08/05
We should not deny parents or the terminally ill the fruits of recent medical advances
Biotech industry seeks cure for insider dealing threat - The Observer 21/08/05
Peter Laing knows a thing or two about wild market speculation.
Jill Insley: Are you HIV+? The new positive discrimination - The Observer 21/08/05
The insurance industry's decision to drop the question it asks about sexuality on its application forms in favour of one about possible exposure to HIV is very welcome, and not before time.
Widow wins 140m drug payout - The Guardian 20/08/05
US court awards punitive damages over painkiller Vioxx linked to heart attacks
Work until you drop: how the long-hours culture is killing us - The Guardian 20/08/05
With the longest working week in Europe, experts say Britain's health and productivity will decline unless something is done about it
Heavy duty ambulance saves patient dignity - The Guardian 20/08/05
Britain's growing obesity problem has prompted the use of ambulances capable of carrying people who weigh up to 285kg, or 45 stone.
NHS cancer patients stay in 4-star hotel - The Guardian 20/08/05
Patients on the NHS are staying in a four-star luxury hotel while they receive treatment for leukaemia and other malignant blood disorders at a leading London hospital.
An end to poaching - The Guardian 20/08/05
The prescription at the G8 summit in July was for better aid and good governance for developing countries. But while cheques can be written overnight - at least in theory - "good governance" is a nebulous concept, one that is as hard to deliver as it is to define. So it is welcome news that the UK government is committed to putting some flesh on the bones of good governance, by looking at how British public servants can offer assistance in the form of advice and personnel through partnership with their counterparts in sub-Saharan Africa.
Melanie McFadyean investigates the dementia scandal - The Guardian 20/08/05
The longer we live, the more likely we are to suffer from dementia. And the prospects of proper care are poor. Melanie McFadyean investigates a scandal besetting the confused and helpless
Study shows racial health gap in US - The Guardian 19/08/05
Black Americans get fewer operations, tests, medications and other life-saving treatments than white Americans and have less access to the best doctors, hospitals and health plans, according to three studies published yesterday.
Surgery: Sun, sand and face jobs - The Guardian 20/08/05
Vanessa Whitting discovers the very cutting edge of package holidays - cosmetic surgery
Just 70: Joan Bakewell - The Guardian 19/08/05
Staying young is a mere delaying tactic - sooner or later you have to reckon with life's lengthening shadow
Fury of victim's mother over computer game on bullying - The Guardian 19/08/05
A year ago Giselle Pakeera saw the killer of her teenage son jailed, and she was convinced that Manhunt, a violent computer game his killer had played was to blame.
The fake's progress - The Guardian 19/08/05
Neil Taylor lost his high-flying NHS job because he lied on his CV. But spare us the outrage, says Emily Wilson, we've all lied about our qualifications at some point
Beaches win accolade for water quality - The Guardian 19/08/05
Almost all bathing beaches in Britain were praised yesterday for their water quality following a survey by the Marine Conservation Society.
These poles were made for walking . . . - The Guardian 19/08/05
The earnest exhortations to skip, jog or go to the gym, the seminars at work telling us how to reduce stress levels by eating sensibly and exercising regularly, all pay off. Sweden has the second-highest longevity rate in the world, and although doctors report a worrying trend in obesity among children, most citizens, young and old, seem to glow with health.
GPs to be focus of largest public consultation - The Guardian 19/08/05
The Department of Health is to invite about 100,000 people across England to take part in discussions about GP services - in an exercise that is being regarded by officials as the biggest governmental focus group of all time.
Exposed: how drugs giant pushed Vioxx painkiller - The Independent 22/08/05
The growing furore surrounding the painkiller Vioxx could prove to be the most expensive legal action ever faced by a drugs company and raises questions about the marketing tactics used by a multibillion-pound pharmaceutical giant.
On Vioxx: 'My life has been ruined. I am very angry' - The Independent 22/08/05
When Christine Peckham's GP told her about a new "wonder drug" that could relieve the constant pain of her osteoarthritis, she was only too keen to try it.
Antidepressant Seroxat linked to suicide attempts among adults- The Independent 22/08/05
The antidepressant Seroxat has been linked to an increase in suicide attempts among adults. Researchers suggest that patients and doctors should be warned of the propensity to suicidal thoughts while on the drug.
Midlife crisis? What crisis? Bring it on, say the nation's New Women - The Independent 21/08/05
The midlife crisis, once the preserve of forty-something men who trade in their wives for younger girlfriends and ditch family saloons for sports cars, is taking on a feminine hue as women throw off the shackles of domestic life.
Psst ... you are never going to believe this - but gossiping is good for you - The Independent 21/08/05
Gossip is good for you, according to new research. Previously dismissed as harmful or trivial, gossip can stamp out bad behaviour, strengthen friendships and circulate important information not available anywhere else.
New cancer risk from 24-hour society - The Independent 21/08/05
The 24-hour economy is placing women at a hugely increased risk of breast cancer, a major study warns today.
Migrating birds could bring deadly flu to UK this winter - The Independent 21/08/05
Migratory ducks and waders could bring bird flu to Britain this winter, experts have warned, after the disease was found in wild flocks in Russia.
Radiotherapy to blame for Mo's death, says husband - The Independent 21/08/05
Mo Mowlam died from side effects of the radiotherapy that had kept her alive for eight years, according to her husband, Jon Norton. The former Northern Ireland secretary had a heavy fall after a restless night at home three weeks ago, and never recovered.
Pakistani doctor left in limbo after rape ordeal - The Independent 20/08/05
Shazia Khalid never saw the attacker who broke into her room in the middle of the night and left at dawn. But she says she will never forget his voice.
Cancer drugs - The Independent 20/08/05
Thanks to Kasia Boddy for writing her article "The cost of living' (16 August) highlighting the urgent need for the NHS to start paying for the life-saving breast cancer drug Herceptin.
Drug firm ordered to pay widow $253m damages - The Independent 20/08/05
The American drug maker Merck was found guilty over the death of a 59-year-old triathlete who took its arthritis drug Vioxx. Merck was ordered to pay his widow $253m (£140m) in compensation.
Remote control - The Times 22/08/05
Robotic surgery has dramatically improved prostate patients' recovery rates
Anjana Ahuja Science Notebook - The Times 22/08/05
HAVE YOU EVER gazed in pity at a couple with three sons? Do you shoot sympathetic glances at families with four daughters? For the Government would have us believe that these are unbalanced families staggering under the weight of biological misfortune.
Biotech firm sends in maggots to tackle MRSA bug - The Times 22/08/05
A Welsh company is in talks to license a living remedy
Baby facing 'inevitable' death is strong enough for trips outside - The Times 22/08/05
THE parents of a seriously-ill baby girl seeking to overturn a judgment allowing doctors to let her die have been told by the hospital that she has made “remarkable progress”.
Why your big brother or sister is always one step ahead - The Times 22/08/05
PRESIDENTS Bush, Clinton and Carter would support it. Cherie Booth is proof of it. The first born achieves the most success in life.
Painkiller 'harmed 10,000 Britons' - The Times 22/08/05
AS many as 10,000 Britons could have been harmed by the painkiller Vioxx and could sue the American drug company that manufactured it, according to analysis by Dr David Graham, the US government scientist who turned whistleblower last year.
Top-selling drug linked to increased suicide risk - The Times 22/08/05
ONE of Britain’s most widely prescribed antidepressants has been linked to a seven-fold increase in suicide attempts.
Vioxx death toll may hit 2,000 in UK - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
THE families of as many as 2,000 British patients who died after using the painkiller Vioxx could join a potential multi- billion-dollar lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturers.
Workaholics are a hit in the bedroom - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
GOOD news for aspiring high achievers and borderline workaholics: you may be remiss in friendships and asleep at family gatherings, but you will be a big hit in the bedroom.
Investigation: Victims of drug that took a hidden toll - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
Brian Deer on the emerging tragedy of the painkiller Vioxx WHEN Kenneth Wood died of a heart attack two years ago on the day he was supposed to go on holiday to America, his wife Margaret blamed herself.
Mowlam bequeaths controversy with 'legalise drugs' call - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
MO MOWLAM’S unerring ability to cause controversy has survived her. The Northern Ireland secretary and cabinet enforcer has left behind a book, to be published next year, in which she advocates the legalisation of all drugs, including heroin and cocaine.
Hospital toll of 'patient rage' attacks revealed - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
A DISTURBING picture of the “patient rage” blighting Britain’s hospitals has been revealed with figures showing that each hospital suffers an average of 43 violent assaults per year.
Doctors admit Charlotte is making progress - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
A HOSPITAL that went to court to secure the right to allow a severely handicapped baby to die has admitted in a letter that the infant has made “remarkable progress”.
Anxious life of the 'Ipod' generation - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
THEY should be Britain’s gilded youth, enjoying opportunities to study, travel and embark on exciting careers in a way previous generations could only dream about. But instead they are the “Ipod” generation — “Insecure, Pressured, Over-taxed and Debt-ridden” — according to a study by Reform, the think tank, to be published this week.
Urban cyclists raise their risk of heart disease - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
CYCLISTS may be doing themselves more harm than good by pedalling to the office along congested roads, according to pioneering research by the British Heart Foundation.
A prisoner of sexual double standards - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
In some cultures to this day it is considered normal for a young boy to go to a much older woman for his first sexual experiences. The idea is that she will be kind to him, soothe his anxieties and teach him some useful skills, so that he in turn will be kind and sexually skilful with inexperienced young women in his future.
SNP considers heroin on prescription plan - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
The SNP could become the first mainstream party in the UK to advocate the legalisation of heroin, writes Marc Horne.
Ecosse: I let my husband commit suicide - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
Jill Anderson nursed her husband through a debilitating illness he could not bear. When he decided to take his life, she did nothing. Writing for the first time, she says she was motivated by love and should not have faced manslaughter charges
Obesity clinic may use horse scanners - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
SOME obese Irish patients are now so heavy that doctors are considering using veterinary equipment to scan them.
Oral cancer in young Irish women soars - The Sunday Times 21/08/05
CANCER of the mouth and throat, normally found in elderly male smokers, is emerging at alarming levels in young non-smoking Irish women.
Children 'made more aggressive by video games' - The Times 20/08/05
VIDEO games have become the horror comics of the 21st century. Just as the violent and colourful comics of the 1950s were said to be perverting that generation, so are video games accused today.
But they may also help the memory - The Times 20/08/05
SHOOT-'EM-UP video games increase aggressive behaviour in children and adolescents in the short and long term, according to an analysis of 20 years of research.
Health chiefs press for a better write-up - The Times 20/08/05
GOVERNMENT departments are spending tens of thousands of pounds hiring consultants to discover which journalists give them the most favourable and the most critical coverage.
Licensing reform MP wants ban on his local - The Times 20/08/05
A LABOUR MP who backed the reform of the licensing laws has objected to his local pub opening until midnight.
Failing childcarers 'must improve' - The Times 20/08/05
More than a third of childcare providers have been ordered to improve their services after failing one or more of the Government's fourteen national standards over the past two years.
Patients at risk as cuts hit drugs authority - The Times 20/08/05
PATIENTS face potentially fatal delays in getting the best drugs because of government cuts, it was disclosed last night.
At your table: wild meat - The Times 20/08/05
Game for high-protein, low-fat fare?
Inside story: accident trauma: my life stopped in mid-flow - The Times 20/08/05
When a hit-and-run driver left Lucie Eadon for dead, her world was changed for ever. And she is still coming to terms with it
Modern mums versus 50s mums - The Times 20/08/05
UNCHAINED from the kitchen sink, and aided by whizzy gizmos, modern mums are spending 29 fewer hours a week on cooking and household chores than their Fifties counterparts, a new survey reveals.
Heavy breather - The Times 20/08/05
Breakthroughs, tips and trends THE SECRET of garlic breath's unique power to offend has been discovered by scientists: the pungent plant makes us react as if we are in physical pain.
Sun? Just say no - The Times 20/08/05
Love, sex, UV light - these days we're all addicted to something
When love is in a rut - The Times 20/08/05
Relationships often get trapped by routine: the same friends, same sex, same rows. Only true intimacy can save you
Old-fashioned detective work - The Times 20/08/05
Dr Hughes discovered a disease that affects 150,000 Britons. Now it bears his name
Sex matters with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson - The Times 20/08/05
I can't picture us together I met a gorgeous woman at a party and we got on well. I'd like to ask her out but I'm put off by her job: she's a photographer in the porn industry. What should I do?
Agony aunt Irma Kurtz: My French dream - The Times 20/08/05
My husband and I retired nearly two years ago and since then we have sold our family home and moved to a very nice apartment. He has been busy doing alterations to the apartment. We have a busy life: we play golf; we have three children and four grandchildren; and we have a caravan in Wales that we visit regularly. I have many friends and love reading. However, he and I do not seem to be getting on very well. I find him irritating and annoying just being there; he is patronising and does not listen when I talk. I feel that I want to run away and leave him, but I would not be leaving just him but my family and friends, too. If I go, I would choose France, a country that I would dearly love to live in and to learn the language. I am fit and healthy. At 64 I am not so old these days; I want the remaining years to be happy: at the moment they are not.
Dr Copperfield: Inside the mind of a GP: The house of horror calls - The Times 20/08/05
Hospitals are dangerous. You have only to glance at the newspapers to convince yourself that if you set foot in one you're going to be killed by a sleep-deprived junior doctor. Even if you survive, then you're certain to catch a dose of MRSA as a souvenir. Professor Sherwood Burge, a consultant at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham, admitted this week that the hospital was "not a terribly safe place to be".
Junk Medicine: IVF parents - The Times 20/08/05
Child welfare before birth? The welfare of children is one of those things it is virtually impossible to oppose. The protection of the most vulnerable members of society is a hallmark of civilisation and to question measures that seek to achieve it seems irresponsible or plain wicked. Like justice, peace and freedom, it is a concept everybody holds dear.
A-Z of relationships: E is for envy - The Times 20/08/05
I want what she's having Envy is good for the economy. A survey by Virgin has found that British women spend £3.5 billion a year to copy the looks of the stars, with nine out of ten women polled admitting that they followed celebrity styles. Wanting to be like someone else might be invaluable for business, but what about when it's closer to home? The recent film Envy, with Jack Black and Ben Stiller, saw envy blossom as one of the two pals made a fortune from an invention. The success of one was less the cement of their friendship than a corrosive force. As Gore Vidal famously put it: "Whenever a friend succeeds, a little something in me dies."
Bodylicious: waterproof mascara - The Times 20/08/05
Jo Bull, make-up artist at Models One, chooses the best mascaras for sports, sunbathing and sensitive eyes
She's too clingy - The Times 20/08/05
Having suffered a miscarriage and then the death of my daughter at 18 days old (she never came out of hospital) I have been very protective of my son, 10, and daughter, 3. The problem is that my daughter is very clingy. At home, she wants me to hold her hand and at nursery she does not play with other children and has to be led by an adult before she will join in any activity. How can I encourage her independence and interaction with other children?
Lunchtime fix: tequila massage - The Times 20/08/05
There's something about a massage that isn't really, well, very manly. Getting naked in front of a stranger and allowing them to rub intimate parts of your body seems to me to be, in equal proportions, pornographic, toe-curlingly embarrassing and, paradoxically, a bit poofy. But, sometimes, if the masseur promises something extra (no, not that kind of extra!), I'm happy to submit to someone's oily ministrations. In this case, The Refinery, a male-grooming centre in the City, promised to "leave me invigorated and intoxicated" with a Resinado Tequila Massage. Great, I thought, I know it's just a gimmick, something many UK spas are trying now to entice more men, but so what? A shot of tequila and a rub-down is just the thing to pep me up.
Home remedies: kiwi fruit for constipation - The Times 20/08/05
Are your insides on strike after a bit of holiday over-indulgence? The solution, is to eat two kiwi fruit a day. She swears that they work like a dream to get you moving.
Lighting up the brain - The Times 20/08/05
From mental health to physical wellbeing, music therapy may hit all the right notes
So where have all the flowers gone . . . - The Times 20/08/05
. . . We've used them up in remedies. Herbal medicine needs to be sustainable
Over the counter: nasal steroids for blocked noses - The Times 20/08/05
Brands Beconase Hay Fever, Flixonase Allergy and others.
Stately way to unwind - Newspaper Edition - Times Online
Lighter, leaner, cleaner. Julie Myerson falls for Shrubland Hall's tried-and-tested magic formula
Eco warrier: water wary: message in a bottle - The Times 20/08/05
I buy water in plastic bottles with pop-up tops and reuse them. Some carry a warning saying that they should not be refilled. Is this just a ploy to wreck my attempts at home recycling?
Sneak in some goodness - The Times 20/08/05
What to do when your kids won't eat veg? One new book says trick them. But is this a good idea?
Get fresh: seasonal shopping list - The Times 20/08/05
FRUIT AND VEG Good cooks know that foods in season produce some great tasting partnerships. Blackberry-and-apple pie is a fine example, the sweetness of the berries contrasting with the sharpness of the cooking apples.
Unhealthy appetites - The Times 20/08/05
We are all turning into food fetishists, but which type are you?
How to cheat at eating: fish pie - The Times 20/08/05
ASDA HADDOCK CUMBERLAND PIE Fat 22g Salt 3.6g Price £1.48 per 450g pack Verdict This chilled pie looks good and keeps its shape when heated and served. It contains plenty of haddock and the sauce is creamy with a slight nutmeg flavour. It's very filling; in fact, the makers suggest just half the pack per serving. Unfortunately, it's also loaded with salt (more than half the recommended maximum daily amount for adults) but it's still a good choice for slimmers. Calories per pack 486
I'm hungry for love . . . - The Times 20/08/05
Fat and bullied as a kid, Craig David has beaten his junk-food habit and he's ready for Ms Right
Breathing space: activity centres: The wilderness years - The Times 20/08/05
River deep, mountain high - there's plenty on offer for those who like to get their thrills outdoors
Not just anybody: Suranne Jones - The Times 20/08/05
Former Corrie actress Suranne Jones, 27, loves peace and quiet - and tapping into Northern roots
Intent on a boot camp - The Times 20/08/05
Get sweating, soldier . . . Why do we feel we need to be ordered to get fit
Sorted: Chilren's toys: Hoop, skip and jump - The Times 20/08/05
Our paediatric expert Dr Jane Collins chooses fun games that will keep bored kids entertained, on their toes and out of your hair, with a couple of weeks of the school holidays still to go
Legalise drugs bid dismissed as naive - The Times 19/08/05
A SENIOR Scottish legal figure has called for all drugs to be legalised. David Hingston, a former Procurator Fiscal, said that the battle against drugs in Scotland is being lost and that all banned substances should be made legal to bring the problem under control.
A justifiable alternative - The Times 19/08/05
THE granting of a licence to avoid the birth of children carrying the retinoblastoma gene marks another direction for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Selection is no longer against disease, but susceptibility. A child born with retinoblastoma will not definitely fall ill. There are treatments to control it in its early stages. But this does not mean we should not offer PGD for retinoblastoma.
Patience Wheatcroft: NHS free? Pull the other one - The Times 19/08/05
The way we fund our health service is antiquated. We need a hard rethink, not comforting platitudes
Relieving the fear about painkillers - The Times 19/08/05
QUEEN VICTORIA'S doctors were happy that she should use opioid drugs to ease her period pains, and it is rumoured that she also took cannabinol preparations as a sedative or narcotic. Quite rightly today's doctors would be shocked if her descendants were to follow her example. This would be a misuse of the stronger opium derivatives, and there are better and safer sedatives than smoking a spliff of skunk.
Wholly mackerel - are you eating your fish quota? - The Times 19/08/05
Omega-3 fatty acids may help to keep conditions such as brain degeneration at bay
Doctors orders - The Times 19/08/05
Make your teenager walk to school - it could encourage more physical activity. A study published by BMJ Online found that adolescents who walked to and from school tend to be more active throughout the day. The researchers suggest that the morning walk stimulates the extra activity
Smoking ban 'will help rich more' - The Times 19/08/05
PUBS in the most deprived parts of England are more likely to be exempt from the Government's planned smoking ban than those in richer areas.
Families warned on toxic gardens - The Times 19/08/05
DOZENS of householders have been warned not to let young children play alone in the garden after it was found that their homes were built on a toxic dump.
Writing on the wall for fat townies - The Times 19/08/05
PEOPLE living in concrete jungles disfigured by graffiti are more likely to be obese than those from greener and pleasanter areas, a study has suggested.
Girls who eat chips more likely to get breast cancer - The Times 19/08/05
EATING chips as a young child may increase the risk of contracting breast cancer as an adult, research in America has claimed.
Designer babies may put end to cancer blindness - The Times 19/08/05
Technique to screen embryos for eye tumour gene gives hope to families with the disease
The NHS needs to see a doctor - and quickly - The Telegraph 22/08/05
If you want a vivid demonstration of what is wrong with the NHS, consider our latest poll findings. According to YouGov, only a minority of patients get to see their family doctor within two days.
'Fantasy' of the 48-hour wait to see a GP - The Telegraph 22/08/05
Ministers have been accused of living in "a fantasy world" after new evidence contradicted Government claims that almost everyone can see a GP within 48 hours.
Elder children do better at school, study finds - The Telegraph 22/08/05
Younger children do less well at school than their elder brothers and sisters, the most detailed study of its kind says today.
Missed appointments cost NHS 575m a year - The Telegraph 21/08/05
Patients are failing to keep nearly six million hospital appointments a year - costing the NHS 575 million, enough to fund an extra 27,000 nurses or 8,000 doctors.
Breast cancer sufferers fight for new drug - The Telegraph 21/08/05
A group of women suffering from breast cancer is planning to invoke the Human Rights Act in order to receive the latest cancer treatment.
Hundreds of British claims expected after $250m award in US Vioxx case - The Telegraph 21/08/05
"Alec loved life. He did have arthritis but up until he took Vioxx he was just taking paracetamol and that didn't restrict him," said Maureen Watt, Alec's widow.
Inside the fake Viagra factory - The Telegraph 21/08/05
It may look like any building site, but it is the squalid factory where counterfeit Viagra is produced. The fake pills are stored on dirty plastic sheeting, while the cement mixer is used to dye them blue.
'His innocence was stolen. This has affected his whole future' - The Telegraph 21/08/05
The terrified 14-year-old stood before the police sergeant awaiting him in his lounge.
Britons to sue drug giant after Vioxx ruling - The Telegraph 20/08/05
British law firms were today preparing to sue pharmaceutical giant Merck after a US jury found it liable for the death of a man who took its painkiller Vioxx.
30,000 childminders and nurseries told to improve standards - The Telegraph 20/08/05
More than 30,000 nurseries and childminders in England have been ordered to improve by Ofsted, the education inspectorate.
Cuts keep patients waiting for drugs - The Telegraph 20/08/05
Tens of thousands of patients face potentially fatal delays in receiving the best drugs for their diseases because of Government cuts, it was admitted yesterday.
Living in an ugly area 'makes you obese' - The Telegraph 19/08/05
People surrounded by graffiti, with pavements strewn with litter and broken glass, are more likely to be obese than those living in green and leafy places, said researchers yesterday.
GPs to receive advice on bird flu epidemic - The Telegraph 19/08/05
Every GP in Britain is to receive instructions on handling an outbreak of bird flu, it has emerged.
Make 'em laugh, make 'em burp - The Telegraph 18/08/05
Parenthood is tough - especially for fathers. Iain Hollingshead sets out to learn some essential skills
Poll calls for total smoking ban - Daily Mail 22/08/05
Most people want a smoking ban in all workplaces.
Warning about suicidal side effects - Daily Mail 22/08/05
New warnings have been sounded about the possible suicidal side effects of commonly used antidepressants.
BBC drive to boost organ donation - Daily Mail 22/08/05
The BBC is to use its top hospital shows to help a campaign to boost organ donors.
Sick 'think little about treatment' - Daily Mail 22/08/05
People with a long-term illness think as little about major changes in their treatment as they do about what to watch on TV, a survey has revealed.
Free post service for blind - Daily Mail 22/08/05
Visually impaired people can now send large print materials by post for free.
Blow-up stockings help elderly walk - Daily Mail 21/08/05
Thousands of elderly people could find it easier to get around thanks to an unusual fashion accessory - inflatable stockings.
250,000 health claims for insurers - Daily Mail 21/08/05
Holidaymakers are expected to make almost a quarter of a million claims for medical and hospital care this year.
British Vioxx users to sue US maker - Daily Mail 20/08/05
British law firms are preparing to sue pharmaceutical giant Merck after a US jury found it liable for the death of a man who took its painkiller Vioxx.
Merck vows to fight UK Vioxx claims - Daily Mail 20/08/05
US drug company Merck has vowed to fight legal action from British law firms representing people who took its painkiller Vioxx.
Women bikers in cancer charity ride - Daily Mail 20/08/05
Fifteen women bikers have set off on a week-long road trip to raise tens of thousands of pounds for younger women with breast cancer.
Funding cut delays NHS cancer drugs - Daily Mail 20/08/05
Thousands of patients face delays in receiving the best drugs for their illnesses because of Government cuts, it has been revealed.
British Vioxx users to sue US maker - Daily Mail 20/08/05
British law firms are preparing to sue pharmaceutical giant Merck after a US jury found it liable for the death of a man who took its painkiller Vioxx.
Poor areas 'may escape smoking ban' - Daily Mail 19/08/05
Pubs in the most deprived parts of England are more likely to be exempt from the Government's planned smoking ban than those in richer areas, researchers have said.
Family doctor struck off - Daily Mail 19/08/05
A family doctor who put his hand down a patient's thong and touched her genital area while he was examining to see if she was pregnant has lost his job.
Bird flu pandemic advice to doctors - Daily Mail 19/08/05
Every GP practice in Britain is to receive instructions on how to handle a possible outbreak of bird flu.
Public asked for NHS care views - Daily Mail 19/08/05
The public are being invited to express their opinions about the future of NHS care outside of hospitals.
Family doctor struck off - Daily Mail 19/08/05
A family doctor who put his hand down a patient's thong and touched her genital area while he was examining to see if she was pregnant has lost his job.
Bird flu pandemic advice to doctors - Daily Mail 19/08/05
Every GP practice in Britain is to receive instructions on how to handle a possible outbreak of bird flu.
Former minister Mowlam dies aged 55 - Daily Mail 19/08/05
Former Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam has died at the age of 55.
Bird flu pandemic advice to doctors - Daily Mail 19/08/05
Every GP practice in Britain is to receive instructions on how to handle a possible outbreak of bird flu.
Australia targets British doctors - Daily Mail 19/08/05
Australian officials are hoping to take advantage of the apparent shortage of training jobs for young doctors in the UK by tempting them Down Under, a report has said.
Obesity crisis in the concrete jungles - Daily Mail 19/08/05
People living in concrete jungles surrounded by graffiti are more likely to be obese than those from more green and pleasant areas, a study has showed.
Chip-eating kids 'raise breast cancer risk' - Daily Mail 19/08/05
Pre-school children who regularly eat chips may face an increased risk of breast cancer in later life, research has suggested.
British GPs briefed on bird flu - Daily Mail 19/08/05
Every GP practice in Britain is to receive instructions on how to handle a possible outbreak of bird flu.
Desperate pensioners reach for the razor blades - Daily Mail 19/08/05
Older people who need treatment for foot problems are reaching for razor blades to treat themselves because they cannot access NHS care, campaigners claim.
Drug giant loses first Vioxx trial - Daily Mail 19/08/05
A Texas jury found pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co liable for the death of a man who took the once-popular painkiller Vioxx.
Legal step for Vioxx case Britons - BBC Health News 22/08/05
A law firm representing Britons alleged to have suffered from their use of the painkiller Vioxx is preparing to submit clients' medical records to US doctors.
'Majority' back total smoking ban - BBC Health News 22/08/05
The majority of people in England and Wales back a complete ban on smoking in workplaces, a new survey has suggested.
Unique chest infection virus find - BBC Health News 21/08/05
Scientists have identified a unique virus linked to serious chest infections in children and babies.
Would-be organ donors stay silent - BBC Health News 21/08/05
A BBC survey suggests that the overwhelming majority of people back organ donation, but 51% have never discussed the issue with loved ones.
NHS warned over A&E unit closures - BBC Health News 21/08/05
Fears are growing about patient safety over the rising number of A&E units which are closing.
Stockings to give elderly a lift - BBC Health News 21/08/05
Researchers have developed inflatable stockings to give relief to elderly people with mobility problems.
Doctors taught to sleep soundly - BBC Health News 21/08/05
Trainee doctors are being taught the importance of getting a good night's sleep in a pioneering course.
Gene fault gives Alzheimer's clue - BBC Health News 21/08/05
American scientists have identified a gene error which causes faults in the brain's nerve and blood supply system in Alzheimer's disease.
US firm to fight drug onslaught - BBC Health News 20/08/05
US drugs giant Merck is vowing to fight a potential wave of thousands of lawsuits over the painkiller Vioxx, once taken by 20 million people.
No public probe into boy's death - BBC Health News 19/08/05
The parents of a 10-year-old boy who died after waiting 90 minutes for an ambulance to arrive say they will not be calling for a full public inquiry.
MP3 users hearing damage warning - BBC Health News 18/08/05
The surge in sales of iPods and other portable music players in recent years could mean many more people will develop hearing loss, experts fear.
US giant punished for faulty drug - BBC Health News 20/08/05
US drugs giant Merck has been ordered to pay $253.4m (£141.07m) to the widow of a man who died from a heart attack blamed on the popular painkiller Vioxx.
Footsore elderly 'turn to razors' - BBC Health News 20/08/05
Elderly people with foot problems are resorting to self-treatments including using razor blades because they cannot access NHS care, campaigners say.
Taking speed 'dulls the brain' - BBC Health News 20/08/05
People who use the drug speed alter their brain's structure so it may not work as well as it should, US researchers believe.
GPs to get flu pandemic guidance - BBC Health News 19/08/05
GPs across the UK are being sent information packs about what they should do in event of a flu pandemic.
Weight loss cuts cancer gene risk - BBC Health News 19/08/05
Young women who carry a breast cancer gene can reduce their risk of the disease by slimming, a study suggests.
Australia aims to tempt UK medics - BBC Health News 19/08/05
Australian government officials are launching a drive to tempt UK junior doctors to work there.
Early humans 'may have spread TB' - BBC Health News 19/08/05
The tuberculosis bacterium emerged in East Africa three million years ago and may have spread around the world when early humans left their ancestral home, a genetic study suggests.
Smoke ban 'will widen health gap' - BBC Health News 18/08/05
A partial smoking ban will widen the health gap between the poorest and richest in society, warn UK doctors.
Eye cancer embryo check allowed - BBC Health News 18/08/05
Doctors have been given permission to screen a woman's embryos for a rare form of eye cancer.
Umbilical cord 'stem cell' hope - BBC Health News 18/08/05
Scientists believe they have found a way to get plentiful stem cells from umbilical cord blood to treat people with diseases.
Tibetan Plant Worm Can Regulate Cholesterol Metabolism, NOEVIR Confirms - Medical News Today 22/08/05
NOEVIR announced on August 18 that it has identified a unique property of cordyceps sinensis saccardo, a plant worm native to Tibet.
Clinical trials improving long odds of surviving lung cancer - Medical News Today 22/08/05
The recent death of news anchor Peter Jennings from lung cancer served as a reminder that it remains the deadliest form of cancer. Each year, lung cancer claims more lives than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.
FDA Approves Freestyle Connect™ Blood Glucose Monitoring System, Abbott - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Abbott Diabetes Care, a division of Abbott, announced today it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its FreeStyle Connect™ blood glucose monitoring system in the point-of-care setting (hospitals and medical clinics).
Treatment Of Psoriatic Arthritis - Humira® (Adalimumab) Approved In Europe - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Abbott announced that it has received approval from the European Commission to market HUMIRA® (adalimumab) as a treatment for psoriatic arthritis and early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Europe.
Barr Receives Approvable Letter for Duramed's SEASONIQUE(TM) Extended-Cycle Oral Contraceptive - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc confirmed that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Approvable letter for Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc's New Drug Application (NDA) for SEASONIQUE(TM) (levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol tablets 0.15 mg/0.03 mg and ethinyl estradiol tablets 0.01 mg) extended-cycle oral contraceptive. To achieve final approval, the FDA has requested that the Company provide additional data to support SEASONIQUE's unique regimen of 84 days of combination therapy, followed by seven days of unopposed estrogen. Once approved, the Company intends to market SEASONIQUE for the prevention of pregnancy in women who choose to take hormone products for contraception.
Low Sugar Grilling Tips with Splenda® from Chef Kevin Rathbun - Medical News Today 22/08/05
The average summer barbecue menu, which is complete with sweet marinades, traditional side dishes and of course, desserts, can often contain an excess of added sugars. However, with a few easy steps, families can reduce those added sugars in their barbecue recipes without sacrificing that "thrill of the grill" taste. This summer, Chef Kevin Rathbun, of the award winning Atlanta, GA, restaurant, Rathbun's, offers a better-for-you barbecue feast that can teach families everywhere how to easily reduce sugar, calories and carbohydrates while maintaining great backyard barbecue flavor.
Indications for Singulair® Expand with FDA Approval for Perennial Allergic Rhinitis - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Merck & Co, Inc announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved SINGULAIR® (montelukast sodium) for the relief of symptoms of perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR), or indoor allergies, in adults and children six months of age and older. A convenient once-a-day tablet, SINGULAIR has been proven to help relieve a broad range of indoor and outdoor allergy symptoms for up to 24 hours.
Breast Cancer Detected Through Mammography Has Survival Advantage - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Women whose breast cancer was detected by screening mammography had a significantly better prognosis than those whose cancer was found another way - even if the cancer had already spread to their lymph nodes, say researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center who looked at outcomes from randomized screening studies of more than 150,000 women.
Research May Help Those Deafened by Immune System Attack - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Our immune system protects us from disease, destroying invading microbes with a swarm of attacking cells. But it can also go haywire for no apparent reason, ganging up on normal tissues in our body and wreaking havoc.
In Angioplasty At Least, More Is Better - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Before patients get their clogged heart arteries re-opened, they may want to ask their doctor just how many such procedures he or she has done, a new study finds. The answer may make a big difference in each patient's risk of suffering a major setback before leaving the hospital.
High-Risk HPV Infections Preventable by Vaccine May Vary by Region - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Vaccines currently being developed against two types of virus that cause cervical cancer- HPV16 or HPV18-may prevent a larger proportion of high-risk HPV infections in Europe than sub-Saharan Africa, suggests a study being published online by The Lancet.
Beating Urinary Incontinence without Surgery - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Urinary incontinence, or the loss of bladder control, affects one in three women in the United States and costs an estimated $20 billion a year. It contributes to depression, anxiety and social isolation.
Oral Meds Good for Controlling Type II Diabetes in Children - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Oral medications may control symptoms of Type II diabetes in children just as well as insulin injections, a new study reports.
Merck to Appeal Verdict in Texas VIOXX® Product Liability Case - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Merck & Co, Inc is disappointed a state court jury in Brazoria County, Texas, returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff in the VIOXX® product liability lawsuit Ernst v. Merck. Merck will appeal the verdict.
Novartis acquires rights to develop, commercialize new treatment for hyperphosphatemia in kidney dialysis patients - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Novartis announced today that it has signed an agreement with SeBo GmbH of Germany to acquire the global rights for a novel oral phosphate binder in development for the treatment of elevated serum phosphate levels (hyperphosphatemia) in late- or end-stage renal disease patients.
RIKEN Succeeds in Grasping Neuron Activity in Brain's Visual Areas, Japan - Medical News Today 22/08/05
RIKEN announced on August 18 that its Brain Science Institute has shed light on the mechanism of neuron activities in the visual areas of the brain.
Takara Bio Discovers Seven New RNA Interference Enzymes - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Takara Bio announced on August 17 that it has discovered seven new RNA interference enzymes by screening various bacteria. The newly-discovered enzymes can identify and cleave specific sequences of single-strand RNAs.
Revolutionary Skin Cancer Technology - Astron Clinica - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Astron Clinica, a Cambridge-based (UK) company which has developed a revolutionary skin-imaging technology that enables doctors and skincare specialists to look beneath the surface of the skin, has raised venture finance from Kuwait Finance House, Bahrain. The company's patented SIAscopy™ technology is currently used in its DERMETRICS® product suite to assist in the early diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers (malignant melanoma), and has potential applications in a wide variety of skin conditions. The multi million pound investment follows a funding round of £300,000 raised through Oxfordshire Investment Opportunity Network (OION), Europe's leading technology business angel network. Astron will use the new capital to build market share worldwide, and continue to develop its DERMETRICS® product suite to include applications in psoriasis, eczema and acne, as well as in wound management and for the cosmetics industry.
Health and wealth does not affect incidence of dementia in England and Wales - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Results from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognitive Function and Ageing Study show that improved health and mortality are not likely to guard against the risk of developing dementia, according to a paper published today in Public Library of Science Medicine by Dr Fiona Matthews of the MRC Biostatistics Unit in Cambridge and Professor Carol Brayne from the University of Cambridge.
Jobless doctor signs on after failing to land another training post, UK - Medical News Today 22/08/05
Jobless doctor Michael Daley has been forced to join the dole queue because of a workforce planning crisis.
Handheld computers used to address critical health needs in rural Africa and Asia - Medical News Today 21/08/05
In Africa, where people are suffering and dying of starvation and disease, not only is there a desperate shortage of doctors and nursing care, there is usually a shortage of information. In areas with struggling infrastructures, no landline telephones, and sometimes not even electricity, healthcare workers have had no access to up-to-date, relevant, and accurate health information with which to treat their patients. Now, thanks to innovative use of technology, handheld computers are being utilized to deliver life-saving information to the doctors, nurses, and public health officials who need it most. International health information and communications technology leader SATELLIFE has issued a white paper entitled Handhelds for Health: SATELLIFE's Experiences in Africa and Asia to provide advice and guidance on how to incorporate handhelds into health and international development projects based on its experiences using them in low-resource settings.
Partial ban on smoking will worsen health inequalities, BMA - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Commenting on the BMJ paper on tobacco and health inequalities1, Dr Peter Maguire, the Deputy Chairman of the BMA's Board of Science, said:
Further check-up needed for UK Department of Health on care homes, Which? - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Today's response by the Department of Health (DH) to the Office of Fair Trading's (OFT) recommendations on care homes delivers positive changes for care home consumers, however it falls well short of fully addressing the problems raised by Which?'s super-complaint.
NHS response to European Working Time Directive results in better patient care, UK - Medical News 21/08/05
Evaluation published for ‘Hospital at Night' project - Hospital at Night, a model of shift patterns and staffing mix for the NHS to use in response to the European Working Time Directive has delivered improvements to patient care, according to a new report published today.
Treating Acne with Vitamins and Supplements, New Web Site - Medical News Today 21/08/05
My Vitamin Guide (MVG), an online review of vitamins, supplements, herbal remedies and alternative medicine, announced today it has added an enhanced acne section to its website.
Scope Of Practice For Academic Nurse Educators© - New Publication - Medical News Today 21/08/05
In a critical step for the nursing education academic community and a crucial adjunct to the pioneering NLN Certification Program for Academic Nurse Educators the National League for Nursing has published The Scope of Practice for Academic Nurse Educators©.
Heart-failure patients show brain injury linked to depression - Medical News Today 21/08/05
A UCLA imaging study revealed significant tissue loss in the regions of heart-failure patients' brains that regulate the autonomic nervous system, interfering with the cardiovascular system's ability to swiftly adapt to changes in blood pressure and heart rate. The damage lies in the same brain areas showing changes in people suffering major depression, which may explain why many heart-failure patients are often depressed.
Positive health effects of expressive writing, new research - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Researchers have known for some time that expressive writing can have a positive effect on the writer's health, such as illness recovery. Now, in the next generation of research, Psychologist Louise Sundararajan, PhD, EdD, of the Forensic Unit of the Rochester Psychiatric Center, and Jeffrey A. Richards, MA, of University of Colorado at Boulder, have shown that the effects of affective expressions are not necessarily fixed but rather dependent on the writer's mental context at the time.
Young children at risk for impaired reading skills following medulloblastoma irradiation - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Largest study of its kind finds irradiation impairs reading development of young children even if they receive lower dose because they face an average risk of treatment failure Irradiation therapy for the brain cancer medulloblastoma is more likely to impair IQ and reading skills of younger children than older children even if the dose of radiation is reduced, according to the results of the largest study of its kind, conducted by investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Texas Children's Cancer Center (Houston) and Royal Children's Hospital (Melbourne, Australia).
DVD to Attract Primary Care Leaders in Nottinghamshire, UK - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Primary care leaders in Nottinghamshire, UK, have launched a new DVD promoting the county as the place to live and work in the NHS.
Protect Computer-Based Medical Devices from Viruses and Other Threats - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Maintaining the security of computer-based medical devices, which can fall prey to an estimated 100,000 computer viruses, can be challenging. ECRI (formerly the Emergency Care Research Institute), an independent, nonprofit health services research agency, advises hospitals on how to protect and maintain the security of computer-based medical devices in a recent issue of its monthly journal Health Devices. This guidance article features ECRI's step-by-step approach to maintaining, updating, and protecting computer-based medical devices.
Rensselaer researchers develop approach that predicts protein separation behavior - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Applying math and computers to the drug-discovery process, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a method to predict protein separation behavior directly from protein structure. This new multi-scale protein modeling approach may reduce the time it takes to bring pharmaceuticals to market and may have significant implications for an array of biotechnology applications, including bioprocessing, drug discovery, and proteomics, the study of protein structure and function.
Jefferson researchers find potential biomarker for heart failure - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Signs of heart failure may be in the blood. Cardiac researchers at Jefferson Medical College have found an enzyme in the blood that could be a potential marker for heart failure.
New therapy recommendations for spinal complications of cancer - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Kentucky study indicates combination of surgery and radiation yields better mobility, lower death rates in patients suffering from spinal cord compression - Cancer patients and their physicians have new answers as they seek the best treatment for the immobilizing trauma of spinal cord compression in metastatic cancer, thanks to Roy Patchell and colleagues at the University of Kentucky.
Playing violent video games can heighten aggression - Review of research shows - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Violent video games can increase aggressive behavior in children and adolescents, both in the short- and long-term, according to an empirical review of the last 20 years of research. These findings are presented at the 113th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association in Washington, DC.
Minor depression episode increases risk for developing major depression - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Those who feel sad and lack an interest in regular life activities for at least two weeks and qualify for a diagnosis of minor depression are six times as likely to develop major depression compared to those who don't have these symptoms, according to a longitudinal study on risks for depression. Most medical conditions do not increase the risk for developing major depression except for those who suffer from a stroke; who are almost ten times as likely to experience a major depression. These findings will be presented at the 113th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association in Washington, DC.
Protective and therapeutic HPV vaccine under development at Georgetown - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Armed with a new award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation/ National Institutes of Health, Richard Schlegel, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Georgetown University Medical Center's Department of Pathology and a Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center researcher, is working on an inexpensive, portable vaccine to both treat women infected by human papillomavirus (HPV) and to protect others from becoming infected.
NEJM And JAMA Articles Underscore Clinical Benefits of The Cypher® Sirolimus-Eluting Coronary Stent - Medical News Today 21/08/05
Three studies in this week's editions of the premier peer-reviewed journals New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM; August 18, 2005) and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA; August 17, 2005) support the clinical benefits and safety profile associated with the CYPHER® Sirolimus-Eluting Coronary Stent compared to the Taxus stent. The studies were randomized, head-to-head comparisons of the CYPHER* Stent and the Taxus stent and examined complex patient groups, including patients with diabetes. The studies are available at http://www.nejm.org and jama.ama-assn.org.
Pharmaceutical Company Schering Receives Approval for Yasminelle Contraceptive in Netherlands - Medical News Today 21/08/05
German pharmaceutical company Schering on Thursday announced that its oral contraceptive Yasminelle has been approved for sale in the Netherlands,... Reuters reports. The Netherlands will serve as a reference market to obtain approval to sell the drug throughout Europe, the company said in a statement. Yasminelle is similar to Schering's oral contraceptive Yasmin but contains a lower dose of estrogen, according to the company (Reuters, 8/18).
Latest Advances On Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Highlighted At Conference To Be Held On September 11 - Medical News Today 20/08/05
Three Day Conference at Mount Sinai Medical Center Begins on Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks - From survivors of the London bombings to Iraq war veterans to those who witnessed the collapse of the World Trade Center towers on 9/11, post-traumatic stress disorder can afflict anyone of any age, race or gender who has survived traumatic events. Depending upon the individual, the effects of PTSD can occur within weeks or even many years following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist acts, or personal assaults like rape. People who suffer from PTSD often re-live the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe and last long enough to significantly impair the person's daily life.
Brain Distinguishes Between Nose and Mouth Odors - Medical News Today 20/08/05
Researchers in a study in Neuron this week present the first clear evidence that the brain processes the same odorant molecule differently if it arrives through the nose rather than the mouth.
RCGP join forces with Mind and NCCMH to tackle depression, UK - Medical News Today 20/08/05
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), as the National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care (NCCPC), Mind, and the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) have joined forces to produce a new poster aimed at helping people with depression and with anxiety.
People from Across The UK to Have Their Say on Improving Health Services - Medical News Today 20/08/05
The Department of Health has today announced details of a number of interactive regional and national public engagement events, the results of which will contribute to the White Paper on improving community health and care services.
Pubs in poorest areas of England most likely to be exempt from smoking ban - Medical News Today 20/08/05
The partial smoking ban in licensed establishments and health inequalities in England: modelling study BMJ Online First - Pubs in the poorest areas of England are more likely to be exempt from the smoking ban than those in affluent areas, concludes a study published online by the BMJ today.
The Psychology of Torture - Medical News Today 20/08/05
There is one place in which one's privacy, intimacy, integrity and inviolability are guaranteed - one's body, a unique temple and a familiar territory of sensa and personal history. The torturer invades, defiles and desecrates this shrine. He does so publicly, deliberately, repeatedly and, often, sadistically and sexually, with undisguised pleasure. Hence the all-pervasive, long-lasting, and, frequently, irreversible effects and outcomes of torture.
Traumas as Social Interactions - Medical News Today 20/08/05
We react to serious mishaps, life altering setbacks, disasters, abuse, and death by going through the phases of grieving. Traumas are the complex outcomes of psychodynamic and biochemical processes. But the particulars of traumas depend heavily on the interaction between the victim and his social milieu.
Starting School, Tips for Parents - Medical News Today 20/08/05
In the coming weeks, millions of children will start school for the first time. For most, this will be an exciting and positive experience. However, it also represents a major transition, which can be challenging for some children. Parents, teachers, and other adults can help reduce the anxiety associated with starting school. The following are specific suggestions:
What Kylie faces - Motherhood after breast cancer? - Medical News Today 20/08/05
A quarter of young breast cancer sufferers have reported no discussion of fertility issues at the time of diagnosis, despite the possibility of infertility after treatment, according to new research led by the University of New South Wales (UNSW).
Book 'Asbestos and Fire' explores risk trade-offs - Medical News Today 20/08/05
Fire has always been a major threat to human health. But after an "epidemic" of sweeping fires in the late 1800s in the United States and Europe that killed thousands of people and destroyed tens of thousands of buildings, it is little wonder that asbestos -- which is fire-resistant -- was swiftly endorsed as a necessary material in the construction of theaters, factories, hotels, schools and a myriad of other buildings.
Bacteria recognize antimicrobials, respond with counter-defenses - Medical News Today 20/08/05
Findings may lead to ways to get around bacterial resistance - Many living things, from fruit flies to people, naturally produce disease-fighting chemicals, called antimicrobial peptides, to kill harmful bacteria. In a counter move, some disease-causing bacteria have evolved antimicrobial detectors. The bacteria sense the presence of antimicrobial peptides as a warning signal. This alarm sets off a reaction inside the bacteria to avoid destruction.
Study shows some types of military interventions can slow or stop genocide - Medical News Today 20/08/05
A study published in the latest issue of International Studies Quarterly is the first to examine the effectiveness of military action on the severity of ongoing instances of genocide and polititcide. The study reveals that only overt military interventions that explicitly challenge the perpetrator appear to be effective in reducing the severity of the brutal policies. Military support for targets, or in opposition to the perpetrators, alters the almost complete vulnerability of unarmed civilian targets. And these interventions that directly target the perpetrators were not, on the whole, found to make matters worse for those being attacked. "If actors wish to slow or stop the killing in an ongoing instance of state-sponsored mass murder, they are more likely to be effective if they oppose the perpetrators of the brutal policy," author Matthew Krain states. He finds that even military intervention against the perpetrator by a single country or international organization has a measurable effect in the "typical" case.
First detailed picture of migraine attack - Medical News Today 20/08/05
Every eighth adult Swede suffers from migraine. Using a new method, researchers at Göteborg have managed for the first time ever to provide a detailed picture of an untreated attack. This will be of great significance for the development of new forms of treatment. The findings are reported in a dissertation at the Sahgrenska Academy.
Migratory birds in Mongolia have H5N1 bird flu, Wildlife Conservation Society - Medical News Today 20/08/05
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has positively identified the pathogenic form of avian flu--H5N1--in samples taken from birds last week in Mongolia by field veterinarians from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). It is the first instance of this viral strain occurring in wild migratory birds with no apparent contact to domestic poultry or waterfowl.
Hertfordshire to run course to enable pharmacists to prescribe, UK - Medical News Today 20/08/05
The University of Hertfordshire (UK) is to run a course which will train pharmacists to prescribe medication, thus enhancing their role within the NHS.
More evidence needed on ultrasound screening for hip dysplasia in newborns - Medical News Today 20/08/05
There is a lack of clear evidence for or against general ultrasound screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in newborns, concludes the latest CRD Report.
Brazil Again Seeks Negotiations With Abbott To Lower Price on Antiretroviral Drug Kaletra - Medical News Today 20/08/05
The Brazilian Ministry of Health on Thursday said it is again requesting that... Abbott Laboratories lower the price of its antiretroviral drug Kaletra or Brazilian manufacturers will break the drug's patent and produce it at a lower cost, the New York Times reports. According to ministry spokesperson Estenio Brasileino, the government last week sent a letter to Abbott after several Brazilian drug makers notified the ministry that they could manufacture and market a generic version of Kaletra for 41 cents per pill, compared with Abbott's price of $1.17 per pill (Prada, New York Times, 8/19). In July, Brazil's health ministry -- under the leadership of former Health Minister Humberto Costa -- and Abbott said they had reached an agreement for Abbott to keep the government's annual expenses on Kaletra at current levels for the next six years and that Brazil would not break Abbott's patent to produce a generic equivalent of the drug. The Brazilian government had said it would break Abbott's patent on Kaletra unless the company lowered the drug's price 42% to 68 cents per pill (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 7/15). However, less than a week after the agreement was announced, incoming Brazilian Health Minister Jose Saraiva Felipe dismissed the agreement and said the country would continue to negotiate for a lower price, the Times reports.
Bulgaria Refuses Libya Request To Make Payment for Amnesty of Health Care Workers Accused of Infecting Children With HIV - Medical News Today 20/08/05
The Bulgarian government has rejected demands from the Libyan government that it negotiate a "diya," or blood money payment, to win amnesty for five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian physician sentenced to death for allegedly infecting 400 children with HIV,... BBC News reports (BBC News, 8/18). Under Islamic law, the payment can be made to victims in murder cases to prevent a death sentence. Mohammed al-Zaway, Libya's ambassador to Britain, said on Wednesday after talks with U.S. and British officials in Tripoli, Libya, "An agreement with the families of the children would reflect positively on the case, according to Islamic law," adding, "The amount that the Bulgarian government agrees on with the family is not an issue for [the government]. The important thing is the families' agreement." He told the Associated Press, "Libya will not accept pressure or blackmail. The issue is clear and the parties (in the dispute) are known, and they can reach an understanding. ... But we will not accept arrogant language from the West" (El-Deeb, AP/Arizona Republic, 8/18). However, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin said that paying any compensation to the families would be to accept the workers' guilt, which the country refuses to do (BBC News, 8/18). "There is evidence, including the opinions of world experts, which do not confirm the guilt of the Bulgarian nurses," Kalfin said, adding, "There are no grounds for Bulgaria to enter talks for compensation." He said that the country's new Socialist-led government will soon call for new measures with assistance from the U.S. and the European Union to solve the disagreement (Sarrar, Reuters UK, 8/18).
Reuters Profiles South African Program Using Text Messages To Monitor, Track HIV/AIDS Patients - Medical News Today 20/08/05
Reuters on Thursday profiled CellLife, a program in South Africa that uses cell phone text messaging to monitor and track HIV/AIDS patients,... Reuters AlertNet reports. During home visits, counselors ask patients a series of programmed questions and send the responses to doctors and health care workers at the University of Cape Town who monitor a database and respond to urgent requests for help. The program, which began in 2000, also allows counselors to track a patient's antiretroviral drug regimen and adherence. CellLife partners with the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre and clinic to serve about 1,000 patients in Guguletu, South Africa. The program recently expanded to a second site in South Africa's rural North West province and plans to open five more sites using funding from the Elton John AIDS Foundation (Harrison, Reuters AlertNet, 8/18). More than five million HIV-positive people live in South Africa (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 7/29).
Legalising abortion increases a woman's economic power - Medical News Today 20/08/05
The legalisation of abortion and innovations in birth control have increased a wife's clout in the home, according to an economics model that will be presented at the 2005 World Congress of the Econometric Society, which is hosted by UCL (University College London). Results show that all women are better off, including those who don't use birth control, but only if birth control is available to single women as well.
AIDS Committee of Toronto Publicly Acknowledges Link Between Crystal Meth, Risky Sexual Behavior, HIV Transmission - Medical News Today 20/08/05
The AIDS Committee of Toronto recently published a statement saying it believes that a link exists between crystal methamphetamine use, risky sexual behavior and the transmission of HIV, after it was criticized for failing to issue a warning sooner, the... Toronto Star reports (Chung, Toronto Star, 8/18). HIV/AIDS agencies and health officials in Toronto in July said they were uncertain whether crystal methamphetamine use is associated with HIV transmission, drawing criticism from U.S. counterparts who say there is evidence that the drug makes people more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. John Maxwell of ACT in July said there had not been enough studies of crystal meth use among men who have sex with men to definitively link the drug's use to HIV transmission. As a result, Toronto has not launched any major awareness campaigns about crystal meth use increasing the risk of HIV transmission (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 7/7). However, the recent alert, published on the ACT Web site, says, "Crystal meth use increases sexual risk-taking among gay and bisexual men," and warns that the drug's physiological effects increase the chance of HIV transmission during intercourse.
International Donors Put Lives of Women, Girls at Risk by Imposing Ideology on African Countries in AIDS Fight, Opinion Piece Says - Medical News Today 20/08/05
"It is vital that development partners not impose their ideological or political views as a condition of partnership" with African countries in the fight against HIV/AIDS, particularly for programs meant to protect women and girls, who are most vulnerable to the virus, Babatunde Osotimehin, chair of Nigeria's National Action Committee on AIDS, writes in a... New York Times opinion piece. Otherwise, those donors might "endanger the very people they seek to protect," Osotimehin adds. For example, the U.S. "enthusiastically promotes" sexual abstinence as the main HIV prevention tool, he says. But "abstinence is one critical prevention strategy, but it cannot be the only one," especially in Africa, where many girls do not have control over "when, where or with whom they have sex," according to Osotimehin. African countries must use "a multipronged approach" to fight the epidemic, including educational programs, as well as comprehensive reproductive health services that reach women and girls who might avoid HIV-specific services "for fear of stigma and violence," Osotimehin says. "Protecting women and girls from AIDS requires true and effective partnership with international donors who are willing to undertake honest, open dialogue about what works in each of our countries," Osotimehin says, concluding, "National governments must have the freedom to employ the very best strategies at our disposal to help our people" (Osotimehin, New York Times, 8/19). AIDS Committee of Toronto
One bacteria stops another on contact - implications for urinary tract infections - Medical News Today 20/08/05
Scientists have discovered a new phenomenon in which one bacterial cell can stop the growth of another on physical contact. The bacteria that stop growing may go into a dormant state, rather than dying. The findings have implications for management of chronic diseases, such as urinary tract infections.
Newborn screening for childhood hearing impairment leads to early detection - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Screening newborn babies for permanent childhood hearing impairment (PCHI) can improve early detection of the condition by 43%, according to a research letter in this week's issue of THE LANCET.
Scientists link genetic pathway to development of hearing - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Scientists are one step closer to understanding the genetic pathway involved in the development of hearing. New research findings, published online this week in the journal Nature Genetics, detail how sensory hair cells in the ear -- the cells largely responsible for hearing -- develop unique shapes that enable the perception of sound.
Sea sponge helps scientists understand tissue rejection - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Understanding why some transplant patients reject their new organs requires a working knowledge of how cells recognize and accept or reject each other. Xavier Fernàndez-Busquets, an MBL researcher visiting from the University of Barcelona, has found the perfect ally in this quest: the red beard sea sponge, an Atlantic species that grows abundantly from just north of Cape Cod down to Florida.
Helping opiate-addicted babies - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) summer researcher Dr. Kimberlei Richardson is currently working to help solve a problem that some 350,000 babies are born with each year: opiate addiction. Richardson, a neuroscientist and second-year postdoctoral fellow in the Pediatrics Department at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, has seen the problem firsthand. According to Dr Richardson, "Baltimore has a high proportion of opiate-exposed infants. Some of these infants have been exposed to heroin, but a majority of infants are exposed to methadone that the mothers are given to treat the mother's addiction. Methadone is good for the mother because it stabilizes her withdrawal symptoms and ensures that she has good prenatal care. But it is a long-acting opiate and thus the infants have withdrawal symptoms after delivery."
Energy management in cells may hold key to cancer defense - Medical News Today 19/08/05
In an ongoing effort to fight disease by manipulating energy regulation of cells, a collaborative study led by Dartmouth Medical School (DMS) has demonstrated that cells lacking a tumor-suppressing kinase called LKB1 can still maintain healthy energy levels when they become stressed. This energy regulation is essential for keeping cells from dying off too quickly. The study's results could signal new advances for combating cancerous tumor growth, but also type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Looking at autoimmune diabetes, literally - Medical News Today 19/08/05
A major problem for understanding and treating type1 diabetes is that we are unable to directly, but non-invasively, visualize the inflammatory lesions in the pancreas that cause the disease.
Contracting NGOs to provide health care in developing countries improves services - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Contracting non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to deliver health services in developing countries could provide better results than government provision of the same services, state the authors of a public health article in this week's issue of THE LANCET.
Misdiagnosing Narcissism - The Bipolar I Disorder - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Bipolar patients in the manic phase exhibit many of the signs and symptoms of pathological narcissism - hyperactivity, self-centeredness, lack of empathy, and control freakery. During this recurring chapter of the disease, the patient is euphoric, has grandiose fantasies, spins unrealistic schemes, and has frequent rage attacks (is irritable) if her or his wishes and plans are (inevitably) frustrated.
Misdiagnosing Narcissism - Asperger's Disorder - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Asperger's Disorder is often misdiagnosed as Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), though evident as early as age 3 (while pathological narcissism cannot be safely diagnosed prior to early adolescence).
Obesity linked to graffiti in the local neighbourhood - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Graffiti, greenery, and obesity in adults: secondary analysis of European cross sectional survey BMJ Online First - City dwellers living in areas with little greenery and high levels of graffiti and litter are more likely to be obese than those living in pleasant areas with lots of greenery, say researchers in a study published on bmj.com today.
Preventing heat stress and injury among young athletes - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Progressively increasing practice time and intensity and ensuring that football players are replacing lost fluids during training are two ways to significantly reduce the risk of heat stress and injury during preseason practice, a recent expert panel convened by the American College of Sports Medicine found.
International move to train more forensic medicine and science experts - Medical News Today 19/08/05
A new degree designed to equip doctors and scientists with the expertise needed to investigate deaths resulting from acts of genocide, terrorism, natural disasters such as Tsunami, transport accidents and drug abuse will be launched next week at an international Forensic Science conference in Hong Kong. The post-graduate qualification will help counter a world-wide shortage of forensic medicine experts by equipping graduates with the range of interdisciplinary skills needed to counter changing world threats.
UCR chemists prepare molecules that accelerate chemical reactions for manufacturing drugs - Medical News Today 19/08/05
New molecules help make stable catalysts that work at room temperature - Chemists at the University of California, Riverside have synthesized a new class of carbenes - molecules that have unusual carbon atoms - that is expected to have wide applications in the pharmaceutical industry, ultimately resulting in a reduction in the price of drugs.
Prep Program Helps ESL Preschoolers Adapt To School - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Preschoolers whose first language isn't English adjust better to kindergarten if they attend a school-based readiness program with their parents, say early education researchers at the University of Toronto.
Prospects for slashing the impact of malaria with old drug - Medical News Today 19/08/05
A dramatic reduction in the impact of malaria is in prospect with a clinical drug trial to begin in Papua New Guinea early next year. Success in the trial would open the way to relief in the 10% of humanity infected with this debilitating and often fatal disease - over 500,000,000 people.
Patients with Acute Bipolar Mania Show Rapid and Significant Improvement with Geodon - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Geodon Improved Symptoms Within Two Days, Was Well Tolerated - Patients with bipolar mania experiencing manic or mixed (simultaneous symptoms of mania and depression) episodes showed significant improvements by day two of treatment with Pfizer Inc's Geodon® (ziprasidone HCl), according to the findings from a multicenter study reported in the August issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. These findings confirm the rapid onset of efficacy and sustained improvement seen in a previous placebo-controlled study of Geodon in acute bipolar mania.
Added calcium benefits women on the pill - Purdue research shows - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Women who take oral contraceptives can counteract bone loss by making sure they have enough calcium in their daily diet, especially early in life, according to Purdue University research.
Tarvacin(TM) Phase I Hepatitis C Virus Trial, Peregrine Pharmaceuticals - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPHM), announced today the initiation of a phase I anti-viral study of Tarvacin(TM), the Company's first Anti-Phospholipid Therapy candidate. The phase I study is an open-label, dose-escalation study in up to 32 adult patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who either no longer respond to or failed standard therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin combination therapy.
Checklist for air passengers - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Every day, millions of Americans travel via air for business or pleasure, yet most may be unaware of some of the health risks involved in flying - ranging from the simple discomfort of dry eyes to motion sickness to the more serious incidence of blood clots. While air travel is one of the safest forms of trans-portation, taking proper travel precautions can make flying more comfortable and prevent adverse or even fatal health outcomes.
Narcissism in the Boardroom - Medical News Today 19/08/05
The perpetrators of the recent spate of financial frauds in the USA acted with callous disregard for both their employees and shareholders - not to mention other stakeholders. Psychologists have often remote-diagnosed them as "malignant, pathological narcissists".
Microbe has huge role in ocean life, carbon cycle - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Researchers at Oregon State University and Diversa Corporation have discovered that the smallest free-living cell known also has the smallest genome, or genetic structure, of any independent cell - and yet it dominates life in the oceans, thrives where most other cells would die, and plays a huge role in the cycling of carbon on Earth.
Boosting the BCG vaccine to beat tuberculosis - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Tuberculosis remains a major global health threat. Although more than 3 billion doses of the BCG vaccine have been administered to fight tuberculosis, the ability of the BCG vaccine to protect adults is very limited, as is its efficacy against newly emerging isolates.
Weight loss decreases breast cancer risk in susceptible women - Medical News Today 19/08/05
Women with a mutation in the gene BRCA1, which predisposes women to breast cancer, are 65% less likely to develop the disease if they lose weight between 18 and 30 years of age. Research published in the open access journal Breast Cancer Research suggests that young women with this genetic predisposition should avoid putting on weight in early adulthood, especially if they plan to have children.
New treatment works against SARS in monkeys - Reuters 21/08/05
An experimental treatment approach called RNA interference reduced the severity of SARS infections in monkeys, U.S. researchers reported on Sunday.
Convicted U.S. felon's 'Cures' tops book charts - Reuters 21/08/05
He went to prison for fraud and was ordered by the U.S. government to stop touting health products on infomercials, but Kevin Trudeau's book "Natural Cures 'They' Don't Want You to Know About" is a bestseller.
Pregnancies safe if morning after pill fails - Reuters 20/08/05
There do not appear to be any adverse consequences for the mother or the developing fetus in pregnancies that occur despite the use of the so-called "morning after" pill levonorgestrel, new research shows.
Massage improves weight gain in preterm infants - Reuters 20/08/06
Moderate-pressure massage therapy increases weight gain in preterm infants by improving stomach motion, investigators at the University of Miami School of Medicine report.
Statin use linked to lower prostate cancer risk - Reuters 20/08/05
The use of cholesterol-lowering drugs called "statins," which include drugs such as Lipitor and Pravachol, may cut the risk of aggressive forms of prostate cancer, researchers report in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Video games linked to aggression in boys - Reuters 20/08/05
Most studies done on violence and video games support the conclusion that violent video games can increase aggressive behavior in children and adolescents, especially boys, researchers said on Friday.
Texas jury in first Vioxx trial awards $253 million - Reuters 22/08/05
A Texas jury on Friday found drug maker Merck & Co. Inc. negligent in the death of a man who took its popular painkiller Vioxx and awarded his widow $253 million in the first of thousands of Vioxx lawsuits to go to trial.
Jury finds Merck at fault in Texas man's death - Reuters 19/08/05
A jury in the first civil trial against Merck & Co.'s popular painkiller Vioxx on Friday found the pharmaceutical company liable for the 2001 death of a Texas man, awarding his widow a total of more than $250 million..
Texas jury reaches verdict in Merck Vioxx case - Reuters 19/08/05
The jury in the first civil case against pharmaceutical company Merck & Co.'s painkiller Vioxx has reached a verdict, plaintiff's lawyer Mark Lanier said on Friday.
Brain cancer takes longterm toll on children-study - Reuters 19/08/05
Nearly a third of children who survive brain tumors need special education services later and many suffer from chronic discomfort such as headaches and nausea, U.S. researchers reported on Friday.
Magnetic stimulation may improve stroke recovery - Reuters 19/08/05
The results of a small preliminary trial suggest that a type of magnetic stimulation of the brain --- repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) -- may produce short-term improvements after stroke.
Hormone linked to sugar control in diabetics - Reuters 18/08/05
High blood levels of a hormone called adiponectin are associated with improved sugar control in women with diabetes, new research shows.
Rheumatoid arthritis severity similar in both sexes - Reuters 18/08/05
While women with rheumatoid arthritis outnumber men, the results of a recent French study indicate that sex has little effect on the severity of the disease. Nonetheless, women more frequently undergo joint surgery.
Kids learn eating and exercise habits from parents - Reuters 18/08/05
Kids whose parents do little to discourage bad eating habits and sedentary activities, such as television and video games, are significantly more likely to grow into overweight or obese young adults, according to new study findings.
Range of jobs tied to degenerative brain disease - Reuters 18/08/05
A wide range of occupations, from farming to teaching, may be potential risk factors for degenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, research findings suggest.
Fetal skin cells help heal burn wounds in children - Reuters 18/08/05
Genetically engineered tissue dressings derived from fetal skin cells have been used successfully to treat second- and third-degree burns without scarring in pediatric patients, researchers in Switzerland report.
Heart surgery can be safe for octogenarians - Reuters 18/08/05
Cardiac surgery can be safely performed in octogenarians and may improve their life expectancy, according to a report in an online issue of the medical journal Heart. These findings are the latest to suggest that old age, per se, should not be a barrier to cardiac surgery.
Cheshire and Mersey News
Junior doctors' scheme success - Daily Post 18/08/05
A CONTROVERSIAL scheme to slash the hours worked by junior doctors is being adopted across the UK after being successfully pioneered at four Merseyside hospitals.
999 regionalisation plans cause concern - Chester Chronicle 19/08/05
FIRE unions are worried plans to establish a regional 999 control room, in Cheshire, to cover all of the North West will affect response times.
Ambulance service's critic responds to help - Chester Chronicle 19/08/05
A MAJOR critic of Mersey Regional Ambulance Service is getting involved to help improve provision in rural areas of Cheshire.
Van Velzen wife will not face GMC action - Liverpool Echo 19/08/05
A PATIENTS' watchdog has dropped its action against the wife of shamed organ scandal doctor Dick van Velzen.
Smoke ban backed by scientists - Liverpool Echo 19/08/05
LIVERPOOL'S bid to ban smoking in all pubs and clubs was today supported by a new scientific study.
From Beatle base to health centre - Bootle Times 18/08/05
LITHERLAND Town Hall's transformation into a 21st Century NHS centre is almost complete.
Cancer victim's patio set stolen - Bootle Times 18/08/05
THIEVES took garden furniture from a woman's home while she was in hospital receiving treatment for cancer.
Hospital trust unveils new facilities - Skelmersdale Advertiser 18/08/05
LAST month saw the final phases of the Shields Report on reconfiguration of services at Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust coming to an end.
Unison call two day strike off - Maghull & Aintree Star 18/08/05
UNISON members in Sefton have called off plans to strike for a further two days this week following Tuesday's 24-hour action.
NHS walk-in service - Maghull & Aintree Star 18/08/05
SOUTH Sefton Primary Care Trust's board has approved new measures to local services which they hope will mean fewer local people need to travel to hospital for NHS treatment.
Young footballer died of freak heart disorder - Daily Post 17/08/05
A FREAK heart disorder caused a fit young footballer to drop dead at a barbecue, an inquest heard yesterday.
Mums are hoping for reprieve for axed unit - Formby Times 18/08/05
FORMBY mums are hoping an axed maternity unit will win an 11th hour reprieve.
'We're doing this for Susan' - Warrington Guardian 20/08/05
WHEN father and son Ron and Martin Kettle signed up to take part in a 15-mile bike ride in aid of Cancer Research UK earlier this year, their motivation came straight from the heart.
'Vital' drug makes the difference - Warrington Guardian 20/08/05
ALZHEMIERS sufferers could soon have to cope without 'vital' drugs which help combat the disease in a Government shake up of care.
Nick's five-year wait for a life changing donor - Warrington Guardian 20/08/05
FOR five long years, 29-year-old Nick Palmer has been waiting for a new kidney.
New dentist proposed - Warrington Guardian 19/08/05
PLANS to revamp an office into a ground floor dental clinic have been submitted to Warrington Borough Council.
Nagging doubts over pub's 1am booze bid - Nantwich Guardian 19/08/05
ANGRY Willaston residents have issued a string of objections following an application for extended opening hours for a village pub.
Boozer busters - Nantwich Guardian 19/08/05
WORRIED residents have launched a campaign to claim back their town amid fears 24-hour drinking could send Nantwich into a spiral of decline.
Calls of hypocrisy over phone masts - Knutsford Guardian 19/08/05
THE planning authority which has approved the siting of mobile phone masts in Knutsford will not allow them on its own land, it emerged on Monday.
Protests over pub's late opening plans - Crewe Guardian 19/08/05
ANGRY Crewe residents have launched a barrage of objections against a pub application to open into the early hours.
Police issue alert over danger drugs - Congleton Guardian 19/08/05
PRESCRIPTION pads and drugs were stolen from a doctor's vehicle, which was left unattended in Knypersley.
'Time should be called on our young drinkers' - Congleton Guardian 19/08/05
POLICE are pleading with parents to take responsibility for troublesome children, as they try to call time on underage drinking.
Police's booze plea to parents - Congleton Guardian 19/08/05
IT WAS last orders for teenagers in Alsager when police seized over 270 bottles and cans of alcohol in a crackdown on underage drinking last week.
'The worst case I've seen is a teenager who drank a whole bottle of spirits' - Warrington Guardian 18/08/05
EVERY weekend boozed-up teenagers are being treated at Warrington Hospital as under age drinking reaches epidemic levels across the country.
Countdown to mayhem on our streets? - Warrington Guardian 18/08/05
TWO of Warrington's most powerful figures have hit out at new liberalised drinking laws.
A girl of 15 can buy this... - Warrington Guardian 18/08/05
EIGHT out of 10 off-licences broke the law by selling alcohol to a 15-year-old girl this week.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Carers to nominate GPs - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 19/08/05
THERE are six million family carers in the UK, which means one in ten of your readers is looking after someone who cannot cope on their own due to ill health, disability, frailty or an addition.
Find out about signing organ donation register - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 19/08/05
I WAS delighted to see your story about how the people of Bury have responded to their local council initiative to encourage more people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register (Organ donor scheme success, June 30). On behalf of the 8,000 people in the UK currently needing a transplant, I would like to thank the council and those people willing to offer the gift of life by donating their organs after their death.
MP calls to legalise all drugs - Lancaster Guardian 19/08/05
ALL drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine, should be legalised according to North West MEP Chris Davies.
Greater Manchester News
Law firms prepare to sue drugs giant - Manchester Evening News 20/08/05
BRITISH law firms were today preparing to sue pharmaceutical giant Merck after a US jury found it liable for the death of a man who took its painkiller Vioxx.
Young doctor has to claim benefits - Manchester Evening News 20/08/05
A HIGHLY-trained junior doctor has to sign on the dole after failing to get a job.
Matron calling in new care scheme - Manchester Evening News 18/08/05
A NEW team of community matrons will care for the long-term sick in their own homes, sparing hundreds of patients the "trauma" of hospital.
Gentle kids massage away barriers - Manchester Evening News 19/08/05
YOUNGSTERS are learning the art of massage so they can help older people - and keep out of trouble.
Lung patienmts losing out - Bolton Evening News 20/08/05
I READ with disbelief (August 11) the latest excuses given by the management of the Royal Bolton Hospital regarding the closure of the outpatients service for chronic lung disease.
Gemma's plea as cancer returns - Bolton Evening News 20/08/05
GEMMA Feeney - the 27- year-old Bolton woman whose fight against cancer prompted local people to raise £100,000 for her - has issued a desperate plea: "Help me find a cure."
MEP supports legalised heroin - Bury Times 19/08/05
HEROIN should be legal and regulated by the Government, says North West Euro MP Chris Davies.
'Innovative' award for midwives - Bury Times 19/08/05
NEW mums being treated at North Manchester and Fairfield general hospitals can expect some support from award-winning midwives.
Royal Bolton staff beyond worth - Bolton Evening News 19/08/05
MRS Bates' recent letter regarding the difficulties of parking at the Royal Bolton Hospital is one with which I can fully empathise, also having suffered from the lack of what should have been obvious 10 years ago - a multi-storey car park.
Hospital outshines one-star rating - Bolton Evening News 19/08/05
I WAS particularly interested to read your edition of Wednesday, August 10, written by your Health Correspondent Jane Lavender concerning the Royal Bolton Hospital's cash crisis, and the need for a possible further funding of £7.5m.
Brush up on dental health warning - Bolton Evening News 19/08/05
BOLTON'S dentists are warning people to brush their teeth twice a day after shock figures revealed some people clean their teeth just once a week.
Medical meeting on MG - Bury Times 18/08/05
THE Myasthenia Gravis Association's support group for Bury is to host a medical conference next month.
Patients won't be abandoned - Bolton Evening News 18/08/05
WE are responding to the recent article concerning the proposed closure of Hawthorn House.
No respect for mothers with babies - Bolton Evening News 18/08/05
WE seem to hear a lot these days about old people wanting more respect from the younger generation, and I have always treated old people with the utmost respect, giving up seats and showing patience, etc.
MPs' divided on smoking ban plans - Bolton Evening News 18/08/05
BOLTON MPs are split over plans by the government to ban smoking in most public buildings.
Let public decide on fluoride - Bolton Evening News 18/08/05
HOUSEHOLDERS in Bolton could be asked to decide on fluoridation as part of proposals to make the North-west one of the first regions to have its water treated under new powers.
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