Friday, September 01, 2006

Contents

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National News

Former industrial towns top obesity risk league Mothers rate - The Guardian 01/09/06

People living in former industrial towns are the most likely to become obese, research suggests.

Fat map pinpoints the streets with a weight problem - The Times 01/09/06

Obesity blackspot towns revealed - BBC Health News 31/08/06


Homeopathic licensing alarms doctors - The Guardian 01/09/06

Packaging on homeopathic products will be allowed to describe the illnesses they claim to be able to treat under a controversial licensing scheme introduced by the government today. The National Rules System is designed to bring homeopathic remedies into line with licensed medicines - but doctors and scientists say it will legitimise products that have no scientific evidence to support their claims.

Doctors attack natural remedy claims - The Times 01/09/06

Fears over homeopathy regulation - BBC Health News 31/08/06


NHS becoming a brand like Nike, warns departing health director Mothers rate - The Guardian 01/09/06

Privatisation could turn the NHS into a commercial brand like Nike, one of the country's top doctors warned yesterday.


Mothers rate McDonald's as the worst place for breastfeeding - The Independent 01/09/06

McDonald's may pride itself on its child-friendly image, but the fast-food chain has been rated the least friendly place in Britain for women to breastfeed.


Problem Children Targetted at Birth - The Independent 01/09/06

Tough new plans to target babies and young children in problem families were unveiled by Tony Blair yesterday. He said social workers should intervene much earlier to prevent children in "dysfunctional" families turning into problem teenagers.


Patient starved to death after operation blunder - The Times 01/09/06

A MAN aged 79 slowly starved to death after hospital staff accidentally left an 18in cotton pad in his intestine at the end of an operation.



The secret of survival - catch skin cancer early - The Times 01/09/06

EVERY parent watching their children playing in the sun is conscious that being severely sunburnt, especially in childhood, is one of the most important factors in the development of melanomas.


Who deserves IVF treatment? - The Times 01/09/06

Severely overweight women respond less well to fertility drugs and where conception occurs such women are at significantly increased risk of serious and sometimes life threatening obstetric complications (report, Aug 30). The British Fertility Society therefore suggests that for reasons of safety for the mother and the potential child, IVF treatment should not take place until the body mass index (BMI) is less than 36. Treatment should be deferred until an acceptable BMI is achieved and clinics should continue to provide assistance to women who are trying to lose weight.


Hard choices on cancer care - The Times 01/09/06

The negative recommendations about Velcade and about Erythropoietin, which massively improve the quality of life for many patients with the awful disease of myeloma (report, Aug 28) serve to illustrate to me that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has lost touch with reality for the sufferers of this disease. Many professionals despair of the clinician and patient getting a fair hearing from these statistical and pharmacological bombasts and tyros.


Alternative cures for menopause 'may be harmful' - The Telegraph 01/09/06

Women seeking alternative remedies for symptoms of the menopause were warned by leading gynaecologists yesterday not to expect too much and to understand that some treatments can be harmful.

HRT alternatives 'could damage your health' warning - Daily Mail 01/09/06


The terrible price I'm paying for teenage sex - Daily Mail 31/08/06

At first glance, Kim Bresnehan, 36, is attractive and vivacious. She has the confidence of a woman who has run her own business and travelled the world. You'd never guess that her friendly personality hides a great sadness and a sense of emptiness - what she calls a 'baby-shaped hole' - in her life.


Doctors' call to regulate sunbeds - BBC Health News 01/09/06

Doctors worried about a rise in skin cancer cases want the Welsh Assembly Government to regulate sunbed use.


Hospital fined over patient death - BBC Health News 31/08/06

A Staffordshire hospital trust has been fined £10,000 following the death of a patient who drowned in a hospital pond.


Food allergy danger 'overstated' - BBC Health News 31/08/06

The dangers of child food allergies are overstated and cause UK parents needless worry, a leading expert says.


Semen 'may fuel cervical cancer' - BBC Health News 31/08/06

The growth of cervical and womb cancers may be fuelled by a hormone-like molecule in semen, a study suggests.


Mothers recalled over blood tests - BBC Health News 31/08/06

More than 600 pregnant women and new mothers in northern England have been recalled to hospital after blood tests for diseases were not carried out.


Expectant mothers' drink problem - BBC Health News 31/08/06

Expectant mothers in Wales have one of the highest rates of drinking alcohol during pregnancy in the UK, according to a new survey.


Many pregnant women 'unprepared' - BBC Health News 31/08/06

One in five pregnant women say they do not feel "emotionally ready" to have a baby, a survey has revealed.



International News


Fruit and veg juices cut risk of Alzheimer's, study finds - The Guardian 01/09/06

Drinking fruit and vegetable juice on a regular basis can dramatically reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's, according to a study appearing today in the American Journal of Medicine.


Alzheimer's drugs 'distort care' - The Times 01/09/06

Drinking fruit and vegetable juice may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a study suggests.

Drinking juiced fruit and veg 'cuts Alzheimer's risk by 76%' - Daily Mail 01/09/06

Juices 'may cut Alzheimer's risk' - BBC Health News 31/08/06

Vegetable And Fruit Juice Consumption Lower Alzheimer's Risk - Medical News Today 31/08/06


Two lives saved by white blood cells turned into cancer-hunters - The Times 01/09/06

A POSTMASTER dying oflood the most dangerous form of skin cancer is one of two men to have been saved after their white blood cells were genetically engineered to fight their tumours.

Pioneer inspired by body's defence system - The Telegraph 01/09/06

How gene therapists turned one man's blood into a weapon in war on cancer - The Telegraph 01/09/06

Scientists use gene therapy to destroy tumours - Daily Mail 01/09/06

Gene therapy beats skin cancer in two men: study - Reuters 31/08/06

Gene Therapy Acheives Promising Skin Cancer Success - Medical News Today 31/08/06


'Gym pill' for a no-work six-pack - BBC Health News 31/08/06

Scientists are racing to develop a muscle drug that could allow people to stay toned without exercising.



Fight tooth decay with chewing gum? Maybe - Reuters 31/08/06

A new chewing gum may soon be available to help fight tooth decay.


Ritualistic mercury use dangerous: EPA - Reuters 31/08/06

Ritualistic use of toxic mercury by followers of Voodoo and other religions is dangerous but regulating it could drive the practice underground and possibly violate U.S. guarantees of freedom of religion, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday.


Basic medical care would save money: report - Reuters 31/08/06

Simple adherence to basic medical treatment guidelines would save thousands of lives and $1.35 billion a year in medical costs, according to a large analysis of data from 260 hospitals.


Caesarean birth triples maternal death risk - Reuters 31/08/06

A Caesarean delivery more than triples a woman's risk of dying in childbirth compared to a vaginal birth, according to a new study from France.


Some arthritis drugs may protect the heart - Reuters 31/08/06

In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, or DMARDs, seems to lower the increased risk of cardiovascular disease associated with rheumatoid arthritis, research suggests.


For Mothers At Low Risk, Infant And Neonatal Mortality Rates Higher For Babies Delivered By Cesarean - Medical News Today 31/08/06

For mothers at low risk, infant and neonatal mortality rates are higher among infants delivered by cesarean section than for those delivered vaginally in the United States, according to recent research published in the latest issue of Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed over 5.7 million live births and nearly 12,000 infant deaths over a four-year period.


Individual Physician Judgment Best When It Comes To Treating Chronic Coronary Artery Disease, Study Shows - Medical News Today 31/08/06

Medication, angioplasty or surgery? For some heart disease patients, there's no clear-cut choice. The key to getting the best care is to follow your individual doctor's advice, new research shows.


Research Suggests Stress Hormones Play A Central Role In The Development And Progression Of Alzheimer's - Medical News Today 31/08/06

Stress hormones appear to rapidly exacerbate the formation of brain lesions that are the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers at UC Irvine. The findings suggest that managing stress and reducing certain medications prescribed for the elderly could slow down the progression of this devastating disease.


Chemotherapy Drug Helps A Cancer-killing Virus - Medical News Today 31/08/06

Researchers here have discovered how a specific chemotherapy drug helps a cancer-killing virus. The virus is being tested in animals for the treatment of incurable human brain tumors.


Tumor Surgery More Accurate After Preoperative Brain Mapping - Medical News Today 31/08/06

By pinpointing the motor and language areas of the brain with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), surgeons can target brain tumors more effectively while reducing the risk of damaging important cognitive and motor processes, according to a study appearing in the September issue of Radiology. Half of the patients with brain tumors who were enrolled in an fMRI study at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., had their treatment strategies altered after these critical brain regions were identified prior to surgery.


Multiple Sclerosis Damage Also Found In 'Normal' Brain Tissue - Medical News Today 31/08/06

The effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) extend beyond visibly affected areas into large portions of the brain that outwardly appear normal, according to a study appearing in the September issue of Radiology.


Pets In Homes May Lead To Increased Rates Of Bronchitis In Children, USC Research Shows - Medical News Today 31/08/06

A new study from researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) suggests that having a dog in the home may worsen the response to air pollution of a child with asthma. The study was published this week in the online edition of Environmental Health Perspectives, the journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.


Transfusions Might Help In Bird Flu Pandemic, Suggests Analysis Of Spanish Flu Cases In 1918-1920 - Medical News Today 31/08/06

Transfusions with blood products taken from people who had recovered from Spanish influenza may have reduced risk for death and improved symptoms of hospitalized patients who contracted Spanish influenza complicated by pneumonia. Early treatment was superior to later treatment.


Results Of Brain Scan Show No Single 'God' Spot - Medical News Today 31/08/06

A new study at the Universite de Montreal has concluded that there is no single God spot in the brain. In other words, mystical experiences are mediated by several brain regions and systems normally implicated in a variety of functions (self-consciousness, emotion, body representation). The study published in the current issue of Neuroscience Letters was conducted by Dr. Mario Beauregard from the Department of Psychology at the Université de Montréal and his student Vincent Paquette.


Tiny Shock Absorbers Help Bacteria Stick Around Inside The Body - Medical News Today 31/08/06

Bacteria have hair-like protrusions with a sticky protein on the tip that lets them cling to surfaces. The coiled, bungee cord-like structure of the protrusions helps the bacteria hang on tightly, even under rough fluid flow inside the body, researchers report in the journal PLoS Biology.



Cheshire and Merseyside News


Health chiefs defend boss's £130k deal - Ellesmere Port Pioneer 31/08/06

A DEBT-RIDDEN health body has justified paying its new chairman nearly £130,000.


ITV's Lucy to open rehab facility - Runcorn Weekly News 31/08/06

GRANADA Reports presenter Lucy Mea-cock has given her support to a unique new facility to help people with drug and alcohol problems in Halton.


Hospital trust welcomes non-executive director - Runcorn Weekly News 31/08/06

NORTH Cheshire Hospitals Trust - which is in charge of Halton Hospital - has announced the appointment of Carol Withenshaw as a non-executive director.


Eating your way to better health - Runcorn Weekly News 31/08/06

MANY employers in the North West are failing to provide their staff with healthy food options in canteens, vending machines and at meetings.


999 service in critical condition - Runcorn Weekly News 31/08/06

AMBULANCE responses to the most serious emergency calls by the service covering Cheshire are the third worst in the country.


Hospital welcomes damning report - Warrington Guardian 31/08/06

BOSSES at Warrington Hospital have said they welcome a review that puts it in the poorest category for diagnostic services.



Cumbria and Lancashire News


Brain injury plan set to go ahead - Blackpool Citizen 31/08/06

Plans for a specialist centre for people with brain injuries are set to get the go-ahead - despite local opposition.



Hospital death inquiry dropped - Blackpool Citizen 31/08/06

Police have halted an investigation into the death of a woman who died after surgery in Blackpool Victoria Hospital.



Greater Manchester News


Obesity risk of going blind - Bolton Evening News 31/08/06

BEING overweight can double your chances of going blind, a leading charity has said.


Hospital’s old painting is sold for £48,000 - Bolton Evening News 31/08/06

A VICTORIAN oil painting once presented to a Bolton hospital has fetched £48,000 at auction.


Hope’s £130m private cash boost hailed - Leigh Journal 31/08/06

MULTI-MILLION pound private investment in Hope Hospital, Salford, has been welcomed by a local MP.


Nursed back to health - Bolton Evening News 31/08/06

EARLIER this year I had an accidental fall, which has meant me being off work for well over three months. I am now much better, thanks largely to all-round excellent medical care, initially from the staffs at the Swan Lane Medical Centre and our hospital's Accident and Emergency Unit and latterly by the community nurses from the Great Lever (Rupert Street) health centre. All have more than done credit to their profession.


Disabled parking bay at hospital used by smokers - Bury Times 31/08/06

AS I was parking in the disabled bay opposite the entrance to Fairfield Hospital, I must say I was appalled to find a male theatre nurse using the disabled bay as a smoking area and then discarding his cigarette on the ground right before my eyes.


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