Diagnostics
The British Medical Association in Northern Ireland (BMA(NI)) and members of its Patient Liaison Group welcomed the Northern Ireland Assembly debate on "Health Provision for Older People", which had previously been postponed.
Australia"s general practices stand ready to work with Government to begin vaccinating vulnerable Australians against HINI (Swine Flu) as soon as a vaccine becomes available, the AMA said today.
Decisions about forgoing care because of the cost for the long-term uninsured have been a way of life, "but for a sizable group, being without a job and insurance is a new, deeply distressing condition," The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.
Doctors increasingly use email and electronic medical records to improve health care. In an essay in the Los Angeles Times, Rahul Parikh writes about his own experience at a Kaiser Permanente facility in Northern California where they implemented an electronic medical record system in 2006: "...notes, orders and prescriptions are clear and contiguous. There"s no waiting for paperwork. And if a patient of mine shows up in another office across town (remember, Kaiser is an integrated system -- we all share the same computer network), a doctor whom I have never met can see what I"ve written, my patient"s list of problems and what I"ve done for the patient in the past before he or she even sets foot in the room to talk to the patient. Such record systems can alert us to possible medication errors or dangerous drug interactions. They can continuously be updated to identify best practices. And they talk to patients as well, allowing them to access past-visit information and immunization records and to make appointments and send e-mails to their doctor."
Eurand N.V. (NASDAQ: EURX), a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops enhanced pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products based on its proprietary pharmaceutical technologies, announced that the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB) informed the Company that the Decentralized Procedure (DCP) for registration of Paracetamol 250 and 500 mg Orodispersible Tablets (ODT) in several EU countries has been successfully completed.
London Bridge Hospital, part of the HCA hospitals group, has installed the first Siemens MAGNETOM® Essenza MRI in the UK. The 1.5 Tesla system will complement three other Siemens MRIs currently in use at London Bridge to provide a streamlined, coordinated imaging service.
Diabetes UK is looking for people with diabetes to share their experiences of supported self-management to help with our campaign for World Diabetes Day (14 November).
Ducking a punch or a thrown spear calls for the power of the human brain to process 3-D motion, and to perceive an object (whether it"s offensive or not) moving in three dimensions is critical to survival. It also leads to a lot of fun at 3-D movies.
This country is at war with obesity and now men join their women in the fight, says Exante Diet.
The peptide alpha-MSH works in a region of the brain known as the hypothalamus to suppress appetite. A team of researchers, at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, and the University of California Davis, has provided new insight into the way in which levels of the active form of alpha-MSH are regulated in mice. Specifically, genetic and biochemical analysis performed by the team, led by Sabrina Diano and Craig Warden, indicated that the protein PRCP is expressed in the hypothalamus and breaks down the active form of alpha-MSH, generating a slightly smaller peptide that does not suppress food intake. Importantly, administration of PRCP inhibitors to both normal and obese mice reduced their food intake. Further, mice lacking PRCP had increased levels of the active form of alpha-MSH in the hypothalamus and were leaner and shorter than normal mice; they also did not get obese when fed a high-fat diet. The authors suggest that these data are the first step in identifying PRCP as a candidate drug target for the treatment of obesity and obesity-related disorders. Although Richard Palmiter, at the University of Washington, Seattle, also raises this intriguing possibility, he cautions that any drug would need to penetrate the brain.
California and Arizona researchers have identified a gene variant that carries nearly twice the risk of developing an increasingly common type of blood cancer, according to a study published online by the science journal Nature Genetics.
A community-based Cancer Council advocacy campaign has motivated 10,000 Australians to call for expansion of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, amid new research showing 93 per cent of bowel cancer patients can survive if diagnosed early.
TCGRx (TCG), an industry leader in automation and design services for pharmacy markets across the U.S., announced today the launch of the C-Ray Electronic Pill Counter in the retail pharmacy market.
Researchers of the University of Granada have developed a simulator, so-called EDLUT ("Event driven look up table based simulator"), which allows reproduction of any part of the body"s nervous system, such as the retina, the cerebellum, the hearing centres or the nervous centres. This scientific advance enables them to analyze and understand the functions of the nervous centres, to do research into new pathologies and diseases or test new medicines; it will also be useful to improve the robots and machines inspired by the human body and the nervous system.
The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) and the General Optical Council (GOC) are today urging Britain"s 3.5 million contact lens wearers not to endanger their eye health and comfort during the recession through risky contact lens practices.
Following the disbandment of the STEP trial to test the efficacy of the Merck HIV-1 vaccine candidate in 2007, the leading explanation for why the vaccine was ineffective - and may have even increased susceptibility to acquiring the virus - centered on the hypothesis that high levels of baseline Ad5-specific neutralizing antibodies may have increased HIV-1 acquisition among the study subjects who received the vaccine by increasing Ad5-specific CD4+ T-cells that were susceptible to HIV-1 infection.
Scientists at the University of Leicester are investigating how the stuff of stink bombs and flatulence could play a critical role in the human reproductive system.
The results of a new study of the pen and paper workarounds employed by healthcare providers who use an electronic medical record system may help make electronic medical records even more useful to health-care providers and the patients they serve.
General Practitioners and specialists will be able to prescribe VFEND® (voriconazole) oral suspension for immuno-suppressed adolescents and children following its listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 August 2009.
CytRx Corporation (NASDAQ: CYTR), a biopharmaceutical research and development company engaged in the development of high-value human therapeutics, announced that treatment with its cancer drug candidate INNO-206 resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the average primary tumor size in an animal model of pancreatic cancer, outperforming the broadly used chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin, as well as the current standard of care in pancreatic cancer treatment, gemcitabine.
Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARD), a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative oncology therapies, announced results from a Phase 1 cardiac safety study of picoplatin, a new generation platinum-based chemotherapy agent and the Company"s lead product candidate. The Company worked collaboratively with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to design this study, which is required for new chemical entities.
Following the publication of the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) report on advanced practice, the NMC made the following statement.
A new paper to be published in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist (TOG) examines the relationship between abortion and domestic violence. The authors call for greater awareness about domestic violence, and underline the need to support women seeking to terminate unwanted pregnancies associated with intimate partner violence.
Invetech, specialists in product development and custom automation for the medical, industrial and consumer markets, announced that TearLab Corporation"s revolutionary TearLab Osmolarity System has been recognised for its innovative design with a prestigious Medical Design Excellence Award (MDEA). TearLab Corporation retained Invetech to assist with the development and industrial design of its instrumentation. The TearLab Osmolarity system is the first technology that can quantitatively and objectively measure Dry Eye Disease in a doctor"s office in seconds. Dry Eye Disease is a chronic and progressive condition that if left untreated can lead to serious eye damage.
The American Dental Hygienists" Association (ADHA) recently awarded Minnesota State Senator Ann Lynch with a presidential citation to recognize her extraordinary efforts in passing legislation which will establish new oral health providers in Minnesota.
Reproductive health experts were "taken aback" by a recent study that found that the withdrawal method is nearly as effective as male condoms in preventing pregnancy, the New York Times reports. The paper -- published in the June issue of the journal Contraception -- found that 4% of couples will become pregnant over a one-year period if they consistently use the withdrawal method, compared with about 2% of couples that consistently use condoms. According to the study"s authors, a more significant finding was that the rate of "typical use" for withdrawal leads to pregnancy 18% of the time, compared with 17% of the time for typical use of condoms. They wrote in the study that "it is unfortunate that some couples do not realize they are substantially reducing their risk of pregnancy when using withdrawal, as these misperceptions may cause unnecessary levels of anxiety. More speculatively, if more people realized that correct and consistent use of withdrawal substantially reduced the risk of pregnancy, they might use it more effectively." Although the authors said the goal of the paper was to encourage discussion, some experts are concerned that spreading a message that withdrawal is effective could lead young people to have unprotected sex, potentially exposing themselves to sexually transmitted infections that can be prevented through condom use, the Times reports. Melissa Gilliam, chief of family planning and contraceptive research at the University of Chicago"s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a board member of the Guttmacher Institute, said the study"s data "don"t necessarily translate to youth today." She added, "In terms of a reliable method used over and over again, the risk of failure is quite high."Rachel Jones, the lead author of the study and a senior research associate at Guttmacher, said that dismissing the withdrawal method as a "legitimate" form of contraception is "counterproductive for the prevention of pregnancy and also discourages academic inquiry into this frequently used and reasonably effective method." She also said that health educators and providers "should discuss withdrawal as a legitimate, if slightly less effective, contraceptive method in the same way they do condoms and diaphragms." She noted that "most women have used withdrawal at some point in their lives."The study"s authors decided to examine the issue after noticing that many researchers and providers "just kind of dismiss withdrawal and don"t seem to realize that it can prevent pregnancy," according to Jones. She added, "Most people seem to be under the impression that you might as well do nothing." Martha Kempner, vice president for information and communications at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, said the results of the study have "made some classroom teachers nervous to give out the truth in this instance, but we do have to tell the truth." She added, "People, kids in particular, they"re using it. It is better than nothing, and it is always available" (Belluck, New York Times, 7/21).
Democratic leaders may scale back a plan to tax the highest American earners, The New York Times reports.
With the possibility of a major health care overhaul looming on the horizon, commentators, analysts and advocates have been seeking out points of comparison.
"Digital medical records could cut down on office visits," and maybe even health care costs, Marketplace reports. "But for doctors, going electronic could be complicated and expensive. And nothing at all like what they learned in medical school." Relatively few doctors have made the switch so far, though new government incentives, funded by the stimulus bill, could shift the industry into gear. The doctors who have pioneered e-health have confronted a newish industry with few standards. One recalled that his early adoption of the records in 2003 was "a disaster," though he is now touted as an example for other practices (Carroll, 7/20).
The Connecticut legislature used its override in both chambers to undo seven vetoes by the governor, including one to cover most Connecticut residents, called SustiNet, The Hartford Courant reports: "Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney said that healthcare, "in many ways, has become a cloud of worry"" over much of society. SustiNet"s nine-member board of directors will study the issue (covering people and cost) for 17 months before giving its recommendations to the legislature in January 2011" (Keating, 7/20).
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) commented on the announcement by Health Secretary Rt. Hon Andy Burnham MP of a new independent inquiry into the failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.
John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor, a former president of Ghana, has been named a global ambassador against hunger for the U.N."s World Food Programme (WFP), Xinhua reports. According to the news service, Kufuor will "help to underline the importance of fighting hunger on several fronts - by investing in long-term agricultural development, but also by funding WFP"s work in tackling urgent hunger needs and helping the hungry poor to access affordable and nutritious food" (Ooko, 7/20).
Over 30 of the UK"s leading scientists have signed an open letter to the government calling for more public money to back research into dementia,
Cancer Research UK"s Run 10k launches "Take 5 challenge" to help busy people train for the events
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci told delegates at the 5th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention in Cape Town, South Africa "that a bill to lift the ban on funding needle exchange programmes was working its way through Congress, and restrictions on HIV-infected people entering the U.S. were also almost certain to be lifted in the near future," Plus News/IRIN reports. Fauci added, "With regard to science and policy, we will stay on the right path." Eric Goosby, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, was also present at the conference and discussed U.S. policies related to global HIV/AIDS (7/20).
Commenting on the final biennial report from the Mental Health Act Commission released by the Care Quality Commission, Mental Health Network director Steve Shrubb said:
Learning from the failings identified at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, Health Secretary Andy Burnham announced a package of measures to tackle exceptional failures in Foundation Trusts.
By substituting a single atom in a molecule widely used to purify water, researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have created a far more effective decontaminant with a shelf life superior to products currently on the market.
Chinese patients will soon have the opportunity to take part in a study of a novel therapy aimed at reversing the autoimmune disease, ankylosing spondylitis. Approximately 200 patients will be chosen to participate in a clinical trial that aims to merge the latest molecular discoveries published by the California non-profit Autoimmunity Research Foundation (ARF) with the medical expertise of physicians and researchers at West China Hospital.
Compugen Ltd. (NASDAQ:CGEN) announced that CGEN-25017, a novel peptide antagonist of the Angiopoietin/Tie-2 pathway, has shown positive therapeutic effects in an animal model of retinopathy, a very serious eye condition characterized by over-growth of blood vessels. CGEN-25017, which was initially discovered using Compugen"s Disease-Associated Conformation (DAC) Blockers discovery platform, had previously demonstrated significant inhibitory activity in two other models of angiogenesis, an in vitro multi-cellular assay and the widely recognized chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model.
Planarian flatworms are only a few millimeters up to a few centimeters in length, live in freshwater and are the object of intense research, because they possess the extraordinary ability to regenerate lost tissue with the help of their stem cells (neoblasts) and even grow an entirely new worm out of minute amputated body parts. Now researchers from the Max DelbrÃøck Center in Berlin, Germany together with researchers in the US and Canada present the first comprehensive catalogue of small RNAs of planaria, elements that regulate gene expression. They also have identified small RNAs which may play a role in regeneration and stem cell function, Nikolaus Rajewsky from the MDC points out (PNAS, Early Edition)*.
A research published ahead of print in Gut (International Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology) reports that high intakes of linoleic acid might be associated to a third of ulcerative colitis cases. Linoleic acid is a common dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid (N-6 PUFA).
Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced final selection of a Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine candidate that will be advanced into additional preclinical studies to support an Investigational New Drug (IND) application. As previously announced, Novavax has been evaluating a number of RSV vaccine candidates, all of which have successfully induced antibody responses in mice. Novavax scientists have now engineered a new vaccine candidate which has been shown to protect mice against RSV disease and can be produced at sufficient yields to allow commercial manufacture. This new candidate is directed against a protein on the surface of the virus, the "F" or "fusion" protein, which is the protein that the virus uses to infect and fuse with cells in the respiratory tract and cause disease.
Schering-Plough announced that a New Drug Application (NDA) for a fixed-dose combination of mometasone furoate and formoterol fumarate has been filed in the United States and accepted for review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Schering-Plough is seeking marketing approval from the FDA of the mometasone furoate/formoterol fumarate combination for the maintenance treatment of asthma in patients 12 years of age and older.
A new survey, released today by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), found that senior citizens are being forced to make drastic cuts to their medical and food budgets due to the recession.
Updates on the impact of sexually transmitted diseases, infection risk from animals in the home and public settings, seasonal and H1N1 influenza, and foodborne diseases were presented today at a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The news conference was sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).
The CCA, AIMp, BPSA, and NPA are appealing for an immediate reinstatement of community pharmacists to the Shortage Occupations List after the removal of community pharmacists from the list by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) last month.
"Americans are showing more confidence in their ability to get and afford the health care they need, according to a poll released Tuesday," The Associated Press reports on Cleveland.com. The story continues: "Whites, though, are likelier to feel that way than minorities. And large numbers of people are worried about whether they will have future health coverage, with nearly one in four concerned that family medical bills will drive them into bankruptcy."
"Many small businesses are worried that rising health insurance costs are choking their growth and hindering the creation of new companies, and they fear health care reform plans being debated in Congress and by the Obama administration could end up costing them even more in taxes, according to business advocates," the Baltimore Sun reports. Some of those views were collected in a survey released Tuesday by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. According to the survey 29 percent of [309] businesses were unable to offer insurance to their employees, and many said their health care costs had risen this year. "Rising health care costs are choking American small businesses just when we need them the most," said Nicholas Green, an organizer for the research group"s Maryland contingent (Sentementes, 7/22).
Eleven Baltimore churches on Tuesday provided HIV testing to local residents as part of a larger effort by the JACQUES Initiative, a program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine"s Institute of Human Virology, the Baltimore Sun reports. The JACQUES Initiative launched Project SHALEM in partnership with the Maryland AIDS Administration and several local faith-based and community organizations, according to the Sun. Derek Spencer, the executive director of the JACQUES Initiative, said, "The ultimate goal is to make churches, mosques and synagogues a safe place where people can receive HIV support. We are no longer going to wait for people to come into our academic centers for help." He said organizers hoped to test 1,000 people, noting that at one of the testing sites, within the first hour, four people tested positive with the rapid oral swab tests. Angela Wakhweya, deputy director of the Maryland AIDS Administration, said the goal of the project is to eliminate new HIV cases in the state (Bass, 7/22).
Boosting the number of practice nurses who work with GPs would help improve patient access to care, the AMA said today.
When teens surf the Internet, are they exposed to tobacco content or imagery? The study, "Exposure to Tobacco on the Internet: Content Analysis of Adolescents" Internet Use," tracked the Web pages viewed by 346 teens between the ages of 14 and 17 years. During a one-month period of data collection, these adolescents viewed 1.2 million Web pages. Of those pages, 0.72 percent contained tobacco or smoking content. Pro-tobacco content was found on 1,916 pages, anti-tobacco content on 1,572 pages, and complex and/or unclear content on 5,055 pages. Most of the tobacco-related content seen by teens was found on social networking sites. MySpace in particular represented 53 percent of the pages on which tobacco content was found. Previous studies have found a link between exposure to tobacco content in traditional media and adolescent smoking. The authors caution that as more communication occurs online in social networking sites, this may also impact adolescent smoking.
Fecal incontinence (FI) is a normal part of aging, or the perception that no treatment is available. Doctors may fail to comprehend patient hints about diarrhea and FI or may be reluctant to ask about fecal leakage, perhaps because of their own embarrassment or the perception that FI is a trivial concern.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have developed a new anesthetic agent, which they think could be a breakthrough in the quest to discover drugs that retain beneficial anesthetic properties while reducing unwanted and occasionally dangerous side effects.
CareFusion Corporation, the company that will become publicly traded following the planned spinoff of the clinical and medical products businesses of Cardinal Health, announced it has expanded its Pyxis® perioperative offerings that integrate with leading operating room information systems (ORIS), incorporate radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology1 and include new services.
The American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) has released its position regarding HB 3200, the health care reform bill proposed by the Obama administration. While ACAM believes healthcare reform is vital and necessary for America, it is our position that integrative medicine principles be included to yield the desired result of creating a more efficient, wellness-centered approach to healthcare.
Current research suggests that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent one of the leading causes of legal blindness among the elderly. The related report by Tuo et al, "A high omega-3 fatty acid diet reduces retinal lesions in a murine model of macular degeneration," appears in the August 2009 issue of the American Journal of Pathology.
The 2009 Cancer Congress Update held at the Park Plaza hotel in central London was hailed a resounding success by clinicians from the worlds of breast, colorectal, lung, prostate and haematological cancer.
PMSI Settlement Solutions, a leading provider of solutions for the liability and workers" compensation markets, today responded to the results of the recent California Workers" Compensation Institute (CWCI) study on how the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services" (CMS) stepped-up enforcement of Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) rules will impact payers.
Synchronicity in nature is seen in beating hearts, the flashing of fireflies" lights, the ebb and flow of infectious disease-and the simultaneous rise and fall of populations across vast reaches of space. While scientists have identified some factors that account for this melodic phenomenon, they have yet to sort out the relative contribution each plays in this finely tuned orchestra.
Every hour of the day children are inactive adds three minutes to the time it takes them to fall asleep, finds research published ahead of print in Archives of Disease in Childhood.
New research reveals Brits prefer to rearrange or cancel their summer holiday than go with a friend who has mental illness. The British would prefer to go on their summer holiday with a friend who has a criminal record than go with a friend who has a mental health problem, a new survey as part of the Time to Change campaign [1] has found.
Dr Sam Cartwright-Hatton from the University of Manchester has won this year"s May Davidson Award. The award is made each year by the British Psychological Society"s Division of Clinical Psychology to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of clinical psychology within the first 10 years of their career.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new use for its osteoporosis drug FORTEO((R)) [teriparatide (rDNA origin) injection] to treat osteoporosis associated with sustained, systemic glucocorticoid therapy in men and women at high risk of fracture. Glucocorticoid therapy is the most common cause of secondary osteoporosis, leading to bone loss and an increased risk for fracture.(1)
Bioheart, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: BHRT) a company committed to delivering intelligent devices and biologics that help monitor, diagnose and treat heart failure and cardiovascular diseases announced today acceptance of MARVEL-1 data for presentation at the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) Meeting September 13-16th, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts.
University of Utah researchers and their colleagues have identified the gene that is mutated in a hereditary form of a rare neuroendocrine tumor called paraganglioma (PGL). The gene, called hSDH5, is required for activation of an enzyme complex that plays a critical role in the chemical reactions that take place within cells to convert biochemical energy into usable energy. This study is published in the journal Science
The risk of developing deep vein thrombosis during a long flight is often overestimated. According to the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), this condition is very unlikely in healthy travellers. When people wear a cast or splint after a sports accident, on the other hand, many are not aware that they have an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis in their leg and pelvic area. This is emphasised in information published on IQWiG"s website Informed Health Online.
Reps. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) on Thursday will be joined by leaders of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and NARAL Pro-Choice America in announcing the latest version of a bill that aims to reduce the need for abortion by preventing unintended pregnancies, among other measures, Time reports (Sullivan, Time, 7/23). Ryan and DeLauro first introduced a version of the bill in 2006 (Crary, AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 7/22). However, this version "represents a dramatic break from nearly four decades" of political debate since Roe v. Wade, as both conservative antiabortion-rights groups and abortion-rights advocates have expressed support, according to Time (Time, 7/23).The bill would increase support for comprehensive sex education programs, improve access to contraception, expand Medicaid family planning coverage, increase programs for pregnant or parenting college students, and expand adoption assistance. The Congressional Budget Office has not yet conducted a cost-analysis of the bill, the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports (AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 7/22). In developing the bill, Ryan sought the help of Rachel Laser, director of culture programs at the policy and strategy think-tank Third Way. According to Time, Laser worked with advocates on both sides and modified the bill to help gather their support, while preventing the measure from becoming "uselessly watered down or split into two."DeLauro noted, "We had to reach a level of trust" with people on both sides and allow them time to become more receptive to the bill"s goals, adding, "Because so often this issue has been one about which there was nothing other than trying to score political points." DeLauro said she hopes the Obama administration will look to the bill for guidance as it crafts its strategy for reducing the need for abortion and preventing unintended pregnancies. President Obama is expected to make an announcement about the plan next month, according to Time (Time, 7/23).DeLauro and Ryan also noted that Rahm Emanuel, Obama"s chief of staff, endorsed an earlier version of the bill when he served in the House, which they hope could mean that Obama would support their measure. DeLauro said, "This is a bill that seems to mesh with the president"s interests," adding, "I see no reason why the White House could not endorse it."Joshua DuBois, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, said the administration is still reviewing the information it has gathered in recent meetings with representatives on both sides of the abortion debate.Laurie Rubiner, director of Planned Parenthood"s Washington, D.C., office, said "This isn"t a radical bill," adding, "It only seems radical because it"s been so long that we could have a constructive conversation ... with both pro-choice and anti-choice groups around the table."The Rev. Joel Hunter -- an antiabortion-rights evangelical pastor in Orlando, Fla., who serves on the White House Faith-Based Advisory Council -- called the bill "a landmark bill for the culture wars -- a prototype for how we can approach things in the future." He said the bill"s strengths were in its appeals to both liberal and conservative beliefs, adding, "When you realize you need someone who"s been an adversary to help you advance your own projects, that"s a big deal" (AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 7/22).
"With many Americans growing anxious about his plans to overhaul the nation"s healthcare system, President Obama on Wednesday sought to lay out in personal terms how they stand to gain from the legislation that he has made one of the top goals of his presidency," the Los Angeles Times reports. He used the speech to reach out to people who already have insurance, arguing that skyrocketing costs must be slowed and that inaction would hobble businesses and families alike. In making the case for health reform to the American public, however, Obama described specific policy ideas and "relied on jargon that Washington insiders embrace but that might leave the typical television viewer mystified" (Nicholas, Parsons and Levey, 7/23).
Patients with moderate COPD were randomized to receive "usual care" or to undergo an interdisciplinary, community-based program (INTERCOM) that offered an intensive lifestyle moderation phase of four months, during which patients were instructed in detail to perform two 15-minute intervals of pleasurable walking or cycling, and offered instruction in other lifestyle changes such as nutrition and smoking cessation. After the four-month introductory period, there was a less intensive 20-month maintenance during which patients were offered guidance but not intensive intervention.
The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) welcomes the Federal Government"s announcement of funding to upgrade the skills of workers in aged care.
A protein from algae may have what it takes to stop Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) infections, according to new research. A recent study has found that mice treated with the protein, Griffithsin (GRFT), had a 100 percent survival rate after exposure to the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), as compared to a 30 percent survival for untreated mice.
By conducting a mammogram, a low-dose x-ray of the breasts, doctors can identify cancerous tumors well before a woman even feels a lump. According to the American Cancer Society, "Finding small breast cancers early by a screening mammogram greatly improves a woman"s chance for successful treatment."
Uncooked meat products enhanced with food additives may contain high levels of phosphorus and potassium that are not discernable from inspection of food labels, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). This can make it difficult for people to limit dietary phosphorus and potassium that at high levels are harmful to kidney disease patients.
Marilyn Jackson, a member of Diabetes UK"s UK Advisory Council, has received the Volunteer of the Year award at the first-ever NHS Lothian Celebrating Success event, which took place at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange on 25 June.
Using high-speed cinematography, scientists at Cambridge University have discovered that individual algal cells can regulate the beating of their flagella in and out of synchrony in a manner that controls their swimming trajectories. Their research was published on the 24th July in the journal Science.
Women who are at risk for heart disease and who are also experiencing menopause symptoms now have an added re a highly specialized clinic in the Division of Cardiology at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute. The Advanced Preventive Women"s Clinic at the Women"s Heart Center recently opened and is offering comprehensive cardiac risk assessments designed specifically for women who are in menopause. The clinic also offers menopausal patients state-of-the-art screenings, as well as personalized medicine therapies and counseling, including high-risk hormone counseling.
Need another reason to commit to a healthy diet and exercise? Think migraines are just headaches? Migraine and obesity sufferers feel more emotional pain than those dealing with life-threatening conditions like congestive heart failure, prostate cancer, osteoporosis and high blood pressure. In fact, they tend to feel more pessimistic than those diagnosed with depression.
"As the President himself has said, America does not face an entitlement
BioOut is a strategic partner for several of the world"s leading vaccine manufacturers. As such, BioOut is currently working with partners on projects to develop vaccines against Pandemic Influenza (Swine Flu and Avian Flu).
Scientists at Glasgow have made a significant discovery in the study of a rare form of diabetes which predominantly affects men. Hereditary Diabetes Insipidus is, according to experts, the most common genetic disease known in medicine. It causes serious kidney malfunction and can, if untreated, be fatal. There are an estimated to be around 9000 Heredirary DI patients in the UK.
Expectant mothers who are obese are much more likely to suffer from minor complications such as heart burn and chest infections during pregnancy, a study suggests.
Aradigm Corporation (OTCBB:ARDM) (the "Company") announced it received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its inhaled liposomal ciprofloxacin Investigational New Drug (IND) application. The initial clinical protocol under this IND is an international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase IIb study designed to evaluate the Company"s inhaled liposomal ciprofloxacin in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (BE). This orphan drug condition is a chronic severe respiratory disease and there is currently no drug specifically approved for its treatment in the U.S.
VistA Imaging, the medical and health care imaging system used in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers, attained over one billion stored images in January this year, according to the department.
Breathing xenon gas can help protect the infant brain from damage caused by oxygen deprivation, but the xenon"s high cost and scarcity has precluded its widespread use. A newly developed "closed circuit system" may make xenon feasible, safe, and cost efficient for use in protecting the brains of critically ill infants, according to a study in the August issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS). The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, pharmacy and the pharmaceutical industry.
Sleep apnea has long been known to be associated with obesity. But a new study published in the June issue of Diabetes Care finds that the disorder is widely undiagnosed among obese individuals with type 2 diabetes - nearly 87 percent of participants reported symptoms, but were never diagnosed.
Nearly 40 years after the Supreme Court"s decision in Roe v. Wade, the "incendiary debate over abortion rights endures" and continues to manifest itself in a number of ways, USA Today reports. According to a recent USA Today/Gallup Poll, 78% of U.S. residents want abortion to be legal under at least some circumstances, with 21% saying it should be legal under any circumstance. According to the poll, 18% of respondents said that they want abortion always to be illegal. The poll also found that 46% of U.S. residents self-identify as "pro-choice," while 47% self-identify as "pro-life."Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said, "The enduring divide represents the reality that there are fundamental religious differences on the issue of abortion that do not exist on, say, campaign finance or even on health care." Americans United for Life President Charmaine Yoest said that abortion-rights opponents are mobilizing to urge congressional lawmakers to exclude abortion coverage and funding from any federal health reform legislation.During the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, the judge said that she does not believe previous court rulings on abortion rights have ended the national controversy surrounding the issue. According to USA Today, Sotomayor, who has never ruled on the issue, declined to reveal her personal position on abortion rights. Several antiabortion-rights advocates also protested during Sotomayor"s hearings (Biskupic, USA Today, 7/24).In addition, the Center for Reproductive Rights this week released a report that found physicians and employees of health care clinics providing abortion services in six states -- Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Texas -- face an increasing level of harassment and death threats. The report was based on a four-month investigation (AP/Houston Chronicle, 7/23). The report was tied to the murder of Kansas abortion provider George Tiller (USA Today, 7/24). Operation Save America Director the Rev. Flip Benham, whose group is mentioned in the report, said the center is trying to limit the free-speech rights of abortion-rights opponents (AP/Houston Chronicle, 7/23).
President Obama rallied support for health care at a town hall meeting in Shaker Heights, Ohio, on Thursday, despite news of a legislative delay in the Senate.
Asian Americans who have adopted more aspects of Western culture may be more likely to engage in behaviors that increase sun exposure, thereby endangering their skin health, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
CNN reports that African Americans and whites are treated differently by doctors. "While it"s extremely difficult to tell in any given situation how much race -- consciously or unconsciously -- plays a role in a doctor"s decision making, multiple studies over several decades have found doctors make different decisions for black patients and white patients even when they have the same medical problems and the same insurance."
An amendment to the fiscal year 2010 appropriations bill for health, labor and education programs that opposes the lifting of the ban on federal funding for needle exchange programs will come to the House floor for debate today along with four others, CQ Today reports. Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) "will offer an amendment to strip language that would lift the ban on federal funding for needle exchange programs," CQ writes. According to CQ Today, "Conservatives are concerned that eliminating the ban on federal funds for such programs, which are designed to reduce the transmission of HIV and other diseases, would be tantamount to helping fund addicts" drug habits. Democrats say science has shown that such programs, when coupled with comprehensive prevention strategies, can reduce the rate of [HIV] infections and do not promote drug use." House Appropriations Committee Chair David Obey (D-Wis.) "added compromise language in the committee this week that would prohibit funds from going to needle exchange programs within 1,000 feet of facilities that serve children, such as schools and parks," the article states. The House is expected to vote on the amendment and the appropriations bill today (Wolfe, 7/23).
A new drug that targets a master disease-causing gene can dramatically reduce heart muscle damage after a heart attack and may lead to significantly improved patient outcomes, UNSW researchers have shown.
In 1881, the optimistic Irish economist Francis Edgeworth imagined a strange device called a "hedonimeter" that would be capable of "continually registering the height of pleasure experienced by an individual." In other words, a happiness sensor.
Overall prognosis for gallbladder cancer appears to be improving, although many patients still have incurable disease and poor survival rates, according to a report in the May issue ofArchives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
A Los Angeles doctor who has made it his life"s work to find a cure for the rare disease Heredity Inclusion Body Myopathy, or HIBM, has won
Treatment with surgery or an oral appliance that adjusts the jaw is associated with improvements in obstructive sleep apnea, a condition caused by blocked upper airways in which patients periodically stop breathing during sleep, according to two reports in the May issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for a another diagnostic test for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, whose spread has caused the virus to be characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
Given Imaging LTD. (NASDAQ: GIVN) announced the launch of a simplified procedure for performing PillCam SB 2 capsule endoscopies for the detection of disease in the small intestine. Unveiled at the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, Inc. (SGNA) 36th Annual Course, the new procedure utilizes two new products - SensorBelt and RecorderPouch - replacing the sensor array and the recorder belt used previously with the DataRecorder to record the wireless signals emitted by the capsule. Both products can be viewed at Given Imaging"s booth #623 at the SGNA meeting, taking place in St. Louis from May 15 to May 20.
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius congratulated the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) after the conference approved an amendment in favor of health insurance reform. The amendment was approved by a vote of 38-11. According to NCSL rules, amendments must receive 75 percent of the vote in order to pass.
GlycoMimetics, Inc. announced the publication of an article in Nature Reviews: Drug Discovery describing how novel small molecule compounds that mimic carbohydrates can be successfully designed and optimized to treat cancer, inflammatory disorders and other diseases.
Elekta (STO:EKTAB) has received FDA 510(k) clearance for the VMAT (Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy) enhancement to Monaco®, treatment planning solution.
On Monday, the Health Ministries of Israel and Saudi Arabia reported their countries" first deaths from H1N1 swine influenza.
The Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) has responded to the decision by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to move to a neutral position on assisted suicide.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology announced that it has issued a revised policy statement on Learning Disabilities, Dyslexia, and Vision. The revised statement, which was issued jointly with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) and the American Association of Certified Orthoptists (AACO), expands upon the previous policy and includes extensive scientific references. The statement was also published today in Pediatrics, the journal of the AAP.
A major feature of the annual Pharmacy Australia Congress is the Poster Session which
High-throughput sequencing has turned biologists into voracious genome readers, enabling them to scan millions of DNA letters, or bases, per hour. When revising a genome, however, they struggle, suffering from serious writer"s block, exacerbated by outdated cell programming technology. Labs get bogged down with particular DNA sentences, tinkering at times with subsections of a single gene ad nauseam before moving along to the next one.
Several newspapers recently published opinion pieces regarding President Obama"s commencement address at the University of Notre Dame. Summaries appear below.~ Cal Thomas, Washington Times: "Put aside the question of whether" Notre Dame should have invited President Obama to speak at its commencement ceremony on Sunday and "[f]ocus, instead, on [his] remarks and whether he is serious, or can be made so, about actually reducing the number of abortions in America," syndicated columnist Thomas writes in a Washington Times opinion piece. "Don"t put aside, however, the argument that there is only one reason to even want to reduce the number of abortions and that is that what is being killed, terminated, evacuated (choose your term) is, in fact, human life," Thomas adds. "In speaking of "original sin," the president hit upon why abortion has been so easily tolerated for so long," he writes, adding that Obama "spoke of "self-interest" and "crass materialism" but did so in the context of economics, not abortion." Thomas reports that Obama called for making adoption ""more available"" and providing ""care and support for women who do carry their children to term."" Thomas notes that Obama"s speech also included "an appeal for discussion and respect for people with different views," which was "a good beginning, but the ending is what counts, and the initial actions of this president when it comes to abortion and stem cell research have not been pro-life" (Thomas, Washington Times, 5/19).~ Tim Rutten, Los Angeles Times: After his commencement address at Notre Dame, "it"s now clear that the president is the rhetorical equivalent of a "money player,"" which is the "kind of competitor who steps up and delivers in the big games," Rutten writes in a Los Angeles Times opinion piece. Notre Dame"s invitation for Obama to speak at commencement and receive an honorary degree "bec[a]me an engine of controversy" because of protests from "reductionists," or conservative Catholics "who insist on bringing the broad sweep of Catholic social morality down to a single issue -- abortion," Rutten writes. However, Obama "negotiated the situation with remarkable ease," Rutten continues, adding that Obama was "speaking … to three audiences far from South Bend on Sunday." The first audience was the "crucial bloc of Catholic voters who seem to be looking for ways to remain in the Democratic Party," he writes. In addition, Obama was speaking to "those Catholic Democrats in public office ... who are under intense pressure from the reductionist bishops in their home dioceses" and to the U.S. Senate, which will likely ask Obama"s Supreme Court nominee about his or her views on abortion during confirmation hearings, Rutten continues. He concludes, "Even in Washington"s charged partisan atmosphere, it will be hard to ignore the president"s call for civility at Notre Dame" (Rutten, Los Angeles Times, 5/20).~ Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune: Obama "appropriately promoted" the "ability of adversaries to work together on mutual interests" in his commencement address, Page writes in a Tribune opinion piece. Page adds that the speech was "classic Obama the pragmatist: Look past ideology, try to ignore disagreements and work together on mutual interests." Obama said that "at some level, the views of the two camps are irreconcilable," Page writes, adding that it is "because Americans hold no values more dear than "life" and "choice."" Page adds that "[i]n the abortion debate, those values clash head-on." However, Obama"s "eloquent come-together oratory enabled him to leave the university like a hero, even though he glossed over the thorny specifics that drive wedges between people of goodwill when words are hammered into law," Page continues. "For now, by focusing on civility, the president apparently hopes to defuse the abortion powder keg long enough to address his higher priorities," Page writes, concluding, "The economy, national security and health care are going to be tough fight
Hope is fading in the House on voting on reform before the August recess as Democrats bicker over details, Roll Call reports: "Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told reporters Friday that Democratic leaders may push off the health care bill until September if they can"t get it finished within the next two weeks."
Covering the uninsured - a leading principle of health care reform - depends on the critical issue of who gets subsidies to pay for health insurance coverage and when.
"Premiums for small employers have been rising by double-digit increases for a few years, and they don"t have the negotiating power of larger employers," the Hartford (Conn.) Courant reports. This year"s increases are even higher than usual, on top of an economic recession. Connecticut businesses are resorting to drastic measures to preserve employee"s coverage, or are forced to drop it all together.
In Chicago, 17.4 percent of gay men are estimated to be HIV-positive, compared with 1.2 percent of the general male population, according to a new report by the Chicago Public Health Department, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The report is based on data collected from 570 Chicago men through the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance system, and found that half of the men with HIV were unaware they were infected (Thomas, 7/25). "Health officials said Friday, information in the report on HIV infection mark the first time Chicago health officials have used blood-testing to determine infection rates among men," the AP/Chicago Tribune reports. In the past, estimates have relied on interviews with gay and bisexual men, according to Christopher Brown, the Public Health Department assistant commissioner. The report also found that "black men who have sex with other men have double the HIV infection rates of white and Hispanic men," the AP/Tribune reports (7/24).
Program is top priority under new health care imperatives to reduce the rate of 30-day readmissions
A new report, "The Intelligent Board 2009: Commissioning to reduce inequalities", produced by an independent reference group of experts, encourages Primary Care Trust (PCT) Boards to review their understanding of health inequalities in their communities so that they can be addressed.
It is known that Retroviruses, such as HIV, that are already within cells
Government health officials from 13 African countries today launched the first-ever push for accreditation of the continent"s medical laboratories, starting a process that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Government believe will be an historic step to strengthen health systems and lead to better care for patients.
For the 29,000 patients in the United States with metastatic colorectal cancer, chemotherapy with irinotecan is a standard treatment that has been shown to improve survival. But for more than one in 10 of these patients, a variation in their DNA means that this treatment could result in a severe reduction in their white blood cell count, leading to a high risk of bacterial infection and possible subsequent death. A new genetic test can identify those with the variation in order to lower the treatment dose - however, it has been unclear whether the testing is worthwhile.
U.S. residents enrolled in employer-sponsored health plans will contribute an average of 41% of their health care costs in 2009, the largest share to date, according to a study released on Monday by the Seattle-based actuarial consulting firm Milliman, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The report looked at employer-sponsored preferred provider organizations plans in 14 metropolitan cities. Researchers found that total medical costs for a typical family of four in 2009 are expected to reach $16,771, up by 7.4% from 2008. Employers are expected to pay $9,947 of that, and employees are expected to contribute $4,004 through health plan premiums and another $2,820 through out-of-pocket costs such as copayments and deductibles. In addition, the report found that consumption of medical services is expected to be flat this year for the first time ever. Kate Fitch, a consultant at Milliman, attributed the slowdown to better disease management and wellness programs. However, per unit medical costs are up, and hospital outpatient care had the highest growth in 2009 (Yee, Minneapolis Star Tribune, 5/18).The report also found variations in medical costs by city. Miami had the highest health costs for a family of four at an average of $20,282 in 2008, almost 21% higher than the national average, followed by New York City at $19,684. Phoenix had the lowest at $14,857 (Dorschner, Miami Herald, 5/19).The report is available online.
Current diagnostic tests for ovarian cancer are woefully ineffective for early detection of the disease, say researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine. A new study finds that in order to make a significant dent in the mortality rate for the deadly cancer, the tests would have to be able to detect tumors of less than 1 cm in diameter, or about 200-times smaller in mass than those currently used to assess potential new tests. Still, if that hurdle can be overcome, there is good reason to believe that testing could make a big difference: The window of opportunity for treating these clinically undetectable cancers before they become life threatening is surprisingly long: about four years.
The University of Southern Nevada (USN) College of Nursing has been granted provisional approval by the Utah Board of Nursing to begin offering its 18-month Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at the university"s campus located 10920 South River Front Parkway in South Jordan.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy is the second-leading cause of infant mortality in the world.
University of Rhode Island Professor Annie De Groot has been awarded a $13 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to pioneer the development and application of an integrated gene-to-vaccine program targeting emerging infectious diseases. It is the second multi-million dollar NIH grant awarded to URI researchers in recent months, coming on the heels of an $18 million award to a pharmacy professor in May.
Researchers at the Peninsula Medical School have received a grant of over ÷£39,000 from the charity Deafness Research UK, to investigate the role of brain tumours causing deafness in children and adults and the development of therapies using in vitro models.
The Vermont Legislature has passed legislation (S 48) that bans nearly all gifts from pharmaceutical and medical device companies to health care providers, administrators and facilities in the state, the New York Times reports. The legislation specifically would prohibit drug and device makers from giving providers no-cost meals. Vermont"s legislation would go further than similar laws in other states like Massachusetts and Minnesota by requiring drug and medical device manufacturers who give gifts to health providers to publicly disclose recipients" names and dollar amounts of payments and gifts. The measure would not require manufacturers to disclose payments for clinical research of products undergoing FDA review, the Times reports. The legislation also would eliminate a loophole that allows manufacturers to conceal certain expenses by claiming them as trade secrets. In a recent report, the Vermont Office of the Attorney General said that medical product makers spent about $2.9 million on promotional efforts to the state"s health care providers in fiscal year 2008 and that nearly half of the state"s 4,573 licensed providers had received some type of incentive from drugmakers in the same year. The report, which was developed prior to passage of the new legislation, offers only aggregate data, as 83% of the manufacturer-declared payments were deemed to be trade secrets, the Times reports.Gov. Jim Douglas (R) is expected to sign the law, which would take effect July 1. Several state medical groups -- including the Vermont Association for Mental Health and the Vermont Medical Society -- have indicated support for the legislation.Marjorie Powell, a senior lawyer for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, said the requirements under the new law appear redundant with new voluntary guidelines the group has issued on physician gifting practices. She said, "We think this is unnecessary, and it is not going to improve patient care," adding, "It makes it onerous not only for the company but also for the physician in Vermont, because this is going to be on a Web site" (Singer, New York Times, 5/20).
ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARIA) announced preliminary clinical data from an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial of its investigational, multi-targeted kinase inhibitor, AP24534, in patients with advanced hematological cancers. The study results provide initial clinical evidence of hematologic, cytogenetic and molecular anti-cancer activity of AP24534 in heavily pretreated patients with resistant and refractory chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), including those with the T315I mutant variant of the target protein, Bcr-Abl. An abstract describing these data is being submitted for presentation at a major hematology meeting to be held later this year.