Public Health
Reports are coming in that the government of Australia has placed an order for 10 million vaccines against the novel H1N1 swine flu virus, following a press briefing from Health Minister Nicola
Cases of type 1 diabetes in children under five years across Europe will double by 2020 (from 2005 levels) if present trends continue. Numbers in children older than five will also increase substantially. The findings are discussed in an Article published Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet, written by Dr Chris Patterson, Queen"s University, Belfast, UK, and Prof Gyula Soltē©sz, Pē©cs University, Pē©cs, Hungary, and colleagues.
The Scottish Government is launching Better Diabetes Care - a consultation to improve diabetes care over the next three years - Diabetes UK Scotland is encouraging everyone to take part.
Results and additional analyses from the Phase II portion of a Phase II/III clinical trial of Corthera"s investigational drug relaxin for the treatment of acute heart failure will be presented at the Heart Failure Congress, the annual meeting of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology in Nice, France.
"Origins and Strategies for Addressing Ethnic and Racial Disparities in Pharmaceutical Therapy: The Health-Care System, the Provider, and the Patient," National Minority Quality Forum: The report -- by Richard Levy, a health care consultant and former vice president of the National Pharmaceutical Council; Robert Like, professor and director of the Center for Healthy Families and Cultural Diversity of the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; and Harry Shabsin, a private-practice psychologist -- looks at how appropriate medications for a variety of diseases often are under-prescribed, over-prescribed, or mis-prescribed among minorities. The report looks at disparities in treatment of minority patients with cardiovascular disease, asthma, psychiatric illness, pain and other conditions and finds disparities in access to medications through insurance programs, in the prescribing of medications and in adherence to medication regimens. The report offers ways to improve prescribing and use of medications among diverse communities (National Minority Quality Forum release, 5/12).
To help customers have a safe and fun summer in the sun, Rite Aid and The Skin Cancer Foundation are partnering to raise awareness and offer free information on the importance of smart skin care practices. A free skin care guide aimed to encourage customers to protect their skin this summer will be available at nearly 4,900 Rite Aid stores nationwide and online at http://www.riteaid.com starting May 31.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced the initiation of a Phase 3 registration program for VX-770, an investigational Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) potentiator that targets the defective CFTR protein that causes cystic fibrosis (CF). The VX-770 registration program will consist of three clinical trials, including a primary 48-week Phase 3 trial that is currently open to enrollment of patients aged 12 years and older who carry the G551D mutation on at least one allele. Two additional trials will evaluate VX-770 in patients aged 6 to 11 years with the G551D mutation on at least one allele and in patients homozygous for the F508del mutation, respectively.
Two studies in the May 29th issue of Cell, a Cell Press publication, have taken advantage of new technological advances to search for and find previously unknown weaknesses in a hard to treat form of cancer. The discoveries lend new hope in the fight again tumors that are today considered "undruggable."
As the best drugs become increasingly resistant to superbugs, McMaster University researchers have discovered a completely different way of looking for a new antibiotic.
RAJ Devices, the regulatory affairs journal published by Informa and covering the medical technology industry, has published a comprehensive feature on how companies in the US can comply with a much stricter code of ethics that medical technology industry association AdvaMed will launch on 1 July.
As many as 700,000 people in the UK suffer from a heart abnormality
Surprisingly few pharmacies in the U.S. are able to translate prescription medication instructions into Spanish, making it difficult for patients who speak only Spanish to understand how to take their medications properly, according to a new study from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
A new combination therapy of daily consensus interferon (CIFN) and ribavirin is effective for some people with chronic hepatitis C (HCV) who do not respond to standard therapy. The treatment works particularly well in interferon-sensitive patients who have lower fibrosis scores, according to a new study in the June issue of Hepatology, a journal published by John Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article is also available online at Wiley Interscience.
Tobacco is the only consumer product which is grown and available legally and is lethal for human beings. At the current rate, the number of smokers dying every year in the world is likely to reach (10 million) 1 crore by 2020.
Gene Network Sciences, Inc. (GNS) announced that it has entered into a research collaboration with the University of California San Francisco Cancer Center (UCSF) aimed at accelerating cancer research and drug development across several therapeutic areas. This collaboration will combine the clinical and research oncology expertise of UCSF with the computational expertise and supercomputer-driven REFS(TM) platform of GNS. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The optical navigation system Cappa C-Nav facilitates minimally-invasive surgical
In response to industry demand, VIBevents is proud to announce the launch of the industry"s first virtual clinical trials event, ClinicalTrialsArena.com, which will bring together the leading decision makers within the pharma and biotech industries.
The New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) welcomed today"s Budget which reaffirms the Government"s commitment to solving our long term health workforce problems.
Ballroom dancing has gained in popularity in recent years as an activity for health and fitness. According to research presented today at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle, ballroom dances like the salsa and the tango contribute to health gains and may improve fitness for amateur adult dancers, as measured by heart rates and energy expenditure.
Laughter is not only an effective stress-reliever, but can be heart-healthy, according to research presented at the American College of Sports Medicine"s 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle. Two separate studies examined the role of a good laugh as it relates to health.
Scientists are reporting a potential solution to a problem that limits the human body"s ability to absorb and use medications for heart disease, Type-2 diabetes, cancer and other conditions. It is a "nano-hybrid microcapsule" that enables the stomach to absorb more of these so-called "poorly-soluble" medicines. Their study is scheduled for the June 1 issue of ACS" Molecular Pharmaceutics, a bi-monthly journal.
The combination of chemotherapies 5FU and oxaliplatin compared to 5FU alone after surgery for colon cancer decreases colon cancer recurrence and promotes longer survival for patients under 70 -- but not for those who are older, according to Mayo Clinic and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists who presented their findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology"s (ASCO) annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
VION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (OTC Bulletin Board: VION) announced that an analysis of clinical data of its lead anticancer agent Onrigin (laromustine) Injection in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) would be presented in a poster at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.
By observing the pattern of activity in the brain, scientists have discovered they can "read" whether a person just heard words spoken in anger, joy, relief, or sadness. The discovery, reported online on May 14th in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, is the first to show that emotional information is represented by distinct spatial signatures in the brain that can be generalized across speakers.
Many cases of age-related neurodegenerative disease fall into the gray zone between big, defined diseases - Alzheimer"s or Parkinson"s, for example. Their diagnostic accuracy is low, researchers agree. That"s a problem, because mixed disease is not only common, but also quite different in its course from pathologically "pure" disease. (Mixed disease is often worse.) But there"s also excitement and opportunity. The large overlap between established neurodegenerative diseases is ripe for scientific exploration, and recent advances at the genetic, clinico-pathologic, and molecular levels have turned it into a dynamic area of research. In particular, diseases such as Dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementias are drawing intense interest as biomarker development branches out beyond Amyloid beta and tau, holding out a future where molecular-based diagnoses can define the pathogenic proteins that together drive a given person"s individual disease.
A new, international study found that the combination of two drugs delays disease progression for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Results from the Phase III "ATLAS" trial were presented today by Dr. Vincent Miller of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.
Theta oscillations are a type of prominent brain rhythm that orchestrates neuronal activity in the hippocampus, a brain area critical for the formation of new memories. For several decades these oscillations were believed to be "in sync" across the hippocampus, timing the firing of neurons like a sort of central pacemaker. A new study conducted by researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) argues that this long-held assumption needs to be revised. In a paper published in this week"s issue of the journal Nature, the researchers showed that instead of being in sync, theta oscillations actually sweep along the length of the hippocampus as traveling waves.
The opportunity to enact health care reform legislation could be missed unless Congress passes it this year, President Obama on Thursday said to thousands of supporters in a phone call made from Air Force One, the AP/USA Today reports. In a call to members of his political organization, Organizing for America, Obama said, "If we don"t get it done this year, we"re not going to get it done," adding, "I think the status quo is unacceptable and that we"ve got to get it done this year." Obama also said that any action on overhaul legislation could be delayed unless volunteers pressure lawmakers to support the administration"s goals for health care reform (AP/USA Today, 5/28). Obama said, "Some of you are in states and districts where politicians are resistant to bringing about change, so we need you to get involved" (Zeleny, "The Caucus," New York Times, 5/28). Obama told volunteers that it was time to "remobilize" after their successful campaign to get him elected, adding that "we have gotten a lot of things done during our first four months. But health care, that"s a big push" (AP/USA Today, 5/28).David Plouffe, Obama"s presidential campaign manager and head of Organizing for America, during the call said, "If the country stands with the president and if the country is demanding health care reform, [then] we"ll get it done," adding, "Washington will not have any option but to follow us." He added, "You need to take ownership of this" ("The Caucus," New York Times, 5/28). Organizing for America Campaign
Congressional lawmakers who are crafting a plan to overhaul the U.S. health care system might be able to look to state health insurance programs in Massachusetts and Tennessee for ideas, the AP/Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Health reform legislation modeled after Massachusetts" near-universal health insurance law "is likely to emerge" in Congress, "although details remain unsettled," the AP/Star Tribune reports. The plan also could include components of Tennessee"s CoverTN program, which charges beneficiaries who smoke or are overweight higher premiums. Lawmakers in the Senate already have discussed a lifestyle tax funding mechanism, such as taxes on alcohol and sugary beverages. According to AP/Star Tribune, Massachusetts "chose to cover virtually everyone," while Tennessee "chose to get just a few more people bare-bones insurance at a budget price with limits on how much plans would pay for hospital stays."Alan Weil of the National Academy for State Health Policy said, "The belief that we should all have health insurance coverage is broadly held," but "there are tremendous differences around the country in beliefs on how to achieve that goal." He added, "We learn from Massachusetts that a bold objective matters. If it can be sustained, that"s terrific," and "[i]t would be nice if you had a southern state that had achieved universal coverage and did it in a different way, but we don"t have that" (Johnson, AP/Minneapolis Star Tribune, 5/28).
Isaac Muliloa -- national coordinator of the HIV and sexually transmitted infections unit at the Solomon Islands" Ministry of Health -- recently said that a lack of national HIV/AIDS laws is hindering efforts to address the disease, the Solomon Times reports. Recent World Health Organization estimates said that the number of HIV cases in the Solomon Islands could reach 350 by 2010. Muliloa said that legislation is needed to address continued discrimination against HIV-positive employees in the workplace. He added that the HIV/AIDS and STI unit is relatively new in the health ministry, as is the Solomon Islands" National AIDS Council. According to Muliloa, officials are continuing to work toward implementing policies. The Times reports that the Solomon Islands does not have laws in place criminalizing the intentional transmission of HIV (Solomon Times, 5/27).
The following highlights efforts that seek to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities.
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have recently demonstrated a breakthrough in the quantum control of photons, the energy quanta of light. This is a significant result in quantum computation, and could eventually have implications in banking, drug design, and other applications.
Fox Chase Cancer Center investigators report that a two-drug blockade of mTOR signaling appears safe in metastatic kidney cancer in a phase I trial. Early data suggests that a combination of temsirolimus and bryostatin may be active in patients with rare forms of renal cell cancer, which are less likely to respond to other targeted therapies.
A study led by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, has catapulted the field of regenerative medicine significantly forward, proving in principle that a human genetic disease can be cured using a combination of gene therapy and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology. The study, published in the May 31, 2009 early online edition of Nature, is a major milestone on the path from the laboratory to the clinic.
A case report written by Dr Francesco Natale and his colleagues, from the Second University of Naples and Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy, reports on the dangers of stimulant chewing gums containing caffeine. The report published in this week÷“s edition of The Lancet describes the story of a teenage boy hospitalized after excessive consumption of this type of product. The authors warn about the high risks of stimulant chewing gums that are widely available to children.
Following calls from the information commissioner for the NHS to improve its data security, after breaches involving the loss of thousands of personal medical records, Bill Gilliam, head of the health sector group at international law firm Eversheds comments:
First Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) Research Fellowships announced
Osteoporosis, or bone loss, is a disease that is most common in the elderly population, affecting women more often than men. Until now, it was not clear exactly how the disease develops. Researchers of the Max DelbrĆųck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, Germany, have now elucidated a molecular mechanism which regulates the equilibrium between bone formation and bone resorption. Dr. Jeske J. Smink, Dr. ValĆ©rie BĆ©gay, and Professor Achim Leutz were able to show that two different forms of a gene switch - a short isoform and a long isoform - determine this process. The MDC researchers hope these findings will lead to new therapies for this bone disease. (EMBO Journal)*.
If an army marches on its stomach, it surely gets fit with good nutrition. And now, in Afghanistan, British soldiers are under more pressure to stay fit than ever before. At high altitudes, and when out on active operations, they can"t afford to let their fitness slide.
Sequel Systems says the Electronic Prescribe (E-Prescribe) program, in which paper-based health records would be converted to electronic health records (EHRs), would be beneficial to hospital-based and managed services organizations. This not only reduces medical errors made in the reading of written prescriptions - which results in increased liability - but also offers financial incentives by receiving increases in Medicare reimbursements to those organizations that adopt the program.
Devax, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has conditionally approved an Investigational Device Exemption ("IDE") for its AXXESS™ Biolimus A9® Eluting Bifurcation Stent System (AXXESS System), allowing the company to initiate a pivotal clinical trial (DIVERGE II) of the device in the United States.
The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Jim Prentice, Canada"s Environment Minister, today announced the release of the draft screening assessments and risk management scope documents for 18 substances assessed in Batch 6 of the Chemicals Management Plan. The Government has reached the halfway point in its commitment to assess approximately 200 high-priority substances as part of the Chemicals Management Plan.
In response to reports of an increase in the number of serious complaints to the Department of Health and Ageing"s Complaints Investigation Scheme (CIS), Ged Kearney, Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) Federal Secretary said the Australian government must make Australia"s nursing homes a priority.
Sipping wine, beer or spirits three to four times per week increases the risk of binge drinking, particularly among young men, according to a new study published in the journal Addiction. Researchers from the Universitē© de Montrē©al and the University of Western Ontario analyzed the drinking habits of Canadians and found that frequent alcohol consumption can lead to binge drinking among all gender and all age groups.
New Phase III study results presented for the first time at the ninth annual American Transplant Congress 2009 (ATC) demonstrate that doubling the duration of preventive therapy ("prophylaxis") with Valcyte (oral valganciclovir) significantly reduced the incidence of CMV disease by 56% in high-risk kidney transplant patients within the first year post-transplant.
Bursitis happens when the bursa is inflamed. The burse acts as a cushion between bones, tendons, joints and muscles - bursae are fluid-filled sacs (the plural of bursa is bursae). People with bursitis will feel pain at the site of inflammation. The medical word "bursa" comes from the Latin bursa, meaning a purse, which is what a bursa resembles. According to Medilexicon"s medical dictionary, bursitis is "inflammation of the bursa".
Researchers studying a difficult-to-treat form of childhood epilepsy called infantile spasms have developed a line of mice that experiences seizures with features closely resembling those occurring in patients with infantile seizures. These genetically engineered mice provide a new opportunity for scientists to test treatments that may benefit children.
Mersana Therapeutics presented preliminary results of a Phase 1 clinical trial for its lead development candidate, XMT-1001, in a poster session at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando. XMT-1001 is a broad-spectrum cytotoxic, based on camptothecin (CPT), conjugated to Mersana"s biodegradable polymer platform, Fleximer(R).
Neurobiological Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTII) (NTI(R)) announced that Celtic Pharmaceutical Holdings L.P. (Celtic Pharma) has announced the results from its Phase 3 Clinical Program for XERECEPT(R) in patients with edema associated with brain tumors and from preclinical studies of XERECEPT in brain tumor models.
Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRBN) announced the presentation of encouraging Phase 1 safety and efficacy results following administration of low doses of TRU-016 in heavily pre-treated patients with high-risk genomic factors and relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). TRU-016 is the Company"s proprietary anti-CD37 Small Modular ImmunoPharmaceutical (SMIP(TM)) product candidate.
A vaccine for one of the most lethal cancers, advanced melanoma, has shown improved response rates and progression-free survival for patients when combined with the immunotherapy drug, Interleukin-2, according to researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
The Pima County Health Department is releasing additional
Health professionals caring for patients with acute post-operative pain can improve pain management with a new drug use evaluation toolkit developed by the National Prescribing Service Ltd (NPS).
You know the guy - he"s your Facebook friend. The one who knows everyone. Secure at the center of a dense web of relationships, he suggests causes and reconnects old friends like a skilled matchmaker. Scientists have known for some time that biological molecules interact with one another in a similarly complex pattern. Now researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have determined that hamstringing these molecular powerbrokers is a good way to derail processes such as cancer development.
Since the 2004 election, issues relating to the economic recession and health care have replaced "moral values" as the most important political topics in the U.S., columnist E.J. Dionne writes in a Washington Post opinion piece. He cites a survey released in May by the Pew Research Center that offered respondents the same list of issues that appeared on the 2004 exit poll and found that the importance of moral values had decreased by more than half. Dionne writes that concern over the economy and jobs had more than doubled on the survey, while issues such as health care and education also had "gained substantial ground." According to the survey, "The drop in concern over moral values was particularly sharp among older working-class voters who have been trending Republican for years," Dionne writes.According to Dionne, "Conservative moral values voters have become the heart of the Republican coalition, and if their ranks are shrinking, so is the GOP"s base." He writes that it "is no accident that President Obama takes every opportunity to shift the public debate to issues -- the economy, health care and education -- that the populist conservatives ... find appealing."According to Dionne, "[f]ew recent survey findings are more enlightening about what"s happening in American politics -- and what is likely to happen to the debate over the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor." He adds that it is "striking that while some antiabortion groups issued stinging press releases against Sotomayor, her views on abortion remain a mystery -- to the consternation of abortion-rights supporters." According to Dionne, "Both sides in the abortion debate want to have a confrontation that Sotomayor may not give them the opportunity to stage." He adds that the "vast majority of Americans are not clamoring for this particular battle" (Dionne, Washington Post, 6/1).
Pancreatic cancer and bile duct cancer are difficult to diagnose and often fatal because they are discovered in the advanced stages of the disease. Researchers have developed new tests that double the ability to detect bile duct and pancreatic cancers, according to a Mayo Clinic study published in the June issue of Gastroenterology.
Obesity is an independent predictor of inadequate bowel preparation at colonoscopy, and the presence of additional risk factors further increases the likelihood of a poorly cleansed colon, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.
Monkeys playing a game similar to "Let"s Make A Deal" have revealed that their brains register missed opportunities and learn from their mistakes.
Athletes could be putting their lives at risk by doping themselves with powerful prescription drugs, a leading academic has warned.
Findings in mice suggest greater hope for targeting brain cancer, but also greater caution in pursuing stem cell treatments for degenerative diseases
- 0 confirmed cases in Wales.
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth (NYSE: WYE), today announced
Oligophrenin-1, a Rho-GTPase-activating protein, stabilizes postsynaptic AMPA receptors
The following statistics were released by the Department of Health:
Insurance companies, "the industry that gets credit for helping to kill the Clinton administration"s health care overhaul 15 years ago," are now "striking a conciliatory tone as it faces the most serious attempt to overhaul the system since that effort collapsed," CQ Politics reports. With low favorability ratings and Democrats in control of the federal government, "insurers know they aren"t in a good bargaining position" this time around. They have already offered concessions, including providing "insurance in the individual markets to everyone, without regard to who is sick," and not "charging people who are ill higher rates and cut health care costs." But they"ve also been ""careful to structure their offers in such a way that appears significant but does not overpromise." An individual mandate for all Americans and an end to health screening for applicants could offer "a win-win outcome, one that will benefit not just patients but potentially the profits of the industry as well." But "perhaps the biggest motivation for insurers to deal now is that they fear what might happen if they don"t" - the "creation of a government-run plan that would be more attractive to the public and siphon off customers" (Adams, 6/1).
In February 2009, the Office of the Vice President of Research at UTSA announced it would offer approximately $242,000 through its Collaborative Research Seed Grant Program (CRSGP) and its Tenure-track Research Award Competition (TRAC). The programs help UTSA faculty establish new, innovative, collaborative and multidisciplinary research programs in one or more of UTSA"s five strategic areas of excellence: health, security, energy and the environment, human and social development, and sustainability.
A new multi-center study, conducted at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in collaboration with five other centers throughout the country, tested the commonly prescribed antidepressant citalopram and found that it was no more effective than placebo in altering obsessive features of the condition - the spinning, rocking and repetitive behavior.
Cougar Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:CGRB) announced that results from ongoing Phase II clinical trials of Cougar"s investigational drug CB7630 (abiraterone acetate) were presented at the 2009 ASCO Annual Meeting that is currently taking place in Orlando, Florida. The data were released today in three poster presentations. These presentations are further detailed below:
The Association of British Clinical Diabetologists cautioned against indiscriminate use of new classes of medication for Britain"s increasing number of people with diabetes.
Infants" sleep patterns and their parents" influence on it are the focus of the SIESTA II project, supported by a five-year, $2.67 million grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to Douglas M. Teti, professor of human development and psychology, Penn State.
National Allergy Week 11-15 May 2009
Argos Therapeutics announced the presentation of new information on its soluble CD83 (sCD83) protein program in a poster session at the 2009 American Transplant Congress, held May 30-June 3 in Boston. The poster presentation, to be made on June 2 at 5:30pm by Argos" collaborating scientists from the University of Western Ontario, demonstrates that combination therapy with sCD83 can prolong kidney allograft survival in an animal model of transplantation, and that sCD83 attenuates pathological changes in kidney allografts, induces generation of T regulatory cells and inhibits dendritic cell maturation, all of which may contribute to immunosuppression and allograft tolerance.
Israel"s largest institute for brain research will be launched this week at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The new $130 million Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (or ELSC), will be announced in the presence of Mrs. Lily Safra.
The Santa Maria Times examines how California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger"s (R) plan to reduce state spending by more than $5 billion over the next two fiscal years, which includes millions of dollars in funding cuts to HIV prevention, education and treatment programs, could affect county residents (Womack, Santa Maria Times, 5/31). According to the Times, hundreds of residents in Santa Barbara County -- including more than 100 AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) clients -- would potentially be affected by the funding cuts (Santa Maria Times, 5/31). The proposal also would result in $1.8 million in cuts to programs for low-income residents living with HIV in Riverside County, the Desert Sun reports (Brambila, Desert Sun, 5/29). The plan, issued by Schwarzenegger last week, includes $55.5 million in cuts to California"s ADAP and other state Office of AIDS programs (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 5/27).
Several of the country"s largest liberal groups said they were prepared to spend $82 million to promote President Obama"s health care reform agenda, the Boston Globe reports. "Joining the effort are two major labor organizations, the AFL-CIO and Change to Win; Health Care for America Now, a coalition of healthcare providers, consumer groups, and activists; MoveOn.org, the massive online activist organization; and other groups that claim a total of 30 million members."
A paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University researchers reports that amniotic fluid surrounding Down syndrome fetuses shows oxidative stress, a condition that could harm fetal cells and play a role in affected individuals. The results demonstrate secondary adverse consequences of Down syndrome and suggest potential prenatal therapies.
New long-term findings from the Phase 3b study of patients with moderately to severely active Crohn"s disease having inadequate response to conventional therapies, but naive to immunomodulators and biologic therapy, were presented at Digestive Disease Week today. Data from the SONIC study showed that a greater proportion of patients receiving REMICADE (infliximab) maintained steroid-free remission at one year, compared with patients receiving azathioprine alone.
Two studies from AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) show that symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients treated with NEXIUM(R) (esomeprazole magnesium) 20 mg daily experienced greater relief from nighttime heartburn and GERD-related sleep disturbances compared with patients taking placebo over four weeks(1). NEXIUM 20 mg is indicated for the treatment of heartburn and other symptoms associated with GERD. NEXIUM, in a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), demonstrated efficacy in relieving moderate-to-severe nighttime heartburn and GERD-related sleep disturbances in two randomized, placebo-controlled trials(2). These findings were presented in three separate abstracts at Digestive Disease Week 2009 in Chicago.
Hyperion Therapeutics, Inc. announced top-line results from a phase I study of HPN-100 in patients with liver cirrhosis. The data were presented as part of the 2009 Digestive Disease Week meeting. The abstract is titled "Pharmacokinetic (PK) and Safety Analyses of a Novel Ammonia-Reducing Agent in Healthy Adults and Patients with Cirrhosis."
Bayer Diabetes Care announced the launch of A1CNow(R) SELFCHECK, a new A1C monitor that enables people with diabetes to check their A1C level at home. Measurement of A1C provides an average assessment of blood sugar levels over the past three months -- and is an indicator of how well diabetes is being managed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently cleared Bayer"s A1CNow SELFCHECK which enables patients to more closely watch their A1C level in between healthcare provider visits so they may modify their diet and exercise, or have a more informed discussion with their healthcare provider based on the results.
MedSolutions, a leading provider of medical cost management services, will highlight its groundbreaking solution - Premerus(SM) Diagnostic Accuracy - during America"s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Institute 2009. An industry first, Premerus is a nationwide program that dramatically reduces healthcare costs and improves patient care by leveraging the proven advantages of subspecialist expertise to increase diagnostic accuracy.
CSC (NYSE: CSC) announced that it has expanded its FirstPortfolio solution"s business process outsourcing (BPO) capabilities to include fully integrated Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) reporting for healthcare payers. FirstPortfolio provides users with a collection of applications hosted and maintained by CSC.
Achieving a world first, scientists in China have induced cells from pigs to become pluripotent stem cells, which like embryonic stem cells are
In the run up to National Tackling Drugs Week (8th-12th June), drug and alcohol services in Liverpool have gathered together to host "Know more" an event which will showcase a range of services that offer advice and support to young people and their families.
An independent large study conducted by MEDCO Health Solutions Inc. found
The Nigerian government believes that by 2013 malaria will cease to be a major public health problem in the country because families will have universal access to prevention and treatment, which will ultimately lead to malaria eradication in Nigeria, according to a document prepared by the National Malaria Control Program of the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja, Nigeria, Xinhua reports.
The American Civil Liberties Union action in filing a lawsuit against Myriad Genetics is going to lead to one of the most important legal battles in the history of biotechnology, asserts Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN). The ACLU charged that the patenting of two human genes linked to breast and ovarian cancer will inhibit medical research. The organization also claims that the patents are invalid and unconstitutional.
An infectious disease striking a large city may seem like a disastrous scenario -- millions of people sharing apartment buildings, crammed on buses and trains and brushing past one another on crowded sidewalks.
Dr Peter O"Meara, Associate Professor in Pre-hospital Care at Charles Sturt University in Australia, is the first non-UK paramedic to be appointed to a three year visiting Professor post in the UK in the subject of Pre-Hospital Care.
Corrected vision impairment could prevent billions of dollars in lost productivity annually, according to a study by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of School of Public Health, the International Centre for Eyecare Education, the University of New South Wales and the African Vision Research Institute. Researchers estimate that nearly 158 million people globally suffer with vision impairment resulting from uncorrected refractive error, which can usually be eliminated with a pair of eyeglasses and an eye examination. This is the first study to estimate the productivity loss from uncorrected refractive error and is published in the June 2009 issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization.
Low antioxidant intake is associated with low reproductive capacity in semen. This is the finding of a new study carried out in two infertility centres in Alicante and Murcia, and which has been published online in the journal Fertility and Sterility.
A closer look at regulatory and clinical concerns with generic immunosuppression medications in thoracic transplantation is required, according to an educational advisory by the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) in the July 2009 issue of The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, published by Elsevier.
As part of its community outreach, Breast Cancer Help, Inc. attended the annual National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) conference, which was held May 2-5 at Washington, D.C. Representatives of Breast Cancer Help, along with hundreds of other activists, met at the nation"s capital to meet with elected officials who are responsible for the majority of the funding for breast cancer research. The conference was held to challenge the newly elected leaders in Washington to create the changes necessary to ensure the much-needed funding for research and access to quality care.
Working with a population of individuals at risk for gastrointestinal cancers, researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center have learned that many people misjudge their actual degree of cancer risk and, therefore, their true need for prevention support. Strategies for accurately assessing cancer risk are critical for appropriately targeting educational, counseling, and diagnostic res to prevent cancer in as many individuals as possible, the investigators say.
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a change to the prescribing information for its once-daily Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) treatment VYVANSE® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) CII, to include supplemental data that demonstrated significant ADHD symptom control in children aged 6 to 12 from the first time point measured (1.5 hours) through 13 hours postdose. VYVANSE is now the first and only oral ADHD stimulant treatment to have 13-hour postdose efficacy data for pediatric patients included in its product labeling.
An international team of astronauts, including Canadian Dr. Robert Thirsk who launched into space on May 27, have just published an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) about the complex physiologic changes and psychological effects that occur in space. They draw upon first-hand experience as both physician-astronauts and crew medical officers on space missions and from NASA literature and peer-reviewed medical s.
Patients who have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) for a prolonged period have an increased risk of developing Barrett"s esophagus, a pre-cancerous condition where the tissue lining the esophagus becomes damaged by stomach acid and transformed into something like the inside of the stomach. New research finds that radiofrequency ablation -- an endoscopic procedure involving targeted thermal energy -- was very successful at restoring the esophagus and reducing risk for cancer.
People with lower back pain are better off exercising more, not less.
Infertility Network Scotland has welcomed the announcement by the Public Health Minister, Shona Robison, that over the next three years the Scottish Government will provide funding to Infertility Network Scotland to work with Health Boards to help them to address the inequity of access that has existed in Scotland for too many years. We also welcomed the news that an expert advisory group will be established this summer to consider an action plan on infertility services.
Leading UK maternity charity, MIDIRS, has launched a new e-update facility designed to assist health care professionals and student midwives with their continuing professional development. Registration to the service is free and available NOW!
GPC Biotech AG (FRANKFURT: GPC) (XETRA: GPC) announced that data from the double- blind, randomized satraplatin Phase 3 trial, the SPARC trial (Satraplatin and Prednisone Against Refractory Cancer), were presented at the 2009 American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. The SPARC trial evaluated satraplatin plus prednisone versus placebo plus prednisone in 950 patients with castrate-refractory prostate cancer (CRPC) who had progressed after initial chemotherapy. The data presented are retrospective analyses of the SPARC trial evaluating correlations between overall survival (OS) and pain at baseline, pain progression, and progression-free survival (PFS) at three months.
Researchers affiliated with Natura Therapeutics, Inc., Tampa, Florida, and the University of South Florida (USF) have jointly received a one-year, $110,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institutes of Health"s (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine to continue studying TeaMem™, a compound made from green tea.
An over-the-counter prostate cancer test kit could be coming to a pharmacy near you, thanks to the collaborative work of a University of Central Florida chemist and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando researchers.
Advanced Life Sciences Holdings, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: ADLS) announced that the FDA"s Anti-Infective Drugs Advisory Committee voted in the majority that Restanza(TM) (cethromycin) demonstrated safety for the outpatient treatment of adults with mild-to-moderate community acquired pneumonia (CAP) (11 positive, 3 negative, 1 abstaining). However, the committee voted that Restanza did not demonstrate efficacy in the treatment of CAP (3 positive, 11 negative, 1 abstaining).
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health and other institutions have identified in mice two proteins essential for ovulation to take place.
The Institute for Health Research, the research body for the School of Health Science, is proud to announce that Swansea University has given approval for the establishment of a new research centre with a strategic focus on the management of long-term and chronic conditions.
Lee Scott MP for Ilford North who has been campaigning in the House of Commons for parents, carers, children and adults with Asperger"s Syndrome is calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Government to increase the carer"s allowance for possibly over a million carers who are looking after children and adults with autism and Asperger"s Syndrome in the United Kingdom.
Statement attributable to: Nancy H. Nielsen, M.D.
The popular Nintendo Wii videogame system is helping radiology students reach new levels! Faculty from Weill Cornell Medical College have coupled the motion-sensitive Wii remote with the same computers used to analyze scans, and have found that the Wii remote makes examining CT and MRI images more ergonomic, heightens the interactivity during classes, and may potentially improve the ability to interpret scans.
InSite Vision Incorporated (OTCBB:INSV) announced that Bausch & Lomb has received approval of Besivance™ (besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension) 0.6% for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis ("pink eye") in patients one year and older from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Besivance™ is formulated with InSite Vision"s DuraSite® technology, a synthetic polymer delivery vehicle that enhances the retention time of the drug on the surface of the eye.
Enzo Biochem, Inc. (NYSE: ENZ), a biotechnology company specializing in gene identification and genetic and immune regulation technologies for diagnostic and therapeutic applications and laboratory services, announced that data from a Phase II clinical trial was presented today at Digestive Disease Week, the largest international gathering of academic researchers and practicing physicians in gastrointestinal medicine, held this year in Chicago. The data indicate that Alequel™, the Company"s investigational individualized oral immune regulation preparation, may be effective for the treatment of moderate-to-severe Crohn"s disease.
In a review of more than 2,000 patients coded for Barrett"s esophagus, electronic diagnosis overestimated the prevalence of the disease according to researchers in California. They found that only 61.9 percent of patients assigned a billing diagnosis code for Barrett"s esophagus actually had Barrett"s esophagus after a manual record review. The study evaluated the accuracy of diagnostic codes for Barrett"s esophagus by contrasting codes from electronic databases with diagnoses from a detailed medical record review. Researchers also evaluated the reproducibility of a pathologic diagnosis of Barrett"s esophagus between two pathologists and between a single pathologist on two different occasions. The study appears in the May issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).
Metal-on-metal hip replacement and resurfacing have become the most commonly used type of procedure in the United Kingdom for patients who are Read the full text article.
This study investigated a series of Kinemax knee replacements where the survival rate was only 75% at nine years, compared with previously recorded rates of 96% over ten years and tried to ascertain the reason for the significantly lower survival rate.
Infants born extremely preterm are surviving at a high rate, with about 70 percent of infants born alive between 22 and 26 weeks of gestation in Sweden surviving at least one year, with high rates of interventions being used to improve survival, according to a study in the June 3 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on child and adolescent health.
ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (OTC Bulletin Board: ACCP), announced that new Thiarabine preclinical efficacy data will shortly be published demonstrating that thiarabine combined with clofarabine provides much greater antitumor activity than achieved by either agent alone. In one colorectal cancer model, 66% of mice were cured of their tumors. The publication which will appear in the journal "Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology," was based on work conducted by Access" collaborators at the Southern Research Institute. The paper is entitled "Enhancement of the in vivo antitumor activity of clofarabine by 1-beta-D-[4-thio-arabinofuranosyl]-cytosine" (thiarabine).
Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) and the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH) have signed an agreement to cooperate in the evaluation of a virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine candidate against the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus. Novavax has produced influenza A (H1N1) VLP vaccine against the strain recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).