Public Health
Competitive Technologies, Inc. (NYSE Amex: CTT) announced today that CTT"s pain therapy medical device will be used by clinical investigators at the Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center for a Phase II independent clinical study. The study will examine the ability of CTT"s U.S. FDA-cleared device to decrease pain associated with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).
BioCis Pharma Ltd., a privately-held drug development company with its headquarters in Turku, Finland, has started Phase I clinical testing of ProtoCure(TM) intravesical instillation solution, a novel anti-cancer drug for urinary bladder cancer. ProtoCure is based on a new mechanism of action discovered and developed by BioCis Pharma which effectively prevents cancer growth and proliferation locally.
Corrupt lifestyles and vices go hand in hand; each feeds the other. But even the worst miscreant needs customary societal amenities to get by. It"s the same with cancer cells. While they rely on vices in the form of genetic mutations to wreak havoc, they must sustain their activity, and that requires equal parts vice and virtue.
After roughly a month of emergency response to the new H1N1 swine flu virus, US health authorities are taking stock, re-focusing and re-
Abortion-rights groups on Wednesday offered their support for Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor but said that they were eager to learn more about her views on abortion rights, an issue on which she has made few major rulings in her time as a judge, the New York Times reports. According to the Times, groups on both sides of the abortion-rights debate tend to believe that Sotomayor would uphold Roe v. Wade because she was nominated by President Obama, who supports abortion rights. However, when asked on Tuesday if Obama questioned Sotomayor about her views on abortion rights before the nomination, White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs said that the president "did not ask that specifically." In addition, none of her rulings has directly dealt with the underlying issues of constitutional privacy that are the foundation for the Roe decision, according to the Times. The abortion-related cases Sotomayor has handled in the past have "turned on other legal issues," rather than privacy, and they have resulted in rulings in favor of abortion-right opponents, the Times reports. For example, in 2002, she wrote an opinion upholding the Bush administration"s "global gag rule" policy banning federal funding of international groups that offer abortion information or services. "The Supreme Court has made clear that the government is free to favor the antiabortion position over the pro-choice position and can do so with public funds," Sotomayor wrote in the opinion. In 2004, she said that antiabortion-rights protesters were permitted to sue police who they claimed used excessive force in stopping a demonstration at a clinic. Sotomayor also has ruled on several immigration cases related to people fighting deportation orders to China over its family planning policies, the Times reports. Because of the limited information on Sotomayor"s abortion-rights views, advocates have stressed that senators ask questions about her views during her confirmation hearing. NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan in a letter to supporters urged them to press senators to ask Sotomayor about privacy rights. Keenan wrote, "Discussion about [Roe] will -- and must -- be part of this nomination process. As you know, choice hangs in the balance on the Supreme Court as the last two major choice-related cases were decided by a 5-to-4 margin" (Savage, New York Times, 5/28). Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said that she would be surprised if an Obama nominee did not support abortion rights but added that "other presidents have been surprised before" when their nominees" views did not align with their assumptions. Northup said that "no one has been able to give us an assurance" of Sotomayor"s views on abortion rights, adding that she would be "very concerned if the question is not asked and answered during the Senate hearings." Feminist Majority Foundation President Eleanor Smeal said, "What we know about [Sotomayor] we like, but I don"t know that answer on abortion rights" (Savage/Nicholas, Los Angeles Times, 5/28). The New York Times reports that more about Sotomayor"s views on abortion rights could come to light if a past writing on the subject surfaces, as was the case during Justice Samuel Alito"s confirmation process. Steven Waldman, editor in chief of beliefnet.com, said, "Everyone is just assuming that because Obama appointed her, she must be a die-hard pro-choice activist, but it"s really quite amazing how little we know about her views on abortion" (Savage, New York Times, 5/28). Thomas Goldstein, a leading appellate attorney and founder of scotusblog.com, said that the "fact that she hasn"t gone off on these sorts of questions" on contentious topics like abortion rights and gay marriage, "I think shows that honestly she"s not a dyed in the wool liberal." He added that there are issues on which Sotomayor could prove to be more conservative than retiring Justice David Souter (Lerer, Politico, 5/27).According to the Washington Post, many antiabortion-rights supporters are critic
Telesso Technologies Limited (ASX: TEO), a global healthcare company, has announced the FDA-approved guide wire-assisted peripheral IV catheter it is developing with Vascular Pathways, Inc., has been honored with the Popular Science Invention Award.
Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Napo") is proud to announce that the Company is part of the Call to Action led by PATH, UNICEF, and WHO to raise the visibility of diarrheal disease and solutions to address it. The Call to Action includes the invitation to "invest in the research and development of new effective, appropriate and affordable prevention and treatment options for diarrheal disease."
International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO), the first company to perfect a method of creating human "parthenogenetic" stem cells from unfertilized eggs, has received positive early results from animal trials designed to improve photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), a form of corrective laser eye surgery that offers an improved alternative to LASIK.
VIB researchers linked to K.U.Leuven and Harvard University show that stretches of DNA previously believed to be useless "junk" DNA play a vital role in the evolution of our genome. They found that unstable pieces of junk DNA help tuning gene activity and enable organisms to quickly adapt to changes in their environments. The results will be published in the reputed scientific ournal Science.
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."
In what could be a major pharmaceutical breakthrough, research published online in The FASEB Journal describes how scientists from St George"s, University of London have devised a one-two punch to stop HIV. First the report describes a new protein that can kill the virus when used as a microbicide. Then the report shows how it might be possible to manufacture this protein in quantities large enough to make it affordable for people in developing countries.
Boehringer Ingelheim announced today that it will become the founding sponsor of the World Stroke Academy, a novel training initiative for stroke professionals being developed by the World Stroke Organization (WSO). This latest educational initiative from the WSO will bring together an international group of stroke experts - led by Professor Michael Brainin of the Danube University Krems, Austria - to provide information about stroke and knowledge for health professionals and medical doctors in order to improve prevention, therapy and management of stroke.
Once symptoms start, there"s only a tiny window of time for stroke victims to get life-saving treatment. Now, research from the Stanford University School of Medicine has cracked that window open a bit wider.
Clinicians, researchers and scientists from around the world will gather for Digestive Disease Week® 2009 (DDW®), the largest and most prestigious gastroenterology meeting, from May 30 to June 4, 2009, at the McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago, IL. DDW is the annual meeting of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the largest and oldest GI society in the world. AGA Institute researchers will present exciting, cutting-edge data during the meeting that will help change the way physicians diagnose and treat GI disorders.
Two new studies address donor factors that could affect outcomes for liver transplant recipients, particularly those with chronic hepatitis C (HCV). One found that donor steatosis, or fat in the liver, does not affect liver disease progression or three-year survival in recipients with or without HCV. However, transplants from people higher on the Donor Risk Index did adversely affect the outcomes of HCV-positive recipients more than recipients without HCV.
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.
Here"s one more reason to keep your teeth healthy.
University at Buffalo researchers have demonstrated for the first time that injecting adult bone marrow stem cells into skeletal muscle can repair cardiac tissue, reversing heart failure.
Agios Pharmaceuticals today announced that Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), a charitable initiative for new cancer treatments, has selected the Cancer Metabolism "dream team" led by Agios founder Dr. Craig Thompson and including Agios advisors Drs. Chi Dang and Joshua Rabinowitz. Cancer Metabolism is one of only five research areas chosen to share in $73.6 million in translational research funding, based on a rigorous selection process by independent scientific advisors assembled by SU2C"s scientific partner, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Cancer metabolism is a new and exciting field of biology that represents a breakthrough understanding of how cancer cells become addicted to using more nutrients than normal cells to ensure their survival and growth. This new understanding of a fundamental mechanism of cancer represents a powerful Achilles" heel to target this deadly disease.
The popular belief that healthy eating starts at home and that parents" dietary choices help children establish their nutritional beliefs and behaviors may need rethinking, according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. An examination of dietary intakes and patterns among U.S. families found that the resemblance between children"s and their parents" eating habits is weak. The results are published in the May 25, 2009, issue of Social Science and Medicine.
The vast majority of advanced colon cancer patients in a clinical trial were not concerned about the cost of prescription drugs for managing chemotherapy side effects, such as infection, pain and nausea and few adopted strategies to reduce drug cost burdens after joining the clinical trial, according to a study led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Although few patients reported substantial worry about drug costs, still fewer reported discussing drug cost issues with their physicians, suggesting there are opportunities for improving how physicians integrate discussions about drug costs into clinical practice.
Whether it"s "powdering your nose" or settling in for a good read, Americans spend a significant amount of time in the bathroom. According to a recent Yankelovich survey, many Americans spend more than 30 minutes each day in the bathroom that adds up to nearly eight days each year - which is more than double that of the average vacation trip . And contrary to popular belief, men spend almost as much time in the bathroom as women.
Ethicon Endo-Surgery today announced that the Anesthesiology and Respiratory Therapy Devices Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted in favor of approval of the SEDASYS(R) System for use by physician/nurse teams to administer minimal-to-moderate propofol sedation during screening and diagnostic procedures for colorectal cancer (colonoscopy) and the upper gastrointestinal tract (EGD). The SEDASYS(R) System, the first computer-assisted personalized sedation (CAPS) system, integrates drug delivery and patient monitoring to enable propofol sedation personalized to each patient"s needs.
CAFFEINE SHOWN AS EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING EXERCISE-INDUCED ASTHMA SYMPTOMS AS AN ALBUTEROL INHALER
Results and updates from eight studies were presented during a late-breaking trials session at Heart Failure 2009. Reviewing them at a press conference, Professor John McMurray, President of the Heart Failure Association, described the trials" objectives and main implications.
Although heart failure is a chronic condition, acute exacerbations are frequent and occur with serious complications; patients with heart failure and their families can help improve prognosis in acute events if they are taught to recognise the tell-tale signs of worsening condition and seek immediate medical help. "Any delayed recognition of these signs is associated with an increased rate of hospitalisation and complications, including mortality," says Professor Ferenc Follath from the University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland.
Proteins are the executive agents that carry out all processes in a cell. Their activity is controlled and modified with the help of small chemical tags that can be dynamically added to and removed from the protein. 25 years after its first discovery, researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg have now gained insight into the role of one of these tags, a small sugar residue, that is found on many different proteins across species. In the current online issue of Science they report that the addition of this sugar tag to proteins in the nucleus of a cell is vital for normal development in fruit flies.
The following summarizes selected women"s health-related blog entries.~"Considering Common Ground and Our New Supreme Court Nominee," Cristina Page, Birth Control Watch: Page writes that the fact that appeals court Judge Sonia Sotomayor, Obama"s nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, has served on the board of Childbirth Connection is of great interest, since Sotomayor"s own views on women"s health could mirror those of the organization. Page explains that the organization "takes no policy position on abortion, but it is very much a proponent of women"s rights during childbirth." According to Page, Sotomayor"s work with Childbirth Connection "stands out" on her resume as "the only entry that does not have a purely legal focus." Page writes, "To me, it"s an important sign, and one from which pro-choice and women"s health advocates can derive some comfort," as the group is "dedicated to identifying and promoting best practices in women"s health based on rigorous scientific evidence." She adds, "If Sotomayor"s connection to the group is any indication of the value she places in science and her respect for the field of medicine, her nomination is good news for women"s health." Page also provides a link to audio of her appearance on a radio show to discuss "common ground" in the abortion-rights debate. She writes that David Gushee, an abortion-rights opponent who also appeared on the show, was genuinely "reasonable and looking for solutions." Page adds, "Listening to him gives me faith in this new and albeit small movement of pro-lifers who genuinely want to support policies that help reduce the need for abortion" (Page, Birth Control Watch, 5/27).~ "Unshackling Female Prisoners in Labor," Abigail Kramer, Salon"s "Broadsheet": Last week, the New York state Legislature passed a measure that would prevent the state"s prisons from using handcuffs or shackles on pregnant female inmates during labor. Similar laws exist in three other states. Kramer writes, "Handcuffs and shackles for women in labor pose problems beyond the obvious snafu of being brutal, inhumane and bat"s balls freaking crazy." She continues, "Having a baby is generally understood to be a wee bit uncomfortable," adding, "Not being able to move can increase the pain and slow down or complicate labor" and "restraints can cause a delay if a woman has to be rushed off for an emergency C-section -- which, as a doctor points out in Amnesty"s original report on institutional violence against women prisoners, can lead to brain damage for the baby." In addition, "women giving birth have not turned out to pose a tremendous flight risk to the nation"s criminal [justice] system: When Amnesty International asked prison administrators to provide examples of past in-labor escape attempts, they came up with exactly... well, zero," Kramer concludes (Kramer, "Broadsheet," Salon, 5/28).~ "Be Responsible: Give Your Partner Drugs!" Norah Hazelton, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association"s "Family PlanIt": "One thing I remember pretty clearly from sex ed in high school health class ... was that if one person in a couple is diagnosed with an [sexually transmitted infection] and gets treatment, it"s very important to get the other partner tested and treated because otherwise you can just end up passing it back and forth," Hazelton writes. She continues, "Trouble is, a lot of STIs don"t have symptoms and it can be difficult getting someone with no symptoms to take the time (and money) to go see a doctor." Hazelton writes, "Thankfully, expedited partner therapy (EPT), the practice of treating partners without a medical assessment, is becoming more and more popular." She adds, "With 19 million new cases of STIs each year in the U.S. (costing an estimated $15.9 billion annually), any options that could reduce those numbers need to be considered seriously." Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended and endorsed EPT, "there are still many legal barr
"Blog Watch" offers readers a roundup of health policy-related blog posts.Bloggers are tentatively reacting to a report and blog post released by the Congressional Budget Office that summarizes the agency"s approach to estimating the cost of any health overhaul bills. At issue is how CBO will count different stipulations of legislation -- like an individual mandate or a public plan -- and whether their conclusions will result in a heftier price tag. Douglas Elmendorf explained on the Director"s Blog: "In CBO"s view, the key consideration is whether a proposal would be making health insurance an essentially governmental program, tightly controlled by the federal government with little choice available to those who offer and buy health insurance -- or whether the system would provide significant flexibility in terms of the types, prices, and number of private-sector sellers of insurance available to people. The former -- a governmental program -- belongs in the federal budget (including all premiums paid by individuals and firms to private insurers), but the latter -- a largely private-sector system -- does not." Janet Adamy of the Wall Street Journal"s Washington Wire notes that the report doesn"t address the cost estimates of the scenarios. Alan Katz on his Health Care Reform Blog concludes, "the message is clear: the looser government"s hand grips the new health care system the smaller its budgetary impact." Liberal bloggers had a variety of reactions -- some found the report too vague, while others saw it as good news. The New Republic"s Jonathan Cohn says, "you may need a Talmudic scholar to figure out what those implications are." Cohn continues, "Other passages in the briefing are [similarly] vexing and, for what it"s worth, the reactions I"ve gotten from insiders familiar with the report have ranged from sighs of relief to statements not suitable for a family blog." Ezra Klein agrees the report lacks specificity, but says, "Even so, I"m cheered by the simple existence of this ruling. The fact that CBO is explaining its thinking before legislation arrives [is] yet more evidence that CBO appears, insofar as it can, to be trying to help out on health reform. ... That"s an important change from past years." Interesting Elsewhere:
"The Social Security COLA and Medicare Part B Premium: Questions, Answers and Issues," Kaiser Family Foundation Medicare Policy Project: The issue brief examines how Social Security recipients for the first time in 2010 are not expected to receive a cost-of-living adjustment, with no or a low COLA expected through 2012. The brief examines the relationship between the Social Security COLA and the Medicare Part B premium and the effect that such changes have on beneficiaries of both programs (Kaiser Family Foundation release, 5/27).
Focusing HIV drug development on immune cells called macrophages instead of traditionally targeted T cells could bring us closer to eradicating the disease, according to new research from University of Florida and five other institutions.
The reason deadly infections like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C never go away is because these viruses disarm the body"s defense system. Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have discovered that a key immunity protein must be present for this defense system to have a chance against chronic infection.
The British Thyroid Association (BTA) has organised a survey of 14-15 year old girls in the UK to assess levels of iodine in their diet. Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormones which help to control the body"s metabolism. Iodine deficiency has substantial effects on growth and development and is a leading cause of preventable mental retardation worldwide. Concern has recently been expressed over the UK iodine status, which has led the BTA and the British Thyroid Foundation, with generous financial support from the Clinical Endocrinology Trust, to carry out this study to assess iodine levels in young females throughout the UK.
The Alabama Department of Public Health has confirmed its first novel H1N1 influenza cases in
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have discovered that a complex network of interactions between drugs and the proteins with which they bind can explain adverse drug effects. Their findings suggest that adverse drug effects might be minimized by using single or multiple drug therapies in order to fine-tune multiple off-target interactions.
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.
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.
A new national campaign aiming to reduce the number of undiagnosed heart conditions will visit 12 destinations in England throughout May and June. The CRY Philips Test My Heart Tour 09 is the first free tour of its kind in England and has been made possible by charity CRY, health and well-being company Philips, through the fundraising efforts of families whose lives have been affected by Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) or Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), and the Gwyneth Forrester Trust. The tour aims to test over 3,000 14-35 year olds hearts to identify heart conditions which could potentially prove fatal if left untreated. To book a free appointment at one of the 12 tour locations simply go to http://www.testmyheart.org
People with macular degeneration gradually lose their central vision - they find it harder to see things that are directly in front of them - making it much harder to read, write, recognize faces and drive. The macula, or macula lutea (Latin: macula = spot + lutea = yellow) is an oval shaped yellow spot near the center of the retina of the eye. Macular degeneration mainly affects elderly people. It is caused by damage to the retina.
The Society for Clinical Ophthalmology (SCO) is now working with UK-based Consultant Ophthalmologist, Mr Som Prasad, to supplement ophthalmic surgical training with an online forum that offers videos and online discussions of surgical techniques.
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).
Scientists have developed a new "risk index" that helps predict which individuals over the age of 65 may go on to develop dementia.
When combined with standard chemotherapy, an international Phase III trial has shown that the oral targeted therapy vandetanib improves progression-free survival for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, according to research from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
About half of all people who have a major stroke following a warning stroke (a transient ischemic attack or mild stroke) have it within 24 hours of the first event, according to research published in the June 2, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Linking genetic material microRNAs with cells that regulate the immune system could one day lead to new therapies for treating cancer, infections and autoimmune diseases, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.
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.
If you had cancer and a genetic test could predict the risk of the tumor spreading aggressively, would you want to know - even if no treatments existed to help you?
Four risk factors that help predict how long men may survive with metastatic prostate cancer could help doctors choose more effective treatments, according to a study led by researchers in the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Carol Nadelson, M.D., past-president of APA, has been
The June issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, includes new insights on why some corneal transplants fail, why some patients skip their glaucoma medications, and why preventing infections after LASIK is a growing concern.
Exelixis, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXEL) today reported encouraging data from an ongoing Phase 1 dose-escalation trial of XL228 in patients with advanced malignancies. XL228 is a small molecule inhibitor of insulin-like growth factor type 1 receptor (IGF1R), SRC, Aurora kinases, and fibroblast growth factor receptor types 1, 2, and 3 (FGFR1-3), which are associated with cancer cell proliferation, survival, and metastasis. The compound also inhibits BCR-ABL, including the T315I mutant form which is resistant to currently approved inhibitors. David Smith, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Michigan, an investigator on the Phase 1 trial, will present the data in an oral session (Abstract #3512) beginning at 4:15 p.m. local time on Saturday, May 30, 2009, at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, which is being held May 29-June 2 in Orlando.
The United Kingdom"s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published a Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) recommending the use of the drug Erbitux® (cetuximab) in combination with chemotherapy as a 1st-line treatment for patients with metastatic (advanced) colorectal cancer (mCRC) who have met specific additional criteria1 - presenting the possibility of potentially curative surgery.2 The treatment is recommended for patients in whom the cancer has spread only to the liver and who have normal or "wild-type" KRAS tumors.1 In the UK, a recommendation by NICE is a prerequisite for funding of a medical treatment by the National Health Service.
The results of a new analysis have provided good evidence to suggest that Tai Chi is beneficial for arthritis. Specifically, it was shown to decrease pain with trends towards improving overall physical health, level of tension and satisfaction with health status.
While the majority of patients with common vision problems can find glasses or contact lenses fairly easily, others who suffer from diseases of the eye that affect the focus of light have more limited options and may simply have to learn to live with poor vision.
A Red State Booster Shot - The Washington Post
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.
As the number of food and beverage products sweetened with stevia-based ingredients continues to grow in the United States and worldwide, the U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention announces that new reference standards for Rebaudioside A and Stevioside are now available. The reference standards for these two ingredients complement the soon to be released written testing standard for high-purity Rebaudioside A in the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC), a collection of documentary standards for food ingredients that allow manufacturers to demonstrate the quality, and thus related aspects of safety, of the products they provide to consumers.
Researchers at Tulane University, in collaboration with Corgenix Medical Corporation, a worldwide developer and marketer of diagnostic test kits, have received a five-year $7,073,538 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for continued development of detection kits for Lassa viral hemorrhagic fever, a serious disease spread by contact with infected rodents. Viral hemorrhagic fevers are characterized by fever and bleeding disorders and can progress to high fever and shock. Lassa fever is estimated to infect 300,000 to 500,000 people per year across West Africa, resulting in approximately 5,000 deaths.
The damage that our modern living and working environment could be doing to our health will be investigated by a new ÷£5M MRC-HPA Centre for Environment and Health at Imperial College London and King"s College London.
Nigeria Releases 57M Polio Vaccines, Aims To Increase Vaccine Coverage
NeurogesX, Inc. (Nasdaq: NGSX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel pain management therapies, announced that the Office of Orphan Product Development (OOPD) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation for Qutenza(TM) (formerly NGX-4010), a high concentration capsaicin dermal patch for the management of neuropathic pain in patients with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).
The University of Cincinnati houses internationally and nationally ranked programs in design, business and engineering; and faculty and students from these cutting-edge programs recently took on a project to design better hospital gowns in partnership with Hill-Rom Company, Inc., of Batesville, Ind., a maker of hospital beds and medical equipment.
TeraMedica Healthcare Technology announced, along with partner, Sun Microsystems, that the two companies will be offering a pre-configured solution for viewing and managing clinical images originating from different modalities and providers to bring secure, consistent image sharing to point-of-care.
British researchers on Monday requested the WHO "publicly condemn homeopathy as a treatment for serious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria," amid growing concern that some patients are dying as a result of choosing homeopathy over effective medicines, the Mail & Guardian reports. "The WHO works with national organisations that promote homeopathy and other alternative medicines in their public health programmes," according to the Mail & Guardian.
Dr Alexis Willett, Head of Policy & Involvement at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, says:
The New York Times on Tuesday examined how botched abortion procedures contribute to maternal mortality in Tanzania, in the second of a three-part series on pregnancy- and childbirth-related deaths in the country. The Times reports that the lack of abortion rights in Tanzania -- where the procedure is illegal except in cases where the woman"s life or health is at risk -- has prompted pregnant women and girls to seek the procedure from people who have not been trained to perform such procedures. In some cases, these untrained providers give the pregnant women herbs before performing abortions by punching the pregnant women"s stomachs or inserting objects into the vagina and uterus. Local hospitals in Tanzania often have to correct mistakes made by the untrained abortion providers. For example, during the month of January, 17 of the 31 minor surgical procedures performed at one Tanzanian hospital were to correct the results of "incomplete abortions."Africa has the world"s highest maternal mortality rate -- at least 100 times that of developed countries -- making pregnancy and childbirth among the most serious health dangers that African women face, according to the Times. Abortion accounts for a significant portion of those deaths. Tanzania has a maternal mortality rate of 950 deaths for every 100,000 births, a figure that is "neither the best nor the worst in Africa," the Times reports.Because most abortions in Tanzania are performed illegally, there are no reliable abortion figures for the country. However, the World Health Organization estimates that Eastern Africa, where Tanzania is located, has the world"s second-highest rate of unsafe abortions. Abortion rates typically decrease with increased contraceptive use, the Times reports. Only about one-quarter of Tanzanians use contraception in part because of misinformation that girls receive about the safety of condoms and hormonal contraceptives. By comparison, Kenya and South Africa both have higher contraception use and lower maternal mortality. However, in countries such as Sierra Leone and Nigeria, where abortion is not available on request, contraception use is lower than in Tanzania, and maternal mortality is much higher (Grady, New York Times, 6/2).
Researchers at The Cancer Institute of
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has today published a Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) recommending the use of the drug cetuximab (Erbitux®) in combination with chemotherapy as a 1st-line treatment for patients with metastatic (advanced) colorectal cancer (mCRC) who have met specific additional criteria1* - presenting the possibility of potentially curative surgery.2 The treatment is recommended for patients in whom the cancer has spread only to the liver and who have "wild-type" (unmutated) KRASò€¡ tumours.1 Up to 65% of patients have wild-type KRAS tumours.3
There are many reasons why health care costs in the US are spiraling out of control: ineffective use of res, unmanaged chronic conditions and infrequent implementations of proven prevention strategies all contribute. While it stands to reason that preventative actions are one solution, no one has yet quantified the value of investing in non-traditional prevention programs.
Secretary of State for work and pensions James Purnell MP is lending his support to an MS Society-led project designed to help people with chronic and fluctuating health conditions remain in work.
Data from the Phase III ZODIAC1 study in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients, with the investigational drug vandetanib, were presented today at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Orlando. Results show that the study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that the addition of vandetanib to docetaxel resulted in a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), the length of time a patient lives without their cancer growing (hazard ratio [HR] 0.79, 97.58% CI 0.70-0.90; PAbout vandetanib
Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine, working with biochemists, geneticists and clinicians at the University of Bern, Switzerland and in the United Kingdom, have discovered an enzyme that has a key role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The team, co-led by Judith Bond, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Penn State College of Medicine, and Daniel Lottaz, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at the University of Bern, Switzerland, could potentially lead to therapies to help the half-a-million Americans affected by ulcerative colitis and Crohn"s disease, collectively referred to as IBD.
Cephalon, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEPH) today announced that NUVIGIL® (armodafinil) Tablets [C-IV], a longer-lasting formulation of modafinil, is now available. NUVIGIL is indicated to improve wakefulness throughout the day for the millions of patients who struggle with excessive sleepiness associated with treated obstructive sleep apnea, shift work sleep disorder, also known as shift work disorder, and narcolepsy. Cephalon has finalized the commercialization plans for NUVIGIL and, beginning today, any patient with a NUVIGIL prescription should be able to obtain the medication from their pharmacy or have it filled within 24 hours.
Data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2009 meeting, in Orlando, Florida, show that bevacizumab (Avastin®) plus commonly used chemotherapies increases the chance of the patient living without the disease worsening by up to 36% compared to chemotherapies alone, in women receiving first-line therapy for advanced HER2-negative breast cancer. The Phase III RIBBON-1 study combined bevacizumab with chemotherapies, including capecitabine (Xeloda®), taxanes and anthracyclines and measured progression-free survival (PFS).1 No new safety signals for bevacizumab were observed in the study.
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.
The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) has announced that it is working with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Public Patent Foundation to bring a lawsuit charging that patents on two human genes associated with breast and ovarian cancer are unconstitutional and should be invalidated. Individuals with certain mutations along these two genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, are at a significantly higher risk for developing hereditary breast and ovarian cancers.
Call it advanced warfare on the most elemental of levels.
A study of targeted educational initiatives between the clinical staff at Fox Chase Cancer Center and the hospitals within their Partners program suggest that educational interventions by academic cancer centers can improve quality of care for cancer patients at community hospitals. The study, to be presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, looked specifically at the number of lymph nodes that were surgically removed in colorectal cancer patients at Fox Chase"s partner hospitals and the impact that educational initiatives by clinical staff had on improving the number of nodes removed.
Brain cells, or neurons, transmit electrical signals efficiently only when they recycle tiny cellular sacs that store signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters. When a neuron is stimulated, the sacs are expelled into the synapse - the tiny junction between nerve cells - where they release the chemicals, which neighboring cells in turn soak up.
On World No Tobacco Day, World Lung Foundation is partnering with government health ministries in China and India to launch new tobacco counter-marketing campaigns in those countries, where the largest populations of smokers in the world reside. WLF also completed an online video for the World Health Organization, which will be disseminated globally.
The European Society of Cardiology Congress 2009, the world"s biggest international meeting in Cardiology will be held in Barcelona, Spain, from 29 August to 2 September.
Cell Therapeutics, Inc. ("CTI") (Nasdaq and MTA: CTIC) announced that, in a study released from Brown University at the 2009 American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, patients with cancer of the lower esophagus had evidence of a high pathological complete response ("CR") rate when given OPAXIO, a biologically enhanced paclitaxel, in addition to cisplatin and full-course radiotherapy.
ATS Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATSI), manufacturer and marketer of state-of-the-art cardiac surgery products and services, announced participation in the upcoming International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS) Meeting in San Francisco on June 3-6, 2009. The ISMICS meeting is a significant gathering of cardiovascular surgeons from around the world whose interests include the latest developments in less invasive forms of heart surgery. The annual ISMICS meeting provides an excellent venue for the Company to exhibit its growing portfolio of clinically relevant products designed to meet the needs of cardiac surgeons.
The Senate began debate Tuesday on whether to grant the Food and Drug Administration power to regulate tobacco products, Reuters reports. Debate began after an 84-11 procedural vote and could continue into next week. The Democratic-backed bill "would let the FDA oversee the packaging, marketing and manufacturing of cigarettes and other tobacco products, which have been linked to cancer and other illnesses and kill 400,000 Americans each year."
The WHO on Tuesday said it was "getting closer" to declaring the H1N1 (swine) flu outbreak to be a pandemic, as the virus continues to spread to people outside of North America, and in populations "as far apart as Britain, Spain, Japan, Chile and Australia," the AP/Washington Post reports (Jordans, AP/Washington Post, 6/2).
Navajo County Public Health Services District officials announced today the first case of 2009 H1N1 in Navajo County. The Arizona Department of Health Services Lab confirmed that an 18 year old patient at Little Colorado Medical Center tested positive for the illness. The patient has subsequently been treated and released.
TomoTherapy Incorporated (NASDAQ: TOMO) announced that the University of Kentucky (UK) Chandler Medical Center"s Markey Cancer Center has commenced treating patients with the TomoTherapy® Hiò€¢Art® treatment system, a versatile, CT scanner-based device, which integrates image guidance for increased treatment accuracy and helical radiation therapy delivery for enhanced tumor targeting. The Hiò€¢Art treatment system was selected after a thorough review of technologies and will be extensively utilized in the Markey Cancer Center"s stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) efforts, as part of its new Brain and Body Radiosurgery Program.
A simple magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test involving breathing oxygen might help oncologists determine the best treatment for some cancer patients, report researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
When you were a kid your mom poured it on your scraped finger to stave off infection. When you got older you might have even used it to bleach your hair. Now there"s another possible function for this over-the-counter colorless liquid: your body might be using hydrogen peroxide as an envoy that marshals troops of healing cells to wounded tissue.
It has been linked to learning impairment, stroke and premature death. Now UNSW research has found that snoring associated with sleep apnoea may impair brain function more than previously thought.
South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT) is hosting an all day event for carers on Wednesday 10th June 2009. The event - You care We care - is taking place at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon and doors will open at 09:30.
The demand for more user-friendly healthcare IT professional services has been increasing across Europe. Companies that have delivered the right blend of 360 degree consulting, easier and shorter training sessions and exceptional operational services along with round-the-clock support and maintenance services have been displaying market leadership in terms of revenues and number of installed bases.
Children are especially vulnerable in the hospital and they are the population at highest risk of a medication error, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Meeting their needs in this environment can be especially challenging. The Joint Commission and Joint Commission Res (JCR) "Pediatric Conference: Safe Care, Quality Care, We Care" will help health care organizations review current pediatric emergency and perioperative services as benchmarks to improve their organizational approaches. JCR is a not-for-profit affiliate of The Joint Commission.
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.
Research published on 1st March 2009 investigates whether "simultaneous bilateral sequential total hip replacement (THR) would increase the rate of mortality and complications compared with unilateral THR", for both low and high risk patients.
Cancer develops when cells known as cancer stem cells begin to divide in
A protein related to aggressive cancers can actually improve the efficacy of gemcitabine at treating pancreatic cancer, according to a Priority Report in Cancer Research, published by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University.
At the ends of chromosome are special pieces of DNA called telomeres. Think of it as the little tip that caps off a shoelace. The telomeres send signals to the cells to let them know it"s the end point, not a break that should be repaired.
Latent HIV genes can be "smoked out" of human cells. The so-called "shock and kill" technique, described in a preclinical study in BioMed Central"s open access journal Retrovirology, might represent a new milestone along the way to the discovery of a cure for HIV/AIDS.
When added to the mix, a new experimental drug known as TMC207 appeared to make a cocktail of background drugs five times more powerful
Santaris Pharma announced that the cancer drug EZN-2968 - an inhibitor of HIF-1alpha, jointly developed by Enzon Pharmaceuticals and Santaris Pharma A/S - was well tolerated and showed early signs of clinical benefit in previously treated cancer patients with advanced malignancies. EZN-2968 is being evaluated in patients with solid tumors and lymphoma. The study data, which was presented at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Florida last week, demonstrated that EZN-2968 is well tolerated, and that early signs of clinical benefit - prolonged stable disease - were observed in several patients.
Two new taxes that could help pay for health care reform both carry political baggage. The first, a possible new tax on at least some employer-sponsored health benefits, has support from members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. But during last year"s presidential campaign, President Obama spoke out strongly against just such a plan when his opponent, Sen. John McCain suggested it, Roll Call reports. "Within weeks, Obama may find himself hawking around the country legislation that includes a provision he so ardently rejected during the campaign. Obama didn"t just oppose the exclusion. He all but drew a "read my lips" line in the sand ... "For the first time in American history, [McCain] wants to tax your health benefits," Obama said on the campaign trail. "Apparently, Sen. McCain doesn"t think it"s enough that your health premiums have doubled"" (Koffler, 6/4).