Nutrition
As GPs across the UK gathered in London for the Annual Conference of Local Medical Committees, Dr Dean Marshall, chairman of the BMA"s Scottish General Practitioners Committee, slammed the government for trying to strip GPs of funding and called for the profession to make decisions about general practice, not civil servants.
Dr. Damon T. Arnold, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, today announced that 11 additional schools in Illinois will begin implementing the CATCH program - Coordinated Approach to Child Health. With the expansion of the CATCH program, the state is continuing efforts to address the obesity problem by changing children"s and parents" attitudes and behaviors toward nutrition and physical activity.
Fear plays a major role in whether women decide to go for cancer screening or not, but healthcare providers underestimate how much women need to know and wrongly assume that they will ask for information if they want it.
Researchers have found a potential new treatment for the common problem of muscle atrophy. Results of the animal study were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
GenWay Biotech, Inc., a US-based diagnostic company which specializes in providing protein and antibody solutions, announced its partnership with AMDL, Inc., a US-based pharmaceutical company with major operations in China, regarding the distribution of AMDL"s DR-70 (FDP) cancer test in both the United States and Canada. GenWay Biotech will be the exclusive distributor of the DR-70 test for general cancer screening by CLIA laboratories in the United States and for lung cancer screening in Canada. The commercialization efforts include raising awareness of the disease and demand creation for the test through multiple media channels and healthcare outreach. Both exclusive distribution agreements extend for five-years based on continuing success in both the Canadian and US markets.
A new study suggests that delivering small RNAs, known as microRNAs, to cancer cells could help to stop the disease in its tracks. microRNAs control gene expression and are commonly lost in cancerous tumors. Researchers have shown that replacement of a single microRNA in mice with an extremely aggressive form of liver cancer can be enough to halt their disease, according to a report in the June 12 issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication.
In teenagers, laparoscopic gastric banding surgery for treatment of extreme obesity can significantly improve and even reverse the metabolic syndrome, a new study found. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
A modest reduction in the amount of carbohydrates eaten, without calorie restriction and weight loss, appears to increase a sense of fullness, which may help people eat less, a preliminary study found. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
As the World Health Organization raised the pandemic alert for Influenza A (H1N1) to its highest level, humanitarian specialists are calling on governments and health authorities globally to strengthen poor communities" access to primary health care and protect the most at risk.
In a letter published in this week´s BMJ, Professor David Colquhoun from the University College of London, says that the UK Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) "has made a mockery of its own aims" by allowing the labeling on the first homeopathic product that has gotten a license. It classifies the Arnica 30C pills as "a homoeopathic medicinal product used with the homoeopathic tradition for the symptomatic relief of sprains, muscular aches, and bruising or swelling after contusions". He claims this label should be illegal because it breaches the Unfair Trading Regulations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced it has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6, following an
A new era in the National Health Service that builds on targets achieved and prioritises quality of care was set out by new Health Secretary Andy Burnham today.
The health of millions of people worldwide is at risk as a result of the financial crisis, says Dr Andrew Robertson, in an editorial published online in Emerging Health Threats Journal. The world economy is currently in the midst of the most significant recession since the 1930s. The crisis has proved devastating for national economies, and the effects on health care will be felt worldwide as health spending falls, unemployment rises, and international aid is cut.
More than 300 infection prevention experts have completed a text that serves as one of the most valuable tools for infection preventionists throughout the world, the APIC Text of Infection Control and Epidemiology. The 1,700-page document, now in its 3rd edition, has been completely revised and is now available, offering a concise information re containing more than 120 expanded and enhanced chapters.
A phase 2 trial of the drug belimumab in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) showed positive results, according to the drug
This statement updates Members on the Influenza A (H1N1) swine flu outbreak and the latest developments in Wales and across the UK.
It is well established that seat belts save lives. However, many pregnant women do not wear seat belts, for fear that the belt itself could injure the baby in a car crash. But is this actually the case? Does the seat belt put the baby at risk?
New research released by the MS Society has for the first time revealed an accurate estimate of the number of people living with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the UK.
Rogers Media is proud to join AstraZeneca Canada and Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada) as a presenting partner of the school-based children"s wellness initiative, At My Best. The program addresses three key areas of wellness-physical, nutritional and emotional-and empowers teachers, parents and caregivers to inspire and motivate children and their families to make healthier choices today and develop lifelong healthy habits.
Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers have discovered that low-oxygen regions in prostate tumors can be used to predict a rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, a marker of tumor recurrence in prostate cancer. The long-term study results were presented at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Orlando, FL.
World Blood Donor Day is being celebrated across the world at the weekend (14th June) but there will be nowhere like the walking blood bank on board the world"s largest charity hospital ship.
UK researchers who asked over 700 patients and members of the public to pick out a diagram that showed the correct location of the human heart
Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany, has completed
Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found a high frequency of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative rods (GNRs) in two of the largest neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the city of Manila, Philippines. Improved infection control methods could reduce the vast number of hospital acquired neonatal infections. The BUSM study appears online in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
Pathfinders, a program designed to care for the whole person -- body, mind and spirit -- has been found to help women with terminal cancer cope and has improved their quality of life, according to a study led by researchers in the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Alzheimer"s disease patients show a relentless decline in memory over the course of the disease, which is accompanied by both brain atrophy and by characteristic deposits in the brain tissue called amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences studied a large database, collected in the US, of patients with Alzheimer"s or memory complaints who had MRI scans and had spinal taps to collect cerebrospinal fluid, which is in the brain and spinal chord. By examining the CFS they could measure the amounts of the substances that make p plaques and tangles, and related this to brain atrophy. They found that the amount of plaque and tangle-producing chemicals in the cerebrospinal fluid correlated with brain tissue loss in selective regions of the brain which are typically affected in Alzheimer"s disease. The brains in these regions had thinned out suggesting that brain cells had died. These regions are important for memory and are typically active when the brain is at rest. Using these techniques may ultimately help identify early markers of disease in Alzheimer"s, potentially indicating who is likely to develop Alzheimer"s before memory loss is critical.
Recently the use of laparoscopy for vascular procedures has been limited by difficulties in aortic exposure and anastomosis techniques, as well as the concurrent competitive progress of endovascular surgery. For aortic repair, best results (in terms of long-term patency) have been obtained by conventional surgery which has been associated short-term morbidity and mortality.
UroToday.com - The metabolic syndrome is estimated to occur in 25-35% of U.S. adults and is defined by having >3 of the following 5 features; abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hypertension, and high fasting blood glucose. Studies suggest that the men with the metabolic syndrome are 50% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer (CaP). This report by Jennifer Beebe-Dimmer and colleagues in the online version of Urology examined the association between the metabolic syndrome, its specific features, and CaP in a hospital-based, case-control study of white and African-American (AA) men residing in Detroit, Michigan.
UroToday.com - This publication describes our unique finding that the steroidogenic enzyme CYP17A1 is present in prostate derived exosomes, isolated from human serum. We also describe CYP17A1 expression in human prostate tissues during castration resistant progression of cancer and identify a subcellular pattern of distribution for CYP17A1 consistent with a secretory protein in human prostate tissues, similar to that of PSA.
An expert group has been set up to review pharmacy services across Wales as part of the Welsh Assembly Government"s commitment to develop community pharmacy services and pharmacy-based drop-in centres.
This year the British Transplant Games takes place in Coventry and 900 transplant athletes are preparing to take part. For a handful of these athletes, the Games offers vital training and preparation for other major sporting challenges such as triathlons and marathons. The event organisers, Transplant Sport UK shines the spotlight on these inspiring people, who visibly demonstrate that there is life after transplant, allowing them to train to a high level of fitness against all the odds.
Mental Health America tomorrow will honor journalists, producers and writers for outstanding coverage of mental health issues at a Media Awards luncheon being held during its Centennial Conference in Washington, D.C.
Up to 150 forensic psychology professionals will attend presentations of new and exciting research at the Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference from the 23rd to 25th June, at the University of Central Lancashire.
NeuroLogica Corporation, a provider of pioneering portable imaging equipment in CT and SPECT, announced its expansion into the Chinese medical device market with the approval of the company"s life saving CereTom portable CT Scanner by the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company also announced that it will establish a business liaison office in Beijing.
What is sure to be a staggering price tag for health reform has Senate Democrats talking about changing the chamber"s normal accounting procedures, The Hill reports.
When President Obama chose Green Bay, Wis., to talk about the need for health reform, he did so in part because the area has achieved a high level of quality, and compared with other parts of the country, succeeded in restraining health care costs, National Public Radio reports. "They"re certainly spending a lot less money, and they are providing care that is equal or better than the care that is provided in many other communities around the country," Elliot Fisher, a researcher at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice told NPR in an interview. NPR says: "Some of the research the administration is relying on comes from the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice," which focuses on variations in health quality and costs around the country.
Exercise physiologist Lynne Kammer, from The University of Texas at Austin, led a group of researchers who investigated the post-exercise physiological effects of the foods. Kammer and her team studied 12 trained cyclists, 8 male and 4 female. In contrast to many sports nutrition studies, however, the exercise protocol was designed to reflect a typical exercise session. After a warm-up period, the subjects cycled for two hours at a comfortable work rate, rather than the more frequently seen test-to-exhaustion.
India launched a project to promote its $10.7 billion pharmaceutical industry in Africa after fake drugs labeled "Made in India," but with actual origins in China were seized on the continent, IANS/Hindu reports. According to a commerce ministry statement, an effort to show ministers and senior officials in African nations "that the Indian generic industry is as safe as its patented versions and is available at much reasonable prices" is underway.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) announced that it is moving forward with its original plan to host an educational, team-building program by the Pike Place Fish Market"s world-renowned fishmongers at its annual convention, which will be held in Seattle, Wash., July 11-July 14.
Two newspapers recently published an editorial and an opinion piece in reaction to the announcement that murdered Kansas abortion provider George Tiller"s Wichita clinic would be permanently closed. The clinic was one of a handful in the U.S. offering abortion procedures in the second and third trimesters. Summaries appear below.~ Kansas City Star: The closing of Tiller"s clinic is "a tragedy for American democracy," and the "irrational violence" of his death has "trumped public policy," a Star editorial states. "The basis of civilization is that we agree to submit to the rule of law in order for society to flourish," the editorial says, adding that Tiller"s murder is "antithetical to that principle. It is dismaying to see a killer achieve his objective." The editorial notes that Tiller provided abortion services in "tragic cases" involving women "at risk of infertility or death; fetuses with severe abnormalities; and victims of rape and incest." It continues that the "reduction or loss of that service will create hardships and may put women"s lives at risk." Hospitals and doctors who refer such cases to abortion providers "must reassess the circumstances under which they would perform late-term abortions," according to the editorial. In addition, the "medical profession must take a role in training and supporting doctors willing to provide abortions," and the government and local police "must do all they can to protect a legal medical practice," the editorial says. It concludes, "Democracy demands that we not allow murder to make de facto public policy" (Kansas City Star, 6/11).~ Eric Zorn, Chicago Tribune: The announcement that Tiller"s clinic will remain permanently closed "was simply more proof that violence and intimidation can get results where civil discourse and political process fail," Tribune columnist Zorn writes. "The question isn"t whether prominent foes of abortion rights are being honest with us when they decry Tiller"s violent death and express regret over the means used to achieve an end they"ve sought," Zorn writes, adding, "Some are, I"m sure." He continues that abortion-rights opponents "recognize that ... a movement calling itself "pro-life"can"t also be pro-murder" and "are politically savvy enough to know that the gains won by terrorist acts are grudging and difficult to sustain." He continues that to "make terrorism less effective, and thereby discourage it," abortion-rights advocates, the medical profession, politicians and law enforcement officials "need to reopen that clinic in Wichita and assure its safe operation ... to defy terrorism, if for no other reason." He concludes that "as long as abortion remains legal, this same coalition needs to strive to expand the number of facilities where it"s available" (Zorn, Chicago Tribune, 6/11).
Human Genome Sciences (HGS) has reported continuation data from a Phase II study of BENLYSTA™ (belimumab, formerly LymphoStat-B®) showing sustained improvement in patients with active systemic lupus after four years of treatment. The data was presented at the EULAR 2009 scientific meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Trust in science is diminishing, according to recent studies, especially in the area of biomedicine, biotech and genetics. University of Alberta researchers Tim Caulfield and Tania Bubela blame it on the complexity of many discoveries and they"re concerned the whole message from the study isn"t getting across to the general public.
A leading Melbourne scientist has unveiled a test able to detect Swine Flu, or any other virus, within hours.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has called HM Prison Service to account over a case of Legionnaires Disease at Nottingham Prison.
Patients with rheumatic diseases want more information and better communication with healthcare professionals on the sexual issues related to their conditions, according to the results of a new study presented recently at EULAR 2009, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Copenhagen, Denmark.
A protein known to be overly active in breast cancer can exist in a form that seems to change the structural composition of mammary tissue, potentially making it more conducive to tumor progression, say researchers from the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC).
The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) and the Gamida Cell - Teva Joint Venture announced today that the Institute has joined an elite group of cancer centers in Europe, the United States and Israel that are now enrolling patients to participate in the ExCell research study.
Cook Medical and LMA Urology Ltd have entered into a strategic partnership that can significantly improve the remedies available for stone disease management. Through the worldwide agreement, Cook will market and distribute LMA"s StoneBreakerTM, a portable pneumatic lithotripter for stone fragmentation.
New data presented this week during the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Annual Meeting in Copenhagen demonstrated that sustained combination therapy (etanercept and methotrexate) was consistently superior to continuous methotrexate monotherapy in providing clinical remission and radiographic non-progression over two years in patients with early active rheumatoid arthritis.1 These new data add to the body of evidence supporting the benefits of early intervention with a biologic treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Physio-Control Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Medtronic, Inc., (NYSE: MDT), announced that it has received a Gold Medical Design Excellence Award (MDEA) for its LIFEPAK® 15 monitor/defibrillator.
Vitamin D deficiency was found to be prevalent in cancer patients regardless of nutritional status, according to the results of a recent study conducted at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). Based on these results, CTCA researchers determined that screening for vitamin D deficiency and aggressive vitamin D repletion should be considered for all people with cancer.
Amira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that it will present preclinical data from its LPA1 receptor antagonist program on June 30, 2009 at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Summer Research Conference in Carefree, Arizona.
Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) announced that results from nine studies involving the Company"s Urology/Gynecology products will be presented at the 34th Annual Meeting of the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA). Presentations will feature Boston Scientific"s pelvic floor reconstruction systems and mid-urethral sling systems used to treat pelvic floor prolapse and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The Company will also sponsor a symposium highlighting long-term registry data comparing the benefits of experienced-based versus evidence-based outcomes for patients treated with mid-urethral slings. The IUGA Congress will be held June 16-20 at the Villa Erba Conference Center in Como, Italy.
Sanofi Aventis (Euronext: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: REGN) announced that advanced ovarian cancer patients with recurrent symptomatic malignant ascites (SMA) receiving aflibercept (VEGF Trap) in a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study experienced a statistically significant improvement in the primary study endpoint, mean time to first repeat paracentesis (removal of fluid from the abdominal cavity), versus placebo control. Symptomatic malignant ascites is an abnormal build-up of fluid in the abdominal cavity in patients with advanced cancer.
The California Medical Association called on President Obama today to fix the flaws with Medi-Cal and Medicare, the government"s two biggest health care programs, as part of efforts to reform health care and extend coverage to those who are uninsured.
New Government figures out today (1) suggest public attitudes towards mental health are finally taking a turn. After 15 years where we have seen attitudes deteriorate and deep-seated prejudice, ignorance and fear thrive, there are now signs of improvement. Time to Change, England"s biggest anti-discrimination programme led by charities Mind and Rethink, believes that the public are now open to change and this is undoubtedly the time to act to end mental health discrimination.
President Obama plans to tell the American Medical Association gathering for its annual meeting Monday that health care reform can"t wait and bringing down cost will ensure America"s financial health, The Associated Press reports.
Several reports today focus on inadequate health care for certain population groups within the United States.
Celebrity Elisabeth Hasselbeck is generating a lot of buzz about Gluten-Free living, but International Celiac Expert Shelley Case, RD warns consumers why going gluten-free before being screened for celiac disease can be hazardous to your health!
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) plans to decrease the prices of many of its leading medicines in emerging markets following the success of a pilot program in the Philippines, Andrew Witty, GSK"s chief executive, said, Financial Times reports. Witty said the price cuts are part of an effort to diversify and expand globally.
Swinton Commercial is advising social welfare organisations including care homes, nurseries, shelters and youth centres to check they are adequately covered by their insurance policies in advance of upcoming market changes.
The North Carolina Senate has delayed until Wednesday its vote on a bill (S. 221) that would require public school systems in the state to offer a sex education curriculum that includes information on both abstinence and prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, the Fayetteville Observer reports. Currently, most public schools in the state teach abstinence-only sex education (Fayetteville Observer, 6/11).The bill, which a state Senate committee approved earlier in the week, made major changes to a state House version (H.B. 88) that conservative and liberals in the chamber approved as a compromise measure. The House bill would have required parents to choose from three sex education options: abstinence-only; an abstinence-based program with information on pregnancy and STI prevention; or no sex education. The third option would be the default if parents did not make a selection (Woolverton, Fayetteville Observer, 6/11).The Senate version of the bill was designed to merge the abstinence-only and the abstinence-based comprehensive options of the House bill. Parents would be able to request that their children not receive the comprehensive portions of the lessons.According to the Observer, some lawmakers objected to the idea in the House bill that students would receive no sex education if their parents failed to make a selection. In addition, some school officials voiced concern that the House version would require more teachers and classroom space to meet the requirements for three separate options (Fayetteville Observer, 6/11).
You"ve just won a prize. Would you like to find out what it is right away, or wait until later? A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research says most people are happier waiting.
University of California, Berkeley, researchers have found what they think is a critical and, until now, missing piece of the puzzle about how stress causes sexual dysfunction and infertility.
As Congress drafts health care reform legislation, HIV clinicians urge lawmakers to include a public plan option to ensure affordable access to comprehensive care for HIV patients - nearly 30 percent of whom have no insurance. The HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) believes that a public plan option can help offer everyone the chance to benefit from early and reliable access to lifesaving HIV care and treatment.
Scientists in Israel have identified the key substances in exhaled breath associated with healthy and diseased kidneys - raising expectations, they say, for development of long-sought diagnostic and screening tests that literally sniff out chronic renal failure (CRF) in its earliest and most treatable stages. Their report is in the current issue of ACS Nano, a monthly journal.
Loss of feeling in the feet is a common complication of diabetes, so it"s critical that those with the disease wear shoes that fit properly and check their feet often for cuts or sores. Left untreated, a diabetic"s foot wound can lead to a serious infection or even require amputation.
The European Medicines Agency has been formally notified by Sepracor Pharmaceuticals Ltd of its decision to withdraw its application for a centralised marketing authorisation for the medicine Lunivia (eszopiclone), 2 and 3 mg tablets.
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced the initiation of SPIRIT PRIME, a clinical trial to study the performance of the company"s next-generation XIENCE PRIME(TM) Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System, currently an investigational device, for the treatment of coronary artery disease. Results from SPIRIT PRIME will be used to support the regulatory filing for XIENCE PRIME in the United States. The first patient was enrolled into the SPIRIT PRIME clinical trial at Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Okla., by Rajesh Chandwaney, M.D.
Three Rivers Pharmaceuticals announced positive results of the U.S.-based, randomized Daily-Dose Consensus Interferon and Ribavirin: Efficacy of Combined Therapy (DIRECT) clinical trial authored by Bruce R. Bacon, M.D., of Saint Louis University, and colleagues at 44 centers in the United States. The primary endpoint of increased sustained virological response (SVR), was achieved demonstrating that INFERGEN provides a second chance to those HCV patients failing to respond to standard, first-line therapy of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV). "The retreatment of PEG-IFN/RBV nonresponders with INFERGEN and RBV is safe and efficacious and can be considered a retreatment strategy for patients failing previous therapy with PEG-IFN/RBV, especially in interferon-sensitive patients with lower baseline fibrosis scores," stated Dr. Bruce Bacon the lead Investigator for the study.
Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVNT) announced that the Arthritis Advisory Committee appointed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended by a vote of 14 to 1 that KRYSTEXXA(TM) (pegloticase), a biologic PEGylated uricase enzyme, be granted marketing approval by the FDA for the treatment of refractory chronic gout. Refractory chronic gout or treatment failure gout (TFG) is gout in patients who have failed to normalize serum uric acid and whose signs and symptoms are inadequately controlled with conventional urate-lowering therapy at the maximum medically appropriate dose or for whom conventional urate-lowering therapy is contraindicated. The current target Prescription Drug User Fee (PDUFA) action date for the FDA"s decision as to whether to grant marketing approval for KRYSTEXXA is August 1, 2009.
Alzheimer"s disease, Cancer, Diabetes, Osteoporosis. These are the diseases for which Eli Lilly and Company will be engaging
Complex new Medicare rules that seek to cut costs of home-oxygen therapy are confusing the more than one million people who rely on the federal insurer to pay for the coverage.
U.S. Should Double Newborn, Maternal Health Spending, Encourage Other G8 Countries To Do The Same
Ark Therapeutics Group plc (AKT:LSE) announces that Named Patient Supply (NPS) for Cerepro® (sitimagene ceradenovec) has been approved in Finland by the National Agency for Medicines (NAM). The approval follows an application made by a neuro-surgeon in Finland for the use of Cerepro®.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advised consumers to stop using three products marketed over-the-counter as cold remedies because they are associated with the loss of sense of smell (anosmia). Anosmia may be long-lasting or permanent.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) today honored Christopher A. Hatwig, M.S., FASHP, with the ASHP Board of Directors Award of Excellence for his work to help safety net hospitals provide safe and cost-effective drug therapy to low-income and uninsured patients. Hatwig, vice president of Apexus in Irving, Texas, received the award during ASHP"s Summer Meeting in Rosemont, Ill.
Our tendency to see people and faces as individuals may explain why we are such experts at recognizing them, new research indicates. This approach can be learned and applied to other objects as well.
The member of parliament for Feltham and Heston Alan Keen MP together with his wife, Health Minister Ann Keen MP,(Brentford & Isleworth) wrote to the UK Autism Foundation wishing the "Scope for Hope" autism charity dinner in Feltham every success. Hundreds attended the glittering event, held at the Royal Naval Association Club in Feltham, Middlesex on Saturday 13th June.
Utopia Home Care, Inc. has announced that Michelle Harris will be its 2009 Caregiver of the Year. At the company"s annual corporate breakfast meeting this morning, Utopia Home Care, Inc. President and CEO Manuel F. Martinez and Executive Vice President Manuel G. Martinez presented Ms. Harris with a commemorative plaque and a check for $1,000. The presentation was made before approximately 125 staff members representing Utopia offices in New York, Connecticut, Florida, South Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Doctors who ignore the socioeconomic status of patients when evaluating their risk for heart disease are missing a crucial element that might result in inadequate treatment, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study published in the June 2009 American Heart Journal.
Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic disease, announced final data from three separate Phase II trials involving its lead cholesterol management compound, lomitapide (AEGR-733), which is a microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor (MTP-I) small molecule drug. The final data was recently presented at the American Diabetes Association"s "69th Scientific Sessions" in New Orleans, LA on June 7, 2009 and the International Symposium on Atherosclerosis (ISA) in Boston, MA on June 15, 2009.
Contrary to a previous report, an analysis of 14 previous studies does not find an association between a serotonin transporter gene variation, stressful life events, and an increased risk of major depression, according to an article in the June 17 issue of JAMA. The authors did find that the number of stressful life events is associated with depression.
OptumHealth Inc. announced that it is providing a free help line to people in Missouri and Oklahoma who are trying to cope with the emotional consequences of the recent tornadoes that hit the region. Staffed by experienced master"s-level behavioral health specialists, the free help line offers assistance to callers seeking help in dealing with stress, anxiety and the grieving process. Callers may also receive referrals to a database of community res to help them with specific concerns, such as financial and legal issues.
The following statement was issued by Jeff Joseph, Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) Vice President of Communications, in response to a new report on biosimilars released today by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC):
Three-dimensional, real-time X-ray images of patients could be closer to reality because of research recently completed by scientists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a pair of Russian institutes.
ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX:CXS) (NASDAQ:CXSP) announced that updated clinical data from the registration-directed clinical trial of omacetaxine will be presented as an oral presentation at the forthcoming American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 45th Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.
A group of researchers led by Carnegie Mellon University Biological Sciences Professor Aaron Mitchell has identified a novel regulatory gene network that plays an important role in the spread of common, and sometimes deadly, yeast infections. The findings, which establish the role of Zap1 protein in the activation of genes that regulate the synthesis of biofilm matrix, will be published in the June 16, 2009, issue of PLoS Biology, a peer-reviewed open-access journal from the Public Library of Science.
In public comments given before the Secretary of Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health and Society (SACGHS), the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) addressed three areas: Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER), evidence for coverage of genetic and genomic tests, and gene patents.
The Pew Charitable Trusts today named 17 early-career scientists as Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences. Scholars receive a $240,000 award over four years to help support their work, which this year includes research related to cancer, Parkinson"s disease, birth defects and epilepsy. The Scholars also gain inclusion into a select community of scientists that includes Nobel Prize winners, MacArthur Fellows and recipients of the Albert Lasker Medical Research Award.
The lack of awareness in schools is having a serious impact on the education of children with Sickle Cell, according to research published in the British Education Research Journal this month.
Trial reports of the Evolife range of products in France have pointed to significant benefits and enhanced quality of life for cancer patients who use the products before, during and after chemo or radiotherapy treatment. Evolife is a natural range of cosmetics that is 100% dedicated to the support care of cancer patients.
Two new studies from The Children"s Hospital of Philadelphia advance the search for genetic events that result in neuroblastoma, a puzzling, often-deadly type of childhood cancer.
Joan Massagué (Barcelona, Spain, 1953) is the first winner of the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards in the Biomedicine category. The Frontiers of Knowledge Awards are intended to recognize and promote research of excellence. The breadth of disciplines addressed and their monetary amount a combined purse of 3.2 million euros spread over eight prize categories place them among the world"s foremost award schemes.
Hydration expert, Water Wellpoint is playing a key role in helping public sector employers look after the health and wellbeing of their staff. The company has recently been working with East London NHS Foundation Trust to run a series of wellbeing days, giving employees the ability to check key aspects of their health in a total voluntary format.
Discovering for the first time that copy number variation or CNV, where a strip of DNA is duplicated or missing, may
Diabetes UK and the South Asian Health Foundation (SAHF) are highlighting 16 research topics in a new report to find out more about diabetes in South Asian people.
Diabetes UK will attend the prestigious Innovation Expo at London"s ExCeL on 18 to 19 June.
The Obama administration is facing increasing opposition to various aspects of health reform proposals - especially the idea of a "public plan."
Responding to the Care Quality Commission"s report (18 June) of trusts" self declaration of compliance, NHS Confederation deputy director of policy, Jo Webber, said there is a great deal that is improving in the NHS.
As the recession forces more hospitals and doctors to pare costs and services, children are being especially hard hit.
To support doctors who are confronted with challenging issues in medical practice, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria have developed a DVD that provides doctors with tips on managing difficult situations while maintaining their legal and ethical obligations.
Advocates on both sides of the abortion-rights debate are anticipating the White House"s release of its "common ground" reproductive health proposals, including policies aimed at preventing unintended pregnancies and reducing the need for abortion, U.S. News & World Report reports. President Obama in February tasked the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships with determining how to "support women and children, address teenage pregnancy and reduce the need for abortion." Along with the new White House Council on Women and Girls, the office since April has been conducting meetings with advocates on both sides of the abortion-rights debate to develop policy proposals. U.S. News reports that according to some involved in the process, the results could be announced as early as this summer. According to U.S. News, whether the White House can attract more support from conservative groups without alienating abortion-rights advocates at its base represents the "biggest test yet" of Obama"s "vow to be a peacemaker in the nation"s culture wars."The White House solicited recommendations from groups in four areas: reducing unintended pregnancies, increasing access to adoption, supporting maternal health and reducing the need for abortion. The administration has stressed that it wants to avoid influencing women"s decisions on abortion but that there needs to be support for individuals who decide to carry pregnancies to term. To date, the White House has given little indication on what the final plan will look like, and the wait for the proposals" release has left advocates on both sides of the debate "jittery" over whether their interests will be represented, according to U.S. News.Kristen Day, head of Democrats for Life, said that "[t]here were definitely areas of disagreement" during the meetings but that "for the most part, people were respectful and were doing more listening than debating." Nancy Ratzan -- president of the National Council of Jewish Women and an abortion-rights supporter -- said, "I have real concerns about understanding those issues from a faith perspective as opposed to a scientific and individual rights perspective." She added, "You"re creating the possibility that the religious views of some are going to be imposed on others." Richard Land, head of public policy for the Southern Baptist Convention, which opposes abortion rights, said, "I"m in a trust but verify mode." Land added that he has "seen some signs that they are eagerly seeking common ground and other signs that they"re not."According to U.S. News, some antiabortion-rights groups have said that too much emphasis on preventing unintended pregnancies through strategies like comprehensive sex education and increased access to contraception could cause them to oppose the White House"s plan, even if they agree with certain aspects. Instead, these groups would like Obama to support the Pregnant Women Support Act, which aims to discourage abortion through assistance to economically distressed pregnant women. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America opposes the bill, which it says would "attempt to influence, rather than inform, a woman"s decision whether or not to have an abortion."Laurie Rubiner, vice president for public policy at Planned Parenthood, said that the Obama administration is "strongly pro-choice" and that she is "hopeful their policy will be helpful on reducing unintended pregnancies." Large religious groups that typically oppose abortion rights -- like the Southern Baptist Convention and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops -- also say they are hopeful that the White House"s plan will satisfy groups on both sides. Nancy Wisdo, associate general secretary for USCCB, said the group is "willing to work with anyone who tries to reduce the number of abortions and help women who choose to bring their babies to term." She added that USCCB is "taking the White House at its word that this is going to be a serious effort" (Gilgoff, U.S. News & World Report, 6/16).
In response to the recent Food and Drug Administration action, Evanger"s Dog and Cat Food Co., Inc. has filed a formal request, as allowed by FDA regulations, for reinstatement based on documentation that the company is operating in full compliance with mandatory requirements.
TR BioSurgical, LLC, announced highly encouraging results using their new medical device (bioscaffold) in canine patients with advanced osteoarthritis. The new bioscaffold is implanted in or near diseased tissue and provides a structural matrix for local repair cells, such as stem cells or fibroblasts, to attach and heal tissue by local, physiological repair mechanisms. The new bioscaffold implant contains no drugs, cells or growth factors and is eventually resorbed by the infiltrating cells. The implant is made from a proprietary, copolymerized collagen and is sterile, cost effective, and non- immunogenic.
Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:LGND) announced the initiation of a Phase I clinical trial with LGD-4033, a next-generation selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) designed to provide the benefits of androgen receptor stimulation on skeletal muscle and bone without the side effects of currently marketed androgens. The Phase I study will evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profile of orally administered LGD-4033.
As rapidly rising temperatures in Africa threaten to scorch local varieties of maize and other food staples, the food security of many Africans will depend on farmers in one country gaining access to climatically suitable varieties now being cultivated in other African nations, and beyond, according to a peer-reviewed study published in Global Environmental Change.