Health Insurance
Have you, or do you know someone who has had diabetes for 50 years? Or even 60 or 70 years?
More than 40 scientists, bioethicists, lawyers and science journal editors are calling on their colleagues, policy makers and the public to begin developing guidelines for the research and reproductive use of stem cell-derived eggs and sperm, even though such use may be a decade or more away.
Adult obesity rates did not decrease in a single state over the past year, but rather increased in 23 states. Also, the percentage of obese and overweight children is now at or above 30 percent in 30 states.
A team from MIT and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found a genetic explanation for why the new H1N1 "swine flu" virus has spread from person to person less effectively than other flu viruses.
Few people changed their behaviour in the early stages of the swine flu outbreak, finds a study published on bmj.com. But the results do support efforts to inform the public about specific actions that can reduce the risks from swine flu and to communicate about the government"s plans and res.
Entangled in all the controversial drama surrounding the sudden death of Pop-Icon Michael Jackson is the issue of his three children"s paternity. With conflicting facts out there, many people are talking about the possibility that his children may have been born through embryo donation and adoption. This practice is not new. Many families are successfully birthing healthy babies from frozen embryos throughout the United States.
UCSF researchers have identified a new "feed-forward" pathway linking estrogen receptors in the membrane of the uterus to a process that increases local estrogen levels and promotes cell growth.
Existing drugs used in the treatment of Parkinson"s disease could be repositioned for use in the treatment of extreme drug-resistant tuberculosis, which kills about 2 million people each year, according to a study led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego. The rise of these strains of TB throughout the world, including industrialized countries, poses a great threat to human health.
Since the 1970s, there has been much debate surrounding the fact that individuals with autism have difficulty in understanding speech in situations where there is background speech or noise.
The 2009 Australian Medical Students" Association (AMSA) Convention begins on Monday with 850 future doctors joining leaders in health and politics to debate the hot issues in healthcare.
- A $10 million project funded by the European Community to improve Iraq"s water and sanitation services is underway. Implemented by UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works and the Ministry of Municipalities in Kurdistan, the project will increase the government"s provision of services as well as strengthen their capacity to manage and develop Iraq"s water and sanitation sector.
Professor Peter Piot, Director of the Institute for Global Health at Imperial College, is joining the Board of Trustees at Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) this month.
ETH Zurich researchers have successfully created an optical transistor from a single molecule. This has brought them one step closer to an optical computer.
Women in Nepal face the highest risk of maternal death in South Asia. The country"s high rates of maternal death and reproductive morbidity will be discussed at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) South Asia Day. The conference gathers together a group of international experts to discuss ways to achieve Millennium Development Goals 4 (reduce child mortality) and 5 (improve maternal health).
Inovio Biomedical Corporation (NYSE Amex:INO), a leader in DNA vaccine design, development and delivery, announced today that it will make multiple presentations at the Annual Conference of DNA Vaccines in Asia 2009 being hosted by the International Society of DNA Vaccines July 9 - 10 at the Beijing International Convention Center. The conference, with the theme, "Advancing DNA Vaccine Technology," is co-chaired by David B. Weiner, Ph.D., professor of pathology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and chairman of Inovio"s scientific advisory board.
-- 37 confirmed cases in Wales, with 3 new cases:
While Lands End and John O"Groats may be poles apart geographically they"re side by side when it comes to generosity.
Suspected side effects to swine flu antiviral medicines can now be reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) via a new dedicated webpage (http://www.mhra.gov.uk/swineflu).
A new study by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have found a substantial link between increased levels of nitrates in our environment and food, with increased deaths from diseases, including Alzheimer"s, diabetes mellitus and Parkinson"s. The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer"s Disease (Volume 17:3 July 2009).
"In the past few months, we"ve experienced near hysteria over swine flu and almost constant media attention to scares about tainted food," syndicated columnist Marie Cocco writes in the Oregonian, adding, "These are genuine health hazards - but they aren"t necessarily deadly, nor do they affect nearly as many people in the United States and around the world as does AIDS." Cocco discusses a recent finding by researchers from Columbia University and the Alan Guttmacher Institute that links a drop in condom use among teenagers "in part to waning public concern about transmission of HIV." She writes, "The clear increase in the proportion of teenagers using condoms came during years when public health and media messages about the dangers of HIV were at a height." Cocco continues, "You can argue, based on hard data, that when it comes to teenagers and sex, good policy and genuine leadership get better results than moralizing or ignoring signals that an upsurge in HIV infections may emerge" (Cocco, 7/2).
A recent directive to streamline the HIV testing consent process in Massachusetts as well as consent forms "no longer hav[ing] to accompany test specimens to the lab," are bringing "the state closer to a CDC recommendation that clinicians provide HIV screening on an opt-out basis," according to a Boston Globe editorial. "The opt-out provision is at the heart" of legislation sponsored by state Sen. Patricia Jehlen (D) that would end the state"s requirement of written consent for HIV testing "and instead have healthcare providers inform patients verbally that the test is planned but that they can decline it," the editorial states, adding, "The Jehlen bill would help destigmatize HIV testing itself" (7/6).
At 81, Alberta Sabin"s mind is not as sharp as it used to be, and she knows it.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced it received a fourth approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ALIMTA(R) (pemetrexed for injection). The latest approval is for ALIMTA as a maintenance therapy for locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), specifically for patients with a nonsquamous histology whose disease has not progressed after four cycles of platinum-based first-line chemotherapy. ALIMTA is not indicated for treatment of patients with squamous cell non-small cell lung cancer.
Beginning today, Hong Kong people and their children will have direct access to Filligent"s patented anti- microbial face mask, the BioMask(TM). The revolutionary mask, which traps and kills germs like H1N1 upon contact, was launched at Asia"s leading drugstore chain, Watsons, today. In addition, Hong Kong"s biggest travel agency, Hong Thai, will be providing the BioMask(TM), on a complimentary basis, to all air travelers through the end of August. Up until now, the CE-certified, specialist mask has only been available to medical and healthcare professionals. The launch and availability of the BioMask(TM) in consumer retailers and service providers is significant because, as CEO Melissa Mowbray-d"Arbela says, "The BioMask(TM) is the first "intelligent" face mask. You don"t have to be a health care worker or medical professional to use it correctly. Instead, the mask is very easy to put on, wear and dispose of properly. Thus, it"s one of the best forms of protection for ordinary people and their children during this year"s swine flu crisis."
Global biomedical sciences companies invested more than US$500 million in
Patients with atrial fibrillation, common in those with advanced chronic heart failure, have an increased risk of hospitalization due to heart failure, according to new research from researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The findings, published in June in the European Heart Journal, also suggest that atrial fibrillation is not associated with an increased risk of death in heart failure patients, contradicting previous assumptions.
New rules require more vaccinations before a child can start kindergarten or seventh grade this fall. The physicians of the Texas Medical Association (TMA) are urging parents to get their child"s shots now before school starts.
Health professionals are required to provide help for victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), yet many do not even discuss the issue with their patients, according to a University of Pittsburgh study in the current issue of Violence and Victims.
Senator Christopher Dodd, who is presiding over the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee during the absence of Committee Chair Edward Kennedy, today released the remaining portions of the health care reform bill that the Committee will consider when the July 4th recess ends. The following is the statement of Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA, about the bill:
High-deductible health insurance plans coupled with health savings accounts (tax-advantaged funds for covering medical costs), are becoming the plan of choice for Connecticut"s small businesses newly offering insurance to employees, Hartford Business reports. The plans, called "consumer-directed health plans," make up 60 percent of the insurance company Aetna"s new small business sales. Nationally, the number of people with these plans rose from 3.2 million in 2006 to eight million this year.
As Minnesota braces for some cuts to public health programs, the state"s network of community health centers is being buoyed by money from the federal stimulus that will expand coverage to the un- and underinsured in that state, The Minnesota Post reports.
In answering two certified questions from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, the Ohio State Supreme Court on July 1 declared that a state law regulating the use of mifepristone -- which is used in medication abortion -- bars physicians from prescribing it for off-label use, BNA reports. The court confirmed that doctors who use the drug to induce abortion must do so in compliance with the 49-day gestational limit included in FDA"s 2000 drug approval letter. Doctors also must prescribe the drug in accordance with the protocols and dosage indications included in its FDA-approved labeling.Interpretation of State Law in ContentionThe Ohio General Assembly in 2004 passed a law (Section 2919.123 (A)) that required any health care professional prescribing or dispensing mifepristone to comply with "all provisions of federal law that govern the use" of the drug. The law defines "federal law" as "any law, rule or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter" from FDA "that governs or regulates the use of" mifepristone for inducing abortion. FDA"s approval letter states that the drug "is indicated for use in the termination of pregnancy (through 49 days" pregnancy) and has no other approved indication for use during pregnancy." In addition, the drug"s label states the recommended dosage and that its use requires three office visits by the patient. Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region challenged the law in district court, arguing that neither FDA"s approval letter nor any other federal provision bans the off-label use of mifespristone to induce abortion beyond 49 days" gestation. The group also argued that the state law was unconstitutionally vague because it did not notify abortion providers in advance regarding which FDA documents were included in the state"s criminal law. In addition, Planned Parenthood said that prohibiting the evidence-based use of the drug would infringe on the rights of women, requiring them to take higher-than-necessary dosages of the drug or to undergo surgical abortions when a noninvasive alternative is available. The district court ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood, saying that the law was void because of vagueness. The state appealed the decision to the 6th Circuit, which then submitted two questions to the state Supreme Court seeking its interpretation of the law.The state Supreme Court ruled that FDA"s drug approval letter is included in the definition of "federal law" and that the state law is not ambiguous, according to BNA. The court said that because the drug approval letter incorporated FDA"s labeling text, Ohio physicians cannot prescribe or provide mifepristone to induce abortion outside of the stipulations of the drug approval letter and approved label. According to BNA, product liability law experts say the ruling will not have an impact outside of mifepristone or the state of Ohio.Case Returns to Appeals CourtRoger Evans of Planned Parenthood Federation of America said that he is not sure if the court"s decision helps or hurts the group"s case. Evans said that the district court declared the law unconstitutional based on an interpretation that the statute operates in the same way the state Supreme Court ruled it does. He noted that there are other possible interpretations of the law that would have solved the constitutional issues at the center of the litigation. However, because those issues were not resolved, the case now returns to the 6th Circuit, which will decide if the statute is constitutional based on the state Supreme Court"s interpretation. If the circuit court agrees with the district court that the statute is unconstitutionally vague, the state of Ohio could seek a U.S. Supreme Court review. If the circuit court finds that the statute is constitutional, the case likely will be sent back to the district court for resolution of some other issues in the case, according to BNA (BNA, 7/6).
As lawmakers work to pass health reform legislation, "few are talking about" the "essential question" of whether "health reform will force taxpayers to pay for abortions for the first time in 30 years," Family Research Council President Tony Perkins writes in a Washington Times opinion piece. According to Perkins, "the short answer is yes" because there is no "explicit provision" in any Democratic health plan that would "[p]revent taxpayer funding of abortions as part of the health care benefit Congress is considering"; avert "delays in health care services that result in the death of the patient waiting for care"; or allow health care providers "to refuse to participate in health care-related action that violates their conscience." Perkins continues that the House"s reform proposal would provide federal coverage for ""family planning," the well-worn buzz word that includes abortion unless specified to the contrary." He adds that "it would be naive to assume, unless there is an explicit prohibition in the bill, that [HHS] Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will not use her discretion to fund abortions with taxpayers" money." Perkins also writes that the Democratic reform plans, "in short, ... attempt to be silent on the key question of whether or not to allow the U.S. government to fund abortions with taxpayers" money," and also give the HHS secretary "the power to allow taxpayer-funded abortions."He writes, "The Family Research Council"s answer is clear: There must be a permanent prohibition on taxpayer-funded abortions," as well as "provision to allow a right of conscience for doctors and nurses and other health care providers" to refuse to participate in treatments they oppose. He adds that "there can be no system of denial or delay or rationing of care." Perkins concludes, "Euthanasia by any other name is a poison pill in the health reform debate" (Perkins, Washington Times, 7/5)
Men are being warned that steroids can lead to premature baldness after a leading hair clinic reported an alarming rise in the number of patients affected by the designer drugs.
We all know that a diet rich in fruit and veg has huge health benefits, but recent research has shown that swapping to a vegetarian diet can actually cut your risk of cancer by 45%! Cutting out meat can also help you lose weight, detox your body and according to another study, make you feel healthier and happier!
"Absolutely inspirational" that"s was the expression used by one visitor to describe last years Northwest Disability Awareness Day (DAD).
The final analysis of the PATRICIA study shows that the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine (GlaxoSmithKline) has high efficacy against the precancerous cervical lesions that can eventually lead to cervical cancer. The vaccine also shows cross-protective efficacy against other oncogenic (cancer-causing) HPV types closely related to HPV-16/18. Furthermore, it also shows efficacy in the cohorts relevant to universal mass vaccination and catch-up programmes. The findings are reported in an Article Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet, written by Dr Jorma Paavonen, University of Helsinki, Finland, and colleagues.
The way certain patients present in the post-acute hospital setting with delirium, a common, preventable but life-threatening acute confusional state, predicts mortality, according to a study conducted by the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife.
A new prostate cancer "homing device" could improve detection and allow for the first targeted treatment of the disease.
The amino acid N-acetylcysteine appears to reduce symptoms of compulsive hair-pulling in patients with a condition known as trichotillomania, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
A quick breath check in the palm of your hand can never give accurate results. Whether you"re about to lean in for a smooch or start a job interview, you"re better off asking a trusted friend if your breath is sweet. But what if a friend isn"t around when you need one?
Research from the Johns Hopkins Children"s Center exposes alarming gaps in training hospital residents in "first response" emergency treatment of staged cardiorespiratory arrests in children, while at the same time offering a potent recipe for fixing the problem.
A new prostate cancer "homing device" could improve detection and allow for the first targeted treatment of the disease.
The IFPMA has just published the 2009 edition of its Status Report on Pharmaceutical Industry R&D for Diseases of the Developing World(1). This documents research and development projects by IFPMA member companies(2), alone or with partners, to develop medicines and vaccines for the 10 diseases of the developing world (DDW)(3) prioritized by the United Nations" TDR tropical disease research and training organization(4). Member company DDW medicine and vaccine projects have increased from 67 last year to a total of 84 this year. While the number of tuberculosis and malaria projects has grown slightly, projects for the remaining eight tropical diseases have increased markedly from 11 in 2008 to 25 in 2009.
State and local health departments get mixed marks for efforts to convey information about the H1N1 virus to the public using their Web sites immediately after U.S. officials declared a public health emergency in April, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
A proposal to dramatically weaken intellectual property legislation could lead to the loss
UK scientists have announced this week that they have found a way to make human sperm from embryonic stem cells in a laboratory, a
Survey results released by The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) revealed the effects of publicity around Michael Jackson"s alleged prescription drug misuse. More than 200 pharmacists who work in home, ambulatory, and chronic care practices responded to the survey conducted on July 1, 2009.
New data demonstrate that maintenance therapy with RISPERDAL(R) CONSTA(R) (risperidone) Long-Acting Treatment (RLAT) significantly delayed the time to relapse compared to placebo in patients with Bipolar I Disorder. Results of the study were presented this week at a major medical meeting.
Nurses play a key role in supporting general practice and giving people access to primary health care services, the Australian Practice Nurses Association (APNA) and Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) said after the release today of two reports on general practice and practice nurses in Australia.
Global HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs are already feeling the effects of the global economic crisis, according to a report (pdf) released Monday by UNAIDS and the World Bank, AFP/Google.com reports (7/6).
KPBS profiled San Diego"s "only clean syringe exchange program," a mobile van that twice weekly provides injection drug users with clean needles in exchange for used ones. The program also offers HIV and Hepatitis C tests and gives referrals to drug treatment programs. According to KPBS, "The concept behind syringe exchange is simple: people are going to shoot drugs. It"s crucial to make sure they have access to clean equipment, so they don"t spread blood-borne infections." However, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is "adamantly opposed to the concept," and it is "illegal in San Diego for people to buy clean needles without a prescription," KPBS reports. In 2008, the privately-funded exchange program, which has the support of the mayor and the city council, collected more than 183,000 used syringes and handed out about 172,000 new ones (Goldberg, 7/7).
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has announced that it will convene a guidance development group to formally review the recommendations relating to the diagnosis and removal of "low risk" basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) in primary care in its guidance Improving Outcomes in Cancer for people with skin tumours including melanoma (2003).
Giving students personalised feedback on their drinking behaviour and how it compares to social norms might help to reduce alcohol misuse, according to a Cochrane Systematic Review.
Stressing out can cause people to gain weight, according to a study appearing in the July 15 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. This new study is believed to be one of the first of its kind to look at the relationship between weight gain and multiple types of stress - job-related demands, difficulty paying bills, strained family relationships, depression or anxiety disorder - in the U.S. population.
ARYx Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARYX), a biopharmaceutical company, announced results from its Phase 2/3 clinical trial, EmbraceAC, comparing its novel anticoagulant agent tecarfarin (previously ATI-5923) with the leading oral anticoagulant warfarin. In this trial, tecarfarin demonstrated efficacy essentially the same as in earlier Phase 2 studies but did not achieve the primary endpoint of superiority over warfarin, as measured by time in therapeutic range (TTR). This was due to the virtually unprecedented performance of warfarin in this trial. Using the International Normalized Ratio (INR), which is the standard measure of anticoagulation to evaluate TTR, the patients in the trial who were administered tecarfarin stayed within the target therapeutic range 74.0% of the time treated as compared to those patients receiving warfarin who stayed within the target therapeutic range 73.2% of the time (p=0.506). The result for the warfarin group was unexpected based upon the extensive history of prior studies and published literature for the drug. Tecarfarin appeared to be well tolerated by the patients in this Phase 2/3 clinical trial.
NexMed, Inc. (Nasdaq: NEXM), a developer of products based on the NexACT® technology, announced the mutual decision with Novartis to terminate the licensing agreement for NM100060, a topically-applied treatment for onychomycosis, commonly known as nail fungus. NexMed entered into the exclusive, worldwide agreement with Novartis in September 2005, under which Novartis assumed all clinical development, regulatory, manufacturing and commercialization responsibilities for NM100060.
Hyperion Therapeutics announced that it has reached agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) process for the pivotal Phase III trial of investigational product HPN-100 (glycerol phenylbutyrate) in adults with urea cycle disorders (UCD). The SPA is a written agreement between the trial sponsor and the FDA regarding the design, endpoints, and planned statistical analysis of the Phase III trial to be used in support of a New Drug Application (NDA).
Diabetica Research Solutions, Inc. (DRSI) http://www.drsirestoreenergy.com: Diabetes is a disease of energy currently affecting 24 million people who have been diagnosed and approximately 55 million who are in a pre-diabetic condition. For so many of these people with diabetes, particularly those with type 2 diabetes, persistent fatigue is a constant complaint. According to a 2007 survey of 8,000 people with diabetes, approximately 85% of respondents reported that fatigue was their number one complaint. When asked how they dealt with their fatigue, 17% of respondents said they do nothing, 31% drink water, 23% drink coffee, 6% drink energy drinks and 23% drink sodas and diet sodas. Now, with the introduction of drsi™ Restore! Energy, there"s a quick and effective way for diabetics and pre-diabetics to experience balanced, long lasting energy and stamina to help them through their daily routines.
A new Northwestern University-led study of human colon, pancreatic and lung cells is the first to report that cancer cells and their non-cancerous cell neighbors, although quite different under the microscope, share very similar structural abnormalities on the nanoscale level.
Structural cardiovascular abnormalities present at birth are the leading cause of heart failure in children. Nearly half a million children in the United States have structural heart problems ranging in severity from relatively simple issues, such as small holes between chambers of the heart, to very severe malformations, including complete absence of one or more chambers or valves.
Medical mycologists in The South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and the Department of Biology at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) have significantly advanced the fight against San Joaquin Valley Fever, a respiratory infection of humans, commonly called Valley Fever, which is caused by the Coccidioides fungus. For the first time, the researchers have genetically engineered a live, attenuated vaccine that successfully protects mice against Valley Fever, known in scientific circles as coccidioidomycosis.
Since its introduction in 1993, molecular adsorbent recirculating system (MARS) albumin dialysis has been a subject of research, with the hope of effectively treating patients with acute liver failure. The impact of MARS treatment on outcome as well as clinical and laboratory variables has been investigated widely in small non-randomized studies. However, larger studies with longer follow-up time are required to determine the true usefulness of MARS treatment in different liver failure etiologies.
Cardiva Medical, Inc. announced that it has received clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for its latest technology, the Cardiva Catalyst III, which is considered the first drug coated vessel closure device in the market.
Even though it may sound like it, heart failure does not necessarily mean that the heart has failed. Heart failure is a serious condition in which the heart is not pumping blood around the body efficiently. The patient"s left side, right side, or even both sides of the body can be affected. Symptoms will depend on which side is affected and how severe the heart failure is - symptoms can be severe.
UK health services are failing to meet the needs of millions of chronic joint pain sufferers. More than 80 per cent of chronic back and knee pain sufferers still suffer from pain following treatments recommended by a healthcare professional, according to new research for Bupa.
According to a new Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs report, parents should be skeptical if their doctors offer them free prescription drug samples, especially for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Free samples can hook consumers on high-priced brand name drugs that are not any better or safer than less expensive generic medicines. In addition, when doctors give out free samples, they often fail to give patients information inserts that highlight important safety and side effect information.
The results of a study published in the current issue of the peer reviewed British Medical Journal (BMJ) support the findings of a white paper released last month by the Senior Center for Health and Security (SCHS) regarding the potentially lifesaving qualities of cholesterol lowering drugs known as statins.
Expectant parents are poorly informed about cord blood banking, according to a study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine. In fact, of the expectant mothers in the study who indicated they have some knowledge of cord blood banking, 74 percent considered themselves minimally informed. Yet, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences recommends that all expectant parents should be educated about cord blood stem cells early enough in pregnancy that they can make an informed decision about the options to preserve these medically-beneficial cells.
New research reveals around 22 million people suffered back pain in the last year - just under half of all UK adults (45 percent)[1]. More than one in four UK adults - nearly 13 million people - suffered from knee pain in the last year. Over 80 percent of the people with back or knee pain still suffer some pain after undergoing treatment recommended by a healthcare professional. Bupa is making APOS Treatment for knee and lower back pain available in the UK for the first time. The breakthrough treatment can eliminate the need for prescription pain relief for seven out of 10 people[2].
AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., issued the following statement on the agreement reached by the hospital community, the Obama administration, and the Senate Finance Committee in support of health care reform:
The MS Society has appointed Sue Farrington to its newly created role of Director of Information and Education. Sue was formerly Director of Corporate Affairs at CSV.
As Ministers of Natural Res and Health, we are disappointed with AECL"s announcement of delays to the repair of the National Research Universal Reactor (NRU) at Chalk River. We wish to be clear to Canadians. The unplanned shutdown of the NRU will result in a significant shortage of medical isotopes in Canada and in the world this summer.
HIV and sexual health charity, Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) has just been approved to offer a new City & Guilds course in understanding HIV and AIDS. The course was developed as a partnership between THT and City & Guilds and it is the first of its kind. Courses will be run at locations across the UK.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recently published new guidelines on electronic fetal monitoring in an attempt to increase consistency in the way physicians interpret and act on the results, the New York Times reports. Electronic fetal monitoring, which was introduced in the 1970s, is used during labor for more than 85% of the four million infants born alive in the U.S. annually, the Times reports. According to the Times, use of fetal monitors became standard obstetrical practice before it was known if the benefits outweighed the risks. The new guidelines refine the meaning of various readings from fetal monitors and could help doctors make better decisions about whether to intervene during labor.According to experts, the widespread adoption of fetal monitoring has produced both negative and positive consequences, including significant increases in caesarean deliveries and the use of forceps during vaginal deliveries. Monitoring has not been found to reduce the risk of either cerebral palsy or fetal death resulting from inadequate oxygen to the fetal brain, as it was intended to do. Furthermore, lawyers commonly use monitoring results to support malpractice cases that might have little merit, which in turn has driven rising malpractice insurance costs and prompted some obstetricians to stop delivering infants.The new guidelines divide monitor readings into three categories to help doctors interpret readings more consistently. The old guidelines had two categories -- reassuring and non-reassuring -- and it was up to the obstetrician to determine whether a non-reassuring reading required intervention. Under the new guidelines, the first category applies when tracings of the fetal heart rate are normal and no specific action is required. The second category is for indeterminate tracings that require evaluation, continuous surveillance and re-evaluation. Obstetricians treating patients in this category should consider other clinical factors that could affect the fetus and whether the patient could be safely moved to category one, according to Catherine Spong of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which produced recommendations on which the guidelines are based. The final category is for abnormal tracings that require immediate evaluation and efforts to reverse the abnormal heart rate. The Times reports that more refinements to the guidelines are expected to be released in 2010 (Brody, New York Times, 7/7).
The idea of taxing health care benefits is proving to be a divisive issue for Democrats as they continue to press forward in health overhaul negotiations. "One day after lawmakers returned from a weeklong vacation, the White House and Democratic leadership made a conspicuous effort to assert control over the effort to push health insurance legislation through committees and both houses of Congress over the next five weeks," the Associated Press reports. "While Obama has called for a bipartisan measure, a partisan bill written by and for Democrats is also a possibility, given the size of the party"s majorities in the House and Senate. ̣€¦ Nowhere were the challenges of passing legislation more evident than in the Senate. There, several Democratic officials said the party"s leadership told (Sen. Max) Baucus, D-Mont., that they were unhappy with any tax on health care benefits - a key component of bipartisan negotiations - and expressed fears it could lose more votes on their side of the aisle than it gained among Republicans."
President Barack Obama, in comments about health reform, has acknowledged what most Americans already know, that "(w)hat"s good for the health care system as a whole often looks very different when it"s their own health at stake, or the health of someone in their family," CQPolitics reports.
U.S. News & World Report examines cost, frequency, and outcomes studies on Medicare patients from the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice : "The Dartmouth research is particularly relevant to older Americans because it is based to a large extent on Medicare data, involving patients ages 65 and older. The 2008 atlas, in particular, paints a devastating portrait of Medicare treatments based on an extensive study of Medicare recipients who died from one or more of nine chronic illnesses. Not only are chronic illnesses very expensive to treat, but they"re also the cause of most deaths in the United States. According to the 2008 atlas: More than 90 million Americans live with at least one chronic illness, and 7 out of 10 Americans die from chronic disease. Among the population that receives Medicare, the toll is even greater: About 9 out of 10 deaths are associated with just nine chronic illnesses: congestive heart failure, chronic lung disease, cancer, coronary artery disease, renal failure, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, chronic liver disease, and dementia."
Within the next few days, the WHO "will recommend that countries stop trying to test all suspected cases of swine flu, said Keiji Fukuda, the agency"s assistant director-general of health security and environment," Tuesday during a conference call with reporters, Bloomberg reports. Instead, countries who have previously confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus in their population should diagnose the flu based on symptoms alone, opening up "laboratories to test samples in unusual or severe cases, clusters of illnesses and cases with odd symptoms, he said," Bloomberg writes (Serafino/Hallam, 7/7).
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Water for Work and Home, an innovative wellbeing organisation, is providing the essential water to keep the "living monuments" hydrated whilst on the Fourth Plinth.
WASHINGTON-AARP"s Health Action Now campaign turns its
Ask any mother and she"ll tell you that raising a preschooler is no easy task. Now imagine what it must be like to bring up a child with autism or a developmental delay.
Transplant patients rely on drugs to prevent graft rejection, but at the cost of serious side effects. The class of immunosuppressive drugs known as calcineurin inhibitors (examples are cyclosporine and tacrolimus) can damage patients" kidneys and lead to high blood pressure, among other problems.
Adverse work conditions may be to blame for the decline in the number of primary care physicians nationwide, according to a study published in the latest issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
A new finding reveals that African-American patients with breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer tend to die earlier than patients of other races with these cancers, even when they receive identical medical treatment and when socioeconomic factors are controlled for. The finding, an analysis of almost 20,000 patient records from 35 clinical trials, points to biological or genetic factors as the potential of the survival gap. Dawn Hershman, M.D, M.S., a Columbia University Medical Center oncologist whose research is dedicated to examining racial and ethnic disparities in cancer outcome and in cancer survivorship, was the senior author of the research published online by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI).
John Csernansky wants to take your measurements. Not the circumference of your chest, waist and hips. No, this doctor wants to stretch a tape measure around your hippocampus, thalamus and prefrontal cortex.
For the past half-century or more, conservation goals
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) announced that, following GlaxoSmithKline"s (GSK) appeal, it will reconsider the submission for Tyverb (lapatinib), a treatment for an aggressive form of advanced breast cancer (ErbB2-positive).1 GSK is pleased that NICE"s appeal panel agreed that the draft negative guidance should be reviewed, providing fresh hope for up to 2,000 women in the UK who could benefit from this effective treatment on the NHS.
The research team is headed by Prof. Kobi Rosenblum of the University of Haifa"s Department of Neurobiology and Ethology and has been awarded a grant of $815,000
Saudi Arabia"s warning to elderly Muslims, pregnant women and children against undertaking Hajj/Umrah pilgrimage this year in view of rapidly spreading swine flu worldwide sent a shock wave amongst Muslim community in Britain.
EFSA"s Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) has published five scientific opinions and a scientific report on the overall effects of the most relevant farming systems on the welfare of dairy cows and related diseases. The Panel concluded that long term genetic selection for higher milk yield and the nature of the farming systems used - i.e. housing and equipment, as well as management and handling practices - are major factors affecting the health and welfare of dairy cows. Lameness and mastitis are the most significant indicators of poor dairy cow welfare, as well as reproductive, metabolic and behavioural disorders. The Panel proposed a series of recommendations which could be taken into account by risk managers in view of further improving welfare in the areas of housing, feeding and the genetic selection of dairy cows.
Health Canada is informing Canadians of an ongoing safety review of the potential association between the diabetes drug Lantus (insulin glargine) and an increased risk of developing cancer.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) warned property owners to ensure that they keep accurate records of asbestos in their buildings and pass any information on to contractors.
UT Southwestern Medical Center and UT Arlington have reached an agreement with Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. to develop a groundbreaking toolbox of magnetically controlled surgical instruments for minimally invasive surgery.
Heavy drinking, being 45 to 49 years old, type 1 diabetes or having a preceding infection are associated with more than twice the risk of death in stroke patients 15 to 49 years old, according to a Finnish study.
The majority of post-menopausal women are uncomfortable talking about vaginal dryness and pain and are reluctant to seek medical help, according to results from a new international survey presented today at the European Congress on Menopause in London. Results from the survey show that over a third (39 percent) of post-menopausal women experience these symptoms of vaginal atrophy and 40 percent of women who have recently experienced vaginal dryness and pain said it interferes with their sex life, yet seven out of ten would not discuss the problem with their physician (only 30 percent of women would consider talking to a gynaecologist, and only 29 percent would consider talking to a GP).
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A new study shows that patients who use workplace primary care and pharmacy services have higher adherence rates to medications for chronic conditions, suggesting that by investing in integrated workplace health and pharmacy programs companies can realize health care savings while also improving patient outcomes.
A new tool will help researchers identify the minute changes in DNA patterns that lead to cancer, Huntington"s disease and a host of other genetic disorders. The tool was developed at North Carolina State University and translates DNA sequences into graphic images, which allows researchers to distinguish genetic patterns more quickly and efficiently than was historically possible using computers.
Although the fact that we generate new brain cells throughout life is no longer disputed, their purpose has been the topic of much debate. Now, an international collaboration of researchers made a big leap forward in understanding what all these newborn neurons might actually do. Their study, published in the July 10, 2009, issue of the journal Science, illustrates how these young cells improve our ability to navigate our environment.
As soccer continues to grow in popularity, injuries to soccer players are likely to increase as well. Certain injuries fall into gender-based patterns and new research at Hospital for Special Surgery suggests some underlying causes that could help lead to better treatment, or even prevention for present and future soccer stars.
Amarillo Biosciences, Inc. (ABI) (OTCBB: AMAR) announced that it has reached full enrollment in a Phase 2 clinical study of the company"s oral interferon product at the University of Western Australia located in Perth. A total of 200 healthy volunteers meeting all eligibility criteria have been enrolled to 16 weeks of treatment with oral interferon or matching placebo.
Students from Michigan Technological University have designed and developed a breakthrough in medical care that could save lives in a heartbeat.
The Health Care Follies CBS News /The New Republic
The American Heart Association has pledged $50,000 to fund the work of University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) biomedical engineering undergraduate students who are working to develop a computer program that teaches CPR using hand-held remote controls from the Nintendo® Wii video game console.
They are a group of drugs which millions of people rely on to keep pain at bay but they can have unwanted side-effects which are sometimes more serious than the original health problem. Now scientists at The University of Nottingham are taking part in the largest-ever study on the safety of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) that has ever been performed.
New results may help scientists develop treatments for women with a type of breast cancer that currently does not respond to targeted therapies.
UroToday.com - Men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) often suffer from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS; BPH-LUTS) such as urinary frequency, urgency, intermittency, nocturia, straining, incomplete emptying, or weak urinary stream. BPH-LUTS and erectile dysfunction (ED), both highly prevalent conditions in aging men, are frequently associated in the same men, may have common pathophysiological mechanisms, and contribute negatively to quality of life.
A doctor"s positive attitude to Alzheimer"s diagnosis and their trusting, personal relationships with local dementia support service providers are powerful enablers for early diagnosis of Alzheimer"s, according to new research reported at the Alzheimer"s Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer"s Disease (ICAD 2009) in Vienna.
Top researchers from the West Midlands are working to improve the treatment of conditions that affect millions of people. Across the region research into areas such as osteoarthritis, joint pain and sciatica, stroke prevention and treatment, community care for people living with diabetes, and the treatment of liver disease have received a real boost over the last three years.
Sequel Systems, Inc. announced it supports the recommendations from the US. Department of Health and Human Services" Meaningful Use Workgroup for the definition of "meaningful use" as it pertains to electronic health records (EHR).