National and International News
Shortage of cadavers threatens research - The Observer 06/11/05
Dead people make the best teachers. They may not understand questions or speak, but they do have one particularly useful skill - their remarkable threshold for pain makes them ideal anatomy manuals for trainee doctors. Thanks to them, a patient knows the surgeon brandishing the knife before them has done this before.
The mental block - The Observer 06/11/05
A review of studies of the impact of tourism (American Psychologist) suggests that gadding about on cheap airlines may not only be bad for the planet's health. Significant numbers of us become more psychologically distressed and physically ill during and after a holiday, compared with beforehand.
Cast a spell - The Observer 06/11/05
We all know fish is famed for improving our brain power. But that's small fry compared to its power to preserve our wits, reveals Dr John Briffa
Labour's 'new conservatives' are blocking reform - The Observer 06/11/05
Arrogance, infighting and stagnation will hand power back to the Tories, warns former Europe minister Denis MacShane
Bruno and me - The Observer 06/11/05
Kevin Mitchell spent months with Frank Bruno as they worked on his powerful autobiography. Here he reveals how the fighter was changed by his struggles with mental illness - and how candid he was about the torments of his life
Restraints policy puts lives in danger - The Observer 06/11/05
The memory of David 'Rocky' Bennett, a black mental health patient who died after being restrained face down by nurses for nearly half an hour, will be invoked this week in an attack on the government's failure to learn key lessons from his death.
Hell of the carers driven to breaking point - The Observer 06/11/05
As a loving mother is spared jail after killing her Down's son, a study says even the meagre help now offered to such parents is to be cut
Get stress out of your system - The Observer 06/11/05
Give control back to employees if you want them to be less pressurised, writes Simon Caulkin
Mother in challenge to 'secret' abortions - The Observer 06/11/05
Court case could make doctors inform teenagers' parents
Is it six o'clock yet? - The Guardian 05/11/05
For her parents, a bottle of Mateus rosé was a rare treat. For Emma Cook, like many, a glass a night is the norm. She wonders what she's teaching her children
Blair: This is a critical moment for Labour - The Guardian 05/11/05
Tony Blair warned Labour backbenchers yesterday not to fall for the "elephant trap" planted by opponents portraying him as increasingly detached from his own party. The prime minister admitted that his political enemies on both left and right were exploiting his decision to stand down before the next election, but denied that his power was waning.
A solid foundation for our hospitals - The Guardian 05/11/05
The first NHS foundation trusts are now 18 months old. Our critics believed our existence would be detrimental to the NHS, but we have confounded their predictions and are already demonstrating real value by using our freedoms to innovate and improve services for patients and local communities (Comment, November 4).
Skill mining - The Guardian 05/11/05
British professionals are migrating Down Under in increasing numbers - but Australia's 'brain gain' drive also has serious implications for the developing world. By Matt Keating
Microbiologists raising doubts? It must be a cover-up - The Guardian 05/11/05
There are times when it's just great to be alive: you're running through the archives, the wind's in your hair, suddenly you stumble on a gem from last year's Sunday Mirror and it just makes you bless the day you decided to become a sarcastic and hateful campaigning science journalist.
Epidemic of liver disease hits women drinkers - The Independent 06/11/05
Mother fights test case for cancer drug - The Sunday Times 06/11/05
A MOTHER of four has begun a High Court legal action that could result in the NHS having to give thousands of patients life-saving treatment that would otherwise be refused on the grounds of cost.
Winston's 'clever milk' campaign under fire - The Sunday Times 06/11/05
LORD WINSTON, the broadcaster and fertility doctor, has been accused by leading nutritionists of making unsubstantiated health claims about a new brand of milk as part of a 2m advertising campaign.
Healthy steps for men - The Sunday Times 06/11/05
For too long the government has hidden behind the alleged unreliability of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. This seems to be the case with Rosie Winterton MP, as it was when I raised it with her predecessor Baroness Hayman five years ago. The best advice for men is that, like Tim Staples (Letters, October 23), they should not wait for symptoms before seeking a "well man" test. Had I not done so in 1997, and found a PSA of 30 that led to discovery of small tumours in my prostate, they would have spread beyond the capsule and I would probably have joined the thousands who die every year.
Letters to the Editor: Junk foods culture - The Sunday Times 06/11/05
IN Fast food "needs health warning" (News, last week), Camillo Fracassini cited a report criticising McDonald's for "concentrating its restaurants in the most deprived areas". McDonald's certainly deserves its share of the blame for the poor dietary habits of Scotland. However, it is always easiest to criticise the evil multinational rather than the indigenous rubbish food industry.
MRSA report could open compensation floodgates - The Sunday Times 06/11/05
THE government is bracing itself for a multi-million-euro compensation bill from MRSA victims and their families following last week's damning report into the state of hygiene in Irish hospitals.
NHS wins nurse assault case - The Times 05/11/05
A man who attacked a nurse will be sentenced this month after the first successful prosecution for assault brought by the National Health Service.
Pledge for help in Malawi's Aids battle - The Times 05/11/05
JACK McCONNELL said yesterday that Scotland would help Malawi in its fight against HIV and Aids. The promise came at the start of a two-day conference in Edinburgh where Malawi's problems are being studied by politicians and experts from both countries.
Victims of lethal pandemic will be forced to stay home - The Times 05/11/05
Officials have spent a year planning their response to an outbreak in Britain
Let others make life-saving drug, company told - The Times 05/11/05
There's plenty to learn from the last great plague - The Times 05/11/05
$1bn cost to bring a new medicine to the market - The Times 05/11/05
Sick with flu? Stay at home - The Observer 06/11/05
Fresh bird flu outbreaks hit Asia - The Guardian 05/11/05
I watched the Spanish Lady kill my family - The Guardian 05/11/05
Bird flu deaths climb to five in Indonesia - Medical News Today 06/11/05
GenoMed Urges President Bush to Avoid Costly Avian Flu Mistake - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Doctors Advised to Plan Their Response to Flu Pandemic, BMJ, UK - Medical News Today 06/11/05
5 Questions That Need To Be Addressed At International Flu Meeting - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Travel sick - The Times 05/11/05
Stories behind the news: Patient Choice - can I go to a hospital that won't kill me, please?
Cabbage patch cure - The Times 05/11/05
A NATURAL food could cut breast-cancer risk by two thirds. Problem? It's raw cabbage, four times a week. Doctors investigating why Polish women's risk of breast cancer triples after they migrate to the United States - rising to the average American rate - now believe the difference is down to their diet.
Special issue: life begins at 14 - The Times 05/11/05
Science, sport, food, sex, hormones, sleep, psychology: how to raise a healthy, happy teenager
Caution! Mind under construction - The Times 05/11/05
It's not just the hormones, says Vivienne Parry. During puberty teenagers' brains are undergoing a radical readjustment
She's a big girl now - The Times 05/11/05
Helen Lederer and her daughter Hannah have a grown-up give-and-take relationship - until the tweezers get borrowed
Do they think they're immortal? - The Times 05/11/05
What do the students see as the biggest threats to their health, asks Simon Crompton
Hip hospital: young people only - The Times 05/11/05
Adolescent wards can ease recovery for teens, says Jane Owen
Teen technology: it's really very simple - The Times 05/11/05
Teenagers' slick graps of technology is leaving their parents behind. Worried that you can't keep up?
Teen technology: playing the fool - The Times 05/11/05
Are computer games just for morons? We asked two pupils from Roundwood Park. Worried about your teen's computer use?
'OMG, sooo embarrassing' - The Times 05/11/05
he most cringe-making moments - from parents you just can't take anywhere to a serious wardrobe malfunction in public My dad called me "squishy" in front of the fittest boy in the school
Quiz: Just how humiliating is it to have you as a parent? - The Times 05/11/05
These questions, provided by the Year 10 pupils of Roundwood Park School, will help you to find out.
When your parents part - The Times 05/11/05
Three girls reveal how they coped with the emotional fallout of the family breaking up. After a few years I learnt to love my dad again and to forgive him
Divorce: Irma Kurtz: they're not to blame - The Times 05/11/05
Children get divorced, too: the rhythm of their lives is broken suddenly when "forever" turns into "nevermore". Even if a union was fierce and rocky, it was also all that the children knew of home. Teenagers are especially shaken when their lifelong supports part company; divorcing parents are well advised to pay special attention to offspring in that vulnerable age group and to bear some points in mind.
Generation gap: you don't understand - The Times 05/11/05
Exams, peer pressure, stereotyping ... and adults say these are the best years of our lives.
Teen sex matters with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson - The Times 05/11/05
My 15-year-old daughter wants to go on the Pill. I worry that she'll have sex before she's ready. What should I do?
Be clear - it's a drag - The Times 05/11/05
My son, 13, mentioned that some boys in his class have started smoking and drink alcohol at weekends. He seems quite impressed. Would a strict talk on the health problems this can lead to help, or would you advise a low-key approach?
Grease is the word . . . - The Times 05/11/05
We asked the teens to keep food diaries: Jane Clarke is so shocked by them she's offering a few tips
At the top of their games - The Times 05/11/05
From trampolining to tap dancing: there are many ways Roundwood Park pupils keep themselves fit - and their dreams of superstardom alive
Teen profile: Luke Abrahams - The Times 05/11/05
Roundwood Park football star Luke Abrahams, 14, knows he has to be disciplined to win
Drive to wipe out malaria within decade - The Times 05/11/05
SCIENTISTS from around the world vowed yesterday to eradicate malaria, which kills a child every 30 seconds, within a decade.
The Thames: awash with cocaine - The Telegraph 06/11/05
The Thames is awash with cocaine as Londoners snort more than 150,000 lines of the class A drug every day.
Blair vows battle on sex slave trade - The Telegraph 06/11/05
Tony Blair has pledged to crack down on gangs who import sex slaves into Britain from eastern Europe.
A new message for teenagers: don't have sex - The Telegraph 06/11/05
Mutters of "gross" spread like wildfire as the photograph of some very unhealthy looking genitals appear, giant-sized, on the overhead projector.
Schizophrenic went 'berserk' on holiday jet - The Telegraph 05/11/05
A paranoid schizophrenic who drank six cans of cider before going "berserk" on a holiday jet was spared a prison sentence yesterday.
NHS takes ER route to solve staff shortage - The Telegraph 05/11/05
A new breed of "ER-style" health workers is being planned across the NHS in response to shortages of both doctors and nurses.
ER-style doctors' aides for NHS - The Guardian 05/11/05
Campaigners attack plans for 'safer' cigarettes - Daily Mail 06/11/05
Anti-smoking campaigners have said plans by one of the world's largest tobacco companies to launch so-called "safer" cigarettes in Britain could cost hundreds of thousands of lives.
'Safe cigarette' claimed to cut cancer by 90% - The Sunday Times 06/11/05
Hope over cheek lung cancer test - BBC Health News 06/11/05
A simple check of cells taken from inside the cheek can help give an early warning of lung cancer, a study says.
Edible vaccines 'to replace jabs' - BBC Health News 06/11/05
An edible allergy vaccine could one day replace injections, a study says.
Immune chemical MS treatment hope - BBC Health News 05/11/05
A substance made by immune cells may play a key role in the development of multiple sclerosis, research suggests.
Family balancing choice opposed - BBC Health News 05/11/05
Parents should not be allowed to choose their baby's sex simply to balance their family, a snapshot survey finds.
Weight loss surgery helps prevent diabetes - Reuters 04/11/05
The long-lasting weight reduction achieved with laparoscopic gastric banding, a minimally invasive type of weight loss surgery, can help in the prevention and remission of type 2 diabetes in obese patients, according to a report in the journal Diabetes Care. The surgery also helps stave off high blood pressure.
Withdrawn drug may help in Crohn's disease - Reuters 04/11/05
A drug pulled from the market by the manufacturer following reports of serious side effects in patients with multiple sclerosis may help some sufferers of Crohn's disease, a new study showed.
Obesity hikes Barrett's esophagus risk - Reuters 04/11/05
Abdominal obesity is associated with a higher risk of Barrett's esophagus, a condition in which cells that line the esophagus become abnormal that may be a precursor to cancer, according to a new report.
Exercise helps elderly cut long-term risk of falls - Reuters 04/11/05
Research has shown that starting an exercise program can lower an elderly woman's risk of falling, and a new study suggests the benefit can be lasting.
Osteoporosis screening, therapy is cost effective - Reuters 04/11/05
Screening all postmenopausal women for osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones, using bone densitometry and treatment of women found to have this condition is highly cost effective, regardless of age.
US OKs generic AIDS drug for children's use abroad - Reuters 04/11/05
Many doctors delay prescribing diabetes drugs or insulin to patients with type 2 diabetes for as long as possible, a new international study shows.
US OKs generic AIDS drug for children's use abroad - Reuters 04/11/05
U.S. health regulators approved a generic liquid version of GlaxoSmithKline's AIDS drug Epivir for use under the nation's program to help fight the disease in other countries, officials said on Friday.
Home HIV test could spur early treatment: panel - Reuters 04/11/05
An HIV test that can be used at home and promises results in 20 minutes could help more people get treated sooner, but raises concerns about how well patients could cope with the test findings on their own, a U.S. advisory panel heard on Thursday.
Low blood sugar a risk for active diabetic kids - Reuters 04/11/05
Children with type 1 diabetes are more likely to have an overnight drop in blood sugar on days when they get exercise, according to a new study.
Testicular Cancer Treatment Does Not Affect Most Men's Fertility, Study Says - Medical News Today 06/11/05
About 76% of men treated for testicular cancer who attempt to father a child are able to do so, but success is strongly associated with the type of treatment received, according to a study published in the Nov. 2 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Toronto's Globe and Mail reports. Marianne Brydoy, a researcher at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway, and colleagues examined 1,433 men living in Norway who were diagnosed with testicular cancer between 1980 and 1994 (Picard, Globe and Mail, 11/2). According to a follow-up survey conducted among the participants between 1998 and 2002, 554 attempted conception after receiving treatment for cancer. The researchers found that 71% of the men attempting conception were successful within 15 years of treatment without the use of frozen semen, and 76% were successful within 20 years. However, 48% of men who received high doses of chemotherapy fathered a child, compared with 92% of men who had the affected testicle removed (BBC News, 11/1). The researchers said the study should help physicians counsel "new or prior testicular cancer patients for whom fertility is a major concern," adding that sperm preservation should still be offered to all patients before undergoing testicular cancer therapy (Reuters Health, 11/1).
Testicular cancer survivors have good chance of fathering a child - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Targeted drug delivery achieved with nanoparticle-aptamer bioconjugates - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Ground-breaking results from researchers at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, disclosed at the 13th European Cancer Conference (ECCO) have shown for the first time that targeted drug delivery is possible using nanoparticle-apatamer conjugates.
ADHD Medication May Be Effective in Treatment of Hyperactivity in Autism - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Children with autism may benefit from a drug commonly prescribed for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to research published in the November issue of the JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION ARCHIVES OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY.
NSAID/ASA GI Safety - Medical News Today 06/11/05
When taken as directed, naproxen sodium and aspirin have proven to be safe and effective for millions of Americans. There are occasions when it is appropriate to take an over-the-counter (OTC) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with aspirin, but as our label clearly states, a doctor or pharmacist should first be consulted.
Chernobyl legacy sheds light on link between thyroid cancer and radiation exposure - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Study results presented at the 13th European Cancer Conference (ECCO 13) have provided further valuable insights into certain genetic mutations which occur in childhood thyroid tumours and their link to both radiation exposure and patient age.
New HFEA guidance strikes the right balance, says BMA, UK - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Commenting on the HFEA's (Human Fertilisation Embryology Authority's) guidance issued today [3 November 2005] for clinics assessing people seeking fertility treatment, the BMA said it was satisfied that the right balance had been struck between the reproductive freedom of those seeking treatment and the professional responsibilities of those who help people to conceive.
RCGP celebrates a century of MAP, UK - Medical News Today 06/11/05
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) celebrates its 100th candidate to successfully complete Membership by Assessment of Performance (MAP).
How good are alternative tobacco products? - Medical News Today 06/11/05
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one-fourth of Americans are smokers. That's more than 60 million people who are at increased for lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths nationwide.
New strides being made in chemoprevention - Medical News Today 06/11/05
There are a number of things people are told to do to prevent cancer - eat well, exercise, don't smoke. However, despite these obvious preventive measures, many individuals will develop the disease.
Sharing good practice in sex and relationships education conference - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Sexual health charity fpa and the Trust for the Study of Adolescence are holding a one-day conference 'Sex and Relationships Education - celebrating and sharing good practice' on the 13th December in London. The conference takes a practical look at sex and relationships education (SRE) and is aimed at people either working, or with an interest in the subject.
BMA Comment on NHS Confederation Survey on GP Registration, UK - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Commenting on an NHS Confederation survey of NHS Chief Executives on GP registration, Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the BMA's GPs committee said: "Repeated surveys show how much patients value having their own family doctor in their local GP practice. A GP can not only offer the comprehensive, personal care that is so highly valued, but act as patient advocate, safeguard the confidentiality of patients' personal details and ensure continuity of care.
Measure of Obesity Should Be Redefined to Accurately Assess Heart Attack Risk, The Lancet - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Waist-to-hip ratio, not body mass index (BMI), is the best obesity measure for assessing a person's risk of heart attack, concludes a global study published in this week's issue of The Lancet.
Apple shape predicts heart attack risk better than BMI - Medical News Today 05/11/05
New Drug Could Substantially Reduce Deaths From Heart Attack, The Lancet - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Adding the anti-platelet drug clopidogrel to aspirin for the emergency treatment of heart attacks could save thousands of lives each year, according to a study published in this week's issue of The Lancet.
Including older people in clinical research, BMJ - Medical News Today 06/11/05
An editorial in this week's BMJ argues that, although older people are the "core business of the NHS", they are being excluded from clinical trials for new treatments.
Headlines About Herceptin Show Equality Of Access To Costly Drugs Must Be Tackled, BMJ - Medical News Today 06/11/05
The recent press coverage on the use of Herceptin (brand name for the drug trastuzumab) for treating breast cancer in its early stages shows that issues of equal access to costly but effective drugs must be confronted, says an editorial in this week's BMJ.
Should Doctors Tell Patients About Expensive, Unfunded Drugs? - Medical News Today 06/11/05
It is unethical and paternalistic for doctors to withhold information from patients about new drugs that are not yet publicly funded, say researchers in this week's BMJ.
Fertility Treatment Puregon® Approved in China - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Organon, Akzo Nobel's human healthcare business, has received approval from the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration for its fertility treatment Puregon® solution.
Protein suppresses prostate cancer, enhances effects of vitamin E - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Researchers have identified a protein that disrupts an important signaling pathway in prostate cancer cells and suppresses growth of the cancer.
Vitamin D compounds show promise for prevention of prostate cancer- Medical News Today 05/11/05
High doses of ibuprofen cause significant GI bleeding, despite safety profile - Medical News Today 06/11/05
People who take high doses of ibuprofen on a regular basis are three times more likely to experience gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding than those who do not take painkillers. Results of a small, retrospective analysis published today in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology show that significant GI bleeding can be observed as early as three days after starting an ibuprofen regimen in otherwise healthy people--giving credence to the belief that high doses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), no matter the safety profile, are likely to cause gastrointestinal bleeding that can be harmful to the digestive system.
Diabetes 2, ACTOplus met™ (pioglitazone HCl and metformin HCl) - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. today announced that ACTOplus metTM (pioglitazone HCl and metformin HCl) is now available by prescription in pharmacies across the United States for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This is the second Takeda product launch in the United States this year, following the approval of ROZEREMTM (ramelteon) on July 22, 2005.
Cetuximab clinical trial programme accelerates - Medical News Today 06/11/05
The clinical trial programme for cetuximab (Erbitux) is gathering pace with new studies underway in a broad range of malignancies, according to presentations at the 13th Annual European Conference on Clinical Oncology, held this week in Paris, France.
Characteristic cardiac scar pattern predicts risk of fatal arrhythmias - Medical News Today 06/11/05
Pattern could also help rule out need for defibrillators in other patients.
Gene Variant May Contribute to Development of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma - Medical News Today 06/11/05
A new study has found that a genetic variant of the gene B-cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) may contribute to the development of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
Transcription Factor May Help to Regulate Telomerase Activity in Malignant Glioma - Medical News Today 06/11/05
The transcription factor E2F1 may participate in the regulation of telomerase activity in malignant glioma cells, according to a new study.
Combination microbicides protect monkeys against HIV-like virus - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Experiments in female monkeys have for the first time shown that when used in combination, vaginal gels known as microbicides can protect against an HIV-like virus. The research, funded largely by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), suggests that similar combination microbicides could potentially provide a safe, effective and practical way to prevent HIV transmission to women, according to study investigators.
Lung scarring diseases linked to genes and smoking - Medical News Today 05/11/05
New research shows that idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP), a group of potentially fatal disorders that affects the lungs, may be caused by an interaction between a specific genetic background and cigarette smoking. In a study of 111 families that had at least two relatives with IIP, people who smoked cigarettes were three times more likely than non-smokers to develop the disease. The research was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), both institutes within the National Institutes of Health.
Patients To Get Quicker Care As American 'ER' Style Roles Come To The NHS, UK - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Patients will get quicker access to care thanks to the introduction of American "ER" style roles
New therapeutic target identified in inherited brain tumor disorder - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Researchers studying a mouse model of neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), a genetic condition that causes childhood brain tumors, have found their second new drug target in a year, a protein called methionine aminopeptidase-2 (MetAP2).
Causes of primary biliary cirrhosis - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Large study pinpoints genetic and environmental factors - A case-control study of more than 2000 people has identified a number of factors that may induce primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in genetically susceptible individuals. These include a history of urinary tract infections, hormone replacement therapy, tobacco use, and nail polish use. The study is published in the November 2005 issue of Hepatology, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hepatology is available online via Wiley InterScience at interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology.
Children with chronic Hepatitis C benefit from interferon with ribavirin, safe and effective - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Nearly half of 118 children with chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treated with a combination of interferon-alpha-2b and an optimized dose of ribavirin achieved sustained viral response, and side effects were generally mild. These results are reported in the November 2005 issue of Hepatology, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).
Avoid jet lag with simple at home treatment, light box and melatonin - Medical News Today 05/11/05
A simple, at-home treatment - a single light box and the over-the-counter drug melatonin - allows travelers to avoid jet lag by resetting their circadian body clock before crossing several time zones, according to new research being published in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. This treatment can also help those with delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), a persistent condition that results from a misalignment between a person's internal biological clock and the external social environment.
Successful tests of new treatments in mice for eye disease causing irreversible blindness in humans - Medical News Today 05/11/05
A team led by Krzysztof Palczewski, Ph.D., chair of pharmacology at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, has taken the first steps in treating an eye disease causing irreversible congenital blindness in millions of people worldwide by successfully testing two new treatments in mice.
Diabetic black men have much lower amounts of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries than diabetic white men - Medical News Today 05/11/05
In a surprising outcome, investigators at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center found that diabetic black men have dramatically lower amounts of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, than diabetic white men.
New, stauncher targeted drug delivery system for cancer patients - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Prostate, breast and other cancer patients may be offered a new, stauncher targeted drug delivery system to treat their diseases in the next decade.
Many mistakenly think nicotine causes cancer, rather than the smoke - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Women who smoke are more concerned about their habit and their ability to quit than men, yet both genders appear misinformed about smoking and its link to cancer. In a new study presented at CHEST 2005, the 71st annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), the majority of smokers mistakenly believed nicotine causes cancer, leading many to smoke "light" cigarettes because they believed them to be less harmful. Women also were more likely than men to have feelings of guilt, fear, and worry associated with tobacco use and quitting the habit.
Family meals cut teenage fatness - Medical News Today 05/11/05
They might prefer to be in front of the TV or Playstation, but Brisbane teenagers are likely to be healthier if they eat meals with mum and dad.
When a somebody has cancer, what are the cancer risks for the rest of the family? - Medical News Today 05/11/05
After a person is diagnosed with cancer, increased surveillance among their family members may result in the earlier detection of asymptomatic familial cancers. This phenomenon is called detection bias and may occur for a variety of cancers, according to a new study in the November 2 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Testicular cancer survivors have good chance of fathering a child - Medical News Today 05/11/05
The overall rate of fatherhood after treatment for testicular cancer is high, but the ability to conceive and the time to conception are influenced by the type and intensity of treatment, according to a new study in the November 2 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Gas-blockers might slow down Alzheimer's disease - Medical News Today 05/11/05
A noxious gas speeds up brain degeneration in Alzheimer's disease, according to a study in the November 7 issue of The Journal of Experimental Medicine. Carl Nathan and colleagues at Cornell University Weill Medical College found that an enzyme that triggers the production of nitric oxide (NO) - a gas that helps immune cells fight off invading pathogens - accelerates the formation of brain lesions in Alzheimer's-prone mice. The study suggests that inhibitors of this enzyme (called iNOS) -- which have already been produced and tested in humans -- might be a promising and thus far overlooked therapy for the treatment of this devastating disease.
Primrose oil component cuts levels of cancer-causing gene Her-2/neu - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a substance in evening primrose oil and several other plant oils used in herbal medicine, inhibits action of Her-2/neu, a cancer gene that is responsible for almost 30 percent of all breast cancers, Northwestern University researchers report.
Single-visit program for cervical cancer screening increases rate of follow-up, treatment - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Low-income women with abnormal Pap tests who participated in a program that combines screening and treatment in one visit had a higher rate of treatment and follow-up than women who did not participate, according to a study in the November 2 issue of JAMA.
Clinical trials stopped early for benefit warrant skepticism from physicians - Medical News Today 05/11/05
A review article in the November 2 issue of JAMA suggests clinicians ought to view with skepticism the results of randomized clinical trials stopped early because of apparent benefit.
Neurological disease raises risk of complications from flu - Medical News Today 05/11/05
As another flu season approaches, patients with neurological and neuromuscular disease are especially vulnerable to respiratory failure caused by influenza. Researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia identified this high-risk group of patients, who have recently been added to the list of groups for whom the federal government recommends receiving annual influenza vaccine.
Using UV light to improve the quality and safety of tap water - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Researchers at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering have developed a new way to measure microbes' exposure to ultraviolet light. The tool could bolster efforts to use UV light to improve the quality and safety of tap water in the U.S.
Your mouth has a sensor that promotes preference for fatty foods - Medical News Today 05/11/05
The sense of taste informs the organism about the quality of ingested food. It comprises five sub-modalities that perceive sweet, salt, sour, bitter, and umami stimuli. The possibility for an additional taste modality directed to lipid has often been suggested because many animals exhibit a spontaneous attraction for fats, but the existence of an actual sensor remained a matter of debate.
Why can't antiviral therapy can't eliminate HIV infection, what can be done? - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Antiviral therapy has been used to suppress HIV replication and has dramatically improved the clinical course of disease in affected patients. But the existence of viral reservoirs precludes the complete elimination of HIV from treated patients. In a new study appearing on November 1 in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, Tae-Wook Chun and colleagues from the NIH offer new insight into the eradication of HIV in infected individuals receiving antiviral therapy.
Infectious disease doctors respond to President Bush's strategy on pandemic influenza - Medical News Today 05/11/05
The following statement can be attributed to Martin J. Blaser, MD, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America: The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) applauds President Bush and his administration for outlining an aggressive domestic and international approach to pandemic influenza preparedness and giving this issue the high level of attention that it warrants. IDSA has long urged the U.S. government to develop preparedness and response strategies to limit the death, pain, human suffering, and economic burden that will result from a pandemic.
Cranberries more than a complement to the Thanksgiving turkey - Medical News Today 05/11/05
An antioxidant comparison of some of the most common fruits found that the little red berry - in its pure form - contains the highest quantity of disease-fighting phenols, a type of antioxidant that is thought to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, stroke and heart disease.
Onions may decrease bone loss, study - Medical News Today 05/11/05
Besides adding flavor to a Thanksgiving favorite like stuffing, onions also may be good for your bones.
Hot drinks in cold weather: they do more than warm the bones - Medical News Today 05/11/05
With the winter winds just over the horizon, three popular hot drinks will not only warm you up, but could also heat up your immune system and possibly help prevent certain ailments.
An apple a day - some better than others - Medical News Today 05/11/05
The cold season is nothing to sneeze at, but here's something that might help: researchers say some apples might do a better job of keeping the doctor away than others.
Promising obesity therapy receives follow-on funding - Medical News Today 04/11/05
Brisbane-based Adipogen Pty Ltd has raised a further $2.25 million to support the development of a novel treatment for obesity.
New studies quantify effects of ADHD medication on children's emotional expression - Medical News Today 04/11/05
Common reasons behind a reluctance to employ drug therapy for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are that children will be subjected to a 'chemical cosh' and 'turned into zombies' on one hand, or made more excitable on the other. There are also concerns that therapy might depress mood and provoke suicidal ideation. Now a new 29-item assessment tool has been validated that allows parents and care staff to study and quantify scientifically any effect, positive or negative, that medication has on a child's emotional expression and to monitor change over time.
New monoclonal antibody therapies offer significant survival advantage for breast cancer patients - Medical News Today 04/11/05
Results from the first and only interim analysis of an important trial assessing the potential of Herceptin (trastuzumab) to improve disease-free survival (DFS) in HER-2 positive breast cancer patients after adjuvant chemotherapy, have shown that Herceptin affords a significant survival advantage. These new findings were released at the 13th European Cancer Conference (ECCO) on the recommendation of the Independent Data Monitoring Committee.
Improvement in work attendance after consistent treatment of IBS, study - Medical News Today 04/11/05
A new study shows that treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) with constipation may have a significant impact on absenteeism from work, as well as improving presenteeism - defined as coming to work but being less productive. Canadian researchers from The University of Alberta and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada presented findings of a study of tegaserod in patients with IBS characterized by constipation at the 70th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology.
A novel model to pinpoint human androgen receptor targets developed - Medical News Today 04/11/05
Computational prediction and experimental verification of androgen receptor binding within the prostate cancer genome.
U.S. Lawmakers Agree to Foreign Aid Spending Bill With More Than Bush Requested for HIV/AIDS, Less for MCA - Medical News Today 04/11/05
Senate and House negotiators on Tuesday agreed to a $20.9 billion foreign aid appropriations bill for fiscal year 2006 that includes more money to fight global HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria than President Bush requested but less funding than he proposed for the Millennium Challenge Account, which is meant to encourage economic and political reform in developing countries, Reuters reports (Allen, Reuters, 11/1). Bush's total FY 2006 budget request for all departments included $3.2 billion to fight the three diseases worldwide, including $300 million for the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 7/21). The measure includes $2.8 billion to fight the three diseases, which is $268 million more than Bush requested for the diseases through the foreign aid spending bill (Klug, AP/Barre-Montpelier Times Argus, 11/1). That amount includes $450 million for the Global Fund, two times the amount the White House requested (Rogers, Wall Street Journal, 11/2). The amount also includes nearly $2 billion for the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, which administers the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Global Health Council release, 11/2). The bill also would provide $1.7 billion in FY 2006 for MCA. That amount is $282 million above last year's appropriation but less than the almost $3 billion Bush had requested (Reuters, 11/1). When Bush created MCA in 2002, he had planned to provide $5 billion to the program in FY 2006. However, the program over the last two years has approved agreements with only four countries for projects totaling $610 million, even though Congress has appropriated $2.5 billion during that time (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 6/30). The bill now heads to the full House and Senate for final passage (Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation release, 11/1).
Researchers Urge FDA To Require Prescription Drug Risks To Be Placed Prominently in Ads - Medical News Today 04/11/05
FDA on Tuesday began two days of hearings to determine whether and how direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs should be regulated, the Los Angeles Times reports. According to Robert Temple, director of medical policy at FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, the agency is seeking comments from drug company executives, university researchers, consumer advocates and medical experts on methods to better convey complicated medical information through advertisements. Temple added that there are no specific plans to implement new regulations or guidelines (Murphy, Los Angeles Times, 11/2). Ruth Day, an associate professor at Duke University who studies consumer understanding of drug ads, said information about drug risks must be presented in a more consumer-friendly format and displayed more prominently in ads. "The risk information is physically present, but functionally absent," Day said. She noted a 2005 study that found information about a drug's benefits in ads was on average presented at a sixth-grade reading level, while risk information was at an eighth-grade level (Higgins, Washington Times, 11/2). In addition, Day said that after reading or viewing a drug ad, "80% of people can recall what a drug's benefits are; 20% can recall what the side effects are." She said, "We need to improve the cognitive accessibility of risk information" (Los Angeles Times, 11/2). Gary Stein of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists recommended that "rapid-fire" delivery of risk information about drugs be slowed and on-screen text be added to make the information easier to follow.
FDA To Announce New Requirement That Drug Makers Submit Digital Labels for Medications - Medical News Today 04/11/05
Drug makers will be required to submit all new or changed labels in a digital format, under a new drug label protocol FDA officials are expected to announce on Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reports. Under the current label system, there is no central source with up-to-date label information, though most drug makers post labels on their Web sites and the information is included on the FDA Web site. In addition, consumers "rarely see the labels and even doctors often find them tough to navigate," the Journal reports. The new protocol, the first stage of FDA's larger effort to update drug labels, also will require drug makers to submit digital versions of all existing labels to the agency within the next year. The National Library of Medicine will compile the digital labels into an online public archive, called Daily Med, and FDA later this year will launch a Web site containing the drug label information, as well as information about medical devices and other products the agency regulates. Acting FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach said the aim of the new requirement is to provide labels in a "timely, user-friendly format." FDA later this year is expected to announce size and content changes for labels (Wilde Mathews, Wall Street Journal, 11/2).
Low-Income Women With Limited Access to Health Care Might Benefit From Faster Cervical Cancer Tests, Treatment, Studies Say - Medical News Today 04/11
Low-income women in the U.S. and developing countries who have limited access to health care and are at high risk of developing cervical cancer might benefit more from two simplified and quicker types of screening and treatment instead of traditional testing and treatment, according to two studies published on Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the New York Times reports (Grady, New York Times, 11/2). In the first study, researchers from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, Columbia University and other organizations administered Digene's Hybrid Capture 2 human papillomavirus test to women at three clinics in South Africa. Women who tested positive for HPV -- the sexually transmitted disease that causes most cases of cervical cancer -- were treated during a second doctor's visit a few days later. Six months later, less than 1% of the women who were administered the test were found to have cells damaged by HPV, compared with 3.6% of the women in a control group who were not tested and treated. Some women with false-positive test results might be treated unnecessarily under this system, but some experts believe the trade-off might save lives in countries where women lack access to care, Bloomberg/Detroit Free Press reports (Fay Cortez, Bloomberg/Detroit Free Press, 11/2).
Cheshire and Mersey News
Alex, 8, battles back after mystery illness - Warrington Guardian 05/11/05
WITH her pretty face and long blond hair, Alex McMillan shows no sign of the mystery ailment that paralysed her.
Think twice before going to A&E - Warrington Guardian 04/11/05
GIVEN the choice, you wouldn't join the longest queue in the supermarket.
Food or smoke poser for pubs - Middlewich Guardian 04/11/05
THE Government has come under fire from the public and MPs after failing to impose a total ban on smoking in venues across England.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Drug addicts turn their lives around - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 04/11/05
PEOPLE who have successfully battled drug addiction have been presented with special awards for their "determination, commitment and dedication".
Action to reduce the air pollution dangers - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 05/11/05
ENVIRONMENT chiefs have urged residents in areas with air pollution to work with them to cut toxic nitrogen dioxide levels.
Matron's novel idea for children - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 04/11/05
A special children's book called Jack goes to Hospital has been produced by a Chorley nurse.
Health chief launches war on superbug - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 04/11/05
PATIENTS will only be allowed two visitors at a time and staff will be banned from wearing uniforms outside hospital as part of new MRSA controls.
Have a heart and help us raise 580,000 for coronary care - Lancaster Guardian 04/11/05
THE Royal Lancaster Infirmary launched its £580,000 fundraising appeal this week to improve services for cardiac patients in the area.
Hospitals' art attack - Lancashire Evening Post 04/11/05
More than £250,000 was spent on artwork in Lancashire's hospitals over the past two years, a Government minister has revealed.
Greater Manchester News
Top doc faces patient care probe - Manchester Evening News 04/11/05
A TOP doctor at Hope Hospital has been suspended after complaints from patients and staff.
Penny for the doctor - Bolton Evening News 05/11/05
SEEING double . . . all in the name of Guy Fawkes fun.
Leaflets will warn women about cancer - Bury Times 04/11/05
THOUSANDS of leaflets warning women of the danger of gynaecological cancers are being sent to GPs across the borough.
An initiative to combat binge drinking - Bolton Evening News 04/11/05
GOVERNMENT intentions to ban drinking alcohol on buses and trains is hardly likely to change the culture of binge drinking in this country.
