Contents
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National News
1,000 dentists expected to quit NHS in contract row - The Guardian 01/04/06
An exodus of about 1,000 dentists from the NHS in England was predicted last night by the chief executives of primary care trusts, who take over management of the service from today.
Drill and fill is not the answer - The Guardian 01/04/06
NHS dentistry 'facing problems' - BBC Health News 31/03/06
UK dentists warn on service as deal deadline looms - Reuters 31/03/06
Doctors' orders - The Guardian 01/04/06
There's an epidemic of hospital dramas at the moment, some of them graphically realistic. Who would you want at your bedside? Grace Dent assembles her medical dream team
Nine to be charged over NHS drugs price-fixing - The Guardian 01/04/06
Nine drugs industry executives are to be charged next week following a four-year fraud investigation into an alleged price-fixing cartel believed to have defrauded the NHS out of many millions of pounds by falsely inflating the price of two of Britain's most commonly prescribed medicines.
Drugs firm chiefs face charge over NHS fraud- The Telegraph 01/04/06
Surgeon 'could have put breast cancer patients at risk' - The Guardian 01/04/06
Significant numbers of women may have been put at risk of their breast cancer returning because they were not given the best care at a hospital in the Bradford NHS Trust, according to a cancer statistician.
Hospital 'failed cancer patients' - BBC Health News 01/04/06
Emma Mitchell: Dandruff and fertility fears - The Guardian 01/04/06
A hairdresser once told me, when I asked what caused dandruff, 'It's constitutional.' What does it mean?
Seven headache triggers - The Guardian 01/04/06
We all know the obvious reasons for brain pain - like hangovers or stress - but there may be other more surprising causes. Jacqui Ripley reports
A death foretold - The Guardian 01/04/06
Nearly half the female prison population try to kill themselves. Sarah Campbell succeeded: she should have had psychiatric help, but instead found herself in jail. Simon Hattenstone reports
Call that risky? - The Guardian 01/04/06
They are the issues that panic the nation. But how worried should we really be? Zoe Williams assesses six pressing risks
Mothers' helper - The Guardian 31/03/06
In 1985, obstetric consultant Wendy Savage hit the headlines when her anti-caesarean views led to her suspension. So how does she feel now that caesarean births have soared to one in four? Natasha Walter finds out
Smells a bit iffy: aromatherapy is nothing more than 'bunkum' - The Independent 01/04/06
Britons spend millions of pounds on it every year. Seventy-five per cent of people believe that the ancient Chinese practice of healing by essential oil odours works. But new research claims that aromatherapy is a waste of time and money. In fact, in the words of one expert, it is nothing but "bunkum".
Sceptics sense victory as study dismisses alleged benefits of aromatherapy - The Times 01/04/06
Aromatherapy: Nice smell, but no health benefit - Daily Mail 01/04/06
Pregnancy does not slow the brain down - The Independent 01/04/06
After forgetting to thank her fiancé in her Oscar speech, Rachel Weisz, the actress, blamed it on her pregnancy, saying her brain was "like porridge".
Expectant mothers may not be so scatty - The Times 01/04/06
Pregnant women 'do not deserve scatterbrain image' - The Telegraph 01/04/06
Soft drinks pulled from shelves over cancer fear - The Times 01/04/06
Watchdog demands inquiry over benzene levels in 26 popular brands
Soft drinks are recalled in scare over cancer chemical - The Telegraph 01/04/06
Cancer chemical 'in soft drinks' - BBC Health News 31/03/06
Early twenties 'a bad age' for birth - The Times 01/04/06
CHILDREN do better at school if their mothers wait until their mid to late 20s before starting their families, research suggests.
Science of spring fever - The Times 01/04/06
Feeling chirpy — even a bit sexy? There’s a good reason why we get a bit daffy this time of year
Good news for rows - The Times 01/04/06
IF YOU want to defuse a simmering domestic row, try censoring your partner’s choice of news stories.
S-s-stuck for words - The Times 01/04/06
From Moses to Marilyn, former stutterer Iain Finlayson is in good company
Taking a clean break - The Times 01/04/06
Want to wash that man out of your hair? Visit a spa, says Laura Reznik
Tracking down a killer - The Times 01/04/06
Sandra Hempel unravels the story of the man who solved the mystery of cholera
Bodylicious: wrinkle removers - The Times 01/04/06
If you are striving for a flawless complexion, today’s temporary wrinkle fillers are better than ever.
Field day for little lambs - The Times 01/04/06
The season of fluffy yellow chicks and gambolling lambs is upon us, although if you live anywhere vaguely metropolitan it’s unlikely that you’ll see either. Visiting a farm is a great way to enjoy the outdoors at this time of year, particularly if you have children, as many have petting pens and adventure playgrounds attached. Whether you’re looking for organic food, country walks or a day out with the kids, here is our pick of the best.
Dr Copperfield: inside the mind of a GP - The Times 01/04/06
You could have been forgiven for thinking that April Fool’s Day had come a little early if you read the story of Emily, 9, who cut her finger at school.
Disclose full costs of IVF - The Times 01/04/06
Infertility treatment in Britain remains an overwhelmingly private business. In spite of the Government’s pledge to fund one free cycle of IVF for most couples, more than 70 per cent of patients pay for their therapy, parting with an average of 3,500 for every attempt. The industry is estimated to be worth up to 500 million a year and has made some doctors very rich.
Grandpa, we love you . . . - The Times 01/04/06
He thinks the grandchildren are rude; they think he’s scary. Just try to be patient, says Jane Fearnley- Whittingstall
We need a family helpline - The Times 01/04/06
I have three gorgeous children, 3, 18 months and 3 months, and my husband and I run our own business. We are interested in meeting a trained family or children’s therapist once a month to talk about the challenges we face as a family. Can you point us in the right direction?
Eco-worrier: electric lights - The Times 01/04/06
If you are planning to return to a room within an hour, isn’t it economical to leave the light on? My husband says it’s not.
Agony & ecstasy: spice is nice at bedtime - The Times 01/04/06
At the risk of being rather boring (no swining or gap porn, please), may I have some advice for a happily married woman on keeping her sex life spicy?
What's up doc? Pulling down your eyelids - The Times 01/04/06
Why bother? Your doctor is revealing some mucous membrane, which is the lining of a body cavity exposed to the outside — in this case, the lining inside your eyelid. While he’s there, he might pull back the upper lid, too, to reveal the sclera, or white part of your eyeball.
We need a family helpline - The Times 01/04/06
I have three gorgeous children, 3, 18 months and 3 months, and my husband and I run our own business. We are interested in meeting a trained family or children’s therapist once a month to talk about the challenges we face as a family. Can you point us in the right direction?
Going back to Mother Nature - The Times 01/04/06
Wendy Cook’s life with the comic genius Peter Cook sowed the seeds for interest in food. She tells Rose Shepherd how she returned to her roots
Menu mentor - The Times 01/04/06
Not only are Wagamama noodle bars child-friendly, but there’s something to keep both adults and kids happy. The big bowls of noodles are fun to slurp while being light and tasty, and there can’t be many places where you will see children tucking into bowls of edamame, freshly steamed soya beans. All of which makes Wagamama great for healthy yummy food, to suit your mood and your pocket.
At your table: rhubarb - The Times 01/04/06
Although the markets have been devoid of colour recently, bar the squashes and the dark green leaves of kale and Savoy cabbage, the pretty blush-pink stalks of forced rhubarb have lifted my spirits.
Going back to Mother Nature - The Times 01/04/06
Wendy Cook’s life with the comic genius Peter Cook sowed the seeds for interest in food. She tells Rose Shepherd how she returned to her roots
Listen up — if I can make these, anyone can - The Times 01/04/06
The kitchen's the place for wholesome family fun, says Nora Sands, Jamie Oliver's dinner lady
Not just anybody: Amanda Donahoe - The Times 01/04/06
Actress Amanda Donohoe, 43, worries about world peace but a good wine can lift her spirits
Savvy shopper: small but perfectly formed- The Telegraph 01/04/06
Rose Prince looks at the wonderful balance of essential nutrients that can be found in seeds
Paying for care without having to sell the home - The Telegraph 01/04/06
Review proposes a fairer system, writes Rosie Murray-West
Pensioners punished for splashing out on heating, not iPods - The Telegraph 01/04/06
Soaring household bills mean inflation for older people is a third higher than government figures, says Alison Steed
Drug test man tells of fury at doctors- The Telegraph 01/04/06
The medical volunteer whose head swelled to three times its normal size after he took an experimental drug spoke about his ordeal for the first time last night.
Drug trial man's fury at ordeal - BBC Health News 31/03/06
Two more drug trial men sent home - BBC Health News 31/03/06
Get a life: pretend to be someone else - The Telegraph 01/04/06
Part four of self-help guru Nina Grunfeld’s eight-step guide to greater confidence
Why Gwyneth is not her baby's servant - The Telegraph 31/03/06
Nanny Rachel Waddilove tells Cassandra Jardine about the kind of advice she offers her celebrity clients
'Anorexia almost killed me' - Daily Mail 31/03/06
A teenage boy has spoken of his three-year battle with anorexia which almost cost him his life.
Cancer drug may end side effects - BBC Health News 31/03/06
A new device for cancer patients could end the side effects of chemotherapy such as hair loss and vomiting, researchers say.
Patients Benefit From New GP Contract, UK - Medical News Today 01/04/06
More than 8,700 patients in England will be saved from potentially life threatening cardiovascular illnesses over the next five years as a direct result of just one aspect of the new GP contract which completes its second full year this weekend (1 April 2006) says the BMA's GPs committee.
101 Ways To Improve Care And Reduce Healthcare Expenditure - Medical News Today 01/04/06
An increasing number of healthcare services are being offered across mobile and wireless networks. The healthcare providers' desire to cut costs, and the arrival of a new generation of mobile ehealth services, will speed up deployment. But can mobile operators afford to stay in the race?
NHS Debts And Waiting Lists Still A Problem For Labour - Plaid Cymru, Wales - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Plaid's Shadow Health Minister Helen Mary Jones AM has welcomed the latest figures showing that there was a slight decrease in the number of patients on a hospital waiting list compared to the previous month.
Doctors Call For Action To Improve Care For The Elderly, UK - Medical News Today 01/04/06
The British Medical Association on 30 March, 2006, welcomed the latest King's Fund recommendations1 for an end to means-testing for social care services for older people, and extra investment to fund substantial reform.
New Device Could Cut Chemotherapy Deaths - Medical News Today 01/04/06
A new method of delivering chemotherapy to cancer patients without incurring side effects such as hair loss and vomiting is being developed.
Parents Need To Be Educated About HPV Vaccinations For Daughters - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Parents of young girls may soon be offered the opportunity to have their daughters immunised against a sexually transmitted virus that is the major cause of cervical cancer, the 4th International Conference on Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Medicine heard.
UK Parents Need To Be Educated About HPV Vaccinations For Daughters - Medical News Today 01/04/03
Truly Informed Consent Must Include Talking About Future Fertility, Warn Experts - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Talking about sex and fertility can be just as embarrassing for medical staff as for adolescent cancer patients, the 4th International Conference on Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Medicine heard today.
DTI Safety Biomarker Funding Welcomed By Association Of The British Pharmaceutical Industry - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Faster discovery of new, safer medicines and a reduction in animal research are among potential outcomes of a new £8million fund to stimulate research into safety biomarkers. The fund, set up by the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI), has been warmly welcomed by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).
Doctors Must Work Together Better To Improve Survival In Teenage And Young Adult Cancer Patients - Medical News Today 31/03/06
Cancer doctors across the UK and beyond need to make a concerted and coordinated effort to improve the treatment and care of young people with cancer, according to the UK's first Professor of Teenage and Young Adult Cancer.
Vitamin C And E Supplements Do Not Prevent Pre-eclampsia In Pregnant Women At Risk - Medical News Today 31/03/06
Vitamin C and E supplements do not lower the risk of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women with a high chance of developing the condition, according to the results of a randomised trial published online ( March, 2006) by The Lancet. The study also found that vitamin C and E supplements might increase the rate of low birthweight babies.
International News
If you want to get better - don't say a little prayer - The Guardian 01/04/06
If a religious person offers to pray for you next time you fall ill, you may wish politely to ask them not to bother. The largest scientific study into the health effects of prayer seems to suggest it may make matters worse.
Study tests the power of prayer and finds it could make matters worse - The Independent 01/04/06
Praying Doesn't Help The Sick Get Better - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Parents jailed for killing their babies - The Times 01/04/06
A WOMAN who repeatedly gave birth, only to put her infants in a freezer or entomb them in cement-filled buckets, has been convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Airlines tackle DVT fear- The Telegraph 01/04/06
Emirates has installed a sophisticated new medical system on its aircraft in an attempt to tackle in-flight health problems related to long-haul journeys.
Help health in Africa, EU told - The Telegraph 01/04/06
Britain is to press other EU nations to stop luring away so many doctors and nurses from Africa.
New Human Retrovirus Originated In Mice - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers and their colleagues have discovered a new retrovirus in humans that is closely related to a cancer-causing virus found in mice. Their findings describe the first documented cases of human infection with a retrovirus that is native to rodents.
Daughters Of Indian Immigrants Continue Trend Of Giving Birth To Small Babies - Medical News Today 01/04/06
U.S.-born Asian-Indian women are more likely than their Mexican-American peers to deliver low birth weight infants, despite having fewer risk factors, say researchers at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and Stanford's School of Medicine. The finding confirms previous research that showed a similar pattern in more recent immigrants, and suggests that physicians should consider their patients' ethnic backgrounds when planning their care.
Sleep Apnea Treatment Benefits The Heart - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Patients with obstructive sleep apnea have enlarged and thickened hearts that pump less effectively, but the heart abnormalities improve with use of a device that helps patients breathe better during sleep, according to a new study in the April 4, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Nanoporous 'sponge' Removes Mercury From Offshore Produced Waters - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Contaminated water resulting from offshore oil and gas platform drilling contains mercury and other toxic heavy metals. Mercury concentrations in these retrieved waters can be as high 2,000 parts per billion, therefore they need to be treated before they can be safely discharged to the environment. The complex mixture of constituents including salts and petroleum hydrocarbons presents a challenge for mercury removal using currently available conventional technologies.
Extensive Cell Phone Use Linked To Brain Tumors, Swedish Study - Medical News Today 01/04/06
According to a Swedish study, if you spend many years using your cell phone for at least an hour a day your risk of developing a brain tumor is 240% higher than a person who never uses one. The results of this study go against another recent one carried out in the UK and published in January, 2006, which indicated that cell phone use is safe for humans.
Long-term mobile phone use raises brain tumor risk: study - Reuters 31/03/06
First Clinical Trial Of Gene Therapy For Muscular Dystrophy Now Under Way - Medical News Today 01/04/06
The first gene therapy human trial in the United States for a form of muscular dystrophy is under way.
Virginia Tech Research Finds Swedish Method Of Human Cartilage Repair Shows Good Durability - Medical News Today 01/04/06
As the population ages, arthritis will become more prevalent. It would be helpful to know more about the causes and treatments of cartilage wear.
Cellular Scale Drug Delivery From The Inside Out May Revolutionise Cancer Treatments - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Delivering a dose of chemotherapy drugs to specific cancer cells without the risk of side affects to healthy cells may one day be possible thanks to a nanoscale drug delivery system being explored by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory.
DNA Gene Vaccine Protects Against Harmful Protein Of Alzheimer's Disease - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Doses of DNA-gene-coated gold particles protect mice against a protein implicated in Alzheimer's disease, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.
Cortex Matures Faster In Youth With Highest IQ - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Youths with superior IQ are distinguished by how fast the thinking part of their brains thickens and thins as they grow up, researchers at the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have discovered. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans showed that their brain's outer mantle, or cortex, thickens more rapidly during childhood, reaching its peak later than in their peers - perhaps reflecting a longer developmental window for high-level thinking circuitry. It also thins faster during the late teens, likely due to the withering of unused neural connections as the brain streamlines its operations. Drs. Philip Shaw, Judith Rapoport, Jay Giedd and colleagues at NIMH and McGill University report on their findings in the March 30, 2006 issue of Nature.
Study Shows Drug Blocks Breast Cancer Migration To Bone - Medical News Today 01/04/06
An international research team has identified what may be a critical molecule in the ability of tumours to metastasize -- or spread -- into bone. The research, initiated at the University of Toronto and continued at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA) in Vienna, found that a protein in bone called RANKL appears to communicate with a receptor in breast, prostate and skin cancer cells -- telling them to migrate. Moreover, a drug already known to block RANKL's activity may prevent cancers from spreading into the bone.
Simple Idea To Dramatically Improve Effectiveness Of Dengue Vaccinations - Medical News Today 01/04/06
An innovative new study explains, for the first time, the failure of previous attempts to vaccinate against the four known Dengue viruses, and it suggests a very simple solution - injecting the four vaccines simultaneously at different locations on the body.
CU, Harvard Researchers Team Up To Break Down Causes Of Alzheimer's - Medical News Today 01/04/06
An enzyme previously associated with preventing the dementia of Alzheimer's disease now appears to play an even bigger role in safeguarding against the disease, bringing the promise of new targets for drug therapies.
The Unchecked Activity Of A Cell Signaling Pathway Crucial In Embryonic Development And The Liver's Response To Injury Leads To Liver Cancer - Medical News Today 01/04/06
The unchecked activity of a cell signaling pathway crucial in embryonic development and the liver's response to injury leads to liver cancer, researchers from Duke University Medical Center and John Hopkins University School of Medicine have found.
Picking Apart How Neurons Learn - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Johns Hopkins researchers have used mouse mutants to define critical steps involved in learning basic motor skills. The study focuses on the behavior of two proteins and the specific steps they take to control a neuron's ability to learn by adapting to signals from other nerve cells.
Researchers Identify New Childhood-onset Epilepsy Disorder And Its Genetic Cause - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Researchers from the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and the Clinic for Special Children (CSC) in Strasburg, PA, have described a new childhood-onset disorder characterized by severe epilepsy and autistic traits, and identified its genetic basis.
Treatment Reduces Gastric Ulcers In At-risk Patients Using Long-term NSAIDS - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Results from two clinical trials, to be published in the April 2006 edition of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, indicate that esomeprazole magnesium can reduce the incidence of gastric (stomach) ulcers in patients at risk of developing gastric ulcers and who regularly take either non-selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or COX-2-selective NSAIDs.
Blood Center's High-tech Help For US's Blood Shortage - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Research published in Transfusion reveals that e-mail is an effective way of both attaining new whole-blood donors and increasing donations from current participants. Over the measurement period, new donors with e-mail addresses increased by 74%, while those without e-mail addresses grew only 2%.
Pioneering Strategies To Prevent Pediatric Diabetes To Be Tested In NYC Public Schools - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Interventions To Combat Epidemic Of Obesity And Obesity-Related Diseases Will Be Tailored To 4 Different Ethnic Populations; Genetic Predispositions Also Will Be Tested.
Simple And Inexpensive Follow-up Test For Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Developed By St. Jude - Medical News Today 01/04/06
nvestigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have developed a relatively simple and inexpensive test that identifies children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who have responded well enough to their first round of chemotherapy that they might be successfully treated with a much less aggressive follow-up treatment.
COPD - AstraZeneca Welcomes Preliminary Results From TORCH - Medical News Today 01/04/06
AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN , NYSE: AZN) has welcomed preliminary results from the TORCH (TOwards a Revolution in COPD Health) study1, suggesting combination therapies containing an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and long-acting beta 2 agonist (LABA) have the potential to show mortality benefits for COPD patients.
The Less A Child Sleeps, The More Overweight He Or She Is Likely To Become - Medical News Today 01/04/06
The less a child sleeps, the more likely he or she is to become overweight, researchers from Université Laval's Faculty of Medicine report in an article published in the latest edition of the International Journal of Obesity. The risk of becoming overweight is 3.5 times higher in children who get less sleep than in those who sleep a lot, according to researchers Jean-Philippe Chaput, Marc Brunet, and Angelo Tremblay.
Medical International Technology Announces Its Malaysian Distributor Continues To Combat Influenza H5N1 - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Medical International Technology Inc. (OTC BB:MDLH.OB - News) announced today that it has received another order from its Malaysian Distributor, ‘Rhone Ma Malaysia', and has shipped an additional 10 units of its patented AGRO-JET Needle Free Injector. The units will be used in both the pork and poultry industries.
Vidacare® Announces Lithium Battery-Powered EZ-IO® Power Driver - Much Longer Shelf Life, Improved Control And User Experience - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Vidacare®, manufacturer of the EZ-IO® product system, the leading solution for immediate vascular access when conventional IV access is challenging or impossible, today announced the addition of an improved lithium-powered driver to replace the alkaline battery-powered drivers used with the EZ-IO product system.
Teenagers With Cancer Need To Understand That Life Or Death Can Depend On Taking Their Treatments Properly - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Teenagers and young adults with cancer need to understand the implications of not taking their treatments regularly, at the right time, and for the whole course. Those who don't are seriously compromising their future health - and for some it will be the difference between life and death.
Smokeless Tobacco Use Has Dropped Dramatically Among USA's Youth - Medical News Today 01/04/06
The anti-tobacco message seems to have hit home among American adolescents when it comes to smokeless tobacco.
Rise In US C-sections Not Due To Rise In Moms' Risk Factors - Medical News Today 01/04/06
More than one-fourth of all first-time mothers in the United States deliver their babies by cesarean section, and the recent rise in the nation's C-section rate can't be attributed to rising risk factors among mothers.
Living In A Race-conscious Society Make Take Health Toll On American Blacks - Medical News Today 01/04/06
The health of American blacks appears to be worse than that of whites regardless of income, and researchers think living in a race-conscious society may be at least partly to blame.
Weill Cornell Researchers Identify Tumor-Suppressor Gene Important To Diffuse Large B-Cell - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Inactivation of a "tumor suppressor" gene could be a major cause of a class of blood cancers called diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, reports a team of researchers at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.
Panel Finds Insufficient Evidence To Recommend For Or Against Maternal-request Caesarean Delivery - Medical News Today 31/03/06
An independent panel convened by the National Institutes of Health announced today that the available information comparing the risks and benefits of Caesarean delivery on maternal request (CDMR) versus planned vaginal birth do not provide the basis for a recommendation in either direction.
H5N1 Avian Flu Virus Vaccine Induces Immune Responses In Healthy Adults - Medical News Today 31/03/06
Results from a clinical trial demonstrate that high doses of an experimental H5N1 avian influenza vaccine can induce immune responses in healthy adults. Approximately half of those volunteers who received an initial and a booster dose of the highest dosage of the vaccine tested in the trial developed levels of infection-fighting antibodies that current tests predict would neutralize the virus. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, funded the study, published in the current issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. Preliminary results from this trial were first disclosed late last summer.
Bird-flu Vaccine Works At High Doses; Focus Turns To Ways To Stretch Vaccine Supply - Medical News Today 31/03/06
An experimental vaccine against bird flu is safe and spurs the immune response considered necessary to protect against the deadly illness, at a dose several times larger than the traditional flu shot and in slightly more than half of people who received the largest dose, scientists said in results on March 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
HIV Infection Rates Down One-third In South India, University Of Toronto Study - Medical News Today 31/03/06
A University of Toronto Indo-Canadian study reports a remarkable one-third decline in new HIV infections in the worst hit regions of India, indicating that with condom use and awareness programs, the country's AIDS epidemic is far from hopeless.
HIV-1 Prevalence Decreasing In Southern India - Medical News Today 31/03/06
Study Examines Effects Of Aging Population On Inpatient Care - Medical News Today 31/03/06
"The Effect of Population Aging on Future Hospital Demand," Health Affairs: The Health Affairs Web exclusive -- by Bradley Strunk, a consulting health researcher at the Center for Studying Health System Change; Paul Ginsburg, HSC president; and Michelle Banker, an HSC health research assistant -- examines how the aging population will affect demand for inpatient hospital care. According to the study, the aging population's effect on inpatient care will be relatively small over the next decade, while local population trends and advances in medical technology will be more important factors. Inpatient services are expected to increase by 64.8% between 2005 and 2015; however, population aging accounts for only 7.6% of the increase, according to the study (Strunk et al., Health Affairs, 3/28).
Sweetgum Tree Fruit Could Help Lessen Shortage Of Bird Flu Drug - Medical News Today 31/03/06
The sweetgum tree grows widely throughout the country and is known for its mace-like green fruit, which are sometimes called "gumballs." Now, this spiny fruit may become an important source of a chemical needed to make a lifesaving drug against bird flu - a drug that is currently in short supply worldwide, researchers say.
Pfizer Has Cooperated With Federal Investigation Of Alleged Illegal Lipitor Marketing - Medical News Today 31/03/06
Officials for Pfizer on Tuesday said that company has cooperated with a federal investigation related to alleged illegal marketing of the anti-cholesterol medication Lipitor, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The investigation, disclosed on Tuesday by the Wall Street Journal, seeks to determine whether Pfizer marketed Lipitor for off-label uses. Andrew McCormick, a spokesperson for Pfizer, said, "We do not know who initiated or why an investigation was initiated in Brooklyn, but we have been cooperating with that investigation and have seen no merit in any of the claims in the matter." A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office in New York said that the office does not confirm or deny the existence of investigations. Separately, a Teamsters health insurance fund has filed a lawsuit against Pfizer over allegations that the company has "illegally promoted Lipitor to the public and prescribing physicians by promoting the off-label use of the drug" (AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 3/29).
Genes And Environment Interact To Promote Cancer - Medical News Today 31/03/06
In the granite-rich region of Western North Carolina, taking a daily shower could pose a risk of developing lung cancer. So could working from home every day. That's because granite emits a carcinogenic gas, radon. Houses that sit atop granite terrain are often contaminated with radon that has seeped into wells and indoor air.
CIHR Launches Casebooks About Canadians Turning Research Into Action - Medical News Today 31/03/06
Improving healthcare for newborn babies at risk; reducing workplace injury and illness; shaping community action plans for early childhood development; and helping Canada's minority communities cope with the Tsunami disaster: these and other Canadian stories about transforming research results into action can be found in two casebooks launched today by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
US company claims to make stem cells from testes - Reuters 01/04/06
US researchers said on Saturday they had transformed immature cells from men's testicles into powerful stem cells, which they then coaxed into becoming nerve, heart and bone cells.
Bermuda bans smoking in bars and restaurants - Reuters 01/04/06
A smoking ban in Bermuda's bars and restaurants began on Saturday with drinkers who sneak an illegal puff eventually facing fines of $250.
Bausch & Lomb responds to infection in lens wearers - Reuters 31/03/06
Bausch & Lomb Inc. said on Friday it is working with health authorities around the world to determine the cause of an increase in a rare fungus infection among contact lens wearers that first surfaced in parts of Asia.
Canada dairy products take health-conscious hit - Reuters 31/03/06
Health-conscious Canadians are buying less butter and cheese, and on Friday the Canadian Dairy Commission responded by lowering the country's industrial milk quota by 1.7 percent.
Light drinking may not be good for you: study - Reuters 31/03/06
Researchers poured cold water on the idea that moderate drinking helps prevent heart disease on Friday, noting that many studies include teetotalers as a control group but don't ask why they did not drink.
International Study Questions Health Benefits Of Moderate Drinking - Medical News Today 01/04/06
Dermatology society warns of "bogus Botox" - Reuters 31/03/06
Recent reports of "bogus Botox" injections that resulted in the deaths of several women has prompted the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) to issue a statement warning the public against seeking cosmetic treatments from non-physicians.
Marijuana use affects fertility treatment outcomes - Reuters 31/03/06
The likelihood of a good outcome of fertility treatment is reduced if either the man or the woman uses marijuana, compared with couples that don't use it, the results of a new study suggest.
Enriched fruit drink can lower cholesterol - Reuters 31/03/06
Fruit drinks enriched with the soluble fiber beta-glucan can lower levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, according to results of a study conducted in the Netherlands.
Court upholds Vioxx class action against Merck - Reuters 31/03/06
A New Jersey appellate court on Friday upheld a judge's decision to certify a national class action against Merck & Co. Inc. for some cases involving the drugmaker's withdrawn pain medicine Vioxx, attorneys representing plaintiffs said.
Maintenance therapy controls disruptive behavior - Reuters 31/03/06
In children and adolescents with disruptive behavior disorders who respond to initial treatment with risperidone, continuation of treatment can control symptoms for many over the long term, according to findings published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Doctors urged to restrict episiotomies - Reuters 31/03/06
Obstetricians should avoid performing an episiotomy to aid childbirth unless there is a risk of severe tearing or need to speed up a difficult delivery, the group representing doctors dealing with health care for women said on Friday.
Fiber may lower protein linked to heart disease - Reuters 31/03/06
A fiber-rich diet may help control levels of a blood protein linked to an increased risk of heart disease, new research suggests.
Millions at risk in Sudan as diseases rage: WHO - Reuters 31/03/06
Millions of people are at risk from deadly diseases such as cholera and meningitis in Sudan, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday, appealing for funds urgently to combat major outbreaks.
Allergies reach epidemic levels in Europe: experts - Reuters 31/03/06
Allergies such as hay fever are reaching epidemic proportions in Europe and a failure to treat them properly is creating a mounting bill for society and the healthcare system, experts said on Friday.
Common painkillers may impair rotator cuff healing - Reuters 31/03/06
Experiments in rats show that the painkillers celecoxib (brand name, Celebrex) and indomethacin, given after repair of a rotator cuff injury, impair the healing process, orthopedists report in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Cheshire and Merseyside News
Casualty is not on the move - Ormskirk Advertiser 30/03/06
SOUTHPORT and Ormskirk NHS Trust has scotched suggestions that it should move its A&E department to save money.
Spelling out the future of local health services - Ormskirk Advertiser 30/03/06
MEMBERS of the West Lancashire PCT PPI forum hope the presentation of the McKinsey report will help clarify the future of local healthcare services.
Trust wants to keep A&E - Southport Visiter 31/03/06
Adult A&E is at risk - Midweek Visiter 29/03/06
NHS debt could leave town with no A&E department - Daily Post 29/03/06
Funding switch could spark NHS cash crisis - Daily Post 30/03/06
The whole tooth - Ormskirk Advertiser 30/03/06
NHS dentists face the biggest shake-up in the profession for 50 years.
MP urges all dentists to stay in NHS - Southport Visiter 31/03/06
Hospital sets the standard - Village Vister 29/03/06
ORMSKIRK Hospital is helping lead the way in combating cancer.
Council develops emergency plan as bird flu concern grows - Southport Visiter 31/03/06
SEFTON Council has developed an emergency action plan to deal with a potential outbreak of bird flu.
1m unit officially opened - Southport Visiter 31/03/06
ORMSKIRK & District General Hospital officially opened its new maxillofocial and orthodontic unit on Tuesday.
Health service meltdown - Chester Chronicle 31/03/06
AN EMERGENCY 42m cost-cutting package has been put in place to save Chester's National Health Service from financial meltdown.
Your NHS is sick! - Chester Chronicle 31/03/06
Hospice picks up interest - Weekly News 30/03/06
A HOSPICE has received a cash windfall - thanks to customers who signed up for a building society account.
Rap over closure of hospital ward - Liverpool Echo 30/03/06
HEALTH officials today came under fire over the future of a Liverpool hospital.
Baby boom at the double as four sets of twins arrive at hospital Rap over closure of hospital ward - Daily Post 29/03/06
LIVERPOOL Womens' Hospital has experienced a mini-boom in baby twins after four sets were delivered in less than a week.
New Gene That Causes Spread Of Cancer Identified, University Of Liverpool - Medical News Today 31/03/06
Professor Philip Rudland, Dr Guozheng Wang and Dr Roger Barraclough from the University's Cancer and Polio Research Fund Laboratories have discovered an additional member of the S100 family of protein genes - S100P - that causes the spread of cancerous cells from an original tumour to other parts of the body
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Petition to MP demands respite care for kids stays - Carlisle News & Star 01/04/06
MORE than 700 people have signed to say a respite centre which provides a lifeline to parents of disabled children in Carlisle must not close.
47,000 dental places lost due to contracts - Carlisle News & Star 31/03/06
MORE than 47,000 NHS dental places have been lost in north and west Cumbria as a result of controversial new contracts which come into force tomorrow.
Health trust boundaries - Carlisle News & Star 31/03/06
HEALTH chiefs will meet on April 6 to discuss a proposed restructure of the primary care trust boundaries.
Sickness virus helps hospitals' flu strategy - Carlisle News & Star 30/03/06
LESSONS learnt from a major sickness outbreak at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary are now being used to prepare for a potential flu pandemic.
Cumbria's big protest day - Carlisle News & Star 29/03/06
CUMBRIA’S cottage hospital campaigners are more fired up than ever after taking their fight to the doors of Downing Street yesterday.
Hospital campaigners relaying the message - Carlisle News & Star 30/03/06
MP's Concerns Over A E Move Plans - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 30/03/06
PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice is to question plans to move blue light Accident and Emergency Care from Burnley General to Blackburn's Queens Park Hospital for patients with life-threatening conditions .
Family Waits A Year For MRSA Death Inquest - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/03/06
A WIDOW'S legal action over her husband's death from MRSA has prevented his inquest going ahead and left her estranged family in "turmoil".
Its A 30m High Five For Hospital - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/03/06
A 30million development at Burnley General Hospital has moved a step nearer completion with the handover of the scheme to the hospital trust.
Burns Victim Oap Went To Bed After Incident - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/03/06
AN 81-YEAR-OLD man who suffered 70 per cent burns when his pyjamas caught fire went to bed as normal after the incident, it emerged today.
More Of Elderly Got Flu Vaccine - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/03/06
MORE pensioners had a flu jab in Blackburn with Darwen this winter, new figures show.
Operation Man Died On Birthday - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/03/06
A BLACKBURN man died on his 78th birthday following hip replacement surgery.
Nearly Killed By MRSA - Preston Citizen 30/03/06
A man who was admitted to hospital for a routine operation ended up fighting for his life after contracting the superbug, MRSA.
Kind Gift For Hospital - Preston Citizen 30/03/06
Motor neurone disease (MND) patients at Royal Preston Hospital will benefit from a new piece of equipment thanks to a kind-hearted donation.
Nurse Revs Up For A Challenge - Blackpool Citizen 30/03/06
A Blackpool nurse is getting on her bike to help raise money for the Fylde Coast's stroke victims.
Pub Grub For The Elderly - Blackburn Citizen 31/03/06
PUB grub and cafe food could soon be on the menu for pensioners receiving daily meals on wheels.
Baby Boy Died In His Parents Bed - Blackburn Citizen 28/03/06
A THREE month old baby boy died after sleeping between his parents on a makeshift bed of mattresses on the floor, an inquest heard.
Health Centres Built At Same Time - Blackburn Citizen 28/03/06
HEALTH chiefs have revealed that two new health centres planned for Accrington could be built at the same time.
Freddies Fantastic Support For Hospice - Chorley Citizen 29/03/06
England cricket hero Andrew Freddie' Flintoff has spoken about how much he admires the work done at Chorley's Derian House Children's Hospice after donating funds to the charity.
Disabled Woman Left Alone On Plane - Chorley Citizen 29/03/06
A disabled gran who was left abandoned on a plane for more than an hour has described her feelings of humiliation and despair'.
Greater Manchester News
'Please stop my boy's toothache' - Manchester Evening News 30/03/06
A DISTRAUGHT mum wants a dentist to end her son's agony and take out his aching tooth.
Hospital deaths probe delayed - Manchester Evening News 29/03/06
THE families of three women who died within four months giving birth at a Greater Manchester hospital may have to wait another month for the results of an inquiry into the tragedies.
78% of smokers admit 'anti-social' habit - Manchester Evening News 29/03/06
THREE-QUARTERS of smokers think their habit is anti-social, a new survey revealed today.
Dental Contracts Mean Big Changes - Bolton Evening News 30/03/06
THE biggest changes in NHS dentistry for 50 years are coming into effect as the controversial new dental contracts become a reality.
Trust Raises 1 1million In Car Park Fees - Bolton Evening News 31/03/06
THE trust which runs Fairfield Hospital has raised more than 1 million a year through car parking charges and will be increasing prices this weekend.
MP Backs Fight Againt Euthanasia - Bolton Evening News 31/03/06
BOLTON South-east MP Brian Iddon has been appointed chairman of the steering committee of a coalition of anti-euthanasia groups.
Teenager Who Died In Street Was Epileptic - Bolton Evening News 30/03/06
AN 18-YEAR-OLD epilepsy sufferer collapsed and died in the street, an inquest heard.
March To Save Baby Centre - Bolton Evening News 30/03/06
THOUSANDS of campaigners in Bury will take to the street at the weekend to protest against plans to axe maternity services.
Hundreds In Vaccination Test - Bolton Evening News 30/03/06
PEOPLE fainted and mothers panicked over lost children as emergency medical teams prepared life-saving vaccinations.
Mock Flu Epidemic Hits Town - Bolton Evening News 29/03/06
Bravery Award For RAF Medic - Bolton Evening News 30/03/06
AN RAF medic has been honoured for rescuing British casualties from rioting in Iraq.
Return Of The King - Bolton Evening News 29/03/06
A CENTURY-old statue has been rescued from a store room at the Royal Bolton Hospital.
TV Help For Sufferers Of Agoraphobia - Bolton Evening News 29/03/06
A television production company is seeking agoraphobia sufferers living in Bolton for a new documentary.
Support For Amputees - Bolton Evening News 29/03/06
A GROUP that provides support for amputee patients and their carers meets at the Royal Bolton Hospital.
Doctors Must Work Together Better To Improve Survival In Teenage And Young Adult Cancer Patients Says Leading UK Oncologist - Medical News Today 31/03
Cancer doctors across the UK and beyond need to make a concerted and coordinated effort to improve the treatment and care of young people with cancer, according to the UK's first Professor of Teenage and Young Adult Cancer.
New Research Identifies Specific Teenage And Young Adult Cancers And Points To Possible Causes - Medical News Today 31/03/06
An analysis of new data by a leading cancer researcher has revealed specific cancers that are most likely to affect teenagers and young adults, and it points to infections, adolescent growth spurts, and hormones as being among the possible causes. Now, international collaborative research is needed to find out more.
Lack Of Specialist Training For Nurses Is Failing Adolescent Cancer Patients, UK - Medical News Today 31/03/06
Teenagers and young adults with cancer are not always cared for appropriately because a lack of specialist training for nurses means that staff are not necessarily equipped to recognise and meet the unique needs of this age group, according to a nurse manager at the Manchester Teenage Cancer Trust Unit.
The side effect of the lentern task is I'm getting precious about things that allow me to manufacture tea. The other day I succeeded in breaking the teapot lid. Now being the slovenly sort I am I'd have carried on using it without a lid. Monst however is considerably less slovenly and threw the pot away. So for the last week I've used a pyrex measuring jug with personality problems (it thinks it is a teapot). Today I got round to replacing the thing, in a fit of measuring jug inspired lunacy I did like the fact with the schizoid measuring jug I could see what was going on) and due to the fact I couldn't find an alternative in the five minutes I had in Asda I ended up with one of these Bodum Assam's. Just had the first cup of rosie out of the beast and mighty fine it is too. Only problem is it is smaller than I expected. Still I suppose that means there is a need to brew fresher cups.
Sort the news post-dropping Monst at work. Cal watches Star Wars EpisodeII which he enjoys but I've yet to be bothered enough to sit down in front of. Instead I sit in front of Charlotte Grey which as a book I didn't get on with, maybe I should try again, it makes a fine film.
While on film as a subject Ice Age 2 was fun. Cal certainly enjoyed it.
Come across this which baffles me. Will need to ask Jim.
Technorati Tags: Teapot; Tea; Film; News; Charlotte Grey; Ice Age 2 
