Public Health
Long-term complications of critical illness include intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired weakness and neuropsychiatric disease - both of which could be related to the immobilisation caused by sedation. An Article published Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet has found that interrupting sedation in the earliest days of treatment to give critically ill patients physical and occupational therapy leads to better outcomes than standard care.
The Scottish Government is launching Better Diabetes Care - a consultation to improve diabetes care over the next three years - Diabetes UK Scotland is encouraging everyone to take part.
Enterostomal therapy nurses and people living with an ostomy reported very high levels of satisfaction with a new moldable skin barrier pioneered by ConvaTec Ostomy Care, according to results from a prospective evaluation published this month in the journal Ostomy Wound Management.
Taking ginger supplements with standard anti-vomiting drugs beforehand can reduce the nausea that often accompanies chemotherapy treatment
Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPHM), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of cancer and serious virus infections, provided an update on progress in the company"s clinical program for Cotara(R), a targeted monoclonal antibody-based therapy being tested in a Phase II trial as a potential new treatment for recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a deadly form of brain cancer. The company also reported that patient enrollment in the final cohort of a second Cotara GBM trial, a dose confirmation and dosimetry study, is nearing completion and that interim data from this trial has been accepted for an oral presentation at the Society of Nuclear Medicine Annual Meeting to be held June 13-18, 2009.
Abraxis BioScience Inc. (NASDAQ:ABII) announced that final results from an open-label Phase II study evaluating three dose levels of the company"s chemotherapy agent ABRAXANE® for Injectable Suspension (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) (albumin bound) compared to the highest standard dose of Taxotere (docetaxel) Injection Concentrate, in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. According to investigator-assessed results, ABRAXANE administered weekly at 150 mg/m2 demonstrated an increase in progression-free survival (PFS) over docetaxel of 14.6 months versus 7.8 months, respectively (p=0.012). Results from the independent assessment of PFS for the 150mg/m2 treatment arm also demonstrated an increase in PFS (12.9 versus 7.5 months, respectively; p=0.0065). Investigators also noted a trend toward improvement in the study"s primary endpoint, overall response rate (ORR), confirmed complete and partial responses by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria with weekly ABRAXANE. In investigator-assessed results, the ORR was 74 percent for ABRAXANE 150 mg/m2 weekly arm (pAbout the Study
Candela Corporation (NASDAQ: CLZR) announced that two studies have reported superior results on patients who benefited from the Candela Vbeam® laser treatments for bruising resulting from cosmetic procedures. The studies concluded that the Vbeam pulsed-dye laser significantly expedited the healing process, improved outcomes, and provided greater overall patient satisfaction.
Clinipace, a digital clinical research organization, announced that Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has selected the company to manage and deploy two phase II studies for the ophthalmic prescription medicine, AzaSite®.
Oculus Innovative Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: OCLS), a healthcare company that develops, manufactures and markets a family of products based upon the Microcyn® Technology platform, today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its Microcyn® Skin and Wound Gel as both a prescription and over-the-counter formulation. The Rx product, under the supervision of a health care professional, is intended for management of exuding wounds such as leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, diabetic ulcers and for the management of mechanically or surgically debrided wounds. This is the first hydrogel product based upon the Microcyn Technology platform and is reimbursable by both Medicare and Medicaid.
- 0 confirmed cases in Wales.
Boehringer Ingelheim announced today that it will become the founding sponsor of the World Stroke Academy, a novel training initiative for stroke professionals being developed by the World Stroke Organization (WSO). This latest educational initiative from the WSO will bring together an international group of stroke experts - led by Professor Michael Brainin of the Danube University Krems, Austria - to provide information about stroke and knowledge for health professionals and medical doctors in order to improve prevention, therapy and management of stroke.
As the best drugs become increasingly resistant to superbugs, McMaster University researchers have discovered a completely different way of looking for a new antibiotic.
Drinking cherry juice could help ease the pain for people who run, according to new research from Oregon Health & Science University presented at the American College of Sports Medicine Conference in Seattle, Wash. The study showed people who drank tart cherry juice while training for a long distance run reported significantly less pain after exercise than those who didn"t. Post-exercise pain can often indicate muscle damage or debilitating injuries.
As many as 700,000 people in the UK suffer from a heart abnormality
Just as our world buzzes with distractions - from phone calls to e-mails to tweets - the neurons in our brain are bombarded with messages. Research has shown that when we pay attention, some of these neurons begin firing in unison, like a chorus rising above the noise. Now, a study in the May 29 issue of Science reveals the likely brain center that serves as the conductor of this neural chorus.
We all know that vitamin D and calcium are good for bones, but research teams in Europe and USA have shown that both taken daily reduces the rate of hip fracture in older people by 20%.
Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers report that a combination of trastuzumab and neratinib (HKI-272) a novel small molecule inhibitor of the HER2 receptor (ErbB2) appears active in women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who have progressed on previous trastuzumab based therapies. More than one-quarter of the women in a phase I/II trial had their tumors shrink on the combination therapy.
Researchers based in Gabon and France report the discovery of a new
A call to action for more research to be undertaken into catheter ablation in the field of ventricular arrhythmia (VA) has been issued in a joint consensus document from the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) a registered branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the US Heart Rhythm Society (HRS). The consensus document - launched at Heart Rhythm 2009, the Heart Rhythm Society"s 30th Annual Scientific Sessions, being held 13 to 16 May in Boston - provides an up to date review of indications, techniques and outcomes of catheter ablation for treatment of ventricular arrhythmias, a technique now being offered to increasing numbers of patients.
President Barack Obama and Energy Secretary Steve Chu are consistent in their message that when it comes to transportation fuels, carbon-neutral biofuels as an alternative to gasoline are coming. While the focus of a shift from gasoline to biofuels has been on global warming, such a shift could also impact human health. A grant from the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) has produced a novel and comprehensive "Life Cycle Impact Assessment" to measure the benefits on human health that might result from a switch to biofuels. Although there are a number of uncertainties that must be addressed for a more accurate picture, these early results show that a biofuel eliminating even 10-percent of current gasoline pollutant emissions would have a substantial impact on human health in this country, especially in urban areas.
The optical navigation system Cappa C-Nav facilitates minimally-invasive surgical
In response to industry demand, VIBevents is proud to announce the launch of the industry"s first virtual clinical trials event, ClinicalTrialsArena.com, which will bring together the leading decision makers within the pharma and biotech industries.
Incyte Corporation (Nasdaq:INCY) announced that based on recent input from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding Incyte"s request for a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) for INCB18424 for patients with primary myelofibrosis (PMF), post-polycythemia vera myelofibrosis (PPV-MF) and post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis (PET-MF), it is clear that the most appropriate single primary endpoint for Incyte"s U.S. Phase III trial is the proportion of treated patients achieving a 35% reduction in spleen volume as compared to patients receiving placebo.
UK researchers who reviewed pooled clinical trial data covering 95,000 people concluded that there was no net benefit to healthy people taking
The New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) welcomed today"s Budget which reaffirms the Government"s commitment to solving our long term health workforce problems.
Laughter is not only an effective stress-reliever, but can be heart-healthy, according to research presented at the American College of Sports Medicine"s 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle. Two separate studies examined the role of a good laugh as it relates to health.
A person with dyspraxia has problems with movement and coordination. It is also known as "motor learning disability". Somebody with dyspraxia finds it hard to carry out smooth and coordinated movements. Dyspraxia often comes with language problems, and sometimes a degree of difficulty with perception and thought. Dyspraxia does not affect a person"s intelligence, but it can cause learning difficulties, especially for children.
Spirus Medical, Inc., a leading developer of diagnostic and therapeutic advancement systems for gastroenterology, urology and gynecology, announced that physicians using its Endo-Ease(TM) line of devices have performed complete examinations of the small intestine, or pan-endoscopy. Spirus is presenting at Digestive Disease Week 2009 in Chicago, May 30 through June 4.
APS Healthcare, a leading provider of specialty healthcare solutions, has been selected by the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Medical Assistance Programs, to manage its statewide Medicaid disease and medical care management programs. The integrated program will assist Oregon"s Medicaid and SCHIP fee-for-service clients to access healthcare, minimize catastrophic health events and improve health outcomes through education and interventions that help promote behavior change.
Certain individuals have long been regarded as particularly susceptible to developing behavioural and emotional problems when they experience negative environmental conditions, due to the fact that they carry so-called "vulnerability genes". Existing research suggests, for instance, that such "genetically vulnerable" individuals are most likely to become impulsive and hyperactive if their mothers smoked while pregnant, to behave anti-socially if subjected to child abuse, and to become depressed if exposed to many negative life events (e.g., divorce, unemployment). But a new evaluation of existing gene-by-environment interaction (GXE) research highlighting such genetic vulnerability to adversity challenges this traditional interpretation of existing evidence. Research published in Molecular Psychiatry suggests that those carrying "vulnerability genes" are not only more likely than others to be adversely affected by negative experiences but to also benefit more than others from positive environments, making them more malleable or plastic, not just vulnerable. This novel interpretation of old and new findings suggests that "vulnerability genes" might be better conceptualised as "plasticity or malleability genes" because carriers are more affected, for better and for worse, by positive and negative environmental conditions.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center physician-scientists are presenting exciting new research at the 2009 American Transplant Congress in Boston from May 30 to June 3.
The twin epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes will continue to fuel an explosion in heart failure, already the world"s most prevalent chronic cardiovascular disease, according to John McMurray, professor of cardiology at the Western Infirmary, Glasgow, and President of the Heart Failure Association. He reported that around one-third of patients with heart failure have evidence of diabetes, and for them the outlook is very serious. For doctors, he added, effective treatment is "very difficult".
A new, international study found that the combination of two drugs delays disease progression for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Results from the Phase III "ATLAS" trial were presented today by Dr. Vincent Miller of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) have identified eight genes that help predict a melanoma patient"s response to treatment. The new findings are being presented at the 45th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), May 29 to June 2, in Orlando, Fla.
The following summarizes selected women"s health-related blog entries.~"Considering Common Ground and Our New Supreme Court Nominee," Cristina Page, Birth Control Watch: Page writes that the fact that appeals court Judge Sonia Sotomayor, Obama"s nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, has served on the board of Childbirth Connection is of great interest, since Sotomayor"s own views on women"s health could mirror those of the organization. Page explains that the organization "takes no policy position on abortion, but it is very much a proponent of women"s rights during childbirth." According to Page, Sotomayor"s work with Childbirth Connection "stands out" on her resume as "the only entry that does not have a purely legal focus." Page writes, "To me, it"s an important sign, and one from which pro-choice and women"s health advocates can derive some comfort," as the group is "dedicated to identifying and promoting best practices in women"s health based on rigorous scientific evidence." She adds, "If Sotomayor"s connection to the group is any indication of the value she places in science and her respect for the field of medicine, her nomination is good news for women"s health." Page also provides a link to audio of her appearance on a radio show to discuss "common ground" in the abortion-rights debate. She writes that David Gushee, an abortion-rights opponent who also appeared on the show, was genuinely "reasonable and looking for solutions." Page adds, "Listening to him gives me faith in this new and albeit small movement of pro-lifers who genuinely want to support policies that help reduce the need for abortion" (Page, Birth Control Watch, 5/27).~ "Unshackling Female Prisoners in Labor," Abigail Kramer, Salon"s "Broadsheet": Last week, the New York state Legislature passed a measure that would prevent the state"s prisons from using handcuffs or shackles on pregnant female inmates during labor. Similar laws exist in three other states. Kramer writes, "Handcuffs and shackles for women in labor pose problems beyond the obvious snafu of being brutal, inhumane and bat"s balls freaking crazy." She continues, "Having a baby is generally understood to be a wee bit uncomfortable," adding, "Not being able to move can increase the pain and slow down or complicate labor" and "restraints can cause a delay if a woman has to be rushed off for an emergency C-section -- which, as a doctor points out in Amnesty"s original report on institutional violence against women prisoners, can lead to brain damage for the baby." In addition, "women giving birth have not turned out to pose a tremendous flight risk to the nation"s criminal [justice] system: When Amnesty International asked prison administrators to provide examples of past in-labor escape attempts, they came up with exactly... well, zero," Kramer concludes (Kramer, "Broadsheet," Salon, 5/28).~ "Be Responsible: Give Your Partner Drugs!" Norah Hazelton, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association"s "Family PlanIt": "One thing I remember pretty clearly from sex ed in high school health class ... was that if one person in a couple is diagnosed with an [sexually transmitted infection] and gets treatment, it"s very important to get the other partner tested and treated because otherwise you can just end up passing it back and forth," Hazelton writes. She continues, "Trouble is, a lot of STIs don"t have symptoms and it can be difficult getting someone with no symptoms to take the time (and money) to go see a doctor." Hazelton writes, "Thankfully, expedited partner therapy (EPT), the practice of treating partners without a medical assessment, is becoming more and more popular." She adds, "With 19 million new cases of STIs each year in the U.S. (costing an estimated $15.9 billion annually), any options that could reduce those numbers need to be considered seriously." Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended and endorsed EPT, "there are still many legal barr
Aetna, Cigna and Humana ranked highest nationally on criteria including speed of health claim payments and fewest claims denied, according to the 2009 PayerView Rankings, the Boston Globe reports. The rankings -- prepared by Athenahealth in collaboration with Physicians Practice management journal -- evaluated 172 national, regional and government payers in 40 states.According to the data, insurers paid physicians an average 5.3% faster in 2008 and denied an average of 9% fewer medical claims compared with 2007 figures. On average, national health insurers paid physicians in 33 days and denied 9.2% of claims.According to the Globe, the rankings reveal some of the obstacles that can result from the complexities and bureaucracy involved in the medical billing process, with each insurer operating in different ways. Jonathan Bush, chair and CEO of Athenahealth, said, "This is the biggest problem we have in health care -- the inability to close supply chains and to practically and tactically connect doctors with payers and patients," adding, "These connections are broken" (Weisman, Boston Globe, 5/28).
The Nevada Assembly last week voted to approve a bill (SB 229) that would authorize the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services to stop the exploitation of foreign physicians who have come to the state to provide care to residents in underserved areas, the Las Vegas Sun reports. The measure now goes to Gov. Jim Gibbons (R) for his approval (Allen, Las Vegas Sun, 5/28). A September 2007 Sun investigation of the J-1 visa program found that some foreign physicians were forced by their sponsors to work up to 100 hours per week, and were being "cheated out of their salaries" and "diverted from the patients" in underserved areas whom they were supposed to help (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 8/6/08).The legislation would make violations of the J-1 program more clearly punishable under state law and prosecutable by the attorney general"s office; charge J-1 physician sponsors a fee to cover the cost of enforcing the law; and protect whistle-blowers (Las Vegas Sun, 5/28).
The Thai AIDS Treatment Action Group recently called on the country to launch a comprehensive harm reduction program for injection drug users in an effort to help curb the spread of HIV, Thailand"s The Nation reports. According to the group, many IDUs are unable to access drug treatment and substation therapy because of the stigma surrounding drug use in the country. Karyn Kaplan, director of development and policy for the group, said, "Health care workers have denied many injecting drug users access to an antiviral drug and the use of methadone." Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai recently announced that the country"s harm reduction programs have helped to curb the spread of HIV among IDUs, adding that local substitution programs have reduced the number of HIV-positive IDUs and that the country needs increased support from UNAIDS for such efforts. TTAG called for the government to provide prevention and treatment options, such as substitution therapy and needle-exchange programs. The Nation reports that methadone treatment is offered at hospitals across the country as part of the national health care scheme, but many health care workers refuse to administer treatment. In addition, government treatment is offered for 45 days. Kaplan said that the government should revise its policy regarding treatment access for IDUs, as a majority of IDUs are incarcerated and living with HIV or hepatitis-C without treatment access. She called on the government to "implement the international standards of medical treatment for [IDUs], without discrimination and human rights violations" (The Nation, 5/27).
Isaac Muliloa -- national coordinator of the HIV and sexually transmitted infections unit at the Solomon Islands" Ministry of Health -- recently said that a lack of national HIV/AIDS laws is hindering efforts to address the disease, the Solomon Times reports. Recent World Health Organization estimates said that the number of HIV cases in the Solomon Islands could reach 350 by 2010. Muliloa said that legislation is needed to address continued discrimination against HIV-positive employees in the workplace. He added that the HIV/AIDS and STI unit is relatively new in the health ministry, as is the Solomon Islands" National AIDS Council. According to Muliloa, officials are continuing to work toward implementing policies. The Times reports that the Solomon Islands does not have laws in place criminalizing the intentional transmission of HIV (Solomon Times, 5/27).
Certain human immune cells known as macrophages are composed of hybrid HIV strains that elude treatment and antiretroviral drugs, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Florida and other institutions, the Gainesville Sun reports. For the study, researchers examined tissue from HIV-positive people and discovered that as much as half of the macrophages present were hybrids, made from genetic material from several HIV viruses that when combined formed new HIV strains. Marco Salemi -- assistant professor of pathology, immunology and laboratory medicine at the University of Florida"s College of Medicine -- said that macrophages likely make HIV more aggressive over time, adding, "If we want to eradicate HIV, we need to find a way to actually target the virus specifically infecting the macrophages." According to the Sun, current research and treatment target T-cells, and although antiretrovirals are effective at blocking infection from new cells and lowering viral loads, they are unable to reduce the viral level in an HIV-positive person to zero. The Sun notes that macrophages can be targeted by HIV multiple times, and once they are infected, they can live for months, unlike T-cells. The team of researchers, led by Michael McGrath of the University of California - San Francisco, is developing macrophage-targeting drugs through a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, the Sun reports (Chun, Gainesville Sun, 5/28).
The Palm Springs, Calif.-based Desert AIDS Project next week will hold a health and wellness retreat targeting Hispanics living with HIV/AIDS, the Desert Sun reports. The program, called Grupo Latino, will provide individual and group activities -- such as depression and anxiety workshops, yoga and meditation -- for HIV-positive people. The program aims to help HIV-positive Hispanics and their families combat stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. In addition, DAP provides health care and social services for HIV-positive people. An estimated 5,000 to 7,000 people in California contract HIV annually. The state has one of the highest HIV rates nationwide, with more than 100,000 people living with the virus, according to the California Department of Public Health Office of AIDS (Brambila, Desert Sun, 5/27).
Hispanics in Massachusetts are less likely than whites to have visited a physician in the last year, according to a survey that was funded by the Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Springfield Republican reports. The survey also found that Hispanics were about twice as likely as whites to visit an emergency department for a nonemergency condition. The survey, which was conducted last fall, included 4,041 adults ages 18 to 64 in Massachusetts. Overall, the survey found that people living in western Massachusetts had more difficulty accessing health services than people living in other areas of the state, in part because of a shortage of primary care physicians. While the survey found that nearly all state residents have health insurance, more than 25% of residents in four western counties reported that providers either would not accept their insurance or were not accepting new patients. The survey did not find significant differences across the state in the ability of residents to pay medical bills. In addition, the survey did not find any evidence that health care costs are more of a burden to Hispanics and blacks than to whites (McAuliffe, Springfield Republican, 5/28).
The following highlights efforts that seek to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities.
A landmark follow-up study found that heart attack survivors who receive implanted cardioverter defribillators (ICDs) live longer the longer they have them, according to the results of late-breaking clinical trail presented at the annual Scientific Sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society.
A study led by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, has catapulted the field of regenerative medicine significantly forward, proving in principle that a human genetic disease can be cured using a combination of gene therapy and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology. The study, published in the May 31, 2009 early online edition of Nature, is a major milestone on the path from the laboratory to the clinic.
If you are a clinical research novice or veteran with a study sponsor, research site, or CRO in a corporate, academic or other organization, you will find a comprehensive program that focuses on your current needs and broadens your knowledge. MAGI conferences feature balanced co-presentations from sponsors, sites and CROs, real-life examples, practical tips, and lots of interaction and networking. This year"s conference will feature:
Hospital admissions of Americans from the poorest communities for asthma and diabetes were 87 percent and 77 percent higher, respectively, than admissions for patients from wealthier areas for the same diseases, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Following calls from the information commissioner for the NHS to improve its data security, after breaches involving the loss of thousands of personal medical records, Bill Gilliam, head of the health sector group at international law firm Eversheds comments:
The NPA is asking its members to utilise the new NPA IT forums website to comment on the criteria that should be used to demonstrate that EPS is operationally functional ahead of national roll-out. The NPA believes that EPS must work technically, be business and operationally functional, improve service delivery at pharmacies, and is safe for patients, before full roll-out can be contemplated. The website, http://itforums.npa.co.uk, provides an opportunity for members throughout the UK to voice their opinions on the IT programmes affecting their country or on general IT topics which affect all nations.
XClinical, a European vendor of innovative software products for eClinical trials, is presenting CDISC based tools for an End-To-End clinical process at the 45th DIA Annual Meeting in San Diego, USA.
Sodexo (PARIS:SW) (OTCBB:SDXAY) received two awards at the inaugural Professional Training Evening held May 25 in Paris: the "Best Training Strategy" award and the Favorites Award for "Successful vocational rehabilitation." The culmination of a 75-company competition, the event was organized jointly by France"s National Association of Human Res Directors (ANDRH), Professional Training Federation (FFP) and Association of Trainers and Training Managers (GARF).
A new national campaign aiming to reduce the number of undiagnosed heart conditions will visit 12 destinations in England throughout May and June. The CRY Philips Test My Heart Tour 09 is the first free tour of its kind in England and has been made possible by charity CRY, health and well-being company Philips, through the fundraising efforts of families whose lives have been affected by Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) or Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), and the Gwyneth Forrester Trust. The tour aims to test over 3,000 14-35 year olds hearts to identify heart conditions which could potentially prove fatal if left untreated. To book a free appointment at one of the 12 tour locations simply go to http://www.testmyheart.org
With more than 500,000 deaths each year, colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of deaths from cancer worldwide. Yet, despite a lack of evidence from randomised trials, many countries have launched large-scale colonoscopy screening programmes for the general population.
Neurobiological Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTII) (NTI(R)) announced that Celtic Pharmaceutical Holdings L.P. (Celtic Pharma) has announced the results from its Phase 3 Clinical Program for XERECEPT(R) in patients with edema associated with brain tumors and from preclinical studies of XERECEPT in brain tumor models.
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ONXX) announced that the companies have begun enrolling patients in an international Phase 3 trial to evaluate Nexavar(R) (sorafenib) tablets in patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have failed two or three previous treatments.
Detailed data from a randomized Phase 2 study with PROSTVAC(TM) were presented Saturday at the ASCO Annual Meeting in Orlando. The presentation was made by Philip Kantoff MD, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who is also the principal investigator of the study.
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, Nasdaq: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, presented the results of a 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) persistency analysis entitled, "Twelve-month Persistence with 5-aminosalicylic Acid Therapy: Results from a Large Pharmacy Database," at Digestive Disease Week, on May 31, 2009. Results showed that after 12 months of therapy for continuing patients, 20 percent of Lialda patients were continually persistent, 9 percent of Asacol(R) (mesalamine) patients, 7 percent (250mg) and 10 percent (500mg) of Pentasa(R) (mesalamine) patients, 10 percent of balsalazide [combined results from generic balsalazide disodium and Colazal(R) (balsalazide disodium)] patients, and 10 percent (500mg) of Dipentum(R) (olsalazine sodium) patients were persistent. Continually persistent patients were defined as those who refilled their prescription within a period of up to twice the duration of the prescription that preceded the refill. Lialda is an FDA-approved, once-daily oral medication for the induction of remission in patients with active, mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). Safety and effectiveness of Lialda beyond eight weeks have not been established.
The California Medical Association applauded the U.S. Senate Finance Committee today for producing a thoughtful analysis of ways to expand the nation"s health care coverage. The committee"s paper, titled "Expanding Health Care Coverage: Proposals to Provide Affordable Coverage to All Americans," includes certain market reforms that all participating health plans would be required to participate in.
Time is short for scientists to respond to the call for comments on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposed guidelines for the use of human embryonic stem (ES) cell lines and their eligibility for federal funds. On May 26, the window to provide feedback will close, and the drafted rules leave the possibility that funding for almost all existing cell lines will disappear.
Athletes could be putting their lives at risk by doping themselves with powerful prescription drugs, a leading academic has warned.
The Alabama Department of Public Health has identified 14 new cases of novel H1N1 influenza,
In what is believed to be the first U.S. study designed to prevent anxiety disorders in the children of anxious parents, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Children"s Center have found that a family-based program reduced symptoms and the risk of developing an anxiety disorder among these children.
Health outcomes explored at DDW 2009
Dr Alexis Willett, Head of Policy & Involvement at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, says:
Four risk factors that help predict how long men may survive with metastatic prostate cancer could help doctors choose more effective treatments, according to a study led by researchers in the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Spending hours taking a high-pressure aptitude test may make people feel mentally fatigued, but that fatigue doesn"t necessarily lead to lower test scores, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association. If anything, performance might actually improve on a longer test, the study found.
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth (NYSE: WYE), today announced
The editors of Disability & Rehabilitation and its sister publication, Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology have announced an annual award which will be given for the best review paper published in either of the two journals. Commencing in 2009, the Informa Best Review Paper Award will recognise valuable, high-impact research in the fields of disability, rehabilitation and assistive technology.
It is commonly known that alcoholism and alcohol intoxications are connected with severe violent crimes such as homicides. For instance, in Finland even 80 per cent of these crimes happen in alcohol intoxications. It has not, however, been clear why only a minority of alcoholics in intoxications become irritated and impulsively aggressive or even commit severe violent crimes.
The UK government would like to allow pharmaceutical companies to provide patients with more information about prescription drugs, according to an article published in Pulse. UK ministers view the European Commission"s proposals positively - these proposals would greatly extend the communication permitted between companies and patients. Currently, European Law limits such communication to patient safety leaflets.
"Health industry officials delivered a plan to the White House Monday documenting how they"ll attempt to save $2 trillion over a decade through measures like reducing hospitalizations and cutting down on paperwork," the Associated Press reports. "Health insurers, doctors, hospitals, drug-makers and others were under pressure to make good on a pledge they made last month to curb their own costs to help President Barack Obama achieve his health care overhaul goals." Their three big areas of savings: $150 billion to $180 billion would come from more efficient use of health care services, $350 billion to $850 billion from better management of chronic diseases, and $500 billion to $700 billion through administrative improvements such as standardizing claim forms (Werner, 6/1).
High-throughput whole-genome analysis is becoming a standard laboratory approach for investigating cellular processes. Next-generation sequencing is replacing microarrays as the technique of choice for genome-scale analysis, because it offers advantages in both sensitivity and scale. The June issue of Cold Spring Harbor Protocols features "Native Chromatin Preparation and Illumina/Solexa Library Construction" from Keji Zhao and colleagues at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The article describes sample preparation for sequencing of chromatin-immunoprecipitated DNA (ChIP-Seq) to analyze histone modification patterns using native chromatin and the Solexa/Illumina Genome Analyzer. Step-by-step instructions are given for purification of human CD4+ T cells from lymphocytes and chromatin fragmentation using micrococcal nuclease (MNase) digestion, followed by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and construction of a library for sequencing. The article is freely available on the website for Cold Spring Harbor Protocols (http://cshprotocols.cshlp.org/cgi/content/full/2009/6/pdb.prot5237).
The Association of British Clinical Diabetologists cautioned against indiscriminate use of new classes of medication for Britain"s increasing number of people with diabetes.
Depomed, Inc. (NASDAQ:DEPO) announced that it has completed enrollment of the Phase 3 clinical trial of DM-1796 for the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia.
Olympus America Inc. has expanded its medical portfolio by introducing the X-Suit NIR®, a biliary metallic stent designed with exceptional anatomic conformability and superior radial support. The X-Suit NIR"s proprietary NIRflex™ cell design provides a physician support and flexibility; both critical to help relieve the symptoms associated with pancreatic, liver and bile duct cancers.
Dr. Daniel K. Podolsky, president of UT Southwestern Medical Center, has received the American Gastroenterological Association"s 2009 Julius Friedenwald Medal for Distinguished Service for his lifelong contributions to the field of gastroenterology.
PhotoMedex, Inc. (NASDAQ: PHMD), a leader in the development of proprietary excimer laser and fiber optic systems as well as other products for dermatological applications, announced the availability of its groundbreaking XTRAC Velocity™ Excimer Laser, a device expected to redefine laser treatment options for patients suffering from psoriasis and vitiligo.
Can-Fite BioPharma (TASE:CFBI), a biotechnology company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, has achieved yet another goal by completion of patients" enrollment in its phase II Psoriasis trial. Approximately 70 patients were enrolled to this study, randomized into 4 groups treated with 1, 2 and 4 mg of CF101 and placebo. Patients are taking the drug for 12 weeks plus 2 weeks of follow-up. The trial is being conducted in 10 sites in Israel and Europe. The company estimates to release study data on Q3 2009.
StemCells, Inc. (NASDAQ:STEM) announced plans to present data from its Phase I clinical trial of its proprietary HuCNS-SC® product candidate (purified human neural stem cells) at the 12th International Congress on Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (NCL) being held June 3 - 6, 2009 in Hamburg, Germany. Stephen Huhn, MD, FACS, FAAP, vice president and head of the Company"s CNS program, is scheduled to present the data on Saturday, June 6.
Michelle Obama Can Highlight "Disproportionate Impact" of HIV/AIDS on Women, Girls During Africa Visit
Black religious leaders across the country are urging the passage of a bill (H.R. 1964) that would provide more than $600 million in funding for faith-based prevention, testing and outreach programs, the St. Petersburg Times reports. The bill, named the National Black Clergy for the Elimination of HIV/AIDS Act of 2009, calls for programs targeting specific populations within the black community, including young people, substance users and inmates, among others. The bill, introduced in Congress this spring, has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce (Zayas, St. Petersburg Times, 6/1).
Some New York City residents with HIV pay as much as 70% of their income on housing because of the financial assistance they receive through the New York City HIV/AIDS Services Administration, New York Daily News columnist Errol Louis writes. According to Louis, lawmakers should pass a bill that would cap the rent contribution of low-income people with HIV/AIDS at 30% of their income, "the standard used for most rent-subsidy programs." The bill is currently before the state"s Assembly Ways and Means Committee. Louis adds that ensuring that people living with HIV are in "stable housing ò€¦ makes them less likely to run up big taxpayer bills by using public hospital emergency rooms for basic health care." He concludes, "Albany has a choice: do what"s cheap and quick in the short run, or do what makes long-term sense and saves lives" (Louis, New York Daily News, 5/31).
China Sky One Medical, Inc. ("China Sky One Medical" or "the Company") (Nasdaq: CSKI), a leading fully integrated pharmaceutical company producing over-the-counter drugs in the People"s Republic of China ("PRC"), announced that it obtained approval from the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) in China for the production of Diclofenac Sodium eye drops. The document number for the drug is 2009S02063.
A probable case of swine flu in Wales has been identified by microbiology testing.
An independent large study conducted by MEDCO Health Solutions Inc. found
The prevalence of overweight in the US population is among the highest in Mexican-American children and adolescents. In a study of 1,030 Hispanic children between the ages of 4 and 19, published in the June 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine found less than optimal diets in both overweight and non-overweight participants.
Dr. Dev GnanaDev, president of the California Medical Association, issued the following statement after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called on the state Legislature to swiftly enact his proposed budget cuts.
Laurence I. Barsh, DMD is the Founder of Snoring Isn"t Sexy, LLC and has been involved with sleep medicine since 1992. He now devotes full time to educating the public about dentistry"s role and responsibility in the recognition and management of snoring and sleep apnea.
Men are planning for their financial security in retirement but not for their happiness, according to a survey revealing that more women than men plan for their health and leisure interests before they stop working.
External beam partial breast irradiation (EB-PBI) is the most cost-effective method for treating postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer based on utilities, recurrence risks and costs when compared to whole breast radiotherapy (WBRT) and brachytherapy partial breast irradiation (brachy-PBI), according to a study in the June 1 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).
As policymakers consider ways to cut health costs as a part of health reform, a new national survey of physician practices finds that physicians on average are spending the equivalent of three work weeks annually on administrative tasks required by health plans. According to the study by Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., of Weill Cornell Medical College and colleagues, physician practices report that overall the costs of interacting with insurance plans is $31 billion annually and 6.9 percent of all U.S. expenditures for physician and clinical services. The study, published in the online issue of Health Affairs, was co-funded by The Commonwealth Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation"s Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization (HCFO) Initiative.
Researchers are calling for space headache to be established as a new secondary disorder after carrying out a study of 17 astronauts, published in the June issue of Cephalalgia.
Data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2009 meeting, in Orlando, Florida, show that bevacizumab (Avastin®) plus commonly used chemotherapies increases the chance of the patient living without the disease worsening by up to 36% compared to chemotherapies alone, in women receiving first-line therapy for advanced HER2-negative breast cancer. The Phase III RIBBON-1 study combined bevacizumab with chemotherapies, including capecitabine (Xeloda®), taxanes and anthracyclines and measured progression-free survival (PFS).1 No new safety signals for bevacizumab were observed in the study.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and
Despite what some may think, people aren"t hiding their use of BOTOX® Cosmetic and hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. In fact, according to survey statistics released today by The Aesthetic Surgery Education & Research Foundation (ASERF), the research arm of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), nearly nine out of 10 respondents (87 percent) openly discuss their BOTOX® Cosmetic and hyaluronic acid dermal filler treatments with others, with seven out of ten (70 percent) receiving support from the people they told.
Low-cost baked goods that have zero trans fat. Processed foods that taste salty but contain little salt. Biodegradable fabrics made from ecologically-friendly fibres. And an all-natural product that reduces the health risks associated with kidney disease. These are just some of the latest innovations in food, nutrition and bio-materials that will be unveiled at a leading scientific conference in Guelph later this month.
In a move intended to significantly accelerate the pace of MS research, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada announced the establishment of five research and training centres involving over 100 established scientists and 250 trainees.
Scientists here have determined that combining bed bugs" own chemical signals with a common insect control agent makes that treatment more effective at killing the bugs.
GPC Biotech AG (FRANKFURT: GPC) (XETRA: GPC) announced that data from the double- blind, randomized satraplatin Phase 3 trial, the SPARC trial (Satraplatin and Prednisone Against Refractory Cancer), were presented at the 2009 American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. The SPARC trial evaluated satraplatin plus prednisone versus placebo plus prednisone in 950 patients with castrate-refractory prostate cancer (CRPC) who had progressed after initial chemotherapy. The data presented are retrospective analyses of the SPARC trial evaluating correlations between overall survival (OS) and pain at baseline, pain progression, and progression-free survival (PFS) at three months.
A study just published on bmj.com informs that in Britain, most graduates in medical studies work in the National Health Service (NHS) for many years. The report contradicts the alleged growing trend of displeased doctors leaving the NHS. Another study also available today reports that women´s career progression in the NHS is no longer slowed down by direct discrimination.
Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and its fully owned subsidiary, BiPar Sciences, announced results from a randomized Phase 2 clinical trial of BSI-201, a poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, in combination with gemcitabine and carboplatin (GC) chemotherapy, in patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). BSI-201 is a novel investigational agent that acts by inhibiting PARP1, an enzyme that repairs DNA damage.
As projected, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) has resubmitted its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Cymbalta(R) (duloxetine HCl) for the management of chronic pain to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Lilly"s resubmission is based on a recently completed study in chronic pain due to osteoarthritis, the extension phase of a chronic low back pain study and previously completed studies in pain due to osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain. The application is supported by studies in diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) and fibromyalgia.
ATS Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATSI), manufacturer and marketer of state-of-the-art cardiac surgery products and services, announced participation in the upcoming International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS) Meeting in San Francisco on June 3-6, 2009. The ISMICS meeting is a significant gathering of cardiovascular surgeons from around the world whose interests include the latest developments in less invasive forms of heart surgery. The annual ISMICS meeting provides an excellent venue for the Company to exhibit its growing portfolio of clinically relevant products designed to meet the needs of cardiac surgeons.
The recent murder of Kansas abortion provider George Tiller has increased tensions between groups on both sides of the abortion debate at a time when the White House is advocating a move toward "common ground" on the issue, the Los Angeles Times reports. Tiller, one of the few doctors who performed abortions later in pregnancy, was shot to death in his church on Sunday. According to the Times, some advocates feel that the murder will further complicate the Obama administration"s efforts to find areas for agreement in the abortion-rights debate. Abortion-rights advocate Cristina Page -- an author and blogger who attended initial White House meetings on forming effective reproductive health policies -- called Tiller"s death a "massive setback" to the idea of finding common ground with abortion-rights opponents. She added that it is "sort of like having a family member murdered and then being asked to make nice with the assassin"s family. It"s unnatural." However, some antiabortion-rights groups say that President Obama"s policy moves, such as his proposal to rescind the Bush administration"s provider "conscience" rule, have undercut his calls for compromise. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, said, "It is very hard to find common ground when none of your policies overlap with the people you are trying to find common ground with."The Obama administration in the coming months plans to continue meetings with advocates on both sides of the abortion debate as it drafts policy proposals aimed at preventing unintended pregnancies and reducing the need for abortion, the Times reports. According to the Times, one area of debate that arose after the first meeting was the White House"s distinction between reducing the need for abortion versus some antiabortion-rights advocates" focus on reducing the number of abortions. After the meeting, Wendy Wright, president of the antiabortion-group Concerned Women for America, blogged that she disagreed with abortion-rights advocates" objections to the phrase "reducing abortions." Page said that Wright seemed to aim to start a fight over words to impede discussion. "We"ve gotten dragged very quickly, by [Wright], back to the same debate that we"ve all suffered through for 36 years," Page said. Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said that the "issue should be reducing the number of unintended pregnancies." Melody Barnes, head of Obama"s Domestic Policy Council, said in an interview in May that the White House"s "goal is to reduce the need for abortions.÷ ... If people have better access to contraception, that"s a way of addressing the issue at its root, rather than do a tally of abortions" (Wallsten/Abcarian, Los Angeles Times, 6/3).
Merck"s human papillomavirus vaccine, Gardasil, was 90% effective in preventing infection with the virus and cervical disease in women ages 24 to 45, according to a study published Monday in the medical journal Lancet, Reuters reports (Fox, Reuters, 6/1). In the U.S., the vaccine currently is FDA-approved for girls and women ages nine to 26. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend routine three-dose vaccination of girls ages 11 and 12 and for girls and women ages 13 to 26 who have not yet been vaccinated (CDC fact sheet, June 2008). It is designed to protect against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause about 70% of all cervical cancer cases, and HPV types 6 and 11, which cause genital warts.The new study, led by Nubia Munoz of the National Institute of Cancer in Bogota, Colombia, and funded by Merck, involved women ages 24 to 45 with no history of cervical disease or genital warts who either received the vaccine or a placebo injection. The study found that women who received the vaccine were significantly less likely to be infected with certain strains of HPV than those who received placebo shots. According to the researchers, four women out of 1,900 who received the vaccine developed HPV or cervical disease after two years, compared with 41 women out of 1,900 in the placebo group.Reuters reports that the results of the study could help Merck as it seeks approval for marketing Gardasil for use in older women. The researchers said in the study that older women might be at risk for HPV infection as "[c]hanges in sexual behavior during the past 30 years ... have led to more widespread premarital sexual intercourse and acquisition of new sexual partners around middle age." They added, "As the potential for HPV infection and disease exists in women in their third, fourth and fifth decades of life, these women could benefit from prophylactic HPV vaccination." According to Reuters, a mathematical model published in October 2005 showed that vaccinating older women could cut rates of cervical cancer in women through age 45 by half. Merck also has released data showing the effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing genital lesions in men.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide, and about 20 million U.S. residents are infected with it. The virus is the leading cause of cervical cancer, which causes about 3,870 deaths in the U.S. and 300,000 deaths globally every year, and it also can cause anal, penile, mouth and neck cancer (Reuters, 6/1).
Although Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor"s confirmation hearings are more than a month away, "it"s easy to predict how they will go," New York Times columnist Ross Douthat writes. Douthat predicts that Senate Judiciary Committee members "will attempt to divine Sotomayor"s position on a variety of controversial topics," such as abortion rights, and in "a series of polite, evasive answers, the nominee will feign a studious neutrality on almost every issue that could come before her during what"s likely to be decades as one of the most powerful women in the world." According to Douthat, the "deeper stakes" that likely will be ignored are that "Sotomayor will be joining a high court that"s gradually become a kind of extra legislative body." He cites research from Harvard Law School professor Jed Shugerman showing that the court over roughly the past 50 years has invalidated both state and federal statutes at an unprecedented rate. Douthat also points to data from Evan Caminker of the University of Michigan showing that in one eight-year period, the court invalidated 16 federal laws in 5-4 votes, something that occurred only 25 times in the previous two centuries. Douthat writes that "settling so many vexing controversies with 5-to-4 votes -- effectively making Anthony Kennedy the nation"s philosopher king -- is an awfully poor way to run a republic."Douthat continues that the "modern court"s most enduringly controversial power grabs -- with Roe v. Wade leading the way -- were usually the work of liberal justices" but that "in practice, the main divide between liberal and conservative judges tends to be over the responsibilities of the federal government, not judicial activism per se." He writes, "There are bipartisan ways that the Court could be reined in, and the legislative branch reinvigorated," including the idea of a supermajority rule that would require a 6-3 vote to overturn federal legislation. This idea "might spur the court toward greater consensus, and perhaps greater modesty as well," according to Douthat. Another possibility would be to implement 12-year term limits, he says. Douthat concludes that these suggestions would not "reduce the Supreme Court"s power directly, but it would help us see the court for what it has become -- a deeply political institution, as fallible as any other, and answerable, when all is said and done, to us" (Douthat, New York Times, 6/2).
Statement attributable to: Nancy H. Nielsen, M.D.
Stem cells play a role in heart muscle rejuvenation by attracting cells from the body that develop into heart muscle cells. They have been successfully used to halt or reverse cardiac injury following heart attack, but not to prevent injury before it occurs.
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), announced completion of enrollment in RESOLUTE International, a post-market study of its Resolute Drug-Eluting Stent (DES). One-year data from this international study, which enrolled 2,464 patients at 88 sites from 17 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, are expected in the second half of 2010.
Magellan Spine Technologies, Inc. announced the first human implant of its DART (Disc Annular Repair Technology) System for use after lumbar discectomy procedures. This initial clinical use follows European CE Mark clearance of the DART System in April 2009.
TomoTherapy Incorporated (NASDAQ: TOMO) announced that the University of Kentucky (UK) Chandler Medical Center"s Markey Cancer Center has commenced treating patients with the TomoTherapy® Hiò€¢Art® treatment system, a versatile, CT scanner-based device, which integrates image guidance for increased treatment accuracy and helical radiation therapy delivery for enhanced tumor targeting. The Hiò€¢Art treatment system was selected after a thorough review of technologies and will be extensively utilized in the Markey Cancer Center"s stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) efforts, as part of its new Brain and Body Radiosurgery Program.
When you were a kid your mom poured it on your scraped finger to stave off infection. When you got older you might have even used it to bleach your hair. Now there"s another possible function for this over-the-counter colorless liquid: your body might be using hydrogen peroxide as an envoy that marshals troops of healing cells to wounded tissue.
More than a decade after Harvard researchers first revealed that life and health insurance companies were major investors in tobacco stocks - prompting calls upon them to divest - the insurance industry has yet to kick the habit, they say.
In an ambitious effort to further Yale University"s engagement in global health, President Richard C. Levin announced today the launch of the Yale Global Health Initiative. This is the first endeavor of the University"s new Jackson Institute of Global Affairs, which was announced in April. The purpose of the new initiative is to unite the many global health efforts across campus, foster innovative educational programs to address the growing student interest in global health, and stimulate and support faculty research to enhance healthcare around the world.
An overwhelming number of Americans believe young adults and children should not have access to tanning salons without parental oversight because of the danger of skin cancer, suggests an online poll by http://www.dermanetwork.org.
Medical problems contributed to nearly two-thirds (62.1 percent) of all bankruptcies in 2007, according to a study in the August issue of the American Journal of Medicine that will be published online Thursday. The data were collected prior to the current economic downturn and hence likely understate the current burden of financial suffering. Between 2001 and 2007, the proportion of all bankruptcies attributable to medical problems rose by 49.6 percent. The authors" previous 2001 findings have been widely cited by policy leaders, including President Obama.
South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT) is hosting an all day event for carers on Wednesday 10th June 2009. The event - You care We care - is taking place at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon and doors will open at 09:30.
Results from a Phase III study presented at the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida today show that patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received erlotinib (Tarceva®) as first-line maintenance treatment benefited from a significant (29%) improvement in the time they lived without the disease advancing, compared with those who received placebo1. Patients in the global multicentre SATURN trial, which included patients from the UK, received maintenance treatment with erlotinib if their cancer had not progressed on initial chemotherapy. The data showed a significant improvement in the length of time patients lived without their disease getting worse, and without the need for further chemotherapy. 1 The improvement was seen in both of the main types of NSCLC (squamous cell as well as non-squamous cell) and these results form the basis of a submission for regulatory approval of erlotinib to be used in the first-line maintenance setting. 1 Erlotinib is not currently licensed for first line maintenance treatment in NSCLC lung cancer in the UK.
Call it a Breathalyzer for the hands.
The most reliable method of diagnosing gout is to aspirate the joint in order to obtain fluid
Hip resurfacing can be a good alternative to total hip replacement (THR) in young adults because it conserves bone and it has acceptable short- to medium-term results. However, there have been concerns about fractures of the femoral neck with this procedure, partly due to notching and varus alignment during implantation.
Research published on 1st March 2009 investigates whether "simultaneous bilateral sequential total hip replacement (THR) would increase the rate of mortality and complications compared with unilateral THR", for both low and high risk patients.
In the quest for new approaches to treating and preventing disease, one appealing route involves turning genes on or off at will, directly intervening in ailments such as cancer and diabetes, which result when genes fail to turn on and off as they should.
Cancer develops when cells known as cancer stem cells begin to divide in
SANE Australia is pleased to announce the 2009 SANE Book of the Year is Back From The Brink Too: Supporting Your Loved One In Overcoming Depression by Graeme Cowan.
A University of Toronto study provides the first direct evidence that our mood literally changes the way our visual system filters our perceptual experience suggesting that seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses is more biological reality than metaphor.
A new study has identified a specific class of pharmaceutical drugs that could be effective in treating babies vulnerable to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), because their mothers smoked during pregnancy.
According to the American Cancer
Cellulitis and cellulite are two completely different things. Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the dermis - the deep layer of skin - as well as the subcutaneous tissues (fat and soft tissue layer) that are under the skin. While cellulite is caused by fatty deposits under the skin that give it an orange peel or cottage cheese look. This article is about the bacterial infection - cellulitis.
When added to the mix, a new experimental drug known as TMC207 appeared to make a cocktail of background drugs five times more powerful
It"s been a decade since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first total ankle-replacement system for patients with severe ankle arthritis.
A drug derived from the hydrangea root, used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, shows promise in treating autoimmune disorders, report researchers from the Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine and the Immune Disease Institute at Children"s Hospital Boston (PCMM/IDI), along with the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. In the June 5 edition of Science, they show that a small-molecule compound known as halofuginone inhibits the development of Th17 cells, immune cells recently recognized as important players in autoimmune disease, without altering other kinds of T cells involved in normal immune function. They further demonstrate that halofuginone reduces disease pathology in a mouse model of autoimmunity.
Roche announced that oral and poster presentations highlighting results from the extensive multi-national ACTEMRA(R) (tocilizumab) clinical development program will be presented at the 10th Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), which will take place June 10-13, 2009, in Copenhagen, Denmark. The studies evaluate ACTEMRA, a novel treatment targeting interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptors, in patients with moderately to severely active RA.
As the administration searches for ways to pay for health care reform and restrain medical costs, President Obama suggested Wednesday that he would consider transferring the power to set Medicare reimbursement rates from Congress to the independent advisory agency known as MedPAC, MedPage Today reports. The move reflects legislation introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., last month that would move MedPAC into the executive branch as "a regulatory board similar to the Federal Reserve ... The move would transfer the power to set reimbursement rates from Congress -- and perhaps the interest groups that lobby it -- to an agency that critics say is better equipped to make nuanced medical payment decisions" (Walker 3/09).