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Health News from Medical News Today
Computer games offer an exciting and engaging way of helping older people with dementia keep their brain active and learn new skills.New Medical Council To Take Office And Commence Its Work Under The Medical Practitioners Act 2007, Ireland
The Minister for Health & Children, Ms Mary Harney, T.D., announced the commencement of certain provisions of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 which will allow the new Medical Council to begin its work with effect from today.Primary Care: Making Aspirations Reality
The NHS Alliance warmly welcomes the emphasis on the central role of practice based commissioning (PBC), contained in the new Primary Care Strategy, to be announced today (3rd July 2008). The guarantee of improved information and management support is a vital component for transforming the aspirations of PBC into reality.Long-Term Study Of Middle-Aged Mice Shows Resveratrol Improves Health And Mimics Some Benefits Of Dietary Restriction
Sirtris, a GlaxoSmithKline company focused on discovering and developing small molecule drugs to treat diseases of aging such as Type 2 Diabetes, is included among a research team that reported in today's online edition of Cell Metabolism that mice treated at middle-age to the end-of-life with resverAdvanced Thyroid Cancer Investigational Drug Shows Promise
A study by an international team of researchers found that an experimental drug that stops blood vessels that feed tumors from forming was able, in a small number of patients, to slow down the progression of advanced thyroid cancer that has spread to other sites.Study Examines Death Rates For People Newly Diagnosed With HIV
In the five years after their diagnosis, people living with HIV in developed countries and receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy are no more likely to die than HIV-negative people, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Reuters reports (Kahn, Reuters, 7/1).More Than 500 Backlogged Whistle-Blower Cases Allege Health Care, Drug Company Fraud
Whistle-blower lawsuits alleging that pharmaceutical companies and government contractors defrauded the federal government have created a backlog of more than 900 cases at the Department of Justice, the Washington Post reports. According to the Post, more than 500 of the cases involve the health care and pharmaceutical industries, as well as Medicare and Medicaid.Program Seeks To Promote End-Of-Life Care Among Blacks
The Dallas Morning News recently examined a two-day program that aims to address the "discrimination, cultural and economic barriers, and lingering distrust of the health care system" that contributes to blacks' minimal use of end-of-life care. According to 2006 data from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, less than 9% of hospice patients are black.JAMA Commentary Discusses Accountable Care Systems; Report Examines Care Provided By HRSA-Funded Health Care Centers
"Health Care Reform Requires Accountable Care Systems," Journal of the American Medical Association: In the JAMA commentary, Stephen Shortell of the University of California-Berkeley School of Public Health and Lawrence Casalino of the Department of Health Studies at the University of Chicago propoAHIP, American Medical Association Television Ads Intended To Influence Lawmakers On Medicare Legislation
The American Medical Association and America's Health Insurance Plans this week are launching "dueling advertising campaigns" over Senate votes on a House-passed bill (HR 6331) to avert a 10.6% reduction to Medicare physician fees that was scheduled to go into effect on Tuesday, CongressDaily reports (Edney, CongressDaily, 7/1).Study Looks At Risks Associated With Oral Contraceptives For Black Women
Black women taking low-dose oral contraceptives have a risk of side effects that can lead to heart disease and diabetes, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology, Reuters Health reports. For the study, NIH researcher Anne Summer and colleagues examined 104 healthy black women who did not have diabetes.North Carolina Mental Health Parity Law Takes Effect
North Carolina health care insurers must provide the same amount of coverage for certain mental conditions as they do for physical ailments under a state law that took effect on Tuesday, the Winston-Salem Journal reports.Sen. Kennedy Working Toward Bipartisan Support For Major Health Care Initiative In 2009
The office of Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) has begun to hold a series of meetings with a number of health care experts to "begin laying the groundwork for a new attempt to provide universal health care," the Boston Globe reports.People Caught Up In Terrorist Attacks More Resilient Than Previously Thought
People caught up in terrorist attacks or natural disasters are more resilient, both as individuals and in groups, than previously thought. Far from being passive "victims" they can be highly organised survivors, so much so that they should be involved in drafting mental health guidelines to deal with major disasters.Editorials, Opinion Piece Respond To Senate Republican Block Of PEPFAR Reauthorization Legislation
Several newspapers recently responded to the decision last week by some Senate Republicans to block consideration of legislation that would reauthorize the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Summaries appear below.Connecticut Begins Enrollment In Charter Oak Health Plan For Low-Income Residents
Connecticut officials on Monday launched a new health insurance program, called the Charter Oak Health Plan, that is expected to expand coverage to 19,200 uninsured adults in its first year, the Hartford Courant reports.Newspapers Examine Developments In Breast Cancer Detection, Surgery
Two newspapers on Tuesday published articles related to breast cancer detection and surgery. Summaries appear below.~ AP/Washington Post: The AP/Post examined two experimental technologies that aim to improve breast cancer detection among women with dense breasts.WHO, Stop TB Partnership, UNITAID Announce New TB Test That Quickly Diagnoses MDR-TB
The World Health Organization, Stop TB Partnership, UNITAID and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics on Monday announced a joint project to distribute a new diagnostic test for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis that can produce results in two days instead of the standard two or three months, the New York Times reports.California Files Lawsuit Against Hospital Chain Seeking End To 'Balance Billing' Practices
The California Department of Managed Health Care on Friday filed a lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court seeking to stop the hospital chain Prime Healthcare Services from billing patients for the cost of services above what their HMOs are willing to pay, the Los Angeles Times reports. The practice is known as "balance billing."In 2006, Gov.ABC Family Launches 'Cautionary' Television Series That Addresses Teen Pregnancy
ABC Family on Tuesday premiered a "cautionary" television series that plans to address issues including teenage pregnancy, and abstinence, the New York Times reports. The series was made in collaboration with the National Campaign To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (Stanley, New York Times, 7/1).India Reduces Rate Of HIV Transmission In Some States, UNAIDS Report Says
India has managed to reduce the rate of HIV transmission in some states through increased awareness, resources and legislation, according to a report released Monday by India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Reuters reports.Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Highlights Recent Medicaid News In California, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada
Summaries of recent news about Medicaid programs in California, Maryland, Mississippi and Nevada appear below.California: The state's new fiscal year began on Tuesday, but lawmakers have not yet approved a state budget, which will prevent most physicians, hospitals, pharmacists and adult day care centers from receiving Medicaid payments, the Sacramento Bee reports.Number Of Abortions In Wisconsin Lowest On Record In 2007
The number of abortions in Wisconsin declined for the fourth year in a row in 2007, marking the lowest recorded number since the state began tracking abortions in 1974, according to a report by the state Department of Health and Family Services, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.Indian Generic Drug Company Cipla Receives FDA Approval For U.S. Sale Of Antiretroviral Zidovudine
Indian generic pharmaceutical company Cipla recently received full FDA approval to sell and market in the U.S. an oral generic version of the antiretroviral drug zidovudine, the Drug Industry Daily reports. Cipla's application for zidovudine was considered under the expedited review provisions of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Drug Industry Daily, 6/30).GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis Found Guilty Of Overcharging Alabama Medicaid Program, Must Pay State $114M
An Alabama state court jury on Tuesday found pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis guilty of defrauding the state Medicaid program by charging artificially high prices for medications and ordered the two companies to pay more than $114 million in restitution, the AP/Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. GSK was ordered to pay the state $80.8 million and Novartis about $33.GSK Does Not Expect FDA Approval Of HPV Vaccine Cervarix Until End Of 2009
GlaxoSmithKline on Monday said it does not expect to receive FDA approval for its human papillomavirus vaccine Cervarix until late 2009, Reuters reports. GSK said it has decided to wait until results from a Phase III trial of the vaccine are available before seeking U.S. approval.UC San Diego Undergraduates Forge New Area Of Bioinformatics
A group of undergraduate students from the University of California San Diego have forged a new area of bioinformatics that may improve genomic and proteomic annotations and unlock a collection of stubborn biological mysteries. Their work will be published in the July issue of the journal Genome Research.Computer-Like Mechanism Identified That Drives Neuron Expression For Taste And Smell
Thanks to salt and hot chili peppers, researchers have found a calculus-computing center that tells a roundworm to go forward toward dinner or turn to broaden the search. It's a computational mechanism, they say, that is similar to what drives hungry college students to a pizza.The Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC) Selects Illumina Infinium High-Density (HD) DNA Analysis Products To Study 90,000 Samples
Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) announced that researchers participating in a new initiative funded by the Wellcome Trust selected Illumina's Infinium HD BeadChips to analyze 90,000 DNA samples. This new initiative aims to decipher the molecular basis of human disease and includes participation from leading research groups around the globe.FDA Grants Conditional Approval To Interventional Spine's PercuDyn™ System IDE Application
Interventional Spine, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Company's investigational device exemption (IDE) application for its PercuDyn System for the treatment of degenerative disc disease (DDD). This approval is conditional upon the Company providing some additional information to the FDA. Walter A.Potential New Drug Candidates To Combat 'Bird Flu' Identified By UC San Diego Researchers
As the specter of a worldwide outbreak of avian or "bird flu" lingers, health officials recognize that new drugs are desperately needed since some strains of the virus already have developed resistance to the current roster of anti-flu remedies.Circulating Tumor Cells Can Reveal Genetic Signature Of Dangerous Lung Cancers
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have shown that an MGH-developed, microchip-based device that detects and analyzes tumor cells in the bloodstream can be used to determine the genetic signature of lung tumors, allowing identification of those appropriate for targeted treatment and monitoring genetic changes that occur during therapy.Aethlon Medical Announces Second HIV/AIDS Treatment Site
Aethlon Medical, Inc. (OTCBB:AEMD) announced today that it has added a second HIV/AIDS clinical study location at the Bhvani Hospital in Bihar, India. Aethlon previously disclosed plans to initiate the "first-in-man" clinical study of a medical device to treat the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).Special Diabetes Program
Volunteers representing the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF), the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) have presented Senator Byron Dorgan with the 2008 Congressional Leadership Award for his leadership on extending the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) in Congress.SCOLR Pharma, Inc. Advances Extended-Release Ibuprofen With Initiation Of Clinical Study
SCOLR Pharma, Inc. (AMEX: DDD) announced the initiation of the third of three pivotal trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of its formulation of 12-hour extended-release (ER) ibuprofen for the over-the-counter (OTC) market. The Company expects to complete the trial in late 2008.Applied NeuroSolutions Achieves Q2 2008 Alzheimer's Disease Serum Diagnostic Development Program Milestone
Applied NeuroSolutions, Inc. (OTC BB:APNS), a biotechnology Company focused on the development of products for the early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease ("AD"), today announced the achievement of a key milestone directed to a multi-product program to develop serum-based diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's disease.Study Of Glaucoma Surgery In Medicare Patients
Ophthalmologists (Eye M.D.s) continue to develop treatments to help the more than three million Americans with glaucoma. The July issue of Ophthalmology includes a large, national study of outcomes of incisional surgeries, used to reduce pressure inside the eye, in Medicare patients. Also covered is research that may brighten the outlook for patients with end-stage glaucoma.VioQuest Pharmaceuticals Submits 510(k) Application To FDA For Xyfid™, A Novel Topical Agent For The Treatment Of Various Skin Disorders
VioQuest Pharmaceuticals (OTCBB: VOQP) announced the submission of a 510(k) application to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).BioTrove, Gene Express Awarded NIH Grant To Develop Novel Standardized Genetic Profiling Test
BioTrove, Inc. and Gene Express, Inc. announced their receipt of a two-year National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant, awarded in support of their proposed novel research of genetic biomarkers for lung cancer.Weighing Up The Benefits Of Weight Watchers Vs. Fitness Centers
In the first study of its kind, using sophisticated methods to measure body composition, the nationally known commercial weight loss program, Weight Watchers, was compared to gym membership programs to find out which method wins in the game of good health.VGX Pharmaceuticals Receives FDA Approval Of IND For Novel DNA Vaccine For Cervical Cancer Therapy
VGX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (VGX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Company's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its DNA vaccine for cervical cancer therapy, VGX-3100. The Company expects to initiate the Phase I clinical study for VGX-3100 in patients in a multi-center study in the third quarter of 2008.Premier Research Group Earns ISO 13485 Certification For Medical Device Operations
Premier Research Group Limited, the international pharmaceutical services company, announces that its subsidiary, Premier Research Group SA, has earned ISO 13485:2003 certification in support of its global medical device operations. ISO 13485:2003 is a stringent, globally-recognized standard for management systems for medical device manufacturers and service providers.Impaired Womb Function With Age And Major Rise In Caesarean Sections Linked
Delaying childbirth has substantially contributed to recent rises in caesarean section rates, according to a paper published this week by scientists at Cambridge University. The findings come from an analysis of a large body of Scottish data performed by a team under Professor Gordon Smith, at the University's Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.Former Pa. Sens. Santorum, Wofford Serve As State Co-Chairs Of ONE Vote '08, Bring Attention To HIV/AIDS
Former Pennsylvania Sens. Rick Santorum (R) and Harris Wofford (D), who competed in a "bitter and high-profile" Senate race in the 1990s, are joining together to serve as state co-chairs of ONE Vote '08 -- which aims to bring attention to issues of extreme poverty and global disease, including HIV/AIDS, during the presidential campaign -- the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.USA Today Examines Financial Strain On Retirees With Fixed Incomes As Costs Of Health Care, Other Essentials Increase
USA Today on Tuesday, in the first article of a series about retirement issues in the 21st century, examined how retirees are seeing "inflation wring much of the value out of their fixed incomes.Planned Parenthood Cuts Ties With Five Florida Clinics
Planned Parenthood Federation of America on Monday officially ended its relationship with an affiliate once known as Planned Parenthood of South Palm Beach and Broward Counties after a March review found many problems, including harassment complaints, plagiarism and possible mismanagement of nearly $450,000, the Miami Herald reports (Samuels, Miami Herald, 7/2).Fourth Annual Symposium On Liver-Directed Microsphere Therapy Raises Awareness Of The Latest Advances For Treating Metastatic Liver Tumors
More than 170 physicians and health care professionals specializing in the treatment of liver metastases gathered May 2-3 in Chicago for the fourth annual clinical symposium on liver-directed microsphere therapy. The symposium, sponsored by the Goshen Center for Cancer Care, was supported by an educational grant provided by Sirtex Medical.Women Over 90 More Likely To Have Dementia Than Men
Women over 90 are significantly more likely to have dementia than men of the same age, according UC Irvine researchers involved with the 90+ Study, one of the nation's largest studies of dementia and other health factors in the fastest-growing age demographic. The researchers reviewed an analysis of 911 people enrolled in the 90+ Study.NanoViricides' Anti-EKC Drug Candidate To Be Studied In Japan
NanoViricides, Inc. (OTC BB: NNVC.OB) (the "Company"), said that an internationally renowned Japanese ophthalmologist and corneal researcher, Kazuo Tsubota, MD, PhD, has agreed to perform confirmatory animal efficacy studies of the nanoviricide anti-EKC drug candidate, EKC-Cide™, against EKC (epidemic kerato-conjunctivitis) in Japan. Dr.Aradigm Reports Successful Top-Line Phase 2 Data With Inhaled Liposomal Ciprofloxacin For Cystic Fibrosis
Aradigm Corporation (OTCBB:ARDM) (the "Company") announced positive results from an open-label, two week efficacy and safety study of its once daily inhaled liposomal ciprofloxacin in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The study conducted at leading CF centers in Australia and New Zealand enrolled a total of 22 patients.Oncolin Therapeutics Announces The Discovery Of A New More Effective Anti-Cancer Treatment In Experimental Brain Tumor Models
Oncolin Therapeutics, Inc., (OTCBB:OCOL) announces that a team of scientists supported by an Oncolin Sponsored Research Agreement (SRA) and lead by Professor Waldemar Priebe from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC) has discovered a new inhibitor of glycolysis, which is superior to the other known inhibitors.Tool To Study Complex Clusters Of Genes Developed By Texas A&M Researchers
Two Texas A&M University researchers have developed a computational tool that will help scientists more accurately study complex units of clustered genes, called operons, in bacteria.Affymetrix Technology Used To Discover Molecular Mechanisms Of Liver Disease
Affymetrix Inc. (Nasdaq:AFFX) announced that a team of researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany is using Affymetrix' Whole Transcript (WT) gene expression technology to better understand the molecular basis of drug-induced liver injury (DILI).Enzyme Behavior Emulated By Synthetic Molecules For The First Time
When chemists want to produce a lot of a substance -- such as a newly designed drug -- they often turn to catalysts, molecules that speed chemical reactions. Many jobs require highly specialized catalysts, and finding one in just the right shape to connect with certain molecules can be difficult.Study Shows Quantum Dots Can Penetrate Skin Through Minor Abrasions
Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that quantum dot nanoparticles can penetrate the skin if there is an abrasion, providing insight into potential workplace concerns for healthcare workers or individuals involved in the manufacturing of quantum dots or doing research on potential biomedical applications of the tiny nanoparticles.Risk Of Infection And Death Greater In Carriers Of MRSA
Patients harboring methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) for long periods of time continue to be at increased risk of MRSA infection and death, according to a new study in the July 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, currently available online. MRSA is an antibiotic-resistant bacterium that can cause a variety of serious infections.Canadian Scientists Report On Pain Research At NIDCR's 60th Anniversary Symposium
Nearly everyone has experienced the acute, short-lived pain that occurs after a mild injury, but recent surveys reveal that more than 20% of the population has a chronic pain condition (i.e., pain that has lasted for 3 months or more) and for which treatment is often not very effective (e.g., low back pain, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches).V.A.C.(R) Therapy Clinical Study In Japan Shows Significant Efficacy In The Treatment Of Acute Wounds
Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: KCI) announced that it is another step closer to introducing its V.A.C.® Therapy wound care system in Japan with the completion of a two-phase clinical study designed to determine the clinical efficacy, safety and utility of V.A.C. Therapy for wound healing in that country. Results of the study, which compared the use of V.A.C.University Health Industries Launches Natural Pet Health Care Division
University Health Industries Inc., (OTCBB:UVHI) a Florida corporation engaged in the development, marketing and sale of proprietary, patent-pending nutraceutical products, including its leading brands Arthroleve(TM) and Zenstral PMS(TM), announced that it is launching a new pet health care division.International Meeting To Feature Knowledge Translation Symposium
The mission of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), convening here today for its 86th General Session, is to advance oral health research worldwide, and to facilitate application of its findings. A special symposium will directly address the latter by drawing attention to methodologies that can ensure the improved uptake of research knowledge through Knowledge Translation.