Endocrinology
If you believe everything you read, "health and safety" is to blame for a lot of fun events being cancelled. Plastic duck races, ice cream toppings and even Morris Dancing have all allegedly fallen victim to excessive health and safety regulations.
The following summarizes selected women"s health-related blog entries.~ "Nine Key Developments in Obama"s Notre Dame Speech," Dan Gilgoff, U.S. News & World Report"s God and Country: When speaking at the University of Notre Dame"s commencement ceremony Sunday, President Obama "devoted a good-sized chunk of the address to confronting the basis for the controversy" surrounding his invitation to speak "head on," Gilgoff writes. He goes on to list nine key points in the speech, including Obama"s decisions to acknowledge the controversy surrounding his appearance at the commencement; highlight his policy proposals of increasing adoption availability and assistance to pregnant women who carry pregnancies to term, which "go way beyond pregnancy prevention;" and voice his support for "drafting a sensible conscience clause," which represents a step away from completely rescinding the Bush administration provider "conscience" rule. Gilgoff writes that Obama also "argued, despite his hopes of achieving common ground around the hottest-button issue, the two sides in the abortion debate really are at loggerheads," adding that his statement was "incongruous with a speech that argued common ground is always possible between ideological combatants." Gilgoff also discusses media coverage of the event and the fact that "Obama never stated his pro-abortion-rights position," which likely will "rile" abortion-rights advocates. In addition, Obama "peppered his speech with shows of respect for those on the other side of the issue," according to Gilgoff. Lastly, Obama addressed the moral issue surrounding abortion, which "represents a break from Democrats who, for a long time, declined to do so," but also spoke on other moral and religious issues beyond abortion -- an important move "because most religious Americans don"t see their faith mostly in terms of stopping abortion" (Gilgoff, U.S. News & World Report"s God and Country, 5/18).~ "Has the Public Become More Opposed to Abortion?" John Sides, The Monkey Cage: Recently released polls from Gallup and the Pew Research Center were based on "hopelessly mushy" questions, and the "findings obscure far more than they reveal," Sides writes. The Gallup data showed that the percentage of people who said they are "pro-life" has risen and is larger than the percentage who calls themselves "pro-choice." The Pew data showed a decline in the percentage of people who think abortion should be legal in "all" or "most" cases, with an increase in the percentage of people who think it should be illegal in all or most cases. However, "a wider array of data do not appear to show notable trends," and the "movement appears to be among Republicans," Sides writes, adding that the two research groups "purport to show shifts in opinion that are not evident in other data." The two groups "employ vague questions that do not easily map onto actual policy debates," he continues, concluding, "Once more precise data are employed, it becomes clear that opinion strongly depends on the circumstances under which the abortion would occur" (Sides, The Monkey Cage, 5/16).~ "Discussion: Obama at Notre Dame," Washington Post"s On Faith: The Washington Post"s On Faith blog posted several entries regarding President Obama"s speech at the University of Notre Dame"s commencement ceremony. Susan Brooks Thistlewaite, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, writes that she "appreciated" that Obama"s speech "acknowledged that women are the central decision makers" when it comes to abortion "and that women engage in moral reasoning to make the decision." However, this has "kept religious authorities from making the connection between insights from the history of ethics and the abortion question." Brian McLaren, an evangelical pastor, writes that the speech "was an example of the kind of respectful discourse we need when grappling with issues over which we disagree, while author Susan Jacoby says that the speech and reaction from the audience "will h
Bayer Diabetes Care in the UK and Ireland today unveils "DIDGET(TM), the
A pet bites a child, and the owner is faced with an excruciating decision: Is it safe to keep this dog?
Doctors at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center-Markey Cancer Center compared symptom analysis to ultrasound in predicting ovarian cancer. They selected 272 women participating in annual trans-vaginal screening (TVS) from 31,748 women enrolled in a free screening project at the university, comparing symptom results to ultrasound and surgical pathology findings.
Current research is inconclusive regarding the relationship between alcohol consumption and prostate cancer risk. Researchers led by Zhihong Gong Ph.D. of the University of California San Francisco, examined the associations of total alcohol, type of alcoholic beverage, and drinking pattern with risks of total, low- and high-grade prostate cancer. They used data from more than 10,000 men participating in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT).
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: TEVA) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its New Drug Application (NDA) for Plan B® One-Step emergency contraception (levonorgestrel tablet, 1.5 mg). Now, with new Plan B® One-Step, women can help prevent an unintended pregnancy after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure with just one pill in one dose. The FDA is expanding over-the-counter (OTC) access to Plan B® One-Step for consumers age 17 or older; women younger than age 17 will require a prescription. The product will be available at licensed U.S. retail pharmacies within the next month.
Summer is the peak time for people to be bitten by ticks and mosquitoes, which may carry diseases that can infect humans. The Department of Health tracks cases of these diseases and has noted a recent increase in human cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and ehrlichiosis, both of which are transmitted through tick bites. TDOH urges Tennesseans to follow commonsense precautions to protect themselves and help reduce the risk of illness.
El Salvador and Benin have marked World Asthma Day by placing orders with the Asthma Drug Facility (ADF). Through the ADF these and other low- and middle-income countries will be able to obtain quality-assured essential asthma medicines at affordable prices for the first time.
Cepheid (Nasdaq: CPHD) announced it has received clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to market its Xpert(R) C. difficile test, an on-demand molecular diagnostic test designed for 45-minute detection of the bacterium that causes Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). The Xpert C. difficile test is the first test for CDI to deliver both rapid turnaround and a high degree of accuracy.
Nonin Medical, Inc., a leading innovator of noninvasive physiological monitoring solutions, announced FDA clearance for its Model 7600 Regional Oximetry System. Introduced in June 2009 at the European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA) conference in Milan, Italy, the innovative Model 7600 offers real-time monitoring of cerebral oxygenation for patients at risk of ischemia.
Researchers from the US and Japan studying the new H1N1 pandemic flu virus suggest that it is more virulent than previously thought. They
TUESDAY: Dozens of Registered Nurses to March on Kaiser Permanente-Fremont to Protest Effort to Slash Urgent Care
Hospital room design can help reduce medical errors, infections and falls, as well as patient stress, according to results emerging from more than 1,500 studies, the New York Times reports. For instance, a study at Bronson Methodist Hospital found that hospital-acquired infection rates dropped by 11% when more single-patient rooms were added, with well-located sinks and better air-flow designs. In addition, research from the Pebble Project -- an effort by the Center for Health Design -- found that lowering noise levels around patients improved self-reported sleep quality by nearly 50%, from 4.9 on a scale of 10 to 7.3. Other studies have suggested that natural light can help with patient depression and that nature scenes can help lower reported pain levels, the Times reports. Anjali Joseph, director of research at the Center for Health Design, said that many new hospitals also are replacing centralized nurses" stations with smaller ones located near patients. Insurance companies want some assurance that upgrades and new features will do more than just attract patients, the Times reports. Susan Pisano, a spokesperson for America"s Health Insurance Plans, said, "When a hospital makes a change -- buys a new machine, builds a new building -- they need to be prepared to discuss those changes with the people purchasing their services," adding, "They have to make the case that these changes will improve quality and safety and efficiency" (Campbell, New York Times, 5/19).
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) announces the five 2009 recipients of the ASH Research Training Award for Fellows, a grant that encourages junior researchers to pursue careers in academic hematology by supporting protected time to conduct research during their fellowship training.
Propublica/The Los Angeles Times found that "the board charged with overseeing California"s 350,000 registered nurses often takes years to act on complaints of egregious misconduct, leaving nurses accused of wrongdoing free to practice without restrictions ... It"s a high-stakes gamble that no one will be hurt as nurses with histories of drug abuse, negligence, violence and incompetence continue to provide care across the state. While the inquiries drag on, many nurses maintain spotless records. New employers and patients have no way of knowing the risks."
VOA News reports that fake pharmaceuticals pose a greater risk to stability and human security in West Africa than illegal drug trafficking, according to U.N. Office Against Drugs and Crime report. More than half of the malaria medication available in West Africa is of "sub-standard quality," according to U.N. estimates, VOA News writes, adding, "West Africa has the highest estimated rate of malaria on the continent, with nearly 98 million cases of malaria per year."
Researchers in the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children"s Hospital Medical Center have discovered a novel gene responsible for heart muscle disease and chronic heart failure in some children and adults with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
The Primary Care Paradox and the Need to Integrate Primary and Specialty Care to Improve the Quality of Healthcare
The number of people with Alzheimer"s and dementia - both new cases and total numbers with the disease - continues to rise among the very oldest segments of the population in contradiction of the conventional wisdom, according to research reported today at the Alzheimer"s Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer"s Disease (ICAD 2009) in Vienna.
The NPHS influenza surveillance scheme, which records reports of diagnoses of flufrom more than 300 GP practices across Wales, shows low levels of influenza activity in all parts of Wales. Further detail can be found on the NPHS website: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/page.cfm?orgid=457&pid=38241
They"re called "fruit flies" for a reason, and it sure isn"t for lack of appetite. But like most animals, the pests typically lose their appetite when they get infected. We humans go them one better: Even when bug-free and hungry, some of us are tempted to do some serious fasting, in hopes of living longer, healthier lives.
A new study by researchers from the Automotive Safety Program at Riley Hospital for Children and Indiana University School of Medicine published online July 13, 2009 in the journal Pediatrics reports that the parents of children with special health care needs are doing a good job with the selection of the appropriate child car seat but still need help in using it correctly.
The results of a preliminary clinical trial suggest that a new Alzheimer"s drug from Humanetics Corporation is safe for daily use and that cognitive performance in patients with mild to moderate disease remained stable during the six-week course of the trial. The lack of decline in cognitive performance was an encouraging finding to be further evaluated in a Phase IIB clinical trial.
Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have turned simple baker"s yeast into a virtual army of medicinal chemists capable of rapidly searching for drugs to treat Parkinson"s disease.
A new research study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine and led by noted men"s health researcher Dr. Paul Turek has a powerful conclusion: that men diagnosed with infertility suffer intense negative sexual, personal and social strains that might be considered typical for other medical illnesses, including cancer.
A UQ Science researcher has received a prestigious honorary fellowship for her long-time work into understanding the underlying mechanisms of pain.
The following statistics were released today by the Department of Health:
Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: WPI), a leading specialty pharmaceutical company, announced that it received a Complete Response Letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its New Drug Application (NDA) for TRELSTAR(R) 22.5 mg (triptorelin pamoate for injectable suspension), a 24-week formulation of TRELSTAR(R) for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer. The TRELSTAR(R) NDA was prepared in cooperation with Debiopharm Group, a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical group of companies.
New data show that Medicare beneficiaries registered to use My Health Manager, Kaiser Permanente"s personal health record, are overwhelmingly satisfied with using the Internet to manage their health care online. Results from the recent Kaiser Permanente survey examining Web site usage and Medicare beneficiary satisfaction were presented today at the World Health Care Congress" 5th Annual Leadership Summit on Medicare in Washington, D.C.
"President Obama signaled recently a major shift in the way the United States tries to help poor countries," Philip Stevens, policy director at the International Policy Network, writes in a Providence Journal opinion piece, adding, "Whereas the Bush presidency pushed to spend enormous sums on individual high-profile diseases such as AIDS, Obama says he will broaden U.S. aid to improve health more generally." However, Stevens writes that the "$63 billion question remains (for that is the sum proposed by Obama): Is it likely to help improve health over the long term?" He adds, "Because far more people in poor countries die of preventable diseases like pneumonia than AIDS, the plan makes some sense. But, heartless as it seems, health care programs funded by foreign aid rarely if ever live up to the soaring rhetoric with which they are launched by politicians." According to Stevens, "[s]tudy after study shows that health aid makes almost no difference to mortality rates and health outcomes, despite the expenditure of billions." He adds, "In happier economic times, indefinitely financing state health care in Africa may have imparted a warm humanitarian glow to U.S. taxpayers. Now that times are harder, and it is clear such transfers rarely work, maybe it"s time to pare them right back." Stevens writes, "When governments become dependent on foreign s to maintain their activities, it drives a wedge between them and their citizens and allows corrupt and repressive governments to remain in power." It also "discourages governments from enacting the politically difficult reforms needed to promote economic development strengthening the rule of law, establishing property rights and opening markets," Stevens writes, adding, "Without improving prosperity, you can"t improve health care."He concludes, "Fortunately, the recession has accelerated recent declines in foreign aid. Congress still has to approve the funds so it has a chance to end subsidies to corrupt governments and being a new chapter for the world"s poorest people" (Stevens, Providence Journal, 5/17).
The start of anesthesia can be distressing for children. Although antianxiety drugs can help keep kids calm, side effects exist. Non-drug methods offer alternatives, but a new review of studies finds that no single method shows a clear advantage in keeping the child calm and cooperative. The most commonly used tactic having the parent present while the child receives anesthesia medications does not appear to have any benefit.
A new study has revealed a possible link between smoking and more rapid progression of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS).
The eyes may be the window into the soul, but they may also contain important medical information. According to new research presented at the American Thoracic Society"s 105th International Conference in San Diego on May 19, patients with diabetes who have retinopathy should also be screened for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Richard Hunt CBE, appointed as the new Chair of the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust.
Counsellors from around the world will meet to discuss their role in helping people deal with social, cultural, economic and natural challenges at the 2009 International Association for Counselling (IAC) Counference organised by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
The human brain can adapt to changing demands even in adulthood, but MIT neuroscientists have now found evidence of it changing with unsuspected speed. Their findings suggest that the brain has a network of silent connections that underlie its plasticity.
In a related article appearing in the July 15 issue of JAMA, researchers have identified the mechanism linked to the alteration of certain genes cited by Bredel et al in the previous study.
In Scotland, young men and women (ages 35-44) from socially deprived groups are around six times more likely to die from heart disease than the most affluent individuals in the same age range, according to research published on bmj.com today.
New data show that Medicare beneficiaries registered to use My Health Manager, Kaiser Permanente"s personal health record, are overwhelmingly satisfied with using the Internet to manage their health care online. Results from the recent Kaiser Permanente survey examining Web site usage and Medicare beneficiary satisfaction were presented today at the World Health Care Congress" 5th Annual Leadership Summit on Medicare in Washington, D.C.
Onset Therapeutics, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused in dermatology, announced the FDA approval and commercial launch of HYLATOPIC™ Emollient Foam, a unique, non-steroidal prescription product indicated to manage and relieve the burning, itching and pain experienced with various types of dermatoses, including atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis and radiation dermatitis.
Surprising new insights into how a Phase III Alzheimer"s drug might work
Scientists have found a way to identify breast cancer patients at risk of heart disease after radiotherapy, according to a report published yesterday.
Researchers at Rush University Medical Center are testing a novel regimen of hip-muscle exercises to decrease the load on the knee joints in patients with osteoarthritis. The goal is not only to relieve pain but also, possibly, to halt progression of the disease.
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announced completion of a 12-month follow up in the STOP-AF (Sustained Treatment of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation) clinical trial evaluating the first cryoballoon catheter technology designed to treat paroxysmal atrial fibrillation - the Medtronic Arctic Front® CryoAblation Catheter System. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia affecting more than 3 million Americans and 7 million people worldwide.1 After the study data are analyzed and filed with regulatory authorities, the results will be shared at an upcoming medical meeting. The system is approved for use in Europe, Australia and Hong Kong and is under investigational use in the United States.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit on Tuesday lifted, an injunction blocking the enforcement of an Illinois law that requires parental notification 48 hours before minors can undergo abortion procedures, the AP/South Town Star reports. The Illinois Legislature originally passed the law in 1984 and revised it in 1995. In 2007, U.S. District Judge David Coar issued an injunction blocking enforcement of the law. On Tuesday, the appeals court said that the measure was "a permissible attempt to help a young woman make an informed choice about whether to have an abortion."The American Civil Liberties Union, which challenged the law, argued that a provision that allows a notification of a judge, rather than a parent, would be unworkable in practice. In an opinion by Judge Richard Cudahy, the appeals court panel said, "We acknowledge that there might be practical problems with the procedure at issue here" and that "it may be intimidating for a minor to navigate the process of presenting her case to a judge, for instance." It continued, "But we fail to see a better alternative. Abortion, no matter how it is confronted, may present intimidating choices to the minor woman who faces it."The law will take effect within a few weeks unless opponents ask for a stay. Ed Yohnka, an ACLU spokesperson, said that it is unclear what the next step would be but that the appeals court could be asked to rehear the case (Robinson, AP/South Town Star, 7/15).
The MS Technology Collaborative has created a new way for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) to exercise their brain power. The Collaborative, an alliance of Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Microsoft, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, today announced the launch of MyBrainGames, a free suite of online games filled with cognitive challenges for the MS community.
The Washington Post on Wednesday profiled Randall Terry, the founder and former head of the antiabortion-rights group Operation Rescue. According to the Post, Terry is known as a "shock jock of the antiabortion movement" with a "theatrical bent." The Post reports that Terry was arrested dozens of times in the late 1980s and 1990s during his protests. For a short period, his "tactics transformed the antiabortion movement," earning him praise from conservative Christian leaders like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. However, after a 1994 federal law made blocking clinics a federal crime, Terry"s group "started to unravel" after he struggled to pay fines for violating the law. He lost in several lawsuits filed by Planned Parenthood -- resulting in him owing $1.6 million to the group -- and he filed for bankruptcy in 1998. Although Terry left as the leader of Operation Rescue in 1991, he now has moved to the Washington, D.C., area to "try to reclaim the prominence he once enjoyed within the antiabortion movement," an effort he is making "much to the consternation of people on both sides of the abortion debate," according to the Post. Most recently, he has been leading protests outside the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. The Post reports that leaders in the antiabortion-rights movement "are cringing at Terry"s sudden return," saying that "his incendiary rhetoric and showy tactics turn off ordinary Americans and reflect Terry"s struggle to regain his glory years." He also is focused on starting a new organization, Operation Rescue Insurrecta Nex, a Latin term translated to mean "insurrection against death" (Salmon, Washington Post, 7/15). The Post also included a timeline of Terry"s personal life and history with the antiabortion-rights movement (Washington Post, 7/15).
CQC publishes national review of NHS child safeguarding
The new surgeon general is expected to focus on primary care.
"A veteran California lawmaker with ties to the biotechnology industry said she thinks her proposal to protect brand-name biologic makers has enough support to carry in the House Energy and Commerce Committee," Dow Jones Newswires/Wall Street Journal reports. The proposal, by Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., would protect brand-name biologic products from competition for 12 years. A similar proposal cleared the Senate health committee earlier this week.
Target, the second-largest U.S. discount retailer, and Kelly Services, a temporary worker agency, said "they may support Wal-Mart Stores Inc."s call for mandatory medical insurance by large companies as part of a proposed overhaul of U.S. health care," Bloomberg reports. Wal-Mart, the nation"s largest retailer, favors the employer mandate, a position that has drawn fire form the industry"s main trade group, the National Retail Federation. "The positions of the two companies signal a widening split in the business community over the issue, a core element of President Barack Obama"s proposed changes."
A new UK study found that swearing appeared to lessen the effects of pain, perhaps because it invokes a similar response as that which occurs in
Animas Corporation announcedthe approval of its OneTouch® Ping™ Glucose Management System by Health Canada. OneTouch Ping is the first full-feature insulin pump that wirelessly communicates with a blood glucose meter-remote. Using the OneTouch Ping meter-remote, a person can calculate insulin doses and opt to wirelessly instruct the pump to deliver them without touching the pump at all, giving patients more freedom and flexibility in using their insulin pump.
Studying the way a person"s brain "sings" could improve our understanding of conditions such as epilepsy and schizophrenia and help develop better treatments, scientists at Cardiff University have discovered.
Young adolescents care a lot about what others think about them. A new study confirms this using brain-mapping techniques that shed new light on this complex period of social development.
Mentor Capital, Inc. (Pink Sheets:MNTR) announces that Quantum Immunologics, Inc. (QI) has met a significant milestone marking the beginning of its FDA-authorized breast cancer trial, the completion of the first clinical treatment injection.
PolyMedix, Inc. (OTCBB: PYMX), an emerging biotechnology company developing acute care products for infectious diseases and acute cardiovascular disorders, announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent assigned to PolyMedix relating to angiogenesis inhibitors. The patent, number 7,553,876, entitled "Polycationic Compounds and Uses Thereof," relates to therapeutic uses of PolyMedix compounds for inhibiting angiogenesis.
Obesity -- that never-ending "battle of the bulge"-- dates back to the Stone Age and yet is emerging today as a modern health epidemic. While its root cause is as simple as calories consumed versus calories burned, it"s cure is knotted somewhere in a complex web of biology, psychology and culture.
In general, radiation is a process where energy emitted by one body travels in a straight line through a medium or through space. Radiation comes from the sun, nuclear reactors, microwave ovens, radio antennas, X-ray machines, and power lines, to name a few.
Scientists at The Florida State University"s Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS) have developed a new computer model that they hope will predict with unprecedented accuracy how many hurricanes will occur in a given season.
For the 11th consecutive year, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) has been named one of the 100 Most Wired hospitals and health systems in the United States, according to the results of the 2009 survey by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine, the journal of the American Hospital Association. UPMC is one of only five organizations to appear on the list since its inception.
The NPHS influenza surveillance scheme, which records reports of diagnoses of flufrom more than 300 GP practices across Wales, shows low but increasing levels of influenza activity in all parts of Wales.
A clinical study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research found that GlucAffect, a nutritional supplement developed by Reliv International, Inc. (Nasdaq: RELV), significantly reduced blood glucose levels and helped control weight in study participants.
PLC Systems Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: PLCSF), a company focused on innovative cardiac and vascular medical device-based technologies, announced that a follow-up study of the landmark Cardiac Angiography in Renally Impaired Patients (CARE) Study determined that Contrast-Induced Nephropathy (CIN) is associated with long-term adverse events, ranging from pulmonary edema to death, and that patients with CIN were twice as likely as those who did not develop CIN to experience adverse events.
The Royal College of Nursing and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health commented on a new report from the Care Quality Commission, Safeguarding children: a review of arrangements in the NHS for safeguarding children. The report found that some providers had excellent systems and staff were delivering good practice, however in others training and evaluating procedures were patchy and many health organisations need to improve as a matter of urgency.
Senate Finance Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) have been privately negotiating over how their panel"s version of health reform legislation will address abortion coverage, Newsweek reports. According to Newsweek, Grassley has been pushing to include measures that would prohibit what he considers "taxpayer-subsidized abortion."Earlier this month, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Raising Women"s Voices and other women"s health advocates intensified efforts to ensure that abortion access was treated like access to all other services in health care reform, according to Newsweek. The article points out, "Though usually publicly debated in the language of personal liberty and morality, abortion is a medical procedure performed by a doctor. It"s currently covered by most private insurance plans and existing government programs, at least under some circumstances. This expanded federal oversight and use of federal dollars raises several thorny issues." Grassley is urging that federally regulated and subsidized plans be prohibited from covering the procedure. Lawmakers also could weigh whether religious organizations -- such as Catholic hospitals or health plans -- could opt out of the coverage.Jill Kozeny, Grassley"s spokesperson, said the senator "is opposed to mandating abortion coverage in health care legislation." According to his office, "At one point during the recent negotiations, there was a (compromise) solution that didn"t work out." Grassley -- who is known as a staunch opponent of abortion rights -- said in March, "I take a view that there is almost anything compromisable in public affairs. Abortion is about the only issue I know of that"s not compromisable."Baucus" office declined to comment on the legislation, citing "longstanding Finance Committee policy not to discuss the specifics of ongoing negotiations." Erin Shields, Baucus" press secretary, noted that the lawmaker has a 100% approval rating from NARAL. She added, "He has always fought for a woman"s right to choose and will continue to do so."According to Newsweek, the House"s and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee"s proposals do not specify covered benefits, instead leaving the decision to an independent commission or the HHS secretary. A recent National Women"s Law Center poll found that 62% of participants would oppose a provision excluding abortion and family planning coverage (Feder, Newsweek, 7/14).
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it is conducting a safety review of Xolair (omalizumab), a drug used to treat certain adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe persistent asthma.
A daily dose of sodium bicarbonate - baking soda, already used for baking, cleaning, acid indigestion, sunburn, and more - slows the decline of kidney function in some patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), reports an upcoming study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). "This cheap and simple strategy also improves patients" nutritional status, and has the potential of translating into significant economic, quality of life, and clinical outcome benefits," comments Magdi Yaqoob, MD (Royal London Hospital).
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press has launched a new monthly publication, Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, that provides comprehensive, systematically structured surveys of research in exciting areas of molecular and cellular biology, genetics, developmental biology, neuroscience, cancer biology, and molecular pathology.
More than 43,000 children are injured in bathtubs and showers every year, mostly from slips and falls, according to the study, "Injuries Associated With Bathtubs and Showers Among Children in the United States." While bathtub injuries associated with tap water burns and submersions have generated much research, this is the first study using nationally representative data to look at injuries from slips and falls, which are responsible for the majority of bathtub injuries. Using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission from 1990 to 2007, researchers evaluated an estimated 791,200 bathtub- and shower-related injuries during the 18-year study period among children 18 years old and younger who were treated in U.S. emergency departments.
Young people with asthma have nearly twice the incidence of depression compared to their peers without asthma, and studies have shown that depression is associated with increased asthma symptoms and, in some cases, death.
The NPHS influenza surveillance scheme, which records reports of diagnoses of flufrom more than 300 GP practices across Wales, shows low but increasing levels of influenza activity across Wales. Further detail can be found on the NPHS website.
A team of Canadian scientists have discovered that naringenin, a flavonoid found in citrus fruit, and especially grapefruit, makes the liver burn fat instead of storing it after a meal. (This chemical compound also gives grapefruit its bitter taste.)
Expectant mothers who are obese are much more likely to suffer from minor complications such as heart burn and chest infections during pregnancy, a study suggests.
Blacks had 51 percent higher prevalence of obesity, and Hispanics had 21 percent higher obesity prevalence compared with whites, according to researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It can take just hours after the symptoms appear for someone to die from bacterial meningitis. Now, after years of research, experts at The University of Nottingham have finally discovered how the deadly meningococcal bacteria is able to break through the body"s natural defence mechanism and attack the brain.
A UQ institute has joined forces with a leading American university to work on research to change the way we live.
AstraZeneca and The Mental Health Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, today announced that they have entered into a research collaboration agreement to develop new ways of identifying Alzheimer"s disease patients at early stages of the disease.
UPMC is once again the region"s only medical center named on the annual U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll of America"s Best Hospitals. UPMC is ranked 13th of only 21 hospitals nationwide who made the Honor Roll of the "nation"s best" in the 2009 survey.
Some people say they never forget a face, a claim now bolstered by psychologists at Harvard University who"ve discovered a group they call "super-recognizers": those who can easily recognize someone they met in passing, even many years later.
Correspondence and a linked Editorial in this week"s Lancet criticise the election tactics employed by the British National Party (BNP) prior to the recent European Elections.
The Royal College of Nursing welcomed the signing of a joint agreement by European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers Association (HOSPEEM). This is an EU-wide agreement which the RCN has played a key role in bringing about to prevent one million medical sharps injuries per year. Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said:
It"s a word that"s been around since the days of the Truman presidency. But a patient looking up "physiatry" would find nothing in the dictionary.
The Brain Emporium offers Cleveland elders an opportunity to refute the adage "You can"t teach an old dog new tricks."
AlphaVax, Inc. announced today that it has completed process development and preclinical immunogenicity studies of its H1N1 (swine) influenza vaccine and will manufacture clinical trial material by the end of the month. This vaccine has shown good production yields as well as excellent immunogenicity, even after just a single inoculation.
Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College have published results showing that a new contraceptive device may also effectively block the transmission of the HIV virus. Findings show that the device prevents infection by the HIV virus in laboratory testing. The promising results are published in the most recent issue of the journal AIDS.
"There was a scandal this week" involving Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg"s comments on abortion rights during an interview with the New York Times Magazine, according to Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson. In response to a question on access to abortion and restrictions on Medicaid coverage of the procedure, Ginsburg said, "Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe [v. Wade] was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don"t want to have too many of. So that Roe was going to be then set up for Medicaid funding for abortion." According to Gerson, the "context surrounding this passage is a simplistic, pro-choice rant." He adds, "Abortion, in Ginsburg"s view, is an essential part of sexual equality, thus ending all ethical debate." Ginsburg in the interview also said, "There will never be a woman of means without choice anymore. That just seems to be so obvious." She added, "So we have a policy that affects only poor women, and it can never be otherwise, and I don"t know why this hasn"t been said more often."Gerson writes, "Given this context, can it be argued that Ginsburg -- referring to "populations that we don"t want to have too many of" -- was merely summarizing the views of others and describing the attitudes of the country when Roe v. Wade was decided?" He continues, "It can be argued -- but it is not bloody likely. Who, in Ginsburg"s statement, is the "we"? And who, in 1973, was arguing for the eugenic purposes of abortion?" According to Gerson, "It is more likely that Ginsburg is describing the attitude of some of her own social class -- that abortion is economically important to a "woman of means" and useful in reducing the number of social undesirables."Gerson writes, "The entire Ginsburg interview is a reminder of the risks of lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court." He continues, "Immune from criticism, surrounded by plump cushions of deference, the temperament of a justice can become exaggerated over time." He adds that her statements "would have been disqualifying" had they been made during her own confirmation hearing. "Now she doesn"t give a damn," Gerson says.He continues that Ginsburg"s "timing ... is instructive" because she made the remarks as Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is "emphasizing her low-income and minority roots." According to Gerson, "It is estimated that the Hyde Amendment limiting Medicaid abortions has saved one million lives since its passage in 1976 -- some, no doubt, became criminals and some, perhaps, lawyers and judges." He concludes, "It is a defining question for modern liberalism: Are these men and women "populations that we don"t want to have too many of," or are they citizens worthy of justice and capable of contribution?" (Gerson, Washington Post, 7/17).
The American Medical Association has backed the House bill that carries mandates on employers and individuals, a government-run health plan and reforms to Medicare and Medicaid, Politico reports.
"As more medical students shun primary care for higher-paid specialties, experts warn of a severe imbalance that could cripple the nation"s health care system," CNN Money reports. Luis Manriquez, a first-year student at the University of Washington School of Medicine wants to become a family doctor, an increasingly rare ambition. He will "probably make one-fourth the salary of a specialist while trying to pay down $140,000 on average in medical school debt." Manriquez says that "primary care physicians are considered to not do as much as specialists. ̣€¦ People have told me that generalists are less respected as doctors."
The Boston Globe: "A state commission recommended yesterday that Massachusetts dramatically change how doctors and hospitals are paid, essentially putting providers on a budget as a way to control exploding healthcare costs and improve the quality of care. The 10-member commission, which includes key legislators and members of Governor Deval Patrick"s administration, voted unanimously to largely scrap the current system, in which insurers typically pay doctors and hospitals a negotiated fee for each individual procedure or visit. That arrangement is widely seen as leading to unneeded tests and procedures. Instead, the group wants private insurers and the state and federal Medicaid program to pay providers a set payment for each patient that covers all that person"s care for an entire year and to make the radical shift within five years" (Kowalczyk, 7/17).
New vaccines against rotavirus, "the leading cause of severe diarrhea in infants," can prevent or lessen the severity of an epidemic, protect unvaccinated children and increase the age of first infection, lessening the severity of the disease, according to a study published in the journal Science, Bloomberg reports (Olmos, 7/16).
IAS Conference Blog; Lancet Profiles Incoming Executive Director
Foster City, Calif.-based Gilead Sciences on Thursday said it has entered into a license and collaboration agreement with Johnson and Johnson subsidiary Tibotec Pharmaceuticals for the development and commercialization of a new once-daily fixed-dose treatment for HIV, the San Francisco Business Times reports. The FDA approved the first once-daily HIV treatment Atripla in 2006 (7/16). The new antiretroviral drug would contain Tibotec"s experimental non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, known as TMC278, and Gilead"s combination pill, Truvada. Kevin Young, head of commercial operations at Gilead "said the new combination pill, along with Gilead"s experimental "quad" pill, will be used for newly-diagnosed patients, with physicians reluctant to change therapy for patients who are responding well to Atripla," Reuters reports. Young said the drug is expected to reach the market in 2011 (Beasley, 7/16).
A low-cost generator with the potential to transform lives in the world"s poorest communities is now being tested across the UK and in Nepal. The Score project, led by The University of Nottingham, is developing a bio-mass burning cooking stove which also converts heat into acoustic energy and then into electricity, all in one unit.
The June cover of the Journal of Virology features a photograph of the unusual effects on a cell infected by a virus. Montana State University researchers were the first to view the virus, which they collected from a boiling, acidic spring in Yellowstone.
In what has been described as the first lupus drug in decades to show effectiveness in phase 3 clinical trials, the announcement that Benlysta
The American Nurses Association (ANA) reached out to lawmakers Friday, with a letter in support of H.R. 3200 "America"s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009." After a contingent from ANA took part in a Rose Garden press conference with President Obama July 15th, ANA set out to engage lawmakers, nurses, and other health professionals across the country to voice their commitment to real healthcare reform.
Many California hospitals would face substantial net losses if there were a large scale shift of individuals with private coverage to a government-run plan that reimburses providers at Medicare rates or Medicare rates plus 10 percent, according to a new hospital-by-hospital analysis released today by America"s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), based on data from California"s Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD).
Following the rapid rise in the spread of swine flu, the QSurveillance® primary care tracking database has increased the level of detail provided in its weekly and daily reports to government and health authorities.
Studies have estimated that five to
A study of oyster reefs in a once-pristine California coastal estuary found them devastated by invasive Atlantic Coast crabs and snails, providing new evidence of the consequences when human activities move species beyond their natural borders.
Experts from the Institute of Psychiatry will tell attendees of a unique conference on the 25th July in Reading that health professionals often fail to correctly identify when someone suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). As a consequence, the burden of this very disabling and distressing condition tends to fall on family members.
Fungi (Singular: fungus) are classified within their own kingdom - The Kingdom Fungi, while some are in The Kingdom Protista. A fungus is neither a plant nor an animal. It is similar to a plant, but it has no chlorophyll and cannot make its own food like a plant can through photosynthesis. They get their food by absorbing nutrients from their surroundings.
Zimmer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ZMH; SWX: ZMH) announced that data from a comparative clinical study conducted by researchers at the Mayo Clinic and the Joint Replacement Surgeons of the Indiana Research Foundation describes the low stiffness and osteoconductive properties of Zimmer"s Trabecular Metal Technology. The study, published in The Journal of Arthroplasty, found significant reductions in acetabular bone loss adjacent to the Trabecular Metal device compared to the titanium component, and a significant relative increase in bone mineral density (BMD) after total hip arthroplasty (THA) using implants made with Zimmer"s proprietary Trabecular Metal Technology.
Ninety-six week pooled results from two Phase 3 studies (DUET-1 and DUET-2) showed that significantly more treatment-experienced HIV-1-infected adults with non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) and protease inhibitor (PI) resistance had an undetectable viral load (DUET-1 and -2 Study Design
Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSI) and GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) announced that BENLYSTA(TM) (belimumab, formerly LymphoStat-B(R)) met the primary endpoint in BLISS-52, the first of two pivotal Phase 3 trials in patients with serologically active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In the placebo-controlled BLISS-52 study, the results showed that belimumab plus standard of care achieved a clinically and statistically significant improvement in patient response rate at Week 52, compared with standard of care alone. Study results also showed that belimumab was generally well tolerated, with adverse event rates comparable between belimumab and placebo treatment groups.
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) researchers have discovered a therapeutic target that, when manipulated, may slow the progression of or halt Parkinson"s disease, a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder that affects an estimated one million people in the U.S.
-39% of suicides by hanging took place when the patient was supposed to be subject to observation by staff
Arctic springtails (Megaphorura arctica) survive freezing temperatures by dehydrating themselves before the coldest weather sets in. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Genomics have identified a suite of genes involved in controlling this extreme survival mechanism.
Behavioural ecologists working in Bolivia have found that wild spider monkeys control their diets in a similar way to humans, contrary to what has been thought up to now. Rather than trying to maximize their daily energy intake, the monkeys tightly regulate their daily protein intake, so that it stays at the same level regardless of seasonal variation in the availability of different foods.