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109 medicines, vaccines in development for HIV AIDSAmerica's pharmaceutical research companies are testing 109 medicines and vaccines to treat or prevent HIV/AIDS and related conditions, according to a report released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).
Asthma risk more in children born in autumnChildren who are born four months before the peak of cold and flu season have a greater risk of developing childhood asthma than children born at any other time of year, according to new research from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Routine HIV testing fails in USWhile the U.S. AIDS epidemic simmers largely unnoticed by most Americans, a failure to widely implement routine HIV testing continues to fuel its spread, HIV researchers and experts said.
US adults skip needed care due to costsCompared to patients in seven other countries, chronically ill adults in the United States are far more likely to forgo care because of costs; they also experience the highest rates of medical errors, coordination problems, and high out-of-pocket costs, according to a new study from The Commonwealth Fund.
Influenza Flu trends from Google.orgBy tracking the popularity of certain Google search queries, Google's engineers have discovered that they can accurately estimate the level of flu in each state, in near real time.
Heart may help power pacemakers, defibrillators in heart patientsSurplus energy generated by the heart may one day help power pacemakers and defibrillators implanted in cardiac patients, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2008.
Health Canada reaffirms safety of BPA useAnnouncement by Health Canada regarding completion of its assessment of bisphenol A (BPA) offers reassurance to Canadians that the use of this chemical in the production of epoxy resins in metal food and beverage packaging presents no risk to consumers.
12 diseases worsened by climate changeHealth experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society released a report that lists 12 pathogens that could spread into new regions as a result of climate change, with potential impacts to both human and wildlife health and global economies.
New gene identified for age related macular degeneration AMDA new genetic association is established with the eye condition age-related macular degeneration (AMD), revealed by researchers.
Obama has modest lead over McCain - US ElectionAs part of the ongoing poll series, Debating Health: Election 2008, the Harvard Public Opinion Research Program at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Harris Interactive conducted a new survey focused on how voters think the presidential candidates' health care reform plans would affect them personally - rather than how they think the plans would affect the nation as a whole.
NAPHS welcomes passage of mental health parityThe following is a statement from Mark Covall, Executive Director, National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems on passage of The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008:
Brain pathway responsible for obesity discoveredUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison researchers, for the first time, have found a messaging system in the brain that directly affects food intake and body weight.
Childhood wheezing with rhinovirus can increase asthma riskInfants who experience viral respiratory illnesses with wheezing are known to be at increased risk for developing asthma later during childhood. It is not known, however, whether every type of respiratory virus that produces wheezing presents similar risk.
US to bulk purchase BioThrax anthrax vaccine from Emergent BioSolutionsEmergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) announced that it has signed a new, multi-year, firm fixed price contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to supply an additional 14.5 million doses of BioThrax(R) (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), its FDA licensed anthrax vaccine, for inclusion in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS).
Birth size is a marker of breast cancer susceptibilityBirth size, and in particular birth length, correlates with subsequent risk of breast cancer in adulthood, according to a new study published in PLoS Medicine by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
QIAGEN's careHPV test provides more accurate screeningA new HPV test developed by QIAGEN specifically for use in regions of the world with scarce resources is "substantially" more accurate in identifying women with cervical disease than the current methods (Pap testing and visual inspection) in these countries.
Poor weight loss in some after gastric bypass surgeryIndividuals with diabetes and those whose stomach pouches are larger appear less likely to successfully lose weight after gastric bypass surgery, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Racial diversity prepare medical students to care for minority patientsWhite medical students who attend schools with greater racial and ethnic diversity among the student body are more likely to rate themselves as highly prepared to care for minority populations, according to a study in the September 10 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on medical education.
Avoid grapefruit juices when taking certain drugsGrapefruit and other common fruit juices, including orange and apple, decrease the absorption of drugs, potentially wiping out their beneficial effects.
Two HIV/TB global leaders announce merger talksFormal merger negotiations were announced between two global leaders on HIV and TB: Health & Development Networks (HDN) and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance - at the XVII International AIDS Conference which concluded in Mexico on 8_August 2008. The merger will create a new joint organisation with a global mandate, which will be part of the Alliance family.
Boys grow out of childhood asthmaBoys may be more apt than girls to have childhood asthma, but, when compared to girls, they are also more likely to grow out of it in adolescence and have a decreased incidence of asthma in the post-pubertal years. This indicates that there may be a buried mechanism in asthma development, according to a prospective study that analyzed airway responsiveness (AR) in more than 1,000 children with mild to moderate asthma over a period of about nine years.
Lung health action plan needed to control air pollutionThe National Illness Cost of Air Pollution (ICAP) study, released by the Canadian Medical Association, is clear evidence that action is required on air pollution and that a national strategy for lung health is needed now more than ever.
HIV risk high in indian women abused by husbandsMarried women in India who experience physical and sexual violence from their husbands have an increased risk of HIV infection, compared with women who are not abused by their husbands, according to a study in the August 13 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence and human rights.
Eat oily fish to protect your eyesight in old ageEating oily fish once a week may reduce age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which is the major cause of blindness and poor vision in adults in western countries and the third cause of global blindness, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Vitamin C injections slow tumor growthHigh-dose injections of vitamin C, also known as ascorbate or ascorbic acid, reduced tumor weight and growth rate by about 50 percent in mouse models of brain, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers, researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) report in the August 5, 2008, issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Drug identified to enhance exercise endurance, mimic exercise effectsResearchers have identified drugs that mimic many of the physiological effects of exercise. The drugs increase the ability of cells to burn fat and are the first compounds that have been shown to enhance exercise endurance.
Lazy brain - a shrinking brainPeople who have been more mentally active over their lives have a larger hippocampus – which relates to memory – and critically that it shrinks at half the rate of those who have lower mental activity.
Nut products during pregnancy increases asthma risk in childrenExpectant mothers who eat nuts or nut products like peanut butter daily during pregnancy increase their children's risk of developing asthma by more than 50 percent over women who rarely or never consume nut products during pregnancy, according to new research from the Netherlands.
New research will help identify risk factors for SIDSSudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS is a condition that unexpectedly and unexplainably takes the lives of seemingly healthy babies aged between a month and a year. Now researchers of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Monterotondo, Italy, have developed a mouse model of the so-called crib or cot death, which remains the leading cause of death during the first year of life in developed countries.
Red wine may ward off effects of age on heart, bones, eyes and musclesLarge doses of a red wine ingredient can ward off many of the vagaries of aging in mice who begin taking it at midlife, according to a new report published online on July 3rd in Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication. Those health improvements of the chemical known as resveratrol-including cardiovascular benefits, greater motor coordination, reduced cataracts and better bone density-come without necessarily extending the animals' lifespan.
RFID may pose hazards to medical equipmentsThe use of radio frequency identification devices RFID appears to have the potential to cause critical care medical equipment to malfunction. Electromagnetic interference from these identification devices pose hazards to critical care medical equipments in hospitals and nursing homes.
Malarial parasite plasmodium vivax more seriousPlasmodium vivax can cause severe malaria associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, show two studies published in PLoS Medicine this week. These findings challenge the current dogma that P. falciparum can be severe and life-threatening whereas Plasmodium vivax tends to be mild, according to the related commentary by Stephen Rogerson (University of Melbourne, Australia), an expert not connected with these studies.
Traffic pollution raises childhood allergiesTraffic pollution may increase risk of allergies in children. In a German study, researchers have confirmed that they found a link between traffic pollution and childhood allergies.
Asthma in obese more severeObesity can worsen the impact of asthma and may also increase its severity, according to new University of Otago research.
Way to increase metabolism for weight lossScientists from Melbourne's Howard Florey Institute have discovered a way to aid weight loss and reduce the likelihood of developing diabetes by manipulating fat cells to increase the body's metabolism. As well as metabolising fat, fat cells help regulate blood pressure and blood volume through the renin-angiotensin system.
Monitoring AIDS treatment by physical signs is effectiveWhen millions of HIV-infected people in poor countries began receiving advanced drug therapies, critics worried that patient care would suffer because few high-tech laboratories were available to guide treatments. But according to a study being published in The Lancet, these concerns are as yet unfounded.
Contaminant identified in tainted Baxter's heparinAn international team of researchers led by Massachusetts institute of technology (MIT) has explained how contaminated batches of the blood-thinner heparin were able to slip past traditional safety screens and kill dozens of patients recently in the United States and Germany.
CD16 monocyte could be a biomarker for progression of HIVAn increase in the CD163+/CD16+ monocyte subset could be a biomarker for the progression of HIV disease, according to researchers at Temple University, reported in the March issue of AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses.
Protein Robo4 may reverse macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathyTwo major eye diseases and leading causes of blindness-age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy-can be reversed or even prevented by drugs that activate a protein found in blood vessel cells, researchers at the University of Utah School of Medicine and several other institutions have announced in a new study.
Eli Lilly denied NYT report of schizophrenia drug ZyprexaEli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) called the assertions in a New York Times online article 'flat out wrong.' A report in The New York Times that said a senior executive had encouraged the promotion of its schizophrenia drug Zyprexa for a use not approved by federal regulators.
HIV AIDS organisations to highlight progress and lessons learnedHIV/AIDS implementers from around the world will gather in Kampala, Uganda, from June 3-7 for the 2008 HIV/AIDS Implementers' Meeting. Recognizing the rapid expansion of HIV/AIDS programs worldwide, the focus of this year's meeting is building the capacity of local prevention, treatment, and care programs; enhancing quality; and promoting coordination among partners.
92% UK physicians commiited for extended hoursUK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has welcomed a decision by General Physicians to extend surgery opening hours. British Medical Association saw 92% of GPs votes supporting UK Government proposals to include extra sessions in the evening and at weekends.
Listening to a cell phone distracts driversCarnegie Mellon University scientists have shown that just listening to a cell phone while driving is a significant distraction, and it causes drivers to commit some of the same types of driving errors that can occur under the influence of alcohol.
Genes involved in inflammation may hold clue to age-related macular degenerationA University of Southampton research team, led by Professor Andrew Lotery, has identified a new genetic risk factor for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of untreatable blindness in elderly people in developed countries.
New York unveils electronic health record technologyNew York's Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden unveiled the City's next-generation electronic health records (EHRs), already in use at more than 200 primary-care providers across the city that care for more than 200,000 New Yorkers.
Vitamin supplements may increase lung cancer riskVitamin supplements do not protect against lung cancer, according to a study of more than 77,000 vitamin users. In fact, some supplements may even increase the risk of developing it. The findings were published in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Baxter recalls remaining heparin sodium vial productsBaxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) announced that the company is proceeding with the voluntary recall of all remaining lots and doses of its heparin sodium injection multi-dose, single-dose vials and HEP-LOCK heparin flush products.
Improved cognitive health among older AmericansHigher levels of health education improved cognitive health among older Americans. Rates of cognitive impairment among older Americans are on the decline, according to a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) comparing the cognitive health of older people in 1993 and 2002.
Gene identified for hair loss in hypotrichosis simplexA healthy individual loses around a hundred hairs a day. Nothing to worry about as long as they are constantly replaced and the losses occur evenly around the whole scalp. But when hair loss goes well beyond this level it can become quite a problem for those affected – not only superficially in terms of looks but also psychologically.
Global meet on microbicides begins in IndiaThe 4-day biannual International Microbicides 2008 Conference was inaugurated yesterday by the Indian Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss. Congratulating the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) for organizing this important international event, the Minister particularly emphasized the need for an active participation and collaboration amongst all stakeholders in achieving the goal of developing a safe, effective, and accessible microbicide for a woman more than a man to deal with behavioral change.