Education
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).
New drug tasimelteon for jet lagVanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: VNDA) reports publication in The Lancet, one of the world's leading medical journals, results of clinical trials of its novel circadian regulator, experimental compound tasimelteon (VEC-162).
Weight loss maintenance through telephone is effectiveFace-to-face and telephone follow-up sessions appear to be more effective in the maintenance of weight loss for women from rural communities compared with weight loss education alone, according to a report in the November 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Laura Bush's partnership for breast cancer awareness in PanamaThe University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center marked the beginning of a collaborative effort to eradicate breast cancer in Panama through the Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research of the Americas today at an event with Laura Bush, the First Lady of the United States, and Vivian Fernández de Torrijos, the First Lady of Panama.
COPD hospitalizations on the rise in USA joint report released by the American Lung Association of Minnesota and the Minnesota COPD Coalition shows that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is sending more Minnesotans to the hospital, and may be contributing to rising health care costs across in the state.
Primary care doctors shortage in USA survey released by The Physicians' Foundation depicts widespread frustration and concern among primary care physicians in US, which could lead to a dramatic decrease in practicing doctors in the near future.
Lilly donated Insulin to International Diabetes Federation's Life for a Child ProgramEli Lilly and Company announced it intends to donate more than 800,000 vials of insulin to the International Diabetes Federation's Life for a Child Program, providing free life-saving medicine to as many as 24,000 children who currently have no access to diabetes treatment.
Education level linked to Alzheimer's disease, dementiaIndividuals with higher education levels appear to score higher on cognitive tests despite having evidence of brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Chinese exercise Tai chi relieves knee painTai chi is effective in the treatment of pain and physical impairment in people with severe knee osteoarthritis, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, Calif.
Kids from low income families are without health insuranceNew research at Oregon Health & Science University reveals millions of children from low- to middle-income families are going without health insurance, even when at least one parent has private health insurance through his or her employer.
Label updates of oral OTC children's cough and cold medicinesThe following statement was issued by Linda Suydam, president of Consumer Healthcare Products Association, USA, on the Voluntary Label Updates to Oral OTC Children's Cough and Cold Medicines.
UN hails recipients of Nobel Prize for discovering HIVThe United Nations has applauded the awarding of the 2008 Nobel Prize for Medicine to two French scientists for their discovery of HIV and for their subsequent pioneering research into the virus.
$62 million settlement with drug company Eli LillyAttorney General Martha Coakley's office, along with 32 other attorneys general, reached a record $62 million settlement with Eli Lilly and Company (Eli Lilly) resolving allegations of improper marketing of the atypical antipsychotic drug, Zyprexa.
Men with traditional views about women earn moreMen who believe in traditional roles for women earn more money than men who don't, and women with more egalitarian views don't make much more than women with a more traditional outlook, revealed by researchers.
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.
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.
Arthroscopy may not help osteoarthritis patientsArthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee provides no additional benefit to optimized physical and medical therapy, revealed by researchers in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) issue of Sept. 11, 2008.
Alexander technique offers long-term relief for back painAlexander technique lessons in combination with an exercise programme offer long-term effective treatment for chronic back pain, according to a study published on BMJ.com.
Xenazine approved for treatment of chorea in Huntington's DiseaseThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Xenazine (tetrabenazine) for the treatment of chorea in people with Huntington's disease. Chorea is the jerky, involuntary movement that occurs in people with this disease.
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.
PSA screening awareness needed among high-risk groupsIn one of the first examinations of PSA screening in younger men, a study published by researchers at Duke Medicine's Prostate Center finds that one-fifth of men under age 50 reported undergoing a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test to detect prostate cancer in the previous year, yet only one in three young black men reported ever having a PSA test in the previous year.
Lower cholesterol early in lifeWith heart disease maintaining top billing as the leading cause of death in the United States, a team of University of California, San Diego School of Medicine physician-researchers is proposing that aggressive intervention to lower cholesterol levels as early as childhood is the best approach available today to reducing the incidence of coronary heart disease.
California Governor Schwarzenegger signed Trans Fat BillCalifornia Governor signed AB 97 by Asm. Mendoza, which will phase out the use of trans fats in all CA restaurants beginning in 2010. Scientific evidence demonstrates a strong association between the consumption of artificial trans fat and the development of coronary heart disease and stroke.
Epilepsy drug topiramate during pregnancy raises birth defects riskTaking the epilepsy drug topiramate alone or along with other epilepsy drugs during pregnancy may increase the risk of birth defects, according to a study published in the July 22, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Abortion rate rising in young girls, UKAbortion rates are rising in young girls in UK and some of them are vey young, a report released by the Department of Health, UK.
Decision to quit smoking appears to be contagiousThe decision to quit smoking appears to be taken up almost communally, with whole clusters of spouses, friends, siblings and co-workers giving up the habit at about the same time, revealed by researchers.
Low back pain lumbar supports not reducing sick leaveLumbar or lower back supports - those large belts that people wear around their waists when they lift or carry heavy objects - are not very useful for preventing low back pain, according to a new systematic review.
Gene variant CHI3L1 increases risk of asthmaA tiny variation in a gene known as CHI3L1 increases susceptibility to asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and decline in lung function, researchers report early online in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Obesity in midlife increases dementia riskPeople in their 40s with larger stomachs have a higher risk for dementia when they reach their 70s, according to a study published in the March 26, 2008, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Women's labour experiences differ from expectationsA pain-free and drug-free labour may be many expectant mothers' dream but a review in the open access journal BMC Medicine reveals that reality hits hard. Most women's labour experiences differ markedly from their expectations. They are often ill-prepared for what might happen and consequently may be disappointed when the birth does not "go to plan".
BMA launches campaign to safeguard medical training, UKThe British Medical Association (BMA) launches a campaign to alert the UK government to doctors' concerns about the future of medical training. It is calling on doctors and medical students in England to e-mail their MPs about the need for budgets for their training to be ringfenced.
Alarming rates of STDs among teenage girlsA US study found that one in four teenage girls aged 14 to 19 has a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Nearly half the African-Americans in the study were infected by one of the diseases. The survey, part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, did not ask about syphilis or gonorrhea, so it is likely the STD rates are actually higher.
Knee surgery referral to men morePhysicians and surgeons recommend knee replacement surgery to men more than female patients complaining of knee pain, revealed by canadian researchers highlighting unconscious prejudices among doctors.
March as Kidney Disease Awareness Month in USThe American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) is pleased to recognize March as National Kidney Disease Awareness Month. Recent research funded by the National Institute of Health put the number of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in the United States at 26 million. AAKP recognizes National Kidney Disease Awareness Month with several planned educational programs and events.
Red meat consumption linked to colorectal cancerFor most Americans, meals tend to center around meat. To significantly decrease a person's risks of developing colorectal cancer, experts at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center suggest a new approach to meal planning that focuses more on fruit and vegetable dishes.
Helping older people live safely and independentlyComplex interventions such as preventive home visits and community-based care after hospital discharge can help improve physical function and maintain independent living in older people, according to a Bristol University study of more than 90,000 older people published in this week's edition of the Lancet. The authors also advise against withdrawal of existing well-developed services for older people.
Snoring linked to cardiovascular diseaseLoud snoring with breathing pauses is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and increased health care utilization, according to a study published in the March 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.
Psychological distress linked to increased risk of strokePsychological distress, but not depression, may increase the risk of stroke, according to a study published in the March_4, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Previous studies have shown that stroke often leads to depression, but the evidence was mixed as to whether depression could lead to stroke.
Low testosterone levels linked to depression in older menOlder men with lower free testosterone levels in their blood appear to have higher prevalence of depression, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Health reform in Australia, ANF expressed concernsIn responding to the Australian government's announcement of the make-up of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission, the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) expressed concerns regarding the future direction of health reform in Australia.
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.
Female G spot foundAn Italian researcher reported that he has found the female G spot, an elusive and controversial pleasure point. The study published in Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Daytime dozing increases stroke risk in elderlyRegular daytime dozing forewarns of a significantly increased risk of stroke in older Americans, researchers reported at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2008.
Memory loss, less common in older AmericansIt appears that memory loss and thinking problems are becoming less common among older Americans. A new study shows a downward trend in the rate of "cognitive impairment" - the umbrella term for everything from significant memory loss to dementia and Alzheimer's disease - among people aged 70 and older.
Majority of troops avoid couch talkMental disorders ranging from depression to alcoholism need to be de-stigmatized among military personnel to encourage troops to seek support when needed, according to a national investigation published in the February edition of the research journal, Medical Care.
Australia's public health spending 2% of total spent on healthAustralia's expenditure on public health activities has remained constant at about 1.8% of total health spending over the last 7 years, according to a report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
1 in 20 breast cancer web pages features inaccuraciesIn an extended analysis of Web pages dedicated to disseminating breast cancer information, researchers at two University of Texas institutions in Houston have determined that while most breast cancer data found online was accurate, one in 20 breast cancer Web pages featured inaccuracies and sites displaying complementary and alternative medicine were 15 times more likely to contain false or misleading health information.
Parkinson's disease risk reduced with high blood pressure drugsParkinson's disease risk is reduced in people taking drugs known as calcium channel blockers to treat high blood pressure, revealed by researchers in US.
Oral contraceptive pills can protect against ovarian cancerUse of oral contraceptives during a woman's life-time gives substantial long-term protection against ovarian cancer and the longer they are used, the greater the reduction in risk. These are the conclusions of authors of an Article in this week's edition of The Lancet - a medical journal in the United Kingdom.
Reduced Salt Butter for high blood pressure patients by AmulKeeping in mind the inherent need and convenience of the consumers and taking into account the changing lifestyles, Amul is all set to expand its product portfolio with Amul Reduced Salt Butter. Amul Reduced Salt Butter has almost 50% less salt than table butter.