Health Care

Radiologists diagnose and treat self embedding disorder in teens
Minimally invasive, image-guided treatment is a safe and precise method for removal of self-inflicted foreign objects from the body, according to the first report on "self-embedding disorder," or self-injury and self-inflicted foreign body insertion in adolescents.

109 medicines, vaccines in development for HIV AIDS
America'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).

£15 m for South Africa in new struggle against AIDS
South Africa's revitalised drive against AIDS today received a £15 million boost which could help save millions of lives and stop the spread of HIV across the country.

Whooping cough booster for parents of newborns
A booster vaccination for parents of new babies and other household members may be the most effective way of preventing the fatal form of whooping cough in young infants, say a group of paediatric intensive care doctors on bmj.com today.

14 drugs identified for off label use
Physicians and policy-makers know that drugs are frequently prescribed to treat certain diseases despite a lack of FDA approval - a practice known as off-label prescribing. Yet they say the problem is so big they don't know how to begin tackling it.

Diabetes drug rosiglitazone linked to higher heart failure risk
Older adults who take the diabetes medication rosiglitazone appear to have a higher risk of death and heart failure than those taking the related medication pioglitazone, according to a report in the November 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Some breast cancers may regress naturally
Breast cancer rates increased significantly in four Norwegian counties after women there began undergoing mammography every two years, according to a report in the November 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Weight loss maintenance through telephone is effective
Face-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.

Routine HIV testing fails in US
While 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.

Psychotherapy improves survival for breast cancer patients
A new study finds that breast cancer patients who participate in intervention sessions focusing on improving mood, coping effectively, and altering health behaviors live longer than patients who do not receive such psychological support.

COPD hospitalizations on the rise in US
A 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.

Obese women may have safe pregnancy after weight loss surgery
Obese women who have weight loss surgery before becoming pregnant have a lower risk of pregnancy-related health problems and their children are less likely to be born with complications, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

Primary care doctors shortage in US
A 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.

Vitamin C lowers heart disease biomarker
A new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, adds to the evidence that vitamin C supplements can lower concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), a central biomarker of inflammation that has been shown to be a powerful predictor of heart disease and diabetes.

Fiber, antispasmodics and peppermint oil to treat IBS
Fibre, antispasmodics and peppermint oil are all effective therapies for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and should become first-line treatments, according to a study on bmj.com.

Australian public hospitals need $3 billion - AMA
Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said the public hospital system was ‘flat lining' and the COAG meeting next week may be its last hope for resuscitation.

Single PILL may prevent heart disease
A new clinical trial looking at a single pill to prevent cardiovascular disease is starting in Auckland, New Zealand.

Lilly donated Insulin to International Diabetes Federation's Life for a Child Program
Eli 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.

US adults skip needed care due to costs
Compared 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.

Nicole Johnson takes action for type 1 diabetes research
Diabetes in Children and Adolescents has particular urgency for former Miss America Nicole Johnson. Nicole has served as an international spokesperson for diabetes issues for more than 8 years. She has worked tirelessly promoting awareness, prevention and early detection of the hidden killer, diabetes.

Factors identified causing barriers to asthma care
Barriers to managing asthma include access to appropriate care, patient adherence, distrust of the medical profession, delayed asthma diagnosis, culture, lifestyle choices and genetic discrepancies according to experts at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Seattle.

Mislabeled ReliOn Insulin Syringes recalled in US
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is notifying health care professionals and patients that Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Covidien) is recalling one lot of ReliOn sterile, single-use, disposable, hypodermic syringes with permanently affixed hypodermic needles due to possible mislabeling.

Limit caffeine consumption during pregnancy
The Food Standards Agency of UK has issued new advice on caffeine consumption during pregnancy. This follows the results of new FSA-funded research carried out by the Universities of Leeds and Leicester.

Cost of diabetes treatment doubled in US
Because of the increased number of patients, growing reliance on multiple medications and the shift toward more expensive new medicines, the annual cost of diabetes drugs nearly doubled in only six years, rising from $6.7 billion in 2001 to $12.5 billion in 2007 according to a study in the Oct. 27, 2008, issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Chinese exercise Tai chi relieves knee pain
Tai 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.

Acomplia rimonabant obesity drug withdrawn
Sanofi-aventis announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has recommended to the European Commission (EC) the temporary suspension of the marketing authorisation of Acomplia(R) (rimonabant) for the approved indication of overweight and obese patients.

Depressed pregnant women may have preterm delivery
Depressed pregnant women have twice the risk of preterm delivery than pregnant women with no symptoms of depression, according to a new study by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research.

X PRIZE to help fight tuberculosis with Gates Foundation
The X PRIZE Foundation has received a planning grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop an X PRIZE for effective diagnosis of tuberculosis in the developing world.

Kids from low income families are without health insurance
New 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.

Updated labeling for psoriasis drug Raptiva approved
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced labeling changes, including a Boxed Warning, to highlight the risks of life-threatening infections, including progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), with the use of Raptiva (efalizumab).

Effects of a first miscarriage on future pregnancies
Miscarriage (or spontaneous pregnancy loss) is defined as pregnancy loss before 24 completed weeks of gestation. There is a 20% (one in five) risk of pregnancies ending in a miscarriage in the first three months and one in 100 women have recurrent miscarriages (three or more successive miscarriages).

Label updates of oral OTC children's cough and cold medicines
The 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.

A new research on climate change and public health - WHO
A meeting of experts convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Madrid agreed to a research agenda to develop an evidence-based framework for action on the human health implications of climate change.

St. John's Wort helps patients with major depression
The herbal medicine St. John's wort appears to work just as well as some prescribed antidepressants for treating patients with major depression, a new review finds. However, patients in German-speaking countries might experience the best benefits.

$62 million settlement with drug company Eli Lilly
Attorney 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.

Free drug samples not safe for children
Free prescription drug samples distributed to children may be unsafe, according to a study by physicians from Cambridge Health Alliance and Hasbro Children's Hospital.

Medicare will not pay for extra care
New US federal regulations to restrict Medicare payments to hospitals for the extra care required to treat patients harmed by certain preventable infections and medical errors go into effect on Wednesday, October 1.

Obama has modest lead over McCain - US Election
As 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 parity
The 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:

Palliative care access varies widely in US
There has been rapid growth of new, innovative palliative care consultation services in the US's hospitals. More than half of the 50-bed or larger hospitals in the U.S. offer palliative care services to ease pain and suffering for seriously ill patients and their families.

Decade of change in general practice in Australia
It's not only the patients in GP surgeries who are getting older, according to two new reports released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian General Practice Statistics and Classification Centre, an AIHW collaborating unit located at the University of Sydney.

Indian doctors can't deny HIV+, AIDS patients
India's Supreme Court has approved the Indian Govt.'s direction to all States that doctors in government and private hospitals should not refuse treatment to People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA).

Childhood wheezing with rhinovirus can increase asthma risk
Infants 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.

Heart patients should be screened, treated for depression
Heart patients should be screened for depression -- a common condition that can profoundly affect both prognosis and quality of life -- according to the American Heart Association's first scientific statement on depression and coronary heart disease.

Statins do not increase risk of Lou Gehrig's Disease
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration's analysis provides new evidence that the use of statins does not increase incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease." The analysis was reported on Monday, Sept. 29, 2008 in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety.

Physicians rarely show empathy with lung cancer patients
In consultations with patients with lung cancer, physicians rarely responded empathically to the concerns of the patients about mortality, symptoms or treatment options, according to a study led by a University of Rochester Medical Center researcher.

Audio relaxation program may help lower blood pressure
An audio relaxation program lowered blood pressure more than a Mozart sonata in a group of elderly people with high blood pressure, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's 62nd Annual Fall Conference of the Council for High Blood Pressure Research.

QIAGEN's careHPV test provides more accurate screening
A 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.

Lumpectomy, radiation improve life in breast cancer patients
Women with breast cancer who are treated with lumpectomy and radiation report a high level of overall quality of life several years after treatment that is comparable to a general sampling of the adult women U.S. population according to a survey conducted by physicians at Fox Chase Cancer Center.

CT colonography a viable colorectal cancer screening option
Death from colorectal cancer is highly preventable with effective screening and early detection. Many screening options are available, each with advantages and disadvantages, but half of eligible patients still do not participate in colorectal cancer screening.

The information provided on Health Newstrack is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her physician.
We comply with the HONcode principles for trustworthy health information, verify here.
www.healthnewstrack.com - About us, Editorial team, Advertising, Jobs, Links, Privacy policy, Disclaimer, Feedback,
Site map, List health news, Health news organizations, Health news world, Accessibility, Glossary, Testimonials, Blog
Mobile/PDA Submit press release
© 2007-2008 HealthNewstrack.com
Track Health News Daily
5.04