Brits Unaware Of Skin Cancer Risk, Survey Reveals

HALF of Britons would not recognise the signs of a possible skin cancer, and a quarter never checks their skin for the disease, a shocking snapshot survey by the British Association of Dermatologists has revealed. The survey, to launch this year's Sun Awareness campaign, revealed that a quarter of respondents never examine their body for changes to their moles.

APHA Applauds House Resolution And Next Week's Hearing On The Connection Between Climate Change And Health, USA

APHA applauds Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-Calif.) of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming on today's introduction of a resolution and announcement of a congressional hearing on the critical relationship between public health and global warming.

Plastic Surgeons Launch Skin Healing Gel

New 'Miracle' Skin Healing Cream Now Available to the PublicThe wait is finally over as five of the UK's leading plastic surgeons launch HEAL: a revolutionary new healing gel originally created to soothe and reduce inflammation of the skin following surgery (thereby shortening recovery times), bu

UC San Diego Medical Center-Hillcrest Expands Intensive Care For Premature Babies

On April 2, 2008, UC San Diego Medical Center-Hillcrest celebrated the opening of an expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) designed for the 24-hour specialized care of premature infants and newborns with complications.

WHO Must Pressure Governments To Act On Climate Change, UK

The World Health Organization (WHO) must exert all of its power and influence to make sure governments take action on the critical issue of climate change, the UK's leading public health organisations have urged.

CMS Issues Final Rule On Electronic-Prescribing Standards Under Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit

CMS on Wednesday released a final rule that establishes standards for electronic prescribing under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, CQ HealthBeat reports.The rule establishes standards for the electronic transmission of information of the medications covered under the Medicare prescription drug plans of beneficiaries and the availability of generic versions of those treatments.

Florida Legislature Takes Actions On Abortion, Sex Education-Related Bills

Two antiabortion bills passed the Florida House Wednesday, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports (Hafenbrack, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 4/3). The first bill (HB 257), approved by a 75-40 vote, would require that physicians perform ultrasounds on all women seeking abortions, the Miami Herald reports.

New Web Portal To Advance Wide Range Of Protein Studies

The Protein Structure Initiative (PSI), an effort supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has launched an online resource that will enable scientists from across biomedical disciplines to easily access a wealth of information about proteins and to speed discovery about these molecules.

NPA Statement In Response To Government's White Paper, UK

The NPA welcomes today's White Paper - a statement of faith in community pharmacy by Government. The White Paper signals that it's time to unlock the long recognised potential of community pharmacy. However, there remains a lot of detailed work to be done on the contractual mechanisms that underpin NHS-funded pharmacy services.

Reasons For Hospital Transfers For Women In Labour

The Netherlands is often held up as the beacon for excellent midwifery services. Obstetric intervention during births is low and the homebirth rate is 30%, significantly higher in comparison to other European countries.

Modern Genetics Enters Daily Life

To present the first draft of the human genome in 2001, more than 200 scientists, 13 years of work and three billion US-Dollars were needed. Today, the complete sequencing of a human genome takes less than four weeks and no more than 100.000 US-Dollars.

SAGES/ACS Fundamentals Of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) Program Receives Landmark Grant From Covidien

The Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS), a joint educational program from the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS), has received a $1.8 million grant from Covidien, a leading manufacturer of medical devices and supplies, to launch The Covidien Educational Fund.

How Jump Drives Could Save Lives

They're small, portable and powerful - and now the jump drives you use in your computer might be used to save lives. In a unique program, doctors at Ohio State University are now loading these tiny drives with vital information that could help heart patients in an emergency. After studying travel and tourism in college, Mandi Bone has turned her degree into her passion.

Contracts Provide Canadians With Access And Choice To Critical Therapies For Hemophilia And Primary Immune Deficiency

Baxter Corporation (Canada) is pleased to announce contracts with Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec, the two organizations responsible for managing Canada's blood system.

Better Educated Smokers More Likely To Try Quitting In Response To Ads

Better-educated smokers are more likely to respond to TV ads that promote quitting smoking, while the effect of secondhand smoke messages is similar across educational levels, according to a new Wisconsin study.

Fear of Messing Up May Undermine Interracial Contact

Democratic consultant Donna Brazile brought home America's reluctance to talk openly about race in a New York Times article that preceded the Barack Obama speech that now has the whole nation buzzing. In essence, she said in her quote, any serious discussion about race has the effect of clearing a room.

Distinguishing Non-TB Pulmonary Disease From TB

A diagnostic kit shows new promise for distinguishing between tuberculosis (TB) and its infections from disease caused by related mycobacteria family, which mimic TB and other lung disease in symptoms but require distinctly different clinical treatments.

Delay Of Tamper Resistant Prescription Pad Rule Ends Today

The six-month delay of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulation requiring the use of tamper resistant prescription pads for Medicaid beneficiaries is set to end on April 1. Beginning April 1, a prescription pad must meet one of the three following requirements: 1.

PBS 'NewsHour' Correspondent Susan Dentzer Named As New Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief

The journal Health Affairs has named Susan Dentzer, head of the health unit and an on-air correspondent at PBS' "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," as editor-in-chief, effective May 1, CQ HealthBeat reports.Dentzer, who previously served as chief economics correspondent at U.S.

Healthy Gums Are Something To Smile About

A smile is one of the most universally recognizable facial expressions, helping to depict an individual's happiness, confidence, attractiveness, sociability and sincerity. And now, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Periodontology (JOP), the official publication of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), a smile may also help convey healthy teeth and gums.

News From The Annals Of Internal Medicine April 1, 2008

1. Perils of Testing: What Happens When Tests for Cervical Cancer are Normal but HPV Testing Is Abnormal?When nearly 10,000 women were screened with Pap tests for cervical cancer and with DNA tests for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), 23 percent were found to be infected with high-risk HPV regardless of status on the Pap test (Article, p. 493.

CardioMind Launches First In Human Trial Of Small Vessel, Drug Eluting Stent

CardioMind, Inc., a developer of stents for small, difficult-to-treat blood vessels, announced that it has begun a First-in-Human clinical trial of its drug-eluting stent. The CARE II trial, as it is called, began in February at St. Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, and, so far, has led to successful implantations in 12 patients. With a .

Encouraging Preschool Kids To Talk To Themselves

Parents should not worry when their pre-schoolers talk to themselves; in fact, they should encourage it, says Adam Winsler, an associate professor of psychology at George Mason University.

Watch Your Eyes When Playing Sports

Sean Peterson was looking forward to spending some time with his friends playing paintball one spring weekend. As a former college basketball player, Sean enjoys sports, and paintball seemed like a fun opportunity to employ some of his athletic skills. But what started out as an enjoyable outing eventually turned into a medical emergency.

Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery: Removal Of Appendix Through Vagina

On March 26, 2008, surgeons at UC San Diego Medical Center removed an inflamed appendix through a patient's vagina, a first in the United States. Following the 50-minute procedure, the patient, Diana Schlamadinger, reported only minor discomfort. Removal of diseased organs through the body's natural openings offers patients a rapid recovery, minimal pain, and no scarring.

Phoenix Marketing Study Demonstrates Impact Of Press Coverage And Advertising On Cholesterol Drug Users And Medication Brands

A burst of unfavorable or confusing publicity often prompts users of prescription medications to take swift actions that can hurt those medications' brand perception and market share, according to researchers at Phoenix Healthcare, a Phoenix Marketing International practice.

Seven Of 10 Likely Democratic Voters In Pennsylvania Concerned About Health Care Costs, Poll Finds

About 70% of likely voters in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary have concerns about their ability to afford health care, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released last week, the Wall Street Journal reports.According to the poll, voters ranked health care as their third most important issue in the election after the economy and the war in Iraq.

Creativity, New Thinking 'Crucial' To Improving Global Health, Including Curbing HIV/AIDS, Perspective Piece Says

The "recent failure of another potential vaccine against" HIV "underscores the enormous challenges of tackling diseases whose heaviest burden falls on the developing world," Tadataka Yamada, president of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Health Program, writes in a New England Journal of Medicine perspective piece.

Pregnancy Discrimination Complaints At Record Levels, Wall Street Journal Reports

Complaints of pregnancy discrimination have reached record levels, suggesting that pregnancy discrimination persists and more women are speaking out against possible bias against pregnant women and women with children, Wall Street Journal columnist Sue Shellenbarger reported on Thursday.

90 Years Of The RAF Medical Services: A Celebration! Meeting, London

This meeting will take a look at the development of RAF medical services over the past 90 years. Some of the topics to be covered include; the formation of the RAF medical services, the developing operational role of the Princess Mary Royal Air Force Nursing Service and the history of aeromedical evacuation.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Announces Positive Early Results For Phase 2 Clinical Trial Of VX-770 - An Oral Compound To Treat CF

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has announced that VX-770, an oral drug in development that targets a basic defect in CF, showed promising results in an ongoing Phase 2a clinical trial for patients who carry the G551D mutation of CF. The drug is being developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated.

FDA Investigates Safety Of Asthma Drug Singulair

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing the safety of Merck & Co's anti-asthma drug Singulair (montelukast) following reports querying a potential link between the drug's use and changes to behaviour and mood, suicide, and suicidal thinking and behaviour.

MU Professor Finds Americans Are Hesitant To Support Global Environmental Efforts

Last week, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown declared climate change a top international threat, and Al Gore urged politicians to get involved to fight global warming. Results from a recent survey conducted by a University of Missouri professor reveal that the U.S.

California Health Plans Have Just 100 Days To Comply With Language Assistance Program Requirements Of Senate Bill 853

The countdown begins today as California managed health care plans have just 100 days before the state deadline to file amendments to their quality assurance programs providing written language assistance program policies and procedures.

Abundance Of Hubs Influences Seizures And Offers Insight Into How Epilepsy Develops

An increased number of neuron "hubs" in the epileptic brain may be the root cause for the seizures that characterize the disorder, according to a UC Irvine study.

Smokers Turn To TalkSPORT To Quit, UK

talkSPORT, the UK's only national commercial speech radio station, has entered in to a unique partnership with the Department of Health and the Central Office of Information with the aim of helping people stop smoking.

Glaucoma And Cardiovascular Death Linked In Black Patients

Patients who are black have an increased risk of death fromcardiovascular diseases if they have high pressure in the eyes or ifthey have been diagnosed with and treated for glaucoma, according to areport in the March 2008 issue of Archives of Ophthalmology,one of the JAMA/Archives journals.Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that involve damage to the opticnerve.

Study Examines Changes In Quality Of Life After Head And Neck Cancer Treatment

In the year following their first treatment, patients with head and neck cancer report declines in their physical quality of life but improvements in their mental health quality of life, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Sangart Completes Enrollment In Phase III Study Of Its Novel Blood Substitute Hemospan

Sangart, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and commercialization of blood substitutes, announced that it has completed enrollment in a Phase III trial of its lead product Hemospan(R).

Dr. Hugh A. Sampson Elected President Of The American Academy Of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)

Hugh A. Sampson, MD, FAAAAI, was elected President of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) during its 2008 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. He will serve as President through March 2009.

'Twofold To Fivefold' Increase In Personal Problems Reported By Adolescents With Chronic Insomnia

Documenting a "twofold to fivefold" increase in personal problems among adolescents with persistent sleeplessness, public health researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston say they have completed the first prospective study demonstrating the negative impact of chronic insomnia on 11 to 17 year olds.

Ten Steps Identified To Successfully Manage Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries Common In Youth Sports

Traumatic brain injury expert Gerard Gioia, PhD, Chief of Neuropsychology at Children's National Medical Center and director of the Safe Concussion Outcome, Recovery and Education (SCORE) Program, has published a successful concussion management program for children based on his pioneering work in this area. The program is one of the first of its kind.

Baxter Announces FDA Approval Of ARTISS Slow Setting Fibrin Sealant In Treatment Of Burn Patients

Baxter Healthcare Corporation announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of ARTISS (Fibrin Sealant (Human)), the first and only slow-setting fibrin sealant indicated for use in adhering skin grafts in adult and pediatric burn patients.

Robotic Helper Fetches Objects With Just A Point And A Click

Robots are fluent in their native language of 1 and 0 absolutes but struggle to grasp the nuances and imprecise nature of human language. While scientists are making slow, incremental progress in their quest to create a robot that responds to speech, gestures and body language, a more straightforward method of communication may help robots find their way into homes sooner.

Illinois Officials Appeal Court Decision To Keep Illinois Parental Notification Law On Hold

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan (R) has decided to appeal a federal judge's ruling that blocks a state law requiring minors to notify their parents before undergoing an abortion from going into effect, the Chicago Tribune reports (Chicago Tribune, 3/18).U.S.

Hispanics With Artery Buildup Have Greater Risk Of Vascular Events Than Blacks, Whites, Study Finds

Hispanics who have just a small amount of plaque buildup in a particular artery in the neck are up to four times more likely than others with clear arteries to have or die from a stroke, heart attack or other vascular event, according to a study published in the current issue of Neurology, HealthDay/U.S. News & World Report reports (HealthDay/US. News & World Report, 3/19).

Insulin Found To Play Previously Unknown Role In Aging And Lifespan

Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have shown that insulin has a previously unknown effect that plays a role in aging and lifespan, a finding that could ultimately provide a mechanism for gene manipulations that could help people live longer and healthier lives.

Flavonoids For A Stronger Heart

A polyphenols-rich diet keeps the heart younger. This finding comes out from a study by the University of Grenoble in collaboration with the other Centres participating to the FLORA Project, a European Commission funded research studying the effects of flavonoids, a variety of polyphenols, on human health.

Transplant Societies Protest FDA Policy In American Journal Of Transplantation

In an Open Letter to the Federal Drug Administrations (FDA), which appears in the April issue of the American Journal of Transplantation (AJT), the American Society of Transplantation (AST) and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) explain how FDA policy is thwarting the field of transplant medicine in the United States.

Urinary Incontinence In Women Alleviated With Physical Therapy Treatment, New Study Reveals

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (March 18, 2008) reports that pelvic floor muscle training, in conjunction with bladder training, resolved the symptoms of urinary incontinence in women.

Number Of New HIV Cases In New Zealand Declines In 2007

The number of new HIV cases in New Zealand has declined since 2006, according to a report released Monday, NZPA/New Zealand Herald reports. The report -- released by the AIDS Epidemiology Group at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand -- found that there were 156 new HIV diagnoses recorded last year, compared with 183 in 2006.

Onset Of Skeletal Muscle Disorder Slowed By Lithium Chloride

A new UC Irvine study finds that lithium chloride, a drug used to treat bipolar disorder, can slow the development of inclusion body myositis, a skeletal muscle disease that affects the elderly.

News From The Journal Of Neuroscience

1. Role of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel in Neurite OutgrowthWilliam J. Brackenbury, Tigwa H. Davis, Chunling Chen, Emily A. Slat, Matthew J. Detrow, Travis L. Dickendesher, Barbara Ranscht, and Lori L.

Study Links Protein To Risk Of Heart Disease

A new study published in the Journal of the American MedicalAssociation reports that there is an association between thegene for the HDL-associated protein paraoxonase 1 (PON1) and adversecardiac events such as coronary artery disease.Researcher Stanley L. Hazen, M.D., Ph.

Discovery Could Have Implicatications For Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS, Mad Cow Disease And Many Cancers

The thousands of proteins found in nature are simply strings of amino acids, assembled by genes, and scientists have long believed that they automatically fold themselves into uniquely fixed, 3-dimensional shapes to fire the engine of life. In the era of genetic research, identifying those shapes and their functions has become a worldwide focus of biomedical science.

National Council On Disability Says Let People With Psychiatric Disabilities Become Part Of The American Dream

The National Council on Disability (NCD) today released a paper entitled Inclusive Livable Communities for People with Psychiatric Disabilities (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2008/LivableCommunities.html), calling on Congress and the Administration to fully include and integrate people with psychiatric disabilities into America's livable communities.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Approves Global AIDS Program Reauthorization

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday voted 18-3 to approve a bill (S 2731) to reauthorize the U.S. global HIV/AIDS program, the AP/Google.com reports.

Statement By The US First Lady In A Discussion At The Mexican Association Against Breast Cancer

"Well, it is really important to have the mobile mammography units as well.

ETS Laboratories Announces BevTrac To Offer Scorpions(TM) For Rapid Detection Of Wine Spoilage Organisms

ETS Laboratories and BevTrac Mobile Quality Systems are proud to announce a collaboration to bring real time genetic detection directly to wineries through installation of ETS Laboratories' Real-time Scorpionsâ„¢ technology in BevTrac's mobile wine laboratory.

SUFU 2008 Winter Meeting - Lumbo To Sacral Nerve Rerouting To Restore Voiding Function In Spina Bifida

UroToday.com - In spinal cord injury patients, the communication between the brain and the cord is interrupted, but the reflex arcs distal to the injury remain intact. Research by Dr. Xiao in China showed that rerouting of afferent nerves from the thigh to the efferent nerves to the bladder could results in modulation of bladder function via cutaneous stimulation of the thigh.

Studies Review New Drug And Indications For Heated Chemotherapy

Studies have shown that surgery combined with Intraperitoneal Hyperthermic Chemotherapy (IPHC) can improve survival rates for select patients with peritoneal carcinoma (cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity) that has spread from colorectal or appendix cancer.

House Panel Will Not Pursue Contempt Charges Against Leavitt In Ketek Case

House Energy and Commerce Committee spokesperson Jodi Seth on Tuesday said that committee leaders will not pursue contempt of Congress charges against HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt for failure to comply with a subpoena for documents used to prepare testimony from FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach about the antibiotic Ketek, CQ HealthBeat reports.

Group Launches First Internet Registry Of Women With Pregnancy-Related Heart Failure

Researchers at St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Center Manhattan have partnered with an Internet-based support group called A Mother's Heart to launch the first online registry of women with pregnancy-related heart failure, USA Today reports. The researchers are using A Mother's Heart's Web site to recruit women with the condition, called peripartum cardiomyopathy, in an effort to study the disease.

RCR Responds To Healthcare Commission Report On Patients' Exposure To Ionising Radiation

The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) welcomes this report from the Healthcare Commission (HCC), the first report since it took on the responsibility for monitoring compliance with the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposures) Regulations.

Study On Antioxidants And Memory Concerns Underway At Rush University Medical Center

Rush University Medical Center is conducting a clinical trial to evaluate whether taking Cerefolin®NAC reduces the inflammation and oxidative stress that is associated with memory decline in older persons. Cerefolin NAC is a commercially available food supplement available by prescription.

Health IT Experts Say Incentives May Be Needed To Encourage Physicians To Adopt Electronic Systems

Health care information technology experts on Tuesday said that implementation of electronic health records and electronic prescribing will reduce costs by billions of dollars and save lives but added that health care providers might require financial incentives to adopt the technologies, CongressDaily reports.At a conference sponsored by the U.S.

Weigh In On Joint Commission's Medication Standards For Emergency Departments

ASHP is strongly encouraging member input as it helps The Joint Commission (TJC) develop standards that ensure the entire medication-use process is safe for patients in emergency departments (ED). ASHP is poised to submit comments on TJC's proposed revisions to Medication Management (MM) standards 4.10, 4.15, and 8.10.

New Longevity Genes Identified By Scientists

Scientists at the University of Washington and other institutions have identified 25 genes regulating lifespan in two organisms separated by about 1.5 billion years in evolutionary change. At least 15 of those genes have very similar versions in humans, suggesting that scientists may be able to target those genes to help slow down the aging process and treat age-related conditions.

New York Times Examines Prevention Of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission In South Africa

The New York Times on Sunday examined the South African government's adoption of a national treatment strategy to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. The country's Department of Health announced in January that it will begin requiring the World Health Organization -recommended strategy, which includes zidovudine and nevirapine.

Survival In Gastric Cancer Patients Not Improved By Postoperative Chemotherapy

The use of combination chemotherapy following surgery did not improve survival in patients with gastric cancer, according to a randomized clinical trial published online March 11 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.The only potentially curative therapy currently available for non-metastatic gastric cancer is surgery.

UNISON Demands Social Care Provision In Darlings First Budget, UK

UNISON, the UK's largest public service union, is calling on the Chancellor, Alistair Darling to use his first budget to set out a vision for a fairer Britain. A vital step in this direction is to pump much-needed funds into social care. Heather Wakefield, UNISON Head of Local Government said: "New resources are urgently needed to maintain, and begin to rebuild, social care services.

Scientific Protein Laboratories Statement Regarding Heparin Recall In Japan

We have learned that, as a precaution, three Japanese companies have recalled heparin whose active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) was sourced in China and processed by SPL. The three Japanese companies made clear that the recall was simply a precaution, as there has not been a pattern of adverse reactions to heparin reported in Japan similar to what has been observed in the U.S. and Germany.

CQ's Carey Discusses Mental Health Parity Bill; Medicare Advantage Marketing Regulations; House, Senate Budget Resolutions

Mary Agnes Carey, associate editor of CQ HealthBeat, discusses House approval of mental health parity legislation, insurers' request for Medicare Advantage marketing regulations, and House and Senate approval of fiscal year 2009 budget resolutions in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ.

Recurrent Low-Grade Carcinoma Of The Ovary Less Responsive To Chemo Than More Common Ovarian Cancers

Recurrent low-grade serous carcinoma, a rare type of ovarian cancer, is less sensitive to chemotherapy and therefore more difficult to treat than more common high-grade ovarian cancers, according to researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The findings were reported at the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists 39th Annual Meeting on Women's Cancers.

23rd Annual European Association Of Urology Congress To Be Held In Milan, Italy

The 23rd Annual Congress of the European Association of Urology will be held in Milan, Italy on 26-29 March 2008. This is the second time the EAU organises its Annual Congress in Italy (Genoa, 1992) but a first for Milan, Italy's second largest city, well known for its cosmopolitan character.

Newspapers Examine Proposed Medicaid Rules' Effects On States

Several newspapers recently published articles examining how proposed Medicaid rule changes announced by the Bush administration could affect states.

Decades-Old Law Used In Major EPA Enforcement Effort On Nano-Pesticide

A major decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to fine California technology company IOGEAR more than $200,000 for selling unregistered nano-pesticides is being applauded by David Rejeski, the director of the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN)."EPA should receive a big pat on the back for making this effort," Rejeski says.

Gretchen Daily, Stanford Biologist, To Be Awarded 2008 Sophie Prize In Norway

The Sophie Foundation in Oslo, Norway, has awarded Stanford University biologist Gretchen Daily the 2008 Sophie Prize.

Daily Vardenafil For 6 Months Has No Detrimental Effects On Semen Characteristics Or Reproductive Hormones In Men With Normal Baseline Levels

UroToday.com - This a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel group, multicenter study involving 200 men with or without erectile dysfunction. Men (25-64 years of age) did not have ejaculatory dysfunction. Subjects were randomized to daily treatment with vardenafil, sildenafil or placebo for 6 months.

House Passes Mental Health Parity Legislation

The House on Wednesday by a 268-148 vote passed a bill (HR 1424) that would require most health insurers to provide equal levels of coverage for physical and mental illnesses, the AP/Contra Costa Times reports (Miga, AP/Contra Costa Times, 3/6).

Los Angeles City Attorney Expands Probe Of Improperly Canceled Insurance Policies To Blue Cross Of California

The Los Angeles city attorney's office last week sent a letter to Blue Cross of California inquiring about claims the company made in a Feb. 23 news release explaining changes the company had made to help avoid improperly canceling policies, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Big Three Automakers Reduce Health Care Spending By $2.1B From 2005

The Big Three automakers -- General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler Group -- spent $8.9 billion on health care in 2007, compared with a record $11 billion in 2005, the Detroit News reports.

New Insights Into How Plant Toxin Ricin Kills Cells Could Help Scientists Develop Drugs To Counteract Poisonings

A powerful plant toxin widely feared for its bioterrorism potential may one day be tamed using findings about how the toxin attacks cells. The findings may also help scientists combat food poisoning episodes such as those recently caused by bacteria-tainted produce and ground meat.

Breakthroughs In Cancer Research At American Association For Cancer Research 2008 Annual Meeting

What:The AACR Annual Meeting features the latest cutting-edge findings in laboratory, translational and clinical cancer research. This year's meeting focuses on new and promising therapeutic approaches, as well as strides being made in diagnosing and preventing cancer.

Fresenius Medical Care Offers Tips For National Kidney Month

People with kidney disease may not have symptoms until the disease is advanced and they need dialysis treatment or a transplant. During National Kidney Month in March, Fresenius Medical Care North America, operator of the nation's leading network of dialysis clinics, encourages Americans to take steps to keep their kidneys healthy and to detect kidney disease early.

Tanning Bed Usage Rises Significantly, Despite Warnings

Some tan to add a little color to their skin. Some say it makes them look and feel healthier. Whatever the reason, Americans are using tanning salons in record numbers. By the end of the day, another two million people will tan under indoor lamps.* That number has doubled in the last decade.* But more and more young people are learning that "healthy" glow can come with serious risks.

ACT Obtains Exclusive License To Dual Mechanism Anti-Cancer Therapeutic From The University Of Louisville's Brown Cancer Cent

Advanced Cancer Therapeutics (ACT), a for-profit private company dedicated to bringing new anti-cancer therapies to market, announced that it has signed an exclusive license to develop and market 3PO and its related compounds, discovered by scientists at the University of Louisville's James Graham Brown Cancer Center. Brown Cancer Center researchers Dr. Jason Chesney and Dr.

Effectiveness Of Placebo Depends On Price Perception

A 10-cent pill doesn't kill pain as well as a $2.50 pill, even when they are identical placebos, according to a provocative study by Dan Ariely, a behavioral economist at Duke University.

More Than Meets The Ear In Successful Cocktail Party Conversations

Just picture the scene: you're at a cocktail party, talking to someone you would like to get to know better but the background noise is making it hard to concentrate. Luckily, humans are very gifted at listening to someone speaking while many other people are talking loudly at the same time.

Record-Breaking HIMSS Conference & Exhibition Reflects Success, Growth Of Healthcare IT Industry

The last day of the 2008 Annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conference & Exhibition, I am proud to announce that this has been a record-breaking event, with more than 28,400 attendees and 900 exhibiting companies, as of yesterday afternoon.

Males And Females Protected From Hearing Loss By 'Female Sex Hormone'

The "female sex hormone" estradiol is present in both men and women, and is generated from testosterone in men by the protein aromatase. Estradiol plays various roles in addition to its gender-specific ones, including having effects on the hearing (auditory) system.

Booklet Aims To Educate Blacks About End-of-Life Care; UCLA Launches Network To Study Disparities

Hospice booklet: Author and social worker Gloria Thomas Anderson has written a booklet aiming to provide blacks with information about end-of-life care. The booklet, titled "What Ya'll Gon' Do With Me?: The African-American Spiritual and Ethical Guide to End of Life Care," is available at no cost through the Kansas City Hospice (Fox 4, 2/26).

Key Step In Programmed Cell Death Uncovered By St. Jude Researchers

Investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered a dance of proteins that protects certain cells from undergoing apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death. Understanding the fine points of apoptosis is important to researchers seeking ways to control this process.In a series of experiments, St.

High Risk Of Stillbirth For Women With Diabetes, UK

Women with diabetes are seven times more likely to have a stillborn baby compared to other women.These findings will be presented next week at Diabetes UK's Annual Professional Conference in Glasgow. Research looking at 130 pregnancies in Leicester of women with Type 1 diabetes between 1999 and 2006 showed that 3.9 per cent resulted in stillbirth. This compares to 0.

AHF To Congress: Keep PEPFAR Funding Priority On AIDS Treatment

With a bipartisan voice vote earlier today, The House Foreign Affairs Committee passed House Resolution 5501 (the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act), a bill to reauthorize the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the US global AIDS program. AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) (http://www.

Rep. Obey Says Congress Will Wait For Next Administration If Bush Officials Refuse To Compromise On HHS Funding

Congress will wait until next year to pass the fiscal year 2009 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill in the event that the Bush administration does not agree to negotiate on the legislation, House Appropriations Committee Chair David Obey (D-Wis.

WHO Releases Report On Global Scale Of Drug-Resistant TB

Drug-resistant tuberculosis accounts for about one in every 20 new cases of TB diagnosed worldwide, and the number is closer to one in every five cases in some parts of the former Soviet Union, according to a World Health Organization report released Tuesday, the Washington Post reports (Brown, Washington Post, 2/27).

Four Medical Device Companies Made $800M In Illegitimate Payments To Physicians Over Four Years, HHS OIG Official Says

Four companies that manufacture artificial hips and knees paid physicians more than $800 million in royalties and fees over four years to influence them to use their products, Gregory Demske, assistant inspector general of legal Affairs at the HHS Office of Inspector General said during a Senate Sp

School Nutrition Experts Call For Child Nutrition Funding And Uniform Nutrition Standards

Early next month, more than 700 school nutrition professionals will discuss the crisis in funding for school meal programs and urge the Congress to require science-based, yet practical, uniform national school nutrition standards to govern the sale of all foods and beverages available during the school day.

Receptor Revealed That Turns On Genes After Consuming Unsaturated Fats

In a paper published in the scientific journal PlosONE scientists from Wageningen University in the Netherlands demonstrate the tremendous importance of dietary fat as a regulator of gene expression.

Recovery Of Bowel Function After Gastrointestinal Surgery Aided By Chewing Gum

In an article recently recommended by Bradley Kropp of Faculty of 1000 Medicine, researchers find chewing gum is a simple solution to the recovery of bowel function after gastrointestinal surgery - a problem that has troubled patients and physicians for decades.

Report On Cancer Reform Strategy Welcomed By Cancerbackup

Report on Cancer Reform Strategy welcomed by CancerbackupIn response to the Cancer Campaigning Group's (CCG) report released recently, 'Getting it right for people with cancer', on the government's Cancer Reform Strategy, Cancerbackup issues the following: "The CCG is right to want to hold the government to account," says Joanne Rule, Cancerbackup's chief executive.

Provectus Pharmaceuticals Receives Patent Allowances In Europe And China

Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCBB: PVCT, http://www.pvct.com), a development-stage oncology and dermatology biopharmaceutical company, has received allowance of its patent applications in Europe and China covering diagnostic use of PV-10 and a number of related agents in CT and MRI imaging. The pending patents cover products for diagnosis of cancer and other serious diseases.

Designer Diagnostics Begins Marketing First Ever Environmental Test Kit For The Detection Of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria

Nutra Pharma Corp. (OTCBB:NPHC), a biotechnology company that is developing drugs for HIV and Multiple Sclerosis, has announced that its wholly-owned medical devices subsidiary, Designer Diagnostics, has started marketing the first-ever environmental test kit for the detection of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) in water and soil.

New Technique Produces Intermediate-iPS Cells Faster And More Plentifully Than Previous Methodologies

PrimeGen Biotech has announced that company researchers have successfully used purified proteins and DNAs in non-viral methods to reprogram adult human cells into stem cells.

Center For Assisted Reproduction Is First In Southwest To Offer Pioneering Test Of A Woman's Biological Clock

The Center for Assisted Reproduction (CAR) announced it will be the first IVF center in the southwest to offer the Repromedix's Plan Aheadâ„¢ test, an innovative blood test that provides an assessment of a woman's egg supply by combining multiple factors including the measurement of ovary-related hormones AMH, Inhibin B, and FSH.

Delivering Knock-Out To Bacteria Using Silica Smart Bombs

Bacteria mutate for a living, evading antibiotic drugs while killing tens of thousands of people in the United States each year. But as concern about drug-resistant bacteria grows, one novel approach under way at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill seeks to thwart the bug without a drug by taking a cue from nature.

Xenomics Announces License With Warnex Of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Assay

Xenomics, Inc. (Pink Sheets:XNOM, FWB:XE7) announces that it has granted Warnex Medical Laboratories, a division of Warnex Inc., nonexclusive rights in Canada to offer NPM1 testing as a laboratory service for the diagnosis, stratification and monitoring of patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). AML is a clinically heterogeneous disease with about 200,000 new cases per year worldwide.

5 US Cities To Host Genetic Town Halls

The Genetics and Public Policy Center will conduct a series of public town hall meetings to gather feedback from the public on their views related to a proposed large cohort study on the role of genes and environment in health.

Asian Development Bank President Kuroda Launches $20M Program Aimed At Reducing Spread Of HIV/AIDS Among Youth In Vietnam

During a visit to Hanoi, Vietnam, on Wednesday, Asian Development Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda launched a $20 million program aimed at reducing the spread of HIV among young people in the country, AFP/Google.com reports (AFP/Google.com, 2/20).

Molecule Called NADP Regulates A Cascade Enabling Yeast Cells To Adjust Metabolic State

Metabolism is a central feature of life - a myriad of biochemical processes that, together, enable organisms to nourish and sustain themselves. Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) are in the forefront of efforts to demonstrate how the regulation of genes governs fundamental life processes, including metabolism.

Merck Serono's Erbitux(R) Cited As 'One Of The Most Significant Advances In The Last 25 Years' In The Treatment Of Head And Neck Cancer

Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA of Germany, has won a Frost & Sullivan Customer Value Enhancement (CVE) Award for its epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeted therapy Erbitux®, used in the treatment of head and neck (H&N) cancer.

Former French Foreign Minister Douste-Blazy Appointed To Serve As Special U.N. Adviser On Innovative Funding For MDGs

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed former French foreign minister Philippe Douste-Blazy as special adviser on innovative financing for the U.N. Millennium Development Goals, U.N. deputy spokesperson Marie Okabe announced Tuesday, the AP/International Herald Tribune reports (AP/International Herald Tribune, 2/20).

Ullrich Lauded For Gene Technology Advances And Recognized As A Pioneer In Signal Transduction Research

Axel Ullrich, Ph.D., is the recipient of the 2008 Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Cancer Research for his pioneering work in the translation of genomics-based discoveries into novel approaches for cancer therapy.

UNISON Challenges Government Over Taxes For Migrants, UK

UNISON, the UK's leading public service union, challenged the government over plans to force UK immigrants to pay added charges for the public services they use. Greg Thomson, UNISON National Development Manager for Migrant Workers commented:"Immigrant workers make a very positive contribution to the UK's public services.

Nymox's NX-1207 Offers A New And Attractive Approach To The Treatment Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Nymox Pharmaceutical Corporation (NASDAQ: NYMX) provided an outline of the outstanding potential the Company's proprietary drug, NX-1207, has for the treatment of the common condition of enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

New Evidence Into Cocaine Related Deaths

A paper by Professor Fabrizio Schifano at the University of Hertfordshire's School of Pharmacy, which has been published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, indicates that 1,022 people died between 1990 and 2004 in instances where the presence of cocaine/crack cocaine was detected.

Memory And Thinking Problems Decline Among Older Americans

A new US study suggests that brain health is improving among older Americans as demonstrated by a decline in thinking and memory problems in this group. The researchers said improved cardiovascular care, better education, and being financially better off could be the main reasons.

Ingredient In Yellow Curry Can Reduce Heart Enlargement And May Prevent Heart Failure

Eating curcumin, a natural ingredient in the spice turmeric, may dramatically reduce the chance of developing heart failure, researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toronto General Hospital have discovered.

Male Exposure To Toxins Could Harm Generations Of Offspring, Link To Infertility

Scientists claim that men who smoke, drink heavily or are exposed to pesticides while trying for a baby could harm generations of offspring.Researchers said animal studies showed abnormalities caused by environmental toxins were caused by genetic changes that were passed on through generations.

UNICEF And Dubai Cares Join Forces To Help Provide Education For One Million Children

UNICEF and Dubai Cares announced today a new partnership to boost access for children to education. The move is part of a campaign by Dubai Cares to bring education to one million children in need and help contribute towards Millennium Development Goal 2 - achieving universal primary education by 2015.

Scientists Shed Light On Long Distance Signaling In Developing Neurons

A longstanding puzzle in neurodevelopment may have yielded up a key secret.A team led by scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College says they have determined how events at the very tips of the developing neuron's long, skinny axon affect gene transcription back in the cell's distant nucleus.

Nexavar Dropped From Lung Cancer Trial

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and Onyx Pharmaceuticals have stopped a late stage trial of their cancer drug Nexavar (sorafenib) in patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), because it was not showing the hoped for increase in survival.

Discovery May Answer How Feeding Can Prevent Infection In Critically Ill Patients

A persistent mystery in human medicine is how the lining of the small intestine, through which nutrients are absorbed, also prevents intestinal bacteria and their toxins from entering the bloodstream and causing serious infections.

Pfizer, BMS, AstraZeneca, GSK, Bayer To Discuss Latest Tactics And Strategies To Achieve Sale Excellence

Eyeforpharma, the global source of information and education for the pharmaceutical industry, announced that the 6th annual Sales Force Effectiveness Summit, Philadelphia, 23-24 June 2008 has secured its full speaker faculty including leading executives from Pfizer, BMS, AstraZeneca, GSK, Bayer, Mer

New Findings On Emerging Contaminants

American and Canadian scientists are finding that out of sight, out of mind can no longer be the approach we take to the chemicals in our waters. Substances that we use everyday are turning up in our lakes, rivers and ocean, where they can impact aquatic life and possibly ourselves.

Neuroblastoma, Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors Slowed By Tumor-Targeting Viral Therapy

Researchers in a multi-institutional study led by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center slowed the growth of two particularly stubborn solid tumor cancers - neuroblastoma and peripheral nerve sheath tumors - without harming healthy tissues by inserting instructions to inhibit tissue growth into an engineered virus, according to study results published in the February 15 Cancer Research.

Ross University School Of Medicine Expands Clinical Rotations In New York

Ross University School of Medicine is pleased to announce it will add a total of 50 new core clinical rotation spots at Caritas Health Care Planning's Mary Immaculate and St. John's Queens hospitals in New York City. Ross University has clinical rotations available at 22 hospitals in New York.

Global Med Technologies(R), Inc. Receives FDA 510(K) Clearance For ElDorado Donor(TM)

Global Med Technologies(R), Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: GLOB), an international e-Health, medical information technology company, announced that the U.S.

Italian Parliamentary Candidates Support Moratorium On Abortion, Likely To Become An Issue In Campaign

Abortion is playing an important role in Italy's parliamentary elections in April, as former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi recently said that he favors a United Nations ban on the procedure, the AP/Google.com reports. According to the AP/Google.com, abortion is rarely an election topic in Italy. Under a 1978 law, abortion is legal up to 12 weeks gestation in the country.

Is Hybridoma Production About To Take A Quantum Leap Forward?

Recently published research* has established the ability of Neowater® to enhance the various processes involved in the production of pure human monoclonal antibodies by refining the standard hybridoma production process.

Neurocognitive Effects Of Chemotherapy, Australia

There is growing evidence that some patients who survive cancer can suffer neurocognitive impairment after chemotherapy, explains an article published in the February edition of Australian Prescriber. Although the symptoms are generally subtle and improve after ceasing chemotherapy, for some survivors the symptoms are sustained and can impact significantly on their quality of life.

Neurocognitive Effects Of Chemotherapy, Australia

There is growing evidence that some patients who survive cancer can suffer neurocognitive impairment after chemotherapy, explains an article published in the February edition of Australian Prescriber. Although the symptoms are generally subtle and improve after ceasing chemotherapy, for some survivors the symptoms are sustained and can impact significantly on their quality of life.

Republican Presidential Candidates Discuss Appointment Of Former Supreme Court Justice O'Connor In Debate

Republican presidential candidates on Wednesday in a televised debate at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif., discussed their views on U.S. Supreme Court appointments, including the appointment of former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the Washington Post reports.