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NICE Upholds GlaxoSmithKline Appeal For Advanced Breast Cancer Treatment, Tyverb(R)(lapatinib)
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) announced that, following GlaxoSmithKline"s (GSK) appeal, it will reconsider the submission for Tyverb (lapatinib), a treatment for an aggressive form of advanced breast cancer (ErbB2-positive).1 GSK is pleased that NICE"s appeal panel agreed that the draft negative guidance should be reviewed, providing fresh hope for up to 2,000 women in the UK who could benefit from this effective treatment on the NHS.

Sotomayor Nomination Raises Questions About How Female Judges View Cases Differently
Following President Obama"s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, the differences between how male and female judges see and rule on cases has come into question, the New York Times reports. Although retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O"Connor, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, often said that a female judge would come to the same decision as a male judge, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has said that her perspective on certain cases is different because of her gender.The Times cites two examples, one involving the strip search of a 13-year-old girl -- to which Ginsburg said that her male colleagues could not understand how the girl felt. The second example involves the issue of certain abortion procedures. When deciding about the constitutionality of a federal ban on so-called "partial-birth" abortions, Ginsburg took issue with Justice Anthony Kennedy"s majority opinion that women who undergo the procedure likely would experience attacks of conscience. She responded that Kennedy"s views reflected "ancient notions of women"s place in the family and under the Constitution -- ideas that have long since been discredited."The issue has come up again with Sotomayor"s nomination, specifically regarding her 2001 statement that she "would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn"t lived that life." The perception that female judges inherently might view cases differently than male judges has raised some concerns even among some female judges who believe it might be true, according to the Times. Judge Judith Kaye, former chief judge of New York state, said that she avoided discussing the issue with others but then accepted the idea that female judges see things differently at times. "To defend the idea that women come out different on some cases, I just feel it," Kaye said, adding, "I feel it to the depths of my soul" because women"s experiences are "just different." Attorney Lawrence Robbins, however, said, "Any person in the real world should be highly reluctant to make these broad generalizations."The most recent study comparing male and female judges found that female judges were more likely to rule in favor of plaintiffs who claim sex discrimination at workplaces. The study also found no differences in cases involving disability law, environmental issues and capital punishment (Lewis, New York Times, 6/3).
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Jazz Pharmaceuticals To Present Data From First Phase III Study Of Sodium Oxybate In Patients With Fibromyalgia
Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: JAZZ) announced that data from the company"s first Phase III clinical trial of sodium oxybate (JZP-6) for the treatment of fibromyalgia will be presented this week during the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) 2009 Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington and also during the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Nutrition

Robotic Ferret Will Detect Hidden Drugs And Weapons

A new type of robot being developed will make it easier to detect drugs, weapons, explosives and illegal immigrants concealed in cargo containers. Dubbed the "cargo-screening ferret" and designed for use at seaports and airports, the device is being worked on at the University of Sheffield with funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The ferret will be the world"s first cargo-screening device able to pinpoint all kinds of illicit substances and the first designed to operate inside standard freight containers. It will be equipped with a suite of sensors that are more comprehensive and more sensitive than any currently employed in conventional cargo scanners. Recent advances in both laser and fibre optic technology now make it possible to detect tiny particles of different substances. The EPSRC-funded project team is developing sensors which incorporate these technologies and that are small enough to be carried on the 30cm-long robot, in order to detect the specific "fingerprint" of illegal substances at much lower concentrations than is now possible. When placed inside a steel freight container, the ferret will attach itself magnetically to the top, then automatically move around and seek out contraband, sending a steady stream of information back to its controller. Current cargo-screening methods rely on a variety of separate methods, such as the use of sniffer dogs and external scanners for detecting explosives and drugs and carbon dioxide probes and heartbeat monitors to detect a human presence. Cargo scanners currently in use at seaports and airports only generate information on the shape and density of objects or substances. The ferret, however, will be able to provide information on what they actually consist of as well. "It"s essential we develop something which is simple to operate and which Border Agents can have total confidence in," says Dr Tony Dodd, who is leading the project. "The ferret will be able to drop small probes down through the cargo and so pinpoint exactly where contraband is concealed." Working prototypes of the cargo-screening ferret could be ready for testing within two years, with potential deployment within around five years. Notes: The 3-year project "Cargo Screening Ferret" began in October 2008 and is receiving total EPSRC funding of nearly ÷£732,000. The project also involves the University of Glasgow, Loughborough University, City University London and defence and security specialists Qinetiq. The idea for the project emerged from an event organised by EPSRC, the Home Office Scientific Development Branch and the UK Borders Agency. The ferret will offer major advantages in combating human trafficking. Currently, it is very difficult to detect people hidden in freight containers (e.g. the use of X-rays is prohibited due to the harm the radiation could do to anyone concealed there). Sensors on board the ferret will be able to detect tiny traces of carbon dioxide which indicate the presence of humans concealed in the containers. Another key benefit is that the ferret will reduce the need for customs and security officials to enter or unpack freight containers, which is time-consuming and may expose officers to danger or possible contamination by harmful substances. By combining two different types of sensor (laser and fibre optic-based), the ferret will lead to confidence in detection being considerably improved. Natasha Richardson Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council


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