Oncology
A new study finds the average wait for a medical appointment has increased by more than a week since 2004, to 8.6 days, USA Today reports. In Boston, the worst-performing city of the 15 surveyed for the Merritt Hawkins and Associates study, patients waited nearly 50 days, on average, to see a doctor.
Capitol News Service reports that an estimated 50,000 additional uninsured children may receive medical coverage from legislation that Gov. Charlie Crist signed Tuesday. "The Kid Care program offers low cost insurance to children up to ages 19. But penalties and a lengthy application process have kept thousand of families out," Capitol News Service reports. "The legislation shortens the waiting time to enroll in the state"s Kid Care program and lessens the penalties for missing a premium payment." Children"s advocates have been pushing for the legislation for three years and call it a good start. The program enrolls 1.5 million children, but a lack of advertising money has hindered its ability to "spread the word" further (Ray, 6/2).
According to a report released Tuesday by Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF), "Zimbabweans continue to cross the border [into South Africa] every day, legally and illegally, in massive numbers as a matter of survival," AFP/Google.com reports (AFP/Google.com, 6/2). An estimated "three million Zimbabweans - about a quarter of the entire population" have fled "the economic collapse and human rights abuses at home, as well as a cholera outbreak that has infected about 100,000 people," according to the BBC, and the "inauguration in February of a fractious power-sharing government in Zimbabwe has not stemmed the flight" (BBC, 6/2).
During the warmer months, the use of trampolines is more frequent and as a result children are more likely to be hospitalized with related injuries, especially after bouncing with adults at the same time, according to doctors" warnings.
With the U.N. Human Rights Council"s June session coming up, governments have a "chance to prove that they value women"s lives by taking concrete action" to recognize "preventable maternal death as a violation of women"s rights," Mary Robinson and Alicia Yamin, advisory council members of the International Initiative on Maternal Mortality and Human Rights, write in a Boston Globe opinion piece.
Kansas has become "perhaps the fiercest battleground" in the abortion-rights debate with mass protests, prosecutions, lawsuits and the recent murder of abortion provider George Tiller, the AP/Washington Post reports. Kansas State University political scientist Joe Aistrup said, "There"s a very prominent vein in Kansas politics that tends toward moral righteousness." He said that this contributes to that unending debate and has produced extremists on both sides of the issue in the state.Peter Brownlie, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said that the majority of those who maintain the intense debate on abortion rights are political leaders. "There is a very clear and growing gap between the general public and the political leaders who are committed to this being such a constant and volatile issue," he said. Brownlie added that on issues relating to abortion, sex education and family planning, "Kansans" views are not markedly different from most Americans, but there are political forces at work, some of them well beyond the state borders."The Post reports that Kansas is different than most states where either supporters or foes of abortion rights dominate. According to the AP/Post, Kansas often sways between having key lawmakers who support abortion rights and those who oppose them. For example, a Republican-dominated Legislature over the past six years passed several bills to restrict abortion access, but much of the legislation was vetoed by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D). The result has triggered frustration in groups opposing abortion rights, and they continue to feed widespread opposition to abortion in the state, the AP/Post reports.According to Burdett Loomis, a University of Kansas political science professor, there even is a split among Kansas Republicans in regard to abortion rights, as some Republicans in the state are evangelical Christians who oppose abortion rights, while others are moderates who support such rights. He said the split "might pop out in gun laws, home schooling, evolution, but it starts and stops with abortion" (Crary/Hanna, AP/Washington Post, 6/3).Wall Street Journal Examines Abortions Later in PregnancyIn related news, the Wall Street Journal on Thursday examined how Tiller"s clinic in Kansas became a battleground in the abortion-rights debate particularly because some of his patients were in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. According to the Journal, even though the subject of abortion later in pregnancy is the of "a deep cultural divide," both sides agree that it is "anguishing." Fewer than 1% of all abortions in the U.S. are performed in the second or third trimesters, and most states prohibit abortions late in pregnancy but include exceptions for the woman"s life and health.The Journal reports that abortion procedures performed later in pregnancy often carry increased health risks, are more expensive and are emotional. The Guttmacher Institute reports that 8.9 maternal deaths occur during every 100,000 abortions performed later in pregnancy, compared with 7.1 deaths per 100,000 births. The article also profiled women who chose to undergo abortions later in pregnancy at Tiller"s clinic, as well as arguments from abortion-rights opponents (Simon, Wall Street Journal, 6/4).
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).
It takes less than a minute for a stroke to change a person"s life forever, but taking the time to make a few simple lifestyle adjustments and finding out how to recognize an attack when it happens can save thousands of lives.
Latent HIV genes can be "smoked out" of human cells. The so-called "shock and kill" technique, described in a preclinical study in BioMed Central"s open access journal Retrovirology, might represent a new milestone along the way to the discovery of a cure for HIV/AIDS.
Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIVO) announced that it has received FDA clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new rapid test for Campylobacter, ImmunoCard STAT!® CAMPY. This new test provides fast and accurate detection of Campylobacter bacteria, one of the most common causes of diarrheal illness and the most common bacterial cause of foodborne illness in the United States. Approximately 20 million stool culture tests are conducted each year in the U.S. to detect the illness, known as Campylobacteriosis. Campylobacter is most often transmitted by poorly cooked poultry or person-to-person contact.
Disc Dynamics, Inc., a leading developer of minimally invasive treatment options for low back pain caused by degenerative disc disease (DDD), announced that the CE Mark received in the European Union for its DASCOR® Disc Arthroplasty System has been expanded to incorporate a posterior-lateral surgical approach, as well as an endoscopic approach.
Advaxis, Inc. (OTCBB:ADXS) received the FDA letter late on June 1 denying the company"s request for Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) for the use of ADXS11-001 in invasive cervix cancer. The FDA stated their market definition for invasive cervical cancer prevalence (including all those who had been cured) is over the 200,000 person cutoff. Further, the applicability of ADXS11-01 for a precursor condition, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) was considered by the ODD as an early manifestation of the disease. No prevalence estimate for CIN was provided in our original application. There was no issue raised about efficacy.
SRI International, an
Professor Murali Doraiswamy, from the Duke University Medical Center in Carolina, has suggested that curcumin, found in the popular curry ingredient tumeric, could help prevent the onset of dementia. Following a pilot study, a clinical trial is underway at the University of California to test the effects of curcumin on the amyloid plaque proteins that build up in the brain of patients with Alzheimer"s disease. Professor Doriaswamy made his comments at the Royal College of Psychiatrists" Annual Meeting in Liverpool.
Legislation requiring an independent review of decisions by health plans and insurers to rescind coverage for patients passed the Assembly on a 46-24 vote today.
The health service is entering a "dark and dangerous period" because of the economic crisis, the Chairman of the BMA"s Consultants Committee warned in a speech. Arguing that public money must not be diverted away from patient care into "the pockets of shareholders", Dr Jonathan Fielden called for private management consultants to be "ditched" from the NHS.
The MP Evan Harris is among a group of leading academics, publishers, journalists, performers, clinicians, and scientists backing science writer Simon Singh in his application to appeal against a libel judgment in the High Court today.
Bipolar disorder is misdiagnosed as depression in over a quarter of cases, a new study suggests. The research is presented today at the Royal College of Psychiatrists" 2009 Annual Meeting in Liverpool.
Two-thirds of patients are happy for their medical records to be stored electronically, according to a snapshot survey carried out in a community mental health setting. But many patients still have concerns about security and confidentiality.
Medical experts have warned of a "worrying link" between ketamine use and serious bladder and kidney problems.
Only one in five UK patients have surgery to reduce their risk of stroke within the two week target time set by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), finds a study published on bmj.com today.
A well-crafted case study is a powerful educational and marketing tool. The Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute"s (PBMI) 15th Anniversary Drug Benefit Conference offers industry experts an opportunity to present case studies that showcase solutions to critical drug benefit challenges. Speaker proposals will be accepted until August 14, 2009 for the conference to be held February 17-19, 2010 in Phoenix.
Nearly 2 in 3 U.S. adults (63%) think that it is important that dental coverage is part of an overall health reform package, and 40 percent say it is very important, according to a new public opinion survey commissioned by Oral Health America. The survey, sponsored by the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation, and conducted by Harris Interactive(R), was released today at the launch of National Smile Month, the largest independent international campaign promoting good dental care including brushing, regular dental visits, and healthy food choices as well as the need for effective oral healthcare policies.
Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas is the first hospital in the country to collaborate with GE Healthcare and BrainLAB to open technically advanced neurosurgery operating room (OR) suites that will allow neurosurgeons to use real-time, intra-operative images of the brain during surgery. The $16.5 million operating suites will be the first to combine the BrainSUITE(R) iMRI and GE Healthcare MR Surgical Suite.
The axon is a part of the neuron through which nerve impulses are transmitted, and at the end of which is located the synapse, which connects it to another neuron. In the event of a lesion, the axon is the component which must be regenerated in order to restore the connections between the different neurons and re-form the nerve.
CSIRO and a local water authority in Queensland, SEQWater, have joined forces to monitor the Lake Wivenhoe catchment, which spans an area about the size of the city of Brisbane, and supplies water to the region"s 1.5 million residents.
The Washington Post on Friday examined the renewed attention on abortion procedures performed later in pregnancy following Kansas provider George Tiller"s shooting death on Sunday. Tiller was one of the few physicians in the U.S. who performed late abortions. The Post reports that these abortions make up a small portion of the 1.2 million abortions performed each year -- more than 88% of abortions are performed in the first trimester and less than 1% are performed after 21 weeks" gestation. Data published in 2001 from 15 states and New York City show that as many as 2,400 abortions after 24 weeks" gestation were performed in the U.S. that year, according to Stanley Henshaw, a senior fellow at the Guttmacher Institute. He added that most of those abortions likely were performed in the 25th or 26th week.Henshaw said that little is known about the circumstances surrounding third trimester abortion procedures and that "information just isn"t available." The government does not collect detailed data regarding the number of such procedures, who is performing them and under what circumstances. In addition, abortion providers who perform the procedure later in pregnancy supply very little published information, the Post reports. According to the Post, most abortion providers will not perform the procedure after 22 or 24 weeks" gestation because of legal and other concerns, social stigma, or inadequate training and lack of experience. A 2001 survey of 1,819 abortion providers indicated that 18 clinics and 12 hospitals performed abortions at 26 weeks" gestation. However, the Post reports that the number of providers offering abortions later in pregnancy likely has declined in correlation with the decreasing number of overall providers. Henshaw said the number of providers offering the procedure later in pregnancy also likely has declined.Abortion-rights supporters say that third-trimester abortions are performed only when medically necessary, such as when a fatal abnormality is detected in the fetus or a life-threatening complication in the woman is discovered. Other circumstances include cases when the woman suffers serious emotional issues or is undergoing cancer treatment, the Post reports. Vicki Saporta, president of the National Abortion Federation, said that women who experience such pregnancies have "no good choice" and "nee[d] to terminate their pregnancies to protect their own health." Tiller "provided both the emotional and physical care for women in that situation," she said (Stein, Washington Post, 6/5).Los Angeles Times Profiles Abortion Provider Hern The Los Angeles Times on Friday profiled Warren Hern, a Colorado-based abortion provider who performs the procedure later in pregnancy and was a close friend of Tiller"s. Hern has provided abortions since 1973 when the Supreme Court legalized the procedure with Roe v. Wade. He said he "felt doing abortions was the most important thing I could do with my life." Hern opened the Boulder Abortion Clinic in 1975, and in the 1980s authored and self-published a textbook, Abortion Practice. He said that he eventually began to focus on abortion procedures later in pregnancy, which currently make up the majority of his practice. Such abortions usually are performed because of medical complications in the woman or abnormalities in the fetus. Patients at Hern"s clinic receive counseling to explain the procedure and to ensure the woman wants it, although he said many women have already made their decision with their own physician. Hern said that although Tiller"s death has been an emotional situation, his clinic is "pretty busy taking care of people who said they couldn"t find anyone else" to perform abortions later in pregnancy (Correll, Los Angeles Times, 6/5).Bond Set for Tiller Shooting Suspect Sedgwick County, Kan., District Judge Warren Wilbert on Thursday set a $5 million bond for Scott Roeder, the man charged with shooting and killing Tiller, the AP/Yahoo! News reports. A preliminary hearing for Roeder is scheduled for June 16. If convicted, Roeder face
The Chicago Tribune published a series of articles on industry"s solutions for health care reform. The paper "turned to Chicago-area leaders in three key segments of the industry: insurers, medical providers and pharmacy," and presented their "thoughts on how best to expand medical-care coverage to all Americans."
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said he disagrees with President Obama"s support of transferring Congress"s price-setting powers over Medicare to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), which now acts as an advisory panel, USA Today reports. In a letter to senators Wednesday, Obama floated support for the idea: "Under this approach, MedPAC"s recommendations on cost reductions would be adopted unless opposed by a joint resolution of the Congress."
Thousands of international HIV/AIDS experts will convene in Windhoek, Namibia, next week for a five-day meeting focused on HIV/AIDS, New Era reports.
The CDC has released a fact sheet informing people that there is some risk of transmitting HIV to others through oral sex, even though it is much lower than the risk of transmission from vaginal or anal intercourse, the Lakeland Ledger"s "Robin"s Rx: Medical Blogging in Polk County" reports. According to the CDC, many people believe that oral sex is safe or has no risk of transmitting disease. The CDC fact sheet said that abstaining from any sexual activity or engaging in mutual monogamy where both partners are uninfected are the only ways to completely prevent HIV transmission, but that condoms and other barriers between the mouth and genitals can reduce the risk of transmission through oral sex (Adams, "Robin"s Rx: Medical Blogging in Polk County," Lakeland Ledger, 6/4).
In a new study, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists disprove a century-old theory about why cancer cells often have too many or too few chromosomes, and show that the actual reason may hold the key to a novel approach to cancer therapy.
UroToday.com - The TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion occurs in 30-70% of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) naç¯ve prostate cancers (CaP), but its relevance in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is less well defined. The TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion is androgen driven. In the April 1, 2009 issue of Cancer Research, a group led by Dr. Johann de Bono evaluated patients undergoing treatment with the CYP17 inhibitor abiraterone acetate, which ablates the synthesis of androgens and estrogens that drive the TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusions. They hypothesized that androgen-dependent overexpression of ERG persisted in CRPC and that TMPRSS2-ERG tumors represented a subgroup of CaP that remained sensitive to abiraterone acetate. They hypothesized that two mechanisms of resistance to abiraterone acetate were gain of AR and loss of PTEN that could result in constitutive phosphorylation of AR, leading to ligand-independent activation.
UroToday.com - "Good judgment comes from experience, experience (unfortunately) comes from bad judgment." So the saying goes, but perhaps good judgment can (hopefully) come from carefully done reading of the "experiences" of others.
The following are based on abstracts or posters to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando, Florida, May 29 - June 2, 2008.
Argenta Discovery and Porsolt announced they have entered into an alliance to provide unparalleled CNS and pain drug discovery services and expertise on a fee-for- service basis. The collaboration enables Argenta and Porsolt to undertake fully integrated CNS and pain-focused drug discovery programmes for their clients, from hit identification to development candidate nomination. Both companies bring a wealth of "Big Pharma" industry based experience and know-how in CNS and pain research. This alliance will leverage those key skills for its partners to ensure the rapid generation of high quality development candidates.
Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc., a worldwide leader in diagnostic imaging, announced today that the company"s leading imaging agent, Cardiolite® (Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc99m Sestamibi for Injection), was used in a recently completed five-year study examining appropriate treatment regimens for patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. The results of this study, known as The Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes (BARI 2D), will be presented by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health at a special symposium on Sunday, June 7, 2009, from 4:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. (CT) at the American Diabetes Association 69th Scientific Sessions in New Orleans.
Two organizations that admire the powerful influence of women as healthcare consumers have announced a new venture to provide trustworthy, accessible and actionable cancer care information to women. Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), a national network of cancer specialty hospitals that provides a comprehensive, fully integrated cancer treatment experience, and EmpowHer , the home of women"s health online, today announced a partnership that combines EmpowHer"s multi-media content and community with simple access to CTCA"s innovative patient-centered cancer care model.
Experts in criminology will discuss "Alternatives to Custodial Sentencing" at a Parliamentary seminar organised by the British Psychological Society and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Services and Policy. The event takes place at Westminster on Tuesday 16 June (4.30 - 6.00 p.m.)
Dietitians of Canada and Kraft Canada have announced the winners of the 12th annual Speaking of Food and Healthy Living Award - an annual competition designed to showcase and encourage collaborative efforts that help Canadians make informed choices about healthy eating and physical activity.
University of Queensland research is uncovering why a flutter on the pokies can lead to bigger problems for some older adults.
Health professionals need to look no further than their iPhone to support them at the point of care. Wave Medical, who provides clinical decision support applications to general practitioners, nurses, emergency doctors and medical students has recently expanded its mobile platform offering to include the iPhone™ and iPod® Touch. Now all healthcare professionals can easily access any of Wave Medical"s specialty-focused clinical decision support applications through iPhone"s innovative platform.
New treatments to ease or even cure the most common cancer affecting Australian men are a step closer to reality with a $1.25 million grant awarded to QUT prostate cancer researcher Professor Colleen Nelson today.
AARP Executive Vice President John Rother issued the
Today, Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announced new developments in its long-standing goal to create a "closed-loop" diabetes management system designed to closely mimic the insulin delivery of a normal pancreas. This system, sometimes referred to as an "artificial pancreas," would emulate a healthy pancreas by using technology that continuously monitors glucose levels and automatically adjusts insulin delivery in patients with diabetes.
-- 0 confirmed cases in Wales.
Cancer Research Technology (CRT) and The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) announced a major research collaboration with AstraZeneca. The three partners will combine their expertise to discover and develop potential new anti-cancer drugs to target molecular "chaperones" which support the growth of cancer cells.
A new wrinkle-smoother will be arriving in doctors" offices in July: the U.S. FDA has approved the cosmetic injectable Dysport®. Dysport®, approved in the European Union, Brazil, Argentina and more than 26 countries worldwide is a form of botulinum type A, similar to the protein found in Botox® Cosmetic, approved for fighting wrinkles in the U.S. since 2004. Dysport® and Botox® are both cosmetic injections that temporarily relax the muscles in the face that create expressions, such as frown lines between the brows, that over time result in visible facial lines and deeper creases. "Although their action is similar, Dysport® and Botox® Cosmetic are two different drugs," said oculoplastic surgeon Dr. Brian Biesman, Coalition leader and Assistant Clinical Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. "Both temporarily modify the action of facial muscles, smoothing out undesirable lines between the brows, across the forehead or crow"s feet to restore a more youthful, less stressed appearance. But they are not interchangeable, they have distinct dosing differences."
UC Santa Barbara and Sansum Diabetes Research Institute scientists have demonstrated for the first time that an automated artificial pancreas system (APS) can safely and effectively maintain desired blood glucose levels in patients with type 1 diabetes. The clinical study results will be presented today in a late-breaking poster session(1) at the American Diabetes Association"s 69th Scientific Sessions in New Orleans.
Diamyd Medical reported that the company has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include children with type 1 diabetes from 10 years of age in the company"s Phase III study with the diabetes vaccine Diamyd(R).
Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMLN) and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced interim results from a retrospective study including nearly 260,000 patients that showed the risk of acute pancreatitis among patients initiating therapy with BYETTA(R) (exenatide) injection was not increased compared to patients initiating other antidiabetic therapies. These findings were presented at the 69th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in New Orleans.
I want to update Members on the swine flu outbreak and how preparations in Wales are proceeding.
The general public will be encouraged to "Know Your Pulse" by legendary smoothie Sir Roger Moore, as part of Arrhythmia Awareness Week (8-14 June 2009).
Patient-provider communication influences quality of care, but black and Asian patients were more likely than white patients to report communication difficulties with their doctors in 2005, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The Cincinnati Enquirer examined how the "success stories" of people living longer with HIV - such as that of former National Basketball Association player Earvin "Magic" Johnson - can "illustrate how well anti-HIV medications work and might be part of the reason the epidemic still rages." The article discussed the efficacy of antiretrovirals, their side effects and the consequences of not taking the medications (O"Farrell [1], Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/5). The Enquirer also featured an overview of the history and science of HIV (O"Farrell [2], Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/5).
The St. Petersburg Times examines the work of Paul Farmer - "the Harvard-educated doctor who, starting in Haiti, built a multinational organization on the radical idea that poor patients deserve the same care as rich ones" and is reportedly being considered for a high-level job with USAID or the State Department. The newspaper reports that though it"s "not a sure thing, even his candidacy indicates how far the international aid establishment has come around to Farmer"s way of thinking, health care experts say."
Economists say taxing health benefits not only could raise billions per year for health care reform efforts, but also could make the system run better, NPR and KHN report.
Industry groups reacted "warily" this weekend to a draft of the Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) Committee"s health overhaul plan. The first details emerged late Friday and lobbyists began speaking up, USA Today reports:
Obama"s Health Cost Illusion Wall Street Journal
The antiabortion-rights movement"s presence in Wichita, Kan., faces an uncertain future as its leaders re-examine their strategy after the shooting death of Kansas abortion provider George Tiller, the New York Times reports. According to the Times, Wichita has been a center for the antiabortion-rights movement for almost two decades primarily because of the location of Tiller"s clinic, which is one of the few in the U.S. that performs abortions later in pregnancy. Most notably, thousands of protesters converged on the city in the summer of 1991, known as the "Summer of Mercy," and the city is known as a "hot spot" for groups opposed to abortion rights, the Times reports. Antiabortion-rights group Operation Rescue moved its headquarters to Wichita to focus on Tiller"s clinic, and there are five other operations in the city aimed at discouraging women from having abortions. However, many groups are concerned that interest in the antiabortion-rights movement and donations in support of the cause will drop without the presence of Tiller and his patients. Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, said that he does not "know what the future holds" and that it is "too early to say what comes next" for the movement. He added that Scott Roeder, the man charged with Tiller"s murder, "did more to damage the pro-life movement than you can imagine."According to the Times, the antiabortion-rights movement is facing increasing backlash related to the murder, with some abortion-rights supporters saying that abortion-rights opponents" inflammatory rhetoric helped incite the violence. Mark Gietzen, president of the Kansas Coalition for Life, said that there also is disagreement among antiabortion-rights groups over whether their leaders should have issued statements condemning the murder. Tiller"s clinic currently is closed, and no patients are being given appointments, although his family said in a recent statement that it would like to continue his work, according to the Times. David Gittrich, development director of Kansans for Life, said that although Tiller"s murder will "change things in the pro-life movement ... until abortion is illegal, unthinkable and unacceptable, there"s going to be plenty of things for pro-lifers to do" (Davey, New York Times, 6/8).Justice Department Launches Federal Probe of Murder Meanwhile, the Department of Justice on Friday began a federal investigation into Tiller"s murder and is seeking to determine whether more than one person was involved in the shooting, the Times reports. Federal officials will review evidence and look into possible violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, according to DOJ. The investigation will be conducted alongside Kansas" murder prosecution. A DOJ spokesperson would not comment on whether the investigation would affect the jurisdiction in which Roeder is eventually tried (Cullotta, New York Times, 6/6).Abortion Providers, Advocates Respond to Comments from Suspect In related news, abortion-rights providers and advocates responded to Roeder"s recent comments implying that more violence against abortion providers is planned, the AP/Google.com reports. In an interview with the Associated Press, Roeder said that there are "many other similar events planned around the country as long as abortion remains legal." Roeder refused to elaborate on his statement, and law enforcement officials said that they are not sure if his statement is legitimate. LeRoy Carhart, an abortion provider who practiced at Tiller"s clinic, noted that Tiller was not the first abortion provider to be murdered, adding, "There is more than one lunatic running loose in this country that can be influenced by the religious rhetoric." Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said she believes it is "imperative for anti-choice groups to tone down that rhetoric and keep the more extreme elements in their movement from copying" Roeder (Hegeman, AP/Google.com, 6/8).NPR Examines FACE Act, Antiabortion ViolenceNPR"s "Morning Edition" on Friday examined th
L-Asparaginase is one of the key drugs used to treat children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, some children fail to achieve therapeutic levels of L-asparaginase after receiving the drug. The mechanisms underlying such therapeutic failure are not well defined. But now, Vaskar Saha and colleagues, at the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, United Kingdom, have found that leukemic cells from some patients with ALL express two proteins capable of degrading ASNase, one of the commercially available s of L-asparaginase. Importantly, expression of one of these proteins, AEP, is predominantly observed in individuals with high-risk forms of ALL. By modifying one amino acid of ASNase, the authors were able to render it resistant to cleavage by AEP; however, the modified drug was not as active. The authors hope that this description of a potential mechanism to explain why some children fail to achieve therapeutic levels of L-asparaginase after receiving ASNase will enable optimization of L-asparaginase therapy to the benefit of children with ALL.
Primary care pediatricians may be under-diagnosing sleep disorders in children and teens, according to a research abstract presented on June 8 at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Men with insomnia and sleep duration of six or fewer hours of nightly sleep are at an increased risk for mortality, according to a research abstract presented on June 8, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies
Canadian Light (CLS) staff scientist Luca Quaroni and Dr. Alan Casson, Head of the Department of Surgery at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) used the synchrotron"s infrared microscope to identify tissue afflicted with a condition known as Barrett"s Esophagus from chemical fingerprints associated with the disease, which can lead to esophageal cancer. The finding is published in the June, 2009 issue of the Royal Society of Chemistry journal, The Analyst.
A majority of high-risk stroke patients are less likely to meet clinical treatment targets to prevent repeat stroke or heart attacks compared to those with heart disease, suggesting the need to examine new therapeutic strategies, according to a study led by St. Michael"s Hospital neurologist Dr. Gustavo Saposnik. What"s more, medical procedures or ongoing specialty care may improve patients" awareness and consequent treatment success.
A breakthrough in the treatment of cancer and an unexpected finding about the life span of blood clotting cells have led Victorian scientist Dr Kylie Mason to be awarded the prestigious 2009 Premier"s Award for Public Health and Medical Research.
To reduce their cardiovascular risk, people with type 2 diabetes should do at least two-and-a-half hours per week of moderate-intensity or one-and-a-half hours per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercises, plus some weight training, according to an American Heart Association scientific statement published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Ontario children are more likely to get diagnosed with diabetes than their American counterparts. A study out of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) has found a 3 per cent increase per year in the rate of diabetes in Ontario children from 1994 to 2004.
Overweight individuals who ate a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate diet high in plant-based proteins for four weeks lost weight and experienced improvements in blood cholesterol levels and other heart disease risk factors, according to a report in the June 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. A high-carbohydrate, low-fat vegetarian diet also resulted in weight loss but without the additional cardiovascular benefits.
Middle-aged adults who sleep fewer hours appear more likely to have high blood pressure and to experience adverse changes in blood pressure over time, according to a report in the June 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
A lung cancer treatment that inhibits nicotine receptors was shown to double survival time in mice, according to Italian researchers.
Researchers have been seeking a safe and effective way to treat cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia by enhancing N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors. Functional deficits in NMDA receptors may contribute to the underlying neurobiology of this disorder. The first generation of studies trying to stimulate NMDA receptors administered large amounts of substances, like glycine or D-serine, which indirectly enhance NMDA receptor function. While there were some positive reports of efficacy, findings across studies were more inconsistent than was hoped.
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.
Methuselah Foundation has identified Organovo, Inc. as a leader in the extraordinary science of bio-printing. The US Department of Health and Human Services predicts: "Within 20 years regenerative medicine will be the standard of care for replacing all tissue/organ systems in the body." Organovo, with the support of Methuselah Foundation, is applying its breakthrough organ printing technologies to make that prediction a reality.
DOR BioPharma, Inc. (DOR or the Company) (OTC Bulletin Board: DORB), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced that it has received Protocol Assistance feedback from the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) on the design of its confirmatory, pivotal, Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating its lead product orBec(R) for the treatment of acute gastrointestinal Graft-versus-Host Disease (GI GVHD).
Many cancerous tumors possess a genetic mutation that disables a tumor suppressor called PTEN. Now researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown why inactivation of PTEN allows tumors to resist radiation therapy.
The World Health Organization announced today that swine flu, or influenza A(H1N1) has now infected humans in 36 cases, making a total of 8,451 people ill, and causing the deaths of 66 people in Mexico, 4 deaths in the USA, and 1 death in Canada. All data indicate the virus strain is not a virulent one (an aggressive and dangerous one).
Scientists have developed a prototype scanner designed to help police identify criminals carrying guns and knives without putting themselves in the line of attack.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) introduced legislation that seeks to encourage state and local governments, as well as media organizations, to recognize June 8th as National Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, the American Chronicle reports. The legislation also supports the development of a national AIDS strategy that aims to reduce new HIV infections in the U.S., particularly among minorities (American Chronicle 6/9).
Despite a recent ruling by India"s Supreme Court that all tobacco products must have pictorial warnings by May 31, one week after the ruling was to go into effect, the warning labels have yet to appear on packaging, the National reports.
Access To Second-Line Antiretrovirals In India
On Monday, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D- N.Y., told reporters that the House bill will include a new public insurance plan, Reuters/The Boston Globe reports. "Similar to legislation being developed in the Senate, the House bill would establish an insurance exchange to help people without employer-sponsored insurance find medical coverage." The government-sponsored public insurance plan would be "one of the options available, lawmakers said." The bill would also establish a mandate that would "require individuals and businesses to obtain coverage."
In the White House"s pitches for health care reform, controlling costs has replaced universal coverage as the leading imperative to overhaul the system. A top White House economist, Christina Romer, said in a public appearance Monday, "Good health care reform is good economic policy," the San Francisco Chronicle reports. "Fixing what"s wrong with our health care system is no longer a luxury we hope to achieve - it"s a necessity we cannot postpone any longer" (Abate, 6/9).
Congressional Democrats seeking leadership are feeling Sen. Edward Kennedy"s absence in the looming health care reform debate as he continues his battle with brain cancer, and struggles to return to Washington, The New York Times reports.
Senior and elderly advocate groups are calling on Congress to get rid of the "doughnut hole" in Medicare"s drug benefit as part of the larger efforts to reform health care, according to The Dallas Morning News.
UroToday.com - Angiogenesis is thought to be important in many chronic inflammatory disorders, including diabetic retinopathy, atherosclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. It has also been suggested that the angiogenic components of these diseases contribute to and exacerbate disease conditions. Increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been detected in patients with asthma and have been shown to be correlated with the severity of the disease. Anti-VEGF therapy has been shown to ameliorate inflammation in animal models of chronic inflammatory bowel disease. This background forms the prelude to a very interested study by Kiuchi and colleagues from Osaka, Japan.
Children who are bullied at school are up to four times more likely than their peers to develop psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions and paranoia - and the more severe the bullying the more severe the symptoms.
The NAO today published a major report, "Supporting people with autism through adulthood". HOPE, the charity for adults with autism and learning disabilities, sees this important report as a blueprint for improving the lives of people with autism.
UroToday.com - Robotic and medical imaging technology has made leaps and bounds over the past few decades, and the practice of brachytherapy should take advantage of these advances. Of course, any new technology cannot be implemented in the clinic without a scientifically validated foundation, which must be established in order to justify the move away from tried-and-true methods. With this in mind, we present this paper as a peek into the future -- alternative, potentially useful implant catheter patterns.
Abbott Park, Illinois (NYSE: ABT) and London, UK - Abbott and AstraZeneca announced that the companies have submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an investigational compound for the treatment of mixed dyslipidemia, a combination of two or more lipid abnormalities including high LDL- cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol), high triglycerides and low HDL-cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol). The NDA submission for this investigational compound, containing the active ingredients of CRESTOR® (rosuvastatin calcium) and TRILIPIX® (fenofibric acid), is supported by data from multiple studies, including efficacy and safety studies with the 5mg, 10mg and 20mg doses of rosuvastatin combined with fenofibric acid. Pending approval of the NDA, the treatment will be marketed as CERTRIAD™.
According to a research abstract that will be presented on Wednesday, June 10, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, people with chronic stress report shorter sleep duration, worse sleep quality, and more daytime functioning impairments. Conversely, daytime functioning impairments and shorter sleep duration demonstrated a predictive relationship with habitual stress complaints.
Three researchers from the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech have developed and evaluated a new one-step bioanalytical approach that allows them to profile in detail complex cellular extracts of proteins. The method has allowed the scientists to look at how the levels of proteins change in breast cancer cells when they are treated with hormones or cancer drugs like tamoxifen.
Spread and extent of the outbreak
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the availability of nearly $200 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support student loan repayments for primary care medical, dental and mental health clinicians who want to work at National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites. In exchange for the loan repayments, clinicians serve for two years with the Corps. The new funds are expected to double the number of Corps clinicians and make 3,300 awards to clinicians that serve in health centers, rural health clinics and other health care facilities that care for uninsured and underserved people. Secretary Sebelius made the announcement prior to touring the Tufts Floating Children"s Hospital in Boston, Mass., where she was joined by members of the National Health Service Corps. Following the tour, Sebelius held a discussion with health care experts and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick on the importance of health reform.
President Obama on Friday named New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the New York Times reports. It has long been expected that Obama would select Frieden, an infectious disease specialist who is "widely admired" in the public health arena, according to the Times. In his seven years as health commissioner of New York City, Frieden pushed to establish HIV testing as a part of routine medical exams and defended a condom-distribution program that hands out more than 35 million condoms annually. Frieden is expected to take office in June and does not require Senate confirmation for the position. He will replace Richard Besser, the current acting director of CDC, who will return to his position as head of CDC"s coordinating office for terrorism preparedness and emergency response.The Times reports that Frieden will "inherit a host of immediate and long-term problems" at CDC, including organizational issues, low morale and the Obama administration"s health care reform agenda. "Health care reform also needs to be on his plate," Jeffrey Koplan, who served as CDC director from 1998 to 2002, said, adding, "There is a huge opportunity there to improve public health, and it"s one in which any CDC director will want to be a player." Several health care advocates praised the appointment, according to the Times. Dennis deLeon, president of the Latino Commission on AIDS in New York City said that Frieden is "willing to challenge the status quo in an effort to make a difference." Jeffrey Levi, executive director of the not-for-profit Trust for America"s Health, said Frieden is a "transformational leader" who "can take public health to a new place" (Harris/Hartocollis, New York Times, 5/15).
Cancer patients who are older than 65 years have poorer physical health and, in some cases, mental health when compared with people of the same age group without cancer, according to a study in the June 9 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
While back pain, blurred vision and mouse-related injuries are now well-documented hazards of long-term computer use, the number of acute injuries connected to computers is rising rapidly. According to a study published in the July 2009 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers from the Center for Injury Research and Policy and The Research Institute at Nationwide Children"s Hospital; and The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus have found a more-than-sevenfold increase in computer-related injuries due to tripping over computer equipment, head injuries due to computer monitor falls and other physical incidents.
According to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, patients suffering from chronic primary insomnia (PIs) have higher levels of brain activation compared to normal sleepers during a working memory test.
Meditation may be an effective behavioral intervention in the treatment of insomnia, according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies
Earlier parental-mandated bedtimes could help protect teens from depression and suicidal thoughts by lengthening sleep duration, according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
The naturalistic respiratory muscle training with high resistance wind instruments may potentially reduce musicians" risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Bicuspid Aortic Valve (BAV), a condition in which patients" aortic valves have just two leaflets instead of the normal three, is the most common cardiac anomaly, affecting up to two percent of the general population. The defect can result in calcification deposits on the heart valve, leakage of the valve and may results in a feeling of tightness in the chest as well as shortness of breath. The condition is easily diagnosed; often physicians can hear a "click" or a murmur when they listen to a BAV patient"s heart with a stethoscope.
Lack of Association Between Autoimmune Antibodies and Improved Outcome in Melanoma Patients
No progress without research - this is particularly true for cancer medicine. The chances of cure for those affected can only be further increased if research results are swiftly transferred from the laboratory into clinical practice. Framework conditions for this research transfer, also called translational research, will now be optimized in Germany. Last Tuesday, German Research Minister Annette Schavan, Friedrich Carl Janssen, Chairman of German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe), and Professor Dr. Otmar D. Wiestler, Scientific Director of the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) presented the "National Consortium for Translational Cancer Research" in Berlin.
Scientists at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have initiated the BrainGate2 pilot clinical trial to expand restorative neurotechnology research for some patients with paralysis. This trial expands on previous research that explores methods that may help paralyzed patients control assistive technologies.
New research from Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience (JHN) may redefine how Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) is diagnosed. Eduardo De Sousa, M.D., assistant professor of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and director of the Electrodiagnostic Neuromuscular Lab at JHN, led the study which looked at the number of demyelinating features that are needed to differentiate between CIDP, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig"s disease) and diabetic neuropathy. His research suggests a minimum number of three demyelinating features can be used to positively identify CIDP in a patient. CIDP is a neurological disorder characterized by progressive weakness and impaired sensory function in the legs and arms. It affects about 50,000 people in the United States. The study, available in the current edition of the Journal of Clinical Neuromuscular Disease, may help doctors more effectively diagnose and treat CIDP.
A new investigational study presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 69th Annual Scientific Sessions showed that "Januvia" (sitagliptin), when added to ongoing insulin therapy with or without metformin, significantly improved blood sugar control.[i] Applications to use "Januvia" and "Janumet"* (sitagliptin/metformin) in combination with insulin have been accepted for review by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are currently under review.
In a study that sheds light on how insurance coverage may drive health care and may reveal an unexpected result for the uninsured, a team of Yale School of Medicine and Yale-New Haven Children"s Hospital physicians has found that babies from uninsured families who are born with congenital defects are far more likely than those whose families have insurance to be transferred out of the large community hospitals where they are born and into children"s hospitals for corrective surgery.
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted unanimously to approve a $91.3 billion defense and foreign aid spending bill that includes President Obama"s request for $1.5 billion in emergency funds to fight a potential influenza pandemic, the AP/Winston-Salem Journal reports. The House version of the bill, approved Thursday in a 368-60 vote, adds $500 million to the pandemic preparedness funds (AP/Winston-Salem Journal, 5/15). Last month, the public health emergency involving the H1N1 influenza virus spurred congressional lawmakers to rethink the elimination of $870 million from the economic stimulus package that would have been used to combat an influenza pandemic. Democratic legislators eliminated the funds in order to garner support from congressional Republicans to pass the stimulus package (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 4/28).
Black women in Washington, D.C., have higher rates of AIDS and other chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease than women of other races, according to a study released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Washington Post reports. According to the study - which is based on CDC and federal population data - the incidence of AIDS cases for black women is 176 per 100,000, higher than that of any other group of women in the district. Lack of education, poverty, unemployment, stress, and inadequate living conditions and health care coverage contribute to black women"s poorer health, the study finds (Fears, Washington Post, 6/10).
The White House"s pressure to cut soaring healthcare costs is causing action and concern in high cost Medicare areas, especially South Florida.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and White House Health Czar Nancy Ann DeParle held a discussion of minority health issues at the White House yesterday, where Sebelius "said the Obama administration is committed to addressing the "alarming disparity in the delivery of quality health care"," which she said was necessary to lower costs, the Associated Press reports. The White House also "issued a summary report on minority health care showing that African-Americans are seven times more likely as whites to have HIV/AIDS, that blacks and Hispanics have diabetes rates nearly twice as high as whites, and that black men are 50 percent more likely than whites to have prostate cancer" (Evans, 6/9).
Tens of thousands of people yesterday took to the streets in
NHLBI Funds Research and Training Centers Aimed at Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases in Developing Countries and Collaborates with UnitedHealth Group"s Chronic Disease Initiative
Benefit of bupropion proven - Benefit of reboxetine not proven: manufacturer conceals study data
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified Medtronic"s previously announced physician advisory about a small subset of Kappa® and Sigma® series pacemakers, identified at increased susceptibility for separation of bonded interconnect wires from the electronic circuit, as a Class I recall. Notification to U.S. FDA, physicians and patients began May 18, 2009. As of the date of this news release, more than 95 percent of physicians following affected devices in the United States have confirmed receipt of the notification. The FDA"s classification of Medtronic"s Important Patient Safety Information does not alter the patient management recommendations already provided in the May 2009 letter, and physicians need not take any new action.
The results of a new study reinforce an advisory that patients taking Flomax® (Tamsulosin) to treat prostate enlargement and urinary problems should inform their ophthalmologist about their use of this drug before undergoing eye surgery. The advisory was issued by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) and updates the advisory the organizations released in 2006. The new study, published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that the alpha-blocker Flomax increased the risk of certain complications following cataract surgery.
New research by a team of scientists at the University of Cincinnati (UC) shows that bisphenol A (BPA) may be harmful for the heart, particularly in women.
ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP (ENTA), is pleased to announce the formation of OASIS (i.e., Otolaryngology, Allergy Specialty Insurance Services), a separate company that will be a vehicle to provide Otolaryngology and Allergy Specific medical malpractice coverage. OASIS, which will be domiciled in the State of Vermont, is the first RRG to provide medical malpractice coverage exclusively to ENT physicians and Allergists. ENTA decided to embark on this path as a means of stabilizing its malpractice premiums in the face of mounting deficits among the State"s largest carriers and the failure of the legislature to pass any meaningful tort reform. These factors will most likely result in substantial premium increases well into the future. In addition, ENTA, now a 96 physician practice, will be able to focus on controlling the risks unique to its specialty to ensure patient safety and physician compliance with its risk management policies.
Nexstim Oy, a medical device company developing non-invasive brain diagnostics and therapy technologies, announces presentation of the abstract "TMS as a part of multimodal management of safe glioma resection in the motor cortex" at the 60th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Neurosurgery.
Health officials in Allegheny County, Pa., on Wednesday held a sexually transmitted infection diversity conference to discuss the disproportionately higher STI rates among blacks and strategies to reduce them, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Blacks comprise 13.5% of the Allegheny County population. According to the Post-Gazette, last year in Allegheny County blacks were involved in:
A realistic computer game will soon be used to help dental students worldwide learn and reinforce dental implant procedures.
Checkpoint with forkhead and ring finger (CHFR) is a mitotic stress checkpoint gene whose promoter is frequently methylated in various kinds of cancer. In gastric cancer, CHFR promoter hypermethylation has been reported to lead to chromosome instability (CIN) and genetic instability is one of the hallmarks of human cancer.
The value and cost-effectiveness of screening for left ventricular (LV) dysfunction remains unclear, particularly since specific, evidence-based treatments are not available for the majority of patients with preserved systolic dysfunction, reports a study in the June issue of the Journal of Cardiac Failure, published by Elsevier.
The Arizona AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) has reduced the number of medications it will cover - antiretrovirals and drugs that treat opportunistic infections will not be affected, the Arizona Daily Star reports. The program relies heavily on federal funding. Judy Norton, chief of the state"s Office of HIV, STD and Hepatitis C Services, said the state received $2.3 million less than what it requested from the federal government, requiring the program to make cuts. According to the Daily Star, federal ADAP funds are "drying up as drug costs rise and as more" people living with HIV/AIDS are enrolling in the program. The Arizona ADAP has been serving about 1,100 patients statewide, although the number has gone up in recent months, Laura Oxley, Arizona Department of Health Services spokesperson, said. A letter explaining the changes to the program was sent to clients and providers earlier this week (Innes, Arizona Daily Star, 6/11).
WHO has declared that the spread of the H1N1 (swine) flu virus has reached pandemic level, the AP/Google.com reports (AP/Google.com, 6/11). The Phase 6 pandemic alert indicates that two regions of the world are experiencing significant outbreaks, according to the Wall Street Journal. The declaration came after WHO held an emergency meeting Thursday about raising the threat level. The Wall Street Journal writes that the WHO wants to "eliminate misunderstandings about the virus to prevent overreactions in some countries" (Esterl, Wall Street Journal, 6/11).