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Drug company sales visits influenced doctors

Almost half of sales visits by pharmaceutical company representatives advocating the use of the drug gabapentin led to doctors stating that they intended to increase their prescription of the drug or recommend it to colleagues, according to an analysis of a survey completed by the doctors shortly after the visits.

25 Apr 2007

Injuries and deaths caused by All-TerrainVehicles increase

Nationally, the number of All-TerrainVehicle (ATV)-related emergency department visits has more than doubled in recent years, from 52,800 in 1997 to 136,100 in 2004.

25 Apr 2007

Primary school children should not be routinely screened for obesity

Primary school children should not be routinely screened for obesity and overweight in the absence of effective treatment, finds research in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

25 Apr 2007

Examination of execution by lethal injection

Execution by lethal injection may cause death by asphyxiation, and prisoners being executed may be conscious and may experience pain, claim the authors of a new study published this week in PLoS Medicine.

25 Apr 2007

Costs of treating heart disease and cancer have increased substantially

The costs of treating heart disease and cancer rose markedly between 2000 and 2004, from $62 billion to $90 billion and $42 billion to $62 billion, respectively, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

25 Apr 2007

Did drug reps encourage doctors to prescribe gabapentin for nonapproved uses?

A new study published in PLoS Medicine suggests that so-called "detail" visits to doctors made by drug company representatives can involve promotion of drugs for non-approved, "off-label" uses.

25 Apr 2007

Humans should try to increase melatonin consumption through food

The Spanish Ageing Research Network (Red Nacional de Investigaci'n del Envejecimiento), funded by Carlos III Health Institute and headed by professor Dario Acuna Castroviejo, from the University of Granada, is very near to achieving one of today's Science greatest goals: allowing humans to age in the best possible health conditions.

25 Apr 2007

Age when a woman's periods start may affect her children's growth rate

Researchers from the Medical Research Council and University of Cambridge, led by Dr Ken Ong, studied the association between mother's age at first menstruation, mother's adult body size and obesity risk, and children's growth and obesity risk in 6,009 children from the UK Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in Bristol.

25 Apr 2007

Chronically ill prisoners can face great healthcare problems, but others inmates enjoy improved health

People with chronic illnesses can experience great difficulties in prison, but people such as drug addicts and the homeless may find their healthcare improves, according to a study in the latest Journal of Advanced Nursing.

25 Apr 2007

Swedish Big Brother behind lobotomies in the 1940s and 1950s

Sweden was more accepting than the U.S. in its attitude toward lobotomy in the 1940s and 1950s. A possible explanation for this may be the strength of paternalism in Sweden, that is, a greater tendency to make decisions on behalf of the patient in Swedish medical culture than in its American counterpart. This is according to Kenneth Ogren from Umea University in Sweden.

25 Apr 2007

WHO facilitates influenza vaccine technology transfer to developing countries

As part of a concerted effort to ensure more equitable access to a potential pandemic influenza vaccine, six developing countries are being awarded grants to establish in-country manufacturing capacity for influenza vaccine. The countries are Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand and Viet Nam.

25 Apr 2007

Cancer is our number one fear but most don't understand how many cases can be prevented

Cancer is our greatest fear, a Cancer Research UK survey reveals. Over a quarter of Brits say cancer is the thing they most fear, topping the list over Alzheimer's, heart attack and terrorism.

25 Apr 2007

Stomach bacteria may protect against asthma

Researchers have found that a bacteria found in the stomach, that can cause cancer and peptic ulcers, may have a role in protecting children from asthma.

24 Apr 2007

Obese workers more costly to employers

The latest research is suggesting that obese workers are more costly to their employers.

24 Apr 2007

Execution by lethal injection slow, cruel and a violation of the constitution

The authors of a new study are suggesting that executions carried out by lethal injections possibly cause death by asphyxiation, and the prisoners being executed may be conscious and may experience pain.

24 Apr 2007

Too many elderly deficent in vitamin D which affects physical performance

Researchers at the Wake Forest University of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in the U.S. have voiced concern that many of the country's elderly are deficient in vitamin D.

24 Apr 2007

Migraine sufferers keep their marbles later in life

Researchers in the United States are suggesting that women who have suffered a lifetime of migraine experience have less cognitive decline than women without migraine.

24 Apr 2007

Big Mac brekkie 'ups' the blood pressure

According to Canadian scientists even just one high-fat meal can increase stress levels in those who are prone to it and substantially raise the blood pressure.

24 Apr 2007

Virtual Colonoscopy ...safer and cheaper

New technology called "virtual colonoscopy" is promising to offer fewer complications and be more cost-effective than the traditional colonoscopy.

24 Apr 2007

Researchers identify key function of a molecule - wound healing in the skin

The skin is the largest organ of the human body. It protects against environmental influences and pathogens, regulates body temperature, and protects the body against dehydration.

24 Apr 2007