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Sex in Australian prisons: the facts

We all know what goes on in prison. Or do we? A study examining sexual behaviour and sexual culture in jails in NSW and Queensland suggests that popular beliefs about prison sex are largely myths.

12 Apr 2011

Depression can sabotage efforts to effectively treat Hepatitis C

Adherence to interferon, an important medication used to treat Hepatitis C, is critical to successfully clearing the virus that causes the disease. A new observational analysis by Medco Health Solutions, Inc. finds that when Hepatitis C patients are also being treated for depression -- a frequent side effect of interferon use -- they are more likely to remain on their interferon therapy.

12 Apr 2011

Scientists develop new method to detect virus presence in cells

Scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory Center for Bio-Molecular Science and Engineering have developed a method to detect the presence of viruses in cells and to study their growth.

12 Apr 2011

Gay men in Britain allowed to give blood after a decade of celibacy: Trust system

The ban on gay men in Britain donating blood is being lifted because it was decided that the rule could be discriminatory and might breach equality legislation.

11 Apr 2011

GeoVax Labs expands its HIV/AIDS vaccine program with NIAID, NIH and HVTN

GeoVax Labs, Inc., announced today that it is expanding its preventative HIV/AIDS vaccine development effort in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the HIV Vaccine Trials Network.

11 Apr 2011

AHF praises CA Treasurer for urging AIDS drug companies to reduce medication costs

Today AIDS Healthcare Foundation praised California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer for sending letters to the CEOs of eight AIDS drug companies—Abbott Laboratories, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Merck & Co., Tibotec Therapeutics and ViiV Healthcare—urging them to reduce the price of their HIV/AIDS medications for California and its AIDS Drug Assistance Program.

11 Apr 2011

Study unravels how interferon-induced factors inhibit viruses

When viruses attack, one molecule more than any other fights back. Interferon triggers the activation of more than 350 genes, and despite the obvious connection, the vast majority have never been tested for antiviral properties.

11 Apr 2011

IBM discovers biodegradable nanoparticles that seek out and destroy drug-resistant bacteria

IBM's announcement of the first biodegradable nanoparticles that can seek out and destroy drug-resistant bacteria caps off a century of healthcare and life sciences innovation from IBM.

8 Apr 2011

GeoVax Labs to update its HIV/AIDS vaccine status at World Vaccine Conference

Harriet Robinson, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at GeoVax Labs, Inc., will provide an update on the status of the Company's therapeutic and preventative HIV vaccines at the 2011 World Vaccine Conference at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in Washington DC on Thursday, April 14.

8 Apr 2011

Longer looks: Could Ryan's plan be a pitfall for Democrats?; the cost of military health care; revealing more about doctors' billing practices

Every week, reporter Jessica Marcy selects interesting reading from around the Web.

8 Apr 2011

U.S., Canada research institutions to participate in NCI's Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network

Research institutions at 27 sites in the U.S. and Canada have been selected to participate in the Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network, a new initiative in immunotherapy funded by the National Cancer Institute and headquartered at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

7 Apr 2011

World Health Day 2011 highlights problem of antimicrobial resistance

On the eve of World Health Day 2011, Inter Press Service examines the growing global challenge of antibimicrobial resistance.

7 Apr 2011

Opinions: Doctor shortages; harm reduction

In his column in the Guardian, Jonathan Wolff, a professor of philosophy at University College London, says despite the U.S. being viewed as having the best system of higher education in the world, the country "simply does not train enough doctors to meet its voracious appetite for medical attention" and therefore "is compelled to raid the world to make up the difference."

7 Apr 2011

Ascletis raises $100 million in committed financing

Ascletis, Inc., a U.S.-China specialty life sciences venture focused on cancer and infectious disease therapeutics, today announced the company's formation and completion of a Series A private equity financing. Ascletis has raised US$100 million in committed financing including a first tranche of US$50 million. The investors, led by Hangzhou Binjiang Investment Holding Co., Ltd., included private entrepreneurs from China and other countries including the United States.

6 Apr 2011

Record number of medicines for various cancers in clinical trials

A record 887 medicines for various of cancers are in clinical trials or awaiting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review—well over double the number in the pipeline just six years ago, according to a report unveiled today by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

6 Apr 2011

Increased risk of virologic failure associated with NNRTI-based regimens in HIV-1 drug resistance mutations

An analysis of data from 10 studies indicates that the presence of low frequency (also called "minority") human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) drug resistance mutations, particularly those involving nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) resistance, are significantly associated with an increased risk of first-line antiretroviral treatment failure, according to an article in the April 6 issue of JAMA.

6 Apr 2011

BMJ News reports on S. Africa's HIV prevention, treatment efforts

BMJ News reports on South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi's visit to the U.S. last week, where he spoke at a forum in Washington, D.C., on the efforts the government is making to promote HIV prevention and treatment and improve the country's health system. The publication notes that the health ministry has set a goal of testing the HIV status of 15 million people in the country by the end of the year - "nearly a third of its population of 50 million."

6 Apr 2011

PQM program launches new public medicine database

In the growing global battle against substandard and counterfeit medicines, the Promoting the Quality of Medicines program has launched a new, public database of medicines collected and analyzed in collaboration with stakeholders from countries in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia.

6 Apr 2011

LA County introduces new HIV/AIDS advertising campaign

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Office of AIDS Programs and Policy announces today the launch of its multi-media advertising campaign aimed at fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS in Los Angeles County. Beginning this week, the bi-lingual Erase Doubt campaign will be seen throughout LA County on bustails, at community events, in bars and nightclubs, and online.

6 Apr 2011

Scientists effectively combine two methods used as vehicles to carry DNA into cell nuclei

Scientists at Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) and at the NYU College of Dentistry have discovered a biochemical version of a principle well known among confectioners. Call it the "peanut butter and chocolate" rule: Sometimes two things work better together than alone.

5 Apr 2011