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Americans support appropriate use of reproductive genetic testing

A majority of Americans believes it is appropriate to use reproductive genetic testing to avoid having a child with a life-threatening disease, or to test embryos to see if they will be a good match to provide cells to help a sick sibling, a new report of the Genetics and Public Policy Center reveals.

20 Feb 2005

Bionomics goes for aggressive strategy in 2005

Australian biotech, Bionomics gave an investor presentation in Melbourne on 2 February 2005 and outlined a bolder, more aggressive strategy. There are many Australian biotech companies with big aspirations.

13 Feb 2005

Deer population threatens the survival of the widely harvested medicinal plant, Ginseng

An abundant deer population with a hearty appetite for American ginseng threatens the survival of the widely harvested medicinal plant, a study by West Virginia University biologists suggests.

13 Feb 2005

American Fertility Association alarmed by Judge's embryo ruling

The recent ruling in favor of a Chicago couple, who sued for wrongful death when their fertility clinic failed to preserve an embryo, raises great concerns for fertility patients across the United States.

13 Feb 2005

Not enough evidence to say gun laws reduce violence

Despite a proliferation of gun registration requirements, bans on specific firearms and “zero tolerance” policies for guns in schools over the past three decades, the jury is still out on whether these laws help prevent gun violence, according to a new review of studies in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

10 Feb 2005

Universities are effective sites for anti-smoking efforts

College campuses provide a captive audience for cigarette-makers, but a new review of tobacco intervention studies suggests that universities are also effective sites for anti-smoking efforts.

9 Feb 2005

PAHO vaccines books wins major award

The Pan American Health Organization’s publication, Vaccines: Preventing Disease and Protecting Health, has won an award from the Association of American Publishers in the medical science category.

9 Feb 2005

Cancer pledge needs anti-smoking action

The community will question the Labor Government's commitment to boost spending on cancer prevention while it does little to stop passive smoking killing more and more West Australians, the AMA (WA) said today.

8 Feb 2005

Smoke free laws protect health and save lives worldwide

In a report out today (8 February 2005) from the BMA's Tobacco Control Resource Centre (TCRC), doctors' leaders from eight countries, including Scotland, describe the success of anti-smoking legislation.

7 Feb 2005

Special distinction for the Pan American Journal of Public Health

The Publications Program of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has announced that the prestigious Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) has selected The Pan American Journal of Public Health for inclusion in its Social Science Citation Index and Current Contents/Social and Behavioral Sciences.

7 Feb 2005

Eleventh Edition of the Report on Carcinogens

The Department of Health and Human Services released its Eleventh Edition of the Report on Carcinogens today, adding seventeen substances to the growing list of cancer-causing agents, bringing the total to 246.

31 Jan 2005

Americans pay little attention to genetically modified foods

According to a national study of 1,200 Americans commissioned by the Food Policy Institute (FPI) at Rutgers-Cook College, while most Americans say they are interested in the technology and have opinions about it, most lack the tools and background needed for an informed assessment.

31 Jan 2005

More Britons are living alone than ever before

More Britons are living alone than ever before, with more men than women living on their own between the ages of 25 and 44. And once someone has gone solo, they are more likely to remain living alone shows new research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

30 Jan 2005

We need to rethink the way we respond to large scale disasters

The pledging of $5bn for survivors of the tsunami only three weeks after the event is an impressive expression of global concern, and is likely to meet most of the vital needs for survival.

30 Jan 2005

Health initiatives have led to Arab and Israeli cooperation in the Middle East

The cross-border project led to Palestinian and Israeli basic science research programmes between Bethlehem University and Tel Aviv University in the genetics of hearing loss, and generated joint-publications. From this followed a project to screen and habilitate 17 000 Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian newborns for hearing loss.

26 Jan 2005

New report on the health effects of perchlorate, found in many public drinking-water supplies

A new report by the National Academies' National Research Council on the health effects of perchlorate, a chemical that in high doses can decrease thyroid function in humans and that is present in many public drinking-water supplies

26 Jan 2005

Drink-driving limit must be reduced to save lives

The British Medical Association in Wales is calling on the Government to reduce the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level for driving from 80mg to 50mg per 100ml. In 2003 - the latest year when figures are available - there were 582 drink-related road traffic casualties in Wales, 6 of whom died - 2 of whom were pedestrians and 4 were passengers.

24 Jan 2005