Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

New brochure helps explain treatment for gynecologic cancers

The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology has published a new patient information brochure Radiation Therapy for Gynecologic Cancers: Facts to Help People Understand Their Treatment Options to help educate patients and their families about the treatments available for gynecologic cancers.

7 Feb 2005

Third of cancer patients in Europe make use of complementary and alternative medicine

More than a third of cancer patients in Europe make use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), according to one of the largest surveys undertaken of CAM in cancer.

3 Feb 2005

New advice about the use of Strattera (atomoxetine)

New advice to doctors and patients about the use of Strattera, (atomoxetine), was issued today by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, (MHRA).

3 Feb 2005

Withdrawal of the commonly prescribed painkiller, co-proxamol

A phased withdrawal of the commonly prescribed painkiller, co-proxamol, has been announced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

1 Feb 2005

Premenstrual exacerbation of depression common

Virginia Commonwealth University mental health experts have found that women with depression commonly report fluctuations in their symptoms across the menstrual cycle — a key factor that may help physicians better evaluate and treat depressed women.

30 Jan 2005

One of the most exciting developments in clinical research in decades

One of the most exciting developments in clinical research in decades is taking place at the University of Leeds, led by our professor of cancer medicine Peter Selby in collaboration with the Medical Research Council.

27 Jan 2005

Needlestick injuries in healthcare workers still occurring

The latest Health Protection Agency report on the occupational exposure of healthcare workers (HCWs) to bloodborne viruses (BBVs) shows that nine healthcare workers were infected with hepatitis C through needlestick injuries over the last six years, with seven reported between July 2003 and June 2004.

27 Jan 2005

Major health problems in babies of diabetic mothers on the rise

During the past decade, babies born to women with type 2 diabetes have shown an increasing number of serious health problems -- including stillbirth and birth defects, such as brain, spine and heart congenital malformations that can lead to infant deaths, according to a study published in the February issue of Diabetes Care.

27 Jan 2005

New methods of gene delivery using lasers

Leading laser scientists at the University of St Andrews have developed a new method of delivering genes to cells using laser light. The new technique, which is cheap and powerful, could have important implications for future studies in biomedicine and healthcare.

26 Jan 2005

WHO announces $2 billion gap in financing for AIDS treatment

Today, at the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report showing a "rapid expansion" in the number of people living in poor countries gaining access to life-saving AIDS treatment.

26 Jan 2005

Monoclonal antibody therapeutics to fill vacuum left by ineffective conventional therapies

Currently, the limited efficacy of conventional therapies, especially in the case of several oncology and autoimmune and inflammatory disorders (AIID), is creating the need for safe and effective treatment alternatives.

25 Jan 2005

Whole-body computed tomography (CT) is not a cost-effective screening method

The use of whole-body CT as a screening tool for cancer and other diseases is the focus of an ongoing debate. Proponents of whole-body CT emphasize the potential benefit of early detection of disease, but others caution that the costs, false-positive findings and unnecessary radiation might render the procedure more harmful than beneficial.

25 Jan 2005

Severity of liver disease not a reliable indicator of quality of life

A new study on the determination of how livers are allocated for transplants examined the relationship between liver disease severity and quality of life, and found that the commonly used model for liver allocation is not a reliable indicator of general quality of life.

24 Jan 2005

Many of George Bush's health policies likely to be controversial in second term

Many health policies under George Bush's second term in office are likely to be controversial, warns a leading British doctor and an American colleague in this week's BMJ.

20 Jan 2005

BMA report shows how rural healthcare is being neglected

A new BMA report, released today (Friday, 21 January 2005) shows how rural healthcare is being neglected. A key message from the report, Healthcare in a rural setting, is that many health policies developed for urban areas do not work in rural ones.

20 Jan 2005

Role of ethnicity in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

The first study to examine nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among different ethnic and racial groups in the United States finds that Hispanics may be at a higher risk of developing the condition. The study is published in Hepatology, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hepatology is available online via Wiley InterScience.

19 Jan 2005

Small is beautiful in the medical world

Small is beautiful in the medical world. And being able to give European industry the edge in a nearly €200 billion worldwide biomedical market is what drives a consortium of EU-backed partners to make and market smaller, cheaper and better biomedical devices and innovative new applications.

19 Jan 2005

Scientists identify fat gene

UCLA/VA scientists have identified a new gene that controls how the body produces and uses fat. Called lipin, the gene may provide a new target for therapies to control obesity, diabetes and other weight-related disorders. The first issue of the new journal Cell Metabolism publishes the findings in its January 2005 edition.

19 Jan 2005

The European mammography systems market

With breast cancer being identified as one of the leading causes of death among European women, several governments have begun to launch extensive screening and awareness programmes across the region. However, some countries have still not implemented the planned programmes due to budgetary or socio-economic constraints.

19 Jan 2005

Older mothers more affectionate to their infants

Mothers who are more mature tend to display more affection towards their infants whereas teenage mothers often focus on instrumental behaviour – fixing their infant’s clothes or their soother – finds a new study of maternal behaviour.

18 Jan 2005