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Thailand's removal of official who supported compulsory licensing 'important' step to 'protecting patients' health,' editorial says

The Thai government's removal last week of Vichai Chokevivat -- "one of the most vocal opponents" of patent protections for drug companies -- from Governmental Pharmaceutical Organization's board is a "small" but "important" step in "restoring Thailand's international reputation and protecting patients' health," a Wall Street Journal Asia editorial says.

30 May 2008

Barbados steps up fight against HIV/AIDS

The Barbados Parliament on Tuesday approved a plan to spend 180 million Barbados dollars, or about $90 million, over the next five years to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country, Barbados' Nation News reports.

30 May 2008

Researcher addresses calls for increased focus on male circumcision, partner reduction programs as part of HIV prevention in Africa

NPR's "News & Notes" on Tuesday included a discussion with Daniel Halperin, a senior research scientist in the Department of Population and International Health at the Harvard School of Public Health, about a recent study that recommended a shift in HIV prevention strategies in Africa toward the promotion of male circumcision and partner reduction programs.

30 May 2008

Delegates at Tokyo conference discuss ways to address health issues, including HIV/AIDS, in Africa

About 2,500 delegates from 52 African countries, United Nations agencies and aid groups met Wednesday in Yokohama, Japan, for the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development to discuss strategies aimed at solving health issues, including HIV/AIDS, and other challenges on the continent, the Kyodo News reports (Tang, Kyodo News, 5/27).

30 May 2008

UNICEF project uses children, youth as peer educators to increase HIV/AIDS awareness in India

About 400 children from eight Indian states gathered Wednesday at a workshop to discuss their experiences as peer educators in a joint UNICEF-National AIDS Control Organization pilot project that aims to increase HIV awareness among children and youth, the Times of India reports.

30 May 2008

Japan awards new prize for HIV/AIDS, malaria work in Africa

Japan recently awarded the first Hideo Noguchi Prize to two recipients for their work on HIV/AIDS and malaria in Africa, AFP/Google.com reports.

30 May 2008

Washington, D.C., council member recommends eliminating HIV, syphilis test requirements for marriage licenses

Washington, D.C., council member Phil Mendelson (D), head of the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary, recently recommended eliminating a provision from a marriage bill that would require couples applying for marriage licenses to be tested for HIV/AIDS and syphilis, the Washington Post reports.

30 May 2008

South Carolina House approves bill that would modify regulations concerning HIV-positive students

The South Carolina House on Wednesday voted 97-0 to approve a compromise bill that would require school nurses to inform the Department of Health and Environmental Control when any student in grades kindergarten through 12 has contact with another person's blood in order to determine if the student has been exposed to bloodborne diseases such as HIV, the Columbia State reports.

30 May 2008

Sri Lanka vulnerable to a potential HIV/AIDS epidemic

Sri Lanka is vulnerable to a potential HIV/AIDS epidemic despite the country's relatively low HIV/AIDS prevalence, according to a recent study conducted by the Centre for Policy Studies in London, Colombo's Daily Mirror reports.

30 May 2008

South Carolina House fails to override veto of cigarette tax increase that would have funded health care programs

The South Carolina House on Tuesday failed to override Gov. Mark Sanford's (R) veto of legislation that would have increased the state cigarette tax to expand health care coverage for low-income residents, the Columbia State reports (O'Connor, Columbia State, 5/28).

30 May 2008

FDA proposes drug label changes to provide more information on risks for women who are pregnant, nursing

FDA on Wednesday proposed changing its labeling system for prescription and over-the-counter drugs to provide more safety information for pregnant and breastfeeding women, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports (AP/Long Island Newsday, 5/28). On average, women in the U.S. take three to five medications when they are pregnant, and more than 90% of women who are breastfeeding take medications during the first week after delivery, USA Today reports.

30 May 2008

Grassley inquiry into fast-tracking of Avastin drug applications could hurt cancer drug development, patients

Sen. Chuck Grassley's (R-Iowa) request that the Government Accountability Office investigate whether FDA acted appropriately in granting "accelerated approval" to a cancer drug "will have a catastrophic effect on America's ability to develop new drugs," Mark Thornton, a former medical officer in FDA's Office of Oncology Drug Products and president of the Sarcoma Foundation of America, writes in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece.

30 May 2008

X chromosome exposed

An enzyme that binds differently to male and female sex chromosomes helps males to make up for their X chromosome shortage.

30 May 2008

Children's diet not the main cause of ADHD

Food may not be the major cause of hyperactivity in children. Genetics, brain function and parental actions such as smoking may be just as important.

30 May 2008

CFC-propelled inhalers no longer available as of Dec. 31 2008

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a public health advisory to alert patients, caregivers and health care professionals to switch to hydrofluoroalkane (HFA)-propelled albuterol inhalers because chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-propelled inhalers will not be available in the United States after Dec. 31, 2008.

30 May 2008

Self-assembled viruses

Viruses are true experts at importing genetic material into the cells of an infected organism. This trait is now being exploited for gene therapy, in which genes are brought into the cells of a patient to treat genetic diseases or genetic defects. Korean researchers have now made an artificial virus. As described in the journal Angewandte Chemie, they have been able to use it to transport both genes and drugs into the interior of cancer cells.

30 May 2008

Quality of life predicts cancer survival

Head and neck cancer patients who reported lower physical quality of life were more likely to die from their disease, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. The findings could mean that identifying patients with poor quality of life could also identify patients with particularly aggressive tumors.

30 May 2008

NewYork-Presbyterian ranks top in U.S. News children's hospital survery

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is the only New York hospital to rank in all seven clinical areas reported in the 2008 U.S.News & World Report "America's Best Children's Hospitals" issue. The Hospital also ranks among the top 10 nationally in three categories: Neonatal Care (#4), Heart & Heart Surgery (#6) and Digestive Disorders (#8).

30 May 2008

Novel replacement for conventional needle and syringe

Chris Holden (21), A third year design student at Northumbria University, has won a prestigious national award for medical design by redesigning the conventional needle and syringe.

30 May 2008

Bilateral cochlear implants: A case when two are definitely superior to one

A study of cochlear implant patients seen by Indiana University School of Medicine physicians is the first research to show evidence that cochlear implants in both ears significantly improves quality of life in patients with profound hearing loss and that the cost of the second implant is offset by its benefits.

30 May 2008

Medical News

Thailand's removal of official who supported compulsory licensing 'important' step to 'protecting patients' health,' editorial says

Barbados steps up fight against HIV/AIDS

Researcher addresses calls for increased focus on male circumcision, partner reduction programs as part of HIV prevention in Africa

Delegates at Tokyo conference discuss ways to address health issues, including HIV/AIDS, in Africa

UNICEF project uses children, youth as peer educators to increase HIV/AIDS awareness in India

Japan awards new prize for HIV/AIDS, malaria work in Africa

Washington, D.C., council member recommends eliminating HIV, syphilis test requirements for marriage licenses

South Carolina House approves bill that would modify regulations concerning HIV-positive students

Sri Lanka vulnerable to a potential HIV/AIDS epidemic

South Carolina House fails to override veto of cigarette tax increase that would have funded health care programs

FDA proposes drug label changes to provide more information on risks for women who are pregnant, nursing

Grassley inquiry into fast-tracking of Avastin drug applications could hurt cancer drug development, patients

X chromosome exposed

Children's diet not the main cause of ADHD

CFC-propelled inhalers no longer available as of Dec. 31 2008

Self-assembled viruses

Quality of life predicts cancer survival

NewYork-Presbyterian ranks top in U.S. News children's hospital survery

Novel replacement for conventional needle and syringe

Bilateral cochlear implants: A case when two are definitely superior to one

Transforming Cardiovascular Care: Insights from Mina Makar at AstraZeneca

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

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