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Use of SSRIs during pregnancy does not increase the risk for most birth defects

Use of certain antidepressants, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors most commonly known as SSRIs, during pregnancy does not significantly increase the risk for most birth defects, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study, released in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

27 Jun 2007

Childhood injections could be replaced with oral doses of the medicine

Children suffering from pneumonia could be spared the pain of the doctor's needle, thanks to new research funded by the British Lung Foundation.

27 Jun 2007

Gatifloxacin may be best treatment for drug-resistant typhoid

New research carried out by researchers in Nepal has shown that a new and affordable drug, Gatifloxacin, may be more effective at treating typhoid fever than the drug currently recommended by the World Health Organisation.

27 Jun 2007

Emotions can affect recovery from hip surgery

A patient's emotional state plays a significant role in his or her recovery from hip surgery, suggests Saint Louis University research published this month.

27 Jun 2007

Tinnitus retraining therapy

It is estimated that between 10 and 17% of the population has suffered tinnitus at some time in their lives, according to a number of international studies.

27 Jun 2007

Print and phone programs help increase physical activity

As Americans struggle to become more physically active, simple programs that provide feedback and motivation can play a crucial role in getting people off to a good start, according to a study of the July issue of Health Psychology.

27 Jun 2007

Gene variant increases risk for alcoholism following childhood abuse

Girls who suffered childhood sexual abuse are more likely to develop alcoholism later in life if they possess a particular variant of a gene involved in the body's response to stress, according to a new study led by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

27 Jun 2007

Absence of a gene called CD38 is a protective barrier to obesity

A search for the molecular clues of longevity has taken Mayo Clinic researchers down another path that could explain why some people who consume excessive calories don't gain weight.

27 Jun 2007

Real-world war experience for medical students

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) will deploy its medical, public health and advanced practice nursing students to Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., July 10-20, 2007 for field exercises Operation Kerkesner and Operation Bushmaster that will prepare them for complex and dangerous combat environments.

27 Jun 2007

Amphinase molecule from frog could provide first drug treatment for brain tumours

A synthetic version of a molecule found in the egg cells of the Northern Leopard frog (Rana pipiens) could provide the world with the first drug treatment for brain tumours.

27 Jun 2007

Transplant of angina patients' purified stem cells provides symptom relief

The first U.S. study to transplant a potent form of purified adult stem cells into the heart muscle of patients with severe angina provided evidence that the procedure is safe and produced a reduction in angina pain as well as improved functioning in patients' daily lives, reports the lead researcher at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.

27 Jun 2007

FDA approves rapid test for malaria

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared for marketing the Binax NOW Malaria Test, the first authorized U.S. rapid test for malaria, a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. The test is intended for laboratory use.

27 Jun 2007

Emotional state plays a significant role in recovery from hip surgery

A patient's emotional state plays a significant role in his or her recovery from hip surgery, suggests Saint Louis University research published this month.

27 Jun 2007

University of Cincinnati researchers create new system to reduce medical errors

Defining what constitutes quality care especially in a large, urban hospital isn't easy.

27 Jun 2007

Intravenous bisphosphonates drugs increase odds of jaw or face-bone disease

Treatment with intravenous bisphosphonates drugs used to reduce harm done to bones by cancer or cancer therapy increases the risk of jaw or facial bone disease or infection, a large-scale comparative study by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) has found.

27 Jun 2007

Umbilical cord blood may safely preserve insulin production in children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes

University of Florida researchers sought to determine whether it is feasible to use a patient's own cord blood stem cells to neutralize the body's autoimmune attack on the pancreas and help restore the organ's ability to make insulin, which regulates how the body uses sugar and other nutrients for energy.

27 Jun 2007

Pediatric chronic disease poses future health and welfare challenges

The increased incidence of chronic conditions among American children predicts serious strains on health care and social welfare systems in the future, caution investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).

27 Jun 2007

Children with serious complex illness more likely than before to die at home than in the hospital

Children who die of a chronic illness are more likely to spend their final days at home compared to children who died two decades ago.

27 Jun 2007

Childhood cancer survivors at increased risk of severe health problems as adults

A substantial proportion of childhood cancer survivors experience serious health problems as young adults, particularly those who received radiation treatment, according to a study in the June 27 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on chronic diseases of children.

27 Jun 2007

Barr announces tentative approval for generic version of Effexor tablets

Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that its subsidiary PLIVA has received tentative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its generic version of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Effexor (Venlafaxine Hydrochloride) Tablets, 25mg, 37.5mg, 50mg, 75mg and 100mg.

27 Jun 2007