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Peripheral arterial disease could predict life or death in heart patients

A growing health problem affecting older Americans puts them at higher risk for dying after heart surgery and other interventional procedures, such as heart catheterizations, according to findings published in the current edition of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and co-authored by two leading University of Kentucky cardiologists.

23 Oct 2006

Compliance with medications lowers health care costs

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who take medications as directed have decreased medical costs, researchers from the University of Chicago researchers report at the American College of Gastroenterology annual scientific meeting in Las Vegas. A second study from the same group, however, suggests that there is no simple way to improve compliance.

23 Oct 2006

New biologic treatment for tennis elbow

A person suffering from tennis elbow may not have to look any further than his or her own body for the most effective treatment, according to a study published in the November issue of The American Journal of Sports Medicine.

23 Oct 2006

Common gene variant increases risk of developing diabetes

Carrying two copies of a common variant of a particular gene doubles your chances of developing diabetes and puts you in a similar risk category to being clinically obese, according to a collaborative study led by UCL (University College London) researchers.

23 Oct 2006

Eye color reflects a simple, predictable and reliable genetic pattern of inheritance

Before you request a paternity test, spend a few minutes looking at your child's eye color. It may just give you the answer you're looking for.

23 Oct 2006

Race is associated with unfavorable breast cancer tumor biology

African-American women with breast cancer were more likely to have larger, later-stage tumors that were more difficult to treat and also had lower survival rates than Hispanic and Caucasian women who received the same treatment in two independent series of clinical trials examined by researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

23 Oct 2006

Wall Street Journal examines debate over alternative HRT to treat menopausal symptoms

The Wall Street Journal on Saturday examined the debate over the risks and efficacy of alternatives to hormone replacement therapy for treatment of menopausal symptoms.

23 Oct 2006

Independent groups to highlight abortion, other issues in Maryland U.S. Senate race

Independent groups plan to emphasize abortion and other issues in television and radio advertisements, fundraising appeals and direct mail campaigns leading up to the Maryland U.S. Senate elections on Nov. 7, the Washington Post reports.

23 Oct 2006

New Jersey Assembly Committee approves bill requiring pharmacists to fill emergency contraception prescriptions

The New Jersey Assembly Health and Senior Citizens Committee on Thursday approved a bill (A 992) that would require New Jersey's 9,000 licensed pharmacists to fill prescriptions for all drugs, including contraceptives, despite "any sincerely held moral, philosophical or religious beliefs," the Newark Star-Ledger reports (Livio, Newark Star-Ledger, 10/20).

23 Oct 2006

Portuguese Parliament approves referendum on loosening abortion restrictions

The Portuguese Parliament on Thursday approved a government proposal to hold a national referendum early next year aimed at loosening abortion restrictions in the country, AFP/Yahoo! News reports (AFP/Yahoo! News, 10/19).

23 Oct 2006

Early detection, treatment of breast cancer leading to declining mortality rates

Although most health professionals agree that breast cancer is a "serious concern for women," there are some who believe the risk of getting breast cancer "has been blown out of proportion, sometimes to the detriment of more pressing issues," the Los Angeles Times reports.

23 Oct 2006

Southern African Clinicians Society head calls for HIV testing in country to be required, confidential

Confidential HIV testing should be required for all people in South Africa so those who test positive can begin safeguarding their health immediately, Francois Venter, head of the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society, said at a news conference on Thursday, the Washington Post reports (Timberg, Washington Post, 10/20).

23 Oct 2006

Cleveland Health Department launches HIV prevention campaign aimed at black women

The Cleveland Department of Public Health this week launched a citywide campaign aimed at curbing the spread of HIV among black women, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

23 Oct 2006

18 million children in Africa will have lost one or both parents to AIDS by 2010

More than 18 million children in Africa will have lost one or both parents to AIDS-related illnesses by the end of 2010 without increased action to control the spread of the pandemic among young people on the continent, according to a UNICEF report released after a three-day HIV/AIDS conference in Dakar, Senegal, Reuters reports.

23 Oct 2006

Zambia's use of resources to fight HIV/AIDS model for other countries

Zambia has demonstrated how to use donor funding effectively for HIV prevention and treatment programs at the community and ministerial levels, and the country could serve as a model for other nations, Mark Dybul -- who serves as the U.S. global AIDS coordinator and administers the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief -- said on Friday during a visit to the country, Zambia's Daily Mail reports.

23 Oct 2006

Wall Street Journal examines concerns over limits of HIPAA Medical Privacy Rule

The Wall Street Journal on Saturday examined how forms that outline the medical privacy rule under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act "essentially detai[l] the many ways a doctor can use and disclose medical information -- often without a patient's consent or knowledge" -- and how patients who visit physician offices, hospitals and pharmacies mistakenly "assume signing somehow protects their privacy".

23 Oct 2006

Sen. Grassley seeks funding extension for hospitals to ensure Medicare reimbursements reflect local wages

Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Friday said that during the lame-duck session of Congress he will seek a six-month extension of a provision -- Section 508 of the 2003 Medicare law -- that allows reclassification of certain hospitals into different geographic regions for the application of the wage index to receive higher reimbursements, CQ HealthBeat reports.

23 Oct 2006

Democrats should 'stand up strongly' for principles, columnist writes

If the Democrats gain control of at least one chamber of Congress, "the best thing that [they] can do, not just for their party and their country, but for the cause of bipartisanship, is ... stand up strongly for their principles," columnist Paul Krugman writes in a New York Times opinion piece.

23 Oct 2006

Statement by Mike Leavitt on WHO global pandemic influenza action plan to increase vaccine supply

The World Health Organization (WHO) has taken a significant step forward in the global effort to prepare for an influenza pandemic by publishing the Global Pandemic Influenza Action Plan to Increase Vaccine Supply.

23 Oct 2006

Popular ADHD drug Ritalin safe and effective for pre-schoolers

A new study by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and five other medical centers concludes that carefully measured, low doses of methylphenidate (Ritalin) are safe and effective for attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in preschoolers.

23 Oct 2006

Medical News

Peripheral arterial disease could predict life or death in heart patients

Compliance with medications lowers health care costs

New biologic treatment for tennis elbow

Common gene variant increases risk of developing diabetes

Eye color reflects a simple, predictable and reliable genetic pattern of inheritance

Race is associated with unfavorable breast cancer tumor biology

Wall Street Journal examines debate over alternative HRT to treat menopausal symptoms

Independent groups to highlight abortion, other issues in Maryland U.S. Senate race

New Jersey Assembly Committee approves bill requiring pharmacists to fill emergency contraception prescriptions

Portuguese Parliament approves referendum on loosening abortion restrictions

Early detection, treatment of breast cancer leading to declining mortality rates

Southern African Clinicians Society head calls for HIV testing in country to be required, confidential

Cleveland Health Department launches HIV prevention campaign aimed at black women

18 million children in Africa will have lost one or both parents to AIDS by 2010

Zambia's use of resources to fight HIV/AIDS model for other countries

Wall Street Journal examines concerns over limits of HIPAA Medical Privacy Rule

Sen. Grassley seeks funding extension for hospitals to ensure Medicare reimbursements reflect local wages

Democrats should 'stand up strongly' for principles, columnist writes

Statement by Mike Leavitt on WHO global pandemic influenza action plan to increase vaccine supply

Popular ADHD drug Ritalin safe and effective for pre-schoolers

Precision in every drop: Inside Hamilton’s syringe technology

Exploring the Future of Neuroscience Drug Discovery

Genomic conservation in Thailand's mangroves

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