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Prozac, Xenical and Meridia may help type 2 diabetes patients lose weight

Three commonly used drugs - Prozac, Xenical and Meridia - may help type 2 diabetes patients lose small amounts of weight, although long-term benefits are not clear, a new review of 22 studies suggests.

20 Feb 2005

Naltrexone helps alcoholics moderate their drinking

A little-known drug called naltrexone provides a “meaningful benefit” in helping alcoholics moderate their drinking, according to the latest review of evidence from 29 studies on four continents.

20 Feb 2005

Free chlamydia testing in pharmacies - questions need addressing

The British Government’s pilot scheme offering free chlamydia testing in pharmacies is to be applauded but a number of issues need to be resolved if it is to be a success, concludes an editorial in this week’s issue of The Lancet.

20 Feb 2005

Vaccine that boosts the immune response could improve the effect of conventional treatment for patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia

CML is caused by the breakage and swapping of chromosomes 9 and 22, which results in a shortened chromosome called the Philadelphia chromosome. Cells with the abnormal chromosome make a protein that encourages aberrant growth and division. Patients with CML can be treated with a drug called imatinib or interferon alfa.

20 Feb 2005

Violent imagery can have a substantial short-term effect on young children, increasing aggressive behaviour

Violent imagery in the media can have a substantial short-term effect on young children’s arousal, thoughts and emotions, increasing the likelihood of aggressive or fearful behaviour, concludes a review published in this week’s issue of The Lancet.

20 Feb 2005

Genetic signature that can identify breast cancer patients at high risk of distant recurrence

Researchers have discovered a genetic signature that can identify breast cancer patients at high risk of distant recurrence, reporting their results in this week’s issue of The Lancet.

20 Feb 2005

Air pollution thickens the blood and boosts inflammation

Air pollution, and especially particulate matter, thickens the blood and boosts inflammation, finds experimental research in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

20 Feb 2005

Cannabis use may increase risk of stroke

Regular users of cannabis could be putting themselves at risk of stroke, while they are still young, indicates a case report, published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

20 Feb 2005

Boys who were taller between birth and 1 year earned more than their shorter peers later in life

Slow growth in the year after birth seems to signal poor economic prospects as an adult, suggests a study of 50 year old men in Archives of Disease in Childhood.

20 Feb 2005

Hyperactive children three times more likely to be removed from their families

Severely hyperactive children are three times more likely to be removed from their families, because their parents can no longer cope, than children with other mental health or behavioural problems, reveals research in Archives of Disease in Childhood.

20 Feb 2005

Folic acid recommendations have had little impact on incidence of neural tube defects

Recommendations on use of folic acid consumption have had no detectable impact on the incidence of neural tube defects, according to an international study published on bmj.com.

20 Feb 2005

As little as one drink per week may harm your baby

Expectant mothers should be advised not to drink alcohol, as this may pose health risks to the foetus, argues an editorial in this week's BMJ.

20 Feb 2005

Quetiapine speeds up rate of decline in Alzheimers

Quetiapine, a drug commonly used in nursing homes to treat agitation and related symptoms in people with Alzheimers' disease actually worsens patients' illness, speeding up their rate of decline significantly, says a paper published on bmj.com.

20 Feb 2005

Antidepressant drugs may be associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviour

Antidepressant drugs may be associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviour, particularly in the early stages of treatment, shows new evidence in this week's BMJ.

20 Feb 2005

Shedding new LIGHT on disease

New drugs for the 270,000 people who suffer heart attacks every year in the UK will be among the projects in Leeds' new research institute. The Leeds Institute of Genetics Health and Therapeutics (LIGHT) was opened by head of the Medical Research Council chief executive Professor Colin Blakemore yesterday.

17 Feb 2005

Studies reveal methods viruses use to sidestep immune system

A series of studies by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center sheds light on the mechanisms used by viruses to thwart a host's immune defenses and may aid in the development of more effective drugs to fight hepatitis C and West Nile viruses, as well as the flu and the common cold.

17 Feb 2005

Wake-up call over teenage stress

More girls than boys experienced mental pressure, and the latest Young Life and Times survey report also reveals that exams are a greater cause of teenage stress than bullying.

17 Feb 2005

Ground-breaking trial to test best program for obese children

More than 100 overweight young children from the New South Wales, Illawarra region are being sought to participate in one of the first randomised controlled trials of its kind in Australia that will help determine how best to tackle their obesity problem.

17 Feb 2005

Caution on cosmetic injections administered in non-healthcare settings

Local health departments in Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland are investigating an outbreak of serious skin reactions among at least 16 women who have developed the condition after receiving cosmetic injections in October and November 2004.

17 Feb 2005

$5.53 million to help strengthen Canada's nursing workforce

Canadian Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh has announced federal funding of $5.53 million to help strengthen Canada's nursing workforce paying tribute to the critical role nurses play in Canada's health care system. Minister Dosanjh made this announcement in a speech to the Nursing Leadership Conference.

17 Feb 2005