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FDA fast tracks HIV protease inhibitor from Vertex and GSK

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has announced that its collaborator, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), has received fast track designation for the HIV protease inhibitor (PI) 640385 (VX-385) from the United States Food and Drug Administration.

19 Jul 2005

1 in 166 children under age 10 are affected by autism

New statistics surrounding autism make it the number one growing developmental disability in the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates as many as one in 166 children under age 10 are affected by the disorder. Nearly two million people in the U.S. are living with autism.

19 Jul 2005

Use of antibiotics increases risk of developing antibiotic resistance

A new study has shown that a prescription of antibiotics taken within the previous two months doubles the chances of patients carrying antibiotic resistant bacteria. The same effect was not seen in patients who had had antibiotics prescribed within the previous 12 months.

19 Jul 2005

Australian discovery of adult stem cells in the uterus

Monash Institute of Medical Research (MIMR) senior scientist Dr Caroline Gargett's discovery of adult stem cells in the uterus that can be grown into bone, muscle, fat and cartilage, has been hailed as a major medical and scientific development by international reproduction experts.

19 Jul 2005

Sigma-Aldrich licenses RNAi patent estate from Alnylam

Sigma-Aldrich Corporation and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals announced today that Alnylam has granted Sigma-Aldrich a non-exclusive license to provide research products and services in RNA interference (RNAi) under the Kreutzer-Limmer patent family.

19 Jul 2005

Less-invasive, laparascopic colon surgery appears to be safer

German researchers say that minimally invasive colorectal surgery using the laparascope could reduce post-surgery complications.

19 Jul 2005

Parental attitudes to MMR revealed

Experts say the results of a study, designed to assess parental attitudes to the measles, mumps and rubella triple vaccination have revealed that those parents opposed to the inoculation were less worried about the illnesses than those who support the MMR jab.

19 Jul 2005

'Big Gun' government official needed to oversee U.S. animal disease programs

A National Academy of Sciences panel has said this week that one high ranking government official may be the best way to consolidate U.S. animal disease oversights in order to protect consumers from mad cow disease, bird flu and other serious animal ailments that can jump species.

19 Jul 2005

Ducks possibly the culprit in spreading bird flu

An international team, which included experts from China, Indonesia, Thailand, the US and Vietnam, say that domestic ducks possibly pose a major threat of spreading avian flu to animals and humans, as not only do they carry the virus with few visible signs, the virus is able to mutate in them, which means they could trigger a human pandemic.

19 Jul 2005

Quit smoking to heal that gum disease and live longer!

According to a new study, smokers are at least 6 times more likely to develop gum disease than non-smokers.

19 Jul 2005

It's not the last word - for every new medical study there's bound to be another one later which contradicts it!

According to a review of 49 recent major medical studies, it has been discovered that nearly a third were later either totally contradicted or were found be much less effective than was originally thought.

19 Jul 2005

U.S. Senate approves Crawford for FDA commissioner

The nomination of Lester Crawford as permanent commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), was overwhelmingly approved by the U.S. Senate on Monday.

19 Jul 2005

Better tracking system needed to check the safety of new medical devices

A recently released report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) says that a better system is needed by U.S. health officials for tracking the safety of medical devices after they are approved for sale, especially ones used to treat children.

19 Jul 2005

News we always wanted to hear - Chocolate does you good!

In the best news yet for chocolate lovers, a new study has apparently shown that dark chocolate can lower blood pressure.

19 Jul 2005

Gene defect linked to heart disease

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, have found by studying DNA from 11 members of one family, who suffered from aortic heart disease, a genetic mutation that causes a common birth defect and contributes to heart disease in adults.

19 Jul 2005

Healing touch, music, relaxation a plus for heart surgery patients

According to a newly released study people who learned about relaxed breathing and received soothing touch and music before heart surgery were more likely to be alive 6 months after the procedure.

19 Jul 2005

Vagal nerve stimulation, an innovative therapy for depression

The Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center medical team involved in the research and development of an innovative therapy for depression - vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) - is starting a new clinic for patients who have treatment-resistant depression.

19 Jul 2005

Hispanic women are smoking cigarettes in the United States more than they do in their native countries

More Hispanic women are smoking cigarettes in the United States than they do in their native countries, most likely due to cultural influences. Similar smoking increases are not seen in Hispanic men, according to a new systematic review of studies.

19 Jul 2005

Smokers believe light or herbal cigarettes are less harmful

Nearly one-fourth of cigarette smokers believe that so-called reduced-exposure tobacco products - such as "light," herbal or reduced nicotine cigarettes - are less harmful to their health than conventional cigarettes, a new study finds. However, such beliefs are not backed up by existing evidence, according to the study's authors.

19 Jul 2005