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Compliance And Concordance: Good For Patients And For Pharma - October 19-20, Philadelphia Peter Mansell explores how effective concordance can take the strain off industry-patient group partnerships. Pharmaceutical companies and patient organizations are never going to be the easiest of fits. It is not so much due to any fundamental unwillingness to work together, or lack of common ground, but rather to the kind of attention these relationships inevitably attract. That attention may range from the suspicious to the downright hostile, whether it comes from regulators, budget holders, or a watchful media... Increased Risk Of Second Cancers And Earlier Death For Childhood Cancer Survivors, Australia Progress in childhood cancer is a good news story. Children treated for cancer have an overall 70-80 per cent cure rate. As the numbers of survivors of childhood cancer increases, studies of the long-term survivors allow research that can guide newer treatment protocols and further improve the outlook for newly diagnosed patients... More Work Needed To Implement Evidence Base In Psychooncology In Cancer Care, Australia An integrated approach to cancer care needs to be developed in Australia that incorporates psychosocial and biological interventions, according to an article published in a Medical Journal of Australia supplement. The Anxiety, Depression and Cancer supplement is the product of a partnership between beyondblue and the Cancer Council Australia... Codeine-Ibuprofen Misuse Results In Serious Morbidity, Australia Although codeine-ibuprofen can be considered a relatively weak opioid analgesic, it is nevertheless addictive and more research is needed to develop health care responses to its misuse, according to an article in the Medical Journal of Australia. Dr Matthew Frei, Clinical Head at Southern and Eastern Health Alcohol and Drug Services and Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, and co-authors investigated morbidity related to the misuse of over-the-counter (OTC) codeine-ibuprofen analgesics between May 2005 and December 2008... Increase In Cases Of West Nile Virus Infection In Greece The Health Protection Agency is aware of a significant increase in reports of cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Northern Greece. To date there have been 164 cases and 14 deaths reported in Greece, most of which have occurred in the last month. There have also been seven confirmed and three probable cases with two deaths seen in Romania and three cases in Hungary. Cases have been reported in these countries in previous years. Cases of WNV are rare in people in Europe. The infection is spread through mosquito bites, and it is not transmitted directly from person-to-person... PIP (Poly Implant Prosthese) Breast Implants - UK Test Results The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has received encouraging results of UK testing on the silicone gel breast implants manufactured by the French company Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP). The tests found no evidence of genotoxicity (potential for cancer) or chemical toxicity of the filler material in the implants. The tests are not as extensive as those being carried out in France, but they have provided initial information as to whether there is a safety issue with the filler material... Recent Releases In Global Health Lancet Editorial Makes Recommendations For Health-System Strengthening "There is strong consensus in the global health community, among donors, recipient countries, and policy makers, about the need for health system strengthening in low-income and middle-income countries," write the authors of a Lancet Comment. The article recommends areas in health-system strengthening that need "more attention and better analysis," including building consensus, and responding to specific country health system needs... DNA Fingerprinting Pioneer Discovers Role Of Key Genetic Catalyst For Human Diversity Research by DNA fingerprinting pioneer and his team at University of Leicester defines engine for change in genetic hotspots. One of the key drivers of human evolution and diversity, accounting for changes that occur between different generations of people, is explained by new research published (Sept 5) by world-renowned scientist Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, who discovered DNA fingerprinting at the University of Leicester... Backstabbing Bacteria, A New Treatment For Infection? Selfish bacterial cells that act in their own interests and do not cooperate with their infection-causing colleagues can actually reduce the severity of infection. The selfish behaviour of these uncooperative bacteria could be exploited to treat antibiotic-resistant infections, according to research being presented at the Society for General Microbiology's autumn meeting today. Bacteria work together by using a well-studied communication system called Quorum Sensing (QS). During infection, bacteria talk to each other using QS to coordinate the release of toxins... Talented Bacteria Make Food Poisoning Unpredictable While we are often exposed to bacteria in our food which could cause food poisoning, we don't always become ill why should this be so? Professor Colin Hill who is presenting his work at the Society for General Microbiology's autumn meeting in Nottingham today describes how bacteria use different tricks to aid their survival inside the body, helping to explain why food poisoning can be so unpredictable. One of the biggest challenges faced by food-borne bacteria is acid. Acidic conditions, particularly in the stomach and in the gut will kill most microbes found in contaminated food... 'Jailbreak' Bacteria Can Trigger Heart Disease Plaque-causing bacteria can jailbreak from the mouth into the bloodstream and increase your risk of heart attack says a scientist at the Society for General Microbiology's autumn meeting in Nottingham. Professor Howard Jenkinson, from the University of Bristol explains how oral bacteria can wreak havoc if they are not kept in check by regular brushing and flossing. "Poor dental hygiene can lead to bleeding gums, providing bacteria with an escape route into the bloodstream, where they can initiate blood clots leading to heart disease," he said... Reducing Stem Cell Loss During Cancer Treatment Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have discovered that a gene critical for programmed cell death is also important in the loss of adult stem cells, a finding that could help to improve the health and well-being of patients undergoing cancer treatment. "During chemotherapy or radiation therapy that kills cancer cells by inducing significant DNA damage in their genomes, one of the main side effects for human cancer patients is the depletion of their own adult stem cells, particularly the ones responsible for making new blood and intestine cells... Research By DNA Fingerprinting Pioneer And His Team At University Of Leicester Defines Engine For Change In Genetic Hotspots One of the key drivers of human evolution and diversity, accounting for changes that occur between different generations of people, is explained by new research published by world-renowned scientist Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, who discovered DNA fingerprinting at the University of Leicester. Professor Jeffreys has spent over two decades since his landmark discovery in 1984 investigating what he describes as "pretty bizarre bits of DNA" - highly variable repeated parts of DNA called 'minisatellites' - found in the human genome... Researchers Identify Protein That Fights West Nile Virus Yale and McGill University scientists have identified a protein that is critical in fighting mosquito-borne West Nile Virus in mice. This finding could have therapeutic implications for controlling the potentially deadly virus in humans. The study appears in the Advance Online Publication of Nature Immunology. Researchers studied the role of caspase-12, a protein that activates secretion of substances that are part of the body's immune response. Caspase-12's function in fighting bacterial infection has been studied before, but its role in viral immunity has not... Dementia Research Receives £1.5 Million Boost, UK Research that could take scientists a step closer to discovering the cause of Alzheimer's and a study on how to improve care for people with dementia in hospitals are two of nine projects announced. The nine research projects have been made possible following a £1.5 million grant jointly from Alzheimer's Society and the Bupa Foundation. Top scientists in the UK and Australia are being funded as part of an exciting new partnership between the two charities to boost research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dementia... American Academy Of Ophthalmology Joins Forces With Middle East Africa Council Of Ophthalmology For Joint Meeting In Chicago October 16 To 19 The largest and most comprehensive ophthalmic educational meeting in the world, the American Academy of Ophthalmology's (Academy) 2010 Joint Meeting in conjunction with the Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) will be taking place in Chicago, October 16 to 19. The meeting offers more than 500 instruction courses, a variety of skills transfer courses, breakfast with the experts roundtables, 43 free symposia and Spotlight Sessions and hundreds of scientific papers, posters and videos... Gynecologic Cancer Patients Should Consider Clinical Trials For the estimated 83,000 women who will be diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer in 2010, participation in clinical trials offers an opportunity both to ensure that future patients benefit from the most up-to-date treatments and increased survival rates and to potentially improve the health of current patients. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports the efforts to raise awareness about gynecologic cancers and participation in clinical trials-a main focus of this year's Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month (GCAM) in September... Red Cross Provides Comfort And Shelter From The Storm As Hurricane Earl Moves Up The Atlantic Coast The American Red Cross has provided help and shelter from North Carolina to New England as Hurricane Earl and its winds and rain moved up the Atlantic Coast. Friday night, twelve Red Cross shelters in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave nearly 100 people a safe place to ride out the storm as Earl moved past Cape Cod with strong winds and heavy rain. Thursday night, a dozen Red Cross shelters in North Carolina gave more than 260 people comfort as the storm passed through that area... Queen Meg & Princess Carly Prepare To Celebrate Labor Day Events Throughout The State Just days after leading thousands of people in a Sacramento march celebrating women's right to vote, and decrying those politicians who dishonor it, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United today announces that Labor Day festivities across the state will feature both Queen Meg and Princess Carly, the two satirical figures lampooning the Republican nominees for governor and senator... Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Distribution Still Below Levels Needed To Meet Guidelines, Despite Growth Worldwide A new IFPMA study(1), announced at the "Options for the Control of Influenza VII" conference in Hong Kong, shows that global vaccine coverage remains uneven and low overall, despite total distribution of seasonal influenza vaccines nearly doubling over the last six years... Bailiff Mind Games Devastating To Mental Health, UK Mind today reveals shocking new evidence about the devastating impact a visit from the bailiffs can have on your mental health. 50% of people surveyed by the charity reported suicidal feelings after a knock on the door from bailiffs. In the current economic climate and as more and more people find it difficult to keep up with their bills, Mind is calling on the Government to act on its commitment to protect the public from aggressive bailiffs and urgently introduce robust regulation of the profession... 2 In 5 Kids in New York Are Overweight Or Obese According to a new report, 2 out of every 5 of New York City's children from kindergarten to eighth grade, are either overweight or obese. This figure, released in a report on Sunday, comes from the latest New York City (NYC) Fitnessgram assessment, a new program that was piloted in 2005-06 and is now in place across the city. The program uses height and weight measures collected through a school year and converts them into body mass index (BMI) measures. These, together with the results of a fitness test, are sent to parents... Cancer Diagnosis And Treatment Move Another Step Forward Cancer diagnosis and treatment planning took another major step forward with the release of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the purchase and installation of a second positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanner at the BC Cancer Agency. "With one PET/CT scanner already in place at the BC Cancer Agency, we have seen how British Columbians have benefitted from better access to a proven diagnostic imaging tool," said Wynne Powell, Chair, Board of Directors, Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)... Surgery Complications Can Be Reduced Through The Use Of Consultant-Led Models, Australia The acute care surgery (ACS) model, which is consultant-led, provides a safe surgical environment for patients and is associated with a reduced complication rate, according to an article in the Medical Journal of Australia. Dr Robert Gandy, Surgical Registrar at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, and co-authors conducted a retrospective historical control study, comparing appendicectomy outcomes for the ACS model with the traditional on-call (Trad) model... High Hospital Occupancy Levels Are Making Us Sick, Australia High bed occupancy and emergency department (ED) overcrowding are bad for patients, staff and the system itself, according to an editorial in the Medical Journal of Australia. In the editorial, Dr Sally McCarthy, President of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Director of Emergency Medicine at, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, discusses hospital occupancy levels and ED overcrowding... Successful Completion Of First Clinical Trials On Potent New Hepatitis C Drug The first clinical trials on a new investigational drug being developed to treat infections caused by Hepatitis C virus have been successfully completed. Completion of the initial phase (phase 1a) of trials of INX-189, discovered and first prepared by researchers at Cardiff University's Welsh School of Pharmacy in 2008, means the chances of it becoming an approved medicine have significantly improved. Approximately 170 million people worldwide are affected with Hepatitis C, which can lead to liver cancer, cirrhosis and death... The International AIDS Society Calls For An End To Harassment, Intimidation And Imprisonment Of HIV Professionals Following the imprisonment of Maxim Popov in April 2010, sentenced to 7 years jail primarily for the promotion of HIV prevention efforts in Uzbekistan, the International AIDS Society (IAS) notes with alarm the detention of a medial practitioner working in HIV prevention in Ukraine. Dr. Illya Podolyan, a 62-year old physician providing opioid substitution therapy (OST) for people using drugs, was detained on 28 May 2010 by Odessa police and charged with alleged crimes relating to drugs trafficking... $11.6 Million To Study Cardiac Proteins A blood test to diagnose which heart attack survivors will suffer heart failure is the goal of a new five-year, $11.6 million contract to the UT Health Science Center San Antonio from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Each year more than 1.2 million Americans suffer a heart attack. In a third of these individuals, the damage results in heart failure, a progressive condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's oxygen needs. Half of these 400,000 survivors will die within five years... The Medal Of The Chemical Research Society Of India Awarded To Penn State Chemist Ayusman Sen Ayusman Sen, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Penn State University, has been honored with the Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI) Medal. Sen is only the second recipient of the medal, which is awarded exclusively to outstanding chemists of Indian origin who work outside of India. Sen's research encompasses the twin themes of catalysis and new materials, with one of the goals being the development of new catalysts that will enable the synthesis of polymers and related materials with novel combinations of properties... Myths, Controversy Surround Health Reform Law News outlets are following the politics and rhetoric surrounding the new health law. NPR reports on six myths perpetuated by some critics of the law. They include: the law helps President Barack Obama raise a private army and that those who want public coverage have to have a microchip implanted. That began with a provision in House-passed bill, which was not in the final bill. "It called for the Food and Drug Administration to create a registry of medical devices that could be implanted in people... Survey: Modest Rise In Health Coverage Costs, But Employees Assume Bigger Burden The Washington Post: "Amid high unemployment and a weak economy, employers have been shifting health care costs to workers, according to a study released Thursday. The premiums that employees pay for employer-sponsored family coverage rose an average of 13.7 percent this year, while the amount that employers contribute fell by 0.9 percent, the survey found... Almost Half Of All Americans Use Prescription Drugs Each Month Nearly half of all Americans used at least one prescription drug per month in 2008, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Bloomberg reports. That's a 10 percent increase over the preceding decade. Over that time, yearly spending by Americans on drugs doubled to $234 billion. "The two biggest-sellers last year were Pfizer Inc.'s Lipitor for high cholesterol and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s clot-buster, Plavix. The rise of such medicines may continue as insurers add as many as 32 million customers through the U.S... Up To 5 Million Kids Uninsured But Eligible For Government Programs As many as 5 million uninsured kids are eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, according to a report published Friday in the journal Health Affairs, Reuters reports. "An estimated 7.3 million children were uninsured on an average day in 2008 and 65 percent of them were eligible for Medicaid or CHIP coverage, the report said. ... Thirty-nine percent of eligible uninsured children live in just three states - California, Texas and Florida, the report by the Washington-based Urban Institute Health Policy Center said... Colo. Lawmaker Pushes Bill To Permit Stem Cell Research Politico reports that as "Congress prepares to return for a limited pre-election agenda, Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) said she has picked up wide support for her bill to permit embryonic stem-cell research and expects it will pass this month. Although it has been strongly opposed by anti-abortion activists, she voiced confidence that the measure will be a political boost for its backers as well as good policy. ... Her proposal has gained additional urgency following the Aug. 23 ruling by U.S... Food Industry, USDA Criticized For Recent Salmonella Outbreak, Egg Recall USA Today reports that food safety groups are slamming how well U.S. Department of Agriculture regulated the farms implicated in the salmonella outbreak. "Though USDA says its authority was limited, the agency's egg graders were at Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms at least 40 hours a week - including before the outbreak - inspecting the size and quality of eggs inside processing buildings. ... State News: Ohio, Florida Take Advantage Of Federal Health Funds; Mass. Psychiatrists Win Court Case The Columbus Dispatch: "Gov. Ted Strickland's administration announced today that nearly $200 million in recently freed up state funds will go to Ohio hospitals, community mental health services, and a program which provides medication to low-income residents with HIV/AIDS. ... The state money became available after Congress agreed to continue paying a higher share of the cost of state Medicaid programs that provide insurance coverage to the poor. The higher federal contribution which had been set to expire Dec. 31 will continue through June 30" (Candisky, 9/2). Florida Tribune: "Gov... Research Roundup: Heart Disease And Disability; Medicaid And Health Reform, Mental Illness Urban Institute/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: The Health Status Of New Medicaid Enrollees Under Health Reform - Using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, authors of this paper found "strong evidence that those who will enroll [in Medicaid after 2014] are likely to be healthier than nondisabled adults currently enrolled in Medicaid ... There is, however, a high likelihood of adverse selection - the least healthy and older among the new eligibles will be more likely to enroll. ... Today's Opinions: Berwick On Medicare 'Illusion,' Wall Street Journal Sees Wyden Defecting On Health Law Surer Footing For Medicare The Washington Post Under the act, Medicare is stronger than it has been in years, and seniors will get new benefits. That's no illusion; that's progress (Dr. Donald Berwick, 9/3). Shifting The Health Cost Burden The New York Times In other words, employers shifted virtually all of the increased premium costs to their hapless workers, who were in a weak position to resist in an economy where there were few other jobs to jump to (9/2)... At U.N. MDG Summit, Ministers Will Propose World Currency Tax To Fund Development Aid "A group of 60 nations, including France, Britain and Japan, will propose at the U.N. [summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)] this month that a tax be introduced on international currency transactions to raise funds for development aid, ministers said on Wednesday," Reuters reports (Irish, 9/1). Ministers estimate the proposed "0.005 percent [tax] on currency transactions" could "raise as much as $35 billion a year in development aid," according to BusinessWeek (Viscusi, 9/2)... Single-Dose Of Experimental Malaria Drug Clears Parasites In Mice, Represents Potential New Class Of Drugs To Treat Malaria In Humans An experimental malaria drug was shown to effectively treat the disease in mice with only a single dose, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Science, Reuters reports (Kelland, 9/2). The new drug, known as NITD609, "represents an entirely new class of medicines to treat malaria ... Human trials, backed by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis AG, could begin later this year," the Wall Street Journal writes (Naik, 9/3)... FAO Calls For Special Meeting To Address Global Food Price Spikes The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) "has called a special meeting on the recent spike in food prices, responding to fears of a repeat of the shortages that led to riots in parts of the world two years ago," the Associated Press reports. The inter-governmental committee on grains will meet on Sept. 24, most likely in Rome, according to FAO spokesperson Christopher Matthews. "He said a large number of member countries had expressed concern about a possible repeat of the 2008 food crisis," the AP reports (9/3)... IMF, World Bank Announce Increased Aid Measures For Flood Relief In Pakistan "The IMF and the World Bank have stepped up aid to flood-hit Pakistan to help the country cope with its worst-ever humanitarian disaster," Agence France-Presse reports. IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said the fund "'will provide around 450 million dollars in immediate emergency financing' to Pakistan to help manage the aftermath of devastating floods," the news service reports (9/2). In a statement on Thursday, "Strauss-Kahn said he will ask the IMF board to make the loan available this month... VOA News Examines U.S. Global Health Initiative VOA News examines President Barack Obama's $63 billion Global Health Initiative (GHI), noting the initiative's emphasis on cost-effective strategies to improve child- and maternal-health as well as programs to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria. The article includes recent comments by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on the role the GHI will play in strengthening health systems and the administration's ongoing commitment to global HIV/AIDS programs... Insight Into Superstitious Behavior Offered By K-State Research Project People who believe that fate and chance control their lives are more likely to be superstitious -- but when faced with death they are likely to abandon superstition altogether, according to a recent Kansas State University undergraduate research project. The project, led by Scott Fluke, a May 2010 K-State bachelor's graduate in psychology, Olathe, focuses on personality traits that lead to superstition. Fluke received a $500 Doreen Shanteau Undergraduate Research Fellowship in 2009 to work with the team of Russell Webster, graduate student in psychology, Shorewood, Ill... Vended Foods And Beverages May Be Linked To Obesity, Diabetes And Coronary Artery Disease School children who consume foods purchased in vending machines are more likely to develop poor diet quality - and that may be associated with being overweight, obese or at risk for chronic health problems such as diabetes and coronary artery disease, according to research from the University of Michigan Medical School. The study also looked at foods sold in school stores, snack bars and other related sales that compete with USDA lunch program offerings and found that these pose the same health and diet risks in school-aged children... Discovery Networks Hostage-Taking A Rare Terror Event A new report by terrorism researchers at the University of Maryland concludes that the deadly hostage-taking incident at the Discovery Communications headquarters in suburban Washington, D.C. meets the criteria of a terrorist act - a rare one for media organizations and the nation's capital region. Hostage-taking, though, is a familiar pattern in capital-region terror, the researchers add... Stem-Cell Ruling: Reaction From American Society For Biochemistry And Molecular Biology The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology expressed its disapproval and disappointment this week in response to the Aug. 23 ruling in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that granted a preliminary injunction barring federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research. In a statement, the society said the decision, which came in response to a lawsuit filed by two adult stem-cell researchers, effectively halts human embryonic stem-cell research in the United States and "represents a crossroads in American scientific policy... New Model May Simplify High-Dose Radiosurgery Planning There is yet no straightforward way to determine the optimal dose level and treatment schedules for high-dose radiation therapies such as stereotactic radiation therapy, which is used to treat brain and lung cancer, or for high-dose brachytherapy for prostate and other cancers. Radiation oncologists at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James) may have solved the problem by developing a new mathematical model that encompasses all dose levels... Cigarette Smoke May Contribute To Lung Inflammation Through A New Chemical Pathway Cigarette smoke shuts off a key enzyme in airways that regulates the body's response to inflammation, according to findings from the University of Alabama at Birmingham published online at Science Express. The UAB researchers say smoke inhibits the enzyme, called Leukotriene A4 Hydrolase (LTA4H), causing it to fail in its job of shutting down white blood cells following a successful response to inflammation. The team says the research study identified a previously unknown substrate of LTA4H called proline-glycine-proline (PGP)... Model For Implantable Artificial Kidney To Replace Dialysis Unveiled By UCSF UCSF researchers have unveiled a prototype model of the first implantable artificial kidney, in a development that one day could eliminate the need for dialysis. The device, which would include thousands of microscopic filters as well as a bioreactor to mimic the metabolic and water-balancing roles of a real kidney, is being developed in a collaborative effort by engineers, biologists and physicians nationwide, led by Shuvo Roy, PhD, in the UCSF Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences...