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More Americans allergic to seafood than any other food

A new study released today at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology annual conference shows that food allergies are a much more pervasive health challenge than once thought. About 11 million people -- roughly 1-in-25 Americans -- are now believed to be affected by one or more food allergies, a disease triggered by the ingestion or contact with certain foods that may cause life-threatening reactions, or anaphylaxis, according to The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), a co-investigator of the nationwide survey.

13 Apr 2004

Foreign drug repackager complies with FDA order

The Food and Drug Administration today announced the settlement of a court case against an Illinois firm involved last year in FDA's seizure of thousands of imported unapproved drugs, including those that were labeled in foreign languages and/or labeled as repacked.

13 Apr 2004

FDA makes moves to block foreign drug imports

The Food and Drug Administration today announced a new partnership with the Virginia Pharmacists Association to distribute consumer educational materials outlining the risks of purchasing medicines outside of FDA’s regulatory scope. Over the past month, FDA has co-sponsored agreements with state pharmacists associations in Illinois, California, Texas, Maryland, New York, and Nebraska, and the Agency anticipates that additional agreements will be signed in the weeks ahead.

13 Apr 2004

New government drug testing rules include hair

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, today issued proposed new rules for mandatory federal drug testing that include specimens of hair, saliva and sweat, along with urine.

13 Apr 2004

Extended lymph node dissection fails to increase survival among gastric cancer patients

Extended lymph node dissection – a treatment for gastric cancer involving the surgical removal of lymph nodes near the tumor, in distant areas of the stomach, and in some cases, in combination with the removal of the spleen and pancreas tail – has shown no long-term survival benefit for gastric cancer patients, according to the largest randomized trial of limited and extended lymph node dissection among this population.

13 Apr 2004

Shoulder to cry on best answer for low mood

The most common ways to beat low mood are having someone to talk to and being hugged, a survey published by a mental health charity has found.

13 Apr 2004

Men with family history of prostate cancer accurately predict higher risk

When a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer, his brothers are twice as likely to develop the disease as well, often at an earlier age.

13 Apr 2004

Antimicrobial alginate dressing protects the wound with silver

Johnson & Johnson Wound Management today announced the introduction of SILVERCEL™ antimicrobial alginate dressing, providing the protection of silver and the absorption of alginate.

13 Apr 2004

UK Health Minister joins top chef to taste-test hospital food

UK Health Minister, Lord Warner joined forces with celebrity chef, Lloyd Grossman, today, to choose which dishes should appear on hospital menus across England as part of the Better Hospital Food programme.

13 Apr 2004

GlaxoSmithKline acquires injectable anti-thrombotic agents Fraxiparine® and Arixtra®

GlaxoSmithKline plc announced today that they have signed an agreement regarding the acquisition, on a worldwide basis, of the injectable anti-thrombotic agents Fraxiparine® and Arixtra® and related assets including a manufacturing facility located in Notre-Dame de Bondeville, France from Sanofi-Synthelabo.

13 Apr 2004

Researchers have developed a new method for finding antigens

Researchers at National Jewish Medical and Research Center have developed a method for finding the molecular targets of the immune system, known as antigens.

13 Apr 2004

Batch control makes chemical reactions easier to manage

Two Dutch researchers have developed a method for managing so-called batch productions. During a batch production, substances react in a reactor vessel according to a certain recipe to produce an end product. After the reaction the reactor is emptied and a new reaction with the same recipe is started.

13 Apr 2004

Drug's ability to reverse acute ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke patients who arrive at the hospital too late to receive currently available treatment options might someday have a new treatment option. Northwestern Memorial Hospital is the only site in Chicago to participate in a phase III trial of abciximab (ReoPro - Centocor/Eli Lilly and Company), which seeks to determine the drug's ability to improve neurological function and minimize disability in patients who present with an acute ischemic stroke.

13 Apr 2004

Mercy Hospital opens new cardiovascular catheterization laboratory

The $40 million expansion of The Cardiac Centers of Mercy & Unity Hospitals reaches a significant milestone this week with the opening of the most technologically advanced cardiovascular catheterization laboratories in Minnesota.

13 Apr 2004

Compound in ventolin inhalers could make asthma worse

A chemical used in the leading brand of asthma inhaler could actually make the allergy worse, say scientists. They fear a compound in Ventolin inhalers may react with steroids used to prevent attacks.

13 Apr 2004

Hospital stay for heart attack shortest ever

Heart attack patients are being discharged from hospital care faster than ever, and a new study indicates patients do not experie any adverse affects from such quick release.

13 Apr 2004

Leeches back to relieve pain

The leech was indispensable in 19th Century medicine for bloodletting, a practice believed to be a cure for anything from headaches to gout. Leeching was largely abandoned as medical science advanced, only occasionally being called upon to treat bruising and black eyes.

13 Apr 2004

Strongest evidence yet for the role of genetic factors in smoking addiction

In the first study to analyze the impact of genetic factors on multiple stages of tobacco use in both men and women, a team of researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University has found some of the strongest evidence yet for the role of genetic factors in smoking.

13 Apr 2004

Coronary stent drives Johnson & Johnson to record profits

Johnson & Johnson today announced sales for the first quarter of $11.6 billion, an increase of 17.7% over the prior year. The increase represented operational growth of 12.3% and a currency impact of 5.4%. Domestic sales were up 15.1%, while international sales increased 21.8%, including operational growth of 7.8% and a positive currency impact of 14.0%.

13 Apr 2004

More doctors, better care, faster access

A report produced today by Primary Care National Director, Dr David Colin-Thome, shows that NHS primary care, the local healthcare people access most frequently, is continuing to expand and provide a wider range of services to patients.

13 Apr 2004