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UM SOM study leads to FDA approval of Neulasta drug for treatment of radiation injury

As a result of research performed by scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of a drug to treat the deleterious effects of radiation exposure following a nuclear incident. The drug, Neulasta, is one of a very small number that have been approved for the treatment of acute radiation injury.

21 Jan 2016

Age plays key role when it comes to patients' access to most efficient psoriasis treatment

A new study from Umeå University in Sweden shows that age plays a huge role when it comes to patients' access to psoriasis treatment. Researchers who have examined if patients of varying ages have the same access to the most efficient psoriasis treatment, found that an age increase of 30 years resulted in an average 65 per cent reduction in likelihood of obtaining treatment with biologics.

20 Jan 2016

Easy access to children's GPs reduces visits to emergency departments

Children whose GPs are easy to access are less likely to visit A&E than those whose GPs are less able to provide appointments. During weekdays, children's visits to A&E peak after school hours.

20 Jan 2016

New study shows 92% of measured restaurant meals exceed calorie requirements

Meals consumed at fast-food restaurants are often seen as one of the biggest contributors to the obesity epidemic. But according to a new study in the Journal of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 92 percent of 364 measured restaurant meals from both large-chain and non-chain (local) restaurants exceeded recommended calorie requirements for a single meal.

20 Jan 2016

Falls in stillbirth rates failing to keep pace with childhood, maternal mortality rates

Approximately 2.6 million babies were stillborn in 2015, or around 7200 every day globally. Falls in stillbirth rates since the year 2000 are failing to keep pace with falls in childhood and maternal mortality rates, say the authors of The Lancet’s new Ending preventable stillbirths Series.

20 Jan 2016

Estrogen helps women fight flu virus better than men

Estrogen dramatically reduced the amount of flu virus that replicated in infected cells from women but not from men, a new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows.

20 Jan 2016

Study shows slow global progress on stillbirth prevention leaves over 2.6 million babies at risk each year

More than 2.6 million stillbirths continue to occur globally every year with very slow progress made to tackle this 'silent problem', according to new research published in The Lancet. Despite significant reductions in the number of maternal and child deaths, there has been little change in the number of stillbirths (in the third trimester of pregnancy) even though the majority are preventable.

20 Jan 2016

Researchers identify protein that could protect against toxic degeneration of cells in ALS

J. Gavin Daigle, a PhD candidate at the LSU Health New Orleans School of Graduate Studies, is the first author of a paper whose findings reveal another piece of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) puzzle.

19 Jan 2016

Profectus begins Phase 1 clinical study of VesiculoVax-vectored Ebola virus vaccine

Profectus BioSciences, Inc., a clinical-stage vaccine company developing novel vaccines for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases and the treatment of cancer, announced today the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical study of Profectus' VesiculoVax-vectored Ebola virus vaccine.

19 Jan 2016

Cash transfer programme increases child births at facilities, but fails to reduce maternal deaths

To reduce maternal and neo-natal deaths, India launched a cash transfer programme in 2005 that provides monetary incentives for women to give birth in health facilities instead of at home. While the programme successfully increased the use of health facilities for child birth, it did not reduce maternal deaths as much, especially in poor areas.

19 Jan 2016

New recommendations to reduce radiation-induced breast cancer risk from digital mammography

Radiation-induced breast cancer risk from digital mammography is low for the majority of women, but risk is higher in women with large breasts, who received 2.3 times more radiation and required more views per examination to image as much of the breast as possible compared to those with small or average-sized breasts.

18 Jan 2016

Patients enrolled in high-deductible health insurance plans use fewer diagnostic tests

Patients enrolled in high-deductible health insurance plans have lower rates of use and lower costs for imaging tests, suggests a study in the February issue of Medical Care.

18 Jan 2016

FDA issues draft guidance to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities in medical devices

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a draft guidance outlining important steps medical device manufacturers should take to continually address cybersecurity risks to keep patients safe and better protect the public health.

18 Jan 2016

New study shows neurocognitive benefits of stand-height desks in classrooms

Do students think best when on their feet? A new study by the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health indicates they do.

18 Jan 2016

Topiramate drug curbs marijuana use among young smokers, but with serious side effects

Combining the drug topiramate with psychological counseling curbed marijuana use among young smokers significantly more than did counseling alone, according to newly published results of a small randomized, controlled trial at Brown University. The results come with a caveat, however: many study volunteers couldn't tolerate the medicine's side effects.

18 Jan 2016

Simplified test screening recommendation welcomed by Bowel Cancer UK

Following the announcement today, 15 January 2016, by the UK National Screening Committee on the introduction of the FIT (faecal immunochemical test) home screening kit for bowel cancer in England, leading charity Bowel Cancer UK has welcomed the announcement.

15 Jan 2016

Geographic location influences quality grades assigned to Medicare Advantage plans

Geographic location is an important predictor of the quality grades assigned to Medicare Advantage insurance plans, and the federal government should consider accounting for geographic differences to allow for fairer comparisons among plans, Boston University School of Public Health researchers say in a new study.

13 Jan 2016

Public Health News and Research

UM SOM study leads to FDA approval of Neulasta drug for treatment of radiation injury

Age plays key role when it comes to patients' access to most efficient psoriasis treatment

Easy access to children's GPs reduces visits to emergency departments

New study shows 92% of measured restaurant meals exceed calorie requirements

Falls in stillbirth rates failing to keep pace with childhood, maternal mortality rates

Estrogen helps women fight flu virus better than men

Study shows slow global progress on stillbirth prevention leaves over 2.6 million babies at risk each year

Researchers identify protein that could protect against toxic degeneration of cells in ALS

Profectus begins Phase 1 clinical study of VesiculoVax-vectored Ebola virus vaccine

Cash transfer programme increases child births at facilities, but fails to reduce maternal deaths

New recommendations to reduce radiation-induced breast cancer risk from digital mammography

Patients enrolled in high-deductible health insurance plans use fewer diagnostic tests

FDA issues draft guidance to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities in medical devices

New study shows neurocognitive benefits of stand-height desks in classrooms

Topiramate drug curbs marijuana use among young smokers, but with serious side effects

Simplified test screening recommendation welcomed by Bowel Cancer UK

Geographic location influences quality grades assigned to Medicare Advantage plans

Study: 'No-buy' list could reduce young people's exposure to alcohol ads on TV

New clinical study reveals previously unknown risk factors linked to keratoconus

Pulmonary neuroendocrine cells act like sensor to orchestrate immune response

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