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Hastings Center Report special report on ethical oversight of learning health care systems

The longstanding ethical framework for protecting human volunteers in medical research needs to be replaced because it is outdated and can impede efforts to improve health care quality, assert leaders in bioethics, medicine, and health policy in two companion articles in a Hastings Center Report special report, "Ethical Oversight of Learning Health Care Systems."

24 Jan 2013

Bioethics leader proposes bold and controversial approach to fight obesity epidemic

Arguing that obesity "may be the most difficult and elusive public health problem the United States has ever encountered" and that anti-obesity efforts having made little discernible difference, Daniel Callahan, co-founder and President Emeritus of The Hastings Center, proposes a bold and controversial approach to fighting the epidemic.

24 Jan 2013

Sen. Harkin prepares sweeping public health legislation to combat obesity

Senate HELP Committee Chairman Sen. Tom Harkin is -- for the sixth time -- introducing legislation to combat obesity in children and adults across America using a host of new programs.

24 Jan 2013

Studies in JAMA examine hospital readmissions and effects of new Medicare penalties

Research shows that poor coordination among providers can lead to patients returning to the hospital. In addition, the new payment procedures are likely to affect academic medical centers and safety net hospitals.

24 Jan 2013

Smoking could be reduced by plain packaging of tobacco products: Study

Experts believe that plain packaging of tobacco products would cut smoking, a new study has found. Tobacco control experts from around the world estimate that two years after the introduction of generic packaging the number of adult smokers would be reduced by one percentage point (in the UK - from 21 to 20%), and the percentage of children trying smoking would be reduced by three percentage points (in the UK - from 27 to 24%).

24 Jan 2013

NIH's candidate vaccine safe in treating dengue

A candidate dengue vaccine developed by scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been found to be safe and to stimulate a strong immune response in most vaccine recipients, according to results from an early-stage clinical trial sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the NIH. The trial results were published online on January 17 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

23 Jan 2013

Sex rated as highly arousing and pleasurable whether or not condoms and lubricants are used

A new study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine reveals that within a nationally representative study of American men and women, sex was rated as highly arousing and pleasurable whether or not condoms and/or lubricants were used. Condoms and lubricants are commonly used by both women and men when they have sex.

23 Jan 2013

Free clinic patients less likely to use ED for minor issues

People who receive primary care from free clinics are less likely to use the emergency department for minor issues, according to a team of medical researchers.

23 Jan 2013

Viewpoints: A 'gift' to Amgen; Obama omits talk of grand bargain; Defending physician pay

For a disheartening example of how intense lobbying and financial contributions can distort the legislative process in Washington, consider what happened to the "fiscal cliff" bill approved three weeks ago by Congress.

23 Jan 2013

Article analyzes role of nutrition in mood swings

In this study, preliminary data yields conflicting but mainly positive evidence for the use of n-3 fatty acids and chromium in the treatment of bipolar depression. Limited evidence found that inositol may be helpful for bipolar depression, but larger sample sizes are needed. Preliminary randomized, controlled trials suggest that choline, magnesium, folate and tryptophan may be beneficial for reducing symptoms of mania.

23 Jan 2013

SOPHIE project to evaluate social and economic policies’ impact on health inequalities

Europe will assess the impact of social and economic policies on health inequalities through the SOPHIE project. Health inequalities are avoidable and unfair differences determined by the circumstances in which people of different social groups are born, live, work and age.

23 Jan 2013

Sex, condoms and lubricants: an interview with Dr Debby Herbenick

Condoms and lubricants are widely used by both women and men and so they are part of many people’s sexual experiences. They are used for both pleasure-related reasons as well as, in the case of lubricants, comfort and making sex easier for people. The use of condoms of course reduces the risk of pregnancy or infection.

23 Jan 2013

Sex rated as pleasurable with or without condoms and lubricants

23 Jan 2013

BRICS countries sign agreement to collaborate on research, public health efforts

"Health ministers of the group of developing countries known as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) have signed an agreement to work together on research projects and to reduce the burden of disease," BMJ reports.

23 Jan 2013

UCLA researchers identify abnormal tau proteins associated with sports-related concussions

Sports-related concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries have grabbed headlines in recent months, as the long-term damage they can cause becomes increasingly evident among both current and former athletes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that millions of these injuries occur each year.

23 Jan 2013

Public health challenges remain but progress being made, WHO DG Chan says in Executive Board report

"International cooperation on health is delivering positive results at a time when the world is dealing with multiple challenges such as difficult weather conditions, conflict and economic austerity, a senior United Nations official said Monday, calling on countries to continue their efforts to improve public health," the U.N. News Centre reports.

23 Jan 2013

Twitter posts could help health officials track disease outbreaks

This flu season you've probably seen a number of friends on social media talking about symptoms. New research from Brigham Young University says such posts on Twitter could actually be helpful to health officials looking for a head start on outbreaks.

23 Jan 2013

140 nations adopt treaty to reduce mercury emissions; Convention will allow use of mercury preservative in vaccines

"More than 140 nations adopted the first legally binding international treaty on Saturday aimed at reducing mercury emissions, after four years of negotiations on ways to set limits on the use of a highly toxic metal," the Associated Press/New York Times reports.

22 Jan 2013

Multiple vascular benefits in salt restriction

Restricting salt intake reverses vascular endothelial dysfunction in people with moderately increased blood pressure, shows a randomized study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

22 Jan 2013

Chronic heart failure treatment, Inspra (eplerenone), accepted for use within NHS Wales

Inspra (eplerenone) has now been accepted by the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) for use in adult patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) NYHA class II, in combination with standard optimal therapy...

22 Jan 2013

Public Health News and Research

Hastings Center Report special report on ethical oversight of learning health care systems

Bioethics leader proposes bold and controversial approach to fight obesity epidemic

Sen. Harkin prepares sweeping public health legislation to combat obesity

Studies in JAMA examine hospital readmissions and effects of new Medicare penalties

Smoking could be reduced by plain packaging of tobacco products: Study

NIH's candidate vaccine safe in treating dengue

Sex rated as highly arousing and pleasurable whether or not condoms and lubricants are used

Free clinic patients less likely to use ED for minor issues

Viewpoints: A 'gift' to Amgen; Obama omits talk of grand bargain; Defending physician pay

Article analyzes role of nutrition in mood swings

SOPHIE project to evaluate social and economic policies’ impact on health inequalities

Sex, condoms and lubricants: an interview with Dr Debby Herbenick

Sex rated as pleasurable with or without condoms and lubricants

BRICS countries sign agreement to collaborate on research, public health efforts

UCLA researchers identify abnormal tau proteins associated with sports-related concussions

Public health challenges remain but progress being made, WHO DG Chan says in Executive Board report

Twitter posts could help health officials track disease outbreaks

140 nations adopt treaty to reduce mercury emissions; Convention will allow use of mercury preservative in vaccines

Multiple vascular benefits in salt restriction

Chronic heart failure treatment, Inspra (eplerenone), accepted for use within NHS Wales

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