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Stopping antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients could be beneficial

Stopping antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients from time to time could reduce the side effects and costs of the treatment, according to a study in this week's issue of The Lancet.

3 Aug 2006

Longer needles best for infant immunisation

Infants vaccinated with a long needle experience fewer reactions but get the same protection (immunogenicity) as a shorter needle, finds a study published on bmj.com today.

3 Aug 2006

Molecular switch that regulates fat and cholesterol production identified

Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital have identified how a molecular switch regulates fat and cholesterol production

2 Aug 2006

HHS to stockpile Anthrax immune globulin

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced it will purchase 10,000 therapeutic courses of treatment of Anthrax Immune Globulin (AIG) from Cangene Corporation of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for a total of $143,833,719.

30 Jul 2006

COX-2 inhibitors prescribed to reduce gastrointestinal toxicity prior to the market withdrawals

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been the most popular treatment for arthritis - despite their association with gastrointestinal (GI) complications, including bleeding ulcers and death.

27 Jul 2006

New nerve-stimulation treatment for epilepsy helps!

A unique nerve-stimulation treatment for epilepsy developed at UCLA offers a potential new alternative for tens of thousands of individuals unable to control their seizures with medication and ineligible for surgery.

26 Jul 2006

Remicade receives European approval for treatment of psoriatic arthritis

Schering-Plough Corporation today announced that the European Commission has approved the use of Remicade (infliximab) as monotherapy in the treatment of active and progressive psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in patients who show intolerance to methotrexate or for whom methotrexate is contraindicated.

26 Jul 2006

GSK reports significant advance in H5N1 pandemic flu vaccine programme

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) today announced headline data showing that its H5N1 pandemic flu vaccine achieved a high immune response at a low dose of antigen.

26 Jul 2006

New OTC sunscreen product approved by FDA

FDA has approved Anthelios SX, a sunscreen from L'Oreal to be sold over-the-counter (OTC) for the prevention of sunburn and for protection against ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) rays.

25 Jul 2006

Cigarette smoking appears to promote the consumption of alcohol

Nicotine can reduce blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at dosage levels that could be achieved by human smokers.

25 Jul 2006

New natural contraceptive pill being trialled

University of Adelaide researchers, together with the Adelaide Hormone and Menopause Centre, are trialling a new natural contraceptive pill alternative.

24 Jul 2006

Long term ibuprofen therapy given after brain injury worsens cognitive abilities

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that chronic ibuprofen therapy given after brain injury worsens cognitive abilities.

21 Jul 2006

Dangers of unregulated herbal therapy

A Case Report in this week's issue of The Lancet highlights the dangers of unregulated herbal therapy.

21 Jul 2006

Tobacco control policy advocacy attitudes and self-efficacy among ethnically diverse high school students

Teens who feel that they can be effective anti-smoking spokespeople in their communities are less likely to be smokers themselves, according to a new survey of Texas high school students.

21 Jul 2006

Psychotherapeutic interventions for cannabis abuse

Marijuana dependence and abuse can be moderately improved by various psychotherapy treatments - but reduced use rather than abstinence may be the best clinicians can hope for at this time, a new review finds.

21 Jul 2006

Biomira Stimuvax prostate cancer study results published

Biomira Inc. has announced publication of study results showing that Stimuvax, formerly known as BLP25 Liposome Vaccine or L-BLP25, could slow rising Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) levels in some post-surgical prostate cancer patients

20 Jul 2006

Conjugate vaccines for preventing meningococcal C meningitis and septicaemia

A new systematic review suggests that a certain kind of vaccine may help to protect babies and small children from a devastating killer: meningococcal meningitis.

19 Jul 2006

Drugs for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting

Patients coming out of anesthesia after surgery may experience nausea or vomiting, and are frequently given drugs to prevent this. But the majority of patients won't benefit from these drugs, according to a large new review of studies.

19 Jul 2006

New guidelines for antiepileptic drugs

The International League Against Epilepsy has set new treatment guidelines for antiepileptic drugs, as published in the journal Epilepsia.

19 Jul 2006

Highly active antiretroviral therapies associated with reduced infections in HIV-infected children

Since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapies, there has been a substantial reduction of opportunistic infections and other infections in HIV-infected children, such as pneumonia and tuberculosis.

19 Jul 2006