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Link between changes in malaria parasite and absorption of pharmaceutical compounds

Professor Max Petzold at the Nordic School of Public Health shows in a recent article a link between changes in the malaria parasite and the absorption of pharmaceutical compounds. Increased knowledge of the malaria parasite and the connection with the development of resistance may contribute to the development of new malaria treatments.

26 Sep 2011

Effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on colorectal cancer

The effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on colorectal cancer (CRC) appear to differ by site of origin, according to a new study published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

26 Sep 2011

Fruits and veggies may prevent bowel cancer but not fruit juices: Study

Scientists claim that a glass of juice contains so much sugar it actually increases the risk of certain cancers, rather than preventing them. In fact, by the time the drink has been processed and packaged, many of the ingredients in fruit that protect against tumors have been lost, they say. The Perth team also said that many things found in fruit which help protect against bowel cancer – including fibre, vitamin C and chemicals known as antioxidants – are lost during the juice’s processing.

26 Sep 2011

Self-reported mental health disability more prevalent among U.S. adults

The prevalence of self-reported mental health disabilities increased in the U.S. among non-elderly adults during the last decade, according to a study by Ramin Mojtabai, MD, PhD, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

26 Sep 2011

ECDA welcomes UN High Level Meeting on Non Communicable Diseases

The European Chronic Disease Alliance (ECDA) welcomes the UN High Level Meeting on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) to address the world biggest killers. "It is a memorable day in the history of public health. Discussing non communicable diseases at the UN table gives a strong sense of the burden it represents to human kind and the recognition that NCDs is a challenge for all nations in the world", declared Professor Michel Komajda, President of the European Society of Cardiology, an active member of the ECDA.

26 Sep 2011

Britain’s health workers urged to get flu shots to protect patients

Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) is urging its staff to take their flu shots amid fresh warnings that low vaccination rates among health professionals could lead to vulnerable patients getting infected and dying. The NHS's employers, health trade unions and the Department of Health have launched a campaign to tackle low immunization rates among frontline staff such as doctors and nurses.

26 Sep 2011

Listeria contamination in cantaloupes shipped to 10 states

Listeria-contaminated cantaloupes were shipped to five more states than was previously known, bringing to 22 the total number of states affected by an outbreak that killed eight people, the FDA announced last week.

26 Sep 2011

Scientists identify genetic variants associated with lung health

Scientists have for the first time discovered sixteen new sections of the genetic code that relate to lung health -- opening up the possibility for better prevention as well as treatment for lung diseases.

26 Sep 2011

Study examines link between mother's occupation and asthma prevalence among children

Mothers who are exposed to particular agents during pregnancy could give birth to children with a higher risk of asthma, according to new research.

26 Sep 2011

Vaccination must be part of response to cholera outbreak in Haiti

Though "[c]holera vaccines are not a magic bullet and are not available in adequate numbers" to vaccinate everyone in Haiti, where at least 10 people die each day in an outbreak that began in October 2010, "there are compelling reasons to add vaccinations to the arsenal of public health weapons that has been deployed against cholera in Haiti," a Washington Post editorial states.

23 Sep 2011

Roundup: Texas House Dems ask CMS to reject Medicaid waiver request; Jobs lost as Ariz. mental health Medicaid cuts kick in

The nine House Democrats from Texas want the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reject their state's request that Medicaid beneficiaries get their prescription drugs through managed care plans.

23 Sep 2011

Commercial interests confound fight against NCDs, some experts say

The Washington Post examines the influence of commercial interests on the "political declaration" that emerged from this week's U.N. High-level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in New York. NCDs "are the globe's biggest health problem, responsible for 63 percent of all deaths each year, with incidence growing steeply in the low-income, rapidly urbanizing nations of the world," but they "are deeply entangled with important global industries, not only tobacco but also food, pharmaceuticals, advertising, transportation and construction," the newspaper writes.

23 Sep 2011

Project REACH to reduce risk of postpartum depression in adolescent mothers

More than 400,000 adolescent girls will give birth in the United States each year, and about one in four of them will experience postpartum depression.

23 Sep 2011

AHA certifies walnuts as heart-healthy food

California Walnuts is proud to announce that the American Heart Association is now certifying walnuts as a heart-healthy food. The Heart-Check mark easily identifies foods that meet the nutritional standards set by the American Heart Association and provides consumers a quick and reliable way to identify heart-healthy foods.

23 Sep 2011

Public health approach to reduce health harms from cannabis use

A new research study conducted by an international team of experts recommends a public health approach to cannabis - including evidence-based guidelines for lower-risk use - to reduce the health harms that result from the use of cannabis.

23 Sep 2011

Multi-donor program improves availability of essential medicines in Zimbabwe's public health sector

IRIN reports on "the improved availability of essential medicines in Zimbabwe's public health sector" as a result of "a multi-donor program started in 2008 through collaboration between the government, the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) Zimbabwe, the European Union (E.U.), the U.K., Australia, Canada and Ireland."

23 Sep 2011

Conference to explore how asset based approaches can enhance health among communities

Health researchers from the University of Hertfordshire will host an international conference at the British Library next week (26-27 September), which will explore how asset based approaches can enhance health among communities.

23 Sep 2011

Viewpoints: Ron Paul, USA Today on individual mandate; NYT's Greenhouse on court challenges to health law

Massachusetts leads the nation in health insurance coverage of its citizens, and Texas is dead last. You'd think that former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney would be bragging about his role in making his state No. 1, and that Texas Gov. Rick Perry would be embarrassed by how poorly his state is doing. But that's not how the script is playing out … That's odd, though, because the mandate was born as a conservative response to President Clinton's much maligned health reform proposal.

23 Sep 2011

Depression and stroke: Analysis of studies finds a connect

A latest study shows that people who are depressed may be a little more likely than others to suffer a stroke down the road. Looking at 28 past studies, researchers estimated there would be 106 extra cases of stroke per 100,000 depressed people each year, 22 of them fatal.

22 Sep 2011

BPA found in kids’ canned food

The chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) that is suspected to be harmful to babies may be found in several child-friendly canned foods. Breast Cancer Fund researchers tested for bisphenol A (BPA) in six products specifically marketed to children. Included in the list were such popular kid-targeted meals as Campbell’s “Disney Princess" soup with "shaped pasta with chicken in chicken broth” and Annie’s Homegrown certified organic “Cheesy Ravioli.” BPA, which is found in plastics, cash-register receipts, dental sealants and even money, has been linked in animal studies to a host of health ills, including possible cancers and developmental problems and early puberty.

22 Sep 2011