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Two statistically significant genetic variants may be linked to increased PTSD risk in veterans

In a massive analysis of DNA samples from more than 13,000 U.S. soldiers, scientists have identified two statistically significant genetic variants that may be associated with an increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an often serious mental illness linked to earlier exposure to a traumatic event, such as combat and an act of violence.

12 May 2016

Experimental vaccine protects healthy U.S. adults from malaria infection for more than one year

An experimental malaria vaccine protected a small number of healthy, malaria-naïve adults in the United States from infection for more than one year after immunization, according to results from a Phase 1 trial described in the May 9th issue of Nature Medicine.

10 May 2016

FDA issues formal request to pharmacies to recall all drugs intended to be sterile from Medaus

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reminding health care professionals and patients not to use drugs intended to be sterile that were produced by Medaus Inc., due to lack of sterility assurance. The FDA has issued a formal request to the Birmingham, Alabama, compounding pharmacy to recall all non-expired lots of drug products intended to be sterile.

8 May 2016

Genetic variations that prevent beneficial gut bacteria from working may lead to Crohn's disease

A major type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be caused in part by genetic variants that prevent beneficial bacteria in the gut from doing their job, according to a new study published today in the journal Science.

6 May 2016

Study sheds light on development of ILCs that play vital role in body's immune defense

Through the use of powerful genomic techniques, researchers at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases have found that the development of immune cells, called innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), gradually prepares these cells for rapid response to infection. This work, which appeared online today in Cell, sheds light on the development and function of a cell type that is increasingly recognized as having an important role in the body's immune defense. NIAMS is part of the National Institutes of Health.

6 May 2016

FDA’s new education campaign for LGBT young adults aims to prevent, reduce tobacco use

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the launch of a historic public education campaign aimed at preventing and reducing tobacco use among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young adults ages 18-24. Of the more than 2 million LGBT young adults in the U.S., more than 800,000 smoke occasionally. The "This Free Life" campaign is designed to specifically reach the occasional or "social" smokers in the LGBT community to help prevent tobacco-related disease and the loss of tens of thousands LGBT lives to tobacco use each year.

3 May 2016

NEI-funded study analyzes outcomes of anti-VEGF therapy for AMD

In a study of nearly 650 people with the eye disease age-related macular degeneration (AMD), half still had vision 20/40 or better, typically good enough to drive or to read standard print, after five years of treatment with anti-VEGF drugs that are injected into the eye. The authors of the study, funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI) at the National Institutes of Health, say those outcomes would have been unimaginable about 10 years ago, prior to the drugs' availability.

3 May 2016

NEI to discuss research advances in regenerative medicine for eye disease at ARVO 2016

The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of NIH, is participating in the Inaugural Press Conference from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting (ARVO 2016), the largest gathering of eye and vision researchers in the world, attracting over 11,000 attendees from more than 75 countries.

2 May 2016

Health care records frequently targeted by anonymous hackers

For 10 days in February one hospital's records hung in limbo. At Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in California, a ransomware attack kept health care records in control of anonymous hackers, until hospital officials paid $17,000 to take back their system.

2 May 2016

Small doses of cancer drug may be potential treatment for sepsis and other pandemics

Results from laboratory experiments and mouse studies suggest that small doses of drugs from a specific class of approved cancer medications called topoisomerase 1 (top1) inhibitors may protect against the overwhelming immune response to infection that sometimes leads to sepsis, a bacterial condition that kills as many as 500,000 people in the United States each year.

30 Apr 2016

Nuplazid (pimavanserin) tablets approved to treat hallucinations and delusions

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Nuplazid (pimavanserin) tablets, the first drug approved to treat hallucinations and delusions associated with psychosis experienced by some people with Parkinson's disease.

30 Apr 2016

First generic version of Crestor gets FDA approval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first generic version of Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) tablets.

30 Apr 2016

Single bNAb infusion can protect monkeys from HIV-like virus infection

A single antibody infusion can protect monkeys against infection with an HIV-like virus for up to 23 weeks, researchers have found. The study, published in Nature, was led by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and The Rockefeller University.

28 Apr 2016

Nurse scientist asks health-care systems to set patients up for mortality cliff

Longer lifespans, due to advances in medicine and public health, mean people are living longer with multiple chronic conditions.

28 Apr 2016

FDA intends to ban electrical stimulation devices to ensure safety, well-being of patients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced a proposal to ban electrical stimulation devices (ESDs) used for self-injurious or aggressive behavior because they present an unreasonable and substantial risk to public health that cannot be corrected or eliminated through changes to the labeling.

25 Apr 2016

Experts focus on scientific complexities of individual and population health at iCOMOS 2016

How do we balance the needs for individualized health care with the public health programs serving communities - especially in the context of environmental pollution and climate change? Given a fixed set of resources, maximizing the potential of both is challenging, indeed.

22 Apr 2016

New study suggests re-evaluation of long-held method to predict effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine

The long-held approach to predicting seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness may need to be revisited, new research suggests. Currently, seasonal flu vaccines are designed to induce high levels of protective antibodies against hemagglutinin (HA), a protein found on the surface of the influenza virus that enables the virus to enter a human cell and initiate infection.

20 Apr 2016

FDA expands campaign to educate rural, white male teens about dangers of smokeless tobacco use

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today it is expanding its award-winning "The Real Cost" campaign to educate rural, white male teenagers about the negative health consequences associated with smokeless tobacco use. For the first time, messages on the dangers of smokeless tobacco use – including nicotine addiction, gum disease, tooth loss, and multiple kinds of cancer – are being highlighted through the placement of advertisements in 35 U.S. markets specifically selected to reach the campaign's target audience.

20 Apr 2016

Green vegetation near homes plays important role in reducing mortality

Women live longer in areas with more green vegetation, according to new research funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health. Women with the highest levels of vegetation, or greenness, near their homes had a 12 percent lower death rate compared to women with the lowest levels of vegetation near their homes. The results were published Apr. 14, 2016 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

18 Apr 2016

New research in SIV-exposed monkeys provides insights for development of HIV prevention strategies

New research in monkeys exposed to SIV, the monkey equivalent of HIV, suggests that the virus spreads rapidly in the body and triggers early host responses that suppress antiviral immunity, thus promoting viral replication.

15 Apr 2016

Health and Human Services News and Research

Two statistically significant genetic variants may be linked to increased PTSD risk in veterans

Experimental vaccine protects healthy U.S. adults from malaria infection for more than one year

FDA issues formal request to pharmacies to recall all drugs intended to be sterile from Medaus

Genetic variations that prevent beneficial gut bacteria from working may lead to Crohn's disease

Study sheds light on development of ILCs that play vital role in body's immune defense

FDA’s new education campaign for LGBT young adults aims to prevent, reduce tobacco use

NEI-funded study analyzes outcomes of anti-VEGF therapy for AMD

NEI to discuss research advances in regenerative medicine for eye disease at ARVO 2016

Health care records frequently targeted by anonymous hackers

Small doses of cancer drug may be potential treatment for sepsis and other pandemics

Nuplazid (pimavanserin) tablets approved to treat hallucinations and delusions

First generic version of Crestor gets FDA approval

Single bNAb infusion can protect monkeys from HIV-like virus infection

Nurse scientist asks health-care systems to set patients up for mortality cliff

FDA intends to ban electrical stimulation devices to ensure safety, well-being of patients

Experts focus on scientific complexities of individual and population health at iCOMOS 2016

New study suggests re-evaluation of long-held method to predict effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine

FDA expands campaign to educate rural, white male teens about dangers of smokeless tobacco use

Green vegetation near homes plays important role in reducing mortality

New research in SIV-exposed monkeys provides insights for development of HIV prevention strategies

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