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New report shows 2% decrease in anxiolytic and hypnotic sales in Norway

After many years of gradual increase followed by a three-year levelling off period, sales of addictive anxiolytic and hypnotic drugs decreased by just under two per cent in 2010.

24 Mar 2011

ISEFC, TB Alliance to establish Global Health R&D Center of China

The International Scientific Exchange Foundation of China, a technical public foundation dedicated to promoting and advancing scientific development, cooperation, and exchange, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, to work together to establish the Global Health R&D Center of China, a world-class organization focused on developing innovative new treatments for public health diseases, including tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS.

24 Mar 2011

SAVE THE PATIENT offers hygiene tips to prevent hospital-acquired infection

With infections contracted in hospitals rising at alarmingly high rates, patients cannot simply rely on hospital hygiene practices and protocols to protect themselves. Patients need to proactively interact with health care staff to ensure their own safety.

24 Mar 2011

New research: Methadone can affect brain and impair intellectual functions

Methadone has been used to treat heroin addicts for nearly 50 years. Yet we have surprisingly incomplete knowledge about possible harmful effects from prolonged use. New research from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health shows that methadone affects the brain and impairs the attention of experimental animals.

24 Mar 2011

IMS introduces new Institute for Healthcare Informatics

IMS Health today introduced the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics - a new initiative that will leverage collaborative relationships in the public and private sectors to strengthen the vital role of information in advancing healthcare globally.

24 Mar 2011

Kenya’s condom shortage

Health authorities in Kenya have revealed that the country was facing a condom shortage and it has made an emergency order of 45 million more. A January consignment of 19 million condoms lasted for around six weeks.

23 Mar 2011

Sex and heart attack risk: Study

According to a study published March 23/30 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, sexual intercourse can trigger dangerous cardiac events and sudden heart attacks. In the two hours after sex, the chances of having a heart attack are dramatically higher than normal, warned the study from two researchers associated with the Tufts University Medical Center in Boston.

23 Mar 2011

Smoke-free air law does not affect off-track betting facility business in Indiana

An Indiana University study found that a smoke-free air law implemented in an Indiana community did not hurt business at the off-track betting facility in that community. The findings, the researchers said, suggest there is "no economic reason for policymakers to exclude OTB facilities from smoke-free legislation."

23 Mar 2011

Episodic physical and sexual activity associated with short-term increase in risk of acute cardiac events

An analysis of previous studies that examined whether episodic physical activity and sexual activity can act as a trigger for cardiac events found an association between these activities and a short-term increased risk of heart attack and sudden cardiac death, although the absolute risk was small and lessened among persons with high levels of regular physical activity, according to an article in the March 23/30 issue of JAMA.

23 Mar 2011

AARDA report on American economic impact of AD released at congressional briefing

A new report by the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association examining the economic impact of autoimmune disease on Americans, their families and the United States was released today at a congressional briefing as part of AARDA's 2011 National Autoimmune Diseases Awareness Month activities.

23 Mar 2011

Strong 'innate immunity' effective in chikungunya patients

Chikungunya is transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. The disease is spreading in the world and periodically sparks new outbreaks. Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean and even Southern Europe are now affected.

23 Mar 2011

Heart attack risk during sex is low: Study

According to the latest research from Tufts Medical Center, sexual intercourse, previously believed does increase the risk of a heart attack, but the risk is still small and only rises during and soon after the deed.

22 Mar 2011

USP teams up with FDA, CHPA to update quality standards for common medications

As part of its ongoing mission to protect public health, the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention is working with the Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association to update quality standards for widely used medicines and ingredients.

22 Mar 2011

Researchers launch free online Atlas of TB vaccination policies around the world

Tuberculosis continues to pose a major global health threat. Someone in the world is newly infected with TB bacteria every second. Every year, more than 9 million people develop active TB and it claims about 2 million lives.

22 Mar 2011

Supporters urge Obama to push for Berwick's Senate hearings, nomination

A virtual Who's Who of the patient-safety and health care quality movements has signed a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to request that Senate hearings be held on his nomination of Dr. Donald Berwick as administrator of the CMS, who currently is serving a temporary recess appointment that expires in December.

22 Mar 2011

WHO concerned about radiation levels in food near damaged Japanese nuclear plant

A WHO spokesperson "said on Monday that the detection of radiation in food after an earthquake damaged a Japanese nuclear plant was a more serious problem than had first expected," Reuters reports.

22 Mar 2011

Oral desensitization with omalizumab may treat milk allergy in children

Some 3 million children in the United States have some form of food allergy, ranging in severity from mild to life-threatening. Milk allergy is the most common, affecting 2.5 percent of children under age 3.

22 Mar 2011

Experts warn of global water shortages ahead of World Water Day

Speaking out ahead of World Water Day on Tuesday, water experts have warned of growing water shortages worldwide, Inter Press Service reports.

22 Mar 2011

NYC expands YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program to help adults avoid disease consequences

The YMCA of Greater New York today announced the New York City expansion of the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program, a 16-session group behavior change class that helps people at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes prevent the disease through healthy eating, increased activity and other positive lifestyle changes.

22 Mar 2011

Earthquake response could be improved through telemedicine

A new study published by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College and the University of California, Davis, foresees improvements in patient outcomes after a major earthquake through more effective use of information technology. A control tower-style telemedicine hub to manage electronic traffic between first responders and remote medical experts could boost the likelihood that critically injured victims will get timely care and survive, according to the team's computer simulation model.

21 Mar 2011