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First Edition: November 23, 2011

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations include an examination of changes in Medicare that the Democrats have endorses and a Kansas abortion case.

23 Nov 2011

Pediatricians warn about hazards of button batteries

With the increasing production of electronic products in the consumer market, more button batteries are found in the home setting. From remote controls and watches to musical greeting cards and toys, these small, shiny objects are the perfect size for a curious child to swallow or even push into their nasal cavity or ear canal. It is important for parents to be aware of the dangers that button batteries pose to young children and the damage that these batteries can cause.

23 Nov 2011

Health experts identify gap in medical trainee programs

Globalization has led to significant changes in the health care of children worldwide, yet medical education in the developed world has remained domestically focused. Canadian pediatricians are caring for growing numbers of new immigrants, refugees and international adoptees, so their formal training should reflect these changes.

21 Nov 2011

Scientists solve mystery behind why people with defective hemoglobin do not contract malaria

Why do people with a hereditary mutation of the red blood pigment hemoglobin not contract severe malaria? Scientists in the group headed by Prof. Michael Lanzer of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Heidelberg University Hospital have now solved this mystery.

19 Nov 2011

HVTN debunks top 10 myths about HIV vaccine research

Dec. 1 is World AIDS Day, and in commemoration of the occasion, the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, headquartered at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, debunks the top 10 myths about HIV vaccine research.

18 Nov 2011

Scientists discover family of chemical compounds that could prevent malaria

A international team led by scientists from the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF) and The Scripps Research Institute has discovered a family of chemical compounds that could lead to a new generation of antimalarial drugs capable of not only alleviating symptoms but also preventing the deadly disease.

17 Nov 2011

Pneumococcal vaccine Prevnar13 effective in seniors

Pneumococcal disease kills millions worldwide and the largest affected groups are children and the elderly. Federal health scientists now assure that the popular pneumococcal vaccine Prevnar is at least as effective as a rival vaccine at protecting adults from the sometimes-deadly infection.

15 Nov 2011

Scientists determine atomic structure of Lassa fever viral protein

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have determined the atomic structure of a protein that the Lassa fever virus uses to make copies of itself within infected cells.

15 Nov 2011

Cambodia set to distribute more than 2.5M mosquito nets by end of year

"Millions of Cambodians are set to receive insecticide-treated mosquito nets as part of a government-led effort to mitigate the risk of malaria and dengue fever," IRIN reports.

14 Nov 2011

Genzyme's alemtuzumab Phase lll trial on MS meets co-primary endpoints

Genzyme, a Sanofi company, reports today that the Phase lll CARE-MS ll trial met both of its co-primary endpoints. Relapse rate and sustained accumulation (worsening) of disability (SAD) were significantly reduced in multiple sclerosis patients receiving alemtuzumab as compared with Rebif.

14 Nov 2011

Annual European CDC report says infectious diseases, drug resistance are concerns

"Europe's health is suffering, with around 80,000 cases of tuberculosis infection a year and serious problems with measles, HIV and threats from 'superbug' infections, an annual health report" from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said Thursday, Reuters reports.

11 Nov 2011

Long-range wind transport of an infectious agent may cause KD

Kawasaki Disease (KD) is a severe childhood disease that many parents, even some doctors, mistake for an inconsequential viral infection. In fact, if not diagnosed or treated in time, it can lead to irreversible heart damage. After 50 years of research, including genetic studies, scientists have been unable to pinpoint the cause of the disease.

10 Nov 2011

U.N., aid groups appeal for additional funding, supplies for Pakistan flood victims

The U.N. and several other international aid groups, including Oxfam, Save the Children, Care and ACTED, on Wednesday "warn[ed] they are running short of money and supplies to help millions of people affected by floods in Pakistan," the Associated Press reports.

10 Nov 2011

Four-year kala azar treatment study launched in India, Bangladesh

"A four-year test of drugs to treat a widespread parasitic disease called kala azar was announced on Monday by the governments of India and Bangladesh, Doctors Without Borders, the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative [DNDi] and other groups," the New York Times reports.

9 Nov 2011

New breast and ovarian cancer vaccine in the pipeline: Study

A new vaccine is being tried clinically to combat tumor cells in a small study of advanced breast and ovarian cancer patients. The results show that there is improvement in overall survival times and stopping the disease for a handful of breast cancer patients.

8 Nov 2011

Largest-ever implementation study on kala-azar in Asia

A comprehensive four-year project including over 10,000 patients in clinical and pharmacovigilance studies for diagnosis and treatment of visceral leishmaniasis (VL, also known as kala-azar) in India and Bangladesh was launched by an international consortium formed last month to support control and elimination strategies in both countries, where the concentration of disease burden is among the world's highest.

7 Nov 2011

New data from Novartis' ACZ885 Phase III study on SJIA

Novartis announced today new pivotal Phase III data showing 45% of children with active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) were able to substantially reduce their use of oral corticosteroids (often described as steroids) within 28 weeks of commencing treatment with ACZ885.

7 Nov 2011

Vertex announces positive interim data from INCIVEK Phase 2 combination trial on HIV, HCV

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced positive interim results from an ongoing Phase 2 study designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of INCIVEK (telaprevir) tablets in combination with pegylated-interferon and ribavirin in people who are co-infected with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus.

7 Nov 2011

Vitamin D supplementation benefits people with lupus

The first study to report the effects vitamin D has on the immune system of people with lupus was reported this week a the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago.

7 Nov 2011

HHS scientists to share recent rheumatology findings at 75th ACR annual meeting

Hospital for Special Surgery physician-scientists who focus on arthritis, lupus, vasculitis and related conditions are traveling from New York City to Chicago this week to share their recent findings at the 75th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.

7 Nov 2011