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Texas needle-exchange bill deserves 'fair hearing' in State House, editorial says

The Texas Legislature should give a bill (S.B. 188) to establish a needle-exchange program a "fair hearing so that Texas can join the other 49 states in allowing the creation of programs that save lives and save taxpayer money," a San Antonio Express-News editorial says.

5 Apr 2009

U.S.-funded HIV/AIDS, malaria initiatives represent 'new approach' to foreign aid, opinion piece says

In her book "Dead Aid," author Dambisa Moyo comes to "disastrously wrongheaded conclusions" regarding U.S. foreign aid, columnist Michael Gerson writes in a Washington Post opinion piece.

5 Apr 2009

Canadian Senator proposes process to expedite export of low-cost drugs for HIV, other diseases

Canadian Sen. Yoine Goldstein earlier this week proposed a bill that would reform Canada's Access to Medicines Regime by expediting the process of exporting generic drugs for diseases such as HIV to developing countries, the Ottawa Citizen reports.

5 Apr 2009

URMC to trial minimally invasive device that 'reins in' acid reflux

The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) is one of 15 specialized sites across the U.S. and Europe gearing up to trial a new implantable device that could bring relief to the estimated 25 million American adults who suffer from daily heartburn.

4 Apr 2009

Varicella zoster infection causes severe autoimmune hepatitis

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic liver inflammation of unknown etiology that is characterized by the presence of circulatory autoantibodies and ongoing liver tissue damage.

2 Apr 2009

Hair helps predict HIV/AIDS treatment success

UCSF researchers have found that examining levels of antiretroviral drugs in hair samples taken from HIV patients on therapy strongly predicts treatment success.

2 Apr 2009

Schizophrenia could be caused by faulty signalling in the brain

In the biggest study of its kind, scientists looking in detail at brain samples donated by people with the condition have identified 49 genes that work differently in the brains of schizophrenia patients compared to controls.

2 Apr 2009

Opioid antagonists show potential for problematic pain

Achieving effective, durable, and safe pain relief, especially in patients with chronic and/or severe pain conditions, can be difficult.

2 Apr 2009

Drugs that act on 'fasting signal' may curb insulin resistance in obese

A report in the March issue of Cell Metabolism , a Cell Press publication, has found that a signal known to play a role during fasting also switches on early in the fat tissue of obese mice as they progress toward type 2 diabetes.

2 Apr 2009

Electroacupuncture protects acetylsalicylic acid-induced acute gastritis in rats

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used as anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents.

2 Apr 2009

Discovery of marker for severity in adult brain cancer

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a new biological indicator that may help identify which brain-cancer patients have the most aggressive forms of the disease.

1 Apr 2009

Figures on teenage drinking, smoking and drug use across Europe released

The latest findings on teenage drinking, smoking and drug use across Europe are released the 26th of March, 2009.

1 Apr 2009

Blocking hunger hormone helps fight cocaine addiction

UC Irvine pharmacological researchers have discovered that blocking a hormone related to hunger regulation can limit cocaine cravings.

1 Apr 2009

Muc4 protein may help breast cancer spread, beat cancer drugs

New research from UC Davis Cancer Center shows that a protein called Muc4 may be the essential ingredient that allows breast cancer to spread to other organs and resist therapeutic treatment.

1 Apr 2009

Targeted approach to kill specific disease-causing bacteria in the mouth

Research to develop a narrow-spectrum antibiotic that can target a particular species of bacteria without harming the other "good" bacteria present was described at the Society for General Microbiology meeting at Harrogate today (Thursday April 2).

1 Apr 2009

Discovery of new fat-fighting pathway

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered a process that controls the amount of fat that cells store for use as a back-up energy source.

1 Apr 2009

Omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oils kills cancer cells

Docosahexanoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oils, has been shown to reduce the size of tumours and enhance the positive effects of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, while limiting its harmful side effects.

1 Apr 2009

Sorafenib may help patients suffering from advanced portal hypertension

In a new study, a therapeutic agent called sorafenib dramatically improved the condition of rats with portal hypertension.

1 Apr 2009

FDA approves generic Topamax tablets (topiramate)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first generic versions of Topamax tablets (topiramate) to prevent seizures.

1 Apr 2009

A new theory on autism put forward

Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have proposed a sweeping new theory of autism that suggests that the brains of people with autism are structurally normal but dysregulated, meaning symptoms of the disorder might be reversible.

1 Apr 2009