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Research confirms benefits of commonly used traditional remedies for a range of illnesses

Research presented to the British Pharmaceutical Conference today, confirms the benefits of commonly used traditional remedies for a range of illnesses, including cancer, offering a scientific justification for their use.

29 Sep 2004

Draft Medicare plan to cover implantable defibrillators

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today proposed to expand coverage of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), a move expected to save thousands of lives a year.

29 Sep 2004

IT for patient care varies widely across U.S. physician practices

While there's wide enthusiasm for harnessing the power of information technology (IT) to improve U.S. medical care, fewer than a quarter of physicians in 2001 could generate electronic treatment reminders for use during patient visits and only about 10 percent could write electronic prescriptions

29 Sep 2004

Last year over 36,000 Americans died from exposure to the flu

Another 200,000 people were hospitalized with symptoms of the illness. The flu and pneumonia (the most common complication of the flu) combined are the fifth leading cause of death among Americans age 65 and older.

29 Sep 2004

Cancer Research Technology and The Institute of Cancer Research complete licence with Vernalis

Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT) and The Institute of Cancer Research announce that Vernalis plc has licensed exclusive worldwide rights to an anti-cancer Hsp90 inhibitor programme.

29 Sep 2004

Microfluidics help lab-on-a-chip development skyrocket

Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) development has skyrocketed in the last couple of years due to constant efforts in harnessing microfluidics and µTAS to improve the LOC design and function. The distinct advantages that they bestow on applications are pushing the commercial potential of LOCs.

28 Sep 2004

DuPont CEO says consumers will increasingly depend on biotechnology

DuPont Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles O. Holliday, Jr. today said significant progress has been made in demonstrating the benefits of biotechnology, in its acceptance, and in the advancement of new and exciting products the technology is making possible.

28 Sep 2004

Specially adapted MRI improves brain tumour removal

A specially adapted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner can help physicians remove brain tumors and all of the residual cancer during one surgical procedure

28 Sep 2004

Half of sildenafil samples purchased on the internet were fake

Around half of the Viagra samples purchased on the Internet were counterfeit, according to researchers who are today announcing a new technique that detects counterfeit medicines at the British Pharmaceutical Conference.

27 Sep 2004

Guidant announces plans to initiate vulnerable plaque study

Guidant has announced plans to conduct a study designed to increase clinical understanding of “vulnerable” plaques – lipid-rich coronary lesions that suddenly rupture – that may cause most heart attacks.

27 Sep 2004

New methods for the growth and development of human pancreatic beta islets

Vitro Diagnostics has announced the development of new methods for the growth and development of human pancreatic beta islets (Islets of Langerhans) and the filing of a new patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

27 Sep 2004

Researchers have integrated heart cells grown from human embryonic stem cells into a host heart

Researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Rambam Medical Center have demonstrated that heart cells grown from human embryonic stem cells can integrate into the host heart and help regulate its activity, becoming in effect a biological pacemaker.

27 Sep 2004

Functions of the c-myb gene which leukemia cells depend on for proliferation

Today the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences publishes a paper by Temple University researchers that details one of the functions of the c-myb gene (which leukemia cells depend on for proliferation), the formation of white blood cells.

27 Sep 2004

Global-positioning system offers surgeons a powerful tool for minimally invasive joint replacement

Doctors with Abbott Northwestern Hospital’s Orthopaedic Institute have a new and valuable tool for performing knee replacement surgeries.

27 Sep 2004

South African sales of MedMira rapid HIV tests begin

MedMira Inc., the international market leader in rapid flow- through diagnostic technology announced today that it has begun shipment of its MiraWell(TM) Rapid HIV Test to its distributor.

26 Sep 2004

$16 million investment in minute wireless implant technology

Remon Medical Technologies a privately held medical device company, today announced that it has raised $16 million in the initial close of a Series C financing.

23 Sep 2004

First generation of human retinal cells in the laboratory from human embryonic stem cells

Some of these retinal tissues such as Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for such devastating diseases as macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, and other retinal degenerative diseases.

23 Sep 2004

Auckland kids are five times more likely than those in other developed countries to need hospital admission for pneumonia

Pneumonia is a major problem in New Zealand. We believe a significant proportion of it is preventable. We want to know what the risk factors are so that we can find ways to reduce the number of children who get so sick they need hospital care

23 Sep 2004

PA Consulting sells drug delivery venture, Meridica, to Pfizer

Pfizer and PA Consulting Group have announced the signing of a transaction in which Pfizer will purchase the remaining 90% ownership of Meridica Limited

23 Sep 2004

Nanowires could be used to sense thousands of different viruses

Harvard University scientists have found that ultra-thin silicon wires can be used to electrically detect the presence of single viruses, in real time, with near-perfect selectivity.

22 Sep 2004