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Health groups issue updated colorectal cancer screening guidelines

The American Cancer Society, the American College of Radiology, and the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer (a group that comprises representatives from the American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy) have released the first-ever joint consensus guidelines for colorectal cancer screening.

5 Mar 2008

New less invasive procedure for lumbar spinal stenosis

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a common spinal problem suffered mainly by people over 50 and is often associated with leg, buttock, groin and some times back pain.

4 Mar 2008

FDA approves Aloxi injection for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting

Eisai Corporation of North America, its U.S. subsidiary, MGI PHARMA, INC., and Helsinn Healthcare SA today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Aloxi (palonosetron hydrochloride) injection for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) for up to 24 hours following surgery.

4 Mar 2008

Rabies case confirmed in France

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has become aware of a case of confirmed rabies in a dog, diagnosed in France on the 26th February.

4 Mar 2008

Utopia gets it right when it comes to indigenous health

A new study by Australian researchers into the health of an indigenous community has produced some interesting results.

4 Mar 2008

Snoring linked to cardiovascular disease, increased health-care utilization

Loud snoring with breathing pauses is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and increased health care utilization, according to a study published in the March 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.

3 Mar 2008

New study says nurses could carry some of the GP work load

According to new research Australia's "crisis in manpower" currently being experienced regarding general practice doctors could be alleviated if better use was made of the expertise of practice nurses.

3 Mar 2008

New laws will mean patients in NSW are protected from doctors' misconduct

The Health Minister for New South Wales Reba Meagher has announced plans to introduce the mandatory reporting by medical practitioners of their colleagues in instances of gross misconduct.

3 Mar 2008

Study identifies reasons patients referred late to nephrologists

Some patients with kidney disease aren't referred to kidney specialists in time to delay disease progression and improve their prognosis for a variety of reasons, according to researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues.

1 Mar 2008

Simple screening questionnaire for kidney disease outperforms current clinical practice guidelines

The general public is not sufficiently aware that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious and progressive medical condition.

1 Mar 2008

NIDDK releases new awareness series on diabetes, digestive diseases and kidney and urologic diseases

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) has announced the release of new health information to raise awareness about diabetes, digestive diseases, and kidney and urologic diseases among people not yet diagnosed with these illnesses.

1 Mar 2008

New online information resource on bladder problems

Women with bladder control problems can learn about treatments and techniques to help them manage their condition in a new resource from the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC), an information dissemination service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

1 Mar 2008

State-to-state differences in quality of care for children with special needs

A new government survey reveals children with special health care needs, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and asthma, don't consistently get the care that is federally recommended and that there are vast state-to-state differences.

28 Feb 2008

Music may help ease symptoms of depression

Music therapy might help ease the symptoms of depression, though its effectiveness as a stand-alone intervention is not certain, according to a recent review of five small studies.

28 Feb 2008

Helping older people live safely and independently

Complex interventions such as preventive home visits and community-based care after hospital discharge can help improve physical function and maintain independent living in older people, according to a Bristol University study of more than 90,000 older people published in this week's edition of the Lancet.

28 Feb 2008

Weighing female patients in private may encourage them to undergo necessary tests and treatments

A new study from the University of Pennsylvania points to increased health risks for women owing to their higher level of discomfort about being weighed in public.

28 Feb 2008

UCLA to study health care disparities affecting minorities

The UCLA Department of Family Medicine, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has launched the Network for Multicultural Research on Health and Healthcare, a group that will study health care disparities affecting minorities with chronic diseases.

28 Feb 2008

Decline in cystic fibrosis since introduction of prenatal carrier screening

A brief report in the February 28, 2008, New England Journal of Medicine, led by researchers at the New England Newborn Screening Program (NENSP) of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), indicates a declining incidence of a genetic disease, providing what may be the first demonstration of a link between two independent population-based screening programs.

28 Feb 2008

Are cataract rates on the decline?

Should glaucoma patients seeking alternative therapies trust what they find online? Are seatbelts still important to protect eyes in auto accidents, now that most cars have airbags? What's the connection between hearing loss and one form of glaucoma? These are among the topics explored in the March 2008 issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

28 Feb 2008

Heart disease in Europe

New figures published by the European Society of Cardiology and the European Heart Network this month, highlighted the significant differences in cardiovascular disease across Europe.

27 Feb 2008