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CAMH scientists identify potential new approach to prevent smoking relapse

Scientists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have identified a potential new approach to preventing smoking relapse, which occurs frequently in smokers who attempt to quit, despite current treatments.

23 Oct 2012

Sanofi presents overview of Phase II and III trials for quadrivalent influenza vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, presented today an overview of Phase II and Phase III clinical trials for its investigational quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV).

23 Oct 2012

Viewpoints: LA Times endorses Obama; Romney, Ryan 'obfuscating their plans for Medicare, Medicaid;' Obama's health law polarizes the country

The outcome of the presidential election will determine which of two opposing paths the nation will follow on health care for all Americans. If voters re-elect President Obama, he will protect the health care reforms.

23 Oct 2012

Methylation provides clues to gastric cancer subtypes

Research published in Science Translational Medicine shows that many gastric cancers are associated with significant epigenetic alterations along the DNA triggered by methylation.

22 Oct 2012

Primary care physicians miss hepatitis vaccine targets

Primary care physicians are failing to meet guidelines for hepatitis A virus and hepatitis B virus vaccination in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, according to US research.

22 Oct 2012

$Ustekinumab success in refractory Crohn’s disease$

Ustekinumab success in refractory Crohn’s disease

Patients with Crohn’s disease who have failed to respond adequately to anti–tumor necrosis factor treatment may benefit from the monoclonal antibody ustekinumab, results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial suggest.

22 Oct 2012

Bipartisan support for foreign assistance improves, saves lives abroad

Briefly recapping a history of foreign aid policy since 1920, former Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) write in a Politico opinion piece, "Credit for America's global leadership role belongs to both major political parties and Americans of all stripes" who "have always been guided by the notion that all lives have equal value, regardless of where someone was born."

22 Oct 2012

Researchers continue hunt for AIDS vaccine

"Finding a safe, effective AIDS vaccine has, thus far, proved elusive even after some $8 billion invested from 2001-2011 into vaccine research and development," PlusNews reports in an article examining ongoing HIV vaccine research efforts. "Scientists point to HIV's Houdini-like ability to escape immune system attack, and less-than-strategic use of funds over the past decade, as reasons for the continued hunt," the news service writes.

22 Oct 2012

New inhibitor may help nicotine addicts to resist the urge

A new inhibitor helps previously nicotine-addicted rats stay on the wagon, according to a study published on October 22nd in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.

22 Oct 2012

Lantheus Medical Imaging extends contract to supply molybdenum-99 to Nordion

Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc., a global leader in developing, manufacturing and distributing innovative diagnostic imaging agents, today announced that it has extended its contract with Nordion to supply molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) for use in its TechneLite (Technetium Tc 99m Generator) generators. Mo-99 is the parent isotope of technetium-99m (Tc-99m), the medical radioisotope most widely used in nuclear medicine diagnostic imaging tests.

22 Oct 2012

New approach to prevention of breast cancer wins $7.4M award

A new approach to possible future prevention of breast cancer and slowing the spread of tumours has won Austrian researcher Josef Penninger, director of the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA) in Vienna, a $7.4 million innovator's award to continue his research, from the USA's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program.

22 Oct 2012

Rhythm presents RM-131 Phase 1 clinical trial results for diabetic gastroparesis at ACG 2012

Rhythm announced today the results of two Phase 1 clinical trials of RM-131, the company's novel ghrelin agonist for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis, which demonstrated that RM-131 greatly accelerates gastric emptying in healthy subjects with good tolerability.

22 Oct 2012

VEGF produced by NPCs plays a strong role in influencing microglial behavior

The brain's key "breeder" cells, it turns out, do more than that. They secrete substances that boost the numbers and strength of critical brain-based immune cells believed to play a vital role in brain health. This finding adds a new dimension to our understanding of how resident stem cells and stem cell transplants may improve brain function.

22 Oct 2012

Intensive glycemic control does not reduce mortality in neurocritical care patients

A new study in BioMed Central's open access journal Critical Care suggests that intensive glycemic control does not reduce mortality in neurocritical care patients and could, in fact, lead to more neurological damage. Complicating the picture, poor glucose control also leads to worse recovery and should be avoided.

22 Oct 2012

Simple five-question survey may lead to increased diagnoses of COPD

A simple, five-question patient-administered survey (COPD-PS) may lead to increased diagnoses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

22 Oct 2012

Statin use may improve overall survival and reduce risk of recurrence in resected NSCLC patients

Patients who have undergone resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may improve their overall survival and reduce the risk of recurrence by taking statins.

22 Oct 2012

Excessive medical ICU noise could lead to worse patient outcomes

New research shows that overnight noise levels in the medical ICU (MICU) often exceed recommended levels, which could potentially lead to worse outcomes.

22 Oct 2012

Pediatric ICU patients often receive off-label drug treatments

"Off label" drugs are medications that have not been tested for safety or efficacy for a specific patient age or condition. New research presented Oct. 21 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans found that off-label treatments were ordered for 96 percent of all pediatric patients, and 100 percent of patients ages 13-17, in the intensive care unit of an urban children's hospital.

22 Oct 2012

Mistakes are still commonly made in prescriptions of antiretroviral medications

Research presented at IDWeek 2012- concludes that despite advances in electronic medical records, mistakes are still commonly made in the prescription of antiretroviral medications for hospitalized HIV-positive patients. At the same time, a trio of studies suggests however, that electronic records in combination with increased clinical education can help to greatly decrease medical errors.

20 Oct 2012

Clinical trial to study immunosuppressant tacrolimus against generics

A new study at the University of Cincinnati seeks to end the questions over generic-vs.-brand for a common immunosuppressive drug for transplant patients, tacrolimus.

20 Oct 2012