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3M and Gen-Probe collaborate to combat healthcare-associated infections

3M and Gen-Probe have announced that the companies have formed an exclusive worldwide collaboration to develop and commercialize rapid, easy-to-use nucleic acid tests to detect certain dangerous healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

1 May 2007

Mexico City bill that legalizes abortion during first three months' gestation published into law

A bill that allows pregnant women to obtain a legal abortion in Mexico City during the first three months' gestation was published into law on Thursday, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports (Castillo, AP/Houston Chronicle , 4/26).

30 Apr 2007

Cover the uninsured week focuses on enrolling children in SCHIP

Several states have held events as part of Cover the Uninsured Week, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

30 Apr 2007

House subcommittee debates rural veterans' access to care

House Veterans Affairs Health Subcommittee members on Thursday discussed several bills to improve veterans' access to health care, particularly in rural areas, CQ HealthBeat reports.

30 Apr 2007

Schering-Plough announces European approval of new formulations of AERIUS (Desloratadine)

European Commission approves AERIUS Tablets (2.5 mg and 5 mg) and AERIUS Oral Solution (0.5 mg per 1ml).

30 Apr 2007

Proportion of uninsured residents in North Carolina increases

The percentage of North Carolinians under the age of 65 who lacked health insurance for a year has risen from 15.3 percent in 2000 to 17.2 percent in 2005.

30 Apr 2007

Many NYC pharmacies fail to cater for people with poor English

Despite widespread capacity to provide prescription medication labels in languages other than English, few New York City pharmacies do so and as a result, limited-English patients face serious risk of medication error, according to a study by The New York Academy of Medicine presented at the annual meeting of the Society for General Internal Medicine (SGIM) in Toronto, Ontario.

30 Apr 2007

Benzylpiperazine a 'new drug of abuse'

Professor Alison Jones said benzylpiperazine was a ,new drug of abuse, which could have serious clinical effects - similar to those of ecstasy to which it is structurally related.

30 Apr 2007

Mail 'shot' helps reduce binge drinking

Mailing a simple information pamphlet to interested drinkers in the general population reduced binge drinking by 10 per cent, and is a promising public health approach to reduce the health and social problems associated with heavy drinking, shows a new study led by the University of Alberta.

30 Apr 2007

Small-molecule macroarray helps tackle MRSA

In 1928, Alexander Fleming opened the door to treating bacterial infections when he stumbled upon the first known antibiotic in a Penicillium mold growing in a discarded experiment.

30 Apr 2007

Antiquated plumbing causes six premmies to die

The deaths of six premature babies at a hospital in Canada three years ago has been attributed to bacteria found in the building's aging water pipes.

29 Apr 2007

Tarceva extends life of patients with pancreatic cancer

New results published by the Journal of Clinical Oncology show that adding Tarceva (erlotinib) to gemcitabine chemotherapy significantly improves survival by 22 percent in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

27 Apr 2007

Sandia decon formulation, best known as an anthrax killer, takes on household mold

A product based on a technology originally developed at Sandia National Laboratories is now available on the shelves of hardware stores across the country.

27 Apr 2007

A need to assess risks involved with spinal manipulation in children

Researchers are calling for the creation of a collaborative registry to assess the risk of serious injuries when treating children using spinal manipulation.

27 Apr 2007

World's first no-scar surgery

On April 2, 2007, at the University Hospital of Strasbourg in France, Professor Jacques Marescaux and his team successfully performed the world's first no-scar surgery.

27 Apr 2007

Gene CHD7 linked to idiopathic scoliosis

Researchers at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC), one of the nation's leading pediatric centers for research and the treatment of orthopaedic conditions, have identified the first gene - CHD7 - associated with idiopathic scoliosis (I.S.), the most common spinal deformity in children.

27 Apr 2007

Outdated policies are impediment for Americans with disabilities

Although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has helped increase awareness of barriers faced by people with disabilities, and advances in science and engineering have led to better assistive technologies that make it easier for individuals to lead productive, independent lives, outdated regulations too often impede access to health care coverage and assistive devices for many who need them, says a new report by the Institute of Medicine.

27 Apr 2007

New mechanism identified for resistance to targeted lung cancer drugs

An international research team, led by investigators from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), has found a new way that some lung tumors become resistant to treatment with targeted therapy drugs like Iressa and Tarceva.

27 Apr 2007

Taking low dose aspirin does not protect older women against cognitive decline

Identifying ways to prevent dementia is a public health priority. Evidence suggests that aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs may protect against dementia, but data from randomised studies to date have been inconclusive.

27 Apr 2007