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Vitamin A does not improve maternal, infant health, study finds

Giving women vitamin A supplements does not reduce maternal death rates or improve the health of infants, according to a study published Tuesday in the Lancet, the New York Times reports.

5 May 2010

Calgary doctors research how to minimize complications from Cryptococcus disease

Cryptococcus disease is a rare but serious infection resulting from inhaling a toxic fungus often found in fir trees. Approximately 250 people have been infected with the disease in British Columbia since its emergence in 1999. The disease can cause meningitis, pneumonia and in 10 per cent of cases it can lead to death.

5 May 2010

Animal study shows insulin prevents artery damage

Long suspected of worsening artery damage in patients with diabetes, insulin instead protects blood vessels, a new study by Joslin Diabetes Center scientists indicates.

5 May 2010

Researchers receive NIDDK grant to identify pre-diabetes symptoms

A Biodesign team of researchers, led by Randall Nelson, PhD, has received a new five-year, $3.1 million award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. Their goal is to discover and validate telltale molecular signs to learn how to predict who will develop the disease long before any symptoms of diabetes appear.

5 May 2010

Clinical preventive services can reduce death rates

"Prevention is the best medicine," the saying goes. According to a new study, increasing the use of that medicine could prevent a significant number of adult deaths annually.

5 May 2010

Myriad Genetics' third-quarter fiscal 2010 revenues increase 5% to $90.8M

Myriad Genetics, Inc. today reported financial results for the third fiscal quarter and the nine-month period ended March 31, 2010.

5 May 2010

Children with hearing loss in one ear have poorer oral language scores: Study

By the time they reach school age, one in 20 children have hearing loss in one ear. That can raise significant hurdles for these children, say the results of a new study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, because loss of hearing in one ear hurts their ability to comprehend and use language.

5 May 2010

Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement planned by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia

According to an Australian Financial Review report the major pharmaceutical companies have agreed to reduce the Australian government’s medicine bill by AUD $2 billion over the next four years only if they are assured of price modifications in future. The details of the agreement are to be revealed next week and experts believe it will reduce the burden on the federal budget which is still considering the source of funds to pay for its health reform package.

4 May 2010

Roche announces Health Canada approval for ACTEMRA to treat RA

Roche today announced that Health Canada has approved ACTEMRA(TM) (tocilizumab) to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease of the joints and surrounding tissues that is associated with intense pain, irreversible joint destruction and systemic complications, such as fatigue and anemia.

4 May 2010

Early treatment of ROP for high-risk premature babies can improve vision: ETROP study

Scientists have shown that through eye examinations, doctors can identify infants who are most likely to benefit from early treatment for a potentially blinding eye condition called retinopathy of prematurity, resulting in better vision for many children.

4 May 2010

New study finds stereotypies in more than 60% of orphaned or abandoned children

Stereotypies -- repetitive behaviors such as rocking, flapping, spinning objects and head-banging – are commonly seen in people with autism or mental retardation. They can also be acquired by children exposed to severe neglect and deprivation, along with declines in IQ, mental health and language.

4 May 2010

Cardiovascular specialists demonstrate effectiveness of using stents to repair aortas

A UC Davis team of cardiovascular specialists has demonstrated the effectiveness of using stents -- as compared to traditional open-chest surgery -- to repair aortas that are torn as the result of accidents. The researchers will present their findings at the American Association for Thoracic Surgery Aortic Symposium 2010, which takes place April 29-30 in New York City.

4 May 2010

Karolinska Institutet researchers discover new control mechanism in immune system

Researchers at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet have discovered a new control mechanism in our immune system. The discovery is of potential significance to the treatment of serious diseases such as MS (multiple sclerosis), rheumatoid arthritis, and SLE (Systemic lupus erythematosus).

4 May 2010

Pilot pneumonia-prevention program reduces postoperative pneumonia in hospital surgical ward: Research

The results of new research results published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons show that a pilot pneumonia-prevention program significantly reduced postoperative pneumonia in a hospital surgical ward.

4 May 2010

Role of pharmacists on primary care health teams to be discussed during Health Affairs press briefing

Smith will discuss the role of pharmacists on primary care health teams during a Health Affairs press briefing on Tuesday, May 4 at 11:30 a.m. ET. She will be joined by an interprofessional team of colleagues that includes Christine Cassell of the American Board of Internal Medicine, Joanne Pohl of the University of Michigan School of Nursing and Bill Leinweber from the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

4 May 2010

Study examines sleep issues in 2,800 people 100 years of age and older

A study in the May 1 issue of the journal SLEEP is the first to examine sleep issues in a large sample of exceptionally old adults, including nearly 2,800 people who were 100 years of age and older.

4 May 2010

Merck reports non-GAAP EPS of $0.83 for first-quarter 2010

Merck & Co., Inc. today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2010. The company reported non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) earnings per share (EPS) for the first quarter of $0.83, which excludes purchase accounting adjustments, merger-related expenses and restructuring costs, as well as a tax charge related to the recently enacted health care reform legislation. First-quarter GAAP EPS was $0.09.

4 May 2010

JNM supplement examines advances in cardiovascular molecular imaging

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine -the top-rated medical imaging journal worldwide-has published Multimodality Molecular Imaging of the Cardiovascular System, presenting the state of the art of cardiovascular molecular imaging and discussing opportunities and challenges in advancing cardiovascular molecular imaging to clinical practice.

4 May 2010

FDA grants market clearance for Illumina's BeadXpress system for multiplex genetic analysis

Illumina, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted 510(k) market clearance for the company's BeadXpress system for multiplex genetic analysis.

From Illumina, Inc. 4 May 2010

HGH improves athletic performance: Study

A study released today in Annals of Internal Medicine, the flagship journal of the American College of Physicians, finds that human growth hormone improves sprint capacity in healthy recreational athletes. This is the first trial to demonstrate that HGH improves athletic performance.

4 May 2010