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Traditional Chinese medicine contains human placenta

MHRA (Medicines) has recently become aware of a traditional Chinese medicine called Nu Bao. The product patient information leaflet lists human placenta (Placenta hominis), deer antler (Corna cervi pantotrichum) and donkey skin (Colla cori astini) as ingredients.

8 May 2004

66 percent of adults never talked to their mothers about heart disease

Just in time for Mother's Day, a national survey commissioned by GE Healthcare reveals that nearly two out of three adults have never talked to their mothers about heart disease, the number one killer of women in the United States.

8 May 2004

Belarus to collaborate with GenoMed on West Nile virus encephalitis

GenoMed, Inc. has announced that the leading experts in West Nile virus encephalitis in Belarus will collaborate with the Company in treating cases of suspected West Nile virus encephalitis this summer. Belarus, formerly part of the USSR, is now a democratic country of 10.5 million people lying between Poland and Russia; its capital is Minsk.

7 May 2004

West Nile treatment showing 100% response rate among immunocompetent patients

GenoMed, Inc. has announced that it will be limiting its treatment for West Nile virus encephalitis to immunocompetent patients only, where it has posted a 100% success rate.

7 May 2004

Afro-Americans with high blood pressure have double the risk of enlarged heart

American blacks with high blood pressure have nearly double the risk for left ventricular hypertrophy (enlarged heart) compared to hypertensive whites, researchers report in today’s rapid access issue of Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

6 May 2004

New stent appears safe and effective for preventing arteries from reclosing in coronary heart disease patients

A new stent appears safe and effective for preventing arteries from reclosing in coronary heart disease patients, based on one-year results of the first human trial using this stent reported in today’s rapid access issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

6 May 2004

Neurobiologists pinpoint region of the brain responsible for storing distant memories

For the first time, UCLA neurobiologists have pinpointed a region of the brain called the anterior cingulate as responsible for retrieving and storing distant memories. Published in the May 7 edition of Science, the findings may suggest new ways of treating memory disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

6 May 2004

Experimental sleep drug eszopiclone helps elderly to sleep better

Older people with insomnia slept better and longer after taking an experimental sleep medication, according to research at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

6 May 2004

Ritalin drug used to treat hyperactive children boosts the potency of Parkinson's drug levodopa

A well-known drug used to treat hyperactive children boosts the potency of another drug that reduces Parkinson's disease symptoms, an Oregon Health & Science University study has found.

6 May 2004

Vaccines show link between periodontal and heart disease

Strengthening the link between periodontal and heart disease, researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) found they can prevent mice from developing P. gingivalis-accelerated heart disease by immunizing the mice with a vaccine that protects against periodontal disease.

6 May 2004

Weight loss and exercise regime helps osteoarthritis

A combination of moderate weight loss and exercise is an effective treatment for overweight adults with osteoarthritis of the knee, according to new research from Wake Forest University published in the May issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

6 May 2004

Research into Chinese herbal medicine Qian Ceng Ta may help Alzheimer’s

Georgetown University Medical Center researchers today opened a new clinical trial designed to test if huperzine A, a natural product derived from a Chinese herb, can slow down or prevent cognitive decline in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

6 May 2004

Blueprint for people who are acutely ill

The Royal College of Physicians today launches a blueprint to improve the quality and safety of care of people who are acutely ill.

5 May 2004

West Nile Virus returns to United States for another season

The winter cold and flu season is barely over, and the new mosquito season won't really get rolling for a few more weeks, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) already is reporting the presence of West Nile Virus in mosquitoes, birds and other animals in nine states.

5 May 2004

Physician training should include general geriatric medicine principles and specialty specific topics related to ageing

Since the Institute of Medicine published its report Strengthening Training in Geriatrics in 1993, it is widely recognized that all physician training should include general geriatric medicine principles and specialty-specific topics related to aging.

5 May 2004

World's first gene therapy trial aimed at preventing cancer

The concept seems straightforward. If, at its heart, cancer is a disease of genes, then giving patients new genes should disarm cancer. Such treatment would replace missing or faulty genes that keep cell growth in check, or would flush the body with "super genes" that could attack and destroy cancer.

5 May 2004

Swedish Medical Center has unveiled the world's most advanced mobile mammography center

Swedish Medical Center today unveiled the world's most advanced mobile mammography center. Known as the "Swedish Breast Care Express," the 64-foot self-contained coach features the latest full-field digital mammography equipment. And it will be the first unit to incorporate a complete rooftop satellite system for transmitting images remotely.

5 May 2004

Thomson launches new online medical education portal

The Thomson Corporation, a provider of scientific and healthcare information solutions, announced today that it has developed a new online medical education portal.

5 May 2004

SPECT imaging may lead to early diagnosis of Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease (AD) currently afflicts approximately 4.5 million Americans. One of the most feared diseases of old age, AD robs its victims of their memories and personalities long before it takes their lives.

5 May 2004

New insight into the function of RNA helicases

If DNA can be compared to an architect who gets all the glory for designing the building, RNA can be compared to the engineer who often goes unrecognized, but is needed to turn the blueprints into a real three-dimensional, functional and safe structure.

5 May 2004