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New concerns over prescription narcotics use

Over fifty Australian general practitioners have come under the scanner as part of a national crackdown on inappropriate prescribing of narcotics. The three-month campaign is being carried out by the Medicare following high levels of prescriptions for drugs such as OxyContin and OxyNorm. One GP has been found to be writing over 90 per cent of their prescriptions for narcotics. There are further concerns that the painkillers are being resold on the black market.

7 Mar 2011

Poll explores link between Americans' use of communication technologies and sleep habits

The 2011 Sleep in America- poll released today by the National Sleep Foundation finds pervasive use of communications technology in the hour before bed. It also finds that a significant number of Americans aren't getting the sleep they say they need and are searching for ways to cope.

7 Mar 2011

Study links 13 new gene regions to coronary atherosclerosis

Thirteen new gene regions have been convincingly linked to coronary atherosclerosis in a massive, new, international genetics study involving investigators from the Stanford University School of Medicine.

6 Mar 2011

Researchers explore ways to improve human-computer interaction

Lijun Yin wants computers to understand inputs from humans that go beyond the traditional keyboard and mouse.

5 Mar 2011

Efficient medical treatments to be showcased at SIR's 36th Annual Scientific Meeting

The Society of Interventional Radiology will feature minimally invasive scientific advances and new discoveries in treating a host of diseases at its 36th Annual Scientific Meeting March 26–31 at McCormick Place (West) in Chicago, Ill. The theme of the meeting is "IR Rising: Leading Image-guided Medicine," chosen to reflect interventional radiology's continued revolutionizing of modern medicine.

5 Mar 2011

FLSPMP moves to set record straight on issue of patient privacy, PDMP

The Florida Society of Pain Management Providers moves to set the record straight on the issue of patient privacy and the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

5 Mar 2011

Eveo to develop mobile solutions that encourage adherence

Medication non-adherence is as dangerous and costly as many diseases, causing up to 125,000 deaths annually in the U.S. Non-adherence, the failure to take drugs on time in the dosages prescribed, has been described as the world's "other drug problem."

5 Mar 2011

Avvo lets users identify doctors by hospital affiliation

Avvo (www.avvo.com), the world's largest online directory for doctors and lawyers that provides free rankings for 90% of the working physicians in the U.S., continues to grow the number of service features offered on its medical website -- to bring doctors and patients the latest, breakthrough online directory tools. This month, Avvo unveils a new Hospital Sort capability that further enables users to hone in on the comprehensive information they need to make their physician search even more effective, and that also helps doctors and hospitals to more easily reach prospective patients.

4 Mar 2011

Endolymphatic sac shunt surgery improved hearing loss symptoms in flight attendant

When fluctuating hearing loss, with frequent bouts of nausea and vertigo caused New York flight attendant Patricia Gilbert to miss several work shifts, she sought answers from the medical community.

4 Mar 2011

Longer looks: Best health policy picks from thought-provoking publications

Every Thursday, KHN's Jessica Marcy compiles this selection of interesting perspectives, from a variety of publications, on health care in America.

4 Mar 2011

Canadian nurses call for changes to health system

Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) president Judith Shamian and Nursing Association of New Brunswick (NANB) president Martha Vickers announced today that their organizations will join forces to press for changes to Canada's health system.

4 Mar 2011

Cancer patients' willingness to undergo tests bodes well for future of personalized medicine

Cancer patients are willing to undergo many tests to receive advanced experimental treatment in clinical trials, according to a new study by Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale Healthcare and the Translational Genomics Research Institute.

4 Mar 2011

AHF receives American Express fund to fight against HIV/AIDS

AIDS Healthcare Foundation is proud to announce that it has been voted as one of the charities to receive $200,000 in funding from American Express through the company's Members Project program.

4 Mar 2011

New study: Depression and anxiety may influence physical symptoms

Researchers have for decades hypothesized that negative emotions lead to inflated reports of common physical symptoms, like headaches or an upset stomach. But a new University of Iowa study suggests that two negative emotions -- depression and anxiety -- influence symptom reporting in different ways.

4 Mar 2011

Springtime may cause or worsen dry eye condition

Springtime may be just what the doctor orders for individuals suffering from dry eye condition, a disorder resulting from insufficient tear production or altered tear film composition. According to a study published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, a temperature less than 30 degrees Celsius on the eye and eyelid could be the cause for the onset or worsening of the disorder.

4 Mar 2011

Mater improves communication with external healthcare providers

A pilot of new web-based software designed to improve communication between Mater Health Services and external providers is being rolled out across Brisbane.

3 Mar 2011

VICC introduces nation's first personalized cancer decision support tool

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center has launched the nation's first personalized cancer decision support tool, "My Cancer Genome," to help physicians and researchers track the latest developments in personalized cancer medicine and connect with clinical research trials for their patients.

3 Mar 2011

Scientists develop simple home-based blood pressure measuring device for diabetics

Many people get stressed when they visit the doctor, leading to blood pressure readings higher than normal. It's called "White Coat Syndrome." And since two-thirds of diabetics suffer from high blood pressure, getting accurate readings is crucial to getting proper care for them.

3 Mar 2011

Joslin launches initiative for primary care physicians to improve diabetes care

Joslin Diabetes Center has launched a groundbreaking initiative for primary care physicians to improve diabetes care.

3 Mar 2011

Study: Men who consume non-steroidals more likely to have erectile dysfunction

Men who take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs three times a day for more than three months are 2.4 times more likely to have erectile dysfunction compared to men who do not take those drugs regularly, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published online in The Journal of Urology.

3 Mar 2011