Women's Health News and Research

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First Edition: December 8, 2011

In today's headlines, reports about the HHS decision on the Plan B morning after pill, as well as the latest progress reports from Capitol Hill on the payroll tax break extension and the doc fix.

8 Dec 2011

Watson introduces Amethia Lo and ethinyl estradiol tablets

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that under a settlement with Teva Women's Health, Watson has launched Amethia Lo (levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol (0.1mg/0.02mg) and ethinyl estradiol (0.01mg)) tablets, the generic equivalent of Teva Women's Health, Inc.'s LoSEASONIQUE.

8 Dec 2011

Scientists identify a pattern that predicts which pregnant women likely to have complications

Poor mental health before pregnancy predicts which pregnant women are most likely to have a pregnancy complication and give birth to a low birth-weight baby, a new nationwide survey reveals.

6 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Entrenchment on Capitol Hill; Medicaid's woes; Presidential mistake on Berwick

Last week's failure of the budget super committee, despite its super powers, is only the latest breakdown in an attempt at compromise in Washington. Politicians keep trying to fashion failsafe solutions to the capital's uncompromising mind-set, without understanding that there is no external escape from an environment that rewards those who stand tenaciously on their principles and demonize their opponents. Members of Congress need to change their minds about compromise, or voters will need to change the members of Congress.

1 Dec 2011

Elevated blood sugar levels linked with increased risk of colorectal cancer

Elevated blood sugar levels are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to a study led by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

30 Nov 2011

Mass immunization with cervical cancer vaccine switched to a more effective variety

Cervarix is currently offered to girls aged 12 and 13 years to protect against strains of the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes most cases of cancer of the cervix, the neck of the womb. Cervarix was picked by the Labour government for the first four-year phase of the NHS programme in 2008 because it offered ‘best overall value’ and more than five million doses have been given.

27 Nov 2011

Men less willing to participate in cancer screening than women

Although men have higher cancer mortality rates than women, they are less willing to be screened for cancer, according to a study conducted by researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., and colleagues at Sanoa Consulting LLC, Muscle Shoals, Ala., and the New York University College of Dentistry.

23 Nov 2011

Omega-3 linked with reduced joint pain and cognitive side effects of breast cancer therapy

"I know I need this medicine to help lower my chance of cancer recurrence, but it makes my joints ache and stiff. It makes me feel old and I am not sure I can take this medication much longer."

19 Nov 2011

Combo hormone therapy increases risk of breast cancer in women with new-onset tenderness

The debate about using menopausal hormone therapies to relieve symptoms in post-menopausal women has been ongoing. Is the combination therapy of estrogen and progestin better or worse than just giving women estrogen alone? In women who still have a uterus (those who have not had a hysterectomy), progestin counteracts the increased risk of uterus cancer when estrogen is given alone, but at the expense of an increase in breast cancer risk compared to estrogen alone.

19 Nov 2011

FDA revokes approval of Avastin for breast cancer

The commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration on Friday revoked the approval of the drug Avastin as a treatment for breast cancer, ruling in an emotional issue that pitted the hopes of some desperate patients against the statistics of clinical trials.

19 Nov 2011

Bionovo initiates Menerba Phase 3 trial in menopausal hot flashes

Bionovo, Inc., a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of safe and effective treatments for women's health and cancer, today announced that the first patient has now been randomized and will begin dosing in the Phase 3 pivotal clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of two doses of Menerba (MF101) among a cohort of postmenopausal women for the treatment of menopausal hot flashes.

17 Nov 2011

Whole-body-vibration does not effectively boost bone density

Whole-body-vibration, a popular exercise which uses a vibrating platform, is sometimes advertised as being able to boost bone density. However, a one-year-study on healthy postmenopausal women has shown that it has no such effect.

15 Nov 2011

Religion promotes optimism, support systems, and reduced mortality risk in older women: Study

A new study released last Thursday showed that those who attend religious services regularly are more optimistic and have a lesser tendency to be depressed, compared to those who do not attend services at all.

13 Nov 2011

Jonas Center establishes nursing scholars program for veterans health

In recognition of the dedication and sacrifice of the nation's veterans, the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence has established the Jonas Nursing Scholars Program for Veterans Health.

10 Nov 2011

Miss. voters reject abortion measure; Ohio restores pubic employees' rights

Ohio voters passed a constitutional amendment to block implementation of the individual mandate, but that measure could easily become moot if the Supreme Court rules on the issue.

10 Nov 2011

Merck's NEXPLANON 68 mg now available in the U.S.

Merck today announced that NEXPLANON (etonogestrel implant) 68 mg, a long-acting, progestin-only single-rod hormonal contraceptive, is now available in the United States.

10 Nov 2011

More than half of all Americans will have diabetes by 2020

Half of all American adults are destined to develop diabetes or pre-diabetes by 2020 if they don't make dramatic lifestyle changes, according to a dire new prediction from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

5 Nov 2011

Vitamin D does not confer benefits against mortality in postmenopausal women

Doctors agree that vitamin D promotes bone health, but a belief that it can also prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease and other causes of death has been a major health controversy. Consistent with advice issued last fall by the Institute of Medicine, a new study finds that vitamin D did not confer benefits against mortality in postmenopausal women after controlling for key health factors such as abdominal obesity.

2 Nov 2011

Teva third quarter net sales increase 2% to $4.34 billion

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today reported results for the quarter ended September 30, 2011.

2 Nov 2011

ER-positive breast cancer patients with high levels of heat shock factor 1 experience poor outcomes

Whitehead Institute scientists report that patients whose estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers have high levels of the ancient cellular survival factor heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) experience poor outcomes—including increased mortality.

1 Nov 2011