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Promising new tuberculosis drug enters clinical trial

A promising new drug candidate that may be effective against both actively dividing and slow-growing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) has begun testing in humans, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, announced this week.

15 Jun 2005

President Bush's cut to AIDS prevention in Africa would be devastating

President Bush claims to have tripled US aid to Africa, yet he has set the Global Fund on a course to disaster. While promising to back the Fund, the cut he has proposed to the US contribution to the Fund could lead to a massive reduction in HIV/AIDS prevention and care for orphans.

14 Jun 2005

School kids need 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily

"The take-home message for parents is that it is very important to ensure that their children spend at least an hour a day in some form of appropriate physical activity," says Dr. William B. Strong, a pediatric cardiologist and retired professor at the Medical College of Georgia who co-chaired the panel.

13 Jun 2005

Tight glucose control lowers CVD by about 50 percent in diabetes

A significantly lower risk of heart disease can now be added to the list of proven long-term benefits of tight glucose control in people with type 1 diabetes.

12 Jun 2005

A protein found naturally in the brain may protect against Parkinson's disease

The findings also may lead to an improved understanding of a disorder called early-onset torsion dystonia.

2 Jun 2005

Environmental solutions to childhood obesity

National and community leaders join researchers today to sort out how a child's environment increases the risk for obesity and to identify ways the environment can be changed to address this health epidemic.

2 Jun 2005

Even limited training improves communication with patients from other cultures

Simple classroom lectures about different religious holidays, such as the Muslim tradition of fasting during Ramadan, or Spanish language lessons focused on common medical terms really work to help physicians and nurses connect with patients from different cultures and improve patient satisfaction, according to a pair of reports from Johns Hopkins researchers.

25 May 2005

Medicaid paying for Viagra for sex offenders in New York

According to an audit by the state's comptroller, a large number of convicted rapists and other high-risk sex offenders in New York have been getting Viagra on Medicaid for the last five years.

23 May 2005

Hospitalizations at children's hospitals account for only one-third of pediatric patients

A study comparing U.S. pediatric hospitalizations showed that only one-third of a total 1.7 million hospitalizations in the year 2000 were to children's hospitals with specialized pediatric expertise. The results were presented today by University of Vermont Professor of Pediatrics Richard Wasserman, M.D., at the 2005 Pediatric Academic Societies' Annual Meeting.

15 May 2005

Increasing exposure to either natural or artificial ultraviolet (UV) light should not be recommended as a supplemental source of vitamin D

Based on data reviewed by a consensus conference convened by the American Academy of Dermatology Association to examine the relationship between sunlight, tanning booths and vitamin D, renowned medical experts agreed that increasing exposure to either natural or artificial ultraviolet (UV) light should not be recommended as a supplemental source of vitamin D.

2 May 2005

Millions of employed Americans uninsured and unable to get Medical Care

A new study analyzing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that a significant number of working Americans in every state do not have health care coverage, with more than 20 million working adults not having coverage. In eight states, at least one in five working adults is uninsured.

27 Apr 2005

Promising new West Nile therapy cures disease in mice

West Nile virus alarmed Americans when it made its first U.S. appearance in New York City in 1999. It has since spread from coast to coast, sickened more than 16,000 Americans and killed more than 600.

27 Apr 2005

How Ebola virus infects cells - discovery

Ebola virus reproduction in laboratory-grown cells is severely hampered by enzyme-inhibiting chemicals, and these chemicals deserve further study as possible treatments for Ebola virus infections in humans, report scientists supported in part by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

23 Apr 2005

Brain system that controls the sleep/wake cycle might also play a role in regulating appetite and metabolism

A new mouse study suggests that a brain system that controls the sleep/wake cycle might also play a role in regulating appetite and metabolism. Mice with a mutation in a gene called "Clock," which helps drive circadian rhythm, ate significantly more and gained more weight.

22 Apr 2005

Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's may be delayed

In a study of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), those who took the drug donepezil were at reduced risk of progressing to a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) during the first year of the trial, but by the end of the 3-year study there was no benefit from the drug. Vitamin E was also tested in the study and was found to have no effect at any time point in the study when compared with placebo.

13 Apr 2005

105 new health center grants totaling more than $63 million

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt has announced plans to award 105 new health center grants totaling more than $63 million. These grants will help an estimated 632,000 Americans, including many without health insurance, obtain comprehensive primary health care services.

12 Apr 2005

Medicare announces funding for health insurance counseling

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a 50 percent increase in funding for the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs). SHIPs are a key partner in Medicare’s Education and Outreach effort to insure that everyone with Medicare knows they are eligible for prescription drug coverage, that they will have a choice of at least two plans, and that there will be extra assistance for those in need.

12 Apr 2005

HIV treatment-experienced patients set high standards for therapy success

Patients who have previously failed at least two anti-HIV regimens continue to have high standards for their treatment success, according to a survey commissioned by the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR).

11 Apr 2005

Moderate levels of exercise may not be enough to control mild hypertension

Moderate levels of exercise may not be enough to control mild hypertension in men and women over age 55, the age group most at risk of later developing potentially fatal heart failure, a new four-year study reports. The findings by researchers at Johns Hopkins, to be published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine online April 11, call into question the effectiveness of national guidelines on exercise for lowering blood pressure in older people.

11 Apr 2005

HHS to tackle obesity among African Americans

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced today the award of $1.2 million to improve efforts to reduce obesity among African Americans through a new partnership with national African American organizations.

7 Apr 2005