Palliative Care News and Research

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Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.

Edwards Life Sciences heart valve approved in the US

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this Wednesday approved the sale of Edwards Life Sciences Corp's Sapien heart valve for patients deemed too sick to have open-heart surgery.

3 Nov 2011

The West Clinic to partner with Methodist for cancer care

Methodist Healthcare and The West Clinic have entered into a partnership, effective January 1, 2012, to transform cancer care in the Mid-South area. The West Clinic, the region's premier cancer practice and a nationally-recognized leader in cancer research, is joining forces with Methodist to create a comprehensive, fully integrated cancer service for the benefit of Mid-South residents.

29 Oct 2011

Exploring palliative care's positives and negatives

What if a new medication for severely ill patients had no role in curing them but made them feel much better despite being sick?

24 Oct 2011

First Edition: October 24, 2011

Today's headlines include a variety of health policy news developments, including speculation about how the Supreme Court might review the health law and what's happening with the super committee.

24 Oct 2011

FDA clears Cook Medical's Evolution Duodenal Controlled-Release Stent

Cook Medical announced today that its Evolution Duodenal Controlled-Release Stent was recently granted 510(k) clearance by the Food & Drug Administration.

18 Oct 2011

Six new Bristol-Myers Squibb grants to reduce cancer disparities in CEE

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation today announced six new grants totaling more than $900,000 that focus on improving cancer awareness, prevention and care by developing cancer nursing skills and building nurse-community partnerships in Hungary, Poland, Romania and Russia.

15 Oct 2011

Experts to discuss current challenges in pediatric palliative care

In a two-hour seminar at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition in Boston, experts will discuss current challenges in this growing field, including building partnerships between hospitals, pediatricians and hospice services, and how to improve funding to promote better quality of care.

15 Oct 2011

DARA BioSciences' KRN5500 reduces neuropathic pain in patients with cancer

DARA BioSciences, Inc. today announced the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, an internationally respected, peer-reviewed journal, has published results of a Phase II safety and efficacy study of KRN5500 for the treatment of neuropathic pain in patients with cancer.

11 Oct 2011

Survey calls for greater clinical consensus on diagnosis, treatment of breakthrough cancer pain

Today, the results from a European Survey of Oncology Nurse Breakthrough Cancer Pain Practices were presented for the first time at The European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress in Stockholm.

1 Oct 2011

UBC Graduate School of Journalism launches 'The Pain Project' site

In advance of a United Nations conference today on the global challenges of treating cancer and other diseases, the UBC Graduate School of Journalism has launched an ambitious multimedia site, The Pain Project, which documents one of the greatest challenges to treating chronic illnesses: severely constrained access to morphine.

20 Sep 2011

Legal, ethical and cultural barriers to child organ donations

Clinicians from a leading UK children's hospital have called for European countries to change the way they tackle the shortage of organ donations from children, after a review, published in the September issue of Acta Paediatrica, found a large number of legal, ethical and cultural barriers.

8 Sep 2011

ACS' Commission on Cancer releases new standards to directly address patient concerns

A patient-centered approach is at the forefront of new accreditation standards for hospital cancer programs released today by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons.

2 Sep 2011

FDA accepts Salix and Progenics' sNDA filing for RELISTOR to treat opioid-induced constipation

Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing a supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for RELISTOR Subcutaneous Injection to treat opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with non-cancer pain.

30 Aug 2011

Palliative, hospice care can lessen the suffering cancer brings to patients and families

Being diagnosed with cancer can be devastating, and the treatment can take its toll in physical, emotional, social, and even spiritual ways. Palliative care providers can lessen the suffering cancer brings to patients and their families—both during treatment and at the end of life. Many people don't realize that palliative care to treat symptoms and improve a patient's quality of life can and should be given throughout their illness, not just at the end of life.

24 Aug 2011

Canuck Place receives TD donation to build new children's hospice in Abbotsford

Thanks to a generous donation from TD Bank Group, the construction of the second Canuck Place Children's Hospice in Abbotsford, B.C. will include the creation of a space to relax, connect and unwind for some of its most important people: volunteers.

20 Aug 2011

FDA approves Covidien's morphine sulfate oral solution for chronic pain in opioid-tolerant patients

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted approval to the company's Mallinckrodt business for morphine sulfate oral solution, used to relieve moderate to severe acute and chronic pain in opioid-tolerant patients. The solution will be available as a generic in 100 milligrams per 5 mL (20 milligrams per 1 mL).

1 Aug 2011

Common myths about hospice care

People mistakenly think hospice care is about dying... you call hospice when nothing more can be done. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hospice of the Western Reserve focuses on life by bringing comfort, dignity and peace to those facing serious illness. Hospice is about living life to its fullest.

30 Jul 2011

Hospice services improve quality of care and support for dementia patients

Hospice services substantially improved the provision of care and support for nursing home patients dying of dementia and their families, according to an analysis of survey responses from hundreds of bereaved family members.

29 Jul 2011

First Edition: July 26, 2011

In her latest Kaiser Health News consumer column, Michelle Andrews writes: "In the controlled chaos of an hospital emergency department, ensuring that patients are pain-free and can make informed choices about their care often takes a back seat to assessing and stabilizing them and moving them through the system as fast as possible.

26 Jul 2011

Calif. workers seek mental hospital safety; Md.'s rate-setting policies explained; palliative care rare in Ga.

This roundup of state hospital news also includes reports about a Mass. hospital company planning layoffs and the controversy over the proposed sale of a hospital in Denver.

22 Jul 2011