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Intellipharmaceutics announces delay of patent approvement to market Protonix drug

Intellipharmaceutics International, today announced that it has notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that it has not received notification, as provided for under the Hatch-Waxman Act, of any patent infringement proceedings by the brand owner, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pfizer, for its application to market a generic of Wyeth's Protonix® tablets.

22 Dec 2010

Gastric bypass surgeries performed using da Vinci Surgical System

Friday, bariatric surgeons at St. Vincent's East, Lee Schmitt, M.D., F.A.C.S. and Robert (Les) Miles, M.D., F.A.C.S., of Alabama Weight Loss Surgery, performed two gastric bypass surgeries using the da Vinci® Surgical System, also known as the "robot." Dr. Schmitt and Dr. Miles will be the only bariatric surgeons in the state of Alabama routinely offering patients this minimally invasive option in gastric bypass surgery.

21 Dec 2010

Tips to keep alcohol intake in check for a healthier, safer holiday season

There seems to be a little bit more of everything during the holidays: more travel, more parties, more food, and certainly more alcoholic drinks.

20 Dec 2010

FDA moves to curb Avastin's approval for breast cancer

The Food and Drug administration on Thursday revoked its approval of Roche drug Avastin for the treatment of breast cancer. The agency's action, based on findings that did not confirm that the medicine helped patients with this disease, has drawn criticism from patients and politicians.

20 Dec 2010

FDA recommends removal of breast cancer indication from Avastin label

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that the agency is recommending removing the breast cancer indication from the label for Avastin (bevacizumab) because the drug has not been shown to be safe and effective for that use.

17 Dec 2010

Study explores meaning of respect in medical student education

Along with integrity and compassion, respect for patients, colleagues and other team members is an essential attribute of medical professionalism. A new study examines how medical students learn respectful or disrespectful professional behavior.

14 Dec 2010

Vented bottles prevent nutrient loss in breast milk and infant formula

A recently published University of Nevada study indicates that both breast milk and infant formula should be protected from the air to reduce the impact of oxidation on essential nutrients, including vitamins A and E. An earlier phase of the study showed similar impacts on Vitamin C.

14 Dec 2010

Mouse study shows flu virus infection may protect against asthma

In a paper that suggests a new strategy to prevent asthma, scientists at Children's Hospital Boston and their colleagues report that the influenza virus infection in young mice protected the mice as adults against the development of allergic asthma.

14 Dec 2010

Scientists create functioning human intestinal tissue from pluripotent stem cells

For the first time, scientists have created functioning human intestinal tissue in the laboratory from pluripotent stem cells.

13 Dec 2010

Health care systems inadequate for managing acute GI hemorrhage outside of normal hours

Patients treated by Welsh hospitals for upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding were 41% more likely to die if they were admitted on a public holiday and 13% more likely if it was at the weekend, according to research in the January issue of Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

9 Dec 2010

Laparoscopic approach still best for most patients, not for all: Study

If skin is the body's fortress against germ invaders, shouldn't minimally invasive surgeries - operations guided by camera probes, conducted entirely within the abdomen - carry less risk for serious infection than procedures that slice the same cavity wide open?

9 Dec 2010

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust pioneer novel technique for breast reconstruction

Surgeons at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust are pioneering a novel technique for breast reconstruction that has the potential to make a huge difference to the lives of women affected by breast cancer.

8 Dec 2010

Lung transplant saves economist from near-lethal bout of swine flu

According to the critical care experts at The Johns Hopkins Hospital who treated him, Allen Bagents, 24, of Arlington, Va., is the least likely person anyone ever expects to get sick, let alone suffer a six-week, potentially fatal bout with the swine flu, better known as H1N1 influenza.

8 Dec 2010

IEEE members are transforming the future of medicine and healthcare

Members of IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, are advancing the application of engineering sciences and technology with medicine and biology to make healthcare personal again.

8 Dec 2010

Humble aspirin reduces cancer death rates

A new study has shown aspirin cuts down the death rates from a range of cancers. The study reviewed data from eight previous trials involving more than 25,000 patients found that those who took just 75mg of aspirin a day (one-eighth of a normal dose) could reduce their death rates from cancer by 21% with benefits continuing long after patients stopped taking the pill.

7 Dec 2010

Breast cancer patients taking tamoxifen anxious to have CYP2D6 genetic test

While the medical community continues to debate the benefits of CYP2D6 genetic testing for women on the breast cancer treatment tamoxifen, patients using the medication are anxious to have the tests. According to a new survey of more than 700 women with breast cancer currently taking tamoxifen, almost 80 percent of respondents would choose to have a genetic test that determines CYP2D6 genotype, yet only 14 percent of these women have been tested. CYP2D6 is an enzyme that influences how well the body processes tamoxifen into its more active form.

7 Dec 2010

Low dose of aspirin reduces occurrence of several common cancers: Study

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has contributed to a study showing that a low dose of aspirin reduces the occurrence of several common cancers. The study is published in today's Lancet.

7 Dec 2010

URMC's Cone Beam CT scanner studies presented at RSNA 2010

While questions persist about the best ways to detect breast cancer early, a CT imaging system developed at the University of Rochester Medical Center and first unveiled five years ago is in a better position today to enter the fray -- at least in a supporting role to conventional mammography.

4 Dec 2010

Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory for 2010 December focusses on tackling norovirus outbreaks

In early 2010, Pennsylvania nursing homes and hospitals reported an increased number of cases of gastrointestinal illness which are consistent with recurring outbreaks of the highly contagious norovirus and norovirus-like illnesses nationwide. With a new norovirus season approaching, the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority issues its 2010 December Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory with data analysis, guidance and success stories provided by Pennsylvania nursing homes for preventing and controlling the illness.

2 Dec 2010

CT best way to detect cocaine in human drug couriers

According to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), the best way to detect cocaine in the body of a human drug courier, known as a mule, is through computed tomography (CT).

1 Dec 2010