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Aging thalidomide victims to receive $50 million in compensation

Thalidomide was sold in a number of countries across the world from 1957 until 1961 when it was withdrawn from the market after being found to be a cause of birth defects in what has been called "one of the biggest medical tragedies of modern times".

28 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 28, 2010

Today's headlines reflect developments regarding the health insurance marketplace and the implementation of the new health law.

28 Jul 2010

Students with ADHD less likely to finish high school graduation: Study

Teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder - the most common childhood psychiatric condition in the United States - are less likely to finish high school on time than students with other mental-health disorders that often are considered more serious, a large national study by researchers at the UC Davis School of Medicine has found. The study found that nearly one third of students with ADHD, twice the proportion as students with no psychiatric disorder, either drop out or delay high school graduation.

28 Jul 2010

Scientists discover mechanism behind flushing reaction caused by nicotinic acid treatment

Cholesterol influences the health of our hearts and blood vessels. Conventional treatment attempts to reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, in the blood plasma. The opposite approach, which involves increasing the concentration of "good" HDL cholesterol using nicotinic acid, has proven unpopular among patients up to now. The reason for this is that treatment with nicotinic acid has an unpleasant but harmless side-effect: the drug makes patients turn quite red in the face. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim have now discovered the mechanism behind this effect, which is known as flushing. This will enable the development of flush inhibitors and thereby the more effective prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

27 Jul 2010

ProtAffin signs manufacturing contract with CMC Biologics for COPD drug PA401

ProtAffin AG, a biotechnology company developing a novel class of biopharmaceutical products that act by targeting cell-surface glycan structures, today announced it has signed a manufacturing contract with CMC Biologics' Danish operations, located in Copenhagen, Denmark for manufacture of its lead product PA401 for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The contract will cover manufacture and supply of PA401 for preclinical development and early clinical development in COPD and related respiratory indications.

27 Jul 2010

No such thing as “safe” cigarettes

In a new development a 12-member US panel is debating over the issue of menthol cigarettes being more addictive. If the results go against the cigarettes Australia too will have to ban the sale of such cigarettes. This would mean a significant loss to Alpine cigarettes and imported brands such as Kool, Virginia Slims and Salem.

26 Jul 2010

British adults support removal of tobacco displays in shops, ban on cigarette vending machines: Survey

Three quarters of British adults support the removal of shop displays of tobacco (73 per cent) and a complete ban on cigarette vending machines (77 per cent) according to a new survey commissioned by Cancer Research UK this weekend.

26 Jul 2010

Shop displays of tobacco encourages smoking

Young people believe 'behind the counter' shop displays of cigarettes encourage smoking and are considered "cool, fun and attractive" according to new research published in Health Promotion Practice.The results come as regulations to remove these shop displays are in danger of being scrapped by the Coalition Government. The 2009 Health Act aims to remove cigarette vending machines in 2011 and put tobacco out of sight in all shops by the end of 2013.

23 Jul 2010

WHO, IOC team up to promote healthy lifestyle choices for noncommunicable disease prevention

WHO and the International Olympic Committee are teaming up to promote healthy lifestyle choices, including physical activity, sports for all, Tobacco Free Olympic Games, and the prevention of childhood obesity. As outlined in a memorandum of understanding signed today in Lausanne, the WHO and IOC will work at both the international and country level to promote activities and policy choices to help people reduce their risk of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancers, and diabetes.

22 Jul 2010

Smoking cessation effectively alter subgingival microbiome in patients on periodontal therapy: Study

Patients with chronic gum disease who quit smoking in addition to undergoing nonsurgical therapy not only demonstrated a lower abundance of harmful oral pathogens, but also an increase in health-associated bacteria. The researchers from The Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio, and Newcastle University, United Kingdom report their findings in the July 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

22 Jul 2010

ATLIS 2010 shows gap in patient-physician dialogue that may negatively impact patients' quality of life

Results from the landmark AIDS Treatment for Life International Survey, a multi-country survey of more than 2,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, revealed a significant gap in patient-physician dialogue about critical health-related conditions that may negatively impact patients' overall long-term health, quality of life, and treatment outcomes.

21 Jul 2010

LSDF announces awards for four Washington research teams

The Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF) today announced $600,000 in awards to four Washington state-based research teams to support commercial development of health-related technologies. The funded projects will concentrate on improving the success rate of lumbar punctures (spinal taps) in children; developing a safer and more effective magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent; enhancing a DNA sequencing technology to profile T cells within the immune system; and developing a device to detect early stages of tooth decay.

21 Jul 2010

Ingestion of probiotic supplements prevents eczema: Study

Mothers who drank milk with a probiotic supplement during and after pregnancy were able to cut the incidence of eczema in their children by almost half,a new study published in the British Journal of Dermatology has shown.

21 Jul 2010

Center for Regulatory Effectiveness concerned over undue influence by agency on tobacco advisory panel

The watchdog group Center for Regulatory Effectiveness (CRE) today urged the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to assure that advice provided by a tobacco advisory committee on menthol cigarettes is "independent and not influenced by agency staff" in accordance with federal law.

17 Jul 2010

Lorillard calls upon FDA TPSAC to employ dispassionate science in evaluation of menthol in cigarettes

With the words of Food and Drug Commissioner Margaret Hamburg on the screen beside him, a Lorillard Tobacco Company scientist today called upon the FDA's Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) to employ a "truly science-based, data-driven" process in its evaluation of menthol in cigarettes. Earlier this week Hamburg made headlines when she told an FDA science panel to "Follow the science wherever it leads and the rest will fall into place."

17 Jul 2010

CCTP focuses on identifying, testing drugs for cancer stem cell treatment

Cancer and stem cell biology researchers at the University of Colorado are launching the nation's first program focused on identifying and testing drugs that target and destroy cells thought to be at the root of cancer-cancer stem cells (CSCs).The Cancer Stem Cell-Directed Clinical Trials Program (CCTP) is a collaboration between the University of Colorado Cancer Center and the Charles C. Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology, both located at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

17 Jul 2010

CDC director gives health system failing grade on prevention

Memphis Commercial Appeal: "The American health care system gets an 'F' when it comes to acting on a handful of prevention methods that have the potential to save the most lives. That failing grade came from Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a Wednesday speech to members of the National Association of County and City Health Officials gathered here for their annual conference at Cook Convention Center."

17 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: Shift entitlement spending to the states; The lack of a GOP health plan; Battling tobacco

The U.S. fiscal path is unsustainable, primarily because of out-of-control entitlement spending. … At some point, therefore, the economy is due to crash unless Washington reins in spending. One way to avoid this outcome would be to transfer entitlement programs to the states ... failure to slash entitlements could mean a bankrupt economy. When that happens, it's sure to be the poor who suffer the most (Jeffrey Miron, 7/16).

17 Jul 2010

Studying retrovirus assembly can help new drug development for infection control

How a retrovirus, like HIV, reproduces and assembles new viruses is different than previously thought, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. Understanding the steps a virus takes for assembly could allow development of a way to prevent the spread of retroviral diseases. The team studied a chicken virus called Rous sarcoma virus that causes cancer in chickens and is similar to HIV.

16 Jul 2010

Smokers exposed to wood smoke are at increased risk of COPD: Research

Smokers who are exposed to wood smoke, either through home heating and cooking or through ambient neighborhood pollution, are not only at increased risk of COPD, but are also more likely to have epigenetic changes in the DNA that further increase their risk of COPD and related pulmonary problems.

15 Jul 2010

Tobacco News and Research

Aging thalidomide victims to receive $50 million in compensation

First Edition: July 28, 2010

Students with ADHD less likely to finish high school graduation: Study

Scientists discover mechanism behind flushing reaction caused by nicotinic acid treatment

ProtAffin signs manufacturing contract with CMC Biologics for COPD drug PA401

No such thing as “safe” cigarettes

British adults support removal of tobacco displays in shops, ban on cigarette vending machines: Survey

Shop displays of tobacco encourages smoking

WHO, IOC team up to promote healthy lifestyle choices for noncommunicable disease prevention

Smoking cessation effectively alter subgingival microbiome in patients on periodontal therapy: Study

ATLIS 2010 shows gap in patient-physician dialogue that may negatively impact patients' quality of life

LSDF announces awards for four Washington research teams

Ingestion of probiotic supplements prevents eczema: Study

Center for Regulatory Effectiveness concerned over undue influence by agency on tobacco advisory panel

Lorillard calls upon FDA TPSAC to employ dispassionate science in evaluation of menthol in cigarettes

CCTP focuses on identifying, testing drugs for cancer stem cell treatment

CDC director gives health system failing grade on prevention

Today's OpEds: Shift entitlement spending to the states; The lack of a GOP health plan; Battling tobacco

Studying retrovirus assembly can help new drug development for infection control

Smokers exposed to wood smoke are at increased risk of COPD: Research

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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