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Newspapers examine concerns surrounding possible FDA approval of Truvada for PrEP

The New York Times and the Financial Times examine concerns expressed by AIDS activists and members of an FDA panel that last week recommended Gilead Sciences' antiretroviral drug Truvada be approved for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV among healthy people at risk of contracting the virus.

16 May 2012

Achaogen’s plazomicin and levofloxacin safe and effective in treating cUTI, acute pyelonephritis

Achaogen, Inc. announced today that all objectives were met in the company's multi-national Phase 2 study of plazomicin compared to levofloxacin for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) and acute pyelonephritis in adults.

16 May 2012

NPR's 'All Things Considered' examines HIV among India's gay community

NPR's "Shots" blog includes an "All Things Considered" story that examines how "a 2009 benchmark ruling in Delhi's High Court," which "struck down a 148-year-old law known as Section 377, a holdover from British colonial rule that made homosexual acts illegal," has led to a wider level of HIV outreach to Mumbai's gay community.

16 May 2012

Increase in fall death rates in older Americans is likely the effect of improved reporting quality

The recent dramatic increase in the fall death rate in older Americans is likely the effect of improved reporting quality, according to a new report from the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy.

16 May 2012

Researchers eager to teach Swedes about best brushing technique

Almost all Swedes brush their teeth, yet only one in ten does it in a way that effectively prevents tooth decay. Now researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, are eager to teach Swedes how to brush their teeth more effectively.

16 May 2012

Positive data from Theraclone Sciences’ TCN-032 Phase 1 trial on influenza A infection

Theraclone Sciences, Inc., a therapeutic antibody discovery and development company, today announced positive top-line data from its Phase 1 trial of TCN-032, a broadly protective, fully human monoclonal antibody, being developed for the treatment of influenza A infections.

16 May 2012

Lab21’s HCV drug resistance genotyping receives new patents in the U.S., Europe

Lab21 Limited, the Cambridge, UK-based specialist in personalised medicine has secured new patents in Europe and the USA relating to Hepatitis C (HCV) drug resistance as it continues to expand its intellectual property portfolio in infectious disease testing.

15 May 2012

Significant breakthrough in understanding the cause of bile duct cancer

A team of international scientists has made a significant breakthrough in understanding the cause of bile duct cancer, a deadly type of liver cancer. By identifying several new genes frequently mutated in bile duct cancers, researchers are paving the way for better understanding of how bile duct cancers develop. Their discovery is published online in Nature Genetics.

15 May 2012

Third of world carrying TB; Disease could become incurable without action, WHO warns

"A third of the world's population is carrying tuberculosis [TB], and the disease could become incurable if governments fail to act, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned," noting that a "lack of funding for public health programs, the sale of inaccurate blood tests and the misuse of drugs, particularly in the private health sector, are hampering the fight against the disease and leading to drug resistance," the Independent reports.

15 May 2012

State roundup: Health jobs brightening local economies but workers paying more for care

About 1 in 5 private-sector employees works in health services, which has replaced manufacturing as the region's powerhouse. It's a transformation happening across the U.S., but many worry about long-term side effects.

15 May 2012

Microbiome of young men depends upon circumcision status, patterns of sexual activity

The first study using cultivation independent sequencing of the microorganisms in the adolescent male urinary tract has revealed that the composition of microbial communities colonizing the penis in young men depends upon their circumcision status and patterns of sexual activity.

15 May 2012

U.N., international community should pledge to improve water, sanitation in Haiti to mitigate cholera epidemic

"The cholera epidemic in Haiti, which began in late 2010, is bad and getting worse, for reasons that are well understood and that the aid community has done far too little to resolve," a New York Times editorial states, adding that the "Pan American Health Organization has said the disease could strike 200,000 to 250,000 people this year" and "has already killed more than 7,000."

15 May 2012

Crothall releases new white paper on infection prevention

Leading environmental services provider Crothall Healthcare recently announced the release of its Infection Prevention White Paper, a comprehensive and exhaustively researched document summarizing both the importance of environmental hygiene to a hospital's infection prevention and control (IPC) program and Crothall's integrated environmental services approach to patient safety through reduced transmission of healthcare-associated infections.

15 May 2012

As MDGs set to expire in 2015, U.N. panel to advise on approaches to development; African Progress Panel calls for 'big push' on continent

"The presidents of Indonesia and Liberia -- Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf -- and the prime minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, are to co-chair a U.N. panel to advise on approaches to development after the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expire in 2015," SciDev.Net reports.

14 May 2012

HIV prevention treatment must include medical, behavorial approaches: APA

A drug that has been shown to prevent HIV infection in a significant number of cases must be combined with behavioral approaches if the U.S. health care establishment is to succeed in reducing the spread of the virus, according to the American Psychological Association.

14 May 2012

Excess protein in urine test predicts renal failure in patients with severe sepsis

Henry Ford Hospital researchers have found that the presence of excess protein in a common urine test is an effective prognostic marker of acute renal failure in patients with severe sepsis.

14 May 2012

Energy-efficient LED devices use UV light to kill pathogens

Research from North Carolina State University will allow the development of energy-efficient LED devices that use ultraviolet (UV) light to kill pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. The technology has a wide array of applications ranging from drinking-water treatment to sterilizing surgical tools.

14 May 2012

Groundbreaking biohybrid device to control acute inflammation to prevent sepsis

The body's natural inflammatory response is an essential reaction to injury and infection. When acute inflammation escalates out of control, such as in sepsis, it causes nearly 10% of deaths in the U.S. and more than $17 billion in healthcare costs each year. A group of researchers have developed a groundbreaking biohybrid device that can control acute inflammation to prevent sepsis and other related life-threatening complications, as described in an article in the inaugural issue of Disruptive Science and Technology.

14 May 2012

New Jefferson Hepatitis C Center

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital recently opened its new Jefferson Hepatitis C Center, one of only a few comprehensive, multidisciplinary centers dedicated to the study of hepatitis C virus and hepatic disease in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware tri-state area.

14 May 2012

Study reveals variability in physician intentions and recommendations on HPV vaccination

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center surveyed 1,008 physicians seeking their knowledge, recommendation beliefs and information on their practices regarding the controversial human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which is aimed at preventing cancers resulting from sexually transmitted HPV infection. Of the physicians surveyed, 112 provided additional comments at the conclusion of the survey.

14 May 2012

Disease/Infection News

Newspapers examine concerns surrounding possible FDA approval of Truvada for PrEP

Achaogen’s plazomicin and levofloxacin safe and effective in treating cUTI, acute pyelonephritis

NPR's 'All Things Considered' examines HIV among India's gay community

Increase in fall death rates in older Americans is likely the effect of improved reporting quality

Researchers eager to teach Swedes about best brushing technique

Positive data from Theraclone Sciences’ TCN-032 Phase 1 trial on influenza A infection

Lab21’s HCV drug resistance genotyping receives new patents in the U.S., Europe

Significant breakthrough in understanding the cause of bile duct cancer

Third of world carrying TB; Disease could become incurable without action, WHO warns

State roundup: Health jobs brightening local economies but workers paying more for care

Microbiome of young men depends upon circumcision status, patterns of sexual activity

U.N., international community should pledge to improve water, sanitation in Haiti to mitigate cholera epidemic

Crothall releases new white paper on infection prevention

As MDGs set to expire in 2015, U.N. panel to advise on approaches to development; African Progress Panel calls for 'big push' on continent

HIV prevention treatment must include medical, behavorial approaches: APA

Excess protein in urine test predicts renal failure in patients with severe sepsis

Energy-efficient LED devices use UV light to kill pathogens

Groundbreaking biohybrid device to control acute inflammation to prevent sepsis

New Jefferson Hepatitis C Center

Study reveals variability in physician intentions and recommendations on HPV vaccination

Changing the landscape of R&D to build clinical success from the ground up

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

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