Endocrinology News and Research

Latest Endocrinology News and Research

Scientists suggest FDA to reevaluate safety of plant-based antioxidants

Scientists are calling for more research on the possibility that some supposedly healthful plant-based antioxidants including those renowned for their apparent ability to prevent cancer may actually aggravate or even cause cancer in some individuals.

28 Oct 2010

Abbott provides $180,000 to support recent cholera outbreak in central Haiti

Abbott is providing $180,000 in support to help address the recent cholera outbreak in central Haiti. This includes a $25,000 grant from the Abbott Fund to Partners In Health, and $155,000 in donated Abbott rehydration solutions and antibiotics.

28 Oct 2010

1000 Genomes Project publishes comprehensive map of genetic variations in Nature journal

Small genetic differences between individuals help explain why some people have a higher risk than others for developing illnesses such as diabetes or cancer. Today in the journal Nature, the 1000 Genomes Project, an international public-private consortium, published the most comprehensive map of these genetic differences, called variations, estimated to contain approximately 95 percent of the genetic variation of any person on Earth.

28 Oct 2010

Ipsen reports 8.3% increase in Group sales for first nine months of 2010

Ipsen reported today its sales for the third quarter and the first nine months of 2010.

28 Oct 2010

New national campaign to drive awareness on DVT and PE prevention in women

As many as 600,000 people are affected by deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) every year, and more than half of those are never diagnosed. Some people experience swelling and varying levels of discomfort in the affected area, and some don't feel anything at all. But the symptoms of DVT can be similar to other conditions, like a pulled muscle, and because some people with DVT do not have any symptoms, there is often a delay in diagnosis. That's when DVT can be fatal.

28 Oct 2010

University of Manchester receives Wellcome Trust grant for five-year study

A team investigating how genes respond to hormonal changes and inflammation has been awarded a Wellcome Trust grant of 1.24 million for a five-year study

From The University of Manchester 28 Oct 2010

Prolonged use of glucosamine linked to greater risk of developing diabetes

High doses or prolonged use of glucosamine causes the death of pancreatic cells and could increase the risk of developing diabetes, according to a team of researchers at Universit- Laval's Faculty of Pharmacy. Details of this discovery were recently published on the website of the Journal of Endocrinology.

28 Oct 2010

Glaxo to pay $750 million settlement for defective, unsafe medicines

The New York Times: "GlaxoSmithKline, the British drug giant, has agreed to pay $750 million to settle criminal and civil complaints that the company for years knowingly sold contaminated baby ointment and an ineffective antidepressant — the latest in a growing number of whistle-blower lawsuits that drug makers have settled with multimillion-dollar fines." The 20 medicines that were produced with "questionable safety" measures included "Avandia, a troubled diabetes drug; Coreg, a heart drug; and Tagamet an acid reflux drug."

28 Oct 2010

Diabetes threatens the eyesight of many unsuspecting Americans

Diabetes causes more new cases of legal blindness among working-age Americans than any other disease. If diabetics are monitored regularly by their ophthalmologist, this vision loss is almost always avoidable. Yet, tragically, more than half of all people living with diabetes do not get the recommended annual dilated eye exam. As the number of people with Type 2 diabetes rises in the U.S., the CDC projects that the number of adults with diabetic retinopathy will double by the year 2050. Yet 90 percent of diabetic eye disease can be prevented simply by proper regular examinations and treatment and by controlling blood sugar.

27 Oct 2010

DMC and Vanguard extend definitive purchase agreement

The DMC Board voted this afternoon to extend their definitive purchase agreement with Vanguard Health Systems through the end of the year, allowing more time to complete governmental approvals. Vanguard's purchase of – and $850 million capital investment in – the Detroit Medical Center is the single largest private investment in Detroit's history.

27 Oct 2010

Preventive health programs reduce employee health risks

With employers and individuals continuing to struggle with rising health care costs, a new study shows there is one strategy that is proven to slow the pace of this ever increasing burden: preventive health. Published today in Population Health Management, "The Impact of The Prevention Plan on Employee Health Risk Reduction" reveals that prevention programs based on the clinical practice of preventive medicine are able to achieve measurable health risk reduction in just one year.

27 Oct 2010

Playnormous Video Games receive Creative Child Magazine's 2010 Media of the Year Award

As childhood obesity rates continue to shock the nation, parents and teachers alike are seeking resources to help children learn about making healthier choices. Playnormous, an award-winning producer of research-based health video games and media, puts the power of good health back into the hands of children through creative gameplay. And parents agree. The company's first CD-ROM, Playnormous: Fun For A Change Health Video Games, has been awarded Creative Child Magazine's 2010 Media of the Year Award.

27 Oct 2010

Higher heart rate linked to shorter life expectancy

If you are a person who already has stable heart disease, how fast your heart beats at rest can predict your risk of dying, not only from heart disease but all other causes, Dr. Eva Lonn told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2010, co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society.

27 Oct 2010

ENDOMETRIN Vaginal Insert offers effective luteal support in IVF procedures

Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. presented study results demonstrating that ENDOMETRIN (progesterone) Vaginal Insert provides effective luteal support compared to intramuscular (IM) progesterone-in-oil (PIO) in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) using gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist.

27 Oct 2010

CJPS Medical releases VitalPoint device to improve healthcare

CJPS Medical Systems releases VitalPoint this week, a medical device capable of measuring patients' vital signs from home, while allowing direct communication with their caregiver, and generating and saving HIPAA-compliant electronic medical records.

27 Oct 2010

Diabetic patients unwilling to pay physicians for outside scheduled office visits

Many patients with diabetes might make a phone call or send an e-mail to communicate with their physicians outside of scheduled office visits but the majority of patients are not willing to pay for these services, according to research presented at the American Osteopathic Association's (AOA) 115th Osteopathic Medical Conference & Exposition, known as OMED 2010 Unified, in San Francisco.

27 Oct 2010

Telehealth Monitoring System improves health outcomes in patients with chronic diseases

Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), Diabetes, and wounds are often treated and stabilized in a hospital setting then discharged to continue care at home under the supervision of a Certified Home Health Care Agency. Many high risk patients can now be monitored at home through a Telehealth Monitoring System.

27 Oct 2010

Human haptoglobin gene mutation increases risk of diabetic complications

Type 1 diabetes (T1D), formerly known as juvenile diabetes, is a multifactorial disease of complex etiology characterized by the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells. In addition to genetic susceptibility, it is generally accepted that environmental factors play important roles in triggering disease, with virus infection having perhaps the strongest association.

27 Oct 2010

Lifestyle intervention programs result in significant weight loss for overweight and severly obese adults

Lifestyle interventions, including physical activity and structured weight loss programs, can result in significant weight loss for overweight, obese and severely obese adults, according to two reports that were posted online October 9 by JAMA. The studies and accompanying editorials were made available early online to coincide with the presentation of these papers at the 28th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Obesity Society. The articles appear in the October 27 print issue of JAMA.

27 Oct 2010

ECSA forum kicks off Monday with discussion on effects of funding, health worker shortages on MDGS

Officially opening the East, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA) forum on best practices and joint consultative meeting on Monday, [Zimbabwe Minister of Health and Child Welfare Henry] Madzorera said the shortage of health workers and the growing burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases had slowed down progress toward achieving the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), NewsDay reports.

27 Oct 2010