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ACT treats fourth patient in U.S. clinical trial for Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced treatment of the fourth patient, the first in the second patient cohort, in its U.S. clinical trial for Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy (SMD).

13 Jul 2012

Officials identify causes of 'mystery illness' responsible for more than 60 child deaths in Cambodia, CNN reports

According to physicians familiar with the investigation, the causes of the "mystery illness" that has killed more than 60 children in Cambodia have been identified, CNN reports. "A combination of pathogens ... is to blame for the illness, the World Health Organization, in conjunction with the Cambodian Ministry of Health, has concluded, the doctors said," according to the news service.

13 Jul 2012

Medicaid news: Federal officials question drop in Pa.'s rolls

In Pennsylvania, the federal government is checking into why 130,000 people were removed from the Medicaid program.

13 Jul 2012

Negative suggestion can induce symptoms of illness

Negative suggestion can induce symptoms of illness. Nocebo effects are the adverse events that occur during sham treatment and/or as a result of negative expectations. While the positive counterpart—the placebo effect—has been intensively studied in recent years, the scientific literature contains few studies on nocebo phenomena.

13 Jul 2012

Studies show success, highlight challenges of PrEP strategy

The results of three clinical trials published on Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine show that the antiretroviral drug Truvada, a combination of tenofovir and emtracitabine, can be "highly effective at preventing infection in HIV-free individuals -- as long as those individuals take the drug every day as prescribed," CNN's "The Chart" reports (7/11).

13 Jul 2012

International community commits to boosting family planning services at London Summit

"Voluntary family planning services will reach an additional 120 million women and girls in the world's poorest countries by 2020 thanks to a new set of commitments announced [at the London Summit on Family Planning on Wednesday] by more than 150 leaders from donor and developing countries, international agencies, civil society, foundations and the private sector," a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation press release reports (7/11).

13 Jul 2012

Scientists isolate new type of energy-burning fat cell

Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have isolated a new type of energy-burning fat cell in adult humans which they say may have therapeutic potential for treating obesity.

13 Jul 2012

Longer looks: Keeping Parkinson's a secret

When Nancy Mulhearn learned she had Parkinson's disease seven years ago, she kept the diagnosis mostly to herself, hiding it from friends, colleagues -- even, at first, her mother, sister and teenage children. After seven months, she decided she had to tell her family, and they settled into an unspoken agreement not to talk about the disease.

13 Jul 2012

Judge keeps injunction against Miss. abortion law in place

A federal judge continued to block a Mississippi law that could close the state's last abortion clinic, while he considers more evidence.

13 Jul 2012

OncoMed commences dosing in OMP-54F28 Phase I clinical trial for advanced solid tumor cancers

OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage company developing novel therapeutics that target cancer stem cells, or tumor-initiating cells, today announced that patient dosing has begun in a Phase I clinical trial of OMP-54F28 in patients with advanced solid tumor cancers.

13 Jul 2012

Governors continue to mull, question Medicaid expansion

In the weeks since the Supreme Court ruling, several Republican governors opposed to the law have declared that they will opt out of its Medicaid expansion, which is set to take effect in 2014 and would cover those earning 133 percent or less of the federal poverty level.

13 Jul 2012

Preventable hospital deaths: around 12,000 in England each year

Around 12,000 deaths in acute hospitals in England each year could be prevented, suggests a data analysis published online in BMJ Quality and Safety.

13 Jul 2012

GlobalPost examines progress against AIDS in Zimbabwe

GlobalPost examines efforts to combat AIDS in Zimbabwe as part of its "AIDS Turning Point" series. The news service writes that "what makes the case of Zimbabwe so curious -- and even confounding to many outside observers -- is that this country found success even though it was largely cut out of the big spending by PEPFAR's list of 15 so-called 'focus countries.'"

13 Jul 2012

Discovery sheds light on why human body is unable to fight off HIV infection

University of Washington researchers have made a discovery that sheds light on why the human body is unable to adequately fight off HIV infection.

13 Jul 2012

Cubist initiates CB-315 Phase 3 trial for Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea

Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the initiation of its pivotal Phase 3 studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of CB-315 in patients with Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, or CDAD, with enrollment of a patient in the first of two planned identical global trials.

13 Jul 2012

GAO questions legality of Medicare Advantage bonuses

In a 10-page letter sent Wednesday to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the Government Accountability Office's general counsel raised questions about the $8.3 billion demonstration program, which Republicans had criticized as a ruse to mask some of the health law's cuts in seniors' benefits.

13 Jul 2012

Blog posts address London Summit on Family Planning

On World Population Day, observed on Wednesday, July 11, the U.K. Government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation co-hosted the London Summit on Family Planning. The following are summaries of blog posts addressing the summit.

13 Jul 2012

Heart disease risk in elderly could be lowered by drugs

More patients aged 75 and over should be prescribed drugs to help lower their risk of cardiovascular disease, a study published today on bmj.com suggests.

13 Jul 2012

Breast cancer patients who undergo breast conserving surgery often have a reoperation

One in five women with breast cancer who opt for breast conserving surgery rather than a mastectomy have a reoperation, according to a national study published on bmj.com today. This information on the risk of reoperation should help women in making the decision about whether to undergo breast conserving surgery or mastectomy.

13 Jul 2012

NICE: GPs must target diabetes prevention

Guidance for the prevention of type 2 diabetes out today from NICE urges GPs to step up efforts to get high-risk patients onto lifestyle intervention programmes. As trailed at the end of last year, the guidance recommends that GPs run checks on their practice register using a validated computerised diabetes risk tool and invite those falling into high-risk groups for a proper risk assessment, in line with the NHS Health Check programme.

12 Jul 2012