Medical News

RSS

Study shows improvement in diagnosis time for bowel, oesophageal and pancreatic cancers

NEW research shows that bowel, oesophageal and pancreatic cancers have seen the greatest improvement in the time it takes from when a patient first visits their GP with symptoms to when they are diagnosed with the disease.

8 Nov 2011

CGD releases report on improving clinical trials, regulatory pathways for fighting neglected diseases

The Center for Global Development (CGD) last week released a new report on global health, the Global Health Technology Coalition's "Breakthroughs" blog reports.

8 Nov 2011

FDA clears Femasys' first low pressure HSG device

Femasys Inc., an emerging medical device developer of women's healthcare solutions, announced today that it has received 510(k) clearance for the FemChec Pressure Management Device, the first device designed for a low pressure HSG as a confirmation test after a permanent sterilization procedure is performed.

8 Nov 2011

Economic burden of chronic hepatitis C-related liver disease

Health care costs for hepatitis C patients with end-stage liver disease are nearly 2.5 times higher than those in the early stages, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.

8 Nov 2011

Hirano bodies may play a protective role in progression of Alzheimer's

Hirano bodies are almost indescribably tiny objects found in nerve cells of people suffering from conditions such as Alzheimer's, mad cow and Lou Gehrig's diseases. Yet for decades, researchers weren't sure if these structures helped cause the conditions or appeared after onset of the disease and had some other role.

8 Nov 2011

Bristol-Myers Squibb receives FDA approval for Erbitux to treat head and neck cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Erbitux (cetuximab) for use with chemotherapy to treat patients with late-stage (metastatic) head and neck cancer.

8 Nov 2011

Health coverage issues for young and old: Broadening access to CHIP; closing the door on CLASS Act

As many states open CHIP programs to provide coverage for children of some state employees, the halting of CLASS Act implementation means consumers must carefully consider their long-term care options.

8 Nov 2011

Epigenetic alterations may play an important role in autism

Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School are the first to map epigenetic changes in neurons from the brains of individuals with autism, providing empirical evidence that epigenetic alterations-changes in gene expression caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence-may play an important role in the disease.

8 Nov 2011

Patient and nurse safety may be related by common causes

A safe working environment for nurses is also a safe environment for the patients in their care, according to a new study led by public health researchers at Drexel University. Researchers, led by Dr. Jennifer Taylor, an assistant professor in Drexel's School of Public Health, found that safety climate was associated with both patient and nurse injuries, suggesting that patient and nurse safety may be linked outcomes.

8 Nov 2011

Study on epigentics and cellular memory

How do fetal cells know what cell types to become? Why do cells in the adult body sometimes forget what they are and develop into cancer cells? These are some of the questions intensively investigated within the research field of epigenetics.

8 Nov 2011

First large-scale study to address treatment of prescription opioid addiction

Individuals addicted to prescription painkillers are more likely to succeed in treatment with the aid of the medication buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone), report McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School researchers in today's online edition of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

8 Nov 2011

South Africa draws inspiration from Brazil's health care system despite skepticism by some Brazilians, IPS reports

Inter Press Service reports on how the South African government, in setting up its own universal health coverage scheme, was inspired by Brazil's Sistema Unico de Saude or Single Health System (SUS), which was shaped during the 1980s when the system was restructured to make health care a universal right. However, IPS notes that the news may be met with skepticism by Brazilians with a negative opinion of the country's public health care system.

8 Nov 2011

First-ever Mantle Cell Lymphoma Symposium to be held on Nov. 12

The Lymphoma Division of the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center with the participation from the Facebook groups "Hope for Lymphoma" and "Our MCL Family," will host its first-ever Mantle Cell Lymphoma Symposium on Saturday, November 12 from 8:30am - 3:45pm.

8 Nov 2011

Connexin 36 protects mouse pancreatic beta-cells against immune molecules

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong disease characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. It is caused by the patient's immune system attacking and destroying the cells in their pancreas that produce the hormone insulin, which regulates blood glucose levels. Surprisingly, little is known about the mechanisms regulating the sensitivity and resistance of these cells, which are known as beta-cells, to immune system attack.

7 Nov 2011

Brain plays a key role in regulating glucose metabolism in humans

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have demonstrated for the first time that the brain is a key player in regulating glucose (sugar) metabolism in humans.

7 Nov 2011

New data from Pfizer's hematology portfolio to be presented at 53rd ASH annual meeting

Pfizer Oncology will present data on a number of investigational compounds from its hematology portfolio, including new data from bosutinib in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), inotuzumab in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), as well as the first presentation of clinical data for PF-04449913, which inhibits Smoothened (SMO), a key component of the Hedgehog pathway.

7 Nov 2011

Research: Nucleolar disruption could destroy cancer cells

DAMAGING a cell's nucleolus could destroy cancer cells by increasing levels of the most important tumour prevention protein, p53, reveals research presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in Liverpool, today.

7 Nov 2011

CRCHUM researcher receives Gates Foundation grant to eradicate HIV/AIDS

The Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Universit- de Montr-al (CRCHUM) announced today that one of its researchers will receive funding of 100,000 US $ through Grand Challenges Explorations, an initiative created by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that enables researchers worldwide to test unorthodox ideas that address persistent health and development challenges.

7 Nov 2011

World leading scientists receive Cancer Research UK Prizes

Cancer Research UK yesterday announced the recipients of this year's Cancer Research UK Prizes at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in Liverpool.

7 Nov 2011

Sen. Grassley seeks more public information on doctors; some experts say physicians could take tough stance with 'assertive' patients

Full public access should be restored to a federal databank on sanctioned doctors maintained by the Department of Health and Human Services, Republican Sen. Charles E. Grassley said in a letter to the agency Friday. Grassley wrote to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to reiterate his objections to a decision by the Health Research and Services Administration (HRSA) to remove the National Practitioner Databank's Public Use File from its website.

7 Nov 2011