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Increased mortality rates seen in chronic Hep C patients with pre-cirrhotic advanced fibrosis

A three-year follow-up study of patients in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) trial revealed that increased mortality among patients with advanced chronic hepatitis C who received long-term peginterferon therapy was attributed to non-liver related causes and occurred primarily in patients with bridging fibrosis. No pattern to this excess mortality was evident to researchers, but deaths were unrelated to the peginterferon treatment. Full findings are published in the April issue of Hepatology, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

7 Apr 2011

Pregnancy and pre-pregnancy genetic tests approved for all

According to a government’s advisory body on genetics, genetic tests for conditions that can be passed on to future generations should be more widely available before pregnancy. There are “no specific social, ethical or legal principles” against preconception screening, a Human Genetics Commission report has ruled. It said testing should be available to any couples who may benefit from it. The UK National Screening Committee will now consider the findings.

7 Apr 2011

Cancer screening updates

Everyone in England aged 55 to 59 will be invited for a new test which could dramatically cut their chances of developing bowel cancer. This new test could save an extra 3,000 lives every year after the UK National Screening Committee gave the nod for it to be added to the NHS programme. The test known as Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) differs to the current faecal occult blood (FOB) test, which relies on people sending off stool samples.

7 Apr 2011

Alcohol raises risk of cancers: Study

This comes from a large Europe-wide study published in the British Medical Journal that found that one-in-10 of all cancers in men and one-in-33 of all cancers in women are caused by past or current alcohol intake. For alcohol-related cancers, one-in-three in men and one-in-20 in women are caused by any excessive drinking. According to cancer charities say people should limit their drinking to lower the risk.

7 Apr 2011

Meditation can conquer pain: Well almost!

Meditation can be used as a powerful painkiller says new research published in the Journal of Neuroscience. The study from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center showed as much reflected in perception of the participants as well as their brain scans.

7 Apr 2011

Sibling ‘squabbles’ good for the youngest child: Study

According to the latest research from the University of Cambridge sibling rivalry and fighting between siblings increase the social skills, vocabulary and emotional development of younger brothers and sisters. They found that the competitiveness acquired from regular tiffs with the elder sibling may make the second child more popular and successful at school, and in later life.

7 Apr 2011

Hunters' lead ammunition finds way into scavenger birds leading to blindness, seizures and death

Two new UC Davis studies add scientific evidence that hunters' lead ammunition often finds its way into carrion-eating birds, such as eagles and turkey vultures.

7 Apr 2011

Shionogi launches CUVPOSA for pediatric chronic severe drooling

Shionogi Inc., the U.S.-based group company of Shionogi & Co., Ltd., today announced the U.S. commercial availability of CUVPOSA™ (glycopyrrolate) oral solution, the first and only FDA-approved treatment to reduce chronic severe drooling in patients aged 3 to 16 with neurologic conditions associated with problem drooling, such as cerebral palsy.

7 Apr 2011

Zacharon, Pfizer enter research collaboration to develop drugs for orphan diseases

Zacharon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the company has entered into a strategic research collaboration with Pfizer Inc. to develop drugs for orphan diseases, including lysosomal storage disorders. The potential value of the collaboration to Zacharon is approximately USD $210 million. The collaboration includes the potential development of compounds that may be discovered using Zacharon's innovative platform for developing small molecule drugs targeting specific carbohydrate polymers or glycans.

7 Apr 2011

Way we live directly affects length of our lives

New research shows that the way we live directly affects the length of our bodies - and our lives.

7 Apr 2011

FDA issues Approvable Letter for Oceana's Solesta in treatment for bowel incontinence

Oceana Therapeutics, a global company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing best-in-class specialty therapeutics, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Approvable Letter for Solesta® as a treatment for fecal (bowel) incontinence.

7 Apr 2011

First Edition: April 7, 2011

Today's headlines include reports that the House Budget Committee yesterday approved the Ryan plan, which includes provisions to reshape Medicare and Medicaid, by a party-line vote. Meanwhile, congressional leaders and the White House seem to be making some progress is talks to reach agreement on current-year spending and avert a government shutdown.

7 Apr 2011

California Congressman receives CHI's first-ever Leadership Award

Congressman and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, was honored by CHI-California Healthcare Institute with the organization's first-ever Leadership Award.

7 Apr 2011

CoMeD urges UN to ban mercury use in pharmaceuticals

While the United Nations actively questions the use of a vaccine preservative that contains the known neurotoxin mercury, the Coalition for Mercury-Free Drugs, a Maryland-based, non-profit organization, is urging the UN to ban it.

7 Apr 2011

Alnylam to extend RNAi therapeutics research collaboration with AlCana and UBC

AlCana Technologies, Inc., The University of British Columbia, and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that Alnylam has elected to extend the companies' RNAi therapeutics research collaboration for a third year.

7 Apr 2011

Rite Aid reports fourth quarter net loss of $205.7 million

Rite Aid Corporation today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended February 26, 2011.

7 Apr 2011

Biological Psychiatry publishes Omeros' PPAR-gamma addiction program

Omeros Corporation today announced that research on the PPAR-gamma agonists it is developing in its Addiction franchise has been published in the April 1, 2011 issue of the Journal of Biological Psychiatry.

7 Apr 2011

Water pipe smoking is on the rise

The number of people smoking water pipes is rising dramatically throughout the world. A large proportion of new users are young, and many believe - contrary to facts - that water pipe smoking is less dangerous than cigarettes. Research into why people start smoking water pipes is under way at Uppsala University.

7 Apr 2011

BIOTRONIK donates ICD and pacemaker to 75 cardiac patients in Trinidad & Tobago

BIOTRONIK SE Co. & KG, a leading manufacturer of implantable cardiac devices, has provided a donation of implantable cardiac defibrillators and pacemaker device implants to more than 75 low-income and impoverished patients in the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago as part of its collaboration with Heartbeat International Foundation Inc.

7 Apr 2011

THQ, Zuffa release new UFC fitness system for athletes

THQ Inc. and Zuffa, LLC today announced the latest edition to the expanding UFC videogame portfolio with UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System.

7 Apr 2011