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Painkillers found to reduce breast cancer risk

According to an international study the regular use of popular painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen reduces the risk of breast cancer.

12 Oct 2008

Controversy over call to arm ambulance workers with capsicum spray

A call for ambulance workers to be allowed to use capsicum spray to protect them against violent and aggressive patients has evoked quite a mixed response across Australia.

7 Oct 2008

Cheap 'Polypill' deals with heart disease and stroke

The 'Polypill' is a single pill which combines a range of drugs that protect against heart disease and stroke and was first considered a number of years ago as a cost effective way to significantly reduce the death toll from cardiovascular disease. But progress has been hampered by the reluctance of pharmaceutical companies to embark on a project involving inexpensive drugs which offered little financial incentive.

7 Oct 2008

Fans in baby's bedrooms lessens the risk of SIDS

American researchers say using a fan in a baby's bedroom while they are asleep lessens the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

7 Oct 2008

Red wine cuts smokers risk for lung cancer

Cancer experts say drinking red wine may decrease the risk of lung cancer in men who smoke, because of its antioxidant properties.

7 Oct 2008

Too much volunteering bad for the health

According to a new study by researchers at the Australian National University (ANU), volunteering can be good for you, but too much can have an adverse effect on a person's health.

7 Oct 2008

Outbreak of mystery disease kills four in South Africa

A mystery flu-like disease which has killed four people in South Africa is causing concern because the disease appears to be highly contagious and health authorities are urging people not to panic.

7 Oct 2008

Experts say exotic pet pose health risks to young children

Experts say exotic pets such as reptiles and monkeys should be discouraged in homes with small children or people with immune system problems, as they pose a health risk.

7 Oct 2008

People with diabetes lose more than money

It is not about money. No amount of money will give back my limb" said a 65 years old woman with diabetes (name withheld on request) who underwent limb amputation at the Gandhi Memorial & Associated Hospitals (GM & AH).

7 Oct 2008

New non-invasive prenatal blood test for Down's syndrome, safer for the fetus

American researchers have created a prenatal blood test which can be used to determine if an unborn baby has Down's syndrome and the new test is safer for the fetus.

7 Oct 2008

Women require less tobacco exposure than men to increase colon cancer risk

While smoking poses a health threat to both men and women, women require less tobacco exposure than men to have a significant increased risk for colorectal cancer, according to new research presented at the 73rd Annual ACG Scientific Meeting in Orlando.

6 Oct 2008

Battling cancer at the single cell level

New research suggests that the identification and examination of key cell signaling events required for initiation and progression of cancer might be best accomplished at the single cell level. The research, published by Cell Press in the October issue of the journal Cancer Cell, provides new insight that may lead to better diagnosis and treatment of some complex cancers.

6 Oct 2008

Microwave ovens need more safety features to protect youngsters

Microwave ovens should be equipped with safety controls to prevent children from opening them and being burned by hot foods and drinks, according to a study published today by University of Chicago Medical Center researchers in the October 2008 issue of the journal Pediatrics.

6 Oct 2008

New rapid test for rare leukemia

A new twist on a well-known cell sorting technique may allow physicians to diagnose rare leukemias in hours instead of weeks, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and UC-San Francisco.

6 Oct 2008

Influenza vaccine not associated with reduced hospitalizations among young children

Use of the influenza vaccine was not associated with preventing hospitalizations or reducing physician visits for the flu in children age 5 and younger during two recent seasons, perhaps because the strains of virus in the vaccine did not match circulating strains, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

6 Oct 2008

Researchers explore issues related to multiple myeloma treatment

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer of plasma cells that affects approximately 3 in 100,000 people each year. Although there is no cure for this disease, researchers have developed treatments that help relieve pain, control complications, and slow the progress of MM in many patients. Unfortunately, some of the most effective therapies also have toxic side effects that can pose serious health risks and reduce quality of life. In the October issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, two articles authored by Mayo researchers address the issue of how to balance the risks and benefits associated with MM treatments.

6 Oct 2008

Outlook for Crohn's disease improves due to new therapies

A study led by Mayo Clinic has found that infliximab (Remicade) administered alone (monotherapy) or in combination with azathioprine is a more effective treatment for patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease than azathioprine alone.

6 Oct 2008

More appendicitis hospitalizations on "high ozone" days

Could there be a link between high levels of air pollution and the risk of appendicitis? New research presented at the 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in Orlando, suggests a novel connection.

6 Oct 2008

'Lab-on-Bead' to speed drug discovery

Researchers at Wake Forest University are using nanotechnology to search for new cancer-fighting drugs through a process that could be up to 10,000 times faster than current methods.

6 Oct 2008

Use of oral vitamin D supplements may help prevent eczema

A study led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine suggests that use of oral Vitamin D supplements bolsters production of a protective chemical normally found in the skin, and may help prevent skin infections that are a common result of atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema.

6 Oct 2008