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South Carolina House fails to override veto of cigarette tax increase that would have funded health care programs

The South Carolina House on Tuesday failed to override Gov. Mark Sanford's (R) veto of legislation that would have increased the state cigarette tax to expand health care coverage for low-income residents, the Columbia State reports (O'Connor, Columbia State, 5/28).

30 May 2008

FDA proposes drug label changes to provide more information on risks for women who are pregnant, nursing

FDA on Wednesday proposed changing its labeling system for prescription and over-the-counter drugs to provide more safety information for pregnant and breastfeeding women, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports (AP/Long Island Newsday, 5/28). On average, women in the U.S. take three to five medications when they are pregnant, and more than 90% of women who are breastfeeding take medications during the first week after delivery, USA Today reports.

30 May 2008

Grassley inquiry into fast-tracking of Avastin drug applications could hurt cancer drug development, patients

Sen. Chuck Grassley's (R-Iowa) request that the Government Accountability Office investigate whether FDA acted appropriately in granting "accelerated approval" to a cancer drug "will have a catastrophic effect on America's ability to develop new drugs," Mark Thornton, a former medical officer in FDA's Office of Oncology Drug Products and president of the Sarcoma Foundation of America, writes in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece.

30 May 2008

X chromosome exposed

An enzyme that binds differently to male and female sex chromosomes helps males to make up for their X chromosome shortage.

30 May 2008

Children's diet not the main cause of ADHD

Food may not be the major cause of hyperactivity in children. Genetics, brain function and parental actions such as smoking may be just as important.

30 May 2008

CFC-propelled inhalers no longer available as of Dec. 31 2008

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a public health advisory to alert patients, caregivers and health care professionals to switch to hydrofluoroalkane (HFA)-propelled albuterol inhalers because chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-propelled inhalers will not be available in the United States after Dec. 31, 2008.

30 May 2008

Self-assembled viruses

Viruses are true experts at importing genetic material into the cells of an infected organism. This trait is now being exploited for gene therapy, in which genes are brought into the cells of a patient to treat genetic diseases or genetic defects. Korean researchers have now made an artificial virus. As described in the journal Angewandte Chemie, they have been able to use it to transport both genes and drugs into the interior of cancer cells.

30 May 2008

Quality of life predicts cancer survival

Head and neck cancer patients who reported lower physical quality of life were more likely to die from their disease, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. The findings could mean that identifying patients with poor quality of life could also identify patients with particularly aggressive tumors.

30 May 2008

NewYork-Presbyterian ranks top in U.S. News children's hospital survery

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is the only New York hospital to rank in all seven clinical areas reported in the 2008 U.S.News & World Report "America's Best Children's Hospitals" issue. The Hospital also ranks among the top 10 nationally in three categories: Neonatal Care (#4), Heart & Heart Surgery (#6) and Digestive Disorders (#8).

30 May 2008

Novel replacement for conventional needle and syringe

Chris Holden (21), A third year design student at Northumbria University, has won a prestigious national award for medical design by redesigning the conventional needle and syringe.

30 May 2008

Bilateral cochlear implants: A case when two are definitely superior to one

A study of cochlear implant patients seen by Indiana University School of Medicine physicians is the first research to show evidence that cochlear implants in both ears significantly improves quality of life in patients with profound hearing loss and that the cost of the second implant is offset by its benefits.

30 May 2008

Spontaneous mutations widespread in non-familial schizophrenia

People with schizophrenia from families with no history of the illness were found to harbor eight times more spontaneous mutations - most in pathways affecting brain development - than healthy controls, in a study supported in part the National Institutes of Health?s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). By contrast, no spontaneous mutations were found in people with schizophrenia who had family histories of the illness.

30 May 2008

New projects to raise UK profile in synthetic biology

Four UK Research Councils have come together to announce funding for new projects designed to rapidly build the UK's expertise and capacity in the emerging field of synthetic biology.

30 May 2008

University of Bristol to test effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy

A team of researchers, led by Dr Nicola Wiles at the University of Bristol, has been awarded £1.2 million by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme for a clinical trial to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for patients with depression who do not respond to treatment with antidepressants.

30 May 2008

WHO calls for total ban on tobacco advertising

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30 May 2008

US$28 million needed for Myanmar says WHO

WHO and its Health Cluster partners in Myanmar have launched a six-month and US$ 28 million action plan to provide immediate health care for cyclone survivors and to support longer-term efforts to rebuild the country's ravaged health system.

30 May 2008

Lack of dental care may have life-threatening implications

New research from the University of Bristol shows that admissions for the surgical treatment of dental abscess have doubled in the last ten years despite the fact that these serious infections are preventable with regular dental care.

29 May 2008

Post-menopausal therapy to improve women's quality of life

A recent research work by the University of Granada advises post-menopausal women the use of Replacement Hormone Therapy (RHT) for at least five years.

29 May 2008

New type of wound dressing made of silica gel fibers

A new type of wound dressing made of silica gel fibers will soon help to heal difficult wounds caused by burns or diabetes. The dressing forms a supporting matrix for newly growing skin cells and is fully absorbed by the body during the healing process.

29 May 2008

Wireless vision implant

About 30 million people around the world have grown legally blind due to retinal diseases. The EPI-RET project has sought for a technical solution for the past twelve years to help these patients. This work has resulted in a unique system - afully implantable visual prosthesis.

29 May 2008