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Beryl Institute reveals high number of calls to hospitals mishandled or misdirected

A recent analysis of more than 2,000 calls to hospital switchboards revealed that nearly 60 percent of attempts to obtain a physician referral were not initially successful.

13 Aug 2007

Sanofi pasteur ships doses of Fluzone influenza vaccine for the 2007-2008 season

Sanofi pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group, has begun shipment of influenza vaccine (Fluzone, Influenza Virus Vaccine) in the United States for the 2007-2008 season.

13 Aug 2007

New drug targets for multiple myeloma

Research investigators have identified molecular changes in multiple myeloma cells that activate an important biological pathway associated with cell growth and survival, thereby revealing potential new targets for drugs to treat this cancer.

13 Aug 2007

New, non-surgical technique shown to cure aggressive form of scoliosis

Spine surgeon Paul Rubery, M.D., never imagined he would trade in his scalpel for Plaster of Paris, but that's exactly what he's planning to do in mid-August, when he learns a new, early treatment casting technique aimed at curing infants stricken with a devastating and aggressive form of scoliosis.

13 Aug 2007

Scientists take plumber's approach to Alzheimer's

Scientists are trying a plumber's approach to rid the brain of the amyloid buildup that plagues Alzheimer's patients: Simply drain the toxic protein away.

13 Aug 2007

New cancer stem cells could aid breast cancer research

In some ways, certain tumors resemble bee colonies, says pathologist Tan Ince. Each cancer cell in the tumor plays a specific role, and just a fraction of the cells serve as "queens," possessing the unique ability to maintain themselves in an unspecialized state and seed new tumors. These cells can also divide and produce the "worker" cells that form the bulk of the tumor.

13 Aug 2007

FDA taking no chances when it comes to drug safety

These days the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking no chances when it comes to the safety of new drugs.

13 Aug 2007

Cashew nut allergy more severe in children than peanut allergy

Researchers in Britain say peanut allergies may be more infamous but cashews seem to trigger more severe allergic reactions in children.

13 Aug 2007

Hospital kitchens - a pretty dirty affair

With reports on a regular basis telling us that controlling superbugs such as MRSA in many hospitals is akin to fighting a losing battle, the last thing the public want to hear is that hospital kitchens are filthy.

13 Aug 2007

UK mental health services discriminate against the elderly

An independent panel in the UK has found that when it comes to mental health services, many elderly people face discrimination.

13 Aug 2007

DIY hole-in-the-heart repair kit

Specialists in the UK have found a way to treat a common heart defect using the body's natural healing power.

12 Aug 2007

Milk the drink for more muscle but less fat

According to Canadian scientists drinking two glasses of milk after exercise helps burn more fat and develop more muscle mass.

12 Aug 2007

Alarm over death in clinical trial for arthritis therapy

The death of a woman taking part in a clinical trial for an arthritis therapy has set alarm bells ringing in the United States.

12 Aug 2007

Obesity and poorer school attendance go hand in hand

New research in the U.S. has found that there is a connection between school attendance and obesity.

12 Aug 2007

Foot and mouth spreads even further in the UK

It now appears that the foot-and-mouth outbreak in England has spread outside the protection zone, dashing any hopes that the disease had been contained.

12 Aug 2007

Green tea may help treat psoriasis

Green tea which is already recommended for its cancer-fighting properties, also appears to be a promising new treatment for skin disorders such as psoriasis, lupus-induced lesions and dandruff.

12 Aug 2007

Fat people are attracted to other fat people

Researchers in Britain say they have found that people often choose partners with similar body fat levels as themselves.

12 Aug 2007

New molecular regulators of hyperthyroidism and goiter

The thyroid gland has an important role in determining how much energy the body burns.

12 Aug 2007

Cause of major subtype of glaucoma discovered

In a paper published in the journal Science, scientists from deCODE genetics and academic colleagues from the National University Hospital in Reykjavik and Uppsala University in Sweden report the discovery of two common single letter variations (SNPs) in the sequence of the human genome that appear to account for virtually all cases of a major subtype of glaucoma.

12 Aug 2007