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Share of pharmaceutical spending in total healthcare expenditure remains high across most EU countries

Most EU member states have publicly funded healthcare systems and the proportion of pharmaceutical expenditure, as a portion of GDP remains high, particularly in countries such as Italy, Portugal, France, Spain and Greece.

2 Feb 2006

Pregnancy does not provide protection against depression

Pregnancy has historically been described as a time of emotional well-being, providing "protection" against psychiatric disorder, but a new study says the hormonal changes which occur during pregnancy do not protect women from depression, and those taking antidepressants may need to continue despite concerns about fetal damage.

2 Feb 2006

Married, happy and rich, means you should look young!

According to Danish researchers, in order to hang on to your looks and retain a youthful demeanor all you need is happy family life and plenty of money.

2 Feb 2006

Controlling neglected diseases will boost fight against HIV, TB and Malaria

Achieving success in the global fight against the "big three" diseases - HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, which together account for 5.6 million deaths a year - may well require a concurrent attack on the world’s most neglected tropical diseases, says a team of researchers in the international open access journal PLoS Medicine.

2 Feb 2006

Regular use of COX-2 inhibitors reduces breast cancer risk

A case-control study published today in the open access journal BMC Cancer observed that daily use of selective COX-2 inhibitors, including celecoxib (Celebrex) and rofecoxib (Vioxx), was associated with a 71% reduction in the risk of breast cancer.

2 Feb 2006

$Bones from blood: scientists aim to break new ground on fractures$

Bones from blood: scientists aim to break new ground on fractures

Scientists at the University of York have launched a new research project which aims to develop ways of making bones from blood.

2 Feb 2006

Preimplantation cell number may affect birthweight

Dr Lieberman et al. at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Biology at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA have measured the quality of human embryos by counting and assessing the properties of their individual cells.

2 Feb 2006

Innovative approach to cartilage repair

Leeds bioengineers have developed an innovative technique for cartilage repair combining the self-healing powers of the body with stem cell science to help young people avoid debilitating knee problems and give hope to arthritis sufferers.

2 Feb 2006

Are dancers genetically different than the rest of us?

What makes dancers different than the rest of us? Genetic variants, says a researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

2 Feb 2006

Deer antlers provide important clues for stem cell research

Research carried out by veterinary scientists at the Royal Veterinary College reveals that deer antler regeneration may use stem cells and involves similar mechanisms to those used in limb development.

2 Feb 2006

Chinese medicine shows promise as treatment for sperm genetic abnormalities

Bioscientists from the University of Kent have called for clinical trials to further investigate how traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) may have a positive effect on sperm genetic abnormalities, and thereby influence the success rate of male infertility treatment.

2 Feb 2006

HIV decline in Zimbabwe

An international research team believes that changes in behaviour among the population have accelerated the recent decline in HIV infection in Eastern Zimbabwe.

2 Feb 2006

Copper could help prevent the spread of flu infections

Copper could help prevent the spread of flu infections. Recent research at the University of Southampton shows that the Influenza A virus is virtually eradicated within six hours on copper surfaces.

2 Feb 2006

Advance in the fight against bacterial infections

Bacterial infections can strike anyone, and they can sometimes be fatal. Because more and more bacteria are becoming resistant to the pre-eminent remedy - antibiotics - the search for new remedies against bacterial infections is in high gear.

2 Feb 2006

Counting cells that ensure gene balance

Two are one too many - this is the motto used by cells of a female organism: These contain two X chromosomes, one of which always becomes inactivated.

2 Feb 2006

European markets for cardiac catheterisation imaging systems

With a sharp increase in the incidence of cardiovascular disorders and mortalities in Europe, the need for early detection as well as cardiac interventional procedures has created enhanced scope for the uptake of cardiac catheterisation imaging systems.

2 Feb 2006