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New treatment trials for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the PKD Foundation have launched two treatment trials for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD).

25 Jan 2006

Patent losses open up $30 billion biologics market to generic competition

With powerhouse biologics, such as human growth hormone and insulin, losing their U.S. patent protection in 2005 and many more set to expire within the next 4 years, generic competition in the lucrative biopharmaceutical market is imminent, according to a new study from Kalorama Information.

25 Jan 2006

Researchers use new approach to 'break the code' for liver cancer test

Scientists at Birmingham University are using cutting edge technologies to move closer to a blood test that will improve early diagnosis of liver cancer in high risk groups, according to research published in the British Journal of Cancer.

25 Jan 2006

Changes in drug use during young adulthood: The effects of parent alcoholism and transition into marriage

The impacts of parental alcoholism in children are well known, particularly the alcohol consumption habits of children of alcoholics (COA's).

25 Jan 2006

Inhaling salt mist helps cystic fibrosis patients

Two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine have found that inhaling mists of salt water can help clear mucus and improve lung function for cycstic fibrosis sufferers.

25 Jan 2006

HIV revealed in 3D

HIV, the virus which leads to AIDS and which affects 40 million people across the world, has been seen in 3D detail for the first time by Oxford scientists and their colleagues in Heidelberg and Munich.

25 Jan 2006

Uterine artery embolization shortens hospital stay but increases minor complications

Compared to traditional surgery for uterine fibroids, a new minimally invasive procedure leads to shorter hospitalization and a quicker return to everyday activities, researchers report.

25 Jan 2006

Injection no better than a placebo at preventing influenza in children

U.S. health authorities should have waited for more evidence before recommending routine flu shots for healthy toddlers, according to a new systematic review of studies involving half a million children worldwide.

25 Jan 2006

Sirna Therapeutics awarded patent covering large-scale synthesis of RNAi-based therapeutics

Sirna Therapeutics has announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Sirna U.S. Patent No. 6,989,442 for the chemical synthesis and manufacturing of ribonucleic acids (RNA).

25 Jan 2006

Working your brain hard reduces risk of dementia

Research from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia, provides the most convincing evidence to date that complex mental activity across people's lives significantly reduces the risk of dementia. The researchers found that such activity almost halves the incidence of dementia.

25 Jan 2006

Breakthrough in lupus research

A major breakthrough in lupus research - one that may fundamentally change thinking on how the disease affects behavior and cognition - was reported in the January 17, 2006 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

25 Jan 2006

70,000 new HIV infections occurring in China last year

China's AIDS epidemic shows no signs of abating with an estimated 70,000 new HIV infections occurring in 2005, according to a report released by the Chinese Ministry of Health, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization.

25 Jan 2006

Boston Scientific and Guidant to merge

Boston Scientific and Guidant have entered into a merger agreement provided to Guidant by Boston Scientific on January 17, 2006.

25 Jan 2006

Cranberry proanthocyanidins inhibit growth of tumor cells

New data shows that proanthocyanidins, or PACs, found in cranberries inhibit the growth of lung tumors and colon and leukemia cells in vitro.

25 Jan 2006

Major companies in food recalls over mislabeling

It has been reported that food manufacturer Heinz has had to recall some of it's Weight Watchers products because the contents are not those specified on the labels.

25 Jan 2006

Carbon monoxide poisoning a long-term killer

A new study says that even when people survive a toxic encounter with carbon monoxide,the damaged heart muscle leaves them at risk of death years later.

25 Jan 2006

Stress in pregnancy means boys will be stronger

A team from the University of California, Berkeley, have found in a study that pregnant women are more likely to miscarry male fetuses than females fetuses during times of stress.

25 Jan 2006

Anxious fathers make caesareans more painful for mothers

Fathers who are anxious during a caesarean operation may increase the pain experienced by the mother after the delivery of their baby, according to new research published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

25 Jan 2006

Contraceptive pills do not lead to major weight gain

Many women and clinicians worry that taking combination hormonal contraceptives will result in weight gain.

25 Jan 2006

SSRIs most effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder

A variety of medications can help reduce the core symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as reduce associated depression and disability, but selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) should be considered as first line agents as there is most evidence showing that these can be effective.

25 Jan 2006