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A chronic cough can mean a miserable life

Having a chronic cough apparently gives rise to a long list of common problems ranging from incontinence, anxiety to partners re-locating to another bedroom; and this is just the start of it!

3 Nov 2005

Cancer Vaccine - Synthetically generated glycopeptides from tumor cells can stimulate the formation of specific antibodies

Tumor cells and healthy somatic cells differ in the structures on their surfaces. In principle, it should thus be possible to develop a vaccine that causes a patient’s immune system to form antibodies that attack and destroy tumor cells while sparing healthy cells.

3 Nov 2005

Lung cancer drug approved for treating pancreatic cancer

Genentech and OSI Pharmaceuticals have announced that U.S. regulators have approved their lung cancer drug Tarceva for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

3 Nov 2005

New chemo combo means longer life for pancreatic cancer patients

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat, and has an overall one-year survival rate of only 13%.

3 Nov 2005

Feeling puffed? could be a sign of serious heart problem

Most people know that chest pain can indicate the presence of heart disease, but less well known apparently is that shortness of breath can also be a symptom of serious cardiac problems

3 Nov 2005

Tongues have a taste for fatty food

According to a new study French scientists say our tongues have an ability to detect fat in the diet which may explain our love of cheesecake, french fries and butter cookies.

2 Nov 2005

Drug company proposes FDA check all drug advertising prior to marketing

Drug company AstraZeneca has proposed that it should be a mandatory requirement for pharmaceutical companies to submit all direct-to-consumer advertising to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for review prior to its use.

2 Nov 2005

"Screen and treat” cervical cancer programs effective in poorly resourced areas

According to a new study two "screen and treat" cervical cancer prevention programs developed for high-risk women in low-resource settings resulted in a lower prevalence of precancerous cervical lesions and cervical cancer, according to a study in the November 2 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

2 Nov 2005

'Morning-After Pill' still no decision by FDA

At the end of the two-month comment period on the "morning-after pill" Plan B, there is no indication when or how the Food and Drug Administration will proceed with the controversial application.

2 Nov 2005

Fertile women most attractive to men

According to researchers at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, women with high levels of the sex hormone oestrogen have prettier faces.

2 Nov 2005

Top cancer fighting foods

According to a newly published series of studies scientists have found that eating cabbage, cooking meat with garlic and even rubbing yourself all over with extract of broccoli can all help reduce the risk of cancer.

2 Nov 2005

Updated vaccine against cervical cancer provides longer sustainable response

Drug company GlaxoSmithKline says that it's updated vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV), has produced a stronger immune response, than the original formula of the vaccine.

2 Nov 2005

Bird flu drug combo could extend supplies

Doctors are saying that because of the scarcity of Tamiflu, presently being stockpiled by governments in the event of an influenza pandemic, supplies could be extended by giving it with another drug.

2 Nov 2005

Drug giants join forces to develop gel for women in fight against AIDS

Giant American drug companies Merck and Bristol-Myers Squibb, have signed agreements to develop a treatment called a microbicide, a gel or a cream that women can use to protect themselves from AIDS.

2 Nov 2005

Top priority flu shots for children with neurological and neuromuscular disease

According to a new study children suffering from muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy and other such conditions, have a much higher risk of severe complications from influenza, re-affirming the need for them to be vaccinated each year.

2 Nov 2005

Bush wants $7bn to fight bird flu

U.S. president George Bush has called on Congress to approve $7.1 billion in emergency spending to pay for a strategy to prepare America for the danger of a pandemic bird flu outbreak.

2 Nov 2005

Desperate patients cause stem cell web site to crash

The web site of South Korea's new stem cell bank has crashed even before it began taking applications to take part in research.

2 Nov 2005

Targeted drug delivery achieved with nanoparticle-aptamer bioconjugates

Ground-breaking results from researchers at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, disclosed at the 13th European Cancer Conference (ECCO) in Paris have shown for the first time that targeted drug delivery is possible using nanoparticle-apatamer conjugates.

1 Nov 2005

Protein called CHIP helps untangle protein misfolding in brain disease

Keeping the body and mind healthy depends on keeping cells healthy and functioning. This means that cells need a very robust quality-control system to repair or remove damaged or misshapen proteins. Protein handling is especially important in neurons because damage or death of brain cells causes neurological disease.

1 Nov 2005

Vaginal gel shown to protect female monkeys against an HIV-like virus

Research with female monkeys at the Tulane National Primate Research Center has for the first time shown that three different anti-viral agents in a vaginal gel protect the animals against an HIV-like virus.

1 Nov 2005