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Virtual colonoscopy raises issues for further study

The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has reacted with caution to claims of the benefits of computed tomography (CT) colonography, also referred to as virtual colonoscopy, compared to standard colonoscopy.

29 Nov 2004

Effective management of insomnia begins with recognition and adequate assessment

A seminar in this week’s issue of THE LANCET outlines the common but poorly understood condition of insomnia, concluding that awareness and assessment of insomnia by family doctors is a priority.

29 Nov 2004

Drug combination of amodiaquine and sulfadoxinepyrimethamine might offer the optimal treatment for malaria

Results of a randomised trial from Uganda in this week’s issue of THE LANCET suggest that the drug combination of amodiaquine and sulfadoxinepyrimethamine might offer the optimal treatment for malaria in terms of efficacy and cost-effectiveness in this region.

29 Nov 2004

4 million extra health workers needed worldwide

Authors of a public-health article in this week’s issue of THE LANCET are calling for urgent international action to address the chronic lack of investment in human resources which is limiting the chance of tackling diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB.

29 Nov 2004

FDA approves Combunox tablets for the short-term treatment of acute, moderate to severe pain

Forest Laboratories have announced that Combunox (Oxycodone HCl and Ibuprofen) Tablets (CII), the first and only fixed-dose combination of the opioid oxycodone HCl (5 mg) and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ibuprofen (400 mg), was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the short-term management of acute, moderate to severe pain.

29 Nov 2004

Study finds that stomach cancer originates from bone marrow derived stem cells, rather than from stomach stem cells

A common assumption among cancer specialists is that most cancers originate from tissue stem cells – for example, the gastric stem cells contained in the lining of the stomach.

29 Nov 2004

Women with recurrent miscarriage and infertility are undergoing tests and treatments that have no scientific rationale

Women with recurrent miscarriage and infertility are undergoing tests and treatments that have no scientific rationale and are linked with known risks to mother and fetus, warn researchers in this week's BMJ.

29 Nov 2004

Testosterone patches for women with low sex drive

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a fast track review of testosterone patches for women with low sex drive, despite concerns about insufficient data and potentially misleading marketing by their manufacturer Proctor & Gamble, claim two articles in this week's BMJ.

29 Nov 2004

Parents are failing to recognise obesity

Researchers surveyed the parents of 277 children and found that only a quarter recognised when their offspring were overweight. Where children were obese, a third of mothers and 57% of fathers thought their sons and daughters were "about right".

29 Nov 2004

New research may lead to treatments for atherosclerosis

Scientists are one step closer to deciphering the molecular signaling process controlling innate immunity with the discovery that a molecule called IRAK1 regulates the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Because atherosclerosis patients often have elevated IL-10 levels, IRAK1 may be a viable target for developing therapeutics for atherosclerosis.

29 Nov 2004

New computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) methods for cancer

Not all masses are cancer. When a person undergoes a scan to identify a lump or nodule, the radiologist looks at the texture, the borders and the shape to determine if it is malignant or just a benign growth.

29 Nov 2004

Cancer survival rates differ among ethnic groups in New Zealand

There were 115,811 adult patients with an invasive cancer recorded on the New Zealand Cancer Registry between 1994 and 2002. The study linked these patients to the Mortality Collection in order to calculate survival rates. Ethnicity (Maori, Pacific, and non-Maori/non-Pacific) was assigned from hospitalisation and health administration databases.

24 Nov 2004

U.S. pharmacists not opposed to importing drugs to lower patients' costs

Many community pharmacists are not opposed to importing drugs to lower patients' costs as long as those drugs are channeled through U.S. pharmacies to ensure safety and efficacy, according to a study by pharmacists at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Michigan.

24 Nov 2004

Stem cells derived from umbilical cords are a viable and effective transplant source for thousands of leukemia patients

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms that stem cells derived from the umbilical cords of newborn babies are a viable and effective transplant source for thousands of leukemia patients who have no other treatment option.

24 Nov 2004

Retina implant device offers new hope for blind people

The Retina Implant developed by German medical technology company IIP Technologies, which is designed to restore a degree of sight to blind people suffering from certain retinal degenerations, has successfully been put through a clinical test.

24 Nov 2004

FDA approves Remodulin for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension

United Therapeutics Corporation announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an approval letter for the intravenous use of Remodulin based on data establishing its bioequivalence with the previously approved subcutaneous administration of Remodulin.

24 Nov 2004

European regulators should avoid excessive legislation when trying to tackle obesity

European regulators should avoid excessive legislation when trying to tackle the increasing problem of overweight groups in their population, according to a new study by Austrian researchers published today by the Brussels think-tank the European Enterprise Institute (EEI).

24 Nov 2004

Study highlights importance of pesticide worker dermal exposure

Agricultural pesticide workers are not only exposed to pesticides from inhalation, but also through their skin. The dermal route of exposure to chlorpyrifos, a common agricultural pesticide, is known to contribute substantially to workers’ total exposure

24 Nov 2004

Cord blood registry sees FDA regulation as good for consumers and industry

Beginning in May 2005, cord blood banks must meet new federal safety standards mandated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

24 Nov 2004

Shortages of health workers threaten health initiatives

A new study has for the first time quantified the dangerous scarcity of health care workers around the globe, ensuring future failures of most developing country health initiatives without the effective addition of 4 million health workers to stave off catastrophic health, economic and political consequences.

24 Nov 2004