Health and Medical News Headlines for March 15, 2009

President Promises to Bolster Food Safety

President Obama promised to reorganize the nation’s fractured food-safety system, calling inadequate inspections “a hazard to the public health.”

Source: NYT > Health | 15 Mar 2009 | 9:30 am

Lords Committee On Pandemic Flu To Hear Evidence From Dawn Primarolo, UK

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, which is conducting a short follow-up inquiry into pandemic influenza, will next week hear evidence from Dawn Primarolo MP, Minister of State for Public Health. Ms Primarolo will be asked about the UK's preparedness in the event of a large-scale pandemic flu outbreak.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Mar 2009 | 8:00 am

Brummie Girls With Type 1 Diabetes More At Risk Of Complications, UK

Girls in Birmingham with Type 1 diabetes have poorer blood glucose control than Brummie boys, according to new research presented at Diabetes UK's Annual Professional Conference. This could be putting them at greater risk of short-term diabetes complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which occurs when blood glucose levels are consistently high.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Mar 2009 | 8:00 am

Congressman Burgess Reintroduces Medical Justice Act In 111th Congress - Says Medical Liability Must Be Part Of National Health Care Debate

Congressman Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas), has reintroduced the Medical Justice Act (HR 1468), which would improve patient access to doctors by putting an end to unnecessary lawsuits brought about by trial lawyers. "Texas has led the nation in medical justice reform, and is now a model state for what successful tort reform looks like.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Mar 2009 | 8:00 am

FDA Issues Guidance For Food Manufacturers On Use Of Peanut-Derived Product

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that manufacturers obtain any peanut-derived ingredient only from suppliers who use production processes that have been demonstrated to adequately reduce the presence of Salmonella species (Salmonella spp.), or that they ensure that their own manufacturing process would adequately reduce the presence of Salmonella species.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Mar 2009 | 8:00 am

CTSI Grants To Jumpstart Biomedical Research Projects Across Indiana

Twelve teams of Indiana scientists have been awarded the first grants from the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, awards meant to foster collaborative efforts to develop new medical treatments and services.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Mar 2009 | 8:00 am

10th Annual Brain Awareness Week To Be Held At National Museum Of Health And Medicine In Washington, DC

More than 800 middle school students will learn about traumatic brain injuries, brain anatomy and pathology and other brain-related issues - as well as get a chance to hold an actual human brain - during the upcoming tenth annual Brain Awareness Week at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington, D.C.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Mar 2009 | 8:00 am

AHRQ Releases New Survey To Assess Medical Office Safety Culture

HHS's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality released the Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture, a free evidence-based toolkit that helps medical offices assess and improve how their staffs view the culture of patient safety in the workplace.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Mar 2009 | 8:00 am

Successful MRSA Wound Disinfection Study Announced By Ondine

Ondine Biopharma Corporation (TSX:OBP)(AIM:OBP) (the "Company") announced publication of a study demonstrating the first successful decontamination of heavily MRSA-infected wounds in animals. The study was carried out by a team of collaborative researchers at the University College London, UK, and utilized Ondine's MRSAidTM photodisinfection system which is currently under development.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Mar 2009 | 8:00 am

Hypos Linked To Cognitive Decline In People With Diabetes

Severe hypoglycaemic episodes or 'hypos', where blood glucose levels drop dangerously low, may lead to poorer memory and diminished brain power in people with Type 2 diabetes, according to new research announced at Diabetes UK's Annual Professional Conference. The study The study looked at 1,066 people with Type 2 diabetes aged between 60 and 75 years.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Mar 2009 | 8:00 am

Sativex Shows Significant Spasticity Improvement, UK

GW Pharmaceuticals has announced plans to submit an application to market its cannabis-based multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment, Sativex, in the UK. This follows the announcement this week of study results, which showed that in nearly three-quarters of people with MS taking a fixed dose of Sativex, there was an improvement of more than 30% in levels of spasticity.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Mar 2009 | 8:00 am

SNAPSHOT - Financial Crisis - 0740 GMT

- G20 fin mins promise the IMF money and say will use all their firepower to combat worst economic crisis since 1930s
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 15 Mar 2009 | 7:40 am

Bill Proposes Restrictions on Raw Milk Sales

After an outbreak of E. coli that was traced to a Connecticut dairy last summer, there is an effort to restrict raw milk sales to the farms where it is produced and farmers’ markets.

Source: NYT > Health | 15 Mar 2009 | 4:19 am

Insulin hope

How an old drug could help reduce scarring
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 15 Mar 2009 | 12:00 am

UPDATE 3-Obama picks FDA chief, starts food safety panel

* HHS and USDA to work out new food safety structure (Adds lawmaker comment, details on Hamburg)
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 14 Mar 2009 | 11:37 pm

Study links heavier drinking to increase prevalence for prostate cancer

VANCOUVER, B.C. - An international research team from Canada, the U.S. and Australia, reviewing 35 studies that examined the relationship between drinking levels and the risk of...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 14 Mar 2009 | 10:23 pm

Vital Tamil clinic 'could close'

The last major clinic in Tamil-held territory may close due to a medicine shortage, a Sri Lankan official warns.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 14 Mar 2009 | 9:37 pm

Study links heavy drinking to higher prevalence for prostate cancer

Obama: Food safety system a health 'hazard' (AP)

AP - The nation's food safety system is a "hazard to public health" and overdue for an overhaul, President Barack Obama said Saturday as he filled the top job at the Food and Drug Administration.

Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 14 Mar 2009 | 9:02 pm

Steadman Hawkins Clinic mends prominent athletes, including A-Rod

Kobe. Now, A-Rod has taken a turn. The Steadman Hawkins Clinic is where high-profile athletes go when their bodies need fixing and their careers are in the balance. Alex Rodriguez...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 14 Mar 2009 | 8:26 pm

No dancing in public in Dubai: report

Playing loud music, dancing, nudity, kissing and even holding hands in public is considered inappropriate behaviour under new guidelines laid down by the authorities of Dubai, a report said
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 14 Mar 2009 | 8:11 pm