Health and Medical News Headlines for April 20, 2010

Early Detection Of Parkinson's Disease By Voice Analysis

A new technique assisting in early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease has been developed by Prof. Shimon Sapir of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Haifa. This technique involves analysis of voice and articulation. The research was carried out alongside U.S. scientists and with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and results have been published in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. "This is a non-invasive, reliable and accurate technique that only requires the patient to read out a few simple sentences," Prof...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 20 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am

Common Genetic Variation Impacts Breast Cancer Diagnosis In Older Women

Researchers from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) are converging on Washington, D.C., this week for the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) to share their findings on how a common genetic variation can impact diagnosis of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. They are joining other top investigators from around the globe for the event, which is highlighting interdisciplinary approaches to cancer research. CINJ is a Center of Excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 20 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am

EpiCept Announces Commercial Launch Of Ceplene(R) In The United Kingdom

EpiCept Corporation (Nasdaq and Nasdaq OMX Stockholm Exchange: EPCT) today announced that the commercial launch of Ceplene® (histamine dihydrochloride) will take place in the United Kingdom on April 20, 2010 in conjunction with the British Society for Haematology 50th Annual Scientific Meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland. Ceplene is approved in the European Union for the remission maintenance and prevention of relapse in patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in first remission...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 20 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am

Novartis Europharm Ltd Withdraws Its Marketing Authorisation Application For Joulferon (albinterferon Alfa-2b), Europe

The European Medicines Agency has been formally notified by Novartis Europharm Ltd of its decision to withdraw its application for a centralised marketing authorisation for the medicine Joulferon (albinterferon alfa-2b), 900 mg powder and solvent for solution for injection in pre-filled pen and vials. This medicine was intended to be used in combination with ribavirin for the treatment of adults with chronic hepatitis C virus infection who have compensated liver disease and have not been previously treated with interferon alfa...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 20 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am

Few People Over 50 Receive Skin Cancer Screenings

Among people over 50, those who did not finish high school or have not recently had common cancer screenings such as a mammogram, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test or colorectal cancer screening, are also less likely to be screened for skin cancer...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 20 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am

ABRAXANE(R) In Combination With Gemcitabine Increases Survival In First-Line Treatment Of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer In Phase I/II Study

Abraxis BioScience, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABII), a fully integrated biotechnology company, today announced updated overall survival findings from a phase I/II study of nab®-paclitaxel (ABRAXANE® for Injectable Suspension) (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) (albumin-bound) given in combination with gemcitabine, demonstrated increased survival of the first-line treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. In 44 patients treated at the recommended dose of 125 mg/m2 nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2), the median overall survival (OS) time was 12...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 20 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am

Treatment-Resistant Ringworm Is Highly Prevalent Among Children In Metropolitan Elementary Schools

Approximately 7 percent of elementary school children across the bi-state, Kansas City metropolitan area are infected with the fungus Trichophyton tonsurans (T. tonsurans), the leading cause of ringworm in the U.S., according to a new study published in Pediatrics. This is the largest study to date aimed at defining infection prevalence of the scalp fungus in children living in a metropolitan area and has implications for children nationwide. "The organism T. tonsurans has become the leading cause of scalp infection in the U.S...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 20 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am

BATTLE Links Potential Biomarkers To Drugs For Lung Cancer

The first lung cancer clinical trial to guide targeted therapies to patients based on molecular signatures in tumor biopsies is a step toward personalized care and more effective, efficient clinical trials for new drugs, study leaders reported today during the American Association for Cancer Research 101st Annual Meeting 2010. Researchers at The University of Texas M. D...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 20 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am

Four-Year UTHealth Program Addresses Need For Public Health Physicians

To address the forecasted public health workforce shortage, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have created a four-year Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)/Master of Public Health (M.P.H) program. Researchers from The University of Texas School of Public Health, part of UTHealth, and the School of Medicine at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio, assessed the four-year dual degree program based in San Antonio for its perceived impact, student satisfaction and areas for improvement...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 20 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am

Sweco Employee Helping Doctors Without Borders In Haiti

Filip Linders, who normally works as an engineer at Sweco (STO:SWECA) (STO:SWECB) in Stockholm, is on site in Haiti to assist Doctors Without Borders. For the next three months he will lead a team that deals with water and sanitation issues in the wake of the earthquake. "The first few weeks have been intensive and educational. There is a very special atmosphere here and it is really inconceivable to see what this country has gone through," says Filip...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 20 Apr 2010 | 1:00 am

U.S. plans drive to limit salt in foods: report

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators are planning a push to gradually cut the amount of salt Americans consume, saying less sodium would reduce deaths from hypertension and heart disease,
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 19 Apr 2010 | 11:03 pm

Really: The Claim: Alcohol Worsens Allergies

Studies have found that alcohol can cause or worsen allergy symptoms, particularly in women.

Source: NYT > Health | 19 Apr 2010 | 10:48 pm

Vital Signs: Aging: Diet May Be Linked to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk in Older People

A study showed that people who mostly ate foods low in saturated fat and rich in nutrients were at one-third lower risk of the disease than those who ate more higher-fat foods.

Source: NYT > Health | 19 Apr 2010 | 10:46 pm

Global Update: Kenya: Pig Farmers Are Focus of Effort to Stop Spread of Parasite That Causes Epilepsy

A new program teaches farmers to tether or confine their pigs to keep them away from human waste.

Source: NYT > Health | 19 Apr 2010 | 10:45 pm

Those Meant to Benefit From Health Law Still Face Hurdles

Under the new health care act, some people with low incomes might face penalties if they don’t buy health insurance.

Source: NYT > Health | 19 Apr 2010 | 10:30 pm

Changing old habits could save big on drug costs

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Making simple changes like getting people to take their medicines exactly as directed or to refill their prescriptions on time could save employers and their workers as...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 19 Apr 2010 | 10:15 pm

Cancer Fight: Unclear Tests for New Drug

So-called targeted therapies for cancer are only as good as tests to find their protein targets. And those tests can be surprisingly unreliable.

Source: NYT > Health | 19 Apr 2010 | 9:59 pm

Matching Tumor Types to Drugs Boosts Lung Cancer Outcomes (HealthDay)

HealthDay - SUNDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- The number one cancer killer, lung cancer, may be more susceptible to treatment when doctors match up targeted drugs to tumors with key genetic traits, a new study finds.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 19 Apr 2010 | 9:49 pm

Health Tip: Be Careful Taking Laxatives (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Though laxatives are generally safe medications, people should be careful when using them.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 19 Apr 2010 | 9:49 pm

Resistant Ringworm Common in Urban Elementary Schools (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment-resistant ringworm is common among urban elementary school children, U.S. researchers report.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 19 Apr 2010 | 9:49 pm

Day Care Centers Too Quick to Send Mildly Ill Kids Home (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Almost six out of 10 child-care centers in Wisconsin send home children who have minor illnesses -- even though professional guidelines suggest otherwise, a new study finds.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 19 Apr 2010 | 9:49 pm

Raloxifene, Tamoxifen Both Guard Against Breast Cancer (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- The latest results from a landmark, long-running study find that both tamoxifen and raloxifene help prevent breast cancer in postmenopausal women, although some differences are starting to emerge between the two drugs.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 19 Apr 2010 | 9:49 pm

Diabetes Drug May Help Prevent Lung Cancer (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- New research in mice suggests that metformin, a drug widely used to treat type 2 diabetes, may guard against lung cancer.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 19 Apr 2010 | 9:49 pm

Gene Variant Linked to Thinking Skills in Elderly (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- A gene variant that may help protect memory and thinking skills in elderly people has been identified by U.S. researchers.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 19 Apr 2010 | 9:49 pm

Rubble, rocks, mud houses square up to Gaza housing crisis

Crushed rubble and rocks, recycled metal, tents, containers and "mud houses" make up blockaded Gaza's modest answer to its housing crisis more than a year after the devastating Hamas-Israel
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 19 Apr 2010 | 8:42 pm

Australia's Wesfarmers to restructure some units

MELBOURNE, April 20 (Reuters) - Australian coal-to-supermarkets conglomerate Wesfarmers Ltd said on Tuesday it will restructure its industrial divisions in a move that will cost no more than A$10 million...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 19 Apr 2010 | 8:24 pm

UPDATE 1-Obama, Biden to attend memorial for miners

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden plan to attend a memorial service on Sunday for the 29 coal miners killed in a West Virginia mine blast, the White...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 19 Apr 2010 | 8:19 pm

Lung cancer screening can lead to high false alarms, unneeded biopsies: study

NEW YORK - Screening smokers for cancer with lung scans can lead to a high rate of false alarms, unneeded tests and biopsies, a new study suggests. Some hospitals are promoting lung...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 19 Apr 2010 | 7:23 pm

Organ donor payments 'explored'

Cash incentives and the payment of funeral costs are among proposals to encourage people to donate organs, eggs and sperm.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 19 Apr 2010 | 7:12 pm

UPDATE 1-Gilead stops mid-stage trial of hepatitis treatment

* Says it caused "adverse events" in hepatitis C patients
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 19 Apr 2010 | 7:11 pm

British experts asks how far society should go to boost supply of organs

LONDON - An influential British medical think-tank is tackling the question of how far society should go to boost the number of organ and tissue donors, and is weighing a proposal to pay...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 19 Apr 2010 | 7:02 pm

Obama Nominates Quality Expert Berwick to Head CMS

If the Senate approves his nomination, Donald Berwick would be a key figure in implementing healthcare reform.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 19 Apr 2010 | 6:58 pm

Spare tyre health risks 'ignored'

People are blinkered to the health dangers of carrying excess weight around the waist, say experts.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 19 Apr 2010 | 6:24 pm

NZ's Pike River Coal seeks NZ$50 mln

WELLINGTON, April 20 (Reuters) - New Zealand coal miner Pike River Coal Ltd said on Tuesday that it was seeking a total of NZ$50 million ($35.5 million) to fund operations and bolster its cash reserves...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 19 Apr 2010 | 6:15 pm

Sunbed-users can get 'addicted'

Around a third of people who use sunbeds may become addicted to the tanning effects, a study suggests.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 19 Apr 2010 | 6:15 pm

NZ's Pike River Coal put on trading halt

WELLINGTON, April 20 (Reuters) - New Zealand coal miner Pike River Coal Ltd was placed on trading halt on Tuesday at its own request pending an announcement.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 19 Apr 2010 | 5:59 pm

Personal Health: Risks for Youths Who Eat What They Watch

With rates of childhood obesity soaring, parents should object to junk-food marketing on children’s television shows and brand placement in movies.

Source: NYT > Health | 19 Apr 2010 | 5:55 pm

Letters: The High Cost of Medicine (1 Letter)

A letter to the editor.

Source: NYT > Health | 19 Apr 2010 | 5:50 pm

Letters: The Patient’s Perspective (1 Letter)

A letter to the editor.

Source: NYT > Health | 19 Apr 2010 | 5:47 pm

Letters: Vaccines and Caregivers (1 Letter)

A letter to the editor.

Source: NYT > Health | 19 Apr 2010 | 5:46 pm

For Same-Sex Couples, Equality in the Hospital

Hospitals are currently free to exclude partners from visiting a sick partner or having a say in their treatment.

Source: NYT > Health | 19 Apr 2010 | 5:44 pm

AED Use Doubles Cardiac-Arrest Survival

Researchers estimate the number of lives saved by AEDs each year in Canada and the US alone could be almost 474--even more if access were expanded.
Heartwire
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 19 Apr 2010 | 4:21 pm

Study: 2 good choices to prevent breast cancer (AP)

AP - Older women at higher risk for breast cancer now have two good drug options for preventing the disease, but they will have to weigh the trade-offs, a major study shows.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 19 Apr 2010 | 4:02 pm

This Drug Kills Patients! Avoiding Sensationalism in Clinical Trials

A new editorial addresses the current challenges of clinical research, particularly the need to avoid public, media, and clinical sensationalism regarding new drugs and devices.
Heartwire
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 19 Apr 2010 | 3:59 pm

FDA Responds to Senate Concerns Over Rosiglitazone; Will "Reassess" Tide Trial

Responding to a report issued by the Senate Finance Committee, FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg says the agency is convening a joint advisory committee meeting to get expert opinion on all the recent evidence questioning rosiglitazone's cardiovascular safety profile--if need be, the agency could stop the much-debated TIDE trial.
Heartwire
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 19 Apr 2010 | 3:59 pm

FDA Debuts New Web Site to Improve Transparency of Medical and Radiation-Emitting Device Decisions

The new Web site comes in the wake of concerns about excessive medical radiation and the influence of manufacturers on regulatory decisions.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 19 Apr 2010 | 3:50 pm

Quinolone-Based Antibiotic Prophylaxis Best for Transrectal Prostate Biopsies

Ciprofloxacin prophylaxis is more effective than co-amixoclav prophylaxis for transrectal ultrasonography of the prostate.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 19 Apr 2010 | 3:34 pm

Indoor Tanning Is Addictive, Study Finds

Some people who use indoor tanning beds could be considered addicted based on criteria used to diagnose substance abuse addiction, a new study finds.
Source: Livescience.com - Health | 19 Apr 2010 | 3:00 pm

Farnesoid-X Agonist Shows Promise in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Patients

Alkaline phosphatase levels were reduced by nearly 25% with the new receptor agonist for regulation of bile acid synthesis, farnesoid-X, but most patients experienced pruritus.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 19 Apr 2010 | 2:58 pm

Gene makes people fat, raises Alzheimer's risk (Reuters)

Reuters - A variant of an obesity gene carried by more than a third of the U.S. population also reduces brain volume, raising carriers' risk of Alzheimer's disease, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 19 Apr 2010 | 2:45 pm

ADHD Linked to Interaction of Genetics and Psychology

Serotonin 5HTTLPR variants may confer a liability for ADHD that is activated in particular family environments, new research suggests.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 19 Apr 2010 | 2:41 pm

Secondhand smoke leads to sinus ills

If you have perpetually clogged and swollen sinuses, secondhand smoke -- even in small amounts may be to blame. According to a new study, secondhand smoke may be responsible for up to 40 percent of cases of chronic sinusitis.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 19 Apr 2010 | 2:21 pm

Indoor Tanning May Be Addicting for Some Young Adults

New research extends previous findings that indoor tanning may be an addictive behavior.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 19 Apr 2010 | 2:16 pm

Dark Chocolate Helps Lower Hepatic Blood Pressure in Cirrhosis Patients

The antioxidant properties helped bring about a significant difference in HVPG compared with patients in a white chocolate group, Swiss and Spanish researchers reported.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 19 Apr 2010 | 2:07 pm

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