Some Anemia Treatment Agents Increase Risk Of Blood Clots And Death In Cancer Patients
Using erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in thetreatment of anemia increases the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE)and death among cancer patients, according to an article in theFebruary 27, 2008 issue of JAMA.ESAs are a class of drugs that promote red blood cell production in thebody.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Newspapers Publish Opinion Pieces Addressing HIV/AIDS In Black Community
Two newspapers recently published opinion pieces addressing HIV/AIDS in the black community. Summaries appear below.Warren Bolton, Columbia State: If blacks do not "get real about combating" HIV/AIDS, "an already terrible crisis will worsen," Bolton, associate editor for the State, writes in an opinion piece.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

SUFU 2008 Winter Meeting Outcomes Measures For Incontinence Treatment (OMIT)
UroToday.com - The lack of common outcomes measures and tools to assess outcomes of the various treatment options has been the topic of much discussion over the years. Minimal progress in the overall quality of the literature was found between two consecutive Clinical Guidelines Panels from 1997 to 2007.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Organizations Hold Conference To Discuss HIV/AIDS-Related Issues Among Women In Pakistan
The All Pakistan Women's Association in collaboration with the United Nations Development Fund for Women and the United Nations Population Fund on Monday launched a two-day workshop to discuss HIV/AIDS-related issues among women in the country, the Daily Times reports.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Passage Of Indian Health Care Improvement Act High On Agenda For American Indian Voters, National Congress Of American Indians Says
The executive council of the National Congress of American Indians recently held a three-day meeting in Washington, D.C., to discuss strategy, legislative policy and the top issues for American Indian voters in the presidential election, NPR's "The Bryant Park Project" reports. NCAI represents more than 250 tribes, accounting for 70% of the American Indian population.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

SUFU 2008 Winter Meeting Highlights Of The Moderated Drugs And Devices, BPH, Stress Incontinence/Prolapse Poster Session
UroToday.com - Posters #21 and #22: These presentations focused on the development and implementation of a curriculum for urodynamic teaching for urology residents.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Risk Factors For Urinary Tract Infection In Children With Prenatal Renal Pelvic Dilatation
UroToday.com- A study out of Brazil addressed a question that has come up quite extensively in pediatric urology, which children are at risk for a urinary tract infection that present at infancy a history of fetal renal pelvic dilation?The group studied a total of 192 patients were diagnosed with isolated renal pelvic dilatation between 1999 and 2006. They were followed prospectively.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

A New Dimension Of Ultrasound: The European Debut Of The New System Acuson S2000 From Siemens
Siemens Healthcare is showing its Acuson S2000, the first ultrasound system of the new product series S, at the ECR (European Congress of Radiology) 2008 in Vienna. This system platform includes integration of the newest technologies to optimize workflows and once again considerably simplify the physician's work.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Laboratory And Clinical Development Of Single Keyhole Umbilical Nephrectomy
UroToday.com - There is increasing interest for a new surgical technique called Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) and this report suggests an alternate approach that may be more efficacious. These laparoscopic surgeons are using one skin incision at the umbilicus to place a 10 mm and two 5mm ports to perform transperitoneal nephrectomy.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

House Passes Mental Health Parity Legislation
The House on Wednesday by a 268-148 vote passed a bill (HR 1424) that would require most health insurers to provide equal levels of coverage for physical and mental illnesses, the AP/Contra Costa Times reports (Miga, AP/Contra Costa Times, 3/6).
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

New Insights Into How Plant Toxin Ricin Kills Cells Could Help Scientists Develop Drugs To Counteract Poisonings
A powerful plant toxin widely feared for its bioterrorism potential may one day be tamed using findings about how the toxin attacks cells. The findings may also help scientists combat food poisoning episodes such as those recently caused by bacteria-tainted produce and ground meat.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

House Of Representatives Schedules Historic Vote On Mental Health Equity Legislation
In a historic vote, the U.S. House of Representatives will, for the first time, take up comprehensive legislation today to outlaw health insurance practices that discriminate against Americans with mental health and substance-use conditions under employer-sponsored health care plans.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Yale Study Highlights Cultural Similarities And Differences About Whether People Can Change
Is it likely that a 10-year-old bully will change into a kindly pacifist, or that a struggling fifth-grade student will become the next Einstein? Young children from both the United States and Japan are highly optimistic about these sorts of changes taking place over the course of a person's development, according to a recent Yale study in Cognitive Development.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Independent Survey Names CyberKnife(R) System Most Widely Used Extracranial Radiosurgery Technology
Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, announced results of an independent survey, which concluded that the CyberKnife� Robotic Radiosurgery System is the only extracranial radiosurgery technology in widespread, routine clinical use.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

The Big Three Fuel The Air Pollution And Health Debate: Major Canadian Health Groups Launch New Campaign On Environmental Health
The Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Lung Association and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada announced a new joint effort to increase public attention and political action on environmental health hazards.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Local Authorities Invited To Bid For Additional Funding For Extra Care Housing, UK
Delivering true equality requires more than piecemeal actionHelp the Aged today responded to the Government's invitation to local authorities to bid for £80 million of funding to build extra care housing that would allow older people and those with long-term conditions to live in a home of their own.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Sen. Wyden Promotes Universal Health Care Plan At AHIP Meeting
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) on Wednesday promoted his Healthy Americans Act (S 334) at a meeting held by America's Health Insurance Plans, saying that failing to "fix the private market" would lead to more support for a single-payer health care system, CQ HealthBeat reports (Cooley, CQ HealthBeat, 3/5).
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Muscular Help Foundation Funds PHAB Places At Merchant Taylors, UK
The Muscular Help Foundation (MHF) is delighted to be working for the first time with Merchant Taylors' School supporting their annual 2008 Easter Phab Week initiative that will see approximately twenty disabled young people (including some with muscular dystrophy) enjoy an inclusive residential programme of structured fun activities taking place at the school between 24 March and 29 March 2008.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Ozone-Oxygen Administration In Cancer Therapy
Researchers at the Philipps University Marburg, Campus Marburg, Germany, applied ozone-oxygen by intraperitoneal insufflation for the treatment of rabbit squamous cell carcinomas. This therapy resulted in the complete remission of the cancers in approximately 50% of the animals. Ozone administration has long been known to inhibit the growth of various carcinoma cells in vitro.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Oral Allergy Immunotherapy Helps Control Asthma (HealthDay)
HealthDay - TUESDAY, March 4 (HealthDay News) -- Oral allergy immunotherapy -- in the form of drops or tablets -- is effective at reducing asthma symptoms and the need for asthma medications in children who have what's known as allergic asthma, a new study finds.
Source: health.yahoo.com

New HIV Cases Among MSM Expected To Increase By Almost 75% In Australian State By 2015, Report Finds
New HIV cases among men who have sex with men are expected to increase by 73.5% by 2015 in the Australian state Victoria if current trends continue, according to a report released Monday by the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, The Australian reports.The report analyzed a 44% annual increase in the number of new HIV cases nationally among MSM.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Toxoplasmosis Treated With Newly Developed Anti-Malarial Medicine
A new drug that will soon enter clinical trials for treatment of malaria also appears to be 10 times more effective than the key medicine in the current gold-standard treatment for toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by a related parasite that infects nearly one-third of all humans - more than two billion people worldwide.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Arts And Cognition Research Released By Dana Foundation
Learning, Arts, and the Brain, a study three years in the making, is the result of research by cognitive neuroscientists from seven leading universities in the United States.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Supplement Containing Blueberry And Green Tea Protects Against Stroke Damage
A unique dietary supplement called NutraStem � has been shown to have beneficial effects following experimental stroke. A nutritional supplement product, NutraStem also known as NT-020, is a proprietary formulation of blueberry, green tea, vitamin D3 and carnosine extracts - a combination of nutritional ingredients thought to be potent in protecting against brain damage.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

New York Times Examines Conflict Between Doulas, Lactation Consultants; Physicians, Nurses, Parents
The New York Times on Sunday examined how the increased popularity of doulas, or birthing coaches, and lactation consultants has led to conflict with some physicians, nurses and new parents.According to the Times, studies have found that women who have a doula during birth have shorter labors, fewer medical interventions and a more positive experience.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Small Study Shows Marijuana Does Not Increase Risk Of Head, Neck Cancer
Smoking marijuana (cannabis) does not increase the user's risk of head and neck cancer, according to a new study published in the March 2008 issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Brain Imaging Explores The Myth Of Runner's High
Throughout the world, amateurs, experts and the media agree that prolonged jogging raises people's spirits. And many believe that the body's own opioids, so called endorphins, are the cause of this. But in fact this has never been proved until now.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Prescription Drugs Often Cost Less At Retail Pharmacies Than Through Colorado Program
Many prescription drugs at chain pharmacies cost less than medications obtained through the new Colorado Cares Rx program for lower-income state residents, according to a Denver Post cost comparison.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Home-Based Care Could Significantly Reduce Mortality Among HIV-Positive Adults, Families In Developing Countries, Study Says
The implementation of home-based care could significantly reduce mortality among adults living with HIV/AIDS in developing countries, as well as children within their families, according to a study published in the Feb. 28 issue of the journal Lancet, BBC News reports (BBC News, 2/29).
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

New York Times Letters To The Editor Address Concerns About Genetic Discrimination By Employers, Health Insurers
The New York Times on Sunday published several letters to the editor that address a Feb. 24 article on concerns about genetic discrimination by employers and health insurers. Summaries of three of the letters appear below.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Health Highlights: March 3, 2008 (HealthDay)
HealthDay - Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:
Source: health.yahoo.com

Building Baby Safety From the Ground Up
A Consumer Product Safety Commission staff analysis of reports of deaths related to cribs found that about half of the deaths were in cribs containing pillows, quilts and other bedding. ...
Source: www.pueblo.gsa.gov

Oral Allergy Immunotherapy Helps Control Asthma (HealthDay)
HealthDay - TUESDAY, March 4 (HealthDay News) -- Oral allergy immunotherapy -- in the form of drops or tablets -- is effective at reducing asthma symptoms and the need for asthma medications in children who have what's known as allergic asthma, a new study finds.
Source: health.yahoo.com

Depression, pregnancy linked among black teens (Reuters)
Reuters - Black American adolescents who suffer depression after giving birth run a higher risk of becoming pregnant again soon after than those who are not depressed, researchers reported on Monday.
Source: health.yahoo.com

Study finds no depression link to stroke risk (Reuters)
Reuters - People who have had strokes are prone to depression, but a large, new study published on Monday said the psychological condition does not appear to raise the risk of stroke.
Source: health.yahoo.com

Building Baby Safety From the Ground Up
A Consumer Product Safety Commission staff analysis of reports of deaths related to cribs found that about half of the deaths were in cribs containing pillows, quilts and other bedding. ...
Source: www.pueblo.gsa.gov

Speeding Drug Hunt Using Mouse Model Tightly Matching Pediatric Tumor Syndrome
Frustrated by the slow pace of new drug development for a condition that causes pediatric brain tumors, a neurologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis decided to try to fine-tune the animal models used to test new drugs.Instead of studying one mouse model of the disease causing the brain tumors, the laboratory of David Gutmann, M.D., Ph.D., the Donald O.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Depression, pregnancy linked among black teens (Reuters)
Reuters - Black American adolescents who suffer depression after giving birth run a higher risk of becoming pregnant again soon after than those who are not depressed, researchers reported on Monday.
Source: health.yahoo.com

Micrus Endovascular To Present At March Investment Conferences
Micrus Endovascular Corporation (Nasdaq: MEND) announced that management will make presentations at four investment conferences in March: - Robert Stern, Micrus President and COO, will present at the Rodman & Renshaw "Straight to the Heart" one-day, one-on-one meeting conference on Tuesday, March 4. The conference will be held at the Boston Harbor Hotel.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Teva Announces Approval Of Generic Camptosar(R)
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted final approval for the Company's Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market its generic version of Pfizer's chemotherapy agent, Camptosar(R) (Irinotecan Hydrochloride) Injection, 20 mg/mL.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Only Severely Depressed Benefit From Antidepressants: Study (HealthDay)
HealthDay - TUESDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- While popular antidepressants such as Prozac are widely prescribed for people with varying degrees of depression, the drugs are only effective for those with the most severe depression, a new study suggests.
Source: health.yahoo.com