January 19th, 2009

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Moderate Alcohol Consumption Prevents Disability in Seniors

According to new research, light to moderate alcohol consumption can prevent disability in healthy seniors. The results from a UCLA study showing that healthy seniors who drink less than 15 drinks per week and less than 5 drinks per day (less than four per day for women), have better overall health, and remain active longer [...]

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Improper Use of Topical Skin Anesthetics Can Result in Serious Side Effects

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued an advisory to remind consumers and healthcare professionals that the improper use of topical anesthetics can result in serious and life-threatening side effects. These topical anesthetics are available in both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription forms. They are commonly used in laser hair removal, tattoo removal, and chemical [...]

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CMS Outlines Foundations Of Health Care Reform

The Centers for Medicare %26amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) today issued Quality Measurement, Resource Use Measurement, and Value-Based Purchasing Roadmaps for the traditional Medicare Fee-For-Service Program. “These documents are intended to offer a vision for the future and potential options for CMS to pursue to improve the quality and value of health care delivered in the [...]

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Research Looks At Possible Sleep-Wake Rhythm Diabetes Link

An international research team with German participation including Helmholtz Zentrum München, among other institutions, has succeeded in identifying a new gene variant which is associated with elevated fasting glucose levels and a high risk for type 2 diabetes. The gene mediates insulin secretion indirectly via the release of melatonin, which implicates a previously unknown relationship [...]

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New Finding My Help Prevent Autoimmune Disease

Scientists find new structural motif in key enzymes is essential to prevent autoimmune disease. Structure may also hold key to drug resistance in cancer treatments. Scientists from the Scripps Research Institute and the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation have found a specific mutation that leads to the development of severe autoimmune kidney disease [...]

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Addressing FDA Conflict Of Interest Screening Efforts

FDA “has distressingly limited interest” in addressing the “rising concern that conflicts of interest may bias the outcome of clinical trials,” a New York Times editorial states. The editorial continues that a report released on Monday by the HHS Office of Inspector General on the efforts of FDA officials to identify potential conflicts of interest [...]

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Swiss, Dutch health systems models for universal insurance coverage

A new Commonwealth Fund study says that policies in the Switzerland and Netherlands that achieve near-universal health insurance coverage and low administrative costs can help inform the U.S. health care reform debate. Both countries effectively cover all but one percent of their population – compared with 15 percent uninsured in the U.S. – due to [...]

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HIV/AIDS Campaigns Emphasize Understanding Of Local HIV Situations

Inter Press Service on Saturday examined a new emphasis of HIV/AIDS campaigns that focuses on “knowing your epidemic” by analyzing the local HIV/AIDS situation through specific factors that drive the epidemic. The approach helps advocates accurately determine who is HIV-positive and how to address the epidemic successfully with certain populations, Inter Press Service reports. Inter [...]

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Sandostatin LAR Depot Controls Rare Gastrointestinal Tumor Growth

Sandostatin LAR Depot (octreotide acetate suspension for injection) demonstrated antitumor benefit in patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the midgut, according to interim data presented today at the 2009 Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. After six months of treatment, patients receiving Sandostatin LAR had a 66% reduction in risk [...]

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RAD001 Trial Results Positive In Patients With Advanced Gastric Cancer

Data show RAD001 (also known as everolimus; proposed brand name Afinitor) halted tumor growth in 55% of patients with advanced gastric cancer, a condition for which there are limited treatment options. In addition, 45% of patients in the study demonstrated some tumor shrinkage. The data will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s [...]

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Oral Xeloda Plus Oxaliplatin Is Comparable To FOLFOX As Colorectal Cancer Treatment

Overall survival results from a 14-month follow-up of the international, Phase III NO16966 study confirm that oral Xeloda plus oxaliplatin (XELOX) is comparable to a current standard treatment, FOLFOX-4 (infused 5-FU/leucovorin plus oxaliplatin) in the first-line treatment of advanced (metastatic) colorectal cancer. In the study, patients receiving XELOX lived for a median of 19.0 months, [...]

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Is Jack Frost Nipping At Your Nose?

Severe temperatures are hitting most of the country this week, but cold weather is no excuse to sit inside over the long winter months. If you do go outside for some fresh air and exercise, make sure to guard yourself from frostbite. When body tissues are frostbitten, skin cells become damaged — sometimes permanently. Therefore, [...]

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