Health Care - Chamomile Tea And Lotion Causing Internal Bleeding In Patient On

Chamomile Tea And Lotion Causing Internal Bleeding In Patient On Anti-coagulant Medication
Researchers at the MUHC in Montreal have documented a severe case of internal hemorrhaging in a patient that drank chamomile tea and used chamomile lotion while taking anti-coagulant medication for a heart condition. The 70-year old patient was admitted to the MUHC ER in Montreal after using chamomile to help soothe her sore throat... click link for more info.

County Elections Office Certifies Petition For Grand Jury To Investigate Death Of Woman Who Received Abortion At Kansas Clinic
Officials from the Sedgwick County, Kan., Elections Office on Wednesday confirmed the office has certified a petition to assemble a grand jury to investigate the death of a woman who died three days after undergoing an abortion at the ... click link for more info.

Wisconsin Scientists Discover A Master Key To Microbes' Pathogenic Lifestyles
For some microbes, the transformation from a benign lifestyle in the soil to that of a potentially deadly human pathogen is just a breath away.Inhaled into the lungs of a mammal, spores from a class of six related soil molds found around the world encounter a new, warmer environment. And as soon as they do, they rapidly shift gears and assume the guise of pathogenic yeast, causing such serious and sometimes deadly afflictions as blastomycosis and histoplasmosis... click link for more info.

AACAP Urges FDA To Expand Research On ADHD Medications
Today, at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pediatric Advisory Committee meeting, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) pledged to work with the FDA in communicating to parents and providers any potential risks that may be associated with taking medications for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)... click link for more info.

Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Governors' Actions In Various US States
The following highlights recent news of gubernatorial actions on women's health issues. Alabama Alabama Gov. Bob Riley (R) on Tuesday signed into law a bill that allows a judge to order that someone charged with sexual assault or rape be tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, the ... click link for more info.

ADHD in children associated with gene variant and environmental risk factors
For children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), possessing a variant of a gene involved in brain signaling may predict antisocial behavior and increase susceptibility to the effects of lower birth weight, according to a study in the November issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals... click link for more info.

Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Issues In Various US States
The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health issues. Abortion Regulations Tennessee: The state House Public Health and Family Assistance Subcommittee on Wednesday voted 4-3 to reject a bill (... click link for more info.

Combining Alcohol And Red Bull Reduces The 'perception' Of Impairment - Alcohol's Harmful Effects On Motor Coordination, However, Remain Intact
The combined use of alcohol and "energy drinks" such as Red Bull have become increasingly popular among youth and young adults in recent years. Users often report reduced sleepiness and increased sensations of pleasure. In the April issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, Brazilian researchers conduct the first controlled scientific study on the effects of combining alcohol with Red Bull ... click link for more info.

Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Issues In Various US States
The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health issues. Abortion Regulations Kentucky: The state House on Wednesday, in the final day of the legislative session, did not vote on the Senate's changes to a bill (... click link for more info.

Ultrasounds Show Mothers' Drinking Shrinks Fetal Brain
Routine ultrasounds show that heavy drinkers who continue to imbibe after learning they are pregnant may carry fetuses with reduced skull and brain growth compared to those of abstainers or quitters, says a new study.Although the alcohol-exposed babies' growth remained within normal range, the findings reveal effects of drinking on the developing human brain... click link for more info.

Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Issues In Various US States
The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health issues. Abortion Regulations Idaho: The state House on Monday voted 50-14 to approve a bill (S 1482) that would change an Idaho law requiring a 24-hour waiting period before women seeking abortion can undergo the procedure, the ... click link for more info.

Advisers Reject "Black Box" Warning For ADHD Drugs
A Food and Drug Administration Pediatric Advisory Committee has rejected having "black box" warnings regarding psychiatric and cardiovascular risks associated with ADHD drugs. This advice goes against a recommendation issued one month ago by the Drug Safety And Risk Management Advisory Committee, which supported the idea of a black box warning... click link for more info.

Injection Drug Use Fueling Spread Of HIV/AIDS In Iran, Official Says
The growing number of injection drug users in Iran is fueling an increase in the number of new HIV cases, Mohammed Mehdi Gooya, head of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education's disease management office, said Monday, ... click link for more info.

Brain Study Considers Motor Function, Cognition With Alcohol Consumption
Dartmouth researchers are learning more about the effects of alcohol on the brain. They've discovered more about how the brain works to mask or suppress the impact that alcohol has on motor skills, like reaching for and manipulating objects. In other words, the researchers are learning how people process visual information in concert with motor performance while under the influence of alcohol... click link for more info.

New WHO Child Growth Standards
The World Health Organization (WHO) is releasing new international Child Growth Standards for infants and young children that, for the first time, provide evidence and guidance about how every child in the world should grow.The new WHO Child Growth Standards confirm that a child born anywhere in the world and given the optimum start in life has the potential to develop to within the same range of height and weight... click link for more info.

Tennessee Officials Weigh Options For Funding Program To Cover The Uninsured
Tennessee lawmakers, state officials and patient advocates on Monday at a meeting of the Legislature's Fiscal Review Committee discussed funding options for a proposal by Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) that aims to expand coverage to some of the state's 600,000 uninsured residents, the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports... click link for more info.

Placebos provide pain relief
The brain can respond to a dummy drug (a placebo) in the same way as it responds to a proper painkiller, according to some recent scans. Volunteers were exposed to heat and electric shocks at Princeton and Michigan Universities by scientists. When the volunteers were given what they thought was a painkiller, it was in fact a placebo... click link for more info.

Evolution Of Hyperactivity, Impulsivity, And Cognitive Diversity
The evolutionary status of ADHD is central to assessments of whether modern society created it, and is important in understanding its neurobiology and treatment. ADHD's association with a positively selected gene raises the possibility that ADHD itself is selected for. But previous suggestions of evolutionary benefits of ADHD have either been factually incorrect, or have not explained why, if it is useful, it remains confined to a minority... click link for more info.

FDA Panel Made 'Brave Effort' To Urge Risk Warning On ADHD Medications, New York Times Editorial States
An FDA advisory panel's recommendation last week that black box labels for some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs should warn about potential cardiovascular risks "is best understood as a response to an alarming upsurge in use of stimulants that many have deemed unwarranted," a ... click link for more info.

Arthritis Drug Might Reduce Fatigue In Cancer Patients
Researchers here have found evidence that combining a drug typically used to treat rheumatoid arthritis with chemotherapy might help reduce fatigue and muscle wasting that often afflicts cancer patients.The findings of the preliminary study with 24 patients are reported in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology... click link for more info.

Arizona Republic Examines Contrast On Abortion Issues Between Arizona Gubernatorial Candidates
The Arizona Republic on Wednesday examined how a "string of vetoes" by Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) is likely in the November gubernatorial election to make abortion "the issue of perhaps greatest contrast between the incumbent and challenger" (Benson, Arizona Republic, 4/19)... click link for more info.

NYC Mayor Bloomberg Criticizes Abortion-Rights Supporters Who Support Abortion-Rights Opponents In Elections
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a NARAL Pro-Choice New York event on Thursday criticized abortion-rights supporters who support abortion-rights opponents in elections, saying that supporters must "exercise vigilance" so that lawmakers do not "try to nuance themselves away from that commitment in the interest of political expediency," the ... click link for more info.

Scientists Discover Possible Link Between Oxidative Stress And Non-hereditary Degenerative Disease
The irreversible neurological degeneration associated with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases may be the consequence of oxidative stress--the imbalance of antioxidants and pro-oxidants in cells. This imbalance results in an excess of reactive oxygen species--harmful oxygen-containing molecules that can cause damage to proteins... click link for more info.

Health Care - FDA Panel Suggests Adding Black Box Warning To ADHD Medications

FDA Panel Suggests Adding Black Box Warning To ADHD Medications About Risk Of Sudden Death, Heart Problems
An FDA advisory panel on Thursday voted 8-7 with one abstention that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs should carry "black box" warnings about an increased risk of sudden death and serious cardiovascular problems, the ... click link for more info.

Health Care - Study Finds That Seeing Plaque Buildup Prompts Patients To Comply

Study Finds That Seeing Plaque Buildup Prompts Patients To Comply With Medications
A new study has found that seeing the build-up of plaque in their own arteries is the incentive patients need to comply with doctor's orders. The study, conducted at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed) and published in the journal Atherosclerosis, found that patients who see more plaque in their arteries (coronary artery calcium) tend to be more likely to stay on statin therapy than those who do not get visual proof of their risk of heart attack... click link for more info.

Health Care - S.D. Health Department Site Includes Link To Group That Advocated

S.D. Health Department Site Includes Link To Group That Advocated For Abortion Ban Despite State Policy On Politically Affiliated Links
The South Dakota Department of Health's Web site includes a link to the Alpha Center -- a center in Sioux Falls that promotes alternatives to abortion and also advocated for approval of the state's abortion ... click link for more info.

Young adults with ADHD - ADDERALL XR significantly improves driving performance, study
ADDERALL XR (mixed salts of a single-entity amphetamine product) significantly improved driving performance, cognitive function and attention in young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a controlled driving simulator study conducted by the Washington Neuropsychological Institute and presented today at the 18th Annual U... click link for more info.

How Organisms Manage To Create Self-medications Discovered By MIT Chemist
MIT scientists have just learned another lesson from nature.After years of wondering how organisms managed to create self-medications, such as anti-fungal agents, chemists have discovered the simple secret.Scientists already knew that a particular enzyme was able to coax a reaction out of stubborn chemical concoctions to generate a large family of medically valuable compounds called halogenated natural products... click link for more info.

Moderate Drinking Associated With Better Cognition In Women
A drink or two a day may be associated with better cognitive function in women, according to a report from an ongoing study of New York City residents. The report was published in the rapid access issue of Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association."Women who had up to two drinks a day scored about 20 percent higher on the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) than women who didn't drink at all or who consumed less than one drink a week," said Clinton Wright, M... click link for more info.

Advisers Reject "Black Box" Warning For ADHD Drugs
A Food and Drug Administration Pediatric Advisory Committee has rejected having "black box" warnings regarding psychiatric and cardiovascular risks associated with ADHD drugs. This advice goes against a recommendation issued one month ago by the Drug Safety And Risk Management Advisory Committee, which supported the idea of a black box warning... click link for more info.

Rooney Breaks Fourth Metatarsal On Right Foot
Wayne Rooney, England's young star in the World Cup squad, broke the fourth metatarsal on his right foot yesterday following a tackle during a match between his team, Manchester United, and Chelsea. Manchester United doctors say he will be off any kind of sports for about six weeks. If his recovery goes well, that places him back in action during the first day of the world cup for England, in a match against Paraguay... click link for more info.

Red Bull Plus Alcohol Makes You Drunker Than You Feel
Many people feel more in control when they mix Red Bull with alcohol than if they mix some other drink with alcohol. According to a study carried out at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, people may feel more in control, but tests have proved the opposite is the case. You can read about this study in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research... click link for more info.

Relief of Child Pain & Anxiety Critical Component of Emegency Medical Treatment
Relief of pain and stress for children receiving emergency medical treatment is a vital, and readily available, component of care. According to the new AAP clinical report, "Relief of Pain and Anxiety of Pediatric Patients in Emergency Medical Systems," advances in the recognition and treatment of pain in children over the past 20 years have led to improved pain management for acutely ill and injured children... click link for more info.

Arizona Republic Examines Contrast On Abortion Issues Between Arizona Gubernatorial Candidates
The Arizona Republic on Wednesday examined how a "string of vetoes" by Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) is likely in the November gubernatorial election to make abortion "the issue of perhaps greatest contrast between the incumbent and challenger" (Benson, Arizona Republic, 4/19)... click link for more info.

Dr. McCluskey Receives Top Honor For Young Taste Researchers
Dr. Lynnette P. McCluskey, a Medical College of Georgia neuroscientist using taste buds as a model for studying nerve regeneration, is the 2006 recipient of the country's top honor for young taste researchers.Dr. McCluskey received the Ajinomoto Award for Young Investigators in Gustation during the 28th annual meeting of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences April 26-30 in Sarasota... click link for more info.

Senior FDA Officials To Give Depositions In Lawsuit To Force Federal Government To Allow Nonprescription Sales Of Plan B
Former FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford, agency Deputy Operations Commissioner Janet Woodcock and Steven Galson, director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, from Wednesday to Friday are scheduled to give depositions in a lawsuit attempting to force the government to allow nonprescription sales of ... click link for more info.

Pharmacokinetic Data For Nastech's Intranasal Parathyroid Hormone (PTH1-34) Demonstrated Similar Profile To Approved Injectable Product
NastechPharmaceutical Company Inc. (Nasdaq: NSTK) presents data today from a PhaseI pharmacokinetic study of Parathyroid Hormone (PTH1-34) nasal spraydemonstrating a similar pharmacokinetic profile to the approvedsubcutaneous product, Forteo(R) (teriparatide). The data are beingpresented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists AnnualMeeting in Chicago... click link for more info.

How Early Work And Health Habits Affect Later Health - $1.7 Million NIA Aging Study At Yale
Yale School of Medicine researchers have received a four-year, $1.7 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to examine how early choices in work-life and health habits can have long-lasting health effects. The overall aim of the study, "Work-life, Health Habits and Health: Longitudinal Analysis of Aging," is to examine the dynamic interplay of work-life, health habits and health outcomes throughout life... click link for more info.

Molecular Variation In One Gene Affects The Growth Of Natural Populations
For the first time, ecologists have been able to show that molecular variation in one gene may affect the growth of a population in its natural habitat. Research Professor Ilkka Hanski, University of Helsinki, and Dr Ilik Saccheri, University of Liverpool, UK, discovered that the population growth of the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) is affected by the allelic composition of the phosphoglucose isomerase (Pgi) enzyme... click link for more info.

Health Authorities, Women Need To Examine Data, Consider Risks Of Mifeprex, Editorial Says
It "seems premature" to remove from the market Danco Laboratories' Mifeprex -- known generically as mifepristone, which when taken with misoprostol can cause a medical abortion -- "given the uncertainties and small number of ... click link for more info.

Ultrasounds Show Mothers' Drinking Shrinks Fetal Brain
Routine ultrasounds show that heavy drinkers who continue to imbibe after learning they are pregnant may carry fetuses with reduced skull and brain growth compared to those of abstainers or quitters, says a new study.Although the alcohol-exposed babies' growth remained within normal range, the findings reveal effects of drinking on the developing human brain... click link for more info.

Study Examines Risk For Misuse Of ADHD Stimulant Medications
A major concern regarding the use of stimulant medications to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescents and young adults has been the risk that they will be misused or diverted to those for whom they have not been prescribed. A new study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers has found that, while the great majority of young people with ADHD use their medications appropriately, a small percentage are likely to abuse or to sell prescribed stimulants... click link for more info.

Technique That Makes Brain Tumours Fluoresce Improves Surgical Outcome
A new technique that causes brain tumours to fluoresce results in more complete removal of the tumour and in improved progression-free survival, report German researchers in the May issue of The Lancet Oncology. "This technique is an advance over older, traditional methods, because it is simple, cheap, can be performed in real-time, and has now been put to a truly prospective test", claims coordinating investigator Dr Walter Stummer... click link for more info.

Better Model Of Deadly Brain Cancer
Researchers have created a mouse model that closely mimics human medulloblastoma, the most common type of childhood brain tumor. The new model, which was created by knocking out a key component of the DNA repair machinery, will aid in exploring the genetic roots of this deadly brain cancer.The researchers, led by Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator Frederick W... click link for more info.

Equivalent Of 2-4 Drinks Daily Encourages Cancer Tumors In Mice
University of Mississippi researchers say they have created the first-ever mammalian model of how alcohol consumption spurs tumor growth, showing that even moderate drinking resulted in larger and more robust tumors.The research provides the first mammalian model of the links between alcohol, VEGF, and tumor growth, said Wei Tan, the study's lead author... click link for more info.

Kansas AG Kline's Antiabortion Campaign Impaired By Helpful Federal Court Ruling, Editorial Says
A federal judge in Kansas has "dealt another blow" to the campaign of state Attorney General Phill Kline (R) to restrict access to abortion under the "phony banner of combating child abuse," a New York Times editorial says (New York Times, 4/22)... click link for more info.

Abbott's HUMIRA(R) (Adalimumab) Receives Positive Opinion From European Medicines Agency For The Treatment Of Ankylosing Spondylitis
Abbott todayannounced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP),the scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), granted apositive opinion recommending approval of HUMIRA(R) (adalimumab) for thetreatment of severe active ankylosing spondylitis. The positive opinion isbased on results from the Adalimumab Trial Evaluating Long-Term Efficacyand Safety in AS (ATLAS) Phase III clinical trial... click link for more info.

Possibility That Chiropractic Care May Reduce Anxiety Symptoms
A recent study, published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR -- http://www.jvsr.com), describes a 19-year old female diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) who suffered from somatic and psychiatric symptoms for two years. After a four-month course of chiropractic care, the young woman reported an 80% reduction in her anxiety symptoms, including a 90% decrease in her headaches... click link for more info.

Keeping Amyloid - And Alzheimer's - In Check
Researchers have identified a protein that reins in the rogue activity of the molecules that make the amyloid-beta protein--which may prevent normal brain function in people with Alzheimer's disease. Their findings reveal a potentially powerful tool for designing novel Alzheimer's treatments.Amyloid beta-peptides are sticky, neurotoxic protein fragments that accumulate, kill nerve cells, and clump together to form the distinctive amyloid plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease... click link for more info.

FDA Asks Advisory Committee To Examine Cardiovascular Risks Of ADHD Medications
FDA has asked the agency Drug Safety and Risk Management advisory committee to examine the potential cardiovascular risks of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications in response to reports of deaths and other serious adverse events in individuals who have taken the treatments, the ... click link for more info.

Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Governors' Actions In Various US States
The following highlights recent news of gubernatorial actions on women's health issues. Alabama Alabama Gov. Bob Riley (R) on Monday signed into law legislation that calls for anyone who injures or kills an "unborn child" to be charged with assault or homicide, the ... click link for more info.

Study Finds That Seeing Plaque Buildup Prompts Patients To Comply With Medications
A new study has found that seeing the build-up of plaque in their own arteries is the incentive patients need to comply with doctor's orders. The study, conducted at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed) and published in the journal Atherosclerosis, found that patients who see more plaque in their arteries (coronary artery calcium) tend to be more likely to stay on statin therapy than those who do not get visual proof of their risk of heart attack... click link for more info.

Health Care - Australian Agency Authorizes Two OB/GYNs To Import, Prescribe Mifepristone To

Australian Agency Authorizes Two OB/GYNs To Import, Prescribe Mifepristone To Women In Country
The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration on Wednesday announced that it has authorized two Queensland physicians to import and prescribe mifepristone, which when taken with misoprostol can cause a medical abortion, ... click link for more info.

Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Issues In Various US States
The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health issues. Abortion Regulations Idaho: The state Senate Affairs Committee voted unanimously to approve a bill that would change an Idaho law requiring a 24-hour waiting period before women seeking abortion can undergo the procedure, the ... click link for more info.

Young adults with ADHD - ADDERALL XR significantly improves driving performance, study
ADDERALL XR (mixed salts of a single-entity amphetamine product) significantly improved driving performance, cognitive function and attention in young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a controlled driving simulator study conducted by the Washington Neuropsychological Institute and presented today at the 18th Annual U... click link for more info.

Psychologist Explores Human Perception, Finds "wow Factor"
Faces tell the stories in UC Riverside Professor Larry Rosenblum's ecological listening lab, as volunteer test subjects show that they can "read" unheard speech -- not just from lips, but from the simple movements of dots placed on lips, teeth and tongue.They can also recognize people's voices just from seeing their faces, and vice versa, and seem to be able to distinguish among a variety of rooms on campus just from their echoes... click link for more info.

The Hill Examines Democrats' Attempts To Strengthen Party Position In Abortion-Rights Debate, US
The Hill on Wednesday examined how the Senate's Democratic leadership is focusing on legislation that would expand access to contraception and promote comprehensive sex education as a way to "strengthen" the Democratic Party's position in the abortion-rights debate... click link for more info.

Placental Growth Factor May Help Body Repair Heart Attack Damage
Heart attack patients produce higher levels of a natural substance in the body that plays a role in the growth of new blood vessels and this over-expression of placental growth factor (PlGF) may help reduce damage to the heart muscle, according to a new study in the April 2006, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology... click link for more info.

Premarital Sex Declines In Zambia Due To HIV Prevention Strategies, Health Minister Says
Premarital sex has declined among young people in Zambia, Health Minister Sylvia Masebo said on Tuesday, Xinhua News Agency reports. According to Masebo, the percentage of young people having sex with nonregular partners has decreased to 29% for boys and 16% for girls. Masebo attributed the to the country's multisectoral approach to HIV prevention... click link for more info.

Karen Duff Receives Prestigious Prize For Alzheimer's Research
Karen E.K. Duff, Ph.D., a research scientist at the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research in Orangeburg, New York, and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine, will receive the 2006 Potamkin Prize from the American Academy of Neurology. The prize recognizes outstanding research in Alzheimer's and related neurodegenerative brain diseases, and is considered one of the most prestigious in the field of Alzheimer's research... click link for more info.

16 Dead Birds To Be Tested For Bird Flu, UK
16 birds have been found dead in north Wales, six at Harlech beach, Gwynedd and ten at Criccieth beach. All the dead birds were Guillemots. The Guillemot is not thought of as an importer of bird flu, therefore the bird flu tests are seen as a precaution. Welsh authorities said the birds are being tested because more than three dead birds have been found together - current guidelines in the UK say that all dead swans, ducks and geese found in the wild, as well as any three dead birds found together should be reported and tested for bird flu... click link for more info.

Memory Function: There Is Hope For Alcoholics With Korsakoff Syndrome
People with Korsakoff Syndrome (KS), a brain disorder usually associated with long-term heavy drinking and thiamine deficiency, often have profound deficits in their "explicit memory" or ability to recall recent events. A study in the April issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research looks at a memory process called visuoperceptual learning, a component of "implicit memory," which does not require conscious recollection... click link for more info.

Options To Replace Current U.S. Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance System Limited, Opinion Piece States
"If employers pull out of the health and pension business, who takes their place?" Wall Street Journal columnist David Wessel writes in a Journal opinion piece, adding, "Ultimately, there are three options, all with problems." One option, which business "resists," is to "make it cheaper for employers to offer benefits" through high-deductible health plans and other proposals or "force them to do so" through legislation, Wessel writes... click link for more info.

Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Issues In Various US States
The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health issues. Abortion Regulations Hawaii: The state Senate on Tuesday voted to approve a bill (HB 1242) that would repeal a current law requiring women seeking abortion to be state residents and also would allow women to undergo the procedure in clinics and physicians' offices outside of hospitals, the Hawaii Channel reports (Hawaii Channel, 4/11)... click link for more info.

Combination Of Interventions Can Substantially Reduce Incidence Of Malaria In People With HIV
Taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the antibiotic co-trimoxazole daily, and using insecticide-treated bed nets could reduce the incidence of malaria by 95% in HIV-infected adults, according to a study in this week's issue of The Lancet.Malaria and HIV are two of the most common infections in sub-Saharan Africa... click link for more info.

Pennsylvania Senatorial Candidates; Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidates Comment On Abortion
Pennsylvania Democratic senatorial candidates -- state Treasurer Bob Casey, Chuck Pennacchio and Alan Sandals -- in a 90-minute debate on Saturday "sparred" on several issues, including abortion rights, the ... click link for more info.

Drinking - Young British Women, Matching And Overtaking Men
Britain's growing binge drinking culture is likely to create future health problems such as liver disease at a much faster rate and younger age than ever before, the Royal College of Nursing's 2006 International Nursing Research Conference will be told this week. The four-day conference kicks off in York today... click link for more info.

Brain Imaging Designs ADHD Treatment With Lower Risk Of Abuse
An article by Thomas J. Spencer, M.D, on a new study in the March 2006 issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry (AJP), the official journal of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), shows how brain imaging is used to identify a form of methylphenidate, a stimulant drug used to treat patients with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), that is less likely to be abused during treatment... click link for more info.

Missouri Supreme Court Hears Arguments In Appeal Of Ruling That Planned Parenthood Affiliates Must Repay State Family Planning Grants
The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments in an appeal of a lower court ruling that requires two Planned Parenthood affiliates to repay about $900,000 in state family planning grants that violated a state prohibition on funding for affiliates of abortion providers, the ... click link for more info.

Fluorescent Imaging Technologies To Advance Life-science Research
An interdisciplinary team of biological imaging experts from the University of California, San Diego has published a review of fluorescent imaging technologies and underscored the importance of those technologies to major advances in the life sciences.The article--"The Fluorescent Toolbox for Assessing Protein Location and Function"--is the cover story in the April issue of the journal Science... click link for more info.

NIH Seeks Strategies To Preserve Brain Health As People Grow Older
With the rapid aging of the population, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is intensifying the search for strategies to preserve brain health as people grow older. The effort moved an important step forward today with a report by an expert panel to the NIH, suggesting a number of promising avenues for maintaining or enhancing cognitive and emotional function... click link for more info.

Bile Acids, Receptor Key In Regenerating Livers
Bile must have been the most important thing in medicine for the physicians of ancient Greece and Rome. Yellow bile and black bile are half of the four humors that they believed made up the body, along with blood and phlegm. In their view, restoring health required correcting imbalances in these four components... click link for more info.

Experimental Drug Reverses Key Cognitive Deficits, Pathology In Alzheimer's
A new drug that enhances the activity of a key brain cell receptor involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) reverses learning and memory deficits in mice engineered to have pathological hallmarks of the disease. What's more, the drug, called AF267B, reduces both of the pathologies--the brain-clogging buildup of protein "amyloid plaque" outside brain cells and the protein "neurofibrillary tangles" inside the cells... click link for more info.

Study Warns Of Growing Cardiovascular Disease Epidemic In China As Western Diets And Lifestyles Are Adopted
As more people in China adopt Western diets and lifestyles, many are developing a cluster of cardiovascular disease risk factors, according to a new study in the April 2006, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology."The metabolic syndrome has become increasingly common in this Asian population and the prevalence is about to catch up with that in Western populations... click link for more info.

Fleeting Images of Fearful Faces Reveal Neurocircuitry of Unconscious Anxiety
Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have found that fleeting images of fearful faces - images that appear and disappear so quickly that they escape conscious awareness - produce unconscious anxiety that can be detected in the brain with the latest neuroimaging machines. It's one of the first times that neuroimaging has captured the brain's processing of unconscious emotion... click link for more info.

Health Care - Self Harm High Among Goth Youths Rates of self harm

Self Harm High Among Goth Youths
Rates of self harm and attempted suicide are high within Goth youth subculture, finds a study published on bmj.com today.Deliberate self harm is common among young people, with rates of 7-14% in the UK. It is particularly widespread in certain populations and may be linked to depression, attempted suicide, and various psychiatric disorders in later life... click link for more info.

Concerta (methylphenidate HCl) Approved for the Treatment of ADHD in Adolescents, Canada
Health Canada has approved CONCERTA (methylphenidate HCl) Extended-release Tablets for use in adolescents (aged 13 to 18) with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).1 Until now CONCERTA was approved for the treatment of ADHD in children aged six to 12 years. In a clinical study of adolescents aged 13 to 18 years, CONCERTA at doses up to 72 mg significantly reduced ADHD symptoms, such as difficulty paying attention to schoolwork... click link for more info.

President Bush Urges Medicare Beneficiaries To Enroll In Drug Benefit By May 15 Deadline
President Bush on Wednesday urged Medicare beneficiaries who are non-English speakers to enroll in the prescription drug benefit, saying the program would save them money, the Washington Post reports. Speaking to about 400 Chinese, Filipino, Korean and Vietnamese seniors at an event in Annandale, Va... click link for more info.

What Is Pharmacology's Place In Finding Alternatives To Alcohol?
Journal of Psychopharmacology is proud to be publishing this leading research on the place of pharmacology in finding alternatives for alcohol. The following papers appear in the May 2006 issue:Critique: * Alcohol alternatives - a goal for psychopharmacology, by David J Nutt, University of Bristol, UK Commentaries: * Alcohol alternatives - a goal for psychopharmacology, by Ian Ragan, CIR Consulting UK * Harm reduction - lessons learned from toba... click link for more info.

Abortion-Rights Opponents To File Petition For Grand Jury To Investigate Death Of Woman Who Received Abortion At Kansas Clinic
Abortion-rights opponents in Sedgwick County, Kan., on Friday plan to submit a petition to convene a grand jury to investigate the death of a woman who died two days after receiving an abortion at the Women's Health Care Services clinic in Wichita, Kan... click link for more info.

Taller People More Likely To Develop Atrial Fibrillation
Analysis of data from a registry of patients with left ventricular dysfunction indicates that height is an independent risk factor for an arrhythmia of the upper chambers of the heart, according to a new study in the April 18, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology."Tall stature is a potent risk for the development of atrial fibrillation and is independent of other clinical risk factors... click link for more info.

Children's anxiety prior to surgery linked to behavioral changes
A child's level of anxiety prior to surgery is predictive of whether they will experience post-surgical delirium and maladaptive behavioral changes, including anxiety, nighttime crying, and bedwetting, according to a Yale study published in the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia. "This finding is of importance to the clinician, who can now better predict the development of adverse postoperative phenomena in children based on the child's preoperative anxiety," said Zeev Kain... click link for more info.

ACLU To Appeal Federal Appeals Court Ruling Upholding Tennessee Statute Allowing "Choose Life" License Plates, Executive Director Says
The American Civil Liberties Union likely will appeal the ruling of a three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati that upholds a Tennessee statute authorizing the production and sale of "Choose Life" specialty license plates, ACLU Executive Director Hedy Weinberg said on Wednesday, the ... click link for more info.

Premarital Sex Declines In Zambia Due To HIV Prevention Strategies, Health Minister Says
Premarital sex has declined among young people in Zambia, Health Minister Sylvia Masebo said on Tuesday, Xinhua News Agency reports. According to Masebo, the percentage of young people having sex with nonregular partners has decreased to 29% for boys and 16% for girls. Masebo attributed the to the country's multisectoral approach to HIV prevention... click link for more info.

Options To Replace Current U.S. Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance System Limited, Opinion Piece States
"If employers pull out of the health and pension business, who takes their place?" Wall Street Journal columnist David Wessel writes in a Journal opinion piece, adding, "Ultimately, there are three options, all with problems." One option, which business "resists," is to "make it cheaper for employers to offer benefits" through high-deductible health plans and other proposals or "force them to do so" through legislation, Wessel writes... click link for more info.

Health Care - Positive study results for methylphenidate transdermal system Shire announced at

Positive study results for methylphenidate transdermal system
Shire announced at the US Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress in Las Vegas, Nevada, that its investigational methylphenidate transdermal system (MTS) demonstrated statistically significant reductions in the symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and was generally well tolerated in patients aged 6 to 12 in two clinical trials... click link for more info.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Examines Prospective Importance Of Birth Control-Related Issues In Missouri, Illinois Elections
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Thursday examined how issues related to birth control have appeared to "nudg[e] aside" abortion rights as the top "hot-button topic" in Illinois and Missouri leading up to elections this fall... click link for more info.

Teens' Herbal Product Use Associated With Illicit Substance Use
Adolescents who have ever used herbal products are six times more likely to have tried cocaine and almost 15 times more likely to have used anabolic steroids than teens who have never used herbal products, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study published in March in the Journal of Adolescent Health... click link for more info.

May 14-17 NJIT Conference Focuses On How People React During Emergencies
A closer look at how people react during emergencies, the role of computers and technology and what really happened during Hurricane Katrina number among the topics to be discussed at the third annual meeting of the Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (ISCRAM). New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) will host the event May 14-17, 2006... click link for more info.

American Indians With Alcohol Problems Have More Medical Conditions
Alcohol abuse and dependence are known to be major health problems among American Indians, yet little research has examined alcohol's detrimental effect on organ systems among these populations. Looking at two American Indian tribes, a study in the April issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research has confirmed that a significant relationship exists between alcohol disorders and medical conditions, specifically: sprains and strains, hearing and vision problems, kidney and bladder p... click link for more info.

Health Care - Reduced Insulin In The Brain Triggers Alzheimer's Degeneration Providence, RI

Reduced Insulin In The Brain Triggers Alzheimer's Degeneration
Providence, RI - By depleting insulin and its related proteins in the brain, researchers at Rhode Island Hospital and Brown Medical School have replicated the progression of Alzheimer's disease - including plaque deposits, neurofibrillary tangles, impaired cognitive functioning, cell loss and overall brain deterioration - in an experimental animal model... click link for more info.

Encouraging Data From Islet Transplantation Studies In Primates, MicroIslet, Inc.
MicroIslet, Inc. (Amex:MII), a biotechnology company engaged in the research, development andcommercialization of patented technologies in transplantation therapy forpeople with insulin-dependent diabetes, today announced encouraging datafrom preclinical primate studies. The data shows that minimally-invasive transplantation of encapsulatedporcine islets into diabetic primates resulted in significant and prolonged(greater than 30 days) improvement of blood sugar, with reduced insulinuse, in the primate subjects... click link for more info.

How many mental illnesses are there?
The DSM-IV, the U.S. standard reference for psychiatry, includes over 300 different manifestations of mental illness. Psychiatrists themselves are in dispute over how common some of these conditions are, or whether they should be listed as 'mental illnesses', and each version of the DSM is slightly different to the previous ones... click link for more info.

Brain Imaging Designs ADHD Treatment With Lower Risk Of Abuse
An article by Thomas J. Spencer, M.D, on a new study in the March 2006 issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry (AJP), the official journal of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), shows how brain imaging is used to identify a form of methylphenidate, a stimulant drug used to treat patients with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), that is less likely to be abused during treatment... click link for more info.

NPR Series Examines South Dakotans' Reactions To State Abortion Ban
NPR's "Day to Day" on Thursday in the first of a two-part series on South Dakotans' reactions to the state's law (... click link for more info.

CU, Harvard Researchers Team Up To Break Down Causes Of Alzheimer's
An enzyme previously associated with preventing the dementia of Alzheimer's disease now appears to play an even bigger role in safeguarding against the disease, bringing the promise of new targets for drug therapies.While scientists already knew that the enzyme known as Pin1 can prevent the tangles of knotlike brain lesions associated with Alzheimer's, new research, published in the March issue of Nature, finds the enzyme also plays a pivotal role in guarding against a second t... click link for more info.

Supplemental Biologics License Application For Avastin(R) With Chemotherapy In First-Line, Non-Squamous, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Genentech, Inc. (NYSE: DNA) announced today that the company submitted asupplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) with the U.S. Food andDrug Administration (FDA) for Avastin(R) (bevacizumab) in combination withplatinum-based chemotherapy for first-line treatment of advanced, non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)... click link for more info.

Response to ADHD Medication May Be in The Genes
Testable genetic differences might be used to predict the effectiveness of a medication commonly prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a new study suggests. "This is an exciting finding because ADHD is such a common disorder and it's often difficult to know how patients will respond to ADHD medications," said Dr... click link for more info.

Memory, Speed Of Thinking Get Worse Over Time With Marijuana Use
Memory, speed of thinking and other cognitive abilities get worse over time with marijuana use, according to a new study published in the March, 2006, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.The study found that frequent marijuana users performed worse than non-users on tests of cognitive abilities, including divided attention (ability to pay attention to more than one stimulus at a time) and verbal fluency (number of words generated with... click link for more info.

Health Care - New York Senatorial Candidates, Alabama, South Dakota Gubernatorial Candidates Comment

New York Senatorial Candidates, Alabama, South Dakota Gubernatorial Candidates Comment On Abortion
Former Yonkers, N.Y., Mayor John Spencer (R), who is seeking the Republican nomination to run against incumbent Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y), on Friday called on Rodham Clinton to criticize a bill aimed at regulating advertisements for crisis pregnancy centers, the ... click link for more info.

Fighting America's No. 1 Killer: Cardiovascular Disease
Despite significant reductions in morbidity and mortality, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States today. It represents a wide array of illnesses, including heart attack, angina, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death, hypertension, stroke and diabetes mellitus... click link for more info.

Anxiety disorder recovery accelerated by yohimbe tree bark
New findings at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute demonstrate the potential of a substance found in yohimbe tree bark to accelerate recovery from anxiety disorders suffered by millions of Americans. In the latest in a series of studies of how mice acquire, express and extinguish conditioned fear, the UCLA team finds yohimbine helps mice learn to overcome the fear faster by enhancing the effects of the natural release of adrenaline... click link for more info.

Study Examines Risk For Misuse Of ADHD Stimulant Medications
A major concern regarding the use of stimulant medications to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescents and young adults has been the risk that they will be misused or diverted to those for whom they have not been prescribed. A new study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers has found that, while the great majority of young people with ADHD use their medications appropriately, a small percentage are likely to abuse or to sell prescribed stimulants... click link for more info.

Benefit Of Chemotherapy In Breast Cancer Depends On Estrogen-receptor Status
When it comes to chemotherapy treatment for women whose breast cancer has spread to their lymph nodes, the estrogen status of their tumors matters, says a team of researchers in the April 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.Analyzing data from three clinical trials with a total of 6,644 patients, they determined that chemotherapy works much better in breast cancer that is estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) than many people think, and conversely, doesn't work as well in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) cancer as believed, says the study's lead author Donald Berry, Ph... click link for more info.

Drinking - Young British Women, Matching And Overtaking Men
Britain's growing binge drinking culture is likely to create future health problems such as liver disease at a much faster rate and younger age than ever before, the Royal College of Nursing's 2006 International Nursing Research Conference will be told this week. The four-day conference kicks off in York today... click link for more info.

Fleeting Images of Fearful Faces Reveal Neurocircuitry of Unconscious Anxiety
Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have found that fleeting images of fearful faces - images that appear and disappear so quickly that they escape conscious awareness - produce unconscious anxiety that can be detected in the brain with the latest neuroimaging machines. It's one of the first times that neuroimaging has captured the brain's processing of unconscious emotion... click link for more info.

Envision Solutions, LLC Releases First-Ever Comprehensive Report On Blogs And Healthcare
Envision Solutions, LLC, a full-service healthcare marketing communications consultancy, today announced the release of the first comprehensive report on healthcare blogs. This 110-page report is titled, "The Healthcare Blogosphere: What Is It & Why Does It Matter?" It focuses on how blogs have influenced major players in the healthcare industry, including patients, medical professionals, pharmaceutical companies and non-profit organizations... click link for more info.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Examines Prospective Importance Of Birth Control-Related Issues In Missouri, Illinois Elections
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Thursday examined how issues related to birth control have appeared to "nudg[e] aside" abortion rights as the top "hot-button topic" in Illinois and Missouri leading up to elections this fall... click link for more info.

Florida Supreme Court Upholds Part Of State "Informed-Consent" Law With Some Limitations
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday voted unanimously to uphold part of a stricken 1997 state abortion law that requires physicians to tell women seeking abortion the gestational age of the fetus and discuss the risks of abortion, after which the woman must provide written, voluntary consent to undergo the procedure, the ... click link for more info.

Illinois Gov. Blagojevich Proposes Order For Pharmacies To Post Signs Detailing Contraceptives In Stock
Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) on Monday announced a proposal to require each of Illinois' 2,700 pharmacies to post a sign detailing which forms of contraception the store stocks, the Chicago Tribune reports (Chase, Chicago Tribune, 3/28)... click link for more info.

Drug Effective For Severe Alzheimer's Disease
The drug donepezil can reverse some aspects of cognitive and functional deterioration seen in patients with severe Alzheimer's disease, according to a randomised trial published online (March, 2006) by The Lancet.About 20% of Alzheimer's patients have severe dementia. As their health deteriorates they become less able to communicate, less mobile, and increasingly reliant on nursing care... click link for more info.

Mankind Would Benefit From Eating Less Meat
If people were to eat more vegetable proteins instead of animal proteins, this would result in multiple - and much-needed - benefits. Such a "protein transition" would positively affect sustainable energy production, sustainable water use, biodiversity, human health and animal welfare. Collective vegetarianism is not required, but good-tasting, high-quality meat substitutes ought to be used more often in place of meat... click link for more info.

Reduced Insulin In The Brain Triggers Alzheimer's Degeneration
Providence, RI - By depleting insulin and its related proteins in the brain, researchers at Rhode Island Hospital and Brown Medical School have replicated the progression of Alzheimer's disease - including plaque deposits, neurofibrillary tangles, impaired cognitive functioning, cell loss and overall brain deterioration - in an experimental animal model... click link for more info.

New Vaccine Delivery Methods That Are Practical And Needle-free Being Developed
People who fear needles may one day have no need to fear the doctor, with the help of a funding injection for The University of Queensland's Professor Mark Kendall.Professor Kendall today won a three year Queensland Government Smart State Senior Fellowship, gaining $300,000 to research how nanotechnology may replace syringes in administering therapeutics... click link for more info.

Nature Paper Shows That Cell Division Is Reversible: Could Open Doors For Treatment Of Cancer, Birth Defects
Gary J. Gorbsky, Ph.D., a scientist with the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, has found a way to reverse the process of cell division.The discovery could have important implications for the treatment of cancer, birth defects and numerous other diseases and disorders. Gorbsky's findings appear in the April 13 issue of the journal Nature... click link for more info.

Nanomotors And Mechanical Nanoswitches Offer Applications In Medicine And Pharmaceutics
This year's Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics will be awarded to Dr. Viola Vogel for her creative and pioneering work on bionanotechnology exploring single molecule mechanics and nanomotors for technical applications. The award, accompanied by USD 5,000, will be presented during the 2006 Spring Meeting of the Materials Research Society (MRS) in San Francisco, CA on 18 April 2006... click link for more info.

Exelon Granted EU Marketing Authorization As First Treatment For Dementia Associated With Parkinson's Disease By European Commission
Novartis announced today that Exelon (rivastigmine tartrate) has been granted European marketing authorizationby the European Commission for the symptomatic treatment of mild tomoderately severe dementia in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease(PD) in all 25 European member states... click link for more info.

Curry Colouring And Fat Mix Could Help Diabetics
Brisbane immunologist Dr Brendan O'Sullivan hopes to put a dent in skyrocketing rates of diabetes in Australia by creating a new treatment for Type 2 diabetes.The Senior Research Officer and his team at UQ's Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research (CICR) are developing a drug that targets liver cells to prevent their inflammation in obesity -- a common precursor to diabetes... click link for more info.

No Link Between Estrogen-only Therapy, Breast Cancer In Postmenopausal Women
There's a tangle of information about the pros and cons of using hormones to relieve the symptoms of menopause, but a new analysis of data generated by the Women's Health Initiative confirms that one cause of concern can be laid to rest: There is no evidence that taking estrogen alone increases the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women... click link for more info.

Possible Alzheimer's Link To Brain Organ Revealed By Purdue Findings
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Researchers have discovered that an organ in the brain called the choroid plexus apparently plays a critical role in preventing the accumulation of a protein associated with Alzheimer's disease.The researchers found that the choroid plexus acts as a sort of "fishnet" that captures the protein, called beta-amyloid, and prevents it from building up in the cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds and bathes the brain and spinal cord... click link for more info.

South Dakota A.G. Says Abortion Ban Legal Fund's Donors' Names Must Be Public Record
South Dakota Attorney General Larry Long (R) on Monday in an official opinion said that the names of donors and the amounts of their contributions to a state account set up to fund any potential court battles resulting from a state ... click link for more info.

NICE Issues Guidance On Drug Treatments For ADHD, UK
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) today issued guidance to the NHS in England and Wales on the use of methylphenidate, atomoxetine and dexamfetamine for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. This updates previous guidance (TA no... click link for more info.

'The First 100 Days' Of Medicare Part D Conference
As Medicare Part D is underimplementation, so are the far-reaching policy and administrative issuesthat have an impact on patients, health care plans and state governments.As a result of this changing landscape, Medicaid Health Plans of America(MHPA) is hosting a three-day special conference, "Medicare Part D: TheFirst 100 Days," to address and discuss these critical issues... click link for more info.

Neuroscientists Discover New Cell Type That May Help Brain Maintain Memories Of Smells And Lead To Better Understanding Of Alzheimer's Disease
Neuroscientists at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have discovered a new cell type in the part of the brain that processes our sense of smell. This new cell type, the Blanes cell, is a member of a group of previously unstudied brain cells described by the Spanish neuroanatomist Blanes (pronounced blon " es) in the late 1800s... click link for more info.

Health Care - Nanomotors And Mechanical Nanoswitches Offer Applications In Medicine And Pharmaceutics

Nanomotors And Mechanical Nanoswitches Offer Applications In Medicine And Pharmaceutics
This year's Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics will be awarded to Dr. Viola Vogel for her creative and pioneering work on bionanotechnology exploring single molecule mechanics and nanomotors for technical applications. The award, accompanied by USD 5,000, will be presented during the 2006 Spring Meeting of the Materials Research Society (MRS) in San Francisco, CA on 18 April 2006... click link for more info.

Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's Healthcare Remarks
Here are the remarks made by Governor Mitt Romney about the new health care bill:"Thank you Governor Healey for your introduction, and thank you for your work and counsel on this bill." "This is an impressive sight, not because of how many are here, but because of who is here. There are hospitals, insurers, advocates, legislators, educators, administrators, doctors and nurses, business and community leaders, officials and citizens... click link for more info.

Group Opposed To Abortion Rights Files Lawsuit Challenging Pittsburgh Ordinance Requiring Buffer Zone Outside Abortion Clinics
The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Alliance Defense Fund, which opposes abortion rights, on Monday filed a lawsuit in a U.S. District Court on behalf of a woman, challenging a Pittsburgh, Pa., ordinance that creates a buffer zone between protesters and health care facilities, including abortion clinics, the ... click link for more info.

Cow Suspected Of Having Mad Cow Disease (BSE) In Canada
Initial tests indicate that a six-year-old cow in Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada, has Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), otherwise known as Mad Cow Disease. Further tests are being carried out at the National Center for Foreign Animal Disease, Winnipeg. We should know what the final results show either today or tomorrow... click link for more info.

ADHD - FDA expands indication for ADDERALL XR (CII) confirming safety and efficacy in adolescents
Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ADDERALL XR (mixed salts of a single-entity amphetamine product) as a once-daily treatment for adolescents aged 13 to 17 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Since October 2001, ADDERALL XR has been approved in the U... click link for more info.

Romney Signs Landmark Massachusetts Health Insurance Reform Bill
Through private market reforms, all Massachusetts citizens to be insured by 2009. Governor Mitt Romney signed landmark legislation today that through a private, market-based reform will make health insurance available to every resident of Massachusetts within the next three years. "An achievement like this comes around once in a generation, and it proves that government can work when people of both parties reach across the aisle for the common good," said Romney... click link for more info.

Experimental Drug Reverses Key Cognitive Deficits, Pathology In Alzheimer's
A new drug that enhances the activity of a key brain cell receptor involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) reverses learning and memory deficits in mice engineered to have pathological hallmarks of the disease. What's more, the drug, called AF267B, reduces both of the pathologies--the brain-clogging buildup of protein "amyloid plaque" outside brain cells and the protein "neurofibrillary tangles" inside the cells... click link for more info.

Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Issues In Various US States
The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health issues. Abortion Regulations Oklahoma: Several abortion-related state House-approved bills -- including measures regulating informed consent (... click link for more info.

MIT Fights Addiction With In-depth Brain Research Symposium
The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT presents "On Addiction," a major symposium that will bring scientists together with clinicians, public policy makers and former addicts to confront a disease that affects more than 22 million Americans every year. Moderated by NPR's Ira Flatow, the symposium will explore how chronic drug and alcohol use affects the inner workings of the brain... click link for more info.

New Model Of P53 Regulation Proposed That Suggests Novel Anticancer Strategy
Genetically engineered mice convinced scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies that it was time to overhaul widely held beliefs about how a powerful tumor suppressor called p53 is controlled in cells. Their new model of p53 regulation has important implications for the development of anticancer drugs... click link for more info.

No Link Between Estrogen-only Therapy, Breast Cancer In Postmenopausal Women
There's a tangle of information about the pros and cons of using hormones to relieve the symptoms of menopause, but a new analysis of data generated by the Women's Health Initiative confirms that one cause of concern can be laid to rest: There is no evidence that taking estrogen alone increases the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women... click link for more info.

How Odors Are Sensed: A Complex System Clarified
Yale scientists have systematically plotted the responses of the entire Drosophila (fruit fly) olfactory system, providing the first multi-dimensional map of the range of odorants sensed and the regions of the brain that are stimulated.John Carlson, the Eugene Higgins Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and Elissa Hallem, his former graduate student in the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, published the comprehensive study in the journal Cell... click link for more info.

Federal Judge Orders Idaho To Pay Planned Parenthood For Attorney Fees Related To Challenge Of Parental Consent Law
U.S. District Judge Mikel Williams on Friday ruled that Idaho must pay more than $380,000 to reimburse Planned Parenthood of Idaho -- which challenged the constitutionality of the state's abortion-related law requiring parental consent before a minor could undergo the procedure -- for its attorney's fees, the ... click link for more info.

Fighting America's No. 1 Killer: Cardiovascular Disease
Despite significant reductions in morbidity and mortality, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States today. It represents a wide array of illnesses, including heart attack, angina, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death, hypertension, stroke and diabetes mellitus... click link for more info.

ADHD - Important Strattera(R) Label Update Regarding Uncommon Reports of Suicidal Thoughts Among Children and Adolescents
Eli Lilly and Company announced that it will update the product label globally forits attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication, Strattera, tocommunicate new information regarding uncommon reports of suicidal thoughtsamong children and adolescents. In conjunction with a request from the U... click link for more info.

The Hill Examines Democrats' Attempts To Strengthen Party Position In Abortion-Rights Debate, US
The Hill on Wednesday examined how the Senate's Democratic leadership is focusing on legislation that would expand access to contraception and promote comprehensive sex education as a way to "strengthen" the Democratic Party's position in the abortion-rights debate... click link for more info.

Health Care - Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Issues In Various

Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Issues In Various US States
The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health issues. Abortion Regulations Arizona: The state Senate on Tuesday voted 17-13 to approve a bill (... click link for more info.

American Indians With Alcohol Problems Have More Medical Conditions
Alcohol abuse and dependence are known to be major health problems among American Indians, yet little research has examined alcohol's detrimental effect on organ systems among these populations. Looking at two American Indian tribes, a study in the April issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research has confirmed that a significant relationship exists between alcohol disorders and medical conditions, specifically: sprains and strains, hearing and vision problems, kidney and bladder p... click link for more info.

Near Universal Health Insurance In Massachusetts Becomes Law
The Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, signed a health care bill that takes his state light-years ahead of the rest of the USA. Many will see Massachusetts as a national model. All state residents will have to purchase health insurance by July, 2007. There was one part of the Bill that Gov... click link for more info.

HIV In Injecting Drug Users Reaches Highest Levels For A Decade, UK
Figures released today by the Health Protection Agency show that the number of injecting drug users (IDUs) infected with HIV has reached its highest level since 1992. The figures from the Unlinked Anonymous Prevalence Monitoring Programme (UAPMP) show that in England and Wales, one in 62 (1... click link for more info.

Sociologists Find Low Self-esteem At 11 Predicts Drug Dependency At 20
Every parent worries that his or her child may turn to drugs, or worse, become dependent on them, and a new Florida State University study indicates that parents of boys who have very low self-esteem and have friends who approve of drug and alcohol use may have good cause to worry.FSU sociology professors John Taylor and Donald Lloyd, along with University of Miami professor emeritus George Warheit, found that low self-esteem and peer approval of drug use at age 11 predicted dr... click link for more info.

Globalization Creates Pressing Need For Good Distribution Practices In Pharmaceutical Excipient Supply
It is remarkable that among the major public health problems associated with the use of substandard pharmaceutical excipients in recent years, the majority have come about not because of errors in manufacturing, but errors in distribution. As supply chains for sourcing excipients become more complex, the likelihood of errors caused by mislabelling, contamination or substitution of one substance for another increases, potentially increasing the risk that patients can be put at risk from quality impaired products that could cause harm... click link for more info.

Moderate Drinking Associated With Better Cognition In Women
A drink or two a day may be associated with better cognitive function in women, according to a report from an ongoing study of New York City residents. The report was published in the rapid access issue of Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association."Women who had up to two drinks a day scored about 20 percent higher on the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) than women who didn't drink at all or who consumed less than one drink a week," said Clinton Wright, M... click link for more info.

ADHD - Positive study results for methylphenidate transdermal system
Shire announced at a major medical meeting in Toronto, Canada, that its investigational methylphenidate transdermal system (MTS) demonstrated statistically significant reductions in the symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and was generally well tolerated in patients aged 6 to 12 in two clinical trials... click link for more info.

ADHD Skin Patch Approved By FDA
The FDA has approved the Daytrana patch, a skin patch for the treatment of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in children. Regulators said the patch would help in the administration of ADHD drugs to children who find it hard to take pills or tablets. According to many experts, a large number of children taking ADHD medication have problems with swallowing pills... click link for more info.

CNN's "Paula Zahn Now" Profiles Abortion Provider Who Flies To South Dakota To Provide Services
CNN's "Paula Zahn Now" on Monday profiled Miriam McCreary, a 70-year-old physician and abortion provider in Minnesota who has flown to South Dakota in once or twice per month for seven years to perform the procedure (Griffin/Kay, "Paula Zahn Now," CNN, 4/3)... click link for more info.

Lancet Examines Global Health Advocates' Concerns Over Tobias' Confirmation As Foreign Aid Coordinator, USAID Head
The April 8 issue of the Lancet examined some global health advocates' concerns that the confirmation last week of Randall Tobias as the new administrator of USAID and the first director of foreign assistance at the State Department "could result in diversion of funds from economic and social development to more immediate political issues" (Bristol, Lancet, 4/8)... click link for more info.

Strength Of Cocaine Cravings Linked To Brain Response
DALLAS March 2006, Rats that have a strong craving for cocaine have a different biochemical response to the drug than their less-addicted counterparts, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.The difference lies in the pleasure-seeking area of the brain, according to a study available online and appearing in a future issue of the journal Neuropsychopharmacology... click link for more info.

Group Opposed To Abortion Rights Files Lawsuit Challenging Pittsburgh Ordinance Requiring Buffer Zone Outside Abortion Clinics
The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Alliance Defense Fund, which opposes abortion rights, on Monday filed a lawsuit in a U.S. District Court on behalf of a woman, challenging a Pittsburgh, Pa., ordinance that creates a buffer zone between protesters and health care facilities, including abortion clinics, the ... click link for more info.

Long Island Newsday Examines Reports Of Birth Control Patch's Side Effects
Long Island Newsday on Monday examined reports of the potentially serious side effects from use of medicated patches, including the Ortho Evra birth control patch (Kerr, Long Island Newsday, 4/10). FDA last month announced it would launch a review of the safety of medicated patches. Medicated patches were cited as the primary cause of death in eight cases in 2004 and in three cases in 2003, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer analysis of FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System... click link for more info.

Pennsylvania Researchers Find Liver Transplants Provide Metabolic Cure For Rare Genetic Disease
Liver transplants cured the metabolic symptoms of 11 patients with a rare but devastating genetic condition known as Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD), according to a study by researchers from Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and the Clinic for Special Children.All patients from the study (ranging in age from 1-20) are alive and well with normal liver function, according to the researchers... click link for more info.

Health Authorities, Women Need To Examine Data, Consider Risks Of Mifeprex, Editorial Says
It "seems premature" to remove from the market Danco Laboratories' Mifeprex -- known generically as mifepristone, which when taken with misoprostol can cause a medical abortion -- "given the uncertainties and small number of ... click link for more info.

Problem Gambling And Its Effects
The Grand National (horserace) spurs over a third of the adult population of the United Kingdom into having a flutter making it the country's single biggest gambling event. However, even with the recent boom in internet gambling, problems with gambling are often overlooked. Problem gambling is the subject of a new research venture funded by Economic and Social Research Council in partnership with the Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT)... click link for more info.

Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Issues In Various US States
The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health issues. Abortion Regulations Oklahoma: Several abortion-related state House-approved bills -- including measures regulating informed consent (... click link for more info.

Florida Supreme Court Upholds Part Of State "Informed-Consent" Law With Some Limitations
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday voted unanimously to uphold part of a stricken 1997 state abortion law that requires physicians to tell women seeking abortion the gestational age of the fetus and discuss the risks of abortion, after which the woman must provide written, voluntary consent to undergo the procedure, the ... click link for more info.

Health Care - Gastroenterologists Disappointed In Level Of Rise In Alcohol Duty, UK

Gastroenterologists Disappointed In Level Of Rise In Alcohol Duty, UK
Statement From The British Society of Gastroenterology Following The Chancellor's Budget Announcement: "The British Society of Gastroenterology is disappointed and concerned that the level of increase in the duty on alcohol is not higher. It should have been increased at a level far higher than inflation to limit drinking... click link for more info.

Concerta (methylphenidate HCl) Approved for the Treatment of ADHD in Adolescents, Canada
Health Canada has approved CONCERTA (methylphenidate HCl) Extended-release Tablets for use in adolescents (aged 13 to 18) with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).1 Until now CONCERTA was approved for the treatment of ADHD in children aged six to 12 years. In a clinical study of adolescents aged 13 to 18 years, CONCERTA at doses up to 72 mg significantly reduced ADHD symptoms, such as difficulty paying attention to schoolwork... click link for more info.

N.J. Court Panel Rules Jury Can Consider If Doctor Being Sued For Emotional Damages Over Abortion Gave Adequate Information
A three-judge panel of the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court on Friday unanimously ruled that a jury can consider whether a doctor gave adequate medical information to a woman who claims she was unable to give informed consent to undergo an abortion, the ... click link for more info.

CNN's "Paula Zahn Now" Profiles Abortion Provider Who Flies To South Dakota To Provide Services
CNN's "Paula Zahn Now" on Monday profiled Miriam McCreary, a 70-year-old physician and abortion provider in Minnesota who has flown to South Dakota in once or twice per month for seven years to perform the procedure (Griffin/Kay, "Paula Zahn Now," CNN, 4/3)... click link for more info.

Indonesia Confirms 31st Human Case Of Bird Flu Infection
Indonesian authorities have confirmed the country's 31st human case of H5N1 bird flu infection. The patient worked in a poultry farm in West Java, which had had a bird flu outbreak before he started work there. The man has made a full recovery. The Ministry of Health says he first developed bird flu like symptoms on the 20th March... click link for more info.

Clues To Obesity's Cause And New Approach For Curbing Appetite
Hot fudge sundaes and french fries aside, new research suggests obesity is due at least in part to an attraction between leptin, the hormone that signals the brain when to stop eating, and a protein more recently associated with heart disease. Reporting in Nature Medicine, University of Pittsburgh researchers provide evidence that C-reactive protein (CRP) not only binds to leptin but its hold impairs leptin's role in controlling appetite... click link for more info.

Health Authorities, Women Need To Examine Data, Consider Risks Of Mifeprex, Editorial Says
It "seems premature" to remove from the market Danco Laboratories' Mifeprex -- known generically as mifepristone, which when taken with misoprostol can cause a medical abortion -- "given the uncertainties and small number of ... click link for more info.

OurPetition.org Calls For MP's To Use NHS Exclusively In Their Own Medical Treatment As Prescription For Healthcare Reform, UK
OurPetition.org today launched its lobbying efforts to place healthcare reform squarely on the political agenda prior to the next general election. Ordinary citizens are being urged to sign a petition that asks those responsible for creating the public health system, to use the same system (without opt-out) in their own medical treatment and in the medical treatment of their immediate families... click link for more info.

Florida Supreme Court Upholds Part Of State "Informed-Consent" Law With Some Limitations
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday voted unanimously to uphold part of a stricken 1997 state abortion law that requires physicians to tell women seeking abortion the gestational age of the fetus and discuss the risks of abortion, after which the woman must provide written, voluntary consent to undergo the procedure, the ... click link for more info.

Altering Genetic Blueprint Of Receptors In Brain Could Help Stroke Victims Avoid Brain Damage
A University of Central Florida researcher has discovered that altering a receptor that mediates communication between nerve cells in the brain significantly improves animals' chances of surviving strokes and allows them to remain healthier afterwards.YouMing Lu, a professor at the UCF Burnett College of Biomedical Sciences, is hopeful that changing the genetic blueprint of AMPA receptors can help to block lethal flows of calcium into neurons of human stroke victims... click link for more info.

Why 42% of Clinic Appointments are No-Shows: An Issue of Respect
Interviews with patients revealed three reasons why 42 percent of appointments are no-shows: 1) patients feel anxiety or fear about the cause of the symptoms and anticipated diagnostic tests, 2) they feel disrespected by the health care system, and 3) they do not understand the scheduling system... click link for more info.

South Dakota Group Launches Petition Drive For Referendum On State's Abortion Ban
The South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families -- a coalition of opponents of the state's law (HB 1215) that bans abortion in all cases except to save a woman's life -- on Friday announced it plans to collect the 16,728 signatures from state residents needed to put the law on a statewide ballot in November, the ... click link for more info.

Moderate Drinking Associated With Better Cognition In Women
A drink or two a day may be associated with better cognitive function in women, according to a report from an ongoing study of New York City residents. The report was published in the rapid access issue of Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association."Women who had up to two drinks a day scored about 20 percent higher on the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) than women who didn't drink at all or who consumed less than one drink a week," said Clinton Wright, M... click link for more info.

Determining Prevalence Of ADHD Adverse Medication Events, AACAP And APA Pledge To Work With FDA
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) pledged to work with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee on determining the prevalence of rare, unexpected, and serious adverse events that occasionally occur in clinical trials for medications used in the treatment of children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)... click link for more info.

NICE Issues Guidance On Drug Treatments For ADHD, UK
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) today issued guidance to the NHS in England and Wales on the use of methylphenidate, atomoxetine and dexamfetamine for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. This updates previous guidance (TA no... click link for more info.

Talking Treatments 'Cut Alcohol Intake By A Quarter'
Simple advice and brief interventions - 'talking treatments' - could reduce the amount of alcohol individuals consume to low risk levels, the British Society of Gastroenterology's Annual Scientific Meeting heard today. The effect could be to cut consumption by up to a quarter. But most areas of the NHS are currently failing to offer these simple, cheap treatments, and they are particularly scarce where they can do most good - in GP surgeries and health centres... click link for more info.

Knowledge About HIV Transmission Declined In Britain Over Last Five Years, Survey Says
Knowledge about HIV transmission has decreased in the past five years in Great Britain, according to an Ipsos MORI poll commissioned by the National AIDS Trust, BBC News reports. The survey -- released last week -- finds that in 2005, 79% of people surveyed knew that HIV can be transmitted through unprotected heterosexual sex compared with 91% in 2000... click link for more info.

Antibiotic, Telithromycin, Can Help Some Asthma Patients
According to an international study of 278 patients in 70 centres, an antibiotic called Telithromycin reduces asthma symptoms and enhances lung function. Researchers also found that the drug improved recovery times. Telithromycin is currently used for the treatment of sinusitis. You can read about this study in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)... click link for more info.

Positive study results for methylphenidate transdermal system
Shire announced at the US Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress in Las Vegas, Nevada, that its investigational methylphenidate transdermal system (MTS) demonstrated statistically significant reductions in the symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and was generally well tolerated in patients aged 6 to 12 in two clinical trials... click link for more info.