Health News

Why monitoring the health of the population is central to society

Date: Nov-06-2013
In an editorial published on bmj.com, authors from the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at UCL stress the importance of monitoring health inequalities and why in a democracy, voters need to know what's going on "for better or for worse". Michael Marmot and Peter Goldblatt, from the Institute of Health Equity, say that while Britain used to lead the world in having the best data and developing polices to combat health inequalities, this leadership is now under threat...

New drug combination offers hope to patients with currently untreatable Hepatitis C

Date: Nov-05-2013
A novel single-pill combination drug could present a new treatment option for patients with the most difficult-to-treat forms of hepatitis C, according to the results of a Phase 2 trial, published in The Lancet. Hepatitis C is a viral infection which, if left untreated, can lead to severe and potentially fatal liver damage. Existing treatments consist of a combination of drugs, usually ribavirin, pegylated interferon and a protease inhibitor, which together inhibit viral replication and enhance the body's immune response to eradicate the virus...

Implantable sensor may monitor cancer and diabetes

Date: Nov-05-2013
New research details how a sensor that can be implanted under the skin for over 1 year is able to monitor inflammation and detect nitric oxide - a molecule that has been found to show disturbed levels in the presence of some cancers. This is according to a study published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) say the sensors, made of carbon nanotubes, may also be modified to detect other molecules, such as glucose, which could help monitor diabetic patients...

Nanotechnology urine test could detect deadly blood clots

Date: Oct-18-2013
Blood clots, often unexposed until they break away and result in a stroke or heart attack, can form for a number of reasons in anyone. But now, researchers from MIT have developed a simple urine test that uses nanoparticles to detect thrombin, a major blood-clotting element. The researchers, who published the details of their system in the journal ACS Nano, hope this test could be used to monitor patients who are at high risk for blood clots...

How healthy is housework?

Date: Oct-18-2013
We are constantly reminded that regular physical activity can lead to long-term health benefits and that any activity is better than none, but when it comes to housework, it seems we all need to work harder to make it count as a workout. Both the US Department of Health and Human Services and the UK's NHS guidelines recommend adults take at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical exercise each week. They also advise that everyone should include muscle strengthening exercises involving all the major muscle groups...

Abnormal neural activity linked to schizophrenia

Date: Oct-18-2013
Neuroscientists have discovered abnormal neural activity in the brain that may cause people with schizophrenia to experience unorganized thought processes, according to a study published in the journal Neuron. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), led by Susumu Tonegawa, conducted a mouse study in which they found that mice lacking a brain protein called calcineurin experienced hyperactive brain-wave oscillations in the hippocampus when resting...

PharmaCreates 2013, November 28, London

Date: Oct-18-2013
Big pharma sit down with payers, physicians and patient groups to agree a road map for healthcare innovation. Pru Health, Celesio and Nitro Digital are the latest stakeholders to join PharmaCreates 2013.  PharmaCreates 2013 have just released details on this new session, which will focus on integrated care. In particular, how to build a multi touch point offering with integrated approaches to improve outcomes and support business models. Key outputs for pharma include: How to create brand advocates by identifying & educating key stakeholders relevant to your brand and business...

Migraine sufferers more likely to have depression

Date: Oct-18-2013
A large new study from Canada finds that people who suffer from migraines are also more likely to have depression and think about suicide than counterparts who do not have them. Researchers from the University of Toronto analyzed data from a representative sample of more than 67,000 people who took part in the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey and looked for gender-specific links between migraine and depression...

Sanofi and Regeneron report positive top-line results with alirocumab from first Phase 3 study of a PCSK9 inhibitor for LDL cholesterol reduction

Date: Oct-18-2013
Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) has announced that the Phase 3 ODYSSEY MONO trial with alirocumab, an investigational monoclonal antibody targeting PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9), met its primary efficacy endpoint. The mean low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C, or "bad" cholesterol) reduction from baseline to week 24, the primary efficacy endpoint of the study, was significantly greater in patients randomized to alirocumab, as compared to patients randomized to ezetimibe (47.2% vs. 15...

Study examines various treatments for nose bleeds

Date: Oct-18-2013
The way doctors treat nose bleeds (epistaxis), a condition that will affect about 60 percent of the population during their lifetime, varies greatly among patients seeking medical attention with no difference in outcomes, according to a study by Jennifer A. Villwock, M.D., and Kristin Jones, M.D., of the State University of New York-Upstate Medical University, Syracuse.  About 70 percent of nose bleeds occur spontaneously for reasons that range from unknown causes to cancerous lesions...