Special Reports
WHO: Africa on Brink of Polio Outbreak (24/06)
(AP) - Africa is on the brink of the biggest polio epidemic in years, with
the crippling disease hitting Nigeria hard and re-emerging in Sudan's
war-ravaged Darfur region, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
Infants face high stroke rate (24/06)
(Globe and Mail) - Doctors say increasing awareness is key to reducing the
number of newborns who suffer strokes and to recognizing them when they
happen... In fact, according to new Canadian research, about six in every
100,000 children will have a stroke. At least one-third of those cases are
in newborns. While the incidence rate is far lower than among seniors, it is
much higher than anyone had ever imagined.
Cigarettes Rob Smokers of 10 Years of Life (22/06)
(Reuters) - Cigarette smokers die on average 10 years earlier than
non-smokers but kicking the habit, even at 50 years old, can halve the risk,
according to half a century of research reported on Tuesday.
SARS Virus Detected in Tear Drops (21/06)
(AP Health) - The SARS virus was detected in tear drops taken from patients
in Singapore last year when the disease spread across the world and killed
774 people, according to a study published in a British medical journal.
Cognitive Impairment Common with Breast Cancer (21/06)
(Reuters Health) - More than a third of women with breast cancer may have
some degree of cognitive impairment before undergoing chemotherapy,
according to a new report. This suggests that the disease itself rather than
the treatment may be responsible for so-called "chemobrain."
Newer Drug Helps Prevent Heart Attack (17/06)
(HealthDayNews) - A new global study offers additional evidence that
valsartan, a drug used to lower blood pressure, may benefit older people at
high risk for heart attack and stroke.
Childhood Shots Not Tied to Allergic Diseases (16/06)
(Reuters Health) - Allergic diseases have risen over the past few decades in
developed countries, and some people have blamed this on the increase in
mass immunizations that has occurred. However, that notion seems to be
unfounded.
Fitness Boosts Removal of 'Bad' Cholesterol (15/06)
(Reuters Health) - Being physically fit boosts levels of "good" HDL
cholesterol and improves the removal of "bad" forms of cholesterol,
researchers in Australia report.
Gene loss linked
to Alzheimer's (12/06)
(BBC News) - Genes which play a key role in keeping our minds sharp
gradually begin to turn off as we age, research has found. Scientists at the
Children's Hospital in Boston hope the discovery could lead to new ways to
preserve brain function and ward off Alzheimer's disease.
Sinus Headaches Often Really Migraines (11/06)
(Reuters Health) - If you think you have a sinus headache, think
again, according to an Arizona headache specialist. You may have a
migraine...
New treatment improves outlook for breast cancer survivors
(11/06)
(News-Medical.net) - An updated analysis from an international clinical trial
of the drug letrozole was presented on June 8, 2004 at the American Society
of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in New Orleans. With additional follow
up now available to a median of 2.5 years...
Cannabis drug
cuts arthritis pain (09/06)
A drug made from an extract of cannabis has helped to reduce the pain caused
by rheumatoid arthritis. The drug, Sativex, has been developed by GW
Pharmaceuticals, which is assessing the medical benefits of cannabis under a
UK government licence.
Drug Treatment Effective in HIV Babies (09/06)
(Reuters) - Combinations of anti-AIDS drugs given to adults infected
with HIV can also be effective in newborns, in whom the virus tends to be
more aggressive, according to a new report...
Gene
therapy tested to protect bone marrow during chemotherapy
(07/06)
(Medical News Today) - Researchers report progress toward the goal of
employing gene therapy to help protect the bone marrow cells of cancer
patients undergoing chemotherapy...
Bowel
cancer linked to diabetes (04/06)
(Medical News Today) - People with diabetes could be up to three times more
likely to get bowel cancer – according to a report from Cancer Research UK
and the Medical Research Council...
Special Reports:
Nobel Laureates Back Animal Research
Winners of Nobel prizes in physiology or medicine
overwhelmingly support responsible use of animals in research, according to
Seriously Ill For Medical
Research (SIMR) of Bedfordshire, England. SIMR has carried out a survey of
Nobel prize winners in physiology or medicine to find the views of top medical
researchers worldwide on the need for animals in medical research.
The centenary of Alfred Nobel's death in 1896
seemed an ideal opportunity. "We are concerned that animal rights propaganda has
undue influence in the media, leading to confusion amongst the public and
patients about animal research. SIMR wants to help sort out science fact from
science fiction," said the late Andrew Blake of SIMR.
Questionnaires were sent to all living Nobel
laureates in medicine or physiology. They were asked to indicate their level of
agreement with five statements on the use of animals in medcal research. Their
responses show unanimous support on the need to use animals in medical research.
The complete survey results are available at the
SIMR website. To review the achievements of these great scientists, see a
Timeline
of Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine.
info@pirweb.org