Drug Misuse Partially Accounts for Excess Mortality in Scotland
Mortality rates in Scotland are substantially higher than in England and Wales – the so-called "Scottish effect." New research suggests that loss of life related to problem drug use accounts for a significant portion of the excess death rate.
FDA Approvals: KINRIX and Metvixia
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a combination vaccine that offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and polio in a single shot; and the use of methyl aminolevulinate 16.8% cream with a narrow-band, red-light device equipped with light-emitting diodes for the treatment of actinic keratoses.
VICTORY: Medicare bill becomes law!
H.R. 6331 includes SGR fix, Teaching Rule reform In a historic triumph for ASA, a law has been enacted that will reverse Medicare payment cuts for 2008, provide a 1.1% positive update for 2009, and permanently restore full Medicare payment to anesthesiology teaching programs beginning in 2010! Earlier today President Bush vetoed H.R. 6331. This […]
HHS Announces New International Programs to Enhance Drug and Food Safety
Joint Inspections with European Union and Australian Regulators; Third-Party Certification Program Are Latest Steps toward Implementing New Import StrategyU.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced two groundbreaking programs designed to enhance the safety of food and medical products exported to the United States.
Cymbalta® is now approved for fibromyalgia
Cymbalta is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI) indicated in adults for Acute and maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) Management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) Treatment of acute generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) The management of fibromyalgia, with or without depression Although the mechanism of the antidepressant action of Cymbalta in […]
CK19 MRNA Expression Identifies Lymph Node Metastases Intraoperatively
Measurement of CK19 mRNA expression intraoperatively can be used as a rapid diagnostic method to detect lymph node metastases in women with breast cancer, according to a report in the June 1st issue of the International Journal of Cancer.
Effective Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer Remains Elusive
Although therapeutic strategies have advanced for many common gastrointestinal cancers, significant progress in the treatment of pancreatic cancer remains elusive. The eagerly anticipated results of randomized trials that evaluated gemcitabine-based combination regimens have proven to be disappointing, researchers report in a review paper that discusses the use of systemic therapy in advanced pancreatic cancer. Whereas […]
Early Laparoscopic Surgery Best for Acute Cholecystitis
In patients with acute cholecystitis, performing laparoscopic gallbladder removal within 24 hours of admission, rather than waiting weeks to years after a course of antibiotics has been given, reduces the hospital stay without increasing the risk of complications, new research shows.
The Effect of Live Classical Piano Music on the Vital Signs of Patients Undergoing Ophthalmic Surger
AbstractContext: Music and surgery.Objective: To determine the effect of live classical piano music on vital signs of patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery.Design: Retrospective case series.Setting and Patients: 203 patients who underwent various ophthalmologic procedures in a period during which a piano was present in the operating room of St. Francis Medical Center. [Note: St. Francis Medical […]
1 in 7 Americans Lack Health Insurance
One in seven Americans — one in six Americans under age 65 — do not have any kind of health insurance, the CDC reports. Lack of health insurance is greatest in the Southwest and lowest in the Northeast, with huge variation — by about 20% — among the states. "Overall, 43.1 million Americans lacked health […]
