IUD Serves Double Duty: Birth Control and Cancer Treatment
September 30, 2010 by admin · Comments Off
While IUDs (intrauterine devices) fell out of favor in the 1970s when the Dalkon Shield caused infections, miscarriages and a total of twelve deaths. They have slowly been making a comeback as a birth control device and now may have a secondary use as a treatment for endometrial cancer.
Study Raises Possibility that ADHD is Genetic
September 30, 2010 by admin · Comments Off
It was in 1902 that physician George F. Still first documented what is now known as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and despite more than a century of research, its exact cause is still not fully understood. Evidence to date indicates that there are many underlying factors that lead to the inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity seen in ADHD, among them genetic and neurobiological vulnerabilities.
93 Percent of Women Wash Their Hands Versus Only 77 Percent of Men
September 30, 2010 by admin · Comments Off
A recent observational study found that 85 percent of adults washed their hands in public restrooms -- significantly less than the 96 percent of adults who say they do.
Men do worse than women -- just 77 percent washed their hands, compared with 93 percent of women. However, both numbers are up -- the last time the survey was done, in 2007, only 66 percent of men washed, and 88 percent of women.
USA Today reports:
“The study ... involved discreetly observing 6,028 adults in public restrooms in August to see whether they washed their hands. Hand washing is important especially because ... many respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses are transmitted primarily by hand contact”.
Government Funding Drug Companies to Make Vaccines Quicker
September 30, 2010 by admin · Comments Off
The U.S. government plans to spend close to $2 billion in order to pay researchers and biotechnology companies to develop new drugs, vaccines and equipment to shorten the six- to nine-month time frame currently needed to make a flu vaccine.
U.S. health officials plan to persuade more Americans to get vaccinated against the flu this fall. The CDC is recommending flu vaccine for all Americans ages six months and older, except for people with egg allergies and some other conditions.
The Wall Street Journal reported:
“To meet anticipated demand, manufacturers are producing between 160 million and 165 million doses this year, more than ever before ... The CDC is accelerating development of two new tools to speed production of vaccine ...
One involves optimizing seed strains of virus used to make vaccine ... Another is a new method to determine the amount of antigen -- the ingredient that prompts an immune response -- in a vaccine vial.”
Government Funding Drug Companies to Make Vaccines Quicker
September 30, 2010 by admin · Comments Off
U.S. health officials plan to persuade more Americans to get vaccinated against the flu this fall. The CDC is recommending flu vaccine for all Americans ages six months and older, except for people with egg allergies and some other conditions.
The Wall Street Journal reported:
“To meet anticipated demand, manufacturers are producing between 160 million and 165 million doses this year, more than ever before ... The CDC is accelerating development of two new tools to speed production of vaccine ...
One involves optimizing seed strains of virus used to make vaccine ... Another is a new method to determine the amount of antigen -- the ingredient that prompts an immune response -- in a vaccine vial.”
