MedNews: Health and Medical News -
Should Patients Have Access to Investigational Unapproved Drugs?
As a cancer physician, I often cared for patients who found themselves in very desperate medical situations. When all available approved treatment alternatives have been exhausted, many patients are willing to try investigational or restricted therapies- -but then learn they are not eligible for the protocols that govern their use. What are such desperate patients to do? More »
Cough and Cold Medicines for Kids
As we approach the cold weather, you may see your kids sniffling more, having sore throats and stuffy noses. More »
The More You Drink, the Smaller Your Brain Becomes
According to a recent report, the more you drink the smaller your brain becomes. It is estimated that 1.9 percent decrease in brain volume per decade accompanies an increase in white matter lesions. More »
Chronic Kidney Disease Up 30% Over Past Decade
A 30 percent increase in chronic kidney disease over the past decade has prompted the U.S. Renal Data System (USRDS) to issue for the first time a separate report documenting the magnitude of the disease, which affects an estimated 27 million Americans and accounts for more than 24 percent of Medicare costs. More »
FDA Approves Use of Temporary Pump to Assist Heart's Right Side
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) today approved a Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) for the first heart pump that provides certain critically ill patients with temporary support for the right side of the heart. The approval is a first for certain critically ill patients. More »
Women More Vulnerable to Alcohol's Long-term Effects Than Men
Women are more vulnerable to alcohol's longterm effects than men, according to the Harvard Heart Letter. The difference is in women's ability to break down alcohol, which is slower than men's. The result is that a woman drinking the same amount as a man will have a higher blood level of alcohol, and for a longer time. Her tissues are exposed to more alcohol per drink than a man?s, and a Japanese study indicates that too much alcohol is bad for a woman?s heart and arteries, as well as being a danger to breast tissue. More »
Experimental Malaria Vaccines to be Tested in FDA and PATH-MVI Collaboration
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced a collaboration with the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (PATH-MVI) to develop laboratory tests to better predict the level of safety and effectiveness of experimental malaria vaccines before they are used in human clinical trials. More »
Landmark Research Into Child And Maternal Health Expanded
A landmark research study into childrens' health, the National Childrens' Study, will now add the St Louis area. Researchers will monitor children from Jefferson County in Missouri and Johnson, Union and Williamson counties in southern Illinois from before birth to age 21 to learn more about environmental and genetic influences on diseases. Saint Louis University School of Public Health was awarded a $26.3 million contract from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. More »
New Technique May Restore Functions to Stroke Patients Long After Attack
A revolutionary new technique, which involves jump-starting the growth of nerve fibers to compensate for brain cells destroyed by the stroke, may be capable of restoring functions to a stroke patient weeks, and even months after the attack, according to a recent report. More »
The Importance of Nutrition for Your Health
We as patients often assume that a prescription for health involves taking medicines. The drugs that FDA approves are essential for treating disease, but perhaps the most important prescription to prevent many diseases is the food we eat. More »