Archive for 'News' Category

Ethicon Recalls Surgical Drains due to Sterility Concerns

Ethicon unit is recalling about 360,000 units of products used to drain surgical wounds because it determined following customer complaints that the sterile barrier on packaging could be compromised. . the recall affects multiple lots of Blake Silicone Drains, Blake Silicone Drain Kits, Blake Cardio Connectors, J-VAC Reservoirs and J-VAC Drain Adapters. . . J&J’s [...]

Weighing Nobel Laureate’s Claim – DNA Electromagnetic Signaling

Luc Montagnier reports a previously undescribed property of DNA and skepticism ensues. Excerpts from the original article: Over the last 60 years, the development of basic knowledge in biology as well as many medical applications owes much to the discoveries made in DNA. Here is a partial list emphasizing the main advances in DNA discovery: [...]

Novel Immunogenic Cocaine Vaccine Shows Promise in Murine Model

In their study, published Jan. 4 in the online edition of Molecular Therapy…this novel strategy might be the first to offer cocaine addicts a fairly simple way to break and reverse their habit, and it might also be useful in treating other addictions, such as to nicotine [or] opiates. the study’s lead investigator, Dr. Ronald [...]

Artificial Red Blood Cell Product Prepares for FDA Review

Artifical RBCs advance to the FDA’s review… The artificial blood is created by taking cells from umbilical cords and using a machine to imitate the way bone marrow works to produce mass quantities of usable units of red blood cells. Producing the genetically-engineered blood is known as ‘blood pharming’. The program was launched in 2008 [...]

Sildenafil (Viagra) in Pulmonary Fibrosis – RCT

Background: We tested the hypothesis that treatment with sildenafil would improve walk distance, dyspnea, and quality of life in patients with advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, defined as a carbon monoxide diffusion capacity of less than 35% of the predicted value. Results: A total of 180 patients were enrolled in the study. The difference in the [...]

Weekend Inspiration – Dr. Walter Watson

“Papa Doc,” as he’s known to many, has delivered some 18,000 babies during his career. Watson is thought to be the oldest practicing doctor in the world and, despite having turned 100 in February, still runs a full-time practice in Augusta, Ga. Watson served in the Army before going to medical school and also spent [...]

The Medical Bottleneck – Residency Shortage & Health Care Reform

a number of new medical schools have opened around the country recently. As of last October, four new medical schools enrolled a total of about 190 students, and 12 medical schools raised the enrollment of first-year students by a total of 150 slots, according to the AAMC. But medical colleges and hospitals warn that these [...]

Saxagliptin Approved (DPP4 inhibitor)

[Saxagliptin] which will be sold under the brand name Onglyza, is in a relatively new class, called DPP-4 inhibitors, that can be taken along with older diabetes drugs. Until now, Merck’s Januvia has been the only drug in the class on the market in this country. Saxagliptin Approval: Finally, Competition for Merck’s Januvia [WSJ Health [...]

Case Study: New Strain of HIV

researchers have now discovered an HIV infection in a Cameroonian woman which is clearly linked to a gorilla strain, Nature Medicine reports. HIV originated from a similar virus in chimpanzees called Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV). French doctors treating the 62-year-old Cameroonian woman who was living in Paris said they initially spotted some discrepancies in routine [...]

Pennsylvania's Plummeting Malpractice Numbers

rule changes have dramatically lowered the number of malpractice suits filed in Pennsylvania. There were 1,602 filings last year, a 41% decline from the annual average between 2000 and 2002, before the changes were put in place. One of the new rules requires a “certificate of merit” from a medical professional, establishing that “the medical [...]