MDgroove.com - Top Stories

Senior drivers need more options: MDs

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:49:26 EDT

A senior's licence to drive shouldn't trump public safety, say doctors advocating better transportation programs for an aging population.

Parents forget warnings of surgery risks

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:24:30 EDT

Parents often forget the risks of ear, nose and throat surgery for their children even when counselled and provided with detailed written information, a new study finds.

Toxic conditions cited in Eastern Health lab review

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:06:49 EDT

The lab at Newfoundland and Labrador's largest health authority is plagued by a toxic working environment and distrust between colleagues, a review has found.

Budget Panel Vote Kicks Off Crucial Week for Healthcare Reform

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:46:15 -0400

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- The House Budget Committee voted to approve a draft bill that will be used as a vehicle for changes to the Senate-passed healthcare reform bill, marking a crucial procedural step in a week that could end with the lower chamber taking a final vote on healthcare reform.

SIR: Focused Ultrasound for Fibroids Effective Long-Term (CME/CE)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:27:01 -0400

TAMPA (MedPage Today) -- A year after treatment, focused ultrasound guided by magnetic resonance remained an effective approach to patients with uterine fibroids, bringing long-lasting pain relief, researchers here said.

ACC: New Anticoagulants Signal Start of Post-Warfarin Era

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:10:50 -0400

ATLANTA (MedPage Today) -- Atrial fibrillation is both a major stroke risk and a looming public health problem in an aging population. The standard treatment -- warfarin -- is also difficult to manage. ACC President Ralph Brindis discusses new, post-warfarin therapies in this exclusive InFocus™ report.

SIR: Pregnancy Possible After Fibroid Embolization (CME/CE)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:03:18 -0400

TAMPA (MedPage Today) -- Fertility rates after uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) are comparable to those following myomectomy, researchers said here.

Obama pitches health-care bill in Ohio

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:40:53 EDT

U.S. President Barack Obama took his push for health-care reform to Ohio on Monday, calling on Congress to move beyond partisan politics and pass the controversial changes.

Indian spices, powders can pose lead risk for kids

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:31:37 EDT

Young children who regularly ingest spices and ceremonial powders imported from India might be exposed to lead, U.S. doctors warn.

Midwife shortage spurs safety fears

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:19:49 EDT

Growing demand and a short supply of licensed midwives are leading many Alberta women to use unregistered birth assistants, according to the group that represents the profession in the province.

Deep Brain Stimulator Squeaks by FDA Panel

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:17:22 -0400

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- A panel of neurology experts voted 7 to 5 to recommend the FDA approve Medtronic's deep brain stimulation device to reduce seizures in epilepsy patients, despite disagreement over how effective the device actually is.

AMA Welcomes Big Investment In Medical Training, Australia

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:00:00 PDT

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that the AMA welcomes the Government's significant investment in medical training with the announcement of big increases in the number of medical training places across the board. The Government has announced there will be 1200 general practice training places by 2014, 975 Pre-vocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP) places by 2013, and 900 specialist training positions in private, community and rural settings by 2014...

Quality of Brain Cancer Treatment Varies by Race (CME/CE)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:00:00 -0400

African Americans and Hispanic patients are increasingly less likely than whites to receive high-quality brain cancer treatment, a study has found.

Parents Forget Warnings of Surgical Risks (CME/CE)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:00:00 -0400

Parents seem to forget some of the risks that ear, nose, and throat surgery pose for children, even when they receive surgical risk counseling and detailed informational pamphlets, a new study found.

New Graft Technique Succeeds for Lip Augmentation (CME/CE)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:00:00 -0400

A new lip augmentation technique that involves grafting of a segment of autologous muscle results in long-term enhancement of lip appearance, a retrospective study found.

ED May Predict Cardiac Events, Earlier Death (CME/CE)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:00:00 -0400

Patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) who were treated with telmisartan, ramipril, or both were at greater risk for cardiovascular events than other patients on the same medications, researchers found.

Canada's food inspection ramping up

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:55:39 EDT

Monitoring Canada's food producers is requiring more hours on the part of inspectors and a greater number of staff, says a memo from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

National emergency plan adopted

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:01:39 EDT

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews says the federal government has formally adopted its emergency response plan, months after the auditor general accused Ottawa of being unprepared to co-ordinate emergency measures.

ACC: Triglycerides Decreased with Rosuvastatin Therapy (CME/CE)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:00:25 -0400

ATLANTA (MedPage Today) -- In a study that specifically scrutinized the effects of statin therapy on triglycerides, researchers said that rosuvastatin (Crestor) significantly reduced the blood lipid that has been linked to coronary artery disease better than placebo.

ACC: Saline, Bicarb Tie for Kidney Safety (CME/CE)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:50:50 -0400

ATLANTA (MedPage Today) -- Sodium bicarbonate hydration appears no better than the old standard, saline, in preventing kidney damage from use of radiology contrast agents in at-risk diabetes patients, according to one of the first head-to-head comparison trials.

ACC: Old Trumps New in Stent Comparison (CME/CE)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:43:52 -0400

ATLANTA (MedPage Today) -- For patients with chronic stable coronary artery disease, the first-generation sirolimus-eluting stent (Cypher) was better than the second-generation zotarolimus-eluting stent (Endeavor) for preventing major adverse cardiac events, a randomized trial showed.

AAOS: Artificial Turf Injuries Still More Likely in NFL (CME/CE)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:07:00 -0400

NEW ORLEANS (MedPage Today) -- National Football League players were significantly more likely to injure their legs and feet on a popular brand of artificial turf than on grass, researchers found in one of three NFL injury studies reported here.

AAOS: Sports Account for Half of U.S. Ankle Sprains (CME/CE)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:48:07 -0400

NEW ORLEANS (MedPage Today) -- About half of U.S. ankle sprains occur while patients are playing sports, with basketball taking most of the blame, according to the largest study of this common injury to date.

Heart valve clip safer than surgery: study

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:44:07 EDT

A tiny clip implanted through an artery was safer and nearly as effective as open-heart surgery for leaky mitral valves, a U.S. study suggests.

Mouthguards may boost athletes' performance

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:09:26 EDT

A New Brunswick dentist says his research indicates mouthguards can improve the performance of athletes, and take away their aches and pains.

AAOS: Uncertain Future for Platelet-Rich Plasma (CME/CE)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:01:53 -0400

NEW ORLEANS (MedPage Today) -- Clinicians are trying to determine where platelet-rich plasma (PRP) fits into the armamentarium of treatments for orthopedic injuries.

Williams back on job after heart surgery

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:02:59 EDT

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams returned to work on Monday, six weeks after triggering a firestorm over medicare.

Functional Technologies Develops Yeast Solution For Acrylamide In Processed Foods

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:00:00 PDT

Functional Technologies Corp. (TSX VENTURE:FEB), a world leader in yeast research and development, announced today that it has developed, tested and filed patent applications for yeast technology that reduces the formation of acrylamide, a carcinogen formed when starchy foods are baked, fried or toasted. Recognized globally as a serious food safety issue since 2002, acrylamide has been found in many widely consumed foods, including bread, cookies, crackers, baby food, breakfast cereal, French fries and potato chips...

Arcadia Biosciences Completes First Commercial Production Of SONOVA™ 400 High GLA Safflower Oil

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:00:00 PDT

Arcadia Biosciences, Inc., an agricultural technology company focused on developing technologies and products that benefit the environment and human health, announced today that it has successfully completed the first commercial production of SONOVA™ 400 High GLA Safflower Oil. Seed produced by the first High GLA Safflower crop, grown during 2009, was processed to produce commercial quantities of SONOVA™ 400 oil, which is now available for distribution as a key ingredient in dietary supplements...

Kevin P. Black, MD, Elected To American Academy Of Orthopaedic Surgeons Board Of Directors

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 PDT

Orthopaedic surgeon Kevin P. Black, MD, of Hershey, Penn., was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) at the organization's 2010 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. "It's an enormous honor to be elected to the AAOS Board of Directors," said Dr. Black. "I'm looking forward to working with and learning from the other members of the Board and having the opportunity to contribute to our great profession and ultimately the patients for whom we care." Dr...

AngioScore Announces Favorable Results From The MASCOT Trial

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 PDT

AngioScore, Inc., a developer of novel angioplasty catheters for use in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, announced today favorable clinical trial results from the MASCOT Trial, an important study evaluating the AngioSculpt® PTA Scoring Balloon Catheter for the treatment of femoro-popliteal PAD (peripheral artery disease). "PAD is one of the fastest-growing segments of the Endovascular Market, with an estimated two million annual procedures worldwide...

FDA Allows IND For Bio-Path Holdings' Liposomal Grb-2

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 PDT

Bio-Path Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: BPTH), a publicly traded biotechnology company with drug development operations in Houston, Texas, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed an IND (Investigational New Drug) for the Company's lead cancer drug candidate liposomal Grb-2 to proceed into clinical trials...

Patient Advocacy Group Asks FDA To Enhance Its Enforcement Of Unapproved Drugs Initiative

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 PDT

The National Minority Quality Forum (The Forum) is launching a new public information campaign aimed to help educate consumers, physicians, and policymakers about the risks associated with prescribing and taking unapproved drugs that have not been subjected to the rigorous Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) review and approval process. Unapproved drugs can be dangerous - or even deadly - to patients as a result of the lack of testing, unknown or unregulated ingredients, improper labeling, and as a result of this lack of information, the inability to predict drug to drug interactions...

Risk Stratification Imperative To Treatment Selection In Patients With AML

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 PDT

Using risk stratification to assist in treatment selection was just one of the focal points at a recent presentation of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines for Oncology (NCCN Guidelines™) for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) at the NCCN 15th Annual Conference. B. Douglas Smith, MD of The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins and a member of the NCCN Guidelines Panel for AML, spoke about the challenges in treating AML as well as recent updates to the NCCN Guidelines™. Dr...

Ligand Announces Approval For Revolade(R) In Europe

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 PDT

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:LGND) today announced that GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) was granted marketing authorization from the European Commission (EC) for Revolade® (eltrombopag) for the oral treatment of thrombocytopenia (reduced platelet count) in adults with the blood disorder chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Eltrombopag is indicated for adult chronic ITP splenectomized patients who have not responded (are refractory) to other treatments, such as corticosteroids and immunoglobulins...

Frost & Sullivan Lauds Positron Corporation For Cardiac-Focused PET Molecular Imaging Scanner Attrius™

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 PDT

Based on its recent analysis of the cardiac molecular imaging systems market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Positron Corporation with the 2010 North American Award for New Product Innovation, for its pioneering cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, Attrius™. The Attrius™ was developed and optimized for molecular imaging of the heart, making it the ideal solution for cardiologists and hospitals looking to add high accuracy, cost effective imaging technology...

Cancer Care At The End Of Life: When Is Enough, Enough?

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 PDT

Despite the advances and groundbreaking research being performed in the area of cancer treatment, sometimes cancer cannot be cured. In this situation, patients and their families are faced with complex emotions and a variety of end of life issues and decisions. ABC News veteran and anchor Sam Donaldson shared his own perspective as a cancer survivor while moderating a roundtable of notable panelists at the NCCN 15th Annual Conference: Clinical Practice Guidelines & Quality Cancer Care™ on March 11, 2010. "I had to figure out who I was going to be on my own." Mr...

Progenics To Advance Oral Methylnaltrexone Into Late Stage Clinical Development

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 PDT

Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PGNX) today announced that it plans to advance oral methylnaltrexone for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) into late stage clinical development and will commence a phase 2b/3 clinical trial of a methylnaltrexone tablet in chronic-pain patients in the second half of 2010. Progenics also announced data from a clinical trial of this methylnaltrexone tablet. The tablet form of oral methylnaltrexone was developed by Progenics' former collaboration partner Wyeth...

New NCCN Guidelines™ For Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Presented At Annual Conference

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 PDT

A new addition to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines™), the NCCN Guidelines for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM), was presented at the NCCN 15th Annual Conference. Lee M. Krug, MD of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and a member of the NCCN Guidelines Panel discussed recommended treatment options for patients with MPM as well as first-line therapy regimens. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs...

Experts Highlight Impact Of Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines On Cancer Care And Cost

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 PDT

The escalating costs of cancer care combined with variations in concordance with evidence-based practice guidelines is putting the United States on a collision course for an impending collapse of its current health care system according to roundtable panelists at the NCCN 15th Annual Conference. Clifford Goodman, PhD, of The Lewin Group, led an engaging roundtable debating the utilization of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines™) and the impact of escalating health care costs. Dr...

Public Health, Redesign Of Services And Social Care The Key Tasks For Whoever Wins The General Election, Says NHS Confederation Report

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:00:00 PDT

The study, Rising to the challenge: health priorities for the Government and the NHS looks at the scale of the task facing a new administration after this year's General Election. It argues that the demands of a spending squeeze combined with lifestyle factors, the UK's aging population and the increasing cost of healthcare mean the NHS is facing one of the most difficult moments in its history...

Abbott Statement: ACCORD Lipid Results Support Treatment Guidelines For Fibrate Use

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:00:00 PDT

Results were presented today on behalf of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute from ACCORD, a study in patients with diabetes that evaluated cardiovascular outcomes in three distinct studies - glycemic control, blood pressure control and lipid control. In response to data from the ACCORD Lipid study, Abbott issued the following statement: "The results of ACCORD Lipid were widely expected and not surprising given that two-thirds of patients in the trial would not be treated with fibrates under current guidelines," said Eugene Sun, M.D...

Daniel W. White, MD, Elected To The American Academy Of Orthopaedic Surgeons Board Of Directors

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:00:00 PDT

Orthopaedic surgeon Daniel W. White, MD, LTC, MC, was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) at its 2010 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. "As a military physician, I hope to bring a unique perspective to the leadership," said Dr. White. "I am humbled and honored to be a member of the AAOS Board of Directors." Dr. White currently serves as the chief of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation services at Evans Army Community Hospital in Fort Carson, Colo...

American Heart Association Comment On The FDA Drug Safety Communication Regarding Boxed Warning For Clopidogrel

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:00:00 PDT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a drug safety communication to patients and healthcare professionals regarding the use of clopidogrel, an anti-clotting medication. The FDA is requiring a "Boxed Warning" on the label of clopidogrel to tell patients and healthcare providers that certain patients may lack genetic factors required to effectively metabolize the drug. These "poor metabolizers" may not receive the full benefits of clopidogrel. According to the FDA, approximately 2 to 14 percent of the population are poor metabolizers of clopidogrel...

PRILIGY(R) - New Approved Medication For Premature Ejaculation Available For New Zealand

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:00:00 PDT

Janssen-Cilag announced that PRILIGY® (dapoxetine) is now approved and available for use in New Zealand for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE) in men 18-64 years of age. PE is a common men's medical condition, but it is rarely talked about. However, it is widespread and could affect the quality of life of an estimated 250,000 New Zealand men and their partners . Dr...

GE Healthcare's MAC 800 Portable ECG Device Helps To Advance Physician Care Of Athletes And Visitors At Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:00:00 PDT

GE Healthcare' announced that the company's portable ECG (electrocardiograph) device, the MAC 800, will be implemented in both Vancouver and Whistler to help support physician care of athletes, trainers and visitors throughout the Vancouver 2010 Paralymipc Winter Games...

Opium poppy secrets unlocked

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:15:55 EDT

Researchers at the University of Calgary say they have discovered the unique genes that allow the opium poppy to make compounds used to produce codeine and morphine.

Listeria-contaminated meat prompts lawsuit

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:53:30 EDT

The latest meat recall due to concerns over listeria contamination has prompted a proposed class action.

75% of family doctors abused by patients: study

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:10:18 EST

Three-quarters of Canadian family doctors say they suffered at least one incident of major abuse at the hands of a patient, according to a new study.

Blood pressure spikes could boost stroke risk

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:42:55 EST

People with occasional spikes in their blood pressure could be at higher risk of having a stroke than those with regularly high blood pressure, according to new studies released Friday.