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Abbott Abandons Sale of Unit
Wall Street Journal - Health - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 18:02
Abbott pulled the plug on the sale of its European flu-vaccine business when initial bids came in below the company's expectations.
Employers Raise Workers' Share of Health Costs
Wall Street Journal - Health - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 17:11
Employers passed health-insurance costs onto employees at a sharply higher rate this year, and businesses' premiums grew more slowly than they have in a decade, according to an annual survey.
Scientist at Work: Dr. Donald A. Redelmeier: Think the Answer’s Clear? Look Again
New York Times - Health - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 15:54
Dr. Donald A. Redelmeier’s work has debunked preconceived notions and revealed some deep truths about the predictors of longevity, the organization of health care and the workings of the medical mind.
Essay: Isolation, an Ancient and Lonely Practice, Endures
New York Times - Health - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 15:50
For those who are not just infected on the inside but also infested on the outside our state-of-the-art treatment includes a direct carryover from the Middle Ages.
Non-invasive therapy significantly improves depression, UCLA researchers say
UCLA Health Sciences feed - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 14:00
Major depression is a common and disabling brain condition marked not only by the presence of depressed mood but also by its effects on sleep, energy, decision-making, memory and thoughts of death or of suicide. Major depression affects 15 million adults in the U.S., and the World Health Organization projects that by 2020, it will be the largest contributor to disability in the world after heart disease. While antidepressants have helped many to recover and resume their lives, only 30 percent of patients will experience full remission with the first medication they use. Patients typically move on to try a series of other antidepressants. A persistent problem with such drugs has been major side effects, including obesity, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, drowsiness and nausea. Now, a unique new therapy that applies electrical stimulation to a major nerve emanating from the brain is showing promise. In a recently completed clinical trial at UCLA, trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) achieved an average of a 70 percent reduction in symptom severity over an eight-week study period. The study's principal investigator, Dr. Ian A. Cook, the Miller Family Professor of Psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, presented the results at a recent National Institutes of Health conference on depression and other psychiatric disorders, noting that 80 percent of the subjects achieved remission, a highly significant result in this pilot study. TNS is not new to UCLA. It was pioneered for treatment-resistant epilepsy in humans by Dr. Christopher M. DeGiorgio, a UCLA professor of neurology. The results of a positive 12-patient feasibility trial in epilepsy were reported last year in the journal Neurology. A larger, double-blind pilot epilepsy clinical trial is underway at UCLA and the University of Southern California. The stimulator that was used in the depression clinical trial is about the size of a large cell phone. Two wires from the stimulator are passed under the clothing and connected to electrodes attached to the forehead by adhesive. The electrodes transmit an electrical current to the nerve. All the patients in the trial used the device for approximately eight hours every night while asleep. In contrast to antidepressants, no major side effects were noted. "The major branches of the trigeminal nerve in the face are located close to the surface of the skull and can be stimulated either with non-invasive external electrodes, as we used in this trial, or with minimally invasive subcutaneous electrodes," Cook said. He added that some patients may prefer to have miniature subcutaneous electrodes implanted under the skin rather than applying new electrodes daily. In describing TNS, DeGiorgio, co-principal investigator for the depression trial, explained that what is remarkable about the TNS approach is that it is possible to send signals to key structures deep in the brain without penetrating into the skull. Cook hypothesized that electrical stimulation of the trigeminal nerve generates a cascading sequence of events in the existing neuronal infrastructure. In essence, he said, "TNS provides a high-bandwidth pathway into the brain." To help bring the TNS out of the laboratory and into patient care, UCLA's Office of Intellectual Property recently executed an exclusive worldwide license for the TNS with NeuroSigma, a Los Angeles–based neuromodulation company formed in 2008 to commercialize promising technologies developed at leading universities and research institutions. DeGiorgio and Cook are among UCLA's inventors of the TNS technology and are unpaid advisers to NeuroSigma. Dr. Antonio De Salles and Jack Judy, also UCLA faculty members, are co-founders of NeuroSigma and are minority shareholders. They report no role in this project. The project was supported by the Joanne and George Miller and Family Endowment in Depression Research and by an anonymous philanthropic donation to UCLA. More information is available at www.depression.ucla.edu The Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA is an interdisciplinary research and education institute devoted to the understanding of complex human behavior, including the genetic, biological, behavioral and sociocultural underpinnings of normal behavior, and the causes and consequences of neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition to conducting fundamental research, the institute faculty seeks to develop effective strategies for prevention and treatment of neurological, psychiatric and behavioral disorder, including improvement in access to mental health services and the shaping of national health policy. For more news, visit the UCLA Newsroom and follow us on Twitter.
Testing the Bonds of Doctor and Patient
New York Times - Health - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 12:27
For Dr. Ruth Bergren and her colleagues taking care of HIV patients in New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina presented the ultimate test of the doctor-patient relationship.
Study Shows SAMe May Ease Depression
New York Times - Health - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 09:37
A popular dietary supplement called SAMe may help depressed patients who don't respond to prescription antidepressant treatment, a new study shows.
Do Fluorescent Lights Trigger Migraines?
New York Times - Health - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 08:47
Many people who suffer from migraines believe fluorescent lights are the culprit.
Health Benefits In 2010: Premiums Rise Modestly, Workers Pay More Toward Coverage [Web First]
Health Affairs - Current Issue - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 08:00
Our annual analysis of health benefits contains findings from interviews of 2,046 public and private employers surveyed during January–May 2010. Average annual premiums in 2010 were $5,049 for single coverage and $13,770 for family coverage—up 5 percent and 3 percent from 2009, respectively. Workers paid more toward premiums in 2010, and more workers are in consumer-directed plans and plans with high deductibles than in 2009. Thirty percent of firms reported that they reduced the scope of benefits or increased cost sharing because of the recession. Surprisingly, the percentage of firms offering health benefits in 2010 increased to 69 percent, up from 60 percent in 2009. The change was largely driven by a thirteen-percentage-point increase in the number of firms with three to nine workers that offered benefits (up from 46 percent in 2009 to 59 percent in 2010). The reason for this increase is unclear.
Orexigen Signs Obesity-Drug Pact With Takeda
Wall Street Journal - Health - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 07:51
Orexigen signed a North American partnership for its experimental obesity drug Contrave with Takeda Pharmaceutical.
Recipes for Health: For the Vegetarians at the Cookout
New York Times - Health - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 07:42
Skip the veggie burgers and tofu “hot dogs.” Here are some excellent vegetarian dishes for end-of-summer picnics and barbecues.
Desperate for Cure, Doctor Heals Himself
Wall Street Journal - Health - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 03:25
Frustrated by lack of interest from drug companies, a Belgian doctor pursues his own research to help cure his rare neurological condition.
Study Sees Heart Risk in Meridia Diet Pill
New York Times - Health - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 00:50
A clinical trial found that the controversial drug increased the risks of heart attacks and strokes while doing little to slim their waists.
Finding Suggests New Aim for Alzheimer’s Drugs
New York Times - Health - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 00:00
A discovery by Paul Greengard, an 84-year-old scientist and Nobel winner, has illuminated a new direction.
Maker of Botox Settles Inquiry
New York Times - Health - Wed, 09/01/2010 - 23:00
Allergan agreed to pay $600 million to settle charges that it illegally promoted and sold Botox for unapproved uses.
At Flea Market, Fear of a Different Insect
New York Times - Health - Wed, 09/01/2010 - 22:42
Buyers in secondhand stores are concerned about bedbugs coming along with the clothing or furniture.
Recipes for Health: Grilled Mushrooms in Foil Packets
New York Times - Health - Wed, 09/01/2010 - 21:50
Prepare these packets at home, then toss them on the grill at a cookout.
Allergan to Settle Botox Charges
Wall Street Journal - Health - Wed, 09/01/2010 - 19:43
Allergan agreed to pay the U.S. government $600 million to settle criminal and civil allegations that the company promoted the wrinkle-smoothing drug Botox for unapproved medical uses.
Stem-Cell Plaintiffs Cite Ethical Factors
Wall Street Journal - Health - Wed, 09/01/2010 - 19:22
The two scientists behind the lawsuit that has temporarily blocked federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research said they were motivated by ethical objections to destroying human embryos for medical research.
Maker of Botox Settles Case for $600 Million
New York Times - Health - Wed, 09/01/2010 - 13:30
Allergan agreed to settle criminal and civil allegations that it had marketed Botox for uses not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.