August 25th, 2011 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in News, Research
Tags: Anti-Aging Drugs, Designer Drug, Diet, Diet Drugs, Eating Habits, Fat, Healthy, Insulin Sensitivity, Liver, Longevity, Low-calorie diets, Metabolism, Mice, Obese, Obesity Epidemic, Research, Resveratrol, sirtuins, SRT-1720
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I usually choose not to write about the “new new scientific thing” that gets picked up by the press, because early research is usually not reproducible and good science takes a long time to validate as true. But since we know that mice and rats that are kept on low-calorie diets live 30% longer (and healthier) than their fat cohorts, I was interested in a new research compound, SRT-1720, that was shown to protect obese mice from diseases of obesity. Fat mice lived 44% longer if they were given this drug.
The “designer” drug works by Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
August 24th, 2011 by Paul Auerbach, M.D. in News, Research
Tags: Allergic Reaction, Copperhead, Cottonmouth, CroFab, Crotalidae polyvalent, Eric Lavonas, Fab Antivenom, FabAV, Hypersensitivity, Rattle Snake, Severe Crotaline Snakebite, Viper Snake
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The current standard of care with regard to using antivenom for pit viper snakes (e.g., rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths) in North America is to use Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab antivenom (CroFab;FabAV). This antivenom is created using a process that obtains antibodies “raised” by immunizing sheep and then harvesting and purifying the product. One of the major benefits of using this product is to take advantage of a lesser incidence of allergic reactions (than have traditionally been observed with previous products). It appears that the situation regarding the incidence of allergic reactions may be better than previously thought.
In the article, “Short Term Outcomes After Fab Antivenom Therapy for Severe Crotaline Snakebite,” Eric Lavonas, MD and colleagues (Ann Emerg Med 2011;57:128-137) examined Read more »
This post, Fab Antivenom Found To Cause Fewer Allergic Reactions Than Previously Thought, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Paul Auerbach, M.D..
August 23rd, 2011 by DavidHarlow in Health Policy, News
Tags: Boston, Boston Globe, Gary Gottlieb, Health Reform, HMO, Hospitals, Managed Care, Massachusetts, medicaid, Medicare, Partners Healthcare, Physicians
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Partners Health Care (the dominant provider network in Greater Boston) and Neighborhood Health Plan (a local mostly-Medicaid HMO) just announced that the former intends to acquire the latter, and maintain it as a separate operating entity. No money will change hands between the parties, but an unspecified amount of money will be given by Partners as grants to community health centers where NHP members receive much of their health care services. Gary Gottlieb, CEO of Partners, graciously allowed that it would not seek to interfere with the current referral patterns of NHP members to the two local safety-net hospitals (which get disproportionate share hospital payments; Partners hospitals do not).
The deal is contingent on several layers of regulatory review, including Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at HealthBlawg :: David Harlow's Health Care Law Blog*
August 21st, 2011 by John Di Saia, M.D. in News
Tags: Dihydrotestosterone, finasteride, Hair Loss, Health Canada, Libido, Male Breast Cancer, Male-Pattern Baldness, Propecia, Proscar, prostatic hypertrophy, Sexual Side Effects, Warning
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Propecia and Proscar are formulations of the drug finasteride. These medications are used to treat male pattern baldness and prostatic hypertrophy. Prior studies have found side effects including sexual changes (loss in libido and function) and now new studies are finding increased incidence of male breast cancer in some of the patients taking the drugs.
Health Canada has issued a warning:
Although the apparent risks are low, Health Canada issued a warning Thursday telling consumers the drug, finasteride, could be potentially dangerous. The drug, which comes in one-milligram and five-milligram formats, is used in the lower dose to treat baldness and the higher dose to treat non-cancerous enlarged prostate. Previous studies have raised flags about the five-milligram format, sold in Canada under the brand name Proscar, including an increased risk of prostate cancer.
Source: theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/
popular-baldness-drug-linked-to-male-breast-cancer/article2119701/?%20Fitness
As these drugs inhibit Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Truth in Cosmetic Surgery*
August 21st, 2011 by GarySchwitzer in News, Opinion
Tags: ABC Television, AP, Brain Cancer, Cancer, Cancer Treatment, CBS Online, Diane Sawyer, Exaggeration, False Hope, Hyperbole, Joe Palca, Leukemia, Linsey Davis, Medical News, Medical Reporting, NBC, NPR Shots Blog, Ovarian Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Research, Reuters
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Right off the top, let me be clear that I am NOT minimizing the importance of this week’s news about an experimental treatment for leukemia – one that has drawn much news attention.
It is an important finding.
What I am commenting on herein is the news coverage.
The ABC television piece itself wasn’t bad, with good perspective from Dr. Len Lichtenfeld of the American Cancer Society. But the lead-in and the ending, both involving anchor Diane Sawyer, were hyperbolic. The following screenshot was part of Sawyer’s lead-in. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Gary Schwitzer's HealthNewsReview Blog*
I usually choose not to write about the “new new scientific thing” that gets picked up by the press, because early research is usually not reproducible and good science takes a long time to validate as true. But since we know that mice and rats that are kept on low-calorie diets live 30% longer (and healthier) than their fat cohorts, I was interested in a new research compound, SRT-1720, that was shown to protect obese mice from diseases of obesity. Fat mice lived 44% longer if they were given this drug.
