Regeneron Announces FDA Approval of EYLEA? (Aflibercept) Injection for the Treatment of Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Eylea (aflibercept) to treat patients with wet (neovascular) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in Americans ages 60 and older.
Professional dental cleanings may reduce risk of heart attack and stroke – Tooth scaling at least once a year reduced heart attack and stroke risks. Professional tooth scaling was associated with fewer heart attacks and strokes in a study from Taiwan presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2011.
Study Shows Dramatic Rise in Incidence of Oral Cancer Type Linked to HPV – A new study of oropharyngeal cancer suggests that dramatic increases in U.S. incidence of the cancer and survival since 1984 can be attributed to infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV).
Study in Lancet finds use of hormonal contraception doubles HIV risk — University of Washington researchers conducted trial in Africa – Women using hormonal contraception — such as a birth control pill or a shot like Depo-Provera ? are at double the risk of acquiring HIV, and HIV-infected women who use hormonal contraception have twice the risk of transmitting the virus to their HIV-uninfected male partners.
Mayo Clinic study: multiple surgeries and anesthesia exposure – 36.6 percent children who had multiple surgeries before age 2 developed a learning disability later in life, but it should not alter decision-making related to surgery in young children. The new study examines children experiencing anesthesia and surgeries under age 2.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updates tdap recommendations – Pertussis (also known as whooping cough) is a serious, easily transmitted infection that causes severe and violent coughing episodes. The infection primarily affects adolescents and adults, but it can cause severe morbidity and death to young infants who are too young to be immunized.
FDA approves Remicade to treat ulcerative colitis in children older than 6 years – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Remicade (infliximab) to treat moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) in children older than 6 years who have had inadequate response to conventional therapy.
Think locally when treating individually — A population perspective can improve individual patient care and clinical decision making for communicable diseases – By taking local biosurveillance data into account when assessing patients for communicable diseases, doctors may be able to make better diagnostic decisions, according to researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston. For instance, in the case of strep throat, awareness of local epidemiology at the time of diagnosis could help more than 166,000 people avoid unnecessary antibiotic treatment in the United States every year and catch more than 62,000 missed cases.
FDA investigates multistate outbreak of listeriosis – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health agencies to investigate a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis.
World’s highest rates of drug resistance in new tuberculosis patients are in Europe – Nobody in Europe is 100 percent protected from drug-resistant tuberculosis, said Ogtay Gozalov, a medical officer at the World Health Organization.
Bird Flu rears its head again — Increased preparedness and surveillance urged against variant strain — Major resurgence H5N1 possible – UN FAO recently urged heightened readiness and surveillance against a possible major resurgence of the H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza amid signs that a mutant strain of the deadly Bird Flu virus is spreading in Asia and beyond, with unpredictable risks to human health.
Vitamin A supplements for children could save 600,000 lives a year – Researchers have strongly recommended vitamin A supplementation for children under 5 in areas at risk of vitamin A deficiency. Children in low and middle income countries should be given vitamin A supplements to prevent death and illness, concludes a study published on bmj.com today.
