Health Canada is advising consumers that certain bottles of Neutragel, a sodium fluoride gel, have been contaminated with mould. This anti-cavity dental product is commonly used by patients with weakened immune systems, patients with diabetes, dry mouth, undergoing chemotherapy, or for tooth decay caused by radiation. This sodium fluoride gel is administered in a dental office or at home.
A research consortium, supported by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), today announced the publication of a high-quality draft genome sequence of the western honey bee, finding that its genome is more similar to humans than any insect sequenced thus far.
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has released and posted on its Web site a Public Service Announcement (PSA) to help consumers keep food safe during bad weather. “Food Safety During Power Outages,” is part of ongoing outreach efforts to raise awareness about the importance of food safety during times of power outages due to storms and other events.
Results from the SAINT II (Stroke Acute Ischemic NXY-059 Treatment) trial, announced today by AstraZeneca, showed that the investigational drug NXY-059 did not meet its primary outcome of a statistically significant reduction in stroke-related disability, as assessed by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) (p=0.33, odds ratio 0.94) compared to placebo.
Point-of-use water treatment and improved water storage reduced the incidence of diarrhea by 90 percent when compared to improved water storage alone in camps for the internally displaced in Liberia, according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In camp settings during emergencies, diarrheal diseases have accounted for more than 40 percent of all deaths, and a majority of deaths of small children. The study evaluated Procter & Gamble’s (NYSE: PG) PUR(R) Purifier of Water and is the first to test the effectiveness of PUR under emergency conditions. It is published in the October 2006 edition of Tropical Medicine and International Health.
IDM Pharma (NASDAQ:IDMI) announced today that the company has submitted an electronic New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Junovan(TM) (mifamurtide for injection), requesting approval for its use in the treatment of newly diagnosed resectable high grade osteosarcoma patients following surgical resection in combination with multiple agent chemotherapy.
Three UCLA scientists will be awarded top prizes for psychiatric research on Friday by NARSAD: The Mental Health Research Association, the world’s largest donor-supported organization dedicated to funding innovative research on severe mental illnesses. Lori Altshuler, M.D.; Joaquin M. Fuster, M.D., Ph.D., and Tyrone D. Cannon, Ph.D., all of UCLA’s Semel Institute, will be presented their awards at NARSAD’s 19th annual ceremony in New York City.
The Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology at UCLA has named University of Wisconsin’s Richard Davidson as the first recipient of The Mani Bhaumik Award. The award was established earlier this year to support scientists in the international community who advance the understanding of the brain and the conscious mind in healing through visionary research, books and education. Bhaumik, co-inventor of the laser technology that made LASIK surgery possible, has funded the annual $10,000 award.
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) announced the availability of triplets monitoring functionality for its industry-leading line of obstetrical care fetal and maternal monitors, Avalon FM20 antepartum and Avalon FM30 intrapartum. Philips is the first company to introduce a fetal monitor that enables non-invasive triplets monitoring with a single device.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care have published an update of its familial breast cancer guideline.