Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
Using AIDS drugs to prevent infection: a bargain?
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Giving an AIDS-fighting drug to men who
are at high risk of HIV infection would cost billions, but it
might be worth it terms of reducing infection rates, U.S.
researchers said on Monday. Since 2010, when a landmark study
in the New England Journal of Medicine found that giving a
daily dose of Gilead Sciences’ Truvada to men who have sex with
men can reduce HIV infection rates by 44 percent, researchers
have been trying to work out how to make this treatment
approach financially feasible.
Schmallenberg spread a warning to Europe, scientists say
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The outbreak of a new livestock
disease in western Europe last year, particularly harmful to
offspring, could move further into areas surrounding the worst
affected countries in the next cycle of new births, scientists
say. Schmallenberg virus – named after the German town where it
was first detected in November – infected sheep and cows on at
least 2,600 farms in eight EU countries last year, most likely
between August and October.
New Zealand firm to trial pig cells to treat Parkinson’s
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – A New Zealand company plans to
implant pig cells in the human brain in a clinical trial to
treat Parkinson’s disease and help improve movement and brain
functions in patients. The clinical trials, planned for next
year, would be the first using pig brain cells for potential
treatment in humans.
Telemonitoring may not help older patients
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Older patients with heart, lung
or kidney disease who were monitored with at-home electronic
systems were just as likely to be sent to the emergency room or
hospitalized as those who weren’t monitored, in a new study.
The systems — which check patients’ blood pressure, weight and
other health-related measurements daily and send information to
their medical team — are one strategy to catch problems early
to prevent hospitalizations and help control health spending as
the population ages.
Fast-food salt content varies by country: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Fast food may often be high in
salt, but the exact levels seem to vary based on the country
you live in, according to a study published Monday. Looking at
fast-food menu information in six countries, researchers found
that the same item sometimes had different salt levels in
different countries.
Spinal injections may not aid lower back pain
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – A new study suggests that
injections of steroids or arthritis drugs in the spine may not
provide much extra relief for people with chronic back and leg
pain due to nerve damage. The drug injections also didn’t
increase the risk of infection and other complications, despite
some previous safety concerns.
U.S. cites Assurant unit over health premium hike
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. officials on Monday cited two
health insurers for excessive premium increases, under consumer
protection rules of President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform
law that could soon be nullified by the Supreme Court. The
Department of Health and Human Services called on Assurant
Inc’s
Time Insurance Co and Bedford Park,
Illinois-based United Security Life and Health Insurance Co to
either offer rebates to customers in six states or rescind
premium hikes ranging up to 24 percent.
Surf’s down? Time for paddleboard yoga!
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Paddle boarding, an ancient form of
surfing, is gaining popularity as a high-intensity, low-impact
platform for group fitness classes from calisthenics to yoga.
Experts say it may feel like walking on water because paddle
boarding works on the flat water of a lake or pond and doesn’t
involve waves.
Medtronic to boost safety monitoring of devices
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Medtronic Inc plans to ramp
up monitoring of its medical devices after they are implanted
in order to catch potential safety problems earlier, as the
industry wrestles with some headline-grabbing recalls.
Medtronic Chief Executive Omar Ishrak said it was the
responsibility of companies to monitor devices for safety
problems after they are approved rather than relying on
irregular reports from doctors or patients, as they do now.
Endocyte soars on cancer drug deal with Merck
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