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Diaper
quip soils Smitherman
TORONTO —
Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman gave the idea
of testing the absorbency of adult diapers "serious
contemplation." He was responding to the Ontario's Human
Rights Commission dismissal of complaints that nursing
home patients aren't changed unless diapers are 75%
full. Mr Smitherman offered to wear a diaper to test
how the undergarments could hold up. But diaper efficacy
isn't the issue, says CUPE, hinting Mr Smitherman might
want to personally research staffing levels instead.
Botox
probed over deaths
CALGARY —
In February, Health Canada announced it will continue
a review of possible adverse events from the wrinkle-buster
Botox and warned against injections not given by qualified
health professionals. Several kids died after being
treated with the toxin for cerebral palsy spasticity
in Europe, patients have died of a paralysing or weakening
of the muscles used for breathing and swallowing. So
far no deaths from the toxin have been reported in Canada.
Improved
tests spot prostate, ovarian cancers sooner
NEW HAVEN, CT
— Yale researchers have come up with a blood
test that's 99% accurate at detecting ovarian cancer
early -- while it can still be cured -- using six different
biomarkers, according to a study in the February 15
Clinical Cancer Research. On a similar note,
forget PSA blood tests for prostate cancer tests, say
University of Michigan scientists in the February 1
issue of Cancer Research. Checking for four RNA
biomarkers in urine samples gives a better diagnosis,
at 80% accuracy.
Quit-smoking
drug suicide link
TORONTO —
A year after approval in Canada, the nicotine addiction-crushing
drug varenicline tartrate is getting a bad rap. In the
US, it's been linked to 37 reports of suicide and 400
of suicidal behaviour, sparking the FDA to pressure
for stronger warnings on the drug's packaging. The drug's
manufacturer, Pfizer, says the reports "are not very
common" but agreed to change its labels. Health Canada
recently launched its own investigation despite the
fact Canadian labels already warn of an increased risk
of suicidal behaviour, depression, agitation and other
serious behavioural changes.
A
simple handshake leads to rare tumour diagnosis
LOUGHTON, UK —
Mark Gurrieri figured all his hard work was responsible
for his hands swelling up -- until a friend introduced
him to Dr Chris Britt. The GP shook Mr Gurrieri's large,
spongy hand and knew something was wrong. Tests later
confirmed the 36-year old restaurateur had acromegaly
caused by an extremely rare brain tumour in the pituitary
gland that Dr Britt happened to be very familiar with.
The tumour was removed in January, the BBC reported.
Bikers,
protect your scrotums
INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA
— It's a question every male bicycling fanatic
has to ask: how much do they value their scrotums? Results
of new research from the Medical University of Innsbruck,
published in January's Clinical Journal of Sports
Medicine, will make cyclists squirm: 94% of dedicated
mountain bikers had scrotoliths, spermatoceles or epididymal
calcifications, compared to 48% of road cyclists, a
number which still sounds uncomfortably high to most
men.
Federal
budget a bust: CMA
OTTAWA —
The CMA says Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's
scant use of the word "health" in his February 26 speech
on the new federal budget -- just three mentions --
is indicative of the government's commitment to solving
the health human resources crisis. "Budget day is a
time for numbers. Well, almost 5 million Canadians do
not have a family doctor. That's a staggering amount,"
said president Dr Brian Day. The budget was lauded,
however, for its inclusion of $110 million for research
on mental health in the homeless.
More
MDs joining army
OTTAWA —
Doctors are joining the Canadian military at three times
the rate they were just five or six years ago and most
medical officer spots are now filled, according to the
army's top recruiting physician, Lt-Col Randy Russell.
The turnaround can be partly attributed to the sharp
rise in medical school tuition costs over the past few
years, Dr Russell told the CMA in February. He said
CMA president Dr Ruth Collins-Nakai's 2006 visit to
Afghanistan and continuing advocacy for military medicine
have also been factors.
Tattoos
inscribe DNA vaccines
HEIDELBERG, GERMANY
— In the not-too-distant future, German
researchers say, DNA vaccines may be delivered by tattoos.
Results of experiments on mice, published in Genetic
Vaccines and Therapy on February 7, showed that
tattoos are actually more effective at delivering experimental
DNA vaccines than a typical muscle injection. Conservative
patients needn't be concerned, the researchers say.
The vaccine tattoos contain no ink.
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