 Dr.Shruti Bhat, Star formulator and Ace leader within pharmaceutical R&D, a specialist with hiTech formulations and quality-by-design. Shruti brings to you some highlights from current pharma and clinical research news, views and data.
Misoprostol May Be As Effective As Oxytocin In Speeding Labor For Women With Inadequate Contractions.
"Titrated oral doses of misoprostol (Cytotec) may be as effective as intravenous oxytocin in speeding labor in women who have inadequate contractions, according to" a study published in J. Obstetrics & Gynecology. Taiwanese researchers found that in "a randomized trial of more than 200 Chinese women, the median times from treatment to vaginal delivery were virtually identical at 5.2 hours whether oral misoprostol or intravenous oxytocin was used." They also noted that there "were also no differences in adverse effects and birth outcomes, allaying concerns that oral misoprostol might not be as safe as intravenous oxytocin."
Trastuzumab May Help Extend Stomach Cancer Patients' Survival By Nearly Three Months.
Patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer might benefit from a drug produced by Roche Holding AG. “Use of the drug trastuzumab in addition to chemotherapy can extend stomach cancer patients' survival by nearly three months," researchers in Seoul found after evaluating "584 patients at 122 centers in 24" nations. The "addition of trastuzumab to standard cisplatin/fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy resulted in a median survival of 13.8 months, compared with 11.1 months for patients who received chemotherapy alone -- a 26 percent difference." But, an editorial accompanying The Lancet paper questions the cost-effectiveness of that treatment. "In the 24 countries that contributed to the study, yearly health expenditure per citizen varies from $40 (£25) to $5,500, which reiterates the important moral question -- what is the justification for introducing a treatment that might enable one individual to live a few months longer, but will consume, for each person treated, the total yearly health expenditure for scores of their fellow citizens?" Breast Cancer Drug Fulvestrant Appears More Effective In The Presence Of CK8 And CK18.
Women’s responsiveness to the second-line breast cancer drug fulvestrant may depend on whether the cancer cells are expressing two key proteins, Indiana University Bloomington scientists report in this month’s Cancer Biology & Therapy.Fulvestrant appeared to exert maximum anti-cancer effects in vitro when cells produced normal or elevated quantities of the cytokeratins CK8 and CK18, structural proteins that help give the nucleus its shape. For fulvestrant to work well, the cells must also be responsive to estrogen, and producing the estrogen receptor ER-alpha. ER-alpha’s importance to fulvestrant’s anti-estrogenic action had been established in previous reports. The present study confirms fulvestrant’s binding relationship to ER-alpha, while also showing two other proteins, cytokeratins 8 and 18, can strongly enhance fulvestrant’s anti-estrogenic activity. Testing for the presence of these three proteins, and perhaps many others, could help doctors decide whether fulvestrant should be prescribed to their patients.Eprotirome May Lower Cholesterol Levels Without Feared Side Effects Of Thyroid-Based Drugs.
"A thyroid-derived cholesterol-lowering drug," called eprotirome, "that could be an alternative to the widely used statin medications has done well in a small, early trial, Swedish and American researchers report." For the 12-week trial, various doses of eprotirome "were added to statin treatment for 168 people whose high levels of LDL cholesterol had not been lowered by previous use of statins," and the combination was found to "lower cholesterol levels" and "did not cause the feared side effects...that have plagued similar thyroid-based treatments." Eprotirome, which is still several years away from the market, is unlikely to replace statins. Third Study Shows Bisphosphonates May Cut Risk Of Breast Cancer.
According to a study appearing in the British Journal of Cancer, researchers "found a reduction in the risk for breast cancer among postmenopausal women taking bisphosphonates for the treatment of osteoporosis." The study showed that "the use of bisphosphonates was associated with a 30% reduction in the risk for breast cancer." The findings back results "reported in two other studies." Still, researchers remain unclear "how bisphosphonates could prevent breast cancer." Intravitreous Dexamethasone Effective Treatment For DME.
According to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, "intravitreous treatment with dexamethasone is well tolerated and significantly improves visual acuity in patients with persistent diabetic macular edema (DME)." In a trial in which 315 DME patients were randomized to intravitreous "dexamethasone 700 µg (n=105) or 350 µg (n=105) to one eye, or observation (n=105)," researchers found that "at day 90, a BCVA improvement of 10 letters or more was seen in 33.3%, 21.1%, and 12.3% of the dexamethasone 700 µg, 350 µg, and observation groups, respectively." Anti-TNF Therapy For Psoriatic Arthritis May Improve Physical Disability, Quality Of Life. According to a study published in the March issue of Arthritis Care & Research, "treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents can significantly improve physical disability and quality of life for patients with psoriatic arthritis." In a study of 596 patients, researchers found that "at six months, patients undergoing anti-TNF therapy had improved on the physical component scale of the Short Form (SF)-36 health survey instrument from a mean score of 19.1 to a mean of 29.3." In addition, scores "on the mental component scale...had risen from a mean of 41.7 to 48.8." Anti-TNF therapy drugs included in the study were etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab. Combination Therapy For Some Alzheimer's Patients May Help Ease Caregiver Distress.
According to research presented at a geriatric psychiatry meeting, "caregiver distress is significantly attenuated when patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD) are treated with a combination of extended-release memantine plus a cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI) vs. ChEI monotherapy." Researchers came to this conclusion after randomizing "335 patients with a diagnosis of probable AD who had been undergoing stable ChEI therapy for at least three months...to extended-release memantine, 28 mg daily, and another 342 patients" to placebo, then following them for 24 weeks. Quetiapine Associated With More Rapid Onset Of Metabolic Disturbances In Elderly Patients. According to a study presented at a geriatric psychiatry meeting, "the antipsychotic quetiapine (Seroquel, AstraZeneca) is associated with a more rapid onset of metabolic disturbances than other antipsychotics in elderly patients with no baseline metabolic abnormalities before treatment initiation." In a study of 231 outpatients aged 70 and older treated for "psychosis, depression, bipolar disorders, or dementia," researchers found that "time to onset of hyperglycemia was significantly shorter among patients treated with quetiapine at 17.5 months, compared with patients who were treated with olanzapine at 32.6 months or risperidone at 36.3 months." References:http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/718261http://www.medpagetoday.com/OBGYN/Pregnancy/21833http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100819-715016.htmlhttp://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=642267http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/aug/20/price-cancer-drug-herceptinhttp://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/13738.htmlDisclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.Http://www.drshrutibhat.comExpert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.YouTube Channel : Http://www.youtube.com/user/ShrutiBhat10 Introducing ! A new blog- Http://www.PharmaceuticalCareerDevelopment.blogspot.com which contains articles on motivation, career counselling and coaching, job search strategies, personal branding etc. especially for pharma professionals.
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 The Wall Street Journal reported that the FDA proposed to remove brand and generic versions of low-blood pressure drug ProAmatine (midodrine hydrochloride) from the market because required post-marketing studies on the drug's effectiveness have yet to be conducted. The drug was approved under the FDA's accelerated approval program, and according to the Journal, this is the first time the agency is requesting a drug to be removed from the market because a company failed to conduct the follow-up studies that are required. Patients who use midodrine should stop taking it and consult their doctors about other types of anti-hypotension treatment, the FDA said in a statement." Norman Stockbridge, an FDA official said, "Since, evidence to confirm the drug's benefit has not be yet provided to the FDA, it is pursuing a withdrawal of the product." Shire "has been given 15 days to respond in writing or lose its right to appeal. Makers of the generic versions of the drug were given 30 days." The FDA "letter does not cite any safety or effectiveness problems with the drug, and suggests the action is primarily aimed at enforcing drug approval regulations that have not always been enforced." The drug was approved to treat "orthostatic hypotension."
Malaria sufferers might be able to protect themselves against life-threatening bouts of the disease by taking a single course of antibiotics, research in mice has shown.Preventive treatment with 'needle-free' antibiotic vaccines could be used to control the infection in areas with high levels of transmission, a study published in Science Translational Medicine suggests. There are still no available vaccines against malaria. And although some antibiotics with anti-malarial properties, such as doxycycline, that kill the parasites directly are already in use as one-off, short-term prophylaxis, their prolonged use is not an option for millions of people in the developing world where malaria is endemic. Now, azithromycin and clindamycin, two common antibiotics, have been shown to provide additional and long-term protection against malaria, even after they are no longer taken. "The combination of the prophylactic effect with the subsequent immune-mediated protection may be enough to protect population groups at risk, such as infants and young children, from severe forms of malaria," according to Steffen Borrmann, a lead author of the study and parasitologist at the Kenya Medical Research Institute, told SciDev.Net.The team treated mice with the antibiotics before infecting them with malaria. After taking the drugs, the mice developed vaccine-like immunity lasting at least 40 days, and almost all were protected from complications that are often lethal.It is still not clear how long the immunity would last in humans, but Borrmann told SciDev.Net that "life-long would be the ultimate goal but we would be happy to achieve 1-2 year protection, [to last] during the most critical years in early childhood in high transmission areas". The antibiotics work by causing small cavities in malaria parasites during their passage into the liver of the infected host. This stops the parasites from entering the blood stream, giving time for the immune system to launch a sustained defence against the parasites.This mode of action is similar to experimental vaccines that use weakened whole parasites to elicit an immune response. The tested antibiotics are available as safe, generic drugs and there are no patent issues preventing their use in clinical trials or in clinical practise. But they would likely not work in areas with low transmission levels since the degree of immunity to subsequent infections depends on the quantity of malarial parasites already infecting the patient.Oral Contraceptives May Reduce Risk Of Death From Any Cause In Women.
"Women who have taken the Pill at any stage in their life are less likely to die from any cause -- including heart disease and all types of cancer -- than those who have never taken the oral contraceptive," according to research published online in the British Medical Journal. The study of "more than 46,000 women...revealed a slightly higher risk of dying among under-45s." But, the slightly increased risk in younger women disappears within 10 years of stopping the pill. Researchers calculated that "there were 52 fewer deaths per 100,000 'women years' -- a composite measure of the number of women and the lengths of their lives -- among all women who had ever used the pill compared with those who had never used it. The effects may only be true for women who have taken older-style pills rather than those on newer type drugs." In younger women, "the effects...were also mainly seen in those who smoked, had high blood pressure, or were otherwise at risk of heart disease." "Women on the pill did have higher rates of violent and accidental death, through the researchers said they couldn't explain the findings." Notably, "the risk was seen in earlier analyses of the data, and has persisted through the years. Hormonal Contraceptives May Not Be Effective In Overweight Or Obese Women.
Hormonal contraceptives may not be effective for contraception in overweight or obese women," according to a review published online in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. After performing a literature review encompassing "11 trials enrolling a total of 39,531 women," researchers found that "pregnancy risk for overweight or obese women was higher in one of three studies using BMI." In fact, "compared with women with a BMI of less than 25 kg/m2, women with a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or more had higher risk for pregnancy in this trial of two combination oral contraceptives." Osteoporosis drug linked to irregular heart beat.
Women who take popular osteoporosis drug alendronate, known more commonly as Fosamax, are twice as likely to develop a common form of irregular heartbeat compared to those who have never taken it, suggests a new study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers analyzed data from more than 700 women who had been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, in a three-year period and compared them to a control group of more than 900 randomly selected women. They found a nearly two-fold increase in risk for developing atrial fibrillation among those women who had ever taken alendronate. The findings were compiled by researchers from Group Health and the University of Washington by analyzing records of patients enrolled in Group Health, a Seattle-based non-profit health-care centre. Alendronate is part of a family of drugs known as bisphosphonates, which are widely used to protect against bone loss and prevent bone fracture in osteoporosis patients. However, the researchers did not find a difference in risk among those who had taken Fosamax in the past versus current users. “We do not conclude that the risk is higher for past use than current use. We conclude that the risk is higher for ever use than for never use, which was our original hypothesis,” reported lead study author Dr. Susan Heckbert, a professor of epidemiology and scientific investigator in the cardiovascular health research unit at the University of Washington. Heckbert stated that the next step would be for scientists to investigate the mechanism for how alendronate may influence the onset of atrial fibrillation. Marlene Gauthier, manager of public affairs for Merck Frosst Canada, responded to the findings by saying that a clinical trial, rather than an observational study such as this one, is the best way to evaluate a drug’s benefits and risks. “While observational analyses are usually conducted in as rigorous a manner as possible, they are associated with inherent limitations, including factors that cannot be adequately controlled for and an ability to fully account for differences in risk factors between groups. this underscores why data from randomized, controlled clinical trials are considered to be the most reliable source of information about the efficacy and safety of medicines.” The statement continued: “We strongly recommend that if patients have concerns about Fosamax that they talk to their physician. Osteoporosis is a serious medical condition and requires appropriate treatment with physician oversight. Their physician is in the best position to understand the needs of the patient and explain the benefits and risks of any given therapy to the patient.” “This is an observational study. It is not as strong a design as a clinical trial,” Heckbert acknowledged. “But on the other hand, it does represent what’s happening in actual clinical medicine.” Heckbert stated that her team knew of previous study findings that suggested a link between bisphosphonates and an increased risk for atrial fibrillation. In fact, in the United States there are more than 400 cases pending against Merck in both state and federal court, in which people who have taken Fosamax claim that the drug has contributed to the development of osteonecrosis of the jaw. This happens when bone tissue dies after it loses its blood supply, and can occur after trauma to the bone, such as a dental procedure.However, Heckbert warned that patients who take alendronate should not stop taking it due to her study’s findings. If individuals are concerned they should speak with their physician or their health-care provider. For patients who are at high risk of fracture, the benefits of alendronate or other bisphosphonates will generally outweigh the risk of atrial fibrillation.” References:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704868604575433703888376436.htmlhttp://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gX0oxFR_ZpHn-RyPL8JkXqWD4PNghttp://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-08-16-fda-unproven-drug_N.htmhttp://www.medpagetoday.com/ProductAlert/Prescriptions/21699http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-hypotension-drug-20100816,0,53066.story?track=rsshttp://www.startribune.com/business/100813309.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c::D3aDhUMEaPc:E7_ec7PaP3iUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU7DYaGEP7vDEh7P:DiUshttp://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2010/08/16/daily8.htmlhttp://www.theheart.org/article/1110411.dohttp://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/725103http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20614470?dopt=Abstracthttp://stm.sciencemag.org/content/2/40/40ra49.full?ijkey=OAfu5Q9bUdH4Q&keytype=ref&siteid=scitransmedhttp://www.pharm-education.com/2010/08/malaria-sufferers-might-be-able-to.htmlDisclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.Http://www.drshrutibhat.comExpert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.YouTube Channel : Http://www.youtube.com/user/ShrutiBhat10 Introducing ! A new blog- Http://www.PharmaceuticalCareerDevelopment.blogspot.com which contains articles on motivation, career counselling and coaching, job search strategies, personal branding etc. especially for pharma professionals.Do you have questions for the author?
 Dr.Shruti Bhat, Star formulator and Ace leader within pharmaceutical R&D. Shruti is a specialist with hiTech formulations, pharmaceutical patents and quality-by-design. Shruti brings to you some highlights from current pharmaceutical and clinical research news, views and data.Frédéric Picard brought an application in the Federal Court under subsection 77(1) of the Official Languages Act (Act) against the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and the Commissioner of Patents claiming that patents and patent applications must be bilingual to meet the requirements of the legislation. He sought an order requiring the Patent Office to make certain parts of patents and patent applications available in both official languages and a declaration of invalidity of all patents available in one official language only, to be suspended to allow the Patent Office to make the invalidated patent applications and patents available in both languages. Justice Tremblay-Lamer found that the Patent Office had not met the requirements under section 44 of the Act relating to the duty of all federal institutions to take positive measures to foster "the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society." She concluded that "the fact that patents exist only in one official language deprives Canadian who do not speak that language of information that is important in both legal and scientific terms." In considering the appropriate remedy for this violation, she acknowledged the cost associated with translating all patents and applications. The Federal Court therefore ordered that the Commissioner must at least "make available an unofficial translation of the abstract of all patents he issues" to be in compliance with the Act. While the Court was not prepared to require that all aspects of the patent be translated, abstracts will have to be prepared in both official languages.More at http://www.pharmaceuticalpatentsandintellectualproperty.com/2010/08/patent-abstracts-for-canadian-patent.htmlDisclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.Http://www.drshrutibhat.comExpert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.YouTube Channel : Http://www.youtube.com/user/ShrutiBhat10Do you have questions for the author?
 Dr.Shruti Bhat, Star formulator and Ace leader within pharmaceutical R&D. Shruti is a specialist with hiTech formulations and quality-by-design. Shruti brings to you some of her personal experiences and highlights from her reading on topics of personal branding and career development... In your job search, outside of LinkedIn, I believe Google can be your best friend online!
Google has many tools that can make it easy to find and target the jobs and information you need to run ahead of the pack at the companies you want to pursue.
Used wisely, some of these tools can help you find job postings, company news, contact information and many other valuable pieces of information that can help you set yourself above the crowd.
Here are some ideas to consider:Do an X-Ray! Google allows you to use it’s search engine not only to search the entire internet, but also to do a search on a specific site alone. This is usually referred to as an “X-Ray” search. In your search string in the Google search box, you can simply specify the site you want to search, using a format like: site:www.linkedin.com
You can then add whatever additional search terms you may want to add. For example, say you don’t have many connections on LinkedIn yourself, so you don’t get many results when you do a search within LinkedIn’s own search tool. Perhaps you are looking for a company contact in your job search… like an Engineering Manager at Seagate Corp. in the Minneapolis area. You could enter:
site:www.linkedin.com “Greater Minneapolis” “Engineering Manager” Seagate
Among many directory pages and others, you will also find the public profiles on LinkedIn of anyone that has “Engineering Manager” and “Seagate” in their profile that’s registered in the “Greater Minneapolis-St Paul” area. With more sophisticated parameters you can eliminate the non-profile results, however, this can get you started.
You can also do an X-Ray search of specific companies you may be interested in pursuing, to find information on their sites that you are seeking… more on that next.Set up Alerts! Google Alerts are an excellent way to be made aware of new information that gets posted, as it occurs. Perhaps you are a Programmer that specializes in Java development and one of your target companies is United Health Group (UHG) in the Minneapolis area. You can set up Alerts to notify you of any news that gets published about UHG, and Alerts to let you know as soon as a relevant new position is posted on their site.
For news, you can simply set up an Alert searching “United Health”, and anything posted anywhere with that string will trigger a notification to you.
For jobs, you can set up an Alert using an X-Ray search of their site’s career pages. As an example, if you are looking for Java related position that they post on their own site for Minnesota locations you can set up an Alert string like:
site:careers.unitedhealthgroup.com minnesota java
Most companies post positions on their own site before they are posted on any external job boards, and many times they don’t post a position on external job boards at all. The notification you will get of the new posting will make you aware of it before most everyone else!
You can set up as many Alerts as you’d like, for as many companies as you’d like, and with as many variations of search words as you’d like… be creative! You can also choose whether to have them emailed to you (as they happen, or once per day), or have them sent to Google Reader…
Consolidate your information!
Google Reader is an excellent way to keep track of all this information, and more. Google Reader allows you to keep track of new postings on sites you’re interested in following… like this blog! (Click on the “Subscribe to…” “Posts” icon in the right column of this page) It’s also a great place to direct all of your Google Alerts so that you can read and follow up on them all from one central place. Google Reader receives and posts information as soon as it’s found by Google and keeps you up to date without filling up your email box.
Efficiently finding information from your target company sites, setting up automatic notifications, and reading all the relevant updates easily in one place makes Google an extremely powerful online resource for your job search that most job seekers don’t use. Be ahead of them all by taking advantage of the power available to you! Disclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances. Http://www.drshrutibhat.com
Expert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.
Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.
YouTube Channel : Http://www.youtube.com/user/ShrutiBhat10Do you have questions for the author? http://www.careerrocketeer.com/2010/08/tracking-your-targets-with-google.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CareerRocketeer+%28Career+Rocketeer+%7C+The+Career+Search+and+Personal+Branding+Blog+%29
 Dr.Shruti Bhat, Star formulator and Ace leader within pharmaceutical R&D, a specialist with hiTech formulations and quality-by-design. Shruti brings to you some highlights from current pharma and clinical research news, views and data.
FDA Approves First-Ever Human Test Of Embryonic Stem Cell-Based Therapy. The USFDA has approved "the world's first authorized test in people of a therapy derived from human embryonic stem cells." The clinical trial "could offer the first glimpse of the safety and possible effectiveness of a technology that has been hailed for its vast medical promise but also embroiled in political and ethical controversy." The trial "will test cells developed by the Geron Corporation and the University of California, Irvine in patients with new spinal cord injuries." Geron "plans to enroll eight to 10 patients in the study at sites nationwide. The trial" for its GRNOPC1 therapy "will take about two years, with each patient being studied for one year." The Wall Street Journal noted that Geron began the study in early 2009, but it was stopped due to concerns in an animal study showing an increased frequency of small cysts within the injury site. Thomas Okarma, Geron's president and chief executive officer, said the FDA's decision strengthens the company's ability to start similar trials in the future.
Scientists Create New Family Of "Super-Antibotics."
A new family of "'super-antibotics' capable of beating MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staph. aureus) and other deadly infections” reports a study published in the journal ‘Nature’. In tests, one of the drugs killed strains of the hospital superbug resistant to antibiotics already in use. Others were more than a match for other potentially lethal germs, including food poisoning bug E. coli, and acinetobacter, [which] is even harder to treat than MRSA." The drugs have been heralded as "an important step forward in the race against antibiotic resistance." The new drugs work in a similar way to quinolones. However, the new drugs attach to an enzyme needed for reproduction in a different place, "meaning they can kill bugs that are resistant." New Antibiotic Designed To Circumvent Drug Resistance.
GlaxoSmithKline Plc, the UK's biggest drugmaker, said it has come up with a new antibiotic designed to circumvent the drug resistance that makes many hospital-acquired infections difficult to treat." Glaxo's new compound "latches onto topoisomerase, which helps bacteria produce proteins and replicate," according to the paper published in Nature. It "connects at a different location on the enzyme from existing drugs." Glaxo's "finding, still years from being commercialized, is significant" at a time "few pharmaceutical companies are producing new medicines to combat rising rates of drug-resistant infections in hospitals”. Misoprostol May Revolutionize Abortion Around The World. Researchers are finding an alternative" to abortions "that is safe, cheap, and very difficult for governments to restrict -- misoprostol." Misoprostol "pills are beginning to revolutionize abortion around the world, especially in poor countries." The drug "is very widely available and can't easily be banned, because it is also used for ulcers and can save lives of women with postpartum hemorrhages."
References-http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/opinion/01kristof.html?src=mvhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1300484/MRSA-E-Coli-treated-new-breed-antibiotics.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-04/glaxo-antibiotic-finding-looms-large-in-drug-market-with-few-new-products.html http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/31/health/research/31stem.html?_r=1&ref=ushttp://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gON1ck-mYcLt7R0U9XC_71Lzo1LQD9H9HQB80http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703999304575399312648917190.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-30/geron-cleared-by-fda-to-test-embryonic-stem-cell-treatment-shares-climb.htmlhttp://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/30/landmark-embryonic-stem-cell-study-to-proceed/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2010/07/stem-cell-spinal-cord-injury-clinical-trial-human-fda/1http://www.ft.com/cms/s/322baf24-9c01-11df-a7a4-00144feab49a,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F322baf24-9c01-11df-a7a4-00144feab49a.html%3Fftcamp%3Drss&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fsn129w.snt129.mail.live.com%2Fmail%2FInboxLight.aspx%3Fn%3D757275366&ftcamp=rsshttp://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/07/30/fda-oks-embryonic-stem-cell-trials-for-humans/http://www.pharm-education.com/2010/08/scientists-create-new-family-of-super.html Disclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.Http://www.drshrutibhat.comExpert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.YouTube Channel : Http://www.youtube.com/user/ShrutiBhat10
 Dr.Shruti Bhat, Star formulator and Ace leader within pharmaceutical R&D, a specialist with hiTech formulations and quality-by-design.
Shruti brings to you some highlights from current pharma and clinical research news, views and data.Calcium Supplements May Be Linked To Increased Risk Of Heart Attack.
Research data published in the online in the BMJ suggests that "Calcium supplements are a good way to keep your bones strong, but, they could lead to an increased risk for heart attack." Combined results from 11 randomized controlled trials of calcium supplements...involving more than 12,000 patients." The researchers "found a 31% increase in the risk of heart attack and smaller, non-significant increases in the risk of stroke and death." Although "equal numbers of women received calcium or placebo, 143 of those who received calcium suffered a heart attack, compared to 111 who received a placebo." The researchers said they excluded from their analysis studies that compared coadministered calcium and vitamin D supplements with placebo. The findings may not be applicable to those supplements. The reason for the increased risk of heart attack is not clear, but it is thought the extra calcium circulating in the blood could lead to a hardening of the arteries." Earlier studies did not find a similar risk when people get calcium through eating foods rich in the mineral, which suggests that supplements may be an independent risk factor. These "findings...have some experts questioning whether calcium supplements should be used as widely as they are now, especially by elderly women, who suffer disproportionately from both heart disease and osteoporosis." "Given the modest benefits of calcium supplements on bone density and fracture prevention, a reassessment of the role of calcium supplements in the management of osteoporosis is warranted," researchers mentioned online in the British Medical Journal.Starting HIV Therapy Earlier May Help Reduce Mortality Risk, Thwart TB Infection. The World Health Organization recommends patients start antiretroviral therapy when their CD4+ count drops to 350," as a "higher CD4+ count means greater infection-fighting ability because the immune system hasn't yet been depressed by the virus." A new paper appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine is partly responsible for that guideline, considering it found that "early treatment for HIV cuts patients' risk of death." Researchers at the Weill Cornell Medical College also found that earlier treatment "reduces the likelihood of tuberculosis, a leading cause of death among HIV patients." Before reaching that conclusion, investigators "enrolled 816 asymptomatic" Haitians "with HIV and CD4 cell counts of between 200 and 350 cells per cubic millimeter of blood. Half were started on triple-drug treatment within two weeks of enrollment; the 'standard treatment' group did not start therapy until their CD4 count fell to 200 or they developed an AIDS-defining illness." In short, the researchers found that "early treatment reduced the risk of death by 75% and the rate of new tuberculosis diagnoses by half." References- http://www.latimes.com/news/health/boostershots/la-heb-calcium-supplements-20100729,0,3937993.story http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-29/calcium-supplements-raise-heart-attack-risk-by-30-in-study-of-11-trials.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-10805062 http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=641629 http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/07/29/calcium.supplements.up.heart.risk/ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1298862/Women-calcium-supplements-increase-risk-heart-attack-30.html http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/MyocardialInfarction/21448 http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jjUVek1QdfuUUBovmN9THaC_Oo9w http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66S6GU20100729 http://www.webmd.com/heart/news/20100729/study-calcium-may-increase-heart-attack-risk?src=RSS_PUBLIC http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7916657/Calcium-pills-increase-heart-attack-risk.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-14/death-rate-from-hiv-falls-75-with-early-antiviral-treatment-study-finds.html
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/363/3/257
http://www.medpagetoday.com/clinical-context/HIVAIDS/21164
http://www.pharm-education.com/2010/08/calcium-supplements-are-good-way-to.html Disclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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