Global Health Weekly News Round-Up

 

Politics and Policies:

 

• Announcement of end of death sentence in Oregon puts lethal injection drugs back on market (http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/01/oregons-governor-puts-lethal-injection-drugs-back-on-the-market/250835/ ).
• World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the strategy adopted by six Gulf States (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates) to prevent and control non communicable diseases like diabetes, heart diseases, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases responsible for more than 60% deaths in these countries (Source: http://www.who.int/en/ ).
• Medicaid budget deficit of $220 million faced by Maine (Source: http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/01/02/gvsd0106.htm ).
• Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues has called for improvements to protect the patients participating in federally funded scientific study to avoid harm and their unethical treatment (Source: http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/01/02/prsd0105.htm ).

 

Programs

 

• Vodafone through its World of Difference project is working to      reduce sanitation related diseases among the people of Kaleo community in      Ghana. It is an eight week project aimed to increase the environmental and      personal cleanliness (Source: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/regional/artikel.php?ID=227206).
• A walk was organized by Parkway Cancer Center in Singapore raise      colorectal cancer (most common cancer in Singapore) awareness among the      people (Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1175493/1/.html).
• The Sri Lankan Government currently drafting a national Dengue      Prevention Act which is due to become law in mid-2012. The Health      ministry’s epidemiology unit has announced the action against Dengue      beginning to pay off (Source: http://www.asianscientist.com/features/sri-lanka-national-dengue-prevention-act-2012/).

 

Research

 

• Gene      responsible for lung cancer identified for the first time by the      scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) under the Agency for      Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) and Dr Elaine Lim, medical      oncologist affiliated with Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) and National      Cancer Center Singapore (NCCS) (Source: http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20120801-22975.html      ).
• First Phase      of clinical trial of fully human monoclonal antibody against VEGF-C,      VGX-100 has been started by Circadian Technologies Limited aimed at      treating cancer (Source: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/08/4171873/circadian-commences-first-phase.html      ).
• Study has      been started by the Australian researchers into a drug to manage      withdrawal of Cannabis (Source: http://www.skynews.com.au/health/article.aspx?id=705320&vId=      ).
• Researchers      at University of Nottingham found a link between the growth of an embryo      during early stages of pregnancy and risk of miscarriage. They discovered      that poor growth in first 12 weeks of pregnancy is a good predictor of      miscarriage (Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16441820).
• Trails are      going for a radioactive cream for treatment of benign skin cancer (Source:      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8961988/Radioactive-cream-used-to-treat-skin-cancer.html      ).

 

• Drug abuse highest in richest nations, according to a study published in The Lancet (Source: http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/hsn/global-study-finds-drug-abuse-highest-in-richer-nations ).

 

• Australian      University installs world’s first super resolution microscope to see      infectious disease in super resolution video (Source: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/science-technology/Super-Resolution-Microscope-Helps-Australia-Fight-Disease-136801848.html      ).
• Coffee has      more beneficial effects on health as compared to soft drinks and energy      drinks. It reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/124897/effects-of-coffee-on-health  ).
• Chinese      crunch Human Genome with videogame chips. They need just six hours to analyze      data describing human genome (Source: http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/01/genomes-and-gpus/      ).

 

Diseases & Disasters

 

• An earthquake of 7.3-magnitude quake struck 260 miles (420 kilometers) off the coast of Aceh province of Indonesia (Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-01-10/indonesia-earthquake-coast/52482024/1 ).
• Totally drug resistant Tuberculosis (TB) cases detected in India. Of the twelve people detected with this deadly bacterium one person has already died (Sources: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_first-cases-of-totally-drug-resistant-tb-in-india-one-dead_1634439 , http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/New-deadlier-form-of-TB-hits-India/articleshow/11396410.cms ).
• A 39-year-old man in China died of bird flu. He was tested positive for the H5N1 virus and died of multiple organ failure (Source: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/03/return-bird-flu-chinese-man-dies/ ).
•  Measles on rise in Western Europe (Source: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/health/news/article_1684514.php/Measles-parties-are-a-hazardous-route-to-immunity).
• New vaccine for Hepatitis C has been developed by the scientists from the Oxford University, the University of Birmingham and an Italian biotech company. The professionals at Oxford University reported the efficacy of vaccine was yielded positive during the first clinical trial (Source: http://www.healthjockey.com/2012/01/05/new-vaccine-for-hepatitis-c-underway/#).