Dr. David Weatherall Wins Lasker Price for Research on Genetic Diseases

A retired Oxford University professor of medicine who is a leading researcher in the study of genetic diseases has been awarded this year’s Lasker Awards for special achievement in medical research.

Seventy-seven-year old David Weatherall will receive his award on October 1 in New York.

Dr. Weatherall’s recognition is based on his research into genetic diseases of the blood and from his works to improve care of thousands of children with thalassemia.

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Cosmetic Surgery in UK: Is it Safe?

Cosmetic Surgery in UK: Is it Safe? British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons president Nigel Mercer has described the British cosmetic surgery industry as an “unregulated mess” and said that tighter control is needed to clamp down on untested products and two-in-one medical offers.

Mercer said there is also a need to regulate new products like dermal fillers, which currently do not have to be tested as drugs. He also called for the government not to allow discount offers in the medical field.

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Krystexxa Anti-Gout Drug Approved by FDA

Krystexxa Anti-Gout Drug Approved by FDA. The U.S Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug to cure gout among adults who cannot tolerate or respond to existing treatments.

The US FDA approved Krystexxa to treat the painful condition which is characterized by swelling, redness, heat, pain and stiffness in the joints. Kyystexxa lowers uric acid levels by metabolizing it into a harmless chemical that is excreted in the urine.

“Since one out of every four patients in the clinical trials experienced a severe allergic reaction when receiving an infusion of Krystexxa, health care providers should dispense a corticosteroid and an antihistamine to their patients beforehand to minimize the risk of such a reaction. Other reactions during the clinical trials included gout flare, nausea, injection site bruising, irritation of the nasal passages, constipation, chest pain and vomiting”, the FDA news release says.

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Weight Loss Surgery for Teens: Risks and Benefits

Weight Loss Surgery for Teens: Risks and Benefits. As obesity surgery is now becoming more popular among obese teenagers who are desperate to lose weight, we should be aware of the risks and benefits that weight-loss surgery poses to young people.

According to CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton, the benefits of weight-loss surgery is that it could prevent diabetes and other diseases among young people.

Says Dr. Ashton: “The benefits of this in the teen-aged population is that we will hopefully be able to prevent the diabetes, the high blood pressure, the high cholesterol that we’re starting to see in teenagers who are already obese.”

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Gastric Band Surgery for Weight Loss: Is it Safe?

Gastric Band Surgery for Weight Loss: Is it Safe? There is a need for future researchers that will look on the safety of weight-loss surgery operations among teenagers, researchers suggest after finding out that more overweight teenagers are undergoing laparoscopic gastric band surgery.

The researchers, who published their study online last Sept. 20 in the journal Pediatrics, found out that 590 patients between 13-20 years old underwent gastric band or gastric bypass surgery to lose weight, from 2005-2007.

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Best Health Care Plan in the US: Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare?

The Nation Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has named Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare as the #1 private health care plan in the United States for 2010-2011.

In addition, Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare also earned the distinction as “only private health plan in the nation to be named #1 for member satisfaction and quality of care for seven consecutive years” the company said in a press release.

The NCQZ ranked health plans across the country by evaluating them on issues
surrounding access to care, prevention efforts, and treatment of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

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