MedWorm: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)

NICE Adds Two New Indications To Guidance On Somatropin To Treat Growth Failure In Children

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0100

In final draft guidance published yesterday NICE has recommended somatropin (a synthetic form of human growth hormone) as a treatment option for children who have failed to grow normally due to a condition called short stature homeobox-containing gene (SHOX) deficiency[1], or who were smaller than expected at birth and whose growth has not normalised by the age of four... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Scientists With Ties To Industry More Likely To Write Nice things about drugs

Drugs.com - Pharma News — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:58:45 +0100

From Canadian Press DataFile (March 18, 2010) TORONTO -- Medical authors with ties to diabetes drug makers were more likely to publish favourable articles on a controversial diabetes medication than authors who had no such ties, a new... (Source: Drugs.com - Pharma News)

GPs set for stricter targets on warfarin treatment

Pulse — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:50:00 +0100

Exclusive: GPs will be expected to place more patients on warfarin under plans to tighten QOF and NICE guidance on atrial fibrillation, a top Department of Health adviser has revealed. (Source: Pulse)

Pay attention, Radford!

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:30:22 +0100

Tim Radford discovers an effervescent enthusiasm and humour in Ian Stewart's mathematical curiosities and treasures that was absent from the morose maths lessons of his schooldaysProfessor Stewart's Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities, and Professor Stewart's Hoard of Mathematical TreasuresIn his quiet way, Ian Stewart may have done more for his subject in these two books than he or his colleagues have done in perhaps the previous 10 or 15 books about mathematics I have read. One has to allow for that warmth towards a book just finished, but I might still feel the same a week or a fortnight from now.There is no story in these books, no moral, no parable, no implied rebuke for my failure to master the calculus or to remember the difference between a prime and a Mersenne prime. There is only...

Primary care radiography in the early diagnosis of lung cancer.

Cancer Imaging — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:08:03 +0100

This article discusses the role of the chest radiograph in the early diagnosis of lung cancer with particular emphasis on the limited value of a single negative result and on the potential implications of interventions to increase the number of chest radiographs done in primary care. PMID: 20233681 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Cancer Imaging)

NICE leaves many patients with rarer forms of cancer without drugs

Kidney Cancer Association — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:04:12 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is failing to follow its own guidance aimed at making live-extending treatments available on the NHS, leaving many patients with rarer forms of cancer without drugs that could prolong their lives, a campaign group has said.03/19/2010 (Source: Kidney Cancer Association)

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NICE seeks feedback on new QOF indicators

Pulse — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:32:00 +0100

NICE has asked GPs to comment on six proposed new indicators for the 2011/12 quality and outcomes framework. (Source: Pulse)

Nice Genes!

Psychology Today — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100

Did great-great-grandma help you choose your mate? (Source: Psychology Today)

Markets and religion shaped norms of fairness, punishment in complex societies: UBC study

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100

(University of British Columbia) Members of large-scale, complex human societies have learned to play nice with strangers through the norms that are associated with market participation and world religions, and not solely due to an evolved psychology for cooperation in small groups as previously believed, according to UBC-led research. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

HTA: Clinical and cost-effectiveness of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion for diabetes

NeLM - Drug Specific Reviews — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: Health Technology Assessment Area: Evidence > Drug Specific Reviews This systematic review and economic evaluation on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) provides an assessment of evidence published since the previous NICE appraisal (TA 151) in 2007, taking into account developments in therapies such as the long-acting analogue insulins. Of the 74 papers used for analysis, there were 8 RCTs of CSII versus analogue-based MDI in either type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) or type II (T2) DM, 8 new (since last NICE appraisal) RCTs of CSII versus neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) based multiple daily injection (MDI) in T1DM, 48 observational studies of CSII, 6 studies of CSII in pregnancy, and 4systematic reviews. The following benefits of CSII were reporte...

NICE issues Final Appraisal Determination on somatropin (human growth hormone) for treatment of growth failure in children (review of NICE technology appraisal guidance 42)

NeLM - News — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: News NICE has issued a Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) on somatropin (human growth hormone) for treatment of growth failure in children which contained the following recommendations: . Somatropin is recommended as a treatment option for children with growth failure associated with any of the following conditions: o Growth hormone deficiency o Turner syndrome o Prader-Willi syndrome o Chronic renal insufficiency o Born small for gestational age with subsequent growth failure at 4 years of age or later o Short stature homeobox-containing gene (SHOX) deficiency . Treatment with somatropin should always be initiated and monitored by a paediatrician with specialist expertise in managing growth hormo...

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NICE invites stakeholders to comment on QOF for 2011/12

NeLM - News — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: News NICE has opened its consultation on potential new indicators for inclusion in the 2011/12 Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF). These indicators were developed following recommendations from the QOF Advisory Committee meeting (June 2009) and piloted across a number of general practices. Stakeholders are now asked to comment on these indicators identifying any challenges to implementation, possible unintended consequences and impact on health inequalities. The consultation closes on 11 April 2010. NICE will publish a menu of recommended indicators for the 2011/12 QOF together with those to be considered for retirement in August. The selection of the final indicators for inclusion within the QOF will be decided by NHS Employers, on behalf of th...

Report from Rare Cancers Forum on access to treatment for people with rarer cancer

NeLM - News — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This report from the Rarer Cancers Forum highlights continuing problems for people with rarer cancer in accessing treatment. Some of the key findings presented include: . The additional flexibility introduced as a result of NICE's new supplementary advice on appraising end of life treatments has resulted in the approval of five treatments which would have otherwise been rejected, benefiting up to 8,450 patients each year. However, in the same time period NICE has rejected treatments which could have benefitted up to 16,000 patients. . Although some progress has been made in reducing the average length of time required to develop NICE guidance on cancer treatments from their launch (a reduction from 30 months before November 2008 to 21 months), this rem...

Excitatory Action of GABA in the Terminal Nerve Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons

Journal of Neurophysiology — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:19:49 +0100

The terminal nerve (TN)-gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons have been suggested to function as a neuromodulatory system that regulates the motivational and arousal state of the animal and have served as a model system for the study of GnRH neuron physiology. To investigate the synaptic control of the TN-GnRH neurons, we analyzed electrophysiologically the effect of GABA on the TN-GnRH neurons. GABA generally hyperpolarizes most of the neurons in the adult brain by activating GABAA receptors while the activation of GABAA receptors depolarizes some specific neurons in the mature brain. Here we examined the GABAA receptor-mediated responses in the TN-GnRH neurons of adult teleost fish, the dwarf gourami, by means of gramicidin-perforated patch-clamp and cell-attached patch-clamp rec...

Why Do Women Continue To Date Narcissists?

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:55:01 +0100

I don’t get it. Why do women continue to choose to date narcissists, leaving the genuinely nice guys at home folding their laundry? Narcissists are cocky, self-centered, self-absorbed, and egotistical. They are convinced that they are really better-looking --- that’s why they spend so much time in front of the mirror – after all, self-admiration takes time. In fact, if you are dating a guy who spends a lot of time in front of the mirror, take a closer look --- he may be a narcissist. They believe that they are more intelligent, more talented, and more successful than others. If you tell him about your success --- in school, at work, in athletics --- I hope you don’t expect him to take a sincere interest in your accomplishments. Rather, your success wi...

NICE Draft Guidance Proposes Treatment Options For Psoriatic Arthritis

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published draft guidance recommending etanercept (Enbrel, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals) and adalimumab (Humira, Abbott Laboratories) for the treatment of adults with active and progressive psoriatic arthritis when specific criteria are met. Infliximab (Remicade, Schering-Plough) is also recommended where neither etanercept nor adalimumab can be used... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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NICE Invites Stakeholders To Comment On 2011/12 Quality Outcomes Framework

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has opened its consultation on potential new indicators for inclusion in the 2011/12 Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF). Stakeholders are invited to email their comments on a set of potential indicators via the NICE website (http://www.nice.org.uk). Anyone with an interest in health, including health professionals, patients, community groups and voluntary organisations, is encouraged to take part in the consultation... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

NICE Invites Stakeholders To Comment On 2011/12 Quality Outcomes Framework

Public Health News From Medical News Today — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

NICE Draft Guidance Proposes Treatment Options For Psoriatic Arthritis

Arthritis News From Medical News Today — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published draft guidance recommending etanercept (Enbrel, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals) and adalimumab (Humira, Abbott Laboratories) for the treatment of adults with active and progressive psoriatic arthritis when specific criteria are met... (Source: Arthritis News From Medical News Today)

Strokes, Alzheimer's & The Whole Catastrophe

Psychology Today Personality Center — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:27:04 +0100

I began my first novel in seventh grade. It opened with a description of a solitary male figure on a hillside, gazing out to sea, wearing sandals. That was as far as I got in terms of character and plot development before the narrative spontaneously evolved into a discussion of my sock drawer, and how my older brother Harry used to irritate me by opening it without my permission and helping himself to my socks.Some years later I agreed to co-author a novel with that same sock-thief of a brother, entitled November Under my Sole. He wrote the central story, concerning a disgruntled New Yorker named Noah Wilner who decides to wreak havoc on New York City by arranging to import massive quantities of dehydrated elephant waste that he plants in the city's street cleaning machines. Recalling Noah...

PCTs raise their game in influencing NICE appraisals

OnMedica Views — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Paul Dinsdale on the group formed to help give expert advice to NICERelated items from OnMedicaPharmacists call for law change following prosecutionRoche Pharma has ABPI membership suspendedFake prescription-only drugs seized in major raid Formal approval given to anti-craving drug for smokersCan we trust information from drug companies? (Source: OnMedica Views)

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MTRAC review: Tredaptive® (nicotininc acid and laropiprant)

NeLM - Drug Specific Reviews — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: MTRAC Area: Evidence > Drug Specific Reviews In this review, the Midlands Therapeutics Review and Advisory Committee (MTRAC) has concluded that Tredaptive® (nicotininc acid and laropiprant) is suitable for prescribing in primary care, with the need for monitoring of LFTS before and during treatment as recommended in the SPC. The Committee noted that the Tredaptive® has a low place in therapy, second line after statins, in line with the licensed indications and NICE guidance. (Source: NeLM - Drug Specific Reviews)

Practical tips for limit setting with a friend who is always late

Psychology Today Personality Center — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:56:43 +0100

This scenario of a perpetually late friend is a great one when it comes to discussing how to set boundaries (or "limits with love," as I call them in my new book The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder: New Tips and Tools to Stop Walking on Eggshells. The term "boundaries" is threatening to some people). Also, it is a problem I faced myself. Here are some ways I coped: I made sure my friend's lateness never rearranged my own plans. I didn't put myself into a situation in which she needed to pick me up or be there at an exact time (such as going to a movie). When I saw her, I arranged to go over to her house and called first to make sure she was there. Or, when she was to come to my house, I made sure I had lots of things to do so that the specific time she cam...

How to throw the best kids birthday party ever!

Gurgle — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:50:59 +0100

Organising your child’s birthday party so that all your little guests have a nice time is slightly different from planning an office party or a girls night-out. (Source: Gurgle)

Haiti update from Michael Agus, MD: Days 7-9

Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:31:10 +0100

Dr. Agus, shown here with a Haitian resident, spent hours assembling this medical supply closet in the acute pediatrics tent. by Michael Agus, MD, director of Children’s Medicine Critical Care Program. Agus is currently in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and sending us updates by email. Day 7 There was a buzz around the hospital this morning that Hillary Clinton might visit, though it did not turn out to be true. It was an interesting process to consider what would be my answer to her obvious question: What one thing could the US do to make things better? My own answer would have been: nurses. Despite my tendency to focus on the physician side of the equation, it is nurses that make a hospital run. And HUEH needs more. They need more of 5,000 things, but mostly they need more nurses. Nobody ...

NICE publishes new arthritis advice

Nursing in Practice — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:02:10 +0100

NICE has updated its draft guidance on the use of etanercept and adalimumab for adults with active and progressive psoriatic arthritis (Source: Nursing in Practice)

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NICE guidance on rheumatoid arthritis: Implications and challenges for rheumatologists

Rheumatology — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:35:45 +0100

(Source: Rheumatology)

And The Award Goes To...

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:43:22 +0100

A few years ago, I held my very own Oscar party. Well, OK, it really wasn't a party, as it consisted of my mother, sister and me watching the opening monologue, the handing out of the first few awards and then going to bed.But I did make cute little invitations and provided a very nice potato chip spread.So when we decided to do our usual Oscar routine this year, minus the invites and chips, I had a revelation as I sat in my living room enraptured by the glitz, glamour and gowns. It was a celebration of the grandest kind.In fact, the last few months have seen one celebration after another. A slew of awards shows passing out accolades to singers, movie stars and TV shows. The Grammy Awards. The Emmy Awards. The Golden Globes.Everyone, it seems, has been honored and bestowe...

NICE recommends three new arthritis therapies

Nursing Times Breaking News — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:38:00 +0100

Three new treatments for psoriatic arthritis have been recommended for use by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). (Source: Nursing Times Breaking News)

Lack of CBT is preventing implementation of NICE guidance, MPs warn

HealthcareRepublic Independent Nurse News — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:15:00 +0100

Lack of access to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and funding shortfalls are preventing mental health trusts from implementing NICE guidance, MPs have warned. (Source: HealthcareRepublic Independent Nurse News)

NICE issues preliminary recommendations (ACD) for etanercept, infliximab, & adalimumab for psoriatic arthritis

NeLM - News — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: News The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published an "appraisal consultation document" on the use of etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. The appraisal Committee's preliminary recommendations are (taken directly from source): 1. Etanercept and adalimumab are recommended for the treatment of adults with active and progressive psoriatic arthritis when the following criteria are met. . The person has peripheral arthritis with three or more tender joints and three or more swollen joints. . The psoriatic arthritis has not responded to adequate trials of at least two standard disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), administered either individually or in combination. &nb...

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DAILY MAIL COMMENT: NHS waste betrays our cancer patients

the Mail online | Health — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:49:09 +0100

Last year the Government's drugs rationing body, NICE, promised to make it easier for patients suffering from rarer cancers to receive life-prolonging drugs on the NHS. We reveal just how hollow that pledge has proved. (Source: the Mail online | Health)

The treatment of hand burns: Timing of debridement and grafting

Burns : Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:58:09 +0100

We read with great interest the letter to the editor by van Zuijlen . It is nice to read that they mainly agree with our review , and that they also think that the timing of debridement and grafting is considered as one of the main issues concerning the treatment of burned hands and that there is still a discussion concerning the optimal timing. We think that the paragraph that expresses that wounds should be excised and covered as soon as burn depth can be determined exactly (usually on the second or third day after injury) is still right, because there is not enough literature available showing that late excision is better, but we agree with van Zuijlen that there are some cases or areas, where even a later debridement and more conservative approach might be useful for burn patients ; ne...

NICE opens consultation on childhood bedwetting

Nursing Times Breaking News — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is developing advice for the NHS on how to treat and look after children who wet the bed. (Source: Nursing Times Breaking News)

RCN members: Work with NICE

Royal College of Nursing - UK- National News — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:42:59 +0100

The Royal College of Nursing is asking its members to get involved with key reviewing work for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). (Source: Royal College of Nursing - UK- National News)

NICE considers new score to prioritise GP heart failure referrals

Pulse — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0100

A four-point clinical assessment tool to help GPs prioritise which patients with suspected heart failure to fast-track for echocardiography could be included in new NICE guidance currently being developed. (Source: Pulse)

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NICE considers new score to prioritise GP heart failure referrals

Pulse — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0100

Childhood Bedwetting: Draft Guidance From NICE Out Today

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is developing advice for the NHS on how to treat and look after children who wet the bed. The draft clinical guideline is available from today (11 March) for public consultation. Dr Fergus Macbeth, Director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at NICE said: "Most children will experience some form of bedwetting as they grow up; however often only those aged seven and above are considered for treatment - before this age, it is generally perceived as a normal habit which the child will grow out of... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Childhood Bedwetting: Draft Guidance From NICE Out Today

Pediatrics News From Medical News Today — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:00:00 +0100

NICE Publishes First Evidence-based Draft Guidelines On Barrett's Oesophagus - Ablative Therapy

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

NICE has published a draft clinical guideline on the use of ablative therapies for the treatment of Barrett's oesophagus. Ablative therapies destroy the abnormal cells within the oesophagus caused by the condition, without removing an entire section of oesophagus. This is the first time national guidelines have considered the use of these therapies to treat Barrett's oesophagus, and NICE is now opening a consultation on the draft recommendations... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

NICE Publishes First Evidence-based Draft Guidelines On Barrett's Oesophagus - Ablative Therapy

Cancer / Oncology News From Medical News Today — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

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NICE guideline consultation: Nocturnal enuresis in children (bedwetting)

NeLM - News — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: News This draft guideline makes recommendations on the assessment and management of bedwetting in children and young people. The guidance applies to children and young people up to 19 years with the symptom of bedwetting and also includes recommendations on the pharmacological management of nocturnal enuresis. Registered stakeholders for this guideline are invited to comment on the provisional recommendations via the NICE website. The guideline also contains recommendations on the pharmacological management of nocturnal enuresis. The guideline consultation runs from 11th March 2010 - 6th May 2010. Please note: The recommendations presented in the document are provisional and may change after consultation. (Source: NeLM - News)

NICE consults on draft scope for hypertension guideline update

NeLM - News — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: News NICE is partially updating the 'Hypertension (persistently high blood pressure) in adults' (2004) and 'Hypertension: management of hypertension in adults in primary care' (2006), guidelines. This draft scope defines what aspects of care the guideline will cover and to whom it will apply. Registered stakeholders for the Hypertension (update) guideline are invited to submit comments on the scope and may suggest clinical questions that could be answered in the guideline. The scope consultation runs from 11th March - 8th April 2010 (Source: NeLM - News)

The Gift of Fear/The Curse of Anxiety

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:02:34 +0100

Women who have been in pathological relationships come away from the relationships with problems associated with fear, worry, and anxiety. This is often related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or what we call 'High Harm Avoidance'-- being on high alert looking for ways she might get harmed now or in the future.PTSD, by its own nature as a disorder, is an anxiety disorder that is preoccupied by both the past (flashbacks and intrusive thoughts of him or events) and by the future (worry about future events, trying to anticipate his behaviors, etc.). With long term exposure to PTSD, this anxiety and worry begins to mask itself, at least in her mind, as 'fear.' In fact, most women lump together the sensations of anxiety, worry, and fear into one feeling and don't differientiate them.Fe...

NICE issues draft guideline on childhood bed-wetting

OnMedica Latest News — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Draft guideline proposes no minimum age limit for NHS helpRelated items from OnMedicaNHS use of technology is primitiveNew clinical leads appointed for NHS IT programmeEntire GP practice’s data stolen‘Fit note’ to replace sick notes systemGPs urged to focus on patient experience (Source: OnMedica Latest News)

German Health Minister Philipp Roesler – To Slam Pharma – (Wheelchairs And Homecare Next)?

the international medical market place — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:58:04 +0100

New German Health Minister Takes Aim At Traditional Pharma Companies. Newly appointed German Healthcare Minister Philipp Roesler – liberal – Free Democratic Party in likely move to break big pharma stronghold and submit new products to insurance pricing scrutiny and impose an “efficiency and clinical effectiveness /outcomes” pricing performance ratio. Not totally dissimilar to the British NICE economic and clinical effectiveness system. Sign of the times perhaps to introduce new effectiveness and economic liberalization in the DME (durable medical equipment) sector of the ever increasing homecare industry. Maybe not – Roesler is clearly risking his parties popularity as a junior member in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat Party. Possibly r...

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Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in a patient with angioid streaks secondary to pseudoxanthoma elasticum

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:47:31 +0100

Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Letter to the EditorDOI 10.1007/s00417-010-1328-7Authors Stéphanie Baillif-Gostoli, Saint Roch University Hospital Nice FranceMaddalena Quaranta-El Maftouhi, Rabelais Ophthalmologic Center Lyon FranceMartine Mauget-Faÿsse, Rabelais Ophthalmologic Center Lyon France Journal Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental OphthalmologyOnline ISSN 1435-702XPrint ISSN 0721-832X (Source: Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology)

Paper round: Wednesday

OnMedica Latest News — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

New calls to halt database, sexually active over-75s, and moreRelated items from OnMedicaHouston we have a problem!Almost 100,000 clinicians have used NICE modulesSlow roll out of IT systems is damaging healthcareFirst pooled transplants carried out in the UKNurses say patients are treated in storerooms and cupboards (Source: OnMedica Latest News)

Can you still be an audiophile in the digital world?

Physics Today News Picks — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Sciencebase: Back in the 1970s LP's were the common medium of choice for Hi-fi enthusiasts. When the compact disc emerged on to the market with its claims of superior quality and scratch resistance, the hi-fi enthusiasts split into two camps: those who clung to vinyl and those who went digital. But, was concentrating on audio quality all for nothing? Within another generation the notion of digital audio had changed with compressed formats such as MP3's becoming popular. Jerald Hughes of University of Texas Pan American in Edinburg writing in the International Journal Services and Standards has a nice table showing the technical specification of the human ear and comparing it to the various analogue formats. It turns out that if you want the best quality, LP's are not the way to go, an ol...

Nasty Or Nice? Two-Faced Testosterone

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:00:00 +0100

Is aggression always the best response to a challenge? Testosterone may not necessarily cause aggression but behavior can drive testosterone secretion. In an evaluation for Faculty of 1000, Robert Sapolsky highlights a study published in Nature which assessed how testosterone affects human behavior in a 'pro-social' situation - an environment where it is beneficial for a person to help someone else. In an 'Ultimatum Game', a 'proposer' is given power to decide how a sum of money is divided between him/herself and another player, 'the decider'... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Nasty Or Nice? Two-Faced Testosterone

Psychology / Psychiatry News From Medical News Today — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:00:00 +0100

Is aggression always the best response to a challenge? Testosterone may not necessarily cause aggression but behavior can drive testosterone secretion... (Source: Psychology / Psychiatry News From Medical News Today)

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Almost 100,000 clinicians have used NICE modules

OnMedica Latest News — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Watchdog’s education modules help bring guidelines to life, says NICERelated items from OnMedicaHealth watchdog follows up on weak trustsSurgeons take on more high-risk casesOne small step on a complicated journeyResearch and education are being sidelined, warns BMAStudy proves GP practices working harder (Source: OnMedica Latest News)

The Plight of the Pretty Girl

Psychology Today Personality Center — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:13:47 +0100

"Beauty is unbearable, drives us to despair, offering us for a minute the glimpse of an eternity that we should like to stretch out over the whole of time."-- Albert Camus"People think if you look fairly reasonable, you can't possibly act, and as I only care about acting, I think beauty can be a great handicap."-- Vivien LeighWhile at lunch with friends, one of my future broadcast buddies brought up how being too beautiful might be detrimental for a woman. She cited Lara Logan, CBS Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, who laments that her beauty has been somewhat of an obstacle in her career. In a 2005 New York Times article, Logan said, "being really attractive can hurt you." Had she not exhibited tenacity, fearlessness and compassion on her way up the news ladder, she would not be in the...

Two-faced testosterone can make you nasty or nice

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(Faculty of 1000: Biology and Medicine) Is aggression always the best response to a challenge? Testosterone may not necessarily cause aggression but behavior can drive testosterone secretion.In an evaluation for Faculty of 1000, Robert Sapolsky highlights a study published in Nature which assessed how testosterone affects human behavior in a 'pro-social' situation -- an environment where it is beneficial for a person to help someone else. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Revenge of the Nerds

Psychology Today — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Nerds aren't always so nice (Source: Psychology Today)

NICE completes the commissioning cycle

HSJ — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Embedding clinical guidance into the full commissioning cycle offers support at all levels, from planning to procurement to public involvement, says Jennifer Taylor (Source: HSJ)

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Alexa and Page Decide to Have LASIK

Dishler Laser — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:11:19 +0100

Perhaps an unusual post for a LASIK blog, but we find ourselves increasingly discovered in the world from our website and more importantly from this blog. At any instant in time there are a myriad of people in front of a computer screen, much like the one you are reading now. They are using their eyes, their vision, to see that screen and to see the world beyond it. Our job at Dishler Laser Institute is to make that vision as clear as possible without the need for glasses or contact lenses. How people find us is through this internet along with the conventional "old school" referral patterns which bring new patients to doctors. On the internet side, there are two powerful forces at work that measure the popularity we achieve and their names remind me ...

'We don't know what 96% of the universe is made of'

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:08:26 +0100

Pop star-turned-physicist Brian Cox speaks about his new TV series on the solar systemIt's big space, isn't it?It's 93 million miles to the Sun: that's a long way. It takes light eight minutes to do that. There are 100bn galaxies in the observable universe. If you take a 5p coin and hold it 75 feet away, the space in the sky it would obscure would hold 10,000 galaxies. It's mindblowing. I don't think anyone has a grasp of that other than to say: it's big.You recently answered claims that experiments with the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva might swallow the planet by saying: "Anyone who thinks the LHC will destroy the world is a twat." Ever worry that you might have phrased that more delicately?It's not a comment, it's a statement of fact, isn't it? It's factually accurate! It...

Key considerations around the risks and consequences of hypoglycaemia in people with type 2 diabetes

International Journal of Clinical Practice — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Hypoglycaemia and its consequences represent a significant risk for many people who have type 2 diabetes, and hypoglycaemia is currently under-recognised and commonly avoidable. Current clinical guidelines recommend the targeting of tight glycaemic control and this strategy may also be associated with an increased risk of hypoglycaemia. Hypoglycaemia impacts on morbidity, mortality and quality of life of people with type 2 diabetes, and improved recognition of the symptoms of hypoglycaemia will allow effective treatment and reduce the risk of progression to more severe episodes. A common cause of hypoglycaemia in people with type 2 diabetes is glucose-lowering medication, in particular, those which raise insulin independently of ambient glucose concentration such as sulphonylureas and exog...

How to Give a Presentation Part I: It's Not About You

Psychology Today Work Center — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:37:59 +0100

I teach psychology, with classes sometimes ranging up to several hundred students. I sometimes lecture six to eight times a week. Althought that's a lot of what professors do, it's something I got absolutely no training for when I was in graduate school.Everything I learned about giving presentations I learned as an interior design student. We gave formal or informal presentations to professors and peers at least once a week for the four years I was an undergraduate at Cornell. Why? Because as an interior designer, a big chunk of your job is presenting to clients. They knew that a large part of our professional success would rely on our ability to clearly and succintly talk about our ideas. And they also knew that practice makes perfect.In reading the po...

Why do nice girls fall for bad boys?

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:57:26 +0100

Carole Jahme shines the cold light of evolutionary psychology on readers' problems. This week: bad boysIrresistible rascalsFrom a nice girl, aged 37Dear Carole, Why do girls – even nice girls – fall for bad boys, even when the girls in question are 37 and should know much better? My friends and I don't understand ourselves.Carole replies:The "dark triad" of human behaviour consists of narcissism (or self-obsession), psychopathy (including callous, impulsive, thrill-seeking, risk-taking behaviour) and Machiavellianism (exploitative, manipulative and deceitful behaviour). Bad boys exhibit dark triad traits and their behaviour, according to one theory, is genetic, meaning they are unlikely to change their ways. These types of males tend to favour short-term relationships (including one ni...

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Draft Guidance From NICE Hopes To Help People With Motor Neurone Disease Breathe More Easily

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently developing guidance for the NHS on the use of non-invasive mechanical ventilation for people with motor neurone disease. The draft recommendations are now available on the NICE website for public consultation. Respiratory problems are the main cause of death for people with motor neurone disease as the muscles weaken and breathing gets increasingly difficult; over time many patients have to use non-invasive mechanical aids, such as nasal masks and mouth pieces to support their breathing... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Draft Guidance From NICE Hopes To Help People With Motor Neurone Disease Breathe More Easily

Asthma / Respiratory News From Medical News Today — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0100

NFL and NBL Move to Limit Your Access to Supplements (Opinion)

NaturalNews.com — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) Last month, a You Tube video titled "The Superbowl Is Canceled" went viral on the 'net. Actually, it was a hoax with a catchy headline; the video urged viewers to boycott the Superbowl and get connected with what's going on in the world around them. Recent events, however, offer new reason to boycott the sporting events of the National Football and Baseball Leagues. These two U.S. sporting clubs are endorsing John McCain's bill to repeal parts of DSHEA and effectively limit the public's access to nutritional supplements. If you're not familiar with DSHEA, it's a law on the books that was hard fought for by the American public in the 1990's. DSHEA grants unrestricted access to supplements - and drug companies have fought against the bill since the day it was passed.Now, someho...

NICE Set To Recommend Rituximab For Relapsed Or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has today (4 March) issued final draft guidance recommending the drug rituximab(MabThera) as a treatment for certain patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. This draft is now with consultees who have the opportunity to appeal against the proposed recommendations before final guidance is published later this year. Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is a cancer of the white blood cells and is the most common form of leukaemia in the UK... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

NICE Set To Recommend Rituximab For Relapsed Or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia

Cancer / Oncology News From Medical News Today — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100

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NICE Asks For More Data On New Drug For Rheumatoid Arthritis

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:00:00 +0100

NICE's independent appraisal committee has asked Roche, the manufacturer of tocilizumab (RoActemra), a new treatment for moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis, for further additional information on its product. The committee is minded not to recommend the use of the drug but the additional information it has asked for today (4 March) could result in the final guidance being positive at specific stages of the treatment pathway. This draft guidance has been issued for consultation: NICE has not yet issued final guidance to the NHS... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

NICE Asks For More Data On New Drug For Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis News From Medical News Today — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:00:00 +0100

NICE Appraisal Of Azacitidine For Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising the use of azacitidine (Vidaza, Celgene) for myelodysplastic syndromes... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

NICE Appraisal Of Azacitidine For Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Lymphoma / Leukemia News From Medical News Today — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:00:00 +0100

NICE Recommends Infliximab And Adalimumab For The Treatment Of Severe, Active Crohn's Disease

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:00:00 +0100

In final draft guidance published today (4 March) NICE has recommended infliximab and adalimumab as treatment options for people with severe, active Crohn's disease whose condition has not responded to conventional therapy, or who are intolerant of or have contraindications to conventional therapy. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of unknown cause affecting the gastrointestinal tract (gut). It is estimated that around 60,000 people in the UK have the disease, with approximately 3,000 (5%) having the most severe forms of the condition... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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NICE Recommends Infliximab And Adalimumab For The Treatment Of Severe, Active Crohn's Disease

Crohn's News From Medical News Today — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:00:00 +0100

NICE backs only rituximab for use after TNF failure in RA

HealthcareRepublic Independent Nurse News — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:05:00 +0100

NICE has approved rituximab, in combination with methotrexate, for RA patients responding inadequately to anti-TNF therapy in draft guidance. (Source: HealthcareRepublic Independent Nurse News)

NICE requests more information on rheumatoid arthritis drug tocilizumab

Arthritis Research Campaign — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has asked the manufacturer of a drug called tocilizumab (RoActemra) for more information on its efficacy before publishing its final guidance on the rheumatoid arthritis treatment. (Source: Arthritis Research Campaign)

NICE publishes draft guidance on rheumatoid arthritis drugs after initial anti-TNF use

Arthritis Research Campaign — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published preliminary recommendations on the management of rheumatoid arthritis after initial treatment with an anti-TNF drug has failed. (Source: Arthritis Research Campaign)

Sweet relief

The Scientist — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Wouldn't it be nice if all drugs came in the form of ice cream? (Source: The Scientist)

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Depression: latest NICE guidance on drug and nondrug options

Prescriber — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

No Abstract. (Source: Prescriber)

'Rituximab cocktail' given NICE OK

Pharmacy Europe — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:18:50 +0100

Rituximab should be used with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide to treat patients with resistant leukaemia for the purposes of research, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has said. (Source: Pharmacy Europe)

NICE sets out Crohn's drug choices

Pharmacy Europe — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:18:50 +0100

People with chronic Crohn's disease, especially those who have not responded to conventional therapy, should be treated with infliximab or adalimumab, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recommended. (Source: Pharmacy Europe)

NICE Appraisal of azacitidine for Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Drugs.com - Pharma News — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:03:14 +0100

LONDON, March 4, 2010--The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising the use of azacitidine (Vidaza, Celgene) for myelodysplastic syndromes. In the final draft guidance, published today (4 March 2010), NICE... (Source: Drugs.com - Pharma News)

NICE recommends infliximab and adalimumab for Crohn's disease treatment

Nursing Times Breaking News — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:51:00 +0100

In final draft guidance published today (4 March) NICE has recommended infliximab and adalimumab as treatment options for people with severe, active Crohn’s disease whose condition has not responded to conventional therapy, or who are intolerant of or have contraindications to conventional therapy. (Source: Nursing Times Breaking News)

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NICE issues leukaemia drug guidance

Nursing Times Breaking News — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:17:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has said a combination of rituximab and two other medicines should be used together to treat patients with recurring leukaemia. (Source: Nursing Times Breaking News)

NICE Reassessment Of Switching Decision Brings Little Hope For Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0100

The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) has expressed their frustration at NICE's provisional decision not to allow patients with rheumatoid arthritis to routinely switch from one Anti-TNF drug to another. This is the second time NICE has appraised the sequential effectiveness of multiple biologic therapies following NRAS's successful appeal of negative NICE guidance on switching in 2007. Over time, some patients find that whichever Anti-TNF they have been taking becomes less effective and have found benefit from being able to switch to another Anti-TNF... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

NICE Reassessment Of Switching Decision Brings Little Hope For Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Arthritis News From Medical News Today — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0100

The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) has expressed their frustration at NICE's provisional decision not to allow patients with rheumatoid arthritis to routinely switch from one Anti-TNF drug to another. This is the second time NICE has appraised the sequential effectiveness of multiple biologic therapies following NRAS's successful appeal of negative NICE guidance on switching in 2007... (Source: Arthritis News From Medical News Today)

NICE Consults On Draft Recommendations For Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis After Treatment With A TNF Inhibitor Has Failed

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising a number of drugs as possible treatments for rheumatoid arthritis after treatment with a tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor has failed. This is a part review of NICE technology appraisal guidance 36, and a review of NICE technology appraisal guidance 126 and 141. NICE has put its initial draft guidance on the NICE website, and this is now open for public consultation... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

NICE Consults On Draft Recommendations For Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis After Treatment With A TNF Inhibitor Has Failed

Arthritis News From Medical News Today — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising a number of drugs as possible treatments for rheumatoid arthritis after treatment with a tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor has failed. This is a part review of NICE technology appraisal guidance 36, and a review of NICE technology appraisal guidance 126 and 141... (Source: Arthritis News From Medical News Today)

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Python Testing Beginner’s Guide, review

Beginning Python for Bioinformatics — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:46:35 +0100

I posted about a week ago that Packt Publishing had invited me to review Python Testing Beginner’s Guide by Daniel Arbuckle. Having finished reading the book (I must admit that I haven’t tried all the code in it), I can say that I have an excellent initial impression of the book. PTBG is not a long book and the topic is divided in 10 chapters and one appendix. One of the first things that I liked about the book is that there’s no introduction (or something similar) to Python. It just goes straight to the point assuming that you have some good understanding of the language and everything that surrounds it. In the past I was frustrated with some “Introduction to X with Python” that wasted precious space talking over and over about a topic, learning Python, bette...

Bone drug too costly, says NICE

BBC News | Health | UK Edition — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:39:40 +0100

A drug for treating debilitating bone marrow diseases is deemed too costly to be made available to NHS patients. (Source: BBC News | Health | UK Edition)

Magnetic stimulation device treats migraine

OnMedica Latest News — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

New device is safe and effective potential home treatment for migraineRelated items from OnMedicaCollar and rest best for recent-onset cervical radiculopathyMRI can predict brain activity Blood pressure drugs may reduce risk of dementiaGP leader warns against 'political meddling' Government confirms NICE is to choose QOF indicators (Source: OnMedica Latest News)

NICE issues Final Appraisal Determination on infliximab and adalimumab for Crohn's disease

NeLM - News — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: News NICE has prepared a Final Appraisal Determination on infliximab and adalimumab for Crohn's disease which contained the following preliminary recommendations: . Infliximab and adalimumab, within their licensed indications, are recommended as treatment options for adults with severe active Crohn's disease whose disease has not responded to conventional therapy (including immunosuppressive and/or corticosteroid treatments), or who are intolerant of or have contraindications to conventional therapy. Infliximab or adalimumab should be given as a planned course of treatment until treatment failure (including the need for surgery), or until 12 months after the start of treatment, whichever is shorter. People should then have their disease reassessed to det...

NICE issues Final Appraisal Determination on rituximab for relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

NeLM - News — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: News NICE has issued its Final Appraisal Determination on rituximab for relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, which contained the following preliminary recommendations: . Rituximab in combination with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide is recommended as a treatment option for people with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia except when the condition is refractory to fludarabine (i.e. not responded to fludarabine or has relapsed within 6 months of treatment) or has previously been treated with rituximab. . Rituximab in combination with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide is recommended only in the context of research for people with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia that has previously been treated with ritu...

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NICE issues Final Appraisal Determination on azacitidine

NeLM - News — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: News NICE has prepared a Final Appraisal Determination on azacitidine for the treatment of myelodyplastic syndrome, chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia, and acute myeloid leukaemia, which stated that azacitidine is not recommended as a treatment option for people who have the following conditions and are not eligible for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: . Intermediate-2 and high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes according to the International Prognostic Scoring System. . Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia with 10-29% marrow blasts without myeloproliferative disorder. . Acute myeloid leukaemia with 20-30% blasts and multilineage dysplasia, according to the WHO classification. The appeal period for this appraisal...

NICE issues third Appraisal Consultation Document on tocilizumab for rheumatoid arthritis

NeLM - News — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: News NICE has issued its third Appraisal Consultation Document on tocilizumab which contained the following preliminary recommendations: Tocilizumab is not recommended for the treatment of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis in people whose disease has responded inadequately to: . One or more previous DMARDs before, or as an alternative to, treatment with TNF blockers. . One or more previous TNF blocker before, or as an alternative to, treatment with rituximab. . Previous TNF blockers and who are intolerant to, or unsuitable for, treatment with rituximab. The Committee recommends that NICE requests cost-effectiveness analyses from the manufacturer of tocilizumab for the scenarios involving ...

BMJ Analysis: New drugs for old- disinvestment and NICE

NeLM - News — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: BMJ Area: News In this BMJ Analysis article, the authors note that the funding of new, expensive medicines relies increasingly on releasing funds by displacing other treatments, but NICE does not specify which, and thus in addition to the inequitable geographical variation in the availability of new medicines, inconsistent decisions on which treatments to abandon will also lead to geographical variation. They discuss how to establish which medicines should be discontinued, focusing on the following topics: . Identifying medicines for disinvestment . Prime candidates . Grey areas . Options for NICE . Implementation (Source: NeLM - News)

Pass notes No 2,739: Hella-

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:00:01 +0100

You've got giga- and mega-, but do we need hella- for those 27-zero numbers?Age: Nought but a twinkle in its daddy's eye.Appearance: Noughty but nice.One more pun and we'll put you on headline-writing duty. It's some sort of number, then? Not half! It's 1027. To put it another way, 1,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000. A thousand million million million million! A billion billion billion!At last we can put a figure on the budget deficit. Indeed. But if we can forget Britain's descent into bankruptcy for a moment, hella- is the term that scientists want to go alongside prefixes such as kilo-, mega- and giga-.Says who? Austin Sendek, a University of California physics sophomore.What's a sophomore again? It's what Americans call a second-year student.They love their jargon, don't they? Carr...

Promoting the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of looked after children and young people (PM session)

MEDEV Events — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:50:41 +0100

Time: 13.15 - 16.30 Topics covered: * Performance management and inspection * Strategic leadership * Multi-agency working * Kinship care * Supporting babies and children from 0-5 years Introduction The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) are currently producing guidance to promote the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of looked after children and young people. Greenstreet Berman Ltd has been commissioned by NICE to undertake fieldwork to gain the views of practitioners on the feasibility of the recommendations and identify implementation issues. The fieldwork will involve a series of workshops and interviews to consider the draft recommendations. Why attend? The fieldwork will give an opportunity f...

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Natural dental products: Tooth Soap, Dental Miracle, Weleda and more

NaturalNews.com — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) I've been a fan of Tooth Soap for years. This is the product that replaces the usual toothpaste products with far more natural, gentle teeth-washing ingredients. That's why, along with Dental Miracle (www.DentalMiracle.com), it has remained among my top-recommended products for oral health. (Many other products are mentioned below...)Because let's face it: You don't actually need to "scrub" your teeth with sand, chemical preservatives and sweeteners. Most toothpaste products are truly a joke -- they're loaded with synthetic chemicals that simply can't be considered safe for human consumption by any reasonable person. Cleaning your teeth only requires a type of soap, some water and some brushing action. You don't need dyes, sweeteners, sand and other nonsense ingredients.Did I...

NICE quality standards: setting standards for high-quality care

Prescriber — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

NICE is planning to publish the first quality standards this year. Steve Chaplin explains what quality standards are and why they are being introduced, and how they are being developed by NICE. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Interface Ltd (Source: Prescriber)

NICE issues preliminary recommendations (ACD) on drugs for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis after failure of a TNF inhibitor

NeLM - News — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: News NICE has been asked to produce guidance on using adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, rituximab and abatacept for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis after the failure of a TNF inhibitor in the NHS in England and Wales. The Appraisal Committee has issued an Appraisal Consultation Document (ACD), which includes the following preliminary recommendations: 1.1 Rituximab in combination with methotrexate is recommended as an option for the treatment of adults with severe active rheumatoid arthritis: . that has responded inadequately to other disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), including treatment with at least one tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor, or . who are intolerant of other DMARDs. 1.2 Treatment with rituximab in ...

Don't get Heat-balled

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:26:07 +0100

Succession planning is one of the most important aspects of life in the honeybee colony. Since the hive cannot exist without a queen, the colony makes sure that they never go long without a productive leader in place. In a recent profile of the Dean of the Villanova School of Business, James Danko (in the March 1st issue of the Financial Times), Mr. Danko notes that the very advocates for sound succession planning, business schools, often search for years for new Deans. The position often is placed under indefinite interim control and ultimately filled by an incumbent from outside the ranks versus the inside. Apart from the irony of this situation and the extended periods in which business schools are sans leadership, Mr. Danko imparts a message of caution to any outsider...

The Vast Media Wasteland Gets Vaster - How Can Parents, Schools, and Government Be So Clueless About the Media?

Pediatric Health Associates — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:45:00 +0100

By Victor C. Strasburger, M.D.Dr. Strasburger is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of New Mexico and author of Children, Adolescents, and the Media, 2nd ed. (with Barbara Wilson, Ph.D. and Amy Jordan, Ph.D.), Sage, 2009. ©Victor C. Strasburger, M.D.How about that powerful antidrug commercial paid for by the U.S. government? It aired right between the seventh and eighth Budweiser commercials.David Letterman, CBS' Late Show, 2002: My 6-year-old daughter turned to me and said, "What's a 4-hour erection? How do you explain it?"Kelly Simmons, Executive VP, Tierney Communications, Philadelphia Given the enormous influence that electronic media in all of their forms exerts on the lives of children, it is astonishing how little parents, researchers, and policymakers have been spurred to...

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Promoting the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of looked after children and young people (AM session)

MEDEV Events — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:45:46 +0100

Time: 9.15 - 12.30 Topics covered: * Foster care * Promoting the quality of life of the child Introduction The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) are currently producing guidance to promote the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of looked after children and young people. Greenstreet Berman Ltd has been commissioned by NICE to undertake fieldwork to gain the views of practitioners on the feasibility of the recommendations and identify implementation issues. The fieldwork will involve a series of workshops and interviews to consider the draft recommendations. Why attend? The fieldwork will give an opportunity for stakeholders to feedback to NICE and SCIE and the Programme Development Group (a committe...

Promoting the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of looked after children and young people (PM session)

MEDEV Events — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:45:46 +0100

Time: 13.15 - 16.30 Topics covered: * Care planning, placement and case review * Children's placements * Kinship care * Sibling placements and contact * Leaving care and preparing to leave care Introduction The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) are currently producing guidance to promote the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of looked after children and young people. Greenstreet Berman Ltd has been commissioned by NICE to undertake fieldwork to gain the views of practitioners on the feasibility of the recommendations and identify implementation issues. The fieldwork will involve a series of workshops and interviews to consider the draft recommendations. Why attend? The fieldwork will give an oppo...

Promoting the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of looked after children and young people (AM session)

MEDEV Events — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:45:46 +0100

Time: 9.15 - 12.30 Topics covered: * Promoting the health of the child or young person * Access to dedicated services to promote the mental health and wellbeing of the children and young people in care Introduction The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) are currently producing guidance to promote the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of looked after children and young people. Greenstreet Berman Ltd has been commissioned by NICE to undertake fieldwork to gain the views of practitioners on the feasibility of the recommendations and identify implementation issues. The fieldwork will involve a series of workshops and interviews to consider the draft recommendations. Why attend? The fieldwork will give...

Percutaneous mitral valve leaflet repair for mitral regurgitation: NICE guidance

Heart — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:19:59 +0100

(Source: Heart)

Wernicke's Encephalopathy After Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: A Misdiagnosed Complication

Obesity Surgery — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:07:21 +0100

Abstract Malabsorptive syndromes and micronutrient deficiencies represent well-known long-term complications of bariatric surgery. Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE), a neurologic manifestation of thiamine deficiency, has been classically associated with alcoholism or severe malnutrition, but rarely reported after bariatric surgery. Herein, we describe the case of a 27-year-old woman that developed WE 10 months after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity that was initially misdiagnosed with a consequent retard in the appropriate treatment. Although only a few sporadic cases have been reported in the literature, all surgeons and physicians involved in the care of bariatric patients must be aware of this potentially serious complication. Content Type ...

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Ted Leonsis of Washington Capitals suggests making goals to ensure a happy life

washingtonpost.com - Health — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Ted Leonsis, Internet multimillionaire, Washington Capitals owner and by general acclaim a very nice guy, has some recommendations for being a happier person, and it isn't about getting rich. (Why is it that really wealthy people always say that?) Instead, he writes in his new memoir-cum-self-hel... (Source: washingtonpost.com - Health)

Ted Leonsis of Washington Capitals suggests making goals to ensure a happy life

Wash Post Health — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:04:06 +0100

NICE guidance: support for commissioners

HSJ — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence supports commissioners in both preparing for and implementing its guidance, explains Jennifer Taylor (Source: HSJ)

Arm port implantation in cancer patients

International Journal of Clinical Oncology — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:08:44 +0100

Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Letter to the EditorDOI 10.1007/s10147-010-0041-1Authors Pierre-Yves Marcy, Sophia Antipolis University Interventional Radiology Department, Antoine Lacassagne Cancer Research Institute 33 Avenue Valombrose 06189 Nice Cedex 1 FranceAndrea Figl, Sophia Antipolis University Department of Breast Surgery, Antoine Lacassagne Cancer Research Institute 33 Avenue Valombrose 06189 Nice Cedex 1 FranceNicolas Amoretti, Sophia Antipolis University Interventional Radiology Department, Antoine Lacassagne Cancer Research Institute 33 Avenue Valombrose 06189 Nice Cedex 1 FranceAntoine Ianessi, Sophia Antipolis University Interventional Radiology Department, Antoine Lacassagne Cancer Research Institute 33 Avenue Valombrose 06189 Nice Cedex 1 France Journal In...

NICE evaluation of transmyocardial laser revascularisation and percutaneous laser revascularisation for refractory angina

Heart — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:21:17 +0100

(Source: Heart)

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Sex: Are Men Really Only After One Thing? Part II

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:33:53 +0100

Are men really only after one thing? Well, fMRI studies of men's brains show that 98% of the cerebral cortex is preoccupied with vivid sexual fantasies.1 Gotcha!!Seriously, what do we know about men's priorities? In Part I of this two-part series we looked at men's attitudes towards sex and quality of life. We shared some very surprising data that came out of an eight country random survey of 27,839 men ages 20-752. Using a questionnaire called the Men's Attitudes to Life Events and Sexuality (MALES), the authors found men's attitudes towards two key areas, masculinity and quality of life, differed markedly from the cultural stereotypes of guys as shallow creatures who are driven primarily by lust.In the masculinity section of the study and across all countries, being see...

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: NICE for the U.S.? A Comparison of the American Diabetes Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Guidelines With the U.K. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Guidelines: Response to Holt et al.

Diabetes Care — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Simmons D, McElduff A, McIntyre HD, Elrishi M PMID: 20190295 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Diabetes Care)

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: NICE for the U.S.? A Comparison of the American Diabetes Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Guidelines With the U.K. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Guidelines: Response to Simmons et al.

Diabetes Care — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Holt RI, Jacklin PB, Round JA, Mugglestone MA, Hughes RG PMID: 20190294 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Diabetes Care)

NICE guidance and insulin pumps: has it made a difference?

Practical Diabetes International — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

No Abstract. (Source: Practical Diabetes International)

Home enteral nutrition NICE guidelines and nutrition support in primary care.

British Journal of Community Nursing — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Ojo O The Home Enteral Nutrition team provides support to patients who are being fed via enteral feeding tube in the community. The use of the recently developed policy in combination with the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guideline on nutrition support will change the way care is provided to patients and enhance service delivery. However, there are difficulties in the implementation of policies and guidelines which often militate against the delivery of high standard of care. This paper was an attempt to apply the Kotter's eight-step change management model in the implementation of the HEN team policy and NICE guideline on nutrition support through training of district nurses, liaison with colleagues and carrying out a clinical audit. The clinical audit wa...

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Job-Seekers: Grab the Middle Seat on an Airplane

Psychology Today Work Center — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:30:21 +0100

A routine interview question asked by a famous consulting firm is "Sell me the middle seat on an airplane." It's a great question-- who can conjure up any value in that pariah of a seat? Some answer, "It's the last seat on the plane-- take it or leave it." Others say, "You're only one seat away from the aisle." What's the answer they're looking for? Usually it's, "You have the opportunity to meet two new people." See they're looking for "people" people: extraverts who naturally reach out for others and look to make connections.And here you are, job-seeker, sitting in the middle seat between two people who just possibly might have a connection to your future career. This could be your "butterfly effect" moment: the unplanned encounter with someone who could help you.But in this hyper-connec...

The Accreditation Mark (NHS Evidence)

Clinical Governance Sitewide RSS Feed — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 08:02:23 +0100

The Accreditation Mark is a registered trademark of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. It is a graphic device (tear drop) that will appear next to titles within search results on the NHS Evidence portal to denote those informatio... (Source: Clinical Governance Sitewide RSS Feed)

Finding Her Voice, in Radio

Psychology Today Work Center — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:32:18 +0100

I recently wrote about the myth of overnight success, and that switching careers often requires years of work to catch up on skill and salary level. This idea rings true for Shelley Irwin, a former physical therapist who went back to school at age 38 to pursue a career in radio. More than a decade later, she's an award-wining radio host at WGVU in Grand Rapids. She loves her job, but says the climb wasn't without sacrifice, from early morning wakeup calls to a steep pay cut to little room for relationships. We spoke over the phone a few weeks ago.How did you wind up in physical therapy as your first career? I wanted to be a successful career person, so to speak, so I chose a career in physical therapy. My parents were very focused on academia, and I didn't have a role model who said, oh th...

“Midwives Are Nice, But . . .”: Perceptions of Midwifery and Childbirth in an Undergraduate Class

Journal of midwifery & women's health — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:45:30 +0100

Discussion: To promote midwifery among this population, advocates should continue public education efforts through a variety of media and communication strategies, with an emphasis on the safety of midwifery care. (Source: Journal of midwifery & women's health)

Head of German NICE was sacrificed to satisfy drug industry, says German health expert

BMJ Online First — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:28:23 +0100

(Source: BMJ Online First)

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Trial by ice – what it takes to be an Arctic explorer

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:00:02 +0100

The Catlin Arctic Survey team is off to the north pole. They face exhaustion, numbing cold – and hungry polar bears• Catlin Arctic team brave polar bears to monitor acid oceansSix am on a sub-zero morning in Devon. A five-mile run in the dark, ending in a couple of hill sprints. Breakfast. Circuit training in the barn; beyond any pain threshold to physical exhaustion. Lunch. Ninety minutes dragging weighted tyres up and down a 1:6 hill. The only upside is that the mud has frozen over. It's mindless, repetitive, punishing effort, not improved by an ex-marine shouting in your ear. Tea. A three-mile run, followed by more circuits. Die.One day of this – well, most of it. OK then, half, and I'm shattered. For Ann Daniels, Martin Hartley and Charlie Paton, the three members of the second ...

New drugs for old: disinvestment and NICE

BMJ Online First — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:05:31 +0100

(Source: BMJ Online First)

CPPE launches new Patient-centred care open learning programme

NeLM - News — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: PSNC (Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee) Area: News The Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) has announced the launch of 'Patient-centred care', a new open learning programme designed for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and other healthcare professionals. On completion of the programme, users should be able to understand the concept of patient-centred care and the skills needed to provide it, as well as incorporate patient-centred care into their everyday practice, help patients get the best from their medicines, and implement NICE guidance on medicines adherence. This programme can be ordered from CPPE in booklet form or downloaded from the CPPE website at the link below. (Source: NeLM - News)

Preparation of Azobenzenealkanethiols for Self-Assembled Monolayers with Photoswitchable Properties

Australian Journal of Chemistry — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:00:46 +0100

Simone Krakert, Andreas Terfort - Volume 63(2) Nice and clean: a series of azobenzenealkanethiol compounds with the structure p-RC6H4N=NC6H4(CH2)nSH (n = 3, 4) was synthesized using a divergent strategy. In contrast to many predecessors, these molecules do not contain a heteroatom between the alkane chain and the azobenzene unit. However, this somewhat complicates the synthesis, but also makes the film-forming properties of this class of molecules much more predictable. (Source: Australian Journal of Chemistry)

Rheumatoid arthritis drug approved by NICE

Nursing Times Breaking News — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:14:00 +0100

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis will have access to a new treatment for free after NICE approved its use on the NHS. (Source: Nursing Times Breaking News)

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New NICE Guidance On School-based Methods To Prevent Children And Young People Smoking

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 07:00:00 +0100

Public health guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published today (Wednesday 24 February) focuses specifically on school-based methods to prevent children and young people from starting to smoke. One in two long-term smokers will die prematurely as a result of smoking, and half of these deaths will be in middle age. Research shows that children who start smoking before the age of 16 find it harder to quit and are twice as likely to continue to smoke as those who begin later in life - and are more likely to be heavier smokers... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

New NICE Guidance On School-based Methods To Prevent Children And Young People Smoking

Pediatrics News From Medical News Today — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 07:00:00 +0100

New NICE Guidance Set To Help People With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Final guidance published today (Wednesday 24 February 2010) by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) means that another drug - certolizumab pegol (Cimzia) - can be considered for some people in England and Wales suffering with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease in which joints in the body become inflamed, causing pain, swelling and stiffness. It often affects the small joints of the hands and the feet, and usually both sides equally and symmetrically... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

New NICE Guidance Set To Help People With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis News From Medical News Today — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

NICE Instructs NHS On New Drug For Advanced Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

New guidance published today (24 February) by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) will give a specific group of cancer patients access to a new drug on the NHS which could help extend their lives. The guidance recommends trabectedin (Yondelis) for the treatment of certain patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma. The NHS will now have three months to being implementing this new guidance. This recommendation was made possible after the drug manufacturer, PharmaMar, agreed to meet the costs of the drug for any treatment needed beyond the fifth cycle of treatment... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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NICE Instructs NHS On New Drug For Advanced Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Cancer / Oncology News From Medical News Today — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

New NICE Guideline Aims To Promote Consistent Safety Standards For Donor Breast Milk

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:00:00 +0100

New guidance published today (24 February) by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) aims to reinforce the safety of donor breast milk by making recommendations to maintain high standards of practice in specialist milk banks in the UK. New mothers can choose to donate their breast milk to a dedicated milk bank. It can then be used by hospitals that request it... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

New NICE Guideline Aims To Promote Consistent Safety Standards For Donor Breast Milk

Pregnancy News From Medical News Today — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:00:00 +0100

NICE focuses on smoking prevention in schools

OnMedica Latest News — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Schools urged to start young to keep children away from smokingRelated items from OnMedicaSwine flu cases fall but jabs must continueWeight-loss surgery doubles in two yearsLow IQ second strongest predictor of heart diseaseMarmot offers vision to cut health inequalityThird of schools offer sex education clinics (Source: OnMedica Latest News)

Prediction of lambda(max) of 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives using ant colony optimization.

Analytica Chimica Acta — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:34:51 +0100

Authors: Atabati M, Zarei K, Mohsennia M Ant colony optimization (ACO) is a meta-heuristic algorithm, which is derived from the observation of real ants. In this paper, ACO algorithm is proposed to feature selection in quantitative structure property relationship (QSPR) modeling and to predict lambda(max) of 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives. Feature selection is the most important step in classification and regression systems. The performance of the proposed algorithm (ACO) is compared with that of a stepwise regression, genetic algorithm and simulated annealing methods. The average absolute relative deviation in this QSPR study using ACO, stepwise regression, genetic algorithm and simulated annealing using multiple linear regression method for calibration and prediction sets were 5.0%, ...

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NICE public health guidance

Journal of Public Health — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:32:40 +0100

(Source: Journal of Public Health)

Promoting the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of looked after children and young people (PM session)

MEDEV Events — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:15:47 +0100

Donor breast milk bank guidance issued

Nursing Times Breaking News — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:05:00 +0100

NICE has published new guidance for the country’s 17 main donor breast milk banks to ensure best practice. (Source: Nursing Times Breaking News)

NICE recommends certolizumab pegol for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

NeLM - Guidelines — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: Evidence > Guidelines NICE has published a technology appraisal (TA 186) recommending the use of certolizumab pegol as a possible treatment for people with rheumatoid arthritis who: . have already tried methotrexate and another disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD), usually for at least 6 months, and . have severe 'active' rheumatoid arthritis, as assessed by a rheumatologist on two separate occasions. People who are treated with certolizumab pegol should normally also be given methotrexate. However, if methotrexate is not tolerated, they may be given certolizumab pegol monotherapy. According to the guidance, the manufacturer will provide the first 12 weeks of certolizumab pegol (10 pre-loaded 200-mg syringes) free of charge to ...

NICE recommends trabectedin for the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcoma

NeLM - Guidelines — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: Evidence > Guidelines NICE has published a technology appraisal (TA 185) recommending the use of trabectedin as a possible treatment for people with advanced soft tissue sarcoma if: . treatment with anthracyclines and ifosfamide has failed, or . they cannot tolerate anthracyclines and ifosfamide, or . anthracyclines and ifosfamide are unsuitable. The manufacturer of trabectedin has agreed to a 'patient access scheme', which means that it will meet the acquisition cost of trabectedin for treatment needed after the fifth cycle. (Source: NeLM - Guidelines)

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NICE costing statement on certolizumab pegol for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

NeLM - News — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: News A costing statement accompanying the NICE guidance on certolizumab pegol for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (TA 186) notes that it is unlikely to result in a significant change in resource use in the NHS because there is no anticipated increase in eligible patients and certolizumab pegol is one of several comparatively priced TNF inhibitors. The manufacturer has agreed a patient access scheme (PAS) under which people receive the first 12 weeks of therapy of certolizumab pegol free of charge; allowing for the PAS, the first year cost is an estimated £6792.50. This gives a potential saving of £2502.50 per patient in the first year compared with etanercept and adalimumab. Because of the PAS, the NHS will not pay for the treatment of pati...

NICE costing statement on trabectedin for the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcoma

NeLM - News — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NICE Area: News A costing statement accompanying the NICE guidance on trabectedin for the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcoma (TA185) notes that as only a small number of patients are affected, the cost for individual health economies will be small. The annual incidence of advanced soft tissue sarcoma in England has been estimated at 550 cases. It is reported that 79%of patients presenting with advanced soft tissue sarcoma receive chemotherapy as a first-line treatment (around 435 people a year). Of this group, a reported 46% go on to receive second-line chemotherapy therefore about 200 people will be eligible to receive trabectedin as second-line treatment. Estimated costs over a five year period, assuming a staggered uptake and a mean of 7 cycles per ...

Time for a Digital Divorce?

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:44:44 +0100

How do we lessen our dependence on all things digital? Do we need to stop in our tracks and divorce ourselves from our beloved machines? Maybe a trial separation would do, or just separate vacations. Let's face it, we're becoming highly dependent on our computers, smart phones and e-mail messages. This dependence leads to obsessive behavior and even addiction. One man told me that his wife's computer is "the other man in the house."It's not just in the home. The average office worker sends and receives two hundred e-mails per day and spends almost 50 percent of his or her time dealing with these messages. And these messages aren't necessarily good ones. A study of 2,000 workers reveals a loss of 20 percent of production, and much of that while surfing the Internet.Personal e-mails reward u...

IVF fertility issues discussed

NHS News Feed — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:13:00 +0100

“An extreme form of IVF that forces individual sperm into eggs is being overused and may pass on infertility to the next generation,” The Daily Telegraph reported. It said ICSI treatment, used in cases where there is poor quality or low numbers of sperm, is being used too widely despite these risks. Several other newspapers reported this story, based on a presentation at this year’s conference for the Advancing Science Serving Society (AAAS). What is ICSI? In 1992 a new technique was developed called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where a single sperm is injected directly into an extracted egg cell. This can be used to help men with fertility problems, such as having a low sperm count, less motile sperm, or sperm that has difficulty fertilising the mother’s egg. This...

Take Your Time in Love and Sex: For Better Flirtation, Seduction and Pleasurable Sex

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:46:52 +0100

Earlier this week I was dining at a favorite restaurant when, from its speakers, I heard the unmistakable voice of Frank Sinatra singing Nice 'n Easy. Though I’ve long been drawn to many a Sinatra song, somehow this tune had previously escaped my notice – or maybe if I had heard it earlier, I wasn’t ready to quite get the message. The message, of course, is that there is something lovely about taking one’s time while falling in love – or, as the song says, to “make all the stops along the way.”I used to feel a certain excitement in rushing love and romance. I liked the passion and the pace. I thought once two people find each other and they both feel the “click”, why not just go with that? Why wait?And then I met a man who took his time. I had already been working as a se...

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CKS topic: Depression

NeLM - Mental Health — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) Area: Evidence > Guidelines This CKS topic covers the assessment and management of adults with depression in primary care. This review is based on guidelines published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) - Depression: the treatment and management of depression in adults (CG90) and Depression in adults with a chronic physical health problem (CG91). (Source: NeLM - Mental Health)

Promoting the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of looked after children and young people (AM session)

MEDEV Events — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:05:00 +0100

Nonprofits win with gift annuities

bizjournals.com Health Care:Health Insurance headlines — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

A little noticed 2002 change in Washington state law represents a major opportunity for nonprofit organizations to receive major gifts — and in the process provide their donors with a very nice set of benefits. (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Health Insurance headlines)

How to use NICE guidance to improve commissioning

HSJ — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Helpful guidance now explains how to make the best use of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations. In the first in a three part series Jennifer Taylor looks at how it is helping to improve commissioning (Source: HSJ)