Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found evidence that a unique type of immune cell contributes to multiple sclerosis (MS). Their discovery helps define the effects of one of the newest drugs under investigation for treating MS — daclizumab — and could lead to a new class of drugs for treating MS and other autoimmune disorders.
Link Between Blood Type and Heart Disease Risk Questionable
A new study published in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology found that people with blood type A, B, or AB — 66% of the American population — had a higher risk for coronary heart disease compared to those with blood type O [1].
Study Finds Few Baby Boomers Receiving, Few Healthcare Practices Prepared to Offer Medicare Wellness Visits
TeleVox, a high-tech engagement communications company that provides automated voice, email, text and web solutions that activate positive patient behaviors through the delivery of a human touch, recently released a study combining consumer and healthcare provider opinion entitled “Healthcare Change: The Time is Now” [1]. The report, which addresses the healthcare industry’s essential shift away from primarily treating illness to keeping people healthy, reveals that the majority of healthcare practices across the country aren’t prepared to meet the demand of the 46.6 million Medicare beneficiaries who are now eligible for wellness visits.
Are You AWARxE of Counterfeit Drug Dangers Online?
In difficult economic times, it’s tempting to look for ways to save money by purchasing expensive medications online. However, many online pharmacies are fake and their products can cause more harm than good. The AWARxE consumer protection program aims to educate and raise public awareness about rogue Internet drug outlets, counterfeit drug dangers, prescription drug misuse and abuse, and medication safety. Supported by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) Foundation, AWARxE information is developed to reach all consumers and encourages the public to rely on pharmacists for credible information on medication safety, Internet pharmacies, and counterfeit medications.
Oral Immunotherapy Shows Promise as Treatment for Egg Allergy
Giving children and adolescents with egg allergy small but increasing daily doses of egg white powder holds the possibility of developing into a way to enable some of them to eat egg-containing foods without having allergic reactions, according to a study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study results will appear online in the July 19th issue of the New England Journal of Medicine [1].