New Arthritis Drug Xeljanz Gets FDA Approval

The FDA has approved Pfizer's Xeljanz (tofacitinib), a first-of-its-kind treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.

Xeljanz is approved for use by patients not helped by methotrexate, the usual first treatment for RA. It's a pill taken twice a day.

Xeljanz is a type of drug called a Janus kinase or JAK inhibitor. Blocking JAK mutes the inflammation responses responsible for RA.

"Xeljanz provides a new treatment option for adults suffering from the debilitating disease of RA who have had a poor response to methotrexate," says Badrul Chowdhury, MD, PhD, the FDA's head of pulmonary, allergy, and rheumatology products.

Eczema: Tips for Soothing Your Skin

When to See Your Doctor

Pill to Help Qat Addicts Kick Habit

JEDDAH: Jazan University said yesterday that it was developing a tablet in cooperation with the University of California and International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) to help people get rid of the habit of chewing qat.

"We have presented a paper at ISAM's annual conference in Geneva on how to quit the use of qat based on a research conducted on 50 people," said Rashad Al-Sanousi, director of narcotics research center at the university.

"The paper covered the reasons for some people to quit the use of taking qat and its effect on them and their families," he said.

Stem Cell Research Facility Considered for Kingdom

American cardiologist and researcher Dr. Yerem Yeghiazarians is currently on a visit to the Kingdom to gauge interest in the establishment of a stem-cell research facility here. Leading Saudi businessmen Hamad and Khalid Al-Zamil are interested in advancing the research initiative and invited Yeghiazarians to meet business leaders, arranged lectures and toured him around various hospitals to garner support for his pioneering project.

Dr. Yeghiazarians believes stem cell treatment may be the only hope for thousands of people worldwide who suffer from heart problems. Dr. Yeghiazarians speaks to Arab News journalist Siraj Wahab on the latest developments in the field.

Dr. Yeghiazarians, welcome to Saudi Arabia. Is this your first visit? Please tell us more about yourself and your medical background.

King Sets Aside Land for New Health Facilities

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has allocated 4.5 million sq. meters of land for expansion of health facilities in Taif and Jeddah, Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah announced here yesterday.

According to royal directives, the land, adjacent to the King Faisal Hospital in Taif, has been allocated to build a medical tower which would house a maternity and children's hospital. Under the program, 4 million sq. meters shall be demarcated near Taif University for the construction of a general hospital, mental hospital and a rehabilitation hospital.

Under the royal directives, 116,000 sq meters adjacent to the hospital in the north of Jeddah will be acquired for the construction of a maternity hospital and a 400-bed children's hospital.

Nestle USA has Recalled Some of its Nesquik...

Nestle USA has Recalled Some of its Nesquik Chocolate Powder, which may be Contaminated with Salmonella Bacteria.

No illnesses have been reported so far. Nesquik contains calcium carbonate made by Omya Inc. Omya has recalled the calcium carbonate "due to possible presence of Salmonella," according to an FDA news release.

Nestle has limited the Nesquik recall to these specific products:

Madinah Rehab Center Toll 8

A handicapped man in a Madinah rehabilitation center died Tuesday, bringing the total number of inmates who died at the center in a year to eight. This was confirmed by Ibrahim Al-Haliyu, director of the center.

Al-Haliyu refused to give details saying he was not authorized to talk to the media. "You can receive complete information on the incident from the Ministry of Social Affairs," Okaz Arabic daily quoted Al-Haliyu as saying.

Al-Faisal University Team Tops Global...

Al-Faisal University Team Tops Global Medical Research Contest

RIYADH: A group of medical students from Al-Faisal University in Riyadh, received first place in a global contest for medical research and studies, entitled the Cureus Medical Competition, for the year 2012.

The study presented by the Al-Faisal students, titled "Improving breastfeeding in Saudi Arabia", was chosen as the best medical research case, from among 500 competing case studies, presented by the most reputable medical colleges in the world.

Exercise Can Help Knee Pain if You Stick With It

Arthritis Patients Who Exercised Regularly Had the Best Results

Balloon that Fools your Body's Calorie Counter...

Balloon that Fools your Body's Calorie Counter could Help Combat Obesity

A chain of balloons inserted into the gut could help people lose weight.

The device sits in the duodenum (or small intestine) and tricks the brain into thinking the body has consumed more calories than it actually has.

It can be inserted in just five minutes without the need for surgery.

Although balloons are already used in weight-loss surgery to boost feelings of fullness, the new device, called the SatiSphere, is more effective at suppressing appetite, say the manufacturers.

This is because the duodenum is responsible for measuring how much food the body has eaten — and how much more it needs.

Early results show that people fitted with the device lost 12 per cent of their body weight in only three months.