Blood testing Hepatitis is diagnosed by blood tests

Medical experts are calling for global action to tackle the viruses that cause the liver disease hepatitis.

The first worldwide estimates in drug users show 10 million have hepatitis C while 1.3 million have hepatitis B.

Writing in the Lancet, experts say only a fraction of those who could benefit are receiving antiviral drugs.

Only one in five infants around the world are vaccinated against hepatitis B at birth, they say.

Read More

Special formula could 'prevent Type 1 Diabetes in Children'

Children at high risk of developing type 1 diabetes could avoid the disease by steering clear of cow's milk, a study suggests.

Type 1 diabetes typically strikes in childhood and requires a lifetime of careful management, including regular insulin injections. It affects over 100,000 adults and children in the UK.

Read More

Nerve, Cell Regeneration Occurred in Nine of 10 Patients

Corneas made in the lab using genetically engineered human collagen could restore sight to millions of visually impaired people waiting for transplants from human donors, researchers say.

In a newly released study, investigators from Canada and Sweden reported results from the first 10 people in the world treated with the biosynthetic corneas.

Read More

JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia’s pharmaceutical market (worth $3.5 billion as per industry sources), especially that of generic drugs, continues to grow rapidly due to a number of demographic and regulatory factors, Al Rajhi Capital said Saturday on its report on Astra Industrial Group (with investments in pharmaceuticals, chemicals and steel, caters to the growing economies in the MENA region).

The report said demand for generic drugs is being boosted by higher prevalence of non-communicable or lifestyle-related diseases like obesity, hypertension and diabetes in the Kingdom.

The health care sector in the Kingdom is poised to witness increased private sector participation as the Saudi government shifts its focus from being a service provider to a regulator, which will pave the way for a rise in over-the-counter (OTC) drug consumption in the coming years, the report added.

Read More

RIYADH: Three adults and four children have tested positive for swine flu, bringing the total H1N1 tally in the Kingdom to 29, the Health Ministry said yesterday.

There have been no reported deaths in Saudi Arabia linked to swine flu. All of the new cases are persons who were in close contact with people already determined to have swine flu.

A 32-year-old Saudi man and a 29-year-old Lebanese woman were admitted to Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital following their close association with H1N1 patients already in the hospital.

Read More

What the experts have to say about the use of marijuana for treating fibromyalgia.

Read More

Being physically active should be part of depression treatment, experts say.

Read More

Migraines With Visual Aura May Be More Common in Young Women Who Have Strokes

Read More

In Women Over 30, HPV Testing Finds More Precancers, Study Shows

A test that looks for the virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer may be the best way to screen women over age 30 for the disease, a new study shows.

The study followed 45,000 women ages 29 to 56 in the Netherlands who were split into two groups. The first group got a traditional Pap test to look for cervical cancer. The second group got a Pap test along with a newer test for human papillomavirus (HPV). Studies have shown that HPV causes more than 90% of all cervical cancers.

Read More

Common Drugs May Help Some People Limit Repeat Surgeries

New research may help hip and knee replacements last longer in patients who take commonly prescribed bone-loss drugs.

Joint replacement surgeries help millions live with less pain, but many people who have them eventually need repeat procedures when the implants loosen over time.

Now a new study suggests that commonly prescribed osteoporosis drugs may extend the life of replacement joints, but researchers say it is not yet clear which patients will benefit most from the treatment.

The study examined outcomes among patients in the U.K. who took oral osteoporosis drugs in the class known as bisphosphonates, such as Actonel, Atelvia, Boniva, and Fosamax.

 

Read More