Daily Health and Medicine News

Diabetes Prevention Today

State effort targets diabetes

Insurers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aren’t willing to wait for Georgians to get a diabetes diagnosis before they change their lifestyles.

A leading cause of kidney failure and heart disease, diabetes costs the U.S. more than $170 billion annually, according to the CDC. Insurers across the country are experimenting with ways to prevent the chronic disease in those most at risk — hoping to curb the ballooning cost of care.

In Georgia, insurance giant UnitedHealth Group is partnering with the YMCA, the CDC and local pharmacists — a sometimes underutilized resource — to help its members lower their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes: by eating healthy, exercising and losing weight.

It’s part of a larger effort by the CDC to lay the groundwork for a nationwide diabetes prevention system it hopes other insurers and nonprofits eventually will join. Even those not at risk of diabetes could see a benefit if the effort lowers escalating health care costs for everyone.

“Lifestyle changes — even those that are modest — can make a dent,” said Dr. Catherine Palmier, chief medical director for UnitedHealthcare’s Southeast region. “As little as 10 pounds can make a difference.”

Nationwide, 25.8 million people — 7 million of them undiagnosed — suffer from the disease, and one-third of Americans could have it by 2050, according to the CDC.

When the new health care law goes into full effect in 2014, insurers will have to cover more people with chronic illnesses, giving them more of a stake in curbing the epidemic, experts say.

Insurers such as Aetna offer diabetes management programs, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia has bumped up its diabetes prevention efforts, which include health coaches, in recent years.

The cost involved in treating diabetes is unsustainable for society and is a natural area for health care organizations to build partnerships, said Rick Elliott, CEO of UnitedHealthcare of Georgia. “We’ve got to get people to live healthier.”

The disease is especially prevalent in the Southeast; 9.7 percent of Georgians had diagnosed diabetes in 2009, CDC data show.

UnitedHealth, which has 1.4 million Georgia members, is encouraging those most at risk of developing the disease to join the 16-week YMCA program, which is free to the insurer’s members. It will pay the nonprofit and Walgreens pharmacists for members they help. Delta Air Lines already has signed on to the program, which UnitedHealth also is working on in other states.

The effort is based on a prevention program tested by the National Institutes of Health and the CDC that showed people who lost 5 to 7 percent of their body weight could prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes — which is less severe than Type 1 — by 58 percent.

Pharmacists track blood work, cholesterol and other indicators, said Amy Elkareh, a local Walgreens pharmacist. “We also talk with patients about what they’re struggling with and what areas they feel like they need help with controlling.”

UnitedHealth also is tapping Walgreens pharmacists to counsel patients who already have diabetes on how to better manage it by properly using medications, monitoring blood glucose levels and other methods.

Insurers are increasingly focused on controlling chronic illnesses in part because employers are demanding it, said Tony Holmes, a partner in global consulting firm Mercer’s Atlanta office.

A survey by the firm showed companies that put a heavy focus on health management activities, such as wellness programs, had a 2 percent lower increase in year-over-year health care costs than those that didn’t, Holmes said.

UnitedHealth, which has 75 million members worldwide, has launched its diabetes programs in 10 states so far.

The CDC hopes bringing other insurers on board will help give 15 million Americans access to diabetes prevention programs by 2020, said Dr. Ann Albright, who heads the Division of Diabetes Translation.

The agency has invested $3 million in the project to get it started, but a sustainable funding source from third parties will be key to its success, Albright said. Other insurers and health care providers can contract with UnitedHealth or develop their own programs, she said. So far, Minnesota-based insurer Medica has signed on through an agreement with UnitedHealth.

It’s a complicated problem, she said. “It’s going to take a lot of us to do this.”

DIABETES PREVENTION

A YMCA program is a key element of UnitedHealth Group’s partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Here’s how it works:

— Participants meet one hour a week for 16 weeks, followed by monthly check-ins for a year. The program trains people to eat healthier and find ways to incorporate exercise into their day, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, said Kristin McEwen, Metro Atlanta YMCA group vice president. “We run through the day, and if it’s not scheduled, we can’t find time for it.”

— The program is free to UnitedHealth members. Non-UnitedHealth members can participate at a cost of $142 for YMCA members and $299 for nonmembers with financial assistance available.

Data Showing Use Of Tethys’ PreDx(R) Diabetes Risk Score Improves Medical Management And Outcomes In Patients At High Risk For Type 2 Diabetes

Data were presented today showing that utilization of the PreDx® Diabetes Risk Score (DRS) to accurately assess a patient’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes within five years results in more aggressive treatment and follow-up for diabetes prevention among patients whose test scores indicate high risk levels, as well as statistically significant improvements in their cardiometabolic risk factors, compared to patients with lower test scores and those not tested with PreDx DRS. The strong correlation among accurate risk assessment, risk reduction and improved medical outcomes suggests that utilization of PreDx DRS contributes to more careful diabetes risk monitoring and more effective preventive and therapeutic intervention than reliance upon traditional risk assessments.

The data were presented at the Fourth International Congress on Prediabetes and the Metabolic Syndrome, held in Madrid, Spain, in a presentation titled, “A Comparative Study of the Use of the Diabetes Risk Score (DRS) in Primary Care: How Are Medical Management and Patient Outcomes Affected?” authored by S. E. Conard, et al.

PreDx Diabetes Risk Score (DRS) is a multi-marker fasting blood test that assesses markers of inflammation, fat cell function, and glucose metabolism. The DRS categorizes individuals as low, moderate, or high risk for diabetes conversion within 5 years, and has been shown to be significantly more accurate than HbA1c or fasting glucose. Medical Edge Healthcare Group in Dallas, Texas, conducted the retrospective observational study using electronic medical records in order to evaluate the impact of PreDx DRS on clinical practice and patient care in a natural primary care practice setting.

“Today we face several challenges in diabetes prevention. Use of evidence-based interventions before disease diagnosis has been traditionally low, and with 79 million Americans already considered pre-diabetic, we have too many patients to treat effectively. This study provides strong evidence that PreDx DRS is not only a powerful risk assessment tool, but also an important prevention tool, enabling physicians to more effectively direct resources to patients with the greatest need for intervention, and motivating physicians and patients to employ preventive measures,” said Mickey S. Urdea, PhD, chairman and chief executive officer of Tethys.

“Careful monitoring of risk factors is essential to patient behavioral change and effective medical management,” said Scott Conard, MD, chief medical officer of Medical Edge. “PreDx DRS captures essential information about the physiology of our patients, and provides an easy-to-understand diabetes risk score which can contribute to enhanced monitoring of diabetes risk and the use of more appropriate preventive therapy for higher-risk individuals. The evidence showing that patients with high diabetes risk scores were more aggressively treated for risk factor control strongly suggests that these patients and physicians were more engaged in reducing risk factors when this test was applied.”

About the Observational Study and Results

The Tethys sponsored study included data on 696 patients age 30 or older who received the PreDx DRS test between June and December 2010 with valid test results and no prior diagnosis of diabetes. A total of 35 physicians ordered the PreDx test for at least one patient during this period. A control un-tested group was randomly selected in a 3:1 ratio to DRS-tested patients to match gender and age distributions from those who had at least one measurement of LDL, blood pressure, and weight in the 18 months prior to the reference date, and had no record of visiting a physician known to be ordering PreDx DRS tests. Biometric, diagnosis, and prescription records of all selected patients were extracted for the 18 months prior to the reference date of October 1, 2010 and all dates afterwards (mean follow-up 4 months).

Biometric measures included blood pressure, LDL, HDL, weight, HbA1c, triglycerides, fasting glucose, and HbA1c. Per-patient means were computed for the periods before and after the reference date. Diagnoses examined were hypercholesterolemia and hypertension. Prescriptions for anti-hypertensives, lipid-lowering agents, anti-diabetic agents, and aspirin written after the reference date were compiled. Differences in intensity of care between controls, and low, moderate, and high scoring DRS patients were evaluated by subsequent risk factor monitoring rates, use of pharmacological agents, and improvement in risk-factor control. P-values were computed using a two-tailed chi-square test.

Results showed:

– Patients who received the PreDx DRS test were more likely to have follow-up monitoring of biometric risk factors by a physician relative to similar patients who did not receive the test, including measurements of lipid and glucose control (p<0.001).

– Patients with high PreDx DRS diabetes risk scores were more aggressively treated for risk factor control than those with lower PreDx scores or no test, including use of aspirin, antihypertensive agents, lipid lowering therapies and other agents (p<0.01)

– There was significant improvement of risk-factors in patients who received the PreDx test, including weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol measures (p<0.001).

About Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a major public health epidemic. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes affects nearly 26 million people in the United States or 8.3% of the population. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of mortality in the US, a major cause of heart disease and stroke, and the leading cause of kidney failure, nontraumatic lower-limb amputations and new cases of blindness among adults in the US. The direct and indirect costs of diabetes in the U.S. exceeded $174 billion in 2007, including $58 billion in indirect costs (disability, work loss, premature mortality). Medical expenditures for people with diabetes are more than two times higher than for people without diabetes. Worldwide, in 2000, diabetes affected an estimated 171 million people and this figure is projected to rise to 366 million by 2030, propelled by increases in age, obesity, and urbanization of the world’s population.

In 2005-2008, based on fasting glucose or A1c levels, 35% of US adults aged 20 years or older had prediabetes (50% of those aged 65 years or older), In 2010, it is estimated that 79 million Americans aged 20 years or older had prediabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), a large prevention study of people at high risk for diabetes, showed that lifestyle intervention to lose weight and increase physical activity reduced the development of type 2 diabetes by 58% during a 3-year period. The reduction was even greater, 71%, among adults aged 60 years or older.

About PreDx® Diabetes Risk Score

The PreDx Diabetes Risk Score (DRS) provides enhanced risk stratification through the measurement of multiple biomarkers linked to pathways of diabetes progression. PreDx DRS was developed using a unique approach to quantifying biomarkers suspected of playing roles in diabetes development. Tethys methodology enabled evaluation of many biomarkers utilizing very small amounts of blood from select and well-characterized large study cohorts with known diabetes outcomes. The company then determined the combination of these biomarkers with an algorithm that best identified an individual’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes within five years. PreDx DRS has been validated by the Tethys Clinical Laboratory (TCL) in several large populations. The test uses standard immunoassay and clinical chemistry formats, sample collection and shipment methods. Currently performed exclusively by the CLIA-certified TCL, the test generates a Diabetes Risk Score between 1 and 10 that corresponds to an absolute percentage risk of developing disease within five years.

Tethys Snags U.S. Air Force Support for Big Diabetes Prevention Study

Tethys Bioscience is making a big bet as a company that it can help prevent people from getting diabetes. Now it has got some critical support to help it prove that idea.

Emeryville, CA-based Tethys is announcing today it has secured a partnership with the U.S. Air Force to see if the company’s PreDx test can help people avoid getting full-blown diabetes that can lead to a range of complications like blindness, heart attacks, and limb amputations. Air Force physicians, led by Lt. Col. Mark True, plan to enroll 600 pre-diabetic patients at six domestic Air Force bases. Half of the patients will get information on their diabetes risk at the beginning of a 12-week study, while the other half won’t. Researchers want to see whether this trial supports the idea that the Tethys test essentially scares patients into really changing their behavior, and improving their diet and exercise habits as a way of staving off diabetes.

The company isn’t disclosing the budget for the study, and isn’t saying when it expects to have results—although the study will require patients be followed for six months. It’s safe to say, though, that if this confirms some of the anecdotal reports that suggest Tethys is helping motivate some patients, then the findings could be a powerful new tool for Tethys, as it seeks to convince insurers that the test’s list price of $585 is justified.

Tethys has had some success already in the marketplace, based on data that says its test can identify who among the nation’s 79 million “pre-diabetics” who are likely to worsen over five years, and join the much riskier group of 25 million people with diabetes. Anything to reduce the number of diabetics could have huge implications for the U.S. health system. The total cost of diabetes in the U.S. is estimated at about $3.4 trillion in the 10 years through 2020, according to UnitedHealth, the nation’s largest health insurer.

Tethys, as I described in a feature earlier this month, has already had some success in its early days, selling about 27,000 of its tests in its first year and a half on the market. Last week, the company said it has sold 35,000 tests, meaning it sold about 8,000 tests in the first two and a half months of this year. We’ll see how big that number can go if Tethys can present hard evidence to insurers that its test changes behavior and can prevent a chronic, expensive ailment like diabetes.

Health Care Systems Today

Americans Like Their Health Care, But Think The System Stinks

If America has the best health care system in the world, as some people like to say, then the setups in other countries must really be crummy.

How come? Well, check out the disheartening results of a poll just out from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. Fifty-five percent of adults surveyed gave the U.S. health care system a C or D, when asked to assign it a grade. Eleven percent gave it an F.

Can we send the health system to its room until it gets those grades up?

Familiarity trumps data when it comes to picking a hospital, the poll finds. Most people — 57 percent — would chose a hospital they or someone they know has had experience with over a hospital that does well on quality measures — 38 percent.

Indeed, when it comes to health care, people’s views are a little more charitable when the questions focus on their personal experience instead of the abstract. When asked about the quality of care they’ve actually received, nearly a third — 31 percent — of people give it an A. Thirty-four percent say it’s a B. Only 13 percent grade it D or F.

When it comes to some things, such as picking a surgeon, data seem to count for a little bit more. People were pretty much evenly divided on whether the experience of family or friends would be decisive (48 percent were in that camp) and about an equal proportion (47 percent) leaned toward quality ratings.
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Data-driven decision making for surgery, at least, seems to be gaining steam. In 2000, the same question got 50 percent in the family-and-friends column and 38 percent in the quality-ratings column.

The results were presented at a meeting of the American Hospital Association. In a statement, Robert Blendon, professor of Health Policy and Political Analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health, said:
The pace of change in having consumers use independent expert ratings when they choose a hospital has been slower than anticipated. More can be done to encourage this.

Blendon’s group conducted the poll, which included responses from 1,034 people and has a margin of error of +/- 3.7 percentage points.

Health Care Reality Check

PART ONE

Satire

It’s Tuesday, April 12th.

After a leaked draft put Conservatives on the defensive about questionable infrastructure projects, the Auditor General is urging Canadians to wait for her office’s final report on G8 and G20 summit costs.

Currently, turns out they got the Fake Lake for half the cost of an actual lake.

This is The Current.

Health Care Reality Check – David Dodge

We started this segment with a clip of three Canadians talking about their stuggles with illness. Going into this election, more Canadians picked health care as their top political concern over any other issue. Given that, you might think health care would be a key election issue. But as the federal leaders hunker down in preparation for tonight’s English-language debate, health care seems to have been largely side-lined.

This morning, we focused on the problems and hopefully some solutions on health care. We began with the pessimistic perspective of former Bank of Canada Governor, David Dodge. In a new report for the CD Howe Institute, he argues our current health care system is unsustainable and that governments will have to make difficult choices to fix it. David Dodge was in Phoenix, Arizona this morning.

Health Care Reality Check – Michael Rachlis/Diana Gibson

Not everyone agrees with David Dodge’s assessment. Michael Rachlis is a health policy analyst and an associate professor at the University of Toronto. And Diana Gibson researches health care policy and she’s the Research Director at the Parkland Institute at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.

Tenet Healthcare Files a Lawsuit against Community Health Systems

Tenet Healthcare, which is struggling against a takeover bid by Community Health Systems, has filed a lawsuit saying that the rival hospital chain overbilled Medicare by almost $1 billion over three years.

Though Franklin-based Community Health is pretty determined to stick to its stance of buying Tenet but this lawsuit by Tenet has caused the stocks of both the companies dip down, further affecting the chares of other hospitals.

Referring to Tenet’s claim as a baseless attempt to distract shareholders, CHS officials said that it had become quite clear that Tenet had adopted a scorched earth defense without giving any thought about the best interests of shareholders.

Tenet has made serious allegations saying that CHS has always been trying to convert emergency room visitors into admitted patients in order to squeeze more money out of the Medicare whereas there was a possibility of keeping all those patients in a less expensive setup.

Sheryl Skolnick, an analyst with CRT Capital in Stamford, Conn., said, “Community Health needs to lift up the curtains and show Wall Street, investors and others how it is able to have observation rates (of patients) much lower than the industry average”.

Pardee Hospital & UNC Health Care System Discuss Possible Collaboration

Pardee Hospital has entered into an agreement to explore a possible relationship with University of North Carolina Health Care System (UNC HCS). UNC HCS is a not-for-profit, integrated health care system located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Along with Pardee Hospital, UNC HCS has been recognized nationally for patient centered care that focuses on providing safe, cost-effective, and quality healthcare services.

Current discussions between the Pardee Hospital Board of Directors and UNC HCS are focused on a collaboration that would provide opportunities to enhance Pardee’s current clinical services and develop additional services that meet the needs of the people in Henderson County.š As well, there may be cost savings that are developed across both organizations. The structure of this relationship is yet to be determined, but the sale of Pardee Hospital is not a consideration.

“The Henderson County Board of Commissioners initiated these discussions with UNC HCSš in concert with the Pardee Board. We are pleased that the Pardee Board is acting on our joint discussions to explore an enhanced relationship with UNC Health Care.š The entire Board of Commissioners is very excited about both the short-term and long-term possibilities this potential partnership brings to the citizens of our county,” stated Michael Edney, Chairman, Henderson County Board of Commissioners.

William Lapsley, Pardee Hospital Board Chair commented, “It’s the Board’s desire to support our growing population and their need for quality healthcare services. These discussions explore that initiative. Our mission, as a locally owned, locally governed hospital is to look forward to meet the healthcare needs of the residents who utilize Pardee Hospital.” Lapsley continued, “The residents of Henderson County who have supported Pardee Hospital for the last 57 years have seen the hospital’s growth in services that are important to the people of Henderson County.š We want to continue those quality services in partnership with physicians and area providers. We will keep all our stakeholders updated on a periodic basis of the discussions with UNC Health Care.”

An affiliation between Pardee Hospital and UNC HCS may improve access and delivery of medical services in Henderson County and enhance medical education programs currently in place in Western North Carolina.

Pardee Hospital is the only hospital owned by the residents of Henderson County. Founded in 1953, it is a not-for-profit hospital licensed for 222 acute care beds and is the second largest employer in Henderson County. The hospital has several locations separate from the main campus, including an adult day services center, a health education center in the Blue Ridge Mall, home care services, a rehab and wellness center, various physician practices, and an urgent care facility.

Mental Health News

Governor expects state to take over costs of mental health services

Governor Branstad expects that over the next four years, the State of Iowa will gradually take over the delivery of mental health services in Iowa — and pay most of the bills, too.

Branstad’s Department of Human Services director has been meeting with legislators of both parties since January to devise a new system that would replace the current hodge-podge of services for Iowa’s intellectually disabled and mentally ill citizens.

“It may well cost some more money, but I think the focus ought to really be on providing the best services, making sure they’re accessible everywhere in Iowa, that we have a uniform system that also provides assistance and treatment for people as close to home as possible.”

Iowa’s 99 counties currently manage and pay for much of the mental health care that’s available in Iowa. Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds says one of the problems, however, is that rural Iowans who’re suffering from a mental illness don’t have help nearby.

“Essential services exist only in a few counties,” Reynolds says.

Governor Branstad envisions expanding “telemedicine” services, so rural Iowans could talk with a psychiatrist via video conference. Branstad also expects to provide new state incentives to psychiatrists. “We have a shortage of psychiatrists in the state of Iowa,” Branstad says.

“We need to do more in terms of having more residencies and more opportunity to get that training in the state so they’re more likely to stay here.” A southeast Iowa deputy sheriff was shot last week by a man who had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, an incident that has been cited by some legislators as an example of why it’s time to address the disparties in the state’s mental health care system. Branstad says there’s no “easy, simple” answer.

“This is an issue that needs to be handled in a very thoughtful way and I think we need to recognize even with the reforms and changes we’re talking about, there’s no assurance that’s going to prevent some tragic incidents like these from happening in the future,” Branstad says.

“But we certainly need to do all we can and we need to make sure the public is also aware of mental health issues and that we’re able to reach out and help people that have problems so we can prevent tragedies as much as possible.” The top Republican in the legislature describes the state’s current mental health care system as a “patchwork quilt” that lacks uniformity.

The top Democrat in the legislature says helping ensure Iowans have access to mental health services “at the local level” is key.

On another topic, the governor says he’s had “several discussions” about a bill which would allow utilities to begin collecting money from customers to finance a possible nuclear power facility in the state. Governor Terry Branstad says he’s confident state regulators would have the ability to monitor the situation and protect rate-payers.

“I think there’s a critical need for us to look at how we can, in the future, meet the additional energy needs of the state of Iowa,” Branstad says. “And I think we should be open to considering things like clean coal and nuclear as well as natural gas and wind, and the other sources that we have.”

Critics say utility customers might see double-digit increases in their bills as MidAmerican examines the possibility of building a new nuclear power facility in Iowa, with no guarantee the facility would eventually be built. Branstad says the bill legislators draft should ensure the Iowa Utility Board has the direct “responsibility to regulate” the rate increases associated with a new nuclear power plant.

“Remember, this is a long, involved process. As I understand it, it would be eight or nine years (before the facility is built),” Branstad says. “But we do need to think ahead and as we work to revitalize the economy and bring more business and jobs here, we want to make sure that we have affordable…power available for our citizens and we want to do it in a way that also is environmentally safe as well.”

A.A.R.P. held a news conference this morning to denounce the bill pending in the legislature, saying it fails to protect utility customers from astronomical increases in their power bills.

Move for smaller veterans mental health clinic

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is taking steps to create an out-patient mental health clinic in Fort Wayne, with a budget request for $2.85 million in the coming federal fiscal year and a projected opening in March 2015.

It’s greatly scaled back from a now-scrapped 2009 plan for a $60 million, 200,000-square-foot veterans health facility in Fort Wayne.

The new plan calls for a 27,000-square-foot facility.

An aide to Republican U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana said that the congressman and his staff have been talking about the project with officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Stutzman chief of staff Tim Harris told The Journal Sentinel that the project is “in the early stages.”

The 2012 budget request includes $1.49 million for design and construction costs and $1.36 million for annual rent.

“It’s our understanding it’s a very positive step that it is where it is,” said Harris. “That doesn’t mean it’s a done deal.

“Where it is, we understand, is a good sign. What this says is the Fort Wayne facility has moved up on the priority list.”

At a hearing last Tuesday of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Stutzman asked department officials where the project stood.

“It is our experience that on sizable projects such as that, it’s typically better to construct new in order to get the functionality and capabilities and meet energy requirements,” said Robert Neary, acting director of the department’s Office of Construction and Facilities Management. “If there were a facility available in the area, we would look at it.”

Neary said that after the project is authorized, the department must search for and identify a site, obtain a purchase option and award a development contract for the clinic to be built and leased back to the VA for 20 years.

The Department of Veterans Affairs said in its 2012 budget proposal that it expects an increasing demand for mental health services even as the number of war veterans in the region declines.

4000 candles lit for mental health action

FOUR thousand candles on the lawns of Canberra’s Parliament House spell out a message to the federal government: “Fund hope for mental health”.

In the lead-up to the budget, campaigners are ramping up their plea for the government to make a real difference to the 4.4 million Australians with a mental illness.

And it appears the government is listening.

Mental Health Minister Mark Butler, who helped light one of the 4000 tea lights today, said the government was aware of a growing demand for action.

“There is no doubt that over the last year that sense of uneasiness has gotten a shift and a focus that it didn’t have before,” he told the small crowd.

“Their expectation (is that) their nation needs to do better on mental health.”

Mental health rated as the third most important issue among 1000 Australians interviewed for a survey, behind climate change and the economy, he said.

Labor has vowed to make mental health a priority in its second term of office.

Mental health advocates Ian Hickie and Patrick McGorry, the 2010 Australian of the Year, said Australians should expect a big investment from the government come the May 10 budget.

“There’s absolutely no excuse for not moving on this issue despite all the other atmospherics that are around at the moment,” Professor McGorry said.

But it can’t be expected to go it alone, with Prof McGorry urging the states to do their bit.

The 4000 candles each contained a dedication made by a member of lobby group GetUp!, in tribute to someone affected by a mental disorder.

Mr Butler was also handed a petition signed by 104,052 Australians urging the government to act.

Richmond to Begin Mental Health Court

The Richmond City Jail currently holds more than 1400 inmates. The jail was built to hold half that amount. Richmond Sheriff, C.T. Woody says overcrowding has been a problem for years and one way to fix it, is by getting rid of people who don’t belong there, like the mentally ill.

“The jail isn’t a place for them. They should be in a mental health facility. We can only give standard care. Standard care is not enough for those who are mentally ill,” says Woody.

Nearly twenty percent of those incarcerated at the City Jail are dealing with some form of mental illness and Sheriff Woody says because his staff can’t properly treat those inmates, it makes their job more dangerous.

Those defendants who are mentally ill will have a chance to get evaluated and then, a Richmond judge will have the option of recommending that person be placed under supervision, get treatment at a mental health facility or face jail time.

Sheriff Woody says proper treatment is essential because, “no one who has a mental health condition, that is violent, will be put back out there in the community.”

Depression Treatment News

Post-Stroke Depression Treatment Improves Chances of Functional Recovery

SAN ANTONIO – Preventing or treating depression after a stroke can help patients with varying degrees of disability and adaptive skills recover functional ability.

Treatment for depression can help patients develop the plasticity they need to recover physical function, or in the case of more serious poststroke disabilities, help them more readily adapt to their limitations, Dr. Ellen M. Whyte said at the annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.

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Both the brain’s plasticity and adaptation rely on the ability of patients to practice and learn new skills to help themselves recover or adapt after a major medical illness such as a stroke. But evidence from several studies shows that “depression after a stroke is associated with poor functional recovery and decreased efficiency of recovery,” said Dr. Whyte, a geriatric psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh.

Decreased Participation. Depression may impede recovery from a stroke by decreasing a patient’s participation in rehabilitation activities, she said. Depression is also associated with cognitive problems, such as executive impairment, that can interfere with recovery or adaptation, and with motor impairment, such as decreased gait speed, which may also hinder rehabilitation.

A 2004 study from the University of Pittsburgh of 242 patients admitted for rehabilitation showed that patients who were “frequent poor participators” in rehabilitation activities had less physical recovery and longer length of stay, and were more likely to be institutionalized than either occasionally poor participators or good participators (Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2004;85:1599-601).

A separate study by Dr. Whyte and her colleagues looked at the effects of mood, apathy, memory, attention, executive function, and level of disability on participation in rehabilitation. The patients all had evidence of cognitive impairment, but they were without major depression.

The investigators found that among the 44 stroke survivors aged 60 years and older who were admitted for inpatient rehabilitation, baseline disability and impairment of executive function were independent predictors of participation. They also found that “while level of depressive symptoms was not an independent predictor of rehabilitation participation in this sample, it was strongly correlated with executive functions. Depressive symptoms and impairment in executive functions frequently overlap in late life and after stroke, and potentially represent ischemic injury to frontal-subcortical pathways” (Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2010;91:203-7).

Falls and Depression Linked. Other studies found that depression, as measured by the Symptom Checklist-90, was associated with a doubling of falls in community-dwelling adults aged 70 years or older (J. Clin. Epidemiol. 2002;55:1088-94), and that poor self-rated health, poor cognitive status, impaired activities of daily living, two or more clinic visits in the past month, and slow walking speed predicted both an elderly patient’s risk of falling and depressive symptoms (J. Epidemiol. Community Health 2002;56:631-6), she said.

Additionally, investigators looking at the effect of depression remission after a stroke found that patients with remission of a depressive disorder at follow-up had significantly greater recovery in activities of daily living (ADL) functions than did patients without remission. The authors also found that patients with remission of either major or minor depression showed greater improvement in ADL than did patients without remission, some of whom had received the antidepressant nortriptyline, and some of whom had received placebo. The finding suggests that nondrug mechanisms of recovery from depression may have accounted for the improvements in ADL among patients with remission (J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 2001;189:421-5).

The evidence points to a stroke-recovery model in which preventing or treating depression would lead to increased motivation and participation in rehabilitation programs, reduced depression-related cognitive impairments, and decreases in depression-related motor impairments, Dr. Whyte said.

Dr. Whyte receives research support from the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research. She has previously received research support from Eli Lilly, Forest Pharmaceuticals, Ortho-McNeil, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, and the National Institute of Mental Health.

Promising new depression treatment

A new, non-invasive treatment for depression that delivers barely perceptible electric currents to the scalp has had promising results in a Sydney trial, and researchers are now looking for participants for a follow up study.

Around half of depressed participants in the trial of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (DCS) experienced substantial improvements, according to a team of researchers based at the Black Dog Institute and the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

An even larger number enjoyed a clinically meaningful improvement, said study leader, Professor Colleen Loo, from UNSW’s School of Psychiatry. The team is now preparing the results for academic publication.

“These are excellent outcomes when you consider that most of these people had depression that had not responded to other treatments, including medication,” Professor Loo said. “What’s more, further benefits were sustained when we followed people up a month later. That’s an exciting result.”

The trial, the largest of its type in the world, involved stimulating frontal areas of the brain with very small, barely perceptible currents, while patients remained awake and alert. The procedure has no known serious side effects.

“Direct Current Stimulation primes the neurons so that, when they are triggered, their response is enhanced. This trial is suitable for patients seeking an alternative to medication or who are unable to tolerate anti-depressant drugs or Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT),” Professor Loo said.

Studies in the 1960s and 70s reported good results using small electrical currents over a few hours. From 2000, the technique has been further developed, using currents of 1-2 milliamps. Recently, two small overseas studies found promising improvements in depressed patients treated with DCS.

The UNSW researchers are planning another trial to further investigate the optimal way to administer DCS. To begin later this month, the trial is recruiting around 120 people to receive DCS for 20 minutes, five times a week over four to eight weeks. Participants can attend the clinic on an outpatient basis.

Treatment for depression a long-term solution

(Edmonton) Ian Colman, an epidemiologist in the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta, recently completed a study that suggests that treatment of depression may have long-term benefits.

The data Colman reviewed came from the National Population Health Survey, a longitudinal Canadian study, and showed depressed adults who use antidepressants are three times less likely to be depressed eight years later, compared to depressed adults who don’t use antidepressants.

To date, research into the effects of antidepressant treatments for individuals with major depression has only concentrated on short-term outcomes says Colman, and that there is limited knowledge about long-term results.

However, it’s important to note that it’s unlikely that the effects are just the result of ongoing treatment; Colman says, “It’s more likely that results from the study speak to the importance of getting evidence-based treatment, drugs or other therapies, in the first place and treatments that ensure that all of your symptoms are resolved.”

Colman also stresses that, while proper treatment is vital, he also points the importance of treatment that continues until an individual’s symptoms have completely ceased.

“It’s common that depressed individuals will have a partial remission of symptoms where they feel better but some symptoms remain; those people have poor long-term outcomes,” he says. “It’s important to have successful treatment that deals with all of your symptoms.”

The study, Colman hopes, will shed even more light on a complex issue. While depression can be a difficult topic to discuss in everyday conversation, recent research has shown more than 50 per cent of people who are depressed are not receiving treatment, possibly because, Colman says, they don’t recognize symptoms, don’t want treatment, or are not getting appropriate treatment due to stigma around mental illness.

Colman offers several options in order for treatment to be successful. Psychotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy, which focuses on problem solving and skills building, help the patient deal with stressful situations for example, and have proved to have long-term beneficial outcomes.

“Evidence suggests that cognitive behavioural therapies are as effective as anti-depressants, and the two treatments together is even more effective,” he says.

Pointers for responsible reporting on mental health

Meyers said on the show: “The conference is organised for South African journalists by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) and the Carter Centre Mental Health Programme, based in Atlanta, Georgia.” Meyers explained on the radio show that the Carter Centre encourages journalists to explore and write about mental health issues, to gain understanding of the technical issues involved with mental health issues and that he would raise questions at the conference on how journalists make sense of the often very technical information provided by doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists.

I attended the second day of the conference, held at the Pfizer building in Sandton on Monday, 4 and Tuesday, 5 April. The second day of the seminar kicked off with a welcome by the Master of Ceremonies, Marion Scher, who is a freelance journalist and a Carter Fellow. She stated that there is a lack of knowledge out there, and that as a result, mental disease becomes “a silent illness”. It is not perceived as serious, and we need to get this awareness out there through the media.

SADAG’s founder, Zane Wilson, introduced the day’s first speaker, Dr Leigh Janet, who deals with “some of South Africa’s most difficult, treatment-resistant patients”. He is a psychiatrist, psychopharmacologist and expert in Bipolar Mood Disorder, who presented on ‘Riding the emotional rollercoaster – understanding Bipolar Mood Disorder’. He likened Bipolar Mood Disorder to the ‘emotional rollercoaster’ you would ride if we were to win the soccer, cricket and rugby world cups on the same day – then to find out a loved one has been booked into hospital and since died. He said, “Now imagine your mood moving like that for no reason,” calling Bipolar the most interesting disorder on the planet as one can have periods of ‘normal mood’ for years, and other conditions can co-occur with the disorder. He added that the mood swings, which range from depression to mania, “don’t feel abnormal to the person at the time.” It is also one of the top disorders associated with suicide and depression, and is linked to strong feelings of guilt. Interestingly, ECT, or electric shock therapy, is often used as treatment in an attempt to imitate a series of epileptic fits, which can be seen to cure depression.

This was followed by an off-the-record case study of a patient who lives with Bipolar Mood Disorder, where she described the prejudices she has faced in the workplace and within her own family, along with the difficulty she has had in convincing people that a mood disorder is as real a disease as diabetes or cancer. It’s a fight to get people to listen. She added that this is made worse by the fact that “government is interested in AIDS and TB, not mental illness.”

Next, Dr Shadi Motlana, Director of Psychiatry M Powered, took to the podium. As the head of Psychiatry at Tara Psychiatric Hospital, she elaborated on mental health patients’ rights and the Mental Health Care Act. She feels that Tara is misunderstood, particularly in the way it screens its patients. In explaining the rights of the mentally ill in South Africa, Motlana stated that the many abuses of government during the Apartheid era were redressed with 2002’s Mental Health Care Act, which sought to bring our practices in line with those of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the African Banjul Charter. Mental Health Care Users (MCHU) of today have the right to respect, protection from unfair discrimination, and the right to intimate adult relationships, as well as knowledge of their rights and the right to appeal. Care treatment and rehabilitation must therefore not be used as punishment or for the convenience of others. Motlana added that the workplace should be made aware of any mental illness as there are reasonable protections in place by the law. She stated, “Silence causes more problems down the line.” She added that certain terminology is problematic, and that there is lots of discriminatory thinking regarding mental health issues. “The obligation lies with reporters to watch how they report on stories and to not exaggerate the facts or ostracise anyone,” Motlana said. Responsible reporting on mental health can destigamatise and raise awareness of mental health issues, getting people comfortable with the topic, so that they realise, “This doesn’t have to be your destiny” – it can be treated. She applauded SADAG for its role in making mental health issues visible to the public eye in terms of raising awareness. Wilson added that it would cost roughly R20 000 per month to run a 24-hour suicide line – the group can currently only afford to run the line from 08:00 to 20:00.

We then heard from Peter Matlhaela, the Siyabuswa Support Group Leader, who discussed the complications of getting patients’ care in a rural community, in an interview session with SADAG’s Operations Director, Cassey Chambers. He described his ordeal in dealing with panic attacks following his involvement in a taxi accident, and highlighted the fact that there is lots of stigma or lack of knowledge concerning mental health problems in the rural areas, adding that many people in these areas are illiterate and needed support groups so as to reach the people and educate them in the way they would understand. He said a key issue affecting understanding is that some African cultures lack separate words for depression and panic attacks, lumping them all together as ’madness’ – and if there’s no word for it, how would they understand it? Matlhaela gets around this problem by getting support group attendees to act out how they feel.

Following a tea break, Kevin Bolon, a clinical psychologist and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) expert who has developed a course for the fear of flying, spoke about how obsession and compulsion go hand in hand, offering an insight into Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). He explained that many psychological terms have become popular and are now in everyday use, such as ‘depression’ and ‘panic attack’ – he stated that mental disorders are debilitating and should not be treated lightly – much in the way that anyone with a runny nose and sore throat claims to have the flu, which is actually a serious, potentially fatal illness. He mentioned that washing and counting are among the most common compulsions, and that prayer often gets hijacked into compulsion, in that we feel a need to pray when we think a ‘bad thought’ – the act of praying works to ease our anxiety. He added that the compulsions are targeted in treatment, so that eventually the patient is less likely to feel a need to react a certain way when a certain thought crosses their mind, because they are associating a consequence with a certain unrelated behaviour – this is known as ‘magical thinking’ as people connect a cluster of ‘what ifs’ to reach an unlikely outcome. It is also known as the ‘doubting disease’ because of this. The compulsion only results in a temporary release of anxiety as it reloads. Bolon reassured attendees that “we all have bits of OCD behaviour”, but actual diagnosis is based on the amount of time spent on the compulsions, as well as the level of impairment or interference caused in day-to-day functioning. He added that there is a risk of misdiagnosis and that people are becoming more aware of the disorder due to it receiving greater coverage in articles and TV shows. It is not treated with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which aims to change thoughts during the behaviour – instead, an ‘exposure and response prevention’ method is used, where the patient is made to face their obsession trigger and resist the compulsion. The thoughts get weaker and weaker as treatment goes on. OCD only gets worse if it is not treated as it acts as an addiction. Traditional therapy is also not effective in treatment of OCD as going through past traumas can make OCD worse. Antidepressants are also used to boost levels of serotonin – but not because there is a lack of serotonin or the person is depressed. Bolon explained this is similar to the fact that Panado is used to cure a headache even though a lack of Panado is not the cause of the headache. He asserted that mental health issues are often misrepresented in the media, and that there is no such thing as ‘compulsive’ shopping or gambling, as these are based on impulses.

SADAG Counsellor, Shai Friedland, then gave a personal account of living with OCD, titled, ‘When worry hijacks the brain: An OCD patient takes back his life.’ He shared his typical obsessive thought processes and explained that anyone who suffers from mental health issues is “not a freak – it’s a disorder”. To this, Bolon added, “These people are not weird or strange – they are as normal as you and me. They are normal people dealing with abnormal situations.” SADAG’s Project Manager, Roshni Parbhoo-Seetha, spoke about creating mental health awareness and developing successful school outreach programmes. SADAG promotes several mental health awareness days to raise awareness, as well as school prevention programmes, such as ‘Suicide shouldn’t be a secret’ and ‘When death impacts your school’ in order to discuss the warning signs in a safe environment, as teenagers don’t seem to understand the permanence of the act and it is sometimes seen as a way to attract attention. Wilson interjected that SADAG has revamped its website (www.sadag.org), which is a valuable resource for mental health journalists as it includes local and international articles on many topics. She also provided surprising statistics from a survey taken the previous day that proved 30% of the journalists attending the conference suffer from mild depression, 25% from major depression, with one so high that the person might be verging on suicide. A definite sign that there’s a need for better education on the topic!

After a lunch break, Clinical Psychologist, Robyn Rosin, spoke on the topic of ‘Flashbacks: when the worst thing that ever happened to you keeps happening everyday’ in the sense of treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She stated that the media has a great role to play in terms of getting factual information out there and breaking the stigma of mental health disorders. She said knowledge of PTSD is especially important to field reporters who are at the scene of horrible accidents and violence, often taking horrific images as photojournalists, which continue to haunt them for years. It is also known as vicarious or secondary traumatisation if journalists hear traumatic stories and need to recount them. She added that we like to feel our world is safe and predictable, and we think that “bad things happen to other people” – this is why it is such a shock when something bad happens to us. For the first 24 to 48 hours after experiencing a traumatic event, the typical reaction is to feel numbness and disbelief as we try to make sense of what has happened – debriefing is often essential to put the event into perspective. This involves education and ‘normalising’ the symptoms in order to redress the trauma experiences and put them into perspective, understanding that the symptoms are normal. PTSD is only diagnosed if symptoms persist for a month after the event which triggered the symptoms and is easy to trace. Rosin echoed Bolon’s words, that mental illness is “a normal reaction to an abnormal set of circumstances.” Treatment revolves around getting the person back to their normal state of functioning as soon as possible.

Meyers then presented the final session of the day, on ‘Presenting to editors, producers and supervisors: how to portray your story’. This was a workshop brainstorming session where attendees broke into small groups to discuss possible article ideas based on the topics that had been presented for the day. He spoke of the importance of using a common/ neutral language that does not make mental health patients sound deficient in any way, adding that standards differ greatly among different media, ad that there has been a “coarsening of civil dialogue,” which is why so many newspapers lead with shocking images of bodies splattered on the ground and graphic images of violence.

Rebecca Palpant, Assistant Director of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, concluded the session by stating, “This is just the beginning for mental health journalism in South Africa,”adding that personal stories are so powerful – stories about mental health should not quote numbers, they should speak of the singular self that is affected. Scher interjected that interested parties should enter the Pfizer Awards for mental Health Journalism through the SADAG website, which results in two awards of R25 000 for mental health journalists.

Best Supplements for Depression

Far from just a “down in the dumps” day or two, depression is a serious illness that affects about 12 million women in America each year. It can cause energy levels to plummet, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, problems with memory and concentration, and feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and negativity.

Many different factors can cause depression (it’s usually a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological issues) and there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all treatment. People with severe depression seem to have a brain chemistry that predisposes them to bouts. It’s important to see a doctor if you experience five or more of these depression symptoms for more than 2 weeks: persistent sad, anxious, or empty feelings; loss of interest or pleasure in activities; feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness; insomnia or oversleeping; appetite loss or overeating; fatigue; restlessness; irritability; difficulty concentrating or remembering; or thoughts of death or suicide.

Tired all the time? If you can’t pinpoint why you’re so fatigued, these tests can help you determine why you’re dragging

Depression is usually treated with some combination of medications, therapy, and lifestyle changes. Antidepressant drugs are commonly a primary treatment for adults with moderate to severe cases. It can take some trial and error to find the med that works best for you, and can take up to 3 months for the med’s effects to kick in. Research shows that talk therapy helps beat depression too; up to two-thirds of people could recover just as well from therapy alone, skipping drugs entirely. Exercise is also a proven natural remedy—in one study, people with mild to moderate depression who started exercising 3 to 5 times a week improved depressive symptoms like anxiety and insomnia by 47%.

Certain supplements may also help manage depression.

Best supplements:

St. John’s Wort: This popular herb has been used to treat depression for centuries. One major review found that it was as effective as standard drugs in many cases, although evidence suggests it’s not as helpful for people who are severely (compared to mildly) depressed. SJW may work by helping to rebalance levels of brain chemicals linked to mood, like dopamine and serotonin. The big warning sign with SJW, though, is that it interacts with many different medications (including some antidepressants), so you should always check with your doctor before you take it.

Omega-3s: Numerous studies have found that heart-healthy fish oil may also benefit your brain and mood. A big study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that omega-3 intake significantly improved depression and certain other psychiatric conditions. Although some study results are mixed, there are many other healthy reasons to eat fish or take a fish oil supplement, and many experts agree it’s a good idea to use it in conjunction with other depression treatments.

SAMe: Short for S-adenosylmethionine, this naturally occurring compound in your body helps boost brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine; low levels of both are implicated in causes of depression. Research shows SAMe is as effective as many antidepressant meds.

Asthma Treatment News

Researchers Aims to Develop a Vaccine to Cure Asthma Completely\

“Monash University researchers are working on a vaccine that could completely cure asthma brought on by house dust mite allergies. If successful, the vaccine would have the potential to cure sufferers in two to three doses. Allergies to house dust mites is a leading cause of asthma and the respiratory condition affects more than 2 million Australians and costs more than $600 million in health expenditure each year.” http://starglobaltribune.com/2011/allergy-medication-researches-developing-vaccine-for-the-complete-cure-of-asthma-7019

Now, people are allergic to dust mites and must frequently clean their environment in order to remove the microscopic creatures that cause allergic attacks. There were some medications that bring relief to the problem, but the medication must be taken regularly. Others reported that they have responded less well to the medications.

Professor El Mauseen believes that a vaccine for people who have allergy in house dust mite will have a series of health and financial benefits for the patient as well as to the government. Professor Mauseen is working with Professor Robyn O’Hehir, both from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Services. Professor Maureen said that their goal is to develop a vaccine that can completely bring in two or three doses. That means that those who suffer from a house dust mite allergy will have an easy breath of air from their final dose.

The cost of allergy from the Australians reach approximately seven billion dollar each year. Professor O’Hehir also made an important gain in developing a vaccine for those who have allergy in peanut. There is no specific treatment for the allergy in peanut; hence the only option for that are avoidance and the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis with adrenaline.

Laboratory testing has shown that genetic predisposition exists to be allergic to more than one allergen. Dr. Meeusen said that they have found out the being allergic to peanut also has likelihood in developing allergy to house dust mites. It is difficult to human to know how early the stage of allergy occurs. The scientists will see which models are going to build up allergy and which are not, that is to resolve the difference between the two.

Using the knowledge of normal vaccines for infectious diseases will help researchers to have a good understanding on how the allergy vaccines work in order to develop a more safe and effective product.

Effects of short-term treatment with atorvastatin in smokers with asthma – a randomized controlled trial

The immune modulating properties of statins may benefit smokers with asthma. We tested the hypothesis that short-term treatment with atorvastatin improves lung function or indices of asthma control in smokers with asthma.

Methods: Seventy one smokers with mild to moderate asthma were recruited to a randomized double-blind parallel group trial comparing treatment with atorvastatin (40 mg per day) versus placebo for 4 weeks.

After 4 weeks treatment inhaled beclometasone (400 ug per day) was added to both treatment arms for a further 4 weeks. The primary outcome was morning peak expiratory flow after 4 weeks treatment.

Secondary outcome measures included indices of asthma control and airway inflammation.

Results: At 4 weeks, there was no improvement in the atorvastatin group compared to the placebo group in morning peak expiratory flow [-10.67 L/min, 95% CI -38.70 to 17.37, p=0.449], but there was an improvement with atorvastatin in asthma quality of life score [0.52, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.87 p=0.005]. There was no significant improvement with atorvastatin and inhaled beclometasone compared to inhaled beclometasone alone in outcome measures at 8 weeks.

Conclusions: Short-term treatment with atorvastatin does not alter lung function but may improve asthma quality of life in smokers with mild to moderate asthma.

Reminder: MediciNova to Host Business Update Conference Call by Management on April 7, 2011

SAN DIEGO, April 7, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MediciNova, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Global Market (Nasdaq:MNOV) and the Jasdaq Market of the Osaka Securities Exchange (Code Number: 4875), today announced details on its planned business update conference call conducted by management today, Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 4:30pm(Eastern).

Conference Call/Webcast Information

MediciNova will host a conference call and audio webcast to make a business update presentation followed by a question and answer session with members of management. Management on the call will include Dr. Yuichi Iwaki the President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Coffee the Chief Business Officer and Interim-Chief Financial Officer, and Dr. Kirk Johnson the Chief Scientific Officer. The call is scheduled for today, April 7th, at 4:30 P.M. Eastern time.

To participate in this call, dial 866-203-2528 (domestic), 617-213-8847 (international), passcode: 61797215, shortly before 4:30 P.M., Eastern time. For a limited period following the call, a replay of the call will be available, beginning at 7:30 P.M. Eastern time; the replay can be accessed by calling 888-286-8010 (domestic), 617-801-6888 (international), passcode: 52603635. The audio webcast will be available on MediciNova’s investor relations website (http://investors.medicinova.com) for approximately 60 days following the call.

About MediciNova

MediciNova, Inc. is a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company founded upon acquiring and developing novel, small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases with a commercial focus on the U.S. market. Through strategic alliances primarily with Japanese pharmaceutical companies, MediciNova holds rights to a diversified portfolio of clinical and preclinical product candidates, each of which MediciNova believes has a well-characterized and differentiated therapeutic profile, attractive commercial potential, and patent coverage of commercially adequate scope. MediciNova’s pipeline includes six clinical-stage compounds for the treatment of acute exacerbations of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations, multiple sclerosis and other neurologic conditions, asthma, interstitial cystitis, solid tumor cancers, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, preterm labor and urinary incontinence and two preclinical-stage compounds for the treatment of thrombotic disorders. MediciNova’s current strategy is to focus on its two prioritized product candidates, MN-221, for the treatment of acute exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations, and Ibudilast (MN-166/AV411), for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, spinal cord injury, or drug addiction. Each drug candidate is involved in clinical trials under U.S. and Investigator INDs. MediciNova is engaged in strategic partnering discussions to support further development of the MN-221 and Ibudilast programs. Additionally, MediciNova will seek to monetize opportunistically its other pipeline candidates.

Don’t Let Seasonal Allergies Spoil Your Spring

The arrival of spring means warmer temperatures, open doors and windows, and the start of allergy season are all on the way. Instead of putting up with weeks of sniffling, sneezing, and itching eyes, try these tips from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology to keep your allergy symptoms under control.
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• Know your allergens – Your allergen is the thing you are allergic to. It could be pollen from certain plants that bloom in the spring, or it could be something that is around year ’round. More than two-thirds of all people who think they have spring allergies actually have allergies all year. Knowing what you are allergic to can help you decide when it’s time to start treatment. An allergist can determine what your allergens are and set up a plan to help you deal with them.

• Get the best meds – There are many over-the-counter (OTC) medications available that claim to be the best thing to treat allergies. If one treatment doesn’t work, you may be tempted to just keep buying and trying new things in the hope that something will do the job. Rather than spending money randomly, consider meeting with an allergy specialist who can isolate your allergen and prescribe the best medication to treat your symptoms. In general, prescription medications are better at treating a stuffy nose and inflammation in the sinuses. Another option that can provide long-term relief is immunotherapy. This treatment involves weekly allergy shots to help your body learn not to react to your allergen.

• Take meds on time – If you wait until your nose is stuffy and you are miserable to take allergy medications, you will have an uphill battle to feel better. If you know that your allergies kick in during the spring, start taking your medication before your symptoms can get a head start. Warm weather generally means the start of allergy season when plants release pollen and molds resume growing.

• Avoid your allergens – The less you are around your allergens, the less you will have symptoms. So stay indoors during the middle of the day when pollen counts are highest.

Cancer Prevention News

Frozen Strawberries, Key To Throat Cancer Prevention In China

In a country where there is the highest incidence of throat, or esophageal cancer, Chinese researchers have found that simple strawberries may be an affordable and commonly found prevention tool to stave off this deadly disease. Frozen berries are even better because by removing the water from the berries, the concentrate of the preventive substances increase by nearly tenfold.

Lead researcher Tong Chen, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor, division of medical oncology, department of internal medicine at The Ohio State University and member of the Molecular Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program in The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center explains:

“We concluded from this study that six months of eating strawberries is safe and easy to consume. In addition, our preliminary data suggests that strawberries can decrease histological grade of precancerous lesions and reduce cancer-related molecular events.”

Study participants consumed 60 grams of freeze dried strawberries daily for six months and completed a dietary diary chronicling their strawberry consumption.

The researchers obtained biopsy specimens before and after strawberry consumption. The results showed that 29 out of 36 participants experienced a decrease in histological grade of the precancerous lesions during the study.

Chen continues:

“Our study is important because it shows that strawberries may slow the progression of precancerous lesion in the esophagus. Strawberries may be an alternative or work together with other chemopreventive drugs for the prevention of esophageal cancer. But, we will need to test this in randomized placebo-controlled trials in the future.”

If the cancer is diagnosed in its earliest stages, the patient’s chances of living and being cancer free five years after treatment is greatly improved. Unfortunately, most cases of esophageal cancer are only discovered when the patient comes to their doctor because of swallowing difficulty, which doesn’t happen until later stages of the cancer growth. The prognosis then is very poor.

Esophageal cancer is a relatively rare form of cancer, but some world areas have a markedly higher incidence than others: Belgium, China, Iran, Iceland, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, appear to have a higher incidence, as well as the region around the Caspian Sea. The American Cancer Society estimates that during 2011, approximately 16,000 new esophageal cancer cases will be diagnosed in the United States.

Since the 1960s, Chinese researchers at the Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, have been tracing the environmental factors that cause esophageal cancer.

Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths in the world. About 250,000 esophageal cancer cases are diagnosed each year in China, accounting for half of the world’s total.

Once diagnosed, survival rates for esophageal cancer are poor: 75% of patients die within one year, and the five-year survival rate is only 5% to 10%.

Esophageal cancer occurs more often in specific regions. Most victims live in the “esophageal cancer belt,” which stretches from the central part of North China westward through Central Asia to northern Iran.

In China, esophageal cancer occurs mainly in areas south of the Taihang Mountains on the borders of three provinces Henan, Shanxi and Hebei.

Media Advisory – Annual Report Card on Cancer in Canada(TM) – Fighting a Battle on Two Fronts: the Disease and the System

Media are invited to join the Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada (CACC) for the release of the 2010-2011 Report Card on Cancer in Canada™ and presentation of key findings:

● Cancer Prevention in Canada: The sooner the better
Prevention is the single most cost-effective initiative Canada could implement to combat many cancers and data show it would result in several thousand fewer cases each year and millions of dollars in savings for governments. Despite this compelling evidence, Canada is lacking dedicated cancer prevention centres and organized cancer prevention programs.

● Should clinical trials be considered the standard of care for cancer patients in Canada?
Clinical trials are the engine that drives cancer research and have been the source of major advances in our understanding of cancer cell biology and treatments. Participation in clinical trials allows people with cancer to access potentially effective new treatments, and institutions with high participation rates in academic clinical trials have better patient outcomes. But, Canada is rapidly falling behind other countries in its capacity to undertake patient-oriented research.

● The Role of the Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Pharmacist in Collaborative Patient Care and Drug Therapy Management in Canadian Cancer Centres
Due to an aging population, the prevalence of cancer in Canada will continue to increase and the rise in the volume of patients will need to be met with an expansion of oncology services. Cancer treatments are moving from the hospital setting to the home, creating a gap in patient care and oversight. Expanding the role of non-physician healthcare professionals should be addressed.

● Rare Cancers and Advocacy
The need to support patients living with rare cancers, such as testicular and ovarian cancer, is urgent. They face unusual hurdles in diagnosis, treatment and recovery while public attention is focused on the big-number cancers. Though there have been significant advances in treatment options and therapies, many patients with rare cancers are still struggling for access to the services they need. Scores of patients, along with their physicians, become advocates just to be heard.

WHERE: The Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, Ontario
Level 4 RBC Foundation Glass Room (Queen’s Park/Avenue Road entrance)

WHEN: Tuesday, April 12, 2011
9:45 a.m. – Media sign-in
10:00 a.m. – News conference begins
11:00 a.m. – News conference ends, one-on-one interviews available
The full Report Card and all related materials will be on the CACC website by 10.00 a.m. the morning of the news conference at www.canceradvocacy.ca.

WHO: Dr. David Saltman, MD, PhD, FRCP, Board Member, CACC
Dr. Joseph Ragaz, MD, FRCP, Board Member, CACC
Dr. Pierre Major, MD, Vice-Chair, CACC
Sandi Yurichuk, BS, MBA, Vice-Chair, CACC

Note: Patients will also be available at the news conference for media interviews

Lifelong Prevention Still Key to Beating Skin Cancer

Summertime means plenty of fun in the sun for many. “I would burn on Saturday and Sunday, peel by Wednesday and be back on the water by the next Saturday doing the same thing,” says Thomas Randall, a man in his 70s who spent much of his youth at a lake or a beach trying to tan a pale complexion. But countless hours of sun exposure have taken a toll on his skin, and he now needs regular examinations to search for pre-cancerous moles. “I had two moles cut off my chest and a major incision on my left leg to remove another mole,” Kendall says. He’s also had lesions removed from his face and both ears.

Craig Elmets, M.D., chair of the UAB department of dermatology, says protecting skin from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, is the number one way to avoid potential skin problems. “Sunscreen should be worn daily and re-applied often, even if the sky is cloudy. A hat and sunglasses with 100 percent UV protection also protect against melanoma, a form of skin cancer than can occur anywhere on the body, even in the eye,” Elmets explains. Keeping a check on moles is also important, and any changes in moles shape, color or texture should be brought to the attention of a dermatologist. Elmets is also researching various drugs to findElmets’ research focuses on drug-based skin-cancer prevention. In 2010 Elmets demonstrated the drug Celebrex may help prevent some non-melanoma skin cancers. Now, he is investigating other medications that could keep skin cancer from developing in patients who are considered high risk due to a personal or family history of the disease. “Our studies are preliminary, but they have been very encouraging and we’ve found that the medications we’ve tested cause a 50 to 60 percent reduction in skin-cancer development,” Elmets says.

Allergies Treatment News

Nanotechnology research ‘could offer nickel allergy treatment option’

Scientists in the US have devised a potential new method of treating nickel allergies using a special type of nanoparticle.

The team at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have created a cream containing calcium-based particles measuring billionths of a metre in diameter, which can be applied to the skin of those affected by the common dermatological condition.

These particles will capture the nickel contained in everyday objects such as coins and mobile phones, preventing the material from coming into contact with the skin and causing an itchy rash.

According to researchers, the nanoparticles are unable to penetrate the skin, thus making them safer than other treatment options, while the cream itself can be easily washed off with water.

R Rox Anderson, a dermatologist at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, said: “Nanoparticles that bind to allergens but do not penetrate the skin offer a new strategy. Big hope in a small package!”

According to Allergy UK, sensitivity to nickel mean that reactions are triggered by items such as wristwatches, zippers and scissors, as well as foods including cabbage, rhubarb, oysters and peanuts.

Vaccine in Development Could Cure Cat Allergies

Sniffly-nosed kitten-lovers rejoice: A new vaccine could soon banish allergies to cats.

The vaccine isn’t ready for prime time yet, but a new study finds that the shots are safe, researchers reported March 31 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. They’re also effective at reducing allergic reactions, the researchers reported.

About 10 percent of peopleare allergic to cats. Currently, the only solutions are to stay far away from felines or to get multiple injections of kitty allergens to help the body build up a tolerance. But that process can take years, wrote McMaster University immunologist and study researcher Mark Larche.

Larche and his colleagues developed the vaccine by isolating the protein shed by cats that causes the most allergic reactions. They then used blood samples from people with cat allergies to determine which segment of the cat protein binds to and activates immune cells. (An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system interprets benign substances, such as cat dander, as invaders and launches an attack.)

Next, the researchers made synthetic versions of these segments, called peptides. A mix of seven synthetic peptides makes up the vaccine. The idea, the researchers wrote, is that the immune system will encounter these peptide strands, which fit into the immune cells like a key to a lock, and recognize them as harmless. That action stops the sniffling, sneezing inflammatory response in its tracks, even when the peptides are attached to real cat proteins.

An early clinical trial on 88 patients resulted in no serious side effects, the researchers reported. A single injection reduced the skin’s inflammatory reaction to cat allergens by 40 percent, the researchers wrote. To get an equivalent response with current anti-pollen allergy treatments, they wrote, patients would have to get 12 weeks of treatment with pollen extract.

The vaccine is being developed by Adiga Life Sciences, a company established at McMaster University, and British biotech firm Circassia Ltd. The companies are continuing with clinical trials with a larger group of patients to determine the optimal dose for the vaccine.

Local alternative treatment for allergies

Do you suffer from allergies? Do the budding trees make you cry? Do you reach for drugs or head to the doctor for shots as soon as the grass needs mowing? There is an alternative being offered by a Pittsford chiropractor.

Dr. Ted McArthur has a computer system that can track which allergens you react to (no scratch tests or needle pricks). Then, using specific meridians of the body, he points a low-intensity laser at designated spots for just a few seconds. This is believed to interrupt the biorhythms that set off your allergies. Typically, after eight to 12 laser treatments, he says the majority of his patients report no more symptoms.

Dawn Parkison of Penfield says that she couldn’t even think of mowing her grass without doping up on over-the-counter allergy medicines. But after going through the laser treatment, she realized the stuffy nose and watery eyes she always put up with were gone. “I am symptom-free now and I can even go visit my friend who has a cat! I never could spend much time in her house because of her pets.”
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Dr. McArthur says he has been using the BAX 3000 system for two years now. He was skeptical at first, but since so many of his patients were suffering from allergies, he decided to test it. “There is maybe one out of 10 patients that doesn’t respond to the laser treatment. But for those who do, they tell me, they’ve stopped using inhalers, some no longer need shots and most of them need much less medication.”

Allergy clinic can help you breathe easier

Springtime is here! The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing, your eyes are itching and it’s hard to breathe. If this scenario sounds familiar, the Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic can help.

Dr. Stan Fineman, allergist and president-elect of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, says it is high time for allergy sufferers due to the pollen count this time of year.

He said problems from respiratory allergies are prevalent. Symptoms include nasal congestion, sneezing, itching of the nose and eyes and sometimes a cough, usually triggered by pollen.

The doctor said in Marietta tree pollen is prevalent in March and grass pollen in April. “Usually, March, April and May are the bad spring season time for pollen allergy sufferers here in Marietta,” Dr. Fineman said.

He said the high pollen count in mid-February was unusual. He says as it gets warmer, pollen counts will continue to increase. “People are going to have a greater problem with their symptoms because of a phenomenon called the priming effect,” he said.

He says when people are re-exposed to an allergen a few weeks after the first occurrence, they have a more violent allergic reaction. “This is a concern with people with seasonal tree pollen allergies,” he said.

The clinic conducts a special allergy skin test using extracts in order to find out what triggers the allergic reaction. Dr. Fineman said, “If somebody is very allergic and their positive to the skin test, and they’re having significant symptoms and trouble, then we can start a medication and use the allergy shot.”

He said allergy injections are a very effective procedure to help patients build up a tolerance toward the allergen. “When they are re-exposed, they won’t have the same symptoms,” he said.

Nancy Wilkins of Dallas said the injections have helped her to get her life back. She said she is allergic to “every tree, every grass, three different types of mold, cats, dogs and dust.”

At this time of year, “Normally I have watery itchy eyes. I can’t breathe,” she said. Wilkins also has allergy-induced asthma. “My nose is stuffed up and I can’t laugh. I can’t talk without coughing,” she said.

Wilkins said at one time she was on two inhalers and taking medications and still had severe symptoms. She was referred to the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic from a friend whose son’s allergies cleared up after treatment.

“I thought I may as well try this,” Wilkins recalled. “I’ve tried everything else.”

She said her lifelong battle with allergies caused her to develop world allergy syndrome. She was unable to eat food such as watermelon, cantaloupe, nuts, and raw cucumbers.

Wilkins began treatment in 2010. She said when the skin test was conducted on her back, welts rose, indicating certain allergens. Three shots were designed specifically for her.

When she started treatment, Wilkins took two shots per week for five months. It gradually was reduced to one weekly shot, and now she goes in every other week for one shot. She is expected to finish the shots completely within six to eight months.

Wilkins said treatment has helped to her breathe and her symptoms had drastically declined. “Basically, I got my life back,” she said. She is also able to eat foods that were once restricted because of her world allergy syndrome.

Wilkins emphasizes the importance of following treatment all the way through. “Don’t skip any appointments,” she said. “It’s important to keep up with the shots or it won’t work.”

The Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic has been certified by the National Allergy Bureau and is the official pollen reporting station for metro Atlanta.

Teeth Whitening Today

Professional Teeth Whitening is the Easy Way to a Sparkling Smile

A dazzling, white smile can do wonders for a person’s confidence, and always lights up her whole face. Not everyone has naturally white teeth, however. Tooth color varies from one individual to another, and smoking, as well as drinking tea, coffee or red wine can also discolor the enamel over time. Fortunately, there are pleasant and effective whitening procedures such as those offered by a family dentist Kenmore WA area residents often recommend.

The Signature Smiles family dentist office provides a wide range of dental treatments, including various types of cosmetic dentistry. One of the most popular is the in-office teeth whitening therapy that uses high concentration hydrogen peroxide to achieve that bright, white look. The patient’s teeth are treated with the whitening formula while she relaxes by watching a movie or listening to music for around an hour and a half, until her teeth reach the desired shade. The procedure is perfectly safe, and is particularly appreciated for the fact that it results in noticeably whiter teeth after the very first session.

In between office visits, many patients like to maintain their pearly smiles by using the take-home trays they can obtain from their Kirkland dentist. These trays are custom-formed to fit the user’s mouth, but since they contain a lower concentration of the whitening agent they are less effective than professional treatments. Nevertheless, this is a convenient and affordable way to ensure that one’s teeth continue to look their best at all times.

Drs. Dowd and Wu and their professional staff at Signature Smiles work hard to make sure that every patient receives the highest possible level of personalized care. The team at the family dentist Bothell residents have come to favor is a firm believer in the principle of “mind, body and smile.” They know that a person’s oral health, psychological state and overall body condition are all linked, with each system to some extent dependent on the proper functioning of the others. This holistic approach also extends to teeth whitening treatments – after all, a brighter smile brightens the mood too, which can in turn improve physical health and wellbeing.

More information about teeth whitening and other dental procedures available at Signature Smiles is available at MindBodyandSmile.com or on (425) 489-1177.

About Signature Smiles
Signature Smiles is an eco-friendly dentist serving families in and around Snohomish County and King County, Washington. Drs. Cristin Dowd and Ken Wu believe in treating each patient as though that person is a member of their own family. Signature Smiles addresses all areas of dentistry for both adults and children, including preventative services, cosmetic dentistry, tooth implants and restorative dentistry.

Cost of One Hour Teeth Whitening With BriteSmile

The technological advancements in science have made it possible for everyone to get affordable dental cosmetic procedures in case of teeth appearance problems. One of the most common dental cosmetic procedure is teeth whitening.

There is a need for white and bright teeth because we are all social creatures. We need to socialize at our workplace, in schools and colleges, parties, meetings, vacation, business tours and whatever you can think of.

There is no big turn off than yellow and stained teeth. So, you can imagine what is at stake. Moreover, it also depicts how much you care about your dental health. So, why give negative vibes when you can get teeth whitening procedure easily and anywhere? One of the most successful teeth whitening procedures available is BriteSmile, cost of which may vary from place to place.

When you opt for this procedure, the difference may be anywhere between eight to fourteen shades. So, it means that BriteSmile teeth whitening procedure is highly effective. Now, the most important thing to consider is BriteSmile cost.

In different parts of United States, you will see difference in BriteSmile cost. Before we venture any further in this topic, let us see how teeth whitening is accomplished using BriteSmile. It does not use laser. In fact, it makes use of a whitening gel and lamp which emits blue frequency gentle light. This light is used for polishing the teeth.

Another important aspect of BriteSmile teeth whitening procedure is whitening gel that is used for process of bleaching. It makes the entire teeth whitening very efficient and safe. Furthermore, the pH value is almost neutral that keeps the agent compatible to enamel of teeth. Now, the gel works with blue light and starts whitening. Entire whitening procedure is completed in one hour and what you get is uniformly white teeth.

Now coming back to the most essential information about this procedure; the BriteSmile cost. To begin with, the cost will depend on what product are you using? You can get BriteSmile pens and toothpaste. They would be affordable to almost everyone. But, if you wish to get this done by a dentist, then the cost may vary depending on the region you are in.

In New York, the BriteSmile procedure cost can be anywhere between $300-1000. So far, BriteSmile teeth whitneing success rate is very high and that is why, people choose New York as a favorite destination for affordable BriteSmile procedure.

If you are in California, then average BriteSmile cost is $600. Almost every dentist would be charging you this amount. So, before you end up at a dentist’s clinic for teeth whitening procedure, double check the cost. If it is higher than this amount, you can always explore other possible locations. This is because at such average rate, quality will not be compromised. So, no need to pay more when you can get same services and results at cheaper value.

The average BriteSmile cost in Seattle is $500. While you can get same services in San Francisco at $300, in Ohio, the BriteSmile cost is more than $600. Again Alabama and Florida will cost you an average of $4-500 but if you are looking for a cheaper option, then Los Angeles is your place. The BriteSmile cost in LA can be as low as $200. Washington DC can also be a part of your favorite destination for BriteSmile treatment as you only need to spend $300 to get sparkling white and bright teeth.

Oral health certificate recommended before teeth whitening

People should get an oral health certificate from their dentist or dental specialist before getting their teeth whitened, the Health and Disability Commissioner says.

The recommendation follows a woman suffering severe mouth pain after having her teeth whitened by an unregistered practitioner.

Before the teeth whitening, the woman had her teeth scaled and polished by a dental hygienist, a report released by the Health and Disability Commissioner today said.

As a result, during the teeth whitening procedure and for two days after, part of her gums turned white, she suffered severe mouth pain and burning gums.

There is no legal requirement for teeth whitening to be performed by a dentist, and the woman knew the practitioner was not a dentist.

The person offering the whitening service was told of the woman’s pain and changed the information given to patients, warning that carrying out teeth whitening too soon after scaling and polishing could result in discomfort. Clients were advised to wait 14 days between the two treatments.

The commissioner recommended those offering teeth whitening services change information given to clients “…to include advice to obtain an oral health certificate from a registered dentist or dentist specialist prior to undergoing teeth whitening”.

However, there remained a risk that patients could be misled by the teeth whitener’s assertions of having professional training and qualifications, and the commissioner asked the Ministry of Health to look into that aspect.

“This case highlights the risks of teeth whitening being carried out by persons who are not qualified to assess consumers’ teeth or form conclusions whether their teeth are suitable for teeth whitening.”

Hair Loss Treatment News

Innovative Hair Loss Treatment at Harley Street Hair Clinic

The Harley Street Hair Clinic is a pioneer of follicular transfer, the latest innovation for the effective treatment of hair loss.

London, United Kingdom, March 16th, 2011 – There are many different kinds of hair loss treatment in the market today, but few have proven as successful as follicular transfer, a minimally invasive, scar free, revolutionary technique that is now available in the UK at the Harley Street Hair Clinic.

The process begins with a free consultation, in which they conduct a thorough analysis of a client’s condition, explain the follicular unit extraction (FUE) process and the implications of surgery, as well as discussing the likely outcomes so that all the clients fully understand their options.

FUE can provide impressive results. Harley Street Hair Clinic’s highly experienced surgeons have been extensively trained in this groundbreaking technique, which is the least invasive form of surgical hair loss treatment and is a significant improvement over the now redundant strip method.

The surgery involves extracting follicles individually from a donor area and replacing them on the balding areas of the scalp. No hairs are wasted, making this the most efficient as well as the most effective technique currently available. We can usually achieve an undetectable, natural look, as the follicles are placed in such a way as to resemble normal hair growth patterns.

Each follicle is precisely plucked out of the donor area, so there is no need to excise skin at the back of the head. There is less trauma than with other hair loss treatment, shorter healing time, no strip scar and no discomfort in the donor area.

Harley Street Hair Clinic’s surgeons have recently featured in a Channel 4 documentary and a Channel 5 news programme about hair loss treatment, as they are at the cutting edge of innovation in this area. They are, after all, the only UK clinic to be completely focussed on this technique. For more details, visit http://www.hshairclinic.co.uk

About Harley Street Hair Clinic

The Harley Street Hair Clinic is the only hair loss clinic in the UK that is dedicated to follicular transfer, a revolutionary technique for restoring hair to the scalp. Its experienced surgeons have been extensively trained around the world in this pioneering procedure, and the clinic has built a strong track record of successful treatments for satisfied customers.

New service for cancer patients

A NEW service is being launched at St John’s Hospital to help cancer patients.

The HeadStrong service, organised by charity, Breast Cancer Care Scotland and delivered in Livingston, teaches patients scarf-tying techniques and offers the chance to try on a range of hats, scarves, fringes and hairpieces as an alternative to wearing a wig.

The new service to help people facing hair loss as a result of cancer treatment will be launched in Livingston today (Thursday).

During each hour-long appointment, people can also find out how to look after their hair and scalp before, during and after treatment and will have the chance to talk through any concerns they have about hair loss with trained volunteers.

Six local volunteers, many of them with a personal experience of cancer and hair loss, will be running HeadStrong sessions every Thursday from 1 to 3.30pm.

Liz Howley, from Livingston, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and became a volunteer for Breast Cancer Care Scotland.

She said: “I know from my own experience that being diagnosed with breast cancer can be a very frightening and confusing time and that’s why I wanted to become a volunteer – to use my own experience to help people who are going through the same thing.

“The HeadStrong service is brilliant because we can teach people simple ways to boost their confidence and to help them feel that they’re regaining control of their life again.

“The service is not just about practical advice – the volunteers are there to give clients a space to talk about anything worrying them.

“When you’re having cancer treatment it can be hard to get time to yourself in between the medical appointments so we are there to give you a chance to relax.

“People can bring someone with them for support.”

Appointments are open to people with any type of cancer.

The service is completely free, as are all services offered by Breast Cancer Care Scotland.

Tina Gilbert, clinical nurse specialist at the Cancer Care and Chemotherapy Oncology Unit at St John’s Hospital, said she is confident the new service will prove a big help to local patients.

She said: “Hair loss is such a major event for the cancer patients that we see and can affect their self image.

“Through HeadStrong, we will be able to help people through what can be a very difficult period of their cancer treatment.”

Angela Harris, services co-ordinator at Breast Cancer Care Scotland, commented: “This is the seventh HeadStrong we’ve launched in Scotland and we’re very pleased to be able to offer this extremely popular service to people in West Lothian.”

For more information about HeadStrong at St John’s Hospital or to book an appointment, contact the hospital on 01506 522119 or visit www.breastcancercare.org.uk

Flintshire grandmother helps cancer patients deal with hair loss

A GRANDMOTHER who battled cancer is helping others come to terms with losing their hair during treatment.

Iona Roberts, from Holywell, lost her hair when she was treated for breast cancer seven years ago.

And she is now volunteering her time at HeadStrong centres at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and Glan Clwyd Hospital in Bodelwyddan.

Iona, 57, said that when she lost her hair she was most concerned about scaring her young grandson.

“He came into the bedroom one morning and asked where my hair had gone,” Iona said.

“I was wearing a wig until I recovered, so I told him that my hair was magic and I took it off and put it back on again in the morning.”

The new HeadStrong service, which is funded by charity Breast Cancer Care, is being launched to help patients in North Wales cope with the impact of hair loss while undergoing cancer treatment.

Specially trained volunteers – including former cancer patients like Iona – provide advice and people can learn scarf-tying techniques and try on hats and scarves as an alternative to wearing wigs.

“There’s so much a HeadStrong session can teach you,” Iona added.

“When I lost my hair my daughter bought me a silk scarf, but it wouldn’t stay on.

“If sessions like this were available then it would have been really helpful. This is a chance for patients to realise that losing your hair isn’t forever.”

Head of Breast Cancer Care Cymru, Linda McCarthy, said: “For many women the thought of losing their hair can be worse than the idea of having surgery.

“Hair loss can make people feel very vulnerable, so it’s wonderful to be able to offer a service that can help boost confidence and make women feel better about how they look.”

Diabetes Treatment News

Bariatric Surgery coming into its own

Earlier this week the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) released a position statement regarding bariatric surgery as an option for Type 2 Diabetes and obesity. According to their distinguished panel of experts, bariatric surgery should now be considered an appropriate treatment option for people with Type 2 diabetes and obesity if treatment goals are not being met by the traditional medical therapies. But, having said that, if you have diabetes and are overweight, don’t rush out to book your surgery just yet. Do your homework on the subject, research your options and seek the advice of your endocrinologist prior to scheduling surgery. There are guidelines and criteria that should be met to be an eligible candidate for bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery is not one specific type of surgery, but rather a group of surgeries, all of which are used to treat obesity. Bariatrics is defined as the field of medicine that study’s and treats obesity. Three of the most common types of bariatric surgeries include: Gastric Bypass surgery, Adjustable Gastric Band surgery and Gastric Sleeve surgery (also referred to as Sleeve Gastrectomy).

Gastric Bypass surgery is the oldest of the group and therefore, is the type of bariatric surgery most people are aware of. It involves sectioning off a part of the stomach and rerouting the intestine to that segment of the stomach. Reduction in the stomach’s capacity results in a rapid weight-loss. However, one of the main drawbacks is that the procedure is permanent (non-reversible). Another major complication is nutritional deficiencies that are often associated with this type of surgery.

Adjustable Gastric Band surgery is another type of bariatric surgery that is performed macroscopically. It sections off a small pouch of the upper stomach using an inflatable band that can be adjusted to maximize the person’s weight-loss. The initial weight-loss is slower than with bypass surgery, but is also considered a less invasive procedure. A major benefit is that this type of surgery is reversible. Initial studies found gastric band surgery to be considered very successful. But complaints of weight regain and band complications have led to many people reversing the procedure and or being dissatisfied with the outcome. Band erosion and band slippage are common complications found in several long-term studies.

The final of the three is Gastric Sleeve Surgery. It is a relatively new procedure and is receiving a lot of attention, especially from dissatisfied gastric band patients. The procedure involves either removing part of the stomach (gastrectomy) or folding and suturing of part of the stomach (plication). The result is a smaller sleeve like stomach that holds less food and allows the patient to feel full with decreased caloric intake, which results in weight-loss. The plication technique has the advantage of being reversible, whereas, the gastrectomy approach is of course permanent.

All three of the procedures have received mixed reviews, but obviously the IDF experts feel it is a viable intervention for morbidly obese patients with type 2 diabetes. But, the patient must remember there is no magic bullet (or surgery) regarding weight-loss. Along with the surgery, a commitment to change one’s eating habits; exercise patterns and general lifestyle are crucial to long-term weight-loss success.

These surgical procedures are tools that may help a person lose weight and manage their diabetic condition, but it is imperative that the patient work closely with his or her medical team prior to surgery and during the post-surgical process. If you feel you fit the criteria (outlined by the IDF), make an appointment to see your endocrinologist regarding bariatric surgical options. The experts have stated their position: bariatric surgery is now a viable option in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, under certain circumstances!

Could the Treatment For Depression Be the Same As the Treatment For Diabetes?

For decades, physicians, mental health experts and individuals have struggled to find answers to the crippling problems of depression. Now, researchers have posed an interesting new theory: insulin.

Researchers at the University of Toronto stated Monday that intriguing new research seems to suggest that insulin has much more impact on the brain and mood disorders than previously thought.

A trial completed in early March at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto saw patients with depression being treated with nasal insulin rather than traditional methods. While it’s in the very early days, the results appear to be positive.

The issue with treating mental health is that even the most recent advances in pharmaceutical treatments are no more effective at treating or controlling depression than the drugs on the market in the 1950s. This new research seems to suggest that perhaps a wholesale alteration to treatment approaches are necessary. Part of the urge to point research in this direction was the fact that 50% to 75% of depression and bi-polar patients are either diabetic, obese or overweight. Other research has shown that insulin plays a significant role in the development of the brain and other neurological functions, said Dr. Roger McIntyre, a psychiatrist and University of Toronto researcher.

“If you step out of psychiatry and you look into another area, like diabetes, a condition defined by insulin problems, those individuals on the surface have many of the same problems that our patients have,” he said in the National Post. “They have lots of mood disturbances and cognitive changes and their brains are as affected as our patients.”

Given that this research is in its infancy, it will be years before enough trials can be run to determine a scientifically proven link, and even longer before effective treatments can be based on the research. Still, it’s a hopeful line of attack and one that could bode well for treatments in the future.

Omni Bio Pharmaceutical, Inc’s. CEO Issues Letter to Shareholders

DENVER, March 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Omni Bio Pharmaceutical, Inc. (OTC BB: OMBP), today issued the following letter to shareholders of the Company:

To the Shareholders of Omni Bio Pharmaceutical, Inc.:

I am writing to you having completed my first month as the Chief Executive Officer of Omni Bio Pharmaceutical, Inc., (“Omni”). With our 2011 Fiscal year coming to a close, this is an appropriate juncture to update our shareholders on the basis for my optimism in your Company’s prospects, and to advise you of my initiatives to increase shareholder value. I intend to keep you updated periodically going forward, the timing of which will be dictated by substantive scientific or business developments.

As you may be aware, I served on the Scientific Advisory Board (“SAB”) of Omni for approximately two years prior to accepting the role as CEO of the Company, and I would like to provide you with my observations about the magnitude of this business opportunity and our progress. During my involvement with Omni’s SAB, I became aware of scientific research in animal models related to the potential uses of Alpha 1 antitrypsin (“AAT”) in numerous disease classifications. I believe the results of these animal models are compelling in terms of their potential significance if similar results can be obtained in a human population.

These studies, which were largely conducted by investigators not associated with Omni, but where Omni controls intellectual property, made it clear to me that the opportunity for Omni to advance its intellectual property into a number of additional disease classifications was significant and persuasive. When I was approached by your Board of Directors to assume the Chief Executive Officer role, I believed that Omni’s science had the potential to have a significant impact on human disease.

At this point in my career, I am interested in developing life changing therapies and I believe Omni’s opportunity provides that situation for me.

Omni is involved with the development of intellectual property related to methods of use patent applications and issued patents related to AAT, a human biological that is FDA-approved for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (“COPD”) and emphysema in AAT deficient patients. Because of the approximately 20 year history of AAT being used to treat COPD and Emphysema, AAT has a solid established safety record, and this assisted us in obtaining FDA clearance to begin our trial in Type 1 diabetes within 12 months of its submission to the FDA. We believe that our method of use patent applications will control the treatment of Type 1 diabetes utilizing AAT, should we obtain the requisite FDA approval.

Our most advanced program is our Phase I/II human clinical trial in Type 1 diabetes involving AAT in recently diagnosed patients at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes in Denver at the Anschutz Medical Campus of the University of Colorado Denver. For this trial, we are using a branded formulation of AAT which is being provided by an existing manufacturer. We initiated this clinical trial this past October, and are approaching completion of the young adult population’s infusion stage, before we move into pediatric patients.

Type 1 diabetes is a large market, there are over two million individuals with Type 1 diabetes in the United States, and we believe that 25-30,000 that have been recently diagnosed have residual islet function. There is no effective form of therapy currently available to the market to block this debilitating and life shortening disease. Based on the addressable market size and anticipated cost of the drug, this would approximate a potential US market of $700 million annually, which is larger than the existing market for AAT for the treatment of COPD and emphysema. Our plan is to sublicense our intellectual property rights for diabetes and our other intellectual property disease classifications to one or more of the existing manufacturers of AAT, hence avoiding the capital intensive investment in plant, equipment and associated sales force.

Although there is optimism about our study’s prospects within Omni, we are not alone in our optimism. The Immune Tolerance Network (“ITN”) has initiated a similar trial of AAT utilizing Aralast NP in Type 1 diabetics (http://www.retainstudy.org/). The ITN is a non-profit, government-funded consortium of researchers working together to establish new treatments for diseases of the immune system. The ITN was founded in 1999 by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (a part of the National Institutes of Health ) and receives support from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (“JDRF”). The ITN study follows on the heels of two failed Type 1 diabetes studies that had been funded by ITN utilizing other drugs. I consider the Immune Tolerance Network’s decision to invest their resources in this trial as an important endorsement of our concept that AAT is a promising therapy for Type I Diabetes.

In addition to the recently commenced ITN study, Israel’s Kamada, LTD recently filed for an IND utilizing their formulation of AAT on Type 1 diabetes. Kamada received FDA approval for its formulation of AAT this past summer and has become aware of our clinical trial in Type 1 diabetes over the past 15 months. We believe their filing an IND with the FDA is a clear indication that they believe the potential for AAT to treat Type 1 diabetes is significant.

Over the course of the past 12 months Omni has been invited to attend and/or present at a number of conferences which have included the Jefferies 2010 Global Healthcare Conference (New York), the 2011 JP Morgan Healthcare Conference (San Francisco), and the Biotech Showcase-2011 (San Francisco). These conferences have provided us with opportunities to meet with research analysts, investment bankers and potential industry collaborators for Omni. We intend to continue to pursue the regular attendance of investment conference opportunities in our next fiscal year.

In addition, I believe our intellectual property pipeline gives Omni other opportunities for commercialization. During the course of this year, we may initiate additional clinical trials, which are contingent upon the receipt of additional financing. Each of these trials addresses significant disease classifications with potentially larger markets than Type 1 diabetes. Indications such as transplant rejection and the prevention of graft vs host disease are likely to be areas that will gather the most impetus from Omni due to the ability to generate clinically relevant data in short periods of time.

I am enthusiastic about our prospects and look forward to reporting to you periodically on our progress.

Sincerely,

James D. Crapo, MD

Chief Executive Officer

Omni Bio Pharmaceutical, Inc.

About Omni Bio Pharmaceutical, Inc.

Omni Bio Pharmaceutical, Inc. (www.omnibiopharma.com) is an emerging biopharmaceutical company formed to acquire, license, and develop existing therapies for indications with substantial commercialization potential. Omni Bio’s core technology and pipeline are based on issued and pending patents licensed from the University of Colorado Denver (“UCD”) and a privately held corporation surrounding the broader therapeutic potential of currently marketed therapies. One of Omni Bio’s lead development programs is evaluating an FDA-approved, off-patent drug, AAT, for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. Novel discoveries made at UCD indicate that AAT has the potential to address a variety of indications in the areas of bacterial and viral disorders, biohazards, diabetes and transplant rejection. For additional information, please visit www.omnibiopharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements made in this press release are forward-looking statements that reflect management’s current views and expectations with respect to future events, including the expansion and commencement of clinical trials and the outcome and expenses of such trials. These forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside our control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties are based on a number of factors, including but not limited to receipt of adequate funding to expand and commence clinical trials; receipt of applicable regulatory approvals for clinical trials, the risks related to the ownership and enforceability of our licensed intellectual property necessary to conduct the clinical trials and the business risks disclosed in our SEC filings, especially the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.