(AMD) Age-related macular degeneration is a disease that blurs the sharp, central vision you need for “straight-ahead” activities such as reading, sewing, and driving. AMD affects the macula, the part of the eye that allows you to see fine detail. AMD…
Stem Cell Transplants Could Ease Crohn’s Disease
Overview of the Study A new study, led by Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NHS Trust, is exploring the potential of stem cell transplants to ease Crohn’s disease symptoms. The research is funded with £2 million from a…
The top 5 vaccine companies by 2017 revenue
Even in an industry dominated by a few huge companies, disruption happens sometimes—and 2017 was one of those times. GlaxoSmithKline surpassed Merck to top the vaccine industry by sales, generating $7 billion compared to Merck’s $6.5 billion. It stands to be…
FDA Approves First Treatment for Rare Adrenal Tumors
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Azedra (iobenguane I 131) injection for intravenous use for the treatment of adults and adolescents age 12 and older with rare tumors of the adrenal gland (pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma) that cannot be surgically…
Magnetic surgical cement heals spinal fractures, provides targeted drug delivery
Patients with spinal fractures caused by tumors or osteoporosis usually undergo a procedure called kyphoplasty, where the fracture is filled with surgical cement. While kyphoplasty can stabilize the bone, cancer patients are still often left with spinal column tumors that are…
Scientists Develop Blood Test to Diagnose Brain Injury
For the first time, a blood test will be available to help doctors determine if people who’ve experienced a blow to the head could have a traumatic brain injury such as brain bleeding or bruising. Until this point, physicians have relied…
WHO releases new International Classification of Diseases (ICD 11)
18 June 2018 ¦ Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) is today releasing its new International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). The ICD is the foundation for identifying health trends and statistics worldwide and contains around 55 000 unique codes for…
New Method Reveals How Well Cancer Drugs Hit Their Targets
Scientists have developed a technique that allows them to measure how well cancer drugs reach their targets inside the body. It shows individual cancer cells in a tumor in real time, revealing which cells interact with the drug and which cells…
Combination Treatment Fortifies the Aging Immune System
Scientists have found that a combination treatment safely enhances the ability of the immune system to fight infections in the elderly. The results from the phase 2a clinical trial suggest that the treatment could lay the groundwork for therapies that decrease…
Research Suggests New Vaccine Candidates for Malaria
Researchers have shown that higher levels of Plasmodium antibodies are protective against severe malaria in children living in Papua New Guinea. Children who have higher levels of antibodies to a specific short amino acid sequence in the malaria parasite, P. falciparum,…