| Thousands ’unaware they have HIV’ |
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The number of people with HIV in the UK is still rising with 53,000 adults now living with the virus, figures show.
More than a quarter - 27% - do not know they have the infection, which could be as many as 14,300 people.
There were 6,606 new HIV infections diagnosed, the Health Protection Agency said, but that could rise to 7,000 once all the data are collected.
The new figures come as the government announced a £300m investment to tackle the UK’s sexual health crisis.
The increase in HIV diagnoses compares with 6,017 cases in 2002 and 2,835 in 1998.
The increase means the UK faces rising costs as well as ill health with each HIV infection estimated to cost between £500,000 and £1m in treatment and lost productivity.
Dr Kevin Fenton, author of the HPA’s Focus on Prevention report, said the increase in the number of infections diagnosed was the result of a combination of factors.
But it is largely contributed to by the migration of people from areas of the world where there is a high prevalence of HIV, such as sub-Saharan Africa, he said.
Distribution changes
Of the 6,606 new cases diagnosed in 2003, 58% - 3,801 - were among heterosexuals while gay and bisexual men accounted for 1,735, or 26%.
The number of new infections diagnosed in gay and bisexual men was the highest for 10 years, Dr Fenton said.
The distribution of HIV cases has changed in the past decade, moving away from gay men and into heterosexual adults.
In 1994, only 31% of new cases were in heterosexuals.
This percentage had almost doubled to 58% by last year.
The number of heterosexual diagnoses likely to have been acquired in this country had increased from 139 in 1998 to 341 in 2003, he added.
Two thirds of HIV infections acquired through heterosexual sex diagnosed in 2003 were in women - 2,465.
£300m investment
Dr Ewen Stewart, HIV spokesman at the Royal College of GPs, said: It is worrying that there are now a large number of people in the UK with undiagnosed HIV.
If people are concerned that they may have been exposed to HIV they should contact their GP or sexual health clinic for a test.
Professor Pat Troop, chief executive of the HPA, said sexual health services were coming under increasing pressure to cope with the number of people diagnosed with HIV and other STIs.
She said: We carried out a survey looking at waiting times in GUM clinics which showed that fewer than a third of patients are seen at clinics within the first 48 hours of seeking an appointment.
If people are to receive early diagnosis and treatment, these waiting times need to be reduced.
On Wednesday, the government announced a £300m investment over the next three years in an attempt to deal with the UK’s sexual health crisis.
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| NHS dentists ’may get scarcer’ - Nov 26, 2004 18:29 IST |
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A shake-up in NHS dentistry will come into force next October in a bid to move from drill and fill treatments towards more preventative work.
But the National Audit Office (NAO) said dentists may end up cutting their NHS commitments because of scepticism and a lack of detail about the changes.
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| Student Health Plans Thanksgiving Tradition - Nov 26, 2004 18:26 IST |
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MedSave.com is gearing up for a lesser-known Thanksgiving tradition. Thousands of college students change their health insurance plans during their trip home to see parents this week. From the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through the following weekend, online and telephone requests from students and their parents have come in at a record pace. This trend has grown each year since the enrollment firm’s launch in 1997. Despite efforts to take more calls and process more applications, the firm still expects a backlog of business on Thanksgiving weekend. Other enrollment firms report similar trends. MedSave.com focuses on low cost health insurance, so it serves a higher percentage of students than some other enrollment firms. In addition, students are more likely than adults to enroll for a health plan online rather than traditional paper methods.
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| Protein stops heart attack damage - Nov 26, 2004 18:27 IST |
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University of Texas scientists worked on mice, but hope their findings will eventually lead to new treatment for heart disease.
The protein, Thymosin beta-4, is already used in clinical trials to promote wound healing on the skin.
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| Prevent Adds ErgoSlide to Nationally Acclaimed Get A Lift! Program - Nov 26, 2004 18:22 IST |
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Prevent, Inc. has added the ErgoSlide™, an innovative Slide Tube exclusively designed by ErgoSafe Products. The ErgoSlide™ can be used to move patients up or across a bed and turn them without pulling the patient’s body and without the caregiver having to lift. It is made from a strong nylon material sewn into a long roller band and is wide enough for a patient to lie on. Webbed handles are on both sides of the sheet around the full length, which are used to turn or slide the patient
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| Let Earthen Products Get Your Skin in the Mood to be Renewed! - Nov 26, 2004 15:58 IST |
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Spring is a time of rebirth and growth. It is a time to let the inner you come forth and face the warm sunny days ahead. Time to put your “best face forward” and what a better way to do this then with vibrant healthy looking skin! Earthen Inc. is to introduce three products that will “renew” your skin after the long harsh winter months: InstantPeel, Instant Cellu-Moist, and Peptide Infusion.
InstantPeel is an extraordinarily unique skin exfoliant that is the safe and gentle alternative to chemical peels. What is truly exciting about InstantPeel is that now you can have a facial within seven minutes, while in the comfort of your own shower. Unlike ordinary exfoliants, results are truly immediate and not over time. You’ll see dead skin cells and debris gently peel away as you massage. Unlike anything else, InstantPeel binds only to dead skin and debris, leaving younger-looking, baby soft skin in its place. Chemical peels are painful and produce redness, the acidity level of InstantPeel is close to neutral, and there are no aftereffects. Dermatologist-approved, clinically tested InstantPeel is hypoallergenic and safe for even the most sensitive of skins.
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| Medical Billing Firm Moves Into New Location and Unveils New Website After Growing 200% in the First Year. - Nov 26, 2004 15:49 IST |
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Outsource Management Group is an industry leading medical billing & medical coding outsourcing company providing physicians with complete practice management solutions nationwide.
The release of the new website and medical billing blog are indicative of Outsource Management Group’s commitment to being a leader in the industry by providing the best possible service and latest information and news.
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| Permanent Cosmetic Leader to Network Physicians, Provide Medical Care - Nov 26, 2004 15:48 IST |
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Premier Pigments, which provides the majority of the permanent make-up pigments used throughout the world by physicians, cosmetic technicians, and body artists, announced today an unprecedented offer to arrange medical treatment for anyone who has an allergic reaction to permanent cosmetics. The offer of medical care covers not only their clients, but also the customers of certified technicians who use other pigment suppliers.
Permanent pigments are overwhelmingly safe and successful and we will expend time and money to care for anyone who has an allergic reaction, identify physicians who can treat problems, and greatly enhance our programs to educate both doctors and technicians. Premier Pigments will also direct individuals who are dissatisfied with results to technicians who are skilled in correctional procedures. We are committed to strengthening the confidence the public has in our products and in the entire permanent cosmetics industry, said Sandi Hammons, president and CEO of Premier Pigments.
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| 9 Months until Your Vitamin Supplements Will Be Banned - Nov 26, 2004 14:44 IST |
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In 2002 the European Union passed the directive on dietary supplements. This directive, which is part of a larger form of legislation called codex alimentarius, is a dangerous directive which takes away your rights as An American citizen to control your own health.
This directive is on track to take effect in the United States in less than one year. August 2005 to be exact, and the scenario above will become reality for all of us. These laws will classify proven and safe supplements as “medical drugs”.
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| Cancer-Treatments.org Offers Information on New Cancer Treatment Options - Nov 26, 2004 14:41 IST |
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Did you know there is a doctor in Mexico who has a 98% success rate with curing bone cancer? Did you know clinics exist that can offer a 90-100% success rate with curing 4 and 5 stage cancers? Did you know there is a new form of super supplement that helps people quietly cure themselves of cancer?
Unfortunately, most cancer patients don’t know about this treatment... and they continue to suffer through hours of debilitating chemotherapy. Cancer-Treatments.org hopes to change that.
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| Callisto Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CEO to Present at the 15th Annual Wall Street Analyst Forum Conference - Nov 26, 2004 13:51 IST |
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Callisto Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX: KAL), a biopharmaceutical company primarily focused on the development of drugs to treat cancer and osteolytic bone disease, announced today that Dr. Gary S. Jacob, Callisto Chief Executive Officer, will present at the 15th Annual Wall Street Analyst Forum Conference on December 1, 2004, at 11:40 a.m. Eastern time. The conference will be held at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, New York.
Dr. Jacob will present an update on Callisto’s strategy and business development efforts, followed by an overview of its Annamycin and Atiprimod drug candidates. Annamycin, a drug from the anthracycline family, recently completed a Phase I/IIa trial in refractory leukemia patients. Callisto plans to initiate a Phase IIb trial in relapsed leukemia patients in the first half of 2005. Callisto’s second drug, Atiprimod, a small-molecule, orally-available drug with antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activity, began an open-label Phase I/IIa clinical trial in relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) patients on May 25, 2004.
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| Low-Fat vs. Low-Carb Study Results Mis-Reported: Study Revelaed the Real Enemy is Junk Food - Nov 26, 2004 13:51 IST |
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Recent headlines suggesting low-carb dieters were more likely to re-gain weight than low-fat dieters resulted from misinterpretation of a study presented earlier this month at a major conference on obesity. In fact, the study showed no difference between the two groups of dieters. The real “enemy” revealed by the study was junk food consumed after subjects had lost weight.
According to Catherine LaCroix, editor in chief of LowCarb Living magazine, the study presented earlier this month at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity was widely misreported. “A review of the data showed there was absolutely no difference in weight re-gain between the ‘low-carb’ and ‘low-fat’ groups,” said LaCroix. “So we talked to Suzanne Phelan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Human Behavior at Brown University, who presented the study. She admits that those headlines proclaiming ‘low fat beats low carb’ were ‘somewhat misleading.’”
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| Consumers Buy Klonopin, Clonazepam And Rivotril From Online Pharmacies In Increasing Numbers. - Nov 26, 2004 13:45 IST |
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Back by popular demand - the frequently prescribed anxiety medications Klonopin and it’s generic counterparts Clonazepam and Rivotril at US-Meds.com.
Consumers are now going to online pharmacies in increasing numbers in order to protect their privacy and to get immediate service - which is usually not available with traditional face to face doctor visits.
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| AIDS Walk Founder Available for Comment: The Significance - Nov 26, 2004 13:34 IST |
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While many cite declining numbers in fundraising for AIDS organizations as evidence of waning public interest in HIV/AIDS, the ever-successful AIDS Walks in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, demonstrate that public support for domestic HIV/AIDS services remains strong.
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| Dispelling the myth. The reality behind human organ trafficking. Professor Nancy Scheper-Hughes in interview - Nov 26, 2004 13:28 IST |
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Professor Nancy Scheper-Hughes, an anthropologist of international renown, first studied the phenomena of organ trafficking from the perspective of an urban myth. Her years of research however uncovered a system that is all too real.
In a rare interview with Three Monkeys Online Magazine, Professor Nancy Scheper-Hughes talks about the international system of trafficking in human organs, where people from impoverished countries sell kidneys, eyes, and any other body part that can be transplanted, to international brokers.
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| Obesity? New Career? Forget the New Year Resolutions - Nov 26, 2004 13:18 IST |
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On January 1, 2005, 97% of Americans will have made their New Year resolutions. By the end of January 2005, 95% of Americans will have discarded them as useless and unworkable. Is there a solution that will change lives or are such thoughts only for foolish dreamers?
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| Good Samaritan Hospital To Provide Advanced Dialysis Therapy Vital In The Treatment Of Unstable Patients - Nov 26, 2004 12:48 IST |
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Following the installation of new equipment and several months of staff training, the Frank and Fannie Weiss Renal Dialysis Center at Good Samaritan Hospital is now capable of performing continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH), an advanced and alternative dialysis therapy.
CVVH is a more gentle and gradual dialysis therapy most commonly used in intensive care units for critically ill and unstable patients with acute renal failure. The Weiss Center is the only hospital-based facility in the county offering the procedure.
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| The Myth About Illegal Drugs...Are They Cast - Off Psychiatric Drugs? - Nov 26, 2004 12:35 IST |
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The founders of Label Me Sane, a California based company announced a nationwide lecture series to educate the public about both illegal and prescription drugs, specifically the psychiatric medication mass marketed today for all types of psychiatric disorders.
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| One of the Finest Premier Spas in Ft. Lauderdale - Nov 26, 2004 12:8 IST |
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Your unforgettable journey at The Retreat Spa, one of the finest spas in Ft. Lauderdale starts with our complimentary luxury Aromatherapy Steam room, unwind your body, mind and soul... while rejuvenating your spirit.
Next, loosen up those tight muscles with a Swedish or deep tissue massage, or try one of our Signature Treatments, a European Facial or Body Wrap.
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| LegalServicesInfo Offers Vioxx Lawyer and Vioxx Attorney Information to Consumers - Nov 26, 2004 12:1 IST |
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Are you or someone you know one of the estimated 84 million people who were prescribed the drug Vioxx? If so, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering. On September 30th, Merck took the drug Vioxx off of the market after a study showed that the popular painkiller nearly doubled the risk of heart attacks and stroke when taken for more than 18 months.
A Food and Drug Administration reviewer who recommended that the drug be pulled stated that research indicated that Vioxx caused up to 160,000 heart attacks and strokes.
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| Breast Enhancement Pills or Surgery? What are your expectations? - Nov 26, 2004 11:29 IST |
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Approximately two years ago we set out to produce the best herbal breast-enhancing supplement that money could buy. After many months of careful research we were amazed by the claim other producers of breast supplements were making. Some of the claims read, Add 3 cup sizes in weeks! Others promised results that simply were not attainable by any herbal supplement. As time went on some of the companies making these claims were fined by the F.T.C. for making “false and misleading statements.”
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