Automatic dispensing systems
European hospitals are increasingly using robotic dispensing systems to accelerate drug distribution and the patients discharge process.
Medication
Positive action in the war against MRSA
The first strain of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) was isolated in the 1960s, and its presence was reported worldwide in the late 1990s. A higher incidence of MRSA was noted in communities, at the dawn of the new millennium, leading to two basic MRSA strains being differentiated - CA-MRSA (community acquired MRSA) and HA-MRSA (healthcare associated MRSA). In clinical practice…
Nosocomial infections
According to ECD statistics for Europe, three million cases of nosocomial infections occur annually, and 50,000 are fatal. Evelina Tacconelli MD PhD (below) is Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore in Rome, Italy. Her scientific focus is on epidemiology, clinical and therapeutic aspects of nosocomial infections and infection control policies aimed to…
Speeding up vaccine production
During the race to produce vaccines against evolving influenza viruses the slowness of their manufacture has turned producers more sharply towards cell culture technology. Using the traditional process, fertilised chicken eggs must first be inoculated with live flu virus, then the resulting egg-adapted virus must be purified and inactivated to produce trivalent inactivated virus (TIV), during…
Beckman Coulter Expands Drugs of Abuse Test
Beckman Coulter, Inc. has expanded its drugs of abuse test menu to include a DRI* Oxycodone Enzyme Immunoassay (OXYX). The assay is for the qualitative and semi-quantitative determination of oxycodone and its metabolite, oxymorphone, in human urine.
246 Million Euros for faster medicine development
Fifteen new research projects aimed at bringing innovative medicines to market faster have been selected to receive 246 million Euros from the European Commission and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). The projects will foster understanding of health issues such as diabetes, pain, severe asthma and psychiatric disorders while increasing medicine safety.
Pulmonary hypertension: New drugs improve quality of life
Today help is often available for those suffering from high blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation (pulmonary arterial hypertension/PAH). New drugs — so-called endothelin receptor antagonists — make it possible to alleviate the symptoms, improving patients' physical strength and quality of life.
Small yes, but Sweden and Denmark are big in pharma R&D firms
Among 2,552 European R&D projects (clinical phases I-III) conducted by small and mid-size biotechnology firms (under 600 employees), 64 are focused on diabetes, according to a large, detailed study carried out by Novumed Life Science Consulting.
Isolation technology
As processes become more complex, the need for increased laboratory safety is paramount. Protecting operators from hazardous substances, aerosol release or spillages is a critical consideration during processes, whether they are mixing substances or dispensing drugs. Of equal importance is the need to protect the substance, or product, from contamination from the operator. Mark Nicholls presents…
Russia: A strange state for state-of-the-art laboratory diagnostics
The last time medical science enriched clinical practice with new advanced technologies ideas about aetiology and the treatment principles of a great number of diseases changed. Now the dilemma of modification of diagnoses and treatments, including laboratory diagnostics, is a very hot issue in Russia.
A More Direct Delivery of Cancer Drugs to Tumors
An interdisciplinary team of researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology has demonstrated a better way to deliver cancer drugs directly to tumors by using specially engineered nanoparticles that can inhibit a signaling pathway and deliver a higher concentration of medication to the specific area.
Plotting a course for contrast-enhanced MRI
In a symposium organised by Bayer Schering Pharma at the 2009 European Congress of Radiology (ECR), the audience heard a series of four presentations on the potential advantages of high-signal-intensity contrast agents for MRI, focusing on gadobutrol (Gadovist). During the discussion, several claims made by the speakers were challenged and debated by ECR delegates.
"Theranostics" - the potentials of cell imaging
Thanks to cell therapy, researchers have found new ways to understand and potentially treat heart diseases and degenerative conditions such as Parkinson's and cancer. The role of imaging is becoming more and more important, especially in understanding the action of transplanted cells in situ.
Doctors often ignore electronic drug safety alerts
When prescribing drugs electronically, US clinicians often over-ride automatic drug warning alerts in computer-based systems, according to a new study led by researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre (BIDMC), Boston, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (9/2/09).
Pain control
The availability of a new opioid-based treatment option, has led pain specialists to believe they may at last be able to solve the age-old problem of how to provide effective chronic pain relief without causing opioid-induced constipation (OIC).
One in seven hospital patients suffer adverse drug reactions
UK - Following a six-month study of 3,000 hospital patients in 12 wards in Merseyside, researchers at Liverpool University found that one in seven had suffered adverse drug reactions.
UROLOGY
17-21 March Stockholm Sweden
New campaign for fair drugs testing aims to combat exploitation worldwide
The Netherlands - People in developing countries run health risks from pharmaceutical companies testing drugs on them for the Western market.
Healthcare and the 2009 EU Presidencies
The next two countries to preside over the EU Presidency - the Czech Republic (first half year of 2009) and Sweden (second half) recently presented the priorities of their presidencies for healthcare at the European Health Forum Gastein (EHFG).
Healthcare sector to fight ATB over-consumption
Czech hospitals are seeking powerful inspiration regarding antibiotics (ATB) consumption from France, where a recent public campaign helped to decrease ATB consumption by 30%.
The Eppendorf Young Investigator Award 2008
The 14th Eppendorf Young Investigator Award 2008, worth ?15,000, was presented at MEDICA in November.
Advances in autoimmune disease diagnostics
The European market for autoimmune disease diagnostics has demonstrated sustained growth due to advances in detection technology and automation, according to a new analysis from Frost & Sullivan (F&S)
New Therapy to improve HDL and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Abbott's TRILIPIX™ (fenofibric acid) delayed-release capsules for use along with diet to help lower triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, and to raise HDL cholesterol in patients with lipid problems.
Global economic crisis hits biotech and pharma firms
The current global financial crisis is like to hit Bio-tech and pharmaceutical companies due to a lack of funding for research and the discovery and production of many new drugs, according to Professor David Wield, Director of the Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC) Edinburgh-based Innogen Centre, and chair of the recent international ESRC conference Genomics and Society: Reinventing…
An intuitive generation of volumetric
Volumat MC Agilia is the advanced volumetric infusion pump in the Agilia Range, the new family of intuitive infusion devices developed by Fresenius Kabi, based in Brézins, France.
