Medication

The US diabetes epidemic

There's little evidence that newer, more expensive drugs work any better than older, cheaper medications. Diabetes, which came 7th in the list of the USA's top mortality causes in 2006, has hit a new high.

Revisions to the diabetes treatment algorithm

A panel of experts, convened by the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, has issued updated treatment recommendations for type 2 diabetes, in a consensus statement published online in two journals: Diabetes Care and Diabetologia*.

Professional advice on devices testing and approval

BEO MedConsulting BERLIN GmbH, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Berlin since 2005, advises manufacturers on all issues concerning testing and approval of medical devices.

Fast and effective: The Dräger DrugTest 5000

Is there a case of drug abuse ore not? In case of an emergency physicians need a quick answer to decide about the further treatment. The Dräger DrugTest 5000 could deliver the information of up to six different drug classes within minutes.

NHS managers hit back at European healthcare rankings

NHS managers are refuting a report that ranks the UK 13th for healthcare out of 31 European countries. The Euro Health Consumer Index 2008 puts the Netherlands in first place, with the UK trailing behind countries including Estonia, France and Germany.

UPS Healthcare Logistics

From 'A' as in Austria to 'Z' as in Zanzibar the letters 'UPS' (United Parcel Service) are known for express transportation and logistics services. Since the late '90s the UPS section responsible for logistics services has delivered supply chain solutions for healthcare customers, including pharmaceutical, biotech, medical devices and equipment companies - an important growth sector for this…

LWI: The novel Web-based international trading portal

LifeWorld International Inc (LWI), the internet portal for bilateral global trade in science products and technology transfer of healthcare equipment, pharmaceuticals, chemistry and computer technology, enables public and private sector buyers to obtain the products and services they need while offering reputable and pre-qualified sellers to present their products in reverse online auctions.

Infusion technology from Fresenius Kabi

Infusion technology has come a long way in the past decade, explains Stéphane Ruton, Director of Strategic Marketing for IV Technology at Fresenius Kabi, which focuses on infusion therapies and clinical nutrition, as well as the respective medical devices.

The sense of health statistics

Presidential candidates use them to persuade voters, drug companies use them to sell their products, and the media spin them in all kinds of ways, but nobody - candidates, reporters, let alone health consumers - understands them.

Germany: Tackling contaminated water

Compared with private households, hospitals may only produce 10-20% of wastewater containing the residue of drugs; however, tackling the problem is very necessary.

Avian 'flu research suggests vaccine should be used now, not stockpiled

Governmental fear of an avian 'flu pandemic remains high, and a certain amount of vaccine has been stockpiled to meet sudden demand.

Xarelto gains EU approval

The European Commission has granted marketing approval to the Bayer Group for Xarelto (rivaroxaban), an anticoagulant taken as one tablet, once-daily, to prevent venous thrombo-embolic events (VTE) in adults undergoing elective (planned) hip or knee replacement surgery.

Core needle beast biopsies safe for patients taking blood thinners

It is safe to take anticoagulants before core needle breast biopsies, according to a study performed at the Elizabeth Wende Breast Clinic in Rochester, NY.

NICE renewed flu guidance

The next flu season will come. To prevent high-risk people from infections, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recently published a final guidance on the use of the drugs oseltamivir, amantadine and zanamivir for the prophylaxis of influenza. "But vaccination is the main way to prevent flu", says Gillian Leng, NICE Deputy Chief Executive.

Hospital staff don't care for influenza vaccination — for themselves

Injections, that's everyday business for the men and women working in healthcare. As long as it is the patients who have to face the needle, it seems. Like in the years before Dr Heinzpeter Moecke, medical director of Asklepios Klinik Nord-Heidberg in Hamburg, Germany, set an example for his staff and had a vaccination.

Harmonising rules on information about prescription drugs

Pharmaceutical companies are not allowed to inform consumers on the internet or in ads about side effects, application and ingredients of medicines. The pharmaceutical industry would like to relax this ban and mustered support from EU Commissioner Günter Verheugen who will present a legislative proposal later this year.

Care of the elderly varies widely within the EU

Drug access by older citizens varies widely across 25 EU member countries, according to a new study by IMS Health. Per capita usage of drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease in the five EU countries where utilization was highest was 20 times greater than in the five lowest-use countries.

Cardioprotective effect of fluvastatin XL

Between June 2004 and April 2008 the Dutch DECREASE III Study observed patients treated with Fluvastatin. The results show that Fluvastatin XL therapy can be associated with improved postoperative cardiac outcome in high-risk patients undergoing elective vascular surgery.

How save are antiangiogenic and anti-inflammatory drugs really?

Since Rofecoxib (Vioxx) was withdrawn from the worldwide market based on the safety findings of the Adenomatous Polyp Prevention on Vioxx (APPROVe) study, the uncertainty around the cardiovascular safety of NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors remains and leaves practitioners with difficult management decisions for the hundreds of millions of patients worldwide who continue to require pain-relieving…

SYNCOPE Diagnosis and therapy

The diagnostic work-up of syncope patients often raises the question of how much diagnosis is necessary and what examination methods are really needed. To save time, specialists recommend focusing on determining whether the syncope may be caused by a cardiac problem - a question answered quite easily in many cases. Karl Eberius MD, European Hospital's new correspondent, discussed advice for…

Ethical concerns over clinical trials in India

As an increasing number of international drug companies are moving their clinical trials business to India, the clinical trial industry has been raising concerns about the lack of regulation of private trials carried out there, including the uneven application of requirements for informed consent and proper ethics review.

Heart failure

The ageing population and growing risk factors have made a significant impact on driving up the number of registered heart failure (HF) cases. Existing pharmacological strategies are improving the survival rates of acute and early-stage HF patients, ironically providing a growing body of patients with progression of the disease to HF.