Health

The drug developer Vivus Inc got the backing of a U.S. advisory panel as the company aims to gain approval for this new obesity drug in 13 years. Analysts say the drug, if approved, may generate $448 million in sales in 2015. some other drug developers, Orexigen Therapeutics Inc., based in La Jolla, California, and San Diego-based Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. also are seeking approval for their obesity medicines, which the FDA refused to approve without more data on safety risks.

The US Food and Drug Administration’s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drug Advisory Committee voted 20 to two that Qnexa’s benefits outweigh its risks at a meeting at agency headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. The company’s Qnexa (phentermine/ topiramate) is recommended for obesity in adults

The approval of the new weight-loss pill Qnexa is the good news for Americans with a weight problem. Obesity case shouldn’t be disparaged. Obesity raises the risks of diabetes, heart attacks and stroke. The harms are not only about health, it costs the U.S. economy an estimated $147 billion a year in medical expenses and lost productivity, according to the Atlanta-based CDC.

Qnexa is one of three medications vying for the first U.S. approval of a prescription weight-loss treatment since Swiss drug maker Roche Holding AG’s Xenical in 1999. An advisers meeting in March is prepared to discuss the possibility of requiring hearth-risk studies for all weight-loss drugs. The FDA plans panel members discussed whether Vivus should conduct such a long-term safety study before or after approval. The company is also planned to sell the drug through a limited number of mail-order pharmacies swayed them in favor of supporting the drug despite limited safety data.

“Of all the obesity drugs, this one has the highest efficacy in terms of weight loss, so that shifts the balance in terms of requiring a post-approval study rather than a pre- approval study,” said Sanjay Kaul, a cardiology professor in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Cedar Sinai Medical Center and a panel member.

Qnexa combines the appetite suppressant phentermine with topiramate, an antiseizure and migraine drug and regulators raised concerns that the medicine may contribute to a greater risk of heart ailments and birth defects.

“We are pleased with the panel’s approval recommendation in support of the safety and efficacy of Qnexa,” said Peter Tam, president of Vivus, adding: “We look forward to working with the FDA as they complete their evaluation. Obesity is a serious medical condition, and we are committed to making Qnexa available and providing physicians with a new medical treatment option in their battle with this public health epidemic.”

Vivus is waiting, the obese is waiting, and public are waiting, whether the obese should be rescued by such a diet in camp or by the weight-loss pills.

It’s really can’t be disparaged. Federal health officials state that Hepatitis C, a viral infection that can lead to swelling of the liver, is now killing more people more than the AIDS virus and most over 45 years of age.

According to the World Health Organization, 170 million people globally carry the virus, which is transmitted through exposure to infected blood, and more than 350,000 die from related illnesses each year. The virus also infected one in every baby boomers and many don’t even know they have this liver destroying disease. Dr. Robert Bettiker, associate professor of medicine in infectious diseases at Temple University School of Medicine, says that once symptoms appear, the liver is already damaged.

So far there’s no drug that effectively cures Hepatitis C. Considering the harm, Novartis declared a promise about the fee for Hepatitis C drug invention. Novartis agreed to pay as much as $440 million for the rights to an experimental drug against hepatitis C, joining Foster City’s Gilead Sciences and Bristol-Myers Squibb in seeking deals to gain medicines against the virus. The drug maker will pay $34 million for the rights to EDP-239, a drug developed by Enanta Pharmaceuticals and about to enter the first phase of human tests, Enanta said. Closely held Enanta may get additional payments of as much as $406 million if the product meets clinical, regulatory and sales goals, it said Tuesday. Novartis also will pay royalties on any sales.

Novartis is at least the fourth drugmaker in as many months to gain access to hepatitis C treatments with a takeover or licensing accord. Bristol-Myers paid $2.5 billion for Inhibitex Inc. this month after Gilead paid $10.8 billion for Pharmasset in January and Roche Holding bought Anadys Pharmaceuticals for about $230 million in November.

Joe Jimenez, Novartis Chief Executive Officer, in January told he was “amazed” at the prices that developers of hepatitis C treatments have been attracting. The company already has its own experimental drug against the virus called DEB025 and “would love to be further” in hepatitis C, Jimenez said at the time.

Drugmakers are looking for new treatments to combine to target hepatitis C in the same way they use drug cocktails to beat back HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. EDP-239 is designed to block a viral protein called NS5A that the virus uses to replicate in the body, the same protein Bristol-Myers is targeting with an experimental medicine called BMS-790052.

Kombucha tea has been documented from at least the 19th century, as a beverage. Many people never thought of it as having health benefits. Some stories and reports describe how Kombucha tea works stimulating the immune system, preventing cancer, and improving digestion and liver function. But so far there’s no scientific evidence to support these health claims.

According to Dr. Brent A. Bauer from Mayo Clinic explains Kombucha (pronounced come-BOO-shah) tea is a fermented drink made with tea, sugar, bacteria and yeast. Although it’s sometimes referred to as kombucha mushroom tea, kombucha is not a mushroom. It’s a colony of bacteria and yeast. Kombucha tea is made by adding the colony to sugar and tea, and allowing the mix to ferment. The resulting liquid contains vinegar, B vitamins and a number of other chemical compounds.

One of ‘thanks stories’ about Kombucha tea came from Holmdel entrepreneur Ruth Patras. Ruth credits Kombucha with helping her daughter, Ciara Patras, stay healthy and staving off the need for a liver transplant. Ciara Patras was born with biliary atresia, a congenital liver disease where the bile ducts fail to drain properly. The prognosis for this disease is grim, and doctors at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia told Patras that Ciara would likely need a liver transplant before she turned three. In the meantime, a procedure known as a Kasai portoenterostomy (which allows for bile drainage) had a 50-50 chance of buying her some time until then.

“The whole thing started when the doctors told me there was nothing I could do,” Ruth said, “It was a bleak time,”

Ruth began giving Ciara small quantities of Kombucha daily without telling her doctors.

“Kombucha is a living enzyme drink, known for being a serious immune system enhancer,” said Ruth who had been making Kombucha at home and drinking it herself for some time. “I believe it fell into my lap at a time when we needed divine inspiration.”

The operation went well, and Ciara’s liver function showed steady improvement over the next weeks and months. Patras, though grateful to her doctors, couldn’t help but attribute her daughter’s remarkable progress to the tea.

“I wanted to believe it and I did believe it,” she said. “I think it put her on the good side of 50%.”

So far, Ciara, who will be 17 in April, hasn’t needed a liver transplant. And although Ruth’s doctor had a very strong reaction at Ruth for giving Ciara the tea, they were more willing to listen. Ruth was also invited to share her story at a symposium for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Chronic Liver Disease in August 1999. Kombucha tea never stopped to attract and impress Ruth. She had a plan turned devotion to her daughter into a thriving business she hopes will help and inspire others, one sip of tea at a time. She was encouraged by family and friends to make her own and market it and then started her own company a little over two years ago.

Some cases of harm have also been reported. After sipped the tea, people told they find adverse effects such as stomach upset, infections and allergic reactions in Kombucha tea drinkers. Kombucha tea is often brewed in homes under non-sterile conditions, making contamination likely. If ceramic pots are used for brewing, lead poisoning might be a concern — the acids in the tea may leach lead from the ceramic glaze. Some people and experts then agree to avoid Kombucha tea as a medical treatment until more definitive information is available.

LifeVantage is a science based nutraceutical corporation that dedicated to visionary science that looks to transform wellness and anti-aging internally and externally with two categories products: a dietary supplement  that dramatically reduce oxidative stress at the cellular level and ati-aging skin care. The Company that was founded in 2003 with headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT and operations in San Diego, CA made Protandim(R), the Nrf2 Synergizer(TM) patented dietary supplement as their primary product and LifeVantage True Science Anti-Aging Cream skin care as the secondary product.

In February 7 2012, LifeVantage Corporation LFVN +14.02% announced it will release financial results for the second quarter ended December 31, 2011, after the market closes on Tuesday, February 14, 2012. The Company will hold an investor conference call at 2:30 p.m. Mountain time (4:30 p.m. Eastern time). If you’re interested in participating in the live as investor, just call (877) 604-9665 from the U.S. and International callers can dial (719) 325-4886.

To keeps its current share valuation going the company will have to produce some earnings for shareholders. Long-term shareholders of LifeVantage corporation are off to a good start in 2012. The shares were trading in the $1,33 range on January 10 and are currently trading in the $1,59 range; a gain of 19,5% in less than a month.

The fiscal is not the only one topic. The management also will discuss about the next product. The product potentially will be formulated for altitude sickness, skin cancer, photo aging of the skin, renal failure, pulmonary hypertension, periodontal disease, osteoarthritis, heart disease, coronary artery bypass graft failure, asthma, metabolic syndrome, optic neuropathy and HIV/AIDS-associated lipodystrophy.

Jim Calhoun has been suffering for several months from spinal stenosis, a spinal condition that causes him severe pain and hampers mobility. And it’s not enough. Now the disease also forces the fame basketball coach to take leave from UConn bench.

In Friday, Calhoun let people know about his health and how it disturb his activity. “The bottom line is I’m going to need some work done. In January the shooting pains were getting worse, and after one plane ride I couldn’t even get up. I tried to hide it. I’m taking medicine right now for the pain. They are waiting for things to quiet down, and I’ll meet with the doctor next week.”

“I had back pain like never before last summer, thought it was back spasms,” he said. “I saw a neurologist and he told me about scoliosis, stenosis and other things and that there could be things like a bone spur and that I could probably need something done at some point. I went for the physical therapy and it worked, but it started to lock up sometimes recently and it was worse.”

Calhoun also told the university president Susan Herbst about his condition but he had hoped to gut out the final weeks of the season.

“But it’s just so bad, even getting through practice,” Calhoun said. “Now I’m going to see what the next step is. The bottom line is I’m hurting.”

About 1 million people with chronic back pain suffer from lumbar spinal stenosis, in which the lower spinal canal narrows, putting pressure on the nerves. Those nerves cause back or leg pain that grows more acute when a person moves or stands. Doctors start by treating a person with steroid injections to reduce inflammation. Over time, these may grow ineffective, and often the next step is surgery.

Now, a Community Health Network physician offers a treatment called “mild,” which stands for “minimally invasive lumbar decompression.” Dr. John Swofford, a pain management specialist and surgeon, discusses the procedure. The mild treatment is done through a tube, smaller than a straw and about 7 or 8 inches long. The doctor make a small nick in the skin so they can insert this tube. They advance it using X-ray guidance and place it on the back of the spine. They use that tube as an access port to place some small instruments down, and then you remove portions of the thickened ligament on the posterior of the spine.

Pfizer Inc. announced yesterday that it is voluntarily recalling 14 lots of Lo/Ovral®-28 (norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol) Tablets and 14 lots of generic Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets for costumers in the U.S market. The recalling reason is some of the birth control tablet may be out of sequence, some blister packs may contain an inexact count of inert or there may be more inactive pills in other packages. Pfizer said in the FDA recall notice:

‘These tablets were manufactured and packaged by Pfizer Inc., commercialized by Akrimax Rx Products and labeled under the Akrimax Pharmaceuticals brand. This product is distributed to warehouses, clinics and retail pharmacies nationwide.’

The Assiciated Press reported that the recalled packets have expiration dates that range from July 31, 2013 to March 31, 2014.

According to the Huffing ton Post, Dr. Adam Griffin, an assistant professor in the obstetrics and gynecology department at the University of Rochester Medical Center, said,” it’s concerning- I just hope there’s not too much of a fallout from this.  Missed pills come up often, but it’s usually because of operator error on the part of the patient.”

There are 21 days worth of active pills and seven days of inert pills in the birth control packets affected by the recall. The 21 days of active pills have hormones in them that prevent pregnancy and the seven days pills don’t contain any hormones and are just meant as a placeholder.

Related with that, Griffin explained that the highest risk of pregnancy from the recall would be if the mislabeled pills were in the week right before the seven days of inert pills, or in the week following the seven days of inert pills.

It’s not a fatal condition when a woman misses just one pill, she just has to take it is as soon as she remembers. It’s a serious concern when more than on consecutive pill is missed. In that condition, the risk of contraceptive failure is increasing. Woman with the affected pills should use non-hormonal, barrier methods such as condoms beginning now. Bothering about the pills, unprotected sex, and the birth control, it’s better for the woman make a consultation with her doctor. She should also return the birth control to the pharmacy.

The two iconic organization that have assisted millions women, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Planned Parenthood affiliates ending their partnership. It related with the abortion debate and then it will mean a cutoff of huge dollars in grants, especially for breast exams.

Glundberd-Prossor, the spokeswoman fror Planned Parenthood, called it as a national policy decision. She told that Planned Parenthood has long appreciated and enjoyed a solid partnership with the Komen affiliate. “They’ve been nothing but wonderful to work with. We’re two of the strongest women’s health organizations in the state and they’re really relied on us to do this kind of outreach.”

According to the Seattle Times, Planned Parenthood says that the move results from Komen bowing to pressure from anti-abortion activist. Komen, which founded in 1982, tells that the main reason is that Congress is investigating Planned Parenthood. The related inquiry was launched by a conservative Republican who was urged to act by anti-abortion groups. Planned Parenthood also told the Komen grants totaled around $ 680,000 in 2011 and $ 580,000 in the previous year, going to at least 19 of its affiliates for breast-cancer screening and other breast-health services. Some of the grants was allocated for breast-cancer outreach and screening for two groups of vulnerable woman. Gludberd-Prossor said a $ 52,492 women grant funded outreach to Latina, Native-American, underinsured and isolated women, including a mobile unit that screened and administrated mammograms for more than 400 women last year. She added,” We won’t be applying for that money next year.”

Komen, the organization that has invested more than $ 1, 9 billion in breast-cancer research, health services and advocacy, via the spokeswoman, Leslie, said the cutoff results from the charity’s newly adopted criteria barring grants to organizations under investigation by local, state or federal authorities. According to Komen, this applies to Planned Parenthood because it is the focus of an inquiry launched by Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., researching to determine whether public money was improperly spent on abortions.

The news attracted the crowd’s responses. Some people supporting Komen’s decision and other people in twitter arguing the policy and refuse to give money to Komen again. How about the congress? Sen. Patty Murray of Washington said that she is deeply disappointed that she is deeply disappointed that politics is once again involved between women and their health-care needs. “Breast cancer screening should not be a political issue, and I am very concerned that this decision by the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation will cut women off from the heath-care provider they rely on for critical preventive care.

In the other side, Anti-abortion groups called it as good news. The Alliance Defense Fund said Komen has decided the good policy. They supporting Komen for seeing the contradiction that does exist in the charity; a lift saving work meet the relationship with an abortionist that has ended million of lives.

Six months ago, Gary Carter, 57, the former Mets catcher, was diagnosed to have an aggressive brain cancer, glioblastoma, which has been treated with radiation and chemotherapy. Now, his daughter, Kimmy Carter Bloemers, said Thursday on the family’s blog that Gary Carter’s condition has worsened with the discovery of new tumors on his brain. He said “I write these words with tears because I am so sad for my dad. Every day is exhausting and every move takes great effort.”

One of Carter’s doctors will be coming to their house in the evening to talk to the family about the next step. Reportedly, the family itself is debating whether or not to continue treatments of any kind but there’s no clarification from them. “My wife, Sandy, and our children and family thank you for your thoughts and prayers. We ask that you please respect our privacy as we learn more about my medical condition,” Carter said.

Carter’s health has taken a turn for the worst. Last Wednesday, Carter had an open gum wound treated by an oral surgeon. The next day, he fell in his doctor’s office — he also fell on Christmas Day, he was complaining of severe headaches, fatigue and balance problems that resulted in a fall on that day and he is being treated for a torn rotator cuff.

Bloomers also told about the recent Carter’s activity. Carter attended his annual golf tournament’s banquet on Sunday. “Dad spoke a few words thanking everyone for being there and for all the support and prayers. He said he wants to feel better so he can continue to help others.” said Bloemers.

May the treatment and prays can heal him.

Roughly about 23 million Americans are believed to have type-2 diabetes and about 80 percent of them are overweight. Facing that reality, there will be one more reference to get information and program about diabetes tips or healthy habit for people with diabetes. A celebrity chef and Food Network star, Paula Deen is partnering with drug maker, Novo Nordisk to arrange and launch a program in order to help people with Type 2 diabetes have a healthful life called Diabetes in a New Light. They also plan to promote a Novo diabetes drug.

Paula has revealed that she has type-2 diabetes and takes Victoza, a once-daily non-insulin injection. She was diagnosed in 2008, but kept quiet about her condition until she sure she has advice to share the public. “I wanted to bring something to the table when I came forward. I’ve always been to think that I bring hope.” Paula said Tuesday on NBC’s “Today” show. We remember that Paula’s kitchen has a reputation for the fatty, the buttery and that just a few notorious recipes have included fried stuffing on a stick, ribs casserole and red velvet cake. And then when people assumed if the high-fat and high-caloric recipes she fights can lead to diabetes and will the diagnosis change the way she cooks, Paula didn’t give any clear statement. She said that it is part of the puzzle, but mentioned other factors such as genetic, lifestyle, stress and age. “On my show I share with you all these yummy, fattening recipes, but I tell people, ‘in moderation’. I’ve always eaten in moderation.”

The factors that can bring you to have type-2 diabetes told by government doctors. The risk increases if you being overweight, over 45, and inactive. According to the boston.com, growth of disease in the U.S has been closely tied to escalating obesity rates.

Diabetes in a New Light program gives you tips on food preparation, stress management and working with doctors on treatment plan. If you consider applying it, found the tips and recipes by visit www.diabetesinanewlight.com.

Huntington’s disease most often begins in the 30 year-old or 40 year-old, but sometimes people younger than age 20 can attacked by this disease, a very rare case. Kathleen Edwards is a 9 year-old Michigan who has died because of Huntington’s disease. This is a neurodegenerative disease and Kathleen’s mother, Laura, died of the same disease in 2009, according to the CBS news. Kathleen also had pneumonia which is especially bringing more harms for people with Huntington’s disease.

A.D.A.M Medical encyclopedia defines Huntington’s disease as a neurodegenerative disease, where nerve cells waste away in parts of the brain. It’s caused by a genetic defect, where a section of DNA repeat many more times that it is supposed to.

This is the description about how family history of the disease plays into symptoms:
‘As the gene is passed down through families, the number of repeats, the greater your chance of developing symptoms at an earlier age. Therefore, as the disease is passed along in families, symptoms develop at younger and younger ages.’

There’re wide-ranging of the symptoms, from movement problems such as problems swallowing, abnormal eyemovement, to cognitive problems such as problems learning, slowings, problems starting conversations and clumsiness. Mayo Clinic explains the symptoms for the kids may be different from what experienced by adults. Kids may experience seizure and tremor, loss of previously learned skills and behavioral problems.

Kathleen died Wednesday after she suffered from the terminal disease while taunting on facebook by neighbors, Jennifer Petrov, This 33 year-old lived on the same block as Kathleen’s family and presumably began cyber bullying the little girl in late 2010. Petrov now is called as ‘more than an annoying neighbor’. She posted the images of Kathleen, Kathleen’s mother, and Grim reaper above a set of crossbones on her facebook.

She and husband, Scott, also reported by neighbors building a coffin, and then driving their truck with a coffin attached past the Edward home, blowing the horn. Everybody asked about her strange behavior, and Petrov only call it as ‘only for personal satisfaction’ and because it upset the child’s grandmother. Cheryl Dellasega, author and professor of Humanities of Penn State University College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania, tried to analyze this case, “This is probably the most extreme case of cyber-bullying I’ve ever heard of. It’s another way that people can say things that are really cruel that they wouldn’t say to somebody’s face. They are angry, resentful and jealous, and put it up on facebook knowing that the other people will see it.”

Jennifer Petrov recently told her actions were ‘ignorant’ while saying sorry to Edward Family.

So far, there’s no cure for this heredity disease, but Prana Biotechnology is developing PBT2 for the treatment of both Alzheimer and Huntington’s disease.