Aging

A clinical trial is being launched in three African countries of a drug that could eliminate onchocerciasis, or river blindness, one of the leading infectious causes of blindness across Africa. The drug, moxidectin, is being investigated for its potential to kill or sterilize the adult worms of Onchocerca volvulus, which cause onchocerciasis.

From 2001 to 2006, an average of 129 Americans ages 65 and older were treated in emergency departments each day—a total of more than 47,000 each year—for injuries from falls that involved walkers and canes, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published this month in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Most of us experience back pain at some point our lives - in fact the Mayo Clinic reports that 80 percent of Americans will suffer from low back pain. No matter what form back pain comes in, it can hinder our productivity at work, cause sleeplessness, and make everyday activities - like exercising - next to impossible.

So what are those of us with mild to excruciating back pain to do when it comes to staying fit and healthy?

In the U.S. back pain continues to be a leading cause of disability and one of the most common reasons to see a physician for evaluation. Among various treatment options is spinal fusion surgery, which may use a biological agent known as bone-morphogenetic protein (BMP).

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) found that diabetics hospitalized for non-critical illnesses who develop hypoglycemia during hospitalization have an increased likelihood of remaining hospitalized longer and a greater risk of mortality both during and after hospitalization. This research appears in the July 2009 issue of Diabetes Care.

One of the most commonly used painkillers in the US, acetaminophen, can and has caused harm. Liver damage can occur in individuals thought to be genetically susceptible to the harmful effect of acetaminophen, present in many over the counter cold, sinus, and pain medications, and even narcotic pain medications, the most popular of which is Tylenol.

The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) today released a statement updating its position on Sanofi-Aventis' diabetes treatment drug Lantus. EMEA looked at four studies related to Lantus. Two of these studies found an association with breast cancer. Chris Viehbacher, the CEO of Sanofi-Aventis, today mounted to defend Lantus in the face of investors and the financial community.

Takeda Pharmaceuticals has received a request from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for additional safety studies on SYR-322, also known by the general name alogliptin, used for diabetes treatment. This will most likely delay the drug's launch in the U.S. market by at least two years while more research is done.

Takeda has its North American headquarters in Illinois. The company holds the patent for top-selling drug, Actos. The patent is due to expire in 2011.

Oxycontin, a prescription pain killer, is rumored to have been used daily by Michael Jackson for pain control. According to an ABC report, a senior law enforcement official reported that oxycontin was a part of Michael Jackson’s daily medical regimen in addition to the pain killer Demerol.

U.S. seniors performed significantly better than their counterparts in England on standard tests of memory and cognitive function, according to a new study.

The study is the first known international comparison of cognitive function in nationally representative samples of older adults in the United States and England. The report is published in the June 25 peer-reviewed journal BMC Geriatrics.