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Gardasil A Vaccine To Prevent Cervical Cancer
By Dr. Gifford Jones
Some patients you never forget. Years ago, a young talented pianist after years of dedicated study, was scheduled to give her first piano recital in Toronto. But for months beforehand she noticed vaginal discharge and did nothing. Finally, due to abnormal bleeding she consulted me. Pelvic examination revealed an extensive cancer of the cervix. She died a few months later and never gave her recital. Now, a new vaccine, “Gardasil”, will prevent needless deaths such as hers.
Cervical cancer strikes half a million women worldwide each year and 250,000 die from this disease. The cause of this cancer evaded researchers for years. However, recent studies show that the majority of cervical tumours are due to infection with Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
A Condom In The Mail?By Dr. Gifford Jones
“What a unique way to get attention” I thought as I opened the morning’s mail. What usually arrives on my desk is a host of medical reports. So I was surprised when two condoms fell out of one envelope. I wondered what was expected of me at 10:00 a.m.? And have I since put these condoms to good use?
Eventually I discovered that Toronto Public Health had initiated a communication campaign for doctors to alert young people to the dangers of sexually transmitted infections (STI), particularly chlamydia. To see the whole campaign visit http://www.gettested.ca
How NHL Players And Olympic Athletes Fight ColdsBy Dr. Gifford Jones
How would you like to be an NHL hockey player, reach the Stanley Cup playoffs, then suddenly develop a severe cold? Or train for the Olympics and then be knocked out of competition by a cold? It’s a fear that never leaves athletes. Now Canadian scientists have finally developed a pill that fights this common problem. In fact, and this is hard to believe, Cold-fX is even good enough to make Don Cherry, hockey’s outspoken personality, a believer!
Don Cherry, whom we either love or hate during NHL intermission crossfire with Ron Maclean, told me that as a young boy he suffered from bronchial asthma and every winter had several colds. The colds continued during his hockey career. Later, when he retired from playing and became a banquet speaker his colds became worse, from shaking thousands of hands.
China probes milk powder link to infant hormone levelsBy Admin
Beijing - Chinese health authorities are investigating milk powder as a possible cause of high hormone levels found in several infants who appeared to show signs of premature sexual development, state media said on Wednesday.
Experts have started testing samples of milk powder produced in 1998 by the dairy company Synutra International Inc in the eastern city of Qingdao, the official China Daily quoted Health Ministry spokesman Deng Haihua as saying.
Drinking Mothers Commit A Cardinal SinBy Dr. Gifford Jones
Destroying yourself slowly with alcohol has never made any sense. Even worse, destroying an infant physically and mentally before birth is maternal madness. But year after year alcohol-riddled babies are born suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Alcohol is now known to be the leading preventable cause of mental and physical birth dhttp://bogotafreeplanet.com/system/index.php?S=cdd6a7dcfbf085d0a89c3b4fab3db9b0c90f25a1&C=publishefects in North America. It’s an immense medical and social tragedy.
Most people believe that Down syndrome is the most common cause of mental disability at birth. But FAS is twice as common. Health Canada estimates that nine in every 1,000 babies born in this country have some form of FAS and one in three of these babies will suffer from the severe form, with wide-set eyes, thin upper lips, lower body weight and small head circumference.
What You Don’t Know About Sleeman BeerBy Dr. Gifford Jones
Have you ever wondered what you’re drinking while enjoying a bottle of Sleeman beer? I doubt that many beer drinkers ever give it a second’s thought. But beer isn’t just beer. I’ve written for years in my medical column that beer and other alcoholic drinks are often unjustly criticized. I agree that alcohol in excess causes problems, but so does excess in anything. But used in moderation beer provides several benefits. So the next time you pour yourself a bottle of Sleeman beer consider these nutritional facts.
1. Sleeman beer isn’t just alcohol. It’s 93 per cent water.
Alcohol isn’t the only hazard on New Year’s EveBy Dr. Gifford Jones
The scenario will be repeated in thousands of homes during this holiday season. Parents and teenagers being reminded not to drink and drive at the same time. It’s still good advice. But how many will also be cautioned not to smoke during the party and while driving their car? Yet tragedy will inevitably strike homes because people can’t resist lighting up in the automobile. A recent study shows that the “Bingo Brain Syndrome” isn’t confined solely to the Bingo Temples.
DR. Rob Brison of Queen’s University , Kingston, told the annual meeting of the Royal College that smoking and driving entails an increased risk. His study was based on a sample of 1,000 drivers who had been involved in non-fatal accidents. And 1,000 drivers who had not been involved in accidents. All the drivers were males between the ages of 30 and 39 living in Seattle, Washington. The result? Cigarette smokers have a 50 per cent increased risk over non-smokers in motor vehicle crashes.
Health Care In NeutralBy Admin
Sometimes it pays just to walk around the Capitol building during the day, because you run into people who give you the latest scoop, simply by accident. That happened to me yesterday when I was down at one of the vending machines in the basement.
Roche’s Tamiflu Not Proven to Cut Flu ComplicationsBy Admin
Dec. 9 (Bloomberg)—The effectiveness of Roche Holding AG’s Tamiflu in treating flu complications in healthy adults can’t be determined because the Swiss drugmaker wouldn’t supply data from eight studies, an independent research group said.
University of Michigan ready to get embryos for researchBy Admin
A year after receiving the go-ahead from state voters, University of Michigan officials said Tuesday that they have established procedures to accept donated human embryos that will be used in stem cell research and expect to begin developing new lines of stem cells by mid-2010.
Mammogram advice based on scienceBy Admin
We at the American College of Preventive Medicine support the updated United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendations on breast cancer screening. On Nov. 17, the task force released recommendations that women age 50 and older should have screening mammography every two years, and women in their 40s should decide whether to have screening mammography on an individual basis after talking with their doctors.
Victoria calls for HIV protocolsBy Admin
Victorian HIV bodies want to clarify protocols which exist between the Health Department and Victoria Police when criminal law is used to deal with people putting others at risk of HIV.
State law requires breast exam coverageBy Admin
A federal task force’s conclusion that most women in their 40s do not need routine mammograms is not likely to impact whether Michigan health insurers cover the exam.
State law requires all state-regulated insurers to pay for annual breast cancer screenings for women in this age group, regardless of outside recommendations, said Paula Lantz, department chairwoman of health management and policy at University of Michigan’s School of Public Health.
Health care overhaul: Task force recommendations key part of reformBy Admin
WASHINGTON — - It is a central idea in the push to improve American medical care and control its cost: experts studying the effectiveness of treatments and procedures to determine which work best.
Women in their 40s don’t need mammograms, panel saysBy Admin
Most women younger than 50 don’t need mammograms and self exams are worthless in lowering the breast cancer death rate, according to new screening guidelines from a panel of experts in preventive medicine.
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