Alzheimer's drug study gives 'tantalising' results

A drug that destroys the characteristic protein plaques that build up in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's is showing "tantalising" promise, scientists say.

Experts are cautious because the drug, Aducanumab, is still in the early stages of development.

But a study in Nature has shown it is safe and hinted that it halts memory decline.

Larger studies are now under way to fully evaluate the drug's effects.

The build-up of amyloid in the brain has been a treatment target for many years.

Dropped out

This study, of 165 patients, was designed to test Aducanumab was safe to take.

After a year of treatment, it also showed the higher the dose the stronger the effect on amyloid plaques.

The researchers then carried out tests on memory and found "positive effects".

However, 40 people dropped out of the study, half because of side effects they experienced, such as headaches. These too were much more common with a higher dosage.

Brain scans show the effect of different dosages after a year

Dr Alfred Sandrock of the biotech company Biogen, which worked with the University of Zurich on the research, said: "Phase 3 really needs to be done and I hope it will confirm what we have seen in this study.

"One day I could envisage treating people who have no symptoms because if you have amyloid in the brain it's likely you'll develop Alzheimer's one day."

'Significant step'

However, there have been many disappointments in Alzheimer's drug development, and it is over a decade since the last drug for people with the condition was licensed.

Other experts have welcomed this latest research - but with caution.

Dr David Reynolds, chief scientific officer at Alzheimer's Research UK, said the results provided "tantalising evidence that a new class of drug to treat the disease may be on the horizon".

And Dr James Pickett, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, added: "What is most compelling is that more amyloid was cleared when people took higher doses of the drug.

"No existing treatments for Alzheimer's directly interfere with the disease process and so a drug that actually slows the progress of the disease by clearing amyloid would be a significant step."

However, Dr Tara Spires-Jones, of the Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems at the University of Edinburgh, said: "I am cautiously optimistic about this treatment, but trying not to get too excited because many drugs make it through this early stage of testing then go on to fail in larger trials."

And John Hardy, professor of neuroscience at University College London, said: "These new data are tantalising but they are not yet definitive."

Source by:http://www.bbc.com/news/health-37222863

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EpiPen maker to sell cheaper generic version

The maker of the EpiPen will start selling a generic version in the wake of criticism about steep price increases.

Mylan said it expected to start selling a cheaper generic product "in several weeks" at a list price of $300 (£230).

That is about half the list price of the existing product, which is used in emergencies for severe food and insect allergies.

The cost of EpiPens in the US has risen by 500% in less than a decade.

Mylan said the generic version would be identical to the branded EpiPen, which costs $600 for two doses.

Allergy sufferers often have several pens - one to keep at home, as well as others at school or work, or in the car. They also expire after 12 months.

Mylan chief executive Heather Bresch said the company had spent hundreds of millions of dollars improving the product since buying the product from Merck in 2007.

"Our decision to launch a generic alternative to EpiPen is an extraordinary commercial response," she said. "We determined that bypassing the brand system in this case and offering an additional alternative was the best option."

'Heightened pressure'

The move is unusual because the branded version is still under patent and other rival treatments have failed to get regulatory clearance. The product generates annual sales of $1bn for Mylan.

Bernstein analyst Ronny Gal said: "We suspect Mylan will continue to receive some heat for its price increases and there will be heightened pressure on FDA [regulator the Food and Drug Administration] to bring competition to the market."

Ms Bresch also blamed the complex US health care system for the price rises and said that Mylan took just $274 of the $600 list price, while insurers, pharmacies and other parties shared the rest.

How much individuals pay for an EpiPen prescription can depend on their insurance coverage.

Politicians and parents have challenged the price hikes, with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton calling them "outrageous" and unjustified.

The outcry over EpiPen price rises sent Mylan shares falling about 12% last week. The stock was flat at $43.04 in afternoon trading in New York.

Actor Sarah Jessica Parker, who had endorsed EpiPens, said last week she wasending her relationship with Mylan. She had previously spoken about the importance of the treatment to her family because of her son's peanut allergy.

Other drug makers including Valeant, Turing and Pfizer have come under fire in recent months for sharp price increases.

Source by:http://www.bbc.com/news/business-37215189

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Zika virus: Singapore confirms 41 locally transmitted cases

Singapore has confirmed 41 cases of the Zika virus which were locally transmitted.

Most of those infected were foreign construction workers, and all lived or worked within the same region of the country, said the health ministry.

None were known to have travelled to Zika-affected areas recently. Thirty-four people have fully recovered but seven are still in hospital.

Zika generally has mild effects but has been linked to severe birth defects.

It is suspected of causing a condition called microcephaly, a deformation in which babies are born with small heads.

Zika, which is spread by mosquitoes but can also be sexually transmitted, was declared a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization in February.

Singapore declared its first imported Zika case in May, a 48-year-old local who had travelled to Brazil, where the outbreak started.

On Saturday, it announced that a 37-year-old Malaysian woman had contracted the virus locally. She is the only confirmed female case so far.

Thirty-six of the 41 cases announced on Sunday were foreign workers who worked in the same construction site.

Work at the site has been halted after housekeeping was found to be "unsatisfactory with potential breeding habitats favourable to mosquito breeding".

The ministry said in a statement that it could not "rule out further community transmission, since more of those tested positive also live or work in other parts of Singapore".

"We expect to identify more positive cases," it added.

Source by:http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37211647

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HIV effort let down by test shortages, says WHO

A shortage of HIV testing could undermine global efforts to diagnose and treat people with the infection, warn experts from the World Health Organization.

They looked at responses to annual surveys that the WHO had sent to 127 countries between 2012 and 2014 asking about capacity and usage of blood tests that check HIV status and health.

They found worrying gaps in provision.

They warn that United Nation targets for HIV could be missed as a result.

The targets say that by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV should know their HIV status, 90% of those diagnosed should receive antiretroviral therapy and 90% of these treated patients should have "durable viral suppression" (a measure of effective treatment).

Laboratory testing is vital to meet and monitor these aims.

But Vincent Habiyambere and his colleagues say in the journal PLoS Medicine that some low and middle-income countries, including African countries where the HIV burden is high, are not yet geared up for the challenge.

The surveys were sent to:

• all 47 countries in the WHO African Region

• 33 countries in the WHO Region of the Americas

• all 21 countries in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region

• eight high-burden HIV countries in the WHO European Region

• all 11 countries in the WHO South-East Asia Region

• seven high-burden HIV countries in the WHO Western Pacific Region

Over the three survey years, 55 (43%) countries responded to all three surveys, 35 (28%) to two surveys, 25 (20%) to one survey, and nine (7%) responded to none of the three surveys.

Testing provision did improve over the years, but shortfalls remained in some parts of the world.

Worrying gaps

Reasons for the gaps in provision included lack of reagents, equipment not being installed or maintained properly and inadequate or absent staff training. In some laboratories, machines were not serviced regularly. In others, machines broke down and were not covered by contracts to be serviced or fixed.

Dr Habiyambere and his team say: "A national laboratory strategic plan to strengthen services must be developed, implemented, and monitored by governments and their national and international partners.

"The focus of the international community, to ensure optimal use of laboratory technologies, should be on those countries where interventions for scaling up access to HIV diagnostic technologies are most needed."

They acknowledge that they did not look at private sector testing and that some countries might rely more heavily on this than others.

In an accompanying editorial, HIV experts Peter Kilmarx and Raiva Simbi say the findings show some programmes may have been "overly focused" on buying equipment without planning for how it would be used and maintained.

In Zimbabwe, for example, only 5.6% of HIV patients on drug treatment in 2015 received regular blood checks to monitor their viral load - far fewer than the goal of 21%.

This was largely down to problems with resource mobilisation and specimen transport as well as equipment procurement, they say.

"Strong leadership, resources, planning, and management are needed to scale up laboratory services," they conclude.

Source by:http://www.bbc.com/news/health-37168771

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Is Grass-Fed Beef Really Healthier? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

LAST UPDATED: AUG 23, 2016

When it comes to red meat, quality is crucial. In search of top notch beef, most health conscious consumers look for a "grass-fed" label. But to select the best burgers, steaks, and jerky, here's what you really need to know.

First things first, grass-fed beef is better for you

It's much leaner than its conventional counterpart. It's also higher in key nutrients, including antioxidants, vitamins, and a beneficial fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) that's been tied to improved immunity and anti-inflammation benefits. Plus, grass-fed beef packs about 50% more omega-3 fatty acids than standard beef (although the amount is still far lower than the total omega-3s found in fatty fish like salmon). Grass-fed beef is also less likely to contain “superbugs”—bacteria that have become resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics—so it’s considered superior from a food safety perspective as well.

But "grass-fed" doesn’t have an official definition

There's no USDA marketing standard for grass-fed meat, and independent certifications have varying criteria. To true proponents of grass-fed meat, the label indicates that the cattle have only been fed their mother's milk and grass and other greens throughout their lives; and they've had access to pastures during the growing season. But because there's no standard, meat labeled as "grass-fed" could potentially be from cattle that only spent a relatively short time eating grass. When possible, look for a label that says “100% grass-fed.”

And grass-fed isn't the same as organic

The USDA standards for organic beef specify that the animals cannot be treated with hormones or antibiotics; and that they must be given access to the outdoors, and organic, vegetarian feed. However, that feed can include grains, which aren't part of a cow's natural diet. It is possible to find beef that’s both grass-fed and organic. And while I don’t personally eat red meat, that is what I recommend to my clients who do. But it tends to be pricey, typically $8 to $12 per pound.

RELATED: 5 Surprising Things You Don't Have to Buy Organic

It's worth finding out how specific farms operate

For example, if you’re buying from a farmer’s market, ask if the cows are given any hormones or antibiotics, and if their grass or greens are organic. If you’re purchasing a particular brand in a store, pull out your phone and visit their website, which should provide the same kind of info.

There are healthier ways to eat red meat

Remember that moderation is important. Because of the link between red meat and colorectal cancer, the American Institute for Cancer Research suggests capping your weekly intake at 18 ounces. If you typically enjoy a three-ounce serving of cooked beef (about the size of a deck of cards), that means six servings a week. But keep in mind that half-pound burgers are eight ounces, and steaks are generally larger.

RELATED: 9 Superfood Upgrades That Will Make Your Meals Even Healthier

Finally, be sure to pair your red meat with nutrient-rich whole foods. So instead of piling cheese and bacon on your burger in a white flour bun, wrap the meat in romaine leaves, and top with tomato, red onion, and avocado. Then serve it with even more veggies (vinegar-based slaw, for example, or broccoli sautéed in EVOO) and a healthy starch, like a side ofblack beans or a baked sweet potato. These kinds of combos are the best way to enjoy grass-fed beef as part of an overall healthy eating pattern, which is key to disease prevention and wellness.

Do you have a question about nutrition? Chat with us on Twitter by mentioning @goodhealth and @CynthiaSass. 

Cynthia Sass is a nutritionist and registered dietitian with master’s degrees in both nutrition science and public health. Frequently seen on national TV, she’s Health’s contributing nutrition editor, and privately counsels clients in New York, Los Angeles, and long distance. Cynthia is currently the sports nutrition consultant to the New York Yankees, previously consulted for three other professional sports teams, and is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics. Sass is a three-time New York Times best-selling author, and her newest book is Slim Down Now: Shed Pounds and Inches with Real Food, Real Fast. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Source by:http://www.health.com/nutrition/grass-fed-beef-tips

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Bring On the Broccoli

         

  They may be chock-full of nutrients, but exotic vegetables            like celeriac and Jerusalem artichokesdon't always appeal to more traditional pallets. And that's fine, according to Dr. Oz, who says broccoli is his all-time favorite produce."artichokes is the best produce option because it cleanses the liver and helps to fight cancer," he says. To reap the most rewards, the doctor suggests cleaning and slicing cruciferous veggies (like broccoli) five to 10 minutes before cooking, and then steaming or microwaving them (instead of boiling) to help retain the most cancer-fighting compounds.

Sourch by:http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/dr-ozs-top-10-health-and-fitness-tips-all-time

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Get Strong, Not Skinny

Illness or injury may often be the instigator, but frailty is what kills us, says Dr. Mehmet Oz, cardiothoracsurgeon, author, and host of The Dr. Oz Show. Our bodies can't recover as well if we're not strong, which is why he recommends a balanced workout plan that includes strength, cardio, and flexibility training.

This doesn't mean you need to spend hours in the gym each week. The busy doctor has no problem fitting in his seven-minute workout every morning (check out the full routine here), which he says is better for you than the occasional hour-long gym session. And you can say goodbye to boring treadmill sessions. Instead, Dr. Oz suggests getting a basic pedometer and setting a goal of 10,000 steps per day (that's about five miles) to stay slim and healthy.

Sourch by:http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/dr-ozs-top-10-health-and-fitness-tips-all-time

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