|
Homepage | Health Industry News
Two Americans Share Nobel Prize in Medicine
 MSNBC.com reports that American scientists Andrew Z. Fire and Craig C. Mello have won the Nobel Prize in medicine for their for their breakthrough discovery for regulating gene activity -- gene silencing by double-stranded RNA. Fire and Mello found that RNA interference could be used to turn off the effect of specific genes.
RNA interference occurs naturally in plants, animals and humans. The Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, which awarded the $1.4 million prize, said it is important for regulating the activity of genes and helps defend against viral infection. The two scientists will share the prize money.
"This year's Nobel laureates have discovered a fundamental mechanism for controlling the flow of genetic information," the institute said.
Erna Moller, a member of the Nobel committee, said their research helped shed new light on a complicated process that had confused researchers for years.
"It was like opening the blinds in the morning," she said. "Suddenly you can see everything clearly."
The press announcement, videos and interviews with the winning scientists can be found here on Nobelprize.org.
Posted on October 3, 2006
Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google Blog Search | Technorati
| |
Map Shows Bay Area is Hub for Biotech Firms
This Biotech Bay Map from BioSpace shows how big the biopharmaceutical industry is in the Bay Area.
You can see a large version of the map here on BioSpace.com.
The campaign features the iconic Biotech Bay Map, created by BioSpace's professional artist, which displays the corporate logos and facilities of participating organizations. The map is further enhanced through the integration of many functional components, including a Biotech Bay Hotbed Homepage on BioSpace's industry-leading Web site, BioSpace.com. Copies of the Biotech Bay Map are available through BioSpace.
BioSpace.com also provides maps of biotech and genetics firms located on regions of the U.S. For example, the GeneTown map shows many genetics research and technology firms located in Massachusetts.
Posted on August 28, 2006
Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google Blog Search | Technorati
| |
Report Accuses Drug Firms of Exaggerating and Inventing Diseases
The BBC explains a new report from Public Library of Science Medicine that accuses pharmaceutical companies of "inventing diseases" so they can sell more drugs.
Report authors David Henry and Ray Moynihan criticised attempts to convince the public in the US that 43% of women live with sexual dysfunction.
They also said that risk factors like high cholesterol and osteoporosis were being presented as diseases -- and rare conditions such as restless leg condition and mild problems of irritable bowel syndrome were exaggerated.
The report said: "Disease-mongering is the selling of sickness that widens the boundaries of illness and grows the markets for those who sell and deliver treatments."
The article listed restless legs, irritable bowel syndrome and menopause as some of the examples of conditions where disease-mongering was occuring. People suffering from IBS would probably disagree. In addition to accusing drug companies of "inventing ailments" critics have also accused drug firms of running advertisements that are vague about what exactly the drug being advertised is supposed to treat.
Posted on April 17, 2006
Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google Blog Search | Technorati
| |
Nominations Open for 2005 Medical Weblog Awards
Medgadget.com has announced the 2005 Medical Weblog Awards. This is the second year Medgadget has hosted the awards. Nominations will be accepted until Friday, December 30, 2005. The awards will be given in the following categories:
Best Medical Weblog
Best New Medical Weblog (established in 2005)
Best Literary Medical Weblog
Best Clinical Sciences Weblog
Best Health Policies/Ethics Weblog
Best Medical Technologies/Informatics Weblog
Medgadget.com says polls will be open for voting from Tuesday, January 3, 2006 and will close at midnight on Sunday, January 15, 2005 (PST). The award winners will be announced on Wednesday, January 25, 2006. You can nominated your favorite medical blogs in the comments section of this post.
Posted on December 9, 2005
Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google Blog Search | Technorati
| |
Study: 27% Believe Drug Companies Hiding Cancer Cure
Dr. Koop reports on a new study that indicates some Americans distrust the drug companies. According to the survey 27% of Americans believe that a cancer cure already exists but the health industry is hiding it. 41% believe that the surgical treatments used to cure cancer actually spread the disease. And 89% disagreed with the statement that "all you need to beat cancer is a positive attitude." Dr. Ray DuBois, director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn, told Dr. Koop that drug companies are not hiding a cancer cure.
Most surprising, he said, was the widespread belief that the medical industry is hiding a cure. "It's just the reverse," DuBois said, noting that companies are trying to fast-track new drugs and treatments to get them to people as soon as possible.
The survey results, said DuBois, probably mean that cancer centers should "beef up their public education efforts." He noted, "There are more misconceptions out there than some people realize."
Posted on June 27, 2005
Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google Blog Search | Technorati
| |
|
