New fears over (Statins) heart pill taken by millions

25/09/2009

Daily Express

By: Presswatch

New fears over heart pill taken by millions

Fears over the side-effects of heart drugs used by four million Britons have sparked a two-year investigation. Statins have been hailed as a "wonder drug" for reducing cholesterol and preventing tens of thousands of heart attacks and strokes, but experts are becoming worried by the unpleasant reactions that some patients are experiencing. Packets warn patients of certain side-effects but last year manufacturers were forced to add new cautions, telling patients that statins can sometimes cause memory loss, sexual problems, depression and disturbed sleep. A research team at Nottingham University wants to discover why people are suffering such unpleasant reactions to the drugs and how widespread the problem is.

HIV vaccine offers new hope after infections are cut by nearly a third

RV_144 - Wikipedia 25/09/2009

The Times

By: Presswatch

HIV vaccine offers new hope after infections are cut by nearly a third

An experimental HIV vaccine that has become the first to show signs of protecting people has been described by scientists as a "historic breakthrough" in the battle against the condition. Findings from the world's largest HIV vaccine trial, involving more than 16,000 volunteers in Thailand, suggest that a drug known as RV144 reduces the chances of being infected by nearly a third. The drug lowered the risk of HIV infection by 31.2 per cent among the heterosexual volunteers, who had no special risk of Aids infection, researchers from the US Army and Thailand's Ministry of Public Health said. Jerome Kim, of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, who helped to lead the trial, said "Although the level of protection that we saw was clearly modest, the study is a major scientific advance. It gives us hope that a globally effective vaccine may be possible in the future."

Vaccine could wipe out cervical cancer within 50 years

G has just had the vaccine for Cervical cancer (14-15 year old girls) 25/09/2009

The Independent

By: Presswatch

Vaccine could wipe out cervical cancer within 50 years

Cervical cancer could be eradicated within five decades by screening and vaccination programmes, a leading expert said yesterday. Professor Jack Cuzick called on European governments to spearhead a concerted effort to make the disease disappear. Currently vaccines exist that can protect women against two strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) that causes cervical cancer. These alone had the potential to eradicate three quarters of cancers, said Prof Cuzick, from the Cancer Research UK Centre for Epidemiology in London.

I'm running the New Forest half Marathon on 27 September!

New Forest half Marathon is in 3 weeks time! I better get my training shoes on fast!!

I've been running the occasional quarter marathon (sounds better than 6.55 miles!), about one or two a week for the last couple of months. Jane F advises me to step that up and have a go at 10miles before the run.

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