The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) presented the 2010 Humanitarian Award to Larry Dale Hull, MD, of Centralia, Washington, at its 2010 Annual Meeting. This award honors Fellows of the Academy who have distinguished themselves by providing outstanding musculoskeletal care, both in the United States and abroad. In addition, this award recognizes those orthopaedic surgeons who help to improve the human condition by alleviating suffering and supporting and contributing to the basic human dignity of those in need...

Evidence based practices, such as clinical practice guidelines advance medicine and can help serve as a roadmap for medical practitioners. Clinical practice guidelines can also serve as a reference tool for patients. Actively engaged in this practice since 2007, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) will discuss three recently adopted guidelines at its 2010 Annual Meeting. "By creating evidence-based guidelines, the AAOS is being responsible," stated Kristy L. Weber, MD, chair of the Academy's Council on Research, Quality Assessment, and Technology...

Federal tax policies should incentivize commercial deployment of advanced industrial biotechnologies, which can create jobs, reduce reliance on petroleum, and achieve greenhouse gas reductions. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) released a white paper on the growth and jobs potential of green chemicals and briefed Congressional staff on the commercial status of industrial biotechnologies for algae applications, biobased products, and advanced biofuels...

The European Medicines Agency has been formally notified by Ark Therapeutics Ltd of its decision to withdraw its application for a centralised marketing authorisation for the advanced therapy medicinal product Cerepro (sitimagene ceradenovec). Cerepro received an orphan designation on 6 February 2002 and was intended for the treatment of patients with high-grade operable glioma. Following the adoption of a negative opinion for Cerepro by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) in December 2009, the company had requested a re-examination of the opinion...

Total knee replacement (TKR) successfully relieves pain and improves function in patients with advanced knee arthritis, according to a study presented today at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). The surgery also significantly improves dynamic balance among elderly patients. Impaired balance and increased tendency to fall are common complaints among the elderly suffering from severe osteoarthritis (worn cartilage)...

Augustus A. White III, MD, Ph.D., of Boston, was honored with the fifth annual William W. Tipton Jr., MD, Leadership Award for his work as an educator, a mentor and a champion of diversity initiatives. The award, which includes a $5,000 honorarium, was presented today to Dr. White at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting in New Orleans. "I am surprised, humbled and inspired to be receiving this award," said Dr. White. "I feel particularly honored to be recognized among so many individuals I admire...

One of the most common questions I am asked after someone hits their head is, "How serious is this bump on my head and should I make an appointment?" Head injuries are the result of trauma to the scalp, skull or brain. Concussion, the most common type of traumatic brain injury (TBI), is an injury that occurs after a blow to the head and results in a temporary loss of consciousness. Some head injuries may appear to be mild but research has shown that concussions may have serious, long-term effects, especially when there are repeated injuries...

Allon Therapeutics Inc. (TSX:NPC) announced today that a Phase 1 clinical trial of its lead neuroprotective drug, davunetide , which began patient enrolment January 28, 2010, has been completed. The results demonstrated that the intranasal dose range can be broadened and provided additional information on the pharmacokinetic profile of davunetide. Gordon McCauley, President and CEO of Allon, said the results confirm davunetide's safety and expands the doses that can be used in future clinical trials...

SANUWAVE Health, Inc., (OTC BB: SNWV), an emerging medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of non-invasive, biological response activating devices in the regenerative medicine area, today announced that a journal article titled Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for Nonunion of the Tibia, was published in the March 2010 issue of the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma...

A new group has been set up to help the NHS provide improved healthcare for women and children who are victims of violence, Health Minister Ann Keen announced today. The Department of Health will raise awareness of the roles and responsibilities of NHS staff in treating victims of violence and call for increased vigilance of the variety of health issues that may be a direct result of sexual violence against women and children, domestic violence and harmful traditional practices and human trafficking...

The danger and cost of climate change to the health of Europeans is at the forefront of the debate as the fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health begins today in Parma, Italy. The conference, organised by the World Health Organisation, will include representatives from across Europe and is an important forum on how to tackle cross-cutting environment and health issues such as climate change. Minister for Public Health, Gillian Merron said: "This conference will highlight the risk global warming poses to the health of our communities"...

A new iPhone app that helps people to stop smoking was launched yesterday by Public Health Minister Gillian Merron. To coincide with 'No Smoking Day' on the 10 March, the Department of Health has released the first official NHS 'Quit Smoking' app for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Available from iTunes, http://www.smokefree.nhs...

A new internet application, which will allow local trusts to monitor and respond to trends in infant mortality and life expectancy to tackle health inequalities, was launched today by Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron. Gillian Merron was speaking at the 'Marmot and The Third Sector' conference which was an opportunity for delegates to respond to the Marmot review - entitled 'Fair Society, Healthy Lives' - which identified key areas for future action in health inequalities...

A package of tough new actions to ensure that NHS patients can get the medicines they need was agreed at a summit to discuss concerns about current difficulties with the supply of medicines, hosted by Health Secretary Andy Burnham and Health Minister Mike O'Brien yesterday...

The leader of Scotland's GPs warned that the reduction in health spending will create pressure on the Scottish Government to introduce more effective health policies that deliver services that the public need. Addressing the Annual Conference of Scottish Local Medical Committees (LMCs), Dr Dean Marshall, Chairman of the BMA's Scottish General Practitioners Committee, said: "I hope that we can work with the Scottish Government to ensure that policies developed for general practice are evidence-based, value for money and most importantly improve patient outcomes...

More 12 year olds have used potentially lethal inhalants than have used marijuana, cocaine and hallucinogens combined, according to data released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in conjunction with the 18th annual National Inhalants & Poisons Awareness Week. The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition (NIPC) and SAMHSA kicked off National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week at a press conference featuring information and personal stories about the dangers of inhalant use or "huffing...

Rhesus monkey babies born to mothers who had the flu while pregnant had smaller brains and showed other brain changes similar to those observed in human patients with schizophrenia, a study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in collaboration with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has found. The study, published online by the journal Biological Psychiatry, is the first study done with monkeys that examines the effects of flu during pregnancy...

An experimental thyroid drug reduces cholesterol without the troublesome side effects experienced by some people on statins, according to a study published today in The New England Journal of Medicine. An international team of investigators at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, the Karolinska University Hospital and Institute, and The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research tested a substance called Eprotirome in patients with high cholesterol...

Astra Tech, leading provider of comprehensive solutions for dental implant therapy, launched their OsseoSpeed™ TX implant line to the US market at this year's AO Annual Meeting. The OsseoSpeed™ TX implant comes as the next step in the continuous evolution of the Astra Tech Implant System™ with its modified tapered apex design, first introduced with the launch of their narrow two-piece implant, OsseoSpeed™ TX 3.0 S in June 2008...

Mount Sinai School of Medicine is leading a study of patients newly-diagnosed with prostate cancer to determine if providing them with multimedia materials can help them make more informed treatment decisions. Michael Diefenbach, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Urology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine developed a multimedia software program designed to help prostate cancer patients and their families make treatment decisions...