LATEST NEWS ON WOMENS HEALTH

Addressing the discrimination against HIV-positive teachers in Africa is a key aim of a new documentary and accompanying book launched in Senegal by the Partnership for Child Development based at Imperial College London. An estimated 122,000 teachers in sub-Saharan Africa are living with HIV, most of whom have not sought testing and do not know their status.
12/04/2008

"If ever there was a case for unvarnished sex education in public schools, the ongoing AIDS epidemic in black America ought to be it," columnist Courtland Milloy writes in a Washington Post opinion piece, adding, "[H]ow can we teach [HIV prevention] if we can't talk frankly?" Milloy writes that he is "focusing on women and AIDS ...
12/04/2008

The Florida Times-Union on Wednesday examined reactions in Florida to the proposed HHS conscience rule, which would permit health care providers who receive federal grants to opt out of medical care based on their moral or religious beliefs.
12/04/2008

Women as a group are "particularly disadvantaged" in the individual health insurance market, a St. Petersburg Times editorial says. The editorial notes that a recent study conducted by the
12/04/2008

A study of non-western and western women's body shapes found that the "perfect" hour-glass or pear shape supposedly favoured by men where the waist to hip ratio is 0.7 or less, is rarely found among women who have to rely on their own resources, such as going out to work or to search for food, to support themselves and their families.
12/04/2008

Bionovo, Inc. (Nasdaq: BNVI) announced that the FDA has reviewed the company's manufacturing and control process descriptions (CMC), and has provided guidance on how Bionovo can move forward with the development of Menerba (formerly named MF101) for menopausal hot flashes. "We have concluded three CMC discussions with the FDA, and are moving to address the Agency's recommendations for further development of Menerba.
12/04/2008

Elsevier has announced the publication of Reproductive Health Matters 2008 Supplement on the theme of "Second trimester abortion: women's health and public policy". Second trimester abortion raises complex issues regarding methods, values, stigma, the burden on providers of service delivery and the sometimes complicated reality of women's lives and decisions.
12/03/2008

Having an imperfect body may come with some substantial benefits for some women, according to a new article in the December issue of Current Anthropology. The hormones that make women physically stronger, more competitive and better able to deal with stress also tend to redistribute fat from the hips to the waist, according to Elizabeth Cashdan, an anthropologist at the University of Utah.
12/03/2008

Tamoxifen may worsen breast cancer in a small subset of patients. Research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Breast Cancer Research suggests that in patients who show reduced or absent expression of the protein E-cadherin, commonly used anti-oestrogen drugs such as tamoxifen may promote more harmful cancer cell behaviour. A team of researchers co-ordinated by Dr.
12/04/2008

A novel angled gantry approach to coronary CT angiography reduced radiation exposure to the breast by more than 50%, according to Thomas Jefferson University researchers. Ethan Halpern, M.D., associate professor of Radiology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, presented the research at the 94th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
12/04/2008

Breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) is effective in the detection of cancers not found on mammograms or by clinical exam, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). "BSGI can identify the most difficult to detect breast cancer-invasive lobular carcinoma," said lead author Rachel F. Brem, M.D.
12/04/2008

Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) is shown to be an effective method of identifying mammographically and clinically occult (hidden) breast cancer. BSGI is a molecular breast imaging technique that can see lesions independent of tissue density and discover very early stage cancers.
12/04/2008

Findings published in the December 1, 2008, issue of Clinical Cancer Research , a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, show lapatinib benefits women with HER2-positive breast cancer, while women with HER2-negative breast cancer or those who express EGRF alone derive no incremental benefit.
12/03/2008

Improvements in behavior and screening have contributed greatly to the 13 percent decline in cancer mortality since 1990, with better cancer treatments playing a supporting role, according to new research from David Cutler of Harvard University. While not the first to report a long-term decline in cancer mortality, Cutler's is the first study to examine the reasons for this decline.
12/03/2008

The following summarizes news coverage of two recent studies on breast cancer treatment.~ Older Patients: One in five women ages 65 and older delayed or did not complete their full radiation regimen after breast-conserving surgery, leading to an increased risk of death or recurrence, according to a study published online Monday in Cancer, the
12/03/2008

Linda Creed, an affiliate of Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), will hold their annual Volunteer Recognition Awards this Saturday, December 6 at 11 a.m. The awards are given in recognition of individuals, corporations, and health organizations that have made a significant difference in the ability to provide access to basic breast health in the region. The Linda Creed Volunteer of the Year Award will go to Gerard Olson, Ph.D., of Villanova University. "Dr.
12/03/2008