(AP) -- More than three-quarters of Web sites that offer highly addictive medications do not require a prescription, according to a study released Wednesday.
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Researchers offer first direct proof of how osteoarthritis destroys cartilage
A team of orthopaedic researchers has found definitive, genetic proof of how the most common form of arthritis destroys joint cartilage in nearly 21 million aging Americans, according to a study published online Sept. 2 in the
Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The findings serve as an important foundation for the design of new treatments for osteoarthritis (OA), researchers said.
Value of direct-to-consumer drug advertising oversold, study finds
Direct-to-consumer advertising may not be giving big pharma such a big bang for their buck after all. Despite the billions spent on bringing drug marketing campaigns straight into patients' living rooms, such strategies have a modest effect at best—and in some cases, no effect at all.
Landmark study opens door to new cancer, aging treatments
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have deciphered the structure of the active region of telomerase, an enzyme that plays a major role in the development of nearly all human cancers. The landmark achievement opens the door to the creation of new, broadly effective cancer drugs, as well as anti-aging therapies.
Scripps research team unravels new cellular repair mechanism
A Scripps Research team has unraveled a new biochemical pathway that triggers a critical repair response to correct errors in the DNA replication process that could otherwise lead to harmful or fatal mutations in cells. Though the work focused on yeast cells, the team expects to find an analogous system in human cells that could be exploited as a target for potential therapies for cancers, which are often caused by such repair mechanisms going off course. The research was published today in an advanced, online issue of the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
NIST Trumps the Clumps: Making Biologic Drugs Safer
Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have developed a technique to measure the formation of clumps of proteins in protein-based pharmaceuticals. This first systematic study clarifies the conditions under which scientists can be assured that their instruments are faithfully measuring the formation of protein aggregates, a major concern because of its impact on quality control and safety in biologic drug manufacturing.
Vaginal microbicides may prevent more infections in men than women
Vaginal microbicides currently in clinical trials may be the only weapon that will protect women against infection from HIV. Yet, under likely circumstances, these microbicides may be of more benefit to men than women, according to a new UCLA AIDS Institute study.
New online care for hypertension gets results
Controlling blood pressure at home, on Web, nearly doubles proportion of successful patients, JAMA study reports
Web-based care and at-home blood pressure checks can help control hypertension without office visits, according to the "e-BP" (Electronic Blood Pressure) study of more than 700 Group Health patients published in the June 25
Journal of the American Medical Association.
Vitamin D: New way to treat heart failure?
Strong bones, a healthy immune system, protection against some types of cancer: Recent studies suggest there's yet another item for the expanding list of vitamin D benefits. Vitamin D, "the sunshine vitamin," keeps the heart, the body's long-distance runner, fit for life's demands.