Posts Tagged: united

A majority of college students is receptive to donating blood or other genetic material for scientific research, according to a new study from Southern Methodist University, Dallas.

In what appears to be the first study to gauge college students' willingness to donate to a genetic biobank, the study surveyed 250 male and female undergraduate and graduate students.

Among those surveyed, 64 percent said they were willing to donate to a biobank, said study author Olivia Adolphson. Students filled out a two-page survey with 18 questions designed to assess their willingness to participate in a biobank, an archive of blood and tissue samples donated by individuals for the purpose of genetic research.

Student reasons include altruism, while barriers were privacy and lack of time

“Overall I found that my sample was very willing to participate in a biobank,” said Adolphson, an undergraduate psychology researcher at SMU. “The reasons cited were altruism – people want to help others – as well as to advance scientific research and to help find cures. The barriers were concerns about privacy, lack of time, lack of interest and lack of knowledge.”

Also from the study, students with a family health history of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, Alzheimer's, diabetes and other diseases were not more motivated than other students to donate to a biobank, Adolphson said.

Adolphson has been invited to present two posters on her study, “College Students' Perceptions of Genetic Biobanking,” in April at the 33rd Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the Society of Behavioral Medicine in New Orleans.

First study of its kind to look at college students in the United States

“This appears to be the first study to gauge college students' willingness to donate to a genetic biobank,” said licensed clinical psychologist and the study's principal investigator Georita Frierson, an SMU assistant professor and health behaviors expert.

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First study to gauge college students' willingness to donate to a genetic biobank

February 21, 2012 01:16:30 GMT
After sparking concern over her sight for her revelation that she's suffering from a degenerative eye condition, the 'My Week with Marilyn' actress assures that it 'will not lead to blindness.'

has played down concerns that she's losing her vision due to a degenerative eye condition. On Monday, February 20, the actress known for her role as MI6's head, M, in various James Bond films released a statement in response to reports that suggest she's battling to save her eye sight, assuring that her revelation over her eye condition was overblown.

“In response to the numerous articles in the media concerning my eye condition – macular degeneration – I do not wish for this to be overblown,” the 77-year-old actress told the press. “This condition is something that thousands and thousands of people all over the world are having to contend with. It's something that I have learnt to cope with and adapt to – and it will not lead to blindness.”

Concerns that Dench is going blind grew after her interview with Britain's Daily Mirror was published on Saturday, February 18. In it, the “” actress admitted she has been diagnosed with macular degeneration. “I can't read scripts any more because of the trouble with my eyes. And so somebody comes in and reads them to me, like telling me a story,” she confessed.

“It's usually my daughter or my agent or a friend and actually I like that, because I sit there and imagine the story in my mind,” she continued on. “I've got what my ma had, macular degeneration, which you get when you get old. I had wet in one eye and dry in the other and they had to do these injections and I think it's arrested it. I hope so.”

Dench didn't let her eye condition slow her down though. After appearing as Anna Marie in “”, the Oscar winner will be seen in “”, which has been set to hit theaters across the United States on May 4. She's also re-teaming with for yet-another James Bond film, “”.

© AceShowbiz.com

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Judi Dench: Reports on My Eye Condition Are Overblown

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today applauded President Obama’s directive to expand and strengthen the USDA BioPreferred program.

BIO President & CEO Jim Greenwood said, “The USDA’s BioPreferred program provides important federal leadership that can expand consumer demand for renewable products made from biomass, such as agricultural residues and energy crops. Biobased products meet consumer demand for items that are affordable and healthier for the environment. The United States is well positioned to use its leadership in biotechnology, agricultural productivity and manufacturing innovation to build a biobased economy.”

Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIO’s Industrial & Environmental Section, added, “Expanding biobased production can also reduce our reliance on foreign oil and generate new jobs in manufacturing, agricultural production and forestry. The biobased product industry already employs more than 50,000 people in the United States and can generate tens of thousands more in the next five years. Policies that provide technology neutral support to biobased products and renewable chemicals, such as the BioPreferred program, can help the industry continue its progress.”

About BIO

BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. BIO produces BIOtech NOW, an online portal and monthly newsletter chronicling “innovations transforming our world.” Subscribe to BIOtech NOW.

Upcoming BIO Events

World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology & Bioprocessing
April 29-May 2, 2012
Orlando, FL

2012 BIO International Convention
June 18-21, 2012
Boston, MA

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BIO Applauds Strengthening of the USDA BioPreferred Program

It seems Cupid is becoming more colorblind when deciding where to shoot his arrows.

A new Pew Research Center study shows interracial marriages in the United States have climbed to 4.8 million — a record one in 12.

The trend is being fed as a steady flow of new Asian and Hispanic immigrants expands the pool of spouses, along with the fact that African-Americans are more likely than before to marry whites.

That fact is certainly evident in the increasing numbers of interracial couples seen out and about in Greater Memphis.

Some folks on both the black and the white sides of the racial fence have strong feelings about this, good and bad. But here's the reality: Younger generations have experienced increasing interaction with those of a different race through schools and social events.

While they still see “color,” they are more inclined to judge a person based on who he or she is, and what he or she can bring to the table in a meaningful relationship.

The Pew study tracks demographers' calculations that whites will be the minority in the U.S. by 2050.

The breaking down of racial taboos such as the one against interracial marriage is a positive trend.

It's proof, at least initially, that love can overpower racial concerns.

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Editorial: Cupid's color blindness

Public release date: 17-Feb-2012
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Contact: Chris Balma
balma@science.ubc.ca
604-202-5047
University of British Columbia

New international agreements are required to ensure nations benefit equally from medicines, foods and biofuels derived from the ocean's untapped genetic riches, according to a panel of University of British Columbia and European researchers presenting at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Vancouver on Feb. 17.

“The reservoir of genetic diversity contained in the oceans' microbial life is a huge potential source of natural products and genes with applications in medicine, food development and bio-energy,” says Curtis Suttle, an expert on marine virology and microbiology at the University or British Columbia and member of the panel.

“The question is whether they fall under a regime of 'freedom of the high seas' which allows the discoverer to keep what they find, or under a regime of 'the common heritage of mankind' which would require benefits from the use of genetic resources to be equitably shared amongst countries.”

Marine genetic resources discovered in coastal waters are subject to bilateral 'benefit sharing' under international agreements currently being ratified. But no such agreements govern the patenting and commercialization of proteins and genes harvested from international waters.

“Marine genetic resources within national jurisdiction are subject to requirements for benefit sharing under the Nagoya Protocol, and it is time to consider a parallel agreement for areas beyond national jurisdiction,” says panelist Marjo Vierros with the United Nations University (UNU). The UNU is the academic arm of the United Nations system.

“Any agreement should include mechanisms to support marine scientific research and invention through creative tools such as patent pools, open access programs, and gene libraries. It should also include measures for tracing the geographic origin of organisms, conservation and sustainable use.”

More than 5,000 genes derived from marine organisms have already been associated with patent claims. Ten countries own more than 90% of those claims, including 'marine genes'. Three countries own approximately 70%, a pattern similar to the one observed for human and plant crop genes, according to panelist Sophie Arnaud-Haond, from the Institut Francais de Reserche sur la Mer.

The panel–which alincludes UBC marine chemist Raymond Andersen and researchers from Spain and Germany–cites the need to enhance the capacity of developing countries to participate in this research and invention through capacity development and technology transfer.

###

N.B. Suttle and Vierros are participating in a AAAS symposium on Friday, Feb. 17 at 1:30 p.m. Room 201 Vancouver Convention Centre. Suttle can be reached at csuttle@eos.ubc.ca. Vierros can be reached at vierros@ias.unu.edu. Twitter hashtags: #AAASmtg and #UBC

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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'Wild west' approach to claiming the oceans' genetic resources must end: UBC media release

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/da14f1/stem_cells_market) has announced the addition of the “Stem Cells Market – Global And China Forecast, Market Share, Size, Growth And Industry Analysis (2010-2017)” report to their offering.

Stem cells are biological cells capable of dividing and self renewing in order to produce more stem cells. The regulatory acceptance of this technology is one of the major forces driving the market, whereas the high cost of therapy might hamper the growth of the stem cells market. Among all global regions, the United States holds approximately 60% of the stem cell market – followed by Europe and Asia Pacific.

The report contains the global scenario of Stem Cells market – discussing detailed overview and market figures. The research report analyses the industry growth rate, industry capacity, and industry structure. The report analyses the historical data and forecasts Stem Cells market size, production forecasts along with key factors driving and restraining the market.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/da14f1/stem_cells_market

Contact:

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager
U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907
Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
press@researchandmarkets.com

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Research and Markets: Stem Cells Market 2010-2017: Global And China Forecast, Market Share, Size, Growth And Industry …

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Investigators at The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles have found that amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSC) can slow the progression of chronic kidney disease. A new study, published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, reveals that these stem cells can protect the kidneys and help maintain their function.

“We believe that this novel and innovative study clearly demonstrates the value and promise for amniotic fluid stem cells,” comments Roger De Filippo, MD, head of the GOFARR Laboratory for Organ Regenerative Research and Cell Therapeutics at The Saban Research Institute.

Using a model for Alport’s Syndrome, Dr. De Filippo’s team, which includes Dr. Laura Perin, one of the original investigators of AFSC and co-director of the GOFARR Laboratory, injected AFSC early in the course of the disease. Alport’s Syndrome is a kidney disease characterized by progressive renal fibrosis. Treatment with AFSC increased survival time and ameliorated the decline in kidney function.

Kidneys are responsible for filtering toxins from the blood. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects millions of children and adults in the United States. Characterized by a progressive decline in kidney function, CKD leads to an increase in health problems, including heart disease and diabetes. Those who develop end-stage kidney disease depend on dialysis to clear the waste from their blood and, ultimately, most patients require a kidney transplant in order to survive. With such stark long-term consequences, the new study offers hope to those suffering from the disease and is also a significant advancement in the stem cell research field.

Stem cell therapies have emerged over the last twenty years as a promising new area of biomedical research. While embryonic stem cells remain a controversial subject, AFSC are found in the fluid surrounding a fetus. The cells can be collected via amniocentesis or at birth without any harmful effects. This study demonstrates that the therapeutic benefit of AFSC is similar to that of embryonic stem cells.

“These findings are of significant interest to stem cell researchers. By using these common cells that are easily obtained, we can focus on other types of therapeutic studies that offer hope to many patients with chronic disabilities and disease,” says David Warburton, DSc, MD, director of the Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine Research program at The Saban Research Institute. This work was funded in part by a training grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, GOFARR and the Pasadena Guild of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

About Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Children's Hospital Los Angeles has been named the best children’s hospital in California and among the best in the nation for clinical excellence with its selection to the prestigious US News & World Report Honor Roll. Children’s Hospital is home to The Saban Research Institute, one of the largest and most productive pediatric research facilities in the United States, is one of America's premier teaching hospitals and has been affiliated with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California since 1932.

For more information, visit www.CHLA.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn, or visit our blog: www.WeAreChildrens.org.

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Investigators at The Saban Research Institute Demonstrate That Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells Can Slow Progression of …

A new survey of 29 integrative medicine centers around the U.S. found that 75 percent reported success using integrative practices to treat chronic pain and more than half reported positive results for gastrointestinal conditions, depression and anxiety, cancer and chronic stress.

The results of the survey, Integrative Medicine in America: How Integrative Medicine Is Being Practiced in Clinical Centers Across the United States, are being released today by The Bravewell Collaborative.

“What we have seen in our clinics over the past 14 years is that more and more people are turning to integrative therapies to help them with health problems,” says William Stewart, MD, the co-founder and Medical Director of California Pacific Medical Center's Institute for Health and Healing. “This survey shows that for many patients, particularly those with chronic health issues, the multidimensional team approach of integrative medicine works.”

“With chronic health issues costing the U.S. economy more than $1 trillion a year, it's essential to find the most effective ways to treat and prevent the most prevalent conditions,” said Donald Abrams, MD, co-author of the report and professor of clinical medicine at the University of California San Francisco.

Integrative medicine is an approach that puts the patient at the center of care and addresses the full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect health. Employing a personalized strategy that considers the patient's unique conditions, needs and circumstances, integrative medicine uses the most appropriate interventions from an array of scientific disciplines to heal illness and disease and help people regain and maintain optimal health.

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Report illustrates great potential of integrative medicine in chronic health issues

Technology to restore vision through the use of a component of green algae – developed by a Wayne State University professor and scientific director of the Ligon Research Center of Vision at the Kresge Eye Institute – has attracted additional funding for therapy development.

The Foundation Fighting Blindness announced a $250,000 grant from their affiliate, National Neurovision Research Institute, to RetroSense Therapeutics, LLC, a Michigan-based company. RetroSense signed a license agreement in 2011 for the novel gene-therapy approaches developed at Wayne State University by Zhuo-Hua Pan, Ph.D., professor of ophthalmology and anatomy & cell biology in the School of Medicine.

Pan's novel strategy focused on genetically converting light-insensitive inner retinal neurons into photosensitive cells, thus restoring light sensitivity to retinas that lack photoreceptors. Using a virus that delivers a photoreceptor gene from green algae called channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), he found that ChR2 made the inner retinal neurons light sensitive, and that this persisted for long periods in the neurons, ultimately leading to restored responses to light in the brain's visual cortex.

Pan, along with colleagues at Salus University in Pennsylvania, developed the breakthrough therapy and follow-on approaches that offer promise to people suffering with blindness caused by age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) – retinal degenerative disorders that are currently incurable.

AMD is the leading cause of blindness in people older than 60, affecting more than 8 million in the United States. Worldwide, 500,000 individuals lose their eyesight annually to AMD, which is the result of progressive deterioration of photoreceptor cells in the macula, near the center of the retina.

RP is a genetically-determined eye disease caused by mutations in more than 100 different genes. An estimated 100,000 Americans have RP, which typically manifests as night blindness and progresses to tunnel vision and sometimes complete blindness.

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WSU's novel gene-therapy for blindness receives $250,000 FFB grant

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Seventy-five percent of integrative medicine centers included in a new study about integrative practice reported success treating chronic pain. More than half of centers reported successfully using integrative medicine to treat gastrointestinal conditions, depression/anxiety, cancer and stress.

Integrative Medicine in America: How Integrative Medicine Is Being Practiced in Clinical Centers Across the United States, a new study from The Bravewell Collaborative, looked at the patient populations and health conditions most commonly treated with integrative medicine.

“With chronic health issues costing the economy more than $1 trillion a year, it's essential to find the best treatments and preventive practices,” said Donald Abrams, MD, co-author of the report and professor of clinical medicine at the University of California San Francisco. “The broader use of integrative medicine could fundamentally change how patients are being served in this country.”

Twenty-nine integrative medicine centers were surveyed, including programs at Cleveland Clinic, Duke, Mayo Clinic, Stanford and MD Anderson Cancer Center. All participating centers reported being affiliated with hospitals, health systems and/or medical and nursing schools, suggesting that integrative medicine has now become an established part of healthcare in the U.S.

All of the centers in the study served adult patients and many treated older people (97%), adolescents (86%), children (62%) and individuals at the end of life (66%).

Integrative medicine is an evidence-based approach to care that puts the patient at the center and addresses the physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences on health. The center directors reported that their centers most frequently prescribe, often in tandem, food/nutrition therapies (65%), supplements (60%), yoga (55%), meditation (51%), traditional Chinese medicine/acupuncture (50%), massage (49%), and pharmaceutical interventions (46%).

Sixty-two percent of the centers have also incorporated lifestyle change programs that emphasize healthy behaviors and actions. As shown in many studies published over the past five years, attention to healthy diet, exercise and stress reduction can help prevent major health issues.

“There is great potential for integrative medicine to help prevent illness and foster lifelong health,” explained Christy Mack, President of The Bravewell Collaborative. “This report suggests that integrative approaches offer promise for increasing the effectiveness of care.”

To view the full report, Integrative Medicine in America, online, visit www.bravewell.org.

SOURCE Bravewell Collaborative

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New National Study Shows Integrative Medicine Commonly Used to Treat Chronic Health Conditions

DENVER–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA – News), a leading provider of kidney care services that is committed to improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), announced today that it has promoted Javier Rodriguez to the position of president. He previously served as DaVita’s senior vice president, a role he has occupied since 2006.

Rodriguez, 41, has been with DaVita since 1998. During his tenure, he has held several different roles. Currently, his portfolio includes Payor Relations, Information Technology, VillageHealth and the operations of more than 400 dialysis clinics. Before joining DaVita, Rodriguez worked for Baxter Healthcare Corporation in finance from 1995 to 1996. He also served as director of operations for CBS Marketing Inc. in Mexico City.

Rodriguez earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

“I have worked with Javier for years, and I am excited to continue the journey as peers going forward,” stated Dennis Kogod, DaVita’s COO.

“This promotion is a result of the strong performance and personal growth Javier has demonstrated,” commented Kent Thiry, chairman and CEO of DaVita Inc. “Dennis and I are excited to work with Javier to help make DaVita the ‘Greatest Healthcare Community the World has Ever Seen.’”

About DaVita

DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita strives to improve patients’ quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management services. As of Sept..30, 2011, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,777 dialysis facilities, serving approximately 138,000 patients. DaVita supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the world. The company’s leadership development initiatives and social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please visit www.davita.com.

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DaVita Promotes Javier Rodriguez to President

NEWARK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Prudential Retirement, a business unit of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU – News), today announced its first longevity reinsurance transaction of 2012.

Under the terms of the transaction, Prudential Retirement will provide reinsurance of longevity risk to Rothesay Life, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. The transaction initially covers pension liability values of GBP 423 million, approximately equal to $665 million U.S. dollars.

The reinsurance secures the retirement benefits of almost 20,000 members of the Uniq Plc Pension Scheme, who are insured by Rothesay Life. The reinsurance transaction is particularly significant as it covers the risks of all life annuities held by plan participants, regardless of age or retirement status, and over half the plan participants reinsured have yet to reach retirement.

“We are happy to partner with Rothesay on another innovative Pension Risk Transfer transaction that helps to secure the retirement benefits of Uniq’s members,” said Amy Kessler, senior vice president and head of Prudential’s Longevity Reinsurance business.

“Rothesay Life is pleased to continue its partnership with Prudential,” said Addy Loudiadis, chief executive officer, Rothesay Life. “This latest transaction demonstrates how we can work together to complete an important transaction.”

Reinsurance contracts are issued by Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company (PRIAC), Hartford, CT 06103. PRIAC is not a U.K. Financial Services Authority (FSA) authorized insurer and does not conduct business in the United Kingdom or provide direct insurance to any individual or entity therein. Prudential Financial, Inc. of the United States is not affiliated with Prudential plc, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Rothesay Life is an insurance company established in the U.K. as a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., a bank holding company and leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm. Rothesay Life provides annuity and other longevity products to corporate defined benefit pension plans, tailored to meet the specific needs of corporate sponsors, trustees and pension plan members. Rothesay Life is authorized and regulated by the U.K.’s Financial Services Authority.

Prudential Retirement delivers retirement plan solutions for public, private, and non-profit organizations. Services include state-of-the-art record keeping, administrative services, investment management, comprehensive employee investment education and communications, and trustee services. With over 85 years of retirement experience, Prudential Retirement helps meet the needs of nearly 3.6 million participants and annuitants. Prudential Retirement has $229.5 billion in retirement account values as of December 31, 2011.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU – News), a financial services leader with approximately $901 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2011, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit http://www.news.prudential.com/.

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Prudential Retirement reinsures retirement benefits through transaction with Rothesay Life

DENVER–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA – News), a leading provider of kidney care services that is committed to improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), today announced its 2011 End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) results from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

DaVita® outperformed the industry with 75 percent of the company’s clinics ranking in the top clinical performance tier, versus 71 percent for the rest of the industry.

“Helping our patients live longer and enjoy a better quality of life is our constant focus at DaVita,” said Dr. Allen R. Nissenson, DaVita’s chief medical officer. “Our QIP results demonstrate that our holistic, comprehensive care approach works.”

QIP is part of Medicare’s ESRD quality incentive aimed at improving the quality of care provided to patients. It was designed in part to be the nation's first pay-for-performance quality incentive program mandated through a series of reforms passed into law in 2008. CMS describes QIP as a “first-of-its-kind program (that) provides the ESRD community with the opportunity to enhance the overall quality of care that ESRD patients receive as they battle this devastating disease.”1

“DaVita and the industry are working with CMS to improve quality for our patients in several aspects,” said DaVita Group Vice President LeAnne Zumwalt. “We look forward to partnering with CMS on the development and implementation of the expanded QIP in 2014 and beyond.”

QIP takes two clinical areas into account. The first is anemia management, and the second is Urea Reduction Ratio (URR).

URR determines how effectively a dialysis treatment removes waste from the body and is commonly noted as a percentage. While there is no fixed percentage to represent “adequate dialysis,” studies have shown that patients with a URR of 65 percent or greater are less likely to suffer from adverse symptoms including nausea, and loss of appetite. Patients with 65 or greater also have fewer hospitalizations and live longer. At the end of 2011, DaVita reported that only 2.7 percent of its patients – an all-time low – are below the 65 percent baseline.

In 2014, additional measures will be added, including percentage of patients receiving treatment through an arteriovenous fistula or catheter.

Since the inception of DaVita’s CathAwayTM program, DaVita has driven a 30 percent reduction in traditional catheter use (i.e., those patients who have been dialyzing at DaVita for 90 days or more using a catheter for dialysis access). DaVita patients were at an all-time low catheter rate of 15.6 percent near the end of 2011.

DaVita results also showed a nearly 20 percent reduction in gross mortality rates since 2001, representing thousands of lives saved.

DaVita has a holistic approach to kidney care that is patient-centric and considers various aspects of the quality of treatment. As a result, for 11 consecutive years DaVita patients have demonstrated improved annual clinical results in several critical areas, including survival rates, bone and mineral metabolism management, dialysis adequacy and preventative care such as immunizations.

DaVita and CathAway are trademarks or registered trademark of DaVita Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About DaVita

DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita strives to improve patients’ quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management services. As of September 30, 2011, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,777 dialysis facilities, serving approximately 138,000 patients. DaVita supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the world. The company’s leadership development initiatives and social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please visit www.davita.com.

1http://www.cms.gov/esrdqualityimproveinit/01_overview.asp

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DaVita Announces Industry-Leading Quality Incentive Program Results

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) President and CEO Jim Greenwood issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s FY 2013 budget proposal released yesterday:

“While BIO supports the broad goals of the President Obama’s FY2013 budget, many of the provisions included in the proposal jeopardize continued biotech research and development that will lead to cures and breakthrough medicines for patients worldwide living with debilitating diseases. These provisions also threaten to undermine job growth here in the United States and run counter to the President’s expressed desire to ‘create an economy that is built to last.’

“The Administration’s proposal to reduce the period of data exclusivity for innovative biologics manufacturers, for example, will discourage biotech innovation. The 12-year term of data protection for biologics included in the Affordable Care Act received widespread bipartisan support in the Congress during the consideration of the biosimilar pathway and is now settled U.S. law. The 12-year period continues to maintain strong bipartisan support in the Congress. A reduction in the exclusivity period will jeopardize the careful balance established to reduce costs, expand access, ensure patient safety and encourage continued biotechnology innovation that will create jobs and lead to breakthrough therapies and cures for deadly diseases.

“We continue to have strong concerns about strengthening the powers of the unelected Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), as called for in the President’s budget proposal. IPAB could enact broad changes to Medicare without Congressional oversight. Repealing IPAB is essential to protecting American access to quality medical care and is particularly important to populations such as seniors and the uninsured who rely on Medicare.

“We also oppose proposals to institute a Medicare Part D rebate for dual-eligibles. Medicare Part D is working well. Consumers are overwhelmingly pleased with this benefit, and the private competition between various drug plans keeps costs down. We should not disrupt this properly working benefit by adding unnecessary reforms.

“The provisions described above undermine the hope of cures and breakthrough new medicines for patients living with debilitating diseases including cancer, HIV/AIDS and MS. They jeopardize much needed job growth in our nation. And they threaten to end our nation’s global leadership in biotech innovation.

“The biotechnology industry has long been an engine for economic development and job creation across the country and our sector is working to add more high-wage high-skilled jobs to our workforce. Currently the biotech sector supports a total of 8 million jobs nationwide, directly employing 1.42 million workers while sustaining an additional 6.6 million jobs across the country.

“We will continue to work with President Obama, members of his Administration and the Congress in pursuit of public policies that encourage investment in biotechnology innovation. Well constructed policies can help lead to cures and breakthrough new medicines, create jobs, propel continued innovation, and position our nation for continued leadership in the global marketplace.”

About BIO

BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. BIO produces BIOtech Now, an online portal and monthly newsletter chronicling “innovations transforming our world.” Subscribe to BIOtech Now.

Upcoming BIO Events

BIO CEO & Investor Conference
February 13-14, 2012
New York, NY

World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology & Bioprocessing
April 29-May 2, 2012
Orlando, FL

2012 BIO International Convention
June 18-21, 2012
Boston, MA

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Administration's 2013 Budget Could Discourage Development of Cures and Breakthrough Medicines, Limit Patient Choice …

SAN FRANCISCO, CA–(Marketwire -02/13/12)- We recognize the United States' great presidents as visionaries, but have some of our leaders had trouble seeing — literally? This Presidents' Day, the Museum of Vision, a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, takes a look at the vision problems of three of the best-known U.S. presidents… Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.

Abraham “Honest Abe” Lincoln had strabismus, also known as lazy-eye. You can see this in some photos or portraits of the 16th president. Lincoln's left eye tended to roll upward, especially when he was tired or excited. News reports of his fiery 1860 presidential election debates with Stephen Douglas describe Lincoln's eye as “rolling wildly” as he spoke. His dominant right eye did most of the work of seeing, especially for near work like reading.

Lincoln's left eye was set slightly higher in his head than his right, and his left eyelid drooped a bit. When he was 10 years old Abe was kicked in the head by a horse, and may have suffered nerve damage that led to a mild paralysis of his eyelid. Lincoln also suffered from double vision (diplopia) at times.

America's 25th president, Theodore Roosevelt, was a Rough Rider and adventurer, and his move into the White House hardly slowed him down. In one of his many boxing matches while president, Roosevelt received a blow to the head that some sources say left him partially blind in his left eye. (Others say earlier injuries caused the damage.) If the tough punch was the culprit, Roosevelt's loss of sight would probably have been due to a detached retina (undiagnosed), say ophthalmology historians. Athletes who play impact sports today can take a lesson from TR, and make sure to use protective eyewear and seek immediate medical care for any eye or head injury.

Woodrow Wilson was shocked to awaken one morning in 1906, seven years before he became the 27th president, and find himself nearly blind in his right eye. He'd suffered a hemorrhage (severe bleeding) in his retina, the sensitive area at the back of the eye that relays images to the brain. Other than resting his eye for several months on orders from his ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.), no real treatment was available in those days. Wilson had high blood pressure, a risk factor for “central retinal vein occlusion,” a blockage in the main retinal vein, and this probably caused the bleed and damage, say Eye M.D. historians. Eventually his vision improved some, and though Wilson complained his golf game was never again as good, he seems to have coped fairly well.

Several presidents have had trouble with eye “twitches” or “spasms” or “rapid blinking,” conditions that are more likely when a person is under pressure (especially emotional stress) and/or exhausted or sleep-deprived. Given the intense demands of the presidency, it's a wonder these annoying conditions haven't been more common.

For more information on the interesting world of ophthalmic history, visit www.museumofvision.org.

About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons — Eye M.D.s — with more than 30,000 members worldwide. Eye health care is provided by the three “O's” — ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians. It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye M.D., who can treat it all: eye diseases, infections and injuries, and perform eye surgery. For more information, visit www.aao.org. The Academy's EyeSmart® public education program works to educate the public about the importance of eye health and to empower them to preserve their healthy vision, by providing the most trusted and medically accurate information about eye diseases, conditions and injuries. Visit www.geteyesmart.org to learn more.

About The Museum of Vision
The Museum of Vision is an educational program of The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. It is the only institution in the United States whose sole purpose is to preserve the history of ophthalmology and celebrate its unique contributions to science and health. The Museum of Vision strives to inspire an appreciation of vision science, the ophthalmic professions and contributions made toward preventing blindness. For more information on the Museum of Vision, visit www.museumofvision.org.

Sources:

Abraham Lincoln and the Marfan Syndrome, Harold Schwartz, MD, JAMA, Feb 15, 1964, Vo. 187, No 7; Abe's Eyes: Our Ophthalmic Heritage, Charles Synder, Ed, Lucien Howe Library of Ophthalmology (accessed by American Academy of Ophthalmology historian, Jenny Benjamin, Feb. 2011) Lincoln's Craniofacial Microsomia Three-dimensional Laser Scanning of 2 Lincoln Life Masks Ronald S. Fishman, MD; Adriana Da Silveira, DDS, MS, PhD REPRINTED) ARCH OPHTHALMOL/VOL 125 (NO. 8), AUG 2007 WWW.ARCHOPHTHALMOL.COM 1127©2007 American Medical Association. All rights reserved. Downloaded from www.archophthalmol.com on February 10, 2011 Woodrow Wilson's Eyes: a talk to the Academy on 100th anniversary, 1996, by Michael Marmor, M.D. (from American Academy of Ophthalmology's Historical Records) Wilson, strokes and zebras. Marmor MF. New Engl J Med 1982; 307:528-535. The eyes of Woodrow Wilson: Retinal vascular disease and George de Schweinitz. Marmor MF. Ophthalmol 1985; 92:454-465. Theodore Roosevelt's obituary, New York Times, January 6, 1919, accessed Feb. 2011, M Wade

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Museum of Vision Recognizes Presidents' Day With an Inside Look Into the Eyesight Challenges of U.S. Presidents

Many people in the United States have no health insurance, and many more are underinsured or have very high deductibles, which require them to pay significant amounts of cash for medical services before any insurance coverage kicks in.

As our current health care crisis continues to unfold, more people will be using the Internet to make their own diagnoses and figure out their own treatment plans before considering entering the medical system.

In this light, let's look at some common medical concerns, along with some over-the-counter remedies you can try to help you feel better without having to make a trip to the doctor:

Depression and anxiety

SAMe can work wonders for depression and can also help reduce arthritis pain. Start with 200 mg twice daily and slowly build up to 400 to 800 mg twice daily. Nature Made makes a nice SAMe product. Caution: Do not take SAMe if there is a risk of manic depression or significant anxiety.

• Kava Nakamal, made by the Eclectic Institute, is a safe preparation of kava that can be used for anxiety, insomnia, and muscle pain. Try one capsule three times daily as needed.

• Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb that helps to soothe frazzled nerves and enhance sleep. As an added benefit, it may even improve libido in women. Try 500 mg two or three times per day.

• Holy basil is another Ayurvedic herb that can help reduce stress and inflammation, and improve mental clarity. Try 400 mg twice daily as needed.

• Rhodiola, a.k.a. Arctic root, can reduce depression and anxiety, and also fight fatigue. Start with 100 to 150 mg/day and gradually work up to 400 to 500 mg per day.

• Lemon balm and passionflower are calming herbs, and both can be taken as teas. Try a soothing cup of tea in the evening before bedtime.

• Lavender oil is very soothing for many people; you can use it in a diffuser, or put a drop or two of the oil on your temples.

Menopause and PMS

Chaste tree (a.k.a. Vitex) has been shown to reduce PMS symptoms, including breast tenderness, swelling, irritability and headache. Nature's Way makes a nice product.

• Siberian rhubarb, sold as the product Estrovera, can reduce hot flashes and sweats in women with menopausal symptoms. Women with breast cancer or risk of breast cancer should probably avoid this, however.

• Vitamin E oil, coconut oil and calendula oil can all help reduce vaginal dryness; apply directly to affected tissues with your fingertips.

Diabetes

Multiple herbs and supplements can help reduce blood sugar, including cinnamon, bitter melon and chromium piccolinate.

Studies also have shown that magnesium supplements can delay or prevent the onset of adult-onset diabetes. Of course, the best way to avoid diabetes is to exercise every day, eat a plant-based diet and maintain a healthy weight.

• Vinegar slows digestion and can reduce the blood sugar spikes that tend to occur after consuming foods with flour and other processed carbs. If you are a bread lover, try dipping your bread in extra-virgin olive oil mixed with balsamic vinegar instead of slathering it with butter – you'll help both your blood sugar and your cholesterol.

Inflammation and pain

• Being overweight or obese, eating the “Standard American Diet” (a.k.a. SAD), and living with a lot of stress all help to drive inflammation and chronic disease, including pain.

Foods and supplements including fish and fish oil, ginger and turmeric help to reduce inflammation.

Try to eat wild fish two to three times a week or take about 1,000 mg of EPA/DHA every day, add one teaspoon of turmeric to your daily soup, and take ginger capsules or brew some fresh ginger tea from sliced up fresh gingerroot.

• Tart cherry juice is very high in anti-inflammatory compounds and can reduce pain from arthritis; studies have shown benefit with 12 ounces per day.

And it may even help you to sleep better!

• For acute musculo- skeletal pain from injuries, many people find relief from the homeopathic remedy arnica. Look for the product Topricin and follow directions on the label.

Headaches

Many adults in the United States are deficient in magnesium. Taking 400 to 800 mg of magnesium glycinate at bedtime can help to reduce the frequency of migraine headaches.

If you develop loose stools, back off on the dose. Caution: Do not take magnesium supplements if you have impaired kidney function.

• Applying lavender or peppermint oil to the temples can also help to relieve a headache.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules and probiotics can help to relieve dyspepsia, GI spasm and bloating in people with IBS. Look for a probiotic that has a blend of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.

Colds and coughs

Pelargonium, also known as South African geranium, can help reduce cough and cold symptoms. Look for the product Umcka, made by Nature's Way.

• Dark honey may also help reduce cough; try one teaspoon before bedtime. Caution: Do not use honey in children under age 1.

• Irrigating your nasal passages and gargling with warm salt water every day can wash out attached viruses and bacteria, and reduce your risk of getting sick, especially during cold and flu season.

There you have it – a few things to help you stay healthy and happy. If you are taking prescription medications, please talk with your doctor before starting any over-the-counter products, as supplements can sometimes interfere with or affect the metabolism of prescription medicines. And of course, if you try some of these remedies and you fail to improve, it's time to see your doctor.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

By Drs. Kay Judge and Maxine Barish-Wreden

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

Drs. Kay Judge and Maxine Barish-Wreden are medical directors of Sutter Downtown Integrative Medicine program. Have a question related to alternative medicine? Email adrenaline@sacbee.com.

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Integrative Medicine: Over-the-counter remedies to consider

FT. WORTH, TX–(Marketwire -02/09/12)- Like competitors gearing up for the big day last Sunday, a team of like-minded fighters for people with severe visual disorders assembled on February 3, in Fort Worth, Texas, just two days before the great 2012 sports challenge, to rally its own players to lead the attack against visual disorders worldwide. The “2012 North American Meeting of AMD Alliance International (AMDAI) Members and Friends” gained yards against age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, and other potentially blinding visual conditions. The goal is to improve eyesight and quality of life for millions of people and to save billions of dollars annually.

Meeting participants discussed the global economic impact of visual impairment, scientific advances that improve early detection, and models for successful outreach to all players.

“We want to thank all of those who attended this important event and hope they will be inspired to continue the fight against the devastating effects of AMD,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness America and Board Chair of AMDAI. “We are encouraged by all the promising advances we're seeing in research and treatment options for AMD but there is still much more work to be done to help save sight today.”

AMDAI is a collaboration of leading vision organizations from across the globe that strives to raise awareness and to support each other to overcome macular disease. The efforts of its leaders impact everyone across the globe — people of all ages, families and caretakers, doctors, vision advocates, and governments worldwide.

AMD is the biggest cause of vision impairment in the United States and is a potentially blinding condition.

AMDAI and its North American partners have a message: Heads up. Catch vision problems early. If you already have a vision problem, don't drop the ball. Depend on your eye care team.

“I am proud to be a part of a group here in North America that is so passionate about vision loss prevention and that does so much to raise awareness of macular disease,” says Narinder Sharma, CEO and president of AMDAI.

If a single move could help prevent eye disease it would be regular eye exams. Betty Ann Baker, who told her story at the meeting, is a perfect example of someone whose vision loss may have been significantly lessened by regular eye exams. Never in all her 50 plus years had Betty Ann had an eye exam. That changed in a single day when she suddenly realized that she had lost vision in one eye. She now has regular exams and monthly intraocular injections to prevent additional decline from her AMD. She and her doctors are working hard to preserve her eyesight.

According to The Global Economic Cost of Visual Impairment study from AMDAI:

Betty Ann is among the estimated 733 million people worldwide whose vision is impaired. The cost of visual disorders worldwide is $3 trillion dollars. At the current rate of visual loss, the cost will grow by 2020 to $3.5 trillion, enough to support the economy of a nation as large as the United Kingdom.

A status report by the World Health Organization shows that visual disorders exceed respiratory disease, diarrheal disease, unipolar depressive disorder, ischemic heart disease, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes on the impact of the quality of life. http://www.who.int/whr/2003/en/Chapter1.pdf

For more information on AMD or AMDAI, please visit amdalliance.org or e-mail info@amdalliance.org.

About AMDAI
AMD Alliance International strives to bring knowledge, help and hope to individuals and families around the world affected by AMD. Our mission is accomplished through:

Generating awareness and understanding of age-related macular degeneration; Promoting the importance of education, early detection, knowledge of treatment and rehabilitation options; and. Preserving vision and improving the quality of life of individuals affected by age-related macular degeneration.

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North American Eye Health Leaders Gather to Help Fight Vision Loss

About 50 million people in the United States suffer from arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

By 2030, that number is expected to jump to 67 million.

The disease is the most common cause of disability in the nation.

But long gone are the days when health care providers told people who suffer from painful inflammation of the joints to “rest their joints.”

In fact, physical activity can reduce pain and improve function, mobility, mood and quality of life for most adults with many types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and lupus.

Physical activity also can help manage other chronic conditions common among those adults with arthritis, such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

Dr. John Badylak, a physician with Orthopedic Associates of Abilene, said a low-impact exercise regimen can greatly prolong eventual joint-replacement surgery for many of his patients.

“For my patients with hips and knee arthritis, staying physically active is an integral part of a conservative treatment regiment,” Badylak said. “Physical therapy, weight control and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory arthritis medication are all mainstays of initial arthritis treatment.”

Badylak said many patients with hip and knee arthritis will eventually need joint-replacement surgery.

“The longer those patients stay active, however, the more likely they are to avoid surgery,” he said.

Some of the exercises Badylak recommends to his patients include a low-impact cardiovascular conditioning regimen, which includes swimming, walking and cycling.

“Although the therapy and exercise regimen is different for each patient, some type of cardiovascular exercise three to five times a week can in some cases greatly reduce arthritis pain,” he said. “I strongly recommend my arthritis patients make these exercises a part of their lifestyle to increase their quality of life.”

For those arthritis sufferers whose pain cannot be controlled with exercise, lifestyle changes or medication, Badylak said he will usually recommend a series of site injections and eventually joint-replacement surgery.

“For those particular patients, it's crucial they begin a low-impact exercise routine as soon as they are physically able,” Badylak said.

According to the CDC, scientific studies have shown that participation by arthritis sufferers in moderate- to low-intensity physical activity improves pain, function, mood and quality of life without worsening symptoms or disease severity. But people with arthritis may have a difficult time being physically active because of symptoms — pain and stiffness — their lack of confidence in knowing how much and what to do and unclear expectations of when they will see the benefits of exercise.

Both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities have been proven to work well, and both are recommended for adult arthritis sufferers. People with arthritis also should include daily flexibility — or stretching — exercises to maintain proper joint range of motion and also do balance exercises if they are at risk of falling.

Those suffering from diagnosed arthritis and who are under a doctor's care should always consult their physician before beginning an exercise regimen.

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Take on arthritis pain with low-impact exercise

The researchers found that systolic blood pressure – the “upper number” in a blood pressure reading – was the key variable. Current guidelines call for CKD patients to maintain a systolic pressure of 130/80 or lower in order to prevent ESRD, which is complete or almost complete kidney failure, leading to dialysis, kidney transplant, or death.

In the study, however, the team determined that systolic pressure had to be 140 or higher in order to be associated with an increased risk of ESRD. A level of 150 or higher was associated with highest risk.

Given that attaining a systolic blood pressure of 130/80 is “very hard to achieve among patients in clinical practice,” it would be worth considering revising the guidelines to make them “a bit more lenient and easier to achieve,” said lead author Carmen A. Peralta, MD, a physician at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC) and an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

“A revision might allow physicians to not only prescribe fewer blood pressure medications for their patients, but focus more clearly on other aspects of their care, such as blood glucose levels in diabetics,” said Peralta.

The researchers also found, to their surprise, that more than one third of patients in the study had uncontrolled hypertension – defined as a blood pressure of 150/90 or higher – which greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as ESRD. The greatest risk factors were being age 60 or older and having high levels of protein in urine.

“The prevalence of hypertension indicates a serious public health concern in the United States,” said Peralta, “and tells us that we need to do a lot more education on the importance of blood pressure control. It also tells us that perhaps our efforts should be focused on reducing blood pressure among people at highest risk, rather than chasing lower numbers in individuals already at 140/90.”

Peralta said that the study, published in the January 9 issue of Archives of General Internal Medicine, is particularly important because it examined the link between blood pressure and risk of ESRD under “real world” conditions in a “contemporary, representative sample” of patients with kidney disease.

She and her fellow researchers studied 16,129 participants in the Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP), a nationwide kidney health screening program offered by the National Kidney Foundation. “The KEEP cohort is a realistic representation of regular people in the United States walking around with CKD,” said Peralta. “In the past, the question of what targets we should establish for preventing ESRD has mostly been studied in randomized control trials, where participants actually tend to be healthier than the general population.”

All study participants had stage 3 CKD, defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of lower than 60. GFR is the flow rate of blood filtered by the kidney.

Co-authors of the study are Keith C. Norris, MD, of Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA; Suying Li, PhD, of Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation, MN; Tara I. Chang, MD and Manjula K. Tamura, MD, of Stanford University School of Medicine; Stacy E. Jolly, MD, of Cleveland Clinic Medicine Institution, OH; George Bakris, MD, of University of Chicago; Peter A. McCullough, MD, of Providence Park Heart Institute, Novi, MI; and Michael Shlipak, MD, of SFVAMC and UCSF.

The study was supported by funds from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a Robert Wood Johnson Harold Amos award, and the National Institutes of Health. Some of the funds were administered by the Northern California Institute for Research and Education. KEEP is supported by Amgen, Abbot, Novartis, Siemens, Genentech, Genzyme, Nephroceuticals, Pfizer, Lifescan and Suplena.

NCIRE – The Veterans Health Research Institute – is the largest research institute associated with a VA medical center. Its mission is to improve the health and well-being of veterans and the general public by supporting a world-class biomedical research program conducted by the UCSF faculty at SFVAMC.

SFVAMC has the largest medical research program in the national VA system, with more than 200 research scientists, all of whom are faculty members at UCSF.

UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care.

Provided by University of California, San Francisco (news : web)

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Goals for blood pressure in kidney disease patients may be unrealistic

TUESDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) — A new Swiss-American study indicates that long-term use of the popular diabetes medication metformin may lower the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, at least among women.

The researchers also found that the long-term use of another class of diabetes medications known as sulfonylureas was associated with a “substantial” bump in pancreatic risk and long-term insulin use was linked to a bump in pancreatic cancer risk in men.

“This result is somewhat unexpected,” the team wrote in its paper, which is published in the Jan. 31 online issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most deadly cancer in the United States, with an overall survival rate of less than 5 percent, even though it is fairly rare, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

The researchers noted that previous research has suggested that metformin may lower the risk for other cancers, breast and ovarian cancer in particular.

To explore metformin's protective potential against pancreatic cancer, the team sifted through drug prescription, diagnostic, hospitalization and fatality information that had been collected by the British “General Practice Research Database.” The data also included significant demographic information, such as smoking, alcohol use and body mass index.

The team honed in on statistics regarding nearly 2,800 patients (all under the age of 90) who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer for the first time between 1995 and 2009. Data concerning almost 16,600 patients who did not have pancreatic cancer was used as a comparison.

The result: Short-term use of metformin or sulfonylureas and/or insulin had no appreciable impact on pancreatic cancer risk.

However, long-term use of each of these medications did appear to have a sizeable impact on pancreatic cancer risk among diabetics. While female patients saw their risk go down with metformin treatment and up with sulfonylureas, male patients saw their risk go up with insulin.

Dr. Michael Choti, a professor of surgery and oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, stressed the “importance of trying to identify causes for a devastating disease that is often diagnosed late.”

“Over the years, many groups have tried to look at a variety of risk factors, dietary and other things, and there have been some reports over the years,” he noted. “But nothing has really panned out well. So this is indeed an interesting study.”

“But it's also important to say,” Choti added, “that while these could be associations, we cannot really say that what we have here is a cause-and-effect. Pancreatic cancer is a multi-factorial disease. So, while it makes sense conceptually that these drugs could have an impact on the pancreas, which is a metabolic organ, it's still too early to be sure what's happening. And it's too early to recommend metformin as a preventive therapy for pancreatic cancer.”

“So this is interesting and important,” he said. “But it's not definitive.”

More information

For more on pancreatic cancer, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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Popular Diabetes Drug Might Cut Pancreatic Cancer Risk: Study