We’ve all seen advertising for genetic testing services, offering insight into your ancestry as well as health based on your genetic code. But Drs. Michael Hochman and Pieter Cohen warn that genetic tests offered directly to consumers without input from a physician or geneticist can be problematic. They note that genetic tests for BRCA mutations… Read more
We regularly hear that obesity is a risk factor for various diseases, and we’re beginning to understand that some diseases have overlapping risk factors and outcomes. For example obesity, type II diabetes, and a diet high in saturated fats are all risk factors for developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. And recent studies have revealed outcomes… Read more
The Janet Wood Innovation Award finalists were recently announced, recognizing individuals who created novel products that improve the welfare of laboratory animals. The award, a program of Datesand Group, aims to encourage laboratory animal technicians to come up with ideas that support the Three R’s of animal research (replacement, reduction and refinement). The products will… Read more
Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has proven benefits over “open surgery”: fewer complications, shorter hospitalization, lower rates of readmission and mortality, and lower health care costs. Unfortunately, the population that might benefit the most from this approach is under-served. A recently published study used a Medicare database to analyze minimally invasive vs. traditional open surgeries in elderly… Read more
Millions of animals – mainly rats and mice – are used every year as surrogates for humans in toxicology testing. Such testing is often required by regulatory bodies to evaluate the potential toxicity of new products and chemicals. The search for alternatives to lethal animal toxicology testing in the last few decades has started to… Read more
As part of Parsemus Foundation’s commitment to animal welfare, we’re proud to be a new sponsor of the Janet Wood Innovation Award, which supports the “Three Rs” of animal testing: the REPLACEMENT of animals in testing, the REDUCTION in animal use in testing, and the REFINEMENT of animal testing methods to minimize or avoid animal… Read more
If you or someone you know has adrenal insufficiency, you probably understand how difficult it is to regulate glucocorticoid replacement therapy. That’s because the body normally has various levels of cortisol throughout the day as well as in response to stressors. Glucocorticoid over-treatment may result in weight gain and metabolic impairment, with dose reduction the… Read more
A carefully controlled study has reported that stents given to individuals with a severe blockage of an artery did not improve their pain or their performance in treadmill tests relative to individuals who did not receive stents. The research study, named ORBITA, used a randomization procedure in which half of the participants received a stent… Read more
Scientists from the University of Maryland School of Medicine have reviewed the data on various medical procedures and presented an analysis of the most overused medical practices. This study was reported in the “Less is More” series in JAMA Internal Medicine. For more information, see our page on promoting evidence-based medicine. This list is reprinted… Read more
Most women have heard about uterine fibroids – benign tumors that affect 70-80% of women at some point in their lives. However, very few women are aware that they can be removed without surgery. The procedure is called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). A recent survey conducted by the Society of Interventional Radiology reported that 44% of… Read more