http://www.responsesource.com Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:15:11 +0100 admin@responsesource.com (Responsesource) support@dwpub.com Copyright2010 responsesource.com http://www.responsesource.com/images/rss/rss.gif http://www.responsesource.com Zend Framework Zend_Feed en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/p4xPfjyhU7Y/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58303
The survey, commissioned by Biogen Idec, examined the issue of mobility impairment in more than 430 people living with MS from six countries. This research supports other previously conducted studies which have consistently found that mobility issues are a top concern for MS patients.

Of those who reported an impact on their working life, more than one third (39%) stated that mobility problems forced them to take time off of work – with some taking up to 40 days from work in the last six months. However, it was encouraging that 83% of respondents felt their employer was supportive.

“The results of this survey reinforce our understanding that the loss of mobility is a leading concern for those diagnosed with multiple sclerosis,” said Professor Hans-Peter Hartung, Chairman of the Department of Neurology at Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.

“We know that MS is a debilitating disease and these results implicate mobility loss as a primary driver in reduced productivity in the workplace. As physicians, we must continue to explore methods and treatments to better manage the physical and psychological impacts from mobility impairment.”

The survey examined the life experiences of MS patients in Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Biogen Idec continues to analyze the results and will continue to share data with the broader MS community.

About Biogen Idec

Biogen Idec creates new standards of care in therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is a global leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of innovative therapies. Patients worldwide benefit from Biogen Idec's significant products that address diseases such as lymphoma, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the company, please visit www.biogenidec.com.

Notes to editor:

Methodology

• Research was conducted by an independent market research company.

• Research was carried out between 4 June 2010 and 29 June 2010 utilizing a rigorous and robust questionnaire development process. The questionnaire was validated to ensure compliance with ICC/ESOMAR Code on Market and Social Research (European research guidelines) and the Market Research Society Code of Conduct. Please visit www.esomar.org and www.mrs.org.uk for more information

• Respondents were recruited via a mix of patient group liaisons and online recruitment. International patient groups were utilized to recruit MS patients. A network of contacts in each country was also approached. The people invited to take part were pre-screened to ensure that they had been diagnosed with MS and fit the criteria for the research.

• The survey was anonymous and completed online.

• The survey sampled 436 people with MS from Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. They were selected at random to help ensure a result representative of the overall MS patient population.


###

Media contact:

Vicky Squires
Tonic Life Communications
+44 (0)20 7798 9900 - Vicky Squires 29-07-2010]]> Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:24:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58303 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/cyKS4Ip3iL4/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58300
Our researcher has visited each of the leading services below to look at the cost of erectile dysfunction treatment (Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra). The results are striking.

Dr Fox online clinic prices are about half or less than all the rest for erectile dysfunction treatment. The service and the medicine is the same.

See examples below comparing the costs of Cialis, Levitra and Viagra on prescription from UK online clinics. For regular users of these treatments there can be huge savings.

Price matters

The drugs industry and the UK regulators warn people not to buy medicine from overseas websites supplying fake and dangerous tablets. People might take the risk when prices from regulated UK websites can be extraordinarily high. It is good medical practice to tell patients the cost of treatment. For most people price is important.

Viagra, made by Pfizer, comes off patent in 2012 when there could be a big shake up in the price of these expensive drugs.

What do clinic prices include?

The prices below are not prices just for prescription medicines. Online clinics in the UK employ GMC registered doctors to issue prescriptions. The prices include consultations and supply of medicine from registered UK pharmacies, and sometimes the cost of postage.

The GMC and the Care Quality Commission require doctors and medical services to advise on the costs of treatment at the outset. There are regulations prohibiting pharmacies from advertising the cost of prescription medicine. The table below does not give the cost for medicine alone.

Costs compared (see full comparisons of ED clinic prices)

Viagra 50mg x 4
- Dr Fox: £29.40
- Lloyds Pharmacy: £47.00
- 121 Docs: £65.00
- The Online Clinic: £59.95
- My Online Doctor: £52.00
- Meds 4 All: £65.00
- First Med: £59.00
- Health Express: £84.95
- Private Meds: £55.00

Cialis 10mg x 8
- Dr Fox: £69.40
- Lloyds Pharmacy: £92.00
- 121 Docs: £140.00
- The Online Clinic: £119.95
- My Online Doctor: £94.00
- Meds 4 All: £130.00
- First Med: £109.00
- Health Express: £134.95
- Private Meds: £105.00

Levitra 10mg x 8
- Dr Fox: £59.10
- Lloyds Pharmacy: £92.00
- 121 Docs: £110.00
- The Online Clinic: £109.95
- My Online Doctor: £82.00
- Meds 4 All: £110.00
- First Med: £99.00
- Health Express: £134.95
- Private Meds: £87.50

Prices may change and are, to the best of our knowledge, accurate on 19th July 2010. Dr Fox does NOT claim to provide a superior service to any of the online clinics listed. All the clinics, as far as we are aware, comply with all regulation and, as far as we are aware, operate to high ethical standards.

Contact: Dr Tony Steele (drsteele@doctorfox.co.uk - tel. 0845 373­2870) - Index Medical Ltd 29-07-2010]]> Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:14:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58300 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/ylv14RNXVDk/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58282 St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK.
28th July 2010

Robert van Brakel Appointed Marketing Manager

Colortrac Limited, the NEW leader and innovator in large format scanners, has further extended its commitment to profitable business expansion with the appointment of Rob van Brakel to its senior management team. He joins the British wide format scanner manufacturer as their new Marketing Manager with worldwide responsibility for developing and implementing all elements of Colortrac's marketing activities.

See: www.colortrac.com

Rob has over 30 years management experience in developing customer focussed marketing programs and supporting sales channels development within technology led companies such as Xerox, STC and ITT.

"I am delighted to announce that Rob van Brakel has accepted this appointment" said Peter de Winter-Brown, Colortrac's Sales and Marketing Director.

"Rob's addition to Colortrac's senior leadership team gives us the professional experience and talent we need to raise our business to a higher level. Rob will ensure Colortrac has the necessary strategic and tactical marketing programmes in place to deliver our innovative solutions to end customers, while effectively developing our business worldwide and continuing to take market share from our competitors. His understanding of Product Life Cycle dynamics means the timely delivery and effective use of the necessary sales tools to provide our resellers in the sales channel with the means to support our global sales objectives."

Rob will be based in Colortrac's Brunel Court head office in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, a region of British excellence in science and technology. He will lead a team of professionals who will provide global sales and marketing support.

END

Download images:
• Rob van Brakel - lo res: http://www.colortrac.com/press_releases/images/rob_van_brake...
• Rob van Brakel - hi res: http://www.colortrac.com/press_releases/images/rob_van_brake...

For further information contact:
Peter de Winter-Brown,
Sales and Marketing Director,
Colortrac Limited.
Tel: +44 (0)1480 464618
Email: press@colortrac.com
Web: www.colortrac.com

About Colortrac ...
Founded in 1989 and based in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK, a region of British excellence in science and technology, Colortrac Ltd is the leading innovator in professional wide format scanners and image acquisition software solutions.

As the first manufacturer to recognize the individual merits of Charge Coupled Display (CCD) and Contact Image Sensor technology (CIS), its fifth generation of SmartLF scanners and software are uniquely positioned to meet the demand for both price and performance across the full spectrum of scanning applications. These range from the demanding Graphics Arts market to practical, productive CAD, GIS, EDM and FM technical document scanning.
Colortrac is a fast growing company with many new technically innovative patents created by their Research and Development departments. It was the first wide format scanner manufacturer to use both CCD and CIS technologies in innovative ways, creating unique customer solutions to simplify their scanning problems. Colortrac Limited has offices in Beijing and Suzhou, P.R. China, in Chantilly, Virginia, USA and Yokohama, Japan

Further information about Colortrac’s products can be found at: www.colortrac.com
- Colortrac Ltd 28-07-2010]]> Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:40:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58282 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/PYwhWnmi9do/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58276
Based on global data collected from 2005 to 2007, 12% (one in eight) of women born today will be diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) at some point in their lives. In 2007, it was estimated that 2.6 million women in the US had a history of BC – a figure that included individuals with active BC, as well as those who had been cured of the disease. (Source: US National Cancer Institute).

Based on five-year relative survival figures, global data collected from 1999 to 2006 showed that 98% of women diagnosed with localised BC are alive five years after diagnosis, compared to 83.6% in the case of BC with regional lymph node involvement, and 23.4% for distant metastatic BC (Source: US National Cancer Institute). This means that 2 in 100 patients diagnosed with localised BC will die within five years, whereas this number increases to 77 out of 100 for metastatic disease.

More effective drug treatments are required for BC, and these statistics, notably those on survival rates, underline the need for better diagnosis. Today, early diagnosis remains a key priority, to enable treatments to start as soon as possible.

BC may be discovered by self-examination. However, routine mammograms (breast x-ray) may identity changes the individual is not aware of, and which require further investigation. Other tests used to detect or investigate BC include MRI, ultrasound, full-field digital mammogram, ductograms, ductal lavage, nipple discharge and nipple aspirate analysis.

Histochemical tests are also important in the diagnosis of BC – a field that is seeing substantial development and growth. Today, histochemical tests are used to investigate the presence of cell receptors, including oestrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) and Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2). Patients found to be oestrogen receptor positive (ER+) may be treated with anti-oestrogens, and HER2+ positive patients may be prescribed the therapeutic antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin®), that targets the HER2 receptor. BC cells that do not show any of these three receptors are described as triple negative, which is associated with a poorer prognosis. Individuals with a family history of BC may also be offered genetic tests to investigate whether or not they may be at increased risk of developing the disease (e.g. BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations).

ER, PR and HER2 are well known examples of biomarkers used in the diagnosis of BC and, in these cases, commonly influence subsequent treatments. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has produced recommendations on the use of nine BC biomarkers, namely: CA15-3, CA27.29, carcinoembryonic antigen, oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), urokinase plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and some multi-parameter gene expression assays.

These 2007 ASCO recommendations are based on defined clinical circumstances. For example, HER2 tests are recommended to be used on all primary invasive breast tumours to establish whether the patient will benefit from trastuzumab. Overexpression of HER2 is also believed to identify patients who benefit from anthracycline-based adjuvant therapy. In the case of uPA/PAI-1, tests can be carried out to determine the prognosis of patients with newly diagnosed node negative BC. Low levels of both uPA and PAI-1 indicate a low risk of recurrence, especially in hormone receptor–positive women who receive adjuvant endocrine therapy. Patients with high levels of uPA and PAI-1 show significant benefit from cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil 5FU (CMF).

However, a recent report by John Bates of Biopharm Reports identifies more than 190 BC biomarkers, from studies largely published in the last five years. While many of these findings are based on small early studies and will require more expansive investigations, they offer significant hope of new and much-needed advances in the tests that can be used in the diagnosis of BC. These findings may also advance the range of end-points that can be used in clinical trials, as well as giving new insights and opportunities in drug discovery.

More importantly, new biomarkers are required in the treatment of patients, notably in guiding the most effective use of today’s BC drugs and in better defining patient groups, as therapeutic developments move ever-closer to more-personalised therapies.

Today, the very small number of officially recognised BC biomarkers reflects several factors, not least the complexity of reliably and unambiguously linking specific molecules (or parameters) or combinations to specific clinical (patient) circumstances. All cancers are highly diverse, genetically and phenotypically, and do not readily offer up unambiguous indicators upon which fixed clinical recommendations can be based. Nevertheless, there is urgent need to make the maximum use of existing findings on breast cancer biomarkers, to more rapidly translate these advances into better diagnostics and the most effective treatments. Today, biomarkers are driving these developments.

The recent report by Biopharm Reports classifies the list of 190 candidate biomarkers according to their potential utility in early detection, metastasis, in directing therapy, response to therapy, prognosis and predisposition. Developments in this area are also offering greater scope for minimally invasive methods, such as blood or urine tests, as distinct from invasive tissue biopsies. For further information, contact John Bates of Biopharm Reports




- John Bates 28-07-2010]]> Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:12:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58276 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/nLzYAx9iE6U/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58251
It was research carried out in the late 1950s (2) that showed that if women were taken out of the family environment and, like men, made decisions collectively they became less risk averse. The results were backed up by further research in the late 1990s (3) that looked at the growing proportion of small businesses started by women in North America and put forward the idea that gender differences with respect to risk taking may no longer exist. It remains to be seen if, as anecdotal evidence suggests, women also become less risk averse when it comes to their own and their family’s health. While it is unlikely women will, as some men do already, ignore their health completely, the loss of a generation of family carers would be catastrophic for the healthcare sector. As Peter Kruger, founder of Alphadaughters points out; “Family carers act as a shadow healthcare service, providing billions of pounds worth of free care each year.”

Alphadaughters.com highlights the important role online healthcare services provide in creating a forum where both genders can gain an awareness of healthcare issues and verbalise concerns over medical issues. “By creating forums where men can discuss their own and their family’s health outside traditional male groupings, it is possible we will see a closing of the gender gap in perceived health risks and, as a consequence, more men will take on the role as the family carer”, says Kruger.

The Report “Alpha Moms Become Alpha Daughters” is available from http://www.alphadaughters.com

1 Gender Differences in Risk Perception, Per E. Gustafson 1998

2 Sex Differences and Judgement Processes, Wallach and Kogan 1959

3 Sex Differences and Risk Taking Propensity of Entrepreneurs, Meirer and Masters 1998

About Alphadaughters.com

Alphadaughters.com helps companies and organisations develop business models and marketing strategies that will enable them to reach the influential ‘Alpha Daughter’ consumer. It also develops innovative new services to help family carers who are providing support for elderly parents.

www.alphadaughters.com

For further details contact:

Toby Jackson
Steinkrug Publications
tjackson@steinkrug.co.uk


+44 (0)1223 208926
- Toby Jackson 28-07-2010]]> Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:15:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58251 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/7B9EzjqniKk/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58240
Health secretary Andrew Lansley has set out his blueprint for the NHS in a White Paper this month. The Strategic Health authorities and primary care trusts will be facing the axe. The department of Health will have a reduced role in overseeing nurse training and education and local foundation trusts will become the employer with the right to decide and agree local pay deals .This is in a back ground of GPs taking on the responsibility for spending a large part of the NHS budget.
.Why has the GP alone been given this responsibility? Would it not be wiser to have consortia which includes nurses and allied health professionals for a more balanced approach to care?
.There was a promise that the NHS would be left alone and front line staff would not be under threat, unfortunately that is not the case in many areas in the UK. Who and how will this care be provided in the future? It will take more staff, not less to manage and care for patients in their own homes.
A key area of concern is the area of education, specifically in continence care .Here is a few facts -
A recent study by the RCN and the ACA demonstrated 68% of per registered students did not know about basic bladder and bowel care and over 50% of post registered nurses felt they could not assess for these problems, a basic skill.
There is a move to reduce training to NVQ nurses .Graduate nurses are being held as the way forward, this has failed previously in the UK and in other countries. Not all care needs highly qualified staff.
In a back drop of NHS saving billions the concerns are for those who care for the less life threatening or media attractive conditions , especially incontinence .Incontinence , a condition that brings many patients and carers to their knees .it is an embarrassing and very distressing social condition.
We know there is an increase in older people, more dementia, more people with long term conditions, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and falls in older people, what is the biggest area of concern to most sufferers? Bladder and/or bowel incontinence frequency and urgency.
There are many statistics about the cause of admissions to residential care being over 50% as a result of incontinence .In the Parliamentary debates and speeches the aim is to maintain people in their own homes for as long as possible . However, without clear investment in training for all staff this will not occur. The disposable pad expenditure already out strips the above conditions .Staff need to be able to cure the problems not just” mop” it up.
Continence has never been more important and with so many people requiring help now and in the future this topic must be seriously reviewed.
ARC Healthcare Management Consultants are committed to bringing this topic to everyone’s attention. We are striving to ensure there will be adequately trained staff , providing patients and sufferers quality care and hope for the future for themselves and others in continence care .ARC is hosting a seminar in Birmingham on the 11th of October to bring these very issues to the debating table , with key note speakers and workshops.
For more information and to book a delegate place on this seminar please visit ARC website at www.arc-healthcare.com or call + 44 (0)1767651891 .
Relevant links
Arc Healthcare conference information..www.arc-healthcare.com
Follow us on our web site blog
Visit us on twitter:

For more information Mr Trevor Pile Managing Partner
www.arc-healthcare.com on 01767651891
trevor@arc-healthcare.com

About ARC Healthcare Management Consultants.

Arc Healthcare is a unique quality provider of health education and management from clinical nurse specialist practising within the UK.

Arc Healthcare was one of the first providers in the UK to specialize in all aspects of bladder and bowel care, from both a clinical and managerial perspective.

Arc Healthcare aims are to ensure quality educational sessions are provided to all areas affiliated to this speciality both within the NHS and Private sectors. In addition to clinical knowledge ARC Healthcare offers providers of care expert managerial support in developing quality services, benchmark existing services and assisting with addressing local and National objectives in a proactive innovative ways.

- Trevor Wayne Pile : Managing Partner ARC Healthcare 27-07-2010]]> Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:20:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58240 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/earcrxKC2S0/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58236 Eyeful Presentations, the leading presentation consultancy in Europe and North America, will announce the eagerly awaited results from their recent global survey of 250 corporate presenters on their use of PowerPoint and other presentation technologies.

The findings will be presented in two upcoming webinars in the UK and North America. The 2010 survey was carried out as a follow up to Eyeful’s initial survey in 2007. Analysis of the findings will examine just how PowerPoint and other presentation technologies are used, and in many instances misused in the business world.

“We’ve seen a lot of positive changes since our initial survey back in 2007. The phenomenon of Death by PowerPoint is recognised by businesses globally and some are making concerted efforts to address it head on,” commented Eyeful’s Managing Director Simon Morton.

“That said, it would seem that there is still a lot work to be done in some areas. This year’s survey gives us a clear indication of progress in the last three years along with the impact of new presentation technologies such as Google Presentations and Prezi.”

The two webinars will be delivered on the 3rd August. Spaces are limited for the two events and interest levels following the survey are very high so the events are expected to be fully booked.

“Here at Eyeful, we speak to people every day who struggle with all the elements of a successful presentation. This will be the first time that the industry has voiced it’s opinion for three years so there’s a real buzz and anticipation” continued Morton “There’s no doubt that the use of different presentation technologies has grown in the last 3 years. These results give us a real indication of how this growth has shaped how we use presentations in our companies, from the traditional boardroom environment to new online and social media applications.”

To learn more about the webinars and register visit here

About Eyeful Presentations – http://www.eyefulpresentations.co.uk
In the Spring of 2003, Simon Morton founded Eyeful to provide presentation services to businesses looking to improve the way they share information with their most important audiences – their prospects, customers, employees & shareholders.
The company firmly believes that key to their success is their unique approach of addressing the entire presentation process through their “Presentation Optimisation” methodology. This holistic approach ensures that clients’ presentations are made more effective, not just “prettier”.

Their work varies from high impact conference decks through to interactive credentials and pitch presentations – all created in PowerPoint to ensure complete flexibility and control by the client. This approach of “open source” presentation development mixed with ground breaking design means that Eyeful now boasts an impressive client base including major corporations like Microsoft, Adobe, American Express and Coca-Cola.

Press Contact
Liz Priestnall
Tel : +44 (0)455 826 391
Email : lpriestnall@eyefulpresentations.co.uk - Simon Morton 27-07-2010]]> Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:02:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58236 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/B6aYph8h6Ns/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58198
For immediate release: 26 July 2010

Time to smarten up your look at the menopause ...

Does your wardrobe need some attention? Do you want to dress fashionably without looking like mutton dressed as lamb? If so, it’s time to give yourself a menopause makeover – choosing clothes that flatter your body shape and help you dress to impress.

In the Summer 2010 issue of The Menopause Exchange newsletter, image consultant Sue Donnelly has some advice for women who want to improve their appearance at the menopause. She has tips on choosing the correct size, shape and cut for your body, co-ordinating your colours, layering your clothes (to ease hot flushes) and choosing the right make-up.

“As you get older, your body shape changes and some women find it more difficult to dress in the latest styles,” says Norma Goldman, founder and director of The Menopause Exchange. “You can buy clothes to flatter all shapes and sizes, but need to know how to wear them. Even basic things like your underwear and posture can make a big difference to how you appear to other people.”

The Menopause Exchange is completely independent – it’s not sponsored by any companies and is funded purely by subscriptions from individuals and healthcare professionals. Other articles in the Summer 2010 issue include benefits and risks of HRT, acupuncture at the menopause and dealing with depression.


Visit The Menopause Exchange website at www.menopause-exchange.co.uk.

For more information on The Menopause Exchange, write to The Menopause Exchange at PO Box 205, Bushey, Herts WD23 1ZS, call 020 8420 7245, fax 020 8954 2783 or send an e-mail to norma@menopause-exchange.co.uk
End

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

1. The Menopause Exchange Newsletter was launched in June 1999.

2. The founder and director of The Menopause Exchange is Norma Goldman, a pharmacist with a Master’s degree in health promotion. She gives talks on the menopause to employees in the workplace and hospitals, women and women’s groups, healthcare professionals, GP practices, organisations, health clubs and at exhibitions. Her daughter, Victoria, the editor of the newsletter, is an experienced health journalist with a BSc. degree in Biomedical Science and a Master’s degree in Science Communication.

3. The aim of The Menopause Exchange is to raise the awareness of the menopause among women, healthcare professionals (e.g. nurses and pharmacists) and complementary practitioners.

4. Topics covered in previous issues of the newsletter include: the perimenopause; types and forms of HRT; easing flushes and sweats without HRT; phytoestrogen and herb safety; testing for osteoporosis; sleeping better at the menopause; menopausal libido; vitamin D; coping with stress; and premature menopause.

5. UK annual membership (4 issues of the newsletter, regular fact sheets, use of the information service and ‘Ask the Experts’ panel) costs £18 for individuals; £22 for local organisations; £40 for companies/national organisations; corporate (over 10 copies) and overseas memberships are available on request.

6. All press enquiries to Norma Goldman on 020 8420 7245.

- Norma Goldman 26-07-2010]]> Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:22:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58198 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/Sc_hraJAlSg/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58197
For immediate release: 26 July 2010

Boost your mood ...

Women can experience a low mood at any time of life, not just at the menopause, triggered by financial problems or work stress. However, troublesome menopausal symptoms can also increase the risk. It’s important to protect yourself by managing your symptoms, taking regular exercise and maintaining a good work-life balance.

In the Summer 2010 issue of The Menopause Exchange newsletter, Professor Myra Hunter and Professor Margaret Rees look at the risk factors for depression and common signs that a woman has a problem. They also cover how you can help to boost your mood with positive thinking and lifestyle changes, as well as professional help (e.g. counselling or anti-depressant medicines) and complementary therapies.

“Many women are at risk of depression, including those who have severe hot flushes or night sweats,” says Norma Goldman, founder and director of The Menopause Exchange. “It’s important that you learn how to manage your menopausal symptoms effectively and to ensure that you have good social support from family, friends and work colleagues.”

The Menopause Exchange is completely independent – it’s not sponsored by any companies and is funded purely by subscriptions from individuals and healthcare professionals. Other articles in the Summer 2010 issue include benefits and risks of HRT, acupuncture at the menopause and menopause makeover.

Visit The Menopause Exchange website at www.menopause-exchange.co.uk.

For more information on The Menopause Exchange, write to The Menopause Exchange at PO Box 205, Bushey, Herts WD23 1ZS, call 020 8420 7245, fax 020 8954 2783 or send an e-mail to norma@menopause-exchange.co.uk

End

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

1. The Menopause Exchange Newsletter was launched in June 1999.

2. The founder and director of The Menopause Exchange is Norma Goldman, a pharmacist with a Master’s degree in health promotion. She gives talks on the menopause to employees in the workplace and hospitals, women and women’s groups, healthcare professionals, GP practices, organisations, health clubs and at exhibitions. Her daughter, Victoria, the editor of the newsletter, is an experienced health journalist with a BSc. degree in Biomedical Science and a Master’s degree in Science Communication.

3. The aim of The Menopause Exchange is to raise the awareness of the menopause among women, healthcare professionals (e.g. nurses and pharmacists) and complementary practitioners.

4. Topics covered in previous issues of the newsletter include: the perimenopause; types and forms of HRT; easing flushes and sweats without HRT; phytoestrogen and herb safety; testing for osteoporosis; sleeping better at the menopause; menopausal libido; vitamin D; coping with stress; and premature menopause.

5. UK annual membership (4 issues of the newsletter, regular fact sheets, use of the information service and ‘Ask the Experts’ panel) costs £18 for individuals; £22 for local organisations; £40 for companies/national organisations; corporate (over 10 copies) and overseas memberships are available on request.

6. All press enquiries to Norma Goldman on 020 8420 7245.


- Norma Goldman 26-07-2010]]> Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:00:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58197 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/JCdNRR_f-9c/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58196 DEGENERATIVE DISEASE AFFECTING BRITAIN’S EYESIGHT

[August 2010:] 1 in 2000 Britons are needlessly losing their eyesight each year to a degenerative eye disease called Keratoconus, costing the NHS over £5 million.

Sufferers are calling for increased training for the 67% of medical professionals who are unaware of the condition and how to treat it.

Non-invasive laser treatments are now available to treat Keratoconus. Only 3% of sufferers are aware of these procedures.

Keratoconus is a condition of the eye that can severely affect vision, and in some cases, cause blindness. It is a degenerative disease where the normally round cornea progressively thins and causes a cone-like, shaped bulge to develop. In the early stages this thinning causes blurred vision, in the later stages it results in extreme loss of vision and blindness. The cause is unknown and at the current time there is no cure.

Around 30,000 Britons have the disease which can severely affect a person’s ability to drive, read or even cross the road safely. It is a condition that is most common in young people and is usually detected in the teens or early 20’s. Within the British Asian population cases of Keratoconus rise to 1 in 500.

Keratoconus cannot usually be corrected with spectacles, but instead patients are encouraged to wear hard contact lenses which can improve vision in the short term but do not slow down or prevent the progression of the condition. In more severe cases, corneal transplants may be recommended but this is a complex surgery with a recovery time of 12 to 18 months.

There are less invasive treatments that are now available that can treat the condition safely and relatively painlessly. However, only 3% of Keratoconus sufferers are aware of these treatments due to a lack of training and awareness within the NHS. Corneal Collagen Cross-linking uses a combination of Riboflavin drops and ultra violet light that react with the tissues in the cornea, strengthening them and stabilising the cornea to prevent the progression of Keratoconus.
A recent advance in the treatment of keratoconus has now been introduced. For suitable patients a new treatment called Topography Guided Custom Ablation is used to re-profile the cornea, prior to 'fixing' the new shape of the cornea with Corneal Collagen Cross-linking, thereby stabilising the keratoconus.

This new treatment increases the acuity of vision for most patients and makes the wearing of contact lenses more comfortable for the patient and in some cases the patient can return to spectacles.

Daryus Panthakey, Founder of Accuvision Laser Eye Clinics which offers advanced treatments for Keratoconus, says: “There is simply not enough awareness about Keratoconus across the country as a whole. Patients are often diagnosed with the condition after suffering with it for several months, or years, during which time their sight can deteriorate quickly and significantly. If the condition is spotted early, it is easily treatable using the advanced laser surgery techniques at our disposal during a simple and straightforward procedure. We are calling for more training for medical professionals so that patients can be identified quickly and efficiently and they are offered all the choices available for treatment.”

August is Keratoconus Awareness Raising Month. For further information or case studies please contact Cathy Warren or Rachael Dean at Green Row Communications on 020 8960 8950 or cathy@greenrow.co.uk.

For more information about Keratoconus and its affects, visit www.keratoconus-group.org.uk.

For more information about Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking and Topography treatments visit www.accuvision.co.uk

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

About Accuvision

Accuvision introduced Wavefront optimised laser eye surgery into the UK in 2001 and pioneered the use of the very latest and safest technologies including wavefront LASIK procedures and 'all laser' trans-epithelial surface treatments. Accuvision offer correction for longsight, shortsight, astigmatism, reading vision restoration ambylopia, and cataracts. They are also pioneers in new treatments for keratoconus, like C3R corneal collagen cross-linking and topography guided corneal re-profiling with corneal collagen cross-linking. Accuvision was founded by Daryus Panthakey and its clinical Director is Mr Chad Rostron (FRSA).

Clinics are located at:

Accuvision Laser Eye Clinic
42-48 New Kings Road
Fulham
London
SW6 4LS

Accuvision Laser Eye Clinic
3 The Courtyard
707 Warwick Road
Solihull
Birmingham
B91 3DA

Accuvision Laser Eye Clinic
1 Cromwell Park
York Road
Wetherby
Leeds
LS22 - Helen Trevorrow 26-07-2010]]> Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:55:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58196 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/juZGouLzoeY/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58186
‘Mum’s Survey’ by Stiefel, a GSK company, with the National Eczema Society . Just some of the results from research questioning over 300 mums with children with eczema found;

• One in six (15%) mums revealed that dealing with their child’s eczema had put them off having more children
• One in five (20%) mums say their child had been bullied because of their eczema
• 32% of mums admit the stress caused by their child’s eczema results in regular family arguments
• 37% of mums admit to feelings of helplessness, frustration and anger when dealing with their child’s eczema
• Full summary of the survey results available on request.

Experts available for interview, advice and tips on the best treatment and management of eczema

Case studies: Parents with children who suffer from eczema aged 0-12 years, and adult eczema sufferers will be available for interview

Oilatum Junior Product Information:
Oilatum Junior provides a range of emollient treatments especially developed for babies and children with dry skin conditions such as eczema. The fragrance free formulations are soothing and gentle on sensitive skin.

For more information on any of the above please contact Nikki Button nikki@spinkhealth.com or call 01444 484888


References:
National survey conducted by Oilatum® Junior in association with the National Eczema Society, 2008
- Nikki Button 23-07-2010]]> Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:34:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58186 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/_RDhEsJWAIg/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58092 food. The online calculator uses a comprehensive database to help calculate how to obtain the vitamins and minerals the body needs from real food.

The user simply puts what's in a specific supplement, and the calculator will make suggestions for the equivalent nutrient in real food.

This resource will be useful for specific groups such as vegans and vegetarians. It will also be useful for people that are intolerant to certain foods and need to replace the vitamins or minerals those foods would have provided.

This resource is also recession friendly. Millions of pounds are spent purchasing health supplements. This resource will help people save money by extracting their vitamins from their natural food rather than paying for supplements.

The Food Standards Agency advises that “Most people should be able to get all the nutrients they need by eating a varied and balanced diet”. This new online resource will help people achieve that goal.

health supplements, natural supplements,vegetarian, vegan,vitamins,minerals

www.pillsorfood.com

Contact: Andrew Stefanczyk – Managing Director +44(0)845 3716127 andrew@turnbacktime.co.uk

- Andrew Stefanczyk 20-07-2010]]> Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:00:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58092 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/91cyqqcXHOg/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58089
However, users of The PelvicToner™ exercise device report significant improvements in their sex lives and in the frequency and intensity of their vaginal orgasms.

The Orgasm Report makes essential reading for every woman looking to improve the quality of her sex life. And there’s good news for the man in her life, too!

The key finding is the unequivocal evidence that a strong pelvic floor is key to a better sex life and plays a major role in the ability to achieve orgasm.

The importance of the pelvic floor, and the use of pelvic floor training to improve orgasm, was first publicised following clinical trials nearly 60 years ago.

"Sexual feeling within the vagina is closely related to muscle tone, and can be improved through muscle education and resistive exercise. 78 of 123 women complaining explicitly of sexual deficits achieved orgasm following the training.”
Arnold H. Kegel. Western Journal of Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, 1952

Unfortunately, most women do not know how to exercise correctly and the PelvicToner is designed to help them exercise confidently and effectively based on the principles suggested by Arnold Kegel.

The Orgasm Survey (www.orgasmsurvey.co.uk) has been completed by nearly 5000 women who have shared their most intimate secrets. The key findings are:

* Only a third of women regularly achieve a vaginal orgasm during penetrative sex and only slightly more (36%) achieve a clitoral orgasm with their partner. But nearly 80% regularly achieve clitoral orgasm by self-stimulation.

* The G-spot is not a myth - 70% of women claim to have one

* 25% of women don't think they have a G-spot and this group rarely achieve orgasm

* Women who claim to have a good pelvic floor have twice as many orgasms as those who don't

* Two thirds of women do not realise that a strong pelvic floor is linked to the ability to achieve orgasm

* Only 15% of women regularly attempt pelvic floor exercises

* Over 90% of women want to be shown how to exercise their pelvic floor properly

* 82% of women reported a much improved sex life within 4 weeks when they were shown how to exercise properly with the PelvicToner.

In a specific survey completed by users of the PelvicToner™exercise device:

* 65% reported stronger sensations during sex
* 50% reported more vaginal orgasms
* 40% said their vaginal orgasms became more frequent
* 48% said their vaginal orgasms became more intense
* 61% reported that their partner commented on how much tighter their vagina was

Why an Orgasm Survey and why is this relevant?

31 July 2010 is National Orgasm Day – the perfect time to build awareness of how to get a better sex life

A strong and healthy pelvic floor is essential for good health especially before, during and after pregnancy, and following the menopause, but the pelvic floor muscles are rarely exercised correctly because no one teaches the fundamental principles of effective exercise that were identified by Arnold Kegel over 60 years ago.

A weakened or stretched pelvic floor muscle is a natural consequence of childbirth, the menopause and a lack of effective, regular exercise.

A weak or stretched pelvic floor muscle significantly reduces intimate contact during sex leading to fears of 'dysfunction' and frustration and dissatisfaction in both partners.

A weak or stretched pelvic floor muscle increases the risk of stress incontinence and prolapse. Stress incontinence - the involuntary leakage of urine when coughing, sneezing, laughing and exercising - affects a third of new mums and half of all women.

Demonstrating and publicising the positive link between a healthy and strong pelvic floor and better sex will:

* improve the general health and sexual wellbeing of millions of women,

* improve and rekindle millions of relationships

* and reduce the incidence of stress incontinence

The Orgasm Survey (www.orgasmsurvey.co.uk) is sponsored by SPM Ltd, manufacturers of the PelvicToner.

The PelvicToner (£29.99) is a registered medical device designed to help identify and isolate the pubococcygeal muscle and then exercise it effectively against a variable resistance. Full scale clinical trials for the treatment of stress incontinence confirm that the PelvicToner is the most effective pelvic floor exercise device on the market and superior to other approaches.

The website www.iwabo.co.uk (I want a better orgasm!) is dedicated to promoting the better orgasm and how to get one!

Consumer contact

www.iwabo.co.uk

Telephone sales 0117 968 1414

ENDS
For more information and interviews contact

Barry Fowler 0117 968 0171, 07768 233 670, barry@spml.biz

See also www.pelvictoner.co.uk

Links
orgasm,national orgasm day,orgasm day,orgasm survey,better sex,pelvic health,bedroom gymnastics,pelvicfloor muscle,sexercise,sex,foreplay,vagina,clitoris,exercises for sex,Kegel,gspot,g-spot,pelvic floor,pelvic exercises,pelvictoner,pelvic toner


- Barry Fowler 20-07-2010]]> Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:41:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58089 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/9HYLmaLb6jE/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58057
London, UK – 19th July 2010, Revelation Software Limited are pleased to announce the availability of the latest release of OpenInsight (OI). OI version 9.2 provides Revelation’s OI developers with a number of enhancements and new features to further increase their productivity and to also enhance their end-user’s experience.

The main highlights of this new release include:

• OpenInsight for Web (O4W) – A brand new web 2.0 development toolkit that empowers OpenInsight developers to rapidly create browser based forms, reports, menus, dashboards and programs. Furthermore, with support for SQL, D3 and U2, anyone using these database technologies can now quickly and easily create data driven websites with or without code, saving development time and reducing costs.

• SQL Connector – The new SQL connector enables OI to treat SQL tables as native OI data tables. This allows all of the OpenInsight tools (including forms, reports, popups, stored procedures and O4W) to work with SQL data just as they do with OI’s own native data. The benefit to developers is immense, in that the learning curve to support multiple databases in one application is dramatically reduced.

• OpenInsight for D3 – This connector will allow OpenInsight to be used as a front end application development tool with the D3 database from TigerLogic Corporation as the backend. As with the SQL connector, once the connector is set-up, the D3 database is accessed through the OI interface just as if it were native OI data.

• Single Sign-On (SSO) – By configuring SSO, OpenInsight users can be authenticated via traditional OpenInsight methods, via Windows security, or via a combination of both.

• Bitmap Indexes – This type of index is used when the number of indexed values are relatively small; e.g. Sex (M/F), Active (Yes/No), etc. Bitmap Indexes are extremely fast, and this new approach has enabled Revelation to greatly increase performance where indexes are used.

• OECGI3 – This is the OpenEngine Common Gateway Interface version 3 which supports Failover and Load Balancing modes. These modes make OECGI3 a more robust connection object and allows for extra capacity and/or redundancy to be added to a web application.

“This release continues our commitment to extended OpenInsight by embracing new technologies as well as providing seamless integration with external databases. In and of itself O4W is so feature rich it could have been marketed as a standalone product,” said Mike Ruane, President/CEO Revelation Software, “The inclusion of O4W as part of our OpenInsight Development Suite further empowers our development community.”

OpenInsight Development Suite 9.2 can be purchased as a front end development toolkit for U2 (Unniverse and Unidata), D3 and SQL Server databases. “With the release of the new connectors in OpenInsight 9.2, we have opened up new opportunities and potential markets for our customer base.” said Martyn Phillips, Business Development Manager, Revelation Software Limited. “Our traditional licensing model is very cost effective, however with this ground breaking release, Revelation has been able to package the toolset without OpenInsight’s native Linear Hash database. This has resulted in new licenses that further reduce the cost of developing and deploying OpenInsight based applications for use with one or more of the third party databases.”

OpenInsight Development Suite 9.2 is available from Revelation Software, or through their network of resellers.


About Revelation Software
Founded in 1982, Revelation Software delivers a suite of application development tools and companion services that take full advantage of leading network computing architectures, messaging, groupware, and client server platforms. Today, the company's flagship product OpenInsight is the only database development and application environment that provides both Windows and Java-based GUI tools to develop and deploy web-based and client server applications that support native and relational XML, SQL, Lotus Notes and the leading legacy Multi-Value data sources such a ARev, Pick and IBM Universe. There are more than 1.5 million licensed users of Revelation products across 60,000 deployed sites worldwide. For more information visit www.revsoft.co.uk.

Note to editors: Revelation Software is a division of Revelation Technologies. Revelation Software, OpenInsight and O4W are trademarks of Revelation Technologies. All other trademarks and trade names are property of their respective holders.

# # #

Contact:
Martyn Phillips
Revelation Software
+44 (0) 20 8912 1000
info@revsoft.co.uk
- Martyn Phillips 19-07-2010]]> Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:25:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58057 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireMedicalAndPharmaceutical/~3/Zb8NFUsipzk/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58051
Eschborn, Germany - July 19th , 2010 – In its continuing mission to alleviate the burden of international regulatory information management for global pharma organisations, ISI has stepped up its programme to create a culture of information management ‘discipline’ in the industry.

The current year is proving a particularly busy time for regulatory information management initiatives as industry copes with new compliance mandates, explores various cost-cutting models and strategies to maximise commercial opportunities for existing products and supports a robust pipeline of new therapies. In addition, as mergers and acquisitions continue at a brisk pace, companies are faced with the additional complexities of integrating acquired companies’ products and tracking those therapies through their lifecycle.

For global pharma organisations, keeping track of which products are registered where, and what the latest requirements are in any given market (for example, with regards to eCTD submissions), is a full-time job and one that is hard to get right without a systematic approach to information management.

With this in mind, and hot on the heels of a busy webinar programme which continues into the autumn, ISI has announced a jointly hosted event with independent software industry analyst, Ovum, to be held in London on September 24th.

The event is part of the company’s ‘Stay in the Know’ campaign, which launched this year and includes a whole host of information-driven initiatives to improve pharma companies’ regulatory management activities. In addition to the Ovum forum, ISI has been running periodic webinars to keep customers fully informed, and will soon announce a new dedicated web site, drawing together a whole host of content and useful resources to make it easier for pharma companies to get up to speed with the global regulatory scene and ways they can shore up their own internal tracking capabilities. Additionally, the company has just published a new report, Mind the Gaps; www.imagesolutions.com/MindTheGaps

Event details

The informal, interactive session, Regulatory IM – Face to Face with ISI & Ovum: An Executive Exchange, will feature presentations from Sarah Burnett, a senior analyst and regulatory information management specialist at Ovum, and Ken VanLuvanee, VP of Global Professional Services at ISI and an experienced regulatory IM consultant. ISI is a market leader in regulatory submissions software solutions, outsourcing and advisory services, and provides a holistic, consultancy-driven solution for global regulatory information management as companies deal with the broader issues around their global regulatory processes and the data that they’re tracking.

The Regulatory IM – Face to Face session will promote the idea of having a central framework for regulatory information management, built on best practices, to ensure successful initiatives.
It will examine specific challenges and drivers facing pharma organisations as they navigate the complex and continually changing regulatory landscape across the various EU member countries, as well as Far Eastern territories and emerging markets.

The session will be particularly suited to organisations with a need to:

• Gain a greater insight into, and decision-making capability around, their product portfolio;
• More operational management on submissions and the resources that manage them;
• The status of registrations around the world.

A comprehensive Regulatory IM strategy should incorporate submission management, registration management, portfolio management and resource planning. “To really get a grip on where they are, so that they can tighten processes, a company needs to get a handle on the entire information lifecycle - and the various components from across the business that feed into it – so that it can make smarter decisions about its portfolio,” explains ISI’s European MD, Adam Sherlock.

ISI identified this need early on, and, recognising that no two companies’ needs are the same, offers a collaborative, services-led approach and best practice-based methodology to regulatory information management, which extends beyond simply deploying special software.

• For more information on the ISI-Ovum event on September 24, visit: http://events.imagesolutions.com/ISI_OvumForum
• To find out more about ISI and its regulatory solutions, go to http://www.imagesolutions.com/solutions.html

About Image Solutions, Inc

Founded in 1992, Image Solutions, Inc (ISI) is a proven market leader in providing submissions solutions, process services and consulting to Life Sciences companies as a way to improve clinical and regulatory processes that bring new medicines to market. ISI was among the first professional services firms to deliver electronic submissions to the industry and since has delivered thousands of electronic and eCTD submissions. ISI serves the top 50 pharmaceutical and biotech organisations as well as the top companies in other regulated industries.

ISI is a privately held company with headquarters in Whippany, New Jersey and operations throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. ISI also remains committed to giving back to society and sharing its success with others by donating 10 percent of annual net profits to over 20 recognised charitable organisations. For more information, visit the company website at www.imagesolutions.com.

PR Contact:

Carina Birt, Sarum
PR for ISI Europe
+44 1722 411150
carina@sarumconsultancy.co.uk - Carina Birt 19-07-2010]]> Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:45:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58051