Dr. Andrew Levy from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa makes the case for a new pharmacogenomic blood test that can be used to identify diabetes patients at highest risk for cardiovascular disease.

Presently, medical costs of treating cardiovascular complications of diabetes are more than $100 billion per year in the US. (more…)

Since pre-medication isn’t widely accepted in spinal anesthesia, researchers from Saitama Medical University, in Kawagoe, Japan studied the potential benefits of music therapy to control anxiety. (more…)

 Researchers from Ain Shams University, in Cairo, Egypt report it’s safe, well tolerated, and associated with rapid resumption of intestinal motility and shorter hospital stay. (more…)

FDA is removing a product sold under the name Stamina-Rx off the market. (more…)

 Perhaps you’ve heard that a company called Cannabis Science Inc. has offered Homeland Security Administration (HSA) Secretary Janet Napolitano to produce 1 million doses of its whole-cannabis lozenge, and provide them to HSA for distribution at cost. (more…)

Meniere’s syndrome damages the balance and hearing parts of the inner ear.

Researchers from the University of Leeds, in the UK reviewed the effects of acupuncture. (more…)

 Acupuncture is often used as a treatment for dementia.

Prof. Ernst has reviewed the evidence for acupuncture to treat Alzheimer’s disease. (more…)

Researchers at the University of Chicago report, “patients are likely to encounter quite different opinions about the relationship between their religion and spirituality (R/S) and their health, depending on the religious characteristics of their physicians.”

This conclusion is based on survey responses from 2000 practicing US physicians from all specialties. (more…)

 Researchers from Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, in Japan studied the potential for the Kampo medicine, byakkokaninjinto (aka BN), to alter the metabolism of 2 antibiotics (ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and tetracycline). (more…)

This study was part of a nationwide assessment of complementary medicine in Switzerland.

The main objective of this report was to rate patient satisfaction and perception of side effects in homeopathic compared to conventional primary care. (more…)

That’s the result from a survey of internal medicine residency programs in the US. (more…)

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland believe this is the first study of its kind.

The results were presented during the annual meeting of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. (more…)

 The results of this study by researchers at Göteborg University in Gothenburg, Sweden have important implications for people who use lavender oil as aromatherapy. (more…)

 Fish oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids reduce triglycerides and raise HDL- (good) cholesterol blood levels, while phytosterols reduce total cholesterol and LDL- (bad) cholesterol blood levels.

But what are the combined effects on the lipid profile in people with high cholesterol levels? (more…)

 The University of Toronto and The Centre for Innovation and Complex Care are conducting an online research study and need your views and ideas concerning pediatric immunization and the potential of communicating information about immunization in Second Life.

Interested? More information is here.

Contact Leslie Beard at the University of Toronto.