DailyDirt: Yet Another Flu Season...

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

The flu (aka the influenza virus) can be just annoying to some, but it's also a deadly threat that can't be ignored. There's a new flu vaccine every year, but that's a hit-or-miss game -- with some years being much less effective than others. However, it's still a good routine to get into -- until someone finally develops a universal flu vaccine. If you haven't gotten your flu shot reminder. Here it is. YMMV.

• Thousands of strains of the flu virus constantly mutate and evolve, making a universal vaccine elusive. Several groups are working on the problem, and progress against multiple strains looks encouraging. It'll probably take a few more years of animal testing and then clinical trials, but maybe someday, we'll be able to say goodbye to the flu. [url]
• If you're one of the people who doesn't think a flu shot is worth the trouble, maybe some anecdotal evidence will scare you? The common flu can trigger a series of complications such as pneumonia, a collapsed lung, a tracheotomy -- and even a leg amputation. [url]
• The effectiveness of the flu shot in 2014 was less than 50%. Perhaps if a flu vaccine could be made more quickly, patients could get flu shots that were actually based on active viruses caught in the wild. It's also possible to be infected by more than one flu virus at the same time (aka superinfection), but thankfully it doesn't happen that frequently. [url]
• Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen are often used to manage flu symptoms, but derivatives of these drugs could also help improve immune responses. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can block the production of prostaglandins and blocking specific prostaglandins could significantly improve flu survival rates. [url]

After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.

Filed Under: flu, flu season, flu shot, health, ibuprofen, influenza, medicine, nsaids, prostaglandins, universal vaccine, virus

DailyDirt: Breaking Bad... With Yeast?

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

We've mentioned before how yeast can produce a bunch of useful stuff, beyond bread and beer. Synthetic biology promises to give us engineered microorganisms that can make almost any specialty chemical or even some biofuels. Brewing medicine might not be too far away, and it might be incredibly difficult to control "controlled substances" in the very near future.

• Genetically modified yeast can produce opiates similar to morphine. And it looks like several other derivatives of potent painkillers can be made this way, too, possibly leading to ones that are less addictive or that have fewer side effects. [url]
• Other scientists have coaxed yeast into producing THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), one of the psychoactive compounds in marijuana. It's still pretty difficult to do, but presumably, it will get easier and more economical. And by then, we'll have THC-infused beer brewed and on tap. [url]
• Meanwhile, the FDA is proposing new rules to help distinguish copycat pharmaceuticals and biosimilar drugs. Adding four random letters to the end of a generic name medicine could reduce some confusion, but hopefully, in the end, everyone who needs critical drugs will get access to more affordable pharmaceuticals. [url]

After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.

Filed Under: biology, biosimilar, biotech, drugs, fda, gmo, health, marijuana, medicine, microorganisms, morphine, opiates, painkillers, pharmaceuticals, synthetic biology, tetrahydrocannabinol, thc, yeast

DailyDirt: The Fight Against Cancer Continues...

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

There have been some pretty wild treatments for cancer, from modifying HIV and creating a gene therapy approach... to using genetically-engineered bacteria or radiation to attack cancer cells. Over the years, there have been quite a few promising studies that haven't amounted to practical treatments. There will probably never be a silver bullet, but until medicine figures out how to beat a lot more cancers, there's always more research to be done.

• Reprogramming cancer cells can make them normal cells again, providing a potential cancer treatment. The discovery of how to turn off the uncontrolled growth of tumor cells will need more time to develop into a practical cancer therapy, but this is encouraging work towards a fundamental understanding and possible cure. [url]
• Aspirin (aka "wonder drug") seems to keep finding more uses. It's not just a headache medicine or a drug that can prevent the risk of heart attacks, but it might also help boost the effectiveness of some cancer treatments. [url]
• An implantable "cancer sponge" could soak up rogue cancer cells before they spread to other organs and give doctors a better early warning detection system. The implant is made from an FDA-approved material already used in surgical sutures, and it seems to work in mice studies. Obviously, it'll take a while before human studies are complete, but this could be a much more convenient and less risky way to detect cancer in its earliest stages. [url]

After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.

Filed Under: aspirin, cancer, gene therapy, gmo, health, implants, medicine, treatment

DailyDirt: Super-Human Abilities, Not Just For X-Men

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Human genetic studies are pointing to more and more interesting information about how our bodies work and develop and ultimately fail. Optimists point to using this knowledge for the improvement of the human condition, but there are some obvious counter-arguments to this viewpoint. So far, though, the technology for genetic therapies or designer babies hasn't been anywhere near perfected, giving us some time to reflect on the possibilities and pitfalls. Unfortunately, our inherent biases in what we're looking at in our genome might prove to be our own undoing.

• Naturally-occurring genetic mutations happen all the time, and some of them could lead to treatments for serious diseases... or better than average abilities. Timothy Dreyer has an unusually high bone density mutation that could help treat osteoporosis, and there are other mutants that could be added to a registered database of mutants (without the help of Professor X). [url]
• Breast size genetics is being studied... to determine if there are any correlations to the incidence of breast cancer. Apparently, at least seven genetic factors are associated with breast size, and three of those are linked to breast cancer. [url]
• People with a condition called aphakia can see in the ultraviolet region of light -- normally invisible to most humans. Most people can distinguish about a million different colors, but others can perceive orders of magnitude more. Certainly, there are limits to human vision, but it's still amazing to think that people can see galaxies millions of light-years away on a clear night with the naked eye. [url]

After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.

Filed Under: aphakia, breast cancer, cancer, dna, gattaca, gene therapy, genetics, health, medicine, mutants, timothy dreyer
Companies: 23andme

DailyDirt: Phlebotomy 2.0

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Getting a shot isn't the worst thing in the world, but it's not exactly enjoyable, either. Early phlebotomists used leeches to draw blood from patients, but doctors don't generally recommend that anymore -- and sterile hypodermic needles are far more commonly used. However, if you've ever had one of your veins pierced (sometimes multiple times due to human error), you may have wondered why needles can't be as painless as a mosquito bite. Well, maybe they can in the near future -- it might cost a little more, though.

• Painless dissolving needles -- called MicroHyala -- come in the form of lots of very small needles on a patch that is applied to the skin. Japanese researchers have tested this delivery system for flu shots and found nearly equivalent effectiveness compared to regular needles. Yay! [url]
• Trypanophobes don't like needles (who does?), and getting multiple "sticks" to find a vein isn't a very pleasant experience for anyone. So how about a robot that can find veins using ultrasound and/or infrared sensors to determine the exact needle insertion point, every time on the first try? [url]
• MIT researchers have been working on a needle-less injector that can shoot medicines in tiny, high-pressure sprays to variable skin depths. Several kinds of jet injectors already exist (similar to the fictional 'Hypospray'), but this prototype device can adjust the pressure and dosage to account for skin types (eg. baby skin, adult skin) and desired injection depth -- as well as possibly inject drugs that are not liquids by turning powders into fluids that can penetrate skin. [url]

After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.

Filed Under: blood, drugs, flu shot, hypodermic needles, hypospray, jet injectors, medicine, microhyala, needles, phlebotomy, robots, trypanophobes, vaccines

DailyDirt: Effective Charity FTW

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

We've previously pointed out how some charities might need some changes to improve their reputation, public image and effectiveness. Some charities have been vilified for million-dollar CEO salaries or inefficient operations, but in the end, everyone wants to see more net good come from their donations than would have happened by doing nothing, right? Here are just a few examples of charitable organizations getting some good results -- even if their methods may still be debated.

• Last year, the Ice Bucket Challenge raised about $115 million (in the US alone) from 2.5 million people, raising awareness about ALS -- and wasting a bit of water. According to the ALS Association, the Ice Bucket money for ALS (aka Lou Gehrig's disease) will be spent thusly: 67% on research, 20% on patient and community services, 9% on education, 2% on fundraising and 2% on external processing fees. The Ice Bucket Challenge was one of the largest charitable events (outside of disaster or emergency), and it may be difficult to repeat this kind of viral phenomenon. Still, the ALS Association wants August to become a traditional month for ALS awareness... and a couple million bucks will be spent to try to get more than a few million back in donations. [url]
• The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) funded a biotech company with $75 million to research a cure for over more than a decade. A treatment from Vertex Pharmaceuticals appears to be successful for some patients, and further research could improve the results for more people who suffer with cystic fibrosis. [url]
• Instead of money, Toyota donated its engineers to the Food Bank for New York City. Armed with a philosophy of 'continuous improvement' (aka kaizen), higher productivity at the charity meant more people were fed more efficiently. Elsewhere, Toyota's efficiency methods are also being used at more and more hospitals. [url]

After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.

Filed Under: als, biotech, cff, charity, cystic fibrosis, donations, efficiency, ice bucket challenge, kaizen, lou gehrig's disease, medicine
Companies: als association, cystic fibrosis foundation, toyota

New Zealand Prime Minister Admits Drug Prices Will Rise Under TPP -- Leaves Out The Part About More People Dying

from the gotta-help-out-those-corporate-interests dept

As we're in the middle of crunch time for the final TPP negotiations, New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key has finally admitted what many experts have been saying for years -- that under the TPP, drug prices will undoubtedly rise, because it extends monopoly protections on important medicines. Key tries to play this off as no big deal, because it's the government paying for the medicine so the public won't notice (leaving aside the fact that it's their tax dollars). However, folks who actually understand basic economics note that, when the price goes up, access to drugs gets more difficult even in New Zealand, where it's noted that some key life saving drugs have not been made available because they're too expensive. One doctor in New Zealand talked about how other expensive drugs are not available:

He said 300 people died of malignant melanoma each year. Patients would benefit from using the new drug but it cost $100,000 to $200,000 annually for each person. In total that would cost the drug-buying agency Pharmac $30 million to $60 million a year.

Dr Fitzharris said that under TPP it was likely getting access to these new, more effective drugs would be delayed even further.

Medicines New Zealand says the most recent OECD report shows New Zealand comes last out of 20 countries when it comes to access to new medicines.

Back in the US, even a bunch of Congresscritters who voted in favor of giving the USTR fast track authority appear to be having a bit of buyer's remorse as they've asked the USTR to explain why it appears the current draft of the TPP will make drugs more expensive rather than less.

We are concerned that the TPP would fail this scrutiny if it does not meet or exceed the standards set under the May 10th Agreement, reached by House Democrats and the Bush White House in 2007, with respect to timely access to affordable medicines in developing countries.

And even the AARP has stepped in to point out that it appears the TPP is going to make it more difficult for the US elderly to afford drugs:

Specifically, AARP objects to intellectual property provisions in the draft TPP agreement that unduly restrict competition by delaying consumers’ access to lower-cost generic drugs. These anticompetitive provisions include extending brand drug patent protections through “evergreening” drug products that provide little to no new value and prolong high prescription drug costs for consumers, linking approval to market generic or biosimilar drugs to existing patents in a way that protects only brand drugs, and increasing data exclusivity periods for biologics that further delays access by other companies to develop generic versions of these extremely high-cost drugs. These provisions are all designed to ensure monopoly control by brand-name drug companies.

How can the USTR and the Obama administration continue to insist that the TPP is in the public interest when it's abundantly clear that it's in the pharmaceutical companies' interests instead?

Filed Under: access to medicine, biologics, drugs, medicine, new zealand, prices, tpp, trade agreements

DailyDirt: Keep Your Head On...

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Some surgeries that were really risky just a couple decades ago are nearly routine now -- though the risk of death and/or complications is always going to exist. However, the idea of a head transplant is more than a little "out there" when it comes to extreme medical procedures. There are some people working on transplanting heads (or switching bodies, depending on your point of view), but early adopters aren't expected to get any life extension benefits just yet.

• Head transplants have been tried in a bunch of different animals over the last few decades, but one surgeon has performed about 1,000 head transplants on mice since 2013. These mice have lived as long as one day after the procedure, so this doctor is going to try primates next. IANAD, but maybe he should stick to mice.... [url]
• Monkey head transplant surgery has been done before, but the animals didn't live for too long, either. Brain grafts and nerve tissue regeneration might be a more promising research approach, but figuring out how to keep brains alive (without the original body) seems like an idea that won't go away. [url]
• James Boysen had a partial skull and scalp transplant -- an extreme way to get a new head of hair. Actually, doctors did this surgery because he needed a pancreas and kidney transplant and also had cancer damage to his skull. [url]

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Filed Under: brains, frankenstein, head transplant, james boysen, life extension, medicine, organ transplants

DailyDirt: Tiny Robot Surgeons

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Minimally invasive surgery requires surgical tools that are pretty small, obviously. As technology allows robots to get smaller and smaller, it's increasingly possible for tiny robots to perform complex medical procedures -- improving recovery times and avoiding unnecessary tissue damage. Check out a few of these robot projects that could make going under the knife a little less unpleasant.

• Research on Drosophila could be automated by a $5,000 robot that can perform brain surgery on fruit flies and analyze 1,000 flies in less than a day. Graduates students will have a ton more data to work with -- without having to squint through a microscope and fumbling with tweezers. [url]
• Cyberplasm sounds like a horrible name for a medical robot that could swim around inside your body looking for evidence of disease. A painless and convenient robot that replaces invasive surgical procedures will probably trump the name, though. [url]
• An intracranial robot inspired by maggots feeding off dead flesh could remove brain tumors more effectively than current methods. A prototype robot is under development, and it could improve the outcomes of some neurosurgeries. [url]

After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.

Filed Under: automation, biomimicry, cyberplasm, drosophila, health, medicine, robots, surgery

DailyDirt: Hangovers -- Ain't Nobody Got Time For That

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Hangovers are pretty common for alcohol drinkers, but oddly, medical science doesn't really have an exact cause for the phenomenon. Sure, there's a bit of dehydration and trace amounts of toxic compounds from some alcoholic spirits, but brain inflammation from high alcohol levels seems to be just something that happens (pending further study). There have been some studies on hangovers, but no reliable cure just yet. If you want to try a few things that might work, check out some of the links below.

• The Hangover Club offers a service to deliver you a certified registered nurse and a drip bag that goes right into your bloodstream -- that's not at all guaranteed to cure a hangover or act as any kind of treatment for a disease. However, if you're otherwise healthy, it won't hurt (too much), and there could be some placebo effects mixed with some actual pain/nausea medications to relieve hangover symptoms. [url]
• A "drunken headache cure" written on sheets of papyrus in Greek has been translated. The treatment involves wearing a kind of wreath around your neck made up of twigs from a particular shrub. Yup. That's probably 100% effective for a hangover. [url]
• Try preventing a hangover by just not drinking as much, and drinking more slowly and eating some food with your drinks. Duh. One drink per hour. And liquor before beer? Nope. [url]

After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.

Filed Under: alcohol, dehydration, drunken headache cure, hangover, health, medicine, myths, nausea, pain medication, placebo effects
Companies: hangover club