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Researchers Discover Key To Malaria Susceptibility In Children
A team of researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have solved the mystery of why some children are more susceptible to malaria infection and anemia. These novel findings suggest that some children who are exposed to Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) malaria before birth become tolerant to the malaria parasites, or their soluble products. This tolerance, which persists into childhood, reduces the ability of the immune system to attack and destroy parasites and increases the susceptibility of these children to develop a malaria infection. It also increases their risk for anemia. The study, published in this week"s issue of the open access journal, PLoS Medicine, is led by Indu Malhotra, Ph.D., and Christopher King, M.D., Ph.D., professor of international health, medicine, and pathology, with their colleagues at the Center for Global Health and Diseases at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and their Kenyan colleagues at the Kenya Medical Research Institute and Division of Vector Borne Diseases.
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Opinion Piece Criticizes Winfrey For 'Unbalanced' Medical Advice On Hormone Replacement Therapy
Oprah Winfrey "has scored good ratings with her health episodes" of her television show, but "in doing so, she seems to have thrown therapeutic caution to the wind," such as on her shows featuring actress Suzanne Somers" opinions on bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, Salon contributor and physician Rahul Parikh writes in an opinion piece. Somers, while advocating for the use of bioidentical HRT as a safe alternative to traditional HRT for postmenopausal women, said she used "mega-doses of bioidenticals continuously and aggressively," according to Parikh. Parikh writes that Somers, on television and in her 2007 book, "argues that these hormones are more natural, more effective and safer than what doctors prescribe." According to Parikh, "In reality, ...÷ there are no good medical studies to back up those claims."Parikh says that although "what Somers was advocating was radically different from standards of medical care," Winfrey "was not concerned" and even said that Somers ""might be a pioneer,"" Parikh continues. Winfrey billed the episode as part of a ""great debate"" on hormone therapy, but she "didn"t ask about whether [Somers"] super-hormone regimen could have contributed to Somers" history of breast cancer"; "her hysterectomy, the result of pre-cancerous changes in her uterus from her use of HRT"; or the "validity of Somers" book"s s, many of whom are neither experts in women"s health or endocrinology, nor board-certified physicians, nor experienced researchers," Parikh states. He adds, "It"s not that Winfrey doesn"t try to maintain medical credibility in her shows," but "her efforts seem subpar," noting that her show "reaches millions of people, while each doctor can reach only one patient at a time." Parikh concludes, "That could easily be corrected by Winfrey providing more thought and balance in her medical advice" (Parikh, Salon, 5/15).
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Regardless Of Family History, HRT-Breast Cancer Risk Stays Same
The risk of developing breast cancer due to taking hormone replacement therapy appears to be the same for women with a family history of the disease and without a family history, a University of Rochester Medical Center study concluded.
Mental Health

House State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee Approves FY10 Funding Measure

The House State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee "unanimously approved its FY10 funding measure without any amendments" on Wednesday, "deferring expected fights for the full committee markup in a week," CongressDaily reports. The bill provides "increased funding for additional department and USAID employees," according to Congress Daily. After brief discussions about whether the $48.8 billion package represented a decrease or a substantial increase over current funding for foreign operations, the "unnumbered appropriations bill was reported to the full committee on a voice vote," the publication reports. According to Congress Daily, "The bill is $3.2 billion less than President Obama"s budget request for $52.04 billion." The bill would provide tight oversight of foreign affairs funding, including $146.5 million for State Department and USAID inspector generals, according to State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, (D-NY) and subcommittee ranking member Representative Kay Granger, (R-Texas) (Kreisher, CongressDaily, 6/17). A statement from Lowey"s office said the bill provides "a total of $5.7 billion for global HIV/AIDS activities, which is $100 million above the President"s request, and $200 million above the FY 2009 enacted level." According to Lowey, the amount includes $700 million for the Global Fund. Additionally, the bill includes funding for voluntary family planning services, which Lowey said was a "priority" of the committee, as well as $75 million "to address pandemic preparedness and response" (Congresswoman Nita Lowey release, 6/17). A press release from the organization Health GAP writes that the markup indicates that the U.S. is going to "fall far short of its commitment to fund fully its fair share" of the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria"s re needs (Health GAP/PR Newswire, 6/17). This information was reprinted from globalhealth.kff.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at globalhealth.kff.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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