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British Men Think Talking About Impotence Is "Just Not Cricket"
With the first innings of the Ashes commencing this week, celebrity TV
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Blogs Comment On 'Common Ground' Bill, Abortion Coverage In Health Reform Legislation, Other Topics
The following summarizes selected women"s health-related blog entries.~ "Democratic Bill Could Be a Preview of Obama"s Abortion Plan," Dan Gilgoff, U.S. News & World Report"s "God and Country": A recently introduced bill aimed at reducing the need for abortion is "big news because moderate to liberal faith-based advocates are urging the White House to adopt the bill ... as the core of its forthcoming "common ground" plan on abortion and reproductive health," Gilgoff writes. Some conservative religious groups, including the Southern Baptist Convention and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, "have warned the White House" that the bill is a "deal breaker" for them because of its support for comprehensive sex education and contraception, he writes. The White House "has refused to say which way it"s leaning," Gilgoff writes, adding the Obama administration could "buck" the groups that support the bill and "get behind" the Pregnant Women Support Act, "which is generally considered more robust on reducing demand for abortions and which leaves out contraceptive funding." However, he concludes, "that would be a pretty big surprise" (Gilgoff, "God and Country," U.S. News & World Report, 7/23).~ "New Report: Abortion Providers = American Human Rights Defenders, Now Under Increasing Attack," Jodi Jacobson, RH Reality Check: A new Center for Reproductive Rights report "calls on both the federal and state governments to address the growing threats against and stigmatization and abuse of abortion providers throughout the United States," Jacobson writes. The report "focuses on a key obstacle to the realization of women"s reproductive rights ... and recognizes their work as human rights defenders," she writes, adding that the U.S. has "historically been a leader both in creating and in encouraging accountability to human rights principles throughout the world." However, "[a]ccess to reproductive health care generally and abortion care specifically are basic human rights largely ignored within the context of U.S. domestic politics," Jacobson writes, noting that abortion access in the U.S. "has been increasingly limited due to the range of obstacles created through anti-choice advocacy." The report highlights several "types of rights violations [that] are most pervasive in limiting women"s choices and the rights of abortion providers," including "intimidation and harassment," "stigma" and "legal restrictions." The report makes a "series of recommendations for change at the state and local level for changes in policy and in law enforcement practices, as well as for the federal government, medical community and non-governmental organizations," Jacobson concludes, adding that the report "makes a special plea for the United Nations Special Rapporteur to document violations of women"s human rights in the United States" (Jacobson, RH Reality Check, 7/22).~ "Sixteen Governors Call on Congress To Include Medicaid Family Planning State Option in Health Reform," Jodi Jacobson, RH Reality Check: "Sixteen governors have written a letter to both Senate and House Leadership "expressing strong support for the Medicaid Family Planning State Option,"" which is included in President Obama"s fiscal year 2010 budget proposal, Jacobson writes. The governors wrote, "Many of our states have created family planning expansion programs, though we have done so with great difficulty," adding, "Since the early 1990s, 27 states have been granted federal waivers to expand their Medicaid family planning coverage. These demonstration projects have been unqualified successes, providing care to millions of women while saving states [millions] of dollars." Jacobson continues, "The current Medicaid waiver process, however, "puts unnecessary roadblocks in the way of our efforts to maintain and expand coverage for family planning services,"" according to the governors. She adds, "Passing this law as part of health care reform "would give us the needed flexibility to quickly and efficiently expand cove Purchase zoloft to treat depression.
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Why Winning Athletes Are Getting Bigger
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Oncology

Tocilizumab Blunts Joint Damage Worsening In Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

COPENHAGEN - The interleukin (IL)-6 receptor inhibitor tocilizumab (ActemraR) combined with methotrexate is more effective than methotrexate monotherapy in inhibiting the progression of structural joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis patients, according to results released at the 10th Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 2009. Joel Kremer, MD, Research Director at the Center for Rheumatology in Albany, New York, and co-workers examined the efficacy of adding tocilizumab to methotrexate in patients who had an inadequate response to methotrexate. The two-year, phase 3 LITHE (Tocilizumab Safety and The Prevention of Structural Joint Damage) trial was conducted in more than 1,200 patients in 15 countries. Patients received stable doses of methotrexate with tocilizumab (4 mg/kg or 8 mg/kg) or placebo (control) every four weeks and could receive blinded rescue therapy starting at week 16. Interim results at 52 weeks showed disease remission, demonstrated by DAS28 less than 2.6, in 30 percent of tocilizumab patients on the 4 mg/kg dose and 47 percent of patients on the tocilizumab 8 mg/kg dose versus eight percent of placebo-treated patients. Both tocilizumab cohorts also had a significant inhibition in the progression of structural joint damage as measured by the change in the mean Genant -modified Total Sharp Score versus patients assigned to methotrexate plus placebo (0.29, 0.34, and 1.1, respectively, p less than 0.001). In addition, there were significantly more patients in the tocilizumab groups with no radiographic progression whatsoever from baseline versus control, (pò‰¤0.0001.) Most tocilizumab-treated patients had significantly more improvement in their physical function than control patients. "Inhibiting rheumatoid arthritis from progressing further by achieving disease remission provides real-life benefits to patients while at the same time helping them maintain day-to day function,"" Dr. Kremer, who is the study"s principal investigator, said in a news release. "The study also demonstrated the efficacy of tocilizumab, even in patients with a relatively long disease duration, which suggests that it may be an effective treatment option for many rheumatoid arthritis patients." Written by Jill Stein Jill Stein is a Paris-based freelance medical writer. jillstein03(at)gmail.com Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today


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