The Science of Sequestration
Posted by on September 13, 2013 - 3:22pm

Last Tuesday’s New York Times article painted an unpleasant picture of the state of scientific research due to cutbacks with the sequestration. The $1 trillion in budget cuts have significantly slowed research momentum, which could lead to major setbacks in the health world. Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, described 2013 as the “darkest” year to date for the agency, whose budget is suffering and distributing smaller numbers of grants than ever. What is most dangerous about these grant cutbacks is that researchers are forced to “tread water” rather than focus their energies exploring new and bold ideas, and “science is very badly served by that tread-water message.”

Stagnation in the scientific world is essentially a death sentence for innovative breakthroughs, discoveries that could lead to the emergence of new cures. Director of the Center for Computational Biology at Johns Hopkins University, Steven Salzberg, laments the loss of science by arguing that shorter grant cycles force scientist to not only scramble to obtain results more quickly, but also compels them to spend more time bogged down with paperwork than actually engaging in laboratory work. Regrettably these significant changes to the research landscape discourage younger scientists from persisting in this field.

Dr. Teresa Woodruff shares similar viewpoints to her collegiate colleagues by stating that the sequestration is about “more than red tape and bureaucracy,” it’s about threatening the lives of patients counting on innovations made through research. In her published opinion letter responding to this article, Dr. Woodruff lists diabetes, cancer, infertility, osteoporosis, hypertension, and thyroid conditions as just a handful of the ailments whose research is being hindered by the government’s cutbacks. Dr. Woodruff stresses that, “when laboratories lose financing, they lose people, ideas, innovations, and patient treatments.” Until government leaders prioritize biomedical research, the potential for fresh ideas, innovations, and cures to come to fruition will continue to diminish.

Strong Bones with Calcium and Hormones
Posted by on August 13, 2013 - 8:50pm

After the age of 30, the creation of new bone cannot keep up with the rate of bone loss in your body. The estrogen depletion that comes with menopause results in an increased risk for low bone mineral density, osteopenia and osteoporosis. For 5-10 years after menopause, this bone density loss accelerates into a gradual weakening of your bones and can lead to an increase in the risk for fractures and other injuries.

Physicians and organizations left and right have tried to specify a regimen to  help slow down the weakening of bones in postmenopausal women. The National Osteoporosis Foundation states that both types of hormone therapy, Estrogen therapy and combined Estrogen and Progesterone therapy, reduce the risk of osteoporosis. But what about supplements?

This past February, the US Preventive Services Tasks Force (USPSTF) stated there was insufficient evidence regarding calcium and vitamin D supplementation for bone fracture prevention in postmenopausal women. Now, a new analysis shows the evidence that may very well alter this recommendation.

The North American Menopause Society conducted a trial with 27,347 postmenopausal women, of which 8,000 took supplemental calcium (1,000 mg) and vitamin D (400 mg) daily, and 8,000 took look-alike placebos. These women came from all the hormone groups in the study: on HRT combinations, those on HRT estrogen alone, and the rest on hormone look-alike placebos.

Researchers then studied the hip fracture incidents among women who took hormones and supplements, women who took hormones alone, and women who took neither one. Of the women on both hormones and supplements, there were 11 hip fractures per 10,000 women per year. Of the women solely on hormones, there were 18 hip fractures per 10,000 women per year. And of the women who took neither, there were 22 hip fractures per 10,000 women per year.

Although the researchers could not specify how much of calcium and vitamin D should be taken, they concluded that postmenopausal women taking hormone therapy should also take supplemental calcium and vitamin D to reduce the rate of bone loss. The benefits of calcium and vitamin D seem to increase with increasing total intake, but also depend on the side effects of too much calcium, such as constipation.

So consider taking calcium and vitamin D supplements in combination with your hormone therapy, but don't stop drinking your milk! Continue trying to meet your daily calcium needs with your diet. Furthermore, did you know that weight bearing exercise can also improve your bone health? To learn more about how you can manage your bone health and overall health in menopause, visit http://menopausenu.org/

 

Menopause and Memory: Women Know What They Do Not Know
Posted by on August 8, 2013 - 3:24pm

The need for health care varies greatly over a lifespan, with older adults having significantly more health-related needs and costs than younger individuals. Women, in particular, often face a myriad of health problems as they transition through menopause.  Sadly, despite the fact that every woman will go through menopause, very little is understood about the physical and mental changes that occur during this period of life.  In addition, women may struggle to find pharmaceutical solutions, which can safely provide proven relief without the worry that those available will increase their likelihood of other health and mental complications.

Much is misunderstood about menopause and the changes that are associated with the hormonal fluctuations. This is largely due to the fact this inevitable transition is rarely apart of the conversation, particularly in the context of health care. Further, menopause is expected to be merely “bothersome”; not something one could attribute real health problems to. Although maternity care and issues related to younger women are required in the Affordable Care Act as essential health benefits, nothing of legislative note will improve the knowledge and acceptance of this natural life progression.

Most insurance companies do not even cover basic medications associated with menopausal symptoms, and conflicting research has women scared about the potential long-term effects associated with hormone replacement therapy. Negative press, little medical literature and low financial assistance often leaves women to suffer through menopause silently, many of whom worry constantly about memory deficits they experience and potential long term changes.

A recent study focused on the memory complaints of midlife women has been receiving a lot of attention. The study, conducted at the University of Illinois- at Chicago (UIC), attempted to determine if women who are experiencing hot flushes during menopause were able to accurately predict their own memory performance.

According to the principal author, Lauren Drogos, “We found that a one-item question: ‘How would you rate your memory in terms of the kinds of problems that you have?’ was the best predictor of verbal memory performance on a list-learning task.  We also found that many complaints were related to mood symptoms.”

In the US, the average woman becomes postmenopausal around the age of 51.  Common symptoms that occur include hot flushes, sleep disturbances, mood changes and memory problems. However, until recently it was believed that women were unable to accurately describe the current state of their memory and the changes they experience as they progress through menopause.

Despite the difficulty in being taken seriously about the physical and mental challenges that menopause presents, this recent study from Drogos, along with other research, shows that woman are able to accurately describe their current memory abilities. Specifically, a group of sixty-eight women performed a series of memory tests and were then asked, to detail the types of memory problems they were experiencing. The study concluded that women were able to accurately rank themselves on a scale from no memory problems to severe problems.

Using recall of a short story, the deficits seen in memory did not indicate that women were suffering from dementia, nor were they experiencing shortfalls in memory that were impacting daily life. Instead, it was simply indicative that women who experienced memory deficits often recognized the changes occurring.

Previous research focusing on women’s transitions through menopause also found that hot flushes during the nighttime were the best predictors of memory performance in women. This leads researchers within the Women’s Mental Health Research Program at UIC, to believe that sleep disturbances and stress hormones may play integral roles in memory and hot flushes.

The good news for women concerned about the transition through menopause is that the cognitive decline that occurs appears to only be temporary, with performance rebounding early into post-menopause. Further, for those who want to keep both their minds and bodies at peak performance, research indicates that leading a non-sedentary lifestyle, keeping mentally active, and having a healthy diet can be the best preventers of cognitive decline.  To learn more about menopause, visit menopausenu.org, a new web site that helps women evaluate their overall health and menopause symptoms.

New Surgical Probe Reduces Multiple Lumpectomies in Breast Cancer Patients
Posted by on June 27, 2013 - 2:21pm

There’s a new “toy” in the surgical wing at the UC Irvine Medical Center that’s causing surgical oncologists to perform 56% less duplicate breast cancer surgeries.  It’s called MarginProbe, and it detects whether surgeons have removed all of a woman’s breast cancer cells during surgery, reducing the necessity of a second operation.  This sterile, handheld device sends electromagnetic signals to the bodily tissues surrounding a surgical incision, which are then transmitted and analyzed to determine whether any unhealthy tissue remains in the breast.

Before this device, 60% of lumpectomy patients were sent back to the operating room because some cancerous tissue was missed in the initial surgery.  Furthermore, these patients would have had to wait up to a week before pathologists could determine whether all malignant cells were removed.  Now, with MarginProbe, the tissue is analyzed instantaneously, while the patient is still in surgery, increasing the surgeon’s likelihood of eradicating the cancerous cells on the first try.

One surgical oncologist at UC Irvine, who had begun using the probe in March, said, “This new technology is a game changer for early-stage breast cancer surgery, and we’re already seeing better results!”  With lumpectomies serving as the standard procedure for two-thirds of the new breast cancer cases each year, this probe is bound to make a large splash in the effective treatment “pool.”  The FDA eagerly approved the MarginProbe after Dune Medical Devices developed the prototype in 2012.  UC Irvine was selected to use MargineProbe in a clinical trial, which included over 660 women nationally.  Well on its way to becoming a staple in the oncologist’s tool belt, the MarginProbe also promises to reduce healthcare costs by decreasing the necessity of follow-up surgeries, saving up to $6,000 per patient.  This new probe will prove to be instrumental in providing high quality patient care for women afflicted with breast cancer.

Source: HealthlineNews

 

Are Emergency Contraceptive Pills Too Taboo for the Social Media Market?
Posted by on June 24, 2013 - 2:52pm

Many women don’t have all the facts when unprotected sex occurs.  Emergency contraceptive methods represent evolving and scientifically viable options for many women, yet are not adequately marketed to the public.  Emergency Contraceptive Pills (EPCs) offer women a fast and private over-the-counter option to use after unprotected sex.  With the multitude of contraceptive agents on the market, EPCs would seemingly be added to the marketing of family planning initiatives.  Yet, surprisingly, EPCs are not marketed effectively, and many women who may wish to consider EPCs as a last-resort option do not have sufficient access to this information.

Elizabeth Westley and Tara Shochet investigate this informational gap in their article Social Marketing of Emergency Contraception: Are We Missing a Valuable Opportunity?  In their attempt to understand this dilemma, they conducted a survey of four social marketing organizations that focused on contraceptive products.  These four organizations were DKT International, Marie Stopes International, Population Services International, and ProSalud Inter Americana; Westley and Shochet identified sub-programs housed under these organizations to get a large enough sample size for their research.  After extensive correspondence, they found that of the 100 programs they documented that focused on family planning, only 33% of them had substantial emergency contraceptive programs.  With data showing that, since 2005, ECPs sales have increased by roughly 7 million, it is difficult to understand why organizations are failing to develop EC programs when there is a clear consumer demand.

Policy barriers, funding difficulties, and lack of knowledge about emergency contraceptives contribute to the underdeveloped nature of EC initiatives.  Court rulings impact the accessibility and sales of emergency contraceptives, and political and non-political groups alike often campaign with anti-EC messages, deeming the issue too “politically sensitive” for many family planning organizations.  Funding and lack of knowledge or awareness about EC go hand-in-hand, since donors typically prefer supporting what is familiar and non-controversial.  Despite these barriers, emergency contraceptives must be effectively marketed to educate the majority of women in developing countries who are unaware of emergency contraceptives.  Furthermore, providing useful and accurate information to women about all their contraceptive options allow women, globally, the right to choose their contraceptive method from a range of alternatives.

Breast Cancer Genes Verdict a Triumph for Women
Posted by on June 19, 2013 - 8:56am

Geneticists, researchers, and patients joined in celebration over last week’s unanimous Supreme Court ruling involving the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, colloquially referred to as the “breast cancer genes.”  The Supreme Court ruled that Myriad Genetics could not patent the BRCA1 and BRCA2 sequence of genes, because patents cannot be placed on that which is created organically in nature.  This decision opens the door for researchers outside of Myriad Genetics to study these genes, providing more opportunities to discover early signs of breast cancer susceptibility.  Karuna Jaggar, Breast Cancer Action’s Executive Director reported that this ruling was, “a tremendous victory for women with a known or suspected inherited risk of breast cancer. Today, the Court righted a wrong and has put patients’ health before corporate profits.”

Prior to this ruling, bio-tech conglomerate, Myriad Genetics, held patents on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, monopolizing the research that can be done on these genes, which are strong indicators of susceptibility to breast cancer. Myriad had used their patents to come up with its BRACAnalysis test, which searches for specific mutations in these cancer predisposition genes.  Women who show these mutations have a three to seven times greater risk of developing breast cancer.  Myriad’s previously established patents on these genes gave them exclusive rights to use this genetic test on these genes.  Now that the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are open to outside researchers, scientists can use these genes to determine increased risks of patients who may develop breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and other cancers that these genes may help indicate.

Angelina Jolie recently made headlines for deciding to voluntarily undergo a double mastectomy after learning of her own BRCA genes' mutations.  Jolie had paid a high price for this test, since Myriad had a monopoly on the market, driving up the cost.  So what does this mean for the average, non-Angelina Jolie woman? Well, now this test will be widely available for more women at a more affordable price (we don’t all have as deep of pockets as Jolie).  This ruling will not only open the door for more opportunities for preventative screenings for breast cancer, but it will set a precedent for the scientific community to collaborate on research towards the common good.

For more information on this court ruling, please refer to this posts's sources found here and here.

 

Policy Changes Save the Lives of Pregnant Women
Posted by on June 18, 2013 - 10:39am

 

Policy changes are necessary to decrease the death rate of pregnant women in developing countries.  Research, according to Dr. Stacie E. Geller, does not end once scientists publish.  The true battle is implementing that research to affect global change.  Dr. Stacie E. Geller, Director of the Center for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, puts research into practice by providing safe, affordable medication to pregnant women in developing countries.  Dr. Geller spoke last week at a forum held at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and presented her research on Postpartum Hemorrhaging (PPH) and its dangers to women in developing countries.

In 2008, there were an estimated 358,000 maternal deaths occurring during childbirth, 99% of these deaths occurring in developing countries. Such global disparities are reflected in the limited access to skilled birth attendants, restricted access to medications, rudimentary delivery facilities, and complications surrounding reliable transportation and communication in developing countries.  Postpartum Hemorrhaging (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide, accounting for 30-50% of all maternal deaths in Africa and Asia alone.  While the drug Oxytocin is used to prevent PPH in developed countries, developing countries do not have the resources to preserve and administer this drug.  Dr. Geller began studying the drug Misoprostol as an alternative to Oxytocin to be used in developing countries due to its low-maintenance storage and cost-effectiveness.

Dr. Geller, along with a team of researchers traveled to communities in India and Ghana to study Misoprostol for prevention of PPH in home-birth settings.  Their research proved that Misoprostol provides a safe and efficacious alternative to Oxytocin in these communities, but Dr. Geller didn’t stop there.  She worked with the Indian Ministry of Health to approve the use of Misoprostol for PPH prevention by Auxillary Nurse Midwives (ANMs). In Ghana, Dr. Geller engaged with health stakeholders at all levels, conducted community sensitization and trainings, monitored the safe use of Misoprostol, and empowered women to take control of their health.  Furthermore Dr. Gellar’s success strengthened the networks of health providers, decreased maternal mortality and morbidity (due to PPH), and established a model for all of Ghana and other developing countries.  Dr. Geller was a primary advocate credited for Misoprostol’s addition to the WHO’s list of essential medications for the prevention of PPH in 2011, an accreditation which has a lasting global impact.

Dr. Geller stresses the importance of political will in enacting policy changes from scientific research.  Government engagement is critical in reducing maternal deaths, and a scientist’s work is not over once research is published.  Advocating for women’s sexual and reproductive rights, their access to equal treatment, and their right to effective medicine should inspire all researchers to utilize their knowledge to facilitate global change.

To read more about Dr. Stacie Geller and her ongoing research, please click here.

 

Post-Trauma Women: Victims of Gender Bias
Posted by on June 11, 2013 - 9:46am

Think men and women receive equal care after traumas? Think again.  A recent study found that women are less likely than men to receive trauma treatment after severe injuries.  Dr. Andrea Hill of the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the University of Toronto’s research on gender-based inequalities found that, across all age groups, 20-30% fewer women are cared for after traumas.  The study and analysis were conducted by observing 99,000 adult patients throughout Canada.  After controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors, Hill and her colleagues were shocked at such disproportions between male and female patient care.  Hill affirms that “gender-based disparities in access to health care services in general have been recognized for some time,” and she calls for further research into the underlying factors involved in these gender gaps.

 

To read more about this issue, please view the original article here.

 

Mapping Female Desire: XX Marks the Spot!
Posted by on May 31, 2013 - 8:09am

Did you know that 15% of women are diagnosed with Hypoactive Sexual-Desire Disorder (H.S.D.D)?  This disorder is characterized by a lack of female desire coupled with significant emotional distress, primarily in post-menopausal women.  A recent article in The New York Times placed Dutch psychopharmacologist Adriaan Tuiten in the spotlight for his new research studies on sex differences.  Tuiten, who has spent his career studying biological and psychological interactions, may have unlocked some the intricacies of female desire via his study on possibly the first, successful female-desire drug.

The publicized misnomer that this drug will be a “female Viagra” simplifies its actual complexity.  Ongoing studies in this field since 1998 unequivocally show that the male and female impetus for desire differs significantly, especially in the brain.  While both male and female desire stem from similar areas of the brain, studies show that, over time, female desire wanes at a significantly higher rate than observed in males.

How can women combat this atrophy of desire?  Tuiten tested and observed 420 female subjects beginning in the fall of 2011 to answer just that.  His drugs Lybrido and Lybridos are expected to be presented shortly to the F.D.A., and may be on the market by 2016 following a larger-scale trial.

Guest Author:  Megan Castle

 

 

 

Update on Institute for Women's Health Research
Posted by on November 11, 2010 - 3:54pm

The following press release about the Institute for Women's Health Research at Northwestern University was issued today.   If you want to learn more about us and what we are doing, check the link.

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