Popular Articles

Provectus Reports Encouraging Clinical Data At ASCO On Treatment Of Metastatic Melanoma With PV-10
Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: PVCT), a development-stage oncology and dermatology biopharmaceutical company, has announced interim data from the first 40 subjects in its Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. PV-10 treatment was well tolerated and caused selective tumor destruction in the majority of subjects. Additional data on untreated tumors corroborated observations of a possible bystander effect seen during earlier Phase 1 testing. These data were presented today at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2009 Annual Meeting, Abstract #9060, entitled "Chemoablation of melanoma with intralesional rose bengal (PV-10)," in the General Poster Session.

HIV/AIDS Education Project Targeting Pennsylvania Black Women Examined
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette profiled the Girlfriends Project, a domestic violence and HIV/AIDS education program implemented by the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force that targets at-risk black women in three Allegheny County, Pa., cities. Blacks "comprise just 7 percent of the total population in southwestern Pennsylvania but 41 percent of those living with HIV/AIDS, according to Allegheny County Health Department statistics provided by the task force," the Post-Gazette reports. "The Girlfriends Project was designed for Braddock, Clairton and Duquesne "because we knew nobody was doing outreach there," project coordinator, Lisa Dukes, said. As part of the project, Dukes hosts Tupperware party-style gatherings in homes of residents where she provides HIV testing and education, sexual health information, safe sex products and cash gift cards. The project is an outgrowth of the CDC"s prevention program Sisters Informing Sisters About Topics on AIDS, or SISTA, and has been so successful that CDC "has asked the task force to introduce it at the CDC"s 2009 National HIV Prevention Conference in Atlanta Aug. 23," the article states (Smith, 7/29).
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Prescribing Sunshine For Multiple Sclerosis?
Could a holiday in the sun reduce the risk of developing multiple sclerosis? In a recent review for F1000 Medicine Reports, Bridget Bagert and Dennis Bourdette highlight recent advances in potential treatments.
Diagnostics

FDA Authorizes Emergency Use Of Another Test For 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for a another diagnostic test for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, whose spread has caused the virus to be characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The EUA for the Focus Diagnostics Influenza H1N1 (2009) Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) diagnostic test is the third diagnostic test authorized under an EUA by the FDA since the public health emergency involving the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus was declared on April 26, 2009. The EUA allows Focus Diagnostics to distribute the test to laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) to perform high complexity tests. This test is not typically utilized in a doctor"s office-it is a complex laboratory test performed in an environment that has the necessary equipment. These tests are intended for use in the detection of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus in patients with symptoms of respiratory infection. "This authorization will contribute to the nation"s capacity for accurate testing for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus," said Daniel G. Schultz, M.D., director of the FDA"s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. The Focus Diagnostics test amplifies the viral genetic material obtained from swabs of the nose or throat, or from nasal discharges. A positive result indicates that the patient is infected with the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. However, the test does not indicate the stage of infection. A negative result does not preclude influenza virus infection. The EUA authority allows the FDA, based on the evaluation of available data and other things, to authorize the use of unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products following a determination and declaration of emergency. The Focus Diagnostics test is an unapproved device whose use is authorized by the EUA. The authorization ends when the declaration of emergency is terminated or when the FDA revokes the authorization. Emergency Use Authorization is part of Project BioShield, which became law in July 2004. Focus Diagnostics is based in Cypress, Calif. For more information: FDA"s Guidance on Emergency Use Authorization of Medical Products.. U.S. Food and Drug Administration


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