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Washington Post Examines Focus On Abortions Later In Pregnancy After Tiller Murder
The Washington Post on Friday examined the renewed attention on abortion procedures performed later in pregnancy following Kansas provider George Tiller"s shooting death on Sunday. Tiller was one of the few physicians in the U.S. who performed late abortions. The Post reports that these abortions make up a small portion of the 1.2 million abortions performed each year -- more than 88% of abortions are performed in the first trimester and less than 1% are performed after 21 weeks" gestation. Data published in 2001 from 15 states and New York City show that as many as 2,400 abortions after 24 weeks" gestation were performed in the U.S. that year, according to Stanley Henshaw, a senior fellow at the Guttmacher Institute. He added that most of those abortions likely were performed in the 25th or 26th week.Henshaw said that little is known about the circumstances surrounding third trimester abortion procedures and that "information just isn"t available." The government does not collect detailed data regarding the number of such procedures, who is performing them and under what circumstances. In addition, abortion providers who perform the procedure later in pregnancy supply very little published information, the Post reports. According to the Post, most abortion providers will not perform the procedure after 22 or 24 weeks" gestation because of legal and other concerns, social stigma, or inadequate training and lack of experience. A 2001 survey of 1,819 abortion providers indicated that 18 clinics and 12 hospitals performed abortions at 26 weeks" gestation. However, the Post reports that the number of providers offering abortions later in pregnancy likely has declined in correlation with the decreasing number of overall providers. Henshaw said the number of providers offering the procedure later in pregnancy also likely has declined.Abortion-rights supporters say that third-trimester abortions are performed only when medically necessary, such as when a fatal abnormality is detected in the fetus or a life-threatening complication in the woman is discovered. Other circumstances include cases when the woman suffers serious emotional issues or is undergoing cancer treatment, the Post reports. Vicki Saporta, president of the National Abortion Federation, said that women who experience such pregnancies have "no good choice" and "nee[d] to terminate their pregnancies to protect their own health." Tiller "provided both the emotional and physical care for women in that situation," she said (Stein, Washington Post, 6/5).Los Angeles Times Profiles Abortion Provider Hern The Los Angeles Times on Friday profiled Warren Hern, a Colorado-based abortion provider who performs the procedure later in pregnancy and was a close friend of Tiller"s. Hern has provided abortions since 1973 when the Supreme Court legalized the procedure with Roe v. Wade. He said he "felt doing abortions was the most important thing I could do with my life." Hern opened the Boulder Abortion Clinic in 1975, and in the 1980s authored and self-published a textbook, Abortion Practice. He said that he eventually began to focus on abortion procedures later in pregnancy, which currently make up the majority of his practice. Such abortions usually are performed because of medical complications in the woman or abnormalities in the fetus. Patients at Hern"s clinic receive counseling to explain the procedure and to ensure the woman wants it, although he said many women have already made their decision with their own physician. Hern said that although Tiller"s death has been an emotional situation, his clinic is "pretty busy taking care of people who said they couldn"t find anyone else" to perform abortions later in pregnancy (Correll, Los Angeles Times, 6/5).Bond Set for Tiller Shooting Suspect Sedgwick County, Kan., District Judge Warren Wilbert on Thursday set a $5 million bond for Scott Roeder, the man charged with shooting and killing Tiller, the AP/Yahoo! News reports. A preliminary hearing for Roeder is scheduled for June 16. If convicted, Roeder face
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Lack Of Information Fuels Cancer Screening Fears According To Review Covering Nearly 6,000 Women
Fear plays a major role in whether women decide to go for cancer screening or not, but healthcare providers underestimate how much women need to know and wrongly assume that they will ask for information if they want it.
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New Mass Spectrometric Method Allows Fast And Comprehensive Analysis Of Metabolites
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena and their colleagues from the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague have developed a new method to quickly and reliably detect metabolites, such as sugars, fatty acids, amino acids and other organic substances from plant or animal tissue samples. One drop of blood -- less than one micro liter -- is sufficient to identify certain blood related metabolites.
Endocrinology

World's First Deep Brain Stimulation Device Approved For Treatment Of Psychiatric Condition In Europe

Medtronic announced that Reclaim(R) Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Therapy has received CE (Conformite Europeene) Mark approval for the treatment of chronic, severe treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This is the first time that a deep brain stimulation therapy has gained approval in Europe for the treatment of a psychiatric disorder. Following CE Mark approval, Medtronic will conduct a multi-national post-market study to commence in at least eight sites in Europe. In addition to following any adverse events associated with the therapy, the study will further evaluate improvements seen in OCD symptoms as assessed by the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), before deep brain stimulation to 12 months after. Professor Loes Gabriels from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, and lead investigator of the post-market study comments: "For patients with severe OCD who have tried and failed treatment through the treatment algorithm, DBS could result in a significant improvement of a disease that severely impacts on their lives. This study will be important in reinforcing the evidence base of DBS in the treatment of psychiatric conditions." European centres first pioneered the technique of deep brain stimulation and the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium was a leading contributor to the clinical evidence which was used to obtain CE mark approval in Europe as well as FDA approval in the United States (obtained in February 2009 through a humanitarian device exemption). Previous research into DBS therapy for OCD, recently published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, revealed clinically meaningful symptom reductions and functional improvement in about two-thirds of patients and demonstrated that a majority of patients moved from a severe OCD rating at the start of the study to a mild or moderate rating at various follow-up points after device implantation. The studies also highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to treating OCD with deep brain stimulation therapy. Prof Nuttin, neurosurgeon at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium comments: "It is clear that for the best results a multidisciplinary team consisting of a psychiatrist and neurosurgeon plus several other important specialties must be involved when selecting, treating and managing the long-term follow-up for a patient who undergoes deep brain stimulation for OCD." OCD affects 2 percent of the population and it is estimated that for patients with chronic, severe treatment-resistant OCD, more than 1,000 patients per year could benefit from Reclaim DBS Therapy for OCD in Western Europe. Patients with severe OCD, as defined by a Y-BOCS score over 30, and who have tried at least three selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) without treatment success, may be considered eligible for Reclaim DBS therapy. The neurostimulators used for Reclaim DBS Therapy are the same as those used to treat common movement disorders like Parkinson"s disease and dystonia. However, because the area of the brain targeted for OCD is different, a unique DBS lead has been specially designed by Medtronic. "Deep brain stimulation therapies were pioneered by Medtronic neuromodulation and to date, with more than 20 years of experience, 60,000 people worldwide have benefited from Medtronic DBS therapy for Parkinson"s disease, essential tremor and dystonia," said Karl Schweitzer, vice president for Medtronic"s Neuromodulation business in Europe. "This approval marks the world"s first steps into DBS for Psychiatric disorders and demonstrates how Medtronic continues to lead the way in research, therapy indication expansion, and technology." *Medtronic Reclaim DBS Therapy is indicated for bilateral stimulation of the anterior limb of the internal capsule, AIC, as an adjunct to medications and as an alternative to anterior capsulotomy for treatment of chronic, severe, treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adult patients who have failed at least three selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). About Reclaim DBS Therapy Reclaim DBS Therapy is an adjustable, reversible and non-drug therapy that uses a surgically implanted medical device, similar to a pacemaker, to deliver carefully controlled electrical pulses to precisely targeted areas of the brain. The stimulation can be programmed and adjusted non-invasively (without surgery) by a trained clinician to find the most appropriate type and amount of stimulation for each patient to maximize symptom control and minimize side effects. For OCD and treatment-resistant depression; a further psychiatric disorder which Medtronic is currently exploring with Reclaim DBS therapy in a multi-center randomized clinical trial; the anatomical target in the brain is the anterior limb of the internal capsule (AIC), and more specifically, a region sometimes referred to as the ventral capsule/ventral striatum (VC/VS), which is a central node in the neural circuits believed to regulate mood and anxiety. About OCD People with OCD have persistent, upsetting thoughts (obsessions) and use rituals (compulsions) to control the anxiety these thoughts produce. If OCD becomes severe, it can keep a person from working or carrying out normal daily activities. Standard treatments such as medications and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) fail to work for a subset of people with OCD. Medtronic"s Leadership in DBS for Psychiatric Disorders Medtronic has been pursuing research of DBS for psychiatric disorders for more than a decade in collaboration with physicians from many leading institutions. The company holds several patents related to the technologies used in DBS as well as the use of DBS for psychiatric disorders, including for treatment-resistant depression and OCD. To date, all peer-reviewed publications about DBS for psychiatric disorders, including treatment-resistant depression, have been based on the use of Medtronic DBS systems. About Medtronic Medtronic, Inc. , headquartered in Minneapolis, is the global leader in medical technology - alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending life for millions of people around the world. Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic"s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 24, 2009. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results. Medtronic, Inc


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