All articles by sarah williams

FDA approves drug to treat binge eating disorder

A new drug that treats moderate-to severe binge eating disorder (BED) in adults has been approved by FDA, The Obesity Society (TOS) has reported. The prescription drug, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, under the brand name Vyvanse, is the first of its kind specifically indicated for BED.
BED is an eating disorder that affects only a portion of those with the medical disease obesity. While as many as 30% of people seeking obesity treatment may report some degree of binge eating, those who meet clinical criteria for BED likely represent only 7-10% of all obesity treatment seekers.

Report finds growth in UK childhood obesity is slowing

A study by researchers at King’s College London has found that childhood obesity among young children has started to level off.

The team analysed trends in data from electronic health records for 370,544 children aged two-15 years, from 37 general practices in England, for the report published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Researchers double the storage life of joint donor tissue

A method for preserving donor joint tissue has been developed by researchers at the University of Missouri (MU) School of Medicine.
The technology, called the Missouri Osteochondral Allograft Preservation System (MOPS), more than doubles the storage life of bone and cartilage grafts from donors compared with the preservation method currently used by tissue banks.

New research reveals antibiotics could help treat cancer

A researcher inspired by a conversation with his young child has discovered a means of eradicating cancer stem cells, using common antibiotics.
Professor Michael P Lisanti, director of Manchester University’s Breakthrough Breast Cancer Unit, was discussing cancer cures with his daughter Camilla, when she asked him why antibiotics aren’t used as they are for other illnesses.

NICE unveils guidelines to improve asthma diagnosis accuracy

A draft guideline released by NICE suggests spirometry should be used as ‘the first-line investigation’ for diagnosing asthma in adults over 16 and children over 5 years old.
More than four million people in the UK currently receive asthma treatment, but studies of those diagnosed now show that up to 30% may not in fact be asthmatic.