AstraZeneca welcomes the recommendations by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the treatment of Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) 1, a genetic condition resulting in high cholesterol levels. As part of its comprehensive review on the identification and management of people with FH, NICE has recommended that adults with the condition be treated with high intensity statins in order to reduce LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels by 50%.

An increasing number of studies have shown a reduced risk of allergies, hay fever, asthma and eczema in farmers' children and adolescents. Until recently it was believed that these protective effects primarily arise from exposures during the first years of life.

Two new studies show that migraine headaches are very common among U.S. military personnel, yet the condition is frequently underdiagnosed. The studies, appearing in Headache, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Headache Society, examine the incidence among soldiers within 10 days of returning from a 1-year combat tour in Iraq , as well as U.S. Army officer trainees. The U.S.

Biotechnology company Arana Therapeutics Limited (ASX: AAH) announced that it has completed recruitment in its Phase II dose-ranging psoriasis study for its anti-inflammatory drug ART621. Completion of recruitment means that formal results of the study should be available in early 2009. Arana also confirmed that it is planning to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for ART621 in the rheumatoid arthritis indication in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Recently, Respiratory Technology Corporation (dba Restech) announced that the Restech Dx-pH Measurement System was part of a study to accurately measure pharyngeal acid exposure conducted by the Advanced Esophageal Function Laboratory of the University of Southern California (USC). The study, 24-hour Pharyngeal pH Measurement©, was conducted under the direction of Tom R. DeMeester, MD, FACS, FACG, Chair, Department of Surgery, University of Southern California.

European Urology, the official journal of the European Association of Urology will be featuring the article 'Effect of nightly versus on-demand vardenafil on recovery of erectile function in men following bilateral nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy' by F. Montorsi et al.

A new study published in the August 27 issue of JAMA reports good news for men who enjoy nuts, corn, or popcorn. Researchers studying a large cohort of men have found that consumption of these foods does not increase the risk of diverticulosis or diverticular complications - a conclusion that is contrary to common beliefs. Diverticular disease is characterized by having diverticula in the colon, and it often leads to diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding.

Researchers at Rutgers University and The University of Texas at Austin have reported a discovery that could help scientists develop drugs to fight the much-feared bird flu and other virulent strains of influenza.

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Vaccine Research have been awarded $3.6 million from the National Institutes of Health to conduct animal studies of vaccines designed to protect against the most common and deadliest strain of avian flu, H5N1. Recent outbreaks of H5N1 have prompted health officials to warn of its continued threat to global health and potential to trigger an avian flu pandemic.

Data from a new study suggest that Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl) 60-120 mg once daily significantly reduced chronic low back pain, as measured by the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) 24-hour average pain score, compared with placebo.(1) Results from the double-blind, 13-week, placebo-controlled study of 236 patients were presented today at the annual congress of the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS) in Madrid, Spain.