Fosamax may damage liver NEJM August 3, 2000 -- Vol. 343, No. 5. Correspondence. Many prostate cancer patients take Fosamax (alendronate) to prevent bone loss (osteoporosis), which may arise from testosterone-blocking therapies. Israeli doctors report a solitary case of liver damage in a 71 year old woman taking Fosamax.[NEJM requires registration, free, to read this section]

Medical-Research Official Cites Ethics Woes By PHILIP J. HILTS (New York Times August 17: free registration required) The chief federal official overseeing the safety and ethics of experiments with human subjects said that conflicts of interest in medical research were so troublesome that "the system may have gotten entirely out of control" and might have to be reorganized.

Tears 'reveal patients' cancer'... Ananova (UK) Mon Aug 07 07:57:12 GMT-0700 2000

Unmarried Saudies denied Viagra Xtra: Health New Zealand, 07/08/00

Tobacco industry's smoke screen blown (02 August 2000) LONDON The World Health Organisation has been the target of a long-running, elaborate and secret campaign by the tobacco industry to subvert its anti-tobacco initiatives, according to a report published [Aug 2].

Health Journal: researchers attempt to customize drugs for cancer patients AP via New Jersey Online Fri Aug 04... A handful of companies are developing personalized cancer "vaccines" made using a patient's own cancer cells.

CytoGenix’s EnzSyn to be tested at Baylor College of Medicine.... Bioresearch Online Wed Jul 19. Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston) have initiated studies that will examine the effectiveness of a new single-stranded-DNA antisense technology designed to implement genetic therapy against cancer and a wide range of diseases.

Eos Biotechnology microarray technology speeds cancer target discovery... Bioresearch Online Wed Jul 19 Eos Biotechnology Inc. (South San Francisco, CA) reported at the 13th International Symposium on Treatment of Leukemia, Lymphoma and Cancer, held in New York, that company scientists have identified several genes linked to breast cancer.

Epigenetic origin of drug resistance in metastatic cancer 7/13/2000 Researchers at Ohio State University (Columbus) report in the July 11 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on an epigenetic mechanism of drug resistance in cancer cells, and a possible means to overcome it.

80,000 cancer patients denied drugs by NHS BY HELEN RUMBELOW, MEDICAL REPORTER (The Times, Britain, July 12) MORE than 80,000 cancer patients have been denied vital drugs because the NHS cannot afford them, doctors said yesterday.

Shares soar on cancer vaccine Thursday 20 July 2000 By ELI GREENBLAT Shares in Australian Vaccine Technologies soared more than 64per cent and topped trading volumes yesterday, after the company said it would commercially release its cancer vaccine to treat melanomas.[The Age, Australia]

Patients import thalidomide to fight cancer Daily Yomiuri [Japan] July 7 2000. A private organization of cancer patients has imported thalidomide, a sleep-inducing drug that caused tragic fetal malformations in the early 1960s, from Brazil to help fight bone marrow cancer, it was learned Thursday....The move is expected to draw public attention to the new medical trend of allowing patients to have a say in their own treatment.

"Scientists Crack Genetic Code" BBC News June 26. Scientists have produced a rough draft of the human genome: the complete set of biochemical instructions that describe how the human body is made and maintained.

"Pot Shrinks Tumors - US Government Knew in '74" (The Octopus, June 23)

British Biotech Tumbles as Cancer Drug Problems Persist... TheStreet.co.uk Jun 23 (Marimastat fails for a brain cancer)

From Cause to Cure: Men & Cancer Advertising Supplement, New York Times Sunday June 18th

Cancer Statistics May be Misleading: Five-year Survival Rate Challenged in Study By Jacqui Podzius Cook The Associated Press C H I C A G O — The five-year survival rate, the standard measurement of a cancer treatment’s success, may be misleading because people are being diagnosed earlier and therefore living longer with detected cancer before they die, a study says. abcNews.com June 14

Take Care Mixing Herbs, Mayo Says It's common to think of herbs as "natural" and, therefore, harmless. However, many herbal remedies can interact with prescription medication. Some herbs become toxic if taken with certain drugs, and fatal herb-drug interactions can occur. Mayo Clinic Health Oasis 03.06.2000

AstraZeneca and the National Prostate Cancer Coalition Partner With US Mayors AstraZeneca announced a partnership with the US Conference of Mayors and the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) to help increase public awareness and education about prostate cancer. Astra Zeneca makes Zoladex and Casodex, two chemical castration drugs used in various ways in the treatment of men who have prostate cancer. ASTRAZENECA News Release, June 9

At Life's End, Many Patients Are Denied Peaceful Passing by Denise GradyFirst of two articles on planning for death looks at how end of life plans including living will and power-of-attorney often are ignored and set aside by resuscitation orders in nursing homes and hospitals. The New York Times Science/Health May 29, 2000 (registration required, free)

In 1st trials, cancer drug Endostatin disappoints Chicago Tribune May 14