A round-up of today's other stories in brief
TECH COUNCIL: A new Medical Technologies Council, which aims to increase the number of doctors working in research and ensure greater co-ordination in medical research across the State, was launched yesterday.
The council, which it is hoped will also lead entrepreneurs to business opportunities identified by clinical need, has set out a strategy to achieve its aims between now and 2020. It hopes to ensure breakthroughs in terms of developing new medical technologies happen in the Republic. Members of the new council will include representatives of the medical devices industry and clinicians, among others.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister for Health Mary Harney said she hoped, in the context of the renegotiation of consultants contracts, that consultants would be given a greater research role as well having a greater role in clinical governance.
ACUTE BED DECLINE: The number of acute hospital beds in the State per head of population has decreased over the past five years, according to a new report.
Commissioned by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the report states that while there has been an increase in acute hospital bed numbers in recent years, this has been offset by the fact that some acute beds have been transferred to the community sector. These factors, in addition to the fact that the population has been increasing, have led to a decrease in the number of acute beds per 1,000 of the population since 2001, according to the report, details of which were published on the irishhealth.com website yesterday.
OSTEOPOROSIS RISK: Cancer patients receive treatments which may increase their risk of developing osteoporosis and fractures, a conference heard at the weekend.
"Women have an increased risk of developing osteoporosis and incurring fractures as a direct result of their cancer therapy, particularly if they have received agents that cause early menopause, affect hormone levels or have a direct anti-oestrogen-like impact on bone," said Dr Patrick Murphy, geriatrician at Tullamore General Hospital.
However, Prof Moira O'Brien, president of the Irish Osteoporosis Society, at whose annual conference Dr Murphy spoke, said that people at risk or undergoing cancer treatment could be put on anti-osteoporosis medicines. "This will reduce the risk of fractures and improve their quality of life," she said.
DRUG DEBATE: A diabetes medicine poised to win Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval sharply increases the risk of heart problems, strokes and death, researchers reported in an analysis that raises questions about the agency's handling of drug safety issues.
The drug, Pargluva, the first in what had been considered a promising new class of diabetes drugs, more than doubles the risk for life-threatening cardiovascular complications, the researchers concluded after analysing the studies the drug's maker presented in its application for approval.
Based on the findings, the researchers urged the FDA to withhold approval until additional research can be conducted on the safety questions.
"I do not think it's wise to approve the drug or see the drug marketed until there's a dedicated cardiovascular safety trial," said Steven Nissen, of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, who led the analysis. "We have to put safety first."
TELEPHONE NUMBER: A brief in last week's Health Supplement inadvertently left out a digit for the phone number for the Chronic Pain Association. The number is: 01-8047567.