Some brands of nappies contain toxic chemicals, according to a German study carried out for Greenpeace. The most harmful of these chemicals, TBT (tributyltin), can affect people's immune systems and impair their hormonal system. The study found small amounts of TBT in the following nappies sold in Germany: Pamper's Baby Dry Mini (made by Proctor & Gamble), Fixies Ultra Dry (Paul Hartmann company) and United Colours of Benetton Junior Unisex (LedysanSpa). Proctor & Gamble has denied that its nappies are contaminated. Greenpeace confirms that the Irish nappies, Eco Nappies, which are made by Eco Baby, do not contain TBT (website: www.ecobaby.ie). An investigation into TBT in nappies sold in Ireland will be carried out, according to Minister for Health, Micheal Martin.
Arthritis is the leading cause of long-term disability in the Republic and the most common cause of lost time from work, with one in seven people suffering from the condition. Celebrex, a new treatment for osteoarthritis, the most common form, and for rheumatoid arthritis is now available in the Republic. Celebrex has been shown to be as effective as the standard treatment of painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen, but has fewer side-effects. Dr Eoin Casey, consultant rheumatologist at St James's Hospital, describes this as a significant medical advance, as "the side-effects associated with standard treatment can result in gastrointestinal problems, indigestion and abdominal pain, sometimes leading to ulcers".
Many common drugs promote tooth decay, according to a US study, which found over 600 medications reduce saliva flow and cause dry mouth. Saliva protects and helps to repair our teeth from the constant assault that bacteria and diet mount against our tooth enamel. Dental researchers recommend anyone on medication which causes dry mouth should have their teeth cleaned regularly, brush vigilantly and consult their doctor about changing medication or dosage. (Eureka Alert)
A personalised vaccine against melanoma (see also Dr Muiris Houston on this page) can more than double the survival rate for patients with the advanced form of skin cancer. Doctors at the Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia create customised vaccines from patients' own cancer cells by inactivating them and altering their surface proteins with dinitrophenol. Five-year survival rates in 214 patients with the advanced disease increased from around 20 per cent to 50 per cent. (New Scientist)
Sap taken from trees in the Amazonian rainforests of Brazil may become the routine treatment for the pain of a bee sting, the itching of a rash or the swelling of a finger cut. Sangre do Grado is a herbal remedy used for hundreds of years in the Amazon river basin to treat diarrhoea, gastrointestinal problems and ulcers, US investigators report. A single drop of the red Sangre do Grado can diminish pain for up to six hours, by stopping the stimulation of sensory nerve fibres which send pain signals to the brain. (Reuters)
Stress may not be the only health risk of increasing traffic congestion. Research by French fertility experts backs up the hypothesis that long hours driving could be linked to infertility in men, due to the rise in scrotal temperature that occurs when men sit in vehicles.
lifelines@irish-times.ie