Washington Post Examines 'Natural Family Planning' Centers

The Washington Post on Thursday examined "natural family planning" centers, which "tailor" the type of care provided with the religious beliefs of the physicians. At NFP clinics, physicians teach NFP techniques -- including monitoring a woman's temperature and other signals to time intercourse to control pregnancy timing -- while "shunning" birth control, emergency contraception, intrauterine devices, sterilization, in vitro fertilization and abortion, according to the Post. Some opponents of NFP say that the practice is "segregating medicine along religious lines" and that people using the clinics are not being informed about all the options. In addition, opponents of NFP are "especially alarmed about the consequences" of NFP centers for people in "poor or rural areas with few alternatives," the Post reports. Advocates of NFP say that the practice allows physicians to avoid conflict with people who want services with which the practitioner does not agree. In addition, advocates say that the NFP approach provides an alternative to commonly used medicines and devices that some physicians believe can negatively effect a patient's personal life. According to the Post, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not have a formal position on NFP. "If women know before selecting [NFP centers], then it's quite a legitimate thing to do and might meet the needs of many women and doctors," Anita Nelson of the University of California-Los Angeles and ACOG spokesperson, said, adding, "But if you hang out your shingle that says 'All-purpose ob-gyn' and don't offer certain services, that's false advertising." Nearly 500 physicians have registered on an Ohio-based Web site to practice NFP. However the actual number of practices that offer only NFP is unknown, according to the Post (Stein, Washington Post, 8/31).


"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

Orion Genomics Announces The Discovery And Validation Of Novel Breast Cancer Biomarkers

Orion Genomics announced today that
the company has identified and validated a suite of novel breast cancer
biomarkers, the most promising of which will be incorporated into the
company's diagnostic assays for the early detection of breast cancer and
the detection of breast cancer recurrence. Using proprietary genome-wide
microarray technology, the company was able to quickly identify a suite of
novel biomarkers in a panel consisting of normal and cancerous breast
tissues. In a second independent biomarker validation panel of more than
200 normal and cancerous breast tissues, over 50 biomarkers demonstrated
significant diagnostic potential, the most promising of which presented 90
percent sensitivity and 96 percent specificity. The results of Orion's
genome-wide, DNA methylation profiling were presented at the 29th Annual
San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium on December 14, 2006 in San Antonio,
Texas.



"Utilizing MethylScope(R), our genome-wide DNA methylation profiling
technology, we were able to quickly identify a suite of promising breast
cancer biomarkers that show significantly high sensitivity and specificity
and represent the most comprehensive and clinically accurate breast cancer
epigenetic biomarkers discovered to date," said Jorge A. Leon, Ph.D.,
Orion's acting Chief Scientific Officer. "We are now validating our most
promising biomarkers in blood serum from cancer-free and breast cancer
patients."



According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 211,000 new
cases of invasive breast cancer are expected in the U.S. in 2006 alone,
where approximately 40,000 patients are expected to die of their disease.
Early detection and treatment when the tumor is still small remains a key
factor in survival; however, early stage breast cancer typically produces
no noticeable symptoms, making early detection through conventional methods
challenging.



"Identifying cancer earlier in the disease progression timeline will
significantly improve treatment outcomes and patient survival, especially
in breast cancer," said Nathan Lakey, Chief Executive Officer and president
of Orion Genomics. "Our identification and validation of sensitive and
specific biomarkers for the detection of breast cancer will form the
foundation of our breast cancer diagnostic assays. These assays will
provide a diagnostic screening test, from blood or other easily collected
samples, of a large population for the early or recurrent signs of breast
cancer."



About Orion Genomics



Orion Genomics, the Second Code biotechnology company, develops
molecular diagnostic products to detect cancer at its earliest stages and
to aid in appropriate therapy selection. Orion's most advanced diagnostic
program is in breast cancer, where the company is developing a highly
sensitive and selective early screening test, followed by additional
epigenetic screening assays in lung, ovarian and colon cancers. Orion
Genomics is located in the Center for Emerging Technologies in St. Louis.
For more information, visit oriongenomics.


Orion Genomics

oriongenomics

AVAC Launches Report On Female-Initiated HIV Prevention Methods

"Female-Initiated HIV Prevention: What Will We Learn From Upcoming Trials?" AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition: The report -- which was published by AVAC in collaboration with the African Microbicides Advocacy Group and the Global Campaign for Microbicides -- aims to assist people in understanding the implications of results from two trials on female-initiated HIV prevention methods. One trial, called MIRA, examines whether protecting the cervix with a physical barrier reduces women's risk of contracting HIV. The other trial looks at a microbicide candidate called Carraguard. The report also provides background data on the two experimental methods and details of study design and targets. In addition, it investigates the general implications of prospective trial results for other female-initiated methods and possible actions to be taken. The report is part of AVAC's "Anticipating and Understanding Results" series, which provides assessments of AIDS vaccine trials and other new HIV prevention alternatives (AVAC et al., "Female-Initiated HIV Prevention," 7/11).

"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

Program Combining Nutrition, Exercise, Other Activities Shows Success In Helping Black Girls Lose Weight

An NIH-funded program that combined exercise, nutrition education, field trips and other activities was more successful than a self-esteem program in helping black girls lose weight and keep it off for two years, according to a study presented at an American Heart Association meeting in Orlando, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports. The program is part of a national effort by NIH to develop and test strategies to help black girls avoid obesity and related health problems. Black girls are at the highest risk of becoming obese later in life, study principal investigator Robert Klesges said.

The study looked at 303 girls who were ages eight to 10 at the time the study began. Forty-one percent of the girls were considered overweight, though none were considered obese. Study participants over two years met weekly and later monthly to focus on diet and exercise or self esteem. At the study's conclusion, the girls in the diet-and-exercise group reported eating 90 fewer calories daily and consuming fewer sweetened drinks and eating slightly more vegetables than girls in the self-esteem group. Thirty percent of overweight girls in the first group lost weight and were able to keep that weight off for two years, compared with 15% of girls in the second group.

According to the Commercial Appeal, there was no difference in amount of exercise reported by the girls in the two groups. According to Klesges, neither intervention had any effect on girls who were of normal weight at the beginning of the study.

Klesges said, "We emphasized real simple strategies that were within the control of the girls. So, rather than choosing a cola drink, we would emphasize (to the girls), why don't you get water, or if you can't do water, why don't you at least get a diet cola?" Klesges said that while the program targeted black girls, it is designed to work within other groups or community settings.

Marian Levy, director of the University of Memphis graduate public health program, said, "It is a very important study," adding, "It shows just by making simple dietary changes you can have an impact on weight and health" (Powers, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 11/25).

Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.