Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
Popular Articles

Shedding Light On DNA Mechanisms
By manipulating individual atoms in DNA and forming unique molecules, a Georgia State University researcher hopes to open new avenues in research towards better understanding the mechanisms of DNA replication and transcription, and perhaps leading to new treatments for diseases.

What Is Dialysis? What Is Kidney Dialysis?
Dialysis is the artificial process of getting rid of waste (diffusion) and unwanted water (ultrafiltration) from the blood. This process is naturally done by our kidneys. Some people, however, may have failed or damaged kidneys which cannot carry out the function properly - they may need dialysis. In other words, dialysis is the artificial replacement for lost kidney function (renal replacement therapy). Dialysis may be used for people who have become ill and have acute kidney failure (temporary loss of kidney function), or for fairly stable patients who have permanently lost kidney function (stage 5 chronic kidney disease).
News of the day
New Surgical Technique Shows Promising Results For Patients With Cervical Cancer
A new surgical technique could allow surgeons to perform a radical hysterectomy in patients with early-stage cervical cancer-with fewer complications, reduced morbidity, and a lower risk of local tumour recurrence than current surgical methods, according to an Article published Online first and in the July edition of The Lancet Oncology.
Medical Devices

Endocrine Society Issues Position Statement On Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals

Interest and concern about possible health threats posed by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is on the rise, yet there is currently no comprehensive coordinated approach to regulating EDCs in the United States. To address this emerging public health issue, The Endocrine Society today released a new position statement outlining the public health concerns of exposure to EDCs and proposing a series of recommendations for revising current policy and generating new policy on EDCs. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are substances in the environment that interfere with hormone biosynthesis, metabolism or action resulting in adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological and immune effects in both humans and wildlife. These chemicals are designed, produced and marketed largely for specific industrial purposes. They are also found in some natural foods and may become further concentrated as foods are processed. The Endocrine Society is concerned that the public may be placed at risk for exposure to EDCs because critical information about potential health effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals is being overlooked in the development of federal guidelines and regulations. "The Endocrine Society does not support alarmist action, but does think the American public should have all the facts and should be protected from potential harm," said R. Thomas Zoeller, Ph.D., a member of the writing group that drafted the Position Statement. "It is clear that more integrated research into this critical health issue is needed to inform effective risk assessment and development of meaningful policy." The Society supports the following positions (Position Statement can be found online here.): - Regulatory oversight of endocrine disrupting-chemicals should be centralized such that regulations pass through a single office to ensure coordination among agencies; - Policy should be based on comprehensive data covering both low-level and high-level exposures; - Policy should be developed and revised under the direction of a collaborative group comprising endocrinologists, toxicologists, epidemiologists and policymakers. The same group should identify knowledge gaps and recommend research directions to fill those gaps; - Until such a time as conclusive scientific evidence exists to either prove or disprove harmful effects of substances, a precautionary approach should be taken in the formulation of EDC policy; - The federal government should develop a public awareness campaign to inform the public of the risks and potential risks related to the presence of EDCs in the environment and in the food supply; and - The federal government should support further research into EDCs, including the development of high-throughput assays that would allow the testing of many chemicals for EDC activity at a full range of concentrations. This new Position Statement comes on the heels of the Society"s Scientific Statement, Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: An Endocrine Society Scientific Statement, which presents a comprehensive review of the state of scientific knowledge on endocrine-disrupting chemicals and makes recommendations for improving our understanding of the mechanisms by which EDCs cause or contribute to human disease. The Scientific Statement was unveiled at the Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, DC on June 10, 2009 and can be found online here. The Endocrine Society


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

© Copyright 2009