�NHS Health Scotland, the national health improvement agency, has base a 17 per cent fall in admissions for heart attacks just one year afterward the smoke ban1 came into force play.
Undertaken by the University of Glasgow, this study is 1 of the most rich of its kind, and was commissioned as role of a national rating of the impact of Scotland's smokefree legislation. Published this calendar week in the New England Journal of Medicine, the results from a study of ball club Scottish hospitals2 demonstrate the positive impingement going smokefree can have on the health of the population.
The evaluation of Scotland's smokefree law found that after the legislation came into force there was:
� a 17 per penny reduction in heart tone-beginning admissions to nine Scottish hospitals. This compares with an annual reduction in Scottish admissions for ticker attack of 3 per cent per year in the ten before the ban
� an 86 per cent simplification in second hand smoke in bars
� a 39 per cent reduction in second hand smoke exposure in 11-year-olds and in adult non-smokers
� an increase in the proportion of homes with smoking restrictions
� no evidence of smoking shifting from public places into the home
� considerable public support for the legislation even among smokers, whose support increased in one case the legislation was in place
Professor Jill Pell, University of Glasgow world Health Organization conducted the study said: "Previous analyses of bit hospital admission data from the US and Italy have reported reductions in heart attacks following the introduction of smoking bans. However, our Scottish study, is the first to examine the impact of the legislation on smokers and non-smokers separately. We have been able to demonstrate that two-thirds of the ascertained reduction in heart blast has occurred in non-smokers and the results of the blood tests confirmed a reduction in exposure to second hand smoke among non-smokers. We believe that most of the step-down can be attributed to the innovation of the Scottish smoke ban."
Sally Haw, Principal Public Health Adviser at NHS Health Scotland, unified the research programme: "This evaluation of impact of smokefree legislation is the most comprehensive yet conducted and the findings have exceeded our greatest expectations. As well as the dramatic 17 per cent reduction in heart attacks, we plant clear grounds of: improvements in the respiratory health of prevention workers; reductions in second hand exposure in bar workers, and adults and children the general population; and changing sociocultural norms around smoking and the acceptability of exposing others to SHS.
"The findings from the Scottish study of heart attacks are of worldwide importance and the combined results from the evaluation provide a compelling case for other countries to follow through a comprehensive ban on smoking in public places as shortly as possible, thereby reduction the impairment caused by second-hand smoke. However, it is essential that smokefree legislation is set within the context of use of wider tobacco control activity as outlined in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control - an external treaty designed to reduce both the demand for and the supply of tobacco products. 3"
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Peter Donnelly aforesaid: "This raft of research demonstrates the significant populace health benefits that the smoking ban is already having in Scotland. It provides evidence that the legislation is improving the health of everyone in Scotland - including smokers, non-smokers, children and barworkers. One of the most important findings is the reduction in heart attacks. We believe that the smoking forbiddance was a large tributary factor to this drop and I am convinced that we will persist in to get a line the incontrovertible effects of the forbiddance in long time to come."
The publication of this study comes together with other good news internationally; Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates announced in New York last week a further $375 gazillion investment ($250 million from the Bloomberg Family Foundation and $125 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) in tobacco plant control activity in development countries4; patch China has made the forthcoming Olympics a smokefree event when it takes the world stage in August.
1. The Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act came into force in Scotland on 26th March 2006 and prohibits smoking in virtually all enclosed public places including parallel bars restaurants and cafes.
2. The heart attempt admissions to the club study hospitals account for 63 per cent of all Scottish admissions for heart onset.
3. Link to WHO FCTC
4. Link to Bloomberg/Gates story
NHS Scotland
http://www.scot.nhs.uk
More information
Thursday 14 August 2008
Wednesday 6 August 2008
Rectal Gel Could Limit HIV Transmission
�
When applied as portion of a rectal gel, the drug tenofovir may prevent
HIV transmission, according to an subject field performed in macaque monkeys.
These results were released on August 4, 2008 in the open access
journal PLoS
Medicine.
In both heterosexuals and homosexuals, rectal social intercourse carries a
very danger of HIV transmission. Prophylactic measures so far get
focused on condoms and other physical barriers, so there is limited
information about the potential use of topical products for this type
of transmitting.
To investigate this potentiality new birth control device measure, Martin Cranage
of St. George'ss University of London and colleagues performed a study
in macaque monkeys. After diligence of the experimental gel, a
placebo, or no medication, human rectal exposure to HIV was faux
in the monkeys by exposure to Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), a
conformation of the disease that is specific to monkeys.
The researchers institute that the macaques pre-treated with rectal
tenofovir gel up to two hours before viral exposure were partly or
totally protexted from SIV infection. Untreated animals, along with
those treated with the placebo were infected with the virus. Notably,
some of the macaques given protection likewise developed T-cell immune
responses to the virus.
These findings indicate that bar of rectal HIV transmittance
might be achieved through and through topical treatment with antiretroviral drugs,
a powerful fresh tool for HIV prophylaxis. However, investigation this
will provide further challenges for scientists, because true efficaciousness
cannot be concluded in animals alone. Further, late human trials have
had some setbacks -- this is shown in a study of women victimisation
microbicide vaginally who actually showed increased rates of HIV
infection. Also, because of HIV's mechanism of attempt via activated
T-cells from the immune system, it is important to establish that the
noted immune reception does not increase subsequent infection with the
virus.
The authors conclude, optimistic despite these limitations, that there
is potential for topical applications of antiretroviral drugs. "There
may be potential difference for synergism between topical ARV/microbicide utilization and
vaccination as a two-pronged strategy for preventing infection with
HIV," they suppose.
Florian Hladik and Charlene Dezzutti, contributed an accompanying
Perspective noting the implications of this study on farther studies of
a alike nature, including continued purification of the animal models,
significant further pre-clinical inquiry, and molecular level
probe.
About PLoS Medicine
PLoS Medicine is an open access, freely useable
international medical journal. It publishes original research that
enhances our understanding of human wellness and disease, together with
commentary and analysis of important global health issues. For more than
information, visit http://www.plosmedicine.org/
About the Public Library of Science
The Public Library of Science (PLoS) is a nonprofit organization of
scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific
and medical literature a freely available public resource. For more
information, http://www.plos.org/
Prevention of SIV rectal transmission and priming of T cell
responses in macaques afterwards local preexposure application of tenofovir
colloidal gel.
Cranage M, Sharpe S, Herrera C, Cope A, Dennis M, et al.
PLoS Med 5(8): e157.
doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0050157
Click
Here For Full Length Article
Can a topical microbicide prevent rectal HIV transmission?
Hladik F, Dezzutti CS
PLoS Med 5(8): e167.
doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0050167
Click
Here For Full Length Perspective
Written by Anna Sophia McKenney
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
More information
When applied as portion of a rectal gel, the drug tenofovir may prevent
HIV transmission, according to an subject field performed in macaque monkeys.
These results were released on August 4, 2008 in the open access
journal PLoS
Medicine.
In both heterosexuals and homosexuals, rectal social intercourse carries a
very danger of HIV transmission. Prophylactic measures so far get
focused on condoms and other physical barriers, so there is limited
information about the potential use of topical products for this type
of transmitting.
To investigate this potentiality new birth control device measure, Martin Cranage
of St. George'ss University of London and colleagues performed a study
in macaque monkeys. After diligence of the experimental gel, a
placebo, or no medication, human rectal exposure to HIV was faux
in the monkeys by exposure to Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), a
conformation of the disease that is specific to monkeys.
The researchers institute that the macaques pre-treated with rectal
tenofovir gel up to two hours before viral exposure were partly or
totally protexted from SIV infection. Untreated animals, along with
those treated with the placebo were infected with the virus. Notably,
some of the macaques given protection likewise developed T-cell immune
responses to the virus.
These findings indicate that bar of rectal HIV transmittance
might be achieved through and through topical treatment with antiretroviral drugs,
a powerful fresh tool for HIV prophylaxis. However, investigation this
will provide further challenges for scientists, because true efficaciousness
cannot be concluded in animals alone. Further, late human trials have
had some setbacks -- this is shown in a study of women victimisation
microbicide vaginally who actually showed increased rates of HIV
infection. Also, because of HIV's mechanism of attempt via activated
T-cells from the immune system, it is important to establish that the
noted immune reception does not increase subsequent infection with the
virus.
The authors conclude, optimistic despite these limitations, that there
is potential for topical applications of antiretroviral drugs. "There
may be potential difference for synergism between topical ARV/microbicide utilization and
vaccination as a two-pronged strategy for preventing infection with
HIV," they suppose.
Florian Hladik and Charlene Dezzutti, contributed an accompanying
Perspective noting the implications of this study on farther studies of
a alike nature, including continued purification of the animal models,
significant further pre-clinical inquiry, and molecular level
probe.
About PLoS Medicine
PLoS Medicine is an open access, freely useable
international medical journal. It publishes original research that
enhances our understanding of human wellness and disease, together with
commentary and analysis of important global health issues. For more than
information, visit http://www.plosmedicine.org/
About the Public Library of Science
The Public Library of Science (PLoS) is a nonprofit organization of
scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific
and medical literature a freely available public resource. For more
information, http://www.plos.org/
Prevention of SIV rectal transmission and priming of T cell
responses in macaques afterwards local preexposure application of tenofovir
colloidal gel.
Cranage M, Sharpe S, Herrera C, Cope A, Dennis M, et al.
PLoS Med 5(8): e157.
doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0050157
Click
Here For Full Length Article
Can a topical microbicide prevent rectal HIV transmission?
Hladik F, Dezzutti CS
PLoS Med 5(8): e167.
doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0050167
Click
Here For Full Length Perspective
Written by Anna Sophia McKenney
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
More information
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