The age is no measured in years

The cost of health care for elderly people in industrialized countries should be reconstructed. This is the main conclusion of a study led by U.S. and Austrian researchers says that due to the improved quality of life experienced by people in this age group, the investment required to meet their needs in the coming decades will not be as high as previously estimated.
Just as many countries debate the possibility of raising the retirement age, the authors of this study published in the journal Science suggest a new method for measuring aging, rather than relying solely on chronological age, also takes into account other factors such as the degree of disability of the person.

The age is no measured in years

Currently, the researchers explain, the way in which the projected aging do have to "ignore the progress in life expectancy and improved health status," the elderly. "These indicators considered in many cases that people are older when they turn 65 or even before," he stressed.However, in his words, more people of 65 do not need any care from others and can even act as providers of assistance to others.

Age and years

"If we apply the measures we propose to calculate the age and take into account increased life expectancy and decreasing the number of people suffering from handicaps to age, we see that the population is aging more slowly than we expected" , they say.At work, researchers stress that applying the new method, which, through various measurements estimated the relationship between those needing care and the resources available to meet their needs-has important implications. "Our study shows that people see more than 65 years as a" burden on society 'is an outmoded concept, "they say.

HIV, out of control among French gays

Control. So the researchers defined the Institute of Public Health French state of the AIDS epidemic in men who have sex with men (MSM). While other groups, the number of new HIV infections has declined between 2003 and 2008, in the group of men who sleep with each other not only has not decreased but has been increasing, according to an analysis published by the journal 'The Lancet Infectious Diseasesand the French gays with AIDS. "Of the 6940 new HIV diagnoses were recorded in France in 2008, compared to 8930 there were in 2003 - was 48% in the group of MSM.

AIDS in France

"Sexual transmission of the virus is out of control between these men," says the author of the analysis that assesses the status of the AIDS epidemic in France.The percentage of infections in this group of people is "alarmingly high," says Hogg Robert, HIV Center of Vancouver British Colombia (Canada), who signs an editorial on the subject and the French gays with AIDS. And even more worrisome when compared with users of intravenous drugs, which accounted for only 1% of new cases.The situation in France is not far from that of other countries. In Spain, one in three HIV diagnoses occur in men with homosexual relationships, while in the U.S. this population is half of the diagnoses.

French gays with AIDS

The analysis points to "the increase in unprotected anal intercourse and increasing the number of sexual partners" as a possible explanation to justify the spread of the virus in these men and the French gays with AIDS. "The increase of syphilis and other venereal diseases are also playing their role," he stated.Either way, experts agree on the need for new strategies that specifically target this group, given that the current alternatives are not succeeding.
Along with the MSM, the other most vulnerable to the virus is the immigrant, especially women. The French data show that 23% of all infections is for non-French citizens, and especially sub-Saharan African people  and the French gays with AIDS.

Hallucinogens for terminal cancer patients

In 2004, the scientific community turned its gaze towards Charles Grob of the Harbor-UCLA University, Los Angeles (USA). The U.S. Food and Drug, FDA, authorized his pioneering study of hallucinogenic drugs to terminally ill with cancer. The controversy not long in coming and now, surely, will make itself felt again.
For Grob has just published the results of that test, the first in 35 years that explores the usefulness of drugs like LSD or psilocybin, and the Hallucinogens for cancer patients, which is extracted from certain fungi, for anxiety and psychological stress associated with the existential crisis suffered Many terminally ill patients. And, apparently, their use also is effective insurance.
The American scientist expects no return "to play the bitter debate in the early 60s. I think we've matured enough as a culture for the past forty years to be able to refer to these compounds to a rigorous controlled study for Hallucinogens for cancer patients, scientific and accurately determine its range of effects, particularly the security settings and potential therapeutic applications, without political or social agents interfere with these tasks. "

Hallucinogens for cancer patients

In recent years, fortunately, health workers' awareness has grown that psychological and spiritual needs of many patients with cancer and their families should be approached with much more determination and the Hallucinogens for cancer patients. From the late 1950s to early 70s, were carried investigations aimed at exploring the use of hallucinogenic substances for the therapy of anxiety, despair and isolation often associated with advanced stages of cancer ...
The study showed that people in critical condition substantially improved and sustained their morale and their anxiety levels, and require fewer doses of narcotics and Hallucinogens for cancer patients for pain because of them. Despite these promising results, research into this field is stopped, "says Dr. Grob in the past ' Archives of General Psychiatry.

Europe discusses the relationship between the NHN1 vaccine and narcolepsy

The European Medicines Agency (EMA, for its acronym in English) has announced it will investigate the possible relationship between influenza vaccine supply during the last pandemic (Pandemrix) and several cases of narcolepsy detected mainly in Sweden and Finland. The review is done at the request of the European Commission.In a statement, the agency said that "although the cases have been found to coincide in time with the use of Pandemrix not currently known if the vaccine has caused this disorder and the NHN1 vaccine and narcolepsy" At present, there are a score of suspected cases in Finland, six in Sweden and six in France, according to the newspaper announced yesterday Gallo 'Le Figaro'.
"So far, the Finns [and Sweden] have been detected in your system registry an unusual increase of cases of narcolepsy in children vaccinated against influenza," he told Antoni Trilla, public health specialist at the Hospital Clínic Barcelona. "They have no evidence that there is a direct and also in the middle of occasions, some have dismissed this partnership," he adds.

Relationship between NHN1 vaccine and narcolepsy

However, at the request of the European Commission, the College has launched Pandemrix research, made by GlaxoSmithKline, which has been applied to more than 30 million EU citizens since September 2009. The agency has announced that it will consider the "need to take interim measures until the completion of the evaluation." For the moment, "the precautionary principle, the NHN1 vaccine and narcolepsy[the Finns] have stopped vaccinating children for this product," Trilla said.Narcolepsy in a rare sleep disorder that causes the person to fall asleep suddenly and unavoidably. "It is a purpose [adverse] rarely described," the specialist Catalan. Unknown origin of this problem but it is believed that genetic and environmental factors work together.For its part, the British pharmaceutical "is collaborating with the European agency in the investigation," according to sources based in Spain. to the NHN1 vaccine and narcolepsy "We have much experience in programs of mass vaccination," explain to this medium.

NHN1 vaccine increse the cases of narcolepsy

In these situations, there is usually more to explore but most of the time it is just a coincidence in time. "The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use shall be responsible for assessing Pandemrix the NHN1 vaccine and narcolepsy. "It will look carefully all available data to determine whether evidence exists to establish a causal relationship," the EMA concrete.