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.

Chronic fatigue syndrome may be caused by a virus

The connection viral gained notoriety when researchers from Nevada said they discovered a specific strain in the blood of two thirds of the 101 chronic fatigue patients studied.
A U.S. government study found a family of viruses that affects mice with chronic fatigue syndrome, which raises questions about whether the complicated disease may be related to an infection.
The study does not prove to have any of these viruses cause damage, said co-author Dr. Harve Alter of the National Institute of Health. But it reinforces that suspicion, and the government is conducting further investigations to determine if the link is real or not.
Meanwhile, a group of French and Canadian scientists said it was time to investigate whether new antiviral drugs such as those used for HIV can be treated at least some chronic fatigue patients and viruses.
The viral connection gained notoriety when researchers from Nevada said they discovered a specific variety, called XMRV, in the blood of two thirds of the 101 chronic fatigue patients studied. But several other studies, including one of the Center for Disease Contro and Prevention, did not detect the virus in patients XMRV, prompting researchers to ask whether it was a false alarm.

Chronic fatigue is caused by a virus

The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, thickens the mystery. This time, scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) examined the blood of 37 patients with chronic fatigue and also found no XMRV, but instead found a group of a family of viruses MLV in 86% of cases.
Tests to 44 healthy blood donors, by contrast, found evidence of such viruses by almost 7%.
Several viruses have been linked to chronic fatigue over the years only to be ruled out as possible culprits of mysterious disease affecting a million people in the U.S.. It is characterized by at least six months of severe fatigue, memory impairment and other symptoms, but does not have a screening test or specific treatment.

These MLV, an acronym in English of "virus of mouse leukemia related to" cause some varieties of cancer in mice and has found the relative of XMRV in some prostate tumors in humans.
But there is no simple way to detect it, which means that studies of a possible link at this point to be made in research laboratories and in doctors' offices, researchers at the FDA and the NIH on Monday.
No one knows how to infect humans, but Alter said it is conducting a large study to see if there is evidence of transmission through blood.
Meanwhile, federal regulators require that blood donors are healthy, said Dr. Hira Nakhasi, the FDA.