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Classwide Opioids REMS: A Good Idea, Implement Carefully
On May 27 and 28, 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hear testimony about the FDA-guided effort to develop a classwide Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for all controlled-release opioids from more than 70 patients, scientists, public health professionals, and representatives of pharmacist groups, prescriber groups, and pharmaceutical companies. Controlled-release opioids include prescription pain medications that release the medication over a period of several hours and contain fentanyl, hydromorphone, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, or oxymorphone. More than 21 million prescriptions are written every year for these medications.
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HIV Awareness, Testing Efforts In Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky Target Black Community, Others
Religious leaders, health care workers, community organizations and government agencies in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky have begun a number of HIV and sexual health awareness efforts that encourage members of the black community, and others, to get tested, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. To increase the number of people being tested, the Northern Kentucky Health Department is providing HIV testing in people"s homes and the Cincinnati Health Department, along with other organizations, is conducting HIV testing in bars and clubs. Cincinnati also is a pilot site for the Black AIDS Institute"s "Test One Million" campaign. Separately, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections is nearing the end of a two-year pilot program in one prison that is testing inmates for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections upon their release. Other efforts in the states include condom distribution and HIV education (O"Farrell, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/5).
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Widespead And On The Increase - Vitamin D Deficiency
A new report issued by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and published in the scientific journal Osteoporosis International1, shows that populations across the globe are suffering from the impact of low levels of vitamin D. The problem is widespread and on the increase, with potentially severe repercussions for overall health and fracture rates.
Public Health

MRSA Present In One In Four Nursing Home Residents In The UK

MRSA is a major problem in nursing homes with one in four residents carrying the bacteria, a study by Queen"s University Belfast and Antrim Area Hospital has found. Its authors say that the findings, which have been published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, highlight the need for infection control strategies to be given a higher priority in nursing homes. The study, thought to be the largest of its kind studying MRSA in private nursing homes in the UK, took nose swabs from 1,111 residents and 553 staff in 45 nursing homes in the former Northern Board area of Northern Ireland. Twenty-four per cent of residents and 7 per cent of staff were found to be colonised with MRSA, meaning they were carrying the bacteria but not necessarily showing signs of infection or illness. Residents in 42 of the homes were colonised with MRSA, with recorded rates in individual nursing homes ranging from zero to 73 per cent. Staff in 28 of the homes carried the bacteria with prevalence rates ranging from zero to 28 per cent. Dr Paddy Kearney, Consultant Medical Microbiologist with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, said: "We decided to carry out the study after noticing an apparent increase in recent years in the number of patients who had MRSA when they were admitted to hospital from nursing homes. "In hospitals routine checks are carried out to identify those most at risk of MRSA colonisation (carrying it on their skin and/or nose) and infection control policies are put in place but this is not always feasible in private nursing homes." Dr Michael Tunney, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy, from Queen"s University"s School of Pharmacy, said: "This is the first study which has reported prevalence of MRSA among staff in nursing homes in the UK and found that staff need to be more aware of the potential problem MRSA can be in this setting." Professor Carmel Hughes, a Director of Research in the School of Pharmacy, added: "In order to combat this problem, two approaches could be considered: improved education and training of staff, and removing MRSA from people who are colonised with it, using suitable creams and washes. "Further studies looking at these approaches need to be carried out." Andrea Clements Queen"s University Belfast


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