London School Of Hygiene And Tropical Medicine Audio News - Lshtm Podcast

In this edition of Audio News, presented by Peter Goodwin, Sandy Cairncross (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine), Maggie Black (Earthscan), and Girish Menon (Water Aid) talk about: The Last Taboo: Opening The Door On The Global Sanitation Crisis - a book by Maggie Black and Ben Fawcett, published by Earthscan with UNICEF. A massive improvement in health and wealth in developing countries could be achieved by providing systems to dispose of human excreta safely. A new book: “The Last Taboo” was launched at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine by the Professor of Environmental Health, Sandy Cairncross.

LSHTM Audio News - February 8th, 2008 Europe's Surge Against Cancer Source: "Responding to the Challenge of Cancer in Europe" (Slovenia's European Union Presidency Report on Cancer) 1. Michel Coleman (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) explains how cancer will become a new priority in the EU. 2. Oncologist Karol Sikora (Hammersmith Hospital, London) told the meeting at London's Royal Institution that Europe is a natural laboratory for investigating cancer with different populations and varying healthcare systems. 3. Martin McKee (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) discussed the role of the "European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies" in fulfilling the new aims. 4. Lynn Faulds Wood (European Cancer Patient Coalition) talked about her experience of having cancer discusses the priorities for patients. 5. Richard Sullivan (London School of Economics) described areas of biggest need, including neglected "orphan" areas of research.

LSHTM Audio News - January 17th, 2008 With one child in three killed by it, childhood and maternal undernutrition are discussed in a special series of articles in the Lancet. Sarah Maxwell spoke with Zulfiqar Bhutta about his group's massive study, and in particular about the risks of not breastfeeding optimally. The interval from conception to age 24 months has been named as the critical period for child nutrition, with big health effects in adult life. Caroline Fall spoke with Karen Regester about the evidence her group has published in The Lancet on five key studies on maternal and infant nutrition. Simon Cousens talked with Peter Goodwin about a new study of interventions, including promoting breast feeding, and vitamin supplements for combating maternal and child undernutrition. Bruce Cogill gave Peter Goodwin his assessment of the chances of success in the global battle to save the lives of a third of the world's children. Lancet Editor, Richard Horton, explained the importance of these new findi

LSHTM Audio News Review - October 24th, 2007 A supplement to LSHTM Audio News reviewing this year's important medical developments. Reduce Maternal Deaths! There are half a million maternal deaths each year, according to the Lancet's "Women Deliver" conference held in London. Ann Starrs, Carine Ronsman and Veronique Filippi discuss with Anna Lacey how to reduce unsafe abortions and obstetric complications all over the world to bring this startling figure down HIV Treatment And Leprosy Diana Lockwood told the Chicago ICAAC conference how ‘hidden’ leprosy can be triggered in some patients who are receiving HIV antiretroviral therapy Polio Eradication Possible? D. A. Henderson, who led the global smallpox eradication programme, said in a meeting held at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that we now need to readdress health priorities to eradicate polio

Audio News Special: Global Mental Health Mental Health is a major part of the global disease burden, but more needs to be done to make sure support, treatments and policies are in place. That's according to a series of articles, published in The Lancet, which have looked at this very topic. The audio news team went to meet some of the authors: Graham Thornicroft, of Kings College London, who talked about the size of the problem; Vikram Patel, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who discussed measures to take and choices that need to be made; and Shekhar Saxena, from the World Health Organisation, who has calculated the costs involved.

Audio News Special: Energy and Health, September 13th, 2007 In this programme, Derek Thorne speaks to the authors of a new series of papers in the Lancet, which focus on the important links between energy and health. Featuring: Paul Wilkinson on the ways energy use impacts on health around the world; John Powles from the University of Cambridge on livestock production; James Woodcock on how transport in cities will have to change; Richard Horton on what health professionals can do to address energy and health; and Andy Haines on the policy changes being called for.

LSHTM Audio News Review - September 12th, 2007 A supplement to LSHTM Audio News reviewing this year's important medical developments. Road-Side Tranexamic Acid Therapy to Reduce Mortality and Blood Transfusions after Trauma? The multi-national CRASH trial investigates whether the antifibrinolytic agent, tranexamic acid normally used to reduce bleeding during surgery can also be used as a first-aid to cut mortality and the need of blood transfusion immediately after trauma. Jaime Miranda, based in Lima, Peru, described to Peter Goodwin how the trial could benefit the developing world in particular. Growth Hormones: Slimming Aid for Patients Receiving HAART? Daily administration of the growth hormone releasing factor, TH9507, to patients with HIV receiving Highly Active Anti Retroviral Therapy (HAART) can help to reduce cardiovascular risk factors, according to Steven Grinspoon, who presented a paper on this at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, held in Los Angeles. He talked abou

LSHTM Audio News Review - August 31st, 2007 A supplement to LSHTM Audio News reviewing this year's important medical developments. Herpes Simplex Therapy Reduces HIV Activity in Co-Infected Patients It is possible to reduce HIV activity in patients who are co-infected with HIV and herpes simplex type 2. Philippe Mayaud tells us about the study which showed reduced HIV concentration in the blood and vagina when co-infected patients underwent continuous treatment with anti-herpes agent valacyclovir. Entecavir Helps Combat HIV but Also Selects Antiretroviral Resistant Mutation Entecavir, used to treat HBV can lower levels of HIV in co-infected patients. In spite of entecavirs success, Chloe Thio reveals that the drug selects a mutation that makes HIV resistant to entecavir as well as antiretroviral drugs, and calls for a revision of guidelines that recommend its use for co-infected patients as. Breastfeeding Reduces Transmission Rates From Mothers with HIV While early cessation of breastfeeding reduces HI

LSHTM Audio News Review - August 28th, 2007 A supplement to LSHTM Audio News reviewing this year's important medical developments. Increased Miscarriage Risk in Women with Low Body Mass Index Underweight women with a BMI below 18.5 have a 70 per cent increase in their risk of miscarriage according to a study published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Pat Doyle gave us the details. Microfinance Helps Cut Domestic Violence in Rural South Africa A large and groundbreaking study published in the Lancet has shown that microfinance, combined with a gender and HIV training scheme, can help reduce domestic violence among poor women living in rural South Africa. Charlotte Watts talks about the study and its findings. "Three-Class" Anti-Retroviral Therapy Is Not Appropriate For HIV It is not necessary to use so-called "three-class" antiretroviral therapy to treat patients with HIV according to an article in the Lancet. Rodger MacArthur talks about the study results. Folate Supplements Improve

LSHTM Audio News Review A supplement to LSHTM Audio News reviewing this year's important medical developments. Seven-Day Low-Cost Tuberculosis Diagnosis A new test for TB (reported in the New England Journal of Medicine) has proved more powerful, faster and yet cheaper than any alternative. David Moore explains how the Microscopic-Observation Drug-Susceptibility (MODS) Assay is highly sensitive and specific, and also yields drug susceptibility data. Improved TB Detection in Women Improving on notoriously low TB detection rates in resource-limited parts of the world may be easily achieved, according to Mishal Khan. The effectiveness of screening can be strengthened by giving comprehensive instructions to women before they produce sputum for testing. Ultimate Eradication of Polio? A monovalent vaccine for type 1 polio has been tested in India where the virus persists, Nicholas Grassly explains why he thinks the vaccine will be much more effective than the trivalent vaccine. Pneumonia Treatment Guidelines S

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Audio News, August 16th, 2007 1. Adherence to TB Medication SIMON LEWIN, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine REFERENCE: PLoS Med 4(7):e238. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0040238 A new systematic review has shown that we don’t understand well enough the reasons for poor adherence to tuberculosis medication. Simon Lewin calls for a better approach in the area. 2. Where Now for HIV Prevention Trials? REFERENCE: The Lancet 2007; 370:251-261 NANCY PADIAN, University of California, San Francisco A major study testing a latex diaphragm for HIV prevention found no additional benefit. This adds to a growing number of HIV prevention trials that have failed to find a positive result. So what do we do now? Nancy Padian of the University of California, San Francisco, explains the trial’s results, while David Mabey of LSHTM suggests the field needs greater funding. 3. COMMENT: Where Now for HIV Prevention Trials? DAVID MABEY, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medi

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Audio News, July 26th, 2007 1. Malaria Nets Should be Mass Distributed CHRIS CURTIS, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine The current method of distributing insecticidal nets for malaria isn’t working well enough. Chris Curtis explains what needs to be done. 2. Renewed Battle Against Chagas Disease JEAN JANNIN, World Health Organisation MICHAEL MILES, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Jean Jannin of the WHO discusses the organisation’s new push to eliminate Chagas Disease; and Michael Mills explains how London School research will contribute. 3. Quiet Progress for the Dengue Vaccine REFERENCE: www.pdvi.org HAROLD MARGOLIS, Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative, Seoul Harold Margolis, director of the Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative, describes current progress in the development of a vaccine for dengue fever.

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Audio News, July 1st, 2007 1. The Threat of Oral Tobacco Martin McKee, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Martin McKee on the smoking ban – and how the tobacco industry is now looking to promote oral tobacco. Is it an effort to keep people addicted? 2. Health Politics Must Involve History REFERENCE: The Guardian, 20th June http://politics.guardian.co.uk/politicspast/comment/0,,2106590,00.html Virginia Berridge, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Virginia Berridge on how the past holds important lessons for public health in the present. 3. Alcohol Consumption in Russian Men REFERENCE: The Lancet 2007; 369:2001-2009 Martin McKee, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Martin McKee also discusses the new study on alcohol and mortality in working-age Russian men, and evidence that non-beverage alcohol is a major cause of early death.