Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor in conversations with senators has indicated her support for Roe v. Wade, even if she has not explicitly stated that she supports abortion rights, the AP/Yahoo! News reports. According to the AP/Yahoo! News, Sotomayor is “following a timehonored tradition” among nominees of assuring senators that she will not aim to impose a certain agenda, while also avoiding firm commitments on how she might rule on certain issues such as abortion rights if they come before the court. In questioning Sotomayor, senators hope to obtain assurances that she will honor certain precedents, such as Roe, which allows them to justify their votes for her to their constituents, the AP/Yahoo! News reports. Doug Kendall of the Constitutional Accountability Center said, “Theres always a bit of a parlor game that develops in terms of what precisely words said by nominees mean.”

Because Sotomayor has never directly ruled on the key issues in Roe, advocates on both sides of the abortionrights debate have speculated over her views on constitutional privacy rights. White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs has said that President Obama and Sotomayor discussed her “views on unenumerated rights in the Constitution and the theory of settled law.” The AP/Yahoo! News reports that Gibbs comments indicate that Sotomayor would be unlikely to overturn Roe, which supporters consider “settled law.” Sens. Dianne Feinstein (DCalif.) and Benjamin Cardin (DMd.), both of whom support abortion rights, said they spoke with Sotomayor about her position during private meetings and were pleased with her answers. Feinstein said that Sotomayor is “a woman who is wellsteeped in the law and wellsteeped in precedent, and I believe that she has a real respect for precedent.” Sen. Jim DeMint (RS.C.), an opponent of abortion rights, said that when he privately asked Sotomayor whether she believed a fetus should have any constitutional rights, she responded that she had never considered the issue (Hirschfeld Davis, AP/Yahoo! News, 6/18).

Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Womens Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Womens Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.

The pdfstack.com is a simple search engine that is employed as a special tool in the search of e-books. The pdf search engine with a massive database of over 70 million files is growing by the day as nearly one fourth of a million files being added on a daily basis. The files are sourced through third parties and are gathered both within and without the internet. The feature of the search engine thus is getting successful search engine results for every search. And the results reflect great accuracy and are always without blemish, while also taking care to provide the latest results. PDF search. The search is done continually without any interruptions for causes like copy right violations. The website also lists the last 100 search and their search results to give the readers an idea of what browsers are looking for and to appreciate the diverse subjects and languages the searches have been made in.

Antisense Therapeutics Ltd. (ASX ANP) is pleased to report further positive results from its collaborative preclinical research studies on the therapeutic potential of ATL1101 in prostate cancer. In experimental models, ATL1101 treatment significantly enhanced the tumorsuppressive effect of the cancer drug Paclitaxel. Paclitaxel is one of a class of drugs known as taxanes. Along with androgen (a male hormone) blockade, taxane chemotherapy is an important treatment option in the most dangerous form of the disease, castrationresistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

Illustrating the positive effects of the drug in this mouse model of prostate cancer, prostate tumor volume was halved after 5 weeks of Paclitaxel/ATL1101 combination treatment, compared with control Paclitaxel treated mice.

In cell culture experiments, the amount of Paclitaxel required to induce tumor cell apoptosis (cell death) was significantly reduced when used in combination with ATL1101. This ability to sensitize tumor cells to the cytotoxic effects of Paclitaxel affirms ATL1101s potential as a chemosensitizing agent to be used in combination with existing prostate treatments to improve the outcomes for patients.

ATL1101 is a second generation antisense inhibitor of the insulinlike growth factorI receptor (IGFIR) which as reported previously suppressed the growth of human prostate tumors in an animal model of prostate cancer, and slowed down transition to CRPC when used as a single agent. Drugs targeting IGFIR are being developed by a number of the major pharmaceutical companies for a variety of cancer indications, indicating the importance of the IGFIR target in cancer.

ANPs research collaborator in the study is Prof. Martin Gleave, a leader in prostate cancer treatment and drug development. Martin Gleave, a professor at the Department of Urological Sciences, University of British Columbia and Director of The Prostate Centre at Vancouver General Hospital commented, “Resistance of tumor cells to the effects of existing treatment is a major challenge in the management of prostate cancer. Tumor cells build resistance to chemotherapy treatment via survival mechanisms that include IGFI signaling. In our prostate cancer model we have shown that ATL1101, which is an IGFI receptor blocker, can inhibit this mechanism and restore sensitivity to chemotherapy.”

ANP is in dialogue with various parties regarding the continued development of ATL1101 in prostate cancer, aiming to build on ATL1101s robust preclinical pharmacology data package, completed mouse toxicology study, established drug manufacturing process and strong intellectual property protection.

Further details on study design and outcomes follow.

ATL1101 combination study with Paclitaxel in prostate cancer laboratory models design and outcomes

Design

In vitro experiment Human androgenindependent prostate tumor cell line PC3 was transfected with ATL1101 or mismatch control oligonucleotide ISIS 306064 at concentrations ranging from 12.5 nM to 50 nM. After 2nd transfection, cultured cells were treated with Paclitaxel at concentrations ranging up to 50 nM, then the number of viable cells remaining after a further 72 hrs was counted.

In vivo experiment PC3 cells (2 x 10(6) cells) were xenografted by subcutaneous injection into recipient 68 weekold athymic nude (nu/nu) mice. When tumors reached 200 mm(3), mice were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups IGFIR antisense drug ATL1101 or mismatched oligonucleotide ISIS 306064.

Treatment was with 15 mg/kg ATL1101 or ISIS 306064 once daily for 5 days and three times per week thereafter by intraperitoneal injection. At days 7, 9, 11 and 21, 23, 25, 0.5 mg of micellar Paclitaxel was administrated intravenously once daily. Each experimental group consisted of 10 mice. Mean tumor volume (+/ standard error of the mean) was assessed in each group (ATL1101 or ISIS 306064) every week for up to 8 weeks.

Representative outcomes of the study include the following

In cultured PC3 cells, cell viability decreased as expected with increasing concentrations of Paclitaxel. Transfection with ATL1101 further reduced viable cell count at a given Paclitaxel concentration, and reduced the concentration of Paclitaxel required to give the same viable cell count.

For example, at 0.1 nM Paclitaxel, the viable cell count for PC3 cells was only reduced by approximately 5%, compared with transfection reagent alone and no paclitaxel. Cells treated with both 0.1 nM Paclitaxel and mismatch control oligonucleotide ISIS 306064 at 12.5 nM also had approximately 5% reduced viability. In contrast, cells treated with 0.1 nM Paclitaxel and ATL1101 at 12.5 nM had approximately 45% reduced viability.

In another example, PC3 cell count could be controlled with reduced concentrations of Paclitaxel when ATL1101 was also present cells treated with 1 nM paclitaxel and 25 nM ATL1101 had similar viability to cells treated with a 10fold higher Paclitaxel concentration (10 nM) and 25 nM mismatch control oligonucleotide ISIS 306064.

In PC3 mice, after 5 weeks of treatment, mean tumor size in mice treated with Paclitaxel and mismatch control oligonucleotide ISIS 306064 was 326 +/ 40.9 mm(3) compared with 175 +/ 20.1 mm(3) in mice treated with Paclitaxel and ATL1101, or 53.7% of control (p < 0.01).

After 8 weeks of treatment, mean tumor size in mice treated with Paclitaxel and mismatch control oligonucleotide ISIS 306064 was 1417 +/ 222 mm(3) compared with 507 +/ 79.3 mm(3) in mice treated with Paclitaxel and ATL1101, or a further reduction to only 35.8% of control (p < 0.01).

About Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in men after skin cancer. It is estimated there will be 218,890 new cases diagnosed in the U.S. this year. Around 1 in 6 men will develop prostate cancer, a third to a half of whom will recur after local treatment and risk progression to metastatic prostate cancer. Metastatic disease invariably progresses to hormone refractory or castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) if given enough time. Prostate tumors are initially androgen (male sex hormone) dependent, and can be treated with androgen ablation therapy (the term “castration” can be used to describe removal of the source of androgen), however once the disease progresses to its most dangerous and aggressive form, CRPC, treatment options are limited and prognosis is poor. Treatment options depend on disease severity and include radiation and chemotherapy, which are designed to induce programmed cell death (apoptosis) of tumor cells. There is a pressing need for the development of new treatment options.

About ATL1101

ATL1101 is an antisense inhibitor of IGFIR, which has shown potent activity in laboratory studies, including in human cancer cells. IGFIR is one of the best known of a family of cell signaling molecules that are referred to as “antiapoptotic.” These molecules prolong cell survival by inhibiting programmed cell death (apoptosis). The connection between IGFIR activity and prostate cell tumorigenicity has been studied for many years. Drugs targeting IGFIR are designed to slow down tumor growth and make tumor cells more susceptible to cell death. Inhibition of IGFIR is also designed to make tumor cells more susceptible to killing by cytotoxic treatments like radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Such therapeutic approaches are under investigation in several large pharmaceutical companies, lending support to our own antisensebased strategy against the same target. Designed to block IGFIR synthesis, ATL1101 offers potential advantages over other therapies targeting IGFIR due to its highly differentiated pharmacokinetics and unique antisense mode of action.

ATL1101 was a product of a discovery collaboration between ANP and Isis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ ISIS) and utilizes secondgeneration antisense technology, licensed from Isis. Several antisense drugs with the same chemical modifications and design as ATL1101 are advancing in cancer clinical trials, strengthening support for second generation drugs as targeted cancer therapeutics. For example OGX011, developed by OncoGenex and Isis, is currently being evaluated in Phase II clinical trials in prostate, lung and breast cancer.

Source

Asthma is a disease affecting the airways that carry air to and from your lungs. People who suffer from this chronic condition (long-lasting or recurrent) are said to be asthmatic.
doctor examining a lung x-ray

The inside walls of an asthmatic’s airways are swollen or inflamed. This swelling or inflammation makes the airways extremely sensitive to irritations and increases your susceptibility to an allergic reaction.

As inflammation causes the airways to become narrower, less air can pass through them, both to and from the lungs. Symptoms of the narrowing include wheezing (a hissing sound while breathing), chest tightness, breathing problems, and coughing. Asthmatics usually experience these symptoms most frequently during the night and the early morning.

For information on the different causes of asthma (allergy, colds, stress, exercise, etc) please see page 4 (causes of asthma).

Consuming too many calories.
People are eating much more than they used to. This used to be the case just in developed nations - however, the trend has spread worldwide. Despite billions of dollars being spent on public awareness campaigns that attempt to encourage people to eat healthily, the majority of us continue to overeat. In 1980 14% of the adult population of the USA was obese; by 2000 the figure reached 31% (The Obesity Society).

In the USA, the consumption of calories increased from 1,542 per day for women in 1971 to 1,877 per day in 2004. The figures for men were 2,450 in 1971 and 2,618 in 2004. Most people would expect this increase in calories to consist of fat - not so! Most of the increased food consumption has consisted of carbohydrates (sugars). Increased consumption of sweetened drinks has contributed significantly to the raised carbohydrate intake of most young American adults over the last three decades. The consumption of fast-foods has tripled over the same period.

Anxiety is a general term for several disorders that cause nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worrying. These disorders affect how we feel and behave, and they can manifest real physical symptoms. Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling, while severe anxiety can be extremely debilitating, having a serious impact on daily life.

People often experience a general state of worry or fear before confronting something challenging such as a test, examination, recital, or interview. These feelings are easily justified and considered normal. Anxiety is considered a problem when symptoms interfere with a person’s ability to sleep or otherwise function. Generally speaking, anxiety occurs when a reaction is out of proportion with what might be normally expected in a situation.
Anxiety disorders can be classified into several more specific types. The most common are briefly described below.

Mental health refers to our cognitive, and/or emotional wellbeing it is all about how we think, feel and behave. Mental health, if somebody has it, can also mean an absence of a mental disorder. Approximately 25% of people in the UK have a mental health problem during their lives. The USA is said to have the highest incidence of people diagnosed with mental health problems in the developed world. Your mental health can affect your daily life, relationships and even your physical health. Mental health also includes a persons ability to enjoy life to attain a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience.

According to Medilexicons medical dictionary, mental health is “emotional, behavioral, and social maturity or normality; the absence of a mental or behavioral disorder; a state of psychological wellbeing in which one has achieved a satisfactory integration of ones instinctual drives acceptable to both oneself and ones social milieu; an appropriate balance of love, work, and leisure pursuits”.

According to WHO (World Health Organization), mental health is “a state of wellbeing in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. WHO stresses that mental health “is not just the absence of mental disorder”.

WHO explains that especially in low and middleincome countries, mental health services are very underfunded both human and financial. Most resources are channeled into treating and caring for mentally ill patients, rather than on any integrated mental health system. Countries should integrate mental health into primary health care (general practice), provide mental health care in general hospitals, and improve communitybased mental health services, rather than just providing care in large psychiatric hospitals.Mental health problems (disorders) can affect anyoneExperts say we all have the potential for suffering from mental health problems, no matter how old we are, whether we are male or female, rich or poor, or ethnic group we belong to. In the UK over one quarter of a million people are admitted into psychiatric hospitals each year, and more than 4,000 people kill themselves. They come from all walks of life.

Interesting related articles

What is anxiety? What causes anxiety?

What is dementia? What causes dementia?

What is stress? What causes stress?

What is insomnia? What causes insomnia?

What is depression? What causes depression?

What is schizophrenia?

What is anorexia? What is bulimia?

What is autism?

What is ADHD

According to the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health, USA) mental disorders are “common in the USA and internationally”. Approximately 57.7 million Americans suffer from a mental disorder in a given year, that is approximately 26.2% of adults. However, the main burden of illness is concentrated in about 1 in 17 people (6%) who suffer from a serious mental illness. Approximately half of all people who suffer from a mental disorder probably suffer from another mental disorder at the same time, experts say.

In the UK, Canada, the USA and much of the developed world, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability among people aged 15 to 44.What are mental illness, mental disorders and mental health problems? Mental illness is a term that is used to refer to a wide range of mental disorders that can be diagnosed by a health care professional. In this article, mental illness, mental disorders and mental health problems have the same meaning.What are the most common mental illnesses? The most common forms of mental illnesses areAnxiety disorders the most common group of mental illnesses. The sufferer has a severe fear or anxiety which is linked to certain objects or situations. Most people with an anxiety disorder will try to avoid exposure to whatever triggers their anxiety. Examples of anxiety disorders include
Panic disorder the person experiences sudden paralyzing terror or imminent disaster.
Phobias these may include simple phobias disproportionate fear of objects, social phobias fear of being subject to the judgment of others, and agoraphobia dread of situations where getting away or breaking free may be difficult. We really do not know how many phobias people may experience globally there could be hundreds and hundreds of them.
(OCD) Obsessivecompulsive disorder the person has obsessions and compulsions. In other words, constant stressful thoughts (obsessions), and a powerful urge to perform repetitive acts, such as hand washing (compulsion).

PSTD (Posttraumatic stress disorder) this can occur after somebody has been through a traumatic event something horrible and scary that the person sees or that happens to them. During this type of event the person thinks that his/her life or other peoples lives are in danger. The sufferer may feel afraid or feel that he/she has no control over what is happening.
Mood disorders these are also known as affective disorders or depressive disorders. Patients with these illnesses share disturbances or mood changes, generally involving either mania (elation) or depression. Experts say that approximately 80% of patients with depressive disorder improve significantly with treatment. Examples of mood disorders include
Major depression the sufferer is not longer interested in and does not enjoy activities and events that he/she previously got pleasure from. There are extreme or prolonged periods of sadness.
Bipolar disorder also known as manicdepressive illness, or manic depression. The sufferer oscillates from episodes of euphoria (mania) and depression (despair).
Dysthymia mild chronic depression. Chronic in medicine means continuous and longterm. The patient has a chronic feeling of ill being and/or lack of interest in activities he/she once enjoyed but to a lesser extent than in major depression.
SAD (seasonal affective disorder) a type of major depression. However, this one is triggered by lack of daylight. People get it in countries far from the equator during late autumn, winter, and early spring.
Schizophrenia disordersWhether or not schizophrenia is a single disorder or a group of related illnesses has yet to be fully determined. It is a highly complex illness, with some generalizations which exist in virtually all patients diagnosed with schizophrenia disorders. Most sufferers experience onset of schizophrenia between 15 and 25 years of age. The sufferer has thoughts that appear fragmented; he/she also finds it hard to process information. Schizophrenia can have negative or positive symptoms. Positive symptoms include delusions, thought disorders and hallucinations. Negative symptoms include withdrawal, lack of motivation and a flat or inappropriate mood. (See the article “What is schizophrenia”)What are the most common serious mental disorders (illnesses)? Most major (serious) mental illnesses tend to have symptoms that come and go, with periods in between when the person can lead a relatively normal life (episodic illness). The most common serious mental disorders areSchizophrenia (See the article “What is schizophrenia”)Bipolar disorder (see article “What is bipolar disorder”)Depression (see article “What is depression”)Treatments and strategies for mental health problemsThere are various ways people with mental health problems might receive treatment. It is important to know that what works for one person may not work for another; this is especially the case with mental health. Some strategies or treatment are more successful when combined with others. The patient himself/herself with a chronic (longterm) mental disorder may draw on different options at different stages in his/her life. The majority of experts say that the well informed patient is probably the best judge of what treatment suits him/her better. It is crucial that healthcare professionals be aware of this.

Self help

There are a lot people with mental health problems may do to improve their mental health. Alterations in lifestyle, which may include a better diet, lower alcohol and illegal drug consumption, exercise and getting enough sleep can make enormous differences to a mental health patients mental health. Lets have a closer look and some of these strategiesDiet and mental health

Scientists, psychiatrists, and other health care professionals know that the brain is made up in large part of essential fatty acids, water and other nutrients. It is an accepted fact that food affects how people feel, think and behave. Most experts accept that dietary interventions could have an impact on a number of the mental health challenges society faces today. So, why is it that governments and public health authorities in developed economies invest so little in developing this knowledge?

The evidence is growing and becoming more compelling that diet can play a significant role in the care and treatment of people with mental health problems, including depression, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) to name but a few. If experts are talking about an integrated approach which recognizes the interplay of biological, psychological, social and environmental factors with diet in the middle of it as being key and challenging the growing burden of mental health problems in developed nations, surely individuals can speed things up and do something about their diet themselves and improve their mental health.

Interesting related article

What is healthy eating? What is a good diet?It is estimated that in the UK people eat 4 kilograms of food additives each year. We are not sure what effect decades of such consumption may have on the brain. We dont know for one simple reason governments are reluctant to fund, conduct or publish rigorously controlled large scale studies which look at the effect of additives on human mental health.

Changing farming practices have introduced higher levels of different types of fat into our diet. For example, chickens reach their ideal weight for slaughter twice as quickly today compared to three decades ago this has changed the nutritional profile of meat, according to a report by the Mental Health Foundation (UK). Three decades ago a typical chicken carcass used to be 2% fat today they are a whopping 22%. The omega3 fatty acid content in chicken meat has dropped while the omega6 fatty acids have risen. The same is happening to farmed fish.

CuraGen Corporation (Nasdaq CRGN) announced that its Phase I/II Trial evaluating CR011vcMMAE for the treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer has met the efficacy criteria for advancement to the second stage of enrollment. To date, 29 patients have been enrolled in this trial, including 15 in the Phase II portion. Two of the first four evaluable Phase II patients were progressionfree at 12 weeks, therefore, as part of the Simon 2Stage design, the Phase II trial will now advance to the second stage and enroll a total of approximately 25 patients. The principal investigator of the study is Dr. Linda Vahdat, Medical Director of the Breast Cancer Research Program and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, /Weill Cornell. CuraGen anticipates presenting updated results from this study during the second half of 2009.

About CR011vcMMAE

CR011vcMMAE is an antibodydrug conjugate (ADC) being developed by CuraGen that consists of a fullyhuman monoclonal antibody, CR011, linked to a potent cellkilling drug, monomethylauristatin E (MMAE). The ADC technology, comprised of MMAE and a stable linker system for attaching it to CR011, was licensed from Seattle Genetics, Inc. The ADC is designed to be stable in the bloodstream. Following intravenous administration, CR011vcMMAE targets and binds to GPNMB, a specific protein that is predominantly expressed on the surface of cancer cells, including melanoma, breast cancer and glioma. Upon internalization by the targeted cell, CR011vcMMAE is designed to release MMAE from CR011 to produce a cellkilling effect. CR011vcMMAE is currently in two Phase II trials assessing its safety and efficacy in the treatment of melanoma and for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, and in a Phase I trial to evaluate the safety and activity of alternate dosing schedules.

About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and a leading cause of death in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 180,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2009 with more than 40,000 deaths attributed to this disease. Despite recent advances in therapy, the median survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer is 2 to 3 years, while patients with “triplenegative” or “basallike” breast cancer have limited treatment options and poorer outcomes. Therefore, a significant unmet need remains for novel therapeutic approaches for patients with locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer who have failed other therapies.

About CuraGenCuraGen Corporation (Nasdaq CRGN) is a clinicalstage biopharmaceutical company developing promising approaches for the treatment of cancer. CuraGen Corporation is headquartered in Branford, Connecticut.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this press release regarding managements future expectations, beliefs, intentions, goals, strategies, plans or prospects, including statements relating to CuraGens development program for CR011vcMMAE, including CuraGens ability to advance CR011vcMMAE through Phase II clinical trials for melanoma and metastatic breast cancer, to explore additional doses and schedules of this antibodydrug conjugate, and to explore the potential of CR011vcMMAE in a patient population in need of new therapies may constitute forwardlooking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forwardlooking statements can be identified by terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “could increase the likelihood,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “is planned,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “will enable,” “would be expected,” “look forward,” “may provide,” “would” or similar terms, variations of such terms or the negative of those terms. Such forwardlooking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors including the risk that any one or more of CuraGens drug development programs will not proceed as planned for technical, scientific or commercial reasons or due to patient enrollment issues or based on new information from nonclinical or clinical studies or from other sources, the success of competing products and technologies, CuraGens stage of development as a biopharmaceutical company, government regulation and healthcare reform, technological uncertainty and product development risks, product liability exposure, uncertainty of additional funding, CuraGens history of incurring losses and the uncertainty of achieving profitability, reliance on research collaborations and strategic alliances, competition, patent infringement claims against CuraGens products, processes and technologies, CuraGens ability to protect its patents and proprietary rights and uncertainties relating to commercialization rights, as well as those risks, uncertainties and factors referred to in CuraGens Quarterly Report on Form 10Q for the period ended March 31, 2009 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the section “Risk Factors,” as well as other documents that may be filed by CuraGen from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result of such risks, uncertainties and factors, CuraGens actual results may differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements discussed in or implied by the forwardlooking statements contained herein. CuraGen is providing the information in this press release as of this date and assumes no obligations to update the information included in this press release or revise any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source CuraGen Corporation

It is well known that chronic pain and clinical depression go together, but a study in The Journal of Pain, published by the American Pain Society, shows that the connection between pain and depression is strongest in middleage women and African Americans.

Researchers at Wayne State University studied a representative community sample of 1,100 Michigan residents and found that the incidence of chronic pain, defined as pain persisting for six months, was 22 percent. Approximately 35 percent of those with chronic pain said they had depression, but mood problems were not associated with a particular pain condition or pain site. Researchers evaluated several demographic factors and found that older age was generally related to chronic pain but with comorbid depression. They noted that depression tends to decrease with age while pain tends to increase.

From the data, the authors concluded that in middleage women chronic pain might not be the cause of depression but preexisting mood problems could be associated with development of chronic pain. They further concluded that depression can increase vulnerability to experiencing persistent pain.

The study also showed that African Americans were more likely to have chronic pain with depression than Caucasians. Further analysis showed that racial differences were not attributable to possible socioeconomic factors but might be associated with differences in the use of pain coping strategies. Though income was not a significant risk factor for the study, the authors indicated that occupational factors, such as physically demanding work and poor or no health insurance coverage, may account for the link between lower socioeconomic status and pain, and that financial strain and stress are closely linked with depression.

From their findings, the authors recommend that clinicians screen pain patients for depression and pay close attention to middleage women and African Americans for whom risk for comorbid depression is the highest.

Salon contributor Kate Harding on Monday examined how a lack of training in medical schools is affecting the availability of abortion providers in the U.S. Harding reports that 87% of all U.S. counties and 98% of rural counties have no abortion services. In addition, nearly twothirds of physicians who perform abortions in the second trimester are older than age 50 and “bound to retire sooner rather than later,” she writes. Harding also cites figures from PBS “NOW” showing that the number of abortion providers has dropped by onethird in recent decades from 2,680 in 1985 to 1,787 in 2005. According to Harding, although a fear of violence and a tendency of younger doctors born after Roe v. Wade to “take abortion for granted” are “probably” factors in the drop in providers, another important issue is inadequate education in medical schools. According to a recent survey of Medical Students for Choice student members published in the journal Contraception, 33% of the students “reported no coverage of elective abortionrelated topics,” Harding writes. MS4C reported that fewer than 50 U.S. medical schools, out of 130 accredited institutions, offer abortion training as part of their residency programs. Harding adds that family planning training that does exist is “often patchy and rife with misinformation.”

The reasons for avoiding the issue of abortion in medical education vary, according to Harding. Mitchell Creinin, president of the Society for Family Planning, said that even though abortion is the second most common outpatient procedure in the U.S., many students will not pursue specialties that involve providing abortion and those who do might choose not to offer the procedure. Creinin also noted that doctors in many other specialties complain about the lack of medical school training in their particular fields. According to Harding, taking this view, “you could also argue that its a waste of time in an already overburdened curriculum.”

Another factor is that “the same relentless pressure” from abortionrights opponents “that plagues practicing abortion providers is also directed at medical schools,” Harding writes. According to Susan Wicklund, an obgyn in Montana, some antiabortionrights groups pressure administrators and faculty at medical schools not to discuss abortion and threaten boycotts or picketing. Lois Backus, executive director of MS4C, said the lack of abortion training reflects a larger problem in medicine of focusing on mens health needs over womens. Backus said medical students report that they “get two to three hours on Viagra and half an hour on every contraceptive method combined. Thats the reality of American medical education.” According to Harding, this fact is “even more troubling in light of research that shows exposure to comprehensive family planning education, including abortion, is a strong predictor of whether a medical student will go on to become a provider.”

Creinin said comprehensive education in reproductive health is worthwhile, even for doctors who never intend to perform abortions. He noted that many physicians received training on cancer care, though they are much more likely to treat a patient with an unintended pregnancy. According to Wicklund, the lack of physicians trained in reproductive health also means that women who travel to access an abortion provider cannot get adequate followup care when they return home. Harding adds that such “ignorance often leads to overreaction on the part of doctors” who do not understand how to treat minor complications resulting from abortions, which results in “expensive, unnecessary hospital stays for women who might not have insurance” (Harding, Salon, 6/15).

Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Womens Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Womens Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.