Recently Launched Pharmacy Xpressdelivery.Com Offers Fair Deals On Popular Drugs

New online pharmacy xpressdelivery.com has been launched, offering its services to international customers. This is the first online drugstore to offer cheap generic Viagra online and other impotence medications at a fair price.

Xpressdelivery.com was launched with an understanding of the market lacking a pharmacy that would be truly committed to providing high level of service without charging too much money. This pharmacy was started as a place where it would be possible to buy viagra online, as well as purchase some other highly demanded medications that can be very expensive to buy without a prescription. Because of the company’s close cooperation with the largest manufacturer of cheap generic drugs (generic Viagra being one of them), xpressdelivery.com can offer affordable prices and more options for the customer to save money and leave satisfied. The pharmacy is ready to offer convenient shopping options to its customers, and new ones are introduced every day.

Xpressdelivery.com is planning to become truly international and popular with customers looking to save their money without the quality of their generic Viagra affected. Presently, it’s looking into the opportunity to cooperate with another large manufacturer, that way being able to offer a wider choice of medications at even more attractive prices. Due to years of experience its members of staff have, as well as constant attention to perfecting the services offered to new and regular customers, this pharmacy has already found its niche in the market and will keep working on bringing more advantages to people interested in saving money while shopping for their drugs online.

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Driving While ‘Buzzed’ Is Still Significant Risk For Life-Threatening Accidents

A recently published report indicates that driving while even slightly buzzed causes increased traffic accidents.

The journal, Addiction , published a study from the University of California San Diego which shows that individuals who are buzzed while driving are more likely to speed as well as not use their seatbelts properly. In addition, researchers found that accidents involving alcohol, even at a scant, detectable level, are 36.6 percent more severe than accidents that don’t have alcohol as a contributing factor.

“Many people think, ‘I’ve only had one drink; I’ll be fine to drive’, but this research clearly shows that this is not the case,” begins a spokesperson for Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center . “Understanding the effects of alcohol on the brain, we’ve always been advocates for not driving after consuming what is perceived as a small amount of alcohol. Functionality of the brain is impaired, even with supposed insignificant amounts of alcohol. It’s important to always designate a non-drinking driver when consuming even just one drink. “

This particular study bolsters the position of many who advocate lowering the legal limit of intoxication in an effort to save more lives.

If you know or suspect that your loved one may have a problem with alcohol addiction or any other type of addiction, Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center offers professional intervention services to assist you in getting them the help that they need to recover. For the past 13 years, Mountainside has established itself as an innovator within the addiction treatment field, and the treatment modalities Mountainside utilizes are regarded as among the most cutting-edge approaches in helping individuals to get, and to remain, sober.

The compassionate, caring treatment team at Mountainside is comprised of licensed and certified counselors and social workers as well as a Nurse Practitioner and a Registered Nurse, both of whom have specialization and extensive experience in drug addiction and alcohol treatment. For clients who may have psychiatric issues and/or a dual diagnosis, Mountainside provides the services of a Psychiatrist who also has specialization in addictions. As a result of their unique, innovative approaches to addiction treatment over the past 13 years, Mountainside has become the model for the addiction treatment field.

The program, along with its professional addiction treatment team, have earned national recognition and resulted in Mountainside being invited to Washington by the White House to meet with the White House Drug Czar, John P. Waters, for an in-depth meeting on what makes its program so successful. These accolades did not go unnoticed within the addiction treatment field and resulted in the adoption by many throughout the country of a more holistic approach to drug addiction treatment.

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Pruhealth Becomes Nectar’s Exclusive Healthcare Partner

PruHealth customers can now collect up to 200 Nectar points and 10 Vitality points each week when buying £20 worth of healthy foods* during the weekly shop at Sainsbury’s, under PruHealth’s new and exclusive partnership with Nectar, the largest loyalty programme in the UK.

Enhancing PruHealth’s existing partnership with Sainsbury’s**, the innovative insurer that rewards healthy behaviour has become Nectar’s exclusive healthcare partner within the programme.

Policyholders with Nectar membership can now receive 10 Nectar points per £1 spent in Sainsbury’s on over 1,500 healthy foods***. Customers will also be rewarded 1 Vitality point for every £2 spent on healthy foods, which contributes towards discounts with PruHealth’s reward partners and cashback on the individual’s policy.

Furthermore, Nectar customers wishing to join PruHealth will receive 5,000 Nectar points for taking out a new private medical insurance policy, meaning they could potentially collect up to 15,400 Nectar points in the first year, as well as 520 Vitality points.

Recent findings from PruHealth indicate a third of British adults (33%)**** want to improve their diets and eat more healthily in 2011, and PruHealth and Nectar are committed to helping their members live a healthy lifestyle.

Dr Katie Tryon at PruHealth commented: “We all know what we should be doing to look after ourselves, but we need encouragement to implement these changes into our lifestyle on an ongoing basis. Incentivising healthy behaviour is our core philosophy and we believe our healthy foods initiative can help drive behavioural change amongst our members. We are extremely excited about the possibilities presented by our new partnership with Nectar and our enhanced relationship with Sainsbury’s and look forward to developing further initiatives in the future.”

The innovative insurer hopes the rewards offer an attractive incentive for members to eat healthily, while also providing an attractive proposition for new customers as well. One in ten (12%) British adults said receiving discounts for leading a healthy lifestyle would be an incentive to take out private medical insurance.

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Pruhealth Introduces New Sustainable Commission Model

PruHealth, the insurer that rewards people for engaging in healthy behaviour, has adopted what it believes to be a more sustainable and transparent commission model which rewards long-term partnerships with brokers and aims to deliver lasting client value. From April 2011, all Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) new business has been written on a 10:10 commission* basis, with 10% initial commission and 10% at each renewal.

Speaking at the Laing and Buisson conference, Dave Priestly, sales director at PruHealth argued: “The current market focus on low new business premiums and high initial commissions is unsustainable and the industry needs to adapt in order to decrease churn and over-commoditising the group PMI market. Combined with strong market demand for lower premiums, the combination of claims costs, commission costs and operating costs, outstrip the premiums being charged. As a consequence, renewal premiums are forced up, resulting in more companies looking to switch or reduce their PMI cover.”

The new model is designed to reward long-term relationships by offering level commissions, enabling PruHealth to protect future premiums and remain competitive over the long-term. Brokers who sign up to the partnership scheme could be eligible for ‘portfolio commission’**. This offers the potential for a quarterly new business commission uplift of up to 20% dependant on their portfolio retention, portfolio loss ratio and new business API.

Dave Priestly continued: “We are taking a partnership approach to SME commission and want to share greater rewards with those brokers who work in partnership with us to develop stable and sustainable portfolios. Client retention is as important for our long term success as driving new business. We have chosen to apply level initial and renewal commission for SME business to move us towards a more sustainable future. However, firms who work in partnership with us to develop long-term, stable customer relationships could benefit from a new quarterly payment of ‘portfolio commission.”

PruHealth believes this approach will help foster stronger relationships with its intermediary partners and will also bring more security to customer relationships, allowing them to reap the benefits of a longer term relationship with their insurer. Specifically in the case of PruHealth a long term customer relationship gives them greater opportunity to get more value from our Vitality programme. Health is not a short term commitment and continued engagement in the tools and partners provided within Vitality can make a real difference to people’s health and as a consequence help control premium costs.

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Men Get Beach Buff For Summer With Cosmetic Treatments At The Harley Medical Group

With images of Simon Cowell’s styled hairy chest appearing on Britain’s Got Talent, The Harley Medical Group have reported that laser hair removal amongst men is as popular as ever, up 35 per cent year-on-year, but with a twist – to shape, rather than shed chest hair.

Following in the footsteps of the bikini line, for which women have coined traditional styles such as the ‘Hollywood’, ‘Brazilian’ and the ‘Playboy’, nurses across the Group’s 31 clinics have noticed that men have likewise developed three distinct styles for their chest hair. Most popular is the ‘Bond’, neatening up the edges of a full chest of hair; followed by the upside down triangle style dubbed the‘Cowell’; and the pecks-only look, named the ‘Superman’.

Says Stuart Hogben, laser hair removal patient at The Harley Medical Group: “I have a full chest of hair which is hard to maintain. I wanted to neaten it up, without getting rid of it all. After seeing pictures of Simon Cowell I decided to book in for laser hair removal at The Harley Medical Group, to achieve a similar look in time for my summer holiday. I’m thrilled with the results, it looks great and I’m looking forward to feeling confident on the beach.”

Says Lisa Littlehales, specialist nurse counsellor at The Harley Medical Group: “The lead up to summer is a popular time for men to book in for treatments. Like women, they are conscious of wanting to feel confident on the beach and are keen to eliminate any body issues. Laser Hair Removal is especially popular this year and in addition to those men that want to permanently remove all the body hair from their chests and backs, clinics have been surprised about the new requests to style the shape of the chest hair, in a similar way to the different styles of a bikini line.”

Other popular ‘beach buffing’ treatments for men in the build up to summer include: gynecomastia, up 28 per cent in the first five months of the year; liposuction, up 19 per cent; abdominoplasty, up 12 per cent; and laser treatment for stretch marks and scars, which is up 589 per cent year-on-year.

Littlehales continues: “Although stretch marks are often primarily associated with women, just as many men suffer from them. Men commonly get stretch marks on their lower backs, shoulders and arms, all areas that are on display on the beach. The laser is exclusive to The Harley Medical Group and is proven to reduce the appearance of stretch marks and scars by up to 75 per cent.”

The scars and stretch mark treatment at The Harley Medical Group is the first FDA approved treatment for scars and stretch marks and is available exclusively at The Harley Medical Group. A single treatment costs £250 and a recommended course of four is priced at £950.

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Eye Care Practices Use Social Media To Connect With Patients

Medical Management Services Group, L.L.C. has expanded its Internet development and management consulting services through the formation of a new digital group-iMeme Digital®-to assist eye care and surgery practices to connect with patients through social media vehicles like blogs and Facebook. “We have been active in providing content and developing practice and patient education web sites for some time. The use of social media to help practices and patients stay connected on thoughts about eye care topics like LASIK and cataract surgery offers all involved a useful vehicle for engagement and sharing,” said Katherine Carlisle, Managing Member.

Members of the iMeme Digital® group have been active in the development of internet marketing strategy and implementation since 1999. This includes the development of practice web sites, development and management of LASIK and cataract surgery patient education and surgeon directory sites, direct e-mail campaign and database targeting and development, search engine optimization (SEO) and the full scope of search engine marketing for clients. After evaluating “best practices” and using our experience and resources to formulate a systematic set of solutions for practices wishing to build social media presence through creativity, thoughtfulness and integration into social media, iMeme Digital® is able to offer ophthalmology practices access to the “know how” and “management oversight” necessary to get started in a comprehensive but reasonable format.

“Given the very rapid growth of social media it will become more and more important for eye care and surgery practices to adopt this method of connectivity to patients. Even for those ophthalmology practices that feel they have a solid foundation in internet marketing, participating in social media can be overwhelming and intimidating. It can also be a time consuming, ineffective and resource wasting effort,” said Ms. Carlisle. “The need to blend Internet strategy, brand strategy, patient acquisition strategy and media strategy into a coherent action plan-AND do it in the context of a medical practice with regard to content sensitivities, privacy and security, is not trivial.”

Early adopters of the iMeme Digital® program and services include Baltimore Washington Eye Center in Glen Burnie, Maryland; D’Ambrosio Eye Care in Lancaster Massachusetts; Eyecare Medical Group in Portland, Maine; Doctor & Associates in Westport, Connecticut and Michelson Laser Vision in Birmingham, Alabama.

“We knew that we had to start building a presence for our practice in the social media like Facebook but we just kept getting stuck and didn’t seem to quite get it together,” said Philip Harrington, Practice Administrator at Baltimore Washington Eye Center. “We were pleased to have the guidance, development resources and executional support to get this going.”

“After creating the consistent brand identity across platforms we work to integrate them into a viral network and most importantly assist in the creation of ongoing digital content for ophthalmology practices-that they can be assured helps to reinforce the brand by demonstrating authority, building trust and being social,” stressed Ms. Carlisle. “We take advantage of our collective 70 years of experience in ophthalmology and couple it with media and Internet know how to assist practices in their efforts.”

“At Eyecare Medical Group we had set up a Facebook page that looked just like everyone else’s and thought we were getting somewhere. Then we watched as our pages got transformed and how it projected our brand and identity,” said Clement Berry, Chief Executive Officer of Eyecare Medical Group.

Like Us At: http://www.facebook.com/seewithlasik
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Ardeo Health™ Licenses New Dry Eye Therapy From Novagali Pharma

Ardeo Health, LLC, a biopharmaceutical development and licensing company, announced today that it has reached an agreement with Novagali Pharma S.A. of Evry, France to license Novagali’s novel Nova23041 dry eye therapy for sale in the United States and Canada. The product will be marketed and distributed as Retaine® MGD™ Ophthalmic Emulsion under a brand license from OCuSOFT®, Inc., of Richmond, TX, USA. OCuSOFT, Inc. will also serve as the exclusive distributor under a multiyear agreement between Ardeo and OCuSOFT. Retaine MGD will target those individuals suffering from Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) and Evaporative Dry Eye.

Retaine MGD will be a preservative-free oil-in-water emulsion resulting from Novagali’s patented Novasorb® technology whose efficiency and tolerance in treating dry eyesymptoms have been proven during a number of clinical trials carried out in Europe and Southeast Asia. Successfully marketed since 2008 under the brand name Cationorm®, a brand that belongs to Novagali Pharma, the product is already recommended by ophthalmologists in numerous countries throughout Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Based on the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged Nova23041 eye drop and the negatively charged corneal epithelium of the ocular surface, Novasorb’s technological platform enables the product to be spread in an optimal, uniform and comfortable way across the entire ocular surface, improves retention time and thus reduces the number of drops required each day by MGD and dry eye sufferers due to its increased efficiency and optimal compliance and tolerance.

“Everyone at Ardeo Health is excited to see this newest technology brought to North America. Patients suffering from moderate to severe Dry Eye will now have an alternative to expensive prescription (Rx) therapies”, states Robert “Bob” Sykora, RPh, President & CEO of Ardeo Health. “With these partnerships, Ardeo has the best of both worlds—the science of Novagali coupled with the brand recognition and distribution channels of OCuSOFT”.

Cynthia Barratt, President of OCuSOFT comments, “OCuSOFT has been searching for a truly unique proprietary Dry Eye therapy which also combined a long-term partnership—and we have found that with Ardeo Health and Novagali. I believe Retaine® MGD™ will become the standard of care for those suffering with Meibomian Gland deficiencies and Evaporative Dry Eye symptoms”.

Jérôme Martinez, Chairman of Novagali Pharma, concludes: “We are very pleased to be able to announce, today, the signing of this agreement involving two major American ophthalmology players. Given their proven expertise on the North American ophthalmology market, the Ardeo and OCuSOFT teams will no doubt make Nova23041’s launch in the United States and Canada a success that will enable us to extend the distribution of our unique formulation for treating dry eye symptoms around the world. This agreement confirms the growing reputation of the products and technologies developed by Novagali Pharma in the United States.”

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Holistic Drug Rehab Effective For Combatting Increased Benzodiazepine Abuse

The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently published a study that indicates benzodiazepine usage has tripled over the past decade.

Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs which are used to treat seizures, anxiety and insomnia. They were created back in the 1950’s as an alternative to barbiturate use within the mental health field. While opiates still remained the number one abused controlled substance in this study, benzodiazepines ranked number two.

“All FDA approved medications have their place when used properly,” begins a spokesperson for Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center . “The issue is when those substances fall into the wrong hands. And, since there are more individuals being prescribed these types of drugs, the chances of abuse by a friend or relative are increased. Fortunately, holistic drug rehab is effective in overcoming these types of addictions. Mountainside’s entire team of professional social workers and counselors all have extensive experience in the field of addiction. Our drug rehab program is second to none.”

If you know or suspect that your friend or loved one is abusing benzodiazepines, or any other type of substance, Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center offers professional intervention services to assist you in getting them the help that they need to recover. For the past 13 years, Mountainside has established itself as an innovator within the addiction treatment field, and the treatment modalities Mountainside utilizes are regarded as among the most cutting-edge approaches in helping individuals to get, and to remain, sober.

The compassionate, caring treatment team at Mountainside is comprised of licensed and certified counselors and social workers, as well as a Nurse Practitioner and a Registered Nurse, both of whom have specialization and extensive experience in drug addiction and alcohol treatment. For clients who may have psychiatric issues and/or a dual diagnosis, Mountainside provides the services of a Psychiatrist who also has specialization in addictions. As a result of their unique, innovative approaches to addiction treatment over the past 13 years, Mountainside has become the model for the addiction treatment field.

The program, along with its professional addiction treatment team, have earned national recognition and resulted in Mountainside being invited to Washington by the White House to meet with the White House Drug Czar, John P. Waters, for an in-depth meeting on what makes its program so successful. These accolades did not go unnoticed within the addiction treatment field and resulted in the adoption by many throughout the country of a more holistic approach to drug addiction treatment.

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Bupa Care Homes Roll Out the Red Carpet for Cannes Film Festival

Bupa care homes residents across the UK rolled out the red carpet as they added a local twist to the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

Altogether over 250 care homes, including dementia care homes, transformed rooms into in-house movie theatres and showed classic films, with staff dressing up as famous film stars, such as Charlie Chaplin, and ushers to bring the festival to life. Care home residents were also served popcorn and ice cream during the film intervals. The homes were also joined by entertainers to serenade the residents with their favourite show tunes.

Each home was provided with a selection of iconic movie star photographs in order to set the scene.

Penny Leng, Bupa Care Homes’ national activities manager, said: “Our residential and care home staff really went the extra mile to recreate the cinema experience so residents had the chance to feel part of the action.

“It was a fantastic way to appreciate the glitz and glamour of the Cannes Film Festival, as well as offering a great opportunity for our residents to reminisce and talk about their favourite legends of the silver screen.

“Many of our residents remember the bygone era of when going to the cinema was a really thrilling experience, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed bringing that sense of excitement to life in our homes.”

This year marked the 64th Cannes Film Festival, which took place from 11-22 May. Known as the world’s oldest and most esteemed showcase for European films, movie stars and producers flock to the festival each year to launch their new films.

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Bupa Awards Free Places in Bupa Junior Great Manchester Run

Bupa awarded ten free places in the Bupa Junior Great Manchester Run to pupils from Moorgate Primary School in Bolton, Lancashire.

Ten pupils from the school, situated in close proximity to Bupa’s Mill View Residential and Nursing Home and Nursing Home were offered the chance to tackle the 2.5km course for free.

Bupa awarded the ten free running places to the school, to encourage the children to exercise, after members of staff from the Bupa residential and nursing home delivered Activ-eat, Bupa’s initiative which teaches children the benefits of healthy eating through fun and memorable activities.

The school gratefully snapped up the free places and all funds raised were donated to Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

This year Bupa also offered free running places to the relatives of all its care home residents. In addition, four staff members from Bupa Care Services took part as runners and one as a volunteer.

Sue Kilby, activity coordinator at Bupa’s Mill View Residential and Nursing Home, said: “We have been delivering Activ-eat to the children from Moorgate Primary School for some time and they are always excited about getting involved and learning more about healthy eating. I am so pleased that the children decided to take part in the Bupa Junior Great Manchester Run, and they all did brilliantly on the day.”

Siobhan Drane, Bupa’s community affairs consultant, commented: “As a healthcare company, Bupa is keen to help tackle the issue of child obesity and promote nutrition and exercise. I am delighted that the children at Moorgate wanted to get involved in the run, and it is a great addition to the lessons learnt on our Activ-eat programme.”

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Enabling microRNA Discoveries – 250th Peer-Reviewed Publication Made Possible By µparaflo Custom Microarray Technology

LC Sciences, a life sciences company leading the development of innovative microRNA (miRNA) analysis and discovery technologies, announced today the publication of over 250 peer-reviewed studies using the company’s microarray service for analyzing miRNA expression profiles. These studies, by leading researchers in the field, represent significant steps toward realizing these small regulatory RNA’s potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

MiRNAs have proven to be an extremely important part of the gene expression regulation mechanism of a wide variety of cellular processes. This is evident in the amount of relevant findings by LC Sciences’ customers being translated into published reports and the diverse range of study areas that these publications encompass: cancer research, neuroscience, cardiovascular research, reproductive biology, plant science, microbiology, immunology and stem cell research. LC Sciences’ miRNA profiling service, powered by its µParaflo® custom microarray technology, provides quick, reliable, fully analyzed datasets enabling researchers to immediately move forward with groundbreaking research.

The miRNA field is still nascent, and it is advancing rapidly. The race to discovery has produced a continuous stream of new miRNA sequences as well as routine revisions of inaccurate or incomplete sequences. This fluidity has caused many microarrays with static content to fall away and has fueled reports of the wholesale replacement of microarrays by new methods such as RNA-Seq. But the nimble, customizable format of the µParaflo® array has given it staying power, not only by enabling it to keep current with all known miRNAs, but also by making use of data generated by RNA-Seq. These custom arrays have benefited from RNA-sequencing generating novel content that other arrays are unable to capture and take advantage of.

The 250th study, entitled “Wolbachia uses host microRNAs to manipulate host gene expression and facilitate colonization of the dengue vector Aedes aegypti.” appeared in the May 31st issue of PNAS and was one of a group of articles published recently by LC Sciences’ customers describing microarray expression analysis of miRNAs recently discovered through RNA Sequencing.

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Bath Salt Abuse Becoming International Problem

The most recent substance abused and labeled a designer drug is fast becoming an international epidemic.

Bath salts, a potentially deadly combination of various chemicals such as mephedrone and MDPV, are highly addictive and extremely dangerous, producing hallucinations and physical manifestations that can be fatal.

“What’s remarkable about this substance is that, on the package, it is actually labeled ‘not for human consumption’,” begins a spokesperson for Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center . “It’s terrifying to think that experimentation happens with substances that aren’t even to be ingested into the human body. And, unfortunately America is not the only country to be grossly affected by this epidemic. Countries such as England are also experiencing marked increase in the improper use of bath salts as well as the detrimental effects that follow bath salt abuse.”

Bath salts are particularly appealing to teens and young adults for a variety of reasons, mainly because they are easy and inexpensive to obtain. Producing side effects such as hallucinations and heart palpitations, the effects of the improper use of bath salts have been cited as the cause of death in several autopsies performed globally.

If you know or suspect that your teen or young adult is abusing bath salts or any other type of substance, Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center offers professional intervention services to assist you in getting them the help that they need to recover. For the past 13 years, Mountainside has established itself as an innovator within the addiction treatment field, and the treatment modalities Mountainside utilizes are regarded as among the most cutting-edge approaches in helping individuals to get, and to remain, sober.

The compassionate, caring treatment team at Mountainside is comprised of licensed and certified counselors and social workers as well as a Nurse Practitioner and a Registered Nurse, both of whom have specialization and extensive experience in drug addiction and alcohol treatment. For clients who may have psychiatric issues and/or a dual diagnosis, Mountainside provides the services of a Psychiatrist who also has specialization in addictions. As a result of their unique, innovative approaches to addiction treatment over the past 13 years, Mountainside has become the model for the addiction treatment field.

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Bupa Announces Unhealthy Brits Cost Country Around £17.7 Billion a Year

Bupa has revealed that unhealthy Brits are costing the NHS, employers and themselves £17.7 billion every year through their lifestyle choices, according to new research from the leading international healthcare group. This figure could rise to almost £33bn a year by 2025 if current health trends continue.

The study calculated immediate and long-term potential savings to individuals and public purses if obesity rates stop rising; the 26 per cent of smokers who attempt to quit each year are successful; and excessive drinkers bring their intake down to recommended levels.

According to the findings, making healthier lifestyle choices such as quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake and becoming more active can have an immediate impact on people’s wallets. Signing up for health cash plans could also help save money if any medical problems did arise, which could be found by undergoing health assessments such as a liver check or a coronary health check.

By 2025, if healthier lifestyles are adopted the total savings made by individuals alone across the UK could amount to £22 billion a year, two thirds of the potential annual savings of £33 billion. The £22 billion comes from savings of £5 billion and£3.9 billion through reduced expenditure on alcohol and cigarettes respectively and£7.4 billion saved in additional earning potential due to increased life expectancy from quitting smoking. Individuals could also save £1.7 billion through increased employment and £3.9 billion through increased earning potential due to a fall in obesity levels.

The findings of the report also outline the long-term financial implications of healthier lifestyles to employers and the NHS, which make up the remainder of the £33 billion figure.

Dr Johann Carinus, assistant medical director, Bupa Health and Wellbeing, said:
“This study not only reveals the true cost to the nation of unhealthy lifestyle choices but it also highlights the considerable savings to the public purse which could be achieved through individual commitments to health improvement.

“Data released earlier this year from the Bupa ‘Health Age’ report showed that almost 70 per cent of people in the UK wanted to make a positive change to improve their health in 2011. While ultimately it’s up to individuals to make healthy lifestyle choices, there is a huge opportunity for healthcare providers and employers to play their part in empowering individuals to live more healthily. The benefits for everyone are clear.”

To coincide with the new findings, Bupa is launching the “Bupa Health Pledge” campaign, calling on the public to make a Pledge to achieve their health goals – whether it’s to quit smoking, cut down on alcohol, eat more healthily or do more exercise. Bupa has launched a simple tool that allows members of the public to track their progress on a specific Health Pledge and access information, free expert advice and support needed to make the desired change, all on its Facebook page.

As Bupa’s own Health Pledge, the healthcare company is also committing to donate £1 to the British Heart Foundation for everyone who signs up to a Pledge.

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A Dream Team for HIV Cure Research

This Sunday will mark the 30th anniversary of the first reports of AIDS in the United States. There is still a long road ahead toward eradicating HIV, but a “dream team for HIV reservoirs cure” has been created since 2003 with this objective.

While the HIV pandemic is still growing, with more than 7,100 daily new cases of infection, there is evidence that antiretroviral therapy costs could treble over the next 20 years.

Today there are more than 30 drugs approved to treat HIV, and while they cannot cure it, they can keep the virus suppressed to undetectable levels in blood. But HIV persists dormant in some “reservoir” and each time antiretroviral therapy is stopped, the infection rekindles. Lifelong therapy is therefore mandatory but brings problems of compliance, resistance, toxicity and cost.

These reservoirs were first described in 1997 and 5 years later Alain Lafeuillade, a French Doctor involved in HIV research, considered that it would be the challenge of the 21st Century. He consequently founded a working group uniting researchers from all over the world that first met in December 2003. This first “HIV Reservoirs, Persistence and Eradication Strategies Workshop” welcomed around 130 scientists actively involved in the field. “At that time we were seen as utopists, Doctor Lafeuillade said, and quite ignored by funding agencies and pharmaceutical companies”.

But minds greatly changed in the following years and in 2009, when the “dream team” met for the 4th time, the workshop was officially supported by the NIH (National Institutes of Health) and the ANRS (French Agency for AIDS Research). In between 2 workshops, the group of scientists are in touch via a specialized website portal they also have created.

“At the end of this year we will reconvene, Doctor Lafeuillade added, and be more than 200 scientists working on HIV cure”. The program of this 5th workshop goes from in vitro models of HIV persistence to HIV eradication clinical trials. “Participants will be able to define a clear road map for HIV cure research with a precise agenda”, Doctor Lafeuillade emphasized.

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Men Seek ‘Boytox’ And Surgery To Save Their Jobs And To Compete In Jobs Market

The Harley Medical Group Ireland has revealed a cosmetic surgery boom amongst FAMs (forty or fifty year old alpha males) reporting year-on-year increases as follows:

+ Boytox up 43%
+ Microdermabrasion 32%
+ Face lifts up 16%
+ Male Breast Reduction 28%
+ Blepharoplasty up 26%
+ Chin lifts up 38%

The recession may have had an unexpected consequence for men, particularly those over 40, according to The Harley Medical Group who are today reporting a more than 300% increase in the past 10 years in the number of men seeking Boytox and other cosmetic surgery procedures at its Dublin clinic. While there was once a stigma attached to men seeking cosmetic improvements in Ireland, that taboo has nearly disappeared, especially among men seeking to save their job or to find a job. The number of men gettingfacelifts rose 16% from 2009 to 2010 while men using Boytox increased by a massive 43% and male liposuction rose 9%, according to new statistics just released by The Harley Medical Group. The reason for the increases appears to be related to a tougher job market, which has hit men disproportionately.

“We have attributed the dramatic rise in cosmetic procedures for men in Ireland to the fact that many men want to stay looking young so that they can compete with their younger counterparts as competition for jobs becomes fiercer during the recession”, says Liz Dale, Director of The Harley Medical Group.

“Many men are conscious that their appearance may be a reason that they received or did not receive a promotion or new job. These men claim that they either want to look younger, healthier, or both, in order to help their confidence and also assist them with their careers. Men in their forties often start with Rejuvenation Packages, a course of Boytox, a dermal filler and laser treatments, and then start looking for a more dramatic surgical solution when they hit their fifties, opting for surgery to remove eye bags and even full facelifts to turn back the clock,” she added.

The figures released today also reveal that 20% of all Botox patients at The Harley Medical Group are now men. According to The Harley Medical Group’s Boytox doctor, Dr Quinn, the average male Boytox patient is aged between 34 and 45 years.

Dr Quinn explains: “Our patients are looking to gain an edge in their looks and take off a few years. Most recently, I am treating patients who have just lost their jobs due to the recession and are seriously concerned about their future job prospects with many having spent several years in the same job. The results from a short treatment of Boytox and possibly dermal fillers can be dramatic and make them look younger while giving them more confidence in the job market. The main areas that men seek treatment for are excessive smile lines (or crow’s feet) and the deep horizontal lines across their forehead associated with ageing. Many of my younger patients opt for ‘Baby Botox’, a lighter variation of the treatment that uses extremely low doses of the toxin, giving a subtle and natural effect.”

Via EPR Network
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Bath Salts Pose Legitimate Danger For Teens, Young Adults

It may be difficult to believe that something with such an innocuous name can be so dangerous, even deadly.

A new designer drug marketed as “bath salts” has nothing to do with a relaxing time bathing. In fact, many are using the product with no thought of relaxing at all.

“Bath salts are being legally sold and are being used by more and more young people to get high,” begins a spokesperson for Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center . “They can be found at many convenience stores or smoke shops, and they contain stimulants such as mephedrone and MDPV. Individuals generally snort them to get high, but they can also be smoked or injected. Some states have banned the sale of bath salts and Mountainside is hoping to help push a nationwide ban on the substance. If we don’t address this problem immediately, there will be a whole new drug epidemic plaguing America and, with that, comes tragic deaths.”

Bath salts are among the growing group of the so-called designer drugs that produce a high similar to that of a methamphetamine or cocaine, but with the addition of hallucinogenic side effects. Sold under a variety of different names, the use of bath salts has been linked to suicide, hallucinogenic rages, and even speculation of murder.

If you know or suspect that your teen or young adult is abusing bath salts or any other type of substance, Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center offers professional intervention services to assist you in getting them the help that they need to recover. For the past 13 years, Mountainside has established itself as an innovator within the addiction treatment field, and the treatment modalities Mountainside utilizes are regarded as among the most cutting-edge approaches in helping individuals to get, and to remain, sober.

The compassionate, caring treatment team at Mountainside is comprised of licensed and certified counselors and social workers as well as a Nurse Practitioner and a Registered Nurse, both of whom have specialization and extensive experience in drug addiction and alcohol treatment. For clients who may have psychiatric issues and/or a dual diagnosis, Mountainside provides the services of a Psychiatrist who also has specialization in addictions. As a result of their unique, innovative approaches to addiction treatment over the past 13 years, Mountainside has become the model for the addiction treatment field.

Via EPR Network
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Life Line Screening Reveals Private Health Screening Survey

Life Line Screening has published the results of its private health screening survey.

Private health screening is becoming increasingly popular in the UK & Ireland. Whilst there are metrics on the benefits of screenings in detecting potentially life-threatening conditions early, and thereby preventing conditions such as Stroke and cardiovascular disease, Life Line Screening’s report aims to provide more evidence relating to the effects of screenings on modifying behavioural change.

One area of debate about health screening is that certain types of health screening can lead to “false reassurance”. An individual who has a screening may gain the impression that they have a clean bill of health if no risk factors have been identified. As a result, they may choose to pay less attention to their health overall and lead a less healthy lifestyle than they would otherwise have done. This research aims to look further at this hypothesis and gauge a better understanding of the motivations of individuals who have health screenings, based on evidence rather than subjective judgements. It aims to understand the proportions of individuals who choose to improve their health as well as the number of people who choose not to.

136 people who had Life Line Screening health screenings were surveyed in July 2010 by a researcher from Addenbrookes Hospital. They were invited to answers questions based on their perceptions on health and lifestyle changes as a result of having had a screening.

When asked “Did going for a screening make you think more about your health?” 77% of responders answered yes. Participants were then asked if they have made any positive changes to their lifestyle following their screening. 51% stated they had started eating more healthily, 45% stated they had started exercising more than before (and 18% of the total had tried a new exercise), 35% reported losing weight, 71% had focused on keeping weight at a healthy level, 60% were careful about alcohol consumption, 52% commented that they were controlling their stress levels, 30% reported they had read more health-focussed publications and 74% paid more attention to their overall health.

Only 7% of all responders commented that they had led less-healthy lifestyle following their screening.

The full report on the impact of health screening on lifestyle change is available on the Life Line Screening website in PDF format.

Via EPR Network
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Cataract Awareness Month in Greater Boston at D’Ambrosio Eye Care

D’Ambrosio Eye Care wishes to announce that Prevent Blindness America has designated June as National Cataract Awareness Month.

“Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. About 20.5 million Americans age 40 and older have cataracts and more than half of all Americans develop cataracts by age 80,” commented Francis A. D’Ambrosio, Jr., M.D., a Boston area eye physician and surgeon and Medical Director of D’Ambrosio Eye Care.

Many patients do not actually know that a cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens of the eye preventing light rays from passing through it easily. This results in a clouding and blurring of vision. Patients should understand that cataracts are not a growth or a film over the eye. For many patients cataracts start out slowly and have little effect on vision at first. But, as the cataract becomes denser, so does the impact on vision. The most common symptoms that bother patients with cataracts include:

• blurring of vision
• sensitivity to light and glare
• double vision in one eye
• poor night vision
• fading or yellowing of colors
• frequent changes in glasses or contact lens prescriptions.

“When cataracts do begin to interfere with daily activities or with patient comfort and safety, they can be treated surgically. Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most frequently performed surgeries in the United States. Today, we have a full range of Intraocular Lens Implants (IOL) available that allow us to correct near vision as well as distance vision without requiring bifocals or reading glasses for the vast majority of patients”, said Dr. D’Ambrosio, Jr.

D’Ambrosio Eye Care is a leading Massachusetts eye care practice with offices in Lancaster, Acton and Gardner, staffed by a team of Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and Intraocular Lens Implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, management of eye inflammation, ocular inflammatory disease and uveitis and diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration, diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services.

Francis A. D’Ambrosio, Jr., M.D. is a founding member of the LASIK Eye Surgery Patient Information and LASIK Surgeon Directory at http://www.seewithlasik.com and the Cataract Surgery, Intraocular Lens Implant (IOL) and Cataract Surgeon Directory at http://www.aboutcataractsurgery.com.

Via EPR Network
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Brits Are Marking The Anniversary Of Their Boob Jobs With Birthday-Style Celebrations

Busty British women are finding another way to celebrate their body confidence by throwing ‘boobirthdays’ to mark the anniversary of their breast augmentation surgery, in a bid to demonstrate the positive effect it has had on their lives.

With specific blogs and sites dedicated to cosmetic surgery, such as boobjobsupportforum.forumotion.co.uk, being used by bloggers to celebrate boobirthdays, nurses at The Harley Medical Group, the UK’s biggest cosmetic surgery provider, have noticed that women are now taking this growing trend offline. Nurses across the Group’s 31 clinics have reported that women are having boob job birthdays in their homes with family and friends, with the common aim of wanting to share with other women and with each other, how great they feel.

Lisa Littlehales, specialist nurse counsellor at The Harley Medical Group, says: “Lots of our patients keep in touch with the nurses who cared for them during their surgery process and they have noticed a small but significant number of these women comment that they like to mark the date of their breast enlargement each year – with many of our nurses even being invited to the patient’s big day. For many women, this date marks a turning point in their lives from feeling under confident, to loving the skin they are in and they like to celebrate their new lives each year.”

Says Emma Parmenter, 41, who had a breast enlargement at The Harley Medical Group: “I had my breast enlargement when I was 31 as I had very small breasts which greatly affected my confidence. My surgery was the best thing I have ever done, it completely changed my life and my image confidence has been great ever since.”

Emma continues: “I’m 41 now and feel really lucky to still feel as confident about my breasts as I was ten years ago when I first had surgery. I was so close to the nurse who looked after me throughout the experience and during my aftercare, when I decided to throw a party in celebration of my breast augmentation anniversary, she was the first person I invited. I’m still thrilled with the results and more confident than ever – I can’t think of any better reason to celebrate!”

Via EPR Network
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Brits Turn to The Harley Medical Group for Pre-reunion Pampering

The UK’s biggest cosmetic surgery provider reports surge in women booking in for pre-reunion treatments.

The Harley Medical Group has announced a rise in non-surgical bookings for the first four months of the year, ahead of June, the most popular summer month for reunions in the UK*.

The UK’s largest cosmetic surgery group, which treated over 2,000 patients during April, has seen the biggest rise in non-surgical bookings amongst patients aged 25-35 years old. Bookings amongst men and women in this age group, are up 21% compared to the same time last year, with patients looking to refresh their skin and give themselves a “new you” feel.

Says Lisa Littlehales, specialist nurse counsellor at The Harley Medical Group:
“Many men and women are conscious of the effects that ageing has on their face and bodies. From 25 years old onwards we start losing, on average, 1.5% collagen from our skin every year. This is the age that fine lines begin to appear, pores become more visible and skin elasticity begins to decrease. Patients tend to book in for Botox, dermal fillers and other non-surgical treatments, to help prevent the ageing process, rejuvenate their skin and give them a fresher more youthful look.”

Littlehales continues: “We’ve have noticed that more patients are booking treatments in time for big events such as reunions, weddings and landmark birthdays – all events where they are likely to see people they haven’t seen for years. Many patients want to look and feel their best in front of people who may compare them to how they looked years ago.”

Says Matt Bushby, head of Friends Reunited: “June is the most popular time of the summer for reunions, this is the start of the wedding season and with the boom in social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, it is easier for people to find each other and arrange a meeting.”

The most popular reunion treatments at The Harley Medical Group are Botox and dermal fillers which have seen an 11% rise in bookings for the first four months of 2011, followed by skin peels, medical microdermabrasion and laser treatments for stretch marks and hair removal. Adding to this, the non-surgical facelift has seen 30 bookings since its launch in April.

Via EPR Network
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